Very Quick Update on Nothing at All
Now Playing: Something by Staind, I Just Can't think of the Name of the song!
Topic: Family Business

Yes, so I don't have a lot of time today, I should be doing a lot of things & I haven't done much of anything, mr 7 took some scissors to his head yesterday while his sister was (not) watching him & I was at work. So among other things I have to shave his head. He & his older sister also both need some more clothes to start back to school in. ( Miss 10 is more than prepared thanks to hand me downs & Goodwill!) The pictures are new, cute & take a bunch of space, well the
 one of the younger 2 is cute, miss 16 is cute but moody & has not been pleasant the last few days, mostly because of school coming up & the boyfriend thing. He's away, she's here. Work is work as always, I'm STILL having trouble getting back into the swing of things there, but at least I'm not having nightmares about the computer programs anymore (well, at least not more than once a week!) It occoured to me yesterday that the last 2 days were the first time I went to work & did my job with out really thinking on my way in there, 'damn, I have to use that stuipd computer program' I just went in, did my job & accepted that the program we use now is what I'm using to do it. I consider that a breakthrough of sorts & it helps that by the end of the year everyone in the whole call center is going to be using the computer program from hell- Comfort in the misery of others- yes, that's just Lovely!

 Something Miss 16 could totaly get into I'm sure. 

In other news everything is quiet, Chrissie's scheduled to be moving next week, I have mixed emotions about the whole back to school thing (August 17 here in SW VA - my county is always the earliest of the early!)  On the one hand I will miss the kids company, if I feel like going somewhere on my days off I have to go alone (NOT always a bad thing- my kids don't belong in antique or craft stores) or wait until they get out of school in the afternoon. Also I do enjoy getting up on my days off in the morning to quiet & wandering around doing what ever I want with out any concern for what the kids are doing or how it imacts what I want to do (ie: waiting for the computer or the tv or the BATHROOM!) & I like knowing someone else has care of them, once they get on the school bus I don't have to worry about if they're punching each other, need to go to the bathroom or need a drink of water, I get a BREAK from fulfiling all their needs, wants etc. Heck, as for the drawback, where they're not available to do stuff while they're in school that's the best reason for having Saturdays off like I do- that's what Saturdays are for!

   1. What curse word do you use the most?
   Did this already, Damnit!   

   2. Do you own an iPod?
  Nope but I'd like one!
      
   3. Who on your MySpace “Top 8” do you talk to the most?
  I just got a myspace & I only have a top 3 so far! I would have to say my daughter
      
   4. What time is your alarm clock set for?
  7:15 am on work days, I use no alarm on my days off, that's what the kids are for!
      
   5. What color is your room?
  Pink rose wallpaper which was there when I moved in.
      
   6. Flip flops or sneakers?
  Flip Flops because they're easier to take off so I can be barefoot which is my true preference
      
   7. Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?

  Take it every time.
     
   8. What was the last movie you watched?
  Pirates of the Carribiean 2.

   9. Do any of your friends have children?
  Yes, most do.
    
  10. Has anyone ever called you lazy?
 Yes, lost a Mother's helper job when I was 14 because they thought I was lazy
    
  11. Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep faster?
 If you call Valerian root medication. it certainly helps me sleep though!
    
  12. What CD is currently in your CD player?
 Living room: Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes,
 Kitchen: Limp Bizkit, Chocolate Starfish
 Car: Audioslave Out of Exile
 Computer Hard drive Bruce Springsteen Born in the USA

    
  13. Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk?
      Chocolate

  14. Has anyone told you a secret this week?
  I think the Fact that one of my co-workers called in sick when she was just not into going to work was a secret, I did the same & I kept her secret too!

  15. Have you ever given someone a hickey?
  Of course.   

  16. Who was the last person to call you?
  Chrissie.
      
  17. Do you think people talk about you behind your back?
  I doubt it, but they might, I don't really think I'm on anybody's radar enough to be discussed behind my back, after all I never do anything but go online, watch tv, hang out with my kids, garden & read,
    
  18. Did you watch cartoons as a child?
  Anytime they were on, there was no cartoon channels when I was a kid, they were only on saturday morning & on a couple of fuzzy uhf channels on weekday afternoons.
     
  19. How many siblings do you have?
  1. a brother, deceased.
     
  20. Are you shy around the opposite sex?
  I'm shy around everyone I haven't known for at least 6 months! Though I do have occasional outbursts of outgoing-ness.
      
