Sleepless in Hayesville

Not being able to sleep at night is one of the big downsides of post-menopausal life, but I have to admit one thing. It did lead to me becoming a writer. It started when I woke up around 2:00 or 3:00 AM and lay there wide awake until daylight, night after night. My mind would wander for hours, worrying about the future more than anything else. One night I finally decided to get up and write about the things that worried me, and that led to my first blog. I discovered that I enjoyed writing, and the words came to me easily. Then my friend Kim encouraged me to try writing for publication in a regional magazine that published some of her work. She invited me to a meeting for the contributors to the magazine, and I took a story I had written about Mama with me. I was able to show it to the editor, and she liked it well enough to schedule it in the following month’s magazine. Thus, I accomplished one of the things on my “bucket list,” publishing something I had written. That first story led to two more articles for that magazine, and then I asked a local newspaper editor if he would consider publishing some articles I had written on “Making Your House a Home.” He did, and even let me have a monthly column on the same topic – with my picture and everything! That only lasted until we moved here to the mountains, but for a while, I was actually recognized by people I didn’t even know. That was kind of fun.

Since moving here, I have not attempted to publish anything, but I am still writing. The blog lives on. I hope to continue publishing at some point, but I have been preoccupied with adjusting to our new life here, taking care of Mama and cleaning her house, and fixing up the house we now live in. Besides that, we still have the responsibility of looking after our old house until we can either sell or rent it. That has meant lots of going back and forth to Watkinsville. Then there was hosting the family reunion in October and Christmas for the whole family just recently. We’ve had lots of other company as well, for which I am very grateful. In addition to that, I tutor at the children’s home one day a week. The point is, I am not lacking for something to do; in fact, there is not enough time to do all that needs to be done. For example, Doug gave me a fiddle for Christmas. (Learning to play the fiddle is another item on my bucket list.) I have a book and DVD to help me learn to play it, but have so far only found time to work on it one day.

This week we’ll be going back to Georgia to celebrate Doug’s birthday on New Year’s Day with his mom and dad and, hopefully, Sean and Misty. We’ll be watching the dawgs play in the Capital One bowl, of course. On Friday, we plan to take down some of the wallpaper in our old house and clean out the fish pond. Doug also needs to blow all the leaves off the lawn. I just hope the weather is good.

Next week we will be preparing for our cruise. We plan to leave on Saturday, the 10th and drive to New Orleans, stopping one night along the way. The ship departs on Sunday evening. We should return to port on the 18th and then start home. I know I will be ready to get back here by then. I really am a homebody, and a week away from here is pretty much my limit!

When we get back, Doug and I are committed to going on the South Beach diet together. After the cruise, we will certainly need it! Truth is, we need it BEFORE the cruise! I decided on the South Beach because I think the only way I will overcome my addiction to sweets is to just cut them out altogether. Besides, I am afraid my blood sugar might be getting too high.

I hope Doug is adjusting to retirement. I know he sometimes misses going to the office each day and being around other people. At least he really does like living up here. He always did dream of retiring to the mountains one day. That day just came a little sooner than either one of us thought it would! He is trying to keep busy, and there is plenty for him to do around here. Yesterday he worked on the posts that hold up the deck. If you recall from a previous blog, Daddy nailed 2X6 boards around each one, and I filled the cracks with foam and spackling. Doug scraped and sanded them smooth so we can paint them in the spring. The basement and woodwork still need painting as well.

Doug also spent a lot of time on the net yesterday, researching information on renting out a home. It is looking more and more like that is the thing to do. I don’t think the economy or the housing market is going to pick up anytime soon, and it seems like the only things selling are houses priced well below market value – or at least what WAS their market value. It really worries me having that house just sit there empty. We need to do something right away.

Doug has also found a new hobby – wood carving. I thought he did a good job on the rooster he carved for Vivian and the trout he carved for Sean. Next he plans to carve a bear. I am getting him a wood carving knife for his birthday.

Today is New Year’s Eve day, and we plan to take down and put away the Christmas decorations. 2008 is about over, and all I can say is, good riddance! Let’s all hope that 2009 is better. It will certainly be interesting. Being the political junkie I am, I can’t wait to see what happens when Obama becomes President.

Tonight we have reservations to eat at the Old Hiawassee Grill. Sean and Misty gave us a gift certificate to eat there for Christmas. It is a very nice restaurant, and we haven’t tried it yet. After eating at this fancy restaurant, we plan to go to the annual New Year’s Eve Possum Drop at Clay’s Corner! I’ll let you know all about it in a future blog.

A Merry Christmas

I can't believe Christmas has already come and gone! We loved having the family here at our new home in the mountains this year. It was fun decorating a new house. It was also a lot of work getting ready for the invasion! We really did enjoy it, though. Sean and Misty arrived late Christmas eve, about 11:30. We watched the end of A Christmas Story and then went to bed after midnight. We were up around 7:30 Christmas morning to give each other our stockings and gifts before the rest of the family arrived. Sean's big gift from us was a camera that is waterproof and shockproof - I call it Sean-proof! (He has already destroyed two others.) He wants it to take fishing, of course. His other big gift was rather special. Doug has taken up woodcarving, and at Sean's request, he carved him a trout, shown here. I painted it, so it really is from both of us, though Doug did the hard part! It turned out well, and Sean was really pleased with it. Misty received a plethora of smaller gifts, mostly clothes. Dixie got a new stuffed duck to destroy. She loved it - carried it around in her mouth all day.

After we opened gifts, I made waffles for breakfast and then Misty and I started cooking dinner. I had put the hams in earlier, so all we had to do was make the casseroles. We watched the Disney Christmas parade while we worked.

The rest of the family arrived just around noon. My sisters brought lots of food with them, and as soon as we could get it all served, we ate dinner. Afterwards, we opened gifts again. Our house soon looked like a wreck! Everyone got lots of nice gifts. One rather unusual gift was the one we gave Mama - a stuffed pug dog that breathes and snores. Mama just loves pugs and would really like to have one, but she can't take care of a dog, so this was the perfect pet for her. She slept with it that night.

Speaking of dogs, this Christmas literally went to the dogs. Besides Dixie, we also had Spooky (a black minature poodle) and Daisy, a chihuahua. They demanded lots of attention! They also provided plenty of entertainment. Of course, Blackie and Dallas had to stay outside, but they got some attention as well.

For entertainment, we played games - Balderdash, monopoly, and triple solitaire. The guys either slept or watched ballgames. We munched on sweet stuff all afternoon. That evening, Sean, Misty, Doug, and I went to see Marley and Me at the theaters. It was very good, but don't go unless you take a box of Kleenex with you! We came back and watched The Dark Knight on DVD with the rest of the crowd. I know, we really know how to pick feel-good movies for Christmas! That's what happens in a family where guys rule.

I fell in bed exhausted that night and slept great. The next morning we had a big family breakfast and then just crashed. The guys went out to explore some local thrift shops - they were desparate to just get out. When they returned, we ate some more, and then Cindy and her crew left, followed by Sean and Misty. Mary Jane and Mike watched Rush Hour 3 with us that night. The next day was remarkably warm and the sun returned. Mary Jane, Mike, Doug, and I ran around all over Hiawassee looking for bargains and found some great ones. We stopped at Hawg Heaven for a barbeque sandwich. When we got back, we spent some time with Mama and Daddy, and MJ made pralines. Then they went home, too. It sure is quiet now that everyone is gone! It was great having the family here for Christmas.

We also had a wonderful time the weekend before Christmas with Doug's family. We celebrated on Sunday evening at Doug's parent's house and spent the night there. The night before we enjoyed seeing all our friends at the Lavender's Christmas party. That morning I had joined the Breakfast Club at IHOP for the first time in months. Doug went to see Pastor Joe at Angel Food and had breakfast with him. The day before that (Friday), we met Dennis and Charlise and her mom in Clarkesville on our way back to Athens. We ate lunch and had a great time shopping together. The best part of Christmas is spending time with all the people you know and love! But the most important thing to remember is that Christmas is all about Jesus, and that was really made clear in the sermon we heard at Athens Church the Sunday before Christmas. Today we were back in our home church for another great Christmas message and beautiful music, another part of Christmas I especially love.

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday as well. 2008 has not been the best of years, but that shouldn't stop us from enjoying the simple pleasures of life, especially the people who mean so much to us! Please keep in touch in the coming new year.

Christmas Pictures - 2008

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

First REAL Snow!

On the Monday after Thanksgiving we had our first real snow. It snowed all day and covered everything. It continued snowing the next day, but it all had melted by Wednesday. We had a nice day on Monday. We put on Christmas music and decorated the tree while the snow fell outside the windows. When we got tired, we sat and drank hot chocolate in front of the fireplace. It was really cold outside all week. I am finally wearing some of the sweaters I haven’t worn in years. I knew I had better not get rid of them!

