Hello and good night!

So this morning I spent finishing tweaking the celebration booklet (25 years of church history and stuff), then we started printing, and printing...all afternoon! It takes 34 minutes to print out the 64 pages, front and back, we discovered. Lots of photos and graphics. Three ladies came to collate the covers and front/back pages together, then do the hole punching for the plastic binding. Since the booklet is so thick, it was a multi-step process (thank you, Jennie!).

No, we do not want to go in the book binding business, thank you very much. Fifty are done, with 20 more to do when we get more paper. One ream managed to grow legs and walk off, so we ran short. Again thanks to Jennie, she will pick up more for us in Atlanta Wednesday. Good. We need a break.

And today has been cool. It stayed in the low 60s all day. We'll be seeing even more fall colors shortly. October is almost here! Bring it on...but first, I'll say good night and head to bed soon. It's been a LONG day!

Monday, Monday...

Monday madness begins...meet with the committee to go over the final draft for the 25th celebration booklet this morning.

Then we'll have a FINAL revision, and copy and begin binding tomorrow. Sounds like a great plan, huh?

Wish us luck. The celebration is Saturday. We can do it!!!

Say cheeseburger!

Since this is a blog for our family, here is a photo of the gang that was up in NH, mugging for the camera on a windy hilltop--Bartletts, Heatons, Bells, Fearnows and Greer.

Thanks again to Bob and Lynne for hosting us. Everything was great--wonderful--fabulous!
Note to technically challenged family: put the cursor thingy on top of the photo. Click two times and it will make the photo larger (biggify) for viewing of the wrinkles, um, smiles. Actually, we all look better from a distance (except for Marley), so don't do that.

Where shall we meet next year? Maybe a WHOLE family gathering in June at the beach? We're game. Have moho, will travel is our motto!

For those who want to check out more family photos, Haley's scrapbook class yesterday included instructions on a layout she had completed of our July anniversaries. Her two pages have photos already on them already from our joint luncheon celebration. Check it out...or not! Besides old folks, you'll see some real cutiepies in the bunch. And the pasta lunch was outstanding. No photos to prove that, which means we need to go back! How's that for sneaky logic?

Camp Dixie for Boys...

This is the cabin that Dick stayed in after he became a more senior member of the camp staff. Note the shelf on the R that he built as his closet, and he even wired the cabin for an overhead light. That was big stuff back then. And no bunk beds for him and his roommate, unlike...
...the original cabin he lived in. There were multiple bunks in these lush accommodations, and the only lights were outside in the covered walkways (it rained a lot, so these walkways went almost everywhere from one building to another).

Say hi to the tall camper! If he lifted his left arm, he would be pointing to that first cabin shown above. Not a bad view for a teenage boy from flat Florida.

Now y'all can see where and when he got his love for the beautiful No. Georgia mountains. Paradise for sure. That love continues, and has been passed on to our children. Life is good!

Little cabin in the woods...

So this is the cabin at old LaPrade's Camp where we stayed back in the '70s. The restaurant was immediately behind where we are parked, looking at the cabin. The only thing left of it is the basement, with burnt rubble piled on top of it. Really sad that the old wide porch filled with rocking chairs is gone. It was peaceful, just sitting and rocking and enjoying the view...and anticipating the family-style food that was being prepared.
And that view from the old porch is now this...the new, fancy restaurant that is sitting across the road, right on the shores of Lake Rabun.

With that bucket sink inside. And pretty views. Minus the rocking chairs.

I wonder if their fried chicken and biscuits are any good in this new place? Maybe we'll go check it out some day, and begin a new tradition with the grandchildren.

Happy Friday, y'all. Make it a special weekend.

The bucket has a hole in it...

And it is a dang good thing it does! Could this be called a redneck sink? Ya think???

Sorry the photo isn't the best. I took it using my phone the other day when Dick and I were driving around the lakes near Dillard in search of the site of the old camp where he worked as a teenager. More on that later.

We stopped at LaPrade's new restaurant, which is now ON the lake across from the old one that burned down a few years back. Dick and I loved to go there and stay in their rustic cabins, back when Haley was a baby. We'd haul up the boat from Florida, ski all day on Lake Burton, and enjoy the family-style vittles at LaPrade's Restaurant for a few days, then go back to the grind in Florida. It was a cheap but GREAT vacation for us before we bought an old cabin on the lake in Mayberry. After that, we took the growing family over to the old restaurant for dinner occasionally, enjoying the food and good memories.

The LaPrade family sold out to a development, as these things have a way of happening. The new restaurant is big and fancy on a country scale, as evidenced by the bathroom decor above, but somehow it just isn't the same. That always happens. Robert wasn't out on the porch yelling 'Bell, party of three' any more. Of course, WE have also changed. That Bell party has grown much bigger, numberwise. But that is a very good change!

Life is good!

Meet Leo and Jack...

