My Special Mother's Day

I am going backwards in time, as I am left with just the clean-up of the Amos Cottage Aces for Amos tournament and silent auction, and the beds are made after our sister's weekend, ready for the next set of friends. I failed to mention the most wonderful thing in the midst of all of this. Two Saturdays ago...Mother's Day Saturday...(you know it takes a whole weekend to honor a mother,) I had a stamping class that I had signed up for at one of our local scrapbooking stores. You need to see the big picture here. I could not solicit items for the silent auction without buying something in each store. I know how badly the economy has affected so many people, and especially small business owners, so I justified buying something at almost every place to let them know I just wasn't asking for a handout. So, I signed up for a scrapbooking class on a Saturday...a day I never plan anything for unless it is done with Randy and friends.

Randy and I did what we always do almost every morning. He fixes his coffee and I pop open my Starbuck's frappicino, and we go sit outside on our back porch overlooking the pond, yard and sky, and have morning devotionals, pray for God's guidance and get on with our day. Well, we were in the midst of that when I heard the phone ringing inside. It was the owner of the store reminding me of the class, which had already started. I NEVER go out without makeup, but I did this day, figuring anyone else up at 9:00AM couldn't be looking too good to take a scrapbooking class. I told them to start without me and off I went.

There was only one other person and she had already stamped a beautiful array of colors and patterns and techniques, but I was quick to catch up, since I'd already bought most of the materials during my previous solicitations. (I always have good intentions of having some quiet time once I get this book written, but life just seems to have a different path these days.) I found myself just enjoying myself to pieces doing all that creative stuff that just tends to feed my soul. I was even sad when our time was up, so I made additional purchases since I got an extra 10% off as incentive to take more classes, but just for that day only. (I bought a small light box that came in real handy when my sisters and I had already sealed the auction thank you note envelopes and couldn't see if the inside address matched up with the outside address. You could see right through it. I just found the missing letter yesterday and it confirmed what my sister Linda said when we couldn't find a letter for the only envelope left. I had printed 2 of one and thought I'd printed each one consecutively. I was very happy to see I had printed that one and didn't mess things up as we all worked together to get the thank you letters out.)

I'm coming to the good part, so hang in there. I came home and was getting lunch ready for Randy and I. He had some running around to do, so our plan was to meet at home for lunch. I was just washing the lettuce and vegetables and heard the door open and was making a comment about what he wanted in his salad, and I got no answer. I looked up and there was Leah standing right before my eyes. I was speechless, and just burst into tears. What a wonderful Mother's Day surprise it was to see her. She told me she was here for the whole week to help me with the auction. (She used to help me and the other wives of the Universal Studios executives organize the silent auctions that Universal Studios puts on for charities.) I used to laugh and just shake my head at them coming to her for instructions and them being so grateful for her help. It blessed this mother to pieces.

We carved out "Mom and Me" time wherever we could and when it came time for the auction, she had put every item on EXCEL; made colorful tags for each basket; and come up with a final tally sheet on powerpoint. I have never been so proud. The ladies hugged her goodbye and thanked her as she and Randy left to go to the airport. I didn't go as it was too emotional, with all the other things going on. He arrived back about 2 hours later and said, "Well, Leah can't say that all her work wasn't appreciated." I am so thankful for the ladies of the Guild opening their arms and hearts to her. It was the end of a wonderful week. And then my sisters came. (This is starting to sound like "LOST," where you don't know the past, from the present or the future.) And...that was yesterday's story!

I don't want to overlook the fact that I have picked up another country on my widget thing, and I have grown by 2 in 2 countries. I love this blog stuff! I also failed to mention that when I got home from the stamping class, I realized I'd lost an earring. I looked everywhere for it and just could not find it, but when I finally went back to the store to pick up my auction item, there sat the earring waiting patiently for me. I was so happy! God takes such good care of me.

My, it has been awhile since I last wrote, due to foreseen circumstances that demanded my attention. The Amos Cottage Aces for Amos Tennis Tournament and Silent Auction was a slamming success and I am putting all the Treasurer's duties to bed today. I have a great feeling of accomplishment. In looking at the widget thing or whatever it is called where the countries of followers are located, I noticed I picked up a new country...Moldova. Is it coincidental that I wrote about Ion, the watercolorist who had a recent showing here and that is where he is from? I love it.

The auction was back to back with my three sisters coming to Winston Salem for our yearly "Sister's weekend." They have graciously allowed Randy to be an "Unofficial Sister." I say unofficial so as not to emasculate him. (He doesn't want to be thought of as a sister.) I have told him in the past, as long as he doesn't act like a husband, he can stay. He drives us all around and has the best sense of time and direction than any of us, so you can just picture all 4 of us being chauffeured around wherever we go like in the movie "Driving Miss Daisy," but it's more like "Driving Miss Crazies." (Or from Randy's point of view, it could be "Driving ME Crazy." Hmmm....never thought of that one before.)

Anyway, it was great to have everyone here. We took them to the Reynolda House Gardens, shops and Museum. They loved it. I cannot get enough of the history of Winston Salem, and even though I could probably be a docent there, I enjoy going through it afresh every time. We also took them to Boone & Blowing Rock. It just so happened to be the rainiest day ever, and I wonder when I will ever learn...it is always colder in the mountains. We froze, but everyone was just happy to be together. Of course, everything was centered around cooking and food, but there was a "memory moment" when we were all sitting upstairs in the library at our game table playing Scrabble. Scarlette (yes indeedy...she lives in Atlanta and our father named her during the "Gone with the Wind" heyday.) very quietly said, "Do you all realize that this is the first time we have ever sat and played a game together?" Scarlette and Linda are 10 and 7 years older than me, respectively, and our younger sister, Pam, is 18 months younger than me. They were far more in tune with other things than playing games with Pam and I when we were younger, so there's no time like the present to make up for lost time. I would love to post a picture of us from this past weekend, but no one thought to take one. Crazy, huh? So I hope to post one from last year.

The pool opens this weekend in the neighborhood. Summer is coming! All the spring flowers are looking like wilted discolored crepe paper, but the hope of the summer flowers are getting ready to burst forth. We have found 2 at least 4 ' snakes in the yard in the last week, black and harmless, so I have instructed Randy not to harm them, even though they may give us a heart attack if they sneak up on us. I am getting very brave and actually stand over them and watch them maneuver themselves. My goal is to maybe touch one someday. For some reason, I know how they feel with their muscles working like steel cords in their bodies. I must have played with some kind of toy snake that was very realistic long ago. I've researched them, so know without a doubt that they are not copperheads, and supposedly water moccasins don't cross west of the Yadkin River...not too far from here. I am standing on that one, whether it sounds believable to you or not. :) (Randy has discovered that black snakes swim across ponds...and even go and visit beavers that live on the other side.)

Bo...like your new picture you posted. I hope all is well with all of you!

We're Staying Busy

What a glorious weekend we had. Randy drove in from D. C. Thursday night, after being there for a good part of the week and I whisked him off to Village Smith Galleries at Reynolda Village, R. J. Reynold's property, on Friday night for a showing by a not-so-local artist named Ion Carchelan. (Pronounced, "EWON.") He is a watercolorist and his work is beautiful! He is from Muldova and his daughter accompanied him to translate for him.

An hour prior to the showing, in Debbie fashion, I decided to finish the mosaic bird bath I've been working on...all but the cross that sits in the center. Randy mixed up the grout that goes in after all the glass pieces are put in place with mastic, and the next thing I knew he had his hands in the grout and he was happily working on the cross centerpiece. (Mark Twain would be proud.) I used broken chards of beautiful china that I had bought at the Replacements Ltd. yard sale they had two years ago. We just paid the $8. entry fee; they gave us a box, and off we went up and down rows and rows of all makes and shapes of dishes, etc. I picked up a lot of Lenox and had quite a few pieces of Haviland china and other well known names from England and other countries. I don't realize how borderline ADD I am until I sit down to do a project. It took longer than I thought it would, but it turned out fine.

We walked Mollie yesterday and decided to walk near the stream down from us that separates the LLC property from the private property at some points. (We walked on the public side. :))It was so much fun to dip my fingers in the cool running water. I told Randy that I am going to walk in that stream before summer's over this year. We were very thankful that we saw no snakes, or foxes, or anything else that can scare a girl to death...that is until we got home. I was down by the pond when I heard Randy yelling for me to come there. I ran up to the back porch and there was a tick on his leg! He killed it and off we all ran to the showers. When I say "all" I mean ALL. Mollie was cajoled to get into the shower with Randy and he washed her until we knew there was nothing alive on her but her. I itched all night...even after the shower.

The backyard has never looked prettier, so stay tuned. The next post will be a pictorial one. Wish you could see it firsthand, but this will suffice. Until then...happy planting.