May 15

Occasionally one has to break the bindings of blogging a long vacation to keep pace with current events.  Such as when your only grandchild graduates from college . . .

[It began with an all day drive to Indiana with our son-in-law Danny at the wheel.  We spent the night in Noblesville with grandson Tom’s other grandparents, Fran and Ed.  Tom grew up in and graduated from Noblesville High School, with Fran and Ed just a block away.  Early Sunday morning, all the grandparents were up for an hour and a half drive to his graduation ceremonies at Purdue . . . ]

[After posing the grandmas with the campus bell tower, all bolted to the armory for relief. Then back in line at the Elliott Hall of Music for the 9:30 commencement for Management and Polytechnic Institute (Tom’s) graduates, one of six commencement programs (likely normal for a large university).]

[The Super bolted to the head of the pack for good seating – this was at 8:00 am.]

[Others followed  . . . ]

[The empty stage was lovely for an hour and a half . . . ]

[Selfies and crowd shots to kill time.]

[Activity, music . . . ]

[Then the parade of the graduates.]

[First came Tom’s girlfriend, Celia, then Tom, then Celia getting her diploma.]

[Then Tom got his . . . so to speak.]

[After an hour and a half . . . ]

[Then hugs and selfies with mom!]

[His group . . . don’t ask me to explain it! But Celia Duffala and Tom Gaither are on the board!]

[Then Tom took us around to show us his “major.”]

[Thanks, Grandpa!]

[Posing with Booker, a roommate and classmate; and then with mom and dad.]

[With his department head, whose description of Tom should net him a 7-figure job within short order!  😉 ]

[A moment with Grandpa Ed, Tom’s daily mentor from the beginning.]

[OK, what we do here is so high tech that if I told y0u, I’d have to steal your dog!]

[Nevertheless, Ed moves in.]

[And we do really cool stuff here, here, and here . . . ]

[Celia, Tom, and Booker point to their names on the Wall of Fame!]

[And lotsa family photos on campus.]

[Trying to get his stuck hair out of his gown, a situation with which I’m not familiar.]

[Celia with sis Nina.]

[With Celia’s folks, Peggy, Hector, Brian and Peggy.]

[Let’s go to lunch.  That’s Mackey Arena in the background.]

[Good-bye, Purdue.]

[PRESENTS!?!?]

[22 years ago!  Seems like yesterday . . . but it was 22 years ago.  Where does the time go (some think behind a pole barn in Chokio)?  I don’t recall if this was the day where Tom actually ended up babysitting me, but I’m perfectly willing for him to take care of me now. I’m old . . . and he’s young.  Congratulations, Tom.  You’ve grown to become a outstanding young man – we’re very proud of you!]

I’m here to tell you about the place I live in now: The real world. There’s no dress rehearsal, no take-home tests, no rough drafts. If you unconstitutionally wiretap people’s phones, you’ll be taken down. If you shoot someone in the face with a shotgun, you’ll reap the consequences. If you illegally invade a sovereign nation to secure oil interests and assuage a personal vendetta, you’ll be re-elected.  ~  Seth MacFarlane

Up Next:  Not Europe again . . . yet.