Lucky Leprechaun 5K in Rockland

This past Saturday, I ran my first 5K....the first of many, I am sure, because I had a blast. My time was nothing to write home about, but I could care less. I was just happy to be out with friends and family, on the ocean, supporting a good cause, and enjoying an early spring day. And I love the thought of training for other races (including my triathalon) and constantly improving. Good stuff. The race was at 11, and Amanda, Callum, and I followed the Reynolds to Mark's house in downtown Rockland. Rockland, for you Connectimassajeryans reading this, is just south of Camden....its right on the coast. A beautiful little downtown.

It was a "leprechaun" theme, so obviously I had to don my Guinness shirt. That reminds me of the "Guinness curse," which I am sure would make a good story for another blog sometime. But I digress. Eric's friend Mark (and Mark's cousin Todd) also ran the race. Everyone was decked out in green regalia. But there were no ladies going "erin go braless." Yeah. Here we are before the run started. Although a nice spring day later in the afternoon, the morning was quite nippy...especially on the water.

The wind was even enough to take the little guy's breath away, as you can see below. But he was SUCH a good boy, cheering his daddy on the whole time. Or he slept. I can't remember....I was running.
Here we are...."the elite." Haha... From left to right we have Toddy, Mark, Dinkus, and Eric. I dont want to embarrass Eric, but he ran a hell of a race. Great time, Eric! (he used 'roids)

Here I am coming along the final stretch....I was pretty tired. It was supposed to be a flat course, but I found that it was a lot of uphill terrain....but maybe it just seemed that way to me because I was pushing along. (Note the irony of the street sign...we're on the coast of Maine, yet there is "Pacific Street" right above me?????). It should also be noted that the only reason I look like I am working is because someone was holding a green beer for me at the finish line. Just kidding.

And here's the trophy I got after the race!
Like I said, it was so much fun to do this. Eric and I were already talking about next year and how it would be so neat to push the little ones in strollers (a lot of parents were pushing their kids along as they ran).

After the run, we changed up and had lunch at "The Boathouse," which was a restaurant in a gorgeous spot overlooking the harbor. Even though they are the first restaurant I've ever heard of that doesnt have highchairs, it was still great to have a good burger, and spend time with friends.

Up here in Maine, it seems like spring is working its way in....are we really done with the snow? Will I be stoned to death if I say I really hope we get one more good storm? Sorry....its just that right now everything looks so drab and gross....like two week old lentil soup that you reluctantly throw out to make more room in the fridge. So there.

Siegfried at home, running leprachauns, and more

So Saint Patrick's day is coming up next week! Yippee! The one day of the year when

a. EVERYONE wants to be/thinks they are Irish. Well, you are not. And I am. So go make a Toutiere pie or something.....haha

b. It is PERFECTLY acceptable....even encouraged....to completely caricature a whole ethnicity of people as small, drunk, red little men. And even though that may be true.....(haha)

Luckily, we Irish can handle it....we just have another beer and its all good. But I'd like to see if, for a Polish Patron Saint's holiday, they had shirts with little perplexed individuals struggling to change a lightbulb. Or, for the Puerto Rican festival of the Saint Maria Conchita, if folks put up decorations of fancily decorated 1989 Toyota Celicas on cinder blocks in unmowed yards. I wonder if THAT would be okay.....

Even though I am 50% Irish, I have never really embraced the whole St Patrick's Day (it is not St PADDY'S day....) "thing." Oh well. I am proud of my heritage, and I guess I show that by my tweed blazers and Irish knit hats. One thing I have never ever consumed is: However, I will definitely be enjoying some green beer on Saturday, at the finish line of my very first 5K run. Eric and I are running the "Lucky Leprechaun 5K" this Saturday morning. It takes place in Rockland, right on the coast right above Camden. After the race there will be green beer and Irish Stew. Bring it on.

I havent told anyone yet, but I am training for my first triathlon--to be run on May 31st...which is my birthday. This will be my "golden birthday" (I will be 31 on the 31st), and I figured: What better way to celebrate than compete in a triathlon. Eric and I made the decision to run several races this season (this Saturday's is a pretty early one) to get in shape for bigger races. I just figured it is something where I can have a goal, and train to REACH that goal. It will benefit me both physically and mentally. Furthermore, I really want to participate in races, rides, and runs that benefit causes dear to my heart---like cancer and MS. I figure: If I can do it...I can help people. So that is my new "thing."

