Merry Christmas

Christmas Morning greeted us with presents, cookie crumbs, and an empty beer bottle (apparently Santa likes Gritty's Christmas Ale). It was a quiet and relaxing morning with just the 4 of us, and we were all surprised by the quality of the gifts we received. I hope you all had a safe and happy holiday too.

Uncle Keith

Uncle Keith, Marsha, and Jameson came to visit us just before Christmas this year. It was great to see them and how big Jameson's getting. They got here just in time for an old fashioned Nor'Easter, with about 14" of snow, temps in the single digits, and blowing and drifting snow. Then they got to play in it. We visited LL Bean, opened presents, and topped it off with our traditional Christmas Eve Eve dinner at DiMillo's (Thanks Aunt Kathy!). How fitting it was that it was snowing again when we dropped them off at the airport.

Ice Storm

Terrible ice storm here yesterday. We had no electricity for about 12 hours. Still some areas around us with no power. The sun came out today for a while and it was beautiful.

Tag an Italian

If you have an Italian you want to tag, RJ's Variety will take care of it for you, but you'll have to wait until Tuesday!

We love Maine...

Busy weekend

What a long weekend this has been! 1 major holiday, 1 funeral, 1 20th high school reunion with 3 events, 3 hockey games, and 1 head cold. Just got home from Michael's Middle School B game in Falmouth, which they won 4-1. Although Michael didn't score a goal, he played all 5 positions during the game due to a limited roster and a couple of injuries. I don't know where he got the energy after a 10AM game in Laconia, NH (won 5-0), and a 3PM game in Dover, NH (lost 4-1).

So many things have happened in the last 4 days I haven't had time to process it yet - and probably won't get to, since tomorrow it all starts again: Chris drives to Mystic, CT for 2 days on business, Michael has hockey practice, and Emily has dance lessons.

Uncle Don

On Sunday my Uncle Don passed away. He was 79 and had been fighting Leukomia and Parkinson's for some time now. His obituary can be found here. Anybody who knows me well knows that I spent a lot of time with Don when I was a kid. We traveled throughout New England and the Maritime provinces together and from him came my love of the outdoors, geography, and many more of my interests. I miss those days and I'll miss seeing Don at family events. Even though he told the same jokes for 30 years they never got old.

Holy Name Icebreaker Hockey Tournament

This weekend Michael played in a hockey tournament in Springfield, MA. There were 70 teams, 13 divisions, and 6 rinks. Friday night he played at Fitzpatrick Arena in Holyoke and they beat Holy Name 6-2. Coming off an 11-0 loss the weekend before, this was a good start. On Saturday he played at Cyr Arena in Springfield, where they came from behind to win a very close 3-2 game against Framingham, MA. After a night of team bonding at the hotel pool, we headed to the Springfield Civic Center for a game on Sunday morning against Newport, RI. After falling behind 0-2, they rallied and won 7-5, and were on their way to the tournament championship game Sunday night at Olympia Ice Rink against Framingham, a team they had beaten the day before. It was another close game, but we lost 3-1, ending up the tournament Runner-up. A long drive back to Maine got us home about 11:00PM. Good thing the kids have no school this week. The kids played great, the parents got to know each other, and it was a well-run tournament. But no time off: practice tonight and 4 more games next weekend.

Bruins vs Sabres

Went to the Bruins game last night. After letting in 3 of the first 4 shots, the Bruins took care of business 7-4 against the Sabres.

Wild Swings

On Saturday, Michael had a Huskies hockey game in Auburn. They lost 10-0 in a game in which the team couldn't do anything right. Today, he played in a middle school game for the A team and they won 7-1. So, he experienced both ends of a lopsided game. Hopefully his travel team can pull things together. They have a tournament next weekend in West Springfield, MA.

Huskies 4 - Mid Coast 7

Michael's team lost a game against Mid Coast at Bowdoin College, 7-4. It seemed like they were 1 goal behind until the end.

Turkies

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, the our local turkey population must be getting nervous, as we've been seeing them almost every morning in our yard, poking under leaves for some morsel of food. They must be taking advantage of the abundant acorns and whatever Fall grubs they can find in preparation for winter.

