Friday, September 28, 2007

All Time Record

OK, the first day of our garage sale we made $104.60!!!!! The most we've ever made in our memory is $30.00. And we still have another day to go!
Solei came to the sale and tried to eat everything in the driveway. She loved it.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Savannah scapes


Welcome to beautiful Savannah, Georgia!
For the second time this year, we have been here for a conference for work. While Jon slaves away in a fancy hotel, I wander. Here are some of mine and our adventures...
After doing just a little bit of shopping, I parked the car and set out on foot for the perfect thing to paint. I'd never tried water - and with water color and ink - impossible!!!! But I just felt like painting it. Since it was so impossible, I started in the corner of the paper so I wouldn't waste a whole sheet - and wouldn't you know it - I actually like the painting!
Love this frolicking detail...on a hot day.

Another tourist took my picture - for the blog.


While I was painting, I heard a lovely voice from afar, which grew as it came closer and then filled the canopy of the park. It was the most joyful sound I ever heard, and it was singing about Jesus. I watched as the singer passed me and sat down beside this artist. When I was done, I went to see his craft and met them. They were the sweetest married couple, that lived off what they made on the street. They were happy, and she glowed with the Lord's spirit. They were Gulla people from the islands. She quoted me a poem in Gulla, and it sounded exactly like an African accent.
We talked long enough to become friends. I'll never forget her joy. When I asked her about her singing, she said she just burst out with her song - the beautiful day and her happiness. It did itself. Maybe we all need a little of that joy in our lives.
One of the things I like to do in Savannah is to peer into the secret gardens. Here are a few of the fences that guard them.
I heard that the reason Savannah, New Orleans and Charleston have so much iron, is that they used it to weight down the ships coming from Europe. All 3 are major port cities.

This gate has a real flame inside the lamp.

We ate great food, and Monday night we got to go for a riverboat dinner cruise down the Savannah river. But Jon's only real break was Tybee Island after his sessions. This time we went to the more rugged North end of the island. Here we are:

Behind me is Hilton Head Island, SC.

Then we headed home.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

The mountain is done.


The great purge is done.
This is the pile (minus a couch and 2 trunks).
The garage sale will be Saturday, pending the weather.
Now we have a half empty attic and have 4 empty bookshelves and various spaces in the kitchen for heirloom items. Filling those spaces will be the next project. Then we need to purge the big basement closet.
This is a pile of stuff to give Jared. He has a house.
Anyone want this trunk?
And there are cake decorating pans - and! - tart tins, like they had at Mary's.

We've played nana and papa this week too. Spoiling her rotten.
I let her feed herself, 2X.






Quite a bit went in her mouth and stayed - honest.


My back deserves a good rest - in Savannah!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Cuteness times five.
































The Big 95 - Cousins and Cousins

All Becky's father's descendents and many of his neices, nephews, and cousins gathered in Atlanta to celebrate his 95th birthday.
Sometimes it was chaos having 5 grandchildren under 3 together, but the day all the senior cousins came, they became charming angels.
One of the best parts was watching cousins meet who had never met or hadn't met for 40 years. Such a joy!
Here is Great Grandpa delighting his relatives with his stories.

Our cute girls.


Dancing grandchildren!!!!


The next day was the formal birthday celebration. Grandpa was presented with a book about his home town.


Another cousin brought him a sculpture for his room.



And President Bush sent him a picture and a card.


A few pics of all the relatives...


And the 5 great-grandchildren.


Plus the grandchildren...


Older cousins.


And more....

And more....

And cousins with spouses...


And neices and nephew...


Grandpa sang 'My Wild Irish Rose'...

Family performed...


Good party.