Well, it's close to midnight here so, I thougth I'd give a little update on my holiday.
It started yesterday with me doing laundry and running across the city to get 4 dozen Italian pastries which would need to be dropped off at 4 different houses once I made my way to Ct.
Of course getting here was the tricky part. The Mass. Pike tests my patients on non-holiday weekends but, for some reason I'm able to handle the slow traffic and annoying habits of my fellow travellers (one 'l' or two?). I think it's because I'm excited to go home. So, the commute wasn't so bad, especially now that my parents live on the shore and I can avoid most of the heavy traffic but cutting across parts of Ma. and Ct. on 395.
Two hours in the car, an alumni vs. the current varsity volleyball team game and four pastry deliveries later, I arrived at my parent's in time to fall asleep before my head hit the pillow.
Today was spent checking out the new house my parents bought, slipping into my favorite courderoys and one of the most comfortable flannel shirts known to mankind, to consume a meal that I didn't cook.
We spent our holiday with my mom's bestfriend, they've known each other for over 45 years, something to be thankful for. We went there because our house is too small to have more than 3 people for dinner and going out to eat just isn't "right".
As generous as it was for my mom's friend to have us over, it just wasn't the same as having it on our own. The menu was totally different and seriously lacked due to there being no mashed potatos. This isn't to say that I didn't eat enough to make my stomach hurt.
Reflecting on the past year, I have a lot to be thankful for. First, and probably most important, I have the love and support of my mother. This was hard won and impossible to describe in mere words. It took a lot of heartache and tears for us to get to this point.
Not only do I have my blood relatives to be thankful for, I have a group of friends who I will never be able to repay for their love and loyalty. Among these friends are two people who were not able to spend the holiday with their families. It breaks my heart to know they are alone in Boston.
As much as I miss my family, I wish I were in Boston now, spending time with these friends.
There are many other things I'm thankful for but, it's getting late and I'm sure you all get the point. I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday.
>You'll like the roads out here, Myles. Many lanes. Do you have >any left overs from your feast yesterday?
I did like the roads out there. There was always quite a bit of traffic on 101, though, rush hours or not. By the time I move out there I figure the SF metro area will stretch to Eureka. Plenty of hawks, though. Did you know that hawks outnumber vultures out there by more than four to one?
Leftovers: All of the turkey (it was from a turkey roll, which I disapprove of in theory but have often eaten) and most of an apple pie. I had the stuffing (added raisins and celery), the cranberry sauce, a piece of pie and the zinfandel. But that cranberry chutney sounds good and I mean to try it one of these days.
My feast also included parts of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (I missed Bob Dorian but am sure Kenny Rogers winked at me), the two football games, and a nice phone call from a couple of alleged curmudgeons in Texas.
When I move to California we can have turkey vulture for Thanksgiving, Betty. I know you'll be looking forward to that. Well, actually we can't; they're protected by law. But carrion eaters should be interesting to science because they can eat even diseased carrion without getting the disease themselves or passing it along. Even their waste seems to be disease-free. They seem to do some kind of purifying thing. Another of nature's little mysteries.
On Fri, 29 Nov 1996, Myles Callum wrote: > The thing I hate most about Massachusetts is the roads. All the > interstates are too narrow and the drivers are hellions no matter > what road you're on. Give me Connecticut any day.
> Myles
You'll like the roads out here, Myles. Many lanes. Do you have any left overs from your feast yesterday?
> The thing I hate most about Massachusetts is the roads. All the > interstates are too narrow and the drivers are hellions no matter > what road you're on. Give me Connecticut any day.
On Fri, 29 Nov 1996, Myles Callum wrote: > When I move to California we can have turkey vulture for > Thanksgiving, Betty. I know you'll be looking forward to that. > Well, actually we can't; they're protected by law.
You could have a Tofurkey Vulture. Then you could have the cranberry chutney dribbling out of its carefully molded raptor's beak, like bloody flesh.
> eaters should be interesting to science because they can eat even > diseased carrion without getting the disease themselves or passing > it along. Even their waste seems to be disease-free. They seem > to do some kind of purifying thing. Another of nature's little > mysteries.
I am glad to know this. Is it true for other carrion-eating animals, say, lobsters and crabs?
Bon appetit and happy holidays to the carrion-eating community, which I guess includes most of us, come to think of it.
Lisa writes: >So, the commute wasn't so bad, especially now that my parents live >on the shore and I can avoid most of the heavy traffic but cutting >across parts of Ma. and Ct. on 395.
The thing I hate most about Massachusetts is the roads. All the interstates are too narrow and the drivers are hellions no matter what road you're on. Give me Connecticut any day.
Are you sure you don't have Ct and Ma. confused? the roads are much better in Ma. I'll give you the drivers being hellions in Ma, there are many times I've sat in traffic and wondered how I've lived and commuted in Ma. for 3 years and lived to tell about it!
On Fri, 29 Nov 1996, Myles Callum wrote: > I did like the roads out there. There was always quite a bit of > traffic on 101, though, rush hours or not. By the time I move out > there I figure the SF metro area will stretch to Eureka. Plenty
Probably. Pretty drive though.
> of hawks, though. Did you know that hawks outnumber vultures out > there by more than four to one?
