But before we left...

We headed for North Park to watch a Month of Mud race.  Andy and Tony raced on unicycles in the first race and Tony raced his mountain bike later in the day.  It was cold and rainy, as Month of Mud races tend to be (maybe that's why they are named that?)

Everyone huddled in a pavillion, waiting for the race to start.  They go on, rain or shine and it's usually rain!

Andy in black and yellow jacket, Tony in white helmet...

The course was marked with what appeared to be crime scene tape to me, but I think mud should be considered a crime, so it seemed appropriate.  The number of laps is determined by the leader of the class.  As many laps as he or she completes in 30 minutes plus one lap.  Dave, pictured below, was the leader...which is always expected.  That man has legs made of steel, I swear and HE'S ALWAYS SMILING!  Seriously...the workout on these races is unbelievable and yet Dave and Andy always smile as they are racing...???

The course went through a tunnel under the road, a pavilion and round trees and swing sets...Here's Andy coming through the pavilion with Tony right behind him (of course, Thing one and Thing two.)

Issac, one of the other "local" unicyclers came by looking a little muddy...

Tony didn't look all that clean by this point...

How do you steer when you don't have a steering wheel?  Here's a clue...

Also, as part of the course, there are obstacles set up.  There are rules as to how high they must be, how far apart...but all I know is that you have to stop, get off and carry your bike while running through the mud. 

Here's the end of the race.  Dave (with legs of steel) came in first in the unicycle division, Andy second and Tony third...You can just see Tony's head, he's behind the guy with the blue jacket.

After the race...my Thing one and Thing two!

I love that they do things together and seem to enjoy spending time with each other...

We wanted to get on the road...so we didn't stay for the bicycle race but we heard it was a muddy mess...

The road trip was a blast!  Details later!

Glad you stopped by...come back soon!

Road Trip!!!!

Yes, we're out and about!  This is our "practice" vacation.  In the past few years, every time we have time off, we head for the river.  This year, with all the construction going on out there, it didn't seem like a vacation for Mark (although he did not protest one bit), so we thought we'd like to take a trip or two...

But would we LIKE it?  No clue...so we thought we'd take a practice trip.  Four nights to our nation's capitol.  Lovely hotel with the BEST bed in the world...and pillows to die for...excellently good coffee and tons and tons of things to do (not to mention dinners with friends and family)...superb meals (the choices are endless...some of the best people watching...

Do we like it?

Duhhhhhhhhhh, of course we do!

Ahhhh.....finally!

After more than a month of dealing with computer issues, I (the cheapest most frugal) woman alive finally went out and bought a new laptop.  A shiny new laptop with a screen as big as a drive in movie, a keyboard that will acommodate long nails and speakers that will wake the snoring beast that sleeps next to me...

I'm excited!

While I was out there shopping for a few specific things:  jeans that fit me, jeans that made Mark look like he did not just fall off the turnip truck, a coffee maker and a camera bag big enough to hold all the photographic equipment I will probably never use since I have a love affair going with my latest zoomer, I realized that a new laptop was a necessity if  I was going to blog ever again.

So here I am, typing away while I am trying to gather my thoughts together so I can tell YOU where I've been and what's new here at the House on the Hill as well as all the news from The river.  (Note, the 'r' in river is not capitalized since Andy claims that THE RIVER is the St. Lawrence and as much as I love the Kiski, it just can't compete with THE RIVER!

Oh...it's so good to be back! 

Good grief, am I rambling again? 
See you soon,
J

THIS is what I saw last night...

I get no respect!

(We were at the Butler Farm Show)

I smell a rat!

Last week Andy and I went to visit Vicky and Jamie and got to spend some time with Peaches,

Vicky's rat who thinks she's a dog...

No, those are NOT my feet.  I find it difficult to put my feet on the floor when there is a huge white rat scurrying around...but Vicky has no problem with it...

In  fact, she LOVES Peaches!

A lot!

Go figger.....

Some things never change...

Going through some photos the other day and found this...

Andy and Tony, summer1990

After seeing this...

