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Two with finish, one to complete tomorrow.

So Thursday we drove to Manchester, VT and toured Hildene for most of the day and then went to dinner at The Copper Grouse where Karen had a super Coq au Vin and I had an excellent orange duck. On Friday we attended a one-day Fly-fishing course at Orvis which was a hell of a lot of fun. After the course was over we used our 20% off coupon to buy two of their mid tier fly-rods and reels. Then we went for dinner at The Reluctant Panther and had an excellent lobster and Brie fondue appetizer. Karen had a nice, thick bone-in pork chop and I had an excellent lamb sirloin steak. Drove home on Saturday and picked up the dogs from the doggie pet resort. Nice relaxing mini vacation that we both needed.

The Femmes show was a lot of fun and they were just as rough around the edges as ever. They have never performed their albums start to finish but it worked well. They played Hallowed Ground first and then their self titled first album after a brief intermission. Three songs made up the encore and sent the aged crowd home happy. The giant sax is apparently a Contrabass Saxophone and sounded like a fog horn even compared to the baritone sax that Blaise Garza also played. The other unusual instrument was the Weber kettle bbq that the drummer played.

54 years ago today:

I really regretted not being able to do my radio show last night. I'd 100% have ended it with CSNY's "Ohio"

All assembled, waiting for finish. Finishing is waiting for another project to get finish applied first. More to come on that.

And on the other end of the quality scale:: So, I wrote a prompt to AI: I need a comparative sarcastic review of The Carpenters - Space Encounters 1978 and the Star Wars Christmas Special. (( It got it mostly right. I didn't feel as awful after this as I did the SW special - At least there is Karen's singing )) -- The Force Awakens...of Cheesy Holiday Cheer: A Comparative Review of Space Oddities Buckle up, space cadets, for a clash of the titans...well, maybe not titans, but two contenders for the most bizarre holiday space experience. In one corner, we have Karen and Richard Carpenter, armed with synthesizers and questionable fashion choices, blasting off on Space Encounters of 1978. In the other corner, it's the ragtag crew of the Millennium Falcon forced to endure a nonsensical holiday variety show in the Star Wars Holiday Special. Let's see who wins this battle of the bewildering. Musical Merit: Space Encounters: Karen's voice soars like a spaceship on helium, while Richard tinkles on his synthesizer like a toddler discovering a Casio for the first time. The result? Earworms that burrow into your brain and refuse to leave, but undeniably catchy earworms. Star Wars Holiday Special: Let it be known: the galaxy far, far away has some truly dreadful musicians. Imagine elevator music trapped in a broken blender. This is where musical careers go to die. Special Effects: Space Encounters: Prepare to be dazzled by…a shimmering disco ball and some flashing lights. Hold onto your metaphorical spacesuits, folks, it's a wild ride. Star Wars Holiday Special: A low-budget fever dream. Lumpy creatures cavort around in what appears to be a forgotten corner of Mos Eisley cantina. Just be thankful they don't try to sell you those itchy-looking bathrobes. Plot Development: Space Encounters: Essentially non-existent. We just kind of…float around in space with the Carpenters, pondering the mysteries of the universe (and possibly regretting our life choices). Star Wars Holiday Special: Chewbacca's family celebrates Life Day, a bizarre intergalactic holiday involving singing vegetables, a barely coherent Boba Fett cartoon, and a bar brawl almost as confusing as the plot. May the Force help you understand any of it. Redeeming Qualities: Space Encounters: So bad it's good. A campy classic that will have you laughing (or groaning) along. Perfect for those nights when you need a good dose of the absurd. Star Wars Holiday Special: Uh…well, it's a collector's item for die-hard Star Wars fans? And a cautionary tale for future holiday specials, perhaps? The Verdict: This is a close call. Space Encounters offers more entertainment value with its sheer awfulness, but the Star Wars Holiday Special wins for pure nonsensical weirdness. Ultimately, the choice depends on your tolerance for cheese and your love for the bizarre. Just remember, there's always the fast-forward button.

I like seeing retro nods to past models which I think this one certainly accomplished. Overall, I like it. The engine compartment somewhat reminds me of a Dodge Viper (V10) but with the engine clearly set further back. Owning Italian is not for the light hearted or those on a budget...LOL. HS

R.I.P. Secret Agent Man.

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1143062_ferrari-12-cilindri-revealed Just have to comment on this, so rare to see a modern car, where they nailed the design when there are so safety many regulations, that need to be met, needs to have powerful aero, etc. Even before I read the press release, I was thinking of the Top Gear Daytona video. The classic proportions are great, but with modern details that also look stunning, like the bulges on the bonnet and real wheel arches. And at least still fully powered by a combustion engine. Interestingly, some comments on YT videos (where I think the design can't be showcased the same way, because it is a closed secret location before the embargo) say it is ugly, and previous models look better. I can't even...

One of three. Still need to assemble the bases onto the other two, then apply some Rubio finish.

Al and I are making 3 bookcases for his Sister from White Oak. They're mid century modern, with a separate base. The base will be 2" stretchers with 6" tapered legs. Here are the legs after tapering with the tapering jig. The cases are roughly 5' long by 28" tall, before the leg assembly goes on. They have one horizontal divider and one vertical divider. They are done except for finish sanding and a Rubio mono-coat finish. We still need to assemble the bases.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Duane Eddy https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/may/03/duane-eddy-obituary I mourn. One of my inspirations as a baritone guitar player. I have his Gretsch Bass6, which I am keeping.

For what it’s worth that’s my alma mater and so strange to see the echoed actions of some school administrations this year.