2023 Life Logs, Day 334: O Christmas Tree
Date: Thursday, November 30, 2023
Weather: Partly Sunny, a Tad Warmer: High 66, Low 44 F; Sunset 4:15 pm (-0 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

O, Christmas Tree, O, Christmas Tree,
How lovely are thy branches!
O, Christmas Tree, O, Christmas Tree,
Of all the trees most lovely!
Each year you bring to us delight,
With brightly shining Christmas light!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Of all the trees most lovely.

I love the German Christmas carol, O Tannenbaum, because there is not much in life I enjoy more than my Christmas tree all lit up. I love the stories from the 16th century that report devout German Christians bringing decorated trees into their homes. I love even more the stories that report that people built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated the structure with evergreens and candles when trees were scarce. One of my favorite Christmas trees ever was in 2014 when Mark and I went to Puerto Rico for Christmas. Jo gathered driftwood from the beach and fashioned a beautiful tree.

01 Driftwood Christmas Tree

04 Thinking Ahead to Christmas Morning

When I was growing up, my dad rarely appeared to be happy except on Christmas Eve when he lit up like the Christmas tree. Watching my dad be so happy made the Christmas tree symbolize joy in my life. Each year when my tree goes up, I still feel like a four-year old helping her dad put up the Christmas tree on Christmas eve, decorating it with lights and then throwing on those long silver strands of tinsel. Pure joy! This afternoon, I went to get the tree at Coonemessett Farm and was again shocked that a Balsam fir here costs more than a Balsam fir in Puerto Rico. Here they say the high cost is due to shipping, but they certainly don’t grow Balsam firs on the island, and I would think transportation from the northern US all the way to Puerto Rico would be way more than from the northern US to any place in the northern US, even Cape Cod!

Despite the price, I had the tree loaded in my car, picked Jonah up on my way home, crammed him in the back of my car with the tree as all of the seats but the driver’s seat were down to accommodate the tree, and home we went. He got the tree up all by himself, took Shadow for a walk, and then put the lights on the tree. He is top down lighter just like Justin and Jo. For whatever reason, I have always started at the bottom of the tree with the lights, but it looks just as good one way as the other. I will decorate it slowly over the next few days, but I can start enjoying the tree all lit up beginning tonight. Joy!

Heather made the 12 and a half hour flight to Dubai just fine. She left Boston at 10:30 pm last night and sent a text around noon our time today saying she was in her room and ready for some sleep. It is now 6:30 am there, so she will up soon and ready for the first day of COP28. I picked Ollie up from tennis this evening and took him to Mashpee for his Christmas jazz group practice. I did a little food shopping while I was waiting for him and then brought him home. Jed and I are trying share driving duties while Heather is away, but this weekend is going to be a challenge. Jonah and Sam have multiple soccer games on Saturday and Sunday, all off Cape and not all close together. It is also the weekend of the lighting of the tree on the Green and the Christmas parade. And tomorrow afternoon I am going to the Holiday Pops on the Cape with the Cape Cod Symphony. I am being driven by friends, so they can drop me right at the door. There is no way I would be able to walk from the parking lot. Tis the season.

2023 Life Logs, Day 333: Quiet Morning, Late Afternoon Trip to Hyannis
Date: Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Weather: Mostly Sunny, but Chilly: High 36, Low 32 F; Sunset 4:15 pm (-1 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

What I can get done in a day due to my back issues has dwindled to very little. I can still contribute to getting grandkids to and from activities. I just can’t get out of the car and walk any distance when we arrive. This is fine for most things, but tonight I wanted to get out of the car to watch Sam and Jonah practicing under the lights at Barnstable High School, but I couldn’t walk the distance. So very frustrating.

I started taking Celebrex on Monday. At first I was taking the capsules a friend gave me and they were 200 mg, one twice a day, They seemed to really help. But then my doctor prescribed 100 mg capsules, one twice daily, and they help a tad but don’t take away the pain when I walk. So, I am contemplating upping the dosage to take two 100 mg capsules twice a day instead. I’ll report on how that is going in a few days.

In the meantime, I hobble along. But at least I can hobble!

2023 Life Logs, Day 332: With a Little Help from Friends and Family
Date: Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, Windy, Cold: High 41, Low 26 F; Sunset 4:16 pm (-0 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

Heather arrived at 8:20 am to take Shadow for a morning walk. My back has gotten to the point where walks longer than down my driveway are just out of the question. So, Shadow and I both really appreciated Heather’s offer to walk Shadow. Then this afternoon after school, Jonah came over to rake Shadow on his afternoon walk. Again, Shadow and I were very grateful.

