Orig. published in 365-things.com

We are going to hook up with two or 3 parades - we love Memorial Day!

Beaches open up, all of the summer places should be open by now, it is nearly time that it will be reliably warm, if not hot. The kiddies, if you have them, will be out of school within a few weeks, but for right now the weekdays are quiet.

In Shirley MA the town pool opens on May 29, and the parade is on Monday. More information is here.

There are many things going on in Leominster MA, over the entire weekend. Check out the Sentinel-Enterprise article here.

Statewide, you can find parade and Memorial Day Celebration information here.

Be safe, be happy!

  We admit it. We are hopelessly addicted to making lists and using Post-It notes.

It is possible that this helps our productivity, but honestly? It is just as likely that the time we spend hunting through 40 or 50 pale yellow squares of paper for a phone number may outweigh any possible benefit gained. But we are obsessed, so imagine our delight when we found out that it is National Memo Day.

To get in the mood, here's an Eepy Bird video (remember the Diet Coke and Mentos guys?) in which the stars are Post-it notes:

So today? To celebrate the Holiday we are revamping our schedules. Several online tools that can help with that. We use Google calendar then toss the stuff that never moves into an Excel spreadsheet and play with that for efficient timeblocking. Some more tools are described here.

Ahhh! That's done - time to head over to the watering hole and really celebrate National Memo Day. We like Thirty-One Main (at 31 Main St., Ayer MA)- check out their entertainment calendar here.

And who says memos aren't creative? Check this out:

We started 365 Things to do in MA.as part of Towne & Country, Realtors' blog. This didn't work because the posts were mixed in with the others and it was too hard to read, to keep track of each new 365 post.

So we moved it lock stock and barrel to a posterous site. This was better, but not perfect - we didn't have the creative control that we wanted.

So we are adding to the places that you can find us again. We have a new Wordpress blog and we have a Facebook page. You can bookmark wherever it is more convenient for you. We hope that you enjoy the journey we take through the year and through Massachusetts. Feel free to add to the conversation.

And if your "365 Days" journey includes buying or selling a home, please consider Towne & Country, Realtors. We know Massachusetts.

Check out our post about First Thursdays Fitchburg here.

I can't WAIT to check it out!

Some of the best times in my life have revolved around a fondue pot.

I went to a terrific Ladies' Night at a fondue place, and enjoyed a HUGELY decadent evening out that ended at a fondue spot in California with Lesley Lambert and Nicole Nicolay - really one of the best nights of my life. I even got to see Lesley's tramp stamp.

So I was excited to hear that the owner of Destare Martini Bar, which I love as well, was opening a coffee and fondue bar in Fitchburg. Chaibo is open and you can check them out on Faceook here.

There's something about Mother's Day coming that makes us think of fossils.

No, not really, but the kids have always been intrigued by the idea that gemstones and fossils can be found locally.

In fact, dinosaur footprints are fairly common in Massachusetts. Check here for more information and locations to see them.

Prefer to dig for semi-precious stones and gems? Also do-able in MA - check out this wiki for more info.

May Day is replete with memories for us. When we were little shavers, we can remember watching our grandmother glue tissue paper strips to muffin cups, and twist crepe paper handles for the May baskets, which we would fill with violets and lilac sprigs and leave for each other, since we had no close neighbors.

When our children were growing up, we used whatever was handy to craft the little baskets, and the kids would tiptoe over to the neighbors, place the offering on the doorsteps, ring the bell and run. They watched the recipient's surprise from the safety of whatever nearby hedge could be located.

If you want to create something that is a step above Dixie-cup-and-glue, you can go directly to the source - Martha herself.

Want to see a little May in the wild? Check out Hiawatha Day tomorrow, May 2, at the New England Wild Flower Society.

Thanks to Diane Haley Brooks for reminding us about May Baskets!

Today (May 1), the Worcester Animal Rescue League is sponsoring a Spring Fling and Adopt-A-Thon from 8-3. There is still time to get there. From their site:

Springtime and time again for the Worcester Animal Rescue League’s annual Spring Fling and Adopt-a-thon, held at the shelter! Last year 11 pets were adopted and this year we are hoping to double that! We will be accepting donations for our yard sale April 1st thru the 30th (please no clothing, old electronics, or skis!) The Spring Fling is our biggest fundraising event each year and we’re hoping you can be a part of it!

What a great idea! And if you can't make it, you can check out the pets highlighted on their site:

cats

dogs

There are some beautiful pets there just waiting for a family. Thhis past year has been hard: because of economic conditions, the wait is longer for animals in the shelter, and there are fewer funds available to care for them.

This is what my mother would have called Great Day for a Duck. So why not go on a Duck Tour?

Boston Duck Tours are like a typical tour... with a twist. The amphibious vehicles- well, here it is in their own words:

And just when you think you've seen it all, there's more. It's time for "Splashdown" as your ConDUCKtor splashes your DUCK right into the Charles River for a breathtaking view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines, the kind of view you just won't get anywhere else.

We kind of wish they wouldn't call them ConDUCKtors, but that's the only beef we have about what is a very cool experience. Order tickets online; hours and rates available there too.

"Like" them on Facebook here.