Doug is trying to get used to staying home all day. It is an adjustment for him, as I knew it would be. He has been writing lots of thank-you notes to the people at work who donated towards his retirement gift. That gift will pay about half the cost of the Caribbean cruise we have booked in January to celebrate his retirement and our 35th anniversary (December 21st). If any friends or family are interested in going along, just let us know!

Doug has also been working on some wood carving. He is trying to develop a new hobby. Another task that has kept him busy is going through papers and files. He has needed to do that for a long time!

Tuesday we went to a warehouse in south Atlanta with a group from church to pack shoe boxes for Samaritan’s Purse. It was a great experience! I never saw so many shoe boxes in one place – thousands and thousands of them. We had to inspect boxes to make sure nothing was inside that wasn’t supposed to be. We stood for hours at an assembly line on a hard concrete floor, which made me very thankful that I don’t have a job where I have to do that everyday! Riding over there on the church van afforded us a great opportunity to get to know some of the people in the church better. We had a ball! There are really sweet people in this church. On the way back, we all stopped for supper at a Cracker Barrel.

On Monday I took Mama to a specialist in Asheville. This involved a two-hour trip over the mountains. We only hit one patch of ice! I sure am glad the RAV has four-wheel drive. I think the biggest drawback to living up here is the lack of really good medical care nearby.

The house is now decorated and the gifts are bought and wrapped. The whole family will be here for Christmas Day. I’m looking forward to it. I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas! I probably won’t send cards or a newsletter this year since the blog pretty much keeps everyone up on what’s going on with us. Please let me hear from you.
We love all of you guys!
Doug and Paula

A Week of Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving week is over, and what a week it was! It began on Saturday, when we drove two hours to Waleska, GA, near Canton, to see Doug’s sister Katie and her family. They recently moved into a new house in Lake Arrowhead, and we had not seen it yet. We met Doug’s mom and dad there and had lunch, and celebrated Adrienne’s birthday. (Doug’s niece) Afterwards, we drove to Lexington and spent the night with the Canups.
That day I was most thankful for good in-laws that I have always been able to get along with.

Sunday morning we went to Athens Church to hear Andy Stanley preach. He is an amazing preacher. We heard the last of a series on “How to Be Rich.” He reminded us that all of us sitting in that building are rich compared to most of the people living in this world, and God expects us be generous with all he has given us. We really sat up and paid attention when he began talking about “rich people problems.” He had a list of such problems and here are the four items on his list: 1. Not being able to sell your house. (We are lucky to HAVE a house.) 2. One of the air conditioners breaks down. (We actually had TWO go out. 3. Your computer dies, and you have to use your laptop. (Yep, check that one off, too. Doug replaced his this summer.) 4. The water ban – we are not allowed to take hundreds of gallons of good clean drinking water and spew it all over our yard. (We really hated it that our lawn looked so bad when we are trying to sell it.) I began to wonder if Andy had been spying on us the past few months!

After church we went to Barnes and Noble and had a sandwich, drank coffee, and looked at books until it was time to see the latest 007 movie. After grabbing some pizza, we went to Sean and Misty’s house to watch the 24 movie. We spent the night there. That day I was most thankful for our son and daughter-in-law and our many material blessings.

The next day was cold and blustery. I took Doug to work and then did some preliminary Christmas shopping. I met my friend Margaret Amason for lunch at The Big Easy. She had Yanna with her. Yanna is the little girl from Russia the Amasons adopted just seven months ago. They went through many months of frustration and waiting for the adoption to take place. I and many others prayed hard that it would all work out. Yanna is here, now, and clearly a much-loved member of the Amason family. I was amazed at how well she has already learned to speak English.

After lunch, I went home to start working in the yard. A bitter cold wind was blowing. I worked to cut down the dead flowers as long as I could stand it, and then went in the house a while to warm up. By the end of the day, my lips and cheeks were chapped. I took a luxurious hot shower and then went to pick Doug up at work. We enjoyed a fantastic meal at Olive Garden, and then walked around the mall until it was time to return to our old house and sleep on the air mattress there. That day I was most thankful that a sweet little eleven-year-old orphan from Russia is now living here in America with a family that has wanted her more than anything.

The next morning I could not get myself out of bed to take Doug to work. I told him to leave me there without a car. I spent part of the morning writing and then went over to Jack and Jan’s to borrow some good pruning shears. I sat and talked with them for nearly two hours. Then I went back to the house and ate take-out from Olive Garden. I spent the afternoon trimming branches and hauling off all the yard debris. When Doug returned home from his last day of work with the federal government, we took Jack and Jan out for a delicious supper at Rachel’s. They have helped us so much since we moved that I don’t know what we would have done without them. That day I was most thankful for good neighbors.

Doug’s first day of retirement was hard work. He cut the grass and hauled off all the leaves. We worked on the yard most of the day and then packed up and went to Mary Jane’s where we spent the next three nights. That evening Mary Jane and I started cooking for Thanksgiving. That day I was most thankful that everything had worked out for Doug to retire early.

Thanksgiving Day was at Cindy’s, as usual. Everyone was there except Blake, who attended a youth conference. We were joined by the Canups, Katie and Wayne, and the Millers as well. There was, of course, more food than we could possibly eat. Afterwards we did what we always do on Thanksgiving Day. We gathered up all the sales papers and piled onto Cindy’s bed to plan our big After-Thanksgiving shopping day. This year there was a twist, however. Someone from the Athens-Banner Herald had called Misty earlier in the week and wanted to know if they could come out and do a story on our traditional shopping trip. We were joined Thanksgiving afternoon by a reporter and photographer who took lots of pictures and asked lots of questions, which we all answered all at once, laughing most of the time. We then gave them dessert, took THEIR pictures, and sent them on their way.

Sean and Misty spent most of the afternoon riding four-wheelers, and Katie and Wayne went to pick up pecans. We sisters cleaned up the kitchen, and the “old people” took long naps. Of course, we all watched football. Pure Americana. That day I was most thankful for family – and good food!

I hit the first store about 7:00 AM – later than usual. Misty left her house at 3:15! I met up with Cindy at about 10:00 and then we were joined by MJ and Mama at the mall about 11:00. I got a wheelchair for Mama, and we took turns pushing her around all day. I left at noon and went to meet Misty at Brett’s for lunch. We had a great time together. Misty had finished all her shopping! That girl is a lean, mean shopping machine. We had both gotten the morning paper to see our little picture down in the corner of the front page. The accompanying article was cute. I left Misty and went back to the mall to find my sisters and Mama. Mama and Cindy left about 4:00, and I left around 5:00 to meet Doug and his parents at Rafferty’s, since it was Kathleen’s birthday. (I think I know why I gained two more pounds last week.) We returned to MJ’s and watched The Santa Clause before going to bed. That day I was most thankful for a good bed! (and quality time with my daughter-in-law)

Doug and I left early the next morning. We had been away from home for a whole week, about my limit. We picked up barbeque in Hiawassee and got back to the house about thirty minutes before our old college friends, Jim and Elizabeth, arrived to watch the GA-GA Tech game with us. The game was a HUGE disappointment, but we always have a good time with the Belchers. That day I was most thankful for old friends.

Sunday we returned to Sunday School for the first time in about two months. It was good to be back. After church, we went home and collapsed. That day I was most thankful for a good church and a day of rest. Our Thanksgiving week was over at last.

Facing Retirement Together

I’m writing this while sitting on the floor of our empty, as-yet unsold house. Doug has gone to work his last day as an employee of the United States Government. Neither he nor I can believe he really is retiring. For me, this journey into a new life began three years ago when I retired from teaching the first time – before going back to teach one class for two more years. For Doug, it is just the beginning. He is excited, but a little anxious, I think, not knowing what it will be like. I am anxious for him, because I believe it is much easier for women to retire than it is for men. After all, a woman’s primary job has always been her home and family, and that does not change. A woman’s identity has more to do with being a wife, a mother, a daughter, and so on, while a man’s identity is often tied to his work. For me, there is still plenty to do each day, just cleaning house, preparing meals, doing the shopping, and looking after my parents. I am not sure how Doug will fill his days.

Even I struggled some with retirement the first time I did it. I felt a little useless and unproductive, even though I stayed quite busy. It was hard not having money of my own. There was some guilt from not feeling like a contributing member of society. On the other hand, I loved the freedom of making my own schedule. I loved having time to do the things I really wanted to do, and I loved staying at home. There is nothing like waking up on a cold winter morning when it’s raining outside and knowing you can just roll over and go back to sleep.

