Memorial Day week(end)

Hey All,

Jenn, Graeme and I had a pretty good week. The big news was we had an ant problem!!! Long story short we wee invaded, not as badly as Jenn might tell you, but we had a good number of little black ants. Bottom line it was not cool! We had the exterminator over and wouldn't you know it it worked, its looking pretty ant free around here. So that was the downer for last week, the good news was Janice was back in the picture, the weather was pretty good, save for a few afternoon thunderstorms and the Indians had the best record in baseball!!! Oh yeah and we had a long weekend on the horizon. Graeme had a big weekend actually, it started with a lunch with former NALC President Bill Young and his wife Debbie. Bill was kind enough to give Graeme a couple of outfits, all emblazoned with the Atlanta Braves tomahawk logo, the team that brought down the best Indians team in 50 years in the 1995 world series. Bill I can't tell you you how happy I am that you were able to meet Graeme, his mother is your biggest fan and I'm very happy he'll know who you are and the role you played in shaping who Jenn and her career. Bill and Debbie, thanks for the gift and for everything. Jenn took some pictures and as soon and the NALC server is back on line we'll post them.

Saturday we met up with Ed and Mary Lou Knox and Kate for lunch at Chadwicks. For those of you that don't know Kate is like a sister to me and her parents are some of the best people we know. This was there first introduction with Graeme and as you can see in the pictures it went pretty well!















Ed and Mary Lou also gave Graeme a very nice engraved piggy bank (very appropriate since his 529 was just opened) and some very cute overalls that are adorned with Winny the pooh. Pooh was a big deal for both Jenn and I in our formative years so we are sure Graeme will be wearing them! Thanks to Ed and Mary Lou.

The weekend ended with a visit from Janice , Gary and best of all Mrs E. We met up with Mrs E. earlier in the week, but tonight was a full three hours + of Mrs. E and Graeme. Mrs. E had her first chance to hold Graeme, take a look for yourself. Mr. Fussybrithces took a break to sleep in Mrs. E's arms. A picture I'll never forget!



















I am sure I missed something, I am totally wrecked right now. Dad and Kath arrive tomorrow so we are looking forward to a fun week with them. It all get going with dinner at Old Ebbit Grill tomorrow night, that means oysters!!! I am very excited!

I am about to fall asleep on this keyboard, before I go I'd be remiss if I didn't make mention of Memorial Day. The ceremonial fist day of summer is actually our one day a year we're asked to remember those that paid the ultimate price. They did so, so that we would never have to endure the tragedy hat is taking place in Syria and so many other nations across the globe. We owe a debt of gratitude to those men and women, from the the revolution to the latest battles in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan we can honor them by living up to the ideals that make this nation great. Celebrate free speech, open debate, and political compromise. They seem simple,but people around the world are dying, tonight, this very night so that they might once day enjoy the freedoms we all take for granted.

God bless all those that have served and keep those that have laid down their lives so that our union may endure.

Peace

Graeme Meets the President!!!!

Hey All,

Yesterday was a big day for the little fella, he got to meet the President! See for yourself, there he is in the arms of NALC President Fred Rolando! Who by the way gave to Graeme three very nice outfits all emblazened with Cleveland Indians logos and slogans. Chief Wahoo is admittedly not the most politically correct mascot, but with the best record in baseball, he is one of the few symbols of Cleveland that we have to be proud of these days. Jim Sauber also gave a very cool University of Michigan outfit and Graeme's first football! What the hell have I been doing? How I did not already have a pig skin for the crib I don't know. His baseball mit is ready tio go , but I spaced on the football. Thanks Fred and Jim, great gifts and thanks to all the folks in the office for welcoming Graeme into the NALC family.

Peace

One Last Word Today

Hey All,

A real quick one to say congratulations to Araiana Leo for getting engaged to Chrsi Bowman recently. We love you guys!

Best wishes,

Will and Jenn

Book Review Time

Hey All,

Just a quick note to let you know that I finished Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken this past week. Laura Hillenbrand is most remembered for her 2001 Seabiscuit. She is a native of Northern Virginia and currently resides in Washington, DC. Not that I knew it at the time, but feels good to support a local writer. This was also my first book read cover to cover on a Nook. If you don't have one, get one, it is a great way to read and makes having your book(s) with you all the time totally convenient. That's my plug for the nook.

