Sunday, July 31, 2011

"I took some time out for life."


:) I am now finally writing again!  But not for long.  Vacation and a wedding are coming up!  10 days!  Sighs, for the past nine days I have been kicking myself to get on here and type again, but I have been either too lazy or busy doing something else that I haven't been able to get here.  Anyway, I have multiple new recipes that my family and I have had in the past few days.  First of all, Black Bean Hummus, which is excellent!  I just put the two tablespoons of the hummus on a medium whole-wheat wrap... It was amazing!  I also came up with my own recipe :)  I entered it in a WholeFoods contest but I didn't win :(  But that doesn't mean my recipe wasn't great!  'Cause it was!  
A Dancer's Raw Energy Boost
1 cup of unsalted almonds
1 cup of (Vegan; Dark) Chocolate Chips
1/3 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of craisins
1 teaspoon of salt (+ maybe a little more - pinch?)
.......
Mix together in a bowl and done :) 
And if you want a serving amount, I have been having 1/4 cup.
........
Next, my dad made three baguettes.  The first time he tried, the yeast didn't "activate," so he started again a few days ago, and today, we had three amazing breads.  Well, we had one :).  I will try and post the recipe tomorrow, because I am too comfy to get up right now, sorry.  
The next recipe, is Stuffed Vegetarian Peppers.
So, over the next few days, last chance for me to type is Wed., I will try to keep writing and keep you posted.  And just a few songs that remind me of where I am going:
My New Hampshire ( I get the best memories listening to these songs - and whenever I am listening to a song up to these places, that song will remind me of the place, hence, these songs:)

Thursday, July 21, 2011

A Crushing Find

The dress!  The one from the last post... It is my size and everything but it is too much money! ...
Well, here's a recipe/idea I came up with, it is a trail mix type thing, and it is really good.
  • Craisins
  • Raisins
  • (Vegan optional) Dark (or any) Chocolate Chips
  • Salt
  • Unsalted Almonds
I didn't do any measurements, so do whatever you like :), but not too much salt!
In a (any sized bowl; depending on how much you chose) bowl, mix everything together.  When everything is mixed, put in a container, and done. :) Not much to it.

Okay, well it's another boring day, except for the fact I am now looking forward to September!  No, not school, well I am but no... Dance!
Yesterday, my mom went to drop off the dress I wore for the feis, when she came back home she looked at the upcoming dance classes at the school.  Now, since I am getting more into dance, I am going to be more competitive, so it looks like I will be doing two classes instead of one.  Very excited :D
Anyway, I am going to go and play a mindless game on my iPod... I've become so obsessed I've had dreams with some of the characters involved (stumpies-chicken; redmane wolf-wolf)! Sick.
It comes in PINK too!

Monday, July 18, 2011

" A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement."

Nationals was amazing!  And although I didn't place first, second, or third, in solos, I did get awards in other things.  First of all, after going to the hotel the night before the competition, my parents and I went and got sushi for dinner.  I tried some Rainbow rolls and Spicy Tuna Maki.  The Rainbow rolls were better :) After the rolls, I had a small thing of Seaweed Salad which my dad and I shared, then, I ate almost all of my mom's vegetables when she got her meal :)  All the broccoli and water chestnuts.  Hehe.  When we got back to the hotel, my mom and I went to the cafe while my dad unpacked the car.  I got a latte which was WAY too hot and scorched the back of my throat and tongue :)  Oh well.  At nine-thirty my mom started to curl my hair.  At six the next morning, we got up and got ready since check-in time was at seven-thirty.  But, by seven-thirty, we were having breakfast since we had checked in the night before.  For breakfast, I had a mini cinnamon apple Danish I suppose it was, two mini blueberry muffins, and apple juice.  Not very healthy - it was kind of gross, but the rest of the day I never quite had anything healthy :).  When we got to the hotel where the competition was being held, I got into the traditional solo team dress and went over my steps one more time.  I did this because the judges hadn't put in the ranks that I had moved up a level in the digital feis, so I had been told I was going to dancing with beginners.  "178" had been called up twice and sent back once in four hours.  Ugh, I had been SO READY the first time, and so excited and not nervous, but after two hours went by, my excitement went down dramatically, so when I went up, I didn't do as well as I had hoped :'((.  But, my school took home almost every award, and once or twice, or maybe more, we took home all three places.  My group's free-style dance was awesome too.  Everyone's shirts had a word that describes them since our song, "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga is about acceptance, so my shirt said, "Vegetarian."  Our group won second place, and our other group won first.  Everything was busy and fun, and hectic and amazing.  It was my first feis, and I am SO excited to do more.  I think I see a solo dress in my future :D Much like the one at the top I hope :).  My mom and I are already waiting for the sign-ups for two other feis' near us in the Fall.  Anyway, no more dancing till the sleep-away camp :). 


                                                                 

Friday, July 15, 2011

"Full of dreams and fascination....It's burning me up inside....It's growing, it's waiting...."

Yesterday, my mom and I both thought I didn't have practice yesterday, but really it ended up I did.  So, I was an hour late to dance, and thankfully, I got there just in time.  Because as soon as I walked in, one girl fell back and broke or fractured her wrist.  She was brought to the hospital, while we stood wondering what we were going to do about the three (each) Ceili she was in.  In the end, I learned the four hand and two other girls learned either the six or eight hand.  I still have a few problems with the four hand so tonight I and the rest of the Ceili group I am in, are going to practice once we get to the hotel.  :D Tomorrows the feis :))!  All day.  Sighs.  So excited!  I will try to post again tomorrow night when we get home, but it depends how tired I am, and hopefully I don't come home disappointed ;).  Wish me luck!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

What is a "dream" that involves both love and pain called?

Yes, I have been in a pain a good part of my day.  When I woke up at nine o'clock this morning, and came downstairs, I expected to be hungry, and well, from another blog I am following ("Kristen's RAW" or something of that type) she once wrote that some people eat when they aren't hungry, and to ask yourself, Am I really hungry?.  And so, I did I ask myself - after I ate half a Luna Bar with a glass of Chocolate Soy milk.  ... I then ate another Barbara's Bar, but I paid for my not-hungry-feast when I sat down.  I didn't feel good at all, and green tea didn't help either.  As the day went on, and the pain came and went, dance was once again at three-thirty.  Today though, we got our pinnies!  They are awesome, and they have our school, Nationals 2011 on the front, and our last names on the back!  :))  After dance, since I thought I was going to be late because I had a piano lesson at seven-thirty, my dad had made three pancakes for me from a recipe I had found on the internet.  I had wanted to make a pancake, and I had wanted to try these Vegan Chocolate Chips, so I had recipe from LIVESTRONG.com and had it made :)).  But I did substitute for the Vegan Chocolate Chips.  Still tasted great!  And with Wholewheat flour too :)).  The website says it serves 18 and makes one pancake and an apple.  Anyone understand why?  When my dad made it, we got three pancakes, but I only ate one tonight and will have the other two over the next two days.  Anyway, today was our last practice, and Saturday is NATIONALS!  :D Very excited!  Need to go take a shower after my very-poorly-done-in-my-words piano lesson.  Thank God I didn't kill her ';).  JK night.  BTW today felt like a dream aside from the pain, because whenever I see my school, or even walk through the parking lot, anyway physical or emotional pain I feel, is gone.  Poof.  Just like these past two weeks and Irish dance at any time.   Also, found an awesome song today that I would call my theme song.  Must listen!! Bye

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

I Am Thee "Raw" Dancer

It was 100 degrees today and I curled up on the couch - for the most part.  When I woke up to at nine o'clock, I wasn't that hungry, until twenty minutes later.  Well, last night I was thinking of what I would eat today; I really wanted ice cream, and thankfully we had some.  So, for breakfast I had a Clif Kidz Chocolate Brownie Bar and half a cup of Mocha Almost Fudge Ice Cream from So Delicious Turtle Mountain.  I was watching the Outdoor channel for a while, then some show called "Disappeared"  or something, then I got hungry again.  I ate a Barbara's Multigran Blueberry Bar and a apple to satisfy my want to nibble.  At that point I remembered I hadn't yet had my vitamin, so I then had that with a glass of Chocolate Soy milk.  Later, I had some pretzels before dance and some crackers, and at that point my mom was home.  We went to my neighbors house before dance since I am going to take care of her cats for a few days.  After that, we went to a local dance store (which btw, is mostly for ballet, which really sucks hehe) to buy a pair of shorts to wear under the traditional  solo dress I am going to dance in for my solos at Nationals.  We were successful.  When I got to dance, we started right away with stretches and exercises.  During dance, the soles of my feet felt worse than ever!  Over the past two weeks, the soles of my feet have been loosing skin.  Or at least, that is how it feels.  By Sunday my soles won't have any skin on them :)).  Ouch.  After we did all of our dance, I came home to a mini pizza which tasted really good and I downed it in five minutes.  :)) Right now we are finishing the Harry Potter from last night; wonder if we'll start the second tonight :)).  Well, I need to get in the shower; more ice cream tomorrow!  Maybe...:)