I wonder if Doug will feel these things as well. I do know he can relax and do nothing far easier than I can! (Guilt does not seem to bother him.) But I also know that you can only do so much relaxing before boredom sets in and your brain begins to atrophy. I guess my fear is that he will become even more addicted to TV and computer games than he already is, to the neglect of far more important things.

Doug’s fear is that I will continue to spend money the same way I have while he’s been working. At least we have been talking to each other about our concerns, and they are legitimate concerns. I do need to spend less. He also needs to find productive ways to spend his time. I plan to encourage his interest in wood carving, and there are still many things to do around the house. We haven’t finished painting. He wants to put up a storm door in the kitchen, and tear the shower out of the half-bath to make space for a broom closet. I also want him to put a new floor in our bathroom. All that should keep him busy for quite a while!

In all probability, he will find another job, at least part-time. He wants to take a month off before seriously looking, and I sure don’t blame him for that. We also are seriously considering a Caribbean cruise in January to celebrate his retirement and our 35th wedding anniversary, which is December 21. So we do have plans. I think people really have trouble with retirement when they don’t think ahead and plan what they will do.

As for me, my doubts about retiring that first time are completely gone. I taught for 23 years. In some small way, I contributed to the lives of hundreds of kids during that time. I can still do so through volunteering. Now my parents need me, and we are all fortunate that I can be there for them. I’m getting used to not having money of my own, since I really have all I need anyway. People ask me all the time if I miss teaching. The honest answer is “No.” Teaching was a great career for me, but I had my fill of it. I was getting to old to deal with teenagers every day anyway. I do believe that it is important in life to know when it is time to move on. For me that time is now.

For Doug, retirement came sooner than he ever thought it would. He had planned to work at least five more years, and maybe even ten. He is adjusting to the needs of my family, and I hope he will not regret doing so. One good sign is that he truly loves living in the mountains. We used to talk wistfully about one day retiring to the mountains, but we never really thought it would happen! A few weeks ago, we were at a meeting at Amicolola Falls, and we found some tee-shirts in a gift shop there. The front of the shirt had a picture of mountain peaks and the words, “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” We bought one for each of us and planned to wear them under our regular shirts to Doug’s retirement luncheon. The idea was that we would unbutton our shirts to reveal the tee-shirts at the end when Doug made his little speech. Unfortunately, we both forgot about it until right after everyone got up to leave. Then I remembered, so at least some people saw them and got a kick out of it, and Misty got a good picture.

Doug’s retirement luncheon was a huge success. He was so pleased that his first supervisor, the one who trained him, came to speak. Tony retired five years ago and lives in South Carolina. He is loving retirement. There were about 75 people at the luncheon. Doug’s parents, sister, brother-in-law, and of course, Sean and Misty were all there. The food was incredible. So many nice things were said about Doug, and some funny stories were told. Doug received a lovely plaque and a generous monetary gift. People really seemed to enjoy the whole event.

So now we face retirement together. I’ve heard all the stories about how a husband around the house all the time can really get on your nerves. At least we’ve got plenty of room to get away from each other if we need to! Actually, we are pretty good companions, so I don’t really expect that to be a problem. I’m looking forward to having time to travel some, and explore the area in which we live. I have a feeling we better do those things while we can, because it may not be much longer before we can’t leave Mama and Daddy alone.

As for the house, we are really in a quandary about what to do. Our contract with the realtor runs out this week. I don’t think we will extend it, since it hasn’t done us any good so far. We are trying to decide whether to rent it or not. We might get someone to tear out all the old wallpaper and paint it throughout and then try to sell it ourselves again. Our neighbor has said he would be glad to show it for us. We would definitely prefer to sell it rather than rent, because we have heard too many horror stories about renters. One thing for sure, if we do go on a cruise, it will be an inexpensive one! (Relatively speaking.) Then we will have to tighten our belts a little until something happens with this house. As for right now, I need to quit writing and go outside to cut down all the plants that were killed back by the frost. The work never ends.

Winter

Today it turned from fall into winter. True, we had a snowfall in October, but that was just a fluke, followed by many warm days. Tonight it is supposed to go down into the teens and remain cold for the rest of the week. There were a few things we planned to do before cold weather arrived, and most of it got done today. Last week Doug and I installed the new outside door which does a much better job of insulating the house, but it still needs some weather stripping, not to mention a better paint job. I got one coat of dark green on it before it started raining and caused the paint to run down the door. It looks lovely.

Our faucet outside the basement has steadily dripped since we moved in. I temporarily fixed the problem by putting a two-headed faucet extension on it, but that would freeze, so Daddy and I have planned all along to repair the faucet itself. Lastly, I’ve wanted to put a warm blanket of mulch on my newly created flower bed for several days, but Daddy’s pick-up truck had to be worked on first. He got it back yesterday, and today he took me over to Down to Earth, a fantastic nearby nursery, where I got a load of decorative black mulch. Before we left, Daddy and I deconstructed the faucet to find the piece that needed replacing and took it with us to the Hiawassee Hardware Store. That has to be one of the best hardware stores in existence, as you can pretty much find anything you need there. Well, at least the people who work there can find it! The ninety-something-year-old-man who has owned it for over fifty years still comes to work every day. All the workers are helpful and friendly, and one of them looked all over to find the right size washer for our faucet.

When we returned home, I had to shovel all the mulch out of the back of the truck. The day was cold, raw, and windy, but I was working so hard the wind actually felt good. After I finished getting the mulch piled next to the flower bed, I swept out the truck and then started putting it around the flowers while Daddy hosed out the truck bed. He had taken the tailgate loose to lower it when I swept it out. Then he reattached the cables holding up the tailgate, but the tailgate wouldn’t shut. It also wouldn’t go all the way down. I turned around to see him struggling with it and looked to see a rock wedged in the hinge of the tailgate. It was jammed in tight, and both of us worked for some time with a hammer and chisel to get it out. Finally, I knocked it loose, but the tailgate still wouldn’t close. Daddy was flustered. Then I looked at it and saw the problem. Daddy had hooked the cables to the wrong bolt, a higher one that was what the tailgate fastened onto to when you shut it. I pointed it out and the problem was solved. I could tell it kind of got away with Daddy. Normally, I would be the one making a mistake like that, not him. Daddy never would have made a mistake like that in his earlier years. I never said another word about it!

I got the mulch spread while Daddy drained and rolled up all the hoses. Then we replaced the broken faucet and checked that it wouldn’t leak. Afterwards, I wrapped the faucets.

Daddy then backed the tractor up into our carport next to the house. He has a generator on the back of it which can be hooked up to our electric box in the event of a power failure.

The wind has blown the remaining leaves from the trees. Hiking up the hill to Mama’s is treacherous, as the thick layer of dead leaves hide large acorns that roll out from under our feet. The lovely colors of fall are all gone. Golden mountains are now a dull gray, and all the trees are bare, accept for that one type of oak that just keeps its shriveled up brown leaves all winter. I told Daddy that I always thought winter in the mountains looked quite bleak, but I was hoping I would come to appreciate its unique beauty. He said he used to think it was bleak, too, but now he always finds the mountains to be lovely.

A Week later:

Indeed it is beautiful. Last night I took pictures of the black tree branches silhouetted by a golden sunset. The other day, it snowed in the tops of the highest mountains. They glittered in the bright morning sun. Yes, it is cold. We have already had several nights in the teens, and it is usually at least ten degrees colder than it is back in Athens. But the great thing about being retired is, I can stay home in front of the fireplace and drink all the hot chocolate I want! The house is warm and toasty. I may not get out too much for the next two or three months!

The Last Time

The thought occurred to me as we drove down I-85 in silence, coming home from a pleasant and relaxing weekend with old college friends. We had watched the Georgia-Auburn game with them the day before; our team won – Go Dawgs! That game was followed by a brisk walk in the cool, crisp air of a dwindling fall day. We returned to our friends’ home to enjoy a dinner of steaks grilled to perfection followed by homemade apple pie. Does it get any better than that? After a good night’s rest, we ate a hearty breakfast at a local restaurant and then parted with our friends.

A cold front had blown through during the night, taking with it most of the remaining autumn leaves, though some color remained, and a few trees were spectacular. The traffic along the interstate was not too heavy; however, we soon found ourselves playing cat and mouse with a convoy of eighteen wheelers. I remembered why I have always avoided this particular interstate and thought of the danger it represents in my mind. That is when the thought hit me – what if this is the last time? The screech of burning tires, the crash of metal and broken glass, and in an instant, it could all be over. Now I know that sounds macabre, but my thoughts soon took a more positive direction. If yesterday had been my last day on earth, it would have been a good way to go out. That’s the way I would want it all to end – enjoying life with people I love.

