The start of a new tradition.

A few months ago I was reading an article in Yankee Magazine about a daughter who decided to take her mother away on a mother-daughter weekend, and I instantly thought that my mother, my sister, and I should do one of those, too. My mother was turning 65 in March, my sister is turning 40 in June, and I turned 30 last year. In addition to these milestones to celebrate, we are all busy doing our own things in life (my sister with three young children, numerous pets, and semesters spent in nursing school, me with a very busy job, and my mother with a job, a house, a dog, and gandchildren), so we could use a weekend away to unwind, relax, and spend some time together. So I told them that we were going away, to find a weekend that would work with their schedules, and that was that. Our weekend was planned, and we all looked forward to it. That weekend has come and gone now. Our mother-daughters weekend was last weekend, and I think it will be a new tradition for us. And someday maybe my nieces will join us, too. We had a great time in Portland, Maine, doing nothing but what we wanted to do, and it was nice to reconnect over meals, shopping, and taking in the local culture. It was nice to treat my mother and sister to the hotel, too - this may have been the first time that we went away together, just the three of us, since I have been gainfully employed. It felt nice to give back, and it was the least I could do for them - I can't wait to do it again!

What do I remember most of the weekend? Well, quite a few things, but what stands out is the food. What great food we ate! Our lunch at The Farmer's Table was a vegetarian's dream (not a vegetarian restaurant, but we got soups and salads made with the freshest local vegetables - my mother's and sister's soup even had fiddleheads in it), and our dinner at Old Port Sea Grill was a fisherman's (and foodie’s) delight. I actually got fish there. Looks good, doesn't it? One of these days I'm going to move past whitefish, but for now, bring on the cod! And bring on the breakfast, please. I absolutely love breakfast foods, and the breakfast that we had at the Portland Regency restaurant was really outstanding. My sister got bananas foster french toast on an actual baguette, my mother got apple walnut pancakes almost as big as her plate, and I opted for the Belgian waffle. You can't go wrong with a Belgian waffle, and this one was very good.

But we didn't just eat while we were in Portland (though we could have. So much good food! I may have forgotten to mention that.). We went to the Victoria Mansion, a really great Italianate mansion built during the Civil War (pre-dating the Newport mansion craze of the Gilded Age, but a house that is very worthy of being among The Breakers or the Marble House), and we also went to the Portland Museum of Art. I admired the N.C. Wyeth exhibit and the sculpture gallery (so did my sister) and had a wonderful time in the McLellan House, attached to the Portland Museum of Art. I'm a big fan of colonial architecture, and this pre-Revolutionary house did not disappoint. Look at the staircase! Not too bad for little Portland, Maine.

And, of course, we just enjoyed hanging out in the city, because Portland's a cool place. There is this neat wall of graffiti and numerous streets with little shops and things to look at. Things to look at like the Lobsterman. You can't go to Portland without paying a visit to the Lobsterman.

It was a good weekend, indeed. On the way back I said to my mother and sister that we should do this every year, or at least every other year. We don't get a whole lot of time to be together, and to be together without distractions. I think it was good for us to get away, and I think we all enjoyed ourselves. I know I did. Thank you, ma soeur, for these great wine glasses by which we can remember our trip and thank you, Valet Man, for taking a photo of me, my mom, and my sister, right before we left for home. What a nice way to remember the trip - I'll have to have that one framed for us. (And if you want more photos of the trip, see here. And don't forget to check out a new picture of the day upload here. My camera's been busy these days!)

Listing again.

There is really no easier blog post to write than a list. And since I'm looking for the easy way out today, I'll post another of my lists. My list of positives. There are so many these days.

Let's start with...

* The new fence. It's great. It's new and sturdy and secure and it doesn't have any gates that I have to worry about flapping in the breeze or driving into as I back out of the driveway. All the posts are intact, and there is no rotting.

Old Fence:

New Fence:

The installation of this sparkly new fence was a hoot and a half. The two guys who came and put the fence in were something out of a cross between Hee-Haw and All in the Family. But even that's not a good description. They were just wacky, and vulgar, and loud, and... wait! Like The Odd Couple. Except one would have been this hard-living, hard-drinking, shrivel-y ex-con, and one would have been the bumbling side-kick. But they got the job done, and the fence is in, and now Doug and I have to paint it. That will certainly be a post unto itself.

Moving on to...

* Flowers. How about this poppy? The weather has been so nice for the past four days... warm, but not too humid, slow breezes, sunny... and the few flowers that we have left in our garden have been flourishing. This giant, red poppy blossomed the other day and I can't get over it's size and beauty. Who knew that we had a poppy in our garden. I'd like more of these, please.

