Saturday - October 10

 Rainy weekend here in NC all coming from Isaias.    

I went over to Annette's to visit and watch her make little cream cheese/jalapeno yummies for football party we're going to this afternoon.

Yesterday Maeve had a field trip with her 5th grade classmates to the Waldensian Heritage Museum in Valdese, NC.    Annette was a chaperone.   So I learned all about the Waldensians!

Played "Sounds Fishy" and "Pass the Pigs" games with Luke, Maeve and Annette.   

Delicious appetizer

Maeve and the pigs

It was such a yucky WET day that Mark and I decided not to go to the football party....good to stay home with a nice fire and watch football (Notre Dame and/or IL), read, whatever!    We always enjoy seeing our kids friends though.

I watched Iowa for a little past 1/2 time last night beat Washington and then fell asleep.    The game didn't start till 9 PM eastern time.

Mark and I went to Michael's to watch some football with he and Davis after they left the party.   

Played euchre with Annette - she won 2 games and Mark won 1.    The rain continues!

Better picture from Blair's 8th grade recognition at the football game October 7th.

Brooke, Blair, Michael

Friday - October 9

1st dreary, cloudy day in a long while (75).    Mark worked on more projects (he likes to keep busy).

We left for Black Mountain at 10:30 - ran some errands and drove around Givens Highland Farms where we plan to live someday!    Love this town!

And then we met Patty and Paul at The Pure and Proper (old Pure service station).    We ate here June 2, 2024 with the family for Sunday brunch.    Good food but best part was our 2+ hour visit with these long-time friends who live in Asheville.    Patty and Mark worked together many years ago.    Sooo much to catch up on, including our families, State Farm, all they went thru from Helene (2024 hurricane that hit NC so hard and over $100,000 damage to their home/property), continuous care facilities, etc.,  etc.   Time flies sooo quickly - because of health issues, Helene, etc. we had not been together since October 22, 2018 when they came to Lake James.

Patty, Pat, Mark, Paul

Tonight we met Michael, Brooke, Blair and Davis at Slices on the Marion Lake Golf Club for dinner.    So nice that Davis could join us - driving from Winston-Salem after work.    Good dinner and fun catching up!

Davis, Michael, Mark, Blair, Pat, Brooke

After dinner, we went back to Michael's for more visiting and then on home....

Have a great weekend!

Thursday - October 8

 Another glorious day...we went into town - ran some errands, coffee/breakfast at WaterBean and then a few more errands and on home.

Mark worked on some fix-it jobs here at "our" carriage house.   LOVE staying here!    I walked in the afternoon - we were in the 80s today, but cooler, rainy weather is coming our way.   We both took naps in the afternoon, too!

Luke, Blair and Maeve are on the go - busy little people with after-school activities.   So different than when our kids were this age.    

Mark met Michael and Ryan and other guys from the lake at Fonta Flora for a beer.    Later Mark and I went to Erin and Ryan's for dinner - great visit and meal....and enjoyed our grand dog, Graham...love these one-on-one visits with our kids.  

Hi Graham.....nice to meet you!

Mama and Ryan

View from Ryan and Erin's home - cotton candy sky over the mountains

and then ...

Michael sent this from his home over Lake James just a few miles away

Been keeping an eye on Isaias.   Our friends near Destin are evacuating tomorrow.    Hope and pray for those in the affected areas are safe.

 

Wednesday - October 7

Foggy start to the day....we had a hot water issue (as in no hot water).    Ryan came over and tah dah....all good now!    And by 10, the fog had cleared, sun came out and it was a beautiful day!!!

Annette and I went for a 2-mile walk - some pretty fall color coming out!

After lunch we 3 played more euchre with Annette winning 2 games and Mark, 1.   I'm still winless😔

Maeve did some mighty fine decorating for Halloween....

We visited with Brooke and then went to the 8th grade football game at Liberty Middle School where Blair cheers.   It was a special recognition for the football players and cheerleaders along with their parents before the game.    Bob and Judy were at the game, too, so fun to catch up.

Unfortunately, Liberty lost 28-6.    We all went to Habaneros for Mexican.

Brooke, Blair, Michael

Blair's at the top of her game!!!

 

Tuesday - October 6

 Hello from Lake James....so happy to be here after another long day of travel.    425 miles thru KY, TN and NC.    Really strange that the further south we went the more fall color....loved it and can only imagine the next few weeks thru the hills of TN and how beautiful it will be.

Our neighbors across the street at CT, Buddy and JoAnn live in Candler (suburb of  Asheville) offered their property for keeping Flo and Big Red the next 6 days.    Buddy met us there, got Flo all settled along with electric hook-up and then off to Ingles to meet JoAnn.    Soooo good to see them - 1st time since late February.    We sat and yakked away while Mark and Buddy enjoyed some dark chocolate Dove bars, I had a Starbucks iced coffee and JoAnn had a sandwich and drink.    So good to catch up with them.    Then we said our good byes and we'll see them late December in CT and we were off in Ruby to Lake James.

JoAnn and Buddy

Annette and the kids were home when we arrived - the kiddos were a big help getting our stuff carried upstairs to the carriage house.    Annette made a delicious meal of sweet 'n sour meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans w/bacon -  one of my very favorite meals!    Also got in some good games of euchre (3-handed) which Annette won both games.

Mark went on home and Annette and I enjoyed our wine and some good catching up!   

Looking forward to seeing our NC kiddos the next few days, but bummer we won't see Philip who is still in training with FedEx in Memphis.

One of the neat pillows at Whispering Hill RV Park last night in Georgetown, KY

SO TRUE !!!