Necie Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Ok...I haven't said alot about our trip to Darlene's. It was AMAZING. I have never felt so comfortable and at home in my life--and this was with someone that I'd never met. She welcomed myself and my daughter into her house and made us feel like we were "HOME". The whole week-end was sooooo surreal, and yet, deja vu-ish...like I'd known these people my whole life. Westie...well, what can ya say...Westie is just AWESOME. Overload of info. And sooooo helpful. When DD and I were lost on this cowpath of a mountain dirt trail and the only number I had was Westie's...well I was never so glad to hear a voice of kindness and helpfullness in my life. She is the sweetest, dearest lady and I could follow her around with my gold notebook and green pen for the rest of my life and still not have an inkling of the knowledge that this lady has. Stephanie (and boys)...WHAT A SWEETIE!!! I finally met a TRUE southern belle. This lady is strong, gentle, kind, loving, did I mention STRONG??? Her faith is unwaivering and her laughter is infectious. My DD fell in love with Stephanie...she's all she talked about on the way home. She is a 'kid magnet'...anytime you were trying to find a kid (her boys, Granny's son, Darlene's daughter's, my DD), all you had to do was find Stephanie...she had them busy doing SOMETHING all the time. I am honored to call this lady my friend. Granny...well, Granny is too young looking to be called "Granny"!! And she has a son that is the sweetest guy (he'll prolly hate me for that ). He was so shy when they first arrived, but after meeting Stephanie's boys, he came outa his shell a bit and jumped right in and helped everywhere and everytime anyone needed it...just like his mama. Granny and I had a discussion one night out on Darlene's porch and it meant more to me than I think she'll ever know. Thank you Granny--I don't feel so 'alone' now. Trip...well, is a TRIP!! But he's an honest to goodness, no nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is TRIP!! I almost fell on the ground when he was 'teaching' my DD to use a handgun...he was standing next to her showing her 'stuff' and told her to pull the trigger (to get the feel of it)...she looked at him like .."YOUR'E NOT GONNA STAND THERE WHEN I DO, ARE YA?" Trip took it in stride and said "If that gun were loaded, I wouldn't be standing here. Pull the trigger." Trip is a super guy and I would be honored and privileged to be on his team in any survival situation (besides....he sounds like Sean Connery ). (Oh yeah...and Jack is the cutest 'little pup that thinks he's a big pup', that I've ever seen!!) Ok....there's more, but it's getting late and I'm gonna post a pic or two...will add to this later. Love ya ALL First pic...Granny's son, me, Stepanie's son plucking chickens. That's my pup, Gracie...hoping we'll give her a wing tip or chicken foot as a prize for being so good and not eating the WHOLE chicken. 1349-668523-R2-00-25A.jpg Link to comment
Stephanie Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Awwwww, Necie, thank you so much for your kind words. I really needed that tonight. It was such a special time and such a grand adventure! Wasn't it amazing how well we all just 'melded' together, like long lost family! You give L a big ol' hug from me and tell her I'm expecting to hear good things about her and her plans for the future. And tell her to stay away from hills in her momma's stick shift! Can't wait for more pictures! Link to comment
HSmom Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 I am genuinely happy for all of you who were able to be there. What a delight to find that the comradery we feel on-line truely does extend to real life. Thanks for sharing your perspective and your picture, Necie! Link to comment
Necie Posted November 6, 2008 Author Share Posted November 6, 2008 Darlene's dogs.... I cannot tell ya how impressed I was with these animals. UNBELIEVABLE AND AMAZING!! Her big male, Danny, stole my heart...and if I coulda fit him in Gracie's crate with her on the way home, I'd of stole HIM!! Leah (DD) and I got there late on Wed. night. Thursday a.m., we set up our tent behind the guest house with a view of the pond (and horse--mare named Walt, and her two little goats). Well, Thursday just kinda happened with no real plans as the get-together was for the weekend. Westie and her mom had went with Trip to pick up a few necessities, Darlene and her DD1 had to take a trip to Atlanta, and my DD and Darlene's DD2 had went to the gas station nearby. So Gracie (my year old rottie) and I decided we'd try to take a little afternoon nap in the tent.... We'd only been in the tent for a bit when I heard the dogs barking...Darlene has 3...a 1 1/2 yr old male-Danny, her female-Kayra, and her new pup-6 month old Zha-Zha?? Well, anyhow, didn't think much of it...just figured someone was home, pulling in and the dogs were letting us know. Now, when we got there (well, first thing Thur. morning), the first thing I wanted to see was the dogs. Westie went out with me and 'introduced' us. She told me that after that I was part of their pack and I could go out and visit with them anytime I wanted and they would accept me. So, anyhow, I hear the dogs barking...but then I see Walt alert..hmmm...then the goats come to attention. I think 'Uh oh, somethings out there'...then Gracie perks up.... So, I peek my head out the tent door...and here is this big, HUGE Anatolian looking DOWN at me. Well, of course, Gracie wants to PLAY , so I let her out and they play for a few minutes and then I'm thinking...'CRUD, the dogs are fenced so they don't run!!' So, I grab Gracie and put her in her crate and I grab her leash and get ahold of Danny and we walk around to see how he got out. <---AGAIN!! THROUGH a chain link gate WITH a hot wire. *THIS* dog is tough! So, we go sit on the top step of Darlene's deck and wait for someone to get home. I was reading something, so I put the leash around my ankle and sit there. Danny goes behind me to the end of the leash. STOP. He goes in front of me to the end of the leash. STOP. He comes back up on the porch and lays down behind me and puts his head on my SHOULDER! AWWWWWWWWW! So we sit like that for a few minutes and then I hear a car pull in...Leah and Dar's DD2. I just sit there... and as soon as the gals come around the corner into view---ZOOOOOOM!!--Danny goes down the steps...with the leash still around my ankle! I hit the first step...second step...."WHOOOOOOOA!!" He STOPS! The gals are about rolling on the ground. I'm still in one piece--sore hiney--Dar's got HARD stairs!! Here's the beast...I WANT ONE!! 1350-668523-R2-05-20A.jpg 1351-668523-R2-07-18A.jpg 1352-668523-R6-06-19.jpg Link to comment
