Lawn Party

In the tradition of the great parties thrown by the Green Street Girls (Sept. '97 - July '01) and the Hyde Park Honeys (Aug. '01 - July '04), the Daughters of Yuill Circle (Aug '04 - present) hosted a smashing success of a Lawn Party this past July 2nd. I helped out as the event's official Office Administrator - that is, I made up and sent out the evites! :) Of all the years I've helped with these parties, this was one of my favorites. It wasn't the largest, nor were there as many activities as other years. I just found myself walking around, seeing little groups of people lounging here and there in the house and outdoors - it was a gorgeous day - and I felt really happy, like an acute case of joy and thankfulness for the relationships that surround me. My favorite part any of our large parties is when people from different parts of our lives came together and got to know one another. This party lived up to the expectation. There was my Aunt Brenda and Uncle Glenn (visiting the Northeast from their retirement home in Las Vegas) chatting with the woman I work for and a guy from my church. And then Bev, a lady from my church, was talking with another party hostess, Kate, and Jim, a young man from the Christian fellowship at my school. Then there was an art friend, a guy who paints sheep and lives with musicians I know from my school, eating and talking with my sister and a high school friend of ours and some folks who went to art school with my former housemates. And there was... it was just so cool! There's this line in a song by Sarah Groves that sums it up: "I wish all the people I love the most / could gather in one place / And know each other and love each other well" I guess I won't see this completely 'til heaven. So, until then, there will be parties, once, twice or maybe even three times a year. So if you are around Boston or Boise (or Missoula?), don't forget to look us up and find the party. And bring a friend.

Holding Pattern

Smaltzy music and "all representatives are busy helping other customers" in a voice recording by a guy who sounds really annoyed and then finally it rings and rings and rings and rings... Hey, I think they hung up on me. Harrumph. Another try and the line is busy. Now, a half-hour later, I have gotten through to the voice recording again, so more holding and why not post a blog while I'm at it! Nothing exciting, of course, just a hot, sticky day. When I was a kid, summer was my favorite season because it was when I could go swimming. Now, I don't seem to have time buy a swim suit, never mind actually swim. I really need to do that, though, as it is my last summer close to the ocean, for a couple years at least.
Oh, oh! It's ringing... and ringing and ringing and ...click. hmm, maybe I'm not gonna get through to these people this morning. grrr. I'll give it one last try.
July 4 was good, spending time with family, including my aunt and uncle who now live in Las Vegas. They were back here in New England visiting friends and family for the holiday weekend. My mom, dad, brother and I spent the afternoon with them at the campground in Littleton, Mass. where they like to stay in their fancy little RV. Then, since I got back to Boston later in the evening than I had planned, my friends didn't feel up to getting out of the house and joining me to hunt down some fireworks, so I just watched the Boston Pops concert/fireworks on TV with my parents. My brother, ever the social one, spent the evening in front of the computer. But the highlight of the weekend - and of my summer so far - was the lawn party on Saturday. That was a blast. More on that in a future post since I have no more patience for the annoying Muzak and voice recording.

picture picture on the blog

graduation

so i think this might work. i've finally been able to work on a computer that will let me upload my ol' fashion film photos onto flickr. so this first pic, a long awaited graduation one, is a test. Beth, Vanessa and i pose for the camera in the cavernous gym where us grads-to-be lined up before marching out to the lawn where the ceremony took place. the three of us are string players who survived the umb orchestra, with about 9 years of rehearsals and concerts between us. oh, the memories! so here goes, a post via flickr.