Holiday Gathering - UNH Style

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Between the hustle and bustle of the season, family time and just life in general, I have found that during the holidays it is difficult to get together with great friends. New children, new houses, house hunting, busy work schedules, distance and short trips to MA really don’t lend themselves to quality friend time. Well, not this time!! Thanks to the recommendation of Aimee and the perfect timing of Lisa and Bruce’s visit from AZ and Oz, we UNH gals got to celebrate while Chris and I got to entertain once again at 19 BHL. It was a very fun evening full of excellent potluck fare, lots of laughs, wine (no accident victims this time around!!), and Paul and Jeff even took a chance on the Diabolique. It also just happened to fall on the one month anniversary of our big move to the ‘burbs; Happy One Month Anniversary to us!!

We missed Kate, Delia and Wally but I have no doubt they will be dropping by soon…I hope anyway :-)

Thanks all for coming and we can’t wait to do more entertaining in 2009!!

Buon Natale

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This year, similar to the past 6 or so, Chris and I kicked of the Christmas festivities at his aunt’s/uncle’s in Medford for the traditional Italian Feast of the 7 Fishes. At last count, we think there were only 6 but really does it matter? When it comes down to it, I just enjoy knowing that Chris and his family have been celebrating the tradition for as long as he can remember. Although Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, it helps to bring families together and set forth the traditions that have been established throughout the centuries. You can’t beat listening to Uncle Tony’s stories and watching others munch on traditional fish dishes such as fried smelts and bacala as well as the original recipe for Ciano calamari pizza that was one of Chris’s dad’s specialties. I stay away from all and stick to clam chowder, Auntie Ro’s spinach balls and Ann Marie’s stuffed mushrooms. A part of me thinks that they weren’t part of the original Feast of the 7 Fishes but that’s okay by me. The last I checked, I was French and Greek so I can get away with it.

The pilgrimage continued to Concord, NH with our gifts and yummy chocolate and pear Panettone in tow. The Fisher/Henderson tradition began with a delectable breakfast before opening our gifts and watching the dogs fight over who gets the bigger candy cane raw hide knowing very well that Lilly will conquer all. The day was topped off with a fantastic Christmas dinner of prime rib and it wouldn’t have been the same if my dad wasn’t in attendance. Lots of laughs and wine later we headed to Manchvegas (responsibly) to visit aunts and uncles and drop dad off to play in the holiday poker game. They ask Chris to play every year and thankfully he says no or else I think we would go broke.

After a day of fun, family, great food and wine we retire into a slumber and still had visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads.

Breakfast Bar

A few weeks ago we ordered counter stools for the breakfast bar area in our kitchen and we picked them up over the weekend just in time to entertain friends. Thank goodness we bought the Outback because I don't think that the beamer would have been too helpful in this case.

We really like the stools and think they look great in the kitchen. They are rather comfortable and now that we have them I fear the dining room table won't get as much use, which from the sounds of it, is pretty normal in most households. I've already envisioned making dinner and setting up table settings on the breakfast bar for weeknight meals. It will be fun!! Now, what to make?

Merry Christmas

Christmas Survey copied from my good friend Debi….my answers of course :-)

1) Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper but I need a training session to be a better wrapper

2) Real tree or Artificial? We have had an artificial tree for years since someone in the household doesn’t like picking up needles. Hopefully next year we can get a real one.

3) When do you put up the tree? Week after Thanksgiving.

4) When do you take the tree down? We like the ambiance of the Christmas lights so keep it up for a couple weeks after the New Year.

5) Do you like eggnog? Yes!! With nutmeg sprinkled on top.

6) Favorite gift received as a child? Cabbage Patch dolls, record player.

7) Hardest person to buy for? Mom or Jim

8) Easiest person to buy for? Chris

9) Do you have a nativity scene? No.

10) Do you send cards or email cards? Send cards via USPS.

11) Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Don’t remember…I am sure there were many or it came from a Yankee Swap.

12) Favorite Holiday Movie? Charlie Brown Christmas

13) When do you start shopping for Holidays? Typically around Thanksgiving, via the internet!

14) Ever recycled a Holiday present? Yup…but it wasn’t given to me by anyone in my immediate family.

15) Favorite thing to eat at Holiday? My sister’s Christmas cookies, mom’s twice baked potatoes and Aunt Connie’s fudge.

16) Lights on the tree? Yes, always white.

17) Favorite Holiday Song? Nat King Cole’s version of The Christmas Song.

