MaineCourse

Dan Downing

An offering to the Google gods.

Charlie and Matthew

Let's say you arrive at your local bowling alley with these boys and all the balls are in use ... .

Stars

Nudge, nudge

By Adam S. Kibbe

I’ve nothing urgent or profound to share, alas, but the unholy duo below creeps me out, and the only way to move them down and off the “front page” is by posting new entries -- something the Wizard of Wacton has let languish. I do what I can.

Nature toys with us in these parts -- elsewhere, too, probably, but Ptolemaic perspectives are irresistible. Barely a week ago, it was pushing 60. Then, last weekend, 6”+ of snow. Yesterday it was almost 70 -- a blizzard can’t be far off.

And Michael wants to go camping.

One warm spring day some years ago, I and the Miller/Canning family left behind all the friends who wouldn’t come and drove up to Aziscohos, a revisiting of a site too cushy for the guys’ camping trip that first explored it, but ideal for an easy group getaway. Snow lingered in the shadows, but bright sun greeted us as we set up camp. And the April water was just as cold as the October lakes we usually experience.

I’m too wrapped up in work hyperdrive to yet contemplate my agreement to help Mike indoctrinate the gang of teenagers he proposes to expose to “real” camping. I don’t even know where we’re going (nor does he, in all likelihood), so I’ll probably just get into it there, a day or two before leaving, as usual.

But I won’t try to second guess the weather. I’ll bring a bathing suit and suntan lotion, and the usual 85 layers of warmth. And a map, in case we’re still making up our minds on the way, just as the weather here seems to be.........

Aziscohos

I’m piggybacking on Adam’s post (further shoving the unholy duo on down the page) to add this photo from that spring trip to Aziscohos. I talked myself into believing it too was an April excrusion, but I looked at the back of the photo and saw May of 1999. That means it was Memorial Day, when the snow lingered. Damn.

Two more pics:
Rope Swing
and
Pebble Beach

Separated at Birth

Condi Rice and Zorg from the Fifth Element

White Cruets

This Much I Do Remember

It was after dinner.
You were talking to me across the table
about something or other,
a greyhound you had seen that day
or a song you liked,

and I was looking past you
over your bare shoulder
at the three oranges lying
on the kitchen counter
next to the small electric bean grinder,
which was also orange,
and the orange and white cruets for vinegar and oil.

All of which converged
into a random still life,
so fastened together by the hasp of color,
and so fixed behind the animated
foreground of your
talking and smiling,
gesturing and pouring wine,
and the camber of your shoulders

that I could feel it being painted within me,
brushed on the wall of my skull,
while the tone of your voice
lifted and fell in its flight,
and the three oranges
remained fixed on the counter
the ways stars are said
to be fixed in the universe.

Then all the moments of the past
began to line up behind that moment
and all the moments to come
assembled in front of it in a long row,
giving me reason to believe
that this was a moment I had rescued
from the millions that rush out of sight
into a darkness behind the eyes.

Even after I have forgotten what year it is,
my middle name,
and the meaning of money,
I will still carry in my pocket
the small coin of that moment,
minted in the kingdom
that we pace through every day.

--Billy Collins

rakkity and the Mrs.

I don't know about rakkity, here pictured with the future Mrs. rakkity in 1977, but I sure wish he still had that shirt.

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The Wedding- Tree Growers Meadow - 1978




Diane, Molly, the happy husband and his blushing bride (this will teach rakkity to send me photos without annotation).

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Mike, Ed, Beth, Kathy, Beth's sister, and the Justice of the Peace
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My first wedding, my first and only best man role and my first toast. I don't know about the happy couple, but I was one proud guy.

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Saxophone

Willow last night with the jazz saxophonist, whom I believe is married to the guitarist. I offered to break our Friday night routine, but Diane claimed she had been dreaming of sushi with a bowl of white rice.


I've been searching for prints of rakkity, and this all I can find so far. Back when he lived with us on Beacon St. in Somerville. Beth to his left, Bill Connet to his right, and Keiko, Peter's girlfriend across the table.

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Mrs. rakkity.
Sorry Mrs., I know this isn't the most flattering photo but it's better than the one of you on our infamous whale hunt, bundled in a blanket, a pale shade of green, doing your best not to become an over-the-sider.

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Genes

Dash Ruthenburg

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Dash's dad.

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Bill Connet

Bill Connet, Patti and Diane. I'm not sure, but I think Diane or maybe Susan made that quilt.

