tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46291237373507138042024-02-07T07:48:31.127-05:00Two Silver CatsTwo Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-13506086500125443552011-02-27T11:45:00.005-05:002011-02-27T11:59:46.911-05:00Kids these days don't know what they're missing....So the other day my dad randomly said, "Do you remember that story about that dog thing that was a spy, and he was known for his disguises? And something about he was a dancer to catch the bad guys?"<br /><br />... it took me a few minutes to realize that Dad had meandered back about thirty years in the past, but I realized that he was talking about one of my very favorite childhood authors: Richard Scarry!! I had forgotten how much I loved him-- in fact, all of my copies of the Richard Scarry books that I have have no covers whatsoever, and various pages were scribbled on by Little Me, and there are ripped pages and pages missing and the spines are all broken... evidence that our family read these books until they could no longer hold their shapes.<br /><br />So without further ado, I present.... COUSCOUS!<br /><br />(Click to embiggeren!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmcqFTOmIPBAPJpfE7RsI49YnQW3RxkuOrfN9FXW5KYyvnO01fbeSLOhGawClu3Fux3FevumntbzrGdFkm6qcELXthyxp_EjVHnjXMh65pG3Vr6QSWlnxAZYHTOLsQquqvL9Bt9teKHg/s1600/IMG_1216.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmcqFTOmIPBAPJpfE7RsI49YnQW3RxkuOrfN9FXW5KYyvnO01fbeSLOhGawClu3Fux3FevumntbzrGdFkm6qcELXthyxp_EjVHnjXMh65pG3Vr6QSWlnxAZYHTOLsQquqvL9Bt9teKHg/s200/IMG_1216.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578412817346773634" border="0" /></a><br />Which one was Couscous? There is a clue in the picture where Couscous is meeting with his cat and mouse assistants...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5308scwtq9YW3OzBq2Uub_OSMFxQWfKU81E9P5nnFcaYEb_mXUbSCpqcgQWJijtMx5a97Vw9uF2EgKLkT46Zt5GVEuuuVjCrJjhqslIPsDnpuRSS7y5aJOUQHFnMOwDSlYDRYfhIuomU/s1600/IMG_1217.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5308scwtq9YW3OzBq2Uub_OSMFxQWfKU81E9P5nnFcaYEb_mXUbSCpqcgQWJijtMx5a97Vw9uF2EgKLkT46Zt5GVEuuuVjCrJjhqslIPsDnpuRSS7y5aJOUQHFnMOwDSlYDRYfhIuomU/s200/IMG_1217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578412820866510482" border="0" /></a><br />Although there are many quality kid's books written today, none compares to the awesomeness of THIS.Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-68450687782922266382011-02-02T13:37:00.017-05:002011-02-02T17:36:34.918-05:00Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My (Or The Day We Saw Some Melted Animals)Since today is a snow day, so I've decided to go back through some summer pictures and share them with you!<br /><br />One of the best days I had was when I took my buddy E to the <a href="http://www.dewanimalkingdom.com/">zoo</a>. He had been bugging me and bugging me to take him, so we took an afternoon and went out there. Turns out, this was one of the hottest days this summer, so the animals weren't nearly as perky as they could have been, but it was still fun.<br /><br />The first things we saw was this little cutie, being all cute and napping in the shade.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkywDntcBw41G3SWuNcIMahLvpmra6USby4arBi5o2GSwgvNcxficI0qVT3RzFz0aaS8JBX5qErzC6WKDfXasxgwRCI0vP3gpOrQW6b_H6Tqn9RWfmcUhkcXup54w9trJ3hW-IhI2MoRA/s1600/IMG_0626.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkywDntcBw41G3SWuNcIMahLvpmra6USby4arBi5o2GSwgvNcxficI0qVT3RzFz0aaS8JBX5qErzC6WKDfXasxgwRCI0vP3gpOrQW6b_H6Tqn9RWfmcUhkcXup54w9trJ3hW-IhI2MoRA/s200/IMG_0626.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569166709567581074" border="0" /></a><br />After oohing and aawing over him for a little while, we visited with the goats.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAMelWvnphWI6N11PN5Dw6YyJtrt53hkbk2bXN8u8NRn5ZlC45_mEcLw9yM4-SNdChYt4VCSkCewaFz8CSEZ9tr03GWGkHWizNUok3nAPCRDwN5rPdOUiVk8fRipFRS8Gch0z75Ed6os/s1600/IMG_0629.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAMelWvnphWI6N11PN5Dw6YyJtrt53hkbk2bXN8u8NRn5ZlC45_mEcLw9yM4-SNdChYt4VCSkCewaFz8CSEZ9tr03GWGkHWizNUok3nAPCRDwN5rPdOUiVk8fRipFRS8Gch0z75Ed6os/s200/IMG_0629.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569166721411926338" border="0" /></a><br />The goats made us laugh-- E had a handful of treats, and was being bravely feeding them to the little goaty goats...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIZU4DXPZ6LxIS2DpzoyV1nY7km2fbbvQi6FwZxZSA53k1EqmnFNVz6BklPFSJdjOENVLuClwo5djMtm7OdwTW6ILYoIIBs5rR4JvN9n8cNYLUgzGb0lg_CgMUlX-denF4_lNdPBIpus/s1600/IMG_0630.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIZU4DXPZ6LxIS2DpzoyV1nY7km2fbbvQi6FwZxZSA53k1EqmnFNVz6BklPFSJdjOENVLuClwo5djMtm7OdwTW6ILYoIIBs5rR4JvN9n8cNYLUgzGb0lg_CgMUlX-denF4_lNdPBIpus/s200/IMG_0630.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569166729887865474" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8Y0E7ep38csQ0x5CyZBralavKpTrQ1X5o7hcNHxmoAvEifAZ3w5m3P4Lxw2s5I1d7aBpLzMY4ih1_0w8PVjRZNPHMh_WbFs40bu6MVrTtpKKGIt_Dm9Kbt5vBFqawO99QZGONd0ybQA/s1600/IMG_0641.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8Y0E7ep38csQ0x5CyZBralavKpTrQ1X5o7hcNHxmoAvEifAZ3w5m3P4Lxw2s5I1d7aBpLzMY4ih1_0w8PVjRZNPHMh_WbFs40bu6MVrTtpKKGIt_Dm9Kbt5vBFqawO99QZGONd0ybQA/s200/IMG_0641.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569170450617584034" border="0" /></a><br />... when this HUGE FOUR-HORNED GOAT came out of nowhere, and started whacking his horns against the fence to get to the treats. E was briefly terrified, and so was I.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ySmVdVbRBaCGfK7d59A7sW3N2eQvffQL8wd6VJ9CFZ33codHH5T5EIC-VsLNkNJLmRdxMPx2i6ZR7q72WW8qfGXyt3x93vLPRx-AkGKAegOIguHsl_Jo1-J36ORuKIiwOokNbKCgdQs/s1600/IMG_0634.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ySmVdVbRBaCGfK7d59A7sW3N2eQvffQL8wd6VJ9CFZ33codHH5T5EIC-VsLNkNJLmRdxMPx2i6ZR7q72WW8qfGXyt3x93vLPRx-AkGKAegOIguHsl_Jo1-J36ORuKIiwOokNbKCgdQs/s200/IMG_0634.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569170420980009986" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQ-DuY3NoI8EXeXghxx_FwqciaGg2RwFu3GSqvOcA_v9tCy6yz3A3wHPxG0kY8dcSozuwxB7yQVRYc3JxFna1TQFPAxk_Gwky4BejeaHYxaMAhXp_LmIPBhNgfQMpfnDjH7Gdn0yF5uI/s1600/IMG_0727.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQ-DuY3NoI8EXeXghxx_FwqciaGg2RwFu3GSqvOcA_v9tCy6yz3A3wHPxG0kY8dcSozuwxB7yQVRYc3JxFna1TQFPAxk_Gwky4BejeaHYxaMAhXp_LmIPBhNgfQMpfnDjH7Gdn0yF5uI/s200/IMG_0727.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569220189255505554" border="0" /></a><br />But we had to laugh when we saw a horizontal kangaroo. The vertical kangaroo kept going up to it and annoying it-- "Hey buddy, hey buddy, hey buddy, lookit, lookit!" and the horizontal one was like, "Dude. Leave me alone! It's too HOT to play!"<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsniEBoyCKTL6LCFFIUFfYS3uGR-KP_PdZbJkQravJvshAa-Jv_R_Y7chCL-pCWSHcHQnmHy8U6a5gJWaEUA6QJvXun7AEa_F-_MhW7-jmZjktWyXMAbAxWmoZRAlOxK3GA2bfEO6efYE/s1600/IMG_0638.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsniEBoyCKTL6LCFFIUFfYS3uGR-KP_PdZbJkQravJvshAa-Jv_R_Y7chCL-pCWSHcHQnmHy8U6a5gJWaEUA6QJvXun7AEa_F-_MhW7-jmZjktWyXMAbAxWmoZRAlOxK3GA2bfEO6efYE/s200/IMG_0638.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569170429598289330" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqohi9ZZZ2H-QD2cGm_EtCfkZuB5bApBtTodxBiF1XqQrVhQ5KqBIwCDbe8D-JFpNFTdpLHfoMCOx62cvKsMfw_GOnYCaukwdWQhHYiouL0ZEt57_ZIhqQCl3_PZ_XFl3t1y4HG5NCXs/s1600/IMG_0640.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqohi9ZZZ2H-QD2cGm_EtCfkZuB5bApBtTodxBiF1XqQrVhQ5KqBIwCDbe8D-JFpNFTdpLHfoMCOx62cvKsMfw_GOnYCaukwdWQhHYiouL0ZEt57_ZIhqQCl3_PZ_XFl3t1y4HG5NCXs/s200/IMG_0640.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569170439715286018" border="0" /></a><br />I kept asking E if we would get in trouble for trying to sneak a piglet out of the zoo. He told me I could go ahead, but he wouldn't help me do it. Even when I told him I'd let him keep one. He's no fun.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG71JtXn18uz3xd7l1GYfgLCSNNgqqcG8w1rvXIhYKUlXTv3_eQehcPuZzZ6u4E5G-6CMqauhFo8xjDhqk219Gfq1TkNzk_BI-NZybCC9hlgOnG6W3y4eQ4dKFK4FW_nYmygJFAGo-zw8/s1600/IMG_0643.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG71JtXn18uz3xd7l1GYfgLCSNNgqqcG8w1rvXIhYKUlXTv3_eQehcPuZzZ6u4E5G-6CMqauhFo8xjDhqk219Gfq1TkNzk_BI-NZybCC9hlgOnG6W3y4eQ4dKFK4FW_nYmygJFAGo-zw8/s200/IMG_0643.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569170453521504706" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftgU7ThL_CXhV0oQeMmihgqhnyD5qjkpKZeb708bytoqSsK6hifV5x1xWfPqFCNVYaLUDsCD8Db1rAE_rDSYp9QEblAm2lVJgX28NaCPJtnGZIN1IezLmUimMvzo2Yee1Jg-PWTrJjbc/s1600/IMG_0648.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftgU7ThL_CXhV0oQeMmihgqhnyD5qjkpKZeb708bytoqSsK6hifV5x1xWfPqFCNVYaLUDsCD8Db1rAE_rDSYp9QEblAm2lVJgX28NaCPJtnGZIN1IezLmUimMvzo2Yee1Jg-PWTrJjbc/s200/IMG_0648.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569173815718377506" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ho7ZEg0a_82mzad8Ttj69ThU-DD6se22RnlJKpN-mz3ThU5b5ljf1O_wsHFoYGY7oJhPY1C2D29JC4Yn5-QFnclNCbZp37c3bdbz76B9cUS0oY8jnDi-aXoG5SaawnSF_1G1swWL8bc/s1600/IMG_0645.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Ho7ZEg0a_82mzad8Ttj69ThU-DD6se22RnlJKpN-mz3ThU5b5ljf1O_wsHFoYGY7oJhPY1C2D29JC4Yn5-QFnclNCbZp37c3bdbz76B9cUS0oY8jnDi-aXoG5SaawnSF_1G1swWL8bc/s200/IMG_0645.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569173815136141426" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0OG1QH9EuqLKd9Iell1QhETa3E2sblCFMi3ljPuNwS4qLTnDdhGjZ9P2xth-7f80PDHs_bQW861hW7916-Ty05KKAeUX8VA3iRVA1byehKrKNr3XQyF9UhRNIpVsMI4LQCWc-v-8Rj0/s1600/IMG_0724.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0OG1QH9EuqLKd9Iell1QhETa3E2sblCFMi3ljPuNwS4qLTnDdhGjZ9P2xth-7f80PDHs_bQW861hW7916-Ty05KKAeUX8VA3iRVA1byehKrKNr3XQyF9UhRNIpVsMI4LQCWc-v-8Rj0/s200/IMG_0724.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569222396544783522" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhma3fapMg9D88LuFHvM7u8TVHflLADRxiPF5PCz0aZQkP3s2rUpXdbO1YLf686PaBHze3pXmh0CjHiT-3CZOH0cELYskpDC754E3vfp4WaGl3B3QqJ-2xr6OayS1LUYDRId8hHeYj1_gY/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG"><br /></a>Then we got to the Big Cat section. E liked this sign:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-EzdXn-QHxETLpSHYMXeY1kzyFHgoXp_g0Nm2BNGmBNj9fvEI_soRz3skV-cYM8N2OGX7jj3ja6VxRBCcRqnDCrz5ignJcacQcaBMd50d8yMqppk9UTHCI5Bp6q06UfTU6P_RdzTPfQ/s1600/IMG_0655.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-EzdXn-QHxETLpSHYMXeY1kzyFHgoXp_g0Nm2BNGmBNj9fvEI_soRz3skV-cYM8N2OGX7jj3ja6VxRBCcRqnDCrz5ignJcacQcaBMd50d8yMqppk9UTHCI5Bp6q06UfTU6P_RdzTPfQ/s200/IMG_0655.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569173807032103282" border="0" /></a><br />The Big Cats were mostly just Big Cat Puddles due to the heat, but they were still fascinating. E liked the bobcats and the mountain lions...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTmWVt6YqoUD_xtdDu6WrOVA4Y8TfF7y-AU9YsXVbuxz3JC-o4muelhpqM4iY9wMeBFt3Yfd6IJ85VWmdNflXNBSsUtT158cXqVL7o3TySA5L2Ta6c7i4Bz1-u1VM17skB508G-o56pY/s1600/IMG_0660.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTmWVt6YqoUD_xtdDu6WrOVA4Y8TfF7y-AU9YsXVbuxz3JC-o4muelhpqM4iY9wMeBFt3Yfd6IJ85VWmdNflXNBSsUtT158cXqVL7o3TySA5L2Ta6c7i4Bz1-u1VM17skB508G-o56pY/s200/IMG_0660.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569173819698975842" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lSsyiK2aD6KOtmn0ZtIdeRKRnEupEpPxs4RGZeo2yQTM4bpT6XkILmI-cPmegeYQEVkd2yxeJfM671z9ZIReOxGg8OUStSfiDx2JYUUvoEmx90y9_7mT_JjbMeW8F3J-HPuN14rv4lU/s1600/IMG_0661.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lSsyiK2aD6KOtmn0ZtIdeRKRnEupEpPxs4RGZeo2yQTM4bpT6XkILmI-cPmegeYQEVkd2yxeJfM671z9ZIReOxGg8OUStSfiDx2JYUUvoEmx90y9_7mT_JjbMeW8F3J-HPuN14rv4lU/s200/IMG_0661.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569173828715293810" border="0" /></a><br />...while I like thed lions and tigers. This tiger was lying so close to us that I could get a good idea of how big his paw was-- if E got too close to it, the paw would easily cover his entire face. You tend to forget just how big the Big Cats are until they are right next to you.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxztQpHJbYiyW2b20QX5TDUywICQVCAkCbgORWa_P4XOBmr9NcL9dcvCmfjTelIZ15w8kJW_YfMizB0rMZ58cK6gMn17NSTm3CyzXzh-RDBVDb1uH6HqDqTuidSrHbP4fSahMoX1Nbf_w/s1600/IMG_0676.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxztQpHJbYiyW2b20QX5TDUywICQVCAkCbgORWa_P4XOBmr9NcL9dcvCmfjTelIZ15w8kJW_YfMizB0rMZ58cK6gMn17NSTm3CyzXzh-RDBVDb1uH6HqDqTuidSrHbP4fSahMoX1Nbf_w/s200/IMG_0676.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569177819205120162" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9828H2fL3MbTllL2hPP0XIJMc_hFKSfRFm7msp6SuxKuec8hIKd7ghD5rh3dYZTUefexE-Yc6B-qRpdruTkwQvA95OEFqDSPyye08T7ZjN0NW85JUDkRzkCN3wRCqNvETpRcf9BLA4_4/s1600/IMG_0672.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9828H2fL3MbTllL2hPP0XIJMc_hFKSfRFm7msp6SuxKuec8hIKd7ghD5rh3dYZTUefexE-Yc6B-qRpdruTkwQvA95OEFqDSPyye08T7ZjN0NW85JUDkRzkCN3wRCqNvETpRcf9BLA4_4/s200/IMG_0672.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569177811627833010" border="0" /></a><br />And then we found the lions. Mr. Lion says, "Dear, I know it's hot, but please...you're embarrassing me... people are <span style="font-style: italic;">watching </span>us."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8syxCxnxDbxcMkS7KYPfj8w6959JpZzyiMgay97GQmSlW61uusxSkK94K1nMX-d-Gu_q-vFXJlmOP9Sv1ltHhvSGn8rP33Cx39PDZKP5PiYYjmzZ4wdc9Swv36szjjt_YQMsZdqjYtrk/s1600/IMG_0668.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8syxCxnxDbxcMkS7KYPfj8w6959JpZzyiMgay97GQmSlW61uusxSkK94K1nMX-d-Gu_q-vFXJlmOP9Sv1ltHhvSGn8rP33Cx39PDZKP5PiYYjmzZ4wdc9Swv36szjjt_YQMsZdqjYtrk/s200/IMG_0668.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569177798826397682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mrs. Lion says: "I don't care. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Too hot</span>."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvJ2s9fCSoHJe_qwcuXQhcIYzo-4uF6y23VAKf6Z-Jsa9WqW45iKBeHFDmJSpq_77kSF9ziSjIw2_AM35NS7hWAkd_DJdYYnVTXQAbjtnv6gpCFg88z6fFB7PgOWiTerHd46S3gpYNPY/s1600/IMG_0669.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvJ2s9fCSoHJe_qwcuXQhcIYzo-4uF6y23VAKf6Z-Jsa9WqW45iKBeHFDmJSpq_77kSF9ziSjIw2_AM35NS7hWAkd_DJdYYnVTXQAbjtnv6gpCFg88z6fFB7PgOWiTerHd46S3gpYNPY/s200/IMG_0669.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569222388305819362" border="0" /></a><br />Mr. Lion says: <span style="font-weight: bold;">*SIGH*</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61TtTpLbNzrJNfNe9YMPOnSGmz1ziTd2k0QcuQHd5prQdbZD-XKdis3_5H6Fzfl1A06jv6fRVpcbNvUs7J1kOkIrngxsfVeMeSjzSBNclN9M2FoFDmRcCKvVXBXKXLC_Sko4bCmQo61w/s1600/IMG_0670.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61TtTpLbNzrJNfNe9YMPOnSGmz1ziTd2k0QcuQHd5prQdbZD-XKdis3_5H6Fzfl1A06jv6fRVpcbNvUs7J1kOkIrngxsfVeMeSjzSBNclN9M2FoFDmRcCKvVXBXKXLC_Sko4bCmQo61w/s200/IMG_0670.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569177807093536450" border="0" /></a><br />Okay, now let me tell you something about my buddy E. He can be a very serious little guy, on the solemn side, very thoughtful and quiet. But when we rounded this corner, he burst out laughing-- and he laughed so hard that tears were coming out of his eyes. "What's the matter, E?" I asked, as I had not seen what he had.<br /><br />He looked at me, and between giggles, said-- "Look! The bobcat <span style="font-weight: bold;">MELTED</span>!"<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9ZpoUmbv6zNvQIS-DZvJSd16ngg2bj2IRpuqQAF12udbv0DFwCqa1kiy35et08QkKgt4kerLNIXAXJ05LJhys7OgsNPitTL0M0Ky0SuHErKKs7DfL4mao-QSor7RRPYmNkcHC2IIHXA/s1600/IMG_0664.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9ZpoUmbv6zNvQIS-DZvJSd16ngg2bj2IRpuqQAF12udbv0DFwCqa1kiy35et08QkKgt4kerLNIXAXJ05LJhys7OgsNPitTL0M0Ky0SuHErKKs7DfL4mao-QSor7RRPYmNkcHC2IIHXA/s200/IMG_0664.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569180945363722994" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1n2HKqTcYGr3qgMWs5UaxfpAr42n57FRvfYUUd6x_WjbPnN4B_pSn6QQywSSPIbFe25yH1tEZnO67A3rrR7uvwPudwEyqDxSGshPNWh-M61BOvrSN-SXN-7ihtzdyjwoQgAqjBxdEhTc/s1600/IMG_0719.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1n2HKqTcYGr3qgMWs5UaxfpAr42n57FRvfYUUd6x_WjbPnN4B_pSn6QQywSSPIbFe25yH1tEZnO67A3rrR7uvwPudwEyqDxSGshPNWh-M61BOvrSN-SXN-7ihtzdyjwoQgAqjBxdEhTc/s200/IMG_0719.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569180965832761794" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhgMnnkxufCGo_fQoaaGva5ffNeRU1VE4KsJVOTB5SyrpcUKFAtIl8bNcMa4FQk-TfBQG2ziXHBKHXjZ59yMpr3etgLRU67azD_cDvdjVnDhyphenhyphenTRQPaCUFLM631qL9YFh7pzna2Uu3PD4/s1600/IMG_0717.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhgMnnkxufCGo_fQoaaGva5ffNeRU1VE4KsJVOTB5SyrpcUKFAtIl8bNcMa4FQk-TfBQG2ziXHBKHXjZ59yMpr3etgLRU67azD_cDvdjVnDhyphenhyphenTRQPaCUFLM631qL9YFh7pzna2Uu3PD4/s200/IMG_0717.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569180955041780322" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeiQyJEZFxQ90tq8BOFoHN-AEJVMxgfD870FEpgLZE-a0zOY4fN2YuUV2pZiH4sbFSmos-SKkD8-LbFGzkcYmK-g8X5PzO0On3ko2JszNG7iBFE0ObVZkGvw6qzk78Sc5OnCPvIKRiW0k/s1600/IMG_0665.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeiQyJEZFxQ90tq8BOFoHN-AEJVMxgfD870FEpgLZE-a0zOY4fN2YuUV2pZiH4sbFSmos-SKkD8-LbFGzkcYmK-g8X5PzO0On3ko2JszNG7iBFE0ObVZkGvw6qzk78Sc5OnCPvIKRiW0k/s200/IMG_0665.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569180949589727666" border="0" /></a><br />Tee hee! After the Big Cats, we came to the random animal section: Lizards...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJ1NYc0D5-U1PuEdfY7of486h12Tw0AUb5g7tAXQLevt_lrHoDO53VFpz6hSIve_-BoSVYVz7GM_2FIaKXoQ8UqSpR4mYZ-mDj7p1sDTEc2XNyA5Lo6hWh0HJTFQP-ZjMbZeerQ1Uw28/s1600/IMG_0704.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJ1NYc0D5-U1PuEdfY7of486h12Tw0AUb5g7tAXQLevt_lrHoDO53VFpz6hSIve_-BoSVYVz7GM_2FIaKXoQ8UqSpR4mYZ-mDj7p1sDTEc2XNyA5Lo6hWh0HJTFQP-ZjMbZeerQ1Uw28/s200/IMG_0704.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569214356580474514" border="0" /></a><br /><br />...parrots (E even got it to say "Polly want a cracker"!)...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZoA4V3Kz91DWQ02A9SIzF0gjtldFPEUnEByCFAN5m2_3HzI3JB24ok1_MDytAojHLadlhe54mHgA0Pw5Fcz8IWDlzVKSn2hWUSVlvVO9w9LHViQ-Scs49zjrHrtx29x64p-UM45EbWU/s1600/IMG_0706.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZoA4V3Kz91DWQ02A9SIzF0gjtldFPEUnEByCFAN5m2_3HzI3JB24ok1_MDytAojHLadlhe54mHgA0Pw5Fcz8IWDlzVKSn2hWUSVlvVO9w9LHViQ-Scs49zjrHrtx29x64p-UM45EbWU/s200/IMG_0706.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569214361703167810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />...bears...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytILQ01TVd9IGsInhU0rWT3Oe58lX4KsjnSkJo1QqcnHY7CKDx_DMZ1g-LOXrEkpASeQGDalSeeLIxMRSeN-Kjp5hO3cTG8Vbpqi9ovQYpdsay33bUD4CJTOxKK8Xncw3HiYHzzMbPvo/s1600/IMG_0732.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytILQ01TVd9IGsInhU0rWT3Oe58lX4KsjnSkJo1QqcnHY7CKDx_DMZ1g-LOXrEkpASeQGDalSeeLIxMRSeN-Kjp5hO3cTG8Vbpqi9ovQYpdsay33bUD4CJTOxKK8Xncw3HiYHzzMbPvo/s200/IMG_0732.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569214366287885106" border="0" /></a><br />...monkeys...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelefV9_gpjIPiE94qicpHAFAdIST-7Hz3cArPO1-XUOKa155rBIBSD4PekMLZkevC5nUIubhtE3xJGFKj18ONODkOF_3UjXchwhoNVjK8AyR3cEFTt519FxzU3UWJA9tz5gDalfOZP2Q/s1600/IMG_0685.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelefV9_gpjIPiE94qicpHAFAdIST-7Hz3cArPO1-XUOKa155rBIBSD4PekMLZkevC5nUIubhtE3xJGFKj18ONODkOF_3UjXchwhoNVjK8AyR3cEFTt519FxzU3UWJA9tz5gDalfOZP2Q/s200/IMG_0685.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569214374573679490" border="0" /></a><br />...peacocks and peahens and peachicks...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRN5hKQM8uJzMFMc5lvjkzqbzxuEPkQTWu5AU2cuMNOOkog_xZSa5-RpYgWtrIcptiVee2aA63elmTH5bdzo1P7y3VW2YtRwjXRvyZ8LAes2Kdy9X7Zmndc3JTEOUxYP1GZ03XIYMbhw/s1600/IMG_0711.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRN5hKQM8uJzMFMc5lvjkzqbzxuEPkQTWu5AU2cuMNOOkog_xZSa5-RpYgWtrIcptiVee2aA63elmTH5bdzo1P7y3VW2YtRwjXRvyZ8LAes2Kdy9X7Zmndc3JTEOUxYP1GZ03XIYMbhw/s200/IMG_0711.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569214379695838386" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYvSXlJ9CeO-Vd8NPf0ZbRzO6Lxl3U1ui1IwZlg-fKxoFPM9ogEtZXBixNAtS1v9s0mGVUT-mzPklu2GtMF15Uk82xZfq76kF6dYgxOZ7XWPTP5wSr5Js-hoy2mfefwS12wlaJ7i67Io/s1600/IMG_0707.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYvSXlJ9CeO-Vd8NPf0ZbRzO6Lxl3U1ui1IwZlg-fKxoFPM9ogEtZXBixNAtS1v9s0mGVUT-mzPklu2GtMF15Uk82xZfq76kF6dYgxOZ7XWPTP5wSr5Js-hoy2mfefwS12wlaJ7i67Io/s200/IMG_0707.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569222391832410706" border="0" /></a><br />The tortoises were funny. We saw only one first, then another, then another... and they all started moving in the same direction-- towards a door. So E and I started making up voices for them: "Hey, is this the way to the bathroom?" "Is this the line to get tickets?" "No, I think it's where we get autographs." "Lemme in, lemme in!"<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjt-JJJm9NArBgTuQaBytMXJ4xHRKZLisi-uvfpWTtxQeKrkh4w2mQRrS3ayCelKL5RLFVPLwP1ViEWmZrE6wu218esNKdPUSwssyShCh1bkbpog_P_wDnQtg1II3unlZ3AorovEMJ4E/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjt-JJJm9NArBgTuQaBytMXJ4xHRKZLisi-uvfpWTtxQeKrkh4w2mQRrS3ayCelKL5RLFVPLwP1ViEWmZrE6wu218esNKdPUSwssyShCh1bkbpog_P_wDnQtg1II3unlZ3AorovEMJ4E/s200/IMG_0687.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569217503608131330" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2lAP2-WSFjLCKQTXjQoXiVEc2mNoihExu5Ap0b6mT24XcpbOXl87gQ_d0_f57zBlmD2-PR3_3doITCuIc7sGAtP_u9jtGTaOfRlpwiiCnr9MQnxTB6uDsKr7V1KLrpk8wPTVwfs7tBk/s1600/IMG_0692.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2lAP2-WSFjLCKQTXjQoXiVEc2mNoihExu5Ap0b6mT24XcpbOXl87gQ_d0_f57zBlmD2-PR3_3doITCuIc7sGAtP_u9jtGTaOfRlpwiiCnr9MQnxTB6uDsKr7V1KLrpk8wPTVwfs7tBk/s200/IMG_0692.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569217523163738786" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOi_Pnkz3fIgMlz-xS0Ubhs8TRxkEr0XEGutFjCiFlCfjVb_E5fr5KZ2Ls117831758uUkYBGPZ_GIQDNcHpRWkC6XX5hQmOfWyKAettcsH-6gKolbCn5lrKscjgwuNHyvVdTtStM8vSc/s1600/IMG_0689.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOi_Pnkz3fIgMlz-xS0Ubhs8TRxkEr0XEGutFjCiFlCfjVb_E5fr5KZ2Ls117831758uUkYBGPZ_GIQDNcHpRWkC6XX5hQmOfWyKAettcsH-6gKolbCn5lrKscjgwuNHyvVdTtStM8vSc/s200/IMG_0689.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569217514847066130" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8dvCo7g2tgWTqiMlGl_SS6UnIgodfHoi9LEB3vWkJvewYKjP9i1eQEGHhp_lmgIwBaC4jdEBexieGhNqIxpqdODG6FBEwaKVeExdtq1sSfOKqyBo9aXijCR3ikLVy4iXqiz7Ujl4qCNU/s1600/IMG_0690.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8dvCo7g2tgWTqiMlGl_SS6UnIgodfHoi9LEB3vWkJvewYKjP9i1eQEGHhp_lmgIwBaC4jdEBexieGhNqIxpqdODG6FBEwaKVeExdtq1sSfOKqyBo9aXijCR3ikLVy4iXqiz7Ujl4qCNU/s200/IMG_0690.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569217518595574466" border="0" /></a><br />Then it was time to go, so we said one last goodbye to all the animals, and we went to get ice cream at Tubby's. Mmm. And of course, when we got back to civilization, all E wanted to do was this:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj349DB9UQiq4SQFsh4GTon1LRxV8TRyJAaLsp6zp_pAFF9jDn49Qn_ScaX16vc_qaZZSxLbp6Mdv1CTvhqYYioD-ggOPoOBh0cc55RbjZh_t5nX8E6fX7edkbYQds3zMPiSy1EytsFsJo/s1600/IMG_0763.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj349DB9UQiq4SQFsh4GTon1LRxV8TRyJAaLsp6zp_pAFF9jDn49Qn_ScaX16vc_qaZZSxLbp6Mdv1CTvhqYYioD-ggOPoOBh0cc55RbjZh_t5nX8E6fX7edkbYQds3zMPiSy1EytsFsJo/s200/IMG_0763.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569220199467538770" border="0" /></a><br />"Look, I'm a bobcat!"Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-5919486130908993572011-01-30T13:02:00.008-05:002011-01-30T13:55:56.522-05:00Wait.... I actually have horizontal surfaces?It weirds me out a little that people live inside boxes called houses, and those boxes are a reflection of who these people are. If that's so, then what does my house say about me?<br /><br />Today it says that I must have gone a little insane, because it's CLEAN. For me, that's a huge deal. I like things very messy. But sometimes, and only sometimes, I need to purge and scrub and vacuum and find places to put things. Interior decorating, in the sense that a place can be pretty AND functional, is an odd concept for me. Horizontal places are only meant for collecting rubble, right?<br /><br />However, Santa brought me a really nice Swiffer thingy for Christmas, and you can't just swiff and leave the rest of the place a mess.<br /><br />So here's the hallway. Hmm. Will we come around the corner and see something out of "Hoarders"?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUYc5-cqos5ni6o0Bak6dvj-T2FM-PkaBlIny8OColBViKh1E_HziTGwYjjWjl0LYcwfxkJr1x_IdlE-Nq0a7pDfhlQ32c7fBwe3ZYc1uiQ09WAy3rh2mKnoadPrtYYXZKi-UQyBadrk/s1600/IMG_1147+trimmed.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUYc5-cqos5ni6o0Bak6dvj-T2FM-PkaBlIny8OColBViKh1E_HziTGwYjjWjl0LYcwfxkJr1x_IdlE-Nq0a7pDfhlQ32c7fBwe3ZYc1uiQ09WAy3rh2mKnoadPrtYYXZKi-UQyBadrk/s200/IMG_1147+trimmed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568043770615441170" border="0" /></a><br />No, not today. Huh.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSmsn76dmQUPnCPlhu9c2uFKXA_kc_wZm1-oH1k7QRUZLHI6aJxSEcIt72zfjDKu8jfNVkvv9GowO2jDhplYcBA3-QoWhZ1EUHhMt-M_ISHxpCuPjn1ORxMhgm9rh2aLn8GxvrVw01as/s1600/IMG_1148.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSmsn76dmQUPnCPlhu9c2uFKXA_kc_wZm1-oH1k7QRUZLHI6aJxSEcIt72zfjDKu8jfNVkvv9GowO2jDhplYcBA3-QoWhZ1EUHhMt-M_ISHxpCuPjn1ORxMhgm9rh2aLn8GxvrVw01as/s200/IMG_1148.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568043776701631570" border="0" /></a><br />I do spy a cat, though.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PMToXMdVJFhlI1Cv3TDl_4_u3EkC0uQIMn_PwrE-Wm9yaxZ93KP5Am6bC3N5rHaVfZ-8e0R2h7z-4QjyA8bfvoFV1BxFRlXX69r_H9PR4XrlVPwWw8C15H8biMw1bAIXQiH2QUG98Gg/s1600/IMG_1149.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PMToXMdVJFhlI1Cv3TDl_4_u3EkC0uQIMn_PwrE-Wm9yaxZ93KP5Am6bC3N5rHaVfZ-8e0R2h7z-4QjyA8bfvoFV1BxFRlXX69r_H9PR4XrlVPwWw8C15H8biMw1bAIXQiH2QUG98Gg/s200/IMG_1149.