Check out this cute mugs LD got for us. I’m the ghost btw. Also notice the pumpkin is holding a ghost pail and the ghost is holding a pumpkin pail, so they compliment each other! Just like us!
Gametime: Dungeons n’ Ducks. This game was pretty cool.
Category: GameTime
Sure as a Trip to Sherborn
Haven’t updated in a while. Time flies! Saturday we had a nice lunch in the park after a quick visit to the office to figure out lamps and various décor. Then yesterday we visited some animal friends. LD had found out somehow that the town of Sherborn was having a thing where participating farms could be visited for free for a time so we decided to check it out. As a bonus our friend Em came along (sort of a out-of-the-blue-last-minute-want-to-hang-out for the afternoon thing, to which we naturally said “Of Course!”. We do like hanging out with Em, she’s super cool.
After all that we hit a Trader Joe’s and got a bunch of things, then we were pretty fried so we got some take out and settled in for the night with some television watching. We finally finished watching every episode of the Shield (amazing show!) and are now starting to look for some good things to watch.
Currently Watching: Under the Bridge on Hulu.
Gametime: CubeMerge
How Can Be 10 Years Already?
It’s our 1982 Ms. Pacman machine’s 10 year anniversary! In 2014 we brought her home and has been entertaining us and our guests ever since.
I need to open up the coin mech and see how much money is in there!
I can sort of remember how we obtained this. I think it was from a craigslist ad from someone down in Rhode Island, and it was a really good price so we made a trip, back when we used to do stuff like this. I just remember this guy had a ton of games and pool tables in his basement, and some motorized vehicles in the yard that all these kids wanted to keep riding on. Anyways we could see in a booth down in the basement with what we assumed to be his very pregnant wife. We got the feeling she really wanted him to part with a bunch of this stuff, and quickly. We got a really really good deal on this fully functional machine – it was our lucky day! We got the machine somehow loaded into the back of LD’s Saturn SUV and it just made it. In fact I believe the top of the machine was right between us up front. It made it all the way back and the rest is history!
I remember being a kid and my mom would take my sister and me to this arcade that used be at North Station in the old Boston Garden. I would fantasize about owning all the machine one day. I was especially fond of getting a Ms. Pacman and another game called Venture. Well, at least one of my fantasies about this came true 35 plus years later!
I Like Big Flips and I Cannot Lie!
Took a quick jaunt today over to Bow Market in Somerville this afternoon. Luckily I was able to get on street parking right across from the place because parking down there is brutal, assuming you can even find a spot. There was a roast beef place I wanted to try called The Hotbox, which I had read about in a magazine that I was perusing whilst waiting for LD at a doctor’s appointment a few weeks ago. It was pretty good – I ended up getting a junior three way. The sauce is a little spicy but not bad at all, perhaps that’s why they chose that name? anyway, the whole area has a bunch of little local shops and a very cute outside seating area, which I partook of. Also while there I saw they what appeared to be a small pinball parlor, so I went and played some of those classics, the machines range from from the 70s through the 90s, and I guess they swap them out with other ones every so often. Pretty cool little place.
Finally, toward the end of the afternoon I had to hit a grocery store and they had these cute little roses on sale. I couldn’t resist and picked up one that had light purple flowers.
And finally, to close out the afternoon I went to see this band play over at the local gazebo playing some pop hits from the 70s and 80s. They sounded really good!
Hot Boston Love Days
I was finally able to get a massage yesterday and boy, did I need it. It’s been very hot here the last couple of days. I cooked a dish with bok choi tonight – a first for me. Enjoy this picture I took over at the Boston seaport. I personally like the tone I got it this one, but it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Gametime: A perilous detour.
Piggy Yoga is Now a Thing
So much fun! I was surprised at how fun it actually was! Then it was an afternoon by the pool, a night of grilling and doing a fire pit. Beautiful day!
Gametime: Tongue Tied. Help the frog reach the stars! Pretty cool game.
Currently Watching: Brats. A doc about the Brat Pack of the 80s headed by one of them.