dogmom4 Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Wow, it's a good thing he stopped and didn't keep dragging you! They are beautiful dogs.... Link to comment
Cricket Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Necie, thank you for sharing your memories and pictures on the get togehter. What a lovely way to start my morning! Link to comment
MomM Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Thank you Necie, you bring back such great memories, and the pictures are wonderful! Link to comment
lunamother Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 we had a wonderful time at Darlene's- I LOVE Danny I felt so at home, I got there, put on my jammies, and stayed that way till we left Link to comment
Necie Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 Ok...on with the story.... So, on Friday, we're all just kinda hangin' out and helpin' Darlene with stuff. Crazy4canning had arrived and we were all sitting around and chatting, when....somebody saw....THE TURTLE!! He was out in the middle of the pond and, let me tell ya, he wasn't no little thing like Trip tried to tell ya'll. He was a BIG-UN!! Westie was runnin' around like a mad banshee, hollerin': "SEE, I TOLD YA!! DIDN'T I TELL YA IT WAS BIG!! IT'S GINORMOUS...NOT A LITTLE THING LIKE TRIP SAID! WE WEREN'T FIBBIN'--DIDN'T I TELL YA? LOOK AT IT! IT'S HUGE AIN'T IT??" Well, it was a big one. Trip told Wormguy to go in and get his .223 and he'd let him try it out snipin' that turtle. So Wormie gets it all set up on the deck to shoot the turtle down in the pond. BOOM! Blew that thing right outa the water. GOT 'IM!! Wormie says: "That's SWEEEET!" So now what? Do we want to go get it? How? There's a boat down there, anyone wanna go out in the boat and get it? Hmmmmmmm. 'Bout then C4C says: "I'd like to have the shell for my classroom." So I said: "Well, I can prolly grab my tackle box and pole and snag it and we could get the shell off for ya." I get down there and start rummaging through my tackle box looking for a BIG treble hook...can't find one. Well, I have these spinner baits...Faulkner spinner baits-made by a local guy here and I won three of them on a bet. Big hooks, ought to be able to snag a turtle. I pick out the white one, figure I'll be able to see it coming through the water and right before it gets to the turtle, I can just let it drop, JERK BACK HARD, set hook and slooooooowly reel in that big thang. HUMPH! WRONG! Everytime I'd cast my line out, start reelin' her towards the turtle...BOOM!--BASS ON! Did it four or five times...and EVERYTIME, I'd have a fish on before I could get near that dang turtle. So, it was getting near dinner time and I gave up and told C4C to give me her addy and I'd send her a turtle shell that I have hanging in my pear tree. We went and ate (I swear, Darlene could turn shoe leather into prime rib ), and then I went back out fishing for real. She has a wonderful little pond and it's LOADED with bass. Caught 9 that night (forgot to take pix of them), and then 2 the next night. Here's pix of the pond. Bass in the bucket. And one about to get filleted. They now reside in Darlene's freezer. 1353-668523-R2-15-10A.jpg 1354-668523-R2-12-13A.jpg 1355-668523-R2-13-12A.jpg Link to comment
Necie Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 In my first post I told of Trip showing my DD how to shoot a handgun. She had never shot a gun before and poor Trip had his work cut out for him with this one. He was a real trooper and dealt with the Pampered Princess very well. Here's the pix. I love the last one! Don't think she was enjoying herself do ya? 1356-668523-R3-06-18A.jpg 1357-668523-R3-05-19A.jpg 1358-668523-R3-04-20A.jpg 1359-668523-R3-03-21A.jpg Link to comment
DenimDaze Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 the expression in the last one is great! I know what she will want for Christmas! Link to comment
ol'momma Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Love it!! Can I steal thos picts??? Link to comment
Necie Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 We all had a blast shooting. Thanks to Trip, Wormie and Darlene for letting us use their firearms and for helping us newbies be safe. More pix: 1360-668523-R3-15-9A.jpg 1361-668523-R3-17-7A.jpg 1362-668523-R3-20-4A.jpg 1363-668523-R3-22-2A.jpg 1364-668523-R3-24-0A.jpg 1365-668523-R6-19-6.jpg 1366-668523-R6-25-0.jpg 1367-668523-R7-07-18.jpg 1368-668523-R7-11-14.jpg Link to comment
snapshotmiki Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Thanks for sharing your experiences and photos. Makes me feel more a part of the group. You are all appreciated! Link to comment
Snowmom Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 so much for sharing these pictures with us, as well as the stories. Just wish we could have been there with all of you. Link to comment
Stephanie Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 The only way it could have been better was to have had more of our MrsS family there! Link to comment
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