Close the distance

Tucson

2012-01-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

"To walk alone is possible, but the good walker knows that the trip is life and it requires companions." - Dom Helder Camara

This quote appeared in my Sojourners daily email the day I returned from a three-day hiking trip in Tucson with my friend Bev Groff. How fitting! Both literally and figuratively for nearly twenty years, Bev has walked with me through life’s journeys. I am blessed to call her my friend.

During our three days on the trails there were some challenging moments, but we didn't rough it in the back country. Rather, we launched our adventures from the comfort of the Best Western on Oracle Road (clean, affordable, free breakfast and happy hour!). Oro Valley has gotten a much busier and developed than the first time I saw it. But ten minutes into any trail, the serenity of the desert landscape overcomes any sense that one is minutes from a major city. Here is a recap of our hikes:

Saturday - Pusch Peak
Bev's trail name is "The Hungry Tortoise," but I think she should be called "Brave Billygoat." Pusch was a surprisingly tough, with false trails, loose dirt and rocks, and heart-stopping vertical scrambling. We did OK, but my lack of preparedness, combined with ominous rain clouds stopped us short of the summit. If at first you don't succeed, try try again. I will summit Pusch someday in the future. Who's with me :) ?
Sunday - Romero Pools at Catalina State Park
The Romero hike was a true "walk in the park" compared to Pusch. We spent about five hours on this trail. The out-and-back hike is about 3 hours. There are some breath-taking vistas overlooking Oro Valley, but the best part of the hike is lounging by the mountain pools and waterfalls.
Monday - Blackett's Ridge at Sabino Recreation area
This was a gem of a hike. Not too difficult, but definitely challenging. Six miles out and back, approximately four hours of hiking. The trail ends on a steep overlook of Sabino and Bear Canyons. The trail is impeccably maintained, and features a number of vistas.

I was in search a peaceful place that would help me heal. Each day moved me incrementally towards my goal.
Here is a link to some of our photos. I will post a youtube video as soon as I get it uploaded.

Tucson Hiking pix

Sunny San Diego January 2012

2012-01-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

I spent "Little Christmas" with Anastasia and family. As always, we packed a lot into three days!

Saturday:
Christmas presents, Natural History museum at Balboa Park, and Babysitting!
Since the visit was so close to Christmas, we waited on presents until I got there. They were hilariously enthusiastic over some pretty modest gifts. Too cute! The big hit was a book titled, Chalk, a simple wordless story about a magical day in the park.

We spent the afternoon at the museum. Its a real kid-friendly place with some hands-on (and belly-on) exhibits. I took in my very first 3-D film, SeaRex . Toby and Madeline gave the movie rapt attention.

On Saturday night, the kids were all mine. Anastasia and Chris went out to celebrate 12 years married. We stayed home, read Chalk, and played Headbanz ;)

Sunday:
Church preschool, Chalk in the park, dinner with Laura and Scott
Sunday morning I got to see Anastasia in action as the Church preschool teacher. Her lessons use the alphabet, stories, and games to teach lessons from the bible. Patience and Quickness to Forgive were the lessons of the morning. Later we went to the park and did chalk drawings and conjured up some creatures the emerged from the sidewalk.
Sunday night, I headed over to Little Italy with Scott and Laura and had my very first polenta.

Monday:
A visit to Madeline's school, excursion to San Diego Safari Park
Monday, Maddie was back in school. I got a quick peek at her kindergarten classroom, and was blown away by how grown up she has become overnight.
Toby, Anastasia and I headed north to the San Diego Zoo Safair Park. Toby was our wildlife photographer, snapping away at animals, birds, and occasionally his feet.

Thank you Thank you Thank you to the Brewsters for a really great weekend!

Click here to see: Photos on Picasa

Mike starts 2012 with annual icy plunge

2012-01-01T05:46:00.000-08:00

2012 started with a morning trip to Southie. I am a witness that Mike submerged himself not once, not twice, but three times into Dorchester Bay. I would have done it too, but someone had to hold the bathrobe and take the photo.

4th

2011-07-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

Since arriving at Spaulding, we've had a lot of support from family. Calls, cards, emails and prayers, and recent visits from Pat, Judy, Mike, Peg & Dan, and Jeanne.

Today George and Mike went to Gillette stadium and ran a road race. And then George navigated the MBTA, taking a bus, a couple of trains, and a walk through Harvard Yard to catch up with us over at rehab.

Judy came up with a way to make everything we are going thru a little more "normal," This evening for dinner, Judy, Don and DJ, Mike and Lisa joined us in the hospital courtyard for a good old fashion 4th of July picnic. Paws, decked out with a red, white and blue kerchief, came along and sat under the table.

Richard and I are extremely fortunate for the on-going love and support over these past months. Love to all xoxoxoxo

Happy Birthday Aniela

2011-03-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

Aniela Malia Shauck turned 8 years old this month!

We flew to Washington and got to attend a super birthday pajama party. All the attendees arrived in pajamas, many bringing along their favorite stuffed animal. Activities included a limbo contest, dancing, face painting, a pinata, and cake & ice cream.

Ani is an avid reader and has gotten hooked on Harry Potter. She is currently reading
"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." And Aunt Kate and Uncle Sherman gave her the second book, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" for her birthday.

When we arrived at the house Saturday, Greyson was riding around on his balance bike. It has been six months since we've seen him, and he's transformed from a toddler into a little boy. He talks a blue streak, loves Scooby Doo, and throws webs at us when he assumes his secret identity, Spider Man.

From Washington, we flew to Detroit and I spent four days fencing at the Cobo Center with my epee teammates, The Rec'n Crew. We took third in the vet's team event. One of my teammates, Natalia, took 6th in the over 40.

While we were gone, Paws luxuriated in the amenities graciously provided by the Wheaton Day Spa and Puppy Resort, a 5-star facility catering to the needs of neurotic Bassets.

We're happy to be home. The snow is gone. Hopefully, Spring has come to Boston.

March 2011

pizza party

2011-02-24T18:03:00.001-08:00

Thanks to the Livermores for hosting the family friday night pizza party. The kids were hands-on-helpful making dinner for the group. The DiPalmas made a great sendoff gift for Susan: cupcakes in a Chilean flag design. Pictures are on picassa.

Here's the link: PizzaParty:)

Southwest January 2011

2011-01-22T15:20:00.000-08:00

Can't beat that SWA companion pass deal. The flying finnegans were at it again, getting out to the West Coast for a little breather from Boston's January weather.

First stop: Phoenix! We filled a 24 hour period with family, friends & fun. Back to the site of the old plantation coffee shop, we caught up with old friends, Kathy & Jim. It's was like a trip in the way-back machine, and made me miss the valley alot. That night we had a pasta prerace dinner with Sean, in town to run the P.F. Chang 1/2 marathon with friends Misty and Ryan.

We got a yellow happy face balloon to mark our spot in the crowd. Since it was pretty much impossible to miss us with that thing, were able to see Bill Crouse, who looked really strong at mile 8. Bill ended up finishing at 2:18. Well done, Bill!

Later, we saw Misty, Ryan and Sean who were taking a more leisurely approach to the race. They posed for a picture before continuing on to finish the course.

Then we were off to San Diego! Every time we see the kids there's something new.

I taught Madeline how to play chess, we saw her dress rehearsal of her dance recital, and I got to see her preschool classroom. Toby is talking a blue streak. He learned how to work my iPod, and we found out he likes cappuccino (like he's not wired enough LOL).

Good times. Much love.

keep scrolling....blogger formatted these with alot of space in between

that's all folks!

New Year's Day with the cousins

2011-01-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

Here are some pix of New Year's day with cousins Jack, Joan, and Julie & families. Apologies that I didn't take more pictures. I was too busy eating, drinking and kibitzing.

It was a great chance to get together, visit Aunt Ann and Uncle Walter, and check out Jack's new place in Hingham. Sincere thanks to Jack and Jackie for hosting the get together.

Blizzard december2010

2010-12-27T08:09:00.000-08:00

Kate woke me up today at 7 a.m. calling from Auckland to say she had seen the storm report on tv and didn't want me out on the roads going to work :) Fortunately I have a snow day. And doubly fortunate to have Sean in on a Christmas visit. With flights out of logan canceled we have him until at least this afternoon.

It's absolutely beautiful here. A foot of white fluffy snow. It makes me feel like a kid again.

Cousins Christmas

2010-12-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Judy, Don, and DJ for hosting this year's Cousins' Christmas. The food, music, activities and beverages were awesome.

A special shout-out to the Merms who did a pajama-packie run for the Hobo-nog.
Powerful stuff! It may well replace NyQuil as my self-medicating drug of choice this winter.

kiwi news

2010-12-09T10:13:00.000-08:00

Sherman got a job offer up in Auckland. Looks like the kids are leaving Wellington in the coming weeks. They plan to tour the South Island over the holidays, and then find a place to live before he starts his job the beginning of the year.

The company is going to sponsor them for residency. It will open up lots of opportunities for them, and get them on the national health ins. system too.

Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Grewal

2010-08-28T06:58:00.000-07:00

On August 14, 2010, on the shore of Raymond Pond, Kate Robinson married Sherman Grewal!!!

