12-30-11 Pictures

Bella, Kate, Sophia, Papa and Noah

December 30, 2011

Just a quick note to say the Big A Bus is getting ready to travel next Saturday 1/7/12.

Started packing clothes and things today .

Ready to head South

Looks like the Big A Bus is about ready for its annual trip South.  Larry has been doing a lot of little and big things to get it "road ready".  I have stocking the cabinets and also putting Habitat Clothes and tools in so that we will be ready to work .
We are leaving Virginia on Dec. 20th (in the explorer) to go to Indianapolis for Christmas, then come back to Virginia, have Christmas on New Years with Bryant and his family and then head South on Jan 7, 2012.  We will be stopping in Greenville SC to visit friends and then on to Bainbridge, Georgia  for a wedding.  
After that Dade City, Florida is  going to be our home for about 3 weeks. After we complete that Habitat Build we are just going to head West and end up in the Valley of Texas. It has been 5 years since we went there.    Other Habitat friends will meet us in late February and we will travel to Louisiana together for another build and then back to Virginia in April.

Hope all of you have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Well, a lot has been happening since I last posted on the Blog.  I will start with the Rally in Williamsburg, Virginia with the Discovery Club.
What a wonderful time was had by all.   We had 14 rigs consisting of 28 people to keep straight and that is a job within itself.  We arrived on Friday, Sept. 30 to find that a couple of rigs had already arrived and our son was on his way from Virginia Beach and asked if Mom could feed him lunch which of course I can always do.  Some other friends from Florida, Nan and Jim Cooper were in the area so they joined our Happy Hour and then several of us went out for dinner. 
Saturday found Larry, myself and Donna and Chuck Tolson heading out to finish purchasing the food for the week and scouting out places to get pizza delivery for the last night and a Hardees for breakfast stuff.
Everyone enjoyed visiting, Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown and anything else they could find of interest. Of course the ladies also found time to do some shopping at the Outlet Mall.
Friday morning everyone started out on their next destination.Larry and I got home about noon and started the process of unpacking.

Now I have not been feeling "up to par" for about a month but just kept pushing myself to get things done.    Well on Tuesday morning of this week my body decided that it was time to tell me it was ready for a break.  Can't really describe how I felt except "Weird".  To make a long story short I spent from Tuesday about 1:30 pm until Thursday at 10 pm in the Hospital in Fredericksburg, Va.  I have been poked, prodded, tested and re tested but at least we got some answers.  Had a cat scan, ultra sound and a  heart cath.   Thankfully everything with the heart, lung, liver, pancreas came back ok but I do have gallstones which was the culprit of all the pain and the extremely high BP   198/89 when I got to the ER.   Guess all that good southern food from my childhood and later years is telling me something,

I am feeling okay but am watching carefully what I am eating and will know what works and what doesnt.  We were suppose to go to Harrisonburg Va to the Va. State Good Sam Samboree, which by the way is where we were last year when Larry had to go to the hospital, and we did.  I knew Lar need to be here and wanted to come so Friday morning he packed the MH and we are here.  I could not lift things or bend over but I figure I will get more rest here than at home because there I would think of having to do laundry and other things. Here I can just read, relax and rest.   We will go home tomorrow  and hopefully get back to somewhat of our routine next week.

This is our last trip out in the MH for this year as far as we know.  We will go to Indianapolis for Christmas but drive the car and then come back to Virginia until Jan. when we need to head to Georgia for a wedding then on to Florida for a while and then Louisana to do some Habitat work.

Laterm

On the road to Williamsburg, Va. 9/30/2011

The Big A Bus is getting packed and headed to Williamsburg , Va. for our Discovery Club Motorhome Rally.   We have 14 rigs coming in today thru Sunday and will be there until Thursday.

More later.

