by Judy Handley | Jan 4, 2026 | 2025 Life Logs |
2026 Life Logs, Day 04: Intervale to Mt. Washington to Lincoln to St. Paul’s in Concord
Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026
Weather: Overcast and Cold; High Temp from 0 to 20 degrees F
Location: Back at Home with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
After a whirlwind tour of parts of New Hampshire today, I am back home with my Shadow tonight. Heather and family got home mid-afternoon, but Justin, Jo, Ziggy, Coco, and I took the scenic route from Intervale to Boston Logan where they finally headed home to Puerto Rico at 10:15 tonight. They will arrive in San Juan around 3:30 am PR time (2:30 EST) where they will spend the rest of the night in a hotel before returning to Finca Maravilla tomorrow afternoon.
Today started with farewells at the Airbnb in Intervale at 10 am, the official check-out time.
Heather and family headed south to Cape Cod, but since the flight to PR had been delayed until after 9 pm tonight, I offered to take Justin and family on a whirlwind tour from Intervale northward through Crawford Notch to Mt Washington to ride the Cog Railway halfway up Mt. Washington (as far as it goes in the wintertime), to Franconia Notch and on to Lincoln to have lunch at the Gypsy Café, to St. Paul’s in Concord where Justin attended high school, and finally to Boston to have dinner at Helmand’s in Cambridge with a final drop off at Boston Logan.
It was not a clear day, so the views from the ride up Mt. Washington were not spectacular. Regardless, the ride was absolutely beautiful. When we reached the Mid-Mountain Waumbek Station at 3,800 feet the temperature was a little below zero, but not too windy, so it was just VERY cold but tolerable for a short time. There was free coffee and hot chocolate and a firepit where we could roast marshmallows. Ziggy used his new camera to take photos, and we all enjoyed the white-on-white beauty.
Once we decompressed from the ride, we continued driving northward for a bit before turning south to drive through Franconia Notch and make a stop in the town of Lincoln for lunch. We chose the Gypsy Café based on its name and it was a great choice.We arrived in Concord just before 4 pm to do a walking tour of St. Paul’s where Justin went to high school. A friend of mine who is on the staff there met us and took us inside many of the buildings. The students have not returned from winter break, so everything is locked up tight. But we got a VIP tour thanks to my friend Kate. The tour brought back many memories, and it was fun for Justin to go into the dining hall and find his name carved in one of the wooden panels for the class of ’95. We all enjoyed going into the beautiful library and then walking past the chapel. The St. Paul’s campus is so beautiful.
When we arrived in Cambridge, we had dinner at my favorite restaurant, Helmand’s. It features food from Afghanistan, and it has become a family tradition to eat there when in Boston. I then dropped JJZ&C at the airport at 7:45 pm. I headed home, hoping that the flight to Puerto Rico would not be further delayed. I got home safely and heard from Justin at 10:15 pm that they were on the plane. It will be 3:30 am Atlantic Standard Time when they arrive, but hopefully the memories of our family time together will make up for the lack of sleep. Their visit certainly started my new year out on a loving, positive note.
by Judy Handley | Jun 19, 2025 | 2025 Life Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 169: Juneteenth
Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025
Weather: Mostly Sunny AM, Beautiful Afternoon; High Temp 72, Low 65 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
Juneteenth was observed in Falmouth this afternoon …
… with proclamations, drumming, speeches, storytelling, traditional food, and music. The Chair and Vice-chair of the Falmouth Select Board, along with the Town Manager, represented Falmouth’s town government, with Heather reading the town’s proclamation.
There were short, but very informative speeches, giving us the historic background of Juneteenth, a pamphlet full of background information, and student-made posters on the lawn that reminded us of our responsibility to uphold freedom for all. There were probably about 200 people who attended for various lengths of time during the 3-hour ceremony, but I hope that next year there will be even more. I think when people hear how impressive this year’s ceremony was, everyone will want to come. Congratulations to the Juneteenth Committee, led by Henry St. Julien, and Paul Glass. I hope I have that right. Paul Glass welcomed us and gave the event explanation. The emcee was Dr. Seyana Mawusi and Henry St. Julien gave the closing remarks.
I started my day at Soares Flower Garden Nursery on a hunt for native plants. I found plants, but I also had an over-the-top cicada experience. When I drove into the parking lot of Soares, the sound of the cicadas was almost deafening, much louder than I have heard in other areas. Cicadas were flying everywhere, landing on the plants and on my head and arms. I drove from there up Rt. 150 to Mashpee and the sound followed me all the way. Plus, I felt like I was being dive-bombed by cicadas. I was so glad I had made the trip. Otherwise, I would have missed this experience. If I am still here in 17 years, I don’t think I’ll be driving down the highway with the cicadas! I also visited the seasonal nursery in Waquoit and hit their 50 percent off everything sale. So, I came home with more plants.
