Grandma’s Visit from the Other Side

Posted November 20, 2016 by Barbara Techel

Driving home yesterday after a trip to JoAnn Crafts as I neared home, I glanced down at the clock in my car. It read 11:11am. I see that particular set of numbers quite often.

Just as the thought crossed my mind that there must be an angel with me, the song “Away in a Manger” came on the radio. And yes, I was listening to Christmas music already. 🙂 I really had no intentions to listen so soon, but we had our first light snow yesterday, and well, I guess it kind of put me in the mood.

But I digress. As soon as I heard this song I knew who my angel was! It was my grandma Pipping coming for a visit. It was as if she was right there in the passenger seat next to me. When I was a little girl, I loved when she would sing “Away in a Manger” to my sister and I. In that moment, I was there again, in her house listening to her sweet voice singing.

I do believe that our loved ones who have crossed over find ways to make contact with us. And it is usually when we least expect it. For me, it’s a feeling of deep knowing that comes over me that confirms for me that indeed, my Grandma was right there with me in that moment. I just couldn’t see her. But I felt her presence very strongly.

It almost feels like a whoosh and gush of warmth filled with pure love that moves rapidly from the top of my head down to the tip of my toes. I couldn’t help but smile and feel so loved and comforted in that moment.

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A Camping Tale. Secret Code Names.

Posted November 18, 2016 by Barbara Techel

I have to first share that John and I used to go camping every Memorial weekend when we were younger and ventured out a few other times also. At first it was in a tent and then we had a camper for a time being. It was fun, but when we decided to give it up, I was more than ready.

Maybe it had to do with buying a home and then that became a priority. Though I must say I didn’t miss sleeping in a sleeping bag in a tent — especially when it rained and was cold and damp.

So I still find myself smiling and quietly chuckling to myself that I’m so excited about this new adventure we have embarked on with converting our cargo van to a camper and plan to travel when we can with it. As many of you know, we tested it out recently for two nights and it went well.

Now phase two of the conversion begins with adding a kitchen area, storage, swivel seats, etc. which we will do over the winter months. Fortunately, John has a heated work garage so that is where the work will be done.

On our recent vacation to Tennessee we took two days to make the trip, staying one night in the van on the way down and back home again.

The KOA campground we stayed in on the way home in Shepherdsville, Kentucky was really nice. After we checked in and we were loading some firewood we bought into the back of the van, I could hardly contain my excitement about building a fire in the fire ring and excited about staying in a campground again.

I said to John, “We should have camping code names!” Where on earth I came up with that I’m not sure!

He said, “Oh my God, no. Why?”

“Well, because it would be fun!” I said somewhat still excited, but feeling a bit let down that he thought the idea was silly and I was being ridiculous.

PAUSE…………………………….

He said, “EarthWind to Bubbling Brook.”

PAUSE……………………………

We both busted out laughing!

Of course, after that, John found it funny to call me Babbling Brook instead of Bubbling. I’ve been quite adamant in correcting him each time he does, saying “I DO NOT BABBLE!” And yes, he just laughs. I do think bubbling fits my personality so much better. 🙂

So perhaps it isn’t as funny to you reading this and one had to be in the moment. But it does make me smile and warms my heart the relationship that John and I have.

We celebrated thirty-two years of marriage yesterday and I can say we are most definitely two peas in a pod. Life with him just gets better and better every day. And even our cards we gave each other and what we wrote were so similar, just worded differently, that we had a good laugh over that too.

Code names or not….I feel so incredibly blessed for this journey I am on with John.

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Northeast Tennessee – Photo Gallery – So much Beauty!

Posted November 16, 2016 by Barbara Techel

While I did share many photos on my Facebook page of our vacation, I know not everyone is on Facebook. So here is a photo gallery of highlights of our vacation to Northeast, TN. We were in the tri-cities of Johnson City, Jonesborough and Elizabethton. We also visited the art district of Asheville, North Carolina one day, which we had been to before, but wanted to go back to again as we loved it the first time. It was lovely once again! This whole vacation was full of so much beauty all around us!

On the way to TN and one the way home, we stayed one night in our Vamper – Second Chance, as I’d been writing about we were going to do. While the Vamper (a van we are converting to a camper for those that don’t know) isn’t quite done, we were comfortable and slept well. And it was a great way to give it a test run to see how we want to finish it out and organize it, which is our project for over the winter.

And a huge bonus to our vacation was that both Kylie and Gidget did so well. I was a bit apprehensive how it would go, but so pleased they did so well. And as many of my friends have pointed out to me… well, they were with you and John which is what made them feel home. Yup, I suppose that is true.

So I hope you enjoy my gallery of photos. I’d highly recommend Watagua River Cabins and this area of Tennessee for those looking for somewhere to visit. Lots to do, and again, so much beauty surrounded us. I could see living in this part of Tennessee part-time should that work out for us in our retirement years.

Enjoy!

View out the back of of our cabin - Watauga River running behind cabin. — View out the back of our cabin – Watauga River running behind cabin.

Feeding the giraffes at Brights Zoo – a conservation zoo for endangered species.

Back of our cabin which house three separate cabins

Rose bush blooming out kitchen window of cabin

Altar I built in our van during the week of our vacation. It's now in my writing cottage! — Altar I built in our van during the week of our vacation. It’s now in my writing cottage!

Another cabin at Watagua River Cabin - Johnson City, TN — Another cabin at Watagua River Cabin – Johnson City, TN

At River Art District - Asheville, NC — At River Art District – Asheville, NC

John enjoying a microbrew and watching a train go by in River Art District - Asheville, NC — John enjoying a microbrew and watching a train go by in River Art District – Asheville, NC

Watagua River higher into the mountains - or as the sign said: "Bear Country" — Watagua River higher into the mountains – or as the sign said: “Bear Country”

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