Still here....

I didn't realize I hadn't posted anything in so long!

Since Thanksgiving a few things have happened...

We drove to Florida and enjoyed a week in Orlando which included a mini reunion lunch with some Piscataway friends, a fun day in Disney (but without poor Tom, who couldn't have taken all the walking...I ended up with a count of over 23,000 steps!), a great Boston Lobster dinner, but no visit with either Wilma or Linda due to full schedules on their part.  :-(

The next week was in Pompano Beach, the highlights of which were seeing Yee (our Pogo online friend) and taking a little night dinner cruise.

The warm weather was a treat for sure!

On the drive home we stopped and visited with Joanne in Carolina Beach. It was great to see her, as always.

Chanukah/Christmas has been low key and we are looking forward to New Years Eve at Prospectors.

There was a library incident I had to take care of, but all is well. (What do you mean I can't renew anything?!!)

Tax season with HR Block is starting Jan.2. I am on from 9 to 7. (IRS opens Jan. 23rd....)

Sick for Thanksgiving

Being sick on Thanksgiving isn't that much fun, let me tell you. I'm just glad I got to the doctor the day before so I had drugs going. It was sleep/CONTACT phone room for 2 hours/sleep and then up to eat the delicious bountiful Thanksgiving dinner made by my wonderful (sadly, looks like on his way to being sick, too) Tom. So delicious! (food and Tom, both).

I admire that no one in our family posted anything on Facebook. I'm thinking that means they were having a really good time in real life and too busy to take or share pictures (or....they don't use facebook anymore....!)

Not in the mood for Black Friday outings...back to bed....

#Comeygate

I am outraged and can't help thinking someone said "It's time for a traffic jam in the Federal election system".
Just horrible.

Good times

So we're back in NJ.
Tom's reunion was fun. I took lots of photos and a good time was had by all.
We got to see Miriam, Amy, and the Goffs and met a few new friends, too.

We were in Nashville a couple of times on the trip.

and all was well until my camera accidentally smashed to the floor :-(

We got into PHL around midnight and were surprised it was warm, but by the time we got home it was cold!
The next morning Tom was back to physical therapy and I joined my BCREA friends for the Fall luncheon at Marcos.

Then last night (instead of dancing :-(   I helped out at the Eastampton night at the movies.

(I also spent five and half hours Friday morning working with SHIP clients with my Volunteer SHIP counselor hat on....).

Reunion Time

We'll be heading out for Tom's 50th high school reunion soon. I found his yearbook online: Tom's Yearbook and here is his senior photo

I had the pleasure of rendezvous-ing with my own classmates recently in separate encounters:

Gee Gee for lunch at Charlie Browns, Diane and Ed Febinger at the Americana Diner, and Brenda and Anna at Applebees.

In other news, Tom is continuing his therapy and a recent doctor visit revealed he has some bulging discs that are causing his back pain. No word on surgery or anything at this point; just suffering. :-(

I went to a Mystery Theater at the library that was so much fun!

Theresa honored me with the Executive Director award at the Volunteer Recognition breakfast. I posted it on Facebook and was a big hit. I hope it inspires people to sign up as a volunteer!

We have a lot to do to get ready for the trip, but, meanwhile, we are going up for dinner and debriefing with our old Reunion committee tonight.

Relatively busy

So Tuesday I had five events! 10 a.m. was the BCREA exec meeting followed by lunch at the nearby pizza place with Ron, Margie, and Maxine (taking the place of the previously scheduled lunch at Robin's Nest with Conni and Sandy). Tom and I saw "Sully" at our favorite Tuesday special theater, Regal Burlington. Then I attended the first 20 minutes of my new zumba class before heading to my first instructor led H&R Block class of the new season-Sole Proprietor.

Marybeth GR

Wednesday wasn't as full; just an early morning hair cut, the DEAR lunch of the month at Dooney's Pub in Delran and then dancing at Prospectors later that night.

Thursday was the CONTACT in-service with a Samaritan Hospice representative. lunch at Pizza Amore with Kathryn, Ron, and (happy surprise!) Allen Zwick,  and a Smithville walk with Tom during which we encountered familiar BCEA retired teachers Eleanor and Susan who told us about the current juried art show in the Mansion, which we were happy to visit.