18) Travel at Holidays or stay home? Christmas eve in Medford, MA; Christmas day in NH.

19) Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? I can but only when I sing the intro to Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

20) Angel on the tree top or a star? A gold angel.

21) Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning.

22) Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crazy malls and traffic.

23) Favorite ornament? We have so many beautiful ornaments but I really love our first married Christmas ornament from last year and all of the fun ornaments we have gotten from the Tall Timber Lodge in Pittsburg, NH.

24) Favorite for Holiday dinner? Prime rib…yummy!!

25) What do you want for Christmas this year? Our house was our gift so all I want this year is to spend time with family and friends….and have a couple of days off from work!!

May you all have a happy and safe holiday season. Merry Christmas!!

Neighbors, Kids and Animal Tracks

Yesterday, The Gordon's, our neighbors to the right when looking out our front door, graciously opened up their home and hosted a holiday get-to-know-the-neighbors get together. It was the perfect Sunday for such an event since the weather gods were dropping more snow on us. If we had to drive over we may have reconsidered but the quick walk down the driveway with our contribution, Champagne, in tow was uneventful...meaning, I didn't fall on my butt!!

There are only 8 houses on our street which is good for me since it limits the number of names I have to remember (I am sooo bad at remembering peoples names). I think I have the adults down but the kids are another story. Luckily all of their names start with A except 2 so that helps. Anyway, it was nice to put faces to email addresses and get to know everyone a little bit. The kids were having a field day in the Gordon's well stocked play room or watching Cars while the adults hung out in the kitchen chatting and chowing on breads, quiches, bagels, ham, etc. Everyone seemed very nice and they were/are all willing to educate us on the develpment, neighborhood, Ashland, and anything else we need to know about. We had a nice toast in honor of the completion of the street and everyone, new neighbors excluded, is very happy that there will be no more blasting, jack hammering, or rock grinding disrupting their day to day any longer. Uggh....it must have been miserable!!

While we were all chatting, a few of the neighbors mentioned that they had deer or fox in their backyards occasionly. Even though I would like to avoid being exposed to any ticks, I would love to see some deer. The deer or fox must have known we were chatting about them because when Chris and I were walking up our driveway on the way home, we saw animal tracks all up the driveway leading to the backyard and up into the woods. Pretty neat. I am leaving the camera in the kitchen for any potential wildlife photo ops.

PS: I didn't take any pictures at The Gordon's in fear I may scare the neighbors off. Maybe the camera will appear once the Summer arrives and we have block parties.

Welcome Meaghan!!

I have to send out a congratulations to Jaime and Shawn for the birth of their beautiful and adorable (the cutest i've seen!!) daugther Meaghan. Meaghan was born on December 19th, 2008 checking in at 8lbs 4ozs 19in.

She is such a jem and one lucky little girl to have such great parents!! Congrats, good luck and enjoy Jaime and Shawn!!

White Ashland

The first snowstorm of the season hit yesterday....and today (still snowing!!) and it is beautiful fluffy snow that blankets the landscape and tree branches. We found someone to plow our driveway this year in hopes of saving some money to be able to afford a snow blower at the end of the season on clearance. Technically we could use the conventional shovel but we are not really eager to spend hours outside in the cold and wind doing manual labor when we could be wrapped up in blankets on the couch in front of the fireplace.

So far, one of my favorite parts of living in the suburbs has to be having our own driveway and garage. Not having to drive around Charlestown during a snow emergency trying to find a spot and shoveling the car out of a hard snow bank only to have someone snatch it the second we leave really helps alleviate anxiety and frustration. The city is always so beautiful after a fresh snow but we like looking out into our back yard at the "ski slope" and watching the snow fall.

Stone's Public House - Take 1 and 2

Before Chris and I moved to Ashland we had done some research on local restaurants and one of the first that came up was Stone’s Public House in the center of town. Now rumor has it that this house, built in 1834, is haunted by one or more spirits which is kind of eerie. As a kid, I couldn’t even watch shows about ghosts on Halloween (or any time of year) because I always thought our old farm house was haunted and that someone was watching me…especially when I was in the barn.

Even though I am older and wiser, the thought of ghosts still freaks me out but it wasn’t going to stop us from checking out Stone’s. What ghost would come out during the dinner hour? We went for dinner on Friday night and thought we would sit in the bar area but it was packed!! Who would have thought this would be an Ashland hotspot? The big fireplace was roaring, big and small parties dining on scrumptious fare and people were even standing. It was the place to be. We had a nice dinner in the quiet dining room while keeping our eye out for spirits of any kind.

On Sunday, Debi and Paul dropped by for a surprise visit so we decided to check out the bar again and chat/catch some football on TV. Still no sign off ghosts but there was a Ouija board in the corner which we all decided we would never play in this place!!

I guess this post would have been more interesting if we actually saw a ghost or evidence of one, but alas, we didn’t. We just saw some eerie looking pictures of John Stone himself and others. Stone’s Public House offered great meals and company and we will surely go back in the near future for grub, live music and maybe even Trivia Thursdays…that is only if Paul is on our team :-)

Debi and Paul chillin' on the new couch

Annual "Guys" Gathering

Every year during the Christmas season we have a get together with Chris's group of guy friends and their lovely wives. We usually go to one of their homes or we meet at a restaurant but this year we decided to take advantage of our new home and invite everyone over as long as they upheld the laws of the Ciano's sanitary environment (aka, no shoes in the house!!). It resulted in quite a stressful week putting up the tree, unpacking more boxes, hanging pictures, shopping for the house, food, etc. in an effort to prepare for more than 4 visitors but it went off without a hitch and we had a great time. Only one accident victim didn't survive the party but it wasn't due to black ice on Badger road, it was more because of Chris's brut strength.

I had to take a picture of Chris in the kitchen...it may never happen again :-) Just kidding, his antipasto platter turned out great!! Of course, for most of the night, everyone congregated in the kitchen per usual. But what about the new couch?? Pic of me with Maria and Christine; Steve and Larry; sanitary environment police on patrol, no tickets were issued; accident victim

Couch Delivery!!

At long last....well, not really that long since we have only been in the house for 2 weeks....we now have more comfy seating in the living room. Now guests don't need to sit on kitchen chairs when they visit and Chris and I can lounge and potentially nap on our new couch. It fits perfectly in the living room (I think anyway) and now that it has arrived, I can start finding pillows, blankets and other accessories to begin the decorating process. Yippee!! The best part is, the couch arrived a day before our first holiday party so luckily our guests didn't need to fight between the leapard chair and the recliner.

I love Chaises. We had one when I was a kid and it was my spot!!

One of my favorite things about the couch is the placement. When we are in the kitchen we can see guest lounging so we are never far from the action.

Our fireplace; I thought it was pretty and festive with the Pointsettas.

O Tanenbaum, O Tanenbaum

When we first realized we would be moving in around the holidays, my first thought was that we would not put up a tree this year because it would be too much work along with unpacking, getting situated, etc. but Chris convinced me that we HAD to put up a tree it being our first Christmas in our new home and alll. I am happy we spent the time to put the tree up while listening to Christmas tunes via Comcast music channels. The lighting of the tree sets the perfect ambiance in our living room and makes it feel cozier. Now next year I am going to have to convince Chris that we should get a real tree!! And it will have to be 1-2 feet taller then our current pre-lit nice-looking artificial variety.

Weekend of Fun

Chris was away on business this weekend so I got to spend time with some of my other favorite people and Lilly :-) Debi visited (I forgot to take pics!!) and we tried out a decent local pizza place and watched a movie while experimenting with the new home theater system. I don't think Forgetting Sarah Marshall qualifies as an optimal surround sound producing movie but it was still hysterical. Thanks for coming over Debi and I can't wait for future girl's nights!!

Kerry then arrived from Pittsburgh and we spent the rest of the weekend cooking and shopping. If you haven't been to the Container Store, you should go. It is so incredibly fabulous and I am already planning another trip back this week. For an organizer like myself, it is perfection.

Mom and Jim arrived with Ms. Lil and we had a fantastic dinner. I have determined that we have used the dining room more in the last week then we did in our entire 4+ years in Charlestown. It is great!! Oh...and kudos to Lilly for being a very good dog and only doing her business in the backyard :-)

Kerry and me cooking....well, really Kerry cookingJim and Lilly watching football.

Cheers; we miss you Chris.

Getting Settled

I have found it difficult to get into a routine being in the new house. With so much unpacking to do, shopping for things we need (gotta keep the economy going!!), cleaning/feeding/playing with my pet on Facebook or just wanting to relax with friends and family in front of the fireplace and new LCD, it has been tough to get motivated to update the blog.