It was a whirlwind engagement, lasting a little less than 3 months. Kate had a vision for her nuptials that incorporated family legacy, and rustic elegance. With the help of countless loving family members, we were able to make it happen. The vows at Raymond Pond were followed by a reception at Merrill Farmhouse at Pineland Farms. Richard and I are immensely grateful for everyone's help and participation.

Hi Cool

2010-06-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

Maddie G. has graciously agreed to share her room with us. Toby is greeting me with "Hi Cool!" We have celebrated Dawg's birthday, attended church, and had kabobs at the Brewsters house. I'm loving it here.

West Coast

kate & sherm

2010-05-16T18:25:00.001-07:00

Just got this pix message. Looks like our little girl is gettin' hitched!

2010 Boston Marathon

2010-04-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hey - Track Mike run the BAA marathon. He's # 11042

Run, Mike, Run!!
Runner Tracker 11042

Update: Mike finished in 3:47:50. Not bad for an old guy! I spoke with Tim (his ride home) who had not heard from him as of 2:30 p.m. but was expecting him soon. I figure given the cost of entry, and how frugal Mike is, he's getting his fill of bagels, bananas and beer before leaving the post-race party.

Happy Birthday Aniela!

2010-03-09T06:35:00.000-08:00

Just got back from Whidbey. Will post ASAP. Happy BD Ani :)
In the meantime, check out Grey's choral debut:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTzOLpo2foM

Also - just got this link from Amanda: Ani and her friend Hayden did the school announcement podcast at South Whidbey Elementary today. Check it out: Podcast

Carlsbad

2010-02-20T11:23:00.000-08:00

First and foremost - here's a shout out to Tiff and Anastasia who put together the "hospitality suite" of our vacation. Hot coffee, cold beer, and everything in between. Despite historically bad SoCal weather, a reduced group of us got together and enjoyed some rainy-day play in Carlsbad. We missed George and the Robinson-Shauck family, but are determined to keep trying to unite everyone at a future date. Thank you to everyone who made it and helped us launch another year of family visits.

A few things that stuck in my mind -

1. 3 year olds have swagger! Maddie's premier 10-pin appearance alone was worth the journey.

2. Aunties Kate and Tiffany are dang-good with kids. It was a joy to be part of the family bonding that took place.

3. I need to practice wicked-haard before I meet Sherman in table tennis again. My ego suffered a severe hit. The only thing that would have been worse is if he had let me win.

4. Our rag-tag group of runners rock! "Nobody trained...." Uh-huh. Then it was grit and raw talent that pushed Sean, Anastasia and Chris through the course. Nice run. Really nice run, team Finnegan-Brewster :)

I realized I barely snapped a photo in Carlsbad; darn lazy of me. Thank goodness Tiff did her part! I put up a few shots to Picasa.

Carlsbad Photos

Happy New Year

2010-01-10T18:37:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone. We wish all of you health, happiness, peace and prosperity in the coming year. Love, Ellen and Richard

Apologies to all for our unsocial behavior over the past few weeks. Since we got back from Washington state, we've been sharing a respiratory virus that has kept us somewhat hunkered down. We're on the mend (Rich is on antibiotics that seem to be doing the trick) and will hopefully be in good form for the Carlsbad trip. Sorry we missed the Pops, and Christmas eve service with the Livermores. Glad I got to enjoy Mike's belated Christmas soiree. Thanks, also to Judy and Susan allowing me to tag along to the Symphony. Yo Yo Ma Rocked The House with his Hayden Cello Concerto in C.

This is the view from our kitchen window during the back-to-back-to-back snow storms last week. It brought back vivid memories of Mom. An icicle didn't have a chance with Mom. As soon as it formed, she would lean out the window and beat it with a broom for fear it would eventually loosen up and strike some poor unsuspecting soul dead. Perhaps she inherited this fear from Nana....? At any rate, I just let 'em drip. Watch out below!

December blessings

2009-12-24T09:10:00.000-08:00

Our December has been filled with the blessings of being part of a wonderful family and community of friends.

Who'd 'a thunk it: Technology, what some people think is the the scourge of contemporary society, has helped us 'close the distance' that separates us from the people we love. Some examples:

Pix messages of (borrowing a Flaherty term) "Bright and Shinies". I got one from Judy from the Pops concert of Becca, Katie, and Celia, and just yesterday from Anastasia of Maddie, Toby, and a friend, enjoying an early Christmas gift.
Email I got an email from my friend Chuck. He was playing double bridge on a cruise ship near Bora Bora. I was debugging code in my cubicle. What a weird world.
Facebook Ok - I'm not an addict, or even faithful follower, but I do enjoy logging in and scanning to see what's happening. Last night I reconnected with an old friend I had lost touch with several years back. When she inquired about my granddaughter, I had news of three more kids for her!
Blogs Yeaaah! Anastasia wrote a sweet post about Christmas activities in SD. FYI: Maddie has no interest in being a mouse :) Christmas Cheer
**Skype** I totally forgot Skype. Richard's been telling everyone about his little growling contest with Toby over the web. We've gotta get Ani & Grey to Skype with us too. That's a goal for 2010.
Air travel for Face-to-Face visits We were fortunate to make back-to-back weekend visits this month. (Thank you Wheaton Day Spa Puppy Resort and SWA companion pass program). First, to DC:

Sean and Tiffany rock! They put together an awesome Christmas gift for us, which coincided with their 1st anniversary :) We joined Mike and Charlene Harvey to attend a performance of A Christmas Carol at historic Ford's Theatre. We flew to BWI on Sat a.m., had drinks on their yacht (yes yacht, as in really really big boat), dined at Rosa Mexicano where I had Pato en Salsa de Zarzamoras (translation - the best damned duck I've ever eaten in my life), then off to the theatre! I got a little teary, recalling how much Mom and Dad enjoyed attending the same Christmas performance there many years back. When I was sitting there waiting for the show to begin, for some reason, a line from an old Christmas song got stuck in my head, "Through the years we'll always be together, if the fates allow...." I felt like Mom was with me for a moment, and it felt really good. Thank you Sean and Tiffany, for a weekend I'll never forget.

Several days later we were off to Whidbey Island to enjoy Aniela Malia Shauck's debut in dual roles in the Whidbey Island Dance production of The Nutcracker. Ani was a small mouse that wreaked havoc at the party in Act I, and then returned as a butterfly at the end of the Act II winter scene. Richard and I got to be "room parents" monitoring the 6 and 7 year olds for the Thurs night dress rehearsal and the Friday night performance. It was a wicked fun time because we got to help the kids get ready, go through costume changes and have makeup done. It seems the buzz word now-a-days is "authentic." Well, Richard and I tripped right into the middle of an authentic moment this time. A bunch of little girls in pink leotards getting "into character" for the big moment on stage. Priceless!

Back out the house, Greyson is a trip. He's at that stage where he wants the same book read to him a hundred and fifty gillion times. I think Richard has it memorized. Currently, he is immersed in the "No David" genre. Hmmm....I hope that one doesn't backfire on us. I cannot wait to see Grey and Toby together next month.

Now, we're gonna rest up and get ready for Carlsbad. We'll all be together ...Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise.

Butterfly warmup on youtube

Mouse warmup on youtube

Grey dancing on youtube

DC pix

Whidbey pix

Christmas Cheer

2009-12-18T07:25:00.001-08:00

This holiday season has been one of the most fun in recent memory. I love experiencing it with the freshness offered by a three-year-old's perspective. It's full of wonder and magic.

Going to a youth production of the Nutcracker with Maddie, Grammy, Naomi and her mom Melanie at the Prado Theatre in Balboa Park. The girls sat on the edge of their seats for the entire first Act, with Maddie belting out questions about the story. I told her she would be such a cute mouse or snow angel, to which she replied, "I hate mice, I want to be THE girl." The girl Clara just so happened to share Madeline's real name, which she thought was cool. Naomi & Maddie start their Pre-Ballet I class in January (along with dear friend Milly)!

Hosting a Christmas party for our teen mentoring group. The girls fought over who got to read what part in our Christmas story script from last year. Looks like we found a new tradition. Everyone really enjoyed being together. A few girls got salon treatments a la Carla (one of the teens), while the rest of us sang Christmas carols. Good times. (Pics forthcoming.)
Maddie meeting Santa for the first time at her Preschool's Holiday potluck and being appropriately star-struck. He gave her a wrapped book. On the way home, she exclaimed, "On CHRISTMAS, Santa does not bring books, he brings TOYS." I decided not to debate with her on this one.

Strolling through the Garrison Street lights with friends, followed by hot chocolate and cookie decorating at the g'parents. The kids LOVED it. They oooo'd and aw'd and managed to not get hit by any moving vehicles.

Anticipating Christmas. One more week!

What's been special for you this season?

Priceless work of art

2009-12-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share with you a photo of me hanging a priceless work of art in my cubicle. Its priceless because all the money in the world can't buy something that means more to me than a custom birthday greeting from Madeline Grace! I am the envy of my coworkers!

thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

We were about 40 miles outside Baton Rouge when Kate called us to wish us a Happy Anniversary. Thank you Kate - I totally zoned out. Since we got married the day after Thanksgiving, I constantly forget what the actual date is. November 24, nine years ago.

