Thursday, February 16, 2012
Day 2 The Pinewood Derby
Last night was the Pinewood Derby. The car turned out great, yesterday's problem with the paint job wasn't a problem because DS already had a cool paint job planned. He painted it like lanes on a track, complete with brown strips for the infield. On the front the painted the word "WIN" and on the back "Start". I loved the design. Every boy raced four times, once in each lane. After winning the first race by a long way, the car feel behind. Sadly, before the last race, there were some technical issues, they were repaired, but the car lost a lot of speed. The scouts all had a fun time. The funnest they had was after everything was over and the boys lined up across the gym from eachother and rolled their cars back and forth between them.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Just for Fun...Day 1
I was writing my menu for the next three days. (Yes I only do three days at a time, I hate making up menus so I have to keep the job short or I don't do it. That is why we have seven pizza boxes in our garbage right now. and a birthday party) And I looked up the blog of someone that blogged about cooking in her crock pot once a day for a year. And it made me wonder if I could do a blog every day for a year. So here goes...day 1.
Today is the pinewood derby, we haven't done anything on his car until last night except shaping. Last night we added weights and today we were painting it. It is a really cool shiny black with gold flecks. Except I wanted to put it outside to dry, and it was raining, so I grabbed an old aluminum pan to prop over it to keep off the rain. Except the pan had ashes in it. I got ashes all over the wet paint of the pinewood derby car, and today is the big day. I'm such an idiot.
So what is on the menu?
BBQ roast beef sandwiches (potluck for derby)
Macaroni and Cheese
Tamale Pie (crock pot from the website)
Today is the pinewood derby, we haven't done anything on his car until last night except shaping. Last night we added weights and today we were painting it. It is a really cool shiny black with gold flecks. Except I wanted to put it outside to dry, and it was raining, so I grabbed an old aluminum pan to prop over it to keep off the rain. Except the pan had ashes in it. I got ashes all over the wet paint of the pinewood derby car, and today is the big day. I'm such an idiot.
So what is on the menu?
BBQ roast beef sandwiches (potluck for derby)
Macaroni and Cheese
Tamale Pie (crock pot from the website)
Friday, October 7, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
And now....maybe the end...If I don't get interrupted again.
At least we know what the booming is. But we still don't know where we are.
Then another realization: the lights in the distance aren't in the distance, and they are lightning bugs. Meanwhile, me calling for help is making the kids uneasy, so I stop doing that. Did I mention that for the last hour the girls have been singing songs to keep up their spirits and keep the bears away?
In fact, staying loud enough to make sure the bears knew to keep away was a big focus for us.
Since we had come to the end of a trail, but what we were on kind of looked like a trail, we decided to back track until we were sure we were on a real trail. We back up a few yards until we came to a set of steps that were hewn into the rock. That we were sure was on the right trail, but we couldn't find any other way to go forward than the dead-end trail we had already been on. So we all got together and disscussed our options, which really at that point there was only one. Spend the night in the woods. It was about 10:30 (we told time by taking a picture with my camera, then seeing what the time stamp on it was, but we didn't want to run the camera out of batteries since it was our only light and time source, cell phones were long dead). I knew that it was light at home before 5:00, and we were north of that now, so hopefully we wouldn't be spending more than 6-7 more hours in the dark, hopefully less.
The next thing was to find a place to spend the night (never would the term "sleep" apply to anyone but the youngest). We decided to hike up the trail, in hopes that if someone did come by they could help us. (No big hope there, we had seen a total of 2 groups on this trail the whole way down, and that was during the day). After just a few minutes we saw a lovely ditch by the side of the trail. We weren't picky, but this did have the one advantage that we could sit in it and not have our backs exposed, which kept us warmer, and made us feel safer.
Now that we had our lodgings picked out, we ate about half of the food we had left, (pudding and pretzels) and made arrangements for the night. This involved all of us snuggling together as closely as possible to keep warm. (I had been very cold in my tent and sleeping bag the night before, so I was worried about warmth). Did I mention how rocky the trail was? Good. The ditch was rocky too.
