Christmas!!!
last update: 02/16 @ 21:42

Sarah and I tried out packrafts last summer in Seattle since they are more of a thing out west than around here.

And clearly we liked them: pretty nice paddle feel, known to do pretty well in whitewater and the real selling point: crazy light. (Perhaps at the expense of more needed maintenance and less long a working lifespan). But I felt better about longevity after talking with the guy in Seattle we rented from. He’s been happy with the boats he has; they get a fair amount of use and he’s comfortable renting them out.

So we ordered a couple for Christmas presents. They were due at the end of January. But then the snow hit…

…For the last two weeks, UPS has been saying they are loaded on truck every morning, out for delivery and then delayed by weather.

Alexandria’s streets have been pretty fine for at least the last week so we’re not sure what the hold up was. But now, they are here.

And we just need to patient for some nicer boating weather so we can get them out of the living room :)

Christmas photos
last update: 01/10 @ 14:08

We had a trip right after Christmas (more on that later) and so I’m a bit late in posting Christmas photos. It was a very nice, mellow, family-focused holiday in Alexandria. More photos in the trips section.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
last update: 01/01 @ 11:47

The Christmas present that cried wolf:

Panzer did his job keeping all mice still. And we had a lovely Christmas at home.

However, the flu hit the next day and we’ve been slowly recovering for the last week. Fortunately, with all of us vaccinated, the flu has been only bad, not the super terrible that is making the news.

But back to crying wolf: I saw a news story which convinced me it really would be good to have a NOAA weather radio and so both Sarah and Robert got these Midland radios under the tree.

We might have taken heed when the alarms went off and the lights started to strobe the morning after Christmas. It seemed to be a test of the emergency broadcast system.

But we did not take heed, we took that as a sign that the emergency function works well.

However, we did not need to be alerted to the snow squalls in the foothills to the west of us at 3:00 this morning (as we were tucked into our cozy beds and getting the sleep needed to recover from the flu).

Nor did we need to know about the special marine warning at 4:15am.

So now, the radio is quiet, with the battery (which seems pretty beefy) removed. And we’ll have to think about when we want to be more aware of weather emergencies and when we think sleep is preferable to knowing what might be happening outside and unlikely to impact us.

It is reassuring to know the emergency function works, and it’s plenty loud and flashy to wake us up.

… not even a mouse …
last update: 12/23 @ 10:50

No mice stirring here while Panzer is on the job :)

Looking a lot like Christmas
last update: 12/18 @ 16:51

The boy is home.

The tree is up and sprouting presents.

Sadly we weren’t able to pick up this tree from our local lot and carry it home. They were running low on trees and their trees were starting to look tired.

We’d hoped to pick up a tree with Robert but after checking the local lot a couple days before he came back from Seattle, Sarah and I decided to hit up the garden center up the street.

Interestingly enough, the guy who helped us with the tree and putting it on the car, recognized us as Robert’s parents. He was the younger brother of an ultimate frisbee playing teammate.

Oh, and the water is cold enough for there to be ice on the Potomac :)

While the air was about 55 degrees, clearly the water was colder. And the river was surprisingly low (I’m starting to understand why DC is looking for options beyond the Potomac for drinking water.)

The level today was about 2.65 feet. I thought maybe the gauge was frozen and not accurate, but that seems perfectly in line with the scrapy rocks I found.

There was a very cool sound as I paddled by some of the thinner ice flows: a crinkle like breaking glass as the ice cracked from the minimal wave caused by the canoe’s passing.

This is the Virginia chute (at 2.65) with a little ice on the shady part of the rocks. The thin ice flows were closer to the beach, where there is a lot less current.

And I’ve been told I can count sea kayaking in the Galapagos for my January boating trip. This makes 20 months with at least one boating trip a month. If we get another nice day next month, I may be able to make it 12 months in a row on the Potomac.

Christmas notes
last update: 01/04 @ 13:55

More photos and a few more details of our Christmas are in the Vacations Section (even though we stayed in Alexandria).

National Aquarium
last update: 12/30 @ 11:24

Robert had the great idea to check out the National Aquarium while he’s here.

We went up for the afternoon yesterday (carefully ensuring we’d be home in time to watch the Commanders host the Falcons on Sunday Night Football).

