Author Archives: Rebecca

When Rebecca met Sally

On January 10th 1770 a baby girl was born in Boston Massachusetts. Her folks named her Sally Foster and were pleased to have the new addition to their Loyalist family. Despite their loyalty to King George III in England the family remained in Boston throughout the impending Revolutionary War. The young Sally grew up and was trained in all the subjects and manners that a young woman should be.

As a young woman she met a fellow named Harrison. They fell in love and eventually were married. Sally was known for her hostess skills and her ability to charm everyone she met. After six years of marriage Harry and Sally were able to build their first house together. The house was a beautiful Federal creation designed by Charles Bullfinch. The Otises moved their family into 141 Cambridge Street, Boston in the Spring of 1797.

**fast forward 200ish years**

January 10, 2005- Rebecca Wood celebrates her 26th birthday. She spends her week days split between the ***North Shore YMCA|http://www.northshoreymca.org*** and the ***Harrison Gray Otis House|http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/otis.htm***. Although Rebecca has never met Sally, she feels a special connection with her. It is almost as if they are sharing a house, two hundred years separated.

So, Happy Birthday, Sally. Thanks for letting me pretend to live in your house!

You May Not Want To But You Must!

Have you ever heard heard of the game ***Cosmic Wimpout|http://www.cosmicwimpout.com/***? My parents have had a copy of this popular game from the seventies ever since I can remember. I can still picture my dad and my uncles playing, or them attempting to teach me the many rules. It always seemed like the “adult’s game”.

This Christmas Mom and Dad found the game again at ***EMS|http://www.ems.com/*** and Corey and I each received the game. Peter and I have been playing it all week. We love it.

It is unlike any game you’ve ever played. Here are some of the rules:

You May Not Want To But You Must
The Futless Rule
The Re-roll clause
The Flaming Sun Rule

The charm of this game is its simplicity and toteability. It comes with five dice and a felt game ‘board’. Drop by sometime and we’ll teach you to play!

Cold enough for you?

Not for Corey. There we are, standing on the beach preparing to take the plunge, and Corey says, “I wish it was colder. Like, 5 degrees below 0 or something.” I have to admit I share that sentiment.

Some weeks ago my brother and I decided to join the L street Brownies in their ***New Years Day swim|http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/01/01/holiday_polar_swim_offers_chance_to_honor_loved_ones_from_afar/*** in Boston Harbor. At the time we assumed that January 1st would be bitterly cold and we looked forward to braving the waters with the bold and the brave.

It was not to be as the temperature rose into the fifites today. The warm weather drew out the crowds and we were joined by 700 other hearty swimmers. We even ran into neighbors from the Island! Steven and Steve McKenna came out to ring in the New Year with a brisk swim!

Today I was able to check off an item on my “life’s to do” list. That does not mean, however that I won’t want to do it again next year!

See pics from the day ***Here|http://gallery.prwdot.org/polar_bear_swim_2005***

Update:
Additional news coverage in the ***Boston Herald|http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=61405***.

St. Peter sings, ‘Be Our Guest’

I have a friend. His name is Jerry. Jerry comes over to our house almost every day. Sometimes twice or three times a day. I’d like to thank TNT for bringing him over.

Jerry and I have fun solving crimes and chasing down murderers. Or sometimes we vacation in the Catskills. He has a wealth of funny one-liners and puns that never fail to make me laugh. Sometimes Jerry brings his other friends to play, like: Jack and Ed and Mike and Anita. Other times he brings his daughter ‘Baby’ and we go dancing. Once, he brought his girlfriend the feather duster.

Sadly, ***Jerry|http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001583*** has ***passed away|http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20041229/ap_on_en_tv/obit_jerry_orbach***. I feel like someone in my own family has died. What a horrible day.

In tribute, TNT should broadcast all of my favorite Orbachian shows and films. They should have an all day marathon playing, ***Law and Order|http://imdb.com/title/tt0098844/***, ***Beauty and the Beast|http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0101414*** and ***Dirty Dancing|http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0092890***. I don’t know if it will be enough to make me feel better. You will be missed, Jerry.

ppp|Jerry Orbach|ppp

ppp|Jerry as Lenny Briscoe|ppp

ppp|Jerry as Lumiere|ppp

(feel free to eulogize Jerry in the comments!)

