Sunday, December 26, 2010

"It's Christmas time in the city....."

 What an amazing Christmas we had. It's hard to believe that 2010 is coming to a close. We had such a great week and I have a ton of pictures. If I talk too much, you will be here forever, so I will keep it to a minimum! Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words!

Larry and Maggie holding Kenzie...(it was wonderful to see them both!)
The gang eating at Sam La Grassa's (honestly the best sandwich I have ever eaten)
Kenzie couldn't have a sandwich so she decided to chew on her carrier strap
The ladies before leaving to see the Boston Ballet perform 'The Nutcracker'
Maggie and Kenzie jumped in for this shot. I laugh every time I look at this picture...Kenzie's smiling just like everyone else!
We had some snow during the week (Granary Burying Ground) but as you will read below, we haven't seen anything yet!
Kenzie got pretty excited about meeting Santa! (I can't take credit for all of these shots, Aunt Amber took some great ones!)
The big moment!
"Hey wait a minute! You're not the real Santa!"
How about some pizza from Regina's delivered right to your door? Hungry anyone?
Kenzie opening her first (of many) Christmas gifts!
All the ladies had matching PJs. Us guys had to fend for ourselves...
 I had to document the first turkey that I cooked myself. It turned out pretty good!
Kenzie couldn't have turkey but Pops made sure she got plenty of food!
 Before and after shots of our Gingerbread Train. Of course the caboose has Kenzie's initials!


Here's Kenzie with Honey
 ... and some carolers mid-song!
Aunt Amber and Uncle Stephen and Honey and Pops had to head back home today. We sure are going to miss them! Fortunately we get Nana and Pawpaw for another week. There will be plenty more pictures to come! So now for a weather update...I never thought that I would get to experience a blizzard. If you read below you can see what we are in for tonight! I can't comprehend 20+ inches of snow in 24 hours...it is going to be interesting!

Issued by The National Weather Service


Boston, MA
4:56 am EST, Sun., Dec. 26, 2010
A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM EST MONDAY.
* LOCATIONS... ALL OF RHODE ISLAND EXCEPT BLOCK ISLAND AND ALL OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS EXCEPT CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS.
* HAZARD TYPES... HEAVY SNOW AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS... WITH CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS... 12 TO 16 INCHES OF SNOW.
* TIMING... LIGHT SNOW WILL START EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND BECOME HEAVY BY EVENING. VERY HEAVY SNOW WILL FALL THROUGHOUT TONIGHT WITH UP TO 2 TO 4 INCHES PER HOUR LIKELY AT TIMES. THE SNOW WILL TAPER TO FLURRIES EARLY MONDAY AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL PEAK FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MUCH OF MONDAY.
* IMPACTS... EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP BY THIS EVENING. STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH THE SNOW TO CREATE BLINDING CONDITIONS WITH NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY AT TIMES TONIGHT. WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES ARE EXPECTED DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM TONIGHT FROM BOTH THE STRONG WINDS KNOCKING DOWN POWER LINES AND THE WEIGHT OF THE HEAVY SNOW. SHOVELING SHOULD NOT BE DONE BY ANYONE WITH HEART CONDITIONS.
* WINDS... NORTH 25 TO 35 MPH.
* VISIBILITIES... ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A BLIZZARD WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OR FREQUENT GUSTS OVER 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH CONSIDERABLE FALLING AND/OR BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. VISIBILITIES WILL BECOME POOR WITH WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES. THOSE VENTURING OUTDOORS MAY BECOME LOST OR DISORIENTED... SO PERSONS IN THE WARNING AREA ARE ADVISED TO STAY INDOORS.
Here's one last picture of Kenzie for good measure. Someone sure loves bath time!
Have a great New Year!
Ashley
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Monday, December 20, 2010

Christmas has officially come to Boston!

What a great week it has been! We started by hosting a party for the gerontology fellows in my program. We had the party in the lounge of our apartment building and it was a blast. Here are a few pictures...
Our spread....
The gerontology fellows from left to right...Tia, Yasmin, Cassie, Houman, me, Liz, Diana and Jesse
 Kenzie enjoyed spending time with everyone-here she is with Diana
 Here we are back in the apartment after the party.
The highlight of the week has been the arrival of our family. It started with Danny and Ashley.
 Stephen and Amber came in next....this was Stephen's first time to meet Kenzie!
 Mom and Dad, Larry and Maggie came in today. Here is Mom spending some time with Kenzie.....
 It started snowing right after everyone made it in today. We'll see what it looks like in the morning-we are expecting about 4 inches!
Roman decided that the best way to deal with the snow is to just cuddle up! It looks like we may have a white Christmas!
Kenzie is already having a blast. I can't wait to see what memories we make this week! Have a great Christmas everyone!

