more Boston life

Last weekend we hungout with some new friends - from CO, MA, Vienna, Poland, Africa, all over - that I randomly met on the plane home for Becka's graduation. They invited us for a tour of Lexington and Concord and for dinner, so we said yes! She's into public health and he's implementing water systems in developing countries and doing research at MIT. Whoa!

First stop was Walden Pond, where Thoreau spent a couple years in solitude writing great poetry. Tim was all smiles.

He got a little too comfortable perhaps.

Sure, he'll clean a house in the woods...

Then we were introduced to a NATIONAL PARK in MA! Minuteman Park is a small, peaceful preserve of the start of the revolution "shot heard 'round the world."

We'll definitely have to make another visit, probably on our bikes so we can travel through the fields and homes of war heroes and along stone walls that shout out the history of America.

On a less cool note I've started a window container garden and am growing salad fixins, so I have been practicing with ingredients and new recipes for kicks:

mmm this salad reminds me of Roxie.
I wish I could grow cranberries and goat cheese too (well, practically)

goat cheese asparagus tomato and lemon pasta

dessert! homemade frozen yogurt.

Some other experiments haven't turned out so well, but I'll keep trying! I still have yet to master the bread maker (gotta start small)!

AHOY!

We did it! We made it to Lake Winnipesaukee. Part birthday part anniversary celebration, we had just under 24 hours to enjoy the miles of New Hampshire lakeshore and 267 islands two hours north of Boston. We drove all the way around it in our nifty little zipcar. Here we are at our awesome B&B run by Barb and Bob B.

First stop, YumYum bakery...

...with gingerbread man wind compass.Second stop, soft serve twist and the park. We didn't have any trouble meeting locals right away.

The view from downtown Wolfeboro

Next stop a private beach (aka home of the local high school swimming team)

Extremely attractive! Not so bad looking out though.

After dinner at The Restaurant (that was its name, very good!) we conked out in our crazy huge King-sized bed and enjoyed a 5 star breakfast in the morning. By 10 we were off on a coastal search for Leo and Fay Marvin's home. We never found it, probably because it blew up at the end. But we did find an Abenaki (local Native tribe) view tower and a Castle in the Clouds (mostly just a stone house).

As we drove to the other side of the lake, we stopped in Meredith to explore the waterfront and, at Tim's insistence, the business district. We found a very nice bakery there that sold CANNOLI's!! Yeah! This time dipped in pastachios. mmm. Good idea.

We sat beneath threatening storm clouds and in front of the tourist train route for awhile at our last stop, Weirs Beach, the carnival-arcade beachtown. We watched loons dance and dip for fish in the water beneath us. And that was it. Lake Winnipesaukee.

Just for kicks we finished the trip by stopping at a Shaker Village. Quite interesting stuff, but not sure if worth the $17 to get in (we just peeked from the outside). Simplicity is always a good reminder. So is God's grace. Thanks to Him, we can take a permanent vacation from our problems!

The 30th Birthday Boston Crawl

Here are some pics of the birthday dude on his 30-themed birthday date night crawl around Boston (kind of progressive dinner-like). I spent awhile researching things that have to do with 30 in Boston (thanks for your help, Becks!) - there aren't a whole lot - and came up with the following schedule:

(The plan was to set a timer for 30 minutes at each place - right)

1. 3 for 10$ appetizers at a nearby restaurant we've been wanting to try called Sage. Tim's face expresses our final opinion of the place (and mine of his plate of mushrooms! HIS birthday!)

aranciti (mystery balls), buffalo mozzerella, too many wild mushrooms

2. Drink - a new bar with no menu and stylish artistic bartenders. Give a theme (30, of course) and they make you a drink! Tim's turned out to be a Pisco Sour originating from Argentina and Brazil: pineapple juice, simple syrup, egg whites (his new spunky favorite frothy addition) and vodka topped with bitters. Not bad and very fun to watch all the drinks being made and severely shaken.

(3.) 30 Germania Street - The Sam Adams Brewery - where they offer free tours and tasting, but CLOSED after 3:00 pm. Oh well, another 30th birthday!

4. Uno Grille - a Chicago-style pizzeria (Tim was born in Chicago) celebrating it's 30th year in Boston, located in the BackBay neighborhood, which is officially landfill in Boston that took 30 years to fill! Score! And we watched the Red Sox play for 30 minutes (or so) while Tim enjoyed his ultimate favorite restaurant meal: hamburger and fries.

5. 30 Massachusetts Avenue - The Wine Cellar - for chocolate fondue dessert (was this his birthday or mine?).
I also made him homemade brownies swirled with a cream cheese number 30 swirl. Next time I might stick with the box...

