16-10-24 (Read 3/5/26)

Second time this morning that my phone has crashed. "Can't find your SIMS card." I'm really just going to have to go to the AT&T store. 

The temperature in the writing shack seems to be going down instead of up, and I can't find the instructions. I need to finish setting things up. I feel reasonably certain that it is here somewhere. 

We had Goodtimes, and Beth was here, so I was happy about that. Zak and Vivian came, they played a couple of hands of Stewardess with Beth and I. Lots of laughter. 

Michael and Faith made brownies. They've really got that down pat, now. 

Morgan, Angela, Kennedy, Tori, Josh, Beth and Beverly gathered in yard, along with all of their puppies. It was like a new generation of Goodtimes, only with puppies. 

Zak turned on the football game, and Barry and Brandon talked about one of the games. 

Michael, Faith, Noah and I played a round of Stewardess at the start of Goodtimes, and with the exception of Daniel, at that time, we were the only ones here. Noah said, "Some of my cousins are late." 

Chris stayed and got the go-cart running, and they had a lot of fun riding on it. Faith and Skyler talk to each other a lot about Goodtimes. 

Autumn brought Willo, and she had a lot of fun. 

16-09-05 (Read 5/18/26)

Labor Day Parade

16-08-10 (Opened 6/18/26)

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16-08-29 (Read 6/19/26)

Just enjoyed yesterday, and ended it feel happy --- a sense of well-being. Katelyn, the little girl I've been following on Facebook, had a good week, and is getting stronger. Tyler and I had some good talks. Autumn brought Willo for Goodtimes and we've given her the dates for them through the rest of the year. Faith and Skyler picked Willo up in the pool and played with her, and Tyler played with her a lot. (Tyler said more of the big kids need to come to Goodtimes because his brother just stays in his room, or tries to play with the little kids, which isn't much fun for him.) And we did have big kids yesterday! Angela, Tori, Kennedy, and John W were all here, and we played "Nines" together for a little while, and then Tyler joined us. Zak and Vivian came by around 4:00 or 4:30 --- they had come earlier but somehow missed us --- must have been right before noon --- they didn't see any cars, so I told them mine is usually in the pottery barn now. Vivian and I made up a potion for her grandmother --- played with the essential oils for a little bit --- and I made one for Zak, and Kennedy and I got to refill her Itzahug. Annette hadn't been sure if Skyler would make it, whether or not they would be back from their time in NOLA with Annette's mother, but they were, and so we did get to see her. John was my playground duty, and he sent me a text to let me know they were running a little late. He and Noah got here after we were in the pool, and sat together on the glider at the deep end of the pool. It was fun to watch them sitting there together, talking. Noah was sitting at the table later and when I walked by, he put his arms around me and gave me a big hug. Angela wore her new shirt --- the one Kennedy designed for her. It is so wonderful! Barry cooked a big pot of beans while everyone was here, and had fun feeding them all. 

16-03-13 (Read 7/15/26)

Once you stop trying to make it a continuance of Goodtimes past, once you realize it is a different animal all together,  you settle in and enjoy the new show.

Beverly and Barry in bonsai garden.

Chris hung out for a little while.

There was a spot, around 3:16, when I checked the clock and remembered Goodtimes past ---- when dress up clothes and craft materials and toys and glitter would have been all over the house, stem to stern. 

We could almost dispense with playground duty, except that I like for the aunts and uncles to give the kids some attention, and I like the kids to be here so that I can visit with them. 

Barry and Beverly spent quite a while in the bonsai garden together. He used to be diving or out in the shop or something during Goodtimes, but he is around more now. 

Chris came about mid-afternoon and hung out for a little while. 

Chris stopped at Waffle House with Shawn and Tyler, and Tyler got permission to come on home when he was finished eating. 

Faith and I got to visit some, and then we played Jenga. And then we played Jenga with John and Kennedy and Papa. I'll have to remember that she likes Jenga. 

We set up to play RISK but when Tyler got here they all ran out to the fledgling tree fort. Later Michael, Daniel, Tyler, Skyler, and Noah set it up in the dining room, and you could hear them laughing and talking about it. 

Barry put on "Little Big Kids," and some of us enjoyed watching that together. 

Goodtimes has almost completely morphed from its original --- a time where couples knew they could have a babysitter, and where cousins could play without too much grown up interference. Half of this centuries kids are siblings, and so already spend quite a bit of time together. It is true that Tyler, Skyler, and Noah are different in the mix, and if this were the starter group I would probably be seeing it that way. Just so different from the starter group. But, more and more I am realizing that and instead of trying to keep it the same, letting it a loose to be its own new thing. 

16-02-01 (Read 7/17/26)

I had a sort of undramatic, unstructured, wonderful weekend. 

Barry and I got to have lunch with John and Kennedy at Miller's Ale House, where we've been wanting to take them ever since we ate the Osoboko. (sp.) We had a good visit, and then went and got their Jeep to pull back here. Kennedy helped move the ramps and anything that she could do. I got to see their apartment and her painting porch and their three cats. 

Beverly and I finally got to have a little visit late yesterday afternoon, and even though our visit focused on some current stressors it was good to be together. 

Every day when I walk past the wisteria, I want to trim it, but was waiting for cold weather to take off all leaves. It finally did, and I probably spent a couple of hours shaping it up. Now I have to pick up the trimmings, but I smile at the tree when I walk by. 

And I cleaned out one of the closets. That isn't as impressive as having gone through all three of them, but it is one of them. 

And I made it through some laundry, and will probably be able to set out Barry's clothes for Gadesden tonight. ... which isn't as impressive as being packed already, but is still a chore behind me. 

I just wasn't in the mood to get stressed out about anything, and so ... I did not. 

Also got to have a nice phone chat with Johnny. 

Michael and Daniel called Saturday, so Barry went to get them and they spent the night and plowed on the tractors with him, getting ready to put the garden in. It was their first time driving a tractor. 

16-01-25 (Read 7/13/26)

I just don't think I've ever seen Daniel smile as big or look as happy as he did when he got back from going on his ride with Papa to the dirt pit. 

Goodtimes was quieter than usual, but still very good. Faith and Michael made us some brownies. Michael said that he liked to cook, so I'm going to have to remember that as part of Goodtimes. 

Kim and Faith sat at the table and colored. 

John, Michael, Noah and I played Monopoly. 

16-01-26 (Read 7/14/26)

Daniel, big smiles, after going riding to the dirt pit with Papa. 

Faith and Michael laughing in the kitchen, making brownies. Kim helping them.

John, Noah, Daniel and Michael playing minecraft. 

Playing Monopoly with John, Michael, and Noah. 

Getting to catch up with John and Kim a little bit.