A Residual Energy Source?

Is it only me, or do both of you wonder what we could do with 

dryer lint to ease the stress on Mother Earth, or at least save a

few bucks a week?  How are my clothes still together with all 

of these loose fibers collecting in my lint filter?  I'm not

going to do it, but I'd thought many times, while out of work and

doing laundry every day, about how I'd collect lint and put it to

work for me.  Luckily I'm not giving it as much thought lately, but

come on.  Seems like we could benefit from this dryer fluff, no? 

Protocol Harry

I'm so proud of my state, as I've always been.  My red-headed

brother from another mother visited our humble region today, and

was escorted by Guvnah Christie.  I know there are a couple of

my readers (which accounts for both of them) who don't think too

highly of our chief executive, but Goddammit, I like him.

They wound their way through Mantoloking, via Barnegat Lane,

which hosted the 'House in the Bay', among other displaced 

residences.  Then they jumped back on 35 South toward Snooki-

land.  There, they toured the Seaside Boardwalk, schmoozing with 

the locals, and even stopped to play a 'throw-the-ball-and-hope-

that-it-lands-in-the right-hole game.

When asked if his visit made a difference in the shore's recovery,

Harry very quickly replied, "No".  He was dead on.  

But it was still really cool that he made the visit. 

He's a refreshed version of his Grandma's and Dad's tired 

humanitarian efforts to convince the villagers that the Royals

sincerely do care about the travails of everyday folk.  

It was his take on  'a brighter shade of stale'.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day Dot!  You're always

right, every time.  Love you.  

Game, Playset, Match

I built this playset virtually by myself way back in 1997.

I borrowed the plans from a friend, then hand-selected the

lumber at Homey D's, had it all delivered to the top of

my driveway in a big pile, and then I cut, drilled, planed,

countersunk, beveled, mitered, and drilled some more.

When all of the pieces were up to specs, I lugged them all

to the backyard building site where, over the course of about

a week, I erected this oasis of recreation, where my girls and

their friends made imaginary phone calls, fought off pirates, 

took pizza orders, gazed at the constellations, swung on the

swings, slid down the firemens' pole and yellow sliding board, 

and ultimately avoided the rigors of the main building forty feet

away from them. It was a damn good escape from reality.   

These are but two of the many family portraits taken at Easter in

our backyard, where there were so many places to hide the eggs

filled with jellybeans or, if they were lucky enough, ones, fives,

tens, or twenties.  This photo also shows one of the last Easter

gatherings that my old man (just below me) was able to make. 

Rather than taking a crowbar and sledgehammer to start breaking

down the playset, I grabbed my chainsaw and went to work.

I made my cuts only after surveying the structure I'd created sixteen

years earlier, imagining which directions the sections would

fall.  I did pretty well, with only one 4X4 falling on top of me.

I thought that I might at one point stop and cry, considering the 

memories that continuously coursed through my mind.  It didn't

happen.  I found out later that our backyard neighbors were

watching me most of the afternoon, and they validated  all

of my nostalgic feelings.  Betty said they were keeping an eye on 

me in case anything might have gone wrong.  Nothing did,

but it was good that they were there.  It's gonna be weird

the next time I mow the lawn.    

Another Good Friday

I painted Bay Rhumb's bottom today, with barely a quarter inch of

paint left in the can for the bare spots under the jackstands.  She's

always been a galloner, yet every spring I fret that I'll be left to 

spend more money on an extra quart just to cover those patches.

Note the dregs in the can sitting by the keel.

With the rudder hard to starboard, it's impossible to see my 

deteriorating propeller anode, which no doubt needs to be replaced.

Tillerman, any advice on where I should go for this?

Usually, I take many shots of an arranged pre-dinner plate, and

then go back and forth trying to decide which to post.  FD I said.

Above find the un-plugged version, the one I navigate during dinner.

I'm big on ground black pepper, sriracha, and jalapenos (chopped 

and whole), among other condiments.  We had grilled chicken 

breasts, with asparagus, avocado, olive tapenade, 

and refrigerator quinoa salad.  That means quinoa mixed with olive

oil, vinegar, and any bits that have been left by the wayside on the 

top shelf of the fridge:  black olives, baby corn, edamame, scallions,

cilantro, onion, a lone plum tomato....you get the picture.

Cindy and Mitch.

I just felt like adding a photo of them, seeing that they sail a 

Pearson 303 and love food.