Morning Folks 12 24 06

Morning Folks!

First, I wanted to update you all on the progress John and Robin are making with their recovery after the fire. They are amazing at what they have been able to accomplish. They have moved into a small rental home while waiting for a permanent place. This will provide a place much more cozy than the hotel room in which the 5 of them had been staying. Santa will definitely find his way there.

John and Robin would be the first to tell you that the generosity of friends and strangers has been overwhelming for them. Once they found a house to rent, people began pulling up to the house with items like a washer and dryer, furniture for the kids' bedrooms, 2 couches and a Christmas tree all lit up and ready to decorate. They have received clothing and gifts that Santas have left wrapped and ready to go and lots of encouragement and support. They are truly grateful for everything, including the prayers and kindnesses from many of you.

It's almost Christmas and we are gearing up! We did manage to decorate the house and set the unpacking aside for the weekend.

We have a Santa theme this year. Mostly because all we unpacked of the Christmas decorations was my Santa collection, mostly gifts from Cindy and Steve over the years. Ed had a few of his own to add. The kids counted 28 of them. There are some in every room of the house, even the bathrooms!

In the kitchen.

A blue one on my dresser.
A little one next to Ed's side of the bed.

A white Feathery Santa in the blue room. (Those curtains aren't staying.)


Several on the mantle.

(Not shown: Cowboy Santa with hip wiggling motion to Holly Jolly Christmas.)

Friday night Ed's son Joe arrived from Wilmington, NC as did Ed's brother Bob and sister-in-law Susan from Louisville on their way to Florida. The next morning John brought the kids for breakfast and we had a great time. Grampa cooked and we all had a wonderful morning.


John and the kids came to join us for breakfast Saturday morning. I don't know where he finds the energy.


Zeppelin is HUNGRY! (Just a little out of focus. I think I was dancing to Have a Holly Jolly Christmas. One shouldn't dance while taking a picture. ) Mmmmm! Pancakes and maple syrup! Arabella loves syrup.




Grampa cooked AND served. He's multi talented!

Then he entertained us with his wit!



This was just a warm-up for the big day for Indigo. Thanks Uncle Bob and Aunt Susan. I love my new Pooh bear!

Bob and Susan left Saturday morning to spend Christmas with Mickey Mouse. Joe's staying through Christmas. We will be having Christmas dinner at Grandma's and Grampa's with the kids in the afternoon. I will miss my family this year. But I know we will be together again soon. I will be thinking of each and every one of you throughout the day tomorrow. Have a very Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years!

My Star!

Have yourselves a Merry Little Christmas!

Love,
Suz

Morning Folks Dec 15

Morning Folks. I am back on-line and in our new home. We are still unpacking Ed's things and my movers arrive on Monday. We love our new home but are finding it difficult to celebrate it in the midst of the news that Ed's son John lost his home to a fast moving fire on the day he was helping us move.

He and his wife Robin, their 3 children (Zeppelin 7, Arabella 5 and Indigo 17 months)were not home at the time and they are safe and sound. But they lost everything. Here are some pictures of their home the day after the blaze.











John and Robin are hanging on and trying to stay strong for the kids' sakes. But it is very emotional for them, as one can imagine. Insurance is covering their loss financially, thank goodness, and they are staying in a hotel suite where Santa will be able to find them on Christmas Eve.



The kids have their moments and will from time to time be talking about something they have and realize anew that they no longer have that toy or favorite book. The fact that their Christmas tree and decorations were already up is something 7 year old Zeppelin keeps mentioning to me. Their church has been a big help to them and they are overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers and friends. It means so much to them when they hear a kind word from people they know. If any of you would like to send a card or a note of support to them, you can send it C/O Ed Eaton 6827 Bucksland Dr., Ooltewah, TN 37363. This is our new address. Please keep them in your prayers over the holidays. I know it will help.

Morning Folks 11 15 06

About 3 weeks ago Ed and I said good-bye to my wonderful friends and family as we prepared to embark on our journey of married life in Tennessee.

Saturday night before we left, Kitty and Rick invited us into their home for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, knowing we wouldn't be in the area for the holidays. We also celebrated birthdays for the 4 folks who are turning 55 this year. Guess who that included! Although we were told not to bring gifts, I did bring enough of my previously used ice scrapers to go around. After all, I won't be needing them!





As we visited and waited for the others to arrive, Melinda, Kitty, Ed and George chatted with Sam, who lounged casually on the couch. George is either yawning or reacting to something Kitty said about the White House. (If you click on the pix, they should enlarge a bit.)



Frank and Linda arrived, and so did the wine. Just outside of the frame of the picture, Frank shows Rick his fancy corkscrew.

