Blogston, Mass

Batten down the hatches.

2011-08-26T12:42:00.000-04:00

Here we go.

Akron's finest.

2011-08-23T07:02:00.005-04:00

Hi friends.

We spent the past weekend in Akron, OH, for our dear friend Jonas' wedding. It was Marianna's first trip to Ohio (maybe last?) and Jonas' first trip down the isle (certainly the last).

He married a super sweet gal from Akron, so the wedding was a mixing of cultures and a mashing of people from all points of their life. We knew Jonas during the Durham point of his life. We knew Dana from the Greensville portion of his life. And we were just pleased as punch to share in the Columbus portion of their lives by seeing old friends, drinking moonshine, and dancing the night away.

Also, while on the road, we got a huge blog mention for Old Try. So, we fielded a boatload of emails and took some orders and found while in Ohio that this crazy idea just might work.

a shower

2011-08-01T20:03:00.017-04:00

A few Saturdays ago, I hosted my first baby shower. It was for a friend from church. I was really excited about putting it all together, but a little overwhelmed since I'd never thrown a baby shower or been to one in the last decade. But, with some help from the other hostesses, we made it happen.

Kristin doesn't know if she's having a boy or a girl, so we went with a green-blue-yellow color scheme. I found some really cute ideas on Pinterest and decided to use old-school pinwheels as decoration with some pom-poms and bunting thrown in for good measure. So Karen and I got together one evening to put together 20 pinwheels to line the walkway and planned out the rest of the decorations. Karen would do the bunting and I'd tackle the as-yet-to-be-determined-how-to-make mini-pinwheel cupcake toppers.

We opted not to play any traditional (sometimes crazy, borderline weird) shower games. Instead, I made mustache and bow pins for all the guests to wear at the party - to show whether they thought it was going to be a boy or a girl. The majority, including the mom-to-be, think it'll be a boy - I think it was 7 to 4. We'll see in about a month!

Girls v/s Boys!

We had tons of tasty food and drinks - potato salad, pasta salad, fruit salsa, veggies, chicken salad croissants, mimosas, lemonade, and cupcakes, of course!

She opened some fun and useful presents, and we all talked about how much baby products have changed from when we were kids. There were actually only two moms there that day, but they gave a lot of advice and a few warnings.

The last thing we did was write notes to the baby. We all drew an envelope with a birthday on it (1-16) and wrote a note to the child for that birthday year. It was a great idea, although some of the ages are a little difficult to write to. Hopefully, it'll be something special for Kristin and her child to open each year.

There's something I have to tell you: I'm seeing another blog

2011-07-29T07:25:00.003-04:00

Hi friends.

We are sorry if this blog has suffered because we are cheating on it with another blog.

We're really trying to get Old Try up and established, and we're building out that blog while this one has a cold wind whipping through it at times.

The good news is that you can start reading the Old Blog as well. What's not to like about that?

Finally to an Island.

2011-07-24T15:17:00.004-04:00

It has been four years and the one thing we haven't done is make it to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. Well, we wrapped one of those yesterday.

We scored first class ferry tickets from a daily deal site, and so we caught an early morning ferry out across the 30 miles of open seas that live between the mainland and rich.

We arrive in Nantucket after Marianna says we need to live there, and four minutes after arriving on land I 100% agree. Nantucket has the largest collection of home built before the Civil War and every square inch of every single parcel of land is absolutely amazing. It also hass the highest land value of any zip code in MA. No surprise there.

We spend the day looking for a perfect whale shirt (which we don't find), Nantucket reds (which we do find, and I grab a cooking apron from Murray's Toggery), avoiding squalls (a storm something fierce popped up, so we stayed an hour in the Whaling museum learning about the history of the profession), and eating great, albeit criminally expensive food ($12 for two small ice creams, $34 for brunch, $First Child for Dinner).

We caught the last ferry of the night back, for a crossing in the fog. And back to a temperature of 84° at midnight. And I dreamt of the next time we can so back. Maybe to spend the night. Or hunt whales.

Day Late. Dollar short.

2011-07-05T17:12:00.005-04:00

Yesterday morning I went to the State House to hear the 235th reading of our Declaration of Independence. From the same balcony it was read the first time.

It sounded something like this:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Then we walked up a hill and watched the fireworks from Boston, 8 miles away.

I finally got a horse for my birthday.

2011-06-25T21:07:00.008-04:00

Or at least a ride on one.

I'd noticed a while back that our joint calendar had "something special for a special birthday" marked down for Saturday June 25, the weekend preceding my birthday. Micah likes to do surprises for me occasionally, just something he likes planning I guess.

I had a few theories, but wasn't sure what it might be. As of Friday, I knew that we had to get up early-ish (for a Saturday) and that it wasn't going to take all day. That ruled out an overnight trip and a ticket to the Taylor Swift concert which was that night. As of that morning there were a few more clues, my attire was to be jeans and shoes that could be worn in potentially muddy areas. Hm.

I wasn't quite sure, but I thought it might have had something to do with horses. The only reason I came up with that idea was there had been a bunch of local groupons for riding recently, and I had probably mentioned a few to Micah. And Micah knows I heart horses (yes, that 9-year-old self part of me. and that not-9-year-old self, too). And we're always checking out local deals, so I thought he may have nabbed one. But before we left the house that morning I reminded him to make sure he had everything...camera if we needed it (who knows what we're doing?! I don't!)...wallet, keys...oh, and if we need a coupon for whatever we're doing bring that too. He said there was no coupon necessary. Which led me to consider a day hike or something. Maybe. Mud. Hm.

But my first thought was right. I kind of wish that I hadn't had the hunch, because it would have been much more satisfying for Micah I think. But, my suspicions were confirmed once we arrived at Bobby's Ranch in Weston, MA, about 45 minutes away, if that. (did you see the funny horse cartoon on their web page? yeah, that was on their sign too - so funny!)

When we pulled in, we passed a lonely buffalo standing in a pin...I wonder if he has an buddies. We parked and registered at the office and then waited for the last people in our group to arrive. While we were meandering around, we ran into some animals. Or rather, they came to us. The donkey high-tailed it across the parking lot to come say hello before heading off to continue snacking in the field. He was followed close behind by a Shetland pony. There were also 2 roosters parading through the yard. One was huge and what we'd call a textbook rooster - giant feet, colorful feathers and a serious cock-a-doodle-doo. He also had a partner in crime, a smaller rooster guy that followed him around too. He was cute (probably not what roosters are going for) and little and made us laugh hysterically. That was because his cock-a-doodle-doo crow was more of a high-pitched cock-a-cough-sputter-voice crack-doo. At first we thought it was just that one time, but nope, every time. Poor guy. We also found some sheep and another Shetland pony. And a very friendly cat who made a beeline for Micah when he was crouching down to take a photo.

Turns out the last people we were waiting on for our trail ride never showed. So it was me and Micah along with 2 other riders and 2 guides. They were nice, but very efficient, like - hi, walk up this ramp, this is Midnight, have you ridden before?, great, here you go. And just like that we were off. I was trying to remember the last time I had ridden, and it was probably in college when I was in Colorado with my friend, Kerry, and we rode in the snow near Crested Butte. As in that was probably 10 years ago. But, I guess riding a horse is kind of like riding a bike - it comes back to you.

After stopping for a quick water break for the horses and a reminder not to let them eat along the way, we headed out to the trails. The trails wound us up through woods near the 'ranch' and through a preserve area. It was really pretty and smelled like camp (woods + damp earth + horses + leathery saddles = camp).

It had poured that morning, but the rain had thankfully stopped by the time we arrived at Bobby's. That being said, there were rainy tree-drips and gigantic puddles across the trail. We were instructed to get the horses to go through the center of the puddles, but they all wanted to stay dry (like I would have), so they headed as far to the outside as possible. This was also when my mount, Midnight, would try to have a fast-food snack (read, any green foliage within tongue's reach). It was an ongoing battle. You'd think he was famished. My favorite was when we were trotting along (one speed faster than a walk) and there was a low-lying, leaf-filled branch across the trail. While I was trying to avoid a branch to the face, Midnight was trotting along, happily snagging a few precious leaves as we went through it.

