5.29.2007

"Long" weekend.

Lemesee...wha' happen? Working backwards...

Yesterday, we spent the better part of a perfect day at the Blue Oar on the Connecticut river. This was our second trip, and it was as great as the first time. We got there by way of Northampton, where I saw this crazy moth at the gas station.

Moth

Whilst in Northampton on Sunday (working backwards, stick with me) we visited the Tunnel Bar and had delicious martini-based beverages, such as the

Gin Gimlet (Angela)
Gimlet

Melontini (Val)
Melontini

Creamsicle (Rebecca)
Creamsicle

Vesper (Me)
Vesper

Here is the pre-white balance Vesper, which is actually more like the lighting in the Tunnel. Highly recommended.

Vesper

Angela and Val at the Tunnel Bar

About 12 hours previous, we were seated in front of several rounds of crêpes down in Durham, CT at Perk on Main.

Crepes @ Perk

We had sweet, savory, then more sweet, then more savory. We were able to sit out on their back deck and have a very relaxing morning. Which was good, because the night before that there were Wesleyan fireworks, which were pretty much right above our house.

Wesleyan 'works

Wesleyan 'works

Wesleyan 'works

Wesleyan 'works

Wesleyan 'works

And a fine time was had by all.

5.26.2007

Olympus Pen EE EES EE3 cases

What have I done now?

Olympus Pens

Not one, not two, but THREE Olympus Pen half-frame cameras, obtained off of eBay for $29.50. The first?

Olympus Pen EE

An EE, from the 1960s. A fixed-focus lens, surrounded by a selenium "electronic eye" (hence the EE designation) that chooses exposure based on the film speed setting. On to the next...

Olympus Pen EES

An EE-S, also from the 1960s, with the added features of a three-position "focusable" lens, two shutter speeds, and threads for filters over just the lens or over the lens and the "eye". And finally...

Olympus Pen EE-3

An EE-S, from the 1970s, maybe even the 1980s. Additions include a flash hot shoe, and a film speed range up to 400.

Olympus Pen EE3 frame counter

All three are half-frame, using half a normal 35mm film frame for each exposure, which doubles the exposures on each roll of film. Two of them are loaded with film as I write this, and they seem to be functioning. We'll see...

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5.24.2007

support your local feast

Sunday was St. Sebastian's Feast here in Middletown, just down the street from us. The church is a replica of one in Melilli, and if you'd like more info on the Saint himself, try wikipedia.

Our Lady of Carnies

I just liked the statues overlooking the feastivities.

...the kingdom and the glory and the fries...

There was some good food, for a feast, and Ethan got this mound of rice meat and veggies that was tasty.

Mt. Foodsuvius

Bethany got some good calamari.

Calamari di Bethani

Val had an Italian ice, and I got some biscotti apricot, which were not the hard, café-style cookies, but more like a small pastry.

Italian Novelties

It wasn't a huge feast, just some rickety rides and food vendors on the church grounds. There was a Bud Van, though.

Beervan

5.13.2007

Wha' Happen?

WARNING: Lots o' photos in this post - big day yesterday...

Friday was

A) Heather's official Party, so I left work early to go take pictures. This one is my favorite.



B) The afterparty, which was low-key hanging out and very fine.



Saturday was

A) The Middletown Garden Club Plant Sale

nasturtium

Nasturtiums that we didn't buy.


Plants

Tomatoes, lemon thyme, rosemary, and parsley that we did buy.


B) Breakfast across the river in Portland, CT. This is a corned beef hash omelet. DEEELISCIOUS!

Breakfast - Hash omelet

C) The Portland, CT Town-Wide Tag Sale. A tag sale is just a yard/garage/rummage sale, for those of you in the various regions of the world without tags. There were over 100. There was a map. There was lots of stuff. Including things I did not buy...

American Bocce
"American Bocce", uh, I mean Turf Bowling

Snailbox
Box o' snails

YIKES!!!
Doll heads and bow ties

chicken outfit
Something I recall from my youth

Garden van
The 1970s Garden Van (not technically for sale)

...and the things that came home with us.

Plant stand
Plant stand

French press
French press

scissors
Really great little scissors

rocks
A smart box of rocks

Royal typewriter
A 1930s Royal Typewriter

And some books. One I had growing up (it fell apart) about weather, with great illustrations.

Weather

Weather book
(ground those antennas!)

Weather book

And Introductory Psychology from 1943.

Psychology

Most of my other vintage volumes of psychology are all text, but this one has pictures, diagrams, tables and charts!

Psychology - northland?
(the northland?)

Psychology

Psychology

Psychology - Germs breed in filth.
(germs breed in filth)

Psychology - emotions

Psychology - I like cats a lot
(I like cats a lot)

Psychology - Can you live with yourself?
(The caption on this one is "Fig. 65. Can you live with yourself happily and peacefully? Or are you at perpetual odds with yourself?")

Psychology
(Do you regard the policeman as your friend? Well, do ya punk?)

Psychology
(psychologically unweaned?!?!)

And this book, just for the title.

Ask me if I love you now

And yes, though dusty, the Royal IS a "Touch Control". Also, it was manufactured right here in Hartford, CT.

Royal typewriter

More (!!!) pictures here.

5.09.2007

Cheeses!

Son of the Moon, Middletown, CT

There is another source for delicious foodstuffs here in Middletown, with the grand opening of this little gourmet market, Son of the Moon.

Son of the Moon

Last Saturday they had an open house with lots of good samples and special deals. It's no Southern Season, but it helps.

This week is, among other things, Heather's Last Hurrah™ here in Middletown, before she moves to Boston. We went out for margaritas last night, and her official party is Friday. There was tequilla-infused pineapple at the bar (a by-product of pineapple-infused tequilla) for 50¢, so some of us had that for dessert.

Tequilla Pineapple

Heather + Tequilla Pineapple

Heather + Tequilla Pineapple

5.04.2007

Behold! Tiny Subaru!

Tomy Subaru Legacy

With tiny doors!

Tomy Subaru Legacy

And tiny Japanese right-hand drive and tiny stick shift manual transmission!

Tomy Subaru Legacy

And tiny fitting in my Subaru dashboard!

Tomy Subaru Legacy

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