Another Snow Day

Snow day called today due to icy conditions this morning and more snow and ice this afternoon....soooooooooo, I met a friend for early morning coffee in town. That was a treat to get out early on one of many snow days.

I spent a few quiet moments in the library......to catch my breath after hearing the total of our overdue fees....$123.93! Phew! There were some movies that had been returned and some books on tape.......remember "Simplify Your Life" Ahhhhh...the ironies of life.

Beach Day

Everyday is beautiful at the beach! After coffee, errands and the library, I went home to get the dogs and took them to the beach.....hoping that it would be quiet and I could let the dogs run hard for some real exercise. With snow up to their ears, it's hard for them to plow through the deep, fluffy, white blanket we used to call lawn.

Snow and Sand

Snow at the beach. When he#@ freezes over......give you ice in the winter.....life in New England!

Running Wild at the Beach

Happy doggies!

Beach Day

Everyday is beautiful at the beach! After coffee, errands and the library, I went home to get the dogs and took them to the beach.....hoping that it would be quiet and I could let the dogs run hard for some real exercise. With snow up to their ears, it's hard for them to plow through the deep, fluffy, white blanket we used to call lawn.

Another Snow Day

Snow day called today due to icy conditions this morning and more snow and ice this afternoon....soooooooooo, I met a friend for early morning coffee in town. That was a treat to get out early on one of many snow days.

I spent a few quiet moments in the library......to catch my breath after hearing the total of our overdue fees....$123.93! Phew! There were some movies that had been returned and some books on tape.......remember "Simplify Your Life" Ahhhhh...the ironies of life.

Claire's Snowman

My niece just texted this photo to me. She built this enormous snowman on Sunday. We chatted on facebook tonight. I asked her to post her snowman on facebook.

My niece is 26. I love her spirit. I always have. She has always been a gift in my life. My niece Claire taught me to get outside of myself.....when I was in my twenties......and relatively self involved.

Claire changed me. She was the first person in my family who was younger than me. She showed me the world....through the sweet innocence of a child. Her world changed mine.

Children have that kind of power! They have power they are unaware of.....it is magnificent power. Love. Sweet. Gentle. Pure. With no expectations. More of a gift! Unaware of their power, they smile at us or tell us a story...and we are captured by them....and their world.

Now Claire is in her twenties. I'm delighted to see her spirit as I know it. Sweet. I'm tickled that she texted her snowman to me. Did I ever tell you that she texts me a photo of her Christmas tree every year? After it's decorated. I love her spirit! And I love my connection with my twenty something niece ......she is a gift in my life.

Here we go again.....

More milk. Again. Snow. Lots more snow. Lots and lots more snow. It's o.k. with me. I love it...still. I love that it snows and it slows us down. We all need to be slowed dowan from time to time...if we don't slow down for ourselves, it seems something beyomd our control helps is to slow down. Weather, feeling under the weather, a car won't start or a repairman takes forever to arrive.... that's my signal. Slow down.signals. Not everyone sees them because of life's busyness. Sometimes there are su tle signs. Do you look for them? Do you notice? Slow down. Look at things differently today. Look for signs from above. Be aware of people's words...do they sound familiar...have you heard them before? Is there something you've heard again and again.....but you haven't listened. Shhhhhhh. Quiet. Stop. Look. Listen. Take time to slow down and be still. Still enough. See what happens. Slow down.

Oh my goodness....this has been a crazy winter. I love it! We have had so many snow days and early dismissals and 90 minute delays, I'm hoping our children will be out of school by 4th of July!

More snow to come.....in the early morning hours! Grace and T.J. have not had a full week of school since before Christmas vacation. Crazy. Yet, I love it.

Again, I will say this......I love winter and snow and snow days.....as long as I don't have to go to work and wear pantyhose! That's that. If women's rights and all of that I am woman hear me roar stuff were truly serious, they would toss pantyhose out the window. A friend of mine from my Brooks Brothers days used to say that if we were at war with another country, we should just have their soldiers have to wear pantyhose for a day......we could end war.

Lots to say. Lots to do. Lots to think about.

Yet, lately, I have felt sad about my blog. My writing is not as frequent. I love to write. I have so much to tell. Still, it is just for me.....but then, it's not. It happens. I write. I write. I write. It's hard to have so much to say and so little time to sit down at the computer. Especially, when the computer has died. Yes...died. A few weeks ago.

I love to tell stories about the stuff that happens in life....how I see it. Thankfully, I have friends who share my sense of humor. I get feedback. I makes me happy to share and know that others understand or share some of my quirky perspective.

Not here. Nope. No comments. No growing followers. I don't even know if there are readers! Still, I waste my time thinking of whether or not to stop. Then, I stop...and think....this is MINE. I have been doing this since October 2009. That's a long time for me. I was more religious for the first year. THen I had computer issues. Camera issues. Phone issues. Camera issues again. Computer issues again. Phone issues again. And I go on and on and on.

Still, I wonder. Then...I think. It's fun for me. Sometimes it feels like pressure when I have some techo troubles. Or life pressures. It's hard to do everything and feel like it'sbeing done well. But then, I remind myself about what I say to our kids.....Just do your best. You don't have to be THE best but you can always give it your best. Perfect is impossible. Perfect is really no fun.

