Happy Birthday to Me

...and find me at Voyage 49 for the next year...

Thanksgiving Day

I spent the day today with Dad & Ma at the family homestead. When I got there Sarah & Jon were there with all 4 kids, plus Hayden's girlfriend Audrey and Celia's boyfriend Mike. They hung out for an hour or so and then headed off to New Hampshire.

I was there from 12:30 pm - 8:30 pm. Georgia made me a handmade birthday card (so sweet) before they all left. Dad & I watched the Vikings beat the Lions 30 - 23 (good game). The three of us (Ma, Dad & I) had dinner. Dad & I watched the Chargers beat the Cowboys 16 - 6, and we each had a 4 Elf Winter Warmer Spiced Ale from Dark Horse Brewing Company out of Marshall, Michigan (good, but a bit too strong at 8.75%). I had chocolate cream pie and coffee. Ma & I watched a few episodes of "Friends" & "Big Bang Theory". And then I headed home, with a bag full of Thanksgiving leftovers (turkey, gravy, rolls, apple pie & chocolate cream pie), plus my birthday gifts a day early. Dad & Ma gave me a $50 bill, a 2-pound bag of Starbucks French Roast whole bean coffee, a hardcover sketchpad, and last but not least, they had a tree planted in my name by the Arbor Day Foundation. Pretty cool!

Movies

Today I watched two movies: the black & white "Cul-de-Sac" from 1966, and "Our Little Sister" from 2015 (Japan).

Cul-de-Sac was interesting. Two small-time crooks wind up outside (and then inside) a castle owned by a married couple in northern England. It probably wouldn't be classified as a good movie, but I enjoyed it.

Our Little Sister, on the other hand, was fantastic. It is the story of 3 sisters who discover upon their father's passing, that they have a half-sister, who winds up coming to live with them. A charming movie that I actually began over a week ago, and then finished today.

Combined, they were a great way to pass a rainy day before my 3-8 pm work shift.

Day Off

A chill, random day of: drawing; superhero tv, both morning and evening (a show on the Superman creators & "Supergirl" in the am, and "The Flash" and "Legends of Tomorrow" in the pm); dishes; napping in the sunshine; and a run to Kappy's and Hannaford for Thanksgiving prep. Plus the previous post's creation of Voyage 49, set to begin on Friday.

Sideways

Like I have done a couple of other times, I am going to leave this blog behind for a year. Since I am turning 49 on Friday, I've decided to do a one-year blog on my "trip" to 50 (ugh).

So follow me (if you choose) to Voyage 49...

Day Off Switcheroo

I had today off, and I'd planned on hiking Pratt Mountain, but it was 39 degrees out, and I wasn't enthused, so I didn't.

However, I did get out of bed at 8:30, and I got a lot done:

• Had some awesome Seattle's Best Portside Blend coffee.
• Washed a sinkful of dishes.
• Drew something (see below).
• ♫ Listened to two great albums by Turnover.
• Got the gas heater working.
• Did laundry.
• Worked out.
• Watched "Survivor" and a live set by REO Speedwagon on AXS TV.
• Had a Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA (I prefer the 60 Minute).

Not bad!

Sunny Floor

Sometimes when the sun is coming through the window above the stove I like to photograph things in the sunny area:

Global Warming

It was in the 40's & low 50's yesterday. Today:

Taken from my tablet's weather screen...

Goals: November

The penultimate "to do" list of 2017:

• Work out 8 times: III
• Leave the state (or mainland) twice: 
• Draw 5 things: IIII
• Read 5 books: III
• Go on 3 hikes: 
• Get down to 245 minimum: (begin: 254 | end: ___ ).
• More tea, less coffee: HAhahahahaha! No chance.

Perhaps I'll add a few things, but these seven items will do for now...

