In case you are wondering this is where I will be.....

The Fairy's Rest Retreat!!

I wish I could say I will be there for a little

R & R but it is more like a little W & W

work and more work!!!

I still have so much to do there to get it ready to rent.

My plans were to have all the inside work done when the weather

got warmer and get the yard graded, gravel the drive and do some basic

landscaping and start advertising.

That is still the plan but it has just been moved up a bit cause of the terrible winter weather we have had.

It's a dirty job but I have to do it anyway!

I think I have one house too many!!

Remember this is where we plan to retire and live out our days.

Until then we need to make some money with it if possible so I need to get on the ball.

We have decks to finish too.

I won't do a lot of landscaping but it has to be

spruced up some.

The area to the left of the above picture is the area that is going to get dolled up.

Between the house and the road.

I am thinking some Azaleas and maybe Rhododendron, Hostas and a dump truck load of mulch.

The area around the picnic table will probably have some railroad ties or timbers framing the area and there will be gravels under the table. He says he will incorporate that area into the circle drive way. There's some underbrush that will have to go too. Not too bad considering how thick it was when we first bought the place ;-)))



I talked him into leaving the strip of trees here. I did not want to have any lawn to mow, wanted it to be all wooded but Mr Bulldozer Man says....yada yada yada......which equals to I have to move so many trees to be able to work....yada yada yada....!!

He now likes the way it looks with just a little privacy, but I will still have a big yard to mow. Well "Another" big yard to mow. What were we thinking?





So this strip and the area at the front of the house on either side of the deck will be landscaped. I have a ton of perennials that need to be divided here at home and I will take some sun loving, low maintenance plants down there to put along side the house. The sun shines in there pretty much all day long and it does get pretty warm in there so I think the perennials will be good there. Some "Becky" daisy's, Rudbekiah brown eyed susans, Bee Balm, Wooley Lambs Ear,

Evening Primrose to name a few.
In the back yard I plan to plant several Flowering Crabapple Trees.

They are reasonably priced, beautiful in the spring when in bloom and in the fall the foliage is lovely, and the Eastern Bluebirds love the apples in the winter!!
Throw around some cutesy yard/garden items like benches and gazing balls and call it a garden!!
I think that is the plan, at least for now.

I really don't want to sink a pile of money into the garden.

And I surely do not want to have to spend a lot of time working in the garden either.

I do want to create a nice relaxing, welcoming get away for my guests when they actually come for a little R & R!!!!!!





I just love my kitchen!!!!!!



I plan to be there the biggest part of the week painting and making curtains and decorating etc etc etc etc....... (It won't be as much fun as it usually is because the sweet potato pie making neighbor is not going to be in this week) then on the weekend Danny is going to bring the dozer in for the grading and then gravels and mulch to come soon behind. So let the games begin.....again!!!

I just wish it was warm enough for a skinny dip in the lake after a long day of painting like Robin, Morgan and I did last summer!! Maybe all my hard work will be done by the time the water warms this year!!!!!!

Wish us luck!!!!

Skinny Dippin'.......

Friday after a day of painting at The Fairy's Rest in 90 degree weather and no A/C (no electricity yet) we had no choice but to get creative and think of some way to cool down right?
So what shall we do but hit the lake? After all that's why we have land there.

I have no idea what I was doing here. I look really stupid. I was not skipping rocks but Morgan was. Isn't the lake gorgeous? We had it all to ourselves too because it was hazy and school was actually in. Morgan got out of school early. This is so out of character for Robin to hop in a lake with her clothes on cause she is too prissy. Morgan was OK with it though. Robin loved it too!!! She said she wished she would have been doing this all summer!

This is Ryan's Branch area of Philpott Lake. We have been coming here for years and years. We usually put the boat in right around the corner so to speak to the left of here at Union Bridge. We had so much fun "Skinny Dippin" in my case it was "Chunky Dunkin". So much fun that we all went back on Saturday for another dip/dunk with Leslie and the kids. I am sure it is the last of the year too. The weather has definately cooled down tremendously since the weekend.

Today there was no swimming to be done. Just tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes....... 7 quarts of juice and 10 packages of frozen tomatoes for chili and soups this winter!!

Snow bound but dreaming of summer

(The pic above is a friend of ours that was neighbor kid who grew up beside us and we ran into him at the lake last summer and pulled him and his son on the tube. The area of the lake behind him where the kids are playing is called Ryan's Branch and we have spent some great summer afternoons playing in the water there most of my and my childrens life. It is about 2 miles from our land.)

Now back to reality!!

We are setting here under about 5" or maybe more of snow and are expecting it to snow thru 11 AM tomorrow. I am not liking this either. You see I live in the boonies and I work an hour away in the town of Blacksburg Va where the roads are always cleared early. The roads out my way, at least half of my commute in are always covered until the last thing. So I am expected to be at work no matter what kind of weather we have here. Most all the rest of the staff live close by the office and can be there no matter what. I am praying that they will close the office tomorrow so I won't be in trouble.

I know that winter is almost over even though it doesn't look that way. (I am sitting here listening to the sleet beat down on my metal roof as I type.) DH and I took in the Roanoke Valley Boat Show yesterday along with some friends. The troubled economy was evident at the show too. The amount of vendors were about half as many as last year and the crowd was very slim, of course it was raining buckets of nearly frozen precipt all day. It is hard to get in to boating with frigid nasty weather.

I was into it though. It is in my blood I guess, being raised in a boating family. DH however loves to boat and fish and look at the new boats but boy that is it. He draws the line at purchasing a new/newer boat. He would really like to have a bigger boat for all the family to be able to ride together (instead of looking like a refugee boat loaded down ;-) but I think he is waiting for someone to give it to us. I found a great deck boat on Craigslist and at first he was OK with calling about it and as the day went on he started talking about his usual thing that he brings up when ever I want to spend any money........the undercarraige for his bulldozer needs to be replaced. I have heard this so many times that I am sick of it. Enough already.

You see I am not that much of a spendthrift that I would not allow him to spend the $12,000.00 + on this because that would be obsurd. You see he brings this up to make me feel guilty and change my mind about the purchase that I am wanting to make and agree that he should just go ahead and get this taken care of........then in about a week or two we are talking and he says that he doesn't feel that it will cost him 12K that he can do it cheaper and then in another week he says it doesn't need to be done for a long time......3 weeks he says "Well I am not using it that much anyway so it will last forever the way it is." Why does he do this to me?? I guess I will will just have to go find the boat that I want purchase it and bring it home and show him. I told him today that was my plan so he will be wondering when he will come home to a newer pontoon or deck boat. That's OK I can play mind games too!!!!

Playing catch-up after a little R&R on the lake again!!

Oh My Goodness!! Isn't this a great picture! Morgan playing Mother Hen to Colton as they were heading to the water at Fairystone State Park! After a little while they were everywhere and very hard to keep up with!
This little lady is Princess Haley! Now isn't she a doll! She was very clingy to her mother for a long time cause she was scared of the water and then about 30 minutes before she had to leave she really decided that she liked it! I didn't post the pics of me floating around in the little yellow rubber ducky float that we took for her!!!!!
OK So is this a left over 60's hippy chic or Elvis's girlfriend, who know's? As you can see my hair is at a length that while cruising around on the boat my hair will beat holes in my face so I got creative and decided to make a bandana headband, which worked but the girls thought it needed Morgans "Yellow Elvis Glasses" to go with it!! Crazy girls!! They actually let me out in public looking like this!!
More pics of the Olympic Diver! Robin caught this angle with her camera. I am sure this is the shot that will be on the Wheaties box one day!! I mean perfect form!! This is my kinda diving cause when her little belly hits the water her head does not go under. How does she do it? Would it have anything to do with my weight? I mean when I dive...excuse me belly flop or fall in....I drink half the lake and of course my hair is wet!!
I love this picture!!!! I think it really captures the beauty and peacefulness of the lake on a summer evening around 6:30. The water was perfect and the air was warm and gentle and we all had a great time!!

