September 18, 2008 Dad's cell phone and baked apples

We spent Wednesday catching up. Dan stayed in his PJ's most of the morning, while I caught up on housework, bill paying, and laundry. It was a nice quiet day right up until 4:00 when my Dad called. He and Kathy have spent the last couple of week in the Azores with his brother and his family.
They returned home on Tuesday and was calling to check in. Very nice I thought, Dad wants me to know he's ok. Then came the question. I was left one task as he left here, one lowly mission for a daughter to do for her father. He asked me to take an envelope (containing his cell phone) to the post office and mail it to his house. "Simple... no problem" I thought. I put it in my van so I wouldn't forget. Turns out the place I picked to put it "so I wouldn't forget" was exactly the place I forgot. So when he called to ask, I insisted it must be there, I must have mailed it. But I couldn't remember actually doing it. With my cell phone in hand I went out to the car, opened the first stow and go compartment....and there it was. I'm sorry Dad!!! Our post office was already closed for the day but I promised to get there first thing tomorrow, I apologized and said goodbye. Today, I took Emily to work for 9am, then went immediately to the post office, walked up to the counter and told the clerk I wanted to overnight this envelope. He looked at the address, then looked at his screen, then looked at the address again and said, it's rural...best I can do is 2 days. Hmmm...I thought, 2 days...ok, I can deal with that. Then he realizes it's going to a PO Box and says that he can't guarantee it would be there before they closed on Saturday which would mean it probably wouldn't get there until Monday. Now we're up to 5 days and I'm wondering if regular mail would suffice. Had I been thinking, since FEDEX was an option, I would have just had it shipped to his house. Unfortunately I didn't think of that until after the postage was affixed, and Dan and I were headed down the road to the playground. I'm guessing, next time, one of my overly competent sister-in-law's will be given the task of mailing back the phone!

Dan and I went to the playground and were thrilled when Jen and the girls met us there. It's amazing how much children can grow when you haven't seen them in a couple of months. Seneca's little girl look is all but gone, Ruby's gotten very tall, and Joey's lost her babyish features, although she did give me a nice snuggle at the end. Dan was happy to play with the girls again and Jen and I had a chance to catch up. Hopefully we can make a regular plan to get together! Dan and I came home for lunch and nap. When he woke I showed him a recipe in our Family Fun magazine for baked apples. He thought they looked good so we decided to take a quick detour to the grocery store on our way to pick up Emily.
Emily had a good day, and was excited that she was assigned a radio (walkie talkie) at work. She was asked if she'd like to cashier as well as work greenhouse, and seemed excited to be learning something new. Progeny isn't hiring a receptionist right now, but when the do Emily is the first in line.
We arrived home and finished watching Goonies which we rented on Sunday but didn't finish watching a few nights ago because we didn't want Dan to have nightmares.
When it was over we got started with dessert. Generally I cook Monday-Wednesday nights and then we eat leftovers on Thursday, so it was a perfect night to make dessert. Dan had a great time trying to peel the apples and filling them with raisins and walnuts. Our baked apples cook while we ate dinner. Dan and Mike helped me clear the table while Em did dishes. Then we reset the table. I'm glad we made all 4 because they were really good! A little vanilla ice cream on top made them perfect. We all agreed we'd have to save this recipe for a special occasion. Dan was wearing most of it, so off to the bath he went. We washed him up, dressed him in footy pajamas and since he wanted to watch Indian in a cupboard I went up to the loft with him and set the up movie. He decided he wanted to have a black and white party, so he grabbed all his black and white stuffed animals and lined them up on his bed. I left a happy boy watching his movie with his best friends!

September 16, 2008 Sturbridge Village

I've never milked a real cow, this plastic one will have to do!


6am: It's Homeschoolers day at Sturbridge village which means that the usual admission of $20 is just $7 today. Emily isn't working so she'll be able to join us. I haven't been since I was a little girl and am looking foward to it!

