Carter's visit

My 16-yr-old brother left today.
Day one in Boston was the the most adventurous. We wondered around the historic district and into the oldest restaurant in America, theThere, we swallowed half a dozen oysters, listened to the oyster crackers jokes and drank some of the best dang lemonade that ever I've had. After that, we hiked through a lovely park and listened to some live guitarists and bongoists. Along the way, we discovered, which was called the Bull and Finch before 1982. They make really good hamburgers. We sorted through the assorted tv show paraphernalia and then wondered around the beautiful Beacon Hill for a while. It was dusk, so all the old school street lamps were glowing and the tall x skinny brownstone houses looked dreamy. THEN the funniest thing happened! Liz Gilson, my crazy college roommate texted me,
"Any chance you're in Boston?"
"...Yes."
"Any chance your just ate at Cheers?"
"...Yes."
"Okay. The girl that I brought with me to your wedding that you don't know swore she just saw you there."
"Whow. What the heck. Okay thanks."
Crazy huh? Crazy.

Day 2
Kayaking in Kennebunk. via York Beach and Ogunquit. (the york lighthouse just might be my favorite so far.) We stopped at a roadside veggie stand on the way home and grabbed some fresh cobbed corn and green beans to accompany the leftover roast for dinner. Cater said my cooking was good. Encouraging.

Day 3
Rained. Defiance is a good movie.

Day 4
Rock climbed. Woodfire Pizza. Back to Union Oyster House for more lemonade. Dropped him off at the airport. Tear.

UNH BIKE TRAIL CHRONICLES

We drove out to UNH so Chris could practice throwing the 16 lb. metal ball 180 ft like normal.Then, we decided to ride our bikes onto a pretty forest bike trail adventure. After about 20 minutes of leisure biking, we got sucked off of the main path and onto a (in my journal I drew a picture of a hilly rocky muddy rooty mosquito-ridden nontrail, but I cannot draw on the computer screen and if I did, you would still not be able to see it and my computer would be damaged.) Anyway, we got sucked off the path. After about 30 miles, we deadended into a rushing river. Chris and I decided that, since twilight was approaching and the temperature was bound to drop to 30, we would have to cross. So with the power of Hercules, Chris stacked both bikes and his weary wife on his shoulders and waded into the waist-deep white water. His feet stayed steady and we talked about spices and youtube videos as we went. We emerged safely on the other side with out noses to a 30-foot wall of granite! Chris ascended it as easily as Andre the giant did the cliffs of insanity in the Princess Bride and unloaded me and the bikes from his back at the top. To our surprise, there was a skilled Spanish swordsman waiting for us there. Chris was quite tired but he broke off the high bar from his bike and assumed battle position. The swordsman asked Chris, “What is your name?” “Christopher .” “What is your quest?” “To take my damsel safely from Mirkwood.” “What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?” Naturally, Chris asked it the swallow was African or European. As soon as Chris asked this, the Spaniard was supernaturally flung from the cliff. So Chris resautered his high bar and we rode home for dinner.

Okay so maybe the nonpath hit a stagnant, mosquito-ridden stream AND Chris carried the bikes and me across individually AND we ascended a slippery mud slope then hopped our bikes and rode home. But which story would you tell?

Hammer throwing

Ascent of Mt. Morgan and Mt. Percival

Oh Oh! We went hiking with our new friends Mark and Lindsey the on Saturday! We made a 5.5 mile loop to one summit, across a ridge, and down from the other summit. The trail was rated double diamond. Apparently that means steep path and multiple stream crossings and does not exclude 5.6 rock climbing! Yes, at about 2,000 ft, we came to a yellow arrow/sign.
“Summit by trail Right”
“Summit by cliffs Left”
OF COURSE WE CHOSE CLIFFS! By cliff they mean climb this ladder up a 30ft rock face, then squeeze through this cave and pull yourself up onto a granite slab and take in the VIEW: the white mntns all around us and Squam Lake and Lake Winnipesaukee (huge!) to the south. And then we looked to the north and saw more cliffs. haha. Our tummies told us it was time for lunch so we ate up our PBJs, fruit mix, and cheese snacks and watched a 2ft snake slither across our path-to-be (boulders). From there, we, wary of the snake, made our way to the summit. WOW! That’s all I got. Mt. Morgan was grand. Time for Mr. Percival. Have you ever walked across a mountain ridge? It is really neat. In a lot of places, the soil had eroded away and left nothing but granite. The other peek was of equal awesomeness. We perched there for a while and rested before our descent. There are some tight-squeeze- damp-n-cool-echoee-caves just below the summit. We climbed around in those for a little while and then continued down more steep boulders. I vote that it is easier to go up such routes than it is to go down, but that is arguable. You know, I thought I was a hoss, but I have to admit that the bottom of the mountain was a little further away than my body wanted it to be; it was very happy to sit down in the pizzeria booth for a slice of greasiness and bottle of soda (any calories we burned we put right back on). We ate in Meredith, NH. Meredith=adorable. After hanging out there for a little while, we watched the stars on our drive home.

