christmas 09

Some photos from Wayland this Christmas

From Ann and Charlie

PICTURES FROM GUATEMALA ARE AT OUR PICTURE SITE.

Phew

We almost don't know what to do with ourselves now that life is returning to a more normal pace after our mad dash to get the house semi-presentable, and prepare (or not) for the wedding. It was wonderful to have everybody here. Heartfelt thanks to all of you for making this thing happen. It went off like a bat out of hell flying by the seat of its pants, i.e. perfectly. We really lucked out having such a loving, supportive krewe to send us off.

From ANN on NOLA Fiesta

Charlie and I arrived in NOLA (New Orleans, LA) on Thurs. and met Louise and Mal at the house they rented for the weekend. It appeared at that time that the plans were pretty haphazard. Brooke did not have her dress for the wedding, having decided that the seamstress was not doing a good job. Eliot was supposed to go spend some time scripting a wedding. The weather prediction indicated that we might have rain on Friday and almost surely on Saturday. Brooke wanted to have dinner Friday at their house which is small and is basically a construction site inside, with chairs for three people and a guest list of about thirty. The house is very nice but is still a work in progress. On Friday morning she asked Louise to provide roast lamb for the evening feast. Brooke's family would augment this and prepare the food. It was decided to have the dinner at the Brown family headquarters-- the rented house-- which had a large kitchen, plenty of chairs and tables inside and outside and a ping-pong table covered with a tablecloth to serve as the buffet table. This was obviously outfitted to be a party house. Friday evening confirmed that it was a great gathering place for the very congenial group of family and friends. Brooke and Eliot had their closest relatives and friends from various times and places. Friday night, while we slept, the cool front arrived with a rain shower and Saturday morning dawned with clear skies, sunshine and a very comfortable temperature in the 70's. It was a beautiful day!

The wedding party gathered at 4:00 PM by the "Tree of Life" in from Audubon Park, everyone in costume. (You must see the pictures to appreciate this.) Brooke and Eliot's family groups approached from two sides, accompanied by a trumpet fanfare, and met at The Tree. Brooke looked lovely in her white furry monkey dress and Eliot very stately in his brown outfit with horned hat. You really must see the photos!!! The ceremony itself was inspired. The declarations by Eliot and Brooke were very moving and told the story of how they found that they are soulmates, now dedicated to each other and their life together. We then celebrated their union with champagne.

The revelers all came back to the party house and friends set up another feast with a variety of dishes with New Orleans creativity. A full moon and party lights drew us outside for songs and anecdotes and good fellowship.

The young adults went to the French quarter for the late night parade of the Halloween throng. They were part of the scene and received many complements on their costumes. The Jellyfish received particular attention. Their lights became a center of attention and a moving meeting place in case friends got separated in the crowd.

Sunday the weather again was perfect for a sumptuous brunch in the back yard where we gathered for a last time before heading home. We were happy for Brooke and Eliot, for the blending of two families and for the chance to get to know very dear people who were together for this memorable wedding weekend. Cheers and best wishes to the newlyweds. We love you, Brooke and Eliot.

From ANN on NOLA Fiesta

Charlie and I arrived in NOLA (New Orleans, LA) on Thurs. and met Louise and Mal at the house they rented for the weekend. It appeared at that time that the plans were pretty haphazard. Brooke did not have her dress for the wedding, having decided that the seamstress was not doing a good job. Eliot was supposed to go spend some time scripting a wedding. The weather prediction indicated that we might have rain on Friday and almost surely on Saturday. Brooke wanted to have dinner Friday at their house which is small and is basically a construction site inside, with chairs for three people and a guest list of about thirty. The house is very nice but is still a work in progress. On Friday morning she asked Louise to provide roast lamb for the evening feast. Brooke's family would augment this and prepare the food. It was decided to have the dinner at the Brown family headquarters-- the rented house-- which had a large kitchen, plenty of chairs and tables inside and outside and a ping-pong table covered with a tablecloth to serve as the buffet table. This was obviously outfitted to be a party house. Friday evening confirmed that it was a great gathering place for the very congenial group of family and friends. Brooke and Eliot had their closest relatives and friends from various times and places. Friday night, while we slept, the cool front arrived with a rain shower and Saturday morning dawned with clear skies, sunshine and a very comfortable temperature in the 70's. It was a beautiful day!

