Aunt Liz

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While we were on the hilltop, we didn't have Wi-Fi, so we got behind.

We had a liesurely morning and a tasty breakfast. Nancy's Cousin David took us to a point on a hill where we could see the Greenbriar River at the bottom of the valley. He had cut the road out there. It was a lovely view up there. Then he drove us on a tour of the boundaries of the 300+ acre farm with pastures, a hayfield, and woods. Then, while Jim went to his office in Charleston, the rest of us went in our truck to do errands. There were some snow flurries while we were out. We passed some long sheds that turned out to be turkey barns this time. After the errands, we stopped at their two little houses on the Greenbriar River. Aunt Liz owns one and David owns one. Aunt Liz's is mostly fixed up after over a year's work. She has fixed the upstairs up with antiques and interesting pieces of furniture. It is like a doll house. The basement has been made into a little apartment for a caretaker to rent. David's little house is rented upstairs and he is fixing up the basement for an apartment for himself. It is SO in the early stages. You have to have a vision to imagine a living space in the way it appears now. The contractors told him that both houses should just be knocked down. Aunt Liz's turned out so cute, so I guess David's will, too. What a lot of work he has ahead of him! They both told about all the projects and plans they had for the little houses and for the farm at Maple Hill. You would think nobody was retired around here because they were never tired in the first place! We went to have Chinese food for lunch. It was a very good buffet. The snow was beginning to stick in earnest when we got back to the farm. By the warm fireplace, we had a good time catching up with each others' lives. David retired from management in a worldwide hide tanning business. He lived in South Africa and in Thailand, among other places. Now he lives on his 50 foot ketch when he's not here, and sails all over. Jim is trying to retire as a lawyer for workers comp plaintiffs. Aunt Liz has had many adventures, especially in the last fifteen years. She was even the captain of a whale-watching boat! We enjoyed another great dinner, and Jim and Rich exchanged a string of bad jokes. We are leaving in the morning, but what a wonderful visit we had! On the way to the camper, there was an inch of snow on the ground and it was still snowing.
Nancy is fond of saying what a good truck we have now with OnStar and remote start, but I have my reservations. For instance, just the other night, Nancy and I were playing a game of backgammon and decided that we could use a spot of chocolate ice cream. I sent the truck to the store and it brought back vanilla. Wouldn't you just know it. Must have been a malfunction of some kind.

We slept to the whisper of snow on the roof and the peacefulness of the mountains.

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Photos

Our New Truck
Do you like it, Jodie?