Senior Finale
After 14 years of softball, Meagan played her last Varsity game for Salisbury. No, it didn’t end in glorious victory, but it ended with team spirit, genuine relationships, and strong emotions. I’ve enjoyed every one of those years, and every stage of her growth as a player, from the cat herding days of T-Ball to the “Please don’t talk to me during the game” days of a young woman. I don’t know what else to say. I’m proud of you Meagan. Always have been and always will be.
Meagan was honored yesterday along with 28 of the best students the Lehigh Valley region has to offer as a recipient of the 2010 Donley Award For Excellence (still shows 2009 winners). One Senior from each area high school is selected by the teachers and faculty for this prestigious award in recognition of not only their academic excellence, but their commitment to the community and involvement outside the classroom. We couldn’t be more proud of Meagan and although she’ll be embarrassed by this post, she deserves every moment of recognition!
Last week I went with the scouts on a trip to Martin Guitar in Nazareth, PA. I’ve lived in the Lehigh Valley for over 20 years and I have never visited this facility! The tour was a real treat, Martin does a nice job letting you really get up close and personal. I recommend it to anyone in the area.
Martin is a wonderful combination of technology and craftsmanship. Many modern, high tech machines are used yet the guitars are touched by human hands almost continuously from the preparation of the raw materials all the way through the final tuning before they leave the door. The workshop id clean, well laid out, and all in all it looks like a nice place to work as far as a factory environment goes.
Martin established their factory in Nazareth in 1859 and has operated continuously since then. They currently have about 500 employees in Nazareth (if I remember correctly) and they also produce guitars in Mexico. The guitars are very expensive and with customizations can easily reach into the tens of thousands of dollars! I guess I won’t be playing one any time soon but it was fun to watch them being made.
William and I went on a scout camping trip this weekend. We were in a cabin so it just barely counts as camping, but it was still a good time!
We ate good food, had a nice hike with the Webelos on Saturday, relaxed, and had fun. I took my telescope along this time, thinking the boys would get a charge out of it. Too much moonlight to see some of the more interesting sky objects, but they liked it anyway. Frankly the adults were a lot more interested, no surprise there I guess!
Salisbury High School put on a somewhat modernized interpretation of The Three Musketeers for the spring play. The show was wonderfully produced and directed as expected! Meagan was cast in the part of Sabine, D’Artagnan’s (Tommy Walters) somewhat troublesome little sister. Hmphh, I don’t think she should get credit for acting 
Meagan did a wonderful job as did the entire cast. Congratulations to everyone!
Meagan seems to have really found an attraction to theatre and being on stage. No one has any idea where she would get that from… I guess she regrets a little that she didn’t get involved until her senior year, but she had a blast and I’m sure she will carry this into college.
Speaking of college, for both of you who aren’t on Facebook, Meagan has decided to become a University of Deleware Fightin’ Blue Hen! We’re all very excited and personally, I’m looking forward to taking over her room for some purpose or another.
Softball season is also already in full swing. No pictures yet but the team looks solid despite a first game loss. We’ll get ‘em next game!
Winter weather in eastern Pennsylvania has been all over the map. It started early, eased up when it was supposed to be the worst, and smacked us down late. It isn’t over yet, but we’re on the “right” side of the trend!
So much doing on that I just never got around to writing. Friends on Facebook have seen most of the happenings, but this is a brief summary. Also, check the Family gallery, the basketball gallery and the scout gallery for updates.
Early snow on the ground, and snow for Christmas, which was nice. We had a great time as usual with family and were happy that the season found everyone in good health and good spirits.
At the end of January William and I and the rest of his Scout troop went to the Klondike Derby at Camp Minsi. This is a fun event where the boys take a sled around to multiple stations where they need to demonstrate scouting skills from first aid to hatchet throwing (yeah, I don’t know how that is a scout skill either!). At the end of the day, our boys won the competition! They were thrilled as our troop has not placed well in this competition for many years.
Indoor soccer season came and went, not very eventful and not very fruitful, but the kids had fun. Basketball season is upon us now and the season is in the final weeks. William’s team has been on a real tear lately and won 5 of their last 6 games. Looks like they are headed to the playoffs!
This past weekend Salisbury High School presented the classic musical State Fair. The students did a fantastic job and everyone enjoyed the show. Meagan played two parts in the show, she was “Eleanor” as well as one of Emily Arden’s “Fairtones”. It was the first time she participated in one of the school plays and she had a blast. We first time theatre parents even ended up hosting the cast party on Saturday!
I took a few pictures on Saturday and went back Sunday to film the show for the cast party. It’s a lot of fun to watch the kids watch themselves for the first time! The video is huge so it probably won’t be up on line forever.
Yep, summer is over (and mother nature is putting an exclamation point on that).
The kids are back to school and sports are in full swing. The SMS soccer team has had four contests so far but today was the first opportunity for me to get any pictures. SMS beat up pretty badly on Notre Dame 7-2. Several players had multiple goals. William was goalie for the entire first half and I think he touched the ball once! Pictures in the gallery.
Summer has been busy in a very good way. We just returned from our family vacation at Long Beach Island. As always heartfelt thanks to Bob and Kathy Miller for their extraordinary hospitality in letting us stay in their beach home. We had a great time and the weather was fantastic. Water temps in the mid 70′s and beautiful sunny days!
Two weeks before LBI William and I spent a week at Boy Scout camp in what has become something of a tradition. I really enjoy this week since it gives me an opportunity to really decompress and disconnect. It is also good for my knot tying and wood carving skills 
Baseball is over, School is over, Time to relax…
OK, Maybe not! Last weekend we were supposed to go to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, but bad weather put that plan on the shelf. No point in going to watch WWI Aircraft fly (or more correctly NOT fly) in thunderstorms. Instead we packed up and headed to The University of Delaware for a visit for Meagan. She liked the campus a lot and they have a strong international business program with study abroad. It is definitely a contender.
There still seems to be something to do every evening. Meagan is playing volleyball over the summer and this weekend we are going to a graduation party for
my nephew. We snuck in a little relaxation last night with an Iron Pigs game after the thunderstorms blew through. Seats right behind home plate!
