October Musings

I seem to be lucky to get a post done once a month. October has gone by so quickly that I will use that as my excuse this time.



We started the month attending Joyce (Bill's sister) and Leroy's 50th anniversary party at their house. It turned out really nice. They had it catered and the food and service were wonderful. They also had a DJ doing music in the backyard, along with a big tent set up. All the decorations were beautiful. Most of all, Joyce and Leroy looked great and so happy. There was a good turnout and it was really fun to see people we hadn't seen in a long time. I think Ashby had more fun than anyone there. She loves her cousins, Caroline, Kate, and Lizzie, and was all over the place with them. She didn't want to go home. It was a nice way to begin a month.



The next day, Saturday the 2nd, was a bit the opposite. A good friend, Cheryl Moore, had fought a brain tumor for about three years and we attended her funeral that day. Cheryl was just about my age. We had been friends when we lived in Shallowford Ward from about 1993-96. The last time I saw her, I think, was at the temple before it closed. She was a fun person and though I rarely saw her, I will still miss her.



The next weekend, I made my monthly trip to the Columbia, SC, temple. I went alone this time. It is a long drive, but I do enjoy being there. I worked Friday evening and Saturday morning.



On the 11th, I had lunch with my group of friends, who call ourselves the Lunch Bunch. We ate at Sophia's, an Italian restaurant here in Lawrenceville. They have really good food, plus we always have a lot of fun together. The Rowberry's, Jerry Evans, and Bill and I were the only ones there. Becky had her baby a couple of weeks before and wasn't able to come. We do Lunch Bunch at 4:00 - an odd time, I suppose, but it makes it both lunch and dinner for us "oldies." Plus, there is no one else at the restaurant so we don't feel rushed - and goodness knows, we can sure talk!



The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd was really fun. Deseret Books sponsored one of the Time Out for Women conferences and Lisa and I went. It was held down near the airport, so we decided to get a hotel and make it a real Time Out. Lisa met up with her friend San and they roomed together, and my friend Sharon Warbington went with me and we shared our own room. It worked better that way - Lisa and San talked half way through the night and Sharon and I were asleep almost the minute we hit our beds. The conference was great - terrific speakers and music. The music was from Michael McLean on Friday night and Hillary Weeks on Saturday. They are both wonderful - good performers and great stories that they shared, as well. The speakers were Amanda Dickson, Mark Mabry (wow - his photos of Christ!), Emily Watts, Michael Wilcox, Mariama Kallon, Merrilee Boyack, and Emily Freeman. They were all good. The theme was Infinite Hope.



The last week of the month was busy with Proclamations naming November Month of the Family. On the 26th, Bill and I went to the Gwinnett County Commission meeting as part of the group to receive the proclamation for the county. On the 27th, we drove down to Covington to meet the mayor to receive theirs. One of the reasons I went all the way down rather than having it mailed was to get a picture. Then I forgot to take the picture! I must be getting old. On the 28th, I met the mayor of Lawrenceville for that one. The local bishop and another family also came there. I did take pictures of that one, but I made sure I wasn't in them. I have two more next week and then that will be finished for this year. This is all part of my Public Affairs calling.



The last weekend of the month was Halloween. David and Lisa also have their anniversary on the 29th, so Ashby stayed with us that night. It also happened to be our ward Halloween party and Ashby had a blast. She was Tigger and looked cute as a button. She was excited when they started the carnival games, especially once she figured out that if you played a game, you got a prize. She came home with quite a collection of rubber ducks, monsters, play dough, etc. The evening ended with Trunk or Treating and she also figured out very quickly that each trunk you went to, you got candy! She was almost running from one to the next. It made it so much more fun having her at the party. I usually don't go, because I don't enjoy them, but not true this time! When we got home, she went to bed - a little late, it is true - without any problem and slept all night. I think she was thoroughly exhausted.

Sunday, Lisa, David and Ashby came over for dinner, as usual. But, this time they brought the chili and cornbread - a family tradition in David's family. They also brought their pumpkins, so after dinner, they carved the pumpkins and put them out by our front door. Ashby helped hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters, at least when they didn't scare her. We don't get too many, so it was fun. It was a great ending to a good month.



Saturday, she slept until after 8:00. She wakes up talking and singing and was happy all morning. Late in the morning, Grandpa took her to the park to play. Lisa came over while they were at the park - David was doing some painting - and they went home after Ashby had her nap.