Enjoying A Slower Pace

                                                     With U.S.Senate candidate Tim Kaine

                                            Ellen directs PGHS band at the first football game

                                                             Paul & Alicia at the game

The weather this morning is in the 60s!  I hope to get John to carry the firepit back down to the pool so we can get in a few evenings before we close it down.  The weather change is happening SO QUICKLY!
We went to the Prince George High School first football game Friday night & were sweating the whole time!  IT WAS HOT!!!  Fun tho...and to top it off, PGHS beat Clover Hill!  Miracle!
I've started "stripping" the laminate floors in the house and treating them.  They look terrific with the new combo of cleaners I've found.
The pic above is also from Sunday afternoon at the Mediterranean Bakery & Deli in Richmond,  Saba & Jameel Abed own the business (Saba was our Arabic translator this summer).  Their family has been  friends of former Gov. Tim Kaine for many, many years.  They hosted a couple of hours of food & questions so Alicia, Ellen & I went.  Glad we did!
Al begins her full week of classes this week. Praying for a good week for her.
Well, going to begin my paperwork....a little each day so it doesn't pile up!  Also searching for a new theme song for 2013.  Think I may have found it, but not sure! :)

Still Not There Yet.....

I'm still not there yet.  I wanted to write a long script about the magical things that happened at Workcamp this summer, but I just haven't been able to put it in to words yet.  So, I am still recounting daily happenings and other special events. 
Tomorrow is John's 75th birthday.  This is monumental! He's not so happy talking about it so we will not be having a big celebration.  More to follow.
Yes, I am turning 60 years old this month so needless to say that in combination with my birthdate being 9/11 it will be a fun time.  Allie and Paul DID made sure that I celebrated though before she left for Atlanta.  She invited a group of close girlfriends and we went to the GODFREY'S brunch in Richmond a week ago.  It was a riot!  It's a gay bar with "lady" dancers and entertainers!  A couple pics at the bottom of this post.
The pool is finally back to blue.  Giving myself until after Labor Day to get back on track with work.  I'll be processing receipts, balancing the books, looking at preparations for a 25th Workcamp Celebration on April 20th, browsing for a theme for next summer, and getting info ready to print and send out in October.  Here we go!
I drove to Toano and spent several hours with the Plotts.  Best thing I have done in a long time.  I love them so much and wish I had taken some pictures.  Sheila will be celebrating her 90th birthday on Sept 14th!
John is considering driving to upstate New York this month to visit his hometown and brothers /sisters this month.  I have a high school reunion in Gloucester this month.  Allie begins her second semester of grad school this month.  I really am pulled toward the plight of our dear friends in Palestine now.  Another hurricane slammed into the gulf coast of Mississippi this month.  I will definitely keep everyone posted about all of these happenings. 
Gotta scurry.....

                                  Alicia, Paul, myself, Debra, Ellen Debbie & Allie having fun at Godfreys

                                                       Godfrey's Cher impersonator

                                                          My girl is back in Atlanta.....

Still Trying to Catch Up

I've been on a mission to find some lost tools.  Alicia & I made a trip to the "boathouse" warehouse the other day.  Really creepy.  It's right on Willcox Lake and is crammed full of workcamp stuff and mice!  Found what we were looking for tho! I'm busy balancing our workcamp receipts, payments, etc.....not my favorite thing to be doing...
The pool is green & I am still fighting with it.  It's a daily thing.
Al & I went shopping a little yesterday.  A candle fell at her feet, cut her toe and she started bleeding like crazy from this tiny cut!  We were outta there in no time.
Ben's shop was broken into through the back door.  This has been the most violent, intrusive summer I can ever remember!
I called the Plotts and am taking a little road trip down there next week to visit & show them all the things that happened at Workcamp this summer. 
John now gets up at 4am on Tuesdays and cuts greens out at Fort Lee.  In return, he gets a free cart all week.  I'm not sure if it's an even tradeoff.  He likes doing it tho.
I am on and offline with the Palestinian group at times which is thrilling.  I must figure out how to share the videos on here, especially of the dancing!
Again, I am filling this space with everyday happenings and am saving the Workcamp happenings for later.....it's still just too much to process.
Louie has made two escapes out the front door when we weren't looking.  I end up cussing and we all go looking for him and he turns up wagging his tail.  Will just lays there with his nose pointed to the front door, telling us that Louie's made a run for it!  It's really funny!
Al is already signed up for classes this semester and ordering her books today. She's taking Greek this fall which John is so excited about it he can hardly stand it!
Gotta scurry.....

                                                   Allie, Ranim & Meirna try hat on in Luray

                                                                Khalil  I dance to a local musician outdoors in Luray

Catching Up Little By Little

I'm trying really hard to get back to normal.  After all the happenings of this summer though, it's not easy.  My mind and heart are in a thousand different places.  First, I'll tackle some of the one time events that took place:
   -  The day before the second workcamp, our cars were broken in to .  Yes, they were in the garage and the garage door was open.  They rifled through our things....taking only cash.  The creepy part was that they were in our garage!  They did the same to about 4 other houses on our street. 
   -  Ben P's dad was held up at gunpoint at his job.  He is fine...
   -  The motor in Al's Honda got a crack in it....Ben found it....thankfully it was totally covered under warrenty still, so she has a brand new motor in her car!
   -  We had a run in with someone that was living in a workcamp resident's home.  Still ongoing....next week I     have a meeting with either Fire Chief Hairston or the Chief of Police about it.  This man is REALLY creepy!
   -  A workcamper's sister was fatally injured by a hit & run while she was riding her bike in Richmond. 
   -  Allie's friend was acousted on the street in the Fan last week. 
   -  Yesterday, while they were eating at JIMMY'S in Walnut Hill, someone busted the window in the Scudder car and took the GPS & Ellen's purse.  Kent went behind the restaurant browsing through the woods to see if they threw her purse back there, and he gouged his hand somehow on a fence.  Yep, hospital, two stitches!