So we got all snuggled down, and started singing songs to keep the bears away. I sang Ian's favorite lullaby to him, then started on my other go-to lullaby which goes like this: "Oh do you remember a long time ago/there were two little babes whose names I don't know/ they strayed far away on a bright summer day/and were lost in the woods I heard people say/ And when it was night how great was their fright/bright sun went down and the moon gave no light/The sighed and they sighed and the bitterly cried and the poor little babes they laid down and died/" Anyway it goes on, but luckily, after the first note I realized that perhaps in this particular instance, this song would not be as comforting as normal.
Then we heard rustiling in the bushes across the trail, very very close. I had my camera in my hand, so if we needed to we could fire the flash at whatever-it-was if it came to close, or at least take a picture of the bear that ate us for posterity. We all heard it, but everyone pretended we didn't and we didn't know that the others had heard it until we talked about it the next morning.
So the night went like this...3 full renditions start to finish of 99 bottles of (root) beer on the wall and any other song that the whole family knew by heart. Every half an hour the people on the outside of the pile would be cold and the people on the inside would be warmer but sick of sitting on rocks: so everyone would switch places into some new arrangement that we all hoped would keep us warm and keep us from sitting with sharp rocks poking into anything too sensitive.
We discovered that our oldest has bionic ears, and could hear any noise and pinpoint its direction much sooner than the rest of us, I swear she heard beetles walking on leaves 300 feet away. Looking up through the trees we could see the sky more full of stars that were brighter than I have ever seen. This was good, since we could see the stars it meant it wasn't going to rain.
About three o'clock the stars started to fade, half an hour later, we could see the shapes of bushes in front of us and decided to get up. We stood around for a while huddling to get warm, stretching out sore limbs and backs and eating half of the food we had left, and sharing a bottle of water. Around 4 o'clock it was light enough to clearly see the trail, and we started the hike down.
I guess the end will have to come later.
Then another realization: the lights in the distance aren't in the distance, and they are lightning bugs. Meanwhile, me calling for help is making the kids uneasy, so I stop doing that. Did I mention that for the last hour the girls have been singing songs to keep up their spirits and keep the bears away?
In fact, staying loud enough to make sure the bears knew to keep away was a big focus for us.
Since we had come to the end of a trail, but what we were on kind of looked like a trail, we decided to back track until we were sure we were on a real trail. We back up a few yards until we came to a set of steps that were hewn into the rock. That we were sure was on the right trail, but we couldn't find any other way to go forward than the dead-end trail we had already been on. So we all got together and disscussed our options, which really at that point there was only one. Spend the night in the woods. It was about 10:30 (we told time by taking a picture with my camera, then seeing what the time stamp on it was, but we didn't want to run the camera out of batteries since it was our only light and time source, cell phones were long dead). I knew that it was light at home before 5:00, and we were north of that now, so hopefully we wouldn't be spending more than 6-7 more hours in the dark, hopefully less.
The next thing was to find a place to spend the night (never would the term "sleep" apply to anyone but the youngest). We decided to hike up the trail, in hopes that if someone did come by they could help us. (No big hope there, we had seen a total of 2 groups on this trail the whole way down, and that was during the day). After just a few minutes we saw a lovely ditch by the side of the trail. We weren't picky, but this did have the one advantage that we could sit in it and not have our backs exposed, which kept us warmer, and made us feel safer.
Now that we had our lodgings picked out, we ate about half of the food we had left, (pudding and pretzels) and made arrangements for the night. This involved all of us snuggling together as closely as possible to keep warm. (I had been very cold in my tent and sleeping bag the night before, so I was worried about warmth). Did I mention how rocky the trail was? Good. The ditch was rocky too.
