Day Trip to Old Salem, Lunch at the Colonial and Overnighter at Allegheny Memorial for Nancy

Wow, what a day after a beautiful much needed rain last and early this morning. Nancy and I did our usual after our quiet time and getting ready to head south on our weekly day trip with Helen and Joe. We both had fresh fruit with our oatmeal and once again we escaped with no "deer damage." Joe and Helen were here at the cabin 9 AM sharp and then we were off to Winston-Salem. We took a new road N.C.67 that goes through East Bend. The son of our neighbors just purchased a large house(5200 sq. ft.) there and we were curious. We saw it on a hill on the east side of N.C.67 with its 3 car garage. Very nice and we were most impressed, way to go David.

We arrived in Old Salem after going through a town called Tobaccoville, named after or for R.J.Reynolds tobacco company. This is the second largest cigarette maker in the world(Phillip Morris in Richmond, Va. is the largest-I Think). The large old homes were beautiful on some very nice landscaped acreage. Last night a severe weather front went through Winston and we saw several areas where trees were down on power lines, homes and in the roadway. The crews were out restoring power to traffic signals as well as homes in the community. It was unreal the number of large trees down as well as the ones piled up along the curbs to be picked up for rubbish.

Old Salem even had several broken trees tops and limbs piled up in their common area as we arrived. I spoke with 2 ladies; 1 in colonial period dress and they had also suffered trees down at their residences. Jodi and Christian were very helpful and most courteous, pointing out attractions we should visit that were open to the public. The Single Sisters Museum was outstanding and to think that girls at the age of 12 were sheltered there to not only learn a trade but learn about life in general and to be devout as well. Thanks Jodi and Christian for pointing this out to us. It's nice also to recognize believers as we travel among different areas of this beautiful creation and diverse people.The tin cup that is a land mark outside Old Salem is said to have housed a soldier hiding during the Revoluntionary War from the British Army. WOW!!!

We headed for Joe's pick for lunch called the Colonial Restaurant. When we reached the restaurant Nancy mentioned she felt kind of weak and thought her pulse was racing. I immediately thought she was having a low blood sugar syndrome. After several crackers and some sweet tea she hadn't noticed a whole lot of change for the better. We became worried that her symptoms were of a more serious nature as she continued to complain that her neck felt as if it were in a tight turtleneck sweater. Her pulse seemed to be elevated as she related how her brother has suffered a possible heart problem just last week. The doctors did find a 90% blockage in an artery and inserted a stent. Well Nancy was very worried she may be suffering the same fate. We stopped and had her blood pressure checked at a drug store which showed a 192 over 80. High but nothing life threatening. We headed back to Sparta.

On the way home she felt good enough to stop at,you guessed it Wal-Mart in Elkin. We purchased a few things and boy was it HOT down there. Back in the car coming up the mountain she once again felt flushed and nervous. After Joe and Helen dropped us off, I called the doctor we had used for a thyroid condition last year, he wasn't in and wouldn't be back until Friday, so his office suggested taking her to the E.R. Nancy reiterated she had never felt like this before so I took her to the E.R. in Sparta. There Dr. Wiggens examined her and took all kinds of blood for tests, EKG and an x-ray. The tests showed nothing and his hunch was it was probably something to do with the electrical controls for the beating rhythm's of the heart. Any how he felt she should spend the night in the hospital. Well please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. I'm writing this blog for the first time without Nancy giving me ideas and support, so not only do I miss my children, grandchildren but now Nancy.