  21. What movie do you know every line to?
  At Close Range
  Con Air
     
  22. Do you own any band t-shirts?
     Now Just a Rush shirt from 1995, I used to have a huge collection as a teenager, I lived in them.

  23. What is your favorite salad dressing?
  Depending on my mood Italian or Bleu Cheese.

  24. Do you read for fun?
  All the Time!

  25. Do you cry a lot?
  Nope but I used to, Now I strive not to cry & fail to understand people who like movies & tv shows which make them cry, I try to avoid those shows.

  26. Who was the last person to text message you?
 Miss 16

  27. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop?
   Desktop.

  28. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoo?
  Sure, who's paying? No really, I'd love a pretty Rose tattoo, I have 3 which I did myself & I'm curious as to wether the professional ones hurt as much as the homemade.
 
 29. What is the weather like?
 Right now Warm & Dark

  30. Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos?
  Probably Not but it would depend on their personality

  31. Is sex before marriage wrong?
  Heck, I think Marriage is wrong!
   ( I like sex pretty well though- when I can remember what it is!)

  32. When was the last time you slept on the floor?
  When we went to MA on Vacation

  33. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?
  Nine, though I've found I can do it on 6 as long as I only do it 1 day & get the full 9 the next night.
    
  34. Are you in love or lust?
   Not really
      
  35. Are your days full and fast-paced?
  That's debatable, work is always fast paced but not in a good way!
      
  36. Do you pay attention to calories on the back of packages?
  yes, & the sugar & carbs, but I don't always listen to it.
     
  37. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
      38

  38. Are you picky about spelling and grammar?
  Very picky just lately    

  39. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
  Nope, but I have been to riverside park in Agawam Mass before it was a six flags!

  40. Do you get along better with the same or opposite sex?
  Depends on the person, I think I tend to prefer men to talk to because we don't have to get all in depth on our emotions, we can just have a conversation.

  41. Do you like cottage cheese?
  Yes.

  42. Do you sleep on your side, tummy, or back?
  Lately I sleep sitting up to aid my lungs in staying clear, about 3 am I roll onto my side though & alternate sides the rest of the night.
      
  43. Have you ever bid for something on eBay?
  Yes, I lost because I didn't check it often enough, I've bought 2 cell phones thry the buy it now setup & the first was ok, 16 is still using it, the other was a crock, it was supposed to be the right company but wouldn't work right, it just roamed & roamed & roamed.
      
  44. Do you enjoy giving hugs?
  I used to but now I just want it over, unless it's my kids. I figured out that guys just want to do the hug thing so they can feel your boobs too which soured it for me a little.

  45. What is your favorite TV show?
  Don't have one, well, maybe Hexed on BBC.
      
  46. Which celebrity, dead or alive, would you want to have lunch with?
      Johnny Depp

  47. Last time you had butterflies in your stomach?
 in July before leaving on vacation July 10-25  
     
  48. What one thing do you wish you had?
  Unlimited Cash, (it says 1 'thing' If it had said 1 feeling I'd have said love but it says THING)
     
  49. Favorite lyrics?
  It depends on the occasion... Just now: "hate me today, hate me for always so you can finaly see what's good for you" from Blue October's Hate me.
  Because that's how I have to feel about an awful lot of people in my past & it is a hard thing to do but I know they're toxic.

Random Musings
Now Playing: No Excuses by Alice in Chains
Topic: Rambling on
Man I'm telling you, when I get the credit card un-maxed & complete the school shopping (that second one will be before the first!) The firt thing I'm going to get is a scanner, I've wanted one for awhile, but a monitor was a bigger need, For the moment I have Chrissies monitor & when she moves (it's looking like soon now) I have an old one my mother gave me from her computer which died this year (miss 16 moved heaven & earth to fit both that & the little computer my uncle let me have for miss 16 into the car on the trip home from vacation this year) So the monitor is taken care of & we also have 2 printers, 1 with ink & 1 with out so all I really need is a scanner, the reason I want a scanner is that I want to post pictures from the past on here. You see I had a stack of pictures about 2 inches thick on my shelf, all loose pictures which the kids have used for timelines at school or taken out to show someone somewhere, & have been accumulating on the shelf for most of the last year & today I put them in order & put them back in my albums. So I'm enthused with the idea of putting some of them online eventually back when I was'nt just a ball of flesh & actually had a waist (well, that hasn't been for quite a few years- but I did have one once!) & then there's the kids as babies pictures, I look at them & can't belive they ever were such little, tiny, dependent creatures who smiled all the time & cried when they were hungry instead of angry at me because I won't let them do exactly what they want at all times! I Don't really need a scanner after all, it's an extra which I can think of a thousand uses for though (at least, when I'm not sitting here trying to justify getting one)

I don't know what to do on the changing the blog thing, I've started a new one, But I have some of the same problems there, no linking enabled & sometimes slow to load But there is spell check which they seem to have done away with here & which I need desperately. I admit, a lot of the problems I didn't like on tripod are seeming to smooth out now, a few weeks later.

