June 15th
We’re half way….and I still feel like I can make it. I think that’s a really good sign!
When we got up this morning, in Adamstown, the sun was shining. I swear, I couldn’t stop smiling….I think my demeanor is way too related to the amount of sunshine I see. My smile only faded during a long, thirty minute period in which Hunter was missing one shoe. One shoe! It took thirty minutes to find the one shoe, in a 300 sq. ft. room. I kid you not.
Gin & Martha came to see us during breakfast, to say good-bye. Gin said she’d had fun…I’m not sure if I believe her, but hopefully there was some truth to what she said.
So, we were westbound and down, on the Pennsylvania turnpike. Ten minutes into the drive, guess what? Rain. Followed by hours of dark skies. I couldn’t freakin’ believe it. In fact, we would NOT see the sun again all day.
We were stopping in Pittsburg to see my friend Patty. Patty and I waited tables together at Pier 66 when I was in grad school. We dated best friends who were both young, immature, twins (but not of each other) and more than likely - alcoholics. It was fun…for a very short period. We have no idea where these boys are today (and I personally don’t care), but Patty & I have stayed friends. We were married within two months of each other and have seven kids between us (each with a set of identical twins!). However, the last time we actually saw each other was the summer of 2005, in Michigan.
The drive, after yesterday, was painless. It took exactly four hours (with two stops) to get to Pittsburgh. Patty lives in a quaint older neighborhood that really looks like “up north” to me. I love it. The streets are winding and hilly, with big full trees. There’s no entrance with a stone wall labeled “fill-in-the-blank-Ridge" or "St. something". You can smell real grass, which is typically mowed by a teenager who lives in the house. The homes all have their own character or look. A real neighborhood' where people stay for a lifetime, because it’s developed by its residents…not a builder with an in-build-out plan.
Patty’s house is retro cool…a 1960’s brick colonial with its original fixtures and cabinets. It’s filled with bedrooms, kids & toys. We immediately felt at home. So at home, that I finally did laundry…six loads!
We had lunch and took the kids to her pool….which is a swim club kind of deal. The pool was huge and empty, thank God. There was also a diving board, which I haven’t seen in years. Barrett was in heaven jumping off, over and over again. The lifeguards were really on him about their many rules…which made me tense, but he eventually got into an obedient groove.
After swimming we went back for cocktails and dinner. The kids got along so well. Hunter and Payton played like they’d know each other their whole lives. Camden was in heaven with the new toys and Patty’s girls (twins) were about a year and a half younger than Aud, so she enjoyed her leadership role. Bear did get to her neighbors pool (wtf!?!?!?!) before we went into serious lockdown.
Patty and I caught up. She’s happy…I can tell. She’s a good mom – a content mom. All the same worries all moms have, just amplified a bit…that hasn’t changed. Miss Patty has always worried too much. She makes me seem super laid back! She’s having a problem with her brother’s wife (who sounds like a nightmare) and she cried a little about it. Patty tries too hard to please everyone. Life is too short. I seriously think I would tell my sister-in-law to stick it where the sun don’t shine – but that’s just me! Ah….families! And…who the hell am I to give advice, right? Although, I did tell her to kick a little ass.
Her husband Brant got home from work around 9, and we talked till midnight, before bedtime. It was a really nice visit! And we have clean clothes!
Traveled: Adamstown, PA to Pittsburgh, PA 232miles/4 hours
Stayed: AT the Browns in Monroeville, PA
Silly Band Award: Camden
Quote of the Day:
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
June 14th - Rhode Island & Hammertime
June 14th
The weather hasn’t changed…yucky. We hit the road as fast as we could. I asked Ginny about hammering it to PA, and she was on board. No time to waste. The one good thing about leaving with the weather like this is that there was no heavy heart. We needed to find some sun.
We did not find it in Rhode Island. My sister Kendall has a summer place in Little Compton. I’d never been. The drive was amazing. Beautiful New England houses with lush yards and amazing gardens. Most houses had stacked stone fences. So charming. And of course…the ocean. Kendall’s house was about a 100 yards from Sakonnet Harbor. The view was nice .
I’ve only been around my sister twice before (although we’ve had more than a few phone calls). I discovered her late in life, on my last trip to Cape Cod. It is a very long story. She is my mother’s first daughter, who she gave up for adoption before she met my dad. My dad never knew about Kendall. How’s that for a soap opera?
She has a daughter who is almost five, named Geneva. She has two other stepchildren, Singny & Roger. All three children are beautiful and well-behaved. They in were in for it…The Smithies had arrived.
It was a short visit…we were there less than three hours. Kendall made us a wonderful lunch and we reminisced again about mom and her having to give Kendall up. I think it’s a topic both of us can talk to death. Geneva and Audrey got along well and I felt really bad to have to leave so soon after we got there. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go…it had been eight years since we’d last seen each other. Kendall has chilled (maybe me too?) and she seems very happy and content.
But we had miles to go before we slept. Specifically….350 miles. I had a feeling it was going to be a long afternoon and evening!
And it kinda was. The kids were troopers…not necessarily good, but troopers! Ginny dove…fast…but she got us to Adamstown by 8:15p.m….safe and sound, so I really can’t & won’t complain.
It’s 10p.m. and all four kids are up and acting like little AH’s. They are playing naked wipe out (don’t ask) and even Barrett is laughing. God I could use a drink…but that will have to wait till Pittsburgh, cause I don’t know where or how to get one! No room service at The Black Horse Inn.
Traveled: Dennis Port, MA to Adamstown, PA - 465miles/11 hours 45 min (3 hour stop in RI)
Silly Bnad Award: Barrett…by a land slide!
Lodging: Black Forest Inn, Adamstown, PA
Quote of the day: Hunter, “That’s right sista!” – after mommy told Camden he couldn’t ask me for any treats later because he didn’t share his carrots.
Hunter, “I’m sorry your majesty, I farted.” – after Mommy comment that the car stunk.
