Old Home Day, Phippens, Hibachi, Toads, and food

Oldest divided highway in the US. Carver, MA

We finally arrived in Massachusetts after driving all evening and morning to arrive in Carver by 5 am on the morning of Old Home Day. For those that have never heard of that, its an annual festival in the center of Carver thats been going on for over 100 years and involves things like a horseshoe competition, 5 mi race, and the highlight being a clambake for 400. I've been to Old Home Day almost every year of my life, aside from the past few years when I've been unable due to work.

This trip in a lot of ways represents to me a return to making family and the things that I love to do a priority. I recognize the importance of work and saving and all that fun stuff, but seeing my family does wonders for the soul.

Back to the fun...Everyone was at Old Home Day because we had a super secret 80th birthday party to attend the next Saturday. This is what a clambake looks like:

Afterward, we went back to my Uncle Rick's house. This house is fantastic and I talk about it all the time. He bought the land, cleared it, built the house, put another floor on the house once he had too many children, has chickens, fruit trees, a pond, and of course his shed with keg fridge that he drilled a hole through so he could refill his beer without getting off his lawnmower. Did I mention the chainsaw sculptures?

Anyway, Rowdy found the pond pretty quickly as well as all of the resident toads. Mel found the toads shortly afterward.

She was very disappointed there was no prince.

Other events I could write a lot more about:

-Fenway park with my Brother and Dad

-Visiting the Hibachi restaurant where Becky works

-18 holes of real golf amongst the cranberry bogs

-Fishing with Rick and Jim

-MIT, Harvard, and the Garment District (all time favorite thrift store) in Boston

-Melanie was able to get 18 credits for this upcoming semester at a CA state school

-Fenway park with Mel, Jim, and Samantha in 95 degree heat

-Beer garden in torrential rain

-50 Island Creek Oysters (I have the shucking wounds to prove it) from Woods Seafood

-Lobsters, lots of lobsters

-Sunburn at the pool all day

-Driving to Rhode Island to see Inception in IMAX

For the few that are reading this, I apologize that I haven't been updating too often. I'll try to catch up.

Ever Eastward

We finally left California and drove through the night on Tuesday, watching the Wed sun rise over Utah's impressive landscape. Fighting through rain and insane semi-drivers, we managed to make it safely through the Rockies to Denver.

The mountains conditions and multiple accidents slowed us enough to make us late for the Rockies game, so we turned north instead to meet my old friend Lindsey and her fiance Adam for dinner. Got in touch with another old friend Ryan Phillips during the evening and drove down to Colorado Springs in the morning to spend some time. Lunch, a tour of the Garden of the Gods, and a quick trip to visit his wife Suz and their brand new, 1 week old baby Ben.

Leaving at 4.30, we drove all night and morning to reach Kentucky by 2pm, broken up by stops at Sonic Drive-In. For the uninitiated, Sonic is the place to go for an insane number of drink choices. I often forgo food to get three drinks (peach-cranberry iced tea being the favorite).

We stopped at the Creation Museum, but I'll reserve further comment out of respect for other's beliefs. I'll just say that I support teaching children to think critically and rationally over trying to restrict their exposure to things that their family may not agree with.

We drove to Sandusky Ohio last night to get first crack at Cedar Point and Millennium Force this morning.

Happiest Place on Earth

Summer in Southern California

Still in SoCal, we've had our days packed with friends and family.

We'll start with Disneyland and the lengths to which I went to avoid paying the $97 per person price tag for a day in the Happiest Place on Earth. But who says money can't buy happiness when the line for Pirates of the Caribbean and the new Toy Story ride is only 20 minutes. Also, the new World of Color water/flame/video projected on water show makes the Bellagio look like a water sprinkler.

Friday was for disc golf and relaxing at "meemaws" in Redlands. The highlight was definitely dinner at Haven Gastropub in Old Town Orange. One of the best executed restaurants of its type with a diverse, original, and absolutely delicious menu by the one and only Chef Greg Daniels. Greg and his wife Abby joined us for a fantastic meal with my favorite Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose and a extremely well curated beer list. Anyone in the area is advised to spend all your money there.

