Honey - I'm hoooome!

I've been to the "holler" and back. The second year on my own and it was as easy a ride as it could be for a 9 hours each way and drivin' myself straight through. Dad's doin' pretty good for an "older feller"and I was happy to see it. We talked about my work situation and that I may be able to retire in the next year or two, and I talked to him about restoring the "big house" on some of his land (six bedrooms, free natural gas for life, and old) and he thinks it's a fine idea. It's a real fixer upper ::laughing:: wait till you see the pics, but more fun restoring an old farmhouse like that rather than just building something modern from scratch. Just wait till I show you pics when I have more energy.

I don't know what it is about going down there.. the air or something. It's like some kind of relaxation drug. I walked all over the place.. but I always walked slowwwww ::laughing::

I also found out there's some "fellers" down there who think I'd be some mighty fine wife material... oh my gosh... too funny. And Dad would always make sure to tell me if some "feller" was lookin at me ::laughing:: SO Saturday night, at 49 years of age, I find myself standing there, watching my 73 year old dad say to a man older than me "now, if yer takin' my daughter down folkin', ya better keep yer damn hands to yerself.. hear me?". ::laughing:: It was absolutely priceless hearin' that out of the mouth of that grizzly old mountain man, but we also know he really did mean it.. which made it all that much sweeter to me *grin*.

And I clog danced myself half to death. It was too hot to bother with the dulcimer.. and I didn't take cloggin' shoes, but after the sun went down and the music started at the folk festival, I couldn't help myself. I had happy feet :) so I clog danced in the street all night in my croc sandals. The sky was full of stars, the music loud and the drinks were cold. And it was good :)

I took a million pictures of my someday retirement home, wildflowers, my dad, purple martins, hummingbirds and water running through the creek in dads front yard.

I ate chili dogs with onions, strawberry shortcake and hot cornbread with butter.

I bought 5 pounds of homemade butter and 10 pounds of bacon pieces for $1.29 a pound, and dad gave me some hamburger, hand butchered and processed by him, from a cow that grazed in his pasture.

I am restored. Grateful beyond words, and abundantly blessed. Amen.