Of course, we needed a photo in front of the Domino Sugars sign across the harbor (trust me, that’s the sign). That’s in honor of Lee and her Texas sheet cake recipe which calls for a box of powdered sugar for the frosting.

After giving it some thought, we concluded Baltimore still has a better aquarium than Seattle (though Seattle’s is much improved based on our trip this past Thanksgiving).

Seattle’s new wing does have a fantastic viewing window. And it’s much lighter. And it has that cool bowmouth guitarfish we’ve never seen anywhere else.

But Baltimore seems to have more tanks and more variety. So maybe just a little bit better… maybe.

Robert asked a docent why Baltimore has a rain forest area as part of the aquarium. I think I overheard correctly that they are making the point about the connectedness of water. The rain falls in the rain forest, flows downstream and ends up in the ocean.

But that still doesn’t make this sloth an ocean-dweller :)

Consistency
last update: 12/26 @ 18:04

We renewed our memebership in the National Building Museum when we went by to check out the Brutalist exhibit.

Robert is big fan of much of DC’s Brutalist architecture, especially the metro stations.

And since we were there, and they have such a cool Lego space…

Check out this blast from past and compare the styles.

Old Stories
last update: 12/24 @ 23:17

We’ve often talked about that time when…

Robert was on the metro and kept taking he’s shoes off.

We didn’t want him losing his shoes.

Or walking around barefoot.

And, shoes were required at day care.

So I reached into my commuter bag and got out my duct tape…

Last night we all spent a lot of time looking for that photo on this blog.

But it looks like it predates posting everything. The photo is in an actual physical photo album that Sarah pulled out this morning.

Thus providing the photographic proof.

White Christmas Eve
last update: 12/24 @ 12:03

Well, there was just a dusting of snow on top of a thin layer of ice this morning. It’s expected to warm up, melt and be clear and cool for Christmas day.

Which is tomorrow!!!

Enjoying the time hanging out
last update: 12/20 @ 23:07

Sarah gave us a great tour of her new office today. Her digs at the Library of Congress wins hands down for the coolest office in the family.

When we came home, we lit the fire and pulled out Scrabble.

A fun day all around.

What a difference a few years makes
last update: 12/18 @ 13:08

Last night Robert and I went to Zento for sushi.

In September 2017, I added this photo to GMaps for Zento. It was Robert’s first normal use of chopsticks (we’d used the rubber band trick before that).

We’ve been several times in the intervening years (usually without Sarah, who is not a sushi fan).

It was really fun to relive that memory last night.

Our orders have gotten a little more … expansive overtime.

Robert has found a couple places around UW for sushi, but it’s pretty expensive for a college student.

Maybe on one of our trips to visit, we’ll investigate options out there to compare with Zento.

First Day!
last update: 12/17 @ 10:22

If you follow Robert on Bluesky or Insta, you’ll know he’s occasionally making shepherd’s pies in his dorm’s kitchen.

Yesterday, in celebration of Sarah’s first day at Library of Congress, he made one for us.

The picture does not do justice to the LOC outline adorning the top: carefully laid out corn matches the building’s rectangular shape with dome, doors and windows.

And it was great (what of it we could eat yesterday — Robert made a double recipe)!

I know what I’m having for lunch today :)

It’s beginning to look a lot like…
last update: 12/15 @ 18:53

…Christmas!!! Of Course!

Tonight, with a bit of cold rain here and sleet and snow around us, we lit the first fire of the season.

Seems like a perfect evening for it.

We picked up a tree yesterday (always fun to say no thanks to the offer of help tying it on the car: “we’ll just carry it home”).

And then we decorated it during the Commanders football game.

It’s great to have Robert home for the holidays.

He flew back Friday evening (unfortunately with an ear infection).

We were all glad the local Christmas tree patch (benefiting the Alexandria City Police Youth Camp) still had plenty of nice trees yesterday.

It’s most fun if we all three get to pick out our tree.

And that ensures someone (Sarah) will be available to take a picture as we walk the tree home.

This time we met a family with a toddler on our walk back; it was fun to hear the “Are they carrying a Christmas tree?” as we walked by.

Now we’ll need to add some presents under the tree over the next few days of general relaxation.

Well… Relaxation for Robert and I, Sarah joins the Library of Congress Federal Research Division on Monday!

Continued Christmas fun
last update: 05/04 @ 15:51

Sarah’s Christmas present, a Legacy Box, has been a great, fun distraction lately.