Saturday brought detailing Mom Lewis' house and her first dinner party at the new house. Tom and Mary, Lauren and Scott, Julie (meemaw or Mom Lewis, Mel and I, and three dogs made for good company. Julie and I had to visit four different grocers to find the star of the party, her grilled pineapple soy pork chops. A less than superior carniceria that was willing to cut whole pork loin into 1 inch thick slabs of perfection. Marinated the previous night, I guided their trip from marinade to grill to table.

Determined not to waste a second of our time here, I once again made the trip to OC from Redlands. The last I saw of Melanie, she was wrist deep in potting soil in her mom's garden.

After a great lunch and coffee with the one and only G Scott, I caught up with Peter C. for 31 holes of disc to take advantage of the ideal weather. My freckles have been multiplying like BP ads on the news. Anyone else notice the media's seems nicer the more ads you buy?

Tomorrow: Angels vs Red Sox with Buchholz pitching

Running Total of Disc Golf Holes: 126 @ +28

*Bonus Rowdy Video*

The Trip Has Begun

Our trip actually started with a ride on BART to the Oakland A's/Red Sox game on Monday night. I finally got to see Daisuke Matsuzaka have a good game rather than fall apart and lose as has happened the last 4 times I've seen him pitch. Rowdy was progressively confused through the day as we packed and loaded the van for the trip. He was staying as close to Melanie as possible, laying on the top of the couch behind her head for example, to keep himself from being forgotten. Little did he know that we were going to the game first, so he was extremely happy when we returned for him before leaving for LA.

Left at 12am and my allergies forced my contacts to be removed by 2am and I quickly realized that I cannot drive safely with my glasses on. I hadn't tried it yet, but after going down the freeway at 70mph at night, I thought it may be safer to have peripheral vision you can count on.

I pulled over to get some sleep as Melanie was already asleep, but she woke up and wanted to drive. She proceeded to drive the last 250 miles herself to my great gratitude while I dozed with a Rowdy blanket.

Since arriving, I've already gotten to play 54 holes of disc golf at 3 different courses. We grilled at Mom Lewis' beautiful new house and I made dinner on the grill while the ladies gardened and Rowdy got to play with a 6mo. scotty named Wee Bobby (video). I was able to hang out with the Peterson family and see two great friends from my time in SoCal Mike and Chase. Simply driving around the area where I lived for 3 years is so great and brings back so many fond memories. I even popped into Mesa, the restaurant where I worked as wine director and bar manager before I moved to SF, for the first time since I left. A single bartender that I hired was the only remnant of my time there as everything from furniture to menu to beer and wine selection has gone steeply downhill in the past two years.

Today brings Disneyland with Melanie, Mom Lewis, and Mel's sister Lauren. Me and three lovely ladies at the happiest place on earth sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon.

Down by 'da beach

It has been such a dream come true for all of us to live only three blocks from the Pacific Ocean (except for the occasional earthquake right under our feet. Article)

Rowdy loves the beach ever so much and his absolute favorite toy is this orange ball. God forbid another dog have the same ball, because it will become his, at least until I catch him. I'm trying to increase his vertical leap while simultaneously taking pictures without getting sand in my brand new lens. (Nikon 18-70 2.8)

We also leave tomorrow for the first leg of our amazing trip. I've been working on a Google map (click to see it) that shows our different routes and some of the places we will be stopping to eat or playing disc golf. We're also going to try to break up the driving with some baseball. If we pull it off, we'll see games in 13 stadiums this season!

I've already capitalized on the opportunity to see the Red Sox play the Yankees on opening day, but also in San Francisco and tomorrow in Oakland. I'll be there for the Angels/Sox series next week as well. I must insert a thank you to my Dad for the SF/Oakland tix. A word to the wise though, don't buy standing room tickets for a day game in the summer in SF unless you're very committed.

In the Beginning...

Well, I've gone and done it. I used BlogSpot to build this little site to remedy the fact that the average human being with internet access had no means to find out what Melanie, Rowdy, and I are doing and thinking. You know, aside from Facebook, Myspace, etc.

This will be your one stop shop for all things MelanieRowdyAndrew, from pictures, ramblings, links to our favorite websites, or maybe just proof to our family members that we're still alive, if out of touch.

We promise to make a concerted effort to be entertaining. Especially Rowdy.

-A