Charlotte has followed the blog since we started it if for no other reason than to see if we really would go through with complete retirement, giving up fairly high paying jobs, and moving to the Ozarks. She has always been a good sport but at the going away party I detected a look of skepicism!
One of the things she said when we gave her a tour of the place is that now she will be able to orient everything in her mind when she sees it on the blog.
We went for a drive down an old road through a holler that leads to our small mom and pop store (also known as "Liquor in the Woods") when we came upon a couple of hen turkeys with their polts so at least Charlotte got to see some wild life during her short stay.
She had to get going for the 6 day drive back to Alaska too soon but she owns a place down in the Arkansas Ozarks and retires soon (if we can convince her) so she and Holly will see a lot more of each other in the near future.
While the gals were in the living room gabbing I tried to relax in the family room and take a nap but Judy's cat Piglet would have none of it. She is the one that was a few days old when we found her after some jerk had thrown her from a moving car. She has a nose that healed crooked, broken teeth, she is cross eyed, and when she breaths she sounds like some one with a bad cold and stuffy nose. She is so homely she is cute and though she is skinny as a rail she seems happy and is very affectionate. Holly didnt catch the shot but she had just come up and started grooming me like she would another cat, licked my beard from one side to the other and then laid her little head on my shoulder and went to sleep. To be honest I have never been much of a cat person and I am allergic to the things but Holly, Judy and the kids like them so I suffer....and maybe, just maybe I have come to enjoy their unique personalities and companionship....maybe.
Last weekend we also worked the County 4-H Fair that was held at our Lions Club Fairgrounds; Thurday - Saturday and as the incomming President of the club I had to be there the whole time to make sure things we going well....and they did.
The turnout was a lot bigger this year than last and it was gratifying to see the kids involved with their various animals and projects and not tied to a computer game or cell phone. These kids were all hard workers, the parents were involved and you couldnt ask for a nicer group of folks. I also met the Ag teacher for the local HS and if the rest of the teachers there are as dedicated as this guy there is hope for the future of these kids. I you have the opportunity to get your kids involved with 4-H do it, I sure wished we had.
Holly and I helped out in the cook shack a lot and the club did well with the concessions. Its pretty gratifying to be part of a community organization like the Lions that offers so much to the community. All of us are in the Lions, our farm sponsors a competition class during the Foxtrotter horse show and the best advice I can give to those who move to a new area and want to fit in is to just be part of the community. Join a church, join community organizations, participate in community events even if your not a joiner, help your neighbor when you can, spend your money locally if possible and finally.....leave your complaining and bright ideas about how there ought to be this or that at home.
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