Hockey Update

Michael had 3 games this weekend, so there wasn't time to do much else. Saturday morning they won 4-1, and Saturday afternoon they won 5-1. Both were home games. They seem to be playing better as a team each game, with better passing and team play. Yesterday he had a game in Berlin, NH. They went down 3-0 early in the first period. Then one of our players took an awkward hit, injuring his knee. It was bad enough that he could't move his leg, so they called an ambulance and rolled him off the ice on a stretcher. I haven't heard yet how he is, but as a hockey parent it's pretty scary to see a kid lying on the ice writhing in pain. Fortunately we have a parent on our team who's a doctor, which made us feel a little better. After the injury they played a pretty even game, ending up losing 4-0. Michael is not a flashy skater and doesn't score a lot of goals (despite his 2-goal game recently), but he has developed a knack for doing the dirty work in the corners and behind the net. He can throw his body around and more times than not he comes out with the puck or releases to his teammate. I'll try to get some pictures or a video clip to post.

Hockey update

Michael's Huskies team skated to a 2-2 tie last weekend. Today they lost 4-1 at home and 7-3 in Wolfeboro, NH, in which Michael scored 2 goals.

Irish Dancing

Emily started Irish Step Dancing yesterday. She loved it. Of all her after school activities, she said it's now her favorite one. And that's saying a lot: she is now doing dance, chorus, cheering, and Brownies (field hockey is over).

Painting

We managed to find time to paint the living room 2 weekends ago. Emily was a huge help painting in some tight areas. It looks like a harsh green, but somehow it works. Chris has done it again!

Hockey

Michael had his first travel hockey game yesterday. They tied 2-2 against New Hampshire East at a home game here in Gorham. He is playing on the Huskies Youth Hockey travel team and the Gorham Middle School team. With a combined 4 practices per week and 2-4 games per weekend from now until March, we are just beginning what will be a very long season.

Fall Baseball

Michael enjoyed playing fall baseball this year. With a chill in the air and color in the trees it got us into the baseball mood just in time for more Red Sox playoff drama.

Fall Foliage

We have had a brilliant foliage season this year. The maples have turned and are falling. The oaks lag behind and are just starting to change color. I'm sure they will hold onto their leaves until just before it snows, making for a big mess.

This maple tree in my side yard always turns bright orange and really stands out against the dark green oak background.

Celtics

Taking in some preseason Celtics action.

New Office

Chris is excited about her new office. It goes along with her new job (actually she's had the new job for a few months now). She is now Senior Director of Sales for Olympia Hotel Management, the company that owns the Hilton Garden Inn where she was the Director of Sales. She is now responsible for overseeing sales and marketing at all 14 of their hotels.

Hiker

I finally found a catalyst for one of my (many) never-realized passions. I always loved the idea of hiking, but I've never really acted on it in a serious way. I've done some good hikes, like Monadnock Mountain, Doubletop Mountain, and even a solo overnight in the Alleganies. But honestly I've spent more time looking at trails on maps than walking on them.

So I was thrilled when Michael expressed interest in hiking. I took him on an easy starter last weekend at Bradbury Mountain. He liked it, and hopefully we'll get some more opportunities this Fall to get out on the trail.

Company picnic

Cut Finger

Emily cut her finger this weekend. To pass the time at Michael's baseball games this month, I've been letting her whittle wood with my 1" keychain pocket knife. Well, that little bugger is sharp, and the blade collapsed on her finger, causing a nasty slice. After a trip to the hospital and some super glue, she was doing fine. The doctor said my first aid to smooth the flap of skin and wrap it tight with a bandaid probably saved her some stitches. Chris is still fuming that I let her use a knife. I'm biding my time before arguing that a bigger knife with a locking blade would be a lot safer.

Another Hockey Player

I guess all those years of watching Michael play hockey has rubbed off on Emily. But she doesn't like the cold rink so she opted for field hockey. Chris is thrilled, since that was her sport in high school. Now I know what I'll be doing at 8AM on Saturday mornings this Fall.

Going Public

Today I changed the settings on our blog to allow search engines to find it and to have it listed by Blogger. I use StatCounter to track our site usage, so let's see what effect this has.

New Cube

I moved my cube at work today to one that was vacated by someone who left the company. I now have a view of the sky, so now I can spend hours staring out the window instead of staring at the walls of my old cube.

