New England Mamas

Stay Cool!

(Didn't you just hate that pat expression written over and over again in our H.S. yearbooks? Or did you help perpetuate the phrase yourself?)

Ugh! It's been so dang hot lately! And guess what?! Neither my nor Hubby's car has working A/C! Yee haw!

Still - we drove an hour and a half this past weekend to a cousin's graduation party in Franklin, MA.

Today I drove for close to an hour up to a meeting in Concord, NH.

Luckily, Hubby's got a job not too far from our house this week. But in recent weeks, he's had to drive as much as an hour+ to get to the job.

And to think! Last year, late August, we three drove all the way to Hershey, PA! With no A/C! And there Sweetie was in the backseat, covering herself completely with a wool blanket, just to amuse herself during the long trip.

My memory may be tricking me some, but I really don't think it was as hot during that trip last year as it has been here these last few days.

Thank goodness that it seems tomorrow will be much cooler. About 15 degrees cooler, in fact! Still hot, mind you, but much more manageable.

Stay cool, everyone!

Hello, Summer!

Holy frijole!  Is it hot in here or WHAT? While I'm not quite old enough for menopause, I managed a pretty good imitation as I ran errands today.  Popping between the car and the stores, I sported a shiny and flushed face, sweat dripping between my boobs, and severe irritability toward, oh...  everyone else on the planet.

The fact is, I am not a Summer Person, and that is because I am a Sweaty Person.  If you are also a Sweaty Person, you have my sympathy, and I know you share my pain as well.  I am an example of the unfortunate sub-type of Sweaty People that sweat mostly on their heads.  I sweat normally on the rest of my body, but my scalp is out of control.  More than once I have been captured in summer party photos looking like someone dumped a bucket of water on my head while my armpits are miraculously dry.  It's lovely, trust me.

This is actually one of the few things I'm truly self-conscious about, so a while back I did some research to see if anything could help me.  I'd been to one too many elegant functions held outside on a hot day and spent far too much time running to the bathroom to pat down my forehead with paper towels.  On these summer evenings, I was acutely conscious of the flush on my face and the sweat trickling down in front of my ears as I nibbled hors d'oeuvres.   As if high heels on gently sloping lawns aren't torture enough, I always end up using a finger to discretely squeegee off my cheekbones.

A few years back, a friend of mine (who is a nurse) took one look at my sodden state and said, "Whoa!  Hyperhidrosis!"   Because I am a well-educated, rational woman, I immediately went home and Googled it.  Yes, it is a real condition.  No, I don't think I'll be having microsurgery done on my SPINE to cut a tiny nerve ending to stop it.

I'm not someone who has embraced the concept of aging well at any cost.  I wince when the gossip rags show pictures of actresses sporting brand new pouts, and like many people, worry about what popular culture in this country is promoting as "beautiful."  I'm not anti-plastic surgery, per se, because I know several women who have had procedures and I was thrilled for them when the results were so positive. But guess what is used for sufferers of hyperhidrosis?  Botox injections in the scalp, which paralyze the nerves that send "We need more sweat up here!" messages to the sweat glands.  Yeah, I'm kind of ambivalent about that one, too. 

Another option is high-potency aluminum chloride antiperspirant gel you can apply to the affected area, but again - not a fan of the neurotoxins!  Or of the "burning and irritation that may occur." Ouch. Oh, wait!  There is also a handy pill, made up of various herbal ingredients in "strict proportion," which would only run me $160 for a two month supply.  After tracking down the common names for some of those ingredients, I discovered most are common herbs and spices, but one of them is this stuff:

Latin Names : Cateria lacca... English Name : Lac insect  

The most common and widely occurring species of lac insect in India is Laccifer lacca... which produces the bulk of commercial lac. Lac is the resinous protective secretion of the tiny lac insect. The major constituent of sticklac is the resin (70-80%); other constituents present are: sugar, proteins, and soluble salts, coloring matter, wax, sand, woody matter, insect bodies and other extraneous matter...

Huh. 

Looks like it's up to me to start a brand new, back-to-the-future fashion craze.  Handkerchiefs or bandanas, anyone?

Lets talk about gardening, shall we?

There are few people hardier than the New England gardener. Whether you grow vegetables, perennials, or just a few annuals, gardening here in the 6 New England states can be tantamount to an exercise in frustration.