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568043780945584114" border="0" /></a><br />Me: "I will put this plastic up to keep the cold out and the warm in." Julian: "Who put this forcefield here? How can I do my neighborhood spy patrols now? I'll have to take drastic measures and rip through this ridiculousness! Seriously!"<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0QLUh6W2wdrfALYfpvYUVBhVlF8M8DML00hlVomSkobweaqpG27pXrSkOr8pTP88BxLnJg8t55km5UeLhBnprp3t0M4YyNHxN9EB7TQhtMNNnMoU_cj-RiP-nb8qK8yVh4kV-q8797I/s1600/IMG_1151.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0QLUh6W2wdrfALYfpvYUVBhVlF8M8DML00hlVomSkobweaqpG27pXrSkOr8pTP88BxLnJg8t55km5UeLhBnprp3t0M4YyNHxN9EB7TQhtMNNnMoU_cj-RiP-nb8qK8yVh4kV-q8797I/s200/IMG_1151.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568043788068573298" border="0" /></a><br />But back to the tour. A clean kitchen? This is UNTHINKABLE!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Kky8OGcW8bcNEsqi1yiuGCrs9GqR8aVc8MYbvNB-kBycPhyphenhyphenUp_2u9Wl4GXnYAYDVOs3S0tX1DYngeaHDoAghvXtzsa4jNys54ADe2snPEqQFc1TDj7W8-QI9zQSDwoQlQR0dQFZpjWY/s1600/IMG_1153.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Kky8OGcW8bcNEsqi1yiuGCrs9GqR8aVc8MYbvNB-kBycPhyphenhyphenUp_2u9Wl4GXnYAYDVOs3S0tX1DYngeaHDoAghvXtzsa4jNys54ADe2snPEqQFc1TDj7W8-QI9zQSDwoQlQR0dQFZpjWY/s200/IMG_1153.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568043792674004178" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4yKsekN0yAFIJYo8O6fkTGyNc_B7h17FnQdQR2wQJA3elLP_Zbz48YgxY4oDeQc1Urv3P9H6D_J9Zpw26Dh_KW0dlUQjDdrt_tuMfIQm8hAVZ6ZyFy2-WkOcturjhkRPjB3oEpzZNkQ/s1600/IMG_1154.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4yKsekN0yAFIJYo8O6fkTGyNc_B7h17FnQdQR2wQJA3elLP_Zbz48YgxY4oDeQc1Urv3P9H6D_J9Zpw26Dh_KW0dlUQjDdrt_tuMfIQm8hAVZ6ZyFy2-WkOcturjhkRPjB3oEpzZNkQ/s200/IMG_1154.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568047490744136274" border="0" /></a><br />And of course no living room is complete without a gigantic baby carriage. I love the thing, but what to do with it or where to put it is the question..... thus I just parked it in the dead middle of the room and hoped for the best.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyV-UB0RX2SrecsVw3GvQSft5KDDDUFc35fSWtUnLaPysGAlzHlppJPVoNyVS5bI1sHWQpjRsQOC7BfNznzESmmDJggKiD8n1YnJHlhA1a3-vJhoXaX23od_asNd_xeNkA1Bpi8_J3cuU/s1600/IMG_1158.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyV-UB0RX2SrecsVw3GvQSft5KDDDUFc35fSWtUnLaPysGAlzHlppJPVoNyVS5bI1sHWQpjRsQOC7BfNznzESmmDJggKiD8n1YnJHlhA1a3-vJhoXaX23od_asNd_xeNkA1Bpi8_J3cuU/s200/IMG_1158.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568047519730266082" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6p-Ub_VT0Seycf8z4UQ4l_y28ufiHXJE1gWimhUf1pNIK7iDvEoavOKsQTL-92YblJR_2JrNqYHtnfUM5MuFm32qRudto7-rg8bGCddGTp07af8j_Qajec-zW41HDYfvzA0-AoI7Kmxw/s1600/IMG_1155.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6p-Ub_VT0Seycf8z4UQ4l_y28ufiHXJE1gWimhUf1pNIK7iDvEoavOKsQTL-92YblJR_2JrNqYHtnfUM5MuFm32qRudto7-rg8bGCddGTp07af8j_Qajec-zW41HDYfvzA0-AoI7Kmxw/s200/IMG_1155.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568047499613809442" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoRbAWpRSMKm_aG_7QPRblMl6itXBAqNPD0dMJKoolE1kXkzqelDwVn53Ml9DIgXHMz1bPZYVK-UfZ0WL-KTP1C0RoAQx2qxMvSHAzu7dG6u0-iweG43CPNxs57XObmzCrDADczluUrU/s1600/IMG_1157.JPG"><br /></a>Ooooh, there's Julian! I have an idea...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoRbAWpRSMKm_aG_7QPRblMl6itXBAqNPD0dMJKoolE1kXkzqelDwVn53Ml9DIgXHMz1bPZYVK-UfZ0WL-KTP1C0RoAQx2qxMvSHAzu7dG6u0-iweG43CPNxs57XObmzCrDADczluUrU/s1600/IMG_1157.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoRbAWpRSMKm_aG_7QPRblMl6itXBAqNPD0dMJKoolE1kXkzqelDwVn53Ml9DIgXHMz1bPZYVK-UfZ0WL-KTP1C0RoAQx2qxMvSHAzu7dG6u0-iweG43CPNxs57XObmzCrDADczluUrU/s200/IMG_1157.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568047509073899106" border="0" /></a>I can always put cats in it!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSZmVtYos1blzxqLnty96vI8jyJup5ThREQHBppK2OEj1I7q5dxtpjD-6YSWt2XXpyGdZ30B7d7THKwXbWAvjeypqg4otCkwp-qbAEYk4SMYapOfNIy_4YflAqiHMkUKVa1_DhDzXY6Y/s1600/IMG_1166.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSZmVtYos1blzxqLnty96vI8jyJup5ThREQHBppK2OEj1I7q5dxtpjD-6YSWt2XXpyGdZ30B7d7THKwXbWAvjeypqg4otCkwp-qbAEYk4SMYapOfNIy_4YflAqiHMkUKVa1_DhDzXY6Y/s200/IMG_1166.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568051301249477634" border="0" /></a><br />Hee hee.... Ahem. And over here's the monstrous jade plant...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18AIRlhcFQweVFsk4f4RS0Dihy-Rsxk6jB7GRkSli9naOop8VyVmiZgGR8JG4kh6cdb9QT4U5a3FTxTwJQAs39OXfKSfWSS9OprOsIV1xxQe9StNna75mPBJkaBuTBdLXWNa4n36-txg/s1600/IMG_1162.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18AIRlhcFQweVFsk4f4RS0Dihy-Rsxk6jB7GRkSli9naOop8VyVmiZgGR8JG4kh6cdb9QT4U5a3FTxTwJQAs39OXfKSfWSS9OprOsIV1xxQe9StNna75mPBJkaBuTBdLXWNa4n36-txg/s200/IMG_1162.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568051280792430898" border="0" /></a><br />...and the china cupboard...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GupMPy1_aE42m5-jTL9kbpyLthIrhvLSzz-Zlv4iZ4qzmcpwbS5jeqzCtj00O2BJcntGCw5Qa37KcXLcmRqmoMEdgqVRnqlJfGEsgcG3yW-iPU4mLwS-lJ__IZez0A0CVZRuj_0XxCo/s1600/IMG_1163.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GupMPy1_aE42m5-jTL9kbpyLthIrhvLSzz-Zlv4iZ4qzmcpwbS5jeqzCtj00O2BJcntGCw5Qa37KcXLcmRqmoMEdgqVRnqlJfGEsgcG3yW-iPU4mLwS-lJ__IZez0A0CVZRuj_0XxCo/s200/IMG_1163.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568053488317945394" border="0" /></a><br /><br />...and those random pottery animals Ellen and Kate gave me...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvWdR-3Z9X1Q0OxazSWOJz9z4r7s0jDwc14DlosKAjwEgc4D5i9AhFutAOyz3P2kzbL9aTkkDzbXDZUW-xokGH4ZllXuqvsSFa7v5sL8ZFN-SV7s0jqd1XVIH7qLwiNKHrSs9nCaQPEo/s1600/IMG_1161.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvWdR-3Z9X1Q0OxazSWOJz9z4r7s0jDwc14DlosKAjwEgc4D5i9AhFutAOyz3P2kzbL9aTkkDzbXDZUW-xokGH4ZllXuqvsSFa7v5sL8ZFN-SV7s0jqd1XVIH7qLwiNKHrSs9nCaQPEo/s200/IMG_1161.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568051271208726818" border="0" /></a><br />...and my grandmother's antique writing desk.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaq1iivfd26LLaYf534A9jshyiIruyZkAm0utK7mnqHL56zjLxSEPEkzcTVYgLaLPsaVYTU5q9BDYIO4xdVbTikb-WtGjGaKcGP07Np5AX0q-4jc7UiMFxvaj45kWZdX-66Mx5qeL3H9E/s1600/IMG_1164.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaq1iivfd26LLaYf534A9jshyiIruyZkAm0utK7mnqHL56zjLxSEPEkzcTVYgLaLPsaVYTU5q9BDYIO4xdVbTikb-WtGjGaKcGP07Np5AX0q-4jc7UiMFxvaj45kWZdX-66Mx5qeL3H9E/s200/IMG_1164.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568051293700311618" border="0" /></a><br />And finally, here we have a clean bathroom. And since no one wants to see pictures of a toilet (even a clean one), I aimed the camera upwards so you can see my "conservatory". These spider plants are a little over a year old and they are already making lots of babies. And the aloe plant likes it in there too, as long as it doesn't get too cold for its liking.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Kky8OGcW8bcNEsqi1yiuGCrs9GqR8aVc8MYbvNB-kBycPhyphenhyphenUp_2u9Wl4GXnYAYDVOs3S0tX1DYngeaHDoAghvXtzsa4jNys54ADe2snPEqQFc1TDj7W8-QI9zQSDwoQlQR0dQFZpjWY/s1600/IMG_1153.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bowwlDXVWbLNyvcS6X4AnFukGBzHVVteyDtrSRLxkO9-pTijmhpjUt3v6z3_T03lK-4qr8Z37lirqRldNJ8SScXegQSFGs6pvrOZxWI_Wefs0HDNlEhtFfe80yBiUZmO7wab_2V79iU/s1600/IMG_1169.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bowwlDXVWbLNyvcS6X4AnFukGBzHVVteyDtrSRLxkO9-pTijmhpjUt3v6z3_T03lK-4qr8Z37lirqRldNJ8SScXegQSFGs6pvrOZxWI_Wefs0HDNlEhtFfe80yBiUZmO7wab_2V79iU/s200/IMG_1169.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568051314447604930" border="0" /></a><br />Now the question is, how long will this clean state LAST??Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-73460467427604554632011-01-03T18:51:00.004-05:002011-01-03T19:13:52.542-05:00When you leave it lying around, the kitties will take advantage of it...Julian: Oh, you left this box here just for me? How kind!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioT-SnXuvwUKNQlyFnn83EFgrRNWtNflAWPOeulReioujzaV4Lolpn86BvgEsaewg72ZuoRdRszdtnFxpfpRIfoZ2cQf0f1xrIiO5VgxBfaZZ8RMieSGUIBXVhhXh1l1pNzxiOi9MBek4/s1600/IMG_1122.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioT-SnXuvwUKNQlyFnn83EFgrRNWtNflAWPOeulReioujzaV4Lolpn86BvgEsaewg72ZuoRdRszdtnFxpfpRIfoZ2cQf0f1xrIiO5VgxBfaZZ8RMieSGUIBXVhhXh1l1pNzxiOi9MBek4/s200/IMG_1122.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558114597230283986" border="0" /></a><br />Zeek: Oh, you left this blanket here just for me? How kind!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQwQWfWHZsFuV2eL3djgSp2WI0_qjckhWcGCFSQVPXEfEqX43IBhNRiOLtwmESVro_4ynWZiiiEg2XoZeC3S9ssa1KrJnHhQpjekEJrTFrBMSdGe4uIB3ka60W1QoQ7uZDjw-YL31uIk/s1600/IMG_1131.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQwQWfWHZsFuV2eL3djgSp2WI0_qjckhWcGCFSQVPXEfEqX43IBhNRiOLtwmESVro_4ynWZiiiEg2XoZeC3S9ssa1KrJnHhQpjekEJrTFrBMSdGe4uIB3ka60W1QoQ7uZDjw-YL31uIk/s200/IMG_1131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558114617336230274" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogSTBhbKXliWuusrNNkeOEDc49mO-NSCObw9Sd2-TGi1fUrgY_qUb3e9F2xUvv2B5IRZ0LJ_BBKlskiZLtMki4JB7enpzQpmtWjdJYRDFU2YZce9rgZ0tLJ6r3h7WxUmQYiSvDW5-hbs/s1600/IMG_1129.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogSTBhbKXliWuusrNNkeOEDc49mO-NSCObw9Sd2-TGi1fUrgY_qUb3e9F2xUvv2B5IRZ0LJ_BBKlskiZLtMki4JB7enpzQpmtWjdJYRDFU2YZce9rgZ0tLJ6r3h7WxUmQYiSvDW5-hbs/s200/IMG_1129.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558114611382511826" border="0" /></a><br />Julian: Oh, you left this backpack here just for me? How kind!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidozaUcMsz4Fi9vPgixLjNEVtBW7FJp5pPfXGYJJX9N4ej-R2JDzwbvTkKtfYWRkGpQpuiz3UUHp3Ukv9ZziVi_-6nI2e1MM22Vp5kjdbb7c0mFapH2wpdCWJvUUEXb2YXKrKaOofJ6HE/s1600/IMG_1133.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidozaUcMsz4Fi9vPgixLjNEVtBW7FJp5pPfXGYJJX9N4ej-R2JDzwbvTkKtfYWRkGpQpuiz3UUHp3Ukv9ZziVi_-6nI2e1MM22Vp5kjdbb7c0mFapH2wpdCWJvUUEXb2YXKrKaOofJ6HE/s200/IMG_1133.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558114620083373010" border="0" /></a><br />[Initiate Kitteh affection-rotation series ...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyz266h0U1KwXQzzR3p5tzfNkbfSF18EvxfpF9ZWNd20Bl109v_vOA_6fXDcFN2Ita_nM3ym9TksmCwqgn80vwSCrNplDrs60Woks9oqcf7r8zHzNcl-2V_7GfRRYFlUlSzUbTYzr7exk/s1600/IMG_1134.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyz266h0U1KwXQzzR3p5tzfNkbfSF18EvxfpF9ZWNd20Bl109v_vOA_6fXDcFN2Ita_nM3ym9TksmCwqgn80vwSCrNplDrs60Woks9oqcf7r8zHzNcl-2V_7GfRRYFlUlSzUbTYzr7exk/s200/IMG_1134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558116188755795762" border="0" /></a><br />...rotation in progress...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_dnMoyW-pygEVdazsfr4xptBo51iwWGH7fAYHVQ6nSf0BuQfcrn73X3YK0NFeby99ehyphenhyphenOxhIUfBom0Agt6bxr06094aNdBIfYoc7I65dzSyNUQXhk1T2QJZ9_j9cbRlMhL7C2QYI0pc/s1600/IMG_1135.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_dnMoyW-pygEVdazsfr4xptBo51iwWGH7fAYHVQ6nSf0BuQfcrn73X3YK0NFeby99ehyphenhyphenOxhIUfBom0Agt6bxr06094aNdBIfYoc7I65dzSyNUQXhk1T2QJZ9_j9cbRlMhL7C2QYI0pc/s200/IMG_1135.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558116193970707026" border="0" /></a><br />...rotation complete. Initiate purring sequence. PUUURRRRRRRRRRRRR.]Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-77863978388510686572010-10-02T21:57:00.004-04:002010-10-02T22:05:07.615-04:00Apple Pie!!!Since my oven is now fixed, I made an apple pie. Yum.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_IppfzmcMv_VRcYQDiC-SXX2yPlD6CLwHGnGUXzg2slhYxi9sFdNRwMBmbx1s9klhCpPD7JtPYYWhvf3pxfzQ7Vvdm8JajNhYP93aYJdJbsXZXfLt5DTldAsfUP-J8JJU8gbgjXUyDg/s1600/IMG_1102.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_IppfzmcMv_VRcYQDiC-SXX2yPlD6CLwHGnGUXzg2slhYxi9sFdNRwMBmbx1s9klhCpPD7JtPYYWhvf3pxfzQ7Vvdm8JajNhYP93aYJdJbsXZXfLt5DTldAsfUP-J8JJU8gbgjXUyDg/s200/IMG_1102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523634626631239938" border="0" /></a><br />The apple crop around here hasn't been the greatest, due to the late frost we had in May, but some apple places did okay. These were some Macs and Cortlands from Bud's, which they got from some local orchard.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2uv_4BVfw78S6oujOdhc60S_8doTG-pRQNSjX6XiYns7HJAS6i1wAlK8w3Rfv-Gkma9KoEp-UCH_UT8nKf6m_30nCYOaM_Iiyb7twAZcog-vnEmZRc9J76tT9rakN0x3IwJOa3MmLCQ/s1600/IMG_1110.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2uv_4BVfw78S6oujOdhc60S_8doTG-pRQNSjX6XiYns7HJAS6i1wAlK8w3Rfv-Gkma9KoEp-UCH_UT8nKf6m_30nCYOaM_Iiyb7twAZcog-vnEmZRc9J76tT9rakN0x3IwJOa3MmLCQ/s200/IMG_1110.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523634635433320722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Julian doesn't care for the apple parts, but he could happily chew on pie crust all day.<br /><br />I like the way my house smells when I bake things. Smells like Fall. If only I had a woodstove, and then it would REALLY smell like Fall in here!Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-86121192355618018162010-09-26T11:21:00.012-04:002010-09-26T16:20:38.206-04:00Common Ground Fair 2010I can't believe it's Common Ground Fair time again! Yay! So to prepare for this trip, I made sure the camera was working. Here's Zeekie, unimpressed by the flashy box. And how come "kitty tv" (the window) now has mute? There's no sound coming from it! Fix it immediately!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKTGbI2NBi8wVmFfIWrd2Tp61_VODNnlTGg4jU6fko7gjI4I8fYSBzFuwf1hRf_JQf0Z9yQpzqLgH7cpsx5-O8cun058qCEBAq_vE_GPciz-IznD48dfwz-h-QmJst3WSG_L-CSHTOWo/s1600/IMG_1080.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKTGbI2NBi8wVmFfIWrd2Tp61_VODNnlTGg4jU6fko7gjI4I8fYSBzFuwf1hRf_JQf0Z9yQpzqLgH7cpsx5-O8cun058qCEBAq_vE_GPciz-IznD48dfwz-h-QmJst3WSG_L-CSHTOWo/s200/IMG_1080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521245614251285634" border="0" /></a><br />So once I got to the fair I hung out at the rendezvous point (the children's tent), and while waiting for Bri and the Hamster I got my face painted. I don't know why more grown-ups don't do this... the people who do it are more than willing to experiment on bigger faces! I told the lady to just go crazy, so I got a bindi and a bunch of green vines-- very pretty.<br /><br />And since Bri and the Hamster were running late, I kept scanning the crowds of people for people I knew. Amazingly, I ran into Erica, who had Sara, Allen, Rachel and Kathryn in tow. We boogied to a bunch of kids music while Rachel made hay sculptures and paintings and everyone had their lunch. Finally, when these guys moved on, guess who showed up!<br /><br />This is the elusive Hamster-flavored tomato:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhRfY8RAwKIJDr4fxRAn0UXgJHgnsOoPqg1XdyEnR43Jlz1DPAJKvP47VwkssrarLHhRwQqBttSGZBHMWO0148N39a_mKO0Ix-G2LHvYHynnZZ0vGjI2V28m2MFnbvHTgDK-_ZZwduwI/s1600/IMG_1081.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhRfY8RAwKIJDr4fxRAn0UXgJHgnsOoPqg1XdyEnR43Jlz1DPAJKvP47VwkssrarLHhRwQqBttSGZBHMWO0148N39a_mKO0Ix-G2LHvYHynnZZ0vGjI2V28m2MFnbvHTgDK-_ZZwduwI/s200/IMG_1081.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521245621054205890" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1p37Baksk_USa6o7y45FgeEwoxXub8h66tOE1jmoXhrUwiwWk718R8rbTURRNRT8ajolYvW4QVfLsZVM36PAfJZtKV_XF9XTslxpK0uNwRa1uvgBZ6W-4r5HSd6baoyY48uL3roQvbs/s1600/IMG_1082.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1p37Baksk_USa6o7y45FgeEwoxXub8h66tOE1jmoXhrUwiwWk718R8rbTURRNRT8ajolYvW4QVfLsZVM36PAfJZtKV_XF9XTslxpK0uNwRa1uvgBZ6W-4r5HSd6baoyY48uL3roQvbs/s200/IMG_1082.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521245630815764626" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hamster-flavored carrots are not as willing:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OKAsKbXHteA8YPEAqs7DETqBK2W_oLx3vQ-WLVni3mhsMg4rr7_c6KKiiBh2iewOgwjWH0Urzo5Qfrv1S4iVpwHip2Fp4wLwYCYxjk5XgpvhF8xjhpdBbePRmLmh6qlEHDqIWKYy98g/s1600/IMG_1083.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OKAsKbXHteA8YPEAqs7DETqBK2W_oLx3vQ-WLVni3mhsMg4rr7_c6KKiiBh2iewOgwjWH0Urzo5Qfrv1S4iVpwHip2Fp4wLwYCYxjk5XgpvhF8xjhpdBbePRmLmh6qlEHDqIWKYy98g/s200/IMG_1083.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521245635089622018" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then we had lunch--yummy thai vegetables with "chicken blocks," which is apparently Hamster-ese word for "tofu." Yum!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx47kCC_79QbIrtuF-90QcOVaq48UoKMnDmbWYf7AunT5D9VyBAOfKo6YbMd-k0qaEyARsem9s6rboG6QOvMUbikhjihEGb3iVTRrzTHfl5SblKpmg9KDst4tzsTbjKdXfIJ_Z6tSL_7M/s1600/IMG_1084.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx47kCC_79QbIrtuF-90QcOVaq48UoKMnDmbWYf7AunT5D9VyBAOfKo6YbMd-k0qaEyARsem9s6rboG6QOvMUbikhjihEGb3iVTRrzTHfl5SblKpmg9KDst4tzsTbjKdXfIJ_Z6tSL_7M/s200/IMG_1084.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521245641724718738" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9RRlV0yEfAzRoWbhL4wxXzKHQTJ3dJdGZw4g_rhvPYvxj8_L3P-VwNaIYxULoiBzEXPisapnJfuF8DwH2cLzq1mSTirdO58QXdlVTuAB7Id56g3jlySEk0Tw4ARohRLV7vfNAaT8sS8/s1600/IMG_1085.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9RRlV0yEfAzRoWbhL4wxXzKHQTJ3dJdGZw4g_rhvPYvxj8_L3P-VwNaIYxULoiBzEXPisapnJfuF8DwH2cLzq1mSTirdO58QXdlVTuAB7Id56g3jlySEk0Tw4ARohRLV7vfNAaT8sS8/s200/IMG_1085.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521248705496231026" border="0" /></a><br />It was so good he ended up double-fisting it! :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8tqIeTrTPVJ_-SXbvA-b3UtGOqrcWR3YVbqji0Yl9AUBEHKPBhmmWVdYD6LolN_t0rWucnpYUqPGyhn-J4R19pQvNMk9VRORK4Qfu5mW0kPKdP6l_0LecSl7eYGreUQudEWinSpHXnE/s1600/hamster+tofu+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8tqIeTrTPVJ_-SXbvA-b3UtGOqrcWR3YVbqji0Yl9AUBEHKPBhmmWVdYD6LolN_t0rWucnpYUqPGyhn-J4R19pQvNMk9VRORK4Qfu5mW0kPKdP6l_0LecSl7eYGreUQudEWinSpHXnE/s200/hamster+tofu+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521249977512050194" border="0" /></a><br />And sharing it with "Auntie Emwee."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEYiUHfm2oilZo1bMi8akQOto2BDX88yvE_TPNFxlUfU43J_EfmQkIR28hvyeSeTjI2NUisTQ0tESemOrzN-u2FCQGX7rUd6977b3JhOyuabTy4sNSCIJZoW1FjhBt5_wL-Z1g91leak/s1600/hamster+and+Emily.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEYiUHfm2oilZo1bMi8akQOto2BDX88yvE_TPNFxlUfU43J_EfmQkIR28hvyeSeTjI2NUisTQ0tESemOrzN-u2FCQGX7rUd6977b3JhOyuabTy4sNSCIJZoW1FjhBt5_wL-Z1g91leak/s200/hamster+and+Emily.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521249988287582530" border="0" /></a><br />And we ended up playing in the "zebo" with a bunch of kids his size, and since the Hamster has discovered how to hop with two feet, the "zebo" quickly became a bounce-house-- with wooden floors, no less!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJv0f_F-td9-TanfUWO8RGnuZWtql3T1dXRgI3iT2sBH2oEfc2GuRtE6Y2-7rKXjCSJJfCcn0U735fHOTBJdYO87cV0ha-WMaRX1LyZiv24isfUDhRGfN8t6JD4T1VJ14_T7tkJdZNJ7s/s1600/zebo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJv0f_F-td9-TanfUWO8RGnuZWtql3T1dXRgI3iT2sBH2oEfc2GuRtE6Y2-7rKXjCSJJfCcn0U735fHOTBJdYO87cV0ha-WMaRX1LyZiv24isfUDhRGfN8t6JD4T1VJ14_T7tkJdZNJ7s/s200/zebo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521250425011946754" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Next up: the animal exhibits! There were goats and horsies and cows and lots of other things. However, Mr. Hamsterpants couldn't understand why he couldn't go into the pens and climb on the animals like he gets to do at home. Sad. :(<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBZ7eCy8WRCK524Gb3OaOe3Tm1upRvcn8hLt-hXdmuATt8D6lvI203XtjCCce8mTdZDnxruE811TcTXpn_NoL8t1lfu_u8mNaUFwT802L3UKkpIY5KnJQ1k57lasxuN5MKFw6BXhKMLY/s1600/IMG_1087.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBZ7eCy8WRCK524Gb3OaOe3Tm1upRvcn8hLt-hXdmuATt8D6lvI203XtjCCce8mTdZDnxruE811TcTXpn_NoL8t1lfu_u8mNaUFwT802L3UKkpIY5KnJQ1k57lasxuN5MKFw6BXhKMLY/s200/IMG_1087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521248710616185458" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEthmFYfaiwdZzeghbscd63JoCof_LKUvVvME_2aN7r5QAs7j9TYzzRB8YPLiVxUQE5BL1NasS8dxp7BvGXuP21e1g3JIElce2aK0-RlBnMLiZtt5fTxAycsetJdfca7m1XgPgzo3aU0/s1600/IMG_1088.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEthmFYfaiwdZzeghbscd63JoCof_LKUvVvME_2aN7r5QAs7j9TYzzRB8YPLiVxUQE5BL1NasS8dxp7BvGXuP21e1g3JIElce2aK0-RlBnMLiZtt5fTxAycsetJdfca7m1XgPgzo3aU0/s200/IMG_1088.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521248722627039394" border="0" /></a>Baby cow:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0DD2Yc3rON_Gw4OhsE6oYXm48cw41onmTf7t_XXtgTuc1uYvVseS5i4pewUdwLLg2CgisEtYjeH4wCu2kBgzY8mGtlhU_KlAJ2fas3-ucOQdQPECf2pwlOkbMkrYQc_kuJ95xhpYG2U/s1600/IMG_1089.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0DD2Yc3rON_Gw4OhsE6oYXm48cw41onmTf7t_XXtgTuc1uYvVseS5i4pewUdwLLg2CgisEtYjeH4wCu2kBgzY8mGtlhU_KlAJ2fas3-ucOQdQPECf2pwlOkbMkrYQc_kuJ95xhpYG2U/s200/IMG_1089.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521248726540799570" border="0" /></a>Gratuitous cow-rear-end shot:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXLmVOIfl9GAARkOIy7tYalmt1_pEIn9JLJLyjln4uweBnlKUt85h8ASLNjjIFqdCc-_9MGvy6vL1mfanmSWb3NV2zUuI25R-44Z_cL9RLd0m8Vy26dBH33qlRMmzGy5wrjNGk4Qp2DI/s1600/IMG_1090.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXLmVOIfl9GAARkOIy7tYalmt1_pEIn9JLJLyjln4uweBnlKUt85h8ASLNjjIFqdCc-_9MGvy6vL1mfanmSWb3NV2zUuI25R-44Z_cL9RLd0m8Vy26dBH33qlRMmzGy5wrjNGk4Qp2DI/s200/IMG_1090.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521248733369387922" border="0" /></a><br />Of course, we had to go on a hay-ride with the horsies. Did I tell you that a few weeks ago Bri brought home a goat? She just stuck it in the back of the car and off she went. (It was a boy-goat so that Jake could have it breed with all the girl-goats for 4H, etc.). The Hamster took this all in stride. However, according to 2-1/2-year-old logic, the whole purpose of going to the "fairy" was to get another animal-- and if a goat can fit in the car, then why not a horsie? So the Hamster kept pointing out horsies that were going to come home with him-- even the big Clydesdales. Yup, they'll fit.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrMzn-wZH8wTZS-ZAYbbgG4qvv5asrPIjtgfp6ELD6q_jZg9w8Qc3nnsNBHMq2S0Vqr5rImBBtbCpavLMMqXFlWnnVBnDJ8Yopyi8rB4XPJeeYdk8khLSxDsCy5NFvBeqtHPMiaOyr3c/s1600/IMG_1098.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrMzn-wZH8wTZS-ZAYbbgG4qvv5asrPIjtgfp6ELD6q_jZg9w8Qc3nnsNBHMq2S0Vqr5rImBBtbCpavLMMqXFlWnnVBnDJ8Yopyi8rB4XPJeeYdk8khLSxDsCy5NFvBeqtHPMiaOyr3c/s200/IMG_1098.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521253295309297090" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMI7YFwDKrzgrMCHj0RsWjjPf4HzTixiasleHT5kc12G-HDKDsg8dKb-zS4EIgFL7iYHqCYlIZDQYuR3rR6xqUtJ1Uo35iD_LFCCuQewYtZ4K1n970VTt6NPSe5e9H6eb9UjNm2CysqHo/s1600/IMG_1099.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMI7YFwDKrzgrMCHj0RsWjjPf4HzTixiasleHT5kc12G-HDKDsg8dKb-zS4EIgFL7iYHqCYlIZDQYuR3rR6xqUtJ1Uo35iD_LFCCuQewYtZ4K1n970VTt6NPSe5e9H6eb9UjNm2CysqHo/s200/IMG_1099.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521253298632086354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then we had to get the traditional "tennis ball hat" picture... except there is just no way the thing was g<span style="font-family: georgia;">oing to be pu</span>t on his head this year. The HORROR!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIgcrk62a0MiN2lGeWHcgNxgWJnyK9Y4ZdcpgUo_wdNw8cwmFmd_pPhJADXArGyzPSHFlB-lCgT2ldwQ6MjZ8QtBgaxmkAXRHbeRptYy7j11XCWnQN4Ua1vZ0r_7A05bVdZN-AgQHFaQ/s1600/yellow+hat1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIgcrk62a0MiN2lGeWHcgNxgWJnyK9Y4ZdcpgUo_wdNw8cwmFmd_pPhJADXArGyzPSHFlB-lCgT2ldwQ6MjZ8QtBgaxmkAXRHbeRptYy7j11XCWnQN4Ua1vZ0r_7A05bVdZN-AgQHFaQ/s200/yellow+hat1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521253852697822658" border="0" /></a><br />So therefore Mommy got to wear it instead. "Get it off your head, Mom, you're EMBARRASSING ME!!!"<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbV_f0Nl1rxhfl0XYEHqr7AHg67sdzQ-JbxJBUxAA_UrcuJCFJNUDl2aaanstKz58Ck5YYL72pwLA9MNwAG02Iqdcy8KGdKCoNUj4vkIs2Ih1netFQo_UpI2T7HcIM-J7aFYhyzQJDYmI/s1600/yellow+hat2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbV_f0Nl1rxhfl0XYEHqr7AHg67sdzQ-JbxJBUxAA_UrcuJCFJNUDl2aaanstKz58Ck5YYL72pwLA9MNwAG02Iqdcy8KGdKCoNUj4vkIs2Ih1netFQo_UpI2T7HcIM-J7aFYhyzQJDYmI/s200/yellow+hat2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521253860467519202" border="0" /></a><br />What a fabulous day it was. It was a blast, like it is every year!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnD-L_Ppel_2HYlJPphnATZVnYqstpuvjnZAMafhzGuJoJsKPfiN8UFWDj-Qr-Z4EO-aCeQpd12COYFa6br9L8Bi1I2SGuhC6XIG2lsNCOGLQfHII-LBae9uLAqrDcQrvGwK5VAcrleY/s1600/IMG_1101.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnD-L_Ppel_2HYlJPphnATZVnYqstpuvjnZAMafhzGuJoJsKPfiN8UFWDj-Qr-Z4EO-aCeQpd12COYFa6br9L8Bi1I2SGuhC6XIG2lsNCOGLQfHII-LBae9uLAqrDcQrvGwK5VAcrleY/s200/IMG_1101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521253318482928786" border="0" /></a><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message"><span class="UIIntentionalStory_Names"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="UIStory_Message">Oh yes.... My favorite quote of the day was at the Common Ground Fair, when the Hamster looked over at the fences where the horses were, and he told us, quite seriously, "I want a horsie on my butt." "You want a WHAT???" we asked him. So he mimed sitting down and bouncing up and down. "Oh, you mean you want to RIDE a horse," Bri <span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">said. "YEAH!!" he said, "I want a horsie on my butt!"</span></span></span></h3>Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-70047264437469929152010-06-12T17:29:00.005-04:002010-06-12T17:58:41.280-04:00Babies and CatsSo between visiting cemeteries we just hung around at home and chilled out. Upstairs I found these two pictures, both with the same goofy-looking rubber lamb. Can you tell who these people are?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcbANDO-oPGmx_LF7LQxJ_hdlukk3_vCZ5znsxz5hVAx5HS0M0XBpqpiQKc7Oczsy70F9q5znCdu8h6oI6CtzXkk4AjuvWKY7qmaTbmz3vmC7IORET02VKTRrFQRYxtEss0zOInd8HxI/s1600/IMG_0013.