…and now that I’ve got your attention, I’d like to show you pictures of my newest obsession…
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Author: Eric
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First Impressions
I *think* I signed up for an Instagram account so that I can simply post pictures without resizing, etc., but I haven’t quite figured that out yet. I’m so old.
In the meantime here are a few snaps gleaned while getting to know the area where I’m staying (a fairly central shopping district with other swanky hotels) and getting over my jet lag.
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Taken For A Ride
A Literal WHITE Knuckle Ride From Portland to Logan Airport Monday En Route To The Tropics
Yes, I *know* that it’s SO annoying to hear that Eric and Alison are traveling to some exotic location to learn about exotic food. Again. That said, most of you have heard that Alison was selected as an artist in the US State Dept. Arts Envoy Program and sent to Doha, Qatar to spend a week teaching painting. THAT will have to be the subject of another possible set of posts by Alison — I’ve seen only the photos she’s been emailing around, and occasional TXTs checking-in. Her trip brought her within an easy flight of India, which triggered my suggestion to finally have a look at The Jewel.
On Thursday Alison will leave Doha on a direct flight to Bengaluru/Bangalore (local/English names which appear here interchangeably (admittedly I’ve stuck to the western friendly areas so far) but I will call it Bangalore from now on) to join me on yet another food adventure. We will spring-board from this new MegaTechCity to the West through Karnataka toward the intersection with Kerala and Tamil Nadu states at the paint drip end of the Indian sub-continent.
I have just arrived after quite an incredible journey (from the perspective of how a modern system of amazing logistics in the era of terrorists targeting travelers operates more or less efficiently) from Boston through London Heathrow’s Terminal 5 Habitrail then on through the night to land in Bangalore where my fun “Welcome To India” story begins…
Continue reading “Taken For A Ride”
Thanksgiving
I am thankful I live with a great cook.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
love Alison
Maine Hops by Eric
Eric planted hops at the new house in Maine.
The hops vine climbs up two thin wires as an ornamental screen in front of our windows.
The hops are perennial plants, so they’ll be back with vigor next year.
Here’s what they look like in September.
Wendell and Carol and Eric visit Carol and Marcus and Brian June 2015
They drove from Las Vegas to Reno after their “Germany Reunion” in Las Vegas. That occurs every three years with more than 200 folks attending. Who knew? I thought it was like 20 or so of the people they worked with at their school in Wurzburg. No. It’s everybody ever at that school, students and faculty alike.
Never mind, it gets them on their way here. Driving on Sunday they arrived a bit after 4:30 — good time and set about chatting us up as we waited for Eric to pick up Brian from the airport, returning from Kyiv. Brian’s plane due to leave Seattle (from Kyiv via Amsterdam) but delayed. So we had a chance to sit on the back terrace and catch up on the past many years… EZ… who changes.
So… B and E arrived, I threw lamb chops on the Big Green Egg, we opened a few bottles of wine and commenced the evening. Rosemary potatoes accompanied the chops, along with two versions of Eric’s Gazpacho. YUM.
Monday, after breakfasting and chilling, we set off on a tour over Somersett Parkway to McCarran Boulevard and down past and to the University of Nevada campus. We parked and walked around the Green, noted the Excellent mining engineering buildings forming the green; eased down through town to point out how UNR will ultimately connect with the downtown and arrived early for our reservation at Campo for lunch. Eric joined us.
After, Eric returned to Sparks and we continued touring with Reno Provisions and RENO ENVY where we treated W&C with happy anniversary tee shirts. We drove through Midtown and down South Virginia pointing out the worthy sites.The Peppermill is undergoing extensive remodeling and thrusting forth a new face. Wonder what it will be?
We joined West McCarran and drove around its hilly grandeur to reach I-80 and our way home. It seems like a very short encounter, but we experienced a lot of Reno and unless we ventured to Lake Tahoe or Pyramid Lake or all those other places outside Reno, we’ve had a good visit and it’s nearly time to go to the Aces game.
It was a cloudy, balmy evening at the Ballpark, and not only 
that, but Dollar Hot Dog Night and Dollar Ribs Night. Who could ask for more. Eric and Brian got seats in our section — and eventually in our row — and we settled back to enjoy the game. It was a pretty good game and ended up 7-2, aces winning before 4,080 lucky fans.
After the ardous effort of posing with us, Archie and the girls chilled out between innings.
Go Jump In A Wake
Here’s a regional pastime on the Maine Coast: summer residents — primarily but not exclusively the younger residents — of the outer islands in Casco Bay will often meet the Ferry at the dock in their bathing suit when it arrives for one of its several daily visits. They will patiently wait for the eager visitors unloading, the sad visitors embarking, and for any pallets of cargo to be landed and removed. Then, after the gangplank has been raised, and the ferry captain has nudged the nose of the ferry away from the dock, he will FULL the engines to scoot toward the next stop while a dock load of thrill seekers jumps into the milky turbulence behind the ship. At low tide this can be over a ten foot jump — some increase their decent by climbing on top of one of the piers.
Memorial Day Brisket
In Maine I wait to break out the grill until Memorial Day. This year it will be home grown brisket cooked low and slow over some applewood with a beer steam.
Spring, Maine Style
POSTSCRIPT: Yesterday the “Nor’Easter Bomb” went off farther out into the ocean that had been initially predicted, so we got ONLY the wind (not the snow) from it: steady 30 mph winds with gusts up to 50 mph…which has “settled down” this morning to 15 to 25 mph winds, while the thermometer read 2 degrees.
The Ice Storm Cometh
This was all supposed to leave by 9am Sunday…it continues to add ice as of now at 10am Monday, and they say it may not clear out until tonight…or later…
Our power went out yesterday around 3pm but came back on at 7pm…it’s now begun to flicker again, and if it goes out it could stay out for a while given how wide the iced area seems to be. We will have light and heat without grid power but we have stored as much water as possible in buckets and jars…the cows drink about 30 gallons a day…
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