Now for the book, it was in one word, unbelievable! That word fits this book to a "T" for me for a couple of reasons. First, though the tale of Louis Zamperini is a true one, it is utterly unbelievable. Louis is befallen by a truly unbelievable series of events that conspire to deliver one of what has to be the wildest rides anyone could ever imagine. His life is proof that "truth is stranger than fiction", you couldn't dream up a plot like the one that is Louis' life. From back alley hooligan, to world class athlete, to surviving a crash landing in the Pacific, to enduring over forty day on a raft with no supplies, outlasting his captors during over two years of interment in a Japanese prison camp to returning to the states hitting rock bottom, finding his girl, and then finding redemption. The sequence of events is utterly unbelievable and totally enthralling, it is nearly impossible to put down just for the sake of the action that keeps the pages flying by.

Second, this book is unbelievable because it is impossible to fathom how one man could be so talented, so lucky, so resilient and so forgiving all in one form. Losing yourself in a daydream about Louis trials adrift on the Pacific or in the prison camp is easy to do, but this book also had me day dreaming about being like Louis. Watching as the rage built in him, as he was broken down and beaten to within an inch of his life and yet all through it he maintained a dignity and and constant belief he would return to his family, alive. Whether it's the story or how it's told, I don't know, but I constantly found myself getting lost in Louis and his physiological and emotional torment and eventual triumph. Unbroken made me want to be a better person. I am sure if you asked Louis, he be indifferent about such praise, but it is truly unbelievable that he can be all these things. If you read Unbroken you'll know what I mean.

I'll close with this, and I don't want to give to much away, but the moment that Louis life changes goes unnoticed by him and most likely the reader. It is in the end, when a single moment, one that we've all had is revealed and Louis is forever finally changed. In that split second all the events preceding that moment, the rise of a world class athlete, the triumph of surviving the crash, the agony of enduring his cruel imprisonment it all makes sense and all falls in place as Louis' turns on a dime and his purpose is illuminated. Read it you'll lover it!! It gives you hope that within each of us, there is a little Louis Zamperini.

I hope there is some Louis in me and most of all in Graeme. It is on his must read list already!

Peace.

Will

Short Week and the Animal Revolution

Hey All,

Hard to believe how quickly this has become a weekly update. I guess I figured we'd get here but I wasn't thinking it would be this quick. Other than Mom heading back to Florida we had a pretty casual week. We missed seeing Janice this week as she received her shingles vaccination and as a precaution it was recommended that she not see Graeme 3-7 days. She is currently going through withdrawal, but alas she will be here tomorrow to catch up on lost time. She nor anyone reading this blog missed any major milestones this past week. However, Jenn did have a lactation appointment this past Wednesday, during which Graeme was weighed and he checked in at a stout 9lbs 3 oz. He is growing at a pretty good clip these days! He's also starting to smile at what seems to be things other than passing gas, that is a pretty cool. To see him look up at you and crack a grin is really pretty special, even more so when it's not accompanied by a fart!

Gary was a big help this week coming over to help Jenn and break up some of the monotony as I was again back at work. It was, however my compressed week (that just means I had Friday off) so Jenn and I spent Friday joining a new gym, having a lunch date and doing some grocery shopping. Graeme was a bit tired and didn't quite make it through Giant, all the crazy prices and Daddy's coupon cache were just too much!

Saturday was Graeme's first trip to the Old Town Farmers Market. We headed there bright and early, because we're now up at 5AM everyday. That is nothing spectacular for me, but if you know Jenn at all this is a major change to here sleeping patterns. Jenn has a great attitude about it though, she was the one that suggested, "Hey we're up let's at least do something with it." So off we went, Mom, Dad, Graeme and Kayla in the Green Dragon destined for Old Town's Farmers Market, our mission; Rhubarb. We had a dinner date with the Mulvaneys and I had decided to bake a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. The only thing we needed was rhubarb and where better to get it than the local farmers market. To find a local farmers market near you check out www.localharvest.org. You can also find information on Community Supported Agriculture, a great concept that supports local farms by enabling them to connect directly with the public via markets and farm shares. As and aside, Jenn and I were part of a farm share two summers ago. Ultimately we decided we'd rather have the farmers market experience, but a farm share is a great thing to check out and if you're inclined get involved. Supporting local sustainable agriculture is socially, environmentally and economically responsible and it just tastes better too!

Anyway here is how the pie turned out.

