Happy Anniversary!

Shawn says it is two years down and only 78 more to go. Leave it to the math teacher to create a countdown for wedding anniversaries! We had a wonderful meal at Regas, one of the older restaurants in town. The food, atmosphere and service was great! Shawn got me some beautiful flowers, a tray for me tea, an embroidered blanket and a nice record player to play the old vinyl records on. I got Shawn a HUGE bean bag (gaming chair). I made sure it was big enough to me a movie chair too that both of us could fit in. It is definitely big enough! I have included photos of our blooming front yard. We have a couple plants that still have not recovered from the bad frost LAST spring but the rest of the yard looks great.

Happy Birthday Pa!

And Happy Birthday to the Pope as well, who knew! Today we all will celebrate Pa's birthday in our own quiet way, all of us released a balloon in celebration, even Mac had a balloon. Marcy and I will each release a balloon with a message as well as plant a lily in our gardens for Pa and hopefully place a frog by them as a little memorial spot to reflect upon.
This past weekend Shawn and I were at Dollywood for a VIP reception and dedication for Porter Wagoner. We were excited at the thought of possibly meeting Dolly in person. Unfortunately we were only able to see her, and honestly that was pretty cool too. We got to hear to talk some as well hear her laugh that ever so popular Dolly laugh. The weather forecasters had been predicting a chance of rain and cold temperatures for the day, they were WRONG! The day turned out to be beautiful and we had a great time at the park. Shawn and I actually spent the rest of the day with my boss and his youngest daughter. The three of them rode the water rides while I stayed on shore and held anything they did not want to get wet. We got to see the new portion of the park that I did a lot of work on, it looks great. Hopefully we will go back soon and actually ride the new ride, by the time we got to it everyone was too wet and did not want anymore water thrown at them. The weather down here is just as crazy in the spring as it was up north! Saturday we got sunburned, temperatures in the 70's and then the past two nights we have had to cover our plants to keep the frost off! Make up my mind! Tomorrow we will be back up in the 70's again and hopefully stay int hat range for a while before the humidity sets in for the summer.

Over half way there!

Spring Break

Shawn and I took a road trip up to New Hampshire to see my dad. Yes, we drove. Luckily we had planned on driving with Pa's passing we were not even sure we were going until a few days before. We had a great time up there! Shawn got to go skiing, I helped dad do some work on his house and we were able to visit all the important folks in Maine.

For those who have not heard yet and are planning on going, Pa's Memorial Service with be June 21st at White Chapel at Norwich University. Granny has asked that in lieu of flowers please make a donation in Pa's name to Norwich or the Alzheimer's organization. Both would mean a lot to the family! He loved Norwich and there needs to be a cure found for this disease!


Here is a look at the new ride I worked on for Dollywood. River Battle, and it is guaranteed to soak you! It has been fun working with Dollywood on this project, as well as a few others. In a 3 month time frame they have transformed this portion of the park. I do not have a photo of the ride completed yet but I am sure Shawn and I will visit the park soon enough to try the ride out for ourselves.

Pa has left us......

Friday, February 29, 2008 we lost our grandfather, father and husband. To our family there is some laughter to be found amongst this sorrow. Pa always had a sense of humor, even in his last hour, the day he passed away will only come by every four years. Another connection can be made between Leap Day, most associated with a frog, and his ever growing collection of frogs he had. As we all reflect smiles can be brought to all of our faces when we see how things have happened the way they should. Pa will be missed by many and we all know his pain has stopped and he is in a better place.

I wish I had some better news to tell you about regarding Pa's health. Over the past few weeks his condition has been up and down and we all feel that there may not be many more ups left. He finally got out of the hospital a week ago and placed in a nursing home, he was there only for a week before Granny now has to place him in the long-term care at the facility. Pa now has stopped eating and that is really not a good sign. He already weighs next to nothing so not eating really does not make the situation any better. The two photos i have posted are my very first and last days for me at Norwich, and Pa being a big part of both days, along with the 5 years in between. Norwich was Pa's home as a parent, professor and grandparent for most of his life and during the last year that is where he has been mentally too. As sad as it has been to see Pa deteriorate we have all had some laughs too. Along the way we have been warned about a test he is writing, watched him use a nice tablecloth for his personal napkin and to top it off he wanted to propose to a very nice lady that was taking care of him......Granny. He really liked having her around and did end up proposing to her and we all were prepared to put a ceremony together too if he wanted that as well. Through the sad there has been laughter and memories made to cherish.

Fourth one done FIVE to go!

February Events

For Valentine's Day Shawn surprised me with a nice dinner during a train ride. We road the Southern Appalachia Railway. The funny part is that this is one of my projects right now at work, I am finishing up a building to house the museum to accompany this train ride and become the train station for visitors. I enjoyed the train ride and we also learned a little about the Secret City, know to us now a days as Oak Ridge. We also had a weekend trip planned for the holiday, a trip to Atlanta to visit the Georgia Aquarium and see The Big Apple Circus. Growing up Granny would take Marcy and I to the Big Apple Circus every year at Shelburne Farms in Vermont, when I saw they would be in Atlanta there was no missing it! Shawn and I also got to see a little of Stone Mountain too, we have plans to make a trip back to camp and see all of Stone Mountain this summer. We had a great time in Atlanta, nice weekend away from K-town. I also had to take and picture and post it of Maurice AND Georgia sitting together. For those of you who know Mo' he is not a very sociable cat and is as independent as any cat can be. I was shocked to see him tolerate Georgy sitting with him. I am sure it was not his idea to share.