The Hillbilly Chronicles

Update

2012-01-26T20:18:00.000-05:00

Well, I HAVE WATER!!! After two months with water that has been skitzzy at best, the pump at the spring has been hooked up and I have "real" water. Doug, the plumber's assistant, has been up every 4 or 5 days to fill us up. He must be the most patient person in the world. Dave, the plumber says that even as patient as Doug is he was getting tired of this job! Can't blame him.

Some really good news...I have found my very best friend in high school after about 40 years. We ddin't go to the same school, but we went to the same church and we were inseparable! Now that one can google people, I did just that and found her...living not far from where we grew up! I had plans to see her, but my sister (Mary) was hospitalized and I had to miss our scheduled luncheon.. But I talked to her last night and we just giggled and giggled like we did when we were MUCH younger.. You'll get a picture of her when we get together.

Not much else to say. It is raining like cats and dogs here like it has been doing all month...well, it could have been snow. I am grateful for small favors!

I will leave you with another beautiful scene from the ridge! Love to all!

Christmas and "The Young Guns"

2012-01-04T13:23:00.000-05:00

Here's hoping that all of you had a wonderful holiday season and that you enter the new year rested in body and spirit, and looking forward to another year's progress in meeting your life's goals. Jim and I had a wonderful season, though I confess to being glad to be back into a routine.

We actually celebrated Christmas in fits and starts...with my mother the week or so before Christmas; with Jon and his family, a day or two before Christmas; with our friends, the Longs, on Christmas Day; and with my sister and her family the week after Christmas. It was fun on all fronts, but my tree was up for over a month as were the other decorations, and I was really, really glad to get back to normal.

"Reni Oakley"

JJ "Shooter"

Now a little history is in order. Jim and our grandson, JJ, love to go to the gun store in Charlotte. JJ squats down in front of the display cases and picks out guns that he would like to have, so Jim decided that this was the year to give him a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun. If you have ever seen that wonderful Christmas movie "A Christmas Story" you will know what that gun is like. Anyway, he bought it for him, waited with breathless suspense, and had it under the tree when they came up right before Christmas. It was rainy and foggy the day they arrived, but the day after dawned crisp and clear, so the game was on! Jim and Jon took JJ and sister Lauren outside to teach them to target shoot. The barrel was too long for each of them, but Lauren compensated well by developing a rather unorthodox stance, and became a "Dead Eye Dick" We started calling her Reni Oakley. JJ, on the other hand handled a rifle like he does video game controls. We don't think he ever really hit anything since his plan seemed to be "Fire, Aim, Ready". Katie watched these goings-on from the inside for awhile and then apparently decided that her 11 year old self was not too good to try this activity. The gun was not too long for her and she was an equally good shot when compared to Reni. So now, we have the Oakley Sisters. Reni asks her dad everyday when they are going back to shoot. Included are some pics of the "Young Guns".

"Katie Oakley"

Snow Update: We have had two snows since Christmas Day, both very moderate with only about a 1-2 inch accumulation. Those of you familiar with snow know that this is negligible. The latest snow came on Monday night. I had a hair appointment yesterday and JR said that he would take me down and then we would go do some rat killing. Now, mind you, we have TWO 4-wheel drive vehicles sitting in our driveway. However, JR decided that we would take his company car (a Ford Fusion) because "It'll be fine." Yeah, it was fine for getting down the drive, but when we got back the car (after 4 tries) wouldn't go back up. So, we parked it and walked straight up hill for a little over 1/2 mile. I was okay, but JR's knee hurt. I volunteered to go up and get the truck or the 4Runner and come get him, but he had to be Macho Man. So...I let him walk and declined to feel sorry for him when he complained about his knee the rest of the night! I had to take him down this morning to get his car...no problem for ye old 4Runner!

Water Update: I still don't have regular water. The hold-up now is Duke Energy which has to come up and hook up the power to the new barn. The water pump at the spring will be run from there, and we currently do not have water that continually pumps from there . I do, however, have a pump in the holding tank at the top of the drive (see last post) so the inside water is normal acting. However, the plumber has to come out about once every 5 days or so to top off the tank, which requires hooking up a generator to the pump at the spring and about 2 hours labor. It's just like paying for water in Charlotte!! To date, I have been without normal water since November 30. Do I need to say that I'm over it?

It's beautiful here and I will leave you with a landscape from the ridge. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Above it all on the ridge

The Joys of Construction

2011-12-11T16:23:00.000-05:00

About a year ago, JR decided that he would like to build a barn in which to house his tractor and its implements, and to have a workshop. Just like everything Jim does, it has taken on proportions way beyond its original conception. Not only is the "barn" bigger than one would generally expect a barn to be (it is bigger than my mother's house, I think), but the scope of the project has taken on a life of its's own. A trench was to be dug for electric lines to run to the place, so Jim decided that we might as well replace our rather decrepit water lines in the same trench...and while we were at it, why not replace the holding tank at the springhead with a 1000 gallon tank; and, oh, by the way, let's put another 1000 gallon tank at the top of the drive so that if we lose electricity, we can have gravity fed water.

One of the 1000 gallon holding tanks

Now please note that the weather has not cooperated and our workmen can't work in the snow and rain, but Louis did fill up one of the holding tanks, and, guess what, we have gravity fed water (see picture above). The only issue is that we are now on our 12th day with this tank of water and we are conserving like crazy. Can't get hot water in the kitchen (not enough pressure to push the heated water from the water heater), so I boil water on the stove to wash dishes. I have not been doing too much cooking...clean-up is too much of a hassle. Pressure is too low to use the dishwasher...which, by the way, was full. It's ripe by now. I have avoided opening it. I take a shower about every third day...speaking of being ripe... (though I do a little bird bath routine and brush my teeth). I am so glad that I was not a pioneer woman. The very thought of trudging 1/3 mile down a steep hill to the spring head with a bucket and hauling it back up here is just nauseating!

I am going to Charlotte and Greensboro leaving tomorrow and will return Thursday. I'd better have some water that is delivered with pump power when I get back! Or else...I'll be coming to visit you!!!

I'll leave you with some "construction sights".

The well-bred always have a potty

The beginning of the barn

This picture of the spring head isn't very sharp, but the white pipe is coming from the holding tank (1000 gallons) and is dispensing cool, clear water. All this will be eventually covered up and attached to the lines that go to the house...better be soon!

The spring head with all that beautiful water...not coming to my house!

Merry Christmas!

Love, Lynn and Jim

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

2011-12-05T14:42:00.001-05:00

Jim and me with Jon, Patti, and the Munchkins

Thanksgiving has come and gone, the tree is up, the cards are mailed, gifts are purchased, and I'm just enjoying the season! We went to Jon's and Patti's for Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time. It was their maiden voyage for hosting the annual celebration, though Patti's mother and I prepared most of the food. It was so much fun, and we are looking forward to their visit before Christmas to go skiing. Mind you, I'm not going skiing, but they'll have a good time!

Lynn with youngest sister, Mary

The elder Riggsbees with Patti's parents, Tom and G with our common grandchildren

We missed the Texas Riggsbees, though. Shanna sent a darling picture of G and A in front of their tree. We hope to get there soon. I miss those little things.

Avery and Gracie

Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or whatever you want to call it! We love you guys!

The Making of the Stew

2011-11-17T13:36:00.000-05:00

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will recall that JR and I went to his niece's home last year to make Brunswick Stew. Well, it's a long trip down there so we decided to do some ourselves. So, we invited my sister Judy and her husband to come for the weekend and make some. Now, making the stew isn't that hard...you just have to pay attention to it, but the prep is tedious and time-consuming. Judy and I each did a batch prep before the stew day. By the time I was finished I didn't care if I ever saw a cow, a pig, or a chicken as long as I live. Judy expressed similar sentiments! But we got our stew pot out and tried to set it up on the patio. However, the wind was blowing (not an unusual thing up here), and kept blowing the propane fire out, so JR and I had to move the pot to the covered porch where there is some protection from the wind. Our batch was a little soupy since I guess we put too much liquid in it. Judy and John's was a bit thicker, but it wasn't as thick as the stuff we made with Neal and Fran last year. Nevertheless, it was delicious and we are going to enjoy it all winter! It reminded of the stews that the men of the church made when we were girls. Mama says they still make it every year. JR and I are going to make another batch this fall. Judy says she "might" do it next year! Wuss!

John doing his stirring.


Jim with Chester batting cleanup!

We had a great weekend with Judy and John. It was fun to spend some time together. Judy does a lot of work for Mama (for which we are all grateful) and I know it was good to get away for a couple of days. Mary picked up the slack that weekend. Mama is doing much better, and I think she is as good as she is going to be. We have some plans for later when she needs more help. It is hard to watch one's parents age. I know most of you are familiar with that.

The picture below is of me and Judy on stew weekend. One of our Facebook friends expressed shock that I am so white headed! No respect!!


Lynn and Judy, November 6, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving! We'll be Charlotte with Jon and his family as well as some of Patti's family.

Once Again, It Ends

2011-10-25T12:29:00.000-04:00


Autumn on Bobcat Ridge

The mountain "season" lasts from May to October. And a glorious season it is! Pleasant days followed by cool nights, nature abounding, many opportunities to be with friends and family. But, inexorably, the trees dress in vibrant reds and yellows, the days are cool, and nights bring the need for heat. And when the trees drop their beautiful foliage, unveiling their bare branches, it is time to accept the frost and snow and move into the slowness of winter. I'm really ready (thought that would never happen), but would like to share some of the fun.

First, there is the plethora of wild life. Jim and I love to watch it, and we have even made some of the little critters part of our family by naming them (more or less). There were "Daddy and the Girls"...a small family of grosbeaks. For one reason or another the female adult was absent, but the two adolescent females ran their father a merry chase. He nearly wore himself out feeding them, but it was almost poetic to watch him teach them how to care for themselves. The two red squirrels, Junior and Freddie, were tiny, tiny little things. Unlike gray squirrels, they didn't run...they just hopped from place to place. They visited the bird feeders everyday until one day they were just gone. The hen turkey, Mamalade, lived in the yard for weeks until she disappeared, perhaps to hatch a brood of her own. I saw her last week, though, so I guess she is still around. Rackayla, the mother raccoon, still brings her brood onto the porch nightly, looking for whatever the birds and chipmunks leave behind. Chester (our dog) wakes us up wanting to get at them. We decline to allow him to do so. And then there is Scooter...about the most industrious chipmunk I've ever seen. We can all learn a lesson from him. He is on the porch looking for dropped bird seed at first light and makes many trips before dusk. Tuning in to wild life is easy up here, and provides many hours of enjoyment for us.

But we're never willing just to let the good times go, so we've had our annual "Big Chill" with our college friends. This year there were 8 of us, the Teasleys, the Shopes, the Blaylocks, and JR and me. We missed the Brooks', but I held true to my promise to stick pins in their dolls. This is always a fun occasion and we act just like college kids ...not always a good thing!

The girls: Claudia, Jane, Marti, Lynn (rear)


The boys: Jim, Bob, Ken, Dave

I promised!!!

And, other than my sister and her husband coming to make brunswick stew in a couple of weeks, we finished up the season with our Charlotte-made friends, Jim and Eileen (who live in SC now), and Jim's niece Fran. Jim and Eileen have been good friends since Eileen and I taught together in the 70s. Our children are about the same age, and we used to play cards at each others houses while our kids socialized. Fun! All the kids are grown and have families of their own, but we still have fun!!

Old Friends: Jim R, Lynn, Eileen, Jim P

Jim's niece lives in Louisburg and decided to come for a few days. We missed her husband Neil, but do appreciate her helping us season our stew pot. Now perhaps we won't burn our stew when we make it!

Fran and an interesting "guest"

The leaf season has long since passed its peak, we've had our first dusting of snow, and cool nights are the norm, though the days are still generally pleasant. JR and I go to Charlotte for a wedding this weekend, and we hope to spend some time with Jon and his family. They're so busy that I have to get on their schedule early!

Love to all!

Bev, Friend Extraordinaire

2011-10-09T20:22:00.000-04:00


Bev and Lynn in the 80s

My exceptionally good friend, Bev, left us on September 28, 2011. She was a sweet and gentle soul, and the world is less without her.

I first met her when she and her husband, Joe, moved in next door to us in Charlotte in March of 1976. Adam was two weeks old. Although I didn't notice any action over there that day, Jim came in and said he thought there was somebody in the house next door. So, while Adam slept, I ventured over and knocked on the door. Bev answered, carrying 18 month old Joey on her hip. (I can still see that picture today.) When I introduced myself, she immediately invited me in for refreshment and a visit. I did go in briefly. Bev had a cooler, a lawn chair, and a diaper bag, but she was generous enough to offer hospitality to me! As it was clear that she was waiting for the movers, I made an excuse about the baby sleeping, but invited her over after the movers left. She came, we had tea, and a wonderful friendship sprouted that day. It endured over great time and great distance, but we always picked up where we left off...giggling like school girls; musing about husbands and children, parents and siblings; lamenting the state of public education; and all those other mundane matters that weave the fabric of life; and which cement the love that friendship brings.

Bev had a sweet and gentle nature that calmed even the most restless, but that gentleness belied a constitution of steel...the consummate "Steel Magnolia", despite her northern roots! Her unrelenting devotion to her family was reciprocated in their unrelenting devotion to her. Husband Joe calls her "my beautiful Bev", and is as clearly in love with her today as he was they day they married in 1972. Her children have basked in her love and have observed the strength of character that it takes to rear a loving and productive family...with uncomprising love and support, while allowing each member to grow in his/her own way. They have each established strong nuclear families of their own, and are a testament to the power of "Mama".

I bid her farewell reluctantly, for she has enriched my life beyond measure, but her spirit will always live in my heart. I will always love you, Bev.

Things that are IN

2011-09-19T16:52:00.000-04:00

Katie is IN middle school. Her extra-curricular choice was cheerleading. Having chosen that, she had to go to a cheerleading camp before school started. It was, to my understanding, a week long 8 hour a day camp. Katie's mother, Patti, called it the "cheerbeast" camp. Here is a pic of Katie after a day of "camp". She had used muscles that she didn't even know she had!

Mama has been IN the hospital. She had (has?) a condition known as atrial flutter, and she had a procedure that shocked her heart back into rhythm. We haven't been back to the cardiologist for a check yet, but we are hoping for good news and a continuation of a regular heart rhythm. Otherwise, she remains weak and wobbly, so we are taking turns caring for her. I go tomorrow for the rest of the week.

There was a new cat who was supposed to be IN my house. He is a little, sweet, black and white kitty named Oreo. He had a brother named Cookie that disappeared from our friend, Jaime's house. He lived outside and proceeded to grieve himself, and since Jaime is allergic to dander, she could not keep him in the house. So, we agreed to take him. Then Mama got sick, so that's on hold for a bit. I really am looking forward to him, but don't feel like I can take him and then abandon him.

And then, there are things IN the pantry. While it hasn't been a great gardening season, we have managed to put up some things in the larder. Some things we bought from the farmer's market, but some things came from our own garden.

And the BG's were IN the mountains! We had a bridge weekend that was SO MUCH FUN!!! Four of the 8 members of my Charlotte bridge club came for the weekend...Vicki, Susan, Ann, and Gayle. We had to take turns playing, and JR filled in as player and "Butt Boy", even cooking us omelets on Sunday morning!


The BG's...Ann, Gayle, Susan, Vicki, and Lynn

I leave in the morning to go back to Mama's. Will let you know how she is progressing. Love to all.

The Invasion of the Green-Tongued Chickies!

2011-08-05T20:17:00.000-04:00

Gracie and Avey...green-tongued chickies!

Ok, invasion is not a really good term...it was actually a much anticipated visit from our youngest grandchildren as they were on their way back to Texas. We actually allowed their parents to visit also. It was short, but was packed with lots of "Mimi and PapaJim" things.

One of the things they did was to ride in the tractor with PJ...I, unfortunately, was tied up with fixing some meal or another and didn't get pics. Shanna did, though, so maybe she'll send me some. The other thing was eating watermelon flavored popsicles...you know, those that leave an obnoxious color on your lips, tongue and teeth?

Shanna, two-fisted s'more eater!

Adam, serious fire-cooker!

