Drawing With Sawyer

While we were all over at Dad & Ma's for the Patriots/Bills game, Sawyer & I drew a bunch of stuff.

We each drew an astronaut and a cyclops, and then I drew two other random things. I used a ball point pen for all of them, with some magic markers and a yellow highlighter for color.

Niemi Cove Family Time

All of Dad & Ma's kids & grandkids (minus Celia) spent the afternoon at the lake.

 

Movie Time

I went to see "Guardians of the Galaxy" in Gardner with Jason & Stacie & the kids, Sarah & the kids, Mom, and Jaymi & 2 of her kids, just as the skies opened for a downpour. It was pretty kick-ass. When we got home, Sawyer & I were drawing (as Cooper looked on), and I drew Groot from memory (no photo reference):

Red Sox Wednesdays

I went to the Red Sox-Blue Jays game on Wednesday with my family. Jason bought 25 tickets for: Dad & Ma, me, Kevin & Holly + 3 kids, Sarah & Jon + 4 kids, himself & Stacie + 3 kids, Jaymi & Chad + 3 kids, and his best friend Ted.

Ma drove Dad, me, and nephews Sawyer & Jared to the game. I had a random 2-minute chat about my Boneyard Surf Shop t-shirt with a cute girl on the walk into the stadium (her parents have a home on Martha's Vineyard). I had a blast, sitting on an end seat next to nephews Hayden & Cooper, and tweeting about the game with them, and nieces Ryan & Celia. I had a pretzel & a bottle of water early, and then later I fetched soft-serve ice cream cones for Dad, Ma & myself. Ma drove me & Dad home, and we arrived at midnight, with an amazing full-family memory for the ages in the books. Thanks Jason!

Father's Day

I got up at six for a 7:20 tee time with Dad, Kevin and Jon at Templewood Golf Course. It was a sunny dry day, and we all had a blast. Jon had to leave halfway through for the twins' soccer playoff; Dad & Kevin kicked butt all day; and I had a few really good putts, but my long game was off all day (topping, woods, etc...). It was four hours of good exercise.

Ma made fried chicken for lunch, so we hung around there until 2 pm, and after I drove Kevin home, I hung around his house until 3:30.

Christmas Eve & Day 2014

Eve: I arrived at 4 pm, and Ma had laid out an array of cold cuts, cheese & crackers, veggie plates and desserts for the impending family gathering that included everyone except Jason's California branch. I watched "Around the Horn" with Dad, Kevin & Jon; people ate at their convenience; I hung out with the kids in the back room; and we exchanged gifts from around 6:30 - 7:00.

I gave Kevin's boys Legos (plus "O.M.A.C." to Jared and a large-size Lego Stormtrooper flashlight to Drew); I gave Jackie & Helena & Georgia 100-page sketch books and special thin colored pens; I gave Celia pens and 3 canvases; and I gave Hayden a year's subscription to Surfing Magazine, plus a cool skull-shaped bottle.

I received the following from Dad & Ma:

• $50 AMEX card.
• All-natural Mexican candy canes.
• A 4-pack of Peet's coffee (8 oz. grounds). So far the Holiday Blend is good, the Garuda Blend is very good, and the Uzuri African Blend is okay.
• $45 GC to That's Entertainment.
• $25 GC to Barnes & Noble.
• $15 GC to McDonald's.
• A book about houses from Yankee Magazine.
• A handheld sliding game.

Also, I got a little tree from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and fifteen $2 scratch tickets from Kevin & Holly (net winnings: $12); $30 from Sarah & Jon; and a $50 Visa card from Jean Marie.

As usual, the evening flew by far too quickly. I stayed until around 9:30, and left at the same time as Sarah's branch.

Day: I spent today drawing, watching television, reading, and playing Lego Marvel Super Heroes on my PS3. I was going to go to Sarah's (along with Dad & Ma) for the afternoon, but I was enjoying the quiet (not to mention the coffee and candy canes!), and didn't feel like going anywhere.

Brother Day

It was a cool dry sunny fall day.

I spent the afternoon with Kevin and his family just south of the NH border. The Patriots kicked the Steelers' asses (final score: 55-31). Kevin made awesome cheeseburgers.

