Catch-up for May, June and July

I missed my goal of posting once a month the last couple months, so this is a bit of catch-up for the last three months.

Highlights:

Dartmouth 15-year reunion, which I could walk to now that I live in town, and during which I got to see a bunch of people I don't get to see much, and a couple people I hadn't seen since graduation, which was a nice surprise.

Rowing four mornings a week with the Upper Valley Rowing Foundation in late June and most of July. It was nice to row with skilled rowers and get some of the really great feeling of rowing well together and feeling the boat move smoothly and swiftly from our effort. I'm getting close to buying a multi-use rowing boat of my own shortly. More about that when it actually happens.

A weekend trip to Pittsburgh to see a couple of friends performing (Clapping Music and a boozy Twelve Days of Christmas were highlights) in Pittsburgh, where I also got a chance to spend some time with Cory who was in from San Francisco.

Fireworks in Boston on the Fourth of July after close to a week's retreat about an hour north of Albany. Another weekend retreat in May in southern New Hampshire that was lovely and fun.

A weekend visit to Cape Cod to visit college friends and their families. A weekend visit to New York City to see a friend, Pilobolus perform, see rowers on a tour stop in northern Manhattan, and get bubble tea (which is hard to come by in the Upper Valley). A weekend trip to Boston for Pride festivities.

Working on construction of a timber frame and straw bale building not too far awayin Vermont on a private camp. That's gotten me thinking much more about building my own place in the woods, enough to sign up for a home design and build class at a school in Vermont called Yestermorrow.

Saw the Big Apple Circus, four performers swinging on flexible poles above the green called Swoon, Ratatouille at the cinema. Tried the flying trapeze with a college friend at the Circus School in San Francisco just before I returned.