The wedding party gathered at 4:00 PM by the "Tree of Life" in from Audubon Park, everyone in costume. (You must see the pictures to appreciate this.) Brooke and Eliot's family groups approached from two sides, accompanied by a trumpet fanfare, and met at The Tree. Brooke looked lovely in her white furry monkey dress and Eliot very stately in his brown outfit with horned hat. You really must see the photos!!! The ceremony itself was inspired. The declarations by Eliot and Brooke were very moving and told the story of how they found that they are soulmates, now dedicated to each other and their life together. We then celebrated their union with champagne.

The revelers all came back to the party house and friends set up another feast with a variety of dishes with New Orleans creativity. A full moon and party lights drew us outside for songs and anecdotes and good fellowship.

The young adults went to the French quarter for the late night parade of the Halloween throng. They were part of the scene and received many complements on their costumes. The Jellyfish received particular attention. Their lights became a center of attention and a moving meeting place in case friends got separated in the crowd.

Sunday the weather again was perfect for a sumptuous brunch in the back yard where we gathered for a last time before heading home. We were happy for Brooke and Eliot, for the blending of two families and for the chance to get to know very dear people who were together for this memorable wedding weekend. Cheers and best wishes to the newlyweds. We love you, Brooke and Eliot.

here are some photos!
picassa

will put up a link to my photos soon, in the meantime here's a nice ditty
click here for video

thoughts from the 'bridge

Hello all,

It has been ages since I've posted, and things have been busy around here. We have signed our first lease officially ending the house sitting gravy train and have spent a good while getting our little apartment up to scratch. It's really nice and cosy now:) I have also entered studenthood full time. My feeling so far is that it seems to be a good program with excellent people, but it's hard to imagine how I am going to be an advanced practice nurse in only 2 years from now. They've done it for years at BC, so I will have faith that it can be done:) The semester is easing me in at the moment, but I have a feeling it is going to get very busy very soon. I have made some friends already and I am excited to be back in school.

Can't wait to see those of you I get to see in October. The net few months promise to be very exciting... Ruairi's mom is coming to visit us in mid-October, and we are looking forward to Haloween and the festiviites in New Orleans. Hope everyone is great and much love to you all:)

Carla and Ruairi

These days I havee been helping to build a life-size model of a section of the house that you see at left. Our job is to figure out any flaws in the design, and to identify the method of sheathing the frame with 3/4" plywood and then cladding it with 1"X4" cedar. Honestly I have my doubts that the thing will ever be built. Does space-age, modernist, experimental architecture make you think of New Orleans? No? What about frivolity?

Ireland in July

Hi all
Here's some snaps from our trip to Ireland for Patricks wedding
photos

Herbed Eggplant Dip

1 medium onion chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
a 1-pound eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, washed well, spun dry, and minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Accompaniment: garlic flavored Melba toasts or assorted crudites

In a large heavy skillet cook onion in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add eggplant and salt and cook, stirring, until eggplant begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Cover skillet and cook eggplant, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove skillet from heat and cool eggplant. Stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Serve eggplant dip with toasts or crudites.

photos!!

photos from Ireland, May '09

Cliffs at Achill-1

Cliffs at Achill-1,
originally uploaded by malcolm_b.

Probably everyone's favorite spot.

New Photo sets

AT

See new sets at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13683411@N00/sets/

Lovely Photos of Lovely people and places

We were delighted to see your new digs. I prefer epoxy cement for maintaining our home. Elmer;s may not cut it. Let us know when the guest room is ready.

Love and hugs, Charlie

Me and a bottle of Elmer's glue

happy people from Mid City

one block from home. I can't believe it either.

real product w/bona fide

more at mistereel.com

Welcome home, travellers

It sounds as if y'all had a great time in Ireland celebrating Carla and Ruari, and getting to know the in-laws. Let us know when you get your pictures ready for prime time on the net.

