Gadding About at Grandson Brooks' Graduation from UNC Chapel Hill

Grandson Brooks. 

Time flies.  Now my second grandson has graduated from college.  It was fun attending the graduation activities last weekend.   Brooks received his diploma from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC on Saturday afternoon at the Dean Dome. 

Proud grandparents. 

Brooks and his diploma. 

Since I had attended this awarding of diplomas, I did not attend the main graduation on Sunday at Kenan Stadium, but I did go to the brunch at the DKE Fraternity House after the Sunday ceremony. I almost missed it, because when I went to the Friday Center parking to catch a shuttle, the shuttles had quit running, but luckily a Chapel Hill Safety Transit car came checking in the huge parking lot and rescued me and three others who had missed the shuttle. I got deposited at the Carolina Inn across the street from the DKE House. Wonderful!

All the grands were there, as well as many of Brooks and Zach's friends.  (Zach graduated last year from UNC).  The food was especially good. 

DKE House

Meg and Victor keep the DKE House running. 

Grace. 

Zach and Grandpat.

Tyler will be a sophomore here next year. 

The whole crew.L to R Grandpat, Grace, Tyler, Meredith, Brooks, Michael, Zach, Mike.

The youngest grandson Tyler will be a sophomore at UNC next year, so in three more years we will be attending yet another graduation.  I'm wondering if granddaughter Grace will become a Tarheel as well.

Laura and Andy's Housewarming Party

Laura and Andy

My grandniece Laura (CeCe and Louie's daughter) and her husband Andy moved into a new house in Lexington where they both teach.  They have spent a lot of time fixing it up, redoing the kitchen cabinets and painting throughout.

The kitchen with the cabinets painted white with black accessories, the walls a pretty blue, and the island in the middle that Andy built. (Photo by CeCe Grigg.)

The dining room with a wall of shelves beside the windows.  Room for lots of pretty books, pottery, baskets, and knickknacks. (Photo by CeCe Grigg.)

On Sunday Aunt Kelly and the family planned a Housewarming Party for them.  It was fun seeing all the family and especially seeing the new baby in the family Lane Snellings.  My grandfather was James Lane and although none of his children were given the name Lane, many grandchildren, great grandchildren and now great, great grandchildren have been named Lane There's my sister Martha Lane, cousins Steven Lane, Thomas Lane,  my son Patrick Lane, my niece Kelly Lane, Kelly's daughter Allyson Lane, a cousin Lani, and now Lane. Lane is actually a great, great, great grandchild.

Lane Snellings

Grandmother Kelly and Lane

CeCe and Titan, Laura and Andy's puppy.

Lane's big sister Leila.

Leila's pretty sparkling blue eyes and blond curls.  She's beautiful. 

Titan.  

It was especially nice to see Lane who has grown a lot since I last saw him about a month ago.  Family gatherings are so much fun.  And here's hoping that Laura and Andy will have lots of joy and laughter in their new house.

2016 in Review

As I begin 2017 today, I look back on 2016.  It was a sad year in many ways because I lost several people that I love very much.  Our jack-of-all trades Steve passed in February and in March I lost my sweet Dan.  In the fall Joe who had been with Dan during the crocodile attack passed away.  Here are some photos to show some of the events of 2016.

January:  two of my grandsons on the UNC JV basketball team  Zach (14) and Brooks (15)

February: Grandson Tyler and his date at the Queen of Hearts Dance.

May:  Brooks and Missy traveled with me to Cape Breton.

May: Beautiful flower arrangement at Memorial Service for Dan.

September:  Becky and Paula traveled with me to Cape Breton.

September:  We scattered Dan's ashes in the meadow overlooking the lake in Cape Breton.

October:  My little great grand niece as Raggedy Ann on Halloween.

November:  Granddaughter Grace a cheerleader at Broughton where she is a freshman.

November:  Zach visits Claire in Copenhagen. 

December:  Snow at Marble Mountain as viewed on our webcam at the house there. 

December:  Christmas Eve dinner at the house. 

And now I am looking forward to the New Year.  Wishing peace and good health to all!

My 2015 in Review

As 2015 winds down I'm looking back at some of the highlights of the year.  

Grandson Zach with his Broughton teammate after their team won the Holiday Tournament. January

Grandpat with grandson Tyler. an escort at the Queen of Hearts Court, at Broughton High School. February

 

My hair tinted green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  I'm of Irish descent you see.  March

 

I'm here with Matthew celebrating at Michael and Sarah's wedding in Shelby.  April

 

Boguska with Sarah and Kami (her son) at their wedding.  It was a beautiful wedding. May

Thomas and Rebecca's wedding lovely and great fun being in Ireland.  June

Extended our deck in courtyard between our bedroom and the garage.  New landscaping.  July

Dan in the airport on our way to Nova Scotia for a couple of weeks.  August

Zach and Claire at the North Carolina Debutante Ball.  September

Grandpat as a Leopard with neighborhood children on Halloween.  October

Grandpat with Zach on left and Brooks.  Both grandsons on the UNC JV basketball team.  November

Grandpat with her grands on Christmas Eve.  Left to right: Tyler, Zach, Grace, Brooks.  December

In retrospect I'd say 2015 was a pretty good year.  Now I'm looking forward to another new year. 

Escape from "Cabin Fever"

Dan and I have been snowed (or should I say iced ) in most of this week.  Our street is shady and there are still a lot of icy spots, and in particular there's an icy spot just where I back out of the driveway.  Brooks and his friend came over the other day and cleared our walkway as far as the car. So yesterday I ventured out!!!

We've given up our membership at Rex Wellness, and I've not yet signed up for membership at the Y, so I thought I would go over to Crabtree Mall and get some exercise.  As soon as I neared Crabtree on Glenwood Ave. I saw that almost half of Raleigh must have had the same idea as I.  The traffic was more congested than usual, and it took me at least 15 minutes driving around the parking lot to find a place to park.

Congested traffic on Glenwood near Crahtree Mall.

Inside, yep, it looked like half of Raleigh was there.  Nonetheless, I walked three times around the mall, taking pictures now and then.  I needed to shop for only one thing, a tube of Bobby Brown lipstick, Slopes, my favorite color.  Luckily I found it.

Lipsticks at Bobby Brown shop.

I passed by the Lindt's Candy Shop where they had their Easter candy on display, and next door Pottery Barn had some cute little silver bunnies for sale.

Easter candy at Lindt's.

Silver bunnies at Pottery Barn.

On around I passed by Janie and Jack  where I used to buy clothes for my "little" grands.  They have such cute things.  It made me wish for little ones again.

My favorite store for the little ones.

Aren't these little swim trucks adorable?

A kiosk was selling bamboo pillows and linens.  You never know where bamboo is going to turn up these days, but at least bamboo is an environmentally sound crop.

I was tempted.

The mannequins at XXI Forever were dressed in something like fashions from the 1970s.  I can imagine that Granddaughter Grace will be wanting some of these maxi skirts soon.  (I actual liked\ the 1970s fashion with culottes, maxis, peasant skirts and shawls, but I was young then.)

I can imagine granddaughter Grace in an outfit like this.

In addition to getting some much needed exercise after being cooped up indoors for several days, I managed to exert a bit of will power and walk right by the Godiva chocolate shop. (I'm cutting way back on sugar these days.)

Godiva Chocolate viewed through the window.  I did not dare go inside.  

Yes it was good to get out and about if even in a crowded mall.