Along with the snacks, puddle avoidance/side-of-the-road snacking was also an opportune time for Midnight to try to crush my outside leg between his body and the nearest sappling. It never really happened, but was always a close call. A tug on the reins and a swift kick, and we were (almost) back in the center of the trail again. Micah was in front of me for the ride, on a black and white steed named Oreo. His MO was slow walking. We were always several horse lengths away from the rest of the pack. It brought a whole new meaning to the saying "I'm right on your tail" (maybe this is where it came from?). Midnight was all up on Oreo's tail. At one point, one of the guides had to bring her horse up between us to try and make Oreo get a move on. It didn't really work.

Those were just some minor anecdotes along the way. The ride was fun and surprising and fun and beautiful. Unfortunately, there are no photos of us actually on horses because we decided to put the camera in the car, lest either of us fall off and crunch it (in addition to ourselves). And because the staff is so efficient, there really is no time to take photos or pet your horse before/after you've dismounted. When we arrived back at the barn, we dismounted on wobbly legs. We were met by a goat hanging out on the dismounting ramp. He was so funny. Just perched there as if he was a mountain goat on the side of a giant mountain.

We wandered around some more, trying to stretch our legs before getting back in the car. We took some more photos and petted a few more animals. There was a kid-filled group there getting ready for their ride, and our friendly little Shetland was saddled up for the smallest of them. Since they couldn't go on a proper trail ride, they'd get a pony ride in the barnyard. After we had regained normal feeling in our knees and legs and butts (man we're old!), we hopped back in the car and headed home.

Thanks, my love, for a wonderous birthday surprise!

World's End.

2011-06-19T17:40:00.004-04:00

LAX season is finally over and it is 85° and after church we hopped in the car and drove down to World's End.

And since the Trustees can say it better than I can, I'll let them explain it.

What makes World’s End a special place?
We think it’s the tree-lined carriage paths and sweeping views of the Boston skyline, only 15 miles away. The 251-acre coastscape includes rocky shores, broad hillsides, and open fields bracketed by pockets of woodlands. The property is ideal for walking, picnicking, jogging, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, or simply enjoying nature and the outdoors.

The retreating glacier helped create the geology of Boston Harbor, including the islands and the four spoon-shaped hills (called drumlins) that comprise World’s End. This landscape also features saltwater marshes, meadows, woodlands, and granite ledges covered with red cedars and blueberry thickets.

World’s End was once an island at high tide, but colonial farmers dammed the salt marsh to grow hay and cleared almost all the trees for cropland. In the 1880s, wealthy Boston businessman John Brewer built a farming estate. In 1890, he hired Frederick Law Olmsted to design a large subdivision. While the homes were never built, four miles of carriage roads remain.

Tides once again nourish former salt marsh through specially built culverts, which promote habitat health and diversity. Grasslands maintained by carefully timed mowing provide important habitat for the birds that depend on them, as well as native plant species. And Olmsted’s designed landscape is preserved through mowing, pruning, cutting, and planting.

World’s End was once one of Massachusetts’ most threatened coastal landscapes. In 1890, plans were drawn up for a 163-house residential subdivision. In 1945, the property was short-listed for the site of the United Nations headquarters, which ultimately found its home in New York City. Twenty years later, it was eyed as a possible site for a nuclear power plant. But in 1967, thanks to local commitment and tremendous fundraising efforts, dedicated residents from Hingham and surrounding communities, and The Trustees, were able to preserve this special place.

Game 7.

2011-06-15T12:54:00.002-04:00

Whether we like hockey or not, Beantown has gone bonkers for hockey again. For the first time, really, since 72.

Do we have another parade in our future? We shall see at 11:35 tonight...

Go Bruins.

cupcake par-tay

2011-06-09T22:11:00.004-04:00

On Monday, I went to a cupcake decorating event. To be honest, it was less decorating than I anticipated. I was thinking they'd be showing us how to do all sorts of fun designs and such. Instead, while informative, we did fillings and basic swirly icing with some embellishments.

I found the deal online a few weeks ago and immediately sent it to a few friends. Kay Mills was totally in, but by a twist of fate, when I bought my ticket, it happened to be the last one. Boo. So I had to do it alone. Not awful, but not as much fun as it could have been.

The event was at Isabelle's Curlycakes. It's a cupcake shop that was the idea of Todd English's daughter (he's a well-known chef). The shop is in Beacon Hill and is cozy - as in really cozy small. My group made:
- Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cup - chocolate cake filled with peanut butter ganache topped with peanut butter and chocolate butter cream frosting
- Oreo - chocolate cake with the top sliced off and vanilla buttercream icing between the base and top, topped with another dab and some Oreo pieces
- Red Velvet - red velvet cake with cream cheese icing and white chocolate curls.

The other group made Triple Chocolate (tons of chocolate plus coco puffs) instead of Oreo. Our chef also showed us how they make the Boston Cream Pie cupcakes by filling and icing the cupcakes then chilling them. After they've been chilled, they dip the icing into a melted chocolate (a la a dipped ice cream cone). We got to sample a cupcake before taking a half dozen home for later. Yum!

A proper loft.

2011-06-06T09:01:00.002-04:00

Last night we had an amazing Sabbath dinner at Gerald and Melanie's place with Graham and Kate. Which I reckon you were able to guess, at least 50%, from the first picture.

They live in an amazingly tasteful / sparse loft in Southie with a view of the city and a hand built bar that elicits envy from guys like myself.

Thank the Good Lord for friends and fellowship.

Derby party.

2011-06-05T13:22:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, if you just walk up the highest hill early on a Saturday morning, you'll stumble on something magical.

Something that could have been 1956 or 1912 or 2011.

Comings and goings.

2011-05-31T10:28:00.003-04:00

Also, this weekend, sadly, we lost two of our dear friends who are moving to the West Coast. Lilah and Carey, who are about the nicest darned folks from Louisiana I've ever met, are taking off for the riches of Portland and the Pacific Northwest. We will miss them. And we are plum sick of good people leaving. So, um, if you read this and live here, quit thinking of moving. At least until we do.

And we spent Memorial Day at the ballpark, watching our Sox, who are red, lose to the Sox, who are white.

Alas.

Foiled.

2011-05-30T11:03:00.006-04:00

It's Monday, Memorial Day, and we've already had great intentions twice and they both were somewhat thwarted. So, before I say more, I'm going to knock on wood, because we are going to the Sox this evening with the best intentions of them winning. And, yeah, three strikes...

We wake up Saturday morning and Marianna whips up some amazing peanut butter and chocolate French toast with a jelly reduction. This came after not being able to find anyplace in town to have breakfast. And while she nails the recipe, the recipe nails her back by jumping on her shirt.

Sunday, after church, we drive out to Cormier Woods, an old 17th century farm about an hour form Boston. It's now all overgrown and there is very little pasture land, but there is a preserved farmhouse and barn, etc, that you can hike three miles through the woods to see.

Well, 150 steps into our hike, we get absolutely killed by mosquitoes. And I mean, eaten alive. Within 7 minutes Marianna has 5 bites and I have a couple. And that's after swatting like mad.

So we bail from the woods, walk around the field for a minute, and then make the drive back. That was strike two.

The good thing, I reckon, is that we drove the Boston Marathon route back. It's funny. Nobody ever says "Man, Framingham is nice!" after they've run. For good reason. I can see why Wellesley gets all the praise. And while it is gorgeous, it doesn't take much after passing through the 'Ham.

And thanks to all the troops.

Giving it the Old Try.

2011-05-28T11:14:00.005-04:00

Hi friends.

Sorry it has been three weeks since we've last posted. We're in the process of doing something.

And that thing is started a company, that as of yesterday afternoon, is a legit thing.

Old Try.

Or, legally, Old Try, Inc.

We're going to make prints and sell them and then you can buy them and be excited that you know the folks who brought it to you.

Look us up on another part of the internet:

http://oldtry.blogspot.com/

We'll keep posting, here, of course, but if you are missing us and the frequency isn't what you like, swing by the Old Try. We'll let you know what's happening there.

Exohs-
Team Whitson

Home again, home again, jiggedy jig: Day 7

2011-05-08T12:00:00.022-04:00

Day seven bled into day eight and into day nine as we were perpetually in motion for a day and a half.

