On Sunday, Susanna and I took a day trip to the city.  It was a perfect break.  The weather was warm.  Too warm for October – almost 80.  I dropped the boys off in the morning, and we headed to New Haven to catch a late morning train to New York.

We got there just in time for a late lunch and a nice afternoon walking around – ending the afternoon at Bryant Park.  Of course, it is much better to to read about the trip in Susanna’s blog – “Nutrition for my urban soul” (it might be easier to read using Google translate… at least it is for me).

Today I decided to take an easy day.  I was planning on picking up some rough cut cherry in western MA, but decided to hang out at home instead (I’ll get it next weekend).  It was another perfect day for house projects (Ok, I only took a little break from the projects this weekend).   I did some more painting of storm windows, and started working on the next woodworking project.  I’m making a pair of shelves for the boys rooms ( the weekend wall shelf found wood whisperer website – but out of birch).

Tonight, Susanna and I headed to Providence to take a swing dancing class.  We got there and stood outside with the other students waiting for the instructor to show up for about 30 minutes… then gave up.  We decided to have some cheesecake on the statehouse steps in Providence – a nice way to end the evening.

I had another good weekend…. I got lots done.  It is Mother’s Day weekend, so the boys went to their mom’s house on Saturday morning.  But she let them stay until 11 instead of the usual 9AM.  But of course the boys were up at 6AM on Saturday.  And Will got upset because I had asked him to stay in bed until 7 (really wanting them to let me sleep in), but I forgot to tell Ben, so Ben got me up early.  And I thought Will was still sleeping, so I didn’t go bother him.  He came downstairs upset that he had to stay in his room until 7.

Friday after school I took the boys to Fleming’s Feed store so they could get flowers for the garden.  Will had decided he wanted to take one of the raised beds for his garden.    Will and Ben picked flowers out and we headed home.  Ben decided to take part of one of the other raised beds for his flowers.  I helped both boys weed and then plant their flowers.

Saturday morning we went to Holdridge’s nursery and got more flowers for their beds.  And we planted the rest of the flowers.  So, out of the three raised beds, the first on is cleared, and I planted seeds for a mixed flower bed.  The second one is 1/2 Ben’s flowers, and I planted onions, broccoli and strawberries on the other half.  Ok, strange mix.  The third one (the smallest) is Will’s.  We cleared half of it and planted his flowers.  When he gets back this week we will have to clear the other half of it so he can plant the seeds (flowers and melons).

I am also getting the daylillies in the front flower bed.  It looks pretty bare this early in the year.  I’m thinking I’ll plant some early bulbs in the fall and get flowers earlier in the spring.  Maybe daffodils .  I’ll have all summer to think about it.

I was able to get a little bit of work done on Ben’s room – I painted the sashes for the last window (painted the inside).  Now I have to get glass for them this week and set the glass and paint the exterior.

Of course, the highlight of the weekend for the dogs is the Sunday, hikes with dogs.  It was a 2 hour hike at one of my favorite locations (Machimoodus State Park).  I actually let Tucker off the leash for a bit.  Until he picked up a scent and tried to follow it off.  Luckily it was up a very steep hill and he couldn’t make it up.  He came tumbling back down and I was able to grab him and put him on a leash.

And to top it off, I was able to clean my workshop out a bit… it is almost usable.  Next weekend is camping on the Connecticut River with my dad and the boys – if it doesn’t rain.

I didn’t get everything completed I had hoped for the weekend.  But it was a good weekend nonetheless.   I didn’t get to Ben’s room (yes, I need to get some work done on the room – it’s been uncompleted for a very long time, and is almost finished) or to the camping gear (which I need to do soon because I’m going camping with the boys on the 13th if the weather supports).

I did get Will a new bicycle and Ben a new bicycle helmet.   Ben got Will’s old bike.  Both boys were very excited to go for a bike ride, and the weather on Saturday was perfect for biking.  I rode with them down to the cemetery around the corner, and we rode there for a while.  Now to find some easy bike trails around the state this summer.

All three of us got hair cuts.  Will complained the most, and of course he got the least cut off.

I did clean the house.  A little bit.  One of these days I’ll invite guests over and have to really clean it.  I also mowed part of the yard – at least the part that I had planned for the weekend.

I installed the new stereo in the Jeep.  I had expected it to be more difficult than it was.  It is nice to actually have a project that goes as planned once in a while.  I also found time to start a bonfire (ok, more of a camping fire this time).  Will and Ben begged for one.  As soon as I lit the fire, the neighbor drove down with his backhoe and started moving dirt around in the field next door.  So the boys ignored the fire and went over there to watch.  Go figure.  And then we finished Saturday with homemade pizza.   And to be crazy, I used actual pizza sauce instead of the normal (being lazy) pasta sauce.

Today – transition morning.  A nice homemade breakfast with the boys (with eggs thanks to Mark and Rob – the boys prefer the local eggs).  Then after the boys left, I went to Nayantaquit Trail and met the Hiking with Dogs meetup.com group.  We hiked for two hours (with breaks).  Targa and Tucker couldn’t be happier.  They get so excited about the hikes, that as soon as we pull into the parking lot and they see the dogs running around, they go crazy.  I actually let Tucker off the leash a bit today (but only a little bit).  And Targa finally made a friend on the hike (a German Shepard named Zeus).

Let’s see if the weather tomorrow supports me biking into work…

Things that I want to get done this weekend..

