Magic Garden

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!  We hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! 

The Handy Hoyt's were back at it again, this time we took our skills (or lack thereof) outside and hit the yard.  Blair mowed and trimmed, while I planted and planted and planted.  We mixed up the weekend with more than a few cocktails with neighbors on our new patio.  All in all, a great weekend! 

Feeling quite proud of our gardening adventures, we headed out to spend the evening with my parents.  Just when we think we have this gardening thing down, we get completely trumped by my mom- a real life Snow White.  While I'm trying to get plants to live in my flower pots, she actually has a dove that lives in her hanging pot. The original nest was under the deck, but with no eggs and a bird that stayed for several months, my dad removed it.  The bird simply relocated to the hanging pot. This bird even lets her water the plant...and doesn't fly away. And no, there isn't a nest there.  The bird just sits there all day long, occasionally swapping out with her mate, and coming back.  I'm not even sure all of my plants will survive the night, and my mom has tamed a dove (and of course it's a dove). 

Here are a few pics of our handy work, and a few of my mom watering her bird.  Happy Memorial Day to all, and tremendous "thank you" to all those who have given, and continue to give so much by serving this great country.



Mom watering the plant and the dove




The dove, post watering.  Unphased.



Trail of Failures

I have been running anywhere from 5-7 miles three times a week now for the past few months.  All of this running has been done on a treadmill, so today I decide to change it up and head out to the trail that runs behind my company's campus and down to the island on the Potomac.  This is the start of the "Trail of Failures." 

I look at my $12.99 Target watch, note the time is 3:30 am (it was really 6:30 am, but I don't know how to set the watch), and I started out on my journey.  A few minutes into my run I notice one of the avid running scientists from work coming from a direction opposite of where I was heading.  "Weird", I thought to myself, and kept on my path-  Failure 1. 

I run around that pesky fence that said "No Trespassing" and continued across the old wobbly wooden bridge towards the island.  Failures 2 and 3. 

I ran across the gravel trail that lead to the other side.  When I reached the other side, I chose to go left instead of right because I thought the path looked more interesting.  Failure 4.  

About a mile into the left hand turn the "trail", which is at this point nothing more than tractor tracks, has run out and I am now attempting to run through grass that is up to my thighs.  I wonder at this point if my relatives in heaven have all pulled up cloud recliners and popcorn to enjoy the show in the field below.  Probably. 

I turn around, make it back to the path that lead me across the island and decide to turn back.  I run, run, run, and I am anxiously approaching the path back to campus.  And I keep running, and running and running looking for said path.  I think to myself "I do not remember this hill being so steep on the way down."  Failure 5. 

I keep running until I reach the top of the hill and realize that I am at Rt. 7.  I have completely overshot the turn.  (Insert many cuss words not appropriate for my mom and mother-in-law to read). Turn around, and jog back. 

Finally reach campus, and check my Target watch.  I have been running almost 50 minutes.  Good enough for today.  I head back to the locker room, check the clock and realize that I was actually out for 70 minutes.  My $12.99 investment has failed me- Failure 6. And I am now late for work.  Failure 7.  

Upon entering the locker room, I think to myself, "I can't wait to blog about this later."  Success 1. 

Hola!

Hi Friends and Family!

It has been a while I know, but I have a good excuse...we have been in Mexico for the past week!  My parents announced a few months ago that they wanted to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary by taking the family to Cancun for a week.  Our reply: "Of course Mom and Dad, whatever you want!  We are here to make your anniversary dreams come true." I know...my parents are the most generous people in the world! 

Last Saturday, Mom, Dad, Mikey, Julie, Blair and I all boarded the plane for Cancun.  It was a wonderful week in a beautiful resort.  Perfect weather, perfect beach, amazing family.  The only disappointment was for Mikey.  He was hoping to put his "Navy SEAL" knowledge to use by stabbing me in the thigh with a fork should I have an allergic reaction to shellfish while away.  Apparently, the adrenaline rush alone would stop the reaction...I only asked that he didn't use the fork he was using to eat his shrimp.  Unfortunately for him, and quite fortunately for me, no forks or epi pens were required. 

We came home to a freshly mowed lawn and a cute note from our neighbors.  Pics of Regan's artwork are below. 

So now it's back to reality...

 Yes, that is the air traffic control tower of Cancun Aiport...sponsored by Corona :)

Half Baked

Where have I been for the past month?  I have been building a giant moving brain.  No, really.  My good friend Jason decided to enter our company in the Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture race, and I offered to take on the logistical coordination for our team. Jason's reason for entering us in the race was to bring our company together in a unique way.  With over 400 employees of different roles and rankings, he thought it would be a good way to break down barriers and meet new people.  He was 100% right. 

A few weeks ago, one of my other colleges, came to me very overwhelmed and stressed saying he didn't think the mechanical team could finish in time.   I told him I had no idea how to do anything mechanical, but I was willing to help.  I was sucked in.  We have been working until the wee hours of the morning building this industrial strength, bullet-proof truck base that would hold a giant brain, equipped with a DJ, laser show, and LED's programmed to flicker to the beat of the music.  It has been my life for the past month, and we all abandoned all other forms of normalcy and housekeeping. There is nothing at all acceptable about wearing underwear that say "bride" in rhinestones across the bottom...to work...on a Tuesday...when you have been married for six months.

The big race was on Saturday, and our sculpture team "The Lobe Trotters" were exhausted, but ready.  We rolled up confident and strong.  We had brilliant scientists and engineers collaborate over this.  We were competing against corporations and groups of all ages.  None of them would have access to the resources and brain power that we had.  The race started and we were off to a certain victory...until we came across the grueling mile .25, where we lost our front chain making our 2000lb sculpture virtually impossible to roll uphill.

We were the proud recipients of the "Half Baked" award, which according to the official race page is defined as "Worst Honorable Mention. This is given to the sculpture who's "half-baked" theoretical attempt at "engineering" did not deter the pilots from entering the challenge of the race."

Despite our devastating blow, it was a great day, and I have a ton of new friends.  A loss well spent.