We left Maasai Mara headed to Nairobi, which was purported to be a four hours drive, but as you know already the roads are not to be counted on and that four ended up doubled. But that wasn't just because of the roads.

see you later giraffes

Wildebeest

Trip for the day Maasai Mara (A) to Nairobi (B)

At some point, Lidia decided she wanted to crack open a hard-boiled egg to snack on. Which Muli said he'd to crack for her. Unfortunately, she'd accidentally grabbed a raw egg from the omelet station at breakfast, and Muli smashed it, THE EGG, on his forehead, and he had, then, egg on his face, shirt and entire steering column and apparatus. It was pretty hysterical and he was a good sport.

Roylee, Marianna, Micah, Lidia, Muli, Julianne, Ruth

As we entered Narok, on the main highway, a flurry of activity exploded and, within seconds, the highway was overflowing with 40,000 people who were helping snarl traffic, express outrage, and scare four vans full of white people.

Protest onlookers

You see, the rains that came through a couple of nights before had come from Maasai Mara into the creek and then picked up steam, and more rain, and then flowed the 40km into Narok and flooded the town. Which moved cars, ruined houses, and left the main area covered in 4 inches of mud. Well, the government had been sending money to town officials for years, to improve the banks of the creek and prepare for flash floods, but the city council had instead decided to pocket the money and leave their folks, quite literally, up the creek.

So, the student-lead was a protest to get attention, and if nobody elses' attention was captured, our surely was.

We had to drive along town side roads, which were being shoveled, to remove mud, while Muli was yelling at people in Swahili and a delivery truck in front of us was getting stuck. I had an uneasy feeling and was not sure our 2WD van was going to be able to pull off the biggest upset ever, Van vs. Mud/Protest, but after 45 tense minutes where I was really just waiting for some firearms to be brandished, we made it to the other side of town and I wanted a cigarette and the next day we heard that traffic was backed up for 20km.

Then we drove, and drove.

A mountain pass was blocked off because a truck carrying re-bar had blown a tire and was getting towed off a perch on the side of a steep cliff that would have meant sure death had it fallen. We made it past the truck, but that was another 45 minute delay. Others I'm sure were in traffic for several hours.

The traffic in Nairobi was packed. The airport was packed. Our bags were packed. And the only thing to do was give Muli a hug, wait in line for broken computers, then board our plane.

So, to give a summary of our trip home:

Mara to Nairobi, car / 8 hours
Nairobi airport / 3 hours
Nairobi to Addis, plane / 2 hours
Layover / 3 hours
Addis to DC, via stopover in Rome for refuel, plane / 15.5 hours
Airport / 2 Hours
DC to Boston, plane / 1.5 hours
Logan to home, cab / .5 hours

And just like that 36 hours passed as quickly as, well, a day and a half would when you are forced to sit still.

I feel like a need a big ending, now. A summation. Maybe a short film. Or, just picture this: the sun setting on the plains of Africa, the Lion King soundtrack playing, and Marianna and I doing an interpretive bush dance as a hot air balloon takes off behind us. All that would be shot directly into the sun, with an annoying yet artful lens flare present for the entirety of the tracked shot.

Overall trip locations in Kenya

Spotted! Day 6

2011-05-08T12:00:00.019-04:00

That gray line is the Tanzania border

Our second day in Maasai Mara began on a sleepy note for me. During the night, I was rudely awakened by some seriously loud noises. Wild animal noises. Coming from real wild animals. Like lions. Not like lions, definitely lions. Loud crazy roars that sounded like someone was watching Discovery Channel over the loud speakers. But they didn't have loud speakers and it wasn't a TV show, it was real. Real loud and real close, oustside the electric fence surrounding the resort. It was pretty crazy. There was also a totally weird noise that I can't even begin to describe coming from, what Muli told us the next morning, was another kind of hyrax (like what we saw at Naburu) - probably a tree hyrax. Let me tell you, that sound was weird and crazy loud. I was awake for what felt like hours trying to block out the noise. Micah seemed to only wake up every now and then. Lucky.

We went out early that morning, just grabbing a granola bar before loading up into the vans. We found a pride of lions, possibly the ones from the day before, hanging out fairly close to the hotel. They were right next to the road, and the cubs were so cute.

good morning lions

We spent the morning driving around, really planning to see a ton of animals since early morning was (supposedly) when they were all out and about. Not so. Really not so. We didn't see much at all. We drove around, eyes peeled for cheetah in the grass or leopards in the trees or giant pachyderm roaming the land. We even spotted paw prints in the dirt of the road and followed them to no avail.

Searchin'

no cheetahs or leopards

Lookin'

only Warthogs

drivin'

We went up to a lookout which was really neat. There, you could see hot air balloons from the trips you can charter (which cost a fortune) to take you over the park. We also found a group of park rangers who, incidentally, knew Muli by name. That man knows everyone! It was neat to see such a large expanse as the sun was rising higher into mid-morning the sky.

Stork

crazy tree

overlook with hot air balloon

Julianne with the rangers

We did see some crazy-looking trees called kigelia - aka Sausage Trees. They had these huge potato-like (or sausage-like, if you will) fruit on them. So interesting. We also found some funny-looking antelope. One kind was called hartebeest - fairly large and have really skinny faces and crazy horns. The other was called topi - they look kind of like hartebeest, but are darker and have straighter horns.

Sausage Tree

Topi

Coke's Hartebeest mixed with some Thomson's Gazelle

Back to the resort we went. We ate breakfast and then made a decision. The rest of the group was scheduled to visit a Maasai village that afternoon after lunch. While it did sound pretty interesting, we had read in the guide book that it was really a tourist thing and that, it was actually kind of depressing. The people would beg, and you would have to pay money to take their photos and they would try to sell you things. I really struggled with the decision, but in the end, we decided not to go. We opted instead to catch a nap and relax by the pool. Which was an excellent choice. The whole trip was go-go-go-go, so it was really nice to have a break. Our friends who went did enjoy it - the village did a dance and the Maasai interacted with everyone (and sold them things and sat for photos).
After lunch and an afternoon of relaxing, we headed out on our final game drive of the trip. We saw a bunch more of the amazing animals we'd seen before. We also found some ostrich - so giant and awkward up close. We tracked down a male lion resting in the shade. He was pretty cool.

Female Ostrich

Male Ostrich

Male lion, complete with mane, back under the tree

It was starting to get really cloudy. It's so neat to see the rains roll in on the savanna. You could see it coming from miles away. Well, we skirted the storm long enough to get back on one of the main pathways in the park, but it eventually was coming down in buckets. Sheets. Cats and dogs. We stopped for a while; Muli was trying to reach someone on the radio (apparently, some of the other Liberty vans had gone out of range, and we were trying to locate them). There was, it turns out, one van that got stuck "off road" somewhere on the way back from seeing the male lion. They were stuck for a while it seems, and I'm just glad we weren't there to have to help push the van out that time.

Lilac-breasted Roller bird

Spotted Hyena (during the rain storm)

The rain eventually stopped, and then we got word. A leopard had been spotted (hahaha)! It was over where we had trolled for it earlier in the game drive, but hadn't found it. Muli put the car in gear and we high-tailed it over to the siting area. Sure enough, there it was. Just strolling around. Not even in the trees. Just walking through the grass nearby. So cool to see. Soon enough there were tons of vans - I think the park rules limit officially limit it to 5 vans per animal area, but all bets were off at this point). We stayed a while and got our fill of him.

Leopard!

We started to get going. And then, for a second, couldn't get going. Our super-awesome 2-wheel-drive van was slipping on the newly-rained-on grass. Not that wild, carnivorous animals are everywhere in the park, but being, right next to the leopard, not the best place to be stuck. It only took a few tries and we were free - whew!

Another pretty sunset as we headed back to the lodge for the night. We had dinner with friends and then grabbed a quick drink in the bar before turning in for the night.

In the bar area having drinks with pals

A day that will live in infamy: Day 5

2011-05-07T12:00:00.016-04:00

I will just get it out there. Day five wasn't the best. On day five I deleted our camera card. Reformatted it, really. The result is the same. I am 100% to blame and will regret it forever.

(The good news is that all the images from here on out are ours.)

Vultures

So day five was spent not only driving the longest stretch of the trip, out into the Masai Mara Reserve on the border of Tanzania, for 7 or 8 hours or something, but it was a quiet ride. One in which we just remembered all the good times we just had and had just seen and had just, not a day before seen on our camera, that were now all gone, in the zeros of binary.

Other than that.

Let's see. Stayed at an amazing tented camp in Sarova Mara. It was, like I mentioned, in the middle of nowhere. We drove 2 hours on a single dirt road to get there. The tents were canvas yet housed individually underneath their own small sheds, so it wasn't roughing it in the least. Hardwood floors, bathrooms nicer than our own. And they grow their own food, in a three-acre organic garden that had just about everything ever except for meat plants, which I think are still years away from commercial production. So after snooping around the grounds (pool, archery, putt-putt), we drove out for another safari ride.

main lodge

Our 'tent'

We also had to try to recreate all the images we remembered losing. So we payed special attention to all the animals we'd already grown so accustomed to, and began to shoot them all again. Not shoot like shoot, but, c'mon. You already knew that.

Giraffe squatting, stretching, leaning to drink water - so awkward!

Elephants

This was probably the most exciting day of safari, fortunately for us. We saw a two black rhino. There are only like 35 of them on the million square miles (acres, I don't know for sure) and we saw a couple. We saw a pride of lions. Or Lionesses, cause the male was away. But there were about 4 adults and a dozen cubs.

the illusive black rhino

Maasai Giraffes - different patterns than the others we've seen

I think there's some lions over there

We also drove into a gully and saw hippos. Watching them was nothing like the game, Hungry Hungry Hippos, but more like Whack-A-Mole, as there might have been twenty in the water but only three or four at a time came to the surface. On the way out we were able to catch an amazing rainstorm on the horizon and then on our van and one, it turns out, that would haunt us days later.

Hippos hippos hippos

Then it was Tusker at the bar, buffet dinner, apologize profusely, still, and hitting the sack.

Past the Equator: Day 4

2011-05-06T12:30:00.000-04:00

We got up early and headed out on another road trip. This time we were headed south, down to Lake Nakuru in the Rift Valley region of the country. We crossed the equator, stopping at a little touristy curio shop. We had a demonstration there that was surprisingly really cool - seeing water spin one way north of the equator, the other way south and, on the equator, no spinning at all.

(A) Samburu to (B) Lake Nakuru

Town along the way

Crossing the equator (several times that day - crisscross)

After the stop, we drove through mountains, along winding roads and through farmland. There were coffee and tea plantations and flower farms. There were huge corporate farms run by "Kenyan Cowboys" - rich white guys that came in and bought up a bunch of land and built gigantore farms. We stopped again to see Thomson's Falls, a pretty waterfall, rather unfortunately surrounded by souvenir stalls and harassing saleswomen. We thought Lidia was a goner when she disappeared with one lady into her back-alley stall, but she finally emerged, chased by the woman still trying to wheel and deal.

Thomson's Falls

It was a long 7-hour drive, but it was neat to see other parts of the country, how the scenery and topography changed from the arid northern area to a more lush area around the lake. We stayed at Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge. Again, appearing out of the trees, with a beautiful main building and duplex rooms up the hill behind it. We ate lunch and then headed to our room to regroup before heading out on an afternoon game drive.
As we left the lodge, zebras were right next to our van along the road, and baboons were swinging in the limbs above us. There were also a few waterbuck scattered around grazing.

Common Zebra...munch munch

Hark! what's that?

Little baby zebra, curled up and napping (not dead, Julianne!)

Baboon

Baboons on a hill, blending in like rocks.

Baboon vs Waterbuck, not sure who would win

We continued on along the circumference of the lake. We got to some open grassy areas where there was a heard of water buffalo, all muddy and matted. Nearby, we spotted our first rhinoceroses. These were white rhinoceroses (not in color) which are grazers and larger than the illusive black rhino. It was kind of crazy to see them - they were so cool and so prehistoric looking, like giant ancient dinos.

Water buffalo. Muli said they're mean, so watch out

Who me?

White Rhino grazing

White Rhino grazing with BABY RHINO!

After seeing the rhinos, we headed to the lake's edge for a good look at a giant flock of pelicans hanging out at the water's edge. There were so many pelicans with a few storks mixed in. Again, we're not really bird people, but size and sheer number were pretty cool. While over there, other vans pulled up to see the birds, too, including one with a British family in it. That one, from Pullman Safaris (not our Liberty Tours group), seemed to be having issues. It was stuck. Like, really stuck. Our driver Muli along with two other Liberty drivers jumped out to lend a hand. Which became a big, huge to-do. It took a ton of tries pushing, some towing attempts from both the front and back and lots of cheering. Muli pulled it off, towing the stuck van out from the front with Lidia and I cheering him on from inside our own van.

Storks (tall) and Pelicans (pouched bills)

we never saw those photos again

PUUUUUSH!!!!!!

After the Americans rescued the Brits, we continued on around the lake to see the famous pink flamingos. There used to be millions that flocked to the lake, but there are fewer these days. Continuing on, we saw some giraffes walking through the trees - these were Rothschild Giraffes which are endangered and rare. They are a little darker than the ones we'd seen and their ears seemed to be white. And, they also have extra bumps on their forehead; giraffes have 2 "horns", but these guys have extra lumps.

Flamingos

Rothschild Giraffe - see his white ears?

Rothschild Giraffe - see his extra-bumpy head?

Our next stop was up to an overlook to round out the day. We drove up and had a big hill that overlooked the lake. There were lots of baboons and these weird little rodents called rock hyraxes that looked a little like guinea pigs. The view was really pretty - not quite sunset yet, but beautiful none-the-less. After the overlook, we ran into some hyenas and water buffalo on the drive back to the lodge. It was our first look at hyenas - so weird and kinda ugly.

Overlook of the lake

Baboon on the cliff

Spotted Hyena

Back at the lodge for the evening, we had dinner with Julianne and Roylee. After dinner we had drinks out by a fire pit and chatted with others on our trip. A nice end to the evening.

Samburu Views: Day 3

2011-05-05T12:00:00.009-04:00

Day 3 started with breakfast and then a morning game drive. We left the resort and headed to the other preserve in the area, Samburu. We passed a bunch of small villages on the way end, with their combination mud and plastic huts. They are made either of mud or corrugated metal and often have thatched roofs either interwoven or covered in plastic bags, presumably to add a little more water-proof-ness to them.

Maasai village on the reserve

We entered the preserve and fairly quickly spotted a herd of elephants making their way across the hills. It was a pretty large pack of pachyderm with babies and adults. We also saw a bunch of warthogs trotting about. They are so funny with their tails sticking straight up in the air as they run. There were families and some even had little birds on their backs, like you see in the movies. We liked to refer to them as Pumbas, like from the lion king (which apparently was the basis of our knowledge of Africa to this point - did you know Simba is Swahili for lion?!).

funny little guys with their tusks and antenna-like tails

just like Pumba!

River going through the reserve

We saw loads more antelope (deer) of all sorts. There was this funny one with a long neck called the Gerenuk - he wasn't very tall but tried to eat the leaves at the tip top of some of the bushes around using his long neck. We saw lots of impala (not the car), more oryx, some waterbuck. There is this cute, teensy-tiny antelope called Kirk's Dik-Dik. No joke, it's like the size of a rabbit, but looks like a little deer. It mates for life and lives with it's little family. So cute, if you're into deer. I got pretty good at being able to tell all the antelope apart.

Gerenuk - look at his funny, long neck

Oryx

Impala - cool side-view of his horns

Kirk's Dik-Dik - look at this little guy

We saw more lions, this time several adults napping in the shade. We went on a long, hilly trek to find a leopard (which we never found). More giraffe - did you know there are lots of different kinds? Here we saw the Reticulated Giraffe; he's the guy you usually picture when you think of giraffe and he lives in northern Kenya (other varieties to come). We even saw a little (ish) baby giraffe. Muli thought he was probably 2 weeks old because the umbilical cord was still there (you could barely see it - not too gross!).

