Gardening does not a Gardner make!

We had an entire weekend filled with house stuff ... and still are not near the finish line! Paul drove down to Chesnee, SC on Saturday morning to tour a classic car junk yard, where he had a delightful time and came home grinning from ear to ear bearing SAAB emblems and such! E-gads, what a happy man he was ... until I reminded him that we had many chores on the list to do and it was time to get started!! Poor guy! I just don't sit still very often, and then I don't do it very well. He's really in a rather rough spot ... but nevertheless, he jumped in like a trooper and finished the weekend with a few things marked off of the list. First of all, it was time to get in the garden and start tidying up. For us Americans, it was yard work day. So Paul dug up the Alberta Spruce Pines that were in front of our porch (strangling to death because they had NO ROOM to grow) and we've replanted them on the east side of the house outside of the screened porch where the morning sun will greet and nurture them and they can thrive. Poor little things might have a chance now. Anyway, now that gives us two BIG OLE flower boxes to have a great time creating all kinds of color splashes and fun stuff!! Those will have to get planted next weekend, as we ran right out of time this past weekend. Then, we moved to this little "crawl space" room under the screened porch, which Paul couldn't wait to get into and dig out all the STUFF (some of it questionable at best!) and metal detect. And don't think for one minute that he didn't metal detect the dirt he dug the trees from ... and the new location holes he dug to put the trees into!!! Anyway, the lettering you see if where the original man who built the house signed the inside of the foundation under the porch! Pretty cool, huh!?! There is another place where he signed under the house, which was the original signature in 1924, I think. He also drew a little characetuere of himself ... very cool in our opinion. Not everyone has their foundation signed by the owner/builder! Anyway ... Sunday ended up with Paul sanding the claw foot bath tub so I can paint it this week and we can install it this coming weekend ... along with all the new flowers! So, you see ... we're busy, as usual!! And we're having fun along with it. As long as there is treasure involved, we're all happy!!!!

So, that's what's happening around the house. I am in costume mode ... it's that time again. I painted all the surf boards again because they needed to be pink instead of red. Now I will start "decorating" them with flowers and things to suit the dance. I need to pull together some things for the Be Our Guest piece ... and that'll be that! A little easier than the Dancer's Pointe recital days! We had Paul's new boss over for dinner Saturday night. Bruce and his little terrier, Sassy, were delightful guests and it was a nice relaxed evening. Tonight we actually went to an award ceremony in which they honored one of the "shop guys" with an employee of the year recognition for being the best school bus driver in the entire county! Pretty impressive accomplishment for a 22 year old guy! We all went and threatened to do the wave, but in reality we behaved and clapped politely. Interesting program ... an entire award ceremony in an hour! Not quite the population here that we are accustomed to! Thank goodness!

Anyway, the beat goes on here in the mountains. The days are warmer, the nights are still quite chilly. I, for one, am absolutely basking in the rays of the sun. Warmth!! Yippee!

Paul's mum and dad have returned safely from their cruise. We hope to hear an update soon about what, when, where, etc. The Dancer's Pointe dancers had their dress rehearsal this past weekend, and I heard all good things. Congratulations to you all! We miss you guys, gobs and bunches! I finally heard from the newlywed Mandy, and she's alive and well! The School of Performing Arts is having their week of rehearsals for their recital this coming weekend. I hope you all know how much I miss being a part of the shindig ... and even more so, how much I miss spending Thursday with each of you. I send you great big hugs and wishes for the best of luck. And as I hear Ms. Patti is retiring this year, we send special love to Ms. Patti and the staff, and best wishes for the new endeavors ahead!!!! Merde to you all!!!!

My arms are aching from the shrubbery trimming we did Sunday, so I'll take this opportunity to bid you good night ... from our house to yours. God bless, Paul & Cheri

Mid May already!

This month seems to be moving faster than the previous 6 ... probably because I'm not freezing any more! Although it is supposed to get into the upper 30's at night this week, the day times are high 60's up into the high 70s sometimes! It was 95 in Johnson City when we were there on Sunday ... and I truly got to thaw out ... delightful! But I love waking up, going to the kitchen, having my coffee and looking out at the mountain covered in morning mist. It is exquisite!! Driving back from Johnson City Sunday was beautiful ... the mountains here are just lovely to be around ... or in/on!!!

Well, Christian has gone home to mom and dad again, and we are back to our normal business around here. I began the wood stacking process when Christian was still here so he could help ... which he did! We're getting there. What is left to stack needs to be cut up first, so maybe this weekend! Our neighbor gave us some cement planters that we "scattered about" the porch and they look so nice!!! Christian and I got some flowers planted in them and the splash of color has added so much to the house!!! Of course, there is more work to be done on that subject too ... like replanting the Alberta Spruce's to another location and creating colorful flower beds in the front of the house ... but that particular project needs Paul's strength (another weekend project, I guess!). We need to get the shutters off of the house and repaint them .... they're in horrible shape right now ... and the weather will allow us to do this stuff soon enough! For now, I'm painting bedroom furniture and I've got the fabric cut out and on the dining room table for the bed skirt and we'll soon be finished with the bedroom (except the ceiling) ... so, although they're are projects on top of projects, it's finally becoming manageable ... and boy are we grateful! AND the projects can carry over to the outside! Yippee! Of course, it's going to be canoe/kayaking and weather very soon. Hiking weather is already here! Word must be getting out because the tourist season seems to have begun for summer in the mountains. I guess the smoke from the wild fires in Florida have driven the Floridians who are summer residents on up here, as we are fortunately smoke free! So y'all come and visit ... it's really nice here!