I’ve updated my page here with a film I made at Evergreeen and the news stories I put together when I was trying to get a job with KGW in Portland. The dub from professional Beta to VHS to digital file shows, but it’s been a really fun stroll down memory lane.

We also have home movies in a format we can watch now (our VHS player is no more). And, when I work out the few images that did not scan well with LegacyBox, I hope to add my slideshow from the fantastic, private permit Grand Canyon trip in 1993 or 1994.

Christmas photos
last update: 01/03 @ 15:05

Sadly for us, Robert had to go back to school. We had a lot of fun while he was here and I expect we’ll start plotting our next trip out that way soon.

There are some more photos in the vacations section.

Merry Christmas!!!
last update: 12/25 @ 13:08

We mostly waited patiently for Christmas this year.

There were some catnip treats Robert found for Panzer that he was interested in.

But no early unwrapping.

It was great to wake up and wander down to reveal all the fun gifts. Surprisingly, Robert was up before us.

The second time since he’s been home this trip; the first time he was still getting over the travel.

And now he’s back taking a nap.

I’ll have more photos to post later.

Great Memories
last update: 02/12 @ 12:23

When we came back from Christmas in Decatur, Loren and Susan told us it was our turn to keep some of the Williams family treasures.

So we have Loren’s walking stick, which the brothers gave to him at his 80th birthday party.

And the Rivendell puzzle. A custom jigsaw puzzle made from a photo of the Rivendell bed and breakfast Loren and Sarah ran for several years.

The B&B was on a ridge over the Watuga river several miles outside of Boone. You had to want to go there, it was not a casual, drop in kind of place.

With Carolee visiting, we took that down from the shelf and had a lot of fun putting to together.

It’s not a large puzzle.

And does not have a lot of pieces.

But the pieces are carefully cut to make it hard to put together.

And most fun, the pieces are cut into shapes of things important to the family and location: a knife, fork and spoon; a wine glass; a deer; one piece spells out Rivendell.

It really was a fun way to spend the evening, reminiscing with Carolee and thinking about all our parents and others no longer with us.

Back from Decatur
last update: 12/28 @ 16:26

We drove down to Decatur for Christmas with the Williams clan this year. There are more photos in the vacations section.

Tree is up
last update: 12/20 @ 11:21

Sarah and I picked out our tree (and walked it home, which is always fun). But we waited for Robert to help decorate it.

I think we did a very nice job.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas :)

Let the assembly begin!
last update: 12/29 @ 20:02

The tradition continues: Robert got a large Lego set for Christmas — we chose not to drag it across the country so it was waiting for us under the tree.

There were some post-trip recovery chores to do so I don’t think he’s going to do this whole thing in one sitting. Actually, I’m sure there will be break for dinner (smells great, Sarah!)

White Christmas in Seattle
last update: 12/29 @ 19:35

Decorated Tree
last update: 12/20 @ 09:51

This time our local Christmas tree lot had White Pine trees. We’ve not seen those as an option before.

But we’re fans now.

The needles are a bit softer, longer than the firs we’re used to.

And this one seems to be keeping’s it’s needles better than last year’s tree.

We’re all getting pretty excited with less than a week to go before the big day.

Not surprising but our ornaments seem to have gradually shifted over time from more traditional to more “rivery.”

We have several Christmas canoes and kayaks on the tree, which just makes it fun to look more closely.

Last embers of first fire
last update: 12/08 @ 17:07

We brought it home and decorated it (I’ll post photos later; see Robert’s Twitter feed or SZap’s Facebook for photos now).

Then the winds blew in, the temperature dropped and it was in the 30s yesterday.

So, finally, a good time for a fire :)

Thank you Robert for hanging the stockings — that really helps to make it feel like Christmas season.

Busy couple days…
last update: 12/06 @ 18:44

When we came home, Robert had added Christmas lights to George (the giraffe out front), put up the stockings over the fireplace, hauled up the decorations and set out the tree holder.

Clearly there was a message.

So, even though it was close to 70 degrees, we picked out our Christmas tree and walked it home — the advantage of living so close the the Alexandria Police tree lot.

The were burning the cuttings from the trees and those were all still very green (as they should be) so there was an impressive amount of smoke. That, and our quick pace to get out of the smoke, makes this a great photo that Sarah took!

Done!!!
last update: 12/26 @ 11:24

Notice how dark it is outside.

