Hippo Birdies, shrift!

Big family party tonight, but first I must drive 4 hours to it, so I'd better get on with that. This time I'm remembering a swimsuit, because the resort has a pool -- which will not necessarily be in operation, but it might be, so why be swimsuitless if it is?

Happy Birthday, shrift!!!

Happy Birthday to shrift! One of my favorite years! May it be a fabulous one for you.

Have fun at the resort, Theodosia.

Happy birthday, shrift!

Gravity sucks in more ways than one.

Kat, there was a weatherman in Columbus that always built a backyard hockey rink, which was sort of cool. They got enough cold weather but not a lot of snow.

We have a lot of outdoor rinks here, obviously, but I haven't yet got Owen on skates yet. He's not very coordinated. But he's older than most local kids who start.

Happy Birthday, shrift!

I really need to take down the Christmas tree this weekend.

Birthday happies to shrift!

We have a lot of outdoor rinks here, obviously, but I haven't yet got Owen on skates yet. He's not very coordinated. But he's older than most local kids who start.

K claims that she can teach any kid who can walk to also skate. Dunno if I believe.

Happy Birthday Shrift!

claims that she can teach any kid who can walk to also skate.

My father used to take us all ice skating every Saturday morning through the winter to give my mom a break. I have really fond memories of this time with him, but I also remember how jealous I was because my friends there were allowed to use double runner skates, and my father didn't believe in things like that (no training wheels on bicycles, either!), so there was a few weeks of terror as he'd set me up on those two blades and give me a push. After that, I got to brag I could "really" skate and those on double-runners were "babies."

Huh, look at that. . . I wasn't a nice child.

eta: Happy Birthday, shrift!