Tom was busy working in LA and returned on Thursday afternoon. We celebrated our 29th Wedding Anniversary just like we spent our first year of marriage-in two different states! Tom surprised me with a beautiful bouquet that he had delivered at work. I left it there to share the incredible flowers-lavender roses, just like my wedding flowers, with all the staff and patients. Plus I got to enjoy it more since I spend more time at work than at home!
I was just sorry Tom did not get a chance to visit with my brother Mike. But his trip was short and busy. Tom was not the only one away last week. Allison and I dropped Scott off to Church Work Camp last Sunday. The group stayed at a local church, sleeping on their cots or air mattresses and eating their meals in break rooms. They showered at a local Y and spent a few nights swimming in the pool. They were all allowed to have cell phones and laptops to utilize during their free time which was very limited. Scott said they spent a lot of time in prayer group, saying the rosary and went to mass every morning at 6 am at a local church. When they weren't busy praying, they were busy working. That was Scott's favorite part of the trip. He was very proud of the work he did and the improvements he made on an elderly man's trailer. However, he could have done without keeping up with the Seitz tradition-that is, A project is just not complete until you bleed on it.
On Monday he sent me a photo with a bandaged elbow. And the hole in the floor where he fell through! Seems the entire floor of the trailer needed replaced. Scott was very proud of the fix. On Tuesday he sent me a photo with his eye bandaged! He got sawdust and insulation in his eye, even though he was wearing safety goggles while cutting wood. After several hours of rinsing and even a dip in the pool, the chaperone and I decided he should go to an urgent care to have it assessed. Fortunately he did not scratch his eye, and was given antibiotic eyedrops and an eye patch.
On Weds he scratched up his leg cutting down trees and shrubs. I figured the Youth Group counselors were ready to pack Scott up and ship him back home. But they were amazed at his hard work and good attitude, even with all the injuries. I was just so happy nothing worse happened to him! And grateful to his wonderful chaperone, Stacy. He managed to survive the rest of the week and returned home Saturday morning, very tired and glad to be done. I think it was a wonderful experience for him, and he enjoyed spending the week with his friends, but he does not think he will be going back next year!
Scott came home in time to shower and take a nap and we were off again! We were invited to our friends, Beth and Barry's house for a 4th of July dinner. We were also looking forward to seeing photos from their European tour to Paris and London. We were also excited to see their puppy, Ripley again! And Mom B was invited, so I picked her up and we headed over to dinner. We had steamed Maryland crabs for dinner, but Tom and Mom are not crab fans. So I also made a big pot of baby back ribs and brought corn on the cob. Needless to say we had too much good food to eat! And we topped it off with strawberry cheesecake. Everyone had a lovely evening, and we 'kids' finished the evening with a walk around the nearby lake in the park that Beth and Barry live next to, along with the dogs.
On Saturday morning Allison took her Honda Fit into the dealership to have the air bag replaced. The air bags were on recall. I was glad she was able to get the appointment so quickly.
On Sunday, we celebrated the 4th of July early with a trip to the outdoor concert stage at Oregon Ridge to hear the BSO-Baltimore Symphany Orchestra and to watch the firework show. We usually like to go to the early show to avoid a late night before returning to work. We packed up a chicken dinner from KFC along with Allison's homemade brownies and crab dip. Her boyfriend Tyler joined us for the evening. He moved back in with his parents near Baltimore since his lease at the condo at Salisbury was up. He is currently working working but hunting for just the right full time position and his own apartment. We stopped into his parent's house to pick him up since he was on the way. I thought about bringing my mom. We used to take both my parents when the kids were little if they were visiting. But that was when both of them were a lot more mobile. We did not think Mom could handle the long walk on the grass among all the crowds. We also invited our good friend John, but his gout was kicking up in his knee and he did not even think he could handle the long cross country walk to the stage. So off we went with our wagon, folding chairs and cooler. We arrived early enough, around 6 and set up our space. Naturally, I always seem to run into people I know at the concert. I spotted my previous GS co leader and her entire family. It was fun catching up, and Allison and her daughter got a chance to chat as well. The girls were in scouts together and have not seen each other much for the past 3 years as Jeannette goes to school in Tampa and has worked at Disney during the summer months. . I also ran into one of the therapists that I used to work with at Charlestown. I actually introduced her to this event and she has been coming ever since. And she keeps trying to recruit me to come work for her. But for now I am plenty busy and happy with my current job.
I also happened to bring along some noise makers and poppers to fill in the extra time. They were non flammable fireworks. We had a great time eating our picnic dinner, drinking wine(for those 21 and older), and shooting each other with confetti poppers. Even the little kids sitting around us got into it and asked for some poppers. We had plenty to share and the kids had a great time shooting poppers at us and their parents. But apparently someone did not share in our enthusiasm. When the concert started, 3 security guards showed up to ask if we had seen anyone shooting off fireworks or lighting sparklers. (I can't go anywhere without getting in trouble!). I showed them our confetti poppers and they were not interested in our pitiful noisemakers. They did comment on our mosquito smokers, but even those were in compliance. Oh well. Some people just don't know how to enjoy themselves! The concert started and was a lot of fun, with patriotic music and even the Star Wars theme song followed by a great fireworks show. And then the long walk back to the car and the long, detoured drive home(after dropping off Tyler). Quite a memorable evening that lasted until about midnite when we arrived home. (another reason not to take mom-she worries about lots of traffic, lots of people, and getting home early!)
And I was off to work on Monday the 4th. No rest for the weary. And I was just as busy during the week. I had a parent's boy scout meeting to attend on Monday. On Weds, Allison and I took Cookie to the local park for the summer concert series. Cookie loves being out with all the people, especially the kids as well as other dogs. We even sat down next to another family with a cavachon. But Cookie attracted one very cute little girl that tried to use Cookie's tail as a pillow! The local newspaper could not get enough photos of Cookie and the kids. On Thursday, Allison and I joined my mom for her apt complex's 4th of July picnic dinner. We had to leave after dinner as we attended our neighborhood's meeting to protest the building of a new, condensed housing complex near our existing neighborhood. The meeting got a bit ugly when we discovered the builder hijacked our neighborhood web page. They want to squeeze in houses, villas, condos and a 55 and older community along with a community center and pool(for them) in an already overcrowded space that would join up with our neighborhood. So lots more traffic mostly running through our neighborhood. Plus there is a lot more building going on around the area-mostly condos and larger homes on smaller and smaller lots. So Allison got to see a clear picture of government working at its best. I thought it was going to get ugly. It began to look like a Trump rally. But the whole meeting didn't do us much good as we only had the builder present. We really need to speak with our local council members. We pretty much know we can't stop the building, but we would prefer to have some say in what and how much is built in the area. As it is, our roads and schools are already over taxed.
Tom and the kids spent the 4th of July at the movies. They went to see Independence Day 2. Tom had seen it in LA and thought it was pretty good, but not like the first movie. The kids seemed to enjoy it. I really liked the first movie with Will Smith(not appearing in ID 2). It was a good day for the movies since it was so rainy and stormy. We just watched the fireworks on tv. It was so overcast, the Public tv switched to old footage of fireworks. I guess they got busted. No one prefers to be fooled by DC politicians! Even with their fireworks!
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