tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77956854942631653922024-03-14T04:22:03.751-04:00Ava TalesGammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-36065982750717742822011-07-09T07:24:00.002-04:002011-07-09T08:04:54.203-04:00Pre-school GraduationAs her graduation day approached, I saw Ava walking around the kitchen with something in her hand. When I finally asked what was that she was carrying, she said, "Something that will make me cry when I look at it after graduation." It was a picture of her class, at their field trip to the fire station. In the picture she's at Ms V's side, with a grin on her face and two fingers stuck up in a "peace" sign.<br /><br />That was the first indication we had that she was going to miss her two days a week in Ms V's class. During the year she had had her ups and downs with it, sometimes really not wanting to go, but during these final weeks she seemed to feel a deeper sense of belonging to the class and the school. She had gone on field trips on the school bus without us and looked forward to library every Thursday - she was rock solid with school.<br /><br />Gram and Gramp went with us to the Kindergarten orientation meeting in the school cafeteria, where all the future kindergartners were taken in groups on a school bus ride. Ava confidently marched up to join the line for her bus ride and, with only a little glance back and a small wave, went off to the buses while we remained behind to listen to the principal and the guidance counselor and the school nurse describe school life and what to expect during the coming year.<br /><br />The graduation itself was on Weds night, June 22, and Ava was very excited about it. Ms V had planned a special event for the parents, and the kids had been practicing for days. Once again, Gram and Gramp attended, first coming to the house so they could see the chickens - Ava handed "Leaf" to Gram and poor Gram got chicken poop on her sweater... Gram's had a lot of that stuff happen to her over the years, usually by babies, so she was unfazed and, after a little clean-up, we headed over to the school.<br /><br />Ava went to her classroom while we went to the cafeteria to get ready for the show, being handed a "program" on our way in. After a suitable wait, the little ones paraded in - all of them, not just the kindergarten-bound kids - and up onto the stage. The stage!! Ava hadn't told me they'd be going on stage - I knew she must be very excited about it. Sure enough, she was smiling and waving and just as proud and happy as she could be. The kids did some singing, and then Ms V went down the line asking them what they wanted to be when they grew up. ..."Princess" - "Spiderman" - "Hair dresser"... - and when the mic got in front of Ava, she leaned forward and in a loud, clear voice said, "DOCTOR!" That got some laughs and clapping from the audience. Then it was time to receive diplomas and have refreshments.<br /><br />I had gone into the classroom while the kids were getting ready in order to give Ms V and Ms Kelly each a bottle of our homemade elderberry wine (discretely placed in gift bags), and had the chance to speak with Ms Kelly for a moment. Her eyes filled with tears as she told me how much she'd miss seeing Ava, and how much she had enjoyed getting to know her. I gave her a hug and told her how grateful we were to her and to Ms V for giving Ava such a beautiful, positive introduction to school. If Ava does grow up to be a doctor, no small thanks go to these two ladies.<br /><br />We had told Ava that we'd get her a puppy for her graduation present. She had shown responsibility taking care of her chickens, so we felt that she was ready to take on a puppy. I had first contacted my friend Kathy, who had a new litter of Australian Shepherd pups, but then found out the prices ($650 to $1000/pup!) so we decided to see what else we could find out there. We spent Thursday afternoon going to pet stores to look for "puppy for sale" notices on the billboards, and ended up at Brooks Feed store in Brunswick. When Patrick asked the ladies at the register if they knew of any, he was told that one of their customers just happened to have a free puppy available!<br /><br />He called the lady and found out that her name was Kathy, and the puppy was an Australian Shepherd!! Ava and I enjoyed the coincidence of this, and remarked on it several times on our way up to Wiscasset to check him out. We pulled into the driveway of a dilapidated old farmhouse out in the country with horses out back and chickens pecking around the yard. Kathy, in a full arm cast, came to the door and invited us in to see the 3-month-old puppy. He had a broken leg, and Kathy, with her broken arm, wasn't able to take care of him. He was in a confined area in the living room, and was very skittish and nervous. He was pretty, though - a blue merle with a cute little white spot on his forehead.<br /><br />Kathy took Gaffer out back to meet the parents of the puppy and several of the dogs were brought back into the house. (Kathy is a breeder of miniature Aussies, and our little guy has papers if we care to register him at some point.) Ava played ball with the "grandmother" doggie, and really liked her. She decided she wanted the pup, so we took him home.<br /><br />He's still settling in, now three weeks later. Ava and I took him to the vet for x-rays the Monday after we got him, and his cast was removed and replaced with a soft bandage. Ava was proud to show him to everyone - she had named him "Traveler" after watching him romp around with his cast on out back over the weekend. We were told to keep the bandage dry because the cast had gotten wet and the vet was worried about infection. We left the vet's with a bottle of pink liquid antibiotic, and Ava took it upon herself to dose him twice a day.<br /><br />Unfortunately, it started to rain over the next few days and although we tried to protect the bandage with a medley of IV bag, saran wrap, rope and tape, it got wet. We took it off, and he's been learning to use his leg again ever since. The leg itself (right front) is smaller than the other - atrophied - and the shoulder muscle is non-existent. He's a happy little guy, though, and fast as a greyhound! He's still very shy, and terrified of Gaffer, but we're hoping that over time he settles down.<br /><br />We were immediately impressed with him, though. When he's outside he stays near us - never tries to run off, and actually seems to want to "herd" us together! He's smart as a whip and comes running when he's called. He tried to chase the chickens a few times, but when told "leave it" he backs right away from them. But it's been challenging watching Ava get used to him. She's a dominant personality, and tends to be pretty hard on the little guy. We're trying to teach her that he's a baby and that she needs to have more patience with him. <br /><br />She got frustrated with me the other night and said, "Gammer! This is my FIRST puppy! I've never had a puppy before, so I have to LEARN!" Fair enough, Ava. Unfortunately, at the moment he seems more comfortable with me (probably due to being raised by Kathy), and Ava gets mad about that and tries to drag him next to her - which has the opposite effect of what she really wants! As soon as she lets go of him, he runs away from her. He does love her, though, and when we're outside he romps all around her and rarely leaves her side. I think he'll be "her" dog eventually!Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-79074023563542710022011-04-17T18:36:00.011-04:002011-04-18T10:32:32.171-04:00Philadelphia April 2011Gaffer had been commissioned to carve and paint four eider decoys for a guy in NJ, and when they were ready we decided to make a family trip out of it - we could deliver the decoys, I could work some appointments in Philly and NJ and Gaffer and Ava could visit friends and swim in hotels. <br /><br />We met the decoy guy at 2pm at Exit 7a of the NJ Turnpike, and by 4 we were at the Hampton Inn Center City Philadelphia on Race Street. Gaffer and Ava took a swim in the pool for an hour, then we walked a couple of blocks to Fogo de Chao, taking pictures along the way. It was warm and we had a nice time doing a little exploration of downtown Philadelphia. We loved this painting of a library bookshelf!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pmoqZrYGThk/TawXa89RiCI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/UI-KNWYVNbc/s1600/Phil3b.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pmoqZrYGThk/TawXa89RiCI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/UI-KNWYVNbc/s320/Phil3b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596874188721850402" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KF_E0fP5_6w/TawXa-d8qTI/AAAAAAAAAkI/OSnPJhKAGus/s1600/Phil3.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KF_E0fP5_6w/TawXa-d8qTI/AAAAAAAAAkI/OSnPJhKAGus/s320/Phil3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596874189127330098" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mJUPmglYmjw/TawXar2qjCI/AAAAAAAAAkA/wur-diisY6w/s1600/Phil2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mJUPmglYmjw/TawXar2qjCI/AAAAAAAAAkA/wur-diisY6w/s320/Phil2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596874184130726946" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gtWOxdPkt54/TawXagdvJ1I/AAAAAAAAAj4/sGnd2uQR05Q/s1600/Phil1a.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gtWOxdPkt54/TawXagdvJ1I/AAAAAAAAAj4/sGnd2uQR05Q/s320/Phil1a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596874181073381202" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IWNLitpuBKc/TawXacXn_RI/AAAAAAAAAjw/w2C1ajUtXlw/s1600/Phil1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IWNLitpuBKc/TawXacXn_RI/AAAAAAAAAjw/w2C1ajUtXlw/s320/Phil1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596874179974003986" /></a><br /> Ava loved having dinner in the "fancy restaurant" - chandeliers and bottles of wine and ornate woodwork - and had fun trying all the different meats. The waiters were so good to her and made her feel like a special little lady - we had a wonderful time. We slowly made our way back to the hotel and had a good night sleep.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AkxUM2_FcfE/Tat1TYQqSVI/AAAAAAAAAjA/X3Zxr9Hb5-w/s1600/Phil5a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596695937728268626" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AkxUM2_FcfE/Tat1TYQqSVI/AAAAAAAAAjA/X3Zxr9Hb5-w/s320/Phil5a.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DfkxQiYzNMQ/Tat1TRWWI3I/AAAAAAAAAi4/8X5-5DIA8yY/s1600/Phil5.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596695935873065842" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DfkxQiYzNMQ/Tat1TRWWI3I/AAAAAAAAAi4/8X5-5DIA8yY/s320/Phil5.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-69PBCba4Sbo/Taw5v_9IVOI/AAAAAAAAAkY/D6v95cxE25w/s1600/Ice%2BCream.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-69PBCba4Sbo/Taw5v_9IVOI/AAAAAAAAAkY/D6v95cxE25w/s320/Ice%2BCream.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596911933699151074" /></a><br /><br />In the morning Ava and Gaffer went down to the breakfast lounge and got trays of food to bring up to the room so we could have breakfast together while I was getting ready to "go to work", then we packed up our stuff and drove over the Ben Franklin bridge to meet up with Joe just over the river in NJ. I headed off to appointments in Philalphia and York, while Gaffer and Ave spent the day with Joe and his wife, Janice. When I arrived at Joe's house (in the pouring rain) at 5:30 to pick them up I found out that Ava had had a great day, and had even given a beaver a bath! <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1EmQAyuAOEE/Tat2dj0ljPI/AAAAAAAAAjo/mx-6FRDDCuw/s1600/013.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596697212142062834" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1EmQAyuAOEE/Tat2dj0ljPI/AAAAAAAAAjo/mx-6FRDDCuw/s320/013.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r9CWj-ruDs0/Tat2dczBz4I/AAAAAAAAAjg/JiRj2JaC4q0/s1600/012.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596697210256478082" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r9CWj-ruDs0/Tat2dczBz4I/AAAAAAAAAjg/JiRj2JaC4q0/s320/012.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dIrUg-ItVLc/Tat2dM_1iUI/AAAAAAAAAjY/KsdadZ1PgIA/s1600/006.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596697206015232322" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dIrUg-ItVLc/Tat2dM_1iUI/AAAAAAAAAjY/KsdadZ1PgIA/s320/006.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bacAy8p-zqw/Tat2c9cwmGI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/aeTXsHy-dOI/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596697201841576034" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bacAy8p-zqw/Tat2c9cwmGI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/aeTXsHy-dOI/s320/002.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8tWMQQjEyTc/Tat2c6JPXII/AAAAAAAAAjI/3_-DwpNTEAY/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596697200954399874" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8tWMQQjEyTc/Tat2c6JPXII/AAAAAAAAAjI/3_-DwpNTEAY/s320/001.JPG" /></a> <br /><br />From there we drove to our next hotel in Fairfield, NJ. I had two appointments the next morning, so Gaffer and Ava were going to swim all morning at the hotel until I got back. It was a long ride in the rain on the turnpike, but Ava slept and we read out loud to pass the time until we got to the hotel. We had been upgraded to a luxury suite, with double-doors to get into the room, a living room, and a jacuzzi! It was 8pm or so by the time we checked in, so we ordered room service while Ava tried out the jacuzzi, and then by 9 we were settled in to watch the season premier of Deadliest Catch. <br /><br />After breakfast together in the restaurant, they went back to the room to change into their swimming stuff while I went off to work. I was back to get them at noon, and we headed north. I knew Ava would be exhausted, and she fell asleep shortly after we left the hotel, but woke after less than an hour with the "sandies" in one of her feet - that's what she calls it when something falls asleep on her body - she's really sensitive to it and will wake up shrieking when it happens. So she never slept again, and was still going strong when we got back to the house. But she didn't go to school the next day - she slept until almost 9!Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-75671050379012794522011-03-26T13:44:00.009-04:002011-03-27T14:37:03.161-04:00Magic Vacation 2011 Fourth Day</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"></SPAN>The next morning, Thursday, was our big day. Brenda and I had made reservations at the Akershus castle in Norway for a princess lunch for the kids. Ava and Alivia had both packed their beautiful princess dresses for the occasion. We got an early start and were at Epcot before it opened. It was another lovely, warm Florida morning and we were looking forward to seeing the rest of our family.
<br /><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-e1faaf6fcdaecb5e class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentid="e1faaf6fcdaecb5e"></OBJECT>We met up with Brenda and John and Lindsey at "Soarin'" and were among the first group to get in. This is a spectacular ride and we were all blown away by the special effects - we swooped over the countryside in a glider, gentle breezes and scents of the landscape adding to the realistic sensation. Wow. Derek and Nikki and the kids were on their way, so we left Brenda, John, and Lindsey in that area of Epcot to wait for them while we took Ava over to "Spaceship Earth" and "Finding Nemo", until we got a text from Bren that everyone was at the "Test Track" and we headed over. It was great to finally know that we'd all be able to spend some real time together that day! Ava and Alivia both had their princess dresses on, and were absolutely gorgeous - the two nicest and smartest and most beautiful girls in Florida that day! <A href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zLzv7235fXI/TYzv1PKoexI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/ub0iCU-CNzY/s1600/Ava%2BLivvy%2BDresses.jpg"><A href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zLzv7235fXI/TYzv1PKoexI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/ub0iCU-CNzY/s1600/Ava%2BLivvy%2BDresses.jpg">
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<br /><P><A href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zLzv7235fXI/TYzv1PKoexI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/ub0iCU-CNzY/s1600/Ava%2BLivvy%2BDresses.jpg"><A href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zLzv7235fXI/TYzv1PKoexI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/ub0iCU-CNzY/s1600/Ava%2BLivvy%2BDresses.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588104935543175954 border=0 alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zLzv7235fXI/TYzv1PKoexI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/ub0iCU-CNzY/s320/Ava%2BLivvy%2BDresses.jpg"></A> Derek took Alivia and we took Ava over to the line at Test Track and jumped in. The girls were happy to see each other and it was cute to watch them enjoying each other's company.</P>
<br /><P><A href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8RQt8Odj5P8/TYzw_cVOolI/AAAAAAAAAYg/lLsLnj9fUXs/s1600/Test%2BTrack.jpg"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"><IMG style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588106210387599954 border=0 alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8RQt8Odj5P8/TYzw_cVOolI/AAAAAAAAAYg/lLsLnj9fUXs/s320/Test%2BTrack.jpg"></SPAN></A><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"> </SPAN><A href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bOXPGqJmQT4/TYzw_IC1orI/AAAAAAAAAYY/0SNzC1Yx6oY/s1600/Ava%2BLivvy%2BTest%2BTrack.jpg"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"><IMG style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588106204941755058 border=0 alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bOXPGqJmQT4/TYzw_IC1orI/AAAAAAAAAYY/0SNzC1Yx6oY/s320/Ava%2BLivvy%2BTest%2BTrack.jpg"></SPAN></A><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"> </SPAN></P>
<br /><P>We were finally loaded into our car. Speeding, swerving, skidding - what ride!! The girls loved it, and so did the grown-ups! From there, we had to scoot pretty quickly over to Akershus to be there at the reservation time. But, although we got there right on time, there was still a pretty significant wait to get in. Ava went around to everyone for signatures in her autograph book while we waited. Aunt Lindsey had given her and Mason and Livvy brand-new ones before the trip (she brought her own old one from when she was a kid!), and Ava really had fun getting signatures from all the characters she saw. <A href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NpFvDg4g8Tg/TY9BIXY6lkI/AAAAAAAAAdo/atEDsixNLC0/s1600/Lindsey%2BNorway.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 309px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588757274563352130 border=0 alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NpFvDg4g8Tg/TY9BIXY6lkI/AAAAAAAAAdo/atEDsixNLC0/s320/Lindsey%2BNorway.jpg"></A> </P>
<br /><P></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"></SPAN>The lunch was very exciting for the girls with their favorite princesses making the rounds in the room, and even a parade with Sleeping Beauty, and Mason enjoyed getting their autographs and was a good sport about getting his picture taken with them. Some of them were actually quite beautiful, and the guys joked about getting into a picture or two. The menu selection had something for everybody, and the desserts were phenomenal. <A href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NcPlL0AG3IA/TY9AkWizUpI/AAAAAAAAAdg/CruuPjhd4o4/s1600/Yukky.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 212px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588756655861093010 border=0 alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NcPlL0AG3IA/TY9AkWizUpI/AAAAAAAAAdg/CruuPjhd4o4/s320/Yukky.jpg"></A> </P>
<br /><P><A href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dMUudfl5YOo/TY9AkQBw8LI/AAAAAAAAAdY/JJNMAsaOdGU/s1600/Bren%2BJohn.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588756654111912114 border=0 alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dMUudfl5YOo/TY9AkQBw8LI/AAAAAAAAAdY/JJNMAsaOdGU/s320/Bren%2BJohn.jpg"></A> <A href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g4IEzh6_z3s/TY9Aj0pMQkI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/InA1OeeksOA/s1600/Snow%2BWhite.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 135px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588756646761087554 border=0 alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g4IEzh6_z3s/TY9Aj0pMQkI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/InA1OeeksOA/s320/Snow%2BWhite.jpg"></A> <A href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jpHS6lMTUck/TY9Aj5gHnLI/AAAAAAAAAdI/7xC_211dhNo/s1600/Sleeping%2BBeauty.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 158px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588756648065211570 border=0 alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jpHS6lMTUck/TY9Aj5gHnLI/AAAAAAAAAdI/7xC_211dhNo/s320/Sleeping%2BBeauty.jpg"></A> <IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 188px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588756642253488098 border=0 alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F03XU9Sxqmg/TY9Ajj2fv-I/AAAAAAAAAdA/As0DEPYWJeY/s320/Ariel.jpg"></SPAN>After lunch, the Wymans and Faulkners went back to their resorts for some down time - we'd be meeting again later for dinner at Ft. Wilderness Trail's End restaurant. Gaffer, Ava, and I spent some time walking around until Ava fell asleep and we decided to go back to the cabin and get some downtime ourselves. </P>
<br /><P>Later in the afternoon, Bren sent a text that she and John were on their way over by bus, so we gave them directions to the cabin, and next thing we knew, we had company! Ava and Gaffer were down by the pool, so Bren and John and I walked over and had a nice visit sitting at a pool-side table until it was time for dinner. When we got down there Derek and Nikki were still a half hour away so we had time for Aunt Brenda to take Ava on a pony ride while we waited. </SPAN></SPAN></P>
<br /><P></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"></SPAN>Dinner was a blast!! The Faulkners had been over at Magic Kingdom and came to Ft. Wilderness by boat, so we met them down by the marina. The kids were able to play for a while on the playground while we waited for our reservation, and they ended up tossing horseshoes like crazy right in front of the restaurant, attracting quite a crowd to watch! </SPAN></SPAN></P>
<br /><P></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"></SPAN>During the dinner, I got to sit with all the kids except Landen and it was so much fun to talk with them - by the end of the meal I wasn't ready to let go of them. Brenda and John were going to spend the night with us, and I asked Derek and Nikki if Mason and Alivia could spend the night, too. She said yes, and the kids were ecstatic to be having a "sleep-over"! They had a lot of fun putting together a play for us later that night (even cut out little "tickets" to get in), and then at bedtime the three of them and me piled into the double bed, Gaffer in the bottom bunk, and John and Brenda out on the Murphy bed in the living room. </SPAN></SPAN></P>
<br /><P></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 85%"></SPAN>The kids and I read a lot of books, and one by one they dropped off, Livvy first, then Ava, and at 10:30 Mason's eyes were starting to droop as we got into "Tearwater Tea" of "Owl at Home", and he was gone. It was an interesting night - Livvy squeezed against the wall, with Mason between her and Ava, Ava pressed up next to me, and me hanging on by a butt cheek at the edge of the bed. I'm not sure how well everyone rested, but we got a fair amount of sleep in between the leg stretching and jostling for blankets. </SPAN><A href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-m9NogA6XA/TY4m23dJg1I/AAAAAAAAAY4/735QvgAHtRA/s1600/Sleepover.jpg"></SPAN></A></SPAN><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588446911654363986 border=0 alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-m9NogA6XA/TY4m23dJg1I/AAAAAAAAAY4/735QvgAHtRA/s320/Sleepover.jpg"></SPAN> </P>
<br />Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-81667457635594121842011-03-26T13:42:00.008-04:002011-04-25T20:19:57.313-04:00Magic Vacation 2011 Third Day<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kIBsMiNFrhk/TY84RjLUe_I/AAAAAAAAAbo/SPZkZWw5_28/s1600/Everest.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588747536741727218" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kIBsMiNFrhk/TY84RjLUe_I/AAAAAAAAAbo/SPZkZWw5_28/s320/Everest.jpg" /></a>
<br />It was our "Animal Kingdom" day and we got there at around 10:30. After getting a stroller, we bee-lined to the Kilamajaro Safari for a Fast Pass. The safari jeep ride is everyone's favorite thing at Animal Kingdom, so you can expect to wait in a long, long line unless you use the Fast Pass. Once we had ours, we had some time before we needed to return for our time so we enjoyed wandering around, soaking up the sights and the atmosphere. The details in Animal Kingdom are wonderful. In the Africa and Asia areas, the old villages, crumbling ruins, lush foliage, and mysterious temples are so fun to wander through. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ukMwlk_e_t0/TY8yqwbNqfI/AAAAAAAAAaA/KpZnxnSYVr4/s1600/AK%2BVillage4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588741372725012978" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ukMwlk_e_t0/TY8yqwbNqfI/AAAAAAAAAaA/KpZnxnSYVr4/s320/AK%2BVillage4.jpg" /></a>
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<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6yyVLtqSiiY/TY8yqkJitEI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/NvRxvAv4mxg/s1600/AK%2BVillage3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588741369429668930" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6yyVLtqSiiY/TY8yqkJitEI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/NvRxvAv4mxg/s320/AK%2BVillage3.jpg" /></a>
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<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uTfv-x_tUf8/TY8yqNUvntI/AAAAAAAAAZo/Vu_GLzldspw/s1600/AK%2BVillage.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588741363302637266" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uTfv-x_tUf8/TY8yqNUvntI/AAAAAAAAAZo/Vu_GLzldspw/s320/AK%2BVillage.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hGV1jK_Goos/TY85DCJdN3I/AAAAAAAAAbw/W2lbKWLwMYk/s1600/AK%2BBus.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588748386869000050" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hGV1jK_Goos/TY85DCJdN3I/AAAAAAAAAbw/W2lbKWLwMYk/s320/AK%2BBus.jpg" /></a>
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<br />At one point we saw something so cool! A vine was moving, slowly and gracefully. It emerged from some vegetation - a lady on stilts (legs and arms), covered in leaves, camoflaged perfectly until she moved. We watched her in amazement until she disappeared back into the jungle. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-21FJNcf4oPQ/TY80iPe4I6I/AAAAAAAAAaI/awxAhZgqbnE/s1600/Leaf%2BLady.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588743425466311586" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-21FJNcf4oPQ/TY80iPe4I6I/AAAAAAAAAaI/awxAhZgqbnE/s320/Leaf%2BLady.jpg" /></a>
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<br />Ava also got her face painted while we waited for the safari, and had her picture taken with Baloo and King Louie from "Jungle Book". King Louie didn't know how to use a pen, but Baloo signed Ava's autograph book. </span></div>
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<br /><div></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cTtKHkzmUFQ/TY-S6Qw_NWI/AAAAAAAAAiA/CIJZfRuHyZU/s1600/Ava%2BFacepaint2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588847192220579170" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cTtKHkzmUFQ/TY-S6Qw_NWI/AAAAAAAAAiA/CIJZfRuHyZU/s320/Ava%2BFacepaint2.jpg" /></a>
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tXVzJ4ZV0zI/TY-S6X0aeKI/AAAAAAAAAh4/Bw3QT8WVFME/s1600/Ava%2BFacepaint.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588847194113996962" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tXVzJ4ZV0zI/TY-S6X0aeKI/AAAAAAAAAh4/Bw3QT8WVFME/s320/Ava%2BFacepaint.jpg" /></a>
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<br />We had a good time on the safari. I always tell Ava she has a "hunter's eye, like Gaffer", and she takes great pride in seeing things before I do. So she was very excited to sit next to the open-air side of the safari vehicle and yelled out when she spotted something. The jeep took us through an African savannah, with beautiful grasslands and freely roaming animals. A giraffe was almost close enough to touch as we bumped by. Several crocodiles were lounging in a murky pond near the road, near Ava's side of the jeep, and Ava turned to me with wide eyes: "Are they real?" When I told her they were, she dropped off her seat onto the floor and covered her head with her hands! <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-prOCmidVuzI/TY81Kv4J_HI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/Jxfj7WZct0s/s1600/AK%2BCrocs.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588744121357040754" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-prOCmidVuzI/TY81Kv4J_HI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/Jxfj7WZct0s/s320/AK%2BCrocs.jpg" /></a> Luckily, we left the crocodiles behind quickly, and she enjoyed the rest of the trip pointing out the rhinos, wildebeest, zebras and elephants. </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7w0rRaSEhso/TY81LL6b3MI/AAAAAAAAAaw/6zFPT4byROM/s1600/AK%2BRhino.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 318px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588744128882793666" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7w0rRaSEhso/TY81LL6b3MI/AAAAAAAAAaw/6zFPT4byROM/s320/AK%2BRhino.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C18ZcOXci6c/TY81LMYMBDI/AAAAAAAAAao/NFmxJpCpp74/s1600/AK%2BGorilla.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588744129007584306" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C18ZcOXci6c/TY81LMYMBDI/AAAAAAAAAao/NFmxJpCpp74/s320/AK%2BGorilla.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-llkkHNUJHQQ/TY81KxduUeI/AAAAAAAAAag/wQ3_kPSeeH0/s1600/AK%2BGiraffe2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588744121783046626" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-llkkHNUJHQQ/TY81KxduUeI/AAAAAAAAAag/wQ3_kPSeeH0/s320/AK%2BGiraffe2.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxsmQcRxQIg/TY81K0j8fuI/AAAAAAAAAaY/dld5uIHvXME/s1600/AK%2BElephant.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588744122614447842" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxsmQcRxQIg/TY81K0j8fuI/AAAAAAAAAaY/dld5uIHvXME/s320/AK%2BElephant.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uhAiJwLBDQg/TY82Or8etiI/AAAAAAAAAbY/L6Zdmcd-_NA/s1600/Ak%2BSafari5.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588745288532538914" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uhAiJwLBDQg/TY82Or8etiI/AAAAAAAAAbY/L6Zdmcd-_NA/s320/Ak%2BSafari5.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oTMqqMp9Et4/TY82Otll5CI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/kDVRxt129N0/s1600/AK%2BSafari4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588745288973411362" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oTMqqMp9Et4/TY82Otll5CI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/kDVRxt129N0/s320/AK%2BSafari4.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HDH7RgFwmu4/TY82OWz6mNI/AAAAAAAAAbI/QPWqzIv_u0M/s1600/AK%2BSafari3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 170px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588745282859473106" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HDH7RgFwmu4/TY82OWz6mNI/AAAAAAAAAbI/QPWqzIv_u0M/s320/AK%2BSafari3.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uA9whhpceOo/TY82ObRy_WI/AAAAAAAAAbA/tDHXEJH4BJo/s1600/AK%2BSafari2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588745284058545506" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uA9whhpceOo/TY82ObRy_WI/AAAAAAAAAbA/tDHXEJH4BJo/s320/AK%2BSafari2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-emX-OuWM5-E/TY87ctd-83I/AAAAAAAAAcw/77NELcLOPuo/s1600/AK%2BSafari6.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588751027017806706" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-emX-OuWM5-E/TY87ctd-83I/AAAAAAAAAcw/77NELcLOPuo/s320/AK%2BSafari6.jpg" /></a>
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<br />After the safari, we went back over to Asia and Gaffer took Ava on the Kali River Rapids raft ride. She says now that it was fun, but at the time when they met up with me afterwards she was wet and grumpy, and said she didn't like it. I had been waiting for them and watching some funny black & white Colobus monkeys - a little one trying relentlessly to get a bigger one to play and wrestle with him. The bigger monkey was being very patient and every once in a while would indulge in a little rolling around with the little guy, but then he'd get back to lounging around in the sun and put up with some more pestering. Their house looked like the ruins of an old temple, with bamboo staging all around it - lots of fun for monkeys to clamber around in. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wcx72j3ATjA/TY82scomGVI/AAAAAAAAAbg/bAxfyzNd17s/s1600/AK%2BMonkey%2Bhouse.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588745799818680658" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wcx72j3ATjA/TY82scomGVI/AAAAAAAAAbg/bAxfyzNd17s/s320/AK%2BMonkey%2Bhouse.jpg" /></a> Gradually, I noticed John. There was Brenda and John! And Gaffer and Ava! They were all talking together (without me!!) a little way down one of the pathways.
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<br />So I hustled over and we got to have a few minutes of visiting and catching up, but then they were headed over to Expedition Everest, and we were heading out of the park - Ava was tired, so we wanted to get her back to the cabin for some R&R and then maybe come back to the Animal Kingdom in the afternoon. We would see each other tomorrow.
