Cuddle time

Jul 5,

Cuddle time with the girl. My favorite way to end the day before heading upstairs. It is not just about her cuteness and soft hair. It is about getting on the floor, feeling grounded, and letting go of the day.

The Grass Struggle

Jul 5,

Ever since we got back from Baltimore, we have been working hard to fix the grass. We ripped the grass that was completely dead, and put down seed following the steps suggested by my friend Mario, who is clearly much better at this. To fix some additional patches, we also followed a video I saw on instagram that suggested mixing seed and toilet paper in a bucket with water, and applying the mix. We tried that last week and it really worked, as the grass is growing fast, so we applied it to more patches this week. The seed in the bigger area is also coming up. Fingers crossed that it continues to grow. Also, while the grass is looking sad, at least my hydrangeas are looking nice.

A few more miles

Jul 4,

Another steamy run. Another chance to enjoy Commonwealth avenue knowing it could be the last time.

Spectacle Island

Jul 2,

With this being a Holiday week in the US, a lot of people in the office were on vacation. So for once things were quiet enough and I was able to take Wednesday afternoon off with short notice. 

Cheryl, Bella, and I took the ferry to Spectacle Island, another place in the Boston list that I had yet to visit. It was really hot and kind of muggy outside, but at times there was a breeze. There is not much to do there other than walk around, and see Boston from afar. But the walk is a good workout and the views are nice.

After the island we went to a nail salon by the office, where we parked, and Cheryl and Bella got  a manicure and a pedicure. I only did the pedicure. I just normally don’t care too much about those things.

Before getting back in the car we stopped by the office to use the bathroom, and I asked Bella to take some photos because this was probably the last time she would set foot in the office. Not that it matters much to her, but she knows it does matter to me.

A Steamy Run

Jun 29,

This morning was already hot by the time I was up and ready to go for a run, but I still went. I love running on Commonwealth avenue, and have very few chances left to do so. I pushed to finish 4.2 miles, and then switched to walking. I walked 2 more miles to get back to the house. Even walking it was hot, but I had my water backpack and tried to stay in the shade as much as possible.

Newburyport

Jun 28,

Today was yet another rainy Saturday, but we didn’t let that stop us from getting out of the house. I wanted to go on a day trip so we went to Newburyport, about an hour and a half from here. It is another cute little town. 

We first had lunch at a local dive called “The Cormorant”, and then walked around. We went into a flea market called “Oldies Marketplace” and I found the cutest flying pigs and a duck, which I bought to honor both Cincinnati, and my short time in Boston. When I look at the duck I will remember the momma duck and her ducklings at the Commons park.

We also stopped by the beach but only for a hot second, both because there was no parking and because it was cloudy and rainy. But it looked like a nice beach for the locals or for another day.

Sunset

Jun 23,

Tonight I had a work dinner in Seaport. On the way there we went together, and on the way back I walked.  My coworkers offered me a ride, but I had been sitting all day and wanted to move. And even though it was hot, at least it was manageable once the sun had gone down. I also caught the sunset during my walk back. It was such a pretty view.

Dead Grass

Jun 22,

Besides being hot in Baltimore, it was scorching hot in Boston over the weekend as well. So the new sod we had put down to sell the house, that we had been watering religiously and was looking mostly good, was completely dead when we came back. We never expected it to be like that after 3 or 4 days, so it was not a welcome sight. We took out suitcases out of the car and watered it right away, but without much hope that it would come back. One more thing to deal with in the next 4 weeks because there’s no way we can turn in the house like that.

Baltimore Weekend

Jun 22,

This weekend Bella had a lacrosse tournament in Maryland, about an hour and a half from Gabi’s house. It was also Gabi’s birthday weekend, so we stayed with them to be able to celebrate together. My mom had been visiting them, so we also saw her for a day before she headed back to Cincinnati.

The tournament was ok. Bella didn’t get as much playing time as she would have hoped for, and it was really hot. It was a good thing that we got to see my sister and her family, because otherwise not sure it would have been worth it to do that long of a drive. Besides the limited playing time, Bella doesn’t have any friends on the team. In shocking news, the girls are not friendly and only give her short answers when she tries to make conversation with them. Besides, the coach also doesn’t seem that great.

We did enjoy our family time, and I think Bella enjoyed having everyone come to cheer her on.

4 busy weeks

Jun 18,

The last 4 weeks have been crazy busy and productive at the same time. It was only 4 weeks ago that I talked to my manager about moving back to Cincinnati and here we are. We have made an offer on a house in Cincinnati, we have accepted an offer on our Boston house, and we have confirmed a pack and move date of the last week of Jul. The next few weeks will be plenty crazy as well, but at least we are moving in the right direction. And hoping for no surprises on either house.

The Great Alone

Jun 18,

I finished the latest audiobook. It is a good book, but it is also a sad heavy story. I am still surprised that Sofia read this in High School, which I didn’t know until after the fact.

Father’s Day 2025

 Jun 15,

Our Sofifi could not be here for this one, but we enjoyed the memories and Bella and I held the fort and celebrated Lionel on father’s day