Overcast Weekend

Last week passed without having time to say a few words. This week I promised myself it wouldn't happen again. Last Saturday it was freezing, literally, and drizzly. It could have been October in New England. The early soccer game was canceled, but Maxim's game was played. She scored three goals for the fourth time this season. Then this past week the cold continued. Noah's team made up their game on Tuesday night. Also cold. Thursday morning Marcela left for Boston, where she is until tomorrow. But the weather improved. Here. There, she says it is still cold. She has a workshop for professional development as a research librarian. This morning Maxim woke me up at 7:00 because she was worried that she was going to be late for school. She forgot it was Saturday. Noah played goalie in his game and stopped four or five pretty good shots. Maxim's team had this week off, but all of them were sad to hear that Coach Spencer has been called to Haiti for the next 45 days. This afternoon, the kids play in the dirt patch that once was our side yard. Noah, Maxim, Demarco and Jasmine. First soccer, as you can see here, and now an extended game of war in and around the house. They are fortunate to have friends their age and some space to make their own.

Oh One Oh Two, Two Oh One Oh

Rains and cold this end of the year season. The kids have been out of school for two weeks and Marcela's family has been visiting for even longer than that. The house has been full. Lots of love and good spirits. On January 6, the Three Kings come and then, after more than a month, the high winter holidays can be put back into the storage boxes, out to the edge of the curb, and otherwise somewhere else. Monday, the kids return to school. Me too. Marcela's school starts in another week. You may notice some changes in our back yard. (Or you may not.) Our slash pine died last spring and in June we had it cut into pieces. I was hoping to have pieces big enough to cut a few beams for a future second story, but there were too many random nails in the trunk and the tree service only had a small Bobcat, so I opted to let him cut it smaller. You can see it in the back there. We have been burning the remaining trunk and branches since then, although not much during the fall. Our past year, 2009, was probably our busiest yet. Graduate school for Marcela, publications and gardens for me, and soccer for the kids. Plus their usual elementary school. We look forward to the many visits of family and friends that will fill our home again with the sounds of laughter and joy. Happy New Year everyone!