The Salty Blog

We've Moved

2008-04-05T15:56:00.002-04:00

This blog has now moved over to a new SaltyHedman.com site, with a new RSS feed.

Please come along with us!

Adopt, Don't Shop

2008-04-02T08:55:00.008-04:00

THIS is what our incredible Saturday is going to look like this weekend! Please EVERYONE, consider adopting your next companion. There are dozens of breed-specific rescue options out there if you think you know what you want. These folks have pulled dogs out of poor shelter conditions, brought them into their own homes, and done everything possible to find new loving families who will open their arms.

Bromley's family's house burned down ten years ago, and Brandon's family was displaced by a tornado. Both dogs spent too long in a shelter after that, having no idea what happened to their humans but willing to give their unconditional love anyway.

You've seen what we found in Bromley... a better commercial doesn't exist. Yes, some dogs come from more difficult backgrounds, but you CAN find a match for your life.

A special thanks to friends Mike & Peg, Kevin & Danielle, Paul & Kristin, Carina, Tracy & Mike, the Mazzareses, Amy & Mike, Kim & Dave, Sarah & Roger, Margaret, and several of our neighbors for taking the chance.

Lab Rescued!

2008-04-01T12:15:00.003-04:00

We've been talking about our next adoption for a year now, and wanted to wait for the right moment. Now that the days are longer, Gary started reaching out to a lot of lab rescue groups to find the perfect companion for our 10-year old Bromley.

Just a month or so into the process, we got the call today! We're picking up Brandon THIS SATURDAY in CT!

Brandon is two years old and was displaced by a tornado in Tennessee. He will miss his family and particularly his sister, Chase, but we're ready to devote all our time to welcoming him into our family!

Obviously many more photos to come!! And for those who've asked, we may change his name depending on how well he likes his current one.

Now.... leash, collar, younger dog food, dog bed.... Eeeeeeee!

Closing the Season

2008-03-27T13:20:00.002-04:00

Went to Sunday River with “the vets”, Kevin and Danielle, this past weekend – they make for incredible company and lots of laughs. We had our own fun little Easter on the icy, sunshiney slopes.

It was the kind of skiing where you wake up whenever, make coffee and a nice breakfast, take time to change and adjust the gear properly, take funny photographs along the way, and quit as soon as wings at the brewery start to enter your mind. Had it dumped a foot of snow the night before and warmed up, we might have felt a little differently about it. Sunday was a longer ski day in the sunshine.

This weekend we’re off to Vermont to ski Sugarbush and Mad River Glen, so the plan states at least. The Pashby Orphanage will be in FULL effect.

THEN it’s spring.

Yurt-terrific '08

2008-03-17T15:45:00.003-04:00

Another yurt-terrific adventure weekend! Thanks to all who organized the event and provided scrumptious food and entertainment!

Bromley didn't make it... he had a tough time in last year's snow with his arthritic hip, so we had to make the responsible decision of leaving him home (and by home I mean with my parents, not alone in the house with a 40-pound bag o' dog food and a pee mat).

The weather was decent enough for some hiking and sledding - or "sliding" as some parts of the country seem to want to call it ;-) The full sun even came out long enough for us to catch some rays in this photo! ...And Shakedown Street turned out to be the weekend's theme song.

We saw a bumper sticker on the way home that gave me a good chuckle, so I ordered a few of them today: "At least the war on the environment is going well."

Two ski weekends ahead before what looks to be an April R&R period! Gary's on PetFinder.com daily now that the days are longer...

Vacation Time

2008-03-10T21:31:00.006-04:00

While out with friends a couple of weeks ago, the subject of vacations came up. It seems to be coming up a ton these days - everyone making big plans and eventually coming around to "hey, what are you guys doing for a vacation?" I never have an answer.

That particular night, my friend BG immediately pointed out that Gary and I seem to treat every weekend as a vacation... and you know what? It's kinda true! I've been thinking about it a lot ever since she said that.

It's not that Gary and I don't go anywhere. In our four years of relationship-parte-dos we've circled the country by car, honeymooned in Costa Rica, skied the Lake Tahoe region with friends, jaunted down to Amelia Island and Jacksonville FL, and visited great friends in the DC/VA area for a week. But on the weekends we've hiked, camped, yurted, skied, explored, constructed, photographed, fished, bike-toured, toasted, road-raced, and laughed with almost every one of our dear friends and family.

Whenever I tell someone we're "just chillin" this weekend, it usually means a combo of three of the above and only crossing one State border. And I'm okay with that (should I ask G?). Never seems odd to me until someone suggests we slow down. Huh? And do what?

To answer that question -
Next flights: Chicago, Arizona
Next international: St. Kitts
Next conventional "vacation": Costa Rica 2010
Dream vacation: Greek Islands

Happy 1st Birthday to Jake!

A Whole Life

2008-03-04T14:46:00.004-05:00

I just came across a witty blog today called "Whole Foods for a Whole Year." A woman my age in Maine is documenting her attempt to completely overhaul and eat no refined, processed, hormone-boosted, chemically enhanced, genetically altered, etc., foods in 2008. A great real-life example and a fun way to learn about what "whole" really means.

I spent a good three years eating as "clean" as possible, and I was actually darn successful at it when living between Whole Foods and Trader Joe's in Newton, MA. I went all the way, cutting out most coffee and booze too. I drank obscene amounts of water, and my energy levels were through the roof.

(What changed? I fell in love, and with love came wine and ice cream...)

Well, I didn't actually stray that far over the last few years of marriage - many of you know how I can be sometimes, particularly about the Purdue brand and grocery-store baked goods. But it's not always easy to find meat free of growth hormones or to have to toss milk and bread that last less than a week because it doesn't have preservatives.

2008 has marked a gradual upgrade in our kitchen cabinets, however. I'm walking the extra distance to pick up the right groceries during work days in Boston and commute home with them. We're trying new food options (thanks to Mom Hedman for the quinoa tip!), and always making everything we can from scratch.

I encourage everyone to go whatever tiny distance you can. A great resource is: http://www.whfoods.com/

Leap Day

2008-02-29T09:17:00.002-05:00

According to Wikipedia, "a leap year (or intercalary year) is a year containing one or more extra days in order to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical or seasonal year. Because seasons and astronomical events do not repeat at an exact number of full days, a calendar which had the same number of days in each year would, over time, drift with respect to the event it was supposed to track. By occasionally inserting an additional day or month into the year, the drift can be corrected."

An extra day. 24 more hours. What are you gonna do with it? And why is it not a day off from work...?

My ideal extra day would include a soy latte, the ocean, Bromley, exercise, my camera, sushi and wine.

What I'm really wondering is how many people will use the extra 24 hours to watch the Sarah Silverman/Jimmy Kimmel videos over and over and over again.

Hedman Winter Olympics

2008-02-19T15:54:00.005-05:00

What a weekend! Our nieces on skis for the first time, ice skating, sledding and snowball fights!

Happy Birthday to Dad Hedman and Jill!

Uncle Gary called on his old ski-school training to help the girls along, and it was great to get in some turns with Eric as well. The rope tow at Magic Mountain proved to be the most difficult for all of us!

Actual Presidents Day Monday resulted in new tires on my car, which were very much overdue, and a 'sesh of very hot yoga at the Yoga Center of Cape Cod. Yoga's a funny thing... the breathing, the meditation and the self-awareness aspect might scare some people off, but I'm finding it to be just what the doc ordered. Only prob is that I can't find classes to attend when and where I want to attend them.

Anyhooo... Gary went home sick today. The virus has penetrated our walls. If we can fend it off, there will be more skiing in our future this weekend.

Revitalizing

2008-02-12T20:30:00.001-05:00

Are you having a better time watching American Idol than you did watching the Superbowl? I think I am.

It's interesting to see what a couple of weeks will do. I've spent two whole weekends not working, the weather has gone from 50s to 10 and back to 50s again, my parents returned from three months away, the Valentine's decorations are out, and everyone seems to feel that winter is over.

The free time is revitalizing. We don't usually watch movies but just signed up for our very own Netflix account. We've both been able to go for outdoor runs, and Gary's now in a great Tuesday night basketball league in Osterville. And this past Saturday night - after a trip to Home Depot to finalize the last touches on the new bathroom! - we randomly found what turned out to the be best dining experience probably ever. The Stonebridge Bistro in Onset, MA. The music, the artwork, the waterfront, the positively impossible-to-decide menu choices... You gotta go.

I also signed up to ride the Five Boro Bike Tour this May - a 42-mile bike ride through New York City. Many of you have supported my rides each May for the Brain Tumor Society, and sadly, Nathan will not be with us this year. Gary and I will not make the actual ride unfortunately, so I will be wearing my Team Navin shirt for the NYC ride two weeks earlier. You can still sponsor me as a "virtual rider" for Nathan as we strive to be another top-ten fundraising team this year!

We're off to Dorset, Vermont tonight for a four-day weekend with the Hedmans - and when I say Hedmans, I mean Carl, Sandra, Eric, Jill, McKenna, Emily, Jake, Gary and me! Woot! Even in the messy weather, we plan to teach McK and Em how to ski at Bromley :-) Look out!

Hope everyone is well.... and don't kid yourself, winter's not over yet.

Above Water

2008-02-03T01:05:00.001-05:00

The end of a beautiful Saturday - no work, just straight R&R. That sure felt good.

