Firetruck Party!

What a great time we had down 'south' this past weekend....as usual, a very whirlwind of a weekend with a lot of driving and a lot of eating and a lot of fun....

I used my final personal day for the year at school last Friday, and we left in the morning to make our way down to Mass to get in visits with my mom and dad before the party. Traffic city for sure: It took us 1 hour and 20 minutes, at 2pm, to get from the Zakim Bridge to the Braintree split...nightmare of a drive.

On Friday afternoon we got in a good visit with Hank and Babs,and the kids did a bunch of sidewalk chalk on his driveway. Then we made our way over to my mom's place. We got Cape Cod Cafe pizza for dinner--after living in Maine for so long, you tend to appreciate great pizza!

On Saturday morning, bright and early, we were up (actually, Sally and I never really got to sleep....Maira fell asleep at nine....work up at twenty past one.....and then she was up....for the day. Actually, I think she fell asleep at like 6 and we slept til 730. So yeah. Thanks Maira.

But we made our way down to Ledyard for Jaqueson's fourth party: A firetruck theme.. I will let the pics mostly speak for themselves, but the kids had a blast! The 'fireman' parked his rig in the driveway for two hours...kids got rides, they got to explore and sit, they got to spray the hose, and they got TONS of pictures. We also ate great pizza and firetruck cupcakes. A pinata was in order as well. Callum, Jackson, and Maira got some good 'swingset' time before all the kids got there. Maira made 'best friends' with Kim Stapleton. And the guys all played pass with the football (Anthony and I did it one handed--we both have the shoulder post op thing going). This, in turn, caused Anthony to jam his finger, and, actually, break it in two places. So yeah.

We left the Favry house at around 6 and drove at night back to Maine. A great and tiring weekend!! This weekend we are free.....and then, the following weekend, it is down to Mass for the Glorious Wedding of Efthemios and Elwyn....cant wait!

(a nice family photo.....by a firetruck.....Callum was beckoning us to come on up and see all the cool fire stuff.....)

(Nannie was beside herself with her usual zeal....she was even more excited because this firetruck was #Bostonstrong. And, as you can see, Ortiz was in the mood of the fire excitement...taking pictures,, cheering on the kids, etc etc...)

(okay...I need to brag about my little boy and extol the progress he has made in the past few months....Callum, like me, is a very very sensitive, self conscious little man....and, if this party were even two months earlier, he probably would have run away in FEAR of this firetruck! He is growing up and getting more 'sure of himself' and trusting of stuff in general...I think preschool is really working wonders for him. Amanda and I just love him so much and we are so proud! Maira, by the way, is a completely different story....lol.....

oh yeah....and please notice 'pup,' the firedog that Callum got to 'adopt' at the party....)

(this is what true love looks like.....also, I love beer)

 

 

(Maira is just so cool and confident and strong willed....and often times this is a good thing...haha....she just LOVED everything firetruck. And, on the way home, ALL. SHE. TALKED. ABOUT. was firetrucks and how every truck/tractor trailer was, in fact, a firetruck....

Lacey and Noah's Wedding

 

 

Last Saturday, Amanda and I went to the wedding of Lacey and Noah Breems. Lin is still down in NJ, so Grampy babysat the kids solo, and they had a blast! For Amanda and I, it was an excellent 'date night' for us to go out, enjoy a great wedding, dance (I danced like crazy.....and my shoulder took two steps back....), and see some friends. Oh and have a few drinks. The wedding was at T&B's Outback Saloon in da' H20-Ville....a small, quaint, beautiful service with vows written by the bride and groom (I love when they do that)

 

Our camera 'flash' kept crapping out, so only select pictures came out halfway decent....here is a picture of Lacey and I....

