Reader(s) - need your input....

Head on stick update.  I'm still freaking out the I.T. department, who nervously jump whenever they look at the heads sticking above my cube.  If our neighbor knew that the picture of her she hated so much was on display at my work she'd hurt me.

Totally random point I need your help on.  Whenever Jen touches my bum (she'll give it a poke if I'm walking up the stairs ahead of her), I'll say "your nose is cold".  She hates this.  Because it drives her crazy I keep saying it.  Can someone comment whether they think it a witty comment or not, please?  I'll follow your vote and stop saying it if our following (Diane... Mom....) tells me it isn't funny.

Do Not Look Directly At This Post!

 It's Taco Monday at our local Mexican spot so we decided to indulge in some $2 tacos.  Now that I have an iPhone we no longer have to bring the camera out on a normal night for a blog shot.  Of course, it would help if Bill learned how to take a picture with it.  Instead he got his thumb.  It sort of looks like an eclipse.  This should only be viewed through a box with a pinhole.  (http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how.html)

Shot #2 came out a little better. This picture can be viewed with the naked eye.

Home is where the Gnome is...

Little help?

Hello?

   

Our gnome-catcher worked brilliantly.  We're planning to use our newly captured gnome for his magical powers.  Jen wants to use him to get a new kitchen and a garage.  I'm planning on using him for a cigar.

badly drawn girls

Dinner last night with Stacey and Dave (Nate was already asleep).

 We played with their iPad.  Judging by some of the more popular apps I would say that our society is dumber than ever.  An app for the folded paper football game you play on a desk?  An app where you throw crumpled up paper in a wastebasket?  An app where a bald eagles flew majestically through the sky then pooped on you?

 Poor Nate...by the time he is a teen the nightly news will consist of thirty minutes of Gallagher-like food smashing and burping contest results.

Joey at 19

 Happy Birthday, Joey.....
You make us proud, whether you are peeing on a Yankees hat, hanging with Wally the Green Monster and Hooter girls, or shooting Mike in the ass.

God, looking at these pictures makes me feel as old as a stalactite (or stalagmite - whichever is older).

Here's to you, my baby boy.....

I'll teach you to disparage the sink series....

In lieu of the sink series I'm starting a new series.  The topless series...

Future pics of the topless series will be me .... and that's probably it.

Jen will be begging for the return of the sink series soon, I predict.

My Adventures in Oz

You may have noticed that Bill and I have a new policy.  If we don't have a picture for the day we are raiding the archives rather than resort to another shot of us going to bed or (please, no!) the sink series.  I hope our readers can appreciate this new approach.  Let's face it - I went to work, I came home.  Nothing happened.  There wasn't a lot to photograph.

However, back in 2000 there was a lot of excitement.  This is a picture of what is now referred to as our "near fatal balloon crash" during a work boondoggle in Australia (pre big blue).  Minutes before this was taken we were soaring above a vineyard watching kangaroos hop between the grape vines.  Of course, the real story behind this picture is that it cemented my reputation with my coworkers that I am ALWAYS ready for my close up.  Kim jumped out of the basket with her camera and I had my picture face on before she could take off the lens cap.    

The man next to me climbing out of the basket is the ex-coworker of "dirty sock puppet" fame.  However, on this particular trip he was my shopping bestie - hitting every store in Sydney with me while others did things like walk along the top of the Sydney Harbor bridge  (www.bridgeclimb.com).  Big deal!  We brought home bargains!!  (1 US dollar  = 2+ Aussie dollars then.  I bought my ubiquitous blue real pashmina and a boat load of dish towels that I STILL use.  Isn't it funny what people buy while on vacation?)

HR professionalism - it's elusive to me

I just got home from being away for five days, the last two and a half due to a work offsite.  As part of a scavenger hunt we did in Faneuil Hall we had to create a person from food.  I used Rita as inspiration and made this double D cabbage head person.

I don't think it was well received by the HR muckity-mucks.

I got in trouble when I created this Christmas card and pretended Peter sent it out.  I think it was perceived to be over the line because the mail recipients included the VP and other senior team members he supports.

So when Peter posed for this picture was he taunting me with more material or did he forget the recent mocking he absorbed?

Diamond Jubilee

As you may have heard, this year is Queen Elizabeth's (or Betty as we like to call her) Diamond Jubilee celebrating 60 years of queendom.  Not wanting to be outdone, Petey is also celebrating her jubilee but incognito to avoid the paparazzi.  There is often paparazzi swarming our bed but no doubt the cat's eye daisy sun glasses are confusing the heck outta them.

For the record, Petey has more power than Betty.  I once had a colleague named Sam who called Petey a "dirty sock puppet".  Needless to say, Sam was terminated a few days after that comment.  I'm sure people are dissing Betty every day without ramification.  

Say Cheese, Laura!

While Bill was off having his weekend of debauchery with the boys, Laura and I went to see The Artist followed by dinner at Agave.  We decided to order an appetizer without really knowing what it was.  This is a cauldron made of lava (seriously - according to the menu at least.  I'm sure this is yet another restaurant supply store special.  Luckily Laura did not make me wear it as a hat.) which was full of melted cheese and chorizo.  Yum.   Of course, a hot bowl of melted cheese sounds like a 'can't miss' menu item.  

Five months after Irene

I found out today that Waitsville, VT was underwater in August after Hurricane Irene.  Many of the businesses that were devastated by Irene are still closed.  I went to grab a cup of team today at The Green Cup, but it's still closed.  I talked to a couple of store owners who have re-opened and the memories of the flood are very strong and still emotional.

Today, Waitsville looked to me like a postcard of what Vermont should be.

I bonded with the cows while waiting for Pete and Ken went skiing.  

Pete and Ken watching "Thank You For Smoking", one of my all time favorites.

Wild night in Waitsville

Pete's my roomie tonight.  He's reading me excerpts from his SciFi book.

I prepared for 9 degree weather, as I was told by the world wide inter web.  Negative five caught me by surprise.

What?!  No cigars..... Pete and I disregarded the sign.  That's what us bad boys do, disregard the law.

Bill's not the only one who can wear a hat

 While Bill was training for his weekend with the boys last night, Lisa and I were out doing dinner and a movie (Iron Lady).  The restaurant used one of those ubiquitous twisted metal things as a bread basket.   Lisa expressed her dislike for this item and told me it looked like a hat (on the Jetsons maybe...)  Here I am trying to see if she is right.  She is the master and I am her puppet.  "Wear the bread basket on your head (maniacal laugh)!!"

I'm in the zone...

I'm in training, getting ready for this weekend.  I'm going to Vermont with Pete and his buddy Ken for a guys weekend.  I don't ski, so I've been told to bring my cigars and scotch and a book.  I feel I've been training for this weekend for the past decade.  I should be able to dominate.

I could be the old man in this painting

I had pizza over Mom's house tonight while watching the Celtics.

We haven't gotten together for the past couple weeks so it was great to see her.

I took a picture of this painting I did for her 33 years ago.  That sentence hurt to type.

Thirty three years ago.... Sweet Jesus..

I did it my senior year in high school.  It's a total rip off of a Norman Rockwell painting and remains the most detailed painting I've ever done.  I'm not good at detail.  Not in painting, not in life, really.

Mom loves it though and that's all that matters.

Mike makes everyday life ... even more boring

This is Mike Fletcher's guest blog.  Mike went to our company's "Legend Makers" celebrating the best performance by our Sales team.  He and his wife had an exotic trip to Buenos Aires.  People I've talked to said it was gorgeous.
Mike decided to capture that beauty by sending us a picture of left over empanada.  What a magically artistic eye he has!

Has anyone actually seen Owen Wilson and Bill in the same room??

Clearly the person in charge of wardrobe for the movie The Big Year spent some time in Newburyport...in our closet.  Who else do we know who might wear  a pink paisley fedora, purple zip up and pink ("Nantucket Red") pants??  If Owen Wilson had facial hair and a flip phone I would swear this was Bill.

Lazy Sunday

Despite how $%#^& cold it was out we were still walking around down town and found ourselves at an open house.  I figured that before we bought the place we ought to try out the facilities.

Next up was tea and a book in front of the gas fire at Plum Island Coffee Roasters.  Doesn't Bill look cozy in his Dingle sweater?

I just couldn't resist this shot...what do you suppose the story is here?  Does the owner of this car have a dog walking enemy who has left a surprise on their back windshield?  Would someone put a bag of poo on their own car for safe keeping and then walk away forgetting it was there?  I wish I could have seen the reaction as they came back to their car but we went into the bookstore and when we came out, the car and the poo were gone.

Thanks Tebow!

In preparation for tonight Patriots playoff game against the Denver Tebow's I lit a fire and envisioned a win.  Not only did my positive thinking help the Patriots, but it helped me win $40 playing poker with Dave, Dan and Tony.

My positive thinking also got Jennie to turn the heat over 60.

Even though it didn't work for Tebow tonight I'm going to stick with this approach.

Meanwhile, Didi came over to watch movies with Jennie.

They wasted the first couple hours with the Kardashians but saved the night with a Meryl Streep flick that Diane hadn't seen yet.

A good night for all....  except Tebow.

Swiss Cheese House

Jen keeps the heat down to 57 degrees in the house.... just "warm" enough so the pipes don't burst...  She's old school.  "Just put a blanket on" (I do).  "Wear a sweater" (I do).

I suppose if the heat were turned up it would just heat up the dog walkers outside anyway.