Another Day in Darien

Granny and Her Boy

Marisa Gets Ready for Bed, to Read

It looks like a perfect day in Darien, weather wise, sunny with a high of 73 degrees, perfect for being outside.  Unfortunately, both Marisa and Mitch have school, only Tyler is done.

Yesterday was a busy day for both Evie and me.  Beth is still recovering from her hand surgery, so Evie took over the house, cooking, cleaning, taking care of Beth, getting things organized.  And I was the chaffeur of the day, taking Tyler for his exam in Fairfield around 8:00.  I stopped in Fairfield for an hour, to avoid heading  back to Darien in the rush, and found a neat, old world coffee shop, La Vista, next to the community theater and yoga studion.  It's the antithesis of Starbucks cool, beat up, menu on a chalk board, beat up couches, and hippy looking baristas, not exactly the word to describe them but it will do.  I had an amazing scone, coffee, watched some TV and enjoyed watching the eclectic mix of customers, from business men, to college students, to old hippies like me.  I stopped in the yoga studio, picked up the schedule for Beth and headed home to slow, backed up traffic on # 95, despite the time, around 9:45.

When I got home, Evie had the house upside down, having already done three or four loads or wash despite the fact that she had hardly slept the night before.  She was running on pure adrenaline I suppose.  At noon, I headed back to Fairfield, to pick up Tyler.   He spent as hour trying to sell some of his old textbooks and buying used one's for next year, then we headed  back to Darien, getting back around 2:30.

I had a few hours to relax before heading off at 4:30 to pick up Marisa from her Brownies group, then taking her to Darien High School for her dance practice.  We were there until 6:00 when we came home for dinner.  We ordered some takeout Chinese, and Tyler drove to the restaurant, as he has to get lots of practice in with an adult in the car before he can get his liscense.  He did well.

We sat around with the kids until 8:00 when Marisa went up to bed, happily, as usual, to read then go to sleep.  She's a good reader, enjoys reading each night, and always has a book next to her bed.  Evie went up early, too.  Rami didn't get home from Chicago until 10:00 and he watched some of Pleasantville with Tyler and me until I went up to bed at 10:30.  A busy day for Evie and me; I don't know how today's mothers do it alone.

Morning in Darien

Mitchell With His First Place Winning Painting

Mitchell Wearing the Birthday Hat We Gave Him

Awake way to early, at 4:30 but didn't get out of bed till 5:30.  Beth and Rami were both up, Rami for work, Beth because of her hand, which is aching as a result of her minor surgery yesterday.  It went well but she let the pain get the best of her and now she has to wait for the pain pills to catch up.

We had an easy drive to Darien yesterday, arriving around 2:30, about six and a half hours.  Traffic out of Virginia, on Rt. 15 was slow and busy, lots of trucks, single lanes at times, and lots of lights, especially until we got through Leesburg.  We were able to pick up Marisa at her school, which we had promised her.  Beth didn't get home from the hospital until around 5:00.

I took Marisa to soccer practice, just up the street but it rained pretty hard after the first fifteen minutes so we came home.  Tyler was home when we got to Darien; he had just finished his history exam and has one more to go today, Wednesday, and then he is finished for the year.  Mitch and Marisa have another week to go.  Rami was also home, as he worked at home so he could take Beth to the hospital for her out patient surgery.  All the kids seem fine, happy to know school is almost over.

Evie made chicken thighs stuffed with goat cheese for dinner, along with asparagus and fingerling potatoes, all really tasty.  The kids were starving, especially Tyler of course, so we have very little left for lunches, alas.

This morning I am taking Tyler to Fairfield Prep for his final English exam; Rami flies to Chicago but will be home later tonight.  Mitch and Marisa are off around 7:30 for school, so the rest of the day, Evie an Beth can hang out.

Goodbye Bissells, Hello Albarrans

Evie with Halle's class

Hayden kick boarding it

A Chilly  Halle After Her Swim

Halle with Friends

Yoga pose

Ready for School

Up early again for some reason, 5:30. to a cloudy sky, mild weather, in the low 60's, as all is quiet in Bristow.  We head to Darien today, leaving around 8:00, arriving at Beth's around 3:00 we think.  Rain is predicted most of the week in CT, alas, but we will have fun with the kids regardless.

