Taking Stock

It is hard to believe we've been here only five days. We have our routines. It is a small apartment for three adults. We are like those puzzles, where you have to move one piece to move another. Ray is at the breakfast table, Molli's in the bathroom, Patty's in the bedroom. Molli's in the bedroom, Patty's in the bathroom, Ray is still at the table. Molli's in the kitchen, Patty's in the bedroom, Ray is in the bathroom...we are all together in the living room or at the table some of the time, but we have to keep excusing ourselves to step over the person to get by.

Part of it is the interesting collection of furniture that Adrian and Molli gathered this fall. It includes a giant sectional couch that Barbara and Doug brought up from Barbara's friend Laurie on the Cape. It is a wonderful thing, great for Molli to sleep on and three of us to watch TV or work on our laptops or read, but it does take up most of the room, which has a lovely bow window and is not exactly square. There is a coffee table, but it is too big for the space between the couch and the TV, so it sits under the windows and accumulates stuff. The table is 5 x 3 ? and can seat 4, but then no one can get by. Usually, it is up against the wall and someone (me) is always in the way of anyone trying to get past.

Anyway, it's great, we are really enjoying it here. I have not been hot since we arrived, although Ray might have been sometimes. There is a very small fan that is sometimes on, but I haven't really needed it. I even use the oven without worrying about heating up the apartment too much. That is about to change, though. Today will be hotter than the other days and tomorrow even moreso. I am not too worried.

Yesterday, we walked Molli to her class at 10:30, so we didn't have to get going very early. I did walk farther than last time, but found a nice bench in the shade just before Northeastern. Walking back was a little rough for me. We finally made it to Stop & Shop, where I wanted to buy a shallot. Alas, it was not to be! I settled for scallions and packing tape. Ray helped me limp on back to the apartment. The four flights of stairs at the end are the coup de grace. 16 stairs each flight. It kind of made it hard for me to do much for a while, but fortunately I don't have much to do.

We had leftovers for lunch: me a hamburger and Ray a sausage. I did some online and phone work for H&R Block and didn't spend any time on my feet for a while. Molli came back about 4 and spent an hour or so before going to work. I made an interesting potato and bean salad and marinated the chicken thighs. I also packed a box of things for Molli's move, my excuse for why we need to be here, "helping." We had a lovely dinner about 8. The time before dinner hangs a little heavy most days. Sometimes I break out the potato chips or crackers and cheese and have a little wine.

Molli's friend Becca S. joined us, although she had eaten dinner. Then we walked to J. P. Lick's, a great ice cream place next to the Stop & Shop. We had Rockier Road and Ray got Meyers rum raisin. After I tasted his, I wanted to trade. Ooo, it was good! My mother used to like rum raisin ice cream. She would sure be interested in this turn of events, where Molli is living not far from where she grew up!

Monday morning in the city

The cars were not as loud early yesterday, but today by 6:15, there is a river of them running by our windows. It is also the coolest it has been, and I almost went back to sleep. I did sleep almost 8 hours though, so no reason not to get up.

I made pancakes with blueberries yesterday, following the recipe in my head. They were cooking when Molli said, "I don't have any real syrup, you know." "Oh, no. We could easily have bought some." She doesn't really care if she has real maple syrup or not, and Ray doesn't use it at all. The irony is I have 4 containers of real maple syrup at my house, somehow. Not that I would have carried it here on the plane. So we had homemade blueberry pancakes with fake syrup and no bacon...and they tasted pretty good to me.

Of course, Ray and Molli were not ready to go as early as I would have liked. We missed one bus because Ray went out the wrong door, looking for me. No subways (which are aboveground trolleys here) showed up. It was 5 after 11 and we were still on the bus, so I said I really didn't want to walk into church 10 or 15 minutes late. Molli didn't care and Ray didn't care, so we just stayed on the bus to the end of the line. The only thing is, I was all dressed up with no place to go...and I would have liked to sing.

We walked several blocks to the Sunday afternoon farmers market. I switched my shoes about half way. First we walked around the crafts--very nice, but not anything I couldn't live without: pet treats, baby clothes, t-shirts, chopping boards, the usual. There was one stall that was very popular and it caught my attention, too. They had taken vintage brochures and other items and attached them to tiles and finished them in some way, with cork on the back, to turn them into coasters and trivets. There was one from Grossingers I was tempted to get my Dad, but it was $25, the largest size they had. There was a
smaller one, but it was Grossingers day camp. They were sorted geographically...New England, Europe...some were maps. We ended up buying 10 of them. Great idea!

I also bought a tea with raspberry sorbet in it...Yum. Then we wandered around, admiring the vegetables. There were a couple that sold meat, too, and one that had fish...sole or scallops for $20 a pack (a little less than a pound). I just can't bring myself to pay that, even though it is good local fish and I want to support the fishermen and the people selling it. I just don't like it twice as much as meat. We got a "special" from one woman: 1 pound sausage, 1 pound ground beef and 2 "steak-burgers" plus some bacon "ends." I also did not pass up a pain au chocolat. There were several bakeries with delicious-looking breads and other pastries, but I pretty much am always allowed a pain au chocolat when I see it. We bought zucchini and a big tomato and more blueberries and green beans and Macintosh apples! I didn't carry any of it.