Monday, July 11, 2011

"If you want to accomplish the goals of your life, you have to begin with the spirit."

http://stores.theirishjewelrycompany.com/catalog/061164detail.JPG
I did it :)).  I took the "stage" today during the four hours I was at dance.  I swear the girl that has been teaching me during my private lessons could be a motivational speaker or coach or whatever!  I would love to tell you what I chose when she told me to aim for to get higher off the ground, but I don't want it to lose its "special" feeling :)).  Anyway, apparently I am dancing with beginners at the feis lol.  They placed me wrong, but I am going to be scored as a Advanced Beginner.  So, today was really awesome!  I was weeding this morning and I pulled out a dead bush.  It was a butterfly bush; I had enjoyed knowing I was touching the "corpse" of a tree :)).  Hehe.  I sound SO disturbed don't I?  Sorry, I don't mean to sound that way.  So, dinner was oatmeal, a few Craisins, a few of the crackers that Kashi sent me that I dipped in a pesto my dad made, and some of the FINISHED banana chips!  Ah, good eats.  Well, other than those activities, I really didn't accomplish much today, right now my parents and I are watching the first Harry Potter, but I should be going in the shower :)).  Ugh, the food at Hogwarts looks so good!  Anyway, I guess I will go in the shower, plus, I need to think of a word that describes me, like, "Forgetful" or something :)).  Night people!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

It Has Been FAR Too Long

                                                                        Soft Shoes :))
                                                  My lunch from both yesterday and today
                                                           Awful shot!
                                                                         My bow :))
                                                         The Range
Today has been really nice, but I was very disappointed in myself when my dad and I went shooting.  Sorry I didn't post yesterday; had lots of family over.  We all had sandwiches for lunch, then they left, then one family came that is family too.  We then had the rest of the sandwiches for dinner hehe.  There were so many desserts too!!!!  They were good too; there were lemon bars, a chocolate cookie/chocolate death pie or something lol, and cheesecake chocolate cookie dough bars, and chocolate and butterscotch chips cookies too.  Well, before this lunch though, right when I woke up, my dad and I went to Whole Foods and stocked up for the week and yesterdays meals.  During this shopping spree, I got Hemp Milk!!!  I tried it, and so did my dad - we both liked it a lot :).  It was sweet; which would be very good with cereal or granola.  Then, when we got home, my mom was home too from work, but she had gotten some cold cuts for the sandwiches and my dad got bacon.  As I put the food away, I couldn't stand the smell of the ham or turkey!  And when I was putting away the bacon, I was so grossed out by the feeling of it even though it was in plastic!  Ewww.   Anyway, after the family all left, we went to church, then we came home and I made some of the Spiced Vanilla Granola.  But this time, we didn't have vanilla extract OR walnuts!  So, I roasted some sunflower seeds.   It actually tasted good :).  BTW my sandwich consists of one slice of whole-wheat bread, two slices of Swiss cheese, two lettuce leaves, and two tomato slices.  2, 2, 2, 1!  Haha.  Oh and also, yesterday morning I woke up and went downstairs and told my dad I wanted to make banana chips with cinnamon, and when I did, he was like, "Okay, we will need..."  I just woke up!  And I didn't expect to do it right then!  :) Oh well, the banana is still trying.  It has been over twenty-four + hours and it is still drying!  (All you need is (a) cut up banana(s) and just cover them in cinnamon; then when it is done, put extra cinnamon on (optional).)
By two o'clock, my parents and I went to the shooting range and did a few rounds.  There were two other men there, and from what I have noticed, is that whenever there is two other people there, only one of them is more friendly than the other.  Just like today :).  Then, oh my goodness, every time, before we shoot, we should be stretching!  But we, I, never do it!  And I never think about it till after we shoot!  My bloody right shoulder always gives out after almost four or six rounds!  And today, I almost pulled something in my hip!  Ugh, for a license here the minimum pull-back weight is 35 lbs.  That is what my bow is.  :( Today was so awful!  I blew and lost one of the five arrows I was shooting!  Then, right after that one left me, the next arrow flew straight over the twenty-five yard target and dug itself into the ground by the trees!  I found it though :).  Thank goodness.  When we got home, we made dinner.  For dinner, I had a Boca Bruschetta Burger with 1/3 cup of Craisins and 1/4 cup of Raisins.  Yeah, this might sound like the flavors don't go, but actually, they did.  Anyway, this week is the feis - Nationals :).  Practice Monday-Thursday.  Wish me luck!

