4th of July Weekend

I took a day off on Thursday and made a long weekend out of our Independence Day holiday. What a great weekend!  It was pretty packed actually! It was hard to come back to work on Monday. (Updated with pics 7-7-09)

Thursday

Actually, not so packed on this day. It was rainy (of course) so I didn't really do the stuff that I wanted (mow the lawn, work in the garden, etc) but I still had a nice day off. Grace, Jem & I read a few chapters of her book, Warriors: into the Wild, which is actually pretty interesting. I actually stay awake (which says a lot for me and reading). I did run to Keene and buy some bamboo for staking the tomatoes and made kind of a wattle staked wall for them. I like the looks of it.

Friday

Fort Ticonderoga!  What a nice day! the kids loved it. We took my friend, Robin's suggestion and took the Ferry over Lake Champlain. I think that was as big a hit as the Fort.  

The history of this Fort, owned and struggled over by France, England & the US in the 17th and 18th century and it's later resuscitation into a historic park is very cool.  

There is also a BEAUTIFUL garden on site, from the days when the fort was in ruins and a private residence/hotel offered a stay to visit the "old French fort ruins." Tracy took so many beautiful pictures.

   

On the way home, we stopped in Ludlow, VT and had super-delicious Chicken & bean Burritos at Tacos Tacos and then even more super delicious ice cream at Scoops. We rolled home, fat & happy.

Saturday

4th of July ~ and finally a sunny day (and dry) We went to Ken & Judy's for the afternoon. Ashley made up a tasty desert for us with peanut brittle and banana and god knows what....so gooood!  She is going to be working (and running a part of) a place called Joe-Joes, I think it is called....very high end in Boston ...more to follow - maybe a future "good eats."

Jessica and Jessie and Natalie (Beans) came over for the afternoon. My niece Natalie is just so cute! The Jessies are such good, loving parent's already, too! I think poor Natalie gets overwhelmed with so many BIG faces and people all up in her stuff, trying to hold her, making all kinds of baby noises at her and what-not. It's really hard not to, though....She's such a Cutie!

At 6:30, we went to a ball game  in Manchester, The Manchester Fisher Cats against the Portland Sea Dogs. The Fisher Cats are the NH home team but it was also cool because the Sea Dogs are the Red Sox's farm team.  After the ball game, there were 4th of July fireworks. The venue in Manchester is Awesome, and they really include the fans, there is a lot going on during a game. Easy to get to, good parking, a big new motel overlooking the field and a couple restaurants. We'll go again!

Sunday

Day of the Garden! I spent the entire beautiful sunny day working in the garden and mowing the lawn. Mulched the whole garden with a thick layer of grass clippings from mowing the once lawn, converted to hayfield by a month of rain and no mowing. By the end, I was very sore, very tired, deep red sunburned and completely happy! The yard looks so nice nice and the garden is boomin'!

For dinner, we had Tinga de Puerco sandwiches that I got from Spanishpod. I think we eat about 50% of our dinners now from Spanishpod recipes. We ate out on the patio, which also looked nice because the kids had pulled out all the weeds and swept the bricks.

The kids had been playing something that included pirate/native American costumes with their Kentucky Rifles from Ft. Ti and had covered themselves with soot from the fire pit. (for camouflage) They decided to camp out. Tracy & I retires to the TV room for Bear-claw Ice cream cones and watched "Quantum of Solace"  Very tense movie. I feel like there must be something we should have known...like we were watching a low plot - high action sequel to something. Obviously we don't watch a lot of Bond movies, I guess.

I'm looking forward to enjoying the rest of the summer in such a fashion!