IIIIIII've got no strings to hold me down, to make me laugh, to make me frown! I've got no strings to hold me down, there are no strings on me!
~Pinocchio
What a patently false statement. At least, it is now. Once though, I could go where I wanted, when I wanted (geographically, that is). Now? Not so much. Not by any malevolent force keeping me somewhere....but love. Strings of family, friends...things keeping me tied to where I am. My husband, my biological/marital family, and my chosen family (friends) all keeping me where I am...but I know that any of them would let me go somewhere else in a second, if that was what I really needed. It wouldn't be easy for anyone, but I feel safe in the knowledge that if it was what was best for me, it could happen.
The strings that bind a New England girl to the area, especially an island girl, can be pretty tough ones to break. I tried Arizona for a year...not only was it an ENTIRELY different climate environmentally, but emotionally as well. The furthest I've been away for any length of time not including vacations is western Massachusetts. I can't stand the thought of being much further from home than that. And really, I know people say that home is where your mail goes, but for me, Harpswell will always be home. No matter where I go, those strings always pull me back...so maybe I do have strings to hold me down, after all....but the security of those strings allows me to soar in other ways.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Giving thanks...
Welcome back to the madhouse, folks. Kate has started up her weekly blog party again, so we'll see just how long I keep up with this.
This week's party topic is giving, or thanks...your pick. I've decided that expository writing isn't quite up my alley this week (I'm in the middle of term paper hell) so instead, I give to you a list of things I'm grateful for. Some are slightly more trite than others, but nonetheless, the gratitude is there.
-My husband. His love, caring, and support of me as I attend grad school at Tufts.
-My family, both biological and inlaws.
-My long time friends Kate and Lauren, and so grateful that Kate is still around...
-New friends made at grad school...
-My job. It isn't always the best, but I'm glad to be employed nonetheless.
-Chocolate.
-Cashmere.
So..what are you thankful for?
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Father's Day
Wow...almost a whole year since I've blogged. A hell of a lot has gone on, but that's for another time. This post? This one's about my dad...
For those of you who know me pretty well, you'll already know a lot of this story. I'll do my darnedest to not turn this into a teal deer, but we'll see what happens...
So, just a hair over 6 years ago, my father was in a nearly fatal accident. He had been riding his motorcycle when he was struck side-on by a car - a car whose driver didn't look both ways before entering the road, from what I gathered from the police report. The first information I got about the accident was wrong. The woman who was with the tow truck driver had decided to answer dad's cell phone, and told me that he had been driving without a license and had been taken in by the Brunswick cops. Turns out, PATENTLY false. Like, not even in the realm of reality. I called my sister, let her know that the woman who answered dad's phone said he was fine, just had been taken in for no license. Ok, fine. Then I get a phone call from dad's girlfriend. I needed to get home NOW, dad was in a coma and they weren't sure if he was going to make it through the night. I'm sorry, what now? After a few frantic phone calls, I found someone to drive me home to Maine (almost 4 hours) - I didn't dare try to drive myself. My best friend at the time, Matt, called while we were on the road to Maine. He insisted that my ride (my ex-boyfriend) drop me off at the hospital the next morning, and Matty would be along shortly thereafter to keep me company/keep me sane. Regardless of it being the last day of classes, and a hell of a long drive with no hockey game at the end, Matt ignored my protestations, repeated his instructions, and wished me luck for the rest of the ride.
Arriving at the hospital, I wasn't sure what to expect...How banged up would dad be? Would he be able to hear me at all? Anything? The doctors told me that if they could get him to 24 hours, they could get him to 48. If they could get him from 48 hours to 72 hours, he stood a good chance of surviving. What state he'd be in, we didn't know yet, but he'd be alive at least.Well, it's a start.
Days passed, countless hours spent watching monitors in his room, monitors that registered his blood pressure, his pulse, the pressure in his brain...everything. He'd had a traumatic brain injury, and no one was quite sure what was going to come next. (ok, going to skip a bit, no one needs to read the drama...and if you know me well enough, you know that a)I'm not a fan of the drama, and b)there was one HELL of a lot of drama)
Skip ahead 6 years and guess what? Dad's walking me down the aisle in August. My dad is one of the toughest, strongest men I know (and that's not just physical strength, though he's damned strong, too). He's overcome so much since his accident...yes, he has his days where you can absolutely tell he's had an accident (he gets tired easily, is a little shorter tempered, doesn't quite pick up on when my sister and I are being smartasses as quickly) and there are other days where he's almost right back to where he was pre-accident.
