World Series, Halloween, Management Search

Update - October 27 - November 3

-- World Series Was Exciting

David Price on the mound

It seemed to me that David Price should have been selected as the MVP for the World Series this year. His three wins and his preparedness to come out of the bullpen earned him that recognition.

In fairness, others may have been as good a choice, but my vote would have been for Price. Four championships in 15 years were not something I could have predicted. Now, I’m greedy to win again next year

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-- Holiday Fun all Week

Lucy and her Halloween Friends

Halloween dominated a lot of activities this week, especially for Lucy, who had a lot of fun with specialty cupcakes, candy, and a dinosaur costume. She posed in the costume and admired her “growling” practice in the full-length mirror.

Her baby sister had to settle for a “pea pod” outfit, which tended to overheat her. So, the costume didn’t last long. Patti decorated the house for Halloween, including a lot of autumn colors and various vignettes to accent the season.

-- Being Neighborly

Tyrannosaurus Lucy

Our new neighbor stopped by to ask our opinion on how many Trick or Treaters would show up on Halloween. Our experience over the past 10 years has been that between 20 and 30 kids will show up, although some years we have had double that. I offered that if they ran out of candy, they should pop in for some more from us as we were wildly over-supplied this year. 

This year Lucy was a Tyrannosaurus Rex. In the past years, she has mostly been Supergirl. Last year she was a robot. Her Dad had customized the outfit so it had glowing lights attached to make it look like she was "computing" how much candy she collected. This year's costume looks like a simpler online order. It was very effective.

-- Happy Hour at Harvest Grille

Patti's Shipyard Pumpkin Ale

We have discovered that the Happy Hour bar menu and prices at the Harvest Grille make a lot of sense. Each item on the bar menu is $5 and the drink specials are equally well-priced. The Quesadilla, the Calamari, and the Fish Taco combined to $15 and still resulted in leftovers. That’s hard to do nowadays. And Patti’s 12 oz Shipyard Pumpkin Ale, rimmed with cinnamon, was only $4.50. That’s also hard to beat these days.

The Harvest Grille is in the location of the Jefferson House, once a very famous and popular restaurant and pub. Over the past few years, it has changed hands a few times and seems to have not gotten a strong foothold in the neighborhood. The current owner has the place jumping on Friday and Saturday nights, as we have more than once, driven over to the place and found that both parking lots were overflowing with cars. That's a sign we won't find a comfortable table in the pub, so we moved on. But, I'm not complaining. We mostly visit on weekdays, and the crowds are not so intimidating.

-- Sign of the Season and the Harvest Grille

-- Progress on Finding New Management Company

As of today, I have screened a dozen property management companies with the intention of inviting some of them to submit a proposal. Five of the prospects declined to apply. Four have agreed to submit a proposal and a few others are pending. The process is different at each company as some as large and others are small. The smaller ones tend to put the owners on the phone. The larger companies have middle managers and specialists handle the process. As we are a small neighborhood, I tend to favor the smaller companies; but, we’ll have to see how it goes. The goal is to be ready with a new management firm in place by the end of the year. I sent an update email to the Trustees to let them know our progress so far.

-- Flip Flops is Still One of our Favorites

Here's your wine.

On her way home from shopping, Patti called and said, "Let's go to Flip Flops." She got no argument from me on that. It's only a few minutes from the house and always worth the trip.

By the time I pulled in, she had already grabbed a table along the window wall. There is plenty of parking behind the building and now that they have added a bakery to the front of the place, we have another reason to stop in often.

On Friday evening, we both ordered some wine and I had a chance to get some muscles. I love them, but it's one of those things I don't make at home, so I have to wait for a dine-out opportunity to get them. The appetizer order is large enough to satisfy me, so it's also a good bargain.

Flip Flops is a comfortable, fun restaurant, with a bakery in the back.

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Reading Update: This week I had some extra time so I was able to get some extra reading in. As I spent my time in the Air Force just at that moment in time when the SR-71 Blackbird was making it's most significant impact on world affairs, I have continued to be fascinated with anything that helps describe how the aircraft operated and what it accomplished. In 2008, Col. Richard H. Graham, USAF (ret.) wrote "Flying the SR-71 Blackbird."

This is an account of his operation of the aircraft and specifically how his flights were planned, how it operated, how he had to fly it and the types of missions he flew. It provided details that we had only been able to speculate about previously. I am now on the search for copies of his other books: "SR-71 Revealed: The Inside Story," and "SR-71 Blackbird: Stories, Tales, and Legends." I'm sure they will be as entertaining and informative as this one.

The other book I read was "Lillian Hellman, An Unfinished Woman," a memoir by Lillian Hellman. Notably, Lillian Hellman was a most prolific playwright and this book allows her to reveal her innermost thoughts about her life-long relationship with Dashiell Hammett, noted author of The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man, and other important celebrities such as Dorothy Parker.

Her life included travel to Spain during the civil war and Moscow and Leningrad during the Second World War. It was fascinating to read about how she came to write her famous plays, The Little Foxes, Watch on the Rhine, The Autumn Garden, and Toys in the Attic. They remain as important and controversial as when first produced. My copy of this book is a First Edition (1969) with an autographed inscription from Lillian.

Babysitting, Book Buying, Leaf Peeping, Shopping, and Lunch Out

Update - October 21 – October 27

-- Paige Visits to Help with Baby Olive

Paige Wright

My niece Paige has no college classes on Tuesday, so she asked if she could come over to the house each Tuesday to help care for Lucy and Olive. Patti and I agreed that it was a good idea and have encouraged her to come any time she wants. This Tuesday, Paige stopped by and immediately began helping with feeding, bathing, and rocking Olive to sleep. She also spent some quality time with Lucy including some effort guiding Lucy with coloring within the lines.

As Patti has spent over 40 years in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at UMass Memorial Hospital, she has the ideal technique for instructing anyone who wants to know how to care for an infant. In a mere moment, she can make any fussing or squirming by Olive turn into smiles and gurgles. Changing diapers, preparing formula for the bottle, and proper cradling for feeding are made easy for all. Paige has a light college schedule right now, so she has the time to visit and spend time with Lucy and Baby Olive. I know she enjoys it and it's always helpful to have additional hands around when one baby wants to sleep and the other wants to be outside trying out the bicycle. 

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-- A Visit to Gale Library Book Cellar Yields New Treasures

Anything Named Olive Must be Great

Lucy has a large appetite for books, as I do, so I try to add one or more to her collection each week. At the public library bookshop, I can buy children’s books for 50 cents apiece; sometimes less. So, I keep my eye open for anything I think Lucy will like. This trip found two books; one was the Bunny Rabbit’s Assistant and the other was Olive and the Embarrassing Gift. I could not resist a book with “Olive” in the title. I read it and decided it was a fun story with a good life lesson, so I picked it up.

I also bought several other books for my own reading: Bridge of Spies by Giles Whittell; The Last Stand by Nathaniel Philbrick; Hegemony or Survival by Noam Chomsky; The New Russians by Hedrick Smith; The Yom Kippur War, edited by Moshe Davis; and Jerusalem by Karen Armstrong. My total investment, including the children’s books, was $12.

-- Learning About the Wachusett Reservoir

Patti and Old Stone Church

Patti had Friday off, so we decided to make a run to BJ’s Wholesale Club where we could find things in boxes and bags big enough for someone running a restaurant, or for our household lately. Why buy 10 rolls of paper towels when you can buy 24? I guess I’m still low on the learning curve as far as the value in bulk buying for a mostly retired couple.

As part of the run to the wholesale club, we included a stop for some further leaf-peeping and photo-taking. We stopped at the Wachusett Reservoir near the Old Stone Church to get some shots. I also took the time to read about the newly completed irrigation and run-off system installed around the reservoir to cut down on pollutants draining off into the reservoir. The whole concept and design were impressive and I’m glad to see that it was done in a manner that allows it to be instructional for visitors to better understand how the reservoir is being protected.

-- Lunch in Shrewsbury at Burton’s Grill and Bar

Lunch at Burton's

I was in the mood for fish tacos and Patti was hungry but didn’t know what she wanted. So, Burton’s Grill and Bar was a good choice. They have a big menu, so I knew Patti would find something she liked. It turned out to be the Mediterranean Chicken Risotto and I got the “street” tacos. Very good. She got some exotic drink and I got a glass of wine. We agreed we liked the service, the atmosphere, and the food, so it was a good visit. Burton's is in the complex of residences, businesses and retail services that took over space where Spag's used to be. It's sad that Spag's is gone, but I'm happy to see the area upgraded this way. 

