Camping...



We went camping in Cape May with another couple and their three kids last weekend. Well, it was sort of camping. It was camping according to our wives. We stayed in an air conditioned cabin with a bathroom and shower. It was like staying in a really cramped dusty Howard Johnsons.

We did, however, cook outside (I was in charge of breakfast) and sit around the fire at night.

We spent time at the beach and the Cape May Zoo. Olivia answered some questions about frogs and won this t-shirt. Could she BE more competitive? No idea where she gets that. Ahem.

I did it!

I passed my FINRA Series 24 licensing exam this morning! It was really hard. Seriously.

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What is the Series 24 licensing exam, you ask?

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The Series 24 license is known formally as the General Securities Principal license and is a FINRA requirement for those wishing to register as general securities principals in order to manage or supervise investment banking or securities business for corporate securities, direct participation programs, and investment company products/variable contracts.

I tried to find a photo of excited business people... it's just an added bonus that they look crazy.

Well, there it is.

Chalices, chalices everywhere.

I brought these home from Pottery class on Wednesday. They're quite a bit more work than I thought they'd be. You're essentially throwing two separate pots - the stem and the cup. Two pieces that could potentially go wrong. Then you have to join them and level them.

This was an attempt to take some risks with the glazes. I've never stumbled across a chalice in celadon blue - but, well, there it is.

I glazed a few bowls and mugs on Wednesday based upon what I learned with these pieces.

I'll be throwing more chalices and patens in the coming weeks. Wish me luck!

Mmmmmm, cake.

Ok, so my birthday is past a few weeks. But I was moving pictures over from the camera and had to post this. We have this amazing woman in town who makes cakes. We, very affectionately, refer to her as the cake lady. Her cakes are amazing (looking and tasting). Kim told her I loved Cape Cod and she made this.

This is O's 4th birthday cake. She was on a Peter Pan kick.

Third birthday cake.... yes... Bambi.

Ernie is the bomb!

Trouble at the White House!

Thanks Elizabeth!

Anytown USA: Fourth of July 2008
Chatham, NJ celebrates!

We spent an hour and a half at a Fourth of July parade that could have been in any town in the United States. But it was our town, Chatham. We spent the morning watching ragtag kids throwing candy, clowns throwing buckets of water and confetti, firetrucks and emergency rescue squads and politicians marching down the yellow line.

If you weren't able to enjoy your own parade, feel free to enjoy ours!

Chathamites lining the street just before the parade!

I love bagpipers! The parade featured patriotic ones!

Tons and tons of firetrucks! Here is an old one... thought it looked good set against the historic house on the right. If only I could airbrush the wires out of the photo.

There were many firemen and women from the Chathams and surrounding towns.

The seasoned townsfolk...

...and the young. That's Gracie and her Mom, Mary.

This band is great. They're in every town parade I've seen in both Madison and Chatham. I'm always afraid the truck driver is going to give it a little too much gas and lose the tuba player.

Most of the marchers give out candy to the viewers. That's Aunt Allison and her daughter Sarah loading O up with sugar. Is that woman doing a jig on the left?

Apparently, these are the people who they were carting off to the dump.

Here is the Chatham EMS squad. I was looking for our friend Barbara, but she was no where to be found!

There were also a handful of people from the armed forces.

Multiply each of these groups by ten and you'll realize why it was an hour and a half. This parade reinforces how much a sense of community is important in small town America. We knew dozens of people around us and didn't make plans to sit with them.

Happy 4th!