A Great Way to Celebrate

Today is our 24th wedding anniversary! Some of our friends at the time we got engaged were doubtful that two such opposite people would last even a few years. But, the commitment we made all those years ago is only strengthened each day. Our personalities are still very much opposite, but our interests and values are very much alike. As an sad aside most of those doubters are now divorced themselves.

This past weekend we had one of the most fun and relaxing weekends in our marriage. We attended our town’s Wine and Craft festival. This just happened to be the 24th annual festival (what a coincidence!) The town shuts down several streets and the craft vendors set up along one street, the wineries are set along Main Street and a food court is erected around the park. While I am not a wine drinker, Rich enjoys a glass of wine. For the price of $15.00 before the event or $20.00 at the gate you receive a commemorative glass to sample the wines from over 20 wineries. They also offer a discounted rate if you purchase wine during the festival. The size of our town swelled to triple its size. The amount of people was amazing!

Back to Zero

After walking..and walking... and walking to see everything we sat down to eat. The seats we chose were right in front of where a band was setting up. Back to Zero was incredible! They played music from when Rich and I were dating and first married, so it was like our own personal concert. Many in the crowd got up to dance—fathers and daughters, grandparents with their grand kids and couples all got out to enjoy the festive family atmosphere. Rich and I decided not to embarrass ourselves, so we just took pictures and rocked out in our seats. We loved it because it was like a big block party. We saw our next door neighbor and her 14-year-old daughter and David saw a teacher from school.

Kids, joining in the festivities

We stayed all day, as my shoulders can attest to the sun that shone on us all day. I wore a hat so my face was spared.

We continued our celebration by going out to lunch yesterday after church. This was a restaurant we had just discovered and hadn’t taken David to yet. They have a wonderful dessert called funnel fries. I could only eat a few after our huge meal, but David—the human disposal—finished them off, after he polished off his lemon meringue pie.

A New Hobby

We are a family that really gets into our hobbies. When we have a new interest we read up and research it, so that we can enjoy it to the fullest.

Well, Rich and David have found another new hobby—sushi making. While at the bookstore a few weeks ago Rich found a kit that included the tools and DVD on how to make sushi. He couldn't pass it up—on sale and a food he loves! When we lived in Lynchburg our local grocery store sold fresh made raw sushi. However, our local store only sells California rolls. So Rich and David have been going through withdrawal. I, on the other hand, do not like sushi.

We purchased the supplies and Rich and David were off. They had a great time working together to decide what would be in the sushi. It was fun seeing them learn this new skill together. David had to try each componant of the roll as they were making them. They got so into the craft that they had enough left over following dinner to take for their lunches the next day.


David came home the following day and said all the teachers were jealous of the sushi. Everyone was amazed that he and his father made it themselves.

Bathroom Humor

I said I would be showing David’s bedroom and bathroom. However, he has asked that I not show his room for privacy reasons. Translation: I don’t want to keep my room clean enough to get a picture. The joys of teenagers!

But, I draw the line at keeping his bathroom clean. And he hasn’t objected to showing it off. Of course since it is not for exclusive use I have decorated it to my taste and demand that he maintains my cleanliness standards. So here you are—my purple and peacock room. These are the same decorations we used in our old home, so they may look familiar. They were just cheap masks purchased at a festival that I had framed in shadow boxes. I love the color purple!


Our downstairs half bathroom is very tiny but still deserved a personality of its own. We let our sense of humor shine through and I love to see guests come out chuckling. Many years ago we purchased Mayberry pen drawings. There’s Andy—with a Mayberry sherrif’s badge in the frame. Barney Fife’s picture proudly displays the one bullet that he kept in his shirt pocket. And the one I think is funniest of all—Ernest T. Bass and his rock. So far everyone that has used the bathroom has come out laughing and asking where they could get one.


I have enjoyed having lots of walls and the ability to show a bit of who we are on those walls.