Flyover of the UK - Mission Accomplished

We got back last night and the main goals of our trip were accomplished.  We saw new friends and old.  We met 2 great nieces for the first time AND we did a lot of interviewing live relatives about those who have died.

Our first two days were spent with Andy and Jake in their flat in Islington.  Unfortunately Miriam is working way too hard in all part of Europe so we missed seeing her.  We toured St Paul's with Andy and the three of us walked to the top for spectatular views.  Blog post to follow!

We spent a night with Rod's good friends Anne and Dave, who we have not seen for 14 years.  Where does the time go?  We had never met their youngest Laura, who just turned 17, and we reacquainted ourselves with Katie and their dog Kiera.

Then a wonderful trip to the North to meet Olive and Winter, and we took the obligatory trip to the beach in South Shields, where the wind was strong, the water was cold, and we dipped our feet into it. 

And we photographed grave stones and houses where family lived, only getting shouted at by one current occupant, who calmed down when we told her Rod's Aunt and Uncle lived there 27 years ago.

We went to the British Museum while in London, and Saltwell Park in Gateshead, where the family spent many Sunday afternoons.

Obviously this is a picture blog post, and a picture is worth a thousand words, so this is a really long post.

More to follow.

Cannot live without a furry beast around the house!

People who know us well, know that our beloved Qammi and brilliant Autumn died last year. It was a sad sad year for animals in the Russell/Lowe/Swartzbaugh house. We have had an animal in the house or barn since 1987 when I snuck the first little kitty into the house under the nose of my new husband. I knew he would not go for a dog, although that came 2 years later. At one point we had 3 cats, a dog and a horse.

Since December, every time I drive up the street, I expect a brown nose to be poking out from under the shade, to greet me. This week we are taking care of two rambunctious dogs and I realized that I MUST HAVE AN ANIMAL around the house.

Concurrent with this, Bee returns from Turkey on May 2nd and we were thinking of a welcome home gift for her. When we had squirrels in the winter, one solution on Murg's facebook entry was to have a cat. Bee asked recently on Skype "Now, that the squirrels are gone are you still considering a cat?"

So all of these forces of nature are coming together and on May 3rd we will be making a trip to the pound to choose a kitty. I don't want this kitty to scratch my furniture, so Bee's solution is to buy a scratching post, take it to the pound and see which feline is attracted to it.

This is her cat BTW, and as soon as she has an apartment where she can keep the cat either legally or illegally (2 bunnies lived illegally in her dorm room last year at Hampshire and then lived at our house last summer. I would rather have a cat than bunnies!), then it leaves 22 Hayes Lane for greener pastures, or apartments as the case may be.

Nordic Skating - who knew I could fly across the ice

Yesterday at Coniston we went to North Hero to repeat our 2 mile trek out to Knight Island. Last year there were a few inches on snow on the ice, so we walked out. We also had Qammi with us and she thought we were crazy to be out on the ice. In fact she did not want to leave Knight Island to come back to the shore, since she could not see the shore from the island.

Yesterday was an entirely different experience. There is almost no snow at all, and Hero's Welcome which is a country store in North Hero rents nordic skates. Google them to see what they are like. For me, after I got up my courage, it was like flying across the ice. The movement is very similar to cross country skiing and you have poles for balance. Even with the poles I managed to fall twice, but that did not matter. You can get gliding pretty fast on these nordic skates.

The ice was beautiful and for the most part smooth. The sun came from behind the clouds, and away we went. G and J and the Svenson Jas family. Some of our party had regular skates on, but Murg and I rented these skates. Regular skates are not as good on parts of the ice. The nordic skates are much better when there are bumps on the ice or paths where snow mobiles, or trucks (yes trucks) have gone across the ice.

Looking down at the ice was a bit eerie. You could see at least 8-10 inches in most places so it felt pretty safe. What was disconcerting were the cracks and settling of ice that you could hear. This sounds like gun shots in the distance, but we realized it was ice melting and settling and cracks occurring in the ice. The Svenson Jas family who were with us, had a crack form in a few directions, right in front of them.

Once or twice, I got going pretty fast and wished that I were a bit more adventurous. That being said, I did feel like I was flying over the ice, and I think these will be a purchase for next winter or maybe later this winter if the ice holds out.

10 miles south of where we were, in Burlington in the open part of Lake Champlain there is no ice on the lake, but in Colchester Bay, and in the bay in front of North Hero, the ice is thick and safe and very exciting.

Who knew I could fly across the ice?

Half Full for sure

I am pretty sure I am a half full person. Recent evidence to this is all this rain we have been getting in New England. Twice today I left my office, went down in the elevator and did not realize that there was a torrential rainstorm going on until I reached the revolving door to the building. I can see outside from my office so it is not just that I could not see the outside. I just did not expect it to be raining. My response each time was, "so I will get a bit wet!" There was a gentleman at the door as I was leaving tonight during the second torrential rainstorm. He was aghast that I was even thinking about leaving to go to my car. So my clothes are pretty wet, but that is certainly not the end of the world.

