Friday, January 4, 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


Seven of my African friends and ten friends from Tennessee joined me at the cabin for New Year's Day! Ed Williams brought his accordion and my brother Lowell brought his new Christmas present, a Fender "Starcaster" guitar. Well, I think "Starcaster" is the right name. We had a wonderful time of singing traditional southern gospel, interspersed with a few African choruses.

For a 10:30a.m. brunch we had grits with bacon and eggs, sausage, gravy, biscuits, "Sand Mountain" syrup, coffee and hot tea. This was all served up in royal style on royal paper plates! Also, my son-in-law, Curtis, cooked hot dogs and chicken on his new portable gas grill. (The dogs were great Curtis! Sorry - but I was too stuffed to try the chicken.)

After brunch for those who were still hungry we had made a dutch oven full of chili which stayed in the fire a little too long - but that did not seem to deter everyone from eating. It only took me an hour to scrape the burnt mess out of the bottom of that pot! My personal thanks to my friend Ed Williams for doing more than his share of cooking and cleaning up. Thanks to Mike, Ed's son, for cooking the three pounds of bacon. Also to my sons-in-law, Curtis and Rick Durham for their cooking skills and their helpfulness with the clean-up. I must add a big Thank You to God for making it possible for us to have this place to relax.

And I must tell you about the African's reaction to guns. At first about half of thm did not want to shoot any gun at all. Peraps that is because I started them out first with the .30 calibre Marlin. When they heard the loud report of the first shot ringing in their ears they all jumped back, with that wide scary eyed look and began to protest the noise. But then when I changed to the .22 and demonstrated the ease with which it can be shot they all finally joined in. Some even liked it...and one loved it! Wish all of you could have been with us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you!

5 comments:

L A Brannen said...

Fred, thanks for letting me be in that number. I may have looked like I was in pain but really, Ionly felt the pain when I tried to do anything with my leg. I could just sit still and play the guitar or talk and I felt as good as you would expect. The next day I was much better and yesterday still better. I now have only a very slight hint of pain when I move my leg in the wrong manner. I will find out Monday or Tuesday the results of the sonogram (I think that's what it was) that the doctor ordered for me to take on Thurdsay.

We did have a good time and thanks again.

Corky Alexander said...

Fred,

A Jedi is a special elite order of warrior in the Star Wars trilogy. It is something like a Navy Seal or Green Beret.
Happy New Year! Looks like you all had a good time.

K E Alexander said...

Sounds like a real Men's Day Out!

Fred said...

Thanks Corky! I knew it had to be some word describing a very personable and skillful leader. I appreciate you both.

Fred said...

GoodNight! I tried to edit the pictures and really messed this one up. O.K. I'll try to correct.