The Old Place

The Old Place (Above) The Barn (Below)

One of our favorite places to go, to get away is "The Old Place" or "The Country" or "The Lake". (All the same place, what we refer to it as is dependent on the context of our conversation at the time.) Alex and I got in several trips this summer together with Mom and Dad there for the weekend, and Alex and Jody even got in one day trip together there. We are enojoying it more and more. We are getting more and more "toys" for down there, and I feeling a closeness to my ancestory and family history there. I find myself asking more questions about my family who has lived in Clay or Randolph County, AL for over a hundred years. "The Old Place" is really what we refer to the actual house as. My Pawpaw Nolen, who turns 94 on the 10th was born in this house. He did a lot of work on it in the 70's to "update" it and so thanks to him, we have an indoor bathroom and not an outhouse, and we dont have to go out to the well to "fetch a pail of water", we merely turn on the faucet and can take a shower, flush the toilet, wash the dishes with the luxury of indoor plumbing.

Alex and Dad in the Ranger
Pretty Creek on the property

Yesterday we went to spend the day. Dad had gotten a Polaris Ranger and we wanted to test it out. Mom and I went antiquing while Dad and Alex went riding around on the trails (Dad also had some new trails cut since the last time we were there at the end of July.) Alex and Dad have really enjoyed riding together. She is very good and working her way around and not getting lost. She has a great sense of direction, and does not get scared of very much on the trails.. she's a little dare devil. When we got back from shopping, we went down to the lake and spent a couple of hours laying out and I napped. Then it was time to head back home for the Bama game.

ROLL TIDE!

A Rareity - Mom riding the four wheeler alone.

And He's Off!!

The Sube was officially finished last night!! Jody and Jordan have worked SOOO HARD on getting it ready, especially for this school year (the first that he could really drive to school). The last of the issues was a water pump, which apparently is a fairly easy fix, but the part had to be ordered!! Now that it is done... I am sure Jordan feels a great sense of freedom. Too Bad for him that gas is nearly 4 dollars a gallon. It was 75 cents when I started driving. So, his first trip in it was with his friend Eric to Office Depot, and was gone for 30 minutes tops!! and boy was Jody nervous! I was a little, but I think that I have stressed over it all for all of these months as they were getting the car ready, that I was pretty okay for this. My nerves will come out on the weekends, when he "goes out"!!

Here are the pictures as he was leaving for his first official trip alone in the Sube!

First Day of School

"Pickles"

Granny has for a long time related to the comic strip "Pickles". She says that it really reminds her of her and Papaw. I think that probably for the most part any couple in their "senior" years could relate to the couple in this comic. The neat thing about the couple that is drawn is that they actually favor Granny and Papaw. I think that this is what makes it even more of a draw for Granny.

Granny loves this so much that she as written Brian Crane, the writer and illustrator, several times. Each time he has returned a note to her or a special drawing. He seems to be a really kind person.

So, I check this strip out every once in a while because there are times that it really reminds me of Granny and Papaw. I did not check it out this weekend, but met up with Rhonda and Granny yesterday, and Granny told me that if I still had the paper I should look at it... It reminded her of Papaw and Beth (even though the girl is supposed to be the daughter in the strip) . I read it and it really did remind me of the two of them! Beth and her sweet, caring, gullable heart ( I love you , Beth) and Papaw in his sweet, caring, jovial, joshing heart.

HERE IT IS: