Sunday, January 11, 2015

I can't believe I am getting this posted on SUNDAY evening again!  I am so good....not.  

I finished the crocheted scarf for Sister Lasser.  I will give it to her this week at District Meeting (which will be her actual birthday).  I am hopeful she will like it.  Apparently she loves crocheting and all things crocheted!

Preparation Day on Monday found Wayne and I out and about taking our usual walk and look who we bumped in to.....Sister Echols and Sister Lindsay.  They were cleaning out their car and then going to play a little tennis at the courts in our apartment complex.  They live in the complex next to ours.  Cutie's!!

With Christmas decorations put away it was time to get a cute little Valentine 'something' to put up.  I found this little wreath at the local Krogers Grocery Store.  And it was a really cheap price!

We have a very 'healthy' travel agenda coming up the later part of January and most of February.  I worked hard in getting all of our hotel plans in place and organized for us.  Should be a 'fun' road trip.  Although we have enjoyed being around the apartment the past couple of weeks, we are starting to get the 'travel bug' and get back out on the road again!

I was able to get the afghan finished for one of my good friends, Lu Duke, for her birthday coming up the end of January.  Steve, her husband, put the bug in my ear a few months back that he thought she would really like a black and white one.  SO.....here ya go Lu.  I surely hope you like it.

On Thursday of this week we met Elder and Sister Hardgrave in Newnen for lunch at Mother's Kitchen.  This is a real 'dive' of a restaurant.  NOT fancy at all but the food was fantastic.  I had the fried chicken.  It was some of the best I have ever had.  We surely will go back here again.

After lunch we walked around the town square a bit, visited the visitors center inside the Court House and even had a personal guided tour by one of the local Sheriff Officers.  He just took it upon himself to show us around.  That was a lot of fun and we learned a lot about the area.  Newnen is a GREAT little southern town with a lot of charm.

We have had a broken water pipe in the front yard of our apartment complex.  When we got home from lunch, low and behold, their were folks there to finally dig it up and get it fixed!!  Wayne, of course, was like a little boy in a candy shop.  He was so enthralled with the whole process.  He stood out there the entire time and watched every move they made.  Me, on the other hand, came inside and was able to use my time crocheting!!  :-)

We have been fairly good about taking a walk every day so we can get outside and get some exercise.  This was fun to see the line up of golf carts in the parking lot with most of them 'winterized' with the sides on.

We were able to slip up to the temple and participate on a sealing team again this week.  Saturday is typically 'our day' because it is the slowest day for us to sneak away from the phone for about an hour or so.  It was a beautiful day outside.....although a bit on the chilly willy side.

We decided we wanted to attend the 'Franklin Group' again this Sunday.  We have fallen in love with this little group.  The folks are great.....down to earth southern, hospitality, friendly people.  The office elders, Elders Robison and Robinson, decided they wanted to come as well.  Today was Elder Whalen's last Sunday in the mission field.  He will complete his mission this coming week and head back to his home.  Elder Gordon will get a new companion and continue on in Franklin.

It is such a blessing to have this Group meeting every week.  The folks out in the remote area would have a very, very long commute to get to a regular ward meetinghouse.  The home where the meetings take place is really in the boonies!!!

Because we were only about 20 minutes from the Alabama state line, we decided to drive over there after church today.  In order to get there we had to drive through ROOSTERVILLE, GA!!!  Yes, indeed.  I certainly could not make up these names.  I LOVE the creative display on the side of their little grocery store!!!

Well, the sign on the side of the grocery store is NOT to be outdone by the rooster in someones front yard!!  So this begs to ponder:

Which came first:

1)  The ROOSTER in someones front yard

2)  The ROOSTER on the side of the local grocery store

3)  The name of the little community ROOSTERVILLE

YOU decide......

We definitely made it to the ALABAMA STATE LINE just a few miles away.  No formal state line sign because we were so far out in the country.  But there was the STATE HIGHWAY SIGN.  Good enough for us.......and officially OUT of our mission boundaries!

It has been another GREAT week in our mission.  Every day is different.  Every day is a great adventure.  We LOVE our mission and are so grateful we have been called to serve!  The Gospel is true.  This work is helping to 'hasten the work' we hope!  In some small way we are hoping we are contributing.........have a GREAT week coming up everyone.