And we have no snow in sight. Cue stomping of feet.
There is cold though.
And a bit of rain in the forecast. Again. Sigh.
One thing I am learning about New England weather is that she’s a fickle B.
Anyway…..life marches on. December is screeching to an end, we are marching past the winter solstice and the days shall grow longer again!
Our baby girl paid us a visit this month and we had a great visit, exploring Portsmouth, walking through the woods, having coffee and chai tea, doing all the Christmas things—shopping, treats, movies, feasting, and lots of hugs and snuggles!
Hubs and I aren’t the only ones who love a visit from our kiddos. Mr. Bandy boy is spoiled with snuggles and couch naps with his babies!A day trip to Portsmouth, NH. Blue skies, crisp temps, truly a spectacular day. We took the scenic drive along the coast: Hampton Beach & Rye. Once we found a parking spot, off we went. Market Square was popping off and so many stores to pop in; Hubs excitement was positively overflowing. IYKYK…..but we found a haven in “The Hearth” and enjoyed some warm cocoas and lattes, took in the sculptures that dotted the square and enjoyed a beautiful sunset and Christmas decorations and lights galore.Murals, retail and restaurant decorations were aplenty….no shortage of eye candy
We stopped in Manchester, NH on the way home for some dinner at a Diner featured on Guy Fieri’s DDD (click for a little YouTube snippet), The Red Arrow Diner. It was delicious, very large portions, giving all the vintage vibes and we had fun looking at the napkin art and the plaques of “famous” people who had been there before. It’s a big hit on any political campaign trail as well as a fave of hometown boy, Adam Sandler. Stop by if you can! But come hungry.
On the way home we pulled down our favorite dirt road for stargazing. It was a clear night and baby girl grabbed an EPIC photo! Doesn’t do it justice, but it really captures the day: perfect.
We mixed up our annual Buckeyes, grabbed a holiday protein smoothie downtown, took a walk and enjoyed our time together. Can’t wait to see all my babies* next month! *while they aren’t technically babies, they will always be MY babies
As we wind into this Christmas season (which STARTS on Christmas Day, lasting through Epiphany—mid January) I’m grateful for so much, miss my kids and family something fierce and yet I know we’re right where God wants us to be. So enjoy this Christmas cactus and our church’s altar set up for the Rorate Mass, my favorite Masses of the year.
Pretty baby. Hope she lives. I may have drowned her. Time will tell.
Apparently this is just how it’s working out. Although……I do have some blog posts brewing in my head, working on how to find the time and energy to put them HERE.
October brought out some foliage, a baptism (who doesn’t love the smell of chrism oil on a baby’s head?!?!?), a visit from our youngest son, some backyard fire pit time, apple picking, cider donuts, a flannel festival, hikes with friends, a foot surgery, and a return to crocheting (it is winter time after all!).
It was a wet, soggy summer, so foliage was definitely muted but still beautiful!Welcome to the church, sweet one!Apple cider donuts. Solid yes.Mt. Cardigan all socked in, but a nice hike and time with our boyOne of many fires in the fire pitSouthern Vermont flannel festival: crafts, food, drinks and good folksy music. Exactly what you would expect! It was great.Local hike. It was a bit windy at the pond.Bye bye to Bob the bunion. Hubby did GREAT!!!Crocheted puffy pumpkin. Etsy store coming soon. Not.
November brought more hikes, our first snowfall, exploring Lebanon, enjoying Christmas at the Fells, a quiet Thanksgiving with a friend and fellow traveler, Christmas tree cutting, house decorating, hot chocolate, TikTok apple muffins and prepping/planning/ordering the annual Christmas card.
Little Mt. Washington with views at the summit of the Presidential mountain range in the White mountains.Cool pond on our way to the summit. Sadly no moose, but there was a beaver house.Proof of beaver house construction.Exploring Lebanon and ventured to Lou’s in Hanover. The FellsThe Teddy Roosevelt roomDinner setting at the FellsTurkey day leftovers. A very fall color palate. Yummy!Hauled our freshly cut tree across the backyardFresh snowHot chocolateApple pie muffins. 10/10 recommend
Per life these days, time is flying by. Looking back, I’m glad to see we are enjoying our days here, especially since we have now entered the dark at 4:30pm time of year, which means I am in PJs as early as possible every evening. It’s all good tho, and I’m tackling winter projects slowly, making curtains, reading books, crocheting, staying active. Actually, the curtains are in the “planning phase”, but they are happening.