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<br />As we made our way to the park exit, Miss Ava fell asleep. Gaffer bought me a "Lost on Safari" cocktail at one of the little bars in the park - a mix of Captain Morgan, Bacardi, and "Pangani Punch" - it was delicious! We began walking slowly, sipping beverages, and just taking in this beautiful day. It was about 75 degrees and sunny; one of those heart-exploding loving-life kind of days. We made our way over to the Tree of Life to have a close-up look at the animal carvings. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zXrlU9fZsy0/TY85DoIliNI/AAAAAAAAAcI/DCFwCQ4RIQ4/s1600/AK%2BTree4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588748397065898194" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zXrlU9fZsy0/TY85DoIliNI/AAAAAAAAAcI/DCFwCQ4RIQ4/s320/AK%2BTree4.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vF06B90gwUw/TY85Df_cRMI/AAAAAAAAAcA/VUdx4SkS5pY/s1600/AK%2BTree2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588748394880058562" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vF06B90gwUw/TY85Df_cRMI/AAAAAAAAAcA/VUdx4SkS5pY/s320/AK%2BTree2.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5JQgHCMkeH4/TY85DYFnBYI/AAAAAAAAAb4/xfM8j8mRZcc/s1600/AK%2BTree.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588748392758445442" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5JQgHCMkeH4/TY85DYFnBYI/AAAAAAAAAb4/xfM8j8mRZcc/s320/AK%2BTree.jpg" /></a>
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<br />Disney World is a crowded place, no question about it. There are lines for just about everything, people walking fast, people walking slow, kids darting around, a cacophony of noise - it's all part of the experience. But what never ceases to amaze us, and it's part of the Disney magic, is that in spite of all the crowds and noise, it's possible to have a unique and solitary experience while you're there. You turn a corner and, all of a sudden... nobody.
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<br />This happened to us at the Tree of Life. We found ourselves on a beautiful trail, surrounded by fragrant flowers and tropical birds. Time stood still for us for a moment. Ava was sleeping, we were happy and relaxed and able to hear the sounds of the running water and the different calls of the birds - it was paradise. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Ihcm6hAq7I/TY87ctyzRwI/AAAAAAAAAco/iKfdyEwfR1g/s1600/AK%2BEmpty%2BTrail3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588751027105122050" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Ihcm6hAq7I/TY87ctyzRwI/AAAAAAAAAco/iKfdyEwfR1g/s320/AK%2BEmpty%2BTrail3.jpg" /></a><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588751019984046082" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Yalbhfk4GY/TY87cTRASAI/AAAAAAAAAcg/9SuZJX-h7SQ/s320/AK%2BEmpty%2BTrail2.jpg" /></a> </div>
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<br /><div>There are 325 different animals carved on the 50-story tree, and it was great fun to try to spot them. We had a good time as we slowly walked back to the exit. Gaffer slung Ava over his shoulder for the ride back to Ft. Wilderness, and she stayed asleep all the way to the cabin. We tucked her into bed, and enjoyed the quiet afternoon sitting out on the porch, reading the newspaper and talking, until it began to be overcast, and then to rain. What began as a gentle shower turned into a heavy torrent, and we were glad we hadn't made any plans to do anything. We cooked up a couple of frozen pizzas and hunkered down in the cabin, playing Pollys with Ava and reading. </span></div>
<br /></span>Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-89673543964185900952011-03-26T10:58:00.007-04:002011-04-25T20:12:40.012-04:00Magic Vacation 2011 Second DayThe next morning was Tuesday. Just like at home, Gaffer was up first and I woke to the aroma of coffee in the cabin. We had packed a bag of our favorite coffee from home, so it was nice to kick back on the couch and sip Kona Macadamia Nut and watch the room get lighter. <br /><br />It was cloudy, and I reached for the remote. Gaffer said, "What are you doing??" When I said that I wanted to check the news for the weather, he said, "Nope - we're not turning on the TV while we're here." I agreed to that, and it turned out to be a great decision. We knew nothing of Libya or Afghanistan or Lindsay Lohan during the entire trip. We also had no internet in the cabin, so we couldn't check Facebook or our Maine Seaduck website - we stepped away from the rest of the world for a while. I had my Blackberry, but made a point to stay off-line (other than a daily check at "accuweather.com"!) and only glanced at my Southworth emails, opening just a couple over the course of the week. I turned the ringer to "silent". We were off the grid! Except for texting with Brenda. This was very important and began every day at dawn. <br /><br />So we drank coffee and watched the sky hopefully. The clouds darkened and brightened and darkened and brightened for an hour or two, and then it began to rain. We were happy that Ava was still sleeping - it was a perfect morning for her to sleep in. The Wymans/Faulkners were going to Magic Kingdom, and we planned to meet them in Fantasyland when we got there. Ava finally woke up, but it was apparent that she was still exhausted. She was moving in "granny-low" and very quiet. I thought a nice bath might get her sparkling again, so I filled the tub and she enjoyed playing with her animals in the warm water. She seemed pretty lively once she was dried off, dressed, and eating breakfast, and by 10:30 we were walking out of the cabin on our way to Magic Kingdom. <br /><br />The rain had stopped and it was cloudy and warm. We walked to the bus stop and waited for the bus to the "Settlement" - the area of Ft. Wilderness where the marina is. The Settlement is also where the stables for all the Disney World horses are kept, and they have a big collection of ponies. Pony rides are available for $5, and it's worth every penny! Add pony rides to swimming pools and flowers, and you have Ava's perfect vacation. She made a bee-line from the bus stop to the pony stable! A "small world" moment = the lady working with the ponies was a retiree from Dayton, Maine. When she introduced the pony as "Cloud", Ava and I smiled at each other - she rode Cloud last year! He was a nice, peppy little white pony who stepped right along as I led him along the pony path. <br /><br />I got in trouble, though. Cloud was stepping so briskly and seemed in high spirits, and Ava was loving the ride, and I stupidly said, "Ava, would you like to feel a trot?" Anyone who rides, knows. A trot is much different than a walk, and is the most difficult gait to sit. It's fun to learn to ride a trot, and I wanted Ava to get a feel for it. She was like, "YES!!" and I *cluck cluck*'d to Cloud, and he went into a crisp little trot. Ava was loving life! And then I heard the Dayton Retiree yelling at me from the barn - no trotting, no trotting!!! I shut him right down, and then I felt terrible. Of course these little ponies shouldn't trot - for many reasons!! What a dummy move on my part. So I apologized to Dayton when we came back to the dismount platform, and I explained to Ava that Gammer had made a mistake. <br /><br />So then it was time to wait for the boat to Magic Kingdom. We stood on the dock and watched for the green flag boat. Ft. Wilderness is so sprawling (700 acres) that you learn to look for colors to be sure to take the quickest transport - purple, orange, yellow, blue, and green were all meaningful. As we waited for the boat to appear in the distance, we watched the birds - pelicans and cormorants and herons and vultures - and listened to the instrumental music playing quietly over the intercoms. (One of my best memories from Disney World is the music; whether on a bus or in a park, there is good music playing in the background - interesting and pleasing to hear.) <br /><br />The Settlement is peaceful, with rows of lounge chairs on the long white beaches, and rental pontoon and bass boats serenely bobbing at their moorings. A tavern with a broad porch and rocking chairs sits adjacent to a playground for kids. After a short wait, we heard our boat whistle as it approached and pulled up to the dock. We waited for the in-bound passengers to disembark, then we loaded up for the 15-minute ride over to Magic Kingdom. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hAstjmvpc-0/TY8vtxh3PdI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/wtdvrl-mgRA/s1600/Waiting%2Bfor%2Bthe%2Bboat.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588738126026063314" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hAstjmvpc-0/TY8vtxh3PdI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/wtdvrl-mgRA/s320/Waiting%2Bfor%2Bthe%2Bboat.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Bay Lake is a natural lake, about a mile long with two islands - Discovery and Shipwreck. Discovery Island was operated as a walk-through wildlife sanctuary from 1974 until 1999, when it was closed and Animal Kingdom was opened. Some of the docks and other construction can still be seen on the shoreline. The boat passes the Ft. Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary Resort along the way, and then Cinderella's Castle appears in the distance as the boat rounds the corner into the Magic Kingdom harbor. <br /><br />First stop to the stroller rental, and then we were off to Tomorrowland. We texted back and forth with Bren - she and her family were at the Carousel of Progress. We didn't see them when we got there, so we hopped into line to see the Carousel of Progress ourselves. Unfortunately, it wasn't the best way to start a day at Magic Kingdom. We had never been on this ride before and found it to be mildly entertaining at first, with the wonderful Disney animatronics and the rotating carousel seating, but after a while it just became too long and we felt trapped inside the theatre. A baby was screaming the whole time somewhere in the darkened audience until finally during the last scene its parent carried it out through an emergency exit. It was great to have the baby gone, but the unplanned exit caused the ride to stop and replay the final scene. <br /><br />Finally, it was over and we could escape out into the muggy Florida air. We found Bren and John nearby, and then there were the rest of them - Lindsey and Nikki and Derek and the kids! Lots of hugging and smiling happened, and Lindsey and Alivia gave Ava presents - a Disney pin lanyard and a bracelet - then we went our separate ways again. By now it was after noon, and the Wymans were ready to go back to their room for a break. The Faulkners were going on Space Mountain. Gaffer and I wanted to escape from the "dark side" of Magic Kingdom and get over to the areas we loved. <br /><br />Every year, we've given Tomorrowland and Fantasyland a lot of our time, but we've never really liked it. Ava loves the Teacups and Dumbo and the carousel, and so do we to a point, but that side of the park is concrete and steel and crowded and hot, and we can happily ignore it in favor of Liberty Square, Adventureland, and Frontierland - and that's what we did. We didn't mention anything to Ava about Dumbo and Teacups, but just hustled back over the bridge from Tomorrowland and through the park to Adventureland. Right away, Ava spotted the Aladdin's Carpet ride and Gaffer said he'd ride it with her. I was grateful for that.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzCUmUAQdXBvMQ3t7LzJrEq2Y27pJPkH-waKoxtyrOkGbt1wVyMkPNBBiRz_heZa4paFh96ZZ9N2tw7GDib' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>There was a long line and they dived right in, while I went over to the Jungle Cruise attraction, and got a Fast Pass for the ride - basically, come back in an hour and go to the head of the line. Fast Passes help a lot where they're available - you can go do other things for a while, then come back and not have to wait in a long line. <br /><br />After the Aladdin ride, we decided to mosey over to Frontierland. Ava had told us over the past few weeks that she wanted to ride Splash Mountain, and we had measured her to be sure she was over the 40" height requirement (she was 42"), so we decided to check it out while we waited for the Jungle Cruise. Gaffer ran to see what the line looked like while Ava and I found a comfortable spot off the main thoroughfare to watch the hollowed-out logs full of screaming passengers go straight down over the 5-story waterfall. I thought for sure she'd change her mind, but she was determined to do it.<br /><br />Gaffer came back to say there was only a 10 minute line at Splash Mountain, so we parked the stroller and went running over. In no time at all, we were in our log flume - Gammer left, Ava middle, Gaffer right. We bobbed along gentle, twisting waterways for a long time, through the animatronic story of Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit and their friends, everyone cheerfully singing "Zippity Do Dah". The problem with Ava was that she couldn't enjoy the ride or the story to its fullest because she was waiting for the 5-story dropoff at every moment! She asked me constantly when it would happen. There were three small dips during the ride that added to the excitement, and by the time we were getting close to the real drop-off, Ava was so nervous she began to cry. "I don't want to do this", she sobbed. I tried to calm her, to say it would be okay, it would be fun, but she became so scared. <br /><br />Finally, I said the one thing I knew would get through to her: "Ava, they take your picture going over the waterfall - you don't want to be crying in your picture, do you?" If you know Ava, you know this appeal to her sense of propriety is effective. She's embarrassed by public displays of emotion, and will always put on a calm, brave face to the public, no matter how she's feeling inside. (Hence the secret trip for band-aids at the Manchester Airport.) She pulled herself together in time for the waterfall, and even raised her arms up in the air as we went over! SPLASH!!! It was a fast fall, and we were wet and laughing as the log flume bobbed along toward the exit. Ava was proud of herself that she had done it, but has no plans to ever do it again. <br /><br />A photo of your boat is snapped as you go over the falls, and we planned to buy it - what a treasure, Ava arms up on her first "coaster" - but we were in the store for an hour trying to find our digital image - never found it and walked away empty handed, dang it. Leaving Splash Mountain, we bought a Mickey Mouse ice cream (which turned into a tradition while we were there - I think Ava had a Mickey Mouse ice cream each day - she began to look forward to it), and walked over toward the Jungle Cruise. Our Fast Pass got us to the front of the line, and soon we were listening to the corny jokes and looking at the realistic jungle animals on either side of the Nile. From there, the other two must-dos for us - Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion (which was under re-furbishment so some of our favorite parts were missing...) - and then it was time to leave. We had dinner reservations in Mexico at Epcot, so we wanted to get back to the cabin and relax for a while before heading out again. <br /><br />Ava was able to take a quick swim - she reluctantly got out of the pool after only 20 minutes and we had to get ourselves together and out the door. Ava and I were sitting in the back of the bus on the way to Epcot, and spotted a wild alligator lurking in the river near the shore, only a stone's throw from the road! His eyes, nostrils and part of his back and tail were clearly visible in the shallow water. Very exciting! <br /><br />Ava really liked sitting in the back of the bus - her favorite seat was the last one, beside the window. I didn't mind going to the back because that's where the heater was and the seats were always warm. But Gaffer, our sherpa, didn't like having to walk all the way back through the bus, lugging all our crap, and then up the stairs to the raised platform where the seats were, so he often would settle in toward the front and we'd meet him when we disembarked. He always asked, "Come on, Ava... don't go back there..." but she always ignored him and cheerfully trotted back to her favorite seat.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6tjFOUApo0Q/TY8xWyTiAJI/AAAAAAAAAZg/UWM1FkKtnjE/s1600/Bus%2Bfront.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 275px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588739930120650898" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6tjFOUApo0Q/TY8xWyTiAJI/AAAAAAAAAZg/UWM1FkKtnjE/s320/Bus%2Bfront.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-39Izr0JAsxc/TY8xWvVbw6I/AAAAAAAAAZY/rgPdcyULXK0/s1600/Back%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bbus.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588739929323324322" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-39Izr0JAsxc/TY8xWvVbw6I/AAAAAAAAAZY/rgPdcyULXK0/s320/Back%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bbus.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />We had dinner at La Hacienda de San Angel. The food was great - authentic Southern Mexican and a sampling of tequilas - and the dinner was one of the highlights of the week. We wrapped up the evening with a ride on "Spaceship Earth" in the Epcot ball. This turned out to be Ava's favorite ride at Disney - we went on it four or five more times during the week. She enjoyed the ride itself, the time travel through communications history, but she especially liked the interactive computer screen. At the end of the ride, it asks some questions about your lifestyle preferences (she always chose "health" over "work", "home", or "play"), and then a "future you" romps around in a cartoon, doing the activities you enjoy - very cute. <br /><br />Ava and I both stayed awake all the way back to the cabin, and then "Owl at Home" put the three of us to sleep until the next morning when we awoke to a lovely Florida morning.Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-83126806509483891932011-03-26T10:09:00.010-04:002011-04-25T19:57:07.193-04:00Magic Vacation 2011 First Day<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pe2lWkn42K4/TY31YnB4m2I/AAAAAAAAAYo/mA0eolQHhXA/s1600/snow.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 160px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588392515779205986" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pe2lWkn42K4/TY31YnB4m2I/AAAAAAAAAYo/mA0eolQHhXA/s320/snow.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">We'd already had our suitcases packed for a month and a half and, on Sunday morning Feb 27, Ava's first happy words were "FLORIDA TIME!" as she sat up in bed. We all were so excited about going on vacation to Disney World. This was Trip #3 to the cabins at Ft. Wilderness, so we knew what awaited us - we love that place. And to put it over the top - Brenda, John, Lindsey, Derek, Nikki, Mason, Alivia, and Landen were all going, too! We were staying at different resorts, but we all were there for the full week. Brenda and I had been planning and texting and e-mailing about this trip for months, comparing schedules and discussing attractions and restaurants - it had been a blast already, just in the planning. </span>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Gaffer took Heidi to the kennel that morning while Ava and I ran around cleaning the house and making sure we had everything we needed. Blue Cat was going to stay in the house alone while we were gone, so we left big mixing bowls full of food and water, and two big clean litter boxes for him. When Gaffer got back, we loaded up the truck and pulled out of the driveway. The weather was dank and cold, snowbanks lined the roads. </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Our flight was at 7:45 the next morning on Southwest Airlines out of Manchester, NH, and Brenda and John were on the same flight. They were riding over from Maine with Lindsey (who had a Delta flight earlier than ours, but landing later) and would meet us at the airport. We were spending the night at the Hampton Inn near the airport, where we'd get a chance to start vacationing a little early because, for Ava, pool = vacation. Ava and I changed into our suits while Gaffer ran out for pizza. We spent the afternoon enjoying the pool and hot tub and looking out at the dirty snowbanks in the hotel parking lot ("good-bye dirty snowbanks!!"). A sauna was in the pool area and we enjoyed going from the cool pool into the hot sauna, lounging in the dark on raised benches near a bed of steaming lava rocks. It was a great way to begin our vacation, in a refreshed frame of mind, and eating pizza on top of that! </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">We swam, whirlpooled, steamed, and ate until it was time to get back to the room to watch "The Amazing Race", read "Owl at Home" (Ava's sleeping potion - works on all three of us! It has five little chapters and in our family it's not uncommon to hear this: "You didn't even make it to the end of Tearwater Tea!") and go to sleep, Gaffer in one double bed, Ava and me in another. </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">As soon as I woke the next morning I texted Bren: "Where are you guys?" She instantly texted back, "At the airport!" So we started throwing our things together and got Ava up and dressed and out into the cold, dark morning. At the airport, Gaffer dropped us at the curb with the suitcases and went to park the truck. It was about 6:30 and the Southwest line was already a mile long. It was fun for us to notice the suitcases with the yellow "Disney World Transport" tags on them - many other little kids on their way to Disney!!! YAY! These were a bunch of happy, sleepy people in line - the kids <em>and</em> the parents! Gaffer caught back up with us while we were still halfway through the line. Southwest moves fast, though, and next thing we knew we were through security and looking at John and Brenda, sitting on a bench having breakfast. It was really happening - we were all really about to go to Florida together!</span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">But poor Ava. She didn't want anyone to know, but her pretty, sparkly new shoes (the ones I told her weren't practical, but bought anyway because she thought they were beautiful) were scraping her heels. So she took me aside and whispered to me what the problem was, then we casually walked off to the ladies room and did a little first aid with bandages on each foot. She's always very discreet about her personal issues - a throwback to a different generation when struggles weren't worn on sleeves. </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">We had some breakfast, and then it was time to board. Bren and John had got A Group tickets (the first 60 people to board), but we had B Group (the next 60 - and we were at the end of the 60), so they said they'd try to hold some seats near them for us, and they did. We were right across the aisle from them, and we cheers'd with Bloody Marys (Ava had apple juice) somewhere over one of the mid-Atlantic states. Ava and I played Pollys and worked on pre-school workbooks, passing the time until we landed. She had the window seat and looked outside occasionally, but seemed mostly to be happy having me as a captive participant in the land of Pollys. </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Bren and John had told us they were planning to wait for Lindsey's flight at the airport, so we would be parting at the gate. The airport in Orlando is sprawling and (we think) not well-marked. Adding this year to the previous two, we've not been able to find the Disney Transportation for three years in a row. After the short train-ride from the gate area to the baggage claim area, there are wings and floors and no signs. There probably are signs, but we've failed to see them for three years in a row. So this time, same as the last times, we wandered around like idiots and finally had to ask someone for directions, and found out we were in the wrong wing of the airport. I think we will just expect to do this every time we come back - just add it to the itinerary: "Explore Orlando International Airport". So we eventually, after making several new friends lost like us (although, to their credit, they were first-timers) got to the Disney Transportation area and then quickly onto our bus for Ft. Wilderness. </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">It takes about a half hour of highway driving from the airport to get into the Disney World Resort, and then there are stops at other resorts before getting to Ft. Wilderness - it's always the last stop. It's fun, though, to see the other resorts and Disney movies play on little video monitors, so the ride is enjoyable. Ava was laughing out loud at a Donald Duck movie, and it was cute to hear little kids laughing from other seats in the bus. </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">The skies were blue and the sun was hot when we got off the bus at the check-in (the "Outpost") at Ft. Wilderness. Gaffer went inside to do the paperwork, while Ava and I stayed outside, soaking up the sun. She was going crazy picking flowers and bringing them to me. She's a good flower-picker, as far as the flowers are concerned. She picks off one beautiful bloom from each plant - dead-heading without the dead part. For the recipient, it's kind of awkward because there is rarely enough stem presented to put in water, but it's a sweet gesture. </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EfWD3wZBN-o/TY325ccSHiI/AAAAAAAAAYw/FOaJ9VGCzTc/s1600/Disney%2B2011%2B019.JPG"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588394179384450594" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EfWD3wZBN-o/TY325ccSHiI/AAAAAAAAAYw/FOaJ9VGCzTc/s320/Disney%2B2011%2B019.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"> </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Ava has always loved flowers, and a highlight of her Florida vacation is the flora. Whether it's at Magic Kingdom or at the airport, it's the flowers that catch her eye. It's been this way since she was three, but this year she added something - giving out beautiful blooms to nice people she meets. She gave a flower to the lady at the reservation desk, to the maintenance guy working on our cabin, to the bus driver, to Disney characters... A dozen people were presented a tiny flower by a small girl with a big smile in Orlando last week, and all of them were sweetly touched by this gesture and thanked her sincerely.</span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">This was the beginning of the Disney magic for us. We never ceased to be amazed at the genuine helpfulness and friendliness of the Disney staff, wherever we went. There was the occasional annoying or sullen employee but, considering the sheer numbers of them we interacted with, the impression remains that Disney employees have been dusted with something very magical. Human nature wants to be happy, I believe, and when you spend a week with people who go out of their way to help you and talk with you and smile at you, you can't help but be affected by that in a very positive way. This has been a big part of why we go back - we enjoy that gentle happiness and soak it in. </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Our suitcases were to be delivered to our cabin later, so we jumped on one of the Ft. Wilderness buses for the 2500-block - "Cedar Circle". The bus stop was only a short distance from our cabin number 2505, and as we walked toward the cabin we saw a car in the little driveway. Our grocery lady was already there! We had ordered our groceries on-line, the same service we had used the previous two times at the cabin. Cathy was a retiree from North Pole, Alaska, and she was a character - telling us she'd probably be hearing from us later in the week for more beer and a bottle of rum! Ava presented her with a little flower after we paid the tab, and with a smile Cathy was off, and we were on vacation!! </span></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XMXstfudHjs/TY8uiHmiVuI/AAAAAAAAAZI/2uEbA7fXTdY/s1600/Outpost.jpg"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588736826281187042" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XMXstfudHjs/TY8uiHmiVuI/AAAAAAAAAZI/2uEbA7fXTdY/s320/Outpost.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Brenda texted that Lindsey had arrived and gone over to see Derek and Nikki, so they were free to meet us at Epcot. We hopped on a bus and in a short time we could see that beautiful big golf ball on the horizon. The first stop at any of the parks for us was always the stroller rental. In addition to giving Ava's little legs a break, the stroller was handy to carry the back pack and anything else we picked up in the park - it even had cup holders for our beverages. After a few pictures at the entrance, we started to wander into our very favorite Disney place. We've timed each visit to to coincide with the opening of the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival, and we weren't disappointed this year - the topiaries and themed gardens and playgrounds were everything we expected. </span></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QN6o0CRW7g8/TY6KMH1O6VI/AAAAAAAAAZA/wMCEvKc4AwE/s1600/Epcot%2BFlowers.jpg"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588556128478751058" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QN6o0CRW7g8/TY6KMH1O6VI/AAAAAAAAAZA/wMCEvKc4AwE/s320/Epcot%2BFlowers.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">As we walked through Future World toward the World Showcase, the three of us were relaxed and happy. We don't really see the crowds or feel any pressure to accomplish anything in particular at Disney. I had spent months planning each day but, once there, it becomes completely about the moment. "Look where we are!" "What a day!" Allowing yourself the time to the feel the joy of the moment is a luxury that should be savored, and Gaffer and I do when we're there. Ava savors every moment of every day anyway, so this is not a new experience for her. Maybe that's one of the reasons why Disney is so popular - people find it to be a place where they can be like a child, living in the joy of the moment, even if only for a couple of days. </span>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">So, even while savoring the moment, we're also looking forward to beer! Why do we love Epcot so much? Because we can have beer there! Cross the bridge into the World Showcase and go the right and get English beer. Go to the left and get Mexican beer. Keep walking, and you can have American, German, Moroccan, French, and Canadian beer! At $8 a cup, you have to go back to Epcot for a few days to try them all, so that's what we do. But there is an intense joy in the moment when you're walking with your favorite people through the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival, holding an Oktoberfest brew in your hand. </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Ava had never taken a nap all day, and was still going strong. We had taken a left toward Mexico and were strolling toward the outdoor cafe where we could get a beer when we heard, "Hey", behind us and there were John and Brenda walking toward us. Ava ran over for big hugs, and then got back into her stroller as we started meandering with our Dos Equis toward Germany, where we had a dinner reservation. It was great to have friends to be with! I was missing Steve and Jennifer (and Andrew)- wishing they could have shared in the laughing with us - but it was great to have 1/3 of our card playing comrades with us in Florida! </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">We were seated almost immediately in the Biergarten restaurant - taken to our long wooden table by a cheerful grey-haired fraulein. At Biergarten, the tables are occupied by as many people as will fit so, unless you are a big group yourself, you'll always end up sharing your table with people you don't know. The lighting is dim: you feel as though you're sitting in an outdoor cafe in a quaint old German village, with balconies dripping with flowers, German state banners on the walls, and clouds moving across a bright moon in the night sky. The seating is raised, looking down upon a stage with a dance floor - live polka music plays in between short breaks, and the little kids <em>love</em> to dance to live polka music! Who knew? It's a blast. </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">The food is buffet, with a selection of German cuisine for all palates. Ava was tall enough this year to help fill her own plate, and she was very generous with herself with sausage, roast pork, mac&cheese and mashed potatoes. And a roll with butter. She eats well at Biergarten. We were joined at the table by a young couple with a cute blond-haired little boy named Jackson who was about Ava's age. She could barely wait for everyone to finish eating so she could go <em>dancing</em>! This is a kid who had woken up in New Hampshire many hours earlier, now wanting to dance in Germany - I was impressed! "That's my girl!!" </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">So she and I went down to the dance floor, and who should follow us? Little Jackson!! So the three of us held hands and swung to the polka music until Gaffer joined us and then it was four! Polka-ing with two 5-year-olds after a buffet of sausage, sauerkraut, and herring salad (and mugs of German beer) is not for the faint of heart, but Gaffer and I were up to the challenge - we were still dancing when Bren came up to let us know that she and John were heading back to their room. It wasn't too long after that when we returned Jackson to his parents (regretfully - I would have liked to have seen them again!), and wandered back out into the World Showcase. </span></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Ava and I don't remember the bus ride back to Ft. Wilderness that night. We both fell asleep on the bus from Epcot, but Gaffer got us safely home to our cabin, like the good Gaffer he is. </span></span></span></div>
