Boston, Week 2

After we watched the cardboard boxes and packing paper stack up on our driveway, we decided to enlist the services of the local garbage collectors. It cost us $50 to have them pick up just the boxes, but it felt wonderful to watch the trash disappear without any effort on my part. While I am glad not to have to service my own trash, I see the virtue in doing so. If we had to handle our own trash beyond taking it to the curb, it is safe to assume that we would look for ways to consume less. One day, when the weather thaws next Spring, I might be ready to head to the transfer station. Until then, and especially when two feet of snow covers the ground, I will be happy to watch someone else take my trash away for me.

On Saturday, we drove out to Minuteman Park, took a short hike along the trail that Paul Revere rode, and watched a short video at the Visitor's Center. The trail looked like a perfect place for a future bike ride. We drove by Walden Pond, but it was so full of visitors, that it was closed until enough people left. From the road, the "pond" was beautiful. We made plans to take Audrey there to swim on her birthday, but we later heard that the spring flooding reduced the beach-front entry on the beach there. How cool would it be to say that you went swimming in Walden Pond for your birthday?

We spent the past few days visiting a local lake as a family and with friends. It has been nice to work on my tan while the kids played on the beach. Apparently I have "graduated" from chasing my kids at the beach to merely keeping a head-count (a fairly constant head count, but still) as I relax with my book and chat with my friends at the edge of the water. I feel like I have put my time in and can watch as other young moms keep their babies from eating sand, run off from the group or wade too deep in the water. Of course, if Audrey had inherited the thrill-seeking McMullin gene, it would be a whole different ball game. She would be running off, going in too deep, doing running front flips into the water like Zach did before he could swim. As it is, Audrey is content to stay in the shallows, knows her boundaries, and would not be found without me or her siblings. Also, there is a difference between standing in the shade up here and standing in the shade down in the heat and humidity in TX.

We enjoyed the kids' track last night. We hung out in the beautiful weather with some new friends while Sydney did running training and exercises, Ainsley and Zachary participated in track and field events, and Audrey watched her age group have fun. It will be fun to spend our summer evenings there, but I keep expecting to see my friends walking around.

On an unrelated note, and mostly I mention this for my Dad, I just found out that I have a 200 text message limit on my phone bill. Neil just informed me that I am at 500 this month. What? I thought I had unlimited texts. I have had this phone plan for eighteen months. I guess I have never gone over on texts, so I have not noticed it on the bill. I am going to have to pay to upgrade those to unlimited ASAP. Until then, no more text messaging. I know you are all thinking, "What are you, 17?"

We hung pictures yesterday and continue to make frequent trips to storage. I unpacked my suitcase and the rest of my clothes today. Tomorrow we are heading back to the Dedham Farmer's Market to buy pure maple syrup, fresh Haddock, porterhouse steaks, and some fresh vegetables.

On a World Cup note, is anyone surprised that the French are such drama queens-the players, the staff, or the fans?