A Fresh New Look...

for Spring.  I'm going to make an attempt to be cheerful.  Hah!  But, yes, I'll give it a go.  It's got to be cheerful someplace so why not here.  I'm working on lots of keys for customers all around the states and as the warranty key person for KawaiUSA.  Thankfully it keeps me very busy and financially in the black after having to give up much of my tuning business.  I still tune for established customers in Rockport and Gloucester and by select referrals within the two towns.  Much of my time is devoted to caring (or trying to) for my mother who has dementia.  It's not fun.  It's draining, frustrating, tiring, exasperating.........
But, even though I don't get out much other than errands, a once every 3 week visit with a friend, and very rarely a quick breakfast or dinner out with Ray, I am managing to find time to paint.  While it requires a lot of thought and energy, it is not directed toward caring for someone else.  And....it is a calming and relaxing process.  When I get to it, I'll post some pics of my more recent work.

For now you'll have to be satisfied with a brighter blog look.

For Veteran's Day...

and for memories, and to honor those Cape Ann WWII veterans that are still alive, Jason Grow produced a wonderful photography exhibit. 

The official opening was today at Gloucester City Hall.  We know several of the veterans photographed for the show. 

In the auditorium with a small band playing 40's music on stage, food table in the back, and the exhibit along both sides of the seating.

Our friend, Arnold Knauth, was one of them.  Arnold turned 98 just a couple weeks ago and is still very active, out walking most days...still drives. too.

Arnold  Knauth, age 98

When he arrived at the exhibit, we ushered him over to the photo taken of him.  "That's me?"  59 veterans were photographed for this special 70th anniversary of the end of the war Veteran's Day.

A Gift from New York

My friends M and E (along with K) spent the day in NYC and look what they brought home for me!

This is a challenge to photograph as the camera wishes to focus on the flat surface rather than the 'etched' image on the interior.

This is totally amazing to me.  Especially all the reflections from the top.

How do they make these?  3 - D and all the fine lines...inside.
Baffling.  Thank you!

p.s.  I got a nifty Statue of Liberty pencil, too.  It is displayed next to a Statue of Liberty pen!

We've Been Lit

Last Saturday evening was Illumination Night in Rockport.  I drove my mom's car down to find a parking space at about 6 p.m. and R followed in my truck.  The only reasonably close parking spot to where we would view the fireworks was at the library.  "Library Parking Only 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Violators will be towed."  However, the library did close at 5 p.m.  What to do?  I parked, got in the truck, and we drove to the police station to plead our case.  "We needed to find a parking spot for my mom's car and we will drop her off at it for fireworks time.  She isn't handicapped, but she can't walk from home.  It's just too far.  Will her car be okay there?"  After giving a description of her car, we were assured that we could leave it there.  Yay, it worked!

At 8:30, Mom, A, and I headed down in the truck.  I dropped them at the car to wait, drove home and R and I walked back down.

We all sat on the wall on Pier Avenue.  A great spot to watch the fireworks!

Leftovers...

from last year.

Last year I made the New Years Resolution to stop using my stairs as a filing cabinet for bills, paperwork, etc.  I am very pleased to report that only one item was allowed to reside on the corner of a step between the posts...the extra car keys.  That's right, I kept that resolution (see link).
http://harmonyclubwaltz.blogspot.com/2012/12/resolution.html 
As a matter of fact, it worked so well that it is my resolution for this year!  Let's see if I can keep the stairs uncluttered of paperwork for a second year!

Tidying up went even further at the end of the year.  I hired my super electrician to properly wire my workshop.  Thank you Bruce of Bayside Electrical for completing the work on schedule and doing a super job.  As you can see from the clutter of wires photos below, this work really needed doin'.  Each time Bruce had been here for some other minor work, he nagged about the workshop.  I had told him that 2013 would be the year and it was.  It's hard to show neatness in photos but I've added a couple below the messy ones.

A triple plug extension cord to help with my overhead lights.  You can see some of the new work in this photo.

Another multi-plug for overhead lights

Mass mess for a few of the machines.

