Lord, I'm 500 Miles Away From Home

Actually, I'm 443.79 miles away from home - according to mapquest.  I don't have a GPS.

But it all makes me think of the Peter, Paul and Mary song.  So this is what 500 miles feels like.  Although I do have adequate clothing and we have brought money for the trip.  I can go back home, and don't identify with all the lyrics to the song.

Sarah used to be this far from Scottsboro - while she lived in New Orleans.
Now it's just Kate - living in Winston-Salem - and Sarah is with Charlie and me on this trip.

We borrowed Ann and Steve's air mattress.  This is a shout out to Ann and Steve, if they read this post. I'm guessing you've been letting the children use the air mattress as a trampoline - it now has a slow leak.  In the middle of the night Charlie and I decided that yes, we would turn the inflate switch on - which is quite noisy - because the air mattress was starting to feel like a water bed.  I've never slept on a water bed - but it felt like one.  By morning, the mattress had deflated some more.

I woke early, as usual for me, and made coffee - I sat on Kate's porch and enjoyed the morning and the coffee.

Has anyone noticed this added picture on my blog layout or if you follow Laura Beth on facebook, perhaps you have seen it - or seen it on Ann's facebook page.

Last week Laura Beth, Ada and John traveled to Scottsboro per Ann's invite.

This time they stayed with Ann because Steve was out of town for the week.

It was all "unique and challenging and cute and some angst for the moms", 

but they got it done.  

Above is the only picture which was taken the whole week.

Laura Beth took it with her phone.  

I need updated pictures of my McDonough grandchildren, 

but I failed to take any at all last week.

Left to right, above, 

Andrew Barber (3), Ada Moore (5), Ellie Barber (7), Luke Barber (6), John Moore (2),

and Abigail Barber (1)

Those are my 6 grandchildren.  They are all stinkers - that's what I tell them.  They are funny and can be exhausting - especially to their moms.  This grandmother gets more down time than their moms do.

I hope to enjoy still more grandchildren.  Sarah and Kate haven't even gotten started yet.  I think Laura Beth will have another.  I think we're all glad for a little break.

We've just completed Abigail's first year of infancy.  The first year is such a challenge.

Okay - rambling - and I need to get ready for the day.

By the way, below is Kate's house which is actually 4 apartments.

I'm sitting behind one set of those double windows at the top, typing this.

Hers is a very unique apartment, built right after WWII and has recently been remodeled for the year 2012.  There are hardwood floors, a brick fireplace, old wood doors with transoms, all very unique, and, again, updated with modern comforts.