New spot on the Potomac
last update: 08/31 @ 18:35
We went in search of a rope swing today. After one false start, we found it not too far from where we started to look for it.

At least, that’s where the camera’s GPS said we were.

It was lot of fun. We stayed until our hands couldn’t hold on to the rope any more. It’s hard to find a better way to spend a hot day (it’s seasonably hot today).

That’s me working on sticking my landing.

Sarah and Robert had good times too!

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Oz!
last update: 08/29 @ 22:11
Robert’s summer is winding down; school starts back next week (he’ll be a 5th grader!). Today was the presentation of Synetic Theater’s Oz! Here he’s helping Dorothy get the Wicked Witch’s broom.

There are lots more photos in Robert’s section.

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Savion Glover
last update: 08/24 @ 23:04
We wound up the weekend with Savion Glover at the Howard Theater. It was an astounding show and lots of fun. Highly recommended if you ever have the chance to see him.

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Violette’s Lock
last update: 08/24 @ 22:58
We took advantage of the great August weather and headed out to Violette’s Lock for the afternoon.

Robert is getting the hang of his boat and the current, he did a great job ferrying across here.

And then there was the rope swing. It was a little high seeming today. So Robert turned it into a reverse water ski thingy…

…Instead of the motorboat taking you across the lake on your skis, you hold on to the rope swing rope while the current tries to take you downstream.

Except not.

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Yellow Falls
last update: 08/17 @ 18:20
We all had good runs and good fun in Yellow Falls.

I borrowed Hank’s Outrage and snuck ahead to take a couple pictures.

Hank and Sally were in our Esquif leading Robert and Sarah was paddling sweep.

Hank and Sally, of course, had a good line and Robert did a great job following them.

I don’t know about him, but I can’t wait for Robert to geta a little more oomph to his muscles so he can use the sprayskirt and enjoy the waves without getting quite so wet.

We stopped for a bit in shade, had a little something to drink and a little snack (Robert, at least had a snack — and a chocolate face for the rest of the trip).

I played a little bit in the current with Hank’s Outrage. Sarah says I didn’t play hard enough because I didn’t flip…

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Back to the Potomac
last update: 08/17 @ 18:20
This was a beautiful day to be out on the river. Robert was looking good in his boat again. First real downstream trip for him.

We met Hank and Sally at Angler’s Inn, dropped boats and gear, managed to get a parking place at Lock 10 and a legal parking place back at Anglers — the county was raking in the buck as the police were ticketing the entire line of cars parked illegally on the side of the road, where everyone parks when the lot is full.

We saw lots more boaters but once we headed downstream, there was only one other crew that we saw on the river.

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New York City
last update: 08/13 @ 22:42
After the Math Museum, we stayed on the NJ side of the line and headed to Ellis and Liberty Islands. Well… we learned that we mostly we stayed in New Jersey, the concession stands on Ellis Island are actually in NY and generate NY taxes. More photos in the vacations section.

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MoMath
last update: 08/13 @ 21:13

We finished off our no-camp week with a trip up to New Jersey and New York. Leaving after Sarah got home from work, we got in a bit late but had time to make the trip in to NYC for a visit to the Museum of Math, New York’s latest.

The tricycle with the square wheels was cool, and Harry recommends the doing math in your head lecture (click on Math Encounters — Secrets of Mental Math). But overall, we we were not impressed. It seemed a bit small — they have a whole other floor, I think which they may grow into — and there was less, or less obvious, explanation of why what was cool was cool and what was the math behind it making it cool.

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First solo rapid
last update: 08/08 @ 16:25

For the end of our no-camp week, Robert and I took is new kayak (new-to-him) to Lock 6.

I thought we’d run a few of the gates by the path were there is very little current. And Robert first reaction to that very little current was, “Where’s the spot with no current?” I guess I misremembered that there is no current at the end of the gates.

At any rate, we paddled up a little ways and saw some activity up at the top of the feeder canal. So we paddled a little further up.

We were too fascinated watching to think to ask what camp it was. Oh well. But as we walked up to see what they were up to, I asked if Robert wanted to take his kayak down the rapid.

And so he did, several times.

No flipping, no drama, just a fun time running through the waves. I anticipate more of this in our future.

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Ropes Course Redux
last update: 08/06 @ 23:17
Robert took me to the Ropes Course (The Adventure Park at Sandy Springs today. He, Sarah and Kenna went just before his birthday.

Having reached the mature age of 10, he’s allowed on the green courses by himself!

But I used him as a probe droid today and just followed him around. It was lots of fun (and only a little bit scary).

Sarah had to work today so she missed the fun. The current question is when will we all have time to go together (and who will follow Robert then)?

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Lego Excitement
last update: 08/02 @ 21:20

This kind of puts our Lego brick collection into perspective: way more than anyone needs, but clearly not in the same league as the true serious aficionados.

The best part, is it seemed like everyone, both the folks who did the building and the gawkers, had a good time.

There was a sense of whimsy in most of the displays.

Even the serious battle scenes often had something fun to beak them up.

The less serious scenes took even more liberties: Batman and Catwoman on a Ferris Wheel, along with Emmet and Wildfire.

A cityscape taken from several movies that included motors hidden in the rafters so Superman could save the day as a small plane came down and almost crashed.

Then Lex Luthor showed up in a helicopter outside the Star Wars museum.

There were lots of space age creations.

And painfully accurate World War II models. Not to mention the Boar War, Civil War and many castles being stormed by hordes or defended by dragons — sometimes both.

And lots and lots of city scapes — Lego trains have really taken off (including one designed to look my DC’s Metro).

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Brickfair
last update: 08/02 @ 21:07

I don’t have enough words to go with the photos.

Really, the photos tell it all.

We went to Brickfair again this year. This time, Sarah got tickets in advance (advertised as getting you into the show without waiting in the long lines).

Last time the line was so long, and it was so hot, we gave up, and had a good time at the Udvar Hazy Air and Space museum and Sushi-Go-Round.

This time, the pre-puchased ticked line (around 1:30, when we showed up) was about 45 minutes. We were told the purchase tickets day of line was longer — but we avoided that, fortunately.

Once inside, it was less crowded (rumor has it the fire marshal was being stricter on how many folks were allowed in at a time). And full of Lego constructions.

Robert was most interested in the various military displays. Star Wars displays were a close second. The adults were impressed at the time and effort that went into many of the creations — and wondered how many folks have houses big enough to build those things.

Of course, the Lego Movie had to make an appearance here and there. This version was fun as it showed the movie on the drive in’s screen.

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