Tuckaseegee River Rats

Hanging out at Bill and Betty Hill's (Toni's Nanny and Papa)- We rocked on the porch, enjoyed the river, and grilled some great burgers.

Flatlanders Lawnservice

We all worked really hard getting this yard into shape. It was just the normal stuff: weeds and mowing; until, a tornado blew through last weekend. Then, we had to start over with a real big mess. The girls helped lots with good attitudes. Gah worked on weeds and trimming-she is really proud of this topiary. Mama learned to ride a mower up a VERY steep slope. It made me nervous to watch her. I got a new weedeater. A "girly" one-meaning can do heavy work, but light weight. It is a rechargeable battery Troybilt. I am proud of it. At first, I was not used to holding it at the angle of the slopes and it kept digging lines in it like a four year old giving himself a buzzcutt. The first patch of yard I did looked like someone hired Braille Yardservice. But, it got easier. My hands hurt really bad; and, I am considering using it to write words along the driveway. The worst part is Gah got a horrible case of poison ivy. I took her to her doctor and he prescribed prednazone and cortizone. She is still itching pretty bad. We got ahold of some poison ivy scrub today that Curtis recommended and she thinks it is easing up.

Jessica and Sheila

Alma had a great experience at WCU's Mountain Mystery Daycamp. The stone cottage is a replica of a Scottish home long, long ago. The inside was a good rendition of their very sparse lifestyle, too. The Scots were some of the first European settlers in Western NC. The other picture shows her sample of weaving with scraps of cloth. She hopes to continue it to make a little bag or something. The cute, curly-headed girl is Jessica Gibson. She became Alma's friend in daycamp. So, on the last day, I introduced myself to her mother to explain our extended stay here this summer and hopes that they could spend more time together. Then, the mom, who reminds me so much of Rachael Ponds, asked, "Did you by any chance call the church about VBS last week?" Well, yes I did and spoke to their children's minister, Sheila Gibson... this girl's MOM! How weird is that!! So, on Friday of last week, Sheila and Jessica joined us at The Factory for a fun night. Jessica's dad is a graphic designer and even created the brochures and billboards for the Factory. We have also seen them at the Jackson County Library program that meets every Thursday afternoon. I am still surprised by this coincidence..... isn't there some piece of scripture about steps being numbered and even hairs on our heads or something?? cool, huh?

hodgepodge with no pictures

I'm sitting in this little cafe in Franklin across the street from a park the kids like to play in. Mama is watching them while I update this blog. I am sooo frustrated because I can't seem to access the pictures from my blackberry. I am sure I will figure this out, but right now, I am running out of time. My internet time is so limited. This is my first hour since last Friday. So, in the past few days, we have been cleaning up limbs from a really bad storm, taking Gah to the doctor for poison ivy, dealing with satelite tv and insurance problems. Also, we've played in the creek, read books on the porch, played Canasta with Ft. Tatham friends. Yesterday we went over to Waynesville to toodle around in shops and eat at Nick and Nates. Nick and Nates was closed on Tuesdays ( I forgot!) So, we had supper at Bogarts, which is always good too. We also went to a book signing at City Lights this past Saturday. The author is Susan Gilmore and the book is Finding Salvation at the Dairy Queen. I enjoyed meeting the author, a very charming Southern girl. I have not started the book yet, but each night Gah reads and laughs out loud. Last night, she was up till one or so reading. It must be pretty good. I will try the pictures again soon and add some more here.

