life on the Nottingham Ranch

(Dad's email)



Hello,



Attended the Oakcrest Gala...lots of fun...the day before, Oakcrest teachers offered suggestion or the "Big Auction Item"...among items considered:Library items, trips, and then Ellen suggested Spirit Items, like vinyl banners for the Green and White Teams, a MAscot banner for the "Charger" etc....the Oakcrest Administration voted....decision: SPirit Item, and Ellen ROyals will announce it..



SO this young rookie teacher got up in front of the black tie formal dressed group and "Gave an Awesome spirit-filled rousing ..."Your-daughters-will-take-their-spirit-outside-these-walls-to-the-World" speech...and she raised around $2500!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow!!



James returned from his Mountaineers 29 mile 3 day hike.....blistered worn out feet, tired limbs....left here THursday morning......to the eastern mts. of Tennessee.....rained all night Thursday, intermittent and all afternoon and night Friday...sleeping bag soaked, clothes soaked, back pack soaked....but while half of the group was held up at the 11 mile mark on Friday at 3:30 pm, James was asked by his Geometry teacher to travel another 9 miles forward in the rain and dark with

the all-important keys to the van for the teachers in the advanced group....



So, he and 8 other Heights' "Rangers" headed off through the wiles of a Hobbit-like "MIRKWOOD" forest, dark, rock-strewn, cumbersome, narrow paths, pitch-black visibility,pouring rain, armed with small flashlights whose batteries were weakening.....within 200 yards of the final shelter, 6 of the fellows could go no further, and they pitched their wet tents up.....while James and one other brave "Strider-like" Ranger (these are characters from "The Hobbit" or those of you not versed in J.R.R. Tolkien references) went forward to drop off the keys!!!



Soaked to the bone, this young man from the House of Royals, gobbled down some handfuls o trail mix (gorp), ate a small remnant of sausage still remaining in his satchel, and he lay down upon the concrete of the shelter, his wet sleeping bag for a miserable cover, and heard the "rap, tapping" o the rain as it hit the corrugated tin roof of the shelter.......



The next morning, when the entire group reassembled, the Geometry teacher, who gave James the assignment to forge ahead the night before with the keys, approached him and gave him an honorable bow saying only, "Hail, ROY - to - the - ALS!"



I am sorry that you all missed Sunday breakfast today, because you missed Mom comparing James' night journey as a metaphor for our faith, referencing the saints and heroes o the Church...awesome!!!! You also missed the scrambled eggs and sausage and toast with jam and coffee!!!!!!!



Well, Ellen is out getting some dessert....and Ann, your Peter has just returned from playing soccer down at Norwood Park!



Countdown to Thanksgiving vacation is 9 days!!!!



Please keep prayers for dear Aunt Eileen in Wheaton, IL who is dying of cancer...Mom and Dad - Nana and Grandfather are heading out to see her and Uncle Bernard next weekend.....



Go Navy!!!!!!!!!!!!Beat Army!!!!!!!



love.....Dad and Mom..........Katy, Cecy's has her corduroy overalls on!!!!