Puerto Aventuras day 4

To do list for this holiday:
Snorkel - check
Scuba dive
Swim in a cenote
Visit Mayan ruins

The wind was up, so the sea was no longer flat. Hannah, Mark and I tried snorkelling but it wasn't any fun, so instead we just rolled around in the waves.

A little later we headed out to Jardin el Eden Cenote, a nearby limestone sinkhole (this area is full of them). We drove down a track through the scrub, passing iguanas and roadrunners, then parked up, grabbed snorkel gear, and hiked the short way down to the cenote. Divers were putting on their tanks, kids were jumping off a cliff, and families were gently floating. It looked like an oasis.

We duly jumped off the cliff, snorkelled around the cenote (which left me slightly weirded out - it had some very deep bits and I'm not good with deep/dark spaces), and experienced the slightly strange sensation of swimming over divers and wondering if the bubbles were them or me.

We'd brought a big bag of crisps but after a while that clearly wasn't going to keep everyone going so it was time to brave the toilets, get changed, then drive on to Akumal. We drove around the pueblo briefly, then into Half Moon Bay.

We were delighted by La Buena Vida restaurant - it had a sandy floor, skeletons, crow's nest, pool, hammocks, and bar swings as well as an amazing location right on the beach. Had a lovely lunch of fish tacos, chile rellenos and tamarindo water. Such a beautiful area. Half Moon Bay seemed like the kind of place to come back to and rent a villa with more people.

The children explored the crow's nests and the hammocks, watched a show where three Mayan men drummed and shouted (Mark was fascinated), then we headed back home via a supermarket that made Wholefoods look like good value, but which had everything we needed including Coco Pops and margarita mix.

Hung out at home, swimming in the pool, and had a big pasta meal for dinner. Later a couple of party boats moored offshore from us and the people on board screamed with excitement non stop for about half an hour. Eventually Mike got out the binoculars then told me it was an all-female party and he was off to join in.

Puerto Aventuras day 3

To do list for this holiday:
Snorkel - check
Scuba dive
Swim in a cenote
Visit Mayan ruins

I'd hoped for amazing fruit in Mexico, so this morning Mike, Mark and I hit the farmer's market. It smelled SO good. Bought all sorts of fruit, some of it just based on its smell, as well as some home-made bread that turned out to be delicious. 

Then Mike, Mark and Ellie kayaked while Hannah and I snorkelled. The sea was calm, and we headed quite a way out where we found a beautiful reef with brain coral everywhere. We saw two rays this time, and many beautiful fish. We were out there for a couple of hours, and were shattered by the time we got back to the condo. 

My book (The Goldfinch - very dark!) and the patio (which is almost always shaded) beckoned. For lunch we chopped up grapefruits, ugli fruit, apples, avocado, and guavas.

Later that day we went to Xpu-Ha Beach (pronounced Ish-pu-ha) where apparently they film the Corona commercials. It was full of people, mostly lying on loungers under the umbrellas, enjoying the white sand, turquoise seas, and devilish margaritas.

We rented a couple of loungers under umbrellas at one of the bars, and chatted to our neighbours. The children swam then Mark spotted a turtle swimming right in front of him - next thing there were loads of people around the turtle. A waiter brought us each a margarita - small but potent. Near the brightly coloured bar buildings the kids were delighted to find hammocks.

We were planning on eating dinner at the beach but the bar closed at 6pm so instead we headed back to Puerta and ate pizza and ceviche at Papparazi's, where we (and by that I mean me) were tired and grumpy. I was in bed and asleep by 8pm, snoring to the sound of the ocean.

Puerto Aventuras day 2

To do list for this holiday:
Snorkel
Scuba dive
Swim in a cenote
Visit Mayan ruins

As we explored Puerto Aventuras, we considered signing up for dolphin swimming, snorkelling trips, diving trips, fishing trips, and every other trip imaginable. Everyone wanted to sell us something. Puerto surrounds a marina and dolphin enclosure, with restaurants and shops, and an inordinate number of property rental/sale offices. Mike's personal favourite was Fanny Rental's.

We stopped for a much-needed lunch at Dos Chili's (or is it called Pancho Villa?) including nachos, fish tacos, burgers, and Mike's winner - the garlicky fish. Then walked back through the Omni Hotel and along the beach to our condo.

