Alex and Victoria, Rich's niece, in the Kent's garden in Newport Beach.

Alex and Rich in Hollywood.

Hollywood walk of stars.

Alex in front of the Staples Center with a statue of Magic Johnson, an NBA great.

Alex practicing at the Kent's in So. California.

The Test

The Letter Test: 

Rich left a piece of the boys' mail on the landing heading upstairs as seen in this picture. The letter stayed on the landing for four straight days with the boys stepping over it time after time, day after day, and never bringing it up into their room.

The Test Results: 

They're still teenagers!

(Clearly, I either don't have enough to do 

or I am slowly losing my grip on reality.)

Spring Clean-up!

The town of Rumford has an annual spring clean up, so Peter, Alex, and Rich lugged old kitchen cabinets and chairs and other throw-aways down to the roadside on the warmest day of 2009. 

After lugging furniture and old kitchen cabinets, Peter decided he deserved a sun break on the back deck. The summer-like spring day brought the temperatures to 84 degrees F (28.8 C). Holy flying cows! 

Kate & Gayle's Cake!

After the dinner theater's final performance, we arrived home to a fabulous cake replete with a beautifully designed Phantom of the Opera banner & card celebrating Alex's first-ever public performance. We have the very best neighbors! Thanks, Kate and Gayle!

Peter, Alex, & Rich gorged the scrumptious chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and then  watched "Marley & Me" until midnight.  

At least two of us are suffering from chocolate cake hangovers this morning: hair of the dog, anyone?  

Aunt Connie's Play

Community Concert Dinner Theater

Connie and Alex joined the community chorus this winter and spring and performed in  the annual dinner theater. Three 20-minute dramas and a 30-minute concert plus a buffet. Connie starred in a play as a novice, and reluctant, police woman at a murder scene that wasn't exactly a murder scene. And Alex performed his first-ever solo in front of 150 people. The solo came in the middle of a Phantom of the Opera medley... he was, as many of my friends said, angelic. 

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Alex and his baritone section leader, Jim Robinson. 

Alex giving the eye to Judy Kuhn (oops, I mean Mrs. Kuhn), the community chorus director and Alex's voice teacher.

Connie's 

endearing 

smile. 

Peter rowing at 9:30 pm... Huh? We know it's Peter because he's watching the History Channel. 

Summer's on its way.

On the entry door to our home. Speaks for itself, doesn't it? 

The Last of the 

2008-2009 snow!

Sunday Morning in Rumford

Spring sun has left just one small pile of snow in our yard. Nearly 60 degrees F and endless blue in the ski reminds us of the summer ahead in Rumford and Weld, Denmark and Sweden.... 

Time grows short for the boys. 

Alex reading and tanning, tanning and reading. 

Peter went to see the school musical Sweeney Todd on Saturday evening. This morning he's catching up with FB and shows and life. 

A balloon sent by Anne & Betty Wood celebrating Rich's promotion 3 weeks ago still hovers in the kitchen and in fact is now floating through the gym....

The Guys in New York City's Hard Rock Cafe....

The guys at New York City's Hard Rock Cafe just before they destroyed the guitar with the Evil Empire's (The Yankees baseball team) logo on it. That was their gift to Rich.... :-)  

I hate the Yankees.

Alex on the Brooklyn Bridge looking out on the New York City skyline.

Hi Alex & Peter in New York City!

The Good, 

the Bad, & 

the Ugly!

The Good: I raked the front lawn & the flower garden.

The Bad: You get to carry it into the woods.

The Ugly: 90% of the lawn is waiting for you to return from holiday! 

Enjoy yourselves!!! 

Love, 

Rich

Spring working its magic

The last of this winter's snow melts away on this fine spring day. 

Did you know?

Rich may be the only person on the planet to have road skied (cross-country skis with wheels for summer training) the Indianapolis 500 Track in Indianapolis, Indiana. This photo is c. 1978. 

