Aint Life Grand

Thursday night, we checked out the Thursday Night Picnic Concerts at Crane Estate.  We are members of TTOR, but anyone can come.  $25 a car ($20 for members) and you can cram up to 6 people in one.  It was FANTASTIC!

Music runs from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, but gates are open before.  Lots of families, free-range kiddies, folk like us, and some very hip dancing Grandmas.  You can order ahead food and pick it up there or cart in (our choice) wine and cheese and whatever else you need. I highly recommend it and of course you anyone is welcome to camp (because it is sorta like camping) at 84 High Street after... but with a 9:00 ending time, not a terrible drive or train ride (I checked the schedule) back to the Big City... sales pitch complete.

It’s been a good first week at the place and starting this weekend, work will be ramping up again.  I am on a mission to tame the yard (again); Ryan’s in Wareham with the men of the NLL but has promised to be in a condition fit for work come Sunday afternoon.  ;)  On deck: tearing down sheetrock in the kitchen (and perhaps the front rooms), demo for the breakfast nook, electrical work, and maybe – just maybe – some putting back together in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, I am blogging from our local Free-Trade coffee shop, Zumi's, and have an exciting day ahead planned of Bed, Bath & Beyond, AC Moore, and Home Depot (if I have time).  I'm putting the finishing touches on the bedroom with curtain tie-backs (the AC Moore portion of my suburban explorations today).  The camera battery charger and cable are still missing, but I will grab a shot with the camera on my laptop for inquiring minds.

We’re In!

After a few feverish days of packing up the Salem apartment, we moved last Thursday.  (Ryan’s birthday eve was spent packing, poor guy.)  We lucked out with a great team of movers (BCb Movers in Malden, should any Beantown friends be in need come September 1) who were absolute lifesavers. 

Almost all our belongings our now piled up high in the barn, save the bedroom which we've almost completely moved into.  We've also set up temporary living quarters in the guest bedroom.

Barn

Bedroom

Guest bedroom

We christened the grill after a long day of moving and Caitlin’s parents joined (Rick and Denise were already down in Wareham). 

Ryan with grill

Cait & Mom

Friday, we did a final sweep of the old apartment, Caitlin was overcome by unexpected emotion (“This was a GOOD apartment – the memories, THE MEMORIES!”), Ryan lifted a few more heavy things and then naturally, we headed up to interior Maine for some white water rafting.  (Tela “dogged up” and stayed at Playful Pack here in Ipswich, where she’s apparently found her voice and is barking these days… but I digress.)

The weekend was wonderful – we almost forgot we had a dog and a mondo home renovation project awaiting us back in Ipswich and it was great to spend some time with Seanny Mac, Michael T, and a slew of other friends who know how to have a good time.  Hurtling down the rapids of the Kennebec also proved welcome stress relief.

We came home mid-day Sunday to rescue the pooch and continue moving in.  We’re trying to keep the amount of stuff we bring into the house to a minimum – there’s sure to be plenty more construction dust flying.  We have a "kitchen area" in the bathroom (years of dorm living are coming in handy) and we’re doing our best to block out the dust upstairs with an old comforter nailed across the doorways.  Oh, and the AC is glorious in case you wondered.

Bathroom/Kitchen

My placeholders for pictures and your own imagination will have to suffice for now.  In addition to blogging from “borrowed” WiFi, I have not a clue where my camera charger or cable is and by the looks of the barn… it may be a while.