Subject: Weekend Update: October 22-24
Date:    Mon 10/25/99  8:53am

Last Friday, I borrowed a pickup truck from the Hunts. You see, Brice
and Donna Allen are moving to Montana for a year.  Donna is setting up
a home on a ranch for troubled teenaged girls.  The ranch is in the
northwest corner of Montana; not the end of the world, but you can see
it from there.

The pickup truck was not to help them move, I should hasten to say.
No, in their absence, they have "asked" me if I would like to take
care of their Deere; a John Deere riding lawn mower.  I suggested that
someone ought to look after it while they were away and they asked,
"Oh would you?" and I accepted!  Perhaps I can use it to ride in the
Pepperell Memorial Day Parade next year.  Donna was a little agitated
Friday night, trying to tie up all the loose ends before heading out
to Montana on Tuesday.  It might have been that she'll miss her little
Deere tractor, but I assured her that it would be well-tended.
(Sheesh!  Owners and their attachments to their pets!)

Our new pool liner was installed last week, so we are close to
actually finishing the job of winterizing the pool area.  I worried
about my neighbors (except for the ones with the barking dogs) because
the pool guys had vacuums holding the liner in place all night while
the pool filled with water.  Fortunately, everyone's windows were up
to deaden the persistent whine of those motors.  All the pool furniture
is stowed and our retreat indoors is getting very near.

Other than that, (plus a few minor chores, a choir rehearsal, and leading
the singing at church), I was able to put my feet up and try to relax
after a very busy first week as manager of my writer's group. (My
schedule caught leprosy; it now has spots all over it!)

Mark
     /\      /\      Mark Metcalfe, Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
____:^)-----<__L____ 270 Billerica Road, MS04
     \/      \       Chelmsford, Massachusetts 01824
              \_     Phone: (978) 446-6451  Fax: (978) 262-6363