My View of Life on the Dock
I am a huge fan of plaid. Gosh knows my boys have worn a ton of it…as have I. Plaid shirts, plaid shorts, plaid pants, plaid blazers, plaid flip-flops, plaid skirts, plaid dress, plaid headbands….but, never too much plaid all together. Never.
So, as a lover of plaid, am I missing something? Isn’t this just a little bit too much? Jacket, sure! Pants, why not? But, together…yikes.
March. After years of teaching, March marks the beginning of the end of the school year. That has many implications as a teacher. As a mother, it also means that the end of lunch packing is on the horizon. Victory dance. A mere 73 (give or take) nights of lunch packing left for each boy. Only about 146 more lunches to pack. Sigh.
If you’ve followed my posts at all you’ve probably heard me whine about lunch packing before, so I apologize. While easy…it is the biggest time suck of all of the things I do for my boys. I’ll take a load of laundry (socks included) over lunch packing any day.
It sounds simple, but it is actually quite involved. This is the spread that is filled, packed, and unpacked each.and.every.day. Not to mention the hand washing and drying of each container so that they can be used the next day. Two lunch boxes packed with a main meal, some cut up fruit + veggies, and usually some banana, or apple, or pumpkin bread thanks to the world’s best grandmother who bakes some regularly for the boys, two snack bags packed with a variety of snacks in little containers, two small water bottles for in the lunch boxes, and 2 larger ones for the playground, gym class, fitness class, etc. and 6 ice packs. No joke.
The sun sets over Waring Field and the Rockport Golf Club to close out a pretty lovely weekend.
Last week, Steve and Kelly Salah closed the front door of Rockport’s Red Skiff for the last time. The last time until its reopening under new ownership this morning, that is. As I drove by at 7:30 last night I found new owner, Talia Khan-Bettencourt, and some others busy at work preparing for today. With a new sign hung by the door, that only remained closed for a mere ten days, comes the promise of more meals, mug ups, and memories.
Please head HERE as advanced registration is required and space is limited!
Spring is coming and the sap is running! Experience the time-honored tradition of maple sugaring with Sugar Shack Saturdays at Appleton Farms. Spend the day with us and see how we turn sap into sweet syrup. Start by getting creative with some maple themed crafts in the Appleton Old House then get outside and explore our very own sugar shack! Learn how we tap our trees every spring, see the evaporator in action, and taste the freshly made syrup. We will end back inside with a farm snack, including Appleton Farms cheese, apple slices, and homemade maple ice cream while we read a story about maple sugaring! Recommended for ages 8 and under but everyone is welcome! This program meets at the Visitor Center.
Please be aware there are two sessions for this program from 10-11:30 and 1:30-3:00. Space is limited. Registration is by the family- if you have 6 or more in your family, please register 2 families. Crafts and snacks included and we want to have enough for all.
I can’t wait to get up there! I’m hoping that it is still open after hockey season ends…
http://icecastles.com/ Once going to the link, find the Lincoln, NH location.
I’ve never even heard about this, but if your kids are into dance…how fun!
This and a great dinner in the city…seems like an interesting win for the family.
Thank you for your interest in the South Asian Showdown competition. After the huge success of the last 6 year’s competitions, we look forward to bringing you an even better show this year! Teams from all over North America & Canada will compete to be crowned the Showdown champion.
The concept of Showdown is to put the best Fusion, and Bollywood/Hindi-Film teams up against one another and let the judges have the unenviable task of selecting the best team of the night. Fusion is a combination of any dance style set to a majority of indian music. It is a very creative and unique form of dance incorporating many others forms of dance. Bollywood/Hindi-Film style of dance is based on the Bollywood film style of dance featuring expression, theme and storyline. It is a mini-story on stage set to indian music. This will be an unbelievable show to watch and an unparalleled experience for all the teams to be involved in!
This year’s competition will be taking place on Saturday, February 27th, 2016 @ the John Hancock Hall in the heart of Boston.
As always, for a more comprehensive list of family activities, please see our friends at North Shore Kid
So this is new. “Left turn YIELD on Flashing Yellow Arrow.”