In getting things more liveable, Paul has found the peace of mind to dig out the metal detector and treasure hunt! He's found some real treasure ... one of the items being a 1917 dime --- right out in our front yard!!! He's found a 14k gold signet ring, a 1947 dime, numerous wheat pennies, and a bunch of stuff that he find absolutely astounding!!! It's so fun to watch him dig through his treasures! Christian was right there on the treasure hunting band wagon when he was here ... hmmm, must be a boy gene.

I know all of my friends at the Dancer's Pointe are getting ready for dress rehearsal this coming weekend ... GOOD LUCK and keep calm! It'll be great, just like it is every year! Wish we could be there ... our recital is going to be June 15th and 16th here. Our rehearsals are the Wed. and Thurs. prior ... so .... that'll be my "crazy" week. But I must say, it's pretty low key at this point, especially compared in size and such to what I'm used to! I have been painting surf boards, as I have some 3 year old "itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikinis" this year. They make me smile ... and laugh right out loud sometimes! :-)

Paul seems to like his new "gig". He's making iron "things" that are new to his skill set ... hehehe! The guy who he is working for now makes ornamental garden items, such as pot plant holders, firescreens, window boxes, etc. He seems to be having a pretty good time and that's what matters! He comes home with a smile on his face and a very relaxed attitude ... thank goodness! Makes things so much nicer for him, and the rest of us in turn! We are in the process of bigger and better things ... but it's all-consuming, so we're going about it with just that attitude so we don't miss anything. They're are even a couple of courses at the local education center that we hope to take to learn all we can. Then we hope to be armed with everything we need to pursue our entrepreneurial venture!!! (Big deep breath)

I'm back to work at the real estate office this week ... and the volume should be picking up in the next couple of weeks as the tourists arrive. Just to think, we were tourists looking last year at this same time! Maybe our adventure story can entice some buyers! It worked for us!

For all you tap dancers, this month's Dance Magazine has some great tap dance articles worth reading if you get a chance to pick it up at your local book store. It'll make great reading for the wait between dances!! Check it out!!!!

Please let us hear from you ... and feel free to book our "guest suite" for your mountain vacation. Cheers! Paul & Cheri

Thought provoking ...

If you want to have a thought provoking conversation, just hook up with a 3 year old for a little bit!!! So far today I have learned that Christian wants to be a tiger when he grows up (now, how do you compete with that dream?) AND he's going to be eleven years old on his third birthday! WOW! It's just like being in the 60's again!!!! Needless to say, we're having a very fun and enchanted visit!!

Paul's sister, Janet and her family are moving to Charleston, SC from Orlando today. We want to send GREAT wishes for a wonderful journey and a happy life in their new world. Please think good thoughts for them as they all transition to "the real south"!!

Paul's mum and dad are leaving Sunday for a cruise!!! Have fun, y'all.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there! Hopefully it will be a day of rest and relaxation for all!!! For now, I must run ... there are pirates to conquer, apparently!!!

Happy Trails, Paul and Cheri

Contrasts and Changes ...

Spring has truly sprung around here and we're just trying to keep up with the changing of the season and all the contrasts it has presented. It's all so amazing ... the way things are waking up and "greening out" around here. There are so many trees who are standing right next to each other where one is in full bloom and the other is still sleeping! There are also so many trees that seem to have come to life over night! We drove down to the water fall Sunday with Christian, and it was many times greener this weekend than it was last weekend when we went down there with Pedro and his family. The way spring waltzes in around here is just as extreme as what we discovered with the arrival of winter! It's great fun to watch everything and become educated. I'm trying my best to decline the temptation to plant colorful flowers and such because it's still dipping down into the high 30's at night here! Not the best idea to plant yet ... but it's so hard to NOT put the color around now that the season FEELS like it's the right time! I'm sure I got enough sun Sunday to have some pink around the edges while we were at the falls. Christian and I laid out on some of the rocks while Paul treasure hunted amongst the pools of shallow water. It was a lovely afternoon and such a treat to get out in the wilderness and enjoy nature!

Christian and Jennifer arrived on Friday about 6pm. Jenn spent the night and left EARLY Saturday morning for a seminar she was teaching in Gaffney, SC, but Christian is staying for a few days (or a week :-) ... ) and we've had a tremendous amount of fun already. He's certainly a great source of entertainment. And the interior of our house has already changed dramatically. We have been bicycle shopping and trying to find just the perfect bike ... so far we have the perfect helmet, knee and elbow pads!! The search continues!

Friday was Paul's last day at Blue Mountain Metal Works and now the transition begins! We're very excited about our new endeavor and are planning and preparing for the new business. If you find yourself with a desire to do so, please send us some positive thoughts for our new and exciting adventure! We certainly appreciate the positive support, as always!

Most of the schools up here had their graduations this weekend, so I'm assuming that's kind of a nation wide thing. So to all you graduates, CONGRATULATIONS!! And best of luck with your next step in life! So many choices! Have fun and enjoy the journey.

Happy Birthday to Valerie Varney (I sure do miss you!) ... I know all of my dance teacher friends are busy getting ready for recitals and panicking as it is dress rehearsal and recital time all over the place. Good luck to everyone every where as you prepare and conquer!!!!

Will update when I can as I have a very busy little bee visiting ...

Paul-Paul came home with the perfect bicycle this morning ... sooooooooo cute!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are celebrating motherhood this coming Sunday. No one deserves a day of celebration more, in my humble opinion!!!!

Best to all!! Paul & Cheri

Good Friends!!

