It is hard to believe that Michael is now 14. We have a teenage GRANDSON. When did we get this old? We certainly don’t feel this old. Don flying down the mountain on a tube didn’t feel this old. Becky & I in the ski lounge at 1 pm drinking hot toddies didn’t feel this old. Swimming in the pools with my grandkids I didn’t feel this old. Hanging out with our friends Mike & Ruth as well as Shannon & Blake (with Belle) didn’t feel this old.
It seems time marches on but attitude is everything. Don was able to score a vacation without using any paid time off thanks to our Heavenly Father and the sweet snowstorm that hit while we were at a ski resort.

It is a great honor to be able to document these times with my kids and grandkids. They are all amazing people and have such individual personalities, thoughts, ideas, dreams, hopes, fears, perspectives and energy to share. I am literally exhausted from being around them because I am like a sponge absorbing all of them.

When my sons can have a moment when they bond with each other and my grandsons have a moment when they form relationships and create memories that they will remember at my age, it has been a wise investment.

I think I can speak for Don as well when I say that all our efforts together enable us to become a stronger family unit. I swell with pride when I see my sons assume leadership roles in our interactions and am amazed at the wisdom they posses. I don’t think that I was as wise at their ages.

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Ringing in the New Year at Rancho Russo

Dear Family & Friends,

Happy 2014! I hope you all realize how special you have made this holiday season. From the kickoff at Thanksgiving to the culmination of this morning it has been an amazing ride and I couldn’t have done it without you.
I appreciate the time & effort you all have invested in our relationships. I know how difficult it is to travel long distances with small children so I applaud my son Steven and daughter-in-law Kim for taking the time off to make the trek. Although I had to work Thanksgiving, my family paced their eating throughout the day so that the main course could be shared together upon my return. To my work “family”, I must add that if I have to spend 12 hours on a holiday away from my family I would choose to spend them with each of you. The passion you collectively bring to your vocation energizes me daily.

Dawn & Damian

Christmas Eve is extra special because my three “local” sons & their significant others come spend the night. That time we share is pure magic & I can’t thank you all enough. We have another holiday tradition. My sister, Dawn & her husband, Darren break away from their unbelievably busy schedules so that we can reunite. This year we decided on Williamsburg, VA and they flew into Richmond where Don, Damian & I retrieved them. We spent 3 fun filled days and nights. During our days we tromped around Colonial Williamsburg & our nights were spent seeing Busch Gardens through the eyes of an 8 year old.

Dawn & Darren, aside from being wonderful travel companions, great restaurant selectors & all around amazing people, provided us with a wonderful unintentional gift. They turned us on to the hysterically funny charades app called “Heads Up” (not the free one, the Ellen DeGeneres one). If you are unfamiliar with this game you should check it out. Dawn & Darren, being the theatre people they are, totally annihilate you in the category of Broadway Babies. The catch with this game, however, is the fact that it records you performing your charade as a video clip which you can then all watch. Hilarious!!
This provided us with entertainment at our New Year’s Eve party. Between that game and a follow up with “Apples to Apples” we rang in 2014 with a bang. An adult sleep over party ensued sometime around 3:30 a.m. Later on New Year’s Day we had a long, leisurely brunch with our remaining revelers. The 5 bottles of champagne that were cracked open after midnight had been drained dry. Fortunately, we had a reserve bottle for morning mimosas. Nothing like a little “hair of the dog”.

(with several bottles of champagne gone the “apples to apples” choices become more questionable)

After the last guests departed Don & I came to the conclusion that the best gifts you can receive over the holidays are memories. This new year my resolution is to make as many memories as possible. We’ll be kicking off with the resurrection of a tradition that sort of fell by the wayside for us. The entire Russo clan will converge at the Massanutten ski resort for some mid-winter frolicking on or near the slopes. For now, it’s time to prepare to return to the work world tomorrow. Thanks for the memories.

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My favorite house on my block & no, it is not where I stayed

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I love to check out the real estate in areas that I visit. The house pictured above was by far my favorite that I saw when I was walking through the neighborhood. We stayed at Potskeet Village this time & it’s the first time we have stayed in that community. Our rental was 6 lots back from beachfront which was a very easy stroll to the beach. This year I purchased one of those all-terrain beach carts & boy did it make a difference when it came time to schlep a huge beach bag, 3 boogie boards, sand toys, 4 chairs, a cooler and a large plastic beach rug. (Don did have to carry the pop up canopy and his personal throne)

Note the grocery dumbwaiter on the side of this house

Evenings at the beach house found us engaged in such activities as kite flying, poker, board games and of course moonlit walks on the beach to hunt for ghost crabs. If you really want to have some fun play “Apples to Apples” with two 7 yr olds and a 13 yr old. The answers they provided to questions they did or did not understand where hilarious! For example: Juicy = Oprah Winfrey, Cute = Eleanor Roosevelt, Oblivious = Helen Keller.

It is becoming a tradition that when we play poker at the beach I wrap a scarf around my head like a turban and speak in a Jamaican accent like the infamous Miss Cleo of the psychic hot line. I scream, “Call Me!” at serious moments of contemplation. The poker newbie, Mariah, was having a streak of beginners luck until we started playing Texas Hold ‘Em. Then Don & I took most of everyone’s money.

Miss Cleo

Eric, Natalie, Darren & Mariah were planning on leaving to return home Friday night so as to avoid the horrendous exodus that would take place Saturday morning when the rental week ends. So the boys & girls took advantage of their last full night together by retreating downstairs to Matt’s room with 80% of the liquor. Apparently, they had a grand ol’ time laughing and talking until about 4:00 a.m.

(Matt bringing up what’s left of the liquor from the den of iniquity)

Now their night time party would’ve been no problem except the next morning was jet ski on the sound day. That’s right. Wonderful Mr. Kurt Thiele brought down the jet ski and all it’s accessories which meant there would be bodies flying off of things being towed behind the jet ski. After a slow start, those members of the brat pack that could get out of bed headed off to the sound with Kurt & Don. Those remaining behind headed down to the beach.

It actually was the best weather day so far. The sky was as blue as can be and the water was calm but still on the chilly side. Steve, Zachary & myself had some fun in the waves. Later on, the wind started to pick up and Steve was able to get Becky’s turtle kite in the air.

We considered tying Willow, the Thiele’s teeny weeny Yorkie, to the tail to see if we could get her airborne. After all, she only weighs 2.5 lbs but Willow was too busy growling at the man on the next beach blanket. Becky would probably have gotten mad at us, too.

The rest of the gang returned from jet ski adventures with a few non-life threatening injuries. It seems that Damian, the youngest one to ride, held the record for staying on the tow raft the longest. Matt & Kurt shared duties as the tow masters then Eric & Darren also had their turns at the helm. What about Don, you ask? Well, if my kids are to be believed he ate a handful of cherries that had been soaking in moonshine & fell asleep under a tree. In the interest of unbiased journalism, Don’s version is that it was hot and he was lying in the shade with his head covered in a wet towel to keep cool. You decide which version you believe.
Later that night, those that were departing took off about 11:30 p.m. and made it safely back to Fairfax. This morning the rest of us took off. Steve & Kim’s car held up and they made it home safely. The Thieles also arrived home without incident. Despite the heavy beach traffic, we also made it home safely without too many delays.
Unlike the kite we flew at the beach which lost it’s wind and plummeted back to earth, our memories of this trip are flying high and our relationships will soar to new heights.

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We finally got a day where the weather was decent and the water warm. The problem was there was a huge undertow and the current pushed you down the shore in moments. The jellyfish had departed so the gang was anxious to head back into the surf. The little ones stayed close to the shoreline as they quickly tired of having to walk back from being deposited down wind.

Matt & Eric taking a break

Our friends, The Thieles would be arriving later in the evening with jet ski in tow & we were preparing for the reunion.

Steve & Kim were assuming dinner duty that night and we had some rocking home made mac & cheese with grilled burgers and hot dogs. This year each group was assuming responsibility for a meal each night. The first night Don & I brought his famous “gravy” and we had spaghetti. (A little cliche I know but it feeds the masses). Eric & Natalie followed up with a tasty Mexican casserole with black beans, corn, salsa, ground beef, cheese etc. Darren & Mariah did chicken Milanese and we finished up with a group effort of our version of the seafood buffet. This included scallops with capers in a delectable lemony mushroom sauce contributed by Kurt Thiele, Steve followed with a fabulous shrimp scampi, Eric showed us his skills and shucked several dozen oysters for the raw bar then Don finished up with steamed spiced shrimp, clams in a white wine butter and garlic sauce & mussels.

The morning of the seafood feast dawned dismally. It was raining pretty hard and then it stopped but was still threatening to return. The plans for taking the jet ski to the sound were evaporating like the water vapor surrounding us. Beck & I decided a little retail therapy was in order so we headed down the block to the shops in Duck.

After a few purchases, Becky & I were concerned about our hydration status and decided to take preemptive action.

While we were on our shopping excursion, Kurt & Don were also on a mission. It seems one Russo son broke the glass-topped coffee table that anchored the living room. Fortunately, The Russos travel with their own contracting crew. (The custom cut glass will be available for pick up today).

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We were wishing that the ocean would be a little warmer after the first 2 days had pretty frigid temperatures. On the third day we got our wish. Except we also got the jelly fish. Also known as gelatinous zooplankton, (yuk!) they are the oldest multiorgan animal on earth. Thousands of the disgusting little discs were covering the shoreline.
My youngest grandson was not pleased by their presence.

Dapper Dan feeling no love for the jellyfish

The older kids were a little fascinated at first and then took to burying them in the sand. It wasn’t long before they were braving the water.

Apparently, there are countries were these are considered a delicacy. Hmmm, my vegetarian ways have been suffering here with all the Russo carnivores in one place. Perhaps I should consider experimenting with peanut butter & jellyfish? I do eat fish.
Dan decided that he was not having his close encounter of the jellyfish kind. He pleaded to go back to the house. He must have had a good argument or perhaps Steve was not so fond of the jellyfish either because they did retreat.
Jellyfish, Jellyfish go away! Your spineless presence ruined the day. My little boys would like to play.

Should I try grape or strawberry jelly?

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Note Zachary in foreground photo bombing his Mom’s picture

All we were trying to do was get a picture of Kim on her birthday under the cheesy home made banner Natalie, Don & I constructed. On our second attempt, Mike was the photo bomber.

Mike the Bomber

 

We arrive at the selected steakhouse and are immediately seated. Then our chef arrives.

I can only assume that this particular chain recruits their cook staff from Thai gay bars because we had the most interesting hibachi chef I have ever encountered. He introduced himself as Bruno Mars and immediately began going into a repertoire of hits. (I don’t doubt that he also works as a celebrity impersonator some place else) He would also just randomly scream at the top of his lungs in a very high pitched voice which would only elicit the same response from his coworkers at other stations. He scared my 4 yr old grandson to death.

When it came time to sing “Happy Birthday” to Kim the chefs started screaming it in their best falsetto and slamming their cleavers onto the stove repeatedly to set the beat. It was an interesting evening.

Our version of “Happy Birthday” sung by the entire Russo Clan back at the beach house could not compare. So, once again, Happy Birthday Kim Russo!

Non Photo Bombed picture, finally!

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Since we are old, we decided that we would try something different this year. We drove to Williamsburg and stayed the night. Careful consideration was given to Don’s back & my hips would not be in a happy state if we had to sit in traffic for 6 hrs as we snake our way down highway 158 and then crawl along highway 12. Damian travels with us. He travels well. He packs light & doesn’t complain (much).
We hear from Steve, who informs us his departure will be delayed as his van is giving him trouble & he has to switch cars. I don’t envy him having to unpack a van load of kids and SWAG. I tell him to take his time and be safe.
The last contingent of Russos will be arriving in the wee hours. Eric, Natalie, Darren, Mariah & Matt are leaving at midnight. Most of them had to work Saturday. I must admit I am somewhat nervous that they are driving so late, after working more than 8 hrs.
After a decent night in Williamsburg at an amazingly clean and well kept Budget Motel we start the trek to Duck. We know we are pretty much heading into the cauldron since we will be arriving with the other 50,000 people coming to Duck this week. We are not in a rush to sit in traffic.
So we decide to eat lunch. We are driving through Great Bridge, VA and stumble upon a place located in a little shopping center called “Mr. Jim’s Subs”.

Damian & Don give Mr Jim’s 2 thumbs up

It didn’t look like much except the small parking area around it was loaded with cars. That’s a sign there’s good eats to be found! When we walked in there is a busy, bustling counter area and suspended from the ceiling are 3 large flat screen monitors that display the amazingly large menu. It’s not just subs but pizza, salads & gyros too. Well worth the hour diversion.
The closer we came, the more cars not moving much we encountered.

Suffice it to say that by the time we reached the check in office we were done with the road warriors. Then it was not surprising that I was less than happy to hear that the washing machine in my rental house had overflowed and was out of commission until the repair man could come tomorrow.

Fortunately, I don’t travel with dirty clothes.My boys, however, are a different story. Don & I unpack then decide to head down to the beach with Damian. As I head down the stairs my son Steve arrives. We decide to take all the kids to the beach so Steve & Kim can unpack.

The next day we head down for a morning walk. The sky is an ominus grey and we feel tiny spritzes of rain already. Only the hearty are plunging in the surf.  Then it rumbles across the ocean. A big, rolling wave of thunder. I fear lightning so we start heading the 600′ back to the abode. The rain becomes a little harder. We make it back just before the deluge. Even rain is more appealing to me when at the beach. You can still hear the surf behind it. I sit on the screen porch to enjoy it. Then it’s over and the sun peeps through. I tell the kids to grab their suits & we head to the beach!

We did not bring much stuff with us figuring it would rain again. We were pleasantly surprised.The overnight crew were functioning on very little sleep so it became an early night.

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It turns out the hippies were right. Love, peace and understanding rules the world & a little wine makes it even better. (O.K. so it was a lot of wine. After purchasing our 2nd bottle at one vendor’s tent the saleswoman said, “See you in a little while.” Ouch! Then she added, “You know I’m right.”) Well, we did not purchase that 3rd bottle. Our friend Shannon had a bottle with her and we drank that, so there vendor woman! Then my bestie, Becky scored some free tasting tickets when another drunk, er. . participant, handed her a fistful.

Addhippiess we approached The Winery at Little Washington we could see groups of people spread out under the shade trees enjoying the live music that was in session. Crowds also were enjoying an elevated view on the outside deck of the tasting house while smoky barbeque smells also wafted through the air. Some folks were decked out in their best tie dye apparel like us but the majority were fashioned in u

pscale casual. Becky’s outfit attracted significant attention making us speculate again about our retail potential. The property is beautiful and I am pretty much convinced that there is not a bad view to be had in all of Rappahanock County. The Winery was formerly a christmas tree farm and is appropriately located on Christmas Tree Lane with The Parma Inn & Spa being located right up the road on another gorgeous piece of property which I could not help myself from taking a peek at as well ( Smile, to the insiders in the know here).

We spread out our party of 7 + 1 small dog (no, not Willow, this time it was “Tiny”) chasing the shade that was at the edge of the large field. While sipping wine we enjoyed some home made cerviche that Shannon provided and some roasted red pepper & artichoke tapanade. Shannon shared her recent travel adventures to New Orleans and Memphis which made me whistle tunes from Paul Simon’s fabulous “Graceland” the rest of the day. I share with Don & Becky that I see a trip to Beale Street in our not too distant future. Don just sighs and Becky is ready to start packing now.

The people attending were friendly and sociable as was the owner of the Winery, who came over to greet us and thank us for joining the fun. We even ran into an old friend of ours, Dianne Taylor Pierce, who made us remember a fabulous trip to Sarasota, FL that we all shared some years back and in it’s ever-interesting way the universe later brought her ex, the mighty Big Bill Pierce, to our dinner table at The Outback in Warrenton, VA. Sometimes, the universe if funny like that!

