Another bucket list before we leave town.
Fried clams, fried scallops, onion rings and fries. So good.
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Ipswich
Clambox
Posted June 12, 2012 by joebowkerCategories: Billerica
Open the Pod bay door.
Posted June 11, 2012 by joebowkerCategories: Uncategorized
The POD arrived today. Here are some pictures.
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Billerica
This and That
Posted June 9, 2012 by joebowkerCategories: Uncategorized
Slowly but surely we are moving furniture out. This morning we got rid of two dressers and a maple rocking chair to Dr M’s daughter. Dr M was Paula’s boss at Chelms. Ped.
Got rid of a few other things yesterday. Still need to get rid of dining room set. See the Craigs List link:
http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/fuo/3056548174.html
POD comes on Monday. Movers scheduled. Took records to lodge for the yard sale.
Little by little, bit by bit.
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Billerica
Pods
Posted June 6, 2012 by joebowkerCategories: Moving
Tags: Moving
Another eventful day in our moving adventure. Se spent last night at a reception for two of the Deputy Grand Matrons at Palestine Chapter in Newtonville. Late night, got home at 11:30pm.
Today, made calls to pods.com to talk about how we are going to move our stuff to So Cal. The concept is that they take a “pod” to your location for you to fill up with your stuff. Once full, you call them up and send it on its way. At the other end, one has the pod sent to your destination where you unload.
Seems to work for us. Conventional movers don’t seem interested in the amount of stuff we had to move. It’s not cheap mind you. We will be spending about $4500 to move a pod sized 7’x7’x8′ from Billerica to San Pedro.
For relaxation we went to FCCB for weekly bible study. 17 people showed up for Pizza and Romans Chapter 7.
We also talked with local mover who will help us pack and load the pod. He will also be moving the piano to the church.
We talked with our RE agent about overall progress towards closing on the 22nd.
Installed three new smoke detectors that meet the new requirements for the Fire dept. Called Fire inspector for recheck.
Finally loaded up four bins with LP records for the Lodge yard sale. Dinner of BBQ pork chops and fresh green beans.
TTFN
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Billerica
Craig’s List
Posted June 4, 2012 by joebowkerCategories: Moving
Tags: craigs-list, Moving
First day of retirement today and it was a busy one.
We got rid of the couch and recliner yesterday. They went to Vicky. It was a hard sell. But we got it all loaded into Sean’s van.
Put several items posted on Craig’s list. Sold the two living room occasional chairs. Got some hits on the dressers. Got a hit on Neil’s bedroom set.
Still need to sell the Dining Room set.
Played phone tag with one moving company.
Dentist tomorrow. The Fire inspector told us that we had the wrong kind of smoke detectors. So off to O’Connors to get the right kind. Arggggg. In the Comm of Mass. one has to have smoke detectors inspection prior to closing. Also, have to have CO detectors on each floor. Got that part right.
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Billerica
Retirement
Posted June 1, 2012 by joebowkerCategories: Retirement
Tags: IBM. retirement
The deed is done. Today was my final day at IBM in Littleton. Time to move on. It was certainly pleasant experience working at IBM’s Mass Lab. Good people to work with and I’m sad to be leaving but time to go.
IBM gave me a chance when other companies couldn’t (or wouldn’t) take the chance at hiring a 60 something engineer. For that I thank them.
Turned in my badge, my office cabinet key and my laptop. My manager made sure that he knew what to hard-drive password was. Failing to have the power-on password would have made someone’s job of re-imaging the laptop more difficult.
So I am done. Off to drop off package for Neil at UPS. Then to get free Donut at Dunkies.
Ross Douthat
Posted May 31, 2012 by joebowkerCategories: Politics
Tags: Politics
Okay most of you don’t know who Ross Douthat is. Douthat is the resident right wing op-ed writer for the NY Times. In yesterday’s Times, Douthat wrote a piece titled “Trumped” Link here.
Just because a sentiment is honest, though, doesn’t mean that it’s correct. “I’m running for office, For Pete’s sake, I can’t have illegals” was both a cynical read on Romney’s undocumented landscaper problem and an entirely accurate one. But “I’m running for president, and I need Donald Trump in my corner” manages to be at once cynical and stupid…
I need to get 50.1 percent or more. Most politicians no doubt sigh inside and think pretty much exactly this when they’re embarrassed by a crank whose unqualified support (and with it, the support of other cranks, perhaps in crucial swing states) they feel they need. But Romney can’t help himself: He comes right out and says it.
So it sure sounds like Romney has lost Douthat. How about some of other Republicans who seem to be tepid (I’m being kind here) on Romney. Henry Kissinger (Sec’y of State under Nixon, Colin Powell (GWB Sec’y of State) among others.
Schedule
Posted May 31, 2012 by joebowkerCategories: Uncategorized
Tags: schedule, trip
We’re beginning to nail down our travel schedule this summer. Here are some key dates:
June 16 – Move out of Billerica house
June 22 – Close on Billerica house
August 1 – TTL Past Masters’ Dinner – Lodge of Qualification
August 2 – Leave Billerica
August 5 or 6 Arrive NC
August 10 – Arrive New Orleans
August 13 – Memphis, Kansas etc.
August 16 or 17 Chicago
August 20 – SLC, UT
August 27 Arrive LA (not sure whether we go through Las Vegas or visit friends in Sacramento and/or SFO)
The beginning of the schedule is obviously more certain. We expect to be making it up as we go.
Memorial Day
Posted May 27, 2012 by joebowkerCategories: Uncategorized
Well it’s been a busy weekend. Started out yesterday with a visit to the Plymouth Post Office to rent a PO Box for the summer. Then off to Hannafords for groceries. The PO clerk was mad at us for showing up at five minutes before closing to rent a PO Box. Had to have ID cards plus some verification that we were living in the area. Showed them the tax bill. That was good enough.
So new mailing address is PO Box 863, Plymouth, NH 03264.
Today after an excellent breakfast, pancakes for Paula and eggs over easy for me, we headed off for the day’s activities.
Started off with lunch at Kathleen’s Cottage, an Irish pub in Bristol with Guinness on tap. Had an excellent lunch. Paula had a lamb burger and I had a fish sandwich. Very tasty indeed.
Then we headed over to Gilford for the movies. Seeing as we were a bit early we went to Sawyer’s for Ice Cream.
Then to Gilford Cinema to see “The Avengers”. Was an excellent film with much blowing of things up. Scarlett Johansen was exceptionally hot.
Now finally home to have a late dinner of left over pasta and a glass of Shiraz.
Joe
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Plymouth, NH
Pools
Posted May 22, 2012 by joebowkerCategories: Moving
Tags: Moving
When we got back from Grand Chapter on Saturday, we had a note from the USPS telling us we had a registered letter waiting for us. So much head scratching ensued.
Picked up letter at the PO yesterday. It seems one of our neighbors on Rio Vista Street wants to erect an above ground pool. And said pool is too close to the property boundary. So they need zoning variance. Letter was announcement of issue before Zoning Board of Appeals.
Don’t care, but new owner might so I scanned and passed it on to the new owners. Even if we weren’t selling the house, I probably wouldn’t care. We are up hill from the proposed pool, so if the pool liner fails, 50,000 gals of water won’t end up in my basement.
It seems that as the date for the closing gets closer the number of idiots calling to ask if we might be interested in a great deal in financing increases. Though some people are paying attention. We seem to be receiving a lot of post cards in the mail offering moving services.
calherewecome 