Country Living Fair

Friday, Brian, Ami and I went to Stone Mountain to the Country Living Fair and we had a blast!  There was so much to see and look at and touch and smell and taste.  We tried to capture the whole day in pictures and ended up with hundreds of shots.  These are some of my favorites.

This is me and Ami posin' and freezin' at the entrance.  It was the coldest October 25th that Atlanta has had since 1968.  I think it only got up to 55 all day which wasn't bad at all in the sun.  The warm sun was wonderful!  In the shade and in the wind?  It felt like Alaska.  I don't do well with cold.  At all.

Here's the famous Country Living Fair pumpkin pile! 

 Some really cool old motel room keys!

I bought that pretty little purple peace purse on top from GypsyTemple and met this sweet girl here.

Pretty parasols!

Ami said I had to get this really old tin of McCormick Ground Ginger and that she was sorry that her name wasn't Cream of Tartar.  Ha!  I've done a little research today and I've narrowed it down to it being made in the 50's or 60's.  McCormick came out with a red band at the bottom in the 70's.  It's still got ginger inside, too.  Lumpy, clumpy ginger but ginger all the same.  :)

You know that saying, "you never regret the things you buy, only the things you don't?"  Well, I'm kicking myself in the butt for not getting some of these floating star candles.  I picked 'em up, smelled 'em, loved on 'em and then put them back.  And now cannot find them online.  Waaaaaah! 

I did get a jar of this honey, though, and it is delicious!  I had some on my toast this morning.

I really loved this old pie safe, too.  Oh, the pies it has cooled in its life. 

 Here are Ami and Brian checking out some vintage cameras.

This little corner was just so warm and cozy to me!

I spent almost half my day's money right here in this soap booth!  I got bars of patchouli orange, honey almond and rosemary mint.  And I picked up a grab bag of both full size and sample size soaps.  I love that soap!  It's the best handmade natural soap I've ever tried and I have tried a lot of soap and I've made my own.  I've had a bar of lavender from the grab bag in the tub since Friday night and my whole house smells like it.  It lathers better with a poof than any shower gel or body wash I've ever seen and your skin rinses clean and soft.  I put a small bar of chocolate mint beside my kitchen sink.  I may never buy any other kind of soap again!  I'm in loooooove.

  

Ami added to her globe collection with this awesome vintage one from the 70's.

Modern June was there, too!

Here I am standing beside this HUGE speed limit sign!

And posing in front of one of the Country Living covers.

After we left the fair, we went exploring around Stone Mountain a bit and ended up at the covered bridge and old grist mill.

 Soooo beautiful and peaceful!

We topped off our amazing day with supper at Marietta Diner!  I had never been but Brian and Ami had when he worked up there.  All I have to say is if you ain't been, what you waitin' on?  I had the country fried steak and mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and seafood bisque.  Probably the best food I've ever put in my mouth and I've put some food in there, y'all.  And the spinach pie they bring you before the meal is to absolutely lay down and die for. I'm going to try to do it justice Thanksgiving.  I loved everything about the place, the music, the atmosphere, the service, the food, everything.  I cannot wait to go back with Larry!

  

What a wonderful, exciting, awesome, yummy day!!

Thisclose

If you're friends with me on Facebook, you know I had supper with Larry Thursday night!!  Just like regular folks.  And it was absolutely incredible with a big heaping side of awesomesauce.  They passed through Warner Robins on their way up to Rock Spring, where Larry, Bonnie and Brandon spoke to some 400 guys at Walker SP about The Refuge and its aftercare program.  Larry shared his story and I'm sure he had those guys sitting on the edge of their seats.  I'm also sure that he was an inspiration and gave them hope, too.  Thirty-seven years is quite the attention-getter.

Bonnie called me Thursday morning and we made arrangements to meet at O'Charley's.  One of my favorite places to eat!  I got there a little before 6:30 and they hadn't arrived yet.  They had also not told Larry what they were doing or where they were going to stop for supper.  I sat out in the little waiting area out front and waited for them.  They got there in less than two minutes and pulled right up in front of me!  They all got out of the van and while Larry's back was to me, I slipped out the door and grabbed his arm.  He turned around, saw me and just hollered!  He grabbed me and held on and wouldn't let go.  It was the single most best hug I've ever gotten.  Ever.  We all went in, got a table and ordered.  He wanted whatever I was getting so I got us both the blue cheese Caesar salad with steak and he ordered the fried pickles appetizer.  I'd never had the pickles but he had!  They were delicious!!

After supper, Brandon took a couple of pictures of us.  This one is my FB profile pic.  The first official real-life picture we've ever had.  It will always be precious to me.

And then of course, I got me some sugar!  ;)  I can't even put into words how much I love that beard.