Ashley
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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Merry Blossoms Christmas Card
Shutterfly has classic, elegant Christmas invitations for your party.
View the entire collection of cards.
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Saturday, December 11, 2010

Another week closer to Christmas

This week's post will be short. We've been spending all of our spare time getting ready for our guests that will begin coming in at the end of this week. Our guest list includes...

Mom and Dad
Jennifer's Mom and Dad
Stephen and Amber Gollott
Danny and his fiance Ashley
Larry and Maggie

We are going to have a full apartment but that's what will make it so great!
Just wanted to let you know that all of my blog posts are personally reviewed, edited, and approved by Kenzie. You can see her helping me out here.....
This week we got to spend some time with a friend, Dr. David Brooks. Dr. Brooks was one of my attendings during residency and was in town this week for a conference. Kenzie was more than happy to get to meet him....
 Kenzie........it's not polite to fall asleep on our guests....
Dr. Brooks is originally from Canada and he was so kind to give Kenzie a CD of lullabies sung by Carmen Campagne, a folk musician from Canada. You can play one of our favorite lullabies by pressing the play button above this post.

Recently I've gotten really interested in tracing my family ancestry. All I can say is that once you get started, it really becomes addictive. It's a bit like playing detective... you'll hit a brick wall and then suddenly you'll make a discovery and find out many remarkable things about the history of your family. I have much further to go but my most successful work has involved one bloodline...
My 29th great grandfather was Fulcher Eatington who lived in Eatington, England from 1020 to 1062! To give you some perspective of just how many generations this is, here is the timeline. Needless to say it has been a lot of work and I've got a lot more to do! The hardest part is verifying all these facts and it is going to take a very long time. It is my hope that Kenzie will have her entire family history to pass along to her grandkids one day.
Fulcher Eatington (1020 - 1062)
is your 29th great grandfather
Son of Fulcher
Son of Sewallis
Son of Fulcher
Son of Sewallis
Son of Henry Shirley
Son of Sewallis
Son of James
Son of Ralph
Son of Thomas
Son of Hugh
Son of Sir Ralph of Derbyshire
Son of Roger
Son of John
Son of Edward
Son of Thomas
Son of George
Son of Robert
Son of Robert
Son of Thomas
Son of John
Son of Daniel
Son of JOHN SR
Son of JOHN JR
Son of Jonathan
Daughter of John Marshall
Son of Martha Ann
Son of John Madison
Daughter of William George
Son of Aileen
Son of Wayne Charnell
You are the son of Leslie
Just had to share this humorous picture of my 17th great grandfather John Shurley. As it turns out I had some pretty "well-to-do" folks in my family. Funny what 600 years will do!



Just adjacent to our building I noticed a plaque on the exterior wall sometime ago. I've noticed it nearly every day but never knew what it commemorated. The plaque reads "Sons of Liberty" and can be seen below...

As it turns out our building sits on the spot where the Liberty Tree once stood. I must confess that the Liberty Tree is a part of Colonial American history that I was not very familiar with.  Here is the story of the Liberty Tree as found on
http://www.elmresearch.org/Liberty_Tree_Society.html
At the time of the revolution, a great elm tree stood in front of a grocery store here. It had wide spreading beautiful branches, and for many years was the center of business in Boston’s original South End. Several large elms grew nearby, and this area was known as the Neighborhood of Elms
On August 14 1765, this particular tree was selected for hanging the effigies of those men who favored passage of the detested Stamp Act. On September 11th, a 3.5’ by 2.5’ copper plate, with large golden letters, was placed on its trunk bearing the inscription The Tree of Liberty. There after, nearly all the great political meetings of the Sons of Liberty, were held in this square. It is believed the early dissenters of British rule, or Sons Of Liberty, had also adorned this tree with lanterns to symbolize unity.
The British made the Liberty Tree an object of ridicule. British soldiers tarred and feathered a man named Ditson, and forced him to march in front of the tree. During the siege of Boston, about the last day of August 1775, a party of Loyalists led by Job Williams, defiantly cut it down.
The Liberty Tree was planted in 1646 and stood for 129 years. Quoting the Pemberton Manuscripts of 200 years ago, at this spot had been "born the first fruits of Liberty in America."
 Hard to believe it's right outside my door....
This week's featured flashback will harken back to Christmas, 1996. Here you can see Mom's attempt to create a festive holiday card with our pet pig Petunia. Well...the rest of the picture explains itself. I still laugh everytime I see the look on Larry's face. What's even better is the look on Danny's face....he is enjoying watching Larry get attacked. That's what being a brother is all about, right Danny? Let's leave the high waisted, unbelted, tight jeans that I am wearing out of the conversation please.
Ok, I went on far longer than I expected. You can anticipate lots of pictures in the coming weeks. Kenzie can't wait to see all her grandparents and Aunts and Uncles. Here is one last picture-
"I get pretty excited about eating!"
Quote for the week-
Never cut what can be untied...
Enjoy the holiday season,
Ashley


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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

December 7th, 1941- a date which will live in infamy

Below is the text of President Franklin Roosevelt's speech to Congress on December 8th, 1941 one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. By clicking above, you can hear President Roosevelt deliver the speech. During the this holiday season, take a moment to remember those men who fought during the Great War. As a geriatrician I get to interact with these men and women on a daily basis-they truly are the greatest generation...