Halloween Day

I went to bed last night at a decent time (around midnight), and I began reading "The Warrior Lives" until I fell asleep awhile later. I slept very well (with a few wake-ups) until 10:30, still recovering from the obnoxious head cold (super-phlegmatious, with accompanying headache and warm temperature) I've been dealing with since Saturday afternoon.

"Good Morning Football" and Wikipedia passed my morning, along with cereal and coffee. I did some dishes and then went online.

It was a low key day otherwise. More tv, more reading. Cold pizza for lunch. Mac & cheese for supper. I poured a beer into a glass, but my cold made it taste wrong, so I poured it out.

I did manage one last Halloween drawing for this year:

Yep, that is a dime in the lower right corner of the image. I love my Pigma Micron art pens!

Finished

Everyone wants the good candy bars...


...even the monsters! 11" x 14" on 60 lb paper. Pigma Micron pens and Prismacolor pencils.

Post It Trio

I drew these three Jacks during my dinner break at work last night.

Fluorescent post-it notes with ball point pen and yellow hiliter (mouths and eyes):

4 Days Off: 4

I made a South Beach breakfast. I took out the air conditioner. I ran out to the ATM and Taco Bell ($12.36 for 6 soft tacos and a SMALL Pepsi???). I watched sports tv. And I did more inks and primary colors on the Jack O'Lantern monster I've been drawing this week (both 'indoor' filter and 'aquarium'):

4 Days Off: 3

Today has been a pretty good day. Among other things, I:

• Watched a doc (and spend time on Wikipedia reading about) Genghis Khan.
• Did laundry.
• Finished sorting books to donate.
• Worked out from 12:30 - 1:30 pm.
• Had rice & chicken for lunch (2:00 pm).
• Watched "Crazy, Stupid, Love" and bits of the Chiefs/Raiders game.
• Had night coffee & cinnamon toast.
• Did dishes.
• And drew (work in progress):

4 Days Off: 1

When I woke up today I made a 'to do' list. Completed items are in blue bold:

• Clean new footstool. I added an old Cisco Brewery sticker on the middle of the seat.
• Get PS3 up and running.
• Lift (work out).
• Clean off top of refrigerator.
• Hannaford/Starbucks run.
• Do the dishes.
• Make ground beef & pasta.
• Clean kitchen sink drain.
• Clean off top of dresser.
• Clean Chumble's litter box.
• Sort books for donation.

Extra things I did that were not on my list:

• Updated live music dates on Not Lame Minus.
• Threw away some clutter (old comics, old pots & pans, etc...).
• Watched the latest episodes of "The Blacklist" and "The Gifted".
• Watched an amazing NBA season opener: Celtics 99 - Cavaliers 102. Too bad we lost Gordon Hayward for the season...

Frank

Yet another lunch break scribble (ball point pen and yellow Hiliter):

Third Pumpkin

I have today off, and decided to draw something fancy:

Gold ink on heavy brown construction paper, freehand (no pencils).

Second Pumpkin

Another work day lunch break drawing (from yesterday's 7:30a - 5:00p shift):

Lakenbeer

I went to the lake from 4:00 - 7:00 today. I had a nice Doppelbock beer (from a can!) from the Fort Hill Brewery in Easthampton, MA. I'd buy it again. I did some reading (Joel Rosenberg's "Guardians of the Flame: The Warriors", 3 books under one cover). I did some wading, mostly when I was taking photos or rinsing out the beer bottle and can. A nice peaceful day, with few boats and many geese, under a sunny blue sky...

First Pumpkin

...of the season! I drew this with a ball point pen and a hilighter during my lunch break today at work.

Goals: October

This month's goals:

• Read 5 books - IIII I - goal achieved on the 27th
• Draw 5 things - IIII I - goal achieved on the 19th
• Work out 5 times - IIII - goal achieved on the 27th
• Go on 5 hikes - 
• Travel to 5 places - 
• Lose 5 pounds (Begin: 254, End: 245).
• Make real progress toward a real job.

