2024 Life Logs, Day 341: More Christmas Fun
Date: Saturday, December 7, 2024
Weather: Sunny; High Temp 38, Low 33 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

With Heather in an all morning Select Board retreat, Sam taking the SAT, and Jonah and Jed up near Boston at an all day soccer tournament, Ollie and I were free to do as we pleased. We didn’t leave Heather and Jed’s until after 10:30 and decided our first stop would be the French bakery to get breakfast and take it to my house to eat. In addition to Ollie’s chocolate croissant and my quiche, we also got a small fruit tart to share with others later and a chocolate éclair for Sam as a treat after taking the SAT. Once we got our bag of goodies back to my house, we added blackberries and bacon to the menu and had a little feast.

Our next stop was to be the Congregational Church Christmas craft sale, but before we left my house, Heather called to tell us she was finished with her meeting and would like to come join us. She was downtown on her bike, so she rode to my house where we all had a small piece of fruit tart. We made it to the Church so late that the craft sale was almost over, and lunch was being served. The lunch menu included clam chowder and lobster rolls, so instead of buying Christmas presents, Ollie bought a clam chowder. Then it was on to Aldi’s to buy a gingerbread house kit. Actually, Ollie bought two in hopes of making a mega house, but in the end, shared the second one with Jonah. We went back to Heather’s so Ollie could build and decorate the gingerbread house and Heather and I took a few minutes to compare Christmas shopping lists. Ollie didn’t really need my help building,

so I took the opportunity to head to Hyannis to return some of the things I bought for Jonah to try on and to try to find a red hoodie for Ollie to wear in the Christmas parade tomorrow. Sam and I had looked at Walmart and TJ Max last night and found nada. I did a quick tour of most of the stores in the mall in Hyannis and only found one red sweatshirt. But then, that’s all I needed.

I am far from being finished with my Christmas shopping, but in just a few days, I have made a good dent in the list. Tomorrow is the Christmas parade and Jed’s birthday dinner, so Christmas preparations will be put on hold. Tomorrow I also have to get ready for my wine group Christmas gathering on Monday night. The theme is red and white, so I am making a white panna cotta topped with a red berry mixture to pair with a bottle of port. It has to be done and in the refrigerator tomorrow, as early Monday morning I head to Boston with the field trip group to go a special exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts. By the time I get home from that, it will be time to head to the wine group gathering. Tuesday is book club and Early Release Day for the boys. The December Encore Board meeting is on Wednesday and another Christmas concert on Wednesday evening. Thankfully, Thursday and Friday look a little less crazy, so hopefully I can finish up most of my Christmas shopping by week’s end.

2024 Life Logs, Day 340: Christmas Fun
Date: Friday, December 6, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny, Windy, Freezing; High Temp 34, Low 24 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

Late morning, Jane Woodin came over and we gathered greenery to do some Christmas decorating. Afterwards, we had tea and caught up on happenings. Then I headed to Hyannis to look for a “quality” Santa hat for Sam and some other fun things to share during our Christmas tree decorating party. Sam thinks he has outgrown the years old Santa hats in the basement, so I was happy to buy him a new one. I also found a new, crazy one for Jonah. I stopped by Macy’s to see if they might have black pants and a suit jacket for Jonah. He and Ollie have upcoming Christmas concerts and Jonah’s concert outfit from last year is getting on the small side. While shopping for things for Jonah, I found a great Santa outfit that I thought Sam might wear in the parade on Sunday and picked up something for Jed for his birthday which is also this Sunday.

The real reason I was in Hyannis was for the Cape Cod Symphony holiday concert.

Encore members all had seats in the same area. My seat was directly in front of Terry and Olivia White. I was delighted to see them there. Last year I drove with them to the concert and my back and knee were both so bad that Terry had to drop me right by the door. I painfully remember how difficult it was to walk into the high school where the concert is held and get to my seat. What a difference a year and two surgeries make. Today I was able to park far from the school entrance and walk in with no problem. It was a reminder of just how far I have come in a year. I am so very grateful to be able to walk without pain. The concert was delightful, and I am certain that everyone left in happy holiday spirit. I know I certainly did.

