I survived my trip to O Canada last weekend. The weather was great, the family was wonderful to me, and I had a wonderful time. We got to our hotel around 9pm on Friday night after 5 hours on the road. We met up with George's brother and his wife who were staying at the same hotel and spent a little time in their room before calling it a night. I was very happy to jump in the shower and crawl into bed.
Saturday morning we drove over to Uncle Cleo's and Aunt Sylvia's, where I met pretty much the whole family. Cousins came out of the woodwork, aunts and uncles galore. George's mother was one of 18 children and although half of her siblings are now deseased, it still leaves a very large family.
The guest of honor arrived around noontime. He is Uncle Leonid, 90 years young. Uncle Leonid is a missionary in Peru and this was his last visit home. He is really too old to travel but wanted to come home one last time to say goodbye to the family. He plans on remaining in Peru and will eventually die and be buried there. He has been a missionary for over 60 years and considers Peru his home.
The entire afternoon was full of stories and memories, and the event had a bittersweet feeling to it. Everyone was happy to have this last time together because usually the only time people come together like this are at funerals. Uncle Leonid was thrilled to be able to celebrate his life with everyone. But at the end of the day, there were tears both happy and sad. Even I was bawling and I had just met the man. It was very easy to get caught up in the emotion because they all have a very strong sense of family and I could see that even though many live hundreds of miles away, everyone is very close.
George's cousins took pity on me and most of them speak a little English so it was easy communicating with them. George's cousin Diane has a 14 year old son and he asked if he could sit beside me during lunch so he could practice his English. What a remarkable young man. His name is Jean Pierre and he is already training to be a pilot. He is in the Canadian Junior Air Corps and will be able to fly a plane in a couple short years. Part of his training requires him to be bi-lingual and his English is really good. Much better than my French, that's for sure. It was a pleasure to talk with him.
George's cousin Denis also thought it was his duty to teach me the most important words in the French language. Unfortunately for him, I already know all the dirty French words. LOL
Lunch was served in a small restaurant below the apartments in the apartment building where Uncle Cleo lives. We had smoked salmon on a bed of lettuce with onions and capers and fresh fruit to start. Cream of Cauliflower soup followed and then a choice of either chicken with a mustard sauce or salmon in a citrus sauce for our entree. George and I both chose the chicken, which was delicious. That was accompanied by mashed potatoes and a mix of vegetables. For dessert we had a wonderful cake with peaches and mango and a buttery demi glaze. Everything was very yummy.
After lunch we visited and chatted and posed for pictures. The party broke up around 6pm and George and I went back to the hotel to relax but that didn't happen. His brother Ray and his wife Diane wanted to go out for a late supper so we joined them. Once we got back to the hotel we were joined by a couple of Aunts and Uncles who were also staying at the same hotel. It was a very long day and a late night but I had a great time and I crashed out once my head hit the pillow, even though the bed was miserably uncomfortable.
Sunday morning we all met for breakfast and George and I were on the road by 10:30. Another long ride home, but I could tell George was very happy that I had accompanied him. (Apparently his wife was not one to make those trips with him.)
I also took time last weekend to get to know George's sister in law, Diane. She's a wonderful person and very funny. She has been through a lot in her life but she has an awesome attitude and never feels sorry for herself. She has been in a wheelchair for 15 years because the Muscular Dystrophy that she's had since childhood has affected her legs. Several years ago she had surgery which was supposed to help her but is was a temporary solution and consequently left her speech affected so now she has a hard time communicating verbally. She does get a good part of her point across but sometimes gets stuck so she has to resort to writing things down. She and I got along beautifully and we share a sarcastic sense of humor. She is very quick witted and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her. She calls me her new sister so I guess that means I am now part of the family.
The street signs in Quebec are in French but luckily for me, just about everyone there is bi-lingual to some degree. The menu's in the restaurants are also written in both French and English and I was able to find some television channels in English. We didn't get a chance to see much of the city but Quebec City seems to be a very happening place. Our hotel was surrounded by night clubs and there are malls and shops everywhere. We are planning to go up again in the spring so we can actually enjoy Old Quebec, which is rich in history and very beautiful. I wish we had more time because they are celebrating Quebec's 400th anniversary and it would have been fun to take part in that.
I will post pictures as soon as I can. For some reason I am having trouble downloading them onto my laptop and once I figure out how to rectify that, I will get them posted.
It's a cold and rainy day today so I had to turn the furnace on this morning to get the chill out. I may have to turn up the heat, my hands are freezing.
Have a great weekend!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
This and That
Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. Not a whole lot to post, just the day to day stuff like work and such. My life lately has been full but not full of interesting things. Just busy but I have been trying to keep up with everyone's posts and figured I'd better let you all know I am still among the living.
Things around here have been a little chaotic. I've been trying to purge this place, getting rid of things I don't need in order to make my move a tad bit easier. It's not a simple thing, I've been living in this house for almost 19 years and I have accumulated tons. I am willing to part with most of it, so I've been making side trips to the nearby Goodwill and the town dump. My neighbor had a yard sale this past weekend and after looking at her 'junk', I know I can get rid of a lot by doing the same thing. I have a lot of 'good junk' that I won't be needing to take with me. George's house is well stocked with all the essentials and I can sell or give away all of my small appliances and things of that nature. I have a bedroom set to sell, a couch to give away, a couple of desks, coffee tables and end tables and a couple of TV's and phones to dispose of too. The washer,dryer, stove and fridge are staying with the house so we won't have to worry about moving that. I kind of want to take my china hutch with me but there's no place to put it in the kitchen/dining area. I might just pack up my china and sell it. I do want to take my everyday dishes though because they are nicer than what he has. Donna left him with a partial set of old dishes and some even older pots and pans. They have a court date in a couple of weeks and once the divorce is final, I will be able to start moving my things in. Hopefully I will be all moved in and have my house cleaned out and closed up by Thanksgiving. Eric is still interested in renting my house once his lease is up so I will probably just close the house up for the winter and have it waiting for him when he is ready. Anyway, that's what I have been doing in my spare time.
Last night we went to a Pampered Chef party. Eric and Jessie hosted the party which was attended by Jessie's parents and her aunt as well. It was fun, and Jessie sold a lot of items so she will be able to get a lot of things that were on her 'wish list'. Her parents also bought a couple of things on the list so they will have quite a few new things in their kitchen.
Next weekend George and I are going to Quebec City in Canada for a family reunion sort of thing. His Uncle is a missionary in Peru and is coming home for a visit. It will probably be his last visit home since he is around 90 years old so the family wants as many of the family to be there as possible. He is George's favorite uncle so naturally he doesn't want to miss seeing him. George's brother and sister in law are also going up and will be staying at the same hotel that we'll be at so I am looking forward to having them there as well. At least there will be 3 people there that I know. And they can all help me with translation since most of the family speaks French and not much else. I can understand a lot if people speak slowly but you know that's not going to happen. I also think that everything is written in French there too so I won't be able to read menus or street signs. I am looking forward to the whole Quebec experience. I should have plenty to blog about when we get back.
OK time for me to get the laundry done and then I can kick back and watch some football! Have a great Sunday.
Things around here have been a little chaotic. I've been trying to purge this place, getting rid of things I don't need in order to make my move a tad bit easier. It's not a simple thing, I've been living in this house for almost 19 years and I have accumulated tons. I am willing to part with most of it, so I've been making side trips to the nearby Goodwill and the town dump. My neighbor had a yard sale this past weekend and after looking at her 'junk', I know I can get rid of a lot by doing the same thing. I have a lot of 'good junk' that I won't be needing to take with me. George's house is well stocked with all the essentials and I can sell or give away all of my small appliances and things of that nature. I have a bedroom set to sell, a couch to give away, a couple of desks, coffee tables and end tables and a couple of TV's and phones to dispose of too. The washer,dryer, stove and fridge are staying with the house so we won't have to worry about moving that. I kind of want to take my china hutch with me but there's no place to put it in the kitchen/dining area. I might just pack up my china and sell it. I do want to take my everyday dishes though because they are nicer than what he has. Donna left him with a partial set of old dishes and some even older pots and pans. They have a court date in a couple of weeks and once the divorce is final, I will be able to start moving my things in. Hopefully I will be all moved in and have my house cleaned out and closed up by Thanksgiving. Eric is still interested in renting my house once his lease is up so I will probably just close the house up for the winter and have it waiting for him when he is ready. Anyway, that's what I have been doing in my spare time.
Last night we went to a Pampered Chef party. Eric and Jessie hosted the party which was attended by Jessie's parents and her aunt as well. It was fun, and Jessie sold a lot of items so she will be able to get a lot of things that were on her 'wish list'. Her parents also bought a couple of things on the list so they will have quite a few new things in their kitchen.
Next weekend George and I are going to Quebec City in Canada for a family reunion sort of thing. His Uncle is a missionary in Peru and is coming home for a visit. It will probably be his last visit home since he is around 90 years old so the family wants as many of the family to be there as possible. He is George's favorite uncle so naturally he doesn't want to miss seeing him. George's brother and sister in law are also going up and will be staying at the same hotel that we'll be at so I am looking forward to having them there as well. At least there will be 3 people there that I know. And they can all help me with translation since most of the family speaks French and not much else. I can understand a lot if people speak slowly but you know that's not going to happen. I also think that everything is written in French there too so I won't be able to read menus or street signs. I am looking forward to the whole Quebec experience. I should have plenty to blog about when we get back.
OK time for me to get the laundry done and then I can kick back and watch some football! Have a great Sunday.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Weekend Update (Labor Day Edition)
OK Styxie I can take a hint. I was going to wait until tomorrow but I suppose I better get this done now. LOL
So, the long Labor Day weekend is now a thing of the past. All I can say is there never seems to be enough time in the day lately.
Friday I had the day off, giving me an extra day to do whatever needed to be done, or whatever I felt like doing. I spent the morning doing laundry, getting groceries and making Avon deliveries. Luckily I only have 5 customers in town so that didn't take very long, but I also did my banking while I was in town. I then came home and put the groceries away, folded laundry, and took care of some chores while I watched a few soap operas. Yes they are a guilty pleasure for me since I usually only have every other Friday off and that is the only time I can really watch them.
George came over after he got out of work and we went out to Applebees for supper. They had a pizza party at work for lunch so he didn't want pizza again for supper. Can't say that I blame him there. There aren't too many places around here to eat a decent supper so we went to Applebees. No complaints, both of our meals were very good and we didn't have to wait for a table.
Saturday morning George ran his errands and then we booked our vacation for February. We will be going on a 5 night cruise to Jamaica, Grand Caymen and some other port that escapes my memory at the moment. We will be leaving out of Miami on Valentine's Day. I am very excited since I have never been on a cruise and it is something I have always wanted to do. Once we got that squared away, we headed out to Concord to meet Rose and Steve at Olive Garden. (We were supposed to attend Big John's Pig roast that afternoon but I could tell George's heart wasn't in it so we decided to not go. According to a few who did go, we didn't really miss much.)
