The One With the Last First Band Show

 

 

For the past 7 years, since Bri has been in 8th grade, we have always had a first band show of the year. Although her initial first was quirky because of Covid, it was also memorably warm and rainy at DHS field.

Fast forward to earlier tonight when Kiff took the field for the first time this season, entering with his sun glasses as a senior.  However, it was a little bittersweet as well, because it is his - and out - last "first" day of band.

The crew sounded good and displayed the first half of their show that will go onto competition. They sounded strong and will continue to grow, as will the football team, which scored a 16-0 win.

 It is hard to believe this will be our last year as band parents. 

The One with Odyssey in IMAX

 

 

 

One of this year's summer blockbusters is The Odyssey. Although we saw it the day it first came out, Kiff had been longing to see the 70 mm cut on IMAX at Apple Cinema in Providence at Providence Place

 While the idea of taking an hour car ride to get to a theater wasn't fully tempting, we decided to make a go of it. Of course, getting tickets proved to be almost as arduous as Odysseus's voyage. They were sold out for weeks.

However, we found a date and time that would work - YAY - and made the trip down earlier today. It was worth the wait. A few things I noted about the film...

1. Figuring out concessions took a little longer than we realized - they have a self service set up - but it made sense.

2. It is clear that the popcorn is loaded and has been in there for a while. It was decent movie popcorn, but not warm. I would recommend the butter next time to warm it up.

3. The theater was amazing. The seats were comfier than normal for IMAX. However, like every IMAX I have been to, you could not see the seat numbers quite well.

4. The movie going experience was phenomenal. The trailer for DUNE prior to the movie - the only one they showed - echoed through you. And the scale of the screen made you feel like you were in the movie.

5. A fly did land on the projector which is something you don't usually see with the standard digital movies. That was a throwback moment.

Bonus - as we left and quickly got some food from the food court, Emmie and I were amazed that the DQ there served Orange Julius!!! Of course, we had to indulge...and it mostly like the old times.

 

 

The One With the Umass Move In Year Two

 

 

Today was Bri's move in day at UMass. Having gone through it once before, we felt much better prepared for this year's sojourn (the best way to describe it) to UMass.

This year, was going to be a bit different for two reasons. First, Bri is a sophomore, so the crowds were not as large as when she was a freshmen. Also, she was moving into one of the towers, so it would involve her transcending 15 flights. 

 As we got closer, we realized, like last year, the signs were confusing. But Bri figured out if we went down Massachusetts Ave (just a little past the street we normally go down to get to the SW region), we would be fine. And, it turned out the wait was much better than last year doing it.

We checked in and quickly got to the tower. The crew that helped move in was AMAZING. They got everything unloaded in five minutes (I wish they could have helped us pack). I went to park, Emmie and Kiff were getting ready to meet us, and Bri went up with her stuff. She had to walk and literally texted us from the 9th floor saying we should not make the trip up. She - who goes to the gym regularly - was out of breath.

 So, we waited while she put together her room. We hear it looks great. And she came down and went to Hampshire to eat - the stir fry is delicious. Year 2 move in proved much smoother than Year 1.

The One With Apple Picking

 

 

 

Today, we went to Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury to go apple picking. We were looking for a place that was open before Bri went back to college...which was a little tricky because we are at the start of apple-picking season.

However, found that Cider Hill was open, which was great. I zipped home after school and we headed up, getting there about 90 minutes before closing. They had four variety of apples available - we were fortunate. But, even more fortuitous is that we were THE ONLY people picking apples at the time. That had never happened.

We got a bushel of apples ($42, but it was worth it) and took some great pix. And, we kept our apple-picking tradition alive. 

The One With the End of Summer Vacation

 

It is upon us again. Another end of the summer vacation day...the eve before the first meetings at school. Looking back on the summer, I have to admit this may have been the most amazing summer we've had in quite some time.

 Here is a look at some of the things we did...

 

Get-Aways

Gloucester Beach

Cape Cod

Canada, including Halifax overnight  

 

Projects

Painted the living room

Painted the kitchen

Rearranged the living room  

Built the gazebo 

Got Rogue fixed

Got pool fixed

Redid upstairs bathroom

Kiff did filming for movie 

 

Fun Stuff

Went to two concerts on common

Saw Pirates, Witches, Murders exhibit at PEM

Went to Citadel in Halifax

Went to Maritime Museum in Halifax

Finally got to food trucks for supper 

Saw original local version of Declaration of Independence 

 

Movies

Spider Man

The Odyssey

End of Oak Street

Young Washington

 

Neat Stuff

Played cards with Tony

Visited with Rob

Watched George and Mandy Season 1 and 2 

Made pottery in Beverly

Horribles Parade on 250th anniversary of US

Went to Aroma Joes for the first time

Went down by Wareham for first time in long time 

Bri worked at a summer camp and Kiff filmed for DCAT 

 

It was a fabulous summer...one of the best!!! 

 

 

  

  

 

The One With The Odyssey

 

 

 

Last night, we went to AMC for opening night of The Odyssey. Kiff had been ardently waiting for this to arrive movie for nearly a year...so much so that he refused to watch any clips or hear to much about the original story.

Overall, it was quite an experience. Because it was filmed in IMAX, Kiff wanted to make sure we saw it in IMAX (although the seat numbers in that particular theater are confusing). However, we made sure to arrive a few minutes before preview time to find our way to the seat.

The movie did not disappoint. It has a cast of brilliant actors who performed well (Kiff and Bri were more mesmerized by them than Emmie and me). The story had to be edited slightly because IMAX movies cannot run longer than three hours...so instead of having many cyclopes...there is only one. But, those edits did little to ruin the spectacle on the screen.

While I found the acting enticing, I have to admit that the use of sound was amazing. For example, when they are sailing past the Sirens, the crew puts wax in their ears...and we get to experience what they did with muffled sound. During times of high tension, different loud noises are heard...often as if the Olympian gods, who manipulated the affair in Homer's tale, were involved. There were also several jump moments which were effectively woven in.

All and all, a great movie experience. 

 

The One With the 250th Birthday of the U.S.

 

 

Today is July 4, 2026. In essence, the 250th anniversary of the United States. Throughout the year, leading up to this anniversary, I tried to make sure students I had were aware of this. We tried to impress upon them the importance of the Declaration of Independence, studying several times and even participating in the Icivics competition to have students at as many middle schools as possible read the Declaration of Independence to commemorate the occasion.

Our video is here.

 

Along with that, we have spent the past three days trying to remember the 250th anniversary. We went to the movie Young Washington on July 2 (the actual day of independence).  We watched the Disney 250th celebration of America on July 3 and 4th. We saw the Horribles parade this morning - which had a huge flag and the Danvers Minutemen. We watched Jonny Tremain earlier today. We are currently watching Ken Burn's American Revolution documentary (episode 1) as I type this!!!

Happy 250th Birthday America

 

 

The One With An Amazing Father's Day

 

 

 

 

Another Amazing Father's Day happened this year. On June 21, we did some incredible things and, for the third year in a row, I had my "best" Father's Day.

My day actually began one day earlier by watching the Bonanza episode, "The Legacy" about Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe trying to avenge what they thought was the death of their father. Of course, they realize in the end revenge was not what they were looking for...as was evidenced by the time they got home and saw Pa.  

We began by doing the tour of the house with different decorations and notes left for me. Always fun. We then followed up by getting some food from Nick and Andy's. Yum!!!

We then went into the Museum of Science. This year, several of the spots that were closed last year were open this year. Yay!!! We  got a chance to see the Music Across America movie at Imax and even got a chance to see the Lightning Exhibit, which is now open...and updated again.

 Following that, we went to Jimmy's for supper. I had my chicken parm....which I love there.

Then, we came home. has dessert and watched Silverado.

Truly a beautiful Father's Day!!! 

The One With Disclosure Day

 

 

Tonight, the four of us went off to see Disclosure Day, the latest movie by Steven Spielberg. It was an ambitious project and one that represents the fifth look at "aliens" through the lens of the great director.

Clearly, Spielberg has a fascination with the paranormal, as evidenced by the Indiana Jones movies and the fact he wrote Poltergeist. And, this is yet another quixotic look at the unknown.

Overall, it is a good movie. It is a bit stocky in spots - moving a little bit slow - but its methodical pace helps underlie the big mystery at the end of the movie...which really isn't that much of a mystery. The acting is solid, though enigmatic at times. But, in the end, it was an entertaining movie.  

