What, I haven't blogged in a year and a half? Well there's been another Dartmouth Summer Get-Together sandwiched by visits to museums in Lowell and Sleepy Hollow. Miquitoes, swimming in the Connecticut and in the Frankel's backyard pond. Fun.

Riley Rides a Bike

In February we added the pedals to the BMW bicycle Ama bought Riley for Christmas, and this week, on Easter Sunday, Matt taught Riley what riding a bike really looks like.  So off he goes!  I wanted to post a movie, but I can't remember how...

Family and Santa Claus were very good to all of us.  I hope they were good to you too.  Here are some photos of R on Christmas Eve with godfather/cousin Peter and Christmas morning.  Terry knit us Riley's stocking and boy did Santa squeeze a lot into it.

Resolved: More blogging

Riley, Peter, Christina, Katherine and Emily help my mother celebrate her birthday in November!  

Get together with TG

The above picture is of most of the kids of my friends' from Dartmouth. I guess we are getting to the age when we think it is better to take group shots of the kids and leave ourselves out. But, I did manage to get one of most of us as well. This was a fun summer weekend at Diane's farm in Pughkeepsie. Complete with swimming, looking for frogs, volleyball, canoe paddling, and long lingering meals.

Riley Finally Wears a Wetsuit

Riley and I had a fun day at the beach, complete with a bike ride to Isla Vista, a visit with Ann and Gerry, a bluff top picnic, sand castle building, wading, and a visit with Rebecca Ivar and Clair. Delicious dinner at home with Joshua in the back yard.

Summer ends with a whimper

I am in a foul humor. It's Labor Day weekend and for some reason I am not at Fishers Island. How did that happen? Every year for twenty years I had to chose between doing a canoe race or going home, and I always chose going home. This year I didn't choose either, because I didn't seem to have a choice of either. I am sad that I didn't get us tickets. This would have been the first time in eight months that a trip home didn't involve an attorney or a banker. It would have been nice to simply hang around with the family at the summer place. Lot's of babysitters. Although Riley has been there twice, he says he doesn't remember. Definitely going to plan on a week up there next year, and hope some family will join us. Are they all there because we are not? Several siblings have said it's too stressful to have the whole gang up at one time. If us not being there makes it easier for every one else to be there, then I guess I have done them a favor, and that will put me in a better mood. Labor Day in Santa Barbara is something a lot of people are probably paying for, so I'd better suck it up and try to enjoy it. At least we don't have to fight the traffic.

Apa's In Our Hearts

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Still images from many sources of Apa, accompanied by poor quailty recordings of his wonderful piano playing. Rily is finally starting to be done looking for Apa in the hospital, but it is sometimes hard to explain how Apa can be both "all gone" and "in our hearts."