The weather hasn’t changed…yucky. We hit the road as fast as we could. I asked Ginny about hammering it to PA, and she was on board. No time to waste. The one good thing about leaving with the weather like this is that there was no heavy heart. We needed to find some sun.
We did not find it in Rhode Island. My sister Kendall has a summer place in Little Compton. I’d never been. The drive was amazing. Beautiful New England houses with lush yards and amazing gardens. Most houses had stacked stone fences. So charming. And of course…the ocean. Kendall’s house was about a 100 yards from Sakonnet Harbor. The view was nice .
I’ve only been around my sister twice before (although we’ve had more than a few phone calls). I discovered her late in life, on my last trip to Cape Cod. It is a very long story. She is my mother’s first daughter, who she gave up for adoption before she met my dad. My dad never knew about Kendall. How’s that for a soap opera?
She has a daughter who is almost five, named Geneva. She has two other stepchildren, Singny & Roger. All three children are beautiful and well-behaved. They in were in for it…The Smithies had arrived.
It was a short visit…we were there less than three hours. Kendall made us a wonderful lunch and we reminisced again about mom and her having to give Kendall up. I think it’s a topic both of us can talk to death. Geneva and Audrey got along well and I felt really bad to have to leave so soon after we got there. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go…it had been eight years since we’d last seen each other. Kendall has chilled (maybe me too?) and she seems very happy and content.
But we had miles to go before we slept. Specifically….350 miles. I had a feeling it was going to be a long afternoon and evening!
And it kinda was. The kids were troopers…not necessarily good, but troopers! Ginny dove…fast…but she got us to Adamstown by 8:15p.m….safe and sound, so I really can’t & won’t complain.
It’s 10p.m. and all four kids are up and acting like little AH’s. They are playing naked wipe out (don’t ask) and even Barrett is laughing. God I could use a drink…but that will have to wait till Pittsburgh, cause I don’t know where or how to get one! No room service at The Black Horse Inn.
Traveled: Dennis Port, MA to Adamstown, PA - 465miles/11 hours 45 min (3 hour stop in RI)
Silly Bnad Award: Barrett…by a land slide!
Lodging: Black Forest Inn, Adamstown, PA
Quote of the day: Hunter, “That’s right sista!” – after mommy told Camden he couldn’t ask me for any treats later because he didn’t share his carrots.
Hunter, “I’m sorry your majesty, I farted.” – after Mommy comment that the car stunk.
June 13th - They're Getting Bored
June 13th
It’s still cold. It’s still raining. But I still love it here.
I woke to a really bad headache. I don’t know if it’s the weather or the kids. I snuck down to the lobby for coffee and curled up with a pile of pamphlets of things to do on the Cape. They have at least 100 pamphlets, in the event that the weather sucks and you’ve already revisited your past…and can’t bar hop with 4 kids in tow). The Holiday was on TBS (yeah TBS), which I love. So it turned out to be a nice Sunday morning…the little ones were hovered around their portable DVD player watching dumb Sponge Bob.
At least for a little while…after significant whining from the gruesome foursome, I dragged myself away from the movie to take them to Dunkin Donuts. Unfortunately, when I started the car, the Check Engine Soon light was on….specifically for low tire pressure. After we hit Dunkin, it took me four gas stations before I could get a tire gage. All four tires were below 28 lbs….so I really had to fill them up…in the pouring rain, by myself. Who needs a name (although maybe a man just would have done it without a tire gage)
Then I took the kids to the Chatham Lighthouse and the Nauset Lighthouse. They weren’t too impressed. It probably didn’t help that there was so much fog that you really couldn’t see the beach. Such a very dreary day. Gin called, while we were heading back to Harwich, to make plans for dinner with Karen & Leslie. I stopped at George’s Pizza on Main Street for takeout. It was the first pizza I’d ever eaten….and it was in the same place, with the same owners for forty years. Impressive. The pizza smelled the same too….scent is amazing for awakening long dormant memories. I was so excited to eat it….first bite, wonderful. Second bite, marginal. Third bite….pizza tasted like crap. Kids wouldn’t eat it either. So much for the good ole days.
While I was driving the kids around, I was listening to the radio and my imagination was working overtime. Totally plotted a book….set on the Cape of course. I got a million stories in my head…I need to quit daydreaming and get to work.
But that won’ be happening anytime soon. Back at the hotel the kids were going wild. Seriously, it was like being in a zoo. Hunter was trying to watch the NASCAR race, with the volume turned up full blast; Bear was running around like a caged monkey on speed; Aud was chasing Cammy around…loudly…and he was disagreeing with her actions….loudly. Calgon – take me away! Today was the day that I seriously asked myself what in the hell was I doing? Everyone said I was crazy….today, I felt they were right. I hadn’t planned on constant rain. Really, it had rained every single day, but two. Every day. Eleven freakin days.
I took Bear and Aud to the indoor pool in the hopes of burning off some of their energy. We were having dinner with Gin, Karen, & Leslie (and because of the rain, dinner in a restaurant, not a cookout in their yard). I was nervous.
Karen and Leslie live in Hyannis, where I was born. I took the kids by the hospital where I was born & the Melody Tent where I used to see shows with my mom. So, I was late getting to Karen’s. We chatted for about 10 minutes before we headed to the harbor for dinner. The restaurant was called Spanky’s and it was perfect for the kids. I had lobster and it was delicious. The kids were relatively good (for them).
After dinner, we all drove back to Dennis for some ice cream. It may sound dorky…but when I was envisioning being on the Cape with my kids, I was imaging this:
The kids would be lightly sun burnt and windblown, dressed in crisp pastels with happy smiles glowing on their cherub faces (not even close). We’d had have dinner at a waterside restaurant (check) and we’d laugh and they’d be exceptionally well behaved (maybe a little bit). After dinner, as a reward for their good behavior (not really good, not really bad), we’d take a drive to an ice-cream parlor as the sun set (what sun?) We’d sit outtside on the deck (raining) and eat our cool summer treat. Today was good as it was gonna get. We ate inside and the place had an electric piano that played nickelodeon tunes. The kids loved it. They all danced around the piano, laughing and getting a standing ovation from the other patrons. Sometimes, the real stuff is just better.
