Merry Christmas!

Holiday wishes to you and yours!

1 Merwin 'Til Christmas

Rest up before present unwrapping tomorrow makes you weary. 

2 Merwins 'Til Christmas

Terrified of Christmas lights. How could he possibly belong to me!?!?

3 Merwins 'Til Christmas

It is raining today, and I am trying not to complain after last year's snowpocalypse but it's almost Christmas! Plus, Mer is so cute with snowflakes on his little nose.

4 Merwins 'Til Christmas

Love that he is so happy with his frenemy, Stella, that his paws barely touch the ground.

5 Merwins 'Til Christmas

If he's not careful, one of these days, it's going to fall off.

6 Merwins 'Til Christmas

Cozy dozer.

7 Merwins 'Til Christmas

HAHAHA. Merwin was bad so he got shut in the bedroom. His snarky little eye says it all.

8 Merwins 'Til Christmas

Cute? Yes. Helpful? No.

9 Merwins 'Til Christmas

This dog has a perpetual worried expression...except at the beach. Here is his "smile."

10 Merwins 'Til Christmas

...and this gem. Like seriously? Really? Here?????

11 Merwins 'Til Christmas

I thought we were finished with this crazy sleeping places thing, but then I found this gem.

12 Merwins 'Til Christmas

Oh god, I'm this box with wheels again. Where are we going? Is it the vet? The groomer? Are they leaving me?

13 Merwins 'Til Christmas

I've been missing the lake lately so this shot of Merwin guarding the house against the ducks is mostly just for me.

14 Merwins 'Til Christmas

It's nice when he cuddles.

15 Merwins 'Til Christmas

Again, not Merwin, but if we're talking about funny sleeping poses, Stella gets an A+ for dozing amidst her own destruction. 

16 Merwins 'Til Christmas

I suppose this isn't that odd, but I do love when all of his legs jumble together like this. Cute.

17 Merwins 'Til Christmas

GASP! Not Merwin. Welcome to Merwin's mom's nutty Christmas madness, Jack. Jack also rests oddly. Jack is a spaniel, too. Hmm...

18 Merwins 'Til Christmas

We've officially moved from strange sleeping locations to strange resting poses. Is this yoga?

19 Merwins 'Til Christmas

A perfectly normal place to sleep but a perfectly abnormal head position. 

20 Merwins 'Til Christmas

And again. Crushed between a wall and chair legs. So cozy. 

21 Merwins 'Til Christmas

Yes, we all love to sleep with our ears crushed against furniture legs.

22 Merwins 'Til Christmas

I mean, what is this!? Of all the places, why here? Why like this?

23 Merwins 'Til Christmas

This dog is KING of sleeping in strange places. I will prove this to you over the next few days.

24 Merwins 'Til Christmas

I know it's absurd, I know I'm a freak, but yes the Merwin Christmas Countdown is happening again this December. It's the 5th anniversary of ridiculousness and it's not like I've slowed down photographing the little rat so that's that. I'm not going to justify it or try to rationalize it (obviously there is no logical explanation) so I'm just going to do it and enjoy it. If you want to enjoy it, go for it. If you think I should be institutionalized, you're not alone and you can continue to roll your eyes like you probably already do. Besides, if you're actually reading this blog, you know me well enough to understand that my obsessions with dogs and Christmas are too legit to quit. Happy Christmas Countdown-ing!!!

You're seriously doing this thing again? Seriously? 

More Visitors And More Adventures

Whew! I'm way behind on the updates. This past weekend we were in Rhode Island for Thanksgiving with a break schlepping to Boston for Nutcracker Opening Night.

The previous weekend my mom came to town! She arrived Friday afternoon and I forced her to stuff annual appeal envelopes and watch a Hallmark Holiday Movie. Surprised she didn't up and leave right then. We enjoyed a lovely Mexican dinner at Agave (and large cocktails) before retiring home to try to beat Simon at games. We didn't succeed.

Saturday was a fun day with a beach walk in Rye, strolling through the downtown shops and entertaining friends who stopped by during their overnight to Portsmouth. Simon jaunted off to a Gala for a local non-profit - the NHSPCA where we adopted Merwin! He then jaunted home with a brand new television that he successfully bid on during the auction. It is sublimely hilarious because this kid REFUSED to entertain the idea of us needing a larger TV despite me squinting during Rangers games and him having to pull a chair closer to play video games. He relented and we're done with our Christmas gifting to each other. Two birds!

