Thursday, June 16, 2011

Pittsford Regatta.


My parents had flown all of us sisters out to New York using their frequent flyer miles (thanks momma and daddy), and had scheduled the trip way back in January or February.  They were making a move from a larger home they owned on about 8 acres to a smaller home just two doors down.

With four of us going, and with each of us having a minimum of five children, conflicts with the timing of that trip arose and so we postponed it until the end of May.  In the meantime, my parents went ahead and moved. BUT.  Since it was a significant downsizing for them, my mom still planned on all of us girls spending lots of time sorting and going through totes and boxes out in their (bull) barn, behind their house, where all of the excess items were being stored.

We were kind of excited about that because we all love most of our mom and dad's items and we thought (finally) we get to pick and choose the things that we might have wanted for years and years and years.  (Although we also pretty much anticipated there being some tension since we would undoubtedly want much of the same stuff.  My parents are fair to all of us children, almost to a fault - no offense mom, that is a good thing.  So her idea, theory, plan, whatever you want to call it, is this:  Leslie, the oldest, gets to choose what she would want first.  Then I, the second born, would choose next and so on.  BUT. Because she is fair, and it isn't Courtney's fault that she was the last one born, on the second go round Courtney gets to have the first pick and then we go in reverse order from there.)

Sidenote: My mom and dad have several antique pine pieces that they have had through all of our growing up years and all of us would take any one of them.  My mom called me several months ago and said, "You know Polly, where will you even put this big pine corner cupboard when we get it out to you?"  And I thought, SWEET!  I get the corner cupboard!  I have always wanted that corner cupboard for as long as I could remember.  But when we got out to the bull barn and there it was, in all it's glory, Leslie mentioned how much she loved it and my mom let her know that it was already sort of promised to me.  (Picture Leslie wide eyed, surprised, and a little annoyed.)

My mom said, "Leslie, Polly has always wanted that corner cupboard and I have told her for years that she could have it when we couldn't use it anymore."  It is sort of a done deal ... it isn't going to be part of the selection.  I get to have it.  (happy, happy, happy!)

(Here is a little tip for those of you who might have favorite things at your parents house that you are hoping to have one day - put your name on it asap.)

So there we were. Pulling into mom and dad's driveway off Mitchell Rd, so excited to see how they had restored what used to be an old farm grainery.  My sisters headed into the house first but I heard shouts coming from the canal (the grainery is right along the Erie Canal).  I asked my dad what it was and he told me they had been having boat races all weekend.  It was the annual Pittsford Regatta.  There were rowing races for men and women, boys and girls, high school and varsity teams and Masters as well.  The shouts were from the crew member at the top of the boat , literally yelling ... one, two, three, row (or whatever he was shouting) ...  I loved it.

I grabbed the camera from the back of the van and headed down the little embankment to get a closer view.

Seriously?

How cool was this?

I literally stood there with the biggest smile on my face, shaking my head and thought,  It is gonna be a good week.  This is awesome.



 







7 comments:

  1. Those are awesome shots and how exciting! We are looking at down-sizing too and I am about ready to sell everything with the house. I would love to move to St. George into a cottage style home. When you get to that last quarter of life, you really start to think differently about a lot of things. :D

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  2. Wow...that skipped from one story to another! So what happened with the furniture? The suspense is killing me! :)

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  3. what's so funny about you seeing that race LIVE is that me and the kids watched "skulls" probably the same day and the opening scene is this kind of rowing race. all of us chatted about what a neat sport it was. so i guess we were all together in spirit. ha.

    also, i put my sticky note on the corner cupboard that's going to be replaced by grammie's and the picture above your den couch and the piano if it's still in tact. ;)

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  4. Oh what fun my friend...the weather looked amazing.

    Moving is such a chore...We are doing just that...packing up a storm...getting rid of so much stuff...I love it! xoxoxo

    Happy weekend hugs

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  5. So much fun!!!! Can I put a sticky on that floating patio/dock in your last photo? I love that! What a great place to read or to just sit in the sun! Is that part of your parents place? We have been friends for soooo long...can't I sticky the porch for when they are done with it? ASK 'EM!!!! xoxoxox :) tee hee

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  6. That IS awesome,
    Polly! Anytime I
    can be near the
    water, it is such
    a treat....even if
    you are there sort
    of "working!" Good
    luck and have fun!
    xx Suzanne

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