We arrived back in VA on April 18 and the cats were very glad to be "home". They walked the yard, checked out smells, and seemed very happy to be back. Our big job was to finish packing, clean the house, and prepare to move out. I had contracted with a moving company to move us for what seemed a reasonable fee. They would not pack (except for furniture and a few other items) so we had to make sure it was done right. After 7 moves with the government and another 5 on our own, we felt comfortable and competent that we could get it right. I had contracted with Mayflower moving in January and the move coordinator, Tyrone, came to the house, gave us a binding estimate, and walked us through what was expected. ... read more

I officially retired on March 26. But on March 23, I had a retirement ceremony at work. It was a wonderful occasion and I was fortunate to have so many friends and former employers attend. The Deputy Director, Joel Eissinger, told me over 2 months ago I should have a ceremony. I resisted because I just wanted to quietly fade away. Joel was most insistent and told me I needed the closure. I didn't think I did so still said no. Then he told me I owed it to the young people I had been mentoring and needed to show them what the years of work meant and how much people valued what we had been doing. Well, being a softy, he got to me so I agreed. Joel, Dave Skocik (his deputy), Otis Moore (the ... read more

After closing on the house in Alabama, we drove to Jacksonville, FL to see our son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. Someone asked how long would it take to get from Alabama to Jacksonville. I said, "About 2 weeks....4 hours to the Gulf coast, camp and relax for 10-12 days, then another 4-5 hours to Jacksonville." This time the trip was on back roads and it took about 7 hours with stops for lunch and driving at a leisurely 55-60 MPH. (With current gas prices, this is smart driving.) Drew was still up when we got in and I must say, singularly unimpressed with his grandparents. He has only seen us a few times. Last time John saw him was last April and Trish saw him in July. So we were strangers. We were ready for that and ... read more

This is truly a new beginning. I have decided to retire (finally) and will be officially retired as of 26 March 2011. This is after 10 years teaching and 31 1/2 years working for the Federal Government. It has, for the most part, been wonderful. I've had great students (some of whom I still keep in touch with); worked with marvelous fellow teachers (most of whom have been retired for several years and we still stay in touch); been supervised by lousy, good, great and a few exceptional leaders; and shared coffee, laughs, and the ups and downs of assignments and change with some lousy, good, great and exceptional Federal employees. We've had the opportunity to move and live in a variety of locations: Ohio, NH, Pennsylvania, NY, Japan, DC, and Virginia. We've found good everywhere ... read more

We left Mentone and headed to Crossville, TN to see Trish's brother. We always stay at the Spring Lake RV Resort (formerly known as Roam and Roost) and we were not disappointed. The campground is lovely and we got a site near the bathhouse and able to see the small lake. Domino enjoyed going out and exploring and Slinky, now feeling more confident, joined him on several explorations. They were both very good and came right back into the camper. Pat came and picked us up the first day and we spent the day with Dick and Pat, chatting and catching up on family and our various adventures. Pat, as always, fixed a luscious lunch and tremendous dinner. (She remembered I have a fondness for au gratin potatoes and fixed some for dinner.) We went back ... read more