It's Official

We are the proud owners of a beautiful home in the country and owners of rental property! This old house is under a rental agreement with a young couple starting a family and we are moving up and out of here! We just got home from closing and I'm on cloud 9! The weather isn't cooperating so it will be a day or two before we move which means I have a couple days of internet left before I go into true country life mode... well at least till the satellite gets installed. I want to thank all of you that sent your good mojo and prayers our way! I love you all and again thanks soooo much! Oh I'll post pictures of the new house all complete after the move and after I get some sort of Internet connection

How do you taste?

You taste like a milkshake. Your frozen malts send
a delicious thrill across the tongue. Your
sweetness and innocence are bared for the world
to suck up with a straw... and you love it,
baby.


How do you taste?
brought to you by Quizilla

What kind of light are you?

You are the Christmas Lights.


What Christmas Ornament are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Merry Christmas!

With the upcoming move I will not have time to post before the actual move and if the phone company is correct I won't have Internet connection until the beginning of February. I suppose when I can't stand it any longer I will hook up with some dial up service or possible get to the local library to visit my blog haunts and to catch up on emails. I've been away from dial up so long now I can't imagine going back to it. I know for sure that between packing, moving, unpacking and decorating for Christmas well its gonna be at least till after the Christmas and New Year season before I get back online again. So I want to wish all of you a blessed Christmas and New Year for you all. Cyber hugs and kisses to you all!

Dear Kodak,

I'm a little confused as to the purpose of registering a Kodak product that was received as a gift. On Christmas morning 2004 both my daughter and I were delighted to each have received EasyShare cameras! The first digital cameras for each of us! My daughter received the model CX7330 and I the CX 7430. I must say that I have been very happy with my gift and I use it all the time. I've learned so much that I was ready to upgrade to a digital with more bells and whistles. My love of Kodak quickly turned to hate for Kodak when I contacted your warranty repair department on my daughter's camera.

It seems that registration of a gift, Christmas or otherwise means nothing without a receipt. Most gifts do not come with receipts. And if they do it is either 1. a gift receipt that as was explained to me by your CSR is not sufficient in proving date of purchase or purchase price. Or 2. the gift giver wants to prove that he/she spends big money on gifts. So it seems it matters not that the serial number was registered just after Christmas on the Kodak website for both of our Christmas cameras.

I've decided not to purchase another Kodak product and I will yell at the top of my lungs my distrust of the Kodak company. I have told all my family/friends/neighbors/coworkers and the blogosphere of my unhappy experience with Kodak. In just over a week I will be moving to a new county with more neighbors and they will all hear how a one year warranty really means nothing at all to the Kodak company. You'd think that 2 cameras registered to 2 people at the same address and both received on Christmas and one needing repair in less than a years time would prove that the items were gifts and are still in the warranty period.

Sincerely,
Lillie Wifeandmotherof4

Chaos, total and complete chaos!

I'm sitting here at my computer amidst total chaos! If I were brave enough I'd snap a picture to show you just what I mean. Somehow the thought that moving day is about 2 weeks away has placed me into some sort of shock. I can't seem to get anything done! There are piles on the desk (OK that isn't unusual on my desk) clutter all over the kitchen table from piles of paperwork and various projects that I began to sort and never finished. As we speak there is a load of clean dry clothes in the drier that I just don't have the energy to remove, fold and place in the proper drawers and such. Another load clean and wet in the washer and an ever growing pile of dirty clothes in the hamper.... though that is an improvement from the ever growing pile on my bedroom floor! Though we have been packing boxes and taking the items we don't need till spring and driving them the 60 miles to the storage unit near the new house... well you wouldn't think we had taken the first thing. It appears as if our items multiply over night. I've taken down all the pictures and most of the decorative items weeks ago. I've packed up boxes of books and toys and off season clothing and still there seems to be no end to the job ahead.
I've spent nights dreaming and wishful thinking of moving day being a snap! OK, in reality I was wishing I was Jeannie, of I dream of Jeannie fame and I could just blink and it would all be done. Alas, it is not to be.
I'm sure you are all thinking to yourselves...if there is so much to be done what in the name of God are you doing here ranting about it? Well honestly as is my style I'm procrastinating. Its something I do very well. Not something I'm proud of but not something I'm going to try and hide either! You might as well know about it ... you may have even figured it out on your own! I'm sure I've given some clues these last months, unwittingly of course.
Now if there are any of you out there that just love to pack and make order of things... please come lend a hand I would gladly sit here at my desk barking an order every now and again while sitting back visiting my regular blog reads....Oh come now doesn't that sound appealing to any of you? OK well I suppose the packing and cleaning can wait while I surf on to my blog reading. Till next time!