Mid-September with Fall officially around the corner (next week!) and I have completed my Boston contract. GREAT people, super busy campus (15k steps/day and that was just during my shift!) and such a uniquely interesting experience living in the city for 3 months. So, while Boston is a great place to visit, my heart and sanity lie in a quieter, greener space for living life. That said…..here’s August and early September.
One of my favorite people at my Boston contract is an accomplished landscape artist and she held her annual garden party to show off summer at her home. Breathtaking and inspiring!! I felt so lucky to be able to attend.At the end of July we took a day trip to the coast of NH with one of my NH work friends to see The Dirty Heads at the Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach. While there, we explored lovely Rye, NH which runs along the coast. We filled the day with: lobster rolls, ice cream, a local marina, jetty looking out to the Isles of Shoals, stunning Fuller gardens and a gorgeous church overlooking the sea from 1877. Every Friday night I commuted back to NH. We did a little landscaping between rainy days, adding in hydrangea, roses, lilies and hostas to our front garden. Additionally, we watched our wee raspberries and blueberries grow and feed our birds Bike rides and walks on rails to trails providing no shortage of scenery to explore.Back in Boston, my nightly sunset view from my room, Mass at Our lady of Perpetual Help, the Isabella Steward Gardner palace and museum—best $20 ever—I’ll be back!! And lunch in the North End, my favorite part of Boston. OUR GIRLS CAME TO VISIT!!! We spent a day exploring Boston with a Red Sox game, Rose garden and various spots around the city. Paddleboarding and hiking in NH, with a meteor shower and stargazing, ice cream and lots of hugs and snuggles. Great visit!!!We’ve had a couple of fires under the stars. MY MOM AND HER HUBBY CAME TO VISIT! A fun day in Boston hitting up some historical sites and experiencing the festival of St. Anthony in the North End—such fun!! My last day to explore led me criss-crossing Boston to finish up onboarding business, a beautiful door in Cambridge, the Harvard Coop and a yummy early dinner in Harvard Square.My last week in Boston and I did a lot of back and forth to visit with Mom. Hubs and I biked some more, hiked some more, Mom and John and I shopped at Vermont country store, enjoyed a yummy dinner together and my last day in Boston started at 3 a.m. in NH, surprise celebration with a Panera breakfast and finished up in NH, arriving at 830p.m. And so starts the next NH assignment!Back in NH and we caught a spectacular sunset over a favorite lake spot, hiked a new part of the SRK Greenway on a foggy day and gifted with a foggy, eerie lake lunch spot. Beautiful stone bridge at the trail head and today……68degrees and sunny—-long sleeves and pants for a lunch hike—Hubs was fine with shorts. It’s good to be back.
Hope this blog post finds you making the best of your own life adventure!
July is off to its traditional LOUD start with the 4th of July celebrations and our American love of amateur pyrotechnics and Russian roulette of keeping all the fingers intact while doing so. New Hampshire allows personal fireworks, staying on brand with “Live Free or Die” so Bandit has been a sad pup the last few days. Hopefully the supplies and novelty dwindle quickly the remainder of the week. On the upside, we can actually see the fireworks from our porch—small silver lining. In Massachusetts, fireworks are illegal, therefore FAR louder and more obnoxious until the wee hours of the morn—-yawn, long day today. Further adding insult to injury, this monstrous display was just out of sight from my window, so all noise and no show. Ah, well. Early to bed tonight!
Anywho….the Hubs and I managed to do a little exploring between rain showers this past weekend and on the 4th. A little hike along the river in town and locating a state park and lake to do some paddleboarding in. New Hampshire continues to amaze with its seemingly endless supply of hidden gems.
Lovely Kezar Lake complete with the sound of LOONS!
I finally caught a Red Sox game!! Rain delay and a loss but still loads of fun. Ate a hot dog, danced and cheered my heart out. I’ll absolutely be taking advantage of the sweet $5 employee tickets again this season.
3rd base seats, unobstructed view. Not too shabby for $5
Since my last blog post we also went to the wedding of our friend’s sweet son (and new wife)—it was so precious—so grateful we could make the trip! And…… in my typical fashion, we squeezed as much sister time, friend visiting, brunch eating, walking on the trails as possible in our brief time in town. On the way home, thanks to Hubby’s savvy instincts, we were able to swap a 3-hour layover in Miami for an instantaneous on-board to an earlier Boston flight which ultimately saved us over a day since our original flight was cancelled due to weather. Air travel is something else lately…..and this time it worked in our favor—we were due! And scored an emergency exit row—-completely to ourselves! Boom!