So we got all snuggled down, and started singing songs to keep the bears away. I sang Ian's favorite lullaby to him, then started on my other go-to lullaby which goes like this: "Oh do you remember a long time ago/there were two little babes whose names I don't know/ they strayed far away on a bright summer day/and were lost in the woods I heard people say/ And when it was night how great was their fright/bright sun went down and the moon gave no light/The sighed and they sighed and the bitterly cried and the poor little babes they laid down and died/" Anyway it goes on, but luckily, after the first note I realized that perhaps in this particular instance, this song would not be as comforting as normal.
Then we heard rustiling in the bushes across the trail, very very close. I had my camera in my hand, so if we needed to we could fire the flash at whatever-it-was if it came to close, or at least take a picture of the bear that ate us for posterity. We all heard it, but everyone pretended we didn't and we didn't know that the others had heard it until we talked about it the next morning.
So the night went like this...3 full renditions start to finish of 99 bottles of (root) beer on the wall and any other song that the whole family knew by heart. Every half an hour the people on the outside of the pile would be cold and the people on the inside would be warmer but sick of sitting on rocks: so everyone would switch places into some new arrangement that we all hoped would keep us warm and keep us from sitting with sharp rocks poking into anything too sensitive.
We discovered that our oldest has bionic ears, and could hear any noise and pinpoint its direction much sooner than the rest of us, I swear she heard beetles walking on leaves 300 feet away. Looking up through the trees we could see the sky more full of stars that were brighter than I have ever seen. This was good, since we could see the stars it meant it wasn't going to rain.
About three o'clock the stars started to fade, half an hour later, we could see the shapes of bushes in front of us and decided to get up. We stood around for a while huddling to get warm, stretching out sore limbs and backs and eating half of the food we had left, and sharing a bottle of water. Around 4 o'clock it was light enough to clearly see the trail, and we started the hike down.
I guess the end will have to come later.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Well, I guess I'll finish now...
Sorry, I haven't really been eating for the last 2 months. I thought I'd post our Egypt pictures here, but then I realized I hadn't finished talking about THIS adventure, so here is the rest of it.
.......So it is dark, we have 2 miles to go when we have been going less than 1 mile per hour (in daylight) and there are weird booming noises in the distance. (Is that where I was?) We decided to keep going because really what do we have better to do? We are picking our way along the trail when the trail ends. That's it, there are trees on three sides of us and the trail behind us. This is serious now because lost is not good. We see a light shining in the distance so I call to it. "HELLO! HELLO! WE NEED HELP! HELLO!" No response. I see another light and try again. Again no response.
We are still hearing booming noises, and we are hoping that people aren't hunting at night...that wouldn't happen right? People wouldn't go hunting at night with guns would they? But it might be different because its a holiday weekend. WAIT! It IS a holiday weekend, specifically the 4th of July weekend. We are hearing fireworks!!! This helps us in two ways. 1. We know what the scary booming noises are. 2. We at least know that big fireworks are probably coming from civilization so we are pointed in the right direction.
.......So it is dark, we have 2 miles to go when we have been going less than 1 mile per hour (in daylight) and there are weird booming noises in the distance. (Is that where I was?) We decided to keep going because really what do we have better to do? We are picking our way along the trail when the trail ends. That's it, there are trees on three sides of us and the trail behind us. This is serious now because lost is not good. We see a light shining in the distance so I call to it. "HELLO! HELLO! WE NEED HELP! HELLO!" No response. I see another light and try again. Again no response.
We are still hearing booming noises, and we are hoping that people aren't hunting at night...that wouldn't happen right? People wouldn't go hunting at night with guns would they? But it might be different because its a holiday weekend. WAIT! It IS a holiday weekend, specifically the 4th of July weekend. We are hearing fireworks!!! This helps us in two ways. 1. We know what the scary booming noises are. 2. We at least know that big fireworks are probably coming from civilization so we are pointed in the right direction.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Happy 4th of July Weekend
So, our plan for the 4th of July weekend went something like this...
Leave Thursday afternoon, and drive up to White River Junction, Vermont and spend the night.
