one more photo from Va Tech

Told you we had good seats.  Check out the photo below.  Who is between number 20 and number 2.  That would be Travis's Mom (standing in gold and black shirt) and me (in hat).  Mark is to my right looking over Devin Thomas's (#2)  shoulder.  David is to the extreme left of the picture, he was not suited up for the game.  Anna was screened from view by Rountree.  

Photo curtesy of Wake athletic department web page and me copying it.  I didn't take this picture.  (duh)

Virginia Tech and it was Cold, but the Deacons HOT

I hope this picture looks cold. It was cold. Mark and I were in Blacksburg, actual temp about 15 or 18 and wind chill much less and it seemed cold.  We were guests of David and Anna on a tour of Virginia Tech — it is a beautiful campus.  The Drill Field allows for quite the wind effect too.

This arch building whose name I forgot is quite famous and photogenic, it looks out over monuments and onto the Drill Field and into the sun and reflected light from the snow and is not photographable from that angle with my camera and skill level. A missed opportunity.

The inside of the above building, very similar to David's office which he also showed us, as well as the classroom building where he has been studying and teaching these past 15 years. (He is a slow learner)( but he apparently gets there.)

Mark, Anna, and David, in aforementioned building,

Mark and Anna in front of Cassel Gym, even colder, which is home of the Hokies.

We got there early.

I like being early.

Mark and I made two new friends, we tried to trade hats, Mark even offered money, (you know how he can be when he sees a new gizmo or something he thinks he needs.)  ( If you draw his name for Christmas here is an idea.)

The guys above were met by a surprisingly large number of their peers (given the sorry state of Virginia Tech basketball— I mean they were favored by only two points by the gamblers in Las Vegas, — yes Virginia, WF is that bad)  And they were actually fairly loud given that Wake jumped out to an early lead and never trailed — a first for us this year I think— 

Check out the camera angle on the photo below.  yes sir ree-  right behind the bench!  Could have given the coach advice.  Mark got us seats in the parents section behind the Deacon bench. They are real good seats too. I am hoping more parents will not use tickets for future away games and Mark is able to get in line to get them again.  

If you saw the game on the TV, you saw me.  I was sitting beside that woman.  She is the mother of Travis McKie, Wake's only senior and that night's best player.  She was on her feet a lot, loud and very happy - so was I.  She was sent texts by many of her friends who said they saw her on TV.  So there!  

We did not get to listen in on time out discussions, much to my disappointment, but we did get to enjoy the emotions of the bench interactions and the comings and goings on the bench and reactions to game action.  It was fun.  Especially since Wake won. Yes won an away game — a most unusual occurrence.

And the post game - hugs all around. 

 I got one from Travis's Mom.

Still a lot going on

Even though we are down about five grandchildren, the house still is busy.  That is because we still have Raleigh.  He who is in now in constant motion.  If it is not going up the stairs, singing too, in a sort of humming sing song voice, he will be unloading a cabinet in the kitchen.

or the tree.

One morning, out of nowhere and not repeated, he did sit quietly with me while I read the paper and drank coffee.  For about four minutes.  It was nice.  

and once discovered the fireplace and the heat coming from it, well it is a very nice place for us both to sit and share stories of the trials of being so young.

it was a bit of a whirlwind

The umpteenth annual CFC was preceded this year with the reinstitution of the Cookie Caper from years ago.  Niece, Cousin, and now Aunt Susan brought back Aunt Eleanor's Cookie Caper hosted at Aunt Marie's.  Old recipes were used by the youngest set, offspring of the 2nd generation who used the same recipes as children.

The basement in Mark and Marie's home also was an entertainment center.  Clean up in both places was probably a challenge.  Well certainly, not probably.

I like the shirts.  Seem appropriate.

Are appropriate.

the kitchen was full — and events documented too.

 and the fruits of labor enjoyed with lunch.

While the cookies were cooking, the 1st Annual CGO was being played on one beautiful and not quite as cold a day as it appeared to be.

The actual CFC held in our house with activities centered in the basement was a whirlwind of activity with lots of kids, presents and movement.

This event, like the cookie caper, was held under the cloud of the state and nation wide virus that has been causing stomach and lower intestinal distress across all age groups, especially the younger ones.  Our families were no exceptions. Plural is intentional— multigenerational is included.  For a while my attendance was in doubt as I spent time in the emergency room with bleeding associated with the virus. — and sure enough, after the event, more people were sick.  Whether or not attendance was the culprit, we will just have assume it was not.

Tags were read.

occasional levity broke out.

Uncle Lelly even found humor in the evening.

off the books trades were brokered 

(the CFC group photo goes here).

The next day was a Sunday and after church we enjoyed the Panthers victory — and the kids continued their development as football fans, knowledgeable ones at that too. And then we were able to do the family photo - with all, or nearly all eyes, toward the camera.

and Patt and I are quite happy.

(Thanks to James and others for the photos!)