OK....NOW WE HAVE GOTTEN ALL THE ROTTEN STUFF OUT OF THE WAY.  For every rotten moment there is always a Kodak moment in the Romaine house. 
   -  Alicia is cancer free and in remission!  Yep, she had a PET scan week before last and everything is clear!  We celebrate that EVERY DAY!  During July we haven't had much time to play, but now we will!  P.S.  Ellen was selected as Drum Major for the PGHS marching band.  She's following big brother, Ben's footsteps! 
   -  Al's classes are all settled for the fall.  She is excited to get back down there to her little apartment on campus and see friends, but I am sure that leaving Ben here will be a challenge.  He is driving with her down to Atlanta to haul "stuff" and then flying back right after Labor Day. 
   -  Looks like Allie & Paul B. are planning a brunch at GODFREY'S for my 60th birthday with some girlfriends.  Pictures to follow.  (P.S.  Godfrey's is a flamboyant musical performing place for cross dressers!  FUN!)
   -  Lovin' our John Deere lawn mower!  Just lovin' it!
   -  Went to a fun happening in Midlothian for BFF Linda Dugent's surprise 60th birthday!  Lotsa fun and a precurser to the fun coming with the same friends in July at Workcamp 2012
   -  John briefly took on another church out in Dinwiddie.  He was at Tabernacle the first & third Sundays and then on the second & fourth he was at Rowanta.  Turns out Rowanta was WAY to fundamental for his taste.  He is no longer there, thank God!  I only went there once, and it was too much for me!  Two Sunday's a month suits my taste just fine!  In my next blog I will talk about all the happenings at WORKCAMP 2012!

                                          Family Gathering in Horsepasture VA

                                          Ben, Allie & "Ricky Bobby" on Father's Day

                                          Allie & Paul on Memorial Day

             John R. & John Daniel putting up the walls at CHMS for Workcamp

SO MUCH TO TELL!!!!! SO MUCH TO TELL!!!

http://wtvr.com/2012/07/25/west-bank-youth-come-to-petersburg-to-rebuild-homes/

There is so much to say....so much to share!  The month of JULY 2012 was incredibly full of so many happenings and new faces and feelings. 

Above is a link to a Channel 6 News story that Wayne Covil did for us.  Below are some photos of the summer.  I will write more soon! 

Thunderstorms & More Thunderstorms!

 YUP, it's getting closer and closer!  THUNDERSTORMS have rocked our area for several days now.  Trees down in places.  Lots of folks still without power.  Thank God, we never lost power since the temperatures have been in the triple digits.  Atlanta had it's hottest day EVER yesterday, so Al is glad she is here!
Last night was fun.  About 35 of us went up to Stonehenge Country Club for a little surprise 60th Birthday Party for Linda Dugent, our Queen of the Tool Room.  She was totally surprised!  Some of us old workcamp folk were there and I got to see MARSHA D....hadn't seen her in AGES!  Ben & Allie hung around for a little bit.
Our 16 year old Yorkie, Will, gave us a scare a few days ago.  We thought he was slipping away.  Then a couple days later, he had a miracle and is now back to his old self.  Yes, he's slower, but he's happy, eating and doing well!
Jeffrey won 2nd place in the VIRGINIA SCHOOL BUS ROADEO, so the Saturday the first workcamp ends, we run him to the airport to fly to Wisconsin for the National Roadeo!  This picture above looks so funny because Jeff looks NOTHING like he used to! 
Tomorrow night the walls go up at Colonial Heights Middle School.  We usually have a gang of about 25 - 30 people there and the walls & stage are up by 9pm.  It's pretty amazing!  Pictures to follow later.
This morning is Tabernacle, but we are watching the storm cells on TV because of all the violent & unpredictable weather.
MUCH TO DO!  MUCH TO DO!

Goodness Gracious!!! LONG TIME!

Goodness gracious!!! I totally forgot that I have a blog!  I totally forgot to post ANYTHING!!!  Our lives are so full this time of year and every day passes more quickly than the day before!  I guess the best way to update is just to give out random information!!
-  Jeffrey won 2nd place in the VA STATE ROADEO in Roanoke last week.  He now goes to Milwaukee in July for the  
   national competition!
-  John has taken on another church.  He now speaks at TABERNACLE METHODIST on the first & third Sundays and
   then preaches at ROWANTA CHURCH on the second & fourth Sundays.  I am visiting Rowanta tomorrow for the first
   time. 
-  Al is home and completed her first semester of grad school at Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta with flying
    colors.  She'll head back in August.  She, Ben P. and I went blackberry picking the other day and plan to head back to
    gather more tomorrow afternoon. 
-  WORKCAMP 2012 is gathering steam each day.  Both camps are full.  The second week will be our first international
   camp with a youth group attending from the middle east.  We even have an Arabic interpreter attending hired!
-  A date has been set for a 25th Celebration for workcamp - APRIL 20, 2013
-  I'll be attending a Mega Reunion for Gloucester High School in September.  About 7 classes have gotten together so we
   can see more folks we were in school with.  I am so excited to go!
-  Alicia & Ellen are on a road trip to see Ben & Jen in Corpus Christi, Texas.  I miss them!
-  Niece, Jennifer Long graduated from high school
-  Cousin Bradley Morris is getting married in July.  Jeffrey & I will be missing the wedding because of camp, but Allie &
   Ben P. will represent for us!  Jon & family are heading to the wedding also.
-  I will be 60 years old in September.....John will be 75....and that's all I'm going to say about that!