Labor Day, September 5, 2011

Well, to say the least things have been VERY interesting since I last posted on here.
August 23rd found Julie, the girls and me on our way to New York City.   Little did we know that All Hell would break loose in Virginia.  We got a text from Bry just as we were arriving in the city that a 5.8 earthquake had happened in Mineral Virgina, which is only about 15 miles from our house. It was felt all up the east coast.   Larry was napping upstairs and thought a plane was about to hit the house.   We had no damage but things were crazy.   He and I both appreciated all the phone calls, which at first would not go through, text messages and concern from our friends from all over the country. I finally asked Clare Friend to post on Facebook that she had talked to me and that we were all okay.  Julie, the girls and I had a wonderful time in New York City but the highlight of it all was seeing "The Lion King" on Broadway.  I gave Taylor a stuffed Simba when she was 6 months old and that is the most loved Simba in the world. She is 17 now and he still sleeps with her, been on a cruise and Lord knows how many sleepovers.  We returned to Virginia on Thursday to an awful thunderstorm to which Larry told me to stay in Stafford at Bryant's house as he was coming up there on Friday. They had no power for several hours, the yard was a mess with limbs, leaves etc and then along came Irene, the hurricane.
What a week !!!!!We have been busy working on building a deck around the pool that Bry & Julie had put in this summer so we have spent a lot of time up there but with the help of a lot of Bry's motorcycle club guys it is done.  We are still having some aftershocks from the earthquake and since I was not here for the big one I think someone thought it necessary for me to experience something that would scare the begeezes out of me.  One morning about 5:08am one hit and I came right out of the bed.  I think now I have felt 4 that let me know it is still shaking.   Maybe it will be over soon.
Until next time.

Big A Bus returned to Virginia August 6 2011

We left Holland on Friday morning August 5th and traveled back to Cambridge Ohio for the night. Saturday morning found us traveling in the rain.   It rained all day on us and the driving for Larry was not good.  He was plenty tired when we got home.
Julie and taylor came to get Madie in Warrenton Va and then we came on home arriving around 6:30 pm.
We unloaded just what we had to have for the night and finished up on Sunday and later.
We have been very busy since we got back but did take time out this past week to go on a weekend trip with our ODC Camping Club. Never had been to New Market Va which also includes Endless Caverns.  We had been to Luray and in the Caverns there but this was a different type of cave or caverns.
We had a good group of 9 rigs and the fellowship and food was great.
Now I am off to New York City with Julie and the girls for a few days.
More later.

Pictures 2011

Sophia sleeping

Sophia at "Big Red"

Madie and Papa at DeZwaan

Kate & Doug at campfire

5 of our 6 grandchildren, kate, noah, sophia, bella and madie

More of the Michigan Trip

Time to get caught up on the Blog again.  Friday July 29th found us being a little lazy in the morning and then meeting Peggy & Doug Fairchild and two of their girls for lunch at Eighth Streey  Grill for lunch. After a time of catching up on everyones lives we went to "The Holland Peanut Store" which is a MUST when you visit or live in Holland. The Fabiano family have been in business for many years and now the people who run it are from Bry and Ally's generation.   Chocolate EVERYTHING.   So good.  I won't tell you how much money we spent.   After this adventure we took a ride out to the Holland State  Park for Madie to walk on the pier and also put her feet in Lake Michigan.  She still says it is an ocean.  We watched with envy the boats going in and out of the channel.  When we lived here we spent many a weekend in our boat out on the lake.  Friday night my friend Marvin came over for a visit. Saturday am found us going to the Farmers Market, now here in Holland it is as much a social event as well as getting good vegetables.   Larry ran into several people who worked with him at Prince. We got sweet corn, green beans, peaches, cherries, etc.  The afternoon was some downtime before Ally and her family were to arrive to join us at White River Campground for a couple of days.
Sunday all of us went out to the Lake Macatawa side of the lake so that we could walk to the Big Red Lighthouse.   The kids also had to get into the "Big Lake" for a whil e. Got some pictures off the grandchildren by the lighthouse which I will post later.
Had lunch back at the motorhome and then headed up to White River.   Larry and I had Ally's oldest 3 along with Madie in the motorhome.  Ally & Doug got to have about and hour and a half of quiet time in the car with just Sophia, the baby.
After arriving at the campground we had an early dinner after the kids swam a while and then heading back to Grand Haven to see the Musical Fountain. Got to visit with Jim and Connie Haakenson, our former Holland neighbors from back in the 70's.
Monday Larry and Doug took the older kids on a canoe trip down the river.   Ally and I stayed at the MH and got to visit a little. They were hoping to go to the beach on Tuesday but the weather was not good so they left around 1 pm and went by Holland and Saugatuck before going home to Indiana.
Larry,Madie and I stayed until Wednesday am when we came back to Holland. We did ride into Whitehaul and Montague and found our way out to the lighthouse there which we had never been to beford.
Now we are back in Holland until tomorrow. Today we are going to Windmill Island for Madie to see the last Windmill that the Netherlands let come out of their country.  As far as I know it is still a working mill grinding grain for flour etc.

