Carol of the Belts...yes, Belts, not Bells

Carol of the Belts...yes, Belts, not Bells

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy the music of the season...done in a fun way. Guaranteed to make you smile. CLICK HERE

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Once again, it is that time of year when families gather, eat, and pose for photos. Long lost relatives that you haven't seen since last year show up, trash the house that you spent the last week trying to clean up, and then are gone after a few hours of snacking on the leftovers (taking all of the good bits home with them and leaving the rest). Everyone is all smiles and happy in that semi-medicated vacant stare sort of way...perhaps due to a few too many glasses of wine.

The family fun is followed closely by the crazed rush of shoppers, elbowing and pushing their way to the Black Friday sale items at their local stores. The retailers have started opening their doors at midnight this year...just in case the masses want, no, need to get their hands upon the latest thing that they have been brainwashed by advertising executives to think that they must have.

By the end of the weekend, we are still trying to come up with ways to get rid of the leftovers from the meal, figuring out where all the money went while we shopped, and wondering how to get those cranberry stains out of the beige carpet. We swear that things will be different next year; fully knowing in our heart of hearts that they won't.

That all being said, we still have a lot for which to be thankful.

Have a safe holiday everyone!

Batman gets his shirt

Gary, your gift was delivered to Mike today. THANKS!

Georgia National Fair

I went down to the Georgia National Fair last night in Perry. My feet are still sore from all of the walking...it is HUGE. Here are a few photos:

Ocmulgee Indian Celebration

Today was the last day of the Ocmulgee Indian Celebration at the Ocmulgee National Monument.

Photos for My Employer

I am not normally into taking photographs of buildings...much less the ones that I work at...but I do enjoy a challenge. One of the directors that I work with asked me to take some photos of a few of the schools, and use those for artwork in the hallways of the office. So here are a few of my first drafts:

A day in Atlanta

We spent most of the afternoon in Atlanta.

Bonnie and I explored every nook in the Fernbank Museum, and then tried to get to the Carter Center before it closed; but failed.

The Zeppelin Zoo

A very word intense, but insanely cool video from over at Joe's website.

Camping at Standing Indian

I spent the past weekend camping with my parents in North Carolina.





My dad and I are dwarfed by this giant poplar tree near Standing Indian Campground.

Meanwhile, my mom held down the fort, reading by the campfire.

They had a nice riverfront site, and I had the one right next door...very convenient for joint meals!

break in follow up

Well, I was wrong. The burglars did get into the main garage. While getting ready for my trip this weekend, I discovered that in fact they did steal both of my bicycles (the old frame only, and my newer one that I usually ride), and also the weed eater is gone.

Not a happy camper!

As I was cutting grass this evening, I went around to the back side of my garage....an area that I rarely go....and what did I find?

A big hole that someone knocked in the wall sometime in the past 2 weeks!

The burglar had kicked through the exterior wall and went into the rear storage room, which fortunately was just full of mostly junk stuff.

The only thing that I could tell that was taken was an old bicycle that was in there. Fortunately, nothing that I will miss....but now I have to re-do the entire back end of the garage. Grrrrr!

I put up a temporary piece of plywood that I had, but will have to go buy the regular wood siding and do it right this week. Lucky that I am on furlough this week to get it done!

Trip Pics

A bunch of photos are now posted on my Facebook page. You can see the album and click on the photo to move to the next by going here. We spent 13 days traveling up the entire Blue Ridge Parkway, and then the Skyline Drive...plus a crazy one day tour of Washington DC.


Here is one of the shots.....a mama bear was nursing two cubs just 30 feet or so from our tents in Shenandoah National Park (Big Meadow Campground).

Super Freak!

Some fun from today's retirement party for Gary at work.

A Night at the Fabulous Fox Theater

What a great night! Thanks to one of the artists performing tonight (EG rocks!), I was able to attend the live broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor and friends in Atlanta at the Fabulous Fox Theatre.





Guests tonight included E.G. Kight and Caroline Herring (above).



Also performing were the super sounding bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers (above) and southern humorist, Roy Blount, Jr. (below)



Garrison's tales, songs, and the latest news from Lake Wobegon and the interesting people who live there always keeps the audience mesmerized!



It was a lot of fun and I would highly recommend it if they are ever in your neck of the woods!



And after the show, it was great to meet a few of the performers and backstage folks, and to sit and chat with some great talent at the cocktail lounge next door. What a great evening!

Sapelo Island

Got back from Sapelo Island on Sunday....fantastic trip.
Here are a few photos.