And I dropped $102.45 at the comic shop, for at least 2 evenings' worth of reading.

Mister Ween, from yesterday!

July Interlude: Day 6

text & photos later

Productivity

I had my first Saturday off in two months today.

I got up at nine, had cereal and coffee for breakfast, and then watched "Lords of Dogtown" (great movie). I RSVP'ed to Mike's NYE party ('most likely will attend'). I jumped online for a bit, and then was showered & out the door a little after 11 am to run some errands.

I drove to the Westminster post office to buy stamps and mail four t-shirts from last summer's WPMF III to the very patient winners of the blog sign-up. I stopped in at Dad & Ma's to pick up the three bags of whole bean Sumatran coffee they got me for Christmas (shipping delay), plus my gift from the California Crew (J & Stacie & kids), a $25 GC from AMEX. I went to the Leominster Barnes & Noble to snag two blank journals (my last one is neary full). And then I foodshopped.

We are supposed to get a lot of snow overnight, so I am ready in every way I can think of. And so is he (my cat Sabrino)!

I finished reading "Ozma of Oz" and then watched the newer "Clash of the Titans" (not bad). Then I ran out to get gas and to buy booze for Mike's party. There were already 3 inches of snow on the ground! I wound up getting a bottle of Appleton Estate V/X and a 2010 Malbec from Dona Paula Estate.

I made angel hair & ground beef covered in Ragu (and accompanied it with half of a Redhook ESB), and then read "Dorothy and The Wizard in Oz". Then it was a bored websurf for awhile. There were 6 inches of snow on the ground by 9 pm, and it is still falling...

Christmas Eve

Last night while my family was having dinner at my parents' house we all went outside to see the full moon with an amazing halo around it. My photo does not do it justice:

WPMF3

Well, it didn't turn out quite as I'd imagined, but this year's Wyman's Pond Music Fest happened.

The Rafters (minus Miki, who was packing for her & Dave's trip to Disney World) played a great set while the sun lasted. Sarah Blacker (and her percussionist Sheesh) performed for an hour under the canopy while it rained. And finally, Kristin Cifelli played a handful of sings w/o plugging in during the downpour that followed. Chris (Almanac Mountain) and Elizabeth (Lorrey) were gracious enough to agree to perform at a later date, in either August or September, since the weather was ridiculous, and everyone had left by 4:30 pm.

Since the first two years were both sunny, warm and dry, the weather was bound to catch up to us...

There was a good crowd. The usual Oakmont suspects (Mike, Pete, Luc, Jody and Dave, plus Ann and Courtney); Paul and Nick both came from work, with their respective girlfriends (Tori and Anna) and friends; each of the musicians had at least one 'special guest' with them; and Sarah had two of her friends' families over with their kids. Relatives in attendance: Dad & Ma, Sarah & Jon and the kids, Holly and the kids (Kevin had to work), Ted & Wendy, Jeff & Jill and Lyndsey, Aunt Carol & Jim, and Jean Marie. Side note: Gavin drove down around 5:30 after everyone had left!

The Rafters

Sarah Blacker

Kristin Cifelli



Florida

It seems like Florida is the destination of choice for my family lately.

Sarah & Jon and their kids drove down to visit Jon's father for school vacation week last week (more like ten days). Highlights included petting zoos, long stretches of road, and Hayden leaving his appendix behind.

Dad & Ma flew down to St. Augustine today to visit with Aunt Aggie and the rest of the Lebanese branch of our family. Dad will return next Wednesday, and Ma will spend a few more days with her cousin Dimples.

When I was a kid we went twice:

1. We (my parents, Kevin, Sarah and I) flew down when Ma was pregnant with Jason, spent a week and then drove Isa's Hornet back.
2. Everyone but Dad flew down and back, with my Aunt Wendy when I was 13 and we went to Disney World for a day. I hated it, and the next day I was too sick for us to go back. I was at that age where the lines were too long and the rides didn't live up the wait.

Personally, as an adult I have no interest in ever going back on my own dime. I prefer a less humid climate. But I am glad the others are all enjoying their times visiting family and seeing the sights...