The USS West Virginia burns after being attacked


Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives:
Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And, while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense, that always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us. Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt - December 8, 1941
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Saturday, December 4, 2010

December Is Here!

Click the play button above for some great seasonal music!
This year has simply disappeared and now it is December. I think I am beginning to show my age because I can't help thinking how fast time is moving and I keep asking myself, "where has this year gone?".  We had a really great week. How about starting with a couple of pictures of Kenzie to keep it interesting...
I think I may have surprised Kenzie a bit...
 but she forgave me.
So here is an interesting story. In 1917 in Halifax, Nova Scotia a French cargo ship carrying a large amount of munitions collided with another ship in the harbor. A  huge explosion resulted (the largest manmade explosion up to that point in history) that destroyed approximately 500 acres of the city and killed nearly 2,000 people. See this picture taken immediately after the explosion...
Within 24 hours, the city of Boston deployed a train filled with supplies and volunteers to help the residents of Halifax. For nearly 40 years, Nova Scotia has donated a Christmas tree to the city of Boston as a thank you for their assistance during the disaster. Each year the tree stands in the Boston Common and is part of an official tree lighting ceremony that kicks off the holiday season. Here you can see the tree being prepared for transport to Boston (no I wasn't in Nova Scotia to snap this shot).
So this year we got to participate in the tree lighting ceremony. Here you can see Kenzie all dressed up for the event.
The stage where several great performers sang Christmas carols can be seen below. The Radio City Rockettes and Katharine McPhee also performed. You can see the 60 foot white spruce behind the stage.

Here is the tree after lighting.....you can click on the picture to get a better view.
 One of the streets near the Commons.....
 The Commons is not the only place that is in the holiday spirit. Here are a couple of shots from Washington Street.
 A street vendor .....
 Here is a beautiful live Christmas tree set atop the awning of the Macy's building.
This week marks the beginning of Hanukah. I am currently working at Hebrew Senior Life, a longterm care and rehab facility with a large Jewish population. One of the best things about working and living in Boston is learning about different cultures and the beliefs of others. Though I was familiar with Hanukah, I knew very little about its history until I did some research and talked to some of my Jewish colleagues. Hanukah comes from the Hebrew word for "consecration" and "dedication" and celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Some might wonder why Hanukah is an eight day celebration. At the rededication of the Second Temple there was only a sufficient amount of consecrated olive oil to burn the eternal flame in the Temple for 24 hours. In what is viewed as a miracle, the oil burned for eight days, just the amount of time needed to consecrate fresh olive oil and keep the eternal flame burning. This helps explain the purpose of the Menorah. One candle is lit every night of the holiday. The Menorah has a total of nine lights (one is used to light the others). To the Jewish people this serves as reminder of the rededication of the Temple and the "miracle of the container of oil".

Here you can see a public Menorah at the tree dedication ceremony in the Commons.
Just about every week we get a care package from the grandparents back home in Mississippi. This week we got a box filled with fresh sweet potatoes from Vardaman. Kenzie has been enjoying that fresh produce. While we are in Boston, my mom and dad have been babysitting our 'prized' lemon tree. Well you can see what happens when Mom aka 'green thumb' gets her hands on a plant.

Mom was kind enough to send up a couple of homegrown lemons for us to enjoy! And no we are not going to let Kenzie try them!
I realize that last week I forgot to post my featured flashback, so this week you get two for the price of one. Most of you know that I am a bit well...obsessive when it comes to Christmas lights. Below you can see our house in Tupelo for Christmas 2008. We also had a blast dressed as Mr. and Mrs Claus handing out candy canes and taking pictures with kids in the neighborhood. Several of the parents in the neighborhood told their kids that our house was Santa's summer home away from the North Pole. (For any kids reading this blog I am only a licensed employee of the North Pole that represents Santa, I am in fact not the real Santa Claus)

Anyway as you can imagine now I have gone two years without decorating (the exterior) of my home for Christmas. I am plotting a great comeback in my mind....converting to LED....extra receptacles....reindeer.....backup nuclear generator. It is going to be great. I am also looking forward to having the assistance of my new exterior illuminator in-training, Kenzie.
Here is one last picture of Kenzie.....now that is just cute!

Until next week,
Ashley
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