and, while I was away.....

Ben always keeps in touch with me when I am gone anywhere, so I know I will have some contact with home.  The latest thing for teenagers is Snapchat, so we now have a "streak" of a few days going.....

The major thing I missed while I was gone was the total eclipse

Ben and Maggie had started the new school year the day before I left and it's always a bit of a dodgy time getting back into the routine.  Ben is going to SouthTech this year, so he has to leave the house just after 6am to get the bus.  I told Sam that mornings will be quiet without the usual early morning arguments!!!!  Ben sent me this picture of his SouthTech class.  School seems to be going well for both of them this year, so far, so good......

Ben took the opportunity to drive my car as much as he could while I was gone.  He took Maggie to the Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park last Sunday

He also looked after my plants really well when I was gone (which was good, because I forgot all about them!!!!!)  My gloxinia even flowered again.....

And one of my streptocarpus finally flowered (Ferdy ate the last flower!!)