Nice neat work running wiring for the new circuits.

Now I have convenient wall switches to operate the two sections of overhead lights.

Look how many extension cords have been eliminated!

Yesterday the girls headed to the mall to return/exchange Martha's useless (in my opinion) pan.  See my last post for details!  Macy's readily returned my mom's money, but the salesclerk was unnecessarily flippant.

Mom:  "I need to return this pan.  I was told that it could be used in the oven for a roast and it says it can't be used in the oven.  You can't even wash it in the dishwasher!"
Clerk:  "Well, you can still make a roast in it."

Macy's only had one pan that met our requirements and it was over $200.00.  For one pan!  We went to Sears next.  Nothing.  On to Kohl's where we found nothing except an enameled cast iron dutch oven that was shedding specks of cast iron off the edges.  At least it was too expensive, too.  Well over $100.00 as I recall.  On to Target.

Success!  The Giada De Laurentiis collection had a 6 qt. stainless steel roasting pan with lid.  Oven safe, dishwasher safe...all for $39.99!  Phew, Christmas exchanging done!

So, now that it is a new year...today I,
took down our outdoor decorations before the upcoming blizzard (Thursday/Friday 10 - 14+ inches, winds gusting possibly to 50 mph, and temps too low, wayyy too low for me)

finished my business bookkeeping for the year

got my last estimated tax payments ready to mail

corresponded with 5 techs (some in the last day or two) about upcoming keywork

cleaned up the kitchen table (it had become a dumping spot...remember that resolution? stuff has got to go someplace!)

did some emailing

took A to work (must remember to pick her up tonight!)

2014 is off to a good start!

Except for the weather.

And Then...

I decided to try my hand at canning.  You must understand that, although I can cook, I'm not enamored with cooking.  But I do like a challenge and I hadn't tried canning before.  My mom had made relish years ago but she didn't remember what she did.  Honestly, I think my grandmother did most of it!

So, armed with some internet research, canning jars, ingredients, and a friend's large pot, I dove in.

I learned a lot.

1. The size of my kitchen (read teeny) is detrimental to the process.
2. The recipe that says it makes 9 pint sized jars of relish requiring a large bowl, large pot, and large colander, really means gigantic when describing those items.
3. Due to number 2 above, I threw away a lot of diced up green tomatoes.
4. A food processor would be handy.  All that hand chopping is tiresome.  But because of the aforementioned teeny kitchen there is no room for a processor worth buying.
5. However, despite the odds being heavily against me. It worked!  I made relish!

Batch 1 - green tomato relish 

This morning I went out to buy smaller canning jars.  Half pints this time.  This afternoon I'll be at it again.  It's fun in a masochistic sort of way.

Jake the Thief

I had a bit of help with a job estimate on Saturday.

The job was to evaluate a used, well-known name, grand piano.  The customer had purchased it only a week before and was anxious to know if his money was well-spent.  (Why don't they ask before they spend it?)

Anyway, the estimate was a combination thing of checking the piano and also determining whether a climate control system should be installed.

The client could have spent twice the amount and still have gotten a very good deal.  He was happy to hear that.  It was determined that it would be best to wait and see on the climate control system and also decided that he would have it tuned during the first half of April.

Jake, my helper on this Saturday morning venture, was a Jack Russell Terrier (I think).  Actually, by Jake's behavior, I'm darn well certain that's the breed.  While Jake clamored for attention, I did a quick check on the tuning.  Supposedly the piano had not been tuned for over a year...and it had just been moved.  All things considered, it sounded remarkably good.

Except for two bass notes which I offered to touch up while I was there.

I opened my tuning kit and grabbed my tuning lever.  Jake watched, then settled down under the piano.  Other than a couple grrrrrrs Jake was quiet...and seemingly motionless.

I should have wondered.

Jake was a thief.  While my tuning kit was open on the floor, Jake stole my upright lid prop and settled in with his new 'bone'.

Mauled lid prop with the leather half chewed off and very soggy

It took some coaxing with real treats to get him to give up the mauled lid prop.  Leather and wood was evidently a good toy treat and the leather was great fun to chew on...and pull apart.

