As of 5PM, the snow fall since Friday totals 17 inches (as measured with a yardstick on the deck). Neither parent could be coerced into driving anywhere today resulting in an epedemic of cabin fever. Kyle offered to pay his brother $5 if he would stand outside without his shirt on for one and a half minutes after being doused with a glass of cold water. Despite a powerful imagination, I am unable to understand what would inspire such a pay for entertainment stunt. Maya happily manned the timer and I tried to get close enough for a photo. Nicolai endured the water torture so well that Kyle decided to up the ante by kicking snow on him rationalizing that this was just another form of water. Nico survived and attempted to charge an additional $5 for the snow treatment. In the end the original deal was honored and everyone seemed satisfied except Jeanine who thought the whole thing was ridiculous and chastised me for permitting such insanity.
Nicolai invited serveral friends over and they spent part of the afternoon making gingerbread houses. Jeanine provided all the ingredients and whipped up a batch of the all important adhesive like frosting. Click on the image for a better view of the whole village.
Since we will be in Costa Rica for Christmas, the kids cooked up a batch of Zeppole Balls, a Calabria holiday food tradition. These honey covered, sprinkle encrusted, fried pieces of dough probably have a more universally accepted name but it is unlikely we will ever call them anything else.
Kyle has been driving for some time, but today was his first in the snow. He adjusted his speed accordingly and did a fine job. The roads in Concord remain treacherous as the snow continues to come down throughout the day. Kyle, Chloe, and two of her girl friends took the train into Boston to visit the Museum of Natural History.
Today we woke up to about ten inches of snow as had been predicted. Everyone teased me when I purchased a snowblower with tank treads and fitted it with a cabin, but on days like today, I just smile as I carve through the snow.
Maya made a lovely fire this evening. She then borrowed my camera and tripod to capture her creation. She also typed this blog entry. Pretty soon I am going to be out of a job.
I have fashioned something of a photo studio into a corner of my workshop. It is cramped for sure but having my lights set up permanently is a major luxury and will save me a lot of time in the future.
Jeanine needed a headshot for a marketing brochure for her business. Finally an opportunity to photograph the face I know and love best. She was a reasonably cooperative subject but a lousy tipper.
In no time the tree is looking fit for the season. A very nice end to a productive weekend. Jeanine took a food preparation safety class followed by the state’s SafeServe exam yesterday. I sectioned off a portion of my wood shop to create a not too shabby photography studio.
This evening we were joined by Izze (I am now spelling it correctly), Chloe, and her mother Rhonda for a nice lasagna dinner. The kids decorated the Christmas tree and we enjoyed the first fire of the season. Jeanine permitted me exactly one photo so that our food would be served hot. It was a long exposure and a few of us moved a little.
I spent the day organizing my workshop and photographing dozens of items to be sold on Craig’s List. It is nice to convert unused items into cash, but it is even more satisfying when I think of it in terms of the recycling benefit. Most items I sold today were priced between $5 and $20 dollars which doesn’t even cover my time for creating the adds but ensures that these items will get put to good use by someone. This miter saw was the one big ticket item and I sold it for two thirds of the original price after more than ten years of use. Not bad.