Now looks can be deceiving. The pie looked and tasted the part, but it was a bit on the soupy side. My gut tells me I had a bit too much rhubarb, which renders out a lot of water, and that is the most likely cause. Turns out if I had added a few tablespoons of tapioca it might have made all the difference in the world. I am going to make it again soon so look for an update when I do round two. We had a great visit with Bob and Liz, Bob is a pretty good cook in his own right, the food is always great and last nights chicken satay and beef carpaccio were no exception. Johnny and Sammy were fun too, we are reminded what we have to look forward to every time we hang with the Mulvaneys. They are great kids, fun, funny, energetic and very sweet all at once. Gives us great hope for what it will be like as Graeme grows up.

You're probably saying to yourself right about now, "What the hell was Will thinking when he titled this blog?, The Animal Revolution???" Well if you've ever listened to the Tony Kornhieser Show you'll know that the animal revolution is approaching! Tony love stories about animals causing mayhem and in particular the dopes that are caught in the middle of it. Well we had our own encounter this AM. Here is the transcript from the cockpit voice recorder.

Will: Jenn, where is the paper from yesterday?
Jenn: Try the chair in the corner of the dining room.
Will: No, it's not there. Holy &^%* there is a F*&(%& deer on our front lawn!!
Jenn: What is he doing?
Will: He's eating from the bird feeder!!!You have to get down here to see this! Where is the dog how is she not going crazy!

See below the Lil Alex Wild Game Preserve

Well that's about it. We're off to Church this morning, then an easy day of washing the car, mowing the lawn and maybe a visit to the gym. Catching up on some sleep would be nice too.

Until next time... Peace.

Will and Jenn


Standing Guard

Farm Pics

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The Way Back Machine

Hey All,

Well it's been a while since the last real post so let me catch you all up on what we've been doing. Until this AM we were four, Mom left this morning on the 8:00 Air Tran, so it's just us and baby makes three! So we had a great visit with Grandma Fiona, so let's take a look back down memory lane! I gave you the recap of Mom's arrival Friday, but that, well that was just the beginning. Saturday we had a visit from our friend Brian Moran, all the way from San Francisco. We had a quick visit, but it's always good to have Brian over. It was his first time at Lil Alex and we're hoping it won't be his last, come on back Brian!

Saturday night was one of the highlights, we had dinner at my Uncle Gerhard and Aunt Louise's. It was Graeme's first visit with Gerhard and Louise and he stole the show. When I was a kid, Gerhard used to be the best part of going to my Grandmother's. He always would great me with, "Will, how are you?" in that big, booming infectious Austrian voice that is sort of Gerhard's calling card. Once that voice is in your head you never forget and I most certainly haven't. That big greeting was usually followed by Gerhard swinging me around by my ankles. I hope Graeme will know that joy, it is one of my fondest childhood memories. That was me taking a trip down memory lane as Louise and Gerhard got to know Graeme. They also did some reminiscing with Mom, it had been a very long time since they all had a chance to sit and talk, there was a lot of ground to cover. the entire visit was just superb, and as always we had a fabulous meal and great conversation.

The rest of the week was pretty tame. I returned to work, Jenn, Mom and Graeme settled into a routine that usually involved a lot of Mom watching Graeme, feeding Graeme and buying us meals!

The weekend ended at the farm. We had a great time, Janice, Gary, Rugby Kayla, Jenn, Mom, Graeme and I all piled into the rooster. Actually, we were very comfortable! Janice and Gary are expanding the deck and looking to install a hot tub soon, should be even more fun at the White Rooster this summer! Graeme had his first introduction to the farm and by all accounts really had a good time. Of course, it's hard to tell, though he is developing a personality it's still a lot of eat, sleep and poop, but at the farm most everything seems a bit better so I think he enjoyed himself.

We did say at the beginning of this blog that we would have the occasional vignette from the kitchen, well as you may or may not know we cook a TON at the Rooster and this weekend was no exception. In aprticular we had one of my favorites on Friday night. We broke out the hill-billy turkey fryer and boiled crabs! Well we steamed them I guess technically, however, we didn't go with the local Blue Crabs, we prefer the easier to eat Snow and King Crab. They were great!!! It wasn't the most extravagant dinner, but those crabs are always good.

The last of the weekend was a sip-n-see with Robin and Baba and Bugsy and Lindy. Know, you wouldn't guess it by looking at him, but Bugsy (Bryan Watson) is great with kids! Of course, Bugsy is just a kid himself!

Baba, Robin, Lindy and Bugsy with Graeme

Baba and Robin and Bugsy and Lindy have been good friends to Jenn for some time and to me since I came on the scene a few years back. We're both very excited that Graeme will grow up with memories of you all as part of his extended family.

