The new backyard

We have been working a little bit at a time to clean up the yard and make it more presentable. We finally got a friend to come in with his backhoe and tractor and open up the backyard to the brook. Our purpose was really to see the animals more clearly but it really added alot to the backyard. Since NH grows rocks, defining the brook became a good way to use the rocks.

And dad, this one is for you... the new stone wall you planted. The hostas are still struggling but everything is growing well.

Special Olympics Regionals

Amanda participated in the Special Olympic Basketball Regionals March 16th in Salem, NH. I didn't get to post pictures so I thought I would do so now. Amanda is a tiger on the basketball court. She is able to get the ball away from other players and go down and make a lay up. Some of the coaches are former Pinkerton students who worked with them prior to graduation. They are now in college and still come home every weekend to coach the teams. Their dedication is amazing.

CJ's wedding

Almost everyone knows that C.J. is a regular fixture around our house, especially when i have apple pie. He and his love Carol "tied the knot" on Saturday. Their wedding was at a farm in Keene. The building had a fieldstone fireplace that went up 30 feet, and the ceiling was all beams. They got married right in front of the fireplace. The bride and groom's fathers gave a charge to the couple. The wedding was simple and elegant. They had a pancake breakfast after the ceremony. There is a sugar shack on site and they were able to get the syrup which is like gold at $60/gallon this year. Pastor Courter officiated the wedding. I made the invitations and the place cards.

Amanda's Mishap

Well, we thought we were safe because Amanda is usually the aggressive one on the basketball court. But alas, she was pushed from behind when making a lay up at the state Special Olympics championship and got a really bad sprain on her ankle last Saturday. Because of her balance issues, the ER did not send her home with crutches or even a boot, just an aircast. After 2 days of not being able to put weight on her foot, or control the swelling, we took her to her orthopaedic MD at Children's Hospital in Boston. He re-xayed her foot (he was very suprised at how swollen it still was), and decided that even though it was a sprain, he would put a cast on it for 3 weeks. She now has a walker and a wheelchair for school. Everyone was quite impressed with her pedicure--- trust me when I tell you it's really the only girly thing we do. But the pedicure has flowers that match the flourescent pink she chose for her cast.

Obama's comment

President Obama made a comment last night on Jay Leno that his bowling was like the Special Olympics because of the gutter balls. Here is the response I sent to the White House today:

President Obama,I am offended by your comment on Jay Leno about your bowling being like the Special Olympics. I am assuming that your statement was just a slip of the tongue but sometimes what slips out is really what is in a person's heart. My daughter is 16 and mildly retarded. She desperately wants to do the things that other kids her age do but is unable to participate on regular teams. She has to wear a helmet when she plays Special Olympics basketball because she has shunts. She is also a bowler and tries really hard every time she competes. She just wants to be like everyone else. Unfortunately, statements like the one you made perpetuate her feeling that she is abnormal. I am unclear about how many people participate in the Special Olympics but I do know that there are 59 million people (or 1/6 th of the US population) that are disabled. Making those comments even to be funny alienates people. My daughter has a big interest in politics and she will be voting in the next election. PLEASE guard your words. You have been a man of civility and have made a huge impact by your kindness. I would ask that you don't limit your kindness and civility to people who are like you, but to include those who need your help most of all; and who need to be defended because they can't do it for themselves. Parents of those developmentally disabled have given up their own hopes and dreams to make sure that our children are happy, well-adjusted, cared for, and treasured. Comments hurt not only those who are disabled but their families as well. I want to feel like my president cares about each American, no matter where their abilities lie.

Living in 2009

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2009 when…
1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.
2. You haven’t played solitaire with real cards in years.
3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.
4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.
5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don’t have e-mail addresses.
6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen
8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn’t even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.
9. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.
10. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

Sweet Ride

Today is the first time I have ever owned a brand new vehicle. The dealer bought the car at an auction from a dealership going out of business so we got a good deal. We got a stealth gray Yukon.... yes, I'm still driving a tank... but this tank is 11 whole inches shorter than the suburban. It has all the imenities. Can you believe there is a way for onstar to track the car by satalite if stolen and then dump the gas out so the police can stop the theft without ruining the car? Did you also know it monitors the condition of the oil and notifies me when it needs to be changed? It even tells me how many miles to the gallon I'm getting and how many miles I have left before I need to get gas. Technology! There is a radio in the front and back and wireless headphones so that everyone can listen to something a little different: radio, CD, and DVD. I think I am living like a queen, and I'm one lucky woman. Can you say ROAD TRIP? :)
Tomorrow, we're headed to Maine to go to church with Tim's parents....SWEET RIDE!