Duck!

When Mike says “Duck!” on his boat, he’s not referring to the webbed footed kind. Our boat trip included passing under several bridges for cars, trains or pedestrians, many of which the boat barely clears. Since we’re usually in a canoe, we don’t have to worry about ducking very often. It’s definitely a different experience sitting up higher off the water. We may have had to duck more, but we could appreciate the view more, although that might have been since I was only having to concentrate on drinking wine instead of paddling.

Tight Spots...

While all the canals around Leiden are no wake zones, it doesn't mean that you can't have some thrills on a boat. Rather than speed, the thrill is maneuvering through low tunnels with tight corners. As we prepared to pass under the above Buttermilk Bridge, Mike had Alex lay down at the front of the boat to help keep us from hitting the walls of the tunnel.

Fun on the Water...

The girls were just thrilled that we were going boating. They quickly claimed the front of the boat as their special place and enjoyed playing cards until we got into Leiden Centrum. Ashlynn started out with a life vest on, but quickly grew comfortable scrambling around the boat without one. She’s clearly more agile than I am, so thank goodness we didn't have to test out if her survival swimming lessons really work.

Boating with Friends...

After our basement flooded in mid-July for the 2nd time this summer, we were thrilled that there were clear skies the following day so we could go boating with our next door neighbors, Mike and Alex. They worked hard last summer to restore their 1940’s boat, but have gotten little use out of it this summer due to crappy weather. Mike grew up in Leiden, so was able to give us a wonderful tour of this city that he knows so well. We’re really lucky to have such great neighbors and are enjoying getting to know them better. Now that Mike’s come over in his underwear to borrow the lawn mower, we know that we’re not merely neighbors, but friends.

Learning Valuable Skills...

Our non-hash friends are always curious what strange things our kids are learning at the hash. Well, here's proof that they're learning very valuable skills. When Jimmy suggested the girls help him in the beer wagon (which, by the way, was the classiest way we'd ever seen at a hash to keep the beer flowing), they started with washing mugs and pouring sodas. It wasn't until he left to join me dancing that they graduated to pouring beers. I was worried that they'd be in the way, but they were hard workers and had a lot of fun. Wonder what child labor laws we were breaking?

Party Time for Frankfurt Hash's 20th...

After a fantastic Saturday hash (the girls took the 7k walking trail, I did the 11k turkey trail which included a lot of trying not to fall down the hills of a canyon, and Jimmy did the 14k eagle trail which was for the serious runners), it was time for the big party. The theme for the evening was a reverse pajamas party, but as you can see we opted to go conservative. It was a bit chilly, but dancing for hours to the classic rock band helped keep us warm.

Making Memories in Metal...

The girls definitely enjoyed making their coat of arms. Granted, you might not agree that this subject warranted four entries, but it was a special moment for the girls that we wanted recorded (and frankly, I'm trying to fill space while on vacation in the US). So, after all the suspense, here they are.