Tim Tower, September 10, 2018
As you might have noticed, I
have been working on building a new web site with the help of Dan Roche. Dan and his brother, Matt,
used to have Chamberworks, the
company that helped us design our first web site in 1995. This new one has been slow in coming. I
initiated proceedings in January of this year.
It wasn’t top priority. And there are other winter projects more vital
than renewing a site we already have.
The reason I mention it here is, like anything new, it will take some
“getting used to”. We are not finished yet. For instance, some menu items
aren’t complete. The digital images are just rudimentary at the present
time. The index page doesn’t completely
have the look that I want it to have yet. And the links to other sites need to be
listed in a more complete, easy to find, format. We are getting there. I appreciate your
patience on this.
The Barnacle Billy’s season, business wise, has been very good so far,
one of our better years to date. But the
season isn’t over yet. There is a lot that can happen between now and closing
day. In fact, we were many percentage points ahead of the previous season in
early September 2001. The 11th of September changed all that,
leaving us behind two percent at season’s end.
Opening day on April 6th
showed us ocean water temperatures colder than the previous season’s surface
water temperatures for the fourth year in a row. This four year cooling trend
started after a surface water warming period.
The cold water spring was responsible for a decrease in lobster landings
and, thus, higher prices this spring. This year our below normal surface water
temperatures took a tick upward in July. Both July and August showed us ambient
temperatures higher than we normally see them. July and August were windier
than we normally see them as well, predominantly from the south, the most
southerly wind I have seen for years. The combination gave us higher than
normal air temperatures and high humidity.
Lobstering this summer has been excellent. Talk on the weather channels
gave this season’s humidity index higher marks than at any other time,
particularly in August. I’m not sure how
much stock I put in blanket statements that involve the weather services,
particularly our National Weather Service.
Due to former First Lady Barbara Bush’s passing, we
haven’t seen much of the rest of the Bush
family. Doro has been here a couple
of times. Young Barbara and Jenna Bush have also been here as has Marvin and Neil. But the man I miss the most, former President George H. W. Bush, has not been here at all this
summer. Health issues have kept him
away. In fact, Doro’s optimism on a
spring visit about a future lunch date with the former President took a down turn on Doro’s
last visit, this late summer. She told my sister, Meg, that he will not be visiting Barnacle Billy’s this season. More than not seeing him, it’s sad to
think that his health is just not good enough to make the trip, or maybe even
enjoy the meals as he used to. We have very fond memories of his trips over
here by boat, the guests he introduced us to, the sheer joy of hosting such a
wonderful family and the thought of my father creating something that was so
enjoyed by such an important American family.
I’m happy to say that my
mother is still going strong. Without my father, she has been living in the
house alone. Her choice. My visits have been infrequent do to the larger number
of challenges I have faced this season. I call when I can, however. Meg and her fiancé, Mike, have been great on the visiting
part, seeing our mother more times on a regular basis than any of us. Meg has been wonderful here at Barnacle Billy’s this season as well. I
was just thinking the other day how important Meg’s role has been here this season. I would be lost without her. Cathy has been manning (womaning?) the
office here and maintaining the restaurants Facebook account. Networking, as
she calls it. My brother, Court, has
been off doing his own thing. It was a year ago April that he left Barnacle Billy’s. As of right now he has no plans on coming
back. We will just have to see. “Time will tell”, as my mother is fond of
saying.
One last thing before I go.
We now have two management teams that have done a great job this season. One, Chuck MacDonald, has done a great job
for us for forty-five years. He has just gotten better. He is our top manager
at Barnacle Billy’s, Etc. and the
person I first turn to in order to solve problems. Chad Schools is the manager under Chuck. Chad has been wonderful, better than I could have ever hoped when I
first put him in a managerial position. The two of them give each other days
off and work together here like a well oiled machine.
Next door, at Barnacle Billy’s (original), Matt Pedersen, our top manager there
(and our top IT guy at Barnacle Billy’s,
Inc), was joined by Stu Dunn
this year, previously our bar manager.
Like Chuck and Chad, Stu and Matt have
enjoyed a seamless transition. It’s like they have been working together
forever. Matt has been my go to guy for
years. I have no doubt I will be saying that about Stu in the future.
I like to say that I manage
the managers. But I’m not so sure that they don’t manage me! All four give me
suggestions born from a lot of common sense. And, simply, they are just easy to
work with. They don’t always agree with what I do or say. But the beauty of it
is that they don’t hold anything back, leaving it all on the table. They may
not agree but still allow me to have my way without personal issues. I like
someone who is forthright and honest. They are certainly that. My anchors to
windward.
Of course, there are many
other good people here, some of whom are just as important in lesser roles. I
hope someday to be able to mention them here. Until next time.