-- Bonus Visit from Olive and Lucy on the Weekend

Lucy and Paige; Artists

Olive Helen Perras

Corinne had an appointment for Saturday afternoon, so, even though Patti had to work, I agreed to take both granddaughters for the afternoon. Paige volunteered to help, so she came over in the afternoon. It was a fun day for everyone. When Baby Olive arrived, she was at the peak of interest in being fed. So, I took charge of giving her a bottle feeding while simultaneously pulling out the potty seat for Lucy to take into the privacy of the guest bathroom. I literally had my hands full; first with a squirming, hungry infant, and second with a squirming, desperate, four-year-old looking for some relief.

Paige, Lucy, Lilly, Marna, Olive

Things settled down when Paige arrived so that between us we could keep everyone occupied. Lucy really enjoyed the attention she got from Paige when it was time to draw. Together, they worked at the table creating various bits of artwork to share with everyone.

When Paige was dropped off, her sister Lily and her Mother, Marna, stopped in for a while to visit with Olive. Lucy requested that everyone pose for a photo - with her in the middle (naturally). So the photo is included here so that she knows her Papa will comply with reasonable requests.

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Reading Update: I picked up "A Safe Haven" by Allis and Ronal Radosh quite a while back at Yes Books, a used bookshop, in Portland, Maine, but only just got around to reading it. I have always been struck by the fact Harry Truman was President when I was born and as the years have gone by I have come to realize he was actually a very good President. This book deals with the issue of how Truman coped with the pressures on him, the country, and the world as the Jews tried to establish a homeland in what has become Israel.

Despite a lot of promises made by many over the years, it was to finally land on Truman's desk to make the final push that allowed Israel to join the family of nations. The book reads like a fast-paced novel with intrigue, deception, bitter conflict, and recriminations that if it wasn't all true would seem like preposterous myth-making. It's no myth, Truman made the choices at the time that went against political expediency and international trauma, to finally help Jews around the world find a "safe haven."

Air and Space Museum, American Indian Museum, Retirement Roast for Carey

UPDATE - October 14 - October 20

-- Smithsonian Air and Space Museum is Special

Break Speed of Sound

On Sunday, one day before leaving Washington DC for home, Patti and I went downtown again to visit a few special places. Patti wanted to see the American Indian museum and the Newseum too. I wanted to see the Air and Space Museum again. I can never see the airplanes, the rockets, or the science enough.

At the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, there were whole sections, such as the exhibits about aircraft carriers, that I had not previously visited in depth. Each time I visit I learn more about the history and accomplishments of our military. As dramatic as the U-2 plane was, as it related to "spy" missions, against the Soviet Union, it was just as exciting to see the Wright Brothers flyer, which got all of us into the air, to begin with.

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-- American Indian Museum

Outrigger Canoe

This museum was beautiful. The four floors were filled with stories about the various tribes that populated America when the white man first arrived and went into extensive detail about what happened to the American Indian as a result of the white man's influence.

Of particular interest to me was the clarification of the role of Pocahontas and the Trail of Tears, which was the forcible removal of the Indian tribes under the direction and leadership of President Andrew Jackson. (See related story below) Any visitor to this museum will certainly come away with an improved understanding of what happened to the American Indian and what is happening up to now.

-- Returned to Massachusetts for CDR Retirement Roast

Carey D. Rhoten, CEO, and Owner of The Hope Group officially retired this year and a gathering was held at Allora Restaurant to salute him on the occasion of his having finally sold the company to KLX Aerospace, recently acquired by Boeing. I drove back on Monday from Washington DC to be sure and attend the gathering as it was my final chance to wish him and his wife Pat well in retirement. As he had sold the business I had made it known I would not continue with the company after he finally left. We thought the sale would have happened by 2015, as originally planned, but it stretched into 2018. Pat and Carey will continue living on Cape Cod and in Florida where their new condo is being completed.

