Andrew; How about some pictures of the festivities you're enjoying in Vegas? Win reports that you are in a nest of Jam Bands! If you have your camera handy I'm sure we would all enjoy some of the sights. "G" rated of course. It IS a family blog. Did you happen to catch Bill Payne w/ Jimmy Buffett at the MGM?
Well, I have the whole house to myself here in ATL. The boys are both gone, but Jarrett will be returning today. I went out last night with my good friend Nicole to hear from friends of mine play music, Arlington Priest. They played at Eddie's Attic in Decatur (a very cool place that I know you all would love). Of course, Arlington Priest was great. They played a few new songs, which was great. I'm really looking forward to their new cd coming out in the spring. You should all check out their website: www.arlingtonpriest.com.
Brother Henry also played last night. I had heard them there before, but forgot how much I liked them. I bought their new cd, it's a lot of fun. Chuck Leavell plays on it Win! Anyway, you should all check out their website too: www.brotherhenry.com.
Am I doing a good job as a groupie??? (I'm trying to pay it forward in advance, anticipating some Highland5 groupies!)
It's true, I've seen the first snow flake this morning. I'd post a picture, but it melted too quick! "All Hell Breaks Loose" as mom rushes around before dawn bringing in plants from the deck. Cleo very confused. Schools close in West Virginia. I leave for South Carolina where temps are in the 60's. Typical week in Browntown. More later.
Andrew with the "Beach" cousins and Aunt June. It was their "Most Excellent Atlanta" adventure. Thanks Andrew for being nice to the cuz's. 
It is hard to imagine that what was once a hotbed of eight Democrats living within spittin' distance of one another is now reduced to just three of us. Even so, it seems that there are more Democratic campaign signs on Browntown Road than I remember seeing before.
It's a shame that the Virginia gubernatorial campaign has become the national model for "nasty campaigns" with ugly, explotative, negative ads by Kilgore and pathetic attempts to talk out of two sides of his mouth and commit to nothing ads by Kaine. Oh well. I guess it could be worse - could be George Allen popping up on television every hour or so - AAAAAGGGGGHHHH!!
How is it down your way Win? People getting sick of the ugliness down there too? We sure are hearing a lot talk about how Kilgore is coming off looking really bad and the poll numbers are starting to reflect that - good! Finally negative ads get what they deserve - drop in the polls - hope it all shakes out that way at the polls. If nothing else maybe political campaigns will realize negative ads are just that - negative - as in not good for winning.
Today Dad and I delivered five barrels to Mr. Garbla for shipment to Libria. The goods will arrive just about Christmas time.
Four of the barrels contained medical supplies, rice, nonfat dry milk and baby formula headed for the Red Cross in Liberia. The fifth barrel was filled with 50 pounds of rice, about 20 pounds of dried beans, about 36 pounds of nonfat dry milk, assorted crayons (about 40 boxes) and school supplies, games about 20 lbs. of oatmeal, toys, books and puzzles. The fifth barrel is headed for Children's Relief Ministry. The shipping container that was sent from Harrisonburg Baptist Church (Browntown partnered in that effort) arrived last Saturday. It had school desks and chairs in it for the Children's Relief Ministry orphan school along with other assorted school supplies. There was also some equipment for them to use in raising chickens (and eggs, of course) for the orphanage, I believe.
You can see from the pictures that the barrels were, indeed, delivered to Garbla's Garage in Hyattsville, MD. The son of Mr. Garbla (Dad and I call him "Mr. Garbla The Younger") was there to receive the barrels and assured us of their safe delivery - he will be there in Monrovia to receive them himself along with his father (the original Mr. Garbla who left last week for Liberia). Mr. G. The Younger is very excited as he is going home to Liberia in November and will be there until May. He is so pleased about the propsect of being there for the Presidential Inauguration on January 6. A great day for Liberia! Even during our short business transaction and brief conversation, the enthusiasm and anticipation about the prospect of peace and political stability came through loud and clear from him and his helper at the garage. They love their country.
Thanks to all who contributed to this shipment. Several family members got involved and non-family members answered the appeal very generously. We can all feel good about this family project - just imagine how those kids will be on Christmas with full bellies and a few toys and crayons!! A once a year treat for them!
Not that anyone cares, but I was 0-3 this weekend concerning football....Of course the Redskins loss was a perfect capper to a loser weekend, after the Cavaliers knocked off the Seminoles 26-21 in Charlottesville, and my fantasy team took a good thumping. Just a little chance to vent...in related news, the weather is absolutely perfection, i went out for coffee this morning and I could see my breath...Good times.....
