Well, all I can say is that I'm glad that Jeff agreed for us to make this move but it wasn't easy - let me tell you.

After living in California for 42 years we literally had to use solvent, jackhammer and dynamite to get him up and moving.

I really wasn't sure that we were leaving until last Thursday.  Jeff found a job that he liked except that there was no telecommuting and we had pretty much committed to going.  I think it was anxiety.

Sunday evening we were treated to dinner at Black Angus and reminiscing about 40 years of living in the SF Bay Area.  It was nice to see all of you folks until some future date.

On hand to watch the A's be beaten like a red headed step child were David (Lovecchio) and Matt and Rachel (Burghoffer).

You know I'm not one to get too sentimental about stuff but I must say that it was the best day that I've had in a long time thanks everyone for sharing it with me!

10. Carol's idea of a 7 course meal is a six pack of Molson and a jelly donut.

9. He can't manage his way out of a paper bag.

8. What's people skill?

7. Carol got his engineering degree out of a box of "Cracker Jacques."

6. Every memo begins with "hello to you."

5. Every sentence ends with eh?

4. If he's so good at what he does - why doesn't it work?

3. Likes to dress up as Marilyn Manson.

2. He's a frog.

1. Noah envy.

PERFECT MARYLAND CRAB CAKES

4 slices soft white bread
1 1/2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 cups backfin crabmeat from a refrigerated tin
Salt
2 cups jumbo lump crabmeat from a refrigerated tin
Maryland crab seasoning, to taste
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 cup melted unsalted butter
4 tablespoons thick mayonnaise
Lard
Vegetable oil

Trim the crusts from the bread; discard, or reserve for another use. Tear the remaining bread into little pieces (about 20 pieces per slice); handle the bread lightly, so the pieces remain fluffy and don't flatten out. Place the bread pieces in a bowl, and sprinkle them with the wine; toss lightly to distribute the wine evenly.

Pick over the backfin and the jumbo lump crabmeat to remove any bits of shell. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the backfin and jumbo lump crabmeat. Season to taste with salt and with Maryland crab seasoning. Add the soaked bread, beaten eggs, lemon juice, and melted butter; toss lightly, making sure to keep the crab lumps whole. Add the mayonnaise, and toss the mixture gently with your hands, distributing the mayonnaise evenly. Taste again for seasoning, if desired (if you don't want to taste raw egg, you can sauté a bit of the mixture in butter). For even better flavor, allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours.

When you are ready to cook, place a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat; the pan should have enough room for 3 crab cakes. Add enough lard and vegetable oil (in fifty-fifty production) to create a 1-inch depth of oil. When the oil is medium-hot, quickly shape 1/2 the crab mixture with your hands into 3 cakes, each roughly the size and shape of a large hamburger. Gently place the cakes in the oil, making sure to preserve their shapes. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the cakes are golden on one side. Flip them carefully with a spatula, and fry on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. After about 8 minutes, the cakes should be golden brown on all sides and heated through (you want the pieces of bread inside to virtually disappear). Remove the cakes from the pan, and place them on paper towels. Repeat and make 3 more cakes with the remaining mixture.

Yield: Yield: 6 crab cakes, enough for 6 first courses or 3 main courses

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