All day I have been looking forward to a dinner date with my dear, sweet friend Bethany. (Hi Beth!!) And all day long I have thought to myself, “don’t worry about a photo for today. You can take one with Beth tonight and it will be perfect!”

But, I didn’t.

Instead we sat and ate and caught up on each other’s lives. We swapped old stories and talked British tv. We joked and laughed and refilled our drinks and talked some more. Soul searching and house searching and family and “how could those people leave without clearing their table!” A little of this and a little of that and before we knew it two hours had passed. As is often the case, I left our outing with a happy heart and sore smiling muscles!

By the time I remembered that I had wanted to take a photo I was following her car on the road home. Not the picture I was intending to commemorate the evening, but after such a lovely evening, I find that I don’t mind one bit!

Sorry for the bowling pun, I couldn’t resist.

Some of us could really get used to this communal living! Catherine and Esme have already made friends and started helping out with neighborhood beautification.

The stage is almost ready for Vespers this coming Sunday.

Eleven years ago I was finishing up my first year at the Tsongas Center and had just gotten engaged. My coworkers threw a little shower for me and another coworker who was pregnant.

One lovely park ranger gifted me with this little garden frog. At the time, it was a bit of a gag gift. We all had a good laugh about it’s cuteness and it was put in a box with the rest of the gifts.

On a bit of a lark, we set our froggy friend outside the door of our first apartment. Five years later we brought him along to our first house. And after this past move to our temporary digs, we found ourselves placing him outside the porch door.

It just didn’t feel like home without our welcome frog.

Catherine and I went out for a ride this afternoon, our first of the year. Here are some things that I heard from over my shoulder:

“This is awesome!”

“Watch the pot holes!”

“Let’s put the pedal to the metal, baby!

“It’s like I always say, ‘Three wheels are better than two!’”

“Mama, our bodies are like sails and we are catching the wind and it is helping us go!” *

“I love how the wind ripples your shirt.”

“I AM holding on…I just had to scratch my ear.”

“I love you, mama!”

*Sadly, the exact opposite was true. (There’s nothing like a headwind.)

Twenty two years ago, tomorrow, we came here to Saint Mary’s for my Uncle Rich and new Aunt Julie’s wedding. Today, in a simple, heartfelt and crowded service, we said goodbye to him one last time.

A multitude of memories and stories have been shared since his passing. Stories of strength, stories of hope, and stories of love. Memories of how Rich loved and worked and played and how he threw himself into his passions came from family, friends, coworkers and even those who knew of him through acquaintances.

Despite all of the meaningful and eulogy worthy stories that I have heard this week, there have been two personal memories that have stuck with me today.

He called me Beccaboo. No one else ever did (well, maybe my mom…).

I remember him often singing me Stevie Wonder’s “I just called to say I love you”. I also remember that on several occasions the lyrics went more like this, “I just called to say, I’m hungry/ I just called to say I’m star-ar-ving/ I just called to say, I’m hungry/ and I mean it from the bottom of my-y-y stomach!”

It’s funny what the heart latches onto. He was an upstanding man, a devoted husband and father, and a very cool and funny uncle. He was so loved and will be so missed.

This girl of mine held her own against the big kids today. Despite their shouting and shaking and disregarding her presence, she climbed all the way to the top.

It was a very happy day for the Wood girls today.

We donned our bowling shoes, convinced the lane manager that we didn’t need a ‘bumper lane’ and took to the lanes at Leo’s Metro Bowl. Both girls celebrated big bowling achievements: Catherine threw her first strike and Esme bowled every frame and was able to get every ball to the end of the lane (even if it was a gutter ball)!

Today marked the beginning of the 2013 Kids Bowl Free program. It sounds too good to be true- 2 free strings of bowling, everyday for the whole summer. The website screams SPAM-AD central, and to some extent it is. Last year, after hemming and hawing, I finally signed the girls up and I couldn’t be happier.

In a nutshell- parents can register their kids (15 and under) at specific alleys in their area and each Sunday personalized coupons arrive via email. You bring the coupons to the alley, rent your shoes (or bring your own) and you’re good for two strings. For an extra fee, you can add on an ‘adults’ option that covers 4 adults for two strings each. Every day.

Our girls got their own bowling shoes for Christmas so their games are completely free. Their bowling is steadily improving (as is their aim, focus and control). They are getting the hang of the rules of the game and keeping score manually is a great way for some of us to practice our math skills.

So, to sum it all up, bowling = fun, free bowling = way more fun!!

What is better than a last minute babysitter? Absolutely nothing!