Blessings of the Season

The Bash at Ryan and Kim's house was a worthy edition to the revered 25 year old event.  Ryan's smoked ribs gave homage to the culinary excellence that has been a hallmark of the Bash year after year.  The spread included Tommy O's Bobby Bryne Clam Chowder and  Daughter-in-Law Pam Nestor's Pam Pies.   Mike Nestor  cracked open a new bottle of Lagavulin 16 year, and the King of Scotch held its own amid the bounty of the event.

Finer fare is not to be found.

I did get a little pushback from SuperPeep Brian Butler, who was obviously disappointed that the cuisine did not include my celebrated "White Trash Balls".   Note taken, and we will make sure that we supplement next year's occasion with the low nutritive, but soul satisfying morsels.

The attendance of 10 month old Grandson, Connor Boyle, who firmly held center stage for most of the evening, reminded Joanne and I that we have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Day.

This morning, plans of the MOAM includes making bread dough for the feast served at Ryan and Kim's, then getting a 10 mile Marblehead Bike Loop in before cleaning up for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Despite the rawness, and unfairness of life from time to time, it's a good practice to reflect on your blessings.  Last night filled with family, friends and food, was a great example.

 Happy Thanksgiving to you Peeps.

Passing of the BASH Torch.

This year's Night Before Thanksgiving Day Bash is at eldest son, Ryan's, house this year.

32 Beverly Ave., Marblehead... where the Bash began ... is where the tradition will resume.

Joanne is happy about this, and I am ambivalent.

Some things I like about the change, and some things I don't.

But regardless. the BASH Torch has been passed.

Ryan and Kim are adding their own flair to the event with some kegs and smoked chicken.... a classy upgrade in my opinion.

So if by pure force of habit, you Peeps come to the Sundance House this evening, the doors will be locked and you will just have to head down the street to 32 Beverly Ave,
You'll have to deal with a little change too.

How hard can that be?

Hakuna Matata

Lately I've been particularly aggravated by the Liberal Narrative as we are mocked and derided if we feel that it is prudent not to open our doors to Syrian Refugees during this time of great terrorist disturbances by Radical Muslim factions.

So I guess you are a racist or Islamaphobe if you tend to believe that charity begins at home and we should concentrate on our own problems.

And when I thoughtfully suggest that my Liberal friends either take a Syrian Refugee family into their homes or STFU because their position otherwise is phucking hypocritical, I get accused of being rude and subsequently am blocked from their Progressive Occupy Democrat Facebook pages.

You just can't be nice and win.

So this holiday season, my goal is to tone down the rhetoric.  Normally, I'm fine with wishing someone a "Merry Christmas" due to my Roman Catholic cultural background.   But I know that this offends some of my sensitive Lefty friends.   And I try to stay away from the sterile "Happy Holidays" because that tends to piss off Conservatives who can't deal with political correctness.

Quite the quandary if your intent is to lessen your "offensive footprint".

I've decided to go with "Hakuna Matata" this season.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakuna_matata

I remember when I first heard the phrase on the Lion King, it sounded fun to say even if you didn't know what it mean't.

So that's the deal.   Hakuna Matata.  To you and Yours.
And Happy New Year.

Democrat Card

After watching Congressman Seth Moulton spar with Governor Baker over admitting Syrian Refugees into Massachusetts, I have to question my hopes that Democrat Seth would be different.

Is it possible to be a Democrat and not be a Moonbat?

It must be nice to have a philosophy that denies evil and incompetence in the world.   Let in the Syrian Refugees.  Vet them thoroughly and believe that no Jihadists will slip through to kill thousands of Americans here.

All Righty then... I'm there.  Where do I get my Democrat Card?

The Incredibly Competent Obama

President Obama seems conflicted by the tragedy in Paris.

He has said the right words, but drive and conviction seems to be obviously lacking.

The leadership reactions to this Terrorist Attack have been made by President Hollande and Vladimir Putin.

Barack Hussein Obama was brought up as an Anti-Imperialist Muslim and mentored by Marxists and Alinsky Radicals. His policies to give America it's comeuppance....by exacerbating internal race relations and weakening our international presence has been true to his convictions. From that standpoint... he has been incredibly effective in implementing his ideals.

I have been guilty in the past of thinking that he is incompetent, probably because I so disagree with his policies and approaches... He is not incompetent. He has manipulated this country and the world in a remarkable way and can sit back and enjoy the havoc that he has wrought on a country that he despises..

Such a Waste

President Obama is a Black American.
African American race relations are as bad now as I have experienced in my sixty years.

President Obama is a Muslim.... at the very least, his father is a Muslim, and he has proclaimed his Muslim faith on numerous occasions.
The radical Muslim sect, ISIS. is on a suicide mission to terrorist the West.

Do you get the feeling that Obama is an influence for national and international discord in the world?  He is a catalyst for polarization and hate.

Such a waste... Such a FREAKING WASTE!

I actually believed, seven years ago when he attained the Presidency, that he represented a new era of harmony and tolerance.  That was an egregious error in judgement on my naive part.  His ideological pettiness has spawned a new era of unrest and discord.

As I write this, 158 people have been slaughtered in Paris.  What a horrendous failure of leadership!  We have a President who has weakened the American presence in the world and allows hate and class warfare to fester..... maybe on purpose?   Or maybe because he has just been incompetent.

I believe that the country will flock to Trump.... who represents strength and action in dealing with the political landscape.   But I just can't leave the feeling that Obama wasted a golden opportunity to create a world of orderly change.  Such a waste of so much promise.

Mountain Pond

Merry Christmas Starbucks

 Starbucks has come out with their "Holiday Cups" for this season of coffee drinking during Christmas.  Unlike previous years, the cups have no traditional Christmas decoration and are said to be designed to be more inclusive.

Nobody asked me, but you are kind of a loser if you go to a Starbucks to look at their cups.  The reason that they can get away with all of the "Tall" and "Barista" BS is because some people, including me, will pay their premium for a strong cup of coffee.

I don't go there to have a conversation about race relations with one of their goofy "Baristas".... and I don't go there to look at their paper coffee cups.... I go to get a decent cup of coffee, even if it is overpriced.

Companies like Starbucks, or Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream.... that like to accentuate their product with their political leanings get my patronage because I like their coffee and I like their ice cream, and I could care less what type of lefty message these companies seek to convey.   As much as political discourse is pleasurable to me, there are times when you have to be singular in purpose and dial back your attention to what is in the cup, not what is on it.

Nice Bookcase

 I saw this bookcase on Pinterest, using closet door slabs as the sides.  Peabody Building Supply has an awesome inventory of solid pine slabs to choose from and they are very reasonably priced.

Thinking of making two of these.

Laura Cox - a Fine Guitarist

Sliding Seat kayak Platform

How cool is it that  Boulter Plywood.... perhaps the best distributor of marine plywood in the world.... is only located a few miles down the road in Somerville, MA,

I am planning to buy a few sheets of  Okoume A/B BS1088 Lloyds Approved , 4x8 12 mm stock to craft a deck for my sliding seat kayak rowing craft.

Hope to be gliding around Marblehead Harbor before Thanksgiving.

Good ole Lao Tzu