A few Pics with more to follow


Rugby and Kayla

The Green Dragon has a pod! (Thanks Mom)

Well that was about it. I am sure I glanced over a few things, hopefully nobody notices, the end.

Peace

Mom and Kayla

2011-05-13

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Grandma Fiona Arrives and Our First Mothers Day

Hey All,

Well Graeme was introduced to his Grandma Fiona on Friday afternoon. As it seems to be the case each time, we were late to meet Mom's flight at Reagan. Although, this time we had a reasonable excuse. Usually it is something like the flight is early and I waited until the last minute to rake leaves or something, but this time we can blame Graeme and a bit of faulty plumbing! Just as we were about to leave Jenn asked me if we were having problems with the toilet in the lower promenade. I replied, "I don't think so, but let me guess." And then wait for it, cue crying baby, no make that wailing baby! So just as the toilet was overflowing Graeme decided that he was hungry and I mean really hungry. SHIT, and we were just about to leave, we were right on time to pick up Mom without her having to wait. We were going to drive up in the Green Dragon right at 2:17 as she was striding out of Reagan's Terminal A. Instead, I had to cut her call short explaining that we were just in the midst of potential black water back flow and a screaming baby, she'd have to people watch. If you know Fiona, you know she can do that no problems and the airport is some of the best people watching around! The good news is it turns out the toilet was just a drill, not like the time the bedroom carpet got soaked and we had vegetable debris backing up in the shower (installing the disposal in the shower would have been a big help (Seinfeld fans will get that)), and Graeme was a quick eater, we would be only a few minutes late. After the pick-up we made our obligatory trip to O'Connell's for fish and chips and a pint before heading home to Lil Alex. We spent the rest of the night letting Mom get acquainted with Graeme, watching the tube and listening to Jenn and I complain about my having to return to work on Monday. Here's Mom with her grandson and Kayla in the foreground.


Speaking of Kayla, that night while we were watching TV I decided we needed popcorn. I love to make it on the stove top, nothing better than fresh stove top popcorn, big Coke ZERO and a movie (or in this case I'm not sure what we were watching, but popcorn made it better). Kayla as it turns out is also a popcorn aficionado, although she will eat the microwave stuff she also loves the stove top popcorn I make in my Crate and Barrel popcorn maker. I love that thing so much I bought one for Janice and Gary, Ask Gary how much he likes it! I digress, the point of this story is to tell you that we used the popcorn as bait to get Kayla snuggle with Graeme, now we don't have pictures of this (I don't want protective services (child or pet) involved) but it was very cute how gentle Kayla was in eating popcorn right next to her brother. Look at her she is a sweetheart!




Saturday was a big day too with Graemem making his introduction to my Aunt Louise and Uncle Gerhard. We also had a visit from Brian Moran that afternoon. I'll put in a separate blog about these events, but I have to get to Mother's Day first.

Sunday started off with Church for Jenn and I. St. Paul's had a great and quick service. We came home and picked up Graeme and Mom for a quick lunch at Union Street Pub. I'm not going to hyper link it, we only arrived there after trying to get into Chadwick's. Chadwick's was packed and Union Street was not. I'll give you one guess as to why. Right, it's not nearly as good, but in a pinch it will do.

Without question the best part of the day was celebrating Mother's Day at Lil Alex. Thanks to the wonders of the modern family not all out Mothers could be there, Lynn and Kath were at home. But we had Mom, Janice and for the first time Jenn Warburton as "The New Mom". Jenn is really been doing a great job in the few short weeks she been charged with motherhood. I can't adequately articulate how proud I am of her for stepping up and being a great Mom. She's just doing a super job! and my Mothers day gifts of gift cards to Marshalls and Starbucks don't do her effort and dedication justice as tokens of appreciation.

As for the festivities, we had a pretty simple barbeque here, your typical burgers, beans and corn grill out. We had some good (Pabst Blue Ribbon and Boddingtons) cold beer and Martinis with Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives were on the menu. Not typical for a BBQ, but hey it's what sounded good at the time. Graeme sat out with us, but he was tuckered out. All the excitement of the crowd and the dogs running and around and playing took its toll and, well Graeme just flat out went to bed. The food was good, the company better and as always the time too short. We were done by 9 PM. Here is how Graeme felt about it.



That is the coolest outfit!