Our property manager reassured us that Puerto is incredibly safe, so we left Hannah and Ellie at the condo while Mike, Mark and I went snorkelling. Biggest excitement was seeing a ray swimming away from us at high speed. Later I took Mark out in a kayak, which entailed much battling with waves. Then after a home made dinner, Mike took the children out for delicious gelato.

Why is it that the only good photo I have from today is of Mark in a wrestling mask?

Puerto Aventuras day 1

It was a long winter - the snow started in early December and didn't melt until mid-April. I had been working much harder than someone who is officially part time should be working. A holiday in the sun was needed. I booked a condo in Puerto Aventuras on the Maya Riviera in Mexico, and Mike got an amazing airmiles deal on flights. I did a stack of research into things to do, and put together our to do list for this holiday:

• Snorkel
• Scuba dive
• Swim in a cenote
• Visit Mayan ruins

We flew at 6am from Portland to Cancun via Baltimore. Mike managed to get us all business class seats for the longer flight, and I managed to restrain myself to only one cocktail (at 9.30am which felt like about 1pm).

As we'd expected, we had an entertaining time organising car hire and negotiating insurance. As always I was grateful Mike speaks Spanish. We stopped at a gas station for drinks, then drove down route 307 to Puerto Aventuras. Everything was in kilometers, and there were various police checkpoints. We kept passing signs for the various all-inclusive resorts that I'd considered, before deciding that we were better off in a condo right by the sea and pool.

Puerto Aventuras is a gated community, and once we were in we immediately got completely lost. We found a great-looking restaurant called Latitude 20 beside a dolphin enclosure, and it seemed easiest to stop for lunch... or was it dinner? Our body clocks weren't sure. Then we found our condo - the ground floor one on the right in this picture. The photo is taken from the steps down to the beach...

Turned out it hadn't been cleaned because the management company thought we were arriving the following day. We spent a while trying to work out how to call the management company from a US cellphone on a Mexican network (failed), then from a US cellphone using Vonage (succeeded), and eventually arranged for the cleaners to arrive.

The kids swam in the pool first, then I took them snorkelling in the ocean, while the maids hurriedly cleaned and Mike went to the Chedraui supermarket over the road. The beach directly outside the condo had a long shallow stony entrance, so we hiked about 2 minutes north along the beach to the Omni Hotel, and snorkelled from there, where the entrance was soft sand. We saw all sorts of gorgeous fish.

Eventually we all unpacked, stuck the groceries in the fridge and crawled to bed. Exhausted but excited.

Christmas is coming

Non stop weekend. The children sang Christmas carols to the unsuspecting people of Freeport on Saturday, while I raced around the grocery store. Thank you good people of Freeport for basically babysitting my kids.

I picked up my new bike which is LOVELY. I got this one except that between one discount and another, plus a load of $10 gift cards we'd got for buying other bits and pieces, it ended up costing $250, and they gave us another $10 gift card for buying it.

Mark and I tested my new bike (it fits me better) and rode to the various Christmas fairs in Yarmouth. I especially love the fairs in North Yarmouth Academy and the Log Cabin. I learnt that no matter how sunny it looks, if it's 1C then a thin sweater and a cardy really aren't going to be enough.

Picked Ellie up from her party and we all went carol singing at the Yarmouth tree lighting. I'd dressed us all for very cold weather and it wasn't quite THAT cold. Mark was the only one really interested in singing, so we belted out a few carols together and bumped into a fair few lovely friends who we don't see enough of.

Then home for chilli that had been in the freezer since mum's visit in July, with baked spuds. And a lot of relaxing.

Today we sorted our body weight in laundry, and put together our shopping lists for the day. Item #1: shoes that fit Hannah (where do people buy ladies size 11 shoes?).

As is traditional this time of year we went to see The Nutcracker. As always I cried during the Pas de Deux by the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier. As always we stood in very long lines for the toilets, and as always we were still buying our half time snacks when the warning signs came to go back to our seats. It's good to know nothing changes.

It was 4.30 so we... er... headed to the Maine Mall where we shopped for various concert outfits, then ate dinner at Ruby Tuesday's. We also had a Facetime chat with Mike in England - he'd just spent a lovely day with the Darleys, then with Dave and Elissa and Freddy, then Tiff and Nic.