The first 2 pics were Friday's little romp on the lake with the girls!! No boating that day! Haley is Leslie's best friend Kerri's daughter. Kerri is the one who is building that beautiful new house and letting me have her dollhouse!! Isn't that nice of her? Haley's brother, Jarrett, is there too but I missed posting his pic so I'll get it next time! I am really glad they joined us. We had a really good time and lots of really good food!!!

At the lake with us also was my niece Cynthia and her dd Sarah and ds Jared whom we haven't seen in like forever. Cynthia and I go way back. We were best friends before I met my dh, her uncle. I of course, met him thru her. Now I see him all the time and almost never see her. Something is wrong with this picture, cause she is way more fun to be around than he is!!!! LOL!!

So anyway I am now back to doing housework and making some more blueberry jelly and putting up beets today. We also have our first mess of corn today!! YUMMY!!

On a more serious note. I interviewed yesterday for my job and I know it went really well. I go back tomorrow to interview with the Dr herself and then I will know by Friday if I have it or not. The problem is, I am not so sure that I want it now and I don't know why. There was just something wierd about it but I can not put my finger on it. I was really excited to go for the interview and I really liked the manager and the office layout and atmosphere and the whole bit. I think maybe I am scared because the manager changed my appointment time 3 times and then I was supposed to interview with the Dr yesterday but the manager decided that I would have to come back tomorrow and then after that if the Dr liked me she would then overnight me an application (she was going off of my resume) and schedule another day to come back in to go over the application and then come back for a drug test and then come back to discuss benefits!!

OMG Why so many trips? I asked if there was anyway that I could take an application home with me yesterday and she said "Good idea. I'll get you one now." and she did. I will take it back tomorrow when I see the Dr but I am not really getting too excited about this whole process. The office is owned by HCA and is a great company but I am not sure about this whole process.

She did tell me that we were looking at at least 3 weeks out before I start if I do get the position. That's OK with me. I am not even sure I will take it if it is offered now. She did tell me that I was by far the best candidate and they have been interviewing for over a month. huh? I am not sure what they are looking for in me??

A lazy Sunday evening on the lake

Look Mom! No Hands! Or life jackets!

Well here are my little fish just floating around on thier backs all in perfect order enjoying the warm weather and the shady area near the boat dock to Fairystone Lake. We had to stop there on the way to Philpott because Robin's car broke down. The kids could not wait until we got to the lake with the boat so they took a quick and relaxing dip here!! We would have just put our boat in here but you cannot have a gasoline engine on this lake. This area is directly across the lake from Fairystone Park where a slew of us girls and kiddos will be on Friday for another romp before school starts back.
Oh My little princesses are enjoying the spin around the lake now aren't they. You wouldn't think they had a care in the world. (these little tootsies belong to the little fishes mothers, however you would think that thier mothers had fins the way the little buggers can swim)
A Fish Called Emma!! (5 years old)
She is very serious about her new found sport! Olympic diving!
All wet and ready to take home her gold!!

It is amazing to watch these kids just suddenly know how to swim. I learned how to swim at Fairystone Park many years ago, my girls learned there and for the most part that is where these kiddos have been, outside of thier backyard pools. It is looking as if thier PaPa Danny is going to be learning there too. We hope so anyway!! He is not afraid of the water at all. A few good afternoons on the water should take care of that!!

On a more serious note. I have decided to look for a job. Did I just put that into words for all the world to see? I mean really did I? What must I be thinking?

Well I am thinking that since the bulldozer is tore down in my driveway and obtained a diagnoses of "really sick" that I don't want to deplete our savings just to buy me a dollhouse to put at the lake and repair the engine in the dozer. So on Monday I shot out my resume to a Dr's office close by and within 30 minutes I had an interview setup for this Thurs. Then she called and changed it til today at 10 AM and since it is 10:24 right now you can guess that I did not make it either. No I didn't back out, I really want my dollhouse, she called this morning and said her child was sick so it is again scheduled for Monday!

It will be really hard going back to work after so many months off but I will be fine. Monday thru Friday and no call, no nights and weekends!! I do not have to work but I want too many things and I don't expect him to really have to take care of my every need/want. Not for a few months or maybe a year anyway!! Pray that the dozer is back together soon because my land is next in line to be cleared for my dollhouse!!

