Fall River Shivers

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With Fall in the air, Cara, Tommy, and Wee Zoe loaded up the box and pointed it North for one last river adventure this year.  Unlike years past, the chosen date for the big autumnal visit was the weekend before Columbus Day.  Strangely, this meant freezing temperatures and rain, whereas this particular year Columbus Day weekend was decidedly summery - 80º and sunny.  Funny, that.

Slow Down!  This is a 15mph town...

Nevertheless, with a huff and a puff, they got the good ol' tandem back in action for a brisk and lively trip around the park -- or, as they like to call it, the T.I.Park 500. With such cool damp weather, a fast bike ride is sure to wake anyone up and make them demand a hot whiskey asap.  Not so with the Zoster...

Zoe: officially slowed down. We seem to have ridden right past naptime...

She loved the bike ride, and was giggling away and pointing at things right up until she went right to sleep.  At speed.  On a bike.  Even whispering sweet nothings in her ear had no effect.  The girl was tuckered out!

Culinary perfection is not to be taken lightly.

That, and she had to get home to feed her baby. Turns out that babies get really, really hungry.  Good thing Zoe knows how to take care of them with some good ol' home-cooked invisible food.

Run faster, Papa!  And backwardser. 

And then it was time to speed around the park again.  This time in the little well-loved umbrella stroller.  The rules were simple:  1) Everyone would run.  2) Rocco was clipped to Tommy's belt.  3) Tommy would run alongside Zoe and Mama while doing his best impression of a steadycam.  4) Slow shutter speed. 

Better... Now stop cutting Mama's head off.

The end result mightn't win any photo contests, but wee Zoe sure loved watching Papa running sideways while being pulled by Rocco and precariously holding the camera in one hand.  By some miracle of chance he didn't even run into anything and he managed to avoid falling into the river.

Finally - you gots it!  Now faster Mama...

Hot.  If only ever day could be a leisurely river day.  (yes, yes, we know, every day could be a leisurely river day, but we've got THREE rivers in the 'burgh, so there.)  Even all bundled up, Zoe LOVED motoring around the park.  No surprise; she's a speed demon, just like her mama.  

Quick - somebody refill that man's beverage, lest he drink the child!

After such excitement it was time to sink into the oh-so-plush couches and say goodnight.  There's Grandpa giving little Zoe a smooch goodnight after a celebratory glass of champagne: just a week earlier marked the big 40th Anniversary for Vera & Jim - go team!!!   

Somewhere there's a funny caption about three generations in this photo.

And Grammy gets the final goodnight snuggles from the little munchkin, while Zoster consoles her (no-longer-starving) doll.  Happiness is a heated cottage in the off-season.