Mountain Mysteries Camp

This week Alma has been able to attend this great day camp at WCU. Two of the Mountain Heritage Museum curators, Mr. David and Mr. Peter, teach 12 children (ages 8-12) Appalachian history, culture, folk arts, music, and botany. She made a quill and wrote her name in Cherokee, made a candle out of beeswax, cooked on an open fire, walked trails, played games the pioneers enjoyed, and enjoyed mountain music. Alma and I have an appreciation of country, bluegrass, and ballads. I love the litarary and historical signficance and the haunting sounds. Yesterday at the camp, Mr. David and a guest named Will entertained the kids with a concert. Will is a 22 year old who is an expert fiddle player and even makes his own fiddles out of maple. I got to hear a few tunes as I picked Alma up. As everyone was leaving, we heard more fiddle playing, so walked back in the auditorium. David was standing on the stage alone playing. No one else was in there, so we walked down to the front. I asked him if he knew any ballads. Duhh, of course he did. He asked Alma to sing "Miss Margaret" as he played. She joined him and did her most beautiful performance ever and the acoustics and lighting also added to to. As she was singing, her teachers wandered back in. I could see from their expressions that I am not impressed only because I am her mother. They were so surprised that a Florida girl knows these old songs, and gave me tips on how I can help to enrich this and continue her learning in folk music. I told them that I hesitate to tell mountain people that I am from Florida, because of the stereotype associated with Floridians. They assured me that they know that some Floridians are real southerners and not "half-backs"-people who move from up north, live in Florida awhile, then make it halfway back home showing their yankee ways with Florida license plates. Anyway, it was a chill-bump moment of Alma singing with and for these people. In fact, David personally knows Sheila Kay Ash! He told me I need to get her into banjo or fiddle lessons. hmmmm in The Villages?

tv and mail

Gah and Papa move their satellite service back and forth from Oxford to Sylva. I called to move the service for her and found out that it's not so simple. Since the account is only in Tom Smith's name, it has to be closed out with a faxed death certificate and reopened for her. uggg. I told the guy her husband just died and she can't hear. She just wants to look at some news. Anyway, we are working on it.

I went to the library in Sylva to register the girls for the Summer Reading Program. I inquired about how I could get a card. It seems that I only need a piece of mail with my name on it matching my photo id. So, Brent is going to send me an envelope; hopefully, it will arrive today.

It's Gah's birthday. I wanted to do a little something special. She requested going to eat at Ryan's; so, I called up a couple of Ft. Tatham girls and they gathered five to meet us for supper. I enjoyed seeing Gah's face light up throughout the evening. These are some fun friends with a quick wit and fun spirit. They don't seem to mind that some don't remember well and some don't hear it to begin with. Zella Mae killed a snake yesterday. It was crawling under her cabin when she picked it up by the tail and swung it out and got it with a hoe! What's up with old ladies and snakes? After needing to be rolled out of Ryan's, they came over for canasta. We had enough players for two tables of four. Myram talked about how Papa used to aggravate the living daylights out of her over intense card games; he would "hex" the cards and get her all upset. Gah and Zella Mae won and then they began scheduling trips to the casino.

Gah's Birthday

Friends in Lowe Places

I had a nice morning hanging around W.C.U. and running a few errands while Alma was in daycamp. At noon, I picked her up and we headed back to the house. I expected to find Gah and Mama doing some cleaning and maybe getting the flower beds tidied up, but apparantly something else was up. There was a car in the driveway with a Texas plate. Standing in the door was a large, loud, friendly man introduced to me as Randy. He came to help out when Gah called him because the basement flooded. Mama said it was a couple inches deep. It's a big basement; that's a lot of water. The 29 year old washer had rusted out and sent this deluge when Mama tried to wash a load. I'm so glad Chloe went down there to play and found it before it got even worse. Randy told us to go to Lowe's and buy a new one and he'd help deliver and install.

I was still processing this when Mama said Gah killed a snake at the grape vine. It was black with some pattern and probably harmless; but, since kids play around there Gah killed it.

Heather, the little neighbor girl, came over to play and I helped the kids get some lunch before Gah and I went to Lowe's. She took a receipt for some flowers that died because they had a one year guarantee. The girl at the customer service department did not really know what to think about refunding dead plants. Gah can't hear, so I had to interpret by yelling and explaining. The girl called the manager. He was helpful and credited her with 19 dollars and then helped me to get what I needed for running the weed eater and blower: a little gas can and some stuff to pour in and mix with gas. Then, he walked us over to the appliances and apologized that we were having a tough day with the dead flowers and washer and all that. Linda in appliances was real sweet. Even in this one trip to the store, it was so obvious that some people can deal with old folks better than others. I had to holler Linda's sentences to Gah. Within, five minutes, a decision was made and we filled out the papers for delivery that was free with a rebate. They enter a purchase in the system by the customer's cell phone number which Gah could not remember. Then, at the checkout, she handed me her Mastercard and I taught her to use the little slide in thingy that you sign with a fake pen. This was so overwhelming, I had tears stinging my eyes, but she was a trooper.

On the way out, I asked her about the snake. She said, "I was at the grapes and it was there. Probably just a black snake, but it didn't offer to move, so I kilt it. I beat it's head in with a stick." Allrighty then.

