Good man . . .

Such beauties.

So proud of this good man. Puppies and Dante's Pop brought planes to PHS today and gave flying demonstrations for the engineering class and all and sundry who were able to watch. Even the track class was watching as they circled him and the planes! Now that is some cool beansies!   Both he and another member of the Yankee Flyers have agreed to volunteer with the building of model airplanes at the school. It seems to be greatly appreciated. Making me smile. Puppies and Dante's Pop has always had a knack for getting people interested in planes. I believe that my friend Angie's son became a an airline pilot because of the flights he took with Grampa. Our kids and our Kiddo have been keenly interested in planes.

Thinking of Angie's son reminds me that he took many photos of the Bobcats living on the hill and roaming in his yard! That is so wonderful. What beautiful animals. There is a Mom with two kittens. It seems they have carved out a good territory for keeping them eating a healthy diet! There are plenty of rabbits, squirrels, mice and deer if they have a hankering for game! Imagine being able to watch them as they oversee their domain.

Time to pay the bills and go for a walk. Another perfect day in Moosup. We have our first natural gas bill: $6.50. I'm sure it will get straightened out in the next couple of months. This is only a partial bill as they get used to what we'll actually use in a full month. I think it'll work out fine although the oil dealers are meeting with the legislators complaining that natural gas customers should be forced to pay more because the oil dealers are losing customers and having trouble making ends meet. Oy vey! Not sure how much of this carping I can stand!

Quote:  Familiarities are the aphids that imperceptibly suck out the juices intended for the germ of love.   ___Landor

Scream from hell . . .

New wallpaper

From the Renaissance Faire

Haven't posted in a while but this morning something sure did wake me up in full battle scream mode. Puppies and Dante's Pop had just left the kitchen to go down to the hangar while I was picking up after my breakfast. I saw a rather large crumb under my Vermont rocker and figured I had dropped a good sized crumb from some type of chocolate cake or muffin. I picked it up and was studying it in the palm of my hand when the damn thing sprouted long brown legs and tried to take off. I screamed bloody murder, grabbed a napkin and squeezed and stomped the living day light out of that fat brown spider. Man, that was one ugly s.o.b. Believe you me that is no way to begin any day. Putting that aside it has been a busy week.

We went to the Renaissance Faire at Dodd Stadium Sunday after the weather cleared up. It was different from anything we've been to called a Fair but fun. We stayed a few hours and watched a birds of prey demonstration, some jousting, spear and dagger throwing etc. Food was very expensive so we walked around and took in the Madrigal singers and a couple of the entertainers before checking out the wares and were on our way. It really is a great place for kiddos and families.

 Monday Puppies and Dante's Pop wall papered the living room while I tried to help as much as I could. He did a wonderful job. The room looks nice, light and clean. Yup, there's that word again. Clean, clean, clean. Don't plan on putting anything on the walls for now. It just seems right to enjoy the clean walls! Stayed with Kiddo for a few hours yesterday and had a treat. He played quarter notes, half notes and whole notes for me on the mouthpiece and neck of the sax. He also beats the time with his foot and was working hard to get a good sound. I love it. It is so much fun to see him working at the proper lips and breathing. Kept telling me he has to make his mouth look like an old man's and not puff his cheeks. He's in a hurry to be taught how to play Yankee Doodle! I am too.

Addendum:  After we finished wall papering Monday we went to Java Jive in Pomfret for a late lunch. Two sandwiches with chips, pickles and coffees cost us $25. Supper at the Road Side Diner this evening: coffees, best Cajun Pork Chop dinner (2 tender large chops) and Stuffed Pepper (very large served on top of pasta with a delicious tangy sauce)  was $25. What a bargain.  We did break down and buy two  pieces of double chocolate cream cake to bring home with us which added $7 to the bill. Grampa ate his entire dinner and I must admit a stole some of the pork chops because they were delicious and tender. I brought home half of my Stuffed Pepper and pasta. Of course we have already consumed the cake. I'm just amazed at the $25 price and the huge meals we had. Both restaurants have excellent food but you can't beat the prices in Central Village; plus, we saw and heard a freight train heading South. Very cool.

Quote:  It is more from carelessness about the truth, than from intention of lying, that there is so much falsehood in the world.   ___Johnson

Getting closer . . .

Over 100 gourds this year!

When I got home from visiting younger sister in East Granby yesterday Puppies and Dante's Pop had a proposition for me. After supper he would paint the living room ceiling, so I made supper a little early! He rollered the hell out of that ceiling and my, oh my, it looks very good. Of course being an old house it has imperfections but it is so nice and white and clean, clean, clean! Did I mention really white and clean? What a big job done. Today I used a 1-2-3 Bull's Eye Primer for some of the wall surfaces, especially where the old bookcase had been when we first came home to Moosup 45 years ago. There was some staining that had come through the old wall paper. Speaking of old wall paper, it was amazing to see how beautiful the old paper was behind the mirror! I would have used the same paper if I had been able to find it! Grampa didn't agree.  Perhaps we'll be able to finish the room Saturday as Kiddo will be here tomorrow. Quite sure we shall not put the mirror back up. I rather like the idea of plain, uncluttered walls.

Quote: The dangers of knowledge are not to be compared with the dangers of ignorance.  Man is more likely to miss his way in darkness than in twilight; in twilight than in full sun.  _____Whately

That's it. I quit . . .

Fall is in the air.