My day in between Shadow walks was very quiet. I read some, started a new jigsaw puzzle, played fetch with Shadow, watched some of Rosalyn Carter’s funeral in between icing my back. I dealt with some medical issues for my sister on the phone and then called my primary care to see if he would prescribe Celebrex for my back pain. Last night, a member of my wine group suggested Celebrex and this morning she brought 6 pills over for me to try. I felt I needed to check first with my primary care, and he agreed that it was worth a try, so he prescribed it for me. Celebrex reduces inflammation and has fewer undesirable side effects that other similar drugs. My neurosurgeon’s assistant prescribed pregabalin (Lyrica) a couple of weeks ago, but I have not taken it because of the severe undesirable side effects. My primary care agrees that trying Celebrex first, to see if it works, is a better choice. Here’s hoping.

I did go out to pick up the prescription, but otherwise, it was just a day at home with nothing pressing to do. I loved it. And I am so appreciative of friends and family who are supporting me during this trying time. The medical advice and help with Shadow are much appreciated. With a little help from family and friends, I will make it through this.

2023 Life Logs, Day 331: Hosting My Wine Group
Date: Monday, November 27, 2023
Weather: Mostly Sunny: High 54, Low 32 F; Sunset 4:16 pm (-0 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

I continue to struggle with my back pain issues, but it didn’t stop me from hosting my wine club tonight. Jonah came over after school to help me do a few things to get ready—Thank you, Jonah—and at 5 pm my gang arrived. We had a wonderful evening experiencing wines from Australia. My wine group is a very special group of friends. Once they arrived, they did everything for me. I could just sit and enjoy.

2023 Life Logs, Day 330: Finally at Home
Date: Sunday, November 26, 2023
Weather: Sunny: High 48, Low 47 F; Sunset 4:18 pm; Sunset 4:16 pm (-1 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

I finally got home today around noon and I was so happy to see Shadow (and I think he was happy to see me too). I heard from Heather that they would be home get their Christmas tree on arrival so they could decorate tonight. Heather leaves on Wednesday and she really wanted to get the tree up before she left. I offered to fix dinner for them, but I had to have Jed come get the beef stew as it was too heavy for me to carry. He insisted that I come with him, rather than drive myself, so off I went.

I got to hear all about their trip to New York. They visited Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty on Friday morning and then headed to the 9/11. Friday was a little more light-hearted. They took the train from Larchmont, where they were staying with the Dearman’s, to Grand Central Station, and then toured Times Square, Rockefeller Center, 5th Avenue, Wall Street, and Central Park where they took a horse carriage tour. All three boys really enjoyed their time in the city.

When I arrived the tree was up and the lights were on it. After dinner, the tree decorating started and Ollie installed his train track around the tree and the Christmas Lego land on the coffee table. So I have now watched Justin and family decorate their tree and Heather an family decorate theirs. My turn next!

2023 Life Logs, Day 329: Chilly Day on Cape Cod
Date: Saturday, November 25, 2023
Weather: Sunny: High 37, Low 28 F; Sunset 4:18 pm; Sunset 4:17 pm (-1 min)
Location: At the Goldstones, Falmouth, MA

If my memory serves me correctly, this is the first day this fall where the daytime high temperature did not climb out of the 30’s. It was just a reminder that winter is on its way. But the forecast shows that for the next nine days, the daytime temps will stay mostly in the 40’s. So back to fall weather.

I did not a lot today as the nerve pain from my herniated disks was back. I feel truly blessed that yesterday was such a good day. Just wish it could have lasted a little longer. I had lunch with good friend Jane Woodin today. She has a long history of back issues and was able to give me some advice. She has a pain management specialist at Brigham and Women’s in Boston that has been very helpful. I will call on Monday and see if I can get an appointment. In the meantime, I wait until December 8 to get the MRI and then go from there. But back to lunch with Jane. She and Bruce just returned from a trip to Italy. They flew to Milan, on to Rome, and then a cruise through the Mediterranean ending in the Bahamas. They had some ups and downs on the trip, but managed to enjoy the trip despite the ‘downs’. It was great to see Jane and catch up on life.

This afternoon I spent time going through photos from my trip to Puerto Rico. Like Bruce and Jane, my trip also had some ups and downs, but nothing kept me from having a wonderful time with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco. I love their little farm, Finca Maravilla. It is such a special place on this earth with all the plants and animals that live there. I spent my early mornings sitting outside and just taking in the scenery of a barnyard waking up in the morning—the horses, the chickens, the pig, the cats, and the dogs. There are two horses, Hopi and Cacique, numerous chickens and one hen with a baby chick, the miniature pig that is not a mini, cats—Mango, Cosmo, Hattie, Neema, Baby, and Smudge, and dogs—Lenny, Maya Moon, Honey, Maddie, and Bluebell. And Justin has a gerbil named Meena and Ziggy has two goldfish, Gillbert and one yet unnamed. Apologies if I didn’t get all of that correct, but I know I am in the ballpark.

