So I really love pipe organ music--it is definitely my favorite type of music, in fact. Fairfield is home to a very old campus called "Goodwill-Hinkley" and it was, in olden days, a communal school and now it is partially owned by Kennebec Community College. At any rate, there is a chapel there called "The Moody Chapel" and it is home to quite an exquisite pipe organ. I took a picture of all the specs, etc, but I cannot find it. Rick Dostie, the organist at our church, played a recital there last week, and it was just amazing: The resonance and clarity of the organ is miraculous. Below is a photo of it--look at the stained glass and the pipes and the speaker--it is truly a work of art. He started with this piece by Bach--if you want to hear how beautiful it is (this link brings you to one played at University of Notre Dame) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiGJMkJAAnY

The school year is already one quarter over...can you believe it? The kids are very involved with their activities: Maira does dance on Fridays and swimming lessons on Mondays. Callum was playing flag football on Tuesdays, he has swimming lessons on Mondays, and, on Wednesdays, he has cub scouts. So far he is really loving being a Tiger Scout, and he has earned his first badge (bobcat) by memorizing the code and the creed and doing all kinds of other cute things. Some of his buddies from class are in his 'den' and this Wednesday we are meeting at the Fairfield fire station to tour around!

The kids love their friends, and they are making them in droves at school, childcare, lessons, etc. Now that Callum is getting a little older he is becoming aware of all the other boys who live on our road (or roads just around the corner, etc). We are giving him more freedom to go ride to his friends' homes, and, as well, they come knocking on our door. His friend Stephen is in his class this year, and he lives around the corner from us. His brother Brayden (third grade) usually comes by with him as well. They do legos and 'try' to wrestle (but I dont let them....too dangerous...ohmystars...) and play games like Hungry Hippos and Headbandz

So there we are. Moving along with lightning speed through the school year. I cant believe we are already into November. I have been feeling pretty well, although I definitely struggle with the transition of the seasons. And my eyes, suddenly, seem to be failing me! I have been having a lot of trouble seeing at night especially--not only when I drive, but also when I run--my depth perception is way off and I have trouble with shadows and glare...haha...guess I am getting old. I go to the eye doctor in a couple of weeks.....

Okay let's try this again.....

Happy Halloween everyone. Today was a windy, cool day--this morning when I awoke it was 24 degrees outside when I went out to both take Orso and have my coffee (I sit outside on weekend mornings and drink my coffee...even if it is cold...it is like my little daily meditation.....). Amanda got in a great four miler with Beth, and I did a ride along the rail trail and then did some lifting....

Amanda did a great job with snacks for our Halloween festivities, which included a hugely busy Saturday night on Military Ave. She put together some awesome snacks like these 'pepper-o-lanterns' filled with...well...vegetables...

And let's not forget about "Frankenguac," which was guacamole shaped like the MONSTER from Frankenstein....olives, sour cream, and chips made up the whole ensemble...

George put together a fantastic American Chop Suey for all to enjoy. Below is a 'pregame' shot of some of the Halloween kids; Cindy and Dana's (next door neighbors) grandkids come to trick or treat in our neighborhood--Callum and Maira are friends with Robert, Zephyr, and Keelan (and let's not forget about Madison, the black lab, who is Orso's new friend!). Maira likes being the only girl...she is a little flirt....hahaha. Callum is the red power ranger, by the way....he is tall!

And here is just a funny shot of the two from earlier this afternoon. Maira was a cheetah and loved shaking her little butt/tail for anyone who asked....

And let us not forget that today is the best day!! We set our clocks back tonight! Darkness prevails!!

Despite the fact they will make fun of me for saying so, I count as one of the greatest blessings in my life the friendship of Tim, Jay, and John. Granted, 96.8% of our entire friendship is predicated on us exposing and exploiting each other's weaknesses and giving each other endless rations of crap. But that is just how we roll, and these guys are the best. 