Just so you all know, the weather here is too beautiful to describe. It's so nice out, that no one wants to do anything inside. It is killing Andrew that he has to be inside the house to watch college football. If he could, I know he would be watching it out here. I just got back from the store, I had to get some fall flowers for the front yard and porch, summer things are starting to look a little ratty. On Andrew's request, I got burgundy and gold mums (Redskins colors). Maybe if we are festive enough they will win tomorrow and I won't be grounded!
Not too much news here... work is crazy and annoying, everything else is great. Highland 5 will not be rehearsing this weekend, and will instead be rehearsing on Thursday (Andrew's birthday). I briefly toyed with the idea of throwing a party for the birthday boy, but realized that he would have to do all the inviting, as Jarrett is out of the country to do CNN groundwork for me. Oh well...
Audrey suggested the other day that we get a group together and go to a corn maze in north GA. I had to laugh, thinking of Win spending all those hours at the corn maze in Abingdon. I don't know if we are going to actually go or not.
Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!!!
News From Browntown
I hope you all are well. I am SO looking forward to being all together for Thanksgiving. In case I have not updated you all on our plans, Mom, Grammy and I will be staying two nights in Abingdon. This should give us plenty of time to catch up, share time and just generally be together, which is becoming harder and harder to do. We really are looking forward to our time together.
I've spent the last two days in a less than ideal place. Agfa sent me to Dover Air Force Base, which, if you don't know, is the US point where all those killed in Iraq are recieved. We installed our equipment in the morterary (not sure of the spelling) so that the government can capture images of those fallen in Iraq. To say that it was unplesant is an understatment. I suppose it is necessary to capture the information, but when faced with real bodies, lost in a war based on a lie is just too much to witness. I'm glad this assignment is over. Keep safe, know that you are loved by us all, and that we look forward to being together in a few weeks.
On a happier note........Mom and I will deliver several barrels to Mr. Garbala filled with medical supplies (and some Christmas gifts) this weekend. I'm not sure of the exact ship date, but Mr. Garbala's letter indicates that the shipment is scheduled to arrive by Christmas! How cool is it that we can provide smiles to those faces we see on the news! The election in Liberia was held this week, but it will be several weeks before the results are known. Most likely there will be a run-off between the top two vote getters. More to follow. In the meantime, be well, be safe and cross your fingers that I can find a case of sweet potatoes for our dinner on Thanksgiving!
dad
News From Browntown
The news from Browntown is that all is quiet. Grammy and I went to the C-CAP annual covered dish dinner/meeting - saw some old friends I haven't seen in years - some of them are quite amazing. Still active in their upper 80s and 90s. Ginger Perry's mom is 90 years old and exactly the same as she was when I first met her 25 years ago! Hope I can be half as good at 60!
Dad stayed home and had left over eggplant parmesan. He is getting ready to travel this week and will be in Delaware and New York until Friday.
Have a good week all...
Andrew and I just got home from CNN, where we had a private viewing of the Liberia Orphan package that Brenda prepared for Inside Africa. It was supposed to be on the show that was scheduled to air today on CNN International, but the show got bumped for the breaking news of the earthquake.
The package is excellent! The children are adorable, of course, and our very own Mom and Uncle Keith did an excellent job speaking to Brenda about the project and shipments. Yeah Mom!!!!
Hopefully I will be able to get an "appointment" with our web-designer this weekend and www.loeproject.org will be updated soon.
News From Browntown
As you can see, the delivery has been made with some ceremony as is the Liberian custom. It doesn't show on the blog but Sister Sarah was prepared for a formal presentation in her elaborately stitched and beaded dress and matching head covering. The "officials" had prepared remarks and thank you's ready for her. I am amazed at the very little bit that it takes to be considered a gift to those who have nothing.
Warren Memorial Hospital has more stuff ready for us to pick up and Dad will get it Monday. We are hoping to send a "Christmas" barrel to the Children's Relief Ministry Orphanage with gifts for the children. I have the names and ages of all who reside there and it would be so nice to be able to send all of them a small gift - maybe a box of crayons and a coloring book or a small stuffed toy, a ball, etc. There are some educational toys and games here already that can be sent along also. The director of that orphanage wrote to me last month and was so proud that they were able to open the "upper school" (three classrooms with no walls, tin roof and dirt floor) because of the desks and chairs and school books sent by Browntown Church last time. To read his note you would have thought he was opening Browntown University!
Here are the pictures from the presentation of medical supplies sent to Libera. I'll let mom explain in more detail. 
Did anyone see what Walter Cronkite said on Larry King Live the other night?
“We’re an ignorant nation right now. We’re not really capable, I do not think the majority of our people, of making the decisions that have to made at election time and particularly in the selection of their legislatures and their Congress and the presidency, of course. I don’t think we’re bright enough to do the job that would preserve our democracy, our republic. I think we’re in serious danger.”
