Operation Relaxation: Successful

Dinner with Embee and her family at their house (And how much fun were all of them? Well, she seems to think I did not pick up on her crazy. Personally, I think my crazy just matches hers so it's all comfortably good. Her kids are sweet, funny, smart, and cool enough to be welcoming to Mom's "imaginary friend." Her husband is a stitch because he floored us all by indicating just how much he read up on me to make sure his wife wasn't inviting an axe murderer to join them for dinner...or disjoint them as the case may have been if I were really that sort of crazy. BIG thank yous to all of you for being so hospitable.): check

Safe arrival at one beach cottage (At midnight because the lady in line at the supermarket I stopped at on the way to the cottage after leaving Embee's was very concerned about being charged 10 cents too much for her Hot Pocket and the manager took FIFTEEN minutes to price check the wretched things. If only I'd had a dime to give the woman...): check

Sleeping late: check

Sleeping late: double check

Sleeping late: triple check

Strict adherence to the one garment rule (choose wisely): check

Many libations: check

Generally lovely weather (kinda crazy wind at the beach but that just provided entertainment watching people go chasing for things): check

Many hours in the sun (perhaps a bit more sunblock would have been advisable but no complaints, really): check

Books to read(I had a pile but only got through one. There was some distraction by Sudoku books. Hey, it's not like I have a required reading list, ya know.): check

Dinner out on Dad's dime (complete with waiter who seemed happy to keep checking on our well-being because it meant a chance to also check my cleavage but hey, everyone is happy here...we got good food and good service, I got called "beautiful" [as in, "Ok, beautiful, what would you like, this evening?" Yeah, he worked us all, but who's complaining? He wasn't over the top. If we wanted surliness we'd have gone to the Waffle House.], the waiter got a fat tip, Dad and Mary were entirely amused by the whole scene [and really, could I possibly make this parenthetical aside any longer? It's starting to remind me of Suldog and at this point I am nearly compelled to draw it out as long as possible. I think the point I was trying to make is all but lost now, which is not unlike my own conversation after 2 Mai Tais and half a bottle of wine at dinner, but I have SERIOUSLY digressed...]): check

Two entertaining kittens (very cute most of the time. I didn't even begrudge them wrestling on my bed at 5 AM since, as previously noted, I got to sleep late.): check

Amusing and convivial step-family in nearby cottage (A step cousin even expressed a bit of worry when I showed up far later than they expected me. Nice to know they had my back. I'm lucky Dad married into such a nice bunch.): check

Big pile of fireworks to blow up (and complemented nicely by the bigger pile someone else was setting off on the beach.): check

Aaaaahhh......

Back to the Beach

Before I resume the job hunt in earnest I am taking a few days to park myself in the sand with a stack of books. The routine will be rise late, eat, go to the beach and read until I am sweating to death, jump in the water until I am cold, return to the books on the beach, rinse, lather, repeat...
See you in a few days.

Mission Accomplished

I pulled back into my own garage shortly before 5:00 pm last night. I knew I'd be returning to one child who stayed home from school puking. I was in the door 30 seconds before I was accosted by another one trying to convince me that $250 on an Airsoft riffle so he can shoot other kids and be shot by them for fun was a good idea. When I disagreed I watched tears roll down his cheeks for the rest of the evening (this has been an ongoing matter of debate for weeks now). When I sat down to get photos off my camera the third child decided that after weeks of me nagging her it was finally time for her to submit some of her financial aid information, online of course. Then the husband came home in a generally disgruntled mood. If it weren't a 5 hour drive I may have turned around and headed back to Boston. Oh, right...Boston....that's what I am supposed to be posting about. Well, I have some fiddling with picture file sizes to do and to decide which of the 150 or so pictures I took to share. but in the meantime let me give a bit of a summary.