Shazam!

Suddenly, and without warning, we now have our very own Climate Controlled Self-Storage Box (it has three window air conditioners)! We'll be moving in by the end of the week. Home ownership is still beyond comprehension to wee little us, but being no longer in the process of buying a house is GRRRRREAT! I blocked my own driveway, and put a hole in one of my own walls. I can do these things. We'll be smashing and breaking bad things, and replacing them with good things for the foreseeable future. Y'all come down any time. We'll clear a space for you to sleep, and you can meet the parakeets who live in the palm trees in front. Fjords of gratitute to they (she) who made it all possible (Fjords are big, right?). Without naming names, you know who you are.

Happy Mothers Day!!!

Hello all,
my attempt at a phonecall tonight has been unsuccessful, but just wanted to send some mothers day love to all the mothers, and to my own in particular. Ruairi and I arrived in Ireland yesterday, and are having a wonderful time seeing everyone. the weather is amazing at the moment, though Achill is unpredictable, so it means nothing for next weekend. We did a quick walk along the sea today, went out in town last night, and it's been wonderful so far. Excited to see all you nuclear Browns in just a few short days.
Love,
C and R

Youtube stuff

Can someone tell me how to click on suggested youtube sites. When I try to copy the interminable addresses, I never seem to get where I'm supposed to be going. (E. Warren Brown??? - has a nice ring to it. ) Louise

Another nephew for Carla and I

Daniel Maurice Collins, Bergen, Norway

Felix's Friend

Felix's good friend Josephina is a student in his class who is in the METCO program and lives in
Dorchester. Her brother Johnny, whom Felix and I have met, was shot
and killed on Saturday afternoon.

We have gotten to know Josephina's mother, grandmother and sister over
the course of the school year. Felix has visited their home in
Dorchester.

I am not sure what else to day. This has totally shaken our world. It is so hard to comprehend that our children know someone who has been shot to death.

The service will be this Saturday. We are still working out whether Felix will attend - it depends on what Josephina's mother plans for her to do.

Believe it or not, Josephina's father died when she was two of complications from diabetes. This is so much more than a seven year old daughter or a single mother should ever have to bear.

Here is some more information:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/04/25/18_year_old_is_shot_killed_in_roxbury/

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2009_04_29_Slain_teen_was_athlete__loving_son/srvc=home&position=6

MMB in the Lakeville Journal

Here's what the paper had to say on the subject of Malcolm's second retirement.

Weekend update 4/18

We enjoyed Thaddeus and Alexis visit on the weekend in Houston.

Update on Vicky: She returned home from the hospital last Thursday. She will have to wear a brace for six weeks to protect her back when she is sitting up or walking. The first few days she was at home her sister Alida came to help. Paul, still "on vacation" was busy. Vicky had many visitors and well-wishers. The refrigerator was full and the living room was ablaze with flowers. Vicky was amazingly cheerful on painkillers but suffering from a let-down when there was a delay in taking them. Now that Paul has returned to work a caretaker is there to take care of Vicky and do routine household chores. She is a woman in her early twenties who works as a beautician and does hair and manicures, good for the morale. Vicky has received photos of daughter Melissa's wedding that she was packing for when she fell through the attic floor. The recuperation is going to be lengthy but Vicky says she feels a bit better every day.

also great

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN0XWcj_L6o
too bad you can't really hear the bass, but still...

check this out

Its great!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

WE ARE SO BRILLIANT!

I had forgotten how good it really was. "Well, I guess I could do a cheek swab...."

Mean Transponder Joke

This is what happens to you when, as a kind hearted parent, you lend an E-Z pass transponder to offspring, who merrily place it on another car without notice, and then drive through a toll plaza in Massachussets.

