party

Happy Birthday to FabGrandpa

Becky came to visit for FabGrandpa’s birthday weekend. We took her out to Valley Grocery for fried catfish and home fries!

They make the best fried catfish in Alabama there. Rob and Belinda, the other camphost couple, came too! I didn’t get a pic of them though.

P3130007 — Gluten Free Devil's Food Cake

I had given Belinda a gluten free King Arthur Chocolate Cake Mix and some Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, and she took them to the store so the nice ladies there could bake it up. We surprised FabGrandpa with his birthday cake after lunch. He didn’t get it until he realized I was eating the cake, too. Then he asked, how in the world did you do this? He was so surprised! Everyone, including Becky and the people who work at the store, were in on the surprise!

moundville, alabama — Moundville, Alabama Indian Mounds

After lunch, we took Becky over to the Moundville Indian Mounds to take a look around. It was a gorgeous day!

The Black Warrior River runs along side the indian mounds location. It was way up due the heavy rains we had last week, but really was beautiful to see.

Yep, I was there, but still having a hard time getting around. It really sucks to not feel good. I DID put on a SPF 100 sunscreen on my face.

We really enjoyed Becky’s visit. She had to go home all too soon, though. And FabGrandpa loved having his little surprise birthday party.

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31 Day Challenge: A Birthday Celebration

Karen · 2 Comments

The birthday celebration I am writing about has not taken place yet. FabGrandpa’s birthday is Sunday–he will be 62. He is so excited about this particular birthday because he will be old enough to start drawing Social Security! I had planned on us going to Georgia and renting a conference room at the motel. I was going to send out invitations to all our friends and family for a “drop in” party for him, say from 2-5 or so, and just enjoy the day. But we have to do something else and that isn’t going to happen now.

We go out to eat twice a week to the little restaurant in the gas station a couple of miles away. I took a cake mix and some frosting to them, and they are going to make the cake, and surprise him with it on Sunday when we got for lunch. He has no idea this is going to happen, and I am so excited that he will get a party after all! I’ll post pics on Sunday night.

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The End Is Near

Karen · 5 Comments

The worst part about this time of year is also the best part about this time of year. We have to say goodbye to all our friends, but we do it with some pretty good parties.

Last week, we had the end of year staff meeting and pot luck dinner. I had a really great group of people to work with this year–they made it fun to come to work, and Richard in particular kept me laughing every day.

PA010107 — The fee staff--they know how to throw a party!

This bunch of folks are the ones who greet you at the entrance to the North Rim and at the campground. I don’t know if they’ll all be back next year, but for this season, it was great fun! Thanks, y’all!

PA010104 — Oooo, Gluten Free Spinach Lasagne and Gluten Free Squash Casserole

One of the other ladies I worked with has an allergy to wheat–not gluten intolerant or Celiac, but an allergy. So, I am especially grateful to my work group that they understand Nancy’s and my needs as far as diet is concerned. They try to bring things that we can eat. Nancy made the lasagne, and it was delicious. I forgot to ask her if I could publish her recipe, so I can’t right now, but if she gives me the OK, I will.

A few days later, we had a spaghetti dinner at Bill’s apartment. Nancy and I made gluten free spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, and Bill and Richard provided the regular spaghetti and salad stuff. I didn’t take my camera to that party, but believe me whenI say, it was a fun time, and lots of laughing and friendship going on.

Tonight, we went to dinner at the lodge to say goodbye to the volunteer camp hosts, Patty and Jim. We got to know them a little better this year (wish we had had more time with them!). They are headed to Alaska to a volunteer gig up there next summer so we know we won’t see them again.

PA010097 — Me and Patty at the campground

PA090394 — Patty and Jim at the lodge tonight at dinner

Aren’t they cute? FabGrandpa and are so glad we got to hang out with them this summer.

PA090399 — The view out the window from our dinner table.

PA090420 — Sunset over the canyon tonight

We only have two more weeks here, and two more dinners to attend, before we leave. We’ll be headed back to Alabama and the friends we made there last winter. While I really hate to leave here, I am really looking forward to seeing those folks again. It reminds me of that Girl Scout song “Make new friends, but keep the old–one is silver, the other is gold.”

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Eating our Way across America

Karen · Leave a Comment

Fabgrandpa and I have often told people in fun that we are “Eating our way across America”, but dang, I think we have outdone ourselves this week. Last Sunday night, we went out to dinner at Nick’s, a local spaghetti and steak place. There were about 12 of us there–it was supposed to be a “goodbye dinner” because Gary and Faye and Russ and Liz were leaving for the season the next day.

So, the very next night, because none of the above people actually left, we did it again at Virginia Street Cafe. Since my daughter was visiting from Norfolk, she went with us both times. Now, this group of people is loud, and sometimes rowdy, but we have a good time. Gary and Faye and Russ and Liz finally left on Tuesday morning. Gary and Faye went to Unicoi State Park in Georgia, where Fabgrandpa and I will be headed tomorrow. Russ and Liz went to Ft. Worth, Texas.

We let it rest for one night, then on Wednesday, 7 of us–me and Fabgrandpa, Charlie and Lynn, and the other Russ and Mary went to Cocomo’s in Deltaville. Cocomo’s is THE BEST SEAFOOD PLACE in the Northern Neck of Virginia. We had to drive 22 miles to get there, but we have trekked over there at least once a month since we found out about the place. We also took Jay, the new manager guy, with us. We raised a glass in toast to our friendship (ok, so we only raised the glass to our mouths and drank, there was no actual toasting). We were loud, rowdy, and had a very good time, again. Said our goodbye’s. Again. On the way home, I told Fabgrandpa, “We have to eat at home from here on out because I want to have room in the freezer for a dozen crab cakes from Something Different to take home with me.” And he said, “Yes Dear”.

So, I am standing there washing the dishes (you ask how could I possibly have dishes to wash with all this eating out?) and getting ready to cook some chicken and rice for dinner on Sunday afternoon, when there is a loud knock on the door, and there stands Lynn, IN THE RAIN, asking us if we want to go out to Nick’s tonight. OK, she twisted our arms, ever so slightly. And so, we were out to eat last night, AGAIN, saying goodbye, AGAIN. This time it was me and Fabgrandpa, Lynn and Charlie, and Mary and Russ. I really love this bunch of people. We will be back up here in March, and I as I told Lynn, be ready to go out to Virginia Street Cafe the first Monday night after we get here. Maybe before that…

The Best Crew Ever:
Faye and Gary

Liz and Russ

Charlie and Lynn

Mary and Russ

Me and Fabgrandpa.

See ya all in the spring!

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