We have poor soil. Ahem. Actually the soil is really rich and dark. Unfortunately, it's not overly abundant. What we do have in abundance are rocks. We're very lucky to have plenty of rocks. Granite, after all, is a New England resource.

We have cold weather. Most people want to get the garden in May 1st. In reality, most people can't get the entire garden in until June 1st. It rains a lot in May, and it seems that it rains on weekends  when we have more time to garden than any other days of the week.

We have really  hot weather in June. New England isn't known for it's gorgeous spring. Mostly because we really don't have spring. We have mud season. It goes from freezing cold to rainy and cold to hella hot. So gardening means working very early in the morning or in the late afternoon. The two times I have the least amount of energy possible.

We have a ridiculously short growing season. In North Carolina you can put in a bunch of tomatoes in February and watch them keep producing until December. That's a lot of tomatoes. But here in New England, that's just a pipe dream. We plant in June, in August we get tomatoes, by October the plants have been killed by frost. It's quite the ego bust to think you're going to get enough tomatoes to make pots of sauce. We all need greenhouses!

But even with the weather, the short growing season, and the crappy soil New Englanders take to gardening like a moth to a flame. I've been gardening for years, and the only place I've ever been successful is in New England. I don't know how to garden in clay soil or where it's hot for 8 months out of the year. I'm not used to the bugs that the midwest offers. Or the snakes in Florida.

I grow what is called a salad garden, consisting of lettuce, tomatoes, cukes, zucchini, yellow peppers, and a lot of herbs. I love fresh herbs and believe that herbs make a huge amount of difference in my cooking.

I also put pots of petunias and zinneas and other annuals around the patio. But my greatest love is my perennial garden. Every year I am suckered in to buying even more perennials. It's not that I don't have the room, because everyone should be as lucky as I am for large plots of sunny land. I could put in an acre of perennials if I wanted to. It's that perennials are expensive and you get no return for your investment other than flowers and beauty. I know that these are important, and nothing pleases me more than when the garden is in bloom, but it's hard to justify paying a lot of money for a flowering shrub when you could be spending that money on vegetable plants.

But I'm never going to stop buying and growing perennials because I'm an addict. I admit it. My name is Margalit and I'm a perennial addict. There! I've admitted it.

Now it's your turn. What does your garden grow?

It's Apartment Sale Season

One of the best things about living in the Boston area this time of year is that so many of the graduate students return to their native lands (like New Jersey!) and sell off all their stuff. They don't want to move it, so they either have apartment or yard sales, and the bargains are unreal. I look forward to this time of year mostly to replenish my supplies of kitchen tools and appliances, and to upgrade my furniture. But sometimes I just plain luck out and find something I've always wanted/needed but never had the money to spend for sale at a 10th the actual retail price!

The graduate students from Harvard and MIT appear to be the ones that have the best deals. Especially if they are foreign students returning to their home countries. They want to get rid of everything. Because it's late spring, nobody really needs their winter stuff, so snowboards and skis are often free for the asking. It's how we got three pairs of good ski in great condition absolutely free! Winter clothing is also priced to move. An LL Bean down jacket for $5 isn't out of the ordinary!

Furniture is also best bought right about now. I find bookshelves to be the cheapest, and because I'm one of those readers that can't seem to get rid of hardback books, my need for a large bookshelf every year isn't out of the question. Last year we got a wall-sized bookshelf AND a matching desk for $45. Now I'm in the market for yet another bookshelf.  Desks and chairs are a hot commodity, as are futon sofas. So many grad students buy futon sofas thinking they're a great investment, but actually they're hard to get rid of, so they go for a song. I think they're great in a playroom basement, or for a guest room, but in a living room, they're just not that comfy.

Rugs are also available for a lot less than you would pay in any store. Even Ikea. I got a real Afghanistani rug from a woman returning to Kabul for $25 that a rug deal would sell for several hundred. Sometimes people throw in a rug if you're buying a big piece of furniture. They just want to get the stuff out of their apartments.

If you're in the market for porch furniture, papasan chairs are a dime a dozen. I think they must be a requirement in graduate student housing because everyone is selling them. Televisions are also going for a song this year, especially since most aren't HDTV and won't be worth much come next year anyhow.

