Reconnecting

When Jim and I were newly married 28 years ago, living in the city was always something we dreamed of doing when our children were older, something hard to imagine as young parents dealing with babies, toddlers, and the trying years of tweens and teens. But, viola, our time has come! The girls are happily settled in work and college. After living in Florida for the past 10+ years it has been fun quasi-living in Boston. Not only to explore the city and spend time with each other, but to reconnect with old friends. Being busy with day to day living and activities, there is always an excuse not to sit down and pick up the phone, email, or even (gasp) send a hand written note. Days, weeks, months, then years go by and before you know it, it seems almost awkward to make contact. So more time goes by and friendships that once seemed like they would last forever become a distant, pleasant memory. It takes two to stay in touch, but one to initiate the dialogue. Not that this is anything new, but in a time of constantly evolving technology staying in touch couldn't be easier, so why is it that we don't? As we prepare to make yet another move across the country to another state, another city, I renew my determination to take the time to stay connected.

Villa-Lots-O-Fun

Loaded up and ready to go drop Colleen at Villanova University outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the start of freshman year. Here we come Villa-Lots-O-Fun!!! Wow, college drop off is intense. Note however, Jim and I were taking a golf road trip and dropping off furniture for Melissa at Duke. Still....

Freshman all live on one section of campus in a cluster of freshman dorms, dining hall, fitness facility, etc. Very nice, clean, and friendly, if small for three freshman girls. For anyone wanting to send snail mail and/or care packages her address is:

Villanova University

Good Counsel Hall, Room 204

P.O. Box 1421

800 Lancaster Avenue

Villanova, PA 19085-1679

Colleen's roomies are from New Jersey and Martha's Vineyard (small world!). Freshman orientation began Thursday night and lasted until Sunday. The students were split into groups of 23 with an upperclassman as OC (orientation counselor). They participated in team building activities, dined together, and got to know students from other dorms to introduce them to different kids and broaden their friend base.

Kelly (NJ), Alexia (MVY), Colleen in their room.

On the way to the crab bash a week later, we stopped in Pinehurst to play golf, walk the hallowed ground of the pros, and to pose with Payne Stewart (since we didn't like the pros). What fun.

Back on MVY for the end of summer in New England, labor day on Chappy Beach. How tranquil. Is this what we have in store as empty nesters? Maybe too tranquil, time will tell.

Tranquility.

Sunset at Chappy, good-bye summer.

The Girls of Summer

Each of our daughters has brought friends to our home on MVY this summer. Since we don't see the girls as much as we used to when they all lived at home, the friends they choose to bring home to meet family provides a secret peek into who they are and tells us a little of what their lives are like while they are away. We have thoroughly enjoyed meeting the wonderful people they call friends and getting the peek into who our children are when they aren't with us. 

Melissa and Katrina. Katrina is from a large family in the Chicago area and a recent Duke grad heading to New Orleans for a year of community service.

Ingrid, Emily Bowen and Em. All young professionals rooming together  in Brookline.

Colleen with Sarah who will be at UNC Wilmington this fall. A music lover and guitar player who inspired the Bean to pick up guitar again.

Colleen with Sarah who will be at FSU this fall. I think she said she is the 10th person in her family to attend there.

Hayley who started at Florida this summer, Colleen, and Mel who will be at Alabama this fall. Both repeat visitors!

Makes me think back to when I was bringing friends home to meet the family and what my parents might have thought. Maybe their generation didn't think quite so much about this stuff though. I'll never know.

Independence Day

It was party central at 1 Kotemy Circle this Independence Day. The entire family was present, plus Em's boyfriend Kevin (a doll) and Mel's friend Katrina, like one of the family and a recent Duke grad. We enjoyed some of the best weather of the summer over the July 4th holiday, what a well deserved treat! Festivities included a family dinner at the Boathouse in downtown Edgartown.

Em and Kevin

Mel and Katrina

Then an old fashioned perfect beach day with lots of friends and their families lasting well into the early evening. 

The Fam

Kids enjoyed a new game introduced by the college crowd, twirlie bat (minus the alcohol of course). A relay game between two teams --the short kids versus the tall kids. Each team had a member twirl 8 times around a bat and then run bases like in baseball. The first team finished won. I think it was the short, young kids because they don't get dizzy. 

Twirlie Bat

On the big day we sat poolside and soaked up the sun, enjoyed the fireworks over the harbor, and danced the night away to some cool tunes. Sunday was a relaxing day with a cookout in the backyard

 with the traditional July 4th cake 

The must do photo with Katrina (who did a great job filling in for Mel who was at work, they do look like sisters)

as we said farewell to Melissa, Katrina, Em and Kevin. It was the last hurrah weekend for Melissa who is now back at Duke and beginning her summer research job. I hope everyone had as much fun celebrating and creating memories as we did. Ahhhhhhhhhhh, summer!

Graduation Day

 

The diploma

Better late than never even if it is a little out of order with my other blog entries. Jim and I now have three daughters that have successfully graduated high school from The Bolles School.

The sisters

The graduation ceremony for our favorite youngest daughter (as Jim would say) was a proud and memorable moment for us as parents.  Not only a milestone in her life, but a chapter closed on what has been the main focus in our lives since the kids were born. No need to repeat the long, sad story of the rainy week, weekend, ceremony snafus, and Jim's medical woes. Colleen will be starting at Villanova on August 20. Stay tuned for what is next in her future......

 

The happy graduate at the post grad party

The very cool cake, top view

Side view

It's A Beach Day!

Is this beautiful or what?

A small, but happy gathering.

It's A Beach Day! def.- (noun) any day during summer on MVY regardless of weather; first coined by Joseph Eck circa 2003. 

Nothing can stop a beach day on MVY not wind, not fog, not rain, not cold temps. Luckily, we had none of those yesterday as we celebrated the first official beach day of 2009. It was a small crowd, but a content and happy one. The plovers are nesting, 800+ nests this year so beach space will be at a premium. Do they really need to have that many nests? There will only be about 1/2 mile of beach available for the next 30 days (how long it takes to hatch, etc). That takes us into late July some of the busiest days of the season. Come first, come often. I think that will be our motto this summer. So, get out your towels, chairs, umbrellas, sunscreen, grills, blenders, wine, beer, food, games, etc and get ready to head to the beach for some crazy fun and sun.

Inspired

Another quiet morning on MVY. I am catching up on my blog reading which I really don't do very often. Although, every time I read the blogs I am following I am inspired to write more. I found my first blog to follow through the newspaper in Jacksonville, FL. Since then the author, a young 27 year old divorced woman, remarried with a 6 yr old son, has written two additional blogs and I am following them all. I really enjoy what she has to say. If you are interested they are: SingleMomLand, MarriedinSingleMomLand, and RunningFromTheFatLady. Also, Em's friend Emily has a blog that I just started to follow Marginalian.

So, today I am inspired to write on my own blog and recommitted to writing more often. I guess I'll make this another goal for the summer along with reading the Boston Globe cover to cover each day, not putting on any poundage over the summer months while we are eating and drinking each weekend, and sewing on my projects a little each day. I just bought a special OttLite for sewing which I hope helps me to be able to distinguish between similar colors better.

I know everyone likes to see pictures, so here are a few I want to share:

Jim's first weekend on island.

Colleen hard at work!

Mel and the girls at Summer Shades looking good.