Over a week has passed since the big move and we are living comfortably. For the most part, the kitchen, office/den, master and guest bedrooms and bathrooms are all appointed with everything we need but they are screaming for decorations which will come with time. We can't wait for our new bed frame and sectional to be delivered in the next month...hopefully they will both make the house have less echo.

Here are some pictures of our biggest unpacking project in the house...the kitchen. It took about 2 days to pack it up but only 1 to unpack thanks to my mom and sister-in-law Joyce's help. It was like my bridal shower all over again since we finally unpacked all of our fabulous presents and actually put them away in cabinets. I am making a pledge to myself to use every single platter, pan, knife, gadget, etc.

First Family Dinner

After a long day of unpacking, installing mirrors and bathroom fixtures, and running errands, our first day in the new house ended with the first family dinner at 19 BHL. Mom, Paul, Jordan and Joyce were sooo incredibly helpful that the least we could do was share Jim's famous baked ziti with them in our new dining room. Now we just have to get a dining room table that can seat 8 and has 8 matching chairs...but for now, our existing table will do. Our family has been so great to us through this process and we thank them tremendously for all of their love and support. They are the best!!

Mom and Joyce chillin' in the living room.

Adiós Charlestown

It has been almost a week since the big move and we finally have internet and cable again :-) The move went incredibly well and was rather un-stressful, thanks to the fabulous Roadrunner Moving and Storage. Due to Chris and my organizational skills and the strength and professionalism of the movers, everything happened seamlessly with the exception of some minor rain showers on moving day. Luckily by the time the movers pulled into the driveway at 19 BHL, the sun was shining. Our belongings where shuttled into the moving truck so quickly that we forgot that we would miss good ole Chucktown and were just excited to be new residents of Ashland, MA. A special thanks also goes out to Paul, Ralphie and Dom for their moving day help!!

Loading the truck Couch hoisting from the dining room window

Paul hard at work...hahahaha....

Celebrate!!

Yay!! We are officially homeowners!! It is sooooo exciting!! The closing went smoothly and after what felt like about 100 signatures each, we received our keys and garage door openers and officially own 19 BHL in Ashland. We can't wait to celebrate tomorrow with mom and Jim.

Every year we have so much to be thankful for...our friends, family and health but this year is extra special and one we will never forget. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

Closing Time

Today Chris and I become homeowners!! Yippity do da yippity aye!! Both of us were tossing and turning this morning in anticipation of the closing. It felt like I was a kid again on Christmas morning eager to see what Santa brought me. I don’t think a house would fit under the Christmas tree and unfortunately it wasn’t a gift from Santa but we worked for it and earned it so come this afternoon, we will have our own little slice of the American Dream. Next step….the dreaded move.

Final Weekend!!

It is our final weekend in Charlestown which seems kinda weird. Lots to do and lots to pack!! We are all ready (well, almost) for the closing on Tuesday, just waiting for our final packet of information so we can be sure we bring everything we need to. This week, the home inspection went fantastic and I am sure the painters have been scurrying throughout the house finishing up with all of the touch-ups that we listed on our walk-through punch list. Next week at this time, we will be waiting for the movers to arrive while most likely still being full from Thanksgiving dinner.

Charlestown Top 10

We can't make the transition to suburbia without me reflecting on what we will and won't miss about our current home.

Top 10 Things We Won’t Miss

10) Hooligans – If there is one thing that Charlestown has a lot of it is teenagers. Teenagers who like to hang out on Main St. and once everyone is retired for the evening, empty all of the newspaper stands into the street and vandalize public property. Their parents clearly don’t care where they are. You’d think that one of the many cops who patrol the area would intervene, oh wait….they are too busy in the projects (see #6).

9) Slowest Dunkin’ Donuts and CVS Service in the Country – Chris and I have had endless venting sessions about the Charlestown Dunkin’ Donuts and CVS and have walked out of both on numerous occasions due to the long lines and slow service. I can only hope a drive through of each is available near BHL.

8) Spiral Staircase in Winter – Can you say deathtrap? Going down the spiral staircase in the winter to get the trash was quite an adventure through the years. Metal and ice isn’t a good combo.

7) Entering Fort Knox (aka the apartment) – I have never had to unlock so many doors to get inside my home before. 3 locks seems a little unreasonable especially while carrying groceries, shopping bags, dry cleaning, boxes, mail, etc. I guess I can think of it as good practice for once we have kids and have to lug that gear around.

6) Projects Close by – Who wouldn’t miss murders, drugs, car break-ins, purse snatchings and burglaries? It isn’t surprising why Charlestown has one of the highest car insurance rates in the state.