Then there are the trees and various tropical plants of Finca Maravilla. One evening when we were around a fire outside, I asked everyone to name their favorite tree on the property. Jo and Coco both named the ylang-ylang, one of the tallest trees on the property with wonderfully fragrant blossoms. Justin’s favorite is a tree called monkey-ear in Puerto Rico. This tree can have an expansive, spherical crown and seed pods that have a curious shape like monkey ears. The bark is gray but has red fissures running vertically making it look a rusty red. Ziggy loves the mango trees because he loves mangos. And my favorite is their starfruit tree because I love the fruit. But that was a hard choice for me because I also love the leaves of the breadfruit tree, so majestic. There are so many different plants, all exotic and beautiful, but the passion fruit was in bloom at this time of year, and the blossoms and the fruit both rate at the top of my list of favorite plants.

We had a wonderful week preparing for Thanksgiving and then enjoying a full-blown feast. And I was delighted that Coco and Ziggy wanted to get the Christmas tree while I was there so I could be a part of their Christmas celebration. Despite my back issues and the not so perfect weather, it was a fabulous week of family togetherness. I am thankful for many things in things in this world, but I am most thankful for my family—Heather, Jed, Sam, Jonah, and Ollie—Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco. Just like the plants and trees of Finca Maravilla, every member of my family is a distinct species, all bonded together with love.

2023 Life Logs, Day 328: Back on Cape Cod
Date: Friday, November 24, 2023
Weather: Sunny: High 51, Low 33 F; Sunset 4:18 pm; Sunset 4:18 pm (-0 min)
Location: At the Goldstones, Falmouth, MA

At 2 am, I said my final farewell to Finca Maravilla and Justin and I were on our way to the airport in Aguadilla. By 2:30 am, I had gone through the USDA check at the airport and was in line to check my bag. Justin was waiting outside in case I needed assistance, but the miracle I had been hoping for all week came true. I woke up after only 2 hours of sleep with no pain in my right hip. There was still a heaviness at the bottom of my spine and tingling and a little numbness in my legs, but I could walk without the excruciating pain. There was a long line waiting to park at the airport, so I insisted that Justin drop me off and just wait a bit in case things in my back changed. But they did not. Aguadilla is a very small airport, so I was able to get my luggage checked and get into the gate area to wait for my 4 am flight to Orlando. I let Justin know he could head home and by 6:40 am I was in Orlando. I deplaned at Gate 28 and needed to walk to Gate1 for my flight to Boston. I had planned to ask for wheelchair assistance, but with only my backpack and still no back pain, I walked slowly to the Food Court, had breakfast, and then walked the distance to Gate 1. So far, so good. The flight to Boston left Orlando at 9:30 am and by 12:45 pm, I had my luggage and waited to catch the bus to the Plymouth Park and Ride where I had left my car. Finally, just after 3 pm, I was back in Falmouth. But I went to Heather and Jed’s, instead of going home, as the house sitters are there until Sunday. I had received a text from Karen Baranowski inviting me to dinner, so I took a nap and then went to dinner. Since I only had 2 hours of sleep before leaving Puerto Rico and only two more during the two flights, the afternoon nap was much needed. And not having to cook dinner was such a treat. Thank you, Karen and Peter.

Heather and family are in New York City and will return mid-afternoon on Sunday, so I settled in to finish the book I have been reading, Hello Beautiful, and went to bed. By the way, I highly recommend the book. It is on the list of the New York Times Top 100 list for 2023 and I agree.

Heather, Jed, Sam, Jonah, and Ollie had Thanksgiving in New York with the Dearman’s, my summer neighbors when I lived in the cottage, and today they did a behind the scenes tour at Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and the 9/11 Museum. They are doing more New York City touring on Saturday before returning home on Sunday. Then they will switch into Christmas mode as Heather leaves on Wednesday for Dubai and doesn’t want to wait until mid-December to put up their Christmas tree. Sunday will be Christmas tree day.

My trip to visit Justin and Jo was plagued with cloudy and rainy weather and my back issues, but we made our own sunshine by just enjoying being together and limiting activities to things I could manage. My memories of our Thanksgiving feast is one I will also cherish and the time spent with Ziggy and Coco made it well worth the trip. And I loved that the kids insisted that they decorate their Christmas tree while I was there to be a part of it. I hope to return after my knee surgery and after I resolve the issue with my back so I can fully enjoy the sunshine and snorkeling, as well as spend more time with Ziggy and Coco who are growing up so fast. Thank you, JJZ&C for a wonderful week.

