Mother/Daughter Day and Les Mis

With record-breaking cold temperatures forecast for both home and Atlanta, I packed two very big suitcases full of almost everything we own in the form of cold weather clothing, including my electric throw, and we commenced our trip to see Amy and Amelia.  (Darryl was in Brazil.)  On the way up, it was getting colder and colder but we didn't realize how cold it really was until Bubba decided to clean the windshield and the liquid froze before the wiper could get it.  That is cold!!

We arrived at their house a couple of hours before they were due in from school and I changed into warmer clothes and hooked up my electric throw and stayed cozy waiting for my girls.  I didn't want Amy to cook and we sure didn't want to go out in that kind of weather so I brought chicken and dumplings for our supper that night.

I gave Amelia the doll clothes I had made for her American Girl doll and she seemed very pleased.  Now she wants a witch dress and ghost costume, "not just a sheet" for them so I will work on that soon.  I intended to take a picture of everything I made, but I got the picture of the first dress and missed out on the others.  In addition to the dress pictured, I made a dress, a blouse with a ruffle, a skirt, and a jacket.  It was much easier than anything else I've tried so maybe I should stick to doll clothes.  I can work on them and stay in a good mood.

Following an appointment Amy had on Friday, we abandoned Bubba to his own devices and we did some fun shopping and had a girly lunch.  I bought two pairs of shoes and Amy contributed her $10 off coupon to my purchase.

We finished off the shopping by picking Amelia up at school.  We helped her get a bath and into pajamas and then we left Bubba to babysit while Amy and I went out to eat again and attended the musical, Les Mis, at the Aurora Theater in Lawrenceville.  I thought this was my fourth time to see this, but Amy thinks it was just my third (including the movie).  Whatever... I love it and would see it again.  This theater is small and there are no bad seats; however, we had very good seats and could almost touch the actors at different points in the play.

While we were waiting in the lobby for seating to begin, I saw two different people that I was sure were going to end up sitting next to me.  One was a goofy acting woman who was wearing a dog hat with the long pieces that come down to put your hands in.  I know that nothing is as proper as it used to be (thank goodness), but a grown woman in a dog hat at a musical has got to be a little "off".  The other was a woman who was so big that she could have used several seats to herself.  Now I've had plenty of tight squeezes myself so I am sympathetic to her plight, but I think I would have been claustrophobic if I had sat next to her.  (Now that I've been mean spirited and said that, I'll probably gain 50 pounds overnight.)

This is the dog hat.  I found it on Amazon.  

After worrying about that for a while, we were allowed to enter and I was pleasantly surprised that the person next to me was the father of one of the main actors in the musical.  He was pretty chatty and very interesting.  He knew the ins and outs of musical theater and was obviously a very proud dad.  The part of the printed program that introduced the actors mentioned that he had attended all of his daughter's performances.  How does he do that?   When the production started, he leaned forward with his chin resting on his hand and took in every aspect of what what happening on stage.

This is the daughter, Kelly, who played the part of Cosette.

Meanwhile, back at the house Paw-Paw and Amelia were entertaining each other.  He said that she got situated under my electric throw and told him that she was ready for her popcorn and hot chocolate.  Paw-Paw lives to serve.  Later she chose a very long version of Cinderella for her bedtime story.  They took turns reading, but finally Bubba told her I would finish it the next night and she was okay with that.  He heard her say her prayers and tucked her in for the night.

Does she have it made or what?

When we got home around midnight, Bubba was sitting up in the living room.  He said he wanted her to be able to find him if she got up during the night so he wouldn't go on to bed himself.  If you know Bubba, you know that is a very late night for him.

We ate lunch Saturday with my cousin, Vicky and her husband.  This is the first time that Robert has been available to eat with us in a long time and it was good to see him.  Saturday night we watched Amelia so that Amy could attend a church function.  She decided that we needed to make a movie and we did.  She assigned parts and told us what to do.  It was hilarious.