* Friends. I had an excellent, excellent conversation with a very dear friend (I was going to say old friend, but she's not old - the friendship is, though). I have known Tamera since, what, first grade? Kindergarten? I have no idea, even, it's been that long. We were pretty much inseparable all throughout grade school, and through middle school, but because of various circumstances, most of which you can probably attribute to me, we went our different ways. Maybe five or so years ago we started to get back in touch. This was huge. Huge! And last night we talked for an hour and a half. And I realized so many things during that conversation, and from that conversation. Like I am sometimes a judgmental cad, and sometimes I am too quick to take life and those in it at face value. This is all good stuff - really - because lightbulb moments are crucial for personal development. The light went off last night.

* Mobile technology. I will now admit to getting used to my iPhone, and finding value in its convenience. My mother and sister and I went to Portland, Maine, this past weekend (more on that to come), and my little iPhone was so helpful to have. We found the Portland LL Bean Outlet because of it, made reservations at a busy restaurant because of it, and synchronized our summer calendars because of it. Thank you, Apple. For once I appreciate your innovation.

There's more, of course, but it's time to move on for today. Stay tuned for more on our weekend away in Portland... and what a fun weekend it was, too.

Happy places.

Let's give my list of positives for this week a theme - places that make me feel good, and that allow positivity to enter into my life.

* Brimfield. We've been going here for the past three years or so, or twice a year even in some years. We go to Brimfield for the antiques and the oddities, like the guitar that Doug's ogling here, or the card catalog turned into an electrician's parts holder that I'm eyeing here: We were there this past Saturday, and while we didn't come home with anything much this time (old postcards of wildlife, which will have to be the subject of another post because I love old postcards and want to do them justice), I still loved being out in the open, being in the fields, and being around all of this junk with stories attached... It just makes my step a little lighter.

* Boston Common & Boston Public Garden. These public spaces in Boston are always so full of great things to look at. People playing sports, people walking through to get to somewhere else in the city, homeless people sleeping on benches, kids playing on the playground, families hanging out on blankets having a picnic, people getting married, people having their photos taken, people feeding the squirrels and the geese, tourists looking at the statues. Being in these places makes me feel like I'm part of something big, like I'm part of the world. We spent some time in the Common and Garden with my good friend from high school, her wife, and their son this past weekend. We had a picnic - can't remember the last time I had a picnic, but what fun! - and played a little soccer before walking around a little and then heading home. Little Ely is an explorer, that one - very curious, and very independent. Here he is exploring the world from a park bench and here he is enjoying our soccer game from his mommy's back. He had little interest in the game when we tried to have him kick the ball, but perked right up when he was in that carrier. He's another positive force in life, mine and that of everyone who knows him, I'm sure. He's such a happy boy.

* Washington D.C. Doug and I recently visited our fine capital city, and we loved it there. We felt part of the world there, part of world events and part of something bigger than ourselves. Maybe one would get dragged down by daily routines in D.C. just like one does here, but I wouldn't mind finding out for myself, living there for a bit and seeing how I would like it. Because vacationing there was great, and we were very sorry to leave.

* Maine. I really haven't spent all that much time in Maine and have only seen a very small part of the rather large northern state, but the time I have spent there has been really very enjoyable. Doug and I like to go to Ogunquit in the summer and we were engaged there. We have friends in Portland and we visit them whenever we can. We vacationed in Liberty last summer and will do so again this year. Life seems peaceful in Maine, and I feel open to possibilities when I'm there. This is a good thing.

* My bed. My bed is a place, after all, and it's a place that I like to be. I like to sleep in my bed, but I also like to read in my bed and watch TV from my bed. I like to fold laundry on my bed while I watch TV, and I like to rub Doug's back when he's laying on the bed after a long day at work. Plus, we got the hardest mattress Gardner Mattress had to offer, which does wonders for my back. I can relax when I'm in my bed, and I often wake up feeling energized and ready to go. Ready to be positive about my day. I thank my bed for this. Thank you, bed. Maybe I'll go visit you right now.

Picture a Day has moved!

I've been getting a little concerned about my picture a day/week in review posts taking up a lot of bandwidth on my blog. And I've also been feeling pretty guilty (and irresponsible) for not using my flickr account, the one to which I paid to upgrade last year because I wanted to have a way to display all of my photos, and not via my blog. So my new solution? To move my Picture a Day project to flickr, and you can now find it here. Bookmark that link, or if you lose the link, just go to the Picture a Day set at librarianro's flickr page (and you can get there through my photostream).

So take a look - I've updated with photos from the last week, including this one, one of my favorites from the past few days. And when I do make an update to my flickr page, I'll be sure to include it in a post so that you can know to check it out.

** And as a P.S. - I realized yesterday well after I had posted about our trip to UConn that I spelled hockey as "hocky." Okay, that's a sign that I cannot blog before 8am. It's now fixed.

Cows make my world a better place.

Let's continue the discussion of positivity, carrying it over from my last post. Many of you may think that my positivity levels look something like this (image from this site): However, lately my positivity levels have been charting something more like this (image from this site): Why's that, you ask? Well, this week it has something to do with these: And with this: This past Sunday, Doug and I visited UConn on our way back from visiting with his mother and father. Little did we know that it was commencement that day, but the line of traffic going up 195 didn't stop us. Or stop me. I was determined to get to the Dairy Bar. All the food that Doug's mother stuffed us with did not quell my desire for some ice cream. Some creamy, rich Dairy Bar ice cream (banana chocolate chip was Sunday's flavor of choice and it certainly did not disappoint). And then once we scarfed that down we walked over to the Co-Op, because if you have ice cream then you need books. And then once we spent some time in the co-op, we headed over to see the cows.

It's really my visit to see the cows that caused a bit of a hockey stick spike in my positivity levels this week. I was reminded how much I like cows, and how I am more than my daily routines. Does everyone know about my love affair with cows? How they are my favorite animal, so slow and lumbering, and how I obsess over their dairy products? Cheese, ice cream, milk, yogurt... I do believe that cows are sacred, and so are their by-products. Because as much as I love whole milk and yogurt, I love cheeseburgers. And a good steak. But I have many cow-themed things, and have a collection of cows, love the smell of a good cow pasture, and try, whenever it's possible, to visit cows. I've taught Doug to love cows, too, though I find that he is more timid than I am with large farm animals. Back in our UConn days, Horsebarn Hill and the animal barns were a favorite place for us to hang out. I feel alive surrounded by nature, surrounded by nature's creatures (often the non-human kind), and so we spent many a day and evening walking there, talking, and petting the animals. I'll never forget petting a horse's smooth, velvety nose and trying to get Doug to do the same. It's as if I had asked him to pet a snake. What a city boy he was! But he's getting better. Still not as comfortable as me around the animals, but then again, I can't really blame him for not wanting to kiss that snotty snout, with bits of hay and grass stuck randomly about. I find it to be pleasantly enticing, but he - and probably the rest of the world - may just want to stick to admiring from afar.

Starting something new (sort of).

You know how each week (well, that's my intent, anyway) I post my week in review? My picture-a-day collection? Well, I was thinking that in addition to those (semi)weekly posts, I could also do a weekly post about the positive things in my life. Or just positive things in general, even if they're not directly in my life (an example of the latter would be pools. I do not have a pool, and do not belong to a gym that has a pool, but I like pools and generally have fun when at and in them, so I'd include them on my list of positives). I've posted lists of positives before, numerous times, but never consistently, and I feel like it would do me some good to do so consistently. To build off of what I learned in Barbara Frederickson's Positivity. Doug reminded me of the "broaden and build" theory of positive emotions this week, which made me realize that I didn't internalize as much of Frederickson's book as I thought (because after I read her book I said, "Sure, I'll follow the broaden and build theory - no problem!" and then I could barely remember having learned about it.). And what better way to learn something than through practice? So I will practice broadening and building with my blog, a source of positive energy for me, and I'll start practicing right now.

Positives:
* Since I already mentioned it, I'll say it again - pools. Pools are refreshing on a warm day, and when swimming in one life feels for me light and effortless.

* Yogurt. This gets on my list of positives all the time, but who cares. I love yogurt.

* Cats. Mine especially, but really all cats. Here's a photo of one of mine, to help illustrate why they bring positivity into my life:

* Freshly-cut flowers. Of any kind. All kinds. And in a vase and in my house.

* Hooded sweatshirts and yoga pants. And Crocs. I admit to liking Crocs; they're so easy!

* Bagel chips.

* Banana chocolate chip ice cream from the UConn Dairy Bar.

* The UConn Dairy Bar.

* Couch time with Doug.

Okay, that's enough for today. See you again in a week (give or take; you know me and my sense of time) with more positives. Broaden and build!

Week in review (or two)

It's been two weeks. I've been bad. Lax. A little behind the ball. But I'll make it up to you this time, with fourteen photos of the life and times of me. Hold on tight, kids - it's going to be quite the ride. :)

Saturday, April 24:


Sunday, April 25:


Monday, April 26:


Tuesday, April 27:


Wednesday, April 28:


Thursday, April 29:


Friday, April 30:


Saturday, May 1:


Sunday, May 2:


Monday, May 3:


Tuesday, May 4:


Wednesday, May 5:


Thursday, May 6:


Friday, May 7:

A whole lot of nothing.