Carey D. Rhoten retirement roast Oct 15 2018

-- Petersham Country Store

Patti and I spent Friday on the road visiting apple orchards and leaf peeping. We got to three orchards during the course of the day - and naturally managed to stop at The Salem Cross Inn for lunch. Our day started by following 122A until we got to our common launching point: The Country Store in Petersham. We often buy groceries, puppets, jewelry, coffee, lunch, snacks, wine, books, games, maps, and more snacks.

It's a great shop and perfect for launching us on our way across the western part of the state to find colorful leaves. While the leaf peeping was not as good as hoped, we managed to find a few places to take pictures.



-- Touring Apple Orchards

Red Apple Farm

Our other major stops were the apple orchards. The three we got to before the day ran out was Breezeland Orchards in Warren, Red Apple Farm in Phillipston, and Brookfield Orchards in North Brookfield. We chose these locations today because we didn't want to collect apples off the tree, but knew they had baked goods including cinnamon donuts, pies, and dumplings.

We loaded up as we knew we would be having company visiting in the next few days. In most cases, the "picking" season was over, but the farms all had large selections of apple, maple, and other products.



-- UMass Daily Collegian "Cape Cod" Reunion

Heidi joined remotely

On Saturday, I drove to West Barnstable to join my fellow UMass Daily Collegian alumni at a gathering hosted by Dan Smith. Earlier this year, the students at the Daily Collegian hosted an event which brought back many former staff members from the region to attend a special event on campus.

Someone got the idea that we could hold a mini-reunion on the other side of the bridge to make it easier for "Capers" to attend. It was great seeing everyone and talking about the old days.

Reading Update: I finished reading Andrew Jackson, His Life and Times, by H.W. Brands.  It wasn't until Andrew Jackson was elected President of the United States that America had its first, real Democrat; that is, someone who thought that the "citizens" of the country should have a say in how things are run.

If Washington, Adams, and many others had their way, it would only be the elite, white, male, propertied citizens with the authority to pick elected officials. Jackson was the breakout man. When he got elected it showed that popularism had taken root. 

Wash DC, Alexandria, USAF Reunion, Arlington Cemetery

UPDATE - October 7 - October 13

-- Driving from Jefferson to Washington DC 

First Stop: Alexandria Visitor Center

Every two years, my US Air Force buddies gather for a reunion. We all served as radio intercept analysts for the USAF Security Service, which operated Comm Sec and Tran Sec stations around the world. We select a different city each time, generally with one member of the group serving as unofficial host. When we went to Cincinnati a few years ago, my old roommate, Bob Schmidt served as tour guide. (I declined to ride the bucking bronco). When we went to Nashville, Mike Howk showed us the back door entrance to more than several bars and nightclubs. You get the picture.

This year, we went to Washington DC, from which none of us hail, but with which several of us have some contacts and experience. Dick Mason, from Connecticut, had a lot of connections and Howk had a lot of experience as his company's main office is in DC. So, we were in good hands as usual. They know how the trains run.

We decided to drive instead of fly as we have in the past because we were extending our visit to a full week instead of just three days as the reunion guys usually do. Our plans included going off on excursions in the car prior to the guys hitting town. The first visit was to Historic Alexandria, a place we had never really explored on prior visits to Virginia. 

-- Visit to Historic Arlington Cemetary Very Special 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Ceremony

When the guys arrived we visited the Arlington National Cemetary where we had a private backstage tour of the tomb of the unknown soldier. One of our Air Force buddies, Dick Mason, had made arrangements for us to receive a back-stage tour of the proceedings that govern the daily ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Commander of the military unit assigned to operate the Tomb facility met with us privately and gave us a talk followed by a question and answer session about how the memorial came into existence, how it operates on a daily basis, and the significance of the entire facility. It was quite revealing and exciting to learn how the 24-hour process of guarding the tomb is organized.

-- The History of Spying and How We Fit In as Veterans of USAFSS

NSA Museum Tour

We also visited the NSA Cryptologic Museum in Annapolis Junction. As our military experience was devoted to communications intercept and encryption, we all had an intense interest to learn more about the art and science of intelligence gathering, both historic and current. It's a great museum and with the special guided tour that we received, it was more than expected. The tour guide was a former NSA employee who had many years of experience as a computer programmer for NSA. She was delighted to meet our team as she came to realize that we had been in the field doing the intelligence gathering that was displayed in the museum. 

