Last night at The Fort

This is my last night at Fort Hill. I feel like I have so much to do but I am at that point where I cannot not really do anything until right before the movers get here. I always want to feel more secure about my organizational skills but I have done this so many times I know it will be fine. I have been living in Roxbury for a little over 2 1/2 years, I have had great landlords and all in all really enjoyed this neighborhood and living alone. I am glad I finally got a chance to do that. It was totally worth it.
There are things I will miss about Fort Hill and things I will not...

Things I will miss:
- Having a park right across from my apt., it has made it so easy with my old lady Ramona. We have been able to enjoy this park at any time of the year

- My friendly neighbors. The folks that live around me have been nothing but friendly, helpful and warm
- The close proximity to the S. End, JP and Brookline
- Having the opportunity to live by myself. It has been great
- My landlords, they have been nothing but responsive and completely generous
- The views of the city from the park, each time I go up there I am amazed about the view, it is quite special
- Forth of July fireworks, for three years I got to walk out my door and see a great show. I am glad I could share that with friends
- Most importantly I think Mel, Myself, HC and Ramona will miss my deck. We have had so many great times out there just relaxing, entertaining, eat, reading, enjoying the crazy stuff our domestics do, and almost being killed by spiders


Things I will not miss:
- The reality of living in a city. All tires stolen. Blurg
- Living in a garden level apt means, you might have mice
- Living in a quiet residential neighborhood means not really being able to walk to coffee shops, bars, markets etc
- People who consistently start their laundry but never seem to finish with in 24 hours. There are 3 other apts in the building. World does not revolve around you
- Living across dog park means having to deal with bad dog owners, aggressive dogs off leash, not cleaning up after dogs, untrained crazy dogs, you get the picture

All in all this 'hood has been good to me, I have made some great memories and I will miss the people, the history, and the lovely Fort. It really is a hidden gem in this city, one that more and more people are discovering. However, I am ready for the next chapter and really excited about my new neighborhood and moving in with the LF. We are more then ready.

Never suprised, always amused

These days when I walk into my apartment I never know what I am going to find. With a geriatric, incontinent dog(Ramona) and a crazy cat(HC) it really could be anything. Lately, they both have been acting weird. I think the heat is getting to them. HC has been continuously walking up to Ramona and doing 1 of 3 things: head butts, licks or bites. Ramona finally got sick of never knowing what she was going to get and barked at him the other day. Usually she just lays there and takes it.
Then on one of our really hot nights I was sitting on the couch sweating and HC saunters in through the doggie door and I look over and see this:
They are killing me.
One day last week, Ramona was too hot to eat so I put her food down on the ground figuring when she gets hungry she will eat. I look over and see this:

WTF?!? That cat is just plain crazy and I think he thinks he is a dog. That is prescription food for chrissakes. Ramona just watched from other side of kitchen. What a push over.

So today Mel, Myself and Mel's friend Monica from NOHO were out and about and got caught in the deluge in JP center. We waited under the awning at Blanchard's for a good 15 minutes for it to stop.
When it finally slowed down I ran to my car to pick the ladies up. Of course I got soaked, proven by my flat hair.
Anyway, I digress. After that adventure I get home and my really smart dog decided she did not want to come in the house from the deck when the rainstorm hit. Instead she slept through the whole thing OUTSIDE!!!
Appearently she thought this table was going to keep her dry. Of course, guess where HC was the whole time.
So who is the smarter animal? So of course Ramona decides now that she is soaking wet it is time to come in the house and rub up against all the furniture and drip everywhere. HC and I had to towel her off.

This of course caused an impromptu load of laundry and for some reason any chance he gets, HC tries to leave and explore the basement.
I know one day I am going to close the door after he sneaks by me and leave him out there.
Apparently the opportunity to go outside at any time through the doggie door is not enough for him. Never surprised, always amused.

I'm 40! 40 years old!

In one more day I will be in my 41st year. I turned 40 this month. I understand this is a milestone year for most people, but for me it has not been too big of a deal. This June was certainly better then last June, as my LF can attest too. Since that craptastic month last year things have certainly improved. As I reviewed my electronic photo album I realize I am a pretty lucky lady. All in all it has been a great year. Here is a recap.....

After getting past last June with my relationship barely in tact, my 40th year started off pretty good.

July....

We traveled out to MN to celebrate our friends Moe and Charla. We needed this weekend so bad, the whole month of June was a rainout in Boston. What a spectacular weekend all around.

and we had a fantastic time with Amanda and Maia while we were at it.

