The power of love and family

Family fall fun! My kids are shown helping my parents with some Fall clean up around the house. More than just helping their grandparents, they are enjoying their presence for a while. (I never get too old for mom's cooking either!) It always amazes me how much kids remember their family, even if they don't see each other all that often. The last time my folks were here was nearly 6 months ago. While the kids speak periodically with my parents, they never hesitate to miss them, ask for them, and love them like mad when they are here. The power of love and family - awesome.

Continuing Education

Dr. Deb and Dr. Diane are shown here with their study club, New England Orthodontic Study Club. In the rear and center is Dr. Tiziano Baccetti, a world reknown orthodontist and researcher, who presented a 2 day course on "The Orthodontic Management of Impacted Cuspids" and "Updates on Treatment Timing of Class II and Class III Patients." The docs hope to continue providing the best care with the latest information to their patients, and were thrilled to be able to start applying some of what they recently learned... In 2 weeks they attend the NESO conference in Boston with some of your dental providers to continue their ongoing education! Stay tuned.

Pumpkins,pumpkins, and moooore pumpkins!

Have you ever wondered where all the pumpkins come from for our annual pumpkin decorating contest (this is our 20th year!)? A farm delivers them to Dr. Deb’s house in huge cardboard crates on pallets and then she and her husband (she used to coerce her sons into doing this before they went to college!) divide them up into bushel baskets and load them into her car. It is really pleasant when a rotten pumpkin gets accidentally packed up and putrid pumpkin rot gets all over everything. Our team then schleps the baskets into the office. We develop big biceps in October so don’t be messin’ with us!!

Pumpkin Chuckin'?!?

Ok, you know when Fall is here! The mums are out, the cider is brewing, apples are being picked and polished, pumpkins are being carved..... AND tossed. Ever hear of Pumpkin Chukin'? Me neither (so don't feel so badly). Our dear friend's husband is competing in Delaware at a national Trebuche competition. Here we are at Trombley Farm test-firing the homemade, medieval device, which I understand aims to toss a pumpkin as far as it can. The Science Channel was even here interviewing his team! Good luck to our local entrants! Now off to pumpkin PICKING.

Pounding the Pavement

Here is a picture of a motley crew before we ran the 39th Annual Falmouth Road Race (it looks like we already ran the race…!) My 20 yo son, Steve and my husband, Steve (he pulled a fast one when our son was born but that is another story!) and I pounded the pavement for 7.2 miles from Woods Hole to Falmouth on August 14, 2011. I even shaved 3 minutes off my time from last year (trust me, that is not saying much!). Every year I tell myself, “I’m done. I hate training and I don’t even like running” and then I forget the pain (sort of like child birth) and sign up again….old age memory loss!

Natalie "For the love of clean teeth!"

Cleaning my teeth has been a new (and time consuming!) experience. As time has gone by I have become better and more efficient with my cleanings (practice really does make perfect!) I love the feeling of clean teeth; I think they’re actually cleaner now than they ever were before braces! I have to confess, I did try eating popcorn- totally not worth it! Accidentally chomping down on a kernel hurts and the hulls of the corn were stuck here, there, and everywhere under my brackets and under my gums! Never again! A plus to braces, I’ve lost weight! It has to really be worth it to go through my cleaning regimen after any indulgence!

The social hierarchy of the homo studentus universitatus

I have observed that the HSU species gathers in groups and their social hierarchy is complicated. When together the alpha males are attached to video game controllers, totally focused on annihilating their cyber enemies, others are mulling around playing pool, watching the alpha males make their kill, while others are ripping open bags of chips and making popcorn…what intriguing social structure. There is also a select few, usually the females of the group that are intent on rapid communication via texting on their cellular devices. I think they may be socially stunted but who am I to comment?

Dear God....please help my kids grow up to be socially capable and productive members of society (or I will have to change my last name!!)