deliveries, dogs, ducks and drafts

My family came to Boston this past weekend to help me move and bring Roxy back.  I could not have done it without them!  The movers came to Melrose on Friday, bringing all of our furniture from Saratoga that had been in storage for the past 6 months.  Fortunately the movers did most of the heavy lifting, but we did have to move a few heavy items from my Boston apartment.

My sister had the all-important job of babysitting Roxy while the movers were here.  Roxy was quite whiny, probably just confused about what was going on.  She also worked wonders with my clothes.  I still don't know how they all managed to fit into drawers and closets.  She also helped me purge a few items that were a few years past their prime.

My mom kept the washing machine and dishwasher running all weekend.  Linens stored in cardboard boxes for six months don't smell very nice, and paper dust isn't the best garnish for a glass of water.  She also organized our kitchen, which took quite a bit of creativity with the compact space.

girls ready to move!

My brother set up our computer and T.V., a task of utmost importance!  By the end of the day Sunday we were able to check e-mail while watching the closing ceremony of the Olympics (woo Spice Girls!)

My dad installed about a gazillion shelves throughout the house, and helped with lots of other little projects.  He also made sure I was stocked with some beautiful plants.  We stuck him with the heaviest boxes, so I think a back massage is in order for him!

We couldn't have all work and no play, so we took a few breaks to get out and see Boston.  Friday night we went to Oliveira's in East Boston for some delicious Brazilian food.  The rice, black beans and fried yuca reminded me of the food I ate while studying abroad in Costa Rica.  They also had a hot barbecue with every type of meat you could imagine.  I think we all ended up getting the bacon wrapped chicken breast-- yum!

Saturday we went to Sam Adams for a brewery tour and tasting.  Beer before noon- woohoo!  The family favorite was the Oktoberfest.  For dinner Saturday night we headed down to the North End for some Italian food and cannolis.  We went to La Summa for dinner where we enjoyed freshly made pasta and veal Parmesan.  For dessert we went to Modern Pastry and had our fill of cannoli.

3 pitchers down, circa 11am

Fun fact: Did you know that cannoli is the plural form of cannolo?  I have been going around saying cannolis for a long time, and wondered why it kept getting underlined in red when I typed it.  Thank you Wikipedia for the clarification!

Stuffed like ravioli

On Sunday we went to church in Melrose, followed by the Sunday family tradition at Panera.  After that we headed downtown for a duck tour.  Our "ConDUCKtor" was Doctor Phineas P. Duck, and we got to ride one of the few ORIGINAL ducks from World War II -- Charlie River.  Charlie River's engine was also from WWII with a speed and noise to match.  It was a nice overview of the city, and fun ride through the Charles River.  We picked up some lobster rolls from B & G Oyster for dinner to go with a few of our favorite Sam Adams brews.  A great conclusion to a great weekend!

Aboard the Charlie River

The house in Melrose isn't exactly picture perfect right now, but I hope that it will be soon!  I'll be chipping away at boxes and decor after work over the next couple weeks, and will post pictures when I am satisfied that our home could be featured in House Beautiful ;)