The weather had been pretty good all day, I would guess 75-80 degrees and sunny but as soon as we got in to Concord, it clouded over and started to rain. It came down pretty hard for about 5 minutes and then the sun was back out and except for the puddles, you would never have known it had rained. When we got to the restaurant, there was a huge line of people outside waiting to be seated and I thought we were going to have quite a wait on our hands. But I saw Rose in the crowd and she had the foresight to go on inside and get a buzzer (or whatever you call those alien looking things). We waited about 15 minutes and Rose started to vibrate so it was time to go in and get some food!
We were seated and a nice looking young man named Colin came over to tell us he was our server for the night. We ordered drinks and started yacking away. Rose makes me laugh so much, it is hard to study a menu or make any kind of decision but we managed to finally order. The guys got steaks and Tuscan Potatoes, Rose got Seafood Alfredo and I decided on the Tour of Italy which consists of a very nice piece of Lasagna, Chicken Parmesan and a portion of Fettucini. This also comes with the most delicious breadsticks known to man and your choice of soup or salad. I chose the salad as did Steve and Rose. George went with the soup since he does not eat his veggies, but only had a couple of spoonfuls before deciding he would wait for his meal. My guess...he didn't realize there were going to be veggies in his soup, too. LOL He is a very fussy eater, strictly a meat and potatoes kinda guy.
We talked and ate and talked some more until we were all full. I really LOVE Olive Garden. :-)
After supper we went over to the Steeplegate Mall and walked around for an hour or so, just talking and window shopping. I didn't spend a penny. Now had we gone to Wal-Mart...
Sunday we got up early and had breakfast, then got ready to go to Massachusetts. I was pretty excited to finally meet Brad's family and I wanted to make a good impression so I dressed up a bit instead of wearing my usual jeans and a tee shirt. It was a nice ride down there, about 90 minutes, and we found their house with no problem at all. We were greeted by Sara and Brad and Brad's dog Gizmo in the driveway. We made our way to the back yard and met Deb and Wayne, Brad's parents, and Brad's Auntie Laura. All are very nice people, very gracious and I felt quite comfortable right from the start. Brad's brother Joe and his wife Karen arrived a bit later and they brought their yellow lab Riley with them. Well so much for me dressing up, Riley wanted to play ball and I got selected to be the ball thrower. She dropped her dirty wet tennis ball right in my lap, and kept nudging me until I gave in. Oh well...cotton washes pretty easily. LOL
We all took turns playing with her and did our best to tire her out. The guys played horseshoes and frisbee while all the ladies gabbed away out by the pool. It was very relaxing.
Wayne was the chef for the day and he made a delicious meal of lemon pepper chicken and roasted potatoes on the grill. He also made crabcakes and bbq kielbasa and there was a variety of salads to choose from as well. Everything was so good and we really did enjoy the day getting to know them all. Deb was having way more fun than all of us though and she got really trashed. It was kind of embarrassing and I really felt bad for Brad and Wayne, who kept apologizing for her behavior. I will say she is a quiet drunk, not at all loud and obnoxious like some can be. But still embarrassing, nonetheless.
We were invited to stay the night but I thought it best that we head on home. Those poor people were humiliated enough. We left around 8:30 and I was home and in bed shortly after 10pm. I don't know if Deb even remembers we were there. LOL Sara said she hasn't even mentioned us being gthere. Probably too embarrassed to bring it up.
George went home late Monday morning so he could beat the traffic and I did a little cleaning until noonish. Then I went to my parents house to wish my youngest brother a happy birthday. (He is now 43) I stayed for some cake and then headed home so I could relax at least a little bit before having to go back to work on Tuesday.
I was pretty tired actually and ended up going to bed quite early. There's nothing like your bed after a very busy weekend.
This week has been fairly quiet except for one little bit of drama. Sara called me on Tuesday to tell me that Brad's dog Gizmo passed away sometime during the night on Monday. He was 14, deaf and had cancer. The docs had orignially given him 3-4 weeks to live some 5 years ago, so I would say he did really well. I'm glad I got to meet him on Sunday. He was a cutie that's for sure and will be greatly missed by the family. (Oh and they called him Gizmo because he was a Papillion and looked just like Gizmo in the movie Gremlins.)
Ok all caught up on the week. Hope you all had a great holiday weekend and have a wonderful Friday!
Later!
So, the long Labor Day weekend is now a thing of the past. All I can say is there never seems to be enough time in the day lately.
Friday I had the day off, giving me an extra day to do whatever needed to be done, or whatever I felt like doing. I spent the morning doing laundry, getting groceries and making Avon deliveries. Luckily I only have 5 customers in town so that didn't take very long, but I also did my banking while I was in town. I then came home and put the groceries away, folded laundry, and took care of some chores while I watched a few soap operas. Yes they are a guilty pleasure for me since I usually only have every other Friday off and that is the only time I can really watch them.
George came over after he got out of work and we went out to Applebees for supper. They had a pizza party at work for lunch so he didn't want pizza again for supper. Can't say that I blame him there. There aren't too many places around here to eat a decent supper so we went to Applebees. No complaints, both of our meals were very good and we didn't have to wait for a table.
Saturday morning George ran his errands and then we booked our vacation for February. We will be going on a 5 night cruise to Jamaica, Grand Caymen and some other port that escapes my memory at the moment. We will be leaving out of Miami on Valentine's Day. I am very excited since I have never been on a cruise and it is something I have always wanted to do. Once we got that squared away, we headed out to Concord to meet Rose and Steve at Olive Garden. (We were supposed to attend Big John's Pig roast that afternoon but I could tell George's heart wasn't in it so we decided to not go. According to a few who did go, we didn't really miss much.)
The weather had been pretty good all day, I would guess 75-80 degrees and sunny but as soon as we got in to Concord, it clouded over and started to rain. It came down pretty hard for about 5 minutes and then the sun was back out and except for the puddles, you would never have known it had rained. When we got to the restaurant, there was a huge line of people outside waiting to be seated and I thought we were going to have quite a wait on our hands. But I saw Rose in the crowd and she had the foresight to go on inside and get a buzzer (or whatever you call those alien looking things). We waited about 15 minutes and Rose started to vibrate so it was time to go in and get some food!
We were seated and a nice looking young man named Colin came over to tell us he was our server for the night. We ordered drinks and started yacking away. Rose makes me laugh so much, it is hard to study a menu or make any kind of decision but we managed to finally order. The guys got steaks and Tuscan Potatoes, Rose got Seafood Alfredo and I decided on the Tour of Italy which consists of a very nice piece of Lasagna, Chicken Parmesan and a portion of Fettucini. This also comes with the most delicious breadsticks known to man and your choice of soup or salad. I chose the salad as did Steve and Rose. George went with the soup since he does not eat his veggies, but only had a couple of spoonfuls before deciding he would wait for his meal. My guess...he didn't realize there were going to be veggies in his soup, too. LOL He is a very fussy eater, strictly a meat and potatoes kinda guy.
We talked and ate and talked some more until we were all full. I really LOVE Olive Garden. :-)
After supper we went over to the Steeplegate Mall and walked around for an hour or so, just talking and window shopping. I didn't spend a penny. Now had we gone to Wal-Mart...
Sunday we got up early and had breakfast, then got ready to go to Massachusetts. I was pretty excited to finally meet Brad's family and I wanted to make a good impression so I dressed up a bit instead of wearing my usual jeans and a tee shirt. It was a nice ride down there, about 90 minutes, and we found their house with no problem at all. We were greeted by Sara and Brad and Brad's dog Gizmo in the driveway. We made our way to the back yard and met Deb and Wayne, Brad's parents, and Brad's Auntie Laura. All are very nice people, very gracious and I felt quite comfortable right from the start. Brad's brother Joe and his wife Karen arrived a bit later and they brought their yellow lab Riley with them. Well so much for me dressing up, Riley wanted to play ball and I got selected to be the ball thrower. She dropped her dirty wet tennis ball right in my lap, and kept nudging me until I gave in. Oh well...cotton washes pretty easily. LOL
We all took turns playing with her and did our best to tire her out. The guys played horseshoes and frisbee while all the ladies gabbed away out by the pool. It was very relaxing.
Wayne was the chef for the day and he made a delicious meal of lemon pepper chicken and roasted potatoes on the grill. He also made crabcakes and bbq kielbasa and there was a variety of salads to choose from as well. Everything was so good and we really did enjoy the day getting to know them all. Deb was having way more fun than all of us though and she got really trashed. It was kind of embarrassing and I really felt bad for Brad and Wayne, who kept apologizing for her behavior. I will say she is a quiet drunk, not at all loud and obnoxious like some can be. But still embarrassing, nonetheless.
We were invited to stay the night but I thought it best that we head on home. Those poor people were humiliated enough. We left around 8:30 and I was home and in bed shortly after 10pm. I don't know if Deb even remembers we were there. LOL Sara said she hasn't even mentioned us being gthere. Probably too embarrassed to bring it up.
George went home late Monday morning so he could beat the traffic and I did a little cleaning until noonish. Then I went to my parents house to wish my youngest brother a happy birthday. (He is now 43) I stayed for some cake and then headed home so I could relax at least a little bit before having to go back to work on Tuesday.
I was pretty tired actually and ended up going to bed quite early. There's nothing like your bed after a very busy weekend.
This week has been fairly quiet except for one little bit of drama. Sara called me on Tuesday to tell me that Brad's dog Gizmo passed away sometime during the night on Monday. He was 14, deaf and had cancer. The docs had orignially given him 3-4 weeks to live some 5 years ago, so I would say he did really well. I'm glad I got to meet him on Sunday. He was a cutie that's for sure and will be greatly missed by the family. (Oh and they called him Gizmo because he was a Papillion and looked just like Gizmo in the movie Gremlins.)
Ok all caught up on the week. Hope you all had a great holiday weekend and have a wonderful Friday!
Later!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
A Quickie
Just a quick post this morning while I have a few minutes. What started out as a relaxing do nothing weekend has quickly shaped up into a very busy weekend. This afternoon we are going to a pig roast for awhile at the home of a co worker of George's. Normally George doesn't socialize with people he works with because of his position at work. Sometimes people see you as a friend/aquaintance all the time and forget that you are their supervisor at work. But the guy who is having the pig roast (his name escapes me at the moment) is not one of George's employees and he's been inviting him for several years now, so we are going to make an appearance for awhile.
Later this evening we are meeting my best friend Rose and her hubby Steve for dinner at the Olive Garden. We've been planning this for some time now and something has always come up on the weekend of our dinner plans. But not tonight. I am looking forward to seeing her because I think it was Memorial Day weekend when we last saw each other. That's way too long to go without a Rosie fix. Not sure what we will do after dinner, maybe just go back to one of our houses and chat or walk around at the closest Mall.