It was a short visit, but we all had fun around the fire making s'mores. I think Shanna particularly enjoyed them!

Today JR and I put up peas...13 quarts of Lady Peas, and 12 quarts of limas. So you won't think that we did this as speed demons, I should let you know that we bought them already shelled...a much easier and less stressful proposition. After we did the arithmetic, we figured that we saved $75 off the usual price of 25 quarts of peas, and we will have fresh peas all winter!

This weekend we will be working in a community bazaar. If I remember to take my camera, I'll send you some pics. Love to all.

Nurkins Storm the Ridge; Elyse Graduates; and the Offerdahls Visit

2011-07-26T15:22:00.000-04:00

Jarleth and Alex Nurkin

Sittin" Around the Fire

I need to confess that I recently turned 65. Luckily, I'm not the only one. I've heard that 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every DAY! Can you believe it? Not that that has anything to do with the Nurkins...oh, wait! Jarleth also turned 65 recently! We decided to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, and planned a weekend celebration to mark this most momentous of events. Jarleth, four of her five sons (Matt, Brad, Scott, Alex...Chris was excused since he is in Australia); daughters-in-law ( Ashley and Erin); grandchildren ( Jake, Harris, and Taylor) joined JR and me for a weekend at the ridge. We had such a good time! The young people went to Highlands shopping on Saturday afternoon while the "grandparents" stayed with the children. They were very, very good. We sat by the fire, made s'mores, and ate and drank everything in sight. Jarleth is a wonderful friend and her family is warm and loving, so we hope for many more weekends!

Harris Nurkin

Uncle Scott and Taylor Nurkin

Jake Nurkin

The daughter of Curt and Christine Long, Elyse, completed her college graduation requirements, so we decided to host a party for her. We had about 50 people up on a not so glorious Saturday. We had to move the eating tables inside, but at least, it didn't pour down rain while everyone was here. This occasion was very special for us since we believe that we were instrumental in encouraging Elyse to go to Western. Now, she has an undergraduate degree in Art. We are very proud, and wish her and her significant other, Shep, much love and the best of luck in their new home in Wilmington.

Elyse (left, front row) and her family

And last, but not least, our former Charlotte neighbors visited us. They had come to Highlands to vacation in celebration of their 62nd anniversary, so we invited them to spend a couple of days with us. We didn't do anything, just sat around and talked and caught up, laughed, and disagreed about politics! I'm sure that those of you who know us well are just SHOCKED!! The Offerdahls lived next to us on Champaign Street for many years. Since then we have moved to the mountains, and they have moved to Sharon Towers in Charlotte. They were the best of neighbors, and we will love them always.


John and Ada Offerdahl

And a message to my friend Bev in case you are able to read this: I will always love you!


Bev

Just so you guys know that we don't sit on our #@!* up here, JR and I put up 6 bushels of corn, for a total of 67 quarts of creamed corn. Does anybody want any? And, finally, the garden is coming along. I planted too early, shocked the plants when it got down to 34 degrees, planted some things in the wrong place, and just generally screwed up. Nevertheless, I have been able to make pickles and believe that I will have green beans and tomatoes enough to can. Wish me luck!

Love to all.

Katie and I do Cherokee and the Habitat House

2011-07-06T19:48:00.000-04:00

Katie, our oldest granddaughter, came to visit us for a couple of days. I had these grandiose ideas of taking her to Cherokee (which I did), and educating her in the uniqueness and oldness of the mountains. Well, we went to Oconoluftee Indian Village where we got a tour guide who had NO idea of what he was speaking...full Cherokee though he was. Consequently, we spent most of our time hanging out at the rear of the pack, laughing! We did learn a couple of dances that we intend to teach the family at Thanksgiving. Though the village was interesting in many details, it was hot and humid. Following that we went to the Museum of the Cherokee, which was very interesting if the exhibits that were supposed to be narrated with a motion detector had worked. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out what particular portions of the exhibits were about...another BUST!

Katie at Cherokee

After leaving the museum, while waiting for "Unto These Hills" to start, we decided that we were hungry. Bad mistake. We found one place that had food, so we got the world's worst hotdog. I mean, really, no slaw, no onion, just chili and mustard. After that we went back to the car to cool off. While there we talked about the review of the play...mixed. We were tired, and finally decided to blow it off and come home! There we watched "The Green Hornet", a lame and stupid movie that was, nonetheless, funny.

Katie behind the waterfall!

The next day JR and I decided to take her "waterfalling"...an interesting pastime in the mountains that consists of driving all over hell and half of Georgia to see water falling over rocks. We first went to Silver Run...a totally underwhelming fall which neither JR nor I had ever seen. Then we went to Whitewater which is a spectacular fall that is one of the most revered in the eastern US. Then we went to the new Gorges State Park where there are trail heads to three other spectacular falls on the Horsepasture River. However, the roads leading to them were closed for some undisclosed reason. We finally just gave up and took her to some property that we own in northern Jackson that had waterfalls and creeks. There she played in the falls, and searched for garnet and quartz in the creek. We all had a good time...best of the visit.

Queen Lauren

Patti, Jim and Jonathan

Jon and Patti brought Katie up. and of course, the other children were here. We cooked out and then made S'mores over the fire. Too cute!!!

Katie enjoying the fruits!

And then, I spent a day with Habitat for Humanity, doing a Women Build project. It was fun, but I think I've aged out of hard labor!
There were seven or eight people in our crew and our jobs were to build walls and put in windows. I actually started out on the roof crew, but found that I didn't have the strength to be a good worker there. So, I changed to the window crew. Most of the time, I read the levels, but I was instrumental in putting a window. Wow! It was fun, I met new people, and felt that I had made a contribution to society in some way. Below are pics of the whole crew and of the "window crew".

The Window cCew


The Whole Crew

Next up.. a birthday party for Jarleth and Lynn in the mountains! All of J.J.'s family will be here...such fun!

We love you guys!

Whine, Whine, Whine!!!

2011-06-17T17:07:00.001-04:00

Jarleth, July 4, 2010

Jarleth and Lynn, July 4, 2010

Fran, Jarleth, and Lynn, July 2010

Jarleth Nurkin, who is a friend extraordinaire, and who (by the way) is currently in Telluride, Colorado at a music festival, took time to read my blogs and had the temerity to complain that I had never mentioned her in all her many visits, (and moreover, never pictured her in my blogs). Well Jar Jar, enjoy!...and STOP whining! ::):):) I love you! Oh, and also notice that Jarleth and I have on jackets. Fran was cold! She comes from down east!

MiMi Does Austin!

2011-06-14T13:34:00.000-04:00

In late May I went to Austin to keep Adam's two girls for a week while their parents worked. Their school was closed, and they aren't really old enough to stay by themselves...5 and 3! I was so excited! Of course, since I have an artificial knee, I set off the metal detectors in the airport, resulting in a "pat-down". The female TSA agents were very polite and explained everything they were going to do. It wasn't so bad, really, and I guess if I'm going to fly I should get used to it. On my return trip, though, a male TSA agent was very rude to me when he yelled at me "Don't touch your things!" I started to use my power as a white headed grandmother to ask him if his mother had taught him to be that rude, but, in the end, decided that it wasn't going to change anything, so I (uncharacteristically) kept my mouth shut.

It was all worth it as I had a wonderful time with the girls! They were very good, and we spent time in their pool, went to the library, went to the toy store, and out to lunch; rode bikes and read books. I learned to drive Adam's hybrid Prius, and didn't get lost or have a wreck!

Avery the Fish

Avery turned 3 while I was there, and on Saturday the family had a party with adults and children. It was fun, and I was able to help Adam in the kitchen. He made the BEST hamburgers. I'm still waiting for him to send me his recipe.

Gracie gets up really early (wonder where she got that?) and I was usually upstairs when she appeared in the living room.. On Saturday I stayed in bed a little longer and when I got upstairs about 7 a.m., she asked me why I was late. She can't tell time, but she KNEW I was late! I laughed out loud!

Gracie and "Chicken"

I arrived on a Sunday and left the next Sunday, very early, so I told the girls goodbye on Saturday night when they went to bed. We all three cried, and I cried again the next morning when I kissed them goodbye, though they were still asleep. Shanna said that Gracie teared up when she got up and realized I was gone.

It was a great trip. They are coming to NC next week. Shanna and the girls are going to stay for about 6 weeks. I'm not yet sure when they will get up here, but we'll see them at some point. Also, we are planning to go there at Thanksgiving. It seems that Jon and Patti and their family are going to be there also. I can't wait.

Jon and his family are going to be up this weekend to bring Katie. She and I are going next week to Cherokee to see the Oconoluftee Indian Village, visit the Cherokee museum, and see the outdoor drama, "Unto These Hills". She will be in the 6th grade next year, and is growing up. She paints her nails, and wears lip gloss, and is absolutely beautiful. She won an award at her school (I can't remember what it is called), but it is one that is voted on by peers. It was quite an honor, and we were proud.

Somewhere in here are some pictures I took in Texas. I'll update you on the Cherokee trip next week (or sometime). We love you guys!

A beautiful family!

Truck Farming, Visiting, and Communing

2011-05-18T18:24:00.000-04:00

I know it's been a long time since I added anything to this blog, but it's been because I've been busy...well, maybe a LITTLE lazy, but mostly busy. So, here is an update on the scintillating activities of the Riggsbees!

Those of you who know us, know that we like to have our hands in the dirt, that we've always gardened, and that this is a major focus of our lives in spring and summer. Stupidly, however, we really haven't gotten a grip on how to grow stuff up here in the hills. Warmth comes so much later here than it does in the Piedmont of NC, so for the last two years, we have gotten a little ahead of ourselves. I started squash and cuke from seed...I gave some cukes to my granddaughter and hers look really good...mine are anemic, as are the squash. My tomatoes look okay, the potatoes are stupendous, the green beans are super, and the beddding flowers are good. I don't know about the squash and cuke, and just damn forget the spinach! Either we tried to plant when it was too cool, or when we composted our beds, we put in too much compost. I do hold out some hope that the anemic plants will recover...they show a few signs, but I just may have to plant some more seed. Well, I'm keeping a garden journal, so I now have dates to work with, as well as info on what is doing well and what isn't. Still, I'm looking for bumper crops to can and freeze. I'll let you know!

Truck Farming Begins!

Susan and Howard Gibbs

Susan and Howard Gibbs came for a visit in April. I've known Susan for a few years as we have been in the same bridge club and also worked together at UNCC. She is so wonderful and I am looking forward to her retirement on September 1...then she can come up here often! Howard, her husband, has long been a favorite of mine (all the husbands help the wives when it's their turn to host bridge), and he is a total hoot! He kept us in stitches. We really didn't do much...had dinner with some friends of ours up here, ate, drank,.. laughed and played bridge. It was a beautiful weekend, and I can't wait to repeat it!


Lauren Elizabeth Riggsbee

And. most special of all, our granddaughter Lauren Elizabeth had her First Holy Communion last weekend. I went down on Thursday and had a root canal...yes, it was a lot of fun...went to Grandparent's Day at the school on Friday, and the communion festivities were on Saturday. This is such a special day in a young Catholic's life, and we are always proud and honored to be witness to our grandchildren's communions. Notice how beautiful she was in her Communion dress. And, just as an aside, I have never thought of her as resembling my mother, but in this picture she looks like my mother did as a child and young woman.


Jon and Patti Riggsbee, Katie, Reni, and JJ

I am going to Texas at the end of the month to keep granddaughters while their mother finishes the school year. I can't wait. Will chronicle that and send other brag photos!

Love to all.

J.J. Kitty and the Texas Tractor Girls

2011-03-25T10:40:00.000-04:00

J. J. Kitty (1994-2011)

J. J. Kitty, cat extraordinaire, left us on Tuesday, March 22. We had her for 17 years, and loved her very much, but her quality of life had declined significantly, and we could no longer ask her to suffer. Her death was tranquil and easy, and we buried her in a pretty spot near our garden, so we can always be reminded of how much we loved her.

She came to us as 1/4 of a quartet of little black kittens. Adam found them at the Cullowhee airport, took them to the Jackson County pound where we bailed them out for $35 a clip; and brought them home where they wrecked havoc until I banished them to the outside. We gave away 3 of them, but Kitty had the best personality and we were successful in keeping her out of the clutches of interested persons until we decided that she was OUR cat. She was always a good pet. When we bought our place in the mountains we brought her with us back and forth. The house was very rustic and mice were frequent visitors, but Kitty kept their population down easily. When we would be gone, she would catch a mouse and "save" it for us. She would deposit it on the floor on one or the other side of the bed, indicating that the "gift" was for the person who slept on that side. Not only that, but she would not allow the other one of us to clean up the little critter. She would do this by herding us away from it. We got the message. She will be missed.

Last week, the Texas Riggsbees came to town for a short visit. They had been in the state for several days trying to see all friends and family. Shanna's mother came also and we had a good time. JR took the girls for a ride on the John Deere. They declared that it was the most favorite thing they did while they were here. After they left, JR and I hauled ourselves to Charlotte where we kept all five of them while the boys and their wives went to the first round of the NCAA tournament which was being held there. It was fun, too. Each of them has such different personalities, and it's entertaining to watch how each of them reacts to his/her environment. Below are some pics of the girls while they were here. They'll be back this summer and I hope to have all the family up for a few days.

Avery Ana (almost 3)

Gracen Elyse (almost 5)

JR and I are going to do some spring planting today (cabbage, spinach, lettuce, onions, etc) and I will start some seeds for the summer garden. Yesterday I planted some crocosmia and an Amethyst Falls wisteria. I'll probably have to move it next year. It is bigger than I thought and JR is going to have to build me an arbor for it. I also need to get my dahlias and peonys in the ground. I plan to do some canning and freezing this summer so the summer garden will be bigger than it was last year. I'm ready! Around here it is risky to plant summer crops before Mother's Day. I didn't listen to the natives last year, and lost nearly all my stuff to freeze and frost! This year, I'm going to be smarter!

Enjoy the spring time! We love you.

A Nice Little Mini-Vacation and Beautiful Weather

2011-02-16T15:43:00.001-05:00

Vicki Jaus trying to figure out how to repair a childhood dress

Tom and Millie Snyder with Nemo

Susan Gibbs

Susan Gibbs and Ann Baldwin

Diane Adams. Valerie Crockett, and Nancy Kramer

You know, the winter can be pretty bleak up here, cold, dreary, and snowy. In addition to that, the dog has been sick and has to be medicated daily. All this adds up to being confined much of the time. But JR closed his office in Charlotte, and is now working out of our home, so I took myself on a mini-vacation while he played dog-sitter. On Sunday I went to Charlotte. In Charlotte, I saw my friend Jarleth (actually I stayed with her Sunday), and visited with my sister. On Monday I did a little shopping, saw Jon, got my oil changed and my flat tire repaired. Then I went to my bridge club meeting and saw all the BGs (Bridge Girls). We never did get around to playing bridge, but it was a great time. They're the best bunch of people in the world! I even spent the night with Millie. On Tuesday, I went to Mama's in Greensboro and had a nice visit with her and my other sister and brother. It was a great trip and I came home on Wednesday just in time for some more snow. There was a small accumulation and it didn't keep me prisoner. But the last few days have been beautiful, temps in the 50s to near 60, with bright sunshine. It looks like it will last a bit longer. Susan and Howard Gibbs are coming the weekend of the 25th and she wants it to snow! Sorry, Susan, I don't think it will!

The pics above (not where I wanted them) were taken at Millie's house with the Bridge Girls. I'm avoiding anymore snow pictures!

Sorry I've been away so long, but I've been nursing the dog. There is a reason I wasn't a health care professional!

Love to all.

Lynn's Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Week

2011-01-13T21:19:00.000-05:00

J. J. Kitty, Cat Extraordinaire

It all started with J. J. Kitty. She is a very old cat, brought to us courtesy of Adam during his freshman summer at WCU. Being the proverbial rescuer, he and his then girl friend brought J. J. Kitty and her three siblings to our home. How interesting! There were two males and two females, all black without a single defining characteristic among the four of them. We had to learn them. Eventually, we discovered the J.J. Kitty was the best and while we entertained those who wanted a cat, we deftly managed to keep J. J. Kitty out of their clutches. The other three went to other families, but J. J. Kitty stayed with us. She was so cute. While I was reading my paper in the mornings, she crawled in my lap and batted at the paper, making me laugh and coming to love her so much more than ever. Fast forwarding, she has become an old a feeble cat. I took her to the vet and decided to give her one more cortisone shot to make her quality of life a little better, but the truth is that without that shot she has no life, and with it, she has little. I think that the next time it could be time to give her some peace. I'm not sure that I can do it. But that wasn't all in regard to pets.