The Pedro Rodriquez family arrived for their visit in the mountains Friday night! I think Pedro might have been pretty surprised by many of the improvements we've made ... especially the floors it seemed. I liked watching his face and eyes as he went through the house making his assessment. Always thinking!! What a delightful weekend it was seeing our friends and sharing our new world with them. I think the drives we have to go any place seemed like a very long trip to them. It isn't the same travel on I-4 as it is across and around mountains! Unfortunately, their visit to Grandfather Mountain on Saturday was riddled with chill bumps and 40 - 50 mph wind gusts, but they got to see our little bit of heaven in its true form! While Saturday was still a bit chilly (47 degrees on the mountain, 54 degrees at home) Sunday turned out to be high 60's and was just great! We went to Valle Crucis, which is the wonderful little valley where Paul & I stayed last summer for our indoctrination to the area. We visited the general store (where Pedro & Janet did their best to buy out the place!) while Paul & Pedro Ignacio played outside near the river and park. It was a Winnie the Pooh and Piglet kind of nice day! But they had to get packed and on their way to the airport by 5pm. Paul led them out to the main highway, and apparently found a softball game to join on his way back. I figured he'd just taken them all the way to Charlotte, but he showed up covered in grass stains and a little winded, so he must've had a grand time running, jumping, throwing and all those things boys like to do!!! I think he felt like one of the "locals" when he drove up to the field and knew 2 out of 9 people!! It's a smaller world here than in most places ... Anyway, it was wonderful to see Pedro and his family again. And the big news is that they've put a contract on a house in Orlando, so everyone is moving along with their dreams and aspirations! We are so excited for them and wish them the very best of luck with EVERYTHING to come.

Paul is putting a new carburetor on the Saab (as I type) and hopefully that will take care of all the little idiosyncrasies on that front. I go back to the Real Estate office on Wed. for some work time ... and Jenn & Christian are coming up Friday for a visit!!! I can't wait to see them. Jenn hasn't been here since December, so the changes will be huge for her. We haven't seen Christian in what seems like forever, so it'll be great to visit w/ him again! His mom says he gets to stay for as long as he can hang ... as long as it isn't over a week ... so we're going to have BIG FUN!!! On Friday morning he has a "tricathon" at school to see how many laps he can ride His tricycle for a fund raiser for St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Atlanta! I can't wait to hear how that goes ... and what proud sponsors we will be!

The dancers at The Dancer's Pointe competed this past weekend at A.D.A. I understand that everyone danced really well and although I haven't heard about late Sunday's performances, everything before that sounded great. So, another big CONGRATULATIONS to all those beautiful dancers and their teachers and families. Way to GO!!! The adult clogging team at the studio where I teach now also competed. Poor Stefanie (the owner) ended up with a terrible bout of the stomach flu, but in spite of that, they placed 2nd and had a really nice score sheet and huge trophy to show for it! And the costumes I was busy making were just fine for their dance (thank goodness!) so all went well with them too. Congratulations, Fusion!

I'm feeling very blessed and lucky. We have a wonderful life and are lucky enough to get to share it with each other. We have our health, as do our children (one of who is a real miracle) and are truly in a bliss we cannot even describe. It's different here, it's a simple life ... back to the basics. It feels good. It feels like a comfortable old shoe. How lucky!! We hope all of you out there (not in Mayberry) are filled with happy, healthy, and blessed lives. Paul & Cheri

Random

Just a few things ...

• GOOD LUCK to all the Dancer's Pointe dancers who are competing in this weekend's ADA competition!!!!! We will be sending you great gobs of good thoughts and wishes, as always!
• Snowball's name turns out to be Thunder! He is 16 years old! He is a full blooded, registered dog ... but the lady forgot what breed. He was very happy to see the children arrive to pick him up ... so it looks like we get the visitation rights! The cats are thrilled - they can enter the den once again with total abandon ~ they don't even have to stick to the perimeter of the room to get to the couch!
• Paul's Saab decided to NOT start this morning so he spent the better part of today rebuilding the carburetor. Can't say I know how many times he took the carburetor out of the car, worked on it, and returned it, but it was a few!! The car is now running again! There was a lot of "gunk" in the carburetor ... that's a fact!
• I teach 6 - three year olds on Monday ... 4 out of 6 arrived crying (2 were screaming) ... all of them left with smiles and had a good class. Ms. Cheri left EXHAUSTED!
• It was another beautiful day - makes you want to dance naked with your hair on fire! At least, that's what I hear ...
• I'm still sewing costumes ... will have to light my hair afire later on ...

Until next time .... take good care! Paul & Cheri

Home, Sweet, Home!

It was one of those days today ... the kind where the sky is so blue it's enough to make you believe in fairy tales! The air was so clear and smelled so sweet and the temperature was just perfect. We are so lucky! Paul & I took Snowball for a walk around the neighborhood and found so many treasures to behold. I can't understand how we can be living in absolute bliss at the same time those precious people involved in the Virginia Tech massacre saga are in an absolute hell. These are questions I try to give up to the universe, but honestly they do haunt me. We offer our hearts and most sincere condolences and best wishes for a full and whole recovery to all involved and effected by the events of that tragedy.

Our weekend has been filled with working pleasures, and lots of forward accomplishments. You know that 2 steps forward, 1 step back thing ... well, we must be experiencing the forward momentum and it's GREAT! We got up Saturday morning, and I started sewing costumes (that time of year again!) ... and Paul started dusting off the Saab!!!!! We both worked diligently all day Saturday on our individual projects, and at last ... I heard the Saab fire up with its own special vigor ... and I have to admit, it comes with a big sense of pride, for Paul, me & the Saab! :-) I, on the other hand, am still sewing ... not as "neat" of a project as his getting the Saab running, I'm afraid! I'm making really cute tops for a group of woman cloggers who have a competition next weekend. It's a bit of a "crunch" ... and women seem to change measurements from one week to the next, so it's a real interesting project! Anyway, Paul & I took a trip to the Walmart Superstore in Elizabethon, TN ... and went to eat at Fatz and ended up at an antique car show on the strip in Elizabethon. It was fun ... there were some gorgeous old cars there! Our hardware store owner friend, Steve Brinkley had his classic 56 or 57 Thunderbird on display. (One of his 3, that is) There was a HUGE variety of cars, both things I'd seen and never seen before. Maybe Paul will get the opportunity to display his Saab before the end of the summer. It could be fun?!?!