Living so close to so many universities does have its downside. Traffic, rowdy neighbors, lots of bars, etc. But when it's June and the students flee the city, the sales they hold to get rid of everything they own.... just fabulous!

10 things to do this summer in Rhode Island

With summer ("unofficially") upon us, it's time to start rolling out the summer plans.

Even in the tiny state of Rhode Island, there is plenty to do... either for a day trip, a weekend trip or a full-on vacation stay.

If you are planning on visiting our nation's tiniest state this summer, here are the top 10 must-dos:

1) Explore Newport. This seaside city has endless opportunities for summer fun, from the beaches (Easton's beach - or "First Beach" to the locals - is great for families with its carousel, children's playground and skateboard park) to the Cliff Walk (3.5 miles of architectural, coastal and wildlife beauty) to the  Newport Mansions (tour 11 of the historic properties that have helped define America's heritage, located on 80 acres of gardens and parks). Don't forget to stroll down Thames Street and stop for a bite to eat at The Red Parrot or  Salas'. A short walk from Thames St. will bring you to The Black Pearl for award-winning clam chowder and an elegant atmosphere. And for the best buffet in town, plus a fabulous theater/cabaret production, don't miss the Newport Playhouse.

2) Go to the Roger Williams Park Zoo. There are always fun events, exhibits and more going on at the zoo, located on the grounds of Roger Williams Park, which also offers a carousel, boat rides and greenhouses.

3) Watch a PawSox game. The Pawtucket Red Sox are the Triple-A Affiliate team of the Boston Red Sox, and their home turf, McCoy Stadium, is right here in Pawtucket, RI. Enjoy a family-friendly, wallet-friendly experience, watching the future household names of baseball fine tune their skills. Sometimes you'll even catch a current Boston Red Sox star playing at McCoy as he rehabs following an injury.

4) Experience WaterFire. This summertime tradition is an experience not to be missed. It lights the night with 100 sparkling bonfires along the three rivers of downtown Providence. Thousands gather to watch the beauty of WaterFire take in its musical and cultural accompaniments. Don't miss it! (Scroll down to the bottom of this page for the  2008 summer schedule.)

5) See the Narragansett Towers.  These much photographed historic Towers are located on a beautiful and scenic stretch of road along Narragansett Beach. Live music and dancing, and other public events, are held at the Towers throughout the summer.  But it's worth a visit, even  if only to take photographs of the architecture.

6) Ride your bike. Rhode Island has so much natural beauty, and one way to experience much of it is by riding on the state's many bike paths. The paths will take you along the riverways, through beautiful towns and into parks.

7) Visit Block Island. The laid-back atmosphere on Block Island is just perfect. Go for the music festival, unleash your adventurous side and go kiteboarding - or just spend the day traversing the island by bicycle.

8 ) Pick Blueberries. July and August are the best months to go blueberry picking around here. When you pick them right from the bush, blueberries are so ripe, fresh and delicious! My favorite place is Rocky Point Farm. You can find detailed information about where to pick other fruits and vegetables around Rhode Island here.

9) Spend the day at the park. For such a small state, there are plenty of wonderful parks in Rhode Island. My favorite two are Colt State Park in Bristol and Goddard Park in Warwick. Pack a picnic basket, a Frisbee and some Wiffle Ball equipment, and you're good to go. Both parks offer walking trails and small beach areas. And you can go on horseback rides at Goddard Park.

10) Kayak on the bay. You're never far from the water when you're in Rhode Island (we are the Ocean State, after all). Take a tour on kayak with The Kayak Centre in Wickford or Ocean State Adventures in Bristol.
 

Rain, Rain, Go Away... NOT!

Yes, I know.  You think I am insane.  All the dampness here in New England must have affected my brain!  The rot and mildew is setting in!

I have one word for you to explain my love for the rainy days we've been having: allergies.  Last year at this time, my poor little Peanut was hit with a tidal wave of pollen.  You may remember that it stayed cold for a long time last spring, and then BOOM - warmed up and stayed really warm and dry for a while? 

The allergist told us it was going to be a terrible year because everything that would normally bloom over a span of weeks or months bloomed at the same time instead.  It hit so hard and so fast, we ended up in the E.R.  a few days after the warm weather started, with Peanut wheezing and needing a nebulizer treatment to set him right.