<br />Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-5862877365495480622011-03-12T07:11:00.042-05:002011-04-25T20:27:29.664-04:00Magic Vacation 2011 Last DaysBefore dawn on Friday morning, Ava woke me to ask for a drink so I went out to the kitchen to get it. I wear earplugs at night, but have always felt fairly confident that I can still hear through them. As I rustled around the kitchen, getting Ava's drink, I was kind of surprised. Brenda is an early riser, and I half expected to hear from her while I was up. I planned to stay up with her if she was awake, but I didn't hear anything from the Murphy bed. I was kind of happy for her - "oh, great! Bren must be getting a good night sleep!!" and smiled to myself as I went back to bed with Ava's cup. Later Brenda told me that she had been calling to me - "Pam... Hey, Pam..." and I never heard a thing. She didn't know I wore earplugs, and thought to herself "Pam is deafer than I am!!" <br /><br />By 8am everyone was awake - Ava was the last one to get out of bed - and after breakfast we went over to Epcot to meet up with Derek and Nikki and Landen.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNULfA6YXM8/TY9iACyD94I/AAAAAAAAAeA/6chNiJ26L1c/s1600/Kids%2BSettlement.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588793415476443010" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNULfA6YXM8/TY9iACyD94I/AAAAAAAAAeA/6chNiJ26L1c/s320/Kids%2BSettlement.jpg" /></a> We went by way of the boat to Magic Kingdom, and then the monorail to Epcot - it was a fun way to get there, with lots of sights along the way. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aMZtpWEjgSQ/TY9kiHUVB7I/AAAAAAAAAeg/bNPO9b4DQDo/s1600/Derek%2BNikki.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 246px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588796199832717234" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aMZtpWEjgSQ/TY9kiHUVB7I/AAAAAAAAAeg/bNPO9b4DQDo/s320/Derek%2BNikki.jpg" /></a><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxP-bVNqio0YREkJWjuvKo10AMFne3vgdG7tUP9VggJ5AHue-iMs0LtQEvpeaC-NhLhZjWPupJ70VzcQ1D-hA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>The kids were happy to see their parents at the entrance to Epcot, and we went right to Spaceship Earth. Turned out that this was Mason's favorite ride, too! Livvy, Ava, and I rode in the front of the car, with Mason and Nikki right behind us. After that, we went over to the World Showcase so the kids could play "Kim Possible". <br /><br />We had been looking forward to this detective-style activity for the kids, but it turned out to be a little hard to do with three young kids. You get a "communications device" (looks like a little Nokia cell phone) which gives you clues around whatever country you're in (we were in England) and you follow the clues to find a bad guy who plans to hurt the environment in some way. We found the clues kind of hard to follow with such a long back-story accompanying each one - the kids didn't really have the patience to listen to it. Plus, by then the three of them had spent about 20 straight hours together and were starting to get a little edgy with each other. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u9u7kgHVEgc/TY9h_aw2oAI/AAAAAAAAAdw/cvJFAaFS3eo/s1600/Ava%2BLivvy%2BTopiary.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588793404733956098" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u9u7kgHVEgc/TY9h_aw2oAI/AAAAAAAAAdw/cvJFAaFS3eo/s320/Ava%2BLivvy%2BTopiary.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />They were all good, but it became confusing as to whose turn it was to hold the communicator. Derek turned out to be the best at listening to and understanding the clue, and he was able to get us through it, but we were all kind of relieved when it was over. <br /><br />Patrick, Bren and John had waited for us on a bench in a beautiful English garden, and they waited a little longer while we took the kids into the Kidcot station for England. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K6w8bfyU6I4/TY9lzH3qkEI/AAAAAAAAAeo/EuvLk2FyUcc/s1600/Epcot%2BEngland.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588797591550332994" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K6w8bfyU6I4/TY9lzH3qkEI/AAAAAAAAAeo/EuvLk2FyUcc/s320/Epcot%2BEngland.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />We had briefly visited Canada before Kim Possible, letting the kids check out the "Kidcot" station there. Kidcot is a wonderful idea for kids, and it's something that we look forward to. Each country in World Pavilion has its own station and kids pick up a cardboard cutout (free! - last year it was a theatre mask; this year was "Duffy", a bear, the Epcot mascot) glued to a paint stick, and take it from country to country. The country's representative sits at a table, has some conversation with the child, and stamps the stick with the country's name. If it's a country with a different alphabet than ours, they write the child's name in the native language. (Last year, they also affixed a ribbon or other decoration to the mask, but for some reason not this year.) <br /><br />After they get their stamp, the kids can go over to a little craft table surrounded by little chairs, where they can choose colored Sharpies out of a big bowl to color their bear. Ava made sure to divvy up her coloring such that she was able to finish it at the last country.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qGmfxdXEtMI/TY9h_yosMWI/AAAAAAAAAd4/Z4871CPU4kw/s1600/French%2BChefs.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 227px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588793411142168930" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qGmfxdXEtMI/TY9h_yosMWI/AAAAAAAAAd4/Z4871CPU4kw/s320/French%2BChefs.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Gaffer got the kids some ice cream along the way, and they had a fun time running around, eating ice cream, going into the Kidcot stations - they even got to see a street show in France with two acrobats dressed as French chefs. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ims4v3Ek1ik/TY9iAZqEGwI/AAAAAAAAAeI/2H7kdt0PHmI/s1600/Mason.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 265px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588793421616913154" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ims4v3Ek1ik/TY9iAZqEGwI/AAAAAAAAAeI/2H7kdt0PHmI/s320/Mason.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kQiKtKnC30o/TY9jGqCT43I/AAAAAAAAAeY/IAqCVLh9IdI/s1600/Marie.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 279px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588794628604420978" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kQiKtKnC30o/TY9jGqCT43I/AAAAAAAAAeY/IAqCVLh9IdI/s320/Marie.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />By early afternoon they were tired, though, and Derek and Nikki took the kids back to their resort, and Bren and John headed back. (Lindsey had left the night before, and it seemed as if some bubbles in the champagne were missing....) Gaffer and Ava and I did some more Epcot wandering, doing some more Kidcots, and had dinner in Germany again. Ava fell asleep on the way out of the park, and Gaffer looked cute with a little princess slung over his shoulder on the way back to the cabin!<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzssHreuXeyNfFR-qvDeVOynxilaGIGpDw-Z251CwCH4JeB4svpV1lRkIwUP-HUA2vKijOIZLFzmzMwsyJ29Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w23fDiG-D6s/TY9_Axd6dVI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/lH9T39P4P3s/s1600/Gaffer%2BAva%2BGammer%2BEpcot.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588825313845605714" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w23fDiG-D6s/TY9_Axd6dVI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/lH9T39P4P3s/s320/Gaffer%2BAva%2BGammer%2BEpcot.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />On Friday morning we headed out bright and early, back to Epcot. This was going to be our Garden Festival day, and we took our time wandering through all the exhibits - the Fairy House garden, the Butterfly garden, the miniature village in Germany, the scented garden in France, the tea gardens in England. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-yNJ8wzdL8/TY93uJNQTNI/AAAAAAAAAgI/0GXhHlay9Xk/s1600/Epcot%2BFrance2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588817297219275986" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-yNJ8wzdL8/TY93uJNQTNI/AAAAAAAAAgI/0GXhHlay9Xk/s320/Epcot%2BFrance2.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-COcnD1Y7BL4/TY93tsmCSLI/AAAAAAAAAf4/UNUHdlC-8dk/s1600/Epcot%2BCanada.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588817289538586802" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-COcnD1Y7BL4/TY93tsmCSLI/AAAAAAAAAf4/UNUHdlC-8dk/s320/Epcot%2BCanada.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VHat7SjcG0Q/TY93tcE4x8I/AAAAAAAAAfw/HnTphM1Z3ng/s1600/Ava%2BFairy%2BHouse2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588817285104584642" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VHat7SjcG0Q/TY93tcE4x8I/AAAAAAAAAfw/HnTphM1Z3ng/s320/Ava%2BFairy%2BHouse2.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FPExtd3ZE-I/TY93tANfhCI/AAAAAAAAAfo/FU5I9w_nvYg/s1600/Ava%2BFairy%2BHouse.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588817277624484898" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FPExtd3ZE-I/TY93tANfhCI/AAAAAAAAAfo/FU5I9w_nvYg/s320/Ava%2BFairy%2BHouse.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4zcFL5gZN4o/TY-NAkY5x2I/AAAAAAAAAhI/sbMSWNCSXDU/s1600/Ava%2BPluto.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4zcFL5gZN4o/TY-NAkY5x2I/AAAAAAAAAhI/sbMSWNCSXDU/s320/Ava%2BPluto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588840703497717602" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hwuyNgSgpfo/TY-NAiVr3tI/AAAAAAAAAhA/Lo9zMxKrrUk/s1600/Ava%2BMinnie.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hwuyNgSgpfo/TY-NAiVr3tI/AAAAAAAAAhA/Lo9zMxKrrUk/s320/Ava%2BMinnie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588840702947352274" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SGR4xuE7WYU/TY-NAZZwEHI/AAAAAAAAAg4/4Am01H4_4o8/s1600/Ava%2BMickey.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SGR4xuE7WYU/TY-NAZZwEHI/AAAAAAAAAg4/4Am01H4_4o8/s320/Ava%2BMickey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588840700548485234" /></a><br /><br />We went back to Ft. Wilderness in the afternoon, spent some time at the pool, and that evening went to the Chip n Dale Campfire Sing-along at the campground. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-78iYfQEwUcQ/TY9zwa8sQdI/AAAAAAAAAfI/2w_D3ZlKrKg/s1600/FW%2BChip.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 250px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588812938294870482" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-78iYfQEwUcQ/TY9zwa8sQdI/AAAAAAAAAfI/2w_D3ZlKrKg/s320/FW%2BChip.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jD9yaqMSUw/TY9zwEDQSDI/AAAAAAAAAfA/TbyjrPEstgk/s1600/FW%2BCampfire3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588812932148381746" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jD9yaqMSUw/TY9zwEDQSDI/AAAAAAAAAfA/TbyjrPEstgk/s320/FW%2BCampfire3.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IEC7IBSJogQ/TY9zv8fMkrI/AAAAAAAAAe4/Sfb-r8xCz-U/s1600/FW%2BCampfire2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588812930118095538" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IEC7IBSJogQ/TY9zv8fMkrI/AAAAAAAAAe4/Sfb-r8xCz-U/s320/FW%2BCampfire2.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PTNjU_dnUCw/TY9zvvgDtVI/AAAAAAAAAew/IRiQQ7pL-DU/s1600/FW%2BCampfire.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588812926632047954" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PTNjU_dnUCw/TY9zvvgDtVI/AAAAAAAAAew/IRiQQ7pL-DU/s320/FW%2BCampfire.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />We bought a little "s'more" kit and Ava had fun roasting marshmallows and dancing with Chip. She got his autograph, too. Dale was working a different part of the crowd, so Ava was disappointed that she was never able to catch up with him for his signature. She had a lot of fun with that autograph book! <br /><br />Brenda and John were leaving on Saturday and they came over to Trail's End for breakfast before they took off for the airport. Ava had another pony ride while we waited for them, then it was hugs and promises to get together as soon as we got back home, and then they were gone. Derek and Nikki and the kids were also leaving that afternoon. It felt kind of lonely to know that our family was all leaving, and we wished we could have spent more time together while they were there; it was hard with all the kids and everyone's different schedules, but we were glad for the time we did spend together. <br /><br />So we had the rest of the day Saturday to enjoy. I asked Ava if she wanted to go back to Magic Kingdom and was surprised by her answer: "I <em>never</em> want to go back there - it's my worst favorite place!" When I asked her why, she said, "Because everything's <em>fake</em>!" That's our little Ava - a true Capricorn - feet planted firmly on the ground, practical and logical. But I was kind of disappointed - I would have enjoyed another walk through Magic Kingdom!! <br /><br />We spent the day very enjoyably at the pool, and most of Sunday there as well. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KudBhsVRWF0/TY-HRCyYtmI/AAAAAAAAAgo/H4voN_KiDqk/s1600/Pool2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588834389465806434" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KudBhsVRWF0/TY-HRCyYtmI/AAAAAAAAAgo/H4voN_KiDqk/s320/Pool2.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zwUnYZQ4RgE/TY-HQ9Ze9cI/AAAAAAAAAgg/yQXB8cgj-2U/s1600/Pool.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 248px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588834388019180994" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zwUnYZQ4RgE/TY-HQ9Ze9cI/AAAAAAAAAgg/yQXB8cgj-2U/s320/Pool.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTOzUDStce0/TY-HQ1gAoZI/AAAAAAAAAgY/xfWtksCH6U4/s1600/FW%2BPool.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588834385899069842" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTOzUDStce0/TY-HQ1gAoZI/AAAAAAAAAgY/xfWtksCH6U4/s320/FW%2BPool.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />On Sunday afternoon we made our last visit back to Epcot. We walked slower than usual, knowing it was our last day. The weather was gorgeous, sunny and warm, and we soaked it in. We had dinner at an outside table at Morocco, Ava enjoying the chicken and couscous, and watched a Canadian bagpiping rock band ("Off-Kilter" - they wore kilts) for a while before drifting out of the park. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_2ksBKIvyYQ/TY92A3zPDEI/AAAAAAAAAfg/4AL4ypIl2Oo/s1600/Epcot%2BMorocco2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588815419940998210" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_2ksBKIvyYQ/TY92A3zPDEI/AAAAAAAAAfg/4AL4ypIl2Oo/s320/Epcot%2BMorocco2.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R3ZatZVTzS0/TY91icXHgbI/AAAAAAAAAfY/I_NlIBAt2Tg/s1600/Epcot%2BMorocco.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588814897179230642" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R3ZatZVTzS0/TY91icXHgbI/AAAAAAAAAfY/I_NlIBAt2Tg/s320/Epcot%2BMorocco.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cng6E9OvBUg/TY91iCophAI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/pbd4GdscUao/s1600/Canadian%2BRock%2BBand.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588814890273440770" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cng6E9OvBUg/TY91iCophAI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/pbd4GdscUao/s320/Canadian%2BRock%2BBand.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ti0ZAdD3KTw/TY-N02KJMSI/AAAAAAAAAhw/eSQNgULvulM/s1600/Epcot%2BSand2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ti0ZAdD3KTw/TY-N02KJMSI/AAAAAAAAAhw/eSQNgULvulM/s320/Epcot%2BSand2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588841601620848930" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5HPoDlbFbQ/TY-N04QUF9I/AAAAAAAAAho/wM7Lqgby4Wc/s1600/Epcot%2BPlayground2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5HPoDlbFbQ/TY-N04QUF9I/AAAAAAAAAho/wM7Lqgby4Wc/s320/Epcot%2BPlayground2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588841602183600082" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_yq-CMBs9L0/TY-N0jYUfuI/AAAAAAAAAhg/drk7atcPB1o/s1600/Epcot%2BMulan.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_yq-CMBs9L0/TY-N0jYUfuI/AAAAAAAAAhg/drk7atcPB1o/s320/Epcot%2BMulan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588841596580036322" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RnOnnGI1bCE/TY-N0iSm8AI/AAAAAAAAAhY/FrTOUk0XyyQ/s1600/Epcot%2Bminivillage.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RnOnnGI1bCE/TY-N0iSm8AI/AAAAAAAAAhY/FrTOUk0XyyQ/s320/Epcot%2Bminivillage.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588841596287643650" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TI7v6UkHQcc/TY-N0ceV2UI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/Yp9iQ4UhgQA/s1600/Epcot%2BChipndale.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 261px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TI7v6UkHQcc/TY-N0ceV2UI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/Yp9iQ4UhgQA/s320/Epcot%2BChipndale.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588841594726242626" /></a><br /><br /><br />One last ride on Spaceship Earth and we were on the bus back to Ft. Wilderness, to be ready for our 4:30am transport to the airport. We were looking forward to coming home, sunburned and tired, and happy.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xxjs-AgoCpY/TY-LCPiXQhI/AAAAAAAAAgw/umtb-KQWz1E/s1600/Disney%2B2011%2B071.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xxjs-AgoCpY/TY-LCPiXQhI/AAAAAAAAAgw/umtb-KQWz1E/s320/Disney%2B2011%2B071.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588838533236736530" /></a>Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-47655558979997622212011-01-15T08:39:00.006-05:002011-01-15T10:08:28.452-05:00Acadia 2011Last winter we had planned to snowmobile in Acadia, but the weather never cooperated with enough snow. So this year, after our big January snowstorm, Gaffer wasted no time in planning a quick trip for us. We left Thursday afternoon (1/13), after dropping the dogs at the kennel, for our hotel in Ellsworth. Ava slept most of the ride, and was quite impatient to get to the hotel so she could go swimming. She definitely was not happy when we decided to pull into a diner in Ellsworth to get supper before checking in to the hotel - but it was 6:30 and we knew she wouldn't want to leave the hotel once she got there, so supper first it was. <br /><br />She's always good, though, so she patiently tolerated the time spent at the restaurant, and was ecstatic when we were finally in our room and she was able to get into her swimsuit. The hotel clerk told us that it was a salt-water pool, and we found out that the salt water must have just been pulled out of Penobscot Bay, iceburgs and all. It was literally the coldest pool we'd ever been in - your feet turned numb just stepping into it! Ava didn't let that little detail bother her, though. She was swimming and jumping and splashing like crazy - happy as could be. The hot tub was just the same in the opposite - very hot, but wonderful. We actually enjoyed going back and forth between the two - Hot Cold Hot Cold! We swam until about 8:30, then came back to the room, read some books and went to sleep. <br /><br />The next morning we were up, breakfasted, and loaded up by 8:30. We drove to the entrance of Acadia, near Hulls Cove, and parked at the almost empty visitor center. There was only one other truck in the parking lot, and as we were getting the snowmobile ready the other snowmobilist was coming back down the trail. He had already been to the top of Cadillac! <br /><br />We changed into our warm clothes at the truck, and then headed out - Ava riding the dogsled, standing on the step in the back. She's recently been interested in dog-sledding since we gave her the story of Balto. The Itidarod is also starting shortly, so we've been choosing our favorite mushers and talking about putting up a big map of Alaska in the house so we can follow the progress of the race. So, she was tickled to be riding her own dogsled, and promptly decided to name our snowmobile "Balto".<A href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG1qJFCKhI/AAAAAAAAAX8/hX6UOnScZW8/s1600/Sled.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562426750375438866 border=0 alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG1qJFCKhI/AAAAAAAAAX8/hX6UOnScZW8/s320/Sled.jpg"></A> <br /><br />We followed the Park Loop Road, which in places is not plowed at all and had a beautiful fresh snow pack, and in other places is plowed on only one lane for cars with a berm on the other lane for snowmobiles and other winter recreationalists - we saw several cross country skiiers and snowshoers, but only one other snowmobile during the entire day in the park.<A href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG07kqgl_I/AAAAAAAAAXk/1p3RNz_IYDE/s1600/Gaffer%2Bsled.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562425950326527986 border=0 alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG07kqgl_I/AAAAAAAAAXk/1p3RNz_IYDE/s320/Gaffer%2Bsled.jpg"></A> <br /><br />We stopped often to take pictures and look around. It was snowing lightly during the morning hours, and everything was breath-takingly beautiful. Heavy fresh snow covered the branches of the trees on either side of the trail, the air was cold but not uncomfortably so, and the ocean and the hills on either side of us were gorgeous to look at as we rode along. The road itself was lovely, the old carriage road with its famous bridges. Later in the day the sun glanced out from time to time, and patches of brilliant blue sky made the day even more incredible.<A href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTGzLD7JhII/AAAAAAAAAWM/-8rQB8X_VHE/s1600/Ava%2Brides.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562424017392600194 border=0 alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTGzLD7JhII/AAAAAAAAAWM/-8rQB8X_VHE/s320/Ava%2Brides.jpg"></A> <A href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG07mSr9lI/AAAAAAAAAXc/GBHJtJ7TYT0/s1600/Frenchman%2BBay.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562425950763480658 border=0 alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG07mSr9lI/AAAAAAAAAXc/GBHJtJ7TYT0/s320/Frenchman%2BBay.jpg"></A> <br /><br />Ava and I took turns riding on the dogsled, alternating between sitting backwards on the snowmobile so we could keep an eye on each other. <A href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTGzLdr2T3I/AAAAAAAAAWU/RStrxPC6Uw4/s1600/AvaGaffer2.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562424024307748722 border=0 alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTGzLdr2T3I/AAAAAAAAAWU/RStrxPC6Uw4/s320/AvaGaffer2.jpg"></A> We were all warm and comfortable as we rode along the road overlooking Frenchman's Bay. We saw "The Cat" at her ferry terminal, the parking lot snow-covered and deserted for the season, <A href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG07XLRFWI/AAAAAAAAAXU/UDFzlV55FQI/s1600/CAT.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562425946705827170 border=0 alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG07XLRFWI/AAAAAAAAAXU/UDFzlV55FQI/s320/CAT.jpg"></A> and we saw a lovely doe standing beside the road. We stopped to watch her, and she stood for the longest time looking back at us, until two of her friends crossed the road behind us, then the three of them loped away slowly into the woods.<A href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG0JjHem-I/AAAAAAAAAXM/KKiKq0u27lk/s1600/Deer.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562425090917702626 border=0 alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG0JjHem-I/AAAAAAAAAXM/KKiKq0u27lk/s320/Deer.jpg"></A> <br /><br />We had packed a picnic lunch of cold roast chicken, cheese, crackers, salami, and apples, along with a big thermos of hot chocolate and a bottle of Luna for Gammer and Gaffer. At around 11am we stopped at a scenic overlook to have our snack. Ava enjoyed the hot chocolate more than anything - it really "hit the spot" for her! She was the reason we brought the salami, too. It's one of her favorite foods, and she munched down three or four pieces to accompany her hot chocolate!<A href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTGzLXuIzzI/AAAAAAAAAWc/cS7XlT5QC44/s1600/Breaktime2.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562424022706736946 border=0 alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTGzLXuIzzI/AAAAAAAAAWc/cS7XlT5QC44/s320/Breaktime2.jpg"></A> <br /><br />Around and higher we climbed into the park. At one point, we came to a stop when the trail seemed to end. We had come out onto an obviously heavily traveled road, completely plowed clear of snow. We turned the sled around and drove back the way we came, until we saw where many other snowmobilers had turned into the grounds for the Wildwood Stables. We turned in, but then the trail went up a winding trail into the woods - obviously not the Park Loop Road. We stopped, wondering if that was the right way to go, when the one and only other snowmobiler of the day happened to come along! He told us to stay on this trail, and we'd come back out to the Park Loop Road. It was a good thing he came along when he did, because there had been no signs to indicate the right way to go, and there were several other trails going off into other directions. <br /><br />So now back on track, we started into the most beautiful part of the ride. We were quite high in elevation now, and the views were truly spectacular. The crystals in the trees sparkled in the sun and the pristine beauty of the area made a privilige of every breath I took - how amazingly fortunate we were to be allowed into Mother Nature's sanctuary. <A href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTGzLpLrNeI/AAAAAAAAAWk/kK9JRhxXMCk/s1600/Cadillac.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562424027394029026 border=0 alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTGzLpLrNeI/AAAAAAAAAWk/kK9JRhxXMCk/s320/Cadillac.jpg"></A> <A href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG0Je2jm4I/AAAAAAAAAXE/UGuep2i5fns/s1600/Cadillac5.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562425089772985218 border=0 alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG0Je2jm4I/AAAAAAAAAXE/UGuep2i5fns/s320/Cadillac5.jpg"></A> <A href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG0JepiPCI/AAAAAAAAAW8/ira6bqLHBbA/s1600/Cadillac4.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562425089718369314 border=0 alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG0JepiPCI/AAAAAAAAAW8/ira6bqLHBbA/s320/Cadillac4.jpg"></A> <A href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG0JGyjK4I/AAAAAAAAAW0/D2u0L5EaGqE/s1600/Cadillac3.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562425083313728386 border=0 alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG0JGyjK4I/AAAAAAAAAW0/D2u0L5EaGqE/s320/Cadillac3.jpg"></A> <A href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG0I35QxCI/AAAAAAAAAWs/duhEu7kInAo/s1600/Cadillac2.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562425079315350562 border=0 alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG0I35QxCI/AAAAAAAAAWs/duhEu7kInAo/s320/Cadillac2.jpg"></A> <br /><br />Ava had started to get sleepy so Gaffer put her in front of him on the snowmobile and, from my perch on the runners of the dogsled, I could see her little mittened hand dangling after a few minutes. As she slept, we turned into the road to the Cadillac summit. Up and up and around and around we went, until we arrived at a winter wonderland at the peak. We woke up Ava and spent some time walking around to look at the views from all points - just amazing. We had another hot chocolate break, then loaded up for the final few miles back to the truck. <A href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG08pArA6I/AAAAAAAAAX0/73zJs0MkhYs/s1600/Napping%2Bon%2BCadillac2.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562425968673096610 border=0 alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG08pArA6I/AAAAAAAAAX0/73zJs0MkhYs/s320/Napping%2Bon%2BCadillac2.jpg"></A> <A href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG08QVwAII/AAAAAAAAAXs/iGGS8kbruEI/s1600/Napping%2Bon%2BCadillac.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562425962050617474 border=0 alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTG08QVwAII/AAAAAAAAAXs/iGGS8kbruEI/s320/Napping%2Bon%2BCadillac.jpg"></A> <br /><br />We arrived back at the visitor center, happy and thrilled by our day, at 2pm and were back home by 6. Ava never fell asleep all the way home! Her little nap while climbing Cadillac Mountain had apparently been enough to hold her over but after only about 10 pages into "Owl at Home" that night she was snoring and slept a solid 12 hours!<A href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTGzLJTAwtI/AAAAAAAAAWE/cAxU60caS1Q/s1600/Acadia.jpg"><IMG style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562424018834866898 border=0 alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TTGzLJTAwtI/AAAAAAAAAWE/cAxU60caS1Q/s320/Acadia.jpg"></A><br /><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-FAILED class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="FAILED"></OBJECT>Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-19045264494132138062010-12-03T07:48:00.002-05:002010-12-03T09:05:25.879-05:00Fall 2010Halloween was fun this year. Ava chose to be a princess, and wore the beautiful gown she had worn for Cinderella's breakfast at Magic Kingdom last winter. Her pre-school class had a little Halloween party, and for a week or two Ava was on the fence about going. But at the 11th hour, she decided to go so Gaffer and I enjoyed watching her parade through all the kindergarten classes with her fellow pre-schoolers - very cute! Then the kids shared a Halloween feast back in their own room, and Ava ate her weight in orange jello squares! Who knew she liked them?? It was VERY cold the actual night of Halloween, but clear and beautiful. We drove her to Gorham so she could trick or treat at Gram and Gramp's first. They were delighted to see her! Then we found a parking spot across from Baxter Library in the village, and headed out from there. Ava was wearing little princess sandels, so I packed her crocs in a bag, convinced that it wouldn't be long before she'd swap shoes. But that kid tromped for miles in her fancy shoes and never asked to change! She was in her glory - at every house she was told how beautiful she was, and she would graciously smile and say "thank you!" Gaffer and I found a treat at one house, where an old lady was out on her porch with crock pots full of hot cider that she was handing out in little styrofoam cups. We covered a lot of ground and her little plastic pumpkin was full when we decided to call it a night and head home. She's not much of a candy eater, so at this date (Dec 2), the pumpkin is on top of the fridge - still full! <br /><br />In November, Gaffer's seaduck hunting season really took off, and he was hired to work in Stonington helping another guide there. I was asked to cook for the crew for a few days, so Ava and I drove up. It was a beautiful drive, and we had fun singing "Shady Grove" along the way and looking at the sights. She was fighting a cold, so we stopped at a pharmacy along the way for some tylenol to bring with us, but she was cheerful and looking forward to the adventure in spite of being under the weather. We arrived on Saturday afternoon, and Gaffer was happy to see us! The rented house was at the end of a long dirt driveway in Deer Isle, right on the water. We spent the day on Sunday helping get ready for the hunters from PA to arrive - making beds, getting groceries, cooking... The other guide, Mark, and his girlfriend April were there, along with April's 9 year old daughter, Iva. Ava and Iva hit it right off, and Ava fell in love with Iva's black lab, Flash. Mark, April, and Iva left that afternoon, and then it was up to Gaffer, Ava and me to take care of the seven hunters. Ava was her usual friendly, talkative self, and they all enjoyed her very much! She ran out of energy quickly, though, with her cold, so spent quite a bit of time in our bedroom, watching movies on her portable DVD player. She'd take a break, gather up some steam, then come out and be the life of the party! It worked out well, in a way, that she was so happy to be in bed resting, because I was up to my elbows in cooking and cleaning for the next three days. By Weds, she was feeling lively enough to give me a lot of help as we cleaned up the place before we left - she vacuumed, washed floors, made beds, cleaned shower stalls - what a great helper!! One of the hunters had "tipped" her a dollar two nights in a row for bringing him his newspaper, and then April tipped her six dollars for all the work she did around the house - Ava's first income!! She's saving it for our trip to Disney in February. <br /><br />Thanksgiving Day was another highlight this fall. Ava went with Gaffer to pick up Joe in Brunswick, Uncle Steve and Jennifer came over, and Bobby and Katie brought Kerry with them - and then, surprise, Nannie also showed up! Beepa was working a shut-down at McCain Foods up in the County, so Nannie decided to come to Durham rather than stay home alone! We had such a fun day! Ava had helped me cook the day before (we played music and danced all day while we worked!), so we only had to warm things up and wait for the turkey to be done for our 2:00 feast. She was in her glory with all her aunts and uncles (and Nannie) to dote on her. She wore her red Christmas dress from last year, and was simply gorgeous - with her happy face and beautiful smile, she made my heart go pitter-patter everytime I looked at her.<br /><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-4039e3e8bf17e03d class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="4039e3e8bf17e03d"></OBJECT>Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-57436934931824967012010-10-02T06:33:00.068-04:002010-10-03T18:51:23.404-04:00Iowa Road TripShe really didn't want to go on this road trip to Des <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Moines</span> - has never liked to spend a lot of time in the car - but didn't want to be left behind, either. In the days leading up to the trip she whined and complained about riding for such a long distance, to the point where I finally said, "Look, Ava. We're going. We're planning to have a lot of fun. If you can't find a good attitude about this, then please stay with Gram and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gramp</span> - they would love to have you. Otherwise, don't 'yuk our yum', and let's enjoy this adventure."
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<br />And she's that kind of kid - once it's in front of her, in black and white, she makes a mental adjustment, and happily goes with the flow. I think it's a good trait to have - she has the strength and will to fight against a situation she <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">disagrees</span> with, but then when she realizes that she's beating her head against a wall, she accepts it and makes the best of it. Good stuff!
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<br />So, on Weds 9/22/10, we left home about 9am, smiling and excited on a beautiful sunny day, Ava sitting between us in her booster seat in the F250. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcNy6c2DVI/AAAAAAAAAQA/HYRkRqZAW1c/s1600/Ava+Road+Trip.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523398636328062290" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcNy6c2DVI/AAAAAAAAAQA/HYRkRqZAW1c/s320/Ava+Road+Trip.jpg" /></a>
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<br />We brought a lot of books, activity workbooks, toy animals, and movies for her portable DVD player to help pass the time on the long drive. We dropped Bear off at Nanny's house, and then were on our way.
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<br />We had planned a route that dipped down into central Pennsylvania and then west from there, rather than take the dreaded NY Thruway and I-80 across northern Ohio, and it turned out to be a good decision. We had light traffic and lovely early fall scenery in western Connecticut and through the Catskills area of New York. Entering Pennsylvania, we drove through the beautiful hills in the Poconos along a winding well-maintained road.
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<br />By this time, it was getting to be mid-afternoon and Miss Ava was starting to get a little sleepy. I saw her starting to snuggle in, and asked if she'd like to have Teddy to use as a pillow, and take a little nap. She nodded, and I reached around the cab of the truck for Teddy. Nothing. So I unbuckled my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">seatbelt</span> and groped around in the back seat for Teddy. Nothing. I looked at Patrick over Ava's head, and he looked back at me, and we both remembered that she had taken him with her into the Charlton Plaza rest area on I-90 back in Massachusetts. Our eyes said the same thing to each other: "Oh no!"
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<br />He dug into his pocket for the lunch receipt from the plaza, and it had a phone number. I called and got someone who could barely speak English, and tried to ask quietly if anyone had found a teddy bear in the ladies room (I remembered exactly where we had left him - sitting on the toilet paper dispenser in the last stall on the right.) She put me on hold for a little while, then came back and said No. I left my phone number with her, but my heart sank. By this time, Ava was looking at me with big questioning eyes. "Where's Teddy?"
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<br />I had to tell her that we left him in Massachusetts. The wail she let out was like nothing I had ever heard from her before. My eyes filled with tears and I was sick to my stomach. Visions of Teddy filled my mind - Teddy camping, Teddy with Cinderella, Teddy on the boat, Teddy in the garden. It seemed as though every mental picture I had of Ava also included Teddy. As an "only child", she had relied on Teddy for companionship and he had been her trusted sidekick since before she could walk.
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<br />We assured her that the people at the plaza would keep an eye out for him, and that we'd swing back by on our way home to see if he had turned up. This calmed her down, and then her main concern was who she was going to hug and sleep with during the rest of the trip, so we made a plan to run out to the closest department store to look for a new teddy as soon as we got to the hotel.
