I sometimes wonder how I got to this age. It seems like yesterday when I was a teenager; a newlywed; a young mother; a first time grandmother; a retiree. Today I am closer to 70 than I am 65 (oh, lord) and I guess I got there just like everyone else does...living one day at a time. I also sometimes lament the sameness of my days and the predictablility of my life. But I get over that in a pretty big hurry! In sameness there is security, and in predictability there is certainty. After all, at my age, one can't take TOO much excitement. Besides, it is in the small parts of life that the greatest treasures reside!
The fall brought a big change for Jim. After spending a summer in great pain (and also the inability to do anything) with an arthritic hip, he marshalled the courage for a replacement. It was a great success and I am happy to report that as of this writing, he is back to normal. I, personally, am grateful because I was having to do everything around here...some of which stretched my physical capabilities. He is glad he took the step and we are looking forward to many years of activity that we have missed the last number of months.
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| Jim Waking |
We spent Thanksgiving Day with my daughter-in-law's mother and stepfather. We affectionately call each other "my grandmother-in-law" and happily share two grandchildren. Judi and Jim have built a new house in Asheville and it is lovely. I love my house and would describe it as "country beautiful". Judi's house is just elegant. It has beautiful woodwork, lovely tilework, and (best of all) a gorgeous waterfall and pond right outside the front door. The celebration was wonderful, the food was fantastic, and the opportunity to share the holiday with Jim's daughter and son-in-law and their three beautiful chidlren was just the perfect answer to a holiday when we were away from our own family.
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| Judi and Jim's Waterfall |
In early December we took a trip to Austin, Texas to see Adam and his family. Jim drove and worked along the way. I need to say that he is the WORST driving partner in the world. On the first day we intended to get to Jackson, Mississippi which is about half way from here to Austin. The journey generally takes 8-9 hours. It took us 12. The next day he had to work so we didn't leave Jackson until late and got as far as Tyler, TX. The trip from Tyler to Austin is billed at 3 1/2 hours. It took us 6 1/2 as we took the scenic route through back woods Texas. Not sure I'm going to do this again. But the trip was worth it as the few days we spent with Adam, Shanna, and the grands was, as always, uplifting. We made cookies, had a "fake" Christmas (that's what Gracen calls an early celebration), and generally enjoyed family time with people we see infrequently. They will be up in March and I am already excited!
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| Christmas Cookie Monsters |
Jon and his family came up a few days before Christmas and we had our celebration with them. We see them infrequently, also, as their busy schedules keep them all running up and down the road! The weather was terrible, foggy and damp, but the rain held off until they left and the kids were able to go to the "Toy Pond Park" (a little area we have on our property that has a very small pond) and target shoot. They live in the city, so opportunities to use firearms are few and far between for them. Jim and Jon use it as a time to teach them firearm safety as well as a time for fun. JJ graduated from BBs to a 22 and went home to tell his cousins that he had shot a "real" gun. The girls are very good shots and Patti isn't bad herself! A good time was had by all and our unwrapping and dinner celebrations were festive.
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| JJ |
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| Reni |
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| Reni, JJ , Katie |
In mid-January, Jim and I celebrated our 46th wedding anniversary. We have been married more than twice as long as we were single and the thought of life without the other is not a pretty one.We took off for Asheville in search of activity and finally wound up at the Thomas Wolfe Historic Site. When Adam got married in Asheville 15 years ago, the boarding house where Wolfe grew up was being restored after a fire. So, for 15 years I have been talking about going to visit it. We finally did and it was very much worth the trip and cost of admission. It is a very large domicile and was immortalized in Wolfe's first novel,
Look Homeward, Angel. I have not read the book since high school so I bought a copy in order to reread it. I'm trying to finish up some of the twelve I currently have on my iPad before I get started, but it is sitting on my dresser, beckoning me. My willpower will probably be overcome before too long!
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| Thomas Wolfe House |
The winter has been pretty benign so far. We have gotten a bit of snow as the southernmost element of the northeast blizzard, but it is little more than a dusting with very cold temperatures. I did decline to take off for Charlotte today for a dental appointment, but rescheduled for several weeks out. I try not to be on the road when it is icy.
We hope all is well with all of you; that your holidays were all you wished for; and that your lives are happy and content. I leave you with a porch portrait of a beautiful sunrise. Even though the beauty of this place has gotten ordinary in many ways, sunrises never get old! Love to all.
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| Ridge Sunrise |