The rest of the summer was the same.  My boy is allergic to a lot of thing, just a few of which are trees, weeds, and grass, and the weather pattern last year made it impossible to even play outside for parts of the summer.  It really sucked, loading him up with prescriptions and nasal sprays and eye drops, only to watch him rub his eyes and ask to go back inside on a beautiful summer day.

This spring has been really different so far.  The rain has come, and gone, and come again, and each time it has washed away a ton of pollen.  This morning dawned sunny and bright, and despite trying to keep the house as allergy proof as possible, I couldn't resist opening the windows in a burst of optimism. 

It was lovely, and I enjoyed the breeze even as I began thinking I should probably close up the house and run the air conditioning, but then the skies darkened.  The rain has been threatening to come down again this afternoon, and I'm loving it.  Our family is singing a new song these days: 

"Rain, rain, don't stay away! 
Come back and wash the pollen away!"

___________________________

Cross posted at A Smeddling Kiss

Let Go

That's a funny saying, isn't it? "Let go". It could mean a variety of things. Some good, some bad, some indifferent.

(A couple weeks ago), for me, "let go" was a very bad thing.

I was let go from my job. With a company I've worked for for 11 years. Purely budgetary reasons, I'm assured - nothing at all personal against my performance. I'm not the only one to go.

Still - it sucks.

I spent (that day) with Hubby, my mom, and Sweetie. I networked via email with friends, family and blogging/writing associates. I made the most of my day.

I'm glad I did, as it all helped me realize something very important.

I'm good. Hubby, Sweetie and I are all good. This is an opportunity. This is the kick in the butt I needed. Now I can get on with my life, pursuing the sort of career I truly feel passionately about.

I'm actually excited. I'm optimistic. I'm setting off on a brand new path - eager to realize my dream career. Writing, editing, educating - these are my passions. These are the areas I'm skilled in and the career path I'm eager to finally - confidently - plant my feet on and march on down. I can do these things. I've been doing them. Now's my chance to actually make a career out of them.

I'm good now. Soon, I will be great!

Oh, and one more thing. I'm going to make the most of this extra time with Sweetie before she heads off to kindergarten in the fall. This, right now, is the last bit of time when Hubby and I can really decide how she'll spend her days. This time with her is truly a gift.

Here's to the future. Here's to pursuing one's passions.

Here's to letting go.

------------------

Reprinted from Sweetie & Me: Spina Bifida Moms.

While The Mama's at Work...

This past Friday was a rather trying day for me, work-wise. Not that I wasn't able to keep myself together and my duties as orderly as possible, mind you. Nonetheless, it was - shall we say - a long, 12 hour work day with barely a moment to breath.

And while I toiled away in my office cube, where do you think my little Sweetie and darling Hubby were? If you guessed gallivanting around York Beach, ME with friends on a beautiful spring day, you'd be right.

Lucky guys.

Yes, that's right. Hubby had an unplanned day off from work, and his friend from Portland just "happened" to take a personal day too. So the two of them, plus Sweetie and the friend's 3-year old daughter, got to go play all day while the Mamas worked.

Yippee for them.

Honestly, though - I'm told a fabulous time was had by all. There was a Hubby-proclaimed awesome playground at the beach for the girls to play in and the beach itself was not too big nor too crowded on that particular day. And, of course, Hubby was thrilled to get some quality "Man Time" with his buddy he doesn't get to see as often as he'd like.

Fortunately, Hubby also reports that this beach is only about 1 hour, 15 minutes from our So. NH location - so he's very excited for the three of us to visit there as often as possible in the coming summer months.

Okay! You bet!

'Cuz actually participating in a fun beach day with you and Sweetie sure would be a lot more enjoyable than hearing about it after a long, stressful day at work.

Spring scenes from Boston

Is there anything more beautiful than the sight of Spring blooming in the city?

Here are some recent shots of blooming Beantown:

... just the kind of scenes to make you forget the harsh New England winters!

What Do You Do To Feel Healthy, Free and Full of Life?

I don't know about you, but we go to our friendly neighborhood cemetery for some good ol' fashioned exercise.

Daddy runs laps, Sweetie scoots laps, and I simply lap up the fresh air and sunshine.

Oh, how I love the spring!