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<br />We arrived at the Hampton Inn <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carlisle</span> PA about 6pm and, true to our word, as soon as we had checked in and got our stuff into the room, we headed back down the highway to Target. They had a disappointing selection of stuffed animals - only a handful of them - but she managed to find the only teddy bear on the shelf, and instantly told me that she loved it. So now Fuzzy Bear was riding shotgun to Iowa with us. At times during the rest of the trip (and to this day), Ava would talk about Teddy and sometimes cry for him, but she did a great job of moving on with life.
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<br />As we were leaving Target, the glorious full moon was being overtaken by great black clouds, and as we drove to the hotel thunder began rumbling, then we could see lightning flashes, and then just as we pulled into the hotel parking lot, the rain came pouring down. We made a mad dash for the door, and were soon back in our room, glad to be off the road for the night. Patrick and Ava headed right out to the pool, while I did <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Southworth</span> work and ordered a pizza delivered.
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<br />We woke early to get a good start on the drive, planning to stop in Indianapolis that night. Patrick, as usual, was dressed and ready to go before I was, so he helped Ava get her things packed up while I showered. At about 6:30, as I was walking around the room in a towel, the hotel fire alarms started to go off - not in our room, but out in the hallway. Patrick opened the door to see what was going on, and we saw that in addition to the noisy "<em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">bwaat</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">bwaat</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">bwaat</span></em>" of the alarms, white lights in the ceiling were also flashing. I didn't think too much of it, assuming it was just a false alarm, but he wanted us to get out of the room. Just then I picked up a faint scent of hot electrical, and jumped into my clothes. We gathered up Ava, but left everything else behind, even Fuzzy.
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<br />As we walked into the lobby area, several other sleepy, confused-looking patrons were wandering around as well, everyone kind of glancing toward the front desk for some indication as to what was going on. But the guy alone at the front desk was on the phone, not making eye contact with any of the customers, so we and most of the others went outside. The alarms were still going as we stood on the sidewalk next to the hotel, and I had fun watching the people slowly trickle out of the building - a little boy, obviously plucked from his bed, draped over his dad's shoulder; a young guy without a shirt, in his running pants; several businessmen in their khakis, ready for sales calls but having had to leave their rooms before they could pack. The smell of electrical was really <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">noticeable</span> by this point, so I was glad we had left our room at the first alarms.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKjxr7j3tNI/AAAAAAAAAVw/iDaHYmsZwV8/s1600/Carlisle.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523930679994725586" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKjxr7j3tNI/AAAAAAAAAVw/iDaHYmsZwV8/s320/Carlisle.jpg" /></a>
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<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKjxriIq4LI/AAAAAAAAAVo/oLx7VTGKWqw/s1600/Carlisle2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523930673169752242" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKjxriIq4LI/AAAAAAAAAVo/oLx7VTGKWqw/s320/Carlisle2.jpg" /></a>
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<br />We heard the sirens of the local fire department coming nearer to the hotel, and a larger crowd gathered around the building as more and more people decided to take the fire alarms seriously. Patrick and I got a kick out of watching the fire trucks show up - three of them, including a ladder truck that sent a fireman to the roof - because it seemed as though the fire department had been waiting for a chance to try out all this new shiny stuff they had hanging around the station! As firemen were entering the building, I was absolutely amazed to see people coming out past them, fully dressed, hair-styled, and with all their suitcases and laptop bags in tow - seemingly blase about the emergency. I had to laugh to myself - as much as we hear on the news about how Americans are afraid of another terrorist attack - you wouldn't know it in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carlisle</span>, PA.
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<br />By this time, Ava had noticed (and cried about) that we had left Fuzzy in the room. We explained to her that in an emergency, you don't stop for things. Nothing, not even Blue Cat. That people have died in fires because they looked for things instead of just getting out of the building. She listened seriously to this, and didn't mention Fuzzy again. I hope it's a lesson she remembers the rest of her life.
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<br />Eventually, a girl who was part of the morning kitchen staff started making the rounds, telling us that it was a short in their electrical room and that everything was fine, and letting us know that we could go back in the building. I went back to the room, while Patrick and Ava watched the firefighters putting away their shiny stuff. Over breakfast a little while later, Ava told me that all the firemen had talked to her, and they even turned on one of the "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">spinny</span>" lights on the front of the engine so she could see it!
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKfKUQ_6HwI/AAAAAAAAATA/5AZULnmD7H8/s1600/Ava+Breakfast.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523605917502414594" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKfKUQ_6HwI/AAAAAAAAATA/5AZULnmD7H8/s320/Ava+Breakfast.jpg" /></a>Ava and I were sitting at the table together, while Gaffer was loading our gear in the truck, after breakfast. Ava was holding Fuzzy. An older lady walked by, a grandmotherly-type with grey hair but with a firm look that made me think that maybe she was a former teacher (you can tell them a mile away! I love them!), and she stopped to tell Ava what a nice teddy bear she had. The poor thing didn't know it, but this was a very tender subject. Ava's eyes filled with tears and she said, "Well, this is my NEW teddy bear that I got last night because my real teddy bear is at a rest area..." The lady looked over at me, and I nodded and told her what had happened. Well, that lovely woman turned to Ava and looked directly into her eyes, and in a matter-of-fact but gentle voice said, "You may not see that teddy bear again. But, you know what, there may have been a sad girl at that rest area who didn't have a teddy bear. And she saw yours and it made her feel better, and now she's taking care of him."
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<br />Ava looked at her seriously, and nodded her head. You could see the wheels turning at this idea of Teddy's fate. Then she said, "Well, I love my new teddy bear also..." I thanked the old lady for being so nice and taking the time to talk with Ava. It seems that every day, you can find examples of good, decent humanity in places where you would never expect to find it! I'll remember that lady forever, even if Ava doesn't.
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<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcQleqhhBI/AAAAAAAAAQY/MmLHZvK3YVs/s1600/PA+Tunnel.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 243px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 212px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523401704065827858" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcQleqhhBI/AAAAAAAAAQY/MmLHZvK3YVs/s320/PA+Tunnel.jpg" /></a>Once on the road, we had miles and miles through the Allegheny Mountains - literally, through! Many tunnels were bored through the mountains, and it was exciting for Ava each time we drove through one.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcQAJ_p50I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/S77pt-muDds/s1600/PA+Tunnel1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 332px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 202px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523401062862153538" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcQAJ_p50I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/S77pt-muDds/s320/PA+Tunnel1.jpg" /></a>
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<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKchUFy4GRI/AAAAAAAAAQw/jJZ4rTBQ7ic/s1600/Cabelas+WV.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 205px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 170px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523420097029871890" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKchUFy4GRI/AAAAAAAAAQw/jJZ4rTBQ7ic/s320/Cabelas+WV.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKchs9PMlEI/AAAAAAAAARA/r9UoGE3C2IY/s1600/Cabelas.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 197px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 194px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523420524229465154" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKchs9PMlEI/AAAAAAAAARA/r9UoGE3C2IY/s320/Cabelas.jpg" /></a>
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<br />I had made an appointment in the Columbus area with a customer who had stopped into the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Southworth</span> booth at the Atlanta woodworking show, and we arrived there at about 3pm. Gaffer and Ava took a walk and stretched their legs while I went in and looked at the application, and then we hit the road again, arriving in Indianapolis at around 5:30. This hotel was the only disappointing Hampton Inn we stayed at. Not really clean, whirlpool broken down, leaves and dirt in the (indoor) pool, and only decaf coffee available! (This was ridiculous! No real coffee????)
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<br />But we hadn't stopped in Indianapolis for the accommodations - we had stopped for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fogo</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chao</span>. Ever since the first time I had gone to Fogo in Chicago, I've been a huge fan. When Patrick and I went to Washington DC, we had a great time at the Fogo there and he was hooked. I went to the one in Baltimore while I was working there earlier this summer, and he was thrilled for me - that's how much he loves it, he's happy even knowing I'm going without him! We went to the one in Philadelphia this August during our anniversary/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Southworth</span> road trip and it was fantastic, and now we wanted to check out the one in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Indianapolis</span>.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcmtn7G99I/AAAAAAAAARQ/5v7CcC5mDYY/s1600/Indianapolis.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 290px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 223px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523426033246074834" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcmtn7G99I/AAAAAAAAARQ/5v7CcC5mDYY/s320/Indianapolis.jpg" /></a>
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcmlBanpwI/AAAAAAAAARI/pfy1QPIF8WE/s1600/Ava+Fogo+de+Chao.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523425885470304002" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcmlBanpwI/AAAAAAAAARI/pfy1QPIF8WE/s320/Ava+Fogo+de+Chao.jpg" /></a>
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<br />After the mandatory swimming time with Gaffer, Ava put on a beautiful outfit and we headed downtown to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fogo</span>. We found a parking spot on the street adjacent to the court, the jail, and about 75 bail bonds agencies. We held Ava's hand tight during the walk to the restaurant, but all was well, and we relaxed especially once we were inside. As we expected, it was a dining experience like no other - unique to its own location, but otherwise distinctly Fogo. Ava enjoyed interacting with the gauchos who brought the meats around, and she was quite the big girl pulling her own cuts from the skewer with her little tongs. The Spanish-speaking gauchos all listened to her intently as she told them what she wanted, and the kid ate her weight in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">filet</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">mignon</span>, sirloin, lamb, chicken, and sausage, not to mention the vegetables from the magnificent salad bar, and mashed potatoes. Topped off with a bowl of chocolate ice cream. It made us proud - Gaffer was beaming: "That's my girl!"
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<br />On the way out of the city, we were captivated by the beauty of the full moon over the skyscrapers. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcnOAcsmiI/AAAAAAAAARY/-MYTPRi1e4Y/s1600/Moon+over+Indy.jpg">
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<br />The next morning, Friday, was to be our last day of travel. We planned to be in Des <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">Moines</span> by about 2. We passed the Colts stadium on our way out of Indianapolis,
<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: right; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 247px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523428348732110178" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKco0Zx_9WI/AAAAAAAAARo/gr8JQx0rQLE/s320/Colts+Stadium2.jpg" />
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKj1w_NrrgI/AAAAAAAAAV4/6OLWPRNQktg/s1600/Colts+Stadium.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523935164921261570" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKj1w_NrrgI/AAAAAAAAAV4/6OLWPRNQktg/s320/Colts+Stadium.jpg" /></a>and then had a few hours of driving in typical Midwest scenery - farms and more farms. Ava and I passed the time playing with her animals, reading, and doing her workbooks. We had brought the perfect variety of things to do, so that Ava never got bored and neither did I. We were always in agreement that it was a good time to stop playing animals and do something else. Or just look out the window for a while, or take pictures, or talk to each other. Patrick and I were amazed at what a good little road-tripper she was.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcpE38xzhI/AAAAAAAAARw/9nvLFy6mMWM/s1600/Illinois.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 215px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 152px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523428631708290578" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcpE38xzhI/AAAAAAAAARw/9nvLFy6mMWM/s320/Illinois.jpg" /></a>
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<br />We crossed the Mississippi into Burlington, Iowa, at about 11 in the morning,<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcp7r2SGUI/AAAAAAAAASA/dEaDNhiRciw/s1600/Iowa+Burlington.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523429573352626498" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcp7r2SGUI/AAAAAAAAASA/dEaDNhiRciw/s320/Iowa+Burlington.jpg" /></a>
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcp7fFPxZI/AAAAAAAAAR4/sEyWWya8snw/s1600/Iowa+Burlington+MS.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 236px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 161px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523429569925727634" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcp7fFPxZI/AAAAAAAAAR4/sEyWWya8snw/s320/Iowa+Burlington+MS.jpg" /></a> were checking into the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stoney</span> Creek Inn in Des <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-error">Moines</span> at 2:15, and Ava and Gaffer were in the pool by 3:30! And what a pool! I always stayed at the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stoney</span> when I had the Midwest territory for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_28" class="blsp-spelling-error">Southworth</span> and was working in the Des <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_29" class="blsp-spelling-error">Moines</span> area, and it's a wonderful hotel. Designed to be rustic, like a lodge, there's a comfort and homelike feeling to the place that is so enjoyable.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcrgg1w7KI/AAAAAAAAASo/vHDUvMyIWQ0/s1600/Iowa+Stoney+Pool4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 174px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 210px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523431305564449954" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcrgg1w7KI/AAAAAAAAASo/vHDUvMyIWQ0/s320/Iowa+Stoney+Pool4.jpg" /></a>
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<br />Ava made some good progress with her swimming while we were on this trip - she swam in five different pools across the country to Iowa and back, and with each pool she developed better skills. She swam with a float-coat on during our first night out in Carlisle, but by the time we left the Stoney four nights later she didn't want it and was absolutely fearless about jumping right in. It was fun to watch! And doesn't she love to swim!!! She and Gaffer came up with all kinds of new swimming games and ways to dive and jump into the pool. One of her favorites was "Hum De Dum". This meant she walked toward the pool like she was nonchalantly strolling a boulevard, "Hum De Dum, what a lovely day..." and walk right into the pool - so funny to see her walk over the edge and splash into the water. It was always the highlight of her day, so we tried to get her to the pool as often and for as long as we could - she never missed a day of swimming!! She enjoyed the whirlpools, also.
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<br />We had gotten settled in our room (even took the time to take our things out of the drybags and put them into drawers - nice to know we were going to stay a little while!) On the bed was a stuffed animal, a wolf with a red Stoney Creek bandana. Patrick and I had known an animal would be there, because there always is, and last year there had been a bison in our room that we brought back for Ava. So this time it was a wolf, with a little note on him to the effect of: "HaHa, we already knew your kid saw this, so we're tacking $20 onto your bill.." Yes, Ava fell in love with it, couldn't believe the hotel would give us a wolf, decided it was a girl, named it Piney (for pine tree), then changed it to Wolfie, and didn't put it down for two days.
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<br />Steve and Tammy met us at the hotel around 7 that evening, and took us out to a little restaurant in Grimes that the locals love. We had a great home-cooked meal, which was wonderful after all the road food we had been choking down, and we made plans to be ready to leave the hotel by 7:15 the next morning to go to the University of Iowa game in Iowa City.
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<br />I've been friends with Steve since I've worked for Southworth, over 21 years now. At first it was a business relationship, starting when he was a salesman for Barron Equipment in Iowa, and I was his inside sales coordinator at Southworth. When I became the Midwest territory manager in 2001, I became closer not only with Steve but with the entire Barron Equipment organization. This company was the first to ever sell over a million dollars of Southworth equipment, so obviously they were a big part of my life (and my paycheck.) I spent huge amounts of time with them, working on projects at John Deere and Maytag and Jeld-Wen and dozens of other large accounts, and we always had a good time. The guys at Barron worked hard, but they enjoyed what they did. Often Steve and I would make a detour through some prime duck hunting areas and get out of the truck and walk around - Steve would always say, "I can't believe we get paid for doing this!"
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<br />Several years ago, Steve and two of the other salesmen, Tom and Pete, bought Barron Equipment so the owners (Barb and Ron - "BarRon") could retire.
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<br />This friendship between Steve, Tom, Pete, and me expanded to include Patrick when the Barron boys (as we call them) came out to Maine with their wives for a week-long visit in 2004, and then grew even stronger when Steve and his entire family came out to visit the following year, renting a house in Harpswell. Then Steve, his son Matt, and Tom came out for a moose hunt last year. Patrick and I drove their moose meat back to Iowa for them, so Patrick had had a chance to meet Tom's kids and we spent some time with Steve and his family during the brief time we were there.
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<br />During this trip we knew we'd see Pete at the Iowa game, but we weren't sure how we'd see Tom, who lives a couple hours drive north. But it worked out that Tom was coming down to Des Moines to a gun show on Saturday, and was bringing his family down the night before and staying at the Stoney. So he came down with his boys (all of them bleary-eyed and freshly rolled from bed) to have breakfast with us before we headed out with Steve to the game. Ava was shy with the boys (they're about 7 and 9 years old, or thereabouts), as she is with all kids she meets. But when Steve and Tammy showed up, and told her Matt was waiting in the Suburban, she became the biggest flirt you've ever seen! She LOVES Matt - fell in love with him during the moose hunt - and he loves her, too. Tammy took her out to see Matt - and this picture says it all:
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcwHVEalPI/AAAAAAAAASw/6EbFvrBo7X8/s1600/Iowa+Matt.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523436370466084082" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKcwHVEalPI/AAAAAAAAASw/6EbFvrBo7X8/s320/Iowa+Matt.jpg" /></a> Matt had his friend Brandon with him, and we had a fun two hour ride to Iowa City. Ava sat in the third row with Tammy and me, but spent a lot of time poking and tickling the boys in the second row!
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<br />The sky was overcast and the weather report had warned of heavy rain during the day, but during the drive it held off. We got a spot in a parking garage at the university and then walked to where Pete parks his RV each Saturday the Hawkeyes have a home game. Patrick and I were amazed by the number of people and the overwhelming spirit of the fans. Everyone was wearing yellow and black. Steve told us that this was "nothing" - they were playing a nobody team (Ball State) and it was going to be a rainy day - typically the crowds were even bigger. This was hard for us to imagine. The 70,000 person capacity of the stadium seemed already bursting, and the tailgaters filled acres and acres around the venue. We stopped at one of the dozens of kiosks selling everything Hawkeyes, and picked out a sweatshirt for Ava. She was in her glory with Matt and Brandon.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhgjdDsduI/AAAAAAAAATI/yZAn2Mu3ta4/s1600/Iowa+Matt+Brandon.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 242px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 193px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523771105181726434" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhgjdDsduI/AAAAAAAAATI/yZAn2Mu3ta4/s320/Iowa+Matt+Brandon.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhnuTm1R0I/AAAAAAAAATo/MmZ_S5yOWRE/s1600/Iowa+Hawkeyes.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 193px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523778988204705602" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhnuTm1R0I/AAAAAAAAATo/MmZ_S5yOWRE/s320/Iowa+Hawkeyes.jpg" /></a>
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<br />We got to Pete's big motorhome (a diesel pusher RV that he and his father-in-law had bought for one reason only - to go to Hawkeye games!) to find the party already well underway, with food and beverages and a big screen TV set up outside so everyone could keep an eye on the pre-game show. A lot of my old friends from Barron were there, so it was great to be able to introduce them to Patrick and Ava.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhldTjzU_I/AAAAAAAAATQ/9FdRkbyihBY/s1600/Iowa+Tailgating2.jpg"></p></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhldTjzU_I/AAAAAAAAATQ/9FdRkbyihBY/s1600/Iowa+Tailgating2.jpg">
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<br /><p></a></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 184px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523776497110963186" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhldTjzU_I/AAAAAAAAATQ/9FdRkbyihBY/s320/Iowa+Tailgating2.jpg" /> Pete has two girls, a little older than Ava, and a friend of his was there with two more little girls, and Tammy brought Ava inside the RV to meet them. Tammy works in the office of their town's elementary school, and is the recess lady for the first graders - has been for years - and she really has a way with kids. Ava took to her instantly when they first met and, during the two and a half days we were there, she was Ava's second "mom", loving and attentive.
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<br />So anyway, Ava went with Tammy into the RV, while Patrick and I stayed outside and mingled and talked. But after a short time, Ava appeared at my side, whispering that those girls in there were too "rough". She really wanted to play with them, but was scared of them. I took her back in, and could see her point. Four little girls, ages about 3 to 7, were in the bedroom of the RV, literally bouncing off the walls! They were jumping on the bed, shrieking and laughing and pushing each other off and crawling back on... It was quite a scene, especially because they were all black and yellow with black and yellow ribbons in their hair - looked like a nest of buzzing bees! They stopped jumping for a moment when Ava and I came in, and I said, "Hey guys - she's kind of shy - can you settle down for a minute till she gets to know you?" And Pete had followed me in, so he also told them to quit jumping on the bed. But as soon as we left, they (of course!) started right in again, so Ava ended up tailgating outside with the grown-ups.
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<br />Then it was time for the game, so we all started moving up toward the stadium. Barron Equipment has four seats in the skybox, as well as seats throughout the stands so, once inside, everyone split up. Pete and his family had the skybox, but Steve told us that we'd swap with them at halftime - cool!! Our seats were at the "HAWKEYES" end of the field (as opposed to the "IOWA" end), and we had a great view of the action. The rain had held off all day, in spite of the heavy cloud cover, but once we sat down Steve looked to the west and said, "Uh-oh..." Great black clouds were coming our way.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiSKE68iHI/AAAAAAAAAUo/s_yRTzM4Gs8/s1600/Iowa+Hawkeyes4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523825644787239026" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiSKE68iHI/AAAAAAAAAUo/s_yRTzM4Gs8/s320/Iowa+Hawkeyes4.jpg" /></a>
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiSJ9YDZsI/AAAAAAAAAUg/SXuyviqztPo/s1600/Iowa+Hawkeyes2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523825642761840322" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiSJ9YDZsI/AAAAAAAAAUg/SXuyviqztPo/s320/Iowa+Hawkeyes2.jpg" /></a>
<br />The game was a blast, in spite of being one-sided (Iowa 47, Ball State 0). We were in the "A" section when the cheer when around the stadium - starting on one side "I", then over to "O", then "W", then "A" - little Ava was screaming out her favorite letter at the top of her lungs! What fun! <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhnudO-u8I/AAAAAAAAATg/cI8FuvuHthc/s1600/Iowa+Hawkeyes6.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523778990789016514" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhnudO-u8I/AAAAAAAAATg/cI8FuvuHthc/s320/Iowa+Hawkeyes6.jpg" /></a>
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhnuHU5A-I/AAAAAAAAATY/Gxqap4hRWnY/s1600/Iowa+Hawkeyes3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523778984908227554" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKhnuHU5A-I/AAAAAAAAATY/Gxqap4hRWnY/s320/Iowa+Hawkeyes3.jpg" /></a> As halftime approached she got tired, so we spread out some raingear on two seats and covered her up with more of it because by then the rain was coming down steadily. She quickly konked right out.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiSb_A5riI/AAAAAAAAAUw/lI1x1oiqpU0/s1600/Iowa+Hawkeyes5.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523825952439250466" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiSb_A5riI/AAAAAAAAAUw/lI1x1oiqpU0/s320/Iowa+Hawkeyes5.jpg" /></a>
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<br />At halftime, it was a monsoon - we were getting soaked! So we gathered Ava up, trying to keep her asleep, and tried to find our way to meet with Pete and switch to the skybox. We were in a crushing crowd of Hawkeye fans - I kept hoping that nobody would yell "fire" or anything that could cause a stampede. I could completely understand how mass tramplings happen. Ava was awoken by all the jostling and looking over Gaffer's shoulder at the sea of people she began to cry.
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<br />What I said earlier, about good and decent people being in our midst every day, and appearing where you least expect them? Well, as luck would have it, squeezed in beside me and behind Gaffer, were two pretty 20-ish girls. And guess what they were going to school for? To be teachers, and both of them currently worked in child care. So they talked with Miss Ava, and told her how pretty she was, and cheered her up. Because of the Bobby-Joe-Kerry-Emily connection, Ava is at her best and brightest when in the company of this age group.
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<br />So we managed to get through the horrific crowd, but by then we were just like, "Let's go back to the RV where it's warm and comfortable, and where the food and drinks were." Pete had really wanted to keep his family in the skybox, and who could blame him? Back at the RV, we had a great time as one by one our friends started wandering back from the game and the tailgating started back up again.
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<br />We headed back to our car late in the day, and as we walked Steve and Brandon both yelled "McNutt!" Sure enough, coming out of the back of the building was Iowa's star wide receiver, Marvin McNutt. He stopped and signed their hats, and then Matt picked up Ava so Marvin could sign her sweatshirt. By then the sharpie wasn't working very well, though, and all you can see on her shirt now is a couple of black lines. But we got his picture with her, and McNutt has three new fans from Maine.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiStpHcPLI/AAAAAAAAAU4/Us3_SKhbs4w/s1600/Iowa+Hawkeyes7.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 246px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523826255798746290" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiStpHcPLI/AAAAAAAAAU4/Us3_SKhbs4w/s320/Iowa+Hawkeyes7.jpg" /></a>
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<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKjvagAaNEI/AAAAAAAAAVY/o-TQJMFVLnA/s1600/Iowa+080.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523928181517202498" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKjvagAaNEI/AAAAAAAAAVY/o-TQJMFVLnA/s320/Iowa+080.JPG" /></a> Ava took a little snoozy-snooze on the two-hour ride back to Des Moines, and they dropped us off at the hotel around 7. We ordered pizza and got down to the pool, while they went home to get their swimming things and came back. We had a fun evening of swimming, whirlpooling, and eating and drinking poolside - Matt and Brandon were there, so once again Ava was the happiest of 4-year-olds!
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<br />The next morning, we went over to the Joslin house and were served a big pancake/french toast breakfast with bacon and sausage and homefries. Steve and Tammy's daughter, Allie, home for just the day (with her boyfriend Taylor) from college at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Rapids, was cooking when we got there, and she and Ava hit it off right away. There were also two cats - an old, skinny, rickety one named Emily, and a big fat one named Snickers. Ava was in heaven! She's definitely a "cat person" and, luckily, the cats were friendly and seemed to enjoy all her attention. After breakfast, Allie took Ava upstairs with her to get ready for the day, and Ava came back downstairs with a new stuffed animal - a dog she named "Allie". So far, one stuffed animal lost, three gained...
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<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKh7suRXr6I/AAAAAAAAAUY/mFkitDlG6Ro/s1600/Iowa+Matts+Game3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 246px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 204px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523800951235260322" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKh7suRXr6I/AAAAAAAAAUY/mFkitDlG6Ro/s320/Iowa+Matts+Game3.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKh7sqYdp3I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/STOe2mIekF4/s1600/Iowa+Matts+Game2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 285px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 206px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523800950191269746" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKh7sqYdp3I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/STOe2mIekF4/s320/Iowa+Matts+Game2.jpg" /></a>
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKh7ry5vgWI/AAAAAAAAAUI/aYpZqbJoFvc/s1600/Iowa+Matts+Game.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 271px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 222px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523800935298466146" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKh7ry5vgWI/AAAAAAAAAUI/aYpZqbJoFvc/s320/Iowa+Matts+Game.jpg" /></a>Matt had a baseball game, a "fall-ball" league, so we watched that for an hour or two, enjoying the beautiful blue sky and brisk fall air, and met Steve's parents there, and a little while later Allie and Taylor arrived with Tammy's mom. Such a nice family, and close. Allie was sitting with us, texting to Matt in the dugout "I'm going to ask dad if you hit a homerun, will he buy us BlackBerries" - she was laughing, especially when Matt texted back that he just got in trouble by coach for texting in the dugout! Apparently, they both have been after Steve for some time for upgrades to their cell phones, and Allie had teasingly come up with another "plan"!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKh7Oj92nxI/AAAAAAAAAUA/L_L8ihV91Pk/s1600/Iowa+Matts+Game4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 248px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523800433072971538" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKh7Oj92nxI/AAAAAAAAAUA/L_L8ihV91Pk/s320/Iowa+Matts+Game4.jpg" /></a>
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<br />Then it was time for the actual highlight of the trip, at least for Patrick and Ava - Steve owns 70 acres of woods and meadows about an hour's ride from Des Moines, and he often finds arrowheads and fossils along the small river running through the property. Ava was dying to find an arrowhead! <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKh6-e86mNI/AAAAAAAAAT4/0nRHtQOMj84/s1600/Iowa+Steves+Land.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523800156848953554" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKh6-e86mNI/AAAAAAAAAT4/0nRHtQOMj84/s320/Iowa+Steves+Land.jpg" /></a>
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<br />The dirt road into the property was a quagmire due the heavy rain the day before, so Steve put his truck into 4-wheel-drive, and Ava loved the adventure of "muddin'"! After checking out the cabin he's building, everyone hopped onto Tammy's 4-wheeler to head down to the creek. We spent a few hours walking along the rocky creek bed, finding all kinds of beautiful and unusual rocks.
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<br />Tammy also gave Ava and me a ride on the quad around some of the property - it was so beautiful! I told Tammy that it reminded me of "Little House on the Prairie" scenery. People who haven't been there have no idea how truly beautiful Iowa is - rolling hills, tall grasses, groves of trees. We flushed a covey of quail, watched a soaring hawk, and breathed in the sweet air. When we got on a straight-away, Ava told Tammy to "go faster - I like to feel the wind in my hair!"
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<br />Ava assumed that every triangle-shaped rock she found was an arrowhead, and we didn't do a lot to discourage her from thinking that - she was having a great time! She had looked at Steve's arrowheads, and we showed her the marks where the Indians had chipped away to make a sharp edge, so later that afternoon while we were just hanging out at the property, she was picking up random rocks, sitting down, and chipping away at them to make her own arrowheads!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiVtvwooII/AAAAAAAAAVQ/j4N9MDhlp_c/s1600/Iowa+Steves+Land5.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 204px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 178px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523829556117020802" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiVtvwooII/AAAAAAAAAVQ/j4N9MDhlp_c/s320/Iowa+Steves+Land5.jpg" /></a>
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiVtWVRYgI/AAAAAAAAAVI/Nud5LxTiKZg/s1600/Iowa+Steves+Land4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 187px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 162px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523829549291364866" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiVtWVRYgI/AAAAAAAAAVI/Nud5LxTiKZg/s320/Iowa+Steves+Land4.jpg" /></a>
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiVtQUmf1I/AAAAAAAAAVA/MVzzj78kJpc/s1600/Iowa+Steves+Land3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 244px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 209px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523829547677941586" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKiVtQUmf1I/AAAAAAAAAVA/MVzzj78kJpc/s320/Iowa+Steves+Land3.jpg" /></a>
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<br />We couldn't believe it was already 6:30 when we got into the truck. It was our last day in Iowa - we'd be leaving early the next morning. Once we got back into Des Moines we stopped at a Barnes & Noble so that I could pick up some more activity books for Ava for the ride home, and who would have thought that there would be a display of cute little stuffed Peter Rabbits at eye-level with Ava in the children's section? So, a fourth traveling companion was added to Ava's entourage.