We drove out to Wellfleet today to check out the shipwreck that washed ashore in last week's storm. "50 feet of keel and oaken ribs" they call it. A very cool sight to see, and it turns out that on a 50-degree and sunny Saturday in February, hundreds of other people (and dogs) want to see it too!

We then swapped sides and walked along the bay side as the sun went down. I loved this shot, but we also saw some cool trash-art out there as well (more in my Flickr photos).

In other news, I'm very relieved to have another month of reports done at work and looking forward to some personal reading, some exercise... even girly trash like the movie 27 Dresses I saw tonight with my friend Carrie :-) Gary's pretty swamped at work too, but we're both really enjoying it at the same time.

Two things I think you should try: (1) Pandora - if you haven't already, it's an awesome way to listen to new music, and (2) the hand-held self-scanners at Stop & Shop. F U N, though you will spend more money than usual.

Hope everyone is enjoying February so far! My parents are on the home stretch this week, and we're off to ski with the Hedmans in Vermont.

Love a Llama

2008-01-30T10:29:00.001-05:00

I'm sorry, but this deserves another video post!!!! Holy hysterical. For those of you who've heard us call Bromallama the llama so many times that you do it now too...

Super-bow-whoa-whoal

2008-01-29T15:28:00.000-05:00

Ecological Footprint

2008-01-23T21:21:00.000-05:00

Care to join me in finding out your ecological footprint?

Thanks to Emily and her sustainable design class at the BAC! Click on the link and answer a very short list of questions.

http://www.earthday.net/footprint

I'll be honest, here's what I found:

My total footprint is 21 acres. 4.9 for food, 1.5 for transportation, 6.9 for shelter, and 7.7 for goods and services.

While I fall below the average person's footprint in the U.S., there would still need to be 4.7 planets if everyone lived like me.

Use the comments link below and let me know what you found!

All You Baby Fans

2008-01-11T21:35:00.000-05:00

I'm kidding, I kid.... !!

I'm a fan of YOUR babies too. Check out this shopping site from my cousin Kate!

http://www.kateoconnell.babyonthegoathome.com/

January Thaw

2008-01-11T14:27:00.001-05:00

Thunder, lightning and torrential rain! A good day to be working at home. Somehow, without fail, January always brings warm weather to these parts.

New happenings this week... I've revived my use of Twitter - check out my feed to the upper right or create your own. Easy to not understand the purpose at first, but I'm being convinced as I strive to master all things social media and marketing. You must be wondering how many things I log into every day... let's see (iGoogle, Yahoo! Mail, Facebook, AIM, Flickr, now maybe Twitter, the weekly Blogger and WordPress, hardly ever MySpace, hate Hotmail but my junk's there, Outlook of course, and I won't even go into work-related database and news sites).

Moving on. Got new glasses - pretty funky frames. My prescription hasn't changed since I was 15, nor has my innate ability for always picking the most expensive model of anything I buy, ugh.

Did some work research on New Songdo City... holy wow. An entirely new $25 billion+ city being built on landfill. Free economic zone, world class education and hospitals, 7-mile bridge, entirely eco-friendly and entirely connected (like you will know if your kid is at the library).

One last thing, if you haven't explored my Flickr page, I just want to give a little nudge that you all could be using it to share your photos too. It's an awesome interface for sharing and comments. Flickr also links to the Picnik photo-editing tool if you want to make your photos black & white or add text and graphics for fun.

OK, that's it. Gary's off to the Patriots playoff game tomorrow - GO PATS!

Welcome '08

2008-01-02T22:18:00.001-05:00

We hope everyone had a healthy and hearty new years celebration!

I had a shockingly long week and a half off of work (mostly), and Gary at least shortened up the days he did work. Can't say that we accomplished much other than R&R. Gary built a keg fridge and kegged his last batch of brewed beer from a couple of months ago. He also brewed another batch on Friday - vintage 2007.

We had a few friends in town for the weekend, including two dogs under the age of one! It's a good thing Porter & Atlas could entertain each other and Bromley could watch from the sidelines. Went to the boardwalk in Sandwich one day and ventured to Chatham the next. Both odd gray days, but we snapped a lot of photos. Our evenings were spent chatting and watching the Patriots clinch a buncha records!

Then of course was NEW YEARS! Had a lovely evening - limo to dinner at the Dolphin in Barnstable, a stop at Dowses Beach in Osterville, and back home for a looong evening of champagne and Guitar Hero. We went home at the end of the night, but Gary and I were back in our friends' hot tub at 10am the next morning as promised :-)

What else is new in life? Heather started a blog, so check the right-hand column for her Arizona happenins! And our new bathroom tub/sink/toilet arrive tomorrow - can't wait. This weekend is also Grandma McClarran's 90th birthday celebration!

...and so the year begins!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T16:16:00.000-05:00

We're wishing you a most wonderful and Merry Christmas today!

Not quite sure what the "traditional" celebration brings for each of you this year. There have been a couple of losses and hard times, and there have also been some births and joyous times. We are holding each of you in our thoughts as a new year begins!

In our own non-traditional way, we woke up here at home together this morning. No giddy children, no good-night reading of Silent Night last night... but we have each other, we have Bromley, and we had waffles! We also took a long walk on the beach, and we're closing out the day with Kevin& Danielle and their families.

This past Sunday was the grand Hedman/McClarran family Christmas in Connecticut! The kids were definitely building up their excitement, as adorable as ever, and the food and cookies were overflowing! Coming from a very small family myself, it's a wonderful feeling to have almost 20 close relatives laughing and sharing stories with each other in one home - even if only for a day at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is nice to look up in any direction and see someone you share that family bond with. Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful gifts and warm hugs!

More Opinions

2007-12-21T13:04:00.000-05:00

It just occurred to me to turn the TV on while working from home. I tend to be busier on Fridays than any other day of the week because I'm home and can concentrate better. I hardly even think to turn music on, nevermind TV. But today is a quasi vacation day and I'm just needing to work on a couple of quick things.

So this led me to CNBC's Power Lunch segment. Of COURSE I tried TLC, E! and others first - including a cooking channel I'm researching for work. But somehow here I am back in business.

The point of my post... Best Buy is whopping Circuit City's toosh this holiday season. Now I was literally just at Best Buy this morning and I don't get it. I wanted to tap on the shoulders of everyone there. As you know, I've been working to build my new camera system, and I really wanted to snag an external flash before this weekend's holiday festivities. They're charging $50 more for one flash than Amazon is, and $150 more for another flash! I think I pretty much will never walk into Best Buy again... I give up. I heart Amazon.

And to keep in line with the power of blogging and the uber-transparent sharing of customer opinion... You MUST visit Siena (Italian Grill & Bar) in Mashpee Commons, Mashpee, MA. They have an amazing $25 four-course dinner menu Sunday through Thursday. Full portion apps, salads, soups, entrees, desserts... Fair wine prices, great ambiance. We had a wonderful time last night with friends.

Off to CT tomorrow - MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Holiday Pre-Game

2007-12-19T14:07:00.000-05:00

I’m starting to figure out that the bus is the best place to blog from! I’m coming off of a pretty stressful two weeks of work to meet a deadline, and now I’m pretty much ready to bring in the R&R to close the year out. Gary, on the other hand, will still be working through next week to meet his own deadlines.

Last weekend was a busy one on the social calendar as well. On Friday, we attended the infamous eggnog party that Gary’s co-worker throws every year. Real, homemade, 98% proof eggnog. We decorated our tree that night too!

Saturday morning was all work, but then we were off to enjoy our friends Kelly and Joe’s wedding in Falmouth in the afternoon! CONGRATS to them! Since we were hosting a slumber party, the lights went out at 2am and then back on again at 7am for the Patriots game! Yep, we were there. Covered in snow and rain and having an absolute blast. Unfortunately, Sunday night was more work.

Looking forward to celebrating Christmas with the Hedman/McClarran family this weekend!

Welcome Winter!

2007-12-13T19:45:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Snow Storm Numero Uno of the 2007/08 season! I hope this note finds you all safe and cozy at home. I thought this occasion deserved a flash back to 2005...

Yeah, I married that man a week later.

Though it would have made for another eventful company party, mine was postponed until late January when you need it most. We're both home, cozy, and I've gained another few hours to get my work done.

A few observations this week:

1) I was going to rant about how no one writes in holiday cards anymore, but suddently I myself am sitting at a table literally spread out with 97% work papers and 3% holiday cards and there are just a few days left to get them out. We're at least going to sign our names.

2) The bellhop at the Copley Plaza was out walking a black lab with a gold collar around the 40x40 foot patch of grass in Copley Square. If that was your dog, please stop reading my blog.

3) My taxi driver had a better BlackBerry than most executives I know.

The New Years Conundrum

2007-12-10T20:05:00.001-05:00

Every year, without fail… No plans, no one wants to commit to plans, the time comes, still no plans, laugh about how we never have plans, and everyone ends up in their pj’s at La Casa de Hedman accidentally drinking all the champagne before midnight. I’ve loved these New Years traditions!

But this year, just when I was about to shoot out a note to see who wanted to repeat it, alas! We’re going OUT! I’ve told you about our vet friends, Kevin and Danielle (<-that's Kevin tonight). I never hurts to have your vets as friends, particularly when they live a mile away with a 10-person hot-tub and a fry-o-later (buffalo wings and Pats games!). But these two are really darn cool people. We’re joining their tradition of renting a limo that night, dining out, and maybe hitting the beach at midnight!

I hope you all have wonderful New Years Eves this 2008! What would you rather be doing? Take the poll to the right and let me know!

Bloggers Abound

2007-12-10T20:00:00.000-05:00

Wow! Our blogging contest at work is in full swing! I encourage you all to check out a few of these posts from friends of mine you may know:

Jessica: http://aroundthehydrant.com/

Heather: http://sibliving.wordpress.com/

Alex: http://makingarunforit.com

Kate: http://gossipgrl.wordpress.com/

It has been fun to finally see the work that our bloggers have been doing! More to come as I see them. Anyone else out there want to start a blog?

By the way, you’ll now see Del.icio.us links in my sidebar. That means, when I see something I like online, I click the button that says “Add to my Del.icio.us”. Check in when you have time and maybe you’ll enjoy as well!

The Jump

2007-12-08T21:36:00.000-05:00

I work in the strategic planning group of the public relations agency that I so enthusiastically (really) commute two hours to each day. Along with my ten-year career in competitive intelligence and strategic corporate analysis, a major charge of our group is digital strategy. That’s a company’s presence on its website, in social networks, on discussion boards, through widgets, through mobile platforms… and in blogging.

Multinational corporations and small homegrown businesses are blogging. There are huge benefits and huge risks, but it’s happening and it’s awesome. Even those without an established blog are able to engage and respond and share with bloggers (also known as consumers, partners, investors, the media, you name it).

I’m not even touching on what this free, viral, borderless technology is doing for non-profits (examples to come). Or celebrity brands like John Mayer and the very pink Pamela Anderson.

So anyway… We have a lot going on within our agency walls right now, including a whopping $1,000 contest for the best blogger! I don’t qualify – apparently being a digital strategist is cheating ;-) But will be finally taking my professional blog live, so stay tuned. I signed up over a year ago and am now vowing to make the time for it.

What could I possibly have to talk about now? Many of you know my love of all things international… I always said my life would be complete when I had an international cell phone, but that doesn’t mean much anymore. I’m 30-something now, I have an international Blackberry, and I’m still in the United States. Have been all year. So if I can’t go to it, I’m bringing my international to me (for now).

WhatUnites.com – Global views on branding, technology, cultural changes, motivations and more. Improvements to come on the look and feel of the site.

SaltyHedman.com – The same Hedman household you're used to...

Thanks for coming along!
Stacey

The Capital

2007-12-05T11:20:00.001-05:00

We're home! Gary, Bromley and I just returned from our road-trip of the upper east coast, heading down to visit friends, babies and new homes in Virginia, Washington DC, and Baltimore. A GREAT time. Felt like such a long vacation away, but as with most, it's also quite nice to return home.

Thanks to our friends who hosted us along the way!

We enjoyed the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum and the Museum of Natural History. We took photos of Bromley at more monuments than any Vermont dog could probably ever dream of! We toured the Capital, we toured the vineyards (did you know VA is the fourth largest wine producer after CA, WA and OR?), we toured the botanical gardens...

We probably ate and drank a bit too much, so the first things I did when we got home yesterday were (1) hit the gym and (2) buy 12 bags of healthy food and veggies at the store. Gary, meanwhile, put together our new living room furniture last night! We discovered that Ikea - with its good food and adventure - is an awesome (albeit long) rest area on the drive!

This is the TV-unit and this is our new coffee table. A contemporary turn for me - exciting.

Anyway, I must get on with a bit of working, cleaning, unpacking, yogafying, shopping and general relaxing. Hope many of you enjoyed the New England snow! We were sad to miss it. So far we have a wreath up and two holiday parties to kick off this weekend! Happy Hanukkah to those celebrating this week!

Thanksgiving in Vermont

2007-11-23T20:53:00.001-05:00

We hope that this note finds you all well - and FULL - this Thanksgiving weekend!

We arrived in Dorset, VT with grandma in tow on Wednesday night, and made sure that Thursday consisted of nothing but food, food, family and food. I'm shocked not one of us thought to turn on the TV to watch the parade or football, but we had fun! The night ended with a few slide reels of old McClarran family photos, and as I type this, we're continuing to make our way through the boxes the next night.

Gary and I got up for a five-mile hike at Lye Brook Falls this morning. An easy one for Bromley in his arthritic old age, yet a very rewarding destination point at the waterfalls. Had the new camera in tow the whole way!

We met the fam - Mom, Grandma & Aunt Cheryl - up at a craft fair in Poultney after that, and later returned for some shopping in Manchester Center. I know I've written about the Northshire Bookstore before, but I uber-highly recommend it to anyone traveling through.

Meanwhile... My parents made it to New Mexico for Thanksgiving in the RV, and are currently already in Arizona. Sounds like they're having the same weather we're having up here in the mountains - spits of snow and brrrr!

Happy Holidays & Leftovers to all!

Gobble Gobble

2007-11-19T21:11:00.001-05:00

Well well well... I seem to have survived the latest work marathon, and yet am still at the computer. I hope this time that someone actually read the work I did today, but that's just part of the biz if they didn't.

Yep, Sunday s t u n k . But I had an incredible Saturday day-trip up to Vermont for a farmer's market, a hike through Jamaica State Park, and a fabulous dinner at L.A. Burdicks in Walpole, NH. The day was spent in the wonderful company of my colleague and friend, Jessica, her husband Gordon, their dog Porter, and my new friends Michaela and pup Atlas. That's the kind of day that gets you through the week prior and then helps you cope with a 18-hour work day on Sunday. Thanks guys!

Gary wasn't with us, but he did provide me a present to come home to at 1am:

Tub #2 at the Hedman household has officially been torn out. Very exciting, since our tubs were various shades of pinks and caulked together with all the skill of a blind pastry chef. He has many big plans for winter home/yard improvements, so who knows when we'll have another tub installed, but we're both just happier not to see it there.

So this week is Thanksgiving! Hard to believe it, but since the snow has been kicking in and the ski hats are out, I'm kind of excited for winter. We'll soon be gliding down the slopes of Bromley and Sugarbush, and hopefully beyond!

We're off to Vermont to enjoy time with family. Wherever you find yourself, have a very happy Gobble Gobble!

Till next time.

A Vision of Students Today

2007-11-16T20:01:00.000-05:00

Simply a must-see...

Thanks goes to
GirlsWithMacs.org

Red Cup Season

2007-11-13T10:20:00.000-05:00

So we had a great weekend with my parents, spending time together and celebrating the holidays. They’re officially off on their adventure and will even be attempting to BLOG about it!

It was actually quite festive and hilarious to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas when no one else was. I decked myself out in red and green, and we even played Christmas tunes. Not to mention we got to eat turkey, stuffing and cranberry bread – among other things – two weeks early!

The day before, we drove out to Chatham to check out the storm damage from Hurricane Noel and visit an awesome antique map store called Maps of Antiquity. If you’re ever looking for an old map of anywhere in the world, call them up. My dad, being a seventh-generation Cape Codder, got to find his family name all over the Sandwich maps from the early 1800s. Gary and I have an old nautical map of our favorite area around Sandy Neck and Barnstable Harbor on our wall at home.

In the rest of life, it sounds like cousin/honorary sister Kate is pushing through vet school with stellar grades, and we’re psyched for her to have her boyfriend and mom as guests lately. It will be great to have her back in the States for the holidays! Gary’s starting to think about winterizing the boat, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries rinsing it off in the ocean one more time this weekend. We’re also heading off for a day in Vermont – some much needed hiking and outdoors time for me, and some good food and photography with new friends!

Lastly, a whopping big CONGRATS goes out to Nancy and Brian who just welcomed a baby boy, Patrick Sean, into their lives this weekend! Pete and Ashley will be meeting their baby girl tomorrow hopefully! We wish you the very best in these exciting miracles!

It's Christmas!

2007-11-07T16:06:00.000-05:00

Okay, so for most of you, it's not. But for us... this weekend is going to go something like this:

Friday night: last-minute Christmas shopping for a few more essentials, wouldn't be Christmas otherwise

Saturday: Christmas Eve, time with family, we're actually planning to head out to Chatham and Brewster

Sunday: Thanksgiving followed by Christmas

Yep, that's the way it goes when Ma & Pa Foster decide to take off for a three-month RV trip around the country! Very exciting for them... the end goal is that they're going to decorate the floats for the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, CA in January. Let's see if we can get them to blog about it!

(Now if only Starbucks could start serving with red cups sooner...)

In other exciting news... here's a photo of my folks watching Gary saw down what was left of the beloved weeping willow tree after the big storm hit the Cape this weekend:

Ho Ho Ho

2007-10-29T15:28:00.001-04:00

Aweeee yeah.... Well along came eBay's incredible prices and I had to make a move on a camera earlier than Christmas. Of course, in my family, we're having multiple Christmases this year, starting as early as next weekend. I know I have a reputation for "ruining" Christmas because I can't wait for gifts or I change my every wants and desires as the season gets closer... but a friend sent me over to a particular vendor on eBay and I could not walk away. The price even caused me to go up a notch to the Canon 40D released just this fall. I'm ecstatic with anticipation for this thing to arrive in today's mail.

Don't worry, Santa (aka. Amazon), Christmas is still alive and well. Now I need at least two lenses, a polarizing filter, memory, a flash, a new hard drive....

For next year's list, let's start with "find a cheap hobby".

*** OMG, UPDATE: my company just paid $500 toward this camera as part of my "professional development" stipend!!!! ***

Capturing Life

2007-10-25T18:18:00.000-04:00

Here I sit on a Thursday night - night of Game 2 for the Sox and Rockies in the World Series. I suffered a pretty bad back injury last weekend that still has me cringing in pain and woozy with meds. But the weekend's approaching and the Sox are winning, so that's about the extent of the complaining I'll do.

We had our friend Brad up last weekend for lots of fishing with the birthday boy, Gary. Not so much catching, but they did go fishing. Brad and his family live in Virginia, so we'll be seeing him again soon on our early-December drive down to the area to visit several new homes and babies for a week. Us and Bromley, hoppin' in the Subaru for a road trip! Look out...

This coming weekend we'll be driving down to Fairfield for the Baptism of our nephew (and my godson!) Jake :-) Can't wait to spend time with the fam, but it will be brief because Gary's running part of the Cape Cod Marathon the next morning with his colleagues.

So today - between urges to just hurry up and buy the Canon 30D camera - I spent the better part of the afternoon researching corporate social and environmental responsibility. Now that's a day when I love my job. We have a client who took us up on our offer to evaluate best practices among its peers, as well as any sustainability/responsibility reporting that corporations are conducting in the absence of any legal requirement to do so. I can't exactly tell you who the client is, but I can tell you that some great companies out there are Nike, 3M, HP, Honda, SC Johnson, Xerox, Philips and DuPont (not to shun the others, but my client isn't very consumer facing). Nike? Now that's a story of a company that majorly screwed up in the social responsibility realm and now they're making their way to the top. And check out this page from Philips.

Now back to the camera thing... My mom just told me that she wasn't the one who got me into photography. Um, okay, but then who did all the old Canon cameras come from that, since probably age 10, just mysteriously showed up in my possession every time she got a newer one? Interesting quandry. Maybe it was dad turning the ping pong table into a darkroom in the basement? Some years later - age 21 maybe - I got my first credit card [how timely for me to be working on another client's report where the issue of giving college kids rewards-based credit cards, like for airline miles, isn't a good idea... too late]. My first purchase on said credit card was the Nikon N70 camera. It came with me to New Zealand for seven months, to the mountains of Colorado, to the gray skies in Scotland, to the riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas... but I feel bad for this camera because, all the while, pocket-sized digi-cams were launching a takeover. And, well, I'll be honest. I just shot three rolls of film in the last month that was too old (which I knew) and came out terrible. I *heart* all things digital. I've got a very expensive wish list on Amazon right now... trust me, you don't wanna see it. For this, I thank my Mom :-)

So any suggestions on DC, Virginia, Baltimore or cameras, shoot me a line!

Jarvis Street. Wednesday Morning

2007-10-17T08:14:00.000-04:00

I stayed over with a good friend in Watertown last night - thanks Carina! I have an incredible network of friends around Boston who have continued to open their doors to me for weekday overnights over the past three years, since my regular commute is two hours in each direction. Some friends I've known since middle school - even nursery school! - college, work, and more who I've only gotten to know over these past few years. Actually, Emily has quickly become one of my bestest friends ever-in-the-whole-wide-world because of such sleepovers!

Thank you, guys! Those nights are more than just a place to lay my head - they keep our ties strong and add something to our friendships that maybe wouldn't otherwise happen if I lived here. It turns that "we should get together soon" into an "I'm coming over".

Enter: bus driver

I get on the bus in Watertown Square this morning, express on the Mass Pike to Copley Square in Boston. My card doesn't have enough money for the trip and I'm ready for that. But the bus driver is ecstatic to be alive today, smiling and chatting, asking everyone how their coffee is, etc. He gestures with a nod that my $1.20 will do just fine today. Smile spreads smile spreads smile... this guy is way more than a bus driver. He's molding the day. Is anyone on this bus gonna have a bad day now? [disclaimer: this is a hypothetical question that does not take into account any blunders or mis-hirings of the Boston Red Sox]

We're off, there's traffic, I'm reading... 25 minutes or so go by and we stop in downtown Boston. The bus driver announces our arrival:

"Jarvis Street. Wednesday Morning."

Love it. Any good commuter disappears into a zone and not only needs a reminder about where they are but also when they are. I've arrived. It's Wednesday morning. Got it... thanks.

Bromley's Columbus Day Adventure

2007-10-10T15:41:00.000-04:00

Columbus Day Weekend... a minimum six hours a day of working for Stacey... a minimum of six fish per outing for Gary.

It was kinda nice that it was rainy and dreary - made for some cozy sleeping in and cuddling with Bromley as he recovered from foot surgery on Friday. He had an infected claw that had to be removed, and lucky for us, we're in tight with the vets :-) ... We met each of them separately at the animal hospital over the past year and a half, and it turns out they're married, both went to UVM, and live a mile away from us. Love 'em.

So when I wasn't working I was sleeping, sports-watching, hot-tubbing, or otherwise attending my first hot-yoga session with the vets - that'd be Danielle. Kevin was in the middle of Cape Cod Bay with Gary.

Today's Dad Foster's 60th Birthday! As is tradition, he'll be finishing the day with a massive lobster in front of him - Happy Birthday Dad!

Hope everyone's enjoying October so far!

Some things that would be nice...

2007-10-05T13:35:00.000-04:00

1) If everyone would hurry up and embrace Facebook. I signed on for work at first (seriously, did you know that you can download a "foodfight" application where you might then throw a Tyson chicken drumstick at your friend? Corporate branding galore). If you're not involved in social networking at this point - MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc. - you're missing out on some life-changing stuff. Yeah, I said it - life changing. It's not just about fun and games (ok, maybe when it comes to Scrabulous)... it's about how we interact, how we get our information - even about what causes or political candidates we believe in. All ages are in, and chances are your company is even in (check networks on Facebook).

2) If someone would write a research report on the percentage of people who work for SC Johnson's Skintimate shaving cream company who are actually using Gillette's Satin Care at home.

3) If smoking OUTDOORS would be banned. If you could watch the walking part of my commute with TBS playoff graphics (GO SOX!), you'd say I walk like a drunk - swaying back and forth to avoid second-hand smoke in my face.

4) If all grocery stores would stock the no-salt version of Friendship cottage cheese - and if the Stop & Shop here in Cotuit would figure out that, if they put the carriage holder thing closer to their building, more people would put their carriages away.

5) If, when I open up the pages for online shopping this holiday season, not one of them will bother mentioning shipping costs to me. Yawn. If I could buy all my gifts this year from Zappos and Amazon - oh wait! I CAN buy all my gifts at Amazon!

6) If Petfinder.com overtook Google.

The Thumb Twiddle

2007-09-29T21:28:00.001-04:00

What an odd day... It was the first time in over six months that I experienced the phenomenon of having nothing to do.

Of course sleeping in wasn't too much of an option, because with my parents' full day at the local Harvest Fest, they basically opened our slider door at 7:30 this morning to let their young, exciteable pup Rigley in to greet us. And then they closed the door and left. Rigley paced from side to side of our bed for maybe 20 minutes before we gave up... It was time for Saturday.

I know my busy lifestyle is too much for most people, but I'm going crazy just thinking about not having plans for two weekends from now (thank god we found something to fill the upcoming holiday, I can't imagine!). So the fact that I went from bed to the couch this morning, still in my pjs, was let's-just-say RARE. It lasted less than ten minutes. I'm no good at this.

We ran a couple of errands, bought a pumpkin, and visited the Harvest Fest that my parents run. Gary dropped me off at the gym, from which I ran a little over 4 miles home. Yes, I haven't been to the gym since maybe May or June, but we've been running and biking a ton through the summer for various races and tours. Gary went to work on the shingling of my folks' barn for the rest of the afternoon, and I returned to smut TV and the personal to-do list that has been building up. Yup, senseless smut television. Maybe I can do this?

So anyway, what this brings us back to now is what we call "Saturday night". We are watching Damian Marley on Austin City Limits. Before I realized it was even him, I already had this weird feeling because I've had a longtime respect and love for Bob Marley - in a very non-cliche way - and I immediately thought "my god, this man is that breathtaking." Stephen also came on stage, as well as some little 3-year-old-ish boy who was waving the Jamaican flag and oozing of a future story.

Now before ya go thinkin' I'm some kinda wild-child hippie...

Tomorrow is another, and as yet still a very unplanned day. I have a couple of hours of work to do, and more if I want to feel comfortable for the next two weeks of deadlines. We're also planning on a good few hours on the boat so Gary can make up for lost time fishing. Ho hum.

Off to Islesboro, Maine next weekend with BG and Sam!

Good night!

Flick of the Fall Switch

2007-09-21T21:30:00.000-04:00

I woke up for work last week and ran for my slippers. I even grabbed a bathrobe and I'm not typically a bathrobe person. I walked into the bathroom and the HEAT kicked on!! It was freezing... it was fall.

It still is fall, of course, but the way it happened this year was like a switch! Labor Day = fall = make it dark at night = make it cold. Perfect science. Now while we're on that subject too, please honk if you wish we changed the clocks back sooner in the season and were able to enjoy more daylight this time of year.

Anyway, we were still able to have our friends Kim and Dave down from Vermont last weekend for a couple days of kayaking and catching up. A great weekend filled with laughter, and maybe even a little temptation for them to move to the Cape? Emily and her new man Anthony came down on Sunday and we all enjoyed a little tailgate on the water and the Pats game!

Weekends like that make it easier to go to work on Monday mornings. I'm enjoying the new Blackberry Curve (but not enjoying AT&T lack-o-coverage) and certainly enjoying less commuters on the bus and road. Gary has been spending some time in his week on Petfinder.com. Yes indeed, birthday boy might have decided what he wants for his birthday next month (I'm on your side, Bromley).

