Our daughter, Ali, has always helped me with the wrapping at Christmastime. However, she's double-majoring AND in the middle of finals so she isn't really available right now. So, I've been spending any spare moment I can sorting gifts (out-of-town vs. other) and wrapping... …
I've been spending my evenings painstakingly uploading more than 400 photos to Qoop.com, where I order our family photo books each year. After I upload, I must then type captions underneath each one and I try to be a bit witty...on a few of them at least. Those photo books can be pretty expensive (more than $25 each) but the grandparents sure seem to like 'em. I've also been working on a homemade gift for my mother. I won't be able to tell you what it is until after the holidays because she makes weekly comments about WritersWeekly. I figure that means she reads it. I've posted articles in the past about inexpensive holiday gifts you can make at home. If you're interested, see THIS LINK. I have a Masonism for you this week. This morning, Mason (age 4) hollered at me from the bathroom, "Mommy! I can make pee bubbles!" Hugs to all! Angela …
We pulled the decorations out of the basement on Friday and, by Sunday night, everything was up, including the tree and the outdoor lights. I always forget how which cords go with which lighted wreath outside so the puzzle must be re-solved year after year. And, each year, I swear I'm going to label those suckers... …
Today, we are thankful for each of you, our readers. It's a true blessing to have so many online friends. I enjoy the friendships and the comaraderie we all share and it's comforting to know that, if I need anything at all, I can fire off an email to my online friends, and receive an almost instant reply! So, thank YOU!!! :) …
In order to more enjoy my December, I have decided to try to get my shopping done earlier this year. Last Sunday, I spent the entire day on my laptop, shopping online. I try to buy non-China-made items whenever I can and I also try to support artists. …
I woke up last night because Zach, our oldest, had the TV on too loud downstairs. I didn't want to wake up the little ones so I didn't run on the front hall light as I headed for the stairs, intent on reprimanding Zach. I was walking down the stairs in the dark and, in a flash, heard a loud "MEOW!!!"... …
The nice thing about this time of year is that there's always something to look forward to when something else has ended. On Sunday night, the boys were sad at bedtime because Halloween was over. I reminded them that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and, after that, Christmas will be upon us as well. When I asked if they wanted to help me make a funny turkey yard decoration for Thanksgiving, they were all smiles again... …
Awhile back, I was posting weekly pictures of our pumpkins, Monster, Half-Pint, Tiny and Punk. Last Sunday, with tears, Max harvested three of his four pumpkins. Surprisingly, Punk (the orange wart pumpkin) is still on a live vine. The three white pumpkins were on dried vines, and starting to attract slugs. The four pumpkins are the biggest we've ever grown and they are now being proudly displayed by Max in our living room. He does NOT want to carve them, however. He wants to go to a local farm and buy pumpkins for carving. He can't bear to cut into his babies. Isn't that sweet? :) Here's Max with three of his babies. Below that is a picture of Punk.
