The Big E

I made the trek up to the Big E one Wednesday night. I had only been there once before - sometime in middle school or high school. My dad was charged with bringing his three daughters for the day. It was the last thing he wanted to do and he was in a most foul mood. I remember seeing the butter sculpture, eating a hot dog (which Dad absolutely didn't want to buy) and going home - fun day!

So I just wasn't sure what to expect. I did a little online research - knew I needed to try the Big E cream puff - after that I had no clue. I expected it to be more agriculturally based - farm animals etc.. I was so surprised to see people walking back to their cars with bags full of things they had bought - the guy selling mops was making a killing!! Over all I found the experience overwhelming. So much food that I didn't know what to pick, people everywhere of all sizes and ages, lights and games galore. Glad I went - incredible people watching and what a place to get lost in the crowd!


The Cream Puff - it was huge and delicious!



It was Agawam day - orange shirts filled the park. This was during the Agawam Parade.



A corner of the park looking back towards the rides.



Some of the amazing amounts of candies and goodies - seriously the place must run on sugar!









Going up I knew I wanted to try and play with some of the lights at night - here is some of what I saw.















And then this caught my eye and all I could think is - how unappealing! Am I wrong?

See You in January

Tomorrow I leave to spend Christmas Eve with my family and then I'm off for 3 weeks to New Zealand. I was an exchange student to NZ 20 years ago and will be spending my time catching up with family and friends. I get back at the god awful time of 12:05 am at Logan Airport on January 17th. Best way to reach me will be by email at jennie@jsjursen.com - I can't promise a quick reply, just that I'll try. So see you in Jan - hopefully with a nice summer glow!

Sanna Makes an Appearance

I am an Auntie again. Last night Sanna (more recently known as Cletus the Fetus) was born! She was 6lbs 11oz with dark hair. I won't get to meet her until Christmas eve and then I'm sure she'll be smothered with family. I can only imagine what her older sister Dorrie is thinking!

My First Habitat Build

and I didn't build a dang thing. I moved and moved and moved lots of split wood. Apparently they cut down 7-8 trees on the property about a week or so ago. Today was about splitting and stacking wood - about 6 hours worth to be exact (and there's still more to go!). The funny thing is, as I was driving up to the property I was thinking that I've been spending a lot of time in my head lately and this would be a perfect way to get outside myself. Well the thing is with all the chain saws and motorized splitter going you have nothing do to but get into a groove and be in your head - I guess I needed to learn a little more. I have a friend who has been cutting and stacking a lot of wood lately - I definitely have a new appreciation for what it does for him - it's an active form of meditation. I also have to say I have to give props to my work mate Chuck - he's 77 and walking around on a bad knee. He limped more and more as the day went on - I couldn't even think about stopping as long as he was still going! He was an inspiration!

Let Snow!

I'm so excited it's going to snow today. Today is my birthday and I never have snow for my birthday. All growing up I would hope and hope for snow. It is December. My family would tease me and hint at possibly having seen a flake or two. At best I would get a dusting. To add insult to injury my sister Katie with her March birthday almost always seemed to have snow. Well today we are forecasted to get a real snow storm and it's my birthday - only had to wait 36 years!

In Honor of My Birthday

a little funny..

You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you're down there.
- George Burns

Fifes, Drums and a Bagpipe or Two

This past weekend I went to the Candlelight, excuse me - Torchlight Parade in Old Saybrook. When I was a kid we went to this parade almost every year. It's always the weekend before or after my birthday (and sometimes the day of) and we would bring our lanterns and watch the parade go by. At most it was a 20 minute affair of fife and drum corps having some holiday fun. It is no longer the same parade. This year it was an hour long - I kept looking for the end - couldn't believe it was this long. They now have floats and fire engines, a bagpipe or two, girl scouts and boy scouts - even a few elks. Not the parade of old. A good parade but I guess I was feeling a little nostalgic. The thing I missed the most was the lanterns. Hardly anyone in the crowd had their lanterns - that was part of the magic of the old parade. Will I go again next year - probably - and hopefully I'll remember to bring my camera!

Looking for an Erg

To be more specific I'm looking for a Concept 2 Model D erg. Here's why - I've been involved with rowing for over 20+ years - shocking I know - but I have never ever raced a single. I have talked about racing a single for 10+ years, but honestly would rather race a double. So I've had a lot of time to think lately and have come to this conclusion - one of the things I least want to do but always talk about is racing a single. Which means it something I really have to do. So in that vein I am trying to get ready to race in 2008 (God help me!). So I'm looking for an erg to help train and develop my aerobic base, if anyone has a lead out there for me I'd appreciate it!

I've Been Tagged!

There is this blog tag going around for awhile and I only found out last night I was tagged (sorry Sam!) The game is to tell 8 things most people don't know about you.