The back to school thing is getting me down in some ways, I'm pretty much all set with the little ones, Miss 16 has been away all week & is coming home tonight so I have to get her stuff all ready still. & She's the hardest to shop for, some classes she won't even know what she needs until after school begins (a good thing, since I get paid on the 18th which is the day after school begins) I always miss the kids when they're in school but then on the other hand I like the quiet time in the mornings on Tuesdays & Wednesdays while they're at school too. Then it really feels like Saturday is annother work day between getting grocery shopping done every 2 weeks & just generaly getting stuff done with & for the kids on the Saturday I don't get paid on! Miss 16 always pesters me to come home during her day too which I hate, I know she's the type who does not need to be there & have stuff drilled into her head multiple times & leaving school about every other week last year did not hurt her grades in the least. It's just the premise of the thing.

What I've Been Doing while not Blogging
Now Playing: Voodoo by Godsmack
Topic: Rambling on

Its hard getting back in the swing of things after being on vacation, it's even odder when barely a week after getting home you're off again. Tuesday of this week we drove to Kentucky to take miss 16 to a friends for a week (you can read about it at: chrisseas-corner.tripod.com/ I have no real impressions of the trip other than I was tired at the beginning & even more tired afterwards! I was also frustrated that I had to spend a whole day driving when my house was a mess & I wanted to be picking up & getting things straightened out.... Of course I only seem to itch to clean up when I can't do it, by Wednesday I was not interested in cleaning anymore & just wanted to have fun. After doing a little picking up & some orginization of laundry (In a house with 6 people the laundry comes FIRST no matter what) We went swimming (it was 99 degrees easily & no breeze in sight, we had to do something!) after a stop at a friends to pick up some clothes for miss 10 who is growing by leaps & bounds this summer (especially in the mouth department!) Thanks again Jody for the clothes! 

Then it was off to the river, it's not the usual place we go but a place with a couple of little waterfalls & a deep pool. On the way in we surprised a snake which jumped out of the stone wall & into the water (it was only about 2 feet long, not a big one or anything) We were also a little grossed out because on the rocks in the waterfall there were these little black worm looking things which almost looked like leeches but were too small & were attatched to the rocks on the waterfall which meant they were in the running water & also in the bright sunlight, (leeches are usualy in stagnant water & especially in darker places like under overhanging trees! Yes, I'm speaking from personal experience here!)  & there was water plants also growing over the rocks which made them not as good for sliding down as they used to be (I'm told,  The last time I was there I was pregnant with my 7 year old & did not go sliding at that time) but we had fun! we stayed about 3 hours, there's a sandy area & rocks which are just barely submerged to sit on (if you don't mind a certain slimy feeling)  

The kids had a great time running around, swimming & playing monkey in the middle with a ball. Chrissie & I sat around in the water watching the kids & talking, watching for some shy crawfish to come out, they were under a rock right next to where we were sitting & kept peeking out at us, when we'd lean over to look at them they'd immediately shoot back under the rock. When the sun had left the area (most of the pictures are so light struck from the sun hitting the area hard, they were unusable) we did too... while it was still in the mid 90's in the air, the water which is coming right off the mountains was too cold to stay in with out the sun right on us! 

  I had a roast ready to cook at home on the grille but it was so late (730) already that I didn't want to go home & cook it so we picked up pizza (thank heavens for credit cards!) & went home, after a trip to the garden (the cucumbers are running my life these days- I just wish the tomatos would turn red!) & some more laundry & dishes it was off to bed to go back to the grind!

