Skeeters have arrived
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb Yes, the mosquitoes have arrived. I got three bites on my arm, and one swelled up quite spectacularly. Eventually my system will get used to them - sometime around November probably.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Skeeters have arrived
Skeeters have arrived
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb Yes, the mosquitoes have arrived. I got three bites on my arm, and one swelled up quite spectacularly. Eventually my system will get used to them - sometime around November probably.
Near the end of our Royal River journey
Near the end of our Royal River journey
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb Mike got a canoe for his 40th birthday some time late last year, and it's been sitting in the lean to ever since.
Yesterday was Memorial Day, and blazing hot, so we planned a trip.
We'd lost the instructions for putting the canoe on top of the car, so we lashed it on as best as we could remember, and drove carefully to Dunn's Corner. There's a little put-in there.
The trip was beautiful. We paddled 5.75 miles from Dunn's Corner, through woods, woods and more woods, until we got to the waterworks in Yarmouth. Any further and you end up hitting some major waterfalls (which Mark was very worried about).
The river was covered in pollen, which explained my recent itchy eyes. Mike and I paddled, with a lot of help from Hannah, and an attempt at helping from Ellie.
It took nearly two hours, and was just heavenly. Next time we'll take fishing gear to keep the little ones happy.
After we'd taken out the boat, and had an ice cream at Handy Andy's, we stopped off at Mary and Philip's and said hello to them and their guests - who are here from London. After a couple of glasses of wine we were feeling no pain (or cold in my case), and could have sat there all evening.
But we had children to feed, and fresh home-made pesto waiting at home for us. I served up some delicious spag with chicken, pesto and burnt onion, while Mike and the children built a fire. We were a little worried about the whole forest going up, but we watched it carefully.
Roast marshmallows for pudding, then a footwash for everyone, then a very late night. Again!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Ellie at Crescent Beach
Ellie at Crescent Beaching
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb
We went to Crescent Beach after work yesterday. It had hit 90F during the day, but by the time we got to the beach it was a beautiful temperature.
Summer is here!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Lunch time hke
Sroudwater Trail again
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb
Today I spent 40 minutes walking from my office to the Stroudwater Trail, then through the peaceful woods, along the river, to the end of the trail at River's Edge Drive.
Then back along Congress Street in the hot sun, and back along the Unum driveway to the office.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
101 Have you ever... questions
Kissed any one of your Facebook friends? --- more than I care to admit
Been arrested? --- no
Kissed someone you didn't like? --- no
Slept in until 5 PM? --- Yes
Fallen asleep at work/school? --- Yes
Held a snake? --- yes
Ran a red light? --- Yes
Been suspended from school? --- No
Experienced love at first sight? --- Yes
Totalled your car in an accident? ---Yes
Been fired from a job? --- Yes
Fired somebody? --- No but I've threatened someone with it
Sang karaoke? --- Yes
Pointed a gun at someone? --- Only Mark's gunner...
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? --- Yes
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? --- yes
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? --- yes
Kissed in the rain? --- yes
Had a close brush with death --- Yes
Played spin-the-bottle? --- yes
Sang in the shower? --- I don't think so
Smoked a cigar? --- No
Sat on a rooftop? --- Yes
Taken pictures of yourself naked? --- Ugh no
Smuggled something into another country? --- Chocolate...?