Back at the hotel…I dumped Aud with Gin (who had a room so we could leave early in the a.m.) I packed us up and watched the Celtics game with Hunter. They won…yeah!
Tomorrow we’re headed to Rhode Island to see Kendall and then…if Ginny agrees, we’re going to push it to Adamstown. I want to save on the two hotel rooms we’d need in Connecticut…and cut up the whole luggage/packing thing for such a short stop. Plus…we are out of clean clothes. I got to get to Pittsburgh to do some laundry. It would take me a day and a half to do it all with Gin’s slow washing machine. Gin….love you, but time is of the essence.
Silly Band: Hunter, I guess.
Quote: Cammy, ”Mom, can you stop the shower? I have to show you something for you.” - I didn’t stop the shower, but popped my head out to the cutest thing holding a doodle pad with a “drawing” of God knows what.
It’s still cold. It’s still raining. But I still love it here.
I woke to a really bad headache. I don’t know if it’s the weather or the kids. I snuck down to the lobby for coffee and curled up with a pile of pamphlets of things to do on the Cape. They have at least 100 pamphlets, in the event that the weather sucks and you’ve already revisited your past…and can’t bar hop with 4 kids in tow). The Holiday was on TBS (yeah TBS), which I love. So it turned out to be a nice Sunday morning…the little ones were hovered around their portable DVD player watching dumb Sponge Bob.
At least for a little while…after significant whining from the gruesome foursome, I dragged myself away from the movie to take them to Dunkin Donuts. Unfortunately, when I started the car, the Check Engine Soon light was on….specifically for low tire pressure. After we hit Dunkin, it took me four gas stations before I could get a tire gage. All four tires were below 28 lbs….so I really had to fill them up…in the pouring rain, by myself. Who needs a name (although maybe a man just would have done it without a tire gage)
Then I took the kids to the Chatham Lighthouse and the Nauset Lighthouse. They weren’t too impressed. It probably didn’t help that there was so much fog that you really couldn’t see the beach. Such a very dreary day. Gin called, while we were heading back to Harwich, to make plans for dinner with Karen & Leslie. I stopped at George’s Pizza on Main Street for takeout. It was the first pizza I’d ever eaten….and it was in the same place, with the same owners for forty years. Impressive. The pizza smelled the same too….scent is amazing for awakening long dormant memories. I was so excited to eat it….first bite, wonderful. Second bite, marginal. Third bite….pizza tasted like crap. Kids wouldn’t eat it either. So much for the good ole days.
While I was driving the kids around, I was listening to the radio and my imagination was working overtime. Totally plotted a book….set on the Cape of course. I got a million stories in my head…I need to quit daydreaming and get to work.
But that won’ be happening anytime soon. Back at the hotel the kids were going wild. Seriously, it was like being in a zoo. Hunter was trying to watch the NASCAR race, with the volume turned up full blast; Bear was running around like a caged monkey on speed; Aud was chasing Cammy around…loudly…and he was disagreeing with her actions….loudly. Calgon – take me away! Today was the day that I seriously asked myself what in the hell was I doing? Everyone said I was crazy….today, I felt they were right. I hadn’t planned on constant rain. Really, it had rained every single day, but two. Every day. Eleven freakin days.
I took Bear and Aud to the indoor pool in the hopes of burning off some of their energy. We were having dinner with Gin, Karen, & Leslie (and because of the rain, dinner in a restaurant, not a cookout in their yard). I was nervous.
Karen and Leslie live in Hyannis, where I was born. I took the kids by the hospital where I was born & the Melody Tent where I used to see shows with my mom. So, I was late getting to Karen’s. We chatted for about 10 minutes before we headed to the harbor for dinner. The restaurant was called Spanky’s and it was perfect for the kids. I had lobster and it was delicious. The kids were relatively good (for them).
After dinner, we all drove back to Dennis for some ice cream. It may sound dorky…but when I was envisioning being on the Cape with my kids, I was imaging this:
The kids would be lightly sun burnt and windblown, dressed in crisp pastels with happy smiles glowing on their cherub faces (not even close). We’d had have dinner at a waterside restaurant (check) and we’d laugh and they’d be exceptionally well behaved (maybe a little bit). After dinner, as a reward for their good behavior (not really good, not really bad), we’d take a drive to an ice-cream parlor as the sun set (what sun?) We’d sit outtside on the deck (raining) and eat our cool summer treat. Today was good as it was gonna get. We ate inside and the place had an electric piano that played nickelodeon tunes. The kids loved it. They all danced around the piano, laughing and getting a standing ovation from the other patrons. Sometimes, the real stuff is just better.
Back at the hotel…I dumped Aud with Gin (who had a room so we could leave early in the a.m.) I packed us up and watched the Celtics game with Hunter. They won…yeah!
Tomorrow we’re headed to Rhode Island to see Kendall and then…if Ginny agrees, we’re going to push it to Adamstown. I want to save on the two hotel rooms we’d need in Connecticut…and cut up the whole luggage/packing thing for such a short stop. Plus…we are out of clean clothes. I got to get to Pittsburgh to do some laundry. It would take me a day and a half to do it all with Gin’s slow washing machine. Gin….love you, but time is of the essence.
Silly Band: Hunter, I guess.
Quote: Cammy, ”Mom, can you stop the shower? I have to show you something for you.” - I didn’t stop the shower, but popped my head out to the cutest thing holding a doodle pad with a “drawing” of God knows what.
