The Dogwatch

Yum...dog saliva!

What this picture does not show is that the dog was just licking the pacifier

Three Generations

Magical Morning

The pack

Mala and Zuzu aren't too happy to have to share some of the attention.

Homeward Bound

On the way home from the hospital...Grandma's making sure Veda doesn't get out of control.

I'm awake...

...but why do I feel like I'm wearng a straight-jacket?

Hospital food???

The hospital gave us a celebration meal, which was incredible...and not just for hospital food. It was gourmet restaurant quality. We were quite impressed, especially with the two bottles of Merlot they sent. It makes me wonder why hospital food is so crappy the rest of the time. Was it catered?

Baby Burrito

Daddy's first diaper change...

...and Veda is not too pleased.

Buuurp!

Post-Meal Bliss

Washington State Grandma flies in

I wonder where the hair color comes from?

Pucker up

Veda has more hair at one day old than Dad has.

The gang

Deanna is smiling because she is finally getting a break. Heath is smiling because he got twelve hours of sleep last night. Veda is smiling because she just pooped on Dad.

One day old...

...and one happy Dad

Wiped Out

Man that was a hard trip...

Veda Blue enters the world...

Here is the first g rated picture of our new arrival.

On the way...

Last photo in the house before we head to the hospital...to hopefully pop a kid out.

Two feet deep...

The snow is swallowing our picnic bench, and Ani is next...

Lots of snow in MA

The first big snow of the year decided to hit MA the day after Ani got here. After a day of being stuck inside, we ventured out...and Ani made a colorful snow angel.

The Old Worthen- Est. 1834

Lowell's oldest pub, and one of Edgar Allen Poe's and Kerouac's favorite watering holes. A secret door for hiding liquor during prohibition is still behind the bar.

Kerouac's parochial school

Kerouac wrote quite a bit about his experiences here. His brother Gerard was seen as a true saint by the nuns here.

Kerouac

Kerouac's Home

Kerouac's home during the setting of Visions of Gerard. Kerouac's brother Gerard died here.

Lowell Celebrates Kerouac

Kerouac's good friend and collaborator, David Amram, playing the 22nd annual LCK. It's good to see Lowell still celebrates its native son. Interesting group of people there- hippies, academics, casual observers, and hangers on. It was especially nice to soak up the atmospher- the brick mills, the canals, the merrimack river, etc..., that inspired so much of Kerouac's writing.

View from halfway up Mt. Washington

The view was incredible- and this was only half way up. We had just broken the tree line, and it was a moonscape for the rest of the climb- really technical/rocky climb.

Mt. Washington Climb

Mark, Sean, and I at the top. It was supposed to take three-four hours to make it to the summit. We made it in two and a half, and then back down in two. We all felt it for a few days!

Devereux Beach fires...

After getting skunked several times, Sean and I finally caught some surf on Sunday at Devereux Beach in Marblehead. It's a rock reef where beautiful A frames set up and peel perfectly left and right. The waves were solid chest high, with an occasional head high set rolling by. Beautiful rocky coastline stretching North and South, with a view of Boston's skyline looming in the distance. I had to pinch myself. Gorgeous sunny day, just a few guys out, trading waves....so nice!

Mouth Orgasm

The creme de la creme of restaurants. The Organic Garden Cafe is a raw food restaurant in view of my apartment. The food is AMAZING! I recommend the raw margherita pizza with fudgy bites for dessert. The raw Pad Thai is another tantalizing mouth fantasy...how do they do it? The OGC also serves up some tasty organic wine and beer...when you're in the mood to tie one on after a healthy dinner...like ordering a diet coke with a Big Mac.

Salem Witch Museum

Read Miller's The Crucible. Thanks McCarthy for inspiring such a great play!

Damn that's old

Beverly church down the road from my apartment. Built in 1667, the British used the steeple as a target when they were shelling Beverly...apparently they missed.

Local Bike Shop

The North Shore has more bike shops than you can shake a stick at, but this is Beverly's newest. Central Cycle was started by Marc Bavineau a few weeks ago. Super nice bike shop- a true "mom and pop" which always has beer in the fridge. Word on the street is that he was the team mechanic for the 2007 US national cyclo-cross team.

Good Morning from Gloucester, Mass

No surf, but worth it any way!

Dawn Patrol

5:30 AM...Drove to Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, Mass with my good buddy Sean for a little dawn patrol action, but as the pic testifies...we got skunked...my third time in a row. Of well...the scenery was gorgeous.

Atomic Cafe

As luck would have it, I have found three coffee shops within 1/2 mile of mi casa. All are independent, but the best is the Atomic Cafe...a MA version of Elliot's Fair Grounds in Ghent. In fact I 'm posting this from A.C., while the coffee roaster is running next to me. The food is great, the tea is tantalizing, and the hipster crowd is, well like the folks at Elliot's...hip.

Oh, and the free wireless secures this as where most of my work will be done this year!

The magic bus

Check out how the incredibly talented Dr. Eric Coulson converted our 1984 Westphalia VW camper into a work of art. Click on http://woodwatersand.blogspot.com/2009/08/wave-on-canvas.html, and then on "painting a vw bus."

If you like his artwork, send him a shout...or better yet, buy a piece of art!

Ani's August visit

Jamestown visit the week before I left for Mass....I miss them!

The Gloucester Fisherman

Jimmy and a lady

Always trying to get some...

The big move...

With the tremendous help of Jimmy Shaffer I made the big move to Beverly, Massachusetts a week ago. Beverly is on the North Shore, about twenty minutes north of Boston. I am renting a place on Cabot Street, which is the Beverly equivalent of Colley Avenue in Ghent. I have two bike shops, a raw food restaurant, the post office, my bank, two mom and pop coffee shops, and an indie theater within a ten minute walk. Also from the house, I can be in Salem (home of the 17th century witch hysteria) in a five minute bike ride, and Gloucester (think Perfect Storm) in about a forty-five minute bike ride. The area is absolutely gorgeous!

Jimmy and I had a good time while he was here...but unfortunately there was no surf. I have been settling in, and beginning to gear up for classes that start on September 9th, but have made some time to bike, kayak, and surf (all of which there is plenty of). I went to Concord today, and visited Emerson's house, and of course, Walden Pond (Thoreau picked a good spot- it's beautiful). There is a wealth of things to do here, but it is quite lonely without Deanna...I miss her a lot!

I miss everyone back home, but I know I made the right decision, and can see Deanna and I being here for a long time. As Thoreau said...“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”