Wednesday, August 1, 2012

And so the blog must end…for this summer anyway. Who knows, I may blog again next summer or about a different topic. As the summer comes to an end, I am reminded of all of the visitors that have been to my house.  In some cases their stay has far exceeded what I had originally expected, and some have only dropped by to pick up a visitor that stayed for several days. Whatever the case, talking about my summer and the visitors that have graced my presence on a regular basis has been fun.

I hope that you, as the reader, have enjoyed reading about the events of my life and the stories that I have shared. As the summer comes to a close, I am reminded of the precious time that we have here on earth. The stories we share with those around us through personal experiences to create laughter, to inform, and to express our feelings; all make us who we are today. These stories can also be carried on for generations.

I will tell one last story before saying goodbye…on our last day of camping this summer, Mary, the campground host, came over to share a cup of coffee with David, Grace, and myself. Her small hunched frame and grey hair are good indicators that she is well into her late 70’s. She told us a story about her grandson who had stayed with her in the campsite several years ago. While camping, her grandson made friends with other boys in the campground. Just as any typical pre-teen age boy, her grandson had not been spared from getting into trouble. And this story is proof of that. While an older woman was taking a shower in the bath house, the boys gathered clumps of dirt and grass and began throwing it into the ladies shower stall. The woman was obviously enraged, slipped on her T-shirt, and immediately walked to tell the camp host about the mischievous boys. Mary was the host at the time. She said that she will never forget that chesty, heavy set woman running down the road with mud and grass covering nearly every inch of her body. She got so tickled just telling the story. I laughed too imagining her delight at seeing the woman. Needless to say… her grandson was grounded the following day. Mary soon left not wanting to keep us from packing up. As she walked off, I could see the heavy bronze make-up and blush staining the edges of her grey hair that circled her face. She made me smile, and that’s what life’s about.

My experiences have taught me that it is always important to live in the present, not judge the people in our presence, and embrace every experience that we have. Good or bad…we can learn from all of our experiences.

My summer visitors have been made up of family, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances.

The final tally; and I don’t think my Mom’s prediction will come true, but she was very close.

Melissa, Austin, and Cole visited today. Suzanne and Madi arrived around 3:00 and left after 6:00. 

Arnold arrived and left with David for a short time. Please continue to remember him and Roy, David’s brothers, in your thoughts and prayers as they both continue their battles with cancer.

6 visitors today,479 in all

In 71 days, that's an average of 7 visitors a day...and still I ask myself...is that a lot?

Saturday July 28 through Tuesday July 31, 2012

The last camping trip during this summer break. Melissa, Austin, and Cole were the first visitors of the day. Melissa came to drop off Austin and Cole who would be going camping with us for the next four days. She loaded clothes, bikes, and helmets into the already packed camper that would take one more trip up through the Smoky Mountains.

Nancy, Tod, and Jillian were the next visitors to arrive. Jillian would be staying with us as well. She had one duffle bag containing all of her belongings, along with her helmet and bike. Getting around on a bicycle would be our primary means of transportation over the next few days.

After we arrived, we were set up within an hour. The more often we go camping, the more familiar we are with all of the buttons, hoses, and gadgets that need to be hooked up. Soon after setting up, we were off to make our routine 3.5 mile bike ride around the lake. Austin said, “Dad told me to look at that tree to see if our names were still carved in the side.” Knowing that there was only one funny looking tree along the path that we always stopped at, I told him, “We will try to find them.”

Half way around the lake, we came to the place where there was a multitude of names, initials, hearts, and plus signs that decorated the L-shaped tree. We looked for several minutes, and after searching through numerous carvings, we decided the bark must have grown over their names.

We had a lot of fun swimming in the Citico and Tellico Creek. The water was cool but not as cold as it in the early spring. Cole met a friend named Will. He visited everyday while we camped. He even had S’mores with us one night. He arrived to the campground with his grandfather who had no other means of transportation at his house other than an old tricycle. Needless to say…Will begged to ride Coles’ bike every day, and Cole hesitantly gave in. Cole was forced to ride Will’s tricycle through the camp ground, riding at a much slower rate than he was used to.

Grace and Jillian suffered from a severe case of peer pressure. They jumped from a relatively small cliff of about 15 ft. into the icy cold creek after watching some kids younger than themselves complete the same feat. They seemed excited at their accomplishment and jumped several more times until the hike back up the rocky cliff was far more exhausting than the thrill they received from jumping off the rocks.

It was a great trip.

We returned home with various bug bites and memories that will be cherished for a long time to come. We also returned home to find a copper head snake in the dog lot after not seeing a single snake in the woods in four days. Weird! Anyway, David shot it with a 22 Rifle and the kids were amazed to see its movement after it was obviously dead.

Melissa and Nancy along with Jenifer picked up Austin, Cole, and Jillian; Jo and Harlee came over to catch up on the weekend’s details; Suzanne and Madi picked up Grace, who will be spending the night with Madi; Steve Webb came by to put water in his truck as it was running hot; and Arnold came by to ask about our trip.

16 visitors over the last four days…and this may be an approximation, 473 in all