Trip to the States (2)

3/8/07 - hey there all...well it has been an entire month since i added anything to my blog...sorry about that, but i have been uninspired to be on-line...most days i am tired from work and just come home and crash...unfortunately ignoring family and friends who do not live here...which is many of YOU!!!! so i apologize and have decided tonight i will at least finish the x-mas trip to the states...and the next update will be shots from the feb. break trip i took to poland and the czech republic...and if you haven't been there...you MUST go...wowowowow...two very interesting and beautiful places...i have decided the more i visit in this world, the more i want to visit and go back too...its a never ending viscious cycle i think...just like there are too many books, too many movies, too many people to meet in this world...i KNOW there are too many wonderful places to visit....i am off to another next week...turkey...and this time its for work...but enough with the babble...back to the states we go....

this first shot is of my grandmother, my mom and my grandmother's doll...she doesn't go anywhere without it...this is a pretty amazing woman in my opinion....she will be 97 this month...and she doesn't remember my mom or myself, but she is comfortable and happy...especially when taking care of her baby :) it was good to see her againand i wish her a happy early birthday xoxoxoxo

next up is my friend neal and i after a tasty meal at one of our favorite pizza joints...although it wasn't at our FAVORITE pizza place...but this one did the trick...neal is now living in the pacific northwest...which has been great for him....even though the weather there this year has been pretty crazy....

the group of women above all met through one place....Residential Living Options....every one in this picture works there currently or has worked there in the past...including me...its a great place that finds housing for folks who are mentally hanicapped and helps them live and support themselves...very impressive...i promised kate that she would be on the blog...sorry it took me so long, but here ya go :)

next up is the italian connection....natalie and bill and my parents eat at the same italian restaurant every few months...its always un-nerving going with them as they don't even need the menus anymore to know what they will have :) it's always great to get to see them when i am in town....

new jersey is in the house for the shot above and the one below...these are folks who i worked with when i taught there...and now all of these kids go there :) my last year at the school the eldest, carly, was born :) so long ago...this is john and his three kids - carly, timmy and emily, plus the grandmaster of music, richie...one of the quirkiest and coolest people i know :) don't you love the bass...whatever :)

this is the old teaching crew...its been over ten years since i worked there and so much has changed...but not the super coolness of the people i still keep in touch with...here you have richie and sue, suzanne and john and brook and me :) it was wonderful to get together and hang and eat good food...thanks sue :)

here's another jersey connection...although that's not where this friendship started...at this point i have known tim for almost 20 years...we wondered when we met at college if we know each other in ten years...i guess the answer is yes...here is tim-o-tay-o and his two adorable boys - max and josh...too cute....

tim's wife abby, and abby sister and brother-in-law - fern & michael have been added to this picture...we went to this amazing vegan restaurant for a brunch in THE city - NYC...it was a terrific place...very interesting food choices...and of course it was wonderful to catch up with everyone too :)
of course i couldn't be in PA and not see my friend shannon...we have known each other since we lived next door to each other while growing up...we got to catch up and talk about the wedding she had in october to joel...i wish i could've been there...sounds like it was an awesome party :) we did the diner thing per normal and it was great catching up....

another group who always tries to get together when i am in town are the whale house sistahs...we are a group of women who had a beach house together in avalon, nj in 1993...now members of the sistahs are married and have kids...but of course we all try to make time for each other over the holidays...we spent a fun afternoon/evening hanging out, catching up and laughing a lot...it was a terrific time...can't wait to do it again gals :)

this last group of friends is one that was formed over a night school class of volleyball...you should see me spike ;) hahahaha...but georgi, joan, kenny and i all got together for a yummy lunch and catch up session...it was great to see them, even if it was for a short period of time :)

these last three shots are from x-mas dinner...yes...we open crackers at dinner...hence the crowns on everyone's heads....too fun and they make a loud noise...this shot above is of my aunt meg and her partner ted, who suprised everyone by coming to PA over the holidays from china...i am hoping to see him when i am in shanghai this summer...we'll have to wait and see...

this is a shot of me and my aunt meg, who is my godmother...we had a fun time catching up and reliving some of her visit to bucharest two weeks prior...only thing is, we are both really pale...boy to we need some color...ugh...but of course we are still cute :)

and last but not least is a shot of my family...my dad, my mom, my bro and my bro's dog gunther...it was good to get everyone together and this probably won't happen again until next xmas...but i will get to see my folks in italy next month...very exciting :)

okay...that takes care of my shots from my xmas trip...i will be trying to update my poland and czech pictures before i leave for turkey next week...because things will just continue to pile up and then it will be summer and i will be away....its a never ending cycle...thanks for being patient...hope all is well :)