Family Mellmann

This afternoon we went to see the Christmas Spectacular at Essex Alliance Church.  We expected to see Calvin there because his mom is in the show.  But we also saw other friends including Ross and his parents. The show was great, and did a good job of getting us in the mood for Christmas.

The newest addition to our motorcycle fleet arrived by trailer from Pennsylvania last night. It's a 2001 BMW R1150GS with some technical upgrades and spiked wheels.

I realized, early this morning, that some valuable navigation is missing from our newly-updated website.  I'll work on that this week. In the meantime, the only way to move from one photo story to the next is by going "home" and choosing a different picture, or by going to "archive" and choosing from the link list.  I'll add some navigation from each page so that you don't have to do that. I guess that's what happens when you try rush.

Well, at least I *think* that's how the lingo goes.  Our website has seen a facelift AND an update.  I know!  Can you believe it?  What a banner day. I hope you enjoy the new look, and find the new navigation easier.  I would look forward to your feedback as long as you have nice things to say about me. No, seriously, I appreciate any feedback.  I want the website to be fun for everyone and easy to use.  If it isn't, you should tell me so that I can (hopefully) fix it. Okay.  That's all the news I have.  Have a great week.  (And click HERE to check out the new website.)

Today was a beautiful day. After a crazy busy weekend of school programs, play dates, and sleepovers, we couldn't resist an opportunity to get outside. We decided on a waterfront walk. I snapped this picture of Patrick at the park near the water treatment facility along the waterfront.

"Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Junior Bear, and Girlie Bear." Papa Bear is picking up a second bike (we're renting his "dream bike" for the holiday weekend) and then we're off for an adventure.

For years I have been telling the kids that while they are away at school I am home working; doing my chores, preparing meals, doing laundry, and slaving away for their comfort and well-being. Well, don't tell them, but what really happens looks more like this...the parents take the day off and go for a motorcycle ride!!

...and had to drive the car home! We didn't actually flip a coin to see who would drive the bike home...Let's just blame it on the fact that I wear skirts most of the time and couldn't get my leg over the saddle. Oh, and the fact that Patrick wanted to ride along and needed MY helmet didn't help much. So, we should do some introductions.  Friends and family, meet our new motorcycle.  The gentleman that we bought "her" from had named her, but we've never actually made a practice of naming our vehicles.  Our children have names.  Our computers have names.  But not our transportation - although I realize that a motorcycle may actually be considered quite a bit more than JUST transportation.  In any case, we hope that this motorcycle - a 2002 BMW R1150R- is the first of a pair that Family Mellmann will enjoy for seasons to come.

Today is Katherine's first day at Trinity. There will be many firsts for her here. It's the first time she's ever had her own desk. No more group tables (except for group activities), and it's the first time that the kids have been on the same schedule at the school - YEAH! Katherine will (hopefully) learn proper posture, how to sit like a lady (girls must wear dresses), and LOTS of good knowledge stuff and reading.We are hopeful that it will be a great place for her to learn.  Oh, and her class of second and third graders has only five kids in it.  In the afternoon, when they are joined by first graders, they grow to a staggering nine kids. :)

Patrick and Katherine will be on the same school schedule for the first time EVER. This is great! Katherine is a little nervous about starting a new school, but she knows that her big brother is in the room across the hall, and the teachers at Trinity are awesome.

Today, on our way home from motorcycle training class, we were struck by what we presume was a rock kicked up by a passing car. The driver's window "exploded" into a gazillion pieces and then proceeded to rain down on Joerg as he continued to drive us home. After a half hour with the shop vac, the car is cleaned up and the driveway is free of glass. Now I just have to get the window replaced.

Day 1 of our motorcycle training class has gone well. It was super hot, but it's going well. (Yes, Joerg is mostly taking this class to show solidarity with inexperienced me.)

This is a Barred Owl. Patrick feeds about seven of them at the rescue where he works. And for the past few nights, we have been hearing one calling out in our back yard and forest. Last night he was busy from about 9:00 until well past midnight. I'd like to have a couple more mouse-eating owls in the yard to help keep the inside-my-house mouse population down. :)

Tonight's dinner included Finnish Parsnip Casserole and these fresh-caught (caught by Patrick and Opa, cleaned by a neighbor) perch.

It’s a couple days late, but Jörg got his birthday “cake”. It’s actually called the “Mountain of Meatloaf” at Vermont Sports Grill, but he said it was really good.

Outreach For Earth Stewardship Live Bird Demonstration Patrick, and his partner Owen, are presenting the Barred Owl at the end of raptor camp.

Taken from Outreach for Earth Stewardship, overlooking Shelburne Farm, Lake Champlain, and the Adirondack Mountains

Back in May Patrick's school hosted a silent and live auction to raise money for new, energy efficient, windows. The auction was very nice, and one of the things we got was a pass to Ausable Chasm in New York. Well, today we used it. We left first thing this morning and drove to the ferry, out of Burlington, bound for Port Kent. Ausable Chasm is very close to the ferry docks. At Ausable Chasm we took a short scenic walk along the gorge, then took two runs down the river; first in a raft, then with inner tubes. The wait for the raft trip was very long (they're a little under staffed), but when we came back for the tubing we were able to bypass the line and go straight for the tubes. On our way out of the park, we stopped and let the kids prospect for gems, stones, and fossils. And then boarded the ferry back to Vermont, enjoying a sunset over Lake Champlain, and dinner at Pizzeria Uno.

