Finally..........

My baby brother, Richie, finally graduated from High School tonight. He was supposed to graduate in May with the rest of his class, but failed a couple of classes and had to retake them in summer school. Mike and I went to my Dad and Judy's for dinner (pizza from Fairgrounds....oh so good!) and then went to the ceremony. 29 kids in all. It went pretty fast....about 25 minutes. It really is amazing how time flies. I was sitting at my Dad's tonight looking at a picture of Rich taken just minutes after he was born.....and it really doesn't seem like that long ago. In just 5 short years we'll be seeing jake graduate from high school (hopefully....lol!). Richie won't be going on to college. If you couldn't tell from him graduating in AUGUST....he's not much of a student. He did get hired with Purcell Construction here in Watertown. He had done an internship through BOCES with them. They liked him so well that they promised him a job after graduation. He started just a couple of weeks ago. Seems like he's making pretty good money too.

My damn camera died just as Richie was walking into the auditorium in his cap and gown! It never, EVER fails. I swear that these damn cameras have a mind of their own, and are capable of telling when it is truly a "Kodak Moment"....and they shut right down for you! Like the time that I took Jake to Shea Stadium to see a Mets game for his 12th b-day, and my f'ing camera died as soon as we walked through the gate! Same deal tonight. I did get 1 picture but it was so fuzzy that you can't tell that it's him....so no need to post it.

Tomorrow we leave for another camping trip to Westcott's Beach with my BFF, Beth, Beth's kids, Beth's sister Terrilynn, and Terrilynn's hubby. Terrilynn has a brand new camper, so all of them will be staying in that. Should be a good time.....it usually is.

Jake won't be going with us this weekend. He's with his Grandma and Grandpa Nadelen through Sunday, then he'll be joining us for one night. The Nadelen's are having their family reunion at their house, and of course Jake wanted to be there. I kind of wish I could go....lol. Tom may have been a MAJOR asshole, but I loved his family (still do!). I would never dream of telling Jake he couldn't go. I think that it's important that he know and see that side of his family, especially the family that comes from far away. But what pisses me off, and I KNOW this is going to happen, is this.......Tom's family will rave about what a good kid Jake is (I hear it all of the time....he's a pisser at home, but is a great kid around others....whatever!).....and Tom will take credit for it. Asshole. The moron hasn't called that kid in YEARS....no lie. The only time that he sees him anymore is on Christmas, and that is because his parents make arrangements to take Jake. The last 2 times Jake spent the weekend with the Nadelen's, the idiot never even bothered to go up and see him. He comes to no games. Gives nothing more than his court ordered child support. Does NOTHING for that child.....and yet he'll take credit for raising a good kid. Bitter?? Yeah....I still am....after 10 years.

Well, Lukas is FREAKING out about going to bed so I better go help Mike wrangle him. Slate...out.