Well that's it for the weekend. I am recovering form my first day back at work. I wish three weeks was about 10 weeks longer!

Peace

Cinco De Mayo

Hey All,

Well yesterday was Cinco de Mayo! Of course we had to go out for a little Mexican lunch. We have found a nice little Mexican place in Del Ray, not too far up the road, Los Tios has decent Mexican food for Northern Virginia (having lived in southern California and Southern Arizona I can attest to the fact that there is no real good Mexican food this far north). Jenn and I both enjoyed salads and while she went with the Mexican staple, Pinot Girgio I had one of my favorite beers form south of the border, Modelo Negra (on draft no less). So what did we learn from all of this you might be asking yourself, well it has nothing to do with Mexican culture, but rather that Graeme and his Dad have the same tequila face (see below)




Well that's all for right now. Grandma Fiona is on her way here today so we've got a few last minute things to take care of before she arrives.

Talk to you later.

Peace

Big Day at Home Depot and TJ Maxx

Hey All,

Tuesday was a big day for the little man. The over night was about par for the course, the 3:00 AM feeding is a total debacle. Graeme is happy to get up but, like Kayla who won't give up the ball after a game of fetch, Graeme won't go back to bed. Apparently he is either unaware of the time or not yet able to read his frog clock! At any rate, he fuses and Jenn and I lose a bit of sleep between 2:30 - 4:30. It is amazing however, that when he feeds again at 6:00 AM he goes right back to sleep once his belly is full.

As I mentioned in an early posting, Jenn and I have been doing some work around the house and yard, so yesterday we made a run to Home Depot for some potted plants and potting soil. Before all that though Jenn and I brought Graeme along to Chevy's for some Tex-Mex. Some o you might konw, but I have a few staples when I go for lunch; turkey sandwich and Cobb salad are always my first two choices. Chevy's has a really good southwest Cobb! Now Jenn is not the same as me, but is also a fan of the Cobb. So imagine my embarrassment when we both ordered the Southwest Cobb with salsa vinaigrette! I paired mine with a vintage Diet Pepsi with a lime and Jenn had Pinot Grigio. As we neared the end of the meal, the check came and we paid. We were having a good laugh about something when Jenn reached for the check and knocked the half full glass of wine into my lap! Nine months of sobriety has brought her tolerance way down!!

After Lunch we wheeled Graeme into T J Maxx to return a few items, pick up some stuff for the house and find me some workout underwear. After a brief scare on our way in, the woman I held the door or walked by me and said, "I don't think I feel very well!!" Jenn had visions of vomit flying, but thankfully nothing of the sort happened. If you didn't know, Jenn as an unfortunate tendency to be around when people are getting sick and somehow or another they end up getting sick on her it seems. We emerged from T J Max unscathed with new lanterns for the deck, a new tie and work out underwear for me, a few swimsuit wraps for Jenn, a jar of jam and a jar of Butternut Squash pasta sauce. That is a pretty standard T J Maxx or Marshalls run, a few things you "need" and a few more you clearly don't. We'll let you know how the jam a and sauce turn out.

After all that we went to Home Depot for Begonias, Marigolds and Spikes. Jenn planted when we got home and now are deck looks super fabulous!! I'll send pictures once the clouds clear and the sun is shining on our little slice of Northern Virginia. Janice and Gary stopped by for a quick cocktail hour then Jenn and I watched an episode each of Mad Men, Nurse Jackie and Untied States of Tara. Along with The Amazing Race and Grey's Anatomy these are our favorite shows!

That's about it. Talk soon

Peace

Monday's Dr. Appointment

Hey All,

Just a quick note about the start of our week. Monday was our two week appointment and Graeme is doing GREAT!! He is back to his birth weight of 7lbs and 12oz, has healthy ears, nose, throat and just about everything else. He is doing great so we won't visit the Dr. unitl he is two months! Still working on his sleeping the night away, but all in all he is pretty much the best!! We had to do a quick feeding in the parking lot and then met Janice in Old Town for some ice cream. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, we just hung out at Lil Alex. We've been getting a few things around the house squared away. Planting and yard maintenance are at the top of the list. This place is looking great for the summer. We're looking for all of our out-of-towners to stop in on us this summer and meet the little man.

Until then...

Peace

Bath Time: From Frog Towel to Photo Shoot

The final video in our epic three part series. Graeme luxuriates in his Frog Towel before his pohoto shoot.

Bath Time: The Warm Water Makes You Pee Trick!

The Second in our three part series; Personal Hygiene; The Bath Tub Is Your Friend

Bath Time: The Calm Before the Storm

The first of a three part series

Weekend in Review

Hey All,

Well the weekend is behind us and we're moving into my last week off (total bummer). If anyone has good work from home ideas I'm all ears. Our weekend got off to a great start Saturday AM with confirmation rehearsal at St. Pauls. Well, at least the rehearsal went well. About three quarters through rehearsal, Graeme needed feeding. That's when we found out, despite thinking we had checked and rechecked, that we were missing several key things to ensure Graeme could feed. As you might imagine, Graeme was none to pleased with us so rather than head to O'Connells for fish-n-chips (I tuned out during rehearsal and was dreaming about malt vinegar dripping off my fish-n-chips) we headed home. Sure enough the things we needed were right where we left them on the kitchen counter. The perfect place if we had intended to feed our little guy at home! At least the feeding was pretty uneventful, Graeme was hungry and got right to it. After the requisite burping, change of diaper and new clothes I was ready to get back to lunch! O'Connells would mean nightmare parking, Southside (another staple, preferred for Pabst on tap rather than its menu) was not appealing, 8th St. was packed due to a street festival so we decided to make good on our threat from Friday. We were heading to the Capitol Lounge. My old stomping ground, where I am known as "Loud Will" by the regulars and "The Mayor" by Jenn's colleagues. It was decided, Graeme would make his Lounge debut!

The Lounge is a quintessential hole in the wall, shot and beer joint. I love it!! Great wings (some of the best in DC), good burgers (best veggie burger around) and sweet potato fries are our favorites in DC. The place has never really recovered from the fire of 2005, but the core of the regulars just can't seem to move on so we still hang around. Like I've said before I'm not there very often these days, but when I do get to hang out with; the other Will, Rock-n-Roll Mike, Bill, and the others that pop in from time to time it's usually a really fun time! One thing that has improved at the lounge is the beer. Well, one sort of beer, Great Lakes Brewing Dortmunder Gold! Great Lakes began making its way into DC just over a year ago, when they found their way to the Lounge it reaffirmed my faith in my favorite watering hole!

The above photo was taken by Will Sears, notice Graeme's endorsement of Great Lakes! We had a good visit with Will and Keri Sears as well as Ariana Leo and Chris Bowman who made it over on very short notice to meet Graeme. It was a fun couple hours with old friends in a familiar place.

Sunday was a BIG day for us. Let's see May 1st is Janice and Gary's anniversary, my brother's and Kayla's birthday!!! and add to that our confirmation at church and we had a pretty exciting day ahead of us.

The morning was uneventful save for one minor detail. For the first time since his birth we left Graeme! Janice made an early trip in from the farm to watch Graeme while Jenn I attended church. Sunday was the day that Jenn and I became full members of St. Paul's parish. I was confirmed into the Episcopal Church and Jenn was received into St. Paul's. Reception is in lieu of Jenn having already been confirmed into the Catholic Church. The confirmation service was a long one. We were proceeded by five baptisms and approx 30 or so youth and adult confirmations. After just under two hours we were official members of St. Paul's. Can't say it enough we love our new church and are excited to be regular participating members and are looking forward to Graeme's christening this fall.

On the way home we stopped at Chateau Animaux for some special treats and a new collar for Kayla. On this day Kayla turned 11! She is active, agile, fast and healthy as ever and still the best dog in the Northern Virginia area for the sixth year running! Once again she won that award unanimously! Kayla loved her treats (a Blue Martini Biscuit and an Ice Cream Sandwich crunch bar) and her new collar. Pics soon.

Later in the day we had a quick visit from Jim, Rachel and Elizabeth McGreevy. It was Elizabeth's first introduction to Graeme. Rachel and Jim brought lunch (thanks a million) and we had a fun little visit.

After a short down time, we hosted Janice and Gary for their anniversary dinner. They provided the meat, we had the grill! We had grilled Sirloin Steaks (a staple from Janice's youth), sweet potatoes, salad, roasted veggies and some Amish strawberry shortcake! It was a pretty good meal and even better company. Totally ready for grilling all summer long! The Weber is ready to go and with the smokenator (great smoker conversion for your Weber kettle grill) we'll be barbequing ribs and pork butts all summer long!

This a long post so I'll end it with Happy Birthday to Jay and Kayla and Happy Anniversary to Janice and Gary.

That's it for now.

Peace

Random Pictrures From Graeme's First Days

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