We started Mother’s Day with a family outing to the Triathlon by the Sea in Marblehead where both Shawn and John competed. Neither had any big goals at this race - beyond having some fun! And, as the results showed, they didn’t win anything - but it was a great day!

Shawn ran well - leveraging the fitness she’d built up through her marathon training!  She even won a manicure in the raffle!

John was disappointed in his swim time but otherwise had a lot of fun out there!! He wrote a full race report too.

Overall… A fun family outing!

On the morning of May 4, North Reading’s Hillview Country Club hosted Pack 731’s annual Blue & Gold Banquet - the culmination of the Cub Scouting year.

The year was very special for us as Jacob, who has been a hard working and dedicated Scout since joining as a Tiger, was awarded The Arrow of Light - Cub Scouting’s highest honor - and made the symbolic crossover from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.  We’re all VERY proud of him!!

All of the cubs at the event had a great time enjoying the buffet and the karaoke and dancing that followed.  Here’s the whole tribe with Jake and his buddy Nathan, who else completed his crossover, on the bridge in back.  What a herd!!

This was also a bit of a crossover for John as he’ll be ending his direct association with the Pack. Though he’ll still be involved in his role as Unit Commissioner, he’s passed the Cubmaster reins on to his pal Bonnie who has put her own spin on things… She’s great!!

No, not that stupid Kool & The Gang song… Just a chance for some good friends to get together and celebrate!!

We thought we were gonna celebrate Heather & Thor’s honeymoon (which we did)!! But, when they showed up with this awesome cake that Heather had made…

And then Josh decided to pick up on the marathon theme with the cheese & crackers…

Well… It became some sort of multilateral, out of focus, let’s have some wine celebration!!

And so we did! And so it was. And next thing you knew… “There’s a party goin’ on right here… A celebration to last throughout the years!”

For the past five years, John has run the Boston Marathon. This year, Shawn decided it was time for her to go long! She scored an entry through our local running club, the Ipswich River Road Runners, and started training.

Now the thing about the Boston Marathon is that it’s in April. That means training starts around December and you run through the winter which, in New England anyway, can sometimes present some challenges. But Shawn, often with the aid of her running pal Terry, plugged on through the cold and sleet. She experimented with various forms of carbo loading including wine, chicken wings, and various other party foods. She tried out new clothing, found new places to chafe, and crawled out into the weather when it would have been so much nicer to stay in.

As race day drew near, Shawn started the “Taper Crazies” - where everything hurts and you think you’re getting sick and you’re anxious about every little thing. What do I eat? How much should I drink? Where do I put my stuff? Which socks should I wear? All normal. She got through.

Marathon weekend in Boston was quite a lot of fun. On Saturday, Shawn took Grams along to the Marathon Expo where she got weepy as she picked up her number and immersed herself in the marathon crowd.

On Sunday, John volunteered at the  Olympic women’s trials.  He handed out Gatorade. Man, those are some fast women!!! 

Race day for Shawn got started early…  John dropped her at the club bus at 6:45 AM and, with tea in hand, she was off. 

Once in Hopkinton, Shawn took time to enjoy the atmosphere and explore the Athlete’s Village before heading to the start corrals. By the time the 10:30 start had rolled around, the sun had come out and the morning chill was but a memory. 

She was off with the second wave start and running in a crowd. Early on, the stomach wasn’t feeling so good and there was a stop or two for some rapid carbo unloading. John and the boys found her a little past mile 16 and that was a boost for sure!!

She slogged on and found John and the boys again at Cleveland Circle just past mile 22. This time, they had Shawn’s training partner, Terry, with them. After a calf massage from Jake, Terry would jump in to run the rest of the way home with Shawn. Thanks Terry!

Shawn rallied to finish almost before John and the boys made it to the finish line!  They arrived just in time to see her running the final yards! Here, at mile 26.15…

She finished in 5:56 - a bit disappointed at her heat-slowed performance but just inside the 6 hour minimum goal she’d set for herself and, above all, able to wear her Boston medal and call herself a MARATHONER!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a weekend!!! We are all so proud of Shawn!!! She worked hard and got ‘er done!!! Way to go Mom!!!

Confirming what his parents have been suspecting for some time, Joshua is now officially an attitude-laden, cell phone-toting teenager!!!!

The celebration was rather low key - a home pizza party followed by cake and presents. He’ll have a second party with some buds soon - but he’s clearly entered a new phase!  Congrats Josh - we knew ya’ when ye’ was just a wee lad!!!

Grampa’s chorus, the Young@Heart, are making some noise with the new documentary movie that’s come out about them - see the trailer here!!  They’re getting press all over the place - including a story on the Today Show, a New York Times review, an appearance on Nightline, and an MSNBC recommendation!!

Grampa was a guest celebrity at the movie’s opening weekend showing in Sarasota. He got to introduce the film and answered audiance questions afterword. He’s a ROCKSTAR!!!

Over the first weekend of April, we participated in the wedding of John’s running buddy, Thor. The previous month we’d hosted the Stag Run bachelor party - so of course we’d get to help with the wedding too! In fact, that ball had begun rolling back at Christmas when Ironboy and his fiance, Heather, had asked John to officiate at the wedding.