Today (Sunday) we got up to more of the same projects. There was an issue with the Saab's carburetor, which apparently healed itself overnight! He drove the Saab to the workshop this morning, picked up the work truck, brought home our claw foot tub, went back to the workshop and drove the Saab home ... via the falls, and was so excited with the way it's running and being in the driver's seat once again! It's pretty cool to see the Saab running, I have to confess! And he looks so darn cute driving it ;-).

Again, my costume sewing was just an ongoing drudgery. WHY, oh WHY do I volunteer for these things!?!?!?!? It's was GORGEOUS outside ... anyway ... about 2pm Paul began the tin back splash install behind the kitchen sink and stove. Isn't is GREAT!?!? I'm so excited with the way it turned out and totally impressed that he can do these things! It's so nice to have a resident genius around! I took the costumes up to the studio for fittings ... much more work to make them all look good ... and fit!

Looks like the next project for the house is the claw foot tub. So for now it's on the front porch (can you say Deliverance???) and we will begin the sanding and painting project for an installation HOPEFULLY next weekend. We'll see about that. But you can imagine my being anxious to get it off of the front porch. And as much as that thing weighs, I don't think we'll be moving it around too much! So, that story is to be continued. I guess I can always just get it right side up and take my baths out there when it gets warm enough! Ye haw!

Paul is x-boxing now (well deserved R&R) and I'm going to clean the kitchen and get to bed so I can continue the costume making tomorrow. We're hoping for Pedro and his family to be here on Saturday so I'd like to get the house cleaned up before they arrive! That means the costumes have to get finished! Wouldn't be April without costume crunches now, would it??

We're in hopes that all of you are well, and enjoying the spring time with all of your hearts. Until next time, Paul & Cheri

p.s. Please keep good thoughts for those folks from Va Tech who are trying to piece their lives back together.

Meet Snowball!

Last Thursday when the doorbell rang and the 3 little children from next door were standing there wanting to talk to Paul, it wasn't that big of a surprise. They often come over to rouse him out of house and engage him in a game of catch or "watch me!" things. But this time, they asked if he would make sure their dog had water for the next several days as they were off to Florida for spring break! Well! No problem ...

They left on Friday, so Paul went over on Saturday to "water the dog" ... but when he got there he was sadly aghast at the situation with the dog. He was out in the elements (and according to the neighborhood, has NEVER been any place besides chained to the front porch - in his 13 or so years of life!) ... remember, it snows here all the time. So, Paul, being the fixer of broken spirits, brought our little neighbor dog home. He bathed him, groomed him (including cutting out millions of wads of matting from his hair on his body and around his face) and gave him back some dignity, as well as making him smell a big bunch better! We dried him off (no simple feat here in wet world) and put him on our front porch with the shelter of Paul's truck camper to get under. Unfortunately, this little guy is decrepit from arthritis and just can't crawl under things ... not to mention, I'm sure he's frozen from years in the snow and lying on the concrete. Poor little fella is even missing half his nose, and he is most definitely deaf. (huh?) So we just brought him inside, gave him his own personal space heater, and have showered him with love and affection since then. Paul walks him around the lower 40 everyday after work and they've really got a bond going on! Snowball is slowly becoming relaxed and is now eating like a horse and is probably warm for the first time in years. We don't know what his name is, so I've affectionately labeled him Snowball ... seemed appropriate since it snowed like crazy here on Sunday and he just melted right into the snow when he went out for his duties... So, we don't know when the family is coming home from the spring break ... but I think we might be requesting visitation rights ... from them to come and visit Snowball here. Should be an interesting tale to tell when all is said and done! Our kitties have still not figured out just WHAT he is ... and Spartacus has decided when I'm in the den w/ the dog, he can come in. But Artemis won't get within 20 feet of him ... no matter WHO is beside him! They've never seen any other animal besides humans and cats, so I guess it's normal for them to be skeptical!! Just wait until they see that that neighborhood goat comes around!! HA!!!

Last weekend was a definite stay inside weekend, and Paul did some brilliant woodwork for me. He made cornices for the bedroom windows and for over the bed ... and he also hung about a million more pictures, the flag pole bracket and worked a little bit on the Saab. It was just too cold for him to be in the garage/basement though, so that project got pushed back until this weekend when it's supposed to be in the high 60s, low 70s. A M E N !!!!! When I get all the drapes up and the trim in place, etc., I'll post pics of his beautiful handiwork. Before it's all over, we will probably have attempted most EVERYTHING a home owner can find to try!

We are anxious to see Pedro, Janet and Pedrito who are supposed to be coming for a visit around the 28th of this month! Finally, friends!!! I hope mother nature manages a warm visit for them! Being from Cuba originally, and then Orlando, I don't want them to freeze!!!!! So, I've ordered 65 and above ... hope that all works out!

Right now I'm making costumes for the clogging team, so ta-ta for now! Happy trails and hope all is right with every one of you!!! Paul & Cheri

The most exquisite wedding ever!