-Clean the house a little bit (good thing no one is coming over – but maybe I should start having guests so I will actually have incentive to clean)
-Get hair cuts
-Go to the bike store
-Clean out camping gear
-Go for a bike ride
-Light a bonfire (ok, no problem if we don’t)
-Make Pizza
-Mow the yard.  At least part of it
-Go on a hike with the dogs
-Work on finishing Ben’s room
-Install the new stereo in the car

I’ am sure I had more on the list, but that is what I can remember this am.

We will see how much I get done…

I’ve only had two glasses of wine tonight… I should wait.  I’m pretty sure I’m much funnier after more than two glasses of wine.  Or 3 or 4 margaritas.

Things I learned while on travel in San Diego:

– It is much more fun to be on shore than on the submarine (sorry Ryan).
– It is much more expensive to be on shore than on the submarine (you’re welcome, Ryan).
– If you are going to go to old town with the girls and chaperone them while dress shopping, make sure to not be the designated driver.
– It is not a difficult goal to complain less than C (again some names changed to protect the not so innocent) while chaperoning the girls dress shopping in old town – even if you are the designated driver.  An iPhone is good for that.
– To get to the Gaslamp Hilton from 5th street, you do NOT walk to the end of the street (thanks to the many times S pointed that out – and no I didn’t learn that while I was there).
– Do not argue with S if she is giving directions.  She is almost always right.  And if she is not, it still isn’t worth arguing.
– I talk a lot when I drink.  Ok.  Not a new lesson learned.
– B has the funniest stories (see part 1 of Stories from the road).
– Bumper cars are really for the 8 year old kids.
– The Gaslamp Strip Club is, well, a steak place.
– That C’s version of the golden rule is something like, “Don’t pee in the cup you drink from.”  I’m not sure where he went to Sunday school.
– If you think you should have Pi tattooed on your arm, you really did study too much math at college.
– The pack a day smoker doesn’t think it is as funny as the rest of us whenever you turn a corner on the trail and see another long up hill.  Then again, we only thought it was funny because of the smoker.
– I do not look good in a large sombrero with “Mexico” written on the brim.
– “Hanna” is a strange movie.
– San Diego is still cheaper than San Francisco.  And no, that story doesn’t need to be told.
– There is a store in Old Town that sells voodoo dolls.  Pretty cool.

I’m sure I have forgotten a few.  I’ll just have to blame it on being old and not having such a good memory.  Or just too many margaritas.  I will leave it to the kids to add anything I missed.

Again… the names are changed to protect the not so innocent.

True story by B.  From his last trip to San Diego.   The evening started at the Gaslamp Tavern.  As it almost always does. He had been drinking a little at the tavern, but went back to his room early and went to bed.  He got up around midnight to go to the bathroom, but instead of opening the bathroom door and going into the bathroom, he opened the front door and stepped into the hall.  He didn’t realize (i.e. wake up enough) what happened until the door shut behind him.  There he is in his shorts only without a key.  Or ID.  He has to go to the front desk to get a new room key.  And they give him trouble… he asks, “Do I look like a vagrant?”  Of course he does.  In the lobby, nothing but shorts.  At midnight.  And the Hilton is still busy at midnight.  And he still has to go to the bathroom.  But he gets his key.

Of course he told me the story while sitting at the Gaslamp Tavern.  I laughed so hard I almost fell off my chair.  And that is why I put the chain on my door at night in a hotel.  Not to keep people out, but to keep me in.  Now that he told the story, I’m sure somewhere in my unconscious it will be sitting there telling me to open the hall door instead of the bathroom door.

A quote from Facebook:

Carrie: Things you don’t want to hear come out of your plumbers mouth: Oh wow.  That’s really old.  We might have to replace everything.  Let me call someone and ask them.

Aidan: Or your gynecologist.

I actually made it to San Diego.  After a rough start.  I missed the boat (literally) and had to switch jobs – staying on shore.  Of course it wound up being a week of nothing but waiting, with the events finally getting cancelled late Friday night.  I was there until Monday night for other work, so I got a full week in San Diego, for about 2 hours of real work.  Which makes an expensive trip.

But I had fun – it was nice to get to know some of the people I work with better.

Things I did:
– Walked the 2 miles up to Balboa park and enjoyed some peace and quiet
– Went to an amusement park (definitely something to do again).
– Went on a long hike and nearly lost Steve up the long long hill (on the Fortuna Saddle Trail in the Mission Trails Regional Park).
– Ate at lots of great restaurants (and not just the Gaslamp Tavern – though I visited there a lot – Bob and Charlie seem to live there).
– Had breakfast nearly every day at the Brickyard Cafe (Sarah convinced me one morning to go to Lions Coffee and Steve another to Fields – which was the biggest breakfast I ever ate).
– Went to a dueling piano bar.
– Talked a lot (something I do when I drink).
– Toured Old Town.
– Actually met a useful security guard on a Navy Base (first time for everything).
– Actually did some work (I did really work at least parts of two of the days).

Quote of the trip (but not the story of the trip – that is Bob’s alone):

me: Ryan, I’m on my way to pick you up; Sarah and Michele decided to come along to see the base.

Ryan: What the f*&k, have they never seen a pier before.

Anyway, more stories later (I think).  Here are some pictures of the trip

The first part of the hike was down to the old Mission Dam.