Actually, I did not know this but it sounds like a <good> thing. :-)
> When I move to California we can have turkey vulture for > Thanksgiving, Betty. I know you'll be looking forward to that. > Well, actually we can't; they're protected by law. But carrion > eaters should be interesting to science because they can eat even > diseased carrion without getting the disease themselves or passing > it along. Even their waste seems to be disease-free. They seem > to do some kind of purifying thing. Another of nature's little > mysteries.
Maybe we can get Ann's Allan to prepare it for us.
Myles Callum wrote: > The thing I hate most about Massachusetts is the roads. All the > interstates are too narrow and the drivers are hellions no matter > what road you're on. Give me Connecticut any day.
You can take it, Myles. I used to drive to Amherst quite often and couldn't wait to get the hell out of CT.
>I'll give you the drivers being hellions in Ma, there are many
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>times I've sat in traffic and wondered how I've lived and commuted >in Ma. for 3 years and lived to tell about it!
Thanks, Lisa, but now I'm confused. That's exactly what Adam said about Connecticut drivers.
Rashmi:
>You can take it, Myles. I used to drive to Amherst >quite often and couldn't wait to get the hell out >of CT.
Et tu, Mr. Murphy?! Well, if you say so. I grew up about equally in Massachusetts and Connecticut and like them both, along with the rest of New England. There are many beautiful drives in Connecticut-- the Merritt Parkway, long sections of Route 6 and much of Western Connecticut among them--but I suppose you transients wouldn't use those much.
Karen writes: >Myles Callum said: >> Et tu, Mr. Murphy?!
>This is delightful validation. For the first six months Rashmi was >on the list, I assumed she was was an Irish lass w/ a funny first >name.
Do you remember how "Mr. Murphy" came up? About two years ago we were talking about how to pronounce names, yours among them, and you said it was "Kerrin." Not only that, but you said you wouldn't answer to "Karen" the way most people (that I know) pronounce it, to rhyme with Darren. When I heard your voicemail message early this month, sure enough, there was that "Kerrin." Never heard that before. Anyway, that old thread was when Rashmi said she'd answer to about anything, including Mr. Murphy.
>>you said it was "Kerrin." Not only that, but you said you wouldn't >>answer to "Karen" the way most people (that I know) pronounce it, to >>rhyme with Darren. When I heard your voicemail message early this >>month, sure enough, there was that "Kerrin." Never heard that
>>Myles
>Hmm. I though it was the aesc-pronunciation Karen objected to. >Surely you don't pronounce "Darren" with an aesc?
Yes. I realize there are nuances, but if aesc means about the sound of the a in glad, ask and ham, as my dictionary says, that's how I'd pronounce the a in Karen. To me the e in Kerrin is like the e in pet.
I probably confused the issue with Darren, since the arren sound could be as in Warren. But Darren and Karen pretty much rhyme for me, and sound nothing like Kerrin to my ear.
> >you said it was "Kerrin." Not only that, but you said you wouldn't > >answer to "Karen" the way most people (that I know) pronounce it, to > >rhyme with Darren. When I heard your voicemail message early this > >month, sure enough, there was that "Kerrin." Never heard that
> >Myles
> Hmm. I though it was the aesc-pronunciation Karen objected to. Surely you > don't pronounce "Darren" with an aesc?
I do. But not "Warren"--that's "War 'n Peace." :-)
On Fri, 29 Nov 1996, Ann Borkin wrote: > You could have a Tofurkey Vulture.
Have y'all heard about the Turducken? An invention of Prudhomme (I think), which layers deboned turkey, duck and chicken adnd various stuffings. I couldn't help but think about the agritourism thread when viewing the first syllable -- "turd." Might have thought "Chuckey" the better option.
>On Fri, 29 Nov 1996, Ann Borkin wrote: >> You could have a Tofurkey Vulture.
>Have y'all heard about the Turducken? An invention of Prudhomme (I >think), which layers deboned turkey, duck and chicken adnd various >stuffings. I couldn't help but think about the agritourism thread when >viewing the first syllable -- "turd." [[[[Might have thought "Chuckey" >the better option.]]]]
> >Have y'all heard about the Turducken? An invention of Prudhomme (I > >think), which layers deboned turkey, duck and chicken adnd various > >stuffings. I couldn't help but think about the agritourism thread when > >viewing the first syllable -- "turd." [[[[Might have thought "Chuckey" > >the better option.]]]]
> But Darren and Karen rhyme for mostly everyone; it's the value of that > 'a' that differs.
Not for me. I'd pronounce the a in Darren as an aesc -- like the a in "cat." I'd pronounce the a in Karen these days probably as an [E] -- the e in "pet." In my childhood, back when I still had a three-way Mary/marry/merry split, I pronounced the a in Karen as [e] -- the a in "gate" or "bait" or "way." --Natalie (may...@ra.msstate.edu)
>Not for me. I'd pronounce the a in Darren as an aesc -- like the a in >"cat." I'd pronounce the a in Karen these days probably as an [E] -- >the e in "pet." In my childhood, back when I still had a three-way >Mary/marry/merry split, I pronounced the a in Karen as [e] -- the a >in "gate" or "bait" or "way." > --Natalie (may...@ra.msstate.edu)
Whereas I've always pronounced "Karen" with the aesc, as far as I know. For awhile I thought I might have said it as I would "care-in" (IOW, with a more nasalized aesc...I think that's how I'd describe it), but no. "I haven't a care in the world" is not the same as, "I haven't a Karen..."
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