 

Rarely do Amanda and I get 'good' pictures taken of just 'us.' But here is one. I loved Amanda's dress. Amanda is a really good dancer and, even when I was taking a break from the dance floor, she was out there ripping it up (practicing for the Kotsiopolous wedding #nodoubt). IN FACT, Amanda was hit on by TWO separate entities at this wedding: First of all, the bartender over at the 'public bar' side of the joint was all about Amanda....trying to kiss her hand....showing her his 'tricks,' etc. And, while I was resting from dancing, Amanda was 'joined' by another good looking gentleman on the dance floor. Hmmm. I guess I cant let her out alone....haha

Here's a nice picture of two of my closest friends at the high school: Lori and Crystal. Lori and I are old running pals and we are co-advisors (this year our kid's are seniors). Crystal, on the right, is a math teacher and a wonderful person (Ortiz, also, she is from Jay...tell Babs). Also, she can do that thing where she can tie a cherry stem into a knot with her tongue or whatever. So there's that.

Congrats to Lacey and Noah in their new life together! A very loving couple. We wish you the best!!

Foil and Ice Cream

 

Amanda just got back from Hannaford with three items we needed: ice cream, aluminum foil, and diapers. Two funny things struck me. First, on the box of Reynolds Wrap foil, it says the slogan "Trusted since 1947." I guess I dont put aluminum foil sheets in any "trust" situations in my life, so I guess I never thought about which brand was the best. Do some people put a lot of 'trust' in foil? What would one of those situations be? First aid? Financial planning? Religious faith? Speaking for myself, I usually just use it to cover a bowl of leftover couscous. If it slips off the bowl and my couscous is a little dry the next day, I usually recover pretty fast, and I am not left feeling abandoned, angry, let down, or caustic towards the foil. I have no trust issues as far as that is concerned. But that is just me.......

 

On the ice cream: There are absolutely no security measures taken with Friendly's half gallon cartons of ice cream--no safety wrapper, no plastic seal, no nothing. You take off the lid, and you are ready to rock. I cant think of ANY food ANYTHING in my life that doesnt have security things on it--even little bottles of spring water have them. Antacids have them. Milk. I mean, even 2.99  plastic tubs of gumdrops that my mom, who doesnt read this blog, gets at the Christmas Tree Shop have a layer of thin plastic (a plastic you can trust....since 1947, probably) between you and the sugary treats. So why not ice cream? I figured it is because ice cream is one of those foods in the world that brings people together. Does anyone NOT like ice cream? Probably. But ice cream is one of those "feel good" things and my theory is that no one--not even insane terrorist types--wants to mess with people enjoying ice cream. It is akin to a cease fire on Christmas Eve; messing with ice cream is off limits. Go put anthrax in McCormack Spice tubs of 'cream of tartar,' but leave my mint chocolate chip alone. Yeah. 



 

 

Forts. Yeah. Under the table, even. Check it out. I'd live there.

 

 

Kids love forts. 

Little reading nooks in which to hide out to avoid having to go to bed.....bring all your stuffed friends in and have a blast!

One sign of spring-to-come (as we are almost through April) occurred a few days ago when the public works dudes were out with the huge street sweepers, power brooms, Bobcats, front end loaders, and dump trucks. No, this wasnt a big construction project; they were just removing the winter sand from the side streets. Kind of a cool process. Callum sat on the dining room table and enjoyed the show (blow it up and you can see the WICKED COOL street sweeper thingy......)

Eagle Lake Carriage Roads and Other Things and Such and Such and Such As...

 

 

Thurday and Friday of vacation week were busy around here--this was a great April vacation because Amanda was around for a bunch of it, so we could do things as a family! Yesterday we got together with the Parks-Stamms out in Winthrop; Callum and Polly played soccer in the apple fields, rode Big Wheels on the hilly driveway, and dressed up in costumes. Maira slept in the car for a bunch of the time, and then she and Brownlow hung out for a bit. Ben had "cold smoked" a pork shoulder at the beginning of the week, and then they cooked it in a crock pot--he wrapped it up into almost like a 'pulled pork kinish' kind of thing, and it was awesome. Oh, and we drank OPB Storyteller.

