The Decks Are Done

The new deck and the original deck are now one and completed.  Tim finished staining both decks and now we have one continuous deck.  It looks so nice and it is great to have a large outdoor area to enjoy our beautiful views.  Thanks Tim for working so hard and building the deck; it looks great!  So now with the deck done we had one more thing to do to it or for it.  We had to have a wine and cheese happy hour so we did.  George and Lisa provided the wine and we provided the cheese and crackers.  We were out of wine so thank you George and Lisa.  It was a beautiful afternoon just a bit windy. At one point the wind blew so hard that our plate of cheese and crackers even got blown away.  At least we were all done with it.  With the completion of the deck we have completed some of the major projects for us on the farm...until next year!  We will continue to stay busy with Tim helping George with things around the farm and I will be helping out with the orchard and the all that will need to be done for planting, growing and harvesting this year.  Of course I will also be busy creating in my Crafty Cottage too!

Potential Widowmakers Are Gone

While Lisa and I were in Florida last week Tim and George were busy getting rid of some more trees that were potential widowmakers.  These trees were leaning towards the RV and a possible threat if it became really windy or had some strong storms come through.  The two trees that were a potential threat were dropped perfectly and fell behind the RV on the driveway between our DISH and fence.  I think I am really glad I was not here when this was all happening.  A third tree that was growing a long side a cedar tree was also taken down which is great because the cedar tree is even better looking now.  George now has more logs to split for firewood and we got rid of some trees that could of caused some real damage.  Great job guys!

We Are Back At The Farm

Lisa and I have returned to the farm and we had a pretty uneventful drive with a couple of exceptions of other driver's stupidity.  I just wonder how some drivers survive by how they drive.  We saw a few fender benders on I-26 from I-95 through Columbia, SC but luckily it did not create too many delays.  We stopped in Orangeburg, SC for lunch and so did everyone else who was traveling.  We got gas the gas stations were packed.  We tried three to four fast food restaurants and they were packed.  We ended up at Wendy's where we were in line for at least 20 minutes just to order.  We ste our food faster than it took to order  and get it.  The important thing is we got home safely where Tim and George had dinner waiting for us.  We had a great trip and I want to thank Jenny and Nate once again for their hospitality and a HUGE thank you to my little Rory for making me one happy Gamma!  I loved every minute I got to be with you Rory; Gamma loves you!

A Nice Easter

It was a nice Easter especially since it was my first Easter with Rory.  She was so cute when she saw the Easter Baskets.  I am not sure she understood what was going on and at first she was tentative about touching anything.  Once she saw her wonderful basket from the "Easter Bunny" she realized that it was all for her she went to town and looked at everything.  She was so cute and because of her age there were more toys then candy.  We went out for Easter breakfast to the Country Cabin Restaurant and we had a great breakfast.  Rory was so good and had fun playing with the jellies and creamers.  After breakfast Jenny wasn't feeling well, she has a terrible cold, so we went back home after we visited the new house. When we did get back home Rory had an Easter egg hunt in the front yard of the house.  We had a lazy afternoon then Carrie and Daniel came over and brought Rory an adorable Easter basket.  We had pizza and chatted.  It was great to spend Easter with Jenny, Nate, Rory, Carrie and Daniel and I just wish Tim was here with us too.  We will all be together in a few weeks when we return to help Jenny and Nate move into their new house.
Today Lisa and I will be returning back to the farm.  I hope that we have a safe trip home and not hit too much traffic along the way.  Tim and George, here we come!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter and I hope you have a wonderful one.  I have already had some Easter celebration yesterday going with Rory to an Easter Egg Hunt at Middleburg United Methodist Church.  We were in invited to join Jenny's best friend in High School and now, Melissa who has just moved back to the Middleburg area with her husband and two kids.  Rory was so excited unfortunately the weather decided to get nasty and rained just when the Easter egg hunt was beginning.  After realizing it was not going to quit they let the kids go anyway and they were wet but happy.  After the egg hunt we were invited to Melissa's parents house for a brunch.  It was delicious and I want to thank Mike and Trish for their hospitality and Brian, Melissa's husband, for cooking.  After Rory's nap we colored a few Easter eggs ourselves, Rory's first time, and I think she enjoyed it.  Jenny had gotten glitter egg die so they were sparkly too.  Happy Easter to all!

