news a chateau rideoux

Winter

2012-01-19T16:59:00.000-08:00

It's been a mild winter.
In fact, there was no snow for the First Day Hikes this year.

But last weekend, we found winter in New Hampshire.
We hiked into Lonesome Lake AMC hut and spent the night.
It was -12°F on Sunday morning!

We needed thermal layers, gloves plus liners, heavy boots, wool socks plus liners, hats, face masks, coats, wind-resistant pants, and snow shoes.

Britt and I couldn't wear our glasses while hiking because they fogged up too much for us to be able to see.

We came home Sunday to snow-less eastern MA, though we finally had some pond ice on Monday and the boys played the first game of pond hockey this season. (Britt had to work.)

Finally, on Monday night, we got a bit of snow.
There was enough to require shoveling on Tues. morning,
but it was all gone by Tues. afternoon.

Then, it snowed again last night.
Once again, we were up early to shovel the snow before school & work.
Afterward, the dogs and I went to Fresh Pond

where they enjoyed a nice run

before coming home for a nap.

Beau's Birthday

2011-11-30T19:16:00.001-08:00

The day began with pie and presents for breakfast.

Gifts included the latest Paolini book, which Beau started reading right away.

Afternoon was Go Kart racing with friends.

After dinner we had cake.

Happy Birthday, Beau.

Thanksgiving Kickball 2011

2011-11-30T19:14:00.000-08:00

Big crowd this year. As usual, the kids' team won. But I think they got an extra half an inning over the adults...

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

In some parts of the state, due to the very early nor'easter on Saturday night that has left many towns still without power or with continued unsafe conditions (downed power lines, trees across roads, etc.), Halloween was postponed. However, in Cambridge, Halloween was in full force. All our snow is gone, the weather was cool but dry. And it seems that my kids haven't yet outgrown the holiday.

At school, Beau and a fellow Scout dressed as a pair of lost hikers.
(The friend forgot his beard.)
You can't see it, but Beau wore a UC Santa Cruz t-shirt.
Apparently the hikers made a wrong turn off the PCT!

For trick-or-treating,
Beau and a neighbor went as Fat Cats
(or bankers or insurance salesmen or something...)

While Casey went as an Occupy Boston Protestor (zombie style).

In addition to scoring a mound of candy,

Casey also scored $10 from a guy who liked his costume so much!

My Son: The Ancient Roman

2011-10-08T05:45:00.001-07:00

This past week was Spirit Week at the high school, and every day had a dress up theme. For Throwback Thursday, Beau went pretty far back.

He was a big hit with his Latin teacher. And the lunch lady gave him a medal for best costume.

I Caved

2011-10-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

Arnold's Vacation on Cape Cod

2011-07-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Arnold had a good time on Cape Cod this weekend.

He insisted on going "rafting."
He climbed on a boogie board (in the river)
and went hunting for crabs and other wildlife.

He ran on the beach -- never seen him so frisky!

He made a new friend -- Peaches, his doggie hostess.

And seemed to revel in the excursion.

Update

2011-07-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

There were plenty of extra pancakes at home the weekend Beau was away.

And he had a great time and is looking forward to going back to help for a week at a time for two sessions of resident camp later this summer.

From Camper to Staff

2011-06-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

July 2006, Beau went to camp for the first time.

He went back to Cub Scout camp the next year.

In 2008, he "graduated" to attending Boy Scout camp.

He went to Boy Scout camp again in 2009.

In 2010, he got to go to Boy Scout camp with his dad.

Yesterday, he was back at the Cub Scout camp.

As staff.

Last Day of School 2011

2011-06-25T08:21:00.001-07:00

Tully Lake Solstice Weekend 2011

2011-06-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to be camping at our favorite campground last weekend.

We arrived Sat. afternoon and set up the tent.

Our site was by the lake.
(Why go to Tully Lake and camp under the canopy?)

Sunday morning, Casey and Britt got up 6 am to go fishing.
Then we had Father's Day breakfast.

Well, some of us had Father's Day breakfast.

Much of the day was spent fishing.

And relaxing.

And napping.

And canoeing.

Our neighbors came out for the afternoon.

Casey wouldn't leave on Sunday until he tied Britt for "number of fish caught."

Packing for the trip home is usually less tidy than the trip there.

Got home about 10 Sunday night.

What Does This Mean?

2011-05-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Game: Scattergories
Letter: S
Category: Magazines

Casey: "Sports Illustrated"

Robin: "Southern Living"

Beau: "Scientific American"

Britt: "Seventeen"

Hmmm.

Happy Birthday Casey

2011-03-18T11:31:00.001-07:00

Eleven years old today.

Beau's First Hockey Goal

2011-03-08T14:03:00.000-08:00

Beau made a goal in his hockey game on Sunday -- his first-ever game goal. It was worthy of cake and a photo:

Arnold Loves the Snow

2011-02-03T09:45:00.000-08:00

Here he is running along the path around the reservoir. He likes it there because he can run off-leash and because the path is plowed but not salted.