June 12th - Cape Chillin'
Day two on the Cape and the weather is letting us down yet again. Fearing rain late in the day, I got the kids to the beach early. It was too cold, really, so we took a walk. We walked east toward the Belmont and I took some pictures on the jetty. We got to stand on the beach were my mom went every summer (1937-1970) - after passing a few No Trespassing signs. Cool. I really, really wish I could click my heel s and go back to one of those summers…for just one day. Kind of Like that movie, Somewhere In Time. Nostalgia overload!
We bailed on the cold and wind and headed to the indoor pool. It was nice and there was a nice warm hot tub! Ginny called and she was going to meet us at the hotel at 12:30 so we could go to Orleans for lunch at The Lobster Claw. The restaurant is owned by a former classmate of hers – Donny Berig. He was also a good friend of my dad’s.
On the way to the restaurant, it started to rain….the day was proving to be a wash out. When we got to there, Donny was manning the hostess desk. What a nice man. The first thing he said to me was, “I loved your dad.” He visited with us and we had a wonderful lunch. I had the lobster salad that with came with potato salad and coleslaw…so New England (and so fattening). I need to get a New England cookbook, because the salads were perfect….just like my mom used to make (but she never wrote down any recipes).
The rain really started coming down, so Gin headed back to Karen’s for a nap. The kids and I just hung out in the room for a couple hours before heading out for dinner. Probably one of the calmest unplanned moments of the trip so far!
Dinner, however…not so calm! I left early, because it was Saturday and I figured that things would fill up fast. Well, I naively asked where everyone wanted to go…and this created a problem. Then I realized I forgot Bear’s yuck-yucks, so I had to go back to the hotel to get his meds, because it would have been really ugly if I didn’t…and that cost us precious time. Two places I stopped at had waits, which wouldn’t do. I finally found a place named, “Land Ho”…it was okay. Loud and crowded which are key ingredients for a crazy Bear. The food and service were…so-so. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
As we were leaving, Aud asked when we were going to see my old house…which we’d already done. She pays a lot of attention! So off we went, again, to Merrywood. I was glad, though. It was cool to see the old hood at dusk. I don’t know what I expect to see/feel/remember when I look at the house. The day before I was excited, but tonight when I looked, I felt old.
Back at the hotel the kids all behaved like heathens. God, all I did all night was yell and threaten...to no avail. I found a movie on TBS that I hadn’t seen in a while, Catch Me If You Can. It was really good….three of my four fell asleep in bed with me. How sweet is that? What kind of bitch am I that I carried them all to their designated sleeping places, so I could sleep by myself?
Still in Dennis port at the Soundings
Quote of the Day: Audrey, “OMG, you have to cover my eyes…they’re kissing.” – while she was watching Catch Me If You Can with me.
Silly Band…no one!
We bailed on the cold and wind and headed to the indoor pool. It was nice and there was a nice warm hot tub! Ginny called and she was going to meet us at the hotel at 12:30 so we could go to Orleans for lunch at The Lobster Claw. The restaurant is owned by a former classmate of hers – Donny Berig. He was also a good friend of my dad’s.
On the way to the restaurant, it started to rain….the day was proving to be a wash out. When we got to there, Donny was manning the hostess desk. What a nice man. The first thing he said to me was, “I loved your dad.” He visited with us and we had a wonderful lunch. I had the lobster salad that with came with potato salad and coleslaw…so New England (and so fattening). I need to get a New England cookbook, because the salads were perfect….just like my mom used to make (but she never wrote down any recipes).
The rain really started coming down, so Gin headed back to Karen’s for a nap. The kids and I just hung out in the room for a couple hours before heading out for dinner. Probably one of the calmest unplanned moments of the trip so far!
Dinner, however…not so calm! I left early, because it was Saturday and I figured that things would fill up fast. Well, I naively asked where everyone wanted to go…and this created a problem. Then I realized I forgot Bear’s yuck-yucks, so I had to go back to the hotel to get his meds, because it would have been really ugly if I didn’t…and that cost us precious time. Two places I stopped at had waits, which wouldn’t do. I finally found a place named, “Land Ho”…it was okay. Loud and crowded which are key ingredients for a crazy Bear. The food and service were…so-so. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
As we were leaving, Aud asked when we were going to see my old house…which we’d already done. She pays a lot of attention! So off we went, again, to Merrywood. I was glad, though. It was cool to see the old hood at dusk. I don’t know what I expect to see/feel/remember when I look at the house. The day before I was excited, but tonight when I looked, I felt old.
Back at the hotel the kids all behaved like heathens. God, all I did all night was yell and threaten...to no avail. I found a movie on TBS that I hadn’t seen in a while, Catch Me If You Can. It was really good….three of my four fell asleep in bed with me. How sweet is that? What kind of bitch am I that I carried them all to their designated sleeping places, so I could sleep by myself?
Still in Dennis port at the Soundings
Quote of the Day: Audrey, “OMG, you have to cover my eyes…they’re kissing.” – while she was watching Catch Me If You Can with me.
Silly Band…no one!
June 11th - That Old Cape Magic
June 11
Okay, I love Boston, but I was not too sad to be leaving. We weren’t actually staying in Boston, rather a blue-color (imo) suburb. And, the weather was still yucky. We loaded up and headed to the Cape. I let Ginny drive, because I know she was chomping at the bit.
Ginny drives fast. I drive fast….so you must know that she drives really fast. It took everything in me to not keep looking at the speedometer, or to make a comment. I really didn’t want to start anything because she was not in a good mood. It seems the prospect of staying with Karen (a long-time family friend) had darkened her mood considerably. I felt terrible, because I’d asked her to stay there (to save money on the hotel). My bad. I can’t figure out why they’re friends, because the side of the conversation I heard was bad. I half joked about the way Ginny spoke to Karen….I was promptly put in my place. I won’t say anything again.
