Slow Down! Slow Down!!

So much is happening...and everything is happening so fast! The graduation was glorious...perfect weather, perfect seats, just perfect everything....we are SO PROUD of Al!

Now we pack her apartment up and she is moving everything back here for the summer....and then we'll see what her fall plans will be.

I am loving working the census. It really isn't grueling for me at all..I find it quite relaxing not to be in charge of anything...just going door to door to folks who didn't send in there census questionaires.

Cousin Susan stopped by yesterday for a quick visit while breezing down the interstate.

John turned in his notice and is no longer working at the golf course....smart decision. He is much more rested and we see much more of him! Tabernacle is the same....We bought John a laptop, so he is up early each morn typing and studying....think he may work on a book.

Picked up the workcamp tshirts yesterday...need to unload all of them out of the van!

Monday is a big cookout to celebrate Memorial day & also Al's graduation....we put twinkle lights around the pool...it's so pretty at nite!

Jon & family, Jeff and his "gang" and about 20 others will be here Monday. Lots of good food, music, swimming and the fire pit for smores.

I am mainly typing this for Sheila....I know u read this and my posting have been few & far between! I promise to get a better grip on it! I hate trying to catch up on things...

More soon!

Fun time....Busy time!

Lots is happening at Casa de Romaines lately. First of all, I am loving the census taking. It is so different from what I am usually doing. It really takes me away for a couple of hours each day. I've met lots of interesting people and it's nice not to be in charge of ANYTHING! I did have a little SNAKE encounter today....big black & white one that I almost stepped on because I was so busy studying my paperwork walking up to this apartment! I know now to be alert!

Al is home tonight and Paul is here along with Jillian. They are all down by the pool in the moonlight. I love it that we have a place to retreat from the city. I'm trying to do a few things around here before the big Memorial Day picnic for Al's graduation. I MISS TIM.

John is preaching in the morning and then we have a Workcamp board meeting at 2pm here at the house. It will be good to see a few folks. Still waiting for the tshirt design.....

Jeffrey called today to say he was second in the regional ROADEO competition for school bus drivers. Next is the state competition....if he wins it, then it's on to St Louis, MO. He says the Donk's show in two weeks is an Elvis show....and that everyone that is singing is going to dress up as Elvis. I guess we'll be getting in touch with Charlie Curtis really soon to grab some of his Elvis attire!

Time is flying by. I cannot believe it has been a week since our GHS reunion. I wish things would slow down just a little bit!

Beautiful Odd Day!

The photo is of Ben Scudder & Al by the pool on Sunday nite. Ben has left for New Jersey to begin basic training for the Coast Guard after three years at VMI. We are SO proud of him...I just know he is going to fly at this!

And yesterday was ALLIE'S LAST DAY AT VCU!!!! She had her last exam and then just wandered around the campus. I really don't know when it will hit all of us! She is something else! So very proud of her & the person she is becoming!

I hate it that the brothers won the Amazing Race this season. They really held onto their scruples until the end. Now Edyth is saying that she can't apply for the race....I am going to apply with someone come hell or high water!

A terrible line of storms passed thru our area yesterday during Al's drive from Richmond. Sixty mph winds...a big limb fell in the driveway. A tree fell on some cars in Alicia's church parking lot. It was a mess. Apparently one of the Prince George elementary schools is closed today because of it! All Prince Geo schools were opened on a 2 hour delay.

We are awaiting a text from Debbie Daniel any time. Jessica, from across the street is waiting for her baby to be born...little Karlee...

Am still waiting for the new tshirt design. I plan to do some census visiting this afternoon....and JR & I are going to order his new glasses. Al thinks she and Elle have found a really economical apartment....guess JR will be in on the discussion on that. Will needs a bath. I finished the workcamp minister's information letters yesterday. Am wrapping up looking at houses....need only three more...This weekend is a camp board meeting on Sunday after church....yep, it's a Tabernacle Sunday.

JR's last day working at the golf course is next Wednesday....we are getting his laptop soon afterwards...he's getting another car also. We are going to fixup a little study area for him to begin collecting his thots for a book!

I am SO sleepy....guess it's the dark day....must get myself in gear!

Perfection...that was the weekend!

The past few days have been a roller coaster of emotion. It was the weekend of my 40th Gloucester High School Reunion, Mother's Day, planning workcamp & jumping deep into the census.

Just typing now I am filled with tears. Going back forty years, traveling to Gloucester evoked a lot of feelings. All of the feelings were good, just unexpected. The above photos are of people from my past...people that I love dearly. I hadn't planned to go to the Friday nite happening, but curiosity got the best of me. Plus there were people there Friday evening that I wouldn't be at Saturday nite's event.

Friday night we were at a picnic at a beautiful home on the Ware River...food...old friends...a bonfire. There were about 75 people there....all old friends from forty years ago. To recognize each other, we had to look at our name tags, so a friend & I switched name tags and confused the heck out of a lot of people! So fun!

I drove back to Pburg to get a good nights sleep.

The next day I slept in a little and then headed back to the lower end of Gloucester for a dinner & dance time at the Ruritan Club. First I drove to old stomping grounds and the cemetary to take a few photos. Then I met Mohammed Ihsan at McDonalds so we could go into the gala together. I can't express how good it was to see my Afghan friend. We all spent the evening so engrossed in all of the friendships, music, photos....I was so into talking with folks that I accidently put on someone else's shoes and walked around in them for over an hour before I realized it.

I got home...chatted with Al about her new investigation and we both didn't get to bed until 3am.

For Mother's Day, JR brought me a delicious chicken salad (since I didn't get out of bed until noon!)....I spent the morning on the internet loading photos and laughing at other people's pics from the night before.

The Scudders came over for some cooking out. Our Ben leaves on Tuesday for the Coast Guard, so it was a little gathering for him as well.....another roller coaster of emotion.

I am REALLY enjoying working for the census. I only do a little time each day because of course workcamp fills most of the time. This week I may get the opportunity to do census counts in the Petersburg jail....fun!!

Now the focus begins on Allie's graduation and the fun around it. The tshirt design for workcamp wasn't quite right, so I had to send it back for a redo.

I don't like having to catch up on things in the blog because I know I am leaving out big chunks of time and important events.....

I

WHEWWWWWWW!!!!

It's been SO long since I have written that I don't know where to start or finish. Guess I will just shoot out one liners! JR has filled in at Prince George Christian again one Sunday because the pastor & his wife were helping assist a family member in hospice. The pool is open and beautiful. Finished spraying the pavers and now cleaning up all the pollen. Planning a big Memorial Day/Graduation picnic for friends & family . I have been thru the Census enumerating classes this week so in my "spare" time I am going to go door to door for the census counting people that haven't sent in their responses. Love it! Met some new folks and it was wonderful to be in a group that didn't know me and where I WAS NOT the leader! Woo Hoo!

Went out to Camp Kehukee last nite to lead some singing for a Mother/Daughter GA sleepover that Alicia had planned. Jeff & Brooke came up for a brief visit so we headed to Nanny's and then they went out to Kehukee also. It was so good to see them even tho it was brief.

I am so excited about my 40th high school reunion in Gloucester that I can hardly talk about it! I did volunteer to be on the program for one song, so I'm singing YESTERDAY by the Beatles.

John has planted some tomato and cucumber plants. Allie is feeling good and enjoying being a senior. She absolutely loving school this semester. Wish I had time to elaborate on the classes, but time is of the essence this morning!

We booked a group called APeX for Tuesday nites at camp....a leap of faith, but I am assured by the Catholics that they are really good. The Fort Lee Bowling alley is reserved for us each Wednesday afternoon. I've started ordering goodies from Oriental Trading ....fun!

The tshirt design should be ready for approval on Monday. Jeff came in first in the Newport News School Bus ROADEO.....he goes to district and then on to state again this year! I think he'll make it to Nationals 2010! He is so twitterpated that it's funny!

Both of Jon David's girls are coming to workcamp this summer, so I am really excited that both JENNIFER & LIZZY are coming with a friend....and of course, JON! Great family time!

Edyth and I are still waiting for the applications for the AMAZING RACE #18 to come out. Yep, we are still going to apply!

John is planning to leave his Fort Lee golf course job the end of the month! (YAY!) He's getting a laptop and now is going to start writing!!! I have always wanted him to do this and now it looks like he's ready!

I know there are tons of things more to write about.....perhaps I'll be able to catch up on them later! Here's a photo of Kent as the Easter bunny this season at Southpark Mall!

Can't Sleep

It's so early & I went to bed after midnight. Stupid me should have turned the TV off, but I was enthralled with the show "I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS PREGNANT"....I need not say anymore!
Al had acupuncture yesterday, so she came home to recoup after the treatment. It's totally amazing how it works. Alicia's mom and dad are visiting from N.C., so the girls came over for some game playing in our pajamas last nite since Al was home.
I conquered a major accomplishment yesterday. Besides visiting six homes for camp, I went up on the roof of our home and put in some water diverters. We have ALWAYS had a problem with all the roof surface area rain water rushing down to the chimney & then it leaks. I am praying this does the trick. John & I have tried many remedies so if this doesn't work, I'm throwing up my hands. We've been playing with this for over twenty years!
Today I will begin the daunting task of putting together the WORKCAMP taxes. Of course, we don't have to pay taxes, but we must do an annual report so our financial "stuff" can be seen by all. I finished our personal taxes and would have done them earlier if I had known we'd get such a sizable chunk back! The money is already spent in our heads.
I got rid of the mouse, have almost finished spraying all the pavers with weed killer, am getting a good handle on my caligraphy skills, have committed myself to singing one song at our reunion gathering, bought some veggie plants for John's small garden and I will mourn the closing of the Colonial Heights UKROPS this week.
And the beat goes on.....

Long Time, No Write!

No, I haven't done my taxes yet!!!! I hate it but today is the day....I bought the computer program from H&R Block and decided to try it on my own again. Going to need lots of luck!!
John finished up his Lenten series at Prince George Christian Church and then assisted in their Maundy Thursday service as well. then he prepared for our Easter service at Tabernacle. A friend of his from the golf course passed away a couple of days ago. John was called out to his home to talk with him about 5 days ago. Yesterday he did the funeral.
Allie is really enjoying her last weeks of school. She and her religious studies friends are together a lot. She and Elle went to a Buddahist seminar the other nite. She said it was the most boring thing she had ever attended. I have brought out my old caligraphy skills to see if I can address her grad invites. I sat down at the pool yesterday for about an hour practicing.
YES, THE POOL IS OPEN! I just couldn't wait for all the pollen and the squiggly things to fall. It is so wonderful to look down there and see the water. I have planted pansies and piddled about a little in the yard.
My focus has been on houses and workcamp. I am trying to get ahead.
The reason is that I got a job with the 2010 CENSUS....alicia also. We will be enumerators in our area of Prince George...in the evenings and weekends. At first I thot it might be too much, but I think I can do it! The $$$ is good and I make myown hours. With my genealogy connection , I wanted to be involved in one census in my lifetime...so this is it!
I have enough airmiles on my credit card for round trip airfares for Al & I to see Tim. Maybe in the fall when the rates go down. I'd get more bang for my buck.
Alicia & Ellen came over last nite for a rousing game of CLUE-THE HARRY POTTER VERSION. It was fun, but we were all tired. Think it's the pollen.
I'm getting way too excited about my 40th high school class reunion. It won't be long! I've connect with some friends on the internet and it's going to be a really fun evening. I have the camera ready!
Al's acupuncture & gluten free diet has really made a difference in her health. She is doing great!
As for workcamp....Ms Denise is a hoarder, Mr. James is a musical genius with a cockatoo, Mr. G makes "dummies" and Ms Shirley kicks butt in her neighborhood. That's only a sample of the lovely people that the kids will spend time with this summer! What a blast!