Belated blessings

I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving. We certainly did! Even after hearing some disturbing news from our lender. Another set back, please tell me this will get easier! Tuesday afternoon I heard from the loan officer that the underwriter now says we have to put 5% down on a loan that was set up as 100% financing and after a confirmation letter said otherwise. I digress.... this is about blessings. I am very blessed to have a wonderful family that I love very much and that I can say with certainty loves me too. I hope you all were able to spend time with the ones you love and were also able to feel the blessings in your lives!

I just knew this to be true!

Ok so maybe not true but I always wanted blue eyes!

Your Eyes Should Be Blue

Your eyes reflect: Innocence and sweetness What's hidden behind your eyes: A calculating mind

What Color Should Your Eyes Be?

A step in the right direction.

Late Thursday afternoon I received a copy of the preliminary appraisal. Thankfully it appraised for the sale price! Had it not appraised for the sale price we would have had just one more stumbling block. It took the appraiser longer than he had promised to get out there but thankfully that is behind us now.
To my delight Friday we drove out to see the progress and the kitchen cabinets had been installed!




In the corners of the cabinets there are 2, yes I said 2 lazy Susan's.
I'm moving on up! I will have a dishwasher, something I've sadly missed for a little over 4 years! I can't wait to see the wood floors that will be installed on the first floor! I've never had wood floors and I have to research how to care for them.

I measured for the blinds while we were there. I have a few odd sizes that I'm afraid I may have to special order. Yikes, you know how expensive it gets when the words special order must be used. I've picked the curtains I want for the downstairs but I've yet to purchase them.

We also were pleased to find the well had been installed and the grading has been done!

A view from the 7th floor

While on an appointment yesterday I snapped a few pictures of lovely downtown Richmond. I thought I'd share them here.



Shadows cast from the building I was in.

























A beautiful crisp cloudless sky.


In the distance the Richmond Coliseum.











From the street level:



























The sun's glare.

A warped view.

A special treat from MM

OK you all have to visit MM! He made an audio blog and you must listen to this story! Enjoy! No need to thank me... MM tells the story I'm just helping you find your way there ;)

my first audioblog!

The fart chaser!

Yes my people we are the proud owners of a fart chaser! Runtie the youngest of our 3 cats has an affinity for chasing farts. Its pure comic relief to see her bound for the sound emitted from the rear ends of her loving family. How fortunate she is that we have a house full of farting machines. Yes we have the pint sized farter, my youngest, Brandon that remarkably emits some of the loudest and most frequent farts of them all. A close second would have to be Bob and yes even I add to the excitement of fart chasing. Obviously I have no shame here to admit that I too fart. But my people don't we all fart? Mind you this is in the privacy of my home we are talking about. Unlike my boys who are quite proud of their farts I'm just stating a fact about my own. Bob has the nerve some days while we are shopping to just let one rip and then walk away making the other shoppers think it was me and I still stay with him... am I crazy or what... wait don't answer that!

Autumn

The colors are just starting to really show here and I just wanted to share.

Uncertainty

As I posted before Its been several weeks of on again off again on the house. I've been following the plight of Jade and you can read it for yourself here, here,
here,here, here and there. I can see that I've only begun the roller coaster ride that is closing on a home. I won't go into all that has happened thus far but I will say that right now it looks as if we have a deal. We are waiting for the appraiser to do his thing and pray that the house appraises for at least what the builder is asking. If the answer to that is yes then we should have the majority of the hurdles behind us. Though as I said after reading about Jades ride I'm certainly not holding my breath.
Jade I hope your ride is now over and you are on your way to moving into your new lovely home. I've been rooting for you!

Mother and son day!

Brandon had a 1/2 day at school today so when I picked him up we had a date for lunch at Applebees, just the two of us. We even shared a chimicheesecake, MMMMMM that was good. We did our shopping for the Christmas shoe box collection for a child in some country far away, honestly I'm not sure where. Brandon had a wonderful time finding toys and some personal care items for a child that may never have had any toys. He put a lot of thought into each item and I'm sure any child would be happy to receive these items. I love it when I get to spend some one on one time with him and with any of the kids it just makes it seem so special to me and I hope to them as well. We went to the Haircuttery so Brandon could get a haircut. It was way over due but the planets must have been aligned perfectly because Brandon exclaimed, "It is best haircut ever!" Wow my work is done today! I made my boy happy all the way around and with little effort!



