hey everyone--not a ton to post right now even though we have been SO busy. Summer has decided to finally make an appearance so we have been loving life on the boat and enjoying our time with friends as always. This being a holiday week makes it even better as Tom and I are taking off a few days and heading to the Shore! My friend Craig made it to town last week and I had a wonderful day hanging out with him in the city. We did the touristy things, but also hit the back roads some (I did NOT know Chinatown was THAT big) and enjoyed lunch in Little Italy and visiting my fave coffee shop in the Village.
Here are some pics from the last week or so. More to come after (during) this long weekend!
craig and diana taking it easy in Times Square
us meeting and molesting our favorite Today Show host
some of the guys on our dock relaxing and trying out our new dock box/lounge chair
Tom at the Marina
Diana and the pups
... and my childhood--- is now history.
RIP.
As always with the company JibJab www.jibjab.com regardless of your political affiliation--their videos bring smiles.
Enjoy this one and Happy Monday!
Our friend Angie took these shots of the city skyline from her apartment one rainy stormy day last week. Going, going, gone. Thanks Angie!
Its been sort of a quiet week around our house. Tom took a few days off work to tend to the boat and get it out of the water for bottom painting and other little projects that I don't get myself too involved in for fear of 1) them becoming my little projects as well and 2) delaying those little projects. I spent the week working and trying to get rid of ANOTHER cold that I have caught somehow. Ugh. I think I am officially a "carrier" now.
The weather has been awful--just gross--reminding me of days of past...misty grey skies, dripping leaves, puddled grass and wet dogs. The only difference between here when it rains and in Seattle is the use of umbrellas by the locals. Here in the NE most people we see break out the umbrella at the first drop of rain--even if they are just going from car to store.
Each time I see this I can't help but chuckle a little as I zip up my fleece jacket and think "ha--they don't know what rain really is!"
Anyway, this weather is extremely odd for our area this time of year, so, I cling to that fact which convinces me that this trend can't last.
Enough of my negative ho-hum attitude though-- the weather should improve just in time for my friend Craig to come to town. He is flying into meet up with some buddies and I am taking Wednesday off to show him around the city as he has never been. His wife Jean, one of my closest friends, is staying home with their boys. Despite my plotting to get her out here too, its probably for the best: if she were here as well--Tom and I would need an entire week off, rather than just a day, to party with those two!
We did get to spend some fun time with my friend Todd at our favorite restaurant/bar on Thursday. Todd is quite the local there now as he has been coming out so much for work. He is feeling pretty good that the bartenders know his name and his drink of choice (he calls the place Cheers).
So-- nice week, but just damp. We toast to brighter days!!
Its been a while since we have posted anything and I am sorry about that! Normally when we have visitors I like to update the blog as we go along with all the pictures and stories of adventures-- but the last few days we have been running non stop!
My sister Stephanie came out on Wed evening from Seattle and after a nice dinner with Tom that evening, I took off Thurs and Fri so we could hang out and tour around. Growing up, my sister and I shared a room and we had many many good times---but also, being only 2 yrs apart, had many many arguments, BUT--- I am happy to report that after becoming adults, we have gotten past all that and I enjoy every second I have with her! She came alone---her first trip away from her kids--so that was a big deal for her and she did it up right by participating in non-kid friendly events and sleeping entirely through the night for the first time since 2004.
We had a fab time and since she had been to NY a few times before, we didn't do any of the usual NY tourist things and instead spent our time hanging out (and shopping) in Greenwich Village, touring (and shopping) in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) with my friend Angie (thanks for playing tour guide Ang!!) art shopping in Soho, hanging out at the Shore with Tom, Lisa and John and basically just relaxing...it was so nice! We also stayed at a fabulous hotel across the street from Central Park and went to see Hair on Broadway. LOVED IT!!!!! Tom and I have been fortunate enough to see a few shows since we've moved here, but this one was so different than the rest---in a good way. Even though its a revival from the 70's, its very fitting for this day and age as well.