Pictures later.

Holland Michigan July 27, 2011

Papa and Madie waiting for dune schooner ride

Mimi & Madie on top of sand dune with Lake Michigan in the background

Dune buggy truck

Madie at the Butler in Saugatuck

We went to Saugatuck on Thursday to ride the dune schooner up to the top of the sand dune so that Madie could see Lake Michigan from the top.    She still says it is not a lake but an ocean.  They have shirts now that say unsalted and no sharks.

Summer Trip to Michigan 2011

Madie and Papa in lake

 John & Judy Switalaski

 Laura & Barney Rogers

Welcome to Michigna

 Madie on Rogers boat at Pardee Lake, Howell,
 Back of farmhouse we lived in Mason Mi in 1973=74  Been added on to and redone a lot by the Osterlee family we rented from.

The Big A Bus left home on Friday July 22 around 8:30 am heading to Michigan.  After a short stopin Warrenton, Va. to pickup a hitchiker aka Madie Halstead we were on our way.
Now you have to understand it has been HOT , HOT in Virginia and every place else that I can think of but this day was brutal.   We traveled thru Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, more West Virginia, Pennsylvania, more West Virginia and finally arrived in Cambridge Ohio for an overnight.
Due to "little creatures" being in our fuel tank we climbed some mountains rather SLOWLY.  Finally Larry had enough so we found a truck stop and he changed the fuel filter and we were on our way.However the heat was getting worse and even with the top air conditioners and generator on it was really hot in the bedroom due to the back unit deciding not to work plus the heat from the engine. We finally got it cool enough to sleep without too much difficulty and then on Saturday we headed out for Pardee Lake in Howell, Michigan to visit with our friends Bryon (Barney) & Laura Rogers. We got set up and then went for a boat ride and had dinner and on Sunday we went to church, farmers market and got our first sweet corn of the season. Went out to lunch and then came back to the lake for an afternoon of boating and swimming.   Madie had a great time swimming and jumping off the pontoon boat into the water.   Another good dinner and then it was off to bed. 
Today, Monday we are going over to Mason, Mi to see our friends Judy and John Switalski.  we haven't seen them in a few years and are anxious to be able to visit.   2 years ago their youngest son, who was Ally's age, died very tragically and we have only talked with them not seen them . We will be there until Wednesday morning when we go to Holland and put down "roots" for a week or so.  Madie is excited to see where her Dad grew up.
Will post pictures later.

July 2011 Campout at Misty Mountain, Crozet, Va.

