Hampton, NH, skatepark & Hampton Beach, NH. January 1, 2012. Midday and early afternoon.
Too wet to really skate, so we packed up and moved on to . . .
The always magical Hampton Beach. Hampton Beach, a place that I have connected with creatively since grad school. It didn't disappoint.
Her face says it all. Today was the best day.
I love how you can throw things out into the universe and see what comes back, like this blog, for example. I wrote about starting my first sweater and who should see but my knitting fairy godmother, Rani, who was the person who taught me how to knit. And then who called me to say hey, and she was in town, with her two lovely sons, and could they stop by? And then they did and her children are beautiful, peaceful people, and she was exactly the same after (gulp) three+ years, and she wanted to see my sweater so far and she just happened to come at a time when I was stumped on wrap and turn rows. So she helped me, of course, because that is what knitting fairy godmothers do. Love how the universe works, don't you?
Silly me, I forgot that Popi has a camera that I could use. Before company arrived for Thanksgiving dinner, we walked into the foothills of Hunger Mountain, casually bumping into Tari and Chris, because it's Vermont and things like this always happen. We followed the Blue Trail deep into the woods, to find the old beaver dam ponds. The weather was warm. The sun came and went. It was exactly what we needed. I could have stayed in those woods all day, honestly.
Yeah. It's Thursday night. I'm watching Fuel TV, which has easily become a favorite go-to channel when we flip on the TV at night after the girls are asleep. And, well, a long while back, when I was 15 in fact, I tried surfing. It lasted a few years. I owned a few boards. I'll spare you the details and just say that while I loved doing it, I wasn't any good.
Nowadays our really good friends Matt, Kristin, and Aaron have all taken it up and with passion. And I mean serious passion. Pre-dawn, pre-work sessions in Rhode Island or New Hampshire. They are good enough to slack a little now and then and let their friends (ahem, me) try out their longboards on quiet days. I still suck, but I have a way better audience now. Bea was mesmerized. She was unfazed by the cold, cold New Hampshire water. She cried when we told her we had to stop. I will suppress all urges to become a Toddlers & Tiara's mom here, but how freaking rad would it be if I could surf with my girls?
By Jess
And then, just as I was slipping back into my surfing frame of mind, I was contacted tonight by the first person who took me out, taught me to paddle, and call out good waves. I really can't think about surfing and not think about Patrick. Glad to see that we are still connected by the ocean, old friend. Let me show you a few new spots up this way and we can catch up. We certainly have a lot to share.
Well it seemed like a good idea: Rainy Friday in Boston; let's go to the Children's Museum with our neighbors and new playdate pals. Too bad there was an APB out to all the families in the tri-state area about this one. Oh, and the end of year school field trips too. Don't get me wrong, the museum is an awesome place and we were having a great time, but it was tiring. Thankfully they have the three and under room and within that room, an even smaller space tucked away to nurse. I was back there, dreamily staring out the window into the larger room when I suddenly saw a girl who looked familiar. It was Emily Allen! From Arkansas! Who I hadn't seen in over three years, people!!! Here she is at the Children's Museum with her cousins on a rainy Friday in June staring back at me!!! Tears were shed. It felt so amazing to see her, as brief as it was. It was like spotting a rainbow. Emily, you were my rainbow today. File that under super-awesome run-ins of magical proportions.
