Best Life

 Another glorious day!  Today Paul and I took Mom to see Greta and Erik in Ninigret Park.  Thomas Dambo, the creator, uses the trolls to send a message - be kind to nature and re-use everything.  Each troll is 16 feet high and made from recycled wood.  There are 130 of them worldwide! To learn more: https://www.oceanstatestories.org/?s=trolls                          Greta has many shell adornments.                    The detail of her hair and she's kneeling!                            Erik sits near Little Ninigret Pond and has a birdhouse hanging from his neck. Lunch at The Breachway Grill was perfect - brussels sprouts and chowder for me!  Yummy!   A very nice way to celebrate Mom's 83rd!  (Officially tomorrow.)  The weather, t...

 I found a great new hiking trail!  Wolf Hill Forest Preserve in Smithfield.  Just minutes from the house, plenty of parking and well marked trails that took us over a variety of terrain.  Up hills, down hills, cliffs and caves - all spread out and very few people.  A gorgeous way to spend a gorgeous morning. Definitely we will be going back and trying all the other trails! And I Missed National Son Day yesterday.  Not that I could ever forget the sons I am super proud of and love!                                                  Kevin, Me and Scott 2003

 After church this morning Paul and I were undecided how to spend what was promising to be a beautiful fall day.  We knew we needed fresh fruit and veggies but after a trip to the stupid market, no clue.  Then a text from Karen - spontaneous  birthday dinner for mom.  Perfect! First, a few quick tasks at Megan's - leaky shower valves and some weeding.  Then we were on our way. Hanging out watching football (I do not really care but Paul enjoys the game) and being amused by Layla.  Four years old and full of sass.                                                                             Layla feeding the chickens.                             ...

 First I need to post a picture I took yesterday but forgot to share.  While picking up Brianna at her elementary school, in a very quaint neighborhood, the bike racks were full.                                                        How cute these scooters look "parked" for the day.   Today's goal - pull three bushes out of the front of Kevin and Isis' home.  The evergreens were blocking windows and access to outlets and the outside faucet.                                   The lower branches were removed in order to attach the chains for pulling.                Two came out easily with minimal mess.             The t...

  Brianna manages to say it all with her expression!  Paul and I had the pleasure of picking her up at school today in Westfield.  The ride was worth every minute (almost 2 hours each way!).  And the weather and scenery was absolutely gorgeous.   This morning - continuing to empty the closet.  From 1959 tax returns to totes of photos and even nutcrackers.  Slowly we are managing to make decisions. The hunt for my 403B.  Apparently while we were traveling my 403 transferred to Fidelity from Corebridge.  Okay.  Not the first time they have switched companies.  Only this time I could not log in.  I call.  I fail the security test.  My hire date?  Which one?  Original?  After I returned from Roger Williams?  When Care New England bought Memorial?  When I "transferred" to Women and Infants?  I guessed wrong.  My separation date?  I knew that easily! Nope.  Apparently they r...

 National Daughter's Day.  I have the most amazing daughter - so proud of the woman she has become!  Love you, Megan! And today is National Lobster Day.                                                                        Megan and Kevin 2001 in Maine     I really would have loved the job of making up holidays! Where is Pickle Day?  And then since I thought it, I had to look it up.  Yup - there is a Pickle Day in November.  How about something as ridiculous as sunflower seeds?  Yup - in August.  I will eventually think of some obscure awesome thing that deserves a holiday of its own and no one has yet to propose. Today's rain made washing windows and curtains an obvious task.  Followed by binge watching past episodes of...

 I am so glad it rained today.  A perfect excuse to tackle indoor tasks with no rush to get outdoors.  Laundry again but this time it was my own!  Washed the floor while Maddie chased the mop.  And the closet.  Ugh.  When we left last year there was a handful (okay more than a handful) of things we could not make a decision about and so they were pushed into a closet.  The time has come to make decisions.  Sentimental items that  belonged to Lucille.  Very difficult.  And hundreds of pictures dating back to Paul's great grandfather.  And of course I was able to have a great afternoon nap!  More rain tomorrow?  Bring it on! I am enjoying cooking for more than just Paul and myself.  Dinner with Kevin and Isis, though late (7pm) has been thoroughly enjoyable.   Another sneak peek picture:                             ...

 Isis received her sneak peek photos tonight!  My favorite:                                                                                "We're married!" Redhead Appreciation Day! My favorite:                                                                                Brianna And the others:                                                        ...

 An uneventful, mundane kind of day today.  Simple household tasks (laundry, dishes), a trip to Walmart (forgot the list but managed to remember everything - a definite win!), drop tires and rims off to be balanced for Rebecca, more laundry at Megan's, cut the lawn, continued emptying the pool and putting away the outdoor furniture, watch the cat and Annie play hide and seek, eat a yummy meal by Isis and then sit by the fire with the neighbors.  Nothing out of the ordinary but all good.  The weather was perfect, traffic not so bad and even the people at Walmart were tolerable.  So I consider today a success!   We still have not heard anything from the building fabrication team but did hear from the concrete guy.  Too high an estimate, we are negotiating.  I am keeping my fingers crossed everything will fall into place before the weather becomes much colder!

 Happy Birthday Harry!  Where does the time go? Before leaving Rangeley this morning we made a last minute decision to drain all the pipes.  The night dipped to 33 degrees and can only go lower before we are able to return.   So, we are back in RI and looking forward to easier tasks - physically anyway.   Fenway settled right back in at Megan's, snuggling with Brianna under the blankets on the couch.  I guess it beats having to find warmth in the bits of sun that sprinkled the house in Maine. The plan - find tasks to keep us busy and help the kids, visit the doctor (Paul) and the dentist (both).  And try not to fret that the days are shorter and cooler and time to build the garage is ticking away.