Chester, the Lucky Dog!

Chester, the dog, had not really been doing well the day before, but when I took Kitty to the vet I thought he looked better, so I didn't take him that day. Next day, he was not so good, so I hauled him into the vet. Doug did a bunch of stuff and figured that he had some kind of infection or, maybe, hemolytic anemia. He would know when we brought him back for some more blood work the next day. The next day his hemo counts were lower, so we decided to take Chet to Greenville to the specialists. It was snowing when we left for Greenville, two hours away. After spending a number of hours waiting for the diagnosis, we found that he did, indeed, have hemolytic anemia, a rather nasty autoimmune disease. He has been at the vet for a week, but we are going to get him tomorrow (Friday). He is stable and we are cautiously optimistic that he will recover. So, who knows. They are old and I don't know how long we can keep them in a life that is meaningful for them.

Jim"s car in 14 inches of snow

There's been a lot of snow and the truck has been stuck in the drive, and I have a flat tire on my 4Runner. JR managed to dig his truck out today and did some good on the drive with the tractor. He has gone to Charlotte. Jon tells me that I should just come to Charlotte for the winters. I will do that when I don't have Jim, otherwise, I will be here with him. The winters, heretofore, have not been that bad. Perhaps this is a passing fancy! We only have fourteen inches as I speak! I'll leave you with a pic.

It has not been a good week, but life goes on and next week will be better!

We love you guys!

White Christmas...No Dream!

2010-12-30T14:15:00.000-05:00

It began Christmas morning, before good light, as a white cloud coming across the valley; its backdrop a thin band of red (soon obliterated) above the ridges where the sun usually rises. When it ended in the late morning on Monday we had a foot of snow. It was (and still is) breathtakingly beautiful.

Although we were unable to get down our drive for a bit, I don't feel so bad about being "rapunzeled" this time. There are several reasons for this: 1) Jim is here, so I'm not stuck alone with just the animals; 2) the whole east coast got this one; and 3) I've learned what to expect so it's not as scary as it was last year. It was a happy and peaceful holiday!

The picture at the top is of a tree that we call the "Charlie Brown" tree. We bought it the Christmas that my father was terminally ill. It was an ugly misshapen tree, and we had little hope that it would turn into a beautiful plant. Yet, here it is, eleven years later, a lovely specimen. I have interpreted this transformation as proof that the corrupt will be made beautiful.

The following pics are the same view at different times during the storm.

Mid-morning Saturday, Dec 25

Early afternoon, Dec 25

Late afternoon, Dec 25


Dec 26, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

We love you guys!!!

RAPUNZELED...AGAIN

2010-12-16T15:55:00.001-05:00

The snowy driveway...at the bottom where it isn't steep.

Honestly...I don't know about this weather. We have had this place on the ridge for 14 years, and we visited it regularly (until we moved here) in all seasons. Never, never, never, have I seen weather like these last two winters. We, only one time, were unable to get up the drive. We were snowed in for four days once over the Christmas holidays, and my sister and her friend Abby were snowed in once. But, OMG, what a change the last two winters.

You have, of course read the saga of last year, but this one has started similarly. Geez. It snowed Saturday night. Adam was here and when he left on Sunday there were about 3 inches on the ground. By Monday morning there were seven. JR and I went down the mountain to buy chains for the truck, but since the snow was soft and wet, he didn't need them to get back up. Then he left. It was very cold and I didn't try to get out, though I did move my car into the sun so some of the white precipitation would excuse itself.

The drive going down...I slipped all down this area.

Expecting icy conditions today, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the temperature had risen during the night and that instead of ice, we had rain. The temperature stayed well above freezing during the morning and about noon I decided to brave the elements and head to town. The snow was slushy, there was no ice, and I figured that I could just get into 4-wheel drive and take myself down the mountain. WRONG!!!

I slid down the hill, only managing to stop myself before running off into the woods. Luckily, I remembered how to turn the wheel during a skid. I could have chosen wrong, you know. I stopped the car, put on the brake, got out, walked back to the house, canceled two appointments set for tomorrow, and called JR to tell him that when he comes home, he'll have to walk part of the way. Not sure how I'm going to handle this winter stuff. My doctor suggested that I get some exercise with snowshoes. Maybe I'll park my car at the bottom of the hill and snowshoe down, dragging my belongings up and down in a sled! Can you imagine? The other option is to be sure I always have what I need, so I don't have to go out!

However, the silver lining is that the snow is pretty and we will probably have a white Christmas! One of the benefits of snow is that it decorated our wreaths.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Thanksgiving at the O'Connors!!!

2010-12-06T20:09:00.001-05:00

Lynn and G...I promised

Usually,our family has Thanksgiving together...parent(s), siblings, cousins, grandchildren, etc. However, this year conspired to change tradition. Adam is is in Texas; some of Jon's in-laws were coming from New York; my brother and his sons were going hunting; my sister and her family wanted to have their first Thanksgiving in their new house, my other sister was going to Mama's, and who knows what else went down!

So, JR and I decided that we would use this time to move some of his Charlotte office which has to be closed by the end of January. On Wednesday, we cooked our turkey (and froze most of its carcass); made the trimmings, and ate a lot! That meant that we could go to Charlotte on Thursday and spend the time working. However, Gina, Jon's mother-in-law, discovered that and invited us to come celebrate with their family. How could we resist? So, we journeyed to Charlotte, got a room at the South Park Marriott (the presidential suite, no less...not as good as you would imagine)...and went over there. Such fun has been had by no one!!! There were 11 children and about 15-16 adults. Non-stop laughter, jokes, and family pathos. What more can anyone ask for? Thanks, G and Tom. It was great!!! The pic at the top is my other favorite "mother-in-law". Gina. I love her just like I love Judi And now for the other pics!

The O'Connors..aren't they big?!!!

9 of the 11...too cute

The Kellys


And the Riggsbee's...we need some more! Adam? Jon?

And, I hate this program...the pics never do what I want them to do.

But...I talked to my friend Bev today. I love you Bev.

Plus, it snowed here last night and is snowing now. How exciting . ( I'm hoping for a milder winter!)

Love to all and Merry Christmas or whatever!

The Great Brunswick Stew Party; Ghi-Ghi and MiMi Do Lunch; and Turkey Foot

2010-11-21T18:13:00.004-05:00

Our Pot of Brunswick Stew

Neal Starts the Cooking

Last weekend JR and I went to Louisburg, the home of JR's sister and niece, to make Brunswick Stew. Now if you don't know what that is, I'll try to enlighten you. In times past, it was a wild game stew with rabbit, squirrel, and venison. Some people (well, few) still make it that way, but the most commonly accepted ingredients today are beef, pork, and chicken. To those one adds veggies, broth, and various condiments. JR and I had never done this before (see, education lasts a lifetime!), so Fran gave me the job of cooking and shredding the beef and the chicken. She did the pork and veggies. She said I did a good job! We dutifully went to Louisburg with our offerings, and worked ourselves silly the next day. Fran tells me that it is much easier if you have help...there were six of us...and if you spread the prep work out over the week instead of doing all of it the day before. I believe that!!! Still it was great fun...like a party!!! In addition to us, Michelle and David (Fran's and Neal's friends) joined us and brought stuff for the second pot. Neal, Fran's husband, knows just about everything there is to know about many things, and Brunswick Stew is one of them. He started cooking about 7 a.m. There is a particular order of ingredients and he kept all of us on the straight and narrow as we cooked and stirred. Okay, I assiduously avoided stirring. Instead I washed dishes and documented the process. I think I got dry skin from the detergent! Who would have guessed that there are so many nasty dishes? By 1:00 p.m. we had 61 quarts packaged from our pot and 51 quarts packaged from the other pot. JR and I brought home 30 quarts, but not before JR decided that we needed a pot of our own...so, we went to AgriSupply in Raleigh and got one of our very own. It only makes 16 quarts, but sister Judy has volunteered herself and her husband to inaugurate our own attempt. I hope we can pull this off. However, we're not going to do it anytime soon. Thirty quarts lasts a long time!


JR Takes His Turn

Now, I have to be about the luckiest mother-in-law in the world. Not only do I have wonderful daughters-in-law, but I have been fortunate to be able to develop relationships with their mothers. They are wonderful women, and I love them both. I know that it was their influence that made Patti and Shanna the wives that they are to my sons. Can a mother ask for more? Anyway, Gina, Patti's mother, lives in Charlotte. Judi, Shanna's mother, lives in Asheville. On Thursday, Judi traveled from Asheville to our humble abode for lunch. (I think she was induced in part by the offer of Brunswick Stew.) We share common grandchildren, Gracie and Avery, who belong to Adam and Shanna and live in Austin, TX. We just had the best time! We busted out the Brunswick Stew and the garlic bread, added a salad and some fruit, and gorged ourselves all the while talking about our grandchildren and Judi's new house. Above is a picture of us together, courtesy of photographer JR. G....you're next. When I come to Charlotte next time, I'm getting a picture with you! Our common grandchildren are Katie, Lauren, and Jon, Jr. who all live in Charlotte with Jon and Patti.

This is Turkey Foot. I didn't know it's name until yesterday when Mountain Man, Alan, told me. Now that I know the name, I can see why it is called that. Jim's mother had some of this stuff on her Chapel Hill property, down in the bottom land that was very damp. It apparently grows in bottom land that is near creeks and streams. That's where this is on a piece of property that we own in Jackson. The best part however, is that it is wonderful greenery for Christmas. It never loses its green color, even though it drys out, and it doesn't wilt. You can put it up at Thanksgiving and it will still be wonderful at New
Years. It must be part of the running cedar family, but it is much hardier than running cedar. It is a prolific grower and no matter how much you take, it will be replaced and multiplied by the next year. If you want some, come on up. I have an endless supply!

Love to all. Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday and hang tight to your families!

When Did He Get to Be Forty? and The Munchkin Weekend

2010-11-10T16:53:00.003-05:00

Today, November 10...I put that in there in case I don't get this posted today...our oldest child is forty. I'm not sure when this happened, I mean this growing up thing. I believe that it was only yesterday that I looked into his squinty, red face for the first time. And what happened? I was assaulted with the greatest emotion that a woman can have...a passionate, unrelenting, and unending love for my child. I think that one is never prepared for that feeling...no matter how many children she has.

I cannot tell you how proud I am of him, and how I admire him for his perseverance in hard times, for his extraordinary work ethic, his attentiveness to his family and to us. I salute him for all that he is and for all that he will be. Jon, in case you are reading this...I love you more than you can know.

The other good thing is that we got to spend a weekend with our Charlotte grandchildren while their parents went to New York for a wedding. It was SO wonderful!!! Katie, 10; Lauren, 7; and Jon, 6 were so good and they were a joy to be around. They are very pleasant children and they play well together most of the time. We only had one small incident. Jim took Jon to the gun shop, and the little thing hasn't stopped talking about it yet. He's a man's boy. Above are a couple of pictures that we took while we were there.

I have spent the last two days cooking and shredding beef and chicken to take to Louisburg this weekend when we go to make Brunswick Stew. Jim's niece and her husband do it every year and we volunteered to join in the fun this year. I can already tell that this is not going to be one of my favorite activities! It takes forever to cook 9 pounds of beef and four chickens, and then shred them in preparation for the stew. But...the stew is wonderful and I can't wait to bring home my 25 quarts! I'll chronicle this activity this weekend and will share with you at the next post.

Oh, one more thing. I've just finished a wonderful book...The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak. It is a book for young adult readers, but I decided that I qualified. Read it!!

Love to all.

"Chillin' at the Big Chill, and Spooky Spooks

2010-11-03T16:27:00.005-04:00

Dave and JR

The Girls, Marti, Lynn, and Jane

One of the best things we have ever done is to get our college friends together. We do this every October (mostly...though we missed a couple of years while our house was being renovated). It is so hard to believe that we are all in our mid-sixties. Seems like just yesterday that we were college young'uns. Most of us are grandparents, or have children who are adults. But when we get together, we are just college kids having fun with our friends. We were missing Keith and Carol, Bob and Claudia, and Penny and John. They say they are coming next year! We love you guys!!!

"Santa Claus" Chapin

JR, the "Woodsman",and Marti

Dave and Jane

Chapin, Marti, Kenny , and Jane

Dave, Lynn, and Kenny

The Crew...Lynn, Jim, David, Tony, Marti, Kenny, Jane

Now the other important thing is the GRANDCHILDREN!! Patti sent us pics of the Charlotte spooks. Adam sent us a cell phone image of his spooks, but I couldn't figure out how to get it on the computer. So, Shanna, I'm sorry. Send me some pics and I will edit this post. So now for the Charlotte Spooks...dah, dah!!!

Katie, Lauren, Jon

Lauren, The Cat in the Hat!!

Katie

Adam sent me a picture of the Austin Spooks. So...for your viewing pleasure.

Gracie and Avery

And, just one more obnoxious comment...this was a beautiful election; a fitting rebuke to the overreaching of the last two years!

Love to all, Lynn and Jim

Good Friends, Good Color, and the Invasion of the Unwanted

2010-10-20T11:26:00.010-04:00

A couple of weekends ago, Cathey and Tom Ward, good friends of ours from Charlotte, came to see us. Cathey and I both began working for CMS in 1974 at Steele Creek Elementary School. She was a school counselor and I was the resident special ed teacher. We became very good friends and that friendship has lasted across the decades. She and Tom are progressive liberals, and JR and I are damn near Libertarians, so you can imagine the spirited conversations we had regarding the past administration, this administration, and the forthcoming elections! And, while they were spirited, they were respectful and non-toxic...well, each of us raised our voices at least once! :):):) When we weren't talking politics, we visited a piece of property on the other side of the county that the Forest Service had mistaken for their own, and managed to ruin, resulting in a citation of violation to us from the county government. JR has spent much of the fall with the governments in three NC counties. It's no wonder we are over government in almost all forms! We had a great time! Cathey has had some health issues, but things are all positive now. For that I am very grateful!

The fall color has been spectacular this year. I have heard that the absence of rain during the spring and summer results in more vibrant colors in the fall. That seems to be the case this year. I have taken some pictures, but since I am a lousy photographer, it is likely that they do not capture the splendor. This is probably peak weekend at our elevation, but the color has already begun its relentless march down the mountains and into the foothills.

JR and I have decided that we live on a old Indian burial ground. There is some veracity to this as our mountain used to be in Cherokee territory and was used as a pasture for their horses. Odd things happen here from time to time. For example, we have unexplained noises. They sound like boards dropping, and even when you know where the noise comes from there is nothing to see. And then there are the migrating smells. They are vaguely unpleasant, but not horrific. One can identify the room where the smells emanate, but can find nothing that can be producing them. They last for about 12 hours, and then are gone. So far, we haven't had any guests when they have made their olfactory appearances, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time until somebody has to move out of their bedroom! Perhaps I should contact an exorcist!

And then there are the ladybugs. The Forest Service releases them every fall so they can attack some bug that lives on Christmas trees. Of course, trees are big business here, so it's hard to complain except that they get in the house and it doesn't even matter that doors and windows are closed. They were released on Sunday, and we saw them coming in a cloud across the valley. I suppose this is what the biblical locusts looked like. I hate them. Every morning I go around sweeping them up off the floors and the window sills. They get in drawers, and I've even found them in the bed. Did you know those little suckers bite? They'll be here until spring. Geez.

We are looking forward to the Big Chill this weekend. We began this annual celebration a number of years ago and invite our old college friends. This year there will be nine of us here. We were hoping for 13, but Bob and Claudia, and Keith and Carol couldn't make it. I'll take pics and share them with you next time.

Until...love to all.

Oh, what a wonderful weekend!

2010-09-23T19:44:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we went to visit our friends Jim and Eilleen (sometimes we all her Arlene..private story) Palmer. The live on Lake Marion in South Carolina. That is a lake that is in some proximity to the Santee and Cooper Rivers which are in the vicinity of Charleston, SC. I'm not real sure of the geography, but I loved the wild beauty that was afforded us. There were cypress trees, herons, egrets, alligators, ospreys (I got a picture of an osprey nest) and fish that I never even saw. Jim P cooked us shrimp and catfish on Saturday night...SO SO good!!! But the best part was being with friends. Only one small hiccup...JR had to go to the Urgent Care Center because of a knot on his leg that was bleeding into his leg because of the aspirin he takes. Geez. After my trip to the hospital a few weeks ago and this, I feel like we've been snake bit! Anyway, it was a great weekend and we can't wait to go back and FISH!!! Jim P and I, once again, won at bridge! :):)

This week, I've spent most of my time at health things...mammogram and lifeline screening. I did get my hair cut, and took the cat to the vet. She is very old and I think that her remaining time with us is short. We'll keep her as long as we can.

Next week I am off to Charlotte for a couple of appointments (dentist and eye doctor). Need to find those folks up here!

Am having several groups of friends up in the next few weeks. I'll be in touch then. Love to all.

Creamed Corn, Ugly Cabbage, and a Really Scary Event

2010-09-06T11:37:00.005-04:00

JR brought home a bushel of corn the other day, so we figured that we should do something with it before it went bad. Mama and Daddy used to get bushels and bushels and make creamed corn, so I called Mama for her recipe. She said, "Shuck and silk the corn. Cut it off the cob, add a "little" water, and a "little" butter, and cook it until the kernels are done." Well, I had a roadmap, but wasn't sure how much a "little" was, so I got online and found a recipe that gave me a little more specificity and it makes a delicious summer dish. Here it is:

1 dozen ears of corn
3/8 cup butter
3/4 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt

Shuck and silk the corn. Standing the cob upright in a pan, and using a sharp knife, slice down the cob through about 3/4 of the kernel. Do this all the way around the cob. Then, using the edge of your knife, scrape down the cob all the way around. The milky stuff that is released is the starch in the corn, so you don't have to add cornstarch or flour. When you have cut and scraped all the corn, put it in a pan with the water, salt, and butter (melted). Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer and cook for 8 minutes, stirring as necessary. Eat.

Now , a couple of things: 1) you will never get all the silks off the corn, so you may be forced to pick them out as you cut. You will still never get them all, so just think of them as fiber and eat them. 2) If you do not use a non-stick pot you will have to stir constantly as the corn cooks. If you use a non-stick pot (I use teflon), then you can cover it while it simmers for the required amount of time. The recipe is easy to adjust for varying amounts of corn. This recipe serves about 4-6 people, depending on how much you like creamed corn. It is, however, labor intensive. You can not start this 5 minutes before supper! We creamed and froze our bushel of corn. I'll be thinking about you while I eat fresh corn this winter!

I've told you before about our garden. Everything did very well, except for the cabbage. It got something that ate it, resulting in ugly leaves that looked pretty lacy. I finally decided to pull them up, tear off the affected leaves, and see what I could salvage. The picture above is the result...really ugly cabbage, but it is really good. We've eaten it nearly every day for a week!

And now for the really, really scary episode! Last Thursday morning I got up, showered, and began dressing as I was going to town to the post office and the grocery store. JR was preparing to go to Charlotte. Suddenly, I had this terrible pain in my chest, along with a cold sweat, nausea, and dizziness. I had never experienced anything like this, so I waited for it to go away. It didn't, so JR put me in the car and took me down to the little hospital between Cashiers and Highlands. (The rescue squad is volunteer, and is not close to our house, so this seemed a better option than waiting for them.) Luckily, I had on clean underwear and had just shaved my legs!! To make a long story short, they treated me as if I was having a cardiac event. I spent 24 hours and no telling how many thousands of dollars having every test known to man, only to find that I had acid reflux. If only I had called my sister-in-law, she could have diagnosed me and I could have turned left instead of right and gone to Ingles where I could have bought Prilosec for less than a dollar a pill! Still, it was scary and we are not sorry that we behaved in a cautious manner.

All clouds have a silver lining, though. I had been worrying about finding a doctor up here, but just didn't quite know how to begin. Now I've found him! Doctor Matthews is wonderful and I have found that he has a wonderful reputation. Our children worry about us being up here in the "sticks", but we were happy to tell them that this little Highland-Cashiers hospital is state of the art! They have two helicopters available 24/7 that fly patients that they can't treat to Asheville, Greenville, or Atlanta, but the adjacent office building has every specialty known to man, as well as a surgical center, an imaging center, and I don't know what else. And everybody was SO NICE! There was none of the surliness that one finds in Charlotte. Anyway, I speak to you safe and sound, being treated for acid reflux!

Hope you had a good Labor Day! Love to all! We are looking forward to a visit with our friends, Jim and Eileen Palmer this weekend!

When Did It Get To Be Fall?

2010-08-26T19:27:00.003-04:00

I think it was this week. I can sit on my porch and look across the mountain ranges and see subtle changes in the verdant green that is characteristic of the summer mountains. The wild cherry trees, first to poke their little green noses out in the spring, are also the first to yellow and surrender their leaves in the fall. The sun is lower in the sky during the day, and it makes its appearance much later in the morning. The nights have a distinctive nip in them, though the days are still warm. The seasons come and go and are mirrors of how life unfolds...this, too, shall pass. Regardless of what your experiences are, they will pass, and their heart-rending throes will pass along with them.

I love you guys!

Celebrate Everything and Other Stuff

2010-08-22T20:07:00.014-04:00

One of the things my family does every so often is to have a "Celebrate Everything" day. It is a chance for all of us to get together and to celebrate all the things that are good in our lives. We trade around places to have it, and the hosts invite not just family, but others in their sphere that are important to them. It is always a great time...good food, good drink, and good companionship. This last time it was at my sister's house. She and John have a new house with some acreage and it was so nice! The only thing is that it rained all day.. Luckily, her wrap-around porch sufficed to keep people dry and comfortable!

I really hate blogspot. I can never get it to work right. I'm sure it has nothing to do with my expertise! Anyway, here are pics of my sister, Judy, and my brother, Charlie. I can't find a picture of Mary so, oh,well! It's hard to put toothpaste back into the tube!

Other good things that have happened is that I went to Green Mountain (about 40 miles northeast of Asheville) and spent a couple of days playing bridge with my friends from Charlotte, Nancy, Millie, and Gayle. It was such fun! Nancy has this great farm in Green Mountain...not sure what county that is in..that she and John have restored and it is just beautiful! Her daughter is going to be married there next spring and Nan is busy with all those plans. I can't wait to go back, but she has to come here first!

This is Nan and Millie. I'm going to try to put a pic of Gayle on here, but, geez, I really struggle with this! I love all of them (even if they are Democrats)! Oh, here's Gayle!

A couple of really good things: Our garden was just stupendous this year. We have terrible dirt up here, so we made raised beds (sort of like square foot gardening) and planted tomatoes, squash, cukes, broccoli, cabbage, okra, radishes, green beans, beets, and onions. They were just prolific! I had many picking of green beans, the squash nearly ran me over, and I threw out cucumbers in droves because I could not give them away or even pickle them fast enough. I hope the raccoons enjoyed them! Tomorrow I am going to blanch and freeze some tomatoes to use in soup this winter. Here's a picture of the basket I picked this morning, only one of many this season!

JR and I tried to take a picture of a beautiful phenomenon (a?) last night. It had rained all day, just a nasty day, but it cleared up later. Last night, we woke up (to put the dog out) and saw this wonderful scene. The fog was in the valley, but we were above it and the moon was shining to beat the band. There is a "widow light" down below us and it made a truly eerie view. We captured it on film, but it is not good as we are not photographers. Every day up here I find something new, and just wish that I could capture it. This is the most amazing place! I get up, look out, and am awed that I can experience this.

Love to all of you!

More Flowers and Celebrations

2010-07-21T15:00:00.018-04:00

Here I am, once again, trying to figure out what I did with my time. Of course, we did actually finish moving and we closed on the sale of our house. We are now the proud owners of only one residence! And today is my birthday, so I wanted to get this done before I got a year older.

After an extraordinarily rough winter, the spring was extraordinarily beautiful. I want to share some pictures of the wild flowers that were on the ridge. If I can figure out how to get some pics on, I'll share some with you. I now have the pictures on, but whenever I try to caption them everything goes haywire. So, you'll have to settle for running commentary. These three wild flowers (from left to right) are trillium, wild strawberry, and flame azalea. They are some of the most dramatic flowers in the springtime landscape up here. I have more, but getting pics on is so tedious that I quit!

Of course, the Fourth of July always brings an excuse for getting together with friends. Jarleth and LT came, as well as Jim's niece, Fran, and her husband, Neal. The Longs from Cashiers came along with their daughter and her significant other. We had a wonderful time cooking out, eating, sitting by the fire, and watching fireworks off our deck.

These pics on the left are of Christine Long and her daughter, Elyse. On the right are the "boys"... JR, Curt, and Neal, all standing around Lynn's raised bed garden. It is doing very well, by the way!

Adam and his family came to visit from Texas. While they were here, Jon and his family came up. It was such fun having all the grandchildren together in one place...even though it was very much like a gerbil cage around here! The kids went gem mining and went in search of waterfalls. JR and I stayed home and rested up! The following pictures are of us with the boys and their children; the boys and their families; and of us with our 5 grandchildren. Aren't they beautiful? MiMi and PapaJim love those little things! Well, we love the big ones, too, but grandchildren are just the best!

This past weekend our friends Jim and Eileen came for the weekend. We were great friends in Charlotte when Eileen and I were teaching in the same school. Our kids were about the same age and we played bridge together regularly. When the kids were little, we'd take them over to Jim and Eileen's and they'd do the same. Now, their children are "mature" and so are ours! It was a great weekend. I forgot to take any pictures, though, and Eileen forgot her camera. Well, age is a beautiful thing! We haven't seen them in about 10 years. They have moved to South Carolina (via Orlando and Atlanta), so we're going to visit them in September at their lake house. It was such a fun weekend. Jim P. and I won at bridge! I'll take pics then...but not one of me in my bathing suit!

The next family thing is "Celebrate Everything" at my sister's house in Rural Hall, NC. That's a little thing we do at least once a year and sometimes more to celebrate friends and family and all the good things in our lives. JR and I are going to spend the night with Judy and Johnnie. It'll be like a slumber party...if we can stay up that late!

Just so you know...as I post this, I am STILL only 63 years old!

So until next time. I love you guys!

Guests and Mountain Flowers

2010-06-01T16:57:00.008-04:00

Wouldn't you think that somebody who is retired would have time to do a simple blog? Well, yet again, nearly another month has gone by and I haven't done one. Now I had the BEST of intentions ( have your heard about the road to hell being paved with them?), but, okay, I'm just lazy.

But here the new one is. I meant to make this political, but gave that up as I couldn't figure out how to write something reasonable without alienating almost everybody I know. I have thought about sticking pins in the dolls of everyone who disagrees with me, but I'd have to buy too many dolls! You're safe for now. I don't think I'll become the feminine equivalent of Glenn Beck...at least not this week!

The first weekend in May my friend, Carolyn Petty, and her husband Tim came to spend the weekend with us. Carolyn, bless her heart, was recovering from a torn ACL (I think) and , actually spent a pretty miserable weekend, but she was a trooper, and we had a good time anyway. Jim and Tim drove over the county and did some tame four-wheeling. We had never met him, but really liked him and hope that they will come back again soon. He has old cars (as does Jim), so they hit it off. Jim went to see him when he returned the shirt Tim left and got to see his cars. I'm not sure what men see in cars, but if it makes them happy, so be it! The above is a pic of Carolyn and Tim taken in front of our fireplace (which doesn't work at this moment). New house?

The next weekend my Bridge Girls came...well not all of them, but some. They came on Friday afternoon and we spent Friday night eating and playing bridge; Saturday, eating and playing bridge; and Sunday morning eating and talking. Gayle Aughtry, Susan Gibbs, and Vicki Jaus spent the weekend with me. We laughed and laughed, ate (did I already say that?), and played bridge. Gayle was the overall winner. She got a tea towel that says: "If a man says something in the woods, and a woman doesn't hear him, is he still wrong?" (We decided "yes") I, on the other hand was the overall loser. Oh, well. I finally did get tired of not getting any cards, so we called it an evening and just didn't pick it up the next morning. They are such a wonderful crew. Here is a pic of the four of us on my deck...looking out into the beautiful beyond.

Vicki Jaus, Gayle Aughtry, Me, Susan Gibbs

And I do need to show you the beautiful spring flowers that are up here. Domestic rhododendren and wild iris.

I meant to get a pic of one of the pink lady slippers that we have, but I always forgot to take my camera down when I went out the gate where there was a real pretty one. I showed it to Gayle when she left that Sunday.

I have a couple of other pieces of news. JR and I FINALLY sold our house in Charlotte. It was on the market for almost a year. We didn't get what we wanted, but we got what we needed and we are looking forward to having only one house to care for. It's been 15 years (almost) since that happened. We will close on the 30th and it can't come too soon! I have joined a couple of civic groups here in Jackson County and am meeting really nice people. This is getting to be home!

Love to all. I will try to be better as I'm sure that all of you wait with bated breath to hear about my exciting life.

Love to all of you.

Breaks and Grandchildren

2010-05-04T17:20:00.015-04:00

OK. I took a nap and April disappeared. I've thought many times that I would add to the blog, but somehow never quite got around to it. Part of the reason is that I have been cogitating on the ObamaCare bill that passed the Congress in March. I'm not happy with that, but I wanted to make sure that I was reasonable before I commented on it. I'm not going to do that now, but that will be my next post...fair warning for those of you who don't like my rantings! :):)

However, some really wonderful things have happened to me since then...Mary, her children, and her friend, Abby, came up for a few days during their spring break; we got a REFUND on taxes (first time in living memory); and I spent a wonderful weekend with my grandchildren (and son and daughter-in-law, of course) this past weekend.

First things first. Mary, the kids, and Abby came for a few days. We didn't do much of anything. We had lunch with another of my friends, Cathy Baker, one day (it was raining hard), but I forgot to take a pic of the group that day. Ana brought a friend, Christina, who is a very nice girl. I liked her. Mary took the kids and Abby gem mining one day, but mostly we just hung out, played Chickenfoot (if you don't know what that is, you should), and drank wine. I always love having Mary up here. She just brightens days! Even after how hard her life has been, she always sees the glass as half full.

Mary and Abby

Ana and Christina (left), Zach (right)

I am so bad at this stuff. I can hardly believe that I even DO a computer, much less pretend that I know what I'm doing!

The next great thing was the 5 days I spent in Charlotte this week. Almost all of the time was spent with my grandchildren, and though I meant to contact some of my friends there, I just didn't do it. I saw Jon's ballgame on Thursday (though I went on Wednesday, thinking that was the day..I got lots of kidding about that); went to a wonderful Grandparent's Day at Saint Gabriel's on Friday,; went to THREE ballgames for all three grandchildren on Saturday, and to Reni's birthday party on Sunday. I have made the transition from Charlotte to the mountains and consider this home now, but this weekend was one of the best I have spent there! All thanks to Jon and Patti for opening their home and hearts for us...and to our good friend, Jarleth, who gives me a place to stay with grace, style, and love.

Reni's Birthday

The Cousins
Reni, Mikey (Giroux), Jonathan, Katie, Charlie (Giroux), Robbie (Giroux)

A wonderful time was had by all!

Mamas and Sisters

2010-03-28T09:08:00.004-04:00

I had a wonderful two days with Mama this week. I don't get to see her as often as I'd like, so this was a real treat. She will be 86 years old next moth. She still lives alone, and is in reasonably good health. My brother, Charlie, and my sister, Judy get the credit for looking after her so well. While I was there, we went to see Judy's new house. It is a really cute log home with a wrap around porch. Judy cooked lunch (delicious), we sat on the porch in the warm spring sunshine, and took a walk to examine an old family cemetery that is down the road a ways. All of us like cemeteries, and this one was very interesting. The youngest grave we saw dated from 1965, and the whole plot is in great disrepair. We saw some graves marked with inscribed stones, but many graves were marked only with stones stuck in the ground. Many young babies were buried there, and most of the current "residents" were not really old.

