Wow! Always so fast and furious. We had the family reunion, the Saturday night hotdogs and the next thing you know you are up on Sunday morning and cooking breakfast for everyone. Thank you, Scott, Julie, Becky and Beverly as you guys do all the work. I helped but it wasn’t that much.
Breakfasts were big in the Bankhead family and although we are all Smarrs, there is huge Bankhead influence (ie: Aunt Mary Eliza Smarr’s husband- Charlie Bankhead). I wish I could say they were related to Tululah Bankhead, but I have no idea. I love my Bankhead family and they have been a bit eccentric so it is possible that there is a relationship there. Not mine, but my cousins- Becky, Beverly and Julie.
Of course Sunday was another fast and furious day. 1st – breakfast, 2nd touring the country in the convertible with Olivia and Mercedes. So love this- it is now a ritual and again – why don’t I take pictures. Here is the convertible:
Lots of fun – but of course I forgot to take pictures.
We went to Maw Maw’s – all the back roads looking to see if the Mitchells house still stood. Here is Maw Maw’s:
Following the incredible Mule ride, I believe I went to Aunt Mary’s to see Uncle Charlie. Many gathered on Aunt Mary’s & Uncle Charlie’s porch to see Charlie as he had been in the hospital. Thank goodness he was feeling better and sitting on the porch enjoying everyone.
This is the porch you always want to be on – again, extremely hectic and a bit frantic with so many leaving the school house and dropping by to see Charlie. Love this porch! Go swing in the swing at the end of the porch and wave at everyone as they drive by!
Mary & Charlie’s Porch
Plans were made to go over to Julie & Scott’s for a hot dog cook out and sitting around the fire pit that evening.
To digress -there was a time when Uncle Charlie had everyone over for Seafood boil and cooking out. Julie, I think you took on your Dad’s goals.
I must say I was pretty tired at this point, but I got over to Julie’s (where I was to spend the night) and got my stuff upstairs and got a glass of wine. I was ready. I think we went through the same ritual as we had earlier in the day – we set up tables, got the food out, set up, got drinks and chairs. Soon we ate, talked, cleaned up. Wemoved from cleaning up the kitchen to all sitting around the fire pit. That was wonderfully relaxing, and not so frantic. Lots of talk – again, all about age and getting old. Though we had kids around us who really couldn’t relate. Plans were made for breakfast the next morning. My brother requested breakfast at 8:00 am. Of course this crowd does it right. Waffles, sausage, bacon and big ol’ Paula Dean quiches (really incredible and I don’t think we even got all the ingredients into the pie shells).
Out bu the fire pit atJulie & Scott’s
Paul Dean Quiche:
Bottom layer (1/2 bag of Spinach, a lot of bacon bits (we didn’t put it all in as it so much we thought it was all in and Scott handed us a whole other plate of bacon- oops too late – that became snacks), 1 1/2 cups grated cheeses, 6 eggs mixed with heaven cream (a lot) poured over all the other ingredients) It was great but WOW! To say the least I was full until dinner that night.
Next on the agenda was riding around the country in the convertible with the girls, Olivia and Mercedes. Again, so much fun. We went the back roads to Maw Maws and to the Mitchell’s to see if that house was still standing and on the Salem Church where Maw maw and Paw Paw are buried. Always interesting –
It’s is the Smarr graveyard. Where all Smarrs go.
All that’s left is the front porch.
WE Smarr was my Great Grandfather
Maw Maw & Paw Paw
Maw Maw’s footstone look ok -thank you Olivia, but Paw’s is really being taken over by leichen.
Mercedes did some work on it, but we needed a toothbrush and stone cleaners.
The beginning – This is the end of the weekend of the Smarr Family Reunion.
What an incredible family I am priveledged to be a part of. It is always and fast and furious times but so amazing to see everyone. It is hard to spend quality time with anyone at the reunion, but there was a table of us did spend a good hour or so reminiscening and laughing hard at how ‘old’ we have all become. We are all lucky. We are all alive and not doing 1/2 bad.
I was up early Saturday morning (Oct 7th – 3:30 am) and at the airport by 4:45 am. Flight was easy and everything worked out quite well. I arrived in Charlotte at 8:30 am. I had a convertible reserved but went over to check out the cars and see if maybe I could get something a little cheaper as it was to rain all weekend. I could have, but the savings wouldn’t have been all that great. I went ahead and kept the convertible. Waited a bit to check out the car as my flight back to NYC today was later on Monday. I really did not want to return that car after 8:30 am and have to pay for a whole additional day for a few hours use. I finally got the car at 9:30 am on Saturday. Not the Mustang I hoped for but a Camero. Not bad and definitely a lot of power but just not quite the Mustang. It ended up being lots of fun however and I think the top was only up briefly.
Sweet little touring car for the family reunion
I don’t know why it took me so long to get to the family reunion. I should have gotten there around 10:30 am or so. However, I didn’t get there until 12:00 noon. I stopped at the Publix to buy my contribution, I did go the wrong direction in York through the detour, I did head towards the shopping area in York to see if I could find a liquor store, but that must have taken a max of 30 minutes total? I don’t know, but it took me a long time to get there. I must have spent an hour at the Publix. “Don’t know”.
Marsha, Mryle, Erin and rick
The reunion was fast and furious as always – people going by in a blur. People you really love but just can’t get quality time with as there are just too many to try to touch base with in too short a period of time.
