Hiking with the leg

Last weekend Paul and I experimented with the new knee/leg and took it for a walk on the Nature Trail at Frozen Head. I have to report that I was able to walk a least one mile, with the only damage done being the mysterious stuff stuck to my shoes. We cruised downtown Oliver Springs and found the Library / Historical Museum open. It is located in an old Train Depot, well done and interesting place. We tried to take a photograph of a picture on the wall and the Librian felt sorry for us and photo copied the image. It is a composite of grade school children dated 1930 - 1933. Some are labled and we found Hazel Hill, Paul's Mom picture. There are many familiar last names, one being Josephine Whalen, so we were both excited about this find. We celebrated the day by chowing down on a pizza at Big Ed's in Oak Ridge. My skinny new self rarely eats pizza so enjoyed every crispy, cheesy bite. Great day. Wish you are could have been there.

Found!

Camera has finished hiding and returned home. Whew, I am so happy. Camera was hiding in a new "safe place" in my car. I rarely drive the car and thought I had driven the van when I last had camera in my hands. So, three things have now returned home 1) Camera, 2) Brown knitted scarf, 3) Jewelry box......all were in " safe places "... Lesson learned. My "things" are in more danger of me hiding them in "safe places" then they are from the world.......

Lost

At this moment, my camera is not with me. We have parted ways and I feel a great loss. The last time we were together, I took pictures of the sunrise at Weems Road. Afterwards we parted. I do not know where and am certain that I am uncertain of the parting. All I know is we are no longer together. I am grieved more than I can say, not only in the loss of a "thing" but at the realization that I just do not remember where I put the camera. How did this happen? How foolish and forgetful on my part. Was I in a hurry, did I walk off and leave it in a store, or most importantly, did I put it in one of my "safe places"?
Maybe camera will return, maybe I will learn from this, and maybe someone else needed camera more than me.
Camera, if you are reading this, come home, all is forgiven and I will be more careful in the future........

Belly Blues

I got the belly blues, and I will play a tune for you u u u ....

New Year

New plans, dreams, directios. Cousins growing into Brothers and Sisters. Patterns everywhere around us. We are woven together as a family, a part of this beautiful world. Our Fathers on earth are guiding us to our Father God. God continues to weave, paint, and order this world, showing us his Glory in the earth, sky, sea, and love found in our family.

Scott's birthday

We had a wonderful birthday party for Scott at Gma and Gpa's house. The cousins always enjoy spending time with each other. Some people play cards, others play foodfall, talk. Our "cousins" share a couch.

3 movie stars

Andrew

thanks scott

....if only Todd had not yelled

"Land Shark!!!"


Fortunatey for the Burka Cousins, Scott was able to hold on and kept them all from floating off into

space, the great unknown....

Christmas

Christmas on the beach with the Burkas and this is the photo I chose to tell the story. No matter where we are, how we feel, how old we are, how we toss and turn, struggle, rebell, follow, or lead, our Mothers will always love us.

That is the Christmas story.

Love

We are imperfect people in the way we love ourselves and others.

Only God can love perfectly.

30th Wedding Anniversary

and still in love

Cherry Berry

This is one of Cherry's favorite books. She just was reading another chapter and dozed off. Cherry is very sick and will not be with us much longer. She has contracted FIP, the same virus that killed YAK. We are heart broken. I believe she is a carrier for the diease and she gave it to YAK when she moved in..Now it has progressed from a runny, very wet nose, to a big fat swollen tummy. The tummy will press on her lungs and make it hard to breath, or press on her stomach and make it difficult to eat. The virus also attacks the blood and depletes nutrition , so she will starve. The vet said that now is not the time, because Cherry is still happy, eating and playing, so now is not the time. The time will be later. Five percent of cats recover....maybe...just maybe...

Seriously?

"Seriously Maury? " You really think Aunt Janet Rose and Uncle Paul are cool?" "Seriously?"

and then there were two

Here is the new resident of 11724 Yarnell Road. If anyone wants any information passed their way, send one months rent of $200 to the above address. Phone calls will be billed at $20 an hour. Photos are not allowed at this time due to processing fees.

Hairy Story

First I got a free haircut at the fair. My hair looked good, if you like having hair one inch longer on one side. Then I went to my hairdresser and told her to do anything she wanted. Well, she had been trying to dye my hair red for 20 years, so , that is what she did.
I am no longer a ditzy blonde, now I am a fiesty red-head.........

So, did I win any ribbons? Um , you bet!

Sam and Danielle

We were visited by Danielle again last weekend. She is Sam's friend.

We went to the Fair and

stayed and stayed and stayed.

"Exceptional Drought Level"

The weather has taken on a persona of it's own. IT It never rains, never. I did an internet search using just the word Drought. NOACC displays various maps, predictions, satellite views and all are so depressing. Guess which state is the "star" of this exceptional drought, okay, you know, it is TENNESSEE. We are now Big Dried Out Country. One report says that we need 18 inches of rin to get back to normal.
You have all seen the weather maps with the little thundercloud predicting a possiblilty of rain. In Ireland the percentages are shown as 70%, 90%, or 50%. Here we get the little cloud with as little as 20%, now think about it, that means there is an 80% of sunshine. It fails to rains so the weather man just moves the emblem a few days further, trying to give a flicker of hope. I think the little tine green blogs that do show up once a week are just showing where the last green grass can be found. Sometimes the weather man will zooom far out just to show us that yes, Virginia, it really still rains somewhere in the country.....like in Texas.
We have only mowed the yard twice this summer. In a good year we have had to mow twice a week. We have picked the shrubs we will try to share and know we will lose the rest. The trees are dropping their leaves, trying to save their roots.
We actually got some rain yesterday. Comments heard, " What is that stuff?" " We used to have stuff like this when we were young, but I can't remember what it is called." "It has been so long since it rained, I didnt know how to open my umbrella" A few days before a man had stopped by the booth and told me he had heard a rumor that it was raining on Merchants Road.