California Dreamin'

Early tomorrow morning I head to the 2009 National Education Association Representative Assembly in San Diego. This will be my second RA, having attended in DC last year. I'm excited for several reasons: I've never been to California, the NEA really does this up right, and I love the access to big names in education. For example, one session will feature Arne Duncan, who is Obama's Secretary of Education. There will be around 10,000 delegates from around the country, LOTS of free stuff, and lots of networking. I had a fantastic time last year, and I will try to post each night while I'm gone. The RA is four days, but Maine's 31 delegates have a couple of prep days also. Lots of meetings, talking with lobbyists, meeting with assigned state contacts (mine are from Ohio and Missouri), and voting on resolutions, the NEA budget, and new business items. Plus we have a lot of fun. This year I'll be seeing the Padres and Dodgers at Petco Park, and each night the Maine crew gets together to debrief and unwind. Our hotel is right downtown, and has free wireless, so I hope to check in with everyone soon. Until then:

You stay classy, Maine.

~MET

Monthly Meal - Cuban

I liked preparing this one, but it was not one of my favorites to eat. I try very hard to be as authentic as possible, and I think that may get me into trouble. For example, I don't really know whole lot about the average plantain. Anyway - we had fun. Sarah was with us this time which always leads to lively conversation.

The Cuban menu was as follows:

• Garlic soup - olive oil and sauteed garlic poured over cubed crusty bread in a bowl, hot broth is added, and an egg is broken over the top. It was interesting, but not real tasty.
• Homemade red beans and rice - this was good, and good and spicy.
• Broiled asparagus with red pepper - also pretty good.
• Coconut chicken - this was the best part of the meal. Its cooked both on top of the stove and in the oven with lots of coconut milk. I would make this again.
• Fried plantains with sugar and cinnamon - perhaps the worst dessert I've ever had. I followed the recipe, but no one really liked them.

We listened to the music from Radio Free Cuba online, and had a good time. I liked it, and will make the chicken again sometime...just not one of my favorites.

~MET

Another Short Film

This is one of my favorites so far. It took a while to load on my computer, but its worth it. It has great animation, a very creative premise, and a touching story.

~MET

Childhood Memories

There will be much written and said over the next few days about the two deaths yesterday. I'll get my thoughts out early. I've read some of the comments left on CNN's page about Michael Jackson's death, and well, they are frightening. I liked both the Jackson 5 and Farrah Fawcett when I was a kid. I had the poster:

And I watched Charlie's Angels. The show sucked...bad...but I was 14 and there was always an "angel in a bikini" scene to look forward to each episode. I feel badly about the way that she seemed to suffer at the end, and though I wouldn't classify her as an amazing talent, she seemed very stoic and brave. Michael Jackson's death will be met by billions in three ways: 1. Glee, because he was most likely a pedophile, hurt lots of children, and may have been the weirdest man on the planet. 2. Earth shattering sorrow - some fans will be inconsolable. I read one comment yesterday that said, "Michael did more for people than anyone who has ever lived." Umm...wow. And, 3. Passing interest. That's me. I liked his music when I was 9 or 10, and watched the cartoon on Saturday morning. When Thriller came out I was listening to Warren Zevon, Eric Clapton, and Bruce Springsteen. I didn't own the album, and didn't care for the music. But, I was in college at the time so it was entertaining to have a few beers at a party and try to moonwalk. Thank God youtube wasn't around in those days. The fact is , he was talented and got more and more strange as he aged. I mean REALLY strange. So, this is the way I'll remember him:

I had this "45". Has anyone seen my "yellow disc?"

~MET

A Pair of Nats Fans Come to Maine...

...and it doesn't help. Suz and Grant are in Maine for a few days, and we were watching the game together. The Boston Yankees are up 6-1 as I write this...though I can sense a comeback. Suz made a red velvet cake for dad as a belated Fathers' Day dessert:

It was very good, and dad enjoyed both the cake and his team's running all over the Nats. David Ortiz got things going with a long 3-run homer, which can mean only one thing: he's back on the juice. Tired of his embarrassing start to the season, he's obviously using. He's most likely paying John Smoltz's 10 year old son for urine samples - but he'll get caught eventually and have to serve a 50 game suspension. Not to worry, though, the Bo-Yanks have plenty of depth. My only question is now that roid-buddy Manny is in LA, who is giving Papi his shot in the butt?

~MET

Let the Games Begin!!

The next three nights are the closest thing I'll have to play-offs this season. The Boston Red Sox invade the nation's capital to take on the "finally-beginning-to-play-better" Washington Nationals. To mark the occasion I made ball-park food:

Joseph's garlic and cheese sausage with onions and peppers - delicious, and it makes me feel like baseball. I also put some vinegar on the fries. I have some reason to be optimistic. The Nats ARE playing better, having won the last two series, and their VERY young pitchers are just getting better. Lets look at the match-ups, and how the pitchers have done over their last three starts:

Game One:

Brad Penny 1-1 2.70 vs John Lannan 2-0 1.16

Advantage Nats..Penny is a cow, and Lannan is on fire (lets just hope the bullpen stays average).

