The Big Apple

Well today we made it to the BIG APPLE! Haven't had time to upload any photos yet. We had another early morning wake up to catch a train out of Prospect Park, PA at 7AM- then boarded an Amtrak train from Philadelphia to Penn Station, NYC. Along the way many kind (female) strangers helped us with our multiple large bags. I think it's because Grace is too darn cute! (well, that doesn't hurt!) We took a cab from the train station to our apartment on the Upper East Side. Our apartment is FABULOUS! Clean, quiet and spacious; two blocks away from the Guggenheim and Central Park. It has wifi, A/C, free telephone/cable, windows,full kitchen, etc. I highly recommend those of you planning trips check out VRBO.com to find places to stay- this is our first time and it is working out great! The owner of the apartment is very nice and helpful. And it is costing the same as an average hotel in NYC without the 13% tax! We bought groceries (fruit, cereal and Diet Coke) at the store on the corner then we went to explore Central Park. It's hot here and Grace did pretty good but then she got a blister. We loved the Turtle Pond- it's huge with red-eared sliders and dragonflies. Lots of people were out enjoying the weather. Lots of babies in Bugaboo Strollers. We checked out Belvedere Castle, then ate a hotdog at the Boat House. Grace is fascinated by all the pigeons! Then, instead of catching a cab back (due to the blisters) I decided it would be more fun to get on a pedi-cab. Well he never told me how much it was going to be even though I asked (first mistake).. and it ended up costing TWICE as much as our cab from the train station. Oops. But he was cycling in the heat and it wasn't very easy work.. but it cost about $2/block.. And Grace hated it. So no more pedi-cabs. Soon we have to get ready to head to the theater district to watch the 'Little Mermaid'. Grace won't take a nap, hopefully she holds up.

It never fails...

Well tonight I have been packing for our BIG vacation... I have the luxury of being leisurely about it this time (usually I work right up until I need to go..this time I got 3 days off before our departure).. so I am not panicked yet. Grace wanted to spend her last night in town with her Dad so I have had the place to myself- doing laundry, sorting clothes, changing the sheets on the bed, organizing- I have been very industrious and domestic.. I tend to do this when I am going out of town- it's probably the only time I really get in the mood to organize stuff around here.. It must be the phenomenon of wanting to come home to a tidy house after being gone (and my twisted mind also considers the alternative - What if the plane crashed and I didn't come home? I wouldn't want my family to have to deal with my stuff and have the place 'looking like a pigsty'- yes, that's a "Fran-ism"...) So I have been going off on tangents- I organized the linen closet (!)- something that hasn't been done in many years. I tackled the MOUNTAIN of clean laundry that was on the dryer. And I went through Grace's dresser and weeded out a lot of the clothes that she can't fit into anymore. Then I discovered something was missing. A pink Croc. So I have been searching for it for hours. It's nowhere. This ALWAYS happens to me when I am organizing stuff. Then all progress comes to a complete standstill. And I get frustrated. One of my biggest pet peeves- besides traffic, waiting in lines, and stupid or rude or mean people- is losing things. I CAN'T STAND IT! So I have not finished packing. It'll have to wait for tomorrow. I am sure tomorrow the Croc will turn up. But now I must get to bed. I have to try to get myself on a more sane sleeping schedule. Tomorrow we have to go to sleep real early for our morning flight on Wednesday- and we are sharing a hotel room by the airport with the folks so I can't stay up late even if I wanted to. So I am going to try to forget about the pink Croc. If it's gone, it's gone. I can get her a new pair. But it HAS to be around here somewhere. I just don't know where...Here is a pic of G wearing the notorious Crocs at a field trip to the airport last year...
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This is for Cousin Bob

My cousin Bob is a sunset chaser. He loves to photograph the sunset. Last Summer when he visited I tried to find the most beautiful spot on Fox Island to watch and photograph the sunset (that wasn't private property of course- not a small challenge). He has to catch the sun right when it starts to disappear into the horizon. The view from the west side of Fox Island is stunning- the Puget Sound with the Olympic Mountains in the background. Bob hasn't switched from film to digital yet so I didn't get to see most of the photos he took while he was visiting. Sometimes I get a photo of a sunset enclosed in a card from him.
I rarely get to see the sunset unless I happen to be driving in my car at sundown. Grace and I had the rare opportunity recently to go out on a friend's boat at sunset. This photo was taken from Cutt's Island (just a short boat ride from Fox Island) with my old Kodak. Granted, it isn't the most spectacular sunset photo ever taken, but to me it is beautiful and reminds me of why I will always live near the water.
(and to make more friends with people who have boats! just kidding ;)

Gorge in George

Well last Friday night was the much anticipated Jack Johnson concert at the Gorge in George, Washington. I decided to bring G along since the weather wasn't going to be too hot and she is such a good road tripper now. We had a caravan with Lynne and Kokole, stopped for lunch in Ellensburg, then headed to the tent city. It was a sold out show- fans of all different ages and backgrounds- bikers, college kids, families, etc. Jack Johnson's music appeals to a wide variety of people. Right after we set up our tent Asya arrived from Idaho and we had a little tailgate party. We met a couple other friends from work at the show. Our spot on the lawn was pretty far away from the stage (about as far as you can get!) but we enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the river gorge and watching shooting stars while listening to some fabulous music.
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It's Hot

It's hot... and that makes me sluggish.. I should be doing something today... but I can't... I just want to take a nap. At least tonight on the graveyard I will be in nice cold air conditioning...

Camping at the Lake

After G got back from Disneyland (yes, she had a great time..and came back with a tan!).. we went camping for a few days at Lake Cushman with friends. My friend goes with her family every year- she even took her days old baby there last year! Her folks have an RV but we shared a cabin (easier to have all the amenities when you have a 1 yr old with you). The weather wasn't very warm but it was great to get away and it was so pretty there.

G loved swimming in the chilly lake and eating hot dogs cooked over the fire. There was a lot of eating and some serious relaxing to do. I got to be decadent and read magazines and even take a nap or two! G made friends with some older girls who were in our group.

We helped our lil friend Scout celebrate his first birthday on the 12th. Papa Bill took us on a boat ride and I got to go on the wave runner. We definitely want to go again next August.. and stay longer.. because we missed 'Hobo Night' and I need to find out what that's all about!

Big Theme Park Plantations

Well my little G got on an airplane today to visit her Grandpa Norman and go on a much anticipated trip to the Magic Kingdom! Now the house is just a bit too quiet. They say pictures are worth a thousand words... here is a photo of how she looked on her way to the airport.