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.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
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.
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.
Monday, February 11, 2013
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...
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...
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