Posts

Sunday, July 6 - Monday, July 7

The drive home yesterday was long, but we made it, and now the next part of our summer will begin. We were all very sad to leave. We needed a few more days there to lie in our hammocks and play Rummikub; we had some busy days the second week we were there, and we needed a few more days of our regular NH routines, with the kids screaming nonsense on the floating dock, Andrew puttering around the barn, me moving from place to place with my book. But two and a half weeks--not bad at all. Not bad at all. Today Andrew left for Peru, and I worked from home, and the kids slept very (very) late and are once again ensconced in their rooms. The rhythms are so different here.  A bright spot was when Lucia and I were talking about her required summer reading for her tenth-grade English class (three books by American authors; it's an American lit class), and she seemed flummoxed about what books to select. (The guidelines gave categories--book by a Black American author, book with sci-fi elemen...
Post a Comment
Read more

Saturday, July 5 (NH)

Our final day in NH. We started off the day with a second river rafting trip, taking two rafts this time with Andrew's sister's family plus aunt and uncle. The water was very shallow and slow, but it was a beautiful day, and Andrew and the girls and I stopped twice to hunt for river glass. It wasn't a very nice swimming day, since the slow water meant there were lots of tiny flies that adhered to skin and swimsuits; the volume of them was actually very alarming. Lucia did swim for a while while we were rafting, in an area where there weren't many flies. We saw a bald eagle and a cute family of brown-headed ducks. Then it was time to unwind our NH stay: deflating all the inflatables, taking down the pond rope, taking down the swing and hammocks, packing up, cleaning out the fridge. It was all very very sad. Andrew, the kids, and I squeezed in a hike through the woods. Andrew's aunt and uncle brought over Pizza Chef pizzas for dinner, and then we loaded up the car and...
Post a Comment
Read more

Friday, July 4 (NH)

There's nothing like the Fourth of July in NH. This is our 16th NH Fourth--we've been coming here every year for the Fourth of July since 2008, with the exception of 2012, which was when we moved from Brooklyn to Maplewood. Sixteen years of Fourth of July parades, rummage sales, bbqs, fireworks, fire pits.  Today was exactly the same as every other year. We went early to the parade so we could visit the rummage sale, which, this year, was very sparse; but across the street was a giant sale, and the girls and I found lots to bring home, including a mug that says "Vermont All-State Cow Tipping Team." Then we watched the parade. The girls have officially aged out the candy portion--everyone throwing candy passed them right by. But we did get our chocolate milks from the dairy. After the parade, we had hot dogs and hamburgers at the firemen's bbq, browsed the cakes in the cake auction area, and then headed home.  While Andrew and his sister etc went to hike up Mount A...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wednesday, July 2 - Thursday, July 3 (NH)

Wednesday was the memorial service and lunch reception for Andrew's parents. They were laid to rest in the family cemetery with a group of cousins and other relatives in attendance. It was a beautiful sunny day, and I think everyone was happy to have this chance to formally gather and reflect. Today was extremely rainy, so our planned rafting trip was postponed until Saturday. The girls and I spent much of the day reading. Andrew, the kids, and I played two games of Rummikub. After lunch, the girls and I took our final trip to Books-A-Million and Newbury Comics, and Katherine and Thomas came with us. Greta turned in two punchcards and got four books; Lucia turned in one and got two books. I bought myself a book too. We just browsed at Newbury Comics. I felt very sad when we left, saying goodbye for another year. Once we get home, we don't even think about these stores until we're getting ready for our next summer visit. We went out to dinner at Harpoon Brewery, the seven of...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tuesday, July 1 (NH)

I had a very busy workday but took a quick break at lunchtime to play Rummikub with the girls. After I was done for the day, I floated on the pond while the girls did their usual horseplay on the dock. There was no sign of the snapping turtle. Andrew and his sister shopped for nearly the entire eight hours I was working, getting things ready for the funeral and reception tomorrow, which they are cooking for themselves rather than catering. This is a complex undertaking when home base is a house without any platters, serving bowls, counter space, fridge space, or other amenities. It's almost like trying to host a party from an extended-stay hotel, where, if you're lucky, you have access to one fork, one teaspoon, and a couple of thin plates. The highlight of the day: It's Farrah's 6th birthday! Six years ago today, our little baby was born at Creampuff Farm. To celebrate tonight, we gave her a doggie ice cream cup topped with a strip of bacon, plus two new toys, and sang...
Post a Comment
Read more

Monday, June 30 (NH)

A work day. But afterward I got in some hammock time. The kids played in the pond for a while.  In the afternoon, Andrew's sister and family arrived, so we're onto the next part of our NH stay now. We got Pizza Chef pizzas for dinner. I had a very late work webinar, but everyone else sat outside by the fire. I am still waiting to hear the sounds of an organ coming from the barn.   What We're Reading Margo: Expensive People by Joyce Carol Oates Andrew: Proust Lucia: Fable by Adrienne Young Greta: finished Murder on Mustang Beach by Alicia Bessette; started Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer
Post a Comment
Read more

Sunday, June 29 (NH)

This morning, Andrew and the girls went on Andrew's long run, a hilly 6.5 mile trek that Andrew does every year. Andrew was excited to share the run with them, and they held their own. Lucia, of course, complained that she had to keep stopping to wait for everyone else.  While they were on their run, I made a batch of jam with the strawberries we picked. This is the only place I ever make jam, and it's just the worst place for a messy project like this, yet I continue to do this project every couple of years. I made nine jars. It's delicious. I should really get a canner to keep at home, too, and do some canning with farmer's market finds. But as with all things we do here, there seems to be no time to do them at home. Time stretches here. After lunch, we went to Books-A-Million and Newbury Comics so the kids could redeem a couple of punchcards. They each picked out a Funko and a Unicorno at Newbury Comics, and books at Books-A-Million.  Then we picked up a couple of th...
Post a Comment
Read more