visiting nana

 chanda and i drove up to connecticut yesterday to see my mom. we took her to whole foods for dinner saturday night, and then lunch today. 

we had shortbread cookies that chanda had brought back from london for her.

 my sister and brother-in-law were playing a game of backgammon when we got in saturday night. 

 i used to watch them play backgammon when they were teenagers and i was eight (my sister is nine years older than me).

 playing the enya song this morning . . 

 we had a delicious breakfast of sour dough toast (that i had made) with peach mint jam (a london gift), soft boiled eggs, grapefruit, and special blueberry green tea bought from a tea place in maine that kathy had found when visiting adam at acadia.

 posing with toby . .

 i went out in search of flowers . . there were a few snowdrops but the crocuses and daffodils haven't shown their faces yet.

 it was such a beautiful sunny day that we took my mom for a walk along the river.

 the sun felt so wonderfully warm.

 facetiming with morgana at whole foods.

 my mom and i always feel like we're in the general electric carousel of progress show at disneyland when we talk with morgana in europe like this.

we had their "make your own" tacos today (chanda had a burrito), and then we had mini desserts: i had a key lime cheesecake, my mom had a chocolate eclair, and chanda had a lemon petit four.

 we said good-bye around three and left my mom to rest and take a nap. we headed home, stopping first in middletown for a big bottle of kombucha.

it's only ten dollars to refill a big glass bottle, compared to twenty in the city.

another moving day

morgana, greg and i drove up to connecticut saturday morning to help move my mom into a different assisted living facility that will give her more care. i was struck at how bare the trees were. (chanda stayed home as she had too many rehearsals to attend.)

 packing up the kitchen area.

 all of the furniture had already been moved out by my nephew and a family friend.

 our friend dan, waiting for the next set of orders.

 trying to decide what should go where . . 

 setting up the table . . 

finally: lunchtime for two hungry bears.

 morgana's treat for helping: macaroons: pistachio, lavender raspberry, chocolate strawberry and . . hmmm, something else . . 

 dinner and dessert . . 

marie callendar's razzleberry pie (blackberries, raspberries and apples).

i was so tired i could hardly see straight . . 

 the next day we were back at the new place to hang pictures and organize drawers and bathroom.

 coming back after lunch . . 

 for the group photo i wanted to take.

ready to go home . . 

lunch in glastonbury

 these are some of the beautiful lilies you can find growing about my sister's house.

 the day lilies that always bloom around my birthday.

 morgana and i met nana and nonno for lunch at bertucci's, and then we met aunt kathy back at the assisted living center for tea.

 we sat outside in the nice garden they have.

 and then went for a walk in the front by the gazebo where i found this echinacea blooming.

 the berries are out now on the tree that had such a sweet aroma in springtime.

 walking along the gazebo path.

playing cards in the evening . . 

on the way home and home again

 

 on the way back we stopped to get ice cream from a farm that makes their own. they also have goats with the most adorable kids . . it was difficult to tear ourselves away and finally make it home.

this evening morgana talked to her friend in evian, france on her cell! we all had fun showing her image on the phone to nana, nonno, aunt kathy and uncle warren. she said hello to everyone, and then it was time to say good-bye so she could get some sleep  . . it was one am where she was.

 

 

 

 

 some pretty flowers in my sister's garden. we're not sure what they are.

 say good night to deychen!