The Day Of Rory

Yesterday was the Day of Rory.  We started the day off early, around 6:30 and it didn't stop until 7:00 at night.  Rory woke up with hives on the feet and hands.  We did not know whether its was from the original rash she got on Thursday or if it was a new reaction to her antibiotics.  We called the doctor and set up an appointment with Rory's Dr.  Before we went to the Dr we stopped at Waffle House for breakfast.  Carrie came by to say "hi' since she had a free couple of moments.  At the Doctor we found out the rash she had turned into hives so at least she isn't allergic to another antibiotic.  Rory is being a good sport about it.  She is really something.  After her nap Rory and I went outside to play.  We even took a nice walk around the neighborhood here.  After the walk we went out by the pool and played some more. It was then bath and dinner time.  After dinner we played a little longer then Rory got very tired and was ready for bed. I have been enjoying my time with Rory very much and look forward to even more.  She is one special little girl.
Meanwhile, back at the farm Tim and George have been doing odd jobs around the farm getting things ready to get the beds in order for planting.  We did had two nights with freezing temperatures so now we are waiting to see if the trees that had already flowered will survive.  Great job guys. 

I Am Gamma!

I had one of the most wonderful moments in my life yesterday, Rory has given me my name.  She calls me Gamma.  To most people this is not a big deal but to me it is.  Rory has been able to call her Mom and Dad, Mommy and Daddy and she calls Tim,  Bumpa.  She calls Nate's parents PawPaw and MamMaw but she had never called me anything until yesterday morning when we were getting ready to go to the Doctor and she said "Come on Gamma" and it stuck.  I am Gamma!  I have said all along that I wanted to be called Grandma but hey Gamma works!  Thank you my adoreable Rory for my name; Gamma loves it and Gamma loves you!

A Nice Day

My first full day in Middleburg/Orange Park was pretty eventful.  We dropped Rory off at school then came back to the house where I helped Jenny with some things for her business, SALTED BY JEN, while she was busy making some really nice jewelry I was busy working on her packaging for her jewelry.  After we were done with that we ran to the post office to send out some packages and then headed to Panera to meet my two great friends Jean and Sharon.  They just happened to be having lunch so they invited Jenny and I to join them.  We had a nice lunch then Jenny and I did a little shopping until it was time to pick up Rory from school.  We stopped by the house that Jenny and Nate are having built to check out the progress then headed home where I had a great afternoon playing with Rory.  We had dinner then played some more.  I had so much fun and so did Rory. 
Meanwhile back at the farm, Tim was busy as he started to stain some areas on the new deck.  He also added trim on the deck where it connects to the RV.  Once he is done it is really going to look nice.  Thanks Tim, great job so far. 
Today Rory is going to participate in an Egg hunting event at her school then after that, well, we will just have to see what happens.

Hello Florida!

Lisa and I left Tennessee just before 9:00 to make our 8 plus hours drive to the Jacksonville, FL area. Jacksonville has been both of our homes for a long time.  For Lisa, all of her life and for me since 1991.  Our drive was uneventful but fun because we talked about some fun topics and did a lot of reminiscing about the TLC tours we were on and other things that we have done together.  We have had a lot of adventures together with more to come.  I had another great welcoming by Rory who is not feeling well, an ear infection, but she greeted me with a smile and coming to me right away.  All I can say is that it makes my heart skip a beat as I am filled with joy.  She really is a joy in my life.  After we unloaded the car Lisa headed into Jacksonville where she is staying with her kids.
Nate made dinner and we had a nice evening just relaxing.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, Tim and George were busy trying to fix the pressure washer but had to give it up and found one on sale and bought it.  Tim needed to pressure wash the new deck for staining and George had to pressure wash the gator and log splitter. 
Lisa and I will be in the Jacksonville area through Easter and it is going to be great to be with my kids and hopefully see several friends.  Check back and see what I do!

Surprise Trip To Florida

Yes, I am headed to Florida for Easter.  Lisa lost a close friend to the family over the week end and she wants to go to the funeral so since she was headed down to Jacksonville on her own I decided to take the opportunity and hitch a ride to go see my kids.  We are headed out early this morning and should be in the Jacksonville area by 4:00.  I think I surprised my kids when I asked if it is okay for me to come visit but they seem really happy I am coming so that is good.  I am also going to be able to see some friends too; a bonus!  Of course one of the greatest things will be celebrating Easter with Rory.  This will be the first Easter I get to celebrate with her.  Tim and George will be holding down the farm while we are gone.  I will continue to report what is going on at the farm and what I am up to in Florida too.  Here I come Florida family and friends!

