
Sent by my brother, Brian. ” This one burned for eight hours (14 firetrucks) and killed a 78 year-old woman on the first floor. The water was six inches deep in the street and it was still burning when they knocked it down. “
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Author Archives: Michael
Thanksgiving 2005
Thanksgiving Morning 2005

This card’s from the company that picks up my construction debris.
Welcome Mat
Some people really know how to treat their local carpenter.
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Piano Man
A rapt roomful listening to Rick Scalise.

Flo never misses his concerts.
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I recorded Rick’s last piece, a Hungarian something or another which he claimed was ultra popular. Sounds tinny coming from my camera.

Flo poses with “the other two dummies.”
Patricia Finlay

September 14, 1955 – November 8, 2005
Photos displayed at yesterday’s Memorial Reception .
Sunset Strip

Peter, Patti and Peter’s brother, Jim. (1987)
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Deer Kills
Lovewell Pond

On the way to Mark’s to return his lawn mower, borrow more firewood and have donuts and coffee. This early Saturday morning drive is traditionally one Adam and I take together, but he’s far, far away.

View across Lovewell Pond from Mark and Jan’s property.
Rough Cut
Last Saturday, I sped out to Mark Queijo’s house to borrow his lawn mower and grab another trailer (his) load of firewood, and of course there is no getting near that guy without helping him do seventeen other things (you might call it equal trade, but believe me, he’ll be in the red as long as he lives).
Mark’s adding a set of stairs to his back deck and hacking them out of rough cut lumber. Lumber that’s one step away from its source – the bark is removed and it’s cut to width and length but not dressed. Think wood that actually measures 4×6 or 2×4. “Wait until you see this lumberyard, you’ll love it,” he cooed. As if to make the extra hour away from my weekend chores worthwhile. But, as usual, he was right. Buried off in the woods of Orange, Ma., this place is a step above the Walton’s saw mill.
Sign on the door.

Forty-eight inch saw blade. Where’s Nell?

View from the backside.
However, and this is where this ditty is going, what do you suppose was the first thing Mark did after he jumped out of my truck? It is such a typical guy thing .
It reminds me of the end of my Maine canoe trips with Dan, when he changed his shoes and socks in a restaurant in Millinocket. Might not look like much to a Bostonian, but it is a place where others enjoy food. Alright, it’s not an exact parallel…still.
Adam Checks In
So we found a place with a card reader — let me know how the attached come through (shrunken with Microsoft Paint, whatever that is).
We took a bus to Siena today, which was beautiful but even more of a ripoff for unwary tourists than Firenze. Glad to be back. Tomorrow we climb the Duomo (we hope) buy some last stuff, and Friday we fly to Brussels. We’re there all day Saturday and fly home Sunday via New York, arriving in the neighborhood of 4:30.
The weather sucked yesterday, which gave us a good excuse to do little and retire to our hotel room to read and nap. A nice dinner out, the evening ambling abbreviated by iffy weather. Today was supposed to be a big adventure, somewhat soured by tourist trapping.
We may or may not check in one last time before leaving, or possibly from Brussels.
Take care!
Adam and Tricia

Siena

San Lorenzo
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Lunch
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Brunelleschi’s Dome
Well, Internet here’s pretty low-tech, and picture uploading apparently not really an option, so we’ll have to make do with words.
We’ve been having a great time, walking everywhere until our feet and hips finally say “Basta!”. Then we return to our hotel room for a nap before heading our for dinner. Last night at a great pizza place we each pretty much killed our own bottle of wine … They’ve been great at our hotel, explaining things in English or Italian, as I’m able. They steered us to a great pen store at our request today and have been wonderful about restaurants, giving us our most memorable night out yet (which we’ll probably repeat for our last night here). Tomorrow we’ll go to the Accademia and maybe climb the Duomo (I read all about its execution in Brunelleschi’s Dome on the flight over and want to see the inside). Wednesday I think we’ll go to Siena (it’s Ognissanti or All’s Saint’s today, with reduced schedules). It’ll be good to leave the bustle for a bit — being a holiday today, it’s been incredibly hectic.
Adam

