A New Gig...

Ok, so a bit more on the new job... temporary as it may be, courtesy of a headhunter in IL who found my resume posted on Monster.com. I am now working at the VA Hospital in Johnson City, as a Program Assistant. It may only last for three months, but the pay is incredible, and there are options to extend.... so fingers crossed that maybe it'll be a way for me to get my foot in the Gov't door!

I've taken just a couple of pics of the grounds so far.... they are incredible, and so full of history! You may ask what's so special about these pics....but if you look very close, you will notice that they are all full of ravens... which are kind of like good luck charms for us... very significant. So I took that as a very positive sign that I was where I was supposed to be, lol.

There will be more... many more... pics coming, as time permits, never fear. This place is fascinating, and just begs to have its story told!

A Sign of Covenant

I have seen some beautiful rainbows in my time. Saw a brilliant patch of color over the plains outside Denver once that took my breath away. Saw a rainbow aura around the sun in clear blue sky in the middle of summer when I worked in Raleigh years ago. The most notable was the huge double rainbow I saw arcing across the sky above a cemetery in Kinston, NC that I had just started working at. Later, I would realize that I had been standing by what would eventually be my late husband Bill's grave at the time I saw it. It was the first double rainbow I'd ever seen...and still the most memorable. Guess it always will be.

But never in my life have I lived in a place where rainbows are so prolific as here in the mountains of NE Tennessee. They are spotted so often here, that I can actually pinpoint when I will see one before I ever do! And of course, I can't seem to stop myself from taking a pic, even though I've never taken one with any camera that fully captured the brilliancy.
Still....as long as God keeps making rainbows, I guess I'll keep trying.

Bays Mountain

This weekend, in celebration of the new job I started on Thursday with the VA, our good friends Bonnie and Scott came to visit. We were, as always, thrilled to see them, and although we didn't have much time to spend together, we decided to take off on Saturday to explore Bays Mountain in Kingsport.







Bays Mountain is a park that will take much more than one day to explore....among all the great hiking trails, the fishing, boating, etc. on the huge lake, and the incredible planetarium and observatory they have there, they also have a wildlife preserve.....including a wolf exhibit. You gotta check this place out:
http://www.baysmountain.com/

So, as is pretty usual these days, we took Luggie with us. It's ok to take dogs in the exhibits, as long as you stay on the paths and don't attempt to actually enter any of them.

So what do we do? You guessed it.....

We headed straight for the wolf exhibit, with Luggie in tow. The opportunity to observe Nature was just too appealing to pass up.

We weren't disappointed. Although the wolfpack was laying under the shade of the trees, all but hidden on the far side of the enclosure, it didn't take them long at all to catch Luggie's scent. The wolf enclosure is double-fenced, but even so, I must say that being stalked by a wolf is absolutely terrifying. We watched as the Alpha male caught scent....then sight....of our baby. And then, with a lethal gleam, he began the stalk. Within seconds, and without a sound, the rest of the pack had joined him, and before we knew it, the entire pack was closing in.

It was with supreme relief that we realized they were only coming to investigate our pup...not eat him. As a matter of fact, they actually became almost playful, pacing along beside us as we strolled next to the fence, watching them.

Luggie, on the other hand, was....in the way of puppies....completely oblivious to the fact that had he been in the wild, he would most likely have wound up being the main course at dinner.

Absolutely fascinating. Incredibly unnerving. Totally terrifying. Nature is an awesome thing.

The Barn Project Update #2

Since I apparently have a couple of days to kill between gigs, Keith decided it was time to make me earn my keep, and drug me up to work on the barn. Today, it was time to see if we could pull down the supports on the back third of the roof so that we could repeat what we did on the front this past weekend.

Unfortunately, we didn't have a rope strong enough to do the job. Out of the three I routinely keep in the back of my truck, we wound up popping all of them. Nothing to it but to bring

the chainfall back up on our next trip so we can

do the job properly.

In the meantime, we did manage to get a great deal of the lumber sorted and ready for transport, a trailer-full loaded, and all of the

floorboards pried up....including a lot that were termite damaged on the second floor. I'll leave it to you to imagine how it feels to know that the second-story floorboards you have been trusting your entire weight to turn to powder....literally....when you try to pry them up. Unsettling, to say the least.

At the end of the day, we loaded up the tools in the bed, hooked up the trailer, and tried...I say tried...to climb in the cab to go home. Unfortunately, my seat had been confiscated by one hot, tired, and apparently sleepy puppy, who had taken refuge in the shade while we toiled like....well, you know....in the broiling July sun.

When God Closes a Door....

...somewhere, he opens a window!

I am happy to report that, although my position with the rehabilitation and physical therapy company in Bristol has gone south in recent weeks, my subsequent job search has paid off. A headhunter picked my resume off Monster.com to fill a contract position with the Veterans Administration in Johnson City, and this morning, I officially cleaned out my desk and turned in my key to the office in preparation for starting my new job with the VA on Thursday. I'm very excited about the possibilities inherent in this position. Although it's a temporary contract position, the money I will be making is incredible, and the potential exists for it to last at least a year....maybe longer.