Yesterday was a mild day for Virginia, with highs in the 70's.  Evie and I walked the kids to school at 8:30 with Coco, the usual routine, lots of kids, their parents and their dogs.  The girls are fortunate to be able to walk to school most days with friends, no buses to wait for.  That will  change next year for Hayden when she goes off to a new middle school.

For lunch, Evie went off to school, to eat with both Hayden and Halle at their request.  She was a hit a recess with all the kids, as they played various games, all wanting to be part of it.  Halle was in heaven.  Jill and I  went out for sushi, our routine when I visit, then we stopped at Merrifield Nursery, an amazing nursery that has just about any plant, flower or tree you can imagine.  Jill is looking for a shade tree for their front yard, to shade the new patio Drew built this past spring.  We also looked at hostas but could not decide on any and Jill was not sure where they would go.

Drew's Patio

Later in the afternoon, Jill and Evie went shopping for presents for the treasure chest and groceries.  I stayed home then went off to pick up the girls at 3:30.  Evie and Jill got home around 4:30 in time for us to take Halle to her swim team practice at 5:15, for forty five minutes.  Lots of kids, their parents, and coaches at the pool. We then came home, met up with Drew, and all of us went to Hayden's practice from 6:15 to 7:00.  Drew packed a cooler with beer, so we sat around the tables and umbrellas, pool side, watched the kids swim and kibitzed with various neighbors, who also had their children at practice.  Swim teams are big deals here and every Saturday is taken over by swim meets with other neighborhood pools.  It's fun for the kids and a great way for Jill and Drew to get to know their neighbors.

We got home around 7:30, had a dinner of chicken sausages, left over chicken, salad, and stuffed shells.  The girls were really tired, so they went up to bed around 8:30, Hayden studying for her math tests, Halle falling asleep early.  Evie and Jill watched some TV while Drew and I read.  We all were in bed by 10:30.

Overcast and 58 Degrees in Bristow

Jill with Coco

Dinner with Ellen and Walt

The Barbecue Boys

Enjoying the Deck

Evie and Ellen on the Deck

I was up at 5:40 this morning, not early enough to catch Drew, however, who leaves for work around 5:00, to avoid D.C. traffic and get a work out in before starting work.  The sun is trying to peek through the clouds and it looks like a nice enough day, a slight possibility of showers but cooler for Bristow, a high of 73.

We had a leisurely Sunday, hanging out at the house, enjoying the girls, and having my sister Ellen and her husband, Wally, over for dinner.  Early on, Drew, Halle, and I went to Panera and picked up some bagels, to Giant for donuts for the girls.  Later,  I took Coco for a walk around the neighborhood and it was strange because the last time I walked it, it was Christmas, night time, and all the houses were decorated with lights.  Now it's all green, no lights and warm.  Evie and I then went to a farmer's market, picked up some fresh beets and greens for dinner, then stopped at Safeway for noodles and a few other items.  Jill and Drew went for a run, the girls played with a neighborhood friend.

Around 2:00, Evie and I and the girls went off to their neighborhood pool, about a half mile away.  It's a great pool, large, with lots of space for chairs and towels, as well as a snack bar, a perfect way to enjoy a hot Sunday afternoon.  We played with the girls in the pool for about an hour, sun bathed, then came home in time to get ready for Ellen and Wally.  They arrived around 4:00 and it was perfect afternoon to sit out on Jill's grand deck, amidst the trees, and enjoy at a Shandy (beer and lemonade) or a glass of wine.  We had not seen the Bottiny's since the last time we were here in Bristow, around Christmas, when we took the girls over to Ellen's house for dinner.  Drew cooked barbecue chicken out on the grill, Evie sauteed the slice beets until tender, then added the greens and cooked them till tender.  They were amazingly good, sweet with a touch of bitterness from the chard like greens.  This used to be one of our favorite lunches in Istanbul.  We would go to Saturday market at Besiktas, pick up beets along with other veggies and fruits, a hot loaf of bread and come home, make the beets and eat them with the still warm bread.

Ellen made strawberry short cake for dessert, all home made with real whip cream, a delicious treat for after dinner.  The shortcake, alone, was good enough to eat without the strawberries and cream, but we didn't.  The girls loved it as well.

