Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year's Eve!

We got a beautiful inch of snow this morning! That's an excellent sign for the new year.

I thoroughly enjoyed the big storm a few weeks ago...made a snow angel for Ambs even! Here it is:

Our Christmas trip to Cali was fun and somewhat sunny. The families enjoyed their presents, Tammy's house is beautiful, and it was a good mellow Christmas all around. When we got back, all the snow was gone...

Tonight we're hittin' the city of Beantown for some New Year's Eve celebratin'!
Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

a moment of silence please

Please, a moment of silence.

shhhhh... this is in honor of my appendix.

One month ago today, the docs cut me open and took it out. I don't know where they put it or exactly how the tests were processed on it, but the appendix is no longer. We must respect that with a moment of silence.

shhhh.. it's almost over.

Thanks!

In other news, we've been having fun with Mom visiting. She didn't really plan to come to Boston in the winter...it's not her idea of fun, but when the boss says to go, I guess that's what you do. Anyway, I feel lucky that at least I could be here and have a warm apartment (even if we do have mice) for her to hang out in. She's well into Season 2 of the Gilmore Girls DVDs.

We saw the Boston Holiday Pops last friday. It's such a great show. I think every new englander should make that show an annual tradition. We all sang along and Santa told jokes. It was a blast.

Over the weekend Mom cooked some meatloaf, and some soup, we whipped up some pumpkin bread. (We think the cooking attracted the mice). It's great to have the comfort foods when the outside is covered in snow and ice! (i'm not ready to write publicly about the mice yet...still in shock)

A and I are headed to CA on Friday. He confessed that he's been missing the California life lately. We're looking forward to a relaxing few days for Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Friday, December 7, 2007

8 year old kids were asking Santa (over the phone, broadcast on the radio) for laptops! When I was that age... I believe we were using Dad's Apple IIe to play simple computer games at home. There's so much more on the internet and through computers for kids these days that they feel obliged to have their own laptops before the age of 10! They probably already have their own cell phone so no need to ask Santa for one of those...

Now that I'm 30, I have a perspective on time and how technology has advanced just in my lifetime.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Words from a Wise Woman

So, I'm 30 now... Do I sound different in your head as you read this?

I had a great day on my birthday! A cooked pancakes and omelets to order for my pals! We enjoyed a brunch feast and then, of course, the birthday cake! and Cynthia's homemade cupcakes. They are fabulous. The pics are on snapfish..let me know if you need the link.
Following brunch... A and I rested up for his company's fancy holiday party that evening. We donned our best and joined in the sparkle at the Lanham Hotel. This is the hotel that hosts a weekend chocolate brunch. Needless to say dessert is never a let down at the holiday party. Despite the presence of a very fun chocolate fountain (which I induled in, of course) I liked the chocolate bread pudding the best. I must get that from my Mom. It was fabulous! Hmmm..perhaps Fabulous is the word for this new decade of mine. Fabulous! Like totally Fab dude!

As my sister and Periodic Visitor have it... I should feel like I'm 10. But I don't. I feel 30, which is a good thing. It's nice being 30. All of my highschool and college pals have already had their 30th birthdays this year... so I'm just joining the crowd!

A did point out to me at the holiday party that I was the oldest person at the table. Amazing! I haven't typically been in that situation before... Not that it makes a huge difference, but it made the 30th birthday a bit more monumental.

So, I'm recovered from the appendectomy...feeling good. Glad that it's over with.

The snow is falling, the cold air is here, and we have gotten out all the blankets to keep ourselves warm. It's too bad we don't have a fireeplace...

have you heard of twitter.com? it's a new web craze...a little like a blog, but more instant...if you're curious, check it out. I created an account so you can find me there (with my real name).

Take care!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

3 Days to 30!

Only three more days to enjoy this decade of my life. I'm looking forward to my 30s. Everyone I speak to says the 30s are grand. Of course, Ambs sometimes forgets that she's 30...but it's still new.

30, here I come!!!

A's countdown is thus: "In three days I'll be in love with a 30 year old...."

Monday, November 26, 2007

Ode to My Appendix

Oh Appendix
You have served me well.
I'm not sure what you did,
But, I thank you for the 29 years you've given me.
Oh Appendix
You'll be sorely missed.
You caused quite a sore last weekend.
It was just your way of saying goodbye.
Oh Appendix
I'll remember you always,
as I enter a new decade of my life,
without you.
Oh Appendix
Oh Appendix
I appreciate the simplicity of your departure.
Good Bye.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Singin' in the Rain

A bought me a new rain jacket for my birthday. I love early birthday presents! It's green and it's waterproof! I look very cute in it. We bought it at REI last night and this morning we woke up to the sound of raindrops!!!! Yup, I walked to work (and rode the train) wearing my lovely green rain jacket and keeping dry. You should've seen the water bounce right off it! Absolutely amazing!

We also got a great deal on a four person tent... now we have a big one for those car camping trips. We haven't put it together yet, but seriously, it was practically free! We're so lucky to have found such a deal. It's green too. It's going to be Britta's room when she comes to stay with us. She'll love it!

Monday, November 5, 2007

25 days and counting

I was supposed to be born yesterday...but I wasn't. It's 25 days until my 30th birthday! (I apologize for not getting a post up on November 1st. That's when I started the countdown. You'll just have to catch up with me.)

A and I enjoyed a lovely day in the sunny crisp autumn weather yesterday. We rode our bicycles downtown. Yup, clip pedals and all for me! I didn't fall once, nor was I scared. This is major improvement for my bike riding skills. I did ride a bit slow....but "better to be careful than hurt". We took pictures (of us) in the Public Garden with the beautiful fall foliage. Many other people were doing the same. Some thought we were real photographers (I think the tripod fooled them). Our little digital camera is nothing compared to some of the lenses that were out yesterday. It was amazing!

I hope you're all enjoying autumn. A picked up a pecan pie to get us in the holiday spirits. The holiday season is upon us.

Cheers!

Friday, October 26, 2007

Go SOX!

I've become quite a Sox fan during the post season.. I watched the whole Sox/Indians series (well, not the last two games)... and have been singing and cheering from my living room for the World Series. I apologize to the Sox for falling asleep at the start of the 6th inning last night. Why do they have to start the games so late?

Monday, October 22, 2007

ohayo gozaimasu!

I just spent the weekend with some japanese friends of mine in LA. They travelled from Japan to LA for business and had the weekend free to play. Being the jet-sette than I am, I popped over there in time for a Friday evening night cap, a ton of fun on Saturday in Long Beach, Venice Beach, and Santa Monica, and then a day of touring Hollywood and Beverly Hills on Sunday.

It had been seven years since I'd seen these folks who became my family during my homestay/internship in Japan. It was absolutely wonderful to chat with them and remember the good 'ol days...my first trip to the children's home where they work was 10 years ago! Wow..it makes me feel old...but makes sense when I think about the fact that my 30th birthday is coming up.

It felt like they brought the Japan that I know and love to America and I was lucky enough to get immersed in it. I spent the entire weekend speaking Japanese. (okay, yeah, I did a little bit of english conversation practice with them). I was really excited that my japanese still works and we were able to talk!

The pics will be up on Snapfish... If you don't have the link, let me know.

P.S. Since when did Ben & Jerry add chocolate cows to Phish Food ice cream? It's like having a farm and an aquarium in my mouth all at once! All made of chocolate! (are you wondering where the phish food came from? A stopped at 7-11 on the way back from picking up chinese food while I was in the hot tub. Such a wonderful life I have!)

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

flashbacks

I realized today...that the part of the 80's that I remember (the later part) was .........
Twenty Years AGO!!!!

Wow.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

I like this picture... It's from our weekend in the White Mountains. Look at our giant back packs!

Survey on Libraries!

If you're in Generation X or Y and haven't completed this survey for Cara's class project. Please do so now. It only takes 2 minutes!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=raepLngsnonSz3wVg93nwA_3d_3d

Make Way for Ducklings

Thanks for the comment! We don't currently have a copy of Make Way for Ducklings...but it's definitely a great read. I recommend it to all!

Speedy B

A tried out his new running shoes last night!!! Go A! He looked speedy upon returning home...at least, he was sweaty... Nice job A!

Monday, October 15, 2007

Back in the Thick of It

We're back in action with busy weekends! Friday night, A and I TGIF'd with our respective co-workers and then enjoyed a nice dinner and Red Sox game at O'Leary's near St. Mary's. We didn't stay for the entire game but ensured the team won from under the cozy warm comforter at home.

Saturday we hit Providence and the Red Bull Soap Box Derby! Thanks for the fortifying grilled cheese, Carissa! Pics of the derby races will be on Snapfish soon. We're so glad Ambs recommended the event. From Seattle to Providence...we have covered it.

Saturday night we fell asleep while the Red Sox were tied at the top of the 8th inning. Apparently the game finished at quarter to 2am! With seven runs by the Indians in the 11th inning...the Sox lost. So sad. Poor Coco and J.D. Drew were out there on the bases ready to come back...but no love...

Sunday morning was chill...sleepin' in. A was sick. We don't know if it was stress related or not..but some home made french toast helped him heal! I let him rest for the afternoon and visited Cynthia in her new house in Worcester. We watched the Patriots in a close game against Dallas (and talked wedding stuff). They're up against another undefeated team next week.

New England sports are big these days! (I missed Desperate Housewives last night and will have to catch it online).

I'm still working my way through Jack Finney's sequel to our Book club book....which we still haven't gotten around to meeting about. Poor book club :(

That's the weekend news in brief. I hope A's deadline day goes well. At least he got to rest over the weekend!

Happy Monday All!

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Story Time!

After a great weight lifting workout, A and I came home for a dinner spinach salads and orange chicken. When the dishes were done and the laundry was folded, A read to me from a recently acquired Dr. Seuss book of ours. I love story time! AND I love Dr. Seuss! How can you not love Dr. Seuss?

Costco has a book with six Dr. Seuss stories in one volume. Last night we read "To think I saw it on Mulberry Street" and "Bartholomew's 500 Hats". Such fun words to fall asleep by. *smile*

Monday, October 8, 2007

Relaxing Weekends!

I could get used to these relaxing weekends. Does two weeks in a row make us regulars at the Sunday yoga class? We're proud of ourselves!

This weekend I rediscovered the joy of Lifetime TV. What fun! We also hit up Costco...man does stuff there add up quick!

A and I had fun in the kitchen yesterday from a grand breakfast of eggs, turkey bacon, and pepper jack grits, to a delicious dinner of spinach salad, Boston cod marinated in a honey dijon sauce, and a side of cous cous followed by a fresh out of the oven home made apple cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream. Good eats!

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Amber was here this weekend. What fun! Maybe she'll compete next year....

Monday, October 1, 2007

Two months from today I'll be 30!!!!

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

I now pronounce you.....

That's me. The Officient of Em & L's wedding. What an amazing experience. After two full days of showing off my badge, I truly enjoyed the honor of marrying my friends. Even though we'd practiced (and I cried during practice), I cried the whole way through the ceremony. Weddings are always touching, and to have the best seat (stand) in the house makes it even more touching. I could see the joy, passion, love, and emotion in each of their faces as we recited their vows. It was absolutely beautiful. I made sure to speak very boldly for the key line: "By the virtue of the authority vested in me as Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages, I now pronounce you husband and wife!" (it makes me tingle just writing the line. Such power I had.) My badge is now invalid, but the pictures and memories are with me forever!

Em did a fabulous job planning the event. A and I were seated with her hard core running friends. Wow! A half marathon is very short compared to the 100 mile races these people run. The cake was fabulous, the dancing was a blast, the weather was perfect, and the whole affair was just plain fun!

Anyone out there need an Officient? I received plenty of kudos and can provide references.

Poor Little Stumpy

Stumpy is the three-legged mouse that found his (her?) demise in the trunk of our car last night. When we first met Stumpy, he (she?) had all four legs. Friday night, while we were sleeping in a tent at a campground in NH, Stumpy was busy moving the nuts from our bag of trail mix (in the car) to some secretly located stash. A saw Stumpy (with all four legs) scurrying around the car on Satruday morning. As quick as A is, Stumpy (with all four legs) was quicker. We hoped he'd find his way out...but of course, why would he leave his (her?) stash of nuts?

Sunday night upon returning from a beautiful backpacking weekend in the White Mountains, we set a trap for Stumpy (still having all four legs) in the trunk. Monday morning, we found a closed trap that was drug to the corner of the trunk. In the trap was one little mouse leg. Thus the name Stumpy.

We worried that Stumpy might stay in hiding for a while licking his wounds, and then take revenge on us by chewing wires or doing damage to the car. Instead, the greedy little bugger was attracted to fresh peanut butter on a fresh trap last night. We found him (her?) in whole and dead this morning. Poor Little Stumpy. He (she?) really was a cute fella.

(there is currently another trap in the car, just in case Stumpy has friends)

Saturday, September 15, 2007

I'm currently a Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages! Today was the rehearsal. A already dreamed that I'd do a great job. After practicing vows with the Bride and Groom separately ('cuz they want their personally written vows to be a surprise), I know it's going to be a beautiful wedding!


When's the next half-marathon? After a few days of rest, I'm ready for a "do-over"..one where I don't get a cramp in my side.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

My first half-Marathon successfully completed!!! I couldn't have done it without my devoted fan, A, who consistently cheered me on from the start of my training, and of course my running mate, Britta! We had an absolute blast of a weekend in Montreal.

