Thursday, July 23.
Rode the Adirondack Scenic Railroad.

Wednesday, July 22.
Full day at EFWS. Cold and overcast till noon, then the sun would peek out now and then. Rode the ferris wheel with Dave and took a couple of laps around the lazy river. The kids didn't care if it was freezing. They had a great time! I just wanted a drink with an umbrella and a calm beach. ***sigh***

Tuesday, July 21.
Arrived in Old Forge and headed to EFWS. Took the traditional pic of all the kids with Paul Bunyan, then one of me with Paul...foot to foot!

7/25 Nearly one month into summer vacation and I FINALLY get to have "Chips and a Book" day! Sat around all day reading Amy Dickinson's The Mighty Queens of Freeville, eating Wavy Lays, and drinking a few Miller Chills...heaven! We have been SO BUSY that this was the first day I really felt I could totally kick back and relax.

-Cheryl

7/20-7/24 Reunion of another sort with Shannon, Jay, kids and college crew. Top to bottom are me and Shannon on the bay, in Lake Ontario behind Waterbury Hall, and then the two of us with Nancy, Jeanne and Shannon...a blast of a week!

-Cheryl

7/17-7/19 Lansing High School 20 Year Reunion...it's (clockwise from top left) Jeanne, Denise and me at the Second Floor Bar in Ithaca! We're MUCH cuter than our highschool years...head to toe!

-Cheryl

Monday, July 21.
Mother / Daughter purple pedicures.

Sunday, July 20.

Dave sealed the rest of the driveway while I took the opportunity to capture today's FOOT pic. Then went on with the usual Sunday events of grocery shopping and dinner planning.

Saturday, July 18.
After an afternoon at Bass Pro with Ethan and his friend, I came home to relax on the deck with my book. I was FREEZING and decided to go inside. Cold there, too...I ended up getting in bed under the blankets and had some company. And this is JULY? I can't STAND IT!!!!

Friday, July 17. The whole family back together. Ethan came home from his week at camp and loved it. After a nice dinner at home we went out for ice cream in Fair Haven.

Thursday, July 16.
Finally got mail from Ethan! He is having a great time at camp! So relieved. Am looking forward to hearing all his stories when I get him tomorrow afternoon!

7/16 Inspired by Sue's haul out of Jilli's room, Gwynn's turn came today. The girl has SO MUCH CRAP, but we did have fun sorting the doll clothes. Thank heaven for little girls and all, but dealing with their stuff can be hell.

7/15 Home, and do I choose to clean or do laundry? NAH! Gwynn and I went to hang at Sue's pool...Margie was there too with the kids. I did feel a little out of the tattoo loop, though! HA!

-Cheryl

Been a while as I have been on VACATION in Ocean City, MD, so I am going to update with my 3 favorite beach shots only...forcing myself to choose is hard, but I will do it! Of course they are out of order, so read backwards from the top...perfect beach day, first day feet in the ocean, and feet arriving over Big Assawoman Bay in OC, Maryland. WooHoo! LOVE the beach!

-Cheryl

Wednesday, July 15.
A little let down that no letter from my camper came today. Was glad that Margie and Cheryl were coming over with their kids. Was nice to sit poolside with drinks and laughs.

Tuesday, July 14.
Yes, my feet are in this picture somewhere. Today I emptied my daughter's bedroom and combed through every drawer, shelf, bag and purse. She is an unbelievable pack rat! We finished after SEVERAL hours (with a quick trip to the Oswego P.O. for a break). Tomorrow we have to go through her shelves and books, but that doesn't look TOO bad.

Monday, July 13.
This is the first and last time my feet will be shown in sneakers. Had an appointment this morning for a stress test and needed to wear sneakers to run on the treadmill. I know I would have done MUCH better in my LLB whale flip flops! But there was something about liability or whatever. Anyway, all is good for another year. Had an awesome afternoon with my girl. Out to lunch at Friendly's (location of pic) and then shopped! New books, new Veras and some new shampoo! No word from Camp...no news is good news! All in all a great day.

Sunday, July 12.
Dropped Ethan off at camp at then ran like the wind to my car, not looking back. I felt like when I dropped him off at preschool and ran, only he was chasing after me. We are both filled with nervous excitement about the week. I hope that as the hours pass tonight, excitement wins over the nervousness.

Saturday, July 11.
Finalized packing for Ethan's week long trip to camp. Took him to Walmart to get more socks, shorts and some fun travel size stuff. He seems excited. We'll see what tomorrow at 5pm brings!

Friday, July 10.
Vacuuming the pool. Finally feels like summer, so maybe someone will actually swim. Right now the birds are the only ones using it. The swallows are the ones messing up the pool. I told Ethan to get his gun out. Don't think Dave was as happy about that idea.

