We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Pic is JFK in a snowstorm last week. Managed to get out after an extensive de-icing of the airplane.Got lucky - the plane had managed to arrive the night before in a sleet storm.
I always forget something, so I have a travel checklist to run through.
Obviously one does not need everything for every trip - it depends on what your plans are - but I print it out, circle what I'll need for a given trip, then check them off when they're thrown in the bag. Perhaps it seems obsessive, but it is annoying to arrive somewhere and to find that you forgot to pack any socks. On my last trip, forgot to pack a t-shirt for snorkeling, had to buy one for $25. Mrs. BD does her packing her own way, and always brings too much stuff. That's what females do.
I travel too light, she travels too heavy.
My travel checklist below the fold. Obviously you just bring what you need for a given trip. Let me know what I have left out, and I will add items.
I like sailboats, I like powerboats, I like the sea, and I like boat people. I used to enjoy fishing too, but got bored with it. We're on the Northeast coast.
Mrs. BD likes overnights on the boat -even 2 or 3 of them while visiting various marinas or yacht clubs. As a restless soul, it gets confining for me after one night onboard. No gym, nowhere to go really.
One of her dreams has been to do the Great Loop, but I would go nuts not to mention that I have a fine day job. The Great Loop is like the Appalachian Trail for boaters - with no exertion.
Our current boat is a 36' single diesel cruising boat with a Maine lobster boat (Downeast) hull, which means it's most efficient at around 16 mph and stable in seas. Will do 20, but the noise becomes unbearable even with our sound insulation. Even with bow and stern thrusters, tricky for us to back into a tight slip but that takes plenty of practice especially with wind and currents which there always are. Moorings - no problem. I am not comfortable with anchoring overnight, but that's my issue. Moorings are great and so are straight docks.
Yeah, our boat has a galley with stove, microwave, fridge, and shower indoor and out, and, of primary importance, a coffee-maker. Distance boating requires coffee and beer, in my view. Plus a wife or girlfriend, whichever.
One limiting factor with cruising-style boats - trawlers and similar - is speed and thus radius of adventure. You can go further at 30 knots with a quicker boat than at 16 mph, or 12 mph for noise reduction.
We used to know navigation, but have become dependent on the nav screen. If that thing went out, back to the charts and sheesh - bad. Fair weather boaters.
Two interesting developments in recent cruising boat design (I mean regarding overnight boats, not speedboats or dayboats) are the application of outboard engines, and moving the galley to the pilothouse. The former gives you speed and space, and the latter more companionship. Autopilot is very nice too, but you still need someone at the helm. Driving for hours with hands on helm can become tedious. We tend to go from waypoint to waypoint, but sometimes right out by compass headings.
Have never used the TV but I never use TV anyway.
My piggybank didn't have enough pennies for this similar Back Cove 37, and Mrs. BD wisely wanted no maintenance for brightwork. 24 Volts would be good, and I'd like to upgrade that, and we do have solar power for battery.
6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."
6:52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
6:53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
6:54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day,
6:55 for my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
6:56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them.
6:57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.
6:58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which the ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."
His piece sounds like the late, great Roger Scruton, which is a compliment.
But I do not understand the differences between fine art, illustration, or decoration. In fact, with music, visual arts, or performing arts, I just dunno. Is it interesting?
I think the trick is either to yank them out when young, or clip them low and spray the stump with poison.
If you live in the Northeast, your gardens and plantings are, right now, being attacked by the unwanted and unwelcome alien Porcelainberry. In fact, you can see it smothering trees and bushes everywhere.
This aggressive Asian weed vine was introduced as a decorative ground cover, but it is a cancer with the ability to grow 15' or more per year, and to smother anything you have planted. If you pull it up, get the entire root - or poison it.
The birds poop the seeds everywhere, so they come up everywhere around here. Especially in gardens. Their roots are tenacious. If you just clip them, they come back twice as strong.
As its leaves demonstrate, it is a member of the grape family and it can be confused with the native wild grape, which is a much less aggressive plant. You can read all about Porcelainberry here, and about how to try to get rid of it.
Gossip as a Literary Genre, or Gossip as “L’Écriture feminine”? 
Braised short ribs are delicious, and generally have enough fat in them. Cheap too.
Yes, the meat/weight ratio
If you live in the Northeast, your gardens and plantings are, right now, being attacked by the unwanted and unwelcome alien Porcelainberry. In fact, you can see it smothering trees and bushes everywhere.