Then, they feed into your paranoia over legal procedures by fabricating the attached letter and giving it out as a Christmas present. I turned pale and would not rise from my chair for 45 minutes! Malcolm

DEAR DKA

Would you admit to your organization a miserable victim of a Ford 150 truck that stops at the side of a major Houston thorofare with no indication that it is stopped and lures me to smash into it while cruising along within the speed limit in my BMW 530i? Granted the 150 did not attack me in the manner Malcolm has become accustomed to be accosted both by the living and the metallic, but yet an organization of your obvious empathy for the stricken might engage your faithful to pray for me with ineffable fervor that i may never again be so attacked.

Yours in prostration,

Charlie

Catherine

There are no words to adequately express how sad it is that Catherine should die at such a young age leaving her husband and 2 children. One can only hope that with time, emptiness will heal and their lives will improve somehow.
Malcolm

Deer Killers Anonymous

In response to popular demand, attached is the original Deer Killers Anonymous Policy offered to me (Malcolm Brown). I believe this occurred after 3 deer attacked my car in the 1990's on Rte 41 in Massachussets. This winter, in dark and hungry times in January and February, a total of 4 deer hit both of our cars on three occasions. I was always driving, and the deer were really hungry, and just running all over. I do not speed! Thank heavens for comprehensive insurance.

If that were not enough, my Subaru was then struck in a 3 car accident in Millerton when car number 1 took an unexpected left turn, struck car #2 which was in the opposite lane, going in the other direction at 30-35 miles per hour. Car #2 then spun and skidded accross the highway and struck me (I was unsuccessfully try to avoid all this). I guess I am basically greatful to be walking, talking, and not brain-dead. MMB

The Real Catherine

Here she is the summer we met (1991). She was such a beauty. I had totally forgotten what a nutcase Xavier looked like!

We lost our dear friend Catherine yesterday to a long battle with breast cancer. Thaddeus leaves tomorrow for Bordeaux where the service will be on Wednesday. As you can see from the pictures, Xavier is now alone with his two boys - Abel (7) and Batiste (2). We will miss her so much and our hearts are aching for this young family.

spring is in the air...

Hi Everyone,
Just thought it had been a while, and time for a post. All is well with us. We are out of our housesit temporarily next month, but have just about worked a place only 2 minutes from my office for a month or so:) After that, it is off to Ireland, and by the time we come back we can take up residence again. we are getting very excited for the trip across the pond, which is closer every day. This weekend, while Ruairi stayed and watched Ireland defeat Whales in Rugby for the European Championship (i think- I know it was a huge deal...) , I went down with Lucia to Great Barrington to Watch Mom and Dad sing in a great concert of Choral Music by the Mendellsons. It was great to see them, and L and I had a nice outing along with dinner before the concert and drinks with the performers afterwards.

Hope that everyone is well, and kicking winter colds with the promise of spring.

much love,
c and r

La Feile Phadraig shona diobh (happy st patricks day)

Happy paddys day to you all from a sunny Boston. It looks like winter has finally ended here! Hum sent a text this morning wishing a happy st. patricks day to you all.

xR&C

So..... Where are they?

OH! YES! YES!

They are family heirlooms.

Charlie

By popular demand....

Malcolm found the Deed Killers Anonomous letter and the letter from the E-Z Pass bureaucracy. This is a request that he post them for all to enjoy --- or tremble.

INTRODUCE

FELIX TO JAPANESE FILM, MAKERS. LAVA DRAGON IS A GREAT SUBJECT FOR A FILM!

Uncle Charlie

Uncle Charlie's Question

What is a LavaDragon, you ask? We wondered too. The only clue we were given was the first drawing below - this is what he drew for the invitation. The second image is what was ironed onto each guest's t-shirt - dragon colored by Felix, overall image created by Uncle Ruairi. We are stubborn and do not believe in "goodie bags!"

I am not sure if this explanation helps, but it is all you are going to get!

Birthday Party!

The LavaDragon party was a huge success! As you can see, they played Hot Lava Rock and made lava. There was even an appearance by a fire breathing dragon! Everyone went home with a LavaDragon t-shirt.