We have been on the road for almost a week: Starting in Houston TX, we spent a few days with our friend Doug. Then we headed up to Port Arthur, TX to meet Doug's family. Too fun. Since I've been good friends with Doug for over 20 years, I felt like I knew these folks, but this past week we got to meet F2F for the first time. In a word, delightful.

Tuesday morning began our adventure. We drove through Cameron Prairie, LA, a Wildlife Refuge, that was vast and untouched; quite a stark contrast to Port Arthur in many ways. In PA we were in an industrial town surrounded by friends. Once we were on our way, we were on our own surrounded by rugged landscape. With stops in Lake Charles and Baton Rouge we landed for the night at IP Casino Resort in Biloxi. A day of crazy contrasts. Richard won two hundred bucks at the casino, which was definitely the best part of our stay in Biloxi. I concur with Aunt Ann and Uncle Walter with their take on Biloxi. Casinos and nothing else. One day was enough.

Wednesday took us from Biloxi, through Southeastern Mississippi, up through Alabma and into Chattanooga. Driving a fancy car and wearing Red Sox caps left me concerned that we'd stick out like a sore thumb on this leg of the journey and maybe not be received well [read: mugged]. Untrue. Folks were very pleasant, welcoming and helpful. My big regret is blowing thru Alabama without spending any time. We got to Birmingham too late in the day to visit the Civil Rights Museum and Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. Seems silly to be in such an historically significant place and miss these sites. A reason to go back.

Thanksgiving day we traveled through Great Smoky Mountain National Park; far more crowded than we had anticipated, and colder too. We were mow'n down some turkey sandwiches by the roadside when a Korean tourist came by to ask us for directions. By the time I finished my conversation with him, the sun disappeared, the temp had dropped 20 degrees and we were in the middle of a snow squall. By Thursday night we were safe and sound in Asheville, NC on the east side of the Smokies.

Pix from trip:

http://picasaweb.google.com/closethedistance/RoadTripTXMD?feat=directlink

Kate90210

2009-11-13T11:59:00.000-08:00

I just got a cell phone call from Kate. She's producing a photo shoot in LA and was sent off on a mission to find sprinkles cupcakes for a very particular client. sprinkles? cupcakes with jimmies? No. Sprinkles - some posh posh cupcake company in Beverly Hills. So, while she was cruising Rodeo Drive looking for very special cupcakes for very special clients she mentioned being at the same bar last night with Drew Carey, Kathy Kinney, and Ryan Styles.

Don't know the second two names? You know their faces. [Who's line is it anyway? and Drew Carey show] Small world. Matt and Amanda lived down the road from Ryan Styles up in Bellingham Washington. And believe it or not, I organized a morale-boosting "Mimi" day at one of my clients a number of years back (a rare "Ellen wears makeup" event).

I asked Kate if she was enjoying herself and she confessed she likes her boss way better when she's drunk. [the boss - not Kate] i think.

I'm on a boat!

2009-11-04T13:01:00.000-08:00

Tiffany and I closed on a boat today! We purchased a 1987 40' Aft Cabin Silverton motoryacht. We are very excited to be making this transition that will take a few months at least before we are able to live on board full time. This is due to several reasons, 1) We want to live at Capital Yacht Club, but the application takes a few months and they are limited on slips. 2) There are no other slips available on the SW Waterfront that are available for full time liveaboard. We will be able to keep our boat nearby however and be able to stay on board a maximum of 4 nights per week.

We are going to keep our condo as well until we determine what works best for us. So come visit!

Tobias Scott #1

2009-11-03T06:28:00.000-08:00

Toby's first birthday

WORKING ON THE RAILROAD
Tobster was working on the Rail Road at San Diego's Balboa Park where we celebrated his first birthday.
The extended Brewster/Finnegan clan got to enjoy a ride on the railroad followed by a pizza picnic. For dessert, Anastasia served cake decorated in keeping with the rail road theme. Toby didn't know what to make of it; at first thinking it was playdough, he mashed his piece all up into a ball. Big sister, Maddie, saw this and fed him some of her cake. Wow, did his eyes light up.

Toby loved playing with his balloon bouquet until he fell on one and it popped. He appeared not sure whether he should cry or not. He chose not to. He is one of the "chillest" kids we've ever met. He's an observer and an explorer. Wobbly standing on two feet, he's making progress slowly but surely. On all fours, he's a force to be reckoned with, challenging the land-speed record for crawling babies.

Before heading back to Boston Monday night, we attended Maddie's pre-school Halloween party. It did seem every little girl there was a princess. Madeline stood out as the cutest flower evah! Parents hosted games and activities for the kids. Her favorite was the face painting. When we arrived, she parked herself steadfastly in the queue for face painting and wouldn't budge until it was her turn. She is growing fast into a strong, beautiful little girl.

Ellen & Richard

South Dakota

2009-10-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

South Dakota

Richard's Post: George, Cooper and I (Ellen texted “Go George Dawgs”) set out from the heat of Phoenix to the cool north, making the move for George to begin his new position with the US Bureau of Reclamation. Most of the trip from Phoenix to Rapid City, SD was a view of the vastness of the American west, but we also got to do some sight seeing. Really enjoyed seeing the Crazy Horse memorial, which has vastly improved from the pile of rubble I saw 35 years ago, with the completion of the face and the addition of the Native American Museum. We also got to see Mount Rushmore which is majestic, and the old west town of Deadwood. There are a lot more attractions within and near Rapid City. Aunt Jeanne was there for a week about a year ago and she had such a good time she would like to back again. George has rented a very nice two bedroom townhouse, so he should expect quests. His new address is:

118 Hillcrest Drive
Rapid City, SD 57701-3656

think inside the box ?

2009-10-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

Got this from Amanda today!

Kate's promotional material

2009-10-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hey - Check out Ms. Becca in Kate's promotional material. Cuteeeeee!!!!

>>>KateVPhotographyPromo

Grey turns 1

2009-09-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's a little like Joni Mitchell's Circle Game (hopefully not that fast). Last year we flew to Seattle for the birth of a yet-to-be-named baby boy (the kids wanted to see what he looked like before settling on a name). During our visits over the past year we watched him grow from an infant to a cruiser.

Now, Greyson Matthew is officially a toddler (a very well-dressed toddler thanks to Anni and Josh), running around the house much to Guinness's chagrin. He's developing his own little personality including a crazed obsession for fresh fruit, actually squealling with delight at the sight of chopped melon or mango!

Ani, the tallest girl in her first grade class, is reading everything in site. She is super-helpful, watching out for Greyson.

I think the most fun things about the trip were:
* Taking Ani to a matinee of "Aliens in the Attic" (we laughed and laughed)
* Eating all Matt's amazing cooking (fresh caught salmon, smoked barbeque :)
* Our joint creation of Grey's first birthday cake (Ani designed, mixed and frosted; Matt decorated)
* Ani reading her Amelia Bedelia book
* Greyson toddling around enjoying being the star of the show

Here's some pictures. I'll add a few more soon.

Grey turns 1

Ani's first day of school & Greyson's smiling face

2009-09-09T06:08:00.001-07:00

I just got this photo from Amanda. Ani started first grade yesterday. Here she is riding the school bus for the first time :)

Here's happy little Grey. I definitely see a resemblance to Matt when he was a baby, but then again, there's more than a little Shauck in this kid too!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Maddie!

2009-09-01T12:30:00.001-07:00

Madeline Grace Brewster turned three last week. We flew out to S.D. for the festivities which morphed into a 4-day series of events, including a concert at Balboa Park, a play date, shopping at Build-a-Bear, a beach picnic, and a dance party. It was alot in a short period of time. We landed in Boston Monday morning exhausted!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Madeline

WAAHHOOO!

2009-08-13T17:37:00.000-07:00

Amanda just sent me this email message: WAAHHOOO! I just got an e-mail notification that I passed my last task for my Math and Science course. I am in the clear for student teaching! It feels so amazing.

She will be starting her student teaching assignment on Sept 8 at South Whidbey Intermediate School/ She has worked so amazingly hard over the past few years. Ani starts first grade at the same school. Unreal!!!! Hooray Amanda. I am so proud of you.

Whidbey Island July 2009

2009-07-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

Hello All !
I'm doin' some braggin' today... I've got a beautiful daughter-in-law, gorgeous grandkids, and an amazingly talented daughter. Put the combination together with a lovely day on Whidbey Island, and Voila! Check out the latest photos from Katevphotography - the up & coming photographer from the Bay area.

Kate's visit to Whidbey

Belated Honeymoon

2009-06-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

Tiffany and I went on our belated honeymoon a few weeks ago and it was terrific! With our initial plans of going to Mexico being canceled due to the Swine Flu "H1N1" Virus, we decided to checkout a place both of us have never been, Montana! The weather was beautiful and the scenery was fantastic.

