Welcome to the capital city

of the Nutmeg State

This sign greets you as you exit the highway. The thing in the left-hand corner is part of the van.

I snapped this Saturday through the windshield as Ralph was driving us to the University of Hartford. I was happy that it's not too blurry.

In the background you can see the shiny dome of our state Capitol. I wonder if it's real gold?

This is why we were on our way to Hartford: to see daughter Allegra playing in the pep band! She is the flutist on the left. Our son plays trumpet but he was busy with another activity with the college TV station, so we didn't see him.

Before the game, which the undefeated women's team won by the way, we were treated to lunch for donors. We can't afford the tuition (read student loans, parent loans, scholarships and grants) but at least we can make a small donation to support the university. This is the second annual lunch and we had fun.

We had another chance to chat briefly with the university president. Allegra was in a history class he taught last year, and he told us she is a very good student. Proud parents we are!

This is about half the band. I took this from a distance and had to zoom in on daughter and crop. Sorry to the kids I cut out. But they won't be reading this so it's OK.

Move-in day for Kid One

Ralph is a great dad. Despite disability he manages to help our college kids move into their dorm rooms each year. Here he is in action last Wednesday.

We have a photo of Kid Two's move-in day also, but it's in Kid One's camera. She forgot to e-mail it to us. (Hint, hint if you're reading this A.)

Regular readers will notice Ralph's van in the background. It's huge and not too pretty but it helps when it is time to haul stuff around, that's for sure.

Here is the suite door decorated by the resident assistant with the girls' names on pictures of marker plates from their home states. Our daughter was the first to move in, and she didn't know the others. We were hoping for the best for her.

She has since told me they are all really cool. Yay!

It's that time of year again

Once again I have been on an unplanned blog break. I guess we've been a bit busy around here.

We brought Kid Two back to school today. It was rather hot moving him and his essential stuff into his new dorm room, but we survived the sweaty work. Cameron is the first one of his suite roommates to return. It looks like it will be a fun place to live once it is set up.

The building is not air conditioned, but we did get a window fan in place in his bedroom.

Cameron went back early because he is chief engineer for the college TV station (he has always been our behind-the-scenes tech guy, starting with for school performances since he was in eighth grade) and they have to get things organized after relocating the studio over the summer.

I just know he will have a wonderful sophomore year.

And on Wednesday it's Kid One's turn to return.

Freshman year is going great

After finishing a phone interview this morning for a story I'm writing, I said hi to our daughter who was signed on to Google talk. We chat online almost every day; it's so easy to keep in touch that way.

Just as I started to say hello to her, Kid Two signed on (for the first time!) and said hi to his Mumsie. I have only called him once, on Labor Day, to see how the first two days had gone. We had a brief conversation and he sounded fine. I didn't want to be a helicopter parent, hovering around.

He has been busy with classes, settling in, and going to not one, but two great shows offered (at a price) to freshmen who want to take part.

He saw the Blue Man Group in Boston, then this past weekend he saw "Spamalot" in Hartford.

He loved both of the productions.

Cam is a young man of few words. He told me classes were fine and that his roommate is "a great guy." Whew.

He's fine, he's happy. And that makes his parents happy.

Ruby Tuesday

As of Saturday both of our children are at the University of Hartford.
Allegra, Kid One, is a junior now and Cameron, Kid Two, is a freshman (tear, sniff, sniff, waaa!).
I have to say that place is a gold mine for Ruby Tuesday possibilities!!
The school colors are red and white. It's a veritable treasure trove of red stuff. My camera batteries died (errgghh) but I got a few shots, and here are some of the highlights.
This is the new Freshman Success Center. I hope Cameron takes advantage of it, it's directly across from his dorm. The school mascot is Howie Hawk. He is a wild and crazy bird.
The golf cart roof is decorated with a cutout of Howie's likeness. These two students who were helping on freshman move-in day were so friendly and nice. They're Red Caps, which means they had auditioned last spring and were trained over several days to be of assistance.
Our daughter worked as a Howie's Helper for the second year. She really enjoyed it last year and signed up again. We're wondering how much stuff she had to schlep...we'll hear about it eventually.

The Red Caps stand at the driveway to the campus, waving, jumping up and down with welcome signs and making people smile. They help in the parking lots, give directions, smile, greet you, smile some more and are definitely the more "theatrical" of the helpers.

Even the name decoration on the door fits in with the red theme. Cameron's name is on a red domino! How did they know?
The resident assistants covered over the door numbers with backwards numbers. I don't know why. A joke I guess. Or a secret code that I'll never know.
Allegra and the Boyfriend were waiting for their Howie's Helpers shift to start Saturday, so they were able to help us move Cameron's stuff, and answer some questions that he had.
Aren't they cute? And his shirt is red. Yay!

To join the Ruby Tuesday fun, visit Mary, The Teach.

Nest empties out - for now

It's just me, Ralph and the Brothers Furr =^..^= =^..^= for awhile.

Waaaaah!


Yay! (for our Kid One and Kid Two now at college)


Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! (for us)


Yay! (the children are happy)

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! (I'm teary)


Mixed emotions.


The Brothers Furr are certainly confuzzled.
They go in the kids' rooms, nap on the bed, nose around, not understanding what is up.

"Where have two of our staff members gone?" they seem to be wondering. They'll be back, we try to tell them.

Weepy

Yesterday we took Kid Two to a final presentation for those who have been accepted at the University of Hartford but have not yet decided on the school.
As an aside, his parents love it there.
We got to see our Kid One, a sophomore, for only about 10 minutes. She had things to do and people to see. They were having an election at the student-run TV station and she was a candidate.

When our son left with the students-only tour, I got teary. It was easier when our daughter went, because Kid Two still had two more years of high school left.

During the presentation for parents, I got weepy. Several times. And there was a lump in my throat as I tried to say something to Ralph.

I got over it, for now.
Soon we will have the prom, class trips and graduation -- all the milestones that signal the end of his high school career. And that signal his mother to start weeping again.

Change is an easy concept to grasp, but it can be a tough one to live.

Busy Saturday

Yesterday was a long day, but fun. It was parents' weekend so we left home early to spend time with our Kid One. She is doing well and having a wonderful college experience and we're happy about that.

We left campus to go to a family baby shower at Ralph's sister's house. He didn't have the portable ramps in the van so he had to stay outside. Fortunately it was a stunningly beautiful and warm day, and people made their way out to the van with food for him and to chat.

While there, I got to hold Chunkaccino. Adam is a mellow little guy (now almost 23 pounds) and doesn't mind being held by someone he doesn't know. He has beautiful blue eyes. And he already has two tooth buds on the bottom. Go Adam!!
I didn't want to let him go. He was doing just fine on my lap.