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? ---No
Broken a bone? --- No
Skipped school? ---Yes
Eaten a bug? --- no
Sleepwalked? --- Yes
Walked a moonlit beach? --- yes
Rode a motorcycle? --- Yes
Dumped someone? --- Yes
Forgotten your anniversary? --- no
Lied to avoid a ticket? --- Ahem yes
Ridden on a helicopter? --- Yes
Shaved your head? --- No
Played a prank on someone? --- Yes
Hit a home run? -- No
Felt like killing someone? --- yes of course, I have children
Cross-dressed? --- I did once dress up as a Rocky Horror Show character
Been falling-down drunk? --- yes far too many times but not recently
Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? --- Yes
Eaten snake? ---no
Marched/Protested? --- No
Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? --- No
Puked on amusement ride? --- No
Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? ---Hmm not that I recall but possibly
Been in a band? --- No
Knitted? --- Yes badly
Been on TV? --- Maybe in an audience
Shot a gun? --- No
Skinny-dipped? --- Yes
Gave someone stitches? --- No
Eaten a whole habenero pepper? --- No
Ridden a surfboard? --- Yes briefly
Drank straight from a liquor bottle? --- Oh yes
Had surgery? --- Yes
Streaked? -- No
Taken by ambulance to hospital? --- Yes
Tripped on mushrooms? --- no
Passed out when not drinking? --- yes
Peed on a bush? ---Yes
Donated Blood? --- Yes but they don't take it any more
Grabbed electric fence? --- No
Eaten alligator meat? --- No
Eaten cheesecake? --- Yes
Eaten your kids' Halloween candy? --- Of course
Killed an animal when not hunting? ---No
Peed your pants in public? --- Yes
Sneeked into a movie without paying? --- no
Written graffiti? --- No
Still love someone you shouldn't? -- No
Think about the future? --- Yes
Been in handcuffs? --- No
Believe in love? --- yes
Sleep on a certain side of the bed? --- Yes
Been arrested? --- no
Kissed someone you didn't like? --- no
Slept in until 5 PM? --- Yes
Fallen asleep at work/school? --- Yes
Held a snake? --- yes
Ran a red light? --- Yes
Been suspended from school? --- No
Experienced love at first sight? --- Yes
Totalled your car in an accident? ---Yes
Been fired from a job? --- Yes
Fired somebody? --- No but I've threatened someone with it
Sang karaoke? --- Yes
Pointed a gun at someone? --- Only Mark's gunner...
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? --- Yes
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? --- yes
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? --- yes
Kissed in the rain? --- yes
Had a close brush with death --- Yes
Played spin-the-bottle? --- yes
Sang in the shower? --- I don't think so
Smoked a cigar? --- No
Sat on a rooftop? --- Yes
Taken pictures of yourself naked? --- Ugh no
Smuggled something into another country? --- Chocolate...?
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? ---No
Broken a bone? --- No
Skipped school? ---Yes
Eaten a bug? --- no
Sleepwalked? --- Yes
Walked a moonlit beach? --- yes
Rode a motorcycle? --- Yes
Dumped someone? --- Yes
Forgotten your anniversary? --- no
Lied to avoid a ticket? --- Ahem yes
Ridden on a helicopter? --- Yes
Shaved your head? --- No
Played a prank on someone? --- Yes
Hit a home run? -- No
Felt like killing someone? --- yes of course, I have children
Cross-dressed? --- I did once dress up as a Rocky Horror Show character
Been falling-down drunk? --- yes far too many times but not recently
Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? --- Yes
Eaten snake? ---no
Marched/Protested? --- No
Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? --- No
Puked on amusement ride? --- No
Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? ---Hmm not that I recall but possibly
Been in a band? --- No
Knitted? --- Yes badly
Been on TV? --- Maybe in an audience
Shot a gun? --- No
Skinny-dipped? --- Yes
Gave someone stitches? --- No
Eaten a whole habenero pepper? --- No
Ridden a surfboard? --- Yes briefly
Drank straight from a liquor bottle? --- Oh yes
Had surgery? --- Yes
Streaked? -- No
Taken by ambulance to hospital? --- Yes
Tripped on mushrooms? --- no
Passed out when not drinking? --- yes
Peed on a bush? ---Yes
Donated Blood? --- Yes but they don't take it any more
Grabbed electric fence? --- No
Eaten alligator meat? --- No
Eaten cheesecake? --- Yes
Eaten your kids' Halloween candy? --- Of course
Killed an animal when not hunting? ---No
Peed your pants in public? --- Yes
Sneeked into a movie without paying? --- no
Written graffiti? --- No
Still love someone you shouldn't? -- No
Think about the future? --- Yes
Been in handcuffs? --- No
Believe in love? --- yes
Sleep on a certain side of the bed? --- Yes
Oh deer
More deer this evening, this time on Hillside. There were three of them ambling along, luckily I saw them in plenty of time to slow down.
