The summer season ended for us today when grandson Nathaniel left for college. We had the mirror ritual after breakfast. All summer the mirror had been set for Nathaniel, high on the wall, hanging on a hook from the former owners’ clock. He was the one who moved it, and I was the recorder of the Mirror Rite.
Now it is back where everyone but Nathaniel can use it. Well, he could check his torso, not his face.
Nathaniel has always been known for light packing. Grandson David didn’t take the kitchen sink to college, but he did have a refrigerator. These photos contrast their styles.
One last photo – ready to go!
Mehrling Muse 
And so on to another adventure.
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We would look funny standing together-I’m a whopping 4ft 9in 🤣🤣
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Nathaniel bends down for those who need it.
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David and Nathaniel…I feel I know them! I love the photo showing the contrast in their packing styles. I have so much stuff…I’m just like David! Sweet post…you have an amazing family. (We have a very tall grandson too…only 12 and almost as tall as his father.)
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I have music playing to help fill up the house today. John texted that Nathaniel has met his roommate and is helping him move in. I’m glad you have a tall grandson. Every family should be so blessed!
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Never mind, it will soon be Christmas and the mirror can be moved again. Poor thing must be getting quite giddy. They won’t be gone long enough to miss them.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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You are right, David. They will soon be back. Nathaniel plans to come for Thanksgiving, and David should graduate in December and be here for Christmas. Exciting times!!!
xxx Educated Hugs xxx
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I should have replied that the mirror has its ups and downs.
xxx Uppity Hugs xxx
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Did you cry? I teared up just seeing them going. Send them hugs and best wishes from all of us.
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Thank you very much for the hugs and best wishes. I teared up a couple of times for both boys. The worst part for me is the day before they leave. You’ve heard of having a heavy heart. I must have that, because I feel dragged down for a day until they actually leave. I’ve done some cleaning and am listening to music. It all helps. It’s going to be odd not coordinating meals with work schedules.
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It’s like being an empty nester all over again, huh?
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I hadn’t thought about being an empty nester again. It’s different with grands. I guess I didn’t expect to have them leave our house for college. I thought they wouldn’t have had much to do with us after entering high school. We are VERY blessed to have had them so often.
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I know, that’s why I said that. They are such an integral part of your lives and it makes sense they’ll be sorely missed.
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And up the road goes John once again, where did the summer go?
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Oh! But this time he drove only 2.5 to 3 hours!!! Nathaniel is going to school in Charlotte. The summer flew by, and it was a wonderful one to remember. We have lots of photos!!!
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J & W has a campus in RI also, Yes?
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J & W has four campuses. Nathaniel is in Charlotte in the middle of the city.
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That will save some tire wear.
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It would be interesting to know what mileage we put on the cars while going back and forth to NY for four years.
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You wrote about it lot.
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Maybe the mileage is on the blog!!
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I am going to miss them both!
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They will be back! At least we still have neighbor Logan. We’ll turn around twice, and he will be going off to college.
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So true!
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You’re going to miss him!!! I laugh at the mirror ritual because most places I go I can’t see into the mirrors. I end up going days not knowing what I look like🤣
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LOL! I’m going to have to tell Nathaniel about your opposite plight.
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Lol tell him he is very lucky he gets to move the mirror! No one will let me as they say they don’t need to see their belly buttons
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You and Nathaniel could share a mirror if it were full length and hanging fairly high.
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Lol that could work:)
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Very exciting!
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He knew where he wanted to go for several years, so he didn’t make the rounds of colleges. It’s just as well; we would not have been organized like you were.
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The only thing that matters is that they’re happy!!
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I wonder what his first school “creation” will be Anne? Do you remember taking home ec back in the day and made such delights as “cheesie weenies” and were proud of them?
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Oh, golly! Yes! I remember the one year I took home ec. I was frightened silly of actually cooking because I had never done it. I laugh at it now, since I spend half my life in the kitchen.
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I don’t remember anything else we cooked, just the “cheesie weenies” and making a “shift dress” and an apron. Were we ready to be homemakers after that?
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We sewed an apron and a blouse. I certainly wasn’t ready to be a homemaker, but that course changed my life a bit. Four years later my mother suggested I might like a sewing machine for my birthday, rather than an outfit or so. From then on I sewed all my clothes until we moved to England in 1980. I stopped because it was less expensive to buy ready-made clothes than to make them myself.
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I think I mentioned before to you that I started as I had long arms and legs and they didn’t sell clothing in tall sizes back then. I think everyone used that same Simplicity shift dress pattern and had some type of calico print.
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oh goodness! I am about to cry!! God bless your boys.
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The boys are happy. We are happy, too, and just a bit lonely.
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I have a feeling that you are counting the days till they have a holiday!!
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I won’t need to count the days if they go as quickly as summer days. We think Nathaniel will be here for Thanksgiving and David for Christmas.
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Wishing them both a great first semester!
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Thank you, Marcia. For one, it’s the final semester, and for the other, it’s the first. These are exciting times!
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That summer went fast! Hope the guys enjoy their next school adventures.
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Nathaniel settled into his room yesterday. His roommate must have gone to summer orientation and will probably arrive on Wednesday. Oh! That is tomorrow! Things will move quickly, I suspect. Today he is being measured for his uniform. It seems they are as strict about appearance as his BOCES program.
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Hudi had to do that, too. Apron and cap if I’m remembering correctly. Maybe dark pants as well. Can’t remember. And a nice knife set.
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Ohhh! I wonder what Nathaniel will get. I think he and John saw people cooking when they took a tour of the campus, but they didn’t comment on any uniform.
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As you say, it’s not just their physical being that is missed – it’s the noise, too!
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The little noises got my attention, like when those long legs jostled for real estate under the table. John was in on that, too, always portraying himself as the innocent party. I could hear sock-clad feet sliding on the floor as they smiled benignly at each other. Sometimes the pushing caused a chair to move. All fun! Both are missed!
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Bye guys – good luck!! Next: Thanksgiving?
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Nathaniel will be here for Thanksgiving and David for Christmas. Meanwhile, we are cleaning the house and catching up on things left hanging. We’ll be more than ready to have them back with us.
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Great! So nice to have grandkids!
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life is like stairs,full of many steps.
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