Cookout

....a little one....nothing crazy-like....

Lin and Gorge came by to have some bbq chicken and sausage over the weekend; sometimes last minute little plans work out wonderfully. The weather held off for the most part, and it actually did not rain for almost four hours! Below, where you see us all sitting, is going to look much different in a few weeks as my friend Rod and I put in a little deck/patio thing in the back. We obviously are right in town with not a ton of privacy, so the deck will give us a little bit. This time of year it is actually wonderful living in a town/neighborhood, since there is always a lot of stuff going on and there are always people to talk to. 

The kids love to take their hot wheels or monster trucks out and play out back. They also love to sit at the picnic table and color....

#screens

We had blizzards from Dairy Queen for dessert....Zin _ makes fun of me because I order mine with M&Ms and he says that no self respecting 35 year old man would order those in his blizzard. I say that he should never assume that I am a self respecting ANYTHING. No one else respects me, so why should I? Bring on the MandMs.

Callum and Maira wanted to bbq as well. But they wanted to role play what a DOT worker on 95 would bbq. So yeah. We did bubbles, wiffle ball, running, and had a little camp fire. As you can see in the background, our firewood is starting to become replenished, and I am in full stack-mode to get it all done so that it can season and I can get surgery.

Memorial Day 1

Very funny weather we had this Memorial day weekend--it never quite decided if it was going to rain...or be sunny....or cloudy...or whatever! We had some brief glimpses of sunshine followed by deluges of rain followed by clouds and bleh....so, whatever. It still feels like it hasnt 'gotten nice' consistently since winter officially 'ended' or whatever it did....

Amanda's birthday was Saturday, as I mentioned in yesterday's blog. And then, last weekend, was mother's day. So the kids got Amanda mostly 'running gifts' (except for the cake loaded with frosting...haha). The shirt she is wearing is perfect for Sally--for two reasons. I bought it off a web site devoted to 'running moms' and the stuff is geared around that. It is made from this tech-wick material so she stays cool when she runs. The second reason it is perfect for Amanda is because of the saying on the front. This is so true, since, whenever she runs (or I run or bike, for that matter) the kids want to run to the end of our road and 'watch' us head down Western Ave, which is where most of our runs and rides take us at the beginning. Callum would chase us the whole time if we let him...the kid loves to run. 

Also, the kids got Amanda a 'cool' (literally) hat to wear while running--keep the hair out of her face and absorb sweat and deflect sunlight or whatever. Trendy fitness stuff.  haha

Last night we were invited over to the Carlton's to have a fire and make s'mores. We love hanging out with the Carltons for many many reasons. But one really cool thing about going down to their house is that we can walk there. It is like going over to a friend's house when you were a little kid. In fact, for Callum, it is just that. He left about ten minutes before us because he was tired of waiting and he wanted to ride his bike down and start on the tire swing...haha. Plus, it is cool when I walk down to play cribbage or watch games and hang with Andy, because I get to carry my beer, which, for some reason, really excites me......

I took this picture at about 6 last night as we were walking down the road toward the Carlton's...it was a small pocket when it wasnt rainy or cloudy--it was just gorgeous! Plus, the 'light' at that time of day is just gorgeous; as a zealous lover of darkness and winter, I do have to admit that I love the pre-June 21 light. There is just something about it. The neighborhood is all in bloom and becoming greener by the day. Amanda and Maira are out in front. It was just a beautiful moment I tried to capture.

And then hanging with the Carltons around the fire. No idea what was going on when this was taken....but it needs a caption. Bad. haha

OMG!!

Where have I beeeeeeeeeeen? Idk guy, Idk.

I was looking at our camera for pictures to upload....and realized that we didnt have any new pictures to upload since our last blog

Apparently we havent done anything interesting....haha

Of course that is not true, because everything around here has been very busy.

One cord of new, green split wood is stacked and ready to bake for the year while we get ready for winter...

Another cord of new, green split wood is sitting in a huge pile in our driveway waiting to be stacked....