I love the Cape. As much as I love NE….the Cape is really it for me. It’s where I was born, my first house, my first friends, grammar school, the beach, Fourth of July, the Bicentennial, fried clams, ice cream, the Wayside Inn, George’s pizza, go-cart rides, the purple dune buggy, the Melody tent, the jetties, big shells that roar with the sound of the ocean, plump green seaweed that looks like you could plant it in a pot…mom & dad, happy. I just love it here. I can’t for the life of me figure out why I don’t come back more often!
After Ginny hit the Sagamore Bridge’ going 65 mph in a 40 zone, we were there in no time. The hotel is great…old Cape Cod on the beach….we can see the ocean from our balcony. The room is efficiency with a small kitchen, two double beads, and a living/dining area. Perfect. Although….no internet access. So, I’m out of touch for a few days.
Karen came to pick Gin up…and poor Gin looked like she was going to her execution. I felt bad, but I think the break will do everyone good.
The kids and I hit the beach. Hunter and Aud built sandcastles with some other kids they’d met, while Barrett jumped in the pool (which was adjacent to the beach). The air temperature was only 64, so I cannot imagine how cold the pool water was. He was visibly shaking….but kept on jumping. Cammy wasn’t too impressed with the beach….sand was freaking him out. I just sat in our chair looking at the beautiful coastline. Just 100 yards to the east is where the old Belmont Hotel once sat…for 90 years, before some developer brought her to the ground. The Belmont is where my parents met, and where I lived for the first year of my life. I was home.
After the beach, I drove the kids to Chatham, to lunch at the Squire. Along the way, I was happily pointing out all the landmarks I knew, and my five year old daughter told me, “Enough, get us to the Squire.” The Squire is a bar on Main Street, across from the Wayside Inn, where my dad worked for seven years. The Squire is older than I am and is still owned by the same two guys who started it all, Richard Costello & George Payne. In the 1970-80s, they were good friends of my dad.
The Squire hasn’t changed much and the fried clams were awesome! The kids were good and I asked if Richard or George were around – Richard was. I said hi and we chit-chatted before I had to chase the kids, who were heading out the door. I took them to the old candy store across the street and then to the Chatham Band Stand in the park for a candy picnic. We also went in the Wayside Inn, but as I’d discovered the last time I was here, the outside may look the same, but the inside had been gutted. It looks like any ole chain hotel now.
After a gallery and a bookstore we headed back to Harwich. We went to my old grocery store (was Angelos, now Star market) for snacks and then the wine store (which was once Ring Bros. Farmers Market, scene of my first crime…I stole a candy bar and I got the BELT).
Back at the hotel, I had happy hour with Rich, via the phone. I miss him. This would be even more special if he was here. The last time we were here, I was pregnant with the boys….and so very sick. It was awful. But, there’s always next time.
Lodging: The Soundings Resort, Dennisport, MA (Cape Cod)
Traveled: Boston to Dennis, 83miles/1 ½ hours
Quote of the day: “Good for you!” – Four separate strangers on four different occasions, after I confirmed that, yes, all four were mine. Much nicer to hear than, “You’ve got your hands full.”
Silly Band: Bear-Bear
Okay, I love Boston, but I was not too sad to be leaving. We weren’t actually staying in Boston, rather a blue-color (imo) suburb. And, the weather was still yucky. We loaded up and headed to the Cape. I let Ginny drive, because I know she was chomping at the bit.
Ginny drives fast. I drive fast….so you must know that she drives really fast. It took everything in me to not keep looking at the speedometer, or to make a comment. I really didn’t want to start anything because she was not in a good mood. It seems the prospect of staying with Karen (a long-time family friend) had darkened her mood considerably. I felt terrible, because I’d asked her to stay there (to save money on the hotel). My bad. I can’t figure out why they’re friends, because the side of the conversation I heard was bad. I half joked about the way Ginny spoke to Karen….I was promptly put in my place. I won’t say anything again.
I love the Cape. As much as I love NE….the Cape is really it for me. It’s where I was born, my first house, my first friends, grammar school, the beach, Fourth of July, the Bicentennial, fried clams, ice cream, the Wayside Inn, George’s pizza, go-cart rides, the purple dune buggy, the Melody tent, the jetties, big shells that roar with the sound of the ocean, plump green seaweed that looks like you could plant it in a pot…mom & dad, happy. I just love it here. I can’t for the life of me figure out why I don’t come back more often!
After Ginny hit the Sagamore Bridge’ going 65 mph in a 40 zone, we were there in no time. The hotel is great…old Cape Cod on the beach….we can see the ocean from our balcony. The room is efficiency with a small kitchen, two double beads, and a living/dining area. Perfect. Although….no internet access. So, I’m out of touch for a few days.
Karen came to pick Gin up…and poor Gin looked like she was going to her execution. I felt bad, but I think the break will do everyone good.
The kids and I hit the beach. Hunter and Aud built sandcastles with some other kids they’d met, while Barrett jumped in the pool (which was adjacent to the beach). The air temperature was only 64, so I cannot imagine how cold the pool water was. He was visibly shaking….but kept on jumping. Cammy wasn’t too impressed with the beach….sand was freaking him out. I just sat in our chair looking at the beautiful coastline. Just 100 yards to the east is where the old Belmont Hotel once sat…for 90 years, before some developer brought her to the ground. The Belmont is where my parents met, and where I lived for the first year of my life. I was home.
After the beach, I drove the kids to Chatham, to lunch at the Squire. Along the way, I was happily pointing out all the landmarks I knew, and my five year old daughter told me, “Enough, get us to the Squire.” The Squire is a bar on Main Street, across from the Wayside Inn, where my dad worked for seven years. The Squire is older than I am and is still owned by the same two guys who started it all, Richard Costello & George Payne. In the 1970-80s, they were good friends of my dad.
The Squire hasn’t changed much and the fried clams were awesome! The kids were good and I asked if Richard or George were around – Richard was. I said hi and we chit-chatted before I had to chase the kids, who were heading out the door. I took them to the old candy store across the street and then to the Chatham Band Stand in the park for a candy picnic. We also went in the Wayside Inn, but as I’d discovered the last time I was here, the outside may look the same, but the inside had been gutted. It looks like any ole chain hotel now.