OK, I admit it. I'm a bit bored. I've been responding to email since 6:30am this morning. It's now 12noon. 

Maine Writing Project's "Writing Ourselves"

While the boys are away, Rich hosted a conference (Insert: Party!) for Maine's  teacher-writers. The day took place at a Bed & Breakfast near Maine's capitol.  

Toasting the end of the conference called "Writing Ourselves" with novelist and friend, Monica Wood (sister to Anne and Betty).  

Listening to a teacher-writer read a piece. 

All aboard for Washington, New York City, & Philly!

"Off we go!"

"We're ready!"

Alex has been hydrating heavily these past few days trying to fight off a small sore throat. The result has been our friendly Swede uttering a Forrest Gump line every few minutes. We couldn't even make a 45-minute drive to the bus station without a pit stop on the side of the road. 

Published with the permission of the trespassing pee-er.  

"I like Rumford and all--the fact that it's April and there's still snow on the ground. But I need the city--the diesel fumes, the traffic, the city lights... I need to go now."  

The night before leaving Alex is some wired to get to the big cities of Washington, New York, and Philly...

Off to Washington DC & New York City!

YFU WASHINTON D.C./NEW YORK CITY TRIP ITINERARY

Please note, this itinerary is subject to change depending on weather and availability of attractions.
Saturday, April 4th

7 - 8 p.m. Arrive at Hotel (no pool)
7 – 8 Dinner at hotel for bus 1 & 2, dinner en route for bus 3
10:00 Bus 3 arrives / Meet the Tour Guides / Rules & procedures for the week
???? Room Check

Sunday

8 - 9 a.m. Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Newseum
12:30 p.m. Lunch at food courts (on your own)
1:30 p.m. Begin Step On Tour guides for Memorials etc
6:00 p.m. Dinner at Vie de France
8:00 p.m. Night Photo Ops
??? Room Check

Monday

7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast
10:00 a.m. Holocaust Museum (reservation)
12:00 Smithsonian Museums
? p.m. Lunch at museum food courts (on your own)
5:00 p.m. Arlington Cemetery
7:30 p.m. Dinner at Old Country Buffet
???? Room Check

Tuesday

8:15 – 9:15 a.m. Breakfast
8:15 a.m. Luggage must be out at buses
9:30 a.m. Depart for Philadelphia and New York City
12:00 p.m. Arrive in Philadelphia – Visit “Rocky” steps
12:30 p.m. Lunch Hard Rock Café (covered by Explore America)
2:00 p.m. Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin Court, Betsy Ross house, US. Mint
7:15 p.m. Dinner at Garden State Plaza shopping mall food court
9:15 p.m. Depart for Hotel, Saddle Brook, New Jersey
??? Room Check

Wednesday

8:00 – 9:45 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Depart Hotel
10:15 a.m. Rockefeller Center, NBC Studios, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 5th Ave.
12:00 p.m. Lunch (on your own along 5th Ave.)
1:00 p.m. NBC Studio Tours – you will have a timed ticket-you must go at your time
4:00 p.m. Top of the Rock (reservations)
7:30 p.m. Dinner at Dallas BBQ
???? Room Check

Thursday
8:15 – 9:15 a.m. Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Depart for the City
10:15 a.m. Central Park
1:30 p.m. Times Square
7:30 p.m. Dinner voucher for Hard Rock Café – Times Square
8:00 p.m. Show – 1 bus Guys and Dolls, 1 Next to Normal, and 1 Little Mermaid
Show will be by bus…you do not get a choice!
??? Room Check


Friday

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:15 a.m. Depart for New York
10:15 Ferry to Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty
12:30 p.m. Lunch – South Street Seaport
1:30 p.m. Ground Zero, Wall Street, Federal Hall
3 China Town
7:00 p.m. Dinner (Mexican Buffet at hotel)
8:00 Dance at hotel
??? Room Check

Saturday

6:30 – 7:00 a.m. Breakfast
7:15 a.m. Luggage to Bus
7:30 a.m. Depart for Home