We had a wonderful and thankful holiday this year! We hope you did too!

Shawn’s nephew Pete, a senior at Colby-Sawyer, once again joined us rather than making the trip all the way home to North Carolina. Shawn’s mom, Marie, of course joined us as well so we had a small but great family get-together!

On thanksgiving morning, we were all up early to run the inaugural North Reading 5k Turkey Trot – well, Marie’s was up early but she could not be coerced into participating!  Pete took first place for the family, leading the race for a while and eventually finish 9th overall with a 19:27 – not bad for someone who doesn’t train! Josh followed with a 23:41 and Jake, hampered a bit by his asthma after we left his inhaler at home, followed him with a 26:05. John and Shawn brought up the rear but had fun running together and enjoying the new course that included a lap around the town High School’s brand new track!

Later in the morning, while Josh and John attended the high school rivalry football game, the first to be played on the town’s newly dedicated turf field, others relaxed watching the parade and getting the bird going.  Of course, we followed up with a meal of vast excess that everyone helped prepare and clean up after. Very nice day of family bonding!

On Friday, Shawn and Marie arose early to head for the mall, Pete awaited the arrival of his girlfriend to head to Rhode Island with her, and John and the boys put up the outdoor lights to cap off the holiday!  Happy Thanksgiving all!

We played and watched a whole lot of soccer this fall!

The season kicked off on Labor Day weekend with Jake’s town team, the Black Hornets, playing in the hometown Fall Kickoff Classic tournament. This year’s Black Hornets team was comprised mostly of 7th graders playing in a U-14 league that spanned 7th and 8th grade boys. So, they were often matched against older, larger, more experienced teams but gained valuable experience for next year when they’ll play again in the same league. In this tournament, they took 2 of 3 games in the first round, good enough to put them into the Monday playoffs. But there they ran into one of those bigger, older teams that beat them soundly. Still, they played well and  had a lot of fun!

Josh moved on to the High School level this year and played for both the Freshman and the Junior Varsity teams for most of the season. As he has for the past several seasons, he played goalkeeper for the Freshman team, but put in time as a midfielder for the JV. He was a strong player in both positions showing both good skills and a sturdy toughness.

Josh missed the last week or so of the season after an incident in a Freshman game vs. neighboring Peabody. Josh came out of the goal towards a player coming from the corner. He made the save but didn’t get up for the rebound. Apparently, his head and the opposing player’s leg arrived at the ball at roughly the same time and a knee to the skull left him with a concussion. After a couple of days out of school with some dizziness, he recovered and was fine but was through with sports for the season.

Over Columbus Day weekend,  the Black Hornets again entered a tournament – this time in North Andover. Here in the first rounds, they won two games and tied one to advance to the semi finals. There they played a rather ugly game that came down to penalty kicks where they finally won it. They went to the finals as underdogs against an older, faster team that was so far undefeated in the tournament.  After a fancy opening ceremony, they played their best game of the weekend and held their heads high despite a 1-0 loss.

Jake’s Benfica club team had a mixed season with both highlights and lowlights.

After starting the year at 4-0-1, they finished the regular season at 5-3-1 and had to play in the end-of-year qualification tournament to hold their spot in the Mass. Premier League. Fortunately, they went 2-0-1 at the tournament and will stay in MAPLE!

Only a few weeks after their actual September 26th anniversary, Shawn and John left the boys with Grams and made a trip “Downeast” to celebrate seventeen years of wedded bliss!

We departed Friday morning for a leisurely drive up the Atlantic coast. Being a bit late in the season and a bit early on a workday, the summer crowds were absent even as the fall leaves lingered in splendor. After a quick stop at a New Hampshire Harley dealer to do a little scouting for next year (!), we enjoyed the scenic drive into Perkins Cove in Ogunquit. There we had a relaxing lunch at Jackie’s Too restaurant overlooking the sunny ocean.

