Monday, April 6, 2009

This land is peachy




Hello from Georgia......The land of southern Hospitality and new perspectives.This day started like most of our days on the road sleeping in a rented bed.....Marriott does this hotel thing just right....comfy beds nice warm showers.

We....um I mean Mom.....drove through the night so we could be in Atlanta in the morning ......Poor Mom she drove through construction and a posted 55 mile path the whole night....we finally arrived at 5am....fell into bed and ......could not sleep...... DANG ......Harley started seizing :(. We came to Georgia not just for the Puppetry museum but the see Uncle Bob My mothers Handsome older brother and his family...Mom had not seen her big brother for 20 years so this was highly anticipated.....Harley and I let Mom and uncle Bob and his stunning wife head off to brunch with out us....I have heard that the enjoyed lively conversation and wonderful creme brule french toast...yum. Harley and I stayed in the room and looked through our Georgia packet prepared for us by the Dixon family....(thank you girlies:)....permission for krispy creme was all we needed:).......

We were invited to Uncle Bobs house to retreve Grandma .....I got so very lost BUT the homes were so lovely that Lost was not a problem when we finely stoped for help I was greeted with a slow southern drawl and a BOW TIE.....Harley later asked why the man had a bow on his neck I guess we don't see bow ties any more ...why?... what a treat as this sweet man and his wife that was dressed to the 9's led us to Uncle Bob's neighborhood....utterly out of the way....Prospective # I people matter go that extra step....Harley was well prepped in the car about being polite and respectful....Perspective #2 manners are a life style not a threat in the car 5 minutes before you head into someones glass filled perfectly decorated stately home....Harley was a gentleman but sadly scarred mute....the poor thing sat on his hands spoke not a word and I am still thinking he barely took a breath....he did look a little blue:) I was taken back by the resemblance between Mom And her brother....(Claypool kids , we came from a very nice looking gene pool) I loved watching as both these Spreng kids eyes twinkled as the laughed...and how they both swelled with pride a bit as they introduced their children. I was introduced to uncle Bobs gracious wife and beautiful step daughter these women were the perfect picture of modern southern Charm beautiful with some sassyness mixed in to spice things up. Uncle Bob is a lucky man to spend time with these lovely ladies...

Perspective 3# If you think it and it is kind say it.....tell the person...it will make their day....

We did not get enough face time with Uncle Bob ....hopefully we will see him today before we leave...

We did get to the puppetry Arts museum and boy oh boy could we have used a few more hours....remarkable...

When we walked into see the Jim Henson exhibit....it was like seeing old friend Do you know that Jim Henson was Eriny? I didn't and Kermy is about 3 feet tall?

We had dinner at a place called.....hmm can't remember but the food was FANTASTIC...Harley of course had.....red beans and rice.....also delish....

as we hunker down for bed we are hearing warning about hurricanes....wait and maybe snow......as we drift off I start to dream of little houses dressed in snow being lifted into a place....called OZ....I am starting to look for my red sparkly shoes.....

Sunday, April 5, 2009

what the heck?

hurricane or snow?
ice storm or rain.....
this is what the weather is doing here....eek

family part 2.....what a day












Today we had to say goodbye to the Florida coast and we left a piece of our hearts behind....Mom calls my cousin jay and I peas in a pod.....I did feel like we had a bond that was not completely understandable....so maybe we are peas:)
We had a great time visiting Saint Augustine the oldest city in the USA and we saw mile marker 1 on the drive back home....Jay treated us to a train ride around this wonderful old city and to a good Cuban lunch..... after we found our selves back at my cousin Linda's table for a few more Hellos and goodbyes....Linda's Home drips of love....it is in the walls...this visit we got to meet the littlest member of the family her Granddaughter and her daughters wonderful family.... sadly....I was so wrapped up in the chatting I forgot to take pictures but you can take my word for it this little family is beautiful.....This day was fun funny and fantastic but it pales in comparison to the relationships that were built while we were here....so Taylor Kids....we love you .....now you should come see us:).....please ...

Friday, April 3, 2009

family family family in Florida











With great excitement I was thrilled to meet 3 of my cousins.....and one cousin in law.




I am in the land of fast talkin storey tellers and feel right at home!




We found Florida a bit soggy and hard to figure out but today as we coddle into our beds at the hotel we feel....well bigger....okay not just because Uncle Jimmy can't stop feeding us but because our hearts feel full and some how complete....er. To have a connection by biology is fantastic and to look across at a face that is a slight reflection of your own is truly remarkable. Sisters and Bro....we have cool cousins...interesting, warm, funny and insanely smart....tomorrow we do a bit of sight seeing and then we will say a sad goodbye to new found family....then on to Georgia.....








Thursday, April 2, 2009

We Made it yippee!!! we are in the land of the Atlantic ocean palace were the sun rises over the ocean.

We found Aunt Donna and Uncle Jimmy.....they look great.

It was fun to hear all uncle Jimmy's stories but tomorrow we get to listen to aunt Donna:).....or else.

Please pray for us....Harley is not doing so well and I can't shake this cold.

I will post pictures tomorrow

rain rain rain

please pray for us as we drive through a storm in florida....we are hopeing to be in jacksonville by 1 pm today

beads and red beans











so the hotel that we stayed in last night.....HATED my computer so it died in the middle of posting.....
okay mom says Louisiana was the most unique place she has ever seen....I totally agree unique fantastic and old.....i kind of expected the whole city to smell like mold ans be dripping with debauchery but not this Louisiana....I say that because the locals refere to there time line that way....before and after Karina....This new Louisiana is cleaner and in some place just days old.....It seems this city as a ...whole is pleased with the big changes....it is also clear that some homegrown folks walked away and won't come back....demolished buildings sit next to brand spanking new ones recovery is in the air, not mold ....and the debauchery ....well they still house that where it always lived ....on Bourbon street. we loved every thing about this place but the highlight if our time was the trumpeter that played for grandma and Harley on the ferry we accidentally took.....just like New Orleans we experienced the joy and wonder of the here and now.....

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

hello did you miss us?

I am so sorry that we did not blog last night....the land of the BiG Easy got the best of us:)

After our really really gross room at the Hilton we were so SO blessed to, check into the most adorable Marriott in New Orleans...So adorable that we never wanted to leave ....But leave we did after our Fantastic dinner we wandered the city felling slightly intoxicated by the music, sites and sounds. It was a little hard to settled down to sleep ....we drifted of chatting about our trip and all the fantastic things we were going to see the next day.

My sister Cathy planed some really interesting things for us to do.....First on our list

SWAMP TOUR so tour we did it was the most fantastic trip we could have taken.

mom says she loved this tour it was great and so relaxing just being out there in those beautiful trees and the irises and roses if we never saw any animals it still would have been a great experience.....Harley adds that the fast boat rocked the snakes and alligators were creepy.

I loved being in so much nature...Our God is so creative....the birds snakes flowers moss alligators.....otters....how awesome and creative. I have to say we had a great Cajun boat captain he was so charming and knowledgeable.