by Judy Handley | Jul 17, 2017 | 2017 Life Logs |
2017 Life Logs, Day 198: Afternoon at Stoney; Dinner at Woodin’s
Date: Monday, July 17, 2017
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 78, Low 66 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
After morning swim lessons and a ‘kick the beach ball’ game at Falmouth Heights Beach, we went to my place for lunch and then headed to Stoney Beach in Woods Hole. During our morning planning for this week, one of boys requested a visit to Stoney and that was seconded by all. When we got to the beach, I heard Sam breathe deeply and then exclaim, “Stoney is the perfect beach.” I don’t know if I would go that far, but it has always been a favorite of the Goldpebbles. We met up with Jeanne Harper and her son Leo from Heather and Jed’s neighborhood and the boys went into immediate action—trying to catch minnows, trying to catch crabs, and just generally enjoying the water.
Kids we didn’t know joined in with our crab search, and it was actually Jonah and a child I don’t know who caught the only crab of the day. They were very proud of their accomplishment.
It was a relaxed, fun time at Stoney Beach.
Close to time to leave, I got a text from Heather offering to come to Stoney to pick the boys up since I had a 5:30 pm dinner party at Bruce and Jane’s Woodin’s. The dinner group is a fairly recent addition to the Newcomers Club long list of organized activities. There were four couples at tonight’s dinner plus myself and we had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed the time to visit together. Thank you to Bruce and Jane for hosting this lovely event.
by Judy Handley | Jul 16, 2017 | 2017 Life Logs |
2017 Life Logs, Day 197: Successful Launch of Pooh
Date: Sunday, July 16, 2017
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 79, Low 64 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
Today we had a successful launch of Pooh.
Pooh is a 15-foot Sandpiper cat boat made right here in New England by Marshall Marine. I said earlier in a log that it is 17 feet in length, but I think I was wrong about that. The important thing is that it is now on its mooring in West Falmouth Harbor and ready to sail. We had to use the Honda 7.5 motor for the dinghy we bought we this spring as Bruce couldn’t get either of his motors really running properly, but using the Honda allowed us to launch today. We had a couple of issues, but for the most part, the launch went smoothly.
It took us a little more than two hours to get her in the water, bring her to the dock, put on the rigging and sail, and get her out to the mooring. Heather and Jed worked with Bruce to get the rigging and sail on while I walked to the local market with Jonah and Ollie to get sandwiches for everyone for lunch. Sam stayed with the crew to get photos for me. Thank you, Sam. And he ended up taking the sailboat out to the mooring with Heather and Jed and rowing them back to shore.
Pooh looked beautiful sitting out there on her mooring. I’m looking forward to a sail on her soon.
by Judy Handley | Jul 15, 2017 | 2017 Life Logs |
2017 Life Logs, Day 196: Changed Plans—No Launch Today
Date: Saturday, July 15, 2017
Weather: Partly Cloudy; High 75, Low 64 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
Plans for today were changed due to engine problems. We were planning to launch Bruce and Jane’s little sailboat, but during prep for the launch yesterday, Bruce discovered that neither engine that he has was working properly. Getting any work done on a small boat motor at this time of year requires a two to three week wait, so Heather and Jed offered to put the engine from the dinghy we bought in May on the sailboat. But then we discovered that the dinghy we bought came with a motor and trailer, but no gas can or fuel attachment–the hose with special attachments that goes between the gas can and the motor. Our motor is a Honda and Honda doesn’t allow just anyone to sell their parts. Jed had to travel off Cape to get the required attachment. Since we have to launch at high tide and that was at 1:10 this afternoon, we had to call off the launch. I was at Heather’s at 3:30 pm and Jed still wasn’t home. So maybe we launch tomorrow. I haven’t heard about that, but I’ll be prepared. Heather has a 5 pm work-related engagement, and high tide isn’t until 2:02 pm tomorrow. So we shall see.
Mid-afternoon I was at Heather’s to deliver some lavender recipes and a little book of 101 Things to Do in Sweden. When I had talked to Heather earlier, she was harvesting lavender so I ran off a few recipes I thought she might like to try. By the time I got there, the lavender harvest was completed, but I got a special tour of the garden
and some lavender to bring home with me.
In order to preserve it, you hang it upside down in a dark, dry place. So, when I got home I hung it in the back hallway over the dryer. It is definitely dark and definitely dry, and every time I walk to the guest bathroom, I can now smell the wonderful aroma of lavender. Lovely.
by Judy Handley | Jul 14, 2017 | 2017 Life Logs |
2017 Life Logs, Day 195: Lego Building, House Cleaning, Biking
Date: Friday, July 14, 2017
Weather: Rainy Turning Partly Cloudy Late Afternoon; High 68, Low 62 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
It was cool and rainy this morning, so the Goldpebbles voted to stay home and build Legos during the morning. We also had a list of house cleaning chores to do at some point, and yesterday we had talked about an afternoon bike ride. So the agenda for the day was set. While the boys built with Legos, I did laundry and a bit of downstairs cleaning. The boys had been asked to vacuum the living room rug and sofa, so I left that for them but did other downstairs cleaning. Before we knew it, it was lunch time and then time for the boys to launch into their cleaning chores. As they finished their jobs, the sun began to break through the clouds and we knew it was time for us to head out for our biking adventure. We had decided to drive to Trunk River, on the bike path, and bike to Woods Hole from there. In Woods Hole, we planned to visit the candy store and then head back to Trunk River. We headed out from Trunk River
and got to see Heather as she was biking home from Woods Hole. When we got all the way into Woods Hole, we made our visit to the candy store and just as we were getting ready to leave, Jed sent a text and we got to meet up with him before he left Woods Hole. When we got back to Trunk River, we set up the camera to take a photo of four of us.
