New York 2012: Heading Home

Whenever I'm getting ready for a big trip like the New York trip, I get kinda grumpy because I don't want to go through the effort of traveling, even though intellectually I know I'll have a great time. Then when it comes time to leave, I get sad because the trip was too short -- and because I don't want to go through the effort of traveling.

The last day at Bette's Place we mainly just packed and cleaned and took a family portrait and hugged each other and that was that for 2012.

Another one for the record books.

Here McKenna was helping me frame the family portrait. The backlit nature of the scene caused us to change angles (see below). I find this picture to be strangely wistful.

Here's the family portrait we ended up with. Pretty good, except clearly I was supposed to be sitting in front of Mark. The little red blinking light on the front of the camera caused me to panic.  The tilt to the frame is easily correctable with modern technology, but I like it. It suits the Larrisons.

Uncle Scott and Elizabeth saying goodbye.

Elizabeth the jet-setter. This is us getting off the turbo-prop plane at Dulles. I can't remember ever getting off a plane via stairway to the tarmac. Man, was it hot.

New York 2012: Day Seven

This day started with a meat feast, with Uncle Mark as the primary consumer (this despite the Larrison boys' assertions that they could eat literally two pounds of bacon at a sitting). He's the type of person who binges on meat.  Because Aunt Mary is a vegetarian, Mark might go many days without the savory taste of meat; then, on short notice, he will gobble down a pound of bacon and half-a-pound of breakfast sausage.

It appears that this is necessary to his survival.

Day Seven saw us seeking the swimming hole we'd visited the previous year. The only clues were our vague memory of the shape of the lake. Aunt Mary, an expert map-reader, tried her best to match our vague visions to the hard-edged topography of the map.

We were sure we were on the right track, until we were sure we weren't.

And then Uncle Mark's neurons made some sort of unprecedented connection and he unerringly guided us to the trailhead. A short hike later and we were plunging into cold clear water from great heights.

See what I'm taking about? He ate ridiculous amounts of pork at this sitting.

Here's the family on the way up to the swimming hole.

Connor in the water.

Uncle Scott started a fun game called "Water Taxi," where Elizabeth would hang on as the adult swam around the lake from stop to stop. Scott was better at it than me, as I was in constant fear of drowning unless my feet could touch the ground.

Every female we meet seems to have a love of Nancy Drew. I'm pretty sure Aunt Mary read this whole book during the trip.

New York 2012: Day Six

Day Six, July 5th, the big event of the day was climbing Kane Mountain. Elizabeth bagged the peak all by herself. Not once was she picked up or carried on the entire climb. And when she summitted, despite prior reports of unbearable fatigue and an inability to go on, she managed to sprint up the stairs of the fire watch tower.

Curious.

The weather was clear and beautiful and you could see all sorts of thing from the top: twin mountain peaks, an obviously-man-made sand beach on a lake, boats and people and houses and clouds. It was pretty cool.

The deer flies were legion on the summit, which was another good reason to ascend the fire watch tower.    

They bite, you know.

The kids pose for a photo.  Is Elizabeth photobombing?

Daddy and Elizabeth at the top of the fire tower.

Self-portrait with baby.

After climbing the mountain, swimming, kayaking, and lounging were definitely in order.

Suzanne benefited so much from Connor's tutelage.  Plus, she loves him to death.

Connor is ready to pilot McKenna to shore. What a helpful lad!

Josh displaying what was probably the biggest catch of the trip.

The capper to the perfect day: Trivial Pursuit!  (Easy for me to say, since I'm awesome at it.)

At this particular moment, the deer fliers weren't so bad.

New York 2012: Day Five

Independence Day!

Woot!

America!

I'm writing this without irony.  Yeah, yeah, we've got problems.  Yeah, yeah, we've done horrible things.  All in all, though, I'll take the good ole US of A over most countries past, present, or (let me clamber out on an arrogant American limb here) future.

Maybe it's too much to say: "We're number one!"  How about a more humble yet still kickass: "We're in the top five! We're in the top five!  U-S-A! U-S-A!!"

But I digress.

July 4th the Bracco/Columbus faction had returned to Rocky Point.  We Larrisons soldiered on and had a good time.

Uncle Mark performs first aid on Elizabeth.

 

Suzanne takes water safety very seriously.

There was a sudden, brief torrential downpour. Scott asked McKenna to run out into it.She did.

The late afternoon light was gorgeous on the black water. I couldn't take enough pictures. Most of them were awesome.

See what I'm talkin' about?

'Nuff said.

What I love about this picture is the feet beneath the water (I feel that feeling when I look at them --- that "my feet are submerged in lakewater" feeling) and the tilted, tree-studded horizon. And Elizabeth's cryptic smile.

Connor and Dad.

Elizabeth and her God-father.

Cousins.

Three-fifths of a very happy family.

Mark showing off the tattoo Scott gave him in their very well-spent youth.

C'mon! We're a pretty cute couple, aren't we?

New York 2012: Day Four

July 3rd we mixed it up.  Elizabeth and Daddy had made a roadtrip to Uncle Mark and Aunt Mary's (and Cousin George's!) the night before, with the order from Barb to be back at Bette's Place by 11:30am, come hell, high water, or the Corn Valley (home of the Leprechauns, at least as Mark would tell it).

Originally, the idea was that we'd spend July 3rd with the Bracco side of the family, and the Larrisons would come up on Independence Day.  Instead, we mixed the two families on 3 July 2012, and it was great! I think brother Scott gave Grandpa Frank a more enjoyable conversation than I ever had: Scott is not only by nature voluble, he also has an interest in professional sports, and he knows at least a little bit about fishing. Here's what I know about fishing: I'm not crazy about it, especially as it pertains to removing hooks from fish (esp. fish eyes), or putting worms on hooks (esp. blood worms).

Glow necklaces (and rave flashback) courtesy of Barb Brophy.

McKenna's first fish of, like, a thousand.

Grillmaster Scott.

McKenna spies the sunfish she's spent her whole life chasing. 

Family resemblance.

Extra, extra: Four-year-old catches fish with Disney Princess rod!

The old Rocky Point crew.

If I were a fish, I'd write a horror movie about this girl.

To paraphrase Ray Bradbury, fishing is a lonely business.

Don't do it, Connor!

Elizabeth enjoyed fishing alone...

... and with a friend.

The fact that Suzanne was so happy to be picked up by Connor -- practically a stranger -- was incredible. This went on the whole trip: she loved him right away.

Co-captains.

Suzanne fears not the leeches.

Jim Junior and McKenna.

All tuckered out after a big day.

Marshmallows don't roast themselves.

Jim Junior isn't messing around with his marshmallow. He'll roast it to within an inch of its life.

The Force is strong with this one. (And Daddy's getting tired of making up captions for marshmallow-roasting pictures.)