I continued this vein of thought. What if this was my last fall? The trees along the roadside took on a different light as I looked at all around me with new eyes. The reds grew redder, the oranges more orange, and the yellows seemed to have about them the glow of sunlight. The blue sky provided the most amazing contrast to the fall colors of the leaves. The light and heat of the sun intensified as it poured through the windows of our car. I basked in its warmth. If this was, indeed, my last fall, I wanted to experience it with every ounce of awareness I could muster.

What if I had just said goodbye to my dear, dear friends for the last time? I pictured their faces in detail and was flooded with memories of all the special moments we have shared over the years.

And the other night, when I kissed my grown son goodnight, what if it was the last time? I remembered standing on tiptoes to brush his cheeks with my lips, felt the bristle of his red whiskers, saw his blue eyes look at me as he said, “Love you.” Tears stung my eyes as I poignantly thought of all he means to me.

If this were my last day, what words would I say to my faithful husband of thirty-five years? How would I thank my aging parents for all they have done for me? And most importantly of all, what words would I pray to the God who made me as I prepared to meet Him?

In other words, how would I live this moment if I knew the end was near? Now I’m sure many of us have listened to preachers warn us that “this might be the last sermon you will ever hear,” or “the last invitation you will receive.” Be saved now, tell your family you love them, for tomorrow it may be too late. We probably felt a momentary stab of fear, a fleeting conviction, and then thought, “Eh, not likely,” and went back to planning lunch and a Sunday afternoon nap. Not likely, perhaps, but possible…it happens to someone somewhere every moment of every day.

It happened to all those people who went to work in the World Trade Center on September 11th. I doubt any of them were thinking that this would be the last time they would kiss their husband or wife goodbye, the last time they would stop at the corner Starbucks for a rich, warm cup of coffee, the last time they would ride the elevator to the upper floors of the buildings towering over the city of New York, the last time the twin skyscrapers would dominate the city’s skyline. Yet, it was all of that. I wonder what lasting memories they left in the hearts and minds of their loved ones.

I doubt it is possible for any of us to consistently live our daily lives as if each day were the last one, and each word spoken the last ones we would say on this earth. But if we could just capture a tiny bit of that awareness, perhaps our lives would be richer and more meaningful. Maybe we would make every precious moment of life matter, and say the words, “I love you,” more often.

As we drove closer to home, the distant mountains came into view - covered with snow! How beautiful they shone in the sunlight! "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills..." I hope God will grant me many more days to enjoy the majesty of His creation, and I hope I appreciate every minute of it.

Putting It in Perspective

I’m a news junkie, and have been since the first Gulf War, when I stayed glued to CNN for hours on end. Seeing bombs explode over Baghdad in real time was fascinating, but even after the war ended, the news was on whenever I was home alone. I justified my obsession by saying that, as a government and economics teacher, I needed to keep up with current events. This was true to some extent, and being informed made me a better teacher. But now that I’m retired, the news is still a big part of my day, though I am more likely to tune into FOX now. And of course, I start every day with a cup of coffee and Good Morning America. I learn a lot that way. I guess one reason I keep the TV turned to 24 hour cable news is because it provides company while I’m here alone. I can pay attention when I want, but I’m also free to do other things. I’m always busy working on something, so I don’t sit down to watch a regular show or movie.

Lately, however, I’ve turned the news off a good part of the day. It’s too depressing. As we all know, we Americans are in a bit of trouble. The bad economic news just keeps on coming, and some people even talk of a coming depression. The housing market has tanked and doesn’t show signs of getting better, and here we are trying to sell a house. Then, of course, the election didn’t turn out the way I wanted. I can’t believe we just elected the most liberal senator in Congress to the presidency. Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons and test firing long range missiles, and we don’t know if we can trust Pakistan. Yes, things look bad.

But this morning I was watching GMA as usual, when I heard a story that made my life look pretty good by comparison. In Afghanistan, two girls were walking to school when a group of young men attacked them, throwing acid in their faces, causing severe, disfiguring burns. The men were part of the Taliban, which is opposed to girls getting an education. Wow. I cannot imagine living in a place where I would be that oppressed just for being the “wrong” sex. We may have problems here in this country, but at least we are free – free to be ourselves, work hard, and live up to our potential, free to worship, speak, and think as we believe. I used to tell my students that they should fall on their knees every day and thank God they were born in America. I still believe that.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

"Shoots" and Ladders

Yesterday I about bit off more than I could chew. I’m willing to try almost anything in my attempts to fix up this house, and that sometimes gets me in trouble. Yesterday I learned all about how to use foam gap filler. Allow me to explain.

A few months ago, Daddy decided the posts holding up our deck needed reinforcing. They looked pretty skinny to me, so I enthusiastically endorsed the idea. Doug and Daddy went to the building supply company and bought 2X6” boards of treated lumber. They surrounded the skinny posts with these boards, making thick chunky posts that at least look more substantial. Daddy says the posts are now twice as strong. The only problem was that the original posts were not straight, so it was impossible to get the boards to lie completely flush against them. Gaps were left in places, and Daddy suggested I fill them, so we got a gallon of exterior spackling, and I went to work. The spackling worked well on narrow gaps, but not so great on wide ones. I got the brilliant idea that what I needed was a can of that foam you spray into gaps to seal out moisture. After all, we didn’t want moisture collecting inside the posts. I had Doug buy me a can on his way home from work.

The next morning I found the extension ladder behind the barn. I had learned the day before that our 12’ step ladder wasn’t quite tall enough to reach the very tops of the posts. Now I have spent a lifetime avoiding ladders; I don’t like heights. I was surprised to learn how heavy it was and awkward to move. With difficulty, I carried it around the house to the front. Leaning it up against the lower part of our high deck proved very challenging. Adjusting it was even more so, as the two halves of the ladder kept sliding past the point where I wanted them. After much effort, the ladder was up and stable. Then I realized it was upside down! I thought it might be important for the stabilizing feet to be on the ground, so I took the ladder down and turned it over. With much more effort, I finally got it back in place, only to realize it was still upside down! "Shoot!!!" I exclaimed out loud. "How stupid can I be?" Apparently, I had just flipped it over instead of turning it end to end. Down it came again. My third attempt was a success.

Now I read the directions on the can of spray foam. It said to shake vigorously and wear rubber gloves, as it is extremely sticky. I won’t get any on my hands, I thought, not wanting to take time to find gloves. HA-HA! It wasn’t long before all the digits on my hands were stuck together, and a good pair of jeans were ruined. This stuff was awful to work with. The directions also said to fill large gaps only 50%. Humm… maybe I was supposed to let that dry and then go back and finish filling the gap. I climbed the ladder and aimed the tube into the first gap and pulled the trigger. Boy, was this stuff hard to control! It came out very fast and went all over the place. I quickly learned why you should fill gaps halfway. This stuff grows like some giant alien space blob! Before long, big bubbles of foam were all up and down the posts. I tried to smooth them with a spackling knife, but seconds after applying the foam, it becomes impossibly sticky and cannot be smoothed. My attempts to do so ruined a $6 new spackling knife. I figured I would trim the bubbles off later after they had hardened.

I finished the first post and moved on around the deck. When I got to the end, the ladder needed to be taller, so I struggled for some time to adjust it. Then it was crooked because the ground was uneven – imagine that, uneven ground in the mountains! I found some pieces of board to prop up one leg and finally got it steady enough to climb. While up there, I noticed that I had missed one side of an earlier post, so I would have to go back. When I did, the ladder was now too tall. I soon discovered that making the ladder taller is much easier than making it shorter! I was working hard to adjust it when it suddenly slid downward and fell with a huge clatter on the concrete patio, landing about six inches from the glass door. "Oh, shoot!" - and then, "Thank you, Lord!" That could have been a disaster. I almost gave up at that point, but decided I really wanted to finish since rain was predicted for today, so I pulled the ladder out, hoisted it up and tried again. I just about had it when it again fell across the porch, making a huge racket and barely missing the door again. "Shoot!" again. I figured I better not push my luck, so I dragged the ladder out into the yard where it will remain until Doug takes it back. I discovered I could reach the top of that post with the step ladder and finished foaming.

By this time, my hands felt as if they were coated with super glue. Soap and water didn’t touch it, so I hiked up the hill to Mama’s to find some paint thinner. I tried mineral spirits, gasoline, WD-40, and fingernail polish remover. Mama thought of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and suggested Windex. Nothing worked. Not only did my hands feel awful and stiff, but they were stained brown. They looked filthy. I probably washed them 100 times yesterday. “Well,” Daddy said, “you never see an old man who still has stuff like that on his hands. It will wear off.”