Sunday morning we headed home.  Thank you, Amy, for Friday.  The whole day was fun.  She "treated" me to the musical and dinner.  I thoroughly enjoyed it all.  Thank you, Bubba, for entertaining yourself Friday and for staying with Amelia Friday night so we could go out.  It was a warm weekend with family in spite of the cold weather.

Seeking Warm Sunny Days

A new record was set this past week when Bubba and I travelled farther from home by ourselves than on any previous trip since we started camping.  And guess what....we made it there and back without incident!  Due to the cold and dreary weather we have been experiencing lately, we decided to go south in search of warmer temperatures and new adventures.  Silver Springs State Park was our ultimate destination via Rainbow Springs State Park for two nights.

Rainbow Springs State Park was very similar to Topsail State Park in Destin in that it was more like a private campground than a state park.  The sites were nice and big and they all had sewer.  Many sites were lacking the shrubbery that usually provides privacy between the camp sites in the state parks.  Fortunately our site was more private than most.  This park would be really hot in the summer because there was very little shade available.

The campground is several miles from the actual springs.

Saturday afternoon after getting set up we walked down to the river for a look around.  The actual spring head was several miles away so we waited until Sunday to go there.

Bubba is taking a break down by the river.

See, I'm wearing short sleeves!

On our walk back from the river we saw this hawk who actually 

sat so still he looked like part of the post.

Rainbow Springs is so clear and the colors are beautiful.  There were actually a few people swimming on Sunday.  It was a warm sunny day, but that water is really cold.  I don't know how they were doing it.  I noticed that they never stopped swimming while they were in the water.  I guess the exercise was helping them stay warm.

We had a delicious meal at a restaurant I discovered while surfing the web.
The Front Porch Restaurant and Pie Shop served the best fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and corn bread that I've had in a long time.

Most of Sunday afternoon was spent soaking up the warmth and sunshine.  It's a good thing we did because the rest of the week was dreary and a little too cold to enjoy being outside.

Bubba and I honeymooned at Silver Springs in 1966. Ocala was booming at that time with Six Gun Territory, a Ross Allen Reptile attraction, and Silver Springs which had exhibits and animals in addition to the famous glass bottom boats.  Sadly, Disney World came along in the early 70's and Silver Springs began a steady decline.  Once a privately owned attraction, it finally went under financially about two years ago and was acquired by Florida State Parks.  Like many state owned facilities it is in desperate need of a facelift that will probably be delayed until the economy improves.

The Silver Springs campground was nice.  The sites were large and we were lucky enough to have a pull through.  We saw some deer there.  We hiked a trail down to the Silver River to get some exercise.

I had hoped to find some fresh citrus and strawberries in this part of the state.  On Tuesday we drove 40 minutes to get to a produce stand that I had seen advertised on the internet.  It was a huge disappointment.  Oranges were 75 cents each!  The strawberries were beautiful but also expensive.  I finally selected a half flat for $16 which was too high but it seemed like the thing to do since we had driven so far and we are enjoying them so I guess it was worth it.

We have learned a new way to find good places to eat.  We just watch for a restaurant with a lot of cars in the parking lot.  So far that is working well for us.  We stopped at Red's Restaurant while we were out searching for produce and were not disappointed.

   
On Tuesday the weather forecasts were predicting heavy rain beginning Wednesday night late through Thursday so since we had done everything we wanted to do, we decided to go home Wednesday and beat the bad weather.  As usual the weather forecasts were wrong.  We travelled all day Wednesday in rain but at least it wasn't a downpour.  When we came in Wednesday evening in the rain we just brought in the house what we absolutely had to have and waited until Thursday to unload it.

This was an enjoyable trip.  We did have one really nice day of warmth and sunshine.  It is very hard to get a reservation in central or south Florida due to the influx of snowbirds from the north. It would be nice if the parks would hold on to some of their sites for Florida residents.     

