Rock To Wind A String Around

It’s been so long since I’ve offered a post of any merit, I thought I’d post a laundry list of current happenings and we can pretend that you gleaned all of this information from several thoughtful, witty posts.

A.  fencing camp:  Elliott finished his two weeks of fencing camp with a strong measure of enthusiasm.  We were warned that 3 weeks of 9-5 fencing camp would be too much for the lad, so we opted for two, but Elliott had energy to spare at the end of the day and daily reports suggested that he worked hard–so I should start saving my pennies now to fund the third week next year.  At the end of week 1 we received the unhappy news that Astrid Meklit’s main squeeze aka Elliott’s fencing coach would be leaving the gym for a new job in Texas.  We are happy for him, but sad for us–Sergey is an amazing coach–he knew exactly what Elliott needed to push him without frustrating him.  The gym is closed for classes until labor day (although private lessons now with Sasha will continue)–I may take up a foreign language or a new hobby in all of the extra time I will have each week.

Oh wait, instead I will attend to my volunteer duties!  Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) is just two months away (celebration on September 18th here in Cowtown)–lots to do for that and The Dead of Winter Gala is being planned in earnest.  So many fabulous items are rolling in for the silent auction, now the team needs to work their magic and help me find sponsors and libation donations.

In addition to these delightful events, I am also co-planning 2! baby showers for the month of August both to be held here at Mary Poppins.  MP’s spacious living area makes her a popular gal at parties.  I tag along for the ride–Mary doesn’t seem to mind.

With fencing camp is over and my mom  still visiting, we’ve opted to make this last week together ‘Vacation Week.”  Fencing camp ended Saturday at noon and Elliott was immediately whisked to a 3D showing of ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ at the Drexel, and then off to the splash pad/playground with the rest of us to kick off the week.

Sunday was filled with all of the best sorts of 4th of July activities:  a parade, water ice, a cookout with friends, and fireworks hours after bedtime. 

That should be enough joy for anyone, but wait!  there’s more…

Monday was my dad’s birthday.  I wisely planned a day-long outing to The Wilds which proved an excellent distraction.  It really is beautiful there and we got several terrific photos (as well as loads of bad ones) of animals out in the open. 

By the end of the day we were very hot, and tired and blissfully distracted.  My mom and I agreed that my dad’s birthday, while sad, was much easier than Father’s Day.

On Tuesday we hopped over to Chuck E Cheese (AM wants you to know that she loved it as much as she thought she would) and then my mom and Elliott went to the movies while the little gal took a much-needed nap.  Which is good, because today we toddled off to Holmes County to see all things Amish, which was fun, and involved horses and buggies but there was no nap to be seen and we didn’t make it home until almost 9.

Tomorrow’s vacation week activity will be much lower key.  Certain girls will nap.  Certain mothers (mine) will probably join certain girls in this activity.

Rounding out the rest of the affairs:  Albert was scheduled to work in town this week, but is in, yep, you guessed it, 103 degree DC instead.  We are hosting an Art Party on Saturday  to gather submissions for EOR’s art contest. And, there is BIG news, but you’ll need to tune in tomorrow to find out all about it.

And that’s the state of the state…

This last weekend was crammed full–Albert & I were asked to be motivational speakers at 2 different events, the boy had social commitments (a mall excursion planned with the fencing camp kids–his first without a hovering parent to guide helicopter over him), a movie at The Drexel, a library tournament thingy (again for the boy), half a dinner on the deck (the other half inside because it rained, oh how it rained), and all of the usual weekend stuff too.  By Sunday, I wanted a family outing that was reasonable in scope–no zoo trips, or baseball games, just something pleasant we all could enjoy, even my mom, who was a little under the weather.  I’ve wanted to take a trip to one of the local waterfalls for awhile, so we chose the one with the easiest paths and set out.  We were parked at Indian Run in less than 15 minutes, but waterfalls were in short supply.  My mom and I walked all over the upper trail while Albert, Elliott, the ever-uneasy Astrid Meklit hopped from rock to rock in an attempt to get close to the falls.  They gave up as AM began to panic on the slightly slippery rocks and joined us in time to report the lack of a waterfall, although a water trickle was evident (must go earlier in the spring, I think).  In the meantime, we continued to “hike” the trail, musing quite loudly about the lack of animals (I wonder why)…

We did find a fabulous photo spot before the walk was over.  Elliott preened and mugged, pretending to fall off the edge of the world.  I joined him for a quick tango before he plunged to his untimely demise.  See how pleased he appears!

All of this hiking (and dancing) left us in need of refreshment.  A Jeni’s splendid icecreams was sighted and a Sunday family outing was made infinitely sweeter.

I left the camera cord behind in DC so I couldn’t download pictures from our week until Albert came home–we had such a good time this trip.  It was a good deal chillier than expected, and a little wetter than we liked, but we crammed our week full of museums trips: National Building, Natural History–home to an incredible butterfly garden, American History, and the Sackler Gallery.

the favorite spot in the Nat'l Building Museum

AM's favorite (because it didn't flutter, i think)

Elliott's new pet

We visited the big Apple Circus which has HORSES, and DOGS!  Astrid M was thrilled on both accounts.  We also joined the millions of other people in the DC area at the Cherry Blossom Festival.  it coincided with Kite Day on the mall, so it was packed, and very beautiful.  Observe:

many shades of gorgeous

a rare view of a single kite at the monument

a more typical view

Madame Meklit tries her hand

SOOC shot--isn't that color amazing?

Everytime we’ve spent a week in DC, I’m reminded how lucky we are to return again and again.  The trees were just the icing on the (gluten free) cake!

Day full of computer tasks and paperwork ahead of me, SO I chose to work outside.  It’s 69 degrees and intermittently cloudy, what choice did I have?

One of the three members of the posse was particularly happy about the turn of events.  She got to wear her new rain boots, “even though it is not raining because they are good for keeping the mud off my feet AND the driveway.”  Thank goodness she saved us from the universal scourge, DIRT:  on the driveway! Not particularly helpful with the rake or with stick clean up, she dug 50-11 holes for the bugs and worms, rode her trike for the first time in 4 months or so, tried out the skateboard of the brother, and set up a picnic table so she and Elliott could have lunch al fresco.

Albert, who was gone an extra 2 days this week, isn’t due home until 9, but this trip outside makes the wait almost bearable.

Thank you spring for coming when you are most appreciated

The answer?  Not on!  It was 60 degrees and sunny today.  We went to the zoo in coats and came home in bikinis shirt sleeves–spring is on its way!

I got up for an early workout and instead of trundling down to the basement, I’m bird-watching from the kitchen window.
I know I’ve mentioned before that Mary P has a splendid backyard–lots of beautiful landscaping, plenty of trees, a deck–it’s paradise.  The yard also backs to a ravine, creating an extra measure of privacy and affording us a view of a wide variety of wildlife throughout the year–the deer are thick back there; they dine in our yard without a trace of self-consciousness.  The ravine has also been home this year to a falcon for the past several months–I think it’s a peregrine.  Unusual in this setting, she’s been a regular presence, darting through the trees in the ravine.  Her buff-colored underside makes her hard to miss.  Lately, she’s been spending more time in the yard–she likes to sit on our yard waste bin.  I hear her calling throughout the day–it’s nice to recognize her voice; this morning, she was sitting on a nearby trash bin when I came to the window–she hopped to the yard waste bin (closer) as soon as she saw me and began to call.  I watched her for a while, and then moved quietly away from the sink–I was afraid I disturbed her too much, but as I left the window, she followed me, landing on the table as I passed by our french doors.  Maybe she was as happy to see me today, as I was to see her?

Now she’s out on the fence, you know, the one that separates the animals of the ravine from the yard (so useful).  She’s calling to another falcon–I just caught a glimpse of another set of buff-colored wings.  Of all the delights Mary P provides, this might be the most delightful.  This pretty bird has been my favorite summer visitor–I’m glad she comes to call so regularly.

Communing with nature in the suburbs of Cowtown–how very middle-aged of me.

*representative sampling of actual wildlife breaching the fence–not a peregrine falcon*

If, like me, you are planning to hang a ‘For Sale‘ sign on your house soon.  And if, like me, you decide to do a little sprucing up outside, be aware that there might be creatures, murderous creatures, lurking just beneath the old dead leaves and wind-burned stalks.  I was clearing out some dead plants near our serpentine hedge and something popped out of the ground.  Kind of slowly, like it was winding up for the kill, like I had disturbed its slumber with my big bright light of a sun.  I wanted to keep working, but instead came in to post this public service bulletin give it time to go far away.

I need to find my rake, and maybe a second pair of gloves.  So um, I can do the job properly.