Only in Summer...

Can you ride the big blue fish in Belfast!!!!!
Because soon enough. it will snow again....
UHG! (And yes, my daughter is swilling beer!)

I'm still here.........

So is Summer! We had many family members visit from "away" this year, and I am too busy to blog!
But here are a couple of pictures that say it all!

"Country" Fair

Norway was the country my daughter had and she did a great job!She even made Sarina cakes for fair goers to sample...A boy in the class had to leave school early that day, so he had a picture of his head set up in one of his shirts, and taped his voice telling all about Mexico, his country. We agreed, my daughter and I, that it was pretty creative AND downright disturbing!

The Boy's 1st Bike

THIS IS THAT BIKE!
My son's first bike was a Razorback (pretty small - or the kid's pretty big?)that his paternal "Mum/Nanny/Nan/Anne" (grandmother) bought for him for his 3rd birthday, at the end of July. Came complete with training wheels, and by the end of that summer (Early September) this kid refused to ride that bike unless we removed the training wheels. My first child, what do I know? I tried to talk him out of it, saying that he should have more practice, but he steadfastly refused. Hesitantly, we took those wheels off and much to our surprise that boy took off on that bike like he'd been riding for years (he'd only been alive for 3)! I'll never forget my amazement at this new three year old, to just take off on a two-wheeler! He knew it was time.
Enter that same kid, almost 12 years later. Now it's a motorcycle. Doesn't care if he gets his driving permit for a car, and he's done his homework. He can get a motorcycle permit when he's 15 (end of July), he doesn't have to have a licensed driver with him (can't, it's a motorcycle!), the gas and insurance are much less than for a car, and he can go anywhere! You know, places a car can't get to! Oh, there's more-he's thought of everything! Now, it's up to me to remember that 1st bike, his resolve and readiness, and to let go and trust.
So, I told him, "If Paternal Grandmother (whatever her name is, today and that all depends on who's talking to her and how old you are!) buys you a motorcycle, I'll let you go! And, she'll have to pay insurance, too!"
Good luck with that!
In the meantime, watch the flick...

Back Kick to the Head

Ok, here's something new...
My daughter is now an orange belt, and this was taken during her test.
No more, no time!

Like I Have TIME to POST...

I don't. But that does not stop others from trying their damnedest to GOAT (or guilt) me into it!
I have loads of ideas and a ton of pictures to back me up, but I don't have the time to sit down, quietly and THINK this out...I have done what the EXPERTS have told me to do. I have put my computer in the living room , which is at the heart of the house. One must pass by it to get to any other space in house...where in lies the problem! At least the problem of being able to use my computer uninterrupted! People come out of the wood work to hinder my progress when I turn it on! So, if I get out one post a month, you can just count your lucky stars! Any more is BONUS! All depends on how one looks at it, EH?
P.S. My son is sitting here eating a gourmet lunch he has made for himself (he is becoming quite the chef, indeed!) and is asking me, "What are you doing? Blogging? What are you blogging about?
You always make me the BAD GUY in your blog! I've read it. Hey guess what Riley (grade school friend) and I used to do......".
Need I say more? No? OK, Check out the gourmet lunch, and note the 3 different drinks!
THE MENU:
Cajun Potato Wedges, fried in olive oil. Coupled by three individual drinks:
Milk - to take the spicey edge off
Water - to cleanse the palate
Soda - Because mom begrudgingly said yes, I could have one of her Dr. Peppers!
ENJOY!
I think it must also be said here that we are having another snow EVENT (as the weather casters have begun calling AWFUL WEATHER, as it seems to be more than a pattern lately) today, and STIR CRAZY just doesn't even come close to describing it!EEEEEEKKKKKKKK!

Winter is Tough!

Yes, winter is tough indeed! Where else can one find so much fun indoors?
(Note the 2 to the right craning necks to get in the picture)
Winter started very early this year, we had snow well before X-mas, and we can get snow, and frequently do, into April/May.
Many a Mother's Day with as-of-yet melted snow piles! HELP ME!!!!!!!!
(...and isn't that Marty & Bridget to the left?) I'm freakin'!!!!!!!!

Chocolate Soaked Silent Auction

Here's a snap of the Chocolate Fountain
that we set up for the auction last week.
YUM! The auction went as well as the weather allowed. First, it was a snow day for all of the schools snowing 6-9 inches of snow between 6am and about noon, then came the freezing rain till about 3pm, and then plain old downpouring rain the rest of the evening! Very few attendees because of this, but thank goodness for the email and telephone bids...we made almost a thousand bucks!
Chocolate was enjoyed by all!

Yellow Belt in Kempo

Last night my daughter received her yellow belt in Kempo. That is her in the first photo waving. She and her friend there had invited their 4thgrade teacher to attend the ceremony and both were surprised and pleased that she actually showed (now how pleased she'll be with this photo of herself with her eyes closed is another topic!). In the second photo, my girl is the first on the left (with pony tail, -next to the bald Sensei-he actually has hair, but shaves his head. {And a quick aside here, for those of you that remember my YURT days, he was an apprentice with Mike and lived on the land when we did, although he lived in the Octagon never having a yurt of his own. Poor Sensei!}. His 2 girls are on the right. A wonderful performance, and the whole group moved up into Yellow Belt status, and now my daughter can kick your ____! Watch out, and consider yourself warned!

Gus, what's down there?

So, I walk into the kitchen to find the dog and the boy both looking down the basement steps...and they're talking, see...and the boy says to the dog, "Gus, what's down there? What do you see?".
And Gus says, "Mike. And by the way, will you get off my foot?".
Nothing unusual here. Just another winter day in Northern New England! (RUFF!)

Snow Day # ? I've lost count!

It's a blizzard, again! Last week we had the "January Thaw", which happens here on the coast every year. The temperatures climb to balmy above freezing marks (which were in the mid to high 40's last week, diminishing our 3 ft of snow to about 6 inches in some places!) and the SUMP PUMP in the basement runs day and night trying to keep up with the thawing of the ground and the water it was producing.
Not any more! We're right back to winter and another SNOW DAY!! I hope the kids like going to school in July, because at this rate, that's where we'll be! I stepped outside at about 3pm to take these shots before the sun went down-HA! It never came out today- and the blizzard rages on. This is to continue through the night, and snow showers through the day tomorrow. Whatever that means... I have the feeling it means, "good luck shoveling your van out, as well as driving in this mess"!
Damn, I'm cold (and so is the weather)!

This COULD Happen in Church!

These clips from Church have actually happened.
If they happened more often, maybe I'd go! Probably not.... ENJOY!

Another Snow Day!

It's the first week of January and we've had 3 official snow days to date...this does not bode well for the rest of the winter, as the snow doesn't really come down until late January and February! There is no place to put the plowed snow right now (there are 4ft walls along streets), and I've heard tell that towns are already running low on salt/sand! SCARY!
But... on the lighter side...the video reminds us that it's not all bad! Why winter can even be fun...just keep telling yourself that! As I was filming this, it must be said, I was wearing slippers, no coat, (in denial you say?) and got 2 shoes FULL of snow! I don't even want to think about February!

Potato Cannon.....or Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!!!
Last X-mas, my brother-in-law, gave my "little boy" a book called Backyard Ballistics. OY!
This summer he built the POTATO CANNON, invited a friend over to blast it in the back 40, and the video speaks for itself! There was mention at X-mas-time of setting it off on New Year's Eve, which will take place here in less than 2 hours. So far, he's not mentioned it. One can only wish he's forgotten....hopefully it'll just be banging on pots and pans, and a toast of sparkling cider to the New Year. So, watch the little flick and have a Happy New Year!

MORE Look of the Day?!?!

Well, it's officially Winter in the UP Country!
And that is my only defense against this craziness!
To my dismay, my daughter seems to be taking after my relative cousin of Jackie O! Without prior knowledge of the previous Murder Hour Post, my daughter arrived downstairs this a.m. in this get up!
I'm fit to be tied. Winter time, or does It run in the family? Either way, I'm bound to suffer this outrageous fortune!
SCARY!!!!!!!!!

