Whirlwind Two Days in DC

 I had a great - though tiring time lobbying this week on behalf of the NEA on all things fiscal cliff. You can imagine that our two senators are being targeted during this lame-duck session as possible "sane" Republicans who might actually consider raising tax rates on the top 2% of Americans. My favorite sight of the two days was from the airport gift shop - the "everything-must-go" sale on Romney  stuff pictured above. After a long day of training on Tuesday we had a reception where great friend of the middle class Sen. Patty Murray from Washington:

 We also heard from the presidents of all the major unions, including NEA president Dennis Van Roekel:

MEA President Lois Kilby-Chesley and I had four great meetings with the Maine delegation, and hopefully it will make some difference. And as an added bonus I got to fly home with Governor LePage. We exchanged pleasantries, but I don't think I'll be on his Christmas card list...he seemed a little pissed.
~MET

I Have a French Butter Crock...

 ...do you? Those who have visited our kitchen know that almost all of our dishes, serving bowls, and many mugs come from Maple Lane Pottery. I bought our 17th Robbi dinner plate yesterday. Robbi is so talented and we had a great time at her holiday sale. I got some good gifts and made one purchase for our home. Its a French butter crock, something I have never heard of. The bottom has water in it and:

 the top is packed with Irish butter:

 The water keeps the butter soft and fresh. I hate hard butter from the fridge - and this beautiful device keeps the air out and the butter awesome. The only thing I did today was to make my parents a couple of "care plates"

I'm going to chill with the dog for the rest of the day and enjoy some moose steaks for dinner. Life is good.
~MET

Fun Day With Friends

 I love this week more than any other. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family yesterday, and some great friends came out today for brunch and shopping. Linda and Mark and the Hargroves came out to feast on M-S's AWESOME Thanksgiving leftover egg bake. We enjoyed Bloody Marys and Ciara Cranberry Cocktails and tasty foods. The two Hargrove boys are wonderful...though they make me tired almost instantly. After a very fun brunch we all went to Robbi's annual pottery show. This show has become a regular part of our holiday week. Robbi is responsible for 90% of all the dishes in our house, and this year's show was great. Like any good business person she has a section of the shop that keeps the kids away from the merchandise:

 I bought some gifts (like I always do) and I bought another dinner plate for our house. I'm pretty sure Robbi makes one that will match our set knowing I will buy it...again - smart business person.

 If you have never visited this gifted artist's store, you really should: http://www.maineclay.com/
We did some shopping at other Whitefield area establishments, and I found what I think is an AMAZING buy for my little niece Maeve - buying local ROCKS!

A Very Happy Thanksgiving!

 I am sitting here feeling just like I should: stuffed and rather lethargic. We enjoyed another wonderful day with family around a big table of food. Baxter had a great time on his walk this morning - he especially liked rooting in the tall grasses:

 I then spent most of the day listening to holiday music and prepping the meal. It was nice to have my grown-up children here:

 Once everyone was here we had lots of food including smoked salmon and trout with dill butter:

 And all of the normal gluttonous fare:

 Baxter enjoyed the giblets with gravy:

 Yummy desserts:

 Sarah made the pumpkin-cream cheese bread and Jean made the midori cake:

It was all delicious...but I can barely move. More fun tomorrow and Sunday!
~MET

Finalizing the Menu

We will be serving our Thanksgiving dinner on Friday afternoon again this year, and I think I am pretty well set on the menu. It will look something like this:

To Start:
Mixed nuts
Baguettes with smoked salmon and dill butter
Sweet potato tomatillo bisque

Main Course:
20 lb turkey
Mashed potatoes & gravy
Jim's mac n' cheese
M-S's sausage dressing
Turnip
Squash
Pearl onions and cream
Dinner rolls
Cranberry sauce
Green beans

Desserts:
Assorted - but will include Jean's midori cake

I look forward to a relaxing day with M-S and Baxter tomorrow and then with family on Friday. Saturday we'll be having friends for brunch and hitting Robbi's pottery show to begin our "buy local" Christmas shopping. Love this week.
~MET

Visiting With Chris in Beantown

 M-S had her annual conference in Boston this week, so I went down on Saturday to spend the evening with her and to visit with my very grown-up son. We had a fantastic visit beginning with a beer at Field's Irish Pub, walking distance from his place in Cambridge. My son looks right at home in his new town and seems to really be enjoying city life. This is his apartment house:

 Its only a block from the T in a really nice residential area. It was fun to be in Cambridge on the day of the Harvard-Yale game. We went to a REALLY good Southern themed restaurant called Hungry Mother. We shared some appetizers starting with boiled peanuts:

 I've never had them, and was surprised how soft they get. We also snacked on oysters and gnocchi:

 For mine and Chris' main course we had awesome chicken with beans, sausage, sweet potato, and grilled greens:

 And M-S had pompano from Virginia, also with greens, mushrooms, and potatoes.

 I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. Its in an old big house on a side street.

 When we got home there were two spastic dogs to meet us.

I love to travel anywhere with my wife, and its is always wonderful to meet up with one of my children. Chris is learning a lot and making a difference in one of the toughest middle schools in Boston. Both Chris and Sarah will be home for Thanksgiving...which is exactly what I am most thankful for. Good times.
~MET

And My Classroom Just Keeps Getting Better

 I have always loved teaching, and have written about the topic several times on this blog. One of my favorite hobbies is to slowly improve my classroom so that it is the best possible space for both me and my students. I have been using powerpoint projection for years, but have never liked the quality, even though I can show clips, internet sites, etc. After some frustration early in this year with some projectors I decided to make a change. So I now have a 64 inch HD TV in my room. It does everything I need and more - and is more clear. Powerpoint is so much better on this screen. I can also use cable TV more often:

 I have also ditched my desks in favor of tables:

 The TV has its own wi-fi, and lots of apps:

I have a great room and my students are already asking to come in during the NCAA tournament during lunch. And by the way...the TV is MINE. If I leave, it comes with me. I met with local dealers about it - and worked out quite a deal. Life is good.
~MET

Dog Sitting

 Its been a wild day of dog wrestling. M-S went to Vermont with Kori and Alex and I watched Bella. The two dogs get along well - but twice the energy makes me tired.

 Ma & Dad came out to have supper with me and they seemed to have fun with the pooches.

Good times, but I'm pooped.
~MET