Subject: Weekend Update: Jan 26-28
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2001 17:12:58 -0500

I drive my van to work today with its newly reconditioned engine.  My
car died in our driveway yesterday.  It lasted long enough to get the
family van back in service.  This one I won't even take to the shop.
The electricity works, but the engine won't make a sound and the
"Check Engine" light just blinks at me with its final comatose
signals.  You know I have suspected a pretty serious problem with the
car - a 1990 Plymouth Acclaim with 163,000 miles on it.  No new engine
for this; no head gasket.  I'll be stripping it of any (if any)
valuables before it heads off to the used car lot in the sky.

The Gonzalez family moved into Pepperell with the help of his family
and and friends.  One of Rich's brothers, Louie, asked how many Puerto
Ricans were in Pepperell.  I responded, "Including Rich? Uno!" which
brought a chorus of laughter.  Rich and Wendy are just a mile and a
half down the road towards the church from us; a distance they may
come to regret.  I can't wait to see their property in the Spring when
the snow is gone and the fruit trees bloom on their 3.5 acre lot.

Joy and I went out Friday evening to pick up food for the college
Superbowl party so I didn't help Rich until Saturday.  He still had
plenty of work to do, but I insisted on starting the day with a manly
and highly dangerous level of protein and cholesterol.  Then we went
to work unloading the truck and setting up the beds, and stacking the
boxes in the house.  David Bickom, Eric Magnuson, Rich's brother
Frank, and I did most of the heavy work while Rich directed. (Just
kidding, Rich!  He did most of the work!)  Unfortunately, after the
truck was unloaded, we had to make a round trip to Haverhill for some
extra stuff he left in his garage.  I suggested that he donate it to
the new owners of their old house but the new owners were not
interested.  By the time I got home, I was shuffling along like a man
twice my age.  My muscles are finally recovering but I limped around
most of Sunday.

Before the college kids arrived, (and we had about 35 people at the
party), I had to run out to get soda, which was when I found that my
car was dead.  I have to mash the snow down behind it so that I can
park it until I have time to junk it.

Mandy and Jessie and friends were mostly Maryland fans which was
fortunate for them since the New York fans had only a momentary ray of
hope for about 15 seconds of the game.  The social bash went well,
though: chips and snacks before the game and hot foods at the half
time.  Soda was refrigerated in the snow.

I hope this Weekend Update makes sense because I had to rush it today.
If I have missed anything or you want an update on something I haven't
covered, let me know.

Mark

P.S. Emily turns 15 years old on Wednesday (1/31).  Oh yeah, Emily was
off to the Regional Festival of Life at ENC where she won a gold metal
for her craft - a painted ostrich egg!  Both Emily and Andrew got
boring report cards again - their teachers love them and they get good
grades.  They must get their brains from Joy (because I still have
mine)!

--
+---_-----------+ 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