Nothing ahead for a few weekends! We're huge hikers and campers, so how did we find ourselves with only about three weeks left of the traditional camping season? I hope we get out there once or twice at least, but we also love winter camping... Right now Gary's feeling like he hasn't fished enough this summer and he wants to stay home. I, on the other hand, look back on too many ocean/boat photos and am bummed that we haven't done more (Gary would call these wine & cheese photos, not fishing photos).

With that... hope all is well out there! I leave you with some tidbits this evening:

What you might not have known about me till now: I loathe moths. I scream at moths. I use a different room/towel/cup/anything rather than be near a moth. I cry about moths just thinking about moths.

Lesson learned this week: When curious about what four cop cars and the K-9 unit are looking for, don't hide behind tree.

From Vermont to India

2007-09-08T17:48:00.000-04:00

We were at my in-laws this weekend in Dorset, Vermont. Mom Hedman wanted to show us the house that she and Dad Hedman have been working on up in Rupert, Vermont, for Habitat for Humanity. They host a Habitat "Global Village" for a week every year, where 10-12 people from around the world pay a couple thousand dollars to come to Vermont (or anywhere) for a week and provide manual labor in the name of good will. They feel good, the homeowners feel good... everybody wins.

It's a great story, the Rupert one. Couple lives in broken down trailer for 25 years, manage to pay bills and be responsible, and finally get the break they deserve. Anything sweeter would have had Ty Pennington in it.

But today - actually ten seconds after we arrive - a visitor named Salagala Rajasekhar Babu starts to talk. He's stopping in to introduce himself and share his own experience of managing about 800 Habitat projects in his local area of Bapatla, India over the past eight years. Yeah, that's 100 a year in a country with a four-month rainy season. The story is much longer actually, as he's been a part of an orphanage program since 1982 as well.

Right now Babu's group is working hard to deliver on a promise of 300 homes to recent tsunami victims. I can't give him $2,000 for a house, and you probably can't either (if you can, I'll give you his number!). I could pay for my own flight out to Bapatla and give some good hard work and sweat to his organization, and it just so happens that he more than welcomes such a visitor.

India's not next on my list of vacation spots, but I feel my definition of vacation changing. I consider just simply going, but this would have people there feeling like they need to feed me vs. if I go with a group and pay to be fed. I should pay, so I ignite Google and am sure enough inundated with various global work possibilities.

It's a mass market... it's a business. Global volunteer work - take your pick: environment, wildlife, education, trade, poverty, technology, disease, agriculture... And you know what? I don't care that it's a mass product. Good for them, and good for us.

If you know me well, you know I care more about the environment and animals than I do about humans. Unfortunately most of these trips seem - I dare say - a little adventure-vacationy. Again, who cares? - it's getting a certain population of people out there to visit new cultures and extremes. But for the first time in my life I keep my focus on the development and growth of the people. I want to meet and share and understand.

Stay tuned! I'm going to do more research, talk to a few folks, and I'll invite you along when I find a fit.

SDH

Labor Day '07

2007-09-01T09:49:00.000-04:00

Happy September and Labor Day weekend!

Yep, that means a few of our friends are back to work now (you poor people). And without a doubt, it means the "Pashedmans" are back together for a weekend to celebrate Sarah's birthday!

The weather is gorgeous, as are these girls in a shot from last weekend :-)

Wanted to toss in a photo of our little nephew, who we can't wait to have with us this Saturday night. Four of us babysitting three kids... should go well right? RIGHT?

...... annnnnd we're back. Babysitting was definitely a tiny bit of 'labor' on this fine Labor Day weekend - but a blast to spend time with everyone in our home!

---Picture me holding Emily's legs on the toilet while she contemplates whether she really wants to poop in the potty or in her diaper, while my friend Sarah is running back and forth down the hallway looking for a baby diaper for the screaming Jake who had no problem deciding where he wanted his poop to go. This all after Emily had already peed on the couch :-) And McKenna calmly sitting at the coffee table coloring and asking me - unprovoked - if Uncle Gary and I get lonely with it being just the two of us. Funny.---

It's a good thing we love them lots! (we still do, E&J, I promise) Oh, the boys you ask? They were out with the dogs.

Our Sunday - Sarah's birthday - was also a great time as we woke up for a run and then biked around the Beachcomber area in Welfleet. The weekend ended with a tootle around Osterville on the boat, finally relaxed in the crisp air and catching up with a few more friends.

So now it's September for real, and a friend of mine puts it a good way:

"Early Sunday afternoon, as we packed up our things, it was already sinking in. Back to life. Back to reality. No more beach at the end of the street. No more eating and drinking like there was no tomorrow. Work awaits. Deadlines loom before me. The chimney man is coming at the crack of dawn Tuesday morning. But then I remember the Cape and the breeze blowing through the trees.

"And as we cross the Bourne, then head up 495, we notice that trees are already starting to change. Auburn reds pop through rows of green. Then there is talk of apple picking and halloween. A twinge of excitement runs through me as I entertain thoughts of Christmas. And I know that while the end of summer means the end of a lot of things, it also signifies the beginning of lots of others. And I am glad for it." - MLXC

Thanks for the reminder, girl. I really am eager for hiking and camping and cozy layers of clothing... It was a very good summer.

August is THE Month

2007-08-26T19:50:00.000-04:00

Hard to beat August, especially if you're on the Cape! Traffic has died down, there are more seats on my bus every morning, the weather is impeccable... and the dogs are tired.

We hosted EEE's 30th Birthday this Saturday! Started with the beach with the girls, bbqing with friends Friday, and taking the boat out to Sampson's Island all day Saturday. Saturday night was a blast, with all of us in our pink and green polo shirts! I'm a little afraid I might start getting birthday cake orders though... It was so great to plan things and hang out more with Em's fam and friends.

This morning, with nine of us waking up to three dogs' excitement, we made a leisurely decision to head out on the boat off the north side. It was too early for any good tide out there, but what a fantastic day it turned out to be! Time seemed to move really slowly all day, while the tide of course moved quickly. There's an average of about a 10-foot change in tide off Sandy Neck. The water is tourquoise over the sand, and throughout the day there's more and more sand showing. Made for some great splashing around and a good game of extreme-bocce on the beach.

We even had our first canine captain! Porter turns out to be QUITE the beach dog!!! (see you again soon, Jess & Gordon :-)

I'm back to work this evening... as sad and as caffeinated as that may be. Mom and Dad Hedman are coming down tomorrow for the rest of the week, with a friend from Wales, so that's fun!

Hope the rest of you are able to enjoy this season! Stay tuned for more after the week and the Labor Day holiday!

Whirlwind of Life

2007-08-22T08:43:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just don't know where to start.... It seems like things with both work and personal life are a whirlwind. I gotta apologize for being so very out of touch with friends and family lately - as in the entire summer. Our greatest absence has been up to Dorset and I hope we're up there a lot in the coming months. The air is crisp and kind of exciting!

This past weekend went from Pats game (THANKS EMILY!!!) to Pashby visit (four dogs) to beach to boat to boat to wedding (CONGRATS Paul & Kristin!) to work to Cape girls to coffee date (BG and Sam are ENGAGED!) to work to more Emily bonding (she had QUITE the exciting weekend).... back to work now, and two nights of visitors this coming weekend. One big BIRTHDAY bash for Emily! And then Mom Hedman and a friend are coming all week next week, to be followed by more Pashbys and dogs and more Hedmans over Labor Day weekend. We're meanwhile missing the BON VOYAGE of cousin Kate to vet school on St. Kitts!

Yeahhhh. If you think you're having a hard time following that...

Even with all the excitement, though, there have been equal parts sad things going on in the lives of our friends and family. I'm a heart-stretcher by nature, I guess, and my heart is stretching wider than ever this month.

Meanwhile, Gary's tearing down what was the "boat shanty" and gearing up to construct the world's best adult-sized slip n' slide in our back yard. His work has also had him all over the place, but rest assured he's getting plenty of time for a sunglass tan line on his temples :-) We've even been cooking up our own fish more lately!

I've also been looking into a lot of international development work lately. There are a couple of local groups between Boston and the Cape that I would love to volunteer my skills to, and I would love to build up my aresnal of contacts in that area - both for current life and future. I'm currently reading You Can Hear Me Now: How Microloans and Cell Phones are Connecting the World's Poor to the Global Economy thanks to a girl who doesn't even know she recommended it to me (now she does!), and it really sparks a lot of thought about the difference between corporate investment and government aid to a country. I'm not a policy girl, but I love corporate strategy.

And I'm over 30 now - which puts me in a growing HEAP of friends who are thinking "wait, life's really short! where was I going?"

So anyway... My folks are in Alaska right now, so we have the precious and rambunctious Rigley at our house. They have been wanting to go to Alaska for as long as I've known them, and I'm very happy to be receiving a call like this morning when it's 5am there and my mom's watching the cruise ship pull into Juneau... Where will we all be vacationing when we retire?

I hope you're all doing well and full of energy as the summer winds down. We're thinking of literally every single one of you, and we'll -uh- be in touch soon!
SDH

Farewell to a Friend

2007-08-16T16:00:00.000-04:00

It's been a very busy month since the last post. Nantucket, Vermont, the Falmouth Road Race... and just a L O T of work for both of us. This coming weekend we have the Pashby's coming (and dogs!), and Paul & Kristin's wedding!

We did, however, have to say good bye to our friend Nathan yesterday, in the most beautiful services I could ever imagine. Nathan and Kim have been an amazing couple and role models for strength as he was diagnosed and treated for brain cancer over the past two years. We know he's in the right place now to be happy, and we will think of him often in our lives.

Why we watch the Tour de France...

2007-07-20T11:43:00.001-04:00

We hope you all had a great weekend! Moving right along, and July's almost over...

Gary left for Vermont on Thursday night for one last touch on the Pashby deck - and more importantly the deck railing - before they have tons of people up in a couple of weeks. I stayed behind to run the Osterville Free Library road race (4.12 miles) Saturday morning and to celebrate my friend Nancy's baby shower. Then we both drove from different directions to Quechee, Vermont, to meet up with best friend Pete and fam who's in town from Colorado! Such a great time of cooking big meals and lounging on the deck, overlooking the mountains!

Things are good on the homefront. We both are silly with work right now, but we're also thoroughly enjoying the Tour de France every night! The riders are amazing, but we probably watch it equally for the incredible scenery and outlandish fans!

Seems like every weekend is booked up now through early September, but all good stuff and a lot of it is right here at home. We really need to gear up for a big hiking/camping weekend in the early (and all through) fall!

Enjoy the end of the month!

2007-07-09T17:10:00.000-04:00

Ahoy Maties!

We're coming off a great 4th of July week on Cape Cod, and hoping you enjoyed yours!

Ours started with Gary up in Vermont and Stacey helping to throw Kelly & Joe a Cape engagement party with the Foxes. Oh, and Stacey working Saturday, Sunday, and Monday night until 1:30 in the morning, ugh. The Hedmans came down and Stacey and Sandra had a great time shopping for fabrics and making new cushions for the outdoor furniture! Great to hang with my parents on the back deck too.

We got to spend some time at beach and meandering the Main Street shops of the Cape during the week. Wonderful to have quality time with our neices and little nephew. The 4th was actually a windy and odd day, but we still sat on the beach for a bit and toasted the holiday. We also got to have our friend Emily with us a bunch!

Saturday was really nice, gathering up a bunch of friends on the boat and spending the day on Sampson's Island in Cotuit! Sounds like each and every one of us got too much color that day though... amatuers, ha ha!

I also need to give ourselves props for having completed the Fairfield Half Marathon!! Thanks to Eric for getting us out there, and to the kids for cheering us on!

The Northside / Sea Goat / whatever...

2007-06-08T12:36:00.000-04:00

Lots has been going on! We’re very excited to welcome a new baby into our family – potentially named the Northside or EEK, the Sea Goat?! Our new boat - a 21’ Cobia! We came to the realization that the fixer-upper approach wasn’t going to get us on the water any time soon. And if any of you have made the trip to Sandy Neck with us in the smaller boat, you know that you’re not always guaranteed to fit for a ride back before the tide reaches your shorts.

Problem solved! Exit car payment, enter much smaller boat payment. We’re now better equipped to gather up a plentitude of friends, and much safer to take our nieces and nephew for a ride. The first voyage will take place on my BIRTHDAY weekend next weekend!

More photos can be found at www.saltyhedman.com/cobia.htm.

Aside from all that hoopalah, we spent four days this past weekend helping the Pashbys build a large deck around their new hot tub – can’t wait to reap the rewards when it’s all completed! Our training for our suddenly planned Fairfield Half-Marathon is going great as well – we’re up past six miles right now and hoping to reach eight this weekend. Makes four seem like chump change, which is an odd mental state to be in. Four was my “long run” like two weeks ago.

Gary and our friend Paul are heading over to Martha’s Vineyard this Saturday evening for the overnight fly-fishing tournament, while myself and Kristin cuddle up at home with various wedding prep (their wedding in August), a good girly movie or two, and the requisite bottles of wine. The two of them are moving to DC at the end of this month, which we don’t like to talk about, so it’ll be fun to have this weekend farewell.

Lastly…

Our friend Nathan, in whose honor we ride the Ride for Brain Tumor Research each year, is going through a tough time right now. Our thoughts and embraces are with him, Kim, and their families as they call upon their strength and faith right now to meet the challenges.

I hope you all find sunshine in your day!

Hedman Bootcamp

2007-05-20T18:34:00.001-04:00

Gary and I biked 50 miles this morning for the Brain Tumor Society's Bike for Brain Tumor Research! It was an awesome time, even with 40 miles of it being in the rain. We were able to ride the last ten with all of Stacey's high school girlfriends too - Team NAVINS! (Nathan & Kim in the photo)

Oddly enough, we committed the night before to running the Fairfield Half Marathon (CT) on June 24th! So it looks like we're putting the bikes away for a bit, eek! One month till go-time.
Yep, that's us... it's really rather typical.

Other than that, we're currently puppy-sitting for Rigley Foster while my parents are touring Copper Canyon in Mexico. Turns out he's extremely well-behaved when he doesn't need to show off for his owners - a pleasant surprise for us! Next week is Memorial Day weekend, of all things... very hard to believe. We've been spending some time planting flowers around the yard and hanging plants, so we're ready to go whenever the sun decides to come out and join us!

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend ahead and kick-off to summer!

S&G

Your Street Image

2007-05-04T13:43:00.000-04:00

What do you look like when you walk down the street? Are you looking around at everything or are you completely lost in thought? Are you trying to think of who you could call to maximize your time? Is the world a blur and you can only see the Starbucks sign defined?

Did ya catch that 70-year old woman with the bright pink lipstick, rainbow scarf, and orange socks pulled up to her knees?

I have a long and interesting commute. Sometimes it's the best part of my day. I walk about 15 minutes twice a day, to and from the bus, and in those 15 minutes I really get to see the true joys of spring! Not the flowers or the fountains running...

Boston's finest WACKOS are out. I'm not kidding about the old lady dressed like Punky Brewster. I really think AARP magazine printed a fashion spread that accidentally came out in flourescent colors this spring. I actually admire these women - maybe you reach a certain point where that's just good hearty fun! (personally, I'll be sipping mojitos at 7am and eating mac n' cheese for breakfast). Either way, from young to old, everyone seems to be opening up their windows to the sunshine and thinking "today's the day" for that exotic/eclectic/unique... bad/inappropriate fashion twist.

This also brings me to the past week's collage of facial expressions. I've seen women annngry at the world (like the look of a - of my - Portuguese grandmother). They might not be, but their mouths are turned down as far as they can go and their eyes are piercing. For all I know, they're on the way to buy more chocolate chips and bake cookies. Then there's the tall, awkward man with his mouth wide open and head tilted back. That's dangerous, buddy... You don't know what's flying around those streets in the wind lately.

So now I can't stop my attentive glaring at everyone on the street - this is fun. Thank goodness I can hide behind my new SHADES :-)

About twice a week someone asks me how I can stand my commute... YOU TRY IT!!

April Showers

2007-04-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

Ha! Yeah right.... or how 'bout April Nor' Easters? Or two.

Yes indeed, we're just coming off a weekend that included skiing on a couple feet of fresh powder - and it kept coming down on Sunday as we rushed to skip town. It was wonderful to be in Burlington, VT again after so many years for me! Somehow we skied for free and stayed at a brand new hotel for free (overlooking Lake Champlain). Good times with friends!

We also had a beautiful Easter weekend in Dorset, VT. It was great to have a house full of Hedmans, including our new little nephew and the showering kisses of our nieces! I even became a godmother for the first time ever (of a human anyway)!! Very honored. We hunted for eggs in the snow, and watched deer eating corn RIGHT outside the windows.

All else is well. We're not making any plans for the upcoming weekends. None at all!! Very exciting. Gary's mom is currently on her fourth expedition to China, and my parents are Red Sox groupies in Toronto. Ah retired life... Good for them!

Other things we're into right now:

Blueberry Stoli
the new Beck album
Our new Samsung u740 cell phones!
OPI's "Cajun Shrimp" nail color (not Gary)
the new Banana Republic Outlet in Manchester, VT!
Hobo International bag company
and Baxter's is open!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Free Coffee!

2007-03-19T10:17:00.000-04:00

Another Monday, and it's the week spring starts! Hopefully you all got a free Starbucks (or two or three) on Thursday, and now it's free Dunks iced-coffee on Wednesday!

Knew you'd enjoy a shot or two of the weekend, particularly the next one...

We drove up to Vermont in the storm on Friday, while about 25 plows took care of anyone on the south-bound side of the highway rather than our side. Got a good hard day of skiing in powder at Sugarbush on Saturday, and finished up the day with a bonfire and corned beef & cabbage - thanks Sarah! Sunday was a great snowshoe with all the dogs, and an afternoon visit to see friends Kim & Dave, and the work they've been doing on their home in Bethel, VT. Unfortunatley, we got home pretty late last night and sank right into bed.

Next weekend is one final push to our unusually social winter... Sunday River, ME with Gary's co-workers!

Gary and I have been running in the great outdoors lately, and got back out on our bikes a couple of days last weekend! We're still looking to raise more money for our 50-mile Bike for Brain Tumor Research (May 20th), so if you are able to contribute to our experience, please click here for Gary's page or click here for Stacey's! This event means a lot to us, as our friends Nathan and Kim must rise above his brain cancer every single day.

With that, we wish you all a happy start to SPRING!
XO

Sam Bigelow

2007-03-15T15:00:00.000-04:00

YEAH Sam!

Click for Patriot Ledger Article

So happy for our friend Sam, and we hope many of you can join us on May 11th for his CD release party!

Sam's MySpace

It's a BOY!!

