Nothing Better than Family/Friends --and a Great Granddaughter

George, me,  Kelly,  Janet (May 26, 2018)

Dear Friends,    What an awesome month and a half George and I have had!!!!!  It's been all about catching up with family and friends.... Today I will share with you some of the many photos we have taken!!!!!!   Hope you enjoy seeing my HAPPY face as I share my family and friends!!!!

The picture above is George's sister,  Janet,   and his daughter,  Kelly.  They came for a visit and a meal with us Saturday,  May 25.  This picture was taken in our backyard on the deck.

At Bert and Mark's new home --on Mother's Day,  May 13;    Bert (on left) and Mark now live in Maryville, TN.  I love having them so close to us now since we get to see them more.   If you missed my terrific Mother's Day Blog Post,  click HERE.

George, me,  Diana, Mark  (May 20);    Mark's special friend from Texas came to Tennessee for the weekend,  and Mark brought Diana to see us!  This photo was taken on our deck in the backyard.  To read more about Diana's visit,  click HERE

My God-daughter,  Cathy,  and her three beautiful daughters,  came to visit on May 30th.
First Row: George, Cathy,  Betsy,  Bert
Second Row:  Mark, Rhiannon,  Deirdre,  and Aine 

Cathy and hubby, Rich,  live in Texas --and stopped by to see us after attending a wedding in PA.   Cathy and her Mom (also named Cathy) lived with us for several years when Cathy, Mark and Jeff  were teenagers.   We lived in New Orleans and then in Houston during those years (1980's-90's).   Cathy was the daughter I never had... AND it was GREAT to see her all grown up with fantastic kids of her own!!!!!!   We had a wonderful evening catching up when they were here...  SO much laughter and fun---and oh, the memories!!!!!

I love this picture of Pappa (Granddad Mark) with his granddaughter,  Vivi Lee  (May 27, 2018)

*************************************
AND HERE IS MY FAVORITE PART:

GRAMMY MEETS HER PRINCESS

George and I drove to Seven Devils,  North Carolina on Sunday,  May 27,  for a WILHITE REUNION...  The only problem was that 2 of our 3 sons couldn't be there.    BUT---there were LOTS of other family members, and we all had a wonderful day together.  Thanks to Mel and Sally for hosting this big group!!

This was my first time to meet my GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER,  Vivian Lee (Vivi)... Oh My Heart ---what a beauty!!!!! She was 4 1/2 months old when I met her on the 27th...

Look at Vivi giving this ole Grammy the 'eye'....... ha ha 

Vivi and Grammy had to have an important conversation!!!!!   I was trying to convince her  that she needs to go home with ME!!!!!   Somehow though,  her Mom and Dad  (Brooke and Tristan) don't think that would be a very good idea.  Ha!!

My favorite picture!!!!!!!   Funny-looking Grammy made Vivi SMILE!!!!!!!  Isn't she just adorable?

ANOTHER SPECIAL DAY FOR THIS MAMA:

Me,  Jeff  (youngest son, born in 1971),  Mark (middle son, born in 1970), and Bert (oldest son, born in 1963),  and Jeff's wonderful wife and my daughter -in-law, Dawn

This past Sunday,  June 3,   George and I,  Mark, and Bert  all traveled to Georgia for a day with  Jeff and Dawn at their beautiful home...   Having all three sons together is such a blessing..... Jeff and Dawn fixed us a fabulous dinner---and we enjoyed chatting/chatting/chatting...  Pure JOY!!!!

When I put this picture on Facebook,  I apologized to my friends that the photo was so foggy-looking.  Let's just call it 'soft focus'..... ha ha .....  NO--really what happened was that the camera had been in an air-conditioned house,  and when we went outside to get some pictures in the heat/humidity after the rain,  not only did my glasses fog up --but so did the camera!!!!!  Sorry!!!!

We have another special event coming up on Monday (June 11).  Bert is taking George and me  (and maybe Mark--if he doesn't have to work) to the Smokies  (Elkmont) to see the FIREFLIES....  (I call them Lightning Bugs.)   That should be amazing!!!!!

Well--- this is some of my wonderful family and part of George's.   Prayers for George's brother, Ken,  who lives in Indiana and has cancer.   Thanks....   My health is better --but I'm still struggling with A-Fib (which limits what I can do)... BUT--the key word is BETTER.

Have a great week...
Hugs,

Emoticons

BLOGGER COMMUNICATION ISSUES

Dear Blog Friends,   I am not sure what is going on with Blogger/Blogspot ---but  I have lost contact with most of you....  First of all,  I don't know about you,  but I use EMAIL as my main communication with Blogs..  I know that I'm an old woman --and that many people don't use email anymore like I still do...  I love it and it is convenient.   AND it is a great way to COMMUNICATE.

As of now,  I have the following issues/problems:
1.  I am getting NO BLOG POST EMAILS from any of the people I follow via email (about 30 of you)... (NOTE:  I am getting emails from Word Press friends, so this is a Blogger.com problem.)   When you publish a post,  I would get the announcement on my email.  I find that it is so easy to get your posts this way --and I can then click and visit those posts through my email....  Simple and convenient!!!   Now I feel as if I have lost TOTAL contact with many of you.

2. I am NOT getting your BLOG COMMENTS via email now either...  I can read the comments ONLY if I go to my blog post.   When I got them on my email ---I could easily respond to you especially if you asked a question.    I also have been keeping your blog comments in folders --so that I know who visits and who I need to visit...  This is just 'my' way of keeping up with friends... Now --this option seems to be gone.

3.  My posts are not automatically going on Google+  now like they are supposed to....   I don't use Google+ much --but do have some followers on there.    They can't get my posts IF the posts are not published on Google+.

I have been on Blogger HELP --and have presented my issