Some Videos of Elyse

Here are some recent videos of Elyse.

Elyse chatting up a storm on 11/7:

And playing around today:

Here's Elyse working on standing today:

Christmas and other happenings

The past two months since the last post have gone by at times very quickly and at others very slowly. We both were so eagerly anticipating Thanksgiving and the opportunity to deliver some good news to both our families it felt like time was not passing quickly enough.

Everyone was delighted about the anticipated arrival of a baby Cahill due June 27th. We had a good first ultrasound and the second check up appointment the baby had a nice strong heart beat and was moving around. January 19th we'll find out whether I am right in thinking that its a boy.

December was busy with the usual holiday preparations and 3 work holiday parties. My two co-allergy fellows (Lora and Tim) and myself celebrated the half-way point of our 1st year and all its call and clinic responsibilities. We've been very fortunate to all like each other and work well together and enjoy some good food and time together outside the hospital.

Our tree this year wasn't as big as Jon would have liked but still beautiful and pleasant smelling.

We celebrated Christmas in New Jersey with both our families. Jon's parents were puppy sitting (explaining the table top tree) giving us a feel for what Christmas might hold for us next year. We made it back to Boston in time to enjoy the Blizzard of 2010 and all the snow shoveling to come with it.

The Other New England State

Three years in New England and we made our first trip to Vermont one weekend ago for the Columbus Day long weekend. This completes our sampling of all six New England states. From Boston it was a quick 3 hour trip through rolling country side and fall folige to Montpelier, VT - the smallest state capitol in the Union. The town itself is smaller than Lambertville or Flemington, two small towns I grew up by in NJ.

Besides an opportune time to take a peek at the leaves, we also had in mind to catch up with a dear high school friend of mine, Bob, who calls Montpelier and the surrounding Vermont wilderness his home now. We stayed in Stowe in close proximity to the Ben & Jerry's factory, Cabot Creamery, and Lake Champlain Cho

colates - all of which offer free sampling of their products. Bob took us on a wilderness adventure driving up the alpine road to near the ridge of Vermont's highest peak Mt. Mansfield. We then proceeded to hike the ridge to the peak on a beautiful clear, windy, and cold fall day. We had views of the snow capped Mt. Washington in NH and the other mountains of the Preside

ntial Range and the Adirondacks in NY. It's a good thing we went last weekend because this weekend Bob hiked up and skied down!

Our final destination was Vermont's largest city, Burlington, right on the shores of Lake Champlain. What a wonderful small city with great local Vermont food and beautiful surroundings. It reminded us a bit of the Pacific Northwest with the water and mountains. We got a chance to catch a rare sunset over the water.

Things we've been up to...

As we're nearing the 5 year mark on our life together, it seems we have each decided to take up new hobbies. Both hobbies are very practical in nature, which I believe suits our personalities, but they also offer us a creative outlet otherwise lacking in our day jobs.

Thanks to a wonderful birthday gift in a sewing machine and the encouragement of a few friends who actually knew how to use the thing, I started with a much needed replacement curtain for our pantry and have now finished 2 baby blankets in time for September showers and some lovely (if I can so boast) coasters which came in handy for housewarming gifts on our recent travels. I have a knack for gifting my creations before I remember to document but I was so proud of my first ever sewn piece that I did manage to snag a picture of the pantry curtain. Warning - you may be likely to receive a homemade Christmas gift!

Jon on the other has the self-discipline and patience to engage in a hobby that takes weeks from start to finish. Home beer brewing has taken over our hall closet and basement and sometime the dishwasher when it is time for bottle sterilization. He's joined the American Home Brewers Association and has now bottled the Cahill Irish Stout and will start to brew an IPA, yet to be named.

Here he is with the first brew in hand (a Belgian Blonde - the Jamacia Pond Blonde) and second brew 4 weeks into fermentation getting ready for the bottles! Some how I too was called to bottling duty! Another two weeks in the bottle and we'll get to try the first Stout. It smelled wonderful here. You'll just have to trust me on that.

Reunification in Baltimore

Jon had a rare week-long work trip this past week taking him to Ft. Lauderdale. While he was enjoying a tropical storm and long days in a conference room I was home alone having to make my own coffee, do my own dishes, and take out the trash in his absence. We were very happy when the week was over and we could be reunited at not quite home. Jon typically has to fly through Baltimore on his way back to Logan and I cashed in on some really cheap fares between Boston and BWI and we crashed at friends Mark and Emalee plus baby Alice who recently departed Boston for Laurel, MD.

The sunny warm fall weekend was perfect for exploring Mt. Vernon and picture taking. Overlooking the banks of the Potomac, its a rather stately locale!

There was time to catch up with mutual friends over dinner and pinochle and explore the waterfront in Baltimore and eat a crab cake before we flew the 56 minutes back to Boston to start another week together!

An afternoon drive

Jon asked on Thursday evening if I would like to go somewhere on Saturday or if I would rather stay and have a relaxing afternoon in Boston. Of course, I jumped on the opportunity to get out of the house when Jon mentioned it, because its usually me doing the suggesting that we should get out of the house.

87 sunny degrees made for the perfect afternoon for a ride with the top down. He didn't mention where he was taking us - partly because he wasn't so sure himself. We turned off the highway on to some very dusty dirt roads. He's Jon in the "town square" of Washington, NH - the first town in the Union to name themselves in honor of Gen. George Washington in 1776.

One of the many streams, rivers, and lakes we came across on our drive.

We went out of our way to see this national landmark of civil engineering - a set of three stone bridges constructed without mortar built by Scottish craftsman early in the 19th century. Two of them held us and the miata without difficulty.

Also, we passed by the birthplace of former President Franklin Pierce - the only president to claim NH as their birthplace.

But the real reason Jon decided to hop in the car for a 2 hour drive, was the chance to experience Schnitzelfest in Hillsborough, NH. Beer, bratwurst, schnitzel, red cabbage, saurkraut, and potato salad all under one tent with a ompa-pa band and even a few locals in traditional dress made for a very fun afternoon.

the new addition

Jon found himself a new toy. It comes with flip with headlights and all! Proof that he's not the only one who gets to drive it. I'm not yet sure if I approve, but we're having fun and we'll give rides if you can find a way to get to Boston.Hoping to post a little more often this fall, but only time will tell.