The microwave is telling me to read the fine manual

So, I decide to reheat some veggies. Instead of calculating the power level and time, I try the reheat option.
The microwave didn't like it.


I was trying to cook too much on the Single Serving reheat setting, so it told me to read the user manual.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

[Editor's note: There were 22 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday, December 21

8:01 a.m. Public service, Main St.
2:41 p.m. Tree down disrupting the flow of traffic, Wachusett St./Union St.
5:12 p.m. Officer responds to holdup alarm, Main St. No problem.
6:38 p.m. Dispute over price of horse training. Officer assists parties to come to agreement

Tuesday, December 22

12:24 a.m. Suspicious person looking in windows and businesses, Big Y Plaza, Reservoir St.
4:14 p.m. Person came to station to speak with an officer, Main St.
7:11 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle driving very slowly, Shrewsbury St.

Wednesday, December 23

8:20 a.m. Caller reports suspicious rental truck in neighbor’s driveway, Chapel St.
11:58 a.m. Cable down in front of restaurant on Main St.
5:58 p.m. Person came to station to speak with an officer, Main St.
7:43 p.m. Pickup truck in driveway with no lights, Reservoir St.

Thursday, December 24

12:04 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle parked at Trout Brook, Manning St.
9:31 a.m. Report of three small children unattended, Blair Dr. No issue, parents at home
5:08 p.m. Erratically operated motor vehicle, weaving and crossing marked lanes, Main St. Operator was text-messaging
5:17 p.m. Suspicious truck at cemetery on Main St. OK, person bringing small Christmas tree to grave site
5:47 p.m. Motor vehicle struck deer, Wachusett St. at Mill St.
9:48 p.m. Caller wants information about parking bylaws, Fairhill Rd.
10:12 p.m. Officer checks on motor vehicle in roadway. Found registration expired, vehicle moved off road, Brattle St.
11:49 p.m. Officer checking on sleigh beside road, Manning St. OK, operator was resting, long night of travel

Friday, December 25

2:02 a.m. Check on individual going through vehicle on Jamieson Rd. OK, getting CD player from car
2:12 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Trout Brook, Manning St.
6:31 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle exiting from rear of building on Main St.
3:58 p.m. Caller found car was damaged on right side, Highland Ave. Motor vehicle hit pole earlier in day

Saturday, December 26

1:50 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Main St. at Senior Center
9:21 a.m. Report of person thumbing on Main St. Transported to Worcester line
11:54 p.m. Police check on two unattended vehicles in parking lot, Manning and Wachusett Sts.

Sunday, December 27

2:32 p.m. People on the ice on the reservoir, Princeton St. Three youths, one dog. Police advise them to vacate the ice
3:15 p.m. Caller wants to speak with an officer regarding an incident where her vehicle was hit by person on a bike, Main St.
8:14 p.m. Injured/deceased deer in roadway, Salisbury St.

Paxton

Monday, December 21

10:45 a.m. Trash barrels in roadway, Pleasant St.

5:19 p.m. Dead deer in road, Rockland St.

Tuesday, December 22

11:01 a.m. Caller reporting daughter possibly lost in woods while searching for her dog, Knollwood Rd.
3:25 p.m. Woman reports being attacked by a large German shepherd while out walking, Marshall St.

Wednesday, December 23

11:46 a.m. Suspicious vehicle reported on Crowningshield Dr.
10:35 p.m. Suspicious man in parking lot, Pleasant St.

Thursday, December 24

4:15 p.m. Report of pit bull found on Pleasant St. Owner located

Friday, December 25

10:51 a.m. Person taking photos of houses in the neighborhood, Hemlock St.
11:44 a.m. Report of numerous gunshots behind neighbor’s house, Richards Ave.

4:17 p.m. Two suspicious vehicles, one a van, in area of Holden Rd.

Saturday, December 26

2:54 p.m. Caller reports hearing gunshots that are frightening his horses, Richards Ave.
4:19 p.m. Small dog found on Grove St. Owner later located

Sunday, December 27

1:56 a.m. Vehicle hit a deer, Asnebumskit Rd.
7:04 p.m. Assist Leicester PD looking for motor vehicle on Reservoir Rd.
7:44 p.m. Report of gunshots in area of Woodland Dr.
8:13 p.m. Report that a group of people in the woods are throwing objects at cars as they drive by, Lizzy Lane

Princeton

Monday, December 21

10:45 a.m. Suspicious incident, Mirick Rd.