Even though we only had one warm sunny day, I'm counting this trip a success.  We went farther by ourselves, saw some beautiful scenery, ate at some good restaurants and arrived home safe and sound.  What's ahead?  We're looking forward to a visit soon with Amy, Darryl and Amelia.  This week I'm going to get to work on those AMAZING doll clothes I promised Amelia!  Bubba is working in the yard and it's beginning to look a little bit like spring.  Good days are ahead.

My Tribute

Fletcher Patterson will be 90 years old on Saturday, February 7!  I surely don’t profess to be a writer but I would certainly be remiss if I didn’t try to express my feelings about a man who has had such an impact on my heart and my family.

In spring of 1974, we began construction of our new home in this little neighborhood.  We had heard that the Patterson’s who had recently moved into their new home across the way from us had used the same builder we were going to use and we wanted to see if they were pleased with his work.  Amy was around eight months old at the time.  We timidly marched up the sidewalk and rang the bell.  The door was answered by Fletcher’s mother who was staying with them at the time.  We were cordially invited in even though unexpected.  We met Jo and Fletcher and they treated us to a tour of their home.  I can still remember Fletcher holding Amy in his arms as we walked around.  (She had on a little blue gingham sun suit.  Isn’t it funny the things we remember sometimes?)

Later as construction began in earnest on our house, a man with a head full of hair came up on a bicycle and chatted with us a while admiring the work that was being done.  Fletcher, for a while we thought that you and the bicycle man were two different people.  The men who were laying the bricks on our house were from out of town and had pitched a tent in the back yard to sleep in while they were there working.  One day Fletcher stopped by and noticed the tent and said, “Bubba, I’ve got extra bedrooms at my house.  There is no need for you to sleep in a tent.”  Bubba responded, “Thank you very much but that is not my tent, but I’ll be glad to let those men know that you have beds for them.”  Boy, did Fletcher get flustered.  That is one of Bubba’s favorite stories about Fletcher to this day.

As we began to attend church with Fletcher, Jo and Mike, they became our dearest friends in addition to the best neighbors ever.  Mike was a teenager way back then and was a member of our church youth group.  He was always so good, so respectful and so well mannered.  With all the “escapades” that some time took place with our youth, we could always count on Mike to be rock solid.  Through the years as we helped with young people at the church, Fletcher and Jo always supported our endeavors.  Many times they allowed us to use their home for fellowships.  In addition, Bubba and Fletcher served as deacons together.   They went through many trials and tribulations together trusting that they could share their feelings with each other.  For some reason they were always selected for the Pastor Search Committees.  Until you’ve served in this position, you have no idea the stress that this places on an individual as they try to do the Lord’s will and present someone to lead a church full of people they care about.

During the 40 years that we have known the Pattersons, we have enjoyed many meals together.  I was introduced to so many new delicious dishes at their home.  I think that they have always worked together in the kitchen.  Through the years we enjoyed Mexican Lasagna, Shrimp Casserole, Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, Fresh Apple Cake, Fresh Coconut Cake, Pecan Pie, and Coconut Pound Cake just to name a few.    During the year that Bubba had so much back trouble/surgery, he was confined to bed.  Fletcher would crawl through the azaleas at the bedroom window and visit with him every day. 

Fletcher has always loved his family, both immediate and extended.  He has always made the effort to be in touch with all his and Jo’s families.  Until the last few years, they seemed to constantly be attending a niece or nephew’s wedding or a family reunion of some kind.  To this day he knows where they are and what they are doing.

We all have fond memories of Fletcher Patterson, Church Organist and Musician Extraordinaire.  Has there ever been an equal to Fletcher on the organ?  He would take his place on that organ bench and hold himself so erect and dignified.  His hands would poise over the keys and his first notes would be “forte” (that’s loud) and the worship service would commence through his music.  “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, “Because He Lives”, “Amazing Grace”, “My Tribute” and many other favorites were played with such feeling that your very soul was touched.  Fletcher could also play the piano like no other and although he never sang a solo, if you ever sat in front of him, you know that he could sing as well.