Only 14 months separate my birth and Judy's, so we were very close as children. We got away from that closeness as were were young women rearing young families, but as we have aged and as concerns about Mama have enabled us to reconnect in a most wonderful way. Isn't family great?

I'm going to try to put a picutre on this site, but I'm having some difficulty with the blogger site, so who knows. Well, I got it on, but it's not where I want it. Beggars can't be chooers, I don't guess.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

2010-03-16T20:39:00.000-04:00

It happens everywhere, but in the mountains when the winters can be, and often are, harsh, a day that is a harbinger of spring is received with joy that is just short of giddiness...or not! Today was such a day...sunny, warmish (50's), light winds. Although I should have worked on my taxes, I resolved to wait until the next rainy day (tomorrow). JR and I joyfully spent the entire day outside, cleaning up small (very small ) amounts of winter detritus and burning them in the firepit. When I had used up every bend-over that I could, I sat by the fire with my book and enjoyed the fresh air (when the smoke wasn"t following my beauty) and reveled in the opportunity to be out of the house.

The winter is not over, and there will be other inhospitable days, but today was a promise of things to come. I just can't wait!!!

Austin City Limits and Mud, Lovely Mud!

2010-03-11T09:20:00.002-05:00

The view of Austin from Adam's and Shanna's deck.

At last report I was contemplating descending a mile long driveway in 10 inches of snow. I finally decided to just get in the car and go. I left on Wednesday afternoon while the snow was soft and went to Asheville to spend the night before heading to Austin on Thursday morning. The next morning was bitterly cold in Asheville with the wind chill approaching the single digits. I had not intended taking my heavy jacket, but since I had to park in the long term parking row that was furthest from the terminal, I was forced to do so. That, of course, meant that I had to figure out a place for it in my carry-on bag. It didn't fit well, but at least I had a coat...just what was needed in Austin's high 60's and low 70"s.

The trip was fine, if a bit long (I had a 4 hour layover in Atlanta, which stretched to 4 1/2 when the plane was late). Jim joined us all on Thursday evening and a great time was had by all. Adam and Shanna have a nice house that is plenty large for the girls and their playthings. We spent an afternoon in downtown Austin, a very nice and livable urban area. It rained for a couple of days, and we amused ourselves with the children. Oh, how wonderful!!! Gracie never shuts up, Avey is learning to talk, and I have watched enough "Dora the Explorer" to last a lifetime. I think this is the longest sustained time I have spent with the girls and I loved every second of it.

Avery (left) and Gracie (right) in a playful mood.

Right before Adam and I left to go to the airport, I called Curt (our builder) to find out the condition of the driveway. No snow, but muddy. I can do mud! When I got to the drive, I was very pleased to note that there was NO SNOW on the drive. Oh, mud, lovely mud! Getting up was no problem. Right now, it is foggy and a bit rainy with more of that forecast, but NO SNOW for the forseeable future. God is smiling on me!

Soon as I finish this, I'm heading to Charlotte for a couple of days. Got some clean-up to do before I put that house back on the market and am going to the doctor tomorrow with Jim's elderly cousin. Flat Stanley, from Arlington, TX, is visiting us for a few days. I hope he doesn't get snowed in. Love to all.

The Best Laid Plans...

2010-03-02T15:55:00.002-05:00

My intention had been to create a blog titled "On to Austin!!!" That was until the weather became very uncooperative. I am (still) planning to got to Austin on Thursday to visit Adam, Shanna, and the most wonderful grandchildren, Gracie and Avery. Ummm...we have about 8 inches of snow on the ground as I write, and it isn't supposed to stop anytime soon. I could, once again, be stuck. I have resolved not to cry.

Anyway, the last thing to keep me prisoner was the damn dog, but his doggie care facility is now complete, and we feel pretty confident that we can leave him for a couple of days without having to worry about him. The cat, being pretty self-sufficient, will, as always, be fine with food, water, and a litter box. You know, the older I get, the more I'm like my mama...she doesn't want to take care of anything anymore!

OK. Back to the subject hand. Those of you that know me well, know that when we moved to the mountains, we gave up the comforts of a fenced in back yard, and a doggie door. We have been working with a wrought iron guy (who doubles as a VERY GOOD country singer: Name: Freddie Way) to create a "doggie daycare facility" (prison) that would protect him, keep him comfortable, and allow us some time off. Until this project was complete, one of us had to be here all the time. OK. It is complete! Therefore, I felt very comfortable leaving him with food and water (and an intermittent caretaker) for a few days while I went to Austin, TX to see Adam (on his birthday), and, most importantly, the grandchildren. This could work...except for the fact that I now have about 8 inches of snow on the ground with the probability that it won't quit until midnight. I am now playing things by ear...or snowfall inches. The snow has been very heavy, and I wish that I could say that it is diminishing...wishful thinking! I tried to take a pic of the falling snow, but I don't think I know the resolutions on the camera that will do that. Use your imagination.

So...I may or may not get to Austin, but I will leave you with pics of the doggie prison, and of the latest snow. I don't think there will be anyone more happy than I to get the winter over with.

Love to all.

FINALLY...A KITCHEN!! Plus, other items of possible interest.

2010-02-23T19:37:00.007-05:00

OK!!! I finally have a kitchen...water, range, oven, micro, and dishwasher!!! It's like I really live in the 21st century! All that is left in the kitchen is the new refrigerator...soon forthcoming. Do you have any idea how good it is to have water, fire, and refrigeration? Of course not...none of you have had to do without! :):)

Now, just so you don't think that everything is fine, I need to let you know that after four days being stuck on the mountain following two 6 inch snowfalls in 3 days, I finally got down. The only real problem was that I couldn't get up. I managed to set my (4-wheel drive) car/truck sidways in the road. I had groceries in the car and I had to make 3 trips of about half mile up and a half mile down in boots that weren't good to get the stuff out of the car and into the refrig. At least I got some exercise. That would have been good except the refrig died. UMM.. do you think that I should have rethought this move? Well, too late, we're here and really do love it. Luckily we have a backup. This winter has been challenging. Challenges are not over. As I write, we are expecting about 3-4 new inches of snow. I was going to Charlotte tomorrow. I've had a dental appointment that I have had to cancel twice already because of snow. This could be the third. Another issue is that if Freddie can't get up to complete the doggie compound, I could be here while planning to be in Austin. I'm trying not to cry about that one. Maybe God will smile on me. I missed a visit at Christmas and am hoping to make Adam's birthday. But, as I told one of my sisters today, this is a small problem when compared to the problems of others.

THE SIDEWAYS CAR

Hopefully, I will report to you from Charlotte and Austin. Love to all.

Escape From Rapunzel's Tower

2010-02-17T14:06:00.000-05:00

I have been snowed in so many times this winter that I have lost count of the number. But..it's been often enough that my sister-in-law, Renee, has begun to refer to this place as Rapunzel's Tower. It feels like that sometimes, too. Maybe I can grow my hair long enough to make a zip line to get down the hill! I did manage a brief escape last Thursday, though my intention was to leave on Wednesday. I missed two appointments in Charlotte, but was able to make the third, and then go to Greensboro to see Mama. The only problem was...I took the snow with me, 4/5 inches in Charlotte, and about an inch and a half in Greensboro. Everybody but me was delighted.

I headed back to the mountain on Saturday...to only about 6 inches of new snow. JR met me in Asheville and we rug shopped and ate lunch out, then trekked back up here not knowing if we were going to be able to get up the mountain or not. Cullowhee Mountain Road was thick with ice and snow, but Pine Creek and Yellow Mountain were pretty much okay. We got to our dirt road and managed that okay and came up our steep drive without too much trouble. But it snowed again on Sunday and JR left before he got snowed in. I'm still here! I don't know what our accumulation was this time, but it's pretty deep and there has been little melt off since the temperatures are so cold. I'd like all of you to come, but maybe winter isn't the time to do that! I might be able to get down tomorrow when it warms up some, or I COULD work on my taxes.

I finally have water in my kitchen, the granite is installed, and some of the appliances have been installed. The granite installers had to be pulled up the mountain with the John Deere, and the appliance installers had to leave because of the snow in this area and South Carolina (where they live). They may come on Friday if it doesn't snow again. Big Green is waiting!!! I can't wait to get all of it in so I can display a snapshot, but at least, I don't have to haul dishes to the doggie bath anymore!

The Great Weather Conspiracy

2010-02-02T11:08:00.001-05:00

It seems that the weather is in a determined conspiracy to keep me from any plans that I may have. In addition to being snowed in for 5 whole days ALONE, (an event chronicled in a previous post), the weather has kept me from final completion of my house, from the beach, and may keep me from getting back from Charlotte on Friday.

After the big Christmas snow, we experienced very cold temperatures, as did much of the rest of the country. It didn't get above freezing for two weeks, but when it did and the dirt road that leads to our driveway began to thaw and refreeze, some odd phenomenon occurred. I do not understand the physics of it, but a HUGE mud hole opened up in the road and nothing could get through it. The best I can describe it is as a big mud swamp. Now, what did that mean for me? Well...I had planned to go to the beach with my bridge buddies for a whole week, and had made my plans so that things that had to be done before I could go would be done. The wrought iron guy was coming to put up a doggie run, so Chet could be left alone for a few days. The granite people were coming to measure for the granite, the tractor guy was going to deliver the tractor, and the plumber was coming to hook up a sink. But none of these things could happen because there was a hole in the road. Consequently, no beach trip for me because there was no place for the dog; no granite measurement, thus extending the time for my kitchen to get done; no sink hook-up, meaning that I still had to cart dishes down to the doggie bath to wash them. The tractor guy did come after the road got sort of fixed (it could recur, this hole), and the granite people came last Thursday and are going to install the countertops this Thursday; but there was no trip to the beach, just like there was no trip to Austin in December.

Ah, well, we had another storm this past Friday...about 9 inches of snow with an inch of ice on top of that, but the temperature was warmer and we were able to get down the mountain on Sunday. Did you think you would ever say that 40 degrees was warm? Well, it is, and it means that snow melts! Weather forecast for today was to be freezing rain, but we dodged that bullet and are only having regular rain. Still, Friday is forecast to have a wintry mix. I'll be in Charlotte. Could it be possible that I'll be snowed out? Just hang on for the next installment. If it ever gets to be spring I'll be a happy camper...but spring comes slowly to the ridge. I guess I'll just have to wait it out!

SCOTT BROWN FOR MASS SENATOR!!!

2010-01-17T17:54:00.000-05:00

JR tells me that we will have no friends left if I keep telling everybody about my poilitical views. And I know that most of our acquaintances are liberal. But, guess what? I'm not and I can't stay quiet anymore.

NEVER in my sixty-three years have I ever been more frustrated with our government. NEVER have I been more concerned about the direction that our government is taking, with its wild lurch to the ideological left and to more and more government control.

While it is true that I am a small government proponent, it is also true that am not a "no" government proponent. I do not object to paying my fair share of taxes (and I do so every year). Nor do I object to our government taking care of the less fortunate of our society. These things are the price of a principled people and a caring society. BUT...I do object to paying for Nebraska's Medicaid, and for Louisana's Purchase, and for the unions' "cadillac" taxes, and for whatever other bribes that have been made so Obama can have his political "legacy".

First of all, any legacy he has will be toatlly negative. This bill is a travesty committed against the American people...all of the American people, not just the "rich". What have the "Federales" ever done that has been a sustained good?..Social Security (broke), Medicaid (broke), Medicare (broke), Amtrak (broke and heavily subsidized), USPS (broke and heavily subsidized), Fannie and Freddie (broke and not subject to the newly suggested "Responsbility Tax"). AIG, GM, Chrysler..also not subject to the "Responsibility Tax", . By the way, they are the only ones who have not paid back their TARP loans with interest. They are no
less responsible than the federal government whose liberal policies required them to make risky loans. I do not claim to be an economic genius (Puh..leeze), but anybody who can lick a pencil can tell what is good economic policy and what isn't. Barney Frank, Ted Kenndy, and Chris Dodd, with their liberal leanings, did more to harm this country than all of the Bush administration.

And that brings me to another issue...Obama needs to take responsibility for his failures, rather than just foisting them off on the "previous" administration. He is now the President, and has been for a year. This is his baby now. All adminstrations have "inherited" issues that have to be solved. Too bad. He asked for the job, he got it, and now it's his to fix. This crap about "inheritance" is just that...crap. Time to put on your big boy pants and deal with it!!!.

So, Scott Brown... GO FOR IT!!! Win this election. Bring some sense of patriotism back to this country. Be a Patrick Heny, a Thomas Paine, a George Washington. Stop this lurch to big government. Keep this administration from moving this country to the ideological left. Keep us free. Question with boldness. Speak without fear. Take risks for the freedom of this nation. I stand with you!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2010-01-07T15:32:00.001-05:00

Here's hoping that all of you have a great new year. 2009 has been tough in many ways, but approaching life with optimism always reaps rewards!

Despite being snowed in for 5 days alone, with only myself and the animals for company, I did get some good pics of the pretty stuff. It was particularly pretty when the sun finally came out. In fact, it is snowing as I write. They are only predicting 2-3 inches before it quits tomorrow night, so that's pretty light snowfall. I've been to town, I'm making a pot of soup, I'm warm, and JR will be here tomorrow. The picture above is from the last snow. I liked the gold on the frozen trees.

Christmas was a lot of fun, too. This is the first Christmas that we have spent without our children...ever. But my sister, Mary and her twins, Zach and Ana came, as did our local friends, Curt and Christine Long. Their daughter chose to spend the holiday with her "significant other" in Raleigh, so we were both charting new ground. As you can tell by this picture, Mary and I were having fun! We'd only been in the Christmas cheer for a short time. However, it didn't get much worse

On New Year's Eve, we went to a party where we met some new neighbors. Now, the truth is, they were all very nice, but most of them are older than we are and they live in Florida most of the winter. It was still fun. Our friends, Jaime and Mike Peart, who are from Georgia, came to spend the night and on New Year's Day we watched the preliminary competitions of The Iron Chef. I really hate to say it, but the competitions were very interesting. Mike is a chef (not by vocation, but by interest). I love to eat things he has cooked. Perhaps if I watch enough of the food channel, I can find my way around a kitchen!

We've had some renters who have skipped out on us. It's just as well...we were going to have to start eviction, anyway. Still, they left a mess that we will have to deal with. I actually think it's a good thing.

So, until next time...perhaps when my kitchen finally gets installed and I can quit carrying dishes down to the doggy bath...love life!

I'm looking forward to going to Charlotte on Monday to be with my BG's! It has been a while since I showed up at the supper and wine fest (and sometimes bridge).

Snow, Ice, and the Prisoner of Bobcat Ridge

2009-12-21T16:03:00.000-05:00

It seemed like a pretty romantic notion...a little soft white stuff that made the environment look like a Christmas card. True, there were a couple of problems...nobody to be romantic with, placement on a high ridge (increasing the chance of not so nice stuff), and Christmas. So, on Friday morning the snow previously forcast began in earnest. It started as ice...laying down a layer of slippery solid that has not yet melted. So, yours truly is up here by herself. The plan was for Mary (my sister) to come to the hills on Monday. She was going to take care of the animals while we went to Austin for Christmas. I have heard that if you want to make God laugh, just make some plans. I can attest to the veracity of this statement.

It was, indeed, pretty. However, the prettiness has worn off. The first couple of days were fine, but after that I entered a state that I can only compare to that of a hostage. Fortunately, the phone, tv, electricity worked so I didn't have to "rough" it. I do have alternative heat and cooking capabilities, so that was a plus...I think it was the only one.

One of the charming characteristics of this place is its location...high on a ridge with limited accessibility. I am now reassessing the charm. The ice and the elevation have conspired to keep me captive. Although the temperature has risen, the damn ice is still on the trees. I think it got up to 35 today. There is a pretty solid sheet of ice under the snow (though it seems to have ameloriated somewhat), and I can't get down the mountain and nobody else can get up.

Which brings me to Christmas. There will be no trip to Austin. I have cried all day. I hope JR can get up tomorrow, but if he can't then there is another storm coming on Thursday. Mary is going to try to come, but there is the same issue with her. Hopefully, I won't have to spend Christmas alone with the animals and their hair. I'm pretty tired of them underfoot all the time.

