The Return of Eric

I find that I can handle ageing when measured against the slow steady growth of my kids.  It becomes a bit more difficult when I start measuring my age against the grandkids growth.  But when I think about how old I am after seeing one of the kids childhood friends who I haven't seen in years, it's a kick in the tail.

Eric popped over to hang with Bret tonight.  It's great to see them together again after going their own way after high school.

 Eric is the reason for our infamous sex education talks we gave the kids every New Years.   I was driving Eric, Bret and Joey around when Eric was telling Bret a fictional story about where babies came from.  He and Bret had to have been around 10 years old.  I figured if we had reached the stage where Bret was going to hear about sex, et al, from his friends then I better jump in and give him the truth.  Joey was asleep, fortunately.  That was the first of what became an annual tradition of giving the kids straight talk about sex.  We felt good about being the parents who could talk to their kids about such things.  That is until Bret told us that he was going to become a father at 18.  The talks ended abruptly after that.

Welcome back, Eric.  Hope to see more of you.

I'm no Bear Grylls

It seems that the passion for the outdoors and camping and climbing skips a generation.  Those are not activities that I instilled in Bret.  My Dad is the one who he would have picked that up from.  Bret and my Dad only overlapped one year. Maybe it was enough for Bret to transfer his outdoorsie vibe.

Bret likes to say that I used to be a camper but I changed.  He thinks I used to wear flannel shirts and hiking boots.  It's funny the memories you have as a kid.  In reality, I camped twice with them.  Once was a disaster.  I had no money and brought minimal supplies.  I remember trying to open a can of beans with a rock.  However, if Bret wants to remember me as a Boy Scout then let's just leave him with that memory.

A lovely Monday

Left over from Sunday.  Wyatte doing his Nixon imitation.

"I am not a crook .... but Malikai ...?"

Double rainbow tonight.  View from the deck.

My Mom had us over for dinner tonight.  I love her spaghetti sauce, so she makes sure I get it whenever we come for dinner.  She also knows I love her banana bread.... I hope I get some of her banana bread before we have to go back to England....

 Me and my boys.... love being with them.  I'm already feeling sad about going back to England.

 Mom and her boys.  She's shrinking before my eyes...

 I got locked out of the house tonight so I strolled down town and got an Arturo Fuente cigar.  These are three pictures from my new cigar action series.  Great moments in cigars.

Bill smoking in front of garbage.

Bill smoking in front of grass.

Bill smoking in front of flowers.

I'll make you long for the sink series yet.

                     

Mackay Boys

We spent the day with the boys.  My how they've grown.

Malikai playing with bugs

Mini-meltdown during breakfast

Wyatte taking a picture of the two of us.  His arm isn't long enough.

I have yellow war paint on.  (it was actually a yellow mushroom I rubbed on my face to make the kids laugh.  They thought it was weird)

Wyatte loves to climb.  Bret hooked him up in his tree harness.  Wyatte was asking which branches he could cut down.  He's a future tree man.

Big hug from Malikai.  What's better than a random hug from your grandkid.

Bret-man is looking good.  His work with trees has him really fit and tanned.  I, on the other hand, am rocking a pasty white, flabby soft look

Busy weekend, sad to see end.

Fitbit Friends and Brothers From Another Mother - - Jen and Chris and Bill and Earle

On Saturday my friends Chris and Earle came down from VT to spend the weekend. Chris and Earle are part of the Booktopia gang and Chris is one of my Fitbit Buddies. (In case it hasn't been clearly stated in the blog - there is a group of seven of us from Booktopia that also have Fitbits and we have become quite a close knit clan.)

Since this is the start of Yankee Homecoming, we started the day at the Art on the Mall show/sale.  There were several items that tempted us and Bill tried to start a competition to see which couple could buy more art but we all lost.

After lunch and a stop at the bookstore we hit the beach.  

Chris and I took a long walk and I compared Fitbit numbers.  Somehow I got 500 more than she did on the same walk.  

Bill took this opportunity to wear his white shoes. 

So while Chris and I were walking, Bill and Earle were bonding.  Seems like they were separated at birth although we don't really know what they bonded over.  I guess what happens on Plum Island stays on Plum Island.  One thing we know they both enjoyed was the view.

At sunset we tore ourselves away from the waves and the bikinis to head back to town for dinner where we covered everything from political current events to podcasting to flatulence at yoga.   