"Miracles From Heaven"

Lisa and I went to go see the movie "Miracles From Heaven" yesterday and it was really good.  It is based on a true story of a little girl who was very ill but then a miracle happened.  It was a great movie with a very powerful message and tested the faith of a family who had faith to begin with.  It also showed that you have to fight for your loved ones and sometimes put some trust into people you just met.  Now that I think about it this movie had several meanings and it is one that I highly recommend everyone should see.  It is very well done and during the movie there are happy moments and sad moments.  You will be laughing at one point and crying at another but you will leave the movie with a wonderful feeling.  Go see it!

Birthday SAS...3,000 Miles Away

This past week end was my Sister's, Pam, Birthday Stamp and Stack.  She had over 30 ladies at her house and sold several card packs too.  I have become the Door Prize person providing Pam with her door prizes that she gives to her participants.  The cards that Pam has created for her Birthday SAS were excellent as I received a card pack myself and put them together and each is a great card that I will enjoy sending out for special Birthdays.  The door prizes, I have heard, were a success and I even received some text from some of the ladies who attended the SAS thanking me for them.  I thought that was very sweet.  I will post pictures of the door prizes and the SAS cards.  I want to take this opportunity to let Pam know how happy and proud I am of her.  She does a great job and puts so much into her SAS's and I am so glad that they are as successful as they are.  Way to go Pam!

The Deck Addition Is Completed

It was another nice day and Tim was able to complete putting the deck boards on the new deck.  It looks great and now we have doubled our living space outside and he finished at a good time now the weather will be nicer and we can spend more time using the deck. Along with more space comes more views of the mountains in North Carolina.  Here is the funny thing about finishing the new deck yesterday.  A year ago on the same day Tim finished the first deck.  I know this because on Facebook there is a memories page and it popped up yesterday with a picture of our deck.  Tim did a great job with both decks and we are looking forward to enjoying the new addition as much as we have enjoyed our original deck.  Thanks Tim, you did another great job and I know we will enjoy the deck for years to come.

The New Deck Part Two

We have been enjoying this warm spell with the weather we have been having.  We are not sure how long it will really last and since it is still early Spring we know that we could get some cold weather.  There are snow flurries predicted for this Sunday in the mountains and we are hoping it stays in the mountains.  The fruit and nut trees are really beautiful with their pink and white flowers but a freeze, if we were to get one, would stop any produce from the trees this year so let's hope it stays above freezing until next fall.  The weather has played a huge factor with Tim being able to get so much done on the new deck.  He framed the rest of the deck and started placing the boards down.  He got about half way done and ran out of wood so after dinner last night Tim and George ran into Lowes and picked up the rest of the wood.  If the weather holds out today all the deck boards should be done by the end of today.  The new deck will double our living space when the weather is nice.  It will also be creating new views towards the North Carolina mountains.  Check back tomorrow for the progress and the views.

