Making It Count-A Night Out and A Kid Rock Concert!

I love being a mom. Dave and I share the exhaustion of raising little ones. We also share the enjoyment that little ones have brought to our lives. That being said, Damn! Last night I had an amazing time taking a break from it all!

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Our friend Kris (also a mom) and I left yesterday morning for Hartford, CT. We were armed with a hotel reservation, two tickets to the Kid Rock/Lynyrd Skynyrd show and fixin's for a pitcher of tasty, raspberry-lime margaritas!

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We arrived at the hotel to a party in the parking lot. Each tailgate we passed blared Kid Rock tunes, people were drinking, dancing and getting worked up for the show. Kris and I couldn't stop smiling and asking ourselves, "How friggin' cool is this?"

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An hour before showtime we filled our little plastic cups, socialized in the parking lot with another group from Vermont, then began our ten minute walk to the venue.

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Inside the gate was another party. There were food vendors, alcohol vendors and fans like us getting geared up for the show. We joined the party, got a bite to eat, drank beer and used the bathroom at least three times. We didn't want to miss any of the show once it began.

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Seeing Lynyrd Skynyrd perform "Sweet Home Alabama", "Free Bird", and "Gimme Three Steps" is a privilege I will never forget. Seeing Kid Rock perform anything always leaves me speechless. He is my Rock N Roll Jesus. I haven't been such a fan of anyone since I was seven and in love with Donny Osmond.

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I could keep gushing about what a fabulous time we had. However, I don't wish to bore my readers or embarrass my husband. Thank you Double D for supporting occasional excursions for me to make the most of!

County Fair 2008, A Magical Place For The Dewey Family

Sam and "Yucas". Sam loves his buddy Lucas. He loves making him laugh and loves getting a rise out of him. That's what I consider a good friend.

Whenever we passed the merry-go-round, Mae made happy sounds, kicked her feet and rocked her whole body. I remember feeling the same way when I was little.

On the Ferris wheel Sam exclaimed, "I can see the whole city!" We decided to bring them in the evening because the fair is dazzling at night. They were both asleep and drooling before we reached home. Dave loves it when that happens. He told me it makes him happy to know we've shown them such a good time that their little bodies are spent. Seeing the world through their eyes reminds me of magic that can be found at a county fair.

Girly Girl? Tom Boy?

The many faces of Mae.

Memorial for King Luther

Today the state held a ceremony honoring our first police K9 to die in the line of duty. The flag, suspended between two ladder trucks flies above the Vermont Police K9 Hall of Fame.

King Luther had reason to believe his handler was in danger, then gave his life to protect his partner.

Sadly, we are familiar with the unexpected loss of a devoted partner. We understand the labor of love and pride that goes along with being family of a working dog. Our hearts go out to the Post family during this difficult transition. King Luther will always be with Officer Post. He taught Officer Post to be a good handler. When Officer Post begins training with a new partner, King Luther's influence will be there to ensure his handler and community are safe.

My Little Experiment

Yesterday while in the barn filling our dog's breakfast bowls, I saw something move in the cat's water dish. Creeped me out. How did this bizaare aquatic creature get into my barn and take up residence in the cat's water bowl? I scooped up a few and put them in a vase to see what might develop. In the meantime I Googled "water critters" and thankfully found a university site with a link called "EEK! Water Critter Key". Mosquito larva makes sense. The drainage ditches on our road were re-done last summer in response to flooding. All the rain we've been having left standing water in the ditches. I don't think I've ever experienced such a flurry of bloodsuckers in my life. Although I detest mosquitos, I'm glad it isn't some weird evolution of parasite my cats may have picked up.

Hanging On

Finding it difficult to concentrate while listening to David Cook-Love him!

Back to hanging on. I thought buying property was a crazy ride, selling is much more turbulent. We alternate between days of hopefulness and hopelessness. At the end of the day we simply place our trust in the hands of fate and believe someday our dreams for the future will be fulfilled. In the meantime we savour memories built at the Deweybarn. There have been great parties here, like the one in the backyard when we got married. There are memories of loss and devastation we've worked hard to put behind us. We have brought home beloved pets and felt the pain of losing them. To our young children, this is the only home they have known. They were conceived at the Deweybarn. In utero they were introduced to our sounds (barking dogs mostly), then were brought from the hospital to begin their lives here. I know the right family will find the barn and appreciate her as we have. It would be nice if they find us before the snow flies!

Not Too Young For a Hardhat

Let's put her to work when we build the new house.