Wednesday, April 1
We began the month by staying at home...well, at least as long as it took to get dressed and prepare for a drive to Lewisville to spend the day with some of our "adopted" family.
Susie (Terpening) Francis, her daughter Barbara and Barbara's children Henry and Miriam, along with Barbara and Warren's exchange student, Laura, had driven in from Hobbs and Roswell to spend time with Paul and Stephanie Francis and their sons, Wesley, Eugene, Gus, and George for a few days. Since they were in the "neighborhood," we thought a reunion was in order.
When we got to Lewisville, we met Susie and her crew for lunch at one of the area's restaurants.
After enjoying lunch and doing a little shop-looking, we drove to Paul and Stephanie's house. We got there just in time to take over some babysitting duties for Stephanie while she went to school to pick up Wesley.
Once everyone was back in place, the visit got into full swing.
When our visit was over, we started back toward Mineola, crossing over Lake Ray Hubbard as we rode up I-30.
While we were returning home, we received a phone call from George and Janie Estes form Tennessee. George was Barbara's former pastor in Lubbock many years ago. They were on their way to Lubbock and wanted to know if we wanted to meet them for a meal in Sulphur Springs. We went them one better and invited them to stay with us Thursday night instead of getting a motel room. When we got home, we started making arrangements for yet another reunion.
++++++++
Thursday, April 2
Happy 21st Anniversary to Us!!!
Then & Now...
We spent the day getting ready for our company. George and Janie didn't get here until I returned from band rehearsal, but we had a wonderful time in the time we had!
++++++++
Friday, April 3
George and Janie needed to get an early start for Lubbock, so we all had a light breakfast and then saw them off. It was a short visit, but what a wonderful time we shared!
We had some errands to run this morning and decided a What-A-Burger meal would fit our busy lifestyle today. Imagine our surprise when we walked into What-A-Burger and ran into a group of church friends...Mary Parker, Charlie Duncan, and former church members, Danny and Zach Camp!
Tonight we attended the Good Friday service at Yantis First Baptist Church. On the way home, we decided to call in a pizza order so we could just sit back and chill the night away.
++++++++
Saturday, April 4
We started today by driving out to Yantis to take photos of the annual Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by the church.
When we finished at the church, we started back down Highway 154, but decided we'd try to find our friends Gene and Michelle Young. We drove to their house to surprise them (stopping along the way to take photos of the rural area that borders Lake Fork),
But, we ended up being surprised because they weren't there. Barbara called Michelle, but didn't get her, so she left a message. We ended up meeting each other in passing and finally got together at Gene and Michelle's house for a short visit before adjourning to Quitman to eat at a new restaurant.
When we finally got home, Barbara grabbed the camera to take some shots of our newly-emerging yard and flower beds.
Tonight, we received a pleasant surprise...a photo of Ava "sharing" a cookie we had sent her. Ava thought it was really funny that a very small portion of the cookie constituted a share with Kelly.
++++++++
Sunday, April 5
Happy Easter!!!!!
We had a great Easter service at Yantis First Baptist Church, and then drove home to have a great dinner with our Mineola family at Ladd and Angela's place...as usual, no one went away hungry!!!
This afternoon we received a nice rain shower...just a sign of what was to come later in the week...it also gave us an opportunity to show off our lovely spring flowers and plants.
++++++++
Monday, April 6
Today was a full day of housework, yardwork, and making preparations for our upcoming Big V adventure...never a dull moment around our house!
++++++++
Tuesday, April 7
While Barbara worked at the house to get things ready for our trip, I went to prayer meeting at Yantis FBC and then went to Our Little Lot to get Big V ready for the trip. At this rate, we'll be too tired to go anywhere by the time we get ready to go!
++++++++
Wednesday, April 8
We did laze around a bit this morning, but then had haircut appointments with Leslie at 10:00 am. After getting shorn, we returned to the house where Barbara worked inside while I worked outside. After lunch, neighbor John came over and helped me repair a section of a concrete sidewalk right off the front porch.
Barbara whipped up a special treat to pay us for our hard work...
Once John and I finished the sidewalk repair, Barbara and I thought it was time to take some photos of the place to show off spring's finery...
++++++++
Thursday, April 9
I had an early dermatology appointment in Quitman this morning and then returned to the house to help Barbara prepare our monthly friendship luncheon for some special friends.
This afternoon we had yet another little rainstorm...one of many that would hit Mineola over the next month or so. Lake Edith and Garrett Creek were both full...we sure were glad to have gotten the mowing and trimming done this morning!
++++++++
Friday, April 10
Cousin Maddey is getting married this weekend in a cowboy wedding. Ladd and Angela asked me to cook up a batch of pinto beans...enough to serve around 175. It was a large order, so I started early this morning with the first batch.
Later, we went over to the church to help Ladd and Logan load up tables and chairs and haul them out to the wedding venue.
Leah and Ryan came in this evening from Burleson to join us for the wedding festivities.
++++++++
Saturday, April 11
Ryan and I stayed at the house this morning to cook the second batch of beans. Meanwhile, Barbara and Leah went to the wedding venue at the Dodson Farm to help get things ready there.
The wedding was at 4:00. The bride was beautiful, the groom was handsome, and a good time was had by all.
When the wedding was over, we all drove out to Our Little Lot to get Big V and bring her into town to be parked at the civic center RV park while we finished preparations for the trip.
Tonight was family fun time with Leah and Ryan.
++++++++
Sunday, April 12
We had a late breakfast with the kids at What-A-Burger and then sent them on their way back home to Burleson.
We spent the rest of the day getting things in order for our adventure and hauling things to the civic center to square them away in Big V.
This evening we received a set of photos of granddaughter Jaycie, who will be graduating from Monterey High School in Lubbock in May.
++++++++
Monday, April 13
We spent the morning taking care of last minute details before leaving town...bills to pay, trips to the post office and bank, etc. We had hoped to get away by 10:30, but when we began the hookup of the car to Big V, we discovered that we didn't have the electrical harness for turn signals and brake lights. What happened over the next two and a half hours is open to interpretation, depending on which of us you ask for details, but in the end (and after two trips to Our Little Lot to find the harness), all was in place. We pulled away from the civic center at 1:15 pm, headed for the Red Shoes RV Park near Kinder, Louisiana, where we would set up housekeeping for a couple of days and spend time with our friends Gary and Joyce from Houston.
The trip was uneventful (thank goodness) and we enjoyed the leisurely ride across East Texas and down through the western part of Louisiana.
++++++++
Tuesday, April 14
We were awakened by a major rainstorm. There was no way to get out and about, so we spent the morning enjoying the comforts of Big V.
Gary and Joyce arrived shortly after noon. While we were waiting for them to check in at their hotel, I got this shot of Barbara with a beautiful flower display that was being set up in the hotel lobby.
The rest of the day was spent in getting caught up on each other's lives and enjoying some really great Louisiana food specialties!
++++++++
Wednesday, April 15
The one big adventure we planned was a trip for the four of us to Avery Island, Louisiana, the home of the world famous Tabasco sauces. Barbara and I had been there several years ago on a motorcycle trip, but got there too late for the factory tour, so we were excited for this chance to see the whole place.
Before leaving Big V to meet Gary and Joyce, we took our morning selfie...
And then began the walk to the front of the resort, stopping to take photos along the way...
Gary and Joyce picked us up along the way and we headed off to the nearest McDonald's for some breakfast.
The ride to Lafayette and then south to Avery Island was uneventful except for the constant chattering and comments among the four of us as we discussed kids, grandkids, work, and life in general.
Once we got to Avery Island, we began our browsing and touring. The trip through the Tabasco plant was very educational. We learned so much about the process of planting, harvesting, and production of the product, but the two things that stood out most in our minds were the high level of quality control from the selection of seeds to the bottling of the various sauces, and the daily production...700,000 bottles of sauce produced each day!
On the way to the car after our tour and some shopping in the gift shop, we spotted the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile in the parking lot...just had to get our photos made with it.
We stopped in Lafayette for Sonic lunch and then made our way back across I-10 toward Kinder. We were almost talked out by then, so Barbara took some time to shoot scenes along the way.
We all rested for a bit when we got back to our respective places, and then spent a full evening visiting and having fun and building memories.