Tuesday, December 22

11:28 a.m. Report of missing black and white cat. Ball Hill Rd.

Wednesday, December 23

6:38 a.m. Suspicious incident, Worcester Rd.
1:17 p.m. Motor vehicle lockout, Town Hall Dr.
1:40 p.m. Assist FD, Calamint Hill Rd. N
3:15 p.m. Traffic safety hazard, Sterling Rd.
5:20 p.m. Assist animal control officer, Sterling Rd.
7:08 p.m. Public service, transport individual to Worcester Rd.
9:40 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle, Main St.

Thursday, December 24

11:55 a.m. Suspicious motor vehicle with no rear plate in parking lot on Hubbardston Rd.
12:35 p.m. Request for animal control officer, Ball Hill Rd.
2:37 p.m. Caller reports a skier hit a tree. Officer notifies Wachusett Mountain officials
6:10 p.m. Vehicle struck a deer, Main St.

Friday, December 25

8:47 a.m. Report of yellow Labrador wandering in area of Radford Rd. Owner located on Mountain Rd.
9:30 p.m. Gate to administration building open, Mountain Rd. Officer secured gate
11:03 p.m. Stranded motorist on Fitchburg Rd. Officer assists
11:12 p.m. Request for highway department, town-wide

Sunday, December 27

6:43 p.m. Highway requested for icy roads
8:12 p.m. Report of suspicious activity in area where school buses are kept, Merriam Rd.

Rutland

Monday, December 21

8:00 a.m. Person into station to speak with an officer about a property line dispute
9:25 a.m. Officer standing by while person changes a flat tire, Pleasantdale Rd.
3:20 p.m. Traffic safety issue, Main St.

7:45 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicles on road to state park, Crawford Rd.
8:08 p.m. Officer removes debris from roadway, Main St./Charnock Hill Rd.

Tuesday, December 22

8:46 a.m. Caller reporting trash bag beside road, thought she saw it move, afraid it might contain kittens, Main St. All set, bag empty
12:36 p.m. Constable picked up individual on a capius warrant, bringing him to station for booking, Main St.
5:10 p.m. Erratic operator, Main St. Police speak with operator
8:30 p.m. Person into station to speak with an officer, Main St.
10:29 p.m. Caller reporting wife is trying to remove license plate from vehicle. Told it’s a civil matter, Sassawanna Rd.

Wednesday, December 23

12:10 p.m. Caller from Texas wanting assistance getting payment for bull dog puppy purchased by resident

3:55 p.m. Caller reports son is upset and pulled phones out of wall, request that officer speak with him, Oakridge Dr.
5:02 p.m. Caller reports son is trying to remove license plates from vehicle, officer requested, Oakridge Dr.
5:30 p.m. Caller requesting assistance, son is out of control, Oakridge Dr.

Thursday, December 24

11:44 a.m. Two dead deer on East Hill Rd. One appears to have been shot, the other hit by vehicle
12:49 p.m. Report that juveniles are throwing snowballs at passing motorists, Pleasantdale Rd.

Friday, December 25

7:10 p.m. Report of moving van parked in different spots behind building on Maple Ave.

Saturday, December 26

4:15 p.m. Complaint from Hickory Dr. about dogs loose from home on Sumac Circle

Sunday, December 27

9:18 a.m. Request for officer to keep the peace while attempt is made to repossess vehicle, Barre Paxton Rd.
12:25 p.m. Suspicious man following woman in state park
8:16 p.m. Report of person throwing a snowball at passing motorist, Barre Paxton Rd.

Sterling

Monday, December 21

8:42 a.m. Person to speak with officer about an ongoing situation, Leominster Rd.
10:45 a.m. Report of injured coyote in back yard, Evergreen Circle
1:20 p.m. Dog bit child, Leominster Rd. Dog will be quarantined in Clinton
4:26 p.m. Caller asking police to deliver phone to female party, Redemption Rock Trl.
4:26 p.m. Police transport phone to person on Merrill Rd.
5:02 p.m. Suspicious activity, Chocksett Rd.
5:07 p.m. Caller reports a tire has fallen off his vehicle, Leominster Rd.
5:14 p.m. Police asked to check on person who went to Florida and hasn’t been heard from
9:40 p.m. Caller reports suspicious activity in parking lot at night, frequent meeting spot for vehicles, Redemption Rock Trl.
11:20 p.m. Caller on Wilder Road found young dog with Leominster tags. Owner located

Tuesday, December 22

12:24 p.m. Report of porcupine on porch, appears to be sick, Justice Hill Rd.

