Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Wednesday started out the usual way with our getting up at 6:30, our quiet times then a breakfast of oatmeal with peaches, banana and fresh blueberries. Afterwards I headed out to check out the damaged to both flower and veggie gardens, yikes what a slug problem we all of a sudden observed. I knew something had totally eaten a dozen or more lettuce plants, devoured 4 pepper plants, several marigolds and left hundreds of holes in the cone flowers, Shasta daisies and totally destroyed all of our periwinkles but 2. Luckily I noticed them(slugs) on the marigolds and decided to Google them and boy are they a nuisance, but I learned they are attracted to beer. So I developed or created 4 "slug motels" with a wet bar and the first night I captured 21 of the little buggers and found several more in the area who hadn't checked in yet for their final bash.

Nancy and I got ready for sister Dee , husband Mike, niece Kelly and her friend Jessica who just graduated from Carson-Newman college with a nursing degree and was commissioned a 2/LT in the US Army. I vacuumed for Nancy while she finished up the cookie baking, cleaned up the basement and of course we managed to get a hike in after putting on the ribs in the smoker. What a busy morning and we thoroughly enjoyed getting ready to share this beautiful place with family and friends and of course eat, hike, play games and dot the touristy thing with them.

They got here around 4 'ish and after getting them situated we headed out to the top of the mountain for their first hike. We did the extra hike to the very top and the girls some great pics. After hike it was going on 7'ish so we got ready to chow down on the barbecue ribs, October beans(similar to pintos), potato salad, garlic bread and toss salad. The meat fell off the hickory smoked bones and just melted in your mouth and the Sonny's barbecue sauce gave the ribs the extra flavor that we love on smoked meat. After eating and clean up we got ready for some Sequence. Kelly had to for go her loyalty to the gals as we were a guy short and she played on the eventual winning team. It was a fun evening and was nearly midnight when we quit.

Thursday morning found us up and ready to go as our internal alarm clock woke us at 6:30. Seems Jessica was unable to get to sleep until about the time we woke up due to the late night coffee so she slept through a great breakfast of buckwheat cakes, fried sugar cured ham, bacon, eggs and juice. After eating Mike and I took the golf cart up onto the top of the mountain to retrieve a couple of screen doors that one of the residences were replacing. Actually they just need some sanding and painting and are in better shape than the ones on our cabin. Thanks Mike!!!

The girls wanted to do a short day trip over to the Blue Ridge Gallery where we have had the privilege to befriend the owners Joe and Melia Edwards. They have a unique shop with lots of homemade "stuff"and are just fine folks plus she grew up on this farm that belonged to her folks. After leaving there(I caught a quick nap on the front porch in a rocking chair while the gals shopped) we took a couple back roads and headed to another gallery near High Meadows golf course. Dee found a unique bird feeder/bath she wanted for their home in Woodstock, Va. We then headed on back to the cabin to find Jessica awake and studying for her state boards for licensing in the nursing profession. We had a variety of lunch meats, cheeses, pickles and chips for a late lunch before we got ready to head out again for another hike. After the hike we came back and played checkers(Jessica was the champ) did some computer updating and just visited until it was time to start supper. We had 1/2 runner beans, baked sweet potato's, toss salad and marinated chicken breasts. It was after 8 before we ate supper and after clean up we played chicken foot domino's and then Phase 10. It was 12:30 before we quit and got ready for bed.

Friday morning found us up around 6:30 once again as Dee took their Jack Russell terrier, Bonnie out for her morning constitution. Bonnie is typical for her breed and is a constant ball of action and is such a smart pup. We just sat around and visited eating a lite breakfast and eventually they all got ready to head out. Mike has to leave for Washington State on Monday for 2 months with his ROTC cadets. We ate a quick sandwich as lunchtime approached then packed the car and took a few pictures and chased Bonnie around in the yard to wear her out for the trip back to Virginia. We had a great visit; ate too much, laughed a lot, played lots of different games and got in some great hikes. The weather co-operated as it was very pleasant with lots of sunshine. It sure was quiet around here after they left.

Well we got busy with 2 loads of laundry, vacuuming and I transplanted lettuce, zinnias and watercress before heading off on our first of 2 hikes for the day. The back trail seemed a little steeper today especially for Nancy as she needed a couple rest stops but seemed much stronger on the second hike after supper. Well we had a full day and we were just amazed at how quickly the time went with their visit. Thanks guys for all the goodies and the fun time we had together.

We spoke with both Bobby and Amy and got to hear our grand daughter, Annsley and then grand son Samuel later on the phone. We got a visit from neighbor George Redmon later in the afternoon. Well its time to hit the shower as its been a full past 3 days, LATER.