ODC had it's July Campout at Misty Mountain Campground the 15 & 16th of July.   Larry and I arrived around 12:30 pm and Madie arrived around 1 pm with the Tolsons.  They only live a short distance from Bry and Julie so they are gracious to bring her with them. Several others from our group arrived along with grandchilden and we had a great evening at the pool with the kids and visiting with the adults.
Friday we went to Staunton, Va to the Frontier Cultural Museum and really enjoyed it.  Larry had been wanting to go every since we moved to Virginia so now it is done.   More swimming and visiting was done on Friday night and Saturday.  We had wonderful food of course and plenty of it.   We got home Sunday afternoon and Taylor & Anthony(her boyfriend) came to get Madie.

Larry, Madie and I are leaving on Friday heading to Michigan for 2 weeks so I will keep you posted on our activities.

ODC Weekend at Cozy Acres June 17-19 2011

We had a great weekend with Old Dominion Cardinals at Cozy Acres Campground in Powhatan, Va. We only had 6 rigs but a smaller group sometimes is much more fun as you get to visit with everyone. Dick and Sharon Bowen brought two of their grandaughters ages 10 and 12 and we had Madie (12) with us and the Horungs had their two boys so we had YOUNG people for a change..   Friday night was just a time for visiting and food
Saturday started off with a big breakfast fixed by the Welfords and Messerles.   After that it was time to hit the pool with the kids.   After a break at noon and then more swimming we had a barbeque chicken dinner with all the trimmings.
Welford brought his large movie screen to set up outside and we watched the movie Secretariat .  It was a wonderful movie and enjoyed by all.We came home Sunday afternoon but not before having to stop for about an hour due to a motorcycle/car accident but since we were in the MH it was comfortable. Madie, Natalie and Renee

Brad & Larry Welford

Madie went home on Wednesday but is looking forward to going again in July & August and also a trip to Michigan late July or early August. She loves going with us "OLD PEOPLE" and had never been to Michigan so we want to show her where her Daddy grew up.

June 15, 2011 Where did the time go ???

As I sit here updating the Blog I am wondering where did May 24 until now go?  Well if I really stop and think about it these are the things that happened during that time.  First the 2 day travel to Indy, Kate's kindergarten graduation, washing all the front porch, back porch and patio furniture, planting 5 flats of flowers, cooking and filling up the freezer with food for them after we leave, painting back porch table and chairs, putting bird feeder pole back up, unstopping 3 drains that were running slow, hanging a cabinet in the garage, remounting a cabinet in the garage,   putting an addition  on to Noah's tree house, painting 2 Adirondack chairs, working with Ally on the third floor sorting thru boxes, getting car seats and cradle ready  for the new baby which was born on June 8th.  Sophia Chambers Hedrick is beautiful and we are happy that she is here and doing well.
Is anyone  wondering why Larry and I are exhausted?  
I am going to try and post some pictures now.
We left Indy on Sunday afternoon and arrived back in Virginia on Monday around 1:30 pm.  Of course we have not stopped since as the flower beds were full of weeds and so was the garden.

 Sophia Chambers Hedrick

Bella  taking a nap in motorhome

 Kate at her dance recital

The tree house addition

We are going with our camping club this weekend so maybe we will have a little relaxing time.

Trip to Indy 2011

We had a safe uneventful trip to Indianapolis and have now gotten the Kindergarden graduation over  and now we have to concentrate on getting Ally to have this baby.
Kate  was very beautiful in her cap and gown and the program of the two classes of kindergarden, 34 students, was just wonderful.  The teachers have done a great job with those children.
The weather was awful on Wednesday night with at least 3 tornado touch downs in Indiana and lots of wind, rain and hail.   We were okay in the MH just made sure we pulled the slides in and just rode it out.  Ally and Doug slept thru it. 
Now we have some projects to get done today such as planting flowers, a birthday party for Kate to attend, measure closets for Papa to get to work on them and Noah wants his tree house added on to.  There are always things to do around here.
Will keep you posted on the babay.