Resuming our northward journey, we soon arrived at the English Meadows Inn in Kennebunk only to be greeted loudly and warmly by Tigger, the Inn’s watch-cat, and almost as warmly (though he didn’t want to be picked up) by the Innkeeper, Bruce.

Bruce made us feel right at home and we quickly settled into the fantastic Tack Room as our home for the weekend before setting out to enjoy the waning sun as we walked into Kennebunkport village…

Greeted by the Bartley’s lobstah, we strolled the Dock Square shops and checked out some restaurant menus before we found a stool at Federal Jack’s (founded in 1992, the same year as our marriage) for $2 Happy Hour drafts and some laughs with the locals.

Our next stop, on our Innkeeper’s fine recommendation, was the Bandaloop restaurant where we feasted on local seafood and enjoyed the funky atmosphere. Our loft perch allowed us to spy on the bar and first floor dining activities while we enjoyed a virtually private and extremely enjoyable meal.  (The skillet steamed muscles were to die for!)

After a quick stop at the sedate and elderly piano bar at the Kennbunkport Inn and one more at the bright and active Alisson’s, we finished the evening sipping champagne (compliments of our Innkeeper!) by the fire in our virtually private carriage house. Ahhhh.

Saturday was a dark and rainy day, not very conducive for strolling. So, after John enjoyed a fine breakfast of Italian French toast at the Inn and Shawn grabbed a little more sleep, we decided on a drive up the coast, past Walker’s Point, and on to Portland’s Old Port district.  We browsed a few pottery shops and found some dry cover and warm chowder at Gritty McDuff’s.

We made it back to Kennebunk just in time to score some prime seating back at Federal Jack’s to watch Boston College beat Notre Dame – almost. We shook off the loss and made our way down the street to The Hurricane where we enjoyed another tremendous meal! We started with house-smoked tuna pastrami that was dreamy and followed with local cod and monkish entrées that will keep us coming back!

Ongoing recovery from the night before’s excesses made this a relatively early evening ending by the cozy fire back in our room.

Sunday dawned bright and the Tack Room’s many windows welcomed the sun! We both enjoyed another great breakfast in the Inn’s tea room before bidding Tigger and Bruce farewell and heading out for a stroll on the beach and then, reluctantly,  the ride home.

We had a blast. Looking forward to our next anniversary celebration at Kennebunkport almost makes it seem worth staying married for another year!! 

We were treated to a great visit with Orville Lee, Shawn’s dad, or, as the kids call him Poppa, over the Columbus Day weekend.

He flew in on Thursday morning and by Thursday afternoon, the fun had already begun as Jake escorted him to IRP to watch Joshua playing with the North Reading High School JV soccer team.  Josh’s team had an early lead but finished the game in a disappointing tie. Still, Orv had fun cheering him on and Josh was proud to have his Poppa at the game!

On Friday, it was another game for Josh, this time with the Freshman team, and another chance for Orville to watch to watch and cheer!!

Saturday saw the beginning of Jake’s participation in the North Andover Columbus Day Soccer Tournament. Though Orv chose to pass on the 7:30 AM game (yawn), he was there on the sidelines for the afternoon game cheering Jake on.  

In between the games, we made a trip to an orchard up in Southern New Hampshire to do some apple picking! And then we even got Orv to get on the back of John’s motorcycle for a tool around the block!  Yeee haaaa!

On Sunday, Jake had another early game and then we all went up for a scenic tour of Cape Ann. We had some lobstahs for lunch at a nice restaurant in Gloucester and then hung out on Pebble Beach in Rockport for a bit enjoying the fall sunshine! The kids had a blast skipping rocks and chasing crabs in the tide pools!

Monday,  Jake’s team played in the semi-finals and finals of the soccer tournament (they lost 1-0 in the finals) and then the family took Poppa out for a (sadly mediocre) Bertucci’s lunch before a final relaxing evening at home. We stuck Orville back on the plane on Tuesday and sent him home!! 

