Golf, Golf, and More Golf!

Derick & me at Crooked Creek,

Derick and me played golf on his 39th birthday and had a wonderful time!  He kicked my butt, badly!  It was so much fun to see him play well and hit so many good shots.  It's so rare for us to play any more, I really treasure out time together.



William Slebos & me at Duke University's course



William and I always have a lot of fun together and this was no exception.  Even though we both played poorly, we laughed a lot and caught up on each others' lives.  He's a Gemini, too, so it's like having our own 4 some when we play.  He looks like he's doing a Zen thing here, but I doubt it.  It's more likely "where am I and what am I doing here?"



 Bruce Curran at Croasdaile Country Club in Durham



Bruce and I go back to CP&L days, but he was also an Air Force pilot, a UNC grad and a fine journalist.  He keeps me up on what's happening with Tar Heel sports during the season.  We always have a good affect on each others' golf game and we did so today, too.  We didn't score very well, but we laughed a lot and had a great hot dog at the snack shop. 

Upon returning from golf on Thursday, this sight greeted me as I entered the RV park.  They were dining on the bird feeders and having a very fine time.  There are lots of them here and they have the run of the park. 

Tomorrow is another busy day.  Going to Unity church in the morning, followed by lunch with Joan and Ed Roberts and Carroll Whitney, good friends for a long time.  Then going for a swim at friend Peggy's house and will also get to see how Peaches is doing.  It'll be good to see the little 4 legged feline after so long.  Peggy says the other animals treat her like a queen, which fits her personality, for sure.  Peggy says she has slimmed down, which is very good, as she was a bit on the heavy side. 

This is the busiest I've been in a long time and I like it.  Forgot to mention that I had dinner with my good friend Jan on Thursday night, before she left for a trip to the Rockies on Friday.  It's always good to see her.

Thanks for stopping by!

Travel Day

A fish pic for Brad

Caught at the base of Hookers Falls, DuPont State Park

It has been a good travel day, though a bit trying as evening approached.  I did a quick setup before taking off for the DMV to get the Burgman tagged and titled.  The title arrived yesterday and I've been itching to ride that rascal!

On the way there I found myself passing the office of my therapist, Brad Prinzhorn.  So I wheeled in and parked, hoping to get lucky to find him there and with a few minutes to spare.  Bingo!  We went out to the truck, which still had the Burg on board, and gave him a quick rundown of my adventures.  I also left him with my new card so he come here to the blog if he wishes.  I give him so much credit for helping me through this grief.  It was great to see him and, as usual, he was very supportive and very positive.  He also has an amazing memory!

I had a hard time finding DMV in the mall, but finally succeeded about 4:30, half an hour before closing.  They were out of bolts to put the tag on, so I had to hunt a hardware store, which was right next to a Trader Joe's, my most favorite gourmet grocery store in the whole world!  Of course I had to grab a few of my favorites - cioppino (a seafood stew), stuffed salmon, tamales wrapped in corn husks, a very good and inexpensive pinot noir and some Newkies.  Wow!  Am heating up the stew right now and the smell is so fine!

While unloading the scooter, my nearest campground neighbor came over and asked if he could help.  I said not right now, but the hard part was coming and he stayed around.  He's from Waynesville, near Asheville, and is here to be with his son, who had his colon removed at UNC hospital yesterday. The son is only 35.  It made me realize how grateful I am to be healthy, as are my children and grandchildren.   He talked for a long time, and I listened, and felt for him. 

Unloading the scoot went better than expected.  The first time, on Tuesday, I walked it down the ramp and twisted my back.  Today I rode it down, backwards of course, and it was just fine.  All that worry for nothing!

Then the little difficulties began.  A leak in the water hose connector, cable TV doesn't work, lost my truck keys for a while, and so on.  Luckily all of this was AFTER a ride on the Burg to clear my head and feel the wind washing over me.  I sure do love to ride!  It made coming back to the little problems much easier.