London Has Fallen

We all had a pretty full day yesterday from working on decks, exercising and creating to enjoying a late lunch and a movie.  It was suppose to be a rainy day but it ended up being a beautiful Spring day with sun and warm temperatures.  The wind was in the right direction for working on the decks and in the Crafty Cottage.  Tim was busy adding another section of the new deck while George was busy redoing his deck that held the hot tub.  Soon it will be another nice deck to enjoy more beautiful views.  Lisa decided to take a really long walk and did over 7 miles; way to go Lisa!  I spent the day making my Easter Cards to be sent out soon.  The Crafty Cottage was warm until I opened up the windows and then I had a great breeze that kept me cool but made it a little difficult to keep the papers I was working with from flying all over. 
Lisa and I both received emails from Ruby Tuesday for a Buy one get one Cheeseburger that was only good for two days.  So, we decided to take advantage of the coupon and since we were in town anyway to also go see a movie.  The cheeseburger was delicious and very filling.  We figured the restaurant would be fairly busy with the two day coupon but we got there mid afternoon so it was in between rushes.  We then headed over to the Newport Cinema and saw the movie, "London Has Fallen".  It was a good movie and very action packed.  It is a sequel to "Olympus Has Fallen" but you do not have to see the first movie to see this movie.  It is a totally different movie except the characters are the same.  The President of the United States is attending a State Funeral in London when a terrorist group works on kidnapping him.  Luckily his faithful Secret Service agent is with him and working hard on keeping him safe.  There are a few twists in the movie that at the end leads to a surprise.  If you like action films and just want a couple of hours of forgetting about things then this is the movie to see. 
We did have a great experience while driving up our road on our return to the farm.  We came across a big deer on our neighbor's driveway.  This neighbor is never around, it is a vacation property for him, so his land is a great place for deer to live.  This deer was huge and did not seem to be afraid of us at all.  Tim even backed the car up so we could all see it.  The deer stood in one place for a while so I could take some pictures with my phone.  Unfortunately  the picture is grainy but it does show the deer and how big it was.  A nice way to end a nice day.
Today is St. Patrick's Day and this will be a quiet one for us.  I am not a fan of corned beef and cabbage or green beer so I will be celebrating by just wearing green.  When I was a little girl St. Patrick's Day was kind of a big deal especially living in Chicago wear the Chicago River turns an Spring green color and one of the best St. Patrick's Day parade is held.  It wasn't a school holiday but I remember watching the parade on TV in school.  My maiden name is Colley and we always thought it was an English name but my brother did some research several years ago and found out it was actually Irish so now St. Patrick's Day has a little more meaning to it.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Expansion Of The Deck

Our Deck is being expanded.  We have always planned to have a bigger deck but decided to do it in sections.  Last summer Tim built the first section which will eventually get screened in.  Now the second section is going up and it will be a great addition.  When this second section is finished then the entire front of the RV will have a deck.  It will be nice to have a larger deck and will give us a lot more space for entertaining.  Tim put up the first half of the deck frame yesterday and it is looking great.  Thanks Tim, so far, it is looking good!

The Orchard Trees Are Flowering

Looking down into the orchard is quite a pretty view right now with the Apricot, Peach and Apple trees starting to bloom.  The white flowers on the apricot trees are beautiful and the pink flowers on the peach trees are so delicate.  I think it is the first time I have ever seen the flowers of these trees.  The apple trees have both white and pink flowers but I am not sure which type of apple trees they are.  The pear trees are now beginning to bud.  All of this would be great if it was only a few weeks later.  Unfortunately this just being mid March we could still have a freeze or two and if that happens these trees will not produce.  Last year that happened and we are hoping it won't happen again.  So, fingers crossed and a prayer said, we are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.  As for now, we are just enjoying the beauty of the flowering trees.

Dining With A View

It was a beautiful day yesterday and the best way to end a beautiful day is by grilling with friends and enjoying the view.  George and Lisa grilled burgers while I supplied the grillin' beans and cole slaw.  The added bonus is sharing it with George and Lisa's son Travis who is visiting.  The food was great, the company fun and the view was spectacular.  Some of the fruit trees in the orchard are starting to bloom and we are hoping that the freezing temperatures are done especially since the apricot trees are budding.  I love apricots and I am hoping they survive this year.  Last year the same thing happened and we did get a freeze and the apricot trees never produced.  We have been enjoying 70+ degrees everyday since we have returned to the farm and we are hoping we have a mild Spring so that the trees will survive.  The orchard and the crops that will be planted have been planned and ordered and soon we will be getting the grounds ready to plant.  Now that we have sprung ahead an hour and the temperatures are making it feel like spring we are ready for Spring to come. Thanks George, Lisa and Travis for a nice evening.

The Bench Has Been Painted

Did you "spring ahead" last night and set your clocks ahead one hour?  If you didn't you are late!  It will now stay lighter at night which is nice but I hate it bring dark again in the morning.  Oh well, it won't last too long after ball, days are getting longer.  Yesterday was a busy day on the farm for Tim and I.  Tim was busy rewiring the trailer lights on the Little Cabin on Wheels, washed the car and little cabin, fixed his chainsaw and painted my bench outside the Crafty Cottage.  We decided to paint the bench green, the same color as the trim on the crafty cottage, and it looks great!  I know a couple of months ago I took a poll as to what color to paint the bench; green won.  Nice job Tim, thanks!
While Tim was busy doing all of his things I was busy in the Crafty Cottage making my March CCC cards.  This month's theme was teach a new technique.  I taught myself a new technique on pleating paper and then made my card.  I got it all done I just have to write up instructions then send out the cards.  The March CCC card is done. It was a busy but good day!