It is time to build up our reserve to fight winter again next year....we went through SO much wood this year

We have most of our 'garden' in--we are not doing the traditional garden this year--that was tough last year with all the weeds, etc. Plus our location was tough. This year we are growing tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets, and, using this cool 'pallet' garden thing I read about (pics to follow..) we are growing a few rows of lettuces and a few rows of cucumbers.

The frost never went out all the way this year, so our front screen door of the breezeway still doesnt shut...so I am trying to figure out how to deal with this problem...maybe jacking up the whole breezeway floor...

Amanda's birthday was yesterday, and the kids had, for her, a cake from Hillman's and a running hat made by UnderArmour for all the running she has been doing! We had dinner at Amici's last night....becoming our 'go to' place for wonderful, fancy (but not expensive) special dinners. A solid Italian restaurant. Check it out:

http://www.amiciscucina.com/

Hay fever is atrocious for me this year--and it looks like Callum has inherited that problem from me as well. Nauseous, stuffy, scratchy, and yukkkky feeling all the time....

TeeBall continuing to go well....Callum is without doubt the  best hitter on the team--he cranks the ball and uses the whole field...haha

Thinking about doing the half marathong in Disgusta on the rail trail....I dont know....

And I guess that is a pretty good, quick recap on this Sunday night of Memorial Day weekend! We look forward to going to CT next weekend--we had some car issues that kept us from going this weekend (exhaust problems, etc). The weather has been crappy this weekend for the most part anyway, so hopefully next weekend will be hot so we can swim and have fun in the pool!

Thus far in May....

A bunch of tidbitty types of things for your rainy Saturday May entry......

Last week at school we had, at an assembly, Olympic Silver medalist luge rider Julia Clukey. She hails from Disgusta Maine and went to Cony High school and she now goes around on the lecture circuit talking to kids about goals and motivation and dreams. After, she signed some autographs and I got one (obviously...haha). My good bud and colleague Dave were in line and another colleague (and former student) Mel caught this picture; I have no idea why I was making this face, but it sure is funny to me. This would be a good caption contest.....

Amanda has been doing a great job running....and I have been trying to not do AS MUCH running! Now that winter is coming to a close, I have been trying to get out on my bike more...although the roads are in terrible shape from the winter--heaved and cracked and messed up beyond belief. Plus, cars in Maine are not used to seeing people outside exercising or running or biking, so one needs to be very careful. But I have been riding my other bike (knobbier tires) to school at least a couple of times per week....it has been delightful not to drive!

And Maira has been taking her babies on nice walks in the stroller Papa got her for Christmas....

And Tee-Ball season has begun, and Callum is on the As....which basically means he has a green shirt...haha. I think Callum needs to be done with tee ball and play the next level which is called 'rookie league.' The kid is very good and has been hitting the ball VERY well. In fact, when we play, I cant even throw him underhand anymore....I throw him some funky stuff with the wiffleball and it is fun! The coach made the remark to me after the game yesterday that: "I think he is gonna be quite the ballplayer....jeesh!" That felt good. At least ONE Goldsmith should be athletic, right? haha

Amanda went on a fantastic conference a couple of weeks ago now, and perhaps she will write more about the changes in her job, etc. But basically it was an HR conference at the Samoset Resort in Rockland, Maine, and her room was right on the ocean--this is the view looking out her window (unfortunately there was a golf course...haha). She stayed overnight on a Thursday and came home Friday. Like I said, maybe she will write more about it...

And there was a breakwater onto which she walked one morning or something. I dont know. I dont really talk to her.....

Children....

So I had originally set out to do this post about a charity basketball game in which I played a couple of weeks ago--the parents volunteering for Project Grad had a faculty vs students game at the high school, and I was asked to play. I both hate--and suck at--basketball. It is by far my least favorite sport. But I went and had some fun. But, as I was posting these pics, I realized my heart wasnt really into writing about this. 

Part of why I keep this blog is to reflect back on things that were on my mind at any given time of my life, and there has certainly been stuff on my mind lately. But, let me put the pictures first for the folks who like pictures....

Oh yeah...the faculty totally kicked the seniors' asses....

You see these pictures of my children? They have been weighing on my mind lately--in very emotional ways. Recently, friends of ours just lost their infant son--to be specific, the mom carried the baby for about 24 weeks (all but 2 of those weeks were uncomplicated by placenta tears, constant bedrest, etc). She delivered it--labor and all--only to have it live for an hour. It was named, held baptized, and loved....and then it died. There are few things in the world that can make me cry publicly (everyone knows I am an emotional basketcase...but I usually keep emotions to myself in private...), but one that does is the devastating loss of a child. It just seems like lately I have been surrounded by wonderful folks who, for whatever reason, have stories and situations and complications with loss--all involving children. One of my good friends and colleagues at school lost her son to a freakish traffic accident when he was 6--he was hit by a truck and died. Callum is about to turn six and just trying to imagine life without him just gives me nightmares. This friend has been on my mind lately because, almost 5 years after this has happened, she has finally come to terms with what she wants inscribed on his gravestone.

 I just cannot fathom losing a child. Many will remember that when Callum was born he had TWO tight knots in his umbilical cord...this, according to the doctor, happens in less than 1% of newborns...and most of them die. Devastating. Amazing. Being the selfish individual that I am, I far too often take for granted just how blessed we are to have had two healthy conceptions, pregnancies, and births. And, also, I take for granted how healthy and happy Callum and Maira have been throughout their lives. Another thing on my mind lately are the several friends who are just having complication after complication trying to GET pregnant in the first place.  How frustrating it must be to WANT children and not be able to do so. I really feel this stuff happens more than we think it does, and many suffer silently.

At any rate, my kids have been on my mind a lot lately. I love them more than the human capacity for emotion can convey. And my biggest fear is that they may have no clue--but my biggest hope is that someday they will. I just wanted to remind myself today of how blessed I am to have these two goofballs (and their gorgeous and nurturing mother too!) in my life.....

Two Cent Bridge

After we met with the authors at the Children's Book Cellar, Callum and Maira wanted to show Ms Emily all the joy of the Two Cent Bridge (or...as Callum calls it...the JAMES BRIDGE....after Thomas the Train). Emily had never been down by the bridge and I think she enjoyed it. It is a pretty neat bridge with a pretty neat story:

It is a footbridge on the Register of National Historic Places, and it connects Waterville to Winslow via the Kennebec River. The Waterville side (Front St) used to be home to hundreds and hundreds of mill workers (immigrants from Quebec and Lebanon mostly) who, each day, would go to work at the woolen mills...and then paper mills of Winslow. On the Winslow side, you can see the remnants of Scott Paper Company, which used to have a huge paper mill in town. It shut down in the 90s, but the building is still used for other stuff. They used to charge a 2cent toll in order to cross this bridge (otherwise you would have to walk across the auto bridge...would would probably add on an extra half mile or so to your trip) and thus the bridge was named!

The bridge is pretty special because, during XC season, on certain days, we run across it on our way to Colby College to access some of their great hills and trails. I love running across it and looking at the mighty Kennebec. Up the hill from the actual bridge is my school--about 300 yards away, in fact....

On the Waterville side....looking across towards Winslow and the mill....there is a nice little park around the bridge...downtown Watervill is pretty nice....we walked from the bookstore by the opera house and then across just one street to get to the 2cent...

Callum challenged Emily to a race across the bridge....Callum fell....hilarious....

.....but then he got up and kept going!

Striking a pose on the old railroad tracks that used to bring supplies to the mill......now we are on the Winslow side looking across at Front Street in Waterville. Dad, can you make out Joseph's meat market?? That is where it is!

Chris Van Dusen

Chris Van Dusen is a very popular children's author and illustrator, and Callum and Maira just love his books. In fact, we have sent a couple to Jackson as gifts as well. The "Mr Magee" series is spectacular, and the kids also love "If I Built a Car" (which is a little boy explaining to his dad what he would do to redesign cars and make them FUN) and "The Circus Ship" (which is based on a true story of a boat carrying animals for a circus...and the boat sinks...and the animals all are rescued by the island people nearby). 