It was almost 7 pm when I got back to Falmouth and went to the Goldstones for their Christmas tree decorating party. But there was a problem. There was no place open after 5 pm to buy a tree, so that party will happen tomorrow or on Sunday combined with Jed’s birthday party. But Sam loved his “quality” Santa hat.

And Jonah had a good time wearing the crazy Dr. Suess type Christmas hat I bought for him.

The Santa outfit I bought for Sam was too small for him, but Heather put it on and loved it. She thinks she will just keep it on until Christmas!

After having pizza with the Goldstones, Sam and I headed to Walmart to see if they might have some other items needed for the parade on Sunday, plus I still needed to buy a hat for Ollie. Between Walmart and TJ Max, we found a few things, including the hat for O. But the hunt for other items will have to continue tomorrow.

Sam has to drive to Hyannis early tomorrow morning to take the SATs, Heather has an all morning Select Board retreat, and Jed has to take Jonah to an all-day soccer event. Ollie and I are going to decorate a gingerbread house and then Heather, Ollie, and I are going to a wreath making workshop in the afternoon. If we still have any energy left, we will gather after the sun goes down for the annual lighting of the town green. Santa’s elves are going to be busy tomorrow.

2024 Life Logs, Day 339: Oh, Christmas Tree
Date: Thursday, December 5, 2024
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, Rain AM; 40 High Temp, Low 27 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

My one and only accomplishment today was that I went to Coonemessett Farm to buy a Christmas tree. I brought it home, got it set up in the livingroom, and put the lights on it. Decorating will happen over the weekend. I also went on a little shopping trip and picked up Ollie after school. I have no idea how I managed to do so little. Tomorrow, I have only the morning at home as I go to a Cape Cod Symphony holiday concert in the late afternoon in Hyannis. I will go early to do a little Christmas shopping and return to watch the Goldstones decorate their tree.

Late this afternoon I got a surprise phone call from my friend Linda Stuart whom I have not talked to in ages. Linda and her husband Mike are my friends who rode their bikes ‘around the world’—North America, Central and South America, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Spain. Since 2020, they have been taking an extended break to live in Colorado near their son and his growing family. They are enjoying the two grandchildren, exploring Colorado on foot, doing some biking, but mostly becoming pickleball addicts. Linda teaches pickleball and loves it. They will be spending three months in San Carlos, Mexico, this winter as they have for the past two years. I would love to go visit them in Mexico. They are only a few miles from the marina where my other good friends, Kevin and Claire, live. In one trip I could visit with both. Unfortunately, the budget doesn’t allow it. But I will be with them in spirit,

2024 Life Logs, Day 338: Encore Holiday Luncheon and More
Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; 39 High Temp, Low 37 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

This was a busy day. After my walk with Shadow, I went to the grocery store in anticipation of fixing dinner for the Goldstones, and barely had time to come home and get dressed for the Encore Holiday Luncheon. It was a lovely affair at the nearby Coonasmessett Inn, but I didn’t get home until after 2:30 pm. I had checked in with Heather early this morning and found that she was still feeling terrible. Sam and Ollie were both still home from school today as well. I offered to fix beef stew and mac and cheese for them for dinner as it is the kids’ favorite comfort food and Heather was very appreciative since she is feeling worse than yesterday. The mac and cheese was easy, but the beef stew needed to be in the oven for about three hours. I hustled to get it in the oven by 3:30 pm but needed to take it out early to get it delivered by 6 pm as I learned that Jed and Jonah needed to leave to get Jonah to soccer practice. Delivering the food gave me the opportunity to finally talk to Heather and Sam and Ollie about their trip to the Netherlands. I didn’t get hear much from Jed or Jonah as they had to leave but Heather, even though she says she feels worse than when she had Covid, she was able to tell me about their trip and Sam came down from his bedroom to add to the story. The short story is that the whole family loved the Netherlands. And if I got this right, Sam visited four universities: Groningen, Erasmus in Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Leiden (I think). His favorite by far was the University of Groningen. I need to read a little about each of these so that when we talk again so I will have a better idea of locations. But it was great to find out just how much they all enjoyed the visit.