So, I write. Even if no one reads. Even if friends don't read. Even if some of my own family members don't check it out. Really. It's o.k. I like to write. I always have.

PINK!

Pink will make it okay...won't it? With a lime green pinstripe. You know, something subtle. Flashy just wouldn't work for a mimivan mama on the go. Speaking of go.... I have been going and doing all week...for the birthday girl. Sweet 16. Our baby! Tonight the festivities begin .....again.

Plowed out by a pro

Back hoe Bob does it again!

Minivan Mama!

Car in shop....birthday frenzy....lots of sweet 16 friends for food and fun.....what's a mom to do? Rent a snazzy minivan! Oxymoron....I think so. Yet, I'm practically on line to get one for me! Come on! I can fit wveryone...kids, dogs, cats, skis, ebay, groceries, beach toys, friends, babies, arts and crafts, gardening supplies........and much more. Look at the room in this thing! I'm drivimg a school bus.....and I'm loving it! Who EVER will believe me? Who? AND I'm not even kidding! It's awesome! Uh oh.....there goes the neighborhood. Do you think they have them in piink?

Caroline's 16th birthday

Backhoe Bob to the rescue!!!

Pink Sky at Night

Wow. What a sunset! Even with all of the snow it's nice to see the days getting longer. I have my markers...Grace's birthday, Claire's birthday in February, Biff's mom's birthday in February......then spring!

The Fire of Love

Please note : Biff sitting under the fire extinguisher. We stopped into Starbucks for some time together. Anything for romance. Even if just a moment. We have fun together....even in Starbucks....not the most intimate....but the moments are special....just being together is good.

Time for the big dig!

What an event....Back Hoe Bob sent his son first. He wrestled and pulled that car with his big truck and...... nope. Another neighbor had been here with his Golden Retriever earlier. He stopped back to check on me. Bastille, nothing. He had asked another friend to stop by with his 4 wheel drive. Tugged and tugged with Back Hoe Bob's son. Nope. We had some very determined folks working on my little mix up.
#1 son left and would come back.
#Neighbor offered suggestions and had to go.
# Neighbor's friend finally threw in the towel.
# Biff arrived
# My friend stopped after driving Grace home...as a favor
#BACK HOE. BOB APPEARED!

Thinking Outside of the Box

After AAA sent a truck that would not be able to tow me, I had to think fast or leave the car until Spring. I called Biff en route from Massachusetts. We both had the same idea....Back Hoe Bob!

Simplify my life?

"Simplify Your Life," was the CD playing in the car when my car came to a halt. I began spinning my wheels....literally. Was this simplifying? I think not.

Life's a Ditch

As I sat waiting for the AAA Towo Truck to arrive I realized the irony of my situation. There I was with 2 Golden Retrievers in the back seat of my car waiting for their walk at our local farm. Waiting for AAA, waiting for my friend to arrive with her English Springer Spaniel who had run off and couldn't be lured into the car, waiting for my phone to ring with Grace desperate to pick her up immediately followed by T.J. with his same request a different time.

The initial plan was to take the dogs to the beach where they could run off leash. When my friend's dog was lolligagging about the Connecticut countryside, we decided to delay our puppy playdate by 15 minutes. As I drove to the beach, after dropping my outgiing e-bay packages down at the mailbox for our letter carrier to collect, stamping some mail, hustling the dogs into the car, breathing a sigh of relief for getting all of the bumbling, fumbling treasures on their way, I began my drive ti the beach. My friend called. She was exhausted from her game of hide and seek/tag.

That was when we considered taking care of ourselves first by stopping for a quiet moment ar Starbucks...and then considering where to take the dogs for a shorter walk.

Then, ever the loyal dog owner, I suggested a shorter walk at the farm followed by a Starbucks moment. Agreed.

Moments later, I was at the farm taking in the peaceful surroundings. I paused to enjoy the snow covered hills and decided to venture out to the community garden via the dirt road covered with snow and some ice. There were tire tracks from earlier visitors so I barreled over the ice and snow to get up to our usual parking spot. I rolled right along until I couldn't roll any further. That's when I decided to click into reverse and back down the driveway to park. Sailing right along, I was surprised when the car slid off to the side into deeper snow and ice.

Surprise!

Stopped to surprise a birthday boy thatki we've known since our Boston living. Grace was just 6 months old when she began her friendship with baby Camden at baby swim class. Our families share so much of the joy in each others ' lives. We treasure the connection and family like fun......birthday celebrations, kid milestones, school events, summer living, skiing and we love and respect what we have together. So genuine. Truly caring for each others' family. Kids respect kids and grownups respect grown ups. All of the kids have fun relationships and respect t for the grownups. All of the grownups care and love all of the kids.

Lots of fun and a great visit!

Surprise!

Stopped to surprise a birthday boy thatki we've known since our Boston living. Grace was just 6 months old when she began her friendship with baby Camden at baby swim class. Our families share so much of the joy in each others ' lives. We treasure the connection and family like fun......birthday celebrations, kid milestones, school events, summer living, skiing and we love and respect what we have together. So genuine. Truly caring for each others' family. Kids respect kids and grownups respect grown ups. All of the kids have fun relationships and respect t for the grownups. All of the grownups care and love all of the kids.

Lots of fun and a great visit!