Prior to today, a left hand turn was obviously permitted when the light was green. Makes sense. More than a few times, however, I saw cars start to turn left without a second’s thought, only to have cars coming from the other direction continue straight towards Blackburn Circle. Many a car almost got sideswiped while making that left turn towards Rockport. I’m guessing several actually did.
Most drivers, who frequent that intersection (between Blackburn Circle and Main Street…heading to East Gloucester or Rockport), soon realized that oncoming traffic should go first…or that it is safer to wait for the green arrow.
This makes more sense I guess….but, will most likely take some getting used to.
I’m so mad that I forgot about these photos until last night. Posting photos of this guy on a 37 degree day isn’t nearly as fun as it would have been on February 12th when my car thermometer read 9 degrees. It was that very day that he drove past me on 1A in Beverly. I was coming back from a quick trip to Tendercrop on my lunch break and, the consummate blogger that I am (the adjective…not the verb…and an exaggeration at that) I simply had to turn around and get a better look as I saw him turn in for gas.
Might I add that he took forever getting gas (with two trips into the gas station) and I felt more than a bit like a stalker as I sat in the parking lot waiting for him to exit so that I could snap a decent pic.
It was FREEZING that day….I’m quite certain we broke records….yet, there he was driving around town in his Cobra…and his helmet. Was the helmet for safety? I’m guessing it was because of the cold. Did he want to be out driving his convertible in such extreme temps…or was his other car at the mechanic. I had so many questions. Maybe he’ll write in.
THIS Wednesday, Live at The Cabot
As is becoming a February school vacation tradition, we spent several hours checking out the boats at the New England Boat Show this week. The boys can’t get enough of seeing the bells and whistles, so to speak, and love the large variety of boats on hand. At the end of the day, they’d both be incredibly happy with the smallest of boats providing they could toss a fishing rod onboard, but they love seeing the opulence of some of much larger boats too. They had a little “this is the life” moment sitting in some theater chairs in the cabin of one boat that had a rotating TV screen that would swing out for optimal movie watching.
They were incredibly fortunate to score two KYPADS (an awesome combination of paddle board and kayak) for Christmas…and are more than thrilled to hit the water on those this summer. Still….it is nice to dream a bit at the boat show each year.
We had a fantastic time at the boat show yesterday and it is a great way to spend a day. We find that most of the boat dealers have the patience of saints with the kids as they climb, explore, and dream onboard the boats.
It helps that adults are only $15 and children under 15 years of age are totally FREE
http://www.newenglandboatshow.com/
My boys LOVE it here. We’ve hiked to the Braintree location and even all the way to Providence. Now that there is a new location open in Woburn….I’m guessing we’ll clock much more time hitting the games. Dave and Buster’s is full of really great grown-up games…it is no Chuck E. Cheese. The kids are still going to rack up points or tickets and are still going to score some “stuff” that you don’t really need junking up your house, but at least the games are a blast…even for the parents. The restaurant is pretty good too.
READ ALL ABOUT DAVE AND BUSTER’S HERE
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
As always, for a more comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid
The same morning earlier this week that everyone was out photographing gorgeous images of sea smoke, I took this photo. While we didn’t receive new snow fall during the night, the homes and landscape at the end of our street were covered with ocean effect snow early the next morning. It was kind of cool to see.
So, this conversation came up the other night… “When is using the term Hon (or Honey) appropriate?” Whether it should be spelled “hun” or “hon” is a conversation for another day.
I have a friend who, I’ve noticed, will often say, “Thanks, Hon” as he pays his tab at a restaurant or bar. He means nothing by it….it is simply a habit he has picked up. He is never trying to be condescending nor is he trying to flirt. Nonetheless, when I hear him say it, I sometimes wonder how well it is actually being received by the server/bartender. So, to conduct a bit of research for the sake of the blog, I started to ask.
The feelings were mixed. The three bartenders questioned all happened to be female. The first bartender agreed that it feels a bit unsettling and often seems rude. The second said that it didn’t really bother her when she is working, but that her own fiancé sometimes uses it when they are out, and when she hears it coming from him, it makes her skin crawl a bit too. The third bartender was indifferent. All agreed that it is very situational….and sometimes it wouldn’t phase them at all, but sometimes (under different circumstances) would really annoy them. So, what exactly are those situations?
