Halloween

Happy Halloween - our first with real live trick or treaters.

Insert Fireplace Insert

So the house came with a fireplace but the chimney sweep informed us that we needed to line the flue before lighting up.... So we installed a new flue AND a new fireplace. It's an energy efficient insert - so we qualify for a tax rebate :) . It took quite a search to find one that would fit into our mantle (but not in a log cabin) - european of course.

Lounging around

Found a furniture bargain, at the Chiasso clearance sale, to help fill our empty rooms. We're tempting fate a little with the pale shade, but that's what Scotchguard is for. We scored a couch big enough for 4+ people, a matching chair, a slat bench/coffee table, light fixture and cool photo frame.

Xtals

We're getting so efficient at preparing samples we can make 2 different ones at the same time.

Mini MUMs for sale

Mums. Now on sale at your local ace hardware. Comes in a convenient travel size. Nothing compared to the real thing though.

Star Washer

Our new, super energy efficient washing machine. Apparently its going to cost us $11 per year to keep our clothes clean.... based on eight(!!!) loads per week (who does 8 loads?). At that rate we would be washing multiple times between wears - or going through multiple costume changes per day. I'm guessing that it will be closer to a handful of quarters for us.

Painted

Ocean pearl and Restful

Color conundrums

Wallpaper is evil

Our wallpaper was possessed - with layers of old newspaper, embossed wood veneer and paper overlay. The exorcism was a multi-day affair.

Only small patches of wall were left unscathed (the brown bits). Everything else needed skim coating.

95 yrs old

95 years of living leaves lots of bumps and scraps in the plaster and many layers of ugly paint on the walls.

We're smoothing things out before hitting it with a coat of paint.

A place of one's own

It's all ours.

Sold!

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Hi lobster! Nice to eat you

Larson's fish market: The best value seafood on MV.

Vacationing with the First Family

Back on the Vineyard. This time we're hanging with the Obamas.

No close up photos though.

A Harpoon Sampling

Harpoon Brewery. The best free beer tasting in Boston and very conveniently located near the conference center. Even the little lady, marking the entrance to the bathrooms was joining in the fun.

Trident Bookshop

Best breakfast in Boston.

Lemon ricotta stuffed french toast. It was goooood.

Non-nano nanoparticle@ACS

A cold one.

A glass so frosty that you could fingerprint our waitress.

The Barking Trap

At the Barking Crab they "don't quote wait times", but will let you know that you are the 18th group of monkeys in line for a table. The tourism factor has increased significantly since we last dined here, no doubt due to the many favorable write ups in guide books . Themed T-shirts, shot glasses, and stickers are available for purchase while you wait, wait and wait for a table.
Steamed appetizers were perhaps the culinary highlight of the meal, but the most memorable moment came courtesy of Mark wrestling his lobster out of its shell. Priceless... And well worth the wait.

The Last Rent Cheque

.... next stop mortgage-town.