Parents

Today, I attended the funeral of the father of one of my long time friends, Judy. Judy's dad, Fernie, was 82 years old and had served in both World War II and the Korean Conflict. He was a charter member of my home church. He helped to build the church. Their family included me on several vacations with them when I was in junior high. I first saw the Great Smokey Mountains with them. Judy and I rode in the back of the pick up truck, sleeping a lot of the way, pulling a travel trailer as we drove through the mountains. Her dad would honk the horn when he thought we should sit up and see a site. We saw a mother black bear and her two cubs. Judy and I had dirt bikes, (like little motorcycles, not bicycles) that we rode all over the woods. I loved those vacations.

All my childhood friends were there. We sat in the pews in the church almost in the same location that our parents sat for Sunday service years ago. We have all aged, and are saying farewell to our parents. My dad died ten years ago. We said farewell to Beth's mom a few years ago in the same church. Rex has lost both his parents and a brother.

The service was wonderful. The pastor truly loved Fernie. He told funny story after story about Fernie. Fernie was from the school of thought where he spoke his mind and left no doubt how he felt about something. I believe that those people in your life that are sometimes the most difficult, are the ones you miss the most when they are gone.

I looked at the faces of people in the church and realized that several decades must have just flown right by me. My elementary school is across the street. There are new wings on the school and the playground actually had play equipment on it. The faces of the children on the playground were all dark. The complexion of the neighborhood has changed. I drove cautiously through town, afraid I would get lost. I was looking for the high school and almost drove right passed it. What had been open empty fields were now covered with large buildings. The giant "GP" on the corner made me realize that was the school. The stadium, seemed so small by todays standards, but in my day, it was a really nice stadium.

The church remains a light to the community. All are welcome to worship there. I am very blessed to have grown up there. I love this family. I pray for strength and peace for the hard days ahead. The pastor said it best. "he will miss Fernie for right now, but not for eternity."

Gaylord Opryland Hotel

Cascade fountains
The long hallway to our room. We were the second door from the end on the left!

Magnolia entrance
Magnolia entrance water falls
Cascades
Magnolia courtyard
Delta Island

The hotel was fab! They have about 2800 rooms. Can you imagine the housekeeping for a hotel that large? It was a cross between Disney World and Vegas. I have never been to Vegas, but I have seen it on television. We stayed in the Magnolia wing. It was convenient for the Scrap Etc event. We first checked in and the room had two double beds. I did not want to spend my week of vacation sleeping in separate beds. I called the front desk and told them that, and they found us a "suite" with a king size bed. The "suite" was a large room with a love seat and a desk. The Magnolia wing was the only section of the hotel that had not been renovated.

The staff at this hotel was very friendly. If you needed directions to a location off site, they could give you directions. If you were turned around inside the hotel, they would literally walk you to your destination. Joe made fun of me the first few days because I kept on lost. I finally got my bearings.

On Saturday night there were high school proms in all the ballrooms in the hotel except for the ballroom we were in and there was a wedding in the other. There were hundreds for high school students in their finest clothes! I have to say that the Nashville area teens were very well behaved. I did not see any rivalry issues or fights, nor did I see any under age drinking. One school had as many parents taking pictures as there were prom particpants. Then, there were the teachers and their spouses. You could spot the teachers from their party dresses with the sensible shoes! As I was going to my room at about 10:30 that night, the proms were ending. I saw several students carrying their shoes and walking barefoot. Score one for sensible shoes!

SCRAP Etc Event 2008, Gaylord Opryland Hotel

Wilna Furstenberg
Danelle & Kristi's Creative Cafe class
SNL table mates!
Too tired to scrap
Sideways me! I can't rotate on this board!

Heidi Swapp: To Your Heart Be True
Amanda Hudson performs
Registration
Ready for the first class!

I had a wonderful time at the Scrap Etc. I learned so much and met so many new people. I met some people from the CK MB. I had a great time.

There were eight courses and a Saturday Night Live session where we made more layouts than I can count. The teachers were fabulous. I can't pick a favorite! There were people there from all over the US and some foreign countries. The first day, I sat with four ladies from Japan!

I have some pictures that I will post. They are not great, but it shows that everyone was having a great time.

GRAND OLE OPRY: "Where Unforgettable Moments Happen Every Night"

Little Jimmy Dickens
"Whispering Bill" Anderson
Diamond Rio
John Conlee

We loved our visit to the Grand Ole Opry. We had third row from the stage seats! It was so much fun. I am not a country music person, but this was terrific. There were some names that I had heard, some performers had to be in their 80's. Some performers from the recent past, and some current performers. However, my favorite was a new group, The Avett Brothers. It was their first time to perform at the Opry. I think it means your music career is at the jumping off point when you get invited to perform at the Opry. They are what I believe is the new wave of country music. I think my kids would have liked this music. They had a cello player in their group!

I learned that the Tuesday and Friday performances at the Opry are actually radio broadcasts. The Saturday night performance is telecast live on a network somewhere. It was just a great experience. There was a radio broadcast going on 24/7 at the hotel. I have added some of the music from the performers and just some Tennessee music to my Playlist. It will make you tap your toe!

It was truly an unforgettable moment!

Vacation day 3

Balcony overlooking stage at Ryman.Bronze statue of Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl
Silver and platinum albums at Hall of Fame

Legends Saloon

We took a great Gray Line tour today of downtown Nashville. It was the best way to see the sights. We had a great tour guide named Jim, who moved here from Azle, Texas. He knew everything about everything.

We saw the parks and music row. We toured the Ryman Auditorium and the Country Music Hall of Fame. We had a soda in the Legends saloon.

When we were waiting on our car this morning they were unloading the trucks with the supplies for the onsite store. It was so exciting. When we were coming back in tonight, I met Wilna Furstenburg and her husband and girls. I recognized her face but could not remember who she was. I have my homework done for her class. She is here from Canada, but is actually South African.

I don't know what we will do tomorrow. I have to check in for the conference but the session does not start until 6:00 p.m.

We are having a great time.

Linda

Vacation day 1 & 2

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Joe and I are having a great time on our vacation. We left DFW on Sunday and spent Sunday night visiting with my sister in Little Rock and her family. We were overnight guest of Tara, Josh and Roxie Anne. We had a wonderful meal. My BIL grilled steak and sausage in a cold blowing wind. It was delicious. For dessert we had "Not Yo Mamma's Banana Pudding" from Paula Deen's recipe. Oh, it was good. We went to Tara's house and shared scrapbook pages we have done and watched Tara scrap her anniversary trip. It was such a nice visit.

We headed for Nashville on Monday. We made a side trip to Archivers Scrapbook Store in Memphis. It was my first visit to Archivers. I think the Scrapbook Pad store was larger, but Archivers had every brand out there. They did not have the Fiskars scallop border punch however. I told the sales clerk that we desperately needed one in the DFW area. So, if in the next corporate meeting they ask her opinion on where to open the next store, at least I put our name out there!

The Gaylord Opryland hotel is fabulous! It is like Disneyworld. The inside is filled with a river, fountain shows, lights and restaurants. We have a nice room on the outside. The interior rooms were a lot more expensive. It is so nice and HUGE! I am trying to get my bearings before the convention starts.

We toured Hermitage which is Andrew Jackson's home. It has been preserved very well. The dogwoods and red bud trees were in bloom and they are just beautiful. We took a wagon ride around the property. We saw an enormous coyote who just stood his ground and stared at the two wagon horses. They were looking at him too. I was a little nervous they were take off in a run , but we moved on the coyote just kept on staring at us.

Tomorrow we are going to take a grey line tour of the downtown museums. The bus will pick us up at the hotel. We are taking the afternoon tour, so that we can sleep late! I love being on vacation.

I posted some photos. The foliage is just beautiful. The second picture is the view out our hotel window. The ones after that are at Hermitage.

Having a great time!

Scrap Etc Bound!

I am all packed and have 90% of the homework and I am ready to go to the Scrap Etc event in Nashville. My husband and I are leaving today for a little vacation time before the event starts. I am looking forward to this so much.

I have never packed enough clothes for an entire week. That was a big deal and then of course all the necessary scrapping materials.

My sweet neighbor is doing the doggy duty while we are away. George just loves her.

I am sooooo excited!