The trip started out with a bit of embarassment. When checking our luggage, the Southwest employee asked us several times why we were going to Spokane and we finally told her that it was our belated honeymoon. She congratulated us and told us she would try to have champagne ready for us on the flight. We laughed and told her that would be great expecting nothing of it. Later as we were standing in line to board the plane, the ramp agent made an announcement over the loudspeaker, "folks we have some very special passengers riding with us today, would Mr. and Mrs. Finnegan please come on down to the gate please!" We both don't like the spotlight, but we weren't going to go unnoticed so we went ahead and walked down to the agent. She let us board the flight early, red faces and all. Once onboard, the flight attendant asked for us over the loudspeaker and proceeded down the aisle with a bottle of Champagne! It was a very nice gesture from Southwest and a great way to start the trip.

After landing in Spokane, we picked up our rental car and met up with Tiffany's cousin and husband, Bri and Max. Max is active duty Air Force and stationed nearby. They hosted us for the night and we headed out on our 5 hour drive to Glacier National Park. At Glacier, we went white water rafting, horseback riding, and even skydiving. Skydiving was a blast, but we both agreed that we wouldn't be doing a tandem jump again anytime soon. The week flew by and we were on our way back to Virginia. I gave my two weeks notice a short two weeeks after our trip and now we are headed back up to DC to start our new jobs. We both are both very excited. We'll be subleasing for the next month or so until we can move back into the condo. Hopefully, over the next year, we will be able to make it back out to the west coast, especially now that I have a job where you get a reasonable amount of vacation days. Check out the photos on Picasa. There are about 4 albums so after clicking on the link you can go back to the albums page and check out the others. A big thanks to Don and Judy for the timeshare and to Richard and Ellen for helping with flights!

Glacier National Park

Road trip!

2009-06-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our summer road trip from Phoenix, AZ to Houston, TX. 99% of the time we were on secondary roads so we got to see small towns and a variety of scenery you don't get from I-10 or I-40. The shear vastness of the Southwest is humbling. We had cell phones with patchy service and a laptop computer that didn't come out of its case the whole trip. Although it was just a long weekend, it was kind of liberating to be a bit out of touch for a bit.

Phoenix
Cleaning out the storage unit in Phoenix turned out to be easier than anticipated. George was there to help get some stuff organized and shuffled around. We shipped some stuff, hit Salvation Army a couple of times, and crammed the rest into the car. Friday around 3 p.m. after a fun-filled session at the DMV to get the car registered we were heading N.E. out of PHX.

Show Low, AZ
Our first stop was Show Low, Arizona. The weather was cool (anything is cooler than the valley anyway) and the people were friendly. I got a big kick out of the morning rush heading out of town. Real cowboys herding their flock of sheep across I-60 delayed our exit Sat a.m., much to my delight. All in a day's work for them, but it was like something out of the movies for city-folk like us.

Socorro, NM

We had an abrupt, unplanned stop about half way between Magdelena and Socorro when the left rear tire blew out. The biggest pain was emptying the truck to get to the spare. Richard handled it in short time. And although there's very little traffic on that road, the people that did come by all stopped to offer help.

Shortly after that, we went by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory NRAO site http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/ I didn't know what the heck all this equipment was at the time, but suspected it had something to do with the aliens that are known to frequent the area; after all, we were only 3 hours out of Roswell!!

Roswell, NM
Yeah! We arrived in Roswell with one hour to spare before the Discount Tire placed closed for the weekend. Four new tires made me much more confident about facing the entirety of Texas the following day. The International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell was pretty much everything I had expected. It reminded me of my pilgrimage to Graceland about the better part of 20 years ago. They 'curator' told us they get about 165,000 visitors a year, which is nothing to scoff at considering it is located in the S.W. corner of New Mexico pretty far off the beaten track.

Lubbock to Houston, TX
We left Roswell on Sunday morning with the intent on getting at least as far as Austin. Seeing the landscape filled with oil rigs and cotton fields was no surprise, but we didn't expect to run into one enormous wind farm that seemed to run from Sweetwater all the way to Abilene. These giant white turbines were a thing of beauty set against a clear blue sky. Based on the articles I've read, Texas ranks #1 in Wind energy in the U.S. This wind project is the epitome of how they do things in Texas.
Big. Really Big!
http://www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/re_wind.htm

R&R in the Houston area
It was great to get into Houston and see Doug again. After spending a few long days in the car, it was nice to go walking at Buffalo Bayou. http://www.buffalobayou.org/
The next day we took a trip down to Galveston. There was a lot of damage but a lot of rebuilding going on. Walking around on the Strand, the high water water was well over six feet. Many of these buildings had survived the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and were being renovated once again in the aftermath of Ike.

Wednesday morning we were flying home, leaving the car with Doug. In the fall we'll be back to visit Doug and a few more friends in Houston and then resume our road trip. Next stop - Florida.

Here's links to a complete set of photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/closethedistance/Roswell?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/closethedistance/PHXHOU2009?feat=directlink

Moving back to the Nation's Capitol and our 310sqft condo

2009-05-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

So Tiffany and I both have official offers from new companies in the DC area!

Tiffany has been hired on as a research Audiologist at Gallaudet University where she is currently completing her PhD in Audiology. Her responsibilities will include working on 3 separate cochlear implant projects.

Sean has been hired on as a project manager for SkyBuilt Power. A rapidly deployable renewable energy company. His responsibilities will include meeting and assisting costumers with developing requirements for their energy needs. Developing electrical designs for a suite of renewable energy systems that utilize off the shelf components to improve efficiency and able to withstand environmental factors. Working creatively with fellow team members to improve current products and develop new initiatives.

We are both very happy that everything has worked out such that we can both start our new careers in the same week, move back to a city we both know well, and find careers that offer us the desires we seek with the work-life balance that affords us time to grow in our relationship.

Fun in the Sun (Part 1)

2009-05-01T01:42:00.000-07:00

Happy days are here again. Once again the sun has decided to grace Whidbey Island with its wonderful presence. And when you are as Vitamin D deprived as us Western Washingtonians tend to be you don't waste a minute of it.

The kids and I started out the week with a trip to Maxwelton beach accompanied by my sister, her son ,Pearson, and my mother. Maxwelton is a nice little public beach with a park, a boat launch, and a little league baseball field. We started the trip with a quick ride on the swing for Greyson while Ani made a sandcastle. Pearson was taking a little catnap in the car.

Once Pearson woke up and the kids got tired of running around near the playground we decided to walk out on the beach. As luck would have it the tide was out which means that the water is extremely shallow for hundreds of feet out into the bay. The sun quickly warms up the shallow water which makes it perfect for wading or swimming if you're an adventurous kid. Things started out with all of us simply getting our feet wet, but quickly degenerated into a half-naked rompfest for Aniela and Pearson. As you all know things can quickly spiral out of control when you take two young kids with cabin fever and add some sunshine and a large body of water. Mayhem always ensues!

Eventually, Ani and Pearson got so wet that the shirts came off too. All this left me wondering why I hadn't brought Ani's swimming suit.....or a towel......or sunblock for that matter. But what can I say. I like to live life on the edge.
In the end my mom and I sacrificed our sweatshirts (if you can call it a sacrifice in 60 degree weather) and bundled Ani and Pearson up for the trek back to the car. By the time we got home we had three exhausted sand covered kids and not a single hint of a tan to show for it. So much for worrying about sunblock!

Grey April 2009

2009-04-21T06:03:00.001-07:00

Just received these photos from Amanda today.

Grey is getting big :-)

Click link for more:

http://picasaweb.google.com/closethedistance/GreyApril2009?feat=directlink

13.1 - Been there Done that

2009-04-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

We were out on the west coast for the second time this March. The alleged purpose of the trip was to run Whidbey with Mike and his friend Lisa, but our ulterior motives had more to do with more with visiting the grandkids again.

First stop was San Diego. We didn't get to see much of Chris, who was busy working on his thesis draft. But we did have one lovely evening dining with Chris and Anastasia's small group. Great food, great company. Other highlights of the trip included visiting Ms. B's Hive (Maddie's preschool), and a playdate to Balboa park with one of Maddie's friends, Naomi.

Its totally impossible to pick favorite pictures, so here's a random sampling from the first couple of days of the trip.

Ani turns 6

2009-03-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Aniela!!!!

Richard, Kate and I just traveled to Whidbey Island to visit Matt, Amanda, Ani and Greyson and celebrate Ani's 6th birthday. Highlights of the trip included a birthday bash for Ani with 15 friends, learning all about Webkin world, and some crazy Wii Fit competitions. Kate brought her camera, and that's always a good thing (see below!).

Go Dog Go

2009-02-07T13:35:00.001-08:00

It's nice to have a big sister who reads to you!

I just got this picture in the mail from Amanda and Matt. I had recorded a video of Ani reading to us in November but the file is really large to upload, so I figured I'd combine the audio with the photo. We're going to be out for you-know-who's 6th birthday in a few weeks. We can't wait.

Visit to Ocala

2009-02-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

Richard & I had a great visit with Aunt Ann and Uncle Walter in Ocala this past weekend. We dropped Paws off at the Wheaton Day Resort and Spa on Thursday night and made an early trip to the airport first thing Friday morning. We got into Ocala just in time for lunch. Aunt Ann treated us to home made pizzas. That pretty much set the tone for the weekend. We were fed and catered to the whole time with some wonderful home cooking. Also, they treated us to dinner at the Royal Oaks Restaurant on Saturday night, where I had a piece of grouper the size of my plate. I gained two pounds in 2 1/2 days!