Fun Weekend on the lake!

As promised earlier today here are the pics of Robin and Eric on the tube! Morgan you should really be proud of your mother cause she actually got off the boat!!
These cool cats are my nephews Brad and his precious little Brady. Brady is getting a little brother in another month!! Mom had to sit this trip out but Nana and Papa and some others were there with us on their pontoon boat!!
It was really hard to read Robin's expressions. Sometimes she looked as if she was laughing and sometimes mad or scared. We weren't sure if we should stop or keep going so we chose to keep going for a really good while!!
Scared? Who could tell??
Not sure what to make of this one either. I missed the best shot which was when we decided to cut the fun and slowed the boat to a stop. When you stop this tube with two people in it it will sink quickly and the look of surprise on Robin's face was priceless as she went down on a sinking tube!! Eric knew it would happen as did we but we all forgot to enlighten her to the fact!!! She actually was game for another trip around the lake and that time when the boat stopped Eric gave her a BIG push out before it sank and she went under anyway!! I don't think we broke her cause she was having too much fun.

Last year we had Leslie and Travis on the tube but I did not have this handy little digital camera at the time. We needed a video camera for that trip cause of Leslie's giggling all around the lake that could be heard all over the county. It was surely contagious and priceless!! We will get them back out somehow this summer!!

Becky's Sweet Pickle Recipe

I found these beauties in my garden and I am thrilled! Haven't had Cukes for homemade pickles for several years, but I might make up for it this year!!
I didn't have enough for a really big batch of 14 Day Pickles so I studied my cook books and online recipes for a good while and then decided to make my own recipe. Yes I know that is very risky!! Danny just walked in and saw a small bowl of them on the table that wouldn't fit in the jars, and he said they were great!! So I guess it worked.
I made 9 pints and my kitchen is full of that wonderful popping sound that is music to any canner's ears!! I have also froze 13 bags of squash and picked another bucket full to freeze later!!
I had to act like a housewife today, ya know back to the real world, after the wild and crazy weekend we had on the lake. The pic above is my darling on the tube, no I am not driving the boat, Brad our nephew is. We met up with them on Sunday for a lot of fun.

This is SIL Eric skiing! He and Robin went down with us on Sunday but they had to leave early so she could go to work that night. We stayed til 8PM!!!

I have to post the pics of the 2 of them on the tube. Really cute!!!

Ok so I'm off to eat supper.....home raised fried chicken, fresh half runner green beans, squash and macaroni salad.....pickles on the side ;)

til later!!
Becky

Wet and Smoky Sunday

Well we tried yet again today to have an enjoyable sunny Sunday afternoon on the lake but no such luck. As soon as we launched the boat a huge cloud came over and we knew if we were to get any swimming done it better be done soon. As soon as everyone but me had gotten in the water the rain started coming down. So back in the boat.
And off we go down the lake trying to outrun the storm. Emma loves going fast so the wind is in her hair!!
OK for another quick dip!! He is such a little fish!!
Then Katie Barr The Door the sky opened up and we ran for shelter under Union Bridge, just around the cove from where our truck and trailer was but it was raining too hard to try to get there until the rain let up a little.
The boat would turn around and around and each of us would get our turn getting drenched by the steady stream of water coming off the bridge above us. We felt like we were on a water ride at Carrowinds that turns certain riders into the streams of water and some of the riders stay dry!!

We did however wait out the storm and the sun came back out for about 30 minutes of swimming and then another downpour. We had stopped by our land that is 2 miles from the lake, and had a picnic lunch on our picnic table by our camper and then went back by there and ate again on the way home. Good times!!!!

We made it home and backed the boat in to the driveway and was getting ready to open the truck door to get out and I think all of us noticed at the same exact time that the boat motor was ON FIRE!!! Well Danny may have been very tired but he was able to hurdle over the trailer and get to the motor asap and get the cover off and get it out immediately before much damage was done. Some of the wiring had caught on fire and hopefully after the wires are replaced we won't find any further damage. The boat had ran better today than it ever did and Danny was so happy with that. I was afraid we had had our last attempt at a sunny boat ride today when I saw the smoke!!