I spent a few days in CT going through the basement at my parents house and my father sure saved alot of stuff.Too much stuff but that was the way he was.I took a whole load of metal to the scrap yard in my van and there still is more but it was about all the weight I felt comfortable putting in it.I took a load of things home to VT,things I wanted to keep and I'll need to go again atleast one more time to finish up.

The house is too big for one person so next year I think my mother will sell it.I know she doesn't want to but realistically it is best.She does her gardening and yardwork herself and it really is the nicest looking yard for many many miles around.Not big but nice.It will break her heart to leave her garden for sure.People ride by and comment all the time when they are stopped at the stoplight at the intersection.

She broke her leg and collarbone recently descending the cellar stairs in a fashion not recommended for anyone except hollywood stuntmen.My father called 911 but now she'll be alone so it's too dangerous.There is no way to contain all the energy she has and asking her to take it easy and not to do something is an excersize in futility but has to at least be attempted.She doesn't want to live in VT and I don't blame her at all for that.Condos I don't think will have enough garden for her either so it will be interesting to see where this leads.

That's where I've been so don't send out the dogs looking for me I know it's been over 24 hours but I'm good.Hope you all are too.

Rob

I have been doing a little over at the college(a little more politically charged atmosphere lately but it's good to hear from we the people nontheless) but not much here and I am not abandoning it at all but I just haven't been able to think about poetry other than to come up with some themes I think I'd like to do.I had a break in the work action today finally and I have so much to do for myself and to get ready for another VT winter with lots of snow.Last year I decided I would like winter and oddly enough I did.I think I will try this again.Maybe I'll drop a hit of acid and write a poem in a snowstorm or something for old times sake but probably not.At least don't get your hopes too high.

Scored two great cds today K D Lang "49th Parallel" and Rufus Wainwright "Want One"
I'm real happy with both of them.They'll help me keep in touch with myself.Thanks to you guys for your help too.I'll come see you all to say hi and see what's up soon.I've done a little but not as much as I would like, there is alot going on right now for me.But,my chin is held high and I am enjoying the nice days as the trees are starting to change a little.I love the fall,it's my favorite time I'd have to say.

I'll get something going here soon and try to make it worthwhile.I think I need some comic relief,maybe you too.Maybe an election poemst_rap or something.Anyway,take care and I'll see you later.

Rob

My father was one of the smartest people I have ever known.His occupation was electronics which he learned while serving in the US Navy.In the navy his specialty was communications and there he learned radio repair which he would then persue as his lifes career.He worked with a partner for a number of years and then alone after Charlie's retirement.His expertise in this field was recognized by many of his customers as a top notch service.He was good at what he did.

For many years my father was involved in the Boy Scouts,Troop 9 Stamford CT. He became the scoutmaster after a while and donated his time and effort into keeping young lads out of trouble and heading in a positive direction.Holding scout meetings,events and dinners at the elementary school took time and effort out of one's personal life and few were apt to apply for the position.

In the Pinewood Derby race a scout purchased a kit containing a block of wood,four nails and four plastic wheels and was required to fashion his own entry for the contest.Parental "help" was suggested.
It was painfully obvious that "my" car wasn't built by me.I was delegated to sand between coats duty,I did a half-assed job.Six coats of of automotive laquer covered the contoured body. I remember the "seafoam green" color the best. The axles were polished and then graphited to reduce friction.Lead was added to bring the car to the maximum allowable weight .
I won first place with the green car.

Some of the boys were older than me and even though I mentioned that I was a wiseguy,I had nothing on them.They were a bad influence.One kid,Sandy Z always called my father "Baldy" and generally antagonized the hell out of him constantly.He was bad,very disrespectful..It wasn't nice to witness this.But they progressed in rank achieving none the less and reached Eagle Scout before to long.