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<br />Right next door to the bookstore was a decent-looking BBQ restaurant, so we decided to have dinner there. It was after 8pm by this time, on a Sunday night, and we were the only customers in the place. It turned out to be a great decision - the food was terrific, the ambiance was relaxed, and we had some local brews that were wonderful. It was a perfect place to end the weekend, having laughs over beers and ribs.
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<br />After saying good-bye with lots of planning on how we'll all get together again soon, we hit the hay for the last night at the Stoney, planning for an early start in the morning. Patrick was hoping for two 12-hour driving days, to try to get home on Tuesday. However, I had made an appointment with a customer in central PA for Tuesday, so we knew it would be pushing it to try for only one over-night. And we actually never even attempted to get home in this timeframe - it was after 8:30 before we even checked out of the Stoney Creek Inn, and we still had to shop at the grocery store around the corner for juice and travel snacks for Ava. And, who should we meet at the grocery store? Steve's dad, sneaking some doughnuts without his wife knowing about it, who told us a funny story in the parking lot of an incident that happened when he was vacationing in England. It was late morning as we drove away from Des Moines on another pretty, blue-skied day, with 1600 miles ahead of us.
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<br />As on all adventures, the trip home is never as memorable as the trip out. You've turned the page in a way, you've moved on. You're ready to be home. We got as far as the Toledo area the first day, spent the night uneventfully there, and woke to a rainy day for our Tuesday morning drive. I had an appointment with a customer to look at a paper-roll handling application in the Altoona PA area, so we stopped there for that. Patrick and Ava walked around town while the salesman and I drove over to the plant.
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<br />We were soon on the road again, but with the rain, the stop in Altoona, and our energy (lack of!) levels, we decided to get off the road and spend the night in Connecticut rather than try to make it home. This turned out to be a brilliant decision. We had a nice dinner out (where Ava asked me the profound question of "How did the first person get in the world?"), and spent the evening in a beautiful pool and whirlpool. We enjoyed being in the warm whirlpool and watching the rain and wind outside through the full-length windows - cozy!!!!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKjw5dPqjfI/AAAAAAAAAVg/8q8vm3W4PqE/s1600/Iowa+104.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523929812863454706" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TKjw5dPqjfI/AAAAAAAAAVg/8q8vm3W4PqE/s320/Iowa+104.JPG" /></a>
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<br />We actually slept in the next morning and didn't get down to the breakfast area until after 9. This was the homestretch, but we took a detour on I-90 to get around to the westbound side and take a look through the Charlton Plaza for Teddy. We didn't tell Ava what we were doing, just that we needed to use the rest area. As we walked around inside, and used the ladies room (where I looked in all the closets and storage areas), you could see the dawning light in her face and she said, "This kind of looks like where we lost Teddy?" And then I said, "Yes, this is the same place, and Gaffer and I are looking for him..." We asked a few employees, and they checked around, but nothing. Teddy was gone. As we walked back to the truck, she was very quiet, and we didn't say too much, either.
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<br />Then we were on the road again, playing Ava's favorite road games. She plays these with us every time we're in the car - "The Thinking Game" and "Yummy/Yukky". The thinking game is 20 Questions, although we don't keep track of the number of questions - just play until either somebody guesses it or gives up. "Yummy/Yukky" is one that only she and I play together. I pretend to be a customer going into a restaurant, and she's the waiter. We decide in advance whether it's going to be a Yummy or a Yukky restaurant. Usually, of course (because it's way more fun), it's a Yukky restaurant, and she gets to choose where it is - New Jersey, West Virginia, etc. - and what meal it is (most often breakfast). So I describe what I see as I go into the restaurant - usually broken steps, spiderwebs on the sign, cracked windows. And then the waiter puts me at a table, usually with a broken chair so I fall on the floor, and with sticky stuff on the table top. Then I order my food, and each item tastes peculiar. "WAITER - what the heck is this coffee made from??" And she giggles and tells me that the coffee is made from tree bark and worms. And so on throughout the meal, ending with me telling the waiter that I'm not paying, and I'm telling all my friends NEVER to come to this restaurant. This game kills miles of road time!!
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<br />So before we knew it, we were stopping by Gram and Gramp's so they could meet Ava's new animals and give the traveling girl a hug, and then on to Nanny's house to pick up Bear, and then home to Blue Cat. (Heidi was at the kennel - Patrick picked her up later.) Ava fell asleep in the truck before we got home, which worked out great because when I walked into the house, the first thing I saw was blood everywhere - gobs and drops on the floor and sprayed on the walls - even up on the door frames! Just as my eyes were taking this in, Blue Cat approached with a mangled ear. I was glad he appeared that quickly, otherwise I would have had a real scary moment! But I saw immediately that he had had a cyst burst, and remembered that he had a bite-mark on the same ear before we left. It was disgusting, though, and I spent the first few hours at home scrubbing floors and walls from the kitchen through the dining room, living room, bedrooms (I had to strip bed quilts covered with blood droplets!), bathroom and hallway - it was everywhere!
<br />
<br />So it was a typical homecoming for us - it's always something!! I woke Ava up so she could see Blue Cat before I smeared his ear with bag balm and banished him outside. This is a girl who told "Blue Cat stories" to everyone she met east of the Mississippi and beyond, who loves this cat more than anything, who could not wait to get home to get her hands on him - and when she saw that goopy, bloody ear, she didn't even want to say hello to him. "GET HIM OUTSIDE, QUICK!!" So much for a warm welcome, Blue!</p>
<br />Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-50017809489678507942010-09-10T06:49:00.013-04:002010-09-10T09:29:35.936-04:00First Day of Pre-School<p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIop9JFSQSI/AAAAAAAAAPI/casps1fD3CU/s1600/AA1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515266824055439650" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIop9JFSQSI/AAAAAAAAAPI/casps1fD3CU/s320/AA1.jpg" /></a><br />For a year Ava's been watching the construction of the new Durham Elementary School (grades k-8). The tiny old one-story white school had been demolished, and in its place grew a multi-level, multi-wing palace of a school, with a big new playground and several new ball fields. She's been kind of proprietary toward the construction, because it was "her" school that was being built.<br /><br />We've been telling her that she'll start school when she's five - kindergarten in the fall of 2011. So on August 24th when we went to the Open House, she was still thinking that she had another year to wait before she'd be walking the corridors of her new school.<br /><br />Gram and Gramp met us at the school for the Open House, and we were led on a guided tour by two eighth grade boys in white shirts and ties, with little notes on recipe cards that they read (in 12-year-old-boy-monotones) in each area they took us to. They were cute - took the job seriously, and came to life when they weren't reading from the cards but rather were telling us their own knowledge of the school and its features, and I even learned quite a bit about their social lives while Gram, Gramp, Patrick and Ava would wander off to look at something.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIoqS7imKBI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/F5VWPb8RvGQ/s1600/FF1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515267198377404434" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIoqS7imKBI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/F5VWPb8RvGQ/s320/FF1.jpg" /></a><br /><br />We were amazed at the beauty of the school, and how well-designed it is. The school has many large south-facing windows to harness natural light, and the boys showed us the reflective system that sends light into the room when the sun is high. A sensor adjusts the interior lighting accordingly. A solar panel on the roof heats the water for the building. The boys also told us that the classrooms are equipped with hearing assistance systems — speakers mounted in the ceiling to ensure that teachers, who will wear special voice enhancement devices, can be heard throughout the classroom.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIoqy_tdI7I/AAAAAAAAAPY/vZ31b3bkxYs/s1600/L1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515267749252506546" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIoqy_tdI7I/AAAAAAAAAPY/vZ31b3bkxYs/s320/L1.jpg" /></a><br /><br />All the classrooms also are equipped with projectors (hanging from the ceilings) and interactive white boards - the days of slate and chalk are long, LONG gone! We happened to find a real teacher in one of the rooms, and she gave us a demonstration of the white board - she was still learning how to use it herself, so we had a few laughs with her while she stumbled around with it. Of course, it was one of the 12-year olds who finally figured out the step she needed to take to get it to work, and then she was able to show us the capabilities of the system.<br /><br />The whiteboard is connected to the teacher's computer, so she can display images from the computer screen onto the board, and using a special stylus can mark up the board during the lesson - and then actually save the work onto her computer. This will be helpful for going back to review lessons and also to share with kids that may have missed school that day. Very cool! Of course, Grandpa, being an old professor himself, was extra fascinated by all the new technology, and I think could have stayed much longer chatting with the teachers!<br /><br />The large library, the art and music rooms, the computer lab with 23 new computers, the gorgeous gymnasium, and the state-of-the-art laboratory with a second-floor balcony so kids can do experiments outside - we were awestruck. The school has a wonderful energy, also, probably owing to the teachers and students feeling so happy to be out of that dank, old school into this bright, shining example of modern education!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIorJSiEw4I/AAAAAAAAAPg/pf8TmMjAv7g/s1600/S1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515268132262167426" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIorJSiEw4I/AAAAAAAAAPg/pf8TmMjAv7g/s320/S1.jpg" /></a> During the tour, the boys took us by a room called "Laugh & Learn" and told us that it was a pre-school that would be starting after Labor Day. On the way out, Patrick and Kay stopped by the office to find out more about it. They were given a phone number to call, and later that day Patrick had Ava enrolled!<br /><br />We decided to start her out with two 3-hour sessions (9-12) on Weds and Thurs mornings. In her 4-1/2 years of life, Ava had always been with either Patrick and me, or Gram and Gramp. She had spent maybe an hour or two with a handful of other people - Kerry or Nannie - but these had been far and few between, and we were concerned how she would handle being separated from us.<br /><br />A packet of information came in the mail, inviting us to an ice cream social at the pre-school the Thursday afternoon before Labor Day, and included within was a letter to Ava from her new teacher, "Ms. V". In the letter, Ms. V tells Ava that she her favorite activity is snowmobiling, and that she camped on an island this summer, and that her favorite food is lobster. This letter was very helpful in warming Ava up to the idea of having a teacher, especially a teacher that enjoyed the same things she did!<br /><br />On the afternoon of the ice cream social, she picked a cucumber to bring for Ms. V (but then forgot it at home). She dressed in her best school outfit - her purple knit shirt with the big black buttons and her lavender skirt. Gram and Gramp met us there, and we walked down to the Laugh & Learn room. It was chaos. There seemed to be a thousand little boys running around and building ramps to race cars and bumping past timid little girls and knocking past parents who were just standing around not knowing what to do, smiling politely at each other. In the midst of it, Ms. V emerged and came over to meet Ava.<br /><br />Ms. V is very young and pretty and we could tell that Ava liked her instantly. She showed Ava where her cubby was, and then we kind of lost her in the crowd again. I took Ava over to a little table, where we sat down until we saw the ice cream was being served over by the cubbies and we ventured over. Ava timidly accepted a bowl of ice cream and we carried it back over to our table. This was where all the sprinkles, chocolate sauce, and cherries had been staged, so there was quite a crowd elbowing and jockeying for the condiments. Ava quietly watched the action all around her, not wanting any of the toppings, and daintily ate her little bowl of ice cream. I was thinking to myself, Oh my Lord. She's NEVER going to want to come back to this!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIormbhAAOI/AAAAAAAAAPo/RqSWuRkjjZQ/s1600/U1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515268632889786594" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIormbhAAOI/AAAAAAAAAPo/RqSWuRkjjZQ/s320/U1.jpg" /></a><br /><br />After ice cream, Kay and I walked around the room with her, looking at the books and some of the toys. She was happy to stop at the little toy kitchen and go through the plastic food and appliances, but seemed relieved when it was time to leave. She didn't talk too much about it that evening, and we let the subject drop.<br /><br />We purposely didn't talk about school in the days leading up to her first day, but we had to discuss it with her the day before. She got very anxious, and tried to tell us that she wasn't 5 yet!! So we were <em>wrong</em>; it wasn't <em>time</em> to start school yet!! We did our best to explain that this would be "pre-school" and that she <em>was</em> the right age for that, but she didn't quite buy it. She said that Ms. V really wasn't as pretty as she had been in her picture on the letter, and all those kids were too wild.<br /><br />The next morning, she woke up at 7:30 on her own, and we were glad we didn't have to wake her up to get ready for school. She said many times that she didn't want to go ("I'm SCARED!!"), but we managed to get breakfast into her between bouts of tears. But then when it came time to get dressed, the melt-down began in earnest. She was in her underwear and curled up in a ball so I couldn't put the rest of her clothes on, sobbing that she wasn't going to go.<br /><br />I walked away and left her in the bedroom while I put away some things in the kitchen, letting her calm down. When I went back to her, I said, "OK Ava - you're going to school. You can either get your clothes on, or you can go to school in your underwear, which would be very embarrassing." Then there seemed to be a turning point, like when a person finally acknowledges that they have no choice but to walk to the gallows.<br /><br />She calmly put her clothes on while her tears dried, and walked to the car wiping her nose. I asked her if she'd like me to put some tissues in her backpack in case she cried again later in school, and she said that, yes, she would. So with Teddy on her lap and a backpack full of tissues (and baby carrots and apple juice), we drove off to school. We put in "Shady Grove", her favorite song, and all three of us sang out loud until we pulled into the parking lot, and Ava didn't say a thing about having to leave Teddy in the car.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIos2hBEahI/AAAAAAAAAP4/CjjaFgmfgBc/s1600/Ava+at+School.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515270008756005394" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIos2hBEahI/AAAAAAAAAP4/CjjaFgmfgBc/s320/Ava+at+School.jpg" /></a>By this time, Ava was cheerful and excited, and marched happily down the hallway to her class. Ms. V was there to meet her, and only a few other kids were in the room. We had told Ava that the class wouldn't be as wild as it had been during the ice cream social, because brothers and sisters wouldn't be there, and this seemed to be the case. The room was calm and quiet. We went in and hung her stuff in her cubby, gave her a hug and a kiss, and then she happily went off with Ms. V.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIoo_CSbzNI/AAAAAAAAAPA/xyWTSQ8ig44/s1600/Ava%27s+new+teacher.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515265757079653586" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TIoo_CSbzNI/AAAAAAAAAPA/xyWTSQ8ig44/s320/Ava%27s+new+teacher.jpg" /></a>When we picked her up at noon, we found her busily putting things away and helping Ms. V pick up the room. It was so cute to see her go to her cubby and sling her backpack onto her shoulders, just like a real schoolgirl. She wouldn't even take it off when she got into her car seat, and chatted all the way home and off and on through the day and into the evening about how the day had been, and about the rules she learned (she liked them; they made sense to her), and about the boys that had gotten in trouble, and about playing on the playground. She had thoroughly enjoyed the day, and was looking forward to going back the next morning!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><em></em><em></em></p>Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-33708111282190162022010-08-02T07:39:00.002-04:002010-08-02T08:08:00.229-04:00Ava's Eventful SummerAva got stung by a bee last night. She and I had been out in the garden; it was one of those perfect July evenings, warm but with a fresh breeze and nice clear air, and we were enjoying our sanctuary. She's madly in love with the garden - asks to go out there every morning first thing, and romps around excitedly to see what new blossom or vegetable has appeared. Our garden has a picket fence around it, and between the fence and the road is a line of healthy, thick shrubberies - burning bush, forsythia, elderberry, cedar, wild rose - that blocks the view of the road and gives us a feeling of peace and privacy when we're in the garden. <br /><br />So we had been walking around, picking some peas and cukes, and checking out the progress of the baby pumpkins, and she got the idea to play one of her favorite games - "Baby Moose" - the game she invented at Baxter State Park a couple of weekends ago. She likes to pretend she's an orphan baby moose, and I find her. So she started to make a little bed in the thyme, but when she put her hand out to stretch herself down into it, her left ring finger found itself on top of a bee, busy deep within the small flowers. At first it startled and confused her, and then it really freaked her out. She cried and cried, and Gaffer and I put ice on it and made a paste of baking soda and water for it, and petted and hugged her until she recovered herself. The stinger hadn't stayed in the finger and at one point she looked at it and shrieked, "I have a HOLE in me!!" which brought on another round of tears.<br /><br />When she finally calmed down and had a little bowl of chicken noodle soup, we started talking about what an exciting summer she's had, with so many new adventures. Only a day earlier, she had jumped from the top of Uncle Bob's boat down into Sebago Lake (with Gaffer there to catch her) - a good 6 foot leap! How far she's come from the days of having the little blow-up wading pool in the boat. She loves the water and she loves to swim, and every time we're out on the lake she's a little braver. She can jump and go under without plugging her nose, and she even went tubing with Aunt Brenda on Saturday!<br /><br />She loves to ask me, "Aren't you so glad you have a little girl?" and "Aren't you glad I'm 4-1/2?" I tell her that she just keeps getting more and more interesting and fun to be around! The other day, we were on the boat, and I heard her say, "A leach!" and I turned around to see - she was holding it in her fingers, and there was a small wound on her thigh where she had pulled it off. During our two camping trips at Wadleigh Pond in May she saw lots of leeches and had been terrified of them at first. But then when she saw how much fun it was to try to hook them onto a stick and then carry them over to the fire and toss them in (*POP*), she turned into an enthusiastic leech-hunter. And so a month or so later, when she found a leech stuck to her leg, no worries!Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-4957095380701909302010-07-19T06:26:00.046-04:002010-07-20T07:59:56.524-04:00Baxter State Park<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETi2C1m3SI/AAAAAAAAAJw/vCMuWh0739M/s1600/Katahdin+010.JPG"></a><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 247px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495761016179348434" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETdhsPPU9I/AAAAAAAAAJo/OHyyIU4X-Tw/s320/First+sight+of+Katahdin.JPG" />Thursday morning, July 15, was warm and sunny as we loaded the truck and rolled out of the driveway at 8:45. We had reservations for three nights in a rustic lean-to at Baxter State Park's Roaring Brook campsite, and the weather promised to be beautiful. Dogs aren't allowed at BSP, so we had to drop them off at the kennel in Lisbon along the way. They'd been so excited to be in the truck with us, and Ava and I were joking about how confused they'd be when we stopped to let them off at the kennel - like, "HUH??" It made us happy to see them jumping around with wagging tails when they heard the other dogs barking - they would be having their own little vacation.<br /><br />We kept assuring Ava that the ride would be shorter than both trips to the Caucomgomoc-area campsite we'd done earlier in the summer, but she was still apprehensive about the long drive. She's never liked to go for car rides, even as an infant, and she had been stressing about this one. Several times she had said that she DID want to go camping with us, but she did NOT want to go for the ride. But she was a trooper, and didn't complain as much as she could have during the five hours in the truck. We had brought along her little DVD player, so she happily watched Ice Age with her headphones on while I read "The Fellowship of the Ring" out loud for Patrick and me.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETj3GYDCCI/AAAAAAAAAKA/4_Vs31urbrw/s1600/Katahdin+Rock.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495767981042632738" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETj3GYDCCI/AAAAAAAAAKA/4_Vs31urbrw/s320/Katahdin+Rock.JPG" /></a>It was a new experience for me to bear right, away from the Golden Road, at Ambejesus Lake. I'd never been to Baxter, so this was going to be new for me as well as for Ava. Patrick had been many times, and had a lot of happy memories of climbing the mountain and camping there, but his last trip had been 17 years ago. Brenda, John, and Tyler also had reservations, and were meeting us there - Brenda had never been, but John, like Patrick, had been often when he was young and was looking forward to sharing the experience with Tyler, who just had just graduated from Gorham High School in June.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETkoMmOqkI/AAAAAAAAAKI/CUFT0cNCY3M/s1600/Katahdin+010.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495768824526318146" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETkoMmOqkI/AAAAAAAAAKI/CUFT0cNCY3M/s320/Katahdin+010.JPG" /></a>After a few miles of pavement and then dirt road, we came to the entrance of the park, where a friendly forest ranger came out and greeted us and checked our reservation. When he asked us if we had brought any animals (not allowed), Ava held up Teddy and said, "I brought my bear!" and he laughed and told her she'd better keep an eye on him. We were impressed during our entire stay at the pleasant demeaner of the rangers - low-key, friendly, always willing to take the time to answer questions or just chat.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETnx7I343I/AAAAAAAAAK4/FnwKalz1QUY/s1600/Katahdin+012.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 248px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495772290173363058" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETnx7I343I/AAAAAAAAAK4/FnwKalz1QUY/s320/Katahdin+012.JPG" /></a>After another few miles of dirt road we arrived at the trail-head parking area, and then to the ranger station. The ranger wasn't in, so we continued on to our campsite at Roaring Brook and were happy to find that it was the first lean-to. An empty lot beside it meant that we had no neighbors on that side, and on the other side was the lean-to reserved by Brenda and John. The lean-to's are all on a slight hill looking down over the well-named Roaring Brook, with rocky pathways down to the river. (The tent sites are farther up the hill, overlooking the lean-to sites.) The ranger came down to see us an hour or so later, and told us that the bears had been a nuisance lately in the campground, so to be sure to keep coolers in the truck (with windows up), and to leave no food lying around.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETmeffftAI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Z0GTmwc6lho/s1600/Katahdin+014.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495770856822912002" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETmeffftAI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Z0GTmwc6lho/s320/Katahdin+014.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We were delighted with our lean-to! Roomy and clean, with a little "porch" - we saw places where people had carved their names in the wood, the oldest one we spotted was "Bob and Kay 1953"! The site included a picnic table and a lovely stone fire pit with a nice grate for cooking over flame. And we had brought steaks!<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETmN_Q26yI/AAAAAAAAAKY/LwZcbGwfgZE/s1600/Katahdin+015.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495770573293677346" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETmN_Q26yI/AAAAAAAAAKY/LwZcbGwfgZE/s320/Katahdin+015.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Patrick quickly had the cots assembled and our gear stowed into the lean-to, the camp kitchen set up, water jugs filled from the river (with the portable water filter) <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETo-mKbjEI/AAAAAAAAALA/wiXtTQhr_aE/s1600/Katahdin+018.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 261px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 185px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495773607392676930" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETo-mKbjEI/AAAAAAAAALA/wiXtTQhr_aE/s320/Katahdin+018.JPG" /></a>and a fire going in the fire pit while Ava and I explored. She couldn't wait to dabble her feet in the river. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETnC4_vDXI/AAAAAAAAAKo/lzEK4F-7VRI/s1600/Katahdin+016.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495771482144312690" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETnC4_vDXI/AAAAAAAAAKo/lzEK4F-7VRI/s320/Katahdin+016.JPG" /></a>The current was very strong in the middle and around big boulders, but it was sheltered near the campsite, with little quiet pools and eddies for her to play in. She found out the rocks are slippery in a river, though, and it didn't take long before she slipped and went in! A quick change of clothes made everything all better, and then the Wyman party arrived.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETnea41ZbI/AAAAAAAAAKw/OuPVgX9mjJc/s1600/Katahdin+017.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 304px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 175px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495771955098641842" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETnea41ZbI/AAAAAAAAAKw/OuPVgX9mjJc/s320/Katahdin+017.JPG" /></a><br /><br />As they were getting unpacked, we decided to walk down and check out the "swimming hole" past Lean-to #10. It was a hot day and even though we hadn't packed Ava's bathing suit (a swimming hole?? Who knew??), we thought she'd enjoy a swim in her undies and t-shirt. It wasn't a very long walk past all the lean-to's and then through the woods along a pretty little path to get to a small sandy area and a shallow (but swift) part of the river. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETpWki-WdI/AAAAAAAAALI/dsNgre7r1o4/s1600/Katahdin+019.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495774019275610578" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETpWki-WdI/AAAAAAAAALI/dsNgre7r1o4/s320/Katahdin+019.JPG" /></a>A large boulder was in the middle, with quaint cairns of stones piled on it - someone's previous artwork. Patrick carried Ava over to the boulder, and she had a blast jumping into his arms or into the water, and she collected her own little stones for Ava-cairns. I was persuaded to make the walk over the wobbly boulders and rapid current to get to the boulder, but halfway across I slipped - my nice cold Mich Ultra filled with river water - but I made it over and Patrick helped me up onto the boulder. He began noticing how many baby trout were swimming around near us, and made a quick run back to the lean-to for his camera.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETp9G0LwwI/AAAAAAAAALQ/FCxkomK1SW0/s1600/Katahdin+020.JPG"><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495774681309627138" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETp9G0LwwI/AAAAAAAAALQ/FCxkomK1SW0/s320/Katahdin+020.JPG" /></a> I headed back to the lean-to shortly after he returned, leaving the two of them happily splashing away. When they got back, she told me that one time when she jumped from the boulder, Gaffer hadn't been ready for her (had been adjusting his foot grip on the stones), and was slightly back-to her. She jumped onto him, and bounced off! She landed flat on her back in the shallow water - Gaffer had time to see her little face going under and grabbed the first part of her he could get to, hauling her up by one little foot! She thoroughly enjoyed telling me about this exciting event!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETqdLFSLOI/AAAAAAAAALY/eRIraQbnfpU/s1600/Katahdin+026.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495775232210906338" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETqdLFSLOI/AAAAAAAAALY/eRIraQbnfpU/s320/Katahdin+026.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We soon had hot dogs cooking for supper, and then Bren, John and Tyler came over to join us around the fire. They had uptight neighbors on their other side, so we figured we'd better keep the noise over at our site. Tyler had been fishing earlier and caught a couple of trout, so his vacation was starting out on a good note. Ava fell asleep in my lap, and so I carefully placed her in her sleeping bag on her cot and she never stirred. I had put our pillows on the open side of the lean-to, so that we could breathe the clear air and enjoy the sound of the river. The grown-ups continued their merry conversation around the fire, until the ranger came down to tell us that 9pm was "quiet time" and that we had better keep it down a little. Shortly thereafter, we all headed off to our sleeping bags.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETq-sEYk4I/AAAAAAAAALg/_gKOX_7IW5k/s1600/Katahdin+029.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495775808001184642" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETq-sEYk4I/AAAAAAAAALg/_gKOX_7IW5k/s320/Katahdin+029.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Little Ava had a restless night this first night. She woke up several times, telling me that the river was too loud and was waking her up! And she also had several awful cold sores on the left side of her mouth, on both lips, so the pain of those also woke her up. I gave her some Tylenol in the middle of the night, and that seemed to help and she rested fairly well the rest of the night.<br /><br />The next morning, after an early breakfast of bacon and eggs, Patrick was jonesing to climb Katahdin. The sky was overcast, and strong thunderstorms had been predicted for the afternoon, but he didn't want to wait until the following day, in case the weather was worse. We had checked the weather before we came, and Saturday had been predicted to be glorious, but he didn't trust the forecast. I really didn't want him to hike alone, and the Wymans had already planned to take their hike on Saturday. He went over to talk with them to see if any of them were interested in going today, but he got no takers.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETshTyGJlI/AAAAAAAAAMA/uS06dkc0B9A/s1600/Katahdin+034.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495777502289077842" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETshTyGJlI/AAAAAAAAAMA/uS06dkc0B9A/s320/Katahdin+034.JPG" /></a><br />Finally, he agreed that we'd walk up to the ranger station to check the forecast and make his decision from that. So he and Ava and I took a little walk up the hill, and found the forecast to be just what it had been predicted before we left home. The ranger came out and talked with us, but didn't give any advice one way or another whether Patrick should climb that day - he seemed to be of the opinion that it might be hit-or-miss at any time on the trail. He did suggest that Patrick could climb as far as Chimney Pond and then make a decision from there.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETsI6t6OXI/AAAAAAAAAL4/TzM0qH0Yrgg/s1600/Katahdin+030.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495777083243772274" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETsI6t6OXI/AAAAAAAAAL4/TzM0qH0Yrgg/s320/Katahdin+030.JPG" /></a><br /><br />While we were hanging around on the ranger's porch (which also has a scale replica of Mt. Katahdin, with the trails marked - very cool!), he mentioned to us that this would be the perfect time of morning to hike in to Sandy Stream Pond and see moose. Ava heard that and wanted to go see moose! So we ran back to our lean-to real quick, put on our hiking shoes and stopped in to ask Brenda and group if they wanted to go with us, but they were just starting to cook breakfast.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETryKf6mrI/AAAAAAAAALw/f4BCp97Kr5U/s1600/Katahdin+033.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495776692343052978" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETryKf6mrI/AAAAAAAAALw/f4BCp97Kr5U/s320/Katahdin+033.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />The hike to Sandy Stream Pond is only .4 miles each way, starting out as a dirt path and then changing to boardwalk for most of the trail. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETvr-MAEoI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Z3H17iWzs2s/s1600/Katahdin+037.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495780984005595778" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETvr-MAEoI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Z3H17iWzs2s/s320/Katahdin+037.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETvhEi4mJI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/i7wZUSOBKrw/s1600/Katahdin+036.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495780796733626514" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TETvhEi4mJI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/i7wZUSOBKrw/s320/Katahdin+036.JPG" /></a>Ava had a lot of fun negotiating the boards and looking out for moose tracks in the mud on either side.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWFE1ND5gI/AAAAAAAAAMg/bKJRS9X5he8/s1600/Katahdin+039.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495945238323389954" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWFE1ND5gI/AAAAAAAAAMg/bKJRS9X5he8/s320/Katahdin+039.JPG" /></a> She surprised me by pointing out labrador tea growing beside the path, and we gathered some leaves for tea. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWFoWyJDWI/AAAAAAAAAMo/R7qyLkqbYA4/s1600/Katahdin+038.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495945848632708450" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWFoWyJDWI/AAAAAAAAAMo/R7qyLkqbYA4/s320/Katahdin+038.JPG" /></a><br />When we got to the first look-out at Sandy Stream Pond, we were tickled to see two little moose calves on the opposite shore, splashing and eating in the shallow water of the pond. A young bull was grazing a short distance away, and even further off was another moose standing in the water. The view of Mt. Katahdin was beautiful, also.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWG9Np4TuI/AAAAAAAAANA/BTkN7k8waos/s1600/Katahdin+043.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495947306471018210" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWG9Np4TuI/AAAAAAAAANA/BTkN7k8waos/s320/Katahdin+043.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWG8wJrB4I/AAAAAAAAAM4/fRViG4Gfohk/s1600/Katahdin+041.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495947298551302018" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWG8wJrB4I/AAAAAAAAAM4/fRViG4Gfohk/s320/Katahdin+041.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWG8a6CsuI/AAAAAAAAAMw/FNQugkmhODM/s1600/Katahdin+040.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495947292848599778" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWG8a6CsuI/AAAAAAAAAMw/FNQugkmhODM/s320/Katahdin+040.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We continued on, after picking some blueberries, to the Big Rock Lookout, where we could still see the calves and the other moose. We stayed for quite a while, watching as the calves went into the woods, came back out again, and started walking along the shore, getting closer and closer to us. We never saw a sign of the mother, and eventually they disappeared again into the woods. Ava picked more blueberries and labrador tea leaves - I think she enjoyed doing that more than looking at the moose.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWKO5OpUyI/AAAAAAAAANI/A6mAOCtjTys/s1600/watercalf.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 212px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495950908760609570" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWKO5OpUyI/AAAAAAAAANI/A6mAOCtjTys/s320/watercalf.JPG" /></a> I was walking in the lead on the way back to the campsite, with Ava following me and Gaffer bringing up the rear. We had picked a large mushroom on the way in, and I had set it next to the path so I didn't have to carry it to Sandy Stream Pond, and I was just thinking that I'd better remember to pick it up on our way back through. Just as I was putting this thought together, Ava piped up: "We have to remember to get that mushroom!" That happens a lot between the three of us - it must be like that with most families - a certain degree of "mind-reading". So I was walking along, pondering this, when all of a sudden Ava cried out: "A bunny rabbit!" I stopped and turned around and, sure enough, there was a cute little brown bunny, sitting beside the path. I had walked right by him and had never noticed him. Little Eagle-Eye spotted him!</p><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWKjcT4daI/AAAAAAAAANQ/3IH0hN1ztuI/s1600/Katahdin+052.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495951261775197602" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWKjcT4daI/AAAAAAAAANQ/3IH0hN1ztuI/s320/Katahdin+052.JPG" /></a> We took some pictures of him and he hopped away into the bushes, and Ava was thrilled. I think she was equally as thrilled that she had seen him when I hadn't, as she was to just to have seen him! We picked up the mushroom along the way, and also found several others. We forgot to bring our field guide to mushrooms, so all weekend we gathered them and photographed them, to identify with the book once we got home.<br /><br />It became more and more overcast as the day went on, but the rain held off. Patrick kept saying, "I should have gone today... I should have gone today...", kicking himself that he didn't try to climb Katahdin, and fearing that it was going to rain the next day in spite of the encouraging forecast. He finally settled down and accepted the situation and resigned himself for a Saturday hike. Bren, John and Tyler came over in the afternoon and we played a camping board game that was fun for all of us, even Ava. We all took a walk together to Sandy Stream Pond, where everyone but Ava and me had fun looking at the mountain and trying to identify the different trails and places where they'd be climbing the next day.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWK6GCXWMI/AAAAAAAAANY/Bk0abpUIfTM/s1600/Katahdin+066.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495951650933135554" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWK6GCXWMI/AAAAAAAAANY/Bk0abpUIfTM/s320/Katahdin+066.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Returning to camp, it was time to cook supper. They had brought steaks, too, and this was steak night! We put dinner together by 5:00 so that they could all go to bed early, anticipating an early rise to get on the trail by 6am. The flame-broiled steaks, Greek pasta salad (thank you Cook, Eat, Share on Facebook!), and garden salad with Newman's parmesan dressing was wonderful.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWLThtAkOI/AAAAAAAAANw/-OcYRWzvolc/s1600/Katahdin+069.JPG"></p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495952087856484578" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWLThtAkOI/AAAAAAAAANw/-OcYRWzvolc/s320/Katahdin+069.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWLTZ7ZMII/AAAAAAAAANo/D1MIvBula_o/s1600/Katahdin+068.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495952085769334914" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWLTZ7ZMII/AAAAAAAAANo/D1MIvBula_o/s320/Katahdin+068.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWLS-RSOGI/AAAAAAAAANg/vB0omEaO3lg/s1600/Katahdin+067.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495952078344960098" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWLS-RSOGI/AAAAAAAAANg/vB0omEaO3lg/s320/Katahdin+067.JPG" /></a> After dinner, the Wymans took an evening hike to Sandy Stream Pond, and Patrick and Ava and I relaxed by the campfire. The outhouses were up the hill, near the tent sites, so every time we needed to "go", we had to climb a pretty steep and rocky path up to the facility. Luckily, the path was directly across from our lean-to, so it wasn't too inconvenient. Ava and I never got our schedule in synch, though, so it seemed as though we were constantly going up and down that path, either for her or for me. When we headed up this evening, it was for me. Usually, we leave the door open while we "go", because the smell was pretty bad even though the outhouses were all cleaned every day.<br /><br />I had gone into the privy while Ava stood on the path directly in front of the door so I could keep an eye on her. As soon as I sat down, though, I noticed that I was in direct line of view by a tent site that had just become occupied this afternoon. I quickly stepped forward to push the door to, and asked Ava if she wanted to come in with me, or wait right there. She chose to wait, so I hurried to do a quick pee. Just as I was putting myself back together, she let out a blood-curdling shriek - "GAMMER! LET ME IN! LET ME IN! A MOOSE!!" and she pushed open the door just as I was reaching to open it, and she stumbled in, still saying "LET ME IN! A MOOSE!!" I scooped her up into my arms, and we both peered around the door frame. I didn't know what I expected to see - on one hand, I thought she must have seen a shadow or a rock, but on the other hand, she had sounded like she knew what she was talking about! And there it was, a cow moose, not 10 feet away, slowly walking through the campsite.<br /><br />We ran back down the hill, Ava still in my arms, to get Patrick and his camera, and then all three of us charged back up the hill. Patrick was able to snap a few frames of the meandering moose as she ambled back into the forest. Ava and I were both trembling with excitement and laughing our heads off that she had had such a close encounter. We agreed that it was the most exciting thing that's ever happened to her in her 4-1/2 year old life!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWMI6McX5I/AAAAAAAAAN4/wYy2ISvySeY/s1600/bathroommoose.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495953004963848082" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWMI6McX5I/AAAAAAAAAN4/wYy2ISvySeY/s320/bathroommoose.JPG" /></a><br /><br />She couldn't wait until Brenda and John got back so she could tell them all about it. And as luck would have it, they hadn't seen any moose at the pond. I guess at Baxter, you never know when or where you're going to see one!<br /><br />This was an early bedtime night for everyone, and Ava and I read books in our sleeping bags until all of a sudden she shrieked again - "A BEAR!! A BEAR!!" - and scrambled as fast as she could back toward Gaffer in the back of the lean-to (he had turned his bag and pillow so his head was in the back, while Ava and I stayed with ours looking out over the river.) He had been sound asleep, but bolted upright and quickly asked her where she saw it. She was half in tears, and pointing to my small dry-bag that was hanging from a nail on an outside wall of the lean-to. She could just see the outline of it in the dusk. I took it down, and she calmed down, but then crawled into my cot with me, and there she slept the next two nights.<br /><br />Patrick was up at around 4am, and had himself all ready to climb Katahdin by the time I got up at 5:30. It's easy to wake up early when you're camping outside during this time of year - it's so light out at the earliest of hours that, especially if it's a clear morning, you really want to get up and about. Every morning he woke up first and made coffee, and when I woke up he brought me a cup. How heavenly to stay in my warm sleeping bag, looking around at the morning, sipping coffee and listening to the rush of the river. We were so lucky to have such great weather while we were there - Mother Nature and Pamola both showed us their tender sides.<br /><br />Brenda, John and Tyler were ready early, also, and before I knew it, they were headed up the camp road to the trail head. As I watched them walk away, I remembered my camera, and made them wait while I took a group picture. They were happy and excited to be on their way.</p><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWMYRdfSnI/AAAAAAAAAOA/l3NMYXuuhqw/s1600/Katahdin+082.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495953268907395698" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWMYRdfSnI/AAAAAAAAAOA/l3NMYXuuhqw/s320/Katahdin+082.JPG" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWMngYtvSI/AAAAAAAAAOI/Je8T7VRkqW0/s1600/Katahdin+083.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495953530611940642" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWMngYtvSI/AAAAAAAAAOI/Je8T7VRkqW0/s320/Katahdin+083.JPG" /></a> So, I had the luxury of sitting by a beautiful morning campfire, sipping coffee, listening to the river, and reading my book while Ava slept. When she woke up, she cried because she hadn't given Gaffer a kiss good-bye, but she gathered herself together and had sausage and pancakes for breakfast with me, and then we went on our own hike, back up to Sandy Stream Pond.<br /><br />As we checked in at the ranger station, a young family showed up with three little kids, looking to be 5,4, and 3 years old. The kids were really noisy, so I whispered to Ava, "We'd better get ahead of them while they sign in, or they're going to scare away all the wild animals..." She took that to heart, and walked as fast as her little legs would go.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWNWdtIVjI/AAAAAAAAAOY/ZC369KmmVqg/s1600/Katahdin+095.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495954337346115122" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWNWdtIVjI/AAAAAAAAAOY/ZC369KmmVqg/s320/Katahdin+095.JPG" /></a><br />In spite of this, we could hear the noisy family gaining ground on us, until suddenly we heard wailing and then nothing more. We speculated that someone had tripped on a root and hurt a knee, and we wondered if they had band-aids with them.<br /><br />We got to the first look-out, and saw a moose out in the pond, dunking her head deep under water and splashing it everywhere. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWNGe_T3YI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/IkJqJ0grwQo/s1600/Katahdin+086.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495954062812896642" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWNGe_T3YI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/IkJqJ0grwQo/s320/Katahdin+086.JPG" /></a>We watched her for a while, but then we heard "The Noisies" coming up the trail, so we took off for the Big Rock lookout. When we got there, it was approaching noon, and John had told us that at noontime be looking for smoke coming from the top of the mountain, so Ava and I both scanned Katahdin, trying to spot where John might be having his smoke-break. The noisy family finally caught up with us, and Ava didn't have any interest in lingering with them on the rock (surprisingly - I was thinking she might have liked some little kids to talk to...), so we started to head back to the campsite when the dad called out to his kids that he saw deer on the far shore. So Ava and I went back to the rock and looked at two very golden deer far off in the distance.<br /><br />Then we hit the trail, and she had fun pretending to be a baby moose with no parents in the forest, and I was the nice lady that rescued her - although I didn't know my way and needed a baby moose that was familiar with the woods that could show me how to get back to the campground. We played the same game over and over until we were on our way out of Millinocket!! It was a favorite with her. (This afternoon we went blueberry picking, and she played it again - I brought a "baby moose" home with me...)<br /><br />There were a pair of ravens that visited us each day via a tree overlooking our lean-to. Ava and I called them "Loudmouth" and "Quietmouth". Loudmouth would caw and caw, never even bothering to ever close his mouth. Quietmouth actually looked annoyed by Loudmouth, and would flutter over to a different tree and sit on a branch with his shoulders hunched up around his ears, like, "Will that guy ever shut up??" Ava and I followed them around the campsite as they moved from tree to tree, Quietmouth always seeming to try to get some distance from Loudmouth; Loudmouth never taking the hint and flapping over to sit beside him. We imagined him saying, "I'll keep you company; I have lots of stories!"<br /><br />Later in the afternoon we packed a big canvas bag with snacks, beverages, toys, camp chair, and camera and walked down past Lean-to #10 to the swimming hole. We spent an hour or two there - I had my sneakers so I could safely carry Ava over the rocks in the fast-moving stream to the big boulder. When we returned to our lean-to, it was pushing 4pm, and if the mountain climbers took 10 hours they should be returning shortly. Ava fell asleep on her cot, and I used the time to par-broil some chicken thighs, then barbeque them over the fire. After that was done, I had another opportunity to relax and read some of my book.<br /><br />When Ava woke at around 6:30, we made the long trip back up to the privy and then decided to walk the long way back to our lean-to, past the trail head - just in case our family was returning. They had now been gone for 13 hours, so we were getting a little nervous, even though they had warned us that it may be after dark before they got back. Before we got to the trail head, I heard "Hey, Pammy Poo!" and there was Patrick and Tyler, walking down the road to the lean-to! Ava and I ran to meet them, we were so relieved. They told us John and Brenda were still on the trail, but not far behind them.<br /><br />I won't write here of their adventure - that is for them to tell. We were just glad to have them back (John and Brenda came down the road at around 8.) We had another early night, one last chance to fall asleep to the sound of the river. The lyrics to one of my favorite songs, "Brokedown Palace" played in my mind:<br /><br />In a bed, in a bed<br />by the waterside I will lay my head<br />Listen to the river sing sweet songs<br />to rock my soul<br />River gonna take me<br />Sing me sweet and sleepy<br />Sing me sweet and sleepy<br />all the way back back home<br />It's a far gone lullaby<br />sung many years ago<br />Mama, Mama, many worlds I've come<br />since I first left home<br />Goin home, goin home<br />by the waterside I will rest my bones<br />Listen to the river sing sweet songs<br />to rock my soul<br />Goin to plant a weeping willow<br />On the banks green edge it will grow grow grow<br />Sing a lullaby beside the water<br />Lovers come and go - the river roll roll roll<br />Fare you well, fare you well<br />I love you more than words can tell<br />Listen to the river sing sweet songs<br />to rock my soul.<br /><br />The next morning, we sadly but happily packed the truck and by 9 were on the road home, so Ava could see her cat.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWOWJYYNcI/AAAAAAAAAOg/sFd3Q9BPJII/s1600/Katahdin+107.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495955431401993666" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWOWJYYNcI/AAAAAAAAAOg/sFd3Q9BPJII/s320/Katahdin+107.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWOscVhyzI/AAAAAAAAAOw/2qd_L4LcyVA/s1600/Katahdin+109.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495955814447434546" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWOscVhyzI/AAAAAAAAAOw/2qd_L4LcyVA/s320/Katahdin+109.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWOsEgnKMI/AAAAAAAAAOo/wBGEI1NE2bo/s1600/Katahdin+108.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495955808051472578" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TEWOsEgnKMI/AAAAAAAAAOo/wBGEI1NE2bo/s320/Katahdin+108.JPG" /></a><br /></p>Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-24123693220863761962010-06-03T07:37:00.045-04:002010-06-03T18:33:55.137-04:00Camping in ParadiseWith the early summer-like weather Maine's been enjoying this year, we had high hopes for the first camping trip of 2010, over Memorial Day weekend. I had been working in Ohio earlier in the week, but flew home Weds night and we were set to head north early Thursday morning. We had spent the previous weekend shopping for the food we would take, then cooking and freezing meals and packing our clothes. While I was gone (and Ava was with Gram and Gramp), Patrick got everything packed into the truck and ready to go.
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<br />We woke to clear and beautiful weather on Thursday morning, and Ava was up by 6:30 which is WAY early for her! She was so excited to hit the road! We got last-minute toys and books packed, put the dogs in the kennel in the back of the truck, and rolled out of the driveway at 7:30.
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<br />It takes about 4 hours to get to Millinocket from home, and she was pretty good during the ride. She's never liked to ride in the car, so it's always a challenge to keep her happy for a trip longer than an hour or two. She gets restless, gets "<em><strong>the sandy things!</strong></em>" (her foot or leg falls asleep, and she'll get pretty upset about it), starts in with the whine heard from the back seat since Henry Ford's day - "Are we there yet??..."
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<br />We passed many miles playing the "Thinking Game" (an Ava-ized version of 20 Questions), then we played the "Yummy-Yukky" game for a while - this is when Ava mixes up an imaginary plate of some kind of imaginary food and serves it up to us. Usually we say something like, "This tastes kind of <em>funny</em>..." and she busts out laughing and tells us that it was mushed up slugs and other disgusting things - she loves thinking up as many gross things as she can. Cracks her up every time!
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<br />One of the things that entertained her the most during the ride was the Audubon Field Guide to North American Mammals. She had a great time thumbing through the pages and making up stories about the animals and looking for the cute ones. ("Gammer, what mouse do you think is cutest?")
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<br />It was a relief for all of us when we got to Millinocket and had to pick up a few things at Hannaford. She was able to stretch her legs, go to the bathroom, and come out of the store with a new bouncy red ball while Patrick walked the dogs. When we met him at the truck, he told us to go out into the grass where the dogs had been walking and see what was there. Kind of apprehensively, I took Ava by the hand and we walked over - dozens of pink and white lady slippers! Beautiful! Growing in the grass right beside the Hannaford parking lot.
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<br />The North Maine Woods doesn't allow you to bring firewood from home anymore, so the last thing we had to do before we left Millinocket was to pay a highway-robbery price for a couple bundles of firewood, and then we were able to get into the best part of the trip. Mt. Katahdin loomed majestically over us as we drove toward it - patches of snow on its upper reaches. (Unbeknownst to us, an injured hiker from Ohio was in the process of getting himself lost on the mountain, and would wander for three days before finally being spotted by a rescue helicopter on Sunday.)<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfaQZfwRfI/AAAAAAAAAHY/wHjNnDVv47g/s1600/Katahdin.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 130px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 98px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478587446976333298" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfaQZfwRfI/AAAAAAAAAHY/wHjNnDVv47g/s320/Katahdin.jpg" /></a>
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<br />The Golden Road is paved for quite a way, unfortunately. It's in serious need of repair, with potholes, cracks, and frost heaves, and it was a relief when we finally hit the gravel! There had been no rain for a while, apparently, and the road was dry and dusty. It was a work day for the loggers, and when one of the trucks careened by us at full speed, the dust cloud was immense. We'd have to come to almost a complete stop while it settled and we could see again. Patrick worked the CB to try to keep track of what was coming at us.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfY5GqjoTI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/PAev6gMXoc8/s1600/IMG_1608.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478585947272749362" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfY5GqjoTI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/PAev6gMXoc8/s320/IMG_1608.JPG" /></a>
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<br />Ava was looking for moose, and she and I both spotted a cow at the edge of a pond, not too far from the road. She was standing back-to us, with her head looking over her shoulder, checking us out as we drove by. Then we were at the gatehouse, and Ava and Patrick went in to pay the fees. There's always an old lady or two working the gatehouse, and it's fun for Ava to chat with them.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfYUPUZNzI/AAAAAAAAAHI/nKq0oxyb-44/s1600/IMG_1615.JPG">
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfYUPUZNzI/AAAAAAAAAHI/nKq0oxyb-44/s1600/IMG_1615.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478585313940551474" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfYUPUZNzI/AAAAAAAAAHI/nKq0oxyb-44/s320/IMG_1615.JPG" /></a>
<br />Once Ava and Patrick were back in the truck, we had another couple of hours driving ahead of us - Golden Road to Ragmuff Road to Caucomgomoc Road to another series of small logging roads - the feelings Patrick and I always share (and hopefully Ava will, too) as we get deeper into the woods are of light-heartedness and joy. There's nowhere else that we experience these feelings to the same degree - we love the Maine woods more than any other place on earth.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfk_hSdaVI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/n_-mALMbhdY/s1600/Wadleigh+Shoreline.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478599251638184274" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfk_hSdaVI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/n_-mALMbhdY/s320/Wadleigh+Shoreline.JPG" /></a>
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<br />The only change to these feelings comes as we approach the pond and our favorite beach campsite. As we get closer, we start to feel nervous and begin glancing at each other - we know what the other is thinking: "Please Please PLEASE let nobody already be there!" The road curves around the pond, first passing the south campsite, which we always check out to see if anybody's there. It's our second choice if the beach site is taken. We've never had to stay there, and I've never really cared for the site - very shady. On this day, nobody was there.
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<br />Then we pass the next camping area, two sites, which are side by side next to the road. We've stayed here before, when we had our camper. There's no beach, although there is boat access, and you have to cross the road to get to the outhouse. You also probably will have neighbors - we've met some nice people camping here. But, again, it's not preferable, especially with a tent when the dust from passing logging trucks swirls around.
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<br />As you pass this site, if you look to the north, you can catch a glimpse of the beach site. We always strain our eyes to see if we can spot any sign of life - campfire smoke, a bright color, movement... But it's not until we drive another quarter mile or so, pull into the access road to the campsite, and see no other vehicle that we breathe normally again!
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<br />We arrived at about 2:30 on a bright and sunny afternoon, absolute peace and quiet greeting us as we stopped the truck and got out. The only drawback to our complete happiness was a new orange sign, posted to a tree. It told us that somebody had introduced smelts into the pond, and they were decimating the native trout and char population. Pending new fishing regulations for the pond that would be forthcoming, they were asking all anglers to please release alive any trout or char caught. No more bluebacks for lunch!
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<br />This pond is one of only a handful in Maine that has a natural stock of Arctic Char - the beautiful little fish with the bright orange fins that we've been honored to catch over the past 12 years in this water. Patrick was heartbroken to think that some idiot has ruined the pond for everyone.
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfSpf0a6qI/AAAAAAAAAGI/xsUYJuRvlJQ/s1600/Campsite+east+beach.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478579082077334178" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfSpf0a6qI/AAAAAAAAAGI/xsUYJuRvlJQ/s320/Campsite+east+beach.JPG" /></a>
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<br />Ava, in the meantime, was in heaven!! There are boulders blocking access from the road to the campsite, so we always park and carry in all of our gear - a hike of about 150 yards. Part of it is through a muddy area where several years ago Patrick and I layed down old boards from a dilapitated picnic table and made a walkway. Ava danced along the boards and then ran like Seabiscuit (literally! She was "Seabiscuit" all weekend every time she blasted off!) down the long beach to the campsite. She continued to romp and run while we made multiple trips back and forth until everything was unloaded. The last thing to come over was the boat, which Patrick launched near where the truck was parked, and drove over to the site.
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<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfTAAsW23I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/3UramcjqNn0/s1600/Campsite+west+beach.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478579468859005810" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfTAAsW23I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/3UramcjqNn0/s320/Campsite+west+beach.JPG" /></a>
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<br />In short order we had the tents up (one for us, one for the dogs) and the cots and sleeping bags in place, and the camp stove/propane set up on the picnic table. Patrick had also thought to bring our fold-up plastic table which came in handy as a "staging area" - all the mess kits, coffee pot, etc etc. When the camp chairs were unpacked, it was time to relax!
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfTn8yRUiI/AAAAAAAAAGY/R-WrKtDdpeU/s1600/Campsite+dog+tent.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580155004834338" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfTn8yRUiI/AAAAAAAAAGY/R-WrKtDdpeU/s320/Campsite+dog+tent.JPG" /></a>
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<br />We noticed the black flies and deer flies right away, but they weren't intolerable. We've been camping at this time of year before where the black flies especially were so thick that you couldn't breathe without a head net, but not this time. We all got a few bites, but after a while we more or less became oblivious to them. Every once in a while, we'd have to mop up a stream of blood from Ava's leg or her shoulder where one got her, but she didn't seem to mind. She spent the whole weekend scratching her head, but she wouldn't wear her hat, so the black flies were free to crawl around in her hair - she could have cared less! The only bugs that really freaked her out if she saw one were spiders. She won't even walk by a spiderweb willingly!
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfdMLInHpI/AAAAAAAAAHo/GG8J6CFOxs4/s1600/IMG_1584.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478590672936574610" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfdMLInHpI/AAAAAAAAAHo/GG8J6CFOxs4/s320/IMG_1584.JPG" /></a>
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<br />There were also a lot of bees, and we had put our coolers in the midst of a dandelion patch that seemed to be the primary bee hang-out. I tried to keep Ava from going over to the coolers during the day when the bees were busy, and I was careful when I went over to wear shoes so I wouldn't step on one accidentally. It was great to see so many of them, though - they seem to be scarce at home.
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<br />Ava wasted no time in getting her little animals out to play in the sand. Before long, she and I had built a few little houses for them, with roads connecting Unicorn's house with Lion's house and Mother Bear's house - very fun! She was a little timid about getting into the water once she heard Gaffer say something about "leeches"... She went in as far as her ankles but was scared to go any deeper.
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfgYVnCdDI/AAAAAAAAAIo/dKCnhSKFxlo/s1600/Play+fairy+houses.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478594180441863218" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfgYVnCdDI/AAAAAAAAAIo/dKCnhSKFxlo/s320/Play+fairy+houses.JPG" /></a>
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<br />She and I walked up to check out the outhouse, and we found a tree across the path. We had to duck under it to get to the outhouse, and on the way back we took a different path. The paths were both magical, carpeted with soft green moss and pine needles, and with painted trilliums growing here and there. The outhouse itself was clean and stocked with TP. Ava always asked me to hold her hands while she sat on the throne, though. She didn't want to take any chances about falling in.
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfXmiCVQQI/AAAAAAAAAHA/C39hM7ICQUQ/s1600/IMG_1587.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478584528691085570" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfXmiCVQQI/AAAAAAAAAHA/C39hM7ICQUQ/s320/IMG_1587.JPG" /></a>
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<br />Patrick could never talk her into going fishing all weekend. When he was ready to go out, he'd invite her to come with him, and she would ask if he could just take her for a little "putt-putt" before he went out farther into the pond to fish. At one point, he was giving her a hard time about not going out fishing with him, and she said, "I don't want to go out in the deep water in that tippy old thing!!" Under his breath, he said, "I don't blame you!" The boat is 12' long, and could use to be a little longer...
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<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfURt4lHwI/AAAAAAAAAGo/z01Lh4FTw7o/s1600/Campsite+-+Gaffer+and+Ava+on+boat.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580872559271682" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfURt4lHwI/AAAAAAAAAGo/z01Lh4FTw7o/s320/Campsite+-+Gaffer+and+Ava+on+boat.JPG" /></a>
<br />While he was out fishing, I was able to get Ava to walk out a little deeper into the water. We found that the soft sand was home to dozens of little newts, just waiting to be caught. The beauty of this pond is that the sand in the water is incredibly soft, not gooey or mushy, but just really <em>silty</em> soft - delicious on the feet. And the water is clear as crystal, and shallow for 100 yards out into the pond - not above Ava's waist. It's a big part of what makes this pond paradise to us.
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfXL4uJPNI/AAAAAAAAAG4/kdd1dY__Vu8/s1600/IMG_1577.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478584070923959506" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfXL4uJPNI/AAAAAAAAAG4/kdd1dY__Vu8/s320/IMG_1577.JPG" /></a>
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<br />There are a few little areas of sticks here and there in the water, which we avoid because that's usually where the leeches are hiding. Occasionally, though, you see a big fat black leech swimming along the golden sand. At first, a sighting would cause Ava to run, splashing and shrieking, out of the the water as fast as she could go, but once I caught one with a stick and carried it to the fire to throw it in, she became interested in them. She still wouldn't get near one herself, but was a great cheerleader to anyone who would catch them for her to look at!
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfgsLKolUI/AAAAAAAAAIw/hnEziY0vsDY/s1600/Long+Neck.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478594521235756354" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfgsLKolUI/AAAAAAAAAIw/hnEziY0vsDY/s320/Long+Neck.JPG" /></a>
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<br />Catching newts was one of the highlights of the weekend for her. She never was fast enough to pluck one out of the water, but she helped hunt for them, and when I was able to grab one, she made a big fuss out of petting it and naming it, and then kissing it before we put it back. About the kissing, after we had let one go and she was on the hunt for another one, she looked over her shoulder and told me, "It's not that I LIKE to kiss them! I HAVE to!! It's good for my LIPS!!"
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<br />When Patrick got back from fishing (caught and released several; he was happy), we heated up the chop suey for supper, then cleaned up and spent the rest of the evening sitting around the campfire. It was a beautiful clear evening, and we watched as the moon began to rise in the east. First we could see the glow over the tops of the trees as it got darker, and then slowly the brilliantly bright full moon made its way over the hill and into the sky. We told stories out loud to Ava, until she finally asked if we could go to bed.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfioGhN-tI/AAAAAAAAAJA/CmfT1yAfLAA/s1600/Campsite+Moonrise.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478596650292083410" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfioGhN-tI/AAAAAAAAAJA/CmfT1yAfLAA/s320/Campsite+Moonrise.JPG" /></a>
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<br />We put the dogs in their tent (they went happily!), and then we each got into our own cot in our tent - Ava's in the middle - and I read a couple of books to her before we all went to sleep. Cozy! Ava slept like a cute little log all night long.
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<br />We awoke at around 8am, with filtered light beaming into the tent - obviously a glorious day out there! The dogs were whining and scratching at their tent, ready to GET OUT! For breakfast we had coffee and orange juice and bacon and eggs, and Patrick played a few hands of Old Maid with Ava before he went out fishing. The sky was pure blue and the air was warm with some nice breezes to keep the bugs at bay - a perfect day.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfpvyd6DaI/AAAAAAAAAJg/4Vh8Hr8ri5E/s1600/Play+Water.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478604478929833378" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfpvyd6DaI/AAAAAAAAAJg/4Vh8Hr8ri5E/s320/Play+Water.JPG" /></a>
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<br />We spent the day pretty much the same way we had spent the previous afternoon - building fairy houses for the toy animals, looking for newts, catching the occasional leech to throw in the firepit, Patrick fishing on and off, sitting in our camp chairs, playing board games (we brought Candyland and Chutes & Ladders) and Old Maid with Ava, and going for walks up to the outhouse. She always made an adventure about going up to the outhouse - being an explorer and discovering new paths and shortcuts. It was so fun for her.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfea7e9UBI/AAAAAAAAAIA/Sw1cGII2R1Y/s1600/Play+Candyland.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478592025945002002" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfea7e9UBI/AAAAAAAAAIA/Sw1cGII2R1Y/s320/Play+Candyland.JPG" /></a>
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<br />We also had fun with the bouncy ball we had bought at the Hannaford in Millinocket. She would stand up on the hill at the back of the campsite and kick the ball down to us, and we'd catch it and roll it up to her to kick again. Every now and then, we'd find her down by the water, sitting on the beach, singing to herself while she dug with her little plastic shovel in the sand, busy with some little project she was enjoying. Several times she said, "Wouldn't it be good if someone else came camping that had little kids?" We've had people show up at our site and camp with us before, but they've always been crusty old fishermen, not families with nice little kids<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfgKtE3xOI/AAAAAAAAAIg/BX2bkzpZeNE/s1600/Play.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478593946222839010" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfgKtE3xOI/AAAAAAAAAIg/BX2bkzpZeNE/s320/Play.JPG" /></a>
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<br />But the following day, which was breezy and cooler with a lot of cloud cover mingling with short periods of bright blue sunny sky, as Patrick was out fishing, and Ava and I were playing at the picnic table, we heard the dogs start to bark and watched them run up the beach toward where our truck was parked. I was able to grab Heidi, just as - we couldn't believe our eyes - a family with two little girls and a teenage boy - came walking up the beach! They were on their way to the south campsite, but stopped in to say hello. The little girls were instantly in the water, and I let Heidi go to play with them - she was in her glory!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfdv6Hpc5I/AAAAAAAAAHw/aNd4i_iit-k/s1600/Ava+helps.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478591286844421010" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfdv6Hpc5I/AAAAAAAAAHw/aNd4i_iit-k/s320/Ava+helps.JPG" /></a>
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<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfhk-uFb-I/AAAAAAAAAI4/tbk7HEUygKI/s1600/Ava+Heidi+2.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478595497147330530" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfhk-uFb-I/AAAAAAAAAI4/tbk7HEUygKI/s320/Ava+Heidi+2.JPG" /></a>
<br />We broke our rule of not letting Heidi play with sticks etc while we were camping, because Ava had had so much fun throwing things for her to catch, and these girls had a blast doing the same thing! Heidi will put her whole head under water to fetch up a stick that's been thrown for her! She's good with the kids, too - doesn't get over-excited and jump on anyone - she just stands patiently and alertly, ears up, tail wagging, waiting for the next thing to come her way.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAffxPsqikI/AAAAAAAAAIY/4jJlOV2qEeU/s1600/Heidi+swims+2.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478593508839950914" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAffxPsqikI/AAAAAAAAAIY/4jJlOV2qEeU/s320/Heidi+swims+2.JPG" /></a>
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<br />Ava turned shy. She sat behind me at the picnic table and watched the girls play, but didn't feel comfortable joining in. We found out the girls' names were Maia and Madison, one 6 and one 7. After a half hour or so, they left to set up their own campsite, with a promise to come over later in the afternoon so the girls could play. Sure enough, after lunch, we saw them coming across the pond in kayaks. This time Ava wasn't shy, and she and Maia had a ball catching newts. Maia was good at catching them, so she'd give some of them to Ava, and they'd put them all together in a red plastic bucket with some sand in it. Then they'd play with them. And play with them and play with them. All the adults were feeling kind of sorry for the newts, hoping they were made of tough stuff, because they sure got man-handled by those little girls! Squeezing and carrying and kissing and dropping - the newts endured it all until it was time for the family to go back to their campsite and the newts were dumped back into the pond, with dramatic good-byes from the girls.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAffAxGldpI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/uLuvRUJ59YQ/s1600/Play+Maia+Newt.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478592675993450130" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAffAxGldpI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/uLuvRUJ59YQ/s320/Play+Maia+Newt.JPG" /></a>
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfe2fDU58I/AAAAAAAAAII/3bw6jr-uXz0/s1600/Play+Maia+2.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478592499349252034" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfe2fDU58I/AAAAAAAAAII/3bw6jr-uXz0/s320/Play+Maia+2.JPG" /></a>
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<br />They had said they'd come back later that evening, but a late afternoon thunderstorm kept us all hunkered down until night rolled in and the skies cleared up. During the storm, we played games and read books in the tent and listened to the rain and the thunder, feeling cozy and happy and secure. We had a late supper of chicken stew and dumplings, and spent the third night in a row sitting in front of a beautiful campfire and telling stories until Ava fell asleep in my lap.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAflfyw4WZI/AAAAAAAAAJY/x8sCBU9SV5A/s1600/Campfire.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478599806084995474" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAflfyw4WZI/AAAAAAAAAJY/x8sCBU9SV5A/s320/Campfire.JPG" /></a>
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<br />She really enjoyed this "telling stories around the campfire" business. I told her the story of Shrek twice, and Gaffer told her the story of The Hobbit and part of the Lord of the Rings. I was wishing I remembered more of my Grimm's Fairy Tales, but none really came to mind. I have an old copy - will have to study up on it before our next camping trip!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfjhELIl1I/AAAAAAAAAJI/dYqHImy79nE/s1600/Moonrise+Clouds.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478597628915128146" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/TAfjhELIl1I/AAAAAAAAAJI/dYqHImy79nE/s320/Moonrise+Clouds.JPG" /></a>
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<br />We woke on our final morning, Sunday, to a nice day. After a breakfast of pancakes and moose sausage, we slowly began to pack things up, taking the time to fish (Patrick) and play (Ava and me) in between working. By 3, we had the truck packed and were ready to go. Anytime we've ever gone anywhere for any length of time, Ava is always anxious to get home and see her cat, and this was the case now. She was dreading the long ride, but really wanted to see Blue Cat.
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<br />Usually as we drive away, Patrick and I feel kind of sad. This is normally a once-a-year trip for us. As we see other trucks drive in, loaded with canoes and camping gear, we're always jealous that we're heading out of the woods and they're getting to go in. But this time was different, because I'm on vacation again in two weeks, and if the weather is nice, we'll be right back!
<br />Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-49882373486710875772010-04-20T07:29:00.003-04:002010-04-23T07:33:40.623-04:00The HaircutOne of the things that everyone has always loved about Ava is her long, thick hair. It's beautiful, but she gives us a hard time about brushing it. Every morning is an ordeal to try to get her to stand still while we spray de-tangler through it and try to get it arranged into pony tails or braids. She cries that it hurts, and has no patience for the time it takes to get through the long mass. I've often told her that we should just shave it short like Gaffer has it, then we wouldn't have to go through this every day, but she tells me that she loves her hair and doesn't want it cut. Then, I say, you have to take care of it - and that means brushing!<br /><br />When she was two, we had to cut several inches off so that it wouldn't hang into the toilet. She was terrified, but the nice young hairdresser at Bubba's was friendly and gentle with her, and we got the job done. After that, she's been several times to Bubba's and enjoys the whole process - the shampoo, the booster seat, the cape, and the attention.<br /><br />The other day I saw a picture of a little girl about Ava's age, with a short bob haircut. I started thinking about how cute Ava would look with short hair, and how EASY life would be without the de-tangling, brushing, and braiding every morning, and how convenient it would be over the summer when she's swimming and playing outside. Even eating would be easier - no long strands blowing into her ice cream cone!<br /><br />So I showed Ava the picture, and she liked it! We made an appointment, and headed into Bubba's - leaving Gaffer at home with very uneasy feelings about the upcoming loss of Ava's long locks. Even the young hairdresser was squirrely about taking off so much! Ava, freshly shampood and sitting up high in her booster seat, draped in a cape, was matter-of-fact: "Cut it short!" I was sitting nearby, and the hairdresser turned to me with an anxious face, "Shouldn't we make it shorter in <em>stages</em>??" I said, "Ava, are you SURE you want it short?"<br /><br />But Ava was fearless and anticipating her new 'do, so the scissors went to work and 8" long strands of hair fell to the floor. There was a mix of shock, horror, and admiration on the faces of the other customers and clients as more and more of Ava's luxurious hair was clipped off, but Ava sat there, like a little statue, calmly watching the process. I was second-guessing our decision, but was so proud of her for her courage and steadfastness, and I was already imagining how easy tomorrow morning was going to be!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S9GFO1fxggI/AAAAAAAAAGA/vF3RtsEr8XQ/s1600/Ava%27s+haircut.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463294312902132226" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S9GFO1fxggI/AAAAAAAAAGA/vF3RtsEr8XQ/s320/Ava%27s+haircut.JPG" /></a> So she's got herself a little bob now, and it's even fashionably "poofy" in the back where she's got a terrific cowlick - looks like a rooster-tail every morning - and it's wonderful. We've been able to put away all the ponytail holders and barrettes, and never need the de-tangler. She brushes it herself and she looks adorable. I'll leave it up to her whether or not to keep it short or to let it grow out again!Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-47629395853124946082010-04-04T19:01:00.009-04:002010-04-05T07:24:05.124-04:00FishingBack in September, when we were in Presque Isle for the moose hunt, Ava spotted a Dora fishing pole in the trading post where we tagged the moose. She looked at it, then looked at me, then looked down at the floor -- "We're probably not here to buy a fishing pole, are we?" And I had to tell her, "No, Ava, we're not here to buy a fishing pole today..." She was disappointed, but accepted it. But then, when the moose hunt was over, and the guys had paid for our guide service - they gave Ava and me a tip! So back we went to the trading post, and Ava walked out with a brand new fishing pole, that she had paid for herself!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S7kjEeRkIaI/AAAAAAAAAFo/5ziqBTwqp64/s1600/IMG_2718.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456430983289250210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S7kjEeRkIaI/AAAAAAAAAFo/5ziqBTwqp64/s320/IMG_2718.JPG" /></a> She got her first chance to use it this weekend, on Cobbosee Lake. Gaffer took her to the bait shop the day before, and she picked out a fluorescent green lure for her own fishing pole. The day was beautiful, sunny and warm, and she and Gaffer had a great time casting. Ava's technique is to get the lure in the water, and then let it sink until she can't see it anymore, and then wait. We're not exactly sure what she's waiting for, but this is a serious part of her fishing technique. At some point, she decides to reel the lure in, and often will say with excitement, "It feels heavy!!" One time when it felt heavy, something was actually on the line - a perfectly shaped brown beech leaf. She was just as happy as if she had caught a fish! We had to save the leaf, and it came home with us in her backpack.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S7kjVBdbuHI/AAAAAAAAAFw/IKgblsbihQc/s1600/IMG_2719.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456431267612178546" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S7kjVBdbuHI/AAAAAAAAAFw/IKgblsbihQc/s320/IMG_2719.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Gaffer got a big bass on his line, and got it close to the boat, almost close enough that I could scoop it up with the net, but then it let go of the hook and swam off. That was the only fish we saw all day, but seeing fish wasn't really the point. We just wanted Ava to have fun, and she did! We found a little island that had a cupboard with maps of the hiking trails on the island, and Ava led the way. The trails were also marked by white paint on occasional trees, and we got a kick out of Ava saying over and over, "... According to this map, we're going the right way!"<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S7kjkFIgwjI/AAAAAAAAAF4/eCCr2Zf4fI8/s1600/IMG_2722.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456431526296207922" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S7kjkFIgwjI/AAAAAAAAAF4/eCCr2Zf4fI8/s320/IMG_2722.JPG" /></a> The next day, we took the boat out onto Merrymeeting Bay, where Ava was excited at the thought of seeing seals and dolphins, but Gaffer let her know that we'd have to go out a little farther in order to see those things. She tossed out her line a few times, for the fun of it. She's always hopeful that she'll catch something, which I guess is how every fisherman feels!Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-33180404203038426822010-03-13T07:16:00.019-05:002010-03-16T08:08:51.796-04:00Disney Vacation 2010On Saturday afternoon, February 27th, after dropping off the dogs at Misty Ridge kennel in Lisbon and leaving two kitty litter boxes, a casserole dish full of cat food, and five big bowls of water along with the lid up on the toilet for Blue Cat, we put our suitcases into the Escape and headed for Manchester. Ava stayed awake for the entire drive, and we spent a lot of time playing her new favorite car game – “20 Questions”. (For the record, most of the time the answer is “Teddy”…)<br /><br />We checked into the Hampton Inn in Bedford, just over the river from the airport, and then went over to Bugaboo Creek for dinner. We sat near the talking bison, which Ava enjoyed! After dinner, back at the hotel, we put our bathing suits on and had a great time in the pool for the rest of the evening. There was even a hot tub and a sauna, and we enjoyed both of those as well. Finally we dragged a reluctant Ava back to the room for a bath and a good night sleep before our 7am flight the next morning.<br /><br />The alarm woke Patrick and me up at 4, and Ava amazingly woke up on her own at 4:30 – ready to go! So it was easy to get everyone dressed and packed up and we were in the car on the way to the airport by 5:15, boarding the plane right on time at 6:45. As we began to taxi down the runway, the plane came to a stop, and the pilot came on the P/A, saying, “We’ve just heard from the FAA, and because we always do exactly what the FAA instructs us to do, we must make the following announcement: … So-and-So is the worst cribbage player in New Hampshire!” Everyone had a good laugh, and the plane started rolling again.<br /><br />Ava took a window seat, and had fun looking out the window and playing “aminals” for the entire flight. She got to try out the tiny bathroom, which she thought was pretty interesting. The pilot had announced to us earlier in the flight that we’d be landing a full 50 minutes early!! Instead of 10:30, we arrived at 9:40! Descending into Orlando, Ava began to cry because her ears hurt, but she recovered by the time the wheels touched down, and was cheerful for the walk to the Magical Express terminal.<br /><br />We hadn’t walked very far from the gate when Ava spotted a display of bananas for sale, and so she munched on a banana while we made our way onto the little train that took us to the main terminal, and from there we walked to the far end of the building to get to the Magical Express area. We had no line to stand in, and were on the bus in minutes.<br /><br />It was a beautiful sunny day, and we sat in the first rows on the bus for the ride to Ft. Wilderness, stopping first at several other resorts. We had a quick, easy check-in and were delivered to our cabin (2823) by 11:30. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uSghJsTYI/AAAAAAAAACo/j03DXg9-dCQ/s1600-h/27+Cabin.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448109261587238274" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uSghJsTYI/AAAAAAAAACo/j03DXg9-dCQ/s320/27+Cabin.JPG" /></a><br />We still had to wait for the groceries (scheduled for 1:30) and luggage to arrive, so Patrick took a Ft. Wilderness bus to the store at the marina to get some refreshments for us while Ava and I explored the cabin and played animals out on the picnic table.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uGEGggQ2I/AAAAAAAAAA4/Piz7EvVr2lo/s1600-h/1+A+First+Day.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448095579259290466" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uGEGggQ2I/AAAAAAAAAA4/Piz7EvVr2lo/s320/1+A+First+Day.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />The groceries arrived right on schedule, and the suitcases not long after that, and then we were free to begin our vacation! Epcot was planned for the afternoon, with a dinner reservation at 6pm at the Biergarten in Germany. From our cabin, it was a little bit of a walk to the bus stop – we’d be using the “Outpost Purple” bus for any park except Magic Kingdom. The Outpost Purple bus took us to the Outpost (the area where we had checked in) bus stop, and from there we’d jump on whatever bus was going to the park we wanted to visit. The Outpost bus stop was fun, because it was near the stables and we could visit with the horses and watch people getting ready for trail rides while we waited for our bus. The wait was never longer than 10 or 15minutes.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S59zfLSgU0I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/HfsHSEpWQQQ/s1600-h/DSC00638.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 180px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449201053585134402" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S59zfLSgU0I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/HfsHSEpWQQQ/s320/DSC00638.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S59zehCDcLI/AAAAAAAAAFI/rJQVcOfyZJw/s1600-h/DSC00645.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449201042241843378" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S59zehCDcLI/AAAAAAAAAFI/rJQVcOfyZJw/s320/DSC00645.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />It’s about a 10-minute bus ride to Epcot from the Ft. Wilderness Outpost, so we were there before 3:00. We had packed a backpack with a rolled-up warm fleece blanket and extra clothes for Ava, her thermos of apple juice, the video camera and the digital camera – Patrick was lugging it around (being the good Sherpa that he is) and had to go through a security check where they went through the bag each time we entered a park. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uGhAAEByI/AAAAAAAAABA/atN3cI1ZcpE/s1600-h/5+A+Epcot.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448096075728815906" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uGhAAEByI/AAAAAAAAABA/atN3cI1ZcpE/s320/5+A+Epcot.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We got a stroller for Ava first, and then went over to “The Living Seas” – going on the “Finding Nemo” ride, taking a picture with Bruce the Shark, and sitting through “Turtle Talk with Crush” which was too corny for Patrick and me, and way over Ava’s head with the excessive surfer-dude talk. She had sat on the floor with all the other kids, and Patrick and I were in the front row, and toward the end of the show she looked back at us as if to say, “… Are we out of here yet?” so we scooped her up as soon as it was over and got her cozy in the stroller – next thing, she’s sound asleep.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uG7tV0tWI/AAAAAAAAABQ/_cWhFfg8tC4/s1600-h/5+Ava+Teddy+Shark.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448096534576280930" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uG7tV0tWI/AAAAAAAAABQ/_cWhFfg8tC4/s320/5+Ava+Teddy+Shark.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uG7ggD8oI/AAAAAAAAABI/nCnMHD-mQLE/s1600-h/5+Ava+Shark.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448096531129561730" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uG7ggD8oI/AAAAAAAAABI/nCnMHD-mQLE/s320/5+Ava+Shark.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />Patrick and I decided to walk over to the World Showcase and get a beverage. Then we saw the boat going over to Morocco, so we jumped on with Ava still sleeping cozily in her stroller, and rested our legs for a little cruise across the Epcot lagoon. We explored Morocco a little bit, and I went into the “Kidcot” station there to get Ava a mask. There’s a Kidcot station in every country, with a representative from that country sitting at a little table – they stamp the mask with the name of the country, and write the kid’s name in the language – then the kid can take the mask to another little table with chairs and color their mask. The Kidcots are sponsored by Sharpie, so there’s a big bowl of fat Sharpie pens of all colors on the table. You can also buy a passport in any of the gift shops, and get those filled out at the Kidcots, too, but we thought Ava was a little young for that this year.<br /><br />We bought Moroccan beers to go, which really made the already enjoyable strolling around even better! The World Showcase is spectacular and beautiful, and it was such a pleasure to walk slowly, sipping a beverage, and looking around. We went into Japan and walked a quiet path through flowers and trees, and over a bridge that looked down upon a babbling brook ending in a big pool filled with giant koi fish. Approaching Germany, we came across a little village that had been built – tiny evergreens and rosemaries for trees, and a tiny railroad track with a working train – the detail was amazing. A little groom carrying his little bride was coming out of a little church, a miniature castle overlooked the village, farmers worked in their fields – it was magical.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uIw-CpMlI/AAAAAAAAABY/DHxryqBwtHc/s1600-h/German+Village.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448098549103931986" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uIw-CpMlI/AAAAAAAAABY/DHxryqBwtHc/s320/German+Village.JPG" /></a><br /><div><br /><br />And then we saw Snow White! She was signing autographs and having pictures taken, and we didn’t want Ava to miss it! It was difficult to get the sleepy girl going, but once she realized what was going on she was all over it. Snow White was very sweet to her, and when Ava told her that she was going to ride the teacups the next day, Snow White told her that the teacups are the dwarves’ favorite ride, too. She gave Ava a big hug and gave Teddy a kiss on the forehead, and told her to take good care of him. Ava was thrilled.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uJhCIh_iI/AAAAAAAAABg/fKdjKYI62AM/s1600-h/7+Ava+Snow+White.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448099374836088354" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uJhCIh_iI/AAAAAAAAABg/fKdjKYI62AM/s320/7+Ava+Snow+White.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />By now it was time for our dinner reservation, so we went over to the Biergarten. We had a pretty blond waitress named Daniela who took us to our table. In the World Showcase, all the people working in all the countries really are native to that country, and sign on for a 12-month stay at Epcot. Daniela’s time was almost over – she was going home to Munich on March 10th. She was charmed by Ava and when we took their picture together she gave me her e-mail address so I could forward the picture to her.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uJx-7ECII/AAAAAAAAABo/BBWfCZBMnxo/s1600-h/10+Daniela.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448099666032068738" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uJx-7ECII/AAAAAAAAABo/BBWfCZBMnxo/s320/10+Daniela.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We were seated at a long table with another family, overlooking the stage and dance floor below where a live polka band was playing and where a whole bunch of little kids and their parents were dancing – it was so fun! The dinner was a buffet, so we helped ourselves to sausages and sauerkraut and herring salad and all kinds of other German fare, and had some Oktoberfest beer. Patrick and I both spent time dancing with Ava after dinner, and we had a great time. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uKJCspAnI/AAAAAAAAAB4/6zqbkIXWgu0/s1600-h/9+Dancing+Biergarten.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448100062182310514" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uKJCspAnI/AAAAAAAAAB4/6zqbkIXWgu0/s320/9+Dancing+Biergarten.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uKI8P9TjI/AAAAAAAAABw/add9uOSRcmQ/s1600-h/8+Epcot+Biergarten.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448100060451393074" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uKI8P9TjI/AAAAAAAAABw/add9uOSRcmQ/s320/8+Epcot+Biergarten.JPG" /></a><br /><br />On the way back through the park, Ava spotted a puppet unicorn that she had to have, and so “Goldy” was added to the family, and spent the rest of the week as Teddy’s sidekick (her puppet strings were cut off by the end of the night!) We stopped at China so Ava could work on her mask, and we went on the “Three Caballeros” ride in Mexico. Ava fell asleep on the bus back to Ft. Wilderness – she had had a very full day.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uKY82bAKI/AAAAAAAAACA/csjoHLlSY_4/s1600-h/Buying+Goldy.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448100335490629794" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uKY82bAKI/AAAAAAAAACA/csjoHLlSY_4/s320/Buying+Goldy.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />The next morning, Monday, we headed by bus over to Animal Kingdom. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uKt7Cld8I/AAAAAAAAACI/cFKlY31NdVU/s1600-h/Animal+Kingdom.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448100695782029250" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uKt7Cld8I/AAAAAAAAACI/cFKlY31NdVU/s320/Animal+Kingdom.JPG" /></a><br />This turned out to be the nicest day, weather-wise, that we would have. It was warm and sunny and we had fun on the safari ride and walking along the different trails in the park. Ava sat on the left side of the jeep, and had a close encounter with a giraffe! It was eating leaves from a tree right beside her when we stopped, and she told us that he waved his tongue at her! He was so close she could have reached out to pat him. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S54cdMzLBAI/AAAAAAAAAEw/3DsgHwPKaAE/s1600-h/14+Giraffe.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448823887142519810" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S54cdMzLBAI/AAAAAAAAAEw/3DsgHwPKaAE/s320/14+Giraffe.JPG" /></a> We didn’t do any rides, other than the safari, but just enjoyed being able to walk the beautiful paths and look at all the birds and animals. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S54dGcbWpMI/AAAAAAAAAFA/TnBQLxyVfp4/s1600-h/16+Elephant.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448824595712222402" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S54dGcbWpMI/AAAAAAAAAFA/TnBQLxyVfp4/s320/16+Elephant.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S54dGK5TBXI/AAAAAAAAAE4/yvC6sojRf2k/s1600-h/14+Ava+Gaffer.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448824591005975922" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S54dGK5TBXI/AAAAAAAAAE4/yvC6sojRf2k/s320/14+Ava+Gaffer.JPG" /></a>Ava noticed some kids that had their faces painted, and asked if she could do that, so we found a little kiosk with some ladies doing face painting and got in line. Ava made friends with another little girl in line with her, and they both had fun comparing what design they were going to get and looking at the other kids getting painted. When it was Ava’s turn, she seemed to really enjoy sitting in the tall chair with her eyes closed, allowing the lady to dab paint on her face. In no time, she was decorated with a sparkly unicorn!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uLKHE_93I/AAAAAAAAACY/wdZUSVoWO4U/s1600-h/19+Face+Paint.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448101180049717106" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uLKHE_93I/AAAAAAAAACY/wdZUSVoWO4U/s320/19+Face+Paint.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uLJyYmIUI/AAAAAAAAACQ/hXGAnwgr2Ms/s1600-h/18+Face+Paint+Friends.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448101174494765378" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uLJyYmIUI/AAAAAAAAACQ/hXGAnwgr2Ms/s320/18+Face+Paint+Friends.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We left the park by one in the afternoon to go back to the cabin for lunch. After some sandwiches and chips, we decided not to go back to Animal Kingdom, but to go to the pool instead. It was about 65 degrees, and Steve had called to say he was coming over for a visit. He was at flight school in Orlando, and had a rental Mustang convertible so he could drive over to Ft. Wilderness to see us. Ava met a few more 4-year-olds at the pool (lots of 4-year-olds at Disney!) and she and Gaffer had great fun swimming and jumping and splashing. Steve had called to say that he was going to Daytona, and we decided to hook up on Tuesday instead. It started cooling off as the sun went down and it was time to get out of the pool, and Ava cried and made a ball of herself on the ground and completely pitched a fit – she would have been happy to swim all night. We had a supper of cereal and toast, and an early bedtime – breakfast with Cinderella was tomorrow morning!<br /><br />We had an 8:10am reservation on Tuesday for Cinderella’s Royal Table, so we had the alarm set early and woke to pouring rain! Crap! But we got Ava all dressed in her beautiful gown, and she got Teddy into his (matching) beautiful gown, and then she stuffed Goldy into Teddy’s gown also. Patrick and I both felt bad for Teddy, having to share his big day with a new pet, but he was very gracious about it, and I wrapped him and Goldy in a plastic bag so they wouldn’t get wet on the way to the bus stop. We trotted in the rain to the bus stop, where we were lucky enough to find a purple bus waiting. When we boarded and told the driver that we were going to Magic Kingdom for a Cinderella breakfast he got on the radio and asked the dispatcher if he could take us all the way to the park! And he did!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uSHFZWGNI/AAAAAAAAACg/a11rY3ZL5uw/s1600-h/1+AM+Ready+for+Cindy.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448108824639969490" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uSHFZWGNI/AAAAAAAAACg/a11rY3ZL5uw/s320/1+AM+Ready+for+Cindy.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5wfd3XPhFI/AAAAAAAAAEg/cypOncjHZDo/s1600-h/3+Snow+White.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448264247149560914" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5wfd3XPhFI/AAAAAAAAAEg/cypOncjHZDo/s320/3+Snow+White.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5wfdrdd6FI/AAAAAAAAAEY/2kA-BIjYNa8/s1600-h/3+Belle.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448264243954444370" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5wfdrdd6FI/AAAAAAAAAEY/2kA-BIjYNa8/s320/3+Belle.JPG" /></a><br />It was 7:30 and by now the rain had let up, but the wind was fierce and cold, and we still had to wait for the park to open. We stood shivering with ten or twenty other people until they opened the gate just before 8. We bee-lined it for the castle and in no time we were inside and Ava was getting her picture taken with Cinderella. From there, we went up red-carpeted stairs to the dining room where we were seated at a table near the windows and, after Ava was given a magic wand, were served a wonderful breakfast of coffee, juice, pastries, fruit, eggs, bacon and sausage. Princesses made the rounds, one at a time, <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uTVFmz4eI/AAAAAAAAADI/SIJeDLo91tE/s1600-h/2+Aurora.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448110164726243810" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uTVFmz4eI/AAAAAAAAADI/SIJeDLo91tE/s320/2+Aurora.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uTU0Q_fHI/AAAAAAAAADA/J9owGuixxb8/s1600-h/2+Ariel.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448110160071326834" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uTU0Q_fHI/AAAAAAAAADA/J9owGuixxb8/s320/2+Ariel.JPG" /></a><br />and stopped at each table to give autographs and get photos taken. Ava had colored a picture for Snow White, and anxiously waited to see her. When she came to our table, Ava gave her the picture and Snow White hugged it and said she had to take it back to show the dwarves – she left the dining room holding the picture to her chest, and a lot of little girls watched her leave wondering why they hadn’t had a chance to see her! But she came right back and continued working the room. It was a wonderful experience – not too crowded and noisy as we had kind of dreaded, but rather surprisingly cozy and relaxed. We all enjoyed it very much.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uT5kxdcgI/AAAAAAAAADY/pK-hzb3RpXE/s1600-h/2+Castle+Dining+(2).JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448110791567700482" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uT5kxdcgI/AAAAAAAAADY/pK-hzb3RpXE/s320/2+Castle+Dining+(2).JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uT5YauEJI/AAAAAAAAADQ/km0eOesFZ8E/s1600-h/2+Ava+and+Knight.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448110788251095186" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uT5YauEJI/AAAAAAAAADQ/km0eOesFZ8E/s320/2+Ava+and+Knight.JPG" /></a><br /><br />For the rest of the trip, every time Ava told people about her breakfast with the Princesses, the next question to her was always, "Which Princess is your favorite?" Her answer cracked us up - "...Myself!"<br /><br />After breakfast, we hopped on the boat back to Ft. Wilderness. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uUZ4Us0zI/AAAAAAAAADg/ZZi7hMaz8zk/s1600-h/11+Boat+to+MK.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448111346571596594" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5uUZ4Us0zI/AAAAAAAAADg/ZZi7hMaz8zk/s320/11+Boat+to+MK.JPG" /></a>It was still very cold and windy, and we wanted to get Ava changed into warm play clothes to go back to Magic Kingdom in. We were the only ones on the boat going back to the campground – all the other traffic was heading in to the park – so we sat in front with the captain and Patrick had fun chatting with him about duck hunting and boating. Or actually, the captain had fun chatting and Patrick did a lot of polite listening. Ava was happy because the captain had given her a couple of fancy plastic rings and some stickers – another person captivated by her charms!<br /><br />After a quick change we took the bus down to the marina for the bus to Magic Kingdom. We saw the pony barn along the way, and walked over so Ava could have a $5 ride. She was given a smart-looking white pony named Cloud, and I led him along the path while she looked around and completely loved the ride. Cloud was a perky little guy, with a snappy step and alert pointy ears – we liked him.