The Manlius Formation

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]

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!

Ingredients:
4 Adults
5 Boys
Beach toys
Many gallons of gasoline
Parsley

Instructions:
Evenly distribute first three ingredients between two minivans. Add gasoline. Point vehicles east. Drive 4-5 hours until Boston is reached. Rest for 2.5 days. Drive north 1.5 hours to beach. Bake at 85 degrees for 2.5 days. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

We had a great time this week in Boston for a few days, followed by
a few more in Maine.

In Boston we enjoyed a visit to the aquarium, a tour of Fenway, a boat tour, and a Duck Tour. After a few days of that, we headed north to Maine, where we hit the beach and took the boys on a fishing trip.

On the way back we stopped off to see Rob and Holly in their new home.

A great time was had by all. Visit the gallery to see some photos of the fun.