When I moved into the nabe five years ago, it was late one night as I was unpacking a load from the car and there came this friendly little hello from the porch next door. I couldn’t see who it was, but it was certainly a welcoming tone from the impish little voice coming through the railing. He always spoke in “uptalk” as I liked to call it, his little voice ending in crescendo with every phrase or sentence. As it turned out he would be there with the same cheery greeting whenever you saw him.
As my eyes adjusted to the light, I could see this little two year old standing there with his father, barely able to see through the railing. He was my welcoming committee, and over the next few years, he and his mom and dad would become the best friends and neighbors you could ever want.
Then the move. You hate it when people you come to know and love find circumstance pulling them away from you. It doesn’t seem fair to anyone, but you kind of have to accept it. The only bonus is when they come back to visit and you get to reconnect. Watching those kids change and grow leaves you with strange sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Like you’re somewhat a part of their history so you get credit for their future, too. Hey, I knew you when you were barely able to talk and look at you now.
It leaves you feeling a little older, too!
Well, like most young families, they grow a bit here and there. Theirs did, too. Now there is Lucy, little sister of Eli. Just as cute and about the same age now as the little fellow who greeted me from the porch all those five years ago.
Last year I snapped a few pics of them while they were here. This year, I updated Lucy’s picture while her mom fed her a bowl of cereal at my table. They’re both awesome kids, and adorable…..even with a face full of Gerber’s. Here’s to great neighbors and the people who become such a part of your life, just because you moved in next door.
What is summer without a trip to camp!? When I was just a pup it was the highlight of my summer to go off to camp. That meant a week of semi-independent freedom and plenty of new friends and some old ones, too. Of course water was always a big part of any camp experience whether it was the pool at church camp or the lake at 4-H camp.
Fortunately for me, I still get to go to camp every summer. It’s just not exactly filled with activities like making beaded Indian headbands or the Womanless Beauty Contest (second runner up in the 4th grade). But it still has plenty of water and lots of old friends, and every year a few new ones make it up there, too.
So for the past few weeks I have been at Camp, which for the uninitiated southerner is the Yankee term for a shack, cottage, or house at the lake. You see, they would never say anything like “We’re going to the lake house for the weekend” but rather “We’re going up to Camp”. Means the same thing, but I suppose it takes some of the pretentiousness out of the former. Ours happens to be right on the lake, but a camp doesn’t have to be and lots are built behind the main lake front camps, and those are called “backlotters”. It all makes for a laid back and relaxing atmosphere that seems uniquely Adirondack life.
Camp is located in South Broadalbin, New York and it is right at the southern tip of the Adirondacks. It is on The Great Sacandaga Lake which just happens to be one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen. Camp is located at the widest part of the lake so it is around 5 miles from shore to shore at that point. The Adirondack mountain range makes for a scenic back drop to our beach, and there is also a small island appropriately named Sand Island about a half mile off shore which lends itself to the recreational charm and beauty of Camp as well. Here’s a shot from the beach…
Camp was built in 1932 and is nothing short of perfectly charming and homey. It is vintage and authentic, inside and out. The large wrap around porch filled with rocking chairs, games, card tables, and an icy cold 1930’s GE fridge are almost all you need. Add to that a huge lawn, private beach and gorgeous view….you just can’t go wrong. Anyone interested in exploring beautiful New York state couldn’t go wrong with a stay at Camp, and it is available for rental all but the two weeks we have in July. Check it out here if interested.
Well, getting back to our stay this year, it seems everyone had a great time. The weather was a little crazy (seems to be a New York thing this year….snowstorm in the middle of April should have been a warning) as I don’t think it got up past 65 on July 4th, but there were some awesome summer sun-filled days as well.
Didn’t get out to other locales around Camp for exploring as much as I would have liked but there was plenty going on around Camp for entertainment. Around the Fourth, lot’s of friends and family started showing up to spend the holiday with us and we had a spectacular fireworks show that thrilled the kids and scared the dogs as usual.