Aunt Marie dropped by for a visit Friday after we got in, and we got to see some folks after church that are becoming familiar faces to us.

I got a kick out of watching part of the Eukanuba dog show on TV where "Noodles" the Basset picked up third place in the Hound Division. The dachshund didn't place, so Uncle Walter didn't have nice things to say about the judges :-)

Here's a few photos from the trip. (The last shot is at one of the pools where an unfortunate resident drove right in. Its kind of funny because nobody got hurt.)

Visit to Aunt Ann and Uncle Walter's

The boys

2009-01-18T17:31:00.001-08:00

The boys

Click the photo to check out the latest pix of the new arrivals.

Richard and I decided that we better start labeling pix of the boys. A few years from now, we're going to have a hard time with who's-who!

B&W photos taken by Kate over Thanksgiving

2008-12-30T05:10:00.001-08:00

Word from the west coast is, Ani is bored stiff being out of school and can't wait to go back. Grey rolled over for the first time. The other night when I was on the phone with Amanda, he reached up and pulled a toy out of her hands and put it to his mouth.

Being so far away from the little ones it tough, but it helps to have some great shots on my desktop. Thank you, Kate, for the beautiful work you do!

Update 1/2/2009 - Amanda wrote:

"Greyson was having tummy time last night and he pushed his chest up off of the floor. He was also kicking his legs like crazy and fussing. It looked like he was trying so hard to crawl. And he slept for nine hours straight last night. He's getting so big."

Wedding Pics

2008-12-20T18:34:00.001-08:00

Sean & Tiffany's Wedding
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS!!!

Mr. Sean and Dr. Tiffany Finnegan

2008-12-16T17:55:00.000-08:00

On December 13, 2008, the Finnegan family added a Doctor to its ranks. The only way that was going to happen was to snag a free agent! (thanks Sean)

It was a fantastic weekend in historic Williamsburg, VA, as family and friends gathered from 14 different states + the District of Columbia to witness Sean & Tiff get 'hitched.' Kate & Sherm win the prize for traveling the furthest--2812 miles from Mill Valley vs. the 2570 miles flown by the Brewster contingent from San Diego.

I left the photography to others this event. Judy just pointed me at a few great shots from the reception and night-before party at the Corner Pocket.
http://pomarole-flahertyfamily.blogspot.com/2008/12/sean-and-tiffanys-wedding.html

We are all extremely grateful to the Harvey family for their generosity and hospitality. Best wishes to the newly weds!

Thanksgiving week 2008

2008-11-30T08:32:00.000-08:00

Home again, and immediately longing for the West coast. We got an awesome kid-fix, first in SD seeing Anastasia, Chris, Maddie and Toby...then on to Whidbey to see Ani, Greyson, Matt, Amanda and Kate. Here's a few pix, to serve as coming attractions. More soon.

Here's Toby and Greyson. Which is which? You guess!

Newest member of Red Sox Nation!!!

2008-11-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

Greyson Matthew at 2 months old!

Obama Supporters

2008-11-07T17:23:00.001-08:00

Tobias Scott Brewster

2008-10-23T21:18:00.001-07:00

"I better learn to like him. He looks too big to put back."

Weighing in at 9 lb 14 oz, Toby Brewster came into the world on October 22, 2008. We got the call Wed night that he was here, and we put some quick plans together to fly out of Manchester Thursday morning. We are bleary eyed from exhaustion and teary eyed by the beauty of this little boy. Anastasia is doing great. They came home from the hospital less than 24 hours after he made his debut! Clearly, the Finnegan clan comes from hardy stock :-)

Click on the photo below to see a few shots from his first day.

Tobias Scott Brewster

Happy one month birthday Grey!

2008-10-21T17:32:00.001-07:00

Greyson Shauck at one month - 10 lbs. 14 oz.

Really cute YouTube video

2008-10-21T07:31:00.000-07:00

Someone posted a comment on a blog entry I had made back in May (where I showed a picture of Paws with an Obama button on). They suggested I check out the following youtube video. Wow! If I had a motorcycle, and I could do this without completely sending Paws over the deep end, I would give it a try.

Canvassing for Obama

2008-10-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, a picture-perfect New England day, Richard, Pat, Judy and I went to work for the Obama campaign up in Southern New Hampshire. We were sent off to neighborhoods in the Plaistow area to visit the homes of undecided voters to promote Barack Obama, and two other Democrats: Senatorial candidate Jeanne Shaheen for Senate and Congressman Paul Hodes. I'll remember three things about the day:
Outrageously beautiful foliage against a bright blue sky,
Really long driveways,
Friendly, staunchly independent voters

Much to my relief, we were received well by most of the folks we visited, the majority of whom expressed support for Sentator Obama and the other Democrats on the ballot. Thanks to Pat for suggesting and encouraging our participation, and to Judy for lending us the cool wheels (we borrowed her Prius!). Here's a picture of Richard enjoying a cup of coffee on the porch across the street from the Obama headquarters.

Milton, GA

2008-09-26T13:07:00.001-07:00

Last week we completed a retro fit in Milton, GA which is about an hour from Atlanta. The facility is own by Performance Food Group (PFG). The installation went very well and we even were able to get out of there a day early. We would have been able to leave even sooner if we received the correct parts and the parts on time. Neither of which happened. So about 3 hours wasted and $500 extra dollars later, we were able to finish the job and head home. The two guys pictured are Jason and Clark. Jason is a good old Virginia boy and Clark is a 20 year old trapped in a 42 year old body from North Carolina. Both guys are fun to hangout and work with. We drove back Wednesday night and Thursday morning and there were gas shortages all the way back. Apparently the hurricanes that affected Texas and Louisiana closed down the refineries for a few days and stopped the Southeastern pipeline from fulfilling its quotas. We had to do a little searching at times, but we found enough places with gas to make it back without any major delays. I'll be headed up to Minneapolis, MN this next week and taking a quick trip in the middle of the tour back to Virginia for Tiffany's cousin Nicole's wedding next weekend.

Grey Shauck

2008-09-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world Greyson Matthew Shauck!

8 lbs. 6 oz. born 9/18/2008 at Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Amanda and Grey are doing great. Everyone is exhausted and extremely happy. Click on the link below for a few more photos.

Greyson Matthew

Maddie turns 2. Ani prepares for Baby Brother

2008-09-15T06:45:00.000-07:00

Somehow the summer came and went in a blur. We have been amazingly fortunate to share so many good times with the kids on the west coast. In August we celebrated Madeline Grace's second birthday and helped Aniela prepare for Bubba's arrival. I uploaded a few pix that include onsie art work, a trip to the San Diego dog-beach with George, and Maddie's party.

We just got back from D.C. over the weekend (thanks to the generous support of the Wheaton resort and day-spa). Sean participated in the Nation's Triathlon which included a 1.5 mile dip in the Potomac. (ick-better him than me!). Then he had to bike 20 miles, which we have no proof of because Tiffany was in charge of the bike pictures and didn't catch him on film despite the fact that we saw him twice on that part of the race. Then he ran a 10k. Yeah Sean!!!

Big News:
We'll be heading out Wed night to meet our very first grandson, as yet nameless, who is due to arrive in this world Thursday morning. From there, down to San Fran for a couple of days to check out Kate and Sherm's new place.

First day of kindergarten

2008-09-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

I went to lunch for the first time. I had music class. I played the harp. I played sand blocks and these bells. And I played with these sticks. I went to recess three times. I had a pretzel and some graham crackers for snack.

Done with Florida!

2008-08-31T18:03:00.000-07:00

So after two months of the Florida heat and the ingestion of polyisocyanurate insulation day after day. I am finally finished working in Florida. Next week I will working in the Lyndhurst shop and following up the next week by heading down to Georgia to see what a typical service call is like. For my last tour in Florida, I managed to lose the key to the high security lock that allows access to one of our storage containers. Given that we were loading up a truck with everything inside of it the following day, we had to act fast to get the lock off. After a few drill bits, we finally resorted to a cutting torch and burned our way through the lock and was able to bang it off with a sledge hammer. Needless to say, I am sure that I am going to get rassed for this in the future.
After breaking two scissors lifts in the ice cream room and working until midnight, we were finally able to complete our installation in there. Apparently, certain scissor lifts are unable to perform at certain temperatures. The room we were working in was about 8 degrees Fahrenheit at the time. By now, it is sure to be pulled down to the desired temperature of -20 degrees. I'm certainly glad we have no work left to do in there.

Cousins' weekend in Maine 2008

2008-08-14T17:45:00.000-07:00

Here we go. Finally I got a minute to get some of my pix together from yet another amazingly fun cousins' weekend in Maine. We pretty much lived out the theme..."How to be in Maine" (from the very informative bathroom artwork of the same name):

Eat
Drink
Sleep
Repeat

We did plenty of that and added a few other activities:
Gamble, Bounce and Party! (oh yeah, and dirty scrabble too ;-)

I also got a clip on youtube of Becca's big moment. Enjoy. Hugs and many thanks to the everyone who made this possible.

