We’re at Costco right now. I love how there are two slots for babos in their shopping carts. That alone makes it worth shopping here.
The day after Patriots Day we got in the car, typed “Walden Pond” into my phone, and drove away. Half an hour later, as we were nearing our destination, I thought, “Huh. I expected more fanfare for such a popular destination.”
It turns out there are two Walden Ponds in the Boston area, and we were arriving at the “other” one. We got out, scratched our heads for a minute, and pulled out our trusty internet. Sure enough, the famous Walden Pond was half an hour in the other direction.
Some people walked up and asked us if we were locals. Conversation revealed that they too had thought they were coming to the famous Walden Pond. They were really sad and got back in their car.
Luckily for us, though, our little babies didn’t have their little hearts set on learning about Henry David Thoreau. They just wanted to run around and play with pine cones. So we enjoyed the Walden Pond that you see in the pictures above. It was peaceful and quiet, and only 30 minutes from our parking lot.
Molly had packed us some pita sandwich makings. Tuna fish, sliced cucumbers, and little sliced tomatoes. She also brought carrots, home made peanut butter, and banana. We ate it on a rock close to where you see us next to the water. I had a one pita with tuna fish and vegetables, and the mangled remains of Zoie’s peanut butter and banana pita.
Molly also brought two chocolate chip cookies. When the girls were climbing distracted by a few shiny objects I quickly ate one, spreading peanut butter on it in strategic locations.
I felt bad for this Walden Pond. Maybe this is what it feels like to go to Hartford or Stamford University, or to be from Miami, Ohio. All great places, but the terrible fan boys of the world look at you with eyes of acceptance/admiration/respect, then confusion, then disgust, and then they discard you.
After Lexington, we went to the Boston Marathon. We walked from our house (well, ran, because we wanted to make the elite men). We pulled up to Commonwealth Ave, which is on the last mile of the race, just as the first man passed. We saw a few of the last elite women pass, and one wheel chair.
I was more than a little sad that I wasn’t running. It was good motivation to buckle down this summer and qualify this fall.
We rounded off Patriots Day by having a bbq with some friends in the Westgate playground, and then eating an apple pie and playing a game. The Great Dalmuti, a game about rising to the top of a caste system. Fitting.
On Patriots Day we went to the reenactment of the Battle of Lexington, the first of the Revolutionary War. It starts at 5:45 in the morning, so we had to wake up the girls. It was really well done, and really cool to see. We were really glad we went.
The reenactment starts with Paul Revere riding up the road on a horse, alerting the captain of the minutemen that the Brits are on their way. The British march up, order minutemen to go home. The minutemen don’t. Someone fires the first shot (not clear who), and then everyone fires. Lexington Battle Green gets covered in smokey musket discharge, and the minutemen all flee backwards. Then the Brits march on. The end.
Patriots Day is a public holiday in Boston. Everyone gets all patriotic and there are all sorts of pancake breakfasts and minuteman displays.
