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Memorial Day is the traditional “start” of the summer season. Often celebrated by BBQs, picnics and trips to the beach if you live close enough to a beach. The town pool was definitely enjoying its opening weekend. When we moved to Vermont, Memorial Day didn’t have the same “start” of summer feel to it. Perhaps it was because things weren’t as warm here at the end of May. The pools don’t open, but the parks do.
This weekend, as I type this it is 41 degrees — hardly summer type weather. The forecast is calling for a high of 48 tomorrow, again not summer weather and then snow tomorrow night. Yes, you read that correctly, SNOW. The forecast for the higher elevations (where we are located) has vacillated between 2 inches, 5 inches and now it’s one inch. In any event, snow just don’t scream “summer”. For those who like skiing or snowboarding however, it might be excellent news, since Killington is still open for such activities.
I’ll keep you posted. 
Tonight, Tim had the honor of presenting a program for the Wallingford Historical Society on navigating Ancestry.com. He did a great job researching his own family tree in order to be able to explain to the audience at Town Hall the tips and tricks of researching your own genealogy. Yet another reason to be proud of my sons!
It is so hard to believe that TJ will be graduating in a few weeks, making prom even more tear jerking. I warned him that this would be the first of many tear filled events for his mother over the coming weeks.
To make a special day even better, it was a historic event in the Heffernan house. It marks the first and last time that all three boys attended the same prom. Here is Tyler and his date
And last, but not least, Tim with prom date.
Well, maybe a little more than a chill. The day after I packed away all the winter turtlenecks and heavy sweaters, the temperatures dipped into the low 30s and there were snow flurries flying around on the hill this morning. The temperatures last night dipped down low enough to have frost and freeze warnings. Hard to believe that when we were at church on Sunday for the May crowing that it was a beautiful spring day and we saw our first finches at the feeders.
Tim was invited to participate in a celebration honoring the parish members who received confirmation and communion. After mass the kids participated in the May crowning.
The crowning was a little less than traditional, since Mary was already wearing a crown of sorts — a robin had nested at the top of the statute. So the flower crown was carefully placed in her hands instead.
It was cold enough all day here to warrant the wood stove being cranked back up again. Amazing to think that in mid-May we are still keeping warm by the fire — with hot cocoa no less.
We had a great time listening to some beautiful music today at the All State Music Festival. It was a great performance.
Congratulations to all those students that were selected to participate.
There have been way too many days since we had rain. Things were very dry as evidenced by the numerous fire hazard warnings.
Yesterday and last night we received some much needed rain. Too bad it cancelled the All State parade that everyone was looking forward to seeing.
This morning however, the flowers all stood with their rain drops showing.
Beautiful.
A friend’s friend posted this on Facebook. I simultaneously was laughing and crying because it’s exactly what I would say and what moms want. I had to share.
Thanks, Mary Carpenter for the great words!
So I’ve decided to be proactive and tell my kids what I want for mother’s day. Here it is:
What I Want for Mother’s Day
Dear Children,
Mother’s Day is coming up, and I thought I should tell you what I want. This way there’s no guilty panic or last minute purchasing of flowers at the closest gas station. So, this is what I want, this year and every year after; it’s pretty simple really.
I want you to be a decent human being.
I want you to be who you are, but don’t be an asshole.
I want you to work hard at everything you do, because life is too short not to give it everything you’ve got.
I want you to ask for help when you need it.
I want you to help others when they need it.
I want you to learn how to cook, do your own laundry, pay your bills and know how to clean a bathroom.
When you screw up, and you will, more than once, I want you to own it, because it’s the screw-ups that make the victories sweeter.
I want you to travel, because the world is huge and you are one part of it.
I want you to know that even when we hate each other, I will never stop loving you.
I want you to play nicely with others.
I want you to feed your curiosity.
I want you to find a way to do what you love, and realize that that might look different than you originally thought.
I want you to respect every human being’s right to be who they are.
I want you to sometimes be more interested in someone else than in yourself.
I want you to know that you are flawed and you are extraordinary. There is no one else like you.
I want you to know that I would lay down my life for you in Lily Potter fashion any day of the week.
I want you to realize how lucky you are every once in awhile even if only for an instant.
I want you to know love, even if it means getting hurt.
I want you to relax and not feel guilty about it.
I want you to know life can be brutally hard sometimes.
I want you to know that you can choose happiness even when the dark side offers you cookies.
And I wouldn’t mind breakfast in bed.
See, simple.
Love,
Mom
When you’re in school, it is referred to as “spring fever” or “senioritis”. The feeling that things are winding down and should be over already. The itchiness that comes along with the sunshine and warm temperatures. The desire for the laziness and freedom of summer and all that comes along with it. It has been a hectic school year for all of us here with lots and lots of things going on — one son completing senior year and his college search, one driving and working through the difficult junior year course load and the youngest busy with music and coming into his own high school career as a sophomore.
Soon, very soon in fact, will be course selections for next year for the younger two who will be a junior and a senior next year. Right around the corner is the prom for all three boys –the first and last time that will happen (with all the preparation that goes along with tuxedo rentals and corsage flowers), the various awards nights at school coming up on the schedule for music, theater, academics and seniors. That will all be followed closely by college orientation, exams and graduation in June.
I am torn between wishing that time would slow to a crawl and preserve those precious moments left before one leaves for college and my anticipation of all those wonderful events coming up in the next few weeks to celebrate lots of good things.
Things are squared away nicely with TJ having made his college choice and knowing that he is happy and looking forward to the start of a whole new chapter in his life. Tim will be spending a good chunk of the summer abroad experiencing places that I have never been to in my life. Tyler will be working and starting his college application process with lots of essay writing mixed into his summer. Adventures will abound this summer.
The coming weeks will be filled with lots of fun, laughter, pride and tears of happiness. Looking forward to every minute of it.
gavel (Photo credit: SalFalko)
May 1st was proclaimed by President Eisenhower in 1958 to be Law Day, recognizing the role that law played in the creation of our country and what sets it apart from other countries in the world. In 1961 the holiday was officially recognized by the Congress. It was created as an affront to communism during the Cold War since May 1st is traditionally referred to as May Day and not usually meaning flowers and springtime, but rather reflecting upon the role of laborers or workers and their struggles. Law Day, while an official holiday is not a holiday that is widely celebrated in this country outside of legal circles. Law schools and bar associations may commemorate the day with various programs or celebrations. For instance, Seton Hall Law School, the school that I attended, had a traditional Law Day Mass and celebration every May 1st. Perhaps the most distinct memory I have associated with Law Day is an attorney that I worked for through law school and after when I became a lawyer. He would always appear in the office on Law Day donning a lovely boutonniere purchased for him by his wife, to commemorate Law Day. After I passed the bar, he would bring a flower of sorts to the office for me. It is a memory that will always be associated with the day and reminds me of someone who had a very important role in my life.
Happy Law Day!
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Last night we celebrated the last confirmation in our family. Tim celebrated the conclusion of his religious ed classes with his, as he puts it, long awaited confirmation. It was a beautiful ceremony and in keeping with the family tradition, Bishop Matano once again singled out a Heffernan boy to speak with after he confirmed him. First it was TJ, who was the last in line to be confirmed. The Bishop kept him there an extra minute or so, talking to him. Last year, Tyler (who had TJ has his sponsor) also had a little chat with the Bishop during the confirmation process. This year, the Bishop took the time to pause to compliment Tim on his reading during mass and have a few words with him. Seems that tradition comes when you least expect it.
Here are some pictures from the evening.
There was a beautiful sunrise this morning…..
My gerber daisies are blooming. It was a nice treat when I walked past my plant stand and noticed the little stalk blooms the other day.
Today, there are two flowers, two different colors.
And yes, that is snow outside the window.
We have a few touches of grass poking through but mainly there is still 6 to 12 inches of snow. So definitely, it was nice to see something flowering — even if it is indoors.
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