None of this could have been pulled off without enormous amounts of help from the birthday boy's loving aunt and uncle. THANK YOU CARLA AND RUAIRI!

How is it possible that we are here and not there?

Live Blog @ the Gardian UK post O's speech

Moloch65

25 Feb 09, 3:58am (11 minutes ago)

..."the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it".

So he's President of Germany now is he?

I've heard this claptrap a few times over the last few months. They'll be claiming rockets, hovercraft, gin, bungalows, the wheel and sexual reproduction before long.

Just because Chrysler got bought - and unceremoniously dumped as a basket case - by the company that DID invent the motor car doesn't mean that Messers Daimler and Benz are retrospective US citizens...

And this is the most intelligent US politician in decades? Gawd 'elp us!

Ahhhhhhhhh!

TO BE YOUNG AGAIN!

Serena it is!

Who else would be hiking in Brazil? How the Clark's friends made the connection - I have no clue.

hazarding a guess

Sophie Beal? My highschool roomate? or Serena perhaps?

Seaside - and small world

It's not so easy being back in the land of snow and ice - but at least the sun comes up earlier. Here's a quiz: I called the Clarks this morning to tell them we were back and had had such a good time in their Dreams. He said a friend of theirs mentioned that he had met someone last sumnmer who knew the Browns of Sharon, CT. Who was it? Clue: they met this person while hiking in Brazil.

THANKS

THANKS TO ALL THE BROWNS AND KIN AND KITH FOR A MARVELOUS TIME IN SEASIDE

WE ARE IN SEASIDE

Today is beautiful, sunny and fairly warm. Pictures to follow. Malcolm

Misc

I tried the bread recipe on Saturday and was completely unsuccessful. The recipe did not call for extensive kneading so I did not do it. May I should have? Maybe the yeast was not fresh enough? I am going to stick with the bread maker.

I am not sure I will last until Saturday. I am so burned out and exhausted. Tired of getting up before dark - at least now it is light before I leave the house. I may just sit and stare at the ocean and worry about Oliver's foot. He still has a very impressive limp. I have to figure out what to acquire (and when!) in terms of a hard soled shoe that he can move to after the air cast. I will try to muster the energy for games!

Amazing how Alan Johnson can look the same year after year after year.

It is currently 68 in Seaside. I hope the weather holds!

5 days and counting...

Hi All,
Been a while since I have posted, and just thought I'd say hello. Lots about breadmaking on here lately... I shall have to try my hand at the NOLA crew recipe. We cannot wait to see everyone in sunny seaside. All is well with ruairi and i. Last weekend, we moved back into our off and on housesitting job. We are so very happy to be back:) We are quite charmed at the moment. Both our jobs are going well, and word from nursing schools is starting to roll in! Very exciting time, and we will have some choices to make in the next few weeks. Today is a beautiful and warm day in Beantown (relatively speaking of course) We are very excited for the even more beautiful and warm Florida weather. Hope that everyone is well
love,
c and r

We Found him

Chatting it up at the Boulder CO., UCC church where his wife preaches pious pieties. He looked very well but we did not get any of his bread.

Small world!

Charlie and I saw Alan Johnson in December. We went to Boulder First Congregational Church where Alan's wife, Martie, is the minister. Pat Horst is a member there. As we expected, Alan went to the coffee after church. We had a pleasant conversation, shortened because there were other people who were waiting to talk with Alan. He really connects with people and that is why he went to work in a bread shop instead of retiring to an ivory tower. He asked if Malcolm is still First Selectman. It is nice that you (L&M) got to renew your friendship and catch up on news of interim years.

Hey, we are counting in days, not weeks, to the time to join you in FL!!
Love,
Ann

Does anyone remember this man?

Of course---this is the Rev. Alan Johnson, liberal minister. Amazing, but there are a few of those around---you know the kind who will listen to all sorts of viewpoints. After a few wanderings in life, he became the Chaplain to Denver Children's Hospital. Now he is married to a minister--and bakes bread, especially biscotti for a living. He has a book in the works, something about the ministry and baking bread.