6pm: We had a great time at Sturbridge village. Laurie picked us up a little after 8am and we traveled up 495N, to the Mass pike then to 84. Sturbridge village is right off the highway and we made it there in just over an hour and a half. The day was cool and overcast and as we pulled in I noticed a beautiful pine forest, perfect for cicada nymph hunting. We paid our $7 each admission and began exploring.
As we walked through the doors, back in time, I couldn't help but think this was the time I was meant to live in. The dirt road sloped up hill. To the left was a rustic rail fence and beyond a garden filled with corn, and pumpkins. To the right a stone wall, then trees for as far as the eyes could see. On the left past the garden was a laborer's house, a simple two room. The women were sitting, talking and knitting. They were dressed in simple dresses and bonnets, neither the same, but neither too different either. Children ran around and even though the children are raised in today's society, somehow being in these surroundings inspired a sense of safety and the ability to be carefree, their only really concern was not getting in the way of the horses when the carriage came by. They ran around with abandon. I could easily imagine Laurie and I being those two women. Both Mikes working down at the saw mill. She and I spinning wool, making butter, or tending the animals. Emmy and Dan sitting in the one room school house, then running home to do their chores so they could meet their friends for a game in the common. My sister-in-law Kristin toiling away with her canning just down the street, chickens running around her feet. Early family dinners and slow nights sitting by the fire. How great it all seems....until I think of those cold New England nights and the outhouse that is truly out. That's when my craving for the old is replaced by my appreciation for the new. I don't know who invented indoor plumbing, but I'd like to shake his hand!

It was really a remarkable place, and much bigger then I remember it being when I was in Junior High. If your interested their website offers a pretty interesting tour of everything we saw. http://www.osv.org/explore_learn/village_tour.html The highlights were the blacksmith who was doing a welding demonstration and really interacted with the kids, and a woman who was dying hand spun yarn with soaked and cooked tree heartwood.
We broke for lunch right around noon and Emily chose my pine forest for a picnic. I had a few minutes afterI finished eating to check some of the trees and found nothing to my dismay.We went back into the village to see a butter churning demonstation, the grist and saw mills, we walked under a cover bridge, check out the Parson's house, lawyers office and the mercantile, which was really amazing. On our way out we stopped at the gift shop to purchase some fudge that was calling to us. They had about 20 different varieties. We settled on a bar of chocolate, one bar of Chocolate raspberry and a bar of my favorite, Chocolate Peanut butter. We enjoyed every delicious calorie sitting outside the gift shop in the cool but wood scented air. We all had a great time!




Cool caterpillars we found in Sturbridge Village

The first picture is of a Spotted tussock moth caterpillar & the second is a Southern pine sphinx caterpillar.

September 15, 2008 Can redemption and the raft comes in!

We woke up this morning to a glorious summers day. The sun was shining through the trees, a gentle breeze was blowing, the air was humid. I quickly hung one load of laundry on the line and started another. Our dryer broke this summer so now we dry on the line exclusively on the whim of Mother nature. Em and I made several attempts at starting both our lawnmowers to no avail, and instead decided we'd get rid of our ever growing pile of cans and bottles.
For the last 3 years I've collected cans and bottles from the neighborhood and all the proceeds go to the playground fund to buy things like playground equipment, or beach toys. It's worked out great and we've averaged about $100 a year. We had two barrels and 3 garbages bags full. Since we have a redemption center I decided to check that out before we headed down to the local package store to put them into a machine 1 by 1. The redemption center was great and would happily take all our cans and plastics. However, to recycle glass they require you bring them in boxes. Hmm....we didn't have any boxes, so opting to get rid of the cans and plastics I sorted them in the parking lots and made $17 there. Next we went down to the package store to get ride of our bottles, a barrel and a half full. Pulled up and there was no one there, perfect I thought, got out and looked at the machine, which said insert bottle, great the machine works. 5 bottles in and the machine is acting funny and moving very slow.....not good. After the 8th bottle the machine told me it was full and spit out my coupon for 40 cents. I walked into the store to ask if there was someone who might be able to empty the machine and of course there wasn't. I told them if they gave me the key, I'd do it...I desperately didn't want to take all these dirty bottles home. Eventually we found the key, and opened the machine. I took the two full barrels out and replaced them with two empty ones, closed the door and the machine said Insert bottle. Great I thought, all set. The ladies went back in the building, I started loading the machine once more, it took 7 more bottles and said it was full. Frustrated I walked back inside to let the ladies know what was going on. We agreed that I would box and count my bottles to redeem them that way. I had 165 and made $8.25 so a total of 25.25 for the mornings work, but I went home with empty barrels so it was all worth it.
We arrived home to find Richard on the beach starting to bring in the raft for the year. Feeling presidental pressure to help and being drawn to the pond because of the warm weather, Dan and I went down to help him out. The sun was hot, and the water perfect. Dan and I enjoyed a later summers beach day. Later, Dan and Em watched Spiderwick Cronicicles while I did some studying before work at 5.

