A very happy 4th of July to all.
May your day be filled with family, friends, BBQ’s and fireworks.
Happy Birthday, America.
Happy Independence Day July 4, 2009
Die Hard = Awesome Wife June 29, 2009
To escape the obscene 115 degree heat yesterday, the Husband and I resorted to staying cool indoors by watching 80’s movies on the tele. Little did I know that watching Die Hard (1988) would lead to a surprising realization by the Hubs.
As we were watching Die Hard, our conversation went down something like this:
Me: Don’t you just love Christmas movies in the heat of the summer. It makes me forget how hot it actually is outside.
Hubs: Wow, you’re an awesome wife.
Me: Well, yes I am but where did that come from?
Hubs: You’re an awesome wife because you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie.
There you go girls… come Christmas, think about suggesting Die Hard as your holiday pick. Your husband will love you for it!
In the Swing of Things June 26, 2009
The weather has been absolutely gorgeous here and the Hubs and I have been taking advantage of it by heading to the driving range a few times a week. Now, I’m not that good and have never played a round of golf in my life but I do enjoy the driving range- most of the time, actually, mostly when I’m swinging well, ha! I’m slowly getting the hang of it thanks to the Hubs. Paul is pretty good at golf to begin with so he’s my private instructor. Thankfully he puts up with my impatience and my clumsy nature which results in him nearly being whacked with my club or hit by my ball that’s gone astray. He’s a good sport and isn’t even getting paid despite the dangers! I have to say, my swing is getting better and I’m beginning to hit it straight rather than slicing it or shanking it or whatever the correct golf term is. The next thing to work on is increasing the distance… I really can’t hit it that far, yet, but I’m sure that’s just a few more swings away.
The Lazy Dog Days of Summer June 10, 2009
Sleeping…
Cuddling with her friends….
And posing for her close-up:
Tough life, huh?
The Art of Penmanship May 30, 2009
For the longest time, I have wanted to learn the timeless art of calligraphy. Unfortunately, work, lack of time and daily responsibilities always prevented me from giving it a go. Although I don’t think I have the greatest penmanship to start with, I’ve always been intrigued by hand-crafted lettering. The elegance, balance and dedication it takes to perfect the antiquated art is outstanding. Since I have some free time on my hands, I finally decided to seize the moment and enrolled in a local calligraphy class.
What I’ve learned so far is that calligraphy, like any type of art, takes practice and patience. It is hard work and it will be a long time before I’ll be able to master it. Let’s just say I have a better understanding of why hiring a calligrapher can cost a small fortune. After learning the very basics, I can appreciate the amount of effort and consistency it takes to create a beautiful piece of work. Once you get a hang of the form, you’re able to use your own creativity and fashion a style that suits your own taste. Unfortunately, it will be a long time until I reach that point. Until then, I’ll keep plugging away… slowly.
Photo from here.
Red Sox Birthday May 29, 2009
Dad received Red Sox tickets for his birthday. It just so happened the BoSox were going to be in town playing against the Angels just a few days after his birthday. It was a no-brainer to get tickets! All four of us made the ride to Anaheim and had a great time at the ball park. Although the Red Sox lost (boo!) it was fun and Dad had a great day. I think there might have been just as many Red Sox fans present as Angel fans. Red Sox nation is everywhere!
Dad’s Birthday Hoopla May 28, 2009
As I mentioned before, we celebrated Dad’s 75th birthday. It was a rather small celebration as we’re hoping to have a big party for him back in Boston some time soon. We went out for dinner at one of Dad’s favorite restaurants and we returned home to enjoy some cake and open presents. Dad got some nice gifts including tickets to a Red Sox game (against the Angels), a customized Red Sox shirt, clothes and tickets to see the magician, David Copperfield. Here are some much overdue photos of Dad’s big day.
We bought these musical birthday cards that when you open them up, they play a memorable song. I think Dad really enjoyed them… here are two videos of him singing along with the cards.
Christchurch May 27, 2009
We eventually finished our trip in Christchurch. Known as the ‘Garden City’ due to the well-established expansive parks and public gardens, Christchurch is New Zealand’s second largest city and the largest city on the South Island. Since it was the end of our trip, we didn’t spend that much time in Christchurch as we had previously been there before and we had to re-arrange our schedule due to the weather. So, there aren’t nearly as many photos but we had a lovely stay at the stylish boutique hotel, Hotel Off the Square. The hotel is located behind Christchurch Cathedral, which is part of Cathedral Square, and above the old historic tram tracks. We enjoyed our last few days just wandering the city and taking in the sights. Then, the time came to bid farewell to beautiful New Zealand. We had a fantastic trip, if I do say so myself.
