Come in! Visit our last blog!Aiken Unitarian Universalist Church always shows up in our blog. Sunday's presentation focused on the work of UUSC and other service groups. (As Canadians,in school during the 50s and 60s, we remember Dr. Lotta Hitchmanova and the UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee). There were ads on TV and collections of money in the classroom. We did things like that for the Red Cross, as well. (Hmmm.. I am reminded of regular fingernail and hand checks in the classroom... I digress.)
Shortly after the start of each service, the youth leave the main congregation to have their discussions in their own building. On this particular Sunday, I noticed that only half the crowd remained. We have never seen that in any other UU group. An amazing ratio of youth to adults in this fellowship.
BLUE LAWS - STATE FAIR
After lunch at church, you either go home or shop for groceries. The Blue Laws forbid any other stores from opening until 1:30. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the State Fair was allowed to open at 12. Now, we didn't go to the Western Carolina State Fair until after 5:00 because the display barns and shows don't start until then.
Cathy hurried me over to the stands where we watched the Steel Ball Motorcycle Show. She sat behind me and pummeled my back excitedly as she watched the leather-clad riders do amazing flips and turns off a greatly curved ramp. Upon landing they had to immediately brake - the field is short - you either brake or your head becomes firmly planted in a tree.
She was still pummeling my back when the two bikes were racing around together in the steel cage. I expressed my concern when the leather-shorted young woman stood in the cage while they zoomed around her. For showing such bravery, I wanted to go and get her autograph but Cathy wouldn't let me.
(I wonder if she wants to go back for the Demolition derby later this week?)
There were about six displays in each barn. One barn with school art, flower displays and baking. The other barn had bibles, pizza, bibles, and insurance salesmen.
The midway was excellent for a small town. The rides were well-spaced and the grounds were immaculate. I wanted to eat; I love midway corn dogs. Unfortunately, or in my dietitian's view, fortunately, we had eaten before the fair.
Western Carolina State FairThere was the most amazing sunset. Streaks and clusters of pink and gray. People were actually stopping to watch the sunset! The twinkling lights of the midway rides and the illuminated circle of the ferris wheel made it all the more impressive.
JEN and the HARP
The Emersons from Texas welcomed us to the Pine Acres Campground when we first drove in. Through the week, I introduced 11 year old Jen to the autoharp.
This is the third harp in my collection, and the last. This one is diatonic, tuned to the key of C. I brought it to Jeff Dantzler in July. He lives in Harleyville, SC. It was a two hour drive down to Jeff's. Not far from Charleston, he lives at the end of a long country lane - a peaceful and quiet spot. Working in a concrete and steel barn or bunker, he crafts his version of autoharps: Unicoi. He also repairs and updates harps.
He wasn't sure if I was showing up with my grandson or wife on this visit. Our visits are fun. Jeff's wife has started teaching at the high school this year. It has been an epiphany for Jeff. He has discovered that teachers work later than 4pm each day and everyday of the week. (While we were talking the phone rang. One of his sons had a fever and needed to be picked up from school. H1N1 cautionary procedure. Turned out he didn't have it.) Everyone is always fascinated by "Canadian weather". We always have to explain, that where we live, is further south than a lot of the states. Jeff's cool weather clothing does not go beyond a light jacket. We explained that cold weather is not a big deal; you simply dress for it.
It was a good visit as always. We drove back the two hours stopping to take pictures of a very well decorated Halloween-house plus paying a visit to PW.
Sunrise at Pine Acres, Aiken, SCTHE PIG
We like visiting PW - Piggly Wiggly grocery store. There was weeping and wailing in this one. A woman was dragging two little boys around the store. One of them started to wail; of course, that set off the second. She certainly had more patience with them then I would have had. I smiled, gave her the thumbs up, and wished her well.
On our return, I let Jen experiment with the harp and then let her have it for 24 hours. When we left on Friday morning she gave us a Texas Longhorn mascot bear which now sits proudly on the seat in the truck. We presented the kids with Canadian flags and illuminated lapel pins. Six year old Champion was racing up and down the camp ground waving the flag. I asked if he knew what country the flag was from. He stopped; looked at it and responded: "Leaf country."
GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL CONCERT and HALLOWEEN
Thursday night was the concert by the Governor's School for the Arts. The Governor's School is a public and free residential high school for 11th grade and 12th grade students in the music arts. Those in the dance arts start in the 9th grade. This concert was put on by a large sampling of the music students. Excellent.
Campers go wild!On Friday we moved over to River Bottom Farm in Swansea. It was time to get ready for Halloween and to start cleaning up the trailer for storage. By late evening the grounds were packed; all camp sites taken by families of ghosts and goblins in anticipation of the weekend.
The premiere event was a movie. It was followed by a campfire, marshmallow roast, and ghost stories. It was a gorgeous Fall evening. The moon was almost full with some clouds scudding across the sky. I tossed dust from the bones of Methuselah into the air to keep the stories from coming true. Sometimes, in the telling of a story, comes the growing. Tale telling was shared by Dana and myself along with other adults and children. I am convinced that story telling is much more enjoyable when it is carried by a voice with a touch of the southern accent.
The Head Witch at River BottomSaturday was filled with spooktacular activities including a human and dog costume contest. All this to led up to the highlight of Halloween Weekend: the Haunted House, or, as some call it: The Haunt.
This is always a superb and scary activity that the family spends weeks in preparing. A huge undertaking - nothing amateurish about this. Unfortunately, I was entering the haunt with a grandfather and his three tag-a-longs. On lining up the boys boasted of their goblin killing powers. There was no fear in their voices. These three boys were genuine ghost-busters! Well, that lasted until 3 seconds into the walk. The elderly lady rocked back and forth in her chair pleading "Help me, Help me!" The littlest boy grabbed the grandfather's hand; the oldest one screamed, "Don't scare me!" and grabbed my hand. The middle one didn't know what to do. I told him just to look straight ahead. The one I had, screamed, "Mommy, let me out of here!!" I now had to hug him and at the same time push the middle one. I have never been through a haunt so fast. We whizzed by escaped murders, witches, headless victims, piles of body parts, a corn field, mirrors, smoke and bugs, only to rush out the door to be met by Jason and his chainsaw. My charge dropped to the ground yelling, "I SURVIVED! I SURVIVED!" while grandfather kept thanking me and thanking me for being there. Neat, ay?
Will I win?Just after 10 pm the matronly prison guard knocked on our door to discuss who would win the RV decorating contest. In the middle of that discussion, the old witch knocked on our door. That reminds me of one trip to Maine... but that is another story.
Cute as a pumpkin!
We're poor little lambs who have lost our way!PACKING
Most of our packing was done when we headed to church Sunday morning. Pictures were taken of the congregation ( sans the large youth group; they were all up on the mountain in NC for a retreat) because it was AUUC's 10th Anniversary.
10th AUUC AnniversaryThe youth were away on retreat
When we returned to the campground, the place was empty. All had packed and gone home.
We put things in the truck. There was no spare room left for any hitchhikers.
Monday morning we went through the normal routine. Drain the trailer water and replace with anti-freeze. Put out the canisters of de-humidifier chemicals. Spread the ant traps around. Lock it up. Hitch it up. Tow it over to the storage area. Unhitch. Say our goodbyes and head north.
DRIVING BACK
No leaves left on the trees all the way from North Carolina to Ontario. The oaks were stubborn. Their brown had a healthy touch of burgundy this year. They had a rich color with a sheen that I had not seen before.
As we came close to the first Virginia tunnel, I heard Cathy chuckle. She always does at this point when she sees the sign: YOU ARE ENTERING JEFFERSON FOREST. As we exit the tunnel, we are greeted by the sign: YOU ARE LEAVING JEFFERSON FOREST.
On our return trip, we were religious about observing our 250 mile (400K) driving limit. It makes for a more relaxed day. We have time to pause and look around. This usually translates into discovering bookstores.
We made it back home just in time for a snowfall. Why unpack the truck? It would be easy just to turn around and head back south.
As in all of our trips, it is the people we meet that make the trip: friendly fellow campers, gracious storekeepers, lively young people. Regardless of daily newscasts that bombard us with bad news, I can say for a fact, that 90% of the people out there are wonderful and kind. Turn off the TV and enjoy the real people.
Once again, thank you all for joining us.
Our next trip is scheduled to start in mid-February 2010.
I just couldn't resist! In the King James Version of the Christian scriptures, Jesus rides on an ass. In the modern, Revised Standard Version translation, he rides in a blue Ford!
Cracks me up!
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