Tomorrow afternoon we are heading down to Massachusetts to see my sweet daughter and her boyfriend. It will also be meet the parents day as I have yet to meet Brad's family. I am looking forward to meeting Brad's brother and sister in law also. Apparently Sunday is family day at their house and the whole family shows up for a BBQ, drinks and hanging out by the pool. The weather is supposed to be really nice all weekend so it should be a lot of fun!
On a little side note, Sara loves her job and has been talking about going back to school to become a dental assistant. I knew it wouldn't be long for her to tie her Anthropology degree in with a dental skill of some sort. She is looking into whether or not the dental office will help with schooling. I am betting they will.
It's really nice to hear the joy and excitement in her voice again.
I am hoping Monday I can do laundry and relax for the rest of the day. We have been invited to spend the night at Brad's parents on Sunday if we want to, but I think I will feel a little uncomfortable there since I hardly know them all. But we will see...it's about a 90 minute drive from their house to mine. I guess it all depends on how much fun we are having (and how much we are drinking) on Sunday.
I hope you all have a great long holiday weekend!
Enjoy!
Lainie
Later this evening we are meeting my best friend Rose and her hubby Steve for dinner at the Olive Garden. We've been planning this for some time now and something has always come up on the weekend of our dinner plans. But not tonight. I am looking forward to seeing her because I think it was Memorial Day weekend when we last saw each other. That's way too long to go without a Rosie fix. Not sure what we will do after dinner, maybe just go back to one of our houses and chat or walk around at the closest Mall.
Tomorrow afternoon we are heading down to Massachusetts to see my sweet daughter and her boyfriend. It will also be meet the parents day as I have yet to meet Brad's family. I am looking forward to meeting Brad's brother and sister in law also. Apparently Sunday is family day at their house and the whole family shows up for a BBQ, drinks and hanging out by the pool. The weather is supposed to be really nice all weekend so it should be a lot of fun!
On a little side note, Sara loves her job and has been talking about going back to school to become a dental assistant. I knew it wouldn't be long for her to tie her Anthropology degree in with a dental skill of some sort. She is looking into whether or not the dental office will help with schooling. I am betting they will.
It's really nice to hear the joy and excitement in her voice again.
I am hoping Monday I can do laundry and relax for the rest of the day. We have been invited to spend the night at Brad's parents on Sunday if we want to, but I think I will feel a little uncomfortable there since I hardly know them all. But we will see...it's about a 90 minute drive from their house to mine. I guess it all depends on how much fun we are having (and how much we are drinking) on Sunday.
I hope you all have a great long holiday weekend!
Enjoy!
Lainie
Saturday, August 23, 2008
A Few More Pics
I have a few more pictures from last weekend that I wanted to share. Along with a short story. LOL
The ride up to Pittsburg from George's house was about 3 hours long. We stopped for supper along the way in Twin Mountain, NH and that took just about an hour, so for approximately 4 hours, we talked while we rode and never turned the radio on once. This is typical for us, I finally found someone who talks as much as (or more than) I do. LOL Anyway, along the ride, it came up that we would be passing a beautiful waterfall that sits right along the side of the road. Since I have never been up there, I didn't know where it was, but I figured since George mentioned it and spoke about it for some time, it must be a spectacular sight. I was looking forward to seeing it. Well that waterfall went by in a flash, because we were talking about something else by the time we came upon in and he had pretty much driven by it by the time he pointed it out. What kind of a tour guide was he anyway? LOL He promised to stop there on the way home so I could have a good look and on Sunday, we did stop and enjoyed the view.
This is Beaver Brook Falls in Colebrook, NH The falls drop over approximately 70 feet of ledge to a little basin at the bottom, then flows into the Beaver Brook. You can walk up the right side of the falls on a small path that eventually changes to a slick and muddy climb, which I wasn't about to undertake. These pics were taken from the road and parking area in front of the falls and there is also a picnic area to the left and a very well manicured grassy area to just sit and enjoy the view.
We stopped there for about a half hour then continued on our way home.
Along the way, we drove by Cannon Mountain. I thought it was kind of cool to see the slopes without any snow on them so I snapped this pic as we drove by.
Note the chair lift in the center of the pic and the canoe in the Profile Lake below. There were two people fishing from the canoe.
This is a pic of Franconia Notch. Usually I am up there when the leaves are turning so it was neat to see the trees still all green. I will be going back this way in October so I will be able to get a shot when they are all colorful.
This is a picture of what used to be The Old Man in The Mountain also called Profile Mountain. There was a group of 5 Granite ledges that jutted out and appeared to be the profile of a man's face. The face was carved out naturally by glaciers thousands of years ago and was first discovered in 1805. The face collapsed in May of 2003 due to weathering. I pulled a pic off the 'Net to show what it did look like and the next one is the one I took of what it looks like now.
Doesn't look like much more than a big pile of rocks now. :-(
I also snapped this photo of Profile Lake as we drove by it. I just pointed the camera out the window and took the shot from behind so I was impressed at how well it came out. LOL
It was a really nice weekend and we are going back up the first weekend of October. Looking forward to getting some good pics of the foliage. Better charge up my camera!
The ride up to Pittsburg from George's house was about 3 hours long. We stopped for supper along the way in Twin Mountain, NH and that took just about an hour, so for approximately 4 hours, we talked while we rode and never turned the radio on once. This is typical for us, I finally found someone who talks as much as (or more than) I do. LOL Anyway, along the ride, it came up that we would be passing a beautiful waterfall that sits right along the side of the road. Since I have never been up there, I didn't know where it was, but I figured since George mentioned it and spoke about it for some time, it must be a spectacular sight. I was looking forward to seeing it. Well that waterfall went by in a flash, because we were talking about something else by the time we came upon in and he had pretty much driven by it by the time he pointed it out. What kind of a tour guide was he anyway? LOL He promised to stop there on the way home so I could have a good look and on Sunday, we did stop and enjoyed the view.
This is Beaver Brook Falls in Colebrook, NH The falls drop over approximately 70 feet of ledge to a little basin at the bottom, then flows into the Beaver Brook. You can walk up the right side of the falls on a small path that eventually changes to a slick and muddy climb, which I wasn't about to undertake. These pics were taken from the road and parking area in front of the falls and there is also a picnic area to the left and a very well manicured grassy area to just sit and enjoy the view.
We stopped there for about a half hour then continued on our way home.
Along the way, we drove by Cannon Mountain. I thought it was kind of cool to see the slopes without any snow on them so I snapped this pic as we drove by.
Note the chair lift in the center of the pic and the canoe in the Profile Lake below. There were two people fishing from the canoe.
This is a pic of Franconia Notch. Usually I am up there when the leaves are turning so it was neat to see the trees still all green. I will be going back this way in October so I will be able to get a shot when they are all colorful.
This is a picture of what used to be The Old Man in The Mountain also called Profile Mountain. There was a group of 5 Granite ledges that jutted out and appeared to be the profile of a man's face. The face was carved out naturally by glaciers thousands of years ago and was first discovered in 1805. The face collapsed in May of 2003 due to weathering. I pulled a pic off the 'Net to show what it did look like and the next one is the one I took of what it looks like now.
Doesn't look like much more than a big pile of rocks now. :-(
I also snapped this photo of Profile Lake as we drove by it. I just pointed the camera out the window and took the shot from behind so I was impressed at how well it came out. LOL
It was a really nice weekend and we are going back up the first weekend of October. Looking forward to getting some good pics of the foliage. Better charge up my camera!
Monday, August 18, 2008
The Land Of The Pointy Trees
Last weekend I had the opportunity to go WAY up North to what is often referred to as "God's Country" here in New Hampshire. Pittsburg, New Hampshire is about as far north as you can get before reaching Canada. The region is affectionately called The Great North Woods and that name fits perfectly. I've lived in New Hampshire all of my life and I have never been that far north, so I thought it was high time I go.
George found a place that rented log cabins and he made a reservation for the weekend. It was the cutest little place in the middle of nowhere. The folks who own the cabins (I believe there are 8 cabins in all) are retired folks and they really cater to the people who like to rough it with comfort. LOL I mean, that place had everything you can imagine. Here you can see the living area, all comfy and cozy, and there was even a VCR by the television and movies to watch.
The kitchen was well equipped also with every appliance necessary. There was even ice already frozen in the ice trays in the freezer. Notice the Captain Morgan on the counter. (OK I had to bring that myself.)
The bedroom was roomy but if there was one negative about the place, it had to be the mattress on the bed. Just too hard for my taste but very well stocked with extra blankets, pillows and plenty of storage.
There was a second bedroom which was very much like the one we used, except there was an alarm clock in that one. Since I had no place to be in the morning, there was no need to move the clock.
The bath included a large shower stall, a pedestal sink and a commode, all relatively new. Plenty of storage also for towels and personal items.
We spent a lot of time that Friday night outside on the front porch. Here are a few photos of the glorious view.
We were even treated to a nice full moon that evening.
As the moon got higher in the sky, I was watching some clouds passing in front of it. Doesn't it look like the moon was sliced in half?
Saturday we spent a good part of the day riding around to all of George's favorite haunts. He spent a lot of time up there as a teenager hunting and camping, and he swore I would see a moose before the end of the weekend. So that was our quest, and it took many miles of riding the back roads trying to accomplish that.
Here is a pic of George by Indian Stream.
Another pic of the stream.
We saw clouds rolling in and we could hear thunder off in the distance so we went back to the cabin to wait it out. I got a nice shot of the of the storm clouds over the First Connecticut Lake.
After the storm passed I just knew there would be a rainbow. I took these from the porch of the cabin.
Once the storm passed, we headed back out to "Moose Alley" to see what we could find. I had my eyes peeled as we drove along the roadside, looking into the woods and the fields as much as I could, to spot that moose that had been eluding us all day. One moose...any moose, that was all I wanted to see. We drove up to the Canadian border and turned around at the customs building, and I thought it was going to be a fruitless day of moose hunting. George was trying to pacify me by promising me another trip up there soon. I know he felt badly since he was so sure I would see a moose. I even started singing a song I was making up along the way about how there are no moose in moose alley. It was all a ploy, a conspiracy if you will, to get the tourists up there. I had begun to call the road "Mooseless Alley" and right about dusk, a couple of miles from the turnoff to where we were staying, we came upon several cars lining the side of the roadway. We pulled over and there in the bog, was a MOOSE!!! I got my camera ready and started clicking away. In my excitement, I apparently didn't get my settings right because the pics came out pretty dark but there he is in his splendid glory.
George estimates he is a young bull moose around 700 lbs. I think he's so cool.
This is a better shot taken with George's camera.
There were quite a few people there all taking pictures and it looked like the moose was getting a bit irritated so we decided to get back to the car and get out of harms way before he got really mad. I didn't care, I was happy, I finally saw a moose in the wild. I was like a kid who just got a huge birthday present. I was excited and very happy.
We went back to the cabin and sat outside on the porch, watching the full moon again and the stars. It was a really great way to cap off the day.
We left on Sunday morning after breakfast. I was a bit sad to go home, we had such a peaceful and wonderful weekend. I am thinking that would make a nice place to go next summer during our vacation. It's quiet and relaxing, and to me, that is what taking a vacation is all about. I know George had a good time, too. He said numerous times that he could easily spend a week there and not get bored.
