It's Christmas!

Sweet sugar at Black Rock Mountain State Park

We have just been living our best life this fall and now look, it's Christmas already!  

We went to the North Georgia mountains for Thanksgiving.  Had us a good old Waltons' mountain Thanksgiving, we did.  We rented a house in Tiger, Georgia and spent four amazing days in Clayton, Rabun Gap and Dillard.  We stopped on the way up at Tallulah Gorge and it was absolutely breathtaking.  Biggest hole we'd ever seen!  Of course, Larry had to go stand out on the edge and scare the mess out of me.  Of course he did.  

This is why they call 'em the Blue Ridge mountains.  Pic taken at Black Rock Mountain State Park, with its altitude of 3,640 feet.  Scared me half to death climbing that mountain!

The house we rented was in a holler, with mountain all around and it was just the cutest thing.  Fireplace, gorgeous kitchen, spa shower, wraparound deck with the most beautiful, peaceful little creek in the backyard.  We had our breakfast and coffee out there every morning, listening to that sweet little babbling brook.  We took Banjo and he was so happy running around in the yard and down by the creek with Daddy.

We had Thanksgiving dinner with about 3,000 other folks at The Dillard House and even though we stood in line and waited in the gift shop and out on the porch for two hours and then waited another half hour to get fed AND it was $60 for the both of us, it was so totally worth it.  They serve the food family style, where they bring bowls and platters of food to your table and you share with everyone sitting at your table.  Larry and I had our own table and we ate ham and turkey and pork loin with dressing, squash casserole, ambrosia, peas, green beans, rice and gravy, Silver Queen corn, rolls and pie until we were about to bust.  The restaurant is so pretty and so cozy and comfortable.  We were so happy that we went.  The ham was a big hit!  Best country ham we'd EVER had.  Alton Brown from The Food Network agrees!  

We did some Black Friday shopping at the antique stores and flea markets up there and there are hundreds!  We got to as many as we could and had so much fun finishing up our Christmas shopping.

And then Friday night, we went to a drive-in movie!  There's a drive-in there.  I was SOOOO excited to be able to go to the drive-in with Larry.  We were totally robbed of SO MUCH in our past and to be able to scratch this one off "the list" was amazing.  Such a wonderful surprise!  We saw "Ford v Ferrari" with Matt Damon and Christian Bale, surrounded by vintage cars, campers and Christmas lights.  It was the best.  And, OH THE POPCORN.  It was the most delicious popcorn I have ever had in my life.  I brought every kernel home in Ziploc bags and ate it for days.

Last weekend, we took the SAM Shortline Christmas train from Lake Blackshear to Plains and enjoyed the heck out of that.  The train was sloooow and it took about two hours to get there so we just sat and talked and looked out the window at trailer parks, abandoned tires, graffiti and the like.  Trains go through the worst of areas, I guess.  We made up a "12 Days of Christmas" song of the things we saw, only ours was more like "12 mobile homes, 11 broke-down cars, 10 old tires, 9 busted toilets, 8 fallen port-a-potties..."  Ha!  And ONE big old smilin' peaaaaanut!  President Carter isn't feeling well and had just gotten out of the hospital so he couldn't meet us at the train station but that's okay.  We just want him to get better.  Besides, we already met him!
  

We got to meet Santa, though, on the train and sit on his lap.  I was scared we'd break the poor man's leg!  I'd never seen Santa Claus with a ponytail but this one had one.  I mistakenly thought he was one of "us" but when he asked Larry what he wanted for Christmas and Larry said, "A new president", Santa actually bristled!  That was hilarious!  I'd never seen Santa Claus bristle before either and leave it to Larry to make him do it.  He just looked up at us and said he doesn't get into politics.  Probably a good thing, Santa.

We met up with my lifelong friend, Lisa, and her little girl, Bella, and then her nieces showed up, too!  What a wonderful little reunion!  It was a great day and we were happy-tired when we finally got back home.  

Larry spent two weekends getting the yard decorated and it's amazing!  We definitely have THE best yard in the neighborhood!!

And here's our tree.  The Super Fabulous Schneider Christmas Tree of 2019!

We're looking forward to having a quiet, peaceful Christmas at home this year.  2019 was a rough one for us and we are hoping that 2020 brings good health, happiness and even more love to our home.

And, oh yeah, a NEW PRESIDENT!