Beckle Speckle’s Zany World

Late on Thursday evening DH arrived… to join our group, so Friday took us to the Oconaluftee Indian Village.  This is a re-creation village showing native American activities and homes representing different times, back to the 1700s.  We saw pottery, weaving, basketmaking, flintknapping (sp?), and traditional dancing.  You wouldn’t be able to tell from looking at us, our family has some Cherokee ancestors, so it was both interesting and a little sad to visit.

I wish we had the time (and energy) to visit the museum and Qualla Crafts, but alas there wasn’t enough of either.

There was a time for the little ones to take a crafting class

On Saturday we headed to rafting (at Raft with Kids) with my sister’s family (little Z and little C included).  Little Bug was very scared and wanted to go back, but the guides were so GREAT with her.  She eventually calmed down and we all had a great time (sorry no pics – camera isn’t waterproof).  A final dinner at Butts on the Creek (good, but a bit expensive) and another round of golf (demanded by little Z) rounded out our vacation…

Final verdict: I am exhausted!!!!

I’ve been catching up with folks I know from the past on Facebook. I used to be on a BBS back in Lexington and had several friends through that. I’m quite the introverted and awkward person, so computer talk and emails work well for me. I’m surprised at how much I do enjoy “talking” to others in just little fits and spurts.

We’ve had lots of rain here – lost our peach tree and a lilac bush to the monsoon season. Other plants are doing well. Bug is growing like a weed, herself.

I’ve been knitting socks and more socks. These are from Tofutsie yarn. I like the fabric, but dislike the splitty-ness of the yarn.

Well, it isn’t quite the end.  I still have a few more things to grade and one class for which to enter final grades.  I should be getting my syllabus ready for summer school, but I am worn out from days and days of meetings, presentations, and grading.

The garden is looking springy.  The blackberries are perking up.  The upside down tomotoes are looking strange out on the porch.  All is well except for the screaming 3 year old who is refusing to go to sleep, but is at least staying in her bedroom right now.  It is a good thing she is cute.

This strange, ugly cabinet-like “thing” cut off the kitchen from the living room.  It was open underneath, but only people less than 5.5 feet tall could pass under…

Last weekend, I had enough and got out my favorite kitchen tool – my sledge hammer.

Voila!

So, we’ve been busy with spring, tornadoes, and scarlet fever. Last Friday was quite surreal. I didn’t even know we were in for some rough weather when the sirens went off about noon. Faculty and students spent 2 hours in the hallways watching the weather maps on the projectors in some of the classrooms. We all watched the swirls and spins and “red” areas, noting where our houses are/might still be, or where our loved ones are. Little Bug spent those 2 hours in a small bathroom with 14 other 3 year olds and 3 teachers – one of whom was incubating scarlet fever… We were the lucky ones. I have at least one student whose house is gone, but he is lucky in comparison to the family that lost the mother/wife and 9 week old daughter. It is all so sad…

Poor little Bug had a temp of 103.5 on Sunday, even with a dose of ibuprofen. She has since been diagnosed and gotten antibiotics for her scarlet fever.