Wednesday, December 23

7:26 p.m. Multiple calls reporting a deer struck and killed, Redemption Rock Trl. at Crowley Rd.
7:54 p.m. West Boylston Police report calls of deer hit on Rte. 140 near the Greenery. No deer found
10:51 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle parked in middle of the road for a while with light on, Adam Taylor Rd.

Thursday, December 24

12:17 a.m. Person came to station with a letter received from an inmate at a jail, Leominster Rd.
7:19 a.m. Report of motor vehicle accident, Leominster Rd. at I-190. Nothing found
9:06 a.m. Caller reports suspicious males with large truck, Elliott Rd.
6:07 p.m. Deer hit, Redemption Rock Trl.

Friday, December 25

4:05 p.m. Loose cows and bulls in roadway, Justice Hill Cutoff Rd.

Saturday, December 26

3:52 p.m. Police confirm no emergency from 911 hang-up call, Albright Rd.
6:38 p.m. Person came to station to bring personal belongings for person who is locked up, Leominster Rd.

Sunday, December 27

1:12 a.m. Caller reports hearing banging noise outside residence on Pineview Rd.
3:25 a.m. Individual looking through recycling boxes; he accidentally dropped his GPS holder into the box, Worcester Rd.
11:24 a.m. Report of runner wearing dark clothing on Redemption Rock Trl. Concerned for safety of individual

Tests of character

Let's start with the good news, if you can call it that. The aluminum gear box on our Ariens snow blower cracked during the last big snow storm. The guy who repairs our stuff was vigilant beyond the call of duty and tracked down a steel gear box from a seller in Maryland and returned the repaired snow blower to us on Wednesday.
Now, it's about this,

3 to 6 inches of snow will likely accumulate in the advisory area through tonight... with locally higher amounts likely depending on where more persistent snow banding sets up. Additional light to moderate snow accumulations are possible on Sunday and Sunday night. Overall... this will be a manageable light to moderate long-duration snow event. However... roads are expected to become very slippery. In addition... north to northwest winds will pick up this afternoon and tonight... and this may result in periods of lower visibilities.
Winter Weather Advisory- Statement as of 4:04 AM EST on January 02, 2010

The advisories continue with a forecast of high winds later in the weekend.
So, the moral challenges arise as we decide when to clear away the snow. The smart thing is to wait until the snow stops falling. We don't have any particular place to go this weekend and plenty to keep us entertained and busy at home. We like each other's company and have plenty to think and talk about.^[1]
When my father-in-law lived here, being a high-energy guy, he'd go out every few hours and clear away the one or two inches that had fallen. Another neighbor might bring out the snow blower for each four inches.  The town will have its plowers and sand-and-salt trucks out pretty much constantly because goodness knows that the people in our fair 'burb couldn't possibly have to drive on snowy roads.
And like that. To wait out a storm while those around us are compelled into outward and visible action is a true test of one's convictions. Let's see how we do.

via HOBOTOPIA: Laugh-Out-Loud Cats #1317

First Night last night

We sent the old year on its way with funny hats, light sabers, and a bus ride.
Needing our hats, Sandra, Tess, Lily, Cassie, and yours truly visited the Celebration Station at the Worcester Art Museum and made hats of colored paper and silver stars. Suitable attired, we went out on a balmy (compared to last year) night and slipped/slided/slud along snowy sidewalks to the various venues.

• Peter Gross and His Amazing Flying Rodents were less than amazing. (Tip: if you're gonna invoke a copyright and tell people to turn off their camcorders, don't be lazy and name one of your animals after a Beatles tune. While not a copyright violation, it doesn't command the respect for creativity that the copyright laws are designed to promote.)
  
• Always a favorite, Improv Kids shows sharp and talented young minds at their best.

On our way back downtown, it was Cassie who convinced us, with all of the moral force that a five-year-old can bring, that we needed light sabers. 

• We oohed and aahed at the athleticism and youthful good looks of the New England Trampoline Show Company.
  
• The Airborne Comedians were the stars of the night, combing lawn-furniture juggling with, well, whatever the heck it is that they do.
  

We stopped for a while and held a three-way saber fight in front of City Hall.

Holding to a long-standing family tradition, we sang our New Year's song while waiting for the shuttle bus to take us back to the museum parking lot. The chorus is

We want the bus.
We want the bus.