2023 Life Logs, Day 327: Happy Thanksgiving from Puerto Rico
Date: Thursday, November 23, 2023
Weather: Sunny: High 87, Low 75 F; Sunset 4:18 pm (-1)
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco at Finca Maravilla

Happy Thanksgiving from Puerto Rico. It was a sunny Thanksgiving Day here and we divided our day between cooking and having fun at the beach. I tried to get into the water with Justin’s help, but it was a no go. My back just could not handle the incoming waves, so I watched the fun from the beach. Later in the afternoon, Thanksgiving dinner was an absolute feast. Instead of turkey, we had Pernil which is Puerto Rican seasoned roast pork. It was so tender and delicious. Of course, there was gravy to go with the pork and mashed potatoes and stuffing. We also had fried sweet plantains that I think are called maduros, assorted greens, Mark’s cranberry salad., and Coco’s grain-free rolls. We ate on China that belonged to Mark’s great grandmother. Then for dessert we had an assortment of pies. Ziggy made his favorite, an apple pie, and Jo made pecan and pumpkin pies with whipped cream or ice cream. All delicious.

After dinner, I watched as everyone decorated the Christmas tree. Ziggy and Coco wanted to do this while I was here to share the experience. Now that Thanksgiving is over, I am looking forward to get a tree and decorate as well.

I fly out of Aguadilla (about thirty minutes from here) at 3:59 am, so Justin and I will get up and be out of here no later than 2 am. I really don’t know how I am going to negotiate the change of planes in Orlando since I cannot walk any distance without having excruciating pain, but I am still hoping for a miracle. And if that doesn’t happen, I will just have to request assistance. If all goes well, I will be back in Boston by noon tomorrow. Here’s hoping.

2023 Life Logs, Day 326: Some Sunshine on Day 5 in PR
Date: Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Weather: Sunny AM, Sprinkles, Then Clearing PM: High 82, Low 74 F; Sunset 4:19 pm (-0)
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco at Finca Maravilla

Finally, we had a mostly sunny day, so we headed to the beach this morning. On the way we stopped at Justin and Jo’s storage unit to get the Christmas decorations and Christmas tree stand, and then we headed to Marina Beach in downtown Rincon. The water wasn’t calm, but it certainly was calmer than two days ago when we were there. I walked into the water holding on to the rocks, but it was too rough for me to stay in for long. So, I just sat in the sun and read and enjoyed every minute of it. And I loved watching Ziggy and Coco running on the beach.

Baking happened this afternoon. Jo made three pies for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, plus stuffing, and Coco made more cinnamon buns. I mostly sat in the sun and helped out only a little. Justin put the Christmas tree up and Jo went out and gathered some vines to make a Christmas wreath.

After dinner we went to the plaza to attend the Art Mart. The kids met up with friends and took off to have fun. I bought earrings from a woman who makes them out of aluminum. They are so light and beautiful. Then Justin, Jo, and I went across the street to the Rincon Beer Company to sit and have a drink to wait until the kids were ready to head home. Once home, Jo put the lights on the Christmas tree with a little help from Justin. Then Justin lit a fire outside to get rid of cardboard and branches and Ziggy, Coco, and Jo got into the pool. I declined as I didn’t want to go to bed with wet hair and also because I am having a tremendously hard time negotiating. I literally can barely walk without support. I researched today how to get airport support.for the trip home. I honestly don’t know how I am going to make it, but hopefully with wheelchair assist when I change planes in Orlando, I will make it. So frustrating.

My back and the weather have certainly not cooperated for this trip, but regardless, it has been wonderful to visit and catch up on what is happening in Coco and Ziggy’s lives. But I had to laugh tonight when Justin showed me the report on the amount of sun captured for energy these past few days. The graph showed the month of November looking great. Then I arrived, and the amount of sunshine immediately too a nose dived. I’ll hope for a sunnier reception when I come next time.

2023 Life Logs, Day 325: More Rain and a Trip to Mayaguez
Date: Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Weather: Overcast, Rain Mid-day; High 82, Low 77 F; Sunset 4:19 pm (-1 min, CC)
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco at Finca Maravilla

In last night’s log, that I wrote early in the evening, I didn’t mention that we watched Barbie last night. Everyone had seen it, more than once, except for me. This was my first viewing. I could write a whole missive about what I thought of the movie, but I will spare you. I have always hated the concept of Barbie, but I appreciated the movie. As a baby boomer, I think I saw it differently than millennials, and I think millennials probably saw it differently from those born after 2000.

