MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 2011

'TWAS A MEMORABLE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!.....when the ten of us, both family and friends, gathered at Cape May to celebrate. Cape May?? You know...that great Summer partytown on the southern tip of New Jersey.


Celebrate? Yep, a first birthday for l'il Rome and two marital engagements! So you can see....we had a lot to celebrate. And we did, indeed!

A big bash at Harpoon Henry's Restaurant....featuring seashore fare and a glorious overview of the Delaware Bay.
A gastronomic holiday highpoint!

As usual Pat and Joe Dimino hosted all of us at their home at Cape May. Joe...like...why are you wearing your hat....sideways.... Napoleon style?

l-r Pat C., Pat D. and Shannon fussin' over Shannon's little guy, Rome!






Damien doing some first birthday bonding with his son, Rome.



Hi, daughter Kim, wife Pat, future son-in-law Andy and son-in-law Mike .

A small lake adjoining Joe and Pat's property at Cape May. Always full of ducks and geese....and also mosquitoes on any given Summer night.


Damien and Shannon giving Rome a first birthday hug!

Mike inviting Rome into the poker game.


Our daughter Kelly introducing Rome to his birthday presents.



Ah yes, it truly was a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Thanks, Joe and Pat, family and friends for making it all happen.

Gladdens my oldman heart! Amen.

ONCE UPON A TIME....

....ahh yes, once upon a time there were two little girls who lived in a far off land called...... Long Island. (Hey, Pat and I retired from L.I. 15 years ago....that's 'far off'!) L'il Graduates l'il Kerri Roberts and l'il Kimberly Christopher are cousins. How 'bout that!




l-r: Mikey, Kimberly, Mother Pat, l'il Kerri Girl, Kelly, Mother Elizabeth and Sean Boy! Pat and Elizabeth are sisters!
Pic: somewhere back in the 70's!


Yes, dear family and friends, once upon a time l'il Kim and Kerri were indeed....little. And now, suddenly, they are all somewhere in their '30's! AND....Kerri just received a Master's degree in psychology from Catholic University in Washington!

Kerri and her dear mom, Pat's sister, Elizabeth! Great pic, huh!

Kerri with her brother, Sean, and his beloved wife, Amanda!

And now, for the Christophers! Daughter Kelly with Pat and me...honoring our beloved daughter Kimberly. Uhhh, Doctor Kimberly. (Kim received her doctoral degree in physical therapy from Mercy College in NYS).

Melts my heart...

Kimberly and her beloved Andy!


l-r: Aunt Elizabeth, uhhh...Dr. Kim, Pat and our beloved daughter Kelly!




Ahhh, there's nothing like ...family living! What if I were still back in my monastery...and Pat in her convent! The very thought gives me an emotional ache....of loneliness!

Thanks, dear Lord, for your loving Providence!

FUN IN PHILLY

Yesterday morning we fed the cats. Then, jumped in our ol' RAV4 and tooled on up to Philly. "Why?", you ask. Well, of course, it was time for our annual trip to the Philadelphia International Flower Show at Convention Hall. An annual highlight in these years of our retirement! Yahoo!

The theme this year: Paris in the Springtime!

Ahhh, merci, mes amis!

We were greeted at the door by an iconic French clown. No talk. All artful mime and friendly getures.

Characteristically, Pat melted into the flowers....and they kinda hugged her in return.

Tres bien!

Fancy French table setting. Ooo-la-la!

Magnifique!

Lost in a sea of flowers

Daffodils! Spring is in the air!

Yeah, I used to look lovingly at young women.....now at 80 I ogle the flowers. Life evolves....

Caladiums? I dunno. But a whole red sea of them. 100's...if not 1000's! Tres beautif!

Another red sea. By the 100's, 1000's....whatever!

This staff lady's chapeau ensemble matched her personality. In your face. Flamboyant. Ultra friendly.

This guy was about 5' high. So colorful. But you didn't want to get too close.

Hey, daughter Kelly, master's graduate from UD! Your team won an award! Congrats!

Hey, Warren (Chris) 'n Pat! Sure I look tired. You would too....if you had been standing here for 3 days!!! Answering silly questions from Delawareans....like you!

SKYLINE SCAMPS

Pat and I remember....
the first time we ...wended our way (ahhh, corn)....down to the ever beautfiul, always impressive Virginia Skyline Drive and the historic Shennandoah Valley. October of '71. And l'il one year old Kelly was with us.