The Hot Tub That Never Was

George has a knack of finding good buys on Craig's List and has had some great successes with it.  After all, he build a home from buying a house and all of its contents and made it better.  So I guess not every purchase can be a success and that is what happened to the Hot Tub.  George found a great spot on his porch to place a hot tub.  He sunk it into the deck and it looked so nice.  He hired pool and spa specialist to fix the problems he knew about and all looked good and ready to roll until the day a leak was discovered.  George and Tim worked hard in finding the leak and repairing it but unfortunately the leak the hot tub had was so severe that it would cost a fortune to fix if it could be.  So there the hot tub sat, looking great and inviting but would never see a person enjoying it.  George and Tim yanked the hot tub out the other day when Lisa and I were in Newport running errands.  Now it is ready to be disposed of and George has a new challenge; what to do with the hole in the deck.  Of course we have all given our opinions but George will figure out what will work best.  For now, we just have to wait and see what happens. 

A New Toy

George got a new toy for the farm, a 10 Ton Dump Truck!  A few weeks ago we went on our Cumberland Gap journey and it all started with this truck.  We had to drive to check it out and after seeing it and the goats George decided to buy it.  He is going to use it to help move a mountain, literally.  He wants to move the mountain that lies between our RV and his house to make room for some more building and creating more space for vehicles to maneuver about easier.  We were pushing for a pool but I am pretty sure George has nixed that idea and is going with moving a mountain.  The dump truck is in pretty good condition for being a few decades old and I am sure it will be a welcome addition in helping George accomplish moving his mountain!  There will be updates on the progress once it begins so keep checking back!

We Are Back Home On The Farm

We are back home on the farm and it feels good to be home.  It is always fun to go on vacation especially when you have a good time but it is also good to come home.  It did not take us long to get unpacked and even get the laundry done.  We were welcomed back by George and Lisa who had us for dinner so we did not have to worry about cooking on our first night back.  Lisa made a great dinner, baked chicken penne pasta, it was delicious and we enjoyed wine and dinner on the front deck.  It was a beautiful day and evening.  Thank you George and Lisa, we really do appreciate it. 
So, what happen on the farm since we were gone?  It was pretty quiet around here.  The big exciting news is that Lisa is attracting all sorts of birds with her bird houses and bird feeder and there will be more once she gets a new bird feeder.  The trees are starting to get buds so let's hope Spring is here and we do not have any more days below freezing.  That happen last year which is one reason the fruit trees did not produce very well.  I guess we will have to wait and see.

We Are Headed Back To The Farm

Well our "Spring Break" has come to an end and we head back to the farm today.  We had a great one and I hope you followed our "Spring Break" on my Travels With Ruth blog.  If you didn't and want to see all that we did check it out;
Travelswithruth-ruth@blogspot.com
We have not had much contact with George or Lisa as to what has happened at the farm when we were gone so we will be looking forward to hearing all the happenings and then I will share with you. Check back tomorrow to see how our traveling home went!

The Veteran's Overlook

On our way home from Cumberland Gap we came across a scenic overview and we decided to stop and check it out.  It was a beautiful valley around Morristown and there is a memorial to all veterans.  The valley that the overlook is located was once called Bean Station and is one of Tennessee's earliest settlements.  It was built by William Bean. There was a tavern which was the largest between Washington DC and New Orleans.  The Battle of Bean Station was fought around the tavern.  It was a beautiful spot and I am so glad we had the chance to stop and see it.

The Iron Furnace

The Iron Furnace is located in Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and is the remains of the furnace that can be seen today.  The lower portion of the original 1819 30 foot high blast furnace is what is left and can be view after doing a short hike to the furnace.  The Iron Furnace was a large complex and it was called the Newlee Iron Furnace.  The furnace was used to create Iron that was shipped down the Powell river to Chattanooga. The materials needed to create one ton of Iron was 200 bushels of charcoal, 2 tons of iron ore and 500 pounds of limestone which were all dumped into the top of the furnace by men, often slaves.  A water wheel powered bellows kept the fire hot.  It took 4 to 6 hours to produce molten iron.  The daily product at the Newlee Iron Furnace was 3 1/4 tons of iron at a cost of $19.40 per ton in 1877.  When you look at the furnace and how much stone was involved in building it you can only imagine the amount of men it took to build.  I was glad we could see it and all it have been. 

