Fighting Off The Urge To Nap

With such beautiful warm weather it had to be, it needed to be a day outside. After workout with Taylor, which tomorrow will be our one year anniversary of working together, I stopped by home for a sec and then headed out to Johnson City. It seemed a good idea to see how SequishShawn was running after being worked on this week. There is a definite difference, so welcomed. I put the Kroger back on the list of stops and made it the first stop of the trip. For once the timing was right and it wasn't crazy busy and parking. It has never been that way anytime we have gone. Picked up a few things and then headed over to Academy. Found a pair of New Balance tennis shoes that fit like a dream. A late lunch was in order so Carrabba's fit the bill with the usual lunch of mezzaluna pasta and side salad. Stopping in at Lowe's was very tempting but went ahead to Barnes and Noble. Found a few things and got my free Starbucks for the month. Tried the smokey butterscotch latte and it was pretty good. It was time to wrap up the quick visit to Johnson City and get back home. The sky, sun and clouds were just over the top gorgeous.

Taylor's friend, who began The Regeneration Station business of re-purposed and vintage items was killed in a motorcycle accident near Dallas. The celebration of his life was this afternoon. He was Taylor's first friend when he came to the area and he had begged his friend to give up motorcycles because he was a dad now and needed to be around for his daughter. My heart broke for Taylor today as he faced the afternoon of saying farewell. Tomorrow Billy Graham will be moved from The Cove with a drive through Black Mountain and then onto Charlotte where he will lie in repose at his library. There are so many good stories being shared about the effect Billy has had on so many. While watching the service for Jeanette Clift George, Ruth "Bunny" Graham spoke because her parents had been friend with Jeanette. She said that both her mom and dad claimed Jeanette as their friend and had wonderful times being together as creative people share with one another.
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Another spring like day in the mountains. The birds are singing and the squirrels are nervous. Today I get to help celebrate the 90th birthday of a friend that I am so thankful for. Today, Billy Graham's body will leave the mountains officially. Even when driving to Charlotte to pick up family and friends from the airport I get sad when the mountains are in the rear view mirror and the ahead is a little more flatter and kind of Texas looking. The same feeling happens while driving on the Smokey Mountain Expressway going through the Natahala toward Chattanooga. Even though the trip to Texas holds fun, it is always so sad and yes a few tears shed when the mountains are in the rear view window. But the mountains don't matter to Billy anymore, because he is with the mountain maker and mover.

Roy officially tendered his resignation last Saturday....no, not from the office but from leading the Bible study on Saturday mornings. He has been feeling the need to step back for a little bit and made it official. He has learned so much and grown doing this over the past few years and the Bible study helped the transition from living in the big city and moving out to Katy...which is really just an extension of the big city.

What a fun birthday celebration and what a feast! Good cooks are abundant in Brenda's family. Lots of fun too. Came home with some to go for my supper tonight but dang, I am still so full. Upon returning home the project first and foremost to do did not work out. So back to the drawing board. I watched a little bit of Billy Graham's processional going through Charlotte and then arriving at the Billy Graham Library. As they carried the casket inside I couldn't help but think, I hope someone turned off that talking cow in the building.

Our plum trees are blooming, the pear tree has buds and the weeping willow has little green leaves. With our warm up spring has sprung but maybe a little too early. The weather forecasts have cold weather returning during the first week of March. Buddy has settled in for her first evening nap and I am fighting off the urge to nap myself...