However, I am well, have plenty to eat (though it really isn't what I like), am warm, have plenty of books and have been able to watch really interesting things on tv. I hope to be able to get off this mountain tomorrow. If not, I will be grateful for the gifts in my life and will consider that the alternatives could be worse. Perhaps I could start a mini-monastery!

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, hope your Hannukah was good. Love to all.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

2009-12-18T09:23:00.000-05:00

Tommy (top) and Ben (a really cute kid) installing the cabinets in the kitchen and the mudroom.

The good news is...my kitchen cabinets are here and they are beautiful! The are rustic hickory and really do add a dimension to the kitchen that I didn't expect. Tommy and Ben installed them last week. It took them 4 days to do so, but the effect is stunning...well, almost. I'll get to that in a little bit.

The bad news is that I don't have any appliances, except the old refrigerator. I have no stove, no sink (which means no water in the kitchen,) no oven, and no dishwasher. Well, I didn't have a dishwasher before so that is no big deal. It is rather difficult to cook without the necessary appliances. I don't think they're going to come any time soon, either, because, as I write, we are two inches into a forcast 10 inches of snow. Getting up this drive is sometimes difficult even under the best of conditions, and deep snow isn't one of those. In addition, we have run into a glitch with the granite fabricator. It does appear that it will be awhile before the countertops are on.

The ugly is that I've figured out how to make do. I got the builder to get the plywood that we had used on the old cabinets and I put that on the cabinets. I went to the shed, got an old Coleman camping stove that uses those little bottles of propane. It has two burners and works great as a small stove. I have a George Foreman thingy that will roast or grill, I have a tabletop microwave, and I put dirty dishes in a dishpan and cart them down to the doggy bath to wash them. Then I dry them and cart them back upstairs! Other than the inconvenience of running to the bathroom for water when needed in the kitchen, and of dragging dirty and clean dishes upstairs, it works pretty well. I have waited so long for this beautiful house that I'm not going to let these little set backs upset me. Now I'm off to play in the snow. I think it's going to keep JR in Charlotte today, but maybe he will be able to come tomorrow. Merry Christmas!!! (Or if you'd rather that I be more PC)...Happy Holidays!!!

This is the makeshift kitchen...not bad, huh?

FINALLY...THE MOVE!!!

2009-12-01T16:06:00.000-05:00

It seemed like it would never happen, but we have finally made it...the big move! Most of our stuff is up in the mountains and we are here more or less full time. The house has turned into a thing of beauty without the red paper on the floor, the dust cleaned off the windows (I hired that done.), our familiar furniture placed in the new spaces, and the arrival of our family for the Thanksgiving holidays.

It was everything I wanted it to be. My cousin, Chuck, and his wife came from Texas; my mother from Greensboro; my sisters, Judy and Mary, and their families from Winston and Charlotte; my son, Jon, and his family,also from Charlotte. We did miss Adam and his family who spent the holiday in their new home in Austin, TX; and my brother, Charlie and his family. Charlie had knee replacement surgery on the Monday before so we forgave him for being unable to travel. He had a rough couple of days, but he is doing much better now.

We had 13 people spending the night on Thanksgiving night. It's nice to have enough room for most everybody! The grandchildren decorated our new nine foot Christmas tree on Thanksgiving afternoon and a more beautiful tree I have not seen!

The children were so funny. My nephews built this great big bonfire and the more they drank the bigger it got. Most of us made our way to the fire at some point during the day, but the evening was the most fun! There were a few snow flurries and it was almost magical to sit by the fire while snow drifted down around us. Jon, Jr. asked me for a "fashyight" and the three of them entertained themselves by running around the rather large yard (to the dismay of their mother) shining it onto unfamiliar objects. Patti was afraid that they would get hurt or lost, but they managed to keep themselves in one piece and had a great time doing it!

The house is beautiful and Jim and I are very happy here. I'll put a few pics of some rooms up so you can see what they look like. I'm not a very good photographer so this won't look like Southern Living.

If I get all the mailing addresses changed I will consider myself lucky! We have not yet sold our Charlotte house, and will have to make some decisions about it after the first of the year.

Hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season.

The kitchen cabinets will be delivered on Thursday and the installer will be here on Monday. The appliances will be here at the end of next week and then it will be about 2 weeks for the granite to get measured, cut and installed. The house should then be perfect! I'll send a picture as I am very proud of our choices for the kitchen.

I am going to change the name of the blog to "The Hillbilly Chronicles", but you will be able to acess it the same way as always: thecontinuing press.blogspot.com Love to all!

A Beautiful Sunrise

2009-10-16T14:02:00.001-04:00

It's been raining for a few days here and it looks like tomorrow will bring more, but today the sunrise was beautiful. The actual event was much more dramatic than it looks in this picture, but, believe me, it was a rare and awesome sight.

The Movie, The House, Tired Teeth, and Grandchildren

2009-09-12T09:55:00.009-04:00

OK. I started this blog several weeks ago. Since then I haven't managed to get the energy to finish it. Not sure why. But I'm going to finish it tonight, October 8, 2009, though the post will show whatever the date was that I started it.

First of all, I'd like to say to my daughter-in-law, Shanna, how much I love her. I love her for her sensitivity, for her attention to the emotional goings on in her household, and for her warmth and compassion. I am also homesick for her and Adam, and the girls. But they will be here soon and we will be there at Christmas. Now, on to the things at hand in the lives of the senior Riggsbees.

A couple of weeks ago I took a movie of my new house which I intended to upload onto this blog. However, owing to my less than proficient skill at movie making, I decided that I would do another one. It wasn't any good either, so I shall have to do yet another. And, with all good intentions I took myself to the mountains for a week where I thought I would have plenty of time to accomplish this daunting task. Owing to the state of construction, things were such a mess that I finally decided that it would be better to put off this little job until things were a little more orderly. Not sure that is going to happen, but I promise to do a movie when you can tell what the house is like. I'm sure you're waiting with bated breath! The week, however was wonderful and I was reminded once again why I love that place. Mama came up for the weekend and pronounced it "beautiful".

And speaking of houses. I am constantly amazed with the feedback we get from people who look at our Charlotte house. It is an older house (45 years), has been well maintained, but needs some updating. Still it has some amenities that are not normal for our area...two-car garage, bonus room, ample storage (inside and out), decks and patios for outdoor living. I understand some of the feedback, like "My clients didn't like the kitchen", "The place is too chopped up." (that's what you get with an older house), "I don't want to do the amount of updating required.", etc. But some of this stuff is anmazing..."I don't like the outside storage buildings.", "I loved the house, but the two big dogs on each side turned me off." (Like I can help that), "The house is too big.", "The house is too little.", "I'd like to have two bedrooms down.", blady, blady, blady. OK. The house is what it is. You should know what to expect when you look at an older house. It ain't the newest transitional house. Give it up! This has been our home for 30 years (almost). We have laughed and cried there. We have reared two children there. We have welcomed friends and family there. I has been HOME. Now, I know that it's not home to you, but give me a break...DOGS NEXT DOOR???

I have tired teeth. I think it is a common thing among those of my generation who generally grew up without fluoridated water, without the benefits of modern dentistry, and with all those silver fillings! I can't count the number of crowns I have in my mouth, all of which have been the result of broken teeth and absent fillings. Also, I've had my share of root canals. In the last three weeks I've had a retreatment on a root canal and have had to have another crown. Hopefully, that's the last one. The endodontist is about my age and he has the same stuff. Maybe it's a generational thing. Well, at least I don't have to have dentures!

Is there anything else in my mouth that can go wrong? Yes, indeed...I already have the beginnings of what I think will eventually turn into another root canal. I hate this!

Now for the good news. The house is almost done and we will be moved by the end of the month. I'm up here alone for a couple of days (Jim is having issues with, what else, a root canal treatment that went wrong) and will be back early next week when I can actually take up that awful red paper off the floors, clean them, move some more furniture in and actually live here! It won't be too long before I can do a movie, though Shanna tells me that it takes hours and hours to upload it. Maybe you'll just get pics.

This week, two of my grandchildren have birthdays. Jonathan will be 5 on Sunday, October 11, and Katie will be 9 on Wednesday, October 14. How time flies. Katie was my first born grandchild. I, my mother, and Jim's mother, Lessie, spent nearly a whole day along with Patti's mother and sister, awaiting the birth of this child. She was finally delivered by Caesarean section long after we had given up the ghost. She is a beautiful, sweet child and I love her very much. I can't wait for her to get up to the mountains. Jonathan was born about 6 weeks prior to his due date, but still weighed 5 pounds. Maybe he wasn't that early. He is ALL boy. I had a wonderful experience with him a couple weekends ago. JR and I went to his soccer game and he wanted to come home with us. We took him with us and when it came time to go to Reni's game, he didn't want to go. So...MiMi stayed with him. He rarely has much to do with me since he seems to like the "guys" better, but I guess that since I was all that was there, I'd do. He crawled up in my lap, snuggled up, asked for the cat (whom we had to find) and spent about an hour just talking to me and rubbing the cat. It was a wonderful thing for a grandmother to experience. There are so few times with your grandchildren, so each must be savored and remembered as the special ocassions that they are. May I say to all of my grandchildren...I love you more than you can possibly know. I want for each of you to have wonderful lives, and I want to be part of them as often as I can.

I am struggling with this move a little bit, since it is the cessation of a life that I have lived in Charlotte for 36 years. I doesn't feel wrong, it just feels funny.

First Time in 18 Months!

2009-08-17T12:19:00.000-04:00

For the first time in 18 months JR and I were able to spend the night in our mountain house. For those of you who are not really familiar with the saga of this experience, suffice it to say that rennovations are everything people say they are! Don't ever do one! We had to move out of our cabin about 18 months ago, because we could no longer live in the conditions that the rennovation required. We have spent the time staying with our long-suffering friends, Curtis and Chris Long (no pun intended) since then. They have been most gracious and we have been very grateful for their hospitality. And, although we have tried to be "paying" guests by bringing food and other supplies when we came, and tried not to stay more than one or two nights at a time, it is still hard to have guests in your house as often as we were there. We will forever be in their debt and celebrate their friendship. But this weekend...we stayed at our own place! It was kind of like being newlyweds and setting up housekeeping! In fact, we liked it so much that even though we had planned to come home on Sunday night, we didn't. We got up early and came this morning instead.

Chris and Curt Long, good friends, good neighbors.

So let me tell you about this place:

It is the most gentle of all places...where the sun comes up over the moutains looking like an orange billiard ball, setting fire to the landscape; or, as the Hawaiians euphemistically say, we have a "silver sunrise". That means it's foggy, sometimes to the point that one can barely see beyond her nose.

It is a place where the quiet is loud. I read a little poem in a book my mother gave me one time that described it perfectly..."You could hear an ant fart, it was that quiet." None of the sounds of the city, just the sounds of life at an easier pace.

It is a place where wildlife abounds right outside the door. If you sit still, you can see all manner of nature...birds, squirrels, groundhogs, bears (yes, bears), panthers (that, too), bobcats, turkey, grouse, predator/scavenger fowl like buzzard, hawk, and owl. Wild flowers are everywhere, and fill vases with a profusion of color that is unmatched anywhere.

It is a place where the August sun feels good on the skin; where the summer breeze is, incredibly, almost constant; where nights require the use of a sweater or jacket, and a fire is a nightly ritual.

It is a place where the sunshine filters through the foliage, leaving a speckled footprint as if it is reluctant to intrude on the stillness.

It is a place where the winds can be high, the temperatures low, the snow blows into drifts that can be higher than your boots, and where the coziness of a warm fire makes one feel safe and secure.

It is soon going to be HOME!!!

And Then They Were Gone

2009-08-05T13:25:00.001-04:00

As long as they were in Chapel Hill it was pretty easy to just believe that they would always be there. But...they left and now they are gone to Texas. Adam and Shanna came to Cashiers to see the house that is not quite finished. It was somewhat slippery keeping up with Avie who is quick as greased lightening! See, we have no railings on the porches (which are 20 or so feet above the ground), and all of us had to keep our eyes peeled for a curious 14 month old! When we were all a bundle of nerves, we headed to town for dinner. Avie is an eating machine and Gracie allowed her daddy to bribe her before she decided to eat anything. I did notice (as I was sitting beside her) that most of her food found its way to the floor, but the Tootsie Rolls were carefully guarded, so when her food disappeared her daddy let her have them. I played along, just Gracie and me in a conspiracy! After all, what are MiMis for?

We went for ice cream after dinner and, boy, was that a hoot! It's a great little place where you blend your own flavor. I had peach and amaretto. Delicious! Avie got it, though, and dumped it on the ground. She managed to do the same with her mother's cone. All in all, it was not a very successful venture.

Adam put Avie down in the parking lot at the ice cream shop. I squatted down (yes, I can do that now) and she ran into my open arms. That's the first time she had ever done that. I nearly blubbered right then and there.

Adam left the next day, and Shanna left on this past Monday after spending a week with her family in Asheville. She and her mother and the girls arrived in Austin on Tuesday night. I spoke with them during the trip. They had had a long day, but were holding up. We were glad for their safe arrival.

I miss them already, but we'll see them in October and then JR and I will go to Austin at Christmas. Adam, bless his heart, reminded me that it wasn't like it was in 1800, when a thousand miles meant that you probably would never see your child again. And, he likewsie reminded me, he wasn't going off to war. I am counting my blessings, but I still wish they were here.

Moving the Cars!

2009-07-20T11:48:00.001-04:00

One of the things about moving is that there are so many things that have to go. Most of them are reasonably easy, but when trying to move 2 cars that don't run, a lot of sweat equity is involved. Jim and Jon have had 1957 Chevy's for a long time and neither have been on the road in years. I think it's been like since 1991. Anyway, JR was going to sell his and Jon was going to have to take possession of his. Jon decided that he wanted both of them. The problem was that there had to be a place to put them besides our now for sale garage. So, they bought a couple more shipping cargo containers (I've told you about those before), had them hauled to the mountains (luckily we have 45 acres up there), and then had to put them on the car hauler and take them up there. The first one was Jon's 4 door hardtop. It took them seven hours to get the tires pumped up, get it out of the garage, and onto the car carrier. The next one, the convertible only took 3 1/2 hours. I guess they got a system down after the first one. Now, mind you, the engines don't start, so all of this had to be done with pushing. I helped a little by getting in the cars and steering them. Then they were hauled off to Cashiers and put in the containers. Now the boys are looking at all the car magazines, buying engines to be rebuilt, planning driving tours, etc. Beautiful cars...we had lots of fun with the convertible when it was running and I'd like to ride in it one more time before I die! Check out the pics.

Girls Day Out

2009-07-20T11:26:00.001-04:00

Ocassionally, my sisters, my mother, my sister-in-law, and my daughter-in-law and my two granddaughters get together in Greensboro for lunch and visiting. It is usually a spur of the moment thing and all of us can't get there all of the time, but it's always fun! Our last outing was sometime in June (I know, I'm a little slow). We had lunch. I'm not sure what we had, but I do remember the tomato pie. Mama makes a good one! I think we had chicken and fruit, too, but who knows. Attendees this time were me, sister Judy, sister Mary, Mama, sister-in-law Renee, daughter-in-law, Shanna, and the granddaughters Gracie and Avery. It was fun, but Shanna, Gracie, and Avery are moving to Texas with the Daddyman, so I guess they won't make the next few we have! Here are some pics!

The top pic is of Mama playing with Gracie and Baby Doshi (Gracie's froggy companion). Or maybe they are playing with Clean Doshi. No one but Gracie can ever tell since both froggie companions look alike. The next picture is Renee, my brother's wife. Then there's the pic of Judy Mary, and Mama. and last, but certainly not least is little Avery. Those little girls are SO CUTE!!! Their MiMi loves them passionately!

What Is He Doing?

