Subject: Weekend Update: November 3-5, 2000
Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2000 11:01:16 -0500

On Friday, I took the members of my group on a culture trip to Boston.
I was rewarding our good performance on the most recently completed
work assignments by a visit to the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum,
home of the most-expensive unsolved art heist in history.  One
colleague, whose culture now extends to Monday Night Football and the
beer that must go along with it, was cultured right out of the museum
in 20 minutes and said he'd wait outside for us.  I confess that I
still don't have a whole lot of culture, and if I liked football and
beer more, I might have been out there with my pal on the park
bench. It *was* a beautifully mild day, especially for Boston in
November.

I had been in the Gardner museum before, twenty years ago for a
college assignment. I didn't stay long then, electing to get my
assignment done and get on my way.  But I did note, even then, that it
was a museum I'd like to come back and visit someday.

This small museum was actually home for a very rich woman who willed
it to the city as a place for a museum.  It stands four stories high
with a large atrium over a well-tended courtyard garden. The rest of
us took our time and enjoyed the art.  I appreciated more the
architectural details of the museum but was intent on enjoying all of
it, pointing out especially humorous details to my colleague.

Later that day, we all went for a late lunch before dispersing for the
weekend.

Brice Allen came by on Saturday to pick up his wife's John Deere
tractor.  I suggested that after a year in its foster home, perhaps it
didn't want to return.  Nevertheless, we are grateful for the
opportunity to keep it in good care while the Allens went to and
returned from their year-long missions trip to Montana.  The last
small maple tree finally is shedding its leaves, now that the mower is
gone.  It figures.

If any of you have seen "The Money Pit" (and I suggest you get the
edited-for-television version if you want to watch it), you know that
whenever a contractor is asked when he thinks the job will be done,
the response is always, "two weeks!"  The spa room is taking shape but
we've come to realize that it won't be ready in two weeks.  I am not
discouraged, though, because I would rather have it done right than
fast; and Jim is doing a superb job on the room.  The room is roughed
in now with the windows in their place.  We still have electrical,
roofing, drywall, and floor tile to go for the major portions of the
inside and clapboard and other details for the outside.  I do not
expect a finished product until Spring, now, but I do expect to be
"operational" in oh, "two weeks."

Meanwhile, we have improved some of the sleeping accommodations at the
Metcalfe Manor Bed and Breakfast.  Other work continues as well.  We
finished off the hallway with the chair rail moulding.  (That two week
job took us 6 months, just to get to it!)

We're also planning the following Christmas party dates.  Mark your
calendar early!

  December 1  - College party
  December 8  - Church Teen party
  December 16 - Church & Friends party

On Sunday, November 12, it will be Joy's birthday; she turns
forty-something this year.  Of course, that means that Cindy Wallace
is turning 50. (Joy and Cindy share the same birthday.)  We'll get to
see both the college girls on Friday/Saturday, and Mom and Dad this
Saturday, too; and I didn't plan any of it.  I wonder what
chore-saving device I can get for Joy on her birthday!?  Any
suggestions?  :-)

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