Friday do a little sightseeing, do a little hiking. Drive to our campsite in White Mountain National Forest.
Saturday, do a good hike.
Sunday, relax, see if we can find a church, maybe do an easy hike.
Monday, hike a little, spend a little time in the local town's 4th of July celebration.
Tuesday. Drive home.
My aunt used to say the purpose of a plan is to know what you aren't going to be doing.
Thursday and Friday were great, we stopped at one of my favorite places, Augustus Saint-Gauden's Studio, the King Arthur Flour Bakery, and a Rockefeller manison with an interior designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany.
On Saturday, after consulting a a hiking book, we found a trail with lots of waterfalls, in fact, two trails. There was a small loop, that was 2.5 miles and 5 waterfalls, or what was called a "Grand Tour" that was 8.5 miles and more than 12 waterfalls. The kids were told we hadn't decided which we were going to do, but they would all recieve a "Grand Reward" if we did the 8.5 mile loop. And we told our youngest that we would carry him whenever he needed it.
10:00 We started in just over two miles of pretty easy hiking we saw three nice waterfalls.
1 mile We stop at a waterfall and discuss our options. There were several trails we could take, and the idea was thrown out there that our path only takes us 0.6 miles from the summit of the mountain, what about hiking to the top?
2 miles, we have seen 3 waterfalls when we notice a trail that takes us up a shorter route to the top, we check the map, (we had a great, detailed topographic map) and it seems to be about the steepness of the trail we were on (rather steep, but not brutally so), we decide to climb to the top, and then follow a parallel trail down, still being able 5 or so waterfalls. Also, the battery of my cell phone, that we were using as a timepiece dies. We have no way of telling the time.
3 miles The trail gets tough, definitely steeper, and rocky so we have to pick our way around and over the boulders. Occasionally it is so steep that there are wooden ladders bolted to the rock.
3.8 miles We hit tree line (I didn't know the Appalachians had a tree line but they do.) The terrain becomes a giant boulder field and we slowly pick our way around and over boulders, the major climbing is over, but it is VERY slow going. I hear another group mention that it is 5:30. I'm worried about time, and weather.
4.6 miles (elevation 5300 ft) We have gained 4100 ft elevation. We are at an intersection called "thunderstom junction" there are a few clouds, but nothing big enough for rain, watching the skies carefully. At this intersection we can go another 0.3 miles to the summit, we can turn around, or we can go on our planned trail down. No one wants to go to summit, we are worried about time, so we dub a nearby cairn the top of our mountain, take pictures next to it, and turn on the Appalachain Trail to hike a mile to the other trail. This will lessen our total distance above treeline, which is brutal hiking, and we are still hopeful to see some waterfalls. We also have no desire to go back down the trail we just came up
5.0 miles The trail is starting to get a little better, there are some stairs and flatter areas built in. The going is faster, and we are finally going downhill.
5.6 miles We come to our trail junction where there is a cabin for AT hikers, we listen to them happily eating dinner in a big dining room. Just as we pass, someone shouts "did everyone have a nice dinner?" We don't know the time, but are worried if they have already finished dinner. We have been eating as we hike, chocolate bars, pretzels, raisins and reese's pieces. It is 0.4 miles to the next trail marker. But we are starting to descend below tree line. We have 3.7 miles to go.
3.2 miles to go. It takes us forever to get to the trail marker, we are below tree line but the trail is still strewn with boulders and we have to pick our way down. Tough, slow going. The kids are more sure of their footing and are ahead, but Doug and I have to pick our way more carefully.
2.9 miles We passed the trail marker, still slow, still rocky. We asses our water, and find that we have 4 bottles left. The day is cooling off so we aren't so sweaty, we ration 1 bottle per mile. On the way, we ask a passing hiker the time, he says it is 7:45, about an hour until sunset. He looks worried for us. If we could hike at our regular speed, we could make it (barely) before dark, but it is rocky, and kind of steep, so still slow going.