Friday, July 8, 2011

"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."

Just a thought that saddened me today...  While as I was at practice (dance for Nationals), I was doing my solos, and after I did my solos, my teacher, and an "assistant" I suppose he was, told me what I needed to do.  Ugh!  My problem is three things.
  1. I need to take up the whole stage, if not most.
  2. I need to keep my head up and not look down...
  3. DANCE WITH PRIDE
 "Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong."
'Am I scared of myself?  Am I afraid to meet my own eyes?  Why am I looking down at my feet?  It's not like my eyes are going to catch something wrong because I can feel it and I know what it is in my mind.  So stop looking down at your feet and meet the eyes of the freakin' world!' - Moi :(
Fear and shyness are too things I am when I dance.  I am not competitive, but what I am is, is a perfectionist.  Which is why during practice today, I thought I was doing well on my slip jig until my teacher told me I was looking down after I finished...  :( BUT when I did my light jig, wait for it... I KEPT MY HEAD UP!  So, afterwards I went to the girl that was teaching me my private lesson while I was going to get some water, and I looked at her and smiled, saying, "Did I keep my head up?"
And she smiled back, and nodded, saying, "Yep."
I was so proud of myself!  And I am succeeding in taking up the stage, but another thing I was having trouble with, and this is where I get really ticked, the girl was trying to get me, well, I wouldn't say competitive, but...hmmm... lets say prouder.  Yeah, my shoulders were back, and my head was looking up at the ceiling, but,
"'ECHO,' WHAT ARE YOU DANCING FOR!" She yelled at me.
I thought of Boston.  And a perfect day there.  I didn't want it to end.  But the thought made me almost cry.
What can I think of?  My mom said to do my best, and to push myself to that limit, but my mind likes to think of negatives and the possibilities of death and failure.  *Sticks tongue out at self*  Something is seriously wrong with me. 
The wrong way to think about it.
The right way to think about it :).


And just to sum it all up, night!

Dance is the Language of the Body

Today is just like all my other days this past week, dance, boredom, daydreaming, and eating, but this blog I want to be about dance as much as possible because since this past week, and the coming next one are going to be my dancing weeks before Nationals.  Dance has taken over my life :). If you think about how many days I am dancing before Nationals, and the hours I am practicing, then you should get that I will have spent 21 hours dancing in all!  But wait!  I forgot I had one and will have another, private lesson for an hour.  That is now 23 hours plus me working at home!  By next Sunday I will be passed out on my bed with ice on my feet and legs.  Hehe.  (My legs are sore though, since we did crab-walks on our toes yesterday four times...When I got up this morning at my friend's house, I sat up on my knees and I cried out in pain!  Such a drama-queen *winks*)  Anyway, I have also been VERY dedicated to "So You Think You Can Dance" this season, so that show has taken over my TV life as well.  Yes, a lot of the dances have made me cry and there was one from last season that made me cry too.  It was these four men, and they were dancing the life-cycle of a boy, from the age of a toddler to an old man.  I loved the toddler version!  That one made me cry because it was so pretty and sweet and good!  Ugh, I can't find the video :(, I hope those of you who have seen the past season(s) will know what I am talking about...  Well, one thought that occurred to me today, was that dance seems to be, if not is, an act of celebration of the body.  The different movements you can do with it, the different things you can tell with it, all of these actions tell how dancers represent humankind.  Reels for instance, they can be very good party dances, and slip-jigs, they are graceful and silent.  The girl that was helping me during a private lesson said slip-jigs made her (or anyone I suppose really) feel like she was walking/dancing on air.  And it was true, it does.  Example of a Slip Jig.  As for Ceilis, my personal favorite form, is a group dance.  They can be simple, fast, graceful, and I find them very fun.  Holy crap! I was looking for a Fairy Reel (Which I did in my dance recital) and found the Glencar Reel which I am doing for Nationals! YAY!  Overall, Irish Dance has its own stories and voice too, even if you don't see Irish dancers using every fiber of their being in the dance, I can assure you that their whole heart is in it, and it is leaping to the very ends of their toes!  Dance is a gift, a lifestyle, and a tongue everyone can speak.  Maybe not well, but it would always be true.
"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance."  ~Japanese Proverb
"Nobody cares if you can't dance well.  Just get up and dance."  ~Dave Barry
"Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!"  ~Constanze 
"The truest expression of a people is in its dance and in its music.  Bodies never lie."  ~Agnes de Mille 
"Dancing faces you towards Heaven, whichever direction you turn."  ~Terri Guillemets 
"You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart." 
"Dancing can reveal all the mystery that music conceals."  ~Charles Baudelaire 
"I am a dancer.  I believe that we learn by practice.  Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living.... In each it is the performance of a dedicated precise set of acts, physical or intellectual, from which comes shape of achievement, a sense of one's being, a satisfaction of spirit.  One becomes in some area an athlete of God."  ~Martha Graham, c.1953 
"The Last Dance" 

