We went by way of Blairsville, Young Harris, Hayesville, and Franklin to the Great Smoky Mountain Expressway and then I-40.
We stopped at Phil's Bar-B-Que Pit in Black Mountain, NC, for a bit of lunch about 1 pm, which was very good.
Back on the road at 1:45. We had to get more gas to reach Heather's. I got six gallons in Hillsdale, NC, for $2.199. Surprisingly the gas prices in North Carolina are not much higher than in Fannin and Pickens Counties in Georgia, although Gilmer County is a bit lower still.
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| Eileen heading into Phil's Bar-B-Que |
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| Inside Phil's Bar-B-Que |
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| All the hats on the ceiling of Phil's Bar-B-Que |
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| Phil's Bar-B-Que menu |
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| Phil's Bar-B-Que sauces |
Back on the road at 1:45. We had to get more gas to reach Heather's. I got six gallons in Hillsdale, NC, for $2.199. Surprisingly the gas prices in North Carolina are not much higher than in Fannin and Pickens Counties in Georgia, although Gilmer County is a bit lower still.
We reached Heather's about 5:35. It was fun to see Liam again. We were last there in November for Thanksgiving. He is talking a lot now and will be two on Thursday. Here are several pictures of Liam.
On Monday 16 February we were up early (about 6 am) with Liam. He is talking very well. Later in the morning we all went to the Greystone Recreation Center, an indoor play area. It is 23 degrees outside! Brrr!
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Then we all enjoyed lunch at the San Carlo Italian Bistro which had a nice buffet. Liam was given two Valentine's Day balloons as the owner was taking down the display.
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| Liam and Tom enjoying the bistro |
Liam was excited when it started to snow this afternoon. We all went out and took some pictures. We had a nice message from our neighbor Judy Pearce thanking us for the Valentine cookies that we had left her and I called her back. Heather enjoyed the coconuts that we brought from Florida. Here are pictures of Heather, Tom, and Liam.
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| Heather enjoying the coconut liquid |
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| Liam and Heather examining the coconut |
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| Liam and Heather examining the coconut |
I did a lot of family history research about families related to one of the men that Colleen and Sean took to the temple last Friday.
I finished reading chapter 10 on obedience in President Joseph F. Smith's "Gospel Doctrine."
On Tuesday 17 February we were up early with Liam. It was a quiet day with the snow and ice outside. Raleigh was pretty much closed for the day, including Tom's store. He, Heather, and Liam went out for a little while to play, but it was pretty slippery. I continued to work on the same family history all day.
In the afternoon I called Al King in Lehi, Utah. Al and his wife Elaine, who passed away a few years ago during our mission, were friends from our years in Fayetteville, NC, many years ago. He is 87 and sounds no different!
I did a great deal more family history research today and put many names in my temple ordinance list in Family Tree on familysearch.org. There are 35 names to be printed for baptisms, confirmations, initiatories, and endowments. There are 23 sealings to parents and 28 sealings to spouses, which means 14 couples.
On Wednesday 18 February I worked on my blog. Later I finished "Death in the Clouds" by Agatha Christie, a Hercule Poirot novel I began two days ago.
I shoveled some of the snow and ice that remained on the front steps. Heather did her and Eileen's nails. Very nice! Tom took Liam and one of their dogs Sadie for a walk as it began to snow again. Liam enjoyed the ball of ice!
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We like the pictures of his various styles of headgear!
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He sure enjoys Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends!
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| Tom showing Liam some toy fruits and vegetables. |
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| Trying on his new bike helmet. |
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A new Dr. Seuss book!
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| What a neat birthday cake! |
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| The birthday cake |
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| Eileen, Liam and the birthday cake |
I e-mailed some of the Kids Ferst people that were involved in the newsletter as well as some folks in Salt Lake City about classes on the FamilySearch Wiki and Jane Colmenares about our next project on our Church Service mission.
After supper I finished and published my blog entry for 4 January which was our Holland America cruise.
On Thursday 19 February we wished Liam a happy 2nd birthday! See pictures above! I took Heather to the dentist for a root canal and Eileen played with Liam. I brought home wrapping paper from CVS and Eileen wrapped gifts while I played with Liam. Tom's parents, Tom and Donna, arrived.
Tom and I both went to get Heather at the dentist's! When we returned to their place, Liam opened the two wrapped boxes from the Cubberley's. They were full of trains from the Thomas the Tank Engine series that we had gotten Colleen's boys years ago.
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| Heather helps Liam open the first gift |
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| Thomas trains inside! |
Then we all went upstairs where the train table was laid out with many more items including more from the family of Thomas the Tank Engine. There were lots of pictures taken as Liam enjoyed himself. The train table was from Eileen and myself which Heather had gotten from Craigslist.
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| Heather and Liam |
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| Heather and Liam |
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| Liam and Eileen |
Shortly thereafter we brought the train table down to the living room for Liam to have easy access to it. The coffee table was moved aside to make room.
Heather ordered pizza for supper which Tom's dad and I went to pick up at New York Pizza. Heather finished the chocolate car birthday cake and prepared a nice tossed salad. We opened the pickled baby beets and asparagus we brought from Taste of Amish in Blue Ridge, Georgia. The pizza was okay but only good as opposed to better or best.
Back downstairs Liam opened presents from Tom's parents. He at some point had opened our musical Tigger birthday card and now opened the musical card from Tom's parents. Liam enjoyed the pizza and birthday cake although he was frightened by six adults singing "Happy Birthday" to him.
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| A bit frightened :( |
After playing a little more it was bedtime for Liam and it took him a while to go to sleep after all that excitement!
Things quieted down. Tom and Donna, Tom's parents, departed. We got sad news that William and Erin had decided to turn down the job offer from L-3 Communications near Dallas in hopes he can find something locally in Arizona. Heather, still feeling the effects of her visit to the dentist, hit the hay and shortly thereafter Tom joined her. Finally it was our turn. I had heard back from those whom I had e-mailed yesterday and responded.
On Friday 20 February I woke up about 4:55 am and caught up all the entries in my blog for yesterday. I looked at the news in the New York Times e-mail. I read some of an Albert Campion mystery and finally went back to sleep near 7 am for a couple of hours.
Heather took Liam for his appointment with the doctor who was impressed with him. He is three feet tall. He got his shot without crying. Back home to play more with his train table and various different Thomas the Tank Engine characters.
At 1 pm while Liam was napping we had some Wiki Training with Jane Colmenares for about 45 minutes about our next task.
Eileen had fun playing with Liam all afternoon after his nap. I finished reading "Mystery Mile" by Margery Allingham, an Albert Campion novel I began two days ago. The first novel with Campion was "The Crime at Black Dudley" in which he was a supporting character.
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| Margery Allingham (1904-1966) |
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After supper I finished and published my blog entry for 11 January which was between our cruises.
On Saturday 21 February we went to Costco in the morning. Their gas was $2.139. After missing four palindromes on the way here, we hit 96469 this morning.
We shopped at Costco, Walmart, and TJ Maxx (to no avail).
After Liam's nap I ran out to Fresh Market for an emergency replenishment of cranberry almost butter power chews and peanut butter power chews.
Lots more time playing with Liam!
Tom and Heather got dressed up and went out to the 31st Annual Art Auction and Gala at the Raleigh Marriott City Center.
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We played with Liam and then put him to bed.
Tom and Heather got home before 11 and we hit the hay.
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