Afterwards I accidentally got sucked into Eddie Bauer and bought a $200 coat for $120. Hannah did her best to stop me, including threatening to ground me if I bought it.

Fabulous weekend.

Another summer over

Another 11 week summer holiday creaks to a close. The air is starting to gently chill, and although I try to deny it, the leaves are sneaking from green to rusty red.

It's been a hard summer for us as parents, but I think the children had a good time. Mike is opening three hotels in three months, so he has been away every week but one. That left me trying to do a 40 hour working week and manage camp drop offs and pick ups. I had help from my parents, and for the last 3 weeks a nanny, but it's been a struggle.

Next year I hope to be home for the summer with the children, so we can enjoy the summer together. Especially as I can see them changing so fast. Hannah is at the stage where she is mostly to be found in her room reading or listening to music, or out around town on her bike, and I feel her slipping away.

But for all our guilt the children had many amazing opportunities this summer. The girls had two weeks in England with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Meanwhile Mark spent the two weeks with Carl and Nadja in Connecticut being spoiled rotten.

While they were all away Mike and I grabbed the chance to spend a long weekend in Chicago. I got to see the hotel he is building (Harper Court), we ate amazing deep dish pizza and black rice sushi, met up with his business partners, stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria, did a fabulous architectural boat tour (during which we experienced basically all weather other than snow), and explored the city thoroughly.

The kids then all did two weeks of Sail Maine. Hannah loved it. The other two did not. The jury is out on whether they'll carry on sailing.

After a visit from granny Barbara and grandad Mike,including a trip to the rather luxurious Samoset Resort, the kids were back at camp - this time Circus camp. They all loved it. Next time you see them, ask them to demonstrate diablos, trapeze and fabric skills.

At this point our nanny Julia stepped in to help, shortly followed by my old school friend Suzz arriving for 10 days of non-stop talking. Well, we hadn't seen each other in 10 years. We had catching up to do. Meanwhile Hannah and Ellie did four afternoons of horse riding. Mark had quite sensibly decided that horses are fundamentally dangerous (somewhat to my relief - just need to convince the girls now).

Next, the high point of my summer, we all spent a week at Renee's camp on Lovell Lake in New Hampshire. There was the traditional 'silliest jump off the rope swing' competition, a lot of paddling, several late nights round the campfire, and for some reason a lot of cat sick. Lovely week, especially having Su there. Poor Mike had to go off to work for the middle five days.

Saturday we discovered we had to leave a day earlier than expected, but it meant we got to spend Sunday exploring Cape Elizabeth - the Lobster Shack, Crescent Beach, ice cream from Kettle Cove, Portland Head Light. Every summer I wonder why we didn't move to Cape instead of Yarmouth.

Then it was back to work for me. I switched to working part time, and suddenly life became manageable again. While Mark and Ellie explored nearby beaches and swimming pools with Julia, Hannah did a Telling Room camp where the campers explored Portland, stalked people (including various parents), eavesdropped strangers conversations, and used the results to create memorable villains. Hannah's was a witch who knitted her own body bags.

Labor Day weekend is beckoning. We're celebrating John's birthday Saturday  and maybe a trip to Aquaboggan on Sunday. Then middle school for Hannah and Ellie, and back to elementary school for Mark.

Granny Vi

In March I visited Granny Vi for the last time. I spent a week in Kilmarnock, visiting her a couple of times a day at the nursing home where she was being cared for. She was very weak, and I spent a lot of time holding drinks or feeding her bits of cheese or melon. We spent our time chatting, laughing, going through a photo album and reminiscing.

I'd seen granny back in November but at that point she was unwell and we didn't know what was wrong or how to help. I didn't get to spend much time with her, and it was distressing seeing her so unhappy and unwell.

This time it was different. Although occasionally granny was asleep when I visited, during most of our visits she was awake, and her pain was well-controlled, and we got to spend out time close together.

I told granny how much I loved her, how happy she made us as children and adults, and how much we'd all learnt from her. She asked a lot about the children. I can't really describe how it was - I knew it was my last week with granny, and I wanted to spend every moment with her.