I'll remember Jake the Thief when I go back to tune.  My tool kit and my newly releathered lid prop will remain well out of reach!

A Big Project...

still in the works.

You might notice a new link - at the top of my Links list in the sidebar.

This has been a major undertaking with a very steep learning curve!  I started at 9 a.m. and it's now 2:48 p.m.  I've only taken a 45 minute break for lunch.  I'm done for today.

There is still much more that I want to do with the site and over the next few days I hope to add more...including pictures, and change the contact page with a contact form that uses my site email.  It'll all get done.

Just not now.  Not after a grueling 4+ hours.

Resolution

This year I have decided to make a New Year's Resolution.  This is not something I normally impose upon myself.  I figure that starting a new year and actually making it to the end of that year relatively intact is enough to hope for, never mind trying to set a specific goal for the year.  So, this new year shall start with a clean staircase.  Yep, I will try to keep it that way all year.  No using between the rungs as a convenient filing system.  Everything will find a place to belong without cluttering up the staircase.  It will look a lot nicer and it will force me to keep only what really needs keeping.  In the past (and I have no photo evidence - too ugly and embarrassing), coupons, keys, an odd photo or two, a saved newspaper clipping, gloves in winter, reminders for renewals, papers to hang on to to give to someone else who might be interested in what ever the subject happened to be, business cards and more......accumulated between the rungs.  NO MORE!  I have a desk upstairs (although it mostly is storage for things that have no place to be stored rather than a desk where I sit).  I have file cabinets in the workshop.  I have a filing box near my computer.  I have a mail holder thingie (with key hooks) on the workshop door that is home to my calendar and bills to be paid.  The calendar even has a storage pocket for each month where I keep stamps...and small stuff.  I have bookcases and, in the workshop, storage shelves.  And the best thing yet...I have a trash receptacle nearby!

Cleaning Up for the New Year

Since I have today off (YAY) and I had the weekend off (YAY), I decided it would be a good time to sort and clean.  You know...all that stuff that just gets shoved into any available spot, just temporarily until you have time to clean.

Ahhh, 80° and humid - to be there now...

I found this postcard in a pile of stuff that I had intended to scan someday.  The scene is Palm Passage, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas USVI.  In December 1980 and January 1981 we spent a month on St. Thomas.  We often ate lunch at the outdoor cafe in Palm Passage.

The autographs on the back of the postcard

This card was never sent and was used for autographs.  Many evenings, while staying at Point Pleasant, we would walk around the cove to Coki Point and listen to a group of young locals playing steel drums.  They were the high school band.  We'd buy ice teas and find a bench under some palms and listen for a half hour or so.  I think they enjoyed the appreciative audience as most of the tourists would just walk on by.  They got a kick out of being asked for their autographs. I wonder what these 'kids' are up to these days?  Wow, they would be around 47, 48 years old!

Stumped

It only took ten years to make it happen...

The linden tree as the removal service began work early Friday morning

Friday A and I had the linden tree cut down. It was a beautiful tree in many ways.  A tremendous annoyance in every other.

Waaayyyyyyy up there with a chain saw

Back when we moved here and built our house attached to my parent's house my mom would not allow the tree to be cut down.  "It's beautiful."  "The house will look so bare at that end."  "Just trim it some."

This guy really knew his stuff

Well, all that may be so, but A and I got real tired of the bugs that, along with my mother, loved the linden tree.  Spiders, bees, winter moths and ants.  The spiders and ants particularly bothered me.  For many months my truck, which was parked beneath the tree, would be covered, inside and out, with spiders and ants.  Mostly the spiders gave me problems as they bite.  Nothing like driving down Nugent Stretch, at night, trying to squish spiders on the inside of the windshield as I drove.  They came inside the house, too.  I think the ants taught them how to do that.  The bees arrived when the tree was in bloom.  They would buzz all around, high on each branch...and then crawl around on my truck trying to lap up the sweet sap that would drip down.  Oh yeah...that sap was a real hassle, too.  For a month or two the truck would look sugar coated.  A hates the winter moths.  Don't ask me why, but at age 30 she is deathly afraid of moths.  It was hard getting home from work after dark and seeing thousands of the white-winged things crawling up the trunk of the tree...and then have to get out of the truck parked right there next to 'em.

