She complained.

 

I sent my friend, Charlsie, a little scrapbook with pictures of our trip to Weatherford and she complained that there were no pictures of me. (You might want to consider bringing a camera and actually taking some for yourself, dear friend.)
I certainly don't want anyone to feel deprived of anything I can provide for them, so I began a search for some pictures of ME for Charlsie. I thought you might like to see what I found.

Rocky Mountain National Park 1969. This was my first trip to anywhere, ever. Jenny, this is the one where we left you with your grandmother and you didn't know us when we got home.

Big Bend National Park 1977. Wendy, this is the trip that we left you and Courtney with your grandmother. When we got home, you had an ear infection and she had taken you to the doctor and they gave you a shot. I am feeling like a very irresponsible parent about now.

I included this one because Charlsie took it in 1983.

Included this one because I liked it. 1983, too.

This is my favorite of me and Charlsie together from 2003. Yes, we are on the golf course.

I wanted this one because I was thinking, "Yes, take my picture because I don't think you will ever see me on a horse, again."  2006

Don't know where this came from. I think someone took my camera away from me because I took too many pictures of her beside this tree.

Someone at work gave me this jewelry. I couldn't figure out how to tell her that I was not a jewelry kind of girl. So I wore it one Sunday and had Basil take my picture for her. Then I regifted.

I look very happy on Redondo Beach.

Sometimes my grandchildren lose focus and desert me before I finish the book. I have to know the ending. (The monkeys pick up all the caps.)

Valentine's Day

 As I post these pictures, I am thinking: "Lady, you have way too much time on your hands!"

 It has been a little boring around here recently:  Husband sick, grandchildren all left town, only working 24 hours a week. I am just happy that sick husband felt like going to the lake and walking a little!

 This is the spillway at the end of Fisherman's Road. I don't know why I had never seen it before.

 I told a friend a work: " I lay on the couch and watch netflix or HGTV, then I get in the recliner and read until I fall asleep, then I get on facebook and 2peas, then, if I am really ambitious, I scrapbook a little!"

 Husband has been taking an online course on Macro photography.

Lake Nasworthy, "Toe 2"

More Macro practice

 Sunday, I walked by the river instead of going to prayer with husband before church. (I do better walking and praying and  by myself).

 Reminded me of Cades Cove.

I turned around after I climbed these stairs by the church front door.

I know I watch way too much HGTV and I have too much room in the closet to store stuff like this. (And we already figured out I have way too much time on my hands.)

All Purpose Week

 In December, our oldest grandson, Joshua, graduated from University of  Alabama Huntsville with a BS in Biology. He invited the family to a party with an post party trip to The Smoky Mountains.

 Mike and Jenny served a sumptuous barbeque feast.

 I was happy to see my younger grandchildren play my mother's piano that she bought in 1950 by taking in ironing. Mike has recently restored and tuned it and it looks great.

James let all the young cousins operate his drone.

The next morning, we all drove to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This is a sunrise view from our balcony.

The balcony was too tempting for some of us, but big brother rescued the flying objects.

A hike to Cataract Falls

  We played the Christmas Gift Game

 and went to Dollywood.

 We were all excited that Savanna came from California. Jenny and Mike brought her home with them from Thialand in 1990 when she was 11 years old and she is still a beloved member of our family.

We made good use of the pool and the playground at the condo.

 With 19 people in 3 condos, I did not get all the pictures I wanted. The "big kids" went on some day hikes and sometimes we only saw them in the evening.  There was no shortage of cameras, however.

I still have a little hope that someone will send me some more pictures.

 If not, I may have to take a page from Ben's book.

My view from the back seat: 1366 miles one way.

Numbers 30 and 31

 I don't know why I get so excited about this, but I love adding to  my National Parks album. We visited #30 and 31 in October.

Wind Cave National Park            South Dakota

Badlands National Park                                     South Dakota

Doing Weatherford

Charlsie and I met in Weatherford for a long overdue girl's day out in September.

We  visited 2 gardens: Clark Gardens and Chandor Gardens. They are both beautiful and we enjoyed both of them but I can't remember which pictures go to which garden.

Clark Gardens has a large display of electric trains. I may have spent too much time there...love trains!

We also went to a movie, ate some delicious meals,

went to a play at Theater Off the Square,

soaked in the hot tub at the hotel

and solved some world problems, of course.

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a  tender hand."
Henri Nouwen

1964

2014