The refrain is

We want the bus.
We want the bus.

One of our new year's resolutions is not to write more songs.
Home by 10, we watched a bit of Stooges and to bed by 11. "See you next year," I told the girls as they settled into our guest room. In our room, I was asleep by 11:30. Sandra tells me that the kids weren't.

After changes upon changes

Today's one of those days that has a lot of meaning now and will likely have even more meaning later. The correlation between those two meanings is what makes life so very interesting.

Shortly, Sandra will have her exit interview. Her job of more than 10 years is going away. The work's gone to a team in India and so she's coming home.
This early period we're calling a sampler, trying to decide if this really time to retire and, if so, what do days and weeks and months and years of retirement look like.
We've both been blessed with good work for a long time, working at places where, for the most part, professional respect and personal integrity are standard practices. Friend ADP used to remind us that there is no such thing as institutional loyalty, just personal loyalty. Even in those Dilbert moments, of which there have been plenty, good people rose to the task and helped deflect the institutionalized cement-headedness.
But, that's now headed for the past. Ahead is an open field of fear and wonder.

Making a virture out of a vice

I hadn't started the day wanting to quit smoking. I'd started the day pretty much like most days. I got up early, had coffee and cigarettes for breakfast, and went to work. The only difference was that I had a sore throat.
Some time around noon on that day, 24 years ago, I had my last cigarette. I didn't even think of it as my last. I can't even remember thinking about it all. I just wanted to complain.
I wanted to complain about my sore throat to my wife, to my co-workers, to someone, anyone, and knew that if, I did, they wouldn't have to say anything. I knew that they knew that, no matter the cause, my sore throat was being made worse by cigarettes and that I should stop smoking.
So, not thinking about that last cigarette, I didn't have the next one.
By five o'clock, I figured I'd earned a right to complain a little bit. I complained and then quickly added that I'd not had a cigarette since noon.
By bedtime, I said, "Hey, I haven't a cigarette since noon. Not bad."
The next morning, well, you get the idea.
So, with no particular virture and propelled mostly by the desire to kvetch, I haven't had that next cigarette.

Funny, isn't it, that folks who never smoked never got the praises accorded to someone stopped. Greater accolades come to those who stop doing what they shouldn't have been doing in the first place. How fair is that?

The rhythm of things

I've decided to let the whole decade thing go. Lots of people are writing interesting commentary on the previous 10 years, struggling to find a name for this era, let alone trying to identify the salient points of such an intense time.
That's fine. It makes for some interesting reading, a chance to look back down the hill. I'm all for a healthy measure of reflection, but using decades doesn't have a lot of resonance for me.
Turning 10, for example, was less of a milestone than moving from the sixth to the seventh grade. In the seventh grade, we joined a regional school system, meaning both a new school and a new school with kids I'd not grown up with. That had much more impact on my life than hitting double-digits.

Similarly, turning 20 was nothing special, but I sure do remember turning 21. (That I don't remember large chunks of time afterwards is a story for another day.)
Other personal reference points, including our wedding date, birth dates of our children and grandchildren, death dates of my parents - all of these significant dates fill up our calendar from year to year, giving us joyful and sombre memories.
The 10-year chunk of time that's passing, however, doesn't have much more relevance than watching the odometer click over to 100,000 miles on one of our cars. (Even that's less of a big deal since they added the sixth digit to the display.)
Sure, I remember New Year's Eve 1999. We had a sauna and then a swim through the ice at the camp. We stayed awake until midnight, saw that the lights didn't go out, and went to bed.
This year, we'll head out with our three youngest granddaughters for First Night. If I start talking about the last decade to these kids, they'll listen politely for a few minutes and then change the subject.
And that's the way it should be.

The sky above and the earth below

While we try to find our direction, the north magnetic pole decides to go walkabout and head toward Russia.
Meanwhile, the Old Moon is going blue on New Year's Eve, until it goes dark because of a lunar eclipse.
The lunar eclipse is on the other side of the planet and, anyway, it's doubtful that we'll get to see much of the moon's fullness.

via National Weather Service Watch Warning Advisory Summary

Planning for adventures in the new year?

If you're thinking about a hike on the Appalachian Trail in the new year, you might want to read this piece from the Sunday Boston Globe travel section - Doers and dreamers finish Appalachian Trail.

Keep in mind, though, that, in this past June, the phrase, hiking the Appalachian trail, picked up a whole new meaning.