WHAT A WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! May 2011

Bikers ready to roll

I just have to tell you about our weekend at the Samboree.   Started out on Thursday meeting Donna and Chuck Tolson and traveled to Urbanna.   We arrived around noon, got our rigs set up along with Winders and Raymonds and then just had a great time reconnecting with other memebers of the Samboree.  Larry and I had worked on Staff for thepast 2 years so we were glad to see all our "working" friends.Slept late on Friday morning, helped parked rigs , laughed and visited.  Opening ceremonies were great with Larry and Mem walking in with our Club Flag to listen to our group cheer the loudest for us.  Larry had a meeting to attend until about 11pm so I just hung out with Carol and Larry Welford for a while.  Saturday morning was WORK time. Our club was selling hamburgers for lunch, paper and hardcover books (just to get rid of) and Denny was selling some of his wine stoppers and pens.   Also our Club was sponsoring the FIRST ever motorcycle ride for the Good Sams.  We had 14 bikes so up and they rode about 50 miles and had a great time. We hope that this will be an annual event.  We charge $5 a rider and donated the money to charity.  We made about $216 for the club with food sales and $46 on books.  Later we had a spaghetti dinner for the club. A wonderful time was had by all .   Sunday morning we all started packing up to go our separate ways but talked and laughed about our next camping adventure in June. 

Welford, the leader

Larry &  Peggy  Settles

Larry and I are regrouping today and heading to Indy tomorrow.  Ally called in tears last night as Snickers her other cat is very ill so who knows where this is leading.  Snuggles died in November and that was very traumatic.   It is TIME for Mom and Dad to get to Indy.

Samboree Weekend at Urbanna 2011

The Big A Bus is on the road again. We will be here at the Good Sam Va. State Samboree in UrbannaVa. until Sunday and then go home and take out the dirty clothes, do laundry, get somemore supplies and head out to Indianapolis Indiana on Tuesday afternoon, stopping over in Charlestown WV for the night and on to Indy on Wednesday. Kate is graduating from Kindergarden  on Thursday the 26th and then we hope to have a new grandbaby by June 4th, do a dance recital on June 11th and then come back to Virginia.

We will keep you informed.

Catch up Time May 3, 2011

The Big "A" Bus has not been anywhere since the Va. Beach trip but we have been BUSY!
Easter Sunday afternoon we packed up and headed up to Bry and Julie's house in order to install ceramic tile in their entryway and downstairs hall.  Taylor had gone on a week long cruise with her friend Mandi and Madison was at Kings Dominion with her friend Miranda so for the first time in years B&J and Larry and I were ALONE.  We had a nice dinner and then settled into figuring out what all was needed for the floors.
Monday was spent cleaning things out so we could do the floors.  I did a couple of trips to Goodwill for Julie, helped Madie with her closet and she and I cooked dinner. Tuesday was more work on the floors and a few errands.  Papa, Julie and Bry were working on the floors.
We finished early Wednesday and came back home, along with Madie and Miranda. They were so good and easy to have around.  Just let them SLEEP and I got somethings caught up around here.
Friday afternoon we went into church for a craft night and then on Saturday our friends, Tom and Christine Hounsell, who have worked with us on Habitat Builds came by to stay overnight.  We had dinner, played games with the girls, Tom and Chris taught us a new game of cards, called GOLF. 
Sunday Tom and Chris left to visit their family in the DC area and we took Madie and Miranda home.
Monday and Tuesday of this week I have worked at the church with the clothing exchange.  We are just trying to help out families in Louisa county who need clothing. This is donated childrens and adult clothing for our families and friends. 
Tonight I am ready to just chill and tomorrow is going to be a stay at home PJ day.

