Matchmaker, Matchmaker....

Friends of mine have suggested that I try an online dating service. I think it's so they can live vicariously through the dating disasters that I am sure to have. It's been 20+ years since I have been on a date. Bringing him home to meet my parents takes on a whole'nother level when you have to introduce your kids, niece, brother-in-law... and the ex-husband who lives in town.

Curiosity got the better of me and I half signed up for a site. This means, I can check things out, but nobody can see me or what I wrote. I'm bound to get a date this way.

I instantly realized 2 things. The first one was that I could make a profession for myself taking photos for dating sites. I mean, how good can you look taking your own picture in the bathroom mirror? No one is smiling in this instance. They all have a serious or seriously confused look on their face because they are not sure the phone camera is actually focused on them or the toilet. Or many had their senior pictures from HS or college. I am not looking in the 20 year old age range, these are middle aged people. Or  there are the pictures of a person with a random arm in them. As in, I went to this wedding and had a picture taken with my friends, but I am going to cut them out so you just see me. Don't you have a friend that could take a quick shot of you outside or sitting on your couch or driving your Porsche? Look, I just dated myself. Do people even drive Porsches anymore?

The other thing was the monikers people give themselves. You are not suppose to use your real name (lest someone like me google you and find out you have a police rap sheet a mile long) and adding some sort of number is a good thing. If my brother were ever to enter a dating site, his name would include gr8 in it because he thinks he is great and clever.

Anyway, there is a pretty big difference in the boy monikers versus the girl monikers. (and yes, I looked at the girls for research people).

Boy monikers are very direct and confident:

thebrick
heylookatme
flirtosaurusrex
isLuigiforu
wilddancer
sketchy (hmm, not someone you would bring home to mom and dad just by the name!)
theone

The women on the other hand were less direct:

cuteandfunny
enjoyinglife
summerbluebell
happygirl

I picked my name before I checked out other names. Let's just say I fall securely into the girl category, plain and simple.

So, let's take a vote.

I should:

A. Make my profile public with my HS yearbook photo.

B. Make my profile public with a few recent pictures and never mention that I write a blog so I can talk about everything here for your amusement.

C. Get off the dating sites and live a peaceful life of celibacy.

D. Change my moniker to something like uknowulikemeIamgr8 and go public with some pictures of me when I last wore a bikini (I think I was about 25).

I will have a pie chart of the answers in a few days....

My Girls Rock (and swim)

Please excuse this post from my usual self-depreciating sense of humor...

This post is a kid bragging post. B had a great day Saturday at her swim meet and K had a great day Sunday at her music concert. I have been bragging all over facebook, but there are a few people who need to see this that do not have a facebook. (I know, the horrors!) So Uncle Dick, these are specifically for you... (and of course any Olympic swim coach and/or music producer who stumbles across this).






Yes, I am wearing my proud Mommy badge today.

Dear Picnik,

Dear Sirs and Madams at Picnik,

When I rushed to read all the emails I received while I was wasting my time sleeping the other day, I shrieked and woke the whole house up when I read yours. Why? Why? Why? And how?

That's right, I am devastated that you are closing your site and moving to Google+. I am not a member of Google+ and honestly being a member of something new while I have so many other social networking sites is slim to none. I do not know if I would be able to use the photos I make on Google+ on my blog. Your site allows me to add frames, fix up my wrinkles and add words to my photos. It is my favorite site on the internet.

Where else can you go from this:

to this:

Please, if you have a heart, rethink your decision. I know I am not the only one who is crushed by your decision. I mean, there were practically physical tears on twitter the other day. I'll have my fingers crossed until April.

Sincerely,
Your biggest fan; As Cape Cod Turns

Sundays in My City

Cape Cod was blessed with a very snowy day yesterday! Today we took advantage and went sledding. Can you ask for a better view from your sledding spot?

4 happy, tired girls!

Happy Sunday! Go Patriots!!!

Cash Mob

Things are quiet on the Cape in the winter. Many, many of the cute little downtown shops close their doors for the long winter months of January, February and March. Some close up shop from Columbus Day weekend to Memorial Day weekend.