 |
 |
Max and Mason are giddy with excitement, counting down the days until Halloween. Max has his own horror dolls and other creepy characters displayed on his desk. Mason (age 4) gives the desk a wide berth when he passes by... …
Our good friends Scott and Kelly left last Wednesday. On Thursday, we packed up the RV and drove to the KOA in Bar Harbor for one last Fall hurrah... …
Our friends Scott and Kelly chose to spend their honeymoon in Bangor this week, after getting engaged here last year. Romance is in the air! They allowed us to infringe on their time and we've had a fun week doing lots of driving and leaf-watching. We went to Cadillac Mountain (where they got engaged) and we even spent a night in Boothbay Harbor. Here are a few pictures from our fun week:
Fall is the time of year when we get the most visitors. Everybody wants to see the finest Fall foliage and Fall in Maine is magical in its beauty. For about 3 weeks each year, the colors are so amazingly crisp and bright that we feel like we're living in a postcard... …
We were pretty hungry after a long day of tire trouble, repairs and driving and we could not WAIT to eat some really good food. The Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York had quite an impressive list of restaurants to choose from. When we walked into the casino, Max and Mason were in awe of the lights and the slot machines (which they were only permitted to ogle from a distance). Max was looking in wonder at the actual casino and said, "I wish I was 18!"... …
We spent the day driving to Erie, Pennsylvania and, when we arrived, Richard did what he always does. He walked around the RV, checking the tires and everything else. He came back inside with bad news. One of our tires had a bulge. It could blow out sideways at any time. This was a repair item we couldn't ignore or delay... Read all the details (and see pictures!) here: https://www.wirelesstrips.com/day-14-bulging-tire This week's Maxism: "I like to get caramel stuck in my teeth because then I can lick it off." Hugs to all! Angela …
When we get back to Bangor, we'll have the RV guys check: The windshield wipers (they keep stopping in the middle of the window when you turn them off) The quarter-panel on the passenger side (it came loose and is currently being held on with duct tape) The slides (they are squeaking, and probably need a good greasing) The air conditioner (the filters need to be changed) And, the big one - our huge plug that we use when plugging into the power at campgrounds is melting. Yes, you read that right... Read all the details (and see pictures!) here: https://www.wirelesstrips.com/day-13-continued-we-love-duct-tape This week's Maxism: "Can we buy dinner at the gas station?" Hugs to all! Angela P.S. WANT TO REMEMBER YOUR PAST, AND WRITE ABOUT IT? HOW TO REMEMBER, WRITE AND PUBLISH YOUR LIFE STORY Using Angela's MEMORY TRIGGERS, recall memories that have been dormant for years, and record those memories in chronological order in your memory notebook. Using the memory notebook as your outline, write your autobiography! **Also works for biographies and memoirs.** …
In the past week, we: Went swimming (twice). Saw a HUGE personal Star Wars collection. Visited a dinosaur museum. Ate Kelly's homemade stuffed hamburgers and gluten-free fruit pizza. Ate Cindy's homemade pork loin sandwiches and cherry pie. Ate the Garbage Plate at Frank's Diner in Kenosha, WI, which has been profiled on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Dented the rear slide on the RV (now, whose fault was that?!) And were shocked to discover the large electric plug on the RV had started to melt! Read all the details (and see pictures!) here: https://www.wirelesstrips.com/days-5-8-we-are-not-acclimated This week's Maxism: Conversation overheard in the back of the RV between Max (8) and Mason (4). Mason refuses to try eggs, and now probably never will. "Mason, do you know what eggs are?" "No." "They're big, squishy balls that come out of chicken's butts...and we eat 'em!" Hugs to all! Angela P.S. WANT TO REMEMBER YOUR PAST, AND WRITE ABOUT IT? HOW TO REMEMBER, WRITE AND PUBLISH YOUR LIFE STORY Using Angela's MEMORY TRIGGERS, recall memories that have been dormant for years, and record those memories in chronological order in your memory notebook. Using the memory notebook as your outline, write your autobiography! **Also works for biographies and memoirs.** https://writersweekly.com/books/4764.html …
On Saturday morning, I emptied my (rather large) purse and then re-packed it with sunscreen, bottled water, and an extra pair of clothes for both the boys... …
We've once again taken the business on the road! We're currently on the trip we were supposed to take in May, which was postponed when Richard broke his leg. As soon as we hit the road today, Max and Mason made up a rousing game with their Mario and Luigi dolls, and were giggling in the RV for a couple of hours straight. They were making the dolls fart on each other (sigh...) …
