Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Wet Shower

Some long people visit Haddonfield and comment on our Slingbox setup without fixing it. Other swarthy people visit Montana and luxuriate in hotel pools. We decided to combine the two, in a trip down to H-field to fully enable our place-shifting TV habits while enjoying some quality time in the shower. "Watson, I suspect the water's point of ingress is somewhere in this northwest corner!"
"Shut off that camera and help me find the water!"
"This bench is exhibiting signs of water exposure."
"You're contaminating my evidence with all that excessive water."
After drying off, DHV impressed the grandparents with his makeshift walker.
The next morning DHV resumed his investigation, first with a thorough search of the recycling bin for evidence.
Then Chief Inspector Hawkins grabbed his trusty electric torch, told a few Halloween stories . . .. . . and returned to the scene of the crime."Where did all that darn water go?"

Hammin for the Paparazzi

Some days don't go so well, as evidenced by this expression.

Most days go swell.
In between, young DHV hams it up for the camera.

A Visit to the Petting Zoo

Yes, we've gotten incredibly slow at the blogging. This guy keeps us busy! (Well, him and work and watching the various Philly teams lose). Anyway, last week we took a trip to a petting zoo where DHV observed and even touched some of the various animals. We started off small...
... and then moved on to bigger and better things.
DKV decided to feed the animals but got so scared when this guy bared his chompers that he pulled his hand back and let him eat the paper cup holding the food. Oops!
Despite that incident we still let DHV make contact with this friendly (but hungry) beast).
Here DHV modeled Daddy's cap and his bright red cheeks. It was pretty hot out there and the color of DHV's face was freaking SHV out but DKV assured her that it just meant the little guy's circulatory system was in good order.

After the animals (and a thorough hand washing) we settled down for a little picnic in the grass. DHV attacked this pear with fury.
And then enjoyed some chocolate chip cookie from the farmstand.

Purple Guilford Balloons

DHV herded us into the CR-V and we rolled over to Guilford. After steering us into a toy store, he slayed all the fair maidens therin (4 or 5, there was so much carnage it was hard to really tell) and made off like a Viking with his plunder: a giraffe plushie and purple balloon.
Guilford is home to "The Place", a BYOB outdoor eatery that serves grilled seafood. We took the opportunity to get in before it closed for the season. The cooks flirted with the fair maidens seated behind us by bragging about their 1200 degree grill; DHV showed he could hang with the frat-boy crowd."I'm floating away!"
"Get this thing offa me!""What did you do to me?"

Ferries, Castles, and Minnesota Lakes

Last weekend we packed up the family and headed to Haddam, CT (logically located in the center of Middletown, Middle Haddam, East Haddam, Haddam Neck, Little Haddam, Hadlyme, and Lyme) where we boarded the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry for a trip to Gillette Castle.
An actor made famous by his stage role as Sherlock Holmes built this eccentric stone mansion; he apparently had several Japanese "man-servants". It all seemed like a forerunner of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.
This wacko built his own railroad on the grounds, complete with an utterly unnecessary underground tunnel. Nothing like an autumn picnic!
Here's a shot of HusbandKV's favorite running location, just across the road from the house: Maltby Lakes. It looks like Minnesota but is just minutes from the door.After a hard day exploring Connecticut, DHV likes to set the dishwasher on "Pots and Pans" and climb in for a relaxing sauna treatment.

Lovin' the Ladies

Earlier this week DHV got the chance to practice his lady-killing skills on Justine, one of Mommy's good friends from Brooklyn. First he impressed her with his "high five" trick.
Then he did some flirting from a safe distance.
Before long he was getting up close and personal.
"You've got beautiful hair..."
"... mind if I pull it?"

What a Difference a Year Makes!