Now, Rockport, Maine is right on the ocean.  At the clubhouse, we savoured a potluck dinner to accompany boiled lobster, BBQ chicken and corn on the cob.  Landlubbers enjoyed Jim Lea’s BBQ chicken.  Now, there was a slight breeze.  Sometimes the smell of the stuff we wuz cooking drifted over next door.  And sometimes the smell of “next door”, where they wuz cutting bait drifted over to us.  Either way, I checked the bottom of my shoes.

This is the first time we did a “lobstah picknik” pot luck style, and it worked out rather well.  It also kept the cost down for the spread, and each member had a chance to show off his/her talents.  Good stuff!  And there was plenty!  We serve Maine hospitality!

And brother, if ever you’re in Maine, you come look up Jim Lea (here’s his shop:  click here).  He’ll take you out “garage sailing” on Saturday morning, breakfast, a great tour of his shop and even let you wash dishes.

01 David Lindow chats with member Roger Jette, former machine shop owner.  Roger loves Maine summers, but he gets wimpy in the winter and heads for Naples, Florida when the leaves begin to fall.

02 Me, Chef Gramps holding a rather delicious clock.  I didn’t make it, but I have the recipe now.  There was something in it that made my legs shaky.  Never trust a skinny cook!

03 Some of the folks hanging out for a harbor view in front of the Rockport Boat Club.  The fellow in the middle is the spitting image of Robert Schuler.  And amazingly, he’s a retired minister and proud owner of a steam operated clock.  “It’s not something you’d want to put in your bedroom,” as Ed says.

2004-07-17-01.JPG

2004-07-17-02.JPG

2004-07-17-03.JPG

04 “Hello” from the steaming lobster kettle.  When they stop scratching and howling, we serve ‘em.

05 Chapter President Dennis Hillman stretching another tale for Jim Lea’s granddaughter.  She rolled the corn and did stuff to make us hose her down once in a while.

06 “Let’s roll ‘em.”

2004-07-17-04.JPG

2004-07-17-05.JPG

2004-07-17-06.JPG

07 Yeah, that’s me with beans up my nose.  Tower Clock historian Carroll Morse is sitting with me, much to his disappointment.  Someone said I look like Curley Joe.

08 Back to serious stuff, David Lindow offered a very comprehensive discussion on how to calculate for a missing (or badly damaged) wheel in a gear train.  If any NAWCC or AWCI group needs some education, this is the guy.  His instruction was meaty, not wimpy.  David also brought along his wheel cutting machine (featured in S. Larose) to make up a wheel based on his calculations.  He didn’t let me touch it.  He’s smart.

2004-07-17-07.JPG

2004-07-17-08.JPG