CONGRATULATIONS TO MANDY AND ZEUS!!!!! I simply apologize for the quality of these pictures ... had to use a disposable camera and they are just NOT the same when you upload them! Anyway, it doesn't matter because the wedding was so beautiful, it would look good no matter HOW the pictures were taken. I've just included some random shots ... enough so you can get the idea that the venue was EXQUISITE and the bride was BEYOND beautiful. The wedding ceremony was very elegant, set in the courtyard overlooking the ocean. Mandy and Zeus were absolutely stunning as they exchanged their vows and rings, and the entire wedding party was just so involved in the moment. The parents were very proud and happy, it was such a wonderful wedding. Just what one should be! Mandy and Zeus had such tremendous support for the beginning of their lives as husband and wife. It was a very sweet and incredible way for them to begin.

The three amigos (Susi, Kelly & I) had the opportunity to visit again ... which was simply delightful from my stand point. Remember, I was off the mountain for a couple of days ... YIPPEE!!!! Paul was a REAL trooper, drove all the way down on Friday and most of the way back on Sunday. On Saturday he was content to read a book while Kelly and I went off and ran errands and drank coffee!!!! There was a Starbucks on every corner - it was GREAT!! Anyway, the last picture here is what we came home to ... while we were in Ponte Vedra Beach soaking up the heat waves (which were really only about 60 degrees), it was dumping snow on our house in NC!!! About 8 inches worth of snow ... but it was gone by Sunday night. The lady who watched the kitties said they were always huddled in front of the space heater when she arrived! They think they're sitting in front of the fire ...

Anyways, many many best wishes to Mandy and Zeus in their marriage and hoping they're having lots of R&R as they are on their honeymoon in Aruba!!!! How nice! And, while I'm at it, happy birthday to Cheryl Nyberg on Friday (the 13th!!!! ) Happy Trails, Paul & Cheri

Sweet Easter Wishes to ALL!!!

From our house to your house, Sweet Easter wishes to one and all and wishes for a delightful and colorful spring! Aren't the cherry blossoms exquisite? The trees are just popping daily with blossoms of all kinds. Between the azaleas, the pear trees and the cherry trees, it's a beautiful variation of colored blossoms all across the mountain ranges. The maple trees have some reddish buds just beginning to open to go along with all the blossoms. And the bright yellows from the forsythia round out the color scheme! Certainly a wonder to behold! We haven't seen a spring like this in years, as Florida is sort of in a perpetual green state. And although the azaleas bloom there, it's usually in January! I was never ready for them! Being where there are seasons that change is such a treat!!!!! We remain in a constant state of awe ...
We have had a most interesting week and it's only Wednesday! Sunday was filled with home improvements, of course. Paul spent the day Saturday putting chair railing up in the master bedroom. Then Sunday he put shelves in the closet and some other odds and ends we needed done. Then we took our trip to Lowe's for more wood for cornices for that room. While we were at it, we went out to eat! We don't do that too much any more and it was a REAL treat ... and we got to relax as a bonus!!! YIPPEE!!!!
Monday appeared to be a normal day, but the full moon in Libra had surprising plans. Paul had an unfortunate auto accident in which his faithful pick up truck of 12 years was demolished. THANKFULLY he came away from it with only a sore nose (although he does have a broken heart over his truck being taken out of commission) and the 3 fellas that were in the other pick up involved were also NOT INJURED! All in all, the fact that no one was injured (beyond say, bruised ego) was a complete miracle for which we are still saying grace! And now we get to find Paul a new "companion" ... although he's not ready to give in to that yet. I think he'll have to get over the mourning period first!
On the subject of cars, I took my car in to the mechanic Tuesday to find out about getting the oil pan fixed. The mechanic said, "it's killed" ... which in English means, beyond repair. So ... a new oil pan for the Volvo, a few hours of labor, some plugs and wires, and she'll be good as new ... or mostly. Since we are now a one car family (until the Saab gets out of the garage and dusted off, that is) it's important to have the Volvo in tip top shape ... so, that's what is happening today, and hopefully will be finished by the time we need to travel on Friday!
Also, yesterday morning I stopped by the real estate office to say hi, and have "secured" a part time position working in the office 2 days per week until Memorial Day, then 3 days/week. Thank goodness! I'll have a nice job, air conditioning in the summer, heat in the colder air, with nice people and it's in Banner Elk (same town where Paul works) so it's nice and close to home. I'll still be teaching on Monday and Tuesdays at the studio! So, I will officially be ending my sabbatical and getting back in to the work force. Which means, the painting, wall papering and dry walling are almost over!!! I am so close to finished with the upstairs painting .. and then it's all trim work in the down stairs. That can be done on certain weekend days (the ones we aren't hiking, kayaking and camping on, I guess!) and we will have come to the first break in our "renovation" phase I. Whew! Wild ride, Mr. Toad!
I would like to wish Jennifer a very happy 31st birthday (Good grief, how old that must make me!) and ... also wish Kenric (Ms. Christy's little boy) a very happy birthday! (on the 5th?). There are so many events happening in April that they're hard to keep up with. But I hope to cover as many as I can manage to remember. Oh, and my friend, Pennisu's mom, Lois is doing just great! She had her heart cath and all is well. So, thank goodness for those kinds of miracles!! My mosaic mentor, Chrissie Grace, has begun writing her 2nd book and is working on a bunch of other projects, one of which includes a retail line! So, congrats to Chrissie! And time is closing in on Mandy ... only 4 more days of single living, girl!!!!! And Samantha (Marozzi), CONGRATULATIONS on being accepted into The Boone Magnet program! YEAH!!!! :-)
With happy hearts, and great wishes for a wonderful spring, we wish you all a lovely Easter and will send our pictures of this luscious land frequently! Although, did I mention it's supposed to be about 20 degrees this weekend? Snow fliurries tonight ... real snow Friday night and Saturday! We'll be missing this one! :-) Anyway, HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!!!!! And we hope you get all the Easter eggs you can handle! Paul & Cheri

Jackets required!

