Halloween 2012

Halloween was strange this year.  Since we had had no school on the days leading up to the 31st due to the hurricane, there was no build up or anticipation.  I woke Henry up on Halloween morning and I had to remind him of the day.  His school was planning a parade in the afternoon and class parties.  We received a call the day before to let the parents know that school was on as well as the parties but the parade was conditional based on the weather.  I sent his costume to school with Henry and planned to go in at 1:45 for the party.  The weather was dreary all day with occasioal sprinkles.  Luckily the parade went off as scheduled.  It was very chilly and windy, but we got to see all the costumes.



 Henry was a Mummy.

Several local townships and the entire state of NJ had rescheculed Trick-or-treating for later in the week.  Our town had few trees and wires down and no lingering power outages. So Halloween was on! Henry and John headed out for Trick-or-treating around 6:30.  We got no one at our house.  Henry came home with quite a haul.  John said he was often offered extra candy because the turn out was light.  Grace went out a Katniss from the Hunger Games with her friends from school.  Frances stayed home with me. 

Hurricane Sandy October 29-30

We survived Hurricane Sandy without losing power or sustaining any damage from wind or water.
The weekend before was spent preparing for the storm.  We stockpiled batteries, candles, water, etc.  The generator was moved into position and filled with gas.  We cleaned the yard of possible flying objects like toys, lawn furniture, etc.
Monday morning was very rainy and windy.  It got worse as the day progressed.

 

We spent the day playing games, doing crafts and trying to ignore the storm.  All the schools and colleges in the area had announced closures for both Monday and Tuesday.  Local authorities urged people to stay home. Businesses were closed.

Henry and Frances decorated plain white pillowcases.


























Our only pumpkin got a makeover with googly eyes, a lime-peel smile and an acorn nose.

We played Perfection, Lego Games and Millbournes along with Wii Just Dance.

Tuesday we made homemade soft pretzels.

 

Beaver Encounter

The weekend of September 28 through October 1 was the Wiedmann Women's Weekend. This year we stayed at Karen's cabin.  We had beautiful weather - in the 60's during the day, and into the 40's at night, and mostly clear. During the weekend we took several long walks.  We hiked up the back road and then down the power line.  It was here that we saw fresh bear tracks in the mud.  Four of us hiked into the bush and found Balancing Rock where Celia gathered ferns for her backyard pond.  On Sunday the Mossy Spring was our destination.  While at the Spring we discovered the Bear Wallow where we imagine bears come to cool off in the heat. 




We found Red Efts, a newly emerged Buck Moth, a Luna Moth Caterpillar, and lots of fungi.  No dead squirrels, though!

On Sunday, Karen, Meg and Celia had to head home.  That left Mom, Agnes and myself with plans to stay until Monday.

Around dusk we decided to go beaver hunting.  We got out the canoe, paddles, life jackets and dressed in our warmest coats.  We headed downstream to check out the dam which is now being built in a horseshoe shape.  We canoed upstream and checked out 4 beaver lodges along the way.  The water is quite high so we were able to angle in pretty close to each dam.  Agnes was in the back of the canoe, Mom in the middle, I was in front.  After making a survey of the lagoon we paddled back down stream and parked ourselves on some pickerel weed about 15 feet from the beaver lodge near Stillwater.  We sat there for 20 minutes or so waiting to see some beaver activity.  It was getting dark quickly.  Suddenly we heard chewing across the stream.  Agnes and I heard chewing; Mom didn't hear it at first.  We listened for quite a while.  It sounded like at least two beavers.  At one point we heard water noises at the lodge we were near and then a big beaver slapped his tail not far away.  Suddenly the creek was swarming with beavers clearly agitated that we were so close to the lodge.  They slapped and swam.  We stayed as quiet and still as we could while craning our necks to see where the beavers were.  Finally, the beavers gave up and we no longer saw or heard them. 