There are times, especially when he's having a bad day, where it's easy for me to sit an wallow in self pity, about how unfair it is my fiance and future kids won't ever know just how funny my dad was (he's still pretty funny though!), or exactly what he was like...but then again, they get to know him NOW, and that's the really important part.
Happy Father's day, Dad. I know you'll probably never read this, what with being anti-computer and all, but I love you more that you'll know.
For those of you who know me pretty well, you'll already know a lot of this story. I'll do my darnedest to not turn this into a teal deer, but we'll see what happens...
So, just a hair over 6 years ago, my father was in a nearly fatal accident. He had been riding his motorcycle when he was struck side-on by a car - a car whose driver didn't look both ways before entering the road, from what I gathered from the police report. The first information I got about the accident was wrong. The woman who was with the tow truck driver had decided to answer dad's cell phone, and told me that he had been driving without a license and had been taken in by the Brunswick cops. Turns out, PATENTLY false. Like, not even in the realm of reality. I called my sister, let her know that the woman who answered dad's phone said he was fine, just had been taken in for no license. Ok, fine. Then I get a phone call from dad's girlfriend. I needed to get home NOW, dad was in a coma and they weren't sure if he was going to make it through the night. I'm sorry, what now? After a few frantic phone calls, I found someone to drive me home to Maine (almost 4 hours) - I didn't dare try to drive myself. My best friend at the time, Matt, called while we were on the road to Maine. He insisted that my ride (my ex-boyfriend) drop me off at the hospital the next morning, and Matty would be along shortly thereafter to keep me company/keep me sane. Regardless of it being the last day of classes, and a hell of a long drive with no hockey game at the end, Matt ignored my protestations, repeated his instructions, and wished me luck for the rest of the ride.
Arriving at the hospital, I wasn't sure what to expect...How banged up would dad be? Would he be able to hear me at all? Anything? The doctors told me that if they could get him to 24 hours, they could get him to 48. If they could get him from 48 hours to 72 hours, he stood a good chance of surviving. What state he'd be in, we didn't know yet, but he'd be alive at least.Well, it's a start.
Days passed, countless hours spent watching monitors in his room, monitors that registered his blood pressure, his pulse, the pressure in his brain...everything. He'd had a traumatic brain injury, and no one was quite sure what was going to come next. (ok, going to skip a bit, no one needs to read the drama...and if you know me well enough, you know that a)I'm not a fan of the drama, and b)there was one HELL of a lot of drama)
Skip ahead 6 years and guess what? Dad's walking me down the aisle in August. My dad is one of the toughest, strongest men I know (and that's not just physical strength, though he's damned strong, too). He's overcome so much since his accident...yes, he has his days where you can absolutely tell he's had an accident (he gets tired easily, is a little shorter tempered, doesn't quite pick up on when my sister and I are being smartasses as quickly) and there are other days where he's almost right back to where he was pre-accident.
There are times, especially when he's having a bad day, where it's easy for me to sit an wallow in self pity, about how unfair it is my fiance and future kids won't ever know just how funny my dad was (he's still pretty funny though!), or exactly what he was like...but then again, they get to know him NOW, and that's the really important part.
Happy Father's day, Dad. I know you'll probably never read this, what with being anti-computer and all, but I love you more that you'll know.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Vacation...
It's a funny thing, vacation. When I take time off from work, other than my usual 2 days per week, it goes under vacation. Whether or not it's actually a vacation, unless I'm sick, it's classified as vacation. A vacation for me picks up on the first part of the word vacation. Vacat(e) - get the hell outta dodge for a little while. My usual "vacation" involves sitting in the sunroom or laying in the hammock at Dan's mom's house. A nice quiet, restful time, filled with knitting, visiting friends and trips to Sully's (only the best breakfast spot *ever*). But my vacations rarely involve going somewhere I've never been or rarely go, and staying in a hotel. Until last year.
