2017-09-03 - Sunday - Shoes and shore

Sunday we left for the shore. We're spending Labor Day week in Ocean City, NJ.

Before we left PA I noticed Eva's shoes growing grass.

The moon is hiding between the houses.

There it is.

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2016-08-07 - Sunday - End of the cruise

Sunday we got off the ship and headed home, but not before standing in long lines at customs. That's always fun.

We took our bus back to our car and headed north from Port Canaveral. It's about a nine-hour trip and we were glad to be home at the end of it.

My final thoughts on the trip were that I would not do a Caribbean cruise again. I am not a sun-worshipper like the folks partying on the deck, and I don't have too much to do on the islands. I would love to have tried some snorkeling, but the ulcer on my foot was acting up again and I couldn't do it.

The standouts for me about St. Thomas and St. Maarten/St. Martin were the iguanas and the bus tour, respectively.

I enjoyed the food and entertainment on the ship, but the best part of every day was sitting down with my family and in-laws at one large table and enjoying each others' company while eating.

Just like we do in PA and at the NJ shore.

Bon voyage.

2016-03-27 - Sunday - Easter In Pennsylvania

We went to PA for Easter to see family. It was a short trip, but fun. It's always good to spend time with family. We spend a lot of the time with Karen's family, but I also got to see my brother while we were there.

We went to church.

Later, we had a big holiday dinner.

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2015-08-15 - Saturday - Chicken quesadilla

Saturday I used some leftover chicken to make a quesadilla. I added avocado, ripe olives, and a homegrown tomato that Karen's brother, Scott grew in PA. It was wonderful.

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2015-06-10 - Wednesday - Audrey's Graduation

Wednesday we were in PA for Audrey's high school graduation. It was a nice ceremony and the arena was at just about capacity. It's always nice to celebrate important occasions with family, so while it was a quick trip we all had a good time and enjoyed the events.

The last of the five cousins has graduated from high school. Time flies.

Ryan and Stephanie.

Unfortunately since we were sitting on the floor level
my camera had a hard time focusing with
the graduate's heads being in  the range.

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2015-04-21 - Tuesday - Many things

Tuesday was my father-in-law's birthday. He turned 86 and we all wish him the best and many more. I pulled this photo from my sister-in-law's Facebook post since they are in PA. We were there in spirit, anyway.

John Pellow on his 86th birthday.

The cankerworms have done a number on our maple trees. The leaves look like doilies and I hope the tree can recover. I've got to remember to band the trees in the fall.

I went to Clayworks and made a lidded pot.

I don't make lids too often, but when I do they go on top of the pot. :8^)

And that's all there is to say about that.

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2014-12-21 - Sunday - Pennsylvania

We drove to PA on Saturday and Sunday we were at my brother-in-law's with all the cousins together. Stephanie asked me to take a photo of all the cousins that she could get printed to put in a frame for her grandfather.

It's nice when we all get together and the kids have a great time with each other.

Ryan holding baby Justin.

Clockwise from bottom left:
Audrey, Justin, Stephanie, Ryan, Meredith, and John.

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2014-06-12 - Thursday - Graduation

On Thursday evening we attended Ryan's graduation ceremony.  He was one of over five hundred graduates so it took quite a while to get through the line and that was after all the speeches were made.

It's a joy to celebrate milestones with the people you care about.

Ryan is on the left center aisle, sixth row from the front.

There he is.

And while people are still filing in
we see his commentary on the proceedings.

Each photo was shown on the screens above the stage...

...while the graduate made their walk.

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2014-06-12 - Thursday - Meredith and Breeze

Thursday morning we went to school with Meredith so she could show us her favorite horse.  Breeze is like a big puppy --a big puppy who likes to lick everyone.

He really does have a lot of personality and I can see why Meredith likes him so much.







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2014-06-11 - Wednesday - PA trip

Time flies like an arrow --fruit flies like a banana.

...back to catching up.

Wednesday we left for PA to attend our nephew Ryan's high school graduation.  Meredith is already in PA and Stephanie flew from Asheville to Philadelphia so it was just me and Karen driving like the "old days".

We stopped in the Virginia welcome center rest area for a pit stop and found this.

I guess it's true that "Virginia is for lovers" --or for large metal signs.