Game Two:

Jon Lester 1-1 1.71 vs Craig Stammen 1-1 3.78

Advantage Sox...Stammen is doing well, but Lester is tough - look for Dunn to crush one, though.

Game Three:

John Smoltz - vs Jordan Zimmermann 0-1 2.16

Advantage Nats...Look for the Nats to tee off on "Father Time."

PLAY BALL,

~MET

Fathers' Day

Dad came out today for haddock shepherd's pie in honor of fathers' day. The meal was good, and its always great to see my father - but especially today. Here is a pic of the patriarch when he was in high school:

Personally, I think he overdid the "Buddy Holly" look. I think you can see a lot of Chris in that picture. Here he is handing me my high school diploma:

That was a special thrill - and the two of us look a little different than in the top picture. On most fathers' days of the recent past I have spent a lot of time thinking about myself as a dad. I know this sounds cliche, but it seems like it went too fast. I know I'll always be Chris and Sarah's father, but the hard part is over. Here are some looks at my children through the years:

My favorite pictures have always been the ones of the two of them together, and I have a lot of them. Sarah is still in Orono working, and Chris is at staff orientation at Manitou, but they both called today. I love being their father, and I really like being a parent of 20-somethings, but if I could do it all again - I would - just to better appreciate the short time I had with them. Sarah and Chris make me proud all of the time, and on this day above all others I remember that the best role I play is that of father.

Happy Fathers' Day Dad, I love you Chris and Sarah, I hope all the new dads had a great day.

~MET

Night on the Town

A near perfect evening in Brunswick last night. We found another new restaurant to try: the Renaissance Bistro:

Its a small place in an older building off Maine St., but the food was very good, and the menu kind of "higher end." We ordered drinks, and they bring you a small appetizer without asking. It was a slice of cucumber with all this stuff piled on top. It may have been cous cous with some kind of reduction. Then warm bread and olive oil, and then the appetizer that we ordered. We had warm olives with kosher salt and an olive oil mixture. All of it was excellent. For my main course I had boursin stuffed beef tenderloin in cognac with wild mushroom sauce. It looks like garbage on my plate, but it was very good:

The beer in the picture is from the Czech Republic. M-S had wild mushroom stuffed ravioli with fresh sage and Parmesan cream. You can't see her food, but she looks delicious:

I would go there again, though we aways say that and never do - new eating experiences has really become our habit. Then we had some time to walk around Brunswick. I always like to look at this statue of Joshua Chamberlain:

If you are not from Maine, or know little about history, you should google him. Joshua Chamberlain simply saved America at Gettysburg. Actually, rent the mini series - Jeff Daniels does a great job portraying Chamberlain. Then we sat on the campus of Bowdoin College and had coffee and watched people for a bit before going to the Maine State Music Theatre to see:

I love musical theatre and the MSMT does an OUTSTANDING job with all of their shows, but I must admit that I was not sure that this one sounded like my cup of tea. I like Little Shop of Horrors, not Phantom of the Opera - and this one sounded too much like a love story, without a lot of entertaining banter. I could not have been more wrong...I loved it, and would see it again in a heartbeat. It is set in 1953 Florence, and much of the show is in Italian, and at times sounds like an opera. It was funny, the music was great, and the woman who played the lead had a voice that would break glass. I'm very glad that I went. If you have never been to a performance here, you should. It was a great night.

My dad is coming out for a Father's Day supper with us tonight, so I'll post again later this evening. Happy Father's Day everyone - especially to all you new dads out there.

~MET

As the Go-Gos Used to Say...

...vacation's all I ever wanted. It seemed like this vacation would never get here, and even though I'm pretty busy with work related meetings all summer, it feels good to be on the long break. This school year was fantastic. I had great classes, I work with awesome people, and I am left alone to do my job. I still get very excited about my work...but summer is nice too. Next fall will begin my 25th year as a public school teacher, and I want to celebrate it from September to June. It has been my custom to end the year with a cigar, and I have one ready to go:

Its a Cusano from the Dominican. A friend who knows a cigar dealer brought them to our camping trip last week, and he had some left over. We didn't pay a dime for them. Here is the price for one cigar:

I don't smoke a lot - and I think its safe to say that if you added up the prices of all of the cigars I have ever smoked, and doubled that, you would still not be close to the value of the last two. I have to wait until the rain stops, but it will be a fine way to mark the end of a school year. The first event of the summer will be a date with M-S tomorrow. We're going out to eat and to see A Light in the Piazza at the Maine State Music Theatre. Let the summer begin!!

~MET

Playing Catch-up

There is lots going on right now, so I thought I'd catch folks up on a few things. I'm VERY busy at work right now, what with the end of the year and all of the merger crap coming up. I already have several meetings scheduled for the summer. My boy leaves for work on Saturday.