Look of the Day!

Ok, ok! Sick of looking at BAMBI, eh? How 'bout the look of the day?
This is a photo of a relative, you might even say a "cousin
of Jackie O"! Gray Gardens, anyone?
I don't think I'll be hearing any more complaints about the blog pic anytime too soon....eh?
PS : I got a million of 'em!

Getchah Deah?

So, I go outside my son's school the other day, and MUCH to my surprise (shock & horror!), I walked right upon this scene! Now, talk about The Murder Hour! WOE! Very strange, indeed! For as long as I have lived here, in the Northeast, it's been a joke of my family's to ask one another during hunting season (which is upon us), "Didjah getchah deah?", in our best New England speak. Hunters, and there's no shortage, will seriously ask one another if they "got their deer". Well, someone did. And it's a trophy worth putting in the trunk and driving around town with, eh? I don't get it. I also don't get hanging them up in trees in front of your house to let them drain, couldn't this be done in the privacy of your barn or other outbuilding?
Why in the dooryard? I suppose it's the same reason one would trunk it, and drive it far and wide! "See! I got my deah!" Face it, it's gross! And with VERY few exceptions, WE don't want to see the bloody carcasses displayed in the trunks of cars, hanging in the trees, or lying about willynilly on a parking lot! Stop it.
Enough said?

...and the Hookah Smoking Caterpillar has given you the Call..

This is a photo that I have chased down for years! I have stopped at this smoke shop several times over the last 2 years trying to take a decent photo of this 10 foot Hookah Smoking Caterpillar and the photos have never worked out, so again I stopped last weekend and finally got a pic I could live with.
This particular statue is a good hour drive away and I don't think about it until I'm in the neighboring town and then I usually only have my camera phone, and the natural lighting is never working in my favor! My family is sick of hearing about the damn thing, as I said we have stopped on several occasions, sometimes twice in one trip. Of course my kids don't get the reference but my husband and I sing the song, and "go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall"!
So, now my quest is done, and there will be no more stops to take a picture, but-just to piss off the kids- we'll still be singing the song!

Better than Trogdor... (or Strange Days, Indeed!)

This is what happens when I give my children watermelon...(also known as vatermelo to the Koenigs). Yep, it's tasty good, but the fun doesn't stop there! This creature was named, "Better Than Trogdor". Some of you may know the reference, and that is all I have to say about that.
This week school is finally in full swing, and each of my kids have said things that have made me have to "Post it-or Lose it"
My son, getting ready for his first day got up at 5am (no kidding!), took a shower, made us both lunch, and then spent another hour honing "THE LOOK". While preening, I reached over to fix his collar, and he says, "Hey- don't _uck up the get up!" A laughing fit ensued. Later that day, while looking at where his hair was parted, he said, "What do you think about this part? Too Ronald Reaganish?" Yet another fit of laughter!
Now for my daughter. She was doing a bit of Family Tree homework , and after finishing the first page (which consisted of her own sibling, parents, and grandparents) she turned to the second page which was now asking for FULL names and date of birth for Aunts & Uncles. (SIGH) It was then she realized what that would mean for her and her hand(which was already going into writer's spasms)!
"You have too many siblings, mom! You're family is driving me CRAZY!"
My reply? , "Oh they're good at that! Just look at me!".
Insightfully funny, that child!
She finally finished writing all the information down on my 7 siblings, and hopes never again to have to think about it! (me, too!) HAR!

That time of year

Ok, it's September. This photo was taken last year while waiting for the bus.
I am feeling nostalgic, as my son has moved onto high school, and my daughter will wait for the bus with her best friend. No more quarreling over who gets what seat on Stump Henge (see previous post).
No more vivid descriptions (with voice) of the bus driver du jour.
I think this is the year that my kids will grow apart (not having a day to day shared experience), and I am sorry for that. On the other hand, I won't miss the bickering.
And, who knows, this may make them talk to each other on a different level.(one can only hope!)
I will also miss the opportunity to get photos like this. Can't make this stuff up!