My grind, I admit is less than most peoples, only 2 10 hour days (well, 1 was really 12 hours, love that mandatory overtime!- NOT) & then annother day off, which brings me up to today- grocery shopping & school preparation shopping, (this is VA's tax free weekend for school shopping & so its likely to be a zoo in the stores) 

Chrissie said it best...Why I'm Shopping for a New Blog Place
Now Playing: Rock on by David Essex
Topic: Rambling on

"If it Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It" see: http://chrisseascorner.tripod.com

I don't know who said it first, but it is true. Especially since I had no complaints about tripod at all before they started changing things, I'm not much of a complainer, I put up with a lot before I get upset. But continued changes, (Now they've taken my spell check away & I had only just begun using it too!) Most of them seem to be things I've seen on other blogs, like misstatements cross outs which are ok in some ways but why take away spell check? & why doesn't mozilla support my cutting & pasting out of notebook on to my draft entry in tripod? No linking? why? it's all grayed out & I know others are having the same problem!

Suffice it to say I'm shopping for a new place. The real problem is I can't see what they're like with out getting a blog on them, there's no try it out section, only a bunch of verbage 'selling' you on the site. So I'm going to try out Wordpress, mostly because someone I really like & respect's blog is on there.  I admit though, that I have a lot of reservations, there are a lot of things I like about tripod- mostly that I've figured out how to use most everything on it, even remote posts! I hate to give it up, plus I have a public (this one) & a private blog on tripod- am I going to give both up & change both over? or only this one which I use more. The one I just started is only 1, I'm not sure if I should move everything from here over there or start anew over there. It doesn't seem right to just abandon all I've written here after all....

Of course I'm not a particularly decisive person, my oldest waited almost 24 hours with out a name & so did my youngest! I can't even decide what color to make my trial blog over there on wordpress- 

I haven't decided for sure either, I may just stick with it over here, there are certainly things to be said for this place, pictures already archived etc....  we shall see. probably the best thing I could do is write a note to tripod- if everyone who's on here & does not like the changes (& that's everyone I know who uses tripod) writes they'd have to do something right? 

 

 

Home again safe & sound, it's been a long, strange trip & I got sick about half way through it so I'm not really going to get into this right now, I have my usual hacking cough & a sore throat, missed work today to try to get everything put to rights here at the house & to rest my voice. We did get the kitchen clean but not much else - we watched all 4 episodes of Nightmares & Dreamscapes which I recorded from TNT & as a huge Stephen King fan I have to say they were pretty well done. (16 thinks the acting on some of them could have been better) I have a good bit written of what we did on vacation & will semble them into blog form eventually. 

Monday July 24
Topic: Vacation 2006
I always try to take the kids somewhere educational/interesting on our trips to MA.We have been to the Boston Childrens museum- Plymouth Plantation, & the Mayflower in other years. & The Boston Museum of Science on our most recent vacation 2 years ago. We were going to check out the Salem Witch museum. But it would have meant driving back up to Salem on the day before going back to VA & of course I didn't want to do that! My mother was not interested in going & I had thought she was so right after we had arrived on the 11 & discovered that she didn't want to acompany us 16 & I began tossing ideas around as to where we should go. The N.E. Aquarium was the hands down fav

orite! I was especialy exited to see an Imax film since the last time I'd seen one I was pregnant with Miss 10! However on Monday We picked the wrong day to take the subway but the right day to go to the Aquarium! It was beastly hot & the Boston subway system is not even remotely air conditioned! You are pushing it to even hope for an air conditioned train! I also had forgotten how much fun it is to go to the aquarium via subway especialy since this was a week after the airport tunnel ceiling panel collapsed. Coming from the South Sh

ore we took a redline train to Boston & then changed to the orange line a t Downtown Crossing & then, after 1 stop on the orange line to the blue line each stop required a wait of about 15 minutes in a Hot dark tunnel. Normal operations were disrupted due to the airport tunnel closing & unintelligible voices were saying that the blue line trains were not 'mmpph mmpph'it turned out that the trains were not running past the Airport which is a co uple of stops past the Aquarium where we were getting off the train- so no big deal but upsetting when we could'nt understand what they were saying.
  So off we went, the harbour seals were great- I now know more than I ever wanted to know about jellyfish! & the big tank in the center is still my favorite part! The kids enjoyed it 16 most of all I think 10 finaly got her souvenier t shirt there too! After se eing everything & some things twice We then faced a predicament- it was 430 pm we had to either get right on a train to go back to the south shore or we had to stay in Town for about 2 or more hours. My money was getting shorter & so were everyone's tempers. 16, while opinionated on some subjects is useless wh
en I actually want her input. So I finaly decided to just get on the train, we stood on the redline train all the way to the stop before the one where the car was parked. It was fun though, took me back in time & it was amusing watching the kids learning how to keep their balance, I didn't even realize I knew how to do that! It comes back naturaly though, you just do it when you're on a subway!
  Back to my Mother's we packed the car next & miss 16 proved herself to be a master packer! Mostly because she was motivated to bring home a small computer my Uncle was letting her have & my mother's old monitor which she replaced this year with a whole new setup after her hard drive crashed. Then we had dinner- can't remember where- I'm writing this all nearly a month later now! & I slept for a few hours & we drove back to VA left around 10 or so & arrived Wednesday afternoon. Home Sweet Home.

