THE PLAN

Leave NJ to head towards Red Hook, NY to box and meet up with local boxers & 4GC, who was visiting from the South, for exchanges & laughs - as we know any boxer from the South is always fun!! We were only 1 ½ hours away. We’ll leave around 10:30 – 11:00 and would call 3 Blind Mice when we arrive & hopefully meet up. Well, of course, that really wasn’t what happened at all. There was lots of traffic on the Thru Way….later we find the ever so interesting site that was slowing us down…a car jacked up with a flat tire…dang Rubber Neckers! Come on people get a life!

Anyway, we get to Rhinebeck, NY. A quaint little town. At this point, we really needed to get the boys out of the car, so we decided to do a small hike rather than a drive – by first. So to the newest Fire Tower erected in NYS we go. I figured I’d reach out to 3 Blind Mice after we got off that trail & find out the scoop. What a beauty of day we had temperature wise. Perfect for hiking. So off we go, find the first box on the trail. Ahhh shucks, 4GC has already been here…yesterday! No chance of meeting them on this trail today. Go to next box…4GC had not logged in. Well, maybe they were in hurry or weather may not have been agreeable & they just stamped the image into their logbook & moved on.

On to the Fire Tower we go. Boy, those things are mighty tall. Maple Leaf Red knew there was no way she was going to make it up & if she did how in the world would she ever make it back down? I had sweaty hands earlier that day crossing a bridge in the van over the Hudson River. Well, of course, 3 of the 4 kids wanted to go up & had to have an adult go with them. “Go a head, my friend CritterLiz, I’ll find the box down here. Have Fun.” Blonde Frogger heads back down after 3 stories high & Stewie heads down after 6. Tom Grill & CritterLiz made it all the way to the top. Later saw some mighty fine pictures that were taken from the top. I just might have to try to conquer that fear to see the view for myself! All are finally back down safe & sound.

We start to head back down to car. We are hungry! The boys are all ahead of us – they are hungry, too!

Now the magical part. There are people sitting on the ground right in front of the LB 4GC hadn’t logged into. “Maple Leaf Red?” I hear. “Yes, indeed!” I reply. It’s them! How exciting to meet people on the trail!! We introduced ourselves, chatted for a bit & I gave my special “MLR Spring Trail Gift” stamp to all. A special stamp I give only to people I meet on the trail. I am always so excited to share that stamp. It’s not the greatest carve, believe me, but it is always so neat to meet LBer’s on the trail & share something special with them.

The boys had been entertaining themselves by playing “Tarzan” on the hanging vines, (later saw pix of other LBer’s doing the same that day…LOL). After one almost “Tarzanned” into a tree, we headed back down the trail. They are running to the van to fill those bellies that are only full for about 30 minutes at a time. sheeez. Yup, CritterLiz, that’s MY car alarm going off. "Boys, can you wait 1 1/2 minutes? Holy Cow! We are right behind you.

We get to the parking lot & 2 vehicles are just pulling in. Stewie asks if they know “Which way is North?” Heck that worked just 15 minutes ago with people on the trail, why not try again? Sure enough…4 more LBer’s. One of our favorite boxers from CT was among them. So some stamps were handed out, off to the trail they went & we finally managed to tame the hunger beasts in the boys! Though, we did manage to leave a few extra special “critters” on & in the cars for our fellow LBing friends before we left the scene.

We did a few more drive – by’s. And headed on over towards Red Hook to pick up a couple of boxes before we would once again hook up for exchanges & ice cream later that evening. On the way, we saw the most curious vehicle parked in a church parking lot. Funny, there was also a box in the cemetery there as well. CritterLiz headed for the stamp while we spoke to the driver of said vehicle. Turns out he is a “Storm Chaser”! Very neat stuff in that vehicle. The boys were digging it & the weather lesson as well.

We got a few more drive-by’s & headed over for ice cream. Right away, one of the crew of 3 Blind Mice greets me & asks if I am going to have some ice cream. I said I sure hope too! Well, little did I know, there were things being dropped in my backpack during our brief conversation! After much stamping & conversation, we called it a day. I took home 5 cooties (only 1 of which I saw dropped – ohhhh…you girls are GOOD!!!), some awesome stamps carved by 3 Blind Mice, Dr’s B and other carvers in the area as well, one tick & great memories!

