Monthly Archives: March 2011

On Tuesday we experienced a beautiful day of sunshine. Buddy and I went on our two mile stroll down and then up Blueberry Hill. It really felt as if spring had sprung. And then on Wednesday we awakened to a sunrise that lasted but minutes before a snow squall swallowed it whole.

Soon the squall became something closer to a winter storm, and by one thirty in the afternoon, there were four or five inches of very wet snow on the ground. I needed to get groceries, and it was a struggle to even get the car up our steep driveway. What should have been a twenty five minute trip was forty five. By the time I pulled into the parking lot of the market, it was raining. By four p.m., the sun was shining and all that snow was beginning to melt. Crazy making day.

Thursday we awakened to more sunshine. After dropping Pete at the bus stop I pulled into the little store where I buy the newspaper. As I walked up to the door I stepped on a patch of black ice and in a flash, I was on my back.

Ouch. Nothing more serious than a bruised bum, but I’m getting a little old for this falling down stuff.

And no, I didn’t ask where I was; I just got up quick(ly).

It was a warm, wild, gusty day on Friday and Buddy and I took another two mile walk.  That’s six miles this week; we are finally getting back to our pre-winter quota. By the late afternoon, the wind had picked up even more. Suddenly the air was filled with cries, and I looked out the window to see a huge flock of white birds with back tipped wings passing overhead. I yelled for Peter to come and I realized these were snow geese. Many more followed, members of a large flock that had likely been blown off their migratory path by the unrelenting wind.

So, birds may not stumble but obviously they too can get off course.

Saturday morning Peter and I arose early as he was to register for the exam at the Academy for Science and Design by 8:30 that morning. And wouldn’t you know it; my mapquest directions again failed to correlate with reality (and/or available road signs). Once I realized I had missed our turnoff and that we were lost and would be late, I began to cry. Just a little. Dear, sweet Pete, who was already stressed by the prospect of a three hour exam, was the one who stayed calm and assured me that he was certain they would let him take the test even should we be late. What a kid.

So I pulled off the highway and got some directions as to where the missed exit was. We were only ten minutes late.

Sometimes we think we’ve got everything under control only to find out that’s not the case. If we fall, we get up again. If we are lost, we somehow find our way. It’s all about survival.

I’m restless and distracted and struggling a bit when it comes to sitting down and writing. A blog of ‘substance’ is in the works, but in the meantime I figure I’ll just put up some pretty/gritty photos from our trip to the south shore last weekend.

I had fun wandering around New Bedford near Jem and Jamie’s apartment, and the interior shots are from Meema’s empty house. The bowl of eggs came from her bantam hens.

See if you can spot the accidental self portrait. I’ll have to remember to make a happier face the next time I take my own picture.

I have a fascination with shoes as objects (the image on the left is a wee painting, just about to scale, that I did many years ago). Not only are shoes interesting in their ‘vessleness’ (they hold our feet), they take on the characteristics of the wearer in a way unlike any other garment with which we clothe ourselves.

The other day Peter and I were running errands and I remarked to him that I thought we had a good life and that I wouldn’t trade places with anyone. Happily, he felt the same way.

You see, my life fits me; just like an old shoe. Broken in, imperfect (my left shoe will always be too large as I must honor the right foot, an entire size larger, when purchasing shoes), but ultimately, comfortable.

That said, merely being comfortable isn’t all there is to a full life.

At the moment we, David, Peter and I, are making some plans that could move us out of our current (and very comfortable) environment.

It began with Peter’s awakening interest in robotics and engineering. He just spent the past two weeks building and programming a robot from a kit. At the age of thirteen, he is already charting a future that would include attendance at a top tier technical university (think MIT). As his parents, we want to do whatever we can to help him realize his dreams, and a solid preparation in science and mathematics is a must. We love his little private school, but it is geared toward the liberal arts, and as a result, Peter now has a very solid background in history and languages.

Some weeks ago I began to look around for an alternative and happened upon a charter school in southern New Hampshire that adheres to the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) approach to education. We began the application process and are currently crossing our fingers that Pete will be accepted. Of course, this will necessitate a move, and we are working on that as well.

Big changes. There will likely be some discomfort in this planned transition but also several potential benefits. For instance, I might be able to reduce my travel time to the hospital to just over an hour, and David would be very close to an airport.

So I’m kind of in Cinderella mode again; looking for a magic slipper that fits all three of us; not just any old shoe.