This has been a day for feasting (too much) with friends and good food. I had breakfast this am with Bertha Phillips, lunch with Darlene Alexander, and finished off the late evening with a delightful salad bar/dessert dinner with Rachel Long, Kathy Matthews, and Marion Vanselette. On Sunday night I was fed and loved by the Smith family, and Tuesday I had lunch at Taste of Asia with Tommy and Tina Stevens. I am upset that I did not take my camera! All the food was wonderful, but the love and fellowship was fantastic. Now......it is serious time to think about a diet. You notice I said "think" - right?

Two photos from Luther of the Aug. 23rd branch activity. Now, we know who worked the kitchen.

What a group! Picture taken by Luther Matthews at our Branch activity August 23rd.

One other thing I kind of hate to leave, but will move to memory mode is the little bush in the foreground. This is from a clipping of the bush from Shepherd Street, which was from a clipping of the bush Daddy planted on Halifax Road in Danville. It is the one with the orange, bell shaped flowers. I thought about asking if I could bring it with me, but it can grow quite large and we would not have room for it. I hope they leave it here and someone can enjoy it some day.

They plan to move the trailer of junk to the city dump tomorrow. It is letting me get use to not having a carport. That and my recliner are the only two things I think I will miss, but I can surely get along without them.

They also worked today replacing the boards behind the gutters. Adam helped me with the correct spelling of the word earlier, but I cannot remember it, so I will just say boards behind the gutters. They are going to reuse the same gutters, but will trim the tree back so the leaves will not fill them up every few weeks.

I am truly enjoying the changes being made at this old house which is no longer mine. I am so happy to not have the stress and worry over upkeep and am also happy I told Mr. Emswiler he could go ahead and begin changes. I had wondered what I would do this week to keep my mind occupied - I have just about everything packed, no tv, no washer and dryer, no dining table or chairs to entertain, and while I have more than enough food storage, not much left in the fridge to cook at this time. I am reading a lot, and I am invited out to lunch every day this week except Friday, and I have lots of odds and ends to do Friday, but I am entertaining myself when they leave by checking out the changes. It's actually quite fun since I don't have to clean up behind them. I was wondering when I was going to work in cleaning the floors, etc. after we load the truck, but with their mess, who cares! He told me not to plan to do anything - just leave it and that is another of my many, many blessings. Woohoo!

Anyway, to get back on track, you can see where they are fixing a new entrance for the kitchen, moving the washer and dryer area in front of the food storage/bedroom. That will be an office or a small bedroom in the future. They are going to move the attic door to the back of the hall so it will not show from the living area. It is going to be really nice.

My sister Linda treated me to lunch in Danville at Yamato's today and my cousin, Betty Jean Wyatt joined us. Afterwards I went by Linda's home and she also gave me a bath mat and some towels. I hope she will come visit us in DC sometime.

Bertha, Annette, myself, and Rachel Long with Alan and Georgine in the background. Good, because for some reason I did not get a shot of Alan or Otis.

Shirley Pate who has just moved to our area from California with Marion Vanselette, Georgine James and Pam Wilson, and Kalyn Sherwood and her friend Will.

Hodges and Liz Wilmoth with Carleton; The Stephen Casen family; and the growing Icenhour family.

The younger Buggs, Andy and Kami and that fantastic family. So glad they are back home!

Carleton and Hazel Jackson.........what can I say?

Ron and Pam Price with Joshua and Christian. I'm going to miss my Sunday hugs from these guys.

The Smith Family:

Gillian and Mary with

l to r

Cassie, Rebecca, Will, and Alyssa.

Grant, Tanya, and Anthony (Simmons) Merrill

Isabelle with her daughter's Vicky and Kathy with Kathy's husband Luther. A grand family!!

The Cranford family...........Naturally we got him with his mouth open! Love these people.

Three of our finest: Pierre, Alyssa, and Anthony.

Peggy and Sammy Woodson and extended family.

Autumn, Michael, Landon and Matthew Funderburk. What a beautiful family!

Gift of pillow cases recognizing the Barnes Junction Branch and the coming change to South Boston Branch. I do not know of anything that would have been more pleasing to me. I am not sure I will be able to use these as pillowcases or if I should just frame them!

A lovely poem from the branch written by Shirley Pugh and cards.

How very thoughtful of the branch members.

Farewell Dinner at Barnes Junction Branch

Yum, Yum, Barbecue, Baked Beans, Cole Slaw and homemade ice cream in a great variety: chocolate, vanilla, banana, peach, strawberry, and raspberry - all totally delicious.

It is going to be insulated super well and they have put the sheetrock up in a couple of the classrooms.

They are really coming along with bricking the building. This is the side facing Dan River Church Road and the back.

I was wondering what they were going to do with this end of the building and I see they are framing up something to make it attractive. We will see the finished project soon.

Rode by this afternoon and they are bricking all around - this bottom view is facing Dan River Church Road and the top view is facing the pond--they have post up at the entry ways - they have built up where the pulpit will be - and they are working on the lighting, etc. in the chapel area. They have sheetrock everywhere inside and it looks like they are ready to begin hanging that. As excited as I am about moving, it is really going to be heart breaking to tear myself away from this!

Just a couple random shots.

Some of the curbing has been poured.