We went to Harold's and got some groceries, then stopped at Randy's campground that he owns to let him know that we won't need help with delivery since Lowe's had a rebate on it. He showed us all around his place. It's real nice with very high end campers with beautiful decks and arbors built around them. In the center of the campground, he has an outdoor kitchen complete with a large flat-screen built in it. There is an old barn he converted to a gym and game room. They are adding a pool this summer. It's top-notch, but not real cozy with it's big concrete pads and brand new trees that don't give shade yet. He talks a lot and is rightly proud of his accomplishments with the campground. I was not surprised at all when he told me that when he lived in Texas, he owned two car dealerships. His knack for bullshit is superb. His wife, Dana, saw Gah visiting with Randy and came over and scooped her in a big hug that lasted a full minute. She is about fifteen years younger than he is and pretty although a little rough from lots of hard work. She has those sexy gapped teeth like the girl on CSI. Then, she hugged me too and went on saying how much she thought of Papa and would miss his funny suspenders. She wanted to hug his neck again. Gah told her how it was in the end for him and how much they both appreciated Randy and Dana's friendship and help in the recent years. It is obvious that Randy and Dana's love for Gah and Papa is very sincere.

After supper, Mama went down to clean up what was under the washer to prepare for the delivery of the new one. Then, she found wads of lint-whole piles of it- behind the dryer and no hose or whatever that is supposed to be there. So, I carted up to Ray's, a neighbor that I have never met, but who has been very nice to Gah in the past and has offered to help anytime. Here's his chance. His yard is a showcase of a garden with all kinds of plants, flowers, arbors, and a goldfish pond. He comes to the door and I see the hairiest chest ever. I hope my face did not do like Cramer at the ugly baby. He had intense eye contact skills that I tried hard to match rather than gawk at his gorilla chest as I told him about the problem. Thankfully, he put on a shirt and came down to see about this dryer lint. He told me just what to get at Lowe's (again!) and how to connect it. I was trying hard to understand as he used words like exhaust, connecters, clamps... oh boy. Then, he visited awhile and told about his new job that he's liking and about goldfish ponds in North Carolina. I didn't know that from November to March, you can't feed goldfish cause they need to hibernate in order to survive the icey water temperatures.

Finally, it was time to clean the kitchen and get the girls to bed. Mama was already asleep on the couch-so tired after sweeping out a basement of water and cleaning a winter's worth of dirt and dust off of the porches and ceiling fans. Gah told me and Randy, Dana, and Ray something special about Papa today. Papa said that he never thought of himself as a lovable person. But, through cancer, he received so many kindnesses from friends that he had changed his mind about that. Someone would have to be loved to get cards, calls, yard work, repairs, and just generally good care. I guess that's one blessing to be found in a slow death rather than a quick one. I'm glad he went to be with Jesus knowing that he was truly loved in this life.

Endings and Beginnings

I was sitting with Lorene Smith, ("Gah" because my husband wouldn't say Grandma 36 years ago, and still won't.) in her silent home while we waited for news that her hasband of 64 years had gone to be with Jesus. I was praying because I certainly had no words for her and did not know exactly how I found myself in this most intimate place. Most of the family was with Papa at the hospital saying one more goodbye as the oxygen was unhooked to end his short battle with lung cancer. During all of this, our whole family had this awful stomach virus just in case losing your grandpa wasn't bad enough. After getting news of the finality of it all, but before even one hour had passed, Gah asked me if I'd come to the mountains with her and spend the summer. I was able to quickly answer with a yes.

Brent and I had already discussed this possibility if Papa was to die before summer, and if she wanted to go to their mountain home. Being a teacher does have this one great perk of long summers. I have loved western NC since I was a little girl going camping with my grandparents. When I was in highschool, I became part of Brent's family years before we were old enough to marry and spent summer vacations in his grandparents home in Sylva with his family. Brent and I spent our honeymoon in this house and at least two weeks each year since. Gradually, I started spending an extra week or two with his grandparents either before or after his time off of work to extend time in the mountains and time for our girls to be under one roof with great-grands. Two years ago, while here for July 4th, with all the family, I had a gall bladder attack and had to have surgery. Brent had to return home to work, so Mama stayed up here with me for a total of 5 weeks until I could return home. I was born with a longing for the mountains that I just can't explain. I get lonely for this place. I see this in my daughters also. Brent and I love the weather, landscape, culture, and history of this place. I am proud to be a Florida cracker, but the Smokies are a second home for me.

