Christmas comes and goes so fast

Our Christmas holiday has and is coming together nicely. Last Sunday we were at our nephew Mark and his wife Megan's for Carol's side of the family's get together with brunch and gift exchanging. We had a very nice time there, Ian was able to be here with his girlfriend Alie. The day before Carol and I made the rounds to get most of our shopping done. Ian was back with us last night and is home until Sunday when he needs to return to work in New Hampshire so its us and the pets for Christmas Day. Sunday, Carol and I will join with some of my brothers and sister's family to celebrate at my mother's. I need to remember to slow things down in the mind to appreciate the time we get to spend together with our familys.

Cubical makeover

Over the last few weekends and through several more in January my company's office has taken on a office space renovation. Cubicles, walled offices and carpeting have become quite shabby and a makeover was well over due. We occupy two stories of a nine story building in downtown Portland, Maine. I think we've been at this location about fifteen years and moved in with the cubicles we had from our former location. The office areas were divided into phases which took place over the described weekends – my location was included in last weekend's phase.

Here's my cube's "before" appearance with it's "disaster in progress" motif. The deco is a cross between a neglected museum and a vandalized campaign headquarters. The makeover was a welcome relief and an excuse for starting over.

The four packing boxes on the left hold nearly everything that I couldn't throw or cart away and the remaining few items get thrown in a box on my way out the door for the weekend.

My "after" photo. Monday morning I had to hit the ground running to meet a couple of deadlines though I did a bit of unpacking during the day and finished up yesterday before leaving for a few days vacation. I'll say that it will be keep neat and tidy but only time will tell.

Holiday season time off

Getting near the end of the year I have about five days of vacation left so I'm splitting it up over these last three weeks of December. There is no carry over of vacation time into the next year. Sad to say the one I took last Friday ended up with me going into the office for a couple of hours anyway. I took that pound of flesh back on today's timecard entry. Tomorrow and Thursday will be free and easy days off with nothing at the office to pull me back. Friday is the company's Christmas holiday then next week I'll work the same schedule as this week with Friday being our New Year's holiday.

Another winter is upon us

Not officially of course but then again for the longest time I have considered the beginning of December as the first days of winter. These pictures are from the back yard last Saturday morning after I shoveled off the deck. First good coverage of the season.

Didn't last long as the sunshine over the course of the day melted most of it away. Late yesterday afternoon though brought us a fresh 3 inches of snow before Carol and came home from work and a visit to our fitness center so my day's workout wasn't over yet. It was the light fluffy variety so all-in-all it didn't take me long to clear the driveway or Carol to clean off the deck and front patio.

I'll be keeping the shovel handy and the snowblower gased up.

Mighty winds

Beginning with some mighty rain overnight Sunday we've had some pretty strong winds blowing through the region, the leftovers of Tropical Storm Tomas I guess which blew up the eastern seaboard then into the Canadian Maritime Provinces.

On my noon walk Monday I came across this tree split at the base up at the Eastern Promenade.

Tuesday's walk included this view of Deering Street. Most of the leaves are down forming a soggy carpet along the roadway.

This morning on my way to the office I noticed this sign which as I approached appeared to have been bend over from the winds. On closer examination the wind had knocked it over but only because it had been installed by attaching it to the brick work. Maybe getting hired by the public Works Department should require some sort of IQ test.

A window of opportunity

Last week while Carol and I were at work some creep(s) took the opportunity to pry open a window and made off with our flat screen TV, some cash, a backpack with a sleeping bag and MY laptop. I came home first to discover the break-in and called 911. A Deputy of the County's Sheriff Department was dispatched to investigate and take our statement. He was very thorough and we were very impressed with the job he did in gathering evidence and asking us questions. Definitely a fine example of law enforcement in our region. Some folks have speculated that I must feel violated to have some stranger in our house going through our stuff. No, that's not how I feel... I'm angry, angry that someone would enter a regular person's home and take "stuff"!! No diamonds here, we have no fancy jewelry, no famous art pieces, no weapons, no prescription drugs, just our STUFF including my simple not too fancy but likable laptop. I do find it difficult to define the perpetrator as a thieve. A thieve must know what he's doing, the risk he is taking is worth it - can you imagine the possibly of doing jail time for taking someone's stuff, please. I know, it happens all the time. Actually, in the twenty-five plus years we've lived here this is the third time we had a break-in, each time while we were away at work and each time nickel and dime stuff but this was the first time a TV and computer were taken. Unfortunately we've been keeping the dogs out back in the kennel. Now one resides in the house while we're away. We have a few ideas to improve security to protect our stuff, this is a work in progress, we'll get there

