Saturday, December 16, 2006
Happy Home
Friday, December 15, 2006
No Hitches
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Thanks to Mark Ferrante, Peter Caruso, Gail Smith, Sparky Spillane, Mike Rockett, Steve Lewis, Dave Bruett, Harry Christensen, Charles Ball, Dana Lothrop, and Paul Lynch. You all had key roles in making this happen.
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Thanks to the Sundance parents and staff.
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This is going to be a great facility for children on the North Shore. We'll be sharing the construction details in the next two weeks.
Bust a Move
Paramus Results
Next Phase
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We have to take down all of the non bearing walls and reconstruct four classrooms, all without major disruption to the existing finishes. On the outside, we have to fence in the play area, and build an office addition in the back. We don't have the budget for a gut remodel, and it is crucial that the building be ready by Jan.2 to handle students returning from the holiday break.
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Once again, we have the right guy for the job, and that is the critical detail.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Christmas Shopping
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I'm so thankful that Al Gore invented the Internet!! Maybe I'll even vote for Hilary.
For Senor Balzac
From Wikipedia....
The assault was later revealed to be a hoax. The chief of police of Odessa Texas released a statement which read in part: "After viewing the video, the officer who was employed at the club in an off duty capacity, was contacted by investigators. The officer reported he had met with Mr. Shore prior to his set, and was asked to participate in the skit. The officer stated that the skit went as designed and that Shore was not injured in the designed skit."
Missing Tuna
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week - 6
The honor today goes to the below individuals. None gave me Lagavulin, so it is up to them to determine if they were named for Annoyance, Stupidity or Inspiration.
- Linda O'Shea
- Dave Bruett
- Barach Obama
- Sarah Pooper
- Frank Gaul
- Daisuke Matsuzaka
Last week, a number of you contacted me regarding the reasons why some of the Peeps were chosen. Please don't do that again. It is none of your business.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Office Holiday Party
Bruett Comes Through
Stressful
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BTW, if you ask to be a POTW, you have just forfeited your chances forever....or at least until I forget that you asked. So keep your mouth shut and don't blow it.
POTW Tomorrow
Busy EOY
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I will definitely take a vacation - probably a week in North Conway during January or February - when the smoke clears.
Moonshadow Details Today
- Meet with Mike and his framer.
- Check on the perimeter survey.
- Call the fence contractor.
- Receive moving bids.
- Finalize Schedule and Budget.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Two Week Renovation
The Darwin Evolution
Monday, December 11, 2006
Clear to Close
Courtney's Cookies
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Courtney's cookies.
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They brought a bunch over on Sunday, and I really didn't get into them until tonight. I could easily eat them all, before hitting the sack tonight. It is only through my superior will power and self control that I am able to limit myself to five.... or six.
Nice Round Trip for Lunch in Mahwah
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DiMatteo, Ohanian and I are driving down in the morning, having a meeting, giving out Golf Shirts, buying lunch and driving back.
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It's actually faster to drive. By the time you get to the airport, park, go through security, board the plane, rent a car, drive from Newark to Mahwah... you are better off just driving from Marblehead.
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I know what you are thinking. How can I spend 6 plus hours in the car with DiMatteo without my head exploding? I haven't figured that part out yet.
View from Monday Morning
It will all get done. We'll see another Saturday.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Nanepashemet's Deed to Marblehead
On September 16, 1684 his (Nanepashemet's) heirs gave Marblehead a deed to their town, it was signed by
Joane Ahawayet, Squaw, relict, Widdow of George Saggamore, alais Wenepauweekinwwekin or George No Nose;
Joane Quanapohkownat, the widow of John Quanapohkownat of Natick:
James Quanapohkownat, alais James Rumneymarsh,
Isreal Quanapohkownat, Sarah Quanapohkownat all of Natick;
Susannah Wenepawweekin, Sarah Wanapawequen daughters of Sagamore George;
Joseph Quanophkonatt, alais Joe English, son of old John ( Essex Reg. Deeds, 11,132 )
( 1.) ( 2.) (3.) ( 4.) ( 5.) ( 6.) ( 7.) ( 8.) ( 9.)
The Marks of: 1.David Nonnuphanohow, 2.Sam Wuttaannoh, 3.John Tontohqunne, 4.Cicely Petaghuncksq, 5.Thomas Vsqueakussennum, 6.Isreal Quanophkownatt, 7.Jane Quanophkownat, 8.Yawata, 9.Wattawtinnusk*. James Rumneymarsh signed the deed in English. From the Salem Deed 1686
* Wife of Peter Ephraim - all signers give their home as Natick
Woodworking Secrets
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As I get more experienced, especially in building boats and projects with curved surfaces, I've had to understand how to use chisels, planes and scrapers. ~
The essence of these tools is a sharp blade edge.