Many years later,my nephew needed a Pinewood derby car and my sister asked me to help.Cutting the body on one of my miter saws to achieve the rough shape,I then hand carved my own version of The Batmobile and painted it with four coats of black laquer.He did a half assed job sanding between the coats.Polished the axles with 2000 grit sandpaper.Added lead and graphite and presented it to Kyle.It was an awesome car , "New and Improved" and painfully obvious that Kyle didn't build it.OK so the learning skips a generation,so what? I decided to attend the race.It was at the usual haunt,my old elementary school in the gym.There was a good crowd and they were noisy but a whistle then cut through the din and all eyes went to the Scoutmaster.Imagine my surprise when I saw that Sandy Z was the scoutmaster.Another full circle maybe even qualifies for two for me and the car and Sandy being the Scoutmaster.

They stopped awarding prizes for the winners somewhere in the time between but I kept a watch on our entry and it was a really fast car and it won every race it was entered in.

I don't know where all the scouts have wound up after all these years or how they've faired in life but I know some and I know that they are good and upstanding people.I really don't know how much of a part my father had in all of this but I think I'm a reasonable guy so if I had to hazard a guess I'd would say there is a better chance he did than not.

Bye Dad,Thanks again for everything.

Rob

Caution:
Brief partial baring of soul and other assorted total waste of time ensues.
Leave now if this type of thing gives you distress.
I might suggest you belly up to the Tiki Bar next door.

The Show

Except for a small throw up session on the way to CT on Sat. to drop the kids off at their aunt and uncles everything was smooth sailing as well as with the second leg into the city to see the show.Traffic at the time was light even in NY itself.We parked close to the theatre and walked a block and went in about fifteen minutes early.A small commotion occured when Lenny Kravitz was seated a number of rows in front of us.

The show opened portraying Peter Allen as a small boy in a town called Tenterfield which is in Australia.
A good mother ,a violent drunk for a father and a sinless grandfather were introduced and set the stage for a life to come.A wild life for sure.

Later, how he became involved in a relationship with Judy Garland and his later marriage to Liza Minnelli to only be followed by divorce and a going nowhere career.

A new start and a two week booked solid stint at the Copacabana led to the Radio City Music Hall debut complete with The Rockettes where I was fortunate enough to see him sitting in the fifth row.At the time I didn't realize this was the big start of his career.

Jackman started to improv that a cute and famous celebrity was in the audience and wanted to get Kravitz on stage but wind of the event must have reached Lenny so he left the theatre.Kinda strange.Kinda Peter Allen.Jackman will be a major force in Hollywood in the coming years he has a great stage presence and this type of versatility will ensure he doesn't get type cast at all.He'll be in People magazine for the sexiest man alive issue (I myself turned them down twice).I like it when cool guys get this,like Mel Gibson and Johnny Depp and I don't like it when dweebs like George Clooney make it in.

At the height of his career Allen was stricken with AIDS after the death of his partner Greg.I miss him and all the songs he never got to write or perform.The words and the meanings to his song lyrics are part of the reason I wanted to write a little poetry myself.He really had a zest for life that is an inspiration for me to live while I can and to do it my way.(Frank Sinantra too and many others)



Sunday morning brought a sunny day and an early start with me and my two kids going to Cove Island Park,a place where I spent many,many days enjoying the utter beauty of this beautiful island.It is located on the Long Island Sound and having my two kids to share it with was intense.The tide was high and a gentle breeze caused the sparklese that Caroline kept pointing out.We climbed on the rocks,watched people fish and dive in off the rocks and waited to see if they got eaten by sharks.They didn't.We caught hermit crabs,skipped stones and avoided poison ivy.

We walked the perimeter of the island and ended the tour at the swingset and playground where other families were doing their thing.It was a good time and we did not rush one bit at any time but we needed to think about something to eat so we headed out to get some donuts and go see my folks.We drove up the road and at the corner of where my folks live is a stoplight and I saw the police car parked in front of the house with another one pulling up so I went around the block forgoing the donuts and asked the officer why they where there because it is my parents house.There was only a small chance that my guess was wrong and it wasn't.My father had just died.

He had had pancreatic cancer for a while on top of emphysema and I knew that it was only a matter of time and not much time at that.He was so small and thin.He used to be a tough guy but no more.I left the kids in the kitchen and went to be with him for the last time and just wished I could have gotten there just a little sooner.I recently said much of what I wanted to say to him but there were a few that I had thought of very recently and it was my intent to so this time around.It's OK though all and all I did good and we were on an even keel as I like to say.I am truly "like my father" something most would say as a derogatory remark
and all I can ever reply with and in all earnest is how thankful I am that I am.
It's funny how things work out because I used to also say that I was the "NEW and IMPROVED" Eddie.It had nothing to do with my poem at all.

Thanks Dad for everything you did for me and all the other boy scouts as well,your sacrifice made a real big difference in many lives.I'll never forget this selflessness.Why people choose to focus they're lives on the negatives is a mystery to me.I'll choose to remember the positives.There was a alot to smile about.

I happen to have my own "Theory of Relativity" theory that differs from Einstein's.Not sure if I should post it here or in the Cosmos,maybe both.
Can't do it today though.Bye,bye.I'm off to Rio.....de Janeiro.

Tomorrow I will travel in to NYC to see "The Boy from OZ". It's a play about the star
Peter Allen who I did get a chance to see in the 70's at Radio City Music Hall.Peter Allen was a great performer/song writer.Some of the songs he wrote others made famous."Don't Cry Out Loud" for Mellissa Manchester, "I Honestly Love You" for Olivia Newton John,One Step Over thew Borderline" Madonna made into a hit to name a few.

Hugh Jackman, who played the werewolf in the X-men movie plays Allen and has gotten rave reviews.He has been making a name for himself and this is I think the last weekend for the play before it closes.

Being in NY on Sept 11 will be a little sobering but sober is good,right?It's a two O'clock matinee so we have to get an early start to drop the kids off in CT. with their aunt and uncle.It's gonna be great,I am really looking forward to this.

NEW AND IMPROVED

It's NEW and IMPROVED!
Yea right,my ass
Excuse me for
being so crass
But I know
that they're lyin'
When they go
and start tryin'
to one of my legs
try to pull
Or over my eyes
pull the wool

If it really were so
it would be fine
But it's only the way they
increase the bottom line
By giving you less
and producing it fast
making damn sure
that it doesn't last
So the next time
you go to the store
You open your wallet
and pay them for more

I can't stand it anymore, the subversive assholes are even trying to convince my kids
that the little shitty undersized Halloween candy that they sell today is the"fun size."Bullshit it is.
The weight on everything is going down and the prices are going up.
Not at the same time though mind you,they usually alternate so you don't notice it.
What is it going to be like I wonder in another ten years?It won't be long before you won't get anything at all.

Just finished another job in one of those houses this one was by a different carpenter,Paul.A young guy who listens to some kind of music that consists mostly of loud screeching and screeming.Very bothersome.He's a good carpenter and it is real nice to see a young (about 23) guy be so industrious.He works hard and other than the music we got along good.I wanted to give it a chance though,you know see what is all about but it really made me uneasy and I felt rushed to get the hell out of there.I miss the other Rob and our WROB.We both worked Sat and Sun and listened to a history of blues set I have which consists of six cds ranging from the 1940's through the 90's.Other Rob knows alot about music that's quite clear,he was real happy to listen to that.Next unit I do is back to WROB and more of the music I prefer although I like to listen to NPR so sometimers it's nice to just be alone too.

I was just informed they are going to build 90 more houses in this developement so I was happy to hear this.Work security.

Sorry about no posting here I haven't felt too poemy and I have been super busy.I wanted to take some time and focus on myself a little.I am however loving life and am all set to enjoy the fall in Vermont,which is my favorite time of year.I just don't like what's sneaking up behind it.At least not after Christmas I don't.I think winter will be better for the old blog though.Thanks for keeping the place warm,it means alot to me.