2007-03-07T16:04:00.000-05:00

YAY!!!

Jake Thomas Hedman was born this morning at 8:28, weighing in at 8 lbs 5 oz and 19 1/4 inches long. Jake and Jill are both doing great! CONGRATS Eric & Jill! The big sisters are very excited and we can't wait to meet our first NEPHEW soon!

Another YURTastic Adventure!

2007-03-05T13:46:00.000-05:00

We're coming off another beautiful weekend in the great outdoors!

This time we had eight of us - and three exhausted dogs! - together for two nights in a yurt in Huntington, Vermont. If you're not familiar with a yurt, it's a Mongolian tent design that is basically a permanent round tent - complete with bunk beds, a wood stove, and propane stove/cooking supplies. We used this company for the trip: http://www.otloose.com/

Anyway, it was a great group including Gary & I, Rich & Sarah, Emily, cousin Nicole, and new friends Jen & Kathryn! Bromley's friends Rubin and Toro joined as well! The sun was shining and we had a blast snowshoeing and building sled jumps, etc.

Been listening to Citizen Cope after hearing his great sound this weekend - you can use the media player on the site http://www.citizencope.com/.

This weekend will be a much-needed one back on the homefront! Gary back in the boat-barn, presumably, and me getting some errands out of the way. We can't wait to hear news this week about our new little niece or nephew!

Hope everyone's doing well out there, ready for one more very cold week. Then it's soon time to change the clocks and start searching for a matching pair of flip-flops in your closet!
XO

February Chill

2007-02-06T10:15:00.000-05:00

The winter weather is definitely bearing down on us now! Gary and I fiiinally got our skis revved up - including some new ski gear to make sure we were both gorgeous and warm - at Sugarbush with the Pashby's! <--That's Sarah and Boo!

Please visit www.isisforwomen.com and give a boost to two Vermont women who are making excellent clothing and gear for almost any activity!

The work week is chugging along, as I now take the bus to Boston instead of the train. It's saving me about $100 a month and helping me kick at least 200 extra calories a day with the walk (or do calories freeze in cold?)! The good part is that I drive only about 15 minutes now. And more importantly that "Central Parking" is no longer getting two bucks from me for a car-sized plot of pavement every day - coins or bills (or all pennies, if you're ticked after doing it for two years) that I have to strategically stuff into archaic little slots so difficult you'll miss your train. Yup, I'm a bus girl.

Did I mention that on my first ride home yesterday we got pulled over for speeding? HA HA HA HA..... Don't worry, the female bus driver gave the cop a few earsfull at the front of the bus, which was also quite entertaining.

We are just coming off of an awesome weekend at home. Made friends with the vet, checked out cousin Ian's incredible boat-building craftsmanship, enjoyed a spontaneous coffee with Kelly & Joe, and then met up with our friend Eric who's in town from Iraq. Got in some great outdoor running myself, and Gary made some big progress on the boat!

Happy Birthday to Jill, Dad Hedman, and Rich!!! And CONGRATS to Dad Hedman on his retirement this month too!!!! Big things happening.

Two Years of Married Life

2007-01-23T11:33:00.000-05:00

My mom RETIRED on Friday - how incredible is that?! We also celebrated her birthday, and took off to Foxwoods for the day on Saturday. I had never been there, but aside from the smoke, it was pretty cool to check out! I doubled my $5 bill twice but left with nothing. CONGRATS MOM!!

We are off to Freeport, ME, for a little anniversary of our own this weekend. Two years since we asked our closest friends and family to stand outside in the Vermont snow with us! No real reason for picking Freeport - we toyed with the thought of skiing, and Gary's never been to the Freeport LLBean (a must!) - but I just love the Maine coast. We found a cute B&B for one night. And just our luck! There will be a team of women scrapbooking there all weekend too! Ha ha ha...

Gary and his mom have been busy with rennovations on the house in Rhode Island. It has been great to hear about it and see some transition photos. He hasn't gotten too much further on the boat, but the barn has a stereo system and he just bottled his third batch of homebrew beer last night!

One of my many resolutions - and my co-workers have joined me on this one - is to have Pad Thai only once a month. I'm excited to report that a week from today is the day! Happy Birthday to Jess! Oh my gosh I can't wait.... ha ha!

Also, to take a moment in other special birthdays... Carrie and Steve had their little boy Ethan on January 8th! He's adorable, and they are adorable as a family. Happy birthday to Heather this Saturday as well! - glad we could send you some snow in time to remind you of New England in Arizona.

Happy end to January everyone!

65 Degrees in January

2007-01-06T18:31:00.000-05:00

Yeah. Wherever you are, you know it's true... It was a day of t-shirts and ice-coffees. Unbelievable.

It's a very beautiful winter of course - who couldn't get used to this? But you're never quite at ease. Mother Nature has fallen off the wagon but you know she could get back on at any minute.

If you want to know who's fault it is, it's all me. It's the new skis, the new ski helmet, the new ski pants I bought for Gary... We've tried desperately to counteract our mistakes by not replacing the necessary part in the snowblower, but so far... nuthin.

Anyway! Long time no write! We took down the tree today, so I thought it was a good time to acknowledge the beautiful holiday season that we had! Hosted another great Thanksgiving here with a houseful, and enjoyed a long Christmas weekend with our neices and the big McClarran family down in Connecticut. We both had that weekend off, during which Gary built a massive boat barn over the new Sea Ox so he can begin restoration for the, uh, winter. I, of course, was pretty darn sick, but I managed to shape up my resolutions ahead of schedule and joined a gym! I love running, but you can only get so excited about the same neighborhood loop and cranberry bogs. I like the weight training and even attended my first two pilates classes yesterday and today! Owie.

Work is insane INSANE for both of us right now, so you might not have heard from us in a bit. We have essentially nothing planned for our upcoming weekends, though, and that feels pretty darn good! Next up is a yurt trip in March; www.otloose.com if you want to check it out or join us!

So, with that little update, I must get back to work on this drizzly Saturday evening. Just wanted to say hi and use you as an excuse to procrastinate. Hope all is well out there, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Random November

2006-11-05T22:33:00.000-05:00

So there's really no reason to write today, except to just update anyone who's paying attention. It's a Sunday night after a weekend in Vermont at the Hedman's. Such gorgeous weather in Dorset, and after shopping all day one day, we earned it the next day by clearing out trees and brush. It's just so hard to believe that it's November...

Our neices have been in Disney World all week! How funny is it that Eric and Jill told them on Tuesday that TUESDAY they were leaving?! We got the photos tonight and it looks like a magical kingdom for them both. Can't wait to see them soon for turkey!

On the homefront, Gary didn't have enough to complete before 17 family members join us in three weeks - he decided to tear down the wall between our kitchen and living room last week while I was at a friend's for the night! So that will be cool - and quick - to watch unfold... it already seems amazing to walk in the kitchen and be able to see such a big room.

The week ahead brings my first book club meeting ever?? and then a night out to bid adieu to a co-worker on Thursday. So I decided to stay later tomorrow and get a good run in at the work gym. You'd think I'm never around for Gary, but don't worry - the Pats and Colts are. I have a very full week of work ahead, which makes me happy, and then we have friends coming for a fun surprise weekend ahead...shhhh... Gary's work has been busy in the field, so less time spent in front of the computer and more time in the oddly sunny fall weather. Life is good, and busy as always.

Winter is an etching,
Spring a watercolor,
Summer an oil painting,
and autumn a mosaic of them all.
~Stanley Horowitz

A New Boat?!

2006-10-24T15:03:00.000-04:00

Okay, so maybe you heard... but here it is! Gary has had his sights on two boats for the "next boat". This could have been next spring, next fall, whenever... Well, he found one THIS WEEK for the right situation and price (and then he offered half that)! The guy wanted it out of his yard and now it's in our yard!

In a weird twist of fate, the previous owner had named the boat "Lady K" - which is what we've called [Gary wants me to say "dearly beloved"] Kaya for years! Gary's planning to tear out the inside deck and console and rebuild it over the winter. It's a 20-foot, 1981 Sea-Ox that has barely been in the water, but it wasn't covered from the damage of rain and leaves for all these years. Gary paid about a sixth of what we can get for our current boat, so he got the wifely seal of approval for sure. Game on!

The bathroom photos...

2006-10-06T14:39:00.000-04:00

Jack-o-lantern

2006-10-04T11:45:00.000-04:00

October! How is everyone doing out there? Lots of nothing going on with us and it’s great. Been home for a couple of weekends in a row, and I’m happy to say that I got in a couple of long runs and bike rides, painted on my easel on the back deck, made some crafty gifts that I won’t mention ;)… made fresh pesto from the garden basil, baked an apple pie…. We even watched the first season of Entourage on DVD. Who has time for that?! Yep, that’s right – we do!

We are heading back to Conway NH this weekend, but this time with my folks! Bromley’s on bed-rest a bit, and some heavy meds for an agitated/arthritic elbow. Gary and I are up for a big Presidential hike while the pooch has his grandparents, but we’re also just psyched to hang out with my parents. Because they live so close, we take that for granted and never spend quality time with them. We don’t visit for the whole weekend any more, play dominos after dinner and such. Looking forward to it!

It sounds like we’re hosting Thanksgiving again this year and we love it! Before that, though, we’ll be enjoying a few more weekends of R&R in October, and a great birthday weekend for Gary at the end of the month on Lake Winnipesauke!