Couldnt agree more....
That's why Walter is THE MAN!
News From Browntown
Ok, I'm not sure if any of you want this, or maybe you already do it, but, if you'd like an email notification when someone posts to the blog, it's easy. Click on your name in the "Contributors" section and follow the links to "EMAIL". There you can enter the email address you want the notice sent to. I find it helpful because I don't have to scroll down the blog looking at the "comment" area for how many numbers are there. Just a blog shortcut.
So I found out Friday night that one of the women that works at the after-school program where I volunteer lives in my neighborhood. She works at the dumpy little neighborhood bar, Moes & Joes. Now, mind you, in the "chi chi" area of the Virginia Highlands, Moes & Joes is a total dive, and it has been around forever, much longer than all the trendy places in the neighborhood. So Pricilla (sp?) checks IDs there most nights, and she knows EVERYONE.
I was working with the kids yesterday after school, and Pricilla was there. She told me that LANCE ARMSTRONG had been at Moes & Joes on Tuesday night!!! Well, actually she told me that Neil Armstrong had been there, you know, the biker guy ????? I asked her if she meant Lance Armstrong, and she said that yes, that was who she meant. He was at Moes & Joes just hanging out eating a burger (he eats??) and having a beverage, and everyone there starting calling people on their cell phones. The employees ended up having to sneak Lance out the back door!
I can't believe that Lance was across the street from our house and I totally missed it. He was across the street having a beer and I was at home in my pajamas working on Wolf Trap stuff!!! What is wrong with that picture???
I definitely have to get out more...
News From Browntown
Our last shipment of medical supplies to Liberia arrived safely but ran into a logistical problem with delivery to Merlin's Monrovia offices (Merlin's logistical problem not ours). Sarah Agbator, our contact in Monrovia, e-mailed me about the problem and together we made a decision to move forward in another direction so as not to waste the supplies. Because of Sarah's expertise, scrupulous honesty and excellent contacts, our shipment was donated to another very worthwhile organization which has great need.
Sarah contacted David Clarke, Secretary General of the Liberian Red Cross, and offered the donation which was accepted immediately and gratefully. Here is an excerpt from Sarah's report:
Mr. Clarke was very, very happy to hear this news and expressed his profound thanks and appreciation to you for identifying with the Red Cross at this time when they have been calling for help.
Mr. Clarke said the Red Cross operates a center called The Carter Center. The center, he added, caters to over two hundred children including orphans, raped children, and girls used in the war as soldiers' wives and their children. He was happy that the items will be of great help to the children.
Four days later, I was invited to make a formal presentation of the items. Rev. Diggs, who is the head of the Carter Center, was on hand to receive the barrels. Photos were taken during the presentation. I will send them to you when they are printed and delivered to me. Rev. Diggs expressed his appreciation to you for the donation.
Sarah is the perfect person to help us with this little project because of her medical background as a nurse, her extensive contacts among the humanitarian relief organizations in Liberia and her direct connection to the U.S. Embassy where her husband is employed. She is also well aware (without being asked or having it called to her attention) of the need for accountability and documentation of proper delivery of donations. That documentation assures the donations are actually getting to where they are needed most and not being diverted to the black market or wasted in some way. I will post the pix on the blog when I get them.
Dad and I will be sending more barrels this month. There are enough medical supplies and milk here to fill four or five barrels - we just need the funds to ship that many. Grammy, Dad and I are covering the cost of a couple barrels, Kris and Christian and Emmalee are helping to cover cost of another.
Mr. Garbla is getting ready to ship for Christmas delivery. Barrels have to be in his shop in Hyattsville, MD by the last week-end in October. Dad and I will deliver the barrels to MD by that deadline.
Shipping cost is $150.00 per barrel. If you want to help, send a check to LOEP, c/o B. Iden, 370 Browntown Road, Browntown, VA 22610.
Just within our own extended family what a huge impact we could make on the lives of some orphan children this Christmas! We could actually fill four or five barrels with what is here waiting for shipment. We just need the shipping costs. I will be approaching a couple of local civic groups about helping out with shipping costs since it is a Christmas delivery.
Merry Christmas!
Well, I figured it's been a while since I gave a report on what's happening in the great southwest of Virginia. Currently, I have a group of 25 Elderhostelers down the hall singing Bach's Cantata No. 4 and several other pieces, practicing for their concert on Friday night at Emory.
Just this morning, I got all dolled up in my coat and tie (big boy clothes!) for our District Fall Conference, at which the new Interim Director of VCE along with all the other Ivory Tower bosses gave updates, before they all headed back here to the Center for lunch. So we had quite the dignitaries here, along with every 4-H, ANR & FCS agent in the Southwest District.
