"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.



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)


Melontini (Val)


Creamsicle (Rebecca)


Vesper (Me)


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





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



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.











And a fine time was had by all.

What have I done now?



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



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...



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...



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



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...

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.



I just liked the statues overlooking the feastivities.



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



Bethany got some good calamari.



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.



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

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



Nasturtiums that we didn't buy.




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!



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", uh, I mean Turf Bowling


Box o' snails


Doll heads and bow ties


Something I recall from my youth


The 1970s Garden Van (not technically for sale)

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


Plant stand


French press


Really great little scissors


A smart box of rocks


A 1930s Royal Typewriter

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




(ground those antennas!)



And Introductory Psychology from 1943.



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


(the northland?)






(germs breed in filth)




(I like cats a lot)


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


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


(psychologically unweaned?!?!)

And this book, just for the title.



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



More (!!!) pictures here.