A week with the ladies

This past week (yes, a full week!) Aunt Dee and my cousins, Eileen and Darlene came out from Fresno, CA for a visit. We even got to meet up with another cousin, Christina, since she is now a nearby New Englander, having just moved to Stamford, CT a couple months ago. It was so wonderful spending a good amount of time with them, though I wish they could have stayed longer! We just loved catching up over tea, going for long scenic drives (Eileen sat behind the wheel--she is sooo brave to willingly take on these roads and drivers!), and playing gin rummy (the secret is to sit out a few rounds and you eventually end up in the lead).

I only wish the weather could have been better for them. It has been in the mid-90s and humid, and we only have one little window AC unit, which really doesn't cut it. The last night during dinner it was 88 degrees in the kitchen... :o(

Just arrived in Waltham (the weather is still nice at this point, hence the sweater)

On our way down to CT we stopped in Rhode Island. Darlene in front of the State House.Christina's new place in Stamford, CT

Christina had to work, so the four of us went out for day trips. Frank Pepe's Pizza in New Haven, CT, birthplace of the 'American Pizza' (we never figured out what this means)

At least the pizza was really good, and worth waiting in the line that went way out the door (notice the cheese-less 'original tomato pie' Darlene and I split--aka marinara pizza)Yale has a remarkably beautiful campus (Don't tell the Harvardites I said this)

The rare book collection inside walls of translucent marble

Along the Connecticut coastThe next day, a trip to West Point

To balance out all the testosterone from West Point, a trip to Woodbury Commons (NY), considered the best outlet mall in the US

Christina's apartment

Saturday morning we took Christina back with us to Massachusetts, with a stop in Concord and Lexington

Old North Bridge

This Minuteman is all Eileen will remember of Lexington

Back at our place!

Coming back from Veronica's, our local mini-mart/Keno place/bottle shop

July 4th dim sum in Chinatown--thanks, Christina, for the suggestion!

Boston Commons at the start of the Freedom TrailNo trip to the North End would be complete without Mike's!

The Hatch Shell just a few hours before the fireworks

We claimed a park bench about 4 hours before the fireworks

Seth made it down via bus and T from Waltham in record time, just an hour and a half before the show. Bo, Natalie, and Melissa also joined us!!

The view from the bridge

All 10 of us, waiting by the bench and fenceThe train home. Thanks, City of Boston, for providing something efficient!

The next day, Christina had to head back to CT. I went with the Donnelly girls on a trip to Harvard Sq (we weren't there long. TOO HOT.)

Harvard's Co-op book storeBeef brisket and bison tips dinner at Bison Co. BBQ :o)

The next day, a trip to Salem and the North Shore (once again, we weren't here long. Too hot.)Gloucester made me hungry for fish sticks

For the first time since moving here 2 years ago, I finally got to have a bowl of New England clam chowder!

It was really wonderful to visit with family and also join them on a tour of Southern New England. I can't think of a better way to spend the last two weeks in Massachusetts! Now it is officially time to pack up the apartment and head out the door to something else.