Family Mellmann

Our area is being pummeled by rains and flash flooding. Last night Jörg, Patrick, and I were out bailing water and mud until after 11:00 at our neighbor's house. Roads are closed, streets and ditches are damaged, homes are flooded, and schools are closed. We are warm and dry, and thankful. This morning, we incurred our only damage, and it has nothing to do with water! I watched as a squirrel ripped the cover of my hammock open...in the pouring rain. It's easy to replace, but for now my hammock is back in the garage.

Hmmm. Play date, or labor camp? Patrick is resting in the wagon (see his little feet hanging off the back?) while his friend mows our lawn! I guess when you can ride it, even a lawn mower is fun.

Joerg turned one bay of the garage into a motorcycle workshop. Shop lights, motorcycle mechanic's tools, and 80s music playing in the back. When he started working on my bike (new battery and installing my GPS cable so I can always find my way home), he realized that sitting on your knees on a cement floor is not a good idea. He needed something to sit on. The only stool in our house is this piano stool from my grandmother. It's one of those adjustable height stools with claw feet that you used to find in front of old pianos. I'm guessing that the stool is at least as old as my mother, but probably older (and I'm sure she'll correct me if I'm wrong).  While we don't really have anything here that is truly "old", I do have memories of using that stool dating back most of my life, so we can call that stool "old". Unlike the "old days" when Joerg and his buddy would work on their motorbikes together, nowadays we have an interne

Another Green Up Vermont Day is nearly in the books. Joerg and I have been participating in this annual clean up day since we first moved here thirteen years ago. Our first year, five month old Patrick was in a baby backpack. Our second year, he walked the roads with us. We've missed one or two years due to travel, but if we're home, we're doing Green Up Vermont Day. Today, Katherine (despite her whining about not wanting to help) was actually a HUGE help.  She even kept going with Joerg to do part of River Cove Road that we weren't officially signed up for.  Yeah Katherine! (and Papa, of course).

Yesterday was award day for Patrick. At school he had his annual academic competition with Websterville Baptist.  The competition includes fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, and each student elects two subject areas to be tested in.  Within each subject area, all students (4th-6th graders) take the same test.  The objective is to get the most correct in your subject area for your age group. Patrick competed against the other sixth graders in Science and English. In Science he took Second Place, and in English he took First Place. The certificate under the two academic awards was given to him (Joerg got one too) for participating in Tae Kwon Do Winter Camp.