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Sandra Buckley (Matthews)
Well, Sharon is asking for more posts to the Message Forum, so here goes.
Actually, our summer has been pretty dull with the DELTA strain of COVID having put us several steps BACK from when most things were opening up again. Here in Eastern North Carolina people were starting to return to the Outer Banks and other beaches....our restaurants began to look fairly normal, with full capacity serving - we even had almost 2 months where one of our three church services allowed us to go without masks if we were fully vaccinated. Here in our Retirement Community of Cypress Glen, we have now had a few employees have "break through" positive cases of COVID, where they had already had both doses of the vaccine. Students from East Carolina University that were expecting to return to Dining Room Wait Staff positions in mid-August have not shown up, because they either have COVID or are in quarantine due to COVID exposure. Our Health Care Unit full time RN's and CNA's are working lots of overtime because of a critical shortage of nurses in Pitt County/Greenville. We personally know of an RN at Greenville's largest hospital, who just worked 9 straight days of 12 hours shifts, and is finally getting 4 days off. She works the COVID Unit and was given a $12 an hour pay raise to remain in that unit until the end of 2021. I would imagine all of you know of similar situations - I can not even begin to imagine the stress those health care employees are experiencing !!!!
We did get away for a few days over Memorial Day this year - since Bill's birthday is June 1st, we went down to the youngest son's home outside of Jacksonville, FL to celebrate over the long weekend. It's always fun to be with Joe, Tamrah and our granddaughters, Aila (turns 16 in October) and Tatum (turns 13 next January). Bill and Joe were even able to get in a round of golf at a local club in Jacksonville, Beach. We do have some pretty exciting news to share about our granddaughter, Tatum. Perhaps you remember (if on Facebook) that I mentioned last February that Tatum has been cast by Broadway Asia International, out of New York City, to play the part of Louisa, one of the Von Trapp daughters in "The Sound of Music". They were to have left in mid-June (Tatum and her mom) for a 13 city tour of CHINA, that would last 5 1/2 months. As all the plans were coming together and even the tutor who would teach the children their various grade level subjects had contacted each parent - then the NYC Office sent word to all the actors and musicians that the tour was being delayed a month (leaving in mid-July), so some of the children in the cast would be eligible to have their COVID vaccines before departing. A week before they were to leave, the US State Departemnt notified the company they needed to cancel the July departure and reschedule it for sometime in early 2022 - saying it was NOT SAFE for them to be touring within China......as disappointing as that was for Tatum and her future musical opportunities, we were relieved - strained political relations with China were bad enough, but the family separation for that amount of time also weighed heavily. Well, as most of us know, when one door closes, God has another one opening lots of time. When the delayed China departure until mid-July was announced, Tatum was offered a contract for a made for TV movie, that would be filming the month of June outside of Atlanta. I'm sure most of us remember the 70's and 80's TV series, "The Walton's" (always ending with "Good-night John-Boy"). Well, Warner Brothers TV department decided to remake the one episode called "The Walton Christmas Homecoming", which will be shown on television sometime this December. Tatum was cast as the second oldest daughter, Erin! She had a great time doing this film - shared lots of details about the fake snow on the farmland and around the farm house, and how the outdoor scenes were a riot because they were in winter coats, stocking hats and snow boots, when it was actually 95 degrees outside. Anyway, if any of you are interested, I will post on th Message Forum when we have an actual TV date in December.
Meanwhile, we will be heading to Fort Madison a week from tomorrow for the Class Reunion - followed by family visits in Burlington, IA, Brookfield, MO, Stilwell, KS and Wichita, KS......lots of driving time. We plan sightseeing on the way back to North Carolina - going through Little Rock, AK, Nashville, TN, and 3 nights in Asheville, NC - have tickets already to tour the Biltmore Estate and have dinner at The Grove Park Inn. We are anxious to see everyone at the Class Reunion and attend the Tri-State Rodeo !
Later, Sandy & Bill Matthews
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August class luncheon was attended by 12 members. Back: Robert Johnson, Sharon Scholl-Nabulsi, Gabe Martinez, Jack Dorsett, & Dave Nuebel. Front: Linda Johnson, Nancy Hays, Carol Wilson, John Kent, Linda Meyer, Georgia Merschman, & Gary McVey.
