Daylight Savings Time

Dear Mr. President,

You are cordially invited to Menagerie Manor for the 41st annual clock re-setting extravaganza.

Date

March 8th

Time

Bloody early because there are soooo many to re-set.

Refreshments

Ya better bring your own, because you don't look like a Scotch drinker.

Directions

Tell your pilot to land the helicopter in the Franklin High School Football field as March 8th is a Sunday, then ask anyone in the gathering crowd of nosy people to point out Menagerie Manor.

Clock #1

Seth Thomas, Westminster Mantle Clock -1928

This event is timed, no pun intended. When "Old Westminster" here strikes 9 o'clock the fun starts. It is Spring forward so this one is easy but be sure to stop every quarter hour and let it finish chiming. Now don't start whining Mr. President those are MeMa's rules and she is very guarded with this clock because it was our house warming gift to each other when we moved in. Besides there are clocks on all three floors.

Tick Tock!

Did I mention this is a timed event......Yes!! Timed....as in one hour.

Clock #2

1900 New Haven Cut Glass Boudoir Clock

You might want to put white gloves on for this one it shows every finger smudge.

Tick Tock!

Clock #3 

Circa 1880 - French Carriage Clock. After you wind this one, put it back in its glass fronted traveling case, you never know when we might take that carriage ride.
Tick Tock!

Clock #4
One of my personal favorites, 
German made Cuckoo clock purchased on a family vacation back in the 60's. 
And mind the Aspidistra!
Tick Tock!  
Through the swinging door and into the kitchen, the busiest room in the house.

Clock #5

 MeMa's much cherished apple wall paper is a perfect back drop for this large bright red clock by Sterling & Noble. Although battery operated it is a nice solid clock and easy to set.

Clock #6

The other kitchen clock, not easy to set in fact I would toss it if it was not for the radio.

Now back through the swinging door, out through the dining room and into the Nursery.

Tick Tock!

Clock #7

Now this precious  little gem and I do mean gem, holds the secret to sending the "Little Terrorists" into slumber land even after I have loaded them with sugar.....the sound machine. Heart beat, croaking frogs, creaking crickets or a nice gentle babbling brook. A must have for all MeMa's who have Poppi's that think nothing of serving cake and ice cream for breakfast....it's dairy!

Tick Tock!

Clock #8

Next stop the ladies room clock "Big Ben"

Tick Tock!

At the end of the hall, the Master Bedroom

Clock #9

MeMas clock is a wonder of the modern world that is beyond me. It is the most multi-functioning marvel that I have ever seen, it even puts the time on the ceiling for when one can't sleep and it will glare the time at you in big red numbers reminding one that they only have so much more time before the alarm goes off. Rotten bastard clock!

Clock #10

 My alarm clock, the one that goes off after I roll over and stare up at the red numbers on the ceiling.

Tick Tock!

Clock #11

My gold pocket watch.

Now back out to the hall and up 15 steps

Tick Tock!

Clock #12

My parent's anniversary clock, After carefully removing the dome, you slide the the lock down over the wire that the pendulum hangs from then you set the time by only moving the minute hand never the hour. So you can see how this would be very time consuming if setting clock back an hour. 

Now down the hall to the happiest room at the Manor, the "Mickey Room"

Clock #13

Boring but functional

Tick Tock!

Clocks #14 and #15

MeMa's Mickey Anniversary clock and Mema's Mickey travel alarm.

Clock #16

Another Mickey clock next to a Mickey television

Clock #17

Tick Tock!

Clock #18

Out of the Mickey room and into the library you will find one of the most confusing clocks to set let alone read....good luck!

Straight through the library and into the front guest room.

Tick Tock!

Clock #19

This little gem from the 1940's could be a runner-up in an ugly lamp contest but is a cherished relic that belonged to MeMa's father.

Clock #20

MeMa's parents anniversary clock, once again delicate

 Ok, now we zip back down those 15 steps, dash through the dining room and then the kitchen and.....oops, I forgot to mention the fourth floor. Buck it up buttercup its only four steps down to the sunroom.

Tick Tock!

Clock #21

One of my very favorite clocks....the Audubon Bird Clock. A different bird call for every hour struck. But there is a whole process to follow in order to get the bird call to match each photo.....Get it right sir the instructions are on the back.

Tick Tock!

Clock #22

And the second clock in the sunroom is this charming but heavy 1950's little electric travel alarm clock by General Electric.

Now on to the final level down the 12 steps to the theatre room.

Clock #23

OK I'm taking it easy on ya here it is the only satellite clock so it sets itself while giving the latest in temperature and weather.

Tick Tock!!

Clock #24

Vintage Coca Cola clock that used to hang in the lobby of the Avalon Theater in Clatskanie

Clock #25

Keeping proper time is an integral part of my business so it is imperative that this clock in my dressing room is set exact.

Tick Tock!

Clock #26

 Nip into the laundry room and your done with this level....so back up 12 steps, through the sunroom and into the garage and head to my shop.

Clock #27

I like to put in a bit of time out in the shop but never shall I miss cocktail hour.
Tick Tock!