Monkey Bread

2011-02-02T15:18:00.000-08:00

Good project for a winter-weather day.

Make a yeast dough. Let it rise.

Pinch off balls of dough. Roll in melted butter then cinnamon sugar.

Place sugared balls of dough in a tube pan.

Keep adding dough balls.

Build up layers.

Let rise again.

Bake.

Turn out of pan. Pull off piece.

Eat.

And eat.

And Now for a Little Variety

2011-02-02T15:16:00.000-08:00

Today we got snow turning to freezing rain.

Snow is preferable.

He's A Scout?

2011-02-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

The state of the roads plus the limited parking available at the meeting site, means we took public transportation to get to Boy Scouts tonight.

Note: it's cold outside, we've got to wait for a bus, the snow is piled high, not all the curb cuts are shoveled out yet, and there will surely be need to shovel snow on the walk in front of the church.

Please also note: the Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared."

What is this Boy Scout wearing on his feet? Not boots.
What is he wearing on his hands? Nothing -- that's why they're in his pockets.
He's the troop SPL (ie leader), but where is his meeting agenda? In his mother's tote bag.

Casey's Trip to the Scout Meeting

2011-02-01T19:48:00.001-08:00

Hockey practice was canceled tonight, so Casey made of tagging along to the Scout meeting.

Waiting for the bus.

Walking the last leg.

Climbing every mound along the way.Escaping the meeting for a romp in the playground.

The snow is too light for snowballs, but makes a great snow shower.

Pixie's Snow Day

2011-02-01T19:39:00.001-08:00

Check the view out the back.

Check the view out the front.

Take a nap.

What Goes Good with Snow?

2011-02-01T05:21:00.000-08:00

Hot water.

Got a new water heater yesterday, after a weekend without.

It's Snowing Again

2011-02-01T05:17:00.000-08:00

Average snowfall for Boston area is 41.8"; so far this season, we've had 60.3"; there's another 21" predicted to come over the next 36 hours...

Scenes From Thursday's Snow Day

2011-01-30T17:59:00.000-08:00

And Again...

2011-01-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

The state of our place at 7:30 am today.

Casey's New Glasses

2011-01-24T17:42:00.000-08:00

Casey's new glasses have transition lenses.

How Cold?

2011-01-24T06:06:00.000-08:00

It was cold here this morning. This is the view on the inside of the kitchen window.

Snowshoe Trip to White Mountains

2011-01-23T17:44:00.000-08:00

It was the coldest weekend of the year. What better time to go snowshoe hiking in NH?

Scenes from Snow Day

2011-01-21T09:18:00.000-08:00

Snowed again this morning. Should be done by mid-day. School got canceled at 5 am, but I didn't know, so the kids got up anyway. Casey went out to shovel. Beau went back to bed.

View out the front door.

View out the back door.

View of the back door.

View from the kitchen.

View in the kitchen.

"It's almost 5 inches."

But the mounds of snow are now measured in feet.

Hurray for the snow blower.

View of the street, outbound.

View of the street, inbound.

This is light, fluffy snow. Not so hard on the trees.

Sleds.

Casey shoveled.

Arnold watched.

Beau slept in. Then lounged.

So did the cat.

The View Out the Front Door Today

2011-01-21T06:37:00.000-08:00

Oy.

Yesterday and Today

2011-01-18T10:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday:

Today:

Beautiful Winter Sunday

2011-01-16T12:33:00.000-08:00

It's sunny, not too cold, no wind. Conditions are perfect for sledding or pond skating. My degenerate family is:

Sledding

2011-01-15T04:34:00.000-08:00

Heading for the sledding grounds.

Climbing back up after the first run.

Rosy cheeks.

The sun came through just as we were leaving.

Heading home.

Snow Day 2011

2011-01-12T13:09:00.001-08:00

It snowed here today.

It was hard on the trees.

School was cancelled.

Wendy got to use her new snow blower.

Hurray for Wendy and the snow blower -- look at that neatly cleaned parking pad!

Bye Bye Birch Tree

2010-12-04T12:50:00.001-08:00

Sadly, it was a victim of Bronze Birch Borer...

Kitty's Other Conquest

2010-10-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

Is the dog's bed...

Poor Arnold...

For Frances

2010-09-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

We went apple-picking on Sunday.

Last year Frances was with us.
And we took pie when we visited our CT relatives.

This year, we ate the pie ourselves.

OINK! OINK!

For Carrie and Mom

2010-09-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

Squash soup w/ bleu cheese crumbles and toasted pine nuts. Served in blue pottery bowls (hand-thrown by Sandy) on lovely lavender placemats.

Good Kitty

2010-09-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

Last night she killed a mouse. So I guess she's earned her keep.

Sorry no pictures of the victim. Britt disposed of the corpse first thing this morning so as to not upset Casey. But then when I told Casey about Pixie killing a mouse, he asked "Where is it?" and was disappointed that the evidence was gone.

Here's Pixie wishing she were an outdoor cat so she could take on squirrels and the neighborhood alpha cat...

Girls Weekend 2010

2010-09-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

Was in San Antonio.

Great fun.

Back to School

2010-09-08T07:34:00.001-07:00

September 7, 2010:

They don't look too disappointed...

Beach Week 2010

2010-08-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

With apologies to anyone who feels a picture of them here is unflattering, here are some photos of the week for those who weren't there this year (Charlotte, Frances, Christina & family).

There was, of course, lots of beach-going:

in the water

and out.

One morning, Zoe found a conch shell in the water.
Soon, nearly every kid had found one that morning!

There was football.

Britt had a birthday,

and the kids all sang "Baby Shark" for the celebration.

The dress-up options for this year's costume party were:

World Cup

or

Lady Gaga.

One night, the kids made the dinner:

potato latkes,

burritos,

(with gaucamole),

and candied orange peel for dessert.

(And a side of charm.)

The adults waited patiently on the porch,

And the results were greatly appreciated.

Beau finally grew to be taller than his mom.

All-in-all, a good trip.

Emma's Visit Summer 2010

2010-08-16T05:44:00.000-07:00

Day 1
Adams National Historical Park

Day 2
Brown University, Providence R.I.

Day 3
Sturbridge Village

Day 4
Lowell National Park

AND

lunch at a vegan restaurant

AND
Ralph Waldo Emerson House

AND

Author's Ridge at Concord's Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

AND

Swimming at Walden Pond

Casey at Summer Camp

2010-08-16T05:37:00.000-07:00

He would live there if he could... wide open spaces, non-stop activities, showers optional. Casey went for two weeks this year. Here he is at the campfire at the end of Week 2 (second from left, in the tie-dye shirt). His den was leading us all in Baby Shark.

During the first week of camp, I was a volunteer, so I got to see Casey and the other kids in action. Some of the fun included:

Boating

Fishing

Leathercraft

Scoutcraft

Archery

Tetherball

There was also swimming, bb guns, sports, and evening activities such as movie-night and rocket launching.

Food was kid-friendly.

The boys made an impressive den flag.

And then left it out in the rain.

And at the end-of-week-1 campfire, the den did a rousing rendition of
"Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream.
Throw your den chief overboard and listen to her scream."

P.S. To his credit, during Week 2, Casey showered every day and got a "Cleanest Camper" award.

August Garden

2010-08-16T05:31:00.000-07:00

This year's garden wasn't a huge effort, but we've got some produce:

Tomatoes (lots!)

Volunteer melons:

Squash flowers:

And, of course, Casey's specialty, Purple Carrots:

The Garden

2010-06-28T08:15:00.000-07:00

This morning, Casey picked our first crop of peas.

We also harvested the last of the radishes.

The raspberries are at their peak -- picked some for breakfast the last several days.

We also have cone flowers this year.

And, of course, day lilies.

The Outcome

2010-06-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

And...They're Off

2010-06-27T07:09:00.001-07:00

Three from the troop are off to youth leadership training.
Yep, these are tomorrow's adults...

Remember Rocky Road Candy?

2010-06-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

Last night Beau learned how easy it is to make.

YUM.

Proud Mom Boasting!

2010-06-26T19:05:00.000-07:00

Casey's baseball team made the city play-off this year.

Today was the semi-final game, and Casey's team drew the "visitor" position, so they batted first, and didn't score in the first inning. Bottom of the first, and the opposing team scored two runs while Casey's team made a few defensive errors and seemed a little rattled.

Second inning, Casey's team got two runners on, but had two outs by the time Casey came up... And he hit a solid single to center field but actually got to second base on the throw to home -- where the team scored two runs to tie the game. With the next batter up, Casey advanced to third on a wild pitch and then home on the hit.

My kid changed the whole tenor of the game. He drove in the tying runs and scored the go ahead run, and the team never trailed after that.

They play in the final tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Beau leaves tomorrow for three weeks of camp. It's so gratifying that he's eager to go to camp. And so unbelievable that he is so grown up.

Is the Cat Not Getting Enough to Eat??

2010-06-11T07:32:00.001-07:00

When she came to live with us, Pixie was still a bit skinny, so we pretty much filled her dish anytime it was empty. Well, she filled out fine and was starting to get a bit plump, so we started portioning out her food -- giving her the recommended amount for her "healthy" weight.

She gets fed twice a day, and each time she polishes off her measured amount in one feeding, then roams around the house begging for more -- which makes her very affectionate.

Yesterday, I came home mid-day to find:

She was so hungry, she mauled a loaf of bread...

Camping Treats

2010-06-10T12:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks A.B.! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-marshmallows-recipe/index.html

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-27T18:29:00.001-07:00

At Mount Washington Hotel, NH.