And even if it doesn't last that long, it will at the very least allow me to get my foot in the door. With my ear to the ground, hopefully I can make enough connections to find a permanent hole to crawl into.

What an exciting time to be me!

The Barn Project Update

Sunday morning....yet another beautiful day to be able to work on our ongoing demolition. The deconstruction process is going quite well, what with Keith going up during the week some while I've been at work. He has managed to all but completely remove the outer siding, except for the little bit that is dangling from the very top.

Keith also managed to tie a rope to the posts that were supporting the front third of the roof, and you can see from the above pic, that part of the roof is now dangling, seemingly waiting for a stiff wind to just come along and blow it down....not.

It's actually on there a LOT more securely than it looks, and we wound up having to take a ladder and a chainsaw up to the second floor to cut the supporting beams loose so we could drop the roof section. It took the better part of the day....but we finally did manage to drop it.

I know I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating how incredible the workmanship in these old barns actually is. In the below pic, you can see the wooden yokes that were set in place to hold the cows while they were being milked.

And on the same row, at the other end of the barn, the metal equivalent is mounted. I wonder which came first....the metal, or the wood?

It's really getting sadder every time I come up with Keith....I hate to see the old girl go. She must have been truly magnificent in her day.

A trip to the park...

Such a beautiful day....perfect for decompressing after the exciting events of this weekend! So Keith and I packed up the truck and headed for Sycamore Shoals...with our favorite pup in tow, of course.

It's amazing how well Lugnut has responded to the treatment he's been given by his new vet, Dr. Lane. She's an incredible vet, and it's very obvious that she, along with everyone on her staff truly cares about her patients. Thank God....because if it weren't for her, I really think we'd have lost our little Luggie!

It does our hearts good to see how well he romps and plays now...even with the old guys like this beautiful German Shepherd named Champ. What a sweet-natured dog he was....and HUGE! But he must have sensed how Luggie was shaking in his paws, because he was very gentle with him, even though he could have gobbled him up in one bite and never even needed to chew.

Our boy is scared to death of the water, though. We had to do a lot of coersion just to get him to the edge of the river, and all it took for him to turn tail was getting his paws wet. Guess the river's just so big...and he's just so little, still, that it's a bit daunting. Oh, well....there is still plenty of time...and Summer...left yet to discover the joys of swimming.

The temperature of the water may have a bit to do with it, too. According to Keith, it was ice-cold, yet. You'd think it wouldn't be....I mean, it's July, for goodness sake. But that water's coming straight down from the mountains...

After spending a good couple of hours walking, wading, and playing fetch in the field, we headed home, where Luggie promptly crashed with his best friend, Callie close at hand. For such a tiny fellow, it was just one more in a long list of days filled with adventure on the Ridge.

Grandfather Mountain!

There are no words for me to describe how very excited I am to be a part of the Annual Gathering of the Clans at Grandfather Mountain. This has become the highlight weekend of the year for me, to be able to get together with all my OG sisters on the Outlander Gathering list every year. Seems like I always manage to meet at least one or two new ones, and add to my ever-growing list of met members.

This year was very strange. There were quite a few members lined up to come, but the strangest series of events kept happening to keep them away this year, newbies and regulars alike! Lori E. in SC managed to break a few ribs on a business trip, April had not one but two of her kids get married...major weddings on opposite sides of the country, one on the week before the Games, and one after....of all times! We had layoffs, out of town trips, surgeries....all to blame for no-shows. And I lost count of all the 'lack of expected funds'.

Regardless...we still managed to get three newbies down for the festivities this year, Mary Lou from PA, Rose Marie from IL came down on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, and Patty joined us later on Saturday. With any hope, they'll decide to rejoin us next year, as well!

Keith and I had already decided that we would attend the opening ceremonies on Thursday, when they have the Calling of the Clans, and again on Saturday, when we'd be able to spend a full day with all our friends. Since I had to work Friday, we elected not to go that day.

Thursday afternoon was beautiful....it was the first time in three years it didn't rain during the opening ceremonies, and I was thrilled to be able to enjoy them without having to be huddled dripping wet under an umbrella. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and positively surreal to finally be sitting there with my hubby by my side...something I've longed for at every Games I've attended. The four of us had a great time listening to the bands, cheering on the runners, and screaming ourselves silly in support of our respective Clans as they were announced.

Friday, while we locals were working, the girls elected to stay close, rather than head out to the Games without us. So while Mary Lou stayed at the hotel and caught up on her email, etc., Rose Marie headed for Roan Mountain, ready to challenge the summit. Later that evening, we all joined up for dinner at the house, courtesy of my wonderful mother-in-law. The rest of the evening was spent playing cards....a wonderful evening of great food and fun in the company of wonderful friends.