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I had to add another of Diane as Glen Close in Fatal Attraction. Next to her is Karen Schiff and "Speed Freak."

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Moving Day

Peter, Diane, Eileen Foley, and Linda.
One of my all time favorites...taken when we moved from Linda's house on High St. to Central.

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Dan ("toothpick") and Greg, Somerville, 19 something something. We stil have Patti's hanging macrame plant holder, but the bell is gone. Diane made a dress of the same material as those curtains and somewhere I have a photo of her standing in front of the living room windows, with the huge avocado to her right.

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Matt has a snow imposed, two hour school opening delay. Not what he hoped for, but better than nothing.

Jayne Dearth

Joan, Paul and Jayne Dearth. Jayne met Peter at Holy Ghost Hospital and for a time, lived with us on Beacon St.
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Barbara, Joan and Ginger. Any guesses which one is Ginger?

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---

From rakkity:

Mike & Diane,

Very interesting tale by two bikers on their way around the world.

They passed through Esteli, Nicaragua on their way south. Cindie,
the main writer of the pair, spoke to a young fellow in Esteli who said
he was a Sandanista and hated capitalism. Cindie shamefacedly admits
that she told him they were canadian, the only time she couldn't confess
to being americans.

They continued on to the Nicaraguan coast and then down to Costa Rica,
where they saw the elusive Quetzal bird (we tried, but failed) and saw the
same kind of monkeys we saw in Baru. This fearless biker couple seems to
be in Chile now.

How is Matt's knowlege of recent american history? Does he know about
Ronald God Raygun's messing around with Nicaragua? If not, he will sure
learn about it while learning Spanish in Esteli!

Afro

I borrowed Adam and Tricia’s scanner, after failing to solve the scan line problem with mine, and as you can see, they are still visible, but less so. I’m not sure what I’m complaining about, because the scanned, monitored pics are infinitely clearer than the poorly exposed, faded originals.

Ginger pressured me to post my afro pic, taken on the Cambridge Common in 1971. I don’t know what happened to the grass (maybe all the fertilizer was used in growing my hair), but the Hertz moving truck suggests the beginning of the school year.

The next photo is, I assume, from Brian and Ginger’s wedding party. But why, if that is her, was Patti there?

Shinydome sent me this Shoe cartoon which is funny and wonderfully illustrated, and if you back into macnelly.com, you’ll find the history of Shoe. The Globe doesn’t carry the strip, and I assumed when Jeff died, the strip did too, but nay, nay.



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I procrastinated assembling a photo album for Flo to take to Arizona, but Saturday, with carefully selected pics from birthday parties, vacations, and Susan’s archive, Diane and I arrived at Chris’s. I figured the easiest method was to use her iPhoto to upload to Kodak to publish a book of ten pages to send directly to Flo and her sister Doris in Sun Lakes. I used an online company in the past to create the book format, and she had loved it.

However, when we arrived - and after Chris totally ignored me to wrap a warm hug around Diane - she opened iDVD on her Mac and played a movie, with Moon River as an accompaniment, of essentially the same photos I had chosen. Totally independently. There it was, my “job”, all done. Not an album, but better - a DVD playable on a computer or your friendly television.

Diane and Chris edited it slightly, added more photos, and therefore a different, longer sound track, and I’m mailing it this morning. A guaranteed tear jerker. It just is. Diane tells me we’ll now have to buy Flo a DVD player for her TV. After we left, Chris went back to the blog, pulled more Miller-oriented pics and made one for my mother. What a friend. Even if she doesn’t hug me anymore.

Village Video

Acton Village Video (or as Travis would say, Herb's) Friday night.

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"Haven't a clue"

Willow Books

Back at Willow Books, this time listening to the regulars, Dan Weiner on the right, and I don’t know the name of the bass player. I enjoy our Friday night routine, but Diane who taught me the importance of ritual, is threatening to rebel. Perhaps suggest a restaurant other than the Sushi House? What’s next, no more Sunday breakfasts at Alexanders? No Talent Night?
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Members of the audience.

For the record, I bought Lost Light by Michael Connelly, as a respite from Adam Haslett's gut wrenching short stories, and Diane, William Gibson's Pattern Recognition.

Shorter List

Yesterday, I took the BMW into Goodyear for five new tires, and an electrical check. They called back to say the alternator was indeed charging the battery, but we might want to consider a new starter motor (295.00 installed). I thought, all those fireworks, all those fiddling hours and the darn thing is still working. Or working, finally. Amazing. Feeling pretty good about what’s been done, and with a short list left, I arrived home to this sage advice sent by shinydome.