I took off Friday morning and stopped in New York to have lunch with a blog pal who no longer blogs. We pretty began reading each other nearly from the beginning of my blog and although he no longer blogs we've kept in touch via email. It was terrific to meet after all this time and enjoy a plate of appetizers together. Since he was on his lunch hour from work and I was in the beginning leg of the trek north I forgot to pull out the camera and document the meeting. You'll just have to take my word that my lunch wasn't with Harvey the rabbit. Thanks for lunch, A.


My cousin Lisa is a chiropractor. I pulled into Boston about an hour before her office closed for the day. She welcomed me with a hug then an adjustment. Finally, she plunked me into a massage chair which I dubbed "Sven" last year when I visited. Ahhh, Sven, your embrace is a welcome respite from the road and demanding people. Run away with me, Sven. We headed home and chilled out with a quick dinner, a couple glasses of wine, and a kid movie with Lisa's son, Jacob. We scrapped plans to go dancing once again. Jacob smiled up at me with his hopeful eyes and big dimples as he asked me to read his bedtime stories. I was helpless against such charms so we crawled in Lisa's bed (since Jacob sweetly gave up his for me) and he took full advantage of my willingness to read story after story.


The dear boy let his mother and me sleep until 10 the next morning. We moved slowly through what remained of the morning before Lisa and Jacob left for an appointment and I headed out on the train to meet Suldog and his wife at the Pleasant Cafe. Lisa and Jacob met us at the restaurant and a good time was had by all. I have a few pictures and more commentary from that particular event, some displaying my derangement in fairly blatant manner. I will share those in another post. For now, let me just say it was an absolutely fantastic time. Suldog and his wife are gracious hosts and funny, funny people. Funny haha, not funny smelling or funny as in barking mad. Once I show you some of the other pictures you may be inclined to regard me as the one who is barking mad though. After lunch Lisa, Jacob and I went to Castle Island so they could show me one of their favorite spots to walk and play. Between the Pleasant Cafe and Castle Island, Saturday was an example of how I love to visit a place and see it through the eyes of people who live there.





Sunday was the food show for Lisa and me. Once again no cameras allowed. Fancy bread bowls, high tech convection ovens, a wall of free booze, wheels of aged Parmesan, and swag bags of ball point pens clearly pose a threat to national security. It was interesting to note the difference between last year and this year. I guess everyone is taking hits because there was far less variety in the food to be sampled this year. There was a lot less meat, a lot more bread, portions were much tinier, and there was much more hoop jumping required. I began to feel a bit like a dolphin performing for fish...but hey, the smoked trout and salmon were worth a trick or two. No complaint s really because my admission to this even was free. It was just interesting to note the differences. Since I don't have any food show pictures here's a shot of Jacob in his new tie dye I took for him.





After the food show Jacob had a birthday party to attend so Lisa dropped me off at Boston Common and I meandered along the Freedom Trail up to the Charles River until it was nearly dark before hopping on the train to head back to their house. The last time I walked the Freedom Trail I was pregnant with Diana. I must say the lack of available public restrooms at that time made it somewhat less relaxing. This time it was a a nice contemplative walk with lovely doses of history breaking into my thoughts as I arrived at each site along the trail. Walking back to Lisa's house from the T station I was struck by the sight of the houses in her neighborhood silhouetted against the sky with their windows glowing welcomingly. It was a nice punctuation for the end of the weekend.

Slice of Lime-Spa Days

Just a few more pictures of the lovely surroundings I found myself in last week. Here's a tile in the ladies' locker room.

Window in the quiet room

Floor of the Rain Shower

Detail of window in the aromatherapy room

Another detail of the same window

Waiting to be called for my next bit of pampering

Aaaaahhh....This is what relaxation feels like.

I'm wanting to know when I can go back. I've had a slow transition back to reality but now find myself fully immersed in it. Mom taxi, sick kids, going on a hunt to find all the bills that came in during my absence since no one put the mail where it belongs (I am finding bits and pieces all over the house), less than stellar report cards, general teen and spousal surliness.

Nope....clinging to the bliss....