Camping with Old Dominion Cardinals 4/2011

We headed out to Virginia Beach, Va. for our first camping trip of the 2011 season with ODC on Thursday 4/14/11.  Met up with the Mathenys at the rest area by Williamsburg and traveled on down to the beach.  Donna and Chuck Tolson were already there when we arrived and now long after we had more of our members show up. Raymonds and Burdettes came in and the rest of the group came on Friday.
We had a nice dinner on Thursday night and then  on Friday morning headed out to the actual beach area.  Now 6 of us rode our bicycles and 2 rode their motorcycle.  I am sure the 6 of us were working harder as that trip up the bridge and over to the water is TOUGH but I made it.  We had a great time riding up and down the boardwalk and then met the others for lunch, then ice cream and then the ride back.  Round trip was 8.50 miles.  When we arrived back at the campground more of group was arriving. That night we had happy hour and snacks and caught up with what everyone had done this winter.  Saturday morning was a nice big breakfast and then another bike trip to the beach. This time all total we rode 11.50 miles and my legs were screaming by the time we got back to the campground.
Most of the day was beautiful but we knew there were storms on the way.  The system that came up from the South was headed towards us.  It did lots of destruction in the South and really hit in North Carolina and also in Virginia.  God was really looking after us in our motorhomes as that storm SPLIT and went right by us.  We had taken precautions such as unplugging the electric, bringing in the slides, jacks up, etc and Larry and I just sat on the couchs and watched local TV tell us what was happening.  There were tornadoes northeast of us, south of us and all around but I never even got shakey scared, never felt the MH move.  Now you have to understand , I DO NOT LIKE WIND.  As a child of 3 , we had a tornado hit our house and I remember that so well,I can tell you all the details of that  but 3 months later my Dad died and I do not remember anything about that.  After the storm Sunday was a great day and we stayed until Monday morning. Saw lots of damage off I64 on the way home.
It has been a busy week since we got home with doctor appointments, shopping with Jackie, Larry painting some on the outside doors and church activites.  We are going to Bry's on Sunday and stay a couple of days to do ceramic tile in two areas of his house. Always something. He thinks we should retire so we would not have to work all the time. Ha Ha.

Later,

Back in Virginia 4-2011

The Big A Bus is back in the barn.  We had a wonderful trip this winter and got lots of work done. 
Now it is time to think what is next.  I will be going up to stay with Bry and Julie's girls this weekend so they can go to NC on a motorcycle ride.  Papa says he is going to stay home.  Madie and I will probably go shopping.
Next week  is doctor appointments and going to Virginia Beach for our first Old Dominion Cardinal Camping Club outing for 2011.

Later,


Mem

Sunday, March 27, 2011

What a great day we had yesterday.  After working hard all week with 37 college students and trying to get a  Habitat house finished for dedication we took the day to go to Cuthberth,Georgia to have a "mini "class reunion of the 1962 Bainbridge High School class, along with friends from some of the other classes and also other schools. Stella and Tommy Barr were so gracious to host this event at their beautiful home.  It was built around 1842 by slaves for a man from Bedford County Virginia as a wedding present for his 15 year old bride, therefore called, Bedford House and later known as the Key property.
We just had a great day of fun, fellowship, reminiscing old times and talking about wrinkles, weight, aches and pains. I will post some pictures when I have a better wifi connection.
Today is catch up day and get ready for tomorrow however the weather does not look to promising for this week. We are hoping to get at least one of the houses under roof but we will just have to wait and see.  Had thunderstorms last night and more rain is coming today. We will be working until Friday if possible and then heading back to Virginia unless the snow continues up there and then I think we might stay a while longer. Ha Ha,  No we have to go home to have doctor appointments in order to get prescriptions for another year so we can TRAVEL again.

Later,

Catch Up Time 3-24-11

Sorry that I have not been able to get anything written for the Blog but without good cell coverage and internet access it is a little hard.
We spent March 13 thru 20th in Perry Georgia at the FMCA Convention with lots of other motorhomes.  Then we moved over to Plains Georgia to do another Habitat Build.  Things have been less than expected around here and that is a whole story within itself but just wanted to let you know we are fine and will be adding to this blog probably after we get back to Virginia.   Our plan now is to leave here on April 2 and stop over in Greer SC for a night to see Bill & Deb Dorris and then on to Virginia.
This weekend (26th) we are going to Cuthbreth georgia to Stella and Tommy Barr's house  for a group gathering of high school friends from mine and Larry's classes. I won't tell you how many years it has been since we were in high school.  It should be lots of fun.  We are looking forward to it.
Until later
I will post pictures of the build and our weekend later.