For Now We Call Her Pixie

2010-05-12T09:38:00.001-07:00

Baseball Opener

2010-05-02T09:26:00.001-07:00

Little League Baseball season for West Cambridge opened last Monday.

This year, Casey is on a major league team -- so he had his debut on Monday. Happily, his team won their game (and the next one, too, on Thursday). Casey got a hit in each game!

Beau has aged out of Little League (and isn't interested in moving up to the older league), so he's helping manage his old minor league team. Happily, this team won its first two games, too.

Shakedown!

2010-04-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

At the last minute, the kids and I joined in the scouts' "shakedown" backpacking trip last week. The "shakedown" is the practice trip for the scouts going to the national camp this summer for a 10-day, 70-mile backpacking trip. Beau is a wee bit too young to attend the national camp, so he wasn't originally scheduled to do the shakedown, but because two of the four trip leaders were delayed in Europe (b/c of the volcano eruption), I went along to help out. And brought the kids along.

First order of business was to hang the "bear bags." Not only was this practice, but there are, in fact, bears in up state NY.

Dinner was re-hydrated backpacking meals.

The de-hydrated apple cobbler that Britt sent along for us was a big hit! It became the communal dessert.

Next morning it was foggy and atmospheric.

Casey and Beau were eager hikers.

Here's the group ready to hit the trail.

Setting off.

Stream crossing.

Lake-side lunch.

Kids and I hiked only one day. Here we are hiking out to head home.

It was a successful and fun outing.

Our Prospective New Pet

2010-04-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

We haven't been actively looking for a new pet cat, but a friend reported that the city's animal control staff had rescued and was fostering a mama cat and two kittens, and that while the kittens had already found prospective homes, mama was still in need of adoption.

After first taking a look at her myself to gauge her suitability, I took the kids to meet and assess her. The boys gave her a "thumbs up," so once she's spayed, she can come home with us.

She's calico, about a year old, and was found during the March rainstorms -- dirty and rail-thin with two kittens living under a barbecue grill cover.

We're still pondering names.

April 25, 2010!

2010-04-25T15:51:00.001-07:00

Today our marriage is old enough to vote. Happy 18th anniversay to us.

Scout Watershed Conservation Project

2010-04-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

In March, Beau's scout troop/crew went to Cape Cod to help with a watershed conservation project. Ultimate goal is to revive a saltwater marshland and restore herring spawning grounds. Our portion of the project, however, was brush removal. We cut and piled a swath about a football field in length.

Here you see the brush and the path we cut (plus two hard-working scouts!).

Crew returning to the transportation drop at the end of the day.

During the day, we had many interpretive talks. This is the watershed expert at the mouth of the river showing us the dam that keeps most of the sea water from flowing into the marshland.

Best of all, we got to stay in an old Coast Guard station, right on the beach in Eastham.

Here's the station.

Here's the view from the front porch.

Saturday night we had a campfire on the beach. And roasted marshmallows.

Birthday Party

2010-04-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

We had a birthday party for Casey on the Sunday after his birthday. We finally wised up and paid for a venue, in this case the bowling alley. Kept 'em busy and they all seemed to have a good time.

Double Digits

2010-03-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

My baby turned TEN years old today. We celebrated at breakfast because that's the only time during the day -- until 9 at night -- that we're all together. So, we ate cinnamon rolls, Casey opened presents, and he made it to school in time for morning announcements that included acknowledgment of his birthday.

February Vacation

2010-02-19T16:36:00.000-08:00

Beau and Casey were out of school for February break this week.

The fun began on Sunday with a post-early-morning hockey game, Valentines Day breakfast at a cafe that Britt discovered using an iPhone app.

Next stop: South Station. Beau got to take the train on his own to New Haven to visit his buddy Jackson.

Mid-day on Monday, Casey left for a five-day ski trip with the family of his friend Freddie.

Tuesday, having met up in New Haven, Beau and I took the train into New York for the day. After arriving at Grand Central Station, we made our way to Madison Square Garden to see our neighbor's dog compete in the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Homer came in second, so we didn't have to worry about going back that night for the group events.

After stopping for a slice of pizza, Beau and I went to the Rose Museum of Earth and Space.

Then we had a beautiful walk through Central Park in the snow.

We tramped through FAO Schwartz where we spied the largest ever stuffed dragon.

And finished up at Dylan's Candy Bar.

Other adventures included: a walking tour of Yale University and a visit to Boston's MFA (no pictures); some cooking adventures (see next post); and a fair amount of griping about the broadcast coverage of the Winter Olympix.

February Vacation - The Food Edition

2010-02-19T16:25:00.001-08:00

Lamb kebabs, chimichurri sauce (thanks, Carrie!), carrot salad, roasted tomatoes:

fleur de sel caramels (thanks, Carrie!):

blue cheese pizza with pecans and spinach on a butternut squash base:

Xmas '09 - Just Photos

2010-01-18T16:37:00.000-08:00

Slow Holiday Weekend

2010-01-18T15:42:00.000-08:00

It was a slow holiday weekend.