Attn: All Crafty Folk

So, I was perusing my favorite crafty site, ***Craftster|http://www.craftster.org*** and I came across this little poem. Enjoy it on this Christmas eve!

qqq|

The Knitters’ TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all around me
Was unfinished knitting not under the tree.

The stockings weren’t hung by the chimney with care
’cause the heels and the toes had not a stitch there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds
but I had not finished the caps for their heads.

Dad was asleep; he was no help at all,
And the sweater for him was six inches too small.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I put down my needles to see what was the matter.

Away to the window, I flew like a flash,
Tripped over my yarn and fell down with a crash.

The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow
Reminded me how much I still had to go.

Out on my lawn, I heard such a noise,
I thought it would wake both dad and the boys.

And though I was tired,my brain was a bit thick,
I knew in a moment,it must be Saint Nick.

But what I heard then left me perplexed-ed,
For not a name I heard was what I had expected

“move,Ashford; move,Lopi; move,Addie and Clover
Move,Reynolds; move,Starmore; move, Fraylic–move over”

“Paton, don’t circle round; stand in line.
Come now, you sheep wool work just fine!

I know this is hard semi, it’s just your first year,
I’d hate to go back to eight tiny reindeer.”

I peered over the sill; what I saw was amazing,
Eight woolly sheep on my lawn all a’grazing.

And then,in a twinkle, I heard at the door
Santa’s feet coming across the porch floor.

I rose from my knees and got back on my feet,
And as I turned round, Saint Nick, I did meet.

He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toe
And his clothes were handknit from above to below.

A bright Fairisle sweater he wore on his back,
and his toys were all stuffed in an Aran knit sack.

His cap was a wonder of bobbles and lace,
A beautiful frame for his rosy red face.

The scarf round his neck could have stretched for a mile,
And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.

The back of his mittens bore an intricate cable,
And suddenly on one I spied a small label.

SC was duplicate stitched on the cuff,
and I asked “Hey Nick, did you knit all this stuff?”

He proudly replied “Ho-ho-ho, yes I did,
I learned how to knit when I was a kid.”

He was chubby and plump, a quite well-dressed old man,
And I laughed to myself for I’d thought up a plan,.

I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,
And the next thing he knew he was tied to a chair.

He spoke not a word, but looked in his lap
Where I’d laid my needles and yarn for a cap.

He quickly began knitting, first one cap then two;
For the first time I thought I’d really get through.

He put heels on the stockings and toes in some socks
While I sat back drinking Scotch on the rocks!!

So quickly like magic, his needles they flew,
That he was all finished by quarter to two.

He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,
And over his shoulder he looked back at me.

And I heard him exclaim as he sailed past the moon
“Next year start your knitting sometime around June!”

|qqq

Get thee to a Nunnery!

While at the Y on Tuesday I met a young man who is a freshman(fresh-person?) at Gordon College. (Go Scots!) We were having a nice conversation about the campus and professors and what-not and at one point I mentioned that I lived in Sheppard Hall.

The blank stare from the Gordon newbie was the shattering of my young innocence. I quickly realized that he had never seen Sheppard Hall. Had never made a Nunnery or Virgen Vault joke. Had never met any of the fun loving, quiet, studious, wild gals that resided there over the years. What a shame. What a loss.

I refrained from mentioning “Old Lane” or “Prince Chapel”. I didn’t want to sound like some old fogie or something!

Here’s to you, ***dear Sheppard|http://gordon.edu/about_gordon/buildings_tour/images/shepard.jpg***. You will be missed!

Far(ley) before the Vikings

The last couple of weeks on the train I have been immersed in the world of ancient sefarers. My latest read has been aaa|The Farfarers|1883642566|aaa by Canadian author Farley Mowat. Mowat explores the possibility that there could have been European travelers in the Northern Hemisphere long before the Vikings traveled to “Vinland” around 1000 AD.

