LOTSA PICTURES THIS TIME!

 
 First I should tell you about Holly & Stephen's wedding.  Allie and I took all of the photos and Ben officiated.  He went to Roanoke and got a license that allows him to do civil ceremonies in the Commonwealth of VA.  It was a beautiful windy fall day and such a special happening for all of us!
Next, John flew to New Mexico to visit son, David for a few days.  This was an enormous happening for him!  Here are his photos from riding through the canyons on a trail ride.  It was 2 1/2 hours and he was exhausted when he called last evening!  He's gotta be proud tho!
 
 

 This photo is of little Louie.  He had 11 teeth pulled this week.  He was a real trooper!  He is fine and dandy now.  His teeth and sinuses we causing him extreme pain. He's like a new little puppy again!  

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AHHHHH!! COOL WEATHER!

Painting by Alexina Romaine Portyrara

 It's October....So much is happening it's difficult to keep track of everything.  John & I have been in a flurry doing things around the house that have needed to be done for ages.  We are slower, but it's getting done little by little.  The deck is ready for staining, pavers powerwashed, pool flocked, chimney ceiling repaired, living room painted....and the list goes on.  I just love this time of year.
Workcamp has started creeping in through.  I am working on the final financial report today because we have a WRAP-UP MEETING on Sunday.  I love this meeting....it seems like years since I seen these wonderful friends.
Allie and I have had a couple days of fun painting her house.  The siding and rails on the porch.  Next is the porch floor.  Their old home is so warm and welcoming.  Ben has become "Mr. Ben" to the neighborhood little boys....helping them repair their bikes.  He helped run a drifting/race event in northern Virginia this past weekend. It is a passion of his.  Al is awaiting word from Ascend Hospice and them using her Reiki.  She and I are photographing one of her friend's weddings this coming weekend in a park in Richmond.

John is heading to New Mexico on the 27th to visit David for a few days at his home in the mountains.  He's been promised horseback riding through the canyons.  This is a huge deal for him...so glad he is heading there for a few days.  While he is gone, Ben and Al are coming down to help split and stack wood.  There are two piles like the one above!
The presidential election is the elephant in the room.  I really don't want to discuss it.  It has become so lewd and outrageous.  Donald Trump is a wicked and evil man.  John, Al and I are going to vote early this week so that we don't have to walk through the people at the polls.  Election day is going to be stressful enough without having to walk a gauntlet.
I love my new endocrinologist.

IT'S A ROMAINE WORKCAMP!

 It looks like we are having a workcamp here on Deer Run Drive.  We are taking care of some things that have long needed attention.  The chimney is finally fixed with NO LEAKS during the rain!  I scrubbed the front bricks with CLR yesterday and it looks beautiful!
We borrowed a power washer and have completed the back deck and house vinyl.  Now just the front of the house and the pool concrete!
Today I will paint the woodstove with the special heat resistant paint and plant my black eyed susans along the front side of the house.
I have the paint for the living room and am looking at some area rugs for three areas in the big living area of the house.
I called Sheila yesterday...it was her 94th birthday!  She sounded good...and I hope to just drop everything and head down to see her sometime.

I do hope to head up to Al's one day soon and hang attick curtains and paint.
During this workcamp break, it really feels good to take care of our own "stuff".  In the middle of all this are all the ugly election posts.  I try to stay above it, but yesterday I just could keep quiet. One day venting isn't so bad for me.  I'm actually surprised and proud of my restraint!
GI Jim brought us a huge load of wood last night so Ben and I will have fun with the log spliter soon.  He is taking a CPR class today for his job.  Allie continues to plant seeds for her Reiki business.  I really feel like it won't be long before it really takes off.  She is SO gifted!
I hope to get the 2017 Workcamp info printed and out before this weekend.  I really want to get ahead of it this year!
Now a little geneaology with my coffee and then back to the house!

GRRRRRRRRRR!!

I don't know what it is with me an any kind of mechanical stuff!  Bobby A was so generous to bring his power washer over for us to use on the house siding.  I was so excited....but it was going too smoothly.  I hooked it up to the front hose coming from the house that hadn't been used us YEARS.  Water spewing everywhere....no pressure getting to the power washer.  GRRRR!!!  Waiting to move it and tackle another part of the house with another hose....it should be cooler this early evening.
OK, enough whining!
I've been uploading lots of old photos from one of Grandmother's old albums,  This is a sampling of them.  Everyone is enjoying them.  I am so thankful that my family took so many pictures.