Casey had TWO early morning hockey games -- 7 am game on Sat. and 6:50 am game on Sunday. Both games were about half an hour from home, and, of course, players need to be at the rink 30 minutes before game time. That meant getting up E-A-R-L-Y.

Yes, the clock says 5:12... A.M.

Casey was not too happy about waking and suiting up so early.

And, as you can see, it was pitch dark when he left the house.

Beau played hockey, too, but later in the day with a recreational league. Sorry, I forgot to take my camera to the rink.

Here he is at one with the gaming system.

The Christmas tree finally came down and went sadly to the curb.

We continued to slog away at thank-you notes.

Monday, Britt had the day off, which isn't usually the case for MLK Day. We hadn't made any advance plans, and the weather was soooo icky -- ice, sleet, wet snow falling from the sky well into mid-day -- that we mostly stayed in.

Britt made waffles for breakfast.

Casey beat us at Monopoly.

The "pretzels" that I made were tasty but blob-like.

The dog didn't care much for the weather.
He may look like he's sleeping,
but I think he's sulking about having to stay in.

War of the Paint Colors

2009-10-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

Because it's cold in New England for much of the year, when we moved into this place, we painted our walls golden yellow throughout the house. It sort of glows, even in winter light, and the paint color is even called "summer heat."

Except in the boys room: I conceded to painting their walls lime green.

In August, however, we did a big "room swap" at our place so that the boys could each have their own rooms. Casey now has the former office, Beau has the room Britt and I used to have, and Britt and I have the boys' former room.

We weren't even done swapping furniture when the kids were asking if they could paint their rooms new colors. I'm not so keen on that, but they've kept at it -- especially Beau who wants blue walls. If he could have it his way: dark blue.

I'm not convinced. Beau, however, is not deterred. I came home one night to find him making a cardboard mock-up of what his room would look like with blue walls. (I guess he thought I couldn't picture it??)

I give him points for trying.

But for now, I've established that, except for painting the lime green walls in the room that Britt and I now have, there will be no bedroom painting before next spring. (I'm determined that by February, they'll see the beauty of the glowing, sunny yellow walls during the dark and bitter winter.)

Homemade Pasta

2009-10-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

Last night, for something to do that was hands-on and non-screen-viewing-related, the kids and I made homemade pasta for dinner. (Well, we looked up the recipe on the Web...)

First, mix the dough:

Then, knead it and roll it:

Cut it:

Dry it while you roll and cut the rest of the dough:

Cook it:

Eat and enjoy!

Warm Welcome

2009-10-17T14:36:00.001-07:00

Casey was glad when last week the neighbors finally got home from their summer in Maine. He left a welcome home note taped to their door:

It says:

"Welcome home Wendy, Suzanne, Apu, Gus, Finn, Doley, Oscar, Felix, and Huey."
(Wendy and Suzanne are the human neighbors; the rest are dogs and cats.)

"Treats for everyone!!!!!"
(Casey left them homemade cookies, plus some dog and cat treats.)

The last bit says:

"Dear Apu, Welcome home. I'm so glad you're home because I have a dog friend again. Your friend, Arnold."

Apu is another Australian Terrier. They're from the same kennel and are related somehow. And Arnonld is, indeed, glad that the neighbor dogs (Apu and the others) are home again.

Mountain Man

2009-10-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

Fresh on the heels of the scout trip, on Wednesday the 7th and 8th graders at Beau's school climbed Mount Mondanock in NH. It's 3,000+ feet high and the second most frequently climbed mountain in the world (right after Mt. Fuji).

Backpacking in VT (or not)

2009-10-17T12:53:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Britt and Beau went on a backpacking trip in Vermont with the scouts. They actually didn't make it to the wilderness site because some of the kids were struggling in the cold and wet and mud, so to be on the safe side, the group turned back and camped at a regular campground then those who were up for it did some more day hiking the next day.

It was Beau's first actual backpacking trip, that is, he carried not only his personal gear, but also sleeping gear, tent, share of food, etc.

He wasn't the trip youth leader, but he is a patrol leader, so here he is at the departure rendezvous point conferring with the adult trip leader about what needs to be done.

Group picture from Day #2.

Apparently, Beau's patrol could be called the curly-haired kid patrol.

Here's the vista from Day #2.

Hey Presto

2009-09-21T20:11:00.001-07:00

So, it turns out, Britt has a passel of relatives in CT. In the photo above, in the back row, beginning with the woman to the far left and going all the way across to he guy in the striped shirt, Britt is related to them ALL. Plus, of course, Beau and Casey, and also to the little girl in the front row.

Back row (L-R): Bernie, Bonnie, Frances, Betheny, Allison, Britt, Bill, Dylan, Nate, Lisa, Marjorie.
Front row (L-R): Megan, Casey, Beau, Chelsea

Thanks Frances!

