Company

Well, we have had a bit of company lately! And we like company!

When we returned from our Arkansas vacation, we already had 2 guests! Big sis & her hubby were here, having arrived the day before. Came to visit with Granddaddy so just made themselves at home before we arrived. Family is family and “mi casa es su casa” rings very true around our place. So they came on Thur and we arrived on Friday, with Mother and Daddy right behind us. So, had a houseful for that weekend! Enjoyed a good meal at a small, family owned Italian restaurant real close to the house that first evening. Brought Granddaddy over on Sat. and again on Sun. so he could visit with everyone in one place. Not enough room at his place for more than about 1 visitor at a time, unless you want to go out into the common area, where they do have a nice big ‘visiting room’ but it’s way, way down the hall from his room and he doesn’t go down there too much, plus, I knew he would enjoy getting out for a change of scenery. It was quite a task to get him out, as he is getting weaker as the days go by. But he did enjoy it and we all did too. We all went to church Sunday (except G'd) and then enjoyed a delicious lunch at one of our favorite places on the lake here in town. Stopped and got G'd and brought him over again to visit. Then sis & b-i-l had to head back to TN on Monday – had to get back to work. Monday was a holiday so hubby & I got to go for a nice, long, relaxing motorcycle ride, first time this year. I drove the whole time and by the time we got home, my hands were tingling and tired, from the vibration for such a long time (and not being used to it!) and the top of my legs and my shoulders were very sunburned! Mom & Dad got to stay the rest of the week! That was nice, they got to chill out and relax during the day while I was at work, go visit with G’dad, make their daily trek to Wally World, go to Sgt Grits to get Marine stuff (Daddy loves to go there!), go to Shepler's and look at the western clothes, do some reading and napping, sometimes meet me for lunch, and then we could visit in the evenings. Then they headed home, too.

Then 2 weeks later, they came back out, as it was Father’s Day weekend and Mother wanted to be here with her dad on that day. Which was nice because that way I got to be with MY dad for Father's Day, too, and that doesn't happen often with us living so far apart! And as it just happened to turn out, AC & UJ & their daughter, my cousin, happened to already be scheduled to come down for that weekend also! UJ was scheduled to preach at a little church just about a mile from our house (for a preacher friend of his who was on vacation) so it worked out that for the first time in probably 50 years, G’d got to be with both of his daughters on Father’s Day! That was real nice. We did enjoy all of the visiting but it sure meant a LOT of time in the kitchen, cooking up meals and snacks and then cleaning them up, then fixing them again! Thank goodness Daddy was a big help in the kitchen! And of course, cousin and auntie and mom all offered help, too, but can only get just so many people into my kitchen without causing a major traffic jam. There were too many folks to just go out to eat every time, plus w/ G’d with us, he wouldn’t be able to do that, so we sort of had to eat in all weekend. The KS folks left on Monday afternoon (I had already had to go back to work) and M&D stayed through the rest of the week. I told them as long as they’d spent all that gas money to get out here, no use in turning right around and going home 3 days later! So, they did stay until the weekend so that we would have one more “whole day” of visiting on Saturday and then they headed out Sunday morning before we went to church. Always nice to have family come and see you when you live so far away from them all. Our door is always open and you all are welcome anytime! (Just do be sure and call first, simply to ensure that we will be home and not out of town ourselves!)

We do love company, but we also do enjoy the "peace & quiet" that comes when everyone is gone. Of course, after a little bit of "peace & quiet" we're ready for some more company again!! Ya'll come! :)