- I have my grandmother's feet - I loved my grandmother - hated her feet - ugly ugly things that they are.

- I'm a dog whisper in reverse. For what ever reason dogs get so excited to see me they have brain farts and can't think straight. I get jumped on, sat on, kissed, licked and nuzzled - good thing I like dogs.

- I've never been able to say the word linoleum - I have to stop concentrate and sound it out in my head before I can say it.

- Speedy Gonzalas I'm not. No fast twitch muscles here. When I was on the swim team coach loved my back stroke form - wanted to use me as an example of how to do the stroke - but never won a race. Having said that I can pace myself and keep going like the stinken pink bunny.

- I don't like when the food on my plate touches the other food - the peas and the mash potatoes can't touch. Doesn't matter that they all go to the same place - can't happen. Further more I eat one thing and then move on to the next - usually saving my favorite thing on the plate for last.

- I like to sit in the dark at night (maybe have one dim light on for walking around purposes). My family thinks it's the weirdest thing ever and always know when I'm home because the only light on in the house comes from the tv.

- I once got seriously lost on a hike by myself - missed a switch back. Got teary eyed and panicky - finally dropped myself into some poor bugger's backyard after sliding down a huge hill on my butt (don't know who was more surprised). I was miles from home. Went to the train station got on the train to my home stop. Magically got home before anyone else - showered and washed my clothes and never said a word to anyone.

- I once partied in a sheep paddock - where the price of admission was a couple of pieces of fire wood for the bonfire. Paddock was high on a hill - someone was standing on the highest point - slipped and rolled down the steep end. As it was pitch black we had no idea how far he'd gone - all of a sudden he popped back up - really funny - but one of those things you have to be there for.


I know I'm suppose to pass this on - but right now I can't think of anybody who hasn't been tagged! I think about it and come back.

Welcome Sam!

So my best friend in the whole world - Alan (and maybe it's because he lives to far away for me to run off!) - welcomed his second son into the world the other day. I'm so excited for him but also a little sad as I still haven't met his 1st son Jack yet... It'll happen. In the meantime I'll have to be content with emailed jpgs.

So here's a quick look at Jack meeting Sam - looks like it went ok...

Last Harry Update

I got my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows yesterday and finished around 6pm tonight - no I did not stay up all night and read it - this girl likes her sleep! I'm not going to give anything away - hate when people do that! I will say I really enjoyed it - only grumble is the last chapter was so unnecessary. I've been interwoven in Harry Potter for 2 weeks and now it's all over - what am I going to do now?

A Harry Update

Ok I did it - I finished all six books in 12 days! Can't believe I did it. I'm so glad I did too - you can really see how all seven books are really just one big really long story. My parents are stopping by tomorrow so I also get my copy of the book 3 days earlier than I thought - thank goodness - I don't know if I could have waited that long to find out the ending!! I just hope I'm not disappointed.

I Love Harry!

Ok I admit it - I'm a Harry Potter fan. I have been in the midnight line at Barnes and Noble in the past and Mom and I never miss an opening day of a new movie (saw Order of the Phoenix yesterday - was great). I won't be getting my copy of the last book until the 27th of this month (Mom bought me a copy and I won't see her till then). So after seeing the movie yesterday I was wondering if I could read all 6 previous books before then. I would have to read them in 2 weeks - I'm not sure it's do able - maybe if I did nothing but read for 14 days! Well I'm going to give it a go. I started last night and have almost finished book one - will finish that tonight and start book two. I'll let you know how I do!

I called a beggar Baby!

I know I'm so behind on posting my latest shoots but I just had to share this....

Had an early morning "urban" shoot in a cool nightlife, gritty section of town. I got there early to scout out and a beggar (who is a little creepy in his intensity) comes up to me and asks if I can help a brother out. My reply "Baby, I got nothing for you, nothing." He grousses and walks away. I'm left standing there stunned thinking I just called a creepy beggar Baby! Obviously my mind was on the job and not with him!

True Confessions

Another photographer tipped me off to these three blogs. They're are an interesting look into peoples secret thoughts and anonymity on the web. The posts are funny, sad, eyeopening and more. I like reading the truedadconfessions - see what those men are thinking!

WARNING: some of the entries are racey!


True Bride Confessions


True Mom Confessions


True Dad Confessions

Slowly Going Insane

So I'm sitting here waiting for the UPS man - like all day!! Thing is I really don't want to miss him - I'm really excited about what's being delivered, but its taken control of my whole day. I've put off going to the food store, took the quickest shower ever and at this rate will probably miss going to see Priates 3. Sorta that whole watched pot boiling thing. I know it was put on the truck at 7am for delivery, it's now 4:52pm - I really wish you could have real time truck tracking.

eta: 4:58pm - It's Here, It's Here! I'll share what it is later.