Partying In Virginia

 Our West Virginia University Bound Granddaughter, Hayden

Cake

Dad Photobombing Seth And Hayden

It's late for me as I start the blog, 8:40 although I have been up since 7:30. Drew, my son in law and Evie are up as well, and we are sitting out on their amazing new screened in porch, watching the terrible news from Virginia Beach and having coffee.  It's 70º already and will get up into the mid to high 80's later in the day.  Evie and I will have a day of leisure, dog sitting while Jill and Drew have three graduation parties to attend.

Yesterday began early, getting up at 5:30 and on the road, again, by 7:00.  We took our usual drive through the Allegheny Forest, then down through Pennsylvania, Maryland for a few miles, then West Virginia before the hour drive through Virginia to Bristow. 

View From  John Mosby Highway

It was a beautiful drive, through hills, mountains, and forests of what I call 'spring green', a color impossible to imitate.  We arrived at Jill's seven hours later, after a few stops, our usual time.  Guests were arriving at 5:00 for Hayden's graduation party and things were pretty much ready to go by the time we arrived.  The food, catered by Anita's, was Mexican and was not only more than enough but delicious, a good choice.

Hayden's Girlfriends

Our Granddaughter Halle's Posse

Friends of Hayden and neighborhood families arrived starting around 5:30 and the night continued until the last guests left around 1:00, according to Drew.  Neither Evie nor I would know because we were in bed by 10:30, tired from our drive and the partying.  

Jill And Girlfriends

Halle And Girlfriends

We spent most of the night talking with my sister Ellen and brother in law, Walt, who live in nearby Herndon.  And our niece, Jennifer and her family also arrived from Maryland, all five of them, so it was a family gathering for us.  We knew a few of Hayden's or Jill and Drew's friends but we mostly spent time with our family. 

Jen, Robert, And The Boys

Hayden And The Boys, Will, James, And Henry The Great

It was fun once again to see Jennifer and Robert's boys, always full of 'piss and vinegar', fueled no doubt by cake and  Evie's gift of Pez dispensers and candy.  Both families stayed until 9:30 so we had a lot of time to catch up since we had not seen either since last fall.   

The Spacious Screened In Porch

Jill and Drew's house and yard were perfect, with people both on the indoor porch, the outdoor patio, the various seating areas around the yard, as well as around a firepit.  The graduates were great, no problems, and it was fun meeting many of the parents or neighbors. We wish we could have stayed up and partied but alas we were too tired.

It's just about 10:30, late for the blog, and we three are still the only ones up.  Many of the kids stayed over and are sleeping in the basement. Drew has their keys spread out on the counter for when they wake and are ready to drive home.