Well Sunday was another awesome day with great weather conditions, great worship and then out to lunch with our friends Jake, Katelyn and Skylar. We went to the The Pines for a change and had their buffet which was mainly fried and barbecue chicken, smashed taters and gravy, a beef patty in gravy and baked beans and boiled cabbage, rolls and all you cared to to eat for 9 bucks. They can not get help so the salad bar is no longer and we have learned due to this shortage of help several more eatery's have closed their doors in this town especially on Sunday's when most all church folks go out to eat. Such a sad situation. Their fried chicken was delicious which I seldom ever get at home and I had a couple pieces. That held us for the rest of the day until we had a lite supper of Caesar salad and a leftover brat around 6'ish.
On a somber note we learned of a once dear friend who had moved to the Nashville area in 2017 had passed away the end of 2020 in a facility due to a demential syndrome. Sam Carlan was a man who we met at Cornerstone Church along with his wife Marcia and they once owned the most historical log house in Elk Creek, Virginia. We knew and paled around with them starting in 2014 for a couple years before they decided to sell out and move to be closer to their son. We hadn't heard from them since they moved but one time in the beginning. Sam went down hill very fast to this disease which changed him completely from the person we knew causing him to be institutionalized until his passing less than 2 years after being diagnosed. Such a sad affair and we spoke with Marcia for an hour or so yesterday afternoon after getting a text the night before of Sam's passing. Marcia was looking at some pictures and saw us in them and decided we should know of Sam's passing and the circumstances. We are still in shock of that news especially since Sam was close to Nancy's age.
I started Sunday morning with my usual routines and then some quiet time on my solo morning hike to the top of the mountain. Worship was good both there, on line with BridgePoint and at Cornerstone as we met with a really nice crowd with lots of new faces among the group. We did see many familiar faces at the Pines eatery as well before heading home. I tuned into the Ray's game which was on TV since they were playing the Orioles in Baltimore. Once again the bats for the Ray's came to life in the later innings after being down for most of the game with a big come back win and swept over the Birds.
After our conversation with Marcia we decided to eat a lite supper them take a golf cart ride to the top where we learned Ben was having some faint issues and was taken by ambulance to Sparta. He is on some of the same heart meds that Nancy is on for a racing heart. On a lighter note Paw Paw was being transported back home with Pat after an overnight stay at the VA in Martinsburg, W.VA. Everyone else seems to be doing fine or as well as can be expected due to their ages and issues.
I spoke with an old trooper buddy who was the best man at our wedding in 1979. He too had some serious almost grave heart issues a few years back but has now recovered completely. He has his first grand child and is in love. I'm trying get him out of the panhandle of Florida for a visit. He loves the mountains but as far north as he can get is Jasper Georgia where his son has some acres. He and his wife Jan are doing O.K. and love being grandparents. I broke him in as a rookie when he came on patrol back in the early 70's and eventually he moved away in 1980 to north Florida. Haven't seen him since and it was good to hear his voice on the recorder on my birthday after 40 some years. Wow, am I getting old or what, LATER