Serenity Now
Game Time: Cargo Lines. This game is actually pretty fun, I like using my brain to try and solve the puzzles. I’m on the red crated levels now and the difficulty has really ramped up!
Kind of a weird day today, thunderstorms, then sun, then rain, then hot sun. At least the good news is that I didn’t get too wet outside today.
Giving Myself a Pat on the Back
I play Wordle and a couple of other games on the New York Times site and this particular game that I play called Spelling Bee usually bumps me out after guessing a few words but for whatever reason this one just would not end. I play the game without using any hints. It took a while but today I was able to complete the board, a first for me! So I’m a little proud of myself at the moment. Have you played any of the NYT games, do you have a favorite? How do you do at them?
Spring Time Sprucing Up
After working my rounds today, I began starting to do a lot of cleanup on and in the gardens. Getting rid of old leaves, cleaning out the beds, checking on the flowers currently coming up and bulbs starting to emerge from the soil. Getting out the various hanging planter tools and preparing the decks. Cleaning out the firepit and buying a bunch of stuff to get the season started. This is a great time of year. Also, looks like the next door neighbors just opened their pool so get ready for their drunken late night loud parties again. Oh, and LD probably has a mild concussion. Great.
Currently Reading: The Riddles of the Sphinx: Inheriting the Feminist History of the Crossword Puzzle. (review).
Gametime: Ping On Ice
Rainy Good Friday Things
Picked up some groceries this morning for this Easter Sunday. Watched an intern of LD’s from back in day defend her dissertation. She’s now a doctor! So proud! What a major accomplishment, especially considering all the environmental factors over the years to get it done. Bravo D!
Gametime: Dungeon Heart. I’m currently at the time of this posting stuck on level 15.
Shadows and Light
I realize I haven’t updated in a while but that’s mostly because there’s nothing really to update with over the last week. It’s just been business as usual, but don’t worry, that’ll be changing soon.
Gametime: Space Expedition. This was really fun! Very well done! And also for the puzzle minded, Fixban. That game is not easy!
Living It Up in Lavalette
Day 1: Running Around the Beach
Day 2: Giant Hungry Hungry Hippos Experience
Day 3: Coffee and Meetups
Fun couple of days away. Got to see some family, hang out at a house by the beach, partake in the local activities, take a side jaunt through New York State to catch up with a friend (shout out to The El Dorado Diner in Elmsford!) and grateful for the good times. Didn’t get back from travelling until late last night, hence the sparse update- have to recuperate!
Currently Reading: Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes
Helping Out a Few Migrant Families
Tuesday is my busiest day of the week usually. This time on my rounds I changed it up a bit and went around some different ways which ended up being quite fruitful. Some folks think they have the schedule down which is why we like to change it up a bit every now and then. All you have to do is follow the signs and you’ll never have a problem!
In the late afternoon I dropped off some supplies for donation that LD heard about for some migrant families living in town and what they needed. So I went and took the stuff down to the home to be dropped off. It helps out these folks and we were able to get rid of some stuff that was just lying around so it was good to get it moved. Win-win situation.
Gametime; A cute little puzzlescript game called A Rat in Cheesetown. Don’t worry, I didn’t find it difficult but a fun diversion for a few.
Tuesday before the Turkey Day
Game time: Connect-4 game.
After work today I drove down to Marshfield to pick up some of Thursday’s delectables. I was a little concerned about how the traffic would be since I’d be going in the late afternoon, but aside from the usual Braintree split awfulness of Route 93, it wasn’t all that bad. I was really pleased to see that the place where I got the stuff didn’t appear all the busy. I remember when I went last year there was a line out the door and we all had to wait in the cold until we could get inside. That wasn’t the case this time – guess it was a good time to go after all! Then I came home and did laundry and cooked dinner. I still need to hit the grocery store tomorrow morning for some last minute ingredients for some other items we want to cook, but that should be no big deal. The real nice part is I’m booked a massage in the early evening, which is going to be great because I could use one.