After befriending us, and moving on, he performed the wedding ceremony for Lucia and Thaddeus. He came to visit us recently, while also visiting our mutual friend Martha Porter, now aged 94. We took Martha out to dinner recently with other friends, and I hit my THIRD DEER for the winter. The insurance guy in Hartford said dolefully that this is covered under the portion of your insurance that covers Acts of God. I don't think Alan had anything to do with it.

Malcolm

Good News!

Thanks for the update on Oliver. Now it is important that he be careful not to overload because the disuse could have weakened the long bones. Slow and steady will win this race.

Oliver

He got the plaster cast off yesterday and is back in the air cast. The goal is for his foot to feel better enough by next Saturday that he will be cast free when we leave. Who knew how stiff and sore a foot would get after being in a cast for so long. Ouch!

very easy (and perfect) bread.

mix 6.5 cups of flour, 3 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of salt, and 3 tablespoons of yeast. let it rise for 40 minutes, then stick it in the fridge. let it sit in there overnight. take half the dough out and let it sit for 40 minutes, then bake
it at 450 for 30-35 minutes. leave a tray of water in the oven with it. the other half can stay in the fridge until you're ready for it.

other than that, we might be getting a house in the Marigny. Replete with tenant. Might be. A friend of ours discovered that it is to be auctioned tomorrow, but he is having trouble lining up the cash, so the deal is that if he gets it at or below a certain price, but can't get the money in time, we will buy it from him. sound crazy? I don't think he'll get it, but I'll be sure to keep y'all posted...

Sounds Terriffic!

You folks up in "Icelend" deserve a change. Too bad there is a problem in bringing all that venison that Malcolm has been collecting. We expect to leave here Sunday morning. We'll bring our Bananagrams!

Switch?

After taking the virtual tour, I think L&M, A&C and E&B should take American Dream - 2 BRs on the bottom and 1 in the loft. They other one (Another Dream) has one BR on the bottom and 2 in the loft - maybe best for Thompsons. I guess it will be obvious when we get there.

Florida Here We Come!

I'm back! I'll send Brooke and Eliot and Ann and Charlie a map and directions as to how to find Seaside and the two cottages: American Dream and Another Dream. If you want to take a virtual tour, go to seasidefl.com; Click on link to rental agencies; click on residences and scroll to cottage name. American Dream is in front and Another Dream behind. My thought is to put L&M, A&C and B&E in Another Dream - there is a bedroom on each floor (oh yes, and a hot tub and a tower.) and everyone else in American Dream. In American Dream, there are two bedrooms on the bottom floor and a loft bedroom on the third floor. Anyone who wants to rearrange: tell me.

There's a Publix grocery store ten minutes away. There are tennis courts and two heated pools - one covered. There is a bike rental place, and the bookstore has free wi-fi for anyone chained to a computer.

The Clarks said the airport is about an hour away - thirty miles. On the beach: if you go in one direction, there's a state park. In the other: there's nothing -- walk forever. Snow and ice here. We're ready for a change.

ANN AND CHARLIE ARE RIGHT - THIS IS REALLY URGENT!!!

ADVISORY

WE RECOMMEND YOU CALL 1 413 497 0025 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Ann and Charlie

more about the Obama Irish song

Subject: Fwd: The Barack Obama Irish Song

The Barack Obama Irish Song

Moneygall is a small village in County Offaly, Ireland. It has a population of approximately 300 people and has a Roman Catholic Church, five shops, a post office, a national school, a police station, and two pubs.

President-elect of the United States Barack Obama's great-great-great grandfather, Falmouth Kearney, immigrated from Moneygall to New York City at the age of 19 in 1850 and eventually resettled in Tipton County, Indiana. Kearney's father had been the village shoemaker, then a wealthy skilled tradesman.

