by Judy Handley | Aug 26, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 239: A Family Celebration for My Sister Patsy
Date: Saturday, August 26, 2023
Weather: Partly Sunny; High 97, Low 76 degrees F
Location: At Home in a Tuscan Villa Airbnb, New Hill, NC
There are two sets of cousins here for the wedding. There are the children of my brothers and sisters who have always been very close and have always referred to themselves as ‘the cousins’. But now their children have taken over the title. So, in my family, when we refer to the cousins, we must identify which set we are talking about. I will refer to them as the older cousins and the younger cousins here. On Saturday morning, the bride, who is one of the younger cousins, and her new husband arranged a mid-morning golf outing for the older and the younger cousins. It was sunny and in the mid-90’s. They didn’t get back to our Airbnb until late afternoon and were exhausted. But they still had the energy to celebrate Patsy’s 90th birthday.
Patsy’s birthday was in July, but no family members were around to celebrate. The celebration happened this evening. It was a small group of us as most of the younger cousins left this morning, but it was just the right size to have an informal celebration around the fabulous and huge round dining table in our Tuscan villa. My guess is that it was 10 feet across. No matter how I contorted my body, I certainly could not come close to reaching the middle. But you didn’t need to as the center 6-8 foot in diameter part of the table was a huge lazy Susan.
Everyone who saw the table wanted one like it, just not quite as big as most dining rooms would not be big enough to accommodate it. My nephew Tommy grilled the burgers, Diana cooked half-runner green beans on our 12-burner kitchen stove, and I purchased potato salad and all the fixings to go with the burgers. I also purchased a birthday cake at Whole Foods. Buying most of the food pre-made gave us more time to visit. Since we see each other so seldom, visiting was the priority.
We ate early as Josh and Jessica, the bride and groom, were headed off for a few days of quiet at a resort in Virginia. But Jessica stayed long enough for her and her brother Jacob, Patsy’s only grandchildren, to bring the birthday cake to the table and sing Happy Birthday to their grandmother.
Then we all went outside where Jacob did a short but very impressive gymnastic routine. He is now 30, but when he was younger, he was a gymnast. He had not done the double ‘no hands’ front flips for years, but he did them with ease and brought great joy to his grandmother. After Jessica and Josh and Jacob and his friend Max left, the rest of us then sat in the living room visiting the night away. Tommy spent the night as he was getting up in the wee hours and heading home. It was a lovely evening and one that my sister truly enjoyed.
by Judy Handley | Aug 25, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 238: The Wedding Day
Date: Friday, August 25, 2023
Weather: Partly Sunny; High 97, Low 74 degrees F
Location: At Home in a Tuscan Villa Airbnb, New Hill, NC
Today was the big wedding day for Jessica, my grandniece and my sister Patsy’s only granddaughter. It was a hot day, but not as hot as previously forecast. And as the wedding time of 5 pm approached, the clouds took over. This helped considerably since it was an outside ceremony and everyone but the bride and the wedding party was dressed in black.
My day started with the visit of good friend, Patsy Decker who lives in nearby Chapel Hill.
We walked and talked, checked out the fire pit and the chicken coop, took a walk, and then drove about 20 minutes to the nearest Whole Foods to buy a cake and more food for my sister’s 90th birthday celebration tomorrow. When we returned, we fixed ourselves a salad topped with salmon for lunch and then Patsy headed home. It was great to see her.
I needed to take my sister and my niece (Patsy’s daughter Janet) to the wedding venue, The Bradford, for pre-ceremony photos at 4 pm. We had a little time after our late lunch and then started getting ready. We put on make-up which none of the three of us ever wears. But Patsy had a full supply with her, so we did it and I was amazed at the difference it made in my sister’s appearance. She looked vibrant and younger than her 90 years. The three of us were wearing long pants suits or a one-piece jump suit in my case and before I got in the car, I was perspiring profusely. I hate car air conditioning blowing in my face, but I put it on full force and off we went. We only had to drive three miles, but then we waited and waited. Finally, we were told the immediately family photos would be taken after the ceremony, so we waited some more for the ceremony to start. We were waiting in an air-conditioned room,
but it was too cold for my sister. I had to keep taking her outside in the heat to warm up. Then as more and more family arrived, she was distracted with the visiting and forgot about being cold. Since Patsy and I are the only members of our family still kicking, it was our nieces and nephews and their children that we were greeting. My brother Dickie had two sons, Tommy and Todd.
They were both there with their families. Tommy’s two daughters were in the wedding party, plus his three sons and significant other for one daughter were there.
Tommy’s brother Todd came from Atlanta with his wife Shelly and their four children. One daughter, Ashlyn, just graduated from high school, and her older sister Kaelin is in her early twenties.
The two boys, Kyler and Easton are much younger and did not seem enamored with the idea of being dressed in a shirt and tie and long pants.. My oldest sister Margie’s son Rex was there with his wife Diana, daughter Rachel, and Rachel’s children, Emma and Kit.
Brian and Judy Thompson arrived with Rex and family.
And then there was Patsy’s grandson Jacob and his friend Max.
The outside ceremony was beautiful, but thankfully short.
We then went inside for a cocktail hour before dinner while all the photos were being taken. I convinced Patsy to try a glass of champagne,
but she quickly opted for red wine. She doesn’t remember ever having champagne and won’t try it again! After photos and cocktails, we were all seated and the wedding party made their entry.
We had the first dance where Jessica and Josh danced to Can’t Help Falling in Love from the Elvis album, Blue Hawaii,
and sung tonight by Todd’s daughter Kaelin. Then Jessica danced with her dad.
The dances were followed by dinner and then the party started. Jessica likes to party hardy and she and Josh kept the whole place hopping. My sister used to love to dance, and once she got on the dance floor, she didn’t want to leave. She danced with Jacob, Max, and Jessica to We Are Family,
with Tommy to Take Me Home, Country Roads,
and then with grandnephew Cory to a younger generation to song I am not familiar with.
Tommy sang Family Tradition and Patsy and I were with Tommy as he sang.
I literally had to drag her out of around 10:30 pm. At 10 o’clock I asked Patsy if she was ready to go. She asked me what time it was and when I said 10:00. She replied, “That too early to leave.” She kept talking and dancing! It was a beautiful wedding and a wonderful chance to get an updated photo of the whole family. We are FAMILY.
by Judy Handley | Aug 24, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 237: Mooresville to New Hill, NC
Date: Thursday, August 24, 2023
Weather: Sunny; High 95, Low 73 degrees F
Location: At Home in a Tuscan Villa AirBnb, New Hill, NC
What a day! I went to pick up my niece this morning and had to help her get packed for our trip. Then we went to get my sister from her assisted living facility and did all of the things necessary to check her out for the weekend. Then we drove two plus hours to New Hill. There is no town. It is literally in the middle of nowhere. That just means it is a twenty minute drive in any direction to get to ‘civilization’—food and fuel. And further is you want a grocery store. It is a lovely area, but it is remote.
I took my sister to the wedding rehearsal at 1 pm.
Afterwards we drove to a town called Pittsboro to find a little diner to have lunch. Then we drove back New Hill to check into our Tuscan Villa. It is down a long gravel road, again in the middle of nowhere, but only three miles from tomorrow’s wedding site. It is HUGE and lovely,
but there has been no time to explore. Maybe tomorrow. But the wedding is at 5:30 and family has to arrive at 4 pm for photos. So it might be Saturday before we get to explore. And I should mention that it is HOT here. In mid-90’s today and hotter tomorrow. Great weather for an outdoor black-tie wedding where everyone is requested to wear black! But the reception is inside. So, all should be well.
by Judy Handley | Aug 23, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 236: Whirlwind Day in Mooresville, NC
Date: Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Weather: Sunny; High 85, Low 64 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lake Norman with Brian & Judy Thompson
Well, I made it to North Carolina last night. My Spirit flight from Boston was full and loaded early, so I arrived at the Charlotte airport before 8 pm. I picked up my Budget rental car and headed north to Mooresville. I am staying with family friends, Brian and Judy Thompon at their lovely home on Lake Norman and was greeted by them and my niece Janet. She is here from Nashville and is staying with her brother-in-law, Bill, but Brian picked her up so we could visit on my arrival. I always love arriving at Brian and Judy’s. It is the best home away from home one could ask for and I truly appreciate their hospitality.
Today was a whirlwind. I had a very long list of things I needed to accomplish for my sister which required an insane amount of driving to and fro. Before the craziness began, I had her open two 90th birthday gifts I transported here from our niece Candy in Massachusetts.
The gifts were two light weight sweaters which my sister wants to wear this weekend. Seeing as how she wears a winter jacket over all of her clothes all summer, it will be a nice break for her to wear just a lightweight sweater since the temperature is going to be in the high nineties for the next three days. But today we got a break. The temp was in the 80’s and there was a nice breeze. But as I said, that ends tomorrow as the temp rises.
I didn’t get everything done today, but at 8:30 pm I looked and the clock and told her I had to go get something to eat for dinner before all the restaurants closed. I ordered a grilled salmon salad from Fresh Chef, picked it up on the way back to Brian and Judy’s, and ate while we visited. They had just returned home on their pontoon boat from a trip around the lake to a waterside restaurant where they had dinner. I was invited but just couldn’t take the time. Maybe the next time I am here I can do that.
Tomorrow morning early, I leave her to take my niece Janet and my sister to the Raleigh area where the wedding will take place on Friday evening. My sister needs to be there by 1 pm for the rehearsal and then at 6 pm she goes to the rehearsal dinner. In between, we will check into our AirBnb and hopefully have an hour or so “smell the roses” before other family members arrive and things get really crazy.
I heard from Heather last night that Shadow ate a whole cucumber off the vine on the deck just prior to dinner and then ate his whole dinner. For a picky eater that a quite a beginning. I know he is having a ball with the Goldpebbles, but I sure miss my little guy. I really appreciate that Heather and Jed were willing to take him considering what a busy week they have scheduled. Thank you, thank you to all the Goldstones.
by Judy Handley | Aug 22, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 235: On My Way to NC
Date: Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Weather: Sunny; High 73, Low 57 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA
I am on the plane ready for take-off for Charlotte, North Carolina. Once I get there, I rent a car and drive north about 30 minutes to Mooresville. Then on Thursday morning, I drive my sister to the Raleigh area which is a little less than three hours. So, I don’t reach the wedding destination until Thursday. Tomorrow will be a busy one, getting my sister ready to go and running errands for her. There is always plenty to do when I visit her.
I just had a great dinner at Legal Seafoods although it cost $50. Eating an airport is always expensive, but it will be after 9 pm when I reach Mooresville and most restaurants are closed. I had a crab cake starter which came with a nice salad and a beer. I hate to think what a proper dinner might have cost!
I picked Sam and Jonah up from soccer practice at noon and dropped off Shadow. I am already missing him, but I am sure he is happy, happy, happy to be with Sam, Jonah, and Ollie. And once I reach North Carolina, it will be busy, busy with family.
by Judy Handley | Aug 21, 2023 | 2023 Life Logs |
2023 Life Logs, Day 234: Getting Ready to Head to North Carolina
Date: Monday, August 21, 2023
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 77, Low 65 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue, Falmouth, MA
This morning I had Encore business to attend to and at noon I went to pick Jonah up from his first high school soccer practice. Both Jonah and Sam are going to play high school junior varsity and varsity soccer for Falmouth High School this fall. That means no league soccer which means no practices far from home. At least that’s the plan right now and it sounds so much easier in terms of time traveling. Sure hope this works out.
I brought Ollie home with me when I dropped Jonah off. We had lunch and then he spent an hour helping with gardening tasks. And he will water the newly planted herb and flower garden while I am away. Thank you, Ollie. Then I took him to Mashpee for a jazz band class he will be attending each afternoon this week.
In between all of this, I got some packing done. I will finish in the morning and leave here early afternoon for Boston. I fly out of Logan at 5:45 pm and hope to be in Charlotte shortly after 8 pm.
Everyone who saw the table wanted one like it, just not quite as big as most dining rooms would not be big enough to accommodate it. My nephew Tommy grilled the burgers, Diana cooked half-runner green beans on our 12-burner kitchen stove, and I purchased potato salad and all the fixings to go with the burgers. I also purchased a birthday cake at Whole Foods. Buying most of the food pre-made gave us more time to visit. Since we see each other so seldom, visiting was the priority.
Then we all went outside where Jacob did a short but very impressive gymnastic routine. He is now 30, but when he was younger, he was a gymnast. He had not done the double ‘no hands’ front flips for years, but he did them with ease and brought great joy to his grandmother. After Jessica and Josh and Jacob and his friend Max left, the rest of us then sat in the living room visiting the night away. Tommy spent the night as he was getting up in the wee hours and heading home. It was a lovely evening and one that my sister truly enjoyed.
