THE THING REVEALED

“Artex - you ever been there in winter? ;)”

“BASTARD!!”

“Yep, I've been there in the winter a few times. My body handles the cold weather quite well. Actually, I thrive on it. The coldest I've ever backpacked in is minus 19 degrees, and I loved every minute of it. I also lived up in the northeast (new york) for a third of my life altogether, and I know what to expect. No worries whatsoever on that aspect. Just the opposite, I look forward to it.”

“Are you ready to Freeze Your Ass Off V ??”

“Oh, your body handles the cold QUITE well, you great big chunk of manly horseflesh!”

“Good grief, that's way over the top, Hot Bunny!”

“I'm pretty sure I'm going to be sick.

Good luck Artex!”

“Last week we had an 80 degree day with a 28 degree night and frost on the ground in the morning.

I need to have several trees cut down this year due to winterkill. I planted them when they was just babies at least 15 years ago. :(
It was freakin' cold last winter!”

“Bring it! I LOVE the cold weather! Bummer about the trees though, twigeater.”

“Yeah, I don't think I could ever handle Florida weather but I probably will never live up North again.”

“I'm a cold weather person too, but it's hard when it's brutally hot, then cold, then hot, then cold...all in one day - but that's spring in Maine!

It's typical to lose a tree or two to winterkill, but this year my whole row of russian olive trees got wiped out. They were nice cause they had tons of berries for the birds. I don't think my chinese chestnut is gonna make it either, and it's as tall as my house!

Anyway, welcome! :)”

“Thanks Twiggie! :-)”

“Congratulations Artex!!!!

I think it's time to tell you though to anybody that's been here a while it wasn't much of a secret even if we wern't allowed to talk about it. :)”

“I took down a few of the trees on our property because of winterkill this year, too. I guess it really was colder last winter than the one before. The winter a couple of years ago must have seemed colder because it was my first one up here.”

“Yes, but now we can talk about Artex' thing out in the open.

What's he doing with his thing out in the open like that, anyway?”

“Yeah, it's probably the worst kept secret of all time. But I appreciate those in the know not discussing it openly and jinxing it. I'm relieved there's nothing really left to jinx.

Maine: Here I come!”

“oh my...it is just so...

IMPRESSIVE!

That is so cool, Artie. Congrats on the job and for making your dream your reality. I can't wait to see what trips may soon be coming up that way. How about a trailwarming party?

>:D”

“I was hoping for pictures though!!!

Are you ready to come over and scream like a little 'girlie man'???”

“Tango, I hope you're talking about the rollercoasters?”

“LOL...well, shucks, yeah!”

“You'd rather ride rollercoasters than...


...oh never mind.”

“Congrads hogdancer!!!”

“Good on you, Artex. Now you need to get a canoe, a double bitted axe, and red flannel shirt.”

“"Are you ready to come over and scream like a little 'girlie man'???"
Tango

"Tango, I hope you're talking about the rollercoasters?"
Artex

Dude, you've definately been spending too much time in Key West.”

“Congrats Artex”

“Congrats, Artex -- I wish I could move to Maine...

Now, we just need to feed you some of those new Southwest Ads they've been airing all over Philadelphia teaching people how to speak New Englandese (because of their new service to Providence and Manchester)...”

“Uh, Artex, do you ski? We have a ton of that to do in the winter. Alpine and Nordic!

Anyways, looking forward to the new neighbor. Welcome!!!!”

“Pennsy, don't make me drop by your place and kick your arse on my drive up.

Idaho Bob - if the kayak can count as a canoe, then I got two out of three. Just need the axe.

Monkeyboy - yes! I'm planning on getting a pair of backcountry skis this fall. I was hoping you could help me pick some out. As for downhill skiing, I love it. I've only been a few times, but can't wait to do it more.”

“Oh and I thought this was gonna be about your ding-a-ling-a-ling. Guess not. sheesh!


(oh and congrats expresso boy!)”

“Artex, We have 5 pair of X-country skiis. One pair... I think they actually saw some snow a few years ago. Plenty of poles too. I'm not sure we have boots your size. The best thing to do is use some for a while til you figure out what you want in a ski. In any case, you're welcome to use a pair of ours for a season or so. These are the ones I picked for myself after a decade and a half of skiing. They are all step in bindings, NNN.

I still like it, but I like downhill so much better. Speed!!!!!”

“Keep talking about cold,it's 102*F in the Mojave. Maine sounds good about now.”

“monkeyboy forgets that he don't live in Maine anymore!
;)”

“Great news and good luck with your new job.”

“Good job, Artex!! Congrats and good luck.”

“Cool beans, Artex! And good Luck!

And watch out for moose on the highway. I mean it!”

“Thanks monkeyboy!

Twiggie, I guess you and I will be the only TT regulars living in Maine (though I am but a young grasshopper, and you are queen of the sacred land).”

“Sweeeeeeeet Artex! I had $20 on the thing being elephantitis of the gonads, and you'd be displaying in a carnival in FLA. This is much better, and worth the "Gammons Note".

I'll be visiting in the fall!

BB”

“Closee, BB, but that's "the thang".”

“Yay Jamie! Hope your move goes smoooooth.”

“Moving sucks in general, but this is definitely one that I'll be doing with a smile on my face. And this will be it. I may move around in state a few times until I get a house in a couple of years, but I don't see myself ever leaving the land of the lobster.”

“Yuuuum, lobster. (drool)”

“ I may move around in state a few times until I get a house in a couple of years."
Artex
10:36:32 PM
06/15/04

What? Moving around? When was this part of the ultimate plan? ;)”

“Hopefully, I won't, but you know how it is with stinkin' apartments. I'll be glad to put that crap behind me and buy a house now that I'm in an area I want to settle down in. A lot of it depends on you too, Yam. :-P

Hey Sass, you and Birch are welcome up anytime. I can steam up a pretty mean lobster (not that it's hard). Consider rounding up Tarabull and swinging by once I'm settled.”

“Waitaminnit... I don't live in Maine anymore.....












but....but.... but.....I'm only 5 minutes away.....”

“WICKED GOOD NEWS!!! Will you be living on the same street as Stephen King?

bobo collects $20 from buddha bear”

“Woo Hoo! Can't wait to ski this year with monkeyboy, skeetahbait and artex; either flying down the hills or putting in some miles on the x-country skis.”

“I think we need to form our own New England clan, and come up with some strange initiation rite involving moose and lobsters. Oh, how the mind wanders.....”

“Maine? Congrats! Seems like everyone is moving to Maine these days.... well I have a few friends that just moved there so I guess that doesn't really constitute "everyone."”

“Congrats Artex! Sounds like a great job.”

“OK, so IT is about your "lobster" !

(he shows her his lobster......Eeeeekkkk!!!)

I musta missed something.
Monkeyboy moved out of Maine?”