The weather was Tim's favorite misty rainy overcast grey day, and it perfectly fit his present from me: his first rain coat! It only took 30 years! Now he's a true Northwest(east?)erner. He literally never took it off or unzipped it the whole night. Granted it was cold and we could see our breath all day.
What a hot hunk! Happy birthday, babe! Thanks for letting me drag you all over town.

And happy birthday to Alexis in Paris today!!!

Happy real 30th birthday, Tim!

Last year we had an almost 30th birthday party to celebrate Tim with his friends in Tacoma. This year it's just us, but lots of memories from good friends. Thanks to everyone who has contributed a note or a donation to REACH, we love you guys!

Happy real 30th birthday this time, Tim! You really are the best. I hope you have fun on our secret adventure tonight!

More May

Believe it or not, there's already been more to May than Colorado and our anniversary (and 2 birthdays still coming). After Becka's graduation I rushed to CT (and dragged Tim along) for a 2-day meeting to finish this big grant I've been working on for 5 months as one of my jobs. It was craaaazy! What was also crazy is this huge casino where a lot of my meeting time was spent. It's the largest in North America and is a mile long! We walked it in awe (and I tried not to gag on the smoke). Our landlord's favorite place in the US. The best thing we found was Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Therapy, mmmmmmm....I needed some!

One of the lobby entrances

While I was working, Tim had hours to kill. He got to go to a pretty cool Native American Museum and learn about the history of Northeast Natives.

Next Tim flew off to Texas to hang with Matt (and had a great time), and I represented the Eyes with our European friends at Cape Cod. I got a good taste of the popularity of Eurovision among Icelanders and found a potential new running partner. Wine, wine, wine and good food!

This is only about half of us
The whole reason I know these people: Alexis, our friend (from Tacoma) Elisa's sister. She and her husband Nico are promptly moving to Paris this week for new jobs! We will miss them.

While all this was happening, I also started a new full-time job at BU as a Research Assistant for a different faculty's project. As the Native American grant was ending, I was starting to learn how to evaluate whether a nearby gang violence prevention program is being effective. At least until December, I'll be collecting outcome reports from a group of police, attending police-youth dialogues and writing reports to the programs' funders. It's part of the Charles E Shannon Community Safety Initiative, and its unlikely to be funded into its 4th year.

I'm also continuing to finish up my practicum, which has been teaching nutrition to middle school students. A few more Saturdays (or so we hope - one of the schools closed this week because of too much flu) and an occasional week morning to juggle with the new job. Then a presentation in July.

The rest of my time will be spent trying to keep up with reading for my summer law class, which is an intensive and condensed 6 week version of a normal 16 week course.
Yikes! I think it will all smooth out eventually. Got to get a good outdoor mix in there on the weekends for balance!

Fantastic Four

May 21st marks the four year anniversary of our marriage. After four years there's no one waiting to hand us a degree in this husband/wife relationship. No cranky old academic waiting on a podium to shake our hand and give us a Master's of Matrimony. Not even one of those county fair judges to give us a blue ribbon for Honorable Mention in Matchmaking.

Happy, so happy on our rainy wedding day.

My wife certainly deserves some sort of award - Wife of the Year, Tim Magazine's Most Influential Woman, or something. She is freaking amazing. I am humbled to find such a beautiful, intelligent, compassionate and hardworking woman next to me each morning. After four years there are times when it still feels like a dream.

The First Lady of the United States of Timerica.

Here are some quick highlights from the adventurous last four years - the brightest four years of my life.

Surveying the Pacific Northwest from Mt. Raineer.

Looking for dolphins in Naples, Florida.

Drinking some of the finest coffee in Beijing, China.

Rocking out as "The Eyes".

At a rooftop film festival in Boston, Massachusetts.

Dominating the famous "Triple Notch" at Franconia, New Hampshire.

There will be many more adventures to come and many more awards to be won. After twenty-five years or so she'll deserve the Wifetime Achievement Award. We've only just begun!

Abby, I love you so much. I thank God for you every single day. My true love and best friend.

Becka's graduation!!!

Last weekend I was able to fly home to Colorado and surprise Becka for her college graduation from CU Boulder! It was great. Minus almost having to rebook my return flight home (never skip a leg of your flight!), it was a great trip.

The lady of honor on our back porch
We hung out on the back porch with good food and needed family time.
At CU before the intimate ceremony (no cap and gown needed)

She's got it!!!

The girls on Pearl Street afterward.
I got to see Becka's Starbucks and also where Kate and Jesse work
CodeBaby
Fort Carson Army Hospital (it was a slow day!)

And we explored the sights in Manitou
Including Hugh Jackman, apparently

and a Raspberry Colorado Custard Avalanche.
I just can't seem to get away from corn.

So Becka, CONG...
!!!!!