We are walking around here in coats again! The beautifully warm 70 degree spring weather has once again changed her hat. There was a 30 degree drop in temperature yesterday from morning until sunset! Good Grief! It's been an interesting March, weather wise as well as everything else!

We spent last weekend mostly outside! Sunday was absolutely GORGEOUS. Paul hung our new storm door on Saturday! Isn't it great! I spent the weekend washing windows and screens ... oh my!! But my neighbor next door told us the house was glistening when she drove up yesterday, so that was fun to hear! We also burned leaves on Sunday ... for hours ... and there are still more to go! The winter really made a mess around here ... although I suspect the leaves haven't been cleaned up in ages since the house was in such disarray. She sure cleans up nice! I've been looking at the before pictures (inside) and there is some BIG difference around here! So I thought I'd post some of the inside just for fun ... the first picture is going to be our formal living room someday. Right now it's just a HUGE foyer ... but the cats love it and it gives Paul & I a place to practice our ballroom dancing! The second picture is of the dining room as you're looking at it through the living room doorway. We hope to get french doors up between the 2 rooms someday when we can find them on sale! The third picture is where we spend our evenings, cuddled up in blankets as you can see ... the sofa faces the fireplace and the t.v., which aren't in the picture. As you walk in the front door, this room is on the left and the formal living room (Foyer) is on the right. Directly ahead is the hallway (not pictured) ... we'd like to get french doors up on all these doorways as budget allows. It'll help tremendously with heating and insulating.

The most exciting thing that happened to Paul this week was .... he was given a kayak!!! Now those of you who know Paul know how happy this made him! He's chomping at the bit to go kayaking ... but the water is just a tad too chilly (freezing!) and I'm hoping he'll wait a little bit. But it is Paul ... we'll have to wait and see!

I don't know how we got so lucky to have the life we are living, but we'll take it with the deepest of thanks and the greatest of gratitude. We are both healthy, our children are healthy, our grand children our healthy, his parents are healthy, and everyone is doing pretty darn good! We are happy in our new world and are able to slow down and enjoy life in simple terms and we are certainly aware enough to give thanks for it every single day. I know spring time always makes reflection an involuntary thing, but I swear I wonder around in total awe of how wonderful life is. So, here's to hoping all of you are finding the same kind of spring in your worlds. The first picture is of our beautiful budding sign that spring is here (on and off!) and just how much of a miracle the cycle of life really is. There is a family of cotton tail rabbits who live under this little bush. They just hang out in a little hole, surviving snow and dogs and all kinds of things. Now that the bush is blooming, they'll come out and scurry around for food, then at sunset, they go back into their little hut, similar to what we do in our "den" I suppose. Don't you just love spring?! Miracles every place you look!

On the "news" front, sadly ... my brother's cat, General Beauregard (Beau Beau) was laid to rest last Sunday. Please send my brother, his wife Debbie, and the surviving cat (Scarlet, "Sissy") some big positive thoughts as those of you who own pets know how devastating it is to lose one of them. Our neighbor Mike has a birthday tomorrow ... wonder where I can get some moonshine for his present? Hmmmmmm... Cyndie, my sister and her daughter are going to Los Angeles on Sunday to "view" colleges and such. My niece, Hollie, is a model so she's all about L.A. Big step from the Mayberry town we live in, and she lives in a town only a couple notches up!! Good luck you 2, and don't get lost ... My son-in-law, Vic's birthday is April 1st (happy birthday, VIC!) and my daughter Jennifer's birthday is the 8th. This will be Jennifer's first remission birthday in ages ... we are still counting those blessings every single day! Seems only appropriate that her birthday falls on Easter this year (rebirth and all that)!! Mandy and Zeus's wedding is next Saturday (April 7) and we can't wait to see that! So much to look forward to! For those of you who knew our Artemis was pretty sick, he's all better and seems perfectly back to normal now. Thanks for the good wishes!

Well, guess I'll go paint and such. Happy trails to all! Paul & Cheri

Spring, indeed!

Oh my gosh! It's gorgeous here! The temperature is supposed to climb all the way to 70 and above for the next few days. I must admit, it's delightful to be warm! The daffodils are popping up every where, not to mention the tulips and all the other bulbs that are here. These daffodils have even been snowed on and they're still hanging in there! We have NO idea what lies beneath our top soil, so it's been great fun waiting to see what peeks its little head out when the sun come up! I see yard and garden work in our near future! :-) I'm quite sure that makes Paul a bit nervous, as it might mean some heavy work for him ... but the earth child in me is jumping up and down with happy dances. Our neighbor, Bruce, has a friend who has offered us "as much as you want" of his tilled land to plant our garden. Since we've changed our eating to mostly fruits, veggies and proteins, this will come in mighty handy! It'll be fun to grow our own food (again for me ... first time for Paul) and have plenty of FRESH veggies! That is not what happens here during the winter, I've discovered! YIKES! Coming from Florida where veggies are fresh all year round ~ it's a BIG gasp to look at the veggies here around mid February ... shriveled and limp green beans are NOT very appetizing!