And Gosh, it was so nice to meet 4GC as we missed each other at BABE (imagine that!). Even more special to meet her on Memorial Day weekend & thank her in person for all she does for us!

If any one comes to area, I hope you reach out to 3 Blind Mice, you will not be disappointed! Such a nice family.

And we need to get back up there as well, because wouldn’t you know it…we, (CritterLiz & Maple Leaf Red), never did get ice cream!…Do you think they have Maple flavored ice cream? Hmmmmm…

Thru The Park

Finally got to ride my bike again today, first time this week.
Always an adventure when going thru the Park, if one is observant.

Part of a conversation I caught today had me chuckling. It went like this, "He stuck his head on the ground & came up with the longest worm I have ever seen in his mouth." Boy what the mind's eye can do with that phrase. I am really really hoping the woman was talking about a pet of some kind. My boys can get pretty earthy, but gosh I don't think they ever did that. If they did, I thankfully wasn't around to witness it!

The baby geese are still looking a little green & have grown quite a bit in size. One kept moving in front of my bike whichever way I turned. Almost had to get off for fear of running into him. Maybe when the green leaves him, maybe the Radar will be better. A fair trade.

Nearing The End

Well, last night was my last Committee Meeting for Cub Scouts. I will be quite busy this week, preparing for my last Graduation Ceremonies. We are doing a Painted Faces Ceremony this year. I have never done the same ceremony twice in my 7 years as Cub Master, but since this is my last one & my all time favorite, I have chosen to do it again. With about 55 faces to paint, I want this to move along as we treat ourselves to Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundaes at the end & what fun is melted ice cream? So, I just printed off ceremonies from web. Now I need to draw the painted face pattern from each rank & decide what I will take from each rank to put on my face and draw that out. Need the colored markers & I can begin. And I know right where they are...in my LBing bag, of course!
Then the arrows need to be decorated for the Arrow of Light Recipients. Of course...I need to purchase them & the colored electrical tape before I can begin that little project.
Need to find a ceremony to induct new Cub Master.

Hopefully, hubby, (he will be at a make up Soccer game we had to reschedule from April...BABE weekend if I am not mistaken), will get to ceremonies before they end as I really would like to publicly Thank him for all he has done over the past 7 years... "Can you help me load the van?" "Can you help me unload the van?" "Hun...this is what I'd like to do...can you help me?" "Can you prepare the gutters for the Rain Gutter Regatta?" "It's Pinewood Derby time...can you make the Pace Car me?" etc. etc. Down to the shop he'd go...the saw, the drill, the hammer & whatever else he has stowed away down there - would all be used to their full potential... & he always came back with exactly what I had in mind, but with improvements. :-).

And of course I also need to pick & print off 30 or so clues for our boxing adventure planned for Saturday, so we can get our usual 1/3 of them! LOL.

Yup, looks to be a very busy week for MLR & yet she will be enjoying every minute of it! Life is Grand.

Keeping It Simple

Well, I have finally started riding my bike to work. Last week I managed to ride 3 times. This week I am hoping for at least 2 days. It's about a 20 minute ride each way, through the County Park. A little chilly on the hands & ears last week during the morning commute. Not so bad today. A great 20 minutes spent to let my mind wonder, get focused for the day, or enjoy my surroundings. Each day is different.

The Geese are out with their young un's, now. Those young ones are still furry & look to me as they have been bathing in pea soup. I am sure by next week, that coloring will be mostly gone.

The birds are singing beautifully & loudly just for me (well I like to think so anyway... :-) ) just as I have 2 minutes left in my ride. Just thinking about the lovely "music" at the end of my ride makes the ride go quite quickly.

The trees & shrubs are all blooming & it sure does appear that winter is over in the Park for now.

BTW...I did save a bit of gas or so it seemed last week. It didn't feel like I was always at the gas station. What a nice feeling that was!