We were planning to eat at the food trucks, but there wasn't anywhere to sit and it was getting pretty warm. Ray and I voted to go to a restaurant instead. Molli consulted her smartphone (Urban Spoon) and found a restaurant that was not far away. It was the one Janna and Ron had taken her to not long ago: Union. They had had brunch, as well. She was even able to tell us about the menu and it sounded great. She called and made a reservation, but we were there in a few minutes anyway. Sitting in the window, watching people walk by, enjoying mimosas and coffee (I just had water), life seemed good. They had a prix fixe special: coffee, juice, omelette with home fries and toast for $9.95. Not bad! Molli had eggs, too.

Ray had a caesar salad with grilled shrimp. Yummy looking! The service was excellent. They kept our water glasses filled. Even the rest room was nice. I love good restaurants and fantasized about having a tradition of eating here every Sunday.

Then we shlepped our purchases (and by we, I mean Molli and Ray) to the nearest stop and rode home, back to Molli's apartment. We were tired and sat around for a bit, finalizing our plans for next week. Molli decided she had to go to Northeastern to get her heavy book for Immigration (actually two books. The small one is only two inches thick. I think the big one is close to five). Ray and Osa went with her. Osa had not eaten all her breakfast, but had thrown up on the rug after Molli cleaned it for our visit.

I studied the weather forecast and decided this was the best time to bake bread, if I was going to do it. She had bought me whole wheat flour and yeast, so I started mixing. I have my favorite recipes available on line, so I could look up a good bread recipe. I only made two loaves--those are all the bread pans Molli has. I could make round loaves on a cookie sheet if I needed to. On the other hand, there isn't room in her freezer either. Her biggest bowl didn't look big enough, but I started mixing in there. When I got all the ingredients in, there wasn't really anywhere to knead. I could have cleaned off the table, but it would have made a mess. I managed to knead it in the bowl quite successfully, but I knew it couldn't rise there or it would overflow. We put some oil in her biggest pot and let it rise there for a while. I moved it into the bedroom, where the sun could shine on it, instead of by the breezy window. It was very pleasant in the apartment.

They were back at 7:15, with more groceries. I don't know how everything fit in the refrigerator and cupboard, but it did. I shucked the corn, but had to move the bread from the pot to the bread pans before we could cook it. Molli did her reading, we ate dinner and drank some great wine (except Molli) and Ray and I watched some TV, while Molli read in her room. About 10, she was done and we watched an episode of Leverage. She has Chromecast on her TV, which allows her to project anything from her computer (if it's on Netflix or in Chrome) on the TV, a giant set she got on Craigslist for under $100. I was able to download Chromecast onto my phone and control her TV from my Netflix list...pretty fun.

Of course, I forgot about the bread and it had risen over the tops of the pans. Molli baked it for me, so I didn't burn it. It looks very good. I was pretty tired after that and went right to sleep.

Worn out, but happy

We got going a little earlier yesterday. Ray walked with Osa to the Arboretum, while Molli and I took a bus. It is a little odd to feel like I am being babysat...someone has to go with me on the bus because I cannot walk all day like other people can. I could probably take the bus without help. As it turns out, Ray got quite lost. I played dumb and let them figure out our route and talk about where we would meet, etc. Ray and Molli studied the map and she even offered him her phone. "No, I don't need it. I'll see you there..." Famous last words.

we walked from the upper right corner to the upper left corner, down, and up

We had an easy ride. As Molli said, "when public transit works, it's awesome. You get where you're going fast and comfortably. Of course, some days, I am waiting in the rain and late for class...and where's the bus?" We stood around for a while, called Ray and started wandering toward the Visitors' Center at the Arboretum. We walked through quiet fields and clumps of trees and wildlife, as if there weren't a giant city a stone's throw away. There are, of course, little signs, so you can find out just what that tree or bush is, if you want to. Or you can just enjoy a peaceful, yet civilized walk. No blocked paths, lots of benches, plenty of other people of all ages, some with dogs. We talked to Ray every so often, but somehow he had gone by the visitors' center, he had come in the arboretum by another gate and gone south instead of north, etc...Apparently cell phones don't solve all problems. Fortunately, he and Osa had a pleasant time too..and we did find each other eventually.

We ate our sandwiches, walked to the top of a hill, admiring oaks and nut trees. Then we switched off. Molli took the dog and ran back to the apartment, while Ray and I rode the bus. I love city buses. I think it is the way to see and get to know a place inexpensively, like the locals do. We rode through Jamaica Plain both ways, which is a funky part of Boston, where the "hippies and students live," according to Molli. It reminded me a little of Little Five Points in Atlanta.

