A busy birthday: multiple-day celebration

Lots of celebrating around here, and way too many pictures. Check out the few in this slide show. And be sure to check out Cullen's blog if you haven't already!

Ready for rain!

It was a great day to work in the sun.

 One trip to pick out a flat stone, 4 cement blocks, and 3 bags of CR6, and the job is done.

And it just started raining! If all works as it should, we are collecting all the water that flows off our roof, down the spout, and into the barrel.

Tom's latest marathon

He did the Boston marathon 5 years ago in 4 hours and 25 minutes. This year, 4 hours, 29.19 minutes, qualifying for the 2012 Boston marathon. It was a great race!

Click here for some pictures:
Tom's Boston Marathon

Who's the oldest nephew?

Lucky Ben! He may be getting old, but he already has a great birthday gift. Alyssa spent the afternoon on Saturday in Martha's kitchen making gramma's tea-rings for him. If you're thinking that Martha was probably in charge, forget that. Martha got to take pictures and wash a few dishes. Alyssa made all the decisions and did all the work.

 And the results look fantastic.

There are lots of talented young ones in the family! Check out the blog that Mary manages for her church environmental group, Earthcare Framingham. One light bulb, is that too much to ask?

Counting down, and congratulations to Amelia

Four days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and my commuting days are over. On Friday afternoon, while Tom is taking his Master Gardener test (anyone have questions about stink bugs?)

I'm hoping to be in a class that will teach me something about pruning. I love chopping things down and clearing out dead stuff, but it has been trial and error. I would prefer fewer errors.

Congratulations to Amelia! I think she is the youngest in the family with a blog. Check this out and take part in her survey: Earthcare by a Kid

the gift that keeps on giving

The new pizza stone that Tom got for Christmas (once I remembered it and pulled it out from under the bed), has produced some of the best pizza we've ever had. The picture doesn't do it justice, and that's the pan that was used to slide it on to the stone, not the stone, which I didn't get a picture of.

 

As good, if not better, is the stollen he made, which baked beautifully on the stone.

  

He used a recipe out of our old Joy of Cooking, which is at least 40 years old. Eggs, butter, all the good ingredients, without any of those cholesterol worries.

Snow? Not in Florida

The Kennedy Space Center.

A little chilly in Florida, but hard to complain when compared to upstate New York and other areas. Bridget put a lot of miles on her new car. Tom got to use some tools in her apartment. We read, walked, found a great restaurant in Winter Park, and spent a good part of a day at the Kennedy Space Center. If you are up for it, here are more photos. 

Another marathon under his belt!

Harrisburg PA. A perfect weekend for a 26-mile run.

Great day on the mall!

Lots of people and lots of signs.

The weather was perfect--cool with no rain--and so many people, stretching from the Capitol to the Washington Monument. I will be interested in the crowd size that is reported. I'm guessing that it will be underestimated.

This is the "proof we were there" photo.

Demographically the crowd was a great mix. Old folks like us, teenagers, young marrieds with children, and lots of different nationalities, all well behaved--although maybe the parents of the bare-breasted young lady we walked by would disagree with that.

our upstairs guest

Zoey arrived on Thursday to stay until Bridget negotiates the move to Orlando. This is the look she gives me if I suggest that maybe she could be NICE to Henry and Eli.

Thank God she can't turn the water on herself.

Underneath that towel are two hand-knit afghans and three wool blankets--think princess and the pea.