Sunday 3-6-11 Cousins and High School Friends

 Gen & Mary Rollins Miller and Shirley Monk Smith

Penny Dollar Reynolds, Joyce Darley Culverson, Mem, Peggy WilliReynoldsams Stout, Ann Reynolds



Alicia  H.Looper, Carolyn H. Newberry, Dan Humphrey, Mem, Flora Humphrey, Maridel Rich ______ Mary Humphrey Purvis

The Big A Bus arrived in Bainbridge, Georgia on March 1, 2011 to lots of fun and fellowship.  Larry had about had all the cousins he could handle for a while so he went off with Keith Newberry(who also happens to be a cousin) to a fish supper with the boys.  All the "girl" cousins got together for dinner, not much eating, just a lot of talking.  Then Dan was brave and came over to see everyone.  What a good time we had talking about the days when we were younger and what we did at Big Mama's house.
We have continued to catch up with people we have not seen in years.  Buddy and Janice Rich Rentz met us for dinner on Friday night along with Buddy's sister, Betty who I had not seen in many years.
Saturday night about 14 of us from the classes of 1959 thru 1963 got together at Ann Reynolds house for a night of good food and fellowship.  It must be our age as we just seem to want to reconnect with people from our high school days.
Today has been sort of a day of rest in lots of ways but I did go to the Nursing home to see Mrs. Gambrell who used to live out at Spring Creek.
We will be here until Thursday when we go to meet with some of our Discovery Club members in Colquitt Georgia.

Weekend in St. Marys Georgia with Cousins 2/26&27/2011

Janice, Bobbye Raye, Memorie and Bettye

Bobbye Raye Ketelboeter Kennison, Memorie Cloud Halstead, Bettye Ketelboeter, Janice Pope Brockmeir, all first cousins who had not been together in over 50 years met in St. Marys Georgia for a reunion of sorts.   Bobbye Raye and Bettye are sisters and their mother and my Mother and Janice's  mother were sisters.  We had a great time catching up about our lives, families etc. and of course eating.  In the above picture we are cleaning fresh shrimp  to be cooked.   Yes, they were wonderful.
Today we are going out on Bobbye Raye and Carey's boat over to Cumberland Island and then tomorrow we are going to Bainbridge to see more family.

Feb 20, 2011

It has been a very busy week.  We started out on Monday morning with 2 crews working on 2 different houses.  Larry took one group over to the Hardee Street house, and Jeff Rothwell, took the other group to Marion Street.   The Hardee Street group had to start putting up outside walls and by Thursday morning we had all four walls up and started the sheating on them.  As you can see I have been nailing.  Check out my pink tool belt.  The other group needed to start building the inside walls for Marion Street and also start the siding on the outside.  By Friday most of what we needed to accomplish was done.
Yesterday we took a trip to the Sarasota area to see the Lippizzan horses in their winter training area.  The hour and a half session was great. They are beautiful creatures.  Then we went to lunch at a place called The Alpine Steak House which was featured on, Dives, Diners and Drive Inns from the Food Channel.  We had the famous turducken for lunch and it was great. Linda Matheny has the book featuring these restaurants and is trying to hit as many as they can.
We are not working on Monday as it is Presidents Day so we are taking the Holiday.
We will finish up here in Dade City on Friday and move up to St. Marys Georgia on Saturday to visit with 3 other first cousins of mine who have not been together in YEARS.  Our mothers were sisters and as young children our grandmother called us her Four Stars.  It should be a fun time.
Until later,

Mem