All of our travels have put us a little behind on getting ready for the holidays, but hopefully before the end of the weekend, everyone will feel better, and we will all get caught up on our holiday to do list . . . getting and putting up our Christmas trees, decorating the trees, putting up the outside lights, making those lists for Santa, and getting things ordered.

2024 Life Logs, Day 336: Aguada to San Juan to Boston to Home
Date: Monday, December 2, 2024
Weather in Falmouth: Sunny; 38 High Temp, Low 25 (Ouch!) degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

It was an early morning, as I got up at 6:45 am to say farewell to Ziggy and Coco before they left for school.
Then Jo drove Ziggy and Coco to Mayaguez for school. When she returned, Justin and I left for San Juan. After a three hour drive from Finca Maravilla in Aguada plus a one hour shopping spree at Costo along the way, Justin got me to the airport in San Juan at 1 pm PR time. My trip home on Jet Blue couldn’t have gone smoother and I was able to catch the 7 pm bus from Boston Logan to the Sagamore Park and Ride to pick up my car, getting me home by a little after 9 pm. I am now snuggling Shadow who was really glad to see me, and I was just as happy to see him. I had a wonderful week with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco, but it always feels good to be home. The only problem is that winter arrived while I was away. Baby, it’s cold outside here on Cape Cod tonight!

While writing this log, I got a text from Heather letting me know that they just arrived in Boston after a harrowing day of travel–a flight delay causing a missed connecting flight and on and on. Hopefully, they will be home shortly after midnight, which will be 6 am tomorrow morning in Amsterdam. The Goldstones had a very, very, very long travel day, but I can’t wait to hear all about their trip.

2024 Life Logs, Day 335: Last Day at Finca Maravilla
Date: Sunday, December 1, 2024
Weather: Sunny AM, Partly Sunny PM; 87 High Temp, Low 77 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico

Entering the daily weather information just now, I realized that I am really not returning to a colder Cape Cod than the one I left. When I get home late tomorrow night, the temperature will be around 30 degrees F (ouch!), but when I fly out of San Juan mid-afternoon the temperature will be the high 80’s. That’s a big difference. I love hot and I am going to miss the 88 degree days. And the warm weather is not all that I am going to miss. It has been wonderful to spend a full seven days here Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco. I hate that we live so far apart, and will miss being with them once I return home.

Today was Christmas tree day. We drove to Home Depot in Mayaguez to get the tree. When we got home, Jo put the lights on the tree while Coco put lights in the hallway ceiling. It is looking festive here! And just now as I was saying goodnight to Ziggy, I realized how wonderful it is that I have been here for Thanksgiving for the past three years. Here’s hoping I can return next year.

2024 Life Logs, Day 334: From Finca Maravilla to Marina Beach to Puntes to Cowboys
Date: Saturday, November 30, 2024
Weather: Mostly Sunny; 87 High Temp, Low 75 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico

Today was a day of going here and there with everyone going in different directions. Jo and Coco went into Rincon to run some errands while Justin and I walked the horses across the road to a neighbor’s field where they can graze during the day. I wanted to tag along just to see Cacique and Hopi. I have been here six days, and this was the first time I have had a chance to see them. It is a short trip, not much more than half a mile, but the steepness of the driveway getting from here at the house up to the road is truly the steepest I have ever encountered.

I was exhausted by the time we reached the road, but then it was flat and downhill to the neighbor’s fields. The problem was I had to walk back up the neighbor’s steep driveway. Not as steep as Finca Maravilla’s, but steep enough!

Jo and Coco barely got home from running errands before it was time for Jo to take Coco to Marina Beach in Rincon for a birthday party. I tagged along as wanted to go to the beach. Coco said she didn’t want to spend more than two hours at the party, and I knew I could find a place on the beach far enough away from the birthday party so that Coco wouldn’t feel like I was intruding. It was a beautiful beach day with calm water and full sunshine. I enjoyed every minutes of it, but two hours was enough for me. Coco, however, was having such a good time that she decided not to leave when Justin came to pick me up. In the meantime, he had gone to pick up the truck with a new key fob made to order and he had taken Ziggy to a friend’s house for the afternoon. Justin took me home and then he drove Jo to Puntes to the market where she set up a stall to sell her natural beauty products. On the way home, Justin stopped to pick up Coco for the second time, and still she was not ready to leave. So once again, Justin drove up the mountain with just enough time to go get the horses and bring them home before getting a text from Coco that she was ready to leave. I was exhausted just watching him drive in and out and in and out and took a nap while he went to get Coco.

