by Judy Handley | Oct 27, 2019 | 2019 Life Logs |
2019 Life Logs, Day 300: In the Spirit of Halloween
Date: Sunday, October 27, 2019
Weather: Overcast with Rain and Wind; High 66, Low 52 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
It was a dark and dreary stormy day with rain and leaves blown here and yon . . . and tonight is very much in the spirit of a spooky Halloween evening. Getting into the spirit, the Goldpebbles carved their pumpkins late this afternoon and I was invited to come join in the fun. The youngest had the biggest pumpkin and the oldest, the smallest. Ollie carved a traditional jack o’lantern while Sam carved what Jonah called a ‘modern’ one. While Jonah, with the middle-sized pumpkin did a cross between the two. ‘Traditional’ to the Goldpebbles means you cut out the eyes, nose, and mouth, while ‘modern’ means you engrave the design on the pumpkin, but you don’t cut the pieces out.
Jonah leaves on Wednesday morning for a two-day school trip to the National Seashore with his 5th grade class, so he won’t be home for Halloween evening. And Sam has decided he is too old to go Trick or Treating, so he will be staying home to give out the tricks and treats. Ollie will be the only one going door to door Trick or Treating this year. My, how fast these little ones grow up. Hard to believe.
Another thing that is hard for me to believe is that forty-five years ago today, Mark and I were married at sunrise in Lovers Key State Park in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. If you know me well, you know I don’t do mornings. I was truly in love to get up to get married at that time of day! When I look at the photographs that Mark’s brother Steve took that day, we could have been the poster children for a ‘70’s ‘not so traditional’ wedding . . . me with my long hair wearing a GunneSax dress by Jessica McClintock and Mark with his longish hair and beard wearing his baby blue bell bottoms and ‘hippy’ shirt. Wonderful, precious memories.
by Judy Handley | Oct 27, 2019 | 2019 Life Logs |
2019 Life Logs, Day 299: Back Home from New Hampshire Visit
Date: Saturday, October 26, 2019
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 65, Low 40 degrees F
Location: Back Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
I am back home tonight after a wonderful trip to New Hampshire. On Thursday I drove to Rye, New Hampshire, which is next door to Portsmouth, to spend time with my friend Leslie Kole. I stopped at the Wrentham Outlet on my way north to exchange some items and to buy a couple of specific items I decided I needed for Christmas gifts. When I arrived at Leslie’s, we went for a four-mile walk. Leslie walks fast and far and it is all I can do to keep up, but keep up I did. On Friday morning I went to Cardio Dancing with Leslie and survived that as well. But it became very obvious to me that I need to up my game to be as fit as Leslie. Then in the afternoon we drove to Manchester, met our friend Detta Porat, and then the three of us drove on to Concord to attend the retirement celebration of our friend Cheryl Dolin. It was a fun affair and I got to see so many teaching colleagues that I haven’t seen since I retired 14 years ago. Mostly important, however, I think Cheryl really enjoyed it. This morning I survived another Cardio Dance class with Leslie and then headed to Kittery, Maine, just across the river from Portsmouth. I went to the Kittery Outlets to buy some new sneakers and a pair of winter boots. I can report that it was a successful ‘hunt and kill’ shopping expedition.
Then I headed to Westport, Massachusetts, to go to Jonah’s last soccer game of the regular season. One side of the soccer field was lined with an old stone wall backed with trees still showing their fall colors. It was a beautiful afternoon for watching a soccer game on a uniquely beautiful soccer field. Jonah’s team won and I think this means they will play in the finals next weekend. Jonah made a couple of goals and assisted in another couple. It is obvious that he loves to play soccer and watching him play is always so much fun. He did have his foot stepped on in this game and had to be taken off the field which gave us a fright, but he was fine after a bit of a rest and got to go back in at the end of the game. And we even had a rainbow over the field near the end of the game. Perfect.