New Frontiers

Ever since Michael would consistently turn his head when offered certain foods as an infant (e.g., mashed potatoes to this day), we knew something was up. He has been a very picky eater since the first time one of those rubber-coated spoons passed his gums. Well, that's changing. I don't know exactly when it happened, but we first found out about it earlier this summer at the Gorham Taste Walk. You know, when all the local restaurants give out a sample and you walk around town sampling the samples. Well, we have a Thai restaurant in town and they had pad thai, egg rolls, and fried rice available as their sample dish. To ease Michael's anxiety, I told him to just take a plate and I'd eat his and we'd go to the Pizza joint next to get something he could eat. While sitting there watching us eat, he started eyeing the pad thai. He saw the noodles, which are one of the 3 food groups - you know: Pizza, Pasta, and Burgers. So he asked if it was spicy and I told him it was, but just a little. Much to our surprise he stuffed a forkful in his mouth. His face lit up and he proceeded to wolf down his entire portion and started in on the egg roll. Of all the foods that we've been waiting for Michael to start eating (peanut butter and jelly, any kind of vegetable besides corn, pizza with a topping), Thai food was the last thing on Earth I would expect him to try. He loved it. He has since asked for it specifically. We've also gone out for Chinese; he loves Lo Mein, and even ate orange chicken and General Tso's chicken. The pièce de résistance was the Pu Pu Platter, which besides the flames, gave them an excuse to say "Poo Poo" in public.

Maybe it's the new school and hanging around with older kids; maybe the stubborn independent streak is wearing off, or maybe things just taste and smell differently (as I've experienced several times in my life), but Michael's diet is definitely changing - at long last. Now we have to start working on the green vegetable thing...

First Day of School

I have neglected the Blog this summer. It's just been so busy and I seem too tired at night to write. We have done a lot, and maybe I'll catch you up on some of it.

But today the topic is school. Yesterday was Michael and Emily's first day of school. Both are going into a new school; Michael is in 6th grade at the Middle School, and Emily is in 3rd grade at the Village Elementary School. Michael is walking to school. They both love it so far and are glad to be back with their friends and all the new and exciting things to come.

A big Texas Roadhouse Happy Birthday to Emily!

Explorer of the Seas

Today the first of over 30 cruise ships scheduled to dock in Portland this summer is in port. It's the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas. This picture was just taken by the HarborCam. This ship is 1,020 feet long and carries 3,114 passengers. It definately dominates the waterfront.

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday was Chris and my 14th anniversary. We're thankful for our health, family, and all the great memories we've accumulated through the years. we'll have time to celebrate next week, when both kids will be camping with my sister and we have the WEEK TO OURSELVES!

End of Baseball Season

Michael's Cal Ripken baseball season ended last night with a 4-3 loss in the playoffs. The team lett in all 4 runs in the first inning and played a great rest of the game. Unfortunately they came up short, but it was a great effort. In the first 7 games of the season the team went 1-6; in the last 7 games they went 6-1. That turn around shows that the kids learned something about hard work paying off. Michael played catcher for most games and started hitting this year. I'm proud of him for working hard to get better by paying attention to the coaches and practicing during his free time.

Now it's time to enjoy the summer. Hockey has already started!

Fishing Trip

Went on my annual fishing trip to the Penobscot River last weekend. As usual the fishing was great as was the company. Here is the photo album.
Oh yeah, Saturday was my birthday.

Gone Fishing

Took the kids fishing today at Dundee Pond. Michael caught a smallmouth bass.

Aloha Trip Report

Here's the report from the 2nd half of our trip to Hawaii. The photo album is now ready, with the exception of the underwater pictures from the snorkling, and you can see it here. View it as a slideshow if you like, then make sure to check out the "View Map" button to see the location of each photo.

