December 13 Gathering Ground Report

 GATHERING GROUND REPORT - DECEMBER 13, 2023

Chet and I arrived about the same time but as we walked together toward the Gathering Ground, I did notice that I was having to slow my pace.   Ahh, Chet did mention that a new knee was taking place for him the next day after our November meeting....   It now was evident that a more deliberate pace was in order to walk together.

Nice crew, Chet, Norm, Bill, JoAnn, Jerry and Pete Gottschalk.   I had seen Pete several times over the summer and he was coming but  somehow had something get in the way of the last several Wednesday mornings.  Looks like he may be catching up on the  retirement long list finally.

Pete did mention that anyone with old downhill skis looking to move them out of their storage area in the house, could drop them off at his place as a good friend is building adirondack chairs with the downhill skis.   I donated a beautiful pair quickly.

Old ski equipment was a topic from a few around the table.  I recalled skiing with a friend who hadn't skied in several years and decided to join a small group going to Haystack.   At the top of the mountain, we all pointed them downhill and started making our best turns down the trail.   As I watched our new friend who hasn't skied in a long time, I noticed that some plastic parts were being shed during each turn of her skis.   Come to find out, her boots had been stored in an attic for at least a decade and the heat had degraded the plastic parts where by the time a dozen turns had been performed, the only thing on her feet were the boot liners and the soles of the boots still stuck in the bindings!!   We collected the parts and proceeded to the rental shop to get another pair of boots to finish the day.   The rental shop thought that this was one of the best stories they had heard in a long time and gave the boots to her so she could finish the day on her  skiis.

Bill's latest project is building end grain cutting boards,   Pictures coming next month on his project.   Attached is an example of one of the prize cutting boards I found to show how intricate they can be.

Your Scribe,

Jerry 

 

 

This pic is from Bill's phone - his first attempt at making an end grain cutting board.  Not bad for the first time at bat!

November 8 Gathering Ground Report

 GATHERING GROUND REPORT - NOVEMBER 8, 2023

Today, one of the coldest days this fall, definitely the white stuff is coming soon.   Skiers are looking forward to that, and in great quantity. 

Chet was again the first in the parking lot when I arrived, we walked in, closely followed by Norm.  I talked to Bill earlier this week and he is headed to South Carolina for a visit with family.  JoAnn texted that her Vet appointment was going to prevent her from making it..

Chet did announce that his new knee was ready and he will be getting it installed tomorrow, first thing in the morning.   His exercise regiment has been followed closely so he is hoping for the best.

Chet also stated he had  collected crutches, wheel chair, walker and a cane to facilitate the recovery period.  Most of these items seem to be available in our towns for free loaners through our Senior Services.

Norm did bring up the fact that he has been using the roads of the 1950's to bring him into Windsor Locks.   Just like he had to take the back roads when he first started at Hamilton Standard (PRE I-91), he is now retracing this old path.

Our conversation somehow drifted down to DollyWood, the entertainment landscape designed by Dolly Parton.  Norm and Jerry have both seen this area right outside of the Great Smoky National Park.  Odd commercial place right outside of a very serene, woodsy Great Smoky National Park.

With snow season approaching, snow tires versus all season and also a new variant called ALL WEATHER.  I have tried the all-weathers on a vehicle last winter and found them to be a great compromise for driving in most conditions and much better than all-season.

Checking our UTC campuses, I see that the Hamilton Standard signage was changed to Collins Aerospace shortly after the merger and still stands.  On the campus of Pratt today the signage is Raytheon instead of Pratt.  Curious, just sayin'....

 

Your Scribe.

Jerry 

October 11 Gathering Ground Report; Throwback

 GATHERING GROUND REPORT - OCTOBER 11, 2023

Drone photograph of October GG breakfast: Bart, Bill, Chet, Norm

Walking into the Gathering Ground restaurant the air felt like fall, as our warmer weather streak had come to an end and the crisp morning air greeted Chet and I as we approached the restaurant door.

With Jerry and Jo-Ann

 We were closely followed by Norm, fresh from Chicopee, then JoAnn and Bill and Bart.   The table was crowded and the conversation and the topics flowed from one subject to the next with many overlapping with some side startup conversations.

Chet broke the news that he is scheduled for a new knee in early November.   Several at the table gave him encouragement and stories of many that went through this setback only to see great results in the given recovery time frame.

Bill recalled another golf story of way back when golf balls were made of a different composition than they are these days.   He and a friend decided in the middle of the winter to drop a few balls and drive them into oblivion.   You see when these golf balls of old freeze, and when they are hit well, they easily explode into thousands of pieces.    Boys will be boys, as we all remember...

Chet put a “did you know” on the table.  Another golf tidbit.   The longest golf course in the US is in Bolton Massachusetts, the Independence Golf course.  Nice look at the course HERE.

The news of retail stores closing or putting some blockages in the way of customer access crossed the table.   Thievery is rampant in some areas of the US and retailers are tired of the behavior and the lack of punishment.   Bill and Jerry have seen firsthand locks on doors in stores they wanted to get access into.

Discussion about hybrid, EV, E-cars and fitting them into our current stable of autos used to cart us all and our families around the US.   No one has made the leap but all have opinions on what would make sense for them.  A big factor is their commuting circumstance that would be the big driver on what would work for their household.

 

One phone came out that showed a traffic jam in San Francisco with a fleet of driverless taxis that all merged into a town square and snarled all of the streets merging into that square.  Still working on those software changes!!

You Scribe

 ~ Jerry 

THROWBACK

From the "You-never-know-what-you'll-find-when-you-clean-out-a-closet" department, memories of when we had enough under-30's to field a softball team, and when $2.50 could buy you all the beer and hot dogs you could eat:

(Stay tuned for more throwbacks in future GG reports).