Sunday July 22,
Topic: Vacation 2006

We were supposed to get a fairly early start leaving Anns to go back to my mothers & meet up with my uncle who I have not seen in nearly 10 years. But I had developed a cold & was hacking, coughing & generaly not sleeping too well- & the kids were up late playing video games- their internal clocks are set to night owl- I try at home to get up by 10 am on non work days & am still usually the first one up! By 930 though I had to get up & get them up the re-packing of the car was hanging over my head & so I rousted every one in my family & insisted they come help at the car packing. Once this was done we said our goodbyes to Ann & family headed back to my mothers place.
The Sunday midday drive thru Boston was minimalized by taking 95 for a change of scencery I hadn't been on that road in nearly 10 years. I especially enjoy the part on the way into Boston where you are on rte 1 I remember my father telling us about all the really cool signs that were there & I also remember a few which are no longer there.
We arrived at my Mother's house around 1:30 or so & We waited for my uncle to appear. He lives on an Island & we were supposed to go to dinner. So we thought he'd show up around 4 or 5. at 6 we started to wonder where he was. By 7 my mother decided to call his cell phone. she got voice mail. She left a message & we gave him annother 1/2 hour & went to dinner at the 99 again, which the kids were happy with, my mother & I were mostly just a little worried. The next day my mother got an email from my uncle apologizing for not being able to get in touch. aparently there was a storm which took out phones etc he said he was emaling from work because he had no services at home still. The reason he didn't show up was that he just moved there & didn't have his island resident status ironed out & couldn't get a space on the ferry!He did state in his email though that we're welcome to come visit him next year on the island. I'm excited- I've barely even been to Cape Cod & have never been to the islands at all. The only Island I've been on ever is Swans Island Maine.& only for a day!

<< What Miss 16 did on her summer vacation << 

Saturday 7/21
Topic: Vacation 2006
 The original plan was for us to go to the beach on Saturday but it was cool, rainy & just wasn't beach weather. So after getting washes going & after a relaxing morning. we went to the mall. The mall at Portsmouth is huge & we only went through half of it- had a pretty nice lunch though! Then a quick stop at BJ'S On the way in we got caught in a large downpour & so we dripped through the store. Ann feeds 5 + her stepson part of the time & she spends a ton to keep them fed- even at BJs! I was impressed & a little scared for my future with my younger kids!   I spend at least $150. every 2 weeks as it is - 10 & 7 are practically bottomless worse yet- they don't actually eat a lot at 1 time they eat often instead! Ann cooked out on the grille for us all 3 nights & refused most offers of help. I think, after not having to go to work my favorite thing about being on vacation was not having to cook! It's funny how little I want to cook considering how much time I spent cooking as a teenager & young adult. Now I only want to cook about 3 or 4 times a month & thats even decreased in the summer! a tomato or cucumber, tuna fish or a bowl of microwaved frozen spinach is all I really want in the summer.I have to give Ann credit. While I could feed 12 & have done so before I'm so obsessive that I'd have made a menu & bought all the food which could be frozen a month in advance & probably would have enough food for 3 extra meals! Ann made fast delicious food with only as much forethought as we had in the store buying the food!
After getting back to Anns & puting her groceries away we had annother great dinner & then hung out just talking etc.