Today's plan is painting the stair trim upstairs and the chair rail and trim in the master bedroom ... and maybe finishing the curtains if I can make myself stay inside. Otherwise, I might just begin garden duty ... there is always raking and etc. to do ... and if mother nature beckons, I'm there! We are beginning our ballroom dance classes tonight, and I understand the first dance is "swing" ... so we are truly looking forward to it! There is also my daily trip to the coffee and antique shop ... oh yeah, I got a chair yesterday that needs to be sanded and painted, but is a great old oak school chair! Paul took another load of empty boxes and wrapping stuff that we've finally UNWRAPPED to the dump today! HuRRaY!!! The house is filling now with our "stuff" ... and we aren't looking like the minimalists I'm sure our neighbors thought we might be. BOY, will they be surprised when we finally get everything undone! So will we, but that's beside the point! ;-)

Random things:

* My nephew turned 21 years old yesterday! Happy birthday, again, Derek! Congratulations! I heard a rumor the Air Force is in your future. Good luck with that!

* Beauregard, my brother's beautiful male cat, escaped the inner walls and is out and about in Suwanee, GA. As any of you who are pet owners can imagine, Wayne (my brother) is worried sick and beside himself with concern. Please, if you have a spare moment, send out some energy and good thoughts, and ask Beau Beau to GO HOME! 2 days is long enough for the is adventure of General Beauregard!

* Paul's mum, "B", has had a great post-op report back from her doctor and is on the healing path now. She and Paul's dad, Mel, were going to come up in mid April but have postponed until June or July. That gives "B" more time to heal and Paul more time to make arrangements for golf for he and his dad! The courses here are GORGEOUS and I'm sure that's where they'll be!

* Paul & I are going to get the 3 grandsons June 16th for a week! That is also the oldest grandson's 7th birthday (Austin). My goodness, the time flies right by! We're very excited about the upcoming week, and have begun resting up for it!!!!!

* Pedro and his family are coming to visit the last weekend in April. This is the man who took days out of his life to help us load the truck, come with the truck to NC, unload the truck, and fly home ... all in 3 days. He's still our favorite hero (not to mention the only person as crazy as Paul) and we're excited to show he and his family the improvements since he was here in the house's VERY RAW state!

Well, the day is getting wound up, and I must get out there and do things lest moss will grow under my feet. We just can't have that! Happy 1st weekend of spring to everyone! Enjoy!!

Paul & Cheri

Happy St. Ptrick's Day!

This is what St. Patrick's Day looks like at our house! A magical morning filled with new snow! The leprechauns had something to do with this, no doubt!! We hope you all have a wonderful St. Patty's Day and can celebrate in style ... and maybe for y'all it can be without snow sleds, etc.! HA! May the luck of the Irish be with you All! Paul & Cheri

Unpredictable!!!

The beautiful spring weather that was in our face this past week has come to a screeching halt this afternoon with snow coming down in great gobs! The temperature, which has been in the high 60's and even 70 on Wed., has now been replaced with MUCH cooler temps, and the little white flakes are tumbling down, once again, from on high! It's been a cold, damp, drizzly day all day ... it is now officially snowing! And it's supposed to stay pretty chilly all weekend, so maybe I'll quit wandering around in a spring fever and get something accomplished (or not!) ... it's been declared by the locals that the weather here is crazy during the entire month of March (I would have used the word unstable!) and it appears they really do know what they're talking about!

We've had a few interesting things happening around here ... Sunday Paul ran over something in the road that put a hole in the oil pan on the Volvo. It's a $500 part (discounted 20% at that) and a BIG project to get the pan off of the car around the transmission wiring and the brake housing and who knows what else! So, tomorrow he'll try to weld the holes closed! One can only hope!!!! Paul's truck has also decided to be very stingy with the oil pressure, so he's having challenges galore whilst driving these mountain roads! So ... anyone who knows any "car curing" chants, please forward them! We could use some better luck with the vehicles this weekend!

I had the good fortune to make a day trip to Gastonia to a HUGE fabric store with Caroline, the realtor! It was a delightful day, and down in Gastonia, the Bartlett pear trees are in full bloom, as are the red buds and the forsythia (spelling?) ... it was oh my gosh! beautiful driving through the blooms and the mountain vistas and views!!!! And I was out of little Elk Park for a bit and saw real traffic and stores ... very fun! I got plenty of fabric for the master bedroom drapes and duvet cover ... and probably yards left over! Also fringe for the kitchen panels that are pictured above. They aren't quite finished, but I thought it might be nice for you all to see the colors we're using and the windows are actually getting dressed! We're having a great time watching things change (not speaking for the cats, of course!) ... they are always looking for where they last thought they saw something! Poor guys! Anyway, the buffet in the kitchen gave us a color to work with and it's been quite the inspiration to finish that room! I will take pics as the window treatments get finished ... always a project going ....

Paul and I started hanging the "dance" art gallery last weekend, and got quite a bit of it finished, as you can see. It was a great time arranging things ... and I've now learned how to use the drill, so LOTS of things are getting hung while Paul is at work. I'm sure he's relieved! Gives him more x-box time, don't you know!

We also found a great little vanity for the master bedroom. We're still trying to decorate in that room. It's getter better every weekend! As is most of the house. We were finally able to take all the quilts and blankets out of the doorways last week, but with the temps back down in the 30's ... they'll be going back up!!! It's just too cold, and heating the house in it's entirety is not an option for us right now! But it is great to see the house's energy flow through the whole house when the "barriers" come down! It's getting there!

I've been spending some time helping the dance studio owner, Stephanie, try to get her "books" automated. We installed some dance soft ware and have begun the project of loading all the students' info and etc., etc. It'll be so much easier for her in about a week's time! I'll also begin my H U G E "doing the taxes" project this weekend. If there is a tax preparation fairy, I sure hope she begins to make daily visits here because we're going to need her to bless us every so often! I've pretty much always done our taxes as it's just easier than explaining it to anyone else. But this year we've done some extra line item activities, such as buying a house and moving, so it'll be a whole new adventure!! Can't wait to dive in ...