2009-07-02T11:55:00.001-04:00

Well, I can't be quiet any longer about President Obama. What in hell is he doing? He's throwing up new legislation so fast that it's like standing in front of a machine gun. It's being pushed through without time to read and digest it. His power grabs are maniacal, and he is pushing this country down a road that we don't want to travel. The problem as I see it is that too few people are paying attention. Couple that with the fact that he has demonstrated a disturbing pattern of controlling the press, and what do you have? You have an uninformed public. What will we say when we have deficits so high that our great grandchildren won't be able to pay them off? What do we say now when he promises all these great things, but there is no way in hell to pay for them? What will we say when we lose all our rights as citizens? Has he forgotten the 10th amendment..."all powers that are not enumerated in the constitution are reserved for the people"? This is so scary that I can't even contemplate it. When we have gotten to the place that we allow the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Barack Obama make decisions for us and we say nothing, then we have fallen far indeed. Find yourself a "tea party". Find yourself a demonstration. Find your pen and write to your congresspersons. Don't just sit around and think that you will get something for nothing. All of us will pay...pay with dollars, and pay with the loss of the America that we have become accustomed to.

Wake up!!!! Start paying attention before it is too late.

FINALLY...FOR SALE

2009-06-15T19:18:00.000-04:00

After countless hours of cleaning out, cleaning up, and crying, our house in Charlotte is finally on the market! It is bittersweet. We have lived here for almost 30 years, a long time in anyone's book. A lot of living, a lot of loving, a lot of fussing, a lot of disagreement, a lot of life! Our boys grew up here. When we first bought this place we had to do some work on it before we could move in. We'd drag the boys over here in the evenings and on the weekends with a cooler of sodas and beer, some sandwiches, and some books in case they got bored ( often). I remember that they frequently fell asleep on the floor while JR and I just tried to "finish this one thing". :):) One time JR asked Adam to go to the refrigerator to get some mustard to put on our sausage biscuits...no matter that we had no refrigerator. Adam went up to the kitchen and returned very chagrined to admit that there was no frig. We laughed out loud at him, sweet thing that he was. Jon, being the oldest, was always on go...ready to help us in any way possible. When we finally moved in here, our neighbor, John Offerdahl, came over to introduce himself. Adam shot him with a water pistol. "Who are you"?, he said as he cut a stripe across John's chest. All the more impressive since Adam had a broken leg at the time. How do you measure all those memories?

Jon and JR spent the whole day Saturday getting Jon's 1957 Chevy up on the car carrier to take to the mountains. I don't think that they thought it would be so hard. It was. They leave in the morning to transport it. It's a pretty thing. And there's another one to go. Jim's 1957 Chevy convertible will be next. Guess what they will be stored in? You got it...shipping containers. Apparently, Jim has cornered the market on those things. Luckily, we have 45 acres on which to disperse them!

I have a picture somewhere of Jon and his prom date when he was a senior. I'm sure it's in the moutains right now, but when I find it I will scan it and share it. He and Cindi are standing in front of his 1957, looking like cats that just ate the canary.

I hope that someone will find this house and not be able to live without it. I hope that some other family will find life (good and bad) here. What better could I wish someone? I'll miss it, but it's time for us to move to the next part of our lives.

Adam is Moving

2009-06-08T21:39:00.000-04:00

Adam is moving to Texas. He is going to begin his own business, his own vision, his own life. He is taking Shanna and Gracie and Avery with him. Of course he is! I am devastated. I am not sad for him. This is probably the right thing for him as he pursues his dreams and goals. But I have never been this far away from him,and I am sad for me. He is my baby...that will never change. I told Mama and she cried. She thinks she might never see him again. That could be right as she is not a "spring chicken" anymore. I know there are planes and there are cars. I figure that Judy (Shanna's mother) and I will take a road trip. We both will be living in the mountains, so that should be reasonably easy to arrange. And, we'll do Skype so we can keep in touch with the girls' growth. I read Shanna's blog a few minutes ago and she talked about never forgetting the birth of a child. So true. I'll never forget Adam's birth...it was easy and he was a very good baby. He was cuddly, snuggly, and soft. We used to call him the "Velcro Kid" because he spent so much time attached to us. Even when he got older and was bigger than I, he clung to me when he was tired. I remember one time when he was in college, we were somewhere with him and he was hanging on me. I asked him if it was okay for me to hang on him for awhile since he was making me tired. We both laughed. But...I'd like for that to happen again. I never feel like I see him enough, but that's not a bad thing. JR and I were apparently successful in rearing a strong and independent adult. We believe that is the job of parents. Still, you never get over remembering them as babies, children, young adults. It's hard to turn them loose. I love you, Adam.

The BGs...BFF

2009-05-21T14:31:00.000-04:00

1st row: Lynn, Nancy Kramer

2nd row:Millie Snyder, Susan Gibbs, Valerie Crockett

3rd row: Mary-lynn Mitchell, Grace Mitchell, Gayle Aughtry,Vicki Jaus

Missing: Ann Baldwin

The BGs stand for "The Bridge Girls". We get together once a month for dinner and bridge. Sometimes we don't get to the bridge part, but we have fun trying. It works like this: a member hosts the evening and it is her responsibility to fix dinner. The rest of us show up about 6:00, eat, drink, and are merry for about 3 hours. Then all of us old people go home and go to bed!

There are 8 permanent members and 2 permanent subs, who are just like family to us and we've taken to inviting all 10 whether we need a sub or not. Most of us have been in education, though a couple have been in non-profits. Some of us are retired, some are only contemplating it, but we're all best friends forever. We laugh and cry together, having shared in many joyous and dark moments in each other's lives. We came to our friendships late. The common denominator was Millie Snyder. She knew us all and would NOT rest until she had managed to get two tables for bridge. We started with 4...Millie, Gayle, me, and Susan. That didn't last long and soon there were eight! Valerie and Ann are nominal subs...but we hardly ever have a time when all 8 of us can get there. So, we just started inviting everybody and there are always enough!

Following are some candid shots of the group. Let me declare right now that I love every single one of them and always will. Hopefully, they will not kill me for publishing these shots.

I will miss them when I move, but I am going to try to get back as much as possible. Thanks, BGs. You've touched my life in so many ways. I only wonder one thing: why have none of them volunteered to help me with my move???

I apologize for the placement of the pics. I just can't figure out how to get them where I want them!

They're Gooone...I thought

2009-05-08T13:57:00.000-04:00

Ok. I thought the painters were finally gone...two weeks and a ton of heartburn! Of course, they forgot to paint the laundry room, so they had to come back. And...they forgot to paint the bathroom cabinets, so they had to come back. And...they forgot to paint the insides of a couple of the kitchen cabinets, so they had to come back. I'm tired of this come back stuff!!!!!

Well, they came back today. They got the laundry room, the kitchen cabinets, but not the bathroom cabinets. They're coming back tomorrow. If they weren't so nice, I'd just fire them!

A MiMi Weekend

2009-05-05T11:51:00.000-04:00

It isn't often that I get to see all of my grandchildren in a single weekend, and it is even less frequent that I get to interact with all five of them in a weekend. But this weekend was special. Friday was Grandparent's Day at St. Gabriel's School where Katie and Lauren attend. After Mass, we visited the rooms where special activities were on display, where snacks were provided, and where we were able to meet their respective teachers. The school does this every spring on the Friday of the weekend when the second graders receive their first communions. Many grandparents come from near and far to witness this special time in the religious life of their grandchildren.

Friday was also Lauren's sixth birthday, so we went to Jon's and Patti's for a family celebration. Patti's parents were there, as were her sister and her family, and her aunt and her family. It was lots of fun since all of them are fun people. Lauren got some good presents and she was a happy camper!

The picture at the left is her pretty face and I love her passionately! The other pic is of her and her big sister, Katie. Katie is our oldest grandchild and is such a pleasure!

Katie and Lauren also have a brother, Jonathan, Jr. He is ALL boy! On Saturday I went to his little T-Ball Clinic game. It's not real T-Ball since the kids are all about 4 years of age, but the Y is training them in the rudimentary skills needed to compete. I say that with tongue in cheek because there is no such thing as "skill" in this group. The coach told them when he placed them in positons that they needed to stay as close to their positions as possible and not go running all around the field. Guess what happened? As soon as a ball was hit, all the fielders converged on the ball like sharks on chum! I laughed out loud! All the dads were in the outfield and were shouting advice to their offspring (girls and boys). Mothers were caring for younger siblings and were generally uninvolved in the goings-on! Jonathan can hit and throw, but he doesn't know to run when he hits, and he doesn't know who to throw to. So funny!!!

Not be be outdone, Adam's oldest daughter had her third birthday party on Sunday. Though she will not be three until May 9, the party was held Sunday because they are going to be out of town on her real birthday. I really think that Adam and Shanna used it as an excuse to party, but, let me tell you, Gracie was in her element! I got there about 3:00 and her other grandparents were there already. I was glad because the old folks could hang out together. Both the girls ate with us and we had a wonderful time. I was so glad to see many of Adam's and Shanna's new friends as well as some that I have known for many years. I got good "quality" time with Gracie and Avery (she is walking a little now at 11 months), and got lots of laughs with some of the children that were there. I think there might have been 9 or 10 children, the oldest being three! Gracie just ripped off wrapping and had NO idea of what was in her packages. She DID, however, like the digital camera that MiMi and PapaJim gave her!

I can't forget little Avery. She will be one year old on June 4. She has begun to walk a little and is such a pleasant baby. She liked the presents, too, and did her share of working on them!

I love this grandmother thing! I am so happy that I have been able to be a part of the lives of all five of them. How lucky can a woman get? It was a great weekend, and a welcome respite from the moving chores!

But Is It Sanitary?

2009-04-28T10:30:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure what I thought having my ENTIRE house painted was going to be like, but it sure wasn't this! This is the biggest mess I've every seen! Not only is there all the dust that I haven't gotten up, but the hardwood floors are covered in sheet rock patch dust. In addition to that, all those nasty little oak pollen thingies are being tracked in the house. I call them worms. Not a single room in the house is normal, furniture is piled everywhere, everything is out of the kitchen cabinets, and we have to eat out...on most occasions I'd be all for that, but it's getting old. I am just grateful that I had the forsight to clean things our before the painters came. At least I don't have to put back everything I own.

And, I told you about the dumpster...a lovely thing that sits out in the driveway, all blue and rusty. It's already got right much stuff in it, and we haven't hit the garage or the sheds yet. Those things aren't cheap, either. You pay to rent it for several weeks and then you pay for each load they haul off. Still, I guess it beats hauling all that crap you didn't know you had to the dump yourself, or scheduling a curbside pickup with the city.

I wish all of you could have one of your very own.

To say that we are exhausted would be an understatement. I can't believe that there is SO MUCH work to do! This weekend the boys came on Saturday and helped us clean out the bonus room...above the garage and totally crammed with stuff. They were wonderful and really helped a lot. Anyway, on Sunday JR and I packed up our vehicles and drove to the mountains. Now, mind you, this is a 3 1/2 hour trip one way. After we got there we unpacked the vehicles and put their contents in the shed, marked a place for the electrician to put in some floor plugs, played around with furniture placement (using floor covering material to simulate furniture), visited our friends for about an hour and headed back down the mountain. When we fell into bed Sunday night, we had been gone from home for 14 hours and had each driven 400 miles. You know, that's too much for old people! :):) We had to be up early because the DSL guy was coming at 8:00, as was the Direct TV guy (such an opportune time for all of our information technology to go on the fritz). And then there were the painters...they are good, but the process is NOT sanitary!!!

By Popular Demand

2009-04-23T15:11:00.001-04:00

I actually had three pictures on this page, but one of them disappeared into the netherworld. Anyway, I'm not kidding about the BW Hillbillys...notice the side planks on the truck. We load up the truck ( and my car, which is less obtrusive), haul this stuff to the mountains and unpack it into a (are you ready for this) shipping container. Jim finds the most interesting bargains. I'll try again with a pic of the shipping container, but several of you wrote to say that you really, really wanted to see some more of these pics. I'll oblige you with these and the other one if I can get it on. Love to all!

I got the pic of the shipping container...it is much fuller now! Also, I looked at the preview and it doesn't look like the pics do on this page as I write. Oh, well!

The Beverly Woods Hillbillys Move

2009-04-23T13:15:00.001-04:00

I was going to put more pictures of our obnoxious move on this page, but my technological genius has temporarily deserted me, so you'll just have to guess what the rest of our place looks like.

We have spent many hours cleaning out everything we own, making the decisions about discarding them or not; giving up half of what we have to Goodwill or to other worthy causes/people; reacting in disbelief about how much "junk" we have; alternately crying and laughing as we remember events long forgotten; and just generally getting damn sick and tired of all this work. The more we do the more we realize what else we have left. I wonder what some people see in moving every few years or so?

The painters are here this week at the Charlotte house. We must somehow get this sucker ready to put on the market. I've moved stuff around, cleaned the dust up some so it won't stick to the paint, taken down blinds, curtains, and anything else that will move. I've hauled trash to the side of the road, and piled it in the dumpster. (Yes, we had to get a dumpster to remove the detritus of 30 years!) I would put a picture of it on this blog, but ...well, I've already told you that.

And to top all this off, I don't even know for sure when we will be able to move to the mountains. Most people are more organized than we are, but everything just takes so long! We still don't have the toilets or sinks in; the electrician isn't finished; the tile man isn't finished; the hardwood floors aren't down, much less the carpet; and the railings are not on the porches. Oh, and I don't have a kitchen. Most of these things have to be done before we can get a CO (certificate of occupancy). Geez!!! The builder assures me that these things will go quickly, but since we've been doing this for the last five years...forgive my skepticism.

Nevertheless, we will put the Charlotte house on the market, hoping that we will be different from everybody else who is trying to sell in this market. I don't really hold out much hope, but at least I'll have a place to stay when I come back to see my babies, check on things, etc. (Might as well see the glass as half full.) We're going to leave a bedroom, limited kitchen supplies, and some things needed for minimal comfort.

Today, I have a headache from the paint, paint on my shirt where my boobs have brushed the wet walls (very attractive), and I'm tired of these guys being in my house. They are very nice, and they will be here for another week, so I should get used to it.

Next time, I'm going to tell you about my student teachers. I've been supervising them this semester and have very hight hopes for the three of them. I'm going to try to remember to take a picture of them so I can post it on this blog. They are all math/science (wonder why I got them) majors, and while I really don't know much about their content, I can help them learn to teach. One of them is older (almost 50) and the other two are 21 and 24 years old. Would it surprise you to know that the star is the oldest one? :):)

Stop Crying, Move On

2009-03-17T18:46:00.000-04:00

OK, I cried for two days while I tried to pack up some of our belongings for the move to the new house. Mostly, this was because if we don't get some of the stuff out of here, we won't be able to paint and get the house reasonably presentable for the market. Not that I care that much...we've lived here for nearly 30 years and I'm not sure we can make the place pristine. Whatever! I sold the crib (a sad thing) and the washer, and the dining room suite. I don't care about anything but the crib, but since Avery is our only "crib baby", and since I don't think there will be any more, I decided that a "Pack 'n Play" would do just fine. I sold the crib to a colleague who is having her first grandchild in September. She is SO excited! I remember when Katie was expected...such excitement!

So...I've spent my days packing up and getting rid of stuff that I never thought I could part with. Suddenly, it becomes "stuff" rather than cherished belongings. I even parted with some of my grandmother's things. I think Mama was distressed, but I did give it to one of my siblings. I would have kept them rather than give them to strangers, and sister Mary was happy with the offerings.

I'm tying up loose ends, like the "Y" membership, being sure that the alarm works, renewing the termite protection system so that it can be transferred, etc. I've told the people at Loaves and Fishes that May will be my last volunteer days. I have loved working there, and have felt like I have made a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. I hope to continue that kind of work in Cashiers.

I head off to Cashiers with a car load of belongings tomorrow after I finish up with one of my student teachers. JR and I will return on Thursday and will take up another load. Soon, the house will be ready to move into...I am trying to get excited, but it has been so long in coming that I hate to get anxious.

Finally, It's Getting Done!

2009-02-05T11:47:00.001-05:00

Those of you who know us know that we have been building a house for about 100 years. Well, no quite that long, but it feels like it. Back in the mid-90s we bought a cabin in the mountains. It's a lovely setting and we spent many happy days there. As we reached retirement age, we contemplated where we would spend our golden years (or whatever). We considered tearing down the cabin and building a completely new structure (and, in retrospect, that would have been a good choice). We also considered remodeling. That's what we chose to do...not such a good decision. Don't get me wrong, the house is lovely and it is almost all new...except for the original framing that has been beefed up...but has required many accommodations for the original structure, the redoing of parts of the new construction because of unanticipated situations, and more time and money than I ever, ever, ever, thought. However, within the next few months it should be complete. I thought the day would never come, and now that it is upon us, I have very mixed feelings about it.

