We're staying with Pris and Phil for a few days on our way to the Erie Canal so Gretchen can spend some time with her mother. I brought my bike to ride while Gretchen is with her mother. So, 44 minutes into my first ride, I had just crested a hill and was trying to recage my water bottle. But....during the process I started to go down the hill and applied the brake (front) with my free hand (left) and it must have been to hard....for I found myself falling to the pavement. No cars, no dogs, just me! Gretchen could not keep herself from sending this photo to all the relatives. The collar is just a precaution anyone with a head injury endures in the ER until the doctor checks you out. I'm writing this the day after and I'm fine with only some facial abrasions and three stitches. The only joint that really hurts is my left shoulder that I injured a month ago. It was almost back to normal but I must have jarred it in the fall because it feels like it did a month ago! I am grateful for the folks on Second Mountain Road just north of Schuylkill Haven who helped me out. They were just super!
BTW, yesterday was a bad day for the Morgan's as my sister threw her back out loading her car to come to PA, had to go to the doctor, and ended up lying flat in bed for the rest of the day. Hope you get well soon, Sally!
It is a very good thing that bad adventures come in twos, for now I know I'm done with them for the foreseeable future!
Years ago we watched a public television fund raising program by a very talented band called O.A.R (Of A Revolution). They had a unique sound highlighting a super sax player, a very talented lead singer and great guitar player. O.A.R is a staple on our "driving" playlist. So when we saw they were going to be in Portsmouth, we got tickets, thinking it would be a good Adventure.
Well, it was not! The concert was horrid. The sound system was so loud we had to flee our good center seats to find respite from the din in the far left corner of the venue. The super sax player was gone, the talented lead singer could not be heard over the roar of the instruments. The Revolution has left us behind; blaring hard rock is not our staple. Thank goodness we have songs like Turn the Car Around, City on Down and Hey Girl on our iPhones that displayed the band members' talents! The best part of the evening was leaving the concert early!!
Adventures being what they are, have many components and we loved visiting the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk; it is free and fabulous! We also got to explore downtown Portsmouth for the first time. It's a pleasant, walkable city center. Our room for the night was at Smithfield Station, a very nice marina/hotel complex on the Pagan River. So all was not horrid on the trip. But in the future, I think we'll stick to venues like Garth Newel!
Henry was with Jim and Linda last week and they went to their lake house for the weekend. We picked him up at Lake Gaston so we could also get Katie's Laser which I have volunteered to restore.
Monday
We took the Laser out to the sail club, had a picnic lunch and a good time swimming with Henry. We also stopped at the Bridge on the way home for ice cream and Henry got to feed the carp.....a real thrill for him!
Mint ice cream with huge dark chocolate chips.
Tuesday
The surprise today was to ride the Amtrack Northeast Regional from Lynchburg to Charlottesville. So we got up real early to hit the rails! Grandma dropped Henry and I off at the station and then drove on to Charlottesville to pick us up.
Henry watching the train back up the siding to pick up passengers.
We had a fun time on the train and Henry told his dad it was the best thing we did all week! We hit our normal round of stops at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's in addition to getting Gretchen a new bike helmet at Performance. We then made it home for lunch. I felt like I was in the Army, "getting a full day in before lunch!" In the afternoon, Grandma and Henry went to the spray park.
Riding the rails!
Wednesday
This morning Grandma, Henry and I went for a ride on Blackwater Creek. It was a hot day but we had a good ride. I wondered why Henry was weaving around a lot since he did not do that earlier this year. Then I noticed his tires were almost flat. When I pumped them up, they were both under ten pounds and their range is 45-65 psi!
After lunch, Grandma took Henry to the spray park and on the way home they just had to try out the fare of the new ice cream truck at Boonsboro Shopping Center!
Thursday
Grandma took Henry to Amazement Square where he got to work the locks on the James River Canal exhibit....a favorite activity on each visit. One of the first things he told me was he got in trouble at the museum. They are undergoing a major rennovation and when he went down one of the chutes, he found himself in a construction zone. Guess they didn't block off all of the chutes they needed to!
First photograph made with solar print paper!
We played Go Fish all week, a game Henry loves. But we also taught him how to play Old Maid. He finally came around to liking the game, but I must say the first time he ended up with the Old Maid card, he had quite the melt down! Late afternoon, Kelley and Maggie arrived for the Fourth of July weekend!
Friday
VISA Game Day at the lake was the activity of the day. We met Katie, David and Audrey at the Club and a great time was had by all; swimming, sailing, playing the games, listening to the live music and eating! Henry obviously loved it because he wanted to go back to the lake on Saturday to "play with his friends!"
First team to fill the cup with cereal wins!
Maggie and Audrey decided eating the Fruit Loops was a better idea!
Cousins.
Maggie and Grandma.
Great week with Henry and then having everyone here for the Fourth. It was a special week!
Henry was excited to learn he had a candy bar named after him!
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