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.