UVA Women Year 8

Way back in 2002 some of my college roommates and I decided to start getting together for an annual reunion. We did the first two in Richmond, which is a somewhat central location. While that was satisfactory, we decided that in order to make it easier on some of our group we would have each person host the group in ensuing years. That meant the host didn't have to travel and since we have no expectations of a clean house there really wasn't much prep work involved. We normally do a long weekend, but this year was different. I talked my dear mother-in-law into letting us use her family cabin in the Maine woods for a week. Here is Reunion 2009:

On Friday, Marilin drove to my house from her friend Jane's farm. I finished packing and we went to Maureen's in McLean for an overnight and to get packed up.

Maureen's husband Terry got some last minute instructions in doggie care (Maureen and Terry have three adorable small dogs) and with the car parked to the gills we took off on Saturday morning for parts north.

From McLean we headed for East Hampton, Mass, home of my Uncle-in-law, Adison Cate. Ad is the widower of my mother-in-law's only sister, Jean, who passed away 2 summers ago. Ad lives in a very nice home in a retirement community that he helped develop in East Hampton. We arrived after a leisurely 9 1/2 hour drive at the reasonable hour of about 6 p.m. This is quite a switch from the trip my husband and I normally make from our home to Maine in a single, marathon drive...leaving in the wee hours of the morning and arriving at dusk with a numb backside and still reeling from the road.

At Ad's house we met his new friend, Cynthia. I was delighted to meet this fine woman who apparently is his new girlfriend. Now, I wonder when Cosmo and GQ are going to get on board with the "dating in your 80's" articles? Anyhow, Ad and Cynthia look to be a fine match with mutual interests and a comfortable manner. They both live in the same retirement area and each knew the other's spouses (now both deceased) and both Ad and Cynthia were in the same group for spouses of terminal patients, so have that in common as well.

We left quickly for a wonderful dinner at the Apollo Restaurant which is in an old warehouse near downtown East Hampton. This year East Hampton is hosting the Bear Festival and have a number of adorable painted bears situated all over the city. Much like the bulls in Chicago, the big apples in the Big Apple, and the Mermaids on Parade in my hometown of Norfolk, the bears were painted by local artists and are on display until being auctioned off. http://easthamptonbearfest.com/photos/ Unfortunately we didn't get any pictures of the bears on display, but you can follow the link for more info.

The next morning, Father's Day, we met Adison's son, David, at Sylvester's in North Hampton for a nice brunch. http://www.sylvestersrestaurant.com/sylvesters.html Sylvester's is the home of a former minister and proponent of vegetarian diet from the 19th century, Sylvester Graham. Also father of the graham cracker he was apparently a nutritionist ahead of his time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvester_Graham

Adison and David Cate at Sylvester's.

Marilin, Adison, Cynthia and Maureen on the streets of North Hampton.

We left North Hampton about 10 to drive into Boston to pick up another roommate, Kathy, who was visiting sons Carter and Brian who live in the city. After a successful rendezvous we were off to the Maine woods.