Adventure is out there.

     Our daughter, Kate, is leaving for Montenegro tomorrow to spend 2 1/2 weeks visiting friends.  I have to admit my ignorance.  I had to look Montenegro up on-line.   The name means "Black Mountain".  It is located in SE Europe.  It has a picturesque 183 mile coast on the Adriatic Sea with 45 miles of beaches.  It has a mountainous northern region.  It borders Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania.  Historically it has been part of various incarnations of Yugoslavia.  It is one of the world's top tourist destinations.  Who knew?  Pictures of it are gorgeous.  My daughter goes to Montenegro and we get to stay home and babysit her cat! (He is a nice cat, though.)
     Our daughter-in-law, Kuldeep, is running the Boston Marathon today.  This is her second Boston, and she is thinking it will be her last as the Boston Athletic Association really tightened qualifying times for future years making it pretty much an elite and charitable runners only race.  We hope she is really enjoying herself.  She is a great runner.  She is like the energizer bunny....she just runs and runs and runs.  I have been following her times on-line at the BAA.org website.  Her official finish time was 4:12:07.   Yay, Kuldeep!   The male and female winners were both Kenyans, the top female US finisher came in 2nd, the top male US finisher came in 4th.
     Sadie-Dog and I were out plodding in the park this morning.  Some of the wild plums thickets, the ones in sheltered spots getting lots of sun, are starting to bloom and smell fantastic. Spring must really be here.
     I walked up the last hill to our house barefooted, I was too tuckered to jog and decided to at least strengthen my feet.  Sadie-Dog and I were joined by the nicest 9 year old young man.  He hopped off of his bike, and chatted with us all the way up the hill until we turned off.  Then he hopped back on his bike and continued pedaling on up the hill on his way.
  
"Adventure is out there.  The wilderness must be explored.  Caw-Caw-Rahr!"   (from the movie "Up") 

"Children make you want to start life over."  Mohammed Ali