Lori, Great pictures! Glad you posted all of them to show how wonderful we all look!!
Day 3 down....
Just put Caleb to bed! I am exhausted, not sure about him. We went to the Agricultural Fair today....all those Vermont animals...except the camels! Not sure where they are from....He was talking on the phone with his mother tonight and asked her what she did today...she said they walked to the Post Office...and he told her that was "boring"...so I guess its very exciting with Nana and Papa...too funny!
When do you leave for Isreal, Lori?
Happy Thoughts...........

Great photos Lori!

Didn't feel like deciding which pictures to post, so I posted them all....or most of them.

Can you be my grandmother, too, Kathi? I hope I'll have as much patience as you do when I'm a grandmother.

I am here entertaining my almost 5 year old grandson for the next 10 days or so...I just put him to bed after day 2 (without parents). We had a fun day going down to the bike path (my daughter from NYC and her fiance John rode bikes) Caleb and I walked down to the Paddock bridge..needless to say, it took us almost 2 hours to go the 2.6 miles. He wanted to look at each big rock in the river and look where the beavers chewed down the trees. We had a huge storm this afternoon, so he got to watch the Teenage Ninja Turtle movie, his favorite...its actually my 25 year old son's movie from years ago. Funny how those things come back into style. We are reading "James and the Giant Peach" together each night before bed..up to chapter 16, where James is going on the big adventure with The Spider, Old-Green grasshopper, Centiped and the Gloworm. He has now gone to bed saying I'm the special Nana. So guess its going okay! Tomorrow is the Agricultural Fair up at Barlow's Field, so we will go up there to check out the animals. Suppose to be big doings in the street with music, etc honoring the Black River, so we'll check that out as well.
I haven't had much time to be on Facebook but will soon. Happy Thoughts and wish me luck!!

Well Karen, it sounds like you've given Facebook the once over and then some. Thanks for all the info. I saw the photos last night they were terrific!

Here in the campground I have two options for internet. Go over to the Office 1/4 of a mile from my site to connect or I just found out last evening I could hang out next to the men's bathhouse, sit on the ground and connect to some fellow on the other side of the tree line in his summer home. Although that one is closer and all I think It's stealing. I'm not sure. The day light makes it wicked hard to see my lap top screen. I can't fiure out how to boost the display so I can see it. I need indoors or extreme shade. I loaded it with lots of music so I could listen anytime. We picnicked with a bunch of friends the other night and I pulled it out. It was fun to have the easily transportable music.

Dave goes home to PI Sunday after church and i will be oddly on my own here. first time ever.

I'm planning a trip to Rutland sometime next week to visit with Lynn in the Nursing Home.

Thanks everyone, your good wishes and thoughts mean a great deal to me. I'm looking forward to sorting things out, one way or the other. Anyone is the Freedom, NH area, come over for a visit. Camp Calumet, site 40!

I've been looking around the new site too. It seems off the top that it makes for private conversations not the group experience we enjoy here? Am I wrong?

Sorry about what you're going through, Patti. I hope this time away from home gives you a chance to think and figure out what you want to do. As Kathi said, we're here if you need us.

I hope that things work out to your best interest, Pat. You know that you have emotional support from your friends here.
The house is full here, with all the kids and grandbabies here. I always think my house is big until they all come back, now with spouces, significant others and children. Found a big empty computer box today and the kids were playing boat, with lacross sticks for paddles. I got to be the shark...pretty exciting as they wanted to kill the shark, their idea not mine. We then made a house out of it...complete with windows with handles and doors. Then they were playing the three little pigs and you'll probably guess who I got to be that time.
Having a family BBQ tomorrow.

Well Pat, may your camper be the castle Nirvana and assist in quiet serene contemplation.
But the socks will come in handy when the seasons change.

I'm concerned that I may in fact be about to start my life all over and I'm not feeling up to the challenge. The reason I didn't end up at the reunion was marital. Looking back I wish I'd just gotten into my truck and gone anyway. So now I'm in NH living in a camper for the month of July, contemplating my naval and knitting socks. oh well, this too shall pass. I need some really good lyrics here but my mind is blank!!