Friday July 20
Topic: Vacation 2006
Ann lives in New Hampshire near the Maine border. also near North Berwick where my Fathers fishing club has/had their camp. I wanted to check & see if it was still there or had been sold & knocked down to make room for condos!So after breakfast we went there. I had forgotten the zen of the NH highway system in which you get on a numbered road & follow it miles & miles just trusting that you're still on the right road & maybe every 15-20 miles if you are lucky you might see a road sign with the road's # on it to confirm that you're on the right road! You just have to trust. I trusted a little too much & ended up on the wrong road. So we had to back track to get to North Berwick - we came in through Sanford which was where we used to go to get groceries when I used to go there for weekends with friends. So I got to drive back roads I hadn't been on in 10 years & was not at all sure I could actualy find my way along. I found it just fine though & the cabin looks just the same from the road- In the picture its barely visible- but its still there & still in some use.
My Mother & I aren't in touch with the fishing club guys at all any more & I didn't want to trespass so the kids & I went to the river down the road to see if the area was more built up than before or not. It wasn't, but a problem I had been upset about years ago has been resolved near this river a bunch of ATVs & Dirt bikes had been riding around in there beside the river & tearing the woods up. They have fenced it off & put up a sign saying its off limits to motor vehicles but open to pedestrians. The kids were surprised that the water was so brownish red- it is the iron content in the water- here in VA the water is brownish green or full mud brown depending on how recently it has rained! we got out & looked around & took pictures. After we were done with that we went to Kittery & checked out a few of the outlet stores, craft stores & of course the Trading Post- We checked out the gifty stuff but I didn't want to check out the camping supplies since we're not going to get to go camping this year- I'm sulking about it.
At K.t.p I also don't go to the lower level because thats where they keep the fly tying supplies & I have already spent entire lifetimes down there many times over, waiting for my Father & Brother. Though The Trading Post is not exactly chock full of stuff I want & need I don't go to Maine without stopping it's family tradition. After Kittery it was getting late & I didn't want to keep Ann's family waiting for dinner- I should have known they're more laid back about meal times than that! & a good thing too because I had not really thought about what day it was. There I was heading to the NH lakes region on a Friday night in the summer! The map book I had with me was woefully inadequate to say the least. It had roads listed which were not where they were shown & quite a few which I knew to exsist were not on the map! I suppose that for a dollar at Walmart you can't ask for much! But to find an underused road in the right general direction would have been lovely. As it was it was stop & go the whole way. Friday night at Ann's was uneventful & pleasant. We hung out, checked email & she showed me this website of really cool plus size clothes called: Torrid check it out if you're larger than a size 12.

Thursday July 19
Topic: Vacation 2006

First thing in the morning we packed the car & went to Phils & said goodbye to her. Then we went to my cousin Jens house. It was really cool getting to see her & really sit down & talk with her for the first time in years- 10 years at least!

  We visited with Jen & her kids for a few hours. Her husband is a cop in the small town they live in & he stopped in to say hi too. Their kids were adorable & so funny to watch. the older,their girl, is 4. the younger is a boy & he's going on 2.He looks just like his dad & as for their 4 year old while she's got lighter hair than her mom did, there were cert ain characteristics that reminded me of the 4 year old Jen {we're 5 months apart in age & especially as preschoolers spent a LOT of time together} my -older than her's- kids were really enjoying playing with the kids they played a lot of hide & seek & it was funny watching 10 helping the 2 year old up the stairs outside & in. When I figured Jen had probably had enough of the decibel levels our kids were playing at I said we'd get going. Jen asked if we had plans for lunch suggested we go out together. We went to a place in NH which was on our way to Anns house & on her way to her parents house where she had to go feed their cats. The resturant we went to with Jen was not spectacular. The food was mediocre at best & the service was just short of rude. The company was excelent though & I'm really hoping Jen & her husband will take me up on my invitation to come for a visit sometime soon.

  Then on to Ann's house. I was supposed to b ring steak tips from Haverhill Beef but totaly spaced on it until we were way too far away to do anything about it! So not long after we arrived Ann & I went to the local store to get steak tips & for me to get the kids something for their breakfast- they're all constantly hungry. Ann pointed out that she had food for breakfast but I know how they are & sure enough, next morning they ate food she had & the pop tart bars too! We had a great time visiting & reminiscing about old times- Ann works early in the morning so we packed it in early. The kids bunked in the living room & I had Anns 3 season room all to myself.