After all of that, I'm preparing to emcee and participate in the Elderhosteler's Talent Revue tonight. Never let it be said that a Program Director doesn't wear a plethora of different hats.
Our corn maze is entering it's sixth week of operation, and with over 1000 visitors so far we are starting to turn a profit. We've been working there every weekend, and will continue to do so through Halloween. With all that, and all the programs going on in the last few weeks, I'm going to take a small break next week to breathe.
I have a Cloverbud Camp coming up right before Thanksgiving, it will be an Autumn Harvest Theme. I'm also excited about a new camp counselor training program that I'm implementing beginning this month. As you all know, all counselors and volunteers at camp must have 24 hours of training during the year before camp, which is quite a challenge for Extension Agents. I've planned a series of camp training mini-workshops, one each month for the next six months. They will be day-long Saturday sessions, and each one will focus on one aspect of camp...like planning evening programs, creating strong group identities and dynamics, and dealing with youth behavior. Counselors from around the district will be invited, and they can pick and choose which ones they want to attend. It's an idea I first had several years ago in Warren County, and now I'm able to implement it. It'll be the first really new thing I've done here, so I'm excited about it.
So that's what's happening here. Glad mom & dad got home safe, and I had a great time in ATL last week. I guess we'll all see each other at Thanksgiving...
Just a heads up to you all that Aunt & Uncle are traveling this week to Jacksonville to see Thomas & Gina. Maybe they'll post some pics for us?
We had a great time in ATL this weekend. CB & I made it back to Abingdon in one piece, and I assume that he arrived in Front Royal in one piece. Here are a couple of the pictures Emma emailed me.
So I totally forgot to put a note in here about my meeting with President Dunlop, thanks for the reminder Grammy. We met for breakfast, and also were joined by Robin Zanotti, one of the people who is with the alumni affairs office. Anyway, it was good, I spoke with President Dunlop about my time at Shepherd, how I enjoyed being in the communications program, and about the idea of maybe going back to teach at some point in my life, although that would have to a long time from now, obviously. He told me about the things going on at Shepherd as far as improvements, housing, etc etc. He also mentioned there is discussion of trying to get a more active alumni community OUTSIDE the washington area. He asked if it would work for me, to maybe attend college fairs now and thenm if they indeed need representation, talk to potential students about the school, that kind of thing. I told them about my job, how I got it, and how I didnt feel like I was too far behind the folks I work with that went to UGA, Northwestern, or the other big journalism schools. I also mentioned I was in the Scarborough Society, and he was FULLY aware that both Grammy and I are both in it. I had a vision that they "checked my file" before we met, so they knew what kind of support I give, if any. I also gave them the lowdown on work, what I do, how its all set up at CNN, etc etc. So it was a good meeting, and things were good. This weekend was good, as Emmalee mentioned, with Win and Campbell coming to town, and topping it off with a 3-0 start for the Redskins........
I'm glad that the Win & Campbell visit went well! I'm sure they enjoyed the southern hospitality of Atlanta, and the Almond Bros. concert. The BEST thing though, that happened this weekend is that the Redskins won! 3 - 0 !! fist time since 1991 (the same year they won a Super Bowl) but I'm not suggesting anything. Back to work this week will be somewhat of a let down for both Mom and me. We've looked at our Chile pictures several times now, and can't believe that the trip is over. Oh well, until next time! Have a good week everyone and keep the blog alive! Speaking of which, I've invited my friend Lucas from Chile to join our blog. He enjoyed looking at it while we worked in the Hospital and promises to post comments from time to time.
dad
The news from Atlanta is that the weather has finally broken, and it is feeling like fall. Which is definitely a good thing, because Win and Campbell were here this weekend, and they would not have enjoyed 90+ degree heat. A good time was had by all this weekend in Atlanta, Win and Campbell came on Friday. We had a party to welcome them, they met many CNN folks, and a few musicians as well. Saturday we all stuffed ourselves into Andrew's Jeep and made our way to the Almond Brothers (I mean Allman Brothers) concert, which was entertaining. We had a good time babysitting the teenagers in the parking lot before the concert, and trying to teach them how to use jumper cables after the concert. Fun times.
All is quiet again on Rupley, the Virginians have left, Andrew is out watching football, and Jarrett is at the park. I am enjoying the solitude on the front porch for the time being.
As all good things must end, mom and i are back home. It was a most "excellent adventure"!! As we said many times while in Chile..........."next time...." Mom and I hope that you ALL can visit Chile and the Strellos sometime soon. I know they would love to show you their country. Until Thanksgiving when we're all together, enjoy these last couple of pictures. They were taken where the adventure began. Look for posts from Jaime and Lucas!
dad