Maine ~ The way life should be

In the News

2008-08-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

Walter turns 85

2008-07-21T07:08:00.001-07:00

Uncle Walter expressing his sincere thanks to Aunt Ann for planning the festivities!

Here's a Picasa slide show from Operation Orlando. Email me Ellenmfinnegan@aol.com if you want a CD of these pictures.

Life as an Insulator

2008-07-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

After two tours (4 weeks total), I have almost started feeling somehwat more comfortable with this insulation business. Slapping some Styrofoam on a bunch of pipe sounds easy enough, but ensuring the right joint compound, glue, tape, and other materials are used along with following the proper procedures to apply all of these can be quite daunting. Luckily for me, the job specs were written clearly and an 11 year insulation veteran was sent in to help out. The insulators aren't your typical group of guys since they are three boys (19 years old) from West Virginia. Just to give you an idea, one of the guys came back from one weekend without one of his front teeth due to a mud bogging accident! They are admittedly straight redneck country boys. Hard workers and fun to hang out with.
There have been a lot of issues with supervising the insulation portion of this job especially since I have no experience with it. The biggest thing that I have run into is receiving the incorrect materials whether they are the wrong size, color, or type. There tends to be a lot of gray areas between using the given materials and modifying them to complete the job or incur a delay and reorder the correct items. For instance, the picture to the right shows a couple valves that don't quite match up with the styro that was ordered for it. Instead of making a case about the issue and sending it back, we simply modified the material by cropping out part of the center section and recreating the mold. From what I am learning, all that matters is that the job gets done. I would like to take it a step further and add that the job gets done ... correctly.

Engagement photos.

2008-07-06T18:30:00.001-07:00

My aunt Cheryl had been dying to take engagement photos of Sean and I since he proposed, but hadn't been able to nail us both down in the same place (both showered and in decent clothes :-P) until this weekend. Here are a few....

PVD-SAN-SEA-BOS

2008-06-25T05:27:00.000-07:00

We just got back from the West Coast Progeny Triangle Tour. With about a half a zillion college credits in graduate English, you'd think I could do this on my own. But NO. I'm at a loss for words describing Aniela Malia and Madeline Grace. So I plugged my initial thoughts into thesaurus.com, and voilà:
Synonym Collection v1.1 Main Entry: clever Part of Speech: noun Synonyms: acumen, adroitness, bel esprit, bon mot, child prodigy, cleverness, dexterity, discernment, esprit, gumption, ingenuity, inventiveness, resourcefulness, whiz kid, wunderkind
Synonym Collection v1.1 Main Entry: adorable Part of Speech: adjective Synonyms: charming, cuddlesome, cute, delightful, divine, irresistible, lovable, lovely, precious, sweet, winsome
Synonym Collection v1.1 Main Entry: talented Part of Speech: adjective Synonyms: able, accomplished, adept, artistic, clever, gifted, skilled, smart

Corny? yes big time. But the truth is I am totally blown away by how much fun we have with the kids just goofing off. Madeline's vocabulary seemed to expand exponentially during the time we were there. She is a keen observer, and has a heck of a sense of humor. She can dance like there's no tomorrow, and runs directly into a rough surf, buck naked and without fear.

The rationale for our trip to Whidbey was Ani's recital, but what I will always remember is hanging out with her in the yard spinning yarns about what fantastic things might take place in the moonlight at Deer Lake when we're all tucked in asleep. We spent an hour trying to outdo each other...Raccoon marching bands and Coyotes playing on the slip & slide. I had the best time evah :-)

As far as the recital goes, I can honestly say I missed the first of her two dance numbers. When the curtain went up there were a half dozen little girls in pink tutus with fairy wings and tiaras dancing ballet to "When you wish upon a Star." I completely lost it, sobbing uncontrollably for reasons beyond me. I rallied to catch a few photos of the second number, a little tap routine set to Tarzan music. Of course, I'll cough up the money for the video. I'm sure Island Dance relies on the grandparents as a sure source of revenue.

Here's a few pix from the trip.

Link to Picasa web album

New Address

2008-06-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

Tiffany and I signed a lease this week on a townhouse in Charlottesville, VA. She will be headed there this weekend to start her new job at UVA! I will be around the next weekend to help move everything down. We're just renting a uHaul truck and hire help to load and unload it. Hopefully we can have everything in the house by Saturday. We are really excited about getting out of the city and get our lives a little bit more settled.
I posted a map below that shows the closes intersection to the house. On the satellite view, you can see where the subdivision is being built between 5th St SW and Welk Pl. The homes are all about a year or so old. The actual address is:

107 Old Fifth Circle
Charlottesville, VA 22903-4330

The house has 3 bedrooms and Tiffany is going to be lonely this first year with me traveling for work so you better come visit!

View Larger Map

News Flash from Whidbey Island

2008-06-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

It's a Boy! Ani will have a little brother sometime the end of September.

(click photo to enlarge)

Finnegan's foray into the political fray

2008-05-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

Letter to the Editor - Boston Globe
5/28/08

Life as an Electrician

2008-05-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

Going from a sedentary lifestyle in Cubical Land to on your feet for 12+ hours a day climbing up and down ladders and across pebble covered rooftops all day long can be quite the transition. Despite the new challenges that I have come to face with starting a completely new job that I have no experience in, I am truly enjoying myself as I am learning valuable skills and the culture of the company and construction industry.

The day starts around 6am, wake-up, and grab some continental breakfast at the Comfort Inn. Drive 2.4 miles to the job site and start work at 7am. 15 minute breaks at 9:30 and 4:30 and a half hour break for lunch at 12:30. We work until 7:30 and head back to the hotel and typical go out to dinner or relax and veg out until you go to sleep. Not all that exciting of a lifestyle, but you are constantly busy and the days go by quickly.

White House weekend

2008-05-21T04:21:00.000-07:00

We had the best time in D.C. this past weekend! Sean's friend Rob arranged a private tour of the East Wing of the White House. Coincidentally, the date fell on Susan's 18th birthday, which made it extra special.

After enjoying a scrumptious birthday dinner with the Judy and the kids the night before, we left Manchester uber-early on Saturday morning. Sean met us at BWI and we drove downtown to meet up with Tiff and her parents, who had driven in from Gloucester, VA for the occasion.

We are all immensely grateful to Rob to provide this tour on his day off. His narrative not only introduced us to the art, history, and artifacts of the historical rooms we visited, but also offered some insights into the duties White House Social Aides perform during official functions. I got a major kick out of seeing the famous Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington that Dolly Madison rescued during the fire during the war of 1812.

The tour was fantastic! This photo was taken just after the tour. From left to right, Richard, Susan, Ellen, Mike, Charlene, Tiffany, Sean, and Rob

After the tour, we walked and walked and walked and walked and...well, you get the idea. We saw the World War II Memorial, Reflecting Pool, Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Wall. Saturday night, we enjoyed dinner at Chef Geoff's, and celebrated Charlene and Susan's birthdays. The next morning we visited Washington National Cathedral.

There was a lot of running around, but also some much needed down-time which allowed the new 'in-laws' to get acquainted. Here's a slide show with a few more photos:

Bassets for Obama

2008-05-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

Hooray! Obama wins N.C.

As you all know Richard and I are passionate Obama supporters. And, our enthusiasm seems to have been contagious. Here's Paws hanging on Tim Russet's every word waiting for late results from Lake County, Indiana.

Paws was quoted as saying, 'every dog has her day, but it's over for Hillary.'

Go Obama!

Save the date!

2008-04-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Tiffany and I spent last weekend down in Virginia searching for the perfect venue to host our wedding ceremony and reception. By the end, we picked a place, date, and Tiffany even bought her wedding dress. She'll have to describe it to you since I wasn't afforded the opportunity to see it yet.
Our ceremony and reception will be held on Saturday, December 13th at the Ford's Colony Country Club in Williamsburg, VA. They have a large banquet room to hold the wedding with a covered pavilion to hold the reception. All I have left to do is order my coffee ice cream with Reese's Peanut Butter Cup cake(s). jk, not about the cake, but that there is still much more to be done. Like order the pizzas!

Engaged!

2008-04-13T18:27:00.000-07:00

On April 11th, at sunset, on the cliffs of La Jolla Cove, I asked Tiffany Lynn Harvey to marry me! Better yet, she said YES! We had dinner at George's on the Cove. We had a great table in the corner over looking the cove and the ocean and enjoyed some great seafood. At one point during the dinner, Tiffany mentioned that she needed some dental floss. I told her that I had some in the car (this little fact will become important later). After finishing dinner earlier than expected, I stalled by asking Tiffany if she wanted to look in some shops. We checked out a few stores and also grabbed coffee and desert at a nearby cafe. We then strolled along the cliff's sidewalks and checked out the seals. At just about sunset, we reached a little patch of grass up on a bluff that had a great view of the breaking waves and rocks below. I babbled for a little bit about how great Tiffany is and how we will spend the rest of our lives together. Tiffany started to get some thoughts in her head of where this conversation was going. I then mentioned to her that I forgot that I had the floss in my pocket the whole time. Once I pulled out the floss, her thoughts changed gears. That is until I cracked open the floss case and pulled out the ring! It was random that she asked for it during dinner and I had only decided to put it in there a few hours before as I was walking around the hotel room looking for a smaller case than the one it came in so that it didn't look obvious in my pocket. Needless to say, she was very surprised and very happy. We'll be sure to keep you posted as we look to set a date and do all of that other marriage preparation type stuff. Thanks to Anastasia and Chris for letting us spend some time with them and Maddie this weekend. We had a great time.

