About the only thing that's noteworthy lately is that I've been (slowly) changing Robert's old room to an office.....here it is so far....

Note the difference since I snapped the "before" photo. I wish I had snapped an ACTUAL before photo - with all Robert's 13 years of JUNK....

I'll be working on it to enhance it's "usability" over the next few weeks. Mainly moving a filing cabinet from the guest room and such.

If I don't get a chance to post again, we're off to Ocracoke for Labor Day weekend on the sailboat!

Nothing much going on around here!! I don't have a single new photo - I've been working on the "office" - slowly. I've bought the paint, but haven't gotten around to painting yet. I'll post a photo when I do - a nice, yellow-y off-white.

We're heading to Ocracoke Wednesday evening on the boat with Sharon and Buddy (weather permitting!) Should be lots of relaxing....and hopefully good weather. I waited too late to make reservations at the marina, so we'll probably be anchored out in "Silver Lake" instead of at the dock with power hookups and air conditioning! Oh well, we'll be sports about it either way. It's just kindof a pain to have to get in the dinghy each time you want to go on land!

Robert is settled in at State - seems to be right on track - from the ONE phone call and a short 5 minute visit last weekend! (I have been instant messaging him a bit also....)

Richard's first day as a senior is Monday - they don't have his classes scheduled properly, so he'll have to spend Monday morning getting that corrected. He only requires the 12th grade English for graduation requirements, so I'm not too concerned. Later!

Enough about Robert - he's all settled in and loving it at NC State. He got to practice at Carter Findley Stadium for the first time today...I'm sure he was impressed. Oh, sorry, I said enough about Robert!!

I've spent most of this weekend trying to reclaim Robert's bedroom!




If you're at all familiar with the cluttered mess my children(s) rooms are maintained.....you will understand how it took me the better part of 2 days to sort out the "stuff". There was literally a pickup bed full of garbage! Years of old papers, bunk beds, model airplanes (dusty!!) hanging from the ceiling, notebooks, etc. I sorted thru every single item and saved anything that appeared sentimental. It's all going in "totes" up to the attic for some undisclosed date in the future when he remembers something.....tons of BoyScout stuff, camping stuff, high school stuff, tshirts, trophies, and just lots of stuff!!

As you probably have heard, I'm planning to set up a nice, organized office in this room. I'll be moving a lot of itmes from the guest room - now maybe the guest room will be a little less "lived in"!

What weird is - it will only be a year 'til we're facing the same thing with Richard's room....what do you do with a 4 bedroom house and only 2 people (who only use one of the bedrooms????)

The afghan is at home now!!! Robert pulled it out of the box - and said "WOW, I think I should put this on the wall instead of the bed!" I think he'll leave it on the bed for now. He said his first night there was cooollld (he had not taken a blanket from home, only sheets). Really nice, auntie! Even matches his dark red sheets he bought the other day (you can see the pillow case in the background).

I made him promise to send me a photo of the room all organized.....well, this is probably as good as it's going to get - hey, at least there is some floor tile visible.....and remember - his roomates "stuff" won't be there until Saturday or Sunday! On campus living is for the young!!!

We're halfway to empty nest!! Today was the day - we moved Robert into Metcalf dorm at NC State. He got to move in several days early due to the required "band camp" for marching band. He went to try-outs at orientation a few weeks ago and was tickled to be accepted.

Move-in was a breeze. There were only 5 other people moving into the 12 story dorm today, so we had the elevators to ourselves. I simply can't imagine taking all this "stuff" up the stairs if we were one of 500 others moving into that particular dorm on Saturday. I hear it's a madhouse!! Don't really remember it too well from our NC State days (let's see - 27 years ago...wow....) Maybe Mom remembers it - I think we were just in awe of the "big city".

The early move-in privilige is a good reason for him to stay in band!!!!

Here is a room "before":

And here is Robert's room after he has assembled his "loft". Since there is so much stuff cluttering the space, it looks really cramped. I left him to organize on his own. He promised to email me a photo of the finished, organized room.

I'm going to take him several things that he forgot - like clothes-hangers - tomorrow morning before I head to work. He has to be at band practice at 8:30am for the rest of the week, so I thought we'd meet for breakfast tomorrow and I can take him the things he forgot at the house. Probably one of the last times mom comes to the rescue, so I thought I'd savor it!!!

Oh yeah, I'll also take this "mystery" item from T - it was delivered to Richard's car in the driveway while Robert and I were at State today....(our mail-lady puts any package in the car to protect it from rain....something about competing with UPS, I guess....) I'll post a photo of the gift in it's proper place tomorrow!!!!

