SPRING HAS SPRUNG !!!

Now it is late April and although we have moved into the mountain cottage (have renamed since is a small weekend getaway) it is still in the remodel phase.  Work is being done on mountain time-a bit slow for me-but we are assured that all will be complete by the time we are back up at High Meadows in mid May...we will see....
As it has turned out the timing has been great.  Spent two weeks of March and early April at the beach-the first with Mom, Aunt Mark and Genia-great visit with a highlight visit to Brookgreen Gardens; the next week was the tenth annual MAC-MAR Invitational with girlfriends and then an Easter weekend before heading home to pack up for mountain move. 
Successful move even though was on Friday the 13th ! We unpacked a box, spent time playing golf, unpacked a box, dinner at Club, unpacked a box, golf and so on and so forth.  Already love it even if we still do not have a complete kitchen and could not find a the shower curtain so had to take baths-a throw back to childhood. 
We deserved our great New York weekend with Jim and Gail Bland and then off to the beach for almost another week-Member Guest with Pinnacle partners....with all of the travel the condo has become just an overnight stop on our way to fun places. 
How fortunate Duncan and I are  to enjoy these great times together.  No profound thoughts for this blog just an appreciation for all that I have.  I welcome SPRING with a big smile and my suitcase packed !!!
Check out the complete photo links:  http://gsmackeen.smugmug.com/
2012 Travel....Brookgreen Gardens and April in New York
2012 Friends....MAC-MAR Invitational
2012 Street Scenes.....High Meadows (weekly progress)  to be updated in late May COMPLETED !

STARRY, STARRY NIGHTS !!!

It's March-where did the time go?  Last checked in right after the new year began and the rest is a blur.  Duncan and I spent time in January looking at properties in High Meadows Country Club at Roaring Gap, NC.  It is a one hour drive from Winston, the homes have golf course or mountain views and we fell in love with the idea....so we are now proud owners of a mountain cottage that overlooks the #17 par 3 at High Meadows-we can see tee to green, the #18 fairway, the clubhouse in the distance and a bit of a mountain as well.  It is a true golf community with lots of golfing activities for both of us.  We are really looking forward to our weekend retreat.  After purchasing the home that we could "just move into" - did we really believe that? - we are in the remodeling process and hope to be completed by mid April.  The view..... more photos next blog.
With our extra winter time we had fun with friends: a weekend visit with Genia (Tyson family from SC) that included the W-S Symphony-such great girlfriend time-an Asheville weekend with Linda and Travis Jackson and friends to include a Big Band night at the Grove Park Inn....

a bullfighting rodeo with Jane & Paul Hendricks, dinner and bridge with Prudy and Tom Yates, a Super Bowl Sunday that included every hour of coverage, a wonderful trip to visit Nan, Tess, Jack and Pat Currie in sunny Florida,  a week with my Mom to be sure her new pacemaker is working OK, a week at the beach to resupply for the season that included two  of the coldest rounds of golf on record, dancing, dining and a spectacular evening hosted by David and Travis from River Birch Lodge-a four course wine tasting dinner with "dancing" friends that was incredible.  (Same friends-different theme!)

Tomorrow we lose an hour that I desperately need!  The time change mentally screws up my agenda but by the fall I will have forgotten all about it!  Although I do love a project I actually may have taken on a bit more than I bargained for in the mountains-we are on a timeline to be completed by mid April so we are pushing each day to stay on schedule.  When we are sitting on our deck in the late afternoon watching the last foursome of the day head to the clubhouse, it will be worth it! 

Speaking of those starry nights, having grown up in the country I look forward to a night sky with  the stars as the only light.  Heaven!  

.....HOW TIME FLIES !

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!
Can it be that I have actually been "offline" for two months?  Of course not (anyone who knows me is certain I must live attached to my email)  but blame the blog lapse on a very busy holiday that began in early November and has continued on into the new year.  Duncan and I have had wonderful events to celebrate the holidays with family and friends.  We started off with a flash of light and sound enjoying the Transiberian Orchestra with Prudy & Tom Yates, November & December beach time, downtown lights and sounds, Duncan's first time at "The Nutcracker",  a celebration with Pinnacle partners, friends and Secret Santa,  then Leslie arrived (from Jordan) to surprise my Mom for the holidays which we spent with family in Kenly.

Happily reporting all of the family is well.  Updates:  Leslie will be in Amman, Jordan until mid 2012.  Her next USAID post will be in Juba, South Sudan for one year as the  deputy director for the public health office;  the exact timing is still to be determined.  Blake continues to excel at Grant Thornton in Charlotte.  Thankfully his travels are in the Charlotte area-no more stranded Fridays in airports. Duncan continues to work but with lots of time for golf and dancing.  Downtown living has been more than we could have hoped for-we just love it! 
 