The church came to a point where they desperately needed a new organ.  Fletcher had attended a conference at the new Blue Springs Baptist Assembly and admired the organ they had there.  The church voted to purchase an organ like that and Fletcher made all the arrangements and oversaw the installation.  I can’t even begin to remember how much we had to raise to purchase that organ, but it was done in a short amount of time mainly because of the congregation’s love of Fletcher and his ministry on the organ.

And this takes me to Fletcher Patterson, the loving and proud mentor.  In 1982, Amy started taking piano lessons.  Fletcher and Jo were there for her first piano recital and I don’t believe that they ever missed a one after that and believe me, there were a lot of piano recitals.  He put her on the organ bench when her feet did not even touch the pedals and encouraged her to play.  He always wanted her to play something for him.  He was always so encouraging by his presence and his words.  Amy became the church pianist when she was 14 years old.  She and Fletcher played for worship services, revivals, and special programs together until she left to go to college.  They played some duets that were just beautiful.  I would give anything to hear them again.  Fletcher and Jo were in Birmingham with us for Amy’s college graduation and they sat with our family at her wedding because we have always considered them part of our family.

And now, Amy has her own little girl and the cycle starts over.  We have been visiting the Pattersons with Amelia ever since she was a baby.  She always gives them a big hug and wants to go down to the dock to feed the fish and, of course, Fletcher grabs a bag of bread and obliges her.

Another tribute to Fletcher and, of course, Jo, is that they have two fine sons who are devoted to them.  We have known Mike since he was a teenager when we moved here, but in the last few years we have come to know and appreciate Pat.  Both “boys” are willing to do anything they can to help their parents.  For a while it seemed like every time I went to Walmart, I would see Pat and Lewana shopping for groceries.  Pat would have his mom’s list.  One day I remarked that I thought it was so sweet how they were helping out and Pat responded that he would not have it any other way.  Mike feels the same and is always there for them.  Isn’t that an amazing testimony in itself?

Fletcher, you probably don’t know this, but you recently were a topic of discussion on Facebook.  A comment made about you by Michele Martin Bailey received a number of comments and over 80 “likes” which basically means that a lot of people agreed with the complimentary things being said about you.

(Facebook comments were provided to Fletcher privately.)

So, in conclusion, let me wish you a very Happy 90^th Birthday!  You’re an amazing man and you’ve had a tremendous impact on so many lives and continue to do so.

Psalm 91:16 (NAS) "With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation."

Rocky Bayou State Park

Anyone who knows Bubba and me knows that we are spontaneous, if anything.  (Right!)  On an impulse, we booked four nights at Rocky Bayou State Park located off Highway 20 in Niceville, FL.  We weren't expecting much since we had never heard of this park before.  We just saw it as an opportunity to get away from home for a few days.  We were really surprised.  This is a beautiful park with some of the most spacious camping sites we've had so far in our journeys. 

There are no sites on the water.  This was the view from our site.  

 The weather was cold and windy the whole time we were there so there was no sitting outside basking in the sun or grilling some of the food we carried.  We did hike a couple of their trails in the woods.  Someone told us that there were some Civil War artifacts off one of the trails and we tried our best to find them without success.  We walked and walked with some of it being uphill.  I was sure that we had gone at least a couple of miles.  Upon our return, I read a sign that said the trail was just one mile.  Oh well, maybe the uphill part made it feel like more.  It was fun anyway.

 Bubba is my fearless leader through the woods.  He is much better in the woods than in the city.

It was cold and windy, but it didn't take me long to get warmed up while we were walking.

And of course, we have to take a "selfie".

One day we went to the Eglin Air Force Armament Museum.  It, too, turned out to be a pleasant surprise.  It was free (always nice) and had all kinds of airplanes and helicopters set up outside.  As if that wasn't enough, there were two floors of displays inside including small weapons all the way up to big bombs and missiles.