But I am REALLY gearing up for the "Michael Scott Dunder Mifflin first annual 5K Rabies Awareness (pro am) fun run.....for the cure."

Siegfried is adapting well. He slept behind the futon for most of the day (Amanda was working from home today). He finally came out around dinner time to visit with us, and he's been out and about for the whole night thus far. He definitely is a WICKED mellow little guy--as I mentioned yesterday. I thought Thomas was pretty sedentary....jeesh. Right now he's lying in the green recliner in the den downstairs. As you can see, little Callum LOVES his new friend....and Sig doesnt seem to mind the attention....

Look at that little smile! Callum can't take his eyes off his new pet.

And here, everyone poses for the camera. Siegfried has really interesting eyes, and they dont come out very well with our camera. I have to say that Callum REALLY looks like me in this picture below. Look at those little pork-chop calves of his....

I bring Siegfried for his first vet appointment tomorrow at 345. There are a few peculiar things about him. First of all, he kind of still smells....but I think that is still the shelter smell thing. Second, he's kind of clumsy, and seems to have trouble walking downstairs (it looks like he falls and stuff). He's only 3, so I doubt there is anything "old" and not working right. Again, he's looking forward to meeting everyone.

Welcome Home Siegfried!

This is the newest addition to the Goldsmith clan--Siegfried Goldsmith. This past Saturday, Amanda, Callum, and I went to the Waterville Humane Society to look at cats. We have been mourning our dear Thomas since October, and finally realized this house was somehow empty without a pet. The criteria: He had to like Callum. And like Callum he does! We sat down on the bench in one of the cat rooms, and up hops this little guy (previously called Sandler) onto the bench. Immediately, he starts rubbing against Callum and me, and he had no problem with Callum petting him....even when Callum "grabbed" his fur and then his whiskers, Siegfried didnt mind a bit.

Siegfried, obviously, looks a lot different than our dear Thomas. I guess that was done on purpose. He is very soft, and has a huge head! He is a three year old boy, and he was a stray found in Winslow and brought to the shelter. He has been at the shelter since January 16....so he was ready for a nice warm home.

He's a little sore today because yesterday they implanted a microchip between his shoulder blades. But other than that, he's a happy guy. He's EXTREMELY mellow....I have only heard him meow one time. He has a VERY dull, slow purr. And he's just making his way around the house, sniffing here and there, finding comfortable places, and eating a ton of food. He's a bit skiddish right now, but at least he isnt hiding on us. He has kind of a funky smell going on, but that is from the shelter....living in a stressful situation with like 30 other cats can do that I guess.

All in all, we're happy to have him home...he'll be a wonderful addition to the family, and he cant wait to meet everyone. On a sidenote, its hard having another cat, since we were so attached to Thomas P., and, I anyway, find myself comparing Siegfried to Thomas (Thomas never laid on the recliner....Thomas had such a louder purr....etc.). I need to stop that. They are both very different and wonderful little guys....all in their own way.

More pictures to come...Callum is already asleep, so he was unavailable for photos this evening...

Humane Society, Hallowell, and Craft Day

Hi. Amanda here.

On Saturday, after Callum woke up from his nap, we decided to take a ride over to the Waterville Humane Society to look at cats. Ever since we lost Thomas we have been talking about getting another cat but I think we've both been a little hesitant. Thomas was such an amazing animal that we fear no other cat could compare. On the other hand, our house just feels so empty without a cat that we knew we needed to adopt another one. Finally, this weekend, we decided to see who was out there looking for a home. And we found Sandler. Sandler is a 3 year old male, black and white, and he is a big puppa cat with a big round face. He immediately came up to us, sat on Jared's lap, rubbed against Callum's feet, and seemed very happy to be with us. He didn't purr, but maybe that will come in time. Callum even pulled his whiskers and fur a couple of times and Sandler didn't seem to mind in the least. We are going to pick him up on Tuesday, I think, so stay tuned for pictures of the newest member of our family...

Okay, I just have to say that Callum is looking more and more like a little boy everyday. Just look at him here! We were getting ready to go to the shelter and he is very excited to see all the kitties.


He wanted to wear his Phillies hat, just like his Daddy. I love my boys!