++++++++
Thursday, April 16
It was time to move on to the next leg of the adventure...from Kinder, Louisiana, to Mobile, Alabama...a full day's ride. But first, a final look at the Red Shoes RV Park...
A very interesting segment of the drive was the 20-mile bridge across the Atchafalaya Swamp on I-10 between Lafayette and Baton Rouge.
And then the Mississippi River crossing just before entering Baton Rouge...
It's a long way across Louisiana on I-10, but we finally made it, crossing into Mississippi for even more miles...
But first, a stop at the Mississippi Welcome Station (it's become a traditional stop for us, whether in a car, on a motorcycle, or in Big V. A new addition to the area is the Infinity Eagle (think Apollo 13) display and museum, a must-see for anyone passing through the area.
While we saw some pretty scenery as we crossed Mississippi, we didn't take time for photos...just hurried across the state to get to Mobile, Alabama, and the I-10 Kampground, our home for the night (where we enjoyed home-cooking from Time To Eat, a local restaurant that bills itself as "Mobile's BEST Country Cookin'." Not only did they live up to their billing, they even delivered the delicious meal directly to Big V).
++++++++
Friday, April 17
We knew it was going to be a long day (just didn't know how long), so we got an early (for us) start from the I-10 Kampground, just a few miles east of Mobile on I-10.
Just as we were getting into Mobile, we turned off on I-65 and headed northeast toward Montgomery.
Except for the rivers, the scenery was pretty much the same from Mobile to Atlanta, except that after we got onto I-85 at Montgomery, we started hitting rain showers, some of them pretty heavy.
As we made our approach to Atlanta, around 3:30, the day became longer...mainly as a result of Friday afternoon traffic that clogged the highway system from the southwest side of the city to the northeast. It was at this point that I decided General Sherman had the right idea!
We were worn ragged by the time we finally got away from all the Atlanta traffic, and were way behind the schedule we had set for ourselves to be at the Georgia Baptist Conference Center by 4:30 or so, but we kept plugging along up I-85 until we came to one of the Toccoa exits and eventually made it to the conference center around 5:30. What a welcome sight!!!
We had wanted to get to the center before they closed for the day. This being Friday, we figured that everyone on staff would have left by 5:00, and we might not be able to get into the campground to get Big V set up. Imagine our surprise when we found the parking lot so full of cars that we could hardly maneuver Big V through the crowd. We found a parking place and went straight to the dining hall to find Eric (head chef) to find out what was going on. Eric said that we had arrived just in time for a weekend with 600 women attending a special conference. When we asked if he was going to need extra help tomorrow, he told us to ask Joe, who jumped all over the idea and said we could start at 7:00 am tomorrow.
We left the dining hall, went to the office and signed in for a site in the campground, and proceeded to get Big V set up and ready for the next two weeks in one of our favorite places in the world.
++++++++
Saturday, April 18
We woke up around 6:00, got dressed, and took some photos of our beautiful surroundings.
Then it was down to the dining hall to spend the day cooking, preparing food to be cooked and served tomorrow and Monday, and serving the hungry guests who were attending the conference. We assumed our "regular" volunteer jobs with Barbara working in the bakery and me working in the kitchen, each of us trying to quickly relearn the routine and do what our "bosses" asked us to do.
We left the kitchen for a bit around 2:00 to go to town and order new prescriptions at the CVS Pharmacy in Toccoa, and then returned to help serve the evening meal. Wow...what a day and what a great start to our volunteering duties! And for the record, we DID sleep well tonight!!!
++++++++
Sunday, April 19
It started raining (a major downpour) around 2:00 am and rained intermittently throughout the day.
We enjoyed a leisurely morning and then drove into town to attend the second service at Ebeneezer Baptist Church, and then returned to the campground to rest for the day and welcome our fellow volunteer campers as they arrived and set up their rigs. By nightfall, we had our own little community.
Have we mentioned how beautiful the GBCC campgrounds are?
We took a break to have a rare Sunday lunch at the dining hall...no work for us, but we did get pictures of some of the weekend kitchen crew...all folks that we would be working with at various times during the week.
At 7:00 pm, we met with Nancy Fairfax, our fearless leader, Barbara Payne, assistant fearless leader, and the other volunteers to meet, greet, discuss the plans for the coming week, and get our marching orders for tomorrow.
And then it was back to the comfort of Big V for the night to rest and get ready for tomorrow.
++++++++
Monday, April 20
Happy Birthday to Daughter Whitney Little Farnham in Olathe, Kansas!!!!!
We usually begin each morning with photos of the ever-changing views around the campground, Lake Louise, and the GBCC campus.
After the morning team meeting and devotional, it was time to have breakfast and then go to our different jobs. Barbara and I were always in the dining hall, but with menus changing daily, we got a lot of experience working with different foods.
Another set of volunteers had full-time duties in the laundry room, washing, drying, and folding sheets, pillow cases, towels, and wash cloths for all the guests who stay in the two hotels on the campus.
After dinner and the evening devotional and team meeting, campers would return to the campground for various activities...for Barbara and me, the activities generally centered around me playing hymns and gospel songs on my trumpet while she took photos and sometimes recorded my efforts.
++++++++
Tuesday, April 21
Our basic duties rarely changed, but we did get to deal with different foods each day. Barbara learned some new bakery recipes, while Eric and Joe taught me how to prepare and carve several different kinds of meats.
Barbara's work in the bakery translated to these beautiful pastry and dessert displays in the dining hall...
Ken Hogan and I even got to try our collective hands at the griddle, frying peppers and onions
Other team members worked in the salad section of the kitchen while some of the men reupholstered chairs...and of course, there was always the laundry and the sewing room.
++++++++
Wednesday, April 22
Happy Birthday to Grandson Jimmy Farnham in Olathe, Kansas!!!!!
Lake Louise is such a beautiful sight, with different views depending on one's location or whether it is cloudy or sunny...such a wonderful setting for the GBCC! We even got a shot of some ducks swimming through the early morning mist as we left the campground.
Today's volunteer activities included preparing the dining hall for a special banquet for one of the attending groups.
Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Ken Hogan and I learned how to take leftover buns and rolls and turn them into delicious croutons for the soup and salad bar.
++++++++
Thursday, April 23
Another beautiful morning at the campground beside Lake Louise...
We didn't have a large group of guests today. Eric turned the kitchen over to the volunteers so we could have breakfast, and three of us got together to cook for the others.
After breakfast, we had our morning devotional and team meeting...
And then it was off to another day of work for the volunteers. The regular kitchen staff came in later in the morning to begin preparing lunch and dinner for the new guests. Volunteer duties today included not only the kitchen, but also repairs around the campus, sewing, ironing, and laundry.
One of the things we like to do on our adventures is to design postcards to send to the kids and grandkids to show them what we've been doing. This postcard touched on both the Louisiana and the Georgia experiences.
++++++++
Friday, April 24
We began the morning with our devotional time and team meeting...
Followed by a Week One team photo...
And then it was time to get to work...Desserts and special treats are a very important part of the Toccoa experience!
Looking out the windows of the dining hall at these views of Lake Louise remind us of God's presence and beauty...
And then we are reminded of our volunteer duties...including feeding the masses (beginning with the kitchen staff)...
45 pounds of bacon and 400 slices of French toast...that's a start...
Minor repairs done by the volunteers frees the maintenance staff to focus on more important needs around the campus.
As a special treat for the volunteers, Barbara and I made one of our favorite desserts, ice cream sandwich cake, and served it outside after lunch.
Then it was back to the afternoon duties, getting meals ready for tonight and tomorrow...
We had time this evening to just hang around the campground and relax.
++++++++
Friday, April 25
We had more rain this morning, so activities for the day were limited. It was our "day off," but when we wandered down to the dining hall, we found that they could use a little extra help, so we pitched in for an hour or two.
We've been to Toccoa a number of times and have noticed the signs pointing toward Travelers Rest. Each time we see one of the signs, we comment that we should go there someday. Well, this evening was that day. We didn't know what to expect, but found a historic old lodge that was used many years ago for travelers passing through the area. Unfortunately, the building and grounds were closed today, but we decided there was always tomorrow.
When we left Travelers Rest, we returned to the conference center campground and settled in for a quiet evening.
++++++++
Sunday, April 26
We got up fairly early this morning and attended the early service at Ebeneezer Baptist Church, and then returned to the conference center. It was a beautiful morning with hardly anyone around, so we decided it was time to take a few photos of ourselves in our Sunday finery.
We met with the Week Two volunteer team this evening, but didn't have our cameras with us (if you can imagine that). We had worked with nearly all of them at one time or another, so it was a grand reunion for some and a chance to meet and make new friends.
++++++++
Monday, April 27
We were so busy in the kitchen today that we didn't have time for taking pictures, but that didn't really matter, because they would have looked just like the ones from last Monday.
By the evening, the volunteers had a chance to slow down a bit and catch our collective breath as we waited to go into the dining hall and have our dinner.
After dinner, we went to our meeting room for the evening devotional and team time.
Nancy, our fearless leader, tried her best to keep us organized and on task...
When we finished the evening meeting, we returned to the campground where Barbara shot several videos of me as I performed an impromptu outdoor recital for our fellow campers (and evidently, for some of the folks down at the hotel area, as we later learned. The lake water has a way of carrying sound long distances.
++++++++
Tuesday, April 28
Now that we are repeating most of our chores from last week, we are concentrating less on what we are doing and more on who we are doing it with. Here's the kitchen crew on this day...
And here are the volunteers...
++++++++
Wednesday, April 29
There was plenty of work to be done today, but our coverage of the day is more about the people than the jobs. The friendships we have made here over the years have brought us all together as a family, and that is what we celebrate each time the group comes together to volunteer at Toccoa.
We were blessed this week to have Ugandan Thunder, an orphans choir from Uganda, performing for the Senior Retreat. The children and their leaders came in to eat about the same time as the kitchen staff was having lunch. When the meal was over, the children came around an picked up all the lunch trays and took them to the wash room...what a great and inspirational group of kids!
We had a short team meeting after dinner tonight to go over the schedule for tomorrow...
And then went into the main hall to hear a concert featuring Ben Waites, a "handicapped" singer who just blew us all away with his magnificent voice, comedy, and musical stylings. Ben is from the little town of Ball, Louisiana, and has presented his unique testimony and brand of music around the world.
++++++++
Thursday, April 30
Our little campground community is slowly breaking up. Ken and Ruth Hogan left early this morning to return to their home in Alabama.
We took some photos of the early morning setting and then headed down the hill for the morning devotional and team meeting. The first one made us think of one of our favorite songs, "Morning Has Broken."
Bruce and Linda Adams presented their devotional and led us in music this morning. They are new to the team this year. Their granddaughter, Alecia Durant, is one of the dining hall staff, and after seeing the team in action last fall, encouraged her grandparents to join us all the way from New Hampshire, beating us out by 200 miles as the couple who traveled the farthest to volunteer.
And then we headed off to do our jobs, with Barbara getting the pastries and desserts ready for the day's meals and breaks.
We had learned that today was the birthday of the manager of the Ugandan Thunder, so the staff planned a surprise birthday party for him this morning. After we all sang "Happy Birthday," the choir took over and serenaded the staff with one of their favorite songs...there wasn't a dry eye in the group when the kids finished singing.
After lunch, Barbara came over to the meat table in the kitchen and we worked together to prepare meats for tomorrow's meals...one of the rare times that we got to work together.
We took a few minutes to stop by Eric and Ruth's house to get some shots of their family. With all three of them working, it was impossible to find a time during the last two weeks for all of us to be together for a visit.
Tonight we joined the other volunteers and guests in the main hall for an amazing evening of singing, dancing, and testimonies from the orphans who make up Ugandan Thunder.
We were so moved by the music and testimonies of the children that, when told by one of their leaders how people could sponsor a Ugandan orphan, we looked at each other and said that we needed to do that. So, shortly after the concert, we filled out the paperwork and became the sponsors of Subi Mikaya (his first name is Mikaya, but their tradition is like the Chinese, with the family name first). Mikaya is six years old, the same age that our grandson Jameson would be if he had lived.
After the concert, we joined our friends in the dining hall for a reception and visitation time.
++++++++
Sign in the kitchen of the Georgia Baptist Conference Center, Toccoa, Georgia...
On our last night at the Georgia Baptist Conference Center Campground,
Jim/Dad/Gramps and Barbara/Mom/Grams/Gramsy