Everything was set up, we prayed, we ate, and we put it all up so fast. Many left around 1 pm as it was raining, but I got to go down to Maw Maw’s and sit on the front porch with the best! Rick, you done well and your kids are incredible and have an amazing love for home and the land. Thank you so much!
Ok – the highlight was riding the mule to the bottoms with Will, Andy and Caroline. SO MUCH FUN and just incredible. No words. Will’s love for family and land is awe inspiring. Andy, your gentleness, respect and amazing eye for the intricacies of the land is awe inspiring. Caroline, your joy, fun and relationship with your brothers is beautiful. thank you all – it was lovely, and I hope to get back more often. THE MULE RIDE ROCKS!
No pictures of the old homestead this trip. Hopefully I can get some from my brother!
Beautiful day in NYC. The wind is blowing, the waves are crashing (such a great sound) in the not quite the East River. This is the passage way between the East River and the bay (Long Island)>. It is so cool you never know which way the river flows, but now tide must be going out.
My spot to relax and reflect!]
Here I sit and love to watch the currents. Today they are heading out to sea, but usually they are going their weird direction of inland. As I look , I can see that the tide is more out. More rocks exposed, so the tide is going out. I went walking in Central Park on Saturday. it is so beautiful, but always quite noisy and crowded. I have come to love my little reserve of Astoria Park. Especially on a day like to today or during blizzards. So quiet and well – I can olny say close to god at that time! I love my park!
Today I had lunch with Brandon and Devin. We all met on tour and run into each other in the neighborhood. It is always great to see them and interesting how our lives have changed but stayed the same.
It is still about changing my life and I’ll say that I am doing it slowly (very slowing), but I am taking baby steps. The problems is that much of what I love to do is bad for me. It is hard to give up what I love and replace bad habits with great habits. I have definitely been exercising more. I went to the gym 2 times last week. Not enough but much better than not going at all. Today, I was going, but now I really want to take a long walk in the park and enjoy nature. It has been raining today, but it is now crispy, cloudy and relaxing out there. I plan to enjoy some time in nature. Yesterday, I walked a lot in Central Park. It is a bit too crowded and loud. Astoria is much more relaxing.
okay! I have not at all been changing my life. I have fallen back into old habits, gained 2 lbs and feel weak, run down and like I’m just barely hanging in there. Work has been so hard this past week. Everything that could go wrong has and it was extremely stressful. I’m at a breaking point and I have to get healthier or I’m not going to get anywhere. So the plan:
Start weight watchers now- not tomorrow, start now. Exercise everyday, and this means everyday. Not necessarily hard exercise, but walking or biking at the gym. I have to add weights as I need to build mussels and stenghten my core. I love being outside so will make sure I get out a bit everyday.
Goal – lose 30 lbs by Oct 16. Then another 15 by Christmas. By my birthday I want to be down 60. That’s a lot. I’ve never had to lose that much weight before. Lots of work to do.
Currently I am 222.8- so I have really put on weight. Also, I am very unhealthy and so tired. This next week is going to be super hard with all the schedules and overtime I will need to work. Very important to get up at 6:30 every day and either walk or go to the gym. So hard, but just think how amazing next week will be. I’ll feel so much stronger. Likely I will work ten to eleven hours everyday so very important to do in the morning
Food- I need to stock up on something that will keep me honest. When I get super tired I want cookies and wine. NO!!!! I think the really good kale soup will be perfect so will cook that up today.
Here I sit in my lovely Victorian sitting room. It is incredible. Even better than I imagined. This room is in the Willows. It used to be someone’s home. It has incredible rooms downstairs for everyone to experience but each room has its own unique gualities. It was very special to stay here.
Got up and returned my lovely Jeep Grand Cherokee. It did good by me. We trucked home over 400 miles yesterday and I wouldn’t say it was easy, but it could have been a hell of a lot harder. This was my view when I left Bar Harbor. I sadly said, “goodbye”.
Last view from my room as I left.Sad to say goodbye. Lots of driving yesterday, this is what I finally came home to. Of course, the confusion of the tribbough is not something I go through everyday, but it is quite intense. This is when I am so happy not to have a car in NYC.Getting close to home. Today is all about returning my beautiful car, relaxing and getting my mind ready for work. I am actually happy to go back.
Great wat to end a fabulous vacation! Though I have just begun.
States: New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut. I must say I really flew through Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut. But there is time and more travels ahead. Time to fix up the Vanagon.
Another amazing day! I decided to stay on n Bar harbor another day and so glad I did. Yesterday it was clear but very foggy over the ocean. When I was on top of Cadillac there were only clouds except to the east. Today, it was gloriously crisp and clear. The view from the mountain was unbelievable.
Clear day from top of the mountain.
I drove to Cadillac, walked around and then went to sand beach. That is the start of the easy trail. 2 miles to otters point and 2 miles back. Of course that doesn’t take in all the side trips over the rocks. Incredible. Not sure which was best the top of zcadillac or the cliffs but it was all amazing and my feet hurt.
When I was done, I headed into bar harbor for some lobster – another big guy. It was so good but I swear I could eat more. I am back at my luxurious room, looking over frenchmans bay. It started raining a bit but still enjoying my balcony. Clouds are moving in. I took advantage of that great day. Tomorrow I hit the road. Okay another picture from my room.
Definitely a room with a view!
Okay, I woke up early this morning. Here is the sun at 4 am.