Apple Season

2009-09-21T12:11:00.000-07:00

This weekend Aunt Frances was back in town. After the usual Saturday morning kid activities, we all piled into the car and drove out to the apple orchard.

And we picked a bag of apples in no time.

Sunday morning we made apple pies.

Then took the pies on an outing to Connecticut. But that's another post.

Hit the Ground Running

2009-09-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

It wasn't enough that school started Tuesday along with the usual start-up for assorted activities such as hockey, soccer, and scouts, but Beau was also busy preparing for the first scout trip of the year and Casey was tapped to play for the West Cambridge team in the citywide All-Star baseball tournament...

So, last weekend, Beau (and Britt) climbed Mount Washington (elevation 6,288 feet).

And Casey's team won the city All-Star game.

End of Summer

2009-09-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

So...at last report the kids were just finishing the school year. We started off the summer with a summer-solstice-weekend trip to our favorite campground at Tully Lake... and then a whole lot of other things happened and suddenly it was the end of summer and we went back to Tully Lake to mark the end of school vacation (and give us something to do besides sit at home and fret over the impending transition).

Here are the photos from our Labor Day weekend trip to TL:

The view from our lakeside campsite.

Beau and Casey with our neighbors and camping partners David and Gabe -- sitting around the campfire playing D&D.

But they didn't just play D&D. Here they are taking themselves out in the canoe.

Arnold likes camping and canoeing too!

Casey and a painted turtle.

We got home Monday early evening, unpacked, cleaned everyone up, and next morning:

Homemade Treats

2009-06-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

Back in May Aunt Carrie sent us a package that included some homemade treats -- including homemade marshmallows. The kids were impressed that marshmallows could be made at home. Plus, they tasted pretty good.

So this year for end-of-year teacher gifts, we made batches of ... yep ... Marshmallows!

Sorry, but there are no photos of the softened gelatin or the boiling hot sugar syrup or the miraculous cloud of fluff produced when the two are whipped together. But after it's spread in a pan and allowed to cool and dry a bit overnight, the fluff becomes a lovely spongy slab of marshmallow that then has to be cut. A pizza cutter works pretty well for this.

The result is charming, yummy, irregularly shaped marshmallows.

We packaged ours with sleeves of graham crackers and several Hershey bars.

With a thank-you note stapled to the outside, Casey had teacher gifts for the last day of school.

Pampered Pooch

2009-06-25T16:29:00.001-07:00

Though he is allowed on the furniture, Arnold generally prefers to nap on the floor.

But he insists on having a pillow.

What Did You Do Last Weekend?

2009-05-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

I went white-water rafting with Beau and his Boy Scout Troop.

Good Dog

2009-05-06T20:59:00.000-07:00

I don't mind having a dog. He's good company and good natured and patient and (being a terrier) doesn't shed. But ... he does smell like a dog ... So he's had to endure a few baths. He doesn't really like having a bath, but, like I said, he's good natured.

(Here he is: freshly bathed and wrapped in Beau's old baby towel.)

Spirit Week at Beau's School

2009-05-01T10:29:00.001-07:00

This week was "Spirit Week" at Beau's school, and each day was a dress up day. Beau was an enthusiastic participant.

Monday was Dress Your Best Day:

Tuesday was Dress As Your Favorite Book Character Day:

(He's Gandolf the White.)

Wednesday was Crazy-Mixed-Up-Clothes Day:

Thursday was Crazy Hat Day:

(Beau embellished a silly foam fish cap with switches to make it light up, buzz, and spin a fan.)

Friday was School Pride Day:

He deserves an award for most-spirited family member...

SPRING!

2009-04-30T09:25:00.001-07:00

Spring has arrived.

On Saturday it finally warmed up here, and the trees burst into bloom. Seriously. On Friday, the cherry tree had bare branches. By Sunday morning the view out our bedroom window was this:

While working in the yard this weekend, the neighbor's cat found a snake, which we rescued. Usually, we find brown snakes. This snake is a garter snake.

It actually bit Casey, so Casey prudently put on gloves when it was time to release the snake (back into the ivy where the cat probably found it again...)

Later in the weekend, the kids had their last pre-season baseball practice before the opening game on Monday (which they won).

And on Saturday, we celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary. I cadged a last-minute reservation, and we had dinner at a new-ish restaurant in Cambridge.

Poetrees

2009-04-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

Today, a sunny spring day, Beau and I arrived at this school to discover "poetrees" on the front lawn. Each student had written a poem, which was then mounted on colorful oak tag and hung from one of the just-blooming trees. A fun celebration of the long-awaited season.

Meet the New Addition

2009-03-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

Arnold is a 9-year-old Australian Terrier. He joined the family on Friday. He has a sweet disposition and an outgoing personality, the only command he knows is "speak," he loves to go for walks, and he's always underfoot hoping to be fed.