Tree with weaver bird nests - so neat

mommy and baby

The landscape here was arid with sparse shrubs and thin grass. There was a river that ran through the preserve where we saw more elephants later in the day, cooling off in the river. And in a different section of river, we saw giant crocodiles lazing in the sun.

landscape - dry, arid, scrubby

bathing elephants

Crocodile smiling in the sun

sykes monkeys with a little baby

During our drive that morning/afternoon, we temporarily got stuck. You read how bad the roads are in Kenya; well, the preserves don't necessarily have roads, more like commonly used trails. Some of them are fine and fairly smooth. But some have giant ruts in them from all the tires, and this one had a giant dip. Apparently our two-wheel-drive Nissan van hit it at exactly the wrong angle. We sat there spinning tires in the dusty dirt for a bit. We all offered to get out and push, but Muli would have none of it. After forward and reversing a while, he got out himself and located some wood to shove under the slipping tire. More back and forth to no avail. More wood, some team-work in rocking the van side to side and finally success!

We weren't really supposed to get out of the van in the parks, but sometimes you really need a pit stop

We headed back to the resort for the afternoon. We ate lunch and took advantage of the awesome pool and relaxed. That evening we went on a short drive to a viewpoint. It was really nice, with mountains in the background and hills all around. We took some group photos and packed it in for the day.

River by our resort
the resort

Julianne and Muli, our driver

group shot

We had dinner and I got a (cheap!) massage by the river at the hotel. Some drinks with friends, and then sleeping.

Samburu, Shaba and Buffalo Springs National Parks

Shaba Daba Doo: Day 2

2011-05-04T13:41:00.019-04:00

We woke up early, close to sunrise. There were monkeys all over the place. The waterhole was empty of animals, save a few water buffaloes every now and then, but the monkeys are going bananas. One stared at our window, breath on the glass, like a horror movie.

watering hole

sykes monkey!

We got in the vans to drive from Mt. Kenya to Samburu and Buffalo Springs. The two parks abut, and are only 90km away from Mt. Kenya. However, that 90km took us 5 hours. Because the roads in Kenya are hardly more than dirt paths. When they are paved, they are potholed and impassable, so even when concrete is present, it is hardly timely to use them. Alongside all the roads are two lanes of dirt tire tracks, and that is what drivers choose to ride on.

(A) Mt Kenya to (B) Shaba National Reserve

town along the way

cute little guys at one of our rest stops

At 2pm we arrived at our first baller resort, Sarova Shaba. It's located 8km off an, ahem, paved road, past a hundred baboons and an electric fence. It's a veritable paradise: thatched roofs, a clear pool, watered and landscaped greens thanks to the natural spring it is located directly above.

At 4:00 we left for our first game drive, to Buffalo Springs. We passed a giant gate, painted in zebra stripes, and enter the first of our 6 game drives. We saw our first real African wildlife here. And in no particular order, it consisted of zebra (Common and Grevy's), giraffes, oryx, impala, jackal, camels (these were en route, and not on the reserve), and a lion that we all thought dead until our driver, Muli, made his lion noise within 10 feet of it and it popped up from it's sleep, stared us down, put the fear of God in our bodies, and then went back to sleep. We also saw birds, but I didn't even listen to what kind cause they weren't make of fur, and that's the only kind of animals I was looking for.

camels - which were stolen the next day by bandits! no joke!

gigantore termite castle

Oryx

Reticulated Giraffe - only found here in Samburu

Common Zebra - the kind you think of when you think "zebra"

Grevy's Zebras - notice big round ears and white bellies and littler stripes

comparison - Common on left, Grevy's on right

Black-Backed Jackal

used to be a water buffalo

Impala

Gazelle

We caught a beautiful African sunset on the preserve before racing to the gate before they closed for the night. Dinner at the lodge, crocodile feeding on the banks of the river, mosquito nets and lights out on day two.

Into Africa: Day 1

2011-05-04T13:15:00.008-04:00

Our African safari adventure started in the wee hours of the morning on March 24. We left Arlington at 4am for the airport. It was just the beginning of a long 24+ hour trip: Boston to DC to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) to Nairobi (Kenya) to Mt Kenya. The flights were fine with good movies playing and good food; we were able to get at least a little sleep.

Arriving in Addis Ababa was, truthfully, a little disorienting for me. I can't exactly pinpoint why, but it probably had something to do with not speaking the language, not being able to recognize their alphabet and being on a different continent in a totally different part of the world. We were at the airport for a few hours of layover time before boarding another flight into Nairobi.

Arriving in Kenya was a little less shocking. We changed some dollars to Kenyan Schillings and then headed to customs. There was, apparently, a big soccer match going on that weekend because there were tons of Angola and Swaziland fans and players milling about. One of the Swaziland players came over and spoke to me because he noticed my UNC t-shirt (leave it to UNC to be recognized around the world!). He apparently had gone to college in the US at Delaware. Super-random.

A Lion World Tours group (partnered with Liberty Tours locally in Kenya) was amassing outside of customs which is where we first started to meet people on our trip. We said some hellos while waiting for everyone to make it outside. We jumped in a van with 4 other people which would become our group for the week: Lidia, Julianne, Roylee and Ruth. I think we really lucked out. We had no idea that that first choice would be binding, but it worked out well. Our driver, Muli, introduced himself and gave us some boxed lunches before we headed out of the airport, leading the caravan of 3 other Liberty vans.

On the way out of the airport, there's a small preserve. We were able to spot our first animals of the trip...really far-off giraffes, but you could see their silhouettes against the skyline. The trip up to Mt Kenya was probably one of the hardest for several reasons: we had no idea what to expect, we were all exhausted and we didn't know each other yet. I can't remember exactly how long it took, maybe about 4 or 5 hours in all. There was a lot of dozing (Lidia got some serious sunburn on her arm when she fell asleep in the passenger seat with her window down). There was some snacking and a little chit-chat.

(A) Nairobi to (B) Mt Kenya

We finally made a pit stop (thank goodness!) at a "Curio Shop" about half way there. This would become the norm, stopping at curio shops, to use the restroom and browse their souvenirs. Admittedly, the souvenirs were nice, usually wood carvings, jewelry etc "hand made" (I'm sure at least some are). The downside is the harassment that ensues and the bargaining that must be done. I think this first place was the worst, again, because we didn't know what to expect. I basically made a bee line for the toilets and then started to look around a little. Immediately there was a salesman beside me pushing his wares. I hightailed it out of there, but the sales schpeels continued in the parking area while all of us were just trying to stretch our legs and take in our surroundings. I get it. It's their living. It's how they survive. But it was off-putting. Add to that the fact that they start the pricing at about 6 times what they'd actually accept for the item and you've got some wheeling and dealing to do if you want to buy anything. Note: only bought a few little things from the hotel gift shops where there was no bargaining and there were much cheaper prices.

Curio shop interior

We continued on north. One thing that struck me was the sheer number of people out walking around. It was the middle of the workday. But, I guess that's what you do if you're a) unemployed, b) self-employed, c) a farmer, d) a rural Kenyan or e) if you just plain don't have a car (or bike or donkey). The closer we got to 3pm, the more kids were around. They were all dressed in their school uniforms and they were so cute; each school had different colors. The kids were all heading home for the day on foot and loved waving at our van as we passed by. Even the tiniest five-year-olds walked home along the busy roads. Some had shoes, some didn't. Some had backpacks, some carried their books. Speaking with Muli, we found out about the schools. Kids start in first grade and go through high school. If they pass high school and want to continue, then they can go to college. There are private, parochial and public schools. They vary, like ours do, in terms of good and bad. Some public schools are good, some private schools are bad, just depends on the staff.

kiddos walking home from school

As we turned off the main road and headed up to the Serena Mountain Lodge, we caught a glimpse of an elephant. Yes, an elephant. His behind was sticking out onto the road while his head was in the trees munching away. He turned around and backed back into the forest. The lodge itself is rustic, with a watering hole behind it. All of the rooms have balconies that overlook the watering hole and watch for animals.

elephant hiding

We were totally about to fall over from exhaustion, but decided to push through for an hour or so and make it to dinner. We showered and changed and got a drink at the bar and sat on the balcony waiting for the animals to show up. We saw a genet snacking on some meat that the hotel put out, and some water buffalo but not much else. Dinner was good, but we ate fast and then headed to sleep. We were exhausted.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

**Thanks to Julianne and our other travel-mates for letting us 'borrow' some photos from the first half of the trip.

Dinner & Inks.