After a gallery and a bookstore we headed back to Harwich. We went to my old grocery store (was Angelos, now Star market) for snacks and then the wine store (which was once Ring Bros. Farmers Market, scene of my first crime…I stole a candy bar and I got the BELT).
Back at the hotel, I had happy hour with Rich, via the phone. I miss him. This would be even more special if he was here. The last time we were here, I was pregnant with the boys….and so very sick. It was awful. But, there’s always next time.
Lodging: The Soundings Resort, Dennisport, MA (Cape Cod)
Traveled: Boston to Dennis, 83miles/1 ½ hours
Quote of the day: “Good for you!” – Four separate strangers on four different occasions, after I confirmed that, yes, all four were mine. Much nicer to hear than, “You’ve got your hands full.”
Silly Band: Bear-Bear
June 10th - Bad Smithies
June 10th
Today was crappy, weather wise. We woke to a brisk 52 degrees and a less than promising weather report. Rainy and in the 50’s….damp and rainy.
So it was a good day to head to Foxboro. Fanatical fan that I am….I’ve never been to Foxboro…never been to a home game. I drove down (poor Gin), it was a quick drive and totally worth it.
The stadium is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it – Hunter was soooo excited. It’s enormous. We walked up the main gate by the”lighthouse” and we were able see onto the field. The nose bleed seats were seriously high. I wouldn’t go up there. Anyway….there was a medical center, a mall, a hotel, and many, many restaurants and bars. We hit the pro shop, which was Patriots Mecca. I spent so much money, that they gave me free tickets to the Patriots Hall.
Patriots Hall held the team’s Hall of Fame, as well as tons of memorabilia….most importantly the Super Bowl Trophies (probably replicas?)! There were tons of other things….including a whole display devoted to the snowy Patriots/Raiders play-off game, with a video of the “tuck play”….Rich would not have been pleased! My boy Drew Bledsoe’s uniform was featured in a display for the 1990’s teams. Other than that there was only a (HOT) picture of him swinging a golf club. God, he’s hot. Poor Drew. We also got to see a movie featuring all the highs and lows of Pats history. I cried, again, watching the Pats win their first Super Bowl in 2002. There were two other girls in the theater (thank God, only 2, because my kids were running around like crazy) and we were screaming and cheering like it was happening live, for real, right in front of us.
Then we headed to Uncle Louie’s for lunch and a visit. I was very excited to see him and Mary…it had been 10 years. I put the fear of God into the children (or so I thought) warning them that they’d better not embarrass me…or else! So you can guess what happened…
Louie and Mary looked great, they really did. Their house was just as I’d remembered which is always comforting. The kids stormed their house and headed to the basement with Louie on their trail. Bear found a computer (he’d been denied access for ten days…so he was like a junkie looking for a hit.). Poor Louie was trying to boot it up for him and Bear was freakin’, cause it wasn’t fast enough. He made all sorts of lovely Barrett sounds. Meanwhile, Hunter and Camden discovered the piano & Audrey was frantically trying to manipulate the remote. I was breaking out in a sweat.
Once he hooked Barrett up, Louie went out for pizza and I went upstairs to chat with Mary & Ginny. That lasted approximately 2 minutes before all hell broke loose downstairs. I went down to find Louie’s computer screen glowing a bright magenta and Barrett moaning like a sick dog. The computer was so slow and Bear was so frustrated…God knows what he did. Quick call to daddy and I fixed it before Louie got back. Then I disabled the mouse and hid it so no one could use the computer.
We tried to sit down to lunch, but nothing, and I mean nothing was to Audrey’s liking. She said no to everything they offered and eventually dissolved into tears. I sent her to the basement. Bear apparently didn’t like the pizza, either. Cammy told me that Bear had thrown a piece in the sink (on top of clean dishes that were in a rack) and I later found a piece in the bathroom hamper. Nice. This food revolt eventually ended with Bear reenacting a scene from Barney in which Baby Bop dropped his ice cream cone on the floor….yes Bear purposefully dropped his cone on their floor.
At some point during all this, Cammy tumbled down the stairs and cut hit cheek open…close to his eye, which is now black. Then I discovered Hunter in the kitchen, drinking coke from a 2 liter bottle. When he saw me, he spit all the coke back into the bottle. Nice.
Ginny had a nice time catching up (I was too busy putting out fires) and we got some nice pictures. After another fight in the basement, I announced our departure. As a parting gift, when we were leaving…Bear made a beeline across the street into the neighbor’s back yard. I was like, “shit”. I asked the woman who’s house it was (she was out front with her kids) to please tell me she didn’t have a pool…but the attraction was only a play set. Phew.
Back at the hotel I took the boys for a very cold swim in the hopes of burning off energy. Aud stayed behind because of her obnoxiousness. Then we ate dinner at Fridays and herded everyone to an early bed. Tomorrow Cape Cod!
BTW…I’ve quizzed Ginny extensively over the last couple days about family history. LOTS of dirt. Very interesting. Also, I’m feeling really bad for my dad. I don’t think he ever had a chance. God willing I don’t make the same mistakes….I hate the saying “history repeats itself’” mostly because it usually turns out to be true….
Silly Band Award – Hunter
Quote of the day: Hunter, “It’s ‘no fair’ that I have to be 21 to drink wine.” – The kids were playing “no fair” and this is what he came up with??!?!
Today was crappy, weather wise. We woke to a brisk 52 degrees and a less than promising weather report. Rainy and in the 50’s….damp and rainy.
So it was a good day to head to Foxboro. Fanatical fan that I am….I’ve never been to Foxboro…never been to a home game. I drove down (poor Gin), it was a quick drive and totally worth it.
