Pope's Trip

The Pope is visiting Turkey under great duress, to show respect for Islam. The Western-Communist confrontation has been replaced by Christianity v Islam. Just when you thought that the world could be a safe place, this ages old dysfunction surfaces.
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I had hoped that the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the initial Gulf War had signaled an age when that world could be policed without huge threats and insecurities. Now, it is not major superpowers that threaten, it is small dissident have-not groups.
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In retrospect, mankind has never had total security. There was always the chance that your village could be raided and pillaged by marauding outside forces. It is pretty much the same deal today on a global scale.

That's Lucky

Lucky Guy

Clear the Decks

Passed up the trip to Seattle to concentrate on pricing in the office. It's time to revisit the classics and get grandular on the details. Have to point the Darwinians to the Promised Land.

Days Off

The problem with days off is that you get so slammed when you go back to work. It scares me how much I disassociate myself from my job when I have a vacation or a couple of days off like this Thanksgiving break. The returning workload then seems overwhelming. For this reason, I rarely take a vacation. The pain of returning is not worth it. Even simple tasks that I normally would glide over seem like a challenge when returning from a work hiatus.
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Screw it. Bring It ON.

Pats - Bears

Pats showed their worthyness yesterday as they beat the Chicago Bears 17-14. Brady's record is now 76-24 as a Patriot quarterback. Phenomonal.
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Mike and Ryan seemed to have a good time in the Darwin box. No incidences.

Weekend Wrap Up

The Johnson Party was a blast. Saw Amanda and Jeremy, Ryan's Crew. I hate to name names because then anyone that I left out will send me hate email - always a downer. But there were a lot of my favorite people there.
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This morning, I got up and took the clamps off of the floor boards on the Tender. I don't like the fit and will have to plane down one of the floor stakes.
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Leftover Macaroni and Cheese for breakfast. I'm an idiot!
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at 11:00AM, I will get on the Cybex for 1/2 hour then get ready to go to Gillette for the Pats-Bears game.
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Ryan and Mike were offered the Darwin Box tickets by Frank Robinson in a transaction that I had nothing to do with. Nonetheless, Katelyn charged favoritism. Just accuse me of anything - I'll admit it and take the blame.... It's freaking easier. The game will be good though - even without Katelyn.

A Special Peep

I'm pretty sure that I have a few Brigit Pictures, but this is the only one I could muster for this emergency blog post. Shauer is a lucky bastard.

 

Saturday Night

Heading to the Johnson's for a Holiday party. I hope Jeremy and Amanda are there. Maybe Buck will show up

Favorite Winter Cocktail

I was surprised at the popularity of my favorite cocktail recipes.
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The Summer Drink - Dark and Stormies.
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The Classic Autumn Drink - Seagrams and Cider.
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Now, hundreds of you have emailed me incessantly to reveal my favorite winter recipe. If I told you to get a life, it would do no good... obviously this advise is hopeless by evidence of your pathetic attention to this blog. Also, I have to be honest with myself. Who am I to tell anybody else to get a life, when all I write about is booze, boats and blogs? Enough of this insightful introspection of you and me.
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What was I talking about?..... Oh Yeah - the Winter Cocktail. Here it is....
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Once again, I have to establish the disclaimer that this drink in no way usurps Lagavulin, the King of Scotch as the ultimate preferred alcoholic repast. I don't want you to think that I'm cheating on the King. BTW, I've completely replenished my supply thanks to the kind folks (now POTW) who answered the bell at the Thanksgiving Eve Bash. After consuming one bottle, we have three left, which is my largest standing inventory of Lagavulin ever.
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Now for the subject at hand....
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The Winter Cocktail is as much about color and presentation as it is about drinking satisfaction.
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Take a full bodied Scotch glass, and fill half full with ice. Cover the ice with Canadian Club Blended Whisky. Fill with Cranberry Juice (stick with Ocean Spray). Garnish with a lime wedge. The lime is important. Don't make this cocktail without it.
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That's it! The Winter Cocktail - CC and Cranberry! Your urinary tract will thank you. Enjoy in moderation and stop emailing me.