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcbANDO-oPGmx_LF7LQxJ_hdlukk3_vCZ5znsxz5hVAx5HS0M0XBpqpiQKc7Oczsy70F9q5znCdu8h6oI6CtzXkk4AjuvWKY7qmaTbmz3vmC7IORET02VKTRrFQRYxtEss0zOInd8HxI/s200/IMG_0013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482006548106514082" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjXLn-iZjEnJv16jb6uFLFIeQsnibUkyEuh5qMDzlelP4oN_1sqku6Zn1bMVwXSQc1L-2vhfGH3sctiWn9_sMyAKlZjAtwcCIW0UXIw1gknokpSHm8NqaUEBV16exIIrYmY4eQCOJIbU/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjXLn-iZjEnJv16jb6uFLFIeQsnibUkyEuh5qMDzlelP4oN_1sqku6Zn1bMVwXSQc1L-2vhfGH3sctiWn9_sMyAKlZjAtwcCIW0UXIw1gknokpSHm8NqaUEBV16exIIrYmY4eQCOJIbU/s200/IMG_0011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482006537585430338" border="0" /></a><br />The top is my Mum, in 1949, and the bottom is me, in 1978. I had a hard time recognizing myself because the picture is so <span style="font-weight: bold;">dark</span>-- for the longest time I thought it was Ellen, because she has the dark olive skin from my Dad's side of the family and I have the pale slightly freckly skin from my Mum's side... but eventually I figured out it was me-- though slightly underexposed (or tanned?) -- mostly because of that ridiculous widow's peak. Mum says when I was little I used to reach up and pull own my hair out. There are pictures of me where I have nearly a mohawk... yeah, I was just a punk kid or something.<br /><br />We still have the lamb, by the way. It hangs out on Dad's bureau. It kinda freaks me out.<br /><br />Meanwhile, downstairs, we have a cat infestation. This little guy is pretty cute, though.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMV-NFdeXjhUlrKgYfT9DMG5ldSnWP3HNT968XEoFoLFP_V0_xhEhlOUGmidKPM81mo9eEhXvHMGshi1IWQU0uaWvo19OJWWa58Yv9P0NlvAWAkTY2aeV5-g48XcV_SXxWkhZK9HuXHQ/s1600/IMG_0017.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMV-NFdeXjhUlrKgYfT9DMG5ldSnWP3HNT968XEoFoLFP_V0_xhEhlOUGmidKPM81mo9eEhXvHMGshi1IWQU0uaWvo19OJWWa58Yv9P0NlvAWAkTY2aeV5-g48XcV_SXxWkhZK9HuXHQ/s200/IMG_0017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482006563969384514" border="0" /></a><br />Here is Mum snuggling with this little kitten who is tiny and has weird eyes and has a seizures and can't walk very well. Mum says that since I majored in Special Ed/Mental Retardation and am a Special Education teacher, I should stop calling the cat "Gimpytard."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNDZdTiWYQwIgbAg-ghvh5vua3OOHUnxtQLa2hw40J5e4n_3bVrNA1i9u9KpqfWqpi6ZtEfoELkKNJFA1ECswQu1a2qo6-R8pinzGeDW_9c_BUeFzvQ0Cs0Re2v3196ES4gWVNpmwjkc/s1600/IMG_0020.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNDZdTiWYQwIgbAg-ghvh5vua3OOHUnxtQLa2hw40J5e4n_3bVrNA1i9u9KpqfWqpi6ZtEfoELkKNJFA1ECswQu1a2qo6-R8pinzGeDW_9c_BUeFzvQ0Cs0Re2v3196ES4gWVNpmwjkc/s200/IMG_0020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482006609815449490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Wx-Na1MrnXASN2yvg3UldD1hGnBQcMXJ1AtyfnEZ_LN5isTMFfdYIMPflfv5FMHDA5grWykrTUcTU_I4ANq2fVAeeLUsAWnN_mgGIJJT0Ey8fun_PrayuwetEYIeZV-lkSsFNgGHEAE/s1600/IMG_0025.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Wx-Na1MrnXASN2yvg3UldD1hGnBQcMXJ1AtyfnEZ_LN5isTMFfdYIMPflfv5FMHDA5grWykrTUcTU_I4ANq2fVAeeLUsAWnN_mgGIJJT0Ey8fun_PrayuwetEYIeZV-lkSsFNgGHEAE/s200/IMG_0025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482006624005556370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnzPIU_DolGGRAMLLu4PLXiP7Xmy5_NZs_LV-bGSMLWgop3DRnOlOMcR-7pltYsYZOYAZY9_sr9Nevn-t7JDpxZFnSgvHQvNUx1Bbe75Yyfp5zWjH60UYBXBDUytkEfArWh7LWLhwJbs/s1600/IMG_0028.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnzPIU_DolGGRAMLLu4PLXiP7Xmy5_NZs_LV-bGSMLWgop3DRnOlOMcR-7pltYsYZOYAZY9_sr9Nevn-t7JDpxZFnSgvHQvNUx1Bbe75Yyfp5zWjH60UYBXBDUytkEfArWh7LWLhwJbs/s200/IMG_0028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482009168752889122" border="0" /></a><br />Angus wanted some attention too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cZpNVFbS5NbYl87WNMYtjUbuofRVmu-u2HMTGmb6BIAOrmsOCbgH_gyWgYSYMIaZF5MUws9hliW7gWtFPi3oGEN8myexc5-L-QiCNBp-2OlGYPlDz1C0yWmU29RpxVARU0fKrhHVIVY/s1600/IMG_0030.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cZpNVFbS5NbYl87WNMYtjUbuofRVmu-u2HMTGmb6BIAOrmsOCbgH_gyWgYSYMIaZF5MUws9hliW7gWtFPi3oGEN8myexc5-L-QiCNBp-2OlGYPlDz1C0yWmU29RpxVARU0fKrhHVIVY/s200/IMG_0030.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482009188932205986" border="0" /></a><br />But Nanny just ignored the whole situation.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewrO1RSG6rY52xHnFzQOqqTnWEC33g7nxx8gHoDi1qmZ75R-9Ymjh9iYc-7Bqx8k9xpVJc9gLRobyu76yOWVFeOQZ3BA0MeY6m4W2VMXrsZr97PaUNPPBX3dzAmHjFipdGBjvWWaTYGk/s1600/IMG_0036.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewrO1RSG6rY52xHnFzQOqqTnWEC33g7nxx8gHoDi1qmZ75R-9Ymjh9iYc-7Bqx8k9xpVJc9gLRobyu76yOWVFeOQZ3BA0MeY6m4W2VMXrsZr97PaUNPPBX3dzAmHjFipdGBjvWWaTYGk/s200/IMG_0036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482009198067953058" border="0" /></a>Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-43447791339822106932010-06-12T12:40:00.006-04:002010-06-12T13:21:53.009-04:00And the roots grow deep...So my Mum's been on a genealogy kick for a while now, and while I know a lot about the Nash side of the family (Mum's father's side) I know very little about the Meserve side (Mum's mom). Mum found a couple of cemeteries with long-lost relatives in them, which was cool.<br /><br />This was the first cemetery we went to, where we met Richard and Mary...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyb1p-r7IfyL0ufzbEn_T32VYyc_vipraHGMVxBUVYYgpCjQhwP0nrQON0dfjt5vj2LUJ1DFIMhDVU4oRphykkpszOlBQ-A9ilQZRFDk5j7_y3jZCShBDqybUdGQDMiGNl4bvMTR_-kw/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyb1p-r7IfyL0ufzbEn_T32VYyc_vipraHGMVxBUVYYgpCjQhwP0nrQON0dfjt5vj2LUJ1DFIMhDVU4oRphykkpszOlBQ-A9ilQZRFDk5j7_y3jZCShBDqybUdGQDMiGNl4bvMTR_-kw/s200/IMG_0003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481931673438441858" border="0" /></a><br />... and John and Matilda and Fred and Harry.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6pWawVwNne01PTIbwat5hNErhxfxEoycMPQ0CT3RQHYsb8sQQjDZ3tdTu4CH1cvDAy1FA6FeDGCJLNF58AhBS6VjiGVLOCEWkV0lvM_cFeY1TgtA_LUIsYwZcMUOEs8ke_m0ZlmWxhw/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6pWawVwNne01PTIbwat5hNErhxfxEoycMPQ0CT3RQHYsb8sQQjDZ3tdTu4CH1cvDAy1FA6FeDGCJLNF58AhBS6VjiGVLOCEWkV0lvM_cFeY1TgtA_LUIsYwZcMUOEs8ke_m0ZlmWxhw/s200/IMG_0007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481931658296223826" border="0" /></a><br />But then I admit that my interest was lost, because I was far too busy laughing. <span style="font-style: italic;">Laughing</span>?? In a <span style="font-style: italic;">cemetery</span>??? Well, you would too, if you saw this magnificent example of "perpetual care":<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLWWFGevV2bESIgGht9W3Fm3EcdnlbTVQgRzxcxftaz1JCosuULaief5CKFk-H5bMd2TcsAZ0cEolFdPlU5CpsA3uLB4Ha34LeOmvmzUfKDGn45gCoEehaReHgBFEku7owEetYJ2UUuc/s1600/IMG_0006.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLWWFGevV2bESIgGht9W3Fm3EcdnlbTVQgRzxcxftaz1JCosuULaief5CKFk-H5bMd2TcsAZ0cEolFdPlU5CpsA3uLB4Ha34LeOmvmzUfKDGn45gCoEehaReHgBFEku7owEetYJ2UUuc/s200/IMG_0006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481931655259116642" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEphLSXLZeWI4IzPk-rXWremOO65gTnncnCeivgo3_HzpFiKbbmlnJME_bn-jjWovUtQcJIdyj8ZZTnlF0AKKs_t9fZrKWnUHJHmqlvVgUFyFMX48eD03w4aL_EaQSqo5GshnBxR4NY1Y/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEphLSXLZeWI4IzPk-rXWremOO65gTnncnCeivgo3_HzpFiKbbmlnJME_bn-jjWovUtQcJIdyj8ZZTnlF0AKKs_t9fZrKWnUHJHmqlvVgUFyFMX48eD03w4aL_EaQSqo5GshnBxR4NY1Y/s200/IMG_0001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481931647303142834" border="0" /></a><br />Good grief. It just gets more hysterical the closer I look at it. Talk about jury-rigs!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmcVetoQycckBDlfy4C_O-V7GRAIVeG3CQzmLIyzK6Vp7hsfBnc0thv1a-AW3zd9TVPoNEpBnsRY-h0zWy7vmf0HSFH3G0fsOoFWFVKI-L6G6Ef-JwAUjhN4gqfDwxyaOUhTEDTaobQk/s1600/IMG_9998.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmcVetoQycckBDlfy4C_O-V7GRAIVeG3CQzmLIyzK6Vp7hsfBnc0thv1a-AW3zd9TVPoNEpBnsRY-h0zWy7vmf0HSFH3G0fsOoFWFVKI-L6G6Ef-JwAUjhN4gqfDwxyaOUhTEDTaobQk/s200/IMG_9998.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481934511480889362" border="0" /></a><br />After that, we went to visit Mum's mom's mom Pearl. Pearl died when Mum was pregnant with me, and the story is that Mum put a rose on her casket "from the baby". Awww.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGdfz1Ank7_z2BRFZMYrkJffnZl7sjfjHxxp-fzR63b-r1VPWe805zWPzhO_JKRkLS43uCDE04CdwYF7Vamjsd984kpNXyJtDtw2JaE3pWameCvGTOGJ8W7OXOTySMrGrff7jbFu3mU0/s1600/IMG_9965.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGdfz1Ank7_z2BRFZMYrkJffnZl7sjfjHxxp-fzR63b-r1VPWe805zWPzhO_JKRkLS43uCDE04CdwYF7Vamjsd984kpNXyJtDtw2JaE3pWameCvGTOGJ8W7OXOTySMrGrff7jbFu3mU0/s200/IMG_9965.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481934517174521826" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We'll get to the other Pearl story in a minute, but first, here is where Mie-Mie (Pearl's daughter, my grandmother) will be buried.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68KyCdpdWJcZN01mHVEzgxaeOky6s1qDa3aa7pyfnDkiuQH19b3psqeZIFK_UWZzgc106IKO7hf-UaHDTVpcjMqRhO5U2oxxLrKjfPzIIEZWfDvV6B7_EBn9Wdt8zrV2mSlsQUgvfIn8/s1600/IMG_9964.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68KyCdpdWJcZN01mHVEzgxaeOky6s1qDa3aa7pyfnDkiuQH19b3psqeZIFK_UWZzgc106IKO7hf-UaHDTVpcjMqRhO5U2oxxLrKjfPzIIEZWfDvV6B7_EBn9Wdt8zrV2mSlsQUgvfIn8/s200/IMG_9964.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481934527923854658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />...we hope that when she dies and they go to put in her death date, they will fix that spelling error.... because we all know there is nothing as reverent as a misspelled word on a grave... except for maybe duct tape!<br /><br />Now, when Pearl died, she wasn't supposed to be buried HERE. She was supposed to be buried down the street in the other cemetery, where her mother is. Well, the day that they had the funeral, there was this HUGE mix-up and while people were waiting around trying to figure out where to bury her, someone (Pearl's sister?) threw a hissy fit that they grass was too long, and started clipping it with fingernail clippers. Meanwhile, the hearse backed up into a telephone pole (Dad LOVES to tell this part) the wobbles on the wire went wow-wow (like a suspended slinky) and then, when they came to the end of the line, they wow-wowed right back.<br /><br />So anyway, here's Pearl's mother and father.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyHzAcBz2hYdPPtlhQAX_rPPQoDNSt_W-RgktTkBTd3AfGyBGdzr1aeyD7930re4erDzyLQ08S76ztI2Gd8rfJvm2Jhb9bUaneCEetQOWmZ_a96dvD_lvrskTW_LJTabkfzyGX2U1bp8/s1600/IMG_9972.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyHzAcBz2hYdPPtlhQAX_rPPQoDNSt_W-RgktTkBTd3AfGyBGdzr1aeyD7930re4erDzyLQ08S76ztI2Gd8rfJvm2Jhb9bUaneCEetQOWmZ_a96dvD_lvrskTW_LJTabkfzyGX2U1bp8/s200/IMG_9972.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481937021105938034" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5rBTh5pUJbSGFXVPfH_u2cdvO-tH2nA8D8scCID_fX3TPEiiiet7DvZVIX0hVC5ck-AmqlyVWhsZYhKZGQHtNEZDHUr0VNiA8KTFSbE3x22EjkfqTtK8kDbizcPcDEdjzkdlZxka9po/s1600/IMG_9969.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5rBTh5pUJbSGFXVPfH_u2cdvO-tH2nA8D8scCID_fX3TPEiiiet7DvZVIX0hVC5ck-AmqlyVWhsZYhKZGQHtNEZDHUr0VNiA8KTFSbE3x22EjkfqTtK8kDbizcPcDEdjzkdlZxka9po/s200/IMG_9969.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481937035312936226" border="0" /></a><br />I don't know why Pearl wasn't buried here, and neither does Mum. She did say that they used that pole thing to poke into the ground to see if there was room, and they said that there wasn't any room at all-- which is weird, because there are no other stones anywhere around. I don't know that much about cemeteries, but how do they truly determine if there is room or not? Were there a lot of people buried without markers? If so, then who are they?<br /><br />At still another cemetery, we met the <span style="font-weight: bold;">first </span>Edith Luella Meserve, who was Mie-Mie's namesake.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhe2ZOSd72REYqvJyuWsash6MFIOC-T5zjh4X-h8E1DRYqB5QhATURTlrwX_L-kTm0fL1fNXnGxn8Ujox7AzzHkRIH6l_xD2bnJVdKvhb4GFo-lPLCwoxkMtwVY7iEnC8CQmK5h3UO_Vw/s1600/IMG_9990.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhe2ZOSd72REYqvJyuWsash6MFIOC-T5zjh4X-h8E1DRYqB5QhATURTlrwX_L-kTm0fL1fNXnGxn8Ujox7AzzHkRIH6l_xD2bnJVdKvhb4GFo-lPLCwoxkMtwVY7iEnC8CQmK5h3UO_Vw/s200/IMG_9990.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481938364054473010" border="0" /></a>Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-49828831533395349812010-06-12T12:19:00.006-04:002010-06-12T12:39:24.158-04:00Memorial Day WeekendSo on Memorial Day Ellen and Kate came down so we could all watch Dad (and the robot) in the parade.<br /><br />Here's the marching band... boy, do those flags bring back memories!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS42ItEAfabXduM297MjQPRl5LsRnv3cXqTQkmkchMBAQ2pIZW6dlDOzS4OzpW-KY4Ll0G0cj3l3-7E0OXIn8BQz0pD5NWuEKjuz7D69Y6pQnUKFicStSbi7lx9aKoMZdmvKkguOzLH4s/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS42ItEAfabXduM297MjQPRl5LsRnv3cXqTQkmkchMBAQ2pIZW6dlDOzS4OzpW-KY4Ll0G0cj3l3-7E0OXIn8BQz0pD5NWuEKjuz7D69Y6pQnUKFicStSbi7lx9aKoMZdmvKkguOzLH4s/s200/IMG_0037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481925450710534706" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here comes what I assume was a T-ball team... the reason why I took their pictures was their <a href="http://www.pressherald.com/news/damage-from-fire-sidelines-s_p_-icon_2010-05-17.html">shirts made everyone simultaneously laugh and cry!<br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKql0tLamqFdn1wENHiXwX8SQdSzqtYdhkK4GFTuSbe_EkbNBxQw8RB1TfselZkGiF-8Hf1XS2M6eyYGbWN2S7W8ritZvGc1guID1bhi5MgnmbWgwfHhpNn8wZaMOj5i6u_BOP7ti2Syg/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKql0tLamqFdn1wENHiXwX8SQdSzqtYdhkK4GFTuSbe_EkbNBxQw8RB1TfselZkGiF-8Hf1XS2M6eyYGbWN2S7W8ritZvGc1guID1bhi5MgnmbWgwfHhpNn8wZaMOj5i6u_BOP7ti2Syg/s200/IMG_0038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481925460945190386" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And finally, here comes the robot... Dad thought we were waiting on the other side of the road so he never saw us. But I chased him down.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYZzcNQT4E0tXPyVmvMkDS5lUNN2wev1notX0udubtr8ZpTweHGv4PvwtNwjhFviTcUb-s7lsgkrQ8jeNfFaRK0BDcLJULzVbv5Zf9YG6s1rR5L1-40V6CwIgLUUBB5I3qQZGHIlzurM/s1600/IMG_0040.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYZzcNQT4E0tXPyVmvMkDS5lUNN2wev1notX0udubtr8ZpTweHGv4PvwtNwjhFviTcUb-s7lsgkrQ8jeNfFaRK0BDcLJULzVbv5Zf9YG6s1rR5L1-40V6CwIgLUUBB5I3qQZGHIlzurM/s200/IMG_0040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481925470908060770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot9ARxsP6ATwMlWsLZZzV84BUFI4jbssHWWwub-40voTlfHxmFfKdA-ITnyTUViw4dw38cZErenFDCSUwWHSsmYWy1aB34FWA80kq7W74gTIp8CPsGPWsVulwT11XUeUqYwQxwudDpvc/s1600/IMG_0039.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot9ARxsP6ATwMlWsLZZzV84BUFI4jbssHWWwub-40voTlfHxmFfKdA-ITnyTUViw4dw38cZErenFDCSUwWHSsmYWy1aB34FWA80kq7W74gTIp8CPsGPWsVulwT11XUeUqYwQxwudDpvc/s200/IMG_0039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481925475743637842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7dxbDh1Gtl2ukwHM0DvcaeOR9SnM63VWYor6Css-pMZiAdgA9HHbQC9HY6Msp6tvbcS0ea94YxfJ1P82fbaAlcmw6pgoPv4LNdHzOBehu8ncKXZKS5YWWE9zMUlAwS2UJaAb9mXDFKM/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7dxbDh1Gtl2ukwHM0DvcaeOR9SnM63VWYor6Css-pMZiAdgA9HHbQC9HY6Msp6tvbcS0ea94YxfJ1P82fbaAlcmw6pgoPv4LNdHzOBehu8ncKXZKS5YWWE9zMUlAwS2UJaAb9mXDFKM/s200/IMG_0041.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481927010596721378" border="0" /></a><br />Later, at home, I drew one of Ellen's chickens on the pollen that had accumulated on my car.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintUTh7dcJprIQZpjxopEcYflfuc5KpawSw2xLwe-hbg66YJWwJZHByCOigb8k77q-85dD9K6knvMb6QFYMKVVuEeVu3eQpG32_cnJd2Dutf0GVJRQkkm_ipub_nZkYGYZnIaHLAMJ55Q/s1600/IMG_0042.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintUTh7dcJprIQZpjxopEcYflfuc5KpawSw2xLwe-hbg66YJWwJZHByCOigb8k77q-85dD9K6knvMb6QFYMKVVuEeVu3eQpG32_cnJd2Dutf0GVJRQkkm_ipub_nZkYGYZnIaHLAMJ55Q/s200/IMG_0042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481925483197580754" border="0" /></a><br />Dad drew a bird too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAtiuQLJA9avyrs3gbe0EAQeDj7QPaYJldrHpBpiP5CEOKZeKXIrfUFniZCHrH2jB_z5qbLK8DQEjYy-LGNzNkxxjGU2T8DJIu6jfNrDtC0fac5R19_si6ccr38FXPpW6nhretOoTI04/s1600/IMG_0043.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAtiuQLJA9avyrs3gbe0EAQeDj7QPaYJldrHpBpiP5CEOKZeKXIrfUFniZCHrH2jB_z5qbLK8DQEjYy-LGNzNkxxjGU2T8DJIu6jfNrDtC0fac5R19_si6ccr38FXPpW6nhretOoTI04/s200/IMG_0043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481926370865253842" border="0" /></a>Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-74918856334121213492010-06-10T16:35:00.004-04:002010-06-10T16:53:08.122-04:00My Birthday PresentsSo about two months ago it was my birthday. Ellen and Kate randomly gave me this BIG BIG box to open, and it was pretty much the coolest thing ever:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Random animal sculpture things!<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncLLgteLfzIPgkUQygAhAq5DF92DmCM1mUDzdW6uY1XGe8nwg1trmE71EXf0y2LvWxLVAv9NNlXY7gjiYHg0CsoQDhUQE5geI1_UmBsdSfQ_vtu38btW8wOcP-9OIBiYZ_s0KziQHo0g/s1600/IMG_0170.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncLLgteLfzIPgkUQygAhAq5DF92DmCM1mUDzdW6uY1XGe8nwg1trmE71EXf0y2LvWxLVAv9NNlXY7gjiYHg0CsoQDhUQE5geI1_UmBsdSfQ_vtu38btW8wOcP-9OIBiYZ_s0KziQHo0g/s200/IMG_0170.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481248925320685314" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Rooster!<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlU3YggTKcpD4PZfjtuC_wohgxlCJPKilBUZmMtQGf0od_DZRPWkHbtLk0V_3eNzzeAu2KDI_W6paE_5siJjkwWXqH5fhMlq9I0SfMFduskoQbCJ0f0QBzHSdzKeGVgII9D74GMDlozg/s1600/IMG_0171.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlU3YggTKcpD4PZfjtuC_wohgxlCJPKilBUZmMtQGf0od_DZRPWkHbtLk0V_3eNzzeAu2KDI_W6paE_5siJjkwWXqH5fhMlq9I0SfMFduskoQbCJ0f0QBzHSdzKeGVgII9D74GMDlozg/s200/IMG_0171.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481248935827361442" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Cow!<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajptLnQx1zaJLs_klG-FiXGeJvzdhU56HwBJ50kvIOC6YfnVkSBkCdVBElEfNxygUpnQczjWCTYyQekzwY0NedX0-tUWUV1ZBE8NsQr4dguISnObN3_LcCUXEKfcdNFkzXFQwbnhQryo/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajptLnQx1zaJLs_klG-FiXGeJvzdhU56HwBJ50kvIOC6YfnVkSBkCdVBElEfNxygUpnQczjWCTYyQekzwY0NedX0-tUWUV1ZBE8NsQr4dguISnObN3_LcCUXEKfcdNFkzXFQwbnhQryo/s200/IMG_0172.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481248945960621954" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Pig!<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1mkMMkI06RxA9_M6tCUWhiIBX2BO9mc8AnLgJAsM9eqOgblV_F6F2vB371CREzIjdM9S5BlHCEdH3qzf4ssfZMLnbDbsSJUl5x_Gu__UqFqViEN_gOu25Kan3U0w9rNDc4Gys6UHomE4/s1600/IMG_0173.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1mkMMkI06RxA9_M6tCUWhiIBX2BO9mc8AnLgJAsM9eqOgblV_F6F2vB371CREzIjdM9S5BlHCEdH3qzf4ssfZMLnbDbsSJUl5x_Gu__UqFqViEN_gOu25Kan3U0w9rNDc4Gys6UHomE4/s200/IMG_0173.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481248963385973794" border="0" /></a><br />But today I was looking at them, and I guess I was hungry, because I immediately thought of this song from Mulan, when Chien Po sings out BEEF! PORK! CHICKEN! MMMMMM!!!<br /><br /><object height="405" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HiqmZLOaD8o&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HiqmZLOaD8o&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="405" width="500"></embed></object><br /><br />And then I thought... wait, should I even be thinking these thoughts? I'm a vegetarian! :)Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-56807652622634968502010-05-19T17:40:00.004-04:002010-05-19T17:49:31.028-04:00This is what texting was like before digital was invented...Yup, it's another note. This particular little girl wasn't feeling very well so she slipped me this tiny note before coming to my room.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvixczUTLYzwP9TFFRyMlL4vCz024htjbI1HT8sBZsUATccuO0ypqV8YrJK5jIj1_j6-Clm-WhpOqsMyfhBHQpWUUdA3KzPyAJWne8TVoQNu8nmL2pHYgGjPIQsmSOi8orKaD25WUvsg/s1600/IMG_9865.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvixczUTLYzwP9TFFRyMlL4vCz024htjbI1HT8sBZsUATccuO0ypqV8YrJK5jIj1_j6-Clm-WhpOqsMyfhBHQpWUUdA3KzPyAJWne8TVoQNu8nmL2pHYgGjPIQsmSOi8orKaD25WUvsg/s200/IMG_9865.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473100809272314290" border="0" /></a>"I want to sleep in the Quiet Corner in your classroom," the note says, "I'm laying down."<br /><br />...but on the back she makes an observation:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTgkevrhJl4in_ygFUIG8WmpP7ngsAM712Mma_-13nvhcCTLZrIj6q755FUxWdekvLlhicejKcJ09U_hMok0l0ylbQJtLnfLLwKQzx7tTc1a_7fZmSp3WYuXasfwp9lwbgKh0Hro5V6g/s1600/IMG_9872.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTgkevrhJl4in_ygFUIG8WmpP7ngsAM712Mma_-13nvhcCTLZrIj6q755FUxWdekvLlhicejKcJ09U_hMok0l0ylbQJtLnfLLwKQzx7tTc1a_7fZmSp3WYuXasfwp9lwbgKh0Hro5V6g/s200/IMG_9872.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473100818409639266" border="0" /></a><br />"I'm drooling on the table."Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-477407354334549702010-05-15T11:02:00.006-04:002010-05-15T11:40:27.084-04:00If only the silver kitties were musical...So I must say that I am digging Cheryl Wheeler's new album, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pointing-At-The-Sun/dp/B00369AEQW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1273935957&sr=8-1">Pointing At The Sun</a>. Cheryl Wheeler is the celebrated creator of the Potato song, which is quite possibly the most ridiculous song ever written:<br /><br /><object height="405" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6uLUVI3Y0q0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6uLUVI3Y0q0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="405" width="500"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />As expected, Cheryl has two polar opposites on the album: on one side, the sweet and profound and lyrical, and on the other, the utterly hysterical. One of my favorites of the former is a re-recording of Summer Fly, a quietly desperate song about relationships. Of the latter, well, I heard about this album from Mum, who said that the last three songs are about cats. Well, turns out they are about <span style="font-weight: bold;">one</span> cat, Cheryl's beloved Maine Coon named Penrod. Penrod himself even makes an appearance on the last song, even though he is... um... not entirely <span style="font-style: italic;">corporeal </span>any more.<br /><br /> But before I explain what I mean by that, all throughout the month of April I was excited because Cheryl was going to come to Portland. I got Mum to get tickets for us, and we got to sit fairly close. As we were waiting for the show to start, a frumpy grey-haired lady in a grey t-shirt and sweatpants wandered through the crowd, and what was funny is that those "in the know" just sort of smiled at her and shook our heads. When the show began and she came on stage (her piano accompanist had been the opening act), she was dressed in the same t-shirt and sweatpants. She plugged in her guitar, looked out at the audience, then down at her clothes.<br /><br /> "Oh my god," she said, "What is wrong with me? I forgot to change into my concert pants!"<br /><br /> And then she shrugged and started playing. And that is soooooooooooo typical of her-- she is so amazingly funny-- she makes even tuning a guitar so hysterical you will pee your pants. Seriously. She's a nut-- absolutely brilliant, and absolutely insane. When I grow up I want to be just like her.<br /><br /> So anyway, this last song on the album, is all about Penrod's fifteenth birthday. However, when Cheryl went to record the song, Penrod had passed away at the ripe old age of nineteen.... and she had him cremated... and so when she went to record the song, she handed the drummer a baggie of "catash" (pronounced cah-TASH) and thus Penrod became his own percussion instrument. Behold:<br /><br /><object height="405" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/o4jTFQRDr0I&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/o4jTFQRDr0I&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="405" width="500"></embed></object><br /><br /> I have to say that I came home from the concert with sore ribs from laughing so hard. If you have a chance to see her, go!Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-38727328238768133422010-05-13T17:41:00.005-04:002010-05-13T19:56:55.017-04:00Apparently I need to go shopping...One of my little girls (the "polege" kid, for anyone who is keeping track) likes to give me little presents-- mostly little notes and drawings and things. She is one of those quiet kids who so very often blow you away with the odd but brilliant things they do...<br /><br />So today she handed me this folded piece of paper, and apparently she had been working on it for quite some time, taking stock of all the things my classroom was lacking.... (Clickee to embiggeren-- you really have to see it big to enjoy all the subtle nuances of this note.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5X4-ye4_9zQ1wK07TupoStK0DOcbh0Q3D8Hve4CygTsAGs5EEcVjOnSMQ4t37OgXP_wsDq8O_YRrpGACHH6LFokBPltA0soXOaZ79Ch-uUUFoBVHT0QFQ-8AMObgtIj3OzBKByr8o_b0/s1600/IMG_9863.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 167px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5X4-ye4_9zQ1wK07TupoStK0DOcbh0Q3D8Hve4CygTsAGs5EEcVjOnSMQ4t37OgXP_wsDq8O_YRrpGACHH6LFokBPltA0soXOaZ79Ch-uUUFoBVHT0QFQ-8AMObgtIj3OzBKByr8o_b0/s200/IMG_9863.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470873627173603650" border="0" /></a><br />Here's a translation:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Miss N.<br />Shopping List<br /><br />lemon drops<br />cough drops<br />peanut butter<br />crackers<br />Band-Aids<br />gum<br />water bottles for kids<br /></div><br /> I keep reading the list and shaking my head. It all makes sense. Yes, I give the kids hard candy and gum (sugar free if I can find it) because many kids have a neurological need to chew and suck on things when they are concentrating (ever notice how certain kids have wet chewed-on t-shirt necks and sweatshirt strings, not to mention pencil erasers and anything else within reach??). The peanut butter and crackers-- well, I'm always going after the kids to eat high-protein and complex carbohydrate foods instead of junk food, so that makes sense. The water bottles I can understand too, as we have a sink in our room but no cups, and the kids are always asking me if they can get up and get a drink of water. And the Band-Aids? Well, most of my kids start spontaneously leaking at inopportune times, but especially after I say the dreaded words, "you need to start doing your work now..."<br /><br /> But the problem is I always seem to say, "yeah, I need to go shopping" or "I forgot to pick that stuff up at the store yesterday", and I never have any of these things in my room! So obviously, I needed a shopping list. Now I have one. I will have to remedy this problem as soon as I can, won't I? :)<br /><br />Oh, P.S.-- I think the very next thing I will teach her is the proper use of apostrophes, or else she's going to go through life saying thing's like this and making every one of us teacher's out there cringe.Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-25798486368873402302010-05-06T17:21:00.007-04:002010-05-06T18:11:03.467-04:00You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means...So a lot of the kids in my classroom are, how should I put this... quite under-educated. They just aren't exposed to much, and so even the simplest concepts need a thorough explanation to help them understand about the world. You can't just say big-concept words like "peace" and "justice" or "equality" because the kids really don't have much prior knowledge to anchor these words to. I just don't think that many adults talk to them about these sorts of things (at their level, anyway) so the kids appear to be "ignorant", which is a harsh word, but their ignorance is built upon under-exposure to explanations about how the world works, rather than any sort of conscious decision by the kids.<br /><br />I also try to (gently) bring up other points of view, or opinions, just to throw the kids a loop and see what they do. It's amazing seeing them try to wrap their minds around these sorts of things.<br /><br />In my class, I have a policy that the kids can't draw (or pretend to use) any sort of weapon, especially guns. This can be a hard rule to enforce, especially around hunting season, but I do it to show the kids that not everyone thinks the same way or has the same opinion as them.<br /><br />Today, a boy "accidentally" drew a gun on his folder, and I told him to erase it. "Oh yeah, I forgot," he said. "You don't like guns."<br /><br />"No, I don't."<br /><br />"And you don't like shooting and wars and stuff."<br /><br />The boy then looked at me, and you could tell the wheels were going around in his head. "But... um, what if two armies agreed that they hated each other? Would you be okay with it if they fought each other?"<br /><br />That's a good question-- I really didn't know how to answer him. However, before I could, another boy asked, "but what if people who weren't in the army didn't want them to fight? How could people stop them?"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">That</span> I could answer, in a way. I herded them over to the computer and looked up this picture:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6Gsm2DFVUKa-sbXIyefeaaN5ZEmNktdUAwfI1MkuTgei4ZcB7HB-Vn5c4rTpr0bHKau4993WEpfJF_vm1-Hc7dXqmHJJeJbP_UHFOmyqs4Z5fPxjDKmGip7FW3oeZZhcsbMAK7bEbOI/s1600/flowers+in+guns.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6Gsm2DFVUKa-sbXIyefeaaN5ZEmNktdUAwfI1MkuTgei4ZcB7HB-Vn5c4rTpr0bHKau4993WEpfJF_vm1-Hc7dXqmHJJeJbP_UHFOmyqs4Z5fPxjDKmGip7FW3oeZZhcsbMAK7bEbOI/s200/flowers+in+guns.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468274048051269042" border="0" /></a><br />"This is a picture from the Vietnam War," I told them. "Look at what the man in the middle is doing to the guns. Do you think that's a better use for guns than to shoot people?"<br /><br />"Is he really putting flowers into the gun?"<br /><br />"Yes."<br /><br />"So it's like a plant-holder instead of a weapon?"<br /><br />"Exactly. The man in the white sweater is a hippie-- an early hippie, but a hippie nonetheless."<br /><br />"What's a hippie?"<br /><br />"It's someone who was against the Vietnam War, and thought that peace would be better. They didn't agree with the war and often protested against it, but instead of protesting in a yelling and loud sort of way, they protested by doing gentle things, like putting flowers in guns." (I know this is a pretty sugar-coated and idealized way of describing what a hippie was, but for the sake of this conversation it would suffice. Besides, my kids are only in third and fourth grade and I didn't want to bring up anything that would cause me to get fired if the kids were to repeat it!)<br /><br />So the kids digested this for a while, and pondered it.<br /><br />Later in the day, I was going through some of the pictures on my computer (I was trying to look up something else), and the kids were watching me. I happened to come across this picture of my friend Steve-o:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqJ0RGCvFBykK2x_NivY_gmbkw1aw4N4ZlyJLMsUpaZiD7T5L8_tOagbcXlKRwAV2sM4l5ifiuIt0UQqhkf_OQCPyu11lBolude2EUeQDKP9lr5w4aVv73vyP_IJIO-qXQUsmwenMx78/s1600/st-o.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqJ0RGCvFBykK2x_NivY_gmbkw1aw4N4ZlyJLMsUpaZiD7T5L8_tOagbcXlKRwAV2sM4l5ifiuIt0UQqhkf_OQCPyu11lBolude2EUeQDKP9lr5w4aVv73vyP_IJIO-qXQUsmwenMx78/s200/st-o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468280812692831682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And one of the kids yelled out, "Oh, oh, I know who that is! It's a hillbilly!"<br /><br />"It's a <span style="font-style: italic;">what</span>?" I asked, a little confused. Steve-o is the least hillbilliest of all the people I know!<br /><br />"It's a hillbilly! You know! A person who puts flowers in guns!"<br /><br />....well, at least they are <span style="font-style: italic;">sorta </span>understand... :)Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-4905605268278188502010-05-02T16:18:00.007-04:002010-05-13T20:01:58.928-04:00Green stuff in my yardSo Spring came on as a bit of an ambush this year... it went from below freezing and grey to above 80 and humid in a matter of just a few weeks. I am waaaaaaaaaaaaay behind in my garden routine, but it doesn't look <span style="font-weight: bold;">that</span> bad. That's the nice thing about green growing things-- you can forget about them and they will forgive you for it (except the most spiteful fussy plants, but I tend to avoid those anyway).<br /><br />It was the Harry Lauder Walking Stick plant's first winter here, and I was worried about him, since he looks so fragile. He had grown in Mum's backyard, and where Mum lives is much more mild than here. Here, he'd be buried under drifts of snow and frozen solid. I bundled him under burlap, but I was still afraid he wouldn't make it.... but I was wrong. I know it's a terrible photo, but check out all those green shoots!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CwT8KhNASdYQ9fpj_vQk79kznudxnRDJxxyg5rW75uYTa0pbamyk8BSvXHFzMTwSZp6sjN_Q2c-XyyEmf3nTv3uioictPqthVpMLLX8xlzRHiCSjePKn_EH1SPIh1McoCD8DHkHGkls/s1600/IMG_9825.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CwT8KhNASdYQ9fpj_vQk79kznudxnRDJxxyg5rW75uYTa0pbamyk8BSvXHFzMTwSZp6sjN_Q2c-XyyEmf3nTv3uioictPqthVpMLLX8xlzRHiCSjePKn_EH1SPIh1McoCD8DHkHGkls/s200/IMG_9825.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466773672098693314" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the big garden, there are daffodils in the middle, and behind them you can see pinks, creeping phlox and lots of hollyhocks-- all babies, but they are growing quickly. In the front there, I planted some rosebud impatiens today (I've never grown those before so who knows what will happen).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbY7wawJCFhJHNl68ZQ6Uxt2LqnsnSgpd0tU6VJ36dxVsVUWWs1-5VvtIo4uOmNQImQg8gTV9EJO5uzOoncifRaIFToFSvAo4ii48NACTjgUVE4W5WIgggs6wk5SLwx8C5Yrhs2emk34c/s1600/IMG_9826.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbY7wawJCFhJHNl68ZQ6Uxt2LqnsnSgpd0tU6VJ36dxVsVUWWs1-5VvtIo4uOmNQImQg8gTV9EJO5uzOoncifRaIFToFSvAo4ii48NACTjgUVE4W5WIgggs6wk5SLwx8C5Yrhs2emk34c/s200/IMG_9826.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466773680034418082" border="0" /></a><br />Here's the right side of the big garden-- the daffodils are in the middle, and the big mound of hollyhocks (which will be pink) in the back, and an entire bush of chives in the front. There's a tiny bit of thyme over there on the right border, but that's slowly being choked out by aggressively invasive weeds. I need to fix up the edges of this garden or else the grass and the creeping weeds will strangle everything in sight.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b82kL7eawgUAvCWy2-gAKuatU7KrxKsA_ZurQ5SUNT7kehMLQqGOO-FRQY3_l-vYrdtS85S0msdFzaTrGkPjfvb1qlDZxsH0E95DSidyJxHKaAkook_xWSfC1p1ldMqIZ1STP7xl-hY/s1600/IMG_9827.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b82kL7eawgUAvCWy2-gAKuatU7KrxKsA_ZurQ5SUNT7kehMLQqGOO-FRQY3_l-vYrdtS85S0msdFzaTrGkPjfvb1qlDZxsH0E95DSidyJxHKaAkook_xWSfC1p1ldMqIZ1STP7xl-hY/s200/IMG_9827.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466773686685736290" border="0" /></a><br /> I haven't decided what to put in the middle there-- maybe more herbs or something.<br /><br /> Last week I bought some tulips for Ellen and Kate and I kept some for myself. I plunked them in this container by the end of the driveway. Plants that grow by bulb seem so foreign to me-- I know that's so silly, but they do. To me, plants are either bought from the nursery already growing or you can start them from seed. "Weird" methods of growing plants-- like bulbs and cuttings-- scare me somehow. However, since I love daffodils, I was able to get over my bulb paranoia a little bit. Tulips, though... well, they're an experiment. I have no idea if they will come up next year at all. They're pretty, though.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71xJdM0fp0ed2pGe5Otnp2sVAzL5ZpwvuwzAmtF8FZ2k_1OOtrwm2vYFmZaQGZ61M7wCsR-7-F2gJHrUOsnLu7gzfAGbAAIq6CAGuvc-uSqMshBRg4N6-supWq3l5DPkjCEGIU1aBDy0/s1600/IMG_9828+trimmed.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71xJdM0fp0ed2pGe5Otnp2sVAzL5ZpwvuwzAmtF8FZ2k_1OOtrwm2vYFmZaQGZ61M7wCsR-7-F2gJHrUOsnLu7gzfAGbAAIq6CAGuvc-uSqMshBRg4N6-supWq3l5DPkjCEGIU1aBDy0/s200/IMG_9828+trimmed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466781007702045170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzQ2sL1fVmtOpX-MRbyt_1GOYjbBI4j2kc9LyJkAoQtj3QLsiAdgGl4noA9uF-ZJ4fGNGDqqiDtyPWpioyUGnoM6MDTVm3OwLbP7nMJqj1iCzqYvpYbIRKCzXvjFnWp0LUV7TD281SY8/s1600/IMG_9830.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzQ2sL1fVmtOpX-MRbyt_1GOYjbBI4j2kc9LyJkAoQtj3QLsiAdgGl4noA9uF-ZJ4fGNGDqqiDtyPWpioyUGnoM6MDTVm3OwLbP7nMJqj1iCzqYvpYbIRKCzXvjFnWp0LUV7TD281SY8/s200/IMG_9830.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466773704001076562" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDilk06x12cylcu04l6d6AycXAxvELafrxDu2bNe-NJjdYSk-x4CuB_ZDiUGFlsjNxkgdKwZstTGTihA3xBx-4_F252T1WFZwzFmgDiIuVmaB6gVSepyzyN3E0aSdDGdZTpZvZTRn-m2g/s1600/IMG_9831.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDilk06x12cylcu04l6d6AycXAxvELafrxDu2bNe-NJjdYSk-x4CuB_ZDiUGFlsjNxkgdKwZstTGTihA3xBx-4_F252T1WFZwzFmgDiIuVmaB6gVSepyzyN3E0aSdDGdZTpZvZTRn-m2g/s200/IMG_9831.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466777684817881394" border="0" /></a><br /> In the little raised bed the irises are taking over (which is great!!) and the daffodils are just bursting. In the middle there, you can see a little mound of what will be dahlias (freshly planted). On the left, you can see some sad little tulips that I planted last year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhly9RqMoHpxI4PncdiIu_R7j4jp4r92cl0HTnoQaFsSpzAOyNVOOxzOyQu-AUEAt_aehrlL7irKTCNKriGOd2iDTFRLV0VG2kXnMkUtZV0FZFjFKV7lbtgM77uji4E1gw9Vd4N-E4HQHE/s1600/IMG_9832.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhly9RqMoHpxI4PncdiIu_R7j4jp4r92cl0HTnoQaFsSpzAOyNVOOxzOyQu-AUEAt_aehrlL7irKTCNKriGOd2iDTFRLV0VG2kXnMkUtZV0FZFjFKV7lbtgM77uji4E1gw9Vd4N-E4HQHE/s200/IMG_9832.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466777675993335730" border="0" /></a><br />Sad (but still triumphant) little tulip close-up:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGzGbutSb4QEshysazsqClwzS4xy4r0a2hnIYd7OHPYZcKSrlNgvfufQd6PCXuFTU_9FcEWAf21UM5M0mtM5qKJ2s99nPK_el0knaZN9QOMiCRO9rJGRisN8a0TsHkt_1D2cr7ZQtFM0/s1600/IMG_9833.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGzGbutSb4QEshysazsqClwzS4xy4r0a2hnIYd7OHPYZcKSrlNgvfufQd6PCXuFTU_9FcEWAf21UM5M0mtM5qKJ2s99nPK_el0knaZN9QOMiCRO9rJGRisN8a0TsHkt_1D2cr7ZQtFM0/s200/IMG_9833.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466777665417005378" border="0" /></a> In the front garden, we have (going clockwise, starting with that poky prickly plant in the corner): The incredibly cold-tolerant yucca, then four hollyhock plants (which will bloom this year, but they are a mystery color), six pink plants, then a row of tulips in the front.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDoX1wDSMmjH7tURM4B5CoxyBTg2lAJ0gfa2Q2TN8G8vQwug6-UWLc3DTG7eFX0BDSzGM-i3X5ds6AtknPGsL9l4qr_6bqlKR-IdzSzj2hLVQjr7YOK1OXFRCKkPdIHCz9QNl8RazCqE/s1600/IMG_9834.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDoX1wDSMmjH7tURM4B5CoxyBTg2lAJ0gfa2Q2TN8G8vQwug6-UWLc3DTG7eFX0BDSzGM-i3X5ds6AtknPGsL9l4qr_6bqlKR-IdzSzj2hLVQjr7YOK1OXFRCKkPdIHCz9QNl8RazCqE/s200/IMG_9834.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466777655383224658" border="0" /></a> Nestled in between some of the tulips are some pansies and johnny-jump-ups...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0InVsbZZRyTNiQXT0F1wDcOY9rVGw0GUPS-gvhphufBX44BOhRA_4uWf94mcsfQUYLqkLXDV-uEAZGZJbDvrznI19C3BVAAP-ThQLgs6AgaJ6X322YXyFkmiwCd5DV-41bOcBIN1d_7w/s1600/IMG_9835.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0InVsbZZRyTNiQXT0F1wDcOY9rVGw0GUPS-gvhphufBX44BOhRA_4uWf94mcsfQUYLqkLXDV-uEAZGZJbDvrznI19C3BVAAP-ThQLgs6AgaJ6X322YXyFkmiwCd5DV-41bOcBIN1d_7w/s200/IMG_9835.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466777647575439570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyF1POFqLEvqrfobH94biU_z4Djc99yhZqpmKZNzdS6qjOiS7-S-q3P16csC5LYzQTW5cdk3K_85VXIcVwo0IsJec7osQY7wgohrp_lZ8vEuyp4PzluN662kFLxg8KOS1cqDopckwlYE/s1600/IMG_9836.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPyF1POFqLEvqrfobH94biU_z4Djc99yhZqpmKZNzdS6qjOiS7-S-q3P16csC5LYzQTW5cdk3K_85VXIcVwo0IsJec7osQY7wgohrp_lZ8vEuyp4PzluN662kFLxg8KOS1cqDopckwlYE/s200/IMG_9836.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466781015230801954" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3kYEMV_bYz2Bje83PgNi_rg4OPuoANRcc_vcD7xY85ow6fGn8eeRQ7qsHYFMCx00zXlF7WUm2CRycuk26zjPfhXh8vDmfJr5B25t-_WKVM0vvMf2cAEjhCnVMfnh5Sz4sufDX23-Q_0/s1600/IMG_9837.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3kYEMV_bYz2Bje83PgNi_rg4OPuoANRcc_vcD7xY85ow6fGn8eeRQ7qsHYFMCx00zXlF7WUm2CRycuk26zjPfhXh8vDmfJr5B25t-_WKVM0vvMf2cAEjhCnVMfnh5Sz4sufDX23-Q_0/s200/IMG_9837.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466781027036489218" border="0" /></a> <br /> The circle garden in the front is the garden I give the least attention to. It really is a mess. There is a mass confusion of jacob's ladders, hostas and sweet williams that I planted that sort of just clump together. The people who lived here before I did planted mint here, and by the end of the summer the entire garden is completely taken over by the stupid mint plants. Once the garden decides that it <span style="font-weight: bold;">only</span> wants to be a mint garden it looks relatively pretty, but until then it looks like a weedy sprawly disaster.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkgICBEo1gSRSniP12A1P6WTv6guwoXxPJmWjPv1ULBPEuBh5wSwi8V4x_cZajmmL5e1xC7bRN0bZc-Z_P70-qau0jQjwrssd2R5nAXaIZgfnMptP_VYfdIi1ks74f1YRKFjeZiHrFPw/s1600/IMG_9840.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkgICBEo1gSRSniP12A1P6WTv6guwoXxPJmWjPv1ULBPEuBh5wSwi8V4x_cZajmmL5e1xC7bRN0bZc-Z_P70-qau0jQjwrssd2R5nAXaIZgfnMptP_VYfdIi1ks74f1YRKFjeZiHrFPw/s200/IMG_9840.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466782142846834274" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The one thing that grows there, and does well, is the clematis. I've read that clematis is a really fussy plant, with all the pruning and special care that it needs, but I haven't done a <span style="font-weight: bold;">thing</span> to it except encourage it to grow along the poles. It's really happy where it is, and soon it will burst into its pretty powder blue flowers... and I am always happy when that happens. The tendrils wll eventually run out of room on the poles, and I'm hoping to train them to grow on the tree branch (you can just barely see it on the left there) and have the vines and tendrils and flowers spill over to the other side of the tree, which faces the street.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49H8xaEXx1lsw7DyMIwmro_Jke_mL7UQrKg9M04JWNHtyws6_iW32r0Fgn7G_d_4EiifpTHTkQNyMxtZhxIp2GNWw0s8U9Hsnet1sB3SQyqU4JrA_srRivJEU_F1FqvvHvSFY5Nzs7Wg/s1600/IMG_9838.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49H8xaEXx1lsw7DyMIwmro_Jke_mL7UQrKg9M04JWNHtyws6_iW32r0Fgn7G_d_4EiifpTHTkQNyMxtZhxIp2GNWw0s8U9Hsnet1sB3SQyqU4JrA_srRivJEU_F1FqvvHvSFY5Nzs7Wg/s200/IMG_9838.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466781035316867506" border="0" /></a><br /> So even though it's still early, and there's lots to do, the garden is already looking great! :)Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-53055752719730632472010-05-01T22:32:00.003-04:002010-05-01T22:36:19.218-04:00Yup, pretty much.I love my Dad. I love my Dad's useless advice and pointless stories even more. :)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53X7UxBPyhj3t0Ho9mE9Fw5GDFMMV9r23O36Ef3AX2TlXih3t4d25JFfayEZSs3svKBoG_jOonyI1FwKwZ4AdQtAxN72kLnm4zqi1C2D0zMXqZ4FAog1Gd-JDMh0VwJT9vNqw6RMyKYU/s1600/Dad+chart.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53X7UxBPyhj3t0Ho9mE9Fw5GDFMMV9r23O36Ef3AX2TlXih3t4d25JFfayEZSs3svKBoG_jOonyI1FwKwZ4AdQtAxN72kLnm4zqi1C2D0zMXqZ4FAog1Gd-JDMh0VwJT9vNqw6RMyKYU/s200/Dad+chart.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466495650849760258" border="0" /></a>(Click to embiggeren...)<br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/EMILYN%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/EMILYN%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.png" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/EMILYN%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-3.png" alt="" />Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-16937435468787998172010-05-01T10:40:00.005-04:002010-05-01T10:53:06.020-04:00The little ones are always the most dangerous...I just walked into the hallway to find Zeekie lounging in a sunbeam.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BM1NCEGpXOhlINcbvH12sNokuWbJJ2G2fyc04n0KbG_U82qSOZK8HU2PSdYkiUQOT8sQMi-HANJKhyphenhyphen5dQ6wkZiwRgVmmdzuB_kFjhgesWeWc94O6fzRWSz3Q3ts7AzbE0jh-KjbPEpU/s1600/IMG_9814.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BM1NCEGpXOhlINcbvH12sNokuWbJJ2G2fyc04n0KbG_U82qSOZK8HU2PSdYkiUQOT8sQMi-HANJKhyphenhyphen5dQ6wkZiwRgVmmdzuB_kFjhgesWeWc94O6fzRWSz3Q3ts7AzbE0jh-KjbPEpU/s200/IMG_9814.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466314040627992738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1mDzSM_SEniKPP0rVge_o1UD370qFg-7FoqMnCbnAQCJ89VnKIJjksuM8aW1kYaLXfBsnjLNKaSmAV2XW6Q1s7CUnEj0APwwabsxoCkyCmB1rG2ikYGM4-9eX2hFVPo46H5XeIvvVpg/s1600/IMG_9817.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1mDzSM_SEniKPP0rVge_o1UD370qFg-7FoqMnCbnAQCJ89VnKIJjksuM8aW1kYaLXfBsnjLNKaSmAV2XW6Q1s7CUnEj0APwwabsxoCkyCmB1rG2ikYGM4-9eX2hFVPo46H5XeIvvVpg/s200/IMG_9817.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466314043129562882" border="0" /></a><br />Getting Miss Prissy Pants to "smile" for the camera is nearly impossible.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4_4S1VWh6ohp7_8wRgGqwIK6KDH7RGCntVjL43S8SojhmMkmBkDM3pYacc_Z4w1Ph4sh6ekkrtdx2uRK04n7QG66B2i_SSyjw8iIlZ_3GL5Voe9rnqDuofsYKEYY8zBwZqjwG-LtsrM/s1600/IMG_9818.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4_4S1VWh6ohp7_8wRgGqwIK6KDH7RGCntVjL43S8SojhmMkmBkDM3pYacc_Z4w1Ph4sh6ekkrtdx2uRK04n7QG66B2i_SSyjw8iIlZ_3GL5Voe9rnqDuofsYKEYY8zBwZqjwG-LtsrM/s200/IMG_9818.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466314059550754530" border="0" /></a><br />During vacation I was sleeping in, or at least trying to, and Zeekie took it as a personal insult as her breakfast was delayed. She decided to sleep on my chest, facing away from me, and would "snuggle" backwards inch by inch, until she had almost completely covered my mouth and nose with her floofy little bum. When I woke up coughing and gagging, she seemed very proud of herself. I worry a bit about her homicidal tendencies...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETtRBFfgUB7PQOOo3VlzQXJI_CG2ZtGe-t9RvCSHtlijDdubcXXihAHsuEdCaHzbkW6GbnYo5aHZp9sUmbXfN2X97sEYNISWwWp43ZvKX6kXEaBFuDfcX3e42vpUstL-SCGSFc2RvhsM/s1600/IMG_9819.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETtRBFfgUB7PQOOo3VlzQXJI_CG2ZtGe-t9RvCSHtlijDdubcXXihAHsuEdCaHzbkW6GbnYo5aHZp9sUmbXfN2X97sEYNISWwWp43ZvKX6kXEaBFuDfcX3e42vpUstL-SCGSFc2RvhsM/s200/IMG_9819.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466314071241653330" border="0" /></a>Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-12707784436623383642010-05-01T08:27:00.003-04:002010-05-01T09:00:07.251-04:00A few more school storiesSo this year we have been doing an informal study of elephants. The reasons for this is that the kids like to talk about animals (a universal subject) and they often like to hear stories where bad things happen but then everything turns out all right in the end (the universal fairy tale theme). Also, we like to use technology, and live web cams are like magic to these kiddos. So anyway, my Dad suggested that we check out the <a href="http://www.tappedintoelephants.com/asp/index.php">Elecam</a> at the <a href="http://www.elephants.com/">Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee</a>. Each of the elephants has a history (some tragic, others not so bad), but they're all happy now in the Sanctuary.<br /><br />One of the most tragic stories is about the elephant named Sissy. Her full story is <a href="http://www.elephants.com/sissy/sissyBio.php">here</a>, but the part that caught my kids' attention was the time she was in a zoo in the early 80's, and a massive flood came and swept through the zoo. Sissy was found several days later, with only her trunk visible above the water, as she had been trapped between two tree trunks. Sissy was rescued, but she was (understandably) terrified of storms from that day on. One of my boys drew this picture on the whiteboard of Sissy stuck underwater:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_FqclKnhiRzm3f_TovJqDgxaeSUzbS1IxaajE6M0uOjh6YG1YsXdp5SLiIpixS8eKn_nWCERAwfM5_jXKE8aIosDWMHc6rwF24lAZiN1FeJmmMrcPukUGmhc1QYXjSKD_AjgJuSrbrs/s1600/IMG_9772.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_FqclKnhiRzm3f_TovJqDgxaeSUzbS1IxaajE6M0uOjh6YG1YsXdp5SLiIpixS8eKn_nWCERAwfM5_jXKE8aIosDWMHc6rwF24lAZiN1FeJmmMrcPukUGmhc1QYXjSKD_AjgJuSrbrs/s200/IMG_9772.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466280527091547186" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5_qA6Av_WOkwW0QK7lDg1mfn08wWkDZ4z3HPuV-Wi5Qv10F6RD2ck-edxAFs6i2KMZeiS1VN-c84KkzOFK7Za8r9cdN7ejOxx3CSGllx0WXPiOl7mrc0HqUgB7-5-AW80I_aul6UY18/s1600/IMG_9774.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5_qA6Av_WOkwW0QK7lDg1mfn08wWkDZ4z3HPuV-Wi5Qv10F6RD2ck-edxAFs6i2KMZeiS1VN-c84KkzOFK7Za8r9cdN7ejOxx3CSGllx0WXPiOl7mrc0HqUgB7-5-AW80I_aul6UY18/s200/IMG_9774.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466280534104761074" border="0" /></a> <br /> The picture just breaks my heart! Another detail that I didn't mention was that Sissy lived alone for many years, and the only "friend" she had was a car tire that she carried around everywhere. However, the tire was nowhere to be seen when she was stuck in the tree. One of the other boys said, "She must have been so scared when the tire was washed away! It would be just like a thunderstorm taking a little kid's favorite blanket away!"<br /><br /> But the good news is that Sissy lives in the Sanctuary now, and she is slowly getting over her storm fears, and since she is around many other elephants she doesn't need to carry her tire around with her as much ("which is good, because it means she feels safe, and she can leave her toys at home when she goes out to play," one of the kids told me).<br /><br /> I'll put up more of the elephant pictures when I get a chance, because the kids and I have been talking about nothing but elephants for about two months now...<br /><br /> And, just to take you back to your own days in elementary school, here are some shots of a "fort" several of the boys got to build when they earned some free time:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3Ncmp4OYpVJIx4mH06hsFWNlkK4K5Qanh0b5yoI-PBaE1xJDaEtyt6LBAOgVM9yRGHl6qYiTlPdgtWPXVdBtHrAOSfeGOk1PTygY4Z_6K68i_bZqQPAUvjz3ww3atOJeHutak0FgWQ8/s1600/IMG_9776.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3Ncmp4OYpVJIx4mH06hsFWNlkK4K5Qanh0b5yoI-PBaE1xJDaEtyt6LBAOgVM9yRGHl6qYiTlPdgtWPXVdBtHrAOSfeGOk1PTygY4Z_6K68i_bZqQPAUvjz3ww3atOJeHutak0FgWQ8/s200/IMG_9776.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466280540752428930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERTl1IVm141fRaOuR9Y9bJDAagoh3OBx3XmRUeCzH3_XzhnwC7vulgLE4Ku9cljQ3AkPrwAV2YdsN2m-5emX-YwGyY9s3At1s8mlwQkajSWJw3Dx2u3y6EwBKESXCHkBvGQ3Ib6plUQQ/s1600/IMG_9781.