From SMH

"What a few days!  Loved seeing you and our 55+ years on the planet together.  And our parallel lives.  Love you!!!  And we need more time but it is as if no time has passed as noted"

❤️

Sent to Sarah H

As a birthday and thank you! Delivered on the day! 12/12/22 ❤️

For Sarah

Not only did I stay a couple nights at her apartment and forget the goodies I was going to bring down - it's also her birthday on 12-12-22. So I had to send these from Farmgirl Flowers:

Sent to Janice on 11/25

Poor dear broke her wrist and had to have surgery.

Calling All Cute Guys!

Calling All Cute Guys! | The New Yorker

I set my alarm for 6am every morning. I get up - put on my coffee and let the snooze go 3 times. Sorry if that bothers you but not sure I can change that anytime soon. I drink my coffee in bed and can get out of the house in less than 5 minutes from being in bed to being in my car. I brush my teeth but don't touch my hair or face. Most mornings I have my pillow creases still on my cheek. Just don't get in my way. I run a tight morning ship.

I head to Mt. Philo every morning. I like to run it - and plug in my airbuds so if you want to join you can either go in front of me or behind me because this is my alone time with my music, stairs, Philo fam and views. One thing you don't have to worry about is that even though I am a ridiculous Instagram poster - I don't post anything really personal unless it's in secret format just for us. So if you don't have an account - suggest you get one. I only share my location with one person so if you want a general idea of where I am, Instagram is your best bet.

F

…and be careful if you walk into my kitchen at night with the lights off. At least 3 cabinet doors are open, but it's Russian Roulette which one  will give you a black eye😍

And, I have enough nuts on hand to feed an army of squirrels 

All my seltzer is pineapple 

 MY candy stash is from Halloween, mid 2000s, because I can stop after only one piece 

FUNIONS have consequences and I don't care

Expect there to be a very large Christmas tree and Christmas is a long season

I makes lists and stuff get shit done 

A

And I go out a lot with my girlfriends… those nights I won't be seeing you.

So fun! And let's not forget about the white sunglasses!!! Love the pictures!❤️❤️❤️

Me

And don't touch my cheese doodles or cheezits. They are off limits - I do not share. 

Funyons are reserved for hangover and road trips 

When I travel for a min of 2 nights I always bring my single sleeping bag to save my hosts from having to change/wash sheets. So if you what to come - bring your own sleeping bag. 

I am a creative person and have many unfinished projects. Get used to it. They all have names so familiarize yourself with them. Here's a sample: the Christmas stocking project, at least 3 Shutterfly projects, the cardboard box project, ten WORD book project, operation Goodwill etc. and NEVER ask me when they will be done. EVER.

Another one: I like my fried egg whites crispy. So please refrain from removing the frying pan from the heat just because you think they are done. They are not. 

Michelle 

Gotta put something in there about work schedule and multi job juggle

Gotta put something in there about always seeing the bright side of things 

Gotta put something in there about never giving up on people and family.  

And the JUST FUCKING DO IT attitude. 

Stranded whales - 2 years apart ON THE SAME DAY!

Ticklish!

So fun to reconnect!

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/arts/johnny-swing-coin-artist.amp.html

Wellesley

https://theswellesleyreport.com/2016/08/hunnewell-estate-opened-for-a-good-cause/

Wellesley

https://landscapenotes.com/2016/07/25/the-hunnewell-estatewellesley/

Workout #401

Modern love : Long Road To Lucky 9/5/22



Dear Modern Love Team,

Thank you for your consideration of my piece bbelow.

Louisa

Long Road To Lucky

I only had eyes for the wasband. From the moment I met him it was true love. Or so I thought. I loved everything about him. We had a good marriage, a beautiful family and a life full of fun and adventure. Don't get me wrong, we had our trials and tribulations along the way. We certainly weren't perfect, but we managed to survive four international moves, three children and an affair, the first affair. I thought since we'd weathered so much, we could withstand anything. 

 

I was wrong. Around twenty-three years into our marriage things changed dramatically. Financial worries, depression and career challenges changed everything. And another affair. 

 

Four days before Christmas, I picked up the landline. "Hi, May I please speak to Louisa. Yes. This is she. Hi, I think you should know that my wife and your husband have been having an affair for two years."

 

I don't remember anything about Christmas that year. 

 

I took my wedding vows seriously and thought I was meant to be with him forever. But he wanted out. At one point he actually asked me why I couldn't be more into a modern marriage, "I mean wouldn't it be great if you could just be cool and let me come stay here at the house when I want to see the kids."

 

A switch flipped. Who was this person speaking to me? It wasn't who I married or who I loved. Our marriage was over. Problem was it took me way too long to come to that realization. I was heartbroken. Everything I had envisioned for our life and future wasn't going to be anymore. We weren't going to grow old together. We weren't going to take care of each other. We weren't going to enjoy our grandchildren together. What would graduations and weddings be like? The rug had been pulled out from under me and I had no idea what my future was going to look like. The heartbreak, the uncertainty and the unknown were overwhelming, almost paralyzing.