I hope hoped to wake up to a party cloudy sky this morning, but it was totally overcast. And it got cloudier as the morning progressed and rained mid-day. So much for a beach day. Maybe tomorrow. But we found ways to enjoy the day even without the sunshine. Ziggy, Jo, and I made a morning run into Aguada so Jo could gather ylang ylang from the Aguada trees along the Aguada running track. The smell is so wonderful, and Jo uses it to make an infusion that goes into the creams and lotions she makes and sells at local markets. And while we were at the track, Jo and Ziggy did a couple of walking laps, and then we were off to the aquarium shop. Ziggy wanted another goldfish to go with his big, beautiful Gilbert. We got that and returned home to have lunch. We all then just relaxed and waited for sunshine that didn’t come. While I was waiting, I tried to walk about the property to take photos of the trees and plants. I didn’t get very far because of the pain in my hips. I really can barely walk. But I made it to the star fruit tree just beyond the shed. It was split in two by Hurricane Fiona last year, but it has come back with a vengeance. When I walked under the tree and looked up, all I could see was star fruit hanging in clusters. I made it back to the front porch and just sat there for a bit taking in the view of the breadfruit trees, passion fruit vines, a very tall ylang ylang tree, and other various vines. Then I headed to other side of the house where passion fruit abounds along with many other tropical delights.

In the late afternoon when we drove to Mayaguez to see Ziggy’s school, SESO (Southwestern Educational Society, and to Home Depot to buy a Christmas tree. They were selling Balsam Firs and Ziggy and Coco picked out the ‘just right’ tree. We bought lights for the tree and then head back to Rincon to have dinner at Bakku Japanese Eatery & Crudo Bar. Justin and Jo had never been there and they had something for everyone. They had Wagu beef dumplings for Coco, Korean barbequed short ribs for Ziggy, fresh Wahoo, fried sushi rolls, and fresh and delicious nigiri and sashimi for all of us. It was absolutely delicious and enjoyed by all.

It was then time to head home for a another game of Doomlings, a game played in round using Age cards which have different rules that players must follow. I didn’t come in last tonight, but I still am not sure of exactly how to play this game. Regardless, it is fun.

2023 Life Logs, Day 324: More Baking and Thanksgiving Prep on a Rainy Day
Date: Monday, November 20, 2023
Weather: Rain Overnight and Into the Day; High 81 Low 76 F; Sunset 4:20 pm (-0 min, CC)
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco at Finca Maravilla

During the night, the rain started, and it was not a gentle rain. Of course, I didn’t look outside until I got up this morning, but by then water was rushing across the driveway and pouring off the roof of the house. It eased up some closer to noon and then was overcast all afternoon. The rain started earlier than expected but also ended earlier. And tomorrow was supposed to be rainy, but now it looks like it will be partly sunny. All good news. I’ll take any amount of sun over the rain, so I just hope that forecast holds.

Coco and I made grain-free cinnamon buns today and we made Mark’s cranberry salad that we will have for our Thanksgiving dinner. We made the buns for Jo since she cannot eat wheat or other grains. They certainly were not big and puffy like the ones we made yesterday, but they were delicious. The recipe called for maple syrup instead of sugar and the icing was made with coconut cream and maple syrup. Delicious. This recipe was from the Paleo Running Mama and she has a recipe for grain free garlic and herb rolls. Since everyone loved the grain free cinnamon buns, Coco and I will make the rolls for our Christmas dinner.

Coco and her dog, Annabelle, went for a short ride around the house this afternoon and Justin took Ziggy to the gym and to buy live plants for his aquarium. I think we have decided to go to Mayaguez to buy a Christmas tree tomorrow and then head a little further south to some beaches that might be calmer than here. With my back situation, I can’t brave the rougher waters. We will have Thanksgiving on Wednesday so we can begin Christmas on Thursday as I leave in the wee hours of Friday morning. Coco really wants me to be here for Christmas tree decorating. And besides, she is a true Puerto Rican believing you begin celebrating Christmas in September and keep celebrating until February.

2023 Life Logs, Day 323: Laid Back Day at Finca Maravilla
Date: Sunday, November 19, 2023
Weather: Overcast and Windy; High 86 Low 80 F; Sunset 4:20 pm (-1 min, Cape Cod)
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco at Finca Maravilla

Yesterday’s nice weather and day of no nerve pain in my hips were gone today, but we still had a relaxing day together here at Finca Maravilla. Honestly, this is the most painful day I have ever experienced with the nerve pain from my herniated disks. I often have issues early in the morning, but today the pain persisted all day. I guess the warm weather was not the solution to my problem. I can only hope that I wake up in the morning and things are back to ‘normal’. The weather is also not cooperating. It was totally overcast all day today and rain is forecast for tomorrow, followed by another day like today on Tuesday. But Wednesday and Thursday look good.

Coco and I experimented with making cinnamon buns today. I’ve never made them before, but we followed the recipe and things turned out great. Today we made cinnamon buns with wheat flour, and now we want to make grain-free cinnamon buns that Jo can eat. Since I had not made these before, I had no idea you cut each bun out of a roll with dental floss. Coco was great at doing this.

