DECISIONS!

It's been a week since my last post. It's not that I have nothing to say, I just haven't found the time to connect to that inner voice that tells me what to put down. I guess I finally connected.


I am very excited. We're heading up the mountain to Bear Bottom this weekend and bringing friends. Plans include canoeing, hiking, a play and of course eating. One of our favorite pastimes. Eating. Isn't it funny how so much of our lives revolves around food?



One of the questions my wife and I pitch back and forth almost daily is, "What's for dinner?" I do most of the cooking in our household so the question is usually directed at me. It's been that way for all of our married life. She cleans, takes care of my clothes, even mows the lawn (don't go crazy, it's a very small yard) and I cook. I think I have the best part of the deal. I do more than just cook. I also do the grocery shopping and decide WHAT we are going to eat. Not an easy task. Sometimes that's the hardest part. Deciding. But life is like that anyway, don't you think? Often the doing is the easy part, or at least the most fun, but the deciding can take forever and can be almost like work. It shouldn't be if you decide with passion.



Take this weekend for example. When we bought our mountain place I jokingly self-inflicted myself with the title Activities Director. I even have the t-shirt to prove it. I'm usually the one planning where to go, when we'll get there, how long we'll stay, etc. My only orders for this weekend were that we wanted to "DO" something. Like sitting on the front porch rocking with a cold beer in your hand isn't DOING something? Anyway, the decision making process started. What to do? Canoeing was suggested. Which outfitter do I choose? How long a trip? What time, morning or afternoon? See, DECISIONS. And just over something so small and fun as a little float down the New River.



Life is very much a continuous checklist of decisions. (Pay attention little Emrick.) What's for dinner? Where will we live when we're married? Will we have children or not? Will we buy a place in the mountains or continue just traveling around in our camper seeing other parts of the country? If it's the mountains, where in the mountains? I think we made the right decision. Alleghany County is beautiful and we couldn't be happier with our decision to buy here. I'm really looking forward to learning more about the area and it's people and getting to know more of the locals. So far we have met only a handful of people and they all seem very friendly and excited that we have chosen their community for our weekend retreat. We certainly are.




This weekend should prove another star on the chart for Alleghany County and Sparta. The play we are to see, Alleghany Lives, (http://www.sparta-nc.com/ACT/) is being presented by the Alleghany Community Theater this Friday and Saturday at 7pm with a Sunday Matinee at 2pm. The performances will be held in the Sparta School auditorium. The link above will give you all the details except ticket prices. They are $5 and available at the door. (I had to dig to find that out.) The play is based on the history of Alleghany County and I am looking forward to absorbing as much as I can. If you're in the area and don't have any plans this weekend why don't you join us. And if you're you're from the area stop me and say hello. I would really love to meet you.


You'll recognize me. I'll be the one grinning from ear to ear.
After all, I'm in the mountains for the weekend. Why wouldn't I be happy?