Up four flights, Osa was exhausted and we all rested for a while, before getting supper together...pork chops and a salad and some leftover green beans.

2 medium Cokes and a large popcorn

We decided it was a good time to go to the movies, another walk, but less than a mile... turns out the theater is pretty close to Fenway Park and streams of people were headed to a ball game. We saw Begin Again and enjoyed it very much...movies cost more here, plus we spent $23 on popcorn, drinks, and snowcaps. The "medium" drinks were huge and I did not even drink it all. We had a great time. The walk back did not even seem strenuous as we were engaged in discussing the merits of the movie.

Then came the crazy part, watching two episodes of Leverage before we went to bed about midnight. Crazy for me...I broke two of my own rules: after watching a movie, I have used up my passive watching allotment for the day and rarely watch any TV. I also rarely watch more than one episode of anything in one day. I have watched back-to-back episodes when one was a cliffhanger with the dreaded words, "TO BE CONTINUED." So, guess what? It didn't kill me. I did eventually get to sleep and didn't get up until 7:30...maybe not enough sleep, but what do I have to do today anyway?

Even cooler this morning...Lovin' it!

It's Nice and Cool Here

Yes! Clam chowder!

I had a really great time yesterday.

It took us a while to get going. It was almost noon by the time we were all up and dressed. We bought weekly MTA passes, so we can ride as many trains and buses as we want. We went to the harbor and walked and walked and walked. There was a lovely breeze and I enjoyed looking at the boats and the people and the tall buildings. I love the smell of the ocean, too. We had lunch at a great small restaurant, the Sail Loft, with a view of the water. I ate lobster roll and chowder and Molli had fish and chips and Ray had baked haddock (I think).

watching people and boats and enjoying the breeze

We walked some more, all along the docks, admiring the apartment buildings and fantasizing about living there. We stopped at another restaurant about 3 and had coffee (for them) and iced tea (for me). It was very posh, but it only cost us about $12 including tip. We sat outside. After that, I suddenly realized I couldn't walk much more. So then we walked at least a mile to get to the subway! We saw the building where Molli will be working in the fall, in a downtown busy neighborhood.

I wonder how much it costs to live here, with a view?

When we got back, of course, we had to walk up four fights to the apartment! Molli did some reading and then headed to her babysitting job. She will miss the little guy and his family starting at the end of August, but it will be nice not to have to do it anymore. She will make a little more money as a law intern, but she will be working 9 to 6. It is less than minimum wage, more like an honorarium.

Ray bought a few groceries (I was still recovering on the couch and couldn't bear the thought of going down and up the four flights). He and Molli pretty much made dinner, broccoli and hamburgers. He also bought us some Ben and Jerry's. We watched a little TV and went to bed.

This morning, I am still sore, back, legs, feet, arms, shoulders, and I have a mosquito bite on my waist that is driving me crazy. We were planning to go hiking today...not sure how much walking I am up for. We'll see. It is cool and sunny again, wonderful weather to be out in. The cars stream by below the apartment, and I look forward to what the day brings.

travels with Ray

Oh, my gosh! It is so nice and cool here. I have on jeans and socks and am contemplating a sweater! Molli and Ray are asleep, it's good sleeping weather, I guess, but I would love to be out and about, plus I am going to have to eat something soon.

I really like their funny little old apartment with high ceilings. They have art on the walls, that Adrian put up. I miss him a lot, but with just three of us, it's not too crowded here. I am very happy and relaxed. I can sit around in my nightgown and not be uncomfortable. We all know each other really well and enjoy each other's company. Poor Molli has been lonely here, especially this summer, and we are glad to spend time with her, too.

Yesterday, I made dinner: chicken, corn on the cob from a street/farmer's market, and green beans. It was all good and there is just room for three at the small table. We took our wine up to the roof to watch the sunset and admire the view.

The only thing is, there is constantly traffic in the highway below the windows. Sometimes sirens or beeping or machinery, but mostly always cars going by, at least until after I was asleep and as soon as I woke up. It's great that the weather is cool and we have the windows open all the time, but the noise is wearing to this country girl.

The flight from Durham yesterday was very quick. We had breakfast from Monuts and got some donuts and bagels to take to Molli. We were on the ground in Boston about 10:30. We met Molli at the subway and had lunch in her apartment. We walked about 3 miles, with the dog, Osa, who is also very glad of our company. She has been alone in the apartment a lot, with Molli working and going to school. Molli has cleaned everything in preparation for our arrival and is letting us use her bedroom, sleeping on the couch herself. Fortunately, it is a very comfy large couch.

Molli and Adrian's apartment

Molli and Adrian's apartment in Boston is somewhat like Amelia's apartments in NY. It is in an old building, up four flights of stairs. It has a lovely bay window and view of the four lane highway with trees beyond. In the bathroom, there are four pipes running from floor to ceiling. They are painted, but peeling.

thank you, Mr. Toad

home-grown

harvest

Virginia Carver dancing at UUFA

Making sandwiches at UUFA