Friday was oil change, CONTACT shift, and back to Prospectors for more dancing fun.

Saturday Tom took off for golf and then we went to see "Bridget Has a Baby" which was cute (although Tom preferred the original).

The really sad news of the week was the death of  Ginny McLaughlin, a dancing acquaintance whose life was unexpectedly cut short, violently.

Happy Labor Day

The threat of Hurrican Hermine is over but my thoughts are focused today on another very scary circumstance:

Short story:

Our pension was over 100 per cent funded.
Enter Christy Todd Whitman and the next 20
years' worth of governors of NJ with little to
none of the required yearly funding.

Now we have one of the if not the worst
funded pensions in the United States.

A promise by the current Governor (Christie)
to have the State fulfill its obligation in
exchange for increased payments by the
employees was broken.

Legal and constitutional efforts to right the
wrong have proven fruitless.

Now the governor is attempting to arbitrarily
and illegally change the retirees health plan.

If that weren't enough, he is also trying to
force a statewide evaluation system for
teachers which would include a 30% portion to
be based on a known flawed standardized test.

 The extreme audacity of this administration
is beyond belief and the dire consequences of
his actions are terrifying.

First Day of School....not!

I am talking Tom into Seaside Tuesday for the Annual First Day of School Trip to Seaside (if the weather is suitable! no pun intended!)

I am happy not to be going back though my thoughts are with those who are.

We've made some travel plans and are so looking forward to Tom's 50th year Hot Springs High School reunion (by way of Nashville!)

Gee Gee, Carol Brown, Jim Muldowney, and I had a great time at lunch the other day, talking about the old days and times since. I wonder if I can pull off some kind of FL area get together of PTHS classmates while we are down there. (FL is kind of big...and I'm just talking lunch, not a big hoopla). Maybe. We'll see. But hoping for Linda and Wilma for sure.

Time to start buckling down with some HR Block classes, meanwhile....

Look! I'm famous

Raven interviewed me before the last Trenton rally started and I ended up in this video clip for Fios:

http://www.fios1news.com/newjersey/teachers-rally-against-pension-plan#.V6t0L5grKM9

Catching up again

So where was I? Oh, yes....Jennifer, now long gone, was up in NYC with Alex and the boys and I got up really early that Sunday morning and took the train and then a taxi to them.
We had a fun day which included a visit to the cemetery and  lunch and then Jenn and I went to see Beautiful, the Broadway show about Carol King. (Wonderful!) Jenn came home with me on the train and Tuesday we had to say good-bye.

Since then, we have danced, gone to four movies, a Luke Bryan concert (in the rain) and a PigRoast.

I also attended a nice luncheon at my friend Jane's in support of her being on the injured/reserved list of DKG sisters and attended three NJEA pension related protest events (lobbying and rallying).

We made airline and hotel reservations for the October HSHS 50th class reunion in Hot Springs (by way of Nashville!) and are looking forward to that.

Tomorrow is the DKG pool party, Friday is SHIP counseling and the rescheduled Eastampton movie in the park event, and Saturday we are going to Brooklyn for Junie's 2nd birthday. Oh, and Sunday is Sugarfootin' .  Yee haw!

Fun filled July

I will be on the train to NYC bright and early tomorrow to join Jennifer and Alex and the boys.

(Alex is moving back to London at the end of the month).

Tom and I picked up Jenn from the airport Wednesday night.

 Thursday Tom took Jennifer to the train as I drove past the train station to Princeton to have lunch with Gee Gee, Linda, and some other class of '67 friends.

After lunch, I took the train to NYC and then a taxi drive to Alex's apt. and visited with Jenn and Nathan and then Jenn and I went to see Fiddler of the Roof at the Broadway theater and then I took the train home.

Friday morning I helped SHIP clients at the Office on Aging for four hours and that night assisted as the Eastampton Rec Committee hosted our July Movie in the Park.

Oh, and, backtracking a bit.....We had fun at this year's Jamboree in the Hills, too (our 17th honeymoon! :-)