Once home, I got ready to go to a Newcomers Mix and Mingle. Everyone brings an appetizer and their own drinks to the hosting home. Tonight’s affair was at the home of Denise DeCoste and Sam Gutter at the Cape Codder Condominiums overlooking Buzzards Bay. What a beautifully furnished condo with a gorgeous water view. It was a lovely evening and it is always fun to meet new people.
by Judy Handley | Oct 25, 2019 | 2019 Life Logs |
2019 Life Logs, Day 298: Cheryl Dolin’s Retirement Party
Date: Friday, October 25, 2019
Weather: Overcast; High 56, Low 46 degrees F
Location: At Home with Leslie Kole, Rye, NH
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Leslie and I traveled to Concord, New Hampshire, this afternoon for the retirement party of a dear friend and teaching colleague, Cheryl Dolin. We taught together at Beaver Meadow School in Concord for many years. There were so many friends that I haven’t seen for 14 years and others that I have seen since then, but not often. It was a wonderful celebration for Cheryl at the home of Lucy Gentilhomme who was the Guidance Councilor at Beaver Meadow for many years. Our principal from the years I was at Beaver Meadow, Roger Brooks, was there, as well as so many other colleagues . . . some long since retired, and others still teaching. What a wonderful tribute to Cheryl.
by Judy Handley | Oct 24, 2019 | 2019 Life Logs |
2019 Life Logs, Day 297: Falmouth, MA to Rye, NH
Date: Thursday, October 24, 2019
Weather: Blue Sky, Sunny Day; High 66, Low 48 degrees F
Location: At Home with Leslie Kole, Rye, NH
Today was a traveling day. I drove from home on Cape Cod to Rye, New Hampshire to visit with my friend Leslie Kole. It was a glorious day for a drive. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the sunshine glistened through the still somewhat colorful trees lining the highway. Peak season for colorful fall leaves has passed, but there is still plenty of color to. I arrived at Leslies mid-afternoon and we took a long walk. We walked past the historic Wentworth By The Sea Hotel and the Wentworth Marina where Mark and I once kept Skybreaker, our sailboat previous to Windbird. From the Marina you can look out into the Atlantic to the Isles of Shoals, a group of small islands and tidal ledges that used to be a favorite sailing destination. We were now on New Castle Island and walked on to the Great Island Common overlooking the Piscataqua River as it runs into the Atlantic Ocean. Breathtakingly beautiful. We then walked the 1.6 miles back home and just sat and visited for a bit over a glass of wine. We decided to go out to a Japanese restaurant for dinner. I had sushi and Leslie had tempura. It was a lovely afternoon and evening.
Tomorrow morning I am going to cardio dance class with Leslie. I can remember when I went to my first Zumba class and how foolish I felt. I had no idea what the dance steps were all about. I have a feeling I am going to feel foolish again in the morning, but I’m game to give it a try. In the afternoon we drive to Concord to attend the retirement celebration of friend Cheryl Dolin. There will be many of our teaching colleagues there from our days in the Concord, NH, school district. It was deliciously warm today, but tomorrow is supposed to be cloudy and much cooler. Seeing good friends should help us make our own sunshine.
by Judy Handley | Oct 23, 2019 | 2019 Life Logs |
2019 Life Logs, Day 296: Apple Butter and More
Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Weather: Mostly Sunny and Warm; High 71, Low 45 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
The weather was glorious today after a rainy start. The temperature was in the low 70’s and the sun was shining. Felt like summer. Unfortunately, I spent my day inside doing the final cooking of the apple butter and then canning it. Job done.
I used a recipe with no added sugar, but I found that I had to add a little sugar to make it really taste like apple butter. I used Muscavado brown sugar and adding a very little went a long way to making the apple butter taste just right. I made it for Heather and hopefully she will like it.
At 3:30 pm on Wednesdays, I pick Ollie up from school and deliver him to his violin lesson. I have to drive about a half mile through my neighborhood to get to the main road. When I got there today, the sun was shining on the field of pink and raspberry colored wild flowers (Cosmos) planted next to the new brewery, Bad Martha’s, that opened in September.
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I love that they planted a field of wild flowers. Such a lovely view every time I drive out of the neighborhood.
Tomorrow I head to New Hampshire for a couple of days to visit with friend Leslie Kole. Fall in New England is so beautiful, so I look forward to the drive and the time with friends. Lastly, I want to wish my wonderful friend Lynne Kirwin, a very happy belated birthday. Her birthday was yesterday and I totally missed it. So happy, happy to Lynne.