 

Today after PT and some errands we went over to the Andresen's house in Winslow for cribbage, tacos, laughs, dog slobber, and hikes. Karl and Jody live right on the Sebasticook River, and we (Callum, Amanda, me, Karl, Ruby--the yellow lab--and Mark Pelletier!!) hiked down the steep river bank to do some eagle watching. The nest of 'Aggie,' as she is called, is right there on the bank in one of the huge white pines that adorn the river. Sure enough, the eagles were soaring in circles right above us; at some times it appeared they were motionless...just still in the air. Amazing. Very low. Apparently, they would do this until we left, so as not to divulge the "secret whereabouts" of their nests. I guess this is typical behavior for them--they dont want 'predators' to know where they live. As soon as we started walking back, they landed! The kids had a blast playing ball with Ruby, and all three were EXHAUSTED at the end!

 

 

Speaking of eagles, here are a few more pictures from Mount Desert Island earlier this week--the Eagle Lake carriage roads. The Rockefellers (yes, THOSE Rockefellers) were huge lovers of the island and, thus, huge benefactors. .They were big into horses, and I guess the dad commissioned a HUGE expanse of carriage paths to be built around the park. Impeccably groomed, graded, and maintained (DEFINITELY better than the roads in central Maine!) they provide recreation to horsies, horsies and carriages, runners, bikers, skiers, snowshoers, and seguayers. Myeah.

 

 

After the storm: A gloomy, 'soupy' morning on the island, at the shore of Eagle Lake. I dont know what mountain this is in the background. But you should Google it. And let me know.

 

Eagle lake is not DIRECTLY on the ocean--but still a beautiful area. And, the cool thing about the carriage roads is that you CAN get there from here! They are all connected. Cute signs. Very nice.

They twist and wind and traverse some very remote places on the island....very unusual and eerie at some points to be so far in the middle of nowhere....but have this impeccably beautiful path...

Callum took this for us! Not a bad photographer, huh?

Seawall 1

 

 

 

 

.....meaning that this was our first trip to Seawall in 2013. Many more to hopefully come. The ride, as I always say, is the best part....getting there is half the fun, and it is definitely our favorite place in the world...followed by The Forks....followed by Springpond Woods (except that place is losing its luster for me cuz I got yelled at last time I was in there)....and Cheung Lee Express.

 

We want our kids to "grow up" on Mount Desert Island....

 

The first stop after we get there is the actual 'seawall' itself, where water and tide and time have created and weathered and worked millions of rocks into smooth, colorful beauties. Callum, especially, enjoys hunting around the wall for rocks and shells (but mostly rocks). His pockets filled to the brim, he emptied out his treasures on the motel table; he counted 40 items.....



 



Hunting, with 'puppydog' for rocks at low tide...

The weather was funny this time around--the forecast called for "scattered showers," and boy oh boy were they right! On some parts of the island, the weather was gorgeous and sunny....and then one mile away it was downpouring. But even in the rain it is a beautiful place in which to be!

There are so many reasons to visit/stay at the Seawall Motel. But here is a good one: This is the view standing on the balcony outside your room door:

The "National Park" literally exists on the other side of that white sign in the center of this photo....you can see the natural seawall to the upper right of that sign....the building in the right center USED TO BE a restaurant (Seawall Restaurant) but now it is a co-op where one can get coffee, scones, sandwiches, etc etc. Live music there too.

And directly in front of your room you can see the rest of the cafe and, just beyond that, the salt water pond that exists on the OTHER side of the road....in the background there is a spellbinding (and often fogged over) forest of evergreen trees....and beyond that is the Seawall Acadia National Park campground.

A spellbinding place.

Marathon Bombing

We took an impromptu trip up to Seawall and it wasnt until about 6 tonight that I got on the web and looked at the stories regarding today's Boston Marathon. Thinking that I was just going to see the winners, times, etc, you can imagine my shock when I realized just what had happened in my dear old city of Boston.

I think when tragedy strikes, a myriad of emotions and stages quickly run throughout people's minds...but there is an overwhelming theme to my anger/sadness/despondency regarding this catastrophe. First of all, this was an act of terrorism. Terrorism doesnt necessarily mean Al Quaeda or other Islamic Extremists--but this was nonetheless an act of terror. Someone purposely set a bomb with the intent of harming innocent people.

But for what reason?

Usually, terrorists have anger or hatred pointed in a general direction: Christians. Jews. Blacks. Gays.Etc.  Or, they have a 'cause' like anti abortion, anti war, etc. What was the deal with today's tragic bombing? Running? Really? Someone had some vendetta against running? That is the only cohesive element to today's gathering. So, apparently, someone out there hates running and hard work and the human spirit. And blisters. Blisters too. Oh........and chafing.

I love running and consider it as much of a mental and emotional catharsis and meditation as I do a spiritual prayer as I do a physical workout. In my life I have done a LOT of different types of exercise, but nothing compares to running. Running, to me, is the best sport because it is the kindest and gentlest. It relies completely on human strength and endurance--no motorized companion things....no trendy sand-filled-kettle-bar things....no gizmos...no machines. It requires almost no equipment whatsoever (you need a decent pair of shoes). And you cant be upset if this equipment "breaks," because it only means that you have DONE YOUR JOB and run your heart out and thus need new shoes. There are no rules or times or classes or guidelines. You dont have to check in anywhere. You go wherever and whenever you want. Running is freakin TOUGH and, at the risk of sounding completely dinky and arrogant, I think this is why so many people dont stick with it--it doesnt offer instant gratification, and you really have to stick with it for a month or so before it starts to feel good. Running is a peaceful sport--it is quiet and soft and solitary and it doesnt burn any gas or use any electricity. It is pure human grit.

To run 26 miles and 384 yards is a phenom of nature and I applaud anyone who would choose to undertake this. I sure would not. So, sadly, the best I can come up with is that there is some lonely person out there who hates all the above things that running stands for--not to mention the proud family and friends who came to cheer the runners on. This terrorist must be from a group or brotherhood that hates hard-work-rewarded....they must hate the human spirit, because they tried to bomb it today. Running is a painfully glorious venture--I respect anyone who runs, whether it be 1 mile or 26. I hope that when they catch this person (or person) they punish them by tying them up to a chair at next year's finish line and watching all the grueling faces cross that line and truly earn victory.

Oh, and also, each finisher should wring their shirt out into a big pitcher....and the only thing that the terrorist should be able to drink that day is running sweat. So.....yeah....

April 12th,

and it is snowing outside. Really. What a miserable miserable April it has been thus far. I wonder if, as a month, we will break any meteorology records; the wind has been fierce, and the temps have been lower than Anne Bolger's tolerance for me. If she read this blog she would not appreciate seeing that....

 

But anyway, where are all the moonbats and their global warming shennannigans? Hmm.....

 

 

Yesterday I officiated the inaugural track meet at Winslow High School (well, we have hosted meets before, but this was the first one on the brand new track!). History was made yesterday, essentially, because many kids on the team set PRs, and it was the coldest track meet ever recorded in the history of time. I judged the boys and girl's javelin, and it was CRAZY. First of all, I was in a large expansive field with the wind whipping over and over the place. Add to the fact that by the end of the meet (which was four hours long) the temp had dropped below 30. THEN add to that the fact that there were 43 boys throwing the jav....with four throws each. Do some math, and you will understand why I could not wait to get home!

 

 

Physical Therapy 3 times per week, and I feel like I am making some progress already--I definitely feel looser, and I am doing some bicep and tricep exercises with 15 pound dumbbells. I continue to be diligent about my icing, doing it 5 or 6 times per day. It is funny--I have a neat ice pack from the hospital...but I actually prefer a bag of frozen vegetables. It is more flexible and it surrounds the joint capsule better. Mmmm. Joint capsule. And Angelina Ballerina is so much more enjoyable to watch when I have ice and my two rugrats with me.....

 

 

 

Callum is still such a ham when the camera is around. He loves to TAKE pictures of people and things; this morning, I caught him with his own digital camera taking pictures OF a TV show at 6:46 AM. The show? "Bodies in Motion," the Maine Public Television morning exercise program. He was taking pics of the girl doing stretches.....

We spend as much time as we can outside--even if it is windy and crappy and cold. But when we are indoors, the kids love setting up forts. More to come on that later.

I know this isnt a "Meandering" post, but I have one based on something at school today: My colleague and co-coach Chris, who teaching chemistry, was having her AP kids make soap today (the kids will give it to their moms for mother's day). Anyway, as I was chatting with her in her room (her husband is running the Boston Marathong on Monday) I noticed how she was cleaning up all the beakers, spoons, stirrers, strainers, graduated cylinders, etc. from their soap making exploits. Do you see the irony there? Cleaning up from making soap? That is crazy mang.....

A Humbling Experience.....

Started "outpatient" physical therapy yesterday at "Champions Fitness Center" in Waterville. First of all, this place is, simultaneously, a wedding reception center, a night club/bar, an indoor tennis court, a health club, and a PT venue. #onlyinMaine. It is right behind Hannaford.....

So yesterday I had my evaluation, and my therapist was very honest and forthcoming--which is good, because I dont need anyone to coddle/lie to me. Essentially, I have major major major muscle atrophy (especially in my left arm...but actually in both arms). She used phrases like "wow" and "damm you've got like no strength whatsoever..." and "you'll be here for a while" and stuff like that. Yikes. But it was all supportively said, and she is very committed to getting me back to a place I used to be.

It is very discouraging in a way, when considering how far I had come and how hard I had been working--I would say that before I went into surgery, I was probably the strongest I have ever been. Now.......not so much. So my plan is to go for at least three times a week for a month or so, and then re-evaluate. My therapist DID say that my healing would go so much faster if my mom read this blog.....but, alas, she does not. So I will just have to do extra PT....

I'm doing lots of isometric stuff like 'pushing' my fist and elbows and forearms into walls....and I am using a cane to 'guide' my arm up above my head, as if I am asking a question. Which I am. And the question is: WHEN CAN I LIFT AND DO PULLUPS AND YOGA AGAIN???!!? Hopefully soon.

One of the nicest parts is getting about 20 minutes of DEEEEEEEP tissue massage and then some ultrasound stuff after all the exercises. Very nice indeed. I am very very tight and need a lot of massage #blatantbirthdaygifthints. The other benefit to doing PT at Champions is that while I am doing my therapy, I have free usage of the gym....and after I am discharged, I get a free month membership. So yeah.

April 9th today, and still cold and sleety and miserable....have a wood fire going right now as I write this....and meanwhile for the New Jersey folks it was 87 there today!!! Jeeeeeeesh. Havent even heard the peeper frogs yet in the bog across the street. Hopefully it snows soon!!!

A Trip to the Fountain

 

It is actually very rare that JUST Maira and I do stuff together, and it is even more rare lately because of the fact that I cannot lift her up into her car seat--Callum can just climb up herself, but to put Maira in her seat, I really need to use both arms....which I cannot do. BUT, with the help of Amanda AND the owner at Oak Pond Brewery (where I am 'somewhat' of a regular....haha) I was able to take Maira on a 'date' last Thursday to go get my growlers filled up with fresh beer.............and, I convinced her to go because I promised we would see lots of cows.....as you can see, she was very happy (and she brought her little puppy named BROWNIE with her)

 

 

The brewery itself is about twenty minutes away; it is technically in Skowhegan...but everyone just says Canaan....like it makes a difference. It is literally two hundred yards away from Lake George, where the Goldsmiths LIVE in the summer. The ride is quite nice, as the road hugs the east (or west...depending which of the two roads you choose) bank of the Kennebec River...it meanders through beautiful fields and dairy farms (hence the promise of cows), and there are a couple of bridge crossings over the river that the kids like



                          

It is the reciprocal of pretentiousness; you would definitely miss if it you did not know it was there....it exists in a refurbished old chicken coop....isnt that funny? And the sign is smaller than a campaign poster.....

But they dont need to be fancy, because they have the best beer around. The slogan is "try it cuz it's local...drink it cuz it's good." And that is exactly right. They have about seven beers on tap. None of this cute little 'seasonal' malarky (except for one....and it is worth the wait). A glass half gallon growler of full beer cost nine dollars for the INITIAL INVESTMENT....and then each time you bring the empty ones back, you can refill them for six bucks. What a deal is that!!!

It was pretty darn windy ( as has been the case all weekend). And, for your Mass people (except for my mom, who doesnt read this blog because it isnt on FB) notice how we still have some snowbanks hanging out around; in fact, we still have a bit in our yard! But Maira and I had fun filling up four growlers: Storyteller Dopplebock, Dooryard Ale, Oktoberfest, and Nutbrown Ale. Fantastic stuff.

Then Maira and I took our time going home, taking the "River Road" through Benton, pulling over at the Cavalry and Flood farms to take in the cows grazing along the riverbank. A nice little trip on a Thursday afternoon.

Can you believe that today and yesterday--'almost' halfway through April--I ran wearing a face mask? That is how cold and windy and miserable it has been. RIDICULOUS winds. And the woodstove is still crankin away......

The Doldrums

 

is what it feels like every year during these late March/early April days....it is time without a season....it doesnt know what it wants to be....it is awkward and unpredictable....it is the adolescence of the seasons....

 

Especially, I might add, during this year. What the heck is going on with the weather? Is it ever what it is supposed to be? A RIDICULOUSLY cold winter...you saw our wood situation. Yet, now we have no snow of which to speak. HOWEVER, our wood stove is still going strong mostly all day and night--I went to Agway yesterday to buy a few packs of BioBricks (look them up...kind of weirdly interesting) so we wouldnt have to go into next year's wood. It is freezing out every single freakin day. And the wind is unrelenting. And now we are left with all the winter gritty sand and it blows around in such dry air....and it just sucks. Today it was in the low 40s and everyone ran outside like it was the most beautiful day on earth!

 

But I am SLINGLESS. I havent written a lot about this because people would just make fun and tell me to stop looking for attention. And no one cares anyway. My mom would get mad to hear me talking like this....but she doesnt read this blog....lol. But it was HUGE news when Dr Golden told me at my appointment last Thursday that I dont have wear the sling anymore!!! I have to sleep with it at night for a few more nights....and then I will be DONE!! Still a LONG way to go....wow.....a VERY long way.....but I digress...and I will write another post about my current condition when I start my outpatient PT on this coming Monday

 

Elizabeth, home on spring break, came by on Tuesday to visit, have dinner, and play. Maira absolutely adores her, as you can see (she had just woken up from a nap and was all groggy....Elizabeth and Maira watched....yup, you guessed it....Angelina Ballerina together....

 

 

and then they dressed up and PLAYED Angelina!! Yeay! Dance Party! Hashtag DanceyDance, even....

Always great to have Elizabeth over...she is having a killer year at UMaine where she is coming off a successful rookie basketball season #NCAALiz....we are proud of her for all her hard work! And she is a hell of a vacuumer.....

The tutu always comes out every night.....kind of like that drunk uncle who goes to put on his high school varsity football jacket from '89 when he drinks and talks about the past....only it is a cute little girl and she is dancing in the kitchen and she wasnt born yet in 1989. And stuff.....