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERTl1IVm141fRaOuR9Y9bJDAagoh3OBx3XmRUeCzH3_XzhnwC7vulgLE4Ku9cljQ3AkPrwAV2YdsN2m-5emX-YwGyY9s3At1s8mlwQkajSWJw3Dx2u3y6EwBKESXCHkBvGQ3Ib6plUQQ/s200/IMG_9781.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466280548986588754" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnqkivapn3D3HwW_fBPNuRiapIlko4udBf7ampaK7TT4U42L8r62xCdhc_UKJJElKPcMSPOFe1VwT-h7hDgPNXQ5gRTufACd0OUi037VgEcSgCEZYXCPyeu-9GxeIIpt16BfFt2V7p34/s1600/IMG_9783.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnqkivapn3D3HwW_fBPNuRiapIlko4udBf7ampaK7TT4U42L8r62xCdhc_UKJJElKPcMSPOFe1VwT-h7hDgPNXQ5gRTufACd0OUi037VgEcSgCEZYXCPyeu-9GxeIIpt16BfFt2V7p34/s200/IMG_9783.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466280562065004658" border="0" /></a><br /> Remember when it was the coolest thing in the world when the teacher gave you time to build anything you wanted with the math materials?Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-784351854210791892010-04-28T19:22:00.005-04:002010-04-28T19:44:15.244-04:00Adventures in TeachingI love teaching. I love every day that I spend with the kids. They are incredible, and funny, and smart, and you would not believe what they say. I am a little worried about what they say to their parents about me, because we talk about some pretty wacky things, but I think that's pretty important for kids who might not otherwise get the chance to learn about the world.<br /><br /> So here are three teaching stories for you. This first one, I was teaching my little math group, where there are two little girls. That particular day, the first little girl was DRIVING ME NUTS-- all whiny and argumentative and pushing all the buttons. My patience was at an end when the <span style="font-style: italic;">second</span> little girl did something dumb-- I can't even remember what it was, just something stupid like she forgot an equals sign or something, and I SNAPPED at her. I looked over at this little girl and she just froze, her eyes slowly welling up--and she wears these thick glasses that make her eyes look ten thousand times bigger than they really are, and all I could see were those tears! And then MY eyes started welling up, and I started apologizing profusely. Poor little girl! Well, the entire rest of the class she pretty much ignored me (not that I blame her!), but when it was time to leave she slipped me this little note.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdYkoTChjG9kuW7u1nx5TP0ccjuwaStmtHWaqVhGj07bB3QrpA0n_-qLNfxy0kXbLMGtUzPJfV_8wHgx-vPyzHzIFPnu9BYjTvsdEf6T2C0slvqs30QJzLGFHUclUT2kf_vDkMqUQWqc/s1600/IMG_9727.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdYkoTChjG9kuW7u1nx5TP0ccjuwaStmtHWaqVhGj07bB3QrpA0n_-qLNfxy0kXbLMGtUzPJfV_8wHgx-vPyzHzIFPnu9BYjTvsdEf6T2C0slvqs30QJzLGFHUclUT2kf_vDkMqUQWqc/s200/IMG_9727.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465334654869807602" border="0" /></a><br /> A few days later this same little girl must have truly forgiven me, because she stuck this note on the wall. (We occasionally use sign language in my room, just because I think it's an important thing for kids to learn-- not to mention it's fun!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPg00d22vb_Ac4qE4mdTzHRhAExXRkh_JL3K9keFTpxQbOz2dymRMlQfKzQu0yj1blIPGmW9OiYcR_2SGMlgOizJsoSankNvY1Q1J64OzIEYnoXHKgqt5UeIXSSkqOWPqIN8sKBGd-ds/s1600/IMG_9784.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPg00d22vb_Ac4qE4mdTzHRhAExXRkh_JL3K9keFTpxQbOz2dymRMlQfKzQu0yj1blIPGmW9OiYcR_2SGMlgOizJsoSankNvY1Q1J64OzIEYnoXHKgqt5UeIXSSkqOWPqIN8sKBGd-ds/s200/IMG_9784.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465334665419506818" border="0" /></a> <br /> And this last thing... I have no idea what it is. One of the boys drew it. I think he said it was an "elephant wiener dog". Whatever it is, it haunts my dreams.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3uXM2vj25PkuLiB98kz7hAPn8Rgvo4HtiiY3YqSfepeUu_CsU0H9uidHSEYYpgiM5ka6NMfiWX4h0z-O4GuUja8gyooqPYVS2wTmY4lkm_kc8Q4zh_y2SYmzjnM1txy5iFXuhAKbQG4/s1600/IMG_9787.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3uXM2vj25PkuLiB98kz7hAPn8Rgvo4HtiiY3YqSfepeUu_CsU0H9uidHSEYYpgiM5ka6NMfiWX4h0z-O4GuUja8gyooqPYVS2wTmY4lkm_kc8Q4zh_y2SYmzjnM1txy5iFXuhAKbQG4/s200/IMG_9787.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465334672766854098" border="0" /></a>Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-25531463381292587862010-04-24T17:26:00.002-04:002010-04-24T17:33:16.464-04:00Long Time No SeeSo my father and my sister have been asking about my blog, and I know it's been a while, so here's an aardvark to make up for such lost time.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tDJe4gmxlbI&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tDJe4gmxlbI&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-48859118958004114362009-06-07T18:06:00.006-04:002009-06-07T20:01:10.248-04:00Visiting AddisonSo if you remember <a href="http://twosilvercats.blogspot.com/2008/06/memorial-day-part-ii.html">last year</a>, it was utterly pouring when we went to visit Papa and Freddie. This year it wasn't pouring, but it definitely was grey. The rain held off while we wandered around in the cemetery...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT63x7XL75IAqoeTguoGqTfgVwEOMZO_d5jQFRSPJk-cZF6CE2dCi5dZuHsJ4sBHwF9Upfi_-8tQjBuhAMmsr1K9qelY2hythxKPBeKOEUQOpCldGI6U1ht2hODyc-PIa_Z_ZGq53E238/s1600-h/IMG_6260.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT63x7XL75IAqoeTguoGqTfgVwEOMZO_d5jQFRSPJk-cZF6CE2dCi5dZuHsJ4sBHwF9Upfi_-8tQjBuhAMmsr1K9qelY2hythxKPBeKOEUQOpCldGI6U1ht2hODyc-PIa_Z_ZGq53E238/s200/IMG_6260.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344714904061415922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAxSDPyXbVX8ADgb4iEcQG_HzKMp1sGIw9VDFtFsUa3Ky6wsaJvRoSNm-u77EyeJe77IeAnAlBxNUtgYgMMN0ncy7dlBVJP7Z-g_7mtg9atBcqFs2jC3pzR5IZ77xTZ9NW_RdXX0DeRc/s1600-h/IMG_6255.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAxSDPyXbVX8ADgb4iEcQG_HzKMp1sGIw9VDFtFsUa3Ky6wsaJvRoSNm-u77EyeJe77IeAnAlBxNUtgYgMMN0ncy7dlBVJP7Z-g_7mtg9atBcqFs2jC3pzR5IZ77xTZ9NW_RdXX0DeRc/s200/IMG_6255.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344714891532586466" border="0" /></a><br />I think the saddest thing was the little toys that my cousins had left on Papa's grave were gone. I know little plastic dogs clog up lawnmowers, so someone probably thought it was time for them to go. It's just sad, because it showed that somebody besides Mum and me came up to visit. A stranger wandering by wouldn't know that Papa liked cocker spaniels or that he had grandchildren who gave him their McDonald's toys-- the toys gave a sense of individuality and character to the grave. Now they're gone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvNhnyZ_1ZrBkO2oqJbhOLZQz_uF3HQ9_AHFM7IOy9GNqDPvuZl-rPt8BMtB_P1hlo1cKk3HMd_oze_HBVq02CJ8sSHb6YmfIs1A9yTjcKyVjoB-J5W5dQYXe6rhVIUCXuixB_1p-2Dw/s1600-h/IMG_6256.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvNhnyZ_1ZrBkO2oqJbhOLZQz_uF3HQ9_AHFM7IOy9GNqDPvuZl-rPt8BMtB_P1hlo1cKk3HMd_oze_HBVq02CJ8sSHb6YmfIs1A9yTjcKyVjoB-J5W5dQYXe6rhVIUCXuixB_1p-2Dw/s200/IMG_6256.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344714901173387106" border="0" /></a><br />I should get Papa a giant wooden raccoon, like this guy has. Because no grave is complete without a giant wooden raccoon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQySE6x5E2FIxheh-WvF_PCggdYX1shUx_Q_ZAOI-XClhh56DLeAWKWvluVYaXwKcmK_la67BiAdPaZNB7grXbuE3Zz5EuOIvwBwN1tvQUEz998UBwfrkFNXaLxJQxePyon2wXm8z_yFE/s1600-h/IMG_6261.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQySE6x5E2FIxheh-WvF_PCggdYX1shUx_Q_ZAOI-XClhh56DLeAWKWvluVYaXwKcmK_la67BiAdPaZNB7grXbuE3Zz5EuOIvwBwN1tvQUEz998UBwfrkFNXaLxJQxePyon2wXm8z_yFE/s200/IMG_6261.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344714915231744146" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGJRWihVNLpZcb1OyV5_gZMCKsHaelMwg1_q2Vjm1-uS3vgFo0uZnc7UE0685v59W6MNtbLrVXduisOWeJ_dy4YHf6YcCirjd8JuGMacGzvgxwCBlGP1FouuLp1k5Gpil7uVeP_fMoIY/s1600-h/IMG_6262.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGJRWihVNLpZcb1OyV5_gZMCKsHaelMwg1_q2Vjm1-uS3vgFo0uZnc7UE0685v59W6MNtbLrVXduisOWeJ_dy4YHf6YcCirjd8JuGMacGzvgxwCBlGP1FouuLp1k5Gpil7uVeP_fMoIY/s200/IMG_6262.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344714919707449202" border="0" /></a><br />Then we went up the hill to visit the babies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwLEtRDgftexY_KLOza3WsvVifVAlPvVgQopUy-b4ms0gTd26-kAoiZqXmz_KR08QHLoj4lBv39Y15-EdcXavlNJmunV-GmU_gtzjM39-IAJLEZPJqad_kKbH4AngTkeoCdcQ61gS5s8/s1600-h/IMG_6271.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwLEtRDgftexY_KLOza3WsvVifVAlPvVgQopUy-b4ms0gTd26-kAoiZqXmz_KR08QHLoj4lBv39Y15-EdcXavlNJmunV-GmU_gtzjM39-IAJLEZPJqad_kKbH4AngTkeoCdcQ61gS5s8/s200/IMG_6271.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344717771206078146" border="0" /></a><br />I wish I knew more about them, like what they died from.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFX7TqMvg-e9op26Ok4mubXfZ2qgE4AFHjE4xbzZ4je8uQlikoHHRQem0TygicubfpPPxWsbIQD1eVyLj0f1FM4n7fUqYSq_XqrcvQYL5w5e8nRak-z72lVRHbmgwNIG_3brrvDAzyHSw/s1600-h/IMG_6266.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFX7TqMvg-e9op26Ok4mubXfZ2qgE4AFHjE4xbzZ4je8uQlikoHHRQem0TygicubfpPPxWsbIQD1eVyLj0f1FM4n7fUqYSq_XqrcvQYL5w5e8nRak-z72lVRHbmgwNIG_3brrvDAzyHSw/s200/IMG_6266.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344717755577205362" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQoO914fl4FqZ32UVE1tp58YOhZtTq8SfUUEY3QiPkCYNFEK0mZgDYQN6QIkrWFBmpw-_dhtJ3-ioXAVciApHBv5mxtcajr5OOQ8FL4X_iDOtD9w04jLcQ-FvnSxPRlSMzLDbpDRVisQ/s1600-h/IMG_6267.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQoO914fl4FqZ32UVE1tp58YOhZtTq8SfUUEY3QiPkCYNFEK0mZgDYQN6QIkrWFBmpw-_dhtJ3-ioXAVciApHBv5mxtcajr5OOQ8FL4X_iDOtD9w04jLcQ-FvnSxPRlSMzLDbpDRVisQ/s200/IMG_6267.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344717761494503762" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7HRLYcsDrjTxxI4UiAQOVYOnMRIhDJQgA05P6ZIjXlnQkFF8ZuwNMglrmf-fmBT5dsILLyHoqDO9xyUsm1aR2Z16x8GJJnQ0jsZd5K-v8fsFiCJOnqJs94KAaVzXQC-tSivwSKPsJVU/s1600-h/IMG_6268.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7HRLYcsDrjTxxI4UiAQOVYOnMRIhDJQgA05P6ZIjXlnQkFF8ZuwNMglrmf-fmBT5dsILLyHoqDO9xyUsm1aR2Z16x8GJJnQ0jsZd5K-v8fsFiCJOnqJs94KAaVzXQC-tSivwSKPsJVU/s200/IMG_6268.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344717767323980530" border="0" /></a><br />Mum and I looked everywhere, but we couldn't find their parents. I think we do this <span style="font-style: italic;">every </span>year, we just forget that we do it. Do you think the babies feel lonely without their parents around?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rqTsT8GOIAXl1ZwwYiC_hUispGGwBXC3qP15P8bHA0wubocAuiuOm4uts7CKb1lesPkp-fNZDh3xMuN6wy4mmnMAGGqkI4c_K_hQE7ixwEqcp_vtV_xHoJl-e_Fn_2ywScMP88aRWkE/s1600-h/IMG_6265.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rqTsT8GOIAXl1ZwwYiC_hUispGGwBXC3qP15P8bHA0wubocAuiuOm4uts7CKb1lesPkp-fNZDh3xMuN6wy4mmnMAGGqkI4c_K_hQE7ixwEqcp_vtV_xHoJl-e_Fn_2ywScMP88aRWkE/s200/IMG_6265.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344717749103417346" border="0" /></a><br />At least their big brother is beside them.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRe0RyfK6eOuf8g_WtXPc32fDJzhvSW1wLpOIGtmVXcv5cxq5OORn_8ZnDbrBrSVreZc9fGAcmFrmyk8L5eJIsl8hHfKtJCa2_tCDH5DEaRVN0oxN5DoXk0brk83CvoQn46cAQxwdR2kY/s1600-h/IMG_6264.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRe0RyfK6eOuf8g_WtXPc32fDJzhvSW1wLpOIGtmVXcv5cxq5OORn_8ZnDbrBrSVreZc9fGAcmFrmyk8L5eJIsl8hHfKtJCa2_tCDH5DEaRVN0oxN5DoXk0brk83CvoQn46cAQxwdR2kY/s200/IMG_6264.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344721962123554962" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuirLQpTU2NNTWQRltkwvuO-fxyZUsA1cxqDgrWJYJJg2Y_flzWYKlAfJArHXP5chToK3Sh7MHJfbredm_PGogdB1HRjCo7d1rSXU720sdAmdTYYAQBigAPxHsoD-xjKMw_g7FUhUAX8/s1600-h/IMG_6263.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuirLQpTU2NNTWQRltkwvuO-fxyZUsA1cxqDgrWJYJJg2Y_flzWYKlAfJArHXP5chToK3Sh7MHJfbredm_PGogdB1HRjCo7d1rSXU720sdAmdTYYAQBigAPxHsoD-xjKMw_g7FUhUAX8/s200/IMG_6263.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344721971323464194" border="0" /></a><br />And up the hill...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LcK5_eWYnr7Bf4VwXy_2igUCnkYNM6qrYG3gbszXCOHcygxn8GS_dX54bP5x5r8EujbxTJZp8RuEzS4sfNvuzTX5In3XgU6bn0FvTFxAZ_qLucz0bULM1dHIP6Yw9rBBW65JPvmP_2g/s1600-h/IMG_6277.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LcK5_eWYnr7Bf4VwXy_2igUCnkYNM6qrYG3gbszXCOHcygxn8GS_dX54bP5x5r8EujbxTJZp8RuEzS4sfNvuzTX5In3XgU6bn0FvTFxAZ_qLucz0bULM1dHIP6Yw9rBBW65JPvmP_2g/s200/IMG_6277.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344721974886274418" border="0" /></a><br />... we found the twins Henry and Henrietta and their big brother Hamilton. Man, how come people don't name their kids names like this any more?!?!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVU-JQfaI939Pkc-T9xwSzsIqkGvZHL2Og5ZRZ-1RdE_NL6noO-izWjsHYk1HzTVlTfAxSkQjK5N6YBhggUH0t9J7DAQ8GqeUmblI7ske4srN7E7VbM5J9Hwzvd0T9xwIIqqirm1KzDGg/s1600-h/IMG_6275.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVU-JQfaI939Pkc-T9xwSzsIqkGvZHL2Og5ZRZ-1RdE_NL6noO-izWjsHYk1HzTVlTfAxSkQjK5N6YBhggUH0t9J7DAQ8GqeUmblI7ske4srN7E7VbM5J9Hwzvd0T9xwIIqqirm1KzDGg/s200/IMG_6275.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344721978970710162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXYyXKhihdLMx80KfWpTybSSjLLiEq9dnQ8K0OHKMkpdJAXOCOM5GyMnw3800eSNTPROYZqYngngsTOpyqEpIecldP02n5OnXugjMLXRAB-XfDyjSZiGg5WAkqyHzQX2LcyJxgHpy1tI/s1600-h/IMG_6276.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXYyXKhihdLMx80KfWpTybSSjLLiEq9dnQ8K0OHKMkpdJAXOCOM5GyMnw3800eSNTPROYZqYngngsTOpyqEpIecldP02n5OnXugjMLXRAB-XfDyjSZiGg5WAkqyHzQX2LcyJxgHpy1tI/s200/IMG_6276.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344721984586864738" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And of course, no trip to visit Papa would be complete without visiting the llamas.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeD1P6WBVljm2roU6BP8OM7pMBs-G_AoY_IiA6AVLrwvGaHr947vUBP_9eMr9YEDAWBbQTvUHWFhW5z4e9U1c8SFK3mQFUH_b5pQW6teSASW_dCG__grfquxUt3JdIOKts43wpWwgRmE/s1600-h/IMG_6283.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeD1P6WBVljm2roU6BP8OM7pMBs-G_AoY_IiA6AVLrwvGaHr947vUBP_9eMr9YEDAWBbQTvUHWFhW5z4e9U1c8SFK3mQFUH_b5pQW6teSASW_dCG__grfquxUt3JdIOKts43wpWwgRmE/s200/IMG_6283.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344736852142907042" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsNh8NodQUyOthihNEesNj7M1VHVF1iqAbSuCU4jc26m9T0SJtCe4VasFwXaBw1AcJZOsgBMvh5s_fOUwI8KAGnx64rd3c8J4vUHW25gjH_dlH9SQNaeCa60svHGM5LdJKaUOOXBFBtg/s1600-h/IMG_6286.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsNh8NodQUyOthihNEesNj7M1VHVF1iqAbSuCU4jc26m9T0SJtCe4VasFwXaBw1AcJZOsgBMvh5s_fOUwI8KAGnx64rd3c8J4vUHW25gjH_dlH9SQNaeCa60svHGM5LdJKaUOOXBFBtg/s200/IMG_6286.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344736849278827714" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAlHwp8JcYKUroTj8wK_moIzV0-XICmC9oj8-IWVIRbsouKycDyLN2SGaV4PNr82ThfHEq7Ncx_JsZgvOvd4FVPCJ792O_qPLrU8gfiYK5ngFRpQ5Y_OYUljymOgH1jWYNVIW10pnDeI/s1600-h/IMG_6280.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAlHwp8JcYKUroTj8wK_moIzV0-XICmC9oj8-IWVIRbsouKycDyLN2SGaV4PNr82ThfHEq7Ncx_JsZgvOvd4FVPCJ792O_qPLrU8gfiYK5ngFRpQ5Y_OYUljymOgH1jWYNVIW10pnDeI/s200/IMG_6280.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344736843334754850" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXZgaXdF2m_evvxkpmzZjBqR1A2VUxvpEIU3V0VRS-UEnPPs4T53pl6aMasbSRmExZhnxgAhgIpKjh13_7XMDMKHtM3HoQlX5Vxpfp25j9Yx6Trtguni0W3qBGB62gddTdYxFeMMj9aQ/s1600-h/IMG_6281.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXZgaXdF2m_evvxkpmzZjBqR1A2VUxvpEIU3V0VRS-UEnPPs4T53pl6aMasbSRmExZhnxgAhgIpKjh13_7XMDMKHtM3HoQlX5Vxpfp25j9Yx6Trtguni0W3qBGB62gddTdYxFeMMj9aQ/s200/IMG_6281.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344736841475394594" border="0" /></a>Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-13087739758652547212009-05-28T15:45:00.015-04:002009-05-28T17:54:43.773-04:00Burnt Island Trip Part 6: Going Back to Shore and Some Ghost StoriesSo once we had cleaned up our messes and packed up The Stuff we hung out on the dock for a while, waiting for the Novelty to come and pick us up. Becca looks very happy with her fishie (did I mention some of the boys <span style="font-style: italic;">kissed </span>it? Bleeeeccchh!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5o9Ile9-tOROYA_Yv00SaUbtbuDuqwKKiOHCBa4EFk0uzZmBkNbrVIA1vthRjafyl7lxhOThr3IrH3BhR4XQxakYlMnLjQgZyJpA-xNLnRufOwJSEKUC-j5kiomtuqO3yRdaQ1_vaWk/s1600-h/IMG_6086.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5o9Ile9-tOROYA_Yv00SaUbtbuDuqwKKiOHCBa4EFk0uzZmBkNbrVIA1vthRjafyl7lxhOThr3IrH3BhR4XQxakYlMnLjQgZyJpA-xNLnRufOwJSEKUC-j5kiomtuqO3yRdaQ1_vaWk/s320/IMG_6086.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340965332387733698" border="0" /></a><br />And we petted some moon jellies. We also saw some lion's mane jellies but they were too far away to pet (which is good-- they sting!). I'm glad they didn't blob their way over to me when I were in the water (though the Teletubby suit would have probably protected me)!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcCrB_lEI4bCG36Qsqw5TOH2ghNwFysufKnwuzn7BDkszG_eXJcsj4pGjBl_w5AbYSBOVrve2maIxwMIdYSflMGgwt4NCnuY0xI7P0OS_ifsbxw5Bg8w3UDmVQfFwcvxbExz0Z0OdGvU/s1600-h/IMG_6232.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcCrB_lEI4bCG36Qsqw5TOH2ghNwFysufKnwuzn7BDkszG_eXJcsj4pGjBl_w5AbYSBOVrve2maIxwMIdYSflMGgwt4NCnuY0xI7P0OS_ifsbxw5Bg8w3UDmVQfFwcvxbExz0Z0OdGvU/s320/IMG_6232.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340965343550713490" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvVO0g6acKSFm4hHgHNtaF0Y0RxKgy7L-DPRV27rQVEXOXLUJfmubfmZDtmqBcV-1uamQ1LEiECLdtuhAG9nJ4CNY59DtU6P-WYeSSjJBzfyVgYvJQXQYkz5FqBauKwmHbJ92nW8NBQ0/s1600-h/IMG_6233.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvVO0g6acKSFm4hHgHNtaF0Y0RxKgy7L-DPRV27rQVEXOXLUJfmubfmZDtmqBcV-1uamQ1LEiECLdtuhAG9nJ4CNY59DtU6P-WYeSSjJBzfyVgYvJQXQYkz5FqBauKwmHbJ92nW8NBQ0/s320/IMG_6233.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340965346007366722" border="0" /></a><br />Here comes the Novelty!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqK9UpnALa91-X2i1nXFE331w_pRIymqq-UH9wMnHye26RPg0yKpL4YD6kPrmV1b5KQH2TN5txLF8eZ_WBV3jDn3c5iTt1JYzP1RBv7PyHibZEcKOrA1psMU_SNkXARJlrlDywhX7aTN0/s1600-h/IMG_6236.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqK9UpnALa91-X2i1nXFE331w_pRIymqq-UH9wMnHye26RPg0yKpL4YD6kPrmV1b5KQH2TN5txLF8eZ_WBV3jDn3c5iTt1JYzP1RBv7PyHibZEcKOrA1psMU_SNkXARJlrlDywhX7aTN0/s320/IMG_6236.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340965352243258258" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITHaVbVC6QyKNWqoQ6MMEehk4vDZ3ttRyHFAKXSNl2d-UmSKnLQTeNZR44VeEIGQfW2wtDMA68Hrzzfn5yj1sFdC99as594ynh5xOZ1bYVdyfrbxCseQokGD4mA0xRCj7kmQVGbH5jvg/s1600-h/IMG_6237.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITHaVbVC6QyKNWqoQ6MMEehk4vDZ3ttRyHFAKXSNl2d-UmSKnLQTeNZR44VeEIGQfW2wtDMA68Hrzzfn5yj1sFdC99as594ynh5xOZ1bYVdyfrbxCseQokGD4mA0xRCj7kmQVGbH5jvg/s320/IMG_6237.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340965358199338706" border="0" /></a><br />Hop on, everyone!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARaUn3r0tFkEcMfHNOX4Hk8uecYkFmESU6B4eZR2Jb9KxJSWIVKOaGahFj0rKAI2FSCJO5ExMu2S5fuiIpEPRL657AS_6x7TJ3A_Gs6X-LcISrmBgIqqZiDORO-9Xy5bmHegpNloVgqI/s1600-h/IMG_6238+trimmed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARaUn3r0tFkEcMfHNOX4Hk8uecYkFmESU6B4eZR2Jb9KxJSWIVKOaGahFj0rKAI2FSCJO5ExMu2S5fuiIpEPRL657AS_6x7TJ3A_Gs6X-LcISrmBgIqqZiDORO-9Xy5bmHegpNloVgqI/s320/IMG_6238+trimmed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340968594244109938" border="0" /></a><br />Bye-bye dock!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEF2wrQZFgzY-Nfhq5rgjnEXs-eF57aPwOl1EdXfQcT8xjB6OPVFa96nYy9XUB-09ZfFcezO3_O8L123Go5IIWMhioRa2ADeqrcpWwQGzr54fQ7Wmh3Mb1u-DM0W5-iG1Sigsr66YB4k/s1600-h/IMG_6240.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEF2wrQZFgzY-Nfhq5rgjnEXs-eF57aPwOl1EdXfQcT8xjB6OPVFa96nYy9XUB-09ZfFcezO3_O8L123Go5IIWMhioRa2ADeqrcpWwQGzr54fQ7Wmh3Mb1u-DM0W5-iG1Sigsr66YB4k/s320/IMG_6240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340968599375552354" border="0" /></a><br />We had to go around the back of the island before heading into the harbor because of the "red, right, return" rule, which means navigational buoys, etc., must be on your right (unless you happen to be in a boat that goes backwards, like a rowboat, and in that case they are on your left).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGVQSFN_UtPhkGXns2mVb4AW-IbXh19ZU6RyGluwdIS1A9LIp_726mse_FCugu-YRPVu8Z8Ixz61CCdT-q2xjYGjcaCq5rjepCYkPQDQWg5_iVACnfc9_FurWlAVJLzz0moJEF4NLXCk/s1600-h/IMG_6241.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGVQSFN_UtPhkGXns2mVb4AW-IbXh19ZU6RyGluwdIS1A9LIp_726mse_FCugu-YRPVu8Z8Ixz61CCdT-q2xjYGjcaCq5rjepCYkPQDQWg5_iVACnfc9_FurWlAVJLzz0moJEF4NLXCk/s320/IMG_6241.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340968604353662802" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhdIy2KTaHZt_yF44PuUDnb6hGEzqkNAcRs1rukaays4iodbB4W-mPil3rN-sF70ZVB7IZV16OFPAi8ryEpHIvsfPmOWZYede6xTBL2uN2R-hFVa3NrvM1tGhozKQsuyy_s4XZBfGJmE/s1600-h/IMG_6244.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhdIy2KTaHZt_yF44PuUDnb6hGEzqkNAcRs1rukaays4iodbB4W-mPil3rN-sF70ZVB7IZV16OFPAi8ryEpHIvsfPmOWZYede6xTBL2uN2R-hFVa3NrvM1tGhozKQsuyy_s4XZBfGJmE/s320/IMG_6244.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340968616389805394" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2eJmt8nC92MTnq9vB5BVWqiAw684h3VBGpD0XwjKw2O1qYakgMGpzPxe3D-eMvlBUjOZD1juI5lEWQf8DbMo3mCyXmm7RotNZihJm9cLT0b5y9e1-iEBdubnchXtBxNElEPTKBpMbqg/s1600-h/IMG_6243.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2eJmt8nC92MTnq9vB5BVWqiAw684h3VBGpD0XwjKw2O1qYakgMGpzPxe3D-eMvlBUjOZD1juI5lEWQf8DbMo3mCyXmm7RotNZihJm9cLT0b5y9e1-iEBdubnchXtBxNElEPTKBpMbqg/s320/IMG_6243.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340968607845961314" border="0" /></a><br />There's the Resourceful with the adults (and all The Stuff) in it!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJHM-lEdfjk1djjBGZ719RATkwUTdCFfnBAAbJn_SPaCEonLo0P7UvtRnGxdyktMNuj84tiaMXW9VZKP5BVy33ZqKX6D_p0pr4OjVbhB6276aoFacvXTr78b1_jIP3xhaUpSwfGAccxg/s1600-h/IMG_6245.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJHM-lEdfjk1djjBGZ719RATkwUTdCFfnBAAbJn_SPaCEonLo0P7UvtRnGxdyktMNuj84tiaMXW9VZKP5BVy33ZqKX6D_p0pr4OjVbhB6276aoFacvXTr78b1_jIP3xhaUpSwfGAccxg/s320/IMG_6245.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340971938583854962" border="0" /></a><br />Katie, looking pensive.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgRfOnvkbBHNKZRpUf-y-_Xrf7TLU3asluRRfPfSiX7dXcMUdC6Imqv2lJf6-LMupDhAzoRPem59kGrkaksJSg0ZOajnv1BDKYlzrJd0oQbQwvbTxU8HRfy6YrRbU1hnlMTfmi_2V3i4/s1600-h/IMG_5866.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgRfOnvkbBHNKZRpUf-y-_Xrf7TLU3asluRRfPfSiX7dXcMUdC6Imqv2lJf6-LMupDhAzoRPem59kGrkaksJSg0ZOajnv1BDKYlzrJd0oQbQwvbTxU8HRfy6YrRbU1hnlMTfmi_2V3i4/s320/IMG_5866.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340971947187234786" border="0" /></a><br />So this is a terrible-quality picture of a sardine boat that is in the harbor. Elaine had told us that during the turn of the century the keepers had to keep a record of just how many vessels came into the harbor, and in just <span style="font-style: italic;">one </span>entry, for just <span style="font-style: italic;">one </span>night, a keeper recorded that there were <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">more than three hundred and fifty </span></span>boats<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span>that came in to the harbor! <span style="font-style: italic;">Whoa</span>! Today the harbor isn't <span style="font-style: italic;">as</span> busy-- due to other forms of transportation like cars and trucks and planes-- but there are still a good number of working boats out there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbsUV9A27abpVr7NniuCrJuuRMV6AfN60ls06PV8gXZFBZQbXEZKZBEwwuazgbFECpdUfPyfF5WNOM9D74vTw0d6C3kPTlD6e2YE4Ldi3rOebFGpfgcB4mg6vXSzjvw3wxRZAJs8RT74/s1600-h/IMG_6248.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbsUV9A27abpVr7NniuCrJuuRMV6AfN60ls06PV8gXZFBZQbXEZKZBEwwuazgbFECpdUfPyfF5WNOM9D74vTw0d6C3kPTlD6e2YE4Ldi3rOebFGpfgcB4mg6vXSzjvw3wxRZAJs8RT74/s320/IMG_6248.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340971955525844978" border="0" /></a><br />This is part of the DMR. I was <span style="font-style: italic;">just</span> wondering if there was Center for Culture of Marine Phytoplankton anywhere around-- and <span style="font-style: italic;">hey look, there's one!</span> (Quite possibly the most random thing I've seen all day...)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkPmaX-hX-ZGWoEfyEvQ9n-moFMnSnjw2hH0YuiyM1Y7-l45oroigFIkDBNiiokXVN6CYfNKrOK-1ptQWJ5GjqDOxmHqXxbK5hmFKwzJslYyLyFsqZxfB6N7gzD-yZfy7doLW6XqAKf4/s1600-h/IMG_6249.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkPmaX-hX-ZGWoEfyEvQ9n-moFMnSnjw2hH0YuiyM1Y7-l45oroigFIkDBNiiokXVN6CYfNKrOK-1ptQWJ5GjqDOxmHqXxbK5hmFKwzJslYyLyFsqZxfB6N7gzD-yZfy7doLW6XqAKf4/s320/IMG_6249.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340971959903848594" border="0" /></a><br />A whale skull and rib. Cool.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ76vLwQjxmiuCJdiO-B82w9mlR9p0dcPd6A9CWPdrp0PMraEnry1WiHt7LuqtAo_oeidB3AoI8gnQ0DRJNz2znIdGY7_93PBr5tP7rUT6qBp2mqWNC42RZU1TThQnSyO8jqQXPamwp3c/s1600-h/IMG_6250.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ76vLwQjxmiuCJdiO-B82w9mlR9p0dcPd6A9CWPdrp0PMraEnry1WiHt7LuqtAo_oeidB3AoI8gnQ0DRJNz2znIdGY7_93PBr5tP7rUT6qBp2mqWNC42RZU1TThQnSyO8jqQXPamwp3c/s320/IMG_6250.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340971967452333298" border="0" /></a><br />A pretty view of the harbor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOGc0NSz4dQPh2-hgLK11-9El7gaR5KXX82XkeG9k_7L_p08MTVf0tciIyE8XdWAnCI3DhlTWUUgi1YBLZIWhrXBZEDUF2jGeMLltDv9nbx7H_R60kJi05DB5eMwnbk3Vi6S9K0TzTMM/s1600-h/IMG_6252.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOGc0NSz4dQPh2-hgLK11-9El7gaR5KXX82XkeG9k_7L_p08MTVf0tciIyE8XdWAnCI3DhlTWUUgi1YBLZIWhrXBZEDUF2jGeMLltDv9nbx7H_R60kJi05DB5eMwnbk3Vi6S9K0TzTMM/s320/IMG_6252.