So this morning they are only a little bit better. I guess when all my skin cells turn over, it will be gone.

Now you may wonder, just where was my husband during all this? I’ll tell you where he was – at work, sitting in his cushy chair at this desk in an office full of women who bring him homemade food all the time. Now who has the harder life? (Had he been here, he certainly would have taken over after witnessing my inepititude.) I think I will stop writing and make him a nice, long Honey-do list to work on when he retires the end of this month!

Snow in October

Last Tuesday, I was lying in bed while Doug got ready to leave for work. He was flying to St. Louis that day. After he kissed me goodbye and left with his suitcase, I turned over to go back to sleep. Suddenly, Doug stuck his head in the door and said, “Just so you know, it’s snowing outside.”

“What?!!” I said, wide awake now. He assured me that it really was snowing, so I got up and raised the shade on the large double window in our bedroom. Sure enough, a light snow was falling. I guess this is the first time I’ve ever seen snow in October. It lasted throughout most of the morning, lightly dusting the ground and covering the roofs. At times it came down hard. I turned on the fireplace and enjoyed our first snow here in the mountains. It was beautiful. The sun came out later that afternoon and melted it all away.

We expect to get more snow here than we did at home, but not that much more. My parents have been here for nine years, and have never had a major snow or ice storm. (Now watch us have the worst blizzard in years now that we are here!) Up here, you usually get two or three snows each winter. Since our house has a southern exposure, the sun quickly melts any snow that falls.

If we ever do have a major storm and lose power, both Daddy’s house and ours has a generator. Ours is mounted to the back of Daddy’s tractor sitting under the carport and uses gasoline. It connects to the house wiring and will run the heat and lights if needed. Daddy has a big fancy-smancy generator that automatically kicks on when the power goes out. Maybe some day we can afford something like that!

I don’t know what winter in the mountains will be like for us. Right now, everything is beautiful with all the red, yellow, and orange leaves, but soon they will fall. The mountains look rather bleak without any color, but maybe I will come to appreciate a different kind of beauty in winter. It will certainly be colder up here. At one time, that would have really worried me, but now that I am a “hot mama,” cold doesn’t sound so bad.

I’ve never put pictures on my blog before, but I am going to try this time.

Politics and Polish Chickens

Well, at last, the election is over. No one I know is happy about the outcome, which tells you I run with a conservative crowd. It is going to take some getting used to – saying President Obama! I never thought I would see the day when America would elect a black man who sat under the preaching of a radical racist for twenty years, associates with a former terrorist, and is considered the most liberal senator in Congress! Not only that, but he has a Muslim father (It’s been seven years since 9-11), he comes from Chicago, the most politically corrupt city in America, he has almost no experience, and he has a funny name. He does have charm and charisma, and I wonder if people would have voted for him for that reason alone if the Republicans had not made a complete mess of the past eight years. If so, democracy may not be such a great form of government after all.

I guess now all we can do is just wait and see what happens. For the record, I do not believe Obama is a Muslim, a terrorist, or the anti-Christ! He seems an intelligent and personable man who certainly has the gift of speaking. My prayer is that he will have to move towards the center and will be a better President than I expect. I also pray that he surrounds himself with people who will give him good advice, since his own knowledge of things like foreign policy is so limited. He certainly has his work cut out for him! Let’s see – a failing economy, housing foreclosures, rising unemployment, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, climate change…why did anyone want this job??? I guess I’ll just hang out by the mailbox and wait for my tax refund – NOT!

I think the worst thing about this election is the possibility Obama will appoint two or three Supreme Court justices. A President can only do so much damage in four short years, but justices who rule from the bench are there for life. All hope of overturning Roe v. Wade may be lost now.

Actually, I think things may get better for a while. Many people are more hopeful, and we may actually get that middle-class tax cut, though I won’t be holding my breath. The long-term effects of his tax-and-spend policies probably will not come into play for several years – when the Republicans are back in power, and of course, they’ll get blamed for it!

Well, enough of politics. I have now turned off the news and started thinking about other things. This week, I took Mama to a ladies’ meeting at the church. It was really just the women of the church getting together to eat a sack lunch and visit with one another. I decided I would go, too, so I packed Mama and me a sandwich. As I suspected, I was the youngest one there. Though I felt a little out of place, these older ladies were a hoot! One of them brought pictures of her Polish chickens. If you’ve never seen one, you should Google them. They are very pretty, colorful chickens with a sort of pom-pom on top of their heads. (One lady suggested the cheerleaders could grab a couple of chickens by the feet and swing them through the air while leading cheers.) Anyway, the feathers in the pom-pom grow very long and hang over their eyes. This lady (Judy) lets the chickens out into the yard every afternoon and then gathers them back into their house at dusk. The other chickens have no problem getting in, but the Polish chickens can’t see very well due to their long feathers and keep missing the door, running into the walls. At this point in the story, Mama, who had not said a word until then, quipped, “Those chickens really are Pollacks!” Everyone laughed except the proud owner of the chickens who responded, “I do NOT refer to my chickens as Pollacks!” Anyway, Judy’s husband, Elmer decided the chickens needed a haircut! (Wouldn’t that be a “feathercut”?) He held a chicken with one hand under its body and the other holding its neck while Judy attempted to cut the feathers on top of its head. To say the least, the chicken was not happy. They finally gave up and decided the chickens would just have to keep bumping into things. The story of giving a chicken a haircut spread throughout the church, and Elmer says he will never live it down.

Some of the ladies began talking about how poor they were growing up. It wasn’t very long ago that this area was a poverty-stricken, backward region of the country, as the mountains were cut off from the rest of the world. People who grew up here have seen tremendous changes in their lifetime. Rich retirees and artistic types have migrated into the area, bringing money and culture to the mountains. Still, Clay County is one of the poorest counties in North Carolina. The older people remember how it used to be, but they say they were not unhappy, because everyone they knew was just as poor as they were. I guess it’s all about expectations.

One lady remembered when she and her sister and little brother would go to school. There was only one pair of shoes for her and her brother to share. So one day, she got to wear the shoes while her mother carried her brother, and the next day, he got the shoes and she was carried to school. The older sister had her own shoes, and Shirley could hardly wait to have a pair of her own. Well, she had an uncle who owned a small department store. She was in the store when she saw a shiny pair of red shoes with a strap around the ankle – her size! She wanted those shoes more than anything, but she had no money and knew better than to ask her parents. But every Saturday, her mama gave her a quarter to take to town to pay for a movie show, a bag of popcorn, and a soda. Well, she continued going to the movie show, but passed up the popcorn and soda until she had saved up two dollars to buy those shoes. She was so proud of those shoes that she took them off when she got home and put them inside a pair of socks so they wouldn’t get scratched. She remembers them fondly after all these years. And we think we have hard times now!

Cozy in the Mountains

The house is warm and cozy this morning, while outside a light rain is falling and a cold wind blows fairly hard. I guess this is our first taste of winter in the mountains. I love being home today. The candle Marlene brought me is filling the house with the aroma of freshly baked apple pie. The fireplace is on, and my lighted pumpkins decorate the kitchen. I’m learning to love this house, just as I loved the one on Richwood Trail. When Marlene came, she kept commenting that the house has lots of character. I loved hearing that; I think that’s what makes a house a home.

Retirement is great! I’m so glad I get to stay home on a day like this. I’m never bored, and if I get lonely, I can always truck up the hill to see Mama and Daddy. Then, too, I have three dogs outside to keep me company. I keep up with friends and family through continuous emails – thank goodness for computers!

Today I plan to get our warm clothes out of storage. All of them are in the closets upstairs. I also have to make a carrot cake for the Canup family reunion which takes place tomorrow. We’ll be in Georgia for the weekend, through Monday. Yesterday I took Daddy to have cataract surgery on his other eye. He didn’t feel so well afterwards as he had some swelling. The first eye had no problems at all. When I took him back for his post-op check yesterday afternoon, the doctor said everything is fine.

Wednesday we went down to Athens for the day, as Doug had to work there. Much to my surprise, he packed up his office to bring home. When I arrived there to pick him up that evening, he met me with a hand-truck piled high with boxes. I knew I was in trouble, because I had already filled the back of the RAV with bushes I bought at Lowes. He was mad at first, but quickly got over it, and we had a nice ride home, stopping in Helen to eat at the Huddle House where I had a strawberry waffle, my favorite.