 
We'd been together 25 years on September 25th so Larry brought me a gift.  He's so sweet about finding just the perfect things for me and he's really good at it, too!  This time, he found two beeeee-u-tiful vintage mushroom canisters!!  I just love them!!!  I think we're going to use the bigger one as a cookie jar.  Ain't they gorgeous??

What's really funny is he had them carefully packed down in an extra large L.L.Bean Boat and Tote bag.  A bag that I have lusted over for, oh, ten years or more.  He never knew that, though.  Just one more of those "things" that happen between us.  I am so excited about that bag!!  :)  We will use it for groceries, taking stuff camping and to the beach, hauling Christmas gifts to my folks' house, just all kinds of things.  You can use them for absolutely anything.  And it's red.  I would have gotten red, too.

Larry bought a truck last week.  A Dodge Ram 1500.  I am SO proud of him and the deal he got!!  I'm going to call and get insurance on it tomorrow so he can drive himself to the college every day.  I spent 18 years in the finance business and I know the tricks to talking to car dealers and getting good deals and avoiding fees and extra charges.  Larry was listening to me all those years and he learned how to do it, too!!  He got an awesome deal.  They cut $900 off the sticker price and now Larry has a paid-for truck.  I am so excited about that, too!!  I can't wait to head to the woods.

Or maybe the Christmas tree farm.  They told us at supper Thursday night that he's not going to have to stay until January.  He should be home for Christmas! 

Larry and I took our thumbs and index fingers and smashed them together and said, "We are thisclose."  Yep.  We sure are.

And at the end of this day, there were brownies

Tabbie Hoffman and I both had doctors' appointments today.  Mine, this morning, was just a blood work appointment at Dr. Shirley's office to get my hormone levels and a complete premenopause panel just to see where we are before we start trying to have a baby.  I'll get the results next Monday.  Larry and I have wanted a baby together since the day we met but time hasn't really been kind to us in that department.  My doctor is very optimistic because I am healthy and have led a somewhat gentle life.  I may be 46 years old but those are just road miles on this old girl.  I'm in excellent health!  Blood pressure is fabulous, blood sugar is awesome and since I've lost weight, they shouldn't be a problem during my pregnancy.  Besides, Michelle Dugger is 47 and trying for Baby #20 OMG and Halle Berry just had her baby boy and she's 47, too.  Seriously, though, we know there are certain risks involved but we also know that God is in total control of our lives and the life of our baby and if He wants it to happen, it will happen.  If not, it'll just be the two of us.  Well, and Tabbie Hoffman.  And probably a dog named Banjo.  :)

I have never been very good at giving blood.  I have veins that absolutely don't want to do right.  I only have the one, in my right arm, that will even pop up high enough for them to stick and then it completely, utterly and desperately closes up on itself as soon as they get the first drop of blood out.  I ended up getting stuck twice in my right arm, once in my left and once in my right hand.  It took two nurses and the office manager diggin' and stabbin' to get the six vials of blood they needed for my tests.  I walked out of there wrapped in enough green medical tape to be the Hulk for Halloween.

Tabbie Hoffman had his yearly checkup and shots this afternoon and I dreaded it so much.  He is so scared of every.little.thing.  I've been using Rescue Remedy rubbed on his head and around his ears but it doesn't seem to be working yet.  I had to just force him into his carrier even though we did a trial run yesterday.  I put his blanket in there with him along with a couple of treats. He immediately hid underneath the blanket until I had to drag him out to see the doctor.  And when he couldn't get back inside the carrier ('cause I zipped it up quick before he could!), he got underneath it.  So pitiful.

They took his picture this time for his online account profile.  They took him from me and he was so scared and shaking and shedding like crazy, had a temperature and was just freaking the hell right on out when they took the picture.  But he looks adorable!!

I really like the doctors and staff there at Southwood Animal Hospital.  Dr. Penner is so sweet and gentle with him.  And the nurses and staff just kept saying how beautiful and handsome he is.  His ears looked good and clean and I think we've pretty much beaten his chronic ear infections with flushing and cleaning them at home.  She said his teeth looked great and I told her that we brush them twice a week!  :)  He weighs 14.2 pounds now and she commented that he has doubled in size in a year but she didn't say he was too big.  She said he was healthy, happy, soft and beautiful.  He's just a big boy.  Now if we can just get him to be more comfortable around people.  I know when Larry's home with us, that will help him.  Bwess his wittle heart.

We came home and took a long nap and then made a pan of double fudge walnut brownies.  We'd been stuck six times between the two of us and we needed some chocolate.  Well, one of us did.  :)

Sunday hodgepodge

Tabbie Hoffman and I enjoyed our daily nature time this morning.  He always has more fun.  I sit and drink my iced coffee while he does his thang.  Here are a few things he liked about today's "outside". 