3 Days Off: Three

I got up at 9:00. Breakfast was cereal and coffee, and I watched "The Planets" (Pluto), and got caught up in a Wikipedia Storm (lots of reading and tangental links).

I had cold Chinese for lunch while I hung out online. I shaved. Then at 3:30 pm I left the house, to hit Kappy's for their last 6-pack of Tangerine Soul Style IPA (score!), and to hike the Mid-State Trail from Redemption Rock to the Crow Hills.

Mountain Quest 2017 No.5: A nice easy jaunt, it took me about 40 minutes each way, with no rest stops, and only a handful of photo ops. It was sunny, cool and dry, I had the trail to myself, and it was glorious. I ate an apple and a granola bar at the picnic area, while listening to the loud guys who were traversing the top of the cliffs. I saw them pass overhead, but they never crossed my path again. On the way back I listened to An April March, Chapterhouse's "Pearl" EP, and Lush's "Blind Spot" EP. What a great hike.

When I got home I did dishes, made mac & cheese with the last of the ground beef, and watched sports tv & "Big Bang Theory". The rest of the night was a mix of the Red Sox/Astros game, the Bears/Packers game, and parts of the first two "American Pie" movies. In between (at 9:00 pm) I ran out to Hannaford to get coffee, bananas, and a few other things, and showered after I unpacked the food.

A view of Mt Wachusett: ascent

The Crow Hills cliffs

Descent Soundtrack: Lush's "Blind Spot" EP

A view of Mt Wachusett: descent

3 Days Off: Two

Chumble woke me at 8:00 am, so I got up and fed him. I watched a 30-minute documentary on the making of "City Slickers" as I ate breakfast and played "Clash of Clans".

The rest of the day:

• I did laundry.
• I replaced the old shower curtain, washed the outer curtain, and cleaned the bathroom sink.
• I went online to buy a new back scrubber and soap dish.
• I Windexed my windshield.
• I had clam chowder for lunch at 1:30.
• I read more of "Dragonlance" #1, and in between, fell asleep in the chair from 2:30 - 3:00.
• I cleaned the shower at 4:00.
• It's 87 degrees out and humid, but I didn't need the a/c until now, 4:30.
• More reading, more tv ("ATH" & "PTI").
• Chinese food for supper.
• I put up a new shower curtain.
• I shaved my head while hanging out online.
• I watched the season premiers of "Survivor" and "Modern Family".
• I went to bed at 2:00 am.

3 Days Off: One

Due to the various weekly templates at work, I have the next 3 days off in a row. I had four, but I split yesterday's shift into Friday morning.

Today's existence:

• I slept until 9:30 (wow, I actually got 8 hours!), and then had shredded wheat, a banana and coffee for breakfast.
• I hung out online for awhile, pondering my travel options.
• I went to the lake from 3:30 to around 7:00. It's exactly 8.5 miles from my door to our Wyman Pond shore. While down there I had a great beer (Green Flash Tangerine Soul Style IPA) and a horrible beer (Wachusett Summer Ale). I inflated my latest float; I read some of the first "Dragonlance" novel; I floated with the crappy beer; I listened to my iPod as I air-dryed; and I took a bunch of great photos:

Bits of Autumn showing up...

This beer kicks ASS!

Alas, another tube too narrow inside...

Amazing cloud brush strokes!

Fantastic fiery sunset...

Finished

I finished the coloring a few days ago, but never got a satisfactory photo until today:

Summinx

More inks on this drawing, before I mess it up with color!

Four Days Off: 4

Yikes! I slept until nearly 11:00 am. To be fair, I was up until 3:30 reading last night.

I began a drawing of L'anlia versus some hulking warrior. He is trying to restrain her, but discovers too late that she is a wizard.