Jawm was home from Nevada for a week, and, in his altruistic nature, found the time to come along with Zin and Efth to Maine for a couple of days of debauchery. Our time together is always as good as advertised. On Friday, when the idiots finally got to my house at like 930, we made a beeline for Brews (which still had a wait #service) and indulged in some Montreal burgers (along with the best fries I have ever had) and DropDeadRed/PBR on draft. A great night to catch up a bit. Also, there was a gross dirty hippy band playing at like 8881 decibels. I couldnt even hear the voices in my head. And the band attracted a lot of dirty hippies to the place. Sorry :/

We are creatures of habit. Saturday morning found us at the Flatlanda, as it often finds us. I just love this place and woudnt get breakfast anywhere else. Simple. Solid. Homey. Perfect. And, Jawn could update his 'resume' with a currenty 2015 picture with one of the hundreds of novelty license plates that adorn the walls of the diner....just perfect. This must be the tenth version of this....

Lake George was calling us, and so we went. I repeat this often, but Lake George is just one of my favorite places in all the world. A pristine lake. Surrounded by hills. Beautiful geological concoctions. Very protected. Wonderful trails. Just a gem of a place. Thanks to my friend and colleague Jenn, who let us use one of her kayaks so we wouldnt have to cram four fatties into my Old Town Camper! We paddled out into the middle of the lake and then just stopped...sat...talked...drifted...and observed. We watched an Eagle soar and, at the same time, 'observe' or teach its young Eaglet how to fly. Just perfect. A cacophony of loons were harbingers of an approaching storm front which we watched roll in across the vast sky. It rained and thundered and then we watched the storm slide away and the sun return, the loons once again 'announcing' that all was well. I think the picture below might be one of favorite pictures of the summer--just the simplicity of floating around a gorgeous lake. Maine summer. Everyone looking at different things. Everyone spellbound by peace and time and beauty and space.

And then, after the lake, the guys wanted to check out the famed OakPondBrewery (havent been there in a while!) for some tour and tasting of fresh beer. They absolutely  loved it--I was very surprised at how much they enjoyed the refurbished chicken barn turned brewery! We sampled some new stuff, including a Skowhegan India Pale LAGER (not ale). Very hoppy. Very crisp. Very nice. Jawn, who is a beer aficionado, really enjoyed the NutBrown, and the two of together split a growler of Laughing Loon Lager, a very dark and chocolaty lager. Tim bought a growler of Somerset Lager, and Jawn rounded out his purchase with some pint glasses to take home. A great stop. Something special about getting fresh beer right where it is made...

 And then we headed back to my house for some beers, some laughs, and some fantastic food as we BBQ'd some burgers, sausages, and linguica. Just a great time with great friends. And Orso was enamored with the guys. One funny detail I have to mention is how, for both his morning and evening walks, all four of us took Orso around the neighborhood. What a sight for our neighbors: Four idiotic guys wearing silly shirts escorting a 130 pound bear around the 'hood....

Sorry....we have been having such a blast that I havent wanted to stop and post. 

You all know that I detest everything related to summer, but I have to say that this is probably the best summer I have ever had. For the first time in a long time, I am feeling good. And I havent felt 'good' in a long time. Very blessed summer. And one of the many reasons is due to the generosity of our dear friends Tom and Katie who have been letting us use their camp in St Albans (up past Newport...beautiful farm and lake country!). A couple of weeks ago, we made our way out to Big Indian Lake for a day of fun. And the big hilight of the day, for us, was the big puppy taking his FIRST swim (with us, anyway). He walked up to his belly in the water...and he took the next three weeks to fully dry...haha

Here we are embarking on our trip up 95. The camp is about a half hour or so away. Get it? Or__so...ORSO...shut up. Contrary to what you may think, Orso LOVES going for car rides! He lies right down in the back of the volvo. He loves it. And what was really awesome was seeing all the cars passing us, their owners flashing beaming smiles and waving cuz they got a kick out of seeing a 130 pound dog in the back of an 89 Volvo station wagon....it was great!

I like to sit and relax. I run hard and bike hard and lift hard and work hard and I have begun to realize that it is okay to sit still. So I have been doing that. And loving it. And loving reading. Great porch with a great view. I love the trees on the property...

At camp we mostly hung out, read NARNIA by the water, took a kayak paddle or two, and FISHED. Maira--no lie--stood on the dock and cast and cast and cast for probably a whole hour interrupted. She didnt have a hook or bait...she just wanted to swivel and a sinker so she could "practice her fishing." Callum, meanwhile, continues to be a great caster and a very patient fisherman, although he only has this sunfish to show for it...haha

And the Quarry Road race series keeps rolling along. This pic below was before the start of the 8K--a five mile trail race which, no question, is the toughest running race I have ever run. Five miles of insane hills and terrain. It is almost unbearable. I used this race as a 'litmus test,' if you will, to see if my fitness had at all rebounded or improved. Finishing it (in a thunderstorm...with a tornado warning issued by the NWS) was an emotional moment. I can/Can't wait til the next one. And, also, check out how hot Amanda is...

Quarry Road race series continues to be probably my favorite feature of the summer....here, Callum and Maira line up for the start of the fun run. I love Maira's little braid...she likes to have her hair braided before his races...she likes to bring her A-Game....

Here is Callum's finish...he worked really hard to catch the kid in the red shirt...he was really mashing and kicking hard....he caught up pretty close...but wasnt quite able to overtake the other kid. I love the way Callum races; he is very aggressive. Kid is out for blood. The exact opposite of me :/

Another Lake George trip this past week (I think we went Wednesday). We went to the other side (the side I dislike) with the beach, etc. It was incredibly windy...Maira is in back of Callum, heading out for a swim in her Ninja Turtle float....just such a beautiful lake! We swam, played tag, ate ham sandwiches, and read some "Narnia."

Was able to meet Wednesday with two all time classics: Conner and Sydney....two former students about to enter their senior years at Wheaton and UNH!! Cant believe it! We met at Mainely Brews and I got to hear about Conner's Scotland semester abroad and Sydney's cool job doing marketing for a skydiving company (PLUS doing some actual skydiving!). I think we will meet every Wednesday!

And Maira's greenbeans are ready to eat! She is out there picking every day. Come on by. We have plenty of lettuce too. I dont know about our tomatoes. God has made it very clear he does not want me growing tomatoes :/

Last week Callum decided he wanted to write a book (the book was to be called TIGERS VERSUS LIONS, and the project has since been abandoned, but that is beside the point...) and he thought it would be a good idea to write to a 'real live author' for some advice. So, he chose to write to Rob Scotton, who lives in England. Scotton is the author of the Splat The Cat books, and those books are some of Callum's (and Maira's) all time favorites. I actually had to do some research to find Rob Scotton's mailing address...we emailed back and forth a couple of times...it was pretty exciting! Anyway, here are the two sides of the letter Callum wrote. If you need help clarifying any of this stuff, let me know...haha...

I love how he signs "Love Callum" for both sides....

On days when Sally works, I have been bringing the kids to Lake George for afternoon swim trips and walks around the park (and fishing, soccer, and reading too). It really is one of our favorite places. I wish Amanda could come with us more. I love to go to the uncrowded (east) side. The other entrance (west) has the sandy beach and, thus, more crowds. As you can see below, we had the whole place to ourselves, and the water was magnificent!

Maira the Animal Whisperer: Maira told us recently that she wants to be a vet and help sick animals when she gets older. She definitely does have a verrrrry unique and close relationship with animals; it is so interesting to watch her. Aunt June and Uncle Bob were up from NJ and June brought her two dogs--Molly and Diesel--for the short car ride up...haha. Molly, in the back, is a black lab mix, and Diesel, lying down, is a one year old Newfoundland. Maira used to be terrified of Diesel cuz she thought he really was a bear. But now they are best of friends and they both followed each other around all day. Maira truly has a special way with animals...she walks around with them and talks to them constantly (far away from people...like out in the yard, fields, etc) and they seem to hang on her every word....

