A Warning to Unintended Houseguests

While a thank-you present is thoughtful, and hearing a gift hint while you're staying over is a lucky break, try not to trump the Host's christmas presents to the Hostess!

Umm, and always leave behind toffee.  That was good.

PS - No seriously, thanks for the coffee.  But, umm, I swear I ordered it first!

There are worse things in life...

(with apologies to Robert Frost - I had to stop for pics of these "swung" birches near home)

OK, so this post is a bit delayed . . . it turns out we've been busy as you'll see.  New England got a bunch of rain and ice/sleet overnight last Thursday - in our neighborhood, the trees and bushes are glazed, not merely frosted. I haven't seen this level of small-to-medium damage in previous storms, and in fact there are a significant number of large trees and big branches down.  However, further west and north there are serious downed limbs, trees and power lines, and well over half a million households in MA/NH lost power for a significant amount of time.

Our friends Brian and Edith, from a couple of miles west, didn't have a lot of damage, but they didn't have power either, until Sunday afternoon.  Neither did Brian's workplace in Littleton, although Edith's work is on generators in much harder-hit Worcester.  By Friday afternoon, their house was in the low fifties, not to mention dark and without running water (they have a well with an electric pump).  The solution?  Party at Christi and Adam's for the weekend . . . they brought over their spoilable foods and an extra Guitar Hero guitar, and we rocked it even hahdah for most of the weekend (as well as getting xmas trees, setting ours up, cleaning up their yard and draining their pipes, Edith getting some work done, and Christi and Margot surviving lingering colds).

In the end, B&E's power came back Sunday afternoon, but Brian had drained the pipes Saturday afternoon to prevent a burst in the 15-degree overnight temps.  So, Monday was refill-and-monitor day for their heating system.  Since I haven't heard sob stories, I guess everything went OK!

Other folks at work were in a similar boat or not as lucky.  Multiple people had three- to five-day power outages, lots of downed trees/branches, and even significant roof damage from falling limbs.  Hang in there, folks!

Bean Meets Bear

Margot got a very special visit this weekend from her blog-sister Claire Bear.  

It was really great to get these two together ...

... (as well as seeing our old friends her parents).


She even ate my cooking!

... which apparently has Kung Fu Bean Power!


Thanks for visiting, y'all... even Jolly had a great time with a scamperer in the house, even for a short while.

Reality Shock for My Inner Child

This old news, but we've been bad about posting.

Anyhow, after Thanksgiving, my dear friend Sus came to visit and got to meet Margot in her post-birth state (ie: not kicking in my belly). It was incredible to have a friend who I've known since middle school meet my child. I mean, I know that I'm a parent, but seeing my child in the arms of someone who I remember being 12 with really brought things home. My inner child was forced to recognize the existence of my outer adult. Scary!

Here are two photos of them together. I especially love the one where they are both laughing even though it isn't quite in focus.

Thanks Again

It just occurred to me that I've sent news of Margot's birth to friends and family across the country and on four continents. I've gotten responses within minutes to messages, and shared pictures with people all over the place. I already commented that we had wireless internet access in the hospital room. I've uploaded photos to a web service and had them send film-quality prints to relatives within days, basically for the cost of shipping. Not to mention all of the baby information and even, yes, consumer product information that I've gotten from the 'net.

We've heard over and over in the past nine-plus months that being pregnant, giving birth, and raising children just isn't the same as it used to be. The breakdown of the physical proximity of most families, of the connected spirit of local communities, supposedly has interrupted our connection to the knowledge, experience, and love of our elders and peers.

Well, lemme tell ya - it has been absolutely incredible to feel the outpouring of spirit from everyone who's been connected here or in email or otherwise. The gifts and advice and just plain help we've received from all quarters - the closest family members, to folks who really don't need to go out of their way but do - all of this just really adds up to a deep feeling of gratitude and connection. So, hopefully again, THANKS! It really matters, perhaps especially when we're on the tired end of the day. Hopefully soon we'll have a bit more external energy to share some more detailed responses and news with more of you directly . . . we can't wait for Margot to meet you all!

Now, who knows someone I can email on those other three continents? (South America, Africa, Antarctica)

Photos - Mount Washington and Mount Monroe

So, for example: On Memorial day (a couple of weeks ago), I climbed Mount Washington and Mount Monroe with Brian, Ty, and Kevin.





We visited Miriam at her summer job at Lakes of the Clouds hut. Most of the pics are from the upward trip on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, plus the summits of Monroe and Washington. The one shown here is a stiched panorama of the Great Gulf between Mount Washington and the northern Presidentials. Click on the image for the full photo gallery.