The girls went to bed early, around 8:30, exhausted from their week of recitals, practice, and Granny.  We ended up watching the first half of the Celtics and Heat game but we all went to bed by 10:30 as well as we were tired as well.

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.

Clearing Skies in Bristow, VA

Halle

Halle Hip Hoppin

Halle's Hip Hop Group

Hayden

Hip Hoping

Listening to their Coach

Up at my usual time, 6:00 to a freshly washed yard, lots of rains the past twelve hours, a humidity of 91% and a cool 57 degrees.  Today's supposed to be sunny, a nice day  with the highs in the 70's.  A good day to spend inside an auditorium at my granddaughter's hip hop recital!

We left yesterday about 7:00 from Chautauqua, just as the rains started.  Our drive to Bristow was easy despite the heavy rains at times, especially when we got in VA.  It took us just about seven hours, with a few stops, one at a truck stop called Gio's, which has great barbecue, about twenty miles from Penn State.  It's two and a half hours from our house, so I put off breakfast till 9:30 when I got a brisket sandwich, loaded with cole slaw.  Not your typical breakfast but delicious.  Other truckers were in line getting the same thing so it's a popular stop,

When we got to Bristow,  Drew, my son in law, was home from Kansas City, where he had been for a couple of days at Whiteman Air Force Base, home of B 2 Stealth Bombers.  He was able to see Tom and his family as well, for a night.  Jill was shopping, came home about 3:00, with goodies for dinner and the girls came home in a rain storm at 3:30.  They both look happy and taller, something I have to get used to.  Hayden, especially, looks so grown up, tall and slim, dressed up in a fancy skirt, no more jeans for her at school!  Halle, the opposite in terms of style, is happy in a pair of shorts and an old tee shirt.

Evie and Drew went off to the rehearsal with Hayden, about an hour a way and Jill, Halle, and I stayed home.  Jill and I caught up over a couple of glasses of wine and Halle had a good friend over for a sleep over.  As we were sitting enjoying the wine, we heard a huge crash, ran upstairs, and some how the girls had pulled the bathroom cabinet off the wall.  Fortunately, no one got hurt but they broke some things, so we had a mess of soap and glass to pick up.  I get the feeling Halle and friend manage to get in trouble quite often.  When it's quiet and you don't know where the two girls are, you better start checking,

Jill and I had a dinner of tilapia, salad, and mashed potatoes.  Evie got home from the recital about 8:00 and had taken a video of the performance with her Ipad so we were all able to watch it.  Unfortunately, Hayden was on the opposite side from Evie so she is hard to see though the dance is clear and fun.  The girls are both very excited about today's recital, more than Drew and I, as it's possible we may have to sit through sixty performances, broken up in to two shows.  And the girls are not allowed to leave after their performance, so Hayden may be sitting there until 8:00 at night and it starts at 4:00, Halle's at 1:00.

Drew's parents are up for the recital as well so we are getting together at his sister Carrie's house after the show, so it will be fun to see  them, as it's been ten years since we saw them last at Chautauqua during Christmas.

Heading to Bristow, VA, to see our daughter Jill and her family

5:17

Potted Plants Gathered For Watering

Finally Some Color in Evie's Garden

Peony Bud Ready to Burst

More Flowers To Water

Up at 5:15 to a windy, gray, cloudy day, something we are not used to this spring.  It reminds me or a fall morning, cool. about 55 degrees, with rain to come.  The lake is choppy, flag pointing north because of the strong southerly wind.

A busy day yesterday; we always think it's no big deal to take a short trip but it ends up taking at least two or three days to get ready and the last day is always the busiest.  We both kept hustling most of the day. Evie made stuffed shells and snicker doodles, besides cutting the lawn, packing and getting the yard and house spiffy before we go.  I can remember going out to breakfast with the guys at Hadley Bay, a new venue for a week, doing some dishes, packing, but not much else.  I wonder if breakfast counts?

It was a spectacular day, however, the kind we associate with June, clear, crisp and just a bit of chill if you are in the shade.  The high yesterday was in the high sixties and it will be much cooler and wet the next couple of days.

I assume much of our drive to Bristow, VA, will be though cloudy skies and rain, just like our last trip.  We were hoping for a sunny day, a picturesque drive  but all we got was rain, clouds, and fog.  Maybe we will be lucky.