Four Days Off: 3

I got up a little after 9:00 am. Coffee & cereal. Watched "Planet of the Apes" (2001). My new coffee maker and "Dragons of Autumn Twilight" arrived from Amazon. I retired my golf clubs to Jean Marie's shed, unused this year. I watched Jason do a live blog for his PR job, and it was so surreal, yet incredibly cool to see my little brother in his element, in a way I'd never seen before. I got Domino's around 3:00 pm.

I inked last night's ogre drawing:

I began to read my new book on my bed, but it was slow going, and I fell asleep from 4:00 to 7:30 instead. Apparently all the late nights caught up with me. I did dishes. I watched sports tv and sitcoms, during the commercials of the Bengals/Texans Thursday Night Football game. And at 9:00 pm I ran out to food shop. A late supper was cold Hannaford chicken fingers and a creme horn.

Four Days Off: 2

I awoke just before 10 am again. Breakfast was cereal and coffee. I watched a space show on Saturn while playing "Clash of Clans" and "Boom Beach". Then I shaved my head.

Jason had made a reservation for him,  Dad & Ma, Sarah & Jon and me at Lucia's Tavola in Ayer, but his meeting was going to run way over, so he had to cancel. That sucks, because I won't get to see him at all on this visit. Oh well, work comes first. As a result, both lunch and supper were the rest of the cold Chinese food (chicken fingers & wings). I did laundry, read some more of "The Score", watched sports tv, and a few sitcoms, and had more coffee.

Later I went online for awhile, and I bought a pair of jeans from L.L. Bean, mostly for work. I also drew an ogre in a forest. And last, I finished "The Score" before I fell asleep around 3:00 am...

Four Days Off: 1

I have today through Friday off. Jason came east Sunday and is working out of his Boston office. There should be a hike on one of the two non-rainy days (today or tomorrow), and the Lake always beckons...

I slept until ten today (didn't fall asleep 'til after four last night!), and had pound cake with my coffee, as I watched "American Dad", "Robot Chicken", and some outer space science show. I went online for awhile, and bought a new coffee maker with a metal carafe. I got Chinese food for supper, watched sports tv, and finished reading "Parker: The Outfit", before falling asleep from 7 to 9 in my chair. I ended the day with 4 episodes (S7-8) of "The Office" on Netflix and a Cisco Whale's Tale Pale Ale, and then starting to read "Parker: The Score", until I fell asleep around 3 am.

Sludge Final

Goals: September

For this month:

1. Lose ten pounds (begin: 255, end: 254 ).
2. Visit the lake once a week on average: I
3. Draw 10 things: IIII
4. Read 5 books: IIII I
5. Work out 8 times: I
6. Visit 3 other New England states:
7. Hit the beach!
8. NO pizza, Chinese, or drive-thru food. X X X (haha!)
9. Donate all unwanted books.
10. Pumpkin beer taste test w/Jon & Sarah.

That's a Wrap

This last day of August was a day off. I ignored the world, and only spoke to the Chinese food delivery guy. I watched tv; I played "Clash of Clans"; I hung out online 'window' shopping & drawing at the same time; I shaved my head with my new clippers; I read; I had the aforementioned Chinese food; I took out the trash.

Tomorrow September begins, and so does my favorite time of year. All the kids are in school, so movie theaters and hiking trails are empty. Cool dry air prevails. The MLB races are heating up, and the Red Sox are in a good place. The NFL season begins next week. Everything is new again.

Worm's eye view!

Somehow, along the way, I caught a cold. My throat was sore, I sneezed a lot, my nose dripped, and my glands became swollen. Not fun. Lastly, I watched a bunch of episodes of "The Office" til around 3 am.

Sweet

...Day Off!

I watched "Guardians of the Galaxy 2" this morning with coffee and some apple pie that Sarah made yesterday (I had dinner there last night with Dad & Ma, while Hayden drove to Philly to pick up a corgi puppy).

I drew Graewon:

And I did miscellaneous household chores while I hung out online playing Elvenar, reading "Harry Potter" #7, and eating pizza.