Then it was time for the final trip of the day. After Coco showered off, the three of us went to pick up Ziggy and then drove to Puntes to get Jo. The market was still going, so Justin, Ziggy, Coco, and I walked across the street to an oceanside restaurant and had cold drinks while waiting for Jo. At 7 pm, we went back to help her take down the tent and pack up her goods and get them into the truck. Then we all piled in and went to Cowboys for dinner.

Cowboys is a covered outside restaurant with a yeehaw Western theme where their wood-fired grills “infuse every bit with smoky perfection.” We have gone there many times when I have been here visiting, and Ziggy really wanted to go there for dinner tonight. When Ziggy and Coco were little, they would put on the cowboy hats and ride the little mechanical bucking broncos. Now we just go to eat the food, but after dinner Ziggy did grab a cowboy hat and did a little Western jig. I think that was his was of saying he really enjoyed the dinner.

While we are here in warm, sunny Puerto Rico having fun, Heather, Jed, and the Goldpebbles are now in much cooler Amsterdam having fun. Today’s photo was of the boys looking out over the canal landscape with windmills. Unfortunately for all of us tomorrow is the last vacation day. On Monday, Coco and Ziggy go back to school after a week long break, I fly home, and the Goldstones fly home. I am not sure what is on the agenda in the Netherlands, but we are going to get a Christmas tree so it can be decorated while I am here. ‘Tis the season.

2024 Life Logs, Day 333: The Day After
Date: Friday, November 29, 2024
Weather: Mostly Sunny; 87 High Temp, Low 78 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico

It was a slow start this morning, the day after our Thanksgiving feast. I think we all had sugar overload from all the pies as none of us slept as soundly as normal plus then we slept in a little later than usual. Jo spent her morning getting her beauty health products ready to sell at the first Saturday market of the season.

I read outside in the sunshine and Justin ran into town to do some errands. Coco has not been feeling up to par for the last few days, so she stayed in her room resting. She has a virus of some sort but was actually feeling a bit better today.

After lunch, Justin took Ziggy to the gym. Then a little later in the afternoon, we all headed to Steps Beach with the hope of snorkeling. Justin had overheard people in the market this morning talking about it being a calm day for snorkeling at Steps Beach. So that is where we headed. Unfortunately, the tide was coming in and it was just too rough. We walked down the beach past the famous ‘steps’.

Some say they floated ashore during Hurricane Hugo in 1989 while others say it is a concrete set of steps that belonged to a seaside house that washed away. Whichever, the iconic steps just sit there letting the waves crash into them day after day. We walked on to the rock pools where we thought we could sit in the water and be protected from the waves, but even that was too rough. A huge wave came rolling in and sent us sliding back through the sand and rocks. Jo ended up with scrapes on her arms from sliding across the rocks. So we gave up and walked back to where we had left our blankets on the beach.

Justin was going to the truck to get something but couldn’t find his keys. He had left them wrapped in his t-shirt on the beach and before our walk, but Jo had picked up the shirt to put it on her beach blanket before we took off on our walk. She didn’t realize the keys were in the shirt and all we can figure is that the keys fell out of the shirt, landed on the beach, and then got washed out to sea with a waves. Their second key was in Jo’s beach bag that was stolen a couple of months ago, so we were without a key to the truck. And it is a push button start with an electronic fob, not an old-fashioned key. They did a little research and found a local guy who said he could get a new fob and have the truck up and running by days’ end if they had the truck towed to his house. Jo called a friend who picked up Justin, the kids, and me and took us home while Jo waited at the beach for the tow truck. Justin then drove their second car named Cherry back to the beach, went with the truck as it was towed to the guy’s house, and Jo came home. The guy didn’t have the parts needed after all but says he will have them tomorrow. We will keep our fingers crossed. Justin walked home from there while Jo drove Coco to meet up with her friends from school in Mayaguez to go see Wicked. Justin, Ziggy, and I had Thanksgiving leftovers for dinner, as did Jo when she got home. Justin has now gone back to Mayaguez to pick Coco up. Whew! What an unexpected crazy afternoon and evening.