We’re glad Poppa came to visit us! Lova ya’ Orv!

Shawn’s mom’s 80th birthday was September 20th. We made a nice dinner for her and played it low key. Little did she know, we had a bit of a surprise planned for the following weekend.

Marie’s brother, Cleon, and his wife Ellie came out from New York to spend the weekend with us. We had plans to take Marie out for a fancy dinner on Saturday night but… she was a bit under the weather.  So, we left her at home to sleep it off and headed up to Salem for a night out. We walked around the historic downtown for a bit and then settled into an Irish pub for a nice meal. Though we missed Marie, we still had a great time!

The next day, Marie was fortunately feeling a little better and she was able to attend the little surprise party we had planned for her. 

We had a few friends over (including her biggest fan, Thor) for some cake and snacks and a bit of the bubbly. We lit candles and sang and generally brightened up the soggy afternoon.

Marie enjoyed having her family around her and even put up with us ribbing her about the striking resemblance between her and Sponge Bob.

We think Marie had a good time!  Happy Birthday Marie!  Cheers to many more!

For a while now, John’s been telling Shawn that for his 50th birthday and associated mid-life crisis, she’d be buying him a motorcycle. While still over a year away from the actual crisis, having not ridden a motorcycle in about 30 years (and that was dirt-bikes in the woods and gravel pits), John began this summer to prepare for the event.

Step 1 was the motorcycle Learner’s Permit. After a little bit of on-line study, John trundled off to the RMV filled with confidence. The first question on the exam had to do with how long one would lose one’s license for a drug offense. No clue. The second had to do with the fine to expect for violating the rules of the Learner’s Permit. What the heck? Fortunately, he managed to find enough questions that actually had to do with rules of the road to pass the test.

Step 2 was the Motorcycle Safety Course. John spent half of a sunny summer Saturday in a classroom and two mornings the following week doing drills in a large parking lot. Along the way he picked up some operational basics, some safety tips, and a little bit of riding confidence. He also walked away qualified for his Massachusetts Motorcycle License.

Step 3 was scanning the want-ads for a good deal on a “starter bike” on which he could gather some road experience before stepping up to a “real” motorcycle. He found what might have been a steal in the form of a 1993 Honda CB250 Nighthawk for $500. This was the same type of bike he’d used in the safety program: lightweight, comfortable, standard, simple – it was the perfect bike to learn on. It was going cheap as the motor didn’t run – a minor inconvenience. But except for one ding in the tank and a scuff here and there, it looked mechanically sound and John took a risk. Our neighbor Danny helped John haul it home in his truck. It would prove a worthy risk as, with a new battery, some fresh fluids, and a few tweaks and adjustments, John quickly got the bike running and ready to ride!

But not quite. The unexpected Step 4 involved straightening out the title snafu caused by the fact that the guy who had sold the bike to John had never really taken legal possession of it. Fortunately, the guy made an earnest effort to make things right and after a few trips to the registry and a couple of weeks of agonizing wait, the sale was legally completed and registered and the plate was finally attached! The bike was rolled from the shed and onto the highway!

So he’s on the road!  Clear the sidewalks! Prepare for heavy metal thunder! And you really better take cover next year!

As the Timberman Triathlon Festival approached, we all seemed to have some trouble generating enthusiasm. Shawn was worried about her knee, Josh was worried about the bike, Jake wanted to stay home and enjoy his birthday, and John was feeling under-trained and under motivate – all reasonable objections. Yet we’d signed up so off we went!

And a good thing too!  ‘Cuz we ended up having a lot of fun! We got to meet up with lots of friends from Trifury and from KickRunners and even made some new friends too!

Friday night we made the drive, had some dinner and bought groceries before checking into the Misty Harbor where we’d stayed last year as well. We chilled and were all out by 9:00 PM anticipating the early wakeup.