We thought we might watch Wonder Woman after dinner.

But Mos Eisley took a good, long time to build.

Let’s see if Robert comments on the hours invested.

It does look really cool.

And will be in Robert’s collection for a long time.

He even added some extra storm troopers to help out on patrols.

Serious parental win on getting this before they sold out — Thank You SZap!

Construction resumes
last update: 12/26 @ 11:19

Robert was back at it after dinner.

His parents were nice enough to clean up while he was building.

And Sarah popped the chocolate molten lava cakes into the oven.

Robert was sure to need a bit more sustenance to finish up.

It was really taking shape by now.

And clearly it was going to be very cool when completed.

And Robert was really focused on finishing it in one day.

One, long, long day…

Interruption
last update: 12/26 @ 11:12

Of course, Robert was not the only one working…

…Sarah was cooking this lovely goose, the highlight of a spectacular Christmas dinner.

And that called for a break the construction.

Which gave Robert time to stretch and set the table.

It really was lovely.

And made me wonder why Thanksgiving and Christmas come so close together?

Another fabulous meal.

Another full tummy.

And note the partial construction in the background…

We’re looking forward to friends taking the place of Mos Eisley now that we have a slightly larger table.

The work starts…
last update: 12/26 @ 11:05

After a break to relax and munch on something…

…Robert started building Mos Eisley.

It’s a pretty cool set; lots of detail, lots of guys.

And, as Robert noted, lots of cool play potential after it’s built.

Of course, that means building it comes first.

Or at least enough to have a scene to play in.

You’ll maybe notice as time passes, the change in light out the window.

It tool a while to put together.

Even a bit of snow!
last update: 12/25 @ 13:02

Conversational, but snow none the less!

(And yesterday’s high was 60 degrees.)

Sarah got the prize for largest box this year (5MB gif).

You’ll have to ask her what was carefully packed inside.

Robert got a pretty big box too!!!

We’ll see how long this keeps him busy.

Just in case, we added a couple leaves to the table so we can still eat there if he’s not finished with Mos Eisley by dinner time.

Interesting for this Lego set, there are multiple bags with the same number. While 18 was the largest number, there are closer to 30 bags of pieces to put together.

Christmas morning!!!
last update: 12/25 @ 11:58

Robert didn’t sleep in too late.

And with coffee and tea fortification, we started the great unwrapping.

We had a zoom chat with the Williams clan last night, but it’s not at all the same as being there.

And we missed the Zapolsky clan around Thanksgiving. Definitely a different kind of year.

But, we had a lovely, morning this morning.

Tee shirts and sweaters…

Legos…

Cheese and charcuterie — and a lovely cheese board.

I don’t think Panzer stayed under the tree the whole night, but who knows?

When all through the house …
last update: 12/25 @ 11:52

… there was a creature stirring.

But not a mouse.

Panzer waiting to see what Santa might bring.

The kitties were patient and we don’t think they like cookies, so Santa should have gotten his little snack.

A Little Early
last update: 12/07 @ 22:29

The tree is up.

The kitties have sniffed (but not yet held still long enough for a picture).

The decorations are on.

And the Christmas train is set up and running on it’s track.

We even have a couple presents under the tree, and might see a couple more over the next 15 days or so.

Now will we have the patience to wait for Christmas morning, that’s the real question.

There is no question that we will be missing seeing family over the holidays. But the news of the vaccine is sounding pretty good, maybe that’s the Christmas present for the world this year.

Christmas!!!
last update: 12/29 @ 16:26

Robert was very patient waiting for the full family to gather in Decatur to open presents on Christmas. We enjoyed too brief a trip but took advantage of the time to catch up.

And play Catan.

And play Dominion.

And eat and drink lots.

The cousins had their night out; we enjoyed a fantastic Christmas eve lasagna, and an outragous Christmas dinner with beef and all the trimmings topped off with a croquembouche. More photos in the vacations section.

Christmas Tree
last update: 12/08 @ 23:21

We walked over to our favorite tree lot yesterday.

Not quite as planned, it was no longer light as we had some kitty calming to do before we could go: Panzer had found a paper bag and…

Trapped himself inside it. There was a brown, paper bag streak racing through the house; downstairs, then up.

We found some of the bag. But there was still a rope handle wrapped around him as he was hiding under Robert’s bed.