Slice of Lime-Black River

When I stepped into the river and waded out to my dad and stepmom they asked how the long drive was. I poured out the tale of automotive woe. They empathized then my stepmom said, "Well you're in the river now," as she smiled. I took a deep breath, sighed, and nodded as I realized I already felt better. In my mind I heard Amos Lee's Black River so that's this week's musical Slice of Lime. I didn't take any pictures of myself this time around so I'll just share the river shots and an old picture of my girls wading in.

Oh, Black River

Whoa, Black River
Gonna take my cares a way
Gonna take my cares a way
Gonna take my cares gonna carry my cares
Gonna take my cares away
Gonna take a my cares away
Gonna take a my cares gonna carry my cares

Oh, dear savior
Gonna take my cares away
Whoa, dear savior
Gonna take my cares gonna carry my cares
Gonna take my cares a way
Gonna take my cares away
Gonna take my cares away
Gonna take my cares gonna carry my cares

Whoa sweet whiskey lord
Oh, sweet whiskey, lord
Gonna take my cares gonna carry my cares
Gonna take my cares away
Your gone gonna take my cares a way
Gonna take my cares away
Gonna take my cares gonna carry my cares
Your gonna take my bottle, my bible, my mess
Gonna take my cares away

Gonna take all of that sadness inside of me
Your gonna take all of my empty and my loneliness
Gonna take it all and set me free

Oh, Black River
Gonna take my cares a way

~Amos Lee~

Going to the Beach-The Good, the Bad, and the Psycho

Ok, as promised some stories. first of all I have to tell you what an ordeal it was to even leave my house. Back in June the transmission on my van died. After two weeks in the shop it came home with a rebuilt transmission. Less than 24 hours later it went right back to the mechanic because it was leaking tranny fluid. The morons mechanics failed to replace the pan gasket. Mr. Lime departed with his truck before I ever got my van back. When I was told my van was finally ready I found a ride to the mechanic's. Upon my arrival there was a mad scramble to locate my keys. They could not find my keys. Even after they tried damn near every key they had in the place even when I told them it was not MY key they were trying. Finally, as I stood there watching, it was determined they had left my key in the ignition...clicked "on." Ergo, my battery was completely dead. they jumped the thing and off I went with instructions to let them check the car again in a couple of days. For the next two days every time I tried to start the car it protested. when I took it back I mentioned this. They changed the battery terminal clamps. It started. The next morning, the morning I planned to leave for my much needed beach vacation, I went to my car turned the key and got NOTHING. I muttered curses against the mechanics and their forefathers before calling AAA to jump my battery. While waiting for AAA to arrive I called the mechanic and said, "Good morning, this is Michelle DeLime. I have paid you absurd amounts of money in the last two weeks to have cars that run but this morning I have a very dead battery. A battery I paid you to replace just two months ago, so it is still under warranty. Also, you and I both know it is your fault the battery is dead. I am waiting for AAA to come jump it, then I will be bringing it to you to replace the battery immediately BECAUSE I AM GOING ON VACATION TODAY." I got some song and dance about them possibly not having the correct battery in stock. I reminded them I drive a 2000 Caravan, not exactly a rare model, they will find me a proper battery NOW! AAA came and a very pleasant fellow got me going and wished me well. I drove off to the mechanic, handed him my key with a glare that said they damn well better not loose my key and they better not make me wait too long and said I'd just park my carcass right there while they sorted things out. Fifteen minutes later I drove off with a new battery. If they'd have given me one second of crap or so much as tried to suggest I owed them one cent more I was prepared to get in touch with my inner Attila the Hun. Honey, I was sooooo ready to hit the beach.

I returned home, packed the car and off we went only slightly delayed. I picked up Isaac's friend who would be accompanying us and dropped Calypso at my mother's (C had no interest in spending several days in a small cottage with 5 other people, 2 of whom were 12 year old boys). When we finally arrived at the river beach we all changed and headed right to the water where my folks were already floating in the water. I told them my tale of automotive hell and then felt the water rinse all the stress downstream into the bay. Aaaaahhhhh....a few more hours of floating and then reading on the beach followed by a dinner I didn't have to cook and copious amounts of wine and I felt like a brand new woman.