10:47pm update. Work sucked and I nearly gave notice twice. I work, most nights, with a woman who speaks Brazilian Portuguese nearly exclusively with the exception of anything to do with coffee, bagels, or donuts. She doesn't do any paperwork but counts money flawlessly. She's overweight and moves very slowly. I just assume work alone, however the humor Gods would much rather watch me work around her for 5 hours. While I stocked, swept and waited on customers she counted money..... I gave her my headset at break and never gave her the opportunity to give it back, after that the night improved dramatically, and we walked out the door just a few minutes after 10.


This is what happens when Mom goes to work, maybe I should considering staying home again after all!





As I closed down the house for the night I reflected on what a strange day it had been. A bright, perfectly round orb shinned brightly down on the pond casting it's silvery glow and I thought
"Of course, that explains everything..."

September 14, 2008 Monkey muffins and Blog obsession

While shopping the other day, Dan and I picked up the ingredients for Monkey muffins. Dan found the recipe in his High-5 magazine and couldn't wait to try it out. With nothing to do on this rainy cold morning we decided today would be the day.



Danny mashing the bananas


Adding the flour...


baking soda next...


Lining the muffin pan


adding the eggs


and the vanilla


measuring the sour cream


adding the flour


and finally scooping the muffins

I put the muffins in the oven and waited the 20 minutes it took them to bake. Emily is scheduled for driving lessons from noon till 3pm, and since we wanted to watch Nim's island today we decided this morning was the best time. The kids and I watched the movie and enjoyed monkey muffins for breakfast. Emily brought up a good point as I was taking a picture of her buttering a muffin. She asked when I was going to start photographing her going into the bathroom. Evidently my blogging has become a bit of an obsession. I told her point well taken and promised to try to quell the urge to pursue private images. She might be right I might be taking blogging a bit too far...

September 12, 2008

Friday started of quietly. Dan pulled out his piggy bank and asked Emily to help him count what was in there. It turned into a lengthy lesson in counting money. I weeded the front gardens, the pea patch and the tomato garden. We did a dump run and cleared the playground from toys that children over 4 no longer use.


Mom arrived and took Emily to Sweet tomatoes http://sweettomatoesinc.com/index.htm for lunch, while I showered and Mike, Dan and I went over to Marshland 2 to meet Wayne for lunch. Dan had beanies and weinies, I had grilled swordfish tips, with mashed sweet potatoes and rice, and Mike had an enormous bacon burger. As I watched him take his first bite, grease dripping from the bacon sticking out the bottom I thought... YUCK. It's been 10 weeks since I've eaten any meat, and my reaction to that burger makes me wonder if I'll ever eat it again.
I took Dan home for a nap, while Mike went to Waynes house to firm up some details for the Cranberry festival and the Al Stirt Demo next weekend. I read quite a bit of Chapter 3 in Sociology before Mom arrived. After lunch, Emily drove her to Mashpee High School to pick up her friend TJ from school. Mom let Emily drive TJ from the High School to the common's which admittedly is only a mile down the road, however I've yet to allow Emily to drive anybody except Mike, Dan and I. Sarah met Em and TJ there and brought her home when they were done. Dan woke from his nap and he, Mom and I took seperate cars up to Stop and Shop. She needed Chocolate chip cookie fixings and we needed to shop for men's night and football. Who ever has men's night is respondsible for providing GAK on Sunday for football. It's a dip made from hamburger, onions, olives, green peppers, salsa, and cheese whiz, served with corn chips. It looks like vomit, so we named it GAK.
For men's night we decided on fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, cesear salad, and brownie sundae's for dessert. The night went well, Diane and I did some research on a nudist campground http://www.sandyterraces.com/ down the road since she was appalled that the newspaper was always running it's ads. Everybody went home and I quickly fell asleep on the couch. Dan however was wide awake and Mike put him to bed sometime later.

