When our kids were growing up, the teachers always used to call the last day of school the “happy last day”… It was sort of like an inoculation against any sort of sadness for something ending.… Since then we call every leaving. “happy last day”… This week marks the end of our interns programs. I’ve had a good fortune to work with my friend Isa and my friend Dalton. I’ve known both of them from previous years… But never worked this closely with them.

 

Every entering gives a summary at the end of their work… Today was and Sandra… Who I realize now is her first cousin. Both gave great talks. I really enjoyed working with Isa… She’s with good artistic skills and amazing ability to pick up new hardware and software skills. I think this was her first real shot at programming and she did an excellent job finishing up one of the projects that Shannon invented. 

isa’s dad Lino works here at Beta is a good friend of mine.… It was funny to have Lino sister who is Sandra’s mom and their mom who is the grandmother of both Sandro and Isa… This is a real family oriented place

This is also the last week of work for my friend Dalton. He’s an aero-actor major at MIT. I really enjoyed working with him on a pretty complicated, electro mechanical project. He worked out some of the major electronics and software kink that will allow me to finish this design time as a sideline designed circuit board in the shape of our airplane… We had designed it last week and submitted it on Friday and had it back in time for him to give his final presentation.… How cool is that?

I really enjoyed working with both Isa and Dalton… And will miss them. I hope I get a chance to work with both of them again.

 

Outside of work “last day “… We’re about to send fluffy out to her third year on the Playa at Bernie Man. There is a flurry of activity to get her ready. I have back up equipment for all the electronics… This will be the first year that I’m out there to assemble the electronics and the systems. We’ve done a lot of work to cross train and tonight we had both fire and light school. 

I feel like the stuff is in good hands. I’ve got some serious FOMO for not being out there this year, but we are going on a trip to Spain, which we’re all looking forward to so much.

nite all. nite sam
-me

Things are always changing at work… Today was an interesting step. The group I was once in with my friends, Shannon and Aaron has been absorbed into another group… Up till now, though we still had our own corner some of our final projects were… Today we had to clean it out… So this is all that’s left.… So it’s sad to see things go. I’m actually enjoying what I’m doing now much better.
 there’s a lesson in there somewhere

I was over at the main site today… Talking to my friend Remy.. I just learned that he’s my friend Erics nephew.. !

it is a very small world.. especially in Vermont

nite all, nite sam

-me

Today I went in to pick up my glasses that were getting new lenses… I go to an optometrist and tap corners. The place had recently been sold to a new very nice optometrist Dr. Horlock. I noticed that he had put an article up about the previous owner of the business… My friend Thomas Clarke . I mentioned to the woman at the front desk, how much I miss Tom, and she looked at me for a moment and said you don’t know?… He had passed away about a month ago. He had just retired sold the business and then had heart valve surgery that he knew he had had to get done. Unfortunately, he had complications from the surgery and never left the hospital . Tom was an interesting guy… He was an inventor who created a couple of new devices to help optometrist and even got a patent on it. I’d actually help him on one of his devices. Every time I went in to get my eyes checked, we ended up having our long technical conversations… It had a good sense of humor and was a very, very intelligent guy.He also had many other hobbies, including playing the violin, fly fishing, etc. I couldn’t believe that he was goDr ne.. I will really miss our conversation. Here’s his Obit 

Well, I was looking for Tom’s obituary. I was surprised and saddened to come across the obituary of another good friend of mine… Dr. Bill Fellinger. Bill and I worked together for many years at IBM. He was like the wizard… He was always doing something interesting… he had opinions on many things and a huge wealth of stories. I remember he was a huge proponent of an early AI language called SNOBOL. 

It was strange to come across the depths of two friends at once… I guess that’s part of growing up.… I will miss them both.

I was in a pretty contemplative mood when I went home to a beautiful sunset.. 

nite all. nite sam

-me

We are very early flight back. We got a 5:30 AM shuttle over to the airport and walked around. It brought back memories… I flew in and out of here many many times when I lived here.

the flight back was uneventful… Got lots done… And as always watch the big Lebowski with no sound

We got home  late afternoon… Evidently it had been so hot up here in Vermont while we were gone that the seltzer can almost exploded in the car…

Luckily, it was nice and cool here now… I’ve had just about enough heat for the summer

nite all, nite sam

-me