Loved everything and everyONE at this wedding.
Last week I explored the North End of Boston (Little Italy) on my day off, finding a Mass time and confession to start the day—no shortage of Catholic Churches here. What better way to start the day than in thanksgiving for this adventure? Afterward, I meandered along some of the Boston Wharf and Freedom Trail, wept through the New England Holocaust Memorial, got a spontaneous hair cut, figured out the subway, and enjoyed the Faneuil Hall area as well. The only downside was that I spoiled my Italian dinner plans with a piece of cheesecake—-I was too full to enjoy dinner, so I’ll have to go back. Darn.
With no agenda the alleys and side streets are free for exploring
Time is a downhill freight train with no brakes and waits for no one. Proof = July 1 is in 4 days. What the actual HECK?!?!
Paddle boarding at Pillsbury State park, our first camping trip. A success with awesome weather!
I am writing from Boston, where I am already on the 4th week of my contract. And maybe you are wondering (or not) how a suburban Florida beach girl is surviving in Boston. Well, since it’s my blog, imma tell you.
My first walking exploration/excursion. On my way to Fenway park.
It is absolutely fascinating, slightly terrifying, always in motion and I struggle hard each day to pick my jaw up and play it cool. Also, constantly chuckling at the Boston accents that surround me, entertaining everyone as I throw it back at them. Oodles of entertainment.
The driving here is controlled chaos. Bostonians make their own rules as they go, banging a U-ey at any given time and somehow navigate safely through it. Running red lights and blocking intersections and somehow not grid locking traffic. It is a sort of sorcery. Pedestrians and bikers hustle along mostly within crosswalks and cross lights but will also cross wherever and whenever it is most convenient (looking at you Red Sox fans). Of course, as I write this, the intersection outside my window sounds like it has just had a rear-ender so it’s not all perfect, and most definitely a little cookoo. Which is why I am embracing public transportation for the most part…….
A rare, quiet bus ride with my Red Sox swag.
The bus stop is across the street from my house, making it extremely convenient for commuting to and from work and around town. I use 2 separate apps AND the MBTA website to figure out the best way to get where I want to go. I’ve purchased (and lost) a few Charlie cards now which will get me on the bus and the subway. I’ve ridden the bus from various locations around town as I run errands, exercise or just explore. Still figuring out which side of the street to stand on and have plans to brave the subway this week and explore further north but I am definitely gaining confidence. Sometimes it’s loud, crowded, and off-schedule, but man……they can move people around. The FREE silver line will take you from the airport to South station cutting your Uber fare in 1/2!! Also, Uber. Like a boss. Who am I?
The path through Northeastern University to the bus station. Because it was 82 and breezy and I just didn’t feel like riding in the bus the entire way home after work. No regrets.
Food: Trader Joe’s is my go-to for quick groceries. I have a new love for Pho Ga (Vietnamese chicken soup and it’s amazing!), poke bowls and I am taste testing various bakeries as I come across them. So far, a cake shop that was “meh” and a french bakery that was good but ridiculously overpriced and appropriately snooty—I loved it for being on brand, but won’t be back. Looking forward to a ballpark hot dog (barring rainy weather, that could happen tomorrow!), some legit cannolis and whatever else I come across.
Clover’s chickpea fritter on a fresh pita and Parmesan fries. Vegan. And so good. Also, enough for 2 meals.
As for work, my assignment is busy with great people. Our patients are widely international with me actually using the Spanish I’ve been trying to learn for over a year and hearing multiple other languages as we program them for instruction on our scanners. The day goes by quickly and it is very enjoyable. My steps are averaging about 16K per day between work and exploring the city—-thankful for good sneakers!! I spend the week in Boston and head back to the hubs on the weekend. It’s not ideal or perfect but it is going fast and it is better than being 1,000 miles away from each other, so, I’ll cling to that silver lining!! In the meantime, we just make the best out of our weekend time together.
Enjoying a weekend hike to explore a waterfall in nearby Vermont, followed by coffee, a hot dog/hamburger and a maple creemee (if you’re ever in VT, get one, you won’t be sad. Unless you’re lactose intolerant, then you’ll be sad)
That’s the summary for now! More to come later. Probably. I’ll try.