I've got a few more pics from the weekend but will save those for another time.
I really should get in the kitchen and make something for supper.
Hugs!
George found a place that rented log cabins and he made a reservation for the weekend. It was the cutest little place in the middle of nowhere. The folks who own the cabins (I believe there are 8 cabins in all) are retired folks and they really cater to the people who like to rough it with comfort. LOL I mean, that place had everything you can imagine. Here you can see the living area, all comfy and cozy, and there was even a VCR by the television and movies to watch.
The kitchen was well equipped also with every appliance necessary. There was even ice already frozen in the ice trays in the freezer. Notice the Captain Morgan on the counter. (OK I had to bring that myself.)
The bedroom was roomy but if there was one negative about the place, it had to be the mattress on the bed. Just too hard for my taste but very well stocked with extra blankets, pillows and plenty of storage.
There was a second bedroom which was very much like the one we used, except there was an alarm clock in that one. Since I had no place to be in the morning, there was no need to move the clock.
The bath included a large shower stall, a pedestal sink and a commode, all relatively new. Plenty of storage also for towels and personal items.
We spent a lot of time that Friday night outside on the front porch. Here are a few photos of the glorious view.
We were even treated to a nice full moon that evening.
As the moon got higher in the sky, I was watching some clouds passing in front of it. Doesn't it look like the moon was sliced in half?
Saturday we spent a good part of the day riding around to all of George's favorite haunts. He spent a lot of time up there as a teenager hunting and camping, and he swore I would see a moose before the end of the weekend. So that was our quest, and it took many miles of riding the back roads trying to accomplish that.
Here is a pic of George by Indian Stream.
Another pic of the stream.
We saw clouds rolling in and we could hear thunder off in the distance so we went back to the cabin to wait it out. I got a nice shot of the of the storm clouds over the First Connecticut Lake.
After the storm passed I just knew there would be a rainbow. I took these from the porch of the cabin.
Once the storm passed, we headed back out to "Moose Alley" to see what we could find. I had my eyes peeled as we drove along the roadside, looking into the woods and the fields as much as I could, to spot that moose that had been eluding us all day. One moose...any moose, that was all I wanted to see. We drove up to the Canadian border and turned around at the customs building, and I thought it was going to be a fruitless day of moose hunting. George was trying to pacify me by promising me another trip up there soon. I know he felt badly since he was so sure I would see a moose. I even started singing a song I was making up along the way about how there are no moose in moose alley. It was all a ploy, a conspiracy if you will, to get the tourists up there. I had begun to call the road "Mooseless Alley" and right about dusk, a couple of miles from the turnoff to where we were staying, we came upon several cars lining the side of the roadway. We pulled over and there in the bog, was a MOOSE!!! I got my camera ready and started clicking away. In my excitement, I apparently didn't get my settings right because the pics came out pretty dark but there he is in his splendid glory.
George estimates he is a young bull moose around 700 lbs. I think he's so cool.
This is a better shot taken with George's camera.
There were quite a few people there all taking pictures and it looked like the moose was getting a bit irritated so we decided to get back to the car and get out of harms way before he got really mad. I didn't care, I was happy, I finally saw a moose in the wild. I was like a kid who just got a huge birthday present. I was excited and very happy.
We went back to the cabin and sat outside on the porch, watching the full moon again and the stars. It was a really great way to cap off the day.
We left on Sunday morning after breakfast. I was a bit sad to go home, we had such a peaceful and wonderful weekend. I am thinking that would make a nice place to go next summer during our vacation. It's quiet and relaxing, and to me, that is what taking a vacation is all about. I know George had a good time, too. He said numerous times that he could easily spend a week there and not get bored.
I've got a few more pics from the weekend but will save those for another time.
I really should get in the kitchen and make something for supper.
Hugs!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Saturday Night With The Kids
Good Afternoon!
I hope everyone has had a good weekend so far. It is a gorgeous day here in New Hampshire. No rain (until tonight) and sunny, not too hot, just a perfect day. Light breeze blowing by and for a change, NO humidity. We have been water logged around here. The ground has been saturated with all the rain we've had for the last month. I think we've had about 2 maybe 3 full days without rain the whole month of July and so far this August. One of the rainiest summers in a long time.
Eric and Jessie came for supper last night so I had a lot to do yesterday. When George arrived in the afternoon, I was in the middle of washing the kitchen floor. He offered to help with some other task so I had him grab the vacuum cleaner and he cleared the cobwebs I couldn't reach and he vacuumed the carpet. (He did a more thorough job than I do, too, I might add.) He's going to make a good housewife someday. LOL
The kids arrived around 6 and supper was just about ready. I made Chicken Parmasean with spaghetti and garlic bread. George picked up some fresh corn on the cob at the farm by his house and Jessie brought home made chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Everything was delicious and we were all pretty full. We sat around the table after supper talking. It was brought to my attention that Eric is interested in buying my house, but they don't have enough money at the moment for a down payment. He asked a lot of questions about when I was planning to sell and what kind of money he would need, and when I wanted to sell the house, etc. They live in an apartment and they are locked into their lease until March so they wouldn't be able to do anything until then.
After much discussion, it was suggested that I rent the house to them on a rent to own basis with part of their rent going into an account that they could use as a down payment. I don't carry a mortgage on the house, I own it outright, and all I would have to pay are the taxes, which I could manage. I could actually close up the house for a few months until they are ready to move in, and it would also give us a little more time to fix up a few things that need fixing. The bathroom is the one room in the house that needs a complete overhaul and that would be easier to do with no one living here. So it's something to think about and they left here with ideas popping into their heads, and Jessie visualizing where their furniture would go, etc. Of course, there are a lot of negatives that go along with renting/selling to relatives and we can work out all of the details when it is time. But for right now, it makes a lot of sense. I told them to think about it, discuss it, and let me know what they want to do.
Today is kind of a lazy day. We slept in this morning and had a late breakfast. George went home a little bit ago and I cleaned up the breakfast dishes and started a load of laundry. Once that is finished, I think I may take a ride. I need to get gas and I want to stop at WalMart and pick up a few things. Or I may just hang out here on the deck with a book. The weather is going to turn bad by this evening so I want to enjoy the sun while I can.
Enjoy your Sunday!
I hope everyone has had a good weekend so far. It is a gorgeous day here in New Hampshire. No rain (until tonight) and sunny, not too hot, just a perfect day. Light breeze blowing by and for a change, NO humidity. We have been water logged around here. The ground has been saturated with all the rain we've had for the last month. I think we've had about 2 maybe 3 full days without rain the whole month of July and so far this August. One of the rainiest summers in a long time.
Eric and Jessie came for supper last night so I had a lot to do yesterday. When George arrived in the afternoon, I was in the middle of washing the kitchen floor. He offered to help with some other task so I had him grab the vacuum cleaner and he cleared the cobwebs I couldn't reach and he vacuumed the carpet. (He did a more thorough job than I do, too, I might add.) He's going to make a good housewife someday. LOL
The kids arrived around 6 and supper was just about ready. I made Chicken Parmasean with spaghetti and garlic bread. George picked up some fresh corn on the cob at the farm by his house and Jessie brought home made chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Everything was delicious and we were all pretty full. We sat around the table after supper talking. It was brought to my attention that Eric is interested in buying my house, but they don't have enough money at the moment for a down payment. He asked a lot of questions about when I was planning to sell and what kind of money he would need, and when I wanted to sell the house, etc. They live in an apartment and they are locked into their lease until March so they wouldn't be able to do anything until then.
After much discussion, it was suggested that I rent the house to them on a rent to own basis with part of their rent going into an account that they could use as a down payment. I don't carry a mortgage on the house, I own it outright, and all I would have to pay are the taxes, which I could manage. I could actually close up the house for a few months until they are ready to move in, and it would also give us a little more time to fix up a few things that need fixing. The bathroom is the one room in the house that needs a complete overhaul and that would be easier to do with no one living here. So it's something to think about and they left here with ideas popping into their heads, and Jessie visualizing where their furniture would go, etc. Of course, there are a lot of negatives that go along with renting/selling to relatives and we can work out all of the details when it is time. But for right now, it makes a lot of sense. I told them to think about it, discuss it, and let me know what they want to do.
Today is kind of a lazy day. We slept in this morning and had a late breakfast. George went home a little bit ago and I cleaned up the breakfast dishes and started a load of laundry. Once that is finished, I think I may take a ride. I need to get gas and I want to stop at WalMart and pick up a few things. Or I may just hang out here on the deck with a book. The weather is going to turn bad by this evening so I want to enjoy the sun while I can.
Enjoy your Sunday!
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Styx and Boston
The Styx/Boston concert was a huge success and George and I had a blast. We headed out around 4pm and stopped at a place called Patrick's Bar and Eatery for a quick bite to eat. The bar is right around the corner from the Concert Pavillion and it was really packed with people who all obviously had the same idea. We had to wait for about 20 minutes for a table and then ordered. I had a chicken fajita which was pretty good and George had...hmmm what else, a cheeseburger with fries. After supper we went directly to the pavillion. It was cloudy but looked like it would clear. We parked and walked about 10 minutes to the concert pavillion. We had an hour to kill so we first found our seats and then went over to the beer tent to get a drink. We just walked around for a bit and about 15 minutes before the first show, it started to rain. Just sprinkles at first but then the wind picked up and it started to pour. Luckily, our seats were just under cover. We made our way to our seats and waited for the show to start. Even though it was thundering and the lightening was incredible, we only got a tad bit wet when the wind blew and the show went on.
Styx was first and they put on a really good show. They played for just under 90 minutes and I really enjoyed it. The only disappointment was they didn't sing Babe, which is one of our favorite songs. You would think that it would be their closing song, but it wasn't even in their playlist. They played one encore which was a very extended version of Renegade.
Boston took the stage about 45 minutes later. The show was good, a little weird seeing the Myspace dude Tommy DeCarlo, singing in place of Brad Delp. He sounds a lot like him but I thought his voice was a bit weak and he doesn't have a very strong stage presence. They did a lot of their hits as well as some songs I have never heard but they were well received and everyone rocked as much as a bunch of 50 year olds can rock. LOL (Yes most everyone in the audience was my age or older.)
George also noted that they sound a whole lot different being straight as opposed to him being stoned. LOL The Boston show was good but I have to say I really enjoyed Styx a lot better.
We left around 10:30, took the hike back to our car. (It stopped raining by this time.) We were back to George's house by 11. We sat up waiting for Patrick to get home, visited with him for a bit and then went to bed. The storms started up again and lasted about a half hour so it was awhile before I could fall asleep. I am feeling it today. This morning we got up around 8 and met George's kids and grandkids for breakfast at the resort where Patrick works. They have a really nice buffet and Patrick was behind the egg station making omelets to order, as usual. He does a great job but I decided on french toast, bacon, home fries and fruit for breakfast this time. Everything was very good. We visited with the kids for awhile and we were entertained by Alex's antics all through breakfast. He's 2 and cute so he usually can get away with it.