Max and I were supposed to be extras in a movie scene being shot last Sunday. Max was pretty bummed when we received an email on Friday morning alerting us that filming of the candy store scene was postponed indefinitely. However, he got to see the "real" Thomas the Train that afternoon in Boothbay Harbor so he bounced back pretty quickly... …
I have somehow managed to get completely snowed under with work this week so my post today will be extremely short. First, Max and I got a call last weekend to be extras in the movie we auditioned for. Filming will be on Sunday and it looks like we get to be in the candy store scene! Yea! Max (almost 9) is SO excited! Second, I wanted to show you how much "Monster" (our pumpkin) has grown in the past 7 days. …
When we first moved to Maine, I read A Year in the Maine Woods by Bernd Heinrich...twice. That book helped me learn about the intricacies of nature's seasonal dances in Maine, which are far different from those in Texas. One of my favorite passages from Henrich's book is from August 14th: "The fields are daily coming more alive with crickets and grasshoppers, a sure sign that fall is near." Max cocked his head suddenly and whispered, "Sssshhhh." Following his lead, I did the same and we both smiled at each other and said, "CRICKETS!" at the same time. It wasn't just one cricket. A cacophony was emerging... …
I'd like to preface this post by telling you that, no, we didn't vote for Obama. Most of you probably already know I was raised in the south by die-hard Republicans. However, you don't have to be a Democrat to eat within pea-flinging distance of the current President of the United States. Our daughter works at a fine dining restaurant on the coast of Maine where's she has a summer externship. Last week, the owner of the restaurant made a comment about making sure they had up-to-date photo IDs for the employees because Obama was coming to town. Our daughter thought there might be a chance he'd come to that restaurant because it's a really nice one. We'd had reservations to go to Bar Harbor for a short vacation for a few weeks and, admittedly, we weren't too happy when we learned last week that Obama and his entourage were coming, which would result in closings, detours, and more... …
We learned a few months ago that there are no residency restrictions for convicted child molesters in our city. We, of course, subsequently launched a fight, trying to get the city council to enact an ordinance... …
We had a FANTASTIC 4th of July celebration on Sunday! Our good friends Mark and Corey came to visit with their niece, Lauryn. …
On Sunday, Max and I, along with Frank's friend, Caleb, went to a movie audition. Pretty cool, huh? It's for an indie film but they have quite a few speaking parts, along with the need for lots of extras. Filming is only during the summer and it won't be a full-time thing so we thought...why not? I've auditioned for a TV reporter gig (got that years and years ago) and a high school musical (I got a non-speaking "Lady in Waiting" part and I got to sing...but not a solo) but I've never auditioned for a movie before. It was so much FUN! …
It seems like just yesterday that Mason, our youngest (and last!), was born after we fought for the right to have a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). Then, the doctor told us 12 days later, after several days of rapid breathing, that Mason might have a congenital heart defect, and may "expire" at any moment. We got a miracle that day! …
We've been having two bedrooms repainted and refloored over the past six weeks. We had planned to have the old, ratty, who-knows-how-old-it-is carpet removed and replaced with Pergo(R) (that fake laminate flooring that resembles wood). However, we got a big surprise when they pulled up the carpet in both rooms and found old, rolled-up linoleum that wasn't glued down. And, under the linoleum, they found a layer of old newspapers in excellent condition. …
I woke up on Tuesday morning and started doing my morning chores - laundry, breakfast, you know the routine. I was still rubbing sleep from my eyes when I heard a very loud "RAT-A-TAT-TAT-BANG-TAT-BANG-TAT!!!" in the kitchen. I ran in there and found Mittens trying to scale our wooden blinds. There was a bird between the blinds and the window. Mittens moved faster than me and had that cute bird in his jaws before I could grab him. But, grab him I did and I managed to pry his jaws open and free the poor thing. …
Ali didn't get to come home until Tuesday morning because she's been so busy working at her new job. They were very busy over the holiday weekend. She's been slicing and dicing and plating salads and desserts and she has the battle scars to prove it. She showed me all the nicks in her palms and she has a really nasty slice from a lobster. Yes, she wears gloves when she works but they're for sanitary reasons...not for safety. …
Just two weeks ago, I was fretting because we were going to have a freeze just as my new pumpkin seedlings were emerging from the soil. I'd broken the cardinal rule of gardening here, which says you're not supposed to plant anything until Memorial Day because of the risk of a late frost. I'd taken the risk because I wanted to get our seedlings planted before we left on our (now canceled) trip to Wisconsin. Today, we had the boys sweating up a storm, pulling the window unit air conditioners out of the attic and putting them in the house. It's supposed to be in the 90s tomorrow, which is unusual for this time of year in Bangor. …
Many of you know our recent trip to Wisconsin was canceled because Richard broke his leg and needed surgery. We were traveling there to attend the wedding of our good friends, Scott and Kelly. They got engaged last October, at the top of Cadillac Mountain, while visiting us here in Maine. On that day, I was able to take a picture of them just moments after Scott proposed. A few weeks ago, I printed a copy of that picture and, using it as a guide, painted a large picture on canvas with acrylics for their wedding present. Max (age 8) is the most visually artistic in the family and he helped me with the rocks. I posted pictures of what we did HERE. I think you'll agree...the rocks are the best part! ;) This week's Maxism: "When I grow up, I'm going to be a brain surge." Hugs to all! Angela …
Richard is feeling a bit better but he's terribly bored. If I could just get him out to the van and take him for a spin, I know that would cheer him up but he has no desire to do anything that might jar one of his ankle screws loose before the bones are finished healing. Can't say I blame him. On Sunday, we decided to celebrate Father's Day instead of Mother's Day. Richard needed pampering far more than I and all the kids thought it was a great idea. We were supposed to spend the summer building on our land so Zach and I went to Borders, looking specifically for a book on Yurts and we found one! If any of you have any experience with yurts (building, living in, staying in, or just knowledge of), please contact me. Richard would LOVE to exchange a couple of emails with you. We're really leaning toward a yurt instead of a cabin. For those of you who don't know, a yurt is cylindrical, tent-like dwelling...but people use different types of materials for construction (not just cloth). No, we're not going to build a teepee. If we were, it would already be done! You can see pictures of yurts HERE. Many companies sell yurt kits. We'd like to try to build one ourselves but since Richard will be relegated to the sidelines during his four-month recovery, telling us what to do with construction, maybe a kit is the way to go. Some yurts look like ultra-chic, round, modern homes but we want something far more modest. Then again, if we build our own, we could save thousands of dollars...or maybe not. I'm going to buy Richard a bullhorn so he won't feel so powerless while sitting with his foot propped up, watching us work. I'll see if I can find one with a push-button horn in it so he use that if somebody hammers a nail crooked or something. Heh... This week's Maxism: "Next time we go camping, can we build a bombfire?" Hugs to all! Angela P.S. QUERY LETTERS THAT WORKED! Real Queries That Landed $2K+ Writing Assignments - Want to read real query letters that landed these contracts? Woman's Day - $2,800; Redbook - $3,500; Ladies Home Journal - $3,000; DiscoveryHealth.com - $2,000; Lifetime Magazine - $3,000; Life Extension Magazine - $6,480; Natural Remedies - $11,300; and many more! See: https://www.writersweekly.com/books/1409.html BOOK PROPOSALS THAT WORKED! Real Book Proposals That Landed $10K - $100K Publishing Contracts - Want to read real book proposals that landed these contracts? Simon and Schuster - $100,000; Berkeley Books - $25,000; Osborne-McGraw-Hill - $19,500; Random House $15,000; and many more! See a complete list here: https://www.writersweekly.com/books/3332.html …
My oh my, how life's plans can change! …
Our daughter, Ali, is on the President's list at her college, and just completing her first semester. She's in the culinary arts program and must obtain an externship working in a restaurant kitchen for the summer. Needless to say, she's been pretty busy sending out cover letters and resumes for about three weeks now. …