Winter Fun

2009-01-29T06:31:00.000-08:00

It's been a snowy winter this year.

Lovely, pristine, newly fallen snow:

Snow-covered trees:

Snow-covered buildings:

Snow forts:

Digging out the neighbor's car (for extra income):

Sledding:

Skiing:

Pond hockey:

Cat finding a cat-sized duvet (camping out inside a pillowcase with a down pillow):

Cozy plaid wool couch cushions:

Photos from the Winter Camping Trip

2009-01-28T03:43:00.000-08:00

Well, the winter camping trip, snowshoeing into the AMC hut at Zeeland Falls, was a great success. The weather was great, and Britt and Beau had a great time.

Here's Beau dressed for snowshoeing on Sat. morning

The group:

View along the way:

Group shot:

Finally at the night's destination:

View from the hut:

Kitchen and dining accommodations:

Sleeping accommodations:

Look carefully and you can see the ice on the interior wall of the bunk room the next morning:

The hike out on Sunday morning (it was snowing):

Frozen waterfall:

Preparing for Winter Camping

2009-01-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

Britt and Beau are going with the Boy Scouts this weekend to shoeshoe into an AMC hut in NH and spend the night. So last night, found us in a flurry of activity to get ready for the trip.

Mixing gorp:

Making water bottle insulators:

(Yes, it'll be so cold on the trip that there's a chance the water will freeze...)

And

Baking shoes:

(Actually, the shoes are in the oven in an attempt to warm the leather so it'll soak up the waterproofing wax, but still... it's pretty funny.)

It Was A Very Purple Christmas

2008-12-28T15:30:00.001-08:00

Gloves

Boots

Sofa Blanket

Pajamas

Hand Towels

Shower Curtain

Flannel Sheets

Vintage and Homemade Pillowcases

Stocking Stuffers

Thanks everyone!

Goodbye Winter, Hello Christmas

2008-12-24T08:24:00.000-08:00

Here was the scene on our street over the weekend. Looks lovely at first...but we shoveled snow for hours over the weekend.

Monday morning found us at Logan Airport on our way south to TN.

After a day of travel, we arrived at Mammaw's house for the Christmas holiday!

Snow Day for Trixie

2008-12-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

Because the forecast calls for snow starting mid-day and turning heavy later this afternoon, there is no school today (because the buses might get caught in gridlock). Trixie found a warm place to wait for and wait out the storm and says, "Every day is a snow day for kitties."

Dear Santa, Please Bring Galoshes

2008-12-19T10:31:00.001-08:00

Britt rides his bike to work in most all weather conditions. When the roads are wet, however, his shoes get wet. His solution? Grocery bags on his feet.

Does anyone still make over-shoes?

Wintertime in KittyLand

2008-12-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

All things considered, it's been a mild fall. But Trixie thinks it's already winter. She roams the house looking for a warm body or a fluffy duvet, and when she can find both, she's hit the jackpot.

Beau's Two-Week Birthday Celebration

2008-12-11T16:27:00.000-08:00

Beau turned 12 in November. Since his birthday falls near Thanksgiving, it's always a battle to squeeze in a celebration.

We began on Monday morning, the day before his actual birthday, with a surprise visit from the neighbors to have a "last day of 11" breakfast.

We did the surprise breakfast the day before his birthday because Aunt Carrie and Uncle John arrived that night from CA and we didn't want to disturb them on Tuesday.
But we did have present-opening at Tuesday's breakfast (because Tuesday is a busy, busy day here, and breakfast is the only time we're all together).

He got a bit of loot that he was hoping for, plus some useful items that he's been in need of.

It wasn't until last weekend (12/7) that we had a party. We took a pack of 11- and 12-year-old boys into the North End (the Italian neighborhood of Boston) for pizza. We chose a place that had a big variety sold by the slice, so each boy could chose his own topping; also at this place, a "slice" is a quarter of a pie (seriously!), so we only needed to buy one "slice" per kid. This picture shows only half a slice!

Once fortified, we walked through a light snow to the North End ice rink

and went skating.

Back at home, we finally had a proper birthday cake and wrapped up a celebration that was spread out over nearly two weeks.

Stinky Jersey Update

2008-12-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

Casey's team won yesterday's game, too. Still not allowed to wash the jersey.

Smells Like Hockey

2008-11-29T17:28:00.002-08:00

So... the mite-sized game jersey that Casey had for hockey this season was a bit small, and the team manager queried the other team managers looking for an unused larger jersey.

Apparently, the only jersey he could get his hands on was a midget-sized jersey. "Midget" is the age division for high-school players, and they only play a short season of town hockey in the early fall before playing school hockey in the winter. Therefore, midget season is over, and all of their jerseys have been turned in. Unwashed.

So... the manager brought the larger sized jersey to today's game. It smells, of course, like a rank, sweaty teenage boy. Britt says it smelled so bad that his eyes teared up and his nose hairs curled.