* Tonight on NPR, WBUR, actually, but maybe other NPR channels, it seems to be musicals night. First I listened to an On Point with Idina Menzel, the star of Wicked and Rent, and now I am listening to a Fresh Air with Burt Bacharach, showcasing his music for the revived musical Promises, Promises. I have officially come to the conclusion that I do not like musicals. Not only is the music bloated and ostentatious, but I forget that I'm supposed to be paying attention to the lyrics when the song breaks out, so I get impatient and distracted. I'd rather be bleaching my shower than listening to a musical, and you'll never catch me watching Glee.

* Doug and I went into Boston on Saturday. Technically I go into Boston each day for work, but it doesn't count because I rarely leave my building. On Saturday we walked around Back Bay - stopping in the Garden for a swan boat ride then hiking through Beacon Hill and over to the North End, where we ate at Bacco and watched the Kentucky Derby. My desire to go to the Kentucky Derby someday has been solidified, and I might even be encouraged to wear one of those wild hats.

* My new favorite meal is eggplant parmesan. I get it at all Italian restaurants now. While I'm not completely convinced that there's any nutritional value to an eggplant, which uncooked feels a bit like a sponge and cooked has the consistency of pureed banana, I am completely convinced that it's better for me than a big plate of baked ziti and I think that it follows more closely my desire to live by a Mediterranean diet.

* Doug and I have been watching The Tudors on Showtime. The show became my friend during my clothes transfer project, and we're already just about halfway through season two. It's bawdy and terribly historically inaccurate, which makes for pretty good TV. And it beats watching Glee.

* I rue the day I discovered Popcorn, Indiana's Kettle Corn. I have absolutely no willpower if I open a bag. This bag? Opened on Sunday when I was doing my self-assessment, and it was gone by the time I went to bed on Monday. If I am what I eat then I had better stay out of the sun and heat, otherwise I'll pop up into a nice, fluffy white piece of popcorn. Either that or a soft and squishy piece of eggplant with a nice dollop of sauce and mozzarella on top. Unfortunately, tonight for dinner it's a baked potato (and a desperate attempt to ignore the unopened bag of kettle corn in the cupboard).

* Only one more story to read in Alice Munro's Too Much Happiness. Time to stop blogging about nothing and get reading.

And now it's done.

Our vacation. Done. Five glorious days of nothing, done. It certainly was fun while it lasted. After we stuffed ourselves silly at the Publick House, we slept late on Monday morning, went to the gym to work off some of those calories, and then decided to spend the afternoon in Portsmouth, NH. That turned out to be a great decision, because the clouds lifted and the sun poked out, making the afternoon quite pleasant. And then on Tuesday I got an iPhone. So yeah, definitely a good vacation.

We like Portsmouth. It's small, but with some neat things to look at, and it's home to a great bookstore, RiverRun Bookstore. And home to The Friendly Toast, the original one. And home to some really, really great colonial buildings and homes. Portsmouth was founded in something like 1623, so it's old. Old, old, old. And I like it that way. Because while it's easy to do Portsmouth in an afternoon (meaning it's not a bustling metropolis like Boston or Portland, it's nearest urban neighbors), it's nice to be somewhere quite, peaceful, old, and quaint. We like it there (have I mentioned that yet?).

On this vacation, too, I discovered that I seem to like taking photos of the cats and Doug. Take a scan through the photos I post to this blog; the majority will have either Doug in them or one or more of the cats. As I look through the photos I took of our last two days of vacation, they're true to form. Look:

Doug at a nice scenic spot in Portsmouth:

Doug on a bench in downtown Portsmouth:

Doug reading a book (a real one, not one on his nook!):

Sasha trying to eat Wyatt's tail:

If the casual reader didn't know any better, s/he'd think that all I do is hang out with Doug and the cats. But wait, that's so not true. I work, too. And while there I hang out with really cool predatory birds who drop and eat their prey right outside my window. But hey, at least I have a window.

And on a completely and totally unrelated note, I read today in an article from Yahoo! (what, you don't get your news from Yahoo! too? That page that comes up when you sign out of your Yahoo! mail?), that the position in which I sleep reveals my personality type. Definitely a story that needed to be clicked on. I don't think I always sleep in the same position (and on some nights I sleep in many positions, based on how tangled I am in the covers when I wake up in the morning), but I'd say six times out of ten I like to curl up into the fetal position when going to bed. This must mean that I have a tough exterior but am still sensitive, and that I may appear to be shy but I warm up quickly. It makes me feel so good to be such an easy read. Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, get out of my bedroom.