Saturday, December 31, 2005
REMEMBERING 2005-PART 2
Watching my sister, Margie, watch her teams play in the English Premier League. She roots for Newcastle, Arsenal, and
Bolton. She gets very excited during the games. Hollering, screaming at the refs, and cheering the goals......and that's just
our living room........Dad used to do the same thing with me...watching me watch the Boston Bruins, back in the late 70s/early
80s.
Fireworks at the 4th of July...getting ready to take a picture of the finale and the fire alarm goes off for a fire in
the pasture. Then a second call for another fire...wait a minute..it's a controlled bonfire..."Whoops, that's my place. Sorry.
Margie had friends over and had a fire.".......
A wild weekend in early May. We were at Fonda, NY for a race and a local guy slammed the wall. They pulled him from the
car and was doing CPR. He eventually died. Apparently he had a heart attack on the track. Meanwhile, in Brighton, ONT, during
a caution flag, a car suddenly turned left into the infield. Rescue crews got to the car. Same thing. Driver died of a heart
attack..........
Watching Danica Patrrick lead the Indy 500 with less than 10 laps to go......watching Tony Stewart win the Brickyard
400 and go on to win the NASCAR title......
Movies. Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne, standing in the cave, arms outstretched, head back, eyes closed, as the bats flew,
swirled and circled him......Anakin Skywalker being transformed into Darth Vader.....Tom Cruise outrunning the alien machines
as people are being turned to dust around him......
Music.....Green Day's American Idiot still in my CD player. My Chemical Romance, Nine Inch Nails, Weezer, Arcade
Fire, even Kelly Clarkson trying to get in as well.......
Trying to remember what it was like to feel warm in January and February, then trying to cool off in July and August....
The entire family together for Christmas........
Seeing people I know being shipped to Iraq and Afganastan. And luckily, they do come home safe and sound....so far.....
Being a firefighter for the Fairfax Fire Department.......and being a judge at the State Convention Muster......
Hearing and seeing the term- World Champion Boston Red Sox- in the pre-season, and still not quite believing they won
it........Then the White Sox win....
Happy New Year.....
Thursday, December 29, 2005
REMEMBERING 2005- PART 1
Posted for December 30, 2005...........
Two days left of 2005. Time to reflect of the memories of the past year, both good and bad.........
The exhilaration of watching Anthony win his first sprint car race of the year. Then winning his second race of the year.
Watching him run with the ESS at Drummondville. He looked so good out there........
The absolute gut-wretching heartbreak of the Canaan championship getting away because the motor wasn't running right.........
"Noise's Off", the spring production of the FCTC. Margie directed the funniest thing they ever did. The huge set. The
wonderful cast.......
The sold out crowds of "Annie"............ The intimacy of "Dancing at Lughnasa" over in Westford.
Planning to finally getting a bicycle after threatening to for a couple of years..........only to go to wash my hands
one day...and no hot water. Goodbye bicycle, hello new hot water heater.....
Mother Nature giving us a glorious Sunday evening in late June for our Pie and Ice Cream Social........What a great night........
The magic of a digital camera......Seeing my picture of Anthony and Carl with the sprint car in the driveway on Mike
Lauterborn's website.
Then Dean Reynolds putting the picture on the front page of the ESS website........
Putting up my own website....and all the work in keeping it current and trying to come up with something coherent to
say every single day.....
The instant information of the internet.......keeping up to date with all the sprint car news at sprint 41.com.....Getting
Henry Raymond's newsletter every day........
Green leaves on the trees the end of September......Taking Rex for a daily walk on the pasture.....Meeting up with Carry
Parsons and her dog, Tilly, and visiting with Carry on the riverbank while Tilly wades through the water and Rex gives
me the look-"Aren't we going to go make the loop?".............
The road trip to Pennsylvania.......fresh Krispy Kreme donuts......
Saturday morning breakfast from Foothills Bakery....Mmmmmmm....good stuff...
More tomorrow......
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
MORE FUN WITH THE CAMERA
Posted for December 29,2005.........
Tuesday was so beautiful out, I headed up Hunt Street and took some shots of Mount Mansfield. I then played with
the camera to get a close-up of the towers. It's a bit blurry, but you can make them out.
I'm now thinking of trying it when it is not so sunny out. We'll see.
It's almost 2006. The downward slope of the the first decade of the 2000s.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
HAPPY ANNIVERARY
posted for December 28.........
Wednesday December 28th marks the 17th anniversary to the day that I started working as a custodian at BFA. Long time.
To think that over 90 percent of the kids were not even born when I started working there. Makes me feel old.
Also, you take those 17 years, add the 12 that I was a student, and add in the some 4 years I spent as sports editor
for the Fairfax News when it first started(I went to many a game during that stint)......that adds up to 33 years at the place.
Man has it changed over the years.
I started in 1988. The new middle school was added a year later. The new elementary was added in 1998. A lot of students,
teachers, and administation has come and gone in that time. I'm on my fourth boss. My fourth high school principal. Fourth
elementary principal. Third or fourth middle school principal. Some kids you hated to see leave. Other kids, you wished you
could have given them a diploma in 7th grade to get them out of there.
A lot of kids, you get to see them grow up before your eyes.
Teachers. Many a joy to have around. Most made a difference in someone's life.
33 years......man.......
Monday, December 26, 2005
FOOTBALL MONDAY
Posted for December 27th........
It was a day of football...English football, that is. It's called soccer to everyone else.
Margie watched four English Premier League matches today. The first was Charlton vs. Arsenal at 7:30am. Wigan vs. Manchester
City ended at 6:30pm. It would have been five but Chelsea was playing and she hates Chelsea.
There was also football played on the Nintendo as well. Super Mario Striker is a lot of fun. You can play by yourself
against the game, or two people can play each other. That's a blast.
Leftover Christmas picture today. I need to take some fresh ones.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
IT'S OVER......
Posted for December 26......
And like that Christmas is over.
Oh, sure, there will be family gettogethers coming up for those who couldn't get together today. And gatherings of friends
over the next week......
But no more Christmas commercials. Probably no more Christmas carols on the radio, either. It's kinda like the elections.
You get hammered with all the ads before, then suddenly.........nothing.
I had a good one. Hope you did, too.
I got Margie, Super Mario Striker for Nintendo GameCube. Soccer, Mario style. What a great game. Played it a lot.
Since I'm writing this Christmas night, allow me one final......
Merry Christmas.
MERRY CHRISTMAS............EVERYONE
Carl and Diana and the kids were down for our annual Christmas Eve dinner. Margie put on a fantastic meal.
Later in the evening, Margie and I took Rex and drove around town for our annual Christmas Lights Tour. Lots of nice
displays. Great job, everyone!
Henry Raymond took my pictures and created a slideshow on his site.
Thanks, Henry!
Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah!
Happy Kwanzaa!
If you are choosing none of the above, Happy Sunday!
From my home to yours, from my family to yours, have a Happy Holiday season.
