Throwback Thursday — Living it up in 2014

What a year this has been — many firsts and lasts and a whole lot of excitement as Catherine finished high school and started college.

Having been accepted at all five schools where she applied, Catherine started the year on a high — and beyond excited to be headed to Hofstra. First she had to finish high school, however.

Fortunately senior year was full of fun.

February brought a whirlwind trip to Hawaii for the Greenwich High choral students with Basil in tow as the only male chaperone.

On the GHS choir field trip to Hawaii in February.

They had a blast singing at the USS Arizona and the Punchbowl Cemetery, learning some important history, and exploring Honolulu.

I stayed home and followed their adventures via text and phone. Our crazy snowy winter kept one of the three  plane loads of kids from getting home on time but Basil and Catherine made it, and regaled me for days with their verbal travelogue.

Basil and the hula girls following his turn on stage during the dinner cruise night of the Greenwich High choir’s recent trip to Honolulu.

Then it was back to the grind. March brought the senior show, SRO, which Catherine surprised us by taking part in. She had a blast.

By spring, senioritis had fully set in. Fortunately, prom-dress shopping kept us occupied.

Prom itself was all the magic it should be.

Naturally, we had to show off the train.

The day coincided with the 70th anniversary of Port Chester High School Marching Band’s Band Night celebration. The dueling activities meant for a heady, crazy day we won’t soon forget.

Graduation followed.

“I’m going to graduation, but first let me take a selfie.”

Then it was a summer of shopping for the dorm, an activity that nearly did me in. By late August, we had the car packed and made our way to Hofstra, where we somehow managed to stuff all of Catherine’s belongings into her dorm room.

Catherine’s side of the dorm room.

Meanwhile, Basil, haunted by photos from the Hawaii, put himself on a diet. By November, he’d lost nearly 50 pounds, eliciting boatloads of praise and rediscovering a long-forgotten wardrobe in the back of his closet.

Fall found some of the PCHS Class of 84 reunited again.

Enjoying homecoming with some old friends.

All the while, Basil and I tried to navigate a new normal while Catherine sorted out life as a college freshman. With winter break now upon us, and Catherine used to a bit more freedom than before, we three are figuring out how to co-exist again.

She says she feels more grown up than she did last summer, and I’d say there’s some truth to that — although I wonder when she’ll finally learn to put her crap away.

Happy New Year!  Wonder what excitement 2015 will bring….