ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

After returning from Utah, I discovered that Steve & I  had been challenged by several people to take the ALS Ice Bucket challenge.  We took the challenge on Sunday night and challenged our friends Evie and Jack aboard Eldridge C to take the challenge also.

 Joy

Furniture for Caroline

We have become so accustomed to having a truck that we take it for granted.  While in Utah, we were looking for inexpensive furniture delivered.  Caroline is a big Goodwill shopper, but unfortunately, Goodwill shops don't usually deliver.  We discovered the Cort Rental Center Clearance store.  Cort sells its previously rented furniture at rock bottom prices.  We found a sofa and a chair for Caroline's apartment within the budget and haggled over the delivery fee.  The online delivery fee was much lower than the price quoted in the store.  We balked at the in store price and got what we wanted.  It's always better to ask than just accept a price.  Caroline noticed an ad in the store to text and received an additional 10% off the price.  We walked away happy!

Apartment 14D

We found the right apartment on our first day but had to wait till Thursday to get the keys! 

Spare Room --Looking for a roomate

Looking at the den from the kitchen

Breakfast Room awaiting a table

Ktichen is ready to go!

Caroline's mattress will be delivered on Thursday so she will at least have a place to sleep on Thursday.  I fly back home on Friday morning.  It has been a whirlwind week, but I think she is ready to start out her new job on Monday.  Best Wishes to her!

Joy

Surprise visit with Charlene and Liz

Before we left for Utah, I saw that Liz and Charlene were traveling to Bend, Oregon to get Liz settled in her new apartment for her new job there with Cru.  I never dreamed that our paths would cross in Salt Lake City and we would have time for dinner and conversation. Liz and Caroline have known each other since they were born.  They are both middle daughters of three.  At one time we called them Gumby and Pokey with an emphasis on the Pokey! 

Liz  who had studied at the University of Utah suggested we go to Trolley square for dinner.  Trolley Square is a mall in a renovated trolley station.  The beautiful polished wood floors still exist even if not quite level.  We enjoyed the shopping, talking and dining experience while at Trolley Square.  

 Joy

Apartment Visits and the Red Iguana

On Monday morning bright and early we started our apartment search in earnest.  We planned to walk through all the apartments fitting the bill.  Several of the ones we visited on Sunday had already been rented when we called on Monday.  However, there were many, many more than willing to give us the tour.

We finished the day with a dinner at the Red Iguana.  It was crowded when we arrived at 5:45 so we thought it must be good.  I had the fish tacos--very very good.

A Trek to Utah

Caroline and I left on Saturday, August 16 to fly to Utah.  Her car had just been shipped fully loaded.  We checked 4 bags--3 of which were hers.  It seems everyone wanted to be in Utah on the same day for the airport and car rental spots were very busy.  We were hungry by the time we got the Ford Fusion and headed to downtown Salt Lake.  I was impressed with the multi lane roads.  This traffic is nothing like Atlanta.  We found a Chipotle in the Sugar House area of the city, parked and went inside.

I felt out of sorts for several days and this was just the beginning.  We couldn't figure out how we accidentally turned on the emergency flashers and drove several miles with them flashing.  We needed an instruction manual to change the radio station and the GPS didn't work quickly enough for me.  We learned to be patient and didn't make a big deal about missing a turn or turning too soon.  The GPS finally got us where we needed to be.

After unloading at the hotel we rested and then headed out again to look at some rental properties Caroline had found.  She decided early that she would live closer to Salt Lake City where the population of Mormons is perhaps 50% as compared to Provo (where her job is located) which is 99% Mormon.  

We visited several apartment complexes, homes, and duplexes for rent on Saturday before heading back to the hotel for some much needed rest.  Sunday, Caroline met with her friend John from Furman who also works at Qualtrics.  They went to Liberty Park while I headed to the mall.  A visit to the local mall always seems to make me feel better--gotta know where to go get a new pair of shoes whenever you visit a new city.  




Joy

Caroline at Driftwood Beach

After the party for Caroline, we drove down to St. Simons Island for a few days on the boat.  One of our first trips was to Drift wood Beach on Jekyll.  We had to show it to Caroline and Faris.

Puppy Love!

Michael brought his new puppy Jameson over the other day.  It would be fair to say that Jameson is a cute cute lab!

Bill and Jameson

Lainey loves Jameson

Already looking for Chew Toys

Joy

Beautiful sunset at Coastal Kitchen

The Coastal Kitchen restaurant is just a short walk from the marina.  Its menu never fails to please the palate!  I had the Grouper Special--Delicious.  We had this beautiful sunset on Wednesday at dinner.

j

Fun ride out to sea

The Moreman family joined us one day last week for a boat ride. Charles and Robin, Robert and Lauren with young Charles and newlyweds Amber and JP came aboard for an adventure.

Amber, JP, Faris, Lauren, Robert & Charles

Charles and Robin

Caroline giving me a kind look and Faris checking his email!

A few more party pictures

I took alot of pictures at Caroline's party--I warned her I was going to make a stand up poster of Steve and I for Christmas to put up in her apartment so she could talk to us any time--I may just do that--anybody know where I can have that made?

Lainey and Michael and the onion ring

Barry, Janet and Aunt Shirley

Matthew (AKA FRED) and Steve

JP and Amber

Lauren, Caroline, Robert & Charles

Uncle Eddie & Aunt Martha

Joy

Going Away Party Pictures

Caroline and I headto Utah on Saturday.  Her car left on Tuesday loaded down with everything she owns.  It should get there on Monday.  We have started searching online for apartments in Salt Lake City--it looks like she should have several places from which to choose.  

The party we had for her was great!  It was so much fun to see family and friends who could come to wish her well on her adventure to Utah!

Katy and Grand-daddy

Caroline with Uncle Bill

Caroline and Future Famous Author Kathleen

Gramma and the Girls

Don't cry Aunt Janey

Aunt Shirley and Caroline--that's where that red hair came from

Caroline with Granny & Grand-Daddy

Joy

Caroline is Utah Bound

Just a few short weeks ago, Caroline decided to move to Utah by starting her career with Qualtrics, which is located in Provo, Utah and makes online survey software.   Caroline will be a product specialist.  She begins work on Monday, August 26.  She and I are flying out  on Saturday, August 16 to find and move her into an apartment.  

We had a going away party for family and friends a week ago before taking her to St. Simons Island with us for a few days on the boat. 

I love this card she got from Rhonda and her crew!  It is handmade and cute, cute, cute.  I am planning to frame it for Caroline and send it out there to her!

Her favorite pie--Key Lime by Publix--Yummy

Katy, Caroline, Lainey, Jessica

Scott, Caroline & Megan

More pictures of the party tomorrow!

Joy

Has it really been two + weeks?

Has it really been over two weeks since I have written on the blog?  Wow--time flies...  We went home for a birthday party and I ended up staying longer than I had planned.  Bob and Eve had birthday dinner for Janey and Suzy on July 27.  We had a great time, great food and even got in a trip to the Atlanta Ikea for both Katy and Caroline to look at some furniture.  Katy needs a TV stand and Caroline--well Caroline will need a lot of things in the next few months since she is moving to Utah to begin a job with Qualtrics.

While I was at home, I had a garage sale!!! Not so fun, but it felt great to sell things we no longer use.  Many of these items had been in my dining room for over 6 weeks.  Those things had to go because we planned a going away party for Caroline for August 9--just one week after the sale.  Everything came together in the end.

During the garage sale, a customer who happened to be a botanist asked me about a plant in our yard.  For years we have called this plant a Coral Bush, never having bothered to look up the exact name.  My grandmother from Commerce, had giving me this bush years ago after it had overgrown her front sidewalk.  It has beautiful coral, toucan shaped blossoms and very sharp stickers. 

The botanical name of this beautiful plant  is  Erythrina crista-galli.A South American legend claims that the tree was a princess who after being captured while defending her people she was set afire.  In the morning after her death,  at the spot of her death was a tree with red flowers called the flame tree--another name for the Erythrina tree.  Other common names include Cry baby, Christ's Tears, and Fireman's Cap. 

Internet connection at the Poole house has been scattered and infrequent, but I hope to get out another post soon.

Joy