On Sunday we did some outlet shopping, tried our hand at more games and cozied in for a nice home cooked meal. Always such a pleasure every time she visits and I'm glad she is willing to make the drive!

Breaking Rules

I've been trying soooooo hard, but I just couldn't resist anymore. I listened to some Christmas music. To my credit, I created a Pandora station that blended some non-holiday music into the mix, but against my credit, I also lit the Balsam Fir candle and fired up the cozy gas stove. And I really, really want to get the Christmas tree this weekend when my mom is in town. My justification for doing all of this before Thanksgiving is simple. We're taking a New Years trip so all of the decorations will need to be stashed away before we leave, shortening the season. Totally legit reason to go nuts earlier than usual. Right?

Visitors And Adventures

Wonderful weekend with some extra fun guests! My aunt, uncle, and their son were down in Boston on Friday so swung north for an overnight adventure in Portsmouth. Saturday was brisk and gusty so we walked around downtown then settled in for a late lunch at the River House. It was the last day of Portsmouth's Restaurant Week so we got a nice deal on a three-course lunch with (gasp!) midday cocktails. Then we dashed to nearby Wallis Sands Beach for a walk with Merwin before the sun settled in for the night. After some hemming and hawing, we ended up catching Bradley Cooper's new movie, Burnt, about a once washed up chef who's striving to achieve a third Michelin star. Yummy - both Bradley Cooper (teehee) and the scenes of delicious meals. We ended the night with a trip to Flatbreads for some pizza and the second brownie sundae of the day.

After our guests left Sunday, Simon, Merwin and I headed over to Maine to explore the York Land Trust's Highland Farm and Smelt Brook Preserves, two conservation properties tucked in the marsh just past Kittery. We spent an hour and half on the trails, and although I dread its arrival, I realized how much I love November. Walking in the woods with that distinct crunchy leaf smell and the brownish tan hues of the trees and brush. I can't make it sound like the way it made me feel, but I'm a big November advocate now. Go November! Be brown and crunchy! Ok.

Mid Week Day Off

Everyone in our office chooses from a few different Floating Holidays to take off, and I ended up with Veteran's Day this year, which originally didn't make me so excited. I would've much preferred one of the Monday holidays to make a nice three-day weekend. What could I really do with a day mid-week? But it turned out to be relaxing and fun! Besides, I got to take a day that is actually really, really important. While we should honor our veterans every day, it felt nice to pause and celebrate them on Wednesday.

Simon and I started with a yummy breakfast at the Golden Egg over in Rye. Mmm. Then he dropped me off at the new French pastry place downtown, La Maison Navarre, where I ordered a delicious cafe au lait and an even more delicious chocolate petite choux. Drool. It was serene in there (and so very French!) and it was great to kill a little time before the natural foods store opened and I could grab a few items I needed to tackle a little DIY project. 

After sprinting home in the rain, I spent some time with Merwin and checked out the On Demand movies for some pre-holiday action. If you haven't seen Holiday in Handcuffs starring Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez, you're really missing out. A waitress in the midst of a nervous breakdown kidnaps a handsome diner guest waiting for his girlfriend to arrive so he can propose. Instead he is forced to pose as the waitress's boyfriend for Christmas with her family. Amazing, right? I was pumped to get a little Christmas spirit (and have definitely broken all of my own pre-Thanksgiving Christmas enjoyment restrictions) before heading out to do some outlet shopping. 

I will admit that I watched a second Hallmark holiday movie that afternoon (The Mistletones, eeee!) after an unsuccessful DIY attempt (will spare you the details on that). Simon then finished up at work and we ended the day with a yummy dinner at Moxy's cozy little bar. 

Can't all days be like that? 

A Poem For A Monday

Sometimes Mondays feel so Monday-y. Amidst my own Monday blues today, I spotted this poem titled "Last Day On Earth." Seems appropriate. Speaking of, I really hope my last day isn't a Monday. Add insult to injury why don't you. Anyhow, this one is actually quite lovely. With each re-read, it seems more and more positive, optimistic and almost joyful around the idea that the common day and all its simplicity would be the most beautiful last day. Perhaps I should re-boot my Monday.

Last Day on Earth
Lawrence Raab

If it's the tide of a movie you expect
everything to become important -- a kiss,
a shrug, a glass of wine, a walk with the dog.

