Rolling-Pin Toss Champion
Yesterday at Forest Hills, PA's 4th of July Community days, the Borough crowned a new reigning Women's Rolling-Pin Toss Champion...our very own Margie Johnson!
The winning throw was very impressive...there were several ooohs and aaahs from the audience, and that wasn't just because Margie almost pegged a group of boys walking at what any reasonable person would have considered a very safe distance from the competition based on the placement of the other competitors' markers.
Unfortunately, because I was a little overwhelmed trying to monitor the two little guys at the time (not as expert as Margie at wrestling both of them yet), I was unable to capture the winning throw on video.
The unavoidable connection between Margie's expertise wrestling the boys and her victory in the rolling-pin toss was not lost on me or several of the other onlookers.
To compensate for not recording the winning throw, however, I have posted video of the awards ceremony for all to enjoy.
The most remarkable parts of the awards ceremony are, in order, 1) the announcement that Margie set a new Borough record, and 2) the bizarre behavior exhibited by Felix on the podium with his mother.
Regarding the first of those two points (Margie's new record), several attendees also commented confidently about Margie's prospects for taking her game to a higher level (hello, Beijing).
Margie's trophy is currently displayed prominently on our mantle.
37 and Counting
On a separate note, I traveled to Montréal for work last week. It is a very beautiful city, and one I would love to visit for leisure sometime.
Because my passport had expired in 2003, 10 years from when it was issued prior to my mission (yes, I know I'm dating myself here), I was not eligible to fly into Canada, which requires a current passport.
For another year or so, however, U.S. citizens traveling by land or sea can still enter our northern neighbor with only a photo ID and birth certificate. Consequently, I made arrangements to fly Southwest into Manchester, New Hampshire, rent a car and drive the rest of the way to Montréal.
In addition to NH, the trip also took me through VT, another state I'd never visited before. The highway I was on drove through Sharon, where the monument and visitor's center for Joseph Smith's birthplace are located. Unfortunately, I was on a rushed schedule and was not able to stop there but slept away the drowsies for about 45 at a rest stop in Sharon.
It was very beautiful driving through NH and VT, two states that from what I could observe mandate ownership of Subaru Outbacks. They were everywhere I looked!
With my visit to those two states, I've now been to 37 of the 48 continental. I've posted a map that shows which states I've visited; as you can see, I'm keeping very close track of this all. If our travels to next summer's JFR go as planned, by this time next year, I should be up to 42 of the 48 continental, towards my goal of visiting all of those 48 by my 40th birthday.
Hope everyone is doing well and having a happy long weekend!