The next day was a real treat when I got to have lunch with the lovely Embee. Now she has a post up second guessing her hostessing abilities but I have to say I found her completely charming, warm, and open. We had a very leisurely and delicious lunch and I so enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with her and met her face to face. Embee, it was a real pleasure and I'd like to thank you. I'd love to get together with you again the next time I make an escape in your direction or if you find yourself in my neck of the woods.

Our "schedule" at the beach is totally laid back. Sleep late, eat breakfast and lunch in our jammies, head to the beach until we watch the sun dip below the horizon, come home, make dinner and bathe, play games, drink, and laugh our butts off with other family members who have their own cottage but come to visit after hours. I don't think we went to bed before 1 AM or rose before 10 AM the whole time. Often it was later on both ends. Bliss.

(When they weren't in the water this is what the boys did. Well, this or bury each other, or dig holes, or beg for ice cream. It's all good.)

July 4th night I earned some cool mom points when I pulled out a trash bag full of pyrotechnics and let the boys set them off for the assembled audience. Oh yeah, I had enough stuff to blow up for a couple of hours. Much fun. Happy audience. Happy boys. Happy mom. Sorry no pictures. I was busy making sure no one blew a finger off.

The psycho part of this total relaxation was Saturday morning when the mother of Isaac's friend popped in uninvited and unannounced. Mind you this was a FOUR HOUR DRIVE. The boys were still asleep. Heck, I had only just rolled my butt out of bed even though it was 10:30 AM. The woman expected the boy to call her three times a day and he obliged her. I was just barely cordial to her. Well, ok, maybe I didn't even attain that level of civility. My father, who would just as soon say "Fuck off" as "How do you do?," informed me if looks could kill I'd be charged with this woman's murder and that I was a bit rude. Admittedly he told me this with his own thinly veiled pride but still, I think the polarity of the earth must have temporarily reversed because he was far more polite than I ever considered being to this woman. She felt the need to stroll through the cottage and inspect everything before she sat on her son's bed and bounced gently while stroking his leg. When it became clear the boy was not going to wake up (and may I say the Academy Award goes to this kid for feigning unconsciousness and who could blame him) and I was not going to extend an invitation for her to stay (given there was exactly one sleeping space left, which would have been sharing my bed, and no floor space for even an air mattress, oh and given that she is a nutjob control freak who felt the need to drive 4 hours to check on her son who had called her thrice daily and who would be home the very next day while passing it off as if she just happened to be in the neighborhood...uh yeah, and I look like Heidi Klum when I put on a string bikini.) she finally departed after about 15 minutes. If you think I am being hard on her let me say when I rolled into the boy's driveway Sunday evening the father AND the college age sister ran out and the first words out of their mouths was a very contrite apology for being unable to prevent the Flight of the Lunatic.

Back to the river that afternoon after dad took us all (minus the nutjob) to a really nice restaurant for a lovely lunch. Tell the river all my frustrations and let them wash down to the bay. Aaaaaaaahhhhhh.....all better. Watch the sunset, devour a couple more books, take a nice stroll on the lovely beach, take some pictures, eat an easy dinner, play some games, and laugh, and let the libations flow...yeah, that's more like it.



Sunday was the only day the weather didn't cooperate to get to the beach since we had thunder storms but that was ok. It helped us feel less bummed about leaving. The rest of the time the weather was great and the water was perfect so I can't complain. I'm just anxious to go back...aaahhhh.....Have I mentioned how much I love going there and how relaxing it is and what a nice time we all had and how thankful I am to my stepmother for handing me my very own key to the place? Aaaaaahhh....



Tomorrow is Wednesday so you know that means something weird (good weird, not psycho weird) about the beach so tune in....