Steph also had a chance to babysit her niece and nephew--Frank and Ollie--while Tom and I attended a wedding (very fun) on Saturday night. She now calls them her angels... :) Their charms are irresistible!
Here are some pics from Steph's visit:
Steph and Di at the Fat Black Pussy Cat bar in Greenwich Village
Di and Angie at Juliett's in Williamsburg (fab food) and some corresponding Brooklyn pics...
The City from Brooklyn
Steph browsing art in Soho
Steph and Di at the Shore
Li and Di at the Shore
Steph and Di in Times Square
Pics from Hair--us outside and one of our fave actors
An opportunity for Bernie Madoff victims...he is the devil.
Like something out of a Twilight Zone episode--- our weather has seemingly SWAPPED places with our old hometown. While yesterday, today AND tomorrow here (and last week) the forecast calls for 100% chance of rain and temps below 60 degrees, Seattle is baking--(seriously, actually baking I think) in 90 degree temps. I do have to say--this weekend, its supposed to be in the 80's here, but still... its odd.
But--we are happy for our friends and family. However, true to their native Seattle ways (many of them anyway), we are slowly starting to hear the "its too hot" complaints...
Oh give it time Seattle, give it time--soon enough it will be dreary and gray again.
In the mean time, Tom and I are putting on our rain boots and grabbing our umbrellas and sucking it up as we know that soon enough, like in 1 day, the sun will shine again.
We plan on heading to the boat tomorrow after work and this weekend we have paddle surfing on our schedule! :) Can't wait!! I also am going to pick the pen back up and get to writing again. I basically have taken 2 months off from writing-- since Curacao -- and I ache to get back into it.
Happy Weekend and I hope to have some pics to post of sunny days soon!
hey all-- and again, its Monday. These weekends go by TOO FAST.
Tom and I had a busy one! I was actually off all last week as you know, which was nice, but of course work doesn't take time off so my day today was packed... but I digress...
After a fun night out with our friends Frank and Patti, Tom and I headed to the boat for the weekend. It was fabulous weather and we couldn't wait to take the boat out and get some sun.
Saturday we headed to a favorite haunt of ours---Tyces Shoal (this is the sea part of the post title). You may recall regular reader, that this area has a bay that we anchor our boat in and we can either swim in (very shallow) or take the dinghy to the shore, cross through a state park by foot (Island State Park) and end up on the other side which is the beach!! White sand, big waves--awesome! We left the dogs on the boat for a little nap (don't worry, all locked up and a/c on) and Tom and I layed out on the beach and walked in the water some. It was wonderful. We bbq'd braats right at the boat and watched the sun go down as we headed back to the Marina. We often spend the night out anchored, but it was getting a bit windy and windy nights make for very poor sleeping conditions... so we headed in.
Waiting back at the dock were John and Lisa and we hung out with them visiting late into the night.
Sunday, Li and I felt super ambitious and decided to go on a 5 mile trail run through woods about 15 min from the Marina (this would be the land part of the post title). The name of the area escapes me right at the moment, but there are marked trails that allow for runners, mtn bikers and even horses. We had a great time--I love the scenery and terrain much more than a road run so it didn't feel like work at all, well, maybe a little. After, she and I shopped some surf shops and had a nice girls only lunch at my fave place--Surf Taco!
We ended the weekend with dinner out and then drove back home to get ready for the week.
One thing I am leaving out, but perhaps just saving the best for last...
For my birthday (only 29 shopping days left), Tom is getting me a Stand Up Paddle board of my very own. You may remember that I rented one last summer and had an awesome time with it. I have pretty much talked non-stop about it since then and my very sweet and handsome husband, even though he questions how much I will actually use it, has bought me one for my birthday.
Side note: He should know, that by questioning how much I will use it is seen as a challenge to me which means I will use it more than I ever even intended! :) Thanks honey!! :)
My camera is malfunctioning, so I have no pics to post, but I do have a fabulous video I found on youtube of a stand up paddler (using the exact same board I am getting) in Hawaii. Now I am not saying I will be as good as this guy... but just give me time...
Have a great week!
(photo courtesy of extremewindsurfing.com)
