November 15^th Suzanne Hough hosted a Bridal and Groomal shower for us at Accotink lake. I think everyone had a great time (even if it was a bit cool). Stories were traded, food was consumed and friends from one side of the marriage had a chance to meet friends from the other side. It really was a nice day, a bit cool and there was some wind; but everyone seemed to be in good spirits and Suz was kind enough to loan Sarah a jacket (since it was much winder on the lakeshore than around our house).

There were gifts exchanged (well, not exactly exchanged -- I don't think we are used to being only on the receiving end). I'll get to one of the most "interesting" gifts in a moment; I don't want to spoil the surprise. But I also don't want to build up to something falsely so I have to say it wasn't the gift that was so "interesting" but how it was used -- or misused...

And while some watched, and reminisced, and talked about the old days (well really they were looking at pictures and talking about Cassie, the latest addition to the group family)...

Other's played a bit of catch. I think William (the reciever here), Ian (Sarah's nephew in Seattle) and Sam (my nephew in Atlanta would make an awesome team. Perhaps they'll all grow up to play with the Redskins or Seahawks or Falcons, though I didn't see any scouts in the park (well, there were scouts but they were cub scouts), they may have been in disguise, looking at the local talent and plotting for a few years down the road.

The "interesting" gift was from Ken and Nancy: a great backpacking kite. Now, what didn't occur to me (or any of us I think) when we were hooking up the string and letting the wind take the kite up, was that typically backpacking takes place in pretty close proximity to trees; and that trees and kites don't always get along very well.

I have to confess, there was some talk of Charlie Brown as we unfurled the string and let the kite catch the wind. In my own defense, I have to point out that I don't have a lot of kite flying experience. I've watched, but never really flown many kites. Balsa airplanes have historically been more my flying appartatus.

Of course, that doesn't really excuse what happened next. And what I'm sure you have already guessed. The kite, after several moments of wonderful soaring, made an uncomfortably close visit to a tree. Where it lodged itself rather nicely.

The rest, as they say is history.
I tried climbing the tree to free the kite. (And also as a vicarious experience for our kitties, who, being indoor kitties, don't have the opportunities to climb trees that many kite flyers and owners have.) After a valient effort, I decided that the kite while very nice, was not worth finding out just how strong the smaller branches really were.

Enter Ken who was more adventersome. (And who hadn't broken a 4X4 post that was anchoring one end of the zip line in Kate, Sam and Sally's backyard in Atlanta; that's a whole nother story.) Ken discovered that the brances were strong enough to support him and was able to free the kite, for which we are very grateful. I'm ashamed to admit that we haven't flown the kite since -- but it's only been a week or so.