A and I woke up early Sat AM and drove (with no traffic) to Canada! We had forgotten our passports...and couldn't remember when that new rule starts. We were already in NH when we thought about it, so we crossed our fingers (A continued dozing) and hoped that we wouldn't be blocked at the border. We weren't. I think A had fun telling border patrol that I was running a half-marathon. We thought it sounded cool, although border patrol didn't seem so interested.

Yes, I'm an international racer :)

We arrived at BR's place before noon and had a full afternoon and evening to sight-see, scope out the race course, pick up our bibs, etc. We checked out Olympic Park and walked through Old Montreal. Britta and I raced some teenage girls on paddleboats and lost miserably. It was ok though. We were conserving our legs for the big race!

Sunday morning's race conditions were perfect! BR and I jumped out of bed, eager to run and took the Metro with the rest of Montreal over to the start. We high fived at every kilometer marking starting with "1 down, 20.1 to go!" and continuing consistently through to "18 down 3.1 to go" and then I got a cramp in my side. Until then I was doing absolutely dandy (despite a major allergic attack in the middle which resulted in major sinus pressure and poofy eyes). I tried my best to run. walked a lot, and hobbled across the finish line!

Thanks Gu!
At 8K we "cheers'd" with our Gu packets and came up with lots of commercial/advertising lines for Gu. (we had a second Gu at 15K, although, I didn't really feel I needed it)

Here are some of them:
-Gu got me through!
-I'm Gu'd to go!

Here are our results:
Britta - 1975 2:16:04.3 6:27 2:12:22.0 4201 B 601/829 68/81 Femmes 24 & - 1:14:59 1:01:06

Me - 2063 2:19:57.9 6:38 2:16:15.2 640/829 128/157 1:14:02 1:05:57

Metadata:
I came in 2,063rd place of the entire race. The race clock said 2 hours 19 minutes and 57 seconds. My average pace was 6min and 38sec per Kilometer. My personal time (according to my chip) was 2 hours 16 mintues and 15 seconds. I came in 640th place out of 829 women. I came in 128th place out of 157 people in my age category. I'm in the female age category of 25 – 29. I ran the first 11K in 1 hour 14 minutes and 2 sections. I ran the second 10.1 K in 1 hour 5 minutes and 57 seconds.

There were 2,396 participants in the half-marathon.

Meanwhile, Em PR'd (again) and won her age category in a 10 mile race on the same day!!!

Tomorrow, I'm off to CA to do my wedding officient duties. Each night, I practice my line..."By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife!". The fireworks always go off in my dreams. I wonder if there'll be fireworks on Sunday....

Friday, September 7, 2007

2 days 'till race day!

I did my last and final training run (around the reservoir) last night. It felt great! The run felt good, I had a good rhythm. And it felt great that it was the final training run! My body has really been working hard through all this and it's looking forward to a break.

But first, I've got a few people to whiz past on the race course. Bring on the 13 .1 miles!!!

(More importantly, bring on the Britta! YIPPPPEEEE!!)


We watched "Wild Hogs" last night. Good Cast. Well Done. Funny. (some stupid parts) Overall, very entertaining. A great blob out and laugh movie.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Well, I moved the 10 mile run up from Sunday to Saturday. It was very successful once I actually got running. I woke up before the troops (A's dad and bro were visiting) filled up my fuel belt, ate a banana, went to the bathroom, etc. Then I drove all the way to the river, parked the car, and went to put on my fuel belt. It was still on the counter in the kitchen! So, back to the house I went.... grabbed the belt and headed back to the river. I ran west from the "Publick Theatre" where I park to Watertown Square and then east back to Harvard Square and back to the car. It was a nice run. I felt good. My feet and legs thanked me for the break.

I hit my Tues AM run and my Wed AM run this week with flying colors! Only one more pre-race run tomorrow and then the real thing! 13.1 miles in Montreal on Sunday!

Yesterday, I think I ate a bazillion of those little tiny bugs that hover over the running path. The geese, however, have been in the water and not on the path, which is nice.

Last Weekend's Highlights:
Friday night - A and I enjoyed a quiet evening just chillin'
Sat AM - ran 10 miles
Sat early PM - caught up with Sis on the phone
Sat late PM - A took his dad and bro on a walking adventure in the neighborhood. I took a 2 hour nap!
Sat night - Pizza and a four person game of Super Scrabble!
Sun day - We adventured to Battleship Cove in Fall River and toured the U.S.S Massachusetts and some other WWII ships
Sun night - Bill (friend of A, A's Dad, and Bro) came up for the night and we hit the night time scene! We checked out a new bar call Joshua Tree for dinner (great wings!) and won 2nd place in the Trivia contest!
Mon day - Took Bill on a walking adventure of downtown Beantown and introduced the crew to the China Pearl in Chinatown. A's dad and Bill were down with the dim sum, Andrew stuck with ordering something "normal" (lemon chicken).
Mon night - I hit the Super Stop and Shop to prep for book club tonight and restock our shelves :)

All of a sudden it was time to go to work again! The weekend was quick.

What's going on in the kitchen?
Last night (Tues) I cooked up a storm. Made some soup (even though it's summer time) with beans and tomato broth that Mom left us....I cooked up pork ribs and corn on the cob, we scarfed all of that down quick.... and of course, I baked some brownies. YUMM! Now, we have food to eat in the fridge...

Tonight's menu for book club is corn on the cob, fresh tilapia marinated in Cheriyaki glaze (handed down from Mom and Pops), cous cous, and asparagus sauteed with baby portabella mushrooms...with brownies and ice cream for dessert. Hopefully it turns out yummy!

Friday, August 31, 2007

Friday before a three day weekend makes for a quiet day in the city. No crowds on the train this morning, and no crowds on the sidewalk downtown. It's kind of like a snowy winter day, but without the snow and the cold weather...just the quiet.

I slept through "running hour" on Thursday and didn't make it up. My toes are healing. I made the decision to take the extra rest day. I think it was important for my feets and my legs. I'll run 10 miles on Sunday to keep in shape for the big race next week. Em advised me to drink electrolytes regularly until race day to make sure my body stores up on them.

The entire bookclub is behind on the book, but we're such socialites we're going to meet next week anyway! Adelaide will be four weeks old! She's got her own website now. It's all the rage for kids her age.

Happy Labor Day! (I'm planning to veg, visit with the visiting family members as they are around, and read read read).

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

I danced in the elevator this morning. Just because I can!

The running is taking its toll on me. I think I have "Runner's Hobble". On the Vineyard on Sunday I hit the pavement for what looked like (on the tourism map) a 12 mile run. At 2 hours and 17 minutes of running in the HEAT, I decided I must've hit 12 miles already and that my map was wrong. So, I walked. I was still a 30 minute walk from the house. Thanks A and A for driving by and cheering me on! It's great to have a fan club.

I've been so good, despite the "Hobble", and ran Tuesday AM and this morning. I feel like my legs are getting achier and achier. It's actually more comfortable to run than to walk. I am getting to know a lot of leg and buttocks muscles that I haven't met before.

This morning's sunrise opposite the moon setting was absolutely gorgeous on the reservoir. Yesterday I saw some good wildlife (in addition to the geese, ducks, and swans). I saw a rabbit and a chipmunk!

Vineyard time this weekend was a blast. We were definitely "On Vineyard Time". On Saturday, We hit the farmers market, flea market, and a fundraiser for Hillary! On Sunday, we hit the beach. It was my first beach trip of the summer! We buried each other vertically in the sand :) The pics are great! Check my snapfish link to see them.

Can't believe September is almost here!!!!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Well, it's Wednesday.....

I saw Adelaide last night. She's still little. She'll be two weeks old tomorrow!

Monday night was burrito and movie night. We watched Zodiac...Really well done. A bit scary for my tastes, but since it was based on true case files, I guess there wasn't much they could do about the scariness. It just is scary. YIKES!

I ran Tues AM (50 min, nice and easy). Tonight is my last and hardest SPEED workout. 15 min warmup, 30 min FAST, 15 min cooldown. I just ate a banana, so I should be potassiumed and ready to run when I get home.

This weekend, we'll be on the Vineyard so I'll get to find a 12 mile route for my longest pre-race run on Sunday. It's fun to run in such glamorous places!

A has been run down with a cold this week. He's on the upswing now! (After a full day of sleeping and lots of Nyquil.)

There are some new pics on my Snapfish site... If you still have the link, you should be able to see them. If not, let me kow and I'll send you a new link.

TTFN

Monday, August 20, 2007

I hit the Stowe, VT bikepath yesterday for 10 miles!!! (with my running shoes of course). I did 10 miles in 1hour45min! With 2 miles to go I sang to myself "You're a rockstar. You're a good runner. Go Corinne. You're so Speedy". Trust me it sounded good on the trail. I did feel like a rock star. I picked up the pace and ran in the last mile and a half pretty darn fast!

The rest of the weekend was a blast as well. We hung out with the little cousins, ADORABLE! The weather in VT was cold, overcast, and a bit rainy, but we found plenty to do. We even had a big whiffle ball game at the Farm. No one seemed to mind that there were chickens running through the game.

happy Monday!

Friday, August 17, 2007

two thoughts

1. If I sit on my sweater, it warms up and then feels extra warm when I put it on! (The AC at work is frigid)

2. I passed a bird ( a little one) with a worm and a moth in it's mouth. Talk about a MOUTHFULL! He's gonna eat well tonight.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Two days in a row, I've woken at 5:30am and went for a run around the reservoir! Amazing! This morning I ate a Gu (actually a Cliff Shot) and did a speed workout. No Cramps! (last week's speed workout was a miserable failed attempt...I blame the "electrolyte juice" I was drinking) I ran fast for the entire 25 minutes I was supposed to (according to my training schedule). I also did a 15 min warmup and 15 min cooldown of slow running or wogging as I like to call it (a mix between a walk and a jog).

Today, I was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise. A bright orange ginormous sun was rising over the Hancock and Prudential towers in the midst of a misty morning sky. It was absolutely gorgeous. It reminded me of the fond memory I have of Mom and I waking up early in Ogunquit to see the sunrise. We, being west coasters, thought we should embrace the opportunity to see the sun rise over the ocean as opposed to set over he ocean. That morning, there was a big bright pink/orange sun rising up over the water. Perhaps, the theme is that sunrise is a beautiful time of day.

I wonder what it was like yesterday.... I must have been sleeping during my run and not noticed..hmmm...

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

I figured you must all be dying for an update on my half-marathon training.

This past Sunday I ran 9.2 miles (along the charles river path) and felt great! I figured out how to nourish my body successfully...with a banana before the run and a Gu in the middle. Of course I had water in my fuel belt too. The most amazing part of the whole thing is that at the end of the 9.2 I felt like I could keep going! (This is important because come race day, there'll be 4 more miles to go.) Oh yeah, and I only tripped and fell once! I have a little scrape on my knee to show for it.

This weekend I'm aiming for 10 miles!

A and I bought ourselves fun engagement presents this weekend. It was tax free shopping here in Massachusetts! An engagement ring for me...running shoes and a courrier bag for A...New cell phones for both of us (those were free! but quite an adventure in the store) and a new digital camera! We celebrated the day of shopping with spending an extra $20 at the movies to see Bourne Ultimatum. It was a great flick. Jason Bourne is quite an impressive man.

Monday, August 13, 2007

NEWS

There's excitement in the neighborhood....... Here are the snippets.

Adrian and I are engaged to be married!

Amber is 30!

Adelaide Hickey was born on Amber's birthday (Kate and Peter's baby). Adorable!

Mikey and Andrea gave birth to Jason a couple weeks ago!

Cynthia and Kenney bought a house!

Rattler and Michael bought a house (including a barn!!)

Anything else?

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

We are eating our FIRST homegrown tomato today!! We've grown the plants from seeds! (It's in my lunch, so I can't report, yet on how it tastes.)

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

time is flyin!

Phew! I think I'll be in town for a while now.... Here's a little update.

South Dakota is an awesome state for road trips!

A quick jaunt to Sac allowed me to partake in Em's bridal shower, visit with Mom and Pops, and say howdy to my pals M & N et al. Between working long hours and several business trips, A and I were able to spend his birthday in Vermont! We rode a gondola to VT's highest peak and hiked down. We tasted cheese. We golfed at the country club. Yup, I played a full 9 holes! We swam in the lake. We kayaked in the lake. We played junior monopoly (soooo much simpler than adult monopoly). AND We went to a Barn Dance. It was in a big barn and there was SQUARE DANCING!!! We had a blast.

We ended our weekend in VT with a run along the Stowe bike path. It's a fabulous bike path and every 1/4 mile is marked. It was easy to keep track of how I was running and be able to pace my miles. I ran 7 miles in 1 hour and 18min.

This past Sunday, a week after the Stowe run, I ran 8 miles in 1 hour and 29 minutes. I think this means that after running for over an hour I'm still going at an 11 minute per mile pace. Not too shabby if I say so myself. Last night, I ran at a really good clip around the reservoir. In 27 minutes I ran from the house to the reservoir and around it. I cooled off by running uphill for six more minutes to the pad thai place. Yummy!

stay tuned for more exciting adventures

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

I got stung by a bee!!!

on my ankle.... my ankle is super swollen.... weird stuff from a bee that is soo small!

Still travelin'. Enjoyin some time in Vermont this week. Life is grand up here. I've got to figure out how to make a living in this state...