The Saturday morning alarm jarred us from our sleep and we were into action! Arriving early at the park, we had prime parking thanks to John’s volunteer status.  While Shawn and Josh got checked in and set up in transition, John was headed for the waterfront where he was assigned to kayak duty shortly after the first turn buoy where he could secretly keep an eye on Shawn and Josh as they swam by!

Shawn and Josh both had GREAT races! In Joshua’s first “adult” triathlon, he showed great confidence and skill! He swam the 1/3 mile with little difficulty, looking strong the whole way. The bike, probably the longest ride of his life, was handled like a pro. And finally, on the run, though he says he had to walk a bit in the middle, he was looking strong and brought it home!

Shawn entered the race fearing the worst from her knee which was still recovering from her spring surgery. She had a good confident swim and a happy bike and set out on the run knowing she might just have to walk it. Fortunately for her, the knee behaved better than expected and she had a good run and a fun race all around!

We spent the rest of Saturday enjoying the lake, registering John for Sunday’s race, and seeing a bit of Laconia. On Saturday night, we found a bar-side table and watched the Red Sox beating up the Yankees before another early retirement.

Sunday morning was another early call for John. He headed to the race at 4:30 AM while the rest of the family would sleep in a bit and then follow on their bikes a bit later. John had a relaxed swim and a fun bike before deciding to pack it in on the run and enjoy the day – you can can read the gory details of his race here.

Jake was number one cheerleader throughout the weekend!! He took pictures, presented mom with flowers at the finish, and was an all around good sport. Next year, maybe we’ll get him out there!

We showered up and headed home Sunday evening, a bit tired and burnt out, for a brief celebration of Jacob’s birthday which would see a full celebration the following weekend.  In the end, we were all glad we went and had a lot of fun!

It was a summer full of camps for both Jake and Josh this year!  They spent four and five weeks, respectively, away from home and on their own!  Left our place strangely quiet…

It all started July 12 when we dropped Joshua off for four weeks at North Woods Camp. This would be Josh’s fifth year there and he’d decided he wanted to go for TWO two-week sessions this year. He really seems to fit in there – and a had a few friends from North Reading along as well.

Josh knew a number of councilors and kids from previous years – including his cabin buddies Eric, also from North reading, and Sam.

One week later, John deposited Jacob at T.L. Storer Scout Camp for a week of scouting fun. This would be Jake’s second year at Storer and he had the game pretty much figured out. No tornadoes this year and the weather allowed him to complete work on FIVE merit badges (Forestry, Pulp & Paper, Woodcarving, Basketry, and Leatherwork) during the week!  John would return to camp Friday morning to enjoy the final day of camp and the closing campfire and spend the last night at camp before hauling a tired but happy Jake home on Saturday. 

Troop 750 won “Honor Troop” recognition for it’s participation and site upkeep efforts.

Here’s Jake with his tent-mate Brendan. For the first time in recorded history, the Troop also won the coveted Magee Cup – a relay race including running, biking, and kayaking. Jake ran the first leg for the winning team!

Jake got home from Scout Camp, dumped his trunk, refilled it with clean clothes, and headed back up to Winnipesaukee the following morning. We picked up Josh at North Woods and enjoyed some time in Wolfeboro as a family before dropping Joshua back at camp and setting up Jake there as well. We had nice lunch at one of the restaurants on the Winnipesaukee shore.

The guys spent Session 3 together at at North Woods and, by all accounts, it was a great time. This would be Jake’s fourth year at North Woods and they really scored some of the best weather of the summer in this session and that meant a lot of time outside and at the waterfront – always a recipe for fun!

Josh served as a Swim Mentor both sessions. As an older swimmer with advanced skills, he was paired with a younger swimmer to help demonstrate technique, lead drills, etc. Good experience all around!

Jake’s “Self Portrait with Manhole” won the award for “Best Picture” for the third session. He had a lot of fun in the photography activity where he not only took the picture during a trip into Wolfeboro but also developed the film and made the print!

When we returned to camp at the end of Session 3, we found Jake hanging with a bunch of new friends. Josh, on the other hand, had wondered off to the girl’s camp next door! The guys came home dirty and tired with lots of fun experiences to tell about!  They have a lot of fun at North Woods and can’t wait to go back again next year! 

We once again replenished the guys’ laundry and then sent them off the next day to soccer camp as run by Soccer Plus on the campus of Northfield Mt. Hermon School. This was Joshua’s third year of Goalkeeper training with Soccer Plus and Jake’s second year in their Striker program.

Though camp started off a bit gray with drizzle the first evening, the weather turned hot and humid – typical New England summer – and the boys got a lot of field time! Poor Josh took a pretty good toasting from the sun on the first full day buy lived to tell about it.

They stay in the school’s dormitories and use the cafeteria and fields. Josh and Jake shared a room and looked after each other  sharing pizza ordering and laundry duties! Judging by the cell phone updates sent home, they had a blast!

Both guys seemed to really enjoy the soccer work too. They’re evaluations at the end of the session both said they worked hard and did well. Jake was praised for his speed and Josh for his keeper skills.  Both want to go back again – that’s a victory for sure!

In the end, it was a long hard run for the boys. They were pretty burnt by the time they came home on August 14th. They’d had a blast, met new friends, learned new skills… But were glad to be back home! And mom and dad were pretty happy to have them home too! Ain’t summer grand?

With both kids away at camp and a weekend with no significant obligations, we decided to head into The Hub for a night on the town. So we made a dinner reservation at our favorite spot, booked a sweet last minute deal on a hotel room through Priceline, packed our bags, and drove on in!

We checked into the Hyatt on a Motel 6 rate, changed our clothes, and headed out to make a night of it! And boy did we!  The weather was awesome – warm, sunny, and dry. We strolled through Downtown Crossing to the Faneuil Hall area where we found some bar stools in the sun at the Salty Dog and  bellied on up.

After a few beers there, we strolled through the discount hawking vendors at the Haymarket  and stopped for a cocktail at La Dolce Vita.

From there, it was a quick walk across the street to our favorite restaurant, Taranta.

We love this place!  We’ve eaten here many times and every time the chef-owner, Jose,  makes us feel very welcome.  The food is to die for. Shawn had some neat raviolis while John had a killer pork chop. Add some muscles as an appetizer, a bottle of chianti, and a couple lemoncellos to finish the meal, and we just can’t wait to go back again!

From Taranta, we strolled through the Rose Kennedy Greenway back toward our hotel. It may have cost several hundred bazillion dollars, but Boston is so much nicer without the elevated expressway. We enjoyed the fountains and flowers and the great vibe of all the people out on a beautiful summer night!

Next stop was the bar at the Boston Harbor Hotel on Rowes Wharf. John had worked on the HVAC here back in the day so it’s always fun to go back! We had a few more sips and some great bar nuts and then made the stroll back to the Hyatt. After a brief stop in the hotel bar, we drew our long but enjoyable evening to a close.  The next morning would be too early and too loud but what a night we had!

While the boys were away at camp this summer, Shawn got to spend a few days out in the Rochester area visiting with her Uncle Cleon and Aunt Ellie in Webster, NY!

Cleon is Shawn’s mom, Marie’s, brother.  Cleon and Ellie have spent Christmas with us the last several years and are a close part of our family!  So, Shawn looked forward to the trip, despite the long drive involved.

Shawn drove out on Monday morning and, once she arrived arrived, the three of them set out to have some fun! They visited the Fox Run and Glenora Wineries on Seneca Lake and then they had lunch at Watkin’s Glen.

They also went down to Canandaigua Lake for a luncheon on the Canandaigua Lady.

They had dinner as Bazil to celebrate Elli’s birthday and had the world’s best funnel cake!

Not even the outlet stores were spared as they shopped until they dropped!  Despite the rainy ride home on Friday, Shawn had a a blast! Great to see Ellie and Cleon!