Lots of laughs and good conversation.
George and Melinda coordinated their outfits, I think.

Elizabeth and Ed have a moment.


Pumpkin soup, courtesy of Linda is the first course.

Pass the gravy, please.


In addition to Linder's soup, Melinda provided the appetizers, Elizabeth the dessert, and Kitty and Rick everything else. We brought the rolls, but just like every Thanksgiving dinner, we forgot all about them! After dinner conversation only briefly turned to politics. I was grateful for that. This was pre-elections. Believe me, it would have been a very difficult conversation if it was post elections! At least for two of us. George and I always appreciate the great restraint these Democrats show at these gatherings.

Frank and Linda from behind empty wine bottles. I think that is a fitting angle for our wine experts!

While we chatted around the dinner table, Sam enjoys a beer in the living room.

I am so glad we wer able to get together that last Saturday we had in town. Although we missed the Wortmans, the other couple who usually joins us at these gatherings. They have such a tough time getting off the Vineyard. Maybe next time everyone can come to our trailer on the Cape! If y'all get together again before we get back for a visit, make sure someone takes some pictures for me. And when we get settled in TN, maybe we will host a gathering there! Hope everyone likes biscuits and gravy!
It was a lovely night as it always is. I will miss these regular gatherings, but it will only make those reunions we have in the future more special.


A few days later, I had the sad task of saying goodbye to my kids and Becky. We had a wonderful dinner at the Naked Fish in Waltham and it was special to have them with us on our last night in town.

All three of them had been so helpful with the move and I don't know how I would have done it without them. Thanks you guys.

She isn't really one of my kids, but there have been times when Becky seemed that way to me. I hope she and the boys see a lot of each other now that I am so far away.

My two handsome boys, Doug and Bill.
They promised me they would take care of each other for me.

And Bill's girlfriend Kim, who I think of as one of my kids now, promised me she'd watch out for both of them. I know she will.
We had a wonderful time but it was difficult to leave them that night. I know they will visit TN as often as they can. I love you all and miss you very much. And I leave you with one piece of advice:

CALL YOUR MOTHER!


I am so lucky to have these precious friends and family in my life as well as others not pictured here. I am really blessed and being apart from them only makes that fact clearer to me. Whether or not we are miles apart, you are always in my thoughts and in my heart. Love to you all. Keep in touch always!

Have a great day.
Love,
Suz

Morning Folks 11 04 06

I thought I would post a little photo-log of moving day. It was a beautiful October day and although it was just a mere ten days ago, it seems like a year has passed since then.




The crew showed up at about 8:30 and Ed and I were ready for them.




We had worked like crazy to get things ready and had gotten rid of so much unneeded stuff. I think we still could have managed to get rid of more if it hadn't been so stressful. It's hard to give and/or throw away your perfectly good stuff just because you don't need it! But I had way too much and it eventually felt good to be simplifying that part of things.










The crew from Sebastian Moving Company headed by Wayne, included Don, our driver Mike and Allie, who did a lot of the packing along with Wayne.




It was a pretty big truck, but not completely empty when they arrived. They had some other things on it already from another move. I just wasn't convinced they left enough room for my stuff.



Wayne explained that he was a professional and to trust him. He promised to get everything into that truck, but I just couldn't believe it would all fit.


Wayne spends a lot of time on the phone from what I understand. But he took very good care of us and if you have to make a long distance move along the eastern part of the US, I will give you his number. He was really great to work with. He was salesman, packer and supervisor. He was right there on the job and that made me feel so much less stressed.


They emptied my house quickly and professionally.









And they fit every last thing in there. I don't know how they did it, but they did! They used every last cubic inch of space in that truck. It was right up to the roof and flush with the door. Amazing how they did it. Doug says they Tetris things in when they fit things in like that. A reference you video gamers would understand.



Ta-da! Bravo for the crew!











While the crew packed the truck, Ed packed my car before they loaded it onto a flatbed trailer. He packed it right to the roof with items that we needed right away in Chattanooga.









The plan was that Mike would drive the truck, towing the car to Chattanooga, dropping off the car and my clothes and some other essentials, like my computer, my jewelry and some files and then put everything else in storage until we get a new house in TN.



Ed watches as they finish up and get ready to hit the road. Ed was my strength during this whole process. My siblings and their families were a big help, too. Doug and Bill helped with moving things around before moving day. Bill was nice enough to lend the use of his truck in getting things to the church for their White Elephant sale and helped moving things to various locales. And Doug was just as helpful lending his brawn and getting rid of various larger items I couldn't get rid of. Not to mention the moral support my kids always give me.

So there you go, folks. That's what happened on moving day! More about my good-byes to Sudbury and friends and family on later blogs.


Until then, have a great Sunday and GO PATS!