I still haven't fixed the cable, so I'm back to pre-TV mode - reading, writing, going to bed early and getting ready for tomorrow, a very busy day.  On store are a dentist appointment, a visit to my storage building, cruise through my neighborhood to look at my house, then golf with Derick.  It's his 39th birthday and we haven't played in a long time.  Then we'll have dinner at his house and I'll get to see Kim and the girls, and Diane is cooking.  Whew.  What a day!  Happy Birthday, Son!

The message I got at Jubilee last Sunday was timely and appropriate.  It was about forgiveness.  So to all my friends and relatives:  If I have harmed you in some way, intentionally or unintentionally, please forgive me.   

Thanks for stopping by!  Sorry I forgot to take a pic of Brad, but I hope to take some of the events tomorrow.

A Social Whirlwind

Spotted this beautiful cluster of mushrooms on a stroll through the RV park.  There were several of them and they were captivating!

I can't remember when I've had a busier time socially.  Thursday evening I had supper at Wayne and Mary Caldwell's beautiful home in Candler.  The food was great, the conversation lively and their home is warm and comfortable.  Friday I had lunch with my good high school buddy, David Rickman, and his wife, Madeline.  We dined at 12 Bones on a cool, sunny day and enjoyed each others' company greatly.  Last evening I dined with a favorite cousin, William Propest, and his lovely wife, Joyce.  We toasted the future and had a delicious meal along with stories of their travels and mine.  They're the best traveled couple I know.  I was having so much fun that I forgot to take pictures, but I did snag this one on a surprise visit to David the day before we had lunch.  David is a die hard Tar Heel fan and I caught him wearing this State tee shirt to use as blackmail somewhere down the road. 

It looks like he's trying to hide it!  Nice try, David!  We were very close growing up and the affinity is still there after all these years.  Good to be with you, brother!

Today Marcia is coming over for another scooter ride and tomorrow I hope to have the Burgman tagged so we can go for a ride on it.  The weather has been great for riding, in the mid to low 80's, with clear, blue skies.  Marcia and I continue to help each other heal from our losses while we appreciate the moments we have and live in the present.  I'm so glad we met at the reunion and have the chance to get to know each other.  She has become a good friend very quickly.  This pic says it well.

Well, I'm off to Jubilee in a few minutes, followed by visiting relatives in Reeves Cove and an afternoon scooter ride with Marcia.  Life is GOOD!!!!!!

A New Ride & Itinerary

This morning I decided to buy the Burgman 400 that I first saw in Hot Springs.  She sure is a beauty and very smooth, fast and comfortable.  It looks brand new, has a lot of extras and had a very good price.  Overall I'm very pleased, even though I now own 2 scooters - again!  Hugh has agreed to let me store the Vespa at his place over the winter if I don't sell it before I go to Florida.  The Burg has a 400cc engine and will do 80 easily.  On the road again!

Here's my new card, thanks to high school classmate Archie Huntsinger, a class A printer.  It was a pleasure to work with him and his daughter on this little project. 

Today also saw a big change in my itinerary.  I decided not to go to Mississippi and instead come back to Asheville October 6 and stay until November 17.  There are several reasons.  My cousin, Junior Cagle, had a severe stroke about 18 months ago, paralyzing his left side.  Of course he is bed bound and susceptible to infections that for most of us are minor.  But when bed bound, infections can become major pretty quickly.  So I want to spend time with him and his wife, Hester, and their children.  I also want to see cousin William and his wife, Joyce, and some other folks as well.  And then there's Jubilee...

Next week I'll be leaving here for Chapel Hill to visit friends and get a few things from storage.  Then off to Wilmington for a days work, then to Cedar Point to visit sister-in-law Marianne and other relatives of LaVerne.  When I leave Fletcher in November, I'll stop in Pendleton for a visit before heading south for the winter. 

Thanks for stopping by!

What a Week!

On Wednesday I finally got the Vespa tires replaced and some other maintenance done.  That afternoon it went on craigeslist in Asheville and Raleigh.  With 24 hours I had a good nibble.  It'll be tough to part with Lil V, as we've enjoyed over 9,000 miles together.  Plus, buying the little red Vespa was something I did to make me happy after L's passing and it has been like therapy for me on many occasions.  But it's time to move on. 

Since moving to Fletcher on August 24, I've read 4 1/2 novels, with 3 of them being over 600 pages.  Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy  are the best  and biggest.  They are so well written, it's hard to put them down.  One might say I've been obsessed with them.  I'm half way through the last one now, "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest", and will try to make it last.  Also, I saw the movie "The Girl Who Played With Fire", second in the series.  It was very well done and I'm looking forward to seeing "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."  The plots are complicated and so are the characters, but Larsson's style makes them fairly easy to follow.

The Mountain State Fair opened yesterday and I had to drop in since it's only a couple of miles from here.  It was cool, overcast and hardly anyone there.  I was surprised at how large it is.  Of course it isn't as big as the State Fair in Raleigh, but it's very similar in many ways - crafts, exhibits, midway, food and shows.  I'll probably go back again today or tomorrow.  My favorite was the border collie demonstration.  It reminded me of Pancho and I know he would have been a champion at herding if I had trained him, and if I'd had something for him to herd.  They are wonderful creatures and watching them made me smile, a lot!

My time here is quickly coming to an end and I want to visit a few more relatives before I leave and see Marcia another time or two.  Yesterday I discovered why I'd been feeling kinda sad lately - it was 2 years ago yesterday that LaVerne called Hospice.  That was so hard and she was so brave.  At that time I never imagined I would feel so sad for so long.  But the healing continues and life goes on.  I'm much happier on the road than I would be in the house on Cranbrook, that's for sure. 

Winner of the kareoke competition!

I'm looking forward to going back to Jubilee tomorrow.  There was a party there last night to celebrate their 21 years and it was great!  There was a very good band, a highly talented MC and Jubilants singing and dancing, kareoke style.  It was great fun and I sang and danced and laughed a bunch!  A stroll through downtown Asheville afterward showed me what a vibrant place this has become.  It is so unlike the town I knew as a kid, yet I think it has probably been this vibrant at  other times in its' history.  It is my home and always will be. 

Thanks for stopping by!

A Peak Weekend

This has been a peak weekend in many ways, starting yesterday with Hugh and me hiking to the top of Mount Pisgah.  What a trek!  It was only 3 miles, round trip, but I'd forgotten how steep it is toward the end and how thin the air is at 6,000+ feet.  On the way up, I remembered the last time I had walked it-about 30 years ago with Barbara and Derick.  I recall they were very tired and whining a bit and I kept saying, "if you want to see the view, you have to climb the mountain."  As you can see, the view is still spectacular!

Cold Mountain from Mt. Pisgah

Today I finally got to experience Jubilee after hearing about it for many years.  It was one of the best religious experiences I've ever had !  It's right up there with my first time at Unity and my first sweat lodge and first sun dance.  It was exciting, inspiring, hope filled and happy all at once.  I've never seen anything like it!

The seating was circular and the service began with burning sage, honoring the 4 directions-I was hooked!  Then there was a song "to celebrate the path of yes indeed".  It was adapted from a slave song and was about following the "drinking gourd", the big dipper.  The current theme for the celebrations (aka services) is finding your bliss.  Everything that was done focused on this.  The chorus was:

 follow the drinking gourd,
follow the drinking gourd,
for the spirit is awaiten'
to carry you to freedom.
follow the drinking gourd.

As Howard Hanger, the leader, delivered the message he interspersed it with song.  It was wonderful!  He would speak for a few minutes then sing for a few.  It was all so cohesive.  He also read verses from the bible, from the tao te ching and Jewish scriptures.  There was also a baptism, responsive reading and more songs. 