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I've found that Japanese waterstones progressively up to 6000 grit can put a razor sharp, polished edge on a chisel or plane iron. But it is tedious business to do it by hand. Last year, I bought the Makita Sharpener that uses a powered rotating waterstone. It works quickly and with great results.
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For my scrapers, I use the Veritas burnisher to get the right hook and sharpness to the blade.
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Understanding your saws and other power tool and tuning them correctly is the other secret, involving a good mechanical feel for the machinery and what it is designed to do. This woodworking technique involves wrenches and screwdrivers and has nothing to do with wood.
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Basically, to become a good woodworker, you have to be very good with metal. Seems wierd.
Heartburn and Hangovers
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BTW, Hangovers suck.
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I used to be good to go by 12 noon the next day, no matter how bad the morning was. You would think that over your lifetime, the recovery period would improve, but no, I still feel like crap at 4:45 PM.
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It gets worse as you get older.
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Mike just ordered two pizzas from Vesuvius. Tom McMahon is over and we're having a pizza party. This wil be the Gaviscon test.
Senor Balzac....
Not Looking Good
2 possessions needed and some big plays.
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Now 10 minutes. Pats have the ball but not showing any luck. Just fumbled. I hate to do it, but I'm going to concede this to the Dolphins.
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This is all Jay Turner's fault. If he hadn't flown down to Miami to watch this game, everything would have been fine.
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My brother in Ft. Laud. should be happy. Thanks Jay.
Stapleless Planking System
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Not because of aesthetics. I doubt that any untrained eye can spot a staple hole in the hull.
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I'm using it because it should align the planking strips together better, thus saving time against the horrendous amount of sanding that these projects entail.
Thinking Ahead
Rockett's Party
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Mike and Trish have great style and have created a beautiful home - multiple textures, beautiful moulding and paneling, stepped down levels, really tasteful enlarged phots of their family, and an interesting floor plan.
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Great food and cocktails - I definitely had too much of both by the way I feel this morning.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Lifetime Cable Channel
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Kill me now.
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Every freaking movie is the same.
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The woman is neglected by her husband, meets a sexy guy and has an affair, sexy guy turns out to be a psycho and terrorizes the women's family, the women ends up killing the sexy guy.
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If you've ever seen one that's different let me know, but I won't be waiting.
Melting Lead
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It's a harmless question, although somewhat tedious when you ask it over and over again. So please take note here and stop emailing me.
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A circle was cut in the stock, and a slot routed in the center of the circle to secure the poured lead in the plywood.
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Then very small lead shot pellets were melted in a cast iron pot using the turkey propane fryer. The pellets melted within 10 minutes or so to a shiny melted liquid with some solid impurities. The impurities were scooped from the pot using a wooden scrap.
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A piece of sheet metal was clamped to the bottom of the stock, and the molten lead poured into the void until it exceeded the top. The lead cooled within twenty minutes, and when cool to the touch was planed and sanded until smooth with the plywood surface.
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Then the lead insert was coated with fiberglass cloth and epoxy.
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Now that you know, go melt lead for your own rudder!!
Saturday Prospects
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Looks like Joanne may be settling in for a long day of Chick Flicks. I'm now officially motivated to get out to the garage and work on the Tender.
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This might be the perfect day to melt the lead pellets for insertion into the centerboard for weight.
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I'll be placing the lead shot pellets into a small cast iron pot, then using the turkey fryer to melt the pellets into molten lead for pouring into a 3" diameter hole drilled through the bottom of the centerboard. After it cools and solidifies completely, the lead has to be smoothed with a scraper, the voids filled with epoxy, then the whole centerboard has to be fiberglassed and epoxied.
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Should be an interesting process, plus it will serve the noble purpose of sidestepping the Chick Flicks.
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If I can avoid lead poisoning, we should make it to the Rockett's Xmas Party tonight.
Bali Hai
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Get there early to grab a parking spot.
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I highly recommend the "No. 32" combo special.
The chicken fingers are my favorite, with the boneless spareribs a close second.
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Also, the pork fried rice with no onions is a fine epicurious choice.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Blogaphobia
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As far as we know, the only reliable treatment is constant mentioning of the Nanepashemet Blog and potential blog topics.
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All of you Catholics out there, say a Rosary for Tom.
Instant Winter
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Chicago Stop
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Don't you wish you were me?