-- Tour of War Memorials 

Another day was spent with the group touring the Lincoln Memorial, the WW II Memorial, the Korean Memorial and the Vietnam War Memorial. Patti and I have been to these places before, but without fail, it's inspiring and moving to visit them again. At the time of our visit to the Korean War Memorial, there was a large contingent of Korean War Veterans, mostly in wheelchairs, that were escorted to Flag Plaza area of the monument. Taps was played and it was quite a sight to see so many visitors seeking out the veterans to thank them for their service. 

The Vietnam War Memorial Evokes a Lot of Emotions

Reading Update: Since I wrote my book about the seven major prophets that have acquired three-fourths of the religions acolytes of the planet in their deceitful web of lies I have continued to expand my research on the subject of religion and the existence of deities.

My latest source of historical perspective is found in a book by Ingrid D. Rowland, Giordano Bruno, Philosopher, Heretic. Bruno was an Italian philosopher of the 16th century who was ultimately burned at the stake for his contrary views about the motion of the sun and the disturbing unwillingness of status-quo religion to accept change.

In my view, there is no higher praise from a religious acolyte than "heretic." That's me, all the way. 

UMass Concert and War Reenactors

UPDATE - September 30 - October 6

-- Return to Alma Mater - for Lily's Concert

Lily Wright

My niece Lily has enrolled as a Commonwealth Honors College student at UMass - Amherst, my alma mater, as a music performance major. She has trained all her young life on the flute, piccolo, and (while no one was watching) the piano. She turned down full scholarships at various schools, including Clark University, in order to attend UMass. This was unexpected but understandable. Lily is determined to do things her own way and she believes the instructors, the atmosphere, the challenge for her at UMass will meet her high standards. I know she will do well.

She graduated 2nd in her class at South High School in Worcester (Salutatorian) and it was one of the many events in her life that Patti and I attended. We have been to concerts at Mechanics Hall, recitals at private studios, etc. She has been committed to her music since a very young age. That she has succeeded so well is not surprising as I have observed her hard work and dedication over the years. This past week I had the opportunity to hear her perform, including a featured performance on the piccolo, at the Fine Arts Center at UMass - Amherst. By the way, as I listened to Lilly's featured performance on stage at the Fine Arts Center, I recalled that I had attended a concert about 40 years ago at the same facility where I heard Andre Previn conduct the London Symphony Orchestra. Just saying.

During my visit to UMass for the concert and after a bit of research I learned a lot more about the Commonwealth Honors College program. While the program has been around since 1999 in one form or another, the major growth for it came about five years ago when a $192 million capital project was completed providing housing for up to 1,500 students and a complete academic building compound designed to bring a "college" atmosphere to the program.

The concert was great and Lily's featured role on the piccolo was the second time I had heard her take control of a concert audience with such a small, delicate instrument. It really was remarkable. Can't wait for the next concert, which is early November. 

-- Collings Foundation War Reenactors Event 

Tanks approach and fire cannons

The allies storm the enemy positions

Patti and I have become fans of the Collings Foundation over the years as it allows us to learn more about antique automobiles, historical military aircraft, and the characters and personalities that make up some of the most interesting histories of our country and the world. This year we attended the WWII reenactment of "The Battle for the Airfield," on the weekend of October 6 & 7, 2018. In past years, although we have attended other events, we never were able to include this special event on our calendar. This year, we made it. This presentation involved over 300 re-enactors representing US forces, British forces, "enemy" forces and their support teams. 

The "show" takes place at the Collings Foundation facility in Hudson, MA. The "battle" proceeds in front of the thousands of visitors gathered on the hillside to one side of the "airfield." The enemy is dug in on one end and the "allies" approach with tanks, half-tracks, troop carriers and infantry. At a crucial point in the battle, the British special forces emerge on the flank from the woods and help overpower the enemy. The booming explosions made Patti jump time and time again. The smoke from the rifle fire, howitzers, and vehicle cannons filled the air with acrid smells that hung in the air long after the half-hour battle was over. It was indeed a spectacle. It was more than I expected from the re-enactors who were all wearing uniforms and equipment that they have collected on their own. 

