These past 2 months!!!

Have been wonderful but hard work esp for Shirley; the whole idea was to celebrate our families after some 44 years of being married not just to each other but to our wonderful families and friends.

We started out with our Bible Study group of about 10 couples the last of May. We had some good hoedown music!! The Overbys, Joe&Gretchen joined us and then we attended Joe's Sunday School Class at !st Baptist here in New Bern.

Then All of June was preparing for the big 44/70 birthday for July 2-6. The highlite of course was having Jonathan fly in on the 2nd, and Chris on the 3rd. His girlfriend Katie 3rd year med at MCV, joined us Saturday the 4th. My Cuz Fran&Hus Horace came in late Friday. In the meantime a new member of the family joined in the form of Ms Grady-White 18.5. Just in time for the boys gettin here was the transformation of the dock annex and the boat lift unbelievable in 4 days by Mr Arnold and Co. We made 2 runs to Shackleford banks with Katie, C, and GG (J) amd me swimming to a sandbar the 1st time.

On July the 4th we had the Brinsons gang with about 25 folks with Lennie of Europe '62 fame, and his wife Carolyn from Henderson. Then July 5th my sisters family came in: Crystal, Bill, and Ren. Monday July 6 my brother WB and wife Ruth came, followed by Angel and Mike, then my wonderful uncle John and his daughter Patsy. We had more good hoedown music.

Then July 11 we invited down our Celtic Museum group: Alton, Brian, Liz and her friend Lisa from Nebraska, both fantastic fiddlers. Neighbors Barabara, Bill and Isabelle, Richard and Rebecca joined and we made more gr8888 hoedown music with Bill and his harmonicas.

Then Shirley invited 3 women of the Bible Study group back this past week. We made another mad run at Nickolus Sparks new house on the Trent.

There is so much to tell some not so good, ie: the snake eating my baby birds; the beaver chopping a lot of our willow tree. But I can't believe its over--all like a dream- maybe it was.

More pics posted today 7/20/09; Be sure to go all the way down to see all the new pics!!!