Vince & Celia

2008-04-09T07:29:00.001-07:00

My cousin Anni's kids - Vince and Celia Mermelstein - are growing with leaps and bounds, and they're are just weeks away from welcoming their new sibling into the world!
http://pomarole-flahertyfamily.blogspot.com/2008/04/vince-and-celia.html

Me and Cooper

2008-04-04T19:08:00.000-07:00

Thought you guys would want some more pictures of me and Cooper. He likes to chew on things and he gets kinda crazy when he knows I am around and he can't come get me. I am taking him to Petsmart training class tomorrow morning. Here's the pictures

Destination: Ocala

2008-03-31T18:21:00.000-07:00

Last Friday Richard and I flew down to Ocala, Florida, to visit Aunt Ann and Uncle Walter at their home in the Oak Run community. There are so many amenities at Oak Run, its tough to name them all. Click HERE to visit the Oak Run website and read about the golf, restaurants and recreation facilities!

We enjoyed great weather and superb hospitality. We were basically spoiled rotten. Here's a few photos from the trip:

Here's Aunt Ann and I outside the Orchid Club. This recreation facility is close to their house. It has a ceramics studio where Aunt Ann does her projects, a multi-purpose function room for movies, banquets, and other events, and a full health club facility.

No. This isn't a "Whitey Bulger" sighting. Its Unc and I enjoying his daily ritual visit to the hot tub at the Orchid Club. Richard enjoyed some R&R poolside. Check out the tan! (not on us - check out Uncle Walter's tan) courtesy of good 'ole Florida sunshine.

We had a great lunch at one of the restaurants at Oak Run on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday evening we celebrated Aunt Ann's 84th birthday at Grille 754 in Ocala.

Sunday evening came around way too fast, and it was time for good-byes.

We had an awesome time and look forward to our next visit to the Sunshine State!

Career Path

2008-03-26T05:23:00.000-07:00

So I will be finishing up with the Coast Guard on May 20th and since I was given a little time off, my last day will actually be April 18th. That being said, I am tentatively scheduled to start my new job on May 5th! I will be working as an electrical engineer for Innovative Refrigeration Systems (website will be my first task) based out of Lyndhurst, VA. They will expect me to work with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), ladder logic and a bunch of other stuff that I have no idea about. Don't worry though, they understand that I have no practical experience. "They like me for me." Honestly though, they are looking at the big picture and the potential for me to lead their company and help them to be successful. Yeah, I know, scary. The picture of Sherando Lake is just up the road from where the offices are.
The company's main focus is large scale refrigeration systems for warehouse size buildings such as meat packing plants and produce distribution centers. For the first year, I will be sent out to job sites where the installations are taking place and work from the bottom up until I have a full understanding of EVERYTHING. Then I will move to Lyndhurst in the summer of '09 and work in the office with the other (more experienced) engineers. After a year or two with them, I will be expected to take over a more senior managerial position. I'm really excited about the opportunity. Lyndhurst, VA is situated directly between University of Virginia (UVA) and James Madison University (JMU) (each about 30 minutes). Tiffany went to undergrad at UVA and both schools have audiology programs so the potential for her to find a teaching position is fantastic. Her professors are already contacting their friends at each school getting her name out there.
It seems like the past couple of years have just flown by and the next year will be sure to move just as quickly. However, this next year will be long 12 hour days, 10 days on 4 days off, with additional time at night learning on my own time. I don't expect things to be easy, but I do plan to surpass expectations and prove to this company that they have made a great investment. I really appreciate everyone's assistance in getting me here.

Ani's 5th birthday

2008-03-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

We made a quick trip out to Whidbey Island for Ani's fifth birthday. Here's a couple of pix -all dressed up in her new birthday tutu, courtesy of Aunt Kate and opening up her new Dora Hideaway, a gift from the Livermore family.

Here's a link to the slide show of photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/closethedistance/AniS5thBirthday

Cooper

2008-02-25T16:51:00.000-08:00

I went down to the pound last Sunday to see if there was a dog for me. After getting there I wasn't quite ready for the conditions the dogs are kept in. The dogs at the pound are really noisy and a lot of them want to meet you really bad. I found a dog there that was friendly and chill. I got to play with him, and it was such a treat I decided to adopt him!

I had to wait for him to get shots and fixed, so I picked him up on Wednesday. He is really furry and soft to match his friendly personality. He gets along well with people and other dogs. He's a gentleman-dog.

Here's some pictures

Puerto Vallarta

2008-02-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

This was one of those times where its tough not to overdo the superlatives. The beauty of this place, hospitality of the staff, and warmth of being surrounded by family and friends has me grasping for words to capture it all. Here's a couple of shots:

or, if you have time, check out the slide show.

D.C. weekend!

2008-02-10T18:47:00.000-08:00

Hey - Check out the newest Barry Manilow fans! Well, maybe not, but Sean and Tiffany were really good sports at indulging my eclectic music tastes. They accompanied Richard and me to the Barry Manilow concert at the D.C. Verizon Center. I was really relieved to find that Barry has not had a hit song since the mid 70's, so I knew the words to everything that he sang. Prior to attending the concert, I downloaded the Ultimate Manilow and popped it in the Tiffany's car CD player so they could get acquainted with the music. Lucky kids! You should be so lucky too! Check it out!

What else did we do in D.C.? Well, we always try a new restaurant or two. Saturday we had a late lunch at La Tomate at Dupont Circle. Great food, great service, great prices. Also, Sunday we enjoyed a super brunch at Busboys and Poets in the Shirlington Village section of Arlington.
Sean and Richard also did some home repairs putting some finishing

touches on Sean's condo.

The condo is compact, but Sean makes very good use of space, as illustrated in this Youtube video:

It's been fun to see the progress at Sean's place. Chez Finz is quickly becoming the place to stay when you're in the D.C. area!

Barack my world!

2008-02-05T10:37:00.000-08:00

Susan, Richard and I braved the cold with thousands of others last night for a chance to get in to the election-eve Barack Obama rally at the Seaport Convention Center in Boston.

It was a who's- who of Massachusetts politics, including Governor Deval Patrick, Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, and Caroline Kennedy.

We had a great time chanting and cheering and generally whooping it up with Obama faithful. Lots of young people. Overall the crowd was a cross section of Boston--Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and of course, plenty of Irish! In a cool coincidence, an old Academy friend, of Sean's (James Miller), recognized Richard and me in the crowd and stood with us during the rally.

The crowd went crazy when the Senator took the stage. Here's a little clip of the early moments of his speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iv7Lgrehptw

As the hour grew late, he wrapped it up with a message of hope. It was an awesome time.

Politics - heaven or hell?

2008-02-02T10:27:00.000-08:00

I got this from a friend (a Republican friend) down in Florida. Rather than forwarding it to everyone, I decided to post it here. Enjoy :-)

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance. 'Welcome to heaven,' says St. Peter. 'Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you.'

'No problem, just let me in,' says the man.

'Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.'

'Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,' says the senator.

'I'm sorry, but we have our rules.'

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne. Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

'Now it's time to visit heaven.'

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

'Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.'

The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: 'Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.'

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. 'I don't understand,' stammers the senator. 'Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?'

The devil looks at him, smiles and says, 'Yesterday we were campaigning......
Today you voted.'

S.D. 2008

2008-01-24T06:21:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Anastasia, Chris, and Maddie for being such wonderful hosts for our family vacation. I loaded some of the pictures into Picasa Web Albums. Click on the link below to access the album:

Jan 08

Holiday Cheer

2008-01-02T12:21:00.000-08:00

Michael (my brother in law) and Lauren got married this past weekend. It was a beautiful, small, to the point ceremony and reception - I think more weddings should be so tastefully simple. The couple seemed so happy!

Madeline absolutely LOVED ripping apart wrapping paper. When Scott went to open his present, she got mad! So here she is being distracted by Grammy Shuga opening one of her own.

New Year's Day 2008

2008-01-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful New Year's day; a lazy day that passed too quickly. Our day consisted of coffee, newspaper, eating, drinking, running, and reading. Life is good and we are blessed.

It's hard to believe that retail stores are open, or that people would want to shop. The U.S. economy will have to muddle along without our $$ today. Besides, Richard and I have done more than our share to bolster the profits of the airline industry in 2007. Thanks to our new companion pass status with SWA, we look forward to a year of flying twice as often at half the price. To family and friends outside of New England: consider that a warning.

To everyone: we wish you a happy, healthy 2008.

Ani's first blog entry

2007-12-17T16:59:00.000-08:00

I went to the nutcracker. There were Dancing Jelly Fish and the Rat King and little mices too.

I went to see Santa and I asked for Snow White stuff.

I made a counting video.