That time of a election year

More mentally painful than scratching fingernails along a blackboard - this election year's ads. You'd thing that each of the candidate's opponents were axe-murders or jackboot wearing contestants on "The Taxes are Right". Well in some cases accusations may be close but please if they'd just run the ads a little less I'd appreciate it. If there's truth in an ad then it's exaggerated, if not then they stretch the truth. Good thing truth is resilient but you need to dig to find it. Read the candidate's website for documented claims then track down the facts elsewhere. Check out the news sources, do they seem to have their own agenda? This is not work for the faint of heart. Just know that what you want may be flawed if you don't weight the consequences of one policy/issue against the ramifications. One truth is that maybe this elections is no worst that past election year's but it sounds like it to me.

A day to remember

Today is Carol and mine 35th wedding anniversary. I think she likes me.

These guys are going to Deerfield Fair...

... and so are we. Carol and I will load up the camper and drive to a campground not to far from the fairgrounds. After a year's absence, last year we did the Loon Mt. New Hampshire Highlands Games, now we'll be back at Deerfield. All day Saturday we'll wander around the exhibits, visit the livestock barns, watch oxen pulls, eat foods that aren't very good for us but taste great and generally enjoy being part of a mass of humanity crowded together doing these same things. Not something I want to do frequently but once a year I'm into it. Truly the day revolves around food. The base plan, subject to change, goes like this - breakfast at the 4H booth, sausage with green peppers and onions for lunch, a steak and cheese for supper and everything else in between including other food goodies like french fries, sweet potato fries, ice cream, fudge, bison burgers, fresh roasted nuts of all types, soup in a bread bowl. I guess that's why everyone keeps walking, got to burn up a few of those calories somehow.

Here are some photos from earlier years

Deflating results

Aaron Rodgers ready to let one fly downfield.

Stayed up to watch the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football play the Chicago Bears. Things started out pretty well with an early lead by the Pack but signs of the Bears getting their act together and the Packers losing their edge were indications for a poor second half for the Green and Gold. 18 penalties finally did the Pack in as a late fumble by WR James Jones led to a winning drive by the Bears as the Packers self-destructed with a couple of personal foul penalties totaling 30 yards was the final straw to what began as classic battle between these long-time rivals. Frustrating lost (20 - 17), at least it's early in the season and still a lot of football to be played. Last game of the season is January 2nd... Bears come to Green Bay, should be a drag out knock down affair, I wouldn't miss it.

Books on deck

After a slow start in 2010 the list of books I've read and am reading has reached twelve. Given what time I've had I'm pretty satisfied at this point and am expecting to read three or four more at least by years end. Funny thing is, I find that I have had two or three ongoing at the same time. That's a little hard to explain as I'm not quite sure it makes a whole lot of sense myself. I think some of it is that I've been reading a few non-SciFi books which though interesting don't feed the space opera beast within me so to compensate I'll grab a used purchase of mild interest read a bit of it now and then. Since beginning that practice I've continued it regardless of what else I'm reading that I consider my "main" book. The books pictured below are what I'm now actively reading. Alastair Reynold's "Galactic North" is the first ebook I've bought and am reading it on my computer, it's a collection of short stories which so far seems to backfill story lines in his following books. The program I'm using is from Borders and it works very smoothly and am surprised at how easy it is to read this way. The "Reality Dysfunction" by Peter Hamiltion is a tome, its 2 inches thick though the height and width of a standard paperback. That's a wine cork standing next to it. I bought it used from a online book reseller. The book itself is the first of a trilogy which is comprised of two books each that I had already purchased the remaining parts of the series used at Anne's Bookstop none of which are quite as thick. The last one is the present long term ongoing book, Robert Heinlein's first book he tried to get published and wasn't, "For Us the Living". It was found long after his death and then published. I've read most of his books and this one pales compare to the main body of his works but I feel obligated to complete it. Found it in a used book store.