Wednesday July 19th
Topic: Vacation 2006


We had a couple of choices to make on taking a train to Boston, We could've gotten up fairly early & taken a train at 8:45 am. Or a train which left Haverhill at 10:23. We're not morning people as a general rule & while on vacation we've been getting very bad about staying up late & getting up even later. So the 10:23 was the obvious choice especialy since the earlier train is considered a commuter train & I try not to inflict The kids on comuters! J's apartment is close enough to the train station that we were able to walk over & the train had already arrived from Boston & was finishing up with the discharging of passengers when we got up to the platform. Much to Mr7's dismay the train was getting ready to pull out of the station- Not to leave but to turn around. He thought it was leaving without us & got very upset. I explained about the train needing to switch tracks & he was ok with that. We waited a few minutes & it came back we got on & rode to Boston. The ride in was ok-Not so much graffitti as when I was a teen & went back & forth north shore to south often- I used to entertain myself by reading graffiti back then.
I rode on the train with Mr 7 the Thomas fan, he looked at railroad tracks & ocasional other trains on the trip. I blogged via the phone to my semi private blog & tried to point out areas of interest but a lot of buildings have been taken down to make room for ne w ones. So many of my 'points of interest' {random to say the least} were not there. 7 still is young enough to get excited by things like large bodies of water though, so all was not lost! While thinking about this I remembered taking a trip to Maine with my Father & Brother when I was 16 & Ben was twelve & my Father verbally mourning our young childhoods- reminiscing about how when we were younger he'd point out cows, interesting signs etc. along the way. but that now {back in 1986} we were not impressed & often didn't even hear him due to our walkmans. As my kids age I'm begining to understand how he felt. I'm also struck by the differenc es & similarities in what we point out. Growing up in rural Virginia my kids would think I had lost it if I pointed out a cow to them! In the reverse aspect I do n't recall anyone ever pointing out the city of Boston to me as we drive through like I do to 10 & 7! & they're always impressed too! The other things which were or are pointed out are in Virginia stunning views, in Mass stunning houses- That was more my grandmother & uncle who pointed those out to me,
 Immediately after getting off the train I was informed of the need for a bathroom by everyone. After repeating Phils oft heard mantra 'there are no bathrooms in North Station' a few times I found no one was buying it so I asked & found there IS a bathroom there now {I knew there was one there during the renovations back in the 9 0's.- this one's not in the same place though} after waiting in lin e for an interminable amount of time & being line jumped by some grandmother from Wisconsin *ugh* we were releived & found ourselves at the sports shop. 16 & I got Bruins shirts which was part of the plan. 10 & 7 got pencils & a stuffed bear.Then we were off! Arguing about where to go first & if we were walking or taking a subway,

After everyone insisted they were starving to death we decided to walk over to Quincy Market first & have brunch- not a fair name since we had all had breakfast before we left on the train. But my kids didn't feel like they had had enough to eat at breakfast & so we walked over to get something to eat. 7 had the obligatory hot dog. 16 had 'chicken sinatra' 10 had a greek salad & I had a bowl of lobster bisque. 16 has a tradition of getting a strawberry shortcake concoction from Carol Ann Bakery. The little ones & I had chocolate chip cookies from The Boston Chipyard. Then we looked around at a bunch of stuff for a few hours. As usual, always entertaining, amusing & annoying because there's so many nice things & I never have enough to get everything I want.  I decided to go over to Harvard Square so we took the T over there & we checked out the Harvard Coop though my mother had said that it wasn't t he same since Barnes & Noble took it over! It wasn't bad but then it had to have been at least 14 years since I'd been there at all- & since the last time I was there was on a double date with my ex & friends I was a little distracted. Even 16 had never been there at all & had no point of reference & so we liked it fine. 16 is interested in Pshycology & on the way up to MA I was telling her about reading Sybil when I was 13 or 14 (I've said before I was precoious)& she was interested in reading it so was looking for it, we had to go up 3 flights to the Pshycology books department at the Coop but they did have it! After checking out books & getting a Harvard t-shirt so I don't look out of place on college sports day at work. (I used to go with my grandmother to Harvard football games from the age of 8 or 9 onward through my teenage years & that's the complete voluntary exposure to football I've ever had!) We went on the subway to Downtown Crossing & walked up to the Common - by mutual agreement we did not walk over to the Swan Boats {16 & I both read Steven K ing's Cell this year & the

begining is set near the Swan Boats so we're just a little shy of that area!} We sat on the grass & talked then we walked back to Quincy Mkt. & did more shopping & then went to dinner. The dinner was ok. Not as great as I would have hoped but perfectly acceptable in spite of it being served by an anorexic who looked visibly pained at serving food to us! We then hurried back to North Station to get the 6:55 train back to Haverhill. Once there we did laundry & got our stuff packed up to go & said our goodbyes to Cousin J.

Memes for vacation.
Topic: Stuff & Nonsense
Over the past 5 days I've been doing 5 in depth questions, I got them from somebody's blog which I read quite steadily over a few months, but when my computer crashed 2 crashes ago I lost the url to the site & can't remember it for the life of me, Whoever you are, thank you for the meme, it's a challengeing one & if anyone does take it from me, please link me so I can read your responses, I split it up so I could post 1 piece a day for 5 days while I'm away on Vacation!!

