and more Thanksgiving times

2004 - snows in Boston, another trip home for me to see Laura's niece Aiden and a lovely Thanksgiving at Connie and TJ's.

and still more...

2003 - Still more snow in Boston. No idea if we came home or not for Thanksgiving (I think I went to Chicago for a conference that year), but I know we went home for Christmas because we re-announced our engagement to family and friends.



And I'm pretty sure this is the year we met Aiden....

and more...

2002 and 2001 - Clearly I was in graduate school and too poor for a digital camera because the only digital images on our computer for these years are these:

I do remember learning that the Alewife BrookParkway grocery store was closed on Thanksgiving, which meant I couldn't shop until Friday to prepare dinner... oopps!

And we probably were living here for part of it...

and then the way back years

2000 - Chicago with Traveler and his brother

1999 - Melbourne Australia with my Mom at Amber Louise's flat - celebrating my mom being cancer free!
1998 - Haskel with my Grandmother and maybe my cousing Kurt
1997 - my roommate Audrey's family house. I still remember how nice it was to be with a wonderful family when I was so far from my own
1996 and early - either our house or the Boyd's in Oregon. Always mountains of food, lots of pies, steamed up windows, and some after dinner music.

Decisions...

Yesterday I randomnly did some internet searches on the local rental market.  We've been thinking that at sometime in the future it might be nice to move to a place that allow us to have a bed in a room other than our kitchen/study/lounge studio flat.  

I searched for 'deck' and our price range, and the most interesting farm rental came up. It had a lovely deck, nice kitchen, and 2 whole separate rooms.  Not flash on the inside, but very nice. It has the all important internet access and insultation and is only a 20 minute drive to the city.  There are lots of walking tracks nearby in a regional park.



We could eat outside... grow some potted herbs...


Still cook as much as we want


And have a rural lifestyle again


So city living or country living... I do love being able to walk to stores and such, but I also really miss the country.  

We find out in a week if we get to rent the place.

Easter weekend

Easter is a 4 day holiday here in New Zealand. Good Friday and Easter Monday are both public holidays. Shops close. Restaurants charge a 15-20% premium to cover the higher wages they have to pay. Most people leave town.

It is kind of like Thanksgiving, minus the shopping frenzy. Maybe next year I'll organizing a thanksgiving meal, given that it is fall here, but this year everyone we knew seemed to be leaving town. Plus its been a crazy sunny Indian summer that makes one want to barbecue and eat ice cream --- not gathering indoors to tuck into a roast bird and all the trimmings.

Actually I take that back about the shopping frenzy – there was a mini one Thursday night in anticipation of an entire weekend of closed grocery stores combined with a big meal to fix on Sunday. The shops are open nowadays on Saturday, but friends here say that the supermarkets were closed the entire weekend in years past.

Traveler has been working really really hard lately with his company. So hard he is complaining of a 'brain sprain.' I am not sure what that is, but I can vouch for real physical and mental effects that I am seeing in him.

I've been struggling with some minor health issues mostly related to the ovarian surgery I had back in 1998 and the implications that I now have to sort out. I am going through a wee period of 'its not fair' which I suspect will pass.

All in all, it was a perfect time to take some time to relax and have a proper vacation. Only problem – we've been so tired and overworked and down and out that neither of us really had it in us to plan a weekend away. Plus this weekend is a more expensive time to travel and one in which booking are essential – particularly with the great weather we've been having.

So our dear friends came to the rescue and offered us a key to their house as a home away from home while they were traveling. It has been a perfect weekend. I've completely relaxed.

Everything has a place at their home. I find it really easy to clean up and chill out here. They have novel things like a bathtub, long sofa, bed elevated off the floor, deck, and even a barbecue! In other words, perfect for relaxing.

We were even cheeky and borrowed their Frisbee golf discs to play a round of golf out in Upper Hutt.

Then were off to explore Kaikote Park

And we made some yummy dinner on their barbecue!
We finished up the evening with some reading followed by a movie.

Sometimes you just need to get away from your own house and all the worries, chores, and work it contains and reminds you of. I think this is even more important when you partially work from your house.