You know we had this trip back to NC planned, so that we could get tooth #3 crowned (again, yes, again) and go to Rebecca's wedding.  Well, our lot neighbors, Diana & Jack, were kind enough to fire up their Freightliner (at 8 mpg) and take us (including Sunny!) to Perry to get her esablished at the vet/kennel and go pick up the rental car.  We started off around 7:30 am.  Sunny settled right in, like she was queen of the backseat.  When we got her to the vet's, she was very good and walked on off after a tearful goodbye.  We chatted a bit with the receptionist, and of course, I had to write all her specifics out, so that she'd have an uneventful stay.  From there, we drove over to Enterprise rentals.

THERE, we saw a very little red car and a couple of station-wagon-lookin' things, one white, one silver.  I was not looking forward to the face-off about getting that little bitty car, when we'd contracted for a standard sized one.  Yeah, and RED to boot.  Well, didn't have to!!  The dude came out, went over to the pretty silver one and drove it up to us on the sidewalk!!  It was a brand-new, 2009, Dodge Journey.  Turns out to be a very nice ride!!

However, it only has 1/4 tank of gas, so, first thing, we gotta go gas up.  But, the bank's prior to the gas station, so, we make a stop.  It's now about 8:30.  We've really not gone far, have we.  Stop at the bank, make our deposit and withdrawl, and head out.  One last stop - gas and GO!

Oops!  Here we are at the gas station, but we don't have our ATM card, now, do we.  Gas up & back we go to the bank.  One HOUR later, because our account is NC, and they don't have keys to the ATM....we are all set with a new card.  So, we've been on the road now, TWO HOURS, and we've gone nowhere.  But, we got a lot accomplished!!! 

The rest of the trip really was uneventful.  Thank Goodness!  We made a stop at Ingles (great grocery store, only in GA), picked up salad & sandwich for lunch, stopped at a lovely park-like rest stop and ate, stopped at ONE gas station, for a top-off (HOW BIZARRE, to only put in $30 and BE FULL!!!), then a final stop at Abbott Farms for fresh peaches, cider, raw peanuts and a beautiful, 6.5 pound melon, and then we're at Staples' and Tim's, RIGHT ON TIME TO GO DANCING!!  I LOVE it when everything works out right!

Saw a LOT of our dear friends, got to dance and act like the fools we are, and were treated to Robert's melodious and great calling.  We even got to FISH!  (that's a TERRIFIC song he does, with REALLY quick steps and calls, and NO ONE can do it the way HE does!)  He wasn't kidding - we met lots of new people and we're really proud of him and all the club!

Wednesday, we got to dine with Roger & Carla - we cannot belive they came down off the mountain to share a meal with us, but we love 'em all the more, 'cuz they did!  And we could NOT talk him out of snatching up the bill, try as we might.  Some things just never change!  They looked great, and it was really nice catching up with them!!

Tim & Staples have been most gracious hosts — allowing us to roam freely all over town, feeding us (well!!) at our convenience, and keeping us entertained with bad jokes, funny-but-true stories all the while.  Dr. Robinson was terrific, too....she got Dick's teeth cleaned (FINALLY), so he's all shiny-smiles, and yes, MY #3 crown is securely back on its little stub-tooth.  She was so apologetic, but there was no need for that...It's not like it's HER fault.  See, a lot of people are thinkin' she's done something wrong, but lemme tell ya...

it's MY tooth that is the problem.  There's just not much LEFT to the darned thing, and there's nothing for this crown to GRIP.  The surrounding gum needs to be shortened so that there is more exposed tooth, so the crown can be deeper and cover more.  The way it is now, it's kinda like rock climbing with only your finter tips.  There's just not enough to glue!!  Well, the only way to shorten that gum is with a knife, and I'm just not willing!!  So, she's gotta work with what she's got, and it ain't much!

Anyway, after dentist, we hit Sam's club.  Silly me, thought I'd get a good lunch - nice soft hot-dog, pizza for Jose, and some samples.  WHO KNEW they'd be remodeling and not have a pizza/dog stand or anything anymore.  And, yeah, samples were mighty limited.  Sooo, no lunch for us'ns.  BUT, we DID run into Judy, exec dir., from March of Dimes, and she was kind enough to invite us to the chili committee kickoff, taking place that very night, over at Bolton Park, just 2 blocks from Staples' and Tim's house.  Of COURSE, we all trucked over there for dinner and to visit!  What a surprise that was!! (for our friends, silly, WE knew we were gonna be there!)  It was really great to chat with Kim & Craig & Teddy & Jamie & Matt again.  We even got to see our old (as in FORMER) neighbors, Andrea & her hubby & son.  THAT was really a surprise for US!  It was great to see them all so fired up & passionate over this cause and we were gratified to hear chili would go on for the 26th year!!

Well, it's about time for me to hit the showers so we can go back to JoAnn Fabrics (for the 3rd time this week!!!!) today.  Maybe, if he's lucky, Dick'll get to wander the aisles of Best Buy.  Maybe.  Gotta scoot, we got lots of places to go, and with the way we travel, it'll take a while to get there!!

Y'all be good & take care,
k