So we were already ready for more time out of town so we headed north this time to Longgggg Island to see Pool's (that's how they pronounce it) cousins. They are sweet and fun and we enjoy being with them.
Louise, left, was really in a good mood-I think she had just gotten tired of waiting for my camera to finally work...the batteries were really low. Anyway...Louise, Joseph (14), and Liz (Joseph's mom). Donald and Louise are actually Paul's cousins but we are right between their and their children's ages.
The guys getting to see a re-run of the Yankee game from that day. Paul's the only Yankee fan; Joe, Joseph, and Donald are Mets fans and Matt doesn't like baseball. A-roid still hit the walk-off home run in the re-runs-yay!
We stayed with Donald and Louis in their pretty home...
...with their wonderful picket fence with Matt swinging on the other side...
...on this gorgeous tree-lined street.
We went up early Friday morning for Paul to have a meeting then we drove around the area seeing some sights. I woke up Saturday morning and started crying. I immediately wanted to go home and asked Paul to check out the train info so I could go. I just wasn't myself. Then I figured out it was because Kristen's graduation had just started and I was really missing not being there. Paul found a live stream of A&M PBS of the graduation so we could watch it. I know it's a terrible photo but I was screaming at the time that I took it. Kristen was wayyyyyyyy at the end being a W, so we had been anxious and fired up for a while when she finally made it. It still took me an hour or so to stop crying but I was back to myself soon thereafter and stayed in town to enjoy another day and a half. Can you just imagine when weddings and grandchildren start coming?!
I shouted, "Pull over!", just in time for us to get a parking space for this little art show in Babylon. There is a plethora of fab little villages all around on Long Island. Paul and Matt thought I'd have plenty of time to look around when they dropped me off and went driving around by the water. Ha! I still wanted to show them some of the great things I discovered there when they returned for me. I met a woman whose daughter lives in a tiny town on the Chesapeake Bay near where Nene and I did a whole-house decorating job for over a year. Small world!
There was a nursery/flower shop right on the edge of the art show and I had lots of camera fun there...
...all the glorious colors and the women who ran it were wonderful. Everyone was sooooo darn friendly everywhere we went. You do have to pick up the driving habits quickly in order to get around; it's just a little difern't.
I talked with these folks for a while about a youth center they started a couple of years ago. What a great idea. Of course I realize that it's a little easier to get things done in a small place with a tight-knit community and nice corporate support, but it still takes a few folks with initiative and dedication to children. It was very inspiring.
More color from the nursery...
...
...and more and more. There was no end to the great neighborhoods, views, and houses. We loved the relief especially when coming from "Clone Home Central", it's so refreshing and a great time of the year since they are just getting their color like us. All in all it was a nice change of scenery and fun with the family (we are lucky to have them and they are the closest we have).
Louise, left, was really in a good mood-I think she had just gotten tired of waiting for my camera to finally work...the batteries were really low. Anyway...Louise, Joseph (14), and Liz (Joseph's mom). Donald and Louise are actually Paul's cousins but we are right between their and their children's ages.
The guys getting to see a re-run of the Yankee game from that day. Paul's the only Yankee fan; Joe, Joseph, and Donald are Mets fans and Matt doesn't like baseball. A-roid still hit the walk-off home run in the re-runs-yay!
We stayed with Donald and Louis in their pretty home...
...with their wonderful picket fence with Matt swinging on the other side...
We went up early Friday morning for Paul to have a meeting then we drove around the area seeing some sights. I woke up Saturday morning and started crying. I immediately wanted to go home and asked Paul to check out the train info so I could go. I just wasn't myself. Then I figured out it was because Kristen's graduation had just started and I was really missing not being there. Paul found a live stream of A&M PBS of the graduation so we could watch it. I know it's a terrible photo but I was screaming at the time that I took it. Kristen was wayyyyyyyy at the end being a W, so we had been anxious and fired up for a while when she finally made it. It still took me an hour or so to stop crying but I was back to myself soon thereafter and stayed in town to enjoy another day and a half. Can you just imagine when weddings and grandchildren start coming?!
I shouted, "Pull over!", just in time for us to get a parking space for this little art show in Babylon. There is a plethora of fab little villages all around on Long Island. Paul and Matt thought I'd have plenty of time to look around when they dropped me off and went driving around by the water. Ha! I still wanted to show them some of the great things I discovered there when they returned for me. I met a woman whose daughter lives in a tiny town on the Chesapeake Bay near where Nene and I did a whole-house decorating job for over a year. Small world!
There was a nursery/flower shop right on the edge of the art show and I had lots of camera fun there...
...all the glorious colors and the women who ran it were wonderful. Everyone was sooooo darn friendly everywhere we went. You do have to pick up the driving habits quickly in order to get around; it's just a little difern't.
I talked with these folks for a while about a youth center they started a couple of years ago. What a great idea. Of course I realize that it's a little easier to get things done in a small place with a tight-knit community and nice corporate support, but it still takes a few folks with initiative and dedication to children. It was very inspiring.
More color from the nursery...
...
...and more and more. There was no end to the great neighborhoods, views, and houses. We loved the relief especially when coming from "Clone Home Central", it's so refreshing and a great time of the year since they are just getting their color like us. All in all it was a nice change of scenery and fun with the family (we are lucky to have them and they are the closest we have).
