Jersey Boys

I took the boys to the airport yesterday to go visit my sister Amy & her husband Todd in NJ. They went to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Liberty Science Center yesterday. Today they learned about Pierogi's for lunch, crossed daylilies in the AM, and picked blueberries and raspberries - tomorrow they are going to make ice cream to go with the berries, and go into the city to see "Young Frankenstein" on Broadway.  Today they also did some swimming, took a 10 mi bike ride, and played mini-golf.  I think they will be sleeping well this week!

Last night Todd & I went to Habenero for dinner,  a wonderful little locally owned Tex-Mex place up the street, then came home and watched the rest of the shows on the Star Trek Voyager disk that we had - it is a series of 4 related to the Borg (7 of 9 makes an appearance, and plays prominently in the episodes).   This morning was my hedonistic AM - massage,  pedicure......then came home for lunch with Todd, and in the afternoon, rearranged the bedroom (trying to be more Feng Shui).  Todd put up some bike hanging hooks in the cellar.  Had a lovely dinner with Todd tonight,  and then watched a few episodes of Flight of the Conchords - which I find to be incredibly funny - an HBO series about a two man band from New Zealand who has come to make it big in NYC. 

it is strange how leading up to a period when the boys will be gone, it feels like we will have all of this time on our hands, and get all sorts of things done, but when it comes down to it , the time goes at just the same rate that it does when they are here.......I am wishing I was with them doing all the fun things with my sister - but it is good for all of them to get to spend time together without Todd & I.

Inspired by Sheldon Brown

Ok - so, it has been 2 years since I have posted anything here.  I never was a very consistent diarist. (sp??) journaler(??).  At any rate, this evening my DH passed along a web site of a man named Sheldon Brown (link attached in title above).  Sheldon had a love of everything related to bicycling and bicycles, for a start, and was also an accomplished photographer, traveler, and avid reader, lover of cinema, and of music.  To read the extensive posts on  his blog is a joy, and I find that I share many of his tastes.  Sheldon left this world on February 3 of this year, after having just decided who he would vote for in the upcoming primary (according to his journal).

Sheldon began his online journal in 1998, and kept it up faithfully for 10 years.  I have recently heard other people talk about their commitment to keeping a journal over a number of years, and I am inspired to give it another try.  It took me forever to even find my way back to my own site tonight!  

It is apt that I found my way to Sheldon's site tonight , thanks to Todd, after having taken my youngest son's new bike for a spin around the neighborhood, and in the process, doing a complete body plant as I came in at a 1" curb at too shallow of an angle.  I still imagine my self as that young girl who could ride her bike for miles and miles along the coast of Maine where I grew up.  Granted the traffic patterns, and road space are MUCH different in my urban Cincinnati neighborhood than in my small home town - which requires a much more defensive riding approach (or so it seems to me at least) - perhaps it just takes getting used to.

Todd helped clean out my scrapes the minute I got in the door, and then I iced my knee, and took some ibuprofen  - feeling much better now.  It was a mellow independence day other than that - lots of rain, and temperatures in the mid 60's very mild weather for this time of year.

After dinner, Todd, Josh & I watched episodes 165 & 166 of Star Trek Voyager.  Episode 165: Distant Origin,  was about a scientist who made a discovery about his species' origins that went against the prevailing "Doctrine" - which had been in place for 20 million years.  Not surprisingly the politicians were intent on suppressing this information, despite data supporting the scientists claim.  We had all seen parts of this episode before, so had some interesting dinner table conversation before we watched it about how this type of response to new data is treated by the establishment today, and had a good discussion about the relative responsibilities of voters and politicians to engage in informed dialog about new data & ideas.