However, there are some hardy folks whom we are grateful for because they keep their shops open all year long.

Yesterday was the beginning of a new era for shopping in town. BJ one of the owners of  Millie's General Store (featuring all American made products) came up with the idea for a cash mob. We all know what a flash mob is (and with any luck I will participate in one someday), there was even one on Modern Family. BJ's idea brought 17 brave pioneers to the elementary school parking lot yesterday afternoon at 3:30, none of us knew where we were going. We were told to bring $20 and the theory was to all walk into one store and spend at least $20. What a boon that is in the middle of winter for a store owner to make an extra $300.

The store of the day was Cape Fisherman's Supply. Cape Fish is a year round store that has been in town for a long, long time. They service all the commercial fishermen in town and in the summer serve the sporting fisherman, too. Well, 17 women were a little skeptical about going to Cape Fish and what we would find for $20. The new owner of Cape Fish was pleasantly surprised when we all busted into his store. There was laughter, chatter and many questions of "what is this?". Everyone walked away with something. People bought belts with fish on them, t-shirts, cleaning supplies and knives. Afterward some of the women went to The Red Nun (a local year round watering hole) and were treated to wings!

This is a fantastic idea that has bonded one little town and will hopefully grow to other towns in areas where winter is just a little too long. I anticipate next month's secret adventure to double in size and enthusiasm!

This is B holding up one of our purchases in front of the store. Not a t-shirt for her, but for the little bundle of boy joy that will be born into the family in June!

Still Playing After All These Years...

K and B have always played well together. I should bottle up whatever they have and sell it to people because it's much nicer having them play together than fight together. Need examples? You can check out proof here, here and here for starters.

Sadly, the dollhouses, Barbies etc have been put away for awhile. We just came off of a 4 day weekend though and I was anticipating the "I'm bored" by Sunday. (What is up with I am bored? I haven't been bored since I was..... hmmm..... never!) They threw me a curve though and the next thing I knew they were doing a photo shoot with each other. I guess they needed new Facebook photos. They set up the family room with a bench, lights, and props (guitar, giraffe, dolphin). I offered to take the pictures and they said, "NO, we can do it". They even had "costume" changes.

250 photos later, we were laughing while checking them all out and a Sunday afternoon was saved from the "I'm boreds"!

Sundays in My City

My Chilean daughter (P is with us for 6 months) and I walked out to the Stage Harbor Lighthouse the other day right as the wind was picking up.

Happy Sunday!

Nantucket Part 1

One of the perks of being "personal assistant to the star" is traveling. Yesterday, Lisa and I went to Nantucket for the day on a fact finding mission. Her next book is about autism and takes place on Nantucket.

We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful January day! We took the high speed ferry which landed us in Nantucket in 1hour.

One of the places we wanted to see was the church tower at the Congregational church that offers tours in the summer. We hadn't gotten a hold of anyone there, but we were hopeful to find someone in the office. We looked up, found the highest church tower and headed for it. Standing to the side of the plaque, we confirmed it said "congregational". The nice lady in the office said she would be happy to give us a tour at 12:30. We went off and came back. The minister, himself, came to give us the tour. He was extremely nice and told us he was there for 2 years having come from Boston. He unlocked the tower door and we started climbing.

Hmmm, very steep steps, ducking under bars, safety hazards everywhere......could this be the wrong tower?

We got to see the very old bell....

and the view was beautiful....

but we realized that we were in the "wrong" church. We were in the Second Congregational church, not the First Congregational church. Ooops!

Hopefully Lisa can work this church into the story because it was beautiful and David the Minister was so nice and very helpful! They are in the process of remodeling the church, one word: gorgeous!

The inside ceiling and background are painted with the technique trompe l'oeil which basically tricks the eye into thinking that there are different levels in the painting. The wall was flat, trust me, I touched it.

Here is what the church looks like from the outside!

On a side note, I knew it would be cold yesterday and decided to wear my Sketcher furry black shoes mostly for the warmth factor. I FORGOT  that they were technically "shape ups". We walked all over the place yesterday on and off cobblestones and climbed that huge tower. Today, my legs are killing me. Damn shoes, I guess they do actually work.