Day 4: Got up early again and did some reading on our balcony (actually spent more time just listening to the wind in the palm trees, hearing the waves on the shore, and enjoying the 80 degrees at 7AM). After breakfast we went on a drive with Grant, the Vice President of Sales for Hilton Garden Inn who presented Chris with her award, and his wife Stephanie. They were headed out to explore a valley and invited us to join them. After a 40-minute drive, we arrived at the trail head. Chris was somewhat daunted by the view and our destination far below, but she bravely started the trek down. I should point out that she had pneumonia just 3 weeks before and there were air quality advisories due to the volcanic fog (aka "vog") blanketing the island. After a 20-minute hike down we enjoyed some spectacular scenery on a black sand beach. The hike up was even more difficult, but the whole experience was well worth it. After lunch at a local restaurant we headed back. That night was the Award Luau, where Chris and about 50 others received various awards for excellence in sales at Hilton hotels. Once again, the luau was lavish, the entertainment was exotic, and the after party looked like a blast (although we didn't stay because we were still on East Coast time, were wiped out, and had to pack). A very full day.

Day 5: Got up early and received VIP treatment on our check out and transportation to the airport. Never touched a bag, had greeters waiting for us at the airport, and got the quickest boarding passes I've ever seen. After our 40-minute flight to Honolulu, we got our rental car (red Jeep soft-top), and headed to the Hilton Hawaiian Village, right on Waikiki Beach. Our hotel room was on the 31st of 35 floors. What a view! Since we only had 1.5 days on Oahu, we wanted to cram in as much as we could, so we got in the car and headed to Hanuama Bay for some world-famous snorkeling. The scenery there was spectacular, but I liked snorkeling from the catamaran better. On the way back we explored some hillside neighborhoods on extremely steep, winding roads. That night we had dinner at Benihana at the resort, some drinks and people-watching on the beach, capped off by some fireworks. We loved Waikiki.

Day 6: Whirlwind day. Pearl Harbor first thing in the AM. Very emotional and memorable. Huge flea market at Aloha Stadium for some souvenir shopping. Drove past the Dole Pinapple plantation. Lunch at Rosie's Cantina in Haliewa. Had some of the famous Matsumota "shave ice" (with ice cream on the bottom, without the beans). Drove the famous North Shore - the surf was not up, but the scenery was spectacular. Arrived at the Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii's most visited attraction, around 3PM. Thanks to a tour guide, we managed to get in 4 native shows/demonstrations, dinner, an IMAX movie, a stage show, and the World Fireknife Championships. The hour-long night-time drive home with the top down over mountains and through a tunnel was surreal.

Day 7: The not-so-fun part of going to Hawaii begins: the trip back. Chris got up early (6AM) for some last-minute sun. I slept until 7:30. Packed, checked-out (no VIP treatment this time since we were on our own dime here), and headed to the airport, which was like Laguardia with Palm Trees. Took our 1:30PM flight back to the Big Island to catch our 4:45PM flight to O'Hare.

Day 8: Arrived at O'Hare at 5:40AM Monday. Chris got about 6 hours of sleep, me about 2. 4-hour layover and then our flight back to Portland, where we landed in 25-MPH winds. As we flew over Portland we remarked that of all the sights we had seen, that Portland is a beautiful city in it's own right. Got home in time to get the kids off the bus, relieve Grandpa (without whom the trip would not have been possible), unpack, and I had to go to a hockey Board meeting that night feeling quite like a zombie. A good night's sleep then back to work.

So, that sums up our trip of a lifetime. It was pretty much everything you'd expect a trip to Hawaii to be.

The famous Matsumoto shave ice

Whole Pineapple drink #1

Aloha Midway Report

OK, we've stopped counting the umbrella drinks. It suffices to say that there have been a few, with some new flavors. Our favorite so far is called a Lava Flow, which is half pina colada and half strawbberry daquiri. Yummy!

Day 1: After 15 hours of air travel, we hit the spa for a couples massage, some jacuzzi and sauna, and felt refreshed enough to walk around the resort and get a late night snack at about 8PM (2AM our time). We managed to stay up until 10PM.

Day 2: Woke up bright and early at 4:30AM, walked around the resort, which seems deserted. Got breakfast at an open air restaurant with birds landing on the tables (house sparrows, nothing exotic). Went back to our room for a 2-hour nap (jet lag's a bummer). Then headed off for our dolphin encounter, right here at our resort. Got to swim with a dolphin, touch it, feed it, and give it commands to do tricks. Very cool. Followed that with lunch and drinks at a poolside bar, more lounging around, and that evening had a welcome reception for the Hilton Circle of Excellence. Very lavish event. Most of the people at this event are sales people for the top performing Hilton-owned hotels (including the Waldorf Astoria). Chris is an exception because Hilton doesn't actually own any Hilton Garden Inns; they're all franchised. Since she was the most outstanding Director of Sales for all HGI's, she ranks right up there among Hilton's best.