We gave her sips of whisky, and I got to know the staff who were caring for her. Occasionally she would get distressed because of the pain, or the indignity of it all, and once or twice she asked us if she would die soon, and we told her she had cancer. But mostly we just sat close to her so she could see and sense us, and talked loudly so she could hear us, and did what we'd always done with granny - had a lovely time.

I last saw her on the last day of March, before my flight back to Boston, then I cried most of the flight home.

She died the day after Mark's 8th birthday, on May the 4th, peacefully and quietly, with Mum and Mike and Bobby there. It was Mark's birthday party that day, so we got through the day - I'd said my goodbyes to granny already so I suppose for me there was mostly a sense of relief that she wasn't suffering any more.

Her funeral was on May the 20th, at Riccarton Parish Church, with lots of her friends there - some from church, others from golf, others from Bridge, and many just because they loved granny. I read out my memories of granny, determined that I wouldn't cry because I really did want everyone to hear what a wonderful granny she was. The cremation was at the most beautiful crematorium in Irvine, and we sang lovely hymns, then went on to the Loch Green for tea and whisky and a lot of talking.

I miss granny and grandad so much - but I have many many happy memories, and I am a better person for all the love and simple joy they gave me.

The Blizzard of 2013 AKA Nemo

We had a record-breaking storm two days ago. Portland got 31.5 inches of snow, Gorham got 35.5 inches (they were disappointed not to get the full yard). In Yarmouth we got about 18 inches which seemed both a bit weeny and absolutely loads at the same time.

The snow was predicted to start Friday afternoon so Friday morning I set off for a few hours of peace at work - school being closed. There was a good couple of inches of snow on the roads, but it didn't seem to be snowing too heavily and I have good tyres, so I kept going.

I got onto I295 south and immediately ground to a halt. After an hour of inching forward and periodically moving over to let police cars and ambulances past, two fire engines squeezed down the middle of the freeway (do they not have hard shoulders here? Or were they just impossible to find with the snow on the road?), then suddenly we were moving slowly but surely.

Next thing I was passing 19 cars in a row, all pulled over to the side of the road. All bashed, and many facing the wrong way. There were police cars, a couple of ambulances, lots of tow trucks, and in the woods a couple of cars that had spun off and into the trees. In one of them I could see the firefighters cutting off the door to get out someone wrapped in a blanket, who was watching us all drive by.

It was very sobering, especially knowing that the people in the cars off the road had waited more than an hour in the cold for the firefighters to arrive because the freeway was full of idiots like me who should have stayed home.

I turned off at the first exit and headed home, feeling lucky it wasn't me.

We spent Friday watching the snow fall steadily but not spectacularly, then put torches by everyone's bed for the night, assuming we'd lose power.

The wind howled, and the snow fell all night. Next morning there was more than a foot of snow out there, and more coming. Looking at the news, a few people had lost power but not many, and people were mostly being sensible and not trying to get anywhere... which was good because on the Maine Turnpike the snow ploughs and state troopers were sliding off the road.

By Saturday afternoon it had calmed down. Mike, Mark and I went snowshoeing through the woods behind the house (tramping down a path for the kids to get to school next day), and across the fields to the school. It was still windy, and the snow had drifted waist deep in patches.

Next day we headed out to Freeport and Portland, and were amazed at the amount of snow piled up everywhere.

Photos below...

Showing off my new scarf

Long snowshoe over
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb

Cats looking out the doors thinking 'When will she finish shovelling that deck?'

Cats looking out the doors thinking 'When will she finish shovelling that deck?'
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb

Calvin not sure about snow

Mr Fluffy
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb

Making a path through the woods

Making a path through the woods
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb

Mark snowshoeing

Talked Mark into snowshoeing instead of sledding
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb

Snow swimming

Snow swimming
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb

24 hours later

Ploughed in mailbox
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb

Before the storm hit

Just at the start of Nemo
Originally uploaded by jillian_werb

2012

Quick summary of 2012.

Mike has been building hotels in Orlando, Chicago, and North Carolina, so he did 106 flights this year and would happily never get on another plane again. I'm still working at Unum as a Knowledge Manager - one day I will find out what my job title really means.

Ellie and Mark are now at the same elementary school, and Hananh is in her second year at middle school. Hannah's also in a choir called the Wescustago Chorale, and she sang a solo in her 6th grade show this year  which made me cry (of course).