These two guys are the best of friends. Leo, the fawn, injured and abandoned, was taken a few weeks ago to the wind farm we visited last week. Fawns need feeding every 4 hours, so this guy has been given lots of tender loving care, especially from Jack...but he is getting strong and will soon go out on his own again. A doe recently received the same treatment, and when she was ready, she up and left. This is a temporary home for these critters to heal. And be loved. Temporarily. They are not encouraged to stay.

Marley had fun playing with both guys. Come on, Leo, follow me!

Kids and animals. Could anything be cuter? Or sweeter?

Swine flu paranoia!

Wash your paws, folks!

We haven't had any significant flooding here in Mayberry, but we sure have had the rain. Lots of it. We shut windows and turned on the A/C yesterday to try to dry out a bit. And more rain is on the way. Quack, quack...

Enjoy your Tuesday. Ours will be interesting...stay tuned for details!

Why you shouldn't eat too much garlic!

Proof that you ARE what you eat!!!

Monday smiles for sure. I am busy as a bee today, working on that church project. I am down to the final two weeks of getting it done. Wish me luck!

Big happy birthday wishes today to friend Lois! I wish for you a super CAKE day, and no garlic!!! Big hugs to you, my friend. I miss you and Hank! Come back to see us...

Wet Sunday...

More of this wet stuff...enough already! Lake Lanier is probably full by now! There are flash floods here and there, but we shouldn't see any of that on the way home today. We (mostly Dick) will be unhooking, dumping, hooking up the car, all in the rain............but I don't think we will melt.

We enjoyed a light breakfast with the group, then got good-bye hugs till the next time we get together again.

Missy has had fun and right now is enjoying her perch in the window, supervising Mike and Jennie doing their duties next door. She isn't offering to help any of us! We know who is queen around here.

Enjoy your Sunday...stay safe.

Dogwood colors and Dillard

See the colors on our dogwood trees??? And it is only September! Yikes...September is almost over. The colors have popped even more since I took this photo earlier this month.
Speaking of photos, I have bunches to download onto the comptuer. Maybe I can fit that in this weekend here in Dillard.

Good morning! The pancakes were yummy, clean up was easy, and the meeting was short. We are back at the moho (Ivana, moho is indeed motorhome!). I have fun trying to figure out your Italian when Google can't translate it! Believe me, YOU are much better at reading/understanding English than I am with Italian........or any other language. But that is another story.

So now the sun is finally coming out. The four of us (Mike and Jennie) plan to take a ride around the mountains and maybe go up to Franklin, NC. Just because it is there. And the ride should be beautiful. I need to go put a fresh battery in my camera. We'll be back in time for 'happy hour' and our catered dinner.

Isn't life good?!!! Get out and enjoy it, y'all!

Friday fun...on the road again!

I'll bet you aren't surprised that our travel this time involves the moho. We are heading to Dillard with our camping club. Friends Mike and Jennie bought a new moho, joined our club again, and are meeting us there. We'll try to stay out of trouble, but I make no promises!
It will be a weekend of leisure, and no cooking for the gals. The guys always cook pancakes with all the fixings on Saturday morning, then we have a short business meeting. Dinner out or catered in for both Friday and Saturday nights, and a fun time visiting with friends. Life is good, right? No worry zone. So why am I taking the 'parish booklet' with me to work on??? Could be because of the upcoming deadline! Ya think???

Enjoy your weekend, whatever you do. Go have some fun. And please join me today in wishing a very happy birthday to dear friend and BSP sista Judy C! Judy, watch out for those bubbles heading to Kansas, especially for you. Aircraft alert!!!!!!!!!

Thursday already?

The week is flying by and I have tons to get done. Ivana asked how far did we travel to NH. It is 1,092 miles, or 1,757 km, from here to where we were in central New Hampshire. That is a very long way to drive, so that is why we still love having our airplane and going by air AND on our own schedule, even if we sometimes have to wait on weather.

There is only one aircard on one computer at that household, so I had to share computer time. Bugger. Now y'all know why I didn't get to do much reading and did quick, 'raspberry' posts.

So now I am back home, well for today. Hmmm, where are they going now? Well, it won't be by air travel! And I am back to working on that major historical booklet for our church, so I will be back to not much reading or blogging. Maybe.

Holey crappola...I just heard Piton meowing. Huh? She doesn't normally do that (Brian's kitty). She was trapped in our file cabinet! Lesson to Dick and me: open drawer; immediately CLOSE drawer! Oy...

Enjoy your Thursday...the sun is *trying* to shine here. Bring it on!!! I'm tired of cloudy days...

Piper Memorial Airport

Fuel time...good flight thus far. Took 2 hrs to get here. Got at least 3 more to go, so it will be a long day. Come along for the journey...we will be IFR the rest of the way home, talking to the centers till we land. Should be VFR till we get almost home, meaning we can see out very well...later!
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Time to fly home!

Heading south in a few minutes. Will refuel in PA and get home later this afternoon. Happy Tuesday!
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Windmills by the dozen!

These things are HUGE...they are. Each blade is 138 feet long, and weighs 7 tons. Times 3! That whole housing up top rotates, and weighs in at 115 tons. These were built at a cost of $48 mil, and the pay out is in 7 years. Just think of all the barrels of oil these 12 are saving us. We flew over many wind farms on the way up here. It is good to know we are re-thinking our energy sources.