In probable order: Muffler, all rubber hoses under the hood, head rests, new shoulder belt,and finally - but surely not last - a paint job.



Matt and Joe explore a bag of Gourmet Jelly Beans.

Cranky

Diane spent much of last night coordinating with the Burgins, and then buying Matt’s plane tickets to Nicaragua. She found a less expensive leg from Miami to Managua on Taca Airlines, and needed to strike that hot iron. Two thoughts: Diane shoulda been a travel agent, but I suppose you could agrue that she already is. The more I dwell on this trip, the more I agree with Alternate.

Two days ago Matt drove his BMW to the dentist's, but he needed a jump to get home.Yesterday, Matt drove to school for the first time, checked on his prized possession during fifth period, and at the end of the school day, needed no help at all. Seems to me the more he drives that snazzy white box, the better it works.

---

There is an old lady from Boston
Who goes out to Scottsdale quite often
To meet an old friend
Play the slots and pretend
That they're 20 as they cruise with the top down.

This morning we’ll drop it off at Goodyear for a set of tires to replace those thirty year old treads.

Arizona

Flo charming the Irish - even a bit of a brogue - wheelchair escort on her way to visit her sister in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Doris sits waiting for Flo
In Scottsdale, where each year she goes
To ward off the chill
And lay down some bills
On Poker, the slots and Keno.

Escuela Horizonte

Diane sent this email to Edgelina after Dan translated it into Spanish

I am the mother of Matthew Miller, who plans, with his friend Hilary Burgin, to come to your school this summer. (I have asked our friend Dan to translate for us, as we are not Spanish-speaking.) Hilary has needed time to clarify the dates when she is available due to her commitments at Quaker camp, so we finally have information we would like to discuss with you, and some questions about protocol.

Are you able to accept these two into your program for the period of July 11 until August 6?

Would you be able to offer transportation from the Managua Airport to their homestay families if they arrived on Taca Airlines, Sunday July 11 at 2:45 p.m.? And would you be able to have them delivered back to Managua Airport by 8:15 a.m. on Friday August 6 for a Taca Airlines 10:15 a.m. flight to Miami? How much would this arrangement cost?

I do not know if any of your homestay families could accommodate 2 teenagers of different gender, but is there a possibility that they could be placed reasonably close, so that they could travel to school together and offer each other support as need be? They are both mature and independent young people, but this plan is nevertheless ambitious for their age.

As to volunteer work, they are both eager to make a real contribution through their work. Matthew has beginning skills in carpentry, as his father is in construction, and would prefer to work outside. I know they would like to work on the same site, but if that is not feasible, they are prepared for whatever you think best. Do you have reasonable options for their service work?

It seems, from the website, that it is not yet possible to register online. Hilary has forwarded the registration forms you attached to your email. After you get back to us, would you like us to send the registrations in the mail, or by email attachment?

Thank you so much for your responsiveness to Hilary and Matt's inquiries, and for your patience as they have formulated their plans. We would like, now, to actually make reservations and formalize their registration at your school, so please let us know how to proceed.

Sincerely,

Diane Miller Canning

---

Egdelina wrote back in both Spanish and English.

Hello Diane!

Gracias por escribir a la escuela, Hilary habia escrito a la escuela en tiempos pasados, ellos pueden asistir a la escuela en la fecha que lo desee. No es un problema hay espacio para ellos para la fecha que usted nos indica.

Tenemos un servicio de transporte que recoge al estudiante en el aeropuerto y lo trae a la escuela. EL servicio de transporte consiste, un vehiculo privado con chofer y un guia. Ellos se encargan de recoger a los estudiantes en el aeropuerto, para mayor seguridad de ellos. El costo es de 70 dolares. esto incluye el pago de todo, chofer, guia y transportacion. Nosotros podemos encontrarlos a ellos el 11 de Julio que seria Domingo y llevarlos ese mismo dia a su familia.

Con respecto a la familia, no hay problema ellos pueden vivir en la misma familia, las familias quedan cerca de la escuela.

Sobre le trabajo voluntario, necesitariamos saber en que area ellos quisieran hacer su trabajo voluntario.

