2010 Boston Marathon

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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!