Anything You Might Want!!

I am writing this today because I just have to share this now. I will update on the whole week when I get home on Saturday. I have to explain this photo. We arrived in Cashiers, NC on Friday afternoon, checked into both houses and settled in. Saturday, Kaiti and I went into town - pronounced Ca'-shers - accent 1st syllable, not Ca-sheers'...this was quickly pointed out to us by the 12 year old clerk at the local grocery store. We went into the only pharmacy in town looking for a hair dryer. I picked out a hair dryer - now this was easy since they only had 2, and they were both the same. As I am standing in line to pay for my purchase - just in front of the Pepsi machine - I couldn't help but notice that right where you drop off your prescription, you can also buy a shot-gun, a rifle (the kind with a site gauge) a hand gun and any of the bullets that you would need to go with them. This isn't a very good picture - but the rifles and shotguns are in the background. I am really trying to understand how this could work - you fill prescriptions for Zanax, Prozac, etc. and sell guns at the same time, at the same counter - hmmmm, go figure. So that was the highlight of Saturday, and the days that have followed have been peaceful, restful and refreshing for all of us. More later.

Headed North!!!

For the next 7 days I am trading our Gulf Coast sunset for a much cooler lakeside sunset in the mountains. We left after work today and headed north on 75. We will meet up with part of our family tomorrow in Atlanta - making it to Cashiers by mid afternoon. There will be a total of 22 of us resting, reading, laughing, playing cards, boating, worshiping, eating, hiking, playing games, watching favorite movies, watching old home movies, shopping and just being together. Did I mention watching the Gamecocks play on Saturday?? The greatest is leaving our remodeling project and dust in Florida!! I will catch you all up from a higher and cooler place!!

Still Counting....

So here we are - that is what just a little part of the kitchen looks like! We have your blue wall, your red wall, your butter yellow wall, and your cranberry wall - all in one room. Let's see this house was built in 1987 - two colors came in before we did, and the rest after. Hundreds of feet of wallpaper and glue have been soaked and scraped. Will I ever wallpaper again - I think not! We are going to refinish these and texturize them to paint. Right now we are in the middle of rewiring and replumbing. The 1980s style floor tile is coming up on Tuesday - oh, I already know what a mess that is going to be. I found the light fixtures I wanted, the sink fixtures, the cabinet door pulls and knobs, the right granite, and even the black sink that I was looking for. Still some questions about what is going over and across the sink area. But, I found something that I am hoping will work there, too. So, all in all - we are moving right along. The new sheet rock has already been mudded in. The entire contents of the kitchen has been packed and is in boxes (looks like we are waiting on the moving truck) and is stacked on the back porch and in the family room. Remember we did all of this last year with the foyer, living room, dining room and David's office in the fall of last year - when we went from tile everywhere else downstairs to wood. So, we are living on take-out, working from home amid the mess, and looking forward to our week in the mountains while this gets completed. On another note - I haven't heard anything from the testing that was done last Tuesday. I called the doctor's office at LifeLink yesterday - hoping to find out something. The doctor should have the report to read on Monday. I should hear something on Tuesday. I am still praying, and do not have a sense or feeling of worry about this. David and I had a great time grandbaby-shopping this morning. He personally feels that all of this "newfangled baby stuff" is a total racket aimed at us. Oh, well - this is going to be so much fun!!!! Our Carolina Gamecocks played on Thursday night and beat Kentucky!!! The rain has finally stopped, the sun is out and we are well on our way into the 90's and a humid October afternoon in Florida. So in the midst of construction, hospitals, humidity, a winning football team and new life in our family I am counting it all joy.

Sad News to Celebrate

Another steel magnolia is gone, but she is playing music in heaven!!

Miss Lucie Anne, my mom's neighbor and "siesta", died this past Sunday. She was a member of First Baptist Church and was the first ordained female deacon. She taught the Winsome Sunday School Class for a number of years and currently was the teacher for the Ruth Sunday School Class. She taught a Beth Moore Bible study in her home. She retired as a music and chorus teacher after teaching half of the junior high students in my home town. What a blessing it was to have Miss Lucie Anne share the Beth Moore weekend with my mom and my two daughters last April in Columbia!! I now, more than ever, realize what a sweet, precious gift that weekend was for each of us. I pray that my generation will be able to rise up and be the women of faith and strength that these women have been for a lifetime.

Psalm 116:15Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.