Summer: Thurs., 6/27 - Sat., 6/29
Thurs., 6/27
I had to wake up the kids at 8:30 this morning because the cleaners were there and had to clean the upstairs. I hustled them into clothes and out the door, first to the UPS store so I could send an Amazon return and then to Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast. We headed to the library next to get some books and redeem their latest round of reading hours for prizes. When we got home, we cleaned up the tinker space, getting it back to zero so they could start fresh potions when we return from NH. Cleaning it up was no joke--so many bowls of chalky, soapy mixes. Then the bowls to wash and the tables to hose down. But we did it.
The Clarks arrived in the afternoon, with their cat. Greta was ecstatic. The kids all played for a short while and then we headed to the train. Beth and I had planned this adventure months ago, and it was finally the big day. We met Andrew in the city and had dinner all together at Rosa Mexicano, and then the girls split off to go see Swan Lake, and Andrew took the boys to the High Line and his office. Swan Lake was so much fun. L&G were really into it, hissing questions into my ear throughout ("WHERE'S THE WHITE SWAN? IS THAT THE PRINCE? IS THE SWAN COMING BACK?") By the time the ballet was over, it was 10pm, and the kids were exhausted. Lucia, Greta, and Elena were basically lying on the sidewalk outside Lincoln Center while Beth and I called an Uber. The kids didn't get to bed till 11:30. But it was worth it. Such a fun night.
Fri., 6/28
Everyone departed early in the morning--the Clarks back to Pittsburgh, and us on our way to NH. We stopped in the city briefly so Andrew could have a meeting. I took the girls to Muji, where we each bought a notebook and covered it with stamps from Muji's rubber-stamp bar. Then we went to Bryant Park and read for a bit before meeting up with Andrew and getting on the road to NH. This was, hands down, our worst drive to NH ever, besides the time when we got rear-ended. That was the worst. But this was a close second. It took us SEVEN HOURS to get there, nonstop traffic, stop and go the entire time. Lucia threw up twice. It was awful. Once in the grass outside a rest area and once by the side of the highway. I felt like I was in a zombie daze. It was just awful all around. We didn't arrive until 7pm, no time to do a grocery shop. I called in a pizza order from the highway and we picked it up on our way to the house. What a day. But we made it and can settle in.
Sat., 6/29
First real day in NH! It was a perfect day, our reward for yesterday's drive from hell. We went strawberry picking first thing this morning, at our favorite strawberry farm. L&G love to pick strawberries and we of course picked way too many. Looks like I'll be making another batch or two of jam this year. We did a grocery run, then Andrew made burgers on the grill for lunch. Dessert was enormous bowls of strawberries with Cool Whip, a long-awaited summer favorite.
After lunch we prepared for the pond. Andrew strung the rope across the pond, and we inflated our many floats and rafts. We were in the pond for the rest of the afternoon, about three hours. L&G were floating and swimming and playing an elaborate game where a log was an alligator. I was floating in a raft. Andrew was floating for a while and then lay on the grass. A gorgeous day.
We went to William and Nellie's for a drink after that, and the kids swam in the pool. Then we came home and cooked hot dogs in the fire pit, using long metal forks I'd ordered. This "fire dinner" was something Lucia has been asking for for ages. We did hot dogs and then s'mores.
And now, after this long and fun first day, I'm going to collapse in bed.
I had to wake up the kids at 8:30 this morning because the cleaners were there and had to clean the upstairs. I hustled them into clothes and out the door, first to the UPS store so I could send an Amazon return and then to Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast. We headed to the library next to get some books and redeem their latest round of reading hours for prizes. When we got home, we cleaned up the tinker space, getting it back to zero so they could start fresh potions when we return from NH. Cleaning it up was no joke--so many bowls of chalky, soapy mixes. Then the bowls to wash and the tables to hose down. But we did it.
The Clarks arrived in the afternoon, with their cat. Greta was ecstatic. The kids all played for a short while and then we headed to the train. Beth and I had planned this adventure months ago, and it was finally the big day. We met Andrew in the city and had dinner all together at Rosa Mexicano, and then the girls split off to go see Swan Lake, and Andrew took the boys to the High Line and his office. Swan Lake was so much fun. L&G were really into it, hissing questions into my ear throughout ("WHERE'S THE WHITE SWAN? IS THAT THE PRINCE? IS THE SWAN COMING BACK?") By the time the ballet was over, it was 10pm, and the kids were exhausted. Lucia, Greta, and Elena were basically lying on the sidewalk outside Lincoln Center while Beth and I called an Uber. The kids didn't get to bed till 11:30. But it was worth it. Such a fun night.
Fri., 6/28
Everyone departed early in the morning--the Clarks back to Pittsburgh, and us on our way to NH. We stopped in the city briefly so Andrew could have a meeting. I took the girls to Muji, where we each bought a notebook and covered it with stamps from Muji's rubber-stamp bar. Then we went to Bryant Park and read for a bit before meeting up with Andrew and getting on the road to NH. This was, hands down, our worst drive to NH ever, besides the time when we got rear-ended. That was the worst. But this was a close second. It took us SEVEN HOURS to get there, nonstop traffic, stop and go the entire time. Lucia threw up twice. It was awful. Once in the grass outside a rest area and once by the side of the highway. I felt like I was in a zombie daze. It was just awful all around. We didn't arrive until 7pm, no time to do a grocery shop. I called in a pizza order from the highway and we picked it up on our way to the house. What a day. But we made it and can settle in.
Sat., 6/29
First real day in NH! It was a perfect day, our reward for yesterday's drive from hell. We went strawberry picking first thing this morning, at our favorite strawberry farm. L&G love to pick strawberries and we of course picked way too many. Looks like I'll be making another batch or two of jam this year. We did a grocery run, then Andrew made burgers on the grill for lunch. Dessert was enormous bowls of strawberries with Cool Whip, a long-awaited summer favorite.
After lunch we prepared for the pond. Andrew strung the rope across the pond, and we inflated our many floats and rafts. We were in the pond for the rest of the afternoon, about three hours. L&G were floating and swimming and playing an elaborate game where a log was an alligator. I was floating in a raft. Andrew was floating for a while and then lay on the grass. A gorgeous day.
We went to William and Nellie's for a drink after that, and the kids swam in the pool. Then we came home and cooked hot dogs in the fire pit, using long metal forks I'd ordered. This "fire dinner" was something Lucia has been asking for for ages. We did hot dogs and then s'mores.
And now, after this long and fun first day, I'm going to collapse in bed.
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