Let me tell you about Charlie. I met him at one of my model meetings about 15 years ago, and we have been fast friends ever since. He is a retired police officer, and in the Vietnam war he flew Huey's for the Army. He lives in his house with a siamese cat named Sam, who is so friendly that he will make sure you will pay attention to him. So much so that you could be working on the hobby table on a project, and he will jump up and worm his way under whatever instructions you are reading, or ramdomly start to play with any small piece of your kit that is laying around.
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Charlie in Vietnam.
Sam helping out in the shop
Our first stop of the day when I get down there is a nice local resturant called Marie's that makes a great breakfast for small money. The place is only open for breakfast and lunch, and is closed for winter break from first week in December, till first part of April. After that we slipped over to Newberryport to visit an antique place that we frequently haunt called Oldies. This place is on the waterfront, and is in a big red barn. Grea t stuff, and not too expensive. Only issue with that place is there is no heat, so in the winter it can really make you shiver as you browse.
My find of the day was a beer bottle from the long defunct Frank Jones Brewery in Portsmouth, NH. Frank jones was in business from 1859, untill 1950 with only a short break during the prohibition period. Lots of really cool things there though, and if only time. space, and $$$ were no object the place would be empty. I have a small collection of antique bottles, so this was a good find for the day.
Next stop was to the Plum Island Aerodrome, or airport, where Charlie is on the board of directors. He told me they had a rebuilt glider there that was originally in the Army in the 1940's, and just got rebuilt and is flying out of the field there. I like seeing activity at airports even if it is a small cozy one like Plum Island.
The neatest thing however was there were even more special "Fliers" occupying the field. Wild turkeys. They must know that hunting season is fast approaching. Wild turkeys are yummy! Too bad I can't hunt in Mass, or Christmas dinner would be served.....
After all this we rolled on back to his place and we broke out the modeling supplies, and proceeded to do what anyone with a craft hobby does. Work and talk over whatever events are going on. Always have a fun day with Charlie, and wrapped it up early tonight and drove back to Maine 45 minutes away, in time for supper. That's early for me, as when I drive all the way across 3 state lines to get to his house, I usually stay till midnight or so. Wasn't into making it a 14 hour day today so off I go...back to the house, see my wife, and 7 month old kitty, talk to daughter in law to see how she and the new grandson are doing, then text message John since he is in the middle of his three weeks living on the tugboat in NYC. Whew...I'm tuckered now. :-)
Later folks!