We left Liberty Harbor RV Park on a sunny, beautiful afternoon, intent on arriving in Connecticut before dark. When we'd arrived at Liberty Harbor, we'd simply gotten off the freeway, gone under the overpass, turned left, and driven a mile or two. When we departed, the GPS led us a completely different way, seemingly into a nearby neighborhood. Before we turned right, onto a residential street, Richard noticed there were two fire trucks blocking traffic. If we'd turned, we'd have been stuck there for hours. We kept going straight and ended up in a grocery store parking lot. That was easy enough to get out of and we waited a moment for the GPS to give us an alternative route. We ended up in that neighbor again, albeit on a different street, a very narrow passage with endless cars lining both sides. I remember passing the freeway at one point, going right under it, and wondering why the GPS was sending us a different way. It was a Saturday and there were lots of people outside enjoying the weather. There were also lots of junk cars, tattoo parlors, liquor stores, and other unsavory things that made us start to feel a bit nervous. At one point, men got out of two cars right in front of us, blocking traffic. They each went to houses on different sides of the street. We had no choice but to stop and wait. I heard a woman yell outside, "Leon, move your (BLEEP!) car!" Read more HERE. This week's Maxism: "When I jump up and down, I can hear lemonade in my stomach!" Hugs to all! Angela P.S. DON'T FORGET! THE SPRING 2010 24-HOUR SHORT STORY CONTEST IS THIS SATURDAY! Each contest is limited to 500 entrants so don't delay if you want to participate. 1st Place: $300 2nd Place: $250 3rd Place: $200 Entry fee is $5. You can see the complete list of 85 prizes and sign up here: https://www.writersweekly.com/misc/contest.html …
After lunch on Friday, we took a cab to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Max had been waiting for this homeschooling field trip for weeks! We looked at the medieval outfits first...chain mail, suits of armor, things like that. Max had recently studied medieval times and was really enjoying seeing real armor and other protective clothing that people wore back then. He also thought the real swords and other weapons, laden with gems and intricate etchings, were pretty cool. He was having a great time! Mason, on the other hand, was bored out of his mind. He likes museums but he wanted to see some trains...and he kept asking about trains, over and over again. I figured out a way to placate him. I told him, "They have lots of paintings here, Mason. Let's hunt for a train painting!" That seemed to work. Now, admittedly, I figured we would NOT find a train painting there, but hunting for one would keep Mason busy until we got to the gift shop, at which time he would most certainly forget all about trains. But, we didn't plan on stopping by the gift shop until the end of our visit. As we were leaving the medieval display, and moving to another, Mason was once again saying, "Where's the train painting? I wanna find the train painting." I gently reminded him, "Keep looking, honey." At that moment, a nosy man with a kid in tow leaned down to Mason, sticking his nose into OUR business, and said, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, young man, but there are no paintings of trains in this museum." You should have seen Mason's face. It was like the man told him there was no such thing as fairies. Mason went from frown to public meltdown. I wanted to have a meltdown, too. I mean, the guy had a kid. He must have known I was trying to divert Mason's attention for a few hours. I wanted to throttle that man!!! Read more HERE. I have another Masonism for you this week. Mason (age 3) announced this week, "I need to make a train cake tomorrow." He then paused, looking upward and drumming his fingers on his lips, and added, "And then I need to put it in the fridge." Hugs to all! Angela …
Liberty Harbor RV Park isn't anything like a campground. It's a line of large parking spaces - an RV parking lot, all in a row. You can see the Statue of Liberty from select places there and you can hear the "clang, clang" of the sailboat rigging - but that's about it as far as aesthetic appeal is concerned. Oh, and the subway/train passes by frequently, too, though I did manage to tune that out at bedtime. The parking area is just cement and gravel so we didn't even bother putting Mason's gates outside. The boys played inside that night. However, if you want to park your RV and take a trek into the city, this the place to do it. We drove to the Brownstone Diner & Pancake Factory in Jersey City, NJ for dinner. It has been featured on the Food Network on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives but we didn't know that at the time... Read more HERE. I have a Masonism for you this week. When we were in the ferry, heading for New York City, Max and Mason were staring in awe at the towering buildings on the horizon. Suddenly, Mason yelled, "I think I see the Pirate State Building!" Hugs to all! Angela …
We saw many interesting North Carolina sights on the road on Thursday. From a billboard for "Truck Crash Attorneys", to numerous junkyards and taxidermy businesses, to a home that was painted to look like a gingerbread house, we were thoroughly entertained! And the rain kept on comin' down, all the way from North Carolina to my sister's house in Virginia... Read more HERE. This week's Maxism: At my sister's house, her large dog kept sniffing Max. Max was giggling, and finally said, "He keeps sniffing me!" I laughed, and replied, "He likes crotches." Max smiled again, and said, "Oh, okay." He then thought for a moment and added, "What's a crotch?" Hugs to all! Angela …