2011-05-02T19:39:00.002-04:00

Last night we had two of the coolest kids in town over for dinner. Trisha and Phil. We met Trisha at church, after she'd just moved here from Italy. And then we met Phil through their dating, who fights fires and gets ink like it's his job. Which it kinda of is.

So we made some chicken, had some drinks that are all about summer where we're from (Sloe Gin Rickys representing the South, Aperol Spritzers for the Italian / Arizonian before that), and talked about the wet shave (Phil's signing up as we speak), music, books, friends, summer and whatever else white people like to talk about.

And you know white people like to talk about some crazy stuff.

A two minute bike ride thorugh our neighborhood.

2011-05-01T15:40:00.004-04:00

Was Menotomy.

Now Arlington.

Noted for the first Rails to Trials project, Uncle Sam, old houses, first skirmish of the American Revolution, a pond that in a past life was an ice harvest field, sunshine, blooming flowers finally, the Spy Ponders and the Whitsons.

On the Fringe.

2011-04-30T16:07:00.007-04:00

I miss our old neighborhood at times.

Like today, when I went and saw some amazing things going on in a space just a few blocks from our old place. Things like letterpressing and videography and web design and architecture and all kinds of other things under one roof called the Fringe Movement.

I went to see a guy who I know that makes amazing films called Paper Fortress, and another guy called Repeat Press who I'd been wanting to swing by and see, who makes prints like they did in the 1890s.

183.

2011-04-28T21:02:00.002-04:00

A lot of families are hurting tonight.

Hovering.

2011-04-28T20:33:00.006-04:00

Funny.

There is a site called Hovering Art Directors that just came out. It's one of the best TitleAsSubjectBlogs and, in about 3 seconds, it summed up my career of six years.

Best part. This one gem that is on there is dear to me heart: my desk at McKinney is the one in which the guy is sitting. And I think that guy might be Matt, an old friend.

Small, hovering, world.

UPDATE:

Back on the hover. Now featuring my old space.

Which looked like this years ago, when I was but a baby creative:

STNP.

2011-04-23T16:45:00.005-04:00

Our upstairs neighbors dance. Like swing dance. And not just at a studio. But in their apartment. Maybe in the grocery store.

And they let us know, via invite, that they were having a surprise 40th party for one of the guys, and that we shouldn't tell Darby, and that there would be barbecue, and dancing and general ruckus/merriment.

Well, those guys are okay, but they ain't no Opryland. And we knew sitting in our living room listening to Count Basie go off and clogs hitting the floor/ceiling wasn't going to work so we became refugees and went to Andi and Tony's house in Jamaica Plain and had a good old fashioned slumber party.

Not too old for that, we aren't, yet.

Two minutes in a photobooth.

2011-04-19T09:10:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Tyra Bleek.

Folks be turning all 31.

2011-04-17T17:10:00.004-04:00

You probably remember the Moffits. You know, the folks who came to visit us back in 08 when they were thinking of moving here. Well, now they are here. And we couldn't be happier.

Last night we went with them and the Powers and had an epic dinner (to celebrate Stephanie turning 31, and it was at Taranta, one of the Boston 50 we are trying to eat through) and multiple bottle of wine and we did it up right. Stayed out of the rain. Shared mussels and stories and laughed and cried and shut the place down. That's what happens when 66% of the folks get a sitter. It's time to get real.

And by the end of the night, I had a portrait drawn by my life insurance guy. So that happened.

Cuttin Rugs.

2011-04-16T15:49:00.001-04:00

Finally got a lil something down on the floor in our dining room.

Makes our feet less cold and our room less echoey.

I promise.

2011-04-14T21:46:00.004-04:00

We went to Africa and will post soon.

It's just been a crazy few weeks. Oh, and with me deleting the camera, we're a little short on pictures.

So, in the meantime, howabout those Sox?

After 36 hours of travel, we're back Stateside.

2011-04-01T13:50:00.001-04:00

Story(ies) to come.

Jane says.

2011-03-22T16:16:00.005-04:00

Sorry we haven't posted. I've been out of town doing some serious editing for my serious Texas trip, and we're about to pack for Kenya.

But, I did just stay in a 40 sq. ft. room in The Jane Hotel. What a cool place.

"Completed in 1908, the American Seaman's Friend Society Sailors' Home and Institute was designed by William A. Boring, the architect renowned for Ellis Island’s immigrant station. Originally built as a hotel for sailors with cabin-like rooms, the landmarked hotel was lovingly restored on its centennial in 2008.

In 1912, the survivors of the Titanic stayed at the hotel until the end of the American Inquiry into the ship’s sinking. The surviving crew held a memorial service at the hotel four days after the ship sank.

In 1944, the YMCA took over the hotel from the Seaman’s Relief Center, as the hotel was then called.

During the ‘80s and ‘90s, the hotel was part of downtown New York’s bohemian culture, hosting Hedwig and the Angry Inch and the Million Dollar Club, amongst many other rock-n-roll events. The hotel has continued to house guests with more dash than cash ever since."

Yesnuts.

2011-03-12T16:44:00.004-05:00

Last week I had a bit of heaven when I was in Georgetown, Texas and had one doughnut from Round Rock Donuts.

Which got me craving some fried dough.

Which got me to remembering that there is one of the ten best doughnut shops in America a scant ten miles from us in Saugus called Kane's Doughnuts. And yes. If you were wondering, it does open at 3:30am (!).

So, this morning we piled into the ole station wagon and drove to have some big-as-yer-head balls of dough and check another of the great American stands of our list.

According to Bon Appetit, we've now had glazed and chocolate covered at 4 of the six best places: Kanes, Round Rock, VooDoo, TopPot.

Now, on to an epic jog to work off some of the Creme Brule doughnut.

That time of year.

2011-03-11T12:12:00.000-05:00

Texas. Day 11.

2011-03-04T16:04:00.007-05:00

I saw some amazing things yesterday. Like where to get $4,000 custom boots (three year wait-list) and where to get a giant scorpion (not life size) and allegedly where Friday Night Lights filmed a few times (season Five).

Texas. Day 9.

2011-03-02T00:04:00.004-05:00

Another day, another race through the desert in the middle of nowhere in a suped up Ram.

Texas. Day 7 & 8.

2011-02-28T19:13:00.004-05:00

Sunday night we drove out to the world famous Salt Lick in Driftwood. The place is awesome and the atmosphere is top notch. BYOB, music, picnic tables, warm spring air. But, honestly, for my money, the ribs at Stubbs in Austin beat it in taste.

Now we are back on the road. Well, actually, off the road in our hotel in San Angelo.

I'm taking over this state one barbecue joint at a time.

Meanwhile...Back in Boston

2011-02-27T19:44:00.003-05:00

It was cold. It snowed. And I spent most of my free time doing pre-season lacrosse work. Lots of scheduling for the Mass Bay league - which is so painful as described here by another scheduler. A conference call. Some logo design work. And a lot of ribbon making. Which I do every year. But not normally for 4 teams worth of kids - 70 ribbons to be exact. I have it down to a science.

This morning I was greeted with a surprise 5 inches of snow. We were supposed to get 1-inch-ish. Not so. With Micah being out of town, our shoveling fell to me. There was a lot of heavy snow to shovel in order to get the car out for church this morning. I took care of the sidewalk when I got home. And it seemed like a waste since it's supposed to rain tomorrow and be warm this week. Which would have cleaned up things. Alas, it had to be done.

Texas. Day 5 & 6.

2011-02-26T18:11:00.003-05:00

Finished our grueling Victory Lap of Texas. 1383 miles in five days. And I made friends with two real cowboys. Now we are back safely in Austin. And this morning I tried to shake the old bones that have been holed up in a car for a week and went for a 5 mile run and a 7 mile walk around Austin. It was foggy earlier and burned off a little later, and now I've got just one more day before the craziness begins again.

Texas. Day 4.

2011-02-24T23:17:00.004-05:00

Sunrise leaving Marfa, canyons, the part of Texas that looks gross, dust storms (Red Flag Wind Warnings), and rattlesnake charmers. What's not to like?

Texas. Day 3.

2011-02-24T00:15:00.004-05:00

Today we had our shortest travel day of the Victory Lap, from Marathon to Marfa. There isn't anything here, which is why There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men were shot here. That, and Giant, with James Dean. Which was filmed at the hotel we are staying in this evening. I have no cell service and am still quite surprised I can get Wifi. Alas. You might be at the end of the world, but you can still blog that you are falling off it.

