Last football game.

Hey everybody,

Last night was Ben's last football game of the year. Nellie came again, and this time stayed for the whole game! It was the best game of the year, and Nellie saw it all!

Exciting to the last, Bangor won 26-22. Ben ran back a kick-off for a TD, right in front of Nellie! He also ran for another TD, which was his best run of the year, breaking about 7 tackles on his own, cutting across the field from left to right, then making it to the end zone... only to be called back for a block in the back, which wasn't anywhere near him... that was disappointing! 

He also made a couple of great tackles early in the game, and mom noticed that after that the other team stayed away from his side! They ran every play away from him. Mom saw that from the stands, so you know she was seeing everything and watching closely!

When we got mom home after the game, it was too late for dinner, but the staff had saved her meal. They reheated for her and sat with her as she ate! We can't say how great they are at Phillip-Strickland. Mom is treated so well there. They all love her.

All is all, it was a great game, Bangor won, mom saw it all, and everyone was happy!

Next week, my sister Bobbie and her husband Bob and son Justin are driving up from Ohio to visit. The week after that, Dana is coming up from Florida. Nellie has a very busy social calendar....

Marisa and Nellie.

Marisa's mom, Ingrid joined us for the game.

 Ben, breaking out of the pack for a kick off return for a TD.

Pulling away...

 ...and he scores!

Mom got to see it. How great is that?

Ben doesn't go down easy...

 Seven people in on the tackle...

 Breaking away again..

 This is the one called back for a penalty away from the ball. Too bad.

 Smiling back at Nellie.

 

 Getting dark, but mom is toasty warm.

 It ended up taking five to bring him down.

 

 Me and Lucas. He took some of the pictures tonight as well.

Ben and his best friend, John.

Nellie Comes to DInner

Nellie came over for dinner tonight. Don't know why we haven't done this before!

 Nellie hasn't seen the house since 2005.

 No glasses anymore!

 Chatting with Ben,

 and Lucas.

 Dad, really, we're at the diner table...

 Time to eat!

 Me and my mom.

 Marisa, happy to have Nellie in the house.

Nellie Votes and goes to a football game.

Hey all,

Big day yesterday. We got mom registered to vote and she voted. Then, she went to see Ben play a football game.

The voting people came to Phillips Strickland House to register anyone that wanted to vote and let them vote early. I had also voted this week.

If you know Nellie, you know how she voted...

In Maine, however, we have a special ballot initiative supporting the issuing of marriage licenses to gay couples. I am proud to say Nellie voted YES! I didn't even need to talk her into it!

Proud of my mom!

Later, we went to the first half of Ben's 8th football game. It was a little chilly, so we bundled her up in a nice and warm LL Bean down coat. She loved it!

Here are some pictures.

 Ben is #42

 Hangin' before the game.

 Comfy in her new coat!

 Ben making a cut.

Reading Glasses and Gifts

I was going to post a video of mom reading a letter she received today from Connie! I got her some glasses and she read the entire letter by herself! However, the video didn't post, so no go. In any case, mom is a reading master again. She's so excited.

Below is a picture of some gifts she received today from COnnie (the knit Halloween ghost) and from Betty ( a box of biscotti). Ben, my 13 year old, loved the biscotti!

Mom said, "Jack, take a picture of me with these gifts and put it up on the blog so everyone can see it..." She's getting pretty modern with all this...

THanks everyone.

Jack

Lots of News!

Remember, click on the photos to enlarge them!

Hi everyone! 

Lots to report. First of all, Nellie has had cataract surgery in both eyes, and is now seeing better than ever! She has already given away her glasses, because she doesn't need them anymore! After her first eye was worked on, she woke from a nap, looked at the TV and said, "Hey, I can read that!" She was so happy, she was giddy! She walks around the Strickland house now reading the signs for everyone!

This weekend we are going to Walgreens to get her some reading glasses, so she can read the paper. She is so excited!

A couple of weeks ago, we had a visit from two of Nellie's nephews, Bill and Joe Adkins! They were up from the Southwest to see the New England foliage and came to visit Aunt Nellie. They are two of her sister Jean's sons. Jean used to live in Orlando.

Later this month Nellie's daughter Bobbie, and her husband Bob and son Justin are visiting. Bobbie hasn't been to Maine since Marisa and I got married in 1998. The way the weather has been going there might be snow... we had 6 inches of snow on the ground last Halloween...

Dana will be coming up in November, too!

Ben is still playing 8th grade football for his school. He is quite the star.... the team is 5-1 and he has scored at least one TD in every game but one, and averages about two a game... Nellie is going to come to see him play his last two games, now that her eyes are all settled in.

Last weekend we took the boys to Washington DC (my first visit!) and Gettysburg. We drove there and back last weekend, taking the boys out of a day of school... We had a great time. The Mall in DC, and all the memorials were wonderful. The boys especially liked the Vietnam Menorial and of course, the Lincoln Memorial. Gettysburg was great, the new visitors center is one of the best of its kind. It's worth another visit if you have not been there since the new one opened.

Maine was important at Gettsburg. We visited the spot on Little Round Top that Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and the 2oth Maine saved the Union left. The entire place in humbling. The boys really liked it.

Nellie would like to thank everyone for the cards and letters, especially Betty and Connie!. She reads and saves them all, and wishes she could write back to everyone.

Rolling mom in for her first cataract surgery.

The Adkins boys, and Nellie

Mom, showing them the activities board.

This is the Maple tree across from our house.

Ben, on a long TD run. Both teams wore maroon... Our team have the ram horns on the helmets...

Flying through the air, trying to catch Ben...

Lucas, at the Maine part of the new WWII Memorial on the Mall in DC. It's a beautiful place.

Ben, proud of his Texas roots.

Lucas at the Lincoln Memorial.

Reenactors at Gettysburg. Lucas loved the gunfire!

Hanging out with Abe...

Not really advisable.

At the 20th Maine memorial, on Little Round Top.

The statue of Gen. Warren, who stood there and saw the Confederates moving to the Union left and set up the defense of Little Round Top. Gettysburg is a beautiful, very moving place.

 A view from the Union lines.

 A statue at Gettysburg National Cemetery. Notice the pennies left behind...

 A marker of Unknown soldiers, probably Confederate.

Marking the spot in the National Cemetery where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address. Again, notice all the pennies at the top.