Ziggy and Justin took the horses up to the road to ride mid-afternoon while Jo roasted a chicken for dinner. I read away much of the afternoon after helping Coco with the cinnamon buns. After dinner, I asked the kids if they would be interested in watching my Voyage of Windbird presentation, They were, so that is how we spent our evening.

2023 Life Logs, Day 322: Warm, Wonderful, Windy Puerto Rico
Date: Saturday, November 18, 2023This
Weather: Hot and Windy; High 88, Low 80 F; Sunset 4:21 pm (-1 min, Cape Cod)
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco at Finca Maravilla

Heather sent me a photo of Ollie at the Harvard-Yale football game today and he looked like he was freezing. She said she hoped I was enjoying the sunshine. And I certainly am. I got up before anyone else this morning and went outside to read in the sunshine. It was wonderful. When everyone else got up, we went down to the plaza in Rincon and had breakfast and then on to Marina Beach. None of us could believe how big the waves were. It was high tide, and the waves were rushing onto the beach. In fact, there was no beach, and no one was in the water. It was really windy and rough. Justin wanted to go out to get a mooring ball that had broken loose, but Coco said absolutely not. No one was going in the water today. We then drove to Steps Beach to check out the waves and it was even wilder. The waves were huge and the tops of the waves were being blown off by the wind. Again, no one was in the water, but other people had come to see the sight. By this time, however, the kids just wanted to go home, but I wanted to go a little further to Domes Beach to see if there were any surfers. We went and there were not. We were up high at the light house, so looking down on the waves, they didn’t look so bad. But Justin assured me they were.

We drove Jo and the kids home, and then Justin and I went grocery shopping. Not exciting, but necessary. Jo stayed home to clean out the refrigerator to make room for all the food. We are trying to buy what we will need for our Thanksgiving feast, so the refrig is going to be packed for a few days. When we got home, I joined Jo and Coco in the above ground pool. Jo was cleaning out some of the leaves that had fallen today due to the wind. As we were relaxing in the pool, we heard a loud noise and saw a tree falling across the property. Justin checked it out and it was the top of a huge African Tulip tree, not the whole tree. But it sure fell with bang. Since I was here last Thanksgiving, there has been so much growth that Finca Maravilla looks quite different, even more like a tropical paradise. There is so much green that losing the top of an unwanted, invasive tree is no big deal. Just glad it didn’t cause any damage.

I am writing this early as we are going to Cowboys for dinner tonight. We didn’t want to spoil what has felt like a true vacation day with cooking! And I have no idea why, but my back has not been a problem today. Warm weather???

2023 Life Logs, Day 321: Boston to San Juan to Rincon, Puerto Rico
Date: Friday, November 17, 2023
Weather: Hot; High 82 F on arrival in San Juan; Sunset 4:23 pm (-0 min Cape Cod)
Location: At Home with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco at Finca Maravilla

I made it! It is wonderful to be here with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco. And as I write this, I am listening to one of my favorite bedtime ‘songs’. The little frogs here are coqui and they make a wonderful sound, repeating their name over and over. Coqui, coqui, coqui (pronounced co-key).

On Wednesday I wrote that I would be ready to leave on Friday morning, one way or the other. And I barely made it. Getting the house ready to leave for house guests and packing yesterday challenged my back issues to the point that I finally had to just go to bed and get up at 6 am to finish up. Shadow knew something was up when we slept in the living room last night instead of in the bedroom. This morning, he didn’t want to get up and he didn’t eat. And I heard from Brian and Nadia that he didn’t touch his dinner. I am sure he will be fine and will eat sometime tomorrow. But I worry.

I left home barely in time to drive to the Sagamore Park and Ride to catch the 8:35 bus to Logan Airport, but I ran into two traffic back ups and didn’t arrive until 8:36. As I turned into the parking lot, the bus was leaving, so I turned around and raced the bus to Plymouth to get on there. I passed the bus and got to the Plymouth Park and Ride with about 2 minutes to spare. Finally, I was on the bus and could relax. I arrived at the airport two hours before my 12:15 pm flight and it was smooth ‘sailing’ from there. The plane loaded a few minutes late, but we took off on time. When the pilot announced that the temperature in San Juan was 88 degrees, I almost stood up and cheered. The fall weather on Cape Cod has been wonderful, but I love hot. And I love visiting with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco. So, as I got off the plane, I was happy, happy.

Justin met me at the airport in San Juan. It was so good to see him! We decided to delay leaving San Juan until after rush hour, so we went to Costco to buy a few things and then went to a nearby sushi restaurant to have dinner. When we arrived home at Finca Maravilla it was almost 11 pm, but the coquis welcomed me with their song and Ziggy, Coco, and Jo welcomed me with hugs. We stayed up too late catching up on life, so I don’t think we will have any early risers in the morning. It is so good to be here, worth every minute of the getting ready agony.