While Doug was working on Wednesday, I went by the school and spent lots of time visiting with folks. It was good to see Dana, Sheila, Lutza, Barb, Tolly, and Cheryl again. Of course, I talked to Cindy a while but was interrupted by a parent so we didn’t get to discuss family issues. I also had lunch with Vivian and her grandbaby Drew. It was great to spend time with her; Vivian is one of the people I love and admire most in this world. Life would be so much less than it is without friends! We have been blessed with many good ones, and several have come to see us in our new home this fall. We’ve loved having so much company. Ken, Vivian, Hattie, Bob, and Kim spent a fun-filled weekend here. We had a blast playing board games and enjoyed a lovely walk across the dam at Lake Chatuge. Rod and Marlene were our first guests; just relaxing and talking with them was wonderful. Last weekend we enjoyed having Dennis, Charlise, and Frodo with us. Dennis helped Doug rewire the basement while Charlise and I ran around town in Hiawassee. The guys had a great time. That night we built a fire in the fire pit and sang around the campfire, accompanied by Dennis on the guitar. We roasted marshmallows and made S’mores. They went to church with us the next morning, and since it was the first time we had been in three weeks, we were really glad to be there.

The family reunion went well, except for Evelyn’s sickness. Evelyn is the mother of my cousin Dave’s wife. She got sick right after they arrived at Mama and Daddy’s house and had to be taken to the hospital the next morning where she stayed until they left on Sunday morning. We never even saw her. It turned out she had a tear in her esophagus, which they have now repaired. Since she has Alzheimer’s and difficulty walking, David and Janice probably won’t be coming down here much anymore. It’s a six-hour drive, just too much for Evelyn, and there is no one else to look after her. Old age is the pits.

Like I said, the reunion was great anyway. Sean spent all day on Saturday smoking the best BBQ ribs you ever put in your mouth. We, of course, ate like pigs the entire weekend, and as a result, I now weigh more than I ever have in my life, which I must do something about. That is a subject for another posting.

We also went to the fall festival at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds and played games here at the house. As usual, my sisters and I had a blast playing Solitaire together. (Yes, I know that isn’t really Solitaire!) We play on each other’s cards in the middle of the table to see who plays the most; it’s a game of speed, and it gets pretty loud and rambunctious!

Even the dogs had a great time! Deb brought Ella, Sean brought Dixie, and Mary Jane brought Spooky, the only grumpy one of the mix! They had a ball (literally) playing with Blackie, Dallas, and Sugar.

October is too beautiful for words up here. I drove over the mountains to Franklin one day last week and couldn’t keep my eyes on the road. Brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows were everywhere. The sky was a perfect shade of blue to complement the fall colors. I had been feeling down about our house not selling, but that drive lifted my spirits tremendously.

My little flower garden is almost complete. I’ve decided to wait until next spring to complete the waterfall. I have most of the rocks in place. Next year I will buy the liner and pump to finish up. This week we planted the centerpiece of the garden, a Bloodgood Japanese Maple. It is a nice size already. I hope and pray it survives! I also planted pansies and three abelia bushes. I’m trying to get all the trees and shrubs in this fall so all I’ll need to do from now on is tuck some flowers in among them. I thoroughly enjoy working outside in my little garden. I’m so glad Daddy made it. He used castle rocks to build two terraces and filled them with rich, dark soil that is easy to dig and cultivate.

For Halloween, I made some pumpkin shaped sugar cookies and took them to the children's home for the kids to decorate. We had a blast! I am including a picture of what MY cookie looked like - theirs were rather imaginative!

This morning I found a great verse to memorize while doing my devotion: “The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6) I’m going to keep repeating that to myself during the current financial crisis.

Well, that pretty much sums up life here in the mountains right now. I want to get back to writing more, so I’ll start with my blog.

Every day life

Six inches – that’s how much rain we got in the past three days. Doug stayed with Ken and Vivian Tuesday night because it was raining so hard and flooding the streets in Helen. He finally made it home yesterday. Unfortunately, he also came down with a bad cold yesterday which I hope the Payne’s do not get. He coughed so bad last night he had to sleep in the other room. I hope he got some sleep last night. Right now it’s 5:50 AM and he’s still in bed.

I finished the curtains yesterday, cooked a roast and had Mama and Daddy come down for lunch, and put polyurethane on a chair I refinished for my desk. I also did some writing. There is still so much to do I know I won’t be bored any time soon.

I’ve been watching some of the Democratic convention. (I believe in hearing what the other side has to say.) I was actually quite impressed with Hillary’s speech, but fell asleep during Biden’s. Biden does have a compelling life story. I only recently learned about the loss of his wife and daughter in a car accident years ago. I know Hillary is bitterly disappointed, and for good reason, but she handled the situation well. I couldn’t bring myself to listen to Bill or Kerry. I will definitely hear Obama’s acceptance speech. Since there is a very good chance he will be our next president, I want to know what he has to say.

Mama’s anemia seems to be gone! Her hemoglobin count was 14 when she went back to the doctor – that’s good enough to donate blood. However, she still doesn’t feel like doing anything. She says she feel much better, but doesn’t want to move around. Her knees hurt from trying to get up off the floor the other night. I am going to take her with me to Sam’s in Gainesville today so she will have a chance to roll around with her walker. I’m afraid she will lose the ability to walk altogether if she doesn’t do something.

I’m going to Sam’s to get wicker chairs to go with the table on the deck. I went to get them in Athens last weekend, but they only had three left. After calling around, I located some in Gainesville.

Speaking of last weekend, we had a nice visit with Sean and Misty. Sean smoked some of his famous ribs. They were delicious as usual. We spent the night there and left the next morning. Misty’s knee is much better now; she gets around just fine without the brace.

I know this is a boring post, but it’s been quiet lately with all the rain. When it all clears out, I plan to work more in the flower garden just off the deck. I want to build a waterfall there. One thing we have plenty of here is rocks! Doug wants me to finish in the house before I work on the yard, which makes sense, but I just can’t wait to see that waterfall. Of course, there is still much painting to do. I hope to get most or all of it done before the family reunion in October.

Mary Jane and Mike are coming up Friday and Cindy and Kevin will be here Sunday so we can celebrate Mike and Mary Jane’s 25th wedding anniversary. I’ll have plenty of cleaning up to do to get ready, so better get off this computer and get with it.

Water, Water Everywhere

We’ve seen more rain in the past two days than we’ve seen in the last two years – and I praise God for it! I had 4 ½ inches in the rain gauge before it blew away, and it has rained continuously ever since. This weather is complements of tropical storm Faye, which never reached the status of a hurricane, but has dumped more water in more places than any storm I’ve ever observed. It zigzagged across Cuba and then Florida, making sure to flood just about every part of the state before it traveled westward and was caught up in a front and blown back into the states of Georgia and the Carolinas. It is unfortunate that so many people had to suffer in order for us to get some much-needed rain, but we sure were dry! The Zoysia at our old house looked worse than it had since we put the sod in several years ago, and since the yard is supposed to be one of our main selling points, the rain came just in time. It’s been dry here in the mountains as well, and Daddy gets grumpier than usual when it doesn’t rain!

Doug has been out of town the last two days. The house is quiet and restful, and dark clouds block the light that usually floods in through the large double windows. It is a perfect day for sleeping, but I am spending the time working on making curtains for the breakfast area. I’m amazed I remember how to operate my sewing machine! I did go up to Mama’s in the pouring rain to help them with the refrigerator, which quit on them while we were in Athens. Daddy had to take everything out and haul it downstairs to the basement refrigerator. A repairman fixed the problem the day before we got back, but Daddy wanted me to clean it out good before anything was put back in. It needed it. Some kind of juice had spilled all over the bottom of the freezer section and frozen solid. I took the drawers out so I could get to it and was using a pan of hot water to melt it when Mama asked me to fix her a cup of coffee! She had to wait. After I got it all cleaned up and put the food back in, I washed the dishes in the sink and baked a frozen pizza for our lunch.

They had another disaster while we were gone. Mama had a fall in her bedroom during the night. She wasn’t hurt, thank goodness, but she couldn’t get up. Daddy was sound asleep in the other room, and she wouldn’t call for help! She tried for who-knows-how-long to pull herself up on the side of the bed, but her arms were not strong enough. Finally Daddy heard her and helped her up by putting a belt around her waist for him to pull on. When they told me all this, I just shook my head and said, “You guys just can’t stay out of trouble while I’m gone, can you?” They laughed.

I came home in the pouring rain and missed our garage for the first time since we moved. Before I started to work on the curtains, I lay down on the glider on our front porch and pulled an afghan up under my chin and just listened to the sound of falling rain. It sounded like I was standing next to a waterfall rushing over a mountain cliff. Even though I was surrounded by mountains, they were completely hidden by layers of heavy gray clouds. I felt miles away from everything and everybody, a deeply peaceful feeling. I’m truly learning to love it here.