January/February - we had snow although not as much as usual. Only a couple of feet at the house. Luckily in the mountains there was plenty, and the snow-making provided the rest, so we skiied and sledded.

In March we escaped to Costa Rica with Mike's mum Sue for a holiday of a lifetime - we ziplined, explored the cloud forest, got up close with hummingbirds and tarantulas and snakes and monkeys, lazed on the beach and drank a few caipirinhas.

For our summer holiday we had a week in Maine, in a cabin near the Appalachian Trail. The children spent most of it tubing along the nearby streams and rivers, while we watched and periodically pulled leeches off them. We also climbed Borestone Mountain and lounged in hammocks.

We also learnt how to catch lobsters, with a trip on the Lucky Catch, which resulted in some interesting photos of large gloves.

Ellie broke her arm but didn't need a cast - just a sling for a few weeks. She's completely recovered from that now.

The children spent the summer mostly swimming. Hannah went to visit both her grandmas in England, and did her first unaccompanied flight back. We've had requests to send her back again next summer, and Ellie's hoping to join in this time.

Mike got to spend a few days with his family in the UK celebrating Sue's 70th birthday, and caught up with his ever-increasing number of nephews and nieces.

At the end of August, we gained two 16-week old boy cats called Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin is part Maine Coon, while Hobbes is part Tiger.

In November Ellie and I visited the UK and caught up with friends and family in Macclesfield and Kilmarnock. We avoided most of the flooding, but did visit Bobby's house which is recovering from a flood earlier this year. We brought most of the contents of the Tesco confectionery aisle back to the US.

Now it's nearly Christmas, and we are all ready for a break and to spend some time together. Enjoy the photos, and maybe I'll blog sometime again next year.

Tis the season

...for Christmas concerts.

So far this week Hannah has sung twice in the Nutcracker, Ellie has sung in the Chorus show, and Hannah has sung and played flute in the school 5/6 grade Chorus/Band show. It's only Wednesday.

Tomorrow we get a day off, then on Friday Hannah has another rehearsal for her Wescustago Singers concert, which is on Saturday. I caught a bit of their rehearsal last Monday and it was absolutely lovely. Hannah's really enjoying being part of it.

What else has happened since I last blogged?

We continued enjoying our summer holiday. Portland hit 103F which is Officially Too Hot, right around my birthday. So for my birthday we stayed at the Inn at Brunswick Station, had a lovely evening meal, fabulous breakfast next morning, and most importantly I got to sleep in a building that had air-conditioning.

Towards the end of the summer Renee and Sasa lent us their lake house on Lovell Lake in New Hampshire. Once again we had amazing weather all week, and we spent the whole time relaxing, arguing over the rope swing, and exploring the area (including Wolfeboro which is full of interesting museums). Hannah and I climbed Mount Major which was a fairly major climb.

We took it in turns to sleep in the treehouse, and woke up to the sound of the lake swishing gently below.

Then it was back to work, and back to school.

We have one in Middle School, one in Elementary School, and one in K-1 School. It's hard work! I'm looking forward to next year, when Ellie and Mark are at school together, and we can push them gently out of the door together in the morning to walk there together.

Hannah loves Middle School, but it is also tiring and a new challenge. She has to be much more organised than before, and her life is very full. She's quite relieved that soccer has finished, and that she can just do homework, chorus, band, Destination Imagination, and have a little time left over.

Ellie loves her new teacher this year - Mrs Parkin. She also really enjoys spending each morning recess helping her last year's teacher's class learn to read. She seems to just be quietly getting on with school at the moment.

Mark wasn't sure about school this year - especially as he and I took 10 days to go to Scotland. He came back and was quite confused and out of sorts about how everything worked, and he's only just really catching up now. I've realised that he's quite possibly short-sighted - he's having an eye test on Friday. If he is I think it would explain quite a lot. He has all of a sudden worked out how to read, over the last couple of months, and now he devours books, especially Elephant and Piggy books.

Back in September/October Mark and I went over to Scotland for Granny Vi's 90th birthday, and to catch up with everyone there. Mark really took to being the oldest of the children, and had a great time with Bradley and Rachel. It was lovely seeing them all together. In fact despite the rain it was just generally lovely to see a large part of my family in one place, and have them all to myself for a while.

