There are many things I am thankful for #9

It's so much easier to be thankful this week! Maybe it's the short work week? Or the fun things coming up? Or just gorgeous blue skies?

This week I am finding it much easier to be thankful for the little things as I notice them. Last night after seeing a friend, I reveled in how grateful I am to be able to spend time with good friends and that I have them. This morning, the parking lot I was in was next to a farm that had a llama as well as a number of horses and it was so nice to just sit and watch them for a few minutes. The combination of moments like that and hating to drive in the city make me so thankful for living in the suburbs. Also, twice this week I have seen people picking up trash or debris at a park or on the side of the road and have been thankful that they were willing to give of themselves in that way. Sometimes it just takes a little mindfulness to look around and appreciate what you see.

Part of my cheery disposition is that tomorrow is my favorite day of the year. No, I'm not forgetting a day on my calendar; my favorite day of the year is the day BEFORE Thanksgiving. Since I was in the first grade, so over 25 years ago (gasp!), my mother and I have gone to Plymouth-home of THE rock-on this day. More specifically, we go to Plimoth Plantation, a living museum where people represent colonists from the year 1627 and act and speak as if they were a specific resident in that year. Last year was extra awesome because I had just learned that my mother's family descends from a Mayflower passenger and we got to go into 'his home' in the colony and chat with him.

Not only do I love history and the strong roots that I have grown up with in the midst of New England, but I just adore traditions. This is the most salient tradition I have in my family, though there are many smaller examples. I am so thankful that my mother came up with this idea years ago and that she raised me to appreciate all that it teaches and represents. Through the years, different people have come along or dropped off but it has always been my special day with my mother. Even as an adult, I think it's great to have a mommy/daughter day each year!

For a long time, we followed this tradition to a tee. We would buy the same fudge afterward, visit the rock and then go to the same little restaurant. The last few years, we took it up a notch and have bought tickets to eat a Harvest Supper with the pilgrims after our visit to the village. They pray, they sing, they come joke with us at the tables, all in character. The food is all traditional to what they might have consumed in 1627....and they make a mean rice pudding!

So, I am really looking forward to all of that and a few days off. What are you thankful for today?

No Halloween??

Some local towns are canceling trick or treating tonight! I heard one city that is going to postpone it until Thursday. But, excuse me, Thursday is November 3, not October 31.
As it is, we are not doing it up for Halloween like we normally do. It's truly my favorite holiday. When else do you get to scare children and eat candy in the name of celebration and it's socially acceptable? At my parents house, we usually decorate to the hilt. Growing up, we even had a coffin we put on the front lawn. There are strobe lights and grave stones and Harvey, a dress form with a stuffed body, cape and mask, who scares my father for at least a full week while he stands in the front  hallway, waiting to be put away in the attic again. (It's also really fun to call and order pizza and have Harvey in the hallway behind you when you answer the door). Alas, with snow on the ground it would be really hard to rake leaves into body shaped piles and to stick the gravestones into the dirt. And without power, the Halloween sounds CD can't play. So it will be a mellow night for kids in that neighborhood if they do get to go out to collect candy.
I just have some feelings about postponing it. On one hand, most of the younger kids won't know or care if it's today or three days from now that they get to don their outfits and pig out. On the other hand, it's just not right to do it on a night that isn't legit. What do you guys think? To trick or treat or not to trick or treat?

Happy Belated Quahog Day!

Although quahog day came and passed yesterday, this link provides information about other upcoming activities on Cape Cod this week. What's on the calendar: on Thursday you can compete to eat the most stuffed quahogs in 90 seconds or on Sunday you can attend Chowderfest at the Cape Cod Melody Tent.

Admittedly, I had never heard of quahog day until last week when the Cape Cod facebook page started teaching me how the Cape has an "official" quahog named "Doug" (get the pun here?) who predicts the weather at the beach for the summer. He is the Puxatawny (no idea how to spell that) Phil of mollusks!

It's just cute. Having just been "down the Cape" this past weekend, I really wish my timing had overlapped to see this self-proclaimed star-studded event. Community festivals and local traditions are some of the most fun activities to stumble upon, especially when they are as quirky as a quahog turned meteorologist:)

Boston Marathon!

The Amazing Hoyts! If you don't know about this father/son pair, you need to read up on them, which you can do here. The father, who has now had multiple heart surgeries, pushes his son in the marathon every year. They have also done Ironman triathlons, where he pulled his son in a raft behind him. Talk about inspirational!!

Need a porty potty?

The start line!!

Runner's village, where the athletes are prior to the race.

Look at all of them!!

The runners go off in waves so this is a point where they are a little more spaced out.


The runners loved Mr. Bagpipe Man and so did I!! His daughter was running so he was waiting for her and playing for the runners in the meantime. It was moving to see so  many people give thumbs up or thank you waves to him. He left about halfway through to go see his daughter at another spot along the race route. Please note that he is wearing my amazing Iceland glove things to keep his hands warm:)

And so, the 115th running of the Boston Marathon passed on Monday. It was a little chilly for viewers but perfect race temp for the runners and lots of personal records and even questionable world records were set (there's a long story there). It was awesome to see Kara Goucher go by-can't believe she just had a baby and has abs of steel!! I had about six friends running and saw about half of them go by. I love hugs from runner friends along the course!! One friend even threw her gloves and fuel belt for me to hold onto so she could go the rest of the long route with less baggage.
Going to the marathon each year is one of my favorite family traditions. We stand in the same place every year and cheer for the athletes, especially Team in Training. While they are all sore from running 26.2 miles, I have a sore forearm from so much cowbell ringing! 

PS, I really need to learn more about my mobile blogger so I don't have to post the pictures first and write all of this immediately after.

Kangaroos

This post actually has nothing to do with kangaroos. I just didn't have a clever name.
I just wanted to check in really quickly. I don't have exciting stuff to report because I haven't done much this weekend. Both days I set my alarm on my phone to wake up (one day for Bodypump and one day for church) and both days my phone died over night and failed to rouse me. As a result, I got a lot more reading done than expected. That puts me ahead of my one book a month goal so far for the year:)
Tomorrow is the Boston Marathon-yay!! I like knowing people who are running it but don't plan to ever do so myself. I do, however, revel in going and cheering on the runners. I love family traditions and this is one of them. We go to the same spot on the race route every year, bring food, cowbells, etc. and clap until our hands hurt. The best part is reading the names on people's shirts and cheering for them. Pics tomorrow...