Did you find last week unsettling?

Are you fearing for your retirement fund? Or your current savings account? Do you find that strange republicans are actually trying to wink at you through the tv camera?



Well, you're not the only one who's hair is standing on end these days...

Not only that, but we're still in catchup mode! Here's a shot of CJ and Tomoki in Shenandoah National Park that got stuck in the camera (it was taken back at the end of August).



We went swimming after the hike.



And here's an early September tea party, held in our bathroom.



CJ and her friend Alicia enjoyed a fun day at the zoo, especially frolicking in the sprinklers.



On our next hike, also in Shenandoah National Park, CJ did her best 'masked marvel' impersonation.



And then she had fun goofing around with Tomoki and his parents.





When we returned from the hike, it was time for one last dip in the pool. CJ seemed a bit unhappy at having to leave her floaties behind.



Tomoki managed to eke out a good time though.



A few days later, CJ and Mommy visited the Potomac River's Great Falls two days after a tropical storm blew through:



Sadly, the parents of our neighbor Min Wen were returning to Beijing. CJ and Mommy presented them with a paper wreath they had made of their hands waving goodbye. We will miss you, Li Xiansheng and Xiao Taitai!



And now we catch up to last weekend, when NaiNai and YeYe came to visit. They brought CJ a pair of duck feet that went just swimmingly with the Dr. Seuss book "I Wish That I Had Duck Feet."



CJ always wants to see what the photo looks like after it's taken. Patience, xiao hai!



Who knew our galley kitchen doubled as a fashion runway?



We took NaiNai and YeYe to Great Falls, after yet another rainstorm. First, we crossed a few boardwalks through a swampy forested island.



And then we saw the great falls:



Even the little tributaries had nice little falls:



We had dinner with long-time family friends in a real hole-in-the-wall downtown with wonderful Belgian pub fare:



NaiNai and YeYe also brought CJ some clothes and games.



Lastly, Mommy, CJ and I went to a street fair in Takoma Park. CJ got a tattoo (!) and a dog balloon (as opposed to a balloon dog). Afterwards, we took in some blues:



What was it that Ferris said? "Life goes by pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Many are called...

Very few are special enough to answer that call on their key chain...



And then take a photo afterwards.



It's been a while since we've been able to post anything, thanks to some pernicious viruses (virii?) and a lack of free time. A special shout out goes to Sanj, who purged our laptop of nasty malware (THANKS!), and now without further ado let's catch up on the past few months.

Here's CJ and Daddy with cousins Alyssa and Sara, who visited us way back over fourth of July weekend:



Tomoki and CJ, poolside:



CJ sleeping with "Min Wen" (one of the Olympic mascots, renamed after our neighbor):



In July, Meg and CJ visited with Aunt Susan, Uncle Frank, and cousins Jay and Grace at a beach house in Massachusetts:













Here's a video of CJ and Grace at the playground:



And here is CJ and Grace with Aunt Annie:




After the Massachusetts trip, Meg and CJ visited with Liz and Chuck and their kids, Devin and Blythe. Here's Blythe and CJ on the town in Nyack:



In August, the three of us went to the beach in Southern Maryland:









Back home, here we are again poolside (and in the pool):







In early September, we traveled up to NYC to visit NaiNai, YeYe, and Monique. NaiNai ended up in most of the photos:







Where's CJ?



We then went out to dim sum with Wendy (our former Mandarin teacher) and her boyfriend Bill. The camera in this shot had a mind of its own, focusing on the food not the people (go figure).



One place worth recording for posterity is Rock Creek Park, where I have been running in the early morning. While it's not Van Cortland Park, it's pretty enough in its own right.





In September we also took a number of daytrips with Tomoki's family. Here we are at Great Falls, Virginia:









And here is Rock Creek after a tropical storm blew through town:



We also took a few trips in Shenandoah National Park with Tomoki's family.









Eating grapes after the hike:





And then back in Shenandoah the following weekend:

[insert musical play on words here]

The summer is done, but CJ continues to rock on. Perhaps she's excited about the coming football season?



We'll have more pix and video of our end-of-summer escapades once I get all the viruses cleaned out of our home computer... ("Daddy, why are you working?" "Because the computer is sick, sweetheart." "The computer has a booboo? Why?")