After the humane society we drove into Hallowell. We were going to meet my parents, Jonathan and Mel, and Grandpop at the Lucky Garden for dinner. We had a little time before we were to meet them so we decided to walk around Hallowell for a little bit. We bought CS a really neat clock for his room, I found a new scrapbook store, and Daddy had us pose in front of the 'Goldsmith' sign for a picture.

We then had dinner with the family and it was really great to see P-Pop after his trip to Florida and New Jersey. Welcome home, P-Pop!


For a while now I've been wanting to do a monthly craft afternoon. I have so many crafts that I want to do and I never find the time to do them. I thought it would be fun to get some friends together once a month specifically to chat and work on our projects. The group today was Michelle, Mel, and myself. We planted ourselves in my 'crap room', as Jared calls it, and got to work. Callum also joined us for a little while. He worked on pulling his fish out of the fishbowl and then putting them back in. Michelle and Mel worked on their scrapbooks and I did some knitting. Hopefully next month we'll have a few more people join us...

Jared was at our beck and call, getting us drinks and snacks, and making a really great pasta fagioli soup with sausage (I don't know if I got the spelling right). I love you, Jared -- thanks for letting me relax with my friends and for being our slave for the afternoon!

Magazines that were....

Sorry I havent posted much this week....but now I am back.

Thanks again for all the GREAT responses about the "Stores that were" post! Its great to see everyone reminiscing about the good old days when there WERE these stores....before Wal Mart and Crap-Aid took over the world! Before I continue with the magazine post, I couldnt help but thinking how foolish I was for leaving the following off my original list (and, I apologize, but these are mostly Mass places local to where I grew up!)

SPAGS: "They have no bags at Spags." But they did have a lot of crap you didnt know you wanted or needed until you saw it

SANNIES (or was it Sandy's): In downtown Mansfield....a kid's clothing store....Susan Shaw turned my mom on to it, and we used to get a lot of jeans and such there

COBBS CORNER: Not a "store," per se, but more like a big Jewish hangout. Is it still there? Was this in Sharon? What the heck is even there? I just remember my mom saying that we were going to go over to Cobb's Corner for shoes or clothes, etc

CHRISTOPHER'S: In the deathtrap/intersection of Stoughton Center....my sister and I used to get our shoes there....and they used to give out cool banana keychains.

BILLY VIGOR'S SURPLUS: Johnny C....mourn ya til I join ya.....

MVP SPORTS: Before Pricks and Modells and all those stupid places, we had a REAL sports store...with Johnny Most as its spokesperson, "commentating" on what was on sale that week. The ads were awesome...colored-in pictures on newsprint. And a catchy jingle

COLEMANS and HERMANS: Two great local sporting goods stores. Colemans has no relation to the big camping supply company. One was in Stoughton and one was in Quincy, right? And were Colemans and Hermans somehow related? Hermans had a catchy jingle too.

*******

Anyway, I was thinking about old magazines we used to have when we were kids. My cousin Lauren used to buy all the "teen" magazines and virtually wallpaper her room with pictures of NKOTB....and Nana Courtney used to inudate our house with all her old women's periodicals. Isnt that funny how libraries are too snooty to call them magazines? Johnny C, what is with that? Anyway, I think some of these magazines might still exist...but I never see them anymore....I used to love magazines when I was a kid

1. BOY'S LIFE: Boy Scout magazine. Anyone? Always cool articles about camping and sports.

2. PENNYWISE: Not Johnny C's punk band...but an old kid magazine about how to save money, make things yourself, budget for retirement....things like that

3. TEEN BEAT: The first of many teen magazines to be mentioned. This, I think, was the original, and most of the time had Kirk Cameron's picture on the cover. What is he doing now? Isnt he in some quasi-Christian cult or something?

4. BOP, TIGER BEAT, 16, SUPERTEEN: More of the same. Mostly NKOTB, Jonathan Taylor Thomas from Home Improvement, or Vanilla Ice

5. WOMEN'S WORLD: I dont think they make this one anymore. Nana used to give it to my mom. I remember it because it was larger than your average size magazine....and printed on very chintzy paper

6. INSIDE SPORTS: Not "SPORTS," which is still around today competing with Sports Illustrated. Does anyone remember "Inside" In my opinion, they always had a better swimsuit issue. No?

7. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED FOR KIDS: Who cares about Michael Jordan's new contract or Emmit Smith's performance at the combine....I want to know what they like on their pizza, and what they watch on TV!!! Yeay! Also, they had a cool comic called "SPOT" or something like that. I remember this because Dr. Bryan T. Maher used to draw this little red character all during Mr. Pratt's poor excuse for a science class. Maher, are you reading this?

8. DISNEY ADVENTURES: On sale in the checkout line of Shaw's when I was kid. Is it still around?

9. RANGER RICK: For all the "Amandaish" kids who actually went outside and played and got fresh air...and didnt just sit on their butts playing Mario Brothers. Cool outdoor magazine about animals, lichens, and such.

10. CRACKED: Who remembers this? I dont know if they still make it or not, but it was a magazine that competed with MAD, right? My cousin Michael Wayne used to give me all his old issues. As I remember, it was funnier than MAD.

11. ZOOBOOKS: Awesome, awesome, awesome magazine. Each issue was about a different animal, and it was dedicated to teaching you just about everything about that animal! They had cross sections of the animal's body, skeleton, etc. And you could collect them all and then be a smartass little kid at family Christmas parties and tell your Uncle how big an elephant's femur is. And such and such.

12. GROO: More of a comic....and the only comic I put on this list. But it was a big (page-wise) comic, and a pretty arcane one at that. Plus, it was hilarious! The would-be warrior GROO and his quest to save something or someone?? Anyone?

13. MUPPETS: Kristin used to get Muppets magazine. I remember the issue I used to look at all the time had Kermit and Kirk Cameron on the cover

14. HILIGHTS FOR CHILDREN: As opposed to HIGHLIGHTS FOR ADULTS I guess. A magazine that ALL good little boys and girls read, right? Just as male college sophomores immediately flip to the centerfold of a Playboy, so did I flip to see what good old Goofus and Gallant were up to THIS month....that ass-kissing Gallant, with his nicely starched shirt and even sideburns....

Stores and Restaurants That Were

I was just thinking yesterday about stores I remember from when I was a kid....stores that I dont think exist any longer. Maybe some of these DO still exist, but I havent heard of them or seen them in my own life for quite some time. I guess this means I'm getting old. Living in Maine, I always hear the "old timers" talk about what "used to be" on Upper Main St in Waterville, or Halifax Street in Winslow, etc. A funny thing about Maine is that when a store has been there for a long time and then that store goes out of business and another store replaces it, people, for the most part, still refer to it by its old name. Forever. In Fairfield Center there is a store called "Damon's Quick Stop." Its a popular destination because it intersects some key snowmobile trails going to Waterville, Fairfield, Skowhegan, or Norrigewock. But don't ask anyone where "Damon's" is....they won't know what you are talking about. They only know of "Jock's Variety," the store that was there like 10 years ago before it became Damon's. Maine is funny like that. Anyway, here is my list. I wonder what you can add to it....

ZAYRES: Cool old department store. Orange lettering and fancy design font.

ALMACS: Before we had the "big box" Shaws move into Easton, my mom would do all the shopping at Almacs....the grocery store off of 140 in Mansfield. It was right next door to her aerobics studio

PURITY SUPREME: A grocery store. I thought they were a chain. Papa Goldsmith used to shop there, and I remember they had a red heart in between the "Purity" and the "Supreme."

FRANKS: A nursery/greenhouse/crafty kind of place. Across from the old Paperama at the Westgate Mall. I think there were some in Maine too....

HQ: The "other" big-box home improvement store. Remember them? They had the big green letters? They must have lost out big to Home Depot somehow.

GROSSMAN'S: The orginal hardware store, as far as I know. My dad always needed to go to "Grossman's" to pick up something. I think they had a big orange sign you could see from the highway. Again, I think they existed in Maine too.

TAPE WORLD: I think their name implies they are now an obsolete store. But they sold wall to wall tapes....

RECORD TOWN: Same thing. But records.

THE WALL: Another music chain store....they tried to be all "right brain" by having the gimmick that their CDs were guaranteed for life....AS LONG AS you kept the sticker on the cover. If you broke it, they would give you a new CD. The only problem was that they only stayed in business for like two weeks.

CHECK FARM: This one's for Johnny C.....its all about the Now & Laters and creepy pedophiles with inoperable cataracts.....