So now I’m back and actually enjoying all that is going on in Roanoke, too. Great friends and a great city make for a great Life. Lot’s of nice clients and potential clients are making for a busy end of summer, but I suppose I will get in a short trip or two before fall rolls around.
Life is good…..but does it ever fly by. So make the best of it and don’t wait for retirement to enjoy it all and get out! Here are just a few shots from my trip. My family, my friends, the places and things that make my Life great.
Hope you’re enjoying your summer!
Tripped up to DC last weekend to see Dale and Caroline who are back in the States from Jakarta. They’re here for about two months where they can catch up with their peeps and show off their cute as a button, brand spankin’ new baby Allison.
It was great to see them as the last time was at their wedding there more than two years ago. We hung out with them Saturday and Sunday in between their visits to other family and friends. We strolled around Sunday with them, went to the Sunday market in Dupont Circle and then took the Metro down to Pennsylvania Ave and the Mall.
This is one of the coolest new building facades I have seen in DC and there is building everywhere there now. The pic doesn’t do it justice but I tried. A little too overcast to show off the brilliant colors of limestone, but the carving is pretty clear…
Capital Pride was having their parade and festival on Penn Ave this weekend so we all walked around through that (some bitchin antique cars on display there)….
and then over to the National Mueum of the American Indian which had been on the must see list for some time. This museum is spectacular in design inside and out. Just a real joy to hang out there and look at all the detail. Crowds are nowhere near where they were when it first opened. I think back then you had to stand in line for about 2 hours just to get in. Here are a few shots inside and out…
It was an awesome weekend. Stayed at The Brickskeller Inn. While not exactly fancy, it’s in a great DC location, reasonable, and has the famous Brickskeller bar on the first floor. The Brickskeller has the world’s largest beer list with over 4000 beers. Just about any beer you could possibly want. Great atmosphere in a premier DC neighborhood.
Saturday was kind of an unexpected treat with the Capital Pride Parade starting right outside our hotel. No question there was a lot of pride in that parade and the crowd was huge. It looked like everyone in DC came out for it, and just about anyone with local name recognition was in it. I’ll close this with a few shots of the parade….it was hard to contain myself with all that COLOR !!
She started showing up on the porch one day and pretty soon she was sleeping in one of the cushioned porch chairs every night. No collar, no tags (you really do have to tag your cat in Roanoke!) and she looked a little thin.
 So we adopted her.
But we really didn’t know what to do. Was she spayed? Did she have shots? Called Angels of Assisi and set up a budget “the works” package as we really didn’t want to invest in the cat until we knew she didn’t belong to anyone. So we got the first appointment which was more than a month away. No problem.
Then the rabies scare. My son comes home with reports that there was a rabit cat in the neighborhood that bit a dog and they had to put it down. Yikes! The cat didn’t LOOK like it had rabies. What to do!
By this time we decided that there wasn’t anyone looking out for the cat so we were going to name it and let it in the house. Olive the Cat….mostly because of her color but partially because of a really funny story a friend tells about high school gym class. Anyway, the cat is named but we feel certain an emergency trip to the vet is in order to get a rabies shot prior to the Angels of Assisi spa treatment.
So I picked a vet, took her for shots, found out she was already spayed and back home she comes almost $ 100 later. Really only planned on the $ 17 rabies shot but when I found out she didn’t need spaying…what the heck give her the works.
All was fine until later that week I’m out in the back yard chatting with Dana James, Roanoke’s premier stained glass artist (be sure to check her out on the Roanoke City Market) who happens to be my neighbor. Well, to make a long story short, Dana calls the cat by name……but not Olive….another name! As I inquired further, lo and behold Olive belongs to the “kitty corner” (pun intended :)) back door neighbor who we really don’t know very well.
CRAP! $ 100 down the drain not to mention that we really had taken a liking to Olive, and she to us….obviously.
