The Good Husband

Hey, do you watch that really good new series with Julianna Margulies called The Good Wife? It's a really good show.

However, that has nothing to do with this post! Many people who are acquainted with my husband think he's a bit of a smart-ass. Nice guy, but really kind of says what's on his mind and that can rub certain people the wrong way! Don't get me wrong - he's very well-liked and does very well in his business life AND his personal life. He's got a million friends.

What most people don't know is that he is VERY empathetic and VERY sweet. This is just one example in a million over the course of our 10 years together.

He called me this morning, sort of distraught because he had seen this very confused looking woman outside his office, with three children in tow; an 11 year-old, a 6 year-old and a tiny baby. He went outside to ask if she needed any help and she explained that she was looking for the office of a local charity that might be able to help her out. She is from Haiti, came to the U.S. to have her baby because the hospitals in Haiti are completely understaffed or non-exisitent and she wanted to have her baby in a safe place. Meantime, the earthquake happened and her other kids, the 11 and 6 year-olds JUST arrived here this past week. She is staying with her cousin, but they have little room and she has to move out this week. They have no where to go.

So, my hubby drives them over to the charity place, but they are closed. So then he drops them off at a location where they said they had a friend they could visit this afternoon while they figured out what to do next. My husband gave them some money and his card and told them to please call if they needed anything at all...

Well, he called me because he felt like we could do so much more to help them...And I said that if he could find them again to let them know that it is not just him, but that he and his wife would like to invite them to dinner and see if we could help them out. He luckily saw them again in town, and extended our dinner invitation and they are going to come over on Sunday for dinner.

I have no idea what will happen, but it seemed like the right thing to do. The least we could do. Imagine coming to a foreign country, three kids in tow, no money and no where to live? All because your home country is devastated and there is no hope there at all. I can't imagine.

Will let you know how it goes!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Chicken soup day

We have yet another rainy, poopy day going on here. To make matters worse, I awoke today and my head is all stuffed up and I generally feel like crud. I've been extra tired all week and now I know why - fighting some sort of bug.

Last night made a delicious chicken dinner - still eating according to the South Beach Diet, phase 2 at this point. So, instead of stuffing or potatoes, I made delicious roasted vegetables and mashed cauliflower that you mix up with fat-free half and half and Smart Balance. It sounds disgusting, but it is really tasty!

We have a ton of leftover chicken, so I'll make a nice home-made chickie soup today. I figure that will help cure whatever ails me, right?

I was supposed to meet up with my good friend tonight to have dinner and then view a really interesting documentary here in Salem. The documentary is called Garbage Dreams. The film follows the lives of three teenagers living in the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, in the world's largest garbage village. The boys make their livelihoods by collecting and recycling the trash of others, but a multinational corporation threatens their community.

The website is HERE if you're interested in learning more. Here is the link to the trailer. Looks really interesting and I'm sorry I'll be missing it due to this dumb bug I have.

One final note - finally something flower-related! Last week my husband's mother and her friend came over for dinner and brought flowers. A bunch of hyacinths were my favorite. They have all bloomed now and the house is filled with their gorgeous scent. When is spring getting here again?

Holy Mother of Rain!

It is rain rain raining here. Not just a cute little mist or even a steady rain. Deluge is more the word that comes to mind. Downpours with a stiff wind. It's really, really not nice out.

This generally would not be cause for much concern, but when you have dogs? The walks are a part of the day every single day. Rain, snow, wind, tornado, hurricane, heat. We're like the postal delivery people with their "Neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of night..." motto. Dogs simply do not care. Actually, I guess some dogs don't care much for the rain, but we are the proud owners of two dogs who appear to be oblivious to the weather. Unless it's really hot, and then Sadie is one UNHAPPY camper. Koty, on the other hand would just spend the entire day in the ocean. That dog LOVES him some swimming!

So, to illustrate my point about how revolting this weather is, I found a webcam from the town that neighbors us. The ones in Salem don't appear to be working, for some odd reason. Anywho, Beverly is very very close, so this will definitely do! I'm sure this will make my Mom happy (Hi, Mom!) to be able to check the weather up here. She is in not-so-sunny, not-so-warm Florida and is always calling me asking if we were buried in the snow, or blown away by the hurricanes that her meterologists like to claim are hitting Massachusetts. If they get a snowflake in Worcester, the Florida weather guys tell everyone that there has been a fatal blizzard and everyone in New England died. Jeeez!

Click HERE, to get the link over to the webcam, then. And then be sure to send along the sympathy cards after you see what's there!

My Fair City

I've been doing some waking of late - trying desperately to get back into the groove after our vacation. I was SO good before our trip! Eating perfectly, exercising all the time. Then we went away and - POOF - bad habits reappeared. It's sort of crazy how quickly one can lose the good habits, isn't it?

In any case, the weather here has been really quite nice up until today. Sunny, blue skies, in the 40s (which doesn't sound so good in many areas of the world, but it's still winter and anything above 40 degrees is balmy in my book!). While out enjoying this nice weather, it really hit me how amazing this city is! The history, the architecture, the people, the ocean! What's not to love?

So, I thought it might be a good idea to put up some pictures of my neighborhood.

First, here is The Friendship. A gorgeous replica of the original privateer that used to sail the trade routes overseas. I think it's just so cool that this is just up the street from my house!

Here is the Custom House: This beautiful building sits across the street from the wharf where the Friendship is docked. Back in the day, the trade ships would arrive into the port of Salem year-round, from all over the world, and this is where they had to clear customs!

Next is The House of the Seven Gables. I found some pictures of this online, taken by a tourist, with the caption "Some famous author's house." Nice interpretation, dude!! This is a museum, now a National Historic Landmark, celebrating the book written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. He was one of Salem's most famous residents. Hawthorne's house was moved and sits next to the museum now. This is also literally just up the street from my house. My husband and I got married in the garden at The House of the Seven Gables! It's right on the ocean; a really lovely spot.

Walking the other direction from my house, you'll find the Salem Ferry. This operates from May to the end of October, making trips back and forth to Boston. I've taken it a couple of times, and have friends who commute to their jobs in Boston on the ferry. Not a bad way to travel!


Lastly, here is a pretty photo of Salem Common. This huge, open park is also full of history. Among other things, this is where George Washington did military drills with the troops.

Life With Dogs

I realize there is very little here lately about flowers. I'm sorry. It's winter. It's just not a flowery time of year for us over here. It's sunny, at least. And the snow is all but melted again. I'm very thankful for that. Snow is pretty when it has just fallen, but then it gets all dirty and lumpy and icky looking. There was a story in the paper a couple days ago about a man who is trying to sue Target because he fell and broke his hip after slipping on a "globber" of snow. A what? A "globber." Nice word.

Other than flowers, my other favorite subject? Our dogs, of course! I really love these doggies of ours! They are very funny and sweet and adorable.

The only thing that gets bothersome is when I have to go to the bathroom. I cannot remember the last time I got to visit the bathroom by myself! I really don't need company when I'm in there! The dogs, however, have obviously figured out that, first of all, I will be sitting. At dog level. And second of all, I will be sitting there for at least a little while, which would ensure several seconds of good scratching time.

Sadie, our girl, will moan and groan and carry on if she does not receive the proper attention while I'm there. JEEEZ!!!

So, this is what I see when I'm sitting there:


That's Sadie, first, and Koty second. Aren't they cute?

We are going out now to walk in the globbers! Happy Sunday!