Just an 80 -plus -year- old grandmother who is keeping her mind active by posting some simple blogs from time to time. This gives me something to do that is somewhat creative each day. I have to remember how to take a few photos and once taken how to add them to my blog. Feedback is welcome. Photos by me unless otherwise noted.
The "girls" at Girls Night Out. (L to R: Kate, Iris, Christene Catherine, Patti, Linda, Wendy) me sitting.
The highlight of my recent trip to Cape Breton was the night out with a bunch of my friends. We went over to Port Hood and had dinner at the The Clove Hitch Bar and Bistro.
It was my first trip over to the beaches in that part of Cape Breton. It was a lovely evening, and we were able to dine alfresco. As you can tell from this video, it was a lively group.
Okay maybe you can't see the video. I can't get it turned in landscape mode. I must have taken it in portrait mode (my bad).
Catherine (mother of Wendy) in the beautiful dress she bought in California recently.
Wendy (daughter of Catherine).
Linda.
Iris (daughter of Christene and mother of Kate).
Kate (daughter of Iris).
There were two others, Christene and Patti, and I didn't get individual photos of them. Patti is in the group photo but Christene is turned away in the group photo.
I had fried haddock over rice. Twas good.
I shared this chocolate brownie with one of the girls.
Christene gave me an early birthday card. My birthday was on the 23rd after we were back home from Nova Scotia.
The birthday card from Christene.
I've never tried to make a phone call with the TV remote, but I have tried to change the channel on the TV with the telephone. : ) I think that qualifies to make me really old.
I miss these folks terribly. We have so much fun together.
My younger son, Patrick, celebrates his birthday today. He is such a joy. It looked as if he would be born on St. Patrick's Day, but came a day later, but we had already chosen Patrick as his name whenever he arrived.
Age 8.
Age 19.
In Cuba at telephone booth.
"Driving" a 1950s convertible in Cuba.
In Cuba with Wolftrekers Alumni Trip, November 2013.
Happy Birthday!!!!
We're celebrating tonight at Taverna Agora. Patrick likes Greek food.
Happy Birthday to my second grandson, Brooks, who turns sixteen today. That means I have someone else in the family who can be our "chauffeur" should we need it. It's hard to believe Brooks is sixteen---time passes so quickly. Enjoy those little grands while you can.
Here are some pics of Brooks during the years.
Brooks was proud of his brother, Zach, who was the State Champion in Free Throws in 2003.
Brooks is ever the athlete. Over the years he has played almost every sport and enjoyed as a spectator all sports.
Brooks (right) skiing with his brother Zach and his Uncle Patrick in 2007.
Brooks at second base, 2009.
Brooks a spectator at his sister's soccer game in 2012. (I liked his hair long.)
Now however he is a spectator of many sports, but he's concentrating on basketball as a participant. He made the JV team at Broughton High this year and he hopes to make the Varsity team (I think he will) next year. He will be playing AAU basketball this summer.
Brooks on the Broughton JV team, 2012-13.
He enjoys dressing up for the dances too.
Getting ready for the Queen of Hearts Dance 2012.
Brooks and Grandpat Christmas 2011.
Hope your day is great Brooks! I'm ready to go for a ride!!!!
Michael at 50--same red hair and same pretty blue eyes.
How is it that I now have a son who is half a century old--50 years---and it doesn't even seem I am 50!!!! How time flies.
Michael, two days old, Watts Hospital, Durham, NC
Before Michael was born and back then we didn't have ultra-sounds to know if the baby was a boy or a girl, we laughed and said "We're going to have a little red-haired boy." His grandmother had red hair and mine was kind of auburn, and there were several little red-haired cousins already in the family. And sure enough, We had alittle red-haired boy!
Michael (8 months old ) with me in Hillsborough, NC.
Michael, four years old, in Louisburg, NC.
Michael, first grade, at St. Timothy's School, Raleigh, NC
Michael, eight years old, Raleigh, NC
Michael, 25 years old, (me 50 years old) before his wedding in Mooresville, NC
Michael at our house, Christmas 2011.
Happy Birthday to you Michael, you have provided 50 years of pure joy and fun!!! (Okay most of the time.)
My third and youngest grandson, Tyler, turned thirteen last week, and Dan and I finally got around last night to taking him out to a restaurant of his choice to celebrate his birthday. Tyler chose the Angus Barn, without a doubt one of the finest restaurants in the Triangle. We liked his choice.
Tyler, my third grandson, is as tall as I am, and he's only thirteen.
It had been a long time since Dan and I had been to the Angus Barn, and Tyler had eaten there only once with his family and that was last year.
Rustic decor of the Angus Barn.
The decor is very rustic and the food delicious.
Tyler perusing the menu.
Tyler and I each had the 7 oz. filet mignon and it was more than I could eat. Tyler seemed to have no trouble eating all of his. Dan chose a NY Strip steak.
Filet mignon with baked sweet potato.
A birthday pound cake that would feed six people was brought out at the end of the meal. We were too full to have dessert, but Tyler took it home to share with the rest of his family.
Brooks in February 2012 dressed for the Queen of Hearts Dance at Broughton.
Happy Birthday to grandson number two who turns 15 today. Where has all the time gone?
Age two.
2004
Brooks on left with his brothers and Coach Roy Williams at UNC baseball game, 2006.
Brooks helping GrandPat and Dan pack the car for Nova Scotia, 2008.
Brooks being measured on his birthday, 2011.
Brooks with GrandPat, Christmas 2011.
Once I asked Brooks what kind of cake he wanted me to make for his birthday, and he said he wanted a pumpkin pie. Brooks loves pumpkin pie not only at Thanksgiving or Christmas but anytime. So this year I again made him a pumpkin pie for this birthday.
Brooks' Pumpkin Pie.
Happy Birthday Brooks, and I hope your day is wonderful. Love you.
Michael is particularly fond of Klondike Ice Cream Bars, and for his birthday cake this year I made a cake out of those bars. Michael and his family came over last night for ice cream and cake---well, in this case ice cream and ice cream. (Michael's birthday was actually April 7.) The ice cream cake kept well in the freezer so it was ready for whenever they could celebrate.
Six Klondike bars ready to refreeze.
I arranged six ice cream bars on a platter and put them back into the freezer to harden in this position. I softened a carton of Breyer's vanilla ice cream to use as icing.
First layer of vanilla ice cream as icing.
The cake went back into the freezer for the first layer of icing to refreeze before the second and last layer of softened vanilla ice cream was added. The Happy Birthday message in Carolina Blue cookie icing topped the cake. I didn't spread the vanilla ice cream all the way down the sides, because I wanted to cut between the bars so that each serving would include one whole ice cream bar.
Side view of cake after iced.
A serving is one Klondike bar (except most of us had only half of this, even Michael).
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