Subject: Weekend Update: September 29-October 1
Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2000 11:50:31 -0400

When Miranda and Jessica went off to college, we lost our remaining
extra drivers. However, Andrew's advanced age has meant that when
there is a teen event, both Emily and Andrew both go, leaving the
parents to fend for themselves.  This often translates into going out
for dinner (Chinese this time) or some other mutually agreed upon
activity; not a bad way to keep in practice for those years ahead when
all the nestlings fly the coop.

Friday evening's teen activity was a gathering at the movie theater.
Now, old time Nazarenes have to have smelling salts applied right
about now, because old time Nazarenes didn't go to movies.  And as far
as I know, this was not a church-sponsored event but a conspiracy of
youth to come together over popcorn and celluloid.  In the last
General Assembly, the language was amended to the special rules that
applied to the movie theater. In a nutshell, Nazarenes are to take
care about the entertainment you feed your mind.  To some, mainly old
time Nazarenes, that still means you don't go to the movie theater.  I
only know of a very few Nazarenes who still do not.

My kids did come out with an expletive count of three: one "a" word
that also means donkey, and two "d" words that sound like beaver
construction.  Some say that such words add a touch of realism to the
movie.  After all, many of us know people who intersperse such
vocabulary in their language.  Realism is as realism does - whatever
that means.  I know real people who lead very dramatic lives and never
once resort to such interjections to express themselves.
"Contaminated brownies" aside, both of my teenagers liked the movie
"Remembering the Titans."

The weekend weather was spectacular.  I enjoy the pre-peak foliage
season where some of the trees are on display but few of the leaves
have made it to the ground yet.  The undressing of the wood is my
greatest disappointment with the Fall season.  We had a couple of
freezing mornings already, killing back the leaves of plants such as
grapes and cucumbers.

We spent much of Saturday learning about the economy of trash.  In
Pepperell, we do not have a dump; we have a transfer station and need
to sort our trash efficiently.  We could pay a trash company to pick
up anything we like for about $20/month.  I don't know how that
compares to the tax slice taken from your town's property taxes for
trash, but many Pepperellians find that reasonable.  Not us.  Joy and
I cleaned out both basements at the Manor and took two van loads of
accumulated refuse - total cost was about $10 after we separated the
"free, recyclables".  It was well worth it for the walking room I now
have in both basements.

We also prepared the area where we intend to build an extra room onto
the Manor, removing the Goat's Beard and other plants, and
transplanting an evergreen bush out front where a dug-up and
unproductive rose plant used to be. That went to the corn bed where I
am starting my stick pile for the winter burn.  We will till the ashes
into the soil next Spring.  Andrew and Emily also moved many of the
stones from a low wall around that shade garden which we intend to
reuse when the room is finished.

Sunday's weather made the day a "10" on a scale of 10.  We decided to
explore the trails near the Nissitissit river, looking for a nice
place to walk off Thanksgiving dinner in just a few short weeks from
now.  Some animal leftovers brought the day down to a 9.5 but it
wasn't enough to spoil the day; just a change of clothing.  Before
evening church, Emily, Andrew, and I patronized the Nashua 7-11 for 40
ounces (each) of frozen nectar (Coke Slurpees); Joy deferred to a
Dunkin' Donuts French Vanilla Coulatta.  For me, the Coke Slurpee was
enough to bring the day back to a 10.  Slurrrrrrrp!  Ahh!!!!!

Mark
--
+---_-----------+ Mark Metcalfe, metcalfe@cadence.com
| c a d e n c e | Cadence Design Systems, Inc.    Phone: (978) 446-6451
+---------------+ PCB Systems Division, Technical Communications Manager