The stadium is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it – Hunter was soooo excited. It’s enormous. We walked up the main gate by the”lighthouse” and we were able see onto the field. The nose bleed seats were seriously high. I wouldn’t go up there. Anyway….there was a medical center, a mall, a hotel, and many, many restaurants and bars. We hit the pro shop, which was Patriots Mecca. I spent so much money, that they gave me free tickets to the Patriots Hall.
Patriots Hall held the team’s Hall of Fame, as well as tons of memorabilia….most importantly the Super Bowl Trophies (probably replicas?)! There were tons of other things….including a whole display devoted to the snowy Patriots/Raiders play-off game, with a video of the “tuck play”….Rich would not have been pleased! My boy Drew Bledsoe’s uniform was featured in a display for the 1990’s teams. Other than that there was only a (HOT) picture of him swinging a golf club. God, he’s hot. Poor Drew. We also got to see a movie featuring all the highs and lows of Pats history. I cried, again, watching the Pats win their first Super Bowl in 2002. There were two other girls in the theater (thank God, only 2, because my kids were running around like crazy) and we were screaming and cheering like it was happening live, for real, right in front of us.
Then we headed to Uncle Louie’s for lunch and a visit. I was very excited to see him and Mary…it had been 10 years. I put the fear of God into the children (or so I thought) warning them that they’d better not embarrass me…or else! So you can guess what happened…
Louie and Mary looked great, they really did. Their house was just as I’d remembered which is always comforting. The kids stormed their house and headed to the basement with Louie on their trail. Bear found a computer (he’d been denied access for ten days…so he was like a junkie looking for a hit.). Poor Louie was trying to boot it up for him and Bear was freakin’, cause it wasn’t fast enough. He made all sorts of lovely Barrett sounds. Meanwhile, Hunter and Camden discovered the piano & Audrey was frantically trying to manipulate the remote. I was breaking out in a sweat.
Once he hooked Barrett up, Louie went out for pizza and I went upstairs to chat with Mary & Ginny. That lasted approximately 2 minutes before all hell broke loose downstairs. I went down to find Louie’s computer screen glowing a bright magenta and Barrett moaning like a sick dog. The computer was so slow and Bear was so frustrated…God knows what he did. Quick call to daddy and I fixed it before Louie got back. Then I disabled the mouse and hid it so no one could use the computer.
We tried to sit down to lunch, but nothing, and I mean nothing was to Audrey’s liking. She said no to everything they offered and eventually dissolved into tears. I sent her to the basement. Bear apparently didn’t like the pizza, either. Cammy told me that Bear had thrown a piece in the sink (on top of clean dishes that were in a rack) and I later found a piece in the bathroom hamper. Nice. This food revolt eventually ended with Bear reenacting a scene from Barney in which Baby Bop dropped his ice cream cone on the floor….yes Bear purposefully dropped his cone on their floor.
At some point during all this, Cammy tumbled down the stairs and cut hit cheek open…close to his eye, which is now black. Then I discovered Hunter in the kitchen, drinking coke from a 2 liter bottle. When he saw me, he spit all the coke back into the bottle. Nice.
Ginny had a nice time catching up (I was too busy putting out fires) and we got some nice pictures. After another fight in the basement, I announced our departure. As a parting gift, when we were leaving…Bear made a beeline across the street into the neighbor’s back yard. I was like, “shit”. I asked the woman who’s house it was (she was out front with her kids) to please tell me she didn’t have a pool…but the attraction was only a play set. Phew.
Back at the hotel I took the boys for a very cold swim in the hopes of burning off energy. Aud stayed behind because of her obnoxiousness. Then we ate dinner at Fridays and herded everyone to an early bed. Tomorrow Cape Cod!
BTW…I’ve quizzed Ginny extensively over the last couple days about family history. LOTS of dirt. Very interesting. Also, I’m feeling really bad for my dad. I don’t think he ever had a chance. God willing I don’t make the same mistakes….I hate the saying “history repeats itself’” mostly because it usually turns out to be true….
Silly Band Award – Hunter
Quote of the day: Hunter, “It’s ‘no fair’ that I have to be 21 to drink wine.” – The kids were playing “no fair” and this is what he came up with??!?!
June 9th - Bean Town!
June 9, 2010
Believe it or not, we all slept past 7a.m.!!! I couldn’t believe it. Nice. I went to wake up Cam about 7:45….only to find that he’d completely peed his bed (pack-n-play). Yuck! Damn Huggies…I’ve had trouble finding Pampers. So I had to use the 5 cent miniature bar of soap to scrub his p-n-p mattress.
After showers, I hustled the kids to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. Today was Boston day and the kids were very excited about taking a “train” (the infamous T) into the city. Gin was less than excited. She said that she was an “insecure public transportation person.” So she headed to the lobby for the continental breakfast and a map of the T. She looked frazzled and asked for my atlas before I left. I decide to just call Marcie (she lived here and worked in the city) for the 411. But by the time I got back to the hotel…Ginny was waiting out front…and she did not look happy!
Long story short – we drove into the city, which at the end of the day turned out to be the right thing to do. I got to drive!, so that as cool. We had a very full day. We took the kids to Boston Common and they got the merry-go-round ride they missed out on in D.C. From there we headed to Boston Garden for the Swan Boats. Bear was a little antsy with waiting in line (which was not long). He just pushed to the head of the line….ugh! But I’ve discovered that if I HOLD Barrett…seriously…he’s okay. But, he is about 60lbs! Any wonder way Disney scares me?
We did make it to the boat…and he loved it. He had the biggest smile on his face watching the ducks and their babies fight for food. It was beautiful out. Perfect. After the boats, we walked back through the Common to Tremont Street and found Paul Revere’s grave. This was very important for two reasons. One, Hunter had a tough time with the historical figures segment of social studies this year…much to my chagrin. Paul Revere was one of the figures, so I was hell bent on him actually seeing some stuff. Two, twenty-six years ago, I visited the city with my dad and brother and we visited Paul Revere’s house and his grave and I wanted to “recreate” a picture of Edmund and I on Revere’s grave with a “modern day” picture of Hunter & Aud. Mission accomplished.