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Words from the Wise Traveler

I'm busy travelling this month..so the posts will be sporadic and few. Sorry! Are you ready for the words from the wise traveler? I just spent three days in Chicago...gorgeous city! Flew from there to Raleigh and came back to Boston via a missed-connection in DC. The missed connection resulted in an unplanned overnight stay. It would've been fun, if I weren't tired and wasn't wearing fancy shoes. I was only in my hotel room for six hours before hopping on the 6am shuttle back to the airport. Anyway...the wise words are:

"thunder and lightening storms cause severe delays in air traffic"

Pretty profound, huh? I think I'll start flying in the morning as much as I can. As opposed to afternoon/evening flights.

This coming week I'll be on tour in South Dakota!

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Fireworks!

Every year that I see fireworks, I wonder how much pollution is going into the air and how much debris is falling into the water body below...

A and I ventured down to the Mass Ave bridge for a prime viewing of the fireworks (in the rain). They were absolutely fabulous! Boston really does do a spectacular job There was a full 25 minutes of fireworks, all different shapes and sizes, super shimmery ones, skyrocketing ones, booming ones, ones that sounded like popcorn and looked like camera flashes going off. Comedian Craig Ferguson and John Mellencamp were the big stars this year. We were only listening via the speaker, but they did a great job. It was also neat to see the fireworks reflecting off the tall buildings along the river...such gorgeous shimmering.

Now we must think about the fact that it's summer already! Wow, July is here in full force!

Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Horseshoes!

This weekend I was lucky enough to see the hungarian and his family. It was great. I also tried my hand at horseshoes! Yes, my arm is sore after the fact, but I didn't do so bad. Actually, I had a glorious "ringer" which landed right on top of the tie breaking "ringer" and cancelled it out. I maintained the tie long enough for A to get a ringer on his next turn and win the game for us! We also hit the driving range that afternoon. What a sporty saturday we had. Oh yeah, I ate the most ginormous ice cream cone ever. Wish we had a camera...

Sunday morning A and I hit the pavement. Before long, A was on the ground with a sprained ankle. The curb jumped up at him when he was trying to step off it (or something like that). It's still swollen, but getting better. I've been carrying on the training with out him (sad face here). I did two laps around the reservoir and back on Sunday (60 minutes). Last night I ran around the neighborhood for 30 minutes. Tonight is a rest night and tomorrow is another speed workout!

The bookclub is reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (sp?). He's the guy that wrote "The Kite Runner". ATSS is a fantastically intense book. Absolutely amazing. Super well written and a dramatic plot. I'm loving it.

Tomorrow's Mom's Birthday!
Happy Independence Day everyone!

Friday, June 29, 2007

Brighton Wildlife

So.. I did my activities last night...made it to japanese class (after the train dumped me out at Winchester St to go express) and then went for a run at the Brookline Reservoir. On the way home, on my very own street but down a few blocks from my house, I saw the cutest little things scurring across the sidewalk and hiding under parked cars! Little opposums! They were all fuzzy and had long tails and pointy little noses. Last year was raccoons, I guess this year is opposums.

The last japanese class was good. The weird kid asked me out. I said no. He had asked one of the married girls in class a while ago. He's just weird and obsessed with dates, I think.

The run was great. I warmed up for 12 minutes and then ran fast (well fast for me) around the reservoir 1 and 1/2 times for 15 minutes and wogged my way home after that. To wog is to walk and jog. Sometimes it is in one motion, other times it is a trade off between walking and jogging intermittently.

Post run, I sat on the porch, amongst my flowers, enjoyed the cool breeze and read the book club book. Summer is nice!

Happy Friday!

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Do they sting?

The girls and I took a walk down Wollaston Beach last night. Lots of folks were wading and swimming in the water even though we could clearly see bazillions of dried up, dead, jellyfish on the sand. We even saw some, not dried up, still gooey, jellyfish in the process of being washed up (riding the waves). We walked out onto a concrete peir and dangled our feet in.

Then, some jellyfish came swimming by. We pulled our feet out at that point. I'm curious why the swimmers were not afraid of the jellyfish. Things that make you go hmmmmm....

I haven't run since Monday... so tonight and tomorrow night it's on!
Tonight's run: 10 minutes easy, 15 minutes at a faster clip, followed by a 10 minute easy cool down. This, of course, will take place at 8pm after the last japanese class of the semester and hopefully the temps will have cooled down by then. Oh, I think there's a forecast for thunderstorms this evening. Fun!

The tomato plants are flowering!!! The porch pansies are beautiful.
Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Summer bliss

I realize the solstice was a few days ago, but it is really feeling like summertime now. The last two evenings have been fabulous. A bit warm, but fabulous, nonetheless. The tomato plants are skyrocketing out of their pots, the flowers are starting to bloom, and I cooked! Monday night I made a meatloaf and mashed potatos. (not exactly summertime food, I know). The cooking storm warmed up the kitchen quite considerably. But, the food turned out great!


After the sweating Monday evening (which included a run, in addition to the cooking)...I took last night as a lounge evening. I relaxed on the pink couch (in cool spring clothes) while A studied for his big exam this weekend. No cooking...no moving around...just laying still, reading. It was summertime bliss.


I'm generally not one to lounge around the house in the evenings. I usually have activities to attend, but I really enjoyed the past few evenings of quality "at home" time. I'm proud of my cooking acheivement and loved the relaxing reading evening. Tonight, it's back to activity central for a couple nights. The girls are going walking along the beach in Quincy tonight...and tomorrow is the last japanese class of the semester.


Every morning, I say hello to the jellyfish, and take a moment to chat with them. I figure that if I'm nice to them, I might not get hurt so bad when they take over the city. There are quite a few out there!!! Here's a pic taken last week.

Wingnut Meatloaf Recipe:
Hot italian sausage (a pack)
Ground Beef ( a small pack)
Ground Turkey ( a pack)
Egg (2)
Ketchup (several large squirts)
Worcesteshire Sauce (some) (spelling?)
Oatmeal (some)
Mrs. Dash (more than a dash)


Mix it all together with love. Bake at 375 for about an hour. YUMM!


Wingnut Mashed Potatoes:
I peeled, chopped, and boiled the potatoes until soft...then drained them....added Cabot garlic herb cheese, butter, and milk...and blended them until creamy with the mixer. YUMM!

Monday, June 25, 2007

Phew! Another whirlwind week flew by! With a business trip to Raleigh, a new fun house guest for the summer, and a baby celebration, things have been quite busy.

There are jellyfish kickin' around (or whatever you call their form of movement) in the Fort Point Channel. I think they are plotting to take over Boston. Regardless, they are fun to watch on my way to work!

The Baby Shower "Price is Right" game was a big hit at yesterday's co-ed Baby Celebration. We had a blast! Thanks Sis for teaching me the game! Another big hit was the book we all created for the Mommy & Daddy to be. I put together a little accordion book (using a kit from the paper store) and asked everyone invited to the Celebration to decorate a 4x6 sheet of paper that I provided them with advice, funny stories, etc for the new Mom and Dad. At the party, we glued all of their pages in and decorated the book with some scrapbooking baby stickers. The masterpiece was quite a hit. And of course, I know you're wondering, because I would too; Was there cake at this event? Yes, as all showers, weddings, baby celebrations require, there most certainly was cake! I picked up a Razmatazz cake from Finale in Coolidge Corner. DELICIOUS!!!! It was a delightful swirl of rasberry mousse, fresh rasberries, lemon mousse, and white cake. Yummy is really the best way to describe it.