Munching on an acorn
 

Exploring the leaf pile

Spying on the neighbors

It's been hot here.  90 degrees hot.  Ridiculous for October.  I am really looking forward to the thunderstorms and rain we've got coming tonight and in the morning.  Maybe it'll cool things off some.  And maybe it'll all clear out before I have to leave for work.  Speaking of, in case you were wondering, yes, I am working. I worked all week while the people in control of our government played their games.  My job is considered mission essential so we worked.  We worked overtime, too, nearly every day and all day yesterday.  Those 4,000 or so "non-essential" (I hate that word.  We are ALL essential.) employees that were sent home from Robins should go back to work this week.  It looks like they got a paid vacation last week.  A week off with pay and they didn't have to use any of their leave to get it.  They got a sweet deal!

I finally got around to washing those vintage sheets and pillowcases I bought last Saturday and getting some of them on the bed.  I lovelovelove that daisy sheet!!  Everything I bought was clean, no stains or tears.  Perfect condition!  I am so happy with everything I got!!

One of the albums I got, though, Bobbie Gentry's Ode To Billy Joe, had a different record inside.  Jim Reeves' greatest hits.  Early Jim Reeves.  I'd never even heard one song.  So I got on eBay, found another Bobbie Gentry album for $4 and got it.  It arrived Thursday.  Now for a record player!  I found one at Best Buy that I really like.  And, Santa, I have been really, really good this year.  :)

I admit that I run a little behind in the technology department.  I finally got a smartphone in July.  I am a stickler for use it up, wear it out, make it do so I kept my little flip phone for five years.  I've had Directv for three years and I've been pretty much happy with the service and the reception.  It's even gotten better in heavy rain.  The monthly cost keeps going up, though.  And the price of movies keeps going up, too.  I pay from $3.99 to $6.99 per movie and that's just crazy.  So I signed up for Netflix again this week.  I had it years ago, back when they mailed you a DVD to watch and you mailed it back to them.  I have a Wii, thanks to my sweet hubby who got it for me for my birthday five or so years ago, so I updated the system (it had never been done) and got Netflix on it so that we can watch things on the TV, as well as on our phones and laptops.  $7.99 a month for unlimited movies and TV shows and there are thousands.  I have no idea why it takes me so long to do stuff.  I saw that all 202 episodes of "The X-Files" are on Netflix.  Larry will never leave this house.  :)  That was our favorite show and he missed so many episodes.  I watched, wrote him a synopsis of every one and I even recorded them on VHS.  So, yeah, I have 100+ episodes of "The X-Files" on video cassette.  Still.  Ha!  I'm really excited about starting at the beginning of Mulder and Scully's story and watching it with him.  Three months and two days!!

How'd you spend your weekend?

What a weekend!  Yesterday, Ami, Brian and I went to Atlanta to visit the grave of an old friend of ours, old friend for her, old kid I babysat for me.  Today is Wayne's birthday.  He would have been 37.  He was a deputy in Cherokee County and ten years ago, he was killed answering a call, doing what he did best, trying to help somebody.  He was a sweet kid who would do anything in the world for you.  What's so sad and the hardest to deal with, though, is that call was a false alarm.  We'd never been to his grave so Ami picked this weekend to go, to celebrate the day he was given to us.  After we got some help finding his grave (Crest Lawn is huge!!), we sat there a little while and talked and remembered him.  I think my most vivid memory of Wayne is how he would not go to bed when I told him to.  His little brother, Matt, would fall asleep on the sofa and I would move him to his bed but Wayne wanted to stay up and talk to me.  He would "just ten more minutes!" me until his parents drove up in the yard and then he would run to bed.  I babysat them for $2 an hour.  I'd give anything to have just one Saturday night back.

On our way to Atlanta, we stopped off in Forsyth and shopped at two thrift shops.  I went with my heart set on some record albums, some blue and white plates and some vintage bedding.  I got all that and more!  We went to Circle of Care and Family Thrift Store.  This is Circle of Care.  Yeah, I know.  We were overwhelmed.  There is so much to look at!!  I ended up getting two sheets and nine pillowcases for $8.50, two beautiful blue and white plates for $10, a pretty blue and white saucer for 39 cents (YES!!  39 cents.  Because it had a tiny chip you can hardly see.  I don't mind chips.  I think a chip in a dish (or cup or flower pot) just shows that dish had a life.  It has lived and has a story.) and 22 albums for $3.70!!  And a whole bunch of other stuff.  Here's a pic of my buggy.  :)

 

  
I got this gorgeous fall painting at Family Thrift Store for $10.  I love it!!  I joked on Facebook that it's hanging over our sofa right now and I'm trying to figure out a way to jump in it.  Do you blame me??