CG Ball and Trans Siberia

2007-12-17T08:21:00.000-08:00

On Friday night, Jay & Kelly, Jon & Ashley, Brandon & Jess, Keith & Brigid, and Tiffany & I attended the Coast Guard Ball at the Renaissance Hotel in NW DC. It was a fun evening filled with good food, dancing, and friends. The dinner was very formal with speeches by the Commandant, Admiral Allen and the Commodore of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Steven Budar. The main ballroom had a brass band playing a variety of music and in a different hall, there was a Jimmy Buffett impersonation band playing. Everyone seemed to have a great time and Brandon seemed to have the most fun. Unfortunately his fun led to the loss of his camera which had a lot of great pictures on it. Hopefully it turns up in the near future. You may notice that Jay and I have only one stripe on our wrists indicating the rank of Ensign. This was NOT my fault. I took the jackets into the tailor to be striped at the beginning of the week and returned the night before the dance. She had the jackets out and said that she was just finishing them up. When I went back the next day, she hadn't done a thing. There wasn't anytime left of course to do anything so we just wore them as-is. Nobody really noticed except for people that Jon and Brandon pointed it out to see.

On Sunday night, Jon & Ashley and Tiffany & I went to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra perform at the Verizon Center. It was quite the production. They must have had hundreds of lights, lasers, and fog machines to put on that show. The most incredible thing is that it was completely setup the night before in Long Island for a show there. We had dinner at this tapas style Mexican restaurant called Oyamel's near the center. It was the worst dinner experience we have had in DC. Slow service, forgotten orders, bad management, just all around lousy. Needless to say, we tried and won't be going back.

New Ride

2007-12-09T22:57:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all. I just wanted to share with you my new ride. I went everywhere looking for an economy car and with it being the end of the year I thought there was going to be some blowouts. Well, the only blowouts on car prices were my expectations. I went to the biggest Ford, Crysler, GM, Toyata, Honda and Nissan dealers in the state and I walked away without a car and a long bike ride home. Finally, I found a deal and a great ride to. After talking to the Fleet Manager of Tempe Hyundai and checking car reviews I decided to test drive the Sonata. It is great and consumer reports rates it as excellent dependability across the board. This is the first brand new car I have ever purchased and it is such a treat. I walked into the dealership with a number and I was given a better price than I had bargained for!

Let me tell you. I am driving on a cloud. I had such a buzz I couldn't feel my toes while I was signing the documents. Thank you to everyone for all of the encouragement.

Sooooooo close!

2007-12-08T06:21:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Sean's condo remodeling we are going to get our companion pass. One more credit card statement will hit our account before the 17th. Now I know how this works. You just charge up a storm on your credit card, and then fly for free the following year! Yeah!!!!

Condo Overhaul

2007-11-29T06:23:00.000-08:00

So after much designing and planning, I finally had my furniture installed in my condo. There were a few small problems with the setup, but overall, I am very happy with the result. Here are a couple pictures from my camera phone to give you a taste of the end result...

A few of the small issues that presented themselves include the bookshelves not being flush with the end of the table as opposed to the wall and the end bookcase next to the bed not being cutout and placed over the light switch next to the door so that there is more storage space on the otherside for my snowboard and things. I will be working with the install company to either come back out or cut back the price a little bit.

I slept on the bed last night and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it since it is a little stiffer than what I am used to, but I woke up this morning and I didn't want to move. My whole body just felt great. I only have the kitchen counter left and a rug and loveseat to get before I can say that I am completely done with remodeling ideas.

Two and Three Weeks Ago

2007-11-25T06:54:00.000-08:00

Tiffany and I went to Chicago a few weekends ago just to go. It has been a city that I have always wanted to visit and we found some really cheap flights so we said why not? We took the metro from Chicago-Midway into the city and walked around trying to get our bearings before heading down to Navy Pier. I am sure that during the summer it is full of activity, but we were there on a cold windy night. There were still people out and about and lots of folks going out on dinner cruises. We walked the length of the pier and had dinner at one of the restaurants along the way. We also stopped to take this picture with the downtown skyline.

We stopped in Giordano's Pizza as recommended by some of the locals for authentic Chicago style pizza. Little did we know that it takes 45 minutes to prepare an authentic Chicago style pizza. We didn't mind the wait. The style of pizza, is...different. I really didn't care for it to be honest. I will stick to traditional or New York style any day of the week.

We did of course go to the top of the Sears tower. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have roof access, but that is probably due to the frequency of wind or something. BTW, it is no longer the world's tallest building, the tower in Dubai passed it up this year.

Justin came into town two weekends ago since we had some rapid rewards coupons that were going to expire if they weren't used by the end of the month. We went to a club in Georgetown one night, shot some billiards in Adams Morgan on another night, and went to some museums during the day. We also met up with Justin's friend Carrie who lives in the District and went to a Vegan restaurant that is (unbeknown to me) a few blocks away from me. Luckily they had pancakes so I didn't starve. They were wheat of course, but actually pretty good. One of the nights, we went to a mystery dinner theater. It was a country western theme and Justin was selected as one of the volunteers to participate in a few contests. In this picture, Justin is attempting to shoot a card off of the top of the guys head. He missed. He was able to lasso the guy though in a different event. It was a fun weekend.

Google calendar: a year of family events

2007-11-23T10:47:00.000-08:00

Here's a new feature to share some important dates. The calendar is shared between the closethedistance blog and the pomarole-flahertyfamily blog. I am really bad at dates. Someone please paw through the year and help me out with birthdays, anniversaries and all days special. Then I'll update my google calendar. Definitely missing:
Amanda's birthday, Matt and Amanda's anniversary, Please check dates when you can.
Thanks! Ellen
note: the "Agenda view" third tab over works the best. I'm having trouble dealing with page width constraints.

Holiday Light Show to Trans Siberian

2007-11-20T17:59:00.001-08:00

This should start to get everyone in the Holiday Spirit!

Verizon

2007-11-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

So I have good news for everyone. I am sticking with Verizon. After much speculation as to whether or not Verizon would compete with the iPhone, they have released the XV-10000, otherwise known as the "Voyager." Although not highly publicized, it will rival the iPhone with it's touch screen display, 8gb memory capacity (microSD card), and Mobile Web 2.0 browswer. Now here are a few areas where the Voyager will surpass the iPhone:

Verizon Network (in calling, faster, larger,reliable)
QWERTY keyboard
Send picture and video messages (iPhone can take, but not send to other phones)
More durable (especially the screen)
You can buy insurance
External battery so you can buy a new battery without replacing the phone
VZ Navigator
Mobile TV
Better speakers
Two screens
Autofocus on 2MP camera

Disadvantages: Isn't as cool. No Wifi. No cool integration with computer or instant blogging.

OR

2007-11-18T08:34:00.001-08:00

I went to Portland to see Kate. Had a great time in the rain. Much to Kate's dismay, I purchased this not so fashionable rain poncho for the trip. I'd rather be dry than be fashionable. We went to Multnomah Falls - tilt your head and check out my very first youtube video evah!

YouTube video of Kate at Multnomah

Ok - Techy family members: Does anyone have a way of rotating film? I keep doing the same thing - taking video in portrait vs. landscape view. How do I get my shortcut to reflect a Youtube icon?

Oh yeah. If you go to Portland, check out Powell's, the world's largest independent bookstore. Its a dangerous place to be with cash in your pockets. We spent our way through the afternoon.

Sean runs DC!!

2007-11-04T06:54:00.001-08:00

I invite everyone to congratulate Sean on the completion of his first full marathon. The Marine Corps Marathon, dubbed "The People's Marathon" took place on October 28. It was a well-organized race on a beautiful day. We were able to spot Sean a couple of times around the National Mall (mi. 12-14). Due to our lack of familiarity with the metro and the course, we never saw each other at the Pentagon (mi. 23). Fortunately, we met up with him at the USCG tent at the finish line. I was so excited to see him, I forgot to take pictures.

Since race took place in the midst of the World Series, we were decked out in Red Sox gear cheering on the runners. An unexpected surprise--just as many runners were cheering for us - yelling "Go Boston...Go Sox" I guess Red Sox nation runs!

A few good shots

2007-10-24T15:32:00.001-07:00

Mid-October grandparent visit.
A beautiful day at Coronado Island, swimming in the Pacific, in yes, October.

My cutie has Brewster bootie.

It was a gorgeous day.

Madeline has an unnerving lack of fear

Maddie "Mad Dogg" Brewster with Papa Dogg.

Beantown fans aplenty in Boulder

2007-10-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

Check out story in the Boulder paper The Daily Camera. Kate got interviewed in a sports bar watching the game Sun night!
http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2007/oct/22/rockies-bound-for-boston-beantown-fans-aplenty/

The Badlands

2007-10-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

This is the gang that went out west to see the Badlands. We are here at an authentic barbeque. Steak, beans, cornbread and lots of western music. We got to the barbeque in a coveredwagon on wheels.

Lots of fun!

These ladies are from the Wacky Women Wanderers in Norwood, MA.

Jeanne J

Check out West Coast cuties

2007-10-11T06:37:00.000-07:00

Hi - there's some pix of our recent trip over on the Pomarole-FlahertyFamily Blog: http://pomarole-flahertyfamily.blogspot.com/2007/10/west-coast-cuties.html