July Ends with Debbie's visit

Preparing for boating and tubing.

The kids enjoyed the tubing.

Debbie got a turn too.

Chance managed to get the big kids to play with him.

Even if it was KEEP AWAY, lol he was happy.

Poor Chance if he ever got it, they attack him and took it, but he loved it.

Papaw, Briana and Chance raring to go.

Briana and Chance fishing with Papaw.

Briana and Chance ready to tube.

This last week of July has been full of dissapointments. We had hoped to have our pontoon boat tuned up and a few things fixed and back in the water by the middle of the week. It seems that we have some major problems and will have to spend 2k to rebuild, 10k to buy a new motor or 30k for a new pontoon and motor. Just plum frustrating. I have no clue what I really want in a new pontoon but I know that I don't want to buy just a motor. I started my search immediately to figure out what I want and figure out my options. We had seen a pontoon boat at the rock island one day and talked to the guy , this pontoon was really nice and I told Pat this is what I want. Pat went with me to talk to the boat dealer on the lake , which happens to be the guy that was driving that pontoon that day. We found out he would sale it and we took a cruise in it. Man will it go. It has a 225 Hp Honda motor and has 3 pontoon logs. I guess all the testing it was more than I could handle, I started getting motion sick, lol or maybe it was the price, or maybe it was just thinking about it all. I still think that is the one for us, but I have no clue we will be able to get it. I have talked to the banker, and I am pursuing the possibilities.

Tuesday night we finally got a chance to play cards with Greg and Marcia. It is strange we have not even been able to visit all summer but 2 times I think and not even taken a pontoon ride.... thats a shame ...and now our ride is broke and in the front yard, lol.

I met Tracy in Meridian with Tyler, Tanner, Brooke and Drew on Wednesday. The plan was to go straight back to the lake because Amy and Whitney would be there about the time I got back and we would have some time with them. I talked to Pat and found out Amy had changed her mind on coming, so I took the opportunity for some self time and shopping in Meridian. I had hoped to check out pontoons there but, I just could not get interested. I did hit the mall and get some good buys and get the school shopping for Chris finished on Blake. I love shopping with his money, lol. I had a nice quiet trip home and thuroughly enjoyed my trip.

Thursday night Pat's oldest daughter, Debbie, Briana and Chance came to visit. We really enjoyed the visit. The weather was kinda rainy at times but we just made the best of it. They were able to tube behind the fishing boat, Kyle grilled steaks for us one night and we went out to eat at the ANGLER which was a nice ride around the lake, we actually crossed the lake 5 times, lol. We really enjoyed the visit with Debbie and the kids and hope they can fit us into their schedule a little more often. We plan to make a trip to see Briana in a play or dance sometime this year, now that I am retired we have more time to travel.

I guess this was the last fling at the lake unless we do something Labor Day. Tomorrow Blake and I head back to Vicksburg to get all organised and ready for school to start on Tuesday. I will stay a few days or weeks lol and then get a trip back to the lake as I need to to take care of business related to buying a pontoon.

Lakehouse Life without a Pontoon Boat

This week has been different without a watercraft of any kind. I so so so want to just go buy a new pontoon boat, but I know better. Besides not having the money or knowing when I would have the money, I have no clue what I would really want and I refuse to let Pat pick the next one out, so I have to do some homework and figure out exactly what I want and what I can afford. Hopefully we will get this one back from the shop next week, but some how I doubt it will be back by Labor Day.



WE carried the kids bowling on Monday night, partially to check out the crowd that hangs there and somewhere along the way I had promised I would take them, so they said, lol. I was surprised at the crowd, it was families mostly. The music was a lil loud for me, lol which I know does not take much, but it was a good atmosphere and something different to do.



I think I am the only one complaining about the pontoon. We went for daily swims, watched some movies, got caught up on computer time and xbox games. I have thoroughly enjoyed my little sewing area this week and Pat has enjoyed the quiet of our bedroom getaway.





The kids have been totally intrigued by neighbor kids next door. It has made it more difficult to keep up with the boys and with no pontoon they have more time to get into trouble, lol. I was glad when the kids actually came to our patio one night to visit, I was afraid the boys were wearing their welcome out. The closer it got to Friday the more I heard I don't want to go home can we stay another week, I even heard Drew calling his Mom to get her approval so he would be all set when Tracy got back from her cruise if Tanner could stay. Well they are staying until Wednesday as it stands for now.











Below you will find some of my latest projects.



These are for Eric's little girl and baby that is due in August. Next week I am going to get the new baby a blanket made I hope and get them a package headed that way before August 1. That's my goal! lol. Hehehe , Yes, I am stil goal driven and schedule oriented .... but I was before Nuclear Power.

These are for Brandon;s kids to wear on Emma's birthday.

These are for Brandon's kids to wear for Will and Walkers birthday.

Looking ahead to Halloween and getting some ideas.

I have started trying to do some baby things because I know of so many babies to arrive in the next 6 months.

I just had to do these for Tracy's friends that are expecting their 1st babies in October I think. I have to get more blue fleece to make them a blanket as well.

I guess I experienced my first moments of boredom since I retired lol. So I embroidered names on the old beach towels I have had for years, well I really meant to do this before summer got here and just never got to it. This will make it easier to know who did not hang their towel and also make you think twice before getting someone's towel cause yours is soaked, soured, lost, etc, lol.

Thats about it for this week. Things are winding down for the summer and we will have Pat's girls in to visit next week. It's looking like a cooler week and showers all week, I'm sure we will find things to do reguardless of weather.

Mid July, Tanner's Birthday

The week in Alabama has been good. We have enjoyed having Tracy here a few days and Drew as well. We asked Drew to stay the week because he was being so good and Tracy was in such a hurry to get back because she needed to get ready for her cruise. We have done the normal things this week taking our daily pontoon ride and having our daily swim. One day we were at the cliffs and Tyler realized it was July 15 and the Harry Potter movie was out today and he had to see it TODAY! I figured it was not in Jasper, but Tyler was able to text his Mom and get her to check out the internet and find the show times etc. It was in Jasper and we had plenty of time to get home eat and go to the movies. I carried them all to the movies and ran some errands while they were there. Pat has not felt well this week and went to the Urgent Care Center 3 miles away. It sure is nice to have that close by. They gave him shots and meds and fixed him up, but he had a tough week. I think he enjoyed us all being out of the house for a bit. We had Mom and Dad over to eat 2 times this week, which is nice to be able to do. Kyle is a big help to me with the grilling and he is stil looking for a job, but I think we are going to go check out the truck driving school this week, hopefully he will beableto get interested in some type of schooling that will give him a better chance of getting a job once this recession is over.

Tanner had a birthday this week so we had cake and ice cream and his choice of supper one night. Its hard to believe that he is 12 years old already.


Oh we have neighbors moved in next door in the castle house and we have finally had time to meet them. They have 4 girls, 8,12,17 anda son 20. Tanner, Brooke and Drew have been getting to know the kids. I think we will get along well with them. Her name is Sandy and we have lots in common although I am older, lol. She owns an ATT store here so maybe she can find out what the problem is with our cell phone service. She does a lot of work from home so I think we will become better acquainted as time goes by.


The weather this weekend has been wonderful, it has been cold when you get out of the lake. Almost like May. The lake seems to have quietened down a bit, I guess folks are getting ready for school to start. Brooke and I did go get our hair cut this week, finally. I have been trying to get there for 3 weeks, geesh and I am suppose to have more time to do stuff, lol.

Keesee Reunion and More

Things have been busy here, I am sure I will miss some of the details of the past 2 weeks.
We left here and traveled to Vicksburg to take care of business and take the Gardner boys and Brooke's friend Teaghen home on our way to Arkansas to the Keesee Reunion. We were in Vicksburg 2 nights and 2 days. While there we spent most of Thursday in Jackson taking care of business and just having some needed Pat and Sandra with no kids time. I told Pat he might really learn how to have fun since I have retired. It is nice to get him out of the house and away from all the yard,TV politics etc. We also got Blake while we were in Vicksburg and spent some time with him. We have really missed him, even Brooke has, lol. I will say I have not even thought about GGNS until Thursday morning when I stopped at the stop sign at the end of our street. Its hard to break habits I guess. As I stopped at the stop sign I reached to my chest to check and see if I had my work badge on before pulling out, just as I did most every morning when I went to work. I thought it was funny and I did it again the next morning as well. I wonder how long it will take to break that habit.

On Friday Pat and I got to Arkansas about 2 and checked in a hotel, we took a nap and later went to Elaine's to visit. Was nice to get some time with her and her grand daughters. I will say that hotel had coldest AC and the best bed we have slept on in a hotel in a long time, or maybe we were just tired.

The Keesee Reunion went well, although it never seems long enough to get all the visiting in. It was good to see everyone and talk bad about those that were not there, lol. JUST KIDDING!!! We did miss Sonny and Doris and the rest that did not make it, You all know who you are.Below are some photo's.

Pat and Buddy as they stand talking about Sonny not being there.
We had a make over for the 2 lucky brothers and non other than their daughters to have the privilege.
The end results, what ya think? do they look cute?

Elaine, Ty and the girls.

The river water was so nice, was cool and relaxing.

SPEAK NO EVIL!! SEE NO EVIL!! HEAR NO EVIL!!

Rosemary and daughters , grand daughters and great grand daughters hand.

. OLD RIVER GANG 2009!

Sunday morning we met Elaine for breakfast at 7 before she headed back to work and then we got on the road back to Alabama. Tracy and her boys , Brooke and Tanner's friend Drew met us there that afternoon.

4TH of JULY

WE had a pretty quiet 4Th of July. Kyle grilled steaks late in the afternoon and did a fantastic job. We had all the trimmings including Banana pudding that mom made and brownies that Marcia made. I wanted home made orange sherbet last 4th and our freezer no longer worked, so I bought a new one months ago. My plan was to make the sherbet and cruise the lake eating it and watching fireworks. Sounds like a great plan! Well we ate late and were too full to even think about eating sherbet. Susan was going to be in a parade of boats starting at 6 so we wanted to observe this and decided we would forgo the sherbet until later. WE loaded up at 7:15 and headed to the main body of the lake. The parade we thought was to start at brushy creek and would end at the bridge where the fireworks would be. We saw many boats and non appeared to be decorated although many were whooping and hollering and parading around. The boat Susan was on was all decorated and we had no problem spotting them, however the parade was just at Brushy Creek.

Later there was a band at the bridge playing and also one playing at the mouth of our slough. We went back to the house to make my long waited for sherbet and watch the fireworks. I am still waiting for my sherbet. When it had quit turning we opened it to find about a half inch of frozen sherbet stuck to the side of the container and the rest of it liquid....ugh seems the paddle had not been turning. Then I tasted it and it was salty... I tried to figure out if something was spoiled or what ... I just poured it out. Later I got to thinking I do not remember seeing water pouring out of the hole in the side of the wooden freezer section ... so maybe the salty taste was from melted ice backing up into the container. Pat said he had put a plug in the hole that was in the box.... WHY would they even put a plug in the box? I feel sure that was the problem. Next year I will have some type of ice cream to eat when watching fireworks. Hopefully I will have a successful batch of ice cream before the summer is over.



Brooke and Teaghen on their last cruise of the lake together.

The pontoon that Susan was riding on. I think that next year we will have a boat parade around the bridge area.

Mom and Dad really enjoyed the ride and the weather was wonderful. Notice they were dressed for the occasion.

Kyle, Tyler, Brooke, Chloe, Tanner, Teaghen all smiles for the 4th of July pontoon ride.

June Ends

I fixed breakfast for Brandon and family on Monday, and guess what I fixed. Yes you are right, chocolate and biscuits. By the way Dustin we missed you and Jacy. I think Will liked the chocolate and biscuits better than Walker. Emma and Christy came up with their on version of Chocolate and grits. They like the chocolate and they like biscuits just not together, but seemed to like it with grits.

After breakfast we took a nice pontoon ride. The weather was great and I think everyone enjoyed it. The kids did well.

Bro sure does look relaxed to have 3 grandkids on board, lol.

I started July off by meeting Tracy in Meridian to get Tanner and Brooke's friend Teaghen. Tanner decided he needed to be on the lake for fireworks. Brooke, Teaghen and Tanner have been so very good and have been on the lake most of the day and even at night hanging out in the pontoon, wish I was a lil fly listening to the conversations, lol. The weather has been really good this week to me anyway, the water was cooler than last week and just very pleasant to be out on the floats relaxing. All the watercraft has been broke this week, lol, but we did get the pontoon running today. It was just a carburetor problem. The lake was very busy this afternoon and I have no desire to be on it tomorrow, the 4th. We will just CHILL and then grill steaks in the afternoon and watch fireworks. Hope everyone has a Safe and Happy 4th.