We had a hummingbird in our garden the other day too - did I mention that? And we have a woodpecker who comes along every so often and makes a lot of noise.
Just waiting for the snakes to start coming out next. We had one living below the garden hose tap, and he got very miffed every time we went over there to turn it on.
What else?
We met the children at Old Orchard Beach after work today. Nadja had taken them there after work to play in the sand and paddle in the sea. It was sunny but SO windy. Afterwards we found what I think must have been the only restaurant open this early in the season, and had some fairly awful fish and chips.
Then I got us two hot fresh fried dough portions, and we ate them in the car while we drove up route 1, past the Rock and Roll Diner, and the Scarborough Marshes, and the chocolate place I keep meaning to visit, and Aquaboggan, and various other places I had forgotten actually exist.
We had a hummingbird in our garden the other day too - did I mention that? And we have a woodpecker who comes along every so often and makes a lot of noise.
Just waiting for the snakes to start coming out next. We had one living below the garden hose tap, and he got very miffed every time we went over there to turn it on.
What else?
We met the children at Old Orchard Beach after work today. Nadja had taken them there after work to play in the sand and paddle in the sea. It was sunny but SO windy. Afterwards we found what I think must have been the only restaurant open this early in the season, and had some fairly awful fish and chips.
Then I got us two hot fresh fried dough portions, and we ate them in the car while we drove up route 1, past the Rock and Roll Diner, and the Scarborough Marshes, and the chocolate place I keep meaning to visit, and Aquaboggan, and various other places I had forgotten actually exist.
Monday, May 11, 2009
You know when you're too tired to get up and go to bed?
I'm at that stage right now...
One... two... three... GO!
Nope, didn't work.
Please just tell me to go to bed?
One... two... three... GO!
Nope, didn't work.
Please just tell me to go to bed?
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Testing
Testing updating my blog by email. Hmm I wonder how I upload photos?
Sent from my AT&T Windows Mobile phone.
Sent from my AT&T Windows Mobile phone.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Uncle Keith
This will be a very sad entry. My uncle Keith killed himself yesterday. What else can I say? We miss you Keith. I hope you aren't in pain any more.
Here he is with Bobby last November...
Here he is with Bobby last November...
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
It's all quiet
The Tanners have left, and it's all quiet. Well, you know, as quiet as it gets with three children in the house. We've actually had to do our own washing up, but mum left dinner for us.
I had a lovely lunch with mum and Mike, then they drove to the airport - hopefully they took off safely and are well on the way to the UK.
I had a frustrating day at work. Every time I tried to do something complicated, a program would crash. I did actually solve one problem by the end of the day, so I left quick while I was feeling good.
At teatime we all did 'happy hands' where each person says something happy that happened today. I asked who wanted to go first and they all threw their hands into the air. So I did eeeny meeny miney mo and we ended up letting Mark go first.
So, Mark, what happy thing happened today?
'Nothing.'
'Nothing?'
'But some not happy things did happen.'
'Like what?'
'Sleepy time. In the music room.'
Hmm. So that was Mark.
Ellie talked about her Y Care teacher, who she obviously adores. And Hannah talked about how they've been allowed to arrange the desks in their classroom exactly how they want them. She is sitting with Pie, of course.
I said I'd had a very happy lunch with granny and grandad, but was very sad to say goodbye to them. Mark checked yesterday what I'd be cooking once granny is no longer here, and I said it would be things like pasta and sausages and pizza. He thought for a while then said he thought that would be okay.
By the way, all the photos below are from mum and Mike's camera. There's various cousins based around the world, and some great photos of mum and Mike's house outside Macc.
I had a lovely lunch with mum and Mike, then they drove to the airport - hopefully they took off safely and are well on the way to the UK.
I had a frustrating day at work. Every time I tried to do something complicated, a program would crash. I did actually solve one problem by the end of the day, so I left quick while I was feeling good.
At teatime we all did 'happy hands' where each person says something happy that happened today. I asked who wanted to go first and they all threw their hands into the air. So I did eeeny meeny miney mo and we ended up letting Mark go first.