We got him out with treats, checked him over, gave him some dinner, then went to get the tree.

So the decorations went up today.

I think we did well.

And I think Panzer agreed.

Robert is working on replacing the Christmas train around the tree with a Christmas Hot Wheels track.

But he’s still working on getting the curve and loop to work as he’d like.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

And we can barely wait…

Let the unwrapping begin…
last update: 12/25 @ 15:59

… After a good night’s sleep, we woke up to find Santa’s cookies half eaten and some of the milk gone — we’re pretty sure it was Santa, the kitties tongues are not that long.

More photos in the vacations section.

Merry Christmas!!!
last update: 12/24 @ 23:03

We’re ready:

• Tree decorated
• Presents present
• Lego city around the tree
• Cookies and milk out

Christmas cats…
last update: 12/22 @ 11:05

Pinker and Panzer are very happy to have their annual tree nest back. New this year, we put the tree in the addition rather than the dining room as we’ve done in years past.

It seems to fit well and I expect to add a couple more photos before the big day.

The Chef and her Goose
last update: 12/25 @ 14:10

Sarah doing an excellent job cooking the goose.

Yesterday, she was on tap to cook two . I wondered aloud if it was possible to do a goose on the grill — two in our oven is really a tight fit (we’ve not remodeled the kitchen yet).

She put on her researcher hat and lo and behold: it is, and it is really good, and maybe even easier than in the oven.

There could be more goose in our future.

Complete!!!
last update: 12/25 @ 14:06

The Saturn V is complete — one day and before we leave for dinner. That’s just too fast :)

The complete rocket is a meter tall.

It comes with the cool display stands.

And the lunar lander and splash down mini-displays.

With mini-astronauts.

Opening in Earnest
last update: 12/25 @ 11:45

Robert let us sleep in a bit after a fantastic Christmas eve meal and party at the Hargadon’s. And then we got on to the serious business of unwrapping all the great gifts that were in the stockings (and next to the stockings) and under the tree.

Robert got the next size up PJs from this Atlanta kin; the whole Williams clan has matching PJs.

Sarah got some books off her list. And also from her wish list: a new Scan Pan (currently in use on goose gravy for dinner).

I got tickets to see Sweet Honey in the Rock when they come to The Birchmere.

But really, it was very Legoy Christmas…

We each got a stocking stuffer set to build. Robert got his parents cool sets (I have a drilling truck now).

And we got Robert the Saturn V rocket, crazy big set.

He’s already halfway through building the rocket.

Early present opening…
last update: 12/24 @ 12:19

Robert and Ian both got Sphero minis; the cats lives will never be the same.

Thank you David Z.!

Looking a lot like…
last update: 12/03 @ 20:18

We picked up our tree today.

We are a little earlier this year as our local (walkable) tree guys sold out last year when we waited longer.

Then I ran to the river for a quick paddle — it was 55 and bright and sunny.

Robert and I moved the tree in while Sarah was off singing the Messiah.

Then we all reconvened for lighting and decorating.

(And dinner.)

Robert had the great idea to make a tree for his cubby at school.

And a couple more for favored teachers.

His has lights, their Chrismas trees have ornaments but we didn’t have any more of the micro lights.

Maybe we can see them in place at the big winter show in a couple weeks.

All very cool in my book.

Christmas Presents!!!
last update: 12/26 @ 16:52

But there were some nice things under the tree as well.

I have an etched MacNaughton crest for my office courtesy of Robert’s Tech Shop camp last summer.

Sarah got a cool game from Robert (courtesy of the game club at school).

And Robert got a cool Lego set (thank you Santa) and Xbox (which is even now downloading games).

His expression opening the Xbox was well worth the extra packaging and wrapping to make it harder to guess (he actually bought half of it with his saved up allowance — so it might have been only a partial surprise).

And the Lego set called to him strongly after we cleaned up the wrapping paper. (Note the Star Wars PJs that he opened on Christmas eve.)

Sarah’s game, Tsuro, is recommended for a fun quick strategy game.

Tree Up
last update: 12/11 @ 21:11

And, as Robert noted, it’s really good for offering spots for Lego guys to hang out in the tree…

Ahh….
last update: 12/11 @ 20:36

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…
last update: 12/05 @ 19:48

We’re going for outside lights; a whole new thing for us. George really does seem to like it :)

Next up, we need a tree…

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