Texas. Day 2.

2011-02-23T01:36:00.004-05:00

Started this morning in Corpus Christi, then drove ten hours, and now I'm in the Gage Hotel in Marathon, TX at 1:00am, a million miles from nowhere with a million stars in the sky and sleep on my mind. Long day. Night.

Texas. Day 0 & 1.

2011-02-21T23:04:00.005-05:00

Made it to Austin for a marathon of driving, shooting, beering, projecting, reconnecting.

Been in Texas 30 hours and already driven from Austin to Corpus Christi, shooting at the place Secondhand Lions was filmed, remembering the Alamo, and remembering my friend Palmer from sophomore year and my friends Camp and Virginia from even later on in college.

And if I eat any more pork (which I will) I will explode (which I will).

Through the Leaving Glass.

2011-02-19T10:19:00.004-05:00

Our friends, the Glass family, are moving back down South. Rob came up from Knoxville five years ago and his now wife Heather came up from Pennsylvania for school right around the same time and they met through volunteering and they now have a little one and it was about the right time for them to move where the cost of living is in line with what they value. So, in order to send them off properly to the land of pigmeat, we hooked up and had a going away rib or two at Redbones.

We're going to miss them.

A bit more about Rob from my beer blog years ago:

She borrowed them and used them in Colorado and punctured oh about 67 holes in them and then gave them back and then three years later when I moved to New England I decided I should get them repaired and took them to Patagonia and that’s how I met Rob.

He has a couple of cool tattoos on his wrists. One is maybe Aramaic. One is clearly in English: a cross written in black letter with the verse ‘That they may have life and have it abundantly.” We started talking about churches and I found out he moved to Boston to plant a church and was an electrical engineer from Tennessee and was working there to pay the bills. I didn’t want to go to his church, but I did want to hang out. So we did.

We went one weekend last year with Rob and his house church to extreme northern Maine to camp and hike and cook over a campfire. There was a moose involved. Allegedly. It wasn’t at my campsite. I just operate based on the knowledge that I heard screams.

That’s how we really got to know him. He’s got a big heart and he really tries to know his neighbors and better his community and I think he and his wife’s plan is to move to Africa and serve those who are less fortunate. Now I have beers with him once a month or so. Just to catch up.

Rob got married a week after we did. Also back in the South. So we will think of each other, I reckon, each time our anniversaries roll around. Until we are too old to think or celebrate and then we can look forward to getting our eternal reward and seeing each other once a month or so in Heaven. Just to catch up.

'Tines A Wasting.

2011-02-13T15:21:00.003-05:00

Except it isn't when you are spending Valentine's Day weekend with good folks and great sweets and ample wine and games and the like.

And talking about how cupid is just a fat baby with wings. And love really is what you share with your family and friends and spouses.

Somewhere, Indiana.

2011-02-10T18:07:00.005-05:00

Greetings from chilly, icy, white, Indiana. The kind of a place where a guy could get used to the slowed down pace of life, at least for the 36 hours he's here, working on a sweet project with a sweet director on a sweet brand. And then it's back off, just like that, to chilly, icy, white, Boston.

Temperature check.

2011-02-04T07:16:00.005-05:00

Just wanted to let you know despite three feet of snow on the ground in most places, we are making it.

There's no biking and no playing outside most days, but we'll be fine. And our heat was out the other night, but don't worry about that. And we're in the top the snowiest winters ever in New England, maybe closing in on number 9, but that's fine.

Cause we have a house and each other and a sled. And the sun, today.

Stoweked.

2011-01-31T07:21:00.008-05:00

Yesterday felt like a throwback.

Back before a thousand people took up skiing and snowboarding a day. Back before the world was hot and crowded and melting. Back before I was born and my wife was born and back before our parents might have even been born. Back when snowflakes looked like snowflakes.

Stowe was empty. The Ski Capital of the East was barren.

But we were there. And the snow was falling. And the lines were no place to be found. And the 3.7 mile Toll Road trail only had seven people on it. And the powder was adding up. And the ice was gone. And the snow kept falling. And the runs kept adding up.

I think it was the best day of skiing I've had in my life.

Drop the Mercury.

2011-01-24T09:37:00.001-05:00

A Blogston first; below zero for the first time since 2005 in Boston.

After and Happily Ever After.

2011-01-23T20:55:00.003-05:00

I really could ruin this surprise.

Marianna is on a plane and she is coming home and she was gone and I knew she didn't like the color we painted our bedroom cause it was too close to the trim, which makes total sense, but after spending the time to paint it you don't want to have to do it again so when you are missing your wife and want to make her day when she gets home you go to the store and find a yellow that has a good name and you burn the weekend and then you end up with a sunny room in a cold state.

So, if Marianna is reading this on the plane, I'm in trouble. But if not, I've got twenty minutes til she get excited.

Saturday:

Sunday:

Courier & Ives & Whitson

2011-01-22T10:49:00.004-05:00

"When it finally snows you should walk up to Metonomy Rocks park. Its total Courier&Ives." - Joanne

That was the sentiment in June when we moved to Arlington and down the street from both Jo and from Metonomy Rocks.

I'd been jonesing to make the trek up the long hill to see it, but the weekends of late have been somewhat full (snowboarding and chili eating), and the nights are just too cold and dark to go see an Ives painting.

But last weekend, as I was again caught up – this time helping a good friend move from Connecticut to Jamaica Plain – Marianna popped on the boots and topped off the camera with some winter wonder.

This is a bit of her trip up the hill from our house into the park.

Also, let it be noted that we've gotten 48" of snow so far this year. In under a month we've surpassed last year's total (35") and we got an extra 5-8" yesterday that isn't reflected here, but was reflected when I got home from Masa last night and was shoveling at 12:24am.

18" and counting.

2011-01-12T17:18:00.002-05:00

That other team from Alabama.

2011-01-11T07:18:00.003-05:00

Auburn are the national champions this morning, and nobody, present company included, is questioning the sanity of the Gene Chizik hire as they did just a mere 800 days ago.

That's five for the SEC in a row, and Ole Miss still has yet to make it to the SEC Championship game. Maybe we should look into one of those Big XII openings? We're going noplace playing all these national champs on those glorious fall Saturdays in the Southland.

Kicking and screaming.

2011-01-09T13:49:00.004-05:00

Yeah, kicking in screaming. That's the way our Christmas tree left the house this yer.

I mean, it had only been sitting in our house for 6 weeks, losing water, becoming a tinder box just waiting to go up in flames. Prolly best we got it out of here.

So this is late, but we spent a super quiet NYE with our friends Andi and Tony. Might be the first time I called someone on New Year's Eve, at 5pm, and they didn't have any plans, and we didn't have any plans. We headed over. A nice dinner, some beers. And bang. 2011 is in the house.

Last night we made a Blogston first (and maybe a Micah older than 10 first): we built a puzzle. Ole Miss basketball on the tube, fire on the hearth, and the Whitsons making sense of the madness. Take that, 500 pieces.

Happy Snow Year.

2011-01-07T10:33:00.002-05:00

I'm sure our week won't turn out quite as snowy as my widget says,

but,

it would be a lot cooler if it did.

Here's to 2011.

Blat & Train.

2010-12-30T16:46:00.006-05:00

Despite my mother and brother's canceled flights due to the Blizzard of 10, my two buddies Blair and Daniel were able to fly in and enjoy the snow that they rarely get in Bama, except this year which left them with five inches on Christmas day in the South.

They'd flown in so we could go catch Phish for the first time in ten years together.

Had a blast. I'd talk more about it, but I don't need to. Cause it's all in my brain.

Glad they made it up and we got to kick it like old times and sled like new times.

And now, for the first time in a week, we've got the house back to ourselves. Thanks fam and friends for filling it with laughter... and also thank you for leaving us to ourselves now.

Thumpety Thump Thump.

2010-12-27T14:04:00.002-05:00

That just happened.

2010-12-27T12:27:00.004-05:00

Mom and Taz delayed three days.

Everything is a mess. A cold, white mess.

Unto us a child is born. Unto us a BLIZZARD!

