by Judy Handley | Oct 31, 2019 | 2019 Life Logs |
2019 Life Logs, Day 304: Halloween 2019
Date: Thursday, October 31, 2019
Weather: Rain Early, Then Cloudy, Then Windy; High 73, Low 51 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Halloween 2019 was warm and balmy here on Cape Cod. We expected pouring rain all day and evening, but the rain ended by noon and the southerly winds blew in the warmth. No coats were needed for Trick or Treating tonight. Even with the wind, it felt like a warm summer evening.
When I arrived at the Goldstones, Sam and his friend Ethan were setting up the fog and light machines and getting the skeleton head that emits spooky sounds ready to greet Trick or Treaters. As the sun set, they turned on the candles in the jack-o-lanterns and Heather made up Vampire Ollie’s face.
Sam and Ethan headed out early, followed by Wizard Jed, Baseball Player Joey, Rosie the Riveter Molly, and Vampire Ollie. I dawned my black cat ears and joined Witch Heather in handing out the candy. I thought I was going to be handing out candy with Sam, but since I last talked to him, he decided that he’s not too old to go Trick or Treating after all.
And what a haul of candy the boys returned with. I didn’t talk to Justin and family today, but I did get to see a photo of Ziggy and Coco dressed in their costumes on Facebook. Coco was dressed as a female Robin Hood and Ziggy had on his scientist lab coat and BIG glasses.
by Judy Handley | Oct 30, 2019 | 2019 Life Logs |
2019 Life Logs, Day 303: Day Down Under
Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Weather: Mostly Cloudy with Some Drizzle; High 68, Low 59 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
No. I didn’t travel to Australia today. But I did spend my day Down Under. The morning was spent in my basement doing a little organizing and the afternoon was spent in Heather’s basement doing the same. And the benefit for me was that while working in Heather and Jed’s basement, I did my laundry. So, it was a win for all. On Wednesdays, I pick Ollie up from school and deliver him to his violin lesson where Heather meets us and takes over. But I really enjoy the car ride into town with Ollie. Today he went on a field trip to the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. This is only about 2 miles from here, but I have never explored there. Ollie gave me a very detailed and enthusiastic description. He obviously had a wonderful time and convinced me that I need to go there soon. This morning Jonah headed to the National Seashore with his class for a couple of days, so I didn’t get to see him this afternoon. But I did get to see Sam and we found that we were both dressed in burgundy long sleeve shirts with a dark-blue collared shirt underneath. I learned that Sam is running for Student Council and I love his platform. He wants to get healthier food served in the school cafeteria. Go, Sam!
by Judy Handley | Oct 28, 2019 | 2019 Life Logs |
2019 Life Logs, Day 301: 64 Days Left in 2019
Date: Monday, October 28, 2019
Weather: Overcast with Some Drizzle; High 61, Low 47 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Just now when I typed ‘Life Log, Day 301’, I was reminded that we have only 64 days left in 2019. It is definitely time to check on your New Year’s Resolution for this year to see if you have made progress toward your goal. Or if you are like me, you don’t remember what your resolution was, so you can just make up something and call it a win. But back to today, it was overcast like yesterday, just without the rain. I am hoping for a bit of sunshine tomorrow for the Newcomers field trip to New Bedford since we are doing an outside walking tour. I spent a lot of today reading about architecture . . . the architecture of the homes and buildings in New Bedford and the architectural styles in New England over nearly 400 years. I didn’t need to do this to prepare for the field, I just had the time and wanted some background information. When I was in college, I took an architecture class as an art credit, but unfortunately I think I must have slept through that class. I do remember learning about a ‘5-window I’ design, but when I Google that, I come up with nothing. Maybe I made it up. My reading today did remind me of some of the things I learned, and now when I hear Colonial, Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, or Victorian, I get a refreshed picture in my mind. Life-long learning and re-learning is a good thing.
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.
