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Here it is April of 2009 and it has been six months since I updated the blog. The work stopped on the house and the autumn winds got too nasty to work on the second floor--and then the snow came. Winter was upon us before we knew it and greater Boston got a near-record 66-inches of the white stuff this winter. As usual, the only ones who really enjoyed the snow were Kayto and Yaar. The holidays came and went without much excitement. Life at the beach was cozy. And after the holidays, our contractor--working inside at a friend’s house, fell through the kitchen floor to the basement and broke his back in two places! He is doing better now but the healing has been slow so we are awaiting his full recovery to return to work.
We ventured up to Maine a while back as Tom had to give a speech to one of the seacoast chambers of commerce. The trip was a grand release after being in the house so long. The weather was cold and there was snow--but the sun was shining and the scenery was beautiful. The dogs had a great time exploring the grounds of the hotel and were perfect guests.
Tom finished his position as secretary of the yacht club but was elected to the board of the Lithuanian Club in South Boston so he still has lots of meetings. His work just keeps expanding for the magazine but it’s more online writing as the print product has gone to a monthly due to the reduced print advertising that’s plaguing the entire newspaper & magazine industry. Of course, with the economy so lousy, more metals and materials groups want to hear at their meetings what the buying groups are thinking/doing. So, Tom’s given speeches in Minnesota, Arizona, Alabama and Tennessee--and is heading to Nevada next week.
As I am still looking for work, I have been home just working on beadwork and yarn knitting projects. Some of them are going to Mom & Auntie (and Wanda Martinez, brother-in-law William’s fiancée). Some others are being stockpiled for the Make-A-Wish Regatta’s charity auction later this summer. Most of the indoor house projects left require stripping wood--the steps to and the landing and hallway on the second floor. I couldn’t start them as it was too cold to have the windows and doors open for ventilation. Now that the weather is warming I will have to start thinking about those projects. The dogs pose a problem also, as I have to be able to leave them outside so the fumes do not harm them.
We are slowly working our way through and donating away a lot of the stuff we have. Funny how that trinket we “just had to have” can seem so worthless now. And trust me; we have a lot of that stuff. T-shirts is one example. Do two people really need 12 T-shirts for each of the World Series games won by the Red Sox? Or is there a prize for having every shirt possible for the Super Bowl games won by the Patriots? So far we have managed to fill several bags for the Big Brothers-Big Sisters truck and I still have found more! Those jeans I wore when I was thin (all 5 minutes) can surely help someone else for now. Now it’s on to the pots, pans, and dishes. There are only two of us not twelve and how many muffin tins does a family really need?
Anyway, it’s playoff time for the Boston winter sports teams. So, with no apologies to anybody out there who roots for some other sports laundry--GO CELTICS! And GO BRUINS!
That reminds me that we’ve been having a periodic house guest this winter who probably will summer with us. Grandson Josh’s baseball career at Merrimack College is on hold; he’s on the DL (disabled list) with tendonitis in his left (pitching) shoulder. So, he’s red-shirted this spring so he can still pitch for the next two seasons once the healing & physical therapy is over.
We were lucky enough to have him with us for his 21st birthday! It was the day after the Junior Formal. I was so proud of him in that he was sober and didn’t even have a hangover! We took him to Hooters for lunch and he bought his first “Legal” beer. He and Tom toasted and I drank diet coke!
Speaking of the Spring Formal, he didn’t mention anything until the Wednesday before that he needed a suit! So Papa and I took him to Men’s Warehouse to try to get him fitted in two days! We were successful so the prince went to the dance looking handsome and dashing. With his parents out in Washington State and tailors busy, I don’t know what he was thinking but he wanted to just borrow one of Tom’s jackets! That would have had him looking like an ugly stepson for sure! Tom even got him new shoes!
I finally got out of Boston on a real trip. After my last two attempts were stopped by blizzards and ice storms, I was able to fly out to Washington to visit Jerry and the rest of his family in March. Just to make sure I didn’t forget New England, it snowed the second day I was there! But get this; it was all gone by the next day! Now that’s my idea of a snow storm!
I hadn’t been home in 20 years and looked forward to seeing family and my old stomping grounds. We had a great time. Jerry had to work so our time was precious. He is involved in Umpiring for high-school baseball as well. He had a lot of games while I was there. He had his first girls’ softball game and it was a whole new ball game! The rules are different and the girls kept asking “Mr. Horner this and Mr. Horner that”.
One day we were able to drive down to Lakewood, where I grew up. I was sad to see the beautiful country/suburban area all built up and the places I remembered so clearly in rundown condition. Our old house on the lake needed a lot of repair. My old High school was looking a bit seedy also.
I took a few pictures but really just want to keep the memories.
Jessica and I had the chance to do girly things. We did make-up samples and had pedicures. I put the toe picture in the slide show.
I promise to do a better job keeping this current. Let’s hear it for Spring!!