5. Answer James Lipton's Ten Questions:
What is your favorite word?
Interesting...
What is your least favorite word?
No
What turns you on?
Cheerfulness
What turns you off?
Moodiness
What is your favorite curse word?
Damnit!
What sound or noise do you love?
Rain on the roof
What sound or noise do you hate?
the beep that tells me I'm getting a call on my headset phone at work.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Most Anything! I like the idea of real estate but not the part where new construction takes all the green spaces & I don't think I'm outgoing enough to bear all that talking.
What profession would you not like to do?
Gravedigger would not be a good one for me, Doctor also would not be a good choice because I lack empathy
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
welcome, you did good!

Monday 7/17
Topic: Vacation 2006

After basting ourselves with sunblock we went swimming at Hampton beach for the day. They had forecast a 94 degree day & they weren't kidding! Hampton always has the coldest water & today was no exception. Miss 16 had been freaking out the night before because the news showed footage of a shark which showed up at a beach on Cape Cod on Sunday. I told her the oft repeated & quite true adage that sharks like warm water & won't show up in colder waters & Hampton is cold! Phil has told me how when she'd take her kids to Rockland to visit her in-laws they would always spend a few days at Nantasket beach & her MIL would be embarrassed sitting on the beach because Phil & her kids would often be the only ones in the water because the water was so cold & people would remark on their being in the water. Phil says the cold water at Hampton & Salisbury inured them to cold water & that Hull didn't feel so cold!The water was that cold Monday & Miss 16 relaxed about the sharks after feeling the water. After an hour & a half of swimming mr 7 was shivering so badly he couldn't speak to protest when I said it was time to take a break from swimming. His sisters were not too pleased with him or I when I said everybody out. They perked up however when I said we would go across the street & shop. 7 was less impressed but cheered up when he discovered there were arcades - he's a skee ball fanatic!
We checked out t-shirts, bumper stickers, rock posters & shells both natural & formed into weird shapes such as turtles & old fashioned ladies with big skirts. We spent a fortune at 16's & my favorite store- The Cow's Ass which is a leather store- 16 got a wallet there which she keeps taking out & smelling! I got a couple of celtic symbols with different meanings I got the one for 'Love' a few years ago this year I got 'new life' & 'wisdom' 16 got one for her & one for her boyfriend. We shopped for about an hour & then got boogie boards & headed back to the beach where the waves were huge due to the first hurricaine of the season out at sea.
I forgot to mention that we also had fried dough & fresh lemonade during our first break from swimming. When we went back to the water they immediately began surfing with the boogie boards & had a great time riding some of the biggest waves I've ever seen outside of a winter storm & I've lived year round at the beach twice. After annother 2 hours or so mr7 was cold again & so we went back & checked out the rest of the stores. After going through them we went back to swim 1 last time & ended up swimming for 3 hours more! When we were all ready to leave we went to dinner at a place called the Sylvan st Grill. I had been there before once & wanted to try it again. The little ones liked it because the kid's meals came with deserts- Lois & I liked that to because it gave us the option to have desert too- we shared a slice of triple layer chocolate cake & it was excelent. As was the whole meal- I just can't remember what we had! (mr 7 had a hot dog though)

 

 

 

 

 

No pictures please, she's too crabby!

Tuesday July 18
Topic: Vacation 2006
Because we were so busy at the beach on Monday I designated Tuesday as a quiet day. we spent the morning with Phil visiting & helping her go through some boxes of craft stuff to eliminate some things she says she won't use anymore {which means we got some new craft stuff & some cool halloween decorations!} Then we went to get lunch at Ari's & got subs- they were too crowded to eat in at though so I drove around while the kids ate & parked at the stadium park & while I ate 10 & 7 played on the playground & 16 complained. About what, I don't remember but bitching was done! Then we went around to the back of the stadium & walked down to the rivers edge. The girls stayed on the steps with me but 7 got right into the mud & would have gone in the water if I hadn't stopped him. (this is the Merrimack river, a river I used to watch from my great-grandmother's apartment & pass time counting the dead fish floating by! no way is my kid setting a finger in it!)
After annother drive over backroads which I've loved for years we went to Phils & brought her out to go to Markeys for lobster, steamers & as a change from the hot dogs mr7 had a cheeseburger! After we took a ride thru Salisbury to see the summer place Phil's grandparents built.