We are not good influences on the nice

Went out for pizza with Mom. She never fails to entertain. She said the reason my doctor told me to rebook my appointment after I showed up 10 minutes late was because she must have been having her period. Jennie and I loved that one, coming from my sweet Mother.

DEVASTATED!!!!

The box that I have been so anxiously awaiting for the past 2 months has finally arrived....only to find that it was ripped open in transit creating a hole big enough for all my beloved books to fall out! I am in utter mourning. The 4 that survived were the 4 that were actually available in the US but the UK had paperback versions. So I have NONE of the unique Scottish books that I spent hours picking out and many many dollars shipping. I do have a Hearts program from the football game and one of the many little stocking stuffers that we bought in Edinburgh but this is no consolation. Seriously, I may not recover from this disappointment.

There's nothing soft about softball

This is my man after a hard night of softball - his incredible diving catch wasn't enough to save the game.

I didn't actually see this feat of athleticism....I was watching "Lark Rise to Candleford" with Denise and Christin.

simple life

This reminds me of the picnic that the Drapers took in Mad Men's first season.

Back to a simpler time when after a family outing you threw the trash in the pond after you chain smoked for the afternoon.

Chris and Dan come to Newburyport

...and we forget to take a picture of them. Instead we have a picture of Bill cleaning up after our night. Details of note - the lettuce bouquet from Laura and the squirrel cut out with the naughty bit blurred.

Late Night Window Shopping

Post pizza walk around town on a beautiful Friday night.

Would you trust this woman with a festival?

Tonight was our festival post luck celebration (better late than never). Vicki modeled her Kentucky derby hat and entertained us all with stories of her bloody nose. Somehow we all got on to the topic of boob size - should they be just big enough for champagne flutes or to hold a pencil underneath? A rousing song of Alouette was a highlight. Onward to 2011!

Lessons in HR

I'm mentoring this intern.... I've taught him several inappropriate things that HR can get away with because of who we are... Young Grasshopper is a quick study

My boss, Karen. She's always wanting...

Why didn't I think of this before??

If I don't pay enough attention to Bill he starts doing chores to entertain himself...the bathroom repaint was resurrected tonight!

auspicious start to the season

We lost leads of 11 runs in the sixth and 7 runs in the seventh to lose our first softball game of the year. My knees sting from diving around but I can't complain because my buddy Randy is sporting a dodo-egg-sized crater on his knee. He probably needs surgery but he said after icing it, "I'm not sure if I'm going to play basketball tomorrow. I'll let you know."

Happy Pappy Day!

The World's Greatest Dad gets a day of all his favorites - breakfast on the deck, painting, cigars, lunch at Port Tavern with the NY Times and a couple of beers...and of course time with his boys either in person (Joey) or via phone (Bret).

Pomp and Circumstance

Cute couples attending the graduation party for Alix MacKay.

Sumner is a hoot. He asked Jen if my awful beard has made me a better lover.

Old people have license to say anything....

FANtastic Friday

We treat ourselves well. Tonight we ate Salmon and prime rib at The River Merrimac.

Then we drifted into a drunken sleep to the hum of our oscillating fan.

Hate the Lakers....

Having heart failure watching Game 7....

Hate the Lakers.... Hate the Lakers....Hate the Lakers....

That's Entertainment!

At the Mass Lab Grand Opening today, a certain red headed employee initiated a balloon popping strip tease to keep the press, dignitaries, and analysts distracted while they waited for the Governor to arrive. He appeared just in time to keep the blue balloons over the naughty bits.

Desperate Blog Photos

This is what happens when we just go to work, eat and then want to go to bed....feeble blog updates and photos. Although I did update the blog template - thoughts?

Sofa Rides - $5

Stacey and Dave try to pick up some extra cash for their new home by offering sofa rides up and down the fire escape.

the day began like this....

Isn't Jen cute in the morning? She wakes up happy.....

The day ended with Jen singing the entire Les Miserables soundtrack as she got into bed for the night.

Andy wishes he had my life....

Reunited and it feels so good

Jen spent her first day back home playing with Petey.

Celtics tie it up, Jennie comes home

Good night watching the Celtics beat the Lakers. Watched outside while I had a cigar looking through the living room window like a peeping Tom.

Jennie comes home after a week in Orlando.

Bill does load of laundry; holds press conference

In an attempt to help out while Jennie is away, Bill does a load of laundry.

Following this Bill frantically buys new clothes online to replace the ones he ruined before Jen comes home tomorrow night.

At least mow the lawn....

I drove past the house that Randy built for me years ago. It's been totally neglected.

Hated to see it in that condition.

A weak Monday post

Posting this to show Jen I took out the trash while she is away.

I'm boring without Jen home.

Mike inspires everyone

Mike teaches Bill "The Crane"

Mike reenacts Rocky while Bill hums "Gonna Fly Now".

I know what you're thinking. "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?

Joey, Mike and I shot a pistol for the first times in our lives. We went to a sketchy little place in Salisbury run by two guys who the movie Deliverance was based on. It was louder and more intimidating than I expected. Joey outshot Mike and I.

The return of THE DUDE

Mike dropped in for a bonus weekend. Good day: Buffalo Chicken Wrap for lunch, Golf at the worst course in the U.S., takeout dinner on the new deck while listening to Rick Springfield.

Jennie flew off to a work event this morning. She shouldn't have left three Dudes alone (Joey is here too).

Cause and Effect

100 cans of soda later, Kieran wigs out...

Hit the road, Christin!

Poor Chi had a bad bike accident today resulting in two sets of stitches and many pieces of gravel pulled out of her skin. But even a trip to the hospital won't get in the way of Middlemarch night at Denise's....and she even brought cookies!

We own you, Squirrels!

We've invested a bunch of money in our house over the years, but the best addition we made was the $6 wrought iron hanger that i put the bird feeders on and hung outside our bedroom. The damn squirrels have been foiled and we wake up to the sound of chickadees fluttering outside our bedroom window.

Law Breaker

Watch for Jen on the next America's Most Wanted...for pinching the neighbor's peonies. But look at them - it was worth it!!

Girlie Man

We've had this print for years but have never figured out if this scary kid is a boy or a girl.