Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

Well we made it here on Sunday afternoon around 3:30 after an 11 hour trip. The trip was uneventful with lighter than usual traffic with practically no 18 wheelers. Last week I made arrangements to have DSL in place when we arrived but as usual we were not able to get on the net until around 4 PM today Wednesday. The technician stated they had to change out a port at one of the sub-stations. Oh well we are thankful to once again to be in contact with the outside world.

When we arrived on Sunday we were greeted with 2 foot tall grass, weeds in all the flower and vegetable gardens; however the cabin its self was in good shape after sitting empty for nearly 7 months. Nancy found a few dead bugs but none to worry about. We had covered all the furniture and beds with sheets. There was a little rust color in the hot water line at first but after a few minutes it cleared up. We were so pleased and thankful.

Our next door neighbor's Jodie and Gerald invited us as well as Ray and Audine(neighbors) to eat dinner with them Sunday evening. Wow was that ever a good meal of chicken on the bar bee, cast skillet spuds, a black bean with corn dish and salad. Thanks again, guys. That gave us a little more time to unpack and check out the gardens before dinner.

We learned it had rained off and on all day and more was in the forecast. That night (Sunday) it started to down pour and really has only stopped a couple of times since we've been here. It rained so hard you couldn't hear the T.V.(tin roof) There is local flooding and some schools were delayed in opening because of the flooding on Tuesday. I was so keyed up from traveling and sitting in the truck for 11 hours I had trouble sleeping Sunday night.

Monday we had to spend most of the day in the cabin but there were moments when I was able to get outside and work on the high grass. I took the weed whacker and mowed the grass down to about half of its original height so when I got the chance to use the riding mower it wouldn't clog from all the grass. Monday afternoon about 2 PM Joe(Helen's brother) invited over to his house for a cook out. Once again the food was great with grilled steaks, baked potato's, salad and a fresh pound cake(Joe baked) with strawberries and ice cream. We were so full we could hardly walk around his beautiful yard inspecting his flowers and plants that he takes care of at the ripe age of 81.

After we got home the rain let up for a couple hours so we worked outside weeding in the flower and vegetable gardens until it once again rained us out. Monday night brought severe rain showers and some thunder. I slept a little better Monday night after walking up and down these hills and stairs. I did manage to completely weed 2 of my herb planters before the heavy rains once again wiped us out for the day. It rained all night and at times a "gully washer."

Tuesday found us once again cabin bound because of the heavy rains so we went to Sparta to exchange the modem(thinking that may be the problem) but after getting back home we learned the problem was on the phone company's side of the line and not ours. While in town we ran a few errands; phone co., grocery store(Lowes), newspaper office, vegetable stand back to Joe's to pickup my camera and then home to lunch. The rained stopped long enough to get a couple hours in the yard with the riding mower. I got about 1/4 of the yard mowed before the rains came again. Out of the rain up under the back porch I managed to sow several varieties of seeds and re-potted lots of the seedlings I had brought from Florida. Nancy heated up a pot of Zuppa des Conta soup for dinner that we had brought with us from Florida.

Wednesday morning once again brought heavy down pours and during the night a river began to flow down a dry ravine at the rear of the property. This river flowed for over 24 hours and is still flowing but not nearly as strong as I write. The morning would be a complete washout if we stayed home so we needed to stock up at Wal-Mart in Galax. We had originally planned on doing this on the weekend but the forecast is for pretty weather(no rain) starting late Friday and through out the weekend so we decided to make a trip to Galax. We loaded up on groceries, annual plants and grass seed. Yeow 2 carts full !!!

After driving through some very heavy downpours we arrived back around 1 PM to some bright sunshine, YEA!!!. After a quick lunch I decided since it was too wet to mow; so I replaced the fence around the upper garden. I sawed down 4 small pine trees about 20 feet tall and 5 inches across to use as a frame for the wire fence. In between rain showers I managed to dig the post holes which quickly filled up with water and got the frame poles attached. Tomorrow I will put the wire on the frame. Just as we finished the frame the skies opened up again. Nancy made a couple of hamburger(fresh ground chuck) steaks, salad, peas and some mashed spuds and gravy. It continues to rain heavy at times. So much for the drought that had plagued all of N.C. for the past couple years and especially this area.

Well I just spoke with and old friend Walt Hampton who invited us tomorrow evening out to his house for a cook out and to visit with his nephew Ryan who is visiting from Minnesota. We met Ryan when he helped Walt wire and plumb our cabin while he was down for the summer back in 1996. Well I will close for now, LATER.