Granddaughter #1 Graduates From WVU

Hayden Graduates From WVU

Chi Omega Sisters

It's 7:00 as I start this and I am sitting in the Morgan Hotel lounge, on High Street, in Morgantown, WV, home of West Virginia University's Mountaineers. It's overcast and 53º and should get up into the 70s later in the day. We head back to the lake this morning and the weather should be fine, at least with no rain. 

Yesterday turned out to be warm and sunny. We were up early and by 9:00 and we drove 27 miles from our Hampton Inn to Hayden's apartment in downtown Morgantown. We hung out at her apartment, found a place to park our car and then Drew drove us over to the Coliseum, a nightmare of parents trying to find a place to park. We went around a circle twice before finally finding a spot. We had about a couple hundred-yard walk to the venue and found seats up in the nosebleeds but they were fine. 

Before

After

Hayden Gets Her Diploma

The ceremony took two hours and 20 minutes. The speakers were forgettable, and the highlight was the singing of "Take Me Home, Country Roads, To The Place, I Belong, West Virginia, by the students and parents. It gave us goosebumps. Obviously, it was packed with graduates and parents outside, so we took the requisite pictures, then drove back to Hayden's apartment where she changed. 

With Proud Parents

Hayden And Family

Since it was 3:00, and we had not eaten since breakfast, we drove to a local bar called the Varsity Club. It was a great place, the walls festooned with West Virginia Athletics Memorabilia. We ordered various sandwiches and the hand-cut fries were to die for, enough so that even Evie could not finish her serving.

Burgers And Fries At Varsity Club

Jerry West, My Junior High Hero

By 4:00, we were checked into the Morgan Hotel. I watched the NBA playoff and Evie relaxed until 6:00. Evie then went down to the bar and I joined her after a shower. She of course had made friends and was happily enjoying a glass of wine, joined by Jill and Drew. 

Celebrating At The Morgan Bar

We had dinner reservations at 7:00, at an Italian restaurant called, Marilyn's, a good choice. It was actually too hot inside so we were able to sit outside on their patio and enjoy our dinner. 

Dining Al Fresco

We had various libations to start, then everyone ordered something different, mine was a delicious white chicken parmesan, with an alfredo sauce over risotto. yum.  Evie had wedding soup and a salad and the graduation gal had a pasta Margarita, large enough that she took most of it home. 

A Happy Gal

It was a good choice. We were back at the hotel by 9:30 and Evie was exhausted and went to bed. I went downstairs for a nightcap with Jill, Drew, Hayden, and her roommate, a good way to end the evening, 

And while all this was happening in Morgantown,  Halle was home celebrating her Patriot High School prom with friends. We missed her.

Halle