Day 3: Woke up early again. Did some reading in a cabana by the ocean. Lathered up in sunscreen and went on a 4-hour snorkel/sail cruise. We went to a reef and snorkeled for about an hour and a half and it was incredible. Got pictures from a disposable underwater camera - anxious to see how they came out. Chris even enjoyed snorkelling over coral and cliffs with dark mysterious holes. Saw sea turtles and many tropical fish. After that we lounged at the pool the rest of the day, back to the spa for more steam and sauna, then another poolside reception, capped off by an excellent dinner at a chinese restaurant.

Can't wait to see what the rest of the trip has in store for us.

Aloha!

Umpteenth umbrella drink.

Umbrella drink #4.

Umbrella drink #3.

Umbrella drink #2

Umbrella drink #1.

Happy Mother's Day

We had a very nice Mother's Day today. Went to the ocean and walked around on the beach, then went to brunch at our favorite restaurant, Saltwater Grille.

Tomorrow morning we go to the airport on our way to Hawaii!

Sammy the Hamster

Today we got our kids their very own pet hamster. We let them choose the name and after much deliberation and proposed names ranging from "Big Papi" to "Snack Shack", they decided on "Sammy". After a week or so, they can take Sammy out of her cage and handle her. We have yet to hear what the cat has to say about all this...

Team USA

On Saturday we went to see the USA National Hockey Team practice in Falmouth. They were getting ready for the upcoming World Championships and were practicing at one of the rinks Michael plays at. Michael's favorite hockey player, Boston Bruin Phil Kessel is on the roster, and Michael got his autograph during a public skate with the players after their practice. He was very excited, and I hope he keeps that signed picture and the memories for a long time.

Travel Player

A few weeks ago Michael tried out for the hockey travel team, and we found out that he made it! This Fall he will be on the Huskies Tier II travel team, with twice the practices, and games from Orono to Haverhill. Not sure what we're in for, but he's very excited.

Right now it's baseball season, and he's been practicing with his Cal Ripken team before their first game on 4/30.

Pneumonia!

After staying healthy while a cold picked off each of our family members one-by-one, Chris got the worst of it by coming down with a case of pneumonia. So, drop her a line to keep her company while she rests at home waiting for her lungs to clear up.

Emily's Spa

Today Emily informed us that she wanted to use her school vacation next week to open her own spa, where she and her "assistant" (aka KK) would provide head, hand, foot, and back massages. We told her that she wouldn't get many customers because most people are at work during the week. When we told her to try the weekend instead she replied, "But I'm not open on weekends!"

It's Melting

Our mammoth snowbank in front of our house is almost gone. Still some patches left, and lots of still in the woods out back where it's shady. But the snow is leaving behind lots of sand from the plow trucks. Lots of work to do in the yard this year.

It's Melting!

Our snow is finally melting. We enjoyed it while it lasted, but now it's time for it to go. As it melts away, we keep finding things that got buried during the winter. A pair of earrings. A nerf football. Christmas decorations. Gnawed bushes. It's like an archaeological excavation. Is this what it will be like in the Arctic when the poles melt?

Here is the same shot from 3/25 and 3/2.

Father/Daughter Dance

Last night Emily and I went to our 2nd Father/Daughter dance. She had a great time running around the gymnasium with her friends and I got to catch up with some of her classmates' dads, who I don't get to see too often. Oh yeah, we danced a couple of times too.

Belated Birthday Party

Since Michael's birthday is on Christmas, it's very difficult to schedule a birthday party with his friends at that time of year. So this year we waited a few months and had his party last weekend. He and some friends went to Maine Indoor Karting for some serious go-karting. They all had a blast.

Rock Band Drummer

Today I completed my Rock Band solo tour on drums at the hard level. My arms almost fell off after Run To the Hills, and I barely made it through Next to You and Won't Get Fooled Again. Wow, is that fun!

