It felt like summer really started today, with the opening of the local Farmers' Market. It was great to get down there again and greet friends and acquaintances I've not seen since before Christmas. I stocked up on leafy greens and the kids bought snacks, and I also made another purchase which I'll have the Man take a photo of tomorrow (he's flying home as I write).
The Boy had a friend round from school to work on a project for Music class. The assignment is to showcase a musical talent, so the two of them composed a piece of music for drums and had the Girl video them playing it. They'll show the video in class later in the week. It involved them playing drums in the basement for the entire afternoon. In all honesty, that was not as bad as you might think it would be.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Friday, May 30, 2014
A park with a view
The other thing I was busy with yesterday, before the craziness of the evening kicked in, was a trip to Thacher Park. I'd taken my Karen friend and her mother there a while back, and had promised to take her again with her dad.
She'd been longing to show him the views, which she knew would remind him of home. He suffers with asthma and has recently had a spell in hospital, so it was an especially good time for him to have a change-of-scene outing. And we were lucky with the weather, which was perfect - sunny and bright but not too hot.
We thought about hiking the Indian Ladder Trail, but (mindful of the asthma) decided the steep staircases at either end were going to be too much. But we spent some time looking out at the views and enjoying the setting. Then we moved on and visited Thompson's Lake for a bit, and then it felt like time to go home so I drove them back to Albany.
I visit my Karen friends about once a week, and while it's always good to see them very often I have to help them deal with issues and forms and appointments of one kind or another, which can get complicated and frustrating. So it was very enjoyable to go on a simple trip this time, just for fun.
She'd been longing to show him the views, which she knew would remind him of home. He suffers with asthma and has recently had a spell in hospital, so it was an especially good time for him to have a change-of-scene outing. And we were lucky with the weather, which was perfect - sunny and bright but not too hot.
We thought about hiking the Indian Ladder Trail, but (mindful of the asthma) decided the steep staircases at either end were going to be too much. But we spent some time looking out at the views and enjoying the setting. Then we moved on and visited Thompson's Lake for a bit, and then it felt like time to go home so I drove them back to Albany.
I visit my Karen friends about once a week, and while it's always good to see them very often I have to help them deal with issues and forms and appointments of one kind or another, which can get complicated and frustrating. So it was very enjoyable to go on a simple trip this time, just for fun.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Art and otter
There are days when frankly I have to scratch around to find anything at all to write about, and then days like today when there's been too much going on (so maybe I should save some of it for the next scratch-around day).
Mainly it's this evening that's been crazy. The kids were both invited to the opening reception of the Middle School Art Exhibition because their work had been selected for display. The Girl certainly had a picture up (a collage of the Gherkin), but we never found the Boy's piece - darn it!
We couldn't stick around, because we had to get to Five Rivers for a Volunteer Recognition picnic, and the Boy was featuring as the otter. He did a great job, as ever - dancing along to the live music and making a toddler fall in love with him. The otter got a special mention at the start of the awards ceremony, but had to take his bow quickly so that we could rush back to the Middle School to arrive just after the start of the annual International Children's Art Auction...
The Girl had a piece of work for sale in the auction, but unfortunately it had been sold before we got there. Darn it again! The auction was very well attended and brought in lots of money to be shared between projects for kids in Belize and Uganda - well done to the teacher and children who organized the event.
Mainly it's this evening that's been crazy. The kids were both invited to the opening reception of the Middle School Art Exhibition because their work had been selected for display. The Girl certainly had a picture up (a collage of the Gherkin), but we never found the Boy's piece - darn it!
We couldn't stick around, because we had to get to Five Rivers for a Volunteer Recognition picnic, and the Boy was featuring as the otter. He did a great job, as ever - dancing along to the live music and making a toddler fall in love with him. The otter got a special mention at the start of the awards ceremony, but had to take his bow quickly so that we could rush back to the Middle School to arrive just after the start of the annual International Children's Art Auction...
The Girl had a piece of work for sale in the auction, but unfortunately it had been sold before we got there. Darn it again! The auction was very well attended and brought in lots of money to be shared between projects for kids in Belize and Uganda - well done to the teacher and children who organized the event.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Drinks on board
It's been the usual sort of day here in Albaniana-land - a spot of volunteer-related stuff to do, some errands to run, taxi service to after-school activities.
The Man is away again, at a conference in D.C. As so often, his journey yesterday did not go quite smoothly, and what should have been a straightforward two-hour flight ended up taking eight or more. Weather in Albany delayed take-off, weather at Dulles airport meant a detour to Richmond VA... He sent me occasional text messages so that I could virtually make slow progress with him. In one he told me the passengers were being plied with drinks and that the flight attendant had announced "We may not get you anywhere, but we can get you drunk." So at least there was that. And he did arrive safely in the end.
The Man is away again, at a conference in D.C. As so often, his journey yesterday did not go quite smoothly, and what should have been a straightforward two-hour flight ended up taking eight or more. Weather in Albany delayed take-off, weather at Dulles airport meant a detour to Richmond VA... He sent me occasional text messages so that I could virtually make slow progress with him. In one he told me the passengers were being plied with drinks and that the flight attendant had announced "We may not get you anywhere, but we can get you drunk." So at least there was that. And he did arrive safely in the end.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Game play
The Man and I went to see a play on Sunday afternoon at Capital Rep in Albany. The God Game by Suzanne Bradbeer examines the theme of faith and politics, and the expectation in the US that a politician (particularly a Republican politician) who wishes to rise in his profession should be, or at least appear to be, a practising Christian. Complimentary to this main theme is the question of whether it's worth jeopardising personal relationships for the sake of career.
The play was well-constructed and held our attention. Although the plot wasn't entirely credible, and the acting was a little over-blown at times, we came out discussing the issues, which is what you want from that sort of a play, and we were glad to have caught it on the last performance of its run.
The play was well-constructed and held our attention. Although the plot wasn't entirely credible, and the acting was a little over-blown at times, we came out discussing the issues, which is what you want from that sort of a play, and we were glad to have caught it on the last performance of its run.
Monday, May 26, 2014
My hot husband
Friends of Five Rivers marched in the Memorial Day Parade again this year. Once again the Man assumed the role of mascot otter, and my friend and fellow Board member, M, donned the owl costume and had a hoot from start to finish.
People love Five Rivers, and today they weren't shy about shouting it out (or just hooting) to let us know. And they ADORE the otter (even if they think it's a beaver/squirrel/chipmunk/woodchuck/platypus - seriously though, platypus?). Even as he over-heated, the Man did an excellent job of greeting the crowds and distributing high fives which were received with joy by young and old alike (overheard: "I high-fived the otter!!!" and "Oh boy, I'm never washing this hand...").
It was hotter than last year, so the otter had to nip off to the side a couple of times and (shh) take his head off. At the end of the parade he collapsed on a grassy bank for a few minutes to catch his breath, which clearly concerned someone as a policeman (actually, the school detective) came cycling up to tell us he'd had a report of a collapsed chipmunk and were we in need of emergency services?
But the Man was OK, so much so that he put the costume back on to walk back to our friends' house where we'd parked the car. Funny thing: put on an otter suit and march in a parade and people can't get enough of you. Just walk down the street in an otter suit and no-one will even look at you.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Adirondack Day Trippers
The Man writes...the Boy's Buddy and his family make an annual Memorial weekend day-trip to Lake Placid, and today the Boy went along.
They had great weather and by all accounts a very enjoyable day. They swam in Mirror Lake ("freezing cold"), played tennis, had ice cream at Saranac Lake, and admired the magnificent views from the top of Whiteface Mountain. These are the Boy's photos.
They had great weather and by all accounts a very enjoyable day. They swam in Mirror Lake ("freezing cold"), played tennis, had ice cream at Saranac Lake, and admired the magnificent views from the top of Whiteface Mountain. These are the Boy's photos.
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