We headed back to George's house and I packed up my stuff and left around noon. I am now sitting here listening to the thunder (again) and waiting for my laundry to finish. I also have a few items to pick up at the grocery store so I plan on heading there once the storm passes.
I am tired but it was a great weekend. I will definitely be in bed early tonight.
I hope you all had a nice weekend too!
Styx was first and they put on a really good show. They played for just under 90 minutes and I really enjoyed it. The only disappointment was they didn't sing Babe, which is one of our favorite songs. You would think that it would be their closing song, but it wasn't even in their playlist. They played one encore which was a very extended version of Renegade.
Boston took the stage about 45 minutes later. The show was good, a little weird seeing the Myspace dude Tommy DeCarlo, singing in place of Brad Delp. He sounds a lot like him but I thought his voice was a bit weak and he doesn't have a very strong stage presence. They did a lot of their hits as well as some songs I have never heard but they were well received and everyone rocked as much as a bunch of 50 year olds can rock. LOL (Yes most everyone in the audience was my age or older.)
George also noted that they sound a whole lot different being straight as opposed to him being stoned. LOL The Boston show was good but I have to say I really enjoyed Styx a lot better.
We left around 10:30, took the hike back to our car. (It stopped raining by this time.) We were back to George's house by 11. We sat up waiting for Patrick to get home, visited with him for a bit and then went to bed. The storms started up again and lasted about a half hour so it was awhile before I could fall asleep. I am feeling it today. This morning we got up around 8 and met George's kids and grandkids for breakfast at the resort where Patrick works. They have a really nice buffet and Patrick was behind the egg station making omelets to order, as usual. He does a great job but I decided on french toast, bacon, home fries and fruit for breakfast this time. Everything was very good. We visited with the kids for awhile and we were entertained by Alex's antics all through breakfast. He's 2 and cute so he usually can get away with it.
We headed back to George's house and I packed up my stuff and left around noon. I am now sitting here listening to the thunder (again) and waiting for my laundry to finish. I also have a few items to pick up at the grocery store so I plan on heading there once the storm passes.
I am tired but it was a great weekend. I will definitely be in bed early tonight.
I hope you all had a nice weekend too!
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Jason Bay Rocks
Just a little addition to yesterday's post regarding Jason Bay, the Red Sox new Left Fielder. Last night he got a standing ovation when he was introduced and he got on base a couple of times including hitting a two out triple in the 12th inning. He scored the only two runs the Sox managed to score and he made an awesome catch in left field. He was also named player of the game. So I think Jason Bay has made his presence known in the "Bay State" and we all will soon be saying Manny Who? Pretty good start to his tenure here in New England.
And yes...as you can see we did manage to watch the game. LOL
It's drizzling out this morning and the sky is dark. The concert is an outdoor event but doesn't start until this evening so hopefully the clouds will clear before it begins. The forecast doesn't sound too promising though. :-(
Time for me to get some housework done.
Hugs
And yes...as you can see we did manage to watch the game. LOL
It's drizzling out this morning and the sky is dark. The concert is an outdoor event but doesn't start until this evening so hopefully the clouds will clear before it begins. The forecast doesn't sound too promising though. :-(
Time for me to get some housework done.
Hugs
Friday, August 01, 2008
A Day Off
Off Friday...gotta love that! I slept until 8 this morning and could have stayed in bed longer but I hate to waste a nice sunny day. So I got up, cleaned the bathroom, straightened up the kitchen and loaded my car with Avon that needed to be delivered. I showered, paid some bills while I waited for my hair to dry, then headed out. Got everything done, came home, watched All My Children, and now have General Hospital on. I spent the hour between shows online chatting with my friend Chris, who I never get to chat with. He now lives in Arkansas with his girlfriend Joy and was very happy to hear of the recent and future changes in my life.
It's the first day of August. Where has the summer gone? Summers here in the Northeast are so short. This summer has been a particularly odd summer but the weather has been warm and humid for the most part. Last summer we struggled to get past 80 most days. Anyway it has been a really decent summer except for a few bad storms. I'm glad I am able to enjoy a decent day every once in awhile.
I wanted to take a ride this afternoon to the area that was devastated by the tornado last week but I realized I had forgotten my camera so I will save that for another day. Maybe George and I can take a ride on Sunday afternoon. I am told that there are still lots of trees down. There is about a 40 mile path of uprooted and sheared off trees, houses and cars with trees through the roofs and buildings that have been moved right off their foundations. It will and be quite awhile before everything is repaired and/or replaced. I know those of you in the south are used to weather like this but we are not and it has really been a challenge for many.
Just sitting here now waiting for George to get out of work. He should be here around 5pm and we are going to go out for beer and pizza tonight. I suppose we will come back to my place after and watch the baseball game. Well we will at least put it on. *insert evil grin here*
One of my favorite players on the Red Sox was traded yesterday to the LA Dodgers. Manny Rameriez is a fan favorite and an awesome ball player but he also liked to stir the trouble pot and flap his gums. I think he did it a few times too many. The Red Sox organization seems to have been fed up with his antics and when they got the chance to trade him, they did. They are still paying his salary for the remainder of the year so I guess that says they had really had enough of him. Manny is a great left fielder and has hit over 500 homeruns in his career. He was also very instrumental in helping the Red Sox win 2 World Series in the last few years, so hats off to him. But he isn't irreplaceable and I think Jason Bay can fill those big shoes. Maybe with less drama but perhaps a little shaking up is what the Red Sox need, since they've been slumping a bit lately.
OK I guess that's enough gibberish for today. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
~L~
It's the first day of August. Where has the summer gone? Summers here in the Northeast are so short. This summer has been a particularly odd summer but the weather has been warm and humid for the most part. Last summer we struggled to get past 80 most days. Anyway it has been a really decent summer except for a few bad storms. I'm glad I am able to enjoy a decent day every once in awhile.
I wanted to take a ride this afternoon to the area that was devastated by the tornado last week but I realized I had forgotten my camera so I will save that for another day. Maybe George and I can take a ride on Sunday afternoon. I am told that there are still lots of trees down. There is about a 40 mile path of uprooted and sheared off trees, houses and cars with trees through the roofs and buildings that have been moved right off their foundations. It will and be quite awhile before everything is repaired and/or replaced. I know those of you in the south are used to weather like this but we are not and it has really been a challenge for many.
Just sitting here now waiting for George to get out of work. He should be here around 5pm and we are going to go out for beer and pizza tonight. I suppose we will come back to my place after and watch the baseball game. Well we will at least put it on. *insert evil grin here*
One of my favorite players on the Red Sox was traded yesterday to the LA Dodgers. Manny Rameriez is a fan favorite and an awesome ball player but he also liked to stir the trouble pot and flap his gums. I think he did it a few times too many. The Red Sox organization seems to have been fed up with his antics and when they got the chance to trade him, they did. They are still paying his salary for the remainder of the year so I guess that says they had really had enough of him. Manny is a great left fielder and has hit over 500 homeruns in his career. He was also very instrumental in helping the Red Sox win 2 World Series in the last few years, so hats off to him. But he isn't irreplaceable and I think Jason Bay can fill those big shoes. Maybe with less drama but perhaps a little shaking up is what the Red Sox need, since they've been slumping a bit lately.
OK I guess that's enough gibberish for today. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
~L~
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
This and That
Greetings. Wow it's actually been a dry day, today. Not a single shower in sight. Strange. It's really been a weird summer, sunny and warm in the mornings until around 2pm and then thunder showers and sometimes torrential downpours. Kinda feels like I've moved to Florida or something.
Anyway, it's Tuesday night, I am home alone and there is nothing worth watching on TV. I have the baseball game on in the background but I couldn't even tell you the score. Just haven't been all that keen to watch the games I guess. I am actually quite bored with TV these days and wonder if the Fall line up will capture my interest any. Survivor starts September 18, that's the only show I am looking forward to watching right now.
Nothing really new around here. I've been fairly busy at work, managing to get in quite a bit of overtime. Last week's paycheck was very very nice. I wish I could bring all that money home every week.
I got my car payment bill in the mail today and I only owe a little over $500 on my car. That's so friggen exciting! I bought this car all by myself almost 5 years ago and it is almost paid off! I'm hoping it will last another year so I can build up my savings account a bit and then I want to trade it in for a new one. I really have enjoyed my Elantra and it really is a nice reliable car, so I will probably buy another one. I'll decide after spending a winter driving to work from George's house. I'll be a little further northwest than I am now and the driving could be a whole lot worse than I am used to.
Saturday we are going to Meadowbrook to see Styx and Boston. I hope the weather is good, but as long as the show is on, we will be there. George has had the tickets for a couple of months now and we've been really looking forward to the show.
I spoke to Sara on the phone yesterday and she tells me she is now employed. It's about time. LOL She is now working as a receptionist at a dental office and she loves it. Of course it's only been a couple of days. How long that will last is anyone's guess. But hopefully it will last long enough so she can find another job before she quits. She's actually quite excited though so here's hoping. This could be the start of a whole new career.
In 2 weeks George and I are taking a weekend and going up to Snowfield Cabins in Pittsburg, NH. It's about a 3 hour drive north of the Lakes Region and pretty much touches the Canadian border. I have never been up there but it is an area that George knows well since he goes snowshoeing up there in the winter and hunting up there in the fall. He also spent many summers up there camping and exploring when he was a kid so I am looking forward to seeing just how beautiful God's Country is up there. I am told that it is nicknamed Moose Alley so I have a really good chance of seeing moose and bear. I've also heard stories about people packing picnic lunches and going up to the town dump in the early evening to watch the black bears romping through the fields. Apparently this is as much fun as going to a drive in movie! I can hardly wait. Sounds like a photo op to me!
Friday evening we met with my friend/former sister in law, Cathy. We had a blast hanging out and catching up and I have to admit, it seemed a whole lot like old times. We laughed all night long and I ended up getting pretty trashed on Mai Tai's. She's still the same ole girl and I wish we had gotten together a lot sooner. We plan on reconnecting though and this time we are going to make sure her brother Brian and his wife Louise can join us. George and I had originally talked about having a reunion with all of our old friends but we got word sometime in June that one of our friends, Debbie, is undergoing chemo treatments for colon cancer so we are going to wait until she is feeling better.
I guess I should think about getting ready for bed.
Have a wonderful rest of the week!
Anyway, it's Tuesday night, I am home alone and there is nothing worth watching on TV. I have the baseball game on in the background but I couldn't even tell you the score. Just haven't been all that keen to watch the games I guess. I am actually quite bored with TV these days and wonder if the Fall line up will capture my interest any. Survivor starts September 18, that's the only show I am looking forward to watching right now.
Nothing really new around here. I've been fairly busy at work, managing to get in quite a bit of overtime. Last week's paycheck was very very nice. I wish I could bring all that money home every week.