 

Around that time, I read Amy Kraus Rosenthal's Modern Love You May Want to Marry My Husband. The marriage she described resonated with me - reminded me of the early years of my marriage. Amy was dying and the man I had married didn't exist anymore. In the printed edition the bottom right hand quarter of the paper was blank, an intentional canvas where Jason could write his next chapter. 

 

Wait what? Chapters? Yes. I too could write my next chapter. 

 

I was forced to look at myself. I had always put him and our children's needs before mine. After years of therapy and digging deep I finally learned what it meant to focus on me. And that's when my path to forgiveness and freedom began. 

 

Forgiveness was for me. I didn't/don't have to ever let him know I have forgiven him. It's not that I think what he did was ok. Because I don't. It wasn't. It's about letting go, coming to terms with what happened and closing those chapters of my life and start writing my own new ones.

 

My journey so far has been amazing. I've met the most incredible people, built businesses and done things I would never have experienced or accomplished had we still been married. I'm finally taking care of myself the way I always deserved. 

 

I'm currently in chapter ten. I have an inner strength and energy that makes me feel so free. I thrive on the unknown and wake up every day waiting to see what the universe will drop my way. Kismet and serendipity find their way into my life almost daily.

 

It's been a long road, but now I consider myself the luckiest gal in the world. As I've continuously reminded my children, there's always a silver lining, you just have to find it. I found mine and it's me.

NYTimes: Vibrators, Weed, Plants: What Can You Take on a Plane?

Funny.

Vibrators, Weed, Plants: What Can You Take on a Plane?

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/22/travel/carry-on-luggage-tsa-travel.html?referringSource=articleShare

Calling All Cute Guys! | The New Yorker

Omg.

Perfect.

I should write my own version.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/08/08/calling-all-cute-guys

July 25 - thank you

July 25 - thank you

July 25 - spirit story

Jared Coffin hotel

July 23 - off to Westport

July 22 - heading into the city

July 23 - happy place

July 20 - oops!

July 15 - thank you

Elizabeth invited me to the Shelburne Museum Antiques Roadshow and then to dinner at the Inn! So lucky….

July 15 - thank you

July 15 thank you

7/13

Today started out like any other day. Mt. Philo.

The rise and demise of Subway’s $5 footlong promotion

Fascinating. 

From a The Hustle newsletter today:

Why Subway's tuna is headed to court

You may want to think twice before ordering that $5 footlong. Subway, the global sandwich chain, is battling claims over the legitimacy of its tuna, and a federal judge just ruled the company can be sued for misleading customers about its ingredients, per Reuters. Subway's tuna trouble… … started when a disgruntled customer enlisted a marine biologist to analyze 20 tuna samples from the chain. He found 19 of them had "no detectable tuna DNA sequences." The finding kicked off a series of events: Subway released a statement, created a dedicated website, and ran commercials touting that it "serves 100% tuna." The sandwich chain argued that any presence of non-tuna DNA could be due to cross-contamination with other ingredients. A US district judge didn't rule out Subway's explanation, but determined that some ingredients in the samples (e.g., chicken, pork, beef) are not what a "reasonable consumer would… expect to find in a tuna product." For now, Subway is standing firm — recent menu updates don't show any tuna-related changes despite the ongoing lawsuit. This isn't Subway's first run-in with sketchy food Previous investigations happened in: 2017, when Canadian researchers found Subway's chicken only contained ~50% chicken DNA 2020, when an Irish court ruled that Subway's bread isn't actually bread due to its high sugar content The company also faced a class-action suit for selling footlong sandwiches that were shorter than a foot, but it was ultimately dismissed. Subway's not alone Class-action lawsuits against food and beverage companies have been rising for years, and payouts can be lucrative. That said, if your tuna isn't tuna, your chicken isn't chicken, and your bread isn't really bread — there's gotta be a better way. For more on Subway, check out our deep dive on the rise and fall of the $5 footlong.

This morning's adventure

I posted this thank you to FPF this morning. It happened on my way back from hiking Mt. Philo.

A huge thank you to the person driving south on Mt Philo Road in the white Jeep who repeatedly flashed their lights at me at around 7:20 this morning.
You flashed so many times that I realized you were trying to tell me something. I slowed down to about 25 mph and crested that mini hill and came face to face with a raccoon that was sitting smack in the middle of my side of the road.  He didn't move. I stopped and waited. Nothing.  So I slowly drove around him and pulled into the next driveway to see if I could scare him/shoo him off the road. When I got out of my car and he turned and stared at me. Just as I was fumbling for my camera (because I had to take a photo), a big truck came barreling down the road and the raccoon scampered into the bushes.
You saved a life today.
You gave me a face to face moment with a raccoon.
Had I not known to be on the lookout for something, I would have hit that raccoon as I crested that hill.
Thank you! Thank you!

