Nancy and I went to a combination Christmas party and reunion on Thursday
night -- when we moved to Rhode Island nine years ago, it was so I could
take a job with a small software company (Early, Cloud & Co.) that
was in the process of being purchased by a Big Blue computer company...
and this was a Christmas party get-together for people who had worked for
Early, Cloud & Co. (some of whom have moved on to other employment
and some who are still with Big Blue).
We gathered at the Newport Blues Cafe (Thames Street in Newport, RI -- and, just to confuse visitors from England,
the name of that street is pronounced just the way it is spelled rather
than the way they pronounce the name of that river that flows through London)
-- which is located in a former bank building (if you click on the lower
left corner of those pictures on their Web page you get a 360° panorama)
-- their pool table is in the former bank vault, complete with four foot
thick steel walls and an impressive and imposing vault door
The featured performer was Diane Blue and The Explorers (by the way, check out her photo page, includes pictures at the Newport Blues Cafe). Diane's appearance at the
Blues Cafe was the reason for our gathering there for our party; you see,
Diane used to be one of us at Early, Cloud (and at Big Blue). She left
her software career to become a full time blues singer. (She mostly performs
in the greater Boston area, but sometimes appears elsewhere in Massachusetts
as well as back here in Rhode Island -- if you get the chance to catch
one of her performances, don't miss it -- she is really good. )
We had to leave all too early (a half hour drive back home and the need
to get up and work in the morning). Friday did disappear in a blur of work
for me -- I was online and working by 6:30 a.m. and was very busy all day.
And now it's a beautiful sunny Saturday -- about 38° outside (about
3°C) -- and I think I'm going to go for a run. |
Some pre-dinner socializing
There's room for dancing
Diane Blue and The Explorers
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