2024 Life Logs, Day 332: Thanksgiving Day
Date: Thursday, November 28, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; 87 High Temp, Low 76 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico

This was a typical Thanksgiving Day spent in the kitchen, but we managed to have some fun while preparing our Thanksgiving feast. We started the day with Coco making Monkey Bread for brunch to go with the bacon wrapped sausages. Coco had never made this before and I don’t think I have made it for years. But Heather makes it every Christmas morning and Ziggy and Coco wanted to try it

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We don’t have a bundt pan, so we made it in bread pans. Ziggy liked it, but his comment was, “This is diabetes in a bread pan.” Can’t say he is wrong about that!

Next Coco made a fruit turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, Ziggy made an apple pie, and Jo made a pecan pie with a grain-free crust. Once those pies were out of the oven, we put the smoked turkey in the oven to warm and Justin made mashed potatoes while Jo made roasted veggies, broccoli, and gravy.

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I didn’t get the pumpkin pies into the oven until after Thanksgiving dinner and then I managed to forget about them while we played a game of Uno. Thankfully, only the crust on one of the pies looks totally burned, so we will find out if they are edible for breakfast in the morning.

It is wonderful to be here with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco and to have time to get to know Ziggy and Coco as teenagers. Coco is only twelve, but she is already a full-fledged teen. I am thankful that I got to see them twice this year, once when they visited with me in early June and now visiting them here on their home turf. The last two times I have visited for Thanksgiving, I left the very next morning because flights on the weekend after Thanksgiving are ridiculously expensive, and in the past, Monday was too expensive as well. But for whatever reason, a flight back home on Monday this year was reasonable. So, I have three more days here before heading home. And I am looking forward to every minute of it.

Heather, Jed, and the Goldpebbles spent their day indoor snowboarding and having a fondue dinner in the Netherlands. Heather sent a text explaining the location and sent a photo of them waiting for dinner, but I can’t tell you where specifically they are as I somehow managed to delete the message thread. She resent the photo, but I will have to wait until we are home to find out the name of the university Sam was visiting in the town with the indoor snowboarding.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

2024 Life Logs, Day 331: Beach in Anasco and Shopping in Mayaguez
Date: Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Weather: Partly Sunny; 86 High Temp, Low 77 degrees F
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco in Aguada, Puerto Rico

There was a little change in plans today, but we still stuck to the basic plan of going to a beach and then then going to the Mayaguez mall to do a little Christmas shopping. I had asked Ziggy and Coco if they could go shopping with me so I could see the kinds of things they like. But by the time we gone to the beach and then fought the traffic to get to the mall, shopping seemed less inviting to all of us. We were successful in getting a new pair of sneakers for a very hard to fit Ziggy and I was able to buy the “something to wear” part of Christmas for Ziggy, Coco, and Justin. So, I’ll call that a success.

We had planned to go to the beach south of Mayaguez in Cabo Roho, and we still might do that before I leave, but when we remembered that we had to pick up the smoked turkey this evening and go to the Art Mart on the town plaza tonight, we decided we didn’t have the time to travel so far afield. The beach we did go to in Anasco was perfect for me. It had a sandy entry and the waves were gentle. Justin, Jo, and I just stood out in the water and talked for a long while and then I put on my snorkel and just relaxed, floating face down on the water. The mall experience was not as delightful, but I did accomplish my goal of learning a little more about Ziggy and Coco’s taste in clothing.

The smoked turkey and Mark’s cranberry salad are in the refrigerator tonight in anticipation of Thanksgiving tomorrow. Coco wants to make Monkey Bread for breakfast and then we will launch into a pie making frenzy. Ziggy wants an apple pie, I want one of Jo’s pecan pies, and we must have a pumpkin pie. Then Coco is planning to design a fruit turkey to go with a salad for lunch and Ziggy and I are going to make “acorns” out of Hershey’s Kisses and mini Nila Wafers for dessert and Thanksgiving table decorations. After lunch we will launch into preparing all the sides to go with the turkey.