Then while I put the bikes on the bike rack, the boys did a little Trunk River explore. They found a nest of baby birds under the bridge and Sam got great photos of the very hungry babies.
Sam was convinced that they thought the camera was their mother and they opened their beaks wide in anticipation of food. So, despite ugly weather, we managed to have a great day.
We are hoping to launch Pooh tomorrow. Pooh is Jane and Bruce Woodin’s little sailboat that Bruce and I have been varnishing teak on for the past couple of weeks. If all goes well, that will be tomorrow’s project.
by Judy Handley | Jul 13, 2017 | 2017 Life Logs |
2017 Life Logs, Day 194: Swim Lessons and Back to Wood Neck . . . Again
Date: Thursday, July 13, 2017
Weather: Partly Sunny AM, Overcast PM with Rain; High 81, 60 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
The tide has been perfect this week for afternoon trips down Lazy River at Wood Neck. So today, at the request of all three Goldpebbles, we had a repeat of yesterday performance. In fact, we have spent three days this week going to swim lessons at Falmouth Heights Beach in the morning and then going to Wood Neck Beach and adjacent marsh in the afternoon. The Goldpebbles have decided that the perfect time to ride the outgoing current down Lazy River is mid-way between high and low tide. The outgoing water is running at just the right speed to give this flow of water its name, Lazy River. You can ride on a boogie board, do a deadman’s float, or just swim your way from the marsh down Lazy River to the outlet into Buzzards Bay. Today, all three boys were able to do this without any assistance from me. I just stood on the beach and watched. And that is a huge step from last summer and even earlier this week. So, the repeat performances were perfect for building the skills to do this. I loved watching the boys do this, especially Sam’s deadman’s float, Jonah’s gained confidence in the water, and Ollie’s enthusiasm to ride Lazy River over and over without adult help. The weather this afternoon wasn’t great, and it finally got just too cold and windy to continue. At that point, we headed back to the marsh, but even then, the overcast sky and chilly wind shortened our stay. When the rain started, we finally left, but we were so glad we braved the weather to have this wonderful experience.
But now let me back up to the morning. We went to swim lessons at Falmouth Heights Beach. Sam continues to build his skills, Jonah is working very hard to conquer his fears of the water,
and Ollie practiced his kicking skills for almost an hour today using a swim board. For 30 minutes of that time, Jonah and I were playing a beach football passing game. I lost both games, but we had a great time. And then after their lessons, Sam and Jonah took the ball and organized a group of kids to play beach football. While they did that Ollie used his green towel to fly around the beach. He looked like a Luna moth as he spread his ‘wings’ to fly.
I didn’t have my camera with me this morning, but I used my phone to get a couple of photos of the flight of the Luna moth. I promised earlier in the week to start using my GoPro with an underwater housing to capture our beach experiences. But after making that promise, I realized I didn’t have an underwater housing. I borrowed Jed’s for my trip to the Bahamas, but I have now ordered my own and will hope to have better waterside photos next week.
Our plan is to change gears tomorrow and do something other than go to the beach. There are no Friday swim lessons, and weather permitting, we are hoping for a bike path bike ride.
by Judy Handley | Jul 12, 2017 | 2017 Life Logs |
2017 Life Logs, Day 193: Swim Lessons and Back to Wood Neck
Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Weather: Partly Sunny with Threats of Rain; High 84, 68 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
On Monday, we went to Wood Neck beach and marsh in the afternoon and yesterday Jonah made a request that we return there today. Sam and Ollie agreed, so after swim lessons at Falmouth Heights Beach we came to my place for lunch and then headed on to Wood Neck. On Monday we arrived an hour before low tide which made negotiating Lazy River a little difficult. So today all three boys agreed that they wanted to get there today closer to high tide so they would have more time to ride in Lazy River. Lazy River is the outlet from the marsh side of Wood Neck to the Buzzards Bay side. It is about 30 wide for a bit and then widens out as it gets closer to Buzzards Bay. Today we arrived three and a half hours before low tide and the ride in Lazy River when we first arrived was just perfect. In past years, it has taken two people to let the boys ride the river. Mark would always stay on the marsh side and get them started and I would be on the Buzzards Bay side to catch them if the ride got too rowdy for them. But now, with the aid of boogie boards and arm floaties, even Ollie can negotiate Lazy River all by himself.
That allows me to position myself near the outlet into Buzzards Bay where the flow gets really rowdy. I am amazed at the level of their independence from last year to now. The boys had a great time floating down the ‘river’ on boogie boards and then floating down with just snorkel masks on to watch the bottom for crabs as they floated.
We played in the surf off the beach on the Buzzards Bay side and then ended our day in the marsh.
I mentioned that it was Jonah who requested this trip. He got new snorkel gear for this birthday and he wanted to try it out. This is the same Jonah who is afraid to put his head in the water, but he made great strides this afternoon. He only intentionally bobbed under one time, but he did swim along with his face in the water with the snorkel gear on.
He is definitely making progress.
Jed has to make a work trip to Sweden in August and on Monday night, he and Heather made plane reservations for their whole family to go with him. They will be in Sweden for two weeks in August and Camp Oma will be on hold for those two weeks. The Goldstones are all very excited about this trip. They are flying into Norway and taking a train from Bergen on the west coast of Norway to Oslo. From there it is short distance to where Jed will be teaching for a week in Sweden. Heather has all sorts of activities planned for herself and the boys during Jed’s work week and then they will spend a week together as a family exploring. What a wonderful opportunity for all of them! They leave on August 12, only one month from now. The summer is going so quickly.
