Bowling in the New Year!

Our annual bowling trip during this vacation week let us to Jillian's/Lucky Strike Bowling in Boston. Literally a stone's throw from Fenway Park, it is the most fun place! Big - no huge - screen tv's at the end of every lane made watching the Patriot's beat the Buffalo Bill's while bowling and eating a winning trifecta!

Perfect food for New Year's Day when all of us were tired for one reason or another. Coconut shrimp, root beer float, onion rings, chicken fingers, salsa burger...perfect.

The only drawback to the afternoon is that I had never bowled with the "big" balls before and I didn't like it very much. Even the 5 lb. ball proved cumbersome and heavy for me. I guess as with anything else practice makes perfect, but I think I'll always be a candlepin gal.

Driving away as the sun was setting on New Year's Day. It seems like we are all only together a couple of times in the year. We pass each other in the driveway or the kitchen, there is work and obligations and varied interests that take us all away from each other. That's why I love this week so much. It's like the universe takes a deep breath.

uGLy sWeAtEr dAy - no shame

Brave boy, er - confident is more like it, my #2 son. His older brother would sooner be dropped in Antarctica with no jacket on than take part in Ugly Sweater Day at school. He asked me last night if I had any "ugly sweaters" and I thought I had something. But fortunately or not, I have outgrown that phase and didn't even have anything leftover from the past decade upstairs.

It is a two part ensemble with tassles and glitter and Santa. Go Carter!

Friendship is the Greatest Gift

How much work it is to throw a party. To make your busy house shine. To make lists of grocery and liquor store items. To stash the miscellaneous papers and electronic devices. To find a place for earrings left by the computer, muddy tennis balls for the dog park and sweep up the dusty bits on the floor. Put down the tablecloths, put out the food, light the candles, have a friend come early to help...race to the finish line. And then...in a swoosh of a moment...it seems like everyone is saying goodnight!

I have great friends, I really do. And we laugh a lot and have fun together. And sometimes way too much time goes by between visits.

Champagne punch, chocolate covered strawberries and eclairs, hot artichoke and spinach dip, scallops wrapped in bacon and lots of sparkly cookies added to the night.

It's an effort to plan and an effort to come. There are many other directions we are pulled at the holidays when life is lived by the hour, not day it seems! The greatest gift is the gift of friendship and taking time to spend together. And that, aching feet, makes it all worth it.

Where do you work?

LOL! My dining room floor full of stuff waiting to be wrapped. Is there a theme here?

Time with Trees

We have had a great time with our fundraiser this year and the band makes a fair amount of their budget from selling these trees. Lots of competition in our town and as of this writing, we have quite a few left. Last year we had early snow in December and we sold out by this time. This year I fear we may end up with some by Christmas.

I love seeing this scene. Just perfect. Little kids running around choosing their favorite tree.

This is the truck of the man who runs our tree sales. His name is Pat and a more dedicated band parent I have not seen. He is out there every single night in the cold. All parents and students are supposed to take a shift or three, but these busy days come so quickly that not all of the slots are always filled. But Pat is always there. Great dad.

We used the band exhibition backdrops as a stage for the young musicians to play - encouraging sales! There have been years when there have been hours of standing around in the crunching snow, drifting snow, falling snow, so this year's mild month has been a gift!

There's $ in them there trees!

Working at a farm stand is mostly tedious and tiring work. Things brighten up considerably when you get an outdoor shift on "tree" duty and tips are a welcome part of the process. After this 6 hour shift my son brought home $103.00. Say What??? Yup, you heard me. Last night he was inside working and the kid working outside got a tip that will become the stuff of legend.

$50.00. Tip. On one tree. He was driving a Mercedes, they said ; )

Stuck Puppy

Doing my part to help the band during the big Christmas Tree sales, I volunteered to pick up an order for 36 wreaths and 6 kissing balls.

I'd say today I even have the Yankee Candle Balsam & Cedar air freshener beat.

One small problem. Bono wanted to come for a ride as always. He jumped in the back seat. We arrived home at 4pm and I don't deliver the wreaths until 5pm. I guess Bono has dinner in the back of the limo tonight.