Back in the 'Hood

Back home just in time for the 1st big rain. The hill is still brown but I swear I can hear the grass shoving up through the dirt.  In the meantime the clouds are epic and those Blue Angels are keeping the noise levels high.

One Degree of Separation

Here is a little story I can tell to my great, great, grandchildren, if I live long enough, about my one and only meeting with the late, great, Steve Jobs. It was in a small room, around a small table, in the Cupertino headquarters of Apple Computer. Jobs was wearing his trademark outfit, dark shirt and jeans, and I was there in my jacket and tie and reporter's notebook, about to get a sneak preview. It was late December of 1983. Jobs walked in the room with a bulky object in a sack. He placed it at the center of the table, in a gesture he had probably repeated dozens of times already. I guess it was meant to be a bit like a magician's act, raising the hat to reveal the rabbit. Up came the bag, and there was my first look at a Macintosh. Other than its cube-shape and small screen, I remember very little about it. What I do recall is that a British journalist, who sat in the room with me, asked Jobs why he called it a Macintosh. "Where I'm from, it's an old raincoat," he huffed. Then Jobs turned on a television. This was a first look at a commercial Apple had prepared for the 1984 SuperBowl. Woman in a track suit. Bald Zombies. A hammer to the face of Big Brother. It is sometimes called the Greatest Commercial Ever Made. And thanks to Moore's Law, you can see it here, almost 27 years later. You'll see why 1984 won't be like "1984."
I got to watch it with Steve Jobs.
My business instincts were as keen then as they are now. I thought was the stupidest thing I'd ever seen.

Lake Dunmore's many moods

For all my sweeties who cannot be here, a few shots of our favorite lake.

The Tunbridge World's Fair

The day I visited the fair was warm and gorgeous. Getting there was a puzzle with all the still-closed roads from Irene damage.The day I visited the fair was warm and gorgeous. Getting there was a puzzle. with all the still-closed roads from Irene damage.

This goat has an attitude

Poor Brandon

I finally took my camera to Brandon, 2 + weeks after Irene roared through and took these sad pictures. 

The little park to the right of route 7 going south.

The mess between 2 buildings a bit north of that park, same side.

Another view of the little park

The thrift store "parking lot."

The other little park where we often ate pastries...

The former Brandon Pizza site

Yikes!

Some things never change...

Rowan in Ferrara

Rowan has a blog!

Hey there, fans of Wolff Russell Family, all 3 of you out there. I am re-posting Rowan's 1st Italy post:
http://rowanrussell.blogspot.com/

In the Poconos

I am in a sweet little cabin in the middle of woods and rolling corn fields. I am about to go down to the airy post and beam barn/dining room/lecture hall for breakfast. My favorite speaker, Eric Rohmann, the printmaker is speaking 1st. I'll post a few pics later. http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/fw-sched/2011/advanced-illustrators

Eric Rohmann talked about character development and printmaking and then we all got an assignment:

We were given a small piece of EZKut and told to draw Herb the Pig, having his picture taken in 1st grade.

Everyone drew Herb and carved him-the variety was stunning. Mine is lower right.

We eat and have lessons in this barn. It is brand new and gorgeous, built inside the foundation of an old barn that forms 2 walls of the back patio area.

Irene hit Brandon pretty badly.

Flood damage in Brandon

That pretty little park where we often sat and drank coffee and ate pastries was really slammed by the flood. Here are a few pics from CNN's site.

Montreal to Ferrara-August 30, 2011

Rowan was safely delivered to Montreal airport at about 3 PM after slight excitement at the border when Tula's rabie's tag was not sufficient proof of health for the Canadian border agent. Naturally, I could not find the health papers--they turned up under the front seat of Ginny for the ride home, but the US agent not at all interested in seeing them. 

Luckily, another agent came out to the car and, after taking a quick look at T's bright eyes and submissive attitude, let us pass.

At the airport Rowan and I each had a beer and I had a red bull for the ride home. Even that was not enough to keep T and me awake, so we were forced to stop again for a large creemee near the border. 

 I stopped and bought a lot of booze at the duty free-all these 2 pack offers, just like Costco. I told the whole truth at the US border and got in trouble again. Apparently I was not aware that I could only get one liter after being in Canada a full 48 hours, so the nice US border agent charged me an extra $14 tax!

 Oh well. 

Still a great dog, a great kid, a great voyage and a pretty good deal on the gin!