As 2012 picks up speed-time is going too quickly-I am getting my life "wired"....there is the car with Blutooth and a navigation system, the IPad2, IPod and a new IPhone that is taking on a life of its own.  Imagine at one time (not that many years ago) I rejected needing an answering machine on my home phone.  Now there is no home phone and I am connected at every twist and turn.  It is taking some getting used to but am getting closer to an actual understanding of how to use all of the systems-I don't understand how any of it works I just am learning to use.  Since I am technically challenged this in no small fete!  "Wired" may not be all good-is there any peace & quiet anymore?  Sure there is-you just have to unplug.   Plug into these photo links to enjoy our holiday celebrations..... 
May your new year be off to a grand start-keep in touch-my IPhone is on!

OCTOBER - HALLOWEEN TIME IS HERE !

One is never too old to celebrate Halloween !  Our friends,  Betty & Leonard, had a great party and yes, there was dress up !  Betty has a wonderful holiday spirit with decor to literally die for - witches are her favorite ! 
Speaking of witches, we had an entire weekend to celebrate "Witches & Warlocks" - our annual couples golf trip to the beach.  This was especially fun with lots of laughs and great fellowship.  Think back to the '60's and '70's and those fabulous college days when you loved just being with your friends?  Lots of laughs, games and a bit of alcohol but with early bedtimes and no hangovers-well that is our life as 60 year olds-plus or minus!!  So much fun....Thirty degree morning temperatures with slight drizzle and wind gusts did not dampen our spirit.  Friends can brighten the most dreary of days....and we did have dreary !!  See for yourself....

" THE BIG APPLE "

" Start spreading the news
I am leaving today
I want to be part of it
New York, New York..."
Four days of fun with girlfriends Betty, Darlene and Nan...a whirlwind of shopping, dining and the theater  - "The Book of Mormon" .....a reminder of how important friendship is.  Take time today to call a friend and just talk....email is not the same as a real conversation with friends.  I often forget this myself but I do enjoy the "girl talk" - hours on end of somethings and nothings.  Try it, you'll like it !
 
 PHOTOS TO ENJOY.......

AUTUMN SURPRISES !!

A before and after ( ABBA, that is)......Autumn always reminds me of the first day of school.  From first grade even into high school  much of my time in early autumn was spent selecting just the right ensemble, buying  papers and pens, selecting just the right backpack and/or school bag, covering my new books with decorative papers and on and on.  Oh, the good old days....when the most exciting autumn event was the day the new cars arrived in town at the Ford and Chevrolet dealerships.  The entire town arrived for the unveiling-literally-when cars actually took on a brand new shape each year !  And now...we recently spent a great deal of time and research deciding on a new car-SURPRISE- the 2012 models arrived without any fanfare and in many cases the dealerships are still waiting on the Japanese products that are stalled overseas indefinitely.  The same-but different-what still remained was the "new car smell" and the exhiliration of a "new ride".  AUTUMN HAS ARRIVED !!
Autumn brought a new energy to downtown-we have enjoyed "Rock The Block"- a two day celebration with music (jazz, country, beach, bluegrass, rock, etc.), food, vendors, etc. extolling the virtues of downtown...the Hispanic League's Fiesta 2012.....Winston Salem State University's homecoming parade (especially entertaining)...ArtsPalooza on Trade..."Havana Delirium" at the Stevens Center (although who knew the entire performance was in Spanish? - you were good sports, Leslie & David)..."The MadHatter's Ball" for the Adam Foundation (what a night !)...lunch and dinners out with friends....we love it all!  Included with all of the downtown activity were trips for mountain golf (one with girlfriends & one with the Pinnacle partners). 

" ABBA , the Concert "

"..... you can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life...."
Duncan and I were fortunate to experience  " ABBA, the Concert "  with friends Jane and Paul Hendrick on September 24 (I note the date because I am inserting this entry before other August events)...anyway what made it so special was that we met a member of the troop before the concert for dinner.  Conrad, brother of Caroline-the Hendricks exchange student in the mid-90's- is a professional guitarist from Sweden and is a part of the tribute band that was finishing it's USA tour with a stop in Greensboro.  Please note that two of the original ABBA band members were part of the tour:  Mike Watson (bass guitar) and Janne Kling (saxophone and flute).   JUST FABULOUS !  " Name of the Game " is FUN !!!
"Gimme, Gimme, Gimme" a chance to chaffeur everyone in our new Hyundai Sante Fe....once we figured out the navigation system.  Arriving at the venue, there was some mixup with "will call" tickets (compliments of the band)-more on that later-but we did meet Conrad after his sound check-and had a lovely dinner at a local restaurant " 1618 West Seafood Grill " (we recommend)..."Money, Money, Money" but what else do you expect for atmosphere and great food?...worth every penny !    An "S.O.S" from the band-the opening time was moved up 30 minutes due to impending weather-so the key lime everyone had their heart set on had to wait !  "Take a Chance On Me " to get you there, Conrad !!
"Mamma Mia"  !!!!!     Thirty minutes to showtime-thank heavens for the navigation!  Conrad jumped out of the car but we still had not picked up the tickets.  "Super Trouper" Paul sprinted across the concourse to "will call" and yes, the tickets were there-we were front and center!  Jane and I are "Dancing Queen"s- up and moving to a great evening !  "Thank You For The Music "
ABBA fans, my tribute to the late 60's music and the current day revival through concerts, theater and movies !  Check out the photo montage-just like being there..........Enjoy !
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