Thursday, May 22, 2014

A Visit to the Cape

This post was really supposed to go up a couple weeks ago, but better late than never, right? (Also, please note that this is a more wordy and there are less photos in this post... sorry!!!)

So, my mom, sister-in-law, her mom and sister, and my two nephews planned a trip to go to Disneyland in CA the last weekend of April.


Just a couple pictures of their vacation. Also, I got this photo from my brother and I apologize if anyone does not want it on the internet, but I had to do it. My mom is on a ride that looks kind of like a roller coaster (I think it's a tame water ride).
Amanda (in front) is definitely having a good time, Eileen is hiding,
Mom looks like she's screaming, Scott looks like he's about to throw up
("frow up" like he said last time he was at Disney), Lea is having a good
time and Charlie wasn't a fan

While mom and Scott were away, I went to MA to visit my 96 year old grandmother, Mern, who is living with my parents, and help my dad with things around the house. I arrived late Wednesday night and worked on Thursday and Friday. My sister came by every day at some point, so that was fun. On Thursday it was at dinner time, on Friday around lunch.

Newish topic... Think about your best friend. How long have you known each other? Since birth? Since elementary school, middle school, high school, or college? A work buddy? My grandmother, who is 96 years old, has been friends with her best friend since she was born. Yup, that's right, they've been friends for 96 years!!!!

Barbara (and her daughter) came to visit my grandmother, Mern, on Friday. Look at them! They are seriously adorable!
Mern on the left and Barbara on the right

Here they are looking at Mern's wedding album. Barbara was in it, too!
Sunset view of the pond

Friday evening, my aunt Di came to stay for the night. She lives in California. It was great to see her! On Saturday, my brother arrived early in the morning, so I went to pick him up at the T station and we drove back to the Cape. He took a nap while Di and I hung around with Mern. Then that afternoon, my uncle Will,his wife Desiree, and their son William came to visit! Good times out on the porch (or "piazza" as Mern likes to call it) that afternoon. They all (including Di) went back to Mern's house to spend the night.

Daytime view of the pond
Mern in her piazza sunglasses and hat
While Mern was napping, and dad had returned from his golf tournament, some of us went for a walk through the camp next door. It was really lovely out!

On Sunday, we had a nice relaxing day. Dad played golf again, Rich and I brought Mern out on the porch again and we did some other stuff around the house like putting in the screens and air conditioners. That afternoon my aunt Sue arrived with Di and they visited long enough to enjoy the amazing meal my brother cooked for us.
Chicken cabobs, bean salad of some sort, regular salad, and
steak (not pictured - asparagus)

Monday, I had to work again, so Di spent time with Mern while Rich and Dad played golf. Elena came by to help out a bit. I think it was too chilly on Monday to go out on the piazza so we stayed inside. Then my aunt Bay came by to pick up Di and bring her back. 

Rich, dad and I drove up to Boston on Monday night. We dropped our bags at the condo in Quincy then headed to the airport to see my mom (for about a minute) before my dad picked her up and brought her to the cape.
We found this gem in the condo closet :)

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Happy Birthday Kristi :)

I am posting this on Tuesday night so that Kristi gets it in her email on Wednesday morning (her actual birthday)! Soooooo...

Happy Birthday, Kristi! :)










There are so many more photos I could post, but am going to refrain for this year. I can't believe I've known you for almost 13 years!!! Thanks for being such a wonderful friend! :) Cheers to so many more fun birthdays coming our way :)

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

I Can Open My Windows!!!

Well... I can open some of them anyway! I did not replace all 18 of the windows in my house. I was having an issue with some of the windows upstairs, because the window sills were all rotted through and were leaking into the dining room. 

I wanted to make sure that the windows still maintain the old home feel from the street, but are actually functional and energy efficient! While at the Richmond Home and Garden show, I got Renewals by Andersen to talk to me and they scheduled a time to come by and give me a quote. It was a little pricey to do all of them at once, so I started with 6 windows (1/3 of the windows in my house). 

The guy told me this window would have been able to be pushed in,
that's how bad it was. Thank goodness!
Actual window sill on the front of my house...
this is the one that leaks into the dining room

Front of the house before
Yup, caution tape and everything!!! That's for the lead paint.
Front of the house after (windows replaced are the ones to the right and
left of the door and the dormers at the top, the other two you can't see in this photo)...
looks almost exactly the same!
My poor shrub suffered from the tarp. The top of it is
completely brown!
Now I am so excited to sit in my house and have at least SOME windows open! :)