Christmas in Cleveland

I have had difficulty adding my Christmas pictures to this blog.

Baby Lexus

I'll post better pictures tomorrow.

Great Day

This one belongs on my other blog about being thankful, but here it is.  Cheryl and I took the day to try out her new car.  We drove over to Ellijay, Georgia and explored the antique shops.  We had some of the best barbeque I have eve had.  It was a great day.  We came home and bought groceries for our coming guests.  I stopped off at the hospital and sold a kidney to cover the check.

Back at Ellijay, I had a keen insight.  Visiting antique shops can mark the stages of life.  In my imagination I overheard a conversation. 

A young child asked his parents "what is that?"

They replied, "I'm not sure, but I think I saw one in my grandparents house."

The grandparent chimes in, "That's right; they used it for..."

Then there is me, thinking, "I could tell them what it is.  I bought one, still have it, and use it." 

That's my stage of life.

Failed Journey, Terminal Friend

We were scheduled to drive to Virginia on Sunday but I was ill.  We left Monday morning and less than an hour into the trip one of our dearest friends was stricken with a terminal illness.  Cammie, had been one of those true friends, reliable to a fault.  Fair weather and foul, she carried us when we needed a lift.  Although, we sometimes abused her and often neglected her, she never complained. 

It all happened so quickly.  As I topped a hill I felt her shutter.  Within a minute we could hear a wheeze, intermitten for a few seconds and then constant and growing louder.  In an instant she lost all drive an drifted off to the magins of the highway of life.  We brought her home where she is lying in state.  Visitation will be for a few more days.  Sacreficial at all times, she was listed as an organ doner.

In our grief we drove to Chattanooga today and purchased a replacement friend.  Lexie, as we call her, is a hybrid.  We felt it our duty to combat the growing prejudices against bi-powered drivetrains.  She has already proven a great comfort to Cheryl and I am sure she will grow on me.  However, for a compact little beauty, said to go a long way on little, I suspect she has a big apetite for dough.

Pictures to follow.

Visit with Thelma

We made a trip to Greenville to see Cheryl's mother yesterday.  See "Jackie Speaks" for details.

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Jimmy and Iris drove up from Florida yesterday.  Shirley, Mike, Ryan and Andrea drove up from Atlanta this morning.  We were blessed to have Leah Pannell and Michelle Kinjorski (students from our New Covenant family) join us.  We all out did ourselves as cooks.  It as wonderful.

Larry's visit.

We were pleased to have Larry McQueen to stay with us a few days this week.  The second picture is of friends of Camdyn on her birthday last month.

Youth Bonfire

On Wednesday evening we had the church youth over for their annual bonfire.  The final picture is from our return from Althea's, a view from the Skyline Parkway in the Shennandoah National Park.

Camdyn's Birthday - Saturday, the Day

Today was Camdyn's birthday.  She and Charlie had soccer games.  Then we had a party at a community recreation center.  Alethea got Camdyn a "Barbie Baby Doctor."  She was not allowed o have Barbie's when she was little.

Camdyn's Birthday - Friday

Cheryl and I drove to Haymarket today for Camdyn's birthday (tomorrow).  She had a Girl Scout Halloween dance this evening.  Thus the pictures.

Mystery Night

We had some couples over for a mystery evening tonight.  Cheryl had placed clues throughout the house and our guests had to solve the mystery of who the murderer was.  They included Joe and Diane Hodo, Doug and Joyce Slocumb, and Tony and Sue Richie.