Recent posts
Grandmother’s – March 2025
Terry and I made a whirlwind trip to Elizabethton this weekend heading out super early Saturday morning, early enough to catch a stunning sunrise, arriving mid-morning. To our utter delight
Happy Holidays – 2024
Ho, ho, ho! Here’s a little recap of our holiday season. Merry Christmas! Our annual Christmas tree outing. Getting a new iPhone at the Apple Store. While we were there,
Christmas Day – 2024
An early gift for me this year was a lingering and very annoying cold. Ho, ho, ho, hack, hack, hack. Janice, Phyllis, Chris, and Grandmother Ginny also shared in the
Million Dollar Quartet Christmas
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! To ring in the joyous season, Terry and I met up with Dad, Janice, Chris, Roy, Jax, Elijah, Josh and Jill in
Halloween – 2024
Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen,Voices whisper in the trees, “Tonight is Halloween!” Halloween makes me ghoulishly happy. I just love adding a touch of macabre whimsy around
Baby Shower – October 26, 2024
This afternoon we gathered in Elizabethton to celebrate the impending arrival of Rachel and Sean Claiborne’s baby girl, Adeline Lorraine Claiborne. It was a beautiful time to all be together
Log Splittin’ Day – October 5, 2024
A telltale sign that fall is just around the corner is Log Splittin’ Day on the Farm. By the time Terry and I arrived, Dad had been up early frying
Grandmother’s – August 2024
Friday, August 3o Terry and I set out early this morning for Elizabethton to hang out with family over the long Labor Day weekend. As a bonus, Dad and Janice
Roy’s Birthday – 2024
Happy birthday Roy-Boy! I reached back into our collective past to mark your special day with two albums to add to your growing assemblage of vinyl. We both vividly remember
Happy Birthday All – 2024
This afternoon, Dad and Janice hosted a group get-together to celebrate all of our birthdays. We met over at Edith’s Farm where they had set up a table with gifts,
First Day of School – 2024
Back to school seems to be the doomsday harbinger to the end of summer. Once again, it has seemingly flown by. Way too fast in my opinion. I feel like
Granville, TN – July 2024
It has absolutely been ages since Terry and I were able to take a little weekend getaway together. Since we were both plum tired, the parameters for our jaunt were
Grandmother’s – June 2024
We sure did squeeze a lot of fun into one whirlwind Saturday. I can’t remember the last time I was up at 4am for a road trip but I couldn’t
May the 4th Be With You – 2024
Since 2011, fans of the movie “Star Wars” have selected the day, May 4 as a way to commemorate the epic movie franchise. They tweaked the catchphrase, “May the force
Solar Eclipse – 2024
So this happened today: “Nearly seven years after the last total solar eclipse wowed Nashville residents, the 2024 total eclipse is finally here and while Music City is not in
Lunch with Olivia – February 2024
To my sheer and utter delight, Olivia Dycus just happened to be “in the neighborhood” and came to pay us a little visit. In actuality, over the years, her friends
New Year’s Day 2024
Hello and Welcome 2024! Terry and I kicked off the new year by joining everyone at the Farm for fun, food and football. Having missed Christmas Day due to an
Happy Holidays – 2023
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I’ve compiled a quick look at our joyous month of December from selecting our tree, decorating the house, getting presents under the
The Farm – November 18, 2023
Headed to the Farm this afternoon to visit and to watch the University of Tennessee Volunteers take on the Georgia Bulldogs. It was a fun-filled day. We arrived to see
Halloween – 2023
I adore fall with the turning of the leaves, the crispiness in the air and the lead in to the holidays.
The Farm – October 14, 2023
This afternoon, I hitched a ride to the Farm with Roy and the kiddos. UT was taking on Texas A&M with a kick-off time of 2:30pm at Neyland Stadium. The
Patsy’s 100th Birthday – 2023
All were invited to join the Goddard clan at the First United Methodist Church in Elizabethton this weekend to honor and celebrate Patsy and her milestone 100th birthday. Even the Johnson
Slip n’ Slide – August 2023
A simply gorgeous day for a slip n’ slide party and neighborhood potluck. Roy provided the fun: a splash trampoline, corn hole, slack line, pickle ball, ping pong, tether ball, Connect
Roy’s Birthday – 2023
Happy 50th birthday to my baby brother! For this milestone, I presented him with “Roger Waters The Wall Live in Berlin” double album which he has ruminated was possibly the
First Day of School – 2023
A lot of new beginnings this school year. In a bold move, Jax decided to transfer to Centennial High School, a highly ranked public high school just down the street
Michelle’s Birthday – 2023
Terry making me a homemade strawberry cake for my birthday. A wonderful lunch at the Caribbean inspired restaurant, Kokomo at Westhaven in Franklin with a view of the lake. Birthday
Grandmother’s Birthday – 2023
Thursday, June 1, 2023 Terry and I headed towards East Tennessee first thing this morning to mark and celebrate Grandmother Ginny’s 103rd birthday. I was so excited to be heading
Slip n’ Slide – May 2023
Roy and the kiddos celebrated the end of the school year with their annual Slip n’ Slide party. The day turned into a real neighborhood get-together. Everybody pitched in and
Janice’s Birthday – 2023
We drove up to the Farm today for a dual purpose visit. Firstly, it was long overdue as we have all been slammed with responsibilities and secondly, to bring Janice
Elijah’s 12th Birthday – 2023
Happy birthday Elijah!! What a fun afternoon of celebrating at Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park… pizza, boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, along with your favorite BGA buds.
