a few more pictures from the trip

Lydia,




Julianna,




and the sisters check on brother (and Mom) --

these are a few more of the photos Patt brought home from her trip. Jet lag has been tough but she has worked all day each day, going to be early, and of course getting up early. Patt continues to tell stories of how nice it was to be visiting and how much fun the kids were to be with. Matt and Laura were too. and Patt really enjoyed how easy a baby Isaac was/is.




Some girls, Lydia for one, enjoy jewelry, and look good wearing it too




Julianna with Isaac, I think helping with the pacifier





yes the two sisters are two good looking little girls and learning to play a little ball

Faster than a Monkey

Introducing, our Granddog, Deuce,--- Stephen and Jen's brand new low maintenance family addition. Deuce is also known as Faster-than-a-Monkey, -- a description/name from Julianna. Deuce, as we understand it, is prone to grow and enjoy being around people, especially Jen.-- Stephen, not so much. --- Well, just not as much as Jen. In addition to liking Jen, Duece




enjoys a walk in the garden




taking time to smell the flowers,




learning with Stephen how to drink properly




riding and sticking her head out the window




and waiting on dinner, ---you'd think Stephen and Jen would have set the table

In Case you ever wondered why

I know you knew, but want to share with you why we really like going so far to see our daughter and her family. The ride is well worth the trip!! Patt had a grand time and these are just a few of the favorites of the last on the camera. There are more to download from the flash drive and more to share from this first batch, but this is a start.




seeing Julianna entertain herself with her favorite little brother



seeing Isaac up close and personal and Patt is not sure who he looks like.



princess says it all



reading a favorite



reading another favorite to a disinterested doll



Isaac with Bei Bei (tiger)





earning a jelly bean the hard way (getting finger nails cut) and looking wistful and worried too




no question about it -- we like to go to the far far east, and look forward to going agin -- the reasons are obvious. and you know what -- we also really really like going to Panama too -- and will be on our way there real soon!!

Happy Birthday Patt

Happy Birthday Patt!! my goodness but my wife knows how to celebrate a birthday, hold granddaughters, and meet a grandson!! Talk about having a great birthday! Her husband, that would be me, is so glad that Patt can do this and spend this time with her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren. Happy Birthday favorite wife. I love you and miss you Have a great day and buy the grandkids some ice cream or candy or banana chips for me. Have a grand and Happy Birthday.










and of course Patt gets to play Grandmama and do a lot of reading and have a lap full of granddaughters, which is a wonderful way to spend a birthday - or most any day.










One of the special things Patt gets to do is go with the grandkids to special activities like amusement like parks where the kids get to ride rides, play with friends and in general look really really cute which they are so good at. (their Mom and Uncle Stephen were too)

YES WE HAVE HAND LOTION

In packing for a trip halfway around the world, there is a lot to consider when packing. Obviously Patt has packed plenty of hand lotion. The idea that a young girl should have soft and sweet smelling hands was not lost on Julianna and Lydia. The idea that hand lotion can be used sparingly is however a difficult concept and one that Patt was enjoying letting Laura teach later. Lydia carried around a bottle (jar?) of hand lotion for a significant part of the time we were there, .. (really they do not need toys either) ... The fortunate thing was that soft, sweet smelling well lubricated little hands can not open a bottle (jar?) of hand lotion. It is a complete task just to hold on to the top.












Less than a week from now, Patt will be sitting again right there in the midst of granddaughters and holding a grandson too.-- She is, as is appropriate, very very excited. I am, as is appropriate very very thankful that she can go. ( and a little jealous), but I reckon I will just have to try to avoid having play the suffering soul to much.---- well perhaps I will play it some!! -- Patt says I am such a trooper when I am sick, - me being a stoic and all. Since I will be here in Raleigh , yes right here in Raleigh while Patt will be there in the midst of grandkids. and me --- nooo not me.










aren't these pictures so sweet.

It was bingo and Methodists

yes Methodists play bingo -- Family Council of which I am a member sponsored a family bingo night to support area food missions, we had a spagegiti dinner followed by bingo with prizes for the kids. Such fierce competition, you would not believe



















































and when you have bifocals, reading the number to make the "call" is a bear. Yep, I was the caller, and the pressure was on , with a little coaching from some of the kids, I figured it out and had a good time.---- Hand some one a microphone and you know the rest....

Spring in Raleigh

Spring in Raleigh is as always just flat out beautiful. This is one of the last of the daffodils and they were of course once again just an ocean of blooms in our yard.














Stephen says that I do not mention Patt enough in the blog, so I would like to point out that Patt has not been mowing the yard frequently enough and the weeds in the back yard have gotten really high. Ever since the drought a few years ago the back yard has just been a weed success story and the crop has gotten stronger each year. This year is one of our best. Patt has let the mowing slip once again and we will be needing to remind her of the need to get it done.
















The dogwoods are starting to bloom and are of course pretty and













the azaleas are out of sight. The ones on the property line next to John's are especially bold, and the one in the back yard where we buried Deacon next to the dragon statue is just beautiful.



























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what have we here?

I have occasion to go to Chapel Hill somewhat infrequently now that my children no longer dwell in the environs of said fair city. However when I do go, I occasionally take my camera in order to take a photo for my daughter who thinks highly of her time there and enjoys an occasional photo from said fair city and being that I love her I indulge her and take photos such as this one of the football place in Chapel Hill. Well upon further examination of some of the photos I recently took and careful work in various labs we were able to make some startling discoveries. Some disturbing discoveries, some discoveries that will give you "the fever"













You can see the shot of football place (and the heels losing to Wake, it is a sorta nice photo)s, but then in some other photos, some things began to emerge that we need to be aware of.
I am not sure but I think I recognized one of the people in that group working out with Obama during the much over publicized non-event last fall. and in the photo below, I do believe the fit looking person celebrating in UNC togs in some triathlon type event celebrating over a dookie looks very familiar and disturbingly like brother you-know-who. Now celebrating over a dookie is always a good thing, but the togs, that is another story.

























Again, I do not want to jump to conclusions about who is who in these pictures acquired in my investigations regarding recent trips and worked on in various labs but this is a most troubling development, just take a look at who is all buddy buddy and who may be sitting courtside! - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK ! !

a little follow up from yesterday

In yesterday's post I mentioned two things that might need clarification

one, just because there were two of our staff are naturalized citizens, most of the staff are more (or less) normal-
here is a photo of most of the Raleigh based staff.
















second, Patt is leaving to visit the grandkids in April, but not until the 24th.
Below is one of my favorite photos of our recent visit. Look at the smile on Patt's and Julianna's face. In fact Julianna just plain exudes joy in that picture. and she was so happy to be "cooking with her Grandmama.

of course where will I be? I reckon, Raleigh, yeah I think it will be Raleigh. Patt, Patt will be visiting Grandchildren.