Where were Kimberly and Michael? They were still living in the far off land of Potentiality.
















Our most recent trip down the Skyline. Just this week. Left Monday, returned Wednesday. Rain and wind, Monday. Tues. and Wed. gloriously sunny Winter days. Even in Feb. the scenery was a #10.
On our way down we wanted to stop at Marriottsville Sate Park for lunch. Closed.

Then, I remembered. The Sisters of Bon Scours Spiritual Center, a few miles down the road. We quietly rolled into their parking lot. And ate our picnic lunch. In the car. Didn't want the nuns to kick us out.
I have fond memories of this place. Beautiful countryside setting. Back in the early '60's I was stationed at the Passionist Monastery in nearby Balto. I would occasionally fill in for for the chaplain here and at the Bon Secours Hospital in town. As monastery vocation director, my job was to introduce interested young people into joining the religious life and priesthood. I sent two young women in their early 20's here to the Sisters of Bon Secours. 50 years later, I forget their names. And we didn't want to go over to the front door....and ask. But I wonder how they fared.

Another of our favorite stops in northern VA is Berryville. A small town on the Shennandoah River and home of the Trappist Monks. A centuries old religious order dedicated to contemplation in the context of Benedictine monastic observance. Plus an unusual vow of silence.
You should see their farmland. Hundred of acres. Whole herds of Black Angus cattle. The monks tend all this. In silence and prayer. Sounds so foreign to our culture. But they still attract vocations. Deo volenti.



Huge monastery out in open country.

And this tiny sign to tell you where you are.








Holy Cross Trappist Abbey, VA










Pat! I'm gonna join them there Trappists.

Pat: No, Chris (Warren)! The Trappists don't accept guys over 75!
Now get down here and let's go to lunch in the next town!

Yes, dear.






We spent the rest of the day venturing down the Blue Ridge Mountain Skyline Drive.

We stop about every half hour at one of the lookouts. In Trappist silence we just stare out at the beauty of it all!

An uplifting three days down south in Stonewall Jackson country.

And, all said and done, it's great to be back in good ol' Pike Creek Valley. Amen!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIM!

Mother Pat was very scrupulous about getting Kimmee ...and Kelly and me...out into the fresh air every day!

Kelly liked to lie in bed with her kid sister. By the way, that's not a breast protruding into the pic. That's the tip of my elbow from the next...pillow!

Kim would laugh and laff at Pat's funny faces routine.

Bottle time. Milk for Kim. Scotch for me.

First birthday girl!

Mike: "C'mon, Kim, blow out the candle. I want cake!!!!"

Our little track athlete.

Pat and I always insisted on obedience! OR ELSE!

Years later...Christmas at Rockerfeller Center. Hey, there's Aunt Pat!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR KIM!

GOOD TIME HAD BY ALL!

It was a dark, dreary December day. The day Pat and I boarded this here "elongated tube" (you know, the one with windows and wings) and wended our way westward. By golly, six hours and 3,000 miles later we set foot in good ol' Portand, OR.

Home of the Christophers. No, not our ancestral home. Home of Mike, Kay and l'il baby Good!

Okay, enuff of the cornball lingo: we went west to see our son Mike, his lovely wife Kay and l'il baby Good.





We were greeted with open arms and feet.














Mamma Kay with Good...when he was a "little guy". One of our favorite pics.

Kay's an artist (MFA). Teaches at Portland State.

Good's still not totally used to daddy's tickly-tickly red beard.

Mike's a beard-guy. Makes him look more professorial. He's a phsychologist. Teaches at Pacific University.

Clever! Artist Kay painted one of the dining room walls with a special black paint. Turning it into a super-sized (8'x12') chalkboard.




Their new home in the western suburbs of Portland. 1/2 acre graced by tremendous evergreen trees.

Douglas Firs and giant Cedars spiral up over 100ft. to the blue sky above.

This Douglas Fir is 8' from the house. Has a 6' circumference. No! Not Pat. The tree!!!!


















Mike, Lord of the Backyard Manor






Mike's old folks, Mom and Dad. Great yard, Mike and Kay!

Got wheels! Gotta go!

Grandma luvin' up Good...Good luvin' up Grandma!


Hard to get a nap.

Oh! Dear me! It was peaceful 'round here before the gramps showed up!

Our last day in town Mike and Kay took us up to Mt. Hood. About 60 miles due east.

So beautiful!

So was our visit to Mike, Kay and Good! Thanks, dear guys!