Christmas Day – 2022
Ho, Ho, Ho and Merry Christmas! Terry and I arrived at the Farm around noon and were so excited to see the whole family. We haven’t all been together since
Christmas at Roy’s – 2022
I wasn’t sure if I would see the kiddos Christmas Day so on this cold December morn, I drove over to Roy’s to perform the role of Christmas elf and
A Candy Christmas – 2022
Candy & Jeff stopped by Sunday afternoon on their way to Chattanooga to visit their daughter Penny and her hubby Alex. Tomorrow, their plans are to drive to Atlanta to
Happy Holidays – 2022
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Terry and I made our annual trek to pick out a Christmas tree. So fun! Let the decorating begin.
BGA “Sounds of the Season” – 2022
I joined Roy this evening at BGA’s Center for Arts and Entrepreneurship to see Elijah perform Sounds of the Season with BGA’s concert band. It was a wonderful way to
Edith’s Farm – August 2022
Friday, August 19, 2022 Terry ferried me to the Gallatin exit this morning were we met up with Dad. I was to be his co-pilot as we made our way
Roy’s Birthday – 2022
Terry and I met Roy at Condado Tacos in Franklin for an early, celebratory birthday lunch. None of us had tried this spot before and we loved the colorful atmosphere.
Edith’s Farm – July 2022
Saturday, July 23 I have been looking forward to this day for weeks. Dad, Janice, Jill, Josh and Levi have worked tirelessly for almost a year renovating Bill’s home to
Father’s Day – 2022
This afternoon I headed to the Farm to bestow my best wishes to Dad on Father’s Day. I found him along with Janice, Josh, Jill and Levi relaxing on the
Grandmother’s Birthday – 2022
Thursday, June 2, 2022 This weekend, we all gathered in East Tennessee to celebrate the 102nd birthday of Virginia Norene Taylor Laws with lots of fun, laughter and of course,
Elijah’s 11th Birthday – 2022
Elijah will be celebrating his birthday at Nashville Shores Saturday afternoon with a few of his school buds but as an early surprise, Roy decided to treat him to an
Grandmother’s – April 2022
Friday, April 29 This morning I joined Dad as his co-pilot on his road trip to Elizabethton. Since Friendship Christian was more or less on Dad’s way to the interstate,
Immersive Van Gogh
If you have the opportunity to experience the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit, run don’t walk, don’t dilly dally, don’t lollygag, run to experience this amazing event. It is difficult to
Chattanooga – March 2022
Are there two more lovelier words in the English language than spring break? This week, the kiddos enjoyed their annual respite from tutelage by sleeping, eating, skateboarding, going to the
Grandmother’s – February 2022
Terry and I pointed the car towards Elizabethton this morning and hit the road. We haven’t seen Grandmother Ginny and Phyllis since Andi’s wedding last October so I was tremendously
Christmas – 2021
Merry Christmas to one and all!!! I so missed being with everyone last year due to the pandemic so this was an exciting and wonderful day! Dad and Janice planned
Cookie Day – 2021
Today was our annual Cookie Day get-together and what a wonderful time to share the joy and anticipation of the season. Last year, the Covid pandemic put our Cookie Day
BGA “A Holiday Concert” – 2021
This evening we gathered at BGA’s brand new Center for Arts and Entrepreneurship to watch Elijah perform with the 5th and 6th grade concert band for BGA’s, A Holiday Concert.
Thanksgiving – 2021
Happy turkey day! It’s a cool, gray and rainy day but I can’t wait to celebrate Thanksgiving. After a year of celebrating holidays without family, this is long overdue. This
Wagon Wheels a-Rollin’
Introducing Miss Laws as the school marm, Minerva Springwell in the middle-school production of “Wagon Wheels a-Rollin”, a rollicking pioneer adventure. The play was charming, funny and had several, great
Just getting around to re-posting...
Thanksgiving – 2014
A beautiful day was custom ordered for Thanksgiving and I was so excited to be spending it with family. And what a wonderful gathering: Grandmother Ginny, Phyllis, Bill, Josh’s mom
Pumpkin Day
Since our planned pumpkin patch day was cancelled due to rain and an inhospitable cold front, Dad and Janice decided to host a Pumpkin Day at the Farm. Terry’s mother was feeling
Thanksgiving – 2011
Happy Thanksgiving! What a perfect day for food and family. The weather, sunny and clear in the upper 50’s, was a picture perfect fall day. Terry, Shirley and I arrived
Remember when...
Superbowl LI – 2017
Today we drove up to the Farm to watch Super Bowl 51, an epic battle between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. It was a gorgeous day, perfect for
The Farm – October 2014
“The best laid schemes of o’ mice an’ men oft go awry.” This famous quote by Scottish poet, Robert Burns and the inspiration for the title of John Steinbeck’s 1937 classic
Chink-a-chink-a-chink
Chinking: The material used to fill chinks (i.e., long cracks, openings, or fissures), especially between logs that form the exterior walls of log cabin construction. Where the cracks are small,