Life Changes

I guess I’m going have to give up drinking tea with supper. I now realize it keeps me awake at night almost as bad as coffee does. The only positive thing about being wide awake at 12:15 am is that it affords me the opportunity to write, something I’ve done precious little of since “The Big Move.” Truth is, I’ve been too busy living my life to write about it.

My time is pretty much split between helping Mama and Daddy, working on our house, and going back to Athens with Doug once a week. It is amazing how quickly each week passes. Slowly but surely, we are making this house look like our home. I think I’m going to love it here. Today was a perfectly beautiful day, not too hot, clear blue sky, and a breeze blowing all day. We worked outside this morning on our fire pit. (Actually, Doug worked on the fire pit while I sprayed wasp nests.)

Most of the day was consumed with the delivery of our new stainless steel appliances from Sears. I had to take all the food out of the fridge and put it in coolers before they got here. The delivery man installed the dishwasher and range hood and moved the old appliances downstairs to the basement kitchen. He was here for four hours! It so happened that the delivery date was on Doug’s day off, and I sure was glad it turned out that way. Doug helped Tim get everything in and hooked up. After Tim left, the kitchen was a wreck. It took me hours to get everything cleaned up and the food put back in the new refrigerator. After I finished that, I cooked supper for us and Mama and Daddy, who came down to eat and watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. They were spectacular! We also enjoyed watching at least seven hummingbirds eating from the feeders on the front porch.

Yesterday was our monthly trip to Wal-Mart. Mama wasn’t up to going so Daddy and I went together. We first had to take a specimen by the doctor’s office for Mama. Then we went to the bank where Daddy had a hard time using the ATM machine. I then asked him if he had remembered to bring the coolers for all the cold stuff. He had forgotten, so we had to turn around and go all the way home to get them. We finally made it to Murphy where we went by the drapery outlet so I could return some placemats I had bought there. By then it was time to eat, and Daddy took me out to a new Chinese restaurant that had a huge buffet. Finally we got to Wal-Mart, and Daddy and I divided up his list and went our separate ways. It took me forever to find everything; no two Wal-Marts are alike! When I finished, I began looking for Daddy and could not find him anywhere. I must have walked the huge store three or four times, but he was nowhere to be seen, and of course, he didn’t have his cell phone. With his memory like it is, I seriously began to fear he had forgotten I was with him and had gone home without me! I was just about to go out to the parking lot to look for the car when I saw him next in line at a cash register. Since I had half his stuff, I’m not sure what he was thinking. Fortunately, the lady behind him moved over to another aisle, so we got together, checked out, and took everything out to the car to stuff in the coolers. When we arrived home, we took all his things to the house first and loaded most of it in the freezers and took the rest upstairs. Mama wanted to know where the rotisserie chicken was. “Not on the list” we told her. Then she asked me why I got coffee. “It was on the list,” I said. Mama seemed confused, but then she saw the list Daddy had left lying on the back of the couch. He had taken an old list that, of course, had never been thrown away! She insisted she had handed Daddy the correct list that morning. And that’s pretty much the way things go with them.

Tuesday was spent with Mama at the Murphy Medical Center, where she received two pints of blood for severe anemia. It took seven hours. I stayed with her all morning and then left to do some shopping in the afternoon. We had all hoped it would make a remarkable difference in her energy level. She has seemed to feel better, but still doesn’t really feel like doing anything. Her hemoglobin is up, but still low. I’ll get her iron supplements tomorrow and hope that helps.

Wednesday I stayed home and worked on our house, mostly cleaning and washing clothes. We did get started clearing out the basement at last.

So that is life here in the mountains. It is so beautiful and peaceful here, much slower than life back home. I truly value this time with Mama and Daddy. They are aging so fast now. Each day with them is precious.

May Madness

College basketball may have its March Madness, but for me, May has always been the month of insanity, due to numerous family birthdays, Mother’s Day, and most of all, the end of the school year. Well this year, May is turbo-charged since our house is for sell and we are moving at the end of the month. Yesterday I was writing a check at Wal-Mart to pay for some “open house” signs and was shocked when the cashier informed me it was May 1st. “Just hold on!” I thought to myself.

Just thinking about all the upcoming work, changes, and things that have to be done have led to many sleepless nights. One night last week, I got up at 1:00 AM and filled out the calendar for May. I’ve felt better ever since. If I didn’t write it all down, I would go crazy. I’ve given two prayer requests to all my friends – that I can sleep at night and that our house will sell. The first prayer has been answered; I’ve had several nights of good rest this past week.

It began last night with Cindy’s spring musical, which went very well as usual. I am so proud of her and the work she does on those shows. Tonight we are invited to have supper with friends. Tomorrow night we have a wedding we must attend (one of Doug’s supervisors at work). Sunday we are having an Open House which we must get ready for today and tomorrow. Sunday evening we will meet for the last time with our small group at Rafferty’s. Monday evening Sean and Misty will come for supper. I’ll teach my last two classes ever this coming Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday I am getting together with my sisters to eat out and shop to celebrate my and Mary Jane’s birthdays which are on Wednesday. I hope to celebrate with Charlise on Wednesday. Doug will take me out for supper Wednesday evening, and I hope Sean will join us since it is his birthday as well. Misty will be out of town on work-related stuff.

Thursday morning I’ll go up to our mountain home to meet the carpet cleaner. I’ll probably stay until Saturday so I can do some more painting and get the kitchen ready to move into. This will be my last chance to get up there before we move.

Saturday evening we’ll be at Mary Jane’s to celebrate all the birthdays and Mother’s Day. Then Sunday, which is Mother’s Day, I’m hoping Sean will go to church with me, and then we’ll see Doug’s mom.

The week after that I plan to wrap up all my school work and responsibilities. I’ll grade their last test, enter all the grades in the computer, organize all my teaching materials, and pack everything up to hand off to Nathan, a former student who will be my replacement. I also have to finish writing the curriculum map for economics. That Thursday I have to attend Honor’s Night and on Friday we’ll have the annual school barbecue and senior roast.

Saturday morning we’ll do our last Angel Food distribution. The next day Doug and I leave for three days on Hilton Head Island, since Doug has to attend a conference there. I am looking forward to lying around on the beach just resting up for the big event – our move. On the 20th, Misty will have surgery on her knee. That’s the day we get back from Hilton Head. The 23rd is graduation. One more time to put on the gown and walk down the aisle. Frankly, I am quite happy to end my teaching career.

On the 24th, we will have game night and celebrate my and Linda’s birthdays with our friends.

The following week I’ll be packing up everything, as we will get a Penske truck on that Friday and load up. The family will be helping. We will probably drive on up to the mountain house, get a good nights sleep (ha-ha), and unload the next day. Sunday is Mama and Daddy’s anniversary. The Dish Network guys are scheduled to come on Monday, June 2nd to hook up the TV’s, and Doug will go to work in Hiawassee for the first time that day. He’ll continue his job through November, working out of an office at the GA Mountain fairgrounds. I think he is happy about that, but I am not as much, mainly because he has to drive back over the mountains to Athens once a week. Also, it will fall on me to unpack and organize the house.

June should not be as bad as May, however. We do have Father’s Day, Mama’s birthday, and Doug’s daddy’s birthdays to celebrate. If possible, I hope we can go to KY the last of June to visit David and Janice. My hope is that by July, we’ll be settled into a normal life in our new home. Then we look forward to friends and family coming to visit. (Hear that, everyone?)

Like I said, I’ve just got to hang on for the ride.

The Move is On!

We really are going to move. The wheels have been set in motion now. Last weekend, Kevin and Cindy brought our new furniture for the living room up to the house. (THANKS KEVIN AND CINDY!) Five of us had the dickens of a time getting the large brown leather sofa with two recliners through the kitchen door. We managed to do it with only one small scrape on the back side. The matching recliners and love seat were a piece of cake after that. It really fills up the room! As Daddy said, we now have six recliners for two people! The furniture is so very comfortable, and I'm sure the whole family will enjoy it when we get together. Sean's friend Win was able to get us a great discount on it. I talked Daddy into letting us keep the round oak coffee table, which looks great with our new decor.

Another great thing that happened last weekend was that Kevin and Cindy took lots of stuff back with them, so the house is finally emptying out to make room for our stuff. (Sorry, Mrs. Roberts; I know I'm not supposed to use the word "stuff," and I just did it twice!) The basement is empty of all the things we don't want, except for a treadmill, a small grandfather clock, and a big metal desk. We can move the desk out to Daddy's shop, hopefully next weekend. We also need to move a dresser downstairs to the basement. Dan came and got all the other furniture for his second-hand shop. Oh, there is still the dining room table and chairs. Daddy hopes to sell it; it really is a nice set. I need to put an ad in the paper for him since he will never remember to do it. (Sorry, Daddy, but you know how your memory is these days.)

