Yes, we're out there....

Forgive us, blog readers, as it's been about 2 weeks since our last post. We've had many adventures in the meantime. Redmond's Aunt Beverly came to visit Sadie for the first time and Sadie really took to her. Our faithful dog, Obi-Wan, could only walk on three legs after a fall, and it turns out he has hip dysplasia and arthritis. Poor old guy. He's on medication now and so far, seems to be feeling much better- almost like a puppy. Then, last Friday night, I went downstairs in the middle of the night and found our front door wide open- seems our cats Bridger and Madison figured out how to open the door. Madison was outside the front door, but our Bridger was gone. It's a rough area out here in the country- there are coyotes, fox and all kinds of other critters, and neither of our cats ever go outside. By Sunday night and many hours of searching, we had decided that we'd see Bridger again at the Rainbow Bridge. But on Monday morning, as I left for work, there he was, meowing by the front door. We were so relieved!

First, here is the quilt that was made by friends and relatives and lovingly put together by my Aunt Sue Nichols. Each of you who contributed- your contribution is so appreciated. The quilt is gorgeous!



Here is Redmond's Aunt Beverly, meeting Sadie for the first time....



There's Sadie, in her usual spot wedged in between household pets. The kitty on the left is Madison, the cat who DIDN'T escape. Our faithful lab, Obi-Wan is on the right. The baby is obviously the one in the middle. They are all vying for attention. Bridger must be plotting his escape...


I haven't figured out if Sadie is really learning to crawl or just imitating the four legged creatures in the house...


This is a totally silly picture of myself holding up my camera to show my new haircut and color. It looks like a mug shot. I would have smiled, but I felt awfully silly smiling at... myself...

Trip to Vermont

Well, we're home! I mean, we've been home for 5 days now, but I'm just getting to unpacking and uploading pictures from our trip to Vermont.

We had a wonderful week. Sadie did just fine on the plane- no signs of ear trouble and no particular distress. She attempted to perform karate kicks on the poor schmucks in front of her a few times, and we had a milk bottle leak all over our carry ons, but the travel end went smoothly.

Uncle Mich and Aunt Sylvia, and Uncle David and Aunt Diane were great hosts. We wish we could have spent more time at the farm with Dave and Diane, but Vermont had its first long dry spell, and they had to make haste to get the hay cut and put away. Maybe next year weather conditions will be better... Also, we kept forgetting our camera, so we have missed so many picture opportunities. We missed getting pictures of Dave and Diane and the farm, of Stowe and the lovely gondola ride we took to the top of the mountain there, of the lovely mountain hike we took in Johnson, of our picturesque stroll over a rails to trails causeway in Colchester and of the massive, fascinating Shelburne Museum. We did manage to grab some pictures of our travel day in the Lake Champlain Islands and our trip across Lake Champlain on a couple of ferry rides later that week. Here are some highlights:

From our trip to the Islands... We stopped to have a bite at a sandwich shop in Grand Isle.

Sadie is currently on a nose-biting kick. She likes to bite Daddy's nose, especially.


I mean, she REALLY likes to bite Daddy's nose.


This is a very sweet picture of Sylvia and Sadie looking over Lake Champlain...


Sylvia and Sadie...

Here's Sadie, swimming at the Sandbar swimming area at South Hero. The water was FREEZING but she just loved her swim. My mother worked in South Hero during the summer of her freshman year of college.


I always have to throw in a sleeping baby pic. Or a nekkid baby pic. I have no sleeping, nekkid baby pics, but if I did, I guarantee I would post them here.


Several days later, we decided to cross the ferry in Charlotte to Essex, NY and return on the Burlington ferry. Here is the view of the Adirondacks from our boat...


Sylvia and Mich being all cutesy on the ferry ride....


Redmond and Sadie....


And somehow, Sadie magicly switches to my arms.... How DID she do it?


I am sure a sound vaguely resembling a mating gazelle escaped from her lips right about here...


A ferry boat...

Sadie drools over the offerings at the Old Dock House Restaurant in Essex, NY. And I mean, literally.


"Uh, I'll take the pureed chicken and sweet potatoes with a side of zweiback, please?"


This looks like a scene right out of a Lifetime Movie Network flick. In the next scene, the waitress yanks the baby and runs off with her and the rest of the movie is spent with me swearing that I won't leave Vermont without my daughter. Meredith Baxter Birney and Delta Burke and hanging around in the kitchen.



This is Ausable Chasm. It's a chasm thingy and there's some building whatchamacallit where some sort of power is produced. It's really, really old, and really, really deep and is in New York somewhere. What- you want more information? Well, we didn't pay for the tour, so that's all you get. ;-)




And it's time to go home... Sadie decides to avoid airport security by being packed right in the suitcase...