Sunday in Bristow with the Bisse

Halle and Carlie, Her good Friend

Flowers for the Dancer

HAYDEN

Drew with his Parents, Jan and Mike

Jill, with her Sister in Law Carrie, Mother in Law, Jan, and Evie

Picnic With Coco

Drew with Brother in Law, Dad, and Pepper

Up at 6:30, to a beautiful morning, cool but it's going to get warmer as the day goes on, in the high 70's.  Drew was already up so we spent an hour sipping coffee, solving the world's problems before heading off to Panera to pick up bagels, to Giant to pick up donuts for the girls.

Yesterday was a busy day, took Coco for a walk early, then we went off to the Hip Hop Recitals at 11:15.  Halle's recital was at 1:00, lasted until 2:30 and Hayden's was at 4:30 and we stayed for her performance, plus about ten more before heading back to Drew's sister Carrie's house, for a picnic.  The performances of both girls were great; no mistakes and both girls seem calm, having conquered their nerves and really seemed to enjoy performing.  Both of their groups drew large applause because the dances and costumes were both fun and interesting.  In between shows, Drew, his Mom, Dad, and I, went off for a beer and some appetizers at B-W Three, just enough time for a beer and food before heading back to watch Hayden.  Both performances were sold out, standing room only, at a high school auditorium about 45 minutes away from Bristow.  What could have been an onerous day ended up being fun.

The picnic at Carrie's was great as well.  Evie made stuffed shells, Carrie bought a couple of rotisserie chickens, and Jill made a salad, so we had a easy but good meal.  Carrie and Greg had just moved into their home a few months ago, not far from Jill and Drew, and it's in a nice neighborhood and they live on a dead end street which is nice for them and safe for their kids.  Greg, Carrie's husband, works for Rite Aid as a district manager.  Drew's Dad and I had a good time talking about retirement, his career in the military and his job now, as head of the Virginia Women's Military Leadership at Mary Baldwin College.  It's become his passion, as he's basically built it up and kept it going and, despite the protestations of his kids, he wants to keep working.  He enjoys it, obviously, so I assume only ill health way make him give it up.  He's afraid he will be bored with retirement which could be true as he has both eye and physical problems that won't allow him to either read or play golf, the two things that he loved and would have kept him interested and busy during retirement.  Both he and his wife Jan are really good people and it's too bad we see them so infrequently.  The last time we saw them was in 2003 at our house over Christmas break, when Hayden was a year old.