Fun in Melrose

December 17 - December 26, 2025

Here’s what we did in Melrose:

Thursday

• Lunch with Jeff and a tour of the Maitri office in Lawerence, MA.

• Had pizza at the Melrose Hempstead’s with the Somerville Hempsteads

• Watched Griffin play indoor soccer in Danvers

  Friday

• Had lunch with Carolyn and Steve Hemman in North Reading

• Got a Haircut and manicure

• Baked the Christmas cookies

• Had a pizza party with Melrose friends, Decorated the Christmas cookies

  Saturday

• Went Christmas shopping

• Rebecca and Jeff took us out to dinner in Boston. After, we saw A Sherlock Carol at the Lyric Stage

  Sunday

• Went to church

• Watched Esme tend goal in Danvers

• Went for a walk with Dolby (no AFib?)

• Took Esme on her Christmas shopping spree at Brandy Melville in downtown Boston. Ate dinner at Raising Cane.

  Monday

• Spent the afternoon Christmas shopping with Reagan and Carter, then celebrated Christmas with Jeff, Reagan, Carter and Rebecca at Jeff’s house in Nashua, NH, Jeff’s Beef Wellington dinner included.

  Tuesday

• Two doctor appointments

• Evening visiting with friends Jeanne and Chip, chatting and enjoying Jeanne’s Christmas cookies.

  Wednesday

• Christmas present preparation and cooking to be ready for Christmas tomorrow

• Christmas Eve service

  Thursday (Christmas Day)

• Christmas tree with Rebecca, Esme, Griffin, Kevin and Anthony at Rebecca’s house

• Breakfast at our house, including my mom’s Christmas stollen

• Gave Jeff and Rebecca each a book of our Christmas letters and pictures from 1972 through 2025

• Christmas dinner at La Padrona in Boston with Jeff, Rebecca and Sammy

  Friday

• Lunch at Cava with Griffin and his first ever iPhone. A rite of passage!

• Final packing and off to Frankfurt, Germany on an evening flight