And now for the SONG. Crank up your speakers. http://www.oneeyedparrot.org/obama.html

Irish O'Bama

Try this:
http://www.oneeyedparrot.org/obama.html

as promised

All quiet in Cambridge

Just a quick note to say hi to all from my office at the Worldwide center of mathematics!
Carla got back from New Haven yesterday after a successful interview at Yale. Thaddeus's birthday bash seems to have been the last Christmas hurrah and now myself and Carla are looking forward to a quiet couple of weekends before heading to Florida. The novelty of snow has well and truely worn off! (I have yet to try skiing tho!)
Charlie, the picture at the top is an old wood cut I did about 13 years ago, It is actualy a section of a stone wall! No particular significance to it!
Will put up some photos of the party when I get home later.
Hope you are all keeping well

Ruairi

OBAMA!

Birthday Party

Three people emailed me today to say that last night's party was the best they had ever been to! And Thaddeus just told me to stop rehashing all the things I felt had gone wrong - because I might take some of the glow away from one of the best nights of his life!

Pictures to follow once they are loaded onto this computer...

As someone pointed out, he is now one day closer to 80 than he is to the day of his birth!

After the latest huge snowstorm (which only seemed to enhance the party), we are really ready to go south!

Birthday celebration

Dear all-of-you,
I hope the party for Thaddeus was a great success.
Did anyone get snowed in?

HOLY SMOKES!

THAT MAKES ME 105' RELATIVELY SPEAKING.

Uncle Charlie

HAPPY 40TH THADDEUS!!!!

Oliver's joints

Poor O is now in a cast for the next four weeks - with the goal of having it taken off three days before we go to Florida. We are seeing the rheumatologist four days before we go, so we probably won't know anything on that end before we go. Our doctor says this could happen in any joint and so we are trying not to be paranoid. The good news about the cast is - no knee brace!
It is cold here and we want out. Four weeks and three days, four weeks and three days, four weeks and three days.....
Love to all, Lucia

Salisbury weather forecast

There seem to be something wrong with the blog weather forecast All it says is snow and more snow. Seaside can't come soon enough!! It is sunny down here but cold from our winds
from the Northeast.

Charlie

Ruairi's birthday extravaganza:)

Hi All,

Many thanks from Ruairi for the birthday wishes and gifts. We are very excited about the LL BEAN certificate. We are going to combine forces with the one from the Schultens and buy a tent for camping excursions. We had a great weekend, and are actually still sitting around with quite a few stragglers from yesterday watching movies and have a small dinner party.  on friday night, Darina and Maurice's present was a fancy dinner on them. We went to Daedalus in Harvard square (fitting as it is the first restaurant we ate in when Ruairi arrived in March), and had an absolutely amazing meal of duck and pork respectively with a delicious Chilean red. My plan was to organize a pub crawl on the day itself as Ruairi often laments the lack of pub culture here in the states. The crawl turned into about about a 7 hour session at a great little Irish pub nearby and about 10 friends came by to celebrate with us.  We were on to a good thing, and it made no sense whatsoever to leave. The main point was hours of sitting around enjoying the "Craic". A great time was had by all:) Many thanks again, I think ruairi's first ever birthday away from home was a memorable one.

love,

c and r

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUAIRI!!! 1/10/09 Thank you for the creation of the blog!
Malcolm and Louise

Those Browns are always singing!

At Thanksgiving this time.

I am enjoying a blissful evening at home alone while the three boys spend the night at the Museum of Science with the Cub Scouts. The snow has started. We are supposed to get 7 inches - on top of what is already on the ground!

Readers in the Northeast - stay warm!

And a Happy Birthday to Ruairi!!!!

HOW AWFUL!!

HORRORS MALCOLM THE ATTACK CAT DID THAT????

SWEATER

Homsy People:

Remember this sweater??? Or at least 3/4 of it??? This is the one I gave to Dad on Christmas in 1992 when you were all there. I had finished everything but the second sleeve. As you may recall and as you can see, it is a bit large - even for someone like Pavarroti! You all laughed so hard and so long I locked myself in the bathroom. In order to defend my honor Dad refused to take it off - which only made you laugh harder!!! My humiliation prevented me from knitting for 15 years. In the meantime, they stopped making that exact color and that exact year. So I had to find as close a match as possible. How do you think I did 16 years later to the day???