Grandmother in the1930s

Terry & I with Granny Wray, Grandmother's mom

Dad & Grandaddy on couch on Patrician Drive

Me in the swings at Ferguson's Park in Newport News

THE HEAT IS FINALLY BREAKING!!

 I think this little sign is appropriate in light of the national election campaigning.  Geezzzz!  I can't even watch the evening news without screaming at the television!  Novenber can't come fast enough.
I'm hoping to get down to Toano to visit Sheila soon.  There's also a display in a field near her home I want to see....not going to give this away until I can get down there and photograph it.

Nablus hosts a couple of summer camps at St Philip's.  This is a photo from the first camp.  We had 8 youth and Father Ibrahim join in workcamping this past summer.  Again it changed the perspective.  We had the Workcamp 2016 Olympics since the world was experiencing the regular olympics in Rio.  So much fun!!!!
Allie comes home from Roanoke today. I finished trimming the shrubs in the front of the house.  It involved a 12' ladder.....I am beat from it!  Next I'm going to try to borrow a power washer so that I can do the house, deck and pool area before it gets chilly  This place really needs sprucing up! I put up a new door, painted and added new carpet and plants to the screened porch.  It's finally getting cool enough to sit out there & enjoy.  I also got a new ceiling fan in the spring, but have yet to put it together.  Ben says he'll hang it for me.

BYE BYE MAY FLIES!

Well, it seems to be cooling down a wee bit.  There's more of a breeze and thankfully the may flies have thinned out!  I started trimming the shrubs in the front of the house a couple weeks ago, but had to stop because of battling the flies.  Started again today....with a stronger and safer ladder also:)

Here's the link to the new and improved workcamp website.  One of our young staffers is a whiz and loaded up all of the photos for each year, different links and so much more.  It really looks good and is so helpful!
http://www.tcworkcamps.org

 Our little old Yorkie, Louie, is getting a little slower.  I ordered a set of little steps so that he doesn't crash when he tries to jump up on the bed with us.  Alicia found him roaming around her house about 4 years ago. We rescued him and am so glad we did.  He's so loveable and grateful that he's not on the road anymore:)  I really love that little guy

I visited Al at their home yesterday.  We browsed through genealogy and watched Ru Paul on TV for a lazy overcast day.  She heads to Roanoke tonight for a two day Reiki training session.  So proud of her.

I THINK IT'S GETTING COOLER

I'm an idiot!  I was running water in the pool and left it on all night!  Now we can't flush toilets until the water builds up again.  It shouldn't be long, but I feel really Dumb!

This is a photo of John when the new Carson Fire Station was dedicated  earlier this year.  He was asked to open with prayer.  He meets with the firemen about twice a month and shares being on call with about 6 other chaplains.  He's had to complete courses online through FEMA.  Very proud of him!

This is Allie when she was sitting for her little niece on Ben's side of the family.  Little Zoey turned one last week and had her birthday party at a local pool.  She is quite the little diva!  

This is a throw back picture from last October from Allie's bridal shower at the Blue Willow Tea Room.  Her Aunt Paige hasn't changed a bit through the years.  She is beautiful.  Lives in Newport News.







I guess I will catch up little by little.I have neglected to write regularly for so many months!  I planning to head to Richmond today to spend the day with Allie.

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE TIME GOES....

This is crazy!  I don't know where the hours go.  Right now I am enjoying time after WORKCAMP 2016.  The heat is such a killer though that I am blaming it for not really getting anything done!
Allie and Ben are doing great.  She is dedicating herself to her REIKI business.  If you want to reach out to her you can be clicking on REIKI by ALEXINA

Camp was amazing this year.  I was concerned about the low number of campers for the first week, but it actually was a positive thing.  The camp was more intimate and less chaotic.  Ben was a handyman first week, so I got to see lots of him and Allie.
I wasn't feeling well at the beginning of the first week.  To make a long story short, I am on a low dose of insulin daily now.  Am feeling much better and am looking forward to seeing an endocrinologist in October.  Gotta get this old bod in shape!

We had so much fun with our friends from Nablus.  There were 8 youth and Fr Ibrahim.  It adds such a rich dimension to camp!  

Ok...already I have to stop!  Al is on the way down!  More in a later post! 

IS IT REALLY APRIL!!???

Yes, she went there!  My goofy red-headed minister friend stalked a Trump rally!  Nuff said!
It's supposed to be April, but I heard they had snow flurries at the Monument 10K run in Richmond this morning.  The daffodils have already bloomed and gone and we have frost warnings tonight!  Al and Ben have hung beautiful baskets of flowers on their porch....only to have to bring them in at night.
Easter was lovely.  Better yet, Edyth, Cass, Ellen, Allie & Ben were down last Friday night for dinner and fun.  The Pruitts had been to NYC on a junket, so they spent the night with us on the way home.
I've been enjoying doing some things around the house bit by bit.  I've been cutting back about 6-8feet of the driveway each day so that it won't envelope us this year.  The pool is up and running also...just need to beat back the bushes down there also.
Allie and I have met and eaten together at Venus de Milo in Colonial Heights several times.  I love going to that little restaurant.  Love the food and it reminds of of all our friends in Nablus.

Saba called and invited me to hear ARUN GANDHI, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi at Deep Run High School last weekend.  Bought a couple of the children's books and he signed them.  Also bought his book and had him sign Fr Ibrahim's name....will give it to him this summer.  John and I are reading it first .
Our sweet little Daisy kitty passed away.  She had been with us since Allie was in the 7th grade.  Sweet little rescued kitty.
I hope the weather calms down.  I really want to go outside:(

It's A Good Day For Sleeping

I guess there is a lot going on....my list keeps growing longer and longer.  For every one thing I check off , I add two :)  It's all good though, just my brain doesn't multitask as well as it used to..

 I am tap dancing as fast as I can to raise the money for plane tickets for ten of our Palestinian friends.  I set up a go fund me site, but lots of folks aren't savvy when it comes to gifting online.  I'm getting a chance soon to do another presentation on Palestine.  It will be for the Wesley U.M.C. youth group and any other interested parents.  It is a church that is deeply committed to hosting the Nablus group once they get here.  So many strong friendships have been formed between these two groups.  I received word that Sami's mother passed away this week.  I have to guess when I see the Arabic online...Allie fills me in.
Allie & Ben are enjoying their life together.  I Facetime with Allie several times a day when she is with little Zoey.  Her Reiki happening was postponed in Roanoke.  Her instructor's dad had a stroke.  I'm sure she'll hear something again soon.  Ben is working days for three weeks so they are excited to not be ships passing in the night with different work schedules The new ID bracelets arrived the other week for summer workcamp.  I believe we will do the t-shirts in yellow this year because yellow was Charlie Curtis' favorite color.
Jeffrey just completed a school bus ROAD-EO in Louisville, KY . He had lots to jabber about on the phone yesterday.  I miss seeing him during the year.
I plan on going to the florist today to pick up a palm frond so that I can weave some crosses for John's folks at First Christian for Palm Sunday.  Will post a picture of one.  It's relaxing to do while I watch a couple shows in the evening.
John and I watched "THE HEART OF THE SEA" , a movie loosely based on Herman Melville's "Moby Dick".  Good movie!  The daffodils are blooming early this year.  Picked a bunch for Al to take back up to her house the other day.
Better get busy.  My list is calling me:)

GOOD DAY!

Here's a picture of Allie and Ben's lovely old home in the Chestnut Hill area of Richmond.  It might look like this literally after tonight....it's midnight and the snow has started already.  It's only supposed to be a sprinkle, but....
Paige called this week so I am meeting her Saturday for lunch at a restaurant called "Food For Thought".  I'm hoping Allie can come also, but she may be tied up with her Reiki.
A big weight was taken off my shoulders today...Chris Cromer from workcamp offered to pull our new website together.  I was so thankful because I have been wrestling with it for months now.  I was so used to the old program and the new program and I were not making friends!

 
These photos are from when Allie and Ben first got the house last year.  It is such a wonderful place!  They have really begun to fix it up and it is so homey!
John and I celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary.  We just stayed home for a quiet evening with a movie.  We really enjoy watching EVERY VCU men's basketball game!  EVERY GAME!!
I've been really productive this past week and it feels good to have some major things under my belt.  I'm ready to jump headlong into the next week!

THE WHITE OUT

It has been snowing for 2 days.  Not just spitting flakes....I MEAN SNOWING.  The storm was big enough that they named it....JONAS.  I made it out today to the drugstore & P.O. but couldn't make it up the drive and had to leave the Toyota at the bottom of the hill in our driveway.  Here's

  Here's a picture of Ben & Allie's house in Richmond.  Don't know when we are going to get out of our houses.  I think we all agree, two days is enough.  I can't complain though.  

We woke to really painful news this morning.  DONK's THEATER in Mathews collapsed under the weight of the snow & ice on the roof plus forcing winds.  I don't even know what to say about it.  It has been such an integral part of so many lives including our family's.  Jeffrey, Lynda and all are in shock.  

Thank God no one was in the building.  I have so many photos and wonderful memories of special times spent there. Jeffrey was a regular every show.  

Other things have happened.  We sent Jennifer (Long) a floral bouquet for her first day of student teaching in a NC elementary school.  Comcast is hopefully going to run a cable to our house so we can get rid of the evil Verizon.  Ellen has decided to stay and finish out her undergrad at W & M instead of moving to a smaller school.  

Oh....and I have got to figure out how to raise $14,000 for the Nablus group from Palestine to come to WORKCAMP 2016.  My brain is "fuzzy, snowy".  

KEEPING MY PROMISE TO WRITE

Yes....heaven is getting a bit crowded.  We found out yesterday that Sister James Regina aka Sister JR passed away in December. We really miss the ladies in blue at camp.
I went to Toano to visit Sheila and it was wonderful.  We had a wonderful visit....laughing - crying - eating.  Time flew.  I hope that I can make regular visits there....I love her company.
Allie has an appointment with Crater Hospice next week.  Apparently the group has a Reiki person on staff, but they possibly need another practitioner to do both volunteer and paid sessions.  Exciting.
Also exciting, more and more refugees from Catholic churches are registering for Workcamp 2016.  Covert operations by parents and others are getting them in.  It's really amazing.  And I am thankful for trusting people.

A FAREWELL OF SORTS

It gives me such joy and happiness that my Allie and Ben are together.  If any two people were meant for each other, it was them.  This pic was taken last Christmas (I can tell by the garland in the window).  Now they are married and snug as a bug in a rug!
Today was a bit challenging.  It was the memorial service for Glenn Plott.  Years ago I could hardly have imagined this day.  I just knew that he and Sheila were going to be around forever.  When I walked into the church I was so glad to see Linda W, Jerri S, Christina and the gang waving me in to sit with them.  The service still wasn't quite closure for me....I am sure once I have some one on one time with Sheila, that will happen.
John has First Christian tomorrow....I plan on meeting Al for grocery shopping or whatever. She now has an official FB page for her Reiki practice.  It's very exciting and I am so very proud of her!
It's good to be quiet for the rest of the day and evening.  I have to admit, Glenn's service was emotionally difficult.  As Allie says tho.."it's a funeral!"  Tomorrow I'll be packing up our "Christmas tree de Mexico".

A WEDDING, BABIES & A NEW YEAR

I vow to write on my blog this year.  There have been too many precious things that have and are happening.  The main one....I have a new son!  Yes, Allie and Ben had the grandest of weddings on November 7, 2015.  I am so thrilled to have Ben in our family.  He is a wonderful young man.  

The two of them now have a home in Richmond Virginia.  It's a beautiful old Victorian home and as soon as I can get the pics off my phone I will post them.  Ben is now employed by Afton Company in Richmond and loves his work and job.  Allie has completed all of her schooling and is now in a Reiki apprenticeship to begin her own practice.  She babysits little Zoey Portyrata while she goes through her apprenticeship.  Again, more pictures to see in following posts! I'm thrilled they are so happy!


John is serving as interim pastor of First Christian Church in Petersburg and enjoying it.  It is a fine change from "that church before" and he is loved and appreciated so much by the congregation.
Workcamp is beginning to take off for 2016.  There have been a few changes. the biggest being the Catholic Diocese of Richmond has decided after 28 years to no longer participate.  Long ugly story, but to be honest, I am glad it worked out this way.  Most of the kids are coming to camp next summer under the umbrella of another group or church.
This past year was one of great loss for our family.  Those that passed away:  my uncle Bill Morton, dear friend Roger Green, Allie's loving mentor Ethel Marie Lee, my dear old high school friend Mohammed Ihsan,  Katie Barksdale's little baby girl, handyman &; friend Charlie Curtis and the biggest blow of all - Glenn Plott.  We will be attending his memorial service this Saturday in Williamsburg.  I really want to spend some time with Sheila.
Lots of baby news this past year.  Brad & Sarah have little Sadie, Al & Ben's little niece Zoey, Holly's little Frankie, Jess's little Sawyer and pregnant awaiting are Joseph &; Leah, and Rose & Dan!  Quite a growing clan of little ones!
Our dear friends in Palestine are facing difficult challenges as the Israeli government continues pushing down the brutal road of Zionism.  I now have a page where I just publish news from the other side of the wall.  I will publish the link in a following post.
So, this past year has been full of ups and downs.  I am thankful for both and cherish what is about to happen in 2016!