2010-12-26T17:54:00.005-05:00

Twas a white Christmas indeed. Snow was on the ground from our storm a few nights ago, so while no new snow fell, it was still white.

Cooked up our turkey from our CSA, all 17 lbs of her from only about 70 miles away (or him, or it, I dunno), and rounded out the spread with a bunch of other refined calories in Christmas flavors.

Today we cruised into town and got set up with some sick deals at all the malls liquidating their wares that didn't sell. We did that for about 8 hours, which was one hour too long, as the first 2 of our expected 18 inches of snow had fallen on the roads and made travel white knuckle back out to Arlington.

Now we are settling in for a long winters nap and two canceled flights to Alabama and another foot and a half. Stay warm, blogosphere.

Pops.

2010-12-24T19:03:00.003-05:00

Caught a Christmas Eve Holiday Pops with, well, the Boston Pops. And with Mom and Taz.

What a great way to ramp up for Christmas day.

WFH.

2010-12-23T12:10:00.000-05:00

Now with 20% more snow!

Back East.

2010-12-21T14:12:00.005-05:00

Day 6. Still cloudy. Arizona is only cloudy.

Shot in the largest Ponderosa pine stand on the planet. One that still lives despite no sun.

Then we wrapped with desert sushi, drinks, holiday wishes and hard drives of images. Great time. Long days. I'm ready for Christmas (and snow) back East.

Donnie Darko.

2010-12-19T23:07:00.003-05:00

Micah finds cow carcass.

Andrew puts pelvic bone over face.

Hilarity / creepiness ensues.

On the sixth day til Christmas.

2010-12-19T17:13:00.006-05:00

Day five. We got a sunrise. The clouds gave us some breaks. We got some great light.

And we almost got shot.

A truck showed up with two cowboys, one who didn't like the look of me, and one who I didn't like the looks of. It was the man who has been 'Grazing his cattle here since before some'a'ya'll were born', which means he's leasing the land. And he hadn't been told that we were there. So after a standoff in which he sat on the ridge and purportedly called sheriff even before he came down to talk to us, and then he thought I looked like Harry Potter, and who am I to tell him anything, dang, I'm just a wizard in training, and the real cowboy looking guy who just stared / melted my face off, they drove away, not happy with our permits, but also not having shot nine men just to watch 'em die.

A metaphor, thanks to our producer, Dennis, on whether or not the leasee could complain about people on his land, when he simply rents it: "C'mon man. Of course he can get pissed. It's like you renting an apartment, and coming home to some people filming a porno in your bathroom."

And I played Angry Birds on the open range.

C'mon, Equinox.

2010-12-18T22:47:00.004-05:00

Day Four. Cavan Ranch. The days are getting shorter. Mainly because we are nearing the Equinox. Not because we are working any less.

I wasn't ready for this cold / not cold. The high today was 44. Which is fine. I jog in shorts in forty four. I go for a lake dip in forty four. I don't stand around in the wind in an Arizona that I thought would be warm at forty four. And when I do, all bets are off. All my hardcore New England-I-Bike-In-The-Snow-Four-Miles-Don't-Tell-Me-It's-Cold front is negated when I'm shivering even though we're a dozen above freezing.

But here's the deal: when you are with an old pro, you do what you do. And what you do is arrive before sunrise and leave after sunset because that's where you are going to get the best light and the pros know, that's what the amazing Mark Harmer knows, so when he calls the time you show up and you shake and shiver and you count down the days until you are back with your wife cooking for a family Christmas and you don't worry about the shots.

Because you leave that to the pro. And he's been know to work magic.

Elementary, my dear.

2010-12-17T17:20:00.004-05:00

Day three. Watson lake. Cold. Dry. Dryer. 5:30am.

Sun doesn't rise for two hours. We wait.

Rain delay.

2010-12-16T18:13:00.005-05:00

Day two. Rain in the high desert. Prescott Valley. 5100 feet and strip malls and plain grass and cold.

We scouted this morning, but I didn't take any pictures, because it was wet. Then we had some legit Mexican food, which I didn't shoot, because it was rude. Then we walked around Whiskey Row, in the rain, and I shot, because I want to ruin my camera.

Tomorrow is going to be way radder. Cause it doesn't take much to get radder than raining and 38.

Into the painted desert.

2010-12-15T22:03:00.005-05:00

So. I'm in Arizona.

Yeah, I'm surprised, too.

But on Monday my boss asked if I wanted to come along for a shoot we are doing for a website. And I said I would. And that two days that I thought I was going to be gone has turned into seven.

So. Arizona. Seven days.

Here's what happen today, on day one. At Battaglia Farms, in Scottsdale, where I saw the most gorgeous horses I've ever laid eyes on.

Smacks

2010-12-13T12:36:00.002-05:00

Get your kissing on with McKinney's digi-mistletoe.

The wet shave.

2010-12-08T10:18:00.004-05:00

I didn't shave for years.

I didn't really know how. I didn't know to go with the grain as opposed to against it, and as such, I had bumps on my neck anytime I tried to do it. It sucked. And I was scrappy-hairy.

But the thing is, probably the least wasteful thing you can do it not shave. Gillette revolutionized shaving and the entire economy of free. He gave away proprietary handles for free and sold ridiculously expensive blades. Blades that kept reproducing other blades and other dollars onto their price. Blades that shed simplicity and added plastic and gel lightening bolts.

So when I decided to really get into shaving, I went for the old school: the wet shave. I figured if it was good enough for Grant and Eastwood, it would be good enough for Micah. All I needed was a badger hair brush. A Merkur safety razor. A hundred Derby safety razor blades (at 30 times less than one Gilette blade). Some preshave oil and some wet shave soap.

For $125, I'm set for close to life – that's the cost of about 40 Mach Whatever-The-Hell blades.

And after over two years, this is the only waste I have to show for my ritual. My soap is still going and I have about the same waste as two or three new shaving blades.

I'm stoked. Since I'm smooth, Marianna is stoked. The only person not stoked is the ghost of Gillette himself, but I'm pretty sure he could'a seen it coming.

At least I got there first.

2010-12-08T09:52:00.003-05:00

My Christmas card from last year has shown up as a music video this year.

Of course, the production is way better, but what're you gonna do? We only had a zero dollar budget and a night to knock ours out.

Is this real life?

2010-12-07T15:05:00.004-05:00

Based on the Google bots crawling through my mail and through my search history and through my digital underwear drawer, I wonder which parts of which parts tipped them off to serve me up Arabic banner ads...

Thanks to the Patriot Act (another search term! another hot link!) I can probably expect someone in a well fitting suit to show up to my door and escort me tosomeplace I'd rather not be escorted.

Why don't they think I am refined, and serve me up French banner ads? Or tanned, and serve me up some Portuguese ones? I just can't win some days.

More time with friends, less money with gifts.

2010-12-05T18:25:00.005-05:00

We're once again going through Advent Conspiracy at our church, Reunion. For the third year in a row. And it's still amazing.

Very simply, its all about taking back Christmas from unbridled consumerism and loving folks, giving relationally, worshiping Jesus more and spending less on cheap plastic gifts.

So, anyways, we are trying to be really intentional in spending time with folks we know and getting to know others who we don't. That's what this season is about, on one level. Its about opening up your home or stepping into someone else's, regardless of what they believe, to either collectively celebrate Jesus or just to celebrate the season.

So on Friday night we had our new friends Karen and Blair over to the house for some chicken and wine and fires and conversation. It was tasty and it was cozy and boy are they some sharp folks. Then Saturday we rolled into town to watch the SEC Championship game with Carey and Lilah from Louisiana. It was easy and it was rewarding and there were beers and laughs and man does Auburn have an amazing team.

Go spend some time with somebody. Merry Christmas.

Double Decker.

2010-12-05T18:11:00.004-05:00

This year, it took a couple of days to get all the Christmas action up.

The main reason for the double days was that our tree took a bit of time to unfurl from its sleeve that the nice young man from Mahoney's put it in.

Now, we're all dressed up and just need some snow to make it official.

Cold(push)play.

2010-12-03T10:47:00.004-05:00

New Christmas song from Coldplay. The video makes me want to do something epic. Like, travel the globe. Or write a book.

The line that I feel is most appropriate for Boston this minute:

When you're still waiting for the snow to fall
It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all

Enjoy. And let us be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas.