Tag Archives: Garry-Gardner

Day Two of Thanksgiving

Okay…this is just day two, and I’m not sure what my number one thankful item for today is.    One thing is for sure–I was driving home thinking that I’m absolutely not thankful for daylight savings time ending.   I love leaving work at 4 pm and it’s pitch dark said no one ever.

While driving I began thinking about Mike going to Lowe’s twice today and my brother-in-law going to Lowe’s three times today because of the 30% off moving sale–man…I’ll bet they would both say they were thankful for Lowe’s!   I don’t blame them.  It has and always will be My True Love.  But thinking about Gerald made me think  of my sister, Nancy.  I’m grateful for both of my sisters, but Nancy came to mind tonight because her birthday came and went and I didn’t even say anything.  Happy belated birthday to my sister!  I love you!!

Nancy and I  went to Florida with Mother a long time ago, and we had such a nice time.  We went to Busch Gardens and got dressed up for one of those old time photo booths.  This is one of the pictures that was taken of that trip.   We were saloon girls!  There is another picture of mother with all of us, and she was Ma Barker.   I’m grateful for that day as well as my sister.   She is wise and kind.   And she’s fun.  I do not get to spend as much time with her.  I want to change that.

Nancy and me

So…driving along–in the dark I might add– I thought about a conversation someone at work had with me regarding travel.  Travel is getting more dangerous, but that is not really why I don’t like to travel.  I like my home.   I always have.  However, there was a time I traveled quite a bit.  Mike liked to go away every quarter after the “quarter closed.”  If you’ve been married to someone in sales, you understand how relieved everyone is for a quarter to be over–especially if it went well.   Bad quarters?  Well, we don’t talk about those!   Whatever.  It’s not part of our world today.   My favorite place to travel at that time was the Cayman Islands.  We went frequently.  In this picture, however, we made our one and only trip to the Bahamas.   We lived in New Jersey and the couple with us were our close friends from Raleigh.   This picture fell out of the photo album tonight,  and I so enjoyed looking at it.    That night I gambled–about the only time I’ve ever gambled–on the roulette table, and I won $500.

Over 40

Today I am thankful not for just I have today, but for what I’ve had yesterday.  I’ve had some amazing vacations and even more amazing  friendships…Some remain.  Some do not.  For all of them, they brought me–and sometimes Mike–as in the case of Garry and Sue Gardner pictured with us–such joy for the time that they existed.

And now…sorry for the giant picture, but let me also be very honest.  One thing I’m EXTREMELY grateful for are my pots that look like glazed pottery but are really a composite and weigh only about one pound each.  They will look great on my front porch next summer, and I’m so happy I found them at lunch today and got them 35% off at…you guessed it…LOWE’S.  Oh how I love my True Love Lowe’s.

Pot cropped

Thank you for reading RiverCliff Cottage.

 

 

 

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Going Forward

We lived in Cary, North Carolina in the 1980’s and kept a home there until 2000.  The first person we met in Cary was our realtor,  and the second person we met was Garry Gardner. Garry built the house that we were buying which was’t quite finished, so we had to meet with him to discuss finishing options.   He and his wife, Sue,  took Mike and me out to dinner.  It was the first of many dinners and vacations we would share.

We have so many pictures and videos of the years since that time.   Here’s an old picture…I’m trying to remember when and where it was taken.    Check Mike and me out.  I’m Miss Skinny and he looks like Hitler’s brother.   And wasn’t I a little old even then for barretts ?  And folks…I can assure you that was Koolaid we were drinking!  🙂

Garry and Sue came to Virginia about two years ago. It was a visit that culminated all the years of friendship and we had a wonderful time.   He went fishing.  We went to see “Always Patsy Cline” at the Barter.  We sat out on the porch and the night air felt like velvet.   It was the last time I would see him.

Sue called last spring and encouraged Mike to come visit Garry. I didn’t want him to go for reasons that do not really matter.  I’m glad he didn’t listen.   He did go and spent about three days with them at their home in Morehead City, North Carolina.    It was the last three days that Garry would have the strength to work in his shop. He knew his time was short and Mike asked him what he could do. He replied, “don’t forget Sue.”    Mike came home on Sunday and within ten days, we received the call.

So I’m going to Raleigh for a blogger’s conference this weekend, and guess who is coming home with me? Sue!!

Mike has been working hard to get the guest house hardwood finished for Sue’s visit.   She and I are going to be doing quite a few things in the coming week.   Busy.Busy.Busy!    I’ll introduce you to her and take you along.

 

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