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340988102231967778" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here is one very happy but very tired Miss Newell, on the bus, going home!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQzW1JycwAlfJCAudsA6w4GX-n-cvFWyRyKVJ1hIUwkOHM5x-ub5sOjgi6G2LH0Sq25D_l3_2C2xuFucQH8cHvo2ChKG0jLyLDAv55YX0BXZcWRH9mdeDwq0YoovOxoIGSP3AyQjt2T8/s1600-h/IMG_6253.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQzW1JycwAlfJCAudsA6w4GX-n-cvFWyRyKVJ1hIUwkOHM5x-ub5sOjgi6G2LH0Sq25D_l3_2C2xuFucQH8cHvo2ChKG0jLyLDAv55YX0BXZcWRH9mdeDwq0YoovOxoIGSP3AyQjt2T8/s320/IMG_6253.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340988106291650754" border="0" /></a><br /> So before we all piled onto the bus, Elaine told us some ghost stories of Burnt Island-- she didn't want to tell us while we were actually there, which was very smart!<br /><br /> The first story was about James A. McCobb who served as keeper from 1868 to 1880. He kept detailed records of his work, and this was one of his entries:<br /><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><b><span style="font-size:85%;"> March 22, 1877 – “Wife died this morning about two o’clock of congestion of the lungs and cankers in the throat, stomach, and bowels. She had been in feeble health all winter but able to be about the house attending to her work until about two weeks before her death when a cold brought on congestion and then canker which caused her death as above stated. … Her age was fifty three years and four months.” </span></b></span><br /><br /> So sometimes at 2 o'clock at night, some people have reported seeing a woman's figure in a white nightie wandering about on the island. Freaky!<br /><br />(What is the time on that clock on the mantel???)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhoOBkw6HxpRHPRQN_m3KqvwuRsMWSmsi7TH3lcxwjd_9JpsrJ05qR68Wr46to5qyerUWxagQ2vfKIVkvISiRtKtECbclo-fNO69s4wFHtG-Fq_y-vHKPNEtyo8E6__fR55-U6aVqMYE/s1600-h/IMG_6176.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhoOBkw6HxpRHPRQN_m3KqvwuRsMWSmsi7TH3lcxwjd_9JpsrJ05qR68Wr46to5qyerUWxagQ2vfKIVkvISiRtKtECbclo-fNO69s4wFHtG-Fq_y-vHKPNEtyo8E6__fR55-U6aVqMYE/s320/IMG_6176.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340975723614594082" border="0" /></a><br /> Okay, the next story is <span style="font-style: italic;">really </span>creepy, and gave all of us goosebumps. Elaine had been contacted by a fellow named Reg (sorry I didn't catch his last name) who once worked at the Burnt Island Light and had a story to tell her. The keeper after Joseph Muire was a man named Benjamin Stockbridge, and lived in the keeper's house with his wife. Ben had some health issues (including a bum leg) and had some difficulty doing all of the work he needed to do as a keeper. The Coast Guard decided took pity on him and said he could keep his job, but they would send him an assistant: Reg, who was 19 years old at the time. Reg said that Ben was a cantankerous fellow, and would "grade" Reg on everything he did-- from trimming the wick to cleaning the glass panes. Reg didn't like being criticized all the time, but he was making pretty good money-- at $7.50 a day he really couldn't complain!<br /><br /> So Ben's health declined fairly rapidly, and finally it was time for him to leave the island and go to the mainland so he could be nearer to the doctor. Reg took Ben to the hospital and helped his wife move into a nearby apartment. Reg came back to the island and took over as full time keeper.<br /><br /> Well, one night (at about 2:00) Reg was woken up by his bedroom door slamming open and a voice hollering, <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Wake up! Wake up! You have a smoke-out!"</span> Reg looked out his window to the lighthouse and sure enough, the light was out. He ran through the house, up the covered walkway, up the spiral staircase, and re-lit the light. Then he came down and sat at the kitchen table, lit a kerosene lantern, lit a cigarette, and his hands started to shake.<br /><br /> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Who had woken him up?</span><br /><br /> The next day Reg went into town to get a few things, and he came across a fisherman he knew, and Reg asked how Ben was doing. The fisherman replied, <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Oh, didn't you know? Ben died last night at 2:00."</span><br /><br /> ~~~ goosebumps ~~~<br /><br /> Reg was a little freaked out, but he was willing to go back to his job. He went and got his gun and brought it back to the island. He was willing to do whatever he needed to, because he was making $7.50 a day and that's good money. At that time the blinking of the light was achieved by a device that spun the bull's-eye lens around. This mechanism was similar to a cuckoo clock in that weights would run the motion of the mechanical movement. This mechanism needed to be cranked every six hours, so Reg would wind it at 5:00 and 11:00, both during the day and in the evening. Well, this night he was waiting for 11 PM so he could go to bed and sleep until he had to get up and wind it again. If you remember, the kitchen table is not far from the covered walkway which leads to the tower (the table is to the left of the stove; the covered walkway is behind the door on the right of the stove):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xBfwwhKCdj8lVd7fPLXrBIjJx-o4W9N7IB7ZRdCh-IXDFx3wpKEchgaHSKoWuYiw78E4PAJN0pwjfPNpmPRDhOQoP6rbNork-vukBrTtglA3BRcNY_EoTadKuSwpkldmGiNkPIjZSDY/s1600-h/IMG_5986.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xBfwwhKCdj8lVd7fPLXrBIjJx-o4W9N7IB7ZRdCh-IXDFx3wpKEchgaHSKoWuYiw78E4PAJN0pwjfPNpmPRDhOQoP6rbNork-vukBrTtglA3BRcNY_EoTadKuSwpkldmGiNkPIjZSDY/s320/IMG_5986.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340992720806305234" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58UcBnUf8A6czqtMsw1YiKn-e3FRKiFXL0K1e6bmibu96jno__u85eDzHpOvxmOBblLUAm_rCgs3cEnb_XTxRFH2atxDL5sLKvWb7AChuuPvq4GvFjeeVQQu1VwlKOLSCflYL1v6iaxw/s1600-h/IMG_6181.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58UcBnUf8A6czqtMsw1YiKn-e3FRKiFXL0K1e6bmibu96jno__u85eDzHpOvxmOBblLUAm_rCgs3cEnb_XTxRFH2atxDL5sLKvWb7AChuuPvq4GvFjeeVQQu1VwlKOLSCflYL1v6iaxw/s320/IMG_6181.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340983088455495538" border="0" /></a><br /> Well, at that time there was a door in that door frame which led up the covered walkway. Reg was sitting there, thinking about how $7.50 a day was a lot of money, and how he was very lucky to have this job. Suddenly he thought he heard a noise. At first he was not sure what it was-- the wind? the waves?-- but soon it got a little louder. It sounded like someone shuffling along-- someone with a bum leg. Someone who sounded an awful lot like how Ben used to walk.<br /><br /> Reg very slowly got up and threaded a piece of string through the finger-latch on the door, and sat there with his gun at the ready. The footsteps got closer and closer. Reg stood very still. When the footsteps sounded like they were just about to come through the door, Reg tugged on the string and the door flung open, and Reg shot-- <span style="font-weight: bold;">BANG! BANG! BANG!</span>-- <span style="font-style: italic;">but nothing was there</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6agpijP3CHNp3e11IiCXNtujC1_Au5ndI7SoTmXs2N1AEhMEYB3GIPH9ArUEr9TIdvPpXHZrPaK5JmOoGDdyDBdKDVhdmbBW4lSsIPUZ24QY08RrMDTX1BYZ5ZAX1rlU32YYjzWaev4/s1600-h/IMG_6132.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6agpijP3CHNp3e11IiCXNtujC1_Au5ndI7SoTmXs2N1AEhMEYB3GIPH9ArUEr9TIdvPpXHZrPaK5JmOoGDdyDBdKDVhdmbBW4lSsIPUZ24QY08RrMDTX1BYZ5ZAX1rlU32YYjzWaev4/s320/IMG_6132.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340986337561992770" border="0" /></a><br /> ~~~ goosebumps again ~~~<br /><br /> Reg stayed awake all night, and when it was morning he rowed over to the Coast Guard station and told them that he didn't care how much money he was being paid, he wasn't going to spend another night on that island.<br /><br /> Elaine said that many years later Reg came back to the Island to visit, and to stay the night in the keeper's house. They were both pretty nervous that Ben would come back once again, so they went over to his grave and placed some flowers, and talked to him for a while. That night Ben did not return, but Reg said that he had a very hard time sleeping...<br /><br /> So I will leave you not with the willies, but with a few more beautiful pictures of Burnt Island Light.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCycGlN-ZtuJGwUPMfz7PaG6HtV0BfDCXs0B_I4YHLzLT-c0y9NIb-qqLKJ8bbMwWvAX7NI9WBzmwmWKTt9sMNjHBtKeKUh2tyJo02gjWIqN5ncgqNPgs_hPb24qyTIvN7bKv8E5gJgqs/s1600-h/IMG_5920.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCycGlN-ZtuJGwUPMfz7PaG6HtV0BfDCXs0B_I4YHLzLT-c0y9NIb-qqLKJ8bbMwWvAX7NI9WBzmwmWKTt9sMNjHBtKeKUh2tyJo02gjWIqN5ncgqNPgs_hPb24qyTIvN7bKv8E5gJgqs/s320/IMG_5920.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340992704124256210" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmC3_XJByoXWVp-Gm31823Sc09G-QsfLv89i3gHSgVotZmBekXHE2gCe6NZ27Ml_Jo2nUBaz6QIpvKST-rxF1p8_NLYeKKAI9uFm_biD3KU2k6ONllpiSVr212mgJ4rjdOpDgT9PPyW3c/s1600-h/IMG_6118.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmC3_XJByoXWVp-Gm31823Sc09G-QsfLv89i3gHSgVotZmBekXHE2gCe6NZ27Ml_Jo2nUBaz6QIpvKST-rxF1p8_NLYeKKAI9uFm_biD3KU2k6ONllpiSVr212mgJ4rjdOpDgT9PPyW3c/s320/IMG_6118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340994874964387314" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-MleO8YQIVP8b7WT9XcV9Nu6IHFgSZhgpAFxHeDtpbuZtflqLXqY-UVZu13TpcryM5xxu34b1uSx_rtFUI0odwwbGNZKXxmHPJxaV2QTJHV_p4bIAvyMwyFKqbc8zcVHv5kBfjFLcOk/s1600-h/IMG_6126.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-MleO8YQIVP8b7WT9XcV9Nu6IHFgSZhgpAFxHeDtpbuZtflqLXqY-UVZu13TpcryM5xxu34b1uSx_rtFUI0odwwbGNZKXxmHPJxaV2QTJHV_p4bIAvyMwyFKqbc8zcVHv5kBfjFLcOk/s320/IMG_6126.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340994878580743122" border="0" /></a><br />I also leave you with this poem, which is one of my very favorites:<br /><h1 style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;">maggie and milly and molly and may</span> </h1> <p><i><span style="font-size:85%;">by E. E. Cummings</span></i></p> maggie and milly and molly and may<br /> went down to the beach (to play one day)<br /><br /> and maggie discovered a shell that sang<br /> so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and<br /><br /> milly befriended a stranded star<br /> whose rays five languid fingers were;<br /><br /> and molly was chased by a horrible thing<br /> which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and<br /><br /> may came home with a smooth round stone<br /> as small as a world and as large as alone.<br /><br /> For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)<br /> it's always ourselves we find in the seaTwo Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-81457884977932814802009-05-25T19:57:00.010-04:002009-05-25T21:09:41.562-04:00Burnt Island Trip Part 5: A GPS Treasure Hunt and SurvivalSo like the compass treasure hunt from yesterday, we were to use little GPS gizmos to find a treasure. We went all around the island using our little yellow digital gizmos and learning that common sense is more important than technology: if there is a tree or cliff or (god forbid) a <span>lighthouse</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span>in your way</span>, then <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">you go around it!</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>The arrow will adjust itself-- pretty neat!<br /><br />Here were some of the things we saw on our treasure hunt:<br /><br />Spanish moss...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuMCARKvqdINQM2wjc96GIaaC-dQlnv0-QXDMT_OWu6N0hlpr-zPmifMepebwduMvVwQANO0ybqq51ZXCA9_Yey4ZFdk5YZzibI7SZhZoZ57o8sXPjiB-2XNzkV1CdhLWac37FvnlDhc/s1600-h/IMG_6187.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuMCARKvqdINQM2wjc96GIaaC-dQlnv0-QXDMT_OWu6N0hlpr-zPmifMepebwduMvVwQANO0ybqq51ZXCA9_Yey4ZFdk5YZzibI7SZhZoZ57o8sXPjiB-2XNzkV1CdhLWac37FvnlDhc/s320/IMG_6187.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339918487733258418" border="0" /></a><br />The beach...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vtcHV5C2OPHfFfbGqAxoKZlDU15FMzWXzlXKbC2C8XdkEOUzrWv_SexcSUDGV4WQwr_I2MVG9-of7UbkVir_kkv-6HSEit6W-rtlIRtsMyTollpvoeecAb6LblQdytnvF_9O6rMG-gs/s1600-h/IMG_6189.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vtcHV5C2OPHfFfbGqAxoKZlDU15FMzWXzlXKbC2C8XdkEOUzrWv_SexcSUDGV4WQwr_I2MVG9-of7UbkVir_kkv-6HSEit6W-rtlIRtsMyTollpvoeecAb6LblQdytnvF_9O6rMG-gs/s320/IMG_6189.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339918482425172754" border="0" /></a><br />The slip...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdlLWpEvcg8fRVoPKjkvbmfXjHev_8pLVhj7jthh6_IZTfSQX7k-fpYoX4lowIGuy08j-8lEBz3e7EXHurWsanPkppohsyLbP8UMor9bvgex7trtDLvTo5GswwKLazkMN0JGc4OUZr84/s1600-h/IMG_6191.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdlLWpEvcg8fRVoPKjkvbmfXjHev_8pLVhj7jthh6_IZTfSQX7k-fpYoX4lowIGuy08j-8lEBz3e7EXHurWsanPkppohsyLbP8UMor9bvgex7trtDLvTo5GswwKLazkMN0JGc4OUZr84/s320/IMG_6191.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339918495142720594" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtE9gk-gC86n88kx9ExOwhCEnab24q9Em0lFaZGqZt39l1bJuC9tVRs7hi_7vWWK29hr618eHSSXh-ur64hWJflMjtW5itWcwUUCnPvkgZ6hvBy8_yS_1onGijmjjyVJui2oqa6uKzFA/s1600-h/IMG_6193.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtE9gk-gC86n88kx9ExOwhCEnab24q9Em0lFaZGqZt39l1bJuC9tVRs7hi_7vWWK29hr618eHSSXh-ur64hWJflMjtW5itWcwUUCnPvkgZ6hvBy8_yS_1onGijmjjyVJui2oqa6uKzFA/s320/IMG_6193.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339918502349817906" border="0" /></a><br />The lighthouse (which was tooooooooooooting pretty loudly by that time, because it was drizzling and the fog was coming in)...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmDjN3bpE1QUcplyzqUeKnjLlt_hUkyVxIdgZVkbzIFxOYGExr0rE4xc83yYTSJKE1aUKWoKRhkYl4jWDEHC__r4kH6pyKgFfG2h1iWtP-yuytE6NEiFQA3RDZpBM0zTGGxG4VVUs84E/s1600-h/IMG_6194.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmDjN3bpE1QUcplyzqUeKnjLlt_hUkyVxIdgZVkbzIFxOYGExr0rE4xc83yYTSJKE1aUKWoKRhkYl4jWDEHC__r4kH6pyKgFfG2h1iWtP-yuytE6NEiFQA3RDZpBM0zTGGxG4VVUs84E/s320/IMG_6194.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339920273675588098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A stone wall (some of these date back to the 1700's-- they were put there to keep the sheep contained)...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX88nrZtIfV6tyv4WQWNKttFKL_IioTcQWP8xkYFHbkNRfYgdZjogn4qOBsthdIf9r1ZOy0ZLcCxjD08CFS6EQajPuukFgWxXe2PLAIKsgTCWiAilaYJ1wtU-z_nrwkdxJisDyg2YqSlE/s1600-h/IMG_5932.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX88nrZtIfV6tyv4WQWNKttFKL_IioTcQWP8xkYFHbkNRfYgdZjogn4qOBsthdIf9r1ZOy0ZLcCxjD08CFS6EQajPuukFgWxXe2PLAIKsgTCWiAilaYJ1wtU-z_nrwkdxJisDyg2YqSlE/s320/IMG_5932.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339920280392572242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And our favorite stop: Butt Rock! Look, the baggie even calls it that!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXkWXujmnpPjXd-w3pAIghGMP5C_i1jihhPOu0RDT0bXMp69Zmh1Ygo04M2CY-neersQfV3_Gp7ov4Ux0FDC_27buqDnvGs9DBdZ9MME0qALaPpwBWjzQ0bS2nOucdNMmHKV5XkuXPes/s1600-h/IMG_6188+trimmed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXkWXujmnpPjXd-w3pAIghGMP5C_i1jihhPOu0RDT0bXMp69Zmh1Ygo04M2CY-neersQfV3_Gp7ov4Ux0FDC_27buqDnvGs9DBdZ9MME0qALaPpwBWjzQ0bS2nOucdNMmHKV5XkuXPes/s320/IMG_6188+trimmed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339918479794227986" border="0" /></a><br />Next, we had a little mutiny, and the adults decided that all of the kids were garbage and stuffed them into trashbags, and as soon as we get back to shore we're going to stuff them into the nearest dumpster. And then we're going to have a party!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTsQB4b-G5aTg7XqPIZeOl3fFZNqk_De-V7rdzViZ0ZgVSr8cqU_OSdZb8eCNXebzjDSU26Ggtvv9bqOhMP_FM9QulSf81YSPyyD6GVqUFJgvJCSfrFKRS8gIk6aqgGyHRWBt0yb3mygs/s1600-h/IMG_6195.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTsQB4b-G5aTg7XqPIZeOl3fFZNqk_De-V7rdzViZ0ZgVSr8cqU_OSdZb8eCNXebzjDSU26Ggtvv9bqOhMP_FM9QulSf81YSPyyD6GVqUFJgvJCSfrFKRS8gIk6aqgGyHRWBt0yb3mygs/s320/IMG_6195.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339922791750585922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyi56PsFfoL80CxEV-fBjUIrW3HIghHqrD2ALRG8EuplM1Cp4ZQ067GSlxuP5n9xgWWafFft2XBIUb2eVeHjVAOwq7OvKckfwvyMmYWIf7IAdIDz9IdjNCV3XDS1Bj9iYsBaHQqpg7kis/s1600-h/IMG_6198.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyi56PsFfoL80CxEV-fBjUIrW3HIghHqrD2ALRG8EuplM1Cp4ZQ067GSlxuP5n9xgWWafFft2XBIUb2eVeHjVAOwq7OvKckfwvyMmYWIf7IAdIDz9IdjNCV3XDS1Bj9iYsBaHQqpg7kis/s320/IMG_6198.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339922796503808482" border="0" /></a><br />Just kidding! This was a part of a lesson on survival. You can use trash bags as emergency shelters, which keeps the most important parts of your body nice and warm. Just make sure you have a good-sized hole for your nose and mouth so you don't suffocate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zdoH9qC2RXs5aJnUmlq6HJ1tXR-hX9yZQHpfgYJrLjl5IUda5-G1NjInuTm4G71AZRhfQBqj86itW8EMo5_cZTRLPlIIpXoDLytQrVsnGYnNbXdvJwF7MU0otyVNAAJ3JdpSVvcGkFo/s1600-h/IMG_6202.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zdoH9qC2RXs5aJnUmlq6HJ1tXR-hX9yZQHpfgYJrLjl5IUda5-G1NjInuTm4G71AZRhfQBqj86itW8EMo5_cZTRLPlIIpXoDLytQrVsnGYnNbXdvJwF7MU0otyVNAAJ3JdpSVvcGkFo/s320/IMG_6202.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339922798233247074" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWSknIP4mWAMqEAeqlfFcuoeBi_aVi62TiTkL3Iun4q8hiP85yjkQ4nLhk3wiJ4YNm8_N4Rzt62wX1kCV4yrBEXMR3uH2Urtl-Bj5gJBPFIdywFk6g1tkmUSyePW-zRPxikbb78zHKY0/s1600-h/IMG_6205.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWSknIP4mWAMqEAeqlfFcuoeBi_aVi62TiTkL3Iun4q8hiP85yjkQ4nLhk3wiJ4YNm8_N4Rzt62wX1kCV4yrBEXMR3uH2Urtl-Bj5gJBPFIdywFk6g1tkmUSyePW-zRPxikbb78zHKY0/s320/IMG_6205.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339922806580582034" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8edRb9oGTJl485h28wvhLc1EEnTqslHlPLuEJ409dJx_RGN-Kwi7A88aa1p2N2DA5jDfME5RJUKrRYPsoEzug1dSXttiHeZheagCBrjaFyu4t39P-G93XP2UQ05pILpTOyXOX2onl5VE/s1600-h/IMG_6196.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8edRb9oGTJl485h28wvhLc1EEnTqslHlPLuEJ409dJx_RGN-Kwi7A88aa1p2N2DA5jDfME5RJUKrRYPsoEzug1dSXttiHeZheagCBrjaFyu4t39P-G93XP2UQ05pILpTOyXOX2onl5VE/s320/IMG_6196.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339925738426806658" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXlDpUw9h6Z3wf6F6NTPpi-u-EUHbrho5ZjIYIKsZBr9nD2IFVhrecGxhf_7t5ZhptOy14Wtx_ttWA9sSOh3EhKvAPnp6rCLk0sKbY4qDE89svfDpQg8hBdqtcPY5HFHDPhT0l0cmHSs/s1600-h/IMG_6211.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXlDpUw9h6Z3wf6F6NTPpi-u-EUHbrho5ZjIYIKsZBr9nD2IFVhrecGxhf_7t5ZhptOy14Wtx_ttWA9sSOh3EhKvAPnp6rCLk0sKbY4qDE89svfDpQg8hBdqtcPY5HFHDPhT0l0cmHSs/s320/IMG_6211.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339925732127568386" border="0" /></a><br />I wish I had gotten a video of the kids scuttling around the room in these, hermit-crab-style.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6GOjF3txXJxNn9_yT4Yg3cpu1EWZ0PwDbPp9IRAs6tNwH5JNsB_sxKlCxEq8WvepNRi8gxVpw84A9Se5a97vEjKvdjop_UPwhyphenhyphenZ46g-kD_fJIU2kT2ALsM4oIHNXBX7pvootu510pH0/s1600-h/IMG_6207.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6GOjF3txXJxNn9_yT4Yg3cpu1EWZ0PwDbPp9IRAs6tNwH5JNsB_sxKlCxEq8WvepNRi8gxVpw84A9Se5a97vEjKvdjop_UPwhyphenhyphenZ46g-kD_fJIU2kT2ALsM4oIHNXBX7pvootu510pH0/s320/IMG_6207.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339922811553527554" border="0" /></a><br />And then... well... then adults were asked to volunteer to take part in a survival situation. I very hesitantly raised my hand, but Elaine laughed and said, <span style="font-weight: bold;">"I hope you don't mind getting wet, Miss Newell, because you are going to go for a little swim!"</span><br /><br />These are survival suits, for people who need to go into the water (say, if your ship sinks). The suits are waterproof (at least, they are <span style="font-style: italic;">supposed </span>to be, as I found out!) and the only part of you that is uncovered is a little bit of your face. Getting them on was just like getting into footie pajamas, but they were made out of this very heavy neoprene material... imagine getting into a thick suit made out of the same stuff mousepads are made of!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqw2DkhlX9_VnfjxONrJELlkEY-ClGa_Sy_k7N09H25K6kdep756w1V-N5l_ZjTY6b4Ea1FhIDMMx9DqmunrAITbRUVfGjL5dlQFLbm3q6HfKv7-nF6GZU-KTezM6aFLfRBB-wyAo4Lbs/s1600-h/IMG_6213.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqw2DkhlX9_VnfjxONrJELlkEY-ClGa_Sy_k7N09H25K6kdep756w1V-N5l_ZjTY6b4Ea1FhIDMMx9DqmunrAITbRUVfGjL5dlQFLbm3q6HfKv7-nF6GZU-KTezM6aFLfRBB-wyAo4Lbs/s320/IMG_6213.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339925741670054450" border="0" /></a><br />The funny thing is that all ships that go more than 3 miles offshore need to have one of these suits for everybody on board, and you need to get into your suit in less than a minute in case your boat is sinking. It took us a lot more than a minute to get into them--and we needed lots of help!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bKe-h9MYnE9AY5PImvLPgqFHdPfWClhZq8za87gZ9FPbLRBCzHOlXCf3CO0SG_ZF0_ZyjjWL6m-b6zxUZQi8AunpoXigGz0u7qbZdjfCLj-PkQ0M0QCDQFJCQYsF_s3FOIqbfmcbUBs/s1600-h/IMG_6214.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bKe-h9MYnE9AY5PImvLPgqFHdPfWClhZq8za87gZ9FPbLRBCzHOlXCf3CO0SG_ZF0_ZyjjWL6m-b6zxUZQi8AunpoXigGz0u7qbZdjfCLj-PkQ0M0QCDQFJCQYsF_s3FOIqbfmcbUBs/s320/IMG_6214.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339925751239879186" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaUP9ZGvCjxAlKA8Z8OrBnUh_KTRWeQPQwmaIAegE_Cr75BoeFlCfwyv4UigXYadDMPXDtRg69sukktvtNQN_RbLArjtINNPLpn6TARndYzixyjpXdZue1gH_kf_H-VVeWaW1VQVzI5I/s1600-h/IMG_6215.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaUP9ZGvCjxAlKA8Z8OrBnUh_KTRWeQPQwmaIAegE_Cr75BoeFlCfwyv4UigXYadDMPXDtRg69sukktvtNQN_RbLArjtINNPLpn6TARndYzixyjpXdZue1gH_kf_H-VVeWaW1VQVzI5I/s320/IMG_6215.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339925755814187314" border="0" /></a><br />We had to blow into these tubes to inflate the pillows on our back, which was weird. You can see Mibee blowing into her straw.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhBpX3zMujOozZjWlvYPv3nVgDrA8Cl_WG5IoPhkXRM0sTqCdQVRMOK37HC9ARCQlrAw7GtjMd2i3ktPIvRYOsSc5EqlDr-xor4zIHk9DhDwPeqfZlCpPupHyZwjVOLPwmnSv_2HE7SNY/s1600-h/IMG_6216.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhBpX3zMujOozZjWlvYPv3nVgDrA8Cl_WG5IoPhkXRM0sTqCdQVRMOK37HC9ARCQlrAw7GtjMd2i3ktPIvRYOsSc5EqlDr-xor4zIHk9DhDwPeqfZlCpPupHyZwjVOLPwmnSv_2HE7SNY/s320/IMG_6216.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339930539017703410" border="0" /></a><br />Look, it's an Elmo convention! Or a bunch of red astronauts!<br /><br />The biggest problem was that my gloves were inside out, and my arms were too short to push the fingers out from the inside-- so it looks like I am doing something very bad with my finger! (That's Mr. Stevens saying "don't raise your hand up!")<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyz2oCO26Cok5tSpioDmdd2xKDBQW7gD5BKzvTC1WSEsFr71ia_fU-SCmT7YOJX-05MSvclzFXa5k4UI5-EaAkWgShwmLTCzyMMxfRP0RmWIIY17cv2xrIKISCilTYzVLHqMYD82-nPI/s1600-h/IMG_6217.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyz2oCO26Cok5tSpioDmdd2xKDBQW7gD5BKzvTC1WSEsFr71ia_fU-SCmT7YOJX-05MSvclzFXa5k4UI5-EaAkWgShwmLTCzyMMxfRP0RmWIIY17cv2xrIKISCilTYzVLHqMYD82-nPI/s320/IMG_6217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339928115056662418" border="0" /></a><br />And into the 47-degree water we went!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7faFqXbqmnvdwX5qEru2wc4d3ddysJoegb-InH0x4tvMlPZWQw4ziW1lgB0i4WjS7AN799Ve7huh7Hd5gt41lBZDgrGL9_E-JpOGkazGJzaVfcjAQJ0zulF2e8YclMUOYuAWJasxuVc/s1600-h/IMG_6218.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7faFqXbqmnvdwX5qEru2wc4d3ddysJoegb-InH0x4tvMlPZWQw4ziW1lgB0i4WjS7AN799Ve7huh7Hd5gt41lBZDgrGL9_E-JpOGkazGJzaVfcjAQJ0zulF2e8YclMUOYuAWJasxuVc/s320/IMG_6218.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339928126582580818" border="0" /></a><br />I can't put my legs down!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmGbswYA-Ogt_z-2xg-VQqc7yJJaMlVLu7GB2gK1Bw3AlHaxLiWKxS04sHJLGb3-Lpdc39-V_HnowoRBoc8Zn_ZpUznK5R4Pi6O-YOhDj-RZs5FAYBB0cn2zHz6JWiwh7Im3tDH3qtX8/s1600-h/IMG_6219.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmGbswYA-Ogt_z-2xg-VQqc7yJJaMlVLu7GB2gK1Bw3AlHaxLiWKxS04sHJLGb3-Lpdc39-V_HnowoRBoc8Zn_ZpUznK5R4Pi6O-YOhDj-RZs5FAYBB0cn2zHz6JWiwh7Im3tDH3qtX8/s320/IMG_6219.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339928130156716130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghiptjKdjijBpviSjptIbZdD8TQZwXQXV13u2mQn_DdK5nDTCtx0XwYsJ5CmhMo_NrsccBrXVdXXLfjKM0iH6ek0GXizdT-eBTufjeCBdrDir18imGJJdO1S1Ha16Rb2ZLcOLqMc1qH0/s1600-h/IMG_6220.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghiptjKdjijBpviSjptIbZdD8TQZwXQXV13u2mQn_DdK5nDTCtx0XwYsJ5CmhMo_NrsccBrXVdXXLfjKM0iH6ek0GXizdT-eBTufjeCBdrDir18imGJJdO1S1Ha16Rb2ZLcOLqMc1qH0/s320/IMG_6220.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339928135641304514" border="0" /></a><br />In an emergency you want to huddle together like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KeYsicMxSWXnPfw_hisUcW4c0W31YgZGtK6rh44CxafYq7KeV08zBDs1tLEfhPZze6ksqdXJMSckAZRrHTJW5DVdIuIRX1ud47lqON4J14bFKiW3XO-8sTBAvXVuctymOiTR0BNOqJ8/s1600-h/IMG_6221.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KeYsicMxSWXnPfw_hisUcW4c0W31YgZGtK6rh44CxafYq7KeV08zBDs1tLEfhPZze6ksqdXJMSckAZRrHTJW5DVdIuIRX1ud47lqON4J14bFKiW3XO-8sTBAvXVuctymOiTR0BNOqJ8/s320/IMG_6221.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339928139055155058" border="0" /></a><br />Or if you want to go somewhere, like to a bell buoy, you'd clasp yourselves together like this to make a caterpillar, then move your arms like rowboat oars.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1dVqso6KmTZOrjqbSWjhoS1Hmpa7kCKWED307nzb0UqF2gj79A5igu490lXYgakzDybQ5GclCwCtrboH3T_4TEMRmXSll1BMOEsq8KFbIrbwR7ptrkRn5yMwudRA-FUjP0-UJdj-uSg/s1600-h/IMG_6222.