Ellos tienen que llenar sus formatos de inscripcion para que reserven su cupo, le enviamos los formatos de inscripcion, los formatos los puede enviar por email. Si tienen mas preguntas, solo escriban. Hasta pronto

****************************************************************************
*************************************
Thank you to write to the school, Hilary had written to the school in last times, they can attend the school in the date that you want it. It is not a problem there is space for them for the date that you indicate us.

We have a service of transport that it picks up the student in the airport and you bring it to the school. The service of transport consists, a private vehicle with chauffeur and a guide. They take charge of picking up the students in the airport, for bigger security of them. The cost is of 70 dollars. this includes the payment of everything, chauffeur, guides and transportation. We can find them to them the 11 of July that serious Domingo and to take them that same day to their family.

With regard to the family, there is not problem they can live in the same family, the families are near the school.

On I work him volunteer, we would need to know in that area they wanted to make their voluntary work.

They have to fill their inscription formats so that they reserve their share, we send him the inscription formats, the formats can send them for email. If they have but you ask, alone they write. Until soon

Egdelina Lanuza
Director

Fireworks

Adam arrived to help work on the carport roof, but because Matt had installed the new regulator, we decided to first finish stage sixty-two of the BMW project, and add that missing ground wire to the second, unconnected alternator terminal. After a trip to the hardware store for stout, ten gauge copper wire and fittings, and some discussion about the perfect ground (we reasoned, why not directly to the negative of the battery terminal?), Adam reached in and completed the circuit. Except that as soon as the wire contacted that bare terminal, the engine compartment was transformed into our personal fireworks display. We had roman candlesque sparks, and smoking wires that began to drip red insulation, not unlike the volcano we visited in Hawaii.

I yelled at Adam to pull the wire off - I wasn’t going to put my hand in harm’s way - and he struggled to dodge the sparks, and now flames, to disengage it. Interestingly, with the wire off, and after a few minutes to allow vaguely familiar objects to return to their pre-molten shapes, the car started right up. However, later with a mostly fully charged battery, it again failed to start. But - and this may be a big but - it acted more like an old car that is unaccustomed to quick starts, and not, as it has in the past, an invisible power-draining short. Today I’ll pop in a battery from one of the many Schreiber cars stored on our lot to see if we’ve made enough progress to move to stage sixty-three: new tires. Or is it replacing all the worn out rubber hoses under the hood?

P.S. Peter Finlay assumes that “other” terminal is a second positive. That would explain the, ah, unhappy reaction.

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Brian, Peter, Mack and Mike

Mike (not Mutt) and Jeff

Chuck Close

These photos were taken yesterday at La Provence in Concord. I might have been influenced by an interview I listened to on Friday on Fresh Air with Chuck Close, the guy known for painting extreme close-ups of faces.

"

Edgelina Lanuza

Matt and Hillary (from now on Hil), have been writing to Edgelina Lanuza at Escuela Horizonte and this is her first reply:

Hello Hilary and Matt!

That good that write to the school, you can attend the school in the time that you want it, alone they have to tell us the exact date that you want to take their classes of Spanish. You can also make work volunteer, alone they have to tell us that work volunteer's type wants to make, we work with different organisms that you can make its voluntary work. We send them the inscription format so that they reserve their share, filling the format will be included in the program of classes and activities. Until soon.

Egdelina Lanuza
Director

Tom Pendergast playing last night at Willow Books. Jaw droppingly fine Jazz guitar considering the venue, a bookstore, the audience, six people, including this father with his appreciative son.


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Birthday

Ginger and Brian in 1971, collecting their paychecks at McLean Hospital.


Yesterday was Diane’s 57th birthday, and we celebrated by having dinner at The Quarterdeck in Maynard with Matt and Flo. I attempted to order chocolate cake with a candle, and have a fine rendition of happy birthday sung by all, but Diane couldn’t bear the thought of one more calorie. As it was, she couldn’t finish her scallops.

However, we returned home to many familiar voices singing on our answering machine.

Esteli

Hillary and her parents shared a potlucky dinner with us last night, and we discussed in some detail, the proposed trip to Esteli Nicaragua. Matt and Hillary are planning to spend four weeks in Esteli, where they will learn Spanish in the morning, and engage in volunteer work in the afternoons. Here’s the
website

No Theme

Leroy, Helen, Brian and Helen Virginia


Bill Lewis and Pablo Guevara


Ed's Cabin, Grok Hill, NH


Brian in Evansville


Florence Fallon and Frank Canning

Cool Christmas

Guess who or is it whom?