When work isn't work... at least for a little while

One of our project managers held a photo session/lunch get together for his project team to celebrate the re-procurement of the ongoing contract with a big client of ours. I was invited as I provide frequent graphics support for their efforts. The photos of the members of the project team are used as part of a calendar and a holiday greeting card (both done by yours truly) to the department of the client that we work directly with. Today was that day and late this morning we car pooled to Portland Headlight, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States which we used as a backdrop for the group photos.

Next we went to the Lobster Shack at Two Lights where we had lunch at picnic tables overlooking the rocky coast and the ocean beyond. All in all not a bad mid-day at the "office".

I had the Lobster Roll Boat
(photo of roll shows one bite taken).

Sign of the season

National Football League season that is. Tonight is the first game of the season, the Minnesota Vikings at the New Orleans Saints. I'm sure I won't stay up until the end of the game though I'll be rooting hard for the Saints as the Vikings are in my beloved Green Bay Packers' NFC North division. They'll be duking it out for the division title, both have potent offenses while the Vikings defense is quite good and the Packers' is getting better in the new system they began using last season. Unlike the other major American sports the NFL is the only one that I'll watch most every game I can and if the Packers are on I'll stay up for the late games. I don't have Direct TV and the NFL package so I can't watch every game they play so when Green Bay plays on one of the regular channels I try to make sure I'm in front of a TV.

Labor Day Weekend Sightseeing

Sunday Carol and I were out of the campsite before 9am for an early arrival at Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows Observatory. We paid $5 each to visit both venues which was quite a bargain in these days when many places are squeezing the be-dickens out of our wallets. We headed straight to the observatory where only two vehicles were parked. I'd figured getting there early would avoid waiting to go up the elevator and maybe sharing the view with very few people. It couldn't have worked out better as when we arrived at the base of the observatory's tower the Park Service Ranger directed us right into the empty elevator. A forty story ride in two minutes where we were met by another ranger who pointed us to a narrow flight of stairs two stories to the top level and it's 360 degree view of the Penobscot Valley. We had the place to ourselves for over a half hour before other people began arriving. We used our time looking around us and taking some pictures. As recommended in the literature I viewed online I had brought binoculars. We also watched an eagle flying along the riverside. You have to bear with us as the photos from the observatory have reflections from shooting through the windows. The bridge that the Penobscot Narrows River Bridge replaced has as of yet has not been demolished as you'll see it in several of the following pictures.

That's Fort Knox in the foreground.

Looking down at the old bridge

Compass directions inlayed on the floor.

Yep, I was there.

Afterward we to drove back to the park entrance parking lot and proceeded to Fort Knox. I expected to make short work of this visit, was I wrong. I think we spent over two hours wandering over almost every square inch and though there was nothing particularly stunning it was nonetheless an intriguing visit itself along with the wonderful view around us.



















After leaving we grabbed some lunch and headed back to the campground for an afternoon of kicking back and reading before I fired up the charcoals to grill a large steak to go along with the potatoes and corn on the cob Carol prepared followed by more reading into the evening by the campfire.

One dark day in the middle of the night...

Sort of describes the effect that (now) tropical storm Earl (the former hurricane) had on our first day at Balsam Cove Campground. Waves of rain started moving through the region around 1am with increasing variations every couple of hours. At about 5am I found a spot where water was coming into the camper so that needed attention to keep it under control. A combination of a couple of small pots and the occasional toweling masterfully managed by Carol. The forecast for clearing skies this afternoon was the case and actually began well before noon. To celebrate we took a drive around the peninsular area encompassing the towns of Penobscot, Castine, Brooksville, Sedgewick and Blue Hill, much of it with views to the bays and small harbors surrounding them.

Daylight view with the rain coming down.

Mudflats looking out over Penobscot Bay.

Maine Maritime Academy's training vessel.
I've seen this docked in Portland Harbor also.

These are more photos of the Castine Harbor

Overall view of our campsite.

So this blog's title is from a little ditty which I learned at some point of my childhood that goes like this:

One dark day in the middle of the night
two boys got up and started to fight.
They drew their swords and shot each other.
A deaf policeman across the street
heard those boys and came over and shot those boys
and if you don't believe me just ask
the blind woman across the street,
she saw the whole thing!

The things that stick with you from childhood.