Monday, March 2, 2009

Another Snow Day

P3021799 As of 8:20pm, Isabelle’s school has been cancelled for Tuesday. So early night here so I can keep her busy tomorrow. Today was a good day, Isabelle was up and dressed to go outside before I could drag myself out of bed. She even got herself yogurt for breakfast! Then we went off to the ball field in the subdivision where everyone was sliding on the berm. After three runs (not even equal to one run down Gorsebrook or Berger Hill), she was wet and cold and ready to go home.

This afternoon she spent quite a while out front with the older girls who were negotiating the rules of engagement for a snow ball fight. Lots of rules – not many snowballs.

She did have her swim lesson this afternoon. All and all we had a pretty tired girl on our hands tonight.

Plans for tomorrow – maybe some baking, maybe a trip to the pool, maybe a trip to the library, maybe Maggie will get to the dog park – it will all depend on the state of the roads.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Snow Day

By 8:30 tonight, Isabelle’s school was listed on the local source for school cancellations. So, after three rainy days, Isabelle, Maggie and I will be home again tomorrow.

Why you ask? Well, this is what the back deck looked like just moments ago.P3021791OK, nothing like the winter Nova Scotia has had so far but enough for us to get out the sleds and try to building snowmen!

Lincoln – A Four Year Old’s View

A few weeks ago Isabelle had a long weekend with President’s Day on Monday and a day off on Friday since she didn’t have school cancelled due to snow/ice. On Friday, we went to Charlotte, NC and visited the Discovery Place. A large portion of the building was closed for construction but there was a display about circuses which was apt since we had just seen the circus in Greenville. You could even walk the high wire and go on a trapeze although Isabelle was to small and neither Paul nor I ventured to try it.

P2131743President’s Day coincides with Lincoln’s birthday (did you know he was born the same year as Darwin?) and Isabelle learned about Lincoln in school. And it must have stuck, one day we were listening to a radio piece about Lincoln and Darwin and Isabelle piped up that Lincoln stopped slavery. I asked her what slavery was but she didn’t have a grasp of that. She did say that some people wanted slavery and some didn’t. We asked what happened to people who didn’t – she said they had to move away which is an interesting interpretation of secession.

This week she learned about George Washington…now I guess I have to work on some Canadian content…should I start with the alcoholic MacDonald or the occult loving MacKenzie King?

Monday, February 23, 2009

Zing Zang

ZOOM!

We decided to take Isabelle to the circus. As Paul gets into in his post, we know there are many arguments against circuses; however, we felt it was an experience for Isabelle. I was also unsure whether she would like it since, in the past, she has shown an aversion to animals and loud noises. Well, I think she found the animals were at a safe distance and the noise was fun.

Here, for the record are some pictures of what Isabelle saw at the circus:P2071740 P2071672 P2071677 P2071681 P2071708 P2071711 P2071724 P2071733

Saturday, February 21, 2009

The Results are in!

I was in two seminars yesterday which convinced me my exhibit would get a bronze or maybe a silver-bronze. As a two frame exhibit, it has gotten a silver but I wasn’t sure how it would do as a single frame.

So, it got a Silver again. I am pleased I didn’t get something lower and not surprised I didn’t get any higher.

MMMMmmmmm, steak

I arrived in Texas with no issues (ok, a little late). It was a great flight with clear skies the whole way. I took a few pictures from the plane, I think this is the Mississippi around Greenville, MS, on the Arkansas border.P2190006P2190019This is likely all I will get to see of Dallas since the show is actually in Arlington and my days are just packed here.

The stamp show is great – I even have found a few Nova Scotia items for my collection and  some familiar faces. Today I find out how my exhibit did.

Last night a group of us went to dinner – the proposal was steak, the recommendation was Saltgrass. It was perfect – I started with a spinach salad and had Pat’s Ribeye with grilled asparagus. I wasn’t sure if I could eat 12 oz of steak but that wasn’t a problem, it was so good. 

Well, back to the show, I made it to about 1/3 of the dealers yesterday so lots of work today!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Texas Bound

I am sitting in the airport waiting for my flight to Dallas, Texas! I am excited! Granted, I am not going to see a lot of Texas. I am off to AmeriStamp Expo so will likely spend most of my weekend at the stamp show. Plus, I am going to be Arlington which sounds like it is just the strip between Dallas and Fort Worth so I could probably be just about anywhere in urban America.

So why am I going to this show? Well, after the show in Atlanta in the fall, I was invited to put together a one-frame exhibit (16-8.5x11 pages) as part of a team. Over the last few months, I have redone my Milford House postcard exhibit to fit in one frame. It was hard since even as I put the exhibit together I found a card from 1902 predating my former earliest card by 2 years.

My teammates are members of a group called “Women Exhibitors” (WE) which is focused on encouraging more women collectors to exhibit. The name of our team – Not Grumpy Old Men.

Last weekend, we were at a friend’s house and I was asked about my collection – the usual why and what do I collect. I gave a short answer, not wanting to bore my audience but Paul kept adding things in – I am really lucky he is so supportive of my odd hobby.

Oh, and don’t worry the crowd at home will do fine without me for a few days – it may be a much needed change for everyone!