So, Mark, what happy thing happened today?
'Nothing.'
'Nothing?'
'But some not happy things did happen.'
'Like what?'
'Sleepy time. In the music room.'
Hmm. So that was Mark.
Ellie talked about her Y Care teacher, who she obviously adores. And Hannah talked about how they've been allowed to arrange the desks in their classroom exactly how they want them. She is sitting with Pie, of course.
I said I'd had a very happy lunch with granny and grandad, but was very sad to say goodbye to them. Mark checked yesterday what I'd be cooking once granny is no longer here, and I said it would be things like pasta and sausages and pizza. He thought for a while then said he thought that would be okay.
By the way, all the photos below are from mum and Mike's camera. There's various cousins based around the world, and some great photos of mum and Mike's house outside Macc.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Happy 4th birthday to Mark
It's Mark's 4th birthday today! My youngest child is 4, I can't quite believe it...
So far he's had his ideal day. He stayed at the Wallace's last night, and had pancakes for breakfast, then rode his new bike as fast as possible.
Came in here and opened his presents. He has had...
a 16" bike (got that yesterday)
lots of Thomas train stuff
a backpack full of little diggers
some books by Mo Willems
a football and pop-up goal
a guitar
some clothes
Grandad is enjoying the train stuff about as much as Mark...
Here are a few photos:
He's having a little party this afternoon with a few friends over - mum has made a cake and a trifle and we have some helium balloons coming, that's about all we've planned. Hope it doesn't rain!
Right I'd better go and tidy the house ready for the onslaught...
Friday, May 1, 2009
Chilli / chowdah throwdown at work
I had the most fun day at work today. After our quarterly meeting we had a chilli / chowder throwdown, which involved tasting about 20 different chillis and chowders all made by my colleagues in the Marketing department.
It was deeeee-licious. For $5 I got as much food as my taste-buds could cope with. A couple of the chowders had a real kick to them. I hadn't realised chowder could be so good - especially when it had lobster and freshly shucked corn in it, with just a hint of cayenne.
After the prize-giving - a very nicely mounted ladle - it was back to work for a very interesting meeting with another Knowledge Manager.
Didn't get much work done in the afternoon after that, I was actually completely shattered. Fell asleep on the settee under a pile of duvets at one point, then was woken up for dinner.
Still have the wonderful Tanners here, who have been looking after the children, doing the shopping, cooking meals, and doing the laundry. I'm not sure they'd describe it as a holiday but we're enjoying having them here, and not just for their housekeeping services!
Mike has been away most of the week opening a Hampton Inn in Nashua NH. It was signed off this afternoon, so he was pretty delighted with himself. We all had a bit of bubbly with dinner. He now has two successful hotel openings under his belt. All we need now is a few more projects for him to throw himself into. Could someone please ease the credit markets now please?
Wed - had dinner at the Inn by the Sea, then mum and Mike stayed the night there. Had the most wonderful scallops.
It was deeeee-licious. For $5 I got as much food as my taste-buds could cope with. A couple of the chowders had a real kick to them. I hadn't realised chowder could be so good - especially when it had lobster and freshly shucked corn in it, with just a hint of cayenne.
After the prize-giving - a very nicely mounted ladle - it was back to work for a very interesting meeting with another Knowledge Manager.
Didn't get much work done in the afternoon after that, I was actually completely shattered. Fell asleep on the settee under a pile of duvets at one point, then was woken up for dinner.
Still have the wonderful Tanners here, who have been looking after the children, doing the shopping, cooking meals, and doing the laundry. I'm not sure they'd describe it as a holiday but we're enjoying having them here, and not just for their housekeeping services!
Mike has been away most of the week opening a Hampton Inn in Nashua NH. It was signed off this afternoon, so he was pretty delighted with himself. We all had a bit of bubbly with dinner. He now has two successful hotel openings under his belt. All we need now is a few more projects for him to throw himself into. Could someone please ease the credit markets now please?
Wed - had dinner at the Inn by the Sea, then mum and Mike stayed the night there. Had the most wonderful scallops.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
