Misty Morning

The first winter storm of the 2007 - 2008 winter season was cold, icy and windy. I took a few pictures of the mist caused by the warmer temperature of the water in Baumer's Pond than the air temperature of about 25 degrees. The pond has a thin layer of ice covering it every morning for the past week but thaws every afternoon. I think these shots were cool in the early morning sun. The dew is just thawing as these pictures were taken and about thirty minutes later the temperature had climbed 15 degrees. Freezing rain can be dangerous, but it can also be very beautiful!!!

Senior NCO Dining-In

I attended the 26th Annual Senior Non-commissioned Officer Dining-In for the Connecticut National Guard this past Thursday evening, this being my 8th time attending this festive event in which the format dates back to medieval times. This event is a formal dinner held for military members only, a similar event called the Dining-Out permits family members to attend and is usually toned down a bit. This year's dinner benefited the Children's Foundation of Connecticut and is usually a fun time for all who attend, including Connecticut Army and Air National Guard members as well as Marine Corp reservists, Navy reserve and active members, and a few active duty Coast Guard personnel, along with a Canadian Army Reservist and many retired National Guard members totaling about 250 people. The evening honors all those currently serving in the Armed Forces throughout the world as well as all other veterans.

Times have changed, but the event is still an annual tradition were military members gather for an evening of socializing, drinking and fine dining with some mild mannered fun thrown in for good measure. The gathering of military members, otherwise known as the mess, have to follow professional military protocol and courtesies throughout the evening.

New Home Possibly???

Jen and I are contemplating selling our home to purchase this Colonial home in Thomaston, CT built in 1922. The house sits on 3.5 acres of hilly property and boasts only 1200+ square feet of living space but has two front porches that could easily be converted into additional living space. The porches are both 20X10 on so you could add another 800 square feet, making this a comfortable 2,000+ square foot home as opposed to the 890 square feet we live in today. The house has 3 bedrooms, and outdated kitchen, 1 1/2 baths both outdated but the full bath does have a claw foot tub and an old pedestal sink worth keeping.

Thomaston is a cute little town in the Litchfield hills of Connecticut. This house is situated just off Route 254 near the town's center. It would mean a 15 mile longer commute for us both but the asking price is $192,000. There is no garage but it does have a 2 stall barn on the property. The only foreseeable problem is the paddock is on a steep hill, making turnouts for the horses in the winter problematic. Probably so much that Jen wouldn't consider retiring her pony Feather Blue there but leaving her in Mill brook, NY for the time being. We are weighing our options and talking with our realtor to see if its all worth it or not. We'll keep everyone posted on this new development!!!

Red Sox vs Baltimore (3-2)

Jen and I went to our first professional sporting event last weekend with Denise and Cathy. We watched the Red Sox beat the Orioles 3 - 2 in a close but exciting game. We had an enjoyable day at Fenway Park. I have always wanted to see the Red Sox play in Fenway, preferrably beating the Yankees, but just watching the Sox play and win in Boston was too cool!!! I guess I am a kid at heart, who am I kidding, I am just an overgrown kid period!!!

Cycling in Western Connecticut

I am logging a lot of miles on my road bike this year. My goal was to race this year, I just forgot to tell my body that was my goal. Getting in shape at age 41 is a lot different than at 29, but I am riding about 100-150 miles a week and now that my base mileage is established I am actually getting in some great training rides. I worked on my sprinting ability tonight, as you get older the fast twitch muscles in your body start to deteriorate, but I felt good and my speed is improving for a 41 year old, I know I'm not 21 anymore. I probably won't compete in a mass start bicycling event this year, but I may race a time trial or two if there are any around and I am planning on riding some of the centuries (100 mile) bike rides throughout New England during the Fall Folliage. I am also thinking of entering the Josh Billings Memorial Triathalon in Lenox, MA next month. I would kayak instead of swim, but otherwise the event host a traditional run and bike just like any other triathalon. I plan on swimming this winter to maintain the fitness I've gained this year, and then maybe enter a few real triathalons next year and as many bicycle races I can. I haven't been training with a group so I have no measure of my progress so far this year, but if my average speeds are any indication, I am progressing nicely.

I almost got run off the road tonight by a large box truck, the next time you pass a cyclist please give them as much room as possible, even if they are being an idot and riding side-by-side or in the middle of the road. Not that I was riding in the middle of the road, I was actually to the right of the white line, this idiot just didn't feel like moving over as he passed even though there was no oncoming traffic coming. Thanks!!!

Millbrook Horse Trials

This weekend Jennifer and her horse Emma otherwise known as "Imagine That" competed in a 3-day event, Millbrook Horse Trials, in Millbrook, New York. On Friday, in a light drizzle she completed the Dressage portion tied for 4th with a score of 34.5. Saturday started late because of all the mud from Friday's rainfall, but she eventually finished a clean round of the Cross Country course but failed to meet the timeframe and received 8.1 points in time penalties, but even so she still moved into sole ownership of 3rd place. This morning she completed the Stadium Jumping portion and dropped two rails adding 8 penalty points to her score and dropping her to 5th overall. She competed in the Preliminary division, a level she has only competed at a couple of times previously. The winner is the person with the lowest accumulatice score at the end of the three events. The images are from left-to-right, Jen with Emma in her make shift stall, Jen and Emma jumping a log jump just before a difficult water section, and Emma relaxing in her stall after a 4 minute sprint over 21 jumps on the Cross Country course.

David Pendergrace's Party on July 1, 2007

Aunt Carol, with David on her right and Debbie's daughter Felicia on her left at the Chinese buffet restaurant where family and friends saw David off as he prepared for yet another deployment to Iraq! David spent the month of July at Fort Dix, in New Jersey and has since deployed to Iraq for at least 12 months and most likely 15 months for his second tour of duty in this combat zone! Note the small piece of cake in front of Aunt Carol!!!