 -- One Year Ago, Patti Took Flight over the "Battle for the Airfield" location

Patti after her own air show performance

This year's visit was all about visiting the reenactors in their tents and camps along the airfield and watching as the allies attempted to take the airfield from the enemy. But, last year, Patti took the opportunity to get some pilot training in the WW II fighter trainer at the Collings Foundation show. Her pilot was Robert Collings, Jr., the Director of the Foundation.

When she was 3,000 feet over the airfield she asked if he would take her on some barrel rolls and inverted flight. He agreed and then subsequently agreed to repeat the maneuvers. From the ground, we could see the aggressive flying and were hopeful that Patti would be okay. Later, she said it was no worse than a roller coaster. Imagine!.

Walter Cronkite
A Reporter's Life

Reading Update: In 1996, the iconic newsman, Walter Cronkite of CBS News, wrote a biography that is part history and part lecture on the decline of the legitimate news gathering in this country. Although written over 20 years ago, the observations he made in the book still stand in the glaring dum-down taking place in our country. 

"A Reporters Life," by Walter Cronkite should be mandatory reading for anyone who wants to understand how the integrity of the newsroom has sunk so low that talking heads on television are a national embarrassment. Cronkite takes the reader back to WW II, the post-war challenges and the episodes of the 50's, 60's, and 70's that mark the decades when news coverage began its slow, dark decline. 

Olive and Lucy Visit and Condo Needs New Management

UPDATE - September 23 - September 29

-- Time for New Management for our Condominium

Winter from our front porch

The President of our Condo Trustees visited with me on Monday to inform me that they were about to start a search for a new management company. The Trustees and the current management team had mutually agreed to make a change effective at the end of the year. Rachel indicated they would like me to help seek out the new company. I had participated in previous searches and had helped with other contracts that we entered into and maybe she knew I was retired now and might have some spare time. We'll see. I need to start some research on this.

Don't kid yourself on how important it is to have the right condo management company. When you get over 100 inches of snow and the plowing costs reach 30, 40, or $50,000 a season, it's important to have somebody looking out for our best interests. A recent let-down by the current company on repair and repainting contracts has led to the need for change.


-- If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium? (No, it must be Olive and Lucy)

Lucy as the illustrator

Olive as the Grandaughter

Olive and Lucy brought their mother Corinne today. Corinne is still on her maternity leave from work so she can get used to managing an eight-week-old and a four-year-old at the same time. On Tuesday's, we try to help. The weather was a little grim, so we engaged in a lot of indoor activities, which included drawing, painting, playing board games (not well) hide and seek, book reading and building castles out of pillows on the couch in the playroom. This was mostly Lucy's activities. Olive concentrated on nursing and soiling her diapers. When not nursing, Olive will take a bottle, which lets Nana Patti exercise her skills as a newborn baby expert. Thank goodness Lucy is potty trained. She's very low maintenance.

-- Planning for the trip to Washington DC

Next week, Patti and I will drive to Washington DC to participate in my bi-annual reunion with the men with which I served in the Air Force. We all took basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and then we trained as radio intercept operators at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas. After seven months of training, most of us were assigned to USAF Security Services headquarters at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio. After serving two years state-side we all got overseas assignments, which included Vietnam, Japan, and Turkey.

Of our group, only one stayed in the Air Force and made a career of it. The rest of us escaped after our four-year hitch was up. But, since then we have held a reunion every two years to keep in touch and reminisce about life in the Air Force. One of our guys, Dick Mason, has arranged for a private tour of Arlington Cemetary and the Cryptologic Museum in Annapolis Junction. These are two places I have never been to, although I have been to DC many times. I'm looking forward to this trip. I have confirmed our room at the Crowne Plaza so we are all set.

-- 16 Loose-leaf binders filled with history

Since mid-summer, I have been sorting and cataloging the news commentaries that my Dad wrote for the Evening Gazette from the mid-1960's through the 1970's. His wife Sue painstakingly assembled the clippings into binders over the years and I have been reviewing them to see if I can make a useful compilation worthy of printing.