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1dVqso6KmTZOrjqbSWjhoS1Hmpa7kCKWED307nzb0UqF2gj79A5igu490lXYgakzDybQ5GclCwCtrboH3T_4TEMRmXSll1BMOEsq8KFbIrbwR7ptrkRn5yMwudRA-FUjP0-UJdj-uSg/s320/IMG_6222.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339930542520724562" border="0" /></a><br />We weren't that coordinated.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1en6Tjem6EaR-V2yRfmsbXi90yu-EoSmMKxoB4F1cm4wgTEjTkTEI0qlT2Lsq5P9T5CSnpSBlvWI4xjJoxicMK0l33-SCdgeaTfJgJxjzNK39pXzotH0YpW4Adix-Fwp2qKAda9Is-8/s1600-h/IMG_6223.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1en6Tjem6EaR-V2yRfmsbXi90yu-EoSmMKxoB4F1cm4wgTEjTkTEI0qlT2Lsq5P9T5CSnpSBlvWI4xjJoxicMK0l33-SCdgeaTfJgJxjzNK39pXzotH0YpW4Adix-Fwp2qKAda9Is-8/s320/IMG_6223.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339930545730997378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfeIwpd1FY3Y5IIKRlWSPYSFO4ddN6BXhSAG2nR_Fs1BFw2nL2lTCzKlkvh1Siw1BUYzWNNS5Vce2DEf2aRj_pTVkjxifSWbv3iGPgOyv-bthBaVx6PfxIYqwjIvErVixTuj_SKECYIo/s1600-h/IMG_6224.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfeIwpd1FY3Y5IIKRlWSPYSFO4ddN6BXhSAG2nR_Fs1BFw2nL2lTCzKlkvh1Siw1BUYzWNNS5Vce2DEf2aRj_pTVkjxifSWbv3iGPgOyv-bthBaVx6PfxIYqwjIvErVixTuj_SKECYIo/s320/IMG_6224.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339930550336217266" border="0" /></a><br />I <span style="font-style: italic;">promise </span>you I am not trying to be rude!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorA8eSW7wmtgxvBvbN8Jl5q3Pn7Vpi3cHYjsHYP5FV7fS0ggdY0ZJR_H9XCM9pjteGF05oLZf59a7IoJGtVImlWa_EuDX5FQsG_9YCaTVbZI1ZAmdKhZzo7ykEU9_XGg3FN9PQEA1rnE/s1600-h/IMG_6225.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorA8eSW7wmtgxvBvbN8Jl5q3Pn7Vpi3cHYjsHYP5FV7fS0ggdY0ZJR_H9XCM9pjteGF05oLZf59a7IoJGtVImlWa_EuDX5FQsG_9YCaTVbZI1ZAmdKhZzo7ykEU9_XGg3FN9PQEA1rnE/s320/IMG_6225.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339930557098648274" border="0" /></a><br />My suit started to leak very badly so I needed to get out of the water. I wasn't <span style="font-style: italic;">cold</span>, since the suit keeps you nice and toasty! I was just very tired from trying to swim in that heavy suit.<br /><br />Mr. Stevens, Katie and Mibee jumped in to see what it would feel like to jump in with those suits. It's a weird feeling, like the suit tightens all around you (like when you wear a rubber glove and stick it into a sink full of water).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH62pJJmxVYEihi7395cS1JwA_U3k6-Nvgo5qoh6LP3ZPgEvXDNCN2zXLDs5eDjWAmauOSm-6wZQ17pkCSrfRRPwBB-EYIE9yNNhYCdjKpwZXdsQuTDuD3s0vqFaMWEzsHt6DKrNCIAbE/s1600-h/IMG_6226.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH62pJJmxVYEihi7395cS1JwA_U3k6-Nvgo5qoh6LP3ZPgEvXDNCN2zXLDs5eDjWAmauOSm-6wZQ17pkCSrfRRPwBB-EYIE9yNNhYCdjKpwZXdsQuTDuD3s0vqFaMWEzsHt6DKrNCIAbE/s320/IMG_6226.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339932694375214386" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjDJbsdby2RhW7yMyJi-Wmss0csoPKmq1Tesoe8HPeay9CklOlK4OjgNywnNP2YOyQngjskk0nLHU3T2R7G7scXA8bmI9-kLHl64iCI_xW0kT0XvqNTSR4UK_R-kG9QOaXMtXkVMhPco/s1600-h/IMG_6227.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjDJbsdby2RhW7yMyJi-Wmss0csoPKmq1Tesoe8HPeay9CklOlK4OjgNywnNP2YOyQngjskk0nLHU3T2R7G7scXA8bmI9-kLHl64iCI_xW0kT0XvqNTSR4UK_R-kG9QOaXMtXkVMhPco/s320/IMG_6227.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339932698141529042" border="0" /></a><br />Mibee was very uncoordinated getting up the ladder, and I am laughing at her because she ended up crawling across the dock like a baby.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu648_ZNemGlHzzMbYwakrvGdfTmyG3Rx7cXDkkIH-zeJ1DmBbyTRZ4MLxNp4_XpAZGTpA8W8IhZjnQeg1AWd_0JNqA2RjcuPfuyl_aXfn4ssN2D2ppjqgf9aQwkgEGq7u7DAz_E2313M/s1600-h/IMG_6228.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu648_ZNemGlHzzMbYwakrvGdfTmyG3Rx7cXDkkIH-zeJ1DmBbyTRZ4MLxNp4_XpAZGTpA8W8IhZjnQeg1AWd_0JNqA2RjcuPfuyl_aXfn4ssN2D2ppjqgf9aQwkgEGq7u7DAz_E2313M/s320/IMG_6228.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339932705518725714" border="0" /></a><br /><br />(My thanks to JH who took all of these fantastic pictures!)<br /><br />Next up: Going Home.Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-68415592635419814902009-05-25T17:22:00.019-04:002009-05-25T19:50:51.919-04:00Burnt Island Trip Part 4: Good Morning, That Strange Prevalent Fishy Smell and Many MysteriesGood Morning! After a breakfast of pancakes we got dressed and headed out for our morning activities. We were split into three groups, and rotated between Squid Dissection, Sea Fishing and Lobstering.<br /><br /><span>First off was</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> squid dissection.</span> Brave, <span style="font-style: italic;">Brave </span>Miss Newell got to separate a whole box of half-solid half-gelatinous semi-frozen squid and put them on paper plates. The kids had <span style="font-style: italic;">just </span>discovered that I was a vegetarian and thought this was hysterical. I kept insisting that I had no intention of <span style="font-style: italic;">eating </span>these things! We then got to cut them up, but of course some of the girls were far too squeamish so Brave Brave Miss Newell sprung into action again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQA7rHeqb6YWv-QTFs-EeIi4pYnzaWNV6d_2lqi-Z-ZrmyrdGtauqocNGvoLHhk99wm0JhD70j34FvlOVQt70Du4MtD6555jjOeeSM8LNgGVtRxbOzY9Pf26o-P78_-kHPjpvKOL2CvI/s1600-h/IMG_6077.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQA7rHeqb6YWv-QTFs-EeIi4pYnzaWNV6d_2lqi-Z-ZrmyrdGtauqocNGvoLHhk99wm0JhD70j34FvlOVQt70Du4MtD6555jjOeeSM8LNgGVtRxbOzY9Pf26o-P78_-kHPjpvKOL2CvI/s320/IMG_6077.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339878721150661682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The coolest part of the squid was pulling out the "pen"-- or rather the long bit of internal shell that kinda reminded me of the wet plastic wrapper that is left over when you eat a freezer pop. The beak was nifty, too. I wish I had gotten pictures of this but it's hard to take pictures when you are covered in squid guts!<br /><br />Here's lookin' at you, squid!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64kS3ok_0VEqIWyEB8k12JuRavkuT9fFRyu0RKna-Cc273hF4YZSYSrpkPOsJU2zQLtBHfSphY_gbeRwCnRSV5mGDWCmEFxZqdn47xjrSrdvd2PEE6-pau9cw5km-cgvAP5xYeG49GFc/s1600-h/IMG_6078.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64kS3ok_0VEqIWyEB8k12JuRavkuT9fFRyu0RKna-Cc273hF4YZSYSrpkPOsJU2zQLtBHfSphY_gbeRwCnRSV5mGDWCmEFxZqdn47xjrSrdvd2PEE6-pau9cw5km-cgvAP5xYeG49GFc/s320/IMG_6078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339878204928007042" border="0" /></a><br />Next we took the squid chunks and went down to the dock for some <span style="font-weight: bold;">sea fishing</span>. Our girls were pros at this! ...but we didn't catch anything. :(<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSs0vTLAQQwlpyolGm9RGiITR-20vKCu3cQRfMWeHkGddNnPIPq3-dKurb9T4mxIakhvR87L0j1ARGSr00ZVhJu2AkKCGG2MQ-y2Biu0HRxZ_ZMcKSq9pYFYr5SPEvdPZVlbeOV3gK2M4/s1600-h/IMG_6081.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSs0vTLAQQwlpyolGm9RGiITR-20vKCu3cQRfMWeHkGddNnPIPq3-dKurb9T4mxIakhvR87L0j1ARGSr00ZVhJu2AkKCGG2MQ-y2Biu0HRxZ_ZMcKSq9pYFYr5SPEvdPZVlbeOV3gK2M4/s320/IMG_6081.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339878211495940626" border="0" /></a><br />And lastly we joined Dan Dan the Lobster Man in the Hunky Dory for <span style="font-weight: bold;">lobstering</span>. Or rather the kids and Mibee went with Dan and Elaine and I followed in the Resourceful just-in-case.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAJ-axETfbHWPkZDCR_OEYcZtZeJMZKmnzrhE33hXXggnJSoTF44CA6Q60mIXlq2ilZuc1HAsbjZ0LDe7mmfk8MjXv7rBHSuSeYFrLg54LmnFJcQkJXwhoD2u0ksE6Q6zygfhBR9Rje4/s1600-h/IMG_6097.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAJ-axETfbHWPkZDCR_OEYcZtZeJMZKmnzrhE33hXXggnJSoTF44CA6Q60mIXlq2ilZuc1HAsbjZ0LDe7mmfk8MjXv7rBHSuSeYFrLg54LmnFJcQkJXwhoD2u0ksE6Q6zygfhBR9Rje4/s320/IMG_6097.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339882329141301298" border="0" /></a><br />Here's the bucket with live lobsters, bait, rubber band and other accoutrements of lobstering.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI24glR5Ms4ovwQVkb8Capnl4o59NpII_hov61cBd_xAlZrlE7yT0opRn0eEs-WeOK01aMkldldbztYsh6wwTgiVcy8i5UZjil0JwcWmcWTE738gc5usxJjN7VZhn3gaI9GBrUNcCIXMs/s1600-h/IMG_6088.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI24glR5Ms4ovwQVkb8Capnl4o59NpII_hov61cBd_xAlZrlE7yT0opRn0eEs-WeOK01aMkldldbztYsh6wwTgiVcy8i5UZjil0JwcWmcWTE738gc5usxJjN7VZhn3gaI9GBrUNcCIXMs/s320/IMG_6088.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339882320033513954" border="0" /></a><br />The first thing Dan did was band all of the kids' claws (fingers).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRnNdpQ1Y5RoCmc-FMMZquFQz4IMNOG_3pw4DMhL5x2kpYCtJhvyDyAVHSfOteAspsUMTPpPD6rPgTpz9cJd-rtQC1IzfdumAiHOB3HuEEmV9NYqo69YgBsExkNvq_xZvVAxyLATj6bc/s1600-h/IMG_6090+trimmed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRnNdpQ1Y5RoCmc-FMMZquFQz4IMNOG_3pw4DMhL5x2kpYCtJhvyDyAVHSfOteAspsUMTPpPD6rPgTpz9cJd-rtQC1IzfdumAiHOB3HuEEmV9NYqo69YgBsExkNvq_xZvVAxyLATj6bc/s320/IMG_6090+trimmed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339882330787647010" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then they set about pulling up traps and seeing what was inside.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_iOrQL9zVkbcMOja2dnf4j8OjA75Z7lJjEltsVagZ-nKGIAztaEIADoEl3vmZSW1y8fhPkgQUbHuzDSit2d-v3BYWSlNzs4pPDEVr10FcVCuB8JoU50p4EAVOHe9JKI1XFo8N3X_OHM/s1600-h/IMG_6096+trimmed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_iOrQL9zVkbcMOja2dnf4j8OjA75Z7lJjEltsVagZ-nKGIAztaEIADoEl3vmZSW1y8fhPkgQUbHuzDSit2d-v3BYWSlNzs4pPDEVr10FcVCuB8JoU50p4EAVOHe9JKI1XFo8N3X_OHM/s320/IMG_6096+trimmed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339882336969076354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There were some females with berries; the kids watched as Dan notched them and chucked them back in. Dan also dumped out the old bait in the bags and replaced them with new.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1vgsLzjKDVs9gdMcn_uj7adUMJQOvihxZXV-kNUQRSdJva8M7BVP37i8HTH0TFHYHpfD9eEKHv5T44F4fDlPt0fhMaKVKDvlq0rarNo0x5eFrdY88DjwWuPvlYEVRITcuEPQ0syEdo4/s1600-h/IMG_6099+trimmed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1vgsLzjKDVs9gdMcn_uj7adUMJQOvihxZXV-kNUQRSdJva8M7BVP37i8HTH0TFHYHpfD9eEKHv5T44F4fDlPt0fhMaKVKDvlq0rarNo0x5eFrdY88DjwWuPvlYEVRITcuEPQ0syEdo4/s320/IMG_6099+trimmed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339884394942102690" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's one of the girls helping to measure a lobster. Is it a keeper or a short?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9lSYmjbPLvvDTHSR8E7YLhHMVM7Rb_UOyrN-TXtWELsMAlDgQHcs-1GW_utvHvC2Oy7ZavCqV8FB3BkYidlGydFJBwtOt5QA2DDPQHJkHFQriJ7-Y7uUKiwQWrrfBxc7_Opob_FimKA/s1600-h/IMG_6102.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9lSYmjbPLvvDTHSR8E7YLhHMVM7Rb_UOyrN-TXtWELsMAlDgQHcs-1GW_utvHvC2Oy7ZavCqV8FB3BkYidlGydFJBwtOt5QA2DDPQHJkHFQriJ7-Y7uUKiwQWrrfBxc7_Opob_FimKA/s320/IMG_6102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339884402089199874" border="0" /></a><br />In this next picture, I want you to look very closely at Dan's hand. Some of the kids noticed that Dan has a finger missing. They wanted to know what had happened but were too polite to ask. Instead they asked Mibee instead, who burst out laughing because she knew the story! Turns out that one day Dan was out lobstering with his dog. Dan tried to pull up a trap but he got his gloved hand caught in the pulley. He pulled his hand free and tore off the glove to see what damage had been done, and threw it down on the floor of the boat. There was lots of blood so he knew he had to get to the hospital. Once he was there the doctor said, "Well, that's not that bad. We can re-attach the finger right away." Dan shook his head and said, "Can't. My dog ate it."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTj83TM4kfdX0_SL01KGEonh-NQWsTTdEuaL813QywiXUvyAVBFqc4WR0V2M4QYEB5I01sJxhyphenhyphenfyv57ie2wSeUDnJEfbGx-IU928B4rnDJUd-9YI9n1iYS5IG85vTAC-Qlr2ezpDnu8J8/s1600-h/IMG_6103.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTj83TM4kfdX0_SL01KGEonh-NQWsTTdEuaL813QywiXUvyAVBFqc4WR0V2M4QYEB5I01sJxhyphenhyphenfyv57ie2wSeUDnJEfbGx-IU928B4rnDJUd-9YI9n1iYS5IG85vTAC-Qlr2ezpDnu8J8/s320/IMG_6103.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339884407637705378" border="0" /></a><br />Here's the kids with their catch: This little guy is not so sure about his lobster...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiab0En_c167pW-KFkIBjtcgGxT9-c9baugGmwF9UT_GAKqjYgzBZnra7xw6QsKYT-XpiRObVa20YZ7hcKpDzz0nRt-mGsViF46ybuYW5SXcHt9p4N2OJ-p3a3LfHJo_MNDw4Zy2LMLs_0/s1600-h/IMG_6110+trimmed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiab0En_c167pW-KFkIBjtcgGxT9-c9baugGmwF9UT_GAKqjYgzBZnra7xw6QsKYT-XpiRObVa20YZ7hcKpDzz0nRt-mGsViF46ybuYW5SXcHt9p4N2OJ-p3a3LfHJo_MNDw4Zy2LMLs_0/s320/IMG_6110+trimmed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339884410726363442" border="0" /></a><br />...but these crab molts are neato!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEqJl4hId20uKOFR1zMQ4YixFlN3rji3F4VJXwHivrgM9xsw4APnche_kltTve2Z-2Swd4mK640EWieRzgHthrUiDqC23uqEw6e-_ZyCiP-u6U6PoH-eAPxEdtScsdTJUhKz8xuq7hXI/s1600-h/IMG_6111.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEqJl4hId20uKOFR1zMQ4YixFlN3rji3F4VJXwHivrgM9xsw4APnche_kltTve2Z-2Swd4mK640EWieRzgHthrUiDqC23uqEw6e-_ZyCiP-u6U6PoH-eAPxEdtScsdTJUhKz8xuq7hXI/s320/IMG_6111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339884415479259938" border="0" /></a><br />Then it was time for snack. This guy actually had to be told several times to be greedy! Get more! Take huge handfuls! He wasn't sure if Elaine was trying to trick him...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyEBci828ebv8gkqZckHuRKeHk9voousuLtzjjhpeMpTTvpfbYxKY9pAEDMNaEkJtxtVsiyF_A-fuEUodCKAXlljMAxQ43kWIpER45waZvlAUMIT63t2CvejEm969asmPsvKcuPgFKtM/s1600-h/IMG_6113.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyEBci828ebv8gkqZckHuRKeHk9voousuLtzjjhpeMpTTvpfbYxKY9pAEDMNaEkJtxtVsiyF_A-fuEUodCKAXlljMAxQ43kWIpER45waZvlAUMIT63t2CvejEm969asmPsvKcuPgFKtM/s320/IMG_6113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339885994904436306" border="0" /></a><br />Next it was time for a navigation lesson. Here's the harbor:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74kRQazVM3N-fiUnOsSWHr9cwmavgKsQ3YqMl1YeNPnYlWP9vcrBiX5_pmPweDz4hXUTvoXYMd3H5dzw5DfNmp26FFFHFRylLpaSAgnZWnvyyRMvyH720ASD48Bpoo7dZkVzJkVOyMyE/s1600-h/IMG_6114.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74kRQazVM3N-fiUnOsSWHr9cwmavgKsQ3YqMl1YeNPnYlWP9vcrBiX5_pmPweDz4hXUTvoXYMd3H5dzw5DfNmp26FFFHFRylLpaSAgnZWnvyyRMvyH720ASD48Bpoo7dZkVzJkVOyMyE/s320/IMG_6114.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339886630967422642" border="0" /></a><br />Heeeeey! That's Burnt Island! I've heard of that place! :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYBMNi_mWm8gtqA1Ckfy4NZvFrGqFMuFIigWAur9bLMMKvHC7bGysYPsCMIs2HogMzKltL6FfA3phGIQFDtPhhgUX4rW3-m9iFVOhBn_ZM2Ik0Z-p5V2GnUDTsYVl1rokpMQ8DdRGLoA/s1600-h/IMG_6117.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYBMNi_mWm8gtqA1Ckfy4NZvFrGqFMuFIigWAur9bLMMKvHC7bGysYPsCMIs2HogMzKltL6FfA3phGIQFDtPhhgUX4rW3-m9iFVOhBn_ZM2Ik0Z-p5V2GnUDTsYVl1rokpMQ8DdRGLoA/s320/IMG_6117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339889751995224818" border="0" /></a><br />After our snack we were all signaled to meet up at the Lighthouse: Two blasts from an air horn and we came running from every direction from the island.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5008jxUG0vBsH4-ZFuKximsAYQZFip7VSrtMe6dE7pwBMCFErcuRi27xap92ZBT7__UEI0GCdFlb7Ru-hqSKyASps7zUjyV8nnzcEnwB4q7TGTTdrUF0lDzPEd5REiHePs28PQhkZ42s/s1600-h/IMG_6118.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5008jxUG0vBsH4-ZFuKximsAYQZFip7VSrtMe6dE7pwBMCFErcuRi27xap92ZBT7__UEI0GCdFlb7Ru-hqSKyASps7zUjyV8nnzcEnwB4q7TGTTdrUF0lDzPEd5REiHePs28PQhkZ42s/s320/IMG_6118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339889752774093874" border="0" /></a><br />In this next activity the kids were given cards which had pictures of different things the fishermen could catch in Maine waters. Set out in front of the kids were different sorts of ways to catch or gather fish: A seine net, a clam hoe, a longline, etc. The kids had to put their fish in the type of equipment they thought were used to catch the fish (i.e., put the picture of the clam near the clam hoe).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcG839LAWGqkdiTEuOy3_gqQAjP2DyUI10PQJMbQvwKlw1UwvDq1T-twPu3sSohf-lXouu3sYdgT5qM-Dt_M2L_ItIFDjcDKokyUyl7ONCSEgiAWTwoFUrwWK7S5GkoZnCyeeTasM9rDk/s1600-h/IMG_6122.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcG839LAWGqkdiTEuOy3_gqQAjP2DyUI10PQJMbQvwKlw1UwvDq1T-twPu3sSohf-lXouu3sYdgT5qM-Dt_M2L_ItIFDjcDKokyUyl7ONCSEgiAWTwoFUrwWK7S5GkoZnCyeeTasM9rDk/s320/IMG_6122.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339889762152055890" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3BN78ei-wFIWGLExzAt1OkG4NNpdxqTkKWSibuXa5LtmcOBfaI1wqUoABmquv5JmgYcaV73yNhvVtBOtMAMaUgjcpo2LWzjvaLWhP5pN5NTRGFFhBDsp91QZ4SBwq0Ys4NYTbZXEBPI/s1600-h/IMG_6124.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3BN78ei-wFIWGLExzAt1OkG4NNpdxqTkKWSibuXa5LtmcOBfaI1wqUoABmquv5JmgYcaV73yNhvVtBOtMAMaUgjcpo2LWzjvaLWhP5pN5NTRGFFhBDsp91QZ4SBwq0Ys4NYTbZXEBPI/s320/IMG_6124.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339889768378013538" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgdDK4JgIr_GZF2ji7Oo8SZPmo9KaFKiFcz3UsQ8p0fidXgHPVYhJ4LRT3BoxqeH01ERPvNMmjS8zCJySNnu79y5hKnPVofbqCt1nq0FeWZBqJzb_PaxrcYjh89-pEoqYZkeyfVnBRHk/s1600-h/IMG_6125.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgdDK4JgIr_GZF2ji7Oo8SZPmo9KaFKiFcz3UsQ8p0fidXgHPVYhJ4LRT3BoxqeH01ERPvNMmjS8zCJySNnu79y5hKnPVofbqCt1nq0FeWZBqJzb_PaxrcYjh89-pEoqYZkeyfVnBRHk/s320/IMG_6125.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339889770228081410" border="0" /></a><br />However, I asked Elaine if I could sneak away and take more pictures of the inside of the keeper's house. She said that would be fine! So I went in and checked out the covered walkway, which I hadn't gotten a chance to explore the day before. Through the kitchen, up the stairs...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXfK0JKfJfA822Ci05u_1XCwK4eIBVWJo65gS5Re258_0d-s6fqTQdsU1zrekpgC5n7fjHVC6jDBczFUU0DP9Uuo5_yL0FkNEkUE3RklPdseNpAhMdQ6f0GkexXVGFPlxA7Xw273Ss5Y/s1600-h/IMG_6132.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXfK0JKfJfA822Ci05u_1XCwK4eIBVWJo65gS5Re258_0d-s6fqTQdsU1zrekpgC5n7fjHVC6jDBczFUU0DP9Uuo5_yL0FkNEkUE3RklPdseNpAhMdQ6f0GkexXVGFPlxA7Xw273Ss5Y/s320/IMG_6132.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339898353141535602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVErOBQv9Dp7veki5yUI5RDALbQkbQ07O-5xGvu_i7ip022oYXvAmH0NJmmtUrjgQoI7cuW5zOE28PUCh_q90UT1dL5gZpsLCPP0zdtPUQ2zKdz9kmflzCOBj__hsMqxD_VIn-74JA8Vg/s1600-h/IMG_6129.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVErOBQv9Dp7veki5yUI5RDALbQkbQ07O-5xGvu_i7ip022oYXvAmH0NJmmtUrjgQoI7cuW5zOE28PUCh_q90UT1dL5gZpsLCPP0zdtPUQ2zKdz9kmflzCOBj__hsMqxD_VIn-74JA8Vg/s320/IMG_6129.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339898342924555218" border="0" /></a><br />This is a sort of a mini-museum now, so I lingered for a long time near the photographs and exhibits.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-Gcxn5rNrqL0HjdqmP6jWNsu0TflOF3x7sjao6x0TAo1KBQplXLF6sUhbGmS2mZMKtRyADbjmp4M9l0BulYAK_sMRZ0gHrjGKU5Yp2Si6AK9nrvNjsKkQYnb2o3KmDscx-YYgbB1-v8/s1600-h/IMG_6133.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-Gcxn5rNrqL0HjdqmP6jWNsu0TflOF3x7sjao6x0TAo1KBQplXLF6sUhbGmS2mZMKtRyADbjmp4M9l0BulYAK_sMRZ0gHrjGKU5Yp2Si6AK9nrvNjsKkQYnb2o3KmDscx-YYgbB1-v8/s320/IMG_6133.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339898340469810578" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2kePVbidCmzB6KB70YisFwmeIltQOpdQn6RihHSD6hBqPUNYyt780pFNR0x2YCFBSIFwNSAIad7v_K5ftB5C30wC5bdexwwgFAVmpcQOKm9sww-5W9bza4WkV6Hif5ATiBu_WT6gOXk/s1600-h/IMG_6134.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2kePVbidCmzB6KB70YisFwmeIltQOpdQn6RihHSD6hBqPUNYyt780pFNR0x2YCFBSIFwNSAIad7v_K5ftB5C30wC5bdexwwgFAVmpcQOKm9sww-5W9bza4WkV6Hif5ATiBu_WT6gOXk/s320/IMG_6134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339898357976467602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKOA6KvYX6SRvWUj0vRhSWJt8X9dOJzXqU3ccmOsT7TkxsGRK5lx5pFjs6Ru2pcB_zo82dkD04WkhBtmq9A-lTC0OM7yDsTkQp7yEBrEooUfJ7hgEsVszOj4CmbBZXesh2lVEwp1VXezM/s1600-h/IMG_6135.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKOA6KvYX6SRvWUj0vRhSWJt8X9dOJzXqU3ccmOsT7TkxsGRK5lx5pFjs6Ru2pcB_zo82dkD04WkhBtmq9A-lTC0OM7yDsTkQp7yEBrEooUfJ7hgEsVszOj4CmbBZXesh2lVEwp1VXezM/s320/IMG_6135.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339898363271171634" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYjahQle2CuBcN6GR7f4HtU059vktJ6d4bMltKf3LW9w4WAnvbOdO-IkMzjkgBMDvx-44F-WlkgGmfs3J-HgfdExHkEmdJh1LCHrvfhg6xlECXVo6wQbt2YLojcOW0BP9fgm5H6z5r2I/s1600-h/IMG_6136.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYjahQle2CuBcN6GR7f4HtU059vktJ6d4bMltKf3LW9w4WAnvbOdO-IkMzjkgBMDvx-44F-WlkgGmfs3J-HgfdExHkEmdJh1LCHrvfhg6xlECXVo6wQbt2YLojcOW0BP9fgm5H6z5r2I/s320/IMG_6136.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339900984818863890" border="0" /></a>I love architectural plans. This is where I got the whole living vs. dining room thing, and the bedroom vs. parlor. Of course the purpose of rooms change over time, but I crave accuracy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLJ4EGsH7cIPGuQTGOT5EAXMCNPQrxJHHjx0c7-6FtzjMZfS2klBxtjHQYd_3QlVPfGtBhkxmcxXSUKBV1moEZpgztiOp-TtEn_B1yBx2dfJAOVx0df3MRzBJDLuEzVCZO7jD8GBIslo/s1600-h/IMG_6137.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLJ4EGsH7cIPGuQTGOT5EAXMCNPQrxJHHjx0c7-6FtzjMZfS2klBxtjHQYd_3QlVPfGtBhkxmcxXSUKBV1moEZpgztiOp-TtEn_B1yBx2dfJAOVx0df3MRzBJDLuEzVCZO7jD8GBIslo/s320/IMG_6137.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339900991695926754" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3vPSqi14Cgl2KzOT52uRd5SUpKgmtwMUrBnIOXcY5uYtU55O9qiI1t4zLw0ejiChjkGcbcVcAMUsom8oWY0lC8EhOM3XbETrc3WzdKA0eVKmBNrfiMGD5LJwMCLqFQ7VuljD-zbS5HE/s1600-h/IMG_6138.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3vPSqi14Cgl2KzOT52uRd5SUpKgmtwMUrBnIOXcY5uYtU55O9qiI1t4zLw0ejiChjkGcbcVcAMUsom8oWY0lC8EhOM3XbETrc3WzdKA0eVKmBNrfiMGD5LJwMCLqFQ7VuljD-zbS5HE/s320/IMG_6138.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339900995580802642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It seems very romantic to want to live a lighthouse keeper's life, but then pictures like this make you change your mind:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-RU5RKp7G0JuQJMAMZ_jRnMYNyds_v9qh8EDWjdFitwdUac05JJdlTsfBPTuEXLa5HOJfhIURosQhVsnASwCvRcnearIGb0d70-Cq3xj8aU5Wkv0MtSQ9Kq_ElKE6OI6P0qxBRzw8u8/s1600-h/IMG_6143.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-RU5RKp7G0JuQJMAMZ_jRnMYNyds_v9qh8EDWjdFitwdUac05JJdlTsfBPTuEXLa5HOJfhIURosQhVsnASwCvRcnearIGb0d70-Cq3xj8aU5Wkv0MtSQ9Kq_ElKE6OI6P0qxBRzw8u8/s320/IMG_6143.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339901003608894818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here is a photo montage of some of the 30 keepers that has been on Burnt Island, beginning with James McCobb and ending with the automation in 1988.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKiFqUuJ6ZA6diuxsBEvf_JZlHrS8YfwAv9xPErOkO4HbvReCgr-reGfWoQLregmDfnRa0NEzxw9cYD2_iN3R26Ba41jBQL1TLSlZpmHUFhCSJEDkiSA-wjgbESvexhNjabt6Fx97Q50/s1600-h/IMG_6146.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKiFqUuJ6ZA6diuxsBEvf_JZlHrS8YfwAv9xPErOkO4HbvReCgr-reGfWoQLregmDfnRa0NEzxw9cYD2_iN3R26Ba41jBQL1TLSlZpmHUFhCSJEDkiSA-wjgbESvexhNjabt6Fx97Q50/s320/IMG_6146.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339901008632630258" border="0" /></a><br />And here are the lenses that were once used in the lantern room. Note the door behind them: that's the door I was talking about earlier, that leads to the anteroom at the bottom of the tower. It's blocked off now, but you can still see it. You can imagine a keeper dashing through the kitchen, up the incline of the covered walkway, through the door into the anteroom and up the spiral staircase to the lantern room in the event of a smoke-out or other emergency.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDAjdsNpaFnuzi9TgSvbkv2sL_34pJWghJt0679U_0chSmEE42M7alDKAxS1UfbkBehFSltyR_30Ai4abKe7dI7RiW1bN6i2gLk-ZWoSP7Jpsj6mP_bmvidtqXxp4znvfxWl1jaD4n2g/s1600-h/IMG_6148.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDAjdsNpaFnuzi9TgSvbkv2sL_34pJWghJt0679U_0chSmEE42M7alDKAxS1UfbkBehFSltyR_30Ai4abKe7dI7RiW1bN6i2gLk-ZWoSP7Jpsj6mP_bmvidtqXxp4znvfxWl1jaD4n2g/s320/IMG_6148.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339903666142057554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacoQQyhcMGm8_CKwLXWU2ZvfLSeFgB0vOPtbFIeYJ_k9ufww7LyssZD7jSQUDLAywR-wQ6Ir0LF-f2JQiHzkfEbuLkgCf_qQZmnxiWztxqsyqNxh6RnwJEsjNfP_tA0NAFdOr8kqrlH0/s1600-h/IMG_6149.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacoQQyhcMGm8_CKwLXWU2ZvfLSeFgB0vOPtbFIeYJ_k9ufww7LyssZD7jSQUDLAywR-wQ6Ir0LF-f2JQiHzkfEbuLkgCf_qQZmnxiWztxqsyqNxh6RnwJEsjNfP_tA0NAFdOr8kqrlH0/s320/IMG_6149.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339903670164166642" border="0" /></a><br />The lens on the right is the original (note the typical fresnel shape), but the bull's eye one on the left fascinated me. This one was mounted on the weighted mechanism that needed to be cranked every six hours so that the lantern would spin around.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oNw7UM2DzuXnS90rVBIh5AucGaDpBoVBbDFb-q7fHBI-5EJw2tFaGPbLrAxvy-KzOWRceAOYKQqKakNLX-46Z53Cousl2enjlQYpl08_3gQ_yMEjgDAZ_nlNl2v-KUCOna4HmnoTOdo/s1600-h/IMG_6145.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oNw7UM2DzuXnS90rVBIh5AucGaDpBoVBbDFb-q7fHBI-5EJw2tFaGPbLrAxvy-KzOWRceAOYKQqKakNLX-46Z53Cousl2enjlQYpl08_3gQ_yMEjgDAZ_nlNl2v-KUCOna4HmnoTOdo/s320/IMG_6145.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339903650687333314" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymgmWf4G-sf2rRo7W80_imqSSeix9mWO-lsUOUZUboqc354W0iRCxP6swJH6-21VSQ63U4Ps29SIaYlZyQ7Y2wnw5oHmtnZZl6FmkwHl0zICoztR_iCByIqFtFT44zwBi4G2WhMg9jkk/s1600-h/IMG_6142.