Pony Invasion

I was enjoying my morning reading and drinking coffee when Becky yells for me to look out the living room window.   That is when I found myself face to face with two ponies that had invaded my front yard and were eating my precious weeds.   Belle, our fearless, eight pound, 15 year old weanie dog was trying to attack them so I picked her up, reviewed all the available options and said the heck with it and called my neighbor to come get his ponies.  I should replace my back fence since last year we were invaded by several horses but it does add a little excitement to my day off.

Happy Birthday Dad

My dad would have turned 96 today but he passed away in 2004.  James Robert Payne was a proud native of the state of Georgia, a graduate of the Naval Academy, a career military officer serving our country in three wars, a devoted husband and father and a very wild and sometimes crazy Papa to my children and their children.  He taught me to love my wife and my children, to do my duty to and love my country.  He left his family quite a legacy.  Happy birthday Dad.

Gingerbread House, Ole Virginia and Snow Day

Becky and I enjoyed three of our grand kids for a couple of days while their mother, Cassie,  visited my mother in Charlottesville, Virginia.  So, how do you keep three under the age of seven entertained?  You build a gingerbread house of course.  We also took a trip to VA several weeks later to visit my mother and returned to middle TN to several more inches of snow.  The following day we had the pleasure of keeping six of our grand kids with Becky helping with their home school lessons.

The finished product before the roof started to slide off.

South Plains Presbyterian Church's new addition (Keswick, Virginia)

My Dad.would have turned 96 this week. I  do miss him.

Our traditional lunch with Mom at the Tip Top Restaurant

Another tradition of shopping at Giant

Becky and Mom

Mom and her "favorite son".  We had a great visit and are looking forward to another trip this spring.

Drove from Virginia to Tennessee in the rain and woke up the following morning to two inches of snow. 

The following day we had the pleasure of keeping  the "Fish Sticks"  while Cassie drove to Ethridge, TN  for her raw milk run.   Becky was back in her old mold of home school teacher for a day.