Saturday morning, we gathered the troops and headed back out to the Games, fully prepared for a day in the sun. Keith and I drove separately, and so took our folding chairs and made camp near the main grandstand to enjoy some of the highland dancing competition, cheer on the marathoners as they ran across the field, and revel in the sound of the pipe and drum bands as they marched around the track. About an hour after we got there, we were joined by the girls, and after a bite to eat and some much-needed coffee, we began our explorations into the Clan and vendor tents, with several pauses near lunch to enjoy our beloved Albannach (who Mary Lou's family happens to be friends with) and get aquainted with a few new bands in the process. Two of note: Teribus and Brother. Fabulous!

Patty and her son Joshua joined us for a few minutes late in the afternoon, and after meeting up with another friend, Angie from GA, who just happens to A.) head up the Georgia chapter of the Ladies of Lallybroch and B.) be married to a guy I went to school with, Keith and I decided to leave the others (who elected to stay at the Games) and head out in search of a real meal, which we found courtesy of the Ruby Tuesday in Boone....excellent service, by the way. ;-)

After the Games had officially shut down for the day, there was a mass concert, with all the bands participating, so while Mary Lou decided to head back to the hotel, Rose Marie, Keith and I all settled in to enjoy a fabulous evening rocking out to bagpipes and digeridoos. It was after midnight by the time we dropped Rose Marie back off at the hotel, exhausted to the bone, but incredibly happy.

Sunday was spent recouperating and traveling home....tired, happy, and although poorer in our pockets, by far the richer in friendships. I'm already anticipating next year, which I just know will be bigger and better in attendance than ever!

Sad news...

Yesterday, we had a wonderful evening filled with fun and laughter, spent with Shanna and Kyle. Tonight, Shanna and Kyle decided to load up and move back to Sarasota. Apparently, mountain living was not their cup of tea.

Our hearts are saddened by their loss, and we will miss them terribly. But we also know that like everyone else at that young age, they must find their own way in this big world. And that the paths they choose may not always be the ones we wish they would follow. Regardless, we wish them the best, and hope that it won't be long before we're able to see them again.

The Barn Project

I had mentioned, I believe, in my last post that we had found a barn on Craigslist that wanted dismantling in return for the material, and after taking that trip up to Mountain City to check it out, we called the owners and agreed to take it on. Our reasoning was simple; some time, some way, all that wood and tin was gonna come in handy. At the least, all the metal could be scrapped for cash. So it was a something for nothing but a little sweat equity deal.

Fourth of July weekend promised to be

three days of clear, but hot weather, so we decided to make the best of it, and loaded up the truck with

Kyle, Lugnut and all the tools we could think of, and set out for Ground Zero....a/k/a Mountain City.

Nasty does not even begin to descri

be the interior of this place. It had fallen into serious disrepair over the years, but we figured that it must have been built around 1930 or thereabouts. And in its heyday, it must have beenstate of the art. There was quality apparent in every aspect of the construction...even to the 18" wide planks of hemlock used to side it. It broke my heart to see how a once great

structure was let go to ruin. Very sad.

The rain coming in the unsheltered parts of the roof had soaked everything underneath those spots, and where there was hay, it had held the dampness and caused the wood to rot. Any place the roofing was still on, and the wood had been protected, it was solid as a rock....or so we thought. That part comes later.

We started by cleaning out what trash and mouldy hay we could from the interior so we could move around easier. While Keith went

upstairs to start removing the siding, (you can

see him here hanging out the second floor),

Kyle and I got to work downstairs with rakes and shovels, dragging out everything we could, and shoveling out what we couldn't. It was a back-breaking job. And what made it worse was

having to dodge all the rotten and mis

sing floor boards....not just to avoid steppin

g in, but to try to slide the trash and rotten hay around without it falling

in the holes.

During all this time, we had tied Luggy to a tree

near the truck so he'd have plenty of water, food and shade, but be able to supervise from a safe distance, and be close enough for us to be able to sneak over for quick pets and loves whenever we took a break. We did stop for a bit around n

oon for a nice play session, and ate a sandwich then, but then it was right back to the grind. Well....after a couple of photo ops, that is.

The sun was hot, burning the backs of our necks, and by two o'clock, we were pretty much tapped. But so much had been done that we decided we'd put in a full day, anyway.

Kyle and I had managed to get the center part of the downstairs cleaned out completely, and even swept out so we could see the floor, and had started on the dilapidated side. Keith had pulled a lot of the siding down, and we had pulled nails and stacked the best of it on the trailer, leaving the rest either for scrap, or to take another day.

Amazing how much difference a day makes, huh?

By comparing this picture to the second picture above, it's really evident how much dismantling actually did get done in one day. Hot, tired, sweaty, and sunburned, we gathered tools, wood and pup and headed home for a well-deserved rest.