SO, that's what's on our agenda and in our lives right now. As far as extended news, Paul's mum, "B", has come through her surgery with flying colors ... and although she gave a bit of a scare to the recovery room folks, she's stronger and home again. Psu's mom, Lois, will be having some surgery in a couple of weeks, so please keep her in your good thoughts. I'll post more info as I get it on that front! My nephew, Derek, has a birthday coming up soon (the 22nd) and we all wish him a happy birthday! Still young, although in his 20's now. Must be fun! Ms. Mandy will be having her bridal shower tomorrow, and I sure wish I could be there! But I'll be thinking about you, Mandy!!! xoxo Saving the best news for last, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DANCER'S POINTE dancers who went to Baton Rouge and kicked bootie! I hear y'all did AWESOME and I'm very proud of you ALL!!! Don't forget to thank your parents for going "over and above" by taking you there! Always important to say thank you!

So, for now, happy St. Patty's Day to all. Take care, keep in touch and have fun! Paul & Cheri

Happy Spring Break!

Although we won't see spring break here for several more weeks, there is a huge contingent of friends who Happy Spring Break applies to ... and you know who you are! So hopefully everyone will have a wonderful week and be all revived and ready for the rest of the school year! And, to all of you who are in Baton Rouge competing this weekend -our good thoughts are with you and wishes for GOOD LUCK!!! And safe travels too!!!! Our weather is not spring break weather yet .... but it is GLORIOUS here! The weather is mild, 50's during the day, 30's at night. It's getting a little warmer each day. The locals say the worst is over because the ground is beginning to thaw now. So I guess the future snows will not stick to the ground because it's just too warm. So, dare I say, I think we have made it through the worst part of the winter! YEAH! Driving to and from work takes us across the mountain, and the transformation the scenery is undergoing is unbelievable. From one day to another we just seem to be waking up to new life every where. There are daffodils and tulips coming out of the ground in the front yard!!!! I know the locals are getting a big kick out of us and probably taking bets on whether or not we'll stay here. I'm sure Mike at the hardware store thought I'd freeze to death before February was over.

Even though there is always a hustle and bustle going on in this house, you can see how "the boys" are affected by it! They always have time to cuddle up and rest. I'm trying to take lessons from their lives, they definitely enjoy the best things in life: food, companionship, rest and (did I say?) food!!!! They're both huge, but Spartacus is still in the lead for King.

I've been antique store visiting, and found this beautiful side board last week. I don't think Paul knew what to think about it when he had to pick it up, but he's decided it looks fine in the kitchen and even has complimented its presence, so I think it'll get to stay. Personally, I love it and now have a place to store china, serving dishes and kitchen linens. My brother donated the new kitchen table and we acquired the new rug from Lowe's ... so over the weekend I hope to get the window treatments finished (the fabric is hanging on the back of one of the chairs in the picture above) and hung, as well as the kitchen pantry shelves up ... then the kitchen will be finished (except for the floors and the ceiling --- the list is long!) Phase I section R2, that is!

My brother also donated a wonderful computer desk that has turned into Captain X-box's command center. So we've moved Mr. X-box upstairs and he's got a lot more space and privacy for his gaming ... and thanks to David sending cable, Paul is live on x-box and a better man for it ... as it makes him happy. :-) We know how much better things are when everyone is happy!!! My brother, Wayne has been cleaning out his house (major spring cleaning) and he's been kind enough to donate unused things our way. So we drove down to Atlanta in Paul's truck to pick up the stuff ... and back in one day. No dilly dallying around here! However, on the way home some place around Spartanburg, the car began to sound like a phone ringing, and then whistling REALLY loudly. By the time we got to the end of the exit ramp, the fan belt (serpentine belt) was flailing loudly around cable housings and pulleys ... needless to say, GULP! But Paul, being a genius, found a way to drive a battery-less car (which means no power steering, lights, signals, etc.) to a remote Auto Parts store. They were so accommodating, with a tool cart, flash lights, etc.... and from 6:40 until 8:oo we had a roadside operation going that ended with a new serpentine belt and a new pulley housing. Perfect! We are 2 lucky ducks! We had a great adventure AND were home by the 11:00 news! They were predicting snow that night ... so we unloaded the truck, and 15 minutes later, snowflakes had filled the bed of the truck! We didn't even know it had snowed! Even though we had a little "trouble", we were fortunate enough to have angels sitting on our shoulders. We always have plenty to say grace over ... and we never forget it!

I finished painting the 30 foot hallway FINALLY, and now we can hang our "dance art gallery" up and get some character around here! GEEZ! Did I mention that list is long? And I'm hoping to make huge improvements in the master bedroom in the next couple of weeks, as it is still very undecorated (as Paul as so eloquently phrased it). I know there are still miles to go, and I am a bit concerned now that the weather is getting nice. We would much rather hike and canoe than paint and decorate. Hopefully, we'll be able to keep a little of both on the agenda! Hmmm.

Paul is taking a "bee keeping" class tomorrow in Boone. I'd love to go, but it starts at 8:30 in a town that is almost an hour away. Not sure that is for me! And I'm allergic to bee stings, but hopefully they won't bring the ones that sting!!!! HA! As I love honey, I may have to surrender and attend. :-)

Please keep good thoughts for Paul's mum, who will have surgery on Tuesday; PSu's mom who is battling some health "issues", and Jennifer and family who's car blew up!! Also to Kelly's friend, Evan who was recently in a horrific auto crash and is in ICU; and Paul's friend, Tammy who was involved in an auto rollover and has several broken ribs (ouch). As we all know, life is unpredictable. Here's to hoping all of you have many happy adventures! Happy Spring Break!Paul and Cheri