I got my car payment bill in the mail today and I only owe a little over $500 on my car. That's so friggen exciting! I bought this car all by myself almost 5 years ago and it is almost paid off! I'm hoping it will last another year so I can build up my savings account a bit and then I want to trade it in for a new one. I really have enjoyed my Elantra and it really is a nice reliable car, so I will probably buy another one. I'll decide after spending a winter driving to work from George's house. I'll be a little further northwest than I am now and the driving could be a whole lot worse than I am used to.
Saturday we are going to Meadowbrook to see Styx and Boston. I hope the weather is good, but as long as the show is on, we will be there. George has had the tickets for a couple of months now and we've been really looking forward to the show.
I spoke to Sara on the phone yesterday and she tells me she is now employed. It's about time. LOL She is now working as a receptionist at a dental office and she loves it. Of course it's only been a couple of days. How long that will last is anyone's guess. But hopefully it will last long enough so she can find another job before she quits. She's actually quite excited though so here's hoping. This could be the start of a whole new career.
In 2 weeks George and I are taking a weekend and going up to Snowfield Cabins in Pittsburg, NH. It's about a 3 hour drive north of the Lakes Region and pretty much touches the Canadian border. I have never been up there but it is an area that George knows well since he goes snowshoeing up there in the winter and hunting up there in the fall. He also spent many summers up there camping and exploring when he was a kid so I am looking forward to seeing just how beautiful God's Country is up there. I am told that it is nicknamed Moose Alley so I have a really good chance of seeing moose and bear. I've also heard stories about people packing picnic lunches and going up to the town dump in the early evening to watch the black bears romping through the fields. Apparently this is as much fun as going to a drive in movie! I can hardly wait. Sounds like a photo op to me!
Friday evening we met with my friend/former sister in law, Cathy. We had a blast hanging out and catching up and I have to admit, it seemed a whole lot like old times. We laughed all night long and I ended up getting pretty trashed on Mai Tai's. She's still the same ole girl and I wish we had gotten together a lot sooner. We plan on reconnecting though and this time we are going to make sure her brother Brian and his wife Louise can join us. George and I had originally talked about having a reunion with all of our old friends but we got word sometime in June that one of our friends, Debbie, is undergoing chemo treatments for colon cancer so we are going to wait until she is feeling better.
I guess I should think about getting ready for bed.
Have a wonderful rest of the week!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Scary Storms Today
For those interested and/or concerned, even though there has been really destructive weather in my area today, I am fine and my house and property have not been damaged. Others in nearby towns have not been so lucky. Still not sure if it was a tornado that touched down but there is at least 1 fatality and several people injured after a house collapsed. I still haven't heard from Eric and he lives in one of the areas affected but he could be at work. Hopefully he will call when he goes on his supper break. Power and phone lines are down and roads are covered with fallen trees and limbs. It is raining again and we are under a severe thunderstorm watch and flood warnings until later this evening. Didn't want anyone to worry.
Hugs
Hugs
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
So...
...today I decided to call Cathy, another old friend of mine. She was my best friend back in the latter days of high school and I had a huge crush on her brother Brian when I was around 18. Obviously that didn't work out. LOL But Cathy eventually married my brother and they had a child (Jason) together 29 or so years ago. The marriage broke up when Jason was young and mainly because we were both raising families, no longer related, and logistics, Cathy and I drifted apart. It wasn't by choice, or argument, or even family loyalty, it was just life. We did see each other at big events that brought our families together but our friendship was never really the same.
At my parents 4th of July BBQ, I asked my nephew for his mothers phone number. He said she would love to hear from me, in fact she had recently asked about me. So tonight I sat down, got comfortable, (I knew it would be a long call) and called. We talked for about an hour, and she was very happy to hear from me. It was great to hear her voice and we spent the whole time catching up, knowing we had just scratched the surface. I didn't want to use up all of her cell phone minutes so we are going to get together on Friday evening for a few drinks and a lot more reminiscing. She knew about me and George because Jason told her he met George on Easter at dinner, and when he described him and said it was someone that she would know from the 'old days', she knew it had to be him. Cathy also dated George very briefly back in the day but then again, Cathy dated everybody back in the day. LOL
Anyway, I am excited, and George is too. Should be fun.
Not much else going on around here. Just work and more work. Plenty of OT, which I like.
Just got off the phone with Sara. She had an interview this afternoon for a receptionist job at a dental office. She feels it went pretty well but she is trying not to get her hopes up. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.
I'm off to TV land before bed.
Hugs
At my parents 4th of July BBQ, I asked my nephew for his mothers phone number. He said she would love to hear from me, in fact she had recently asked about me. So tonight I sat down, got comfortable, (I knew it would be a long call) and called. We talked for about an hour, and she was very happy to hear from me. It was great to hear her voice and we spent the whole time catching up, knowing we had just scratched the surface. I didn't want to use up all of her cell phone minutes so we are going to get together on Friday evening for a few drinks and a lot more reminiscing. She knew about me and George because Jason told her he met George on Easter at dinner, and when he described him and said it was someone that she would know from the 'old days', she knew it had to be him. Cathy also dated George very briefly back in the day but then again, Cathy dated everybody back in the day. LOL
Anyway, I am excited, and George is too. Should be fun.
Not much else going on around here. Just work and more work. Plenty of OT, which I like.
Just got off the phone with Sara. She had an interview this afternoon for a receptionist job at a dental office. She feels it went pretty well but she is trying not to get her hopes up. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.
I'm off to TV land before bed.
Hugs
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Weekend Update
It's been a fairly quiet weekend. George and I didn't really do a whole lot, just hung around like a couple of old farts and enjoyed each others company. Friday night we went out for supper and then came back to my place and watched Ghost Rider starring Nicholas Cage. It was ok, not really my kind of movie, but George is a Nick Cage fan and hadn't seen it before. George went home after the movie because he had errands to run Saturday morning at home. I also took the time Saturday morning to do laundry and food shopping. It was getting really hot by 11am so I turned on the A/C and did what I could to stay cool. Saturday afternoon George came back over and we just watched the ball game and BBQ'd some steaks for supper. Early evening we had a big thunder storm and lost power for awhile. Good thing we found something to keep us occupied.
This morning we went out for breakfast at the Longbranch restaurant. The prices are really cheap and the food is really good. It's a local breakfast and lunch hangout, only open from 5am-2pm, and I always run into someone I know. We then went to WalMart and George bought some jeans and collared summer shirts for work. While I was there, I was looking at a laptop that was on sale for $389. It's a Toshiba and I remember seeing it advertised that cheap back on Black Friday. It was offered as an early bird special to get you into the store and was only available at that price from 5am-9am. Naturally, they sold out in a matter of minutes, so I didn't even come close to getting one. Well today, there they were, at that price and there were 3 left in the store. Since I have Christmas money still and I never buy myself anything, I decided that today I was going to treat myself. Yay Me!
After WalMart, we went to visit my parents. The joke was on us though because no one was home. LOL We hung around for awhile then decided to just leave a note and move on. George wanted to see where I worked so we stopped there and I asked the guard if I could take him inside and give him the grand tour. The place was empty except for the two guards, so he gave George a visitor's badge and took his cell phone (it's a government contractor so no photo taking is allowed) and I showed him all around. Being in manufacturing (he's a manufacturing engineer) he could really appreciate the way the work stations and labs are laid out and the overall cleanliness of the building. It's really a nice place to work, and I think if he ever was in need of a job in the future, he might be able to find a nice home there.
From there, we came back here to my house and hung out until it was time for George to go on home. Since he left, I have cleaned off my desk and set up the laptop, painted my toenails (the color is called strawberry and my toes look delicious) and blogged. LOL What will I do for the rest of the day?? I know one thing, I am not used to getting up so early on a Sunday morning and I am feeling it a bit now. But look at all I've accomplished and it isn't even 5pm? I suppose I could make something for dinner.
I hope everyone is having a great weekend. Til next time.
Hugs
This morning we went out for breakfast at the Longbranch restaurant. The prices are really cheap and the food is really good. It's a local breakfast and lunch hangout, only open from 5am-2pm, and I always run into someone I know. We then went to WalMart and George bought some jeans and collared summer shirts for work. While I was there, I was looking at a laptop that was on sale for $389. It's a Toshiba and I remember seeing it advertised that cheap back on Black Friday. It was offered as an early bird special to get you into the store and was only available at that price from 5am-9am. Naturally, they sold out in a matter of minutes, so I didn't even come close to getting one. Well today, there they were, at that price and there were 3 left in the store. Since I have Christmas money still and I never buy myself anything, I decided that today I was going to treat myself. Yay Me!
After WalMart, we went to visit my parents. The joke was on us though because no one was home. LOL We hung around for awhile then decided to just leave a note and move on. George wanted to see where I worked so we stopped there and I asked the guard if I could take him inside and give him the grand tour. The place was empty except for the two guards, so he gave George a visitor's badge and took his cell phone (it's a government contractor so no photo taking is allowed) and I showed him all around. Being in manufacturing (he's a manufacturing engineer) he could really appreciate the way the work stations and labs are laid out and the overall cleanliness of the building. It's really a nice place to work, and I think if he ever was in need of a job in the future, he might be able to find a nice home there.
From there, we came back here to my house and hung out until it was time for George to go on home. Since he left, I have cleaned off my desk and set up the laptop, painted my toenails (the color is called strawberry and my toes look delicious) and blogged. LOL What will I do for the rest of the day?? I know one thing, I am not used to getting up so early on a Sunday morning and I am feeling it a bit now. But look at all I've accomplished and it isn't even 5pm? I suppose I could make something for dinner.
I hope everyone is having a great weekend. Til next time.
Hugs
Friday, July 18, 2008
Venting
It's really a shame when there is so little for the teenagers in town to do that they have to find alternative activities to keep them amused. Since I've been living in this quiet town, I have had several acts of vandalism done to my car, my front yard and my mailbox. I have had a couple of tires slashed on my car, I've had Christmas lights and decorations removed from my yard and smashed in the street. Someone broke my outside lamppost and smashed the bulb, I've had my car egged numerous times, and I don't dare carve pumpkins and place them outside on my porch anymore. My poor mailbox has been beaten beyond recognition on more than one occasion.
Last night I was just drifting off to sleep when I was startled by a loud BANG from right outside my window. I just barely saw tail lights as a car that had just driven by my house, continued over the hill just beyond my neighbors house. Not sure what I had heard, I went out onto the porch to see if I could see anything wrong. It was late and dark, but even without the outside lights on I could see my mailbox door was opened. I know I closed it when I retrieved the mail earlier, but sometimes it flips open if you don't shut it tightly. Nothing else looked amiss so I locked up and went back to bed.
This morning, when I left for work, I looked around again to see what may have been hit last night and that's when I noticed that the whole side of my mailbox was dented. I tried to close the door but it will only shut part way, the shape of the door doesn't fit the new shape of the mailbox, which looks like it was beaten with a very large baseball bat. This is a brand new mailbox, replaced just this spring when the ground thawed out, because my last mailbox took a major beating last Halloween.
