Month: August 2020

To the castle!

I always used to joke that half the reason I wanted to have kids was so that I could go to the Lego store without feeling like quite such an old weirdo. 😌 Happily, the boys provided many years of Legonic enjoyment.

During the pandemic Hen has really applied himself to the task of “restoring your childhood,” as he puts it. In addition to reconstructing some of my old train & boat sets, he’s lately turned to one of my all-time favorite sets, the King’s Castle from circa 1984. I have such strong, fond memories of asking for it at Christmas, thinking (based on box size as the pile of presents was dwindling) that I hadn’t gotten it, and then GOING OUT OF MY MIND upon realizing that it was to be mine after all.

Check out this set of photos that Henry captured on his own, especially to show off to our cousin Tony (for whom he also narrated a private tour).

In recent days, Hen & our neighbor Nathan have also discovered a shared love of Legos & making stop-motion films. Check out how they put the new-old castle & knights to use this weekend:

Photos

Road Trip Roundup

I find myself thinking back to Finn’s Yellowstone vacation haiku:

How long can it take
For my dad to take photos
OMG, he’s not done yet

🤣

He’s not wrong, and I shot up a storm on our epic road trip. For convenience & future reference, I’m pulling together the links here:

Day 1: Field of Light
Day 2: Warbirds Museum, Tehachapi Loop, Vegas Tree Chickens
Day 3: Museum of Neon, Lake Powell
Day 4: Mesa Verde, Kelly Place
Day 5: Arches National Park, Night Train
Day 9: Buena Vista fireworks
Day 10: Twin Lakes boating
Day 11: Frisco pontoon ride
Day 12: Rafting with the Wiggins (with video)
Day 13: Turquoise Stargazing
Day 17: Barstow Beckons

Colorado 2020 Photos

Road Trip Day 17: Barstow Beckons

Post author By The Nack Daddy
Post date August 3, 2020
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Whereas our previous trip through the old Route 66 waypoint of Barstow had seen Henry & me chilling—literally—in the high-desert January cold, this time was just the opposite: we delayed our evening foray to the train yard in the face of triple-digit heat that persisted past sundown, and we opted instead of drop by first thing Sunday morning.

Hen of course regaled me with insane amounts of railroading history as we scrambled around old engines and watched innumerable freight trains chug past us. This kid is such a piece of work—and we love him for it. 😌

Here’s a gallery showcasing our spin through history.

Colorado 2020 Photos

Road Trip Day 13: Turquoise Stargazing

Post author By The Nack Daddy
Post date August 2, 2020
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If you want to behold the wonders of the cosmos, it’s hard to beat sitting at 10,200 ft., far from the light & atmospheric pollution of any big city. Leadville—and specifically nearby areas like the beautiful Turquoise Lake—provide just such an environment.

In past years Margot & I have stopped by ourselves to stare up in awe, and this year we had the chance to bring along the lads & the Wiggin crew. With a phalanx of lawn chairs in tow, we set up shop alongside the dam and took in the view, using phones to help locate planets and constellations.

Check out our gallery from the evening.

Colorado 2020 Photos Rafting Videos

Road Trip Day 12: Wigginrafting

Post author By The Nack Daddy
Post date August 1, 2020
No Comments on Road Trip Day 12: Wigginrafting

Figuring we’d make it three-for-three on aquatic fun, the guys and I (minus Mom & Seamus) headed to Buena Vista with the Wiggii to take on our old favorite rafting spot, Brown’s Canyon (see semi-infamous 2016 outing 😛). While the moms biked on their own & the dogs held down their respective forts, the rest of us plowed right down the rapids, to everyone’s delight—and we even had a guide named Margo! (We’ll forgive the lack of “t.”)

Check out our gallery (featuring clips of Finn & Cyrus plunging off the raft into the not-so-icy waves) plus the video below: