Vacations should never start like this!

So last week, the DH and I went on a vacation. Let me just say that I don't need vacations to start the way this one did. The first Sunday, we took the bikes down to Dover, DE for his mom's family reunion. We've been several times, it's always a fun time, and a chance to renew acquaintances with people we seldom see. It was a scorcher of a day, so we waited til late to leave, preferring to ride home after dark when it's cooler, but as we're headed north, we're seeing lightning off to the west and just know we're about to get drenched. Actually we made it most of the way home, but the last 40 miles we had to travel due west, right into the storm and baby did it ever. I couldn't see the road in front of me. We're on Rte 78, moving from the express to local lanes so we can ride slow in the far right lane. Mike is in front of me, and then suddenly, he's not... and then I see sparks and I'm screaming because he's gone down, and I can't see him, can't stop fast on the wet highway in this downpour, and I'm terrified! After what seems like an eternity, I finally get safely stopped, run back to see him up, (thankyou God thankyou), and trying dodge speeding traffic to get his bike off the roadway, but of course NO ONE WILL SLOW DOWN OR STOP!!!! Finally he flags down a car who stops traffic--whoever you are thank you so very very much for your kindness and care! He's safe, the bike is safe, and he can take inventory. He's hurt, but the 2" of water on the road has really been a blessing. Even though he slid 250', he's got minor roadrash, the bike is ride-able. We need to get off the travel lanes of the highway, so we get on the bikes, get over to the far right and flashers running, head home, going even slower than before. When we finally get home, I took him to ER to be sure he was ok, broken pinky, pulled chest muscles and a few abrasions!!! I'm so grateful!!

When we went back the scene the next day in the sunshine, we could both see how lucky he was. He was thrown into the local travel lanes when he ran over either a truck mudflap or a truck tread (Truckers, do you even realize how dangerous it is to other travellers letting those treads flap off all over the road ???? Do you even care??) - we found both along the side of the road where he fell, and we found a gouge in the curb where his forward controls slammed the cement.

I never want to see that again!

So, Tuesday, we leave for the real vacation, this time in the car, because it's supposed to be a rainy week up in Maine. It is, but not while we're out and around too much, though if we'd been on bikes, we wouldn't have seen or done as much. We went first to my sister's home in Freeport, greeted by Gus & Lily, their new 4 month old yellow lab pups...full of energy and as cute as can be! A short visit this time, we head out on Wednesday to the WatchTide B & B - Pat and Frank are wonderful Innkeepers, and the place is right out of the old days. We spent the next 3 days exploring towns like Castine, Searsport, Belfast, Mt Desert Island, enjoying the scenery, visiting lighthouses, eating in the local diners, and just enjoying ourselves and Maine. I was born and raised there and know some of the terrain, but these were places I'd never had a chance to visit, so Mike & I both had a chance to see something new. And we shared the B&B with 2 wonderful couples from the Atlanta area, the men had entered the National BoatBuilding Challenge.

On Friday, we ambled our way back to Freeport, enjoyed the ride, stopped to see some soggy lighthouses, and then met my sisters and their husbands and my dad & his partner for dinner. Good food, good company!

Saturday was the family get together, my sisters, our neice, and her 1yo son, and her fiance, our nephew, family friends, our step sister and her soon to be 1 yo daughter, and Morgan, the 9yo black lab, and Gus & Emily. It was an awesome day - full of laughter and conversation and too much food. I don't get a chance to visit like this very often, and I'm glad we were there.

I have pictures, I'll post them tonight!

Oh yea, knitting! I made hats for Rog and Brian, and socks for sister Gail, and started hats for Sarah & Madyson. And I have pictures of the FOs

And now I'm back to the ol' grindstone!

Hope!

Greenwash of the Week: Flex Fuel Vehicles - you have it all wrong Bill O'Reilly

Whose gonna get the big bucks?

So guess who's going to make BIG bucks when American Anheuser Busch is purchased by a foreign company...

Washington Wire - WSJ.com : McCains to Profit on Anheuser, InBev Deal

... AND who's not going to pay much into the economy for that huge profit? None other than the war mongering McCain family!

And how come no one is talking about it? Why isn't the media asking McCain about it? Oh, I get it, because it's corporate America controlling his purse strings?

Wednesday is Ride to Work Day!

Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm: A story with a raffle at the end

Sandy sent me to a link on Friday. I was so touched by Sue's aunt's & uncle's generosity and compassion and willingness to do the extra, no matter what the cost, and by her's as well. I know we all can't save the world, we can only do the best that we individually can, but I believe that each time we step outside our comfort zone and do that one thing extra to help, we are making an enormous contribution to making this a better place to live. So I'm pssing this along. I hope you'll take a minute to see what I mean.

Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm: A story with a raffle at the end


I donated stash to the raffle.

Knitters for Obama

If you're voting for a real change this year, if you're a knitter on Ravelry, if you want to support Barack Obama with a chance to get some really cool stuff, you really need to join Knitters for Barack Obama!! There's some really cool stuff and every $5 you donate at Knitters for Obama gives you a chance at one of 43 different yummy, crafty prizes!!