The End

I've been putting this post off all year (all 9 days of it!) but I think it's time to admit that we're going on a more permanent break.  Bill bowed out a few months ago and I've been limping along out of guilt.  I loved this blog a lot.  It went from just a single (small) picture and caption (we didn't know how to resize the photos for the first few years!!) to long stories of our adventures.  Obviously our time in the UK was the most fun to post and I love that we were able to share it with you. 

Part of me thinks that the blog is a great way to push us to do things that we wouldn't normally do which is why I don't want to say I'm done with blogging forever.  But for now, I know that I'm happier just living rather than constantly worrying about how to make life "blog-worthy". 

So this is the end...for now.  Who knows?  Maybe we'll both be back and we will just pick up where we left off.  Or maybe after a break I'll start a new blog with a different focus. 

Thank you for reading and commenting.  You're the reason I've continued as long as I have and you're probably the reason I'll be back.

Peace and Love,
Jen and Bill

Christmas 2016

"All I want is what I have coming to me….All I want is my fair share"  - Sally Brown, A Charlie Brown Christmas.

This is what the room looked like before the family arrived and complete chaos erupted.  As soon as everyone was in place the paper started to fly!

Malikai got a box of spy/joke items.  The coolest were these dark glasses with mirrors so he could see behind him.

Every year Allie gets a hat….this year, it's Snoopy!

I got a hat too…and so did Bret but Trudi is wearing it in this dumb/ dumber /dumbest photo.  Trudi is a sport when it comes to goofy faces - even knowing that this will probably be in the photo calendar I make for her every year.

But we took a good one too.

And in case you are wondering what Bill is wearing - - it's his new onesie from Joey.  The fez just adds to the glamour.

Bill painted this picture of Oona for Bret and Zoe - - Meanwhile, the real Oona tries to hide from the paparazzi.

Bill panted vases for Joey and Allie…actually it was for Joey's twin - Angry Jeffrey.

Malikai and Wyatte also got little boxes of edible bugs that Bill and I found in NYC.  Wyatte wouldn't try one but the rest of us did….Malikai won't be sprinkling crickets on his mac and cheese any time soon.

Bret gave the experience some enthusiasm but agreed they tasted pretty bad.

Even Trudi gave it a go.  End result - bugs in a little box that have probable sat on a shelf a long time don't taste very good.  

We ended the night with gigantic sparklers!  (Diane, these were the ones you gave me over the summer - I put them on the porch and forgot about them until now so they were wrapped and put under the tree for the Littles.  Unfortunately, they tended to sputter out before they burnt to the end but it was fun while it lasted.) 

Laura went to her brother's house over the holidays so we had the King of the Street staying with us.  We all get a little Christmas cat hair in our stockings as a special treat.

Speaking of special treats - - this is the big news.  Santa brought me a drum kit!!!   After several months of lessons and practicing on stacked up sofa pillows I've got some tubs of my very own!!  Bill's new nickname for me is "Sticks-twistle".   I'm sure the neighbors will be thrilled to listen to my paradiddles.

I hope all our readers had a fabulous holiday!!!

Catch Up #2 (The Christmas Party)

The house is decorated, trays of apps are in the oven, beer in the fridge, a fire in the stove…it must be time for a Christmas Party!!!!!

This year's special event - - Photo Booth!  Bill set up an area with hats and props and our camera for everyone to dress up and take pics.

Here are some classics:

Jen and Brian (circa 1972?)

Dan as Marie Antoinette's spinster aunt.

Dan and Bill as Hercule Poirot and his mustache challenged side kick.

Sue and Steve's first year at the party but they seemed to fit right in!

The bro-mance continues for Bill and Earle

At the end of the night Lisa tried to get a mustache to stick to Bill's mustache.

Lisa and Betty

My favorite:

We took some pictures without props as well - - like the old Chester Road trio!  That's right - Jeff actually attended!!

If Jessica and I ever get engaged we might use this shot for our announcement.

I love this picture of Bill and Pam.  They'd make a cute couple!

This one cracks me up too.  Clearly Bill was prodding me in some way….but I managed to keep my picture face on.

How do you like that fur collared vest? I was doing Cher imitations all night.  

The Fabbie Foursome!!!  Dawn, Chris, Me (with Miles) and Jana.  

There are so many more pictures that I'll have to do another post just to get everyone in.  

The good news is that no one wet their pants at my party….that I'm aware of.

Catching Up!! (#1)

I have no idea why there has been a big gap between the title of the blog post and the words/pictures.  I've tried to fix it and I can't.  Also, I know I skipped last week's blog but we were so busy generating blog material that I didn't have time to post.  So now I have to backtrack a week or two.  The picture above is of our first snow.  It's snowed again this weekend but this was our first real winter snow so I wanted to show the new porch and Bill's new porch chair and our Christmas greenery all against the backdrop of fluffy white flakes.

Then we have the town all lit up for Christmas.  I think this picture is pre-snow.  This is from my morning walk - I'm out and about long before the sun these days.

I can not resist posting these pictures from NPPS.  Christin gave Denise and me these snuggle sacks that have arm holes and open at the legs so you can basically wear it all day long.  Denise is modeling while Christin demonstrates how the leg flap opens and fastens upright for walking or going to the bathroom.  Perfect for watching BBC TV in freezing New England!

Look who came to visit!!  Jana and Jim flew in from Seattle and Chris and Earle drove down from VT and we all converged in the Port for my annual Christmas party!!!  

Before the big night we had a few days to hang out.  This included dinner and drinks at the Grog - everyone's favorite local hang out.

Which means we were all in a festive mood when we got home and started doing a little clowning around.  I think Chris should consider this style the next time she is at the salon.

Then she and Earle could be twins!

Dumb and Dumber?

Jim and Woodman became close friends on this visit.

No visit to the Port would be complete without breakfast at Angie's.  Home made hash and baked beans for everyone!!

There is so much more and I know what everyone really wants to see are party pictures so I promise to most multiple times this week!  

Head Cold 2016

I spent most of the week with a nasty head cold which means I spent it on the couch under a pile of used tissues.  I was out of commission until Thursday when I finally left the house to get my hair cut.  This is Tabitha, my stylist.  So far I've sent three people her way (Denise, Laura and Holly) and they all love her.  Any locals reading this looking for a new salon just let me know. 

I didn't do anything fun until Saturday when I met Di Di bright and early at Orchard House in Concord. This is the home of Louisa May Alcott - where she wrote Little Women. 

We went on the 10:15 Christmas Tour.  The docents were dressed as members of the Alcott Family and we went from room to room with a Christmas stocking for the poor that they each added presents to as they talked about life in Orchard House,

Unfortunately they didn't let us take any pictures inside the house.  The desk where Louisa wrote LW was just a half circle of wood that folded out from the wall - it barely looked big enough for a full sheet of paper.  

Don't you love Diane's coat?  Everywhere she went there were compliments.  One woman said she glowed! (Just before I published this post she texted me that her uber driver asked her if she was a CEO.  She says her coat is magic!!!)

We then took ourselves out for a fabulous lunch and spent the afternoon shopping.

It was the perfect Christmastime Saturday.

Followed by a Sunday of party prep with Bill - Christmas tree shopping, a wreath on the door, and lights on the porch.  Next weekend is our annual shindig!  (Fletch, can you come??) But after all that prep work we took a lunch break for a burger and few plays by the Pats (Tom Brady's 201st win).  It's good to feel healthy again!!