Today I ...

1.  Got up at 8 am.  How slothful and wonderful!  However, we went to bed after midnight.

2.  Drank hot chocolate like I do every morning - what a delightful thing to wake up to every day.

3.  Did push ups like I do almost every day.  Keeps the core strong and boobs from dropping (I hope).

4.  Did my Visiting Teaching.  If you're a Mormon, you know what I mean.

5.  Paid some bills and made some phone calls.

6.  Rotated and organized the Fun Freezer where all the baked and bakery goods are.  I made up goodie plates for the Sunday School kids.

7.  Walked to the Post Office and back and then decided I needed to take a power walk in this sunshine

8.  Dan had to work at his desk so I drove to the Seabrook NH/Salisbury MA line for a change of scenery and walked that beach for 45 minutes.

9.  Took the Ring Island (I love that neighborhood, especially Edna St.Vincent Millay's former house) back route through Salisbury to cross the bridge in to Newburyport MA to get to the Tannery at Mill no. 1 (or is it 2?).

10. Perused the Wish Basket and all the beautiful house and kitchen things they have; bought a birthday card for my dad.

11. Spent 2 hours in one of my favorite books stores, Jabberwocky, just looking at books - gardening, art and house decor.  So fun.  

12. Talked to my son Heath on the the phone for half hour in a comfy chair at the Tannery while eating a tiny piece of Lake Champlain Dark Chocolate with tart cherries that I also bought at the Wish Basket.

13. Went in to Chocorua, also at the Tannery, and bought a brownie, apricot scone, and a mini double chocolate whoopie pie because I couldn't stop/help myself.  I'm powerless to resist a bakery.  I don't even have to eat any/everything, but I have to buy and try. However, I took one tiny bite of the brownie, which was so yummy! - thick, fudgey, super chocolatey, like a brownie should be.  I brought the rest home. 

14. Once home, we had to immediately leave to meet the missionaries and the Clark family for dinner at the new restaurant at the Rye Circle called the Atlantic Grille.  It was delicious!  I had salmon.  I highly recommend this new place.  We all loved our food. The Clark's treated us to this wonderful meal.

14.  Went to the Clarks house where the missionaries taught a lesson.  It was inspiring - the Clark's are fabulous people.  The missionaries are humble and valiant.  This was a happy day full of good things.

Teeny whoopie pie

Merrimack River, standing at the pier at Ring's Island.  Ducks among the floating ice, oblivious.

Newburyport MA seen across the river from the Ring Island Pier

 Maple glazed salmon over bacon and corn hash with oven crisped brussels sprouts on the sides

The missionaries with us and the Clarks at the Atlantic Grille

Dan in a 16th century japanese warrior helmet  - He served his mission in Japan.  This is not his helmet.