Summer 2016, unblogged

Summer is drawing to a close here in New England. The season’s heat is still lingering, but I’ve noticed a new crispness in the air on several recent mornings. My Facebook feed is full of back-to-school pictures of my friends’ children, and the students at Harvard, where I work, start classes next week.

Before we jump into my favorite season, I wanted to share a few summer scenes that have, so far, gone unblogged.

Some friends of ours – former fellow Boston transplants, who now live in northern California – blew into town over Memorial Day weekend. We spent an evening catching up over pizza and wine, in their swank 14th-floor suite (!) at the Liberty Hotel, looking out over the Charles River.

After surviving a hectic and fun Commencement season at my temp gig, I stepped aside to make room for (and train) my replacement. This photo is from my last solo day in that temporary space, on the sixth floor with so much light.

My colleagues surprised me with a good-bye reception on my last day there. This is Wendy, our office manager, who made that (and so many other things) happen.

At the end of June, I started my new job (back where I temped this winter) and was greeted by this tiny orchid, a gift from my boss.

On the 4th of July, we headed to Fenway to cheer on the Rangers as they played the Red Sox. It was sweltering in the outfield, but fun to be there with friends.

The hubs and I sneaked in an afternoon at Crane Beach in mid-July: sun, sand and a delicious dinner afterward at Salt.

I flew to Texas at the end of July to surprise my dad for his 60th birthday. We threw a party at the home of some friends and he didn’t suspect a thing, which was perfect. Then I spent three days chasing my nephews, who are so big and who both love to play in the dirt.

One of J’s friends from his a cappella group got married in July, and the group performed the processional music – “The Book of Love.” J also played a few acoustic songs during the cocktail hour, and then we all danced the night away. So fun.

I spent a lot of time on our front porch before we moved, soaking up the views in the neighborhood we called home for six years.

We moved almost three weeks ago, and honestly, life has felt like utter chaos since then. But I did snag a lunch date with this guy one Tuesday – fresh tamales at the Harvard farmers’ market, and fro-yo from Berryline.

I’m looking ahead to fall: making plans, making lists, feeling ready to be more settled at home and at work. This summer has felt chaotic and hot and stressful, in a lot of ways. But looking back at these photos reminded me: there’s been a lot of beauty, too.

What have you left unblogged this summer?

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April reading roundup #1

(It’s not quite warm enough to lounge in Harvard Yard with a book. But it will be soon!)

I Don’t Care if We Never Get Back: 30 Games in 30 Days on the Best Worst Baseball Road Trip Ever, Ben Blatt and Eric Brewster
The subtitle says it all. Two best friends – one baseball nut and one baseball hater – embark on an epic (some would say completely insane) cross-country baseball road trip. Wryly funny (if repetitive at times). Recommended for baseball fanatics. To review for Shelf Awareness (out May 6).

Fingal O’Reilly, Irish Doctor, Patrick Taylor
A fun installment in Taylor’s Irish Country Doctor series, with all the usual colorful characters in the village of Ballybucklebo. I missed Barry, the young doctor who usually works with O’Reilly, but this was good comfort reading.

Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind, ed. Jocelyn K. Glei
This short book is packed with productivity tips from 20 authors. Further inspiration to create a schedule for myself and work on blocking out distractions. Recommended by Anne.

Scarlet, Marissa Meyer
This sequel to Cinder follows Cinder’s escape from prison but focuses more on Scarlet, a French farm girl on a search for her missing grandmother (accompanied by Wolf, an enigmatic street fighter). The storylines intertwine in surprising ways. Much darker and more exciting than Cinder. I can’t wait to read Cress (book 3).

Death in a Strange Country, Donna Leon
Commissario Guido Brunetti investigates the death of a young American sergeant stationed near Venice. Brunetti is likable and thoughtful, but the plot of this mystery dragged, and the ending was downright unsatisfying.

Catching Air, Sarah Pekkanen
I devoured this book in a day. Pekkanen tells a warm, relatable (but not predictable) story of two couples who move to Vermont to run a B&B. The men are brothers with a troubled history, but the story belongs to the women, who are each dealing with big questions about children, vocation and love. To review for Shelf Awareness (out May 6).

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, William Zinsser
I’ve been meaning to read this book forever. Zinsser’s practical, witty guide is packed with useful advice for journalists, memoirists and business writers – anyone who wants to (or has to) write nonfiction.

Links (not affiliate links) are to my favorite local bookstore, Brookline Booksmith.

What are you reading?

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Summer nights at Fenway

My Boston mini-tour, and any Boston summer, would not be complete without a trip to Fenway Park. I’ve been there a handful of times now, to cheer on the Red Sox (unless our Texas Rangers are the opposing team, in which case we cheer against the Sox for one night). It’s always a blast, especially if you’re my baseball-fanatic husband.

If you find yourself at Fenway, here are a few tricks and tips to help you enjoy the game:

• Do not – I repeat – do not drive if you can avoid it. Parking is scarce and expensive, and postgame traffic moves at a crawl (at best).
• Take the T (the subway – the B, C or D Green Line westbound), and get off at Kenmore Square. (There is a Fenway stop on the D line, but Kenmore is closer.) The trains will be packed, especially since many weeknight games start right after rush hour. Take deep breaths, squeeze in, and hang on. It will be over soon.
• For a non-bar place to hang out before the game, I suggest the Boston University Barnes & Noble, across the street from Kenmore station. It’s huge (three stories) and air-conditioned, with a big kids’ section and a relatively clean bathroom.
• There are lots of bars and restaurants near Kenmore, though they are packed pregame. You can try your luck, or wait until you get inside to enjoy a Fenway Frank, ice cream, or another ballpark treat. Concessions are expensive and not remotely healthy (like all ballpark food), but pretty tasty. The greatest variety is over by Gate B.
• Check the weather forecast. Bring an umbrella, a light jacket and/or a rain jacket if there’s even a remote chance of rain. I’ve been to two games with rain delays (one short, one looonnnggg) and one game that got rained out altogether (boo!).
• As you’re walking to your seats (and/or making trips to the concession stand or the bathroom), check out the historical exhibits around the park. They include information about Fenway’s construction, its history, famous players (most notably, Ted Williams), a showcase of past and current Red Sox logos, and more.
• Look up the lyrics to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” – at least the chorus – so you’ll be prepared to stand up and sing it in the middle of the 8th.
• And if you don’t know “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” for heaven’s sake look up those lyrics, so you can sing it during the 7th-inning stretch.
• Prepare for more crowded trains after the game. I have not yet found a way to circumvent this. Again: deep breaths.
• Make sure you have enough money on your CharlieCard or CharlieTicket for your return T ride, otherwise you’ll be part of the bottleneck choking the stairs in Kenmore, trying to reload their cards as the crowds squeeze by.
• Have fun!

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