Essex Seafood

Yesterday, after a nice suggestion by Tommy O'Shea to go out for some fried clams, we headed up to Essex Seafood for the best fried clams in New England.
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That's not my assertion... it's a claim made by Brooke Dojny, author of the New England Clam Shack Cookbook, and I really agree with it.
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Quantity and Quality. Huge plates of clams, fries, and rings, but not the least bit greasy. All presented in an informal, help yourself setting. Don't dress up, just go out and fulfull your craving.
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All the tourists in Essex go to Woodman's where the fried clam was invented, but you won't find many tourists at Essex Seafood.... just die-hard, local, happy seafood consumers.
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Doug Maxfield, renowned Essex fisherman and the guy who sold me the WhaleEye, first turned me on to this place, when we were up buying his boat seven or eight years ago. I suggested lunch at Woodman's, but he turned us to where all the locals go.
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Doug is an excellent Peep for many reasons, and this is just one of them.
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You won't be distracted by oceanscapes or anything.... the setting is picnic tables and a gravel parking lot off of Route 133 past the Gloucester line in Essex, MA. The focus is on the food.
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But the ride up to the Cape Ann location is very scenic and not that long.
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It was a nice fix for a strong clam crave, but it will wear off soon and we will be back.

Vacation

President Obama is down at Martha's Vineyard taking a well deserved vacation.
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I hope he has good weather. I had originally picked this week to take off, but the events of the summer has shifted this off. Maybe some half days and some extra fishing this week, but other than that, I have to keep my hand in the game.
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Vacations are a pain anyway. When I take one, I truly "vacate" and lose touch with the pulse of whatever I have on the table. Then when I come back, the re-entry is very stressful. Little issues that normally are handled easily pose a lot more effort than usual. So I prefer not to completely vacate.
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I'm sure that the President doesn't have that luxury either.
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I do plan to escape to Paris or Rome in the not too distant future though for a week or so. I've never been to Europe, but the Peeps there deserve a personal appearance.

30 Years Out

You love your kids... and you want to give them everything.
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And Lord knows... they want to take it.
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You have a bottle of red wine??? They take it.
They need some tennis balls???? They take yours, and you never see them again.
You have a case of beer in the down stairs refridgerator??? Oh Man, is that gone or what!
They notice a golf club in your bag that they like???? You'll notice it's gone when you reach for it on the second hole.
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I can go on, but it really boils down to one central tenet.
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"What's mine is mine... and what's your's is mine."
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And when you finally get pissed off and tell them what you think, they tell you that you are a maniac with anger issues.
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My only hope is that when I am 85 and need somebody to change my Depends, I can count on them. I'll let you know how that works out in a blog post some thirty odd years from now..,,

Hurricane Bill

Have you seen the size of this storm? It is freaking huge. I sure hope it makes that right turn as projected.

Willow Removal

The huge Willow trees in the yard adjacent to our backyard were removed yesterday by a crane operation that was set up in my driveway and hoisted all sections over our house.

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An impressive operation by the crew at Cicoria Tree Service from Danvers.

Throttle UP

I haven't been a full throttle at Nanepashemet Telecom for the last week or so. Since I haven't taken a vacation and no longer plan to, I've scaled the intensity back a bit. But today will be different with a full agenda ahead.
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Plus it is Day 17 of the streak.

Buff Update

No news today. No scandals, no issues.
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I don't suppose that anyone cares that I completed my 16th consecutive day of getting a workout in. That's 16 days in a row, getting a burn in before taking a shower. Today it was only 6.7 mi on the Cybex over 20 minutes, but I still got my heartrate up to 148 and had a good sweat going.
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Plus I didn't eat a high calorie take out lunch.
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So you would think that I was starting to lose a little weight. So far, no discernable difference in the way my clothes feel. But I am feeling far more flexible, and picking up tools from the garage floor is not nearly as painful.
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So that's something good. I'll take that benefit as worth the effort. Not going to get serious about weight loss until Day 100 has arrived. Then I'll assess the situation, and see if this regimen will buff me up or if I have to intensify in one way or another.
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By that time, the habit should be in full swing and maybe we will only be tweaking here and there. I would like to get to running outside, but the pounding on my knees in my current fat boy state always ends up with a painful injury which will sideline the consistency of workouts. We'll keep it slow and steady for the time being.

Clearing the Decks

Workbench Project is almost done. The end vises went on easily, but the shoulder vise is not right. Once I Fix this, and drill the dog holes, we will be ready for a spray finish.
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Will delay the finish until Kate's Adirondack Chairs are complete, so that I can spray all at the same time.

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After that, the decks will be clear to get back on the Chamberlain Marblehead Gunning Dory.

Doggy

Sure, Jack Dog.
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Now you're all cute and cuddily.
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But what about last night when I had to wait for you in the backyard while you hid in the fallen willow branches for about 15 minutes????
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Naturally Katelyn wasn't around and I've got better things to do at 1:30 in the morning then wait for you to take your sweet time doing your doggy pee pee.
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Not so cute then were you?

Rowing Circuit

Another day of rowing from Riverhead Beach, out and around Brown' s Island and back. About 4 miles.
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It's a pain dodging yachts in Marblehead Harbor and when you finally get out of it the wake waves are a bit harrowing. Not that they scare me or anything.
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Heading over to Brown's Island, I was hoping to tie up with "My Friend Who Doesn't Want His Name Mentioned in the Blog" but the Damp Yankee was nowhere to be found. Man.... was I thirsty for a beer at that time, but no takers.
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So I rowed back. sustained by a couple of Mike's Hard Limes.
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Blackburn Challenge

As I enter day 13 of Operation Buff, I've allowed myself to fantasize about entering the Blackburn Challenge open ocean 20 mi. rowing race around Cape Ann in Gloucester next July.
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Emphasis on the word "fantasize".
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Don't think I'd want to do it in the Herreshoff Columbia Yacht Tender. And the Marblehead Gunning Dory is far from complete. I would have to finish the Dory, install two Piandetosi Sliding Seats, and find another victim who would like to make the 4 hour row with me.
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The first two conditions are doable with the right commitment. Finding a rowing partner is another.
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If you are comfortable with torture, and would like to volunteer, send me an email at

jnestor@nanepashemet.com

..... and I will consider your proposal.
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Course you would have to be in shape for the challenge.... and so would I.
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Plus, in addition to the physical torture, you would have to have the mental edge to endure my constant whining and kvetching for multiple hours. I would have to insist that no instruments with sharp edges be taken on this row. So if you threw me overboard, I wouldn't be attracting sharks from open wound bleeding.
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From my experience in rowing 4 miles around Marblehead Harbor every once in awhile, 20 miles is a freaking hike. But I'm game if you are.

No Plan Weekend

This weekend is shaping up as the best weather of the summer in the Boston area.
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So I don't want to get myself wrapped up in a single project. That's right... Katelyn's Adirondack Chair will be on hold. And I won't be doing any obligatory household chores.
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I'm thinking a little fishing, and a lot of tie-ups at Brown's Island. Maybe I'll clean out the boat grill and fire up some snappers, wings and burgers. Plus beers. Lots of them.