So, yes, yes, I will go spend the whole summer with an 87 year old lady who has just lost her husband. I will leave my husband, friends, and other family behind while my daughters and I do this whole other thing. It's kinda funny that some people live far from family all the time. I'm only coming for two months, and my sister, brother, parents, husband, and maybe some friends will visit. It's not really, that destitute or anything, it's just different for now.

Beginning the Journey

Yesterday, June 14, after lots of good-byes to friends and family and one last hug with Brent, we began our drive to Sylva. I drove the Tahoe with Gah, and Mama drove my Vue with the girls and E.T., our bearded dragon. I would usually start a day-long drive very early in the morning, but my girls had their ballet recital the night before and I still had loose ends of things to do around the house. So, we did not leave home until 10 a.m. I was pulling a small trailer with a golf cart that helps Gah get around in the yard. Both cars were totally packed with stuff...clothes, games, groceries, electronic "necessities", books (of course!). We were blessed with traveling mercies. The road was pretty full, but no really bad traffic. Even with pulling the trailer, getting around Atlanta was not a problem. Thanks to Daddy for hitching the trailer and making sure we were safe travelers. Thanks to others who called to check on our travels and help me pass some road time and especially Miss Betty who called four times to make sure we were doing allright. Thanks, to Ed, our mountain neighbor who came over to get our water going for us and for the reassurance that his help is not too far away.

I did not get much sleep the night before this drive and was wondering how I'd ever pass at least 10 hours with Gah, who is very hard of hearing, so conversation might be limited. We started out with a crossword puzzle. I had some mix radio station on when she said, "I got some tapes if you want to hear em." She pulled out 3: Floyd Cramer, Oak Ridge Boys, and Mickey Gilley.
I took this as a hint. "Well, put in Mickey Gilley; I haven't heard that in a long time." She did not know how to insert a cassette tape which was another reminder for me to be prepared for generation gaps. I used my non-driving hand to help out with that, but it was not successful because the tape was old and squeaky. She did not seem to notice, so I told her that it was hard to hear it and I thought the tape was old, "No, it aint old. We got that when we went to see Mickey Gilley in Branson." hmmm, I think that was nearly 10 years ago. Then we discussed if Mickey was dead or not; I still don't know the answer to that. So, I put in a cd of Kathryn Scott which I thought would be pleasing to both of us. It has a track of What a Friend We Have in Jesus; Gah liked that part.

She is reading one of my favorite novels, Wish You Well, by David Baldacci. She would read a whole page or two between snoozes.

Mama and I chatted back and forth on cell phones some. My girls are really good travelers. We stopped in Valdosta and got some new bras. We tried to eat lunch at a Chic-fil-A that I once again forgot was closed on a Sunday. So, we went to Arby's. When we finally got to Franklin, we transferred the girls to our car and Mama went to Ingle's for some basic groceries. I was anxious to get home before dark to unhitch the golf cart and all that. I took the keys out of the ignition and could feel that familiar pit in my middle and a knot in my throat. I was trying hard to have some emotional control as I asked, "Gah, you doing allright, getting out here without Papa?" She just shrugged, "Wellll, yeah. Reckon I am." I guess that's really grace.

This mechanically retarded girl was able to get the cart off the trailer and unhitch with only two phone calls to her daddy. I was pretty proud of that. Gah was talking about her flowers and blueberries since Clayton as if they were friends she was excited to see. She immediately went to touch and inspect the plants before she went in to make tea. We forgot to put ice on the grocery list and Mama's cell phone had absolutely no service. Uh-oh, no ice! I drove the golf cart to our neighbors, but they weren't home. So, a little later, we had Digiorno's (Gah's request) and no drink. I reckon we are Southern enough that if you can't have iced tea with supper, you just boycott the whole drink issue.

There were nostalgic reminders of Papa's absence everywhere: his Ford Motors hat in "my" closet, stale graham crackers in the pantry, and boxes of tapioca pudding he liked me to fix him for a bedtime snack. I had to go out on the porch and call Dee. We talked for an hour or so about the day and being without him. Then, I joined Chloe for a few hours sleep.