Wednesday was the day Max was dreading. He started to get teary-eyed whenever he thought about leaving Andi. We woke up early and got all packed up. I'm pretty sure I will never get all the sand out of this RV! It is EVERYWHERE! Andi and her dad spent about an hour with us before it was time to pull out. Max said a tearful goodbye and we took pictures. We pulled away and Max and Andi were waving to each other. Max was very, very sad for the rest of the day and that evening. He called Andi after we got to our next destination. That cheered him up a bit, but not much. It rained most of the day, which fit Max's mood. Our next stop was a hotel in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. We parked the RV, checked in, and went to our room. It had quite a 70s feel to it with all the light greens and geometric patterns. I'm pretty sure Carol Brady herself decorated it! We dumped our bags, and found a fantastic North Carolina barbeque place for lunch. If you've never had North Carolina barbeque, you have sadly neglected your taste buds and your soul... Read more HERE. This week I have a Masonism for you. In the RV one afternoon, Mason (age 3) was sitting quietly (for once) and looking around. After a few minutes, he said, "We sure have nice doorknobs!" Hugs to all! Angela …
It was kind of depressing on Wednesday. Zach was gone, nobody else was coming to visit us at the beach, and we only had one week left at that beautiful spot right on the Atlantic ocean. Oh, sure, we wanted to get home soon and see our loved ones but we were going to miss the place that had made the worst month of winter the absolute best month of winter! In Maine, we wake up to the sound of traffic. In South Carolina, we were waking up to the sound of crashing waves... Read more HERE. This week's Maxism: "You know, Dora isn't really an explorer." Hugs to all! Angela …
On Monday, I got a bit of work done. Zach decided he wanted to spend his last full day here shopping. Max had been excited about Zach coming because, unlike Ali, "Zach likes to do fun stuff, not shopping!" So, Max was pretty surprised to learn we were going shopping, not go-kart riding or laser-tagging... Read more HERE. This week's Maxism: "Mom, what does it feel like to get electrocuted?" Hugs to all! Angela …
On Monday and Tuesday, we worked frantically on business stuff and Max got ahead in his school work. We wanted to get caught up so we could take some time off when our oldest son, Zach, arrives this week. However, a large Nor…
I noticed during lunch that Richard looked a bit red. He'd been in the direct sunlight when he was working outside the RV. He's not supposed to be in the sun between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. because it can cause him to get vasculitis, which can then last for months, and necessitate Prednisone. Think of it as a sun allergy. We kinda forgot about the 10 to 3 rule because, in Bangor during the winter, we're not outside this time of year anyway. The boys wanted to fly their kites in the afternoon after lunch but... Read more HERE. This week's Maxism: "I like the sound of my kiss. It's like a squeaking sound!" Hugs to all! Angela P.S. QUERY LETTERS THAT WORKED! Real Queries That Landed $2K+ Writing Assignments - Want to read real query letters that landed these contracts? Woman's Day - $2,800; Redbook - $3,500; Ladies Home Journal - $3,000; DiscoveryHealth.com - $2,000; Lifetime Magazine - $3,000; Life Extension Magazine - $6,480; Natural Remedies - $11,300; and many more! See: https://www.writersweekly.com/books/1409.html BOOK PROPOSALS THAT WORKED! Real Book Proposals That Landed $10K - $100K Publishing Contracts - Want to read real book proposals that landed these contracts? Simon and Schuster - $100,000; Berkeley Books - $25,000; Osborne-McGraw-Hill - $19,500; Random House $15,000; and many more! See a complete list here: https://www.writersweekly.com/books/3332.html …
We've been going out almost every night, checking out the local restaurants and shops, and doing more shopping than we should. We ate at a fabulous pizza place on Saturday night (we had plenty of leftovers!) and we ran a few errands after dinner. I had to go to the craft store to buy some batting for a project I was planning to make for our little nephew. I also found two large Styrofoam planes for the boys to play with on the beach. What a disaster those turned into... …
We were supposed to head back to DC on Friday but it turned bitterly cold and our nephew woke up with a very runny nose. I decided to spend the day getting caught up on work while Richard drove our tow vehicle to the gas station for a fill-up. While there, he noticed that a problem we'd had repaired right before we left had not really been repaired. …