Well, for example, these questions were posed: The tone of voice used. The age or the customer and/or the age of the server. The gender of both parties involved. Is the person a “regular”? Was the person using the term “Hon” attractive (one very honest bartender brought that up)? Was the customer alone? Dining with a significant other? Out with friends? Was there drinking involved? And even geographic locations.
I went to college in Virginia and everyone was “hon”, “sweetie”, or “babe” down there.
There are so many possibilities to consider. Sometimes it feels ok, sometimes it doesn’t. I’m 44 years old. There is a young, female employee at a particular Dunkin’ Donuts who will always hand me my coffee through the drive thru window with a, “Here you go, Hon” or a “Have a great day, Hon.” While it doesn’t bother me, per say. I find it interesting. I find it interesting that someone so much younger than me would call me “Hon”. More typically, while I don’t enjoy it, in that situation one might think she would call me “Ma’am.” I’m not in love with either. But, I’m not going to lose sleep over it either.
Often times I’ve noticed that when a server is older they will deliver a meal with a, “Here you go, Hon” and I find it totally endearing. Very grandmotherly. That never strikes me as odd…..but, why?, I wonder. Years ago, my husband and I went to a certain place maybe once a month or so. There was a female bartender there (in the same age range as us) who ALWAYS called my husband, and most other male customers, “Hon” but never the female customers. I found that a bit annoying.
I wanted to conduct a poll on the matter, but I think that there are too many factors to be considered, so I hesitate to do so. Rather, do me a favor, and leave a comment in regards to when it is OK…..and when it is definitely NOT ok. I’d be interested to know your opinion.
Back at the Yard House up at MarketStreet in Lynnfield and with hundreds of beer choices, I decided on a Moscow Mule with Tito’s Vodka. Sometimes too many choices is a difficult thing. I did, however, order the same Surf and Turf Burger that I usually get. It didn’t disappoint.
While freezing, it was too pretty to not stop at Good Harbor Beach last night to snap this photo. There was something about the juxtaposition of the snow and the sand at sunset that made us sit for a longer while than planned.
I’d rather it be July, but pretty nonetheless.
So many wonderful opportunities for the younger ones at Appleton Farms this February Vacation!
Check out their list of activities below or head to this link to see more.
Sign up for one or sign up for all!
Family Fun, Lectures & Workshops
Outdoor Recreation
Family Fun
Farms & Food, Lectures & Workshops
Farms & Food, Lectures & Workshops
Outdoor Recreation
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun
Maritime Gloucester has a lot of fun planned for vacation week. Check out the action HERE
Highlights are sea creatures of Cape Ann for grades 1-5
or Sea Creatures of Cape Ann for Pre K-K
Sea Creatures of Cape Ann is an environmental vacation program. The program is four days (Tuesday – Friday). Students may enroll for a day or for the entire four days. There are two different programs based on age of the students that are offered during the four-days.
READ ALL ABOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES AND REGISTER HERE
As always, for a more comprehensive list please visit our friends at North Shore Kid
Music to my ears….even on such a stormy winter day.
#HonkHonk
Tomorrow is officially Truck Day at Fenway Park! Spring is on the horizon and the Red Sox have packed up their truck to head south for some Spring Training action. They’ll make a quick stop at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and will then be on their way. Go show them some love as they head out of town!
https://twitter.com/redsoxtruckday
As tweeted by @RedSoxTruckDay themselves…
20400 baseballs, 1100 bats, 200 batting gloves, 200 batting helmets, 400 pairs of socks. 20 cases of bubble gum, 60 cases of sunflower seeds
We took a drive just after high tide today. We drove by Old Garden Beach, down Atlantic, to T Wharf, down Bearskin Neck, to the breakwater, through town, by Front Beach, to Granite Pier, and then back home. Not much accumulation but it was coming down good, VERY windy, and some great surf! #winterstormmars
Just another February on Cape Ann.
A look out towards the Wingaersheek sandbar from Lighthouse Beach. The snow is approaching quickly and the wind is up for sure.
Thanks to Betsey and Paul Horovitz for the photo!
Nothing prettier than clean, crisp white snow…other than maybe bright blue, clear ocean water.
Good Morning Gloucester 