I have just celebrated my first ever Prom - through the experience of my oldest son. We didn't do Proms when I was at High School in Wales. Our last day of school was probably accompanied by the totally unmemorable comments from equally unmemorable teachers - in my case they probably said "Goodbye and don't come back..." However, I think we students organized a meal at a place called Faenol Fawr and even organized a bus there and back - though that is so deeply hidden in the deepest darkest recesses of my brain, I may well be making that up!

Anyway, Matt, all dressed up in his tux, armed with a corsage for his Prom-date, Hannah, and looking knock-em dead handsome (well I am his mother!) gathered with other handsome chums and their equally gorgeous dates where a few less well dressed parents were allowed to take photos - some of which you have the privilege of perusing. Then they all piled in a luxury bus equipped with large screen TV, leather seats, coffee bar, video games console (who would want to go to a Prom - let's just stay on the bus...) and headed to the ballroom at Navy Pier. At half past midnight, they would all turn into pumpkins - well into jeans and sweatshirts - and head to a midnight cruise around the harbor until about 3.30, when tired, happy, with aching feet and many happy memories they would once again pile into their Prom Carriage and wend their way home again. Matt arrived home at 4.30 - not bad. When asked how it all was, we received the usual incredibly informative and descriptive "Fine" - which says it all!

So there you have a couple of group pictures, followed by a photo of Matt with Hannah. And lastly Matt with longtime friend Justin. I think there will be a well worn track between the Universities of Illinois and Iowa come September as these two guys keep in touch with one another.

So, how was my experience of my first Prom - well very calm with no stress really, thank you for asking. Matt totally organized everything he needed from the hiring of his suit - good choice n'est ce pas? - the silver waistcoat was to match Hannah's dress (clever huh?) - to even ordering the corsage. Great.

What's next - my first ever High School Graduation. We never made a big thing of that either... I think we got together one evening after our certificates had arrived at school and the Headmaster, Mr Sanderson, handed them out - no cap, no gown, no cheering crowd, oh dear. Anyway, will the reality of a true American High School Commencement Ceremony beat the low key casual receipt of A' level certificates one November evening? ... watch this space...

"Tea 'healthier' drink than water

The researchers recommend people consume three to four cups a day. Drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water and may even have extra health benefits, say researchers. " (http//news.bbc.co.uk)

I have finally been exonerated! My tea addiction has finally been recognized for what it truly is - actually something really healthy. The full article can be read at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5281046.stm. Of course, I have always known that tea drinking was more healthy than water and definitely more tasty anyway. However, my biggest issue with this article is that it refers to tea drinking being most common in 'older people' - those 'over forty'!!! Now that I have issue with! I am not an 'older people' - I really think I am only about 25...

Oh well, I shall just have to put on the kettle, have another cuppa and think about how healthy I am ...

This is a random thought - have you ever Googled yourself? The name Alison Doo is uncommon - and I actually found myself - nothing exciting, just a reference to Alan and I being parents of high school students on the Church Youth Group website - findthevision.org. However, Alison Davies - my maiden name - is more common especially in UK. Apparently, should any of my old school chums ever desire to find out where I am now, and stick my name in Google, they would have to choose between an author - quite successful apparently; a jewellery designer; a tragic mother who killed herself and her child by jumping off the Humber Bridge; a music therapist; a faculty associate at Simon Fraser University in Canada; a makeup artist - with a very long resume; and an associate at Mills & Reeve in Cambridge (UK)... amongst others ... and still not uncover the truth. Does my anonymity (now that's not the right word, but you know what I mean!) make me mysterious and enigmatic ... or ... not? Answers on a postcard please....

"BBC correspondent Alan Johnston disappeared on his way home from his Gaza City office on 12 March. He is feared kidnapped in the lawless territory, where he is thought to have been the only international correspondent still working. Intensive efforts have been made to secure his release. " BBC News, May 14, 2007.

I do wonder where he is and how he is surviving. I remember reading an auto-biography of Terry Waite, the envoy of the archbishop of Canterbury, who was held captive in Beirut for five years between 1987 and 1992. I remember him saying that someone, somehow had sent him a postcard of John Bunyan - the writer of Pilgrim's Progress - who was imprisoned for about twelve years in 1660 for preaching without a licence. Terry's comment was that 'at least John Bunyan had a window' meaning that the conditions John was kept in looked better than those Terry had been kept in.

At this two month mark I hope that Alan is being treated with dignity, is healthy, and has not lost hope. I also pray that all the negotiations going on behind closed doors - and I am convinced there are many - will be successful - soon.

It's very quiet here at the moment, Esther is on an 8th grade trip to Springfield, IL, to visit all the Lincoln stuff, Alan is in NYC being very busy and important, Josh and Nathan are at scouts also being busy and important, and Matt is in the house somewhere probably studying rigorously for his AP exams (!). I should be studying for my midterm next week but, well, you know how it goes... I'm having an evening off while completing a highly urgent game of solitaire.

I'm listening to a Welsh male voice choir cd - there is something about the heart of the singing and the wonderful harmonies that really make me feel homesick and long for the valleys.... one day we'll get back there and plant our church... The Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir released an award winning CD last year - I keep meaning to get myself a copy.

School will be out in just a very few weeks, that is so scary! Can't believe that Matt will be graduating High School at the end of this month - am I really old enough to have a child who has left school? something is wrong somewhere! I haven't given the summer much thought - what shall we do? I'd like to go away somewhere as a family but finding somewhere that pleases everyone is not that easy. I shall have to give this some serious thought before it's too late ... well, even later than it is now...

Well, this was a rather random posting! This computer is behaving badly and is only printing what I've written a good few seconds after I've typed it - very distracting. The other computer has got a virus and refuses to do any work for anyone (I had a virus earlier this year so I know exactly how it feels!). We are all hoping that Alan can fix it when he stops being so busy and important in New York - we are really missing itunes!