Sailing with Devens

For more than a year now, I've been traipsing all around Boston with the little brother I always wanted but never had (thanks, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Massachusetts!). His name is Devens, he's 11, and he lives with his mom and five brothers in Dorchester. Together, we've been to the Institute for Contemporary Art, Red Sox games, Franklin Park, the Boston Public Library, the Science Museum, the Children's Museum, bowling (at King's and at Sacco's, which is candle pin bowling - so cool). We've baked cookies and we've cooked matzoh ball soup. We took Panda to the dog park once, which Devens particularly enjoyed. And on Sunday, we trekked through the North End on our way to the Boston Sailing Center, where we enjoyed a free sailboat cruise in the Boston Harbor.  

Sure, we had to wait about an hour and a half to board, and sure, it was hot. But once we were out on the water, all was right with the world. Devens - who refused to appear on camera while we were on land - was soaking in all the new terms and techniques we were using. 

Devens even got to steer the ship!

I think the Boston Sailing Center does this "open house" once a year. Devens and I highly recommend checking it out!

The 23rd of any month...

Dad is in the middle, behind the first row of people, covering his face with his hand. I'm pretty sure he was playing peek-a-boo, which was maybe his favorite game, no matter how old the other person involved. 

So today is tough in a few ways. April 23rd is my parents' wedding anniversary; they would have been married 26 years. And today also makes eight months since dad's been gone. (Even figuring out what euphemism to use is a painful exercise.) 

It's nice to take a moment to remember. 

Maggie's in China

As of yesterday morning, Maggie is accompanying a study tour of teachers to China as part of her duties at Primary Source. She'll be keeping a blog of the experience, and she should be updating every day. You can follow along at http://chinastudytour-april2009.blogspot.com/ - but only until April 25th, when Maggie's China adventure comes to an end, and she returns home to me and Panda.

Weekend in NJ

Last Saturday, my mom was honored by the Women's Commission of Salem County for her contributions to the community and for her perserverance in the face of numerous setbacks, physical and emotional. She thought I wasn't going to be able to make it to the luncheon where she'd receive her "Woman of the Year" award, but at the last minute Maggie, Panda, and I drove down and surprised her. (Apparently she had no idea, but some of her friends and family suspected I would show up. How could I not go? If my dad hadn't taught me the importance of taking time out from work for family before he died (and he surely did), then I certainly know how important that is by now.)

Here's a rough outline of the weekend, with some flip video footage as primary source evidence: 

We arrived Friday late afternoon, made homemade mac'n'cheese for dinner, watched Milk and went to bad. Saturday morning Maggie and I took Panda and Sophie to the Rec Field, where we met Allison and her beagle Sadie. The dogs had a great time, despite the crazy wind. We brought a stick for Panda to fetch, and Sadie turned out to be a fan as well. 

The luncheon at which my mom would be honored started at noon, and there was a big crowd in attendance, including (from left to right): Maggie, Carla, Susan, Brenda, Bill, Sandi, Cathy, and Chris.

After a teary introduction by Brenda Hall (wife of the Woodstown mayor), my mom accepted the honor of her selection as Woman of the Year with a brief but poignant speech:

After the luncheon, the Bernstein/Solomon side of the family reconvened at my mom's house, and I spent a lot of time playing with my cousins Josh, Sam, and Jacob. Here's the latter, spelling his name (but not my own) and singing a selection from Fiddler on the Roof.

Before Jacob sings, you'll see my mom and Sophie, Jacob's zedah (my uncle) Bill, Jacob's dad Ethan, the back of Bill's wife Brenda, my cousin David, and Jacob's mom, my cousin Sandi.

Josh and Sam showed off their karate skills.

Saturday night, we went to see Bubbe. She wasn't feeling up to attending the luncheon earlier in the day, but she did have a fun story to tell us about when she was pregnant with my dad.

After we left Bubbe's, we picked up dinner at Rushes, went home and watched Changeling, then skyped with Maggie's mom Dimi for a while. That was first time she had met my mom - success!!

Sunday morning my mom donated cuttings from some of her perennials for our new front yard garden, and we drove back to Somerville. Fun times!