Turns out that Olive is the cat child of a person who works at night and may not be home a lot. So THAT is why she adopted us. Plus the fact that we have a totally awesome front porch that anyone could enjoy….with or without refreshing adult beverages. But I digress. It turns out that Olive will really adopt anyone in the immediate area who takes her in. Apparently she has made her rounds.
So we pretty much kicked Olive out of the house. Shoo cat….go back home where you belong as your REAL owner surely misses you….sometime!
Well, Olive really refuses to abandon us so after a few weeks she has gradually squirmed her way back into having house priveleges. Which is ok by me…cause she really makes the place look homey. And she is an awesome cat. Beautiful colors and markings, friendly, and she goes outside! Bonus.
So this blog is dedicated to Olive the Cat. The cat whose home is wherever she lays her Cat Hat down. I think you really are OUR cat.
What a great day to have a birthday! Everyone’s happy cause spring is in the air, playing April Fools on each other. Yep, an April Fools birthday has to rank right up there with the best.
Somehow, even though spring officially begins in March…April 1st just seems to be solid proof that spring really has arrived. Just the word April makes me think about getting out in the garden, and even the thought of mowing the grass is kind of exciting this time of the year. That won’t last long!
It’s also time to clean up around here and that is exactly what we did yesterday on Clean Valley Day in Roanoke. Gave Downtown Wasena a good pick up and admired all of the new trees that we planted last year along the exit from the bridge and the village center. The cherry trees were spectacular in their first year (sorry no picture) and it looks like the Chinese Elms are leafing out now, too. All of that August watering is paying off.
The night watchman at the Cheshire Gallery was keeping and eye on things..
And the window at the gallery is looking really nice, too…
Went to the VT UVA hockey game last night and unfourtunately we lost 3-1, but the second and third periods were hard fought.
Then downtown to Macadoos for a few beers with friends.
Today, it is my official birthday and I got some really cool stuff. Been wanting a Mint Julep cup to make my Mint Juleps a little more authentic. Got this awesome cup with my initials engraved in it. Can’t wait to use it!! Speaking of which, I noted the mint is leafing out as well so Mint Juleps on the porch are not too far off. Actually had a Mojito last night as discovered kind of late that all of the bourbon is gone…hmmm.
And I also got a copy of Eldest….
….the sequal to Eragon, which I am totally looking forward to reading. Picked up Eragon at Dulles last year just before leaving for Bangkok, hoping to read it on the trip. It started off kind of slow and I lost interest, so didn’t read much of it on the trip. But when I got back, I picked it up again and was I really glad that I did. It may start slow, but Eragon is definitely a page turner past the first 50 or so pages. Can’t wait to see the movie, too.
Well, out to the garden. Tomatoes are looking good…
….so better be ready to plant them. The garden needs A LOT of work right now. But hey….spring is here!
A day filled with “eventness” !! Parade at noon was LONG this year, and COLD and WINDY…..kind of seems like a tradition. Headed down with Paula, James and Becky…
then next door neighbor Jim showed up a bit later…
and it was a great parade, Roanoke style. Then after the parade we had lunch at Paul’s where you can get the best value in Roanoke. A Gyro Platter which includes a Greek Salad, gyro and fries for only $ 4.75. AWESOME!
Caught this sure sign of spring on the way to and from the house…
Then down to the City Market where the great controversy is brewing over the Center in the Square project to take over part of the vendor stalls. Found this cool dude at Walter’s Greenhouse stall…
Then we met up with Pam and Stork for a beer tasting at the Jeff Center which was pretty decent. Bowl with and a Cheesy Western at the Texas Tavern before we headed back to the Jeff Center for the Second Wynde concert.
Then….as if we hadn’t already done enough…..off to The Green Dolphin where Bebop Hoedown was playing. They sounded great.
Now, I’m beat and have to still finish painting the living room. Will be SO glad when the upstairs project is over. But the floors look great and we should be able to move back in by Tuesday.
Here’s a few more parade pix. Later!