Spent some time in Ptown with a friend, who was having a rough time.

The pups came too, it was gorgeous and I got to be super gay and sing at a piano bar.

Ran a 5K on one of the harbor islands and met the mayor.

August....

Helped Ellen ring in her 50th, awesome party at a mansion.

With my BFF.

Watched the Sox lose in a bad way.

And sadly said goodbye and paid my respects to a great man.

Sept ...

Ended the summer in Western Ma. at Camp Scully! Finally Kayaked.

and got to hang with my grad school peeps.

Celebrated Jro.

And watched Jen cry in her beer at one of our annual Sox v. Angel games.

October....

Finally got to a game with Stratts, my sophisticated NYC friend who I miss terribly.

November...

Is pretty much about Football, not only the game I play but the game we enjoy watching together. Especially since Mel's team is The Saints.

The Violent Femmes celebrated in style once again, this year it included a wall retrospective of 12 eventful years, each milestone marked with a football and a story. My milestones were the day I met Monica with a game of catch and the first down it took all of the first season for the Violent Femmes to get. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

20+ years of friendship.

As usual the Soiree ended up a dance party.

I joined the team for the playoffs after taking the season off.

Though we lost, we gained some great new players and friends.

Of course watched as the LF's Saints beat my Pats.

Ran the Gooble, Gooble Gooble 4 miler so we did not have to feel guilty about Thanksgiving dinner.

December...

Finally we started getting snow so we could hit the slopes. My new obsession.

Rang in Christmas with a bad back that immobilized me for the entire weekend, but gifts were exchanged, even as I was high as a kite all weekend.

I managed to ring in the New Year still standing. This is pre Midnight.

January...

This is post Midnight.

Us oldies and our crazy traditions...at 3am no less.

February...

Was all about hitting the slopes. It was amazing. Too many pics to post, but I look legit in this one.

We celebrated the Saints Superbowl win with King Cake from NOLA.

Made our first trip to Frog Pond with every little kid in Boston.

And made sure we rang in Leigh's birthday with some Beatles Rock Band, anxiously waiting for Nugget to arrive.

March...

We were sad to see the winter end. Last snowboard of the season. Still cannot wait for next year.

We saw some art in Western Ma. at MassMoCa

April....

Yes!! Baseball season. LF indulges me for a couple of games. First one is always cold.

MN friends Charla and Moe visit for Boston Marathon.

Beer Tasting at Cyclorama, there was nowhere to put jackets except around waists(much to Jro's chagrin). Little did I know these three sneaks took part in a secretive plot to obtain the cool poster from event for upcoming 40th birthday. There was a turtle on it.

May....

What a better way to start a month then the arrival of Baby Kempinson. Alexa B Kempinski made her appearence on May 1. So appropriate.

We celebrated Melanie's birthday.

And we had one of the best Florida visits ever with the family. May was a pretty good predecessor to my birthday month.

June...

Finally Birthday Month, and it has been eventful!

Mel and I did the harpoon 5 miler.

We celebrated the 40th anniversary of Boston Pride. It was not lost on me that Boston Pride and I are the same age.

Parade with friends who now have their own amazing families.

Jen hosted her 2nd annual Pride BBQ, it was fun though it rained. Not sure what I am doing in the picture but I thought it was funny.

Birthday week was eventful. I had two Sox Games. Melanie and I took the day off and finally did the Sam Adams Brewery Tour.

Then dinner at Rocca. A good day though the Celtics lost.

Jen generously hosted another birthday dinner at her place. Here I am holding the poster my

sneaky friends stole a couple of months before. It is so long I had to stand on the deck to unroll.

Interestingly enough I look like the turtle in that poster blowing out my candles.

Starting the beer making process with the brew kit Melanie and friends gave me for my Birthday. The gift that keeps on giving. Hefewiezen is brewing as I blog. Ramona is brewmaster.

So that is my 40th year in pictures. They are just a small sample of the hundreds of pictures I took this year to celebrate my friends, my city, my family and life in general. I know I tweet, Facebook and social network my way through life, but it gives me the chance to share how lucky I am with those who care enough to be interested. Thanks to everyone in these pictures who make my life super fantastic, and support me through the good and bad.

Of course it would not be complete with out....

My geriatric dog.

Asshole of a cat.

and of course this hottie.

Happy Birthday to me!