MISTER DONUT: I found out, while researching for this blog entry, that Mister Donut has re-marketed itself in the Asian donut theater. Those are three words I bet you've never seen all together. But apparently, they are pretty big in China, Japan, etc. Seriously. Which means they've come a long way from their days at Westgate Mall across from Lazarino's pizza....

SUPREME DOUNUT: Never had their donuts, but heard they were actually pretty good. A pretty boring logo as I remember. What's funny is how I remember these stores by their logos, colors, designs, etc.

NICKELODEON: Another donut place in Brockton...near the fairgrounds. I probably only remember it because it had a creepy clown on its sign....and weird little mirrors inside (like the ones you'd see in a funhouse)

STRUCTURE: I think they virtually INVENTED the whole male-metrosexual clothing genre...haha. Basically they were 50 dollar collared pullovers with stripes on them

DUNNINGTON SUPER DRUG: Before RITE AID took over the world (and CVS for that matter), we had two wonderful drug stores: Osco and Dunnington. There was also Sedells, and they deserve their own category too. But I remember there was a Dunnington in Brockton, and I remember the "logo" was green and showed an old man pushing a cart through the store. Call me crazy, but that is how I remember it!

CHILD WORLD: What is this Kay-Bee and Toys R Us crock of BS? Everyone knows Childworld is where it was at. Being a kid started and ended with Childworld. Word to Peter Panda.

LAURIAT'S BOOKS: An independent mall chain of bookstores. Are there any still in existence?

BRADLEES: Everyone remembers Bradlees, right? I loved Bradlees. They had Icees!

JORDAN MARSH: Currently known as Macy's. This didnt happen TOO long ago, right?

RAVE: Amanda wondered about this place. Do they still exist? Kristin used to get a lot of her clothes there...sort of a teeny-bopper type of clothing store!

LERNER'S OF NEW YORK, G.FOX, and CHERRY WEBB AND TERRAIN: Three more random clothes stores I dont think exist any longer.

*****

(Amanda had these "New Jersey" offerings for the list....I've never heard of any of these places, but then again I didnt grow up in New Jersey!)

Kiddy City

Chi Chi's

Golden Corral

John Wanamakers (tea sandwiches with watercress)

An afternoon at the museum

The Maine State Museum, that is! Augusta, Maine's Capital city, boasts an extraordinary museum, archives, and library. Yesterday we met Lynne and George there for Callum's first trip (of many, we hope) to look around the museum. To our surprise, Jonathan showed up too, and walked around with us for a little bit before leaving to go work on some hot chick's car. Below, Uncle Jon and Callum pose for the camera, while George scowls because he just realized Barack is still our president. I could have easily written "George looks on with joy and excitement at the map detailing the museum layout" and that could have been right on too....George IS the master of expression after all...... Can you name all these fish? When Amanda and I were first dating, and I first came up to visit her during one of our winter breaks, we went on a date to the museum, and I impressed her by naming most of these fish correctly. I think that is why she married me, actually. Yesterday, however, was a different story, whereas I only got about MAYBE half of them correct. Ortiz, I bet you can do this!

The above picture is taken from the "Maine fishing heritage" exhibit, and the museum also pays homage to Maine's other indigenous crafts, exports, industries, and arts. There is a section on boat building, ice cutting, locomotive constructing, granite quarrying, logging, and even sardine canning! We'd love to take any of you out-of-staters to the museum next time you are up....it really is pretty impressive! Its a hidden gem indeed.

Callum is just overjoyed at the ice cutting exhibit. Can you imagine if Chelsea got a load of this??!!?? She'd be in heaven.....life-size ice cubes!

This is downstairs in the "boat and engine" room. There is such irony in that Grampy is smiling, yet Callum isnt. They have some beautiful sailboats and handmade canoes down there....I love the canoes, as you can tell from my shirt!


Callum gives me a proper "thank you" for a great afternoon at the museum!

We'll have to go back soon, as Callum didnt get to see all the animals and stuff....and we know he loves his moose!!! He was getting pretty tired and hungry, and we had to get him something to eat.

As I write this, ANOTHER big storm is slowly moving its beautiful head up the coast and inland a bit to slam us with at least another foot of snow. I think its safe to say that "no school" is a pretty safe bet....but you can never tell!!! If so, I think this will be our 4th snow day (is that right Michelle or MET?) I thought we have had more, but I think this will only be our 4th. Oh well. Just more Curious George for CS and I to watch. PLUS, I can watch the boy romp around in his walker.....