Went a bit overboard today. After going for a doctor's appointment this morning I've spent the day digging holes for plants, bringing plants inside, re-potting plants, picking tomatoes, flowers, pumpkins and gourds. I am wiped out. Besides I started to scrape the ceiling in the living room and pulled all the wall paper down yesterday. Not sure where all this activity came from but now I quit at least for the rest of today and tomorrow! Tomorrow I'll go see younger sister and spend some calm, easy time just relaxing, eating, playing cards and visiting. Thursday will be time enough to get back to the living room. Not sure if we will put the mirror back. I'm rather liking the "no mirror" idea. It looks like a good place to but the petit point art that our youngest completed some years ago. Have to wait and see if the wall paper will be okay. Not that there will be any other choice as I bought it the same time we redid the big bedroom last year! So no matter what we'll go with it and hope for the best! I also closed up the house today by shutting all the storm windows. We're supposed to have a good frost tonight and it's no use letting our heat go out the windows. I'm working on getting an energy rebate from the State and should also get some tax relief when we file this year. So far so good. It's a good thing UK daughter got the Gas company to come and complete their job. The nights have been cold and we have needed the heat. Working like a charm.

Quote:  Good sense, kindness of heart, and a proper self-respect are the elements of the best manners.   ___Tryon Edwards

Hell's Bells . . .

No captions needed!

A big Merci Beaucoup to our youngest! On top of getting our gas line connected to the new boiler we don't need a Smart TV. Yep, I can now watch my Amazon Prime streaming movies, TV shows etc on the Sony using the Wii. Not only that but the headphones now work with the Wii and the DVD player! So much good stuff came home to roost for a short time. We'll have to do this more often!

We were treated  to lunch at Richoni's today and while we were there we could watch TJ as he added a new bar to the u-shaped original bar. As you enter the front door and turn to your right there were a couple of tables that were really a little difficult for a bartender to get to especially on a busy Friday night. So the U has now a right turn and goes up to the wall. Seems like a good idea. Most people like to sit at the bar anyway so it adds more places. When we left R was staining the wood. We were able to visit a little with middle child and get in a photo shoot! Just missing big brother. One of these days we'll pull off a family get together! Will bring the youngest to North Attleboro tomorrow so she can take the train and T to the airport. Not looking forward to that but am very thankful she was able to come home. I know she misses G and the menagerie so we're fortunate she returns to her home happy and healthy! That left elbow is improving! Yay! Puppies and Dante's Pop and I were cool chauffeurs this week. It was a wonderful time.

Quote: Happiness consists in being perfectly satisfied with what we have got and with what we haven't got.  It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.   ___Spurgeon

Tired but it was all fun . . .

Are these rocks big enough to sell?  We shall have to wait and see!

Had late breakfast-early lunch yesterday with two daughters and son-in-law at Hash a go go at Mohegan Sun. It was nice and relaxing. Managed to park in Puppies and Dante's Pop's old stomping grounds at the former UNC. It's really the only place I like to park at the casino. We don't even go in a garage! Today youngest and I headed off to Wrentham Village Premium Outlets on a shopping spree. I'm pooped and spreed out! We got there around 10 am and left around 2 pm. Let's see if I can enumerate the stores we visited: 7 For All Mankind, BCBG Max Azria, Kenneth Cole, Samsonite, Ruby Tuesday and Godiva Chocolatier. Those are only the stores where we spent money! Now I know why I'm dragging! Counting the shopping as exercise for today! At least we did find the New Balance Store is now open so if and when Puppies and Dante's Pop needs new shoes we know the store is there!

Yesterday was an important mile stone for us! The natural gas line is now connected to the new Prestige Excellence Heat and Hot Water Boiler. If visiting daughter from England had not decided to Tweet and Facebook about our plight we would still be waiting for someone to return our calls, emails and fax! We are really grateful that her persistence and know how worked like a charm. The telephone call from Northeast Utilities came Tuesday and they set the time for plumber and Yankee Gas at 10 am Wednesday morning. At 10:10 am Yankee Gas workers had completed their work and by 10:40 am our plumbers had finished the installation.  Incredible that Yankee Gas, part of Northeast Utilities took so long to do the job. Now we wait for the first bill and hope they get the rates right! Keeping my fingers crossed!

Quote:  It is better to wear out than to rust out.  __Cumberland

That was fun . . .

Haven't been to an agricultural fair in years and years! Youngest child, who is visiting for 12 days, and I went to the Woodstock Fair today. It was, misty, rainy, hot, humid and sunny too! I'd forgotten how much agriculture takes place in Connecticut. The best part was watching the children showing their animals. Some of the kids were only six years old and they smiled and maneuvered their cattle like pros. There was too much food to pick from so we stopped at the Vanilla Bean on the way home. I do believe that I shall bring Kiddo to the Fair next year. There is certainly a lot to see and for him to do!

Sunday of Labor Day Horseshoe/Cribbage Tournament went off without a hitch yesterday. With 38 people coming to sit, eat, play, run around and chat we had an excellent day. The weather almost cooperated! Thunderstorms in the morning and overcast and very humid in the afternoon allowed us to party until about 6:30. I'm always amazed by how much fun it is to have our brothers and sisters along with their families over for the afternoon. This was our 11th party and although we have lost five of our regulars to Heaven and not all the kids of the kids can make it every year it's such an important part of our summer. I'm always afraid that people may outgrow it but it doesn't seem so. That's a good thing because we love doing it.

We had a good drive to Boston's Logan Airport Saturday to pick up our youngest. Of course I can say good drive because I wasn't driving! The only hang up was a twenty minute jam trying to get through the I90 toll booth. That's a real stinker. At least you don't get caught in that on the way out!

Quote:  No man is happy without a delusion of some kind. __Delusions are as necessary to our happiness as realities.   __Bovee