It's fascinating to watch the interaction of dogs. It's no always perfect but with a little guidance, it often becomes quite well mannered. The past couple of days with Nick and Willee have reaffirmed that understanding.

The first evening, they couldn't quite get the knack of moderating their play but when I called a timeout, they realized, they didn't need to play that hard.

The next morning's walk was more structured and the expanded surroundings meant they could have heir own space and still “horse around”. By evening, they were self moderating their interactions.

Today was almost “autopilot”. They would play and rest and repeat. I only needed to interrupt them once. It was an especially welcome site to see how they played tug-of-war. They would frequently stop to rest or get water, and then, only when both wanted to Engadget, did they pick up the game.

They're chilling out now

It was a year ago that a dear friend passed. I have my own memories of Al Maxwell and they are strong and fond and will stay with me. Of his passing, they wrote …

Alfred Winthrop Maxwell III of Bridgton, formerly of Winthrop, passed away Saturday, June 26, 2010, from metastatic melanoma. He was born July 22, 1953, in Augusta, to Robert and Dianne Maxwell.

"Chum" or "Chummy," as he was known in his early years, was a 1971 graduate of Winthrop High School, where he earned a reputation as a golden-toed soccer player and a consummate skier. He attended Bates College in Lewiston, where he became "Al" to those he met at this stage and future stages of life, and achieved similar recognition in soccer and ski jumping at the college level. He graduated from Bates in 1975 with degrees in physics and math.

On June 20, 1998, in a beautiful lakeside setting in Bridgton, he married his long time love and partner in life, Janet Vermeulen. They bought a farmhouse on 60 acres of fields and woods and deeply enjoyed the natural beauty surrounding them. Family and friends looked forward to the summer celebration hosted by Al and Janet each July for the past 18 years; the first few held at their previous home in Freeport.

Well studied and well traveled, his long-standing interest in Eastern philosophies was enhanced through numerous trips to the Far East, visiting or working in India, Nepal, Thailand, and other countries of Southeast Asia. He enjoyed winter play time in Florida, Hawaii, South America, the islands of the Caribbean, the Austrian Alps, and ski areas of northern New England.

He was a commercially rated pilot and, at the Bridgton farm, housed his Maule M4 in the hangar he built. He soared into the sky from his meticulously maintained runway. Though he was an accomplished pilot, his standing as a much loved husband, son, and brother always prompted a collective exhale from family when he touched down.

He was a daring and extraordinary chef, creating the most delicious vegetarian dishes with interesting and exciting mixes of spices and herbs, often with produce grown in his large garden.

Simply stated, Al could do anything and do it well.

Al’s trek through the mountains of Nepal with his wife was a beautiful highlight in his life, and he formed an everlasting connection to the spirit of the region.Donations in his memory may be sent to The Nepal Trust. Donations may be made online. Alternatively, in honor of his fondness for and appreciation of animals, you may send donations to Harvest Hills Animal Shelter, 1389 Bridgton Rd., Fryeburg, ME 04037.

I will miss you Al, without pretense and always with fondness.

a House gets to be more of a home when you personalize it. I spent the early hours of today unpacking boxes and came across a number of pictures to hang on the wall. I can tell you, when downsizing from 2400 sqft to 1100 sqft, there are a lot less walls for pictures. I have not found homes for everything (there are some obvious pieces not yet on display) but I filled a number of open spaces in the main living area.

do you recognize any of these ?

  I’ve heard of wine tasting but an article over on Serious Eats has me thinking my wine drinking friends might enjoy a glass tasting party …

I knew in a vague way that serving wine in proper glasses mattered. But I had no idea how much … In a plastic cup, this [2005 E. Guigal Saint Joseph Syrah] $26 bottle of wine tasted like Welch’s grape juice. In a glass specially shaped to accentuate Pinot Noir’s aromas and flavors, it tasted very alcoholic and acidic, with a roughness in the mouth that was unpleasant. In a glass made for Syrah, however, the wine smelled of red and black fruits and chocolate, and was as smooth as satin in your mouth.

… read the whole story at Serious Eats

So, how might you go about having a glass tasting party ? Unless you have 8 of each type of glass – and where would you store all of them – here is a suggestion –

• pick a wine (or two) you would like to serve
• do a little research on what is the right glass
• pick a few other glasses that are significantly different that "the right glass"
• if you don’t have the glasses you have chosen, don’t go out and buy them, just ask your friends – between all of the guests, you will probably find what you need
• plan your evening and enjoy !

For a group of people who fancy themselves as wine drinkers, a glass tasting party may be just the thing to break out of that "workin’ your way through that case" rut.

I’ve been thinking about getting more friends together with less work – especially given my lack of kitchen. I could wait until *everything* is finished but any handy person out there knows that state is actually never achieved. Fortunately, "DIY Life has a good suggestion" …

5 Ideas for Reviving the Potluck Dinner Party

1. You supply the meat for the grill. Have everyone else bring a side dish, salad, or dessert. Don’t forget about drinks. I always like to ask people to bring a six-pack of their favorite beer or a bottle of wine to share.
2. Have everyone bring a different main dish to share. You supply the salad, bread, and drinks.
3. Pick a theme for potluck. A theme could be the ethnicity of the food, foods from a different color of the rainbow, comfort foods, finger foods, 1970′s favorites. The list of themes is bound only by your imagination and the culinary prowess of your friends.
4. It is perfectly acceptable to assign your friends different types of dishes — salad, main dish, dessert, appetizer, etc. No need for them to tell you exactly what they are making.
5. Request that your friends bring a copy of their recipe to share. This also helps people with allergies navigate the buffet table without having to track down the cook of each dish.

source: 5 Ideas for Reviving the Potluck Dinner Party – DIY Life

I really like #3 and once my kitchen is up and running  #5 will be fun too !

We like to think we are fearless -? eager to explore unknown lands and soak up new experiences, but the fact is we are always terrified. Maybe the terror is part of the attraction. … at the end of the day, isn’t that what you’d rather hear about ? If you’ve got one drink and one friend and forty-five minutes, smooth rides make for boring stories. A little calamity … that’s worth talking about. – James Parriott or Jenna Bans or Marti Noxon or Mimi Schmir or Stacy McKee or Zoanne Clack