I think I can bang it back into shape enough to be able to close the door, so at least my mail won't get wet in the rain or blow out of the box on a windy day. It just makes me so mad that these little thugs continue to be destructive and nothing can be done about it. Each year a new crop of hoodlums with brand new licenses and nothing to do, drive around town smashing mailboxes, egging houses and cars and tormenting animals.
Here's what my lovely mailbox looks like now. Maybe I will have to out a new mailbox on my Christmas list again this year. :-(
Now that I've vented, I guess I should get my butt in gear and finish some housework. I can see dust all over the coffee table and television.
Enjoy your Friday!
Oh and I went to the dentist today, and I had NO cavities! Yay ME!!
Last night I was just drifting off to sleep when I was startled by a loud BANG from right outside my window. I just barely saw tail lights as a car that had just driven by my house, continued over the hill just beyond my neighbors house. Not sure what I had heard, I went out onto the porch to see if I could see anything wrong. It was late and dark, but even without the outside lights on I could see my mailbox door was opened. I know I closed it when I retrieved the mail earlier, but sometimes it flips open if you don't shut it tightly. Nothing else looked amiss so I locked up and went back to bed.
This morning, when I left for work, I looked around again to see what may have been hit last night and that's when I noticed that the whole side of my mailbox was dented. I tried to close the door but it will only shut part way, the shape of the door doesn't fit the new shape of the mailbox, which looks like it was beaten with a very large baseball bat. This is a brand new mailbox, replaced just this spring when the ground thawed out, because my last mailbox took a major beating last Halloween.
I think I can bang it back into shape enough to be able to close the door, so at least my mail won't get wet in the rain or blow out of the box on a windy day. It just makes me so mad that these little thugs continue to be destructive and nothing can be done about it. Each year a new crop of hoodlums with brand new licenses and nothing to do, drive around town smashing mailboxes, egging houses and cars and tormenting animals.
Here's what my lovely mailbox looks like now. Maybe I will have to out a new mailbox on my Christmas list again this year. :-(
Now that I've vented, I guess I should get my butt in gear and finish some housework. I can see dust all over the coffee table and television.
Enjoy your Friday!
Oh and I went to the dentist today, and I had NO cavities! Yay ME!!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Another Weekend Gone
Was pretty busy all weekend so I haven't been around much. Not a whole lot of interesting stuff to blog but I did go to an awesome party yesterday. It sure does seem like I've been to a party every weekend for months...wait I HAVE! It just doesn't end.
Yesterday's party was for George's best friend Al, who turned 50 on July 1st. The party was given by his wife Marie and two daughters and it was a complete surprise to Al. He never saw it coming, probably because his birthday had come and gone. Al and George have been best friends (and each other's Best Man at their respective weddings) since they were in grade school. Although the Army separated them for a few years, they have always maintained a very close friendship. So when we got the invitation, we naturally had to go.
It was a beautiful afternoon and the party was held at one of Al's daughter's homes a short distance away from George's house. I would estimate about 50 people were there, and I actually knew 5 of them. There was food galore and an ice cold keg of Labatt's beer. I um, tapped (pun intended) into that and got a mighty good buzz going. Mmmmm Canadian beer is pretty good. Of course, it was pretty hot outside so you know, I had to keep hydrated. I wasn't driving so why not? LOL And before anyone asks, there were no baby gates for me to trip over and I managed to stay upright, although I know I was slurring my words just a tad by the time we headed home. There was a pool for those who wanted to go swimming (and for those who went swimming without really wanting to), their neighbor offered his horse shoe pit for those who wanted to do that and once it got dark, they started a fire in the fire pit and we all sat around and shot the breeze.
It was so good to see Al again. I think the last time I saw him was in 1980 and except for being bald now, he hasn't changed a bit. Marie is still a sweetheart and we have tentative plans for the 4 of us to get together real soon. George and I really enjoyed the whole day and hopefully someone will email one of us the group photo that was taken because I would really love to have a copy.
We got up this morning and decided to go out for breakfast at the resort when George's son is a chef. They have an awesome brunch there and Patrick will also make an omelet anyway you like. I had onions, green peppers, mushrooms and cheese in mine and George had ham and cheese. We also filled our plates with selections from the buffet, fruit and home fries, bacon, pancakes, french toast, waffles, there was so much to choose from. I skipped the dessert bar but OMG the Whoopie Pies looked so darn good. Maybe next time.
Just as we were finishing up, George's other son Jon and his fiancee Nikki showed up. We visited with them for awhile before going to WalMart, and then went back to his house. Before I left there to come home, I gave George a much needed haircut. I'm getting pretty good with the clippers. :-)
I also had to work on Saturday morning for a few hours. We are behind again so I will probably be working late every night this week. I don't mind, I can use the extra money.
Time to get myself ready for the upcoming week. Hope everyone had a nice weekend and has a good week.
Yesterday's party was for George's best friend Al, who turned 50 on July 1st. The party was given by his wife Marie and two daughters and it was a complete surprise to Al. He never saw it coming, probably because his birthday had come and gone. Al and George have been best friends (and each other's Best Man at their respective weddings) since they were in grade school. Although the Army separated them for a few years, they have always maintained a very close friendship. So when we got the invitation, we naturally had to go.
It was a beautiful afternoon and the party was held at one of Al's daughter's homes a short distance away from George's house. I would estimate about 50 people were there, and I actually knew 5 of them. There was food galore and an ice cold keg of Labatt's beer. I um, tapped (pun intended) into that and got a mighty good buzz going. Mmmmm Canadian beer is pretty good. Of course, it was pretty hot outside so you know, I had to keep hydrated. I wasn't driving so why not? LOL And before anyone asks, there were no baby gates for me to trip over and I managed to stay upright, although I know I was slurring my words just a tad by the time we headed home. There was a pool for those who wanted to go swimming (and for those who went swimming without really wanting to), their neighbor offered his horse shoe pit for those who wanted to do that and once it got dark, they started a fire in the fire pit and we all sat around and shot the breeze.
It was so good to see Al again. I think the last time I saw him was in 1980 and except for being bald now, he hasn't changed a bit. Marie is still a sweetheart and we have tentative plans for the 4 of us to get together real soon. George and I really enjoyed the whole day and hopefully someone will email one of us the group photo that was taken because I would really love to have a copy.
We got up this morning and decided to go out for breakfast at the resort when George's son is a chef. They have an awesome brunch there and Patrick will also make an omelet anyway you like. I had onions, green peppers, mushrooms and cheese in mine and George had ham and cheese. We also filled our plates with selections from the buffet, fruit and home fries, bacon, pancakes, french toast, waffles, there was so much to choose from. I skipped the dessert bar but OMG the Whoopie Pies looked so darn good. Maybe next time.
Just as we were finishing up, George's other son Jon and his fiancee Nikki showed up. We visited with them for awhile before going to WalMart, and then went back to his house. Before I left there to come home, I gave George a much needed haircut. I'm getting pretty good with the clippers. :-)
I also had to work on Saturday morning for a few hours. We are behind again so I will probably be working late every night this week. I don't mind, I can use the extra money.
Time to get myself ready for the upcoming week. Hope everyone had a nice weekend and has a good week.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
What I Did On My Summer Vacation
Vacation is almost over. :-( Even though we took it easy, it was a good week. We managed to hit the beach Wednesday and went up to the mountains yesterday. Thursday we had a BBQ at my parents house. It was a bit more subdued than usual this year, but still good being with family. My niece, Crystal, is in the second trimester of her pregnancy and she is looking and feeling good. She had an ultrasound last week but the baby was not in a co-operating mood so they weren't able to tell her if it is a boy or a girl. Crystal was bummed but she 'feels' she is having a girl. Time will tell. LOL
Sara and Brad did not join us Thursday night because they are camping up in North Conway. She called me last night and said they are having a great time.
Yesterday, we took a ride up into the White Mountains and decided on a whim to take the Auto Road up to the Summit of Mt Washington. What a beautiful day for that and what a glorious ride! I am a bit ashamed to admit that I had never done that before and OH MY what I have been missing! I was like a kid in a candy store. So so freeking BEAUTIFUL! I still can't get over it. I took tons of pics and will include a few here, but the photos do not do that majestic mountain justice! It was definitely worth the $27 to drive up 6000+ feet, 8 miles up into the sky! You feel like you are on top of the world. If you have a fear of heights, don't go! LOL The road is winding and very narrow, pretty much only wide enough for 2 vehicles, with no guard rails on either side. It's a LONG way down, for sure, if you aren't paying attention. There are plenty of spots where you can pull over to absorb the gorgeous scenery and take pics, but I took most of them while we were moving so some of them aren't as sharp as they could be. Still, I think you can get a pretty good idea of how beautiful it is up there.
We definitely are going to go up again and the next time I will drive so George can enjoy everything as I did. He's been up there a few times but always was the driver and had to really watch the road.
Going Up
Presidential Range
Mt. Washington Observatory
Going Down
We Could See for 100 miles
I have a lot more but that's a glimpse of the beauty I witnessed yesterday.
Today we are kicking back and just relaxing. I think we did a bit too much yesterday and the poor guy is looking a bit tired today. He's actually taking a nap right now on the sofa. I just went down to the farm around the corner from George's house and picked up some fresh strawberries to make strawberry shortcake tonight for dessert. They look delicious! We'll probably just cook something on the grill for dinner and watch the Red Sox/Yankees game a bit later on TV. I think there is a race on too, sometime today.
Happy Independence Day (a day late) to you all!
Sara and Brad did not join us Thursday night because they are camping up in North Conway. She called me last night and said they are having a great time.
Yesterday, we took a ride up into the White Mountains and decided on a whim to take the Auto Road up to the Summit of Mt Washington. What a beautiful day for that and what a glorious ride! I am a bit ashamed to admit that I had never done that before and OH MY what I have been missing! I was like a kid in a candy store. So so freeking BEAUTIFUL! I still can't get over it. I took tons of pics and will include a few here, but the photos do not do that majestic mountain justice! It was definitely worth the $27 to drive up 6000+ feet, 8 miles up into the sky! You feel like you are on top of the world. If you have a fear of heights, don't go! LOL The road is winding and very narrow, pretty much only wide enough for 2 vehicles, with no guard rails on either side. It's a LONG way down, for sure, if you aren't paying attention. There are plenty of spots where you can pull over to absorb the gorgeous scenery and take pics, but I took most of them while we were moving so some of them aren't as sharp as they could be. Still, I think you can get a pretty good idea of how beautiful it is up there.
We definitely are going to go up again and the next time I will drive so George can enjoy everything as I did. He's been up there a few times but always was the driver and had to really watch the road.
Going Up
Presidential Range
Mt. Washington Observatory
Going Down
We Could See for 100 miles
I have a lot more but that's a glimpse of the beauty I witnessed yesterday.
