Bowles Blog

Who Wore it Best?

Bobby Law trekked to San Francisco for work last week.  He was there for less than 48 hours but he managed to do quite a bit of  some shopping.   Among the things he returned home with:  a knitted tiger hat.

The story of how he "talked" with the Chinese {and Chinese speaking} vendor woman to determine which animals she had available is best told by Bobby Law.  Here's a snapshot anyway:  a busy San Francisco street, a silver haired businessman making dog sounds {"woof, woof"} and a slight Chinese woman gesturing back saying "meow, meow".  Yep, that's my husband.

Back to the question at hand.

Who wore it best?

Bobby Law:

or

Cuyler:     

Tough call, eh?  I think we may have a couple of male models on our hands.

Hello, Abercrombie & Fitch??

 

Boat o' Backpacks

Just before school started last month, we took a family day trip up to Maine.  Along with a stop in Wells to negotiate the Maine Diner gift card Bobby Law won when he went there last summer, we were searching for backpacks.

Naturally, we headed to the flagship LL Bean store in Freeport.

Naturally, we couldn't find any backpacks in the right color and size combination for any of the 3 kids for under $80.

Naturally, we left empty handed.

Eventually we made our way to the less crowded and less expensive LL Bean outlet.  There they had backpacks by the boatload (literally) and priced from $18-$35. 

That's more like it.

Of course there was a catch.

All of these first quality backpacks we returns.  Not just any old returns.  Backpacks that had been monogrammed with a child's name or initials--and then returned.  Gotta love a generous return policy.

We began digging through the backpacks with great amusement.  In fact, we ended up buying Ebby a backpack named Heidi. 

Not to worry, it's even cuter now that I ripped out the name stitching and replaced it with an iron-on bird applique.  For $26 for a durable, long lasting LL Bean backpack, you can't go wrong.

In the meantime, Cuyler told me he was really hoping to find a backpack with his name of it.  Now, you know as well as he does, when you go the the rack of personalized stickers or souvenir license plates, you can find Elizabeth, you can find William, but you can't ever, nope never, find Cuyler.

I laughed and told him I'd be "very, very surprised" if he found a backpack with his name on it.

And then he found out this.

Are.You.Kidding.Me??????

So funny, and so close.

Close, but no Cuyler.

So, for the forseeable future, Cuyler will continue to use his Target backpack he's had since 2nd grade.  Maybe next year we'll have better luck.

 

 

 

First Meet

Yesterday history was made.

I attended my first ever high school sporting event.

No, really.  I think it might have been.  I pride myself on never having attended a high school football game and really, what else would I have gone to?  My high school athletic career consisted of church league basketball with my favorite Lutherans.  I was busy working at Burger King, driving my silver 1981 Monte Carlo to Nantasket and studying...

{ETA: Ebby kindly reminded me that we attended a regional XC meet for Julia last fall. That was held at a college with a huge group of runners.  Thus my confusion.}

But wait, this post isn't supposed to be about me.

It's supposed to be about Ebby and her first cross country meet.

Ok, time to focus.

Really, this high school athletics thing is new to me.  Practice every day, a {weekly} pasta party, races, a t-e-a-m??  Heady stuff.  Ebby's already caught right on.

Luckily I've had plenty of practice spectating races thanks to Bobby Law.  He recently told me he's run over 40 marathons in his career.  In addition to the 5 Ironman races and countless shorter distance triathlons and road races.  Bobby Law also ran cross country himself in high school (and college...for a time) so he's got lots of experience and knowledge on the subject.  Of running. Cross country.

Anyway, yesterday's meet. At home vs. D-Y (Dennis-Yarmouth for those not in the "know").  Apparently they are our arch nemesis.  At least in girls cross country.

At these dual meets (just 2 teams, again for those not in the "know", i.e. me, 2 weeks ago) there are two races:  boys and girls.  No freshman race, no JV race.  Everyone just goes.  Together.

Clueless as we were as to where exactly the course was, we got there in plenty of time.  We consisted of me, Bobby Law, Will, Cuyler and Nana. We had to be careful to hang back out of sight of the team (Ebby) before the race.  The first race was scheduled for 4pm but D-Y got stuck in Cape traffic.  Go figure.

The course is almost exclusively in the woods (photo is of the 2 teams walking over to the course) and the veteran parents came so much more well equipped than us.  Them:  lawn chairs, coolers, refreshments.  Us:  a tennis ball, small camera and iPhones.  Duly noted.

The boys and Bobby Law spent some time scouting out the course which loops around an area known as The Pit.

Can you see why?

Apparently ours is among the toughest courses in the league.  2.98 miles (two loops and a nub) over rugged terrain including sand (The Desert), roots and rocks.  At least there's a decent amount of shade.  Well, except for in The Desert.

Finally around 4:30, the boys race went off.  Bobby Law was amused by the fact that they still hand out numbered popsicle sticks at the finish line.  I don't know the times, but I think our boys team may have won.

By around 5pm, it was time for the girls race to start.  At this point our spectating was spread out:  Nana was in one spot just past the finish, Bobby Law and Cuyler were at the start and Will was patrolling the ridgeline overlooking The Pit.  I stood alone at a spot just before the finish line.  While it was kind of a bummer not to be all together, Bobby Law was texting me updates from the start and along the course so that was cool.

Since it's a two loop course I got to see Ebby run by twice before I moved to the finish line with my camera.  As I mentioned, I was standing alone.  I'm also kind of quiet sometimes.  True fact. So when Ebby went past me, I clapped.  I may have also said 'Go Ebb' --but in an indoor voice.  I am such a lame spectator.  I did clap for every runner, boy or girl, us or D-Y that went by me.  Quiet encouragement.

Bobby Law, in contrast, was apparently keeping track of unofficial split times and urging on various members of our team.  Vocally.  In an enthusiastic spectator kind of way.  One of our girls even out sprinted a D-Y girl at the finish after Bobby Law told her she could catch her.   I think he's eyeing an assistant coaching job.  Not that they have assistant coaches...

This picture cracks me up.  As Ebby ran by just before the finish line, Cuyler, in a burst of excitement, jumped on the course and ran behind her.  The video is even funnier.  I'm sure it's not an approved activity, luckily there wasn't any other runner too close by.

Ebby, in her first high school race ever, did a great job.  Through the heat and humidity she cruised right along, looking pretty dang good at the finish.  Did she set any records? No.  But she competed, finished ahead of a few girls and even passed someone on the course.  A pretty successful afternoon, despite a finish line popsicle stick fiasco and a teammate who fainted on the course (she was ok, but pretty upset).

Next week we head to Plymouth-South North.  Ebby heard the course is pretty flat save for one sandy uphill.  We happen to have a sandy uphill right near us on the 700+ acres of conservation land down the street.  She's already planning her weekend training run with Bobby Law. 

Go, Ebby, Go!

New School Year Tidbits

While Irene delayed the start of the school year (by a day), we are now into Week 3 and getting into the swing of things.

The high school bus comes at 6:45.  The middle school bus comes at 7:10.

In the morning.

The kids are doing fine, but getting up at 6am every day??  Killing me.

Ebby is running cross country this fall.  Practice is every day after school.   I pick her up at 4:30.  She comes home sweaty and famished.  And demanding requesting baked goods.

Will and Cuyler are in the same "cluster" at school.  There are 3 clusters per grade, about 120 kids in each.  They have a little more than half their classes together but all the same teachers.  Convenient.  Especially when one of them is absent--because yes, Cuyler already missed a day of school.

Homework is just starting to pick up.  Ebby complains, but always gets hers done.  Will has shown a lot of dedication so far this year.   Cuyler, on the other hand, has to be reminded to do his work.  At least 3 times an afternoon.  But less than 20 times. Oy.

In terms of back to school items, there was good news and bad news on the spending front.

The good news?  I barely had to buy any school supplies.  We reused binders and had a lot of supplies on hand, leftover from previous years.  I stashed everything together on a shelf in the laundry room.  If the kids need something for school I send them down to the "store".  Not to be confused with the store in the garage where we stock extra food.

The bad news?  Ebby seems to *need* a new piece of running attire or running accessory every other day.  I thought running, with it's lack of complicated equipment, would be inexpensive.  Or not.  Also, the boys have one pair each of pants that fits them and doesn't have a hole in the knee.  But hey, they won't really need pants until like, November.  Right, Uncle??

So there you have it.  8 days down, 172 to go.

Wish me luck.

{Photos are from the 1st day of school.  Will is wearing the Patriots t-shirt--not to be confused with Cuyler who is wearing a football t-shirt.  Yes, those are football laces not vertebrae...}