Fall is Shot Time
Gametime: Fall? A nice little puzzlescript game to distract me as I recover from getting my Covid shot this afternoon. Took me a little while but I was able to beat the game. Now back to my reading….
I forgot to mention that yesterday I went and picked up some nice Dedham Pottery placements and pot holders from a local woman who was looking to part with them. They look so cute with the rest of the kitchen décor. And speaking of that we finally hooked up the new drapes against the picture window to the kitchen dining area and it matches perfectly. Everything looks really nice, if I do say so myself.
Currently watching: Daisy Jones and the Six, NYPD Blue Season 3.
And Even More Annoying Now
Just when you thought the utility crews closing down every street couldn’t possibly get much worse, they start digging up people’s lawns and driveways to install new piping. In fact, they just notified me that they intend to dig up the driveway here and relocate the gas meter to the front of the house. That should be interesting to say the least, and also quite disruptive. We all want to hear jackhammers and backhoes all day in the driveway, which we found out they want to do on Monday, and then in 2 weeks or so they’ll need to come inside the house to hook up the new pipe to the existing infrastructure which will shut us down for 5 hours or so. I’ll need to go down there and move some of stuff out of the way temporarily for them to have room to maneuver. And, of course, the traffic around here is terrible now that someone had the brilliant notion to do all of the neighboring streets at roughly the same time instead of rotating the schedule around more.
In happier news, I’ve been replacing the screens in the doors with the glass panes in anticipation of colder weather, and getting some stuff put away for the season. The kitchen and adjoining area are all done now, although we do need to get a new wired door bell chime to match the new décor. It was probably time for an update to that old system anyway. Maybe we can get one that has a better sound too. I also want to purchase a saw to take down on more stray tree that sprouted up over time and just grew. I still haven’t pulled out the tubers or addressed the sump battery yet. Maybe I’ll get to to those tomorrow. sometime.
I’m having great fun playing through Katti. I mentioned this game in the last entry. I’ve been able to get to the second set of levels called “The B-Side”. Excellent puzzle game.
Meeting Some New Pals
Yesterday was a cooking day! We were on fire, in the morning cooking up all those apples – an apple crisp and some apple bread. In the afternoon we went to check out some of the recent arrivals at the sanctuary. Plus we had some canned corn and cat stuff we wanted to get over to them for some time now. In the evening we made a chicken dish and turkey meatballs.
The new paint on the adjoining kitchen room looks beautiful! The second coat will go on today and then it should be all done!
Gametime: Katti
Home for Some Quick Updates
Just a little quick update in some photos to explain the week.
First up is this picture I took of the Nauset Light. Now since it’s September, it’s the time of the year that my Duxbury photo is featured in their official calendar . Green Harbor is closing for the season on Monday so we had to get in one last lobster roll for the summer. These two hawks better leave our bunnies alone!
Planning on doing a firepit tonight so there could be an update to this post afterwards and there’s something big happening tomorrow.
Gametime: One Many Nobody – cool puzzle game where you need to clone yourself to escape the levels.
First of the Spring Things
Things I finally got around to yesterday afternoon:
- Planted the various tubers in the ground that I had stored in the basement over the winter
- Moved the potted plants outside that had been living in the house over the winter
- Got out my gravity chair and almost fell asleep in it for a few
- Tilled the raised beds
- Fired up the grill and did some dogs, chicken and steak tips (very meaty dinner you cold say)
Things I plan to get to this week
- Replacing the glass panes in the doors with the screens
- Probably some more cleaning out of the cabinets and the basement
- mowing the lawn (even though it’s No Mow May I at least need to do the front)
- mulch the beds and patio and other areas
- get some birdseed for the feeder
Gametime: The Pigeon Post Principle – I found this game pretty fun!
All Smiles
This book on the Sackler’s that I’m reading I am finding really fascinating. So interesting to see how the marketing of a drug and getting out to doctors to prescribe has been such a big part of the process and these guys pretty much wrote the book on it. And I’m still just in the 1960s era of the family. I would definitely recommend reading it if you want to see the dark underbelly of the pharma industry.
