Wow, a vacation

Well, it has only been 15 years, but we finally managed to get away on a vacation the 4 of us could enjoy! There was a catch, though. My MIL was supposed to come, but got sick before we left, so she stayed home. She would have so enjoyed everything!

We went to the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake http://www.adkmuseum.org/
which was fantastic. BRE, Knight and I had a great time, although the Magpie was really only impressed by the statues of horses and the taxidermied (yeah, I know it isn't a word) animals. Although it was expensive, the admission is not only for the day, you can return any other day within a week of your trip there. Well worth the money!

We had dinner in Lake Placid, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic. BRE loved walking through the shops, and The Magpie found two dogs to pet. Another highlight of her trip!

The motel was clean, and The Magpie had a great time sleeping all over her daddy. Actually, the beds were soft, so I didn't sleep well.

The next day was The Magpie's day. We went to Santa's Workshop in North Pole, NY. http://www.northpoleny.com/ Billed as New York's oldest theme park, it is most definitely for the young. Most rides had height limits, and very few allowed our tall BRE. Both girls had a photo taken with Santa and fed the reindeer. They also fed milk to two hungry calves. BRE enjoyed the shops, but The Magpie LOVED the reindeer barn. Her favorite was not Rudolph, but Jingle. Yes, I said, "Jingle." Comet (who is a doe, by the way) had a baby on May 15th, baby Jingle.

The trip was lovely, and it is nice to be home.

Happy Birthday Daddy

Yes, I said, "Daddy." Yes, I am an adult woman who calls her father 'Daddy.'

And I am proud of it.

Born in 1924, my father lived through the Great Depression. He used to tell us marvelous stories- all lies- about a potato swung past the children so that they could lick it as it went by. The youngest always got the potato in the end. He didn't tell us, but his sisters did, that he would eat breakfast at home, and then the nuns would feed him again. Tall and wiry, they thought he was starving. I gather Grandma was none too pleased when she found out that he was double-dipping.

Dad is also a proud WWII veteran. He was a member of the 104th infantry, the Timberwolves, under the command of Terry Allen. Recipient of a Purple Heart, Dad rarely discusses his service and refuses to be interviewed for the Living History project.

Daddy married his high school sweetheart, and loves her even now, although she died in 2001. He also has never forgotten the two daughters, born too soon, that he buried, nor the one who passed away in 2004.

Dad is 84 today. He will be here soon for dinner. Although he has had heart attacks and stents and other issues, he drives his own vehicle and doesn't go to the store on certain days because all of the 'old farts' shop then. We are having some of his favorites: sausage patties, onion and peppers, macaroni salad and sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.

The aunts are coming for dessert. Brownies. Alas, just home baked, not homemade.

Happy Birthday Daddy.

Summer Sojourn...reasons to be nervous

My Knight and I have no luck when it comes to vacations. In the 16 years we have been married, we have gone on vacation once. Yeah, once. We went to Boston. It was fun, although the rotaries are a pain and the people in the motel room next to us had, uh, a REALLY good and vocal time.
The next years were filled with new house, new baby, toddler and ill sister. Those were the years we went to the zoo many times, the beach once in a while, and stayed close to home.
In 2006 we tried to take a vacation. Our then-two-year-old Magpie became ill and spent the entire 3 nights and 2 days in the hospital.
We haven't tried to go on vacation since.
This year, though, we are going on a sojourn. It is a little nerve-racking. We are staying in the state and going for only one night. We will be less than 5 hours from home.
Still.....nerves abound.