But if the day is real, life is only
as significant as yesterday -- the kiss
hurried, the shrug forgotten, and now,

on the path by the river, you don't notice
the sky darkening beyond the pines because
you're imagining what you'll say at dinner,

swirling the wine in your glass.
You don't notice the birds growing silent
or the cold towers of clouds moving in,

because you're explaining how lovely
and cool it was in the woods. And the dog
had stopped limping! -- she seemed

her old self again, sniffing the air and alert,
the way dogs are to whatever we can't see.
And I was happy, you hear yourself saying,

because it felt as if I'd been allowed
to choose my last day on earth,
and this was the one I chose.

Merwin's Mid-Century Must Have

It's a well-known fact that I tend to be slightly obsessed with anything related to Merwin and dogs in general. That's a dramatic understatement. Massively obsessed to the point of an unhealthy relationship to canines is more like it. I like dogs better than people. 

As the holidays near and my obsession with Christmas collides with my dog obsession, I get pumped thinking about holiday goodies for Merwin (yes, I understand he doesn't have a clue). Plus, my mom is interested in receiving a Christmas list of potential gifts, which is reinforcement that scouring the internet for generally useless doggy products is an okay use of time.

That is how I stumbled upon this gem of a gem. Simon and I recently learned that "mid-century modern" is a style of furniture we really like. Our bedroom is slightly mid-century modern. Merwin sleeps in the bedroom so the logical conclusion is that this completely reasonably priced item is a MUST HAVE. Mom and Dad, do it for your grand-dog! He NEEDS this!!!!! Plus, it's really quite the deal at the bargain basement price of $695....

A Poem For A Thursday

I generally have a hard time with Emily Dickinson's poems. I know, I know pretty sinful for a former poetry student. I think it's the old school language (Perfidy? Should I know that?) or even silly things like random capitalization, but she's a lot of work and we all know how I feel about work.

This one drew me in, particularly the closing two lines "Our summer made her light escape / into the beautiful" How perfect is that!? Even now in late October I still find myself clinging to summer. She's got a good point. It's not like September 21 arrives and the world gets dark, the leaves drop and we all hide in our houses (wait for February for that) but instead, summer just sort of slips away. The annual transition to fall is light, slow, soft and beautiful. Not exactly sure how it all relates to grief but go ahead and explore that on your own. HA!

As imperceptibly as Grief
Emily Dickinson

As imperceptibly as Grief

The Summer lapsed away--

Too imperceptible at last,

To seem like Perfidy--

A Quietness distilled

As Twilight long begun

Or Nature spending with herself

Sequestered Afternoon--

The Dusk drew earlier in--

The Morning foreign shone--

A courteous, yet harrowing Grace,

As Guest, that would be gone--

And thus, without a Wing

Or service of a Keel

Our Summer made her light escape

Into the Beautiful.

Closing Time

When we were hunting for a lake place, a year-round property was an essential on the check list. For the past few years, we've spent fall weekends and even a few winter weekends up at Round Pond. It was a quick lesson in home ownership. Busted pipe, broken water heater, frozen well. We made some understandable mistakes in the harsh NH winter but we think we have it down by now (cross your fingers).

We spent this last weekend buttoning everything up because we shockingly realized we won't return until mid-January. Mid-January! It seems insane to be away so long, but with busy weekends, travel over the holidays, and the fact that we want to stick around Portsmouth, we decided to drain the water, put everything away, and abandon ship. It wasn't easy with the leaves at their peak, a fire roasting in the stove, and a quiet peacefulness around the lake. But we'll be back!

Happy Birthday Merwin (It's Not What You Think)

Yup, today is October but I actually want to talk about yesterday. It was W.S. Merwin's birthday. He turned 88! One of my favorite podcasts, The Writer's Almanac, honored his birthday with some history about his life. He is an inspiration not only through his writing, but the way he lives and the things he cares for. He has dedicated his recent years to restoring an old pineapple plantation in Maui to its original rainforest state, meticulously adding species of palms over the years. This relationship to preservation and ecology in quite clear in his poetry, so much of which includes trees and animals and talk about our connection to the earth. There were some nice quotes from Merwin about his life, aging, the writing process, and poetry in general.

"I think there's a kind of desperate hope built into poetry now that on really wants, hopelessly, to save the world. One is trying to say everything that can be said for the things that one loves while there's still time."

"We try to save what is passing, if only be describing it, telling it, knowing all the time that we can't do any of these things. The urge to tell it, and the knowledge of the impossibility. Isn't that one reason we write?"

"I've found that the best thing for me is to insist that some part of the day - and for me it's the morning until about two in the afternoon - be dedicated to writing. I go into my room and shut the door, and that's that...If you're waiting for lightning to strike a stump, you're going to sit there for the rest of your life."

Rejuvenation Weekend...In Pictures