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymgmWf4G-sf2rRo7W80_imqSSeix9mWO-lsUOUZUboqc354W0iRCxP6swJH6-21VSQ63U4Ps29SIaYlZyQ7Y2wnw5oHmtnZZl6FmkwHl0zICoztR_iCByIqFtFT44zwBi4G2WhMg9jkk/s320/IMG_6142.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339903655968912674" border="0" /></a><br />Self-portrait!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMvtX7npXS6ITy4SbtKku29pFsucd4wtfOja3ckZzOFXrV6A5RAmlIWWS10CbAYdbVB6K7J1J5wzRZHD1Tbm5y03PZ6NBO00mEJ1AAXYcLpxicouiUPoPwNJm8g7Icg2akPgeEocveRI/s1600-h/IMG_6153.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMvtX7npXS6ITy4SbtKku29pFsucd4wtfOja3ckZzOFXrV6A5RAmlIWWS10CbAYdbVB6K7J1J5wzRZHD1Tbm5y03PZ6NBO00mEJ1AAXYcLpxicouiUPoPwNJm8g7Icg2akPgeEocveRI/s320/IMG_6153.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339903675095758834" border="0" /></a><br />So how did they know what the inside of the keeper's house looked like in 1950? Well, thankfully, someone had taken pictures! The Muire family (who were living here at that time) still had much of the things in the photographs and donated them back to the island. They also provided first-hand accounts of what it was like to live here (like drinking that disgusting canned milk!).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJhuOAK9jjj8ZzaBst1-dKjtKZ-7CCJTgPiGnVLwsp5RSPVuqejbMMT7UdUxTO9EC0NXLfQepCdquGVasSEA2o7nlZr7TtRzww2SFX0T0N25vBfPTiXCAetByrc56_69zHXFQpVq1byw/s1600-h/IMG_6141.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJhuOAK9jjj8ZzaBst1-dKjtKZ-7CCJTgPiGnVLwsp5RSPVuqejbMMT7UdUxTO9EC0NXLfQepCdquGVasSEA2o7nlZr7TtRzww2SFX0T0N25vBfPTiXCAetByrc56_69zHXFQpVq1byw/s320/IMG_6141.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339906543986433938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fk3UOmEP8KQcqc9kDKik2BGzCXumKLUFxoJloVKAe0wMmzg4myQMhhgPcUvOPHyJZVSh25EZsEyzVQgbUnio1ynT-dUCajq3hDg3_pqdKK2sQ04Aqk-vvCr1-lyt25lIaoSb9UmTBHw/s1600-h/IMG_6154.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fk3UOmEP8KQcqc9kDKik2BGzCXumKLUFxoJloVKAe0wMmzg4myQMhhgPcUvOPHyJZVSh25EZsEyzVQgbUnio1ynT-dUCajq3hDg3_pqdKK2sQ04Aqk-vvCr1-lyt25lIaoSb9UmTBHw/s320/IMG_6154.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339906535880137618" border="0" /></a><br />So how accurate is the restoration? Well, let's see...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdMoQjhBp-Y15c-G5g0wZvmdVkvjiQSsFS_U7bf4Z-Cr4BqFvXB1G1LIxcUTo-ULXuknlVGe4VYatWP-Vkn-uZQb09qHdzCaESNNwhf38bbWAElT_hHVbE9mMtTAIQGhNmZz0eKrfkLc/s1600-h/IMG_6159.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdMoQjhBp-Y15c-G5g0wZvmdVkvjiQSsFS_U7bf4Z-Cr4BqFvXB1G1LIxcUTo-ULXuknlVGe4VYatWP-Vkn-uZQb09qHdzCaESNNwhf38bbWAElT_hHVbE9mMtTAIQGhNmZz0eKrfkLc/s320/IMG_6159.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339906555185427954" border="0" /></a>Looks familiar!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4-yYOmBQ__2aU9FaYITQs0zDb3PUEVcHQCcWvVIPGTMjSry_jJs1uSOH7S0O_vOlM7EJw2CY6IeljBdS_XDOHCB-BWvJIX1uZie1bpxMszb9q3ns3PsmuYKhJFzasR6UQlwcokHx6og/s1600-h/IMG_6156.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4-yYOmBQ__2aU9FaYITQs0zDb3PUEVcHQCcWvVIPGTMjSry_jJs1uSOH7S0O_vOlM7EJw2CY6IeljBdS_XDOHCB-BWvJIX1uZie1bpxMszb9q3ns3PsmuYKhJFzasR6UQlwcokHx6og/s320/IMG_6156.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339906550182447906" border="0" /></a>Yup, looks good!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMKQN2V2a76wVMlwNzOi9VLyzskUepIzPNvxfPv-9UgtQ0ZT-ZOTPc-2XE0NkzJfovWIIC-ZWuyWWjYy9xploLtfb0DGfweDnP4GhvGs9RNuen4ySB0SILolPgjjtW5H8Z7-QHIqxifQ/s1600-h/IMG_6155.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMKQN2V2a76wVMlwNzOi9VLyzskUepIzPNvxfPv-9UgtQ0ZT-ZOTPc-2XE0NkzJfovWIIC-ZWuyWWjYy9xploLtfb0DGfweDnP4GhvGs9RNuen4ySB0SILolPgjjtW5H8Z7-QHIqxifQ/s320/IMG_6155.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339906546250471042" border="0" /></a><br />Next, I wandered about in the rest of the house, because I couldn't resist! This little room is a little butler's pantry (I don't know what the official Burnt Island name for it was because of course they wouldn't have had a butler!) and I spied toys that were typical of that time period.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWuIbpyc7LO6IbaTIvhSMLuw1UbZcu-9hz6Mxc2h5FKV21FgdCObG5JuLBeKXagqz1182VNptTKqUXHqMkIBPI7jTydgK96XdBhGz49LT2ZfBW7FmNWILPryEjG_4YOQW2TvJb944TXbg/s1600-h/IMG_5964.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWuIbpyc7LO6IbaTIvhSMLuw1UbZcu-9hz6Mxc2h5FKV21FgdCObG5JuLBeKXagqz1182VNptTKqUXHqMkIBPI7jTydgK96XdBhGz49LT2ZfBW7FmNWILPryEjG_4YOQW2TvJb944TXbg/s320/IMG_5964.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339911821701135826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSgMFEJZZ-YdbfQ3E-mSjETw5Y-36X4_pkyLNYjqV8TDyAOKYoxv5QmrSd9YaUqO0KPEvDeJoiHz66QaDvyQGadtRp9vzMMd9N67IBIQdKDN57v_3OrxAD6s_PR6_X7dAThr1qjBo74Y/s1600-h/IMG_6164.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSgMFEJZZ-YdbfQ3E-mSjETw5Y-36X4_pkyLNYjqV8TDyAOKYoxv5QmrSd9YaUqO0KPEvDeJoiHz66QaDvyQGadtRp9vzMMd9N67IBIQdKDN57v_3OrxAD6s_PR6_X7dAThr1qjBo74Y/s320/IMG_6164.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339910358562871794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqaSdLVTYXdaV_0jIM2Q6hbYv6oS4NyzuMjTZO-FYhUnur9IowBI6PGNfo7tHR0xMVD0ES5OKg0DdmOvgfKuHQXKXQQaIqUsTpbFWDPiPoxO7cec6e_P-aGGXFSRv0iSTpGBreAyTBe0/s1600-h/IMG_6165.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqaSdLVTYXdaV_0jIM2Q6hbYv6oS4NyzuMjTZO-FYhUnur9IowBI6PGNfo7tHR0xMVD0ES5OKg0DdmOvgfKuHQXKXQQaIqUsTpbFWDPiPoxO7cec6e_P-aGGXFSRv0iSTpGBreAyTBe0/s320/IMG_6165.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339910361335979314" border="0" /></a><br />I was a very naughty girl and I touched what I wasn't supposed to: I opened the cupboards to find out what was inside them! However, what I found was very typical of the 1950's-- just some fancy dishes that were saved for special occasions (I'm pretty sure Elaine will forgive me for poking around).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JJsfWFBVpsceddYH-VqiOM0J1jupz9oV5KOynZea3LDol-7ACUjCICbQhqPGfgSJEDH6gOCTJ6ZKsqAjEtbHnVHOMlbBAw4jLWMcDNcdbRD4ALq_6h5W9WlGzY6PrmbPGVgFK64As3M/s1600-h/IMG_6161.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JJsfWFBVpsceddYH-VqiOM0J1jupz9oV5KOynZea3LDol-7ACUjCICbQhqPGfgSJEDH6gOCTJ6ZKsqAjEtbHnVHOMlbBAw4jLWMcDNcdbRD4ALq_6h5W9WlGzY6PrmbPGVgFK64As3M/s320/IMG_6161.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339910349746097554" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhnPJdRSTeWBHhLxF51gwwpqy8h7mjhsbtAbmYQRWVt0qEodFSVgIZv4oahY8z6foc37w0IzkTcHlM1VorfJvdCQ4Ii5I-0DwyDwcXGQinteG6hyphenhyphens1thuMFhv8mbNDDrMRoPzVdLL-g0/s1600-h/IMG_6166.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhnPJdRSTeWBHhLxF51gwwpqy8h7mjhsbtAbmYQRWVt0qEodFSVgIZv4oahY8z6foc37w0IzkTcHlM1VorfJvdCQ4Ii5I-0DwyDwcXGQinteG6hyphenhyphens1thuMFhv8mbNDDrMRoPzVdLL-g0/s320/IMG_6166.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339910368980409602" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Okay, so remember how I mentioned there was a secret up these stairs, and another one in the pantry?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1kW2bPoouBCv8-U-95LMJzaWgAljIch5_kmOUbzxFjjftNOetvd1o2sL9D7pC-Uq_NAtW0JPHEk4aNuIKJ8OjK-3p0f5svbvM6bXHo2IcfO60Ww83DO3fy36QyG_nclMOaAt_Rqz0F0/s1600-h/IMG_5980.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1kW2bPoouBCv8-U-95LMJzaWgAljIch5_kmOUbzxFjjftNOetvd1o2sL9D7pC-Uq_NAtW0JPHEk4aNuIKJ8OjK-3p0f5svbvM6bXHo2IcfO60Ww83DO3fy36QyG_nclMOaAt_Rqz0F0/s320/IMG_5980.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339911829168422306" border="0" /></a><br />Well, the <span style="font-style: italic;">bottom </span>part of the keeper's house might be a living history museum, but the <span style="font-style: italic;">upstairs </span>is a little apartment where Elaine stays. (Don't worry, Elaine-- I didn't go up there!) In the pantry, the cupboard door was ajar, and I spy with my little eye... a <span style="font-style: italic;">microwave</span>?!?! That doesn't belong in 1950! (Click on the picture and see if you can spy it as well!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-uhnM6CV7ZKw6tJh3ZNOb8qma3LDRAzzyRCk0yOdH9Jy7gYvwZTjc0g1_7DCH4URn-Npzi1_U8YUzshZ1eHgCJSEeTYJbXCfQMk873Zb5Pk1RJkp8Z4ZlXoi6vIC9G6EAsHqIwhdcdY/s1600-h/IMG_6180.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-uhnM6CV7ZKw6tJh3ZNOb8qma3LDRAzzyRCk0yOdH9Jy7gYvwZTjc0g1_7DCH4URn-Npzi1_U8YUzshZ1eHgCJSEeTYJbXCfQMk873Zb5Pk1RJkp8Z4ZlXoi6vIC9G6EAsHqIwhdcdY/s320/IMG_6180.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339910372819624754" border="0" /></a><br />Next up: A GPS treasure hunt and Survival!Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4629123737350713804.post-13314337006658257302009-05-25T12:56:00.008-04:002009-05-25T14:43:06.247-04:00Burnt Island Part 3: Tidepool Exploring and a Treasure HuntThat afternoon we were given free reign to explore tide pools. We all had plastic tubs to collect our creatures, and our job was to look for as many different things as we could. We started first with the obvious, taking samples of rockweed, periwinkles and barnacles. Then we started exploring deeper crevices and under rocks to find seastars, mussels and crabs. A couple people found these disgusting eel-like things called gunnels. Someone even found a hermit crab, which made Mibee squeal and run away screaming (or maybe just shirk away in squeamishness). Lots of the seastars we found were missing limbs, which was cool. Under a shelf-like rock Mibee found an anenome but it was probably just a bunch of fish eggs (maybe the gunnels's).<br /><br />We put our loot into an artificial tide pool and surveyed our finds:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpAKMLiWQG8moy9YodfPgZOVY21efvH8uzACyYI60nSc_71w1ju-ciJzZKxEMIFGYByu2JnML0HCA_DbsriMKILNEE6JYraHjozYTAYkESl9fPBs3WH4NMaP-9UDy5SlhN1lQV3ifUSw/s1600-h/IMG_6028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpAKMLiWQG8moy9YodfPgZOVY21efvH8uzACyYI60nSc_71w1ju-ciJzZKxEMIFGYByu2JnML0HCA_DbsriMKILNEE6JYraHjozYTAYkESl9fPBs3WH4NMaP-9UDy5SlhN1lQV3ifUSw/s320/IMG_6028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339809189498345522" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MUB-iiXZOqD7rFZft1GUL0q6t9WzMiMyt8kzl-nH9wwz_f5aUUxdKy78oAaE5f94Ub9mqy0eKOGtRzj8eraQq8hsKPyrRgMVVpyxod4_EoXv7TjpOVRd3-vOXY-1dtYhS9sjNUcmPBo/s1600-h/IMG_6029.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MUB-iiXZOqD7rFZft1GUL0q6t9WzMiMyt8kzl-nH9wwz_f5aUUxdKy78oAaE5f94Ub9mqy0eKOGtRzj8eraQq8hsKPyrRgMVVpyxod4_EoXv7TjpOVRd3-vOXY-1dtYhS9sjNUcmPBo/s320/IMG_6029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339809196303747714" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiMJA-xg9Lvk9Z_2zlGF7ptZhT3qFlUadFLOGk3TIsY5G6YJwYAsFO9ycEV-mR1-d6NhN5AY1hcXQ0Tw_youfUFKBwYX1X4KVwAYvgeawZMVCq2hq2eJ-9_XMuom9lXtyP4teoUUoFrU/s1600-h/IMG_6030.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiMJA-xg9Lvk9Z_2zlGF7ptZhT3qFlUadFLOGk3TIsY5G6YJwYAsFO9ycEV-mR1-d6NhN5AY1hcXQ0Tw_youfUFKBwYX1X4KVwAYvgeawZMVCq2hq2eJ-9_XMuom9lXtyP4teoUUoFrU/s320/IMG_6030.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339809202862737106" border="0" /></a><br />These rubber boots are awesome for exploring tidepools:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4T-mCNLdv7ptqLrOtqICNQdbv2T0U36JR7xRfivrRI_LClrPHuRn_-mbkljbRVyNiHSiABcCNYsIJ5dncRR41QM6iavf2Rp9J881lkh1Y7AX448sQbrAzSGSADH1DSTy8lfvoRGCxzTI/s1600-h/IMG_6034.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4T-mCNLdv7ptqLrOtqICNQdbv2T0U36JR7xRfivrRI_LClrPHuRn_-mbkljbRVyNiHSiABcCNYsIJ5dncRR41QM6iavf2Rp9J881lkh1Y7AX448sQbrAzSGSADH1DSTy8lfvoRGCxzTI/s320/IMG_6034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339809209529353218" border="0" /></a><br />I know this picture is blurry, but it's the best I could get of our little tidepool zoo:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIOPhYsC4tO5MU9V-3205vQXvDVGMNHVD3g3i4ZLCFAANouvTCXuLtNCB3ckx3o-lcb86tAFkJKdS8BBxskZyrcuS07ZOVzBOwTZQPvuc8UhGKmeBgTVsXXdvvczuiqCMrmkKvXCniLw/s1600-h/IMG_6037.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIOPhYsC4tO5MU9V-3205vQXvDVGMNHVD3g3i4ZLCFAANouvTCXuLtNCB3ckx3o-lcb86tAFkJKdS8BBxskZyrcuS07ZOVzBOwTZQPvuc8UhGKmeBgTVsXXdvvczuiqCMrmkKvXCniLw/s320/IMG_6037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339809213229343762" border="0" /></a><br />We also found some orange fish eggs of some sort... even Elaine didn't know what they belonged to.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9LLEB8wnif2ZtS_fsNUQddIhHTDFjTDHastTprWHnXbWvpu8lS8SplaUQr9_DOQI7H0VpWgPACRpM8YRUySSAZDk4Wa0BkCcpahUQWrVFKlyM68OrIpCER1ILI1SH3XdYDOBRjGdZY0/s1600-h/IMG_6050.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9LLEB8wnif2ZtS_fsNUQddIhHTDFjTDHastTprWHnXbWvpu8lS8SplaUQr9_DOQI7H0VpWgPACRpM8YRUySSAZDk4Wa0BkCcpahUQWrVFKlyM68OrIpCER1ILI1SH3XdYDOBRjGdZY0/s320/IMG_6050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339813470476026082" border="0" /></a><br />Next up was the Treasure Hunt where we used compasses and pretty realistic-looking piratey treasure maps. This was one of the first times I've actually been successful at explaining how to use a compass. The whole "don't turn the <span style="font-style: italic;">compass </span>turn your<span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">body</span></span>" thing was not working for these kids. Finally I hit on a great metaphor: I knew the kids had used <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo_%28programming_language%29">Logo</a> their math class, so I said, "You have to start by telling the turtle which way to face, right? And the turtle stands in one spot and you can spin it in a circle to head in any direction? Okay, <span style="font-style: italic;">you </span>are the turtle. The compass is your nose so it sticks out flat in front of you. Point your nose to 220 degrees!" ...And the kids <span style="font-style: italic;">got </span>it! Yay for Logo turtle! :)<br /><br />We walked all over the island looking for "the signs of the pirate" that were taped up at different points on our walk. Here's some things we found during our treasure hunt:<br /><br />A wringer...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5lbzSnqmEEFeJdF8EERG03A0CYmOsq_YjGPpPkBvmDaAJkIrIl9T_FKsQV6sj8kHbKKS4uA7T6XN-GxbPJXEQR2a9Swvym8oKFhzZRD-o6YATSwg_dGvVoRqubTnEwF746l3Ob7boGA/s1600-h/IMG_6042.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5lbzSnqmEEFeJdF8EERG03A0CYmOsq_YjGPpPkBvmDaAJkIrIl9T_FKsQV6sj8kHbKKS4uA7T6XN-GxbPJXEQR2a9Swvym8oKFhzZRD-o6YATSwg_dGvVoRqubTnEwF746l3Ob7boGA/s320/IMG_6042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339816055189378962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The garden...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjxs1UlCirjEZnIMjxFygPX4GCz74XxLJU1o8ojxr4gQVCtZZ35_9Il79tEuMlF8N-nb-EV-4r8bRh4N5trXMZi6bPZ5OrI-eDqgLUQthV1m9nqht8Nnmw_WWhVGkTVKBd7_SkC8_Nnc/s1600-h/IMG_6023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjxs1UlCirjEZnIMjxFygPX4GCz74XxLJU1o8ojxr4gQVCtZZ35_9Il79tEuMlF8N-nb-EV-4r8bRh4N5trXMZi6bPZ5OrI-eDqgLUQthV1m9nqht8Nnmw_WWhVGkTVKBd7_SkC8_Nnc/s320/IMG_6023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339813476605631346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Turtle Rock at sunset...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKnpgpo6GUU2dGej4bV2-INXtKi6Kr5kHioXea_qAVKNNLEVISRFEcdeMy6SAYqm7D-nMl3Luh3eSEQxtlVG2nEC5rsl9fCjzQhnePyHCWtYsz1WUeSO9Oz14hX4XCSEIWKorjwYQwPU/s1600-h/IMG_6053.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKnpgpo6GUU2dGej4bV2-INXtKi6Kr5kHioXea_qAVKNNLEVISRFEcdeMy6SAYqm7D-nMl3Luh3eSEQxtlVG2nEC5rsl9fCjzQhnePyHCWtYsz1WUeSO9Oz14hX4XCSEIWKorjwYQwPU/s320/IMG_6053.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339816067393683346" border="0" /></a><br /><br />An osprey nest... On the way in I had seen the osprey fly in with a big stick in its mouth. Later I saw a crow antagonizing the osprey and really irritating the heck out of it. I wish I had gotten a picture of that. Poor osprey.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMb3bIGWVToM00NOm6cqYyg4hKtVnVi-kj7i_p5bSk16N8DF8oALuO1OQx__WtK9uofkZ1jW0T3dMuF5N9QalwNwzw4q3dY6fb7NWMk_Bkijgx6ARZRzzvt9aV3Melg6X4OFG_5B_s4AQ/s1600-h/IMG_6051.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMb3bIGWVToM00NOm6cqYyg4hKtVnVi-kj7i_p5bSk16N8DF8oALuO1OQx__WtK9uofkZ1jW0T3dMuF5N9QalwNwzw4q3dY6fb7NWMk_Bkijgx6ARZRzzvt9aV3Melg6X4OFG_5B_s4AQ/s320/IMG_6051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339813485167924274" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The fog bell: (see it up there at the base of the tower? They used that before they used foghorns. Originally it had a little wooden building it sat in-- kind of like an A-frame--but now it just sits outside).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZOI4XoFZQ2E6-rXU6ZHmF-qjgrZJRXf3s7g8exVcODkTwuSxqo18OKjbyQ6nKNUxD8VrUlh1wY-yxDo3l9s3COOy2-N0cNyBaNsezv8-GCmjaiO8rCkktrjmVbSgG_QUdydRiWy1Xw8/s1600-h/IMG_6049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZOI4XoFZQ2E6-rXU6ZHmF-qjgrZJRXf3s7g8exVcODkTwuSxqo18OKjbyQ6nKNUxD8VrUlh1wY-yxDo3l9s3COOy2-N0cNyBaNsezv8-GCmjaiO8rCkktrjmVbSgG_QUdydRiWy1Xw8/s320/IMG_6049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339813487337408338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A picnic spot...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnQCMEvjb2PeF5XJ8fxz_Wt8j0wOF7XwRGJ8B1FI1HYXkHD-fzM3IlJrkqK4HOVCJ12q81xCKvfFsHB1UasG4cgEJHiH92LTcJtF88X7VoHo7ragvtiFwntcUw9F9zUqZepy172ju9ck/s1600-h/IMG_6056.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnQCMEvjb2PeF5XJ8fxz_Wt8j0wOF7XwRGJ8B1FI1HYXkHD-fzM3IlJrkqK4HOVCJ12q81xCKvfFsHB1UasG4cgEJHiH92LTcJtF88X7VoHo7ragvtiFwntcUw9F9zUqZepy172ju9ck/s320/IMG_6056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339813495169423010" border="0" /></a><br />And X may mark the spot, but it's not all that obvious. Mibee hadn't figured out that I couldn't see it until we were right on top of it and then I felt really stupid and she laughed at me. The kids got their treasure and we put it back, and then we waited and watched for the next group to try to find it. It wasn't obvious to them, either.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhL_GEkzc55A__3x2ACVW3stf593_6P1645VKZ1VXpI6SDxhuaICgQCB7VpDOnXshAJAsN0Zua6ISCYA_9I2yvFQYtXcxipXrsupHpk43JmtQ_4yhtQ_4bHOcqSKL6zJkJwntmitWGdQ/s1600-h/IMG_6066.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhL_GEkzc55A__3x2ACVW3stf593_6P1645VKZ1VXpI6SDxhuaICgQCB7VpDOnXshAJAsN0Zua6ISCYA_9I2yvFQYtXcxipXrsupHpk43JmtQ_4yhtQ_4bHOcqSKL6zJkJwntmitWGdQ/s320/IMG_6066.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339816069253985970" border="0" /></a><br />So here's a pretty picture of the sunset...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8dJ4L-gmsQCIWUNy-W8YbUqgRfxRH_YaT_Frx9G08XA6yecZIcqIWdI_4wq16pZWMvx7mdVoX10THuKU_BfmcOyB8pRBmaY1kVjzILKZ1P-86codYam4PXdUpzGlF8JAKLQYOvmgfLo/s1600-h/IMG_6068.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8dJ4L-gmsQCIWUNy-W8YbUqgRfxRH_YaT_Frx9G08XA6yecZIcqIWdI_4wq16pZWMvx7mdVoX10THuKU_BfmcOyB8pRBmaY1kVjzILKZ1P-86codYam4PXdUpzGlF8JAKLQYOvmgfLo/s320/IMG_6068.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339817564819249826" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And a little while later we got to see the Light doing what it's best at... (Funny story: poor Maria tried a hundred times to get her camera to catch the flash at exactly the sixth second... but she kept missing it! Her camera had a delay on it and she just couldn't time it right. Me? I got it the <span style="font-style: italic;">very first try</span>! Hee hee!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5wpm-DaaDGo-noQ2UW85Wo_4VWsJ05RMp1dr34cAoLxEo_kKrQFIbMqbcb0zRVO6MyFJU4MU406Y1jf7JCU6bw3YiX9sjrgpQ3CYnM1EhZMg92uLO1WwKUROM20MRJSaNf9sZlzrHh4/s1600-h/IMG_6070.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5wpm-DaaDGo-noQ2UW85Wo_4VWsJ05RMp1dr34cAoLxEo_kKrQFIbMqbcb0zRVO6MyFJU4MU406Y1jf7JCU6bw3YiX9sjrgpQ3CYnM1EhZMg92uLO1WwKUROM20MRJSaNf9sZlzrHh4/s320/IMG_6070.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339817567776069938" border="0" /></a><br />We didn't go to bed for another couple of hours, but it was too dark to take any more decent pictures, so I'll just have to describe what we did. We headed into the Keeper's house and sat on the floor in the Living/Dining room. Elaine had done some extensive research learning what life was like for a lighthouse keeper, and she had collected many old photographs. What she did was hand each of us a copy of a photograph and had us describe what we thought was happening in the photo. Some were easy (a keeper milking a cow, for instance-- keepers who had cows didn't have to drink that disgusting canned milk!). Some were a little tougher: one man was cranking something but it was hard to tell what, and it turned out to be this weight system that turned the lantern to make it flash-- it was similar to the weight system in a cuckoo clock (the Burnt Island light needed to be cranked every six hours to keep it spinning-- the weights dropped down through the cylinder that the spiral staircase revolved around). My picture was of a little rowboat that was carrying a heavy fog bell, and some men were pulling it up the shoreline (with a rope-and-pulley system) to the lighthouse while another man stood on a plank to counterbalance the rowboat. Someone had a copy of this picture:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Nb1YtC2tqI4ppcBwRS7p4ZhkXN9DnrIdnh9akzD42XhlmkOd_rJ4T2RUb7L9IlfZVEcWY2pEo2PvWDQzE0H-iaGlQwR8xGQLfCUA-I3VnVqWXSBkeIpSj7C1E_xCOPc7Su4q6IdAWhs/s1600-h/oakley+alexander+postcard+from+Mum.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Nb1YtC2tqI4ppcBwRS7p4ZhkXN9DnrIdnh9akzD42XhlmkOd_rJ4T2RUb7L9IlfZVEcWY2pEo2PvWDQzE0H-iaGlQwR8xGQLfCUA-I3VnVqWXSBkeIpSj7C1E_xCOPc7Su4q6IdAWhs/s320/oakley+alexander+postcard+from+Mum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339821255853136962" border="0" /></a><br />...and I was like WHOA!! That's the wreck of the Oakley Alexander in 1947, and Nana and Grampie had gone to Cape Elizabeth to watch the rescue effort, and they had that picture-postcard as a memento (which Mum had kept and had scanned into her computer)! You have no idea how surprised I was to see that! I was like, I <span style="font-style: italic;">know </span>that picture! :)<br /><br />After looking at the pictures for a while, we had a few more things to do before going to bed. We learned a little bit more about some of the old gizmos and gadgets that were used "in the olden days"-- things like rug beaters and thunder jugs. One of the coolest things that was in the kitchen was a mason jar of tickets-- at first I thought they were the ration stickers from WWII, but no-- they were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S&H_Green_Stamps">S & H stamps</a> (the famous Green stamps that were precious to every frugal housewife), which of course makes a lot more sense. Turns out these belonged to the Muire family and they had never traded them in for the goods. A visitor to the island asked if the museum would like some old S & H stamp books, and of course they said yes--and so she sent them nearly a dozen, all partially filled in. Stuff like that fascinates me! It's the sort of thing that makes the museum seem very very real to me, very authentic.<br /><br />Then it was our turn to head up to the lantern room to watch the Light doing its very important job. Did you know the bulb is only about the size of your thumb? I knew the fresnel lens makes it seem a million times bigger so you only need a small source, but seeing the actual tiny bulb makes you think--<span style="font-style: italic;">huh</span>!<br /><br />Afterwards we all went into the covered walkway and sat against the wall for a Bioluminescence activity. (I should explain that the walkway no longer opens up into the tower base: the door is blocked off now--though you can still see it--and the old fresnel lenses that have been used over the years sit right in front of the door). This walkway is sloped due to the ledges beneath, so the windows look funny-- they are straight and level but the floor is not, so when you're inside it looks like the windows are tilted like badly-hung picture frames!<br /><br />We were each given a tiny speck of a sea animal that produces a luminescent material (like what's inside a firefly) and a bit of water to grind it up into. We rubbed our hands together and whoa!--they started glowing in the dark! It's like if you accidently break a glowstick and get the juice inside all over your hands. Cool beans!<br /><br />So then it was bedtime. The girls were very good about going right to bed and being very quiet. The boys, meanwhile, needed <span style="font-style: italic;">multiple </span>reminders. We were so quiet that we could hear everything the boys did, including this conversation:<br /><br /> "Um, Mr. Stevens?"<br /> "What <span style="font-style: italic;">now</span>?"<br /> "I forgot to spit out my gum."<br /> "How could you <span style="font-style: italic;">forget </span>to do that?"<br /> "Could I get it up and spit it out?"<br /> "No. Go to sleep."<br /> "But I need to spit it out!"<br /> "Can't you just forget about it?"<br /> "No. What am I going to do with it?"<br /> "Grr. Um-- just stick it on the bedpost!"<br /><br /> --at which ALL of us on the girls' side burst out laughing! All eighteen of us. It was great.<br /><br /> So finally everyone fell asleep, except for me... I just drifted for a while. I felt like I was waiting for something-- I don't know what. I'm not a light sleeper but I know I was this night-- every time anyone rolled over or coughed I was wide awake again. I almost felt anxious, like something was supposed to happen. Finally, in the middle of the night (probably at precisely 2:00), I heard this sudden downpour... and then I heard it:<br /><br /> ...<br /><br /> tooooooooooooooot<br /><br /> tooooooooooooooot<br /><br /> ...<br /><br /> tooooooooooooooot<br /><br /> tooooooooooooooot<br /><br /> ...<br /><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">That's</span> what I was waiting for. After that I was out like a light. It's funny how that sound is part of my subconscious, the background sounds of the ocean that I miss so very much. I am not meant to live so far inland that I can't hear the foghorn at night!Two Silver Catshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14616255664033737513noreply@blogger.com0