Casey, however, took a whiff and said (with reverence): "It smells like pure hockey."

That's not all.

The Cambridge team won today's game, and Casey scored four of the team's five game goals. Now, you may or may not know that athletes can be superstitious, but Casey came home not only pleased about his four goals but also adamant that I not wash the stinky (and apparently lucky) jersey...

Casey's Soccer Season

2008-11-13T16:40:00.000-08:00

Casey wants you all to know that his soccer season ended Saturday, November 8. His team finished with a 6,1 and 2 (6 wins, 1 loss and 2 ties). Casey and his friend Sky were on the same team.

The Widsom of a 3rd Grader

2008-11-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

"Pants. They're really important."

-Casey, Nov. 8, 2008

Lucky, Lucky Me

2008-11-05T09:16:00.000-08:00

I got new countertops this week. It's Formica, in a color called multifleck. You can see it, here but it's hard to tell on the screen just how pretty it is.

Britt's Take on the State Prop. Results

2008-11-05T06:37:00.001-08:00

Question 1: Repeal the state income tax? NO
Question 2: Decriminalize marajuna possession? YES
Quesion 3: Prohibit greyhound racing beginning in 2010? YES

= Your tax dollars: buying pot for retired greyhounds.

Our Halloween

2008-11-04T13:02:00.001-08:00

This year, our Halloween began a full week before the actual event. First up: a Halloween celebration at Britt's office on Friday afternoon beforehand. Beau and Casey are, perhaps, getting a bit old for the event, but it was good to have them there to off-set the tide of preschool princesses.

Beau was a sort of mercenary archer, and Casey was Jackie Chan.

That weekend, Britt and Casey went to the Halloween event at the local cub scout camp. (Can you find Jackie Chan?)

Casey carved his own pumpkin this year.

As usual, we had the neighbors here for pre-trick-or-treating dinner. (We also had a "haunted basement this year, but there are no photos of the actual basement-dwelling ghouls.)

Then, sufficiently fortified, we went out to beg for candy.

I'm Baaaaack

2008-10-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

Apparently, the kids miss seeing themselves on the blog, so I've been badgered into brushing off the dust and mothballs...

Here's some of what we've been up to for the past two months.

The kids went back to school on Tuesday, September 2, and not a moment too soon. Well, actually, it turns out that summer is about two weeks too long... but that's another story.

As usual, we went apple picking in September.

This year, Casey plays on the travel soccer team. Here he is before his first game (with his pal Sky) in his new team uniform.

Every September, on the Saturday closest to 9-11, hikers from all over New England scale the 48 peaks of New Hampshire that are 4,000+ feet high and fly the American flag. The boy scout troop that Beau now belongs to (he crossed over from cub scouts to boy scouts last spring) typically climbs one of the peaks. This year, they climbed Mt. Hale. Here is Beau holding up the Stars and Stripes.

Over the summer, in addition to outgrowing his jeans, Beau outgrew his bike. Since he's now riding his bike to school every day, finding a "new" bike for him became our September project. After weeks of trolling the ads on craigslist, we finally found a great bike for a great price.

Casey's ice hockey team played in a tournament over Columbus Day weekend. They came in third. See that hair plastered to his head? That's from sweat! I love hockey because it makes the kids work hard. (And tires them out.) Oh, and Casey -- who plays defense -- scored three goals over the course of the tournament.

And here's a small video of Casey's goals at the tournament in Nashua. He's number 16 in maroon.

Also on Columbus Day weekend, while raking leaves, Casey and I found two Brown Snakes. (Yes, they are "brown" but they are also called "Brown Snakes.") We kept them for two nights so that Casey could show them to his classmates, then we released them back into our yard so they could find appropriate places to hibernate.

Beau wants me to tell you that on Columbus Day weekend he was at MassJam -- once-every-five-years, state-wide boy scout event. Yes, he's now old enough to leave us for whole weekends at a time.

The Regulars v The Patriots: With Water Guns

2008-08-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we packed up our water guns and extra "ammo" and headed into Boston for a great big water gun battle . We were all assigned to the Red Team (British Regulars). Here are the troops ready to march to the rendezvous point.

(Casey, Tyler, Beau, Mathias)

Once assembled, the Regulars and the Patriots met in battle of wet mayhem:

I think it was Beau's dream come true.

Not sure who "won" the skirmish, but we all had fun

and finished with ice cream.

My New Best Friend

2008-08-14T14:46:00.001-07:00

First weekend after school let out in June we went camping and returned home with mounds of wet, muddy laundry, only to discover the washing machine was kaput. (Yes, the fourth major appliance since February to go belly up!)

This morning at 7:15 am, my new best friend arrived:

It was the Consumer Reports "Best Buy" pick for a front loader (ie works well, not too expensive).

So far, so good: four loads of laundry down; a lifetime to go.