This weekend we got to spend time with Grandpa Dada, HaPa, and Grandma Sally. Grandpa Dada came up on Friday and we immediately dragged him to a Scottish dinner hosted by our friends the Andersons (which was lovely, but possibly a tad strange for poor Grandpa Dada as there were lots of kilts and swords involved). He survived though, and on Saturday after soccer we put him to work with Andy digging out and moving gigantic slabs of granite all around the backyard. That didn't kill him either, so we decided the next thing to do would be a hike, officially to give Kimball some exercise. Since I had to drop off a sign there, we went to the Hay Reservation, one of the Forest Society's properties in Newbury. I knew there was a nice view from the top of Sunset Hill, and remembered it being a nice, easy hike. After we'd been hiking about a half hour, all uphill, Andy started telling Grandpa Dada about my reputation (in his opinion, mind you) for dragging the family on "death marches" which generally involve endless slogs through inhospitable and/or unreasonably steep terrain, usually with a plethora of stinging insects, poisonous prickly plants, and in sub-zero or baking temperatures. As the stories went on and on, our hike also went on and on... and I think Grandpa Dada was starting to believe Andy by about the fifth time I said encouragingly, "We're almost at the top! .... i think" Of course, in the end we all made it to the top of Sunset Hill (Aiden was sure it was named that because it takes you until sunset to get there) and back down again, tired but intact. It was a bit longer than I had remembered, but...
Kyle in kilt at the Scottish party
Haley in her scottish plaid, sacked out at the table
The top of Sunset Hill- we made it!
In the blind at Low Plain
On Sunday we went on another hike (ah, but I did not lead this one, so all was well) and then drove up to the Tunbridge Worlds Fair to meet HaPa and Grandma and have some real fun! It was a gorgeous fall day and we enjoyed everything the fair had to offer- pig races, baby chicks and farm animals, twisted balloon creations, climbing walls, lots of rides, antique farming implements, and fair food. We learned that Haley loves lemons straight-up and spicy hot italian sausage (really, I did not get to eat even half of mine) and Aiden loves maple cotton candy. HaPa loves kettle corn and Grandma chocolate creemees. They had deep fried oreos but after a final round of maple creemees, no one had any room left for to try one. We thought of shipping one to Crazy Uncle Dan but didn't think it'd be very tasty after 3 days in a fedex box.
Pig races
Aiden's first roller coaster ride
Aiden on the monster climbing wall
woo hoo!
On the ferris wheel
View of about a quarter of the fair, from the ferris wheel
Maple Creemee!
Eating a lemon
Kimball's new sweater. She sits outside and shivers without it!
1 comment:
I'm surprised Andy went on the ferris wheel with Aiden. I guess he's overcoming his fear of heights. That's great! You'll have to learn how to make maple creme, since it seems to be quite a hit.
Grandma Chris
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