Making Santa cookies

The children made some cookies to leave for Santa.

Merry Christmas 2008

Lots of our family was not in the United States this Christmas. We missed Chris, Ginger, and Tekoa, and Courtland and Xiaoya. It was still a great celebration of Christ birth, and we had Jim, Tisha and the kids, Ian, Mia, and Aidan here on Christmas eve. Ian wasn't feeling well that day, but he did well. We got calls from both the missing families, and cherished that too. Here is my Christmas collage. Click on the picture to see it full size.

The Ornament

I brought a special ornament home with me from the lake. It was given to me by Sandy, my friend and neighbor at the lake. She painted a blue ball with the South Carolina palmetto and crescent on it. here it is on my tree. We had a very enjoyable evening with them. They (Gary and Sandy Moore) treated us to some Mexican food, and pound cake. You can't ask for better neighbors than that.

Snake at the Lake

Eddie and I went to the lake Wednesday night. I am so glad we didn't wait until morning, because waking up at the lake on such a beautiful day was so pleasant. The sun was shining and it was WARM! How is that for the week before Christmas? We worked in the yard, and while we were talking to our neighbor Gary Moore, he noticed that we had a snake sunning himself on our front stoop. None to soon Eddie had killed it. It looked like a poisonous one to me with its viper shaped head and colorful marking and about 40 inches long. After looking it up on-line, it turned out to be a brown water snake. Eddie had guessed it right.

I am including a picture of this kind of snake. I didn't have my camera with me so I borrowed this picture.

Ian and Mia's Christmas guitar recital

This past week Eddie and I had the privilege to attend Ian and Mia's Christmas guitar recital at Converse College. They have been working hard all this semester to learn these selections along with many others that are not Christmas songs. I have included a collage of the evening, and one video only 1 minute long if you would like to watch.

Putting up the Christmas Tree.

Yesterday Eddie and I had the kids over for the evening, and we all worked together to put up our Christmas tree. This has been the first year ever since I have had so much help. It was wonderful, and they really did work.

Eddie is in a play at Church, and this is his attire. Spiffy isn't he!

Back at home

Well it's been about a month now since I got back from Brazil. All looked great when I returned. Eddie and I were glad to see each other. We have tried to make the most of some of our time, but of course there are road blocks, like work to do at the lake and also here. Then there was the problem I have been having with my tooth. The one that I had to have a root canal work done on while in Brazil. It was OK until about a week ago, then it started to feel a little touchy. Starting about 3 days ago it got worse. I was hurting last night, so I took some of Eddies pain medicine he had after his hernia operation. It helped, but I didn't feel good this morning, so Jim called a doctor friend of his, and he (the doc.) called me back and said to come see him this week. He also called me in a prescription for an antibiotic. So here I go again! Go figure.

Everyone except Mia has been doing OK. She has had a problem with her kidneys every now and then. I hate that for the little thing.

We are now getting ready for the Christmas season. I hope I will get through it without to much stress. I wish we could just stick to "The Reason for the Season". I would get more out of it. I don't mind the gift buying, but it is getting harder to know what to get for people.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to all.

Time with Tekoa

Tekoa is growing right before my eyes. Look at him standing in one picture, at only 8 weeks old. We found him a new playpen in Annapolis when we took him for a visit to the doctor the other day. I worked at making him a boppy and a cover for it. Ginger likes using it, and Tekoa thinks it is comfortable. At the bottom is a picture of me on a large swing under a very large tree out in the country at a cookout. It was great except for the pain I was having in back tooth. I'll tell that story later.

Pictures from Brazil

check out the large termite hill. They are every where. The fruit is a cashew (fruit at top, and nut at bottom. Also look at the tree with the berries growing out of the trunk! One has green berries (not ripe yet). The other one shows a tree with the ripe dark purple berries.We have beautiful sunset here too. This is just one of many we photographed.

Even More from Brazil

To see these pictures in full size, just click on each one.