Then we headed to Quincy Market for lunch. Barrett had a little meltdown…minor. He used the restroom and ordered a grilled cheese which seemed to appease him. I order a class of pinot grigio and fried clams (my favorite). I called Marcie, to reminisce about a drunken girl’s night 14 years earlier, in Quincy Market…but I digress.
After lunch we headed back to the car and drove to Fenway Park. Hunter was soooo excited, which was beyond cool. Another fanatic! Unfortunately, I didn’t take them in (they wanted $50!) and immediately felt bad. I will make it up to them tomorrow….at Gillette.
I was tired – corralling the kid in the city was exhausting and it had really clouded up. We headed back to the hotel, because I had promised some swim time. By the time we got back the temperature had dropped to the 60’s and it was raining. The kids would not be deterred….and headed to the outside pool. Swear to God. After 30 minutes I made them go in.
I went on a hunt for Subway….never found it so I got Panera Bread…and was really gone too long. I knew it….and felt like a teenager when I got back, explaining to Ginny why I’d been gone so long. And I still had to get our pizza from the restaurant next store. The younger three were okay, but Bear was a bit nervous about my being gone.
I ordered the pizza to go and sat at the bar to have a glass of wine. The bartender was seriously flirting with me, which surprised me. Then he saw my diamond and said …”Oh, look at that rock.” I was like, “Yeah, it comes with 4 kids.” So he bought my wine for me…I still got it… and told me I didn’t look like I had 4 kids. I love Boston Boys.
Little buzzed when I got back - tripping over explanations to Grand Ginny. I’m 40, can you believe this? Aud has a sore throat, she claimed, so I had to “manage” her. She may be telling the truth given my week-long cold. Tomorrow could be rough…
Quote of the Day: Camden, “Mommy, be quiet!” – while I was singing in the car!
Silly Band Award: Hunter
Still in Dedham at the Fairfield Inn
Believe it or not, we all slept past 7a.m.!!! I couldn’t believe it. Nice. I went to wake up Cam about 7:45….only to find that he’d completely peed his bed (pack-n-play). Yuck! Damn Huggies…I’ve had trouble finding Pampers. So I had to use the 5 cent miniature bar of soap to scrub his p-n-p mattress.
After showers, I hustled the kids to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. Today was Boston day and the kids were very excited about taking a “train” (the infamous T) into the city. Gin was less than excited. She said that she was an “insecure public transportation person.” So she headed to the lobby for the continental breakfast and a map of the T. She looked frazzled and asked for my atlas before I left. I decide to just call Marcie (she lived here and worked in the city) for the 411. But by the time I got back to the hotel…Ginny was waiting out front…and she did not look happy!
Long story short – we drove into the city, which at the end of the day turned out to be the right thing to do. I got to drive!, so that as cool. We had a very full day. We took the kids to Boston Common and they got the merry-go-round ride they missed out on in D.C. From there we headed to Boston Garden for the Swan Boats. Bear was a little antsy with waiting in line (which was not long). He just pushed to the head of the line….ugh! But I’ve discovered that if I HOLD Barrett…seriously…he’s okay. But, he is about 60lbs! Any wonder way Disney scares me?
We did make it to the boat…and he loved it. He had the biggest smile on his face watching the ducks and their babies fight for food. It was beautiful out. Perfect. After the boats, we walked back through the Common to Tremont Street and found Paul Revere’s grave. This was very important for two reasons. One, Hunter had a tough time with the historical figures segment of social studies this year…much to my chagrin. Paul Revere was one of the figures, so I was hell bent on him actually seeing some stuff. Two, twenty-six years ago, I visited the city with my dad and brother and we visited Paul Revere’s house and his grave and I wanted to “recreate” a picture of Edmund and I on Revere’s grave with a “modern day” picture of Hunter & Aud. Mission accomplished.
Then we headed to Quincy Market for lunch. Barrett had a little meltdown…minor. He used the restroom and ordered a grilled cheese which seemed to appease him. I order a class of pinot grigio and fried clams (my favorite). I called Marcie, to reminisce about a drunken girl’s night 14 years earlier, in Quincy Market…but I digress.
After lunch we headed back to the car and drove to Fenway Park. Hunter was soooo excited, which was beyond cool. Another fanatic! Unfortunately, I didn’t take them in (they wanted $50!) and immediately felt bad. I will make it up to them tomorrow….at Gillette.
I was tired – corralling the kid in the city was exhausting and it had really clouded up. We headed back to the hotel, because I had promised some swim time. By the time we got back the temperature had dropped to the 60’s and it was raining. The kids would not be deterred….and headed to the outside pool. Swear to God. After 30 minutes I made them go in.
I went on a hunt for Subway….never found it so I got Panera Bread…and was really gone too long. I knew it….and felt like a teenager when I got back, explaining to Ginny why I’d been gone so long. And I still had to get our pizza from the restaurant next store. The younger three were okay, but Bear was a bit nervous about my being gone.
I ordered the pizza to go and sat at the bar to have a glass of wine. The bartender was seriously flirting with me, which surprised me. Then he saw my diamond and said …”Oh, look at that rock.” I was like, “Yeah, it comes with 4 kids.” So he bought my wine for me…I still got it… and told me I didn’t look like I had 4 kids. I love Boston Boys.
Little buzzed when I got back - tripping over explanations to Grand Ginny. I’m 40, can you believe this? Aud has a sore throat, she claimed, so I had to “manage” her. She may be telling the truth given my week-long cold. Tomorrow could be rough…
Quote of the Day: Camden, “Mommy, be quiet!” – while I was singing in the car!
Silly Band Award: Hunter
Still in Dedham at the Fairfield Inn
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