<br /><br />After another cold boat ride, we were back at Magic Kingdom. From time to time we’d see a little bit of blue sky, but for the most part it was a stormy overcast sky with ferocious winds, and the temps never warmed up beyond the mid-50’s, but we made the best of it – Ava loved the teacups and the carousel, riding them both several times over. The lines weren’t bad, and we never had to Fast Pass anything. After Peter Pan’s Flight, Ava fell asleep in her stroller so Patrick and I took the opportunity to go on the Haunted Mansion and the Pirates of the Caribbean rides with a sleeping Ava slung over our shoulders.<br /><br />When she woke up, she wanted to do the Pirates (twice) and then we had lunch at a little restaurant across the way – Ava ate a taco and grapes and carrot sticks and chocolate milk… Hungry!! Then we went on the Haunted Mansion, and she loved it – not scared at all. She likes to sit on the outside when the three of us get onto a ride together, so Gaffer and I both had the middle seat at times. Teddy and Goldy also went on all the rides, so there was a certain level of vigilance to make sure that a little brown guy or a little white guy weren’t being left on the seat or on the floor or dropped into the water during the ride!<br /><br />Steve was coming to the cabin for supper, so after a few more rides we left the park on a bus – due to the wind the boats weren’t running. Steve brought us a couple of frozen pizzas, and we had a fun visit. We were really glad we had the cabin, and were able to relax and stretch out just like at home rather than cramped into a hotel room.<br /><br />Ava fell asleep after I read her a story, and the next morning I was up early, reading my own book, when I heard her little feet trotting down the hallway – she had woken up before Gaffer, ready to start the day! When we asked her where she wanted to go today, she said “Epcot!” so that’s where we went after breakfast in the cabin. It was still very cold and windy and overcast, so we bundled up in layers. Once in Epcot, we went to “The Land” and watched a little environmental movie starring Simba from the Lion King – Ava liked the movie and we liked the warm theatre. Then we did a boat ride that took us through Epcot’s greenhouses and other displays of vegetation; very cool. Next was Innovations with another fun ride for Ava (“Figment”), and now the sun and swaths of blue sky made occasional appearances, and it turned into a decent day.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5wbeKFyd0I/AAAAAAAAADo/kDaSM14heo8/s1600-h/14+Epcot+Canada.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448259854130116418" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5wbeKFyd0I/AAAAAAAAADo/kDaSM14heo8/s320/14+Epcot+Canada.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Once we had meandered into the World Showcase we found that the International Flower and Garden Festival had begun, and we discovered newly unveiled topiaries and beautiful flower displays that hadn’t been there on Sunday. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5wb_r4esyI/AAAAAAAAADw/bKqxe7JDNoQ/s1600-h/13+Epcot+Topiary.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448260430136783650" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5wb_r4esyI/AAAAAAAAADw/bKqxe7JDNoQ/s320/13+Epcot+Topiary.JPG" /></a><br />One of the things that Ava did the most while we were in Florida was to pick flowers! Flowers were a magnet to her, and she really enjoyed choosing different types and colors to pick and show to us. We also found two new playgrounds where Ava had a blast running around and climbing and swinging – wonderful!! In France, she saw "Marie" from The Aristocats and went in for a hug and a picture. She went into all the Kidcots and finished her mask, which was really fun, and we saved some money by packing the leftover pizza into the park with us, and had a little picnic on a bench in the sun. Ava had another face-painting session,<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S54a9mj9B7I/AAAAAAAAAEo/E3E5Fn1-mRo/s1600-h/19+Ava+Paint.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448822244790568882" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S54a9mj9B7I/AAAAAAAAAEo/E3E5Fn1-mRo/s320/19+Ava+Paint.JPG" /></a> and we went to Mexico to get Katie Lou a souvenir (and had a body-warming shot at the new tequila bar), then we finished with a ride on the Viking-themed boat ride “Maelstrom” in Norway. We decided that we really loved Epcot!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5wcdOTDo4I/AAAAAAAAAD4/jVLcEhpb814/s1600-h/15+Marie+Hug.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448260937591268226" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5wcdOTDo4I/AAAAAAAAAD4/jVLcEhpb814/s320/15+Marie+Hug.JPG" /></a><br /><br />But then we had to leave because we had dinner reservations at the House of Blues in Downtown Disney. We had a challenging time trying to get there from Epcot – a number of buses and transfers – but we finally made it, only to find that the House of Blues was almost the farthest spot inside the park so we still had quite a hike. Fortunately, Ava was a cheerful little trooper, and was still smiling and happy by the time we arrived at the restaurant. After a very disappointing dinner with no ambiance and no music (and during which Ava spent most of the time lying on her blanket against the wall under the table - just getting some rest!), we had to walk all the way back to the buses. We passed an outdoor DJ with a mike and he came up to us and started asking Ava about Teddy which was funny. He was announcing everything she said over the P/A so the whole park could hear – it was the bright spot in the night. We didn’t get back to the cabin until about 10pm, and weren’t completely happy to know that we were going back to Downtown Disney in the morning for our 11am lunch reservation at the T-Rex Café.<br /><br />Ava wasn’t so easy to wake up on Thursday morning – the week was starting to tire her out, but she stayed happy and ready to enjoy everything and we were able to get her up and about and out the door by 10. We took the bus to Downtown Disney, and were early enough at the T-Rex Café that Ava had time to shop in the gift shop and buy a bag of dinosaurs before we were seated for lunch. The restaurant was spectacular, with animatron dinosaurs all through it, and special lighting in different areas to create a real prehistoric ambiance. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5weDos2VlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/KfgGbO5RHsc/s1600-h/26+Long+Neck.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448262697025427026" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5weDos2VlI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/KfgGbO5RHsc/s320/26+Long+Neck.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5weDRbE0eI/AAAAAAAAAEI/xUYpyNcjhto/s1600-h/24+3+Horn.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448262690776863202" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S5weDRbE0eI/AAAAAAAAAEI/xUYpyNcjhto/s320/24+3+Horn.JPG" /></a>The lunch was good, and Ava had fun visiting with all the dinosaurs, but Patrick and I were happy to leave and made a vow that we wouldn’t go back to Downtown Disney ever again. It’s really just a big shopping center, totally lacking in any kind of charm for us.<br /><br />We did the “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” again trying to get back to Magic Kingdom, and finally got there in the early afternoon. Once again, little Ava was the cheerful one, as Patrick and I got a little testy with the dysfunctional Downtown Disney commute, and was able to get us laughing again. She’s wise beyond her years and isn’t afraid to speak up! So we did the teacups, the carousel, the pirates, the haunted mansion, and some others, and said good-bye to Magic Kingdom after a final street parade, and got on the monorail to have a last dinner at the Biergarten in Epcot. We met some people from Maine on the monorail and Ava chatted them up during the ride – once she gets talking, you can’t stop her. She told them all about her cat at home, that she had to get home tomorrow to take care of him, etc etc. People really get a kick out of it, although half the time they have no idea what she’s babbling about!<br /><br />This had been the coldest day of the week, so we hurried to Germany for dinner and enjoyed the same hospitality, music, dancing, and food that we had experienced on our first day in Florida – it was a great way to finish our vacation. On the way out of the park, Ava found some light-up Mickey ears that she just HAD to have, so with a final souvenir we left our favorite place. We flew home the next morning on an 11:25 flight after a nice long bus ride(stopping at several resorts to take on passengers along the way) with “Al”, a personable young Hispanic driver who announced to everyone on the bus that Ava was making sure he took the right route to the airport!<br /><br />And then, for the first time in a week - Ava got grumpy. On the ride home, it was "Are we there yet?" "I'm tired..." "I'm uncomfortable..." "This is taking too long..." whine whine whine whine whine... We got home at around 6, and she finally got to see her Blue Cat and the smile came back to her face! Now it's just a matter of waiting until next year to do it all over again - we can't wait!!</div>Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-53444459873634141462010-01-29T21:32:00.002-05:002010-01-29T21:54:25.491-05:00Eating and Eating and EatingPatrick measured Ava this afternoon against the living room door frame - she's grown 1/4" in 22 days! Her appetite is enormous so far in 2010 - two or three breakfasts, a snack, another lunch or two, more snacks, "oh boy, it's suppertime" with two or three servings, and then another snack or two before bed.<br /><br />We were at Hannaford the other day, in the produce section, and she spotted a container of raspberries that somebody had placed in with the apples - you would have thought she had discovered gold! "Gammer, <em>RASPBERRIES!</em> And it's the <em>LAST BOX!</em>" We got a few smiles from nearby shoppers, and one lady murmered "I wish I got that excited about fruit..." We put the raspberries in our cart, and Ava had them almost gone by the time we checked out.<br /><br />On another day, again in the produce section, she decided she wanted a couple of green beans, so I let her take two from the display case, and she munched on them as we shopped. We had gotten to the other end of the store when she asked if she could have more, so this time we put 7 or 8 beans in a produce bag, and paid 16 cents for them. She ate them on the ride home, and as we went over the bridge in Lisbon Falls, she started crying because she only had two left. She wanted to go back to Hannaford and get more! In a flash of brilliance I said, "Ava, just break them in half, and then you'll have <em>four</em> beans..." That did the trick, and she was happy as a clam.<br /><br />She loves to eat good food - organic strawberry yogurt in a squeeze package, berries, vegetables, fruit, etc. A favorite snack is a little bowl of frozen peas. She asks for carrots and apples instead of cookies. Her Halloween candy is still in the bucket - she has no interest in it. Not to say she doesn't have a sweet tooth, because occasionally she does, but she really prefers something made by Mother Nature.<br /><br />Tonight Patrick cooked a pork tenderloin, with rice pilaf and green beans. That girl ate four servings of meat, all of her green beans, and two big scoops of rice. We looked on in admiration!<br /><br />For breakfast, she likes to make her own scrambled eggs. This morning she had two eggs, and half of Gaffer's onion bagel and cream cheese. She also likes cereal (Froot Loops is a favorite, and Rice Krispies, and Frosted Flakes) and oatmeal and pancakes and toast.<br /><br />She went through a "soup phase", where she was eating Chicken Noodle (or Stars) soup two or three times a day, but that seems to be past now - she hasn't asked for soup in a while. She likes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and tuna sandwiches, and bologna, and chicken nuggets for lunch.<br /><br />She's great about trying things - will always agree to taste something, and usually tells us she likes it, even though she may not want any more of whatever it is. Last night we had tacos, and she tried the salsa, the guacamole, and the sour cream! She was helping Gaffer cook the taco meat (ground moose) with her apron on, when Gaffer discovered we had no cheddar for the tacos. When I said I'd run down to the store to get some, Ava wanted to come with me, but didn't want to take off her apron - wanted everyone at DV to know she was cooking!Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-52928692674618510942010-01-07T08:10:00.006-05:002010-01-07T10:16:55.295-05:00Aminals<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S0X2S3GH39I/AAAAAAAAAAw/M3HkHbqyu9c/s1600-h/Ava%27s+Friends.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424012130125340626" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34Fu4npG1aE/S0X2S3GH39I/AAAAAAAAAAw/M3HkHbqyu9c/s320/Ava%27s+Friends.JPG" /></a><br /><div>As an "only child" Ava has a lot of toys, but her favorites have always been her "aminals" (as she still pronounces it). She has a collection of little plastic animals that if they were placed end to end in a parade would reach from one end of the house to the other - we know this because we've done it.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>She particularly likes the Schleich brand - made in Germany, and extremely life-like, with everything from dinosaurs to puppies. We first found them at Aubuchon Hardware in Lisbon - I believe "Mr. Moose" was the first. After that, we also discovered that Play N Learn in Freeport carries a huge selection of them, and now Ava's very favorite place to go in the whole world is to Play N Learn.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The other night, just before her birthday, she asked me if we could go to Play N Learn the next day. I said, "Ava, you just got a bunch of toys for Christmas, and your birthday is Saturday when you'll get even more toys, so No, we're not going to Play N Learn tomorrow..." She burst into tears (she's not used to being told No!), and commenced to plead and beg. It was very hard to hold my position in the face of her agony, so I finally told her to go talk to Gaffer about it.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So she went into the living room and proceeded to plead her case to Gaffer. It was hilarious to listen to from the other room - when Gaffer tried to reason with her, by telling her that she can't just be buying a toy every day, she said through her tears, "But Gaffer, I'm <em>serious</em>, I only want a toy <em>tomorrow</em>! I won't ask for one <em>every day</em>!" The back and forth between the two of them went on for a good twenty minutes, and he finally arrived at a compromise with her - that we'd take her to Play N Learn on her birthday, so she could choose the animal she wanted, and, exhausted with emotion, she agreed.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, on her birthday, in a blizzard, we headed out to Play N Learn - Ava had asked to go as soon as she woke up! She takes her animals very seriously! At the store, she studied all her choices and settled on a big woolly mammoth. Then we also let her get a bison, and Gaffer told her she could get a second different bison because her other one at home is missing. She was happy as a clam, and then I picked out a cow and a calf and told her these would be for me. She smiled with delight at the thought of Gammer getting animals for herself, and then said, "Will you let me play with them sometimes?" I put them in her arms and said, "Actually, Ava, these are for you!" She was ecstatic and kept saying, "I can't believe I get to buy so many animals!!"</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>That's the thing about Ava, she's spoiled, but she's not rotten. She truly appreciates what she is given, and takes the best care of all her things. She loves her things as part of her family, whether the things are her plastic animals, her stuffed animals, her dolls, or her puzzles - they're all so special to her. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>But, as I said, the animals are her very favorites, and they are her friends, most of them with their own personalities. Little Foot is really the cornerstone -- I think of them all, he's the one most special to her. He's been with us for a couple of years now, and has gone to Florida and on a moose hunt in Aroostook County (where he was almost lost by the shore of a lake, but Gammer found him - it was a miracle that I spotted that little green guy amongst the flowers and rocks) and camping at Chesuncook. He's a baby "long-neck" dinosaur, and is very brave and adventurous and kind to his friends. His best friend is Sarah, a baby "three-horn" dinosaur. This actually is Sarah #2, because the first Sarah was lost on the plane coming home from Florida in February. Sarah is the bravest of all the animals - even over the grown-ups. She's quite a girl, that Sarah. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Sarah is extremely close to her dad, "Father Three-Horn", and Father Three-Horn always sticks up for Sarah to Mother Three-Horn. If Sarah goes off on an adventure to rescue another animal, without telling Mother where she went, and then Mother is angry, Father always tells her not to be mad at Sarah, that Sarah <em>had</em> to do that job, Mother just needs to understand that.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Mr. Moose is another hero - he comes to the rescue of someone nearly every day because his large antlers can catch somebody when they fall, or carry somebody when they're hurt. Diego the tiger is another upstanding citizen, and one of her favorites. She has a big T-Rex that is called Jackson, and sometimes he's good and eats leaves, and sometimes he's bad and scary. But when he's bad and scary, Sarah always teaches him how to eat leaves, and then he's nice.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Her buck is "King of the Forest" and he's usually called on when there's a decision to be made, like if T-Rex is allowed to come into their land. It's understood that he is at the top of the animal hierarchy, even though he's not the strongest. A lot of times all the "men" have to gather together to fight off the angry T-Rex, while the mothers keep an eye on the babies. But you know who stays with the men to fight, and saves the day - Sarah. Of course.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>One of her most precious animals isn't plastic - it's a hand-sewn brontosaurus, created by Emily's uncle Vincent over 20 years ago. Her legs can move, although they've become wobbly with age, and she wears a pearl necklace. She is "Granny Long-Neck" and is Little Foot's favorite relative. All the other animal babies love her, too, and she's often found with little animals sliding down her tail, or cuddling under her legs. She babysits while the parents go to work, and takes excellent care of all the little ones, whether they're dinosaurs or tiger cubs or fawns. She has a place of honor in Ava's mind, you can just see it by the way she handles her.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>When we play animals with Ava, she usually has a story-line already in mind, and our job is just to move the animals around and basically say what she wants us to say - sometimes she gives us our lines, other times we must improvise but sticking with the plot. If we go outside this plot, she gets quite upset. As I said before, she takes her animals very seriously! Many times the story-line is about somebody being sick, or lost, or in trouble for some reason. Then somebody (usually Sarah, or the T-Rex) comes to the rescue. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>For her birthday, we bought her a big tree-house playset with some jungle animals included. She likes it, but it's funny - she really doesn't need any "props" when she plays. She's not one to position animals in a doll-house or use a vehicle - all she really needs is a floor (or table, when our knees give out!) and the animals - and her imagination goes from there. I think the tree-house playset was more for me - just to kind of liven things up a little bit for my own imagination, and to bring a little variation to the stories...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>She uses what's available at the time - when I'm cooking in the kitchen, she'll bring some animals in and stand on the kitchen table and make them do tricks from the ceiling fan - hanging by their feet or jumping off into Mr. Moose's antlers or into Manny the Mammoth's tusks. Book cases are mountains, and under Gaffer's chair is a cave where the poor baby elephant got lost after he wandered off in search of water and lost the herd.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>When Ava and Gaffer went to the DeLorme map store in Yarmouth, she spotted a collection of baby dinosaurs in a tube, and of course Gaffer bought them for her. One of these, a little red one with a striking similarity to Little Foot, became "Rhett" - he's a mischievous little fellow, who has a bad reputation for not telling the truth. Many of our games lately have been having Rhett tell the group a wild tale, something completely not believable, like there is a unicorn around the corner. Of course, nobody believes him because of his reputation, but then, sure enough, up walks a unicorn, just like he said, and the word goes out to everyone - "Rhett told the <em>truth</em>!" Rhett has yet to tell an actual lie since he's lived in Durham.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>All of the animals love the bathtub. Usually the baby animals have swimming class, taught by one of the older animals. Sarah is always the first one to jump off the high diving board (the faucet), and the heavier animals enjoy doing cannon-balls from the faucet - the walrus makes a heck of a splash when he does his cannon-ball! There is always a lot of rescuing that takes place at bath-time, as animals "accidentally" fall from the edge of the tub into the water, and yell for help.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The big Breyer horses, most of whom are over 35 years old - my treasured playthings as a kid - interact with the other animals at times. Ava's favorite horse is Man O' War , who over the past several years has been dropped so many times that his legs and body have come apart, and he' s now held together by glue and pins (thank you, Gaffer and Grandpa - who both know his anatomy intimately having spent hours repairing him). I commented to her last night, "Ava, I'm surprised you love Man O' War so much - he's all broken and ugly!" She looked at me with surprise and said, "But he's nice, isn't he?" She loves him, and he's the patriarch of the others - the leader, the rescuer, the smartest and, obviously, the fastest. He knows he can't run much these days, though, because of all his prior injuries, so often-times he's the judge at races, determining who is the next-fastest, after him. He doesn't have to prove he's the fastest - it's a given.</div><div></div><div></div><div>So now it's 10am, and Ava is ready to play. What adventure will we have today? Ava just told me that we're going to play "sick paw" - one of the lions was running away from a tiger and stepped on thorn. She said that's what she and Grandma played yesterday, and it was very exciting!</div>Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-18893757350589304802010-01-03T07:57:00.003-05:002010-01-03T08:45:50.466-05:00Christmas and BirthdayAva started the Christmas holiday weekend by staying holed up in her bedroom at Gram and Gramp's!! <br /><br />We had packed up her new bright red Christmas dress with the velvet, white-fluff trimmed jacket and shiny black shoes, and had brought her down for the family party Howard and Kay always have on Christmas Eve. Ava hadn't been too keen on going, and once we got there she didn't want me to leave. She grabbed me by the collar with both fists and Grandma literally had to pry her fingers from me as Ava screamed that she didn't want to stay! We left her there, assuming she'd be okay once we were gone, and went to my mother's to meet Brenda there and play cards until 6:30 when it would be time to go pick up Ava from the party.<br /><br />When we walked into Gram and Gramp's house, the party was still in full swing - little kids running around everywhere, and grown-ups from one end of the house to the other. Kay came up to us with a look of exasperation and told us that Ava had not left the bedroom the entire time! Various family members had gone in to try to get her to join the party, but nobody had been successful. I went into the bedroom to find Ava tucked in under the covers, and the party dress and shoes still in the bag...<br /><br />Once I got her up out of the bed, and carried her through the throng over to the dining table to get her ready to leave, she started warming up. People gathered around as she smiled and opened her presents, while sitting in the security of my lap. On the way home, she asked us why we didn't stay at the party with her, and we tried to explain that even though Gram and Gramp were her family, they weren't our family... We told her that "back in the old days" I had been married to Grandpa David, and that blew her mind. A week or so later, out of the blue, she said to me, "I can't believe you were married to David - aren't you glad you have Gaffer and me now?"<br /><br />After we picked up Ava from the party, we drove to Brunswick to get Joe. He wanted to spend the night with us, and once we got home she put him right to work, being a veterinary assistant - she had gotten a veterinarian coat, stethoscope, etc., and had fun taking care of all her little plastic animals.<br /><br />On Christmas morning, she didn't wake up until almost 8:30, and then it took over four hours for her to make her way through all her presents. Bobby and Katie arrived about 9, and then Kerry came in at noon. Ava played with each present as she opened it - she really enjoyed every single gift. Santa had given her an Easy Bake oven, but had forgotten to include a light bulb, so that was the only present of the day that she couldn't try out.<br /><br />Later in the day, we drove over to Aunt Brenda's house for the family get-together, and Ava had a great time running around with Alivia and opening more presents there. She finally got a chance to wear her pretty red Christmas dress and shiny black shoes, although she wouldn't let the white tights stay on her body for two seconds - as soon as I pulled them up over her bottom she started squealing that they were too tight!! She likes loose things... But she looked beautiful even with her bare legs hanging out!<br /><br />Today is January 3rd, and Ava turned 4 yesterday. She was funny, trying out all the things she can do now as a 4 year old! She's taking it very seriously, and said to me last night, "I'm not a toddler anymore!!"<br /><br />She didn't have much a party - Mother Nature provided her with a snowstorm for her birthday that kept everyone home except Aunt Brenda. But we had fun anyway, and Ava hung pink streamers from the fan over the dining room table and used lots of tape to stick little pieces of pink streamer to randem objects - the glass sliding door, my pocketbook, the doorknob, etc. - around the house. <br /><br />I made her two birthday cakes, both new recipes, and we had to throw the first one away - I never saw a cake come out of the oven looking so awful!!! But the second cake came out great. We used food coloring to make it pink, and she loved it.<br /><br />For her birthday, we gave her an Animal Planet jungle treehouse playset and a Go Diego Go rescue jeep. She asked if we would take her to Play N Learn so she could choose some new "aminals", so that was fun - we braved the snowstorm to drive to Freeport and she picked out a big new mammoth and two bison, and then I chose a cow and calf and told her they were for me. She gave me a big smile, like "Cool!! Gammer's getting amnials, too!" and then said, "Will you let me play with them?" and then I said, "Actually, Ava - these are really for you!!" She was ecstatic - kept saying, "I can't believe I get to have this many aminals!!" She's spoiled, but she appreciates it!!<br /><br />Later in the day, we took her for a ride through the woods on the snowmobile. She loved it! Gaffer had told her to look for deer, and she'd give us updates from time to time - "I haven't seen a deer yet!" She sat up in front of Gaffer for a while, but seemed to prefer sitting between us. We got home just in time, though - as I was taking her gear off, she started crying that she was cold. She couldn't wait to jump into my bed and snuggle in. She said her feet had stayed warm and her face was warm, but her body was cold. And this with LL Bean winter coat and snowpants on! Next time we'll do more layers.Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-61267383419742085382009-12-20T07:26:00.002-05:002009-12-20T07:47:13.833-05:00December 19, 2009Tracy brought little Justin over to us this morning. Before he got here, Ava and I speculated on how much he's grown and whether or not he's walking everywhere without falling down. Sure enough, he arrived with a big smile on his face, and busy little feet and hands that were up and down the house in no time!<br /><br />Last weekend, she had picked out a big blue swordfish Christmas ornament at the Hallmark card shop, and as it was $10 I told her that she had to be very careful with it - that it was breakable, and that it wasn't to play with - that she'd have this ornament for the rest of her life if she took good care of it. So as soon as she was up and about this morning, one of the first things she did was put the ornament higher on the tree so Justin couldn't reach it. I hadn't mentioned anything about it to her, she just took it upon herself.<br /><br />As much as she loves him, she's not used to a baby following her around and trying to grab her, so she spent a good two hours when he first got there up on the kitchen table, playing "Survivor" with her animals out of his reach. She cut a rubber band so it was a single string, then made yo-yo's out of her baby dinosaurs, first Sarah and then Little Foot. They were competing in Survivor and she made them do all kinds of tricks on the yo-yo. She had me bring in their "parents" to watch them, so I had a whole row of dinosaurs on the kitchen counter, watching across the room as their children did yo-yo tricks up on the table with Ava.<br /><br />I used the time to make a pork/moose meat pie, and it was a cozy time in the kitchen - Ava standing on the table, Justin opening all the drawers and cupboards and strewing pots and pans and spatulas across the room.<br /><br />Ava got down off the table, and on to a chair, to feed Justin a pudding snack - she held the spoon out and he toddled over, took a bite, and then toddled off until she called him back for another bite. She kept saying, "Justin, open your mouth, a choo-choo train is coming..."<br /><br />Later, when Gaffer got home from duck hunting, she "helped" Justin open his Christmas presents - "helped" meaning that she did it for him, but he didn't mind. And then she didn't play with his toys, she just "checked them out". We gave him a little John Deere ATV to ride around on, and when Gaffer saw her riding it he said, "Isn't that a little small for you, Ava?" and she got a little embarrassed, and said, "Oh, I'm just making sure it's working right..."<br /><br />He was obviously dying to take a bath - every time we went into the bathroom for any reason he bellied up to the tub, patting it with his hands and raising up and down on his feet, babbling with excitement. One time he actually got a leg over and slid right in - *thunk* So we made a bath for him after supper, and he had a blast splashing and bouncing around in the water. Ava and I sat together on her little stool by the sink, watching him. At one point, with her head on my shoulder, she sighed and said, "Oh, they grow so fast, don't they?"<br /><br />She's been watching the latest "Ice Age" movie, Dawn of the Dinosaurs, where Sid the sloth finds three T-Rex eggs hatching in a cave, and then the T-Rex mother shows up to claim the babies. Ava obviously had been pondering this, and asked me, "How did those eggs get into the cave anyway? The mother can't fit in there..." I've watched that movie about 600 times now, and it never occured to me to question how those eggs got into the cave. Her little brain is always working!!Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-85319687730366646502009-12-12T11:05:00.001-05:002009-12-12T11:07:31.201-05:00December 12, 2009This morning Ava said, "Gaffer thinks he's old!" and I said, "Well, he isn't - he's younger than me! I was 4 years old like you before he was even born!" And she said, "But then who fixed things before Gaffer was born?"Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-7388106738124752462009-12-08T06:43:00.003-05:002009-12-08T06:55:16.862-05:00She's smart!We were driving to Gram and Gramp's yesterday morning, both of us feeling sad that we would be saying good-bye for a whole week. I even accidentally made her cry by telling her that I make sure to brush her hair before we go to Gram's, so that Gram knows that I take good care of her. She said, "What happens if my hair is messy?" and I was JOKING and said, "Well, she might just keep you, if she thinks I don't take good care of you!" She burst into tears and hid her face under her blanket!! I felt terrible! I reassured her that of course Gram knows I take good care of her, and Gram knows that Ava always gets to come home, no matter what, even if she has messy hair...<br /><br />So then we started talking about how other kids have to go to Day Care - that Ava is lucky because sometimes I work at home, and even when I go away she gets to go to Gram and Gramp's and not Day Care. I told her that some kids have to go to Day Care <em>every day</em> so that their parents could go to work and get money. She thought about it for a minute, then said, "Why do the parents go to work every day, because then they never have a day off to spend their money?" Her point was, why go to work at all to get money, if you never have a chance to spend it? She's just as sharp as a tack!!!<br /><br />We had Bear with us, to drop off at Nannie's house, and I asked her if she wanted to be dropped off at Gram and Gramp's first, or if she wanted to go with me to drop off Bear first. She said, "I want to drop off Bear so I can spend extra time with you..." I love that kid.Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-83347429161250570842009-12-06T13:45:00.002-05:002009-12-06T14:04:36.887-05:00December 6, 2009We got snow last night!! Woke up to blue skies and about 4" of fresh snow over everything. Ava couldn't wait to get outside with her polar bear and unicorn (because the unicorn is white, too). <br /><br />After the t-shirt, underwear, long-sleeve shirt, long stockings (they go all the way up to her butt - pretty funny! She folds them in half under her knees...), play pants, snow pants, winter coat, scarf, hat, boots and mittens were on, she trekked out into the snow with a big smile on her face. I let her play in the snow on the back porch with the polar bear and unicorn while Gaffer was putting his boots on and ready to go out with her.<br /><br />He took her out on the snowmobile for a few circles around the back yard - she loved it!! With her pink helmet on, she looked like a little martian sitting on the machine in front of Patrick. She had a blast, and wanted him to go fast! After the ride, she and Gaffer shoveled off the trampoline, and then she was ready to come in.<br /><br />Just now, we're sitting together on the couch, watching the Patriots/Dolphins game (she's torn on who to root for - likes dolphins!!! But is loyal to the Patriots...), and eating chips and dip. Bear is lying on the couch right beside her, and she just looked down at him and said, "Oh God, I love your little black nose!" <br /><br />Last night, she was sleeping with us (as usual) and about 4am I heard Patrick say, "Ava, you have to let me have some of the blanket - I'm freezing!" And then a few moments later I heard him say, "Thank you, Ava, you're so sweet!" This morning he told me that she had taken a postage stamp size piece of the blanket and pulled it over his shoulder, then patted him on the cheek, like "there, there, honey..." <br /><br />Back to the football game and playing with animals on the floor.Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795685494263165392.post-19546902119827326152009-11-30T17:44:00.001-05:002009-11-30T17:58:45.927-05:00November 30, 2009Ava got her first kitchen burn this afternoon - cooking her own scrambled eggs. She loves to cook, and is great at cracking open eggs! Never gets any shell into the eggs in the bowl, and she's really proud of that. She's been making her own scrambled eggs (under supervision) for a few months now, and so when she decided that's what she wanted for supper tonight, she said, "<em>I'll</em> make them!!!" <br /><br />It happened just as I was pouring the mixed egg into her little frying pan - she has her own one-egg pan - she reached out to pull the pan closer to her, by the side instead of the handle, and it had been heating up on medium. She quickly pulled her hand away, and at first I didn't think she had made contact, but then after a few seconds she began to tell me that it hurt, and then the tears came.<br /><br />Sure enough, the skin on her left ring finger between the nail and the knuckle was all red, with a little whitish stripe where the edge of the pan had touched the skin. Not sure how that particular finger had been the one to get burned! We put a bag of frozen veggies on it while we dug out the Bactine. I told her that this happens to everyone that cooks (I happened to have three places on my hands where, between the woodstove and Thanksgiving, I have burns!), and that she was a very good cook and very brave. She looked up at me with tears rolling down her cheeks and said, "But I'm just a little kid and I'm not very brave when I get hurt..."Gammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855679315975785217noreply@blogger.com0