These are some of the birds I see everyday. The road runner I only saw once, and the Macaw I haven't seen it yet. chris took that picture. The horses are in the valley below me. The pond is where we went fishing the other day. they clean and cook the fish for you. It was lots of fun. I caught a big one! They taste good, but are very boney. They have huge termite hill out in the fields. I saw some looked like 4 or 5 feet tall. The gate is at the entrance of the courtyard where my room is. I lock it each night. A parrot lives in the ceiling above me, along with one of those big lizards. I hear them moving around at night.

five more pictures from Brazil

Mickeys First 10 Days in Brazil

"THE WEDDING"

Big news since last I wrote! Courtland and his fiance XiaoYa of China were married in the United States here in South Carolina. They were married at his home church on the 13th of September, and spent about 5 days at Myrtle. It was very sweet and the bride was beautiful. Of course I though the groom was very handsome also. I think they make a lovely couple. XiaoYa compliments Courtland's personality, and she has a very sweet, happy, courteous, and helpful personality herself.

We have had the pleasure of their company for most of the month, but all to soon (Sunday) they will be leaving to return to live in China. We will really be missing them, and we were just getting to know her. I hope that they will have a long and happy life together.

Tekoa's first bath

When I can get my pictures on here, I want you to see Tekoa minutes old taking his first bath. Ginger and Chris got to watch him and take a few pictures. I just had to add these. Look at the Brazilian metal basin. I think he took it like a man, but he didn't like it lying on his back.

A Day at the Lake

A couple of weeks ago me and two of my best friends came to stay at the lake. Sisters Brenda McArthur and Phillis mauldin are both gifted with decorating. Before you knew it they had rearranged all my junk and made it look pretty. I thank them for their help. This place is going to need a lot of it before we are through. We had a very enjoyable day, and stayed up late working in the house. Next day I took them to a really neat restaurant down here for breakfast. Oh!, by the way, I am at the lake now with Eddie. We are getting a little of the much needed rain.

( I hope to have some pictures with this blog later also)

Dog sitting

We kept Pippin a week while Jim, Tisha and the family went to the beach for their summer vacation before school started again. he was a good dog and had fun at the lake.
The family had a wonderful time a the beach, and now it's time to get back to the books.

It's a Boy!

Lots of thing have been going on since my last post, but the most exciting thing that has happened is the birth of our forth grandchild. Tekoa Everette Mackey born August 19th, 7lb.3oz., 20.4 inches long. He is a doll, and a tough looking little booger too.
Mom Ginger and little Tekoa are doing just great, and Chris is doing good as the proud new father. Although they are all in Brazil, we still get to talk to them often over the Internet. Soon I will go to visit them. I can't wait!!!!

A week with the grandkids

Tisha and Jim take a break, and head out west to Los Veges, while we keep the children. We did our best to entertain them. Ian spent the first couple of days at his friend Charles' house. Mia and Aidan played in the woods (our front yard), watched some movies, and made their own shaved ice. After Ian came, we took them all over to their house, and let them do their normal routine.

This all took place a couple of weeks ago, but I am just now getting it on my blog. I hope you enjoy watching the slide show.

July 4th at the Lake

July the 3rd. didn't start out so well. As we were getting ready to head for the lake for our 4th of July weekend, Eddie made a run to the post office. He didn't get back right away though, his truck wouldn't start. Now after a long day of trying to figure out what the problem was, we did finally head for the lake in my car.

Jim, Tisha, and kids who had been patiently waiting came along too in their SUV. We swam, rode in the Moore's canoe, shot water balloons, had lots of good food, and watched fireworks.

The 4th dinner was complements of the Moore's. They always have great food, and we are lucky indeed to be their guest quiet often. We also went on a pontoon ride with them to watch fireworks on the lake. It is always a big show.

All in all, it was a great weekend!

A week at the lake with Ian

It has been a couple of weeks since Ian stayed with us at the lake house for the entire week. I think he had some fun, but we had to do a lot of work, and we had grown up visitors, so he felt a lone sometimes. We did get to swim some, and I showed him how to make whirlpools in the water. To out dismay, however, we discover small leaches in the water. We have never had them before.

We all went for a canoe ride, and later Eddie got the boat running, and let Ian drive it a little. Eddie has been having a lot of trouble with the boat lately. We really need to think about a newer one, but now is not a good time to buy.

After a few days Ian missed home, but he stuck it out till the end of the week. We had a good time while we could, and we enjoyed him staying with us.

Unwanted guest

We were back at the lake Thursday, and went out with friends that evening for pizza. Billy B treated us all. How very nice.

When we arrived back at the lake house look what was waiting to greet us in our foyer, stretched out all the way across the inside door. Needless to say we were not to happy to find him there. We are still working on buttoning up all the holes that unwanted critters can get in, however, things are somewhat better.

The snake is an orange bellied water snake. Non poisonous.