Say what? 2011 is almost over???

Must be the time to start looking back at 2011.  Here’s the way it was in my world. 

In January, here in Central Massachusetts, we had record snowfalls.  I couldn’t believe how much it snowed.  We learned a valuable lesson though.  And that is that if you own a gazebo with a canvas roof, be sure you take the canvas off before getting three feet of snow or the results will be a bit disastrous.

I called this collage "Our Own Private Metrodome"

In February, Greg decided he had had too much and we high tailed it down to Key West for a few days to waste away a little in Margaritaville and enjoy a little while of snowless bliss…a benefit of being retired.  That was nice, but while we were gone, we had someone scrape the snow off of the roof at home and when we returned, we couldn’t see the first story of our house.  We managed to get in but it wasn’t pretty.

It had stopped snowing by March but we decided to gift our son Evan a trip to Baseball’s Spring Training in Arizona for his spring break.  At the Cincinnati Red’s park, it was a thrill to get to meet one of the idols of my youth.  There was George Foster of the Big Red Machine signing autographs.  Woohoo!!

He has held up much better than I have.

By April, the snow was gone except for traces here and there.  Greg and I went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston not once but twice to see the Chilhuly exhibit there.  The first trip was a bust because, unbeknownst to me, I bought tickets for school vacation week.  We had a good time anyhow but it was so nice on the second trip to see all those Chihulys up close and personal.

In May, Greg and I got together with our good friends Dona and Bob and took a trip of a lifetime.  We sailed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Amsterdam, The Netherlands with stops in the Azores, Lisbon, Portugal, Cherbourg and Le Havre, France  and Dover, England.  After leaving Dona and Bob in Amsterdam, Greg and I spent three days in Paris.  It was relaxing, fun, interesting, beautiful, and tiring all at the same time.  What a great trip!  We went to Versailles the day before we left for home.  Wow!

Our June began with a rude awakening when tornados ripped through our area.  The devastation was heartbreaking.  Much of it is still visible today and will be for many years.  Personally, our property was unaffected so we were very grateful.  We spent a bit of time in Ohio in June attending a family reunion and my mother’s 83^rd birthday party.  Our trips to Ohio usually include a stop at Grandpa’s Cheese Barn in Ashland, Ohio.  Highly recommended…at least two thumbs up and maybe more.

To be continued when I get my act together...