Vacation Part 2

On Tuesday we drove to Duluth, GA were we stayed three nights with G's cousin V and her husband, J.
V is a preschool teacher, a position she has had for many years. J has retired from the Army and has completed a few contracts that took him back to Afghanistan.
On Wednesday we spent the day at the Atlanta Zoo.  Three of B's favorite pictures are

Southern Ground Hornbill

Flamingos

Panda having lunch

In the evening we had great steaks grilled by J.

Vacation report

G and I have friends, one couple from Kankakee, Ill and another from Ohio, who have bought homes in Florida and go there in the winter months. Both invited us to stay, so we planned a trip where we could spend time with both.  Since Gerry had previously spent three weeks looking up all his cousins on his mother's side of the family, we were able renew acquaintances with three of them. I was unable to post during the trip due to my inability to download pictures from my camera to my new tablet.  One more thing I need to learn.  This is our car packed up on the morning that we left. It was 16 degrees and snowing.




The first of many museums that we visited was the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. These were just two of the micro cars that we saw.

The car on the right is a Peel 50, the world's smallest car with a Moped engine. The car on the left is a two-seater Peel with the same engine. The dome made it a sauna in the summer

This car was made to go up narrow mountain roads where there was no room to turn around.  You would just hop in the other seat and drive it the other way.

I enjoyed the history and stories that were given with each car.  G looked at how they were made.  So there was something for both of us.

We then drove a short distance to Marysville, TN were we stayed night with friends, L & G, who had lived in Ohio, but moved to where the winters were not so brutal. L  is a volunteer at the local library.  It was her day to help sort books for the book sale so we went with her to see the process.

  While at the library, G came across this in the magazine section.  So to all you crocheters out there,you are being watched.

L decorates her home with paintings she had done.
I love the bright colors and I can't help but smile when looking at them.

We miss you Andrew

It is with tears in my eyes I write this.  But I also smile when I think of Andrew.  He was such a good sport in working with his father-in-law on one of his many projects.    Today would have been his 31st birthday.

We love you and miss you.

Two day project completed

My desk in my office faces a window.  So when ever I try to use the computer, the light is wrong.  It is wrong even for just working at the desk. I had been thinking of making a change and mentioned it to G as he was working at the other desk.  So we did it.  My part was to remove all the books from two bookshelves, so we could move the desk to where the bookshelves had been and move the bookshelves to another wall.  It was a mess for a day or two, but now I have a great office again.

 This is a dormer space which ended up being used as a storage space.  

 Desk with window facing South.  One of two bookshelves.

What floor looked like after books were removed from shelves.

 Bookshelves moved and organized.

Desk moved to where shelves had been.  Filing cabinets turned. 

View from window.

Snow rollers

A few days ago we experienced a rare phenomenon - snow rollers.  The conditions need to be very specific for them to occur.  The ground needs a coat of ice, followed by snow and wind.  It cannot be too cold.  The wind rolls the snow like you would when making a snowman.

The first picture is the yard between us and our neighbors.  The second is a closeup of the snow roller.

It is back to 0 degrees at night.  I have been taking my four mile walks in 10-15 degree weather.  It is not bad unless there is a wind.  

Snowy days

As I see this house on my walk, I an curious about it's history.  Who lived there?  Why is it now abandoned? It has been like this for the six years we have lived out here.  The only living thing I have seen is a healthy looking white cat.  I am sure it belongs to a neighbor.  If only walls could talk. 

In the first picture snow was falling.  This is how our place looked as I approached it.  I love hazy pictures like this. Since Ada is no longer here, having moved back with RM in Maryland, I have vowed to continue walking each day.  It is a challenge I will admit.

Dinner Party

I am tempted to not post on the blog if I don't have pictures. I was so busy that I don't think to take pictures. Last night I (we) hosted the FFF (Fabulous Friday Feast) at our house.  Three other couples are in the group and we meet once a month at different homes.  It was a busy day for me.  Since I do not have a cleaning lady like a couple of them do, I recruited G to do the vacuuming and wash the kitchen floor.  I spent the day cooking.  The menu was:  Cream of Broccoli soup, Chicken Marsala, Rice Pilaf, and Bourbon Carrots. Dessert was a chocolate cake roll.   The soup was a keeper.  After cooking the broccoli with a few other vegetables, I used the immersion blender. What a great invention.  A couple other skills I learned in preparing this meal were how to toast almonds with and without butter, and how to make almond praline. This was used in the filling of the cake. I had many different roles during the day:  Sous Chef, Chef, Hostess, and clean up lady.  I enjoyed the whole day and evening.  In the past I would have been more stressed out.  But not yesterday.  That feels great.