Threading a needle..

Taking a breath. A deep one. This promises to be quite a long wrap up.
The month or more since my last posting has been quite the event filled one.

Greg is still in the job running?? He was one of two potentials but seeing as we have not really heard anything.. we are not counting on it. In the meantime there has been an org restructure which will give Greg a clearer understanding of his position and line him up with a boss who he knows he can work much smoother for. So he is feeling a little more on his feet in that regard.

We made it through the hot water heater replacement, a/c installation and water abatement process. In many ways I am quite relieved that the bottom rusted out when it did, that we caught it quickly, and that it did not happen when we were away.

Speaking of being away, the family went to Boston at the start of the month to take in a Blackhawks vs. Bruins game. The  kids and I drove down and back in the calm between two Nor'Easter storms. Greg had been in Tennisee the week before and due to the storm, it made more since to fly directly to Boston and meet us there.

 Let me take a moment to address the winter weather. It seems extreme to those from home but to put it in perspective, even though winter is truly a thing here, I have never once heard it announced that "Chains or Snow Tires" required. Generally speaking ALL cars in the New England region put on snow tires in the winter and road maintenance is amazingly coordinated. That being said, Greg got a lesson in being stranded due to the weather, which is a story I will wrap back around to.

Blackhawks and Boston.. Willow has been having trouble with her ankles and has been going to PT regularly to fix her issues and get her truly mobile.  That weekend she was in more pain and wearing her boot brace. That kept her down a little. But shes a trooper and she did her best to make the most of it.

  I didn't really take any scenic pictures this trip but that doesn't mean I don't have any stories to tell. The first was a little traumatic and has left Connor with little desire to ever attend another game. As we were filing our way around the arena to find our seats, Willow and I in the lead followed by Connor and Greg pulling up the rear. I caught out of the corner of my eye, a man standing near the inside wall.  As I passed I heard say something like "Oh its you." I turned to look and he ducked behind me. I assumed he merged into the throng and kept going a ways. It turns out he thought he recognized Connor. The drunkard stopped him and put his hands on Connors chest. Greg of course stepped in and shoved the guy off. So that is how our experience started. But that was not indicative of most of the fans that we met. Actually, the Bruins fans are genuinely hospitable. Many were interested in why we were Blackhawks fans and had no problem offering up a friendly discussion. I actually found that  to be true  of the locals in general and not just those at the game. The couple sitting next to us were a kick. Under their Bruins Jerseys they were wearing Hawks gear (See her green peaking out?)

 and they celebrated every goal scored. Later after the game and as the family was in the rooms re-cooperating/napping, I found myself at the bar. Where I met another season ticket holding couple and had a nice chat. She was in tech and he was a police officer. It was a nice visit but I realized that I need to be able to better answer the question of "what is your book about?" I stumble to qualify it for people. I will be working on a summary soon. This last picture is was the floor of the elevator in the hotel. I laughed every time I saw it but it made Willow uneasy.

Greg had a meeting scheduled in Boston  early that  week and opted to stay in town rather than drive home and back (Its about 3.5 hours) So I dropped him at his hotel. Its a short walk to the office from there so not having a car didn't seem like that much of a challenge. Well after we left the storm hit and he was stuck at the hotel. Which didn't have a restaurant. He hiked 2 miles in blizzard conditions with 60 mile winds to the only open restaurant ( a pizza place) for lunch and ended up hitting the snack machines for a tide me over dinner. On top of it all, the meeting ended up being cancelled and he came home after a long hard road trip.

The next weekend was the presentation of the Student directed plays. It was a week of long rehearsals followed by 3 productions which wrapped up Sunday. Connors character was a psychic who used his amazing sense of smell to determine who the murder was. This part was not far in keeping with his natural personality, appreciation for velvet and flair for style. Approx. 7 years prior to the date of opening night, I took this picture of Connor:

Can you guess which of these characters was played by Connor now? 

 Rosie after seeing these photos wanted to get in on the action. 

She has quite the stage presence. 

The week after the play was a decent one. Greg was home all week and the weather was nice. Thursday night however Connor fell down some stairs and bumped himself pretty darn good near his kidney. His broken hobbled gate suggested I take him to see urgent care. 

Just to be on the safe side since we were going to be on the road Friday night, Connecticut bound. He got the green light and directions to keep moving. So off to the 2nd Annual Gamers Convention at the Mohegan Sun Casino, Convention Hall and Arena. It was interesting to see and compare to Reno and Vegas. Casinos are casinos. Smoke and noise and colorful people watching. It was a pretty one and well thought out in terms of movement from area to area as the traffic paths accommodate non gamblers as well as gamblers. A lot more craps games then I am used to seeing. I think there almost as many crap tables as 21. Toward the end of our stay Greg dropped 60 on a table which kept him playing for 2.5 hours and when he was done, he had doubled our money. I wandered and drank and sized up the action. But that was towards the end of our stay.. Here is the beginning:

We loaded up the kids in two cars. We took a friend of Connors. Her name is Elsa and she reminds me in many ways of a teenaged Terri. I get a kick out of her. We also took Willows boyfriend Dylan. Dylan is a senior that lives down the road about 45 minutes. They were paired up somewhat surprisingly when two cousins (or maybe it was friends)  one from each of the schools were visiting and it dawned on them that the two might click. And click they have. Dylan is a sweet young man with a poets soul and a quick smile. He is quiet but a deep thinker. He reminds me in so many ways of a young Lystra. I know he will grow into a fine man.  So that is the cast of characters. We arrived late and got settled in. The next day we were Convention bound.. 

 So you may be asking, what is a gaming convention? It is like a comic con only based on games. All sorts from Board to Video games. Past and Present.

 There were gaming competitions (after we left we realized that there was a COD tournament Sunday that Greg could have had some fun playing in but we no know that that might be a possibility next year) and vendors selling everything and everything from clothes to toys to games to anything that represents a character or  a game. People wore costumes and others gathered in small circles to play Magic or other card and board games. It was smaller than we expected but it was good. While we were there My old friend  Aimee and her family met up with us and we had a nice lunch and got caught up.  It is always to wonderful to see her. She has not changed much but she has changed a lot. I suppose we all have. Anyway, its possible that we may get together again for Willows graduation or maybe towards the end of fall for a little vacation in Maine.

Anyway, we  wrapped up at the convention in the afternoon.

 We returned to our hotel room where, expect for a break for dinner, we campaigned until 9:00.

It was a good weekend and Sunday morning we pulled it together and the kids and I drove home and Greg went back to Boston for a meeting at the beginning of the week.

So March was very busy. We don't have much else going on now except getting through the rest of the school year. Willow is starting to have senioritis a little but is still moving forward. Drivers permit  tests for both the kids will be in April.  Willow is looking for a job or internships to fill in some of her free time. Anyway.. life goes on and as I look out I see that today is utterly gorgeous. I think its time to walk the dog.

Love you all!
Vic