We had been sitting  in that one spot for about an hour.  Agnes told Mom and I to just sit still while she paddled us further downstream. (She is so the oldest sister!)  Agnes maneuvered the canoe silently toward the lodge between Karen's cabin and Stillwater.  As we got closer we could hear chewing quite loudly along with vocalizations that sounded like a baby whimpering.  Instead of stopping to take it all in, Agnes paddled us into the pickerel weed just feet from the lodge!  It sounded like the beavers were chewing just inches from the front of the canoe.  It was totally dark and we didn't have any flashlights but the Moon was on the rise.  Finally the moon crested the trees and cast our shadow over the beavers.  We were spotted! The beavers immediately stopped chewing and started slapping and swarming and making us feel like the invaders we were.  I must admit that I was scared.  One beaver looked big enough to overturn the canoe!  After listening to them chew, I wanted no part of those teeth!  The beavers tried to get us to leave, but Agnes wanted us to stay - so we did.  Eventually the beavers gave up and vacated the vicinity.  By now we had been out in the canoe for close to two hours.  We were all chilled.  My hands and legs were freezing! We reluctantly headed back to the cabin.  Thank god we had Celia's tomato soup to warm us up (Thanks, Celia!). 

Monday morning we headed back out in the canoe to see what the light would show.  We saw fresh chewed sticks on the various lodges.  When we stopped at the lodge at Stillwater,  I thumped on the structure to see how sturdy it was.  My thumping elicited beaver vocalizations like we had heard the night before.  They started out low then got higher and more panicky eventually stopping completely.  That was the only beaver signs that morning. 


 

I will put the link Agnes found that has the sounds on it.  This was truly an amazing experience.  It took alot of patience, sitting still and quiet, but it was worth getting so cold. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/beaver/?source=A-to-Z

Rock and Roll Half Marathon - Sunday, September 16, 2012

On Sunday, September 16th, I participated in the Philadelphia Rock and Roll Half Marathon.  Since I had finished the Broad Street Run (10 miles) in May, I figured now would be the best time to try for the 13.1 mile half marathon distance.  I trained hard all summer.  Getting up early so that I wouldn't be running in the heat.  I even ran 3 days while on vacation in New England! 

This race was the best organized of any races I have ever done.  Packet pick-up was on Saturday at the Philadelphia Convention Center.  I was expecting a mob scene.  John dropped me off at the door and planned to circle the area until I called to tell him I was done.  I was in and out in 15 minutes! 




On race day John, Madeline and I headed to the start at Eakins Oval in front of the Art Museum.  We found an open on street (FREE!) spot as soon as we exited the Vine Street Expressway.  The staging area had tons of Port-a-potties.  The ones we used were still clean and untouched!  We wandered around for awhile waiting for the start.  We climbed the Art Museum steps and took some great photos.




When I signed up for the race I estimated my finish time to be around 2 hours - so I was in start corral #12.  I headed to my corral and waited to begin.  I'm pretty sure I crossed the start line before 8:30.  We headed passed Logan Circle toward the Delaware River and turned back toward the Art Museum at 4th Street.  It was weird running through the empty city.  The race features bands every mile or so which gave me something to mark the miles.  When I passed Logan's Circle and the fountain on the way back, John and Madeline were there to cheer me on and take pics.  The runners continued around the Museum onto Kelly Drive all the way to the Falls River Bridge which we crossed over to head back along the West River Drive. 

I felt pretty good the entire race. The weather was perfect - sunny, low humidity and in the 60's.  I got water or Gatorade at every water stop.  I had a packet of GU that I ate by mile 7.  I picked up a new GU at mile 9. After the 10 mile mark there was a Christian rock band wearing kilts and playing bagpipes - very strange!  Then I started to feel my left knee get tight.  My breathing was fine and I was having no stomach issues.  I used my yoga breathing to power trough the last 3 miles. 

I finished in 2 hours 3 minutes 7 seconds, which I am very proud of.  John and Mads met me at the end. I ran the whole way (except when I needed to drink - I still haven't mastered running and drinking!).  My left knee was aching the next few days.  I was limping quite a bit.  I have run a few times since and my knee s not happy.  I am taking a break from running.  I will swim, do yoga and Zumba.  But I'll be back. 