Happy October Birthdays to Caitlin, Derek, Dad, Nancy, Steve, Trina, Amy, and McKenna too!!! (in that order) HOLY COW!

The bathroom looks gooorgeous! Love that husband of mine. Photos coming, but Blogger is irritable.

Have a great spooky month, complete with a Friday the 13^th! Bring on the pumpkins!

Hope to catch up with you all soon - XO

Bring on the Fall!

2006-09-18T12:36:00.000-04:00

So you think you don’t want the summer to come to an end, but then who doesn’t love fall clothes shopping? Who doesn’t love the thought of apple-picking, hiking, putting a pumpkin on your doorstep…? We just got back from the mountains and another glimpse of the gorgeous foliage that’s already showing. Eight of us went up to North Conway for some camping (in the new tent!), hiking off the Kancamangus, and shopping. Sure it’s still 80 degrees, but everyone seems to be calling it fall already!

And…. I GOT SKIS!!! I’m very excited to finally have a pair that is suited to my own abilities and body type – after buying my last couple of pairs from ski swaps. They’re gooorgeous. I love them. The bug was in the air, with Kate buying boots, and Rachel buying boots, bindings, skis, and poles! Bring on the snow this year, I tell ya.

Happy birthday to Kelly this week – the big 3-0! And welcome back to Brodeur, Jess :-)

Vacation home...

2006-09-06T12:26:00.000-04:00

Our new home!!!!

What an incredible tent! We can't wait to use it in a couple of weeks!

Vermont Labor Day

2006-09-05T16:36:00.000-04:00

What a GREAT weekend up in Vermont! Thanks to the Pashbys - always the bestest hosts ever, and the hardest to say goodbye to on Sunday (or in this case, Monday) nights! We had a wonderful time, running a 5k with the birthday girl, hiking about four miles on Burnt Rock, and filling the in-between time with food, drink, and laughter.

Now we look ahead to some close-to-home weekends this fall! Patriots opener this Sunday, and camping/hiking the following weekend. We technically need a tent, but could go without it. I technically need skis, and definitely won't go without them :-) Those are big purchases... and how did I get so excited for ski season this year?! Weird.

Photographer: dtepper.smugmug.com

Or a couple for your enjoyment...

End of August...

2006-08-29T10:19:00.000-04:00

Wow, so the first of September is looming! I checked e-mail this morning and at least half of them had some mention to how fast the summer has flown by - one even mentioned Christmas?!

We are off to Vermont for the rest of the week, which is very exciting! Gary's going to do some work around his folks' house, and I'm going to work from the gorgeous Northshire Bookstore. It's going to be so nice to not commute for the rest of the week, and to squeeze in a bunch of running, hiking, and biking! Yes, in the rain.... but whatever!

We had the Pashby's with us all weekend this past weekend. Always a lot of laughter and fun, and three dogs screeching around every corner of course! I think we're all a bit exhausted, but it's just a few more days until we show up at their house for the weekend. Happy 30th Sarah!!

Hope everyone is doing well out there - our friends and family, or perfect strangers! Till next time!

SDH

CONGRATS!

2006-08-15T11:16:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while you recognize two people that are just absolutely perfect for each other... and Gary and I could not be happier to have shared the engagement of our friends Paul and Kristin this past weekend!! We've spent a ton of time with them all summer, and can't wait for more seasons to come. CONGRATULATIONS Paul & Kristin!

In other majorly exciting news, we found out last week that we're due to be an aunt and uncle again! (I hope our nieces can't read blogs yet at their age... they don't know yet!) We are very happy for Eric & Jill as their beautiful family grows!

Now something must have been in the water around May... Carrie, Chrissy, Tracy, Karlyn, Danielle, and Heather Pratt are all due between January and March! Wooo hoooo! We love you guys!

So what else is going on... we are home for the next couple of weekends! We are excited for the wedding of our friends Amy & Mike this Saturday, and all the girls will be in town for the fun. Then we are really looking forward to having a couple of great friends and dogs down the weekend after for a little Cape Cod sun and fishin'! The last week and weekend of August will be spent lounging in Vermont - well, me lounging, and Gary doing a bit of handyman stuff, but we're so happy to be able to get up there for an extended timeframe.

Hope everyone's enjoying the crispy autumn weather right now!
XO

Fall '06 Camping Trip!

2006-07-31T14:09:00.001-04:00

September 15th and 16th for camping, hiking, and fishing near North Conway, NH! JOIN US!

The Beach Camping Area

Probably - Mount Kearsarge North
Location: The trail begins at a small parking area located 1.5 miles east of Rte. 16/302 on the north side of Hurricane Mountain Road in Kearsarge. Length of Trail to the Summit (one way): 3.1 milesEstimated Time (one way): 2 hours and 50 minutesElevation Gain: 2700 feet Summit Elevation Above Sea Level: 3268 feetDifficulty: Moderate (a bit steep in parts)
The trail starts at a relatively easy grade on an old road. It becomes rougher and progressively steeper at 1.1 miles where the trail passes several boulders. An area of rocky ledges appears next, providing nice views of the Saco River Valley and southern and western peaks. At 2.4 miles, the trail swings to the crest of the ridge connecting Kearsarge North to Bartlett Mountain. The trail bears to the right and travels up the north side of the ridge. At 2.9 miles, the trail makes a sharp turn at a steep section and continues around the west side of the summit ledges up to the mountain summit and fire tower. Mount Kearsarge North was originally called Mount Pequawket. This mountain became a popular peak starting in 1845 when three men cut a bridle path and built a two story wooden inn on the summit. The inn blew off the mountain when it came loose from its iron mooring rods and chains one autumn. It was rebuilt only to blow apart twenty-five years later.
The New Hampshire Forestry Commission built the first fire tower on Mount Kearsarge North in 1909. Through cooperative efforts, the Forest Service helped staff the tower from 1911 to the 1960s. Mount Kearsarge North supports the last remaining fire tower in the White Mountain National Forest. It was dedicated September 29, 1991 into the National Historic Lookout Registry. Planes now monitor forest lands for fires.

Deerfield River

2006-07-31T13:58:00.000-04:00

What a gawgeous weekend on the Deerfield River! We joined a group of about 19 total - all great people! - for camping in Charlemont, MA on Friday night. Had a good chip at the keg and talking all night, and awoke to a wonderful breakfast from Chef Paul. The rafting day with Moxie Outdoor Adventures was great.... a little hurry-up-and-wait ish, but we had a great time being together and outdoors. Kept almost everyone in the boat too!

Little flip-cup and chatter again Saturday night, and then tubing for a couple of hours on Sunday - what a blast! That was more fun and more economical than the whole rafting thing, so maybe we'll just have to keep the trend going...

We have the Hedmans all in town for the week next week! Carl & Sandra, as well as cousin Kate, all arrive on Saturday I think. Eric, Jill, and the girls are renting a house in Brewster for the week and we'll look forward to biking on the Rail Trail and spending QT with them all!

Connecticut Weekend

2006-07-24T15:38:00.000-04:00

Well we've returned and recovered a bit from our Tour de Connecticut!

Thanks so much to Mike & Peg for hosting us and Bromley all weekend - Bromley almost didn't want to come home from his new pals Dakota and Summit! We were excited to spend more time with the Houles, much awaited catching up with the Troilos, and to gather with great friends for a big dinner at Delaney's Tap Room in New Haven! (wine wonderfully supplied by Kat & Peter and Peter Troilo! Thanks guys!)

Did some fishing, did some shopping, did some drinking, and did some nature-walking....

Spent Sunday with Eric, Jill, McKenna, Emily, and the ice cream truck man! So fun!

Pictures coming but not working right now....

Whitewater rafting this weekend!

Summer's Over...

2006-07-13T14:57:00.000-04:00

Yikes. It happens that way every year... We're off to Nantucket, Connecticut, rafting in Western-MA, and then July is over. One weekend on the Cape again, and then off to Boston for a blast of a weekend up there. Then back to the Cape sorta, but planning a week in Vermont...

I can't tell you how lucky we feel, though, to have such incredible weekends and incredible friends around us every time! Our life is definitely full of adventure and laughter!

CONGRATS to Carrie & Steve! Surprise CONGRATS to Tracy & Mike! More excitement for Lou & Sarah! Can't wait to celebrate with Amy & Mike! Hope your redneck gets better, Dan... Gourdon, get back to me on your schhedule and whether I'll need a pullover.

Turning 30

2006-06-15T12:17:00.000-04:00

Well now, how about that.... suddenly I'm staring down the barrell of the big 3-0. It's not that bad, really. I'm happy - VERY happy - in life. I can imagine worse things.... like 31. Then you're "in" your 30s! I'm having a good time this week doing things because I'm "in my 20s".

We're spending a weekend full of my favorite things! Drinks at Baxter's, boat rides to Sampson's, bike riding the Rail Trail, dinner at Sam Diego's, more drinks at the Beachcomber... Does it get much better than the gorgeous weather too?! Lucky me.

Gary has been fully trained - he's treating me special all week, so my incessant reminders that it's an entire week of goodness has finally worn off on him!

By the way, have you guys seen this? http://www.hughchou.org/calc/coffee.cgi

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

The art of blogging...

2006-06-15T11:40:00.000-04:00

I've taken on a lot of blog research at my company, hosted a two-hour session on the art of blogging, evaluated policies for corporate blogging….. and yet didn't really take the step myself. I'm going to give it a shot! I would like a place that my friends and family can visit when they want to know what's up. I'm not going to analyze politics, the environment, world hunger…. just a silly journal of life.