Less and less tree

Ten years of whining and complaining to my mom combined with her forgetting that she had said not to cut it down...

Chain saw man back on solid footing

Now its gone and along with it all those pesky problems.  I'm sure we will miss the green of it and the shade of it near the house next summer.  We will love, however, the opportunity to have a better, maybe bigger, vegetable garden.

Me and the stump (Thanks, R, for the photo)

Gone except for the stump.  The tree service's stump grinding machine is in the shop for repairs so they will be back in the next week or so to erase the last reminder of the linden tree.

(I missed some of the action - the main trunk being felled and slamming to the ground.  I had to be at a tuning job.  I got home in time to see it in its fallen position, though, before being sliced up, loaded, and hauled away.)

Determined...

to win an autographed copy!

Homer's Mom Wrote Another Book...

and I want a copy!

This book would have been on my Christmas list...but it won't be in stores until January.  So...I'm hoping to win an autographed copy that WOULD arrive before Christmas.  You'll be seeing more of Gwen Cooper's book as I try to increase my odds of winning. (Some of you may remember her other book, Homer's Odyssey, when it spent some time in my recent reads section of the sidebar.)

What's Next for Haskins?

That's what I'm hoping to clarify when I meet with the Town Administrator.  I emailed her this morning and I'm hoping that I can fit into her schedule within the next month.  G from SBHS wants to be at the meeting, too.

Several items will be on my agenda.

The first is to get the entry walls repaired.  Much needed on the right hand side as you approach the park, and less so (but still needs attention) on the left.

The right side curved wall has been destroyed by snow plows.

Then there is the matter of how to accept the donations of funds for new picnic tables. We have the offer.  We don't have any authority to accept or to expend those potential funds.

These are some of the old decaying picnic tables.

And...from the historic view...we want a large boulder in place, with a plaque that remembers Leander Haskins contributions of the park and other town benefits.  It would also be nice to have a second plaque,  maybe on the back of the stone, that gives a chronological history of the property.  The stone pictured below is located at a park in Newburyport and illustrates what we have in mind.

The memorial boulder and plaque in Newburyport.

I'd also like to discuss the remainder of the phase one clean-up and include in that the planting of a small, self-sustaining garden in the area of the arborvitae.  My plant ideas include day lilies, Queen Anne's lace, and rhododendron.

Maybe the home of the first of several flowering gardens?

There are many other items that will need attention as the project progresses.  But these will get Phase One nearer completion.

Now if I could just get that appointment with the Town Administrator.

Heberle Week at Haskins Park and Beyond

Foggy and damp at Haskins Park

Wow, where to begin.

With their mother, RH seated, CH standing

These two little boys are now 82 and 83 years old.  The Heberle brothers spent 6 years of their childhood living on the grounds of the Haskins Hospital when their father ran the sanitarium, Restcroft.  This week they have traveled from Florida to Rockport and Gloucester with other family members.  They have spent the week showing off the area to their relatives (7 total of daughters, sons-in-laws, sons, cousins...) and telling them stories of life here back in the 30s and 40s.  Along with a couple trips to Haskins Park and a meeting with the Board of Selectman, they've been antiquing in Essex, toured Hammond Castle, eaten at Sailor Stan's, taken the train to Boston and visited the USS Constitution and a ship that CH served on that's currently in dry dock, and driven past former houses and old haunts. Their visit was the main reason we got to working on the Haskins Park clean-up right away.

Mom and I bought some chrysanthemums to brighten the entrance

Monday afternoon R and I met RH up at the park.  We walked around while he told stories and we showed him the temporary access to the pools that R, T, and I had cut.  RH said that he brought the family up on Sunday afternoon, but it was damp and drizzly so they didn't stay long.  He had looked for the path, but hadn't found it.  After an hour or so, we said byes and that we were looking forward to meeting the entire clan at the Board of Selectmen's meeting Tuesday evening.