Tony and Andy, summer 2011...

I realized change is good but no change is fine too.

There is something going on at the river...

I haven't said much until now, but there is something going on at the river...it includes this...

and just a little of this...

some muscle power...

A little cooperation and family...

until you are so tired and sweaty...so you head for the river to clean up...

sit on the deck and pretend that there isn't a ton of work to be done...

Watch the neighbors swim

watch boats go by...

and know that once you use all this...

you'll be able to relax and see this...

from your deck each morning while you drink your coffee...

Yes!  We're moving.  Dragging up and moving on.  We have a new, double lot on the Kiski!  We're half moved with tons of construction in our future, but it will be worth it.  I'm soooo excited!

Zero to 60 in ... SIXTY YEARS?

Zero to 60 in ... SIXTY YEARS?

Ahhh, that darn birthday fairy got me again and this time it was a big one!  Yeppers, this year I turned the big six oh!  I had a long time to think about it, and I decided that the best way for a control freak to celebrate a big birthday was to throw herself a surprise party.  Figuring that my memory is about as long as I am tall (which is not much), I would forget and truly be surprised...

I really did want it to be a surprise, so I invited anyone and everyone, posted this on facebook to all my FB friends and mailed a similar one to those friends who are not FB friendly: 

For a few years, I wondered how I would celebrate my 60th birthday. Then, in a flash of confusion, it came to me. I'd throw myself a surprise party, I hope you can come!

Please, please PLEASE, no gifts. I have all I need and more. If you want to do something nice, bring a dish to share and your favorite beer mug, Mark and I will supply beer, pop, dogs, burgers and buns.

Come any time after 2, we will eat about 6. If you'd like to camp out, feel free to bring your tents and sleeping bags, I'll have coffee and donuts in the morning.

Oh...and if you are planning to bring your watercraft, please let me know early so we can arrange a slip for you!

I hope you can come...I'm so excited!

My dear friend, Nancy (not photographed because I was overwhelmed and left my camera on the table most of the day) came and brought me these wonderful flowers...

They are the exact color of orange sherbet!

Mark decided that all decor had to bear a number...a very significant number...

But I have to tell you about the best surprise...Tony and I were sitting on the swing when a car with out-of-state plates pulled in...Out of the car comes my mother...and, well, here is the rest of the gang:  Anthony, the birthday girl, Aunt Helen, Mom and Kathy, Anthony's wife.

I get a teary eyed just looking at this photo.  Aunt Helen (my dad's sister, her son Anthony and A's wife Kathy) came from Maryland!  From what I hear, they took the idea of surprise party farther than the river...they 'popped in' on most or the relatives in the area...

My cousin Anthony (we have tons of Anthonys in our family) is a die hard Washington Capitals fan, but other than that, is a really cool guy.  He and Mark enjoyed a few mugs of beer (note, Mark is drinking out of a Penguins mug)...

While Mom and Aunt Helen sat on the swing and chatted...

A couple of days before my birthday, Mark noticed that my nose was red...too much sun!

So I did what he suggested and went out and bought a hat...

That hat got a lot of use that day...

 I didn't get to wear it, but it sure got around!

As the day went on, the temperature kept going up.  Some of us just looked good, like Vicky...

 Jon and TJ, Andy's friends, and Andy!

Some of us got ready to head for the river to cool off like Tony and Andy.  Do you think those life jackets will support their weight?

Some went for boat rides...

 Some just jumped in...

 Looks like Tony caught himself a mermaid!

 Tyler jumped in but they had a heck of a time getting him back out!

Some tried to work off all the food they ate, like Andy...

Most were on best behavior but if my boys are there, there are bound to be a few pranks.  I'm not sure who hung Brent and Cassie's bikes in the tree, but I'm willing to bet Andy and Tony had something to do with it...

 I had such a good time, I'd turn sixty all over again just to have everyone get together again! 

 I hated to see this day end, but the next day was hot and sunny so after church I came back and we all jumped in the boat to play in the water again.  It's like the place where you never have to grow up!

  Come back tomorrow to see how they did!