what engineers do for fun

We sometimes go to bridges to check them out. This is the "Big Dam Bridge" in Little Rock/North Little Rock. We studied the concrete work and the steel work. It all checked out to me... I know little about either. I deal with piles of dirt instead of stuff in the air. Anyway, this is the longest pedestrian bridge in the world, from what I understand, and was retrofitted over an existing lock-and-dam on the Arkansas River, hence the name. And no, "retrofitted" has nothing to do with polyester and bell bottoms.

Jackson was not too thrilled about being 100 feet up in the air or with all the people riding by on bicycles.

Whitaker Point

The three of us like to go hiking and see new places. Whitaker Point is a must-hike for anyone who can handle a 3-mile moderate hike. It is just beautiful. Tim Ernst does a great job photographing it and those are worth googling if you like nature pics.

My awesome puppy

I know everyone thinks their dog is the cutest, smartest, bestest dog ever. But I just wanted to share one of the pictures that makes my heart melt. He loves that smelly, worn-out rope. He is so soft and so snuggly. My favorite time of the day is when it gets close to bed time and he starts winding down and will let me grab him and put him in my lap and pet him. He usually can't stay still that long.

Jackson discovers new thrills

Nate, Jackson, and I go to Nate's parent's house a lot. We go so much I bought a 4x8 fence pen to leave up there for Jackson to chill in when we are gone. Anyway, as was the case at home when we first got the puppy, I would stay out in the yard or the garage with the puppy much more than everyone else was comfortable with. So the parent's were very nice to Jackson and I last Christmas and decided he could come in the house. He is a very good boy and helps his Grandma with any thing she does around the house. She says he is nosy but I know she likes all the attention.

This summer Jackson was left for a while in the living room while other things were happening. I went in to check on him (hoping he did not find the collectible figures on the shelves tasty) and didn't see him at first. Can you find him? It is like "Where's Waldo"

There he is. Behind the furniture under the window! But why in the world is he over there? He usually likes to lay on the tile in the entry because it is cooler than the carpet.

Oh, I see. He found the air-conditioning vent. Good boy. Way to be creative in the quest for the coldest spot in the house. The only thing was that it was hard to get him out of there. I would get all excited and he would come out into the room and then look at me funny and hurry back to the vent. Maybe I was a little jealous of the pull the vent had over me, but I used the secret weapon--peanut butter!

Then Jackson got to ride in the back of the truck. Wow, if windows let you smell lots of stuff going down the road, that must have been an overload! I had to be creative and tie him up because he is a jumper. He jumped out of the Blazer with the tailgate still shut and now has jumped out of he car window to chase a squirrel. I think we are going to try agility training.

Canoeing the summer away

For some more canoe pics, see Atomic Annie's blog. I recommend checking it out anyway. There aren't as many pictures of Jackson over there, but it is still a rockin' blog.

Jackson is an excellent canoeist now. Here he is chillin' with my bro. float on, my friends... float on.

I am an expert fisher-woman. All other fishers bow down before my mighty skills. I catch the biggest and the most elusive fish in the world!! --Ok, maybe not, but I have lots of fun casting and sometimes I get fish stuck to the end of the line. But if it were not for the brave souls driving the canoes (dad or Nate) not only would I bump into stuff floating around aimlessly but I can't get the fish off my line by myself.

On this trip we figured out that Jackson should be staked with his long rope (don't tell parks and recs it is longer than 6 feet) on the side of the tent away from other tents and the eating area. He will only trip people and knock stuff over with the rope. Stake him close enough to the tent that he has rope to walk around inside the tent and just leave him attached to the rope all night and leave a tent door open. This way he doesn't have to pace around and around and around inside the tent because he wants to see what's outside and I don't have to wake up to put him on the leash and open the tent door and put him out. Oh, and then let him back in. So he really likes the tent and thinks it is just another dog house. This picture was taken when I couldn't see him while we were hanging by the fire. He was laying on his travel bed (a blanket that he lays on at home) in the tent. when I went over to take his picture he stuck his head out.

Jackson and Capone both get a stick to chew. Good boys.

Jackson can be a good boy in the canoe when he wants to be. Not when I want him to be, and usually only when he has been up all night roaming around the tent and whining to play with his friend Capone. I poured water on him to keep him cool. He does not get wet on his own accord.

This is Nate and Jackson in Old Blue. Old Blue is old and made of fiberglass. The bad thing about it is that you cannot turn around in it and steer it for a solo canoe. Nate is showing us the reason you want to be closer to the middle of he canoe when going solo.

This is me going by myself in a canoe that I had to steer through the mad, mad, river. I didn't do a very good job at the shoots where I mostly turned a 180 before the shoot and went down backwards. I need to quit freaking out and just DO IT!!