Rome Point and Christmas present

Today we went to Rome Point.  Madeline wanted to see the seals, and I wanted to get a better photo for my new work bio.

First we walked through the woods.

Madeline kept up a constant stream of conversation.  Some of it was about walking in the woods.  Some of it was about Rudolph: "Reindeer fell down!  Bumble fell down!  Reindeer bumble fell down and bumped head -- rock.  Maddie fall down too."  And so she did.

Then we walked on the beach.

I gave Madeline a piece of yellow quartz, a yellow jingle shell, a mid-sized whelk, and a big scallop shell.  She loved the quartz -- she called it "rainbow rock!" -- but rejected the shells.

We stopped at the tip of Rome Point and watched through our binoculars as three seals lounged on a big rock.

The side of the beach we walked up (the southeastern) was windy and cold, but we visited the warm and still other side (the northwestern) on the way back.

There were lots of interesting things to see -- people with dogs, people with bikes throwing rocks in the water, someone digging clams with a rake, and seagulls dropping and fighting over shellfish to eat.

After a long romp by the bay, Madeline was plum tuckered.  She napped in the car until after 5.  When we got home, I stayed parked in the driveway with a kindle as the sun went down and Madeline stayed asleep.

Then she woke up and we got takeout Chinese to eat with paper plates (trying to limit dishes until our hot water comes back -- Monday, we hope).

After dinner, we let Madeline open her first Christmas present of the year.  She was excited!

"Thank you, Nanny and Pop Pop!" she said.

Before bed, she set up a Rudolph doll and a plush bunny at the table -- very cute.