2.5 miles The sun sets, we pick our way as quickly as we can, but as it gets darker, the going gets slower. We are desperatly looking for a trail marker at 2.2 miles. We see something that might be a trail marker but it is too dark to make out. Brilliant daughter suggets "Why don't you take a picture of it?"
This is fantastic idea. I take the camera out, and start to take a picture, and a red light shines (I think it is something to do with the flash). If I depress the button just right, the red light will stay on. So we hike with the aid of this light, when we need less, we use the light from the view screen.
2.2 miles Next trail marker is not for another 1.2 miles, so it will be a long time before we have confirmation we are on the right track, it is quite dark, but the rocks are bright white, so we can navigate, using the camera light for the tricky parts. We make sure that all the kids have visible clothing on and stay close together.
2.0 miles It is completely dark, the camera light is the only way we can navigate. I light up a section of trail using the red light on the camera, and everyone comes down, then I walk 5 feet ahead and do it again. We are all disconcerted by a repeated noise in the distance (booming? roaring? engine noise?)
More to come going to eat....
Leave Thursday afternoon, and drive up to White River Junction, Vermont and spend the night.
Friday do a little sightseeing, do a little hiking. Drive to our campsite in White Mountain National Forest.
Saturday, do a good hike.
Sunday, relax, see if we can find a church, maybe do an easy hike.
Monday, hike a little, spend a little time in the local town's 4th of July celebration.
Tuesday. Drive home.
My aunt used to say the purpose of a plan is to know what you aren't going to be doing.
Thursday and Friday were great, we stopped at one of my favorite places, Augustus Saint-Gauden's Studio, the King Arthur Flour Bakery, and a Rockefeller manison with an interior designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany.
On Saturday, after consulting a a hiking book, we found a trail with lots of waterfalls, in fact, two trails. There was a small loop, that was 2.5 miles and 5 waterfalls, or what was called a "Grand Tour" that was 8.5 miles and more than 12 waterfalls. The kids were told we hadn't decided which we were going to do, but they would all recieve a "Grand Reward" if we did the 8.5 mile loop. And we told our youngest that we would carry him whenever he needed it.
10:00 We started in just over two miles of pretty easy hiking we saw three nice waterfalls.
1 mile We stop at a waterfall and discuss our options. There were several trails we could take, and the idea was thrown out there that our path only takes us 0.6 miles from the summit of the mountain, what about hiking to the top?
2 miles, we have seen 3 waterfalls when we notice a trail that takes us up a shorter route to the top, we check the map, (we had a great, detailed topographic map) and it seems to be about the steepness of the trail we were on (rather steep, but not brutally so), we decide to climb to the top, and then follow a parallel trail down, still being able 5 or so waterfalls. Also, the battery of my cell phone, that we were using as a timepiece dies. We have no way of telling the time.
3 miles The trail gets tough, definitely steeper, and rocky so we have to pick our way around and over the boulders. Occasionally it is so steep that there are wooden ladders bolted to the rock.
3.8 miles We hit tree line (I didn't know the Appalachians had a tree line but they do.) The terrain becomes a giant boulder field and we slowly pick our way around and over boulders, the major climbing is over, but it is VERY slow going. I hear another group mention that it is 5:30. I'm worried about time, and weather.
4.6 miles (elevation 5300 ft) We have gained 4100 ft elevation. We are at an intersection called "thunderstom junction" there are a few clouds, but nothing big enough for rain, watching the skies carefully. At this intersection we can go another 0.3 miles to the summit, we can turn around, or we can go on our planned trail down. No one wants to go to summit, we are worried about time, so we dub a nearby cairn the top of our mountain, take pictures next to it, and turn on the Appalachain Trail to hike a mile to the other trail. This will lessen our total distance above treeline, which is brutal hiking, and we are still hopeful to see some waterfalls. We also have no desire to go back down the trail we just came up
5.0 miles The trail is starting to get a little better, there are some stairs and flatter areas built in. The going is faster, and we are finally going downhill.
