Southern exposure

Krisanne arrived with Ronnie and his kids, Dalton & Ginny ... up from Florida and Virginia and places in between. It was nice to see them all ... Krisanne hadn't been "home" for a few years. The kids took to the lake almost immediately and barely came out during the days ahead.

Ronnie, Dalton & Ginny try out the canoe. (Krisanne pic).	but the kids liked the direct-to-water approach better.
Ronnie & Peter survey the lake from above.	Feeding my favorite ducks.

Lookout, everyone ...

By taking Krisanne to Lookout Rock, I'd completed the dragging of everyone in my nuclear family (and then some) to the spot. I tend to forcefully suggest going because it's close to home, a nice vantage point for this area and "ours." And everyone I've taken has enjoyed it (or humored me by pretending to) ...

Krisanne & me (Ginny pic)	Dalton & Ginny
Ginny masters the D70 ...	while I am still learning the many ways to use it (Krisanne pics)

Going South again.

Krisanne wanted Ronnie, Dalton & Ginny to see every place she'd ever been and meet everyone she'd ever known while in New England. But time was working against her, so she had to limit her choices. Going to Rhode Island easily made the list ... On yet another beautiful, hot day we went south through Providence, along Narragansett Bay and over the bridge to Jamestown. Beavertail, at the southern end of the island is a beautiful spot. Waves crashed over the rocky shore, the sun glistened off the bay, and we looked across at Newport.

Continuing across the Newport Bridge, we did the tour of the town. The kids were most interested in ice cream and t-shirts, but hung in there as we drove along the coast, took in the mansions and did a short distance on the Cliff Walk. The mansions are impressive, but I much prefer the quaint, hydrangea-framed homes on the narrow side streets.(top) Finally we got to the good stuff and found a Ben & Jerry's, some souvenir shirts, and even discovered that a Black Dog store had come to Newport.

At Beavertail on Jamestown.
On the Cliff Walk.	By the Wave statue.
Aw, this old lab just stayed by the window attracting customers.	Near the waterfront.

The tour of New England continued without me ... Krisanne took her captives to Maine the next day for an overnight stay. Upon their return, Ronnie, a southerner who's driven trucks in every state, declared Maine "the prettiest state I've ever seen."

Meanwhile the cats briefly got back to their normal routine. But as soon as the noise level rose again, Tony, Sara and Vinnie took cover. But Stinky continued to plant himself front and center, enduring more pickups and stretches in a few days than in the past few months. He can chill with the best of 'em.

"Bad" boy Tony on the kitchen table	Stink's good behavior has earned him outdoor time
The kids visit the best kitties in the world at the shelter...	and finish their visit the way it began.

Albeit Albany ...

At the end of the month we took another trip to upstate New York ... this time we met up with Arturo & Cathy (it was great hanging out with you!) and spent time in the Albany area. Peter had lived there for a while after college, and gave us a tour of the very nice, livable city. There were many beautiful neighborhoods with eclectic, interesting homes. And closer to downtown, the character-laden facades of row houses (many brownstones) got my attention. (More photos are here.)

Peter & Artruo at the Circle DIner in Latham.

We also had to visit Nipper, the RCA dog of Albany, who is perched atop an old manufacturing building on the "other side" of the tracks. A very neat area ... the Miss Albany diner was located nearby also.

Nipper in context ...	and on a newstand by the Miss Albany diner.
	Houses in Albany.

Then we went downtown, past all the government buildings, the very French-chateau capital building, and the "egg." It was nice to get a closer look at Albany after just whizzing by so often, on our way to somewhere else.

The Egg ...

the Capitol.

To August >