You CAN go home again!

Routes to Pittsfield from Lee and Lenox
Holmes Road








Williams Street Our new backyard at 23 Marcella Avenue
Thomas (on the left) in Onota Lake with a new friend

Well we're pretty much settled in. Still trying to find where we packed some odds and ends, most are probably in our storage unit here in Pittsfield or in the Boston unit. But we'll be figuring all that out when we can catch our breaths.
I finished up my job at the North End this past weekend. It was tough saying goodbye, and I almost screamed, OK! I'll stay! I don't care the cost of gas! The trips in and home again really weren't that bad. It was pleasant actually. I was perpetually fatigued however, couldn't shake it off. And I kept getting a cramp in my right calf...I refuse to use the cruise control...afraid it'll get stuck at 70 and I won't be able to stop...yes 70. The cops don't waste their time on just 5 mph over...do they?
Last week we did a bunch of errands...went to City Hall and registered to vote, got our recycle buckets; then to the DMV to change our address on the car registration and ID's; to the Post Office, cuz apparently they didn't get our request when I did it online and they charged me a dollar to do so! Then Thomas and I went to the Berkshire Museum, and it was so different from when I went as a child and when I took Andrew there. They charged us $15 to get in and some of my favorite exhibits were gone, replaced by modernization. There were ALOT of modern, abstract stuff I could do without seeing. Sad.
Took a stroll on North Street. Went to the Library and we all got cards. I took out 5 books and I'm on my 3rd already.
Today we bought Thomas a bike at Plaines with the birthday money Nana gave him. I'll take pictures of the process of learning to ride and post it soon. Bob is working up a sweat hanging onto the seat and running with him. Thomas didn't know it but today Bob was barely holding on with 2 fingers. Maybe he'll take off tomorrow. And we took him to Onota Lake for a dip. The lake is lovely, it's the crap all over the grass we had issue with...what happened?! There are plastic bags for doggy poo scooping...why don't the owners use them?
We'll try another area next time, or take him to Pontoosac Lake.
So this weekend is our Cousin Picnic. I'm really looking forward to it. I really am.
Next week I pick up Andrew from BU. The next day we go to see Futures at Fenway, a double-header that features farm clubs, including the Paw Sox. Then there's the Going Away picnic for Christopher on Sunday. Yep, he's going to Idaho! And they are treating him all right, setting him up in an apartment, furnishings and money for traveling to get there. We wish him all the best, setting out into his new beginnings!
That's it for now...much more later...glad to be home...but BOY! am I tired!

Thoughts on moving back home...

Bob and I have been feverishly sorting, purging, packing and repacking...filling our rented storage space with boxes we're taking with us to Pittsfield.
Funny how it goes...buying a house one minute and moving in an entirely new direction the next.
We're definitely moving...to Pittsfield...a place I'd never thought I'd live in again...a place I thought I'd never get my husband to live in.
He said to me last night..."I'm getting really excited now".
As for me...I am feeling kinda weird. I thought if the prospect of moving back home ever came up, I'd be really excited, ecstatic, jumping up and down for joy...but I'm not.
I keep plodding along, waiting for it to sink in, waiting for some spark of happiness to ignite. It hasn't happened yet. It's like, I know what is supposed to be good for me and Bob, I know what is supposed to be good for my kids...like eating green leafy vegetables...I like them, but I don't want to eat them everyday. Moving to Pittsfield is like that...it's the better choice...there is so much more that is good for us THERE than HERE, but I am missing things I love around here already...and it's clouding my joy of moving to a place I have loved and longed for. I want to keep the closeness of the ocean, the closeness of the city. I want to keep the ability to find great deals in the vasteness that is the shopping mecca on Rte. 1. I want to keep tasting the foods I know I won't get in the Berkshires. I want to keep my friends here close. I want to be there for my patients...the ones I've gotten to love...when it is their time to go.
I want to continue to work with my fellow nurses and CNAs at the North End...amazing how fast they accepted me and how nice it is to be there. And I'll miss earning what I do...I'll be taking a big cut in pay, probably doing more than I do here...it's a shame. I'll miss our doctors, our dentist, Thomas' school and teachers. And I'll miss not being around for Andrew while he's at BU...our thursday and saturdays connecting...getting coffee...getting his treats for the week. And I'll miss so much more.

I WON'T miss the noise of people, cars and planes overhead, so close you can read the numbers on their sides, the grouchiness/gruffness of the natives, the pushing and jostling to get on a packed train, high priced rentals, fear that I won't move my car properly on street cleaning day...and I'll get another $210 tow/ticket, hearing about daily shootings and deaths...so senseless, in the nearby neighborhoods. And so much more.

I won't miss my occassional pangs of homesickness...cuz I'll already be home.
We're moving to 25 Marcella Ave. Pittsfield 01201.
It's on the 1st floor of a duplex. The landlord lives upstairs. The wife is a 4th grade teacher at Egremont, where Thomas will go to school. Where Andrew went and graduated from 5th grade before we moved to Eastie. It's only a street away.
They have a huge yard. The street is full of kids Thomas' age. My sister only lives 2 streets away. Our whole family is there...well, not everyone...Mom on the Cape and Sherry in Taunton, Unc in Framingham, Maurya in JP...they won't be as close, but we'll make a more concerted effort to see them, more than we do now...as Maurya once said, she saw me more when I lived in Pittsfield.
I'll be working in Great Barrington, at Fairview Commons, it looks like. They offered me the job of charge nurse yesterday. I will accept it today.
I'll be going from working every weekend, nights to monday-friday days.
A stepping stone I'm looking at it as. I want to work in the hospital, BMC. I want to work rehab again. But to apply to an internal position, I have to work 6 months. Fairview is part of the system. It's gonna be hell driving there in the winter...I'll have to get a more reliable car.
We'll be able to buy a decent house, with a yard. A FOREVER HOME. Andrew will take REAL breaks from school, although he'll continue summering over at BU and work. Thomas will enjoy growing up with his cousins like I did.
Bob and I will get out more. We'll get a dog.
And maybe some of my friends and all of our family here will pay us a visit
there. Have a bonfire at Sue and Matts (or our house someday), see the stars, shine so bright and hear loud thunderstorms. Something lacking here in Eastie.
Going to get spring water, go fishing, bike riding, sunday drives up into the mountains, and our yearly trips to go shopping in Boston, just the girls.

It's all good. I have to believe it.

Here is a short video about the house we almost bought, it doesn't really show much, just the view:

Some January Happenings

Andrew back at BU, Jan. 12th 2008













Bob in his Christmas recliner.














Christmas at Sue and Matt's Jan. 5th, 2008














Tommy in a tunnel of snow at Sue & Matt's Jan. 6th, 2008














Thomas in Sue & Matt's yard, Jan. 6th.














Happy New Year Thomas!














More pictures to follow because we had a wonderful time in Pittsfield, celebrating our Christmas and Baby James' baptism. It was snowing when we drove in and there was already alot of snow on the ground. Made it very festive.

Day in Town with Thomas and Bob

Thomas outside the New England Aquarium and their sand shark ice sculpture.













Me on the Blue line train, our day is done...Don't take my picture Bob!












Ice sculpture called "Mangrove", with little flamingos and cranes all around, at Park St. station.













Ice skaters on Frog Pond, Boston Common













Eagle sculpture on the Common













Patriots on ice













Fanuil Hall's Red Sox on ice, notice the baseballs and bat in the bottom block of ice.


We spent the day walking in the snow and rain around Boston. We took the train to Copley and backtracked all the way to the Aquarium, and saw a free seal show at the tank outside the building.
Boston was pretty quiet, and it was lovely to take a nice stroll, unhurried, thru it, stopping for hot chocolate along the way.

Happy New Year!

Light show on the Boston Public Library








Fireworks over the harbor at midnight

Looking up Hanover St., Mother Anna's is on the right.











Me on Christmas Eve before leaving for work.


Christmas morning.









Snow and the Seven dwarfs.


Ram at Suffolk University.








Castle.

Happy 2008!

Bob and I took in some of Boston's First Night celebrations. We started in the North End, where we had dinner at Mother Anna's on Hanover St. Then we started walking across town to Copley Square. On the way there, we people watched, and although it seemed there weren't as many people out, the ones that were, were very interesting to look at with their flashy 2008 glasses, and buttons, funny hats and noise makers. We looked at a few ice sculptures and took in a jazz band in the gazebo on the Common. People were dancing , and beads were thrown into the crowd. After a nice stroll thru a darkened Public Garden, with the Christmas lights on in the trees and bushes, we listened to a rock band in Copley. The light show dancing off the front of the Boston Public Library. Then we took a quick train ride back to the Aquarium to watch the firework show over the harbor at midnight. We had front row seats on the pier and although it was a short program, it was very beautiful.

Andrew stayed home and watched his little brother. I was grateful for the time out with Bob as we hadn't even gone out for our anniversary this year. We are taking Thomas out during the day on the First, so he can see the sculptures and spend some time with Mom and Dad. Andrew just wants to stay home and have some alone time.

Hopefully everyone is getting to do, what they find enjoyable to do this day. Spending time alone or with someone, relaxing or partying. Start 2008 off right, in your own way.

I hope you enjoy some of the pictures I took during our walk thru Boston last night, and have a very Happy New Year! May it be peaceful, healthy, and plentiful for all!