Where did the summer go?

Okay, this summer if flying by way too fast! I cannot seem to keep up with everything. I thought summer was a time for slowing down, enjoying life and taking it easy? Hmmm, wonder what happened ;-) Maybe it has something to do with summer finally arriving in New England. It is hot and humid right now with a high in the 90's!

One day next week, we are considering heading to the beach again. Isabelle loved it so, and Al's company's frisbee team is going to play again, so it it perfect. Should be another fun evening...and hopefully, no as late!!

Summer is almost over

This week has brought to my attention how summer is very close to being over. Okay, so technically, summer is not over until the fall solstice - Sept. 22nd, but for most everyone, we believe summer ends after Labor Day. Everyone is back in school or more focused at work. The good thing is that after a long summer of skipping out of work early, taking vacations etc, we are given a bunch of holidays to take us through the new year before needing to settle down and truly concentrate. So enjoy the summer while it lasts!

With that said, Isabelle and I are heading off to CT this weekend, and returning with my mom and Walter on Monday. They are staying through Tuesday. Then a SEC meeting for the car club (Social Events Committee) on Wednesday evening. Being the chair of the SEC has its challenges as well as being a ton of fun too! Right now we are in the organizing stage of the our biggest annual event - The 2009 Winter Reunion Party (f/k/a/ Holiday Party). We're holding it this year at The Highlander Inn in Manchester. If all goes well, we will be having a ten-piece jazz band as the entertainment. Should be a ton of fun!

Speaking of busy, Al will be both flying and participating in the club's second ADSS this weekend. As a private pilot, he needs to go up every two years with someone who tests his knowledge and skills. This keeps him certified. Then on Sunday, off with the car club to race around and have fun in his car. He is taking his Honda S-2000. My car, the actual BMW, has yet to see the track or a skid pad. The chair of DEC (Driving Events Committee) has an S-200o as well and loves it when Al shows up with his. They have a blast!

Aside from Isabelle dealing with a nasty head cold this week and stressing over the golf tournament I am organizing for CAI-NH, my life has been pretty tame.....if it can be called as much!!

Enjoy the weekend, and hopefully much more to post next week.

Sunny Summer Day

It is a perfect summer day today. That is really nice as Isabelle is playing with Amy - my neighbor's daughter that I have hired to babysit once a week for a couple of hours and play with Isabelle so I can get some work accomplished. Have I ever mentioned how challenging it is to work from home with a toddler? I thought the corporate workplace was tough. No more. Nothing like trying to get a press release prepared or a flyer finished with a toddler pulling your arm or playing with your PC. Alas, it is a wonderful challenge to have!

Speaking of which, a couple of weeks ago I went to dinner with some friends at a wonderful restaurant in Nashua - Unums (http://www.unums.com/). The food was outstanding. I ordered a seafood dish and it arrived in the largest bowl anyone has ever seen. I had to have the ocean in it (see picture below). Needless to say, I could not even begin to finish it. The restaurant is really charming and the food wonderful. Everyone had a great time...if you are ever in Nashua, check it out. Reservations are recommended.

That same weekend, Al and my friend Dan went go-karting with the car club. Funny, I help plan the event, and do not attend. For one thing, go-karts are not me and for another, the thought of a toddler in 100 degree heat on a tarmac all day did not seem like a good plan. But, overall, everyone had a great time. (See pictures of Al go-karting, Al and Dan and the line up for the group for Al and Dan's group.) There were about 7 groups of 9 people. And Famous Dave's BBQ catered the event. If anyone is interested, you can check out all of the pictures at the club's website (http://www.whitemtn-bmwclub.org/).

Al racing around the track. His best time was a couple seconds slower than some of the seasoned racers of the club - car racers that is....pretty good for a guy who does not race!

Al (on the right) and Dan chatting before the fun!


The line up before the race. Al is #9 and Dan is #3.

Summer is here and almost over

Yesterday I was talking with my sister-in-law - who, btw, shares the same name (Cassandra) - and we were discussing the summer and how it feels like it is almost over. Our plans make for less than relaxing moments and before you know it, summer is over, school starts and Fall is in the air. She even noted that some stores have winter coats for sale. YIKES! I remember summers as being lazy fun days growing up. No plans, no camp. Just wake up, eat breakfast and do whatever I wanted. That usually consisted of getting together with the kids on my street (Jimmy, Matt, Mabel, Tony, Lynn, myself and my sister) and figuring out what to do. We used to put on plays. The house next door to my parents was the home to the church's nuns, three to be exact. They were wonderful. Our terrible plots and acting were tortured upon them. How could they say no?! Seriously, any sins they may have committed were wiped away bearing with our requests with a smile.

Speaking of my childhood summers, I did spend one summer with a woman who took only a handful of children (no more than five) and teach them art. I *LOVED* being with her. I remember she had a huge yard - felt like it went on for miles - and we would spend the afternoons in her backyard painting. The mornings were spent drawing, learning to work clay or learning about colors. Of all of the "organized" activities my mom ever sent me to do (done them all: golf, tennis, camp, swimming, etc), I loved this one. The others were boring. By nature, I do not like being told what to do or when to do something. I spent one day at camp. Hated it. Everyone had to pick what they wanted to do all day - normal. I just did not like being told that I could swim only at this time, do arts and crafts at another. So, in typical spirit, I didn't. I would wander from activity to activity deciding which I wanted to do and when. Needless to say, the camp counselors were not pleased. Nor my mom. I called to have her pick me up as I was bored. She arrived to discover no one knew where I was. They didn't even know I called her. Luckily, I never went back!

May some fun childhood memories of summer flood your mind today!!!