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Kurt Thiele & I at Don’s 50th Birthday Bash

We are blessed to have friends like The Thieles. They posses an adventurous spirit and a sense of wanderlust that mirrors our own. Plus, they have some adult toys. Not those kind, more specifically, they have a boat and a jet ski. So, when we were down at Kerr Lake a couple of weeks ago we thought of them and sent them some photos. While still lakeside, Becky Thiele told us to check out what festivities would be occurring during July 4th because they thought that would be a fun time to return. The Park Rangers told us that actually, the Saturday after July 4th would be when they were having their fireworks display but space was booking up fast. We then returned to the Ranger’s office to see if any campsites were still available. Lo & Behold! There were a few still available in the Henderson Point area. When we returned home we finalized plans & Becky booked the campsite for Friday & Saturday. That still left open the question of what to do July 4th? I would have been content to head on over to Great Meadow in The Plains, VA for their annual spectacle. Don & I have been there many times but The Thieles proposed we head down to King’s Dominion (a thrill-ride theme park in Doswell, VA)as they were offering free admission to veterans & active duty military members plus discounts for their family members.

Don & Kurt on Shock Wave

I will admit that I was skeptical about that proposal figuring the crowd numbers would be astronomical but if they were up for it then so was I. It was decided that Wednesday evening, after dropping Damian off at his Mom’s house, we would spend the night at The Thieles so to enable a bright and early departure. We arrived to a delectable meal of salmon with dill sauce and enjoyed it while discussing the preparations for tomorrow. Don & I pride ourselves on our ability to travel light. I am a firm believer in the one carry-on bag rule. We have travelled enough with Becky & Kurt over the years to accept that in this area our styles differ some. Becky would have Kurt jack up the foundation of the house, stick a trailer under it and tow it along if only he would agree to it. Travelling light to her means we will only fill one overhead car carrier & one trailer and the entire back storage area of their large SUV. (Don’t forget the storage areas inside the jet ski! We did not take the surfboard with a jet engine that they call a boat – remember, we were travelling light this trip) We did, however, pack all the tie dye equipment since it was decided we would hold the Third Hippie Tie Dye Fest down at the lake. (In all fairness, we have tickets to Winestock this coming weekend. A Woodstock-inspired wine fest in Little Washington, VA & we needed some new outfits) Independence Day at King’s Dominion proved to be a great idea. What turned out to be a not so great idea was our choice of hotel to stay at while down there. We arrived at the Days Inn King’s Dominion & immediately displeasure was directed our way. It seems that the on line booking site we used to secure our reservations had not included some essential information we had provided, namely that we were travelling with a small dog. (OK, in all fairness, “Willow” is The Thiele’s toy Yorkie. She weighs 2.5 lbs & I’ve seen bigger vermin in certain hotels)

The Innkeeper obviously has not recently attended any customer service training & after forking over an extra $25 we were granted access. We headed on over to King’s Dominion (being able to walk their was a plus). We joined the not-as-heavy-as-I-imagined crowds for some daytime fun & then headed back to the hotel for some evening repast before returning for the fireworks. What we did not expect was that we could not get a pizza delivered to the hotel. After expending an inordinate amount of time trying to accomplish what turned out to be the impossible we decided to pay a visit to the Burger King across the street so we could still get into the park and find a good spot for pyrotechnic perusing. I decided that if I was going to Burger King & if it was the 4th of July, I was forgoing my meatless ways and ordering a Whopper Jr. What we again did not expect was that it would cost me $5.99! Yes, the Burger King outside King’s Dominion is just as price gouging as actually eating inside the park. Lesson learned. King’s Dominion gets all props for it’s amazingly long and spectacular fireworks display. It truly made for a grand 4th.

What was even more grand was the fact that while walking back across the street we were able to avoid the 2 hr parking lot exodus. We returned to our room thoroughly exhausted & prepared to snooze. The herd of elephants occupying the room above us obviously had other plans. They must have been practicing their circus act into the wee hours. Finally, Becky went out to walk Willow & was greeted by a party of other hotel guests who were in the parking lot observing the police activity that was under way. It seems their is a small copse of trees that lies between the hotel and the railroad tracks. It seems some revelers were using that area as an outpatient procedure facility as some proctological evaluations had been occurring there during the night. Needless to say, when I write my travelocity evaluation of the Days Inn at King’s Dominion it will be less than favorable. We set out the next morning for North Carolina’s Kerr Lake.

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Not long after our morning ablutions in the bath house my daughter in law, Kim, called to say they would be leaving soon and anticipated joining us in about an hour and a half. We discussed the weather briefly and were planning on serving a grilled hot dog lunch and watching the boys swim in the lake.

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