More summer doings...

For about 20 years, when one of us hasn't driven all the way, we've picked up/returned the grandkids about halfway between our house in MD and theirs in SC. Our meeting place has been a Long John Silver's restaurant in Pulaski, VA. Surprisingly, "our" booth and table have almost always been empty, just waiting for us to get there. Kinda like going "home," you know?

So, on a Saturday in mid-July, we drove on down and 4-1/2 hours later, as we neared the restaurant, I could see that, hmmm... something didn't look quite right. No bright yellow sign, no little banners flapping in the breeze, and no cars, little or otherwise, in the parking lot. Oh, no... it was closed!!! I mean, CLOSED, as in Out. Of. Business! How could they do that to us?? This was family tradition they were messing with! I mean, really - a little advance notice would've been nice! Jeez, people!

For sale or rent and closed up tighter than a drum

Gone-zo!!

So, we quick found another place to meet up that day (thank goodness for cell phones!) but bemoaned the fact that we'd have to find a new meeting place for subsequent trips. (More on this further down.)

Jim, Chris, and Tammy at temporary meeting place -
listening intently to something brilliant I'm saying! ;)

me and Michael - not a clue what I'm
reacting to but what a face!

We always enjoy summers with the boys and this year was no exception. We didn't do anything extra special, but spent many hours at the lake picnicking, swimming, and just enjoying.

waiting for the grill to get hot for hamburgers

Chris and Michael honing their scuba skills

Chris practicing floating

Michael practicing swimming

For the return trip to take the boys back, my brother John and lovely sis-in-law Lynne came to the rescue and we met at their place in NC. (This could be the start of a new tradition!) And, we got to see Christy and then-2 month old Baby B as a bonus!

hard to believe my little girl is now a mommy...
and such a good mommy, too!

the little guy just loooves his grandpa...
warms my heart :)

sucking on mommaw's finger -
no milk there, sweetheart

playing with and smiling for his mommy

our wonderful host and hostess, Bro John and Lynne

We had a great summer and I hope you all did too!!

I'm baaaaaack...

Well, it's been an active summer since my last real post and we've been busy little bees here in our quiet corner of Maryland.

We've traveled up and down the road several times for:

• a baby shower in SC,
• a 1st birthday celebration for our NJ grandson,
  
• the arrival of a brand-spanking new great-grandbaby in SC,
  
• picking up the SC grandsons at our half-way spot in VA,
  
• then returning them and enjoying a delightful weekend visit at my brother's home in NC.

Susan, Lawrence and the boys were here for the 4th, we've redecorated the main bathroom, had the driveway resurfaced, acquired the services of a tree doctor to try and save our dogwood, and spent many hours picnicking and swimming at nearby Greenbrier Lake while the SC grandsons were here.

Now, since it's that time of year, we've also frozen about a peck of peaches (after baking a scrumptious peach cobbler to make sure they were okay to eat) ;) and three dozen ears of sweet summer corn in the past week or so. We'll have some yummy eating come cold weather time, but I'm not wanting to peel another peach or dekernel (I know, I know - that's not a word!) another ear anytime soon!!

So, whatch'all been up to? (I'll get some pictures of our doings posted this weekend.)

... and they're off!!

We're off again to the southern climes for a week. Got a carful of baby stuff and goodies to deliver to my pregnant granddaughter (and a bellyful of baby to rub!)

Have a great week all!

City sights and a birthday...

We are back. The main reason for our trip north was grandbaby Winston's 1st birthday celebration in NJ, but we also made a surprise side trip to satisfy a long-held "wanna do" of grandsons Christopher and Michael. They had both expressed a desire to see New York City and the Statue of Liberty and since we were going to be up that way anyway, we planned accordingly.

We got into Jersey Friday evening, stopped at our motel to check in, and then drove into NYC just so the boys could see it. They were tickled. Saturday, under the guise of more sightseeing, we drove to Liberty Park and surprised them with a ferry boat ride to Liberty Island. After spending most of the day with Lady Liberty, which, by the way, was a first for all of us, we then drove back into the city for more sights. We weren't able to stop and go inside buildings... parking is a bear!... but for the time being, just being able to see the Empire State Building, Times Square, Broadway, Central Park and some of the other places they've always heard about, made them happy.

Sunday we enjoyed Winston's birthday with delicious food, family time, gift opening, and yummy birthday cake. It was good to see extended family that we don't get to see that often.

We had a wonderful time, made more enjoyable by an entire weekend of spectacularly beautiful weather.

Herself

Impressive

Empire State Bldg

United Nations

The Birthday Boy

There are lots more photos at my photo blog.

We be gone...

We're off to NJ for the weekend to help celebrate baby Winston's first birthday. Will be back next week. Have a great weekend all!! :)

Home again, home again, jiggity jig...

Our trip south was a huge success - we totally surprised Christy, who for some reason, hadn't questioned whether we were coming. I attributed it to her being more preoccupied with her own 21-year old newness than wondering if Mommaw and Poppaw would be there for her big day.

I introduced her to crablegs when she was just a wee toddler of about 2-1/2, cracking and picking shells and feeding her the best pieces, so it was too fitting that she opted for crablegs for her 21st birthday dinner. With the exception of Jim and the boys, who don't do seafood (I don't know where they came from!) we pigged out on crab, Christy ordered her first "legal" drinks, and we had a great time.

Later that evening, she and a group of her girlfriends went out partying, which they all survived, and my baby girl has become of age.

Trying to hold back the hands of time, hasn't worked a bit. Before I know it, the years will sneak by and my #1 grandboy will be 21 too - noooooooo!

Some pics of our doings are on my Project 365 Photo Blog.

We be gone...

...on the road again. Off to SC for a few to help celebrate my grandaughter's 21st birthday - see y'all next week! :)