We finally got to go to the NC State football game this weekend to see Robert play in the marching band....unfortunately, they decided the field was too wet to let the kids march. So, we got to watch a great football game vs. Virgina - State somehow won!!

The band just stayed in the stands, playing the fight song, etc. from their seats. Security wouldn't let us even go down to say hello.



Here's a photo I snapped of Robert coming out of the stadium before they lined up to leave.


We met him back on campus and went out for a late dinner. He seems to be doing well - happy and rather "adult".

The following video is a clip of the band marching out of the stadium back to the bus. They are quite silly as Sharon probably remembers from her tenure.


Be sure to turn the sound up!!

Click the arrow to play the clip.

It's finally raining - after about 3 months of absolutely NO rain....thought global warming was upon us....



Here's Richard's latest hobby - putting un-necessary lighting on his 4Runner...


Hey, it seems to keep him occupied and happy....

I've finally got something semi-interesting to post! (Mostly about food...)

Mom and Frank were visiting last night. She brought me a "starter" for some Amish Friendship Bread. It was given to Mom by Denise along with a recipe - you know the drill - "knead" it for a few days, then "feed" it, the "knead" it again for a few days, then separate it out for "gifts" and bake the bread. Fun & REALLY good bread. Mom put nuts and raisins in hers and it was scrumptious! Should be fun to give some to the neighbors here.

Here you see the bag of "goo", the instructions, and one of the loaves Mom made with her first batch. She kept a batch of "starter" for herself so she can make some more.




We had gone to the grocery store to pick up a few items for dinner - and they had pomegranates! I had to get one - I don't often, but they are kindof fun every once in a while.

I snapped a few photos as we were "playing with our pomegranate"

I sliced it and set it in water to soften the husk,

This is about half of the seeds removed - I crushed these thru the colander to remove the juice,
A small amount of juice - for a sauce. The remaining seeds I used in a "salsa"
Just some fresh veggies
Added sugar, ginger, salt, pepper, lemon seasoning,

Here is the finished salsa - the pomegranate seeds cooked to tender, it was really good served over the salmon.

Speaking of the salmon - Here it is before cooking - I just poured over the sauce that I had made using the pomegranate juice, lemon juice, sugar and some spices.
It was a yummy meal!

Well, there's really not much going on! Robert was home last weekend - didn't do much together because he was busy going to see his high-school buddies.

Richard had come home with a wig as part of a costume - Robert picked it up and I snapped this silly photo:


As I was leaving Monday morning, I noticed that Richard's car looked odd.....so I went to investigate. It seems that brother Robert had brought home a large stack of magnets from State. They were some sort of advertising tool for class rings at State. It appears that Robert thought it would be funny to plaster Rich's car....silly boys.






I'm in the process of trying to plan another sailing vacation next year - this time 4 couples - Sharon/Buddy, Pat/Diane and Dick/Lindy. Should be great fun!!

I am enjoying my fall flowers - I'm surprised how nice these 2 year old mums are in this drought!


Next are a few photos of this weekend's outing with Robert and some of his high school buddies - they were all home on fall break from their respective colleges - NC State, East Carolina and Guilford College.

Lazy boys....
We just spent Saturday having a lazy sail out in the Pamlico sound. We sailed out about 3 hours then turned around and sailed back. The forecast was for light winds, but it ended up being a pretty perfect day for sailing. 10 knots and about 70 degrees - beeauuutiful!

Robert came home for the first weekend since he's been at State. We didn't really do anything special. He went to his home high school football game and played with his old band. He seemed to be having a nice, relaxing weekend. In the guest room, of course! I was a little taken aback - he did his laundry the day before he came home!!! So I guess I don't get to fuss about "the college student lugging a big sack of clothes home for mom to wash!!".

I asked him to pose for a snapshot before he went back to school to prove that I actually saw him....Dad walked in just as I was ready to take the photo and started picking at him...nothing's changed much!!



After Robert left, Duane and I got in the airplane and went for a short flight - upon our return the phone rings - Richard has locked his keys in his trunk - IN STATESVILLE!!! He and a friend had gone to Hickory for the day for an "airsoft" (like paintball) outing....ugh ...so instead of a nice evening at home, we drove 2 hrs to pop his trunk open with the spare set of keys. I thought about getting a locksmith, but the charge for Sunday evening would have probably been enormous. It worked out nicely - I got to eat Chinese food on the way back!!