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park was established in 1940 and it located in three states where their borders all meet; Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.  It has 20,500 + acres and see over 850,000 visitors a year.  There are over 81 miles of hiking trails and wildlife watching is easy.  There are deer, beavers, foxes, bobcats, bears and over 150 species of birds.  The hiking trails range from easy 1/4 mile hike to the 21 mile ridge hike.  The trails vary from wide pathways to narrow trails.  The park's visitor center is located in Middlesboro, Kentucky.

Wilderness Road - Cumberland Gap

Wilderness Road was the principal road used by settlers for more than 50 years to reach Kentucky form the east.  In 1775 Daniel Boone blazed a trail for the Transylvania Company from Fort Chiswell in Virginia through the Cumberland Gap into central Kentucky.  It was a steep, rough and narrow trail that could only be done on foot or on horseback but it was still used by thousands of people.  The original trail was a large loop with a distance of 200 miles. In 1792 the new Kentucky legislature provided money to upgrade the road.  In 1796 it became an all weather road and was opened for wagon and carriage travel.  The road was abandoned around 1840.  Today many highways follow much of the route along with hiking trails in the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. 

Cumberland Gap, TN

Cumberland Gap, TN is a town in Claiborne County, TN.  It is located near Cumberland Gap, a historical mountain pass for which the town got its name and is surrounded on all sides by the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.  In 1888 a work camp was established at Cumberland Gap by Scottish-born entrepreneur Alexander Arthur to house workers needed to build a tunnel for the Knoxville, Cumberland Gap and Louisville Railroad.  Arthur, who was attempting to establish a large scale iron production operation in the Cumberland Gap region founded the nearby cities of Middlesboro, Kentucky and Harrogate, TN and the nearby community of Arthur.  It was considered the "Gateway to the West". It then became a strong hold during the Civil War and the town changed sides four times during the war.  There is a building that was the Confederate States of America Headquarters when the South had control of the town. Today Cumberland Gap is a tourist town with antique shops and local restaurants.  The towns population under 500 but almost every building in town is on the National Register of Historic Places.  It has a "Mayberry" atmosphere.  We had lunch at the Pineapple Tea Room and it was delicious.  I would highly recommend this restaurant to eat at.  We did a little shopping in the antique stores and I picked up a an old magazine rack that will be perfect in the RV.  We had a good day at Cumberland Gap and we will be returning a lot more often.

Cumberland Gap

Cumberland Gap is a narrow pass through the long ridge of the Cumberland mountains which is part of the Appalachian Mountains near the junction of U.S. States Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.  It is famous in the American Colonial history for the role as key passageway through the lower central Appalachians as part of Wilderness Road.  During the Civil War it transferred sides four times between the Confederate and Union armies. 

Our "Spring Break" begins today!

Tim, Shadow and I are leaving the farm for a week and headed to Columbia, SC in the Little Cabin on Wheels for our "Spring Break".  We will be staying at Fort Jackson Recreational area as our home base while we take day trips to different places in the area.  We will be taking a short two day trip to the Jacksonville, FL area to visit our kids and granddaughter too.  We are planning on visiting Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Columbia, Charleston and Savannah too.  There is lots to do in the area and to follow along with us please follow my Travels With Ruth blog:
travelswithruth-ruth.blogspot.com
On this blog, Just Another Day At The Farm, I will be continuing our adventures of Cumberland Gap. We saw so much in one day that it will take me a few days to share it with you. 

A Nice Day With Friends

Who would of guessed that on Leap Day, Feb 29, that we would be able to have lunch out our deck?  Well we did!  Our friends Larry and Linda came over for lunch yesterday and it was so warm outside we were able to eat out on the deck instead of inside like I thought we would have to.  Lisa and George also joined us and we had a nice afternoon getting all caught up with all that has gone on since we had last been together.  I made an easy lunch, veggie soup, salad and bread, and Linda brought two delicious desserts, oatmeal bars and banana pudding with vanilla wafers.  Everything was delicious!  Linda, Lisa and I did some crafty things and the men stayed outside chatting the afternoon away.  It was a good day.  Thanks Larry, Linda, Lisa and George for coming over for the day.