At least that is how Brandon put it today! He was determined to get a haircut just like his classmate Austin! He says we did it!

Tagged again!

I have to agree with Diva Drip this meme is thought provoking. I get so caught up in the day to day business of life that I don't often think about any of these topics even casually. I truly had to spend some time thinking on each one before I was able to put 7 items down for each.
Here is the meme and though you may think you got out of being tagged this time you haven't you are officially tagged simply by the virtue of being here and reading this entry! Yes that means you! No more lurking, you are being called out! Do your blogging duty, resistance is futile!

7 Meme

7 things I can do:
1. Raise 4 relatively sane, stable children thus far without major incidence.
2. The daily responsibilities of Nickie involving trach and g-button care.
Both physically and mentally be the one constant care giver for her for the
last 15 years and the many more to come, God willing.
3. Be optimistic most of the time even when life keeps throwing lemons at me.
4. I'm a great listener.
5. I fight for what I believe is right.
6. Love with all my heart and soul.
7. Get loud when I'm angry

7 things I can't/won't do:
1. Pull off being a blonde.
2. Play the guitar.
3. Be in an 80's hair band!
4. Go to a high school reunion.
5. Have any regrets.
6. Do a handstand.
7. Type 100 wpm

7 things I have in my life now that I am incredibly grateful for:
1. Bob
2. Shaun
3. Jackie
4. Nickie
5. Brandon
6. Mom
7. my home

7 things I hope to do before I die.
1. Travel the US
2. Visit Greece
3. Visit France.
4. Visit Australia
5. Worry less about money.
6. Purchase a shit load of land for Bob, his dream is to own many, many acres.
7. Own an RV and have the time to use it regularly.

7 bloggers I'd like to infect with this meme... As I stated above if you are reading this you are tagged but more specifically....
1. Lorianne
2. Magazine Man
3. Murray
4. Sleeping Mommy
5. Shane, even though I'm doubtful he even comes here nor is willing to do this.
6. Ali
7. Frances

Update MM's post on this meme!

Tagged at last!

I've been tagged! Odd isn't it to want to be tagged? Well I may regret this later but for now thank you Diva drip

1. Go into your archives.
2. Find your 23rd post.
3. Post the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
5. Tag five other people to do the same thing.


I'm actually surprised I have more than 23 posts but here it is the 5th sentence of the 23 post.

This performer was a hit with the crowd and with Bob and I.

I'm not sure I have 5 people to tag but here we go.....

Jeanette
Patty
Nae
OK so I don't have 5 I hope this will suffice!

feeling better

Runtie must be feeling better she is back to her old tricks slipping into tiny spaces not made for kittens.

Asking for good mojo, prayers, etc.

I've hesitated to post on this subject cause I didn't want to jinx any of it. Yeah I have my moments of superstitiousness. We have found a house in the country that we really love. It is new construction and would be the first house that would be handicap accessible. It's an 1840 sf home with 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths with the changes we have asked, on a little over 11 acres. The builder is at the stage now that he either needs to go on with his original plans or begin to make the changes we asked to have made. The problem is that though the lender has pre-approved the loan but hasn't finalized it and served us the commitment letter to make the builder happy and I'm afraid the house may be lost. I truly believe this is the perfect house for us at this time and any good thoughts would be appreciated. I can't tell you how great it would be to have a bathroom that is accessible to Nickie as well as the complete first floor. Here are a few of the pictures I took when we first saw the home about 3 weeks ago.

Spay Day

In addition to the lovely field trip yesterday. I had to drop off not one but three of my pets for spaying. Is that a word? I dunno but you know what I mean. Runtie, JC and Sadie.









They came home all doped up and pitiful looking. They did well with the surgery and today are looking and feeling much better. The best part is I don't have to worry about any baby surprises among them!

2nd grade field trip, woo hoo!

Today I had the pleasure of attending Brandon's field trip to the local zoo. I was the first to arrive this morning and was the car behind the school bus.





We arrived at the zoo with a ROAR of excitement! We first had a nice presentation with a zookeeper. She introduced us all to the Macaw.... and some handsome blonde fellow....
I didn't get to hear just what he was over the roar of the children.
After the presentation we were off on our own to see the zoo at our own pace. I just had to see the primates....
There was an angry chimp and a little fellow that sucked his thumb with a look that seemed to say, "I want my mommy!" The Orangutan that patiently waited for his admirers to throw food across the water.



We left the zoo and drove to CiCi's Pizza for the all you can eat pizza buffet. Not the greatest pizza but we had all worked up an appetite from the long zoo walk. We quickly filled up the restaurant with teachers, parents and 2nd greaders. I was surprised how well the children behaved and kept the noise down to a minimum. Its truly amazing how much they have matured since the end of first grade.

Born at the right time.....

I'm so glad I wasn't born 400 years ago. We visited the Jamestown Settlement yesterday and I came away from that experience thankful for many things. Thankful I live in a house made of something more substantial than the clay and sticks and thatched roof of the settlers of Jamestown.
Thankful that I have heat in every room of my house. Especially this morning, the first day of which I needed to turn on the heat this season.

Thankful I didn't have to suffer the long ride across the big blue ocean on a small ship in rough waters.


The ship was beautiful none the less.



With some wonderful costumed shipmates.....
And some stow away eager to shoot the cannon.

I was thankful that the natives (Powhatan Indians or is that Powhatan native Americans?) that we met were friendly and informative (not the case when the first settlers arrived). We learned the groundhog ate the crop this year. We also learned that the natives thought it bad luck to let the fire go out inside their huts. The natives had to work diligently to keep the fires burning. Again I found myself thankful for not living in those times.
I was amazed by the ability of those settlers who nearly 400 years ago braved that long ship ride to Virginia. They were completely unprepared for the task of facing the native people and survival in an unfamiliar territory. I would never have survived the harsh conditions. I'm thankful they braved the conditions so today nearly 400 years later I have the comforts I'm so very lucky to possess. We don't have much but by God we have so much more than those settlers had and for this I'm very thankful.

Leggo payola

Wow what's in here?



You mean there's more?


WOO HOO!
MM you made my son a very happy camper! He's been busy this afternoon building and he has hours and hours of fun ahead! Thank you MM for the leggo payola.

Paying forward....

As I promised MM I would do I promised not to fuss for a minimum of 2 weekends when Jackie asked to be run around town. I did darn good today! I dropped Jackie off at her friend Stephen's house fully expecting that she had a ride home. Sorry to say that wasn't the case but I didn't fuss. She wants to go out with him again tomorrow and "hang out". I will bite my tongue and take her to and from their outing. As you all know my life is busy and crazy. Last week was one of the worst for many reasons. This week started out much better and I hope Monday to find out some great news. I will let you know as soon as I know.

Day of online quizes

You Are 35% Addicted to Blogthings

Okay, so you know how to take and post a Blogthing. But you're no addict. (Hey, this quiz *proves* it!) For you, Blogthings is more of a healthy habit. At least, that's what you tell yourself!

How Addicted To Blogthings Are You?

another

You Are Mexican Food

Spicy yet dependable. You pull punches, but people still love you.

What Kind of Food Are You?

This is so not me I'm not into hot and spicey foods.

country quiz

I know yet another online quiz. There are only 6 questions to find out your true origin. I always loved Australia but I never knew it was my true origin. Move over Murray I'm moving in!

You're Australia!

You're easy-going, relaxed, and yet somewhat tough and hardy all at the
same time. You can appreciate culture, scuba diving, and even safaris. This
makes you pretty interesting and intriguing to others, though also really unpredictable and
even wild. Your knowledge of nature is unthinkable to most of those around you, even
though your respect for it is sometimes less than perfect. People really like your
accent.


Take the Country Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid

and another

Your Personality Is

Artisan (SP) You are both grounded and flexible. You adapt well to new situations. You are playful and free spirited - but you are also dependable and never flaky. You don't do well in conservative, stuffy situations. It's probably very hard for you to keep a normal job or stay in school. You are always up for fun and adventure. Most people are too boring for you. You take risks and bend the rules. And if things don't work out, you chock it up to life experience. In love, you tend to take things quickly - but you have a huge problem with commitment. At work, you need to make your own rules. You're best suited to be an entrepreneur. With others, you are animated and physical. You prefer doing something with friends to just hanging out. As far as your looks go, you tend to be buff and in good shape. Your spend more time on your body than your clothes. On weekends, you need to keep active. From cooking up a storm to running a 5K, you wear yourself out.

The Three Question Personality Test

and yet another

Your Blog Should Be Yellow

You're a cheerful, upbeat blogger who tends to make everyone laugh. You are a great storyteller, and the first to post the latest funny link. You're also friendly and welcoming to everyone who comments on your blog.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Wow, did this one get me all wrong or what? Me cheerful and upbeat? Sarcastic maybe... Cheerful I think not!

Up and down, down, down (part 3)

I explain to the staffing coordinator that he must fix the situation. He says he will try and he will call me back. At around 10PM I get a call from, child protective services (CPS), telling me we needed to get back home. I calmly explained to her that we were several hours drive from home and that the first I heard of any of this was just an hour earlier. I assured her that I left Richmond with the understanding that all the shifts were covered and with the assurance that the agency would take care of things. I also explained that at that late hour we would have to drive all night on no sleep and arrive in no condition to care for Nickie. The CPS worker said she was going to call the agency coordinator and would get back to me, she also said she thought this was all wrong. I hung up the phone jumped out of bed, got dressed and packed and headed to the truck. My cell phone rang just as we loaded up the truck. It was the woman from CPS and she said if I called the local hospital and made arrangements for Nickie to be picked up by them that would suffice. I said thanks but we were on our way home as we spoke and I asked her to wish us luck getting there in one piece. She said she was sorry this had happened but to call her when we got home.

We arrived at home at 3 am, we greeted the nurse and gave Nickie kisses and dropped to the bed like a ton of bricks for a 3 hour nap. 6 am came much too quickly and as I suspected I was in no condition to be responsible for a child that requires so much care. I did the best I could and we got through the day from the sheer anger that I was using for energy. I plotted how I was going to use this injustice to enlighten the world to file formal complaints against the agency and against the nurse that left my daughter in such a bad way.

Monday morning I made all the appropriate phone calls to find out with which agencies I could file complaints. I contacted my attorney to see what suggestion he had. I contemplated contacting the local NBC affiliate to see if they might be interested in the story but in the end I know just how stuck between a rock and a hard place I already am. There are too few agencies even fewer nurses and as you can see the caliber of nurses that are out there are very low. Its hit or miss and I'm sorry to say its miss more often than not. Ultimately I felt it was best not to make it impossible to work with this agency by filing complaints. Its difficult enough to find nursing care at all much less limit myself to one less agency. While I was dealing with all the phone calls and Bob and Shaun went to work the work van broke down. When Bob called to tell me about that I was stupid enough to ask what else can go wrong? Stupid, stupid, stupid Lill.

We dropped the van off at the shop and had to explain to our customer that we would return to his job when the van was repaired. By Monday night Bob began to feel the effects of a respiratory infection... Great what is this bad luck number 3? I think. I go home to find that the kitchen sink won't work and I can't believe the shit keeps coming at us. I contact a few plumbers to find the soonest I can get anyone out is Thursday. The shop calls on Tues to say the van is working fine for them they can't find anything wrong with it. They suggest we pick it up. We do just that and guess what? The van breaks down again on the way home. We finally make it home feeling whipped.

Wed morning Bob decides to try to make it in to work sick and with the hope the van makes it there. What the heck was he thinking? The van broke down again. We take it again to the shop and we head back home. Bob decides that he doesn't want to be put into a situation that he can't work waiting on his work van to be repaired so he takes his pick up truck to Truckin Thunder to have a sprayed in bed liner and ladder racks installed. This will make it so he can still work out of that truck if he needs. The cost of this work is a whopping $1,093.00 Bob and I decide to take my van, the wheelchair accessible van, to run a few errands and pay some bills.....

We make it back home in our driveway, when we notice the van is over heating. WTF? How can this be? I said to hell with this and just moved on to the car that we just got back from Shaun since he just bought a "new" car and returned mine to me. I drove it and noticed it was shimmying and decided it must need an alignment but with all the other crap going on I say it will have to wait.

Thursday the plumber comes and replaces my faucet and snakes a pipe all in 40 minutes and $293.00 later leaves. While doing dishes that afternoon I find that there is a leak under the sink that wasn't there before. I call the plumber to tell him about the leak and of course he can't come back till the next day. Friday morning on the way to take Brandon to schoolI was approached by a nice man to tell me that I needed to pull over I have a flat tire. Sure enough I look and the tire is practically sitting on the rim. One ray of sunshine was Pete a teacher at my son's school who ran up to me and offered to change the tire for me. I ran into the office to call Bob, I left my cell phone at home, and let him know I was ok and what had happened. I make it back home in one piece and pick Bob up so we can drop off the car for new tires, alignment etc. It's explained to me that 4 new tires and the alignment and oil change will come to $375.00 This is racking up to be an expensive week.