We are so lucky to have such a great artist living right here in Maine--in Camden no less! Last Saturday Chris Van Dusen and Matt Tavares (see below) were at The Children's Book Cellar in Waterville...so I took Callum, Maira, and Emily (Andy and Hannah were at Karate, and Sally and Beth were running a race up in Bangor!). Van Dusen and Tavares were signing copies of books, talking to kids (and adults), and just hanging out being cool! Van Dusen has a new book out I want to get--it is a book about former President Taft, being fat, and getting stuck in the White House tub. 

I love his illustrations--so vibrant and colorful and clear. Sorry...I am not an 'art' guy and cannot think of another way to describe them...haha. Anyway, here, below, are the three kids getting some books signed with Mr. Van Dusen.....

Callum and Maira brought their "Magee" books (as well as Circus Ship) to be signed. For Magee books they have DOWN TO THE SEA with Mr Magee, A CAMPING SPREE with Mr Magee, and LEARNING TO SKI with Mr Magee.... (see the Taft/bath book in the middle of the photo on the table??)

Matt Tavares is yet another Maine treasure, and even though the kids don't have any of his books yet, they soon will! A graduate of Bates, he wrote his first book, ZACHARY'S BALL as a senior project in college. As you can see from the titles on the table, most of his books are about baseball, and the illustrations are just works of art--intricate black and white pencil drawings with lots of shading and contrast (again...I cant describe art very well!). It was great talking with Matt as well, and I look forward to buying his whole library--he has ones about Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and more....

The Children's Book Cellar is just a wonderful place right in Waterville--in an age where there are hardly ANY independent bookstores left (everyone HAS to have their Barnes and Noble and all that crap...) Ellenn works hard to keep the local flavor alive and well in Downtown Waterville. A true gem. When Callum won the Winslow Library summer reading program a couple of years ago, the prize was a gift certificate to this place.

Maira sat by the front door like this reading for probably about 20 minutes; people got a kick out of her and asked me NOT to move her....they were happy to walk around her. And, on her part, Maira was pretty much oblivious to these people.....(ps: please take note of the 'snack bag' that she has to carry around with her everywhere....she never EATS anything....she just likes to HAVE it....)

May is here

.....but all we have is cool temps and TONS of moisture....

We STILL have been having fires in the afternoon and evening, stoking the fire before we go to bed to heat the house over the night. Nuts.

Today we got our first cord of wood delivered; 210 dollars per cord this year! Granted, this is a new guy I was just using for one cord (our 'normal' guy has been holding steady at 185). But I was thinking back to when we first started burning wood about 8 or 9 years ago, and I paid 165 for split wood, and 150 for wood 'in the round.' Prices have sure gone up!!

Today was actually a lovely day, with temps at 60 degrees or so (the warmest thus far this spring!) although we had some rain too....

The frost STILL has not gone out in the parts of our driveway and garage that dont get much (or any) sun; we still cannot shut our breezeway screen door, and the driveway/walkway by that door looks like a roller coaster of heavedness. Yes, heavedness.

It is amazing to think that is is May. It just doesnt feel like it at all--I definitely still feel like we are at the end of winter; it feels like March with the wind and cool temps we have been having

Not much else to report on here--Maira continues to do amazingly with her potty training, and is virtually 'there,' as she rarely has accidents. But, when she does, they are big ones, and usually occur when she is outside playing with her best dog friend Annie and she gets too into what she is doing to come inside and go. Annie, in turn, loves the kids, and will often (okay, daily) go as far as her shock collar will go into our backyard, and just sit and bark at the back door of our house--almost as if she is calling Callum and Maira to come out and play with her. It is hilarious, and this happens on a daily basis.

Here are some pictures for youse.....

Little CS has got some red hair going on here, huh?? Whom does he look like??

Best buddies sitting together on a newly fallen tree on the shore path at Acadia. It gladdens my heart more than people realize when I see how much these two love each other. I would consider our parenting a success solely on the fact that these two remain close throughout their whole lives; that is my hope and prayer.

oh.....how about some yoga on the shore path on the outskirts of otter cliffs? Actually, Callum said he wanted to be a 'statue of a runner.' Whatever kid; whatever.

....and not to be outdone.....