The Manlius Formation

The snow wasn’t good for skiing this weekend, so Kath suggested a Sunday snowshoeing adventure at Highland Forest. A great time was had by all. It was also the first time I got to take the new birthday camera out for a spin, and I was very pleased with the results.

Daniel went on his first sleepover last week. It wasn’t really a big deal - we didn’t expect to get the “your kid is scared so come get him” call at 10pm - but still, it’s a first.

Thomas felt a little left out, so we had a sleepover of our own. We played Lego Star Wars and slept on the camping air mattress in the living room.

… over?

Yeah, we’re still here. Generally, weeknights or weekends are the times I would post something here. For a little taste of why I haven’t, here’s a quick overview of the last several days out here on the Manlius Formation - which, relative to DC, does not have as much snow right now as you might think.

Saturday: Gatebusters ski team at Toggenburg for Daniel, simultaneous ski lessons for Thomas, lots of shuttling between the two for John. I got in about two runs, but they were quality - hey, you take what you can get. Left the house at 8am and returned home at about 2:30pm. Too tired to do much else for rest of day.

Sunday: Gatebusters: kids vs. adults slalom race in the morning (Daniel beat me – I didn’t have to let him), family time mid-day, cringe during the incredibly uncomfortable Taylor Swift / Stevie Nicks duet at night.

Monday night: Swim lessons at Y for Daniel, cub scout den meeting for Thomas.

Tuesday night: Art lessons at Y for Daniel and Thomas. (OK, so Kath took care of that, but I came home and started dinner as soon as I arrived. And while it cooked I played a little Lego Star Wars - so sue me!)

Wednesday night: Karate for Thomas, cub scout den meeting for Daniel, followed by sledding behind the library with both boys and Daniel’s scout den. Word of caution to those over 30 – do NOT attempt snowboarding in the dark on an 8-year-old’s plastic snowboard. And if you try it, try it ONCE, not, like, ten times. Ouch.

Thursday: God, help us. God, help us all.

I suppose I could get with the in crowd and use Facebook more, but I guess I’m old fashioned.

I’ll try harder.

It’s been over three weeks since the last post, and with Thanksgiving travels and dad’s upcoming surgery, I likely won’t be posting again soon, so here are a few pictorial tidbits from the recent past:

Thomas finished his outdoor soccer season a few weeks ago (as did Daniel), and I got a few pics of him and his team:

Also, we had our new shed delivered, which means I can start parking the car in the garage - a must have for Syracuse winters:

Jules Verne saw a future where man would conquer the seas in submersible watercraft. We are navigating the seas of that future.

Arthur C. Clarke envisaged the use of space-based communication satellites. That reality is here (over).

William F. Nolan followed Logan as he tried to escape his Lastday execution. There is pending legislation in Congress to make Lastday a reality.^[1]

We now bear witness to the frightening future of H.G. Wells’ Food of the Gods in all its massive glory.

Behold! A giant 5 year old attempts to wrest the Washington Monument free from its base:

Having no luck there, he tries to take the Lincoln Memorial home to use as a toy garage:

He eventually shrunk back to normal size and lived happily ever after.

The end.

Click through to the gallery for more photos of our most excellent trip to DC to visit with the Seidel and Barsky clans, and our subsequent visits to the Air and Space Museum and the National Mall.

1. Well, not really, but wasn’t it fun when the talking heads were pushing that nonsense? [back]

Enjoy this photo from Nanny and Poppy’s this weekend.

This is what it looks like:

You spend a lot of time outside.

Sometimes it rains on you, and you just have to play through.

Both offer a spectrum of possible difficulty levels.

• You can hit the links at a brutally technical, hazard-ridden, members-only course – if you can afford the $500K annual club membership – while sipping martinis from your golf cart’s cooler, or you can hike the public par 3 in your sandals, half drunk, and play the front 9 hoping you don’t lose the only ball you have. Or you can find a happy middle-ground.
• You can camp at the EZ-Kamp Kampground in your fifth wheel trailer with triple slide-outs and satellite TV, or you can go into the woods with a roll of toilet paper and a Rambo knife. Or you can find a happy middle ground.

You have to put in some effort while you’re doing it, so it’s not relaxing in and of itself when you’re in the moment. The primary joy is in the reminiscing:

• “Remember when John and Chris argued over whose ball was whose after they both shanked 15-yard worm-burner drives directly into the ground? Good times.”
• “Remember when Thomas and Daniel played in the mud after an all-day rainstorm, and then couldn’t wash up because the electricity to the campground’s well-pump was out? Good times.”

Can you think of any more similarities?

While you’re thinking, check out the photos from our family golf trip, I mean camping trip, to Lansdowne, Ontario last week. Fore!

Just a quick note to point you to gallery additions from about a month ago. In late July we headed up to my parents’ trailer at Russell Brook campground. We had a nice visit, including a belated b-day celebration for my mom:

Poppy and Thomas had fun as well:

Check out the Russell Brook gallery for more photos at the trailer.