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Brad's Musings and Meanderings

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"Put 'em both up, insect, before I comb your hair with lead" - Oliver Hardy, first line exchanged with Stan, "The Lucky Dog"

Business first. That’s my motto. Although I was ready to indulge in plenty of Laurel and Hardy frolics and frippery with my fellow Sons of the Desert, there was a historical location nearby that I needed to get under my belt. Although Bob and I had driven by the New Hampshire state capitol in Concord the previous Friday, weren’t able to go though it since it was after-hours. I had thus far only compromised going inside a capitol building one time, and visiting this this one would give me six on this trip that were fully toured. So that’s how I started my day on Thursday, July 19, 2012.

I met up with the Wileys and David in the lobby of the hotel, and we headed out to visit my seventh and final State House of the trip. This would take my grand total to 28. This one was unique in that it is the oldest state house in the country in which the legislature still occupies its original chambers. The building was completed in 1819 and featured a hall of flags similar to Boston’s capitol but on a much smaller scale.

Seventh State Capitol of the year, 28th overall

Just to make sure I had the right place, I found this sign

 

I promise that I didn’t crack this

From about 8:45 to 9:45, we explored the building, checking out the galleries of the Senate and House of Representatives, getting into the Governor’s reception area, and checking out the exterior of the building. The street in front of the capitol had been closed off for a street fair that was about to take place, but it didn’t cause too much havoc with our visit.

One of the most amazing and interesting things to be found in the New Hampshire State Capitol in Concord: a functioning phone booth

 From the balcony of the House of Representatives gallery. Second from right is a painting of President Pierce

Heading into the Governor’s digs

Painting of Josiah Bartlett in the Governor’s reception room. Josiah was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the fictional ancestor of President Josiah Bartlet in The West Wing

Waiting for the Governor…or someone…anyone

Jimmy and me in the Senate gallery

The Senate Chamber: despite being alone on the tour, I respected the little velvet ropes that kept us out of the chambers

The door to the House chambers, located right next door to the Senate chambers. Who would have occasion to use this peep door?

Statue of President Franklin Pierce, New Hampshire’s only President

With the state capitol visit out of the way, it was back to Laurel and Hardy-world, and our first convention activities of the day. By going to the Capitol we missed the morning orientation hosted by Chuck McCann, but were able to catch the 11am Authors Panel which featured Chuck and also Scott McGillivray, the author of Laurel and Hardy: From the Forties Forward. After the session, I had Chuck sign a nice photo montage that was kindly given to me by fellow son Flip Lauer.

A quick break for a Drake’s Coffee Cake. I’ve got another one… but I’m saving it for later.

Chuck signs my photo; a curious bystander looks on

Me and Chuck

The inscribed montage in which he identifies himself as Ollie, the Dreamfinder form Epcot’s Journey Into Imagination, and the guy in the medicine cabinet who says “Hi Guy!”

Far-out space nuts

Scott and his book

An artist works on Bob’s second caricature of the week

Lunch was on our own that afternoon, so we simply ate at JD’s Tavern inside the hotel. They had a mighty nice barbecue pizza on the menu that went down quite nice. Many other sons including Bob and his Scrub gang (they did fishes) and Chuck also dined in the same restaurant.

Lunch in the hotel. Whole pizza? Yes, please.

Jimmy has a contemplative moment in the restaurant

We stuck around for Gino Dercola’s presentation “Collecting L&H Memorabilia,” a lengthy slideshow in which Gino attempted to capture photos of his massive collection of Laurel and Hardy stuff. It ranged from one-of-a-kind art projects to highly collectible autographs and lobby cards. Q.

Cliff and Bob enjoy Gino’s presentation

I decided to skip the movie program (although I caught a few minutes of La Senorita de Chicago, the Spanish version of The Pip from Pittsburgh), and head back to our room to rest for a bit. The nap never really quite happened.

A little over an hour later, I met up with everyone in the lobby again at 5:30, this time to catch a bus to Lake Winnipesaukee. Movie buffs such as myself might note that this was the supposed location of most of the action in the film What About Bob?, but sadly, the footage wasn’t actually shot here – so my hopes of catching another film location were dashed.

Jimmy and David on the bus

Jimmy and Kris inside the bus

Brad and Bob about the bus

We departed from Weirs Beach in Laconia on the M/S Washington, a motor ship first built in 1888, promptly at 7:30. There was a very nice prime rib buffet onboard. There was plenty of entertainment – most of which we’d catch the next night at a Vaudeville performance – but I didn’t see any of it. I opted to just enjoy this three hour tour (three hour tour) on the deck of the ship socializing with David, Gary Cohen, Ed Greim, and Emo Philips. Yes, that Emo Philips, the stand-up comedian whom David Letterman once threatened to swat with a stick. He was a very nice guy and a very big Laurel and Hardy fan. We’d have further run-ins with him throughout the convention weekend.

Lake Winnipesaukee

Motor Ship Washington. Peter strolls by on deck. Hmm.

With my old pals Dee and Carl Ahlm at dinner

Sundown on the lake

David clearly irritates a passenger

There’s something exciting on this ship

Nothing exciting here with David and Gary Cohen

OK, this lovely patriotic sunset was pretty exciting

And of course, my encounter with Emo Philips was rather exciting

Trying to figure out where Dee ends and Lee begins was pretty exciting

But topping it all off was this pair of future convention co-chairs

Not to be anti-climatic but here is Kris, Mary May, and Irene in her dark, dark shades

We docked a little bit after 10:30 and then picked up our shuttle bus back to the hotel, which we reached at around midnight – just in time for Midnight Madness in the dealer’s room. I didn’t spend very much at all, opting to purchase a new L&H book by Roger Robinson titled A Spot of Trouble in Southend and a hefty pack of Beatles trading cards. I also talked David out of buying a poster.

Cannons had been in short supply on this trip, so I was pleased to find this one as we walked back to our bus

Poster found in the dealer’s room. Buy guy? Nope.

I didn’t retire to my room until about 1:30am. It had been a good first full day, but I wanted to make sure I didn’t oversleep the next day. After all, there’d be a vote for the next convention the next morning and I still recall what happened the last time I overslept for one.

The 2012 Sons of the Desert convention will continue

2 Responses to “The Sons Convention in New Hampshire Continues at the Capitol and on Lake Winnipesaukee”

  1. I particularly like photo fx11.

    Peter

  2. Scott McGillivray=Canadian carpenter and tv host.
    Scott MacGillivray=American non-fiction author.
    Be careful! Confusing the two can have dire consequences.

    Chris

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