Laura graciously opened her house to them since our house was full of MacKay boys of every age.  Then Laura joined us for breakfast back on Plum Island and entertained us with many stories covering her years in the peace corp and the Atwood street gossip. 

Now that Bill and Earle are mates, they decided to pose as manly men with tools.  Are you buying this look?

Meanwhile, Chris and I don't need props - we just have our happy smiles.    I was so sad to see them go.  Come to England, C&E!  Bookstores, beer, castles and royals are all waiting for you.

Bill's first Nbpt Pizza Night in 2013

Our first pizza night of the trip home with Trudi and Joey (Bret wound up having to stay late at work at the last minute).  We brought them all the news from England.

 Bill loves his Mom and his boy - we were all so happy to be together again.

 Of course, once the sentimental moments are over, the clowning begins.  Bill taught Trudi and Joey how to give the finger in the UK - - Trudi didn't quite understand it so she is giving a happy version rather than flipping it with 'tude like Joey.

 Somehow Bill's hats all came down stairs and we started rating and ranking - now some are going off with Joey for his small fries at camp to wear.  

The pizza tasted SO good.  We're officially back!  Watch this space for more family pics and Newburyport goings-on for the next two weeks!

Airport Lounge

Yesterday was another day of travel but this time we are going home!!  We can't even remember how/why we have business class tickets.  I have never flown business class and now I don't know how I will ever go back to economy!!  We had our own little security line getting into the terminal and then we got to spend 2 hours in the lounge.   I almost didn't want to leave!  Here's a shot of Bill and I lounging.

The lounge had free wifi, big screen TVs and lots of little seating areas with comfy sofas and chairs.

It also had free food and drinks!  Of course, I say "free" but there was nothing free about it since we paid for it with our ticket.  Still, that seems like ages ago.  Now we just sit back and reap the benefits.

Bill kept telling me to "act like I've been there before" but of course, it was obvious that I was so excited and has no idea how all the little do dads in my "pod" seat worked.  The guys across the aisle had to keep explaining to me "That's your tray table....you just hit that button...." and so on.

Sadly, the afternoon glass of wine gave me a headache near the end of the flight so I have to remember not to indulge on the way back.  That's right, we get to do this again but next time I'll be a seasoned pro.  I'm already envisioning me on my next economy flight asking why no one has come around with the hot hand towels and champagne.  

The Last Parisian Post

Sunday in Paris.  First stop - The Little Black Dress exhibit (brought to my attention by my Fitbit pal Nancy!)  This was actually an American exhibit put on by SCAD,  the Savannah College of Art and Design (the same place we bought our favorite painting of the guy in the aviator helmet).  But it was right on my path so I decided to pop in for a look see.

 Who doesn't like a little black dress?

 It was hot and muggy but I persevered....onward to the stalls along the Seine.  The books are all in French but I still like looking at the variety and the maps and prints for sale.

 Marriage Freres is the famous tea emporium of Paris.  Although I'm set for life with all the tea I've bought in England, I had to pop in for a few leaves.

 Anyone who know me and Paris knows that this would be my destination - Shakespeare and Company, the English bookstore on the left bank.

 I look a little deranged in this pic but after taking half a dozen selfies this was the only one where I caught the name of the store and didn't have a big fat face.

 This is a little donation bank in the floor of the bookstore - the note says it's a fund to feed starving writers.

 I was tempted to buy a few books but my suitcase was already filling up fast.  TAMPA was very tempting though...but adding the weight of a hardcover I could buy anywhere just didn't make sense.  And yet, the jacket cover was a cool velvety material....no, too heavy, don't do it!!

 Upstairs in the bookstore was a piano that anyone could just sit down and play.  A customer was playing book browsing music while I was there.  

Didi and I met up for lunch.  She decided to take the morning off from sight seeing so while I was rambling around the city she was lounging with her ipad and a book.  

Sadly, that's the extent of my photos on Sunday.  Anyone up on the news would know that Sunday was the finish to the Tour de France.  Diane and I are NOT up on the world news so we didn't know that until we got to Paris that weekend.  We were only a few blocks from the Arch where the cyclists all rode around 10 times in honor of the 100th anniversary.  There was a big light show as well.  We know, because we watched a few minutes on TV.  What is the attraction to a light show in the side of a wall? Come to think of it, what is the attraction of a bike race?  I just don't get why anyone wants to be a spectator at these events.  I'd rather be out to dinner and then tucked up in bed with my book - which is exactly where I was.  As the wonderful Lucia (by EF Benson) would say, "Au resevoir, Paris!"