As I glanced at the program bulletin, under "meditation readings", I saw "the road waits" and I teared up.  When I was finally able to read it, here's what I found"

the road waits.
do not ask questions but when it invites you to dance at daybreak, say yes.  each step is the journey; a single note the song
arlene gay levine

I felt so affirmed by and connected with this community and was so glad that I came.

After the service, I walked around the block and stopped at Jack in the Woods, a pub, for lunch.  The menus listed something called a Scotch egg which sounded very good.  It's a boiled egg, coated with a mixture of sausage and bread crumbs, then fried.  It's served on a bed of sauteed greens with vinegar.  The egg had delicious mustard called Lusty Monk, made locally, as was the sausage.  A Rogue Dead Guy Ale complemented the food perfectly for a highly memorable meal!

Then I hopped on the Vespa and headed for Mt. Mitchell, elevation 6,684 feet.  The sky was blue, the air was cool and the ride was exhilarating.  I remembered going there with my Mom many years ago.  She loved the mountains and the vistas.  Her asthma kept her from walking very much, but we always had fun taking time to enjoy the journeys and there were many of them. 

View from Mt. Mitchell

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fine holiday!

That Darned Mercury!

According to astrology, the plantet Mercury controls communications and transportation.  When the plantet goes retrograde (moving away from planet Earth), these 2 things are problematic.  And as a Gemini, Mercury is my ruling plantet, which makes the effects even worse.

The past week or so has seen me a bit on the blue side caused by several things: post-reunion let down, not getting the tires I need for the Vespa and not having a working hearing aid for my left ear (transportation and communication).  Plus, I haven't had any things planned soon to look forward to, as plans made during retrograde Mercury usually don't work.  That's changing,,,, NOW!

The Vespa tires will be replaced on Sept. 8 and I pick up the new hearing aid tomorrow.  I'm also looking forward to playing golf at a nearby course, the one where my Uncle June played a lot.  And I plan to go trout fishing at Mills River, where the kids and I camped and fished many years ago.  As I recall we almost got skunked by a skunk on that trip.  It wandered through our camp and kept on going, thank goodness!  We didn't get skunked on fishing, though, and caught our limit several times.  We ate very well on that trip! 

Spent another nice afternoon with friend Marcia yesterday on a picnic at Lake Julian.  As usual we talked a lot about our losses and our healing and just enjoyed each others company a lot.  We also had fun feeding the ducks, geese and the fish.  While feeding the fish, a duck came over and caught 2 fish, something I'd never seen before.  It was quite a sight!  The fish was too big to be swallowed, so a larger duck came over and took it away. 

This seems to be a time for cleaning, fixing and replacing stuff and me.  Introspection was suggested by a horoscope several days ago and I took the advice.  Next Sunday I will go to Jubilee for their church service  because I've been hearing about it for so many years.  I'll also go to the Tourist's baseball game tomorrow night, as it is "Thirsty Thursday" with beer at greatly reduced prices.  Having things to look forward to is a very important part of happiness for me and it pulls me into the future.  LaVerne and I did that a lot and it helped us get through some very difficult days to find happiness waiting.

The other day I went to a motorcycle place to ride a Burgman 400 and see what they would do on a trade.  As suspected, they couldn't even come close to what I want for the Vespa, but I took the Burgman for a ride on the interstate and the parkway.  Wow!  What a ride!  I got up to 80 in no time on the interstate and backed off quickly.  The Burg is smooth, quiet and very comfortable and I'm sure I'll get one after I sell the Vespa.  The Vespa got a lot of attention at the motorcycle place because of the dragon decals on it and because they had not had a Vespa come in there.  We were a first!  So, here's my favorite pic of me and Lil V on the Tail of the Dragon!

I woke up cold this morning because it was 54 degrees in here!  I didn't realize that it was going to be that chilly or I would have closed the windows.  Just a few minutes with the heat on took the chill off.  Fall is on the way and will be here before I know it.  Guess I better start "grass hopperin'" and get ready!