Other weather news

70 degrees in Seaside right now!

Weather and the Cat

The weather here has finally gotten truly undesirable. We have nearly constant snow, sleet and ice. The Town of Sharon has gone through nearly $95,000 worth of road salt and sand. (The salt is worth about $89.90 per ton) and we are about to purchase another $20,000 of salt (which is treated with vodka or beer distillates---making it a good de-icing agent.
Florida does look good!
The cat is truly stir crazy. She won't venture beyond the door with this weather and the net result is that she is occasionally murderous. She can turn from a sweet to an attack cat in an instant! To make things worse, she is eating diet food, which does not contribute to good moods.
We are beginning to dismantle Christmas today. Love to all,
Mal and Louise

Tunneling

This is fun????

Good joke

When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre- pressure.

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drunk all of the cider and had hidden the liquor.

In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang. An irritated Santa marched to the door and yanked it open. There stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.

The angel said very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?"
And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree

Weather

It is 71 degrees in Seaside!
Oliver had a rough first day back at school. He was taunted for being an old man and a cripple. Kids are so mean.
It is looking like my car only needs a fuel pump - keep your fingers crossed.

YOU LOSE!

Happy New Year y'all!!

The Homsys and Horsts spent the eve at the parents of a friend of Nick's. We watched the ball drop at miodnight Denver time. Silliest thing! Anyhow the evening was great with fondue of various flavors and ingredients over the evening.

The Flickr sites show our activities up at Copper Mountain ski resort about an hour west of here.

Ckick on individual pics for a close-up and caption.

http://flickr.com/photos/13683411@N00/sets/72157612173206122/

http://flickr.com/photos/13683411@N00/sets/72157612119110061/

Love to all, Charlie

Hello!

I'm back! We have been having internet problems since the 1st, but we seem to be up and running now.

Our New Year's Eve was as fun as always and Oliver and Felix actually stayed up until midnight! I hope they will not consider that a precedent for future years. It was just that we had so much fun with the party that it was about 11:00 by the time everyone left and 11:30 before they were in bed. And at that point it seemed silly not to let them watch the ball drop! Here is this year's annual group photo. We have the same friends every year and have a ping pong tourament with a trophy that goes home with the winner each year. I have never won and never will.

We had our first glimpse of life as usual - three of us went to church. I had to go grocery shopping because of living with one car. Thaddeus is in theory going to arrange for my car to be towed this afternoon. What an ordeal.

Felix went to his Children's Choir rehearsal and loved it! Very cute.

Not too much else to report. Oliver will reach the two week mark with his leg brace and foot brace thing tomorrow. Only four weeks to go until..... probably until we find out how much longer he has to wear it.

We are looking forward to Florida more than ever because it is too wet and cold for Oliver to go outside here with his toe exposed. He and Felix are now lying under the dining room table pretending to be cats in the sun. There is a lot of hissing and scratching.

Lucia

Happy New Year!

Hi all,
We are so happy to see the blog becoming a regular part of your internetting repertoire. It makes the world feel just a bit smaller:) We had a fantastic New Year's in NYC. We spent midnight on a rooftop in Brooklyn watching the fireworks go off all over the boroughs. Today, in our first partaking in a New Year's tradition that might have to be a once in a lifetime thing, we sent swimming in the Atlantic off Coney island with hundreds of other arguably crazy revelers. It was chilly, not sure about the water temp, but the air was 25 with a windchill factor of 11 degrees! It took about 10 minutes to feel my feet. The world seems to dividable into those who think this is a cool thing to do, and those who think it is simply moronic. Having partaken in the fun, Ruairi and I are firmly in the former camp, though as I said, I'm not sure I could ever do it again. Certainly a good hangover cure:) Anyway, 2009 is off to a swimmingly good start. I don't know if any year will ever top 2008 in my life, but I'm certainly excited to see what's coming. Love to you all, and a Happy New Year.
love,
carla and ruairi