Got out the sleds…
last update: 01/06 @ 17:41

We’re likely to be down to one after this season. This green one is going strong; our red/orange boogie-board style is showing it’s age, sadly.

This one is clearly much faster and tracks further.

And, as you see from Sarah’s expression, is really fun!

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Snowy Day
last update: 01/06 @ 11:57

We’re in a little bit of a lull in today’s snow.

But it’s the most we’ve had in years already.

I’m sorry Robert’s now here to enjoy it.

Sarah and I have date to go sledding later this afternoon.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Christmas notes
last update: 01/04 @ 13:55

More photos and a few more details of our Christmas are in the Vacations Section (even though we stayed in Alexandria).

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Happy New Year!!!
last update: 01/01 @ 13:24

We enjoyed celebrating the New Year with Will’s family. The tradition of a countdown and balloon drop around 9:30 is great for the younger generation and helps to bridge the time to midnight for those staying up.

And then we headed to the Masonic Memorial to watch Alexandria’s excellent fireworks show.

It was pretty odd for it be so warm, low 50s, but that gets corrected in a few days. Oddly, just after Robert heads back to Seattle, the temps are due to dive down to daytime highs around 35.

So we’ll enjoy the warmth while we can.

New this year, there was this interesting ice sculpture by the steps. I don’t known anything about it.

Not new this year, ate our 12 grapes under the table, we swept our troubles off the front and back porches, and ran around the house 3 times with a bit of luggage.

We should be all set for good luck for the year.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Warm end of the Year
last update: 12/30 @ 22:18

With late December temperatures in the mid 60s, I couldn’t stay home.

I took the canoe (and the cool weather gear as the water is pretty chilly) to Angler’s Inn.

Early afternoon on a Monday and I had the river to myself — along with a couple ducks.

As I was heading back towards the car, more folks were showing up.

The river was about 3.3 and I think they were heading upstream to Rocky Island.

Clearly leaves are off the trees now.

I think this makes it look colder than it really was.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

National Aquarium
last update: 12/30 @ 11:24

Robert had the great idea to check out the National Aquarium while he’s here.

We went up for the afternoon yesterday (carefully ensuring we’d be home in time to watch the Commanders host the Falcons on Sunday Night Football).

Of course, we needed a photo in front of the Domino Sugars sign across the harbor (trust me, that’s the sign). That’s in honor of Lee and her Texas sheet cake recipe which calls for a box of powdered sugar for the frosting.

After giving it some thought, we concluded Baltimore still has a better aquarium than Seattle (though Seattle’s is much improved based on our trip this past Thanksgiving).

Seattle’s new wing does have a fantastic viewing window. And it’s much lighter. And it has that cool bowmouth guitarfish we’ve never seen anywhere else.

But Baltimore seems to have more tanks and more variety. So maybe just a little bit better… maybe.

Robert asked a docent why Baltimore has a rain forest area as part of the aquarium. I think I overheard correctly that they are making the point about the connectedness of water. The rain falls in the rain forest, flows downstream and ends up in the ocean.

But that still doesn’t make this sloth an ocean-dweller :)

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Yellow and Blue
last update: 12/27 @ 14:07

Nice day for a walk around Alexandria.

And I liked the way the Cherry Blossom’s wheel looked framed within the back deck of one of the Potomac Water Taxis.

I guess it was the variety of yellows and oranges that drew my attention.

I happened to bring my “real” camera, so these are not cellphone photos. I wish I’d thought to try to use that as well to compare the two.

On the way back up Cameron Street, I liked the neighborhood’s endorsement of their Scottish heritage.

I stayed in for the Scottish Walk this year, but Sarah was out to represent the SFA. One of this years we’ll catch up with the McNaughton clan.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Consistency
last update: 12/26 @ 18:04

We renewed our memebership in the National Building Museum when we went by to check out the Brutalist exhibit.

Robert is big fan of much of DC’s Brutalist architecture, especially the metro stations.

And since we were there, and they have such a cool Lego space…

Check out this blast from past and compare the styles.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Traditional Pool game
last update: 12/24 @ 23:27

In honor of Harry Zapolsky (and because it’s a fun tradition) we (Sarah, actually) found a new pool hall in the neighborhood.

We had a lot of fun even if Robert left his (Harry’s) cue back in Seattle.

The place was empty when we came in (they must have just opened). But quickly filled up with a serious crowd. At least half the snooker players had special gloves for their brace hand.

You’ll have to ask Sarah or Robert about who won our games.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Old Stories
last update: 12/24 @ 23:17

We’ve often talked about that time when…

Robert was on the metro and kept taking he’s shoes off.

We didn’t want him losing his shoes.

Or walking around barefoot.

And, shoes were required at day care.

So I reached into my commuter bag and got out my duct tape…

Last night we all spent a lot of time looking for that photo on this blog.

But it looks like it predates posting everything. The photo is in an actual physical photo album that Sarah pulled out this morning.

Thus providing the photographic proof.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Add new entry (owner only)