Mowat is know in the History world for his book, “aaa|Westviking|0308600592|aaa”, published in the 1960’s. While researching this book, in which he expresses the belief that the Norse were the first European explorers in Canada, Mowat had a feeling that he wasn’t getting the whole story. He spent the next 30 years traveling Eastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland and the northern British Isles looking for the missing links.

What he found opens the window to the possibility of earlier expiditions to the “New World.” Mowat has given the reader a thorough look at the facts and fills in the whole with original narrative. His storytelling style is entertaining while thoroughly convincing.

“The Farfarers” is full of historical facts and theories, but was by no means too heady for those only slightly interested in history. My one complaint is that although Mowat includes a map in the front flap of the book, the locations marked do not always represent the locations talked about in the book.

Why I love the Mall at Christmas

Since Peter is gone for the evening, I decided I’d hit the mall. Here are some reasons I love the Mall at Christmas:

1. Dads and other men shopping all by themselves. It is so great to see them try to figure out the women’s sizing code… and trying to guess what color their wives/daughters/girlfriends will like.

2. Dads shopping with their pre-teen daughters. Maybe it is just because I remember doing that myself with Dad… it is just cute.

3. Santa. and the cute little boys in reindeer sweaters that run up to him.

4. ***The Northshoremen|http://www.harmonize.com/northshoremen/index.htm*** performing in the food court. I could have stayed there all night listening to them. The singing was great, but I loved the audience. There were the expected 60’s and 70’s crowd and families of the singers, but there was also a group of high school football players with their eyes glued to the group. Mom’s and their kids who stopped and watched for a song or two, and some babes and toddlers in strollers who (amazingly) quieted down when they rolled near the singers. It was really lovely.

5. Kids shopping for their siblings and parents. Who never know exactly what to get. I saw one brother and sister in a few shops who were particularly cute.

{in the spirit of the season I will not post the companion post, “why I hate the mall at Christmas”. You can probably write that one yourself.}

Takes a licking and keeps on ticking

When I got to work this morning I realized that I needed change for the resgister. So I bundled up and walked two buildings away to the bank. Often there is a line at this branch of what once was a green bank and now is a red one. Today, as I walked in, there was none.

“Horay,” thought I as I zipped to the front of the line. There were two customers being helped at the counter and I was ready for a quick exit. I grabbed a lollypop from the basket. I opened it. I enjoyed it’s faux-orange flavor. I did not bite it.

I continued licking my lollypop for another 10-12 minutes, standing there…the only person in line. The customers ahead of me had finished and left and both the tellers were doing anything but call me up to their windows.

It is sad when you stand in line at the bank long enough to finish an entire lollypop!

Surviving the Balance Beam

Peter and I have been watching the latest incarnation of Survivor: Vanuatu. It has been hard to watch. Not because the contestants have had to eat nasty things, or go for weeks without a shower, but because it was, simply, BORING. None of the players really offered any real entertainment and their personalities were blah. There was alot of fighting and personality clashes, but nothing that offered any great drama.

I’m writing here about the show, because the Final Episode last night finally gave us viewers some good tv. Chris Daugherty, from Ohio, was crowned the “Sole Survivor” and won a million dollars. Lucky him. Really lucky, in fact.

The ***first episode|http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor9/show/ep01/index.shtml*** of the show showed us a struggling Chris as he continually fell off the balance beam in the very first challenge. His inablity to cross the beam caused the Mens’ tribe to loose the challenge and forced them to attend the first Tribal council. I was all but convinced that Chris would be sent home due to his poor performance. The men had another strategy, however, and sent home another tribe-mate that they felt would be a physical threat later on.

Chris goes on to survive another day…actually another 39days. ***Last night|http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor9/show/ep14/index.shtml*** despite an all women’s alliance, having backstabbed fellow tribes mates and a bit of lying, Chris won the whole shebang. It was nice to see that someone so bumbling at the beginning could come out on top at the end. Nice Job, Chris!