Anyways, today I had a dentist appointment at their new office in Medford. They moved out of the Somerville place in Winter Hill and supposedly that building is to be demolished and probably replaced with more condos, but when I drove by it was still standing. The new office looks really nice inside, with a spacious lobby and neat treatment rooms and everything looks new, but the outside of the building in my opinion could use a lot of work. It looks like some sort of warehouse. I got a clean bill of health and will return in 6 months.
An ad popped up on my Insta that Holly Madison had some new show on ID called The Playboy Murders so I went looking for it and saw that the first three episodes were airing on Saturday so I cued those up on the DVR. Might be good, might suck, I don’t know but I’ll be checking it out to see. Hopefully it will be interesting.
Gametime: eseveR. I found this game rather enjoyable and beat it in about an hour. Fun little puzzle game.
Gametime: Nymphiad
Gametime: I found this game to be really fun, with puzzles and a bit of platforming thrown in. What’s cool is that each camera movement shifts the world itself, essentially changing the level as you play and you have to think about where to place things as elements change. It’s hard to explain, but after you play it, you’ll understand. Took me about a day to beat all the levels. Nymphiad
Christmas Prelude in Kennebunk Weekend Fun
Back from a wonderful weekend in Maine during the Christmas Prelude festivities that the town of Kennebunkport puts on. LD got this sweet little Airbnb location right near the center of town so everything was really convenient and accessible to get to. The first night there, which was Friday, we kind of just checked in to the Airbnb and got some takeout and hung with some friends that live in the area. We got to hang with their pups, Boomer and Pippa. Boomer is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever so he’s a pretty big dog. He doesn’t really seem to know that though as his master keeps trying to train him but he has a ways to go. Still, he is a love and LD can’t get enough of him, they have a special connection, Pippa is a Jack Russel and a bit feisty but that’s her personality. I don’t think we got back to the Airbnb until after midnight. For some reason time just seems to fly anytime we are there.
The next day we got breakfast done the street at a little coffee shop and then headed over to some crafty fair thing. They did have some amazing looking gingerbread houses in one of the shops. In the evening we hit a restaurant and checked out some things, like the various lighted trees in Cape Porpoise as well as KBP and did a bit more shopping and browsing. Before that though we drove to Ogunquit to see some fireworks – perhaps that town wanted to get in on what KBP was doing. The weather was great all weekend except that it was a bit on the chilly side.
On Sunday we checked out some Dog parade they were having. Pippa was supposed to be in but bailed at the last minute because it was a bit too cold, plus she’s feisty, like I mentioned before. For lunch LD had somehow managed to reserve a fish shack at this restaurant called Batson River Brewing and Distilling. It was quite an experience. We liked it. And I have to say the food on this trip was really good. Every place that we went was great. I took a ton of pictures of which here is a sampling. Truth to tell I simply cannot remember every single thing that we did!
Driving home on Sunday night kind of sucked because we got stuck in the falling snow so getting home was slow but we made it safe and sound and that’s what’s important.
In other small news:
Gametime: Sophie the Slug. A fun little sliding game I’ve been playing with lately. I also borrowed a new book from my Libby App entitled “The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer” about the story of Tony Costa. It’s a pretty good read as I am enjoying it. I learned a fascinating tidbit while reading the early chapters of this book in that he actually lived two streets up from where I grew up. Pretty wild.
Happy National Jukebox Day!
Today’s National Jukebox Day so I figured I’d reiterate a little history of the one that we have serving court in the sitting room across from the fireplace and add some things from last time out.
