Well what do you know?

I got a call from Senator McCain's New Hampshire campaign office tonight and I have been invited to join the New Hampshire Leadership Council for the campaign.

I think it may be a bit like Deb's post below...no one else wanted the presidency of the Sewing Circle.

Who knows? Maybe it is just about showing up.

Varios

No misspelling (I tried to misspell "misspell", but it wouldn't let me), that is my Spanish studies sneaking into the blog. I guess I'm following in my father's footsteps (actually, that would be nice taken literally - Madrid, Cuernavaca?) starting to study Spanish upon retirement. I am using Rosetta Stone and find it an excellent program. It's drawback is that it does not provide a memory chip for the old mind. Best of all, it is free through our library.

Congrats, Jeff, for being acknowledged for all your efforts.

I too have been highly honored by being offered the presidency of the Annisquam Sewing Circle. The offer was made in light of my long weeks of service for the organization. I accepted as a co-president. As I had only been in the Circle 6 months and hadn't a clue what was expected or how to run it, I accepted as a co-president. I suspect that someone from the kayaking group suggested me since they referenced my excellent organizational skills. Yup, my years at Gillette sending out meeting notices, collating the responses and deciding on a meeting date have given me extraordinary skills, rarely found in suburban America. In other words, none of the members of longer standing wanted the job - or they'd already held it. I do have some ideas though. Anyone know how to set up a (1) Website that can have (2) interactive sign up sheets on it and (3) on which I can post an Excel document that everyone (even MAC users) can see?

As Brad mentioned, Warren is doing the Annisquam shuffle this summer. She started at Jeff and Maureen's and is now with us until July 1. She and I have been walking into Gloucester on Thursdays and taking the bus back. Last week we rewarded ourselves with a light lunch at a new coffee/tea shop about where the Black Crow was. The sandwiches were yummy, reasonably sized and reasonably priced. Since Warren keeps saying she will go to the family site, but either hasn't, or has but hasn't written any message, I'll let you know that she is in the middle of writing a new song. She says it is bluesy. Also, don't get your hopes up about lunching at Top Dog. We didn't get a discount, much less a freebie. In fact we have to tip big to help support her last year in college. Just don't tip big if Josh is going to get anything. Oh, but that's her story to tell.

Bear and I celebrated summer last night by taking the Whaler for a spin out in the bay then up river (or is it down). It has been in the water a week, but Bear's mother has been having health problems the last few weeks, so he has been busy taking her to the emergency room or to the doctors and spending nights at her house. The doctors don't think there is anything particularly wrong with her, but they're having difficulty wiping out an infection and determining the source of her pain. It doesn't help that she is allergic to a whole family of strong antibiotics. Right now she seems to be on the upswing, Bear is home, and now it is time to start cranking on the sailboat. Maybe we should start a pool re the date the Ancient Mariner gets in the water.

Still trying to figure out what to wear to The Wedding. It will probably depend on how many more walks into Gloucester I take. We get in Thursday night. See you all then.

Way to go Jeffrey!

This is copied from an e-mail from Maureen...

Kelly, Emily, (Shirley, Alice too)

Thought you might be interested in the Award your Dad got last night.

NYC Aids Housing Network gave him the Joseph Bostic AIDS Warrior Award
for his long term, behind the scenes efforts to support expanding
housing for those with AIDS / HIV.

One of the things he did, back in the 1990's, was to get NYC to drop
its maximum of 4 AIDs people per housing site limit, opening up equal
availability of housing for AIDs sufferers. He also arrange for one
of Princeton interns to work there for the last 6 years and has been a
management administration help since their beginning. I will send you
a copy of the program with a write-up on your Dad.

But, I wish you could have been there to see him receiving the award
for all his work by activitists who prided themselves in their
protests and police arrests.

It was a very nice event and I thought you guys might also like to
hear about it.

By the way, Kelly, the Director is leaving to move to Oakland. She is
a few years older then you I think. You would find her interesting.
Maybe, Dad can give you her email.

Love,
Mom

Note from Brad...

I have always been very proud of my big brothers...It is nice to know that other people are too! Both Nate and Jeff have done great things for the people of their communities.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

I had an appointment with Dr. Vernadakis on Friday and the reports really could not have been better! He joked that he needed to get me back in for the skin grafts before I healed up all on my own. The left side of the wound has healed so well and closed/shrunk so much that he probably won't have to graft at all but will just suture that side up. The rest of the wound which was much wider has shrunk a great deal as well (probably about 30%) so the amount of skin he will need will be much less. Since the donor site is going to be from my back, this is a REALLY good thing. It is a little more painful and a lot more inconvenient than having the donor site on my thighs where I can see and deal with it much more easily. As oppossed to setting up another appointment to see him he is having his scheduling nurse start to work on my next surgery date which will be within the next couple of weeks! I am going to need at least one more surgery after this but I may well take a bit of a break before finishing up with round three.

After the doctor, Mom and I continued northward for a weekend at Deb and John's in Annisquam. Warren is in residence and Jeff and Maureen's and they were up as well along with Alice. The weather kinda sucked on Saturday but we had a nice delayed Birthday dinner at the Beach Street Bistro in Rockport. It is run by Debbie, formerly of AYC and was delish! Sunday dawned (Okay, 9:30'd) bright and beautiful. John is down working on the boat, Mom and Deb are doing some gardening and we are about to drive to Rockport to have lunch at Top Dog, the gourmet hot dog shop where Warren is working for the summer.

Hope all are well and I will post and probably e-mail again when I know my next date for Lahey.