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It just doesn't get any better than this.
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BTW, as I left the office today, I noticed a worried look on Brooke Lutrelle's face. As you must know by now, Brooke is one of our Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week. Normally, I could care less if one of the Peeps seems a little stressed out, but Brooke is a Peep that I actually like, so I am a bit concerned.
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Just so you know Brooke, you were chosen because you met one of the following criteria this week.
You did something Annoying, Stupid or Inspiring, you are not dead, you are not an animal or you gave me the gift of Lagavulin.
I'll give you a hint, it was not annoying or stupid. You can figure out the rest.
Dave and I also met a nice lady at the Manchester, NH Airport who told us stories of her trips to the beach. A prime candidate for POTW next week.
Another Thursday - POTW Time
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It is not the end of life as we know it if you are not chosen.
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Chances are, you'll never be a POTW and you are ruining your pitiful life by your constant whining and complaining. Face it, you just might not be good enough. Accept your station in life as a lesser being, and you'll be better off in the long run.
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Now for this week's selections.....
NANEPASHEMET PEEPS OF THE WEEK 5
- Sparky Spillane
- Kerry Woods
- Brooke Lutrelle
- Geoghan Coogan
- Lou Tarmey
- The Chinese Waitress at Bali Hai
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The rest of you can lick your wounds and ponder the consequences of yet another week of unfulfillment.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Moonshadow on Schedule
A Happy Birthday
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I'm 54 today. I used to think that the fifties were old. Not now.
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If I died tomorrow, there would be no regrets. I never feel that there were things that I didn't try. I was not afraid to try stuff, not afraid of failure or mistakes. Making decisions was never a problem for me. This morning on TV, Maria Shriver, a Kennedy and wife of Arnold Schwartzernegger, said that all successful people have been told no, and have had failures in their life.
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The weird thing is that you can fail over and over, but you are ultimately judged by your success. Babe Ruth led the major leagues in strikeouts as well as home runs. Nobody calls him the Strikeout King.
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My family and friends constitute my definition of success. Money and possessions are hollow in comparison to the quality of your family and friends.
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As I look back, there are things that I could have done differently. And my actions by no means produced the intended results in a number of key incidents. There were advances as well as fallout, for me, and other people. But I can sincerely say that anything I did, I did in good faith, with no ill will or underhanded intent. Thus, no regrets, and a thankfulness for the insight that each action taught me.
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But I think that I have a lot more things to do. Telecom and Darwin, Sundance, the Tender and Boats, the Blog, my kids and future grandkids, Joanne, fishing, real estate deals - there are a ton of things left to do - things to experience - things to prove - things to enjoy.
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Trying stuff in good faith is the key. Success or failure just makes it interesting.
I'm not done trying yet.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Indians
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What causes people to be interested in particular subjects? Could it be karmic experiences from past reincarnations? Why should I be interested in Indians and boats rather than airplanes and mountain climbing? Why does this type of question even intrigue me? Why do I Blog? Why is my head starting to explode?
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Time to call it a day.
Skipped SF
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In all seriousness, the homogenieity of this country, caused by corporate development of the outlying surburban landscape has produced a devastating, monotonous sameness. For all the travel I do, I rarely feel like I see anything new and unique.
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OK, so I just got in and am grumpy and tired. But I have a reason to be.
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Five hours of Dave and Busters in a sterile surburban location. We paid for the customer get together and hung out with them playing arcade games. As you can see, I'll go to any depths to get this Darwin juggernaut in a stable orbit.
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I skipped the LA trip in favor of Kerry and Emily, but still will go with Dave to Chicago by the end of the week. All of which means that the peeps will not be neglected as much as I had originally feared.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Stops this Week
San Francisco
Chicago
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Then back to the best place on Earth by next Friday- my couch in Marblehead.
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I will probably neglect the blog until then. If you need a fix, you may have to check back in the Archives. Pretend it is mid-Sept.
Seating Decisions
Christmas Tree
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Pats are having a game of it with the lowly Lions. They always seem to play down to the level of the competition. It's the middle of the third qtr. ,13-13, and Brady just tossed a pick. I could be watching the squirrel at my birdfeeder soon if this keeps up.
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Now its 21-21 with 7:50 left.
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Cory Dillon just scored his third rushing touchdown with 2:30 left , 28-21.
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Vrabel intercepted with less than 2 minutes, Patriots take a knee and survive with the win.
Squirrel Documentary
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As far as I know, this is the only documentation ever of a squirrel actually feeding from a birdfeeder.
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Enjoy the wonders of nature.