The One With DHS Graduation

 

 

Today was graduation day at DHS. And, for Kiff, who is a junior, it was a memorable day. First, it marked the final time that he would perform with band at graduation. And, because he is top twenty in his class, he was asked to be an usher for the graduation.

As a result, Emmie and I decided to attend the graduation. It was a fantastic ceremony. Not only was it fun to see Kiff perform in it for the last time, it was great to cheer on the two dozen or so kids we know who were moving onto college. 

 Overall, the speeches were good. They did the standard have the four officers talk about the different stages of school - elementary, middle, high school and looking toward the future. And, the three student speeches were interesting as well. 

It is hard to believe we have one more of these to go and then we are graduating ourselves as DHS parents. 

The One With the Big Bang

 

 

 

 

At 2:12 PM this afternoon, something strange happened. A large boom penetrated the air above Danvers. As I sat at the Elm and Maple Street light, the sound shook the car and caught me off guard. I looked at the driver next to me, in the lane outside of Berry Tavern, and she was looking around. We caught our eyes and rolled down our windows, "Did you hear that?" we both asked. We had not clue what it was.

I turned right onto Elm Street to head home and I noticed a tree down. I wondered if that made the noise. But, as I got closer to home, I noticed other people outside looking up. Clearly, other people heard the noise, too.

As I walked it in, I asked Emmie if she heard the noise. She had...and was going to call me about it. A few moments later, police raced down the street. Was it an explosion? We both wondered. Then, we looked at the Danvers Facebook page. Other people all over town heard it. But, then we soon found out online, the sound was heard elsewhere - Melrose, Woburn, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, on the Connecticut border, and Maine. Tony came over for dinner and he heard it.

It took a while to figure out what happened. However, a the GOES-19 satellite that tracks lightning strikes detected a huge flash in the sky. Jeff - our custodian at school - corroborate that story. And soon, it became clear. The big boom was actually a meteor - of the bolide variety - causing a fireball as it broke up over the atmosphere and the large boom we heard. It is definitely the first fireball I've ever heard. 

The One With Memorial Day

 

 

 

Yet another Memorial Day was upon us this year. For the first time in a few years, we only had one horse in the race. Bri was an observer and Kiff was playing trumpet. Tony and Nancy also joined us, and it was great to see so many people we knew in attendance.

Sadly, the actual parade was canceled for this year. There forecast called for rain and there would have been a downpour right before the parade ended. However, the ceremony in the  multipurpose room at HRMS still continued.

As with most years, the ceremony was great. The band played and the chorus sang. Dave McKenna, from the Historical Society, talked about the legacy of Danvers soldiers in the Revolution...which was significant given this is the 250th anniversary of the country. Kiff also performed Taps in front of the audience this year (he was the shadow last year). He did an amazing job.

The One with Kiff's National Honor Society

 

 

Tonight was Kiff's National Honor Society Induction. And, it proved to be a memorable evening. Kiff got inducted into the society with several of his friends. However, what made the event even more special is, similar to Bri, it turns out he is in the top twelve of his class. The reason we found out is Kiff got a book award at the ceremony. He earned the LaSalle Book Awards for his achievements so far this year. Congratulations Kiff!!! 

The One With Mother's Day

 

 

 

This year, we had an amazing Mother's Day extravaganza. 

1. We started the day with gifts for Emmie and with cinnamon rolls.

2. We then went to Sylvan Street which brought back its Mother's Day brunch.

3. After, we went for a walk at Endicott.

4. We played cards after that.

5. The day capped off by watching Sheep Detectives. At first, I was skeptical...but it ended up being a good movie. 

The One With Michael

 

 

Tonight, we watched the movie Michael that depicted the life and times of Michael Jackson. As a person growing up in the 80s, I was looking forward to this movie....but I also wasn't sure how I would feel. After all, how much more was there to know about Michael Jackson.

But, boy, was I wrong. To begin with, the casting of his nephew, Jaafar Jackson, proved to be ingenious. Not only can he sing - which is huge - his resemblance to his uncle is uncanny. And, because he knows close, personal details of his uncle's mannerisms, it was clear he was the ultimate choice. He captured the essence and nuance of Michael Jackson, or at least the way he seemed to the public in the 1980s.

