New roof

Just as our Victoria Day weekend friends were pulling out of our driveway last Monday, the roofers arrived. After getting 30 years out of a 20-year roof, we figured it was time. We had had a few leaks around our skylights. All but one of the roofing estimates we got noted that we must replace the skylights. The catch: the size needed for exact replacement is not made anymore. We decided to go with the one roofer who said our skylights are fine. In less than three days several teams of guys rotated through to get the job done.

Don worked from home on the first day and got some photos. One team shoveled the tile off the roof. Another gathered the debris in tarps and got it ready for another team who whipped in and carted it away. And a few crazy installers ran up and down our steep, way-too-high-for-me roof, working a section at a time to completion. Quite an efficient process!

We are away this Memorial Day weekend and with lots of rain at home, we were anxious to hear how the roof was holding up. Bryan, who is home Toby sitting, reported no leaks. Yah!

Crossing guard Don

Don volunteered to help out with a local fundraiser called Brake the Hunger Cycle. He was put on crossing guard duty and the local newspaper snapped this photo of him. He looks pretty good at it! Sign him up!

Victoria Day Weekend 2013

Don and I celebrated the Canadian long weekend with guests from the north, including Nancy & Mac from Toronto, Sue & Ron from Ottawa, and fellow NJ local Canadians Linda & Craig.

The weekend started with food and drink and lots of laughs.

Don & Nancy, Sens fan Ron modelling what not to wear in Ottawa, Craig & I, Sue & Nancy, Linda & Mac
looking at Nancy's creative book filled with photos from our Italy trip Sep 2012.

Staying with tradition, the weekend is never complete without a trip to the Outlet Mall, and once again, we made it worth our while! Between the four of us (Nancy, Sue, Ron & I) we did a lot of good damage in many stores. As you know, when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. This grueling day was followed by a delicious dinner at The Smoke Rise Inn.

The next day was our NYC day. Unfortunately mother nature wasn't quite with the program dealing out a day of steady, but warm, rain. We traveled in by PATH train, being serenaded along the way by a group of talented men singing a few doo-wop classics. First on the itinerary was a visit to the 911 Memorial at the foot of the new Freedom Tower. A somber experience around an incredible memorial.

Ron, Sue, Nancy, Mac, Don

Beautiful and sad

This was followed by a walk to the Brooklyn Bridge entrance where we met Craig & Linda again, then trekked across the Brooklyn Bridge over the East River to Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) where we found a great restaurant for lunch and to drip partially dry in.

9 Old Fulton Restaurant, Dumbo in Brooklyn

Then back to Manhattan via the Manhattan bridge, learning the reason that no one talks about crossing the Manhattan bridge - the subway passes right beside the walkway rendering you deaf every 5 minutes or so as it passes. A walk through Chinatown, west on Houston and through Washington Square up to Union Square (again, while its pouring rain) earned us another break for refreshments. From there we hopped back on the path where this time we were entertained (?) by PDA activity.

Tired, wet, and, of course, thirsty, we arrived home where we enjoyed our final, fun night together.