How to meet and make friends with the neighbors

1. Lose a branch from one of the two trees in your yard during a storm.
2. Clean up the branch and put it out for trash day before any of your neighbors even realize that the branch fell.  (If trash day conveniently happens to be the next day, this will be extremely easy!)
3. Lose another branch from the same tree during another storm so that about half of your tree is gone.  Poor sad tree:(
4. Attempt to clean up the branch, but realize you don't own the right tools for the job at the same time your neighbor crosses the street  to help you carrying his chainsaw and an extension cord.
5. Do not repeat too often or your neighbors may get annoyed that you won't buy your own tools.  

But for now, I'm really enjoying meeting the neighbors.  The neighbors on either side of us and across the street are awesome people who all have a dog (or dogs) and a kid (or kids).  We'll know where to go when we need advice for either!

Dinner on Carrabba's

Last night, Andrew and I were invited to Carrabba's for a wine tasting and dinner that on the owner!  It was amazing.  We sat at a table with about five other couples and the owner of the local Carrabba's and ate and drank so much!


We tried two appetizers, three entrees (including clams, which we'd never eaten before), and cannolis for dessert.  We also tried three wines, a prosecco, a pinot grigio, and a merlot (which of course was my favorite because I like red wine much better than white).  The food was delicious.  My favorite thing we tried was a new appetizer that was simply grape tomatoes and mozzarella on skewers with balsamic vinaigrette and pesto on the side.  I would eat that and only that for my entire meal.  Well, that and maybe some dessert, but I don't want to think about that right now because I'm STILL stuffed!

Look at what we'll be seeing on our honeymoon!

That's right!  One of the first things we're going to do in Maine is go on a moose safari.  Ever since I learned there was such a thing I've been dying to go, and now I'll finally get to!  We're going through a company called Mainely Photos in Millinocket, Maine.  The company is run by two professional photographers who give you a money-back guarantee that you see at least one moose.  I can't wait!

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At the start of summer

Well, summer is officially here!  And even though I'm teaching summer school, it's so nice to have a bit of a break.  The students in summer school always work really hard because they know that when they finish the class they're working on they don't have to come to summer school anymore.  We're not even a week in and I already have three students finished!

Other than teaching summer school, I've been working around the house.  We still have some stuff to move over from the apartment, but we should get that taken care of in the next week or two.  Right now, we're just having fun figuring out where everything should go.  We're also working our way through redoing the flowerbeds that the previous owners covered with a layer of plastic and then three to four layers of river rocks.  In order to be able to plant anything, we have to get rid of the plastic and rocks first, which is about as much fun as it sounds like it is to move...

I'm also working on planning our honeymoon.  At this point, we're thinking of flying into Boston and spending a day or two there.  Then we'll either rent a car and drive or take the train up to Portland, Maine.  We'll hang out there for a few days, traveling a little south to see some of the smaller towns (including Kennebunkport which I'm really excited to see!) and then head north towards Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.  On the list of things to do while in Maine:  see as many lighthouses as possible, see lobster, try lobster (neither Andy or I has ever had it), go whale/seal/puffin watching, go on a boat, and I'm sure there are some other things that I'm missing.  Anyway, if anyone's been to Boston/Maine I would love some suggestions of things to do/places to go.

On a completely different note, has anyone ever been to When Eddie Met Salad?  I went today for the first time and it was AMAZING!  I had the Sante Fe chicken wrap, which is not something I would normally get but it was so good.  I can't wait to go back and try some of the other food there.  Just thought I'd mention it in case any of you have been passing it by like I had until today.