September 11, 2008 COMM Firestation memorial and tour

We arrived this morning at the COMM (Centerville, Osterville and Marston Mills) Fire Department in time to witness their Sept 11 Memorial to the lost Fire Fighters in the World Trade Center attacks. The firemen were lined up neatly in a row, one was lowering the flag. Dan was going about his business of collecting dandelions with flagrant disregard. I pulled him aside and explained to him what had happened 7 years ago today, and found it curious that I hadn't talked about it with him before. Did I forget, or was it more, that I didn't want to share with my very young child the horrors that all Americans experienced that day.
He stood solemnly through the rest of the service.
It seems like just yesterday. I was driving down Rt 130, newly married and enjoying my first foray into life as a stay at home Mom. I was embarking on my first quilting project, and was excitedly heading home with my newly chosen fabric. Emily was in school and I was enjoying a life of leisure. I remember hearing the report of the first plane hitting the tower and the how the reporter made it sound as if it was just a freak accident. Pulling into my driveway I heard the report of the second plane, and the whole essence of the broadcast changed. Two F-16 Fighter jets scrambled out of Otis...It wasn't just an accident, we were under attack. By whom, why, and when would it end?
Mike called and asked if I wanted him to come home. Laurie called as well and asked if she could come over, just so we weren't alone. The kids were released from school early. We were glued to the TV, that afternoon, evening and every day that closely followed. The skies were eerily quiet. The jets were the only sounds heard for the next few days. Instead of the feeling of freedom we usually felt hearing them, all of a sudden it was the sound of fear.
I will never forget...

We were at the Fire Department this morning for a Home Schooler's tour. Firefighter Frank was terrific with the kids, asked them lots of questions and the kids asked some pretty good questions too. We helped him get dressed in the right order, we learned what to do if your ever in your bedroom and there's a fire (Dan was the assistant for this demonstration) we climbed, over, around, and inside a Fire truck, then took an amazing tour of their facilities. Their kitchen, bedrooms, gym, and communications center. Our tour was nearly 2 hours long, and while we were there, there were 2, 911 calls and we watched as the Fire Fighters suited up and left on call.
Danny demonstrating to the group how to check to see if a door is hot.


Firefighter Frank passing out Fire hats to the kids

September 10, 2008 The "Not back to school Picnic"

Another lazy morning, even though Emily had to be to work by 9, we had more then enough time to dress, eat and get out the door with time to spare. Today was the day of the Homeschoolers "Not back to school picnic" at Hamblin Pond in Marston's Mills. It's was a beautiful day but breezy and cool, not a beach day if the wind wasn't blowing just right. As we arrived we noticed the chop and knew it was going to be chilly. Thankfully Dan and I packed sweatshirts just in case and had a terrific day. There were lots of people we didn't know, but quite a few we did. We enjoyed catching up with the other Moms and Dads, comparing notes, and planning events for the fall. Dan had a great time playing with all the kids. One of my favorite parts of the homeschooling events is all the different age ranges. For Dan it really seems to benefit him playing with boys that are a bit older. They seem to diffuse or at least match his aggressiveness and suddenly it becomes a non-issue. Dan had a great time playing and learning how he should behave and I had a good time talking with other Moms, knowing that he was having fun.


Dan had a great time playing on the life guard chair with the other kids, and especially Nina. Later on he climbed a tree with some bigger boys, everything was going fine until he lost his balance and fell. A quick band aid solved the problem. Dan usually fights a nap but when we got home he was done and willingly climbed up into his little nest and fell asleep.




Homeschooling
Emily's been reading alot about England. She's frantically studying anything and everything she can get her hands on relating to the British country side, culture, customs and history, in hopes she can convince her grandparents to take her there before some of the other grandchildren come of age. She was privileged enough to join them on a trip to France just before her 15th birthday.

Danny spent the day socializing at the picnic and working on patterns.