Thursday, July 9. How sad that today is my first day in the pool, and not even really "IN". Just floating. I don't swim in 74 degree water. Oh well, if not anything else it was nice to see the sun and float with my girl!

Wednesday, July 8.

Took the kids and the dog to Fort Ontario for a picnic lunch and a walk around the fort. The sun stayed out long enough to be hot in a sweatshirt. Decided that we need to go back sometime WITHOUT the dog and tour through the fort. It is FREE during the week!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Leaving the Oswego Hospital parking lot after blood work for me and the kids. 10:41am and I have the HEAT on! It must have been only 60 degrees. Hit Dunkin' and then we headed out to the plaza for some fun shopping. If you look closely, yes, that IS an ice scraper/snow brush on the floor of the passenger side. Hey, ya never know! Zoom ahead less than 10 hours, we learned that both kids have cholesterol levels over 200. Our pediatrician called from home after hours to let us know. Both kids were upset. We will make some conscious changes in diet, but unfortunately, I think they have inherited Dave's gene for this. To be tested again in December.

Monday, July 6.
Kind of a low key day. Finished SUMMER BLOWOUT and started on LIFE'S A BEACH. I thought the cover was totally appropriate for this summer! Check it out!

Are they mine? Or Cheryl's?

Oh My. Well...I guess I had been so stressed out at the end of the school year that I completely forgot about my wardrobe of flip flops. I have been wearing my new Vera flip flops and loving them...and then I have an old pair of LLBeans that I keep on the deck to slip on to take care of the dog, or laundry or whatever. So tonight I was browsing the LL sale and saw these cute flip flops. They seemed strangely familiar. But I couldn't remember whether I recognized them because I owned them already, or because Cheryl has a pair. I could picture her black lab flip flops...and wondered if I was just thinking of hers, or did I have my own? Yes, yes, I think I do. But, what is on them? Certainly NOT black labs! Hmmm. And if I do have them, where the heck ARE they??? So I dug through the foyer to only find the sandals I had been wearing to school all last month. Then I went to the bedroom closet and looked in there, really not even knowing what I was looking for! Then I spotted them! My blue whale flip flops!!!! There they were! And also a pair of plain brown that I think Cheryl may have in black. Or do I, too? Wow. Things are bad when you can no longer remember what you own and what your friend owns! So now I guess I won't order these cute pomegranate flips...seeing as how a year from now I won't even remember them!

Sunday, July 5.
Took J to the Oswego parade. I wonder every time I go now, what is missing, and why they aren't anything like they were back in the 1970s, when I was a kid? Where are the floats? All the bands? The guy with the machete in the jeannie pants? And have all the guys on the little motor bikes died out? Needed to ponder all this over ice cream at Bev's with my feet in the lake.

Saturday, July 4. Annual fireworks gathering at Cheryl's. This year the fire pit and sparklers were the big hit, especially with the boys. The fire pit was nice, seeing as how it was only like 50 degrees.

Summer has begun with our annual 4th of July bash (didn't really FEEL like summer ie. fire pit was for fun, but also NEEDED, and Sue's fuzzy slippers) and I am reminded of the good 'ol "Bauer Family BBQ" every year on "Guiding Light." That was MY soap, back when I watched soaps. It was also my mom's and my grandma's. It is going off the air this year after like 70 some years. Soaps are just a thing of the past, I guess. Sad that my daughter won't be into them. Oh well, at least we'll still carry on with a 4th of July BBQ of our own.

-Cheryl

I think that each day, when I Swiffer the wood floors, I could weave a new dog from the fur I accumulate. You SHOULD kiss my "still in need of a pedicure" feet, Lucy!

-Cheryl

Friday, July 3. Spent the day at nephew, Gavin's 1st birthday party. Learned that they don't plan for him to be the baby of the family for long. Was a little shocked by this news.

Thursday, July 2
The day was very busy. Woke to an empty house which felt wrong for a day with such a full agenda. Went to my Aunt Mary's funeral. Lunch with family after. Picked J up from camp, Ethan had a Dr. appointment. Made a last minute decision to try to catch the Fair Haven parade at 7. It is like reverse trick or treating. You stand there while they throw piles of candy to you. Or at you may be a more accurate description.

Today's installation is a joint venture...we were at the Fair Haven 4th July Parade. Funny you might say, it doesn't look like a parade, but it really was...just with a LOT of LONG PAUSES!

-Cheryl - the one falling over in the brown sandals

and Sue - the one looking uber-cool in the Vera Bradley flip flops and funky pedicure!