More tomorrow.....

Uncle Bill's in My Pocket

There is a man who lives in town whom I call Uncle Bill.

I have 3 fantastic uncles of my own, but Uncle Bill is like a bonus uncle.

I met him probably 15 years ago when he would take my friend's son to story hour at the library every Saturday morning in the summer. It was so cute, how he would put Christopher in the stroller and walk to the library. My friend would only be here for the summer months and then go back to Colorado for the rest of the year.

Even though Bill was Laurie's uncle, all of us called him Uncle Bill. Since then, I bump into him every so often around town. He has a wife he affectionately calls "Dragon Lady" and a grown son who lives near Boston. He must be around 80 and has had cancer and a stroke, but keeps on ticking. He has such an infectious smile and is so happy when he sees me that I have even gotten off a float in a parade to give him a hug.

He is one of the most upbeat people I know. Seriously, if you could take lessons from him in gratitude and kindness, it would change your life. I saw him in the grocery store yesterday and I hadn't seen him around since before Thanksgiving. He dropped his basket in front of the deli department and gave me the biggest hug. I asked him how things were going and he said, "So much better now that I have seen you today!".

That is the kind of person you want to keep in your pocket to give you a boost in self esteem whenever you need it. Do you have an Uncle Bill? Do you want to borrow mine?

Sundays in My City

I know, I know, it's been awhile... sorry.

B had been sick all week long, so yesterday I took her to the beach for some fresh air. It was obvious she was feeling better!

Then, my sister and baby R showed up. As you can see, R rules the beach. By this time, the moon was up.

Baby R is so cute and so serious!

Happy Sunday!

Frag'n Friday!

*Forgive me Mrs. 4444s because it has been awhile since my last frag....

*I do not like resolutions, but I feel my blog may need one. I am beginning my 5th year of blogging and have resolved not to do Project 365, instead I am going to do Project 180. I will try my very best to blog 180 times this year. Keep me on top of this, OK?

*It is great having P here. She has been learning lots of English. She really learned lots of um... slang words during the 1st quarter of the Patriots game last week.

*B has been very sick this week. We have spent a lot of time on the couch together watching fascinating TV such as Say Yes to the Dress and What Not to Wear. I am completely ready for her wedding and I will dress the part.

*I have also had the opportunity to read 2 books, Betty White's new one (that women is a LEGEND!) and Are You There Vodka? It's Me Chelsea. Damn that girl is funny! Completely inappropriate, but so damn funny! I was laughing out loud!

*A few days after Christmas, my brother took it upon himself to build rockets with the girls and set them off. Yeah, he and his wife are having a baby in June. Wait until they see the presents that kid will get.

It doesn't say 'no rockets', right?

Finally the 3rd time, I got a good shot of it going off!

My niece didn't really want anything to do with the rockets, but she did love the wide open field.

*Got to go watch the last episode of Wizards of Waverly Place. I have one practically in tears over this last episode.

*Happy Weekend :)

Christmas 2011

Yes, I know it is January 3rd, but I wanted to post my Christmas letter if only for myself. I wanted to make sure I had it for posterity sake. Oh, and feel free to sing it out loud, it goes to Jingle Bells.

Flying ‘round the Cape, taking children here and there,

Could I stay in shape? While on my derriere?

Social media is my friend, of writing I am fond,

Photography is a trend, but I need a magic wand.

Oh, silly girls, silly girls, laughing all the way,

Oh what fun we like to have, living near the bay.

B is at the pool, 5 whole nights a week,

She does well at school, while looking mighty chic.

K’s holding court, whether at school, ring or stage

Cheerleading’s her sport, this summer earned a wage.

(refrain)

We saw Bruno Mars, Phineas and Ferb Live,

Both girls look like stars, no braces! Sakes alive!

Traveling can be fun, and we did our fair share,

LA had lots of sun, at people we did stare.

(refrain)

Texas was for jumping, Belugas were at SeaWorld,

Maine often for friends and shopping, thru the year we whirled.

We wish you Christmas gay, A New Year filled with glitter,

Please come visit and stay, or catch us up on Twitter.