So the puzzle only had 4 pieces missing out of the 1000...not too bad...and today, some of us played Rummi-cube, which is fun. Bartletts and Heatons left; Fearnows leave tomorrow. Our group is shrinking. The food supply is still abundant. Tequilla Lime chicken tonight. Yummm.

Cheers...miss reading all my blogs, but I will catch up...soon!
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Puzzle

This puzzle of 1000 pieces is almost completed...by some family members while the marbles game was going on. And worked on again after dinner.

We have had a diversity of entertainment going on...shopping, a tour of the New London Historical Society building, opened up especially for us... Lynne played a major role as a board member getting it organized and nicely stocked with old stuff. Tomorrow we go visit a wind farm, then some folks will be leaving. It has been fun, we've eaten great food...and laughed a lot, reminising and catching up on family happenings

How is your weekend? Life is good...sweet dreams, y'all!
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Playing marbles

On a rainy day in NH. Having fun! Enjoy your Saturday.

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Gnu of New London

Gnu Secret Garden in front of the library, one of 21pretty gnus about town to raise funds for the new community center. Wanna buy one??? Lynne, Pat and I enjoyed a stroll through the gardens behind the library...now we are off in search of more colorful gnus. Come along!
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Hello from New Hampshire!

It is beautiful and cool today...perfect! Flight yesterday had 40 miles of bumps and rain, but the plane enjoyed nature's cleaning. Life is good!!!
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High flying...

Dick needed to check out the airplane and fill up the fuel tanks, so he took the yard crew and friends up for a flight on Sunday.

You can biggify this photo and see some of the color changes in our leaves...we are saying goodbye to the lake...

The plan is to leave Thursday for NH for the annual gathering of the Bell siblings/cousins. Some of you will remember that the gathering was here in Mayberry last October. This year we will be back at brother Bob/Lynne's home in central NH, joined for the first time by cuzn Bill and wife Betsy. And for the first time by Pat, new wife of Sherman.

It'll be a fun...and of course there will be pictures!

Yard crew

I've got myself a handsome yard crew, don't I? They work cheap. Hugs and cold water make good payments, right?

Crew in training. Scooter, not the dog. Scooter's getting that walking thing down pretty good. He'll be making big bro take turns on that mower before too long. Zoom, zoom.

The wee boys will be napping here this afternoon while Amy continues her RV park paperwork training. Between the two of us, we are streamlining these chores to make it easier on both of us. Now that's a mighty good thing!

Especially since Dick and I are about to leave on another adventure. Very soon.

Laboring on Labor Day

We've come a long way in 25 years from this 'borrowed' church with no running water and a two-holer out back, to a modern facility, complete with running water and inside plumbing. Oh yes, and an office with a computer inside!

I was parish secretary for many years, working out of my home on my own computer, and at no pay. We've come a long way, baby! We now have a paid (great) administrator. And we are about to celebrate 25 years of existence with a bang up party next month.

One parishioner has been busy researching info for a historical time line, and now I am coordinating it into a booklet, which brings me to today, sitting here in the church office all alone, working on the booklet while our administrator is not using the comptuer. It is peaceful, no phones ringing since it is a holiday, and it is sunny and warm outside. Life is good in paradise! Praise God from whom all blessings flow. And may God help this booklet to get finished in time for the party. Amen.

Sunday smiles...

* Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight, and bull-strong.
* Keep skunks and bankers at a distance (lawyers and politicians, too).
* Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
* A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
* Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
* Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.
* Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.

Have a great and safe Sunday, whatever you are doing!

Labor Day Saturday

...especially Bee and Sarge. Amen.

Now if you've got a few minutes, click over and leave some encouraging words for these two great folks. I thank you ahead of time.

So now you get a little redneck advice:

* Most of the stuff people worry about ain't Never gonna happen anyway.

* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't bothering you none.

* Don't judge folks by their relatives. (Right, Nan???)

Enjoy your weekend. Dick and I are both 'laboring' today, but will enjoy the lake Sunday afternoon. Be careful out there, whatever you are doing!

Sandy the Temp

So here I sit at the church office for a second day, filling in for our vacationing parish administrator.

The big church celebration project I'm working on is on this computer, so at least I am getting work done on that. Of course this project is set up in a fancy program that I don't know well, so there is that awful learning curve to contend with...but I'm learning as I play editor. And vacationing Maureen, when she is here, is a helpful instructor.

Still no leaf photos to share. We've had rain and overcast, so I promise photos soon when the sun cooperates.

Since I am at the church office, y'all get a church funny today:

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex standing in the foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with names and small American flags mounted on either side of it. The six-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly, 'Good morning, Alex.'

'Good morning, Pastor,' he replied, still focused on the plaque. 'Pastor, what is this? '

The pastor said, 'Well son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service.' Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque.

Finally, little Alex's voice, barely audible and trembling with fear asked, 'Which service, the 8:30 or the 10:30?'

Happy Thursday, y'all! Share a smile with someone today.