SO, had a nice day shopping...again. Of course with all the RAIN, what else is there to do? Was out weeding the front garden and got chased in by rain, so we went to Lowe's and got a few more Adirondack chairs and one of those backyard firepit thingies. Got home, and then the evening cleared up like crazy! I mean, I appreciated the nice evening and all, but a DAY with some SUN might be nice too.

-Cheryl

The last day of June brought shopping and dinner out with my bestest buds, Nancy and Kathy. The day was a rainy mess, so the kids and I set off to North Syracuse for sandal shopping, then I shuttled kids home, and returned to Lock 24 in B'ville (reference knees:) for dinner. Kathy and I continued on and I dropped mega cash at Barnes and Nobel...a fine, fine day!

-Cheryl

Tuesday, June 29. Unfortunately, the day never made it much past sitting around in my robe with coffee, the expensive pets, and either the TV or a book. I am really ready for summer to happen ANY time now!

Monday, June 27
Are pets REALLY worth it? $45.50 at the vet today for 1 month of Advantix for the dog, 1 month of Advantage for each cat. I mean, come on. Maybe I should get one of those little OFF clip on fans and just make them stay within a 2 foot radius of each other and clip it to the one in the middle? We'd make it the whole summer on $12.

Summer brings WORK! Already, in just four days without "real" work, I have gotten more done at home, joyfully, than I have in like a YEAR! The top shows reorganization in the bathroom...HOW can I have SO MUCH MAKEUP AND CRAP? Second question, how can I have so much expired medication...I feel like I go through it rather periodically, yet today I threw stuff out that expired in 2006! I know I have gone through my stash several times in the past THREE YEARS! Oh well, it probably is in some way connected to where and why socks disappear in the wash...

The second pic shows my kids RAKING! For some reason, I can get them to mow and rake with minimal grumbling. If you look closely at my knees, rain was JUST starting, so the project was dropped rather abruptly, but still...I am highly thankful for my great kids!

Good day today...

Cheryl

Sunday, June 28. Spent most of morning relaxing on the deck in the sun with Claire Cook's SUMMER BLOW OUT while Dave tore around doing yard work, gardening and laundry. Pretended I was on a real vacation.

Saturday, June 27
Second day of summer vacation. Good thing this involved only feet, as my hair is still VERY purple and I am not up for permanently recording it in any way.

Sue's TOTALLY going to one - up me with the first "Foot Shots" of summer, so I had to get back in the game with my "Memorial Day Weekend in the St. Lawrence Knees!"

-Cheryl

Well, I am in the every other month blog pattern, but happy to say that I am feeling MUCH better than our last update.  The Caribbean, I have learned, restores the soul for a frozen Upstate New Yorker...not a lesson I will soon forget.  Yep, Tim and I took an amazing trip, sans children, to Puerto Rico over April break, and I will tell ya, it was so good, and so needed!

We have been back for 2+ very busy weeks, but I am still living in a Caribbean state of mind, apparently, as I have been happy, and well adjusted, handling life's stresses with ease.  I don't know if I can attest all of this to our trip, but it sure seems like an interesting coincidence.

The above pic was taken at our resort, the Hilton Caribe San Juan, and I like to title it "View From the Rounder Deck."  They had these amazing cushioned lounges and if I hadn't had that itch to see the sights, as well as a need to eat and such, I just might have spent the entire vacation there!  (my white girl skin would've had issue too...whew, that sun was WONDERFULLY intense!)  They did have waiters to bring drinks and such, so hey, I might have been able to swing it!  It was truly a sight!  I had never stayed anywhere like that before and I am ready to do it again!  Highly recommended - and the Caribe Hilton IS the disputed home to the first Pina Colada so a piece of history in and of itself!  Had a few of those - yum!

As I reflect, I feel a Top 10 coming on...it was such a great trip, and there are things I just never want to forget, so here goes...

10.  Travel agents are good.  Once we chose where to go, and decided to book with an agent rather than on our own, stress disappeared.  We got a good deal, at a difficult time to travel, and we didn't have to WORRY!

9.  You can get to the Caribbean in half a day, so leave early, and have a half a day to relax on the beach as soon as you get there!  We arrived at 2 or so and were on the beach by 2:30 sippin pina coladas!  Heaven to leave Syracuse in 30 degree weather and end the day in shorts!

8.  I worried about the weather prior to going, as the Weather Channel had showers listed daily.  Showers only happened one day, and they were heavy, but brief.  It is what the tropics are...it rains, but then it is over.  As one guide book put it, unless there is a system parked over the island, rarely does rain spoil a whole day.  Then there was the WIND!  It was windy everyday and I had to employ my Sarah Palin clip, which I threw in just for the beach, pretty much everyday, everywhere!  HA!  The breezes were wonderful, though, making 85 degree weather and intense sun comfortable.  Loved it, even if I DID have to have bad Palin hair.

