Rose Festival 2008

Well, it's Rose Festival time in our fair town. The time when the waterfront park is covered with fun rides and lots of people. And not to mention all of the parades and music and other reasons to finally get outside into the sunshine...sort of sunshine. The rain still threatens, but we have definitely left winter behind us and have embraced springtime. Each year, Boka plays several times at the Big Top and on opening night, the girls willingly come along with us with the promise of rides in the park.

Once we have played and wowed the masses, it's time to head down the fairway.

These three, showing their newly aquired wrist bands, are headed off a little earlier to the faster and far cooler rides, the ones their parents wouldn't ever consider riding on (in fact, when we were going over the bridge on our way there, M pointed out this fast curly crazy ride and said, look mom, cool! and even the suggestion made my mouth start to water and my stomach turn. M said she thought I needed help...snort).

AP, K & I are headed to that Ferris Wheel straight ahead.

K and I went up while AP & M (who met up with us after a while) watched from below.


K enjoying the view,



from above.



Beautiful!

Our Fair Town.

Ditto (the building I used to work in...center, a little shorter than the two on the right).

See AP & M down there...do you know how hard it is to catch a shot while moving on a Ferris Wheel? Harder than you think.

Once M had had enough of being upside down and inside out, we went up to the north end of the fair, the kiddie end.

Onto the flying swing (by the way, did you hear recently about a ride like this that broke down and flew the riders into each other, tangling ropes and chains and flinging children into rivers and onto roof tops while mothers barfed? Well, I sort of did, yes, the part where they got a little tangled, anyway).

And do you know just how hard it is to even begin to catch a photo while a ride is moving?

Not easy at all.

In fact, downright pain in the ass.

Wait, we have something.

Bingo!

Thank god for slowdown.

Rockin' times.

A Day in the Life

In honor of Memorial Day, AP made these cool and explosive drinks for M&K.


After our day back into the routine following our three-day weekend, K and I spent some time in the backyard just admiring all of the beautiful color around us.

All the while, Nezzie, the under represented feline of the house, was attacked by a chord hanging from a chair.

And Nadine sat in peaceful contemplation.

Another Sweet Sunday

Yesterday we spent a few hours in the afternoon at Nanna's swimming. Well, M&K did, and I took pictures. They sort of speak for themselves.

The view out the window...lovely setting.

Good times.

Spring has arrived

Okay, the sign around here that spring has finally arrived is when Alice starts making her rounds in the neighborhood. Having not seen her all winter, it is rather exciting the first time we spot her moving at a snail's pace down the sidewalk. Usually one of the girls shouts out, There's Alice!, to which we all reply, ah, Alice, you're still around! Ha, how you been old girl! And then as the weeks go by, she gets a little stronger and those flowers are just too tempting for her old spirit to resist and up she comes, to the front of the house, to rip off my Rhododendrons. I guess those aren't so bad, but when she starts to go after my roses, I have to be held back. But really, we are glad that Alice is around...she makes the neighborhood a little more exciting, and the people in it a little more compassionate.

caught red handed.

Headin' home.

Daisy Sunday!

First of all, I just have to say how proud I am of this town...it rocks! Yesterday, Obama came to town to be greeted by a crowd of 75,000!! I am so proud of mah people!

And would have loved to have been there except we had already made a promise to my other people...my little people:


Boka had a gig at a local amusement park in the evening, so we all went earlier for some afternoon fun.

A little stretching.

And some carouseling.


Some master driving to challenge anything nascar has to offer.


Some roller coasting.

And some sweet chill time with mah sister...voices are low, arms aren't swinging, no competitive insult hurling...holding hands? This, this...words escape me.

Anticipating.

We have movement.

Wheeeeee!

Sweet times.

K & I on Friday

K doesn't go to school on Fridays, it's just a day for us to hang around together. Today we decided to meet A for lunch downtown, but first, we had a few things to take care of.

It's been so hot these past few days, with the heat peaking in the 90s today, ACK! Filled the pool first thing this morning. Snowy wondered what had taken us so long!

Got K's plants planted,

her seeds sewn,


and headed for A's office,

which is in here.

The lights work,

thank goodness, cause now we can eat.

The view is mahvalous.

And the continuous Macy's construction goes on....and on...and on.

Time to go home, but first, we stopped to watch this building be demolished....very cool!

We stayed clear of jaws,

and got stuck walking up 5 flights of stairs at the parking garage...kinda tired camper.

But once on the 5th floor, our car called and so did the air conditioning.

Back to the hood we go.

Woo hoo, pool's ready!

So is the slide (ouch, it's hot).

Relaxation,

and a self portrait. What could be better!