5.6 miles We come to our trail junction where there is a cabin for AT hikers, we listen to them happily eating dinner in a big dining room. Just as we pass, someone shouts "did everyone have a nice dinner?" We don't know the time, but are worried if they have already finished dinner. We have been eating as we hike, chocolate bars, pretzels, raisins and reese's pieces. It is 0.4 miles to the next trail marker. But we are starting to descend below tree line. We have 3.7 miles to go.
3.2 miles to go. It takes us forever to get to the trail marker, we are below tree line but the trail is still strewn with boulders and we have to pick our way down. Tough, slow going. The kids are more sure of their footing and are ahead, but Doug and I have to pick our way more carefully.
2.9 miles We passed the trail marker, still slow, still rocky. We asses our water, and find that we have 4 bottles left. The day is cooling off so we aren't so sweaty, we ration 1 bottle per mile. On the way, we ask a passing hiker the time, he says it is 7:45, about an hour until sunset. He looks worried for us. If we could hike at our regular speed, we could make it (barely) before dark, but it is rocky, and kind of steep, so still slow going.
2.5 miles The sun sets, we pick our way as quickly as we can, but as it gets darker, the going gets slower. We are desperatly looking for a trail marker at 2.2 miles. We see something that might be a trail marker but it is too dark to make out. Brilliant daughter suggets "Why don't you take a picture of it?"
This is fantastic idea. I take the camera out, and start to take a picture, and a red light shines (I think it is something to do with the flash). If I depress the button just right, the red light will stay on. So we hike with the aid of this light, when we need less, we use the light from the view screen.
2.2 miles Next trail marker is not for another 1.2 miles, so it will be a long time before we have confirmation we are on the right track, it is quite dark, but the rocks are bright white, so we can navigate, using the camera light for the tricky parts. We make sure that all the kids have visible clothing on and stay close together.
2.0 miles It is completely dark, the camera light is the only way we can navigate. I light up a section of trail using the red light on the camera, and everyone comes down, then I walk 5 feet ahead and do it again. We are all disconcerted by a repeated noise in the distance (booming? roaring? engine noise?)
More to come going to eat....
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Frustration
So, finally the community college I'm going to got around to posting the class schedule for next semester. Registration starts on Thursday. And, well, for every class I need there is only one section offered, and it is in the evening. Which means, if I took the classes I needed, I will be gone from home 4 nights a week. Not good. In fact, that is unacceptable. So what do I do...
1. take fewer classes so I'm only gone 2 nights a week, but then almost guarantee that I won't graduate while I'm in New Jersey, and so have to transfer again (5 different schools instead of 4 but hey, who is counting)?
2. not take any classes and, I don't know, stay at home, or get a job during the day?
3. Try at this late time to get accepted to a 4 year college? (Theoretically could be done, but application deadlines are very close, and the three that are close by, Rutgers, NJIT, and Ramapo are all pretty competitive). Also way more expensive.
4. Take classes that I don't really need for my major during the day.
5. Go ahead and take all the classes, no one really needs me at home during the week at all anyway.
I'm just really in a complaining mood. I know that finishing my degree is hard, it has always been hard, I just don't know why it has to keep getting harder and harder.
I'm just so frustrated.
1. take fewer classes so I'm only gone 2 nights a week, but then almost guarantee that I won't graduate while I'm in New Jersey, and so have to transfer again (5 different schools instead of 4 but hey, who is counting)?
2. not take any classes and, I don't know, stay at home, or get a job during the day?
3. Try at this late time to get accepted to a 4 year college? (Theoretically could be done, but application deadlines are very close, and the three that are close by, Rutgers, NJIT, and Ramapo are all pretty competitive). Also way more expensive.
4. Take classes that I don't really need for my major during the day.
5. Go ahead and take all the classes, no one really needs me at home during the week at all anyway.
I'm just really in a complaining mood. I know that finishing my degree is hard, it has always been hard, I just don't know why it has to keep getting harder and harder.
I'm just so frustrated.
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