Boy, I'm getting slack about posting - tomorrow is move-in day for Robert at NC State! Some mom's may be upset by this, but I'm happy that he's moving forward in his adult life! (Plus I'm stealing his room to set up as an office!!)




Because I always have the camera, I rarely have my picture taken. Someone at the airport snapped this photo the other day....me with my right-hand lady, Bobbi.

The past few days, I have been given a tremendous amount of produce!! (Like I've said before, I have some wonderful neighbors!) It was getting to the point of overwhelming my refrigerator. I was not using it fast enough, so I decided to take it all out and do something with each item.

Here are some hot banana peppers - I had learned from experience that I didn't want to get the juice under my fingernails - so on went the latex gloves!



I just made a solution of vinegar and garlic with a small amount of sugar....pickles for some pinto beans later this year!! I've done this before, the heat must take some of the "heat" away - they will be just pleasantly spicey now.








Too many tomatoes also - these just got simmered...


And prepped for freezing. They'll be wonderful additions to spaghetti sauce! Anyone recognize the tupperware? Mom gave me those out of her "tupperware cabinet" about 20 years ago. Still work wonderfully! (It's helpful that they never are used in the microwave!)







Too many bell peppers also - I love them raw but just couldn't eat them all before they withered....so I just chopped them up and put them in the freezer. Since they freeze nicely, I can use just a few spoonfuls at a time.




More okra also - stuffed the jars and added a hot pepper or two.... some hot vinegar and spices - and that's all there is to pickled okra!

Couldn't resist this photo - and I'll quit the veggie post - Mom had given me some beets a couple of weeks ago that I had never gotten around to using...I took advantage of the latex gloves to peel them. I always get my fingernails stained by the red juice. Kept 'em clean this time!! Later!

On Saturday, some friends from the airstrip got together and we flew up to a small island off the northern coast of Virginia - Tangier Island. We had read about the quaint little island and the good crab cakes. This island is only accesible via boat or small aircraft.


















"Quaint" is being kind..... it was pretty run-down. Couldn't tell, but this looks like the official town office!
























Here's Duane at the airplane - notice the grass growing up in the cracks of the asphalt. It was actually worse than that on the runway! Plus there was a big "bump" on one end - not a good thing on an airport!! We had read about it, so we were prepared. There was a twin airplane there that had a flat nose tire. The pilots were trying to get it changed while we were there. Didn't ask, but I assume the poor runway contributed to the problem.

































We wandered around for a while - they apparently have to bury people a little different than they do in-land. Guess the slightly above sea-level crypts keep the loved one planted in times of flood (it's 7 ft above sealevel according to our flight guide at the airport.




































Here we are at the place we ate sea-food. It was good. Not great.

Couldn't resist taking this photo....they mostly use golf carts to get around the island. I suspect this is the only official car on the island.

This is the lovely couple that provides a large number of the veggies I post about. Lindy actually made her hat by hand - pretty cool?

And here's the Hayes mid-way thru our walkaround... - 'bout all there was to it!!

Well, I said I'd post the carnation- not so exciting? Must not be feeding it correctly. It's quite pretty and delicate. Just not very full like you buy in the store.

We're off this morning for a "community fly-out" to Tangier Island off the coast of Virginia. Sounds like a neat, isolated community. Maybe like Ocracoke was about 50 yrs ago. This island is not connected via bridges, so it's a little more isolated. Here they have great seafood!

Should be hot - no cars on the island, so hopefully we'll be able to rent bikes.

I've never grown carnations before, but the local Lowe's had some plants and I thought I'd give it a try. That was early in the spring.....the spindley plants have been just staying the same for months now. I've fed and watered them. But so far, nothing had happened. This morning, I was watering everything on the deck (it's going to be in the high 90's again and sunny). I noticed that the plant had sent up a shoot - so I guess I really am going to get a bloom out of this plant. And look at the color! Don't think I've seen one this color before. I'll post again after it blooms completely. (I didn't want to miss it - I'm afraid it might die off since I've never had this plant before.)

Other than that - it's a slow news day!!

So Robert is officially enrolled now at NC State. He completed his orientation session yesterday. He didn't really want me to put this photo up on the blog....he said he was tired and hot and sweaty when they took the photo...now he's going to have to live with it for a long time - it apparently is good for his entire undergraduate study years!

This little card is all powerful - it is like a credit card on campus....ouch!

Couldn't help myself - I snapped a photo of last night's dinner on the grill....new potatoes and sqaush from Mom's garden....a little olive oil and spices...easy and no added heat inside the house!