With Bob and Marc in Gainesville, GA: 2014

Guess what!  This is the last (but not least) post of our October annual trip to America, finishing it all up with the Tuesday-Friday weekdays we spent with Bob and Marc in Gainesville, GA, just 30 minutes north of daughter Amy's home.

It's a long story about why Bob moved his home from Mid-Atlanta to Lake Lanier a couple years ago.

Let's just leave it that there was flooding and mold in his old condo.  All kaput.

He had been so eager to show us his new place, so we finally got to see it (bottom right).

Our first evening we walked around the Cresswind complex and saw the clubhouse, the marina, etc.

I was so impressed I forgot to take pictures.  And Astrid?

It was the first time I ever heard her say, in America, "I could live here!"

(something I've stored away in the brain's hard drive)

It's a gated 55+ retirement community on AARP's top-10 list of affordable communities.

 We totally fell in love with Bob's split-bedroom plan.  Plus all the light.

(And I should mention that Astrid took all the above pics!)

We always take a box of Trader Joe's red wine wherever we go.  It's the best.

And with our Subway-sandwich spread that first evening, we settled right in.

The next day we shopped at the new Kroger Marketplace in Gainesville, a prototype 

of a supercenter one-stop shopping that combines groceries, clothing, pharmacy, gas, jewelry 

and sporting goods under one roof.
You should see Astrid at places like this...seriously!

 And from that shopping, we had the most delightful dinner prepared by both Bob and Marc.

Lucky, lucky Astrid and me!

Afterwards, Marc (light blue) taught us how to play Aggravation (aptly named, I might add).

We even had popcorn!

 Thanks to Bob for the above images.
How often do we get to see both of us together like this?!

Do we really kiss that often?  Yes, we do...still, after 5 years together.

 One day we took Bob and Marc to their favorite pizza place for lunch.

It so happens to be on the Gainesville square (city center in the South).
We NEVER have pizza, so this was a treat for us.

Again, from Bob (thank you) and still kissing, I see.
(It's quite hard for us to stay serious for long.)

Afterwards, we walked around the square (city center) to see the sights.

We loved the planet exhibition from one corner to the other.

And once again, Bob did his thing...a "new one" for us, to see us together like this.

(Thank you, Bob!)

During our time we met two different couples from the Cresswind community.

It made us realize how important communities are, like where we live here in the Netherlands.

Bob and I go back to the 1990s.  That's a long time.

And because Thanksgiving is soon approaching, how better to celebrate friendship than with PIE.

I'll eat to that...sealed with another kiss!

 Thank you, Bob and Marc!

Our 2014 America Trip: Overview

Has it really come and gone so quickly?  We're packed and have a couple more hours before we leave for the Atlanta airport for our flight back home to the Netherlands.  So while we're waiting, here's a bit of an overview, from collages I put up on Facebook.

 As you surely know by now, we fly back in October because Nicholas still wants to go to the fair!

This was his first year to take a school buddy, which actually changed everything!

We all rode the skylift together, first off, with them in front of us, of course.

Then they AND we were off on our own till it was time for supper.

The menu is always turkey legs and roasted corn.  Hard to beat.

While the boys were going on all the crazy rides, Astrid and I had a photo op!

(Remember, this is just an overview!)

And just before going home, we had our prerequisite homemade ice cream.

It was the best fair ever!

 You know I can eat that boy up, now 14, a freshman in high school.

And what I love so much is how much he and Astrid are bonding.

You can't fake that!

This year she had her new iPad4 waiting for her.

And guess who taught her everything she needs to know!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Remember Bob and Peggy from just south of Atlanta?

We spent 5 days with them, while the kids worked and Nicholas was in school.

We love our little side trips with them around the backroads of south Georgia.

The Laurel and Hardy Museum is in Harlem, GA, which I didn't even know existed.

Oliver Hardy was born there in 1892.  Who knew?!

Nearby we visited Monticello, GA, where My Cousin Vinny was filmed.

The Two Yutes Tuna at the nearby Sac-O-Suds is their best seller.  HA!

We also spent a day, with picnic, at the nearby High Falls State Park in Jackson, GA.

(Those pics will come later, I assume.)

We were there to see the full, hunter's blood moon on Tuesday the 7th

with the lunar eclipse the next morning, Wednesday the 8th (bottom right).

Lucky us!  We'll never forget it.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

After Bob and Peggy's we went to the Blue Ridge mountains for our family's 5-day cabin retreat.

Talk about a room with a view!

 We even drove down the mountain to Blue Ridge, GA, to be tourists for an afternoon.

Pumpkins are my favorite time of the year!

And yes, this was another photo-op time for us as we walked around.

Amy took this on her iPhone one night while we made s'mores on the porch.  Memories.

And we always end the cabin time at a Waffle House for breakfast the day we drive back.  HA!

 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

 After the cabin, son Mark had us over for potato-sausage soup, a family favorite.

(thanks to Astrid for the images)

His cat, Piper, showed all her best sides to Astrid, the photographer.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

We even had time to spend 4 days with Bob and Marc at their lovely home on Lake Lanier.

Their Cresswind 55+ retirement community is ranked among the top ten most affordable communities 

for retirees by AARP Magazine.  Astrid says she could move there...and that's saying a lot.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Last but not least, we captured between us these 4 weathervanes.

"We're not in Kansas anymore!"  But at least there was a Hart.

Like I said...an overview, before I get home and work on the rest of the images.

Man alive.  We really packed in a lot, didn't we!