What I did on My Summer Vacation

      I have been very delinquent in keeping up these posts. However, as the summer is gone and we're back in Durham the time has come to reactivate the blog.  First, a recap.
      It was a short and busy summer.  Of course it was made shorter by the trip to Utah, which has been chronicled previously on this blog.  One of the major accomplishments of the summer was the installation of new floors in our bedrooms and study.  Tearing up the 30 year old carpet was not a pleasant task, but with the help of our son David we got it done in no time at all.  More discomfort was caused by moving most of the furniture out of each room into the other living spaces within the house so the floors could be installed. So, not only couldn't we use the bedrooms, but it was also difficult to use the living room, kitchen, and sun porch. The final product was well worth it however.
      We didn't take any major hikes this summer, but did climb a number of smaller peaks.  All our hikes were with the dogs, who proved to be pretty good hikers.  We started with our old favorite Buck on the east side of Lake George and then Cat on the west side of the lake several weeks later.

Blueberries were in season at the top of Cat and who knew the dogs would eat them.  One of the more interesting hikes we took was on a relatively new trail into the Hudson River Gorge.  We just happened to see the rafts from one of the commercial float trips passing on the river as we reached the trails end.

Our final hike of the summer was in New Hampshire while visiting our friends Tom and Dag.  The summit was too steep for the dogs, but we all got a great view.

We also climbed Mt. Greylock twice.  The last time was at the request of Krista, as, although her wedding was scheduled for October 1st on the summit, she and Spike had never climbed it.  We all summited on a humid, overcast day and did not get the reward of a view for all our efforts as the summit was socked-in.
      Speaking of Krista's wedding, we hosted a small family bridal shower for Krista and Spike at our home in Averill Park.  The hike up Greylock and the shower also gave us a chance to get to know Spike better.  Erin was home from California for 10 days and David checked in.  It was great to have my three kids together for such a fun time.  Watching them, my sister Suzanne and brother-in-law George playing some variation of Marco Polo in the pool was hilarious.

Pretty good-looking kids if I do say so myself.  The would-be bride was radiant as well.

     Visiting friends and family, attending plays at the wonderful smorgasbord of summer theater in our area, and spending weekends with friends made the summer disappear quickly.