The very first class--the one that started it all--I taught at Winslow had their ten year reunion this past weekend. I was invited to attend the reunion and I went over to say hi. It was just so awesome to reconnect with some wonderful individuals (who are now almost 30 by the way!) and see what they are up to in their professional and family lives. Below is a picture of me with Stephanie. Stephanie was in my period 10 honors English class oh so long ago...haha...it was especially wonderful getting to reconnect with her. She was an amazing talent as a vocalist, instrumentalist, and actress at WHS, and she went on to graduate school at Yale for Operatic performance. Now she and her husband live and work in New York City. So awesome to catch up. Stephanie and I sang a song together during her class night over ten years ago...for all you musical fans out there it was the piece FOR GOOD from the musical WICKED. I still remember the eye contact I struggled with #......

We had not been to Seawall since last September, believe it or not; we had plans to go up for a couple of days during Christmas and February vacation, etc, but each time we did, we got snowed out. As a rule, we try to stay as far away from Mt Desert Island in the summer as possible, but we just couldnt wait any longer before getting back to Seawall....so we went, just for a night, to get away. This was last week, and I am sorry that I am just getting around to posting this stuff :/

It was verrrrry low tide when we got there, so we were able to go out rather far into where the ocean usually is. This enabled us to find some 'sand,' which is very unusual on MDI. The kids loved exploring and finding shells and rocks to add to their collection....

For dinner that night, we got some pizza and sandwiches at Gott's, this local gas station/store in Bass Harbor and took our meal to the National Park picnic area at Seawall (side tangent for a second: Do you think that in like fifty years people will reminisce about getting pizza and subs at gas stations the same way my parents reminisce about when you used to get milk shakes and malts at the pharmacy? I bet they will! I think these mom and pop convenience stores will soon become a thing of the past!)

A beautiful place for a picnic. And two beautiful girls to look at while eating! I wish I knew what islands we are looking at in the background...but I know it is over by Somes Sound...

Amanda and I are trying to get our pictures taken together more. So here is another one.

After dinner, Maira and Amanda drove back to the SeawallMotel, and CS and I walked back--but we took some detours around the picnic area AND we explored one of the loops of the Seawall Campground. Seawall campground is one of the two National Park campgrounds, and it is unique in that they do NOT take reservations...it is first come/first served. For my money, it is the best campground I have ever seen. Callum and I love walking around and seeing the different camp sites and how people set up their stuff. Also, on the way back, we saw FIVE deer (there is no hunting in the nat. park, so the deer are pretty fearless). We were able to get very close to them, which CS loved. He wanted his picture taken of him with this one (it looked closer when we were actually there...haha). This was in a meadow on the walk back. There is the ocean. Then the 'road' that passes thru the park. Then there is lush forest and meadow; it is such a breathtaking area!

That night, after the kids were in bed, Dave (the owner of the motel) and I played some cribbage. Then Amanda and Vicki (dave's wife) joined us for some four-way cribbage. A great evening.

The next morning, we explored the rocks some more, and then we set out on a fantastic hike of Flying Mountain in Southwest Harbor. I didnt bring my phone/camera on the hike (Amanda did) so I dont have pictures. Maybe Amanda can send me some. But it was a wonderful hike--about 1.8 mile loop--and it had a quick ascent to the summit where there were striking views of Somes Sound. Then, there was a longer descent through blueberry glens and pine forests that led us to a very secluded pebbly beach at the far end of the sound. I think it was called VALLEY COVE. Very secluded and rustic and resplendent with jellyfish EVERYWHERE. The kids meandered around in the water and then we finished up, walking the final half mile on a beautiful old fire road.

Always a great time in Seawall on MDI!