Navy Boxing

On Friday night I went with some friends to the US Naval Academy where we watched the annual Brigade Boxing Championships. There were 10 fights in weight classes from 125 to heavyweight. I had never been to a boxing match so it was exciting to be a part of the excitement. The event is the Navy's school championship and the gym was packed with midshipmen and Navy alumni. Since I took a boxing class for a couple of years, I felt I knew a little about the punches and techniques and I was excited to see my first fight. It wasn't long and brutal like Rocky, which I think is what I was expecting. It was very athletic and all the fighters hugged each other after each fight. Not a very "Mike Tyson" thing to do. The fighting wasn't violent at all, although the last two fights did produce some blood. I guess that's why people watch, right?

Snowshoeing in the Adirondacks

Last weekend I took a quick trip up to Albany to join Emily, Doug and Benjamin on a snowshoeing trip in the Adirondacks. We headed up to a small town halfway between Lake George and Lake Placid where we hiked to a yurt at Falls Brook.

Saturday was a perfect day with plenty of sunshine and minimal wind. We headed out to find the frozen Stony Pond but we never quite made it. We still had a great time enjoying the blue sky and fresh snow.

Little Squirt in the Yurt

Benjamin and Emily enjoying the nice warm yurt. This kind of backpacking is way better than sleeping in a tent. You don't have to load your pack down with the tent, a ground pad or any kitchen gear. Did I mention that it was heated? It was heated. The yurt came fully equipped with a gas stove and kitchen items. Emily and Doug made some delicious Thai food on Friday night -- I'll take that over tinfoil dinners any backpacking trip. Winter camping is cold, you say? Then opt for a yurt. Ours was well heated with this trusty unit, that worked so well that we heated water on it. Little hands and wet shoes beware. This heater will burn or melt anything that touches it. My only recommendation: install a fan to promote air circulation. The air from the waist down was freezing, waist to head was semi warm, and the high ceiling area enjoyed if you were sitting on the top bunk was a veritable sauna. Our yurt at Falls Brook. Emily and Doug were very dilligent about making sure Benjamin stayed warm. Here is the happy family gearing up for a day out in the snow. Ben loves his hunting bunting.

Winter's Beauty

Obviously this trip was mostly about enjoying the beauty of winter. There's something so peaceful about a quiet forest covered in a thick blanket of snow. While taking breaks on the trail, we enjoyed that deep silence that is only enjoyed in the back country during winter. Here are a few glimpses of that beauty.

Beautiful and Delicious

Last week I went with some friends to a gallery event at the McLean Project for the Arts. It was called Gals in the Gallery, a ladies night that also had a demonstration by a internationally renowned pastry chef. The theme for the evening was the Art of Chocolate and the chef built a beautiful chocolate sculpture right in front of us. We got to taste some yummy treats too.Here is part of the final product. He made these amazing roses out of white chocolate paste. Alisha, MacKenzie and me enjoying a fun girls night out. Besides the sweet treats, we also saw some intriguing art.

Good Memories

I didn't take many pictures during my holiday trip to Oregon. But I did manage to find these old pictures. It's fun to look at photos from the past and remember how much more simple things were. Or maybe they just seemed easier. Being an adult seems to bring responsibility and big decisions and sometime disappointment. Life was a little easier when I was running around the driveway with friends and sticking my tongue out. I seemed to do a lot of that. I don't remember exactly which vacation this was, but I'll venture a guess and say it's when we went to Cove Palisades. It could have also been Ft. Stevens. Camping was such a great vacation. I wish I did more of it now. Really it's all about sleeping in a tent and cooking and keeping the fire going. Not much else to it. I have no idea where or when this picture was taken, but I like it. Someone told me I look like Dorothy. I especially like grandma Henderson in the background. This looks like it could have been a school concert. More importantly, I remember loving that shirt. I wish they still made cool shirts like that. I have more pictures that I'll post in the future. I'll save them for when I don't have anything new to report.

Bananas for the Steelers

So as you may know, I'm not a huge professional sports fan, however, I do enjoy a good Super Bowl party. Tonight I went to a fun gathering with friends and since I didn't really have a favorite team, I picked the Steelers. When at the grocery store looking for something to bring, I saw a box of Nilla Wafers and got an idea.
Here is my version of a Super Bowl winning dessert. I think I'll call it "Bananas for the Steelers". Congratulations Pittsburgh and fans everywhere. There's plenty of pudding left over so stop by for a celebratory snack. In case you don't know what the Steelers' logo looks like, click here.

The Inauguration

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to attend the Presidential Inauguration with my friends Alison and Becky. We started out at 5:30 a.m. and arrived at a packed Metro station. We elbowed our way onto an overflowing train and I could sense the other passengers' irritation. To ease my guilt for having pushed our way on, I shouted "I love you all" and everyone laughed. We were all going to the same place, all going to take part in history. And one day our children and grandchildren will read in their text books about the first African American man who was elected President of the United States. I'll be able to say I was there.

Bitter cold and I didn't care until I couldn't feel my feet

Here are Becky and I standing in front of the first police barricade. We were still smiling because it was still early and we hadn't suffered much yet. Little did we know what we were in for.After the barricade was opened, we headed to one of the security check points. There was a secured perimeter around the parade route and everyone had to pass through metal detectors. Here are just a few of the people we shared the day with. The smiles were starting to fade. Three hours later, after standing still in 20 degree weather we weren't feeling as fresh, but we kept our eye on the prize. We weren't going to stand on The Mall all day like most people. We were going to a party in an office on Pennsylvania Avenue where we would get a comfy seat in a warm building, where there would be large restrooms and plenty of food. We finally made it through the check point and limped to our destination. We soon learned that we had been lucky. Some of our friends waited 6 hours in line at a security checkpoint where the power had died, rendering all metal detectors useless. Three hours no longer seemed so horrible. Here are Becky and I starting to feel a little cold. We were grinning and coming close to bearing it. At times, though, the cold wind seemed unbearable.

Presidential View

This was our view from the office we were in. We were right in front of the Navy Memorial and across the street from the National Archives building. We could even see the platform from which Ann Curry and Al Roker were broadcasting all day. At one point Ann was dancing with the crowd that was doing the electric slide. But forget morning talk show hosts. This is what we had been waiting for all day. And we actually saw them, albeit from a window. President and Mrs. Obama stepped out of their bullet-proof Cadillac limo and walked in the street, right in front of our building. I know this picture isn't that great, but you can tell it's them. Michelle's yellow dress stands out in a crowd.

So now I can say I witnessed history. I attended the Inauguration of President Barak Obama, our nation's 44th president. And not only did I witness it, but I was inspired by this epic event. It is our turn to join in and do something that makes our country better. What will I do? What will you do? Let's start thinking and let's start doing. Regardless of our political views, we can all do our part to make American even better.

Federal Treat

A party isn't posh without the ultimate favor. I'm pretty sure this one takes the cake. Or the chocolate bar. Eating the White House and the national Capitol never tasted so good.

Beautiful Sister

Take a look at what my sister Rebecca is doing this weekend. http://www.jennejohndance.com/performances.htm.

I'm so proud of her!