We had some shopping time in nearby Destin and enjoyed some good meals out.  TV reception was pretty good so we had entertainment at night.  All in all, it was a good outing.  We will definitely return to this park soon.

"Nana, Is This Creative?"

Well, we're almost to the end of January and it has been a little busier than I anticipated.  We did go to see Unbroken on a cold windy Monday.  Neither Bubba or I enjoyed it.  It was just too intense, too much torture, and too much suffering.  I thought the main character was portrayed as a superhero, which I'm sure he would have been the first to tell you that he was not.  His dependence on God was not portrayed as predominantly as I understand it was in the book.  It was just not my kind of movie although I'm very proud of our military and their sacrifice.

Bubba and I raked leaves one day.  I actually enjoy raking leaves.  I surprised Bubba with this leaf scoop which I ordered from Amazon.  He really likes it.  Now if I had asked him if he would like to have one, he would have said "no",
thus the surprise.

While Amelia was here we talked some about the meaning of creative, probably because I told her that something was creative.  We talked about all the creative things she does like making up dances, making up songs, writing stories, drawing, etc.

 This is the "song" she wrote while she was here.

Later I heard her in the dining room and wondered what she was doing.  She called me in and asked me, "Nana, is this creative?"  She had taken the apples out of the basket and spread them out on the table runner.  I thought it was creative, don't you?

Now this is what I will be doing before we go back to Atlanta for a visit.

I can't believe that I'm going to sew again.  It looks so simple but inevitably causes me to say "Oh Crap!" more times than a proper lady should.  I'm going to try to make Amelia some dresses for her American Girl dolls. I told her on the phone that I had bought a pattern and some material for sewing doll clothes and she said, "Nana, That is so AMAZING!"  She doesn't get her enthusiasm from either Amy or Darryl but it definitely makes another sewing project worth doing.

The Rest of December

No matter how you look at it, I have failed as a blogger for the month of December.  I had every intention of posting immediately after anything significant happened, but I just kept waiting for the "muse" to guide me and nothing happened.  So now I will do my best with my feeble memory to sum up the rest of December.

I did have some old friends from work come for lunch one day.  Deneen had just been promoted to sergeant at work and the other friend, Junior, has worked his last week before his retirement becomes official in the spring.  The third guest, Tammy, works with them.  For lunch I fixed chicken and dressing, chicken and dumplings, baby green limas, layered salad, homemade rolls, banana pudding, and coconut "poke" cake.  We had a good time visiting and I enjoyed hearing all the latest news from work.  A lot of people have come and gone in the past year.

I gave Sgt. Yon a red velvet cake for his retirement gift. 

The newly promoted Sgt. Mears loves pound cake.

Later in the week we attended a Christmas gathering at the home of an old friend, Linda.  It was a gathering of church people, neighbors, and former school teachers who had worked with Linda.  It was a nice evening and the food was delicious.

Christmas Eve there was a candlelight service at church.  Singing the carols, reading the scripture and taking communion all brought to mind the reason for the season.  Our new pastor and his wife are doing a great job and we are fortunate to have them at our little Methodist church.

This was our finger food fellowship for two following the service.  It was pretty good.

Christmas Day was blah.  There is just no other way to put it.  When you spend the day without family, it is just not the same.  Bubba grilled steak for lunch and that was the highlight of the day.

Finally on the Saturday following Christmas, Amy and Amelia arrived and it began to seem like Christmas for us.   Following a simple supper, Amelia handed out presents and we enjoyed the evening together.  Amelia liked the dress with the sequins and did some very expressive dancing for us.  Rather than buying gift cards this year, I took a chance and selected two sweaters for Amy that she actually seemed to like.  I had bought four sets of towels to give to Amy and Darryl together because after helping them to move in, I perceived that was the only thing they might possibly need in their new home.  Amy and Darryl gave us a Keurig.  This is something that I have been debating for quite some time so Amy made the decision for us.  My cousin, Vicky, sent a rack for the k-cups and several boxes of cider, hot chocolate, coffee, and tea.  I really think we will enjoy it -- probably not for morning coffee since I drink a pot every morning but for my afternoon breaks or just when I want a cup of something hot.  Bubba likes the hot chocolate very much.