Wow, you're all saying such thought-provoking things. I wish I had something smart to say right now, but I don't, so I'll just keep flowing. By the way, Brian, what was that rant? Did you make that up? I liked it--and those comments at the end, too, especially about not watching TV. I seem to have some kind of TV dyslexia--can't concentrate unless it's a good movie. Not anything educational. I know that's pathetic. Don't say anything. As for moving around, we've done that a lot, and I agree with you, Karen, that it has its disadvantages, but it also makes you stronger and more flexible. I don't see myself living in Vermont right now, but I'm glad it's still part of my life. Every time I go back, I love it. And, Richard, let us know when you figure it all out. Pretty exciting to feel like you're starting your life now and not in the middle of it.

I agree with the bob seger line, but I think I was feeling more like Kansas kind getting blown around.

that journey sure does go fast. wow, i am just getting started on living my life and i bring an ounce of caution with it all- like i gotta use brain because it ain't about brawn anymore. i know brian is saying use your brain and hire a backhoe, but it is more than that. being really in love could be different and better, but did i ever really get it in the first place. give me fifty years and maybe i will have the answer- "wishing that i didn't know then what i didn't know now" (by the way, that is an almost clever reversal of a bob seger lyric). why do i feel like i am running against the wind?

Back again, Sorry it took so long, got delayed getting back due to thunderstorms messing up the airlines schedules. Went and saw the grand-daughter, everybody's doing fine and caught up on the work that didn't get done. I'll probably just hang around the house for the 4th if work doesn't intrude that is.
I want to thank everyone who participated in the get together, even in spirit Pat. For myself it was a journey of discovery; kinda peeking at the results of my youthful decisions. I treasure the memories and places I have seen and been stationed as a Marine but as always with us stubborn human beings, I wonder what it would have been like to hang around Springfield or at least Vermont. Ah, wishing for the road not traveled, sign of old age or what.
It really was good to see everyone again, I'll try to post on the blog but I have developed a nasty habit of letting my work come first. Lori is right, retraining at this age is a challenge.
If anybody is headed this way give me a holler. Later :)

Naw Lori, I'm not asking anyone to change their habits in their frail and declining years, as if!

[begin rant]

Watch out, because technology and social conventions are always in motion, and we can choose to stand like the tin woodman as the forest grows and changes all around us, listening to the same music over and over, trying desperately to freeze time. But that would be forcing ourselves to believe in an illusion that life is a comfortable place where we sit for a while, unchanging, then leave, surprised that its over.

[/end rant]

Dance!
Find true stability in motion.
Swim with the current.
Never watch TV.
Never complain.

Okay?

Brian, I just tried the Facebook and got in okay, but it's blank now, right? I just saw your name and Kathi and Karen's names, but nothing written there. We're all used to the blog. You want us to change our habits at age 53?! Just kidding (kind of). I'll check in again. That's nice that you and Richard will be together for 4th of July!

Sorry to hear you got back so sick, Karen. By the time I readjust it will be time to leave again--to Israel on July 12.

Yeah, in my case, the fourth of July is always spent blissfully stooped over an intense fire pit, accidentally knocking would-be tasty items into the coals. It's all good fun.

So mosey on over to Facebook, already and try it out. This SHS1972 blog will never go away, but the difference is nobody can say anything here unless they are accepted in and approved as a admin. In Facebook, you just have to sign in as a member (of Facebook) to make a post or reply or a spin-off group, etc. we could block access to others and make it private, but what's the reason for that? We want out wayward lost classmates to find us.

And Lori, whatever was blocking you before is probably cleared by now, Karen Stover and Kathi Stern got in okay.

You can send each other emails without ever seeing or knowing each other's email address, so it's safe from evil clowns.

Look for "Springfield High School 1972 Vermont" and join the discussion, there can be many going on at once, just like in the school cafeteria.

Plus you can widen out and find or start other groups, like "Horse lovers in Windsor County", or Organic weed farmers of "HoJo's Pits."