It’s not one of the super expensive famous Wurlitzer’s but it gets the job done. This particular model is from a company called Rowe/AMi and it dates to 1982. We actually found this one on Craigslist (this was during a period when I was searching for random things for a man cave – it’s also how we obtained a Foosball table, air hockey table, and an authentic full size Ms. Pacman arcade machine – each one with stories for another day, especially the foosball with the kid having the climb the walls to a window to get back inside his building). I’m not sure now what made us decide to get a jukebox in the first place, perhaps just really feeling nostalgic at the time. Anyways, this guy Dave in Braintree wanted to part with it, so we got it. We were able to haggle him down a little bit from the price he originally wanted. I think he said it was from his mom’s house or something when he was growing up but since was sitting in the garage for a while taking up space. That’s the thing about these machines – they’re actually pretty large. In getting it home we actually had to get movers to move it because it weighs so much – all that mechanical workings are pretty heavy – also due to the nature of the innards they had to be very careful not to jostle it too much because it could get cranky. One thing out of place by just a smidge and it gets messed up. It came with the records as well but I think we replaced most of the selections he had in there, as they weren’t to our particular tastes. We prefer pop, hair metal from the 80s, classics, that sort of thing.
It only holds 200 45 RPM LPs. Part of what we like to do is search bargain bins or antique stores once in a while to pick up some. It’s a crap shoot on the quality because a scratched record can ruin the experience, but overall we’ve been pretty lucky, and they’re actually pretty cheap. There’s a antique place in New Hampshire down the road from where we’ve done baby goat yoga that has never let us down in selection or quality. You can also buy some online from some reputable retailers. And yes, an iPod or your cellphone can hold and stream thousands of songs (like LD’s friend Michelle seems to always mention) but we like the nostalgia of actually having a real jukebox. It’s always fun having friends over that can dance along it front of it with us, in fact we did just that about a weekend or so ago with our guests at the time. As I mentioned, most of our selections are from the 80s, but we also have 70s and older stuff. LD has a whole collection of records from her mom and dad when they were younger and those are great, and in great condition too. Every so often, in a need of change, I’ll swap out some records and their labels with new songs and get those into the rotation. Thankfully there’s a website where you can print and customize the labels to your liking for free. We finally created a database in Google Docs to keep track of what we have in there, what’s in storage, and their condition, so that when we go browsing again someday we’ll know what we have and what to look for. That was an ingenious idea from LD, whereas before we just got whatever looked good to us not realizing we already had that one.
It has an electronic selector – you just type the number that corresponds to the number on the song you want to play. There’s a mini-computer in this one that supposedly keeps track of what songs were played the most, etc. but I could never figure out how it actually works – I need to look into that a little bit more. Speaking of, when I have the top open, it’s kind of cool to actually see the robot arm select the record you’ve chosen, grab it, and place it on the turntable. Then the needle comes over and places itself on the disc, and the tunes start flowing from the speakers, which are VERY LOUD if turned all the way up. It’s currently set to free play but the coin mech is all there and can be set to accept coins for play, it defaults to 25 cents per song.
Hopefully, it will never need service, because most of folks who actually know how to repair these things are in their late 80s, gone or no longer working!”
You might be wondering about the décor around the machine. The large hanging 45 over the machine on the wall was a pick from someplace in Maine on the way back from a trip I believe. An antique dealer dealing in kitsch and stuff. He didn’t really want to part with it but he eventually gave it up. The round mat in front of the machine is a personalized gift I got for LD and me. The label has our nicknames on it with the heading “Making music since 2008”, the year we met.
Gametime: Flopblock – I think I’m rather liking this game! Makes you think in certain ways.
A Quiet Cold Sunday for Squirrel Thieves
It’s a bit chilly outside today so we decided to lay law, take naps, and get caught up some things. The squirrels outside are working themselves pretty hard decimating the various pumpkins. I can see they’ve dug into at least four of them, the somewhat smaller ones of the group. While the large pumpkins and gourds have yet to be exposed I have noticed bite marks on those as well. I suppose those are harder to dig into so they are going after the smaller ones first. Also, we had 4 tiny white pumpkins which have seemingly just disappeared, I could find no sight of them. My theory is that they took off with them to their lairs for the winter.
Currently Watching: The Keepers on Netflix. Seven episode series going behind the murder of a nun and all the secrets that were uncovered tied into it. Pretty disturbing stuff actually. I’ve also been watching Hip Hop Homicides. Kinda crazy how many there actually have been.
Gametime: Mike & Munk. Pretty cool little puzzle platformer where a boy and a squirrel must work together to escape the traps.