Thursday 12th June 2008, Graduation Day from Middle School

Our dear boy is graduating Middle School. It's taken me a while to somewhat understand the school system here, as I have not been through it, and we do not have Middle School in England.

It seems no time at all that he was this soft dear little baby, and now he is all hair, muscles and angles. What a metamorphosis they go through. Bo and I have had half our married life without Rob and half with him. Life is always moving onwards with change, and we embrace those changes.

Graduation in the auditorium. This is a neat old school. It used to be the High School, then they built a new High School and turned this into one of the Middle School's in our area. Lots of old wood and extra details. I'll have to take some photos and post pictures of the outside. One class Rob used to have for gifted, was in the Tower Room, which is a tower, with windows all around, he liked having classes there.Robert collecting one of his awards, which he received in Science, Tech Ed, Art and Music. They ran the gamut a bit.
One of the corridors coming out of the auditorium. Note the detail in the ceiling.

Some of his teachers.

Graduation cake and soda, in the library.

With some of his friends.

The court yard of the school.

Lunch at Appleby's, which was nice for them.

There is some sadness, it's the end of an era. Leaving for school at 8:15 am, walking to school, just down the road. Our dear boy is growing up.

What Can a Girl Do When It's 101 f In The Shade?

Maybe I should have a little relaxation and wash up on the seat.

Maybe it's a little cooler on the ground.

After four days the weather broke. Yes it was 101 degrees farenheit, with a heat index of 106 f, until a thunder storm blew in last night, and blow in it did. I never cease to marvel at how high old trees can be buffeted around so much and still stand. We have a big old northern oak and it was just amazing to watch it in the wind. The garden is so fresh this morning and the rain was needed.

P.S. We don't have air conditioning, so we were very, very, very, happy.

Tea at Karen Ann's Tea Room

To go out to Tea at a Tea Shop is always fun and is doubly fun if you go with your kindred spirit. Zi treated me to tea out, here at Karen Ann's Tea Shop. They can truly say they are a Tea Shop, because there were well over 40 different teas to choose from. I had French Creme Brulee, Zi had Blue Lady, and we tasted both. We ended with, an Earl Grey with lavender, I can't remember the name.

This is a sweet gift from Zi, a TeaBag Wallet to carry with you so one never need be without a cuppa. Isn't this a great little idea?

A Boy, His Dog and His Art Work

The Boy with his dog. Well actually you would think that this is his dog, but this is my friend Ali's dog. They are all in Tobago, so we are dog sitting. I'm dreading the question, did Gabby miss us, because no, I don't think she has. She just loves Rob, sleeps on his bed, follows him around and is his pal. Gabby just loves people and is full of love to give.Some pieces of Rob's art work from school this year. Thursday 12th June is graduation from Middle School to High School, so a big change for next September.

Wish I could have taken a better photo of this piece.

Wood Burning Stove , Let's hear what you have to say!

OK these are the three choices so far. This is a wood stove for our sitting room, which has a big granite fireplace and mantle. I would love to put one in the kitchen but the only place we can put a wood stove in, is as an insert in the sitting room fireplace.

Number one choice, the Jotul, Kennebec, I like the style of this one.

here

Second choice, the Enerzone 2.3-1 $1,000 US dollars cheaper.

here

Third choice, the Lopi, Revere, looks very similar to the one above but has a cook top surface of 10" by 24". Is the same price almost as choice number one.

here

So is it to be:-

1: Aesthetically pleasing?

2: $1,000 US cheaper than the other two stoves?

3: Heat the house and have a cook top?

I lean towards two and three. Bo leans towards 2 and I do to except a cook top is appealing. Rob leans towards aesthetically pleasing, saying that 1 suits our house the most and he's right about that.

So this is what we have come up with so far, but will look further.

Will keep you tuned.

If Bread Be The Food of Life Bake On

This is my new, well almost new bread machine. I've always wanted one but never wanted to spend the money in case I did not use it enough to warant the expenditure. But this one was a find at the thrift shop. For the price of a loaf of bread I bought this one, a Sunbeam. There must have been about eight to choose from, I guess nobody eats bread anymore. This had the book to go with it as well.

This is my first loaf of bread. Wheat bread with raisins and the recipe called for walnuts, which I thought I had but when I went to look they had all been used, so I added Omega Trek Mix, which is a mixture of nuts and dried fruits. It turned out well and was tasty, Rob liked it. You can see him through the window working on finishing off the edging on my vegetable garden and working up an appetite.

I set it for a medium coloured crust I think I'l try light next time.

I went back the next day to get this one for my friend A, who has three children and often makes bread and biscuits. I was going to get this one for myself, but I only have a small kitchen so wanted one that was really compact, but A's kitchen is larger. I was disappointed as I know there was a book with this one too, but when I went to buy it there was no book inside. Someone must have bought another one and took the book, because the book did go with this model, Oh well! I'll either copy my book or see if I can download it.

Surreal Rome, May Day, Thurs 1st May 2008

Surreal, yes that is the only way to describe our day in Rome. It was May Day and everything was closed. All the shops, all the museums, all the businesses, except the restaurants. All the Romans left Rome and all the tourists invaded, along with the labour movements who were having their May Day parades.

Many roads were closed for the parades and people, hordes of people were everywhere. So this is our Surreal Rome.We were dropped off near the Coliseum where we started our day. The keepsake photo of the boys in front of the Coliseum.

The Arch of Titus, which commemorates the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 c.e.. On the column are depicted the treasures of the Temple in Jerusalem being taken away. I did want to see this up close but as I said everything was closed. We walked past the Arch up behind the Forum and this was the most tranquil scene I was to see in Rome all day.Here is a May Day Trade Union Parade. Don't you just love the Lego men on their banner.The hordes of Visigoths ransacking Rome. We walked past the Palace of Victor Immanuel, the Place Colonade to The Fountain of Trevi.After negotiating my way to the front for a close up photo.Some law and order.A roast chestnut seller, now doesn't that sound like Dickens.The Spanish Steps, with views of the masses.On our way to the Pantheon, which I was hoping just might be open, but no.The Police travel in style.The Piaza NavonaThe quintessential scene of sketching in Rome.Where the cats of Rome lived.Where the Boy bought his magazine on Lambrettas, skooters, he saw too many in Europe and now has a love affair with thinking that he would like to get one.Isn't this a tranquil scene after a long day of walking the over crowded streets of Rome.Back past the Forum.I like this picture as it shows three treasured things. Robs messenger bag he bought in Malaga which he just loves. The Chimay beer we bought here, Bo enjoyed it and kept the bottle and my bag which my dear friend Zi made for my trip.We decided on a beer and as everything is so expensive we were going to get the cheapest beer, a Heineken which was 4 euros, but on the same list was a Chimay for 6 euro, now as Bo brought out, a case of Heineken in the States is about $25 but a case of Chimay is about $100, as it's a beer made by the Trapist Monks in Belgium, so really value for money was to go for the Chimay and that's what we did and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Doesn't he look happy.