Did you know that I live in the oldest town in Maine? Kittery was founded in 1617.

We rode our bikes a few miles to Kittery Point/ Fort McClary (cool place, but I'll spare you the history lesson) We parked da bikes and hiked along the cliffs from which we could see 2 lighthouses and we inspected the blockhouse fort and battery. We explored the forest and surrounding hills till we came upon a brackish lake and spotted an island close enough to wade to. So we did. We took off our new snazzy (investment) hiking boots and barefooted our way across oyster shells up the grassy bank. We sat and chatted and kissed there for a while. It was quite relaxing.
Now comes the sad part. On the wayde back from the island I stumbled and caught myself on non other than my boot holding hand. In slow motion, I watched the water spill into the tops of my boots. Ah! I have a strong dislike of wet shoes. So I continued my hike barefooted and just stepped carefully. Then opted to be a "weanie" (thanks chris) and let my very kind husband ride home by his lonesome and come get me with the truck so that I would not have to put my feet in wet socks and boots and quite possiprobably get blisters or something. I had a peaceful sit by the sea while I waited for him and he was probably happy too because he got to ride as fast as he wanted for once.

portland

The sky in Portland, ME in gray. Well, just because it was gray yesterday doesn't mean it is grey all the time, right? Actually, Lindsey Allen said it pretty much is gray all the time. Despite the brightness of the diffused light that penetrated the layer of clouds and bounced back and forth from the ground to belly of the clouds and back in all directions like a jarred grass hopper and mine and Chris' failure to bring along sunglasses, Portland was pretty neat.
We walked around the old port and drove by poet, Longfellow's house and ate at a neat Pizza Pie place and saw four light houses and scoped out the coast guard base.


The fourth lighthouse was on the shore of an island. sorry no picture. it was brown.

There are so many islands near Portland! We walked around on this fort perched on the almost highest point in portland and looked out across the bay at all the islands and ruins of island forts. The boat traffic was more trafficy than it is here in Portsmouth and the variety of boats was a little higher. Map:

Yesterday Boston. Tomorrow Portland

Boston is an hour south of Kittery. Chris and I spent the whole day there yesterday
We parked for free at the coast guard base (now doesn't that work out nicely)and walked around the North Boston historic district. This place is old.

We wondered around Faneuil Hall and the old Quincy Market then ate lunch at a really old Irish pub. It was next door to "the oldest tavern in America" but that was closed for lunch so we pubbed it instead.



We got to go on a free (military again) tour of Fenway Park where the Red Sox play. There is a lot of neat history there. Oh and we got free hotdawgs (that's me trying to pronounce it like a Bostonian).
We watched a stunt guy that Chris and I were quite sure was high climb a free standing latter in the middle of the sidewalk then juggled a bone, a bowling pin, and a stick while he balanced a spinning ball on his nose. And he dropped and egg named Gerald into a cup of water from 9 feet up. We don't know how he did that high.
We also watched Jamaican break dancer stunt men in the same area.
We walked by Paul Revere's house and a friggin old cemetary and the famous Old North Church (you know, I still have the first 3 stanzas of the poem, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" memorized from the 7th grade.
Then we decided to get lost for a little while and when we found ourselves, we were at Hawvawd (Harvard in Bostonian). I think I'll go back there sometime to sit on the grass and read with coffee and feel smart. ha.

We didn't stop at Harvard though, instead we drove to MIT and walked around this giant domed neo-classical style building and took a nap on the grassy knoll in front of it. Then we watched some weird student juggle various objects and ride on semi-unicycle things. And then we self-taught ourselves some jitterbug stunts.

Tomorrow we are going to Portland!

I only get to keep him for one more week before I have to be alone for a long time.

morning walk

I decided to walk to the coffee shop this morning. I crossed the Memorial bridge at low tide. 8:15am. The white fog was still lingering over the water. I had never seen the harbor so still. I was wearing blue and white so I felt like I blended in well. As I walked, I watched a small, lopsided lobster boat creep from her barnacle laden dock. She cut through the white fog and the fog-smothered glass (water) as well as the sleepy patch of bobbing seagulls, who rose and fell in the air like bars on my radio screen at the climax of an Edvard Grieg composition. The gulls fell back bickering to the water and resumed bobbing in the lone trail of wake. The boat half-way faded in the fog, but I watched her stop to drop her first line of lobster cages. Then I walked on.