He is working at the same camp he attended as a youngster, and he's really looking forward to it. His friend Scott is also working there, and girlfriend Heather will be at Colby - just a few short miles away. Chris will have a cabin of kids to be responsible for, and teach basketball. Manitou is an amazing place, and both he and Sarah still talk about it often.

Sarah is at UMaine right now working. She is part of the crew that handles orientation for next year's freshman class. She is enjoying it greatly, and I know she is busy because she called Sunday to wish me a happy Father's Day a week early. She's a cutie.

My Nats play the Yankees in a three game set beginning tonight, and then the Red Flops come to town next week. It should be a big week for the Nats: the manager, Manny Acta, should be gone within a few days, and bench coach Jim Riggleman will be taking his place. I think soon after that they will entice Bobby Valentine to leave Japan and save the lowly club from DC. I've always liked Valentine - he's fiery, and the Nats need that right now.

My mom is in DC right now, getting just the morab antibody. Because she did so well as the first person to receive this combo another woman is starting the treatment. I'm just glad she's done the tough stuff. Now she can get her meds and enjoy the time with my siblings.

That's about it - I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER TO START. Its going to be work and fun filled, and I'm looking forward to next week. Got to run - Nats/Yankees are starting. ALL YOU MEMBERS OF RED SOX NATION SHOULD BE NATS FANS FOR A FEW DAYS!!

~MET

Camping on the River

I just returned from the 2009 end of the school year outing with teachers from WHS. This is the 5th time we have done this, and we used to go to a different sites. We have decided to go to Evergreens Campground in Solon every year, and it was a great time. Eleven of us made the trek to celebrate.

We had great food - ham steaks, chicken wings, mussels, bacon and eggs, steak and potatoes - and all cooked over an open fire. Saturday five of us went to play golf at Lakewood in Madison:

Its a nice 18 hole course with some interesting holes, including a par 6. The course is in great shape, and has some nice scenery. I especially like a big brook that winds through it.

Some of the boys also did some fishing at the campground or further north. Here is Dan showing off his expert skills:

Everyone had a blast talking around the campfire, sipping a cocktail or two, and enjoying the great outdoors. Its a fine way to wrap up the year: good friends, good food, good times.

~MET

This Short Film is Funny, But Wrong in So Many Ways!

~MET

Remember This Name

Stephen Strasburg. It hasn't been fun to follow the Nats this year, but today provides some positive feelings. They didn't play last night, so this morning I'm not wondering about just how bad our bullpen is - and today is draft day in baseball. DC has the 1st and 10th picks of the draft. The man they will pick first is a pitcher from San Diego State: Stephen Strasburg. He's been playing for coach Tony Gwynn, and he's amazing. I'll be shocked if you don't see him wearing the curly 'W' by September. Go here to see his page at SDS, including some media: http://goaztecs.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/strasburg09.html
He is absolutely nasty. Add him to the young arms we already have, and...wow. The future of baseball in the district will get a whole lot better today.
Lets Go Nats!
~MET

A Second Post Today - An Amazing Video

I discovered this skill while sitting on the front patio today. When I got up from my chair the maple "helicopter" seeds started to dance due to the static electricity from my ass. Chris said we needed to film it for "posterity." HA! Watch them go!

~MET

Sunday Brunch~Cowboy Style

The good news is that we just finished a delicious brunch. The bad news is that I have a killer spring cold. I've slept downstairs the last two nights to spare M-S my coughing and sneezing. I decided to cook the sausage and home fries outdoors to give us the "cowboy" feel:

Its also better for us, as no oils and fats are needed. M-S and I both love to cook, and we especially like to invent ways to use leftovers so we don't waste food. The potatoes are from last night's dinner, and M-S made a delicious frittata using some green beans from last night:

It was awesome. I'm going to spend the rest of the day sneezing and trying to sleep. Its been a good weekend so far, but I'd like to feel normal again. Hope everyone is enjoying the spring weather.

~MET

Fiber Frolic

This morning M-S and I went to the 9th annual "Fiber Frolic" at the Windsor fairgrounds. Its a celebration of...well...fiber. There are lots and lots of booths with yarn and crafts and there are many animals, like the 6 day old goat I am holding above.

There are also food vendors, and we had a terrific lunch of fried clams, sweet potato fries, and gyro with lamb and veggies. Here, the guys are making the gyro:

The frolic's big stars are the fiber rich animals. Like this rabbit being sheared:

Robbie had a booth with some of her pottery and a couple of her sheep:

There were lots of goats:

And all kids of llamas:

These little llamas look like claymation creatures:

This goat looks like Burt:

The big highlight for me was the border collie demonstration. These dogs are simply amazing:

They are trained to obey 40 different commands, and have little problem controlling the sheep.

I've seen them before, but its always a treat to watch them work.
I think my younger sister would really love this event. Suz, you should plan to come up in early June next year. Its like the Common Ground Fair, only smaller and more concentrated on spinning and yarns.

I think we'll plan to spend a couple of hours at the Frolic each year.

~MET