I was on my way to the supermarket for eggs and bananas. Eggs for me. Bananas for Jack. We are breakfast creatures of habit. Got home only to find that the guy at the store had not scanned the eggs - even though I had put them on the checkout thing. I then had to go to the Brick for my eggs. And all of this before my 8:30 meeting.

July 7, 2022

When you show up on someone else's insta feed front and center.

July 7, 2022 Philo's magic continues

There were 4 of us at the top this morning just after 7am. Anne, the Hannafords teller, who recognized me at Hannafords about a year ago by my white sunglasses and asked if I go up Philo, we exchanged names and have been saying hi ever since. A man with a ski pole who I had never seen before, but he joined our conversation. And then a woman who was setting herself up on the rocks to my right. She pulled out her watercolors, brushes, paper and travel water and started to tell us that she was going to meet a painting group at 9 but she felt that was too late since the light was prettier in the early morning. Anne asked me if I had been on vacation since she hadn't seen me for a couple of days. I had been in Wellesley for the 4th, I told her and then shared with the painter that a bunch of us come up every morning and have our own little Phili fam, as i call. We all wished each other a great day and off I ran.

At 12:40 today this text came in:

Chris:
Did you meet Annette painting on top of Philo today?

Me:
I did meet a woman just starting her watercolor - how on earth did you connect that it was ME?!?!

Chris:
I just met her and she said she had been there since 7am so I asked if she met you. :)

I said long blonde hair and she said big smile? 

Me:
That is so random.
I love how the world works!! (Chris ❤️)
Love her painting.
The funny thing is that I almost asked her where I could see her finished work and you just delivered it to me!

then I text again at 4:48pm

Me:

Chris - I still can't believe that coincidence and that you actually asked her if she saw me! It gave me such a huge smile. I tell you that Mt Philo is a magical place.

Chris:

I agree. I am so happy to have her painting. 🤗

Me:

Wait. How did you end up with her painting?

I thought it was just a photo. Did you buy it?

Chris:

Yes!

Me:

What? Where was she selling them? The plot thickens

Chris:

I was talking to her and told her that I go up every day and it was a special place to connect with my dad. She asked if I wanted to buy the painting so I said absolutley!

She said she met someone this morning that comes up every day and that's when I described you.

She was at the top just finishing her painting session for the day.

Me:

Too funny! I love that you go up to connect with your Dad. So special! ❤

Chris:

We are so lucky to have Philo.

Me:
Oh I know!!

Best thing to do everyday!

Bailey - December 14, 2020

The notes I took when the vet called to tell me more about Bailey:

Bailey

Shows a mass on the spleen

And shows metacis to the liver

Cancerous growth on spleen - and has metastasized to liver

Recommendation to chest X-rays to see it mestacized there.

Time where chose to not go forward. Can treat it agressibey - can remove mass and the spleen

And then have them tested.

But check to see if in the lungs.

Can help her with applitaive care

Or more aggressive 

Chest xray $300

Mass is growing within body - causes internal bleeding - and things rupture with internal bleeding - no blood in abdomen - at some point there will be a rupture and then internal bleeding and can see the distention and then at the end. Not there yet. But

Doesn't have enough platelets to go through surgery - that would be 1000's to get prepared for surgery - and could still die even after.

Her platelets are too low - she could start to bleed out at any moment.

Estimate 

Today $834 before pain 

Cremation - iv catheter with ashes returned - $1156.

June 28, 2022

I picked up MY ring.

June 28, 2022

I haven't seen Peter on the hill for several weeks, or Adrea for that matter. So I reached out to Adrea to see how she is and if she's heard from Peter. She texted him and he replied right away.

He is such a sweet, kind man. And Adrea's description of me is adorable. Heart is full. Both are ok. ❤️

June 26, 2022

I was coming down Mt. Philo and two women were stopped by this tree - juts looking at it and saying how cool
It looked. I stopped and told them that I have names for a lot of the trees on Philo and that I call this one "the love and hug yourself tree". They LOVED it! #mademesmile

June 28, 2022

Patrice saw this on Facebook and sent it to me this morning. Not only is it exactly my list - but the fact that Patrice saw this and thought of me is because I shared my piece on forgiveness. I'm constantly reminded that when you share your challenges, feelings and successes beautiful, magical things will come back to you. Trust the universe. Such a wonderful start to the day. Xox

June 21, 2022 - I’m so damn wrinkly

But I guess it's a reality. I am about to turn 56.

Bike ride - June 19, 2022

5am drop off

Friday June 17

Dinner dates

June 16, 2022