Well Chris and I got a present last night. The musical Guys and Dolls was showing at the Ogunquit Playhouse (Ogunquit is a really cool beach town in Maine- right next to a really really cool fishing village called York that has a lighthouse) Anywho, we sat down to look at the tickets online and they were $53 for the cheapest ones. Oh dang. So no go.
Well, we had plans to go to our small group leaders for dinner last night- they are such a cool people- and she calls me and says, hey my friend has these free third row center seats to Guys and Dolls TONIGHT that she is trying to get rid of. Do you want them? HAHAHA. So Chris and I had dinner at their house and then headed to the show and it was amazing! So good! So good! Whata date.

hiking in the white mountains

I hiked Mt Major with my new friend, Meghan this past weekend. I was pretty proud of my physical aptitude. I made it to the top of the (1,786 feet) mountain without having to stop at all. Some parts were relatively steep and we passed some dang good boldering spots. We ate sandwiches and fruit at the top as we looked out over Lake Winnipesaukee and the White Mountains.

I wrote a song.

Search me oh God in my thoughts and in my heart (Psalm 139:23-24)
For from the overflow of my heart my mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34b)

Repeat

CHORUS:
Lord open my lips and open my mouth
Let it declare your praise (Psalm 51: 15)
Open my lips and open my mouth
Let it declare your praise
And search my heart and search my thoughts
For nothing I can say can be said without you. (Aaron Shust ha)

I need not rack my brain for many words of eloquence (1 Corinthians 2:1)
Nor can I ever boast or claim my own wisdom

When I'm sent to preach your name I needn't fear what I will say
You said you'd guide the tongues and lips that proclaim you. (Matthew 10:19-20 and Exodus 4:10-16)

CHORUS















When I seek out not my God my empty heart brings empty words
But when I set my thoughts on you, you speak through me.

So search me O God in my thoughts and in my heart
For from the overflow of my heart, my mouth speaks

Bridge: You speak through me>You guide my mouth>you guide my lips>you steal me mind>you fill my heart>into to my my mouth>upon my tongue>across my lips>unto your ears>into their ears>into their hearts

CHORUS

verses connecting in da brain

Oh oh read how well Job 3:3-5 connects to Hebrews 12:12-13!

Den dese go good togeder too:

Proverbs 4:25-27
Isaiah 30:21
Isaiah50: 10-11

old email to Chris from back in January when we were still dating:

To Chris Man,

Guess what. I got to talk to my boyfriend on the phone today! He's wonderful, in case you didn't know. I have already told him several times, but I absolutely adore him. I honestly never knew that a man could be so genuine and so faithful, deeply spiritual, wise, servant-hearted, and dedicated to God and to me and so caring and giving and thoughtful and chilvarous and so honest/unrepressed about telling me about himself and what he calls flaws and so excited about knowing me and so undaunted by my faults and so welcoming/nonjudgmental in hearing about them and so willing to listen to me talk (sometimes about overly detailed things). He exhibits joy, patience, peace, wisdom, humility, unselfishness, self-control, and trust-worthiness. He is a man of integrity and it makes me want to honor him. How can you put all that together and still get an incredibly funny, impressively athletic, stunnilngly masculine and good looking, and exceedingly intelligent man that wears glasses AND looks good in them? Ya- he really does exist! Who'd a thunk? AND THIS GUY LIKES ME?! Oh my Lord, really? I can't believe this. I really think I might fall over.

From Heather Lady

(we hadn't said the word love yet)

my amazing husband

Chris is so sweet. I had praise band practice last night and he got home from rugby about an hour before I did. And he did all he dishes and cleaned the kitchen and swept! And he moved some boxes and metal stuff to the attic.
That and he is extremely good looking.
I got back and he was standing in the bed of his truck without a shirt on and he looked at me like he loved me and he said he missed me too much and pulled me up to him and hugged me a tight sweaty rugby hug. (polysendeton)
Last week he brought me beautiful yellow and purple field flowers!

-the beloved Mrs.

alliteration d revisited

dainty dandelions disperse dallying dandiness.
and dimpled dumplings are dolloped onto doorknobs.
this disturbs dazed daydreamers and disappoints disillusioned deists.
what a dumb waste of dimpled dandy dumplings.

the yellow kayak

We rented a sea kayak! How adventuresome we are.
After church, it was a little rainy and foggy and cold but we threw on sweatshirts and took the kayak out anyway for a grand self-guided tour of tributaries and coves all the way to old downtown, by the shipyard and back. Oh wow- it was so peaceful. It makes you want a waterproof panoramic camera even though you know you couldn’t capture the experience- the crispness of the air matched with the thickness of the mist in your lungs and the taste of the salt and the stickiness in your hair- You’re practically in the water, just dry with an oar in your hand, a still mist sits over the waters only occasionally pierced by the most graceful white crane; colorful wooden houses line the shore to the distant left and heavy woods sit still to the right. You pass 30 yr old lobster boats and a series of old, crooked docks with their barnacle-covered posts and dangling buoys revealed in low tide. Everything is quiet except for the fish that just jumped on your left.
I can’t believe I am here.

Before that, we had put in in the brackish waters of the inner bay/ mouth of the river and wondered under a bridge and to a little island that ended up having an intriguing history. The island had been used as a midway point on an 18th century highway bridge. We found the foundations of a toll booth and an inn in which George Washington once stayed. We also randomly found a geocache under a rock. There’s an old church downtown that George Washington once attended, still rings a bell that was recast by Paul Revere, has the oldest working organ in America, and displays one of only four copies of a particular Bible. The house next door to it has a lighting rod that was fixed there by Benjamin Franklin.

Watching fireworks over the sea from the boat

Tonight Chris and I watched an orangypinkpomegranate sunset from the flight deck of his boat and then doubly enjoyed the Portsmouth fireworks display. I say “doubly” becausewe watched it in both the sky and the reflection on the bay. GRAND! Oh so grand. What a horizon we have to look at here. From the deck, 9:00 is the pier, 12:00 is the entrance to the harbor, 2:00 is the old Portsmouth skyline which includes a high white steeple of a 17th century church, red brick white trimmed buildings that back up into the water, 3:30 is the drawbridges green from weathering (it was build in the 1930s as a memorial to the soldiers of WWI- of course it just says “World War” on it since it was constructed before the second one. Interesting.), 4:00 is our house although you can’t quite see if from the boat and 6:00 begins the naval shipyard. Chris was on duty today so I spent most of my afternoon on the boat with him. I love just hanging out with him. Hehe- after the grand finale, all the little boats around tooted their horns, so Chris and I ran up and blew our horn too! The biggest ship in the harbor= the loudest and deepest horn. It was quite funny.

I asked Levis if they had July 4th in France. He answered no and I laughed at him till he figured it out. I’m mean.

Oh! For the fourth, we drove down to Connecticut to visit the Masalin fam.
Friday we went to Ocean Beach on Long Island Sound. What a pretty beach. Ha- Chris and I are pretty cheap, so we didn’t want to pay stinking $14 to park. So, we just parked a couple miles away and hopped a fence, crossed a meadow, climbed some rocks, waded through an inlet, crossed a beach, climbed over more rocks, snuck over another fence till we got to our friends to eat cheap hotdowgs and play sand volleyball. To get back to the car for the dinner feast, we opted to sneak back over the fence and wade across a stream where young men were crabbing with nets- there were big ole crabs everywhere! Running over our feet while we walked with our shirts pulled up and my bag over my head- then we crossed a bigger meadow and walked along a road to cut across another meadow until we got to a bigger road which we followed to our car. Ha. We felt adventurous and well-exercised.
It was a weekend of feasting (and cooking), volley ball, bad mitten, and extensive wifle ball playing, go-carting, chasing small childrening, napping, and of course, jitterbugging on a several-acre retired farm. Oh what fun. The weather was ideal and land was so green and the hotdogs were cooked just perfectly and the ice cream really hit the spot. What a down home, country, lovin’ family of welcoming and stinkin’ hilarious people. Chris and I had a wonderful time.

Oh I forgot to tell you that we went contra dancing. Ya. It was interesting. Have you seen Pride and Prejudice or another movie set in that era? Well, contra dancing is much like what they do in the first scene. Except we did it to a merry live band of fiddles, a base, a banjo, a piano and surely something else too oh my. Hehe. I didn’t dance with Chris the whole time. I would get spun and swung by other random men- most of them old and bearded and even suspendered! Oh it was so funny. They were so adorable and it was weird to touch them. Usually you just look at old people and don’t touch them. But I danced with a fair share of old guys the other night. We may go again sometime. They dance give lessons in Dover City Hall every other Thursday.