2023 Life Logs, Day 320: Getting Ready to Head to Puerto Rico
Date: Thursday, November 16, 2023
Weather: Still Sunny and Warm; High 60 Low 36 degrees F; Sunset 4:24 pm (-1 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

Today was a bit of shocker for me. For whatever reason, the pain from my back issues ruled the day. Getting the house ready for Brian and Nadia, plus packing, plus finishing up some Encore business was overwhelming. I started with the Encore business and got that done. Then I moved clothes in my closet to make room for guests to hang things. Just that little bit of work was more than my back could handle, so I had to sit and rest a bit. Then I took the bedspread, the comforter, and sheets off the bed. I managed to get the sheets in the washer, but then had to rest again. The bedspread and comforter are too big to wash at home, so they required a trip to the laundromat. Just carrying that much weight was also hard. And so it went all day and evening. I did a little work, rested, did a little more work, rested again, did some shopping and came home and rested. You get the idea. Everything took twice as long as it would have normally. I can’t wait to get the MRI on December 2nd to see what is causing all this pain. Whatever, it is just no fun. But I persisted and finally got packed when I got home from taking Ollie to tennis lessons. I will do the final house cleaning in the morning as I just can’t do it tonight. Hopefully, I will be out of here by 8 am tomorrow morning and at home at Finca Maravilla to sleep tomorrow night.

2023 Life Logs, Day 319: Encore General Meeting, Hosting Ollie for the Evening
Date: Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Weather: Sunny and Warmer; High 51 Low 45 degrees F; Sunset 4:23 pm (-1 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

Busy day and so much more to do tomorrow to be ready to leave early on Friday morning for Puerto Rico. This morning was the November Encore General Meeting that I led, and that took the entire morning. Afterwards, I picked up my ring that I had resized, and ran some errands. By the time I came home to eat lunch and walk and play with Shadow, it was time to go pick up Ollie for the evening. Jed left yesterday for a business trip to London and Heather needed to take Sam and Jonah to soccer practice in Hyannis tonight. They had to leave at 5 pm and didn’t return until almost 9 o’clock. So, Ollie and I had dinner and a movie night and had a great time. But the really good news was that Heather, Sam, and Jonah also had a great evening. Jonah had practice from 5:45 to 7:00, so Heather and Sam found a pizza place close to Barnstable High School that Sam absolutely loved. Then while Sam had practice from 7 to 8:15, Heather took Jonah to Five Guys for dinner and shopping at Trader Joe’s. And they all had fun.

Tomorrow I really do have to spend time getting packed and getting the house ready for house guests. Plus, I still have a few Encore bits of business to attend to. But I will be ready on Friday morning, one way or the other!

2023 Life Logs, Day 318: Book Club and Getting Ready for an Encore General Meeting
Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Weather: Mostly Sunny and Chilly; High 48 Low 34 degrees F; Sunset 4:24 pm (-2 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

This morning was book club morning. We read a book of short stories called “Your Duck is My Duck.” Great title, but none of were enthralled with the book. But we took the opportunity to get a photo with our two new members in front of Lynne Connoly’s fourteen ornamental ducks, one for each grandchild. Just couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

I spent most of the afternoon finishing the PowerPoint for tomorrow morning’s Encore meeting. I also needed to write the agenda. And that required communicating with a lot of people to let them know their role in tomorrow’s meeting. This is all for the business meeting preceding the speaker. It is a short period of time, and I was amazed that it took me so long to get the job done.

After the meeting tomorrow, I will turn my attention to getting ready to go to Puerto Rico. I am on grandkid duty tomorrow evening, but then I have all day Thursday to finish packing and getting the house ready for the house sitters. Hopefully that won’t take me as long as getting ready for a short meeting took!

2023 Life Logs, Day 317: Meeting with House-Dog Sitters
Date: Monday, November 13, 2021
Weather: Mostly Sunny, Still Chilly; High 44 Low 36 degrees F; Sunset 4:26 pm (-0 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

This was one of those “a little bit of this, a little bit of that” days. My day started with the arrival of the tree cutting entourage, the workers and all of the big trucks and pieces of equipment. The property directly next door to me was the target today, but they needed to use my driveway. I had to have them move their trucks so I could get out of the driveway to go to a chiropractor appointment. And after the appointment, I did a little grocery shopping on the way home. Once home, I launched into making a huge pot of chicken magic mineral broth. I stopped making it a few months ago when I stopped eating chicken as part of my attempt to change to a plant-based diet. But, honestly, with this new bursitis thing, I need to be on an inflammatory diet. That means no beans. And no beans in my diet meant I was finding it too hard to be plant-based. So, I roasted a chicken yesterday and made broth today. I’ll get back to plant-based once I get this whole pain management situation under control.