We had lunch at The Prime Palate and it was so delicious that it was borderline ridiculous.  I had a pork chop (and later fried chicken!), mac & cheese, cheesy potatoes, black-eyed peas, butter beans, green beans, cornbread and blueberry cobbler for dessert.  I was full as a tick when we left and sooooo miserable.  But it was a good miserable. :)

I talked to Larry this morning and he went to Wild Adventures yesterday!  And rode everything out there.  Including the 180 foot bungee jump.  I cannot tell y'all how many times I said to him, "you are SO crazy!" while he was telling me about it.  I lost count.  He had a blast, though!  He loved all the roller coasters and the fast-upside-down-take-your-breath nonsense of it all.  I'm kinda glad he went on and did all that 'cause this girl ain't crazy.  :) 

We're just about to the two-thirds mark.  October 8th, we'll have three months left!  Things have not gone the way we thought they would or hoped they might but that's all right.  One of our favorite scriptures is Romans 8:28.  God works all things together for the good of those who love Him.  God will work this for our good, too.  I don't believe God brings us to a trial without having something great waiting for us on the other side of it.  He has proven this to me over and over.  While this is indeed a trial, our something great starts January 8th and I cannot wait!!

I went to Willie's funeral this afternoon.  I don't even want to call it a funeral, though, because it was like no funeral I've ever been to.  It was a going home celebration!!  A celebration of Willie's life given for him by the lives that he touched.  That church was packed.  Standing-room only.  Full of family, friends, coworkers and classmates.  I was amazed from the beginning all the way to the end.  From the beautiful white horse-drawn carriage that brought Willie to the church, to the gun salute and the playing of "Taps", to the music, the memories, the tears, the laughter, the praise dance that had me sitting there with my mouth hanging open, to the breathtaking dove release at the end.  A wonderful, loving send-off.  I've never seen anything like it.  I'm so happy I went and was a part of that.

I've had a busy, busy weekend!  Now I think I'll follow Tabbie Hoffman's lead and take a nap.  :)

Willie

When I went back to school in January to finish up the electronics program for my co-op requirement, I had to go on swing shift at work and one of the first guys to take me under his wing was Willie Whitehead.  Willie had been at the base for many years and was a master electrician.  He knew everything about everything and could just tell you what was wrong with something without looking at it.  I saw him many times just walk up to that plane, turn a few things with his wrench and walk away, saying, "there you go".  In addition to the experience and wisdom he brought to our crew, he also made a mean pot of coffee.  He kept our coffee going round-the-clock in the break room and when you work second shift, you need your coffee.  

Willie had this big toothy grin that just lit up the room.  He had contagious laughter and a crazy sense of humor.  He loved bananas.  He also smoked like a chimney in winter.

Part of my training that I had to complete was ops checks in Cell 6, where Willie was assigned.  Every single time Willie saw me in the cockpit, he would yell up at me, "Get down from there!" and just laugh and laugh.  He said I was going to get hurt and had no business up there.  It became our little private joke and I got to the point where I would just yell, "NO!" down at him before he had a chance to yell up at me.  That always made him laugh.  Willie fussed at me for cleaning the break room, too.  He said the guys wouldn't appreciate it or keep it clean and that I was wasting my time.  I'd tell him, "Yeah, but Willie, it's filthy and I can't stand it."  He'd just shake his head at me. 

Willie got sick this spring.  He didn't know what it was but he suspected his heart.  He went to the doctor who put him in the hospital for tests.  After countless tests and many uncertain days, it was discovered that Willie had stage four lung cancer.

He never returned to work.  He did, however, attend our Wingman Day fish fry Labor Day Friday and I am so thankful that I got to see him and talk to him and hug him and tell him how much we missed him at work.  He had lost so much weight and he was weak as a kitten but that smile was exactly the same.  He hugged me back and told me he was glad to see me. 

Willie passed away last week.  Just precious few months after he was sitting at his table in the break room eating his banana without a care in the world.  I'm sad.  I miss him.  I miss his grin, I miss his laughter, I miss his fussing at me, I miss his white hair.  

Willie, I know you're in heaven now but I wish I could tell you to "get down from there!" and come back to us.  But you're in a place where there is no cancer, no pain.  Only peace, love and laughter.  And I know our F-15's are even more beautiful from up there.

Compostable cup update

Nearly two years ago, I was given a compostable cup to put in my compost bin and I just wanted to give y'all an update on it.

It is still a cup.

I am disappointed.

Here's Day One.  All new and shiny.

Here's today, Day 662 (or thereabout)

It's not that much different.  Just old and wrinkly.

We're going to build a new compost bin in the spring, when Larry and I sod the backyard.  Something like this, made from wooden pallets and super easy.

I'm not giving up on that cup.  :)