Last year Kate and I decided to take a girls only trip somewhere. Didn't much matter where, just somewhere. We batted around various ideas, and settled on Martha's Vineyard. Close enough that we can drive down in a few hours, but far enough away that we're pretty well removed from our normal lives. We did the requisite wandering of the island, visiting a few different beaches, seeing the lighthouse at Menemsha, and some reasonably ok fireworks in Oak Bluffs. Also,we can't forget the piggies! We saw little baby pigs racing for an oreo at the ag fair...certainly an interesting sight, to be sure. We wandered hither and yon (sometimes in search of a bus stop, sometimes because we felt like it), and overall had a lovely time. There were thoughts of going again, then November hit Kate like a ton of bricks, and the thought was out (of my head, anyway..)
After an evening in which we discussed some of the finer points of lace knitting (shuddup, you're not a knitter, you wouldn't understand! ;) Kate mentioned that she hadn't picked up the lace project she was working on on Martha's Vineyard since we got back. I offhandedly said we must need to go again, then. About 10 seconds later, we decided we were going again. I had planned ahead this year for Martha's Vineyard and Rhinebeck, and had been squirreling away my pennies for just such a day, so I was able to put down the hotel fee upfront.
Months passed, we talked about going, and now it's here! We leave Friday, and I, for one, can't wait. Given the unlikelihood of going next year (between new arrivals on Kate's end and getting married next August for me), I'm oh, so glad we're able to do it this year. But regardless of anything, there's always Rhinebeck.....
Last year Kate and I decided to take a girls only trip somewhere. Didn't much matter where, just somewhere. We batted around various ideas, and settled on Martha's Vineyard. Close enough that we can drive down in a few hours, but far enough away that we're pretty well removed from our normal lives. We did the requisite wandering of the island, visiting a few different beaches, seeing the lighthouse at Menemsha, and some reasonably ok fireworks in Oak Bluffs. Also,we can't forget the piggies! We saw little baby pigs racing for an oreo at the ag fair...certainly an interesting sight, to be sure. We wandered hither and yon (sometimes in search of a bus stop, sometimes because we felt like it), and overall had a lovely time. There were thoughts of going again, then November hit Kate like a ton of bricks, and the thought was out (of my head, anyway..)
After an evening in which we discussed some of the finer points of lace knitting (shuddup, you're not a knitter, you wouldn't understand! ;) Kate mentioned that she hadn't picked up the lace project she was working on on Martha's Vineyard since we got back. I offhandedly said we must need to go again, then. About 10 seconds later, we decided we were going again. I had planned ahead this year for Martha's Vineyard and Rhinebeck, and had been squirreling away my pennies for just such a day, so I was able to put down the hotel fee upfront.
Months passed, we talked about going, and now it's here! We leave Friday, and I, for one, can't wait. Given the unlikelihood of going next year (between new arrivals on Kate's end and getting married next August for me), I'm oh, so glad we're able to do it this year. But regardless of anything, there's always Rhinebeck.....
Friday, July 3, 2009
maple balsamic vinagrette
recorded so I can't forget/lose it...
2 parts balsamic vinegar (doesn't have to be expensive, just good...Newman's Organic is delightful for this)
1 part olive oil
fresh thyme
1-2T REAL maple syrup
pour vinegar into a large measuring cup. Stream oil in slowly while whisking vigorously to combine. Whisk in maple syrup and chopped thyme. YUM! Awesome over strawberries...
2 parts balsamic vinegar (doesn't have to be expensive, just good...Newman's Organic is delightful for this)
1 part olive oil
fresh thyme
1-2T REAL maple syrup
pour vinegar into a large measuring cup. Stream oil in slowly while whisking vigorously to combine. Whisk in maple syrup and chopped thyme. YUM! Awesome over strawberries...
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
*snort*
straight from the boy's mouth to the blog:
(in reference to some terrific pasta/salad bowls that were bought at Ikea, and of which only 1 still survives...)
me: I don't think they're that fragile...I think we're just clumsy.
boy: They are fragile. I am as dexterous as a cat...a cat with no thumbs and wet, soapy paws....I am as dexterous as a cat.
(in reference to some terrific pasta/salad bowls that were bought at Ikea, and of which only 1 still survives...)
me: I don't think they're that fragile...I think we're just clumsy.
boy: They are fragile. I am as dexterous as a cat...a cat with no thumbs and wet, soapy paws....I am as dexterous as a cat.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Thank you...
Just a little spot to send out a quiet, cosmic thank you to the service men and women out there...Special thoughts to: Grandpa, Uncle Don, Joe, Bill, Eric, Annie, Jeff, Stephen, and the GMC guys. I'm grateful for each and everyone one of you!
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