The Special Recognition is read...

The BoS decided to present a Heberle Family Recognition at the meeting.  They thought it would be nice to acknowledge the contributions to the community that Dr. Heberle had made.  It was a full house!  First on the agenda, after the Pledge and such, was the Heberle Recognition.  Selectwoman Fleming read the certificate that had been prepared and presented each brother with a copy.

and presented to CH (left) and RH by Selectwoman Fleming

Then she asked if they had any comments.  RH got up in front of the crowd and told a few stories from the hospital years.  The first, I think, was how his father had saved the life of a local farmer who had been gored by a bull.  The second was a very humorous tale about RH nearly being sat upon by one of the hospital nurses while he was 'using the facilities'.  He was about 4 at the time and couldn't reach the pull chain for the light so was in a very narrow WC in the dark.  He hadn't locked the door.  Nurse W evidently was quite an enormous woman who walked in, pulled the light chain and turned not seeing that the WC was occupied, with her back to RH she hiked her skirts and dropped her drawers.  RH screamed and bolted out of the WC with his view of Nurse W imprinted in his young mind, if not on his young body!

RH telling history with flair!

Everyone at the meeting was in stitches as he related the story.

In conclusion, his brother, CH, said that he wished he still lived here.

The meeting continued with a special thank you to the volunteers that have maintained the property over the years and a thank you to those who worked on the clean-up day.  R gave special recognition to TT and TA (who were at the meeting) for all their hard work on clean-up day.

After all those praises and thank yous, the Heberle crowd left the meeting.  My mom invited everyone back to the house for coffee and dessert.  Twelve of us spent more than an hour with stories, photos, and time getting to know each other.

All together a very nice evening.

In the Park

I suppose a few of you might be wondering.

What?  No one is wondering?  Oh well, I'll tell you all anyway.
Volunteer Clean-up Day at Haskins Park was a success!
A HUGE success.

A neighbor, a dog walker, and R loading the last load of the day (we filled it with twice what is shown here)

It all started last Wednesday when the DPW sent two representatives to meet with me at Haskins Park.  D, C and I walked the grounds and discussed the property.  I requested only their crew mow and weed-whack.  Two areas in particular.  Oh, and park a couple small dump trucks on site for Saturday. They obviously thought I was taking on too much for volunteer labor (and they were correct) because they offered to bring up big equipment on Friday to do the massive loading and hauling.  They also offered some welcomed suggestions for future improvements to the property.  I was pleased.
More than pleased.

As a matter of fact...after they had left and at the finish of an impromptu walk that I took in the woods with a local artist...I got back to my truck amazed to find one of the guys already weed-whacking!

On Friday morning the big equipment was on site.  Major debris pile removal was taking place.  I could actually see the southwest stone wall!  The crew had filled two small dump trucks and one massive truck by 9 a.m.!

R and I arrived at 7 a.m. Saturday morning.  After seeing how much debris the DPW had removed, I had figured the volunteers would only need one truck.  It arrived by 7:30.  It was full by 11 a.m. and one brave volunteer drove it to unload at the 'dump'.  We filled that truck two more times before our pack of 21 hard-working volunteers finally could work no longer.  What a day.

R dragging a load of clippings from the east wall

 At some times there were only 3 or 4 of us working hard at loading up debris, other times there were a dozen folks at a time.  The average age of our volunteers?  62!

One of the first of the day volunteers working on trimming overgrowth from the stone pillars

Thank you everyone.
Amazing what a bunch of older folks can do!

******************
I'm looking forward to seeing a lot more photos over at Mr. Scribbler.  He took some great shots on Saturday AND from the DPW work on Friday.  Please encourage him to post them.

In The News(paper)

The stone mounds at Haskins Park

Although there are a few glitches, the essence is written in the article.

It was short notice for me to meet up with the Times reporter and photographer.  It got squished in, with only about an hour notice, between reed organ work in the morning and an afternoon tuning for a Dana Farber benefit concert.

