OA Update a/k/a Day 575...

No, O A does NOT stand for Overeater's Anonymous (although maybe it should), it stands for Outlanders Anonymous! And if you are a 'member', no explanation is necessary.

I met with my friend Julia and two new members, Michelle and Micki on Saturday the 19th for dinner at Houston's in Marietta. We had a ball, as usual, talking about the GM games, and Jamie and Claire (of course), and making plans for future get-togethers. The two M's were very excited, and I think it has spurred them to post more on the online board, which made ME excited. Anything to get lurkers to come out of hiding...

Our next big adventure will be on September 6th, in Cartersville. We're meeting up there this time, so more people can come...we have 3 members who live in or near Rome, and have a hard time getting so far south. So those of us who live farther south are going to carpool...which will be fun for us, too!

This is shaping up to be a pretty big event...the biggest to date, as we will have 7 people attending, maybe more. I can't wait...I know we will have a ball, and probably get kicked out of the restaurant because they are trying to close for the night. That's ok, though...I've been informed that there's a Waffle House just down the street, where we can move the party after closing, if need be!

Plans are also in the works for a bigger event that we're working on putting together for later in the fall, which will involve both Atlanta and Birmingham, and possibly our girls over in SC, too! That would be AWESOME, as I'm very anxious to meet them. More on that later...

IN OTHER NEWS...

Alan and I just found out last week that we're going to be grandparents again. Shanna and Kyle are once again expecting, and we're excited for them. We'll know more about that soon, and I will post the details then.

Speaking of grandchildren, our beautiful granddaughter, Harmony finally learned how to coordinate her movements to roll over yesterday. Yay, Harmony! She's been working on trying to figure it out for a while now, but couldn't get it down. Yesterday, it all came together for her, and she spent the day practicing her new skill in earnest. Mom Krystal spent the day trying to capture it all on video for posterity's sake, but unfortunately, Harmony IS a Kid, and Kids rarely perform on cue...something in the fine print of their contracts, no doubt. If we do manage to get it on film, be sure I will post it on my page so you all can view it and be properly awed and overcome with the emotion of it all...

And speaking of my gorgeous hubby, we spent a fabulous day together this past Sunday, which was entirely too short, as always, but after 3 weeks, beggars can't be choosers. The important thing is...we're down to a little over 18 months now, and counting. I actually picked up a little freebie keyring at the Grandfather Mountain games a couple of weeks ago when I was up there, and I reset it to count down to the day Alan's contract expires with the Not-So-Great State of Georgia. To date, we have 575 days left, which in one way sounds like so much worse than 18 months, but in another way sounds far less. So I think from now on, I will do the same thing as I did last year when I was counting down Shanna Malii's birthday, and use the subject line in my posts as a counter. Maybe it will make the time go by faster, eh?

Anything to make the time go by faster...

Wow, I'm really behind...

So much has happened in the past six weeks, I hardly know where to begin! On the weekend of July 4th, Krystal, Ian and I took Harmony down to spend the weekend with her Poppy in S. GA. We all had a great time, and Harmony got to see fireworks for the first time. She loved them, big booms and all! There's a pic posted under my photos of her, taken in the glow of the fireworks overhead, if you're interested.

Then...

Ever since last fall, when my friend Tracy and I went to the Stone Mountain Highland Games, we've been planning a trip to go to Grandfather Mountain in NC for their games, widely touted as being one of the best games in the country. As we were packing for the trip to TN to stay with my in-laws, we got word that our favorite author, Diana Gabaldon was going to be there. That put our whole weblist into a frenzy, and brought down one of our fellow members from Ohio with her daughter, to spend the weekend with us.

We had the best weekend, ever! Leaving on Thursday morning, we traveled to Elizabethton, TN, met with April and her daughter, Sarah, who were staying there, and drove to Grandfather Mtn, just across the state line. Although it was a rainy night, we were able to be there for the opening ceremonies, and the calling of the clans.

Friday morning dawned bright and clear, and we were back early to enjoy the day, watching the festivities, browsing the vendor tents, researching at the clan tents, and trying Scottish food...including haggis. (Not bad...a little heavy on the cloves, though) Friday evening, Diana would be at a book signing in Boone, about an hour away, so we left the games about 3pm, intending to find the bookstore, and then go explore the town. Once we got to the store, though, we found that there would be no entry to the book signing unless we bought a book at the store for her to sign, and it was first come, first serve. It being 4 pm at that time, and noone waiting ahead of us, we bought coffee, and parked in their cafe for the duration.

3 hours later, precisely on time, Diana showed up, looking like the goddess whose name she bears. She spoke for about 30 minutes and answered questions, then signed our books. What a gracious and delightful lady! Everything we had heard was true, and then some. She rushed no one, taking her time with each of us, and posing for as many pics as she was asked to, even though the store was like an oven from all the people who attended. We got lots of pics, and even managed to get a few autographs for others. Then we left the store, and enjoyed a final dinner with April and Sarah in Boone, knowing that it might be the last time we would see each other for a while.

It's a wonderful feeling, knowing you have friends all over the world. And totally exhilarating to meet them...but it comes with a price. The parting is so hard.

Saturday, as April and Sarah made their way back to Ohio, Tracy and I spent the day with my in-laws, and my brother-in-law Andy, and his wife, Sherry, who had driven up the previous night from Atlanta for the weekend. After a lazy morning of visiting and catching up, we all drove over to Lake Watauga for a seafood lunch overlooking the lake. Later that evening, we drove into the town of Elizabethton for an old car show held on the main street of the town, and then headed to Ft. Watauga for a historical reenactment.

Tracy and I took our time heading back to Atlanta on Sunday, enjoying each others' company and reliving our wonderful weekend. Of course, I've posted pics if you're interested, and I can't wait to tell Alan all about it when I see him this weekend! (All the old car pics were taken for him, incedentally. No, I'm not obsessed...it's research.)

Anyway, that's all the news in a nutshell. That, and my baby is growing like a weed! She'll be 6 months old before we know it!