White Christmas, Y'all!!

Lazy, Heat-seeking Cat

This is the face of bad. Look at it carefully. Learn it.....avoid it.....loathe it.
He produces nothing. He lounges in front of the woodstove. He eats. He sleeps. He....well, you know.

The only time that he gets mobile is when someone is making something to eat. Then he is like a four-legged tornado. He is going to get some of what you are making. Then it's back to one of his lounging spots. He is despicable. He is a leach. He is a democat.

There's no day like snow day.

And ya'll think ya'll have it bad! I had to break out the snow blower!

Conference All-State

Back in the Spring Mason auditioned for the New York Conference All-State Band. He scored a 99 out of 100 points on his trombone solo. Thousands of high schoolers across the state audition for this band, and only about 155 are selected. He ended up being the principal third trombone.

He left Oswego Thursday and went to Rochester where he spent three days practicing for the big concert. The NY Conference All-State Symphonic Band performed in the Eastman Theater at the Eastman School of Music yesterday morning. They were absolutely amazing!!

This is Mason with our band director, Bill Palange. Bill is also a trombone player and has been giving Mason private lessons for years.

Cats and Dogs

This is our new dog, Zoe (Zowee). She is a pure Cocker Spaniel (we got it for free!)

The cat says, "oh what I have to put up with to eat for free!"

"Oh, the pain and humiliation!"

Some log splitting demos by Mason and Greg

Another Round of Wood Games

We got our firewood from 2 sources this year. We had 12 face cords delivered from a firewood outfit (already split) and we got about 4 face cords from a friend of mine (Bub). The wood from my friend is not split. He and I dropped all of this stuff last year at his house and bucked it into 16" lengths, but it was not split when he brought it over. The first pic is 7 of the 12 face cords from the first source I mentioned. It is all Cherry, Hard Maple, Hickory, and Ash. Good stuff. Here is morgan working on the stuff from Bub's place. We got Cherry, Hard Maple, and one of my favorites (to burn, not split), Yellow Birch. It is really dense wood that burns hot and leaves a good coal bed, but it is a bear to split. We are getting pretty good at it, though. Morgan just got a good hit on a piece of Maple. That, right there, is satisfaction! Seeing the wood split instead of just absorb the blow or only partially crack.

Morgan grunting through the power arc with an 8-pound maul looking to show a piece of Yellow Birch who is boss.

OK. Let's try from this side.

OK, only about a face cord to go.

More photos

New House

Our old house two days after we moved out and Gustave hit. Cowagunga!

Bubbles seems to have made herself at home in the new house. We had to get her a king size bed and her own bedroom! Catabunga!

Armand is using his new air hockey table to build his new lego set. Remember that old stool?

Ocee and Armand makin sure her new room doesn't stay clean for long!

Ocee enjoying her new room!

Oceana is making Armand's birthday cake in her new kitchen.

Daddu toughting out Gustav.

Front of new house. It is kind of wet here. This is right after the hurricane.

Mom and Dad riding out Gustav at Nancy's house.

Mark toughing our Gustav at Nancy's house.

Armand and Bubbles

This is looking out front door on a stormy day.

Fire Place

This is in the living room looking at front door.

Extra Acre Nearing Completion

The extra acre has grass now. It is still growing in, of course, and is not as thick as it will be next year. We just mowed it for the second time.
We had to do some branch clearing, also.
Mason finishing up.


Mason being really careful next to the house.