Riley Swims!

Riley had a big weekend. Today, he went swimming at the lake with Emma. He's shown lots of interest in water, but this was his first time in "big water." For a while, he wouldn't go in much past his feet. The water lapping at the shore sent him running. But he wanted to play with Emma, and he wanted that tennis ball that kept getting thrown in the water.
He got in a little further, then a little more, until he was finally swimming. He was surprised at first and not too sure about it still, but I think the next time we'll go he'll be ready.
I can't seem to get this to work in order, so the Riley swims video is at the bottom. Since we left Todd's around noon, Riley has done a whole lot of sleeping. He'll get up to follow me from room to room, but lays back down to sleep. He is one pooped pup!

Tug-o-War

Riley's Saturday

Since spring has turned suddenly into summer, Riley wanted to share his favorite ways to pass the hot day. First, play in the sprinkler.
Then, a nice air-conditioned nap. Last, did someone say we were going for ice cream?

Sad Day for the Discovery

It started off as a relatively simple task with a very clear end goal. The two year license plate on the Discovery expires this month. I needed to get the truck inspected to be able to renew the tags. The day started off successfully. I got the windshield wipers working (more or less) and got the truck running well enough to drive to the shop to have the inspection done… or so I thought.

The Rover passed the inspection (I use the word “inspection” rather loosely here.) I’ve taken all my vehicles to the same guy to do my inspections since about ’97. His inspections are informal and he spends more time BSing and filing out the paperwork than he does on the actual inspection. All is going well with my day and I take victory lap thru Wendy’s to have a chocolate frosty.
BIG MISTAKE!!!

The Land Rover dies in the drive thru line and will not start. I apologize to the guy behind me, grab my frosty and push the truck out of the way. I don’t have any tools with me – not even the ever present Leatherman. I determine that there is spark at the plugs and there is fuel at the fuel rail but alas the Rover will not fire. This is how me and my “trusty” Land Rover arrived home.

Sad day indeed. Inspection goal achieved but the looming question... what the hell is wrong with this thing?

One of my favorite pictures of the Discovery - when it was running well.:)

Ten Years

Picture it...ArtsFest 2000. A much younger and "just-friends" version of David and Erin embark on the day's activities. On the agenda: the four wheel drive event at the fairgrounds and ArtsFest on Walnut. The weather was typical of ArtsFest weekend, cool and threatening rain. They enjoyed both events, stretching ArtsFest into dinner with friends on the porch of Ebbets Field. Not wanting the day to end, they rented a movie. Sometime during or after the movie, a first kiss. Being friends just got a lot more complicated. And a lot better.

Fast forward ten years. The naive couple of 2000 is married. House, pets, responsibilities. ArtsFest remains an important part of their spring. Rain or shine (or both, as was the case yesterday), it is a place to reconnect and remember. "Remember when we were just crazy kids? We had no idea what we were doing. What were we thinking?"

Ten years from now, and twenty, and thirty, I hope to be having that same conversation with David at ArtsFest. Remember when were just 33 and 39? We didn't have a clue. :)

**This post has been a challenge. First I put it on the wrong blog. Then the pictures quit showing up. Now a whole paragraph is underlined and I don't know why. I give up.

Happy Kentucky Derby!

We are lucky to have great friends. In this group of friends, there are events that are just a given. You don't really have to wait for an invitation. The Kentucky Derby is one of those. You just know that on the first Saturday in May, we will be at Krista's enjoying Hot Brown Sandwiches and Bourbon Slush. I'll pass on the slush, but the sandwiches - oh yum. We also wear hats, though the real attendees of the Derby would probably be appalled at our tackiness. If you don't wear a hat, you get to take pictures. :) Some try to come up with a new hat design for each year. Others, like me, slap on whatever hat is found in the closet. As I look like a big dork, I might put a little more effort into next year's hat.