You can read it all here:
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/topstories/x2076994994/New-life-for-historic-Rockport-park

New Promise and Recognition

Well, I didn't want to say anything here until I was sure that it would be a go.

I have met with the Town Administrator - twice. 

I have submitted a 17 page proposal to the Board of Selectmen from the Sandy Bay Historical Society.

I have attended two Board of Selectmen meetings.

Soon the Heberle brothers will be traveling to Rockport and they will be visiting the Haskins property.  Their father was Dr. Heberle...the doctor who ran Restcroft at the Haskins Hospital...and they lived on the property for six years.  Richard from the age of 2 and Clem from the age of 3. 

So, the brothers will be traveling with daughters, nieces, and cousins. The first of several goals is to be sure the property looks nice for them. 

This is what the posters look like (my contact info won't be whited-out).  They will be all around town by Tuesday.
___________________________________________________________

Waiting...

 and waiting...

Sometimes you just have to wait!

I've been working on a Mason & Hamlin reed organ rebuild for a church in Boston.  It's a complicated job.  Bits and pieces of oddly manufactured stuff.  Fun and annoying at the same time, if that's possible.  So, right now I'm waiting for my glue pot to heat up and thought I'd fill some blog space while I'm waiting.

'A' and I went for a long walk this morning.  I'm trying to walk at least 5 days each week with her.  She's trying to lose weight and, well, I am too.

So here are some of the things we saw on our walk today.

The seven swans that swam

Added my bit to some sidewalk writing.  Nice that they left the chalk!

Guess that glue should be hot by now.

His Name Is...

Leander Miller Haskins.

And here he is sitting in his buggy.

Leander Miller Haskins (photo credit: Sandy Bay Historical Society)

Leander was born in Rockport on June 20, 1842 to Moses and Betsy Haskins.  The family had been around Rockport for many years, Leander's grandfather, Bennett, having arrived here from Virginia in 1756.  Leander was educated in the Rockport schools and then attended Phillips Andover Academy.  After his graduation from Phillips, he attended Dartmouth College graduating in the class of 1863.  Immediately upon leaving college, Leander enlisted in the Army.  He was a Commissary Clerk with the 19th Army Corps.  Later that same year he mustered out to recuperate from a fever he had contracted.  Once he regained his health, he joined the Navy for the remainder of the war.

At the conclusion of the Civil War, Leander and his brother, Moses, Jr., opened a fish processing plant at T Wharf in Boston.  In 1878 Leander opened a second business on his own.  That business was the Haskin's Isinglass Factory located in the former Manning Organ Company building in Rockport.  As the business grew, it was soon moved to new facilities on Railroad Avenue where it remained operational until Leander's death in 1905. (The current Isinglass Place.)

Though Leander maintained his primary residence in Boston, he spent a great deal of time in his hometown of Rockport.  Early on he had taught in the Rockport schools in order to finance his higher education.  In 1885 he became the first commodore of the Sandy Bay Yacht Club.  He was a member of the Ashler Lodge of the Masons and the Order of Red Men.  Additionally, he was Director of the Rockport National Bank and the Rockport Street Railway.  His business training was instrumental in gaining funding from Carnegie to build Rockport's public library.  He was a major participant in getting the railroad extended from Gloucester to Rockport.

In 1892, Leander built a summer residence in Rockport and called it Kismont.

Haskins House (oil painting by Deb)

When Leander's will was probated after his death in 1905, the people of Rockport benefited.  He took care of his home town. $1,000 was left to the Carnegie Library.  $1,000 to the Congregational Church and $300 each to the Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, and Universalist churches.  A $10,000 scholarship fund was left for any Rockport graduate wanting to attend Dartmouth (or MIT).

And Leander's 70 acre estate, Kismont, including the main house, caretaker's house, barn and stables, shed, and swimming pool was left to the town of Rockport to be used for a hospital or park.

Look for upcoming posts and photos showing Leander's estate, from the days when he lived there to it's service as a hospital to what remains today and my 'master plan'.