We know what you’re thinkin’… And frankly, we didn’t realize he could do it either. But as it turns out, at least in Massachusetts, with a flattering reference and an application to The Governor, one can be granted authority to do such things!  So, in February, John’s license to solemnize arrived…

So on a rainy Friday night, John trucked out to Stow to participate in the rehearsal. After many laughs and a little bit of practice, the wedding party retreated to the Horseshoe Pub where Shawn and the boys joined in the festivities. There was a lot of fun getting to know each other and they could have partied all night but… There were big responsibilities the next day!

The wedding day dawned a bit dark and damp. But there was no way the weather was gonna put a damper on this event. For weeks, John had been practicing his imitation of The Impressive Clergyman and he was ready to put it to use!

As the ceremony began, John’s first word was “Mawage!!”  He then followed with a much more conventional ceremony that, by all accounts, was lovely. Heather and Thor created the ceremony and wrote and presented their own vows.  There wasn’t a dry eye in the house!!

The party that followed was one for the ages!! Toasts. Beer. Dancing. Jokes. It lasted into the wee hours and left many a casualty. Breakfast with the families was a parting pleasure before we headed home with warmed hearts, fuzzy heads, and great memories.

Mom and the boys looked great and the running pals, both real and imaginary, were there!

Good luck Heather and Thor! Thanks for letting John and all of us be part of your special day! (Many more pictures from the wedding can be seen here.)

A few highlights from the ceremony:

First words of The Officiant…

Mawage… (long pause) is a serious endeavor. It’s not a venture to be taken lightly or entered into without due consideration.

The Definition of Marriage…

But you must also remember that your young marriage will be precariously balanced - as a child walking for the first time on two legs… …as it grows and your marriage gains experience and builds agility, that child will run… And bike. And swim. And dance and leap with joy!

From Thor’s vows…

Heather, at mile 80 of a long bike ride, some people find a world of hurt. What I found one day, high in the hills of Pennsylvania, was a deep, enduring love set on the foundation of your amazing support… My Edelweiss, I love you.

From Heather’s vows…

With you I feel that anything is possible. And no matter what happens, we can make it through together… Thor, as I stand here before you ready to be your wife, know this; you have my heart.

The pronouncement…

And now, by the power momentarily vested in me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride…

From John’s reception toast…

Another wedding night tradition that [that you may wish to consider], was the ‘salmon leap’. The ‘salmon leap’, was supposedly the traditional way the groom joined his bride in the wedding bed. The groom would crouch on the floor at the end of the bed and then spring into it in a single leap, imitating a spawning salmon. If the fish are jumping tonight, Heather, I’d swim to the edge of the river….

Some time ago, John & Joshua had spent a night on the USS Salem. So when the Cub Pack decided it was time to go back and Jacob said he wanted to go, how could dad say no?

So Jacob and John packed up and headed for Quincy! 

We toured the ship’s museums, participated in knot tying, engine room tours, fingerprinting, stretcher races, fire fighting training, scavenger hunts, and other fun activities. We enjoyed a movie after dinner, had a blast crawling over the guns, slept peacefully in a big bunk room (thanks to our earplugs), and generally had a great time.

John’s buddy Thor is getting married in April.  In lieu of a traditional bachelor party, Thor decided he wanted to run one more marathon as a single guy. He’s been on this “Marathon a Month” streak for about a year and half and needed one for March anyway so… How about a “Stag Run”?

Well sure enough, we offered to host and it got organized. A four loop course was planned, invitations were sent, and on Friday evening, Thor and John drove around town painting arrows on the roads.

Saturday morning dawned clear and crisp and, after a stirring rendition of the National Anthem and a stunning fly-over, 10 runners lit out from the Intorcio place on the first 10 mile loop.  As each loop was completed, a few runners would drop out and a few new runners would join in to keep Thor company. Here’s the crowd just before loop 3 (Thor’s on one knee in front with his fiance heather, in the light blue jacket, just behind him)…

And sure enough, just four hours and thirty-two minutes after he started, having had thirty or so runners join him through the day, Thor chugged into our driveway and broke the finish line tape, a bit weary, but still wearing a big grin on his face.

A celebration ensued, many beers were drank, and many stories told. What a great way to spend a Saturday!!!  Congratulations Thor!!

What a pain in the… No, really, it wasn’t so bad!

Since John’s mom had suffered from colon cancer, John got to undergo the procedure a few years earlier than most.  But when there was a scheduling snafu last year, he wasn’t too upset.  And when this year’s January appointment got pushed to February, he didn’t put up an argument. But when the February date arrived, he was out of excuses and it was time.

Everyone warned him that the preparations were the worst part. Certainly the days of bland food followed by a liquid diet were not a gastronomical delight, but they were far from intolerable. And though friends warned that the magic liquid he’d need to drink could taste foul and nasty and offered tips about getting it down, he found it not so unpleasant - resembling extra strength Sprite. OK, there were a number of sprints to the bathroom and John was glad he’d gathered some baby wipes and ointment. But there were none of the severe cramps or discomfort that some had predicted.

When it came time for the procedure itself, John was gently cared for by the warm staff at the clinic. The actual procedure is an unknown… He remembers being told the anesthesia was being started and then… That was it and he was being rolled into the recovery area. Guess its couldn’t have been that bad!

In the end (pun intended), all was well. He even got pictures of his innards to prove he’d done it (and to prove his head wasn’t up there)!