7.  San Juan is so old, so rich in history, and poking around in the old city for two days was probably my favorite part of our trip.  It reminded me a lot of New Orleans, and had some French flavor, along, of course, with its strong Spanish influence.  We learned so much about this place that is literally a part of the United States in its own unique way.  We had never traveled to the Caribbean, or to Europe, or to any foreign country aside from Canada, and traveling here felt like "Foreign Country Lite."  We got a real feel for what it is like to navigate a place where the people generally speak a different language, but rudimentary English was a given and the money was the same!  What more could you ask for an entry level travel destination!  We commented on this a number of times, feeling a little lame in our inexperience, but oh well, you can only move ahead!

6.  And speaking to that point, another of my favorite parts of our trip, was both of us having the realization that travel is such an important part of life.  We were walking around the resort, having just gotten back from a day at Bacardi, and Old San Juan, and a wonderful dinner at Raices restaurant (Mofungo - plantain with steak and chimmichuri sauce - yum again!) and Tim said, "You know, I could care less what we do the house, but we HAVE to be sure to put money away to be able to do THIS more!"  We have always gotten away, and done simple trips together.  We've traveled with friends, and family a lot, but this was like the honeymoon we never really took for us.  We need to be sure not to wait another 15 years to do something similar, AND we need to be sure do do something like this with our kids.   It was beautiful, restorative, eye-opening, indulgent, and wonderful and I want them, sometime in their young lives, to experience what it is like to escape. 

5.  Should you go to Puerto Rico, there is so much to see.  We stuck pretty much to San Juan, and saw the beach, as well as the Bacardi Factory in Catano, Old San Juan, and El Morro Fortress - WOW.  We had thoughts prior to going that we wanted to see the El Yunque rainforest,  but even on a small island, getting there and around would have required a whole day, and cost a bit, so we saved it for another time.  Also, there are mountainous regions, and coffee plantations, and more arid areas, and bioluminescent bays, and caves, and so much more.  I want to return, and see some more things, but I am also happy that on our final day, our "free day" we didn't opt to run off to the rainforest, but instead to the beach and to each-other.  It made for a wonderful final day.  Save a day for JUST you!

4.  Getting around was a riot too, and a full experience of the trip unto itself.  In Puerto Rico, they don't have a great public transit system, and I am sure the locals do it differently, but we relied primarily on the Tourist Taxis.  They were a little pricey, but each ride was such a story!  When you got in these vans, each was tricked out to the driver's taste, baseball parifinalia, bobble head Jesus', you name it!  I swear one driver was burning incense!  They drive like maniacs in bumper to bumper traffic, and rely heavily on their horns, so  you have musical accompaniment to boot!  One guy nearly mowed down two vagrants on an off ramp, but hey, he HAD blared the horn at them!  Each driver is "on script" to an extent and you are welcomed to Puerto Rico, but then some chat more, and some chat less.  One spoke to us endlessly about his love of Puerto Rican food, especially the pork and meat, but then explained he was vegan - HOW on the VERY meaty PR diet I have NO idea!  He then went on to tell us all kinds of homeopathic ideas he employed in his life, including the fact that he used hormones in his bellybutton!  HELLO?!  Still, the cab rides were SUCH a feature of the trip!  Later in the week, I was, just for kicks, pricing out our cab rides, I decided they were equivilent to an amusement park admission, in a way.  And, they had fun, entertainment, and a thrill seeking quality to boot, so hey, I decided to sit back, take it in, and at least TRY to relax and enjoy the ride!

3.  El Morro fort is a sight to see, and walking in a place dates back to the 16th century really can't be described.  It puts the continuity of life in a perspective.  Then there is walking to the farthest point out on the fort and reaching your hands to the sea...it feels like you are at the end of the world...never done anything like it, but boy am now on a quest for my next fix!

2.  Learn a lesson from the makers of Bacardi...each time they encountered problems, they moved on and made better rum.  Bats as a symbol?  I hate bats!  But to find out that they have the signifigance in Spanish culture to stand for family, prosperity and good health?  Maybe our bat/rabies shot family venture in 2001 was not all for naught.

1.  And my final thought - just GO!  To Puerto Rico, or wherever!  Just GO!  Part of why we went was a moment where Devin, our 11 year old conscience, professed, "You guys always TALK about stuff and you don't DO!"  Well, we DID, and boy am I glad, and I am ever so ready to do it AGAIN!

Gracias Puerto Rico, Gracias,

Cheryl