The Mellmann website has been updated.  What do a bunch of rocks have to do with it?  Well, visit us and you'll see.

A picturesque lunch break atop Snake Mountain in Vermont, about an hour south of home.

The Mellmann Kayak Fleet is complete.  Here we go on our first trip down the Winooski River.

After a weekend of camping (which translates into staying up late) and a few hours at the pool today, Katherine was ready to relax and play a few rounds of Uno. However, before I could finish my shower she had fallen asleep reading a book.

It could be a little warmer (to offset the cool water), but this is a very nice way to spend a Saturday at camp.

The sun is setting on the first night of our inaugural camping weekend. I think that chair is calling my name.

Patrick and I went to the Catamount Outdoor Family Center to join Katherine (whose class was there for a fun day) for one last lunch before school gets out. While we were there, we had lunch and Patrick took a ride on the mountain biking practice circuit. Katherine was not interested in having her picture taken ("I'm sweating too much.", she said), so instead I captured Patrick practicing on the circuit, and Katherine had a cupcake.

Click here to view this photo book larger.

Patrick is getting his hands dirty for the family business. It isn't the first time he's had to get grimy working for us, and it surely won't be the last. Today he, and one of the neighbor kids, planted flowers in the pots we installed by a couple of our units last year. While they got that work done, I was showing the unit that we have on the market. That's what I call teamwork!

It took some time to watch all the videos and filter through all the pictures, but we have a website update with the highlights and stories of our adventures in Indonesia, specifically Bali, Flores, and Komodo National Park. When Joerg and I met, I figured there would be some travel in my future.  How could there not be travel?  He's from Germany, I'm from the US.  His family is there, mine is here.  At the very least we would travel the States and visit Germany once in awhile. In twelve years we have been privileged to go on dive vacations, road trips, and travel to some faraway places.  We have traveled in luxury, camped, and stayed in some less than stellar accommodations.  We have visited heavily traveled tourist spots and enjoyed off-the-beaten-path gems, and our adventure to Indonesia brought us to some of the most remote places we have ever been. Thank you for following us on our adventures.  Enjoy the pictures .

Trinity Baptist hosted its annual Silent and Live Auction with barbecue and a fun fair for the kids, followed by the announcement of all the run-a-thon winners. When all the auctions were over, everyone lined up to anti-up for their wins. Patrick came in second for the most money raised in the 4th-6th grade.

Tonight is Katherine's Night Sky Museum night. Each kid worked on a project about the sun, stars, planets, or moon. Some did models demonstrating how the Earth rotates around the sun AND around it's own access, others researched characteristics of their chosen celestial body, and some wrote about constellations. Katherine wrote about Leo, the Lion, and built a board showing the major starts (in tinfoil) that make up the Lion.

The first bike ride of the season. We call it our Ethan Allen Loop; around Ethan Allen Homestead, a stop at the Ethan Allen Park, and a hike up to the Ethan Allen Tower.

This is Patrick's third catch of the day and his largest catch ever (more than three pounds). She's full of eggs so he put her back in the lake. Let the fishing season begin!

We arrived home on Wednesday, having caught an earlier flight from Newark to Burlington than originally scheduled. Rather than sitting in the airport for an eight hour layover, we paid to bump out flight up to an earlier departure. With this bump, we weren't sure if our two checked bags would make it. We were surprised when the first bag came around on the luggage conveyor. However, only one bag showed up. For two days Jörg monitored luggage-track websites and kept contact with our local airport. This wasn't just any old suitcase; it carries most of our souvenirs, all of Jörg's dive gear, and the usual collection of dirty laundry. The key items being souvenirs; those special items collected over the course of our travels, most of which we can't just run to the store and replace, or shop on the Internet do. After finally accepting that these items were probably gone forever, and resigning ourselves to having to replace dive gear and clothes, the call came.

...begins with coffee. We're back at the Labuan Bajo airport to begin our long travels home. Peter and Suzanne purchased gifts for friends/family, and now the guys are buying Flores coffee, which is apparently very good.

A traditional Indonesian breakfast. Today is our last day on land (and with Internet). In about an hour we will be collected by the dive boat to begin our live aboard scuba adventure.

Today we watched the sun rise and fall over the islands surrounding Flores, Komodo, and Rinca from the deck of our boat. We left at 05:30 for a four hour boat ride to the island of Komodo where we observed many dragons during our ninety minute hike. Once we (we have been travelling in a group of six couples, all the men work for Mentor Graphics) were back on the boat we suited up for a snorkel at Pink Beach. And yes, it does have pink sand, but the lighting has to just right to capture it in pictures. However, when you stand on the beach it's easy to see the broken bits of red and pink coral that tint the sand. After a little lunch and a cruise around several islands, we were at Rinca to observe more Komodos on another ninety minute hike. As we ended our hike we were pleased to spot wild monkeys moving through the low lands. Until I can process all of pictures, here's one of the sunset as we cruised back to Flores (where our hotel is).