The realtors came this week to look at our Charlotte house, to tell us what we have to do before it can go on the market, and to let us know what to expect. Well...we have lived here for almost 30 years, and we have a lot of stuff that has to be packed up and cleaned out. We've been doing some all along, but now we really have to get serious. (I really have concerns about the garage, Jim being the pack rat that he is.) I decided to begin in the playroom. I created this playroom when Katie, our oldest grandchild, was small. I started off in a spare bedroom. When my sister and her children moved in with us several years ago, I decided to convert the living room (which was rarely used) into a playroom. That allowed it to get bigger and better. The children have loved it and I truly think that it's one of the best things I ever did. Now I have to pack it up. I am just having a hard time doing it. It symbolizes so much living that has been done in this house, and in this town. Last night I went to my bridge club and, basically, broke down. I guess I am just grieving.

And then there are our friends. We have made many in the 36 years we've been in Charlotte. The Bridge Girls are especially wonderful. We meet once a month for dinner and cards...sometimes we don't get to the cards. They were all so very kind to me last night while I just blubbered away, and each one promised that I could come stay with them. Nice sentiment, hard to do. It's a truism that it becomes dificult to sustain relationships when your common experiences are no longer there. Still, I will love them all always. And that goes for all the friends that I have had over the years. Each one of them is special in some way, even if I don't see them very often. We'll make new friends and will get involved in the community there, but I'm learning that moving is a thousand little goodbyes. And here come the tears again.

The new house is beautiful. The setting remains stunning and the house is large and inviting. There is room for all. I'll find a spot for the playroom when the grandchildren come.

A Tribute to My Friend

2009-02-03T14:34:00.000-05:00

My friend, Mitzi Suggs, died on January 25. She was not quite 62. She hadn't been well in a long time, and her life had been hard. The latest illness was lung cancer. She had always been a heavy smoker. Her doctors had tried a blood transfusion to help her. Apparently transfusions sometimes make a big difference, but it didn't this time. She collapsed soon after the transfusion and was never able to recover.

I first met Mitzi around 1971 when she and Frank( her husband at the time) moved in next door to us in Goldsboro, NC. Jim and Frank were in the Air Force. We quickly became friends as we had children about the same age. Jon was about a year old, and Mitzi's daughters, Gina and Kandi, were just a little older. Her son, Chris, was about 5 at the time. Mitzi kept Jon for me while I taught school. It was certainly convenient and Jon loved her.

We moved from Goldsboro when Jon was about 2 1/2, and Mitzi and Frank went to Turkey and then to California. We kept in touch, but as lives got busier, it wasn't as much as we would have liked. Still, when we got together again, we picked up right where we left off.

Eventually, Mitzi left Frank and moved to Charlotte when the kids were in early high school. We saw more of each other then, but we lived on opposite sides of town and most of our connection was over the phone. She met Jimmy Suggs, married him and helped him with his business. Gina became terminally ill and she spent a lot of emotional reserves in her care. It was after Gina's death that Mitzi's health began to deteriorate. I think she grieved a lot, but when I would talk to her she was always upbeat. The last conersation I had with her was a couple of months before she died. Kandi had called me to tell me of her lung cancer. I knew Mitzi would never tell me so I called to let her know I knew. We had a great conversation, laughing over things that happened in the long ago times of our youths. She never felt sorry for herself, and kept whatever feelings she had inside her immediate family. Not all things were good for her, but she always maintained a positive attitude. Even though I was not a very attentive friend, I always loved her and I will always remember her as a special part of my life. Rest in peace, Mitzi. You deserve it.

Musings on Family and Friends

2009-01-25T14:51:00.000-05:00

Musings on Family and Friends

I dutifully watched the inauguration and must admit that I was somewhat inspired by the large number of participants and by President Obama's speech. Since then, though, it looks like the Democrats and the Republicans are going on with business as usual, picking fights and playing revenge politics. I hope the president can control Pelosi and Reid , and that the Republicans will really try to work with the Dems. This country is in too bad a shape for us to still play this game. It makes me wonder...who are we? Why do we allow our elected officials to behave this way? Why don't we send them all back to kindergarten? We should all be seriously offended by their behaviors...but we keep on electing them. The definition of insanity: electing the same people over and over and expecting things to change.

Well, I've been thinking about our families today. I spent a couple of days with my mother this week. She's almost 85, still lives alone, and is in reasonably good health. I am the oldest of four. My sister Judy is 61; brother Charlie is 56; and sister Mary is 48. Among us we have nine children, all boys except for one. I have 2 boys, Judy has 3 boys, Charlie has 2 boys, and Mary has twins, one of each gender. I have the only grandchildren. The picture on the right is the four of us taken at Thanksgiving 2008. From left to right: Judy, Charlie, me, Mama (Mary Elaine Bird Nichols), and Mary.

Both of Jim's parents are dead, but his older sister, Lou, is still living. She is 12 years older than we are, and lives in Louisburg near her daughter, Fran Loftin. The picture on the left is of Jim and his sister, taken in the spring of 2008 at Lystra Baptist Church on the occassion of a ceremony of acceptance for a gift given to the church in memory of their mother, Lessie Young Riggsbee.

Our families have been very important to us during our lives and good relationships with our siblings continue. I often wonder what people do when they don't have siblings? How do you keep that connection when your parents are gone?

While I was writing this blog, I received notice that one of my good friends died this morning. She wasn't even 62 years old. I first met her when we lived in Goldsboro; she was a good to me and to Jim and Jon. I will write more about her later. One more reminder that we should make every day count.

Thoughts on "The" Inauguration

2009-01-19T14:19:00.000-05:00

Okay. It's the day before "THE" inauguration, so I guess I should make some sort of comment. I know, I know...it's SO historic...maybe it's just hysterical. Obama was not our choice for this job, but since he is our president, we wish heartily for his success. After all, his success is the success of all. Having said that, I do want you to know that I think his children are beautiful; and I think that Obama and Michelle are good parents. I can't think of a better role model for the many, many black boys that eschew education, polite society, and decent dress. Obama embodies the very essence of hard work. He has set goals and gone about achieving them rather than just waiting for life to unfold for him, the antithesis of the actions of many young men, both black and white, who believe that they have no control over what happens to them.

Having said that, with all respect for his accomplishments, we are very concerned about his "stimulus" package that is couched in softer terms...recovery, reinvestment, rather than what it really is...redistribution. Make work, as in the days of Roosevelt, will not in the long run work. But we don't know the answer, either, so I guess we'll just go along for the ride. How sad to feel so powerless, knowing that the path ahead is frought with dangers and the very real possibility exists that we will not come off of it stronger.

I confess to being somewhat confused about the excitement that this election has had on the elecotorate. Obama is half white, why call him black? Why not identify him as what he is...biracial? He was not raised in poverty (as some teachers in CMS have taught their students). He was raised white by his white grandparents, sent to a prestigious private school, and attended colleges that added to his resume. I haven't heard that he had any scholarships, so I guess that his grandparents paid for his Ivy League education. He, in no way, sufffered the ignominities that accompany the experiences of many black people. So, really, he is white in terms of experience. What is it that makes everyone think he is the "Great Black Hope"?

So, here's to you, Barak...may you be successful. May you exceed all the expectations that your supporters have for you, and may you not disappoint those of us that don't really believe in you yet.

This weekend we went to Chapel Hill to see UNC play Miami in an ACC matchup...only we never got there. It was our 40th anniversary and our boys got tickets for us (they were coming also). However, life happens while you're making other plans. Adam had to got to an environmental conference, Jon's youngest got sick, and so did Jim. We did go to CH, but left Saturday night without going to the game. The up side was that we (I) spent quality time with Gracie and Avey. Gracie didn't want me to leave. "I hove (love) you." I "hove" her, too, and can't wait to get back. When I figure out how to put pics on this thing, I'll add some.

We may have some falling weather tonight and I'll take some pics then. I suppose I'll be forced to add them to this blog. Enjoy the inauguration if you're so inclined. I'm going to look at the swearing in and the President's speech.

New Beginnings in Old Age

2009-01-14T12:43:00.000-05:00

This is J.J. Kitty. I can't figure out how to move this picture or even to delete it for that matter. She's 15 years old. Adam rescued her while he was at WCU and brought her home with 3 siblings. We kept her and she has been a good pet. And here is Chester. He found us at our cabin in the mountains and we brought him home. He's a great pet, though slightly neurotic. Jim loves him to pieces.

Sixty-two is an odd age to start something technological when one is challenged in that area. However, this seems like a good forum for sharing with friends and family and putting a mark on the world! This post will catch readers up on our lives for the past 62 years, and future posts will introduce you to our family, our ideas, and our hopes and plans for the future. Lynn will probably be the author most of the time...she's retired and Jim is still working!

Jim and Lynn Riggsbee are both 62 years old. We were born in the first year of the Baby Boom (1946) and have seem many, many changes in our life times. Both of us were born to middle class families. There was little money to spare, and by the time we met, we were both acquainted with hard work. Jim was born in Durham, NC and was reared on a farm in Chatham County, NC, a place near Chapel Hill. Lynn was born in Wilmington, NC, but was reared in Greensboro. Our early lives were typical of those our age. We went to school, helped our parents with tasks in the house and garden, and eventually had part time jobs. As children we played outside with our friends, went to church where we were active in the youth groups, and spent no time with technology. About all we had was a telephone which was tied to the wall and did not even have a handset that could be carried around. Even wall phones with that squiggly little cord that would allow you to move around the room to some degree didn't come along until sometime in the 50s. We did have radios, but unlike our parents, we did not sit around the radio and listen to the "radio soaps" or to speeches by political leaders or to anything intellectual. Our radio listening was generally limited to "pop" music. And television...now that was an amazing invention. We were about 8 when each family got their first television. They were in big boxes with small screens. My family's set had legs on it and it was a blond color. The screen was very small and the picture was in black and white. Stations were limited to those that were in close proximity, and they didn't stay on 24/7. Mostly they sighed off the air about midnight and returned about 6 a.m. I remember the National Anthem playing when the stations signed off and on.

It was a very patriotic time, being that WWII had ended not too long before our births. The United States was entering an age of prosperity, but the middle class really hadn't found the new prosperity that they would find later.

Vocations were modest. My father was a mechanic and worked on cars at a local garage until he opened his own business repairing speedometers. My mother was a stay-at-home Mom until I was about 15, and then she went to work. I'm not sure why, but I think it might have been that Daddy had just quit his garage job and was focusing on growing his speedometer business. Isn't that just like a kid...no idea of what is going on with the parents. Jim's father and mother both worked for the University of North Carolina...Jim's father in the laundry until his retirement because of ill health, and his mother in the utilities office when she eventually became office manager. She retired after 30 years with the state of NC. They also farmed, so life was very busy for them, particularly during the growing season.

Both of us had close relationships with at least one set of grandparents. At one time, the young Nichols family lived with my mother's parents and we continued to live in the same town with them until their deaths. I LOVED to go over there. Now that I am a grandparent I know that I didn't love it any more that they did! I didn't know my father's parents well, though my grandmother lived in Greensboro for a time before her second marriage. Both my grandmothers were extraordinary women, ahead of their times in many ways. My father's mother (we called her Maw Nick) was a working woman long before that became acceptable in polite society. She was smart, resourceful, energetic, and pragmatic. I didn't know that when I was a child, but, retrospectively, and with the wisdom of some years, I have developed a phenomenal respect for her and the many hardships that she encountered. My mother's mother (Grandma) was a typical housewife, but she did not abide that situation with style and grace. Trained as a teacher, she had to stop when she became a mother ( how archaic), and until her dying breath was a proponent of a woman's right to manage her life as she saw fit. She was also an early proponent of good nutrition and gave us many things to eat that were healthy, but that we did not like! Even with that, medical science at that time was not aware of many health risks that are second nature to us today...the ravages of fat, smoking, drinking, lack of exercise, etc. Grandma liberally used butter fat, whole milk, and animal fat for seasoning. Jim's grandmother lost her husband when his mother was 10 years old. She was left with 6 children whose ages spanned infancy to 12 years. His grandfather's family urged her to put the children in an orphanage. I suppose the reason was that women just didn't have many options at that time, and it would have been hard to support them. She refused, however, and managed to raise all 6 of them. She married 3 more times, and throughout asserted herself as a competent and strong woman. Jim's mother must have taken lessons from watching her mother survive a tough game!

At the time we were in our formative years, it was considered unladylike to exercise (or sweat, really). Girls did not participate in sports other than in gym in school, and while there were few organized sports for boys outside of school, there were none for girls. Jim played football and basketball in school, and even had a scholarship to college to play, but sports did not have the same domination that they do in today's world. There were a few pro teams, and I remember my grandfather and father watching football on Thanksgiving, but I have almost no recollection of watching sports during my childhood. Jim has a better fix on that, but he'll have to tell you about it.

Neither of us did much travel when we were children. Money was tight and families didn't go all over the world like ours has done in the years since. Both of us went to the beach once a year. My family went to Long Beach on the NC coast, and Jim's family went to Myrtle Beach on the SC coast. My grandparents did take me and my siblings to the mountains a couple of times a year to visit their families. It was such a treat. Grandma and Grandpa would pick us up from school (before the end of the day) and we'd spend about 8 hours going from Greensboro to Cullowhee. I remember telling my mother that I would get the $.40 plate at school because it had vegetables on it, and it would be a long trip to the mountains. There were no fast food places at that time, and if one was going to eat during a trip, food was packed and a picnic was had. I still like to do that! We did that very thing often with our children when we were traveling.

Both of us graduated from high school, I from Grimsley High School in Greensboro, and Jim from Pittsboro High School in Pittsboro. We both headed to college and chose Western Carolina College (now Western Carolina University) in Cullowhee, NC. Of course, Cullowhee was very familiar to me as I had visited there throughout my childhood. I had no adjustment problems and loved being there. Jim played football until he found that he could not play ball and keep up with his studies. Of course, we met there. We initially ran with the same crowd, but didn't think much of each other for some reason. That changed and by the time Jim joined the Air Force in 1968, we were an item. I'll not bore you with the details of our tempestuous relationship, but we had our ups and downs (as does any couple). Nevertheless, we will celebrate out 40th anniversary on this coming Saturday, January 17.

We were married while Jim was in the Air Force and I was still in school. After our wedding Jim went back to Biloxi, MS, and I returned to Western to finish my degree in education. In June of 1969, following my graduation, we went to Biloxi to start our married life. Jim had several more weeks in his technical training, and he had been assigned to Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC for his permanent duty assignment. We left Biloxi several weeks before Hurricane Camille hit and we were grateful! We spent 4 years at Seymour Johnson. I taught school and Jim served our country. Although this was during the Vietnam era, he remained stateside, repairing the electronic countermeasure equipment on the fighters that served in the Asian country. When Jim left the Air Force he secured a job as a restaurant manager. After his training period in Goldsboro, he was moved to Charlotte, NC, where we have been ever since. He no longer works for the restaurant chain, which no longer exists, but has worked for many years in the packaging industry. We made the decision early on to not move from Charlotte. I was involved in the public school system in Charlotte-Mecklenburg for many years, and retired just recently.

While we were in Goldsboro, we became the proud parents of our first son, Jonathan Blair, a wonderful child and an amazing adult. After several years in Charlotte, our second son, James Adam was born. He is, likewise, and amazing adult, though his adolescent years were not something to write home about!

Life has moved on at a brisk clip, and now we find ourselves in advanced middle age. We have wonderful sons and wonderful daughters-in-law, and we also have 5 grandchildren. You will meet them later. I have retired, Jim is on the downhill side of work, and we are building a new house. You'll hear more about it, too. Our "immediate" family at this time consists of us, Chester (the dog)...there's an interesting story about how we got him, and J. J. Kitty (the cat)...her story is interesting, too.

If you are young and you are reading this blog...life moves faster than you think. Make the best of it, enjoy who you are, where you are, what you are; and leave a mark in the world. It doesn't have to be big, but make sure that you mattered to someone!