First thing we did today was to survey the damage from last nights rain. We had no idea that the damage was this extensive. Our part of town was completely cuttoff by water. All of the roads out Route 2, Cochran road, Dugwary Road, Duxbury road and Stage road were blocked by water and/or had been undercut and were no longer drivable.. It was eerie.

It looks like it’ll be months before all the roads are repaired.. crazy thing is .. tis is our third epic flood in just over a year.. in fac this one happened exactly a year ago today !

In addition, Our basement was full of water for the first time in 42 years !>. and this after a bunch of work done  on our basement.

We’re still trying to figure out if the work the folks did made the flooding worse… or helped.. but we hve had more water in the last 3 rains than we’ve ever had before.

Around midday the water was down enough to get to work. I was glad to go .. we were having a blood drive today, THis is only the second time I’ve been able to give since the Red Cross lifted their ban on lood donations from folks weh had lived in the UK.. I ‘love’ giving blood (in quoites since I dont like needles).. Its one of the few ways you can donate soemthign of your body wile you’re living. I now do it in honor os Sam who was an organ donor. A really  guy from Red Cross met there to talk about that side of donation.  He’d never thought of blood donation in that way.. I think he’s going to write something about it.   

Sam, this one’s for you !

Aaanda the phlebotomist was great.. hardly felt a thing. Thanks manda

To anyoen out there.. PLease consider giving blood. Its easy and its a great way to give back 

nite all, nite Sam
-me

Today was the memorial for our friend Bill Haddock. Bill was a fun and very interesting man who loved helping people better understand themselves. He was a specialist in Meyers Briggs personality testing.. You knw those tests that categorize  folks into 1 of 16 different personality types.   Bill was an ENFP ..   a type known as the Campaigner. . THe test says that this type is “Campaigners are enthusiastic, creative, and sociable free spirits, who can always find a reason to smile”.. he certainly was that.  (as is bill’s wife Gina.. and for that matter me !) .. Even as his Alzheimers advanced, Bill remained the friendly , enthusiastic and sociable soul he’d always been. 
The memorial was Richmond congregational church. THe place was packed . THe service was lead by Paster Katlyn.. (also and ENFP).. and was lighthearted, loving and appreciative of bills special warmth. One by one people stood up and told great funny stories. I was particularly impressed by the words that all three of sons… Our friends, Luke, and.Matt and his older son Haynes from down I georgia. The remembrances included football cheers from Bill’s beloved Georgia State… Funny stories about hiking and lots and lots about personality types. Pastor Kaitlyn closed the whole ceremony with what she called the prayer of the ENFP.. It went soemthing like:

” Dear Lord, thank you for…. the .. hey there’s a squirrel !!!”

Lots of laughter and and lots of tears. >

Later in the day we headed over to the Hadocks for more stories.. It was a great gatherign for a really great guy
 We got to hang out with Gina and Bi;;s sons Matt, Luke and Haynes We also got to send time with Lukes wife Emily and their new baby Holly. Holly was bor just after Bill eid.. I know he would love her

It was a happy-sad day.. it was pouring as we all left to go home.. 

And this is what met us at home..

 

Oh well.. life keeps happing.. 
We’ll miss you Bill

nite all. nite sam

-me

Productive day at work.. .. Midday Juergen and Luisa stopped by for a very quick tour

Early evening I met Diane and Our friends the Bories and Heaths  at a marina in Shelbourne ..  to go sailing on the Heith’s boat.. .    

We had a quick picnic dinner before heading out.. and .. wouldn’t you know, I had just enough liquid nitrogen to make one more batch.. my 7th.. of LN2 ice cream.. It was fun to watch the other folks at the marina trying to figurte out what we were doing. 

It was a beautiful, hot and windless evening .. 

We spent a good portion fof the trip talkign about the joys of retirement. Rick, Kate, Lou and Kathy are all retired.. They talked about all the free time they had…

I still am not getting the concept.. .. of free time I mean 🙂

nite all, nite sam

-me

Today was fun and hectic. I’m super busy at work but made time to tour some of my old and new friends from hack club through Beta. This group is going to be riding by train from Vancouver to Montreal on a two week odyssey of inventing.… I’m always very proud to show off the technology. We’re creating at beta.

 

And, wouldn’t you know.. I still had some think this is the 4th time in a week.. is anyone keeping count ?  left over liquid nitrogen.. so we made LN2 ice cream in the parking lot.. .. 

Later in the day I got a call from Diane telling me that our friends Jurgen and Luisa were at our house. I knew they were coming into town, but I didn’t realize it was going to be this afternoon. I was able to finish up my work quickly and get home to see them. You’re gonna is my old friend in collaborator who used to live in Bibb in Germany, then in Burlington and I have seen him at various places in the world since. The two of them now live in Malta. He really is one of my oldest friends.It was so good to see them !  I was able to spend a little time with them today and we made a plan for getting together later in the week

And the old friends kept coming… Our friend Devon dropped by. He’s here in Vermont for a while after living in Montana for a long time. Super great catching up with him.

 

I love his  Sam ink !

I quickly headed back to work.. It was such a hot day… But I decided I’d make liquid nitrogen ice cream (yes again) for my friends at work. It was a perfect day to do it. We gathered right outside the building. Super fun yet again.

 

I think thats five times.. ?  RIght..

After work, I headed home (again) .. And picked up Diane and our young friend Finn, who staying with us for the night. We headed out to Middlesex to try a restaurant called the filling station… Believe it or not it’s a wonderful sushi, etc. restaurant in the middle of a landlocked state. We’ve heard so much about it.It was really delicious.

The place was really cute and funky. THey had soem wild bacon meets star trek art. !

We got home just as the sun was setting. Just enough time to make liquid nitrogen. (yes… I know this is getting repetitive) with thin. Finn.. THats 6 times I think

We also got to show Finn our amazing glow-in-the-dark petunias.… I don’t know if I’ve already written about these, but they are amazing. It’s a genetically engineered hybrid that took some genetic material from a glowing mushroom and spliced  it to a petunia. It’s kind of a subtle effect but at night, it is amazing. Even more amazing when photographed.

here they are with natural light 

Here they are at night.. 

Gotta love science !

nite all, nite sam

-me