Our first Visitor

Uncle Peter is the new favorite uncle, and has the title of first visitor. He'll probably be our visitor with the shortest stay also. I thought my parents were the best at that up to now. Peter arrived at midnight and was gone by 8:30 a.m. Caroline and Camille had a blast turning their room into the guest bedroom and even left him his favorite cookies (baked by Camille) next to his bed. He is interviewing for a summer law internship in Manchester, which would really be a dream come true to get him and Candice up here.

After we said goodbye, the kids and I headed straight to the beach for only our second day enjoying the ocean we live right next to. I don't know how two weeks could make such a difference but we all agreed that the Atlantic was way warmer than it was on our first visit. The weather has been in the 90's for 3 days straight so I guess that made all the difference.  Here we are at Rye Beach enjoying our last day of summer. 

I get so nervous having five children at the beach. They can't hear you when you holler at them because the waves drown you out. And they keep getting braver and braver and farther out in the surf.  Marcus wasn't too brave.  He just wanted me to put him down so he could chase the gulls on shore. That's seagulls, by the way, not girls. Marcus calls girls, "Gulls".    I tried to bridge the gap in the middle and keep an eye on them all. It's not as fun as it could be.  Can't relax on the beach or ride the waves but it's better than. . .  not being at the beach. 

I spent some of the time talking to a couple next to us. I cherish each time I can have a new conversation with someone because. . we just don't know anyone. It's easy when you live in a area where you naturally have a social life with family or even while we were in dental school because there were so many others like us that they kind of became family.  Now I realize it is going to be much harder to make a friend.  I am a lot like my Dad in that I could just talk to complete strangers forever and have the best time in the world. But then I have a harder time taking it past that point and turning it into a friendship. People have always done that more for me and if they didn't then I just didn't have a close friend.


Another thing I have definitely been noticing is. . everyone is so warm and kind in New England.  I can't think of a single rude encounter I have had. . .and that is something coming from Buffalo. Our neighbors in Buffalo were fabulous. Just like the saying goes, "City of Good Neighbor". But drivers???  and Almost everyone in the service industry were so rude and acted like you were really inconveniencing them to be in their business at all. It was so bizarre.  I can't tell you all the times I told myself I was going to call a manager, and then all the times I observed a manager acting just as badly. And the swearing. I heard really bad words every time I went out. And much of the time it was from employees. I think I have heard 2 swear words (We don't have cable) since I moved to New England.

If you ask me, I think there were a lot of unhappy people living in Buffalo, at least on my side of town. And now I am surrounded by happy people. It's pretty great. So I'm just enjoying the overall friendliness and great conversations I have had at random places like the post office or grocery store..  People are especially friendly when they hear we are a family of 7 that moved here. . .  just because.


Totally untrue what they say about New Englanders being standoffish.