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2014-05-08 - Thursday - Mom and Dad visit

My parents visited with us for a few days during their trip home to Pennsylvania from their winter in Florida.  I made pizzas for supper and we sat and talked for hours.  It's always great to see them and we've missed them during the last couple of trips because they couldn't stop due to scheduling conflicts.

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2014-02-12 - Wednesday - Snowed in

The weather can be pretty frustrating sometimes.

I'm sure I'm the first human to say that in all of history.

Tuesday it snowed consistently from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm and only managed to leave a couple of inches on the grass.  The roads were wet but clear all day.  What a waste.

Wednesday it started snowing at about 10:00 am and snowed pretty heavily until about 4:00 pm when it switched to sleet.  We got about 4-5 inches of snow (even on the roads).  Now it's been sleeting for several hours and there is talk of freezing rain tonight before getting more sleet, snow, and possibly more freezing rain before this all clears out of here by tomorrow afternoon --after it changes to just rain.

I am not from here and have done my share of driving in snow.  Snow does not bother me too much.  It's all this sleet and freezing rain that makes me crazy.  Why can't we ever seem to have just a snowfall without messing it up with ice.  I miss the days of just snow.

We were in PA during the holidays and while we were there it snowed.  The temperature was down to 12 degrees during the snowstorm and dipped to -4 the next night, but the snow stayed snow.  No ice, no sleet --snow.  As a matter of fact the weather was so cold and the snow was so dry that you couldn't make a snowball.  It just wouldn't stick together and that would have been a whole different frustration when I was a kid.  It squeaked when you walked on it, but it was snow.

By Friday this white stuff will be a dimming memory and the yard will be back to it's winter browns.  The daffodils are starting to poke up their heads and Spring is just around the corner.

In the meantime what do I do with all this bread and milk?

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2014-01-24 Major Catch-up Again

Here's a huge catch up since work has been hectic and everything else is crazy too.

Take a deep breath and hang on...

Binkley gets his Christmas present.
Christmas Day.

 Saturday after Christmas we went to PA to see the relatives.

Audrey's boyfriend, Ryan, Stephanie, and Meredith having breakfast in PA.
December 29, 2013

We had great meals as usual at Scott and Rich's house.

Scott and Rich set a great table.
December 29, 2013

The kids love to spend time together.

Justin, Ryan, Stephanie, and Meredith
clowning around.
December 29, 2013

REALLY clowning around.
December 29, 2013

 My brother David and I went to see The Hobbit:  The Desolation of Smaug in Imax 3D.  Amazing.


We dropped Meredith off at college.

Dropping Meredith off at college after the Christmas Break.
(Karen, Stephanie, Eva, Meredith)
1/2/2014

We had a fairly big snowfall.  The weather was so cold the snowflakes were like a mist and the snow never really melted, it just squeaked when you walked on it.  It reminded me of being on a mountain at a ski resort.

Big snow, really cold.
1/3/2014

That night.
1/3/2014

Blown snow patterns.
1/4/2014

The next night --REALLY cold.
1/4/2014

Zoom zoom, back home again.  Back to making pots.

Back in town, making pots.
1/8/2014

First batch of Empty Bowls.
1/11/2014

More Empty Bowls.
1/14/2014

Yup, you guessed it...
1/15/2014

Glazing first batch of Empty Bowls
1/16/2014

Redsky gallery is closing and the last opening Kellie had was Peter Rubino and Greg Scott's work.  I am sorry to see the gallery close because it really is a magical place.

Peter Rubino at Redsky gallery.
1/17/2014

Rob and Peter.
1/17/2014

Greg at Redsky.
1/17/2014

Peter and Greg.
1/17/2014

There.  Phew!  Now back to our regularly scheduled blog.


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June 11 - Graduation trip - pre-graduation

We took a trip to PA for our nephew's graduation from high school.  It was short trip bookended by two long drives, but we had a good time catching up with both families.  We went to lunch with my family and then went out to dinner with Karen's.  After that it was back to the house for cake.

The actual graduation will be tomorrow, but it will be late when it's over so we had our family celebration today.

My father, mother, Karen, and Stephanie.

Ryan, John, Stephanie, and Karen.

Scott and Rich.

Audrey and Eva.

Ryan, John, Stephanie (and her tongue), and Justin.

Justin, Meredith, and Sydney.

Rich and Meredith.

Justin and the cake.

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