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Facts For Today

Well, today I won't be able to end today writing, so I will start the day by doing so.  Since my day has only just begun, and my day will be the same with dance, but different because it will be for four hours and I will be going to a birthday afterwards, I suppose I will just write a couple random facts down.  So, the only thing that is for sure about what I will have for dinner, is a Boca Bruschetta burger :) (my mom is too)!  Well, here ya' go!
  • "British research shows that a child's IQ predicts his likelihood of becoming a vegetarian as a young adult. You guessed it: the smarter the child, the more likely he'll eventually shun meat."
  • "Plants yield 10 times more protein per acre than meat."
  • "Irish step dancing is often performed to music that is in 2/4, 4/4 or 6/8 time, depending on whether the music is a form of "jig," "reel," "hornpipe" or another type of music."
  • "Many foot movements of softshoe dances seem similar to Scottish country dancing, while some hardshoe dances more closely resemble flamenco style dancing. The movements and positions of hardshoe dancing are much more restrictive than those of the more fluid flamenco style, though, and hopping is far more prevalent. Unlike most softshoe dancing, hardshoe dancing involves rhythmic and very fast striking of the floor with the tips of the shoes."
  •  "Odontophobia is the fear of teeth."
  • "Ice Cream is Chinese food."
  • "A chocolate contains caffeine, but you will have to eat more than a dozen of chocolate bars to obtain the same amount regarding caffeine from a cup of coffee."
  • "Chocolate is truly a valuable energy resource. A single chocolate chip provides enough energy with an adult human to be able to walk 150 feet."
  •  "One ounce of chocolate or cocoa contains 10% with the daily recommended ingestion of iron."
  • "47% Americans for whom the word “comforting” comes to mind when they think of pie."
I need to go now, but I hope you found these interesting!  I know I did :).

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

"Dance as if no one were watching. As if no one were listening. And live everyday as if it were your last."

I did keep my promise  :) yay!  So the first picture is of the Soy Berry Good Smoothie, but this time I used mostly blackberries with some frozen blueberries and I split everything in half again but twice this time too, except the protein power I put in a regular amount (never can have too much protein! hehe).  Now, the second picture is of the Gaelic word, "Rince."  It means "Dance" in Gaelic.  And that, is what I have been doing for the past three hours once again!  :D  Today was better; I got to learn the eight six-hand ceili which was very confusing, but very short and kind of simple.  Anyway, dance was good today, the day was good, and for dinner I had the smoothie, two pieces of shrimp from my mom's dinner, and three handfuls of some Autumn Wheat Kashi Cereal.  Overall it was very fulling and tasty, and now, this post is over.  Night!

Bagels Deserve a Good Partner


So, on Sunday, I made a smoothie for breakfast that had both strawberries and many frozen blueberries.  The book said it served two, so I split everything in half and it still made too much!  But I suppose the  "too much" was just what I was supposed to have.  I did it/drink it all :).  Then later in the afternoon, after my dad and I shopped at Stop & Shop, I made a bagel spread.  The next day, Monday, I ate a Whole Wheat Bagel with this spread, and it was amazing!  Absolutely delicious!  The recipe makes two cups, and it is good for two weeks if refrigerated.  Anyway, here are the recipes:

Soy Berry Good Smoothie

Nutty Tofu Bagel Spread

I got these from The Big Cookbook of Vegetarian 

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Dance As If... The judge is your grandmother. The stage is your living room only bigger. Keeping your feet turned out, toes pointed, legs crossed and arms glued to your sides is the most natural thing in the world. Everyone who ever said "You can't" is under the stage."