Clock #28

Now you can exit the shop through the back door dash through the center garden nip across the foot bridge over the pond and you will find a very large clock with bold numbers. That would be the
"last call" clock for any guests that choose to ignore proper party etiquette.

Now out the wooden gate to the front porch and please stick to the path else the Crazy Cat Lady will spend the next 20 minutes hissing, spitting and getting her litter all in a fuss about strangers running up her side of the property.

Tick Tock!

Clock #29

The front porch clock used to be the laundry room clock until MeMa bought the present one. When I stuck this one in the charity box it magically re-appeared on the front porch.

And then there are the clocks in the three cars out there in the garage that would be
clocks #30, #31 and #32.

Mr. President just to remind you this is a timed event, no time for breaks and dress properly with comfortable shoes. Mr. President maybe we should just get rid of that nasty old "Daylight Savings Time" bunk and just save ourselves a whole lot of work. Just saying!

There Is Gold In Her Future

Just a heads up folks, you might want to be paying attention to the female Olympic Swim team in the future.  There is bound to be a Chambers collecting the gold!  This morning I took a break from work and drove out to see three year old "Little Terrorist" #3 Lucy at her swim lesson.  Great Grandpa Tom joined me because he leaves for Arizona tomorrow for  the rest

of the winter.

Notice the concentration on Lucy's face.  She is in the center were they always put the gold medalist.

Ha....did you hear that Poppy?  She wants me to blow bubbles!!  I'll give you bubbles coach.
 

OK, I guess we just do what coach wants....hey nice tat kid....you want to get a move on?

Hey G-Pa keep your camera at the ready, I'm about to let loose here.
 

Here's water in your eye coach!

 

Gardens May Sleep But Never The Gardener

We bought orchid #21 "Tangerine Imp" in Hawaii, it is a Cattaleya.  It looks as though it is going to climb right out of the pot.  It is nice to have fresh flowers for the house when nothing else is available in the garden.

This last weekend the temperature was high 60's and glorious sunshine but yet the garden remains in its winter slumber.  So while there is not a lot to do in the garden I took advantage of this and worked in the greenhouse cleaning, rearranging and spraying.  I also potted up several containers of peanut cactus as for some reason it seems to be a popular request from co-workers or visitors to Menagerie Manor.

It does have a cheery little orange daisy like flower, but that is while in the greenhouse and unless one has a nice bright south window it rarely blooms in the average home.  But regardless it is a fun little cacti that is easy to grow.

A Block Off Route

Writers block?  Down in the dumps?  Not able to cope?  Depressed?  The list goes on and on naming possible reason’s why I have not posted for such a long while.  Trouble is I can't pin it down to anything in particular.  Writers block?  No, I could write....just have not felt like it.  Down in the dumps?  Perhaps, but then I'm too freaking cheerful to be that.  Not able to cope?  Been coping pretty damn well for 61 years so far...so no!  Those last two pretty well trump depressed.  So I think I will just say I took a break.

Quite recently my father who winters in Arizona at my twin brothers home finally went into a clinic to have his persistent cough checked and was immediately hospitalized with suspected pulmonary heart disease.  After a week of tests they told us his heart is fine but he has sclerosis of the liver or fatty liver disease, which he can live with.  He was put on diuretics after draining five pounds of fluid from his chest and he would have a serious change in diet; no this and no that, but at the top of the list, no salt.  A few weeks after flying back home to Portland he decided that living on his own was not an option for him so he accepted my younger brother's request and moved into his big home in Beaverton.  At 81 my father is very capable, and sees to his own daily needs, drives his own car, goes to the gym most every day and quite obviously makes big decisions and follows through.  I love my dad and am comforted that he has decided to make the changes he has made.  Selfishly though I will miss stopping by my parents house that had been their home since 1971 when we moved from England to Portland. After work I would go one block off the route home and stop at my dad’s for a visit and a glass of our favorite scotch.  Most of the rooms are empty now, leaving the stuff that will eventually end up being donated.  Between my sister, two brothers and myself we gleaned many items that will be useful in our own homes as well as the many things that simply hold special memories.  Thanks dad for all the tools, I can hardly wait to use that big pressure washer on the years of algae build up on the driveway.  And while it is not such a useful item as the pressure washer, mom’s old piggy bank has a place of honor in the front guest room.

Since he is not selling the house right away I've thoughts of planting vegetables in the garden at the back of the house.  It is too far for dad to come and water every day, but then it is only one block off my route home from work.  I will put a chair in the garden shed that I can drag out and sit and talk to the vegetables while I keep a vigilant eye out for marauding hordes of slugs.  In one of the boxes of treasures I took home there is a flask that MeMa told me I didn't need as I already had one.....  Well I think I will heed her advice and drop it by dad’s but put it in the garden shed so when I find myself a block off my route  home from work I can have a glass of our favorite scotch.

Christmas Wish

There are moments in all our lives when life itself becomes rather tiresome and it seems that even the simplest tasks in front of us are difficult to complete. But it is with deep sincerity that the Chambers family and all the tail wagging members of Menagerie Manor wish our blogging friends and family a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year.