At noon, Brian and Nadia, the couple who will house-dog sit for me while I am in Puerto Rico arrived to meet Shadow and the house. We spent over an hour together, and after they left, I thought of one thing after another that I didn’t tell them. Before I leave on Friday morning, I will try to write down the things I forgot. Brian and Nadia are a terrific couple. Nadia is from South Africa and Brian makes a living doing online work, much like Justin. They have lived all over the world, but they are here now to be close to Brian’s dad who has ALS. They are dog lovers, so I think Shadow will be a happy doggy. In getting ready for their arrival at noon, I did a little getting ready to travel to Puerto Rico. Thursday will be packing day, but I did get started this morning.

After Brian and Nadia left, I sent a text to Sam to see if he could come over after school to help me move some things around. I needed to get the big crate out of the basement and put it in the living room in case Brian and Nadia need it for Shadow while I am gone. Sam also helped put more outdoor furniture in the basement and he helped me get my grill up and running again. Thank you, Sam. I also did a little Encore communication that had to be done today. I didn’t get everything done, so that will be first on the agenda tomorrow morning.

We had another frost overnight. The first one killed only the most sensitive plants. This one did in the basil. But somehow the tomato plants are still surviving. Regardless, it is time to put the garden “to bed” for the winter. Maybe I’ll get that done before I leave on Friday, but more likely, I will work on that the week after Thanksgiving after I return from Puerto Rico.

2023 Life Logs, Day 316: Living with Coyotes
Date: Sunday, November 12, 2021
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, Colder; High 44 Low 30 degrees F; Sunset 4:26 pm (-1 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

Just last week I was saying to a friend that I don’t have coyotes in my new neighborhood. But then a couple of mornings ago, I saw one walking down a nearby street while I was out walking with Shadow. Then today I looked out my living room window, and there was a big, beautiful coyote, or maybe a coywolf, staring back at me. I watched as he ate the ‘apples’ that fall from the Kousa dogwood trees in the yard. He obviously saw me watching him, but he just kept eating. I banged on the window, but he didn’t budge. So, I went outside to try and shoo him away. He was unfazed. I persisted and he finally sauntered down the driveway and out into the street. Shadow was barking this whole time, and he didn’t stop even when the critter walked away. I am going to have to keep a close eye on Shadow as I know he would want to play. I’m not sure the coyote would feel the same!

I took Sam and his friend Sebbie to ACI spring soccer tryouts this afternoon. They both played for Falmouth High School this fall, but there is no high school soccer in the spring, thus Atheletic Club Independence (ACI) league soccer. Jonah’s tryouts were earlier, so Jed took him. Last year the tryouts and practices were in Harwich, but today’s tryouts and the practices in the next few weeks are much closer, at Cape Cod Academy in Osterville. It is only half the distance, so that is good.

Otherwise, it was a slow Sunday. I needed to get a PowerPoint presentation completed for Wednesday’s Encore meeting, as well as sending out the agenda. I got started but didn’t get the jobs done. Tomorrow . . .

2023 Life Logs, Day 315: Veteran’s Day Parade, Family Fun in Hyannis
Date: Saturday, November 11, 2021
Weather: Sunny; High 12 Low 32 degrees F; Sunset 4:27 pm (-2 min)
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA

The weather today was perfect for the annual Veteran’s Day Parade. The huge American flag flew from a crane high above, waving wildly in the wind with a perfectly blue sky in the background. It was cool, but not cold, so Sam, Jonah, Ollie, and Jed marched with the Scouts without jackets. This year it was Ollie’s turn to be a flag holder in the Color Guard and he held that flag proudly. Heather, Jed’s mother Marti, and Jed’s brother Toby were in the audience with me. At the end of the ceremony, Ollie and the other Scouts that were part of the Color Guard marched out while a member of the Brian Boru Pipe Band played his bagpipe. It brought tears to my eyes.

Marti, Toby, and Heather came to my house with me to see my new abode before heading home for lunch. We then reconvened at 4 pm and drove to Hyannis for a fun family evening. Axe throwing was first on the list. It didn’t sound like fun to me, but I tried it and really enjoyed it. It took Marti and I more than a few tries to catch on, but near the end of our hour, we both hit the bull’s eye. Everyone had a good time. Then we headed to the Brazilian Grille for dinner. It was my first trip there and it was a great place for a family dinner. There is an all you can eat buffet with an overwhelming number of options. After filling your plate, you sit down, and the meat starts coming around. Again, the choices were many and all grilled to perfection and delicious. Then there is dessert to top off the evening. All delicious.