 The movie itself included the typical information that people had heard about Jackson growing up. Yet, it also highlighted some of the lesser known facts and backstories that only the producers - his brothers and his sister Latoya - would know. And, to appeal to the fans, there were definitely specific recreations of hallmark moments on the stage, including the infamous filming of the Pepsi commercial, the "Victory Tour," and, of course, the legendary performance of "Billie Jean" and the unveiling of the moonwalk at Motown's 25th Anniversary Special. The sound design was exquisite, with two concert scenes resembling the sound effects you would hear at a concert. Wow!

For nostalgia buffs - and the new generation that wanted to get to know more about him - this movie wasn't just good. It was special.  My only disappointment - though it could not be helped - was that "Janet" didn't appear as a character. That was a decision she made because she was not supportive of the move. But, knowing that she had a close relationship with her brother, it would have been interesting to see how that was developed, too.

 

The One With Mahjong

 

 

 

The four of us sat down at the kitchen table today to learn a new game - mahjong!

Now, truth be told, I had played a version of it online back in the 90s and loved it. However, it turns out that tile game is an American version of the actual game.

Emmie has been playing from some of the people from PAC, so she decided to teach us to play.

It took a while to get the hang of it - and I definitely had a BIG learning curve. But after a while, it made a lot of sense, and its was fun.

Kiff actually won the first two games (or matches, or contests, or whatever they call it). I won the third.  

It was a blast and I can't wait to try again.

 

The One Where Kiff Joins the NEHS

 

 

On Monday, Kiff became an official member of the Danvers High School National English Honor Society. He was being not only inducted as a member, but an officer...as he is the incoming vice president of the society.

 We attended the meeting with him. It was neat ceremony with some speeches, an overview of the society, officer induction, a pledge, and some comments.

 It was a lot of fun to watch and it was great to see Kiff become part of his third high school honor society. 

The One With a Happy Easter

 

 

 

We had another amazing Easter weekend this year. We actually did a lot of different things to celebrate both this weekend and leading up to it.

 

1. We decorated eggs a couple of weeks back, avoiding the egg coloring scramble we sometimes have.

2. On Thursday, I visited Mom on the Cape. I actually went by Nana's old house (there was traffic and I was directed that way). What made this memorable is that we used to go to Nana's house for Easter when I was really young, so it was sooo meaningful.

3. Emmie and I went out to breakfast on Friday and did baskets.  

4. Bri and I made birds nest cookies on Saturday, which I think is starting to become a tradition.

5. We watched Ben-Hur the night before Easter, which is always memorable. We later saw a movie called "The Drama" which was interesting.

 6. Bri and I tried to go to Mass on Sunday, but it was packed, so we watched in on TV. 

7. We had our Easter brunch and even had a chance to catch a portion of The Wizard of Oz which used to be on Easter weekend when Emmie and I were kids.

 

All and all, a busy and memorable Easter weekend. Happy Easter!!!

 

The One With the Birds Nest Cookies

 

 

 

Bri and I made bird's next cookies earlier today as part of our Easter weekend celebration. Making these cookies takes me back to being a kid and making them with my sister....which is one of many fun holiday memories I have with her.

 

 The recipe we followed (we modified from one online) calls for:

• 1 bag semi sweet chocolate morsels

• 1 bag of dark chocolate morsels

• 1 bag of chow mein noodles (we had to get these at Stop and Shop, aisle 4)

• 1 bag of Cadbury eggs (which were harder to get this year...maybe because of tariffs or Maga sentiment about the fact they incorrect keep re-posting that Cadbury dropped the word Easter from its products?)

We put the morsels, half bag at a time, in the large purple mixing bowl. We heated them up in 30 second increments in the microwave, stirring them. After about three heating sessions, we added the last portions of the bag and heated them up some more. Perfect!

We slowly added  the bag of chow mein noodles and Bri stirred. Then, I put wax paper on two cookie sheets and we set out the cookies to harden!!

Voila...a tasty treat!!!   And here is the link to the recipe we used (the picture above is from the website): https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/birds-nest-cookies/

 

The One With MICCA Fest

 

 

The official MICCA performance arrived tonight. And with it, the DHS band performed the final show at MICCA Fest on the Friday night.

 

The performance included three songs that were performed quite nicely...even better than on Wednesday. And, the band sounded great.

 

Although Emmie and I left before awards, Kiff came home later that night and told us they earned a Silver award. Congratulations to them.