Color Run

My three girls, Madeline, Grace and Frances, participated in the Color Run in Philadelphia in early July. The Color Run is a 3.1 mile (5K) in which at various points in the race the runners are painted with powdered color. 


Clean and white

Participants are required to wear white. So the girls wore matching outfits.

 

First color pink



Post pink

It was a beautiful day in Philadelphia. The event began and ended in front of the Art Museum. A heat wave was upon us, so the organizers decided to start the race at 7 AM instead of 8:30AM.  Since the train from our area doesn't run that early on a Sunday we had John and Henry drop us off near the start . 
 


Last color yellow

Eakins Oval was jammed with runners - over 24,000! Each group of 500 was sent off in waves about 3 minutes apart.

Almost finished

When the girls finally took off I ended up running alongside for the first mile to take photos. Then I doubled back and ran from the finish to mile 2 for more photos. It was a kaleidoscope of color!

Into the crowd of color after the race

At the finish each runner had a packet of color that they threw into the crowd. The girls were covered in color by the end.   

Philadelphia Museum of Art



Multi-colored hair



Frances sweating color



Grace in living color



Madeline's super white teeth

Our plan was to take the train home.  Thankfully the girls weren't the only Color-Runners on the train.  We received lots of starnge looks.  Upon exiting our seats, I noticed a heavy dusting of color was left behind!



Ben Franklin Parkway and City Hall



Beach Pond 2012

Four Level Pyramid

 We had another fantastic vacation at Beach Pond!  The week flew by.  The weather was beautiful - warm and sunny almost everyday we were there.  The kids spent hours with their cousins - swimming, kayaking, and hanging out on the floating dock.

 It was nice to see so many of the cousins and aunts, uncles, etc.  Everyone seemed to get along great, creating their own forms of entertainment.



Jumping off the cliffs was a must for all the kids - the higher the better!



Paul set up a ramp and then rode a bike off the dock into the lake.  Click on video to watch his first jump.

Watching the kids ride off the dock

Party on the pontoon boat!  Link to see Henry dancing on You Tube:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H55cnW168U&feature=plcp

Sherry took Frances for quite a wild ride on the jet ski.  They both fell off a few times.



 Henry's personal hot tub.

Grace eating a hamburger!

Paulie promised Grace he would teach her to drive his BIG truck if she ate a hamburger.  She managed to complete the task.







Fisherboy photo 2012





Thank you to our wonderful hosts!  We love you!



Summer 2012 - Part 2

July 2012 was a very busy month.  Swim team with the Darley Dragons was in full swing with Grace, Frances and Henry all swimming.  Henry had improved so much that the team had him swimming up an age with the 8 year olds. He did very well at championships finishing 8th overall in freestyle and 18th overall in 8 and under breaststroke.  Frances and Grace also did well at champs.  Frances took 6th in breaststroke, 10th in the IM and both her medley and free relays came in 8th.  Grace was limited in her strokes due to her shoulder issues.  Although she did not place (the 18 & under bracket is the largest and arguably the most difficult bracket to swim in), she did do well in both the 100 free and the 50 breaststroke. 


Frances had an amazing year in softball as well.  Her 12 and under Chichester Thunder Travel team came in first place in the DelVal "A" Division.  Her team had an undefeated season going 17-0 with 3 shutouts.  Frances pitched in the championship game with no walks.

Meg's croaker

My first fish!

In late July, I finally took my mom on the promised deep sea fishing trip.  Meg and Agnes came along too.  We drove to Wildwood, NJ and signed up for Ladies Day on a boat called the Royal Flush.  The trip was really fun.  The crew took good care of us - showing us how to use our poles, providing bait and even removing our fish from the hooks.  Meg caught the only keeper, a croaker.  The crew even cleaned and filleted  her fish.  The water was a bit rough at times. Agnes caught a very small shark and a king fish.  I caught a couple of weakies.  Mom caught a croaker too.  After the 4 hour trip, we headed to the beach and walked out to the ocean.  We had a delicious seafood dinner at Urie's before heading home.




Mom deep sea fishing

Agnes caught a shark