Walter did have turkey, though it was Beechnut Turkey and Rice dinner from a jar.

Instead of turkey this year, we had a small chicken. M wants for us to get a duckling one year. I'm all for the idea of having a little duck quacking around our feet, but am not sure what the cats would think about it.

The obligatory mincemeat pie that IS Thanksgiving to me, thanks to Papa's influence... Before and...



After.

Its very similiar weather as last year, although without the dusting of snow on the ground and the baby in the foreground.



Of course, Poe has to get into the picture again.

One of my new favorite beers is Sam Adams Boston Lager. Yeah, yeah, I know, not a Maine microbrew, but good nonetheless. Nice and hoppy, but not as much as the commercials claim (at least, certainly not as hoppy as my old fave Pale Ale by Saranac...). Onena these days, Alice, I'm going to produce a Portland Pale Ale.

Happy Birthday, Byron. I know, I know, this may or may not be your actual birthday, but you always knew that I could never remember it. I just know that it was around Veteran's Day. This is the last of the homebrew Pale Ales that I brewed this spring that we never got to drink together... at least not on this side of the mortal coil. Happy 37th, brother. I raise my glass to you.

On our way home, we got to see Grammie. We also drove through Bennington, VT and got to see the Revolutionary War monument there. In all the times that we have driven back through Bennington, we had never seen it other than a huge spire of rock rising through the wooded hills that you can see approaching the town. They have Gen. Burgoyne's camp cooking pot on display that was captured in the battle.

Saturday, October 14, 2006. Byron's Memorial service held at the Soujourner Truth park in New Paltz next to the Walkill River. People were invited to talk about Byron and how he had influenced their lives, poetry was read (just remember to breath...) and the pipes were played. At the end of the service, as befitting a Viking, Byron's model viking longboat was set aflame and sailed off down the river. People also lit candles and set them afloat down the river. Farewell, my warrior brother and await me in Valhalla one day.

Walter at the ripe old age of seven months. Thanks for the Cookie Monster hoodie, Gramma!

I first noticed this sign a couple of months ago while sitting at a light. I don't know who created this, but since then, I've found another in Portland based on a different sign. Very clever. I'm not sure if anyone has really noticed it as it blends in so well. But it hasn't been touched for months and so I'm guessing that everyone just overlooks it.

For Halloween, Walter was... the exact opposite of what his normal persona is. The costume also had a little tail sewn onto his butt.