5) Carrying the Laundry Up and Down 3 flights of stairs – I am getting winded just thinking about it. Hallelujah for first floor laundry!!

4) Street Parking – For any of you city dwellers reading, you know the feeling; driving around to find a spot where you “think” your car will be safe from a ticket, towing, street cleaning, vandals or other parallel parkers. Once the snow comes, a decision is made to not have to drive anywhere from the first snowfall thru April or else the spot you spent hours clearing will be taken by somebody else who just 4-wheeled out of their spot without even taking out a shovel….jerks!!

3) Scary Looking Bugs – Chris has heard me freak more times then I can remember when our other roommates drop by - - the scary bugs. I had to deal with my share of bugs throughout childhood, but I have never seen a bug that gives me the heebie jeebies like these bugs. I don’t even know what they are; I have done endless internet searches and have come up with nothing. Just writing about them makes me feel like one is crawling on me. The worst part is that they are so unpredictable. They can be in the basement scurrying across the floor, in the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower, walls, hardwood floors, just everywhere. I hope we don’t pack one by accident and then they breed in our new house.

2) Unfriendly Neighbor(s) – Yup, you all know what I’m talkin’ about. Crazy cuckoo!!

1) “Piss Alley” – Related to #2, the sidewalk outside our front door smells like a porto-potty that hasn’t been emptied for weeks. Now, there are lots of dogs in Charlestown but only a few relieve themselves in front of our door every single day, multiple times a day. I have tried pouring diluted bleach on the spot to deter the pooches or drown out the area with extra water from our flower pot but nothing seems to help. No matter what, if you walk up the sidewalk to our place, you have entered “piss alley”. It is disgusto, nose-holding worthy and the #1 thing I will NOT miss about Charlestown!!


Top 10 Things We Will Miss

10) People Watching – There is nothing better then people watching in the city and that includes sitting in our leopard chair, peering out the living room windows and watching the comings and goings on our street. I wonder if our new neighbors will be as exciting or if we will create nicknames for them?

9) Glitters – Hands down the best manicures and pedicures I have received in MA….and cheap!!

8) Renting – Equals limited responsibility; when something goes wrong, we just call up our landlord. I will miss these days when we have our first issue with the house.

7) The History – The Bunker Hill Monument, Charleston Navy Yard, USS Constitution and the Freedom trail all in our back yard. We have been so fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of this city so rich in history. On any day you can just walk and walk to take in the sites and act like a tourist among tourists. It won’t be the same not seeing the Bunker Hill Monument all a-glow perched up high every night signaling that we are almost home. We will have to make visits frequently and maybe one day, I will actually climb it to take in the view.

6) Reverse Commute – I don’t typically hit one pocket of traffic on my way into work from Charlestown to Waltham and it is glorious. On the way home is a different story but it doesn’t bother me considering my door to door evening commute is only 40-45 minutes. One of the reasons we chose Ashland was its central location between Boston and Worcester since we wanted to avoid long commutes at all costs (long commutes in Boston could be up to 1 ½ - 2 hours one way!!). Chris will have it easy to Worcester but it may be a bit of a struggle for me to get use to Mass Pike traffic (and tolls if they continue to increase…ugh). Without traffic it only takes me 25-30 minutes to get to Waltham so it can’t be that bad with traffic right?

5) Endless Supply of Pug Sightings – For all of you out there that know about Chris and my love of pugs you know that when we see pugs being walked around town it just makes our day; Humphrey and Hailey, Louis and Petunia to name a few. They are such cute bundles of joy and now since we won’t have a clause in our contract that prohibits pets, we can’t wait to bring one into our new home (hopefully early next year!).

4) Unlimited Restaurant Possibilities – For foodies like us we are definitely going to miss having unlimited dining options. We have so many favorite places to dine in and around the city and have made a plan that we will visit some of them this weekend…it being our last in Charlestown of course. We already went to our fave Mexican place, Ole, last night and we couldn’t move away from Charlestown without stopping at Figs and seeing our favorite waiter, Anderson. We are already getting recommendations for places in and around Ashland so we will have to check them out. That is after we know what we can afford once the first mortgage payment is sent!!

3) Being Near the Water – Chris and I have always lived closed to the ocean. Now it isn’t like Ashland is far from the ocean when compare to landlocked states but still, it will be an adjustment for us as we always find ourselves driving north along the coast of MA but rarely west. The great thing about Charlestown is that since the Navy Yard and Boston Harbor boarder on the east, the sound of foghorns and seagulls and the smell of the ocean air are always apparent. I have no doubt that on the weekends we will be driving east as much as possible.