Now is the Time, This is the Place

Truer words were never spoken. What an opportunity! Everything that you've done in your life has lead you to this time and place right here and now. A place of power... a time of action.

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Carpe Diem.

Dory Alternative

I bought the plans to build this Alpha Dory a few years ago. These dories were adaptations of the Swampscott Fishing Dories, and were used for club races around Marblehead at the turn of the last century.

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I also was very interested in building a Chamberlain Marblehead Gunning Dory along the lines preserved by John Gardner in his landmark Dory Book. The Gunning Dory is a double ender that was used for duck hunting among the islands in Salem Sound.

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I've seen great dories reproduced out of the Lowell Boat Shop on the Merrimack River in Amesbury. As much as I'm tempted to build one of these, I still think that I am going to build a Peabod next.

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The Dory will have to wait a year or so. I also have plans to build a canoe, but I may pass on this unless one of the kids wants it as a gift. By the time I do the canoe, I'll probably be too old to be flipping over in the Saco. Although, I'll also have a few years of rowing the Tender under my belt by then, so I could be up for it.

Moving Forward

Good progress on the tender. I assembled one side of the floorboards, epoxied the floor supports and planks beneath the floorboards, and got a finish of epoxy on one side including the mahogany gunwale and breasthook.
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Charlie Jellison dropped by and we discussed the great news.

Trash Talk

I bet I hauled 500lbs of trash to the Marblehead Transfer Station in two loads this morning. I actually feel like I got a workout in. Not quite Richard Simmons style.
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Granted, a lot of it was Bash Trash. But still, it's amazing how one household can generate so much waste.
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Buck Johnson must be into something with his Ontario recycling venture.
(Note to Self. Stay on Buck's good side. He is going to be filthy rich someday and might need to buy a yacht tender.)

Feeder Count

A crystal clear day after the driving Thanksgiving Day rain storm.
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By 9:30 AM
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1 Grey Squirrel
1 Tufted Titmouse
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I'm remembering next June. A wonderful year to look forward to.

The Christmas Season

In the spirit of the season, Joanne and I ordered our Xmas gifts from the Internet this morning.

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Joanne thoughtfully picked out the 14' EZ Loader Trailer that I have been lusting for, and I in turn ordered her the Bose Wave in a heartfelt gesture.

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I will put the Bose under the tree.

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week - 3

Since Jay Turner, Chris Crawford and Bob Brown all showed at the Bash with bottle of Lagavulin, they are a lock on POTW slots. New Rule -if you give me Lagavulin, you are automatically a Nanepashemet Peep of the Week on the next immediate Thurs.
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So the evolving rules are....
You must have done something annoying, stupid, or inspiring that week, you can't be an animal, you can't be dead, if you gave me a bottle of Lagavulin you are a POTW regardless.
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Announcing...
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week Trois (that's 3 in French)

• Bobby Brown
• Jay Turner
• Chris Crawford
• Ryan Nestor
  Courtney Jellison Nestor

A very worthy list this Thanksgiving week.

Special salute to Sarah and Lauren Crawford for their tasteful and practical Scotch plates (more on this when I get AA batteries for the digital Camera.)

Lots to be Thankful For

T-Bash 06 v.1

Scorecard for the 06 Thanksgiving Eve Bash -
~ Lewdness 2
~ Debauchery 3
~ Drunkedness 10
~ Nudity .5
~ Hysteria 4
~ Wholesomeness -4
All in all, no physical violence and the lack of police indicated a successful affair.

Happy Thanksgiving

Not to Panic

I've run out of Lagavulin.
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The day before the Bash.
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Don't worry though, the King is usually in stock at Beacon Hill Licquors in the Community Store.
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Plus Bobby Brown is coming tomorrow, and he always knows enough to pack a
bottle with him. Bobby is such a mountain of a man.
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No Worries.