It's not an easy task. But, reading the columns as I go along has been very interesting and entertaining. I hope I make some progress this fall.


Reading Update: Having been a news reporter in my own time and growing up in a family where broadcast news was a daily event, I have always been fascinated to read about the legends of television, radio, and print newsgathering. I just finished a biography by Bob Edwards called, "Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism." The book tells about a time when "broadcasting live," actually meant something. Today, when a suspect is due in court later in the day for an arraignment, the "news" person sets up a camera at 5AM, outside the courthouse so they can claim "reporting on the scene." What rubbish.

When Murrow was reporting "on the scene," he was on the rooftops of London while Nazi bombers terrorized the city with nightly raids. That was "on the scene."

New Hampshire: The Vacation State, Wright Museum in Wolfeboro NH

UPDATE - September 16 - September 22

-- Vacation Time in New Hampshire Lakes Region - Lots of Fun

Patti at Bay Pointe Waterfront Deck

Since I was a small boy, visiting the Lakes Region of New Hampshire has always been an important part of my life. I went to Camp Pine Ridge in Rumney Depot; the family vacationed on Newfound Lake in those tiny, quaint cottages; and climbing the trails of the White Mountains was something my Dad and my brother did together often. Patti and I make it to New Hampshire at least once a year and frequently we make several visits. Even winter can be a draw for us in New Hampshire, although neither of us is a skier.


-- Mills Falls Marketplace

Innisfree Bookshop

On Sunday, we drove to Laconia where Patti's brother has a timeshare condo. We ventured around the lake the first day and spent some time at the Inn at Bay Pointe in Meredith. The patio deck on the water provided the perfect place for a light meal and some drinks. Across the street was the Mills Falls Marketplace, which has a great bookstore and a multitude of shops that we always enjoy visiting.

Among them was the Innisfree Bookshop. I always stop in and as you can imagine, I found some good buys on books. I bought Coal Wars by Richard Martin about the future of energy and the fate of the planet. He's making a case to shut down coal mining and I want to understand his argument. By the way, the book was only $4.98. The remainder rack is the safe place to find great books at low cost. Also, as there was a Ben and Jerry's shop in the Marketplace, featuring "Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz," Patti decided to have some for no better reason than, "Why not?"


-- The "Golf" Eagle Has Landed!

Actual Eagle Golf Ball

As of Monday, September 17, 2018, I have only had one Eagle on a golf course (and sadly, no hole-in-one efforts.) But, this was my lucky day. At the Lochmere Golf and Country Club in Tilton NH, just a chip shot to Lake Winnipesaukee, I got my second eagle. It was the tricky 310 yard 12th hole, which is a sharp dogleg to the left and up to a very high, invisible green. Patti and I were in a foursome that included two fellows that were matched up with us at the course. All four of us had placed our tee shots cleanly in the fairway at the foot of the rising green. You could barely see the top of the flag from where we all were standing. My shot was smooth and lofted nicely; I felt sure I was on the green. When we walked up the hill, everyone found their shots; except me. All four of us began looking to see if it rolled off the green behind, or to the side. Finally, with a bit of sarcasm, someone said, "Have you checked in the hole?" Well, of course not. So one of the fellows walked over, peered inside the cup and said, "It's in the hole!" My second shot had hit the green and rolled in for my second eagle. Even with the eagle, I still only shot a 91. It's getting tougher to break 90.

-- Air Show at Laconia Airport

P-51 Engine Repair

Supporting 2nd Amendment

The "Wings of Freedom Tour," featuring historic military aircraft, owned and operated by the Collings Foundation, made a three-day stop at the Laconia Airport. We visited on Tuesday and had fun crawling under and inside the wonderfully restored aircraft. I spent a lot of time in the B-24 Liberator. Previously, at other air shows, I had a chance to fly inside the B-17 Flying Fortress. It was well worth the cost to experience flying aboard such a fantastic aircraft. The P-51 was not out on the field, but rather, it was in the "barn," having the engine worked on by a team of engine specialists from the Roush Performance team. This is the same company that operates the Roush NASCAR racing team.

B-24 Liberator Cockpit

Patti Upstaging the B-24 Liberator

-- "Hart's Turkey Farm Restaurant" 

No need for a menu

Every visit to New Hampshire includes a visit to Hart's Turkey Farm Restaurant. It's on the Daniel Webster Highway in Meredith NH. We went to dinner with Patti's brother John, and all of us enjoyed our meals very much. I had the "small" turkey plate, which I could barely finish. I don't know how Johnny managed the "regular" turkey plate. It was enormous. Patti went for the Turkey Pie. Again, it's more than anyone can eat without leftovers.


Now, if you have someone in your party who doesn't want Turkey, the restaurant can accommodate everyone. Steak, Fish, and all the usual suspects are on hand as you can imagine. The other great feature here is the homemade pies and pastries. At the front counter, they have a shop where you can buy a wide variety of prepared foods so you can have the same experience at home as you have at the restaurant.

Don't be alarmed if you pull up and see buses; they have seating for over 400 people, so in all the years of visiting Hart's we have never had to wait to get a table. Bon Appetit.

-- Spectacular Golf at Owls Nest in NH

On Wednesday, we visited the Jack Nicklaus-designed facility at the Owls Nest Resort in Thornton NH, which is a really a spectacular location and golf course. I  shot a 92, which was not too bad given that I have never played the course before and some of the holes had surprises. But, I'm not complaining. Patti and I enjoyed the people, the course layout, and even the clubhouse was a treat. We had a nice meal and drinks after the game and it couldn't have been nicer.


-- Wright Museum of Wolfeboro NH


On Thursday we visited the Wright Museum in Wolfeboro NH. Although the museum has my name, we are not associated with it. A gentleman named Wright turned his personal collection of World War II memorabilia into a full-fledged museum over time and it has now become a very well-known and respected facility. Yankee Magazine selected it as the Best 20th Century History Museum in the state. That's high praise. Downtown Wolfeboro is a favorite spot of ours to visit as it has beautiful historic buildings, great restaurants, an outstanding bookshop, and great tourist attractions. What makes this museum a bit distinctive is that it devotes a large amount of its focus on the "homefront" aspects of the war. What was it like in small-town New Hampshire; what did the citizens have to endure; how did they respond to the international emergency here in their small communities? It was very well done in presenting the homefront part of the WW II story.

-- Patti and I Love Eating in places such as the Wolfes Tavern 

After our visit to the Wright Museum, we went to the Wolfes Tavern, a part of the Wolfeboro Inn. This is the kind of tavern we love; fireplaces, low ceilings, authentic wide board floors, and just the right blend of fun and pub-type food. Patti's brother John, went with the Sam Adams and fish sandwich. Patti had an exotic drink and the soup and half-sandwich, while I went with Johnnie Walker Red on the rocks and the Kielbasa sandwich. Leftovers were automatic. The pub atmosphere is enhanced by the mugs hanging from the ceiling. I had to duck my head a few times when moving around the room. I believe the mugs are tagged and the "owners" use them when they come in. Not sure how that meets health code in Wolfeboro; but, we're only visitors.


-- Strangest Tavern in New Hampshire - But, we liked it

Piano and Tapas Bar

By far, the strangest restaurant in New Hampshire is Tavern 27. If you know what tapas is, and you like it, this place takes it a bit further. The place is odd, the service staff are odd, the food is odd, but; again, we liked it. However, I would never recommend it to anyone as it's too odd for me to think that I want to own the recommendation. Does that make sense?

The 225-year-old building provides the atmosphere and the super subdued lighting adds to the ambiance. The menu is eclectic at a minimum and eccentric at maximum. We ordered various items and enjoyed them all. But, you really are on your own to decide if you want to try a place that warns you not to arrive early for your reservation as they have no waiting room, so you will have to stand outside until they can seat you. You have been warned.

Reading Update: Patti was so desperate to read Bob Woodward's book, Fear, that I had to place a pre-order online so that it would come directly to the house. I couldn't get a real bargain on it either (which is very important to me as I read about two books a week). So, I paid almost cover price; Yikes! Anyway, it arrived and she and I both read it right away.

It's a shameful thing that has happened to our country. But, reading Fear, Unhinged, and A Higher Loyalty over the past few weeks has convinced me that our country is in real trouble and it will take decades to dig out from this mess created by the moron in the White House.