Tonight, I joined Heather, Jed, and Ollie for dinner at Liam’s while the Falmouth High School jazz band was playing as a warm up for the jazz band that plays there every Thursday night. The high school jazz band warmed up for an hour and then played for a full hour. They had people clapping and dancing in the aisles. So, proud that Jonah is part of this.
Tomorrow is my first Camp Oma day of the summer. Ollie and a friend want me to take them to the beach, and I can’t wait.
by Judy Handley | Mar 10, 2025 | 2025 Life Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 69: Crazy, Busy Day
Date: Monday, March 10, 2025
Weather: Sunny and Warm; High Temp 58, Low 27 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
Two hours of my morning was spent in a physical therapy session, including the travel time to and from. Then it was home for lunch and out the door again to a Farming Falmouth meeting where they presented their Food Assessment Report that was four years in the making. The Hermann Room at the library was jam packed with interested people. And the report was full of strategies for developing a stronger food system in our community. It was well worth the time to attend. I ran some errands afterwards, played outside with Shadow, and then was off to the Goldstones to get dinner for the boys while Heather and Jed were at their every other Monday night meetings. But once I got the food on the table, I told the boys they were own their own as I went to a town hall sponsored by the League of Women Voters with one of Falmouth’s state representatives, Thomas Moakley, and our state senator, Dylan Fernandez. One of the local state representatives could not make the forum, but even with just the two, it was very informative. And once again, the Hermann Room at the library was at full capacity. What a crazy, busy day, full of new information to process.
by Judy Handley | Jan 2, 2025 | 2025 Life Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 02: On the Ninth Day of Christmas
Date: Thursday, January 2, 2025
Weather: Mostly Sunny with Gale Force Winds; Temp 42, Low 30 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
On this second day of 2025, the ninth day of Christmas, I did not do any dancing with the nine ladies mentioned in the 12 Days of Christmas song. I did on this day, as I do every year on the second day of January. I tried to think of all the things I didn’t get done in 2024 that really need to be done, and I started working on that list. I only got as far as beginning to correct a mistake I made in my logs starting back on September 25. September 24 was Day 268, and I entered September 25 as 268 as well. So, every log from that day forward was off by one day. I noticed the error when I realized 2024 was going to end on Day 365. I knew that was not correct as 2024 was a leap year, so I went back to see where I went astray. I have corrected all the logs in my computer files, but I now need to correct the logs that are on the website. Of course, I don’t have to do this. No one else in the entire world will notice or care. But I will and the anal me says I have to make the corrections. We’ll see if that really gets done. Other than playing with lists, I walked and played with Shadow, did my stretches and exercises for my back and knee that I have been ignoring the past few weeks, attended an Encore Nominating Committee meeting, and picked Ollie up after school. I also called Helaine Kanegsberg to wish her a happy birthday, but I’ll repeat it again here. Happy Birthday, Helaine!
by Judy Handley | Jan 1, 2025 | 2025 Life Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 01: A Happy New Year’s Day
Date: Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, Late Rain, Wind Building; Temp 48, Low 36 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
I am a chronological order person. I always feel compelled to start at the very beginning when writing about my day. But on this first day of 2025, I am going to reverse that. Is this an omen for the coming year?
Late afternoon I got a text from Heather saying, “So. This happened.” That caught my attention, but when I looked at the photos, I saw what she was referring to. Sam, Jonah, and Jonah’s friend Kaiden took their first New Year’s Day polar plunge this afternoon. I am not sure whose idea this was, but in the photo, they all look very proud of themselves!
I received that text just as I was getting home from an afternoon New Year’s Day Open House at Margaret Souz’s. I went last year with a friend who could drop me off at the door because I could barely walk. I remember going in and immediately finding a chair to sit in, where I remained the entire time. Standing was so difficult. What a difference a year (and back surgery) makes. This year I could stand and walk around freely. It was a wonderful reminder of just why I am so thankful. While I was at the open house, I got a call from Justin. It was late afternoon and he and Jo had not been out of bed all day. Coco, who had whatever it is first, was up and about for the first time since before Christmas yesterday. Ziggy, who got whatever from Coco, texted this morning telling me he was feeling a tad better today. But Justin and Jo are still down and out. I asked Justin if the power blackout in Puerto Rico was affecting them and he responded that since they have the solar back up, they haven’t noticed. They had turned off the AC and opened the house before the blackout because dryer, milder winter weather has arrived. He noted that if the blackout happened during the summer, it would be a different story. So, here’s hoping for everyone in Puerto Rico the milder temperatures continue and that everyone at Finca Maravilla is feeling better very soon.
My first day of 2025 was carefree and happy. I hope that your day was the same and that all of your days in 2025 will be the same. But I do have to share that the one project I chose to start the New Year has already been derailed. In cleaning up to get the house ready for guests while I went to Puerto Rico, I managed to put the very important pile of papers that were on my desk somewhere safe where I can’t find them. Tomorrow will begin, not with checking something off my To Do list, but with a search for that stack of papers. Instead of starting out the new year getting something productive done, I will be chasing my tail. Some things never change.