2) Friends in Close Proximity –It is nice to know that friends are only a cab ride, bus ride, T ride or quick drive away anytime you need them. Hopefully the transition to suburbia won’t hinder anyone from taking the quick 30-minute drive out to Ashland for a visit…or even the commuter rail which is super convenient. And on a positive note, my Charlestown resident sticker is valid for another 2 years so I can always drive in, park on the street and take advantage of the Orange Line.

1) Happy Memories – Chris and I have had so much fun living in Charlestown and starting out our life together. Our current apartment was the first place we moved into together, it’s where Chris proposed, it was the site of many girl’s nights, family and Lilly visits, and the rooms are filled with our tears and laughter. When the couch is hoisted out for the dining room window next Friday and the last box is loaded into the moving truck we will be sad but filled with happy memories. But we know that BHL is the beginning of the next chapter of our lives and we can’t wait to foster more memories and achieve new milestones there together and with our family and friends.

8 Days and Counting....

Only 8 days until closing (that is if the builder/seller's attorney ever gets back to us!!). I keep on thinking that we are closing this week, Thanksgiving is this week, and we are moving this week. Either daylight savings must have really screwed me up...I am a week ahead of myself instead of an hour behind, or I am just reallllly excited to close/move. Tomorrow we are doing the walkthrough with the general contractor and the home inspection will be completed.

Here are more before and after pics from this weekend. So I could sleep at night, I had to visit the house to see our refrigerator and washer/dryer that were dropped off on Friday. I can't wait to use all of the new and sparkly appliances. Kerry doesn't know it yet but I have already recruited her to help break in our range :-)

Kitchen

Backyard

More B & A's

Here are a couple more before and after shots of the living room and master bedroom. Carpeting was installed on Monday completing the flooring portion of the program. We are going to have to think of some way to protect our virgin berber carpet from potential stains. For our sake, I hope it isn't raining or snowing on moving day because I am sure the movers will track some dirt in...eeekk.... We have officially determined that our house, at least in the interim, is going to be a "take your shoes off at the front door house", so plan accordingly before visiting :-) Maybe we will have a supply of slippers for visitors like they do at spas. Or perhaps we will just require that you put on shoe covers prior to entering the living room. Hahahahaha.........

Living Room

Master Bedroom

Local Yokel

Throughout our trips to and fro from Charles- town to Ashland, Chris and I frequently drive through Ashland center. Be careful though because if you blink you might just miss it, that is unless a train is passing through and you have to sit at the railroad crossing taking in the sites of the town hall and Lunker’s Outfitters…. where did we choose to live??? Anyway, during one of our trips I spotted the Sunnyside Café which looked like a cute diner just waiting to be filled up on Saturday and Sunday mornings with locals seeking out some greasy grub. On our most recent trip to BHL, we decided to check it out. We were greeted promptly at the door despite the fact that it was bustling and after being seated by the window, got our first glimpse of the locals. Lots of families, some young couples that looked like they just rolled out of bed, high school friends out for breakfast, you know, typical suburbia. The menu was extensive and our server was very nice. We both got eggs which could have been fried a tad longer but other than that, everything was good. Now, it is no Lendy’s in Saugus, MA but we had to make a sacrifice moving west of Boston and this was one of them. The next time we go back I am going to try one of their many eggs Benny options or maybe pancakes.

Chris was also happy to see that there are 2 barber shops in Ashland center, one apparently being his namesake. Now, I don’t know of any barber shop that is going to compete with the Bunker Hill Barber Shop but luckily for Chris, his hair cut isn’t too complicated. I’m sure Chris will miss all of the stories about Charlestown and townies from the owner, catching up on local happenings and taking in the views of tourists, yuppies and dogs walking the Freedom trail through the training field. But, no worries, those will all be replaced by commuter rail and CSX trains passing by.

Before and After

Every woman I know just loves makeovers and seeing the unveiling of before and after shots whether it be of new moms, sassy seniors, men or women in needs of serious "What Not to Wear" help or fabulous room makeovers. These photos will be more fun once we actually live in the house and have the opportunity to decorate (if we don't kill each other first when it comes to making decisions on furniture!!) but for now, from frame to almost completed, everything is coming together.

Foyer

Dining Room

Fireplace

Kitchen