Bill's Retirement Video Presentation

After no less than 10 tries, we finally have Bill's retirement video presentation uploaded to this blog! Go ahead, click on it :-) It's just over 12 minutes long.

Random Pictures from Summer

OK, time for some pictures to re-capture summer ... bear with me, or enjoy them!

Technically, Father's Day is in the spring, but .... here's Papa's Father's Day gift! His two favorite little girls sitting on his Harley!

The start of summer found Erika and her Papa at Wemple and Edicks doing more than just eating icecream!

Isabella Marie turned 1 year old in July ... we think she looks like Chris' baby pictures ;-)

Erika is picking black raspberries at our house. We also went to Mrs. Cleland's to pick blueberries.

The we captured her mom using sticky s'more fingers while camping at Northampton Campgrounds!

Here's a nice picture of Erika with her cousins, Hailee and Isaiah while camping.

My sister-in-law, Beth and me after a nice swim ... Beth's gonna KILL me! No .. wait! They're on their way to the Philippines and won't be back for at least a year or two ... I think I"m safe!

For Dad Pitcher's 89th birthday, Jimmy arranged a Model T ride for Dad, compliments of good friend, Danny (driver.) We all got to have a ride ...a first for me! Pictured from L to R: Dan and Beth DeOme, Mom and Dad, Danny, Bill ... don't know where Jimmy is ... I took the picture.

Mom and Dad Pitcher, married over 65 years! We treated them to dinner at the Homefront Cafe in Altamont, NY ...a really cool place to eat!

Swimming pool fun with Isaiah and friend, Daniel.

We had a really nice campfire going, and the rainbow did a "double" and stole the show!

Grandma and Dad Chapin came to the graduation party to celebrate with Amanda

No campfire would be complete without .... yeah, you guessed it!

Congratulations ... go to Bill for retiring from NYSDEC after over 26 years of service. Erika and I painted the banner. Erika also colored some pretty neat pictures of what Papa will do in retirement :-)

Bill, Julie and Erika Pitcher were the caterers and truly outdid themselves. Pictured here is Bill grilling his face, arms, shrimp and chicken.

Julie serving up the homemade coleslaw ... everything was homemade ... and absolutely delicious!

So, we don't mess with the ones holding sharp knives :-) Erika and Julie had matching shirts with a little "Ditomarie" applique on the front. Bill's shirt was red, but minus the applique.

One Less Star offered their music throughout the afternoon ... yes, this is Jeffrey and Amanda Pitcher! A favorite song for the crowd was ... one the "old" people could sing along with: "Earth Angel!"

Last but by no means, least was Linda Goodrich's cake .... OH ,YEAH! Also, many sincere thank yous to Anne and Theresa for their kind and able service behind the scenes ... appreciated by all!

What Happened to Summer?

Waaaahhhh! I want August back! I can't believe I haven't posted since July 21st .. shame on me! Summer was a blur and though it wasn't hot enough (or sunny enough) to swim EVERY day, we did enjoy our pool and watch our oldest granddaughter practice her swimming skills. She learned to float on her back and swim under water ... such a little fish! She loves goggles and swimming in the lake .. she can see all kinds of things under water! Her other Grandparents have beach rights on the Sacandaga Lake and took her there a lot this summer.

It has been wonderful having Erika close by! Her mom, Julie, ran the mini-golf course in Northampton again, with her dad coming up on weekends to give her a break. I helped out, too, and thoroughly enjoyed my duties in the fresh air on the shore of the lake. Meeting people as they come to play mini-golf is fun, too. When the Hammons' came to play, we ended up talking more than playing golf!

Our granddaughter, Isabella, has turned 1 ... what a beauty! We have the cutest pictures of her and Erika on Papa's motorcycle .. if I ever get them on here :-) Her mom and dad have sent cute ones, too ... you can see them on Isabellas page: http://www.isabellababygirl.blogspot.com/

BIG NEWS! Bill RETIRED!!!! After 26 1/2 years with NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation, the Game Warden has retired! We had a great party for him yesterday, with fine fare prepared by Bill and Julie (Erika was a big help in decorating and running errands for the cooks.) Jeff and Amanda (http://www.amandolinmoon.blogspot.com/) brought their musical talents http://www.onelessstar.com/ and played through dinner (getting rave reviews!) It was supposed to be at Northampton Picnic Pavilion but Tropical Storm Hanna took care of that and we ended up at our church's activity center, B.C.O.N. Corner in Northville. It was tight, but we had fun and several guests said it was the best retirement part they had been to in a long time ... I believe it! Everyone just laughed and talked and kids got to play "Pin the Badge on the Deputy" (which is what Bill is, now, going to work for Montgomery Co. Sheriff's Dept part-time.)

We had guests from Virginia (Auntie Barb and Uncle Bob), Watertown, Camilus, Chatham NY and local friends as well.

Bill and Julie special ordered a painting by a local artist, Emma (can't spell her last name... maybe, it's: Oburn) who specializes in nature and makes her own frames ... those who contributed to the gift were not disappointed. Bill had no idea and was quite surprised and pleased, having commented several times last year and this that he would really like one of her paintings for the wall over our sofa ... :-) Now we have to hang it!

He doesn't know it, but hopefully he'll have another one to hang in his office, if I can find the photo, and have our daughter-in-law commissioned to paint it!

Well, that's it for an update ... I have pictures to upload and order before the price goes up at midnight!