A walk through the garden

When I was in Runnemede, one of the things I did -- and I by no means did all I had intended on doing because three days just wasn't enough time -- one of the things I did was to go through the garden at the house and tell my daughter and granddaughters and I think my niece was with us as well about the plants around the house. Some of them are in the pictures with this BLOG.

It was refreshing for me to revisit the garden. My mom so loved her garden and her plants, and I imagine that late in her life when she could no longer physically visit her garden she would think about it and recall the days when she was able to work it and get those plants of hers to their beautiful best.

Some of the plants have grown so much in the intervening years, unbelieveably so. I was so amazed to see the size of the lilac bush, her pink rose climber, the holly tree she started from a rooting from my bush in Cincinnati, a dogwood tree, also started from a runner from my dogwood tree.

And I was disappointed that so many of the bushes she had grown and tended were no longer around.

I hope the girls had an enjoyable journey around her garden as I told them what each plant was. At least they didn't run off to do something else, so I must have captivated their attention.

ttfn

Doctors, etc.

I posted an update to Alan's and my life (currently) on http://www.thefatladysingeth.blogspot.com. It doesn't have anything to do with Runnemede, but explains how we are continuing our life now that we're back in N. KY. Notice I didn't say "back home" because for as long as I live, Runnemede will be "home".

ttfn

Oops!

I posted my Runnemede Remembered BLOG to the wrong BLOG today. The title of the BLOG that I intended to put on Runnemede Remembered went into the Runnemede Remembered Recipes BLOG. OOPS!

I included pictures from my recent trip to Runnemede in the posting and entitled it, "Giggles."

If you want to see the pictures and read the post about "Giggles" go to http://runnemederememberedrecipes.blogspot.com

Sorry 'bout that!

ttfn

More great pictures

If you all want to see more great pictures of Runnemede -- pictures which I haven't posted to Facebook yet, pictures of the Downing school, inside and out, go to my niece's blog: http://www.lg-allbecausetwopeoplefellinlove.blogspot.com/day-4-school-visit.html

If this doesn't work, then just go to http://www.lg-allbecausetwopeoplefellinlove.blogspot.com/ and then go to her index on the right and pick Day 4 -- School visit. She took some really great pictures of the inside of the school including, ta da!, inside the boy's restroom. Go figure. It had to be at my brother's pushing. I mean who cares what the inside of a restroom looks like, right? Well, I guess some people do.

ttfn

We're home

The view from the condo in Wildwood.

It's so good to be at my "old people's" home -- where I currently live, not the place I shall always call "home" in Runnemede.

On our way home we stopped in Wildwood to spend time with Alan's family. The weather on the first day was bad, but the second day was beautiful, and so it was the day we left.

The trip home was really good. No traffic mishaps or stops or problems of any kind, and beautiful weather.

This entire trip was probably one of the best trips (vacations) Alan and I have ever had, and I know it's the best we've had in years. Alan handled the travel well. He was able to walk most of the time. I was able to walk most of the time, albeit painfully. And, except for what I wrote about our rustic accommodations in the non-Poconos, all went well. We both probably gained 20 pounds each, though, because we ate very, very well, and lots and lots of those good eats.

Again, I can't say enough about the folks in Runnemede who made our reunion/stay so very enjoyable. Our prayer is that the church blossoms and grows and spreads God's Word far and wide for another 100 years.

I'll be bouncing back and forth between here and The Fat Lady Singeth (http://www.thefatladysingeth.blogspot.com/) for the next days, weeks, months, years. Who knows?

This is me, signing out. TTFN

The view from the porch

When I was a child I played on the front porch from April until October. When I grew up a little, I sat and read books on the porch. And these pictures are just a couple of views from the front porch.

After we ate dinner last night we went to the house and gathered to look at old family photos. I was surprise how well that activity was received. And happy that there was so much interest in the family history.

So, I hope you enjoy the pictures from the porch. I always enjoyed the view.

ttfn

Gathering of friends and family

Pictures: Mark preaching, empty church, Micah Drexler singing, and friend, Faye Hopkins Bourne.

Well, today was the "big day." The beginning of a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary to Mt. Calvary Union Church. The family was gathered -- most of the living Drexler/Sbaraglia clan -- and so many friends joined us at church today.

My brother preached, I played the piano during the congregational singing, and Micah Drexler (my nephew) sang. And the service went long, but that was okay because we were having fun. At one point my brother was commenting on the fact that one of his "fold" in Goshen, IN told him ages ago that if he went too long in his sermon that he would stand up to let him know he was becoming long-winded. Well, Mark related that at the very beginning of his sermon. At which point, I stood up. It was good for a laugh, anyway. And maybe you had to be there.

Tomorrow we tour Downing school -- the school across the street -- and then we all head home. Such a joyful occasion, and now I feel the let down of the quietness hitting me. I want this time with family to last and last and last. A little taste of heaven, I guess.

It was wonderful to meet up with friends I hadn't seen for so many years and just laugh and, yes, cry together. My dear cousin, Joan, joined us. Joanie and I haven't seen each other since my mother's funeral over 20 years ago. But we've been facebooking and e-mailing for the last five or six years. I love modern technology. I never would have located her without real estate transfer listings. And so many of my friends from long ago were found via Facebook.

Won't it be wonderful to be with family and friends forever and NEVER GET TIRED! That was the big drawback this weekend, my being so tired. But I would do it again and again and again.
What a wonderful time. Wish my sis could have joined us.
ttfn

.