Eventually we will move the furniture in the master bedroom upstairs to make room for our furniture we use now. I think I will wait until we've painted that room, though. Then we have to decide about the appliances. We are thinking seriously of getting new stainless steel appliances for the kitchen. If we do, we will move the current stove and refrigerator downstairs to the basement kitchen. We will sell the ones we use here with the house. If we do decide to get new ones, we will move the fridge and stove downstairs before we paint the kitchen and install the new laminate flooring. As Doug said, this moving is expensive. I'm not sure we should get the new appliances now. Maybe we should wait to see if we are going to stay there for good.

I also took paint up there last weekend to try to decide what color I want to use - what shade of green, that is. It's not easy deciding! It has to go with a blueish-green carpet and counter top. I still am not satisfied as to which shade to use. I'll decide for sure the next time we go.

In addition to the furniture, we have also bought a quilt for our bedroom. It is beautiful, and Doug really likes it. We want our new home to have a sort of country - rustic feel appropriate for a mountain home. My friend Deborah gave me a lovely old star quilt made by her great-grandmother, which I plan to hang in the stairwell. Mainly, we want the house to be comfortable and homey - livable, I guess you could say.

Since I love to decorate and organize more than just about anything, I can really get into this aspect of moving. Thinking about all this keeps me from worrying about whether or not we will be happy up there and how different our lives will be. Of course, I eventually will have to face all that, but I am hoping that we will love being there as much as Mama and Daddy do. If so, worrying about it now would just be a waste of time and energy.

I will try to keep all of you up to date on our move through this blog.

Why are dreams so bizarre?

Last night I dreamed I was in this big city, and I went into a jewelry store. There were a whole bunch of teenage girls crowded around this one jewelry counter, so I went over to see if there was a big sale going on. Inside the glass case were all kinds of Georgia bulldog jewelry at super low prices. While I was at the counter, a salesperson came along and asked me what I wanted to drink, so I ordered a diet coke. Then this young Hispanic girl with a smart mouth comes along and sits next to me. On the other side, a black girl was admiring this necklace made of stone, and I admired it with her. While I wasn’t looking, the Hispanic girl picked up my coke and took a swig of it. I turned around just in time to see her put it back in place. “Now I won’t be able to drink my coke,” I said, “because I don’t drink after anybody!” She seemed surprised and a little sorry. About that time, Will Smith walked into the store. Everyone started watching him. When he left the store, a little black boy was standing in the middle of the street, about to get hit by a car. Will threw himself at the boy, knocking him out of the way of the car and falling on top of him. Then he noticed the little boy’s socks. They were an ugly, multi-colored pair of striped socks, just like the ones that Will was wearing. Will’s mother had sent him the socks from another city – he decided the little boy must be his very own brother who had received a similar pair of socks from their mother. The little boy was homeless, so Will took him back to his apartment. (Never mind how a little homeless boy got mail; I guess he had a post office box!) By now, in my dream I am watching a new Will Smith movie that I had never heard about and wondered why they hadn’t advertised it. Next scene shows Will’s apartment. He has married the smart-mouthed Hispanic girl from the jewelry counter, and they have taken in a whole slew of homeless kids in every size, shape, and color, including a little white baby with curly blond hair. End of dream.

Now where do such dreams come from? I wracked my brain trying to think of what in my real life might have triggered such a bizarre dream. I was looking at jewelry at Steinmart the other day, so I guess that part makes sense – but the rest of it remains a mystery. I wish I understood the science behind dreams. Why do we have them, anyway? I have read before that they are important to our mental health. I’ve also read that everyone dreams, though Doug insists he rarely does – that might explain a few things! :) At any rate, I’ve noticed a bit of a pattern in my own dreams. It seems like when my real life is going well, my dreams are weird and disconcerting. (I rarely have really bad dreams or nightmares.) But when my real life is not going well, and I’m actually depressed, my dreams become quite pleasant. It’s as if my dreams compensate for what I’m missing in real life. So maybe dreams are some sort of balancing mechanism, used to keep us grounded. To tell the truth, though, I’ve never heard anyone else say that their dreams follow such a pattern.

I’ve also read that people almost always dream in black and white. Well, I don’t. My dreams are in full color. Does that mean anything? I can tell you exactly what those multicolored striped socks in my Will Smith dream looked like, mostly green and orange.

When I was a child, mainly during my preteen years, I had some dreams that seemed prophetic – they actually came true. That was scary. It first happened when I was about eight. One night I dreamed that a mean little boy that lived down the road from us came to play. He grabbed our bird dog, Trudy, by the hind legs and twisted them around and around, breaking her bones. The next day, I was standing at the end of the driveway waiting for the school bus. Trudy was beside me as usual. The “colored” bus went roaring by and Trudy ran out to chase it. The back wheels of the bus hit her and sent her flying, with her back legs flopping around and around! Both hips were broken, and she was in a cast for weeks afterwards. Thanks to the UGA veterinary school, she survived her injuries.

I later dreamed that one day Daddy came home with a new dog that someone had given him, and believe it or not, that very week he brought home Grinda, the best German Shepherd that ever lived. A lady he was doing forestry work for had given him the dog because she could no longer keep her. We only had Grinda for a little over a year before she was hit by a car, but the whole family grew to love her right away. She was extremely intelligent, loving, and patient. She would lie quietly on the floor when my baby sister toddled up and plopped her diapered behind down on top of Grinda’s head! She also thought it her duty to “rescue” my younger sister, Mary Jane, from the cow pond when we swam in it, pushing her back to shore with her paws.

In another dream, I was standing on the deck outside my bedroom door and looking toward the Crawford-Lexington area, when I spotted a tornado. That night, a real tornado hit in that very area and flattened two chicken houses.

During this same period of time, I often experienced overwhelming feelings of deja vu. I could only surmise that I had dreamed the event in advance.

The prophetic dreams seemed to end once I grew up, but to this day, if I dream about something bad happening to someone I love, it terrifies me, and I pray hard that it won’t come true.

Dreams must serve some purpose, as most things do happen for a reason. I just knew what it was!

The Best Laid Plans...

Well, things didn't turn out quite the way I thought they would when I wrote that last post. My sister Mary Jane called to say she wouldn't be coming up after all. She had had eleven baby goats born the night before, and some of them were in bad shape and needed to be bottle-fed. She was also expecting more to be born. Cindy called and said she planned to come up by herself, and Kevin and the boys would join us the next day after they finished work. Then the densest fog rolled in I've ever seen. We couldn't see our house from the deck of Mama's house, even though it's right in the front yard! We called Cindy and told her not to come; it would be dangerous driving over the mountains. So Mama, Daddy, Doug, and I spent a quiet, rainy day at home just sleeping and reading. That evening the fog had lifted, and we went to the Huddle House and ate a big breakfast for supper. It really hit the spot. When we got home, Daddy and Doug watched football while Mama and I lay on the bed and watched "The Sound of Music," which was as good as I remembered it being. While we were lying there, Mama said, "I feel happy. It must be because I have such great children."

"That must be it," I intoned.

"Or maybe it's just having my daughter here with me watching a good movie," she replied.

I loved hearing Mama say that. I don't think her life is very happy anymore, at least not most of the time. She doesn't get to go out much, she can barely walk, it depresses her that she can't do the things she used to do, and she misses all of us. She had a really good weekend, though.

The next day, New Year's Eve, was bright and beautiful, the complete opposite of the day before. Mary Jane called to say she and Mike were on their way up and bringing four baby goats with them. Do I have a crazy family, or what? The goats arrived in a plastic storage box padded with shavings. We celebrated the holiday feeding them with baby bottles. Before that, however, we met Cindy and Kevin and the boys at Crossroads and enjoyed prime rib and celebrated Doug's and Brent's birthdays. We laughed so loudly it's a wonder they didn't throw us out. When we got home and finished feeding the goats, we watched football and waited for the ball to drop, which we toasted with sparkling grape juice from the Biltmore House. It was a lovely way to bring in 2008.

The next morning, Doug and I drove to South Carolina to watch the Sugar Bowl (Go Dawgs!) with our old college buddies, Jim and Elizabeth. Jim had to show off his new 65" TV! Elizabeth had cooked a wonderful supper, and of course, we ate too much just as we did throughout the holidays - and I've got the pounds to prove it! We always love being with the Belchers, and this visit was no exception.

After a big breakfast the next morning, cooked by Jim, we left for home. We had been gone for a week and were ready to get back, though we did stop in Commerce at the outlet malls to spend some of our Christmas money.

I haven't even written about our trip to Asheville, Grove Park Inn, and the Biltmore. The holidays wore us out! But what great fun!