:D "Born This Way-Lady Gaga".  Dance.  For seven days, three hours straight, and a whole day devoted to Irish Dance.  Today was my first day of actual camp for Nationals. (Dang it, I will post it tomorrow, but I have two new recipes that is a must try!)  Today, we went over our group dances.  My teacher couldn't get everyone to be in the same amount of ceilis so some people (like me) aren't going to be in all the ceilis :(.  I can't be in the four hand ceili because I am on the cusp of turning a new age (my b-day isn't for another few months...Gosh lol), but I am in the eight hand ceili but we will be learning that tomorrow :).  Anyway, our freestyle dance is going great, well, both of them are, and my solos are almost perfect but I keep messing up on the turns on the second half of my slip-jig :( and my rhythm is a little off in my light-jig.  Sighs.  Otherwise, everything is great!  My parents were worried I wasn't getting enough calories (energy) and carbohydrates (reg. and complex).  So, I made my food list of the week: Snacks:
  • Pretzels
  • Apples
  • Bananas  
  • Nature Valley Granola Bars/Cascadian Bars (yummm)
  • Plus, if I need a chocolate fix I have Chocolate Soy Milk or/and a piece of Ground Dark Chocolate (Organic-don't know if that changes anything)
Breakfasts:
  • Smoothies (one of the new recipes) 
  • Oatmeal
  • Bagel w/ spread (the other new recipe)
  • Granola (the Spiced Vanilla one; this granola I was hoping to have with Hemp milk)
  • Cereal - Kashi :)
Dinner:
  • Boca burger (Bruschetta  - tastes like sausage!  Very good if craving meat; I had this tonight)
  • Smoothie
  • (Personal) Veggie Pizza (will post brand later; I feel it matters *smiles*)
  • "Chicken" Cutlet (Veggie Patch)
Drinks:
  • Water (LOTS)
  • Tea (preferably Green tea or Chamomile)
  • Soy Milk
So, this is my meal plan for the week.  It is all very tasty and good; this is all very filling, healthy, and 100% Vegetarian :).  Anyway, promise I will post tomorrow.  Night.

A Dream That Ended Too Quickly

                                                      The Dream
                                                                    The Dock
                                                                Her Flowers
Well, I am guilty... I have been home since Sunday afternoon, but I have not been able to get to this sadly. :( Anyway, I am here now, and I will now tell you how my 4th of July weekend went!  BTW HAPPY BELATED 4TH  JULY!  :) Over the weekend, my parents and I visited my grandma in MA, but before that, my grandparents had to drive me up to meet my parents who were coming down to meet us in the parking lot of The Chowderpot.  Afterwards, my parents and I went back up to MA and went to have lunch at The Cabby Shack.  I LOVE THAT PLACE hehe.  There, I tried my mom's tuna salad sandwich...I liked it a lot :).  But, there, I had a salad that was okay; I just wasn't in the mood :(.  Anyway, after that, we drove that last few minutes to my grandma's and talked to her till five.  At five, we went to dinner at the Milepost, and there, I had my very first Tuna salad sandwich!  I took a pic of it, but didn't post it.  I absolutely loved it; and I also had tea (Tazo Spiced Orange Decaf) which was too hot and burned my finger and tongue.  While we were at my grandma's, we talked with her pretty much the whole time but we did go out for lunch the next day.  we went to The Lobster Shack where I had for the first time Fish & Chips (w/o the chips though :) I had coleslaw) which I loved too!  Hehe.  Then, later, in the afternoon, we went to a tourist area in Duxbury where we went through a bunch of shops.  There was a cute one called Eco Chic I think...While my parents and I were looking around, my grandma sat on the bench happily and made friends with those around her.  My dad went to go check on her (she's his mommy hehe) and she introduced him to a new friend she made!  After shopping and buying nothing, we went to dinner at the East Bay Grille where I got a five shrimp cocktail (with a seaweed salad in the middle of it) with Broccolini!  Broccolini is the most amazing, tastiest, veggie I have ever eaten!  BTW the first picture, is suppose to represent the Dream :).  That torch was at the East Bay Grille where we ate outside.  The second, was a dock my dad and I went to later that night - where I took a lot of pictures!  And the last, was of one of the patches of lilies in my grandma's yard.  We were here for only two nights and three days... There were a few times I wanted to cry because I really don't like where I live - I only like a few things (like friends and people I like).  But, I don't want to leave anyway for another few years :) : College.  So, I have to make a separate post :).  SO, next one.