Amelia reminded me of her mom checking out how many presents 

she had under the tree.

The next day, Sunday, we had our traditional Christmas meal of turkey and dressing with all the trimmings.  Following lunch, Amy announced that she needed to go to Target (30 miles away) so Bubba kept Amelia so I could go with her.  I have determined that Target is addictive for some people.  I cannot remember Amy ever coming from Atlanta to visit without having to leave to go to Target.  What is there about that place?

Bubba cooked the turkey in "The Big Easy" which gives a crispy brown crust like fried 

without the grease.

 Amy is actually wearing her new red sweater.  Success!

Amelia loved this $6.00 puzzle of the United States.  She put it together pretty quickly.  

She also told us all about the western states that were acquired in the Louisiana Purchase.  

She is wearing the sequin dress to play.

Me and my girl!

On Monday, Amy left to go back to Atlanta leaving Amelia with us for the week.  She and Darryl were going to the Rose Bowl Parade and Game in Pasadena where they were very disappointed when FSU lost.   

Amy said that her favorite float was the one with the original cast of

 "The Love Boat" on it.

On Tuesday, we packed up and left for Opp to spend a few days camping at Frank Jackson State Park and visiting  with Joe and Judy who had arranged to have John for a visit.  He and Amelia were happy to see each other and played well most of the time.  Judy, of course, outdid herself preparing food for us.  Bubba had smoked a ham and we took them out to eat one night, but for the most part she cooked and it was GOOD.  She made the very best cheesecake that I have ever eaten and every day around 2:00, we sat down with a cup of coffee and a slab of cheesecake.  I guess that this is the point where I should say that I have gained 5 - 6 pounds.  I'm hoping that since I have eaten everything I could possibly be craving and plenty of it, I will be able to get back on track when we return home.  As usual, we enjoyed our visit in Opp.  Joe and Judy are great hosts!

Amelia made a list of things she wanted to take camping with her.

Amelia enjoyed playing with John's race track and cars.

 Amelia wanted her picture made with this leaf.

 She told me that she loves nature.

And yet another picture of Amelia and her leaf.

We took Amelia back to Atlanta on Monday the fifth and she returned to school the next day.  She was excited to be going back.  With sub freezing temperatures forecast for the week in Atlanta, we decided to return home early where it was warmer and to get out of the way while Amy, Darryl, and Amelia prepared to fly to Disney World this weekend where Darryl will be participating in a marathon along with members of his family.  That's what I call living in the fast lane.  There is no way that I could do that much going in that amount of time.  I think they are all tired.  I know Amy is.

We enjoyed our time with Amelia.  She is a delight.  She is smart and funny and so loving.  One morning she got up and went in our bedroom looking for me.  Bubba said that she kissed him on the nose and said, "I love you, Paw-Paw" and then headed for the living room.  We (Amelia and I) slept together two nights and she wants to sleep close.  She would rub my arm and tell me over and over that she loves me so much.  She also told me that my neck was "squishy".  Another item to note from the week is that Paw-Paw has now watched two Tinker Bell movies.  I don't know how many times I've heard him say that he hates animated movies.  I guess it just depends on who asks him if he will watch it with them.

This little girl is our heart.  She brings such joy!

We're looking forward to the new year.  The cold weather is not conducive to camping, but we will go when we can.  We have a few little projects around the house to work on and of course the yard is full of leaves now so there is plenty to be done outside.  I'm getting back on the treadmill.  My heel is just not going to get well it seems so I guess I'll just grit my teeth and walk.  I actually enjoy walking and watching a tv show or movie on the ipad.  We want to do more fishing this year for sure.  It's also about time for our annual movie.  I'm thinking Unbroken would be a good one.  So....2015 bring it on.  We're ready!