News From Browntown

News From Browntown
Grammy is the Birthday Girl today! Birthday Luncheon with the Garden Club gals at Wayside is planned. I just checked with Grammy and she said the ladies are going ahead with the plan despite weather. Nothing will keep those GC gals from a party!

Lots of Feb. birthdays in this crowd. Isabella (little cousin in ATL) is a February B-Day Girl too.

Surprisingly heavy snowfall this morning. Although only flurries were predicted we woke up to a blizzard blowing through from the South. Dad headed out to Dulles (bound for Mobile, AL today) and reports that Rt. 28 just five miles from Dulles is a white-out, traffic is a mess and flights are delayed. Oops - Dad just updated by cell that he is on the plane and waiting for clearance to take off. It is still snowing like crazy but is expected to stop any minute now.

Grammy, Auntie Char and I went to a lecture at Eastern Mennonite University last night. Jim Wallis, author of "Why the Right Got it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It", was the speaker. His message was profound and encouraging. The auditorium was filled to capacity with people anxious to hear a speaker who's made no secret of his opposition to the Bush administration and the Iraq war and has been a burr under the saddle of the Televangelist crowd. Amazing to find so many like-minded people in our beautiful Valley of the Bushies!

http://www.sojo.net/ - Jim Wallis web site. Some might find the perspective on faith, politics and culture interesting.

Kara's 9th Birthday

Hard to imagine that Kara is 9 years old, but here are the pictures to prove it. Mom and I had a great time (and a very entertaining one as well) at Kara's "do" on Saturday night. We are so pleased to be included in these family milestones. As you can see from the pictures, a wonderful time was had by all.



Ritchie lends a hand (and no doubt some spit) to the traditional candle blowing out exercise. A rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday" led by Uncle Rich got the festivies going!



Kara and Ritchie show off their new duds (mom's knitted scraf for Kara and Ritchie's new red hat) Note: Ritchie ran to the front door to "test" it, in the cold weather. What a piece of work that kid is!


Kara is thrilled with her scrap-booking kit. One of her favorite hobbies. Note: Ritchie still modeling the hat!


Still more "runway" modeling. I wonder if he slept with it on? Tim? Terry?? updates please.


So that is about it from the big BD Party. We'll have to wait for Tim & Terry to weigh in with additional comments and pictures. Unk? You out there? I know you snapped away also, let's see em!

News From Browntown

News From Browntown

The week-end snowfall was beautiful. It brought quiet, beautiful scenery, and a big mystery!

Monday morning as Andrew headed out to Abingdon and Dad and I headed to work we noticed that the mail box post was broken in half with the mailbox (top) half lying in a freshly plowed mound of side-of-the-road snow. Figured it was a casualty of the VDOT snow plow. Intending to fix it this week-end, I laid the mailbox behind the snow mound to keep it from ending up in the road.

Yesterday I came home and it is fixed! Someone (probably two someones as it would have taken two - one a holder and one a nailer) nailed the two halves back together and it is standing quite sturdily again! I have no idea who did it. It would be nice to know who so they can be thanked properly.

Grammy and I had Valentine's Day supper together - thanks to Grammy.

How about the news from Cousin Kris??!! She seems to be very pleased and looking forward to an "excellent adventure" in Europe. We will be going to Kara's Birthday this week-end and are looking forward to seeing that part of the gang. Uncle R. and Aunt G. have checked in since returning from FL and sounds as though all is well with them. I will also be attending the Bridgewater Exhibit Kris mentioned in her announcement e-mail. I am expecting Auntie Char will also go along.

It is just great to see all the news from Atlanta - complete with pix! Keep blogging you guys.

We need to hear from you once in a while there in Abingdon! It is wonderful to hear from Kris in MD. Maybe blog some more pix of your art work? Hope the upcoming alumni exhibit is successful - would love to see it.

Atlanta Snow

I wanted to share with you all the snow that WE had in Atlanta on Monday morning. What a shock when I walked out on the porch to go to work Monday morning! They actually used the term "treacherous driving conditions" on the radio. Not to worry, I managed to make it to work in one piece.

Highland 5

Here are some pictures of Highland 5 playing at the Park Tavern for the PALS event. It was a success, hopefully we will get some gigs from it. Auntie Mels and John were there. Auntie Mels got to meet the neighbors, and John took pictures for us.

Browntown Snow

We had plenty of warning, but I didn't believe it until late last night. The storm most of the day, was really weak. It picked up intensity late in the afternoon and evening, and this is what it looked like at 7:00am this morning. I guessing there is about 8" on the ground. The good news is: it's Sunday, no one has to go anywhere (except Andrew who is MIA from his night out with his boys) the bad news: I have to get this mess cleared up before mom and i head out on the road Monday (Note: tractor is still at the spa, good thing Andrew will be around later today :). The pictures of the dining room were thrown in just because we had a new light fixture hung and I felt like showing it to you. Blog when you can!