Opossum Patrol

Last night Chris said she heard a noise in the garage. I investigated and came up with the lame explanation of a loose piece of siding rubbing on the side of the house. Well, this morning walking through the garage to get to my car, I heard something that was definately not a piece of siding. After pulling the cars out of the garage and searching around, I found this little guy curled up in a ball behind my lawn mower. And he was content to just stay right there. No amount of cajoling would budge him. I finally had to get him in a sandwich with 2 rakes and drag him out, after which he prompty ran under our neighbor's shed. We probably haven't seen the last of him.

Feeling Old

Feeling a little old today. If having an 11-year-old son doesn't make you feel old enough, Michael passed a milestone today that has me feeling like he'll be asking for the car keys next week. Yesterday, unknown to us, Michael got a loose tooth at school, managed to pry it loose during the course of the day, and stuck it in his pocket. Came home and didn't say anything. Put it under his pillow at bedtime without saying anything. The next morning, when the tooth was still there, he said "Mom, Dad, you got some 'splainin' to do!" We were totally busted. He devised this entire plan to test if the Tooth Fairy was real, and planned to base his belief on all other mythical creatures that leave things in the middle of the night on this test (it all sounded rather scientific to me). Well, we had no choice but to come clean. We explained traditions that get passed down from parents to children, enhancing the childhood memories of anticipation during Holidays, and easing the potentially traumatic experience of your teeth falling out. We cast it as another step in the long stairway to adulthood. The fact that he discovered this on his own demonstrated problem solving and confidence to question perceived reality, which are important traits to have.

We were worried about backlash and trust issues (after all it's a big brainwashing isn't it?), but he seems OK with it. Santa Claus was the big one. We told him about the difference between taking things literally and figuratively and that the real magic of Christmas is gathering the ones you love around you when it's getting cold and dark outside. We welcomed him into the "circle of trust" and now he has a responsibility to let other kids around him find out on their own and not spoil it for them.

So, life rolls along, and if you're not rolling with it you'll just be watching it roll by. OK, that fulfills my sappy post quota for the month.

Not melting fast enough

A while I posted a picture of the snowbank at the end of my driveway. Well here it is today and it doesn't look much different. I have a feeling this is going to be a long Spring.

Beer Bottle Blues

This can mean only one of two things: either Dad is getting ready to brew beer again, or it's time for him to go back to the clinic.

In Palm Springs at a business conference.

Rising Star

Congratulations to Chris for winning the 2007 Hilton Garden Inn Director of Sales of the Year award! The Hilton Corporation recognized her with this award as the most outstanding Director of Sales among all the Hilton Garden Inn franchises worldwide. Wow! What an accomplishment! Drop Chris a line to congratulate her. The best part is that she has won a trip to here:

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Huskies Season Finale

Michael had his season-ending tournament this weekend for his Huskies team. They lost all 3 games and were outscored something like 20-3. The good news is that Michael scored 2 out of the 3 goals. Only 2 kids from his team are moving up to the next age level next year, so they should do much better next year.

Schedule Woes

I was just looking at our schedule for the upcoming week. In the next 7 days we, as a family, collectively have 4 ice hockey games, 2 ice hockey practices, 2 floor hockey games, 2 hockey parties, 2 baseball practices, 2 gymnastics practices, 2 business trips, 1 swimming lessons, 1 dentist appointment, and 1 hockey Board meeting. Holy Cow, what on Earth did we do with our time before we had kids?

Gorham MS Hockey

Michael's Middle School hockey team won their first playoff game today, 5-3. They advance next weekend against a team that crushed them twice this season.

Let It Snow

We have had so much snow this year that even Mainers are starting to complain. This reminds me of when I lived in Buffalo. Here are some pictures of the snow cover at our house.

Busy Weekend

We had quite a busy weekend. On Saturday, Chris and Emily took an early train to Boston to see High School Musical on Ice. They went with a group of moms and daughters from our neighborhood. They had a blast, and came home and watched back-to-back HSM I and II on DVD!

Michael and I headed north to Camden, Maine, where he played in a hockey tournament. He played 3 games in 2 days against teams from all over the state. Unfortunately, they were shutout in all 3 games against bigger and better skaters. But, the kids made the best of the weekend, with lots of off-ice team bonding. I'm sure some friendships and memories were made.

Mike & Dad at a Boston Bruins game.