We get a call from the shop they found the problem and after we pay $200.16 they release the van. The plumber meets us at home in the afternoon and another $93.00 later I have a drip free pipes. So I'm asking myself what have I done so wrong in my life that I deserve all this shit to hit at once? I've tried to live the last several years being optimistic. Treating others the way I want to be treated and in general being a good person. Why does it seem no matter how hard I try to live that good life that I manage to attract crazy nurses, shit nurses, incompetent nurses, and why does everything break down at once. We are hard working struggling people that want nothing more than to live in peace and to provide a good, clean life for our kids. What are we doing wrong? I ask you if you know the answer please enlighten me.

Up and down, down, down (part 2)

Friday morning Bob and I woke up early and refreshed ready to meet the others for a new day. After a wait the others finally came out of their rooms and met us in the motel cafeteria for the "free" breakfast, I was surprised to find that is was more than cereal and bagels. It was no gourmet meal but it was hot and hearty. To my surprise the others were not ready to leave for our drive to Mt. Airy so they went back to their rooms and were to meet us back at the truck after retrieving their purses. Nearly an hour later they finally emerged from their rooms and drove around to meet us. It was a beautiful sunny day and the drive was scenic. We drove past Pilot Mountain with its interesting tree covered granite bump.

Ronnie decided he should pass us just as we arrived at the turn for US 52 business, so of course they missed the turn and didn't answer their cell phones when I called. I was a bit perturbed at this point. Finally they answer their phones and I tell them to meet us at the visitor center. Bob and I arrive there and park out front. We go into the visitor center and find out just what to expect on this Mayberry day, when Ronnie calls Bob's cell phone and says they decided to park at the other end of town and if we could walk in that direction and they would meet us 1/2 way. Ok so by now I'm starting to get a little hot under the collar. We walk down several blocks to find they haven't walked a single block to meet us half way. So now I'm more than hot I'm steaming. Apparently the vacation I scheduled for Bob and I has now become about everyone but us. They were late getting to Winston-Salem, they were late getting to breakfast, didn't follow us as they should have to Mt. Airy and now can't follow a simple direction to meet us at the visitor center nor attempt to meet us half way. At this point I decided that I wasn't going to waste any more of my trip waiting for them. I took Bob by the arm and directed him to the closest attraction on the map.
We walked To the Andy Griffith playhouse and were serenaded by the sounds of budding artists. Well ok serenade and artists both were stretches, but I commend them all for effort. We were headed to see the home Andy grew up in when I realized the map was not exactly to scale. What appeared to be a couple blocks past the playhouse turned out to be many more.... So we took a shortcut back and met up with the others again. We stopped in Floyd's barber shop where Bob dared to get a hair cut.



That wasn't Floyd. Floyd was busy snapping polaroids of the folks that wanted their pictures on his walls. I believe someone said that Floyd had something like 20,000 pictures on his walls of visitors. Patty and Linda stopped in Opies Candy store and though I avoided that one it must have been something extra special cause they spent at least 20 minutes oogling the goods.


Bob and I had our eyes open for interesting souvenier to bring back to the gang. We did finally find something for everyone. Then it was time for lunch and it seemed that no one could decide. We ended up in a restaurant that had some good southern cooking. We then made our way through the emporium that was in the same building as the restaurant and encompassed 3 floors. It had some interesting items and the top floor had a line forming to get autographs from some of Mayberry's actors. James Best whom I recognized from The Dukes of hazard, but apparently had been in Mayberry at some point and Betty Lynn who played Thelma Lou.



Bob and I decided we'd had our fill of "Mayberry" and we let everyone know we were heading back to Winston-Salem. We drove across town and stopped at the old filling station and the courthouse. It was a hoot. Bob pretended to be Otis and locked himself in the jail sell, I have it on video but don't have a clue how to post it here.




It wasn't long before they showed up back at the motel and we decided to go out for dinner. We followed Ronnie and eventually we got to the restaurant which for some reason the name is escaping me at the moment. In the middle of dinner, now mind you this was a late dinner so near 9 pm, I received a phone call from the nursing agency that is responsible for the nursing care my daughter receives. The staffing coordinator calls to say a nurse has cancelled her shift for the next morning and they have no one to take her place. I'm furious! Bob and I don't get away for dinner or a date night because of the difficulties surrounding nursing care for Nickie. These few and far between times we are able to take mean far more than you can imagine.