Glass half full can actually be a problem. I don't see pot holes and step in them. I trust people, sometimes when I should not trust them. I expect people to receive messages the same way I do, and they don't.

I actually think this rain is going to stop some day, maybe even today. My supply list for building an ark is not started. "There must be a pony in here somewhere" is the tag line of a card I once received as the person was standing neck deep in a pile of pony #@$)*(#.

Mini reunion in Mesquite

This past weekend we traveled to Las Vegas and then drove to Mesquite for a mini reunion, where my cousin and his wife and my aunt and uncle live. Other than a brief severe health scare at the end of the last evening, we have a great time. We are all going to learn the Heimlich maneuver as mandatory training before our next reunion.

I will never be gambler. Slot machines the minute you de-plane and smoke filled casinos are just not my cup of tea.

These are my cup of tea:
Spas, massages, pedicure and Settlers with the cousins
Beautiful majestic countryside and vistas that seem to go on forever with colors
you only see in the West
Wonderful time with family
Sharing stories of growing up in Colorado
Hearing stories I forgot or never knew
Laughing so hard I cannot catch a breath
The smell of rosemary everywhere
Supporting our generation as the prior one faces increasing health issues

Busy times and fun trips

This time of year always gets busy. This weekend we are in Nevada at a deGanahl/Russell family reunion. These are the cousins that we grew up with on the Lazy EH Ranch in Colorado. I wish more of us could get there, but whoever is there is exactly who should be there I guess. We have another opportunity for a reunion in August, when my cousin Nancy's son Galen is getting married, so that means another trip to Colorado.

In June we are off to Salt Lake City for General Assembly, Star in July, England in September to celebrate M's 70th birthday and hopefully Thailand to visit B for Christmas. In looking at a map, we are pretty much halfway around the world when we get to Thailand.

There are times in our lives when we are busier than others, but it feels like we are ramping up for a busy few months. Not that I am complaining, coz it is all good stuff.

Happy Happy Dog and I am learning to take videos

I recently made an impulse buy of a Flip video. I was not exactly sure what I would use it for but I knew one thing I wanted to capture was Qammi, our chocolate lab as she does "her roll". At the beginning of almost every walk, and sometimes in the middle of the walk, she rolls. More than one fellow walker has commented, "Boy, does she look happy." This started maybe 4 - 5 years ago. I often think that we should all overcome our inhibitions and roll like she does, or do something in our life that makes us this happy. What is she thinking as she rolls? Why does she roll? Anyway, this combined with my amateur video production seemed like a good post. A picture is worth a thousand words. Excuse me while I learn to use my new Flip.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znINGFl8vfs

ʎɐp sןooɟ ןıɹdɐ ʎddɐɥ

˙ǝʇısqǝʍ ǝɥʇ oʇ ʞɔɐq ǝɔɐɹʇ ɐ puɐ ǝʇɐpdn ʞooqǝɔɐɟ ɐ pɐɥ oɥʍ 'ı oʇ sʞuɐɥʇ sı ǝƃɐssǝɯ sıɥʇ ˙ɟǝıןǝɹ ǝןʇʇıן ɐ sı sıɥʇ 'sʍǝu ǝɥʇ uı dɐɹɔ ǝɥʇ ןןɐ ɥʇıʍ ˙ǝuoʎɹǝʌǝ ʎɐp sןooɟ ןıɹdɐ ʎddɐɥ 'ooɥ ʎuɐ ¿sʍouʞ oɥʍ ˙ɯıɥ puɐɯıɹdǝɹ ʇouuɐɔ noʎ ʇɐɥʇ ǝןıɯs ɥsıdɯı uɐ sɐɥ ǝɥ ǝqʎɐɯ ˙ǝɔɐןd ɟo ʇno ɹıɐɥ ǝןƃuıs ɐ ɥʇıʍ ʎɐʍɐ ʇǝƃ ʇou pןnoɔ sn ɟo ʇsǝɹ ǝɥʇ ˙ʎuunɟ ʎɹǝʌ sɐʍ ǝɥ ʇɥƃnoɥʇ uınɾ ǝɯɐpɐɯ ˙sɹǝdɐd ɥɔuǝɹɟ sıɥ uo spɹɐʍʞɔɐq ǝʌısɹnɔ uı ǝɯɐu sıɥ ǝʇıɹʍ oʇ pǝsn sǝןɹɐɥɔ ɹǝɥʇoɹq ʎɯ ˙ǝuoʎɹǝʌǝ ʎɐp sןooɟ ןıɹdɐ ʎddɐɥ ˙sıɥʇ ɟo ʞuıɥʇ ʇou ı pıp ʎɥʍ 'ʍoʍ

and the website in case I ever need it

http://www.whatsmyip.org/upsidedowntext/