Today we are kicking back and just relaxing. I think we did a bit too much yesterday and the poor guy is looking a bit tired today. He's actually taking a nap right now on the sofa. I just went down to the farm around the corner from George's house and picked up some fresh strawberries to make strawberry shortcake tonight for dessert. They look delicious! We'll probably just cook something on the grill for dinner and watch the Red Sox/Yankees game a bit later on TV. I think there is a race on too, sometime today.
Happy Independence Day (a day late) to you all!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Birthday Party Pics
Just a few pictures taken at Alex's birthday party this afternoon. It was a really nice time. The weather could have been better but the rain held off until the festivities were over. We had hot dogs and burgers on the grill, chips, beverages and of course CAKE!! We only stayed a couple of hours. Even though I can see improvement every day, George's energy level is not up to par yet and we didn't want to push it.
It's My Birthday!
Alex on his new Train
Presents!!
Calissa
It is pouring rain out there right now which is a shame because it's the Old Home Day celebration in Tilton (the next town over from where George lives) and they were scheduled to have a big firework display tonight. They plan for this all year and Mother Nature has to throw a monkey wrench in the fun. :-(
It's My Birthday!
Alex on his new Train
Presents!!
Calissa
It is pouring rain out there right now which is a shame because it's the Old Home Day celebration in Tilton (the next town over from where George lives) and they were scheduled to have a big firework display tonight. They plan for this all year and Mother Nature has to throw a monkey wrench in the fun. :-(
Thursday, June 26, 2008
It's Almost Vacation Time
Woohooo! One more day and I am on vacation until July 8th. It doesn't seem like it's almost July. The weather has been a bit humid and rainy over the last couple of weeks but not all that warm. Yesterday was probably the nicest day we've had in 2 weeks with temps in the mid 80's and sun all day with no humidity. Today started out promising but soon turned cloudy and it is now raining lightly. The air is also quite heavy.
George also has next week off but we don't have any major plans set in stone. He is still recovering from pneumonia and although he has gone into work everyday this week, he hasn't worked a full day and is pretty tired by the time he gets home. I feel he should have taken this week off as well to fully recover but since he already has next week off, he felt he had to at least make an appearance at work this week. His boss has taken pity on him and hasn't loaded him up with projects. She's also been real generous about letting him leave whenever he wanted.
I have some major house stuff to do at least a couple of days next week, meaning I plan on doing some sorting and tossing whatever I don't need or want anymore. I've got a lot of junk here and also a lot of good stuff that I really won't need to take with me. If I can weed out the stuff going to the dump, then I can tag everything I don't plan on taking with me and I can have a BIG house sale. It's going to be a big project but the sooner I get started, the easier my transition will be. With heating oil as high as it is, it would be really nice if I can be out of here before winter.
We've decided that we are going to postpone the camping trip at least until later in the summer. Boo Hoo can you see my tears? LOL I would like to take a day trip to the beach one day and walk around, do a little shopping and have a nice seafood dinner somewhere. York Beach in Maine is a really nice place to walk around, the shops are nice and it's not as crowded as Hampton Beach. There's also a lighthouse called Nubble Light that is a nice attraction and a fairly decent place to just sit and enjoy the sun. I used to go up there often all by myself with a folding chair and a book, to just relax. You can just watch the crowds come and go, enjoy the surf, or watch people fishing. I'm not much of a beach person, really. I can't see the point of greasing myself up and laying in the sun and the water is way too cold for me to swim in. So we will pick a day that's not so hot and humid and relax. I wish I had known that last weekend was the sand castle competition at Hampton Beach. I would have liked to see all of the creations and take some pics to share. But of course, I found out a day too late. Maybe I will be on the ball next year.
We are also going to get out passport pics done and get our passports. Who knows when we might want to take a trip up to Canada in the future? George has a lot of family in the Montreal area and we both want to go back to Toronto one of these days. We are also talking about maybe taking a cruise next winter. Might as well be prepared!
On July 3rd, we are having a family BBQ. I'm not sure if we will be at my parents house or my brother's house, but I imagine if it is hot we will gather at my brother's because he has a pool. Either way, I am looking forward to it since it is always a good time.
George and I are also planning a reunion BBQ for all of our friends that we hung out with back in high school. We've talked to quite a few and they are all on board. It will be an awesome time especially since I haven't seen a lot of these people in 25-30 years. I think we are shooting for the last weekend in July, and I can hardly wait, it will be a WHOLE lot of fun. These are all people we partied with in my parents basement just about every weekend. Should be a lot of funny pictures from that party, I'll tell you what. If everyone drinks half as much as they did back then, there will be plenty of Kodak moments. I'm thinking maybe I should invite my parents too...I think they would get a kick out of seeing how everyone turned out. We were all a little wild and crazy but no one has done jail time. LOL
Saturday is little Alex's 2nd birthday. We are going to his birthday party in the afternoon but I imagine we won't stay very long. It will all depend on how hot and humid it gets and how George feels. We missed the graduation parties last weekend and I was a bit sad about that but it couldn't be helped. We did send cards along with Jon and Nikki, and we were there in spirit.
It is a race weekend here at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend. I saw a bunch of the big tractor trailers carrying the race cars up the highway off and on during the week. Add that to all the folks taking their vacation starting this weekend, and that makes for some heavy traffic. Oh joy! ;-)
I hope everyone has been having a good week so far.
Congrats to Kerry on getting her driver's license this week!
Lainie
George also has next week off but we don't have any major plans set in stone. He is still recovering from pneumonia and although he has gone into work everyday this week, he hasn't worked a full day and is pretty tired by the time he gets home. I feel he should have taken this week off as well to fully recover but since he already has next week off, he felt he had to at least make an appearance at work this week. His boss has taken pity on him and hasn't loaded him up with projects. She's also been real generous about letting him leave whenever he wanted.
I have some major house stuff to do at least a couple of days next week, meaning I plan on doing some sorting and tossing whatever I don't need or want anymore. I've got a lot of junk here and also a lot of good stuff that I really won't need to take with me. If I can weed out the stuff going to the dump, then I can tag everything I don't plan on taking with me and I can have a BIG house sale. It's going to be a big project but the sooner I get started, the easier my transition will be. With heating oil as high as it is, it would be really nice if I can be out of here before winter.
We've decided that we are going to postpone the camping trip at least until later in the summer. Boo Hoo can you see my tears? LOL I would like to take a day trip to the beach one day and walk around, do a little shopping and have a nice seafood dinner somewhere. York Beach in Maine is a really nice place to walk around, the shops are nice and it's not as crowded as Hampton Beach. There's also a lighthouse called Nubble Light that is a nice attraction and a fairly decent place to just sit and enjoy the sun. I used to go up there often all by myself with a folding chair and a book, to just relax. You can just watch the crowds come and go, enjoy the surf, or watch people fishing. I'm not much of a beach person, really. I can't see the point of greasing myself up and laying in the sun and the water is way too cold for me to swim in. So we will pick a day that's not so hot and humid and relax. I wish I had known that last weekend was the sand castle competition at Hampton Beach. I would have liked to see all of the creations and take some pics to share. But of course, I found out a day too late. Maybe I will be on the ball next year.
We are also going to get out passport pics done and get our passports. Who knows when we might want to take a trip up to Canada in the future? George has a lot of family in the Montreal area and we both want to go back to Toronto one of these days. We are also talking about maybe taking a cruise next winter. Might as well be prepared!
On July 3rd, we are having a family BBQ. I'm not sure if we will be at my parents house or my brother's house, but I imagine if it is hot we will gather at my brother's because he has a pool. Either way, I am looking forward to it since it is always a good time.
George and I are also planning a reunion BBQ for all of our friends that we hung out with back in high school. We've talked to quite a few and they are all on board. It will be an awesome time especially since I haven't seen a lot of these people in 25-30 years. I think we are shooting for the last weekend in July, and I can hardly wait, it will be a WHOLE lot of fun. These are all people we partied with in my parents basement just about every weekend. Should be a lot of funny pictures from that party, I'll tell you what. If everyone drinks half as much as they did back then, there will be plenty of Kodak moments. I'm thinking maybe I should invite my parents too...I think they would get a kick out of seeing how everyone turned out. We were all a little wild and crazy but no one has done jail time. LOL
Saturday is little Alex's 2nd birthday. We are going to his birthday party in the afternoon but I imagine we won't stay very long. It will all depend on how hot and humid it gets and how George feels. We missed the graduation parties last weekend and I was a bit sad about that but it couldn't be helped. We did send cards along with Jon and Nikki, and we were there in spirit.
It is a race weekend here at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend. I saw a bunch of the big tractor trailers carrying the race cars up the highway off and on during the week. Add that to all the folks taking their vacation starting this weekend, and that makes for some heavy traffic. Oh joy! ;-)
I hope everyone has been having a good week so far.
Congrats to Kerry on getting her driver's license this week!
Lainie
Thursday, June 19, 2008
A Quick Hello
It's been a long time since I've had to play nursemaid but I think my hard work is finally paying off. I can actually see some improvement in George today, although he is still coughing quite a bit. The doctor said his improvement would be very gradual and he has finally kicked the fever, but he is still getting head and body aches and can hardly speak more than a few words before another coughing fit begins. Of course I have had to do all the talking and he only fell asleep on me a couple of times. I am going to blame that on the fever and meds kicking in rather than him being bored. :-) He did finally eat a real meal today for the first time since Saturday so there is hope. I'm not sure if he will be well enough to go to work on Monday but we will see. Viral pneumonia is not a whole lot of fun. :-(
After work today I went shopping for a birthday present for George's grandson. Alex will be 2 on the 28th and that is also the day of his party. I got him some Thomas the Tank Engine stuff and a couple of outfits for the summer. He's such a cutie pie, I can't wait to see the excitement on his face.
Tomorrow would normally be my "off' Friday but I have to go in for at least half a day. Work has been crazy lately. We've had parts shortages and so many little problems that now we are behind schedule. Hopefully we will make our shipment on Tuesday but if not, we should only be 1 day late at the worst. I guess going in tomorrow will be a small price to pay to get this done. I have put in for a weeks vacation for the week of July 4th, and I want to make sure I can still have it off.
I don't have too much to post, just been busy with work, domestic duties and force feeding fluids and medication. Hopefully I will have a more interesting post next time.
~L~
After work today I went shopping for a birthday present for George's grandson. Alex will be 2 on the 28th and that is also the day of his party. I got him some Thomas the Tank Engine stuff and a couple of outfits for the summer. He's such a cutie pie, I can't wait to see the excitement on his face.
Tomorrow would normally be my "off' Friday but I have to go in for at least half a day. Work has been crazy lately. We've had parts shortages and so many little problems that now we are behind schedule. Hopefully we will make our shipment on Tuesday but if not, we should only be 1 day late at the worst. I guess going in tomorrow will be a small price to pay to get this done. I have put in for a weeks vacation for the week of July 4th, and I want to make sure I can still have it off.
I don't have too much to post, just been busy with work, domestic duties and force feeding fluids and medication. Hopefully I will have a more interesting post next time.
~L~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)