Italian Night

Every year at Camp Fatima my friends talk about parties they have during the rest of the year and I am jealous. My friend, Hattie, scheduled "Italian Night" so that I could be there during one of my trips to Massachusetts to see my mom.

Hattie lives in Penacook, New Hampshire in a old farmhouse which was built in 1760. It was restored and added to by her dad. It is really beautiful. I got to Franklin on Thursday and Saturday borrowed the car for an overnight trip to Hattie's. It was a blast.

NC goes BLUE!!!!

We voted early. We wound up going on Sunday to the only place open which was downtown. It was "Souls to the Polls" where a local Black church provided Gospel music. You could feel the good vibes in the air. It was the most exciting time I voted in my entire life!

Halloween

Even though he is 13, Mitchell was still up for trick or treating. We hit Faculty Drive on campus and he scored big. We even ran into a group of Wake students dressed up and going door to door.

The Fair

Each October we go to the Dixie Classic Fair. The city dedicated a large plot of land to this annual event complete with a grand stand for the tractor pulls, rodeos and demolition derbies.

This year we brought Mitchell's friends, Jared and Emma. We met our friends, Jimmy, Bren, April and her new husband, Tom. From the Ferris wheel we were also able to enjoy the tractor pull at the grand stand. The conversation in the video is more colorful than the lights and sights of the fairway.

Fifty!?!?!?!

My mother, sister and brother came to North Carolina to celebrate with me. They got here on Thursday, September 4th. I had cosmos and appetizers waiting. I served roast beef and we drank too much wine. I fell asleep on the couch. The three of them decided they would wake me at midnight and sing happy birthday to me. Lois fell asleep next. My mother needed her so Peter woke her. She jumped up singing thinking it was midnight.

Friday, the 5th, was my actual birthday. Lois and I ran some errands. We hung out until Mitch was home from school and Brian came home from work. Unfortunately, Brian was ill. That did not stop him from buying a cake on the way home. There was singing and gifts. This video was shot with my new toy. Brian got me a Flip Video camera.



Marion, Lois and Peter treated me and Mitch to dinner at a very fancy restaurant. It was "Wine Night" with seven courses and a different wine to go with each. Mitchell tried everything except the wine and liked most of it... he is one of us.

Brian stayed home because he was ill from stress. He planned a birthday party for me with the help of my friends, Susan, Edie and Peter. Party planning is not Brian's thing and so it took a toll on him. I felt terrible about this. I will not ask for a party in the future. When I turn 60 we will just go on a cruise.

Susan decreed that I had to be out of the house all day Saturday while they set up for the party. Fine with me. Marion, Lois, Peter and I went to lunch, saw a movie, took a car tour of Winston-Salem and stopped at a pub for a drink. When we got home the house was packed with local friends.

Annemarie wanted to be here and so did Robert but life can be complicated sometimes. That's alright. They are with me all the time. I carry them in my heart. The Charbs did send a great dvd of my life and times well spent. I still don't know how they got a picture of me and Lois from our childhood. It was sweet.

It is nice to reach this milestone surrounded by friends singing and wishing me well.



I am not old, just older. The er really softens that word. I also have to say it is a lot easier coming down the hill than it was going up. I am blessed with a wonderful husband and child, family and friends. It truly is a wonderful life!