MaineCourse

Maine Malaise

CATCHING UP

The BMW cost $330.00 for various estimates and to fix the oil pump problem that had left Matt’s instructor scratching his head. We whittled down various Alpha Cars recommended to-do’s and gave them only the go ahead to fix the clutch and drive shaft. That came to about $1400.00. I use the past tense because I just talked to Leonard who said the flywheel could not be machined as planned and they had already ordered a new one from Germany. Add another $182.00. I’m betting that Karen, who had envisioned making this car her own, and perhaps had nostalgic feelings as it left her driveway the final time, has now shed any sense of loss.

Matthew is in Minnesota and anyone who would like to receive the daily edition of the Camp Torroemore Times need only say so in the comments section.

Diane urged me to take a writing class, which is ongoing this week at Curry College. It cost a mint, but after day two, I’m convinced it is worth it. The instructor is good, the workshop format rewarding and tomorrow I read aloud one of my stories.

GIBBERISH

August is early to begin our fall camping trip preparations but there had been early warnings about schedule conflicts. We agreed to meet at La Provence in Concord to discuss dates and places to ensure that this fall we wouldn’t wake up in the woods in the snow. We are a talkative group AND I knew there were real issues that might make facing this year’s trip difficult but I never thought we’d spend so little time on topic.
Here is a look back at last Sunday.
I arrived first, then Dan, who pulled into a space with a broken parking meter. We spent ten minutes attempting to get the meter to work. Our solution -removing the already stuck dime- involved Dan with pen knife in hand, balancing the dime (this is Concord) in the slot so that when I clobbered the back of the meter with the palm of my hand, the dime would spit out. It worked for the stuck dime and it worked for Dan’s dime that replaced the stuck dime, when it too got stuck. Smacking the parking meter in front of a restaurant full of wide-eyed lunch eaters reminded me of Lukas Jackson in Cool Hand Luke.
We all sat down and talked about:

• Mark Schreiber’s computer virus
• Dan’s security talk at Palmer & Dodge. Dan figures every hour of presentation requires sixteen of preparation.Mold in Mark’s basement, which begged the question, did the computer virus produce the mold or the mold the virus.
• Tricia selling books on Amazon resulted, in a round about way, Adam being late as he stood in line as his local post office. Small town America.
• My writing class that began on Sunday with a reception to meet staff and students. Adam called it a social, Dan a mixer. Diane said it better not be a mixer.
• Chris is home and playing tennis with Mark.
• Molly’s tuition at TISCH. As always, I brought up Tulane where she was offered almost eighteen grand a year.Dan compared Molly’s tuition to buying a house every year but amended it to a third of a house. I said a house in Ohio and then added Matthew’s observation - a block in Evansville. Mark’s meager consolation - Molly tested out of a semester.
  
• Mark Queijo and his ongoing voice mail upgrade problem. This time, his new boss is out because of emotional issues leaving him, once again, to struggle alone.
• Dan brought up my comment about memory inhibiting change. He said because he is has no memory, he is a free man.
• Questions about how Matt is doing and the cost of his car repairs. I forgot to bring up the Paypal account where everyone can contribute to those repairs.
  
• Mark Queijo’s father’s 1982 Volvo that was about to become Mark’s nephew Brett’s car.
• Adam’s addition. Not as far along as he would like, but further along these last two weeks than he assumed he would be.
• Mark Garabedian - exam and registration issues. There is always November.Mark Queijo’s plan to dismantle part of the beaver dam that causes his road to be perpetually flooded. I assumed C-4, but Mark claims a pry bar and a shovel will be sufficient.

Finally, I said, STOP, it’s time to talk about Maine.

• Mark Schreiber wants us to go Glacier National Park or its equivalent. He wants to hike long distances with magnificent views and not worry about the cold and wet. In other words, no suffering. Mark Queijo then asked, what would be the point of going? Dan mentioned his friend Vicky who did the Salmon River white water rafting trip and we all agreed we’d love to do go somewhere more exotic than Maine but there is timing, money and wives. Estimated cost for Glacier is 6 to 8 hundred. Cost to go to Maine where our spouses(all but Diane), are happy not to accompany us , 300 or less. Adam says he spends 150 on food and wine alone.
• We agree, it’s Maine again. Maybe October, but schedules are so full that November is more likely.Go where? Adam still wants to go to Rainbow lake where there are no cabins and the only way in is by float plane. I had already called Bonnie at Katahdin Air for the cost -85 per person both ways - and the last possible fly in date, which would be early in the second week of August. I then brought up Katahdin because we could climg the mountain, making Mark Schreiber happier. My assignment is to call Mik and find out about trails, camping places, cost, etc.. There was a decided lack of enthusiasm but maybe because it’s only August. No discussion of asking Bill this year, who had already told me privately that he couldn’t go. Adam and I talked later about the Adirondacks and again, it’s my ob to investigate those lakes.
• We ended lunch with another Ripman Lighting tale. All pertinent information is censored until I get Adam’s permission. He and Tricia return from the Virgin Islands this weekend.
  

Nice to see the blog refreshed. We were fearing bloglessness until writing school and vacations and extra work to pay for the BMW and camping trip planning and camping trip and holdiay prep and holidays had all come and gone.

Posted by The Fan Club.

Memorable recounting once again exhibiting incredible memory -- but who that was there wants to read all that?

Plus, toward the end paragraphs and orthography are abismal, despite good use of bullets earlier.

Still hoping "writing school" has a positive impact.

Guess that's why they call me the editor.

PS - can you "turn on" spell and grammar check in a blog environment?

Posted by The Editor.

Why would I want to turn on another grammar checker? Btw, it's abysmal.

PPS: Can you take us to the airport on Saturday?

Posted by Michael.

Montana may cost twice as much, but it's worth
at least ten times as much, scenerywise) as Maine. Patrick S., who we happened to meet on his cross-country roadtrip here in LA, just
returned from Montana (via Seattle, SF, LA,...)
He says that the Beartooth highway (212) shows the greatest views in the world, and he wishes he could have stayed there longer.

Expand your horizons! (says Beth)

--Ed (Glacier, MT last year, Beartooths, MT
next week)

Posted by Ed.

I, for one, like to reread what ground we covered, and as I was late, I get caught up on what I missed. And cut a willing and generous scribe some slack for heaven's sake -- slightly sloppy's a long way from abysmal. Any touchiness about characterizations, activating.... "issues", maybe?

Ed's comment puts things in perspective, but Mike's oblique phrasing obscures the potential infraction of going somewhere so appealing as Glacier as just The Five Guys. Not a camper, Tricia would probably be nonplussed, but Diane would feel loss. Or so says Mike. But I believe him.

The apathy Mike never names may indeed be the spectre of more grey Maine, and a new venue might very well jump start our flagging enthusiasms. But we found ourselves pushed too late into the season -- but paradoxically too close to the dates -- to test a new theory this year. So once again it's how to tweak the familiar. I look forward to the results of Mike's research.

Posted by way belated.

Another thing to do when I get home this Sunday-call Mik. Issues addressed with clarity, as usual, Adam.

Posted by Mike.

God had some serious quality-control problems.

Posted by Ferguson Sandy .

Posted by Michael at August 12, 2003 11:55 PM