Since then we've all been hard at work, school etc. Thanksgiving was a nice break, but I missed half of it because I was busy doing a voluntary thing. We had a fun Thanksgiving meal with Sasa and Renee and family, and the children all did a lot of not very much for a few days.

Now we're waiting for winter to kick in. It's been a strange fall. First we had Hurricane Irene at the end of August, which seems to have pushed insurance premiums up spectacularly. Then at the end of October we had 5 inches of snow, which meant we had a very bizarre Halloween trick or treating in snowboots.

That all melted (and our basement flooded after the sump pump failed), and everything got warm again. Then a week or two ago we got another 5 inches of snow, which also melted pretty much immediately. Since then it's been lovely and warm again, and apparently it turned out to be Portland's warmest November on record. I'm sure I shouldn't celebrate global warming, but when you get winters like ours you've got to appreciate anything you can get.

Summer holiday - 3.5 weeks down, 7.5 weeks to go

When I look back on British summer holidays they seem so short - 6 weeks maximum. Here they're 10 or 11 weeks - no idea why they're not always the same length, but this year is an 11-weeker.

We're a bit odd in that we don't dread the summer holiday. There's so much for the children to do, and we usually get some good weather to enjoy the beaches and lakes too, with a bit of camping thrown in. And of course I'm at work for most of the summer, so I'm not tearing my hair out after the first few weeks demanding to know when they go back to school.

So far this holiday Hannah has spent two weeks learning to sail with SailMaine, down in Portland. They're based fairly near Mike's office, so he spent some very happy lunchtimes entertaining her (or should that be being entertained by her?).

Somehow Hannah ended up with the most amazing weather almost every single day she sailed. I don't think it rained once, and most days it was in the 80s. The biggest problem was sunburn.

She's now confident at handling an Opti - whatever that is - and is ready to do Opti Intermediate next summer.

Mark and Hannah both did a week of lacrosse - only part days. I've yet to actually ever see lacrosse played, so I can only imagine what it's like, but they seem to like it.

Ellie did a week of Art Attack, which she thought was okay but she wasn't blown away by it. Then Ellie and Mark both did a week of Mad Science which they absolutely loved. It was held in the Middle School, right behind our house, and apparently Ellie found salamanders under a log in the woods out there. Also she found insects she calls roly-polies. She means woodlice - I think roly-poly is a better description though.

This week Hannah is doing Theatre Camp, and Ellie and Mark are having a week with Nadja - relaxing, swimming at Carl's brother's house, and having playdates.

It feels like it's been hot forever. It's been in the 90s this week, and the 80s over the weekend. I'm not complaining, but it is a teeny bit sweaty.

Last Saturday we went to Dundee Park, a beach on the Presumpscot River, and swam. Then Sunday we went to Crescent Beach State Park and did some body-boarding and sandcastle building.

The weekend before that was Independence Day weekend - we spent it at Kevin's house in Northeast Harbor. Kevin entertained us and our friends. We swam at the beach club, hiked up a smallish mountain, and ate pizza and ice cream in Bar Harbor.

As always it feels like a huge privilege to live here. Long may it continue...

Welcome to 2011

We're not quite halfway through the year yet, so I thought I'd post my first blogpost of 2011.

(I note that my web address www.werbles.co.uk is currently not working because I haven't paid the bill, but what the heck. It might start working one day if I ignore it for long enough.)

Anyway, this time 8 years ago I was kneeling on the floor of our sitting room, groaning quietly while Ellie made her way into the world. I think she was actually born around 5am UK time, or it might have been 5.30am. Anyway, not long now till she's officially 8.

It was followed by the midwives cleaning me up, putting me in a bath, then pottering off home. That bit was followed by me having a bit of a haemorrhage, taking an ambulance to hospital, having 2 lots of surgery and 5 units of blood, then deciding I wouldn't die after all.

So it's a memorable time, during which we like to give thanks for all of our blessings. Especially Ellie, who is absolutely adorable, sometimes argumentative, always a little bit high-pitched, very often sleepy, usually quite quiet (except at home) and has the softest skin in the world.

Happy birthday Ellie xxx