(other weekend activities this past weekend included cleaning the house and taking naps, so I'm not sure you need the details on that.)

A and I did hit the reservoir for our first long run (50 minutes) Sunday morning. We did great. We can tell the summer heat is setting in. The runs are going to have to be early or late to avoid the heat of the summer from here on out.

Thanks for reading! Have a great day!!!

Monday, June 18, 2007

Geese & more

Why don't geese just poop in the water while they are swimming? Why do they have to come up on shore and poop all over the running path around the reservoir?

I saw three families of geese this morning. Each family had a mom, a dad, and several babies. They were cute. Sis would've loved them!

Sis's trip to Beantown, unfortunately came to an end. We spent the weekend up in Vermont enjoying the sun, the scenery, a house on a lake, Ben&Jerry's factory tour, cider donuts, Lake Champlaign chocolates, and little shops in Stowe. Back in Massachusetts the rain was coming down. She made it home safely. I miss her already.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

In the spirit of Father's Day, this site is worth a few chuckles.

Happy Father's Day to Pops and all the other dads out there!

It's Official!

My Sis is officially a HOME OWNER!!! (all the paperwork is done and they did that "closing" thing)

We celebrated last night with Steak Fajitas for 3 and Raspberry 'Ritas at Fajitas & 'Ritas. Then we hit the theater for Ocean's 13. Both the restaurant and the movie get rave reviews in my book!

Highlight of the day (yesterday): Riding the swan boats in the public garden!!!!

Highlight of the evening (yesterday): Playing hangman on the white paper covering the table at Fajitas & 'Ritas.

Tonight we're off to Vermont for some good 'ol country fun!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Well Earned Gold Stars

Two Gold Stars for A! He did double workouts yesterday. Not only did he run at 6am, but he hit the gym after work and did some weights! Meanwhile, Sis and I pampered ourselves with pedicures and delicious Ethiopian food. YUMM!!!! YUMMM!!! YUMM!!! We liked all the stuff we ordered. Sis had great suggestions on the ordering.

To the M of M&D regarding sports: The Sports information that I post here is completely sporadic... therefore I cannot answer your question about the A's. I'm also not familiar with this team you call the Pink Sox. Are they new? The Colorado Rockies are in town!!!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

We took Sis to the Parker House last night for fine Boston dining. It was quite hopping there actually. The Parker House rolls and the Boston Creme Pie continue to be excellent!

She enjoyed an afternoon of strolling Faneuil Hall, while I worked.

A and I hit the pavement at 6am this morning for a nice 30min run. It is amazing how wonderful the temperature and the air feels at that time of day!

Monday, June 11, 2007

My Sis is in town!!! YIPPPEEEE!!!

Happy Monday everyone,
This Saturday, I volunteered at the Gay Pride Parade. There are lots of pics on flickr (not mine, but other people's pics). It was quite an event and a long morning for me. I got home around 4pm caught a quick nap (okay, so I passed out) and then prepped for Sis's arrival!

Sunday morning was amazingly productive. I made pasta salad and banana bread. then, I put away ALL of my clothes that had been begging me to put them away for months. A is great about doing the laundry, I just fall behind in putting my clothes away.

Sis got up around noon and we headed down to Coolidge Corner for lunch. Yummy Crepes! We got some cupcakes to go home (of course).

Sis and I spent the early evening at Wrentham Outlets forgetting that we are poor. We have quite the stylish wardrobes for summer! We dined at the ever-fancy Cracker Barrel and took pics to send back to M & D. It's one of their favorite spots.

Time is flying by.. A and I didn't run over the weekend, but I hit the pavement this morning for a 40 minute run.

Tonight we are dining at The Parker House for some delicious Boston Creme Pie (and maybe dinner, too).

Friday, June 8, 2007

A story about my conversation with a little boy on the way home from the T

Last night, I was walking my normal route down a residential street from the T to my house. It's about 5:30pm.... A little boy (probably age 4 or 5) is sitting infront of his house holding a metallic shiny swirly thing people hang in their yards to add sparkle. I smiled at the little boy and he began the following conversation:

Boy: Do you want to buy a toy for your kids?
Me: No thanks. But that looks like a great toy!
Boy: But, I'm selling toys for kids that don't have any toys.
Me: Well, that is a great thing to do, but I don't have any kids.
Boy: They're still in your tummy?
Me: (a little chuckle) No, not yet.
Boy: They're growing right?
Me: (more chuckling) Nope not yet. Have a fun evening!
Boy: (waved goodbye)

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Ducks!

The Mighty Ducks take the cup! It's the first time for them. No, I don't keep up with sports...but I saw it on the news this AM and I've always felt this connection to the Ducks because of the movies with what's his face Estevez. I love those movies! They are the feel good kind which I tend to eat up like a big piece of cake.

In other Duck related news, I saw a family of baby ducks in the channel waters this morning as I walked over the bridge. So cute! It seems that spring came a bit late this year...we have summer baby ducks and geese around here.

A and I hit the yoga class at the Y last night. It's high time we got back into regular yoga practice. Class felt great! I love the teacher there. She remembers us and learns our names even though we've only shown up 3 times in the last 6 months. We did a lot of back bends last night and I'm feeling lots of muscles in my back I didn't know I had.

This morning I hit the pavement at 6am for my 25 min easy run. A will do his this evening. He hit the sidewalk to the train at 6:30am to go to work.

Happy Birthday to Liz!

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Chocolate Boosts

As I snack on my chocolate covered goodies (pistachios, blueberries, pretzels) and cashews, I am reminded of a lesson I learned in the Pyrenees.

---No matter how tired I am or how wobbly my legs become, a few bites of chocolate covered goodies will always give me energy to carry on!-----

The official start!

Training for the Half Marathon officially began last night. A has agreed to join in on the half-marathon training! (I'm the coach and training schedule maker because of my extensive years of experience).

We started off slow and easy for a full 20 minutes last night. Then we did a few sprints for fun! We had a healthy dinner chock full of vegetables....so this morning, I celebrated with a Boston Creme donut from Dunkin!

At the reservoir, after our run, we watched the baby geese swim, eat, and do their thing.

This week's movie pics: The Freedom Writers, Two For The Money

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Happy 3-0 to Nate today!!! Wow, my schoolmates are turning thirty. I think that means I might turn 30 this year.... We'll see.

Still overcast and gloomy here.

Ambs canoed 18 miles!!! As part of an 85 ski-to-sea relay race.
Emily hit another personal record for marathon racing in the San Diego Marathon.
(so much inspiration to hit the ground running and get training myself!)

The Snapfish album of Spain is coming along... hopefully you'll have it accessible by week's end. The RI C forwarded this timely article along about the different online photoshare sites. It has a very helpful review, and it looks like I chose wisely with Snapfish!

As Vonnegut and A say: "Hi Ho"

P.S. Our art teacher stiffed us and didn't show up for the last class!

Monday, June 4, 2007

Monday morning update - June 4, 2007

We hosted a 35th Birthday Party at our house last night! Complete with a "tiki man" shaped pinata. All the kids walking down the street were jealous of us! One lady walked by and said it was her birthday, so we let her have a blind swipe at the "tiki man" too. It made her day! Thanks to A for rigging up the line so we could hang the "tiki man" in the front yard and away from danger of swatting the house.

Dinner with baby J on Friday was awesome!!! He is the cutest 3 week old baby I've ever met! He and his dads are very very lucky to have each other. We chowed on pad thai (well J had a bottle) and talked about babies, spain, work, etc.

I figured out that it wasn't Cara's b-day on Friday...but it was my half birthday! Also Kathy's birthday. She loved the cupcakes we brought to her this weekend. I'm grateful for the fresh cut flowers I got from her yard!

Does Nate turn 30 tomorrow??? So many birthdays this week. Yesterday was Grandma's birthday. Mom and Dad's anniversary is coming up!

It's pouring rain here... I'm drying off slowly.
Happy Monday!



Someone is riding around in CA with my name on their motorcyle! You can't really see it here, but the license plate says Wing Nut. Thanks M for thinking of me!

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Honey Bunches of Oats Tour




The Honey Bunches of Oats van invited me to go on tour with them.

Friday, June 1, 2007

It's June!!!

Happy June 1st to everyone!

On this day I always wonder whether it's Cara's birthday today, or July 1st. Then, I check my calendar, which I will do now. It does not help me... I know her birthday is six months apart from mine which is Dec 1st. So, that must mean it's today?

I tried uploading Spain pics to Yahoo!Photos last night, to find out that Yahoo!Photos is phasing themselves out of the game... This weekend, I will conform, like everyone else, and put them up on Snapfish. Stay tuned!

Baby Jed is coming over for dinner tonight!

Today's fun: http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/05/31/lego.artist/index.html

Thursday, May 31, 2007

HOLA!!

Did I make up that "boing boing" thing down below? that's Funny! I love making myself laugh.

I could apologize for skipping a whole two months of blogging, but then I'd just be apologizing everytime I post something.

Tomorrow begins the Month of June. I'll have to think of a catchy phrase for the "Happy Summer" post.

A and I just returned from 12 days in Spain (We toured Barcelona, Andorra, the southeast coast of France, the north east coast of Spain, and the Dali museum in Figueres)! Vacation is grand. It is such a great life to be on vacation. One disconcerting thing about the trip: We visited three countries and didn't get ONE stamp in our passport. What's the point of having pages in my passport if no one is going to stamp them?

We are back in the working world now...it's nice to be welcomed back, but it's still work. I'm sure you all understand.

I'll post pictures in a couple days so stay tuned!!! We took 925 pics during the trip, I don't think I'll post them all, but be prepared for several hundred!

Off the top of my head April and May highlights:

The east coast R's celebrated Easter with afternoon Tea on Saturday and dinner at the Parker House on Sunday.

Emily ran the boston marathon!
Britta visited from Guatemala!
Ro, Camille, and Leo came to "See Emily Run"!
Mom and Dad moved back to S-town! (They are loving the CA weather and not missing Beantown in the least)
All of the above happened in one weekend. Thanks to Al and Kathy for transporting my new pink couch in time for the guests!!!

Sis has begun the house hunt....phew that's a lot of work in addition to the overtime she's working!

I ran the James Joyce Ramble for the second year in a row....and am now gearing up for a half marathon in Montreal on Sept 9th.

I traveled to South Dakota for work. It was fun to listen to the cows outside of my hotel room at night.

We packed and prepped for Spain and fit in a weekend trip to the Vineyard between South Dakota and Spain. I lounged and went running, A cut down dead trees with a chainsaw.

Upon returning from Spain, we found out such happy happy news, I have to share: Rattler and Michael got a baby boy!!!

the BookClub is moving along at a quick pace. We read "The Namesake" and are now reading Kurt Vonnegut's "Slapstick". A man next to me on the plan was reading a book by Paolo Coehlo (the author of The Alchemist, which was our first bookclub book) called Virginia Decides to Die (or something). I'd like to read another Coehlo book. I am greatly enjoying my newfound love for books. I read "In Her Shoes" on the plane to and from Spain. The book is much much much better than the movie.

I think you're caught up now. More updates and random thoughts to come. (hopefully, more frequently).

P.S. I think I'm leaving the pink fashion phase and entering the green world. I bought a new green purse in Andorra and wore a green cardigan set yesterday. I kind old lady in the doctor's office waiting area asked me how I got my purse to match my sweater perfectly. I also have a new favorite sweatshirt from the vineyard which is green (a zip up hoody).

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Britta's in Guatemala! Check out the pictures of her adventure here: www.damianfiles.com

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

First Day of SPRING! (boing boing)

Let's think of happy things like the tulips soon to arrive and the warmer temperatures to come! Let's think of hiking in the sunny mountains of New England. Let's think of swimming in Walden Pond. (Okay, now I'm getting into summer).

I love spring!
Grandma passed away this month. I'm sorry for my Pops. I know it was hard to see her age. No matter the conditions they are in or how old we become ourselves, it's a hard thing when a parent passes. (Luckily, I don't know from experience.) I'm thankful to my Uncle, Aunt, and Sister for being there. I'll remember Grandma fondly and think about her in a better place. After all, she was the grandparent that I knew the most.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Bathtubs! Toilets! and Sinks! Oh MY!

I've already got a picture of the japanese style bathroom I will build in my house someday. It's a hardcopy pic, so I can't show you here. In the meantime, here's a toilet discussion for your contemplation.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

I don't know what I was thinking! I brought fruit instead of cookies for snack today.

Today is the Ides of March. Beware!

Here, in New England, we can't figure out what season it is. Yesterday it was over 70 degrees and tomorrow we are forcasted for a foot of snow. What fun!

It's great to see all the people coming out of their winter hibernation...lots of action along the Charles River and all around town with runners and walkers. I've been lucky enough to partake the last two evenings. My legs are loving me for giving them some exercise. And my tummy is asking for sweet rewards!

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Winter has finally come!

Nine degrees this morning. Just 9. Not 19. Not 29. Just 9. Brrrr.

The Iditarod racers have warmer weather in Alaska right now.

I don't mean this as a complaint. More of an amazement. I do look quite cute all bundled up.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

One Year

One year ago, I flew from Sacramento to Boston to begin working at Dewberry. Today is my one year anniversary with "The Dew". Let's eat cake!

Monday, March 5, 2007

Mommy Daughter Day - March 3rd 2007

I don’t know about you, but I had a very fun, very social, very busy, very relaxing weekend. You’re probably asking, how can one weekend be all of those things? I’ll tell you.

The weekend festivities began with celebration of the work week ending on Friday evening. Kate and I met the Boys (A and Peter) at Cambridge Brewing Company for a fun dinner and (can you believe it?) a 3.5 liter tower of pale ale. No, Kate didn’t partake in the pale ale, but she shared pics of the ultrasound with us! We talked about all kinds of grown-up things…having babies, buying houses, planning finances, etc. Amazing! I can’t wait until I’m 30. We adjourned dinner and migrated to Christina’s for a scoop of ice cream and then called it a night. We, adults, couldn’t hang out past 10pm!

Mom, however, is super spunky! Saturday, we started our Mommy/Daughter Day at 8am with Power Step Class. It was quite a workout! Dripping in sweat, but still looking quite cute in our workout clothes, we went to the “cute breakfast place by the gym”. It has a name…I think it’s called “The Lighter Fare” in Quincy. We dined on a smoked salmon version of eggs benedict and easily made up for the calories we burned while stepping, stomping, spinning, and lifting at the gym.

After getting the grand tour of the Fruit Center we tootled back to Mom’s and bathed. At this point it was noon and we toyed with two options for our next activity: take a nap or see a movie (which is kind of like taking a nap). Instead, we talked ourselves into an outdoor exploration due to the sunny warm weather. Sunny and 50 degrees is something to celebrate around here! Napless, we headed out into the world. Mom, as designated driver, and I, as designated navigator, we left the car with GPS at home and took the beloved van and paper map book out to Hull.

We stopped along the way at a beach parking area to look out over the water. Several other people were doing the same thing. We quickly learned that the thing to do is park at the water, put your chair back and take a nap or read a book. Everyone was just chillin’ in their cars. So we chilled in ours. We chatted about the fact that we were sleepy and hadn’t taken a nap. No, we didn’t nap in the car. We moved along into the town of Hull.

Before, stopping in for a bite to eat, we walked “the strip”, meandered over to the beach, strolled along the squishy wet sand. Mom was amused by the fact that the wet sand near the water squished under our shoes. It wasn’t compact and hard like we’d expect. We admired several of the homes along the walk and made our way back to “the strip”. There we popped into the bakery/coffee shop and had a blast! The shop was holding a cookie tasting contest. We got to try three different cookies and vote for our favorite. It was sooo Gilmore Girls! When we finished our tea and snacks we remarked about what a fun little town Hull is and returned to the car. We drove out to the tip and enjoyed the view of Boston Harbor.

It was different to see the skyline from that perspective. It was a due west viewpoint. Usually we just see it from the North or the South… Plenty of people were parked at this lookout just chillin’ in their cars. Perhaps, to a New Englander in the winter that is what defines “going out” for the day. It worked for us! We did our share of strolling in the wind on the beach and were happy to enjoy the views from inside the car.

At 4pm we headed down to Weymouth (with expert navigation by moi) and found (with a little help from a nice lady at CVS) the Cameo theater. For $4 per person we saw the movie “The Last King of Scotland”. It wasn’t about Scotland. It was about Uganda and the reign of Amin in the 1970s. Very well done…. I can see why it won the Oscars it won. Not exactly a peppy movie, but very well done.

We finished the day with dinner at American Joe’s and went back to Mom’s around 9pm. What a day! The great thing about Mommy Daughter day is that you can celebrate it whenever you want. It doesn’t have to be on a given day that the calendar gods declare. We had a blast!

On Sunday, A and I slept in, took ourselves across the street for breakfast and then met Rattler and Michael at the Tower Botanical Gardens (outside of Worcester) for a lovely lunch in the Twigs Café and afternoon walk around the gardens. There’s a great Orangerie (greenhouse) with inside blossoming flowers and lots of fun outdoor paths to stroll. We had a great time stomping and slipping and sliding around in the snow, and we’ll definitely go back in the spring for the beautiful flowers. The boys invited us over to their house for hot cocoa and continued chit chat. That have a great bungalow filled with three dogs and a cat. We’re hoping for a baby soon too! The room is ready to go in Classic Pooh décor. Adorable!

On the way home A and I stopped at Michael’s to pick up some frames for our most important professional certifications. My CFM and his PE! We also got a fun candle making kit and some new pencils for my art class.

So, can you see how the weekend was fun, social, busy, and still relaxing?

Friday, March 2, 2007

Pink

A bought me a shiny new pink softball glove! I'm ready to take my princess self out to the softball fields this spring. Anyone need a player?

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Happy Belated New Year!

Whoa is me! Where ever shall I begin?

First, with apologies for not “blogging” regularly….Dear reader, please accept my sincerest apologies.

Second, with HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! How is your 2007 going? A and I kicked off the new year with some good friends and fun snow play in New Hampshire. We snowboarded, hiked in the snow, and played games in the nice warm condo. The following weekend we enjoyed high tea with M and D at the new Taj hotel (formerly the Ritz Carlton) downtown. All parties involved thought the tea and snacks were fabulous!

Since then A and I have had several “chill” weekends enjoying our Brighton/Brookline neighborhood. We tried the Boston Sports Club for a couple weeks and then joined the YMCA. We enjoy Saturday morning walks to Coolidge Corner. Sometimes we get brunch and find fun things at the game store, other times we just pick up the random necessities such as the latest book club book. This past weekend we hit the video game store. I’m the proud owner of Dance Dance Revolution! Anyone want to challenge me?

We’ve had plenty of adventurous weekends also. We explored Provincetown (at the tip of the cape) and hiked in the national seashore area there. Let me tell you, walking on frozen sand dunes is so much easier than unfrozen sand. We crossed frozen cat tail marshes and frozen ponds. Lot’s of casual ice hockey happening on the ponds! Over President’s Day weekend, we visited A’s family on Martha’s Vineyard. There were frozen ponds and sand dunes there too! We were lucky enough to have snow out there also.

On the home front, things are great. We’re keeping a busy social calendar and finding plenty of time to relax. Amy and Paige came to visit us last week! I’ve picked up this month’s book club book: “The Winter of Our Discontent” by John Steinbeck. Last week we discussed “The Race Across Alaska” by Libby Riddles. If you haven’t learned much about dog sled racing, or mushing, it’s quite fascinating! (cold but fascinating) Actually this year’s Iditarod begins on Saturday!

Before I end this post, I’ll give you the traveling update. We’ve got a trip to Spain booked! At the end of May we’re hitting Barcelona, Andorra, and the northern most coastal area of Spain. A and I are looking forward to a new adventure in new places.

Stay Tuned for more updates!