The Winner's Circle!!!

So we spent the past few days between Christmas and New Years down in Maryland visiting Stewart and Janine and Emma and Ellie. Mom drove down with us as usual which is blessing for that long car ride - she keeps the kids sane and pays for the gas and food too!!!

The weather was great (warm) and we opened gifts, spent time at the park running the kids ragged (click here for slideshow) as well as at the big indoor pool and water park which has become a regular destination on these trips. But the highlight of the visit was an excursion to Laural Park near Baltimore to watch one of Stew's horses run!

Stew founded Winner's Circle Partners which operates several partnerships that individuals can buy into and own a share of one or more thoroughbreds. Mom has actually bought into one of the partnerships and experienced the thrill first-hand. Stew had a good horse running on Saturday that he thought might do well so we all packed into the cars and headed up to Laural about 30 mins away from their house.

We arrived about 20 mins before the race and checked out the horses as they prepared. Stew's horse was named "Broadway Baby". It was #5 and ridden by a jockey wearing a green Winner's Circle Partners jacket which I thought was cool.

SIDE NOTE: - The race had a $35,000 purse and was considered a "claim" race which in the arcane rules of horseracing means that another owner can "claim" the winning horse for the purse amount - meaning you must involuntarily sell it at that price! Apparently this happens all the time, kind of a compelled business transaction that adds some intrigue to the decision making process of whether to run a horse in aparticular race of not. If it wins, you better be prepared to part with it, and if the purse is smaller than what you think the horse is worth don't run it in that race.

We meet some of the other partners who own a share of Broadway Baby. Together we watch her and the other horses saddle up, jockey up, and then line up on the far side of the track. As we head to the grandstand area I look up to the sky and ask Dad for a little mojo for Stew and Broadway Baby and kind of smile to myself in affirmation.

The race starts and Broadway Baby is pretty much in the lead from the get go. We're cheering her on and whooping it up as they come around the bend. She widens her lead and crosses first right in front of us!!


























The best part of all was we all got to stand down below in the "winners circle" with the jockey and horse and get our picture taken. Then, just as we're about to head out Stew's phone rings and he learns that someone just "claimed" Broadway Baby! At first there is confusion, then Stew explains that this is actually a great thing because the partners just made $35,000 on her (a great price) and a % of the purse as well (approx $12,000) for a net take of approx $47,000. Not bad for 2 mins work. Now they'll plow that back into a new horse and start again.

Afterwards we headed to the stables to feed some of the other horses. And then we headed home. For a slideshow of all pics click here.

Way to go Stew!!! Thanks for an amazing and memorable day!

Thanksgiving - Native American Style

So Thanksgiving this year involved not only Suanne's amazing Nonna's stuffing, but a lot of family at our house all weekend which was great and reminded me of past years where we would all meet up in NH at the Holt's or when Dad would have lots of people come to Ridgefield. I miss those big family gatherings and it really drove home all that we have to be thankful for.

To wrap up the weekend though I ran in the Bedford Turkey Trot 5K with Justin and Kevin. It's an annual race that gets about 300-400 runners and involves a steep climb up "Indian Hill". A few days before the race we decided to run it in costume. We hemmed and hawed and discussed several options (3 Stooges?, Pilgrims? Pumpkins?) before I just went online and bought 3 Indian suits.

We were the ONLY runners in costume which made it quite funny and the crowd loved it. It was cold too - just 20 degrees so having the added attire was a blessing. We made it onto the race website and even got interviewed by the local paper with the following quote:

"With the cold weather, it's an advantage," Laqueur said of the long-sleeved ensembles. "Pilgrims (costumes) would be harder with the big hats and buckle shoes."

Already thinking about what we wear next year...

Here are two shots of Kevin and I crossing the finish line:

For more pics of the race go here.

- JPL

Fireworks on the Fortieth!

My good buddy Kevin turned 40 this past weekend and threw a good bash to celebrate it! Every year he and Ilyse throw a July 4 party anyway (Kevin was born on the Fourth of July) and their house is just amazing. It's really more of a park setting than a yard with a beautoful craftsman style house set on a pond with trails that run thru the woods and over bridges all around.

The best part of all was the fireworks display which this year rivaled even the best town displays. If you don't believe me check out a video clip of the finale here.

We stayed up until 2am. AJ passed out on the couch but Julie hung right in there with the adults while we played some guitar, sang and tried to kill the keg. These guys throw the best parties and are just simply great friends.

Kevin - Happy Birthday bro! And here's to another 40 years of July 4ths at your place!

JPL

Fireworks on the Fourth

Forth of July was a bit rainy this year but we managed to make the most of it anyway. Headed over to Gypsy Trail Camp which our neighbors Andy and Linda and their 3 kids belong to. It's this beautiful private secluded lake and camp compound on 1500 acres of wilderness in Carmel NY not 15 mins from our house.

The kids had a blast swimming - even in the rain - and we made a fire and set off a bunch of great fireworks, including an exploding "Bin Ladin Noggin" which I managed to catch just as the head exploded.

Here are a few more shots of the afternoon...

JPL

Parades and Recitals

Memorial Day we went back to Rodgefield to see the best damn parade around. AJ wore Dad's Marine hat and carried a Marine Corps flag. Dad would have been proud. Then last weekend Julie had her first real ballet recital in full costume and in front of an audience of several hundred people!!! Dad would have been proud of that too! You can also download a video of her performance here.

Summer Kickoff Party

Saturday was our big "start the summer off right" party which we did with about 40 friends and neighbors. The weather was perfect and the house and yard looked great.


I've noticed with each party we get better at organizing the layout and use of space. For this one we kept everything downstairs and under the deck - a space we have never utilized well. We broke out the old art show display tent that Dad used to exhibit his paintings and it made for a nice grilling and food prep area. We had a beverage area under the deck and a corner just for kids drinks and sunscreen and bubbles.

Speaking of kids there were a ton there and by the end of the night the entire walkway and driveway were a mass of kid graffiti. It's still there today and looks great. It was great to see old friends and new ones and to see all the neighbors together, some of whom had never really met.



More photos of the house and party are HERE.

JPL

Easter Fun

Well its easter now and Janine and her twins Emma and Ellie came upo for a visit. We had our annual easter Egg hunt which was very well attended and the kids descended on the yard like locusts devouring every plastic egg and bit of candy in the yard in about 5 mins flat. It was cold - in teh 40's- but the sun stayed out and it was far better than the sleet we had last year. I've posted pictures here: http://public.fotki.com/jlaqueur/

Later in the afternoon Aunt Donna came by for dinner. Janine baked up two big lasagna's and we stuffed ourselves. It was the first time we had all been together since Grandma passed away a week ago. Mom and Donna both seem to be grieving well, but gramps is a mess.

Julie and I went down to see him earlier in the week and he just seemed so lost, so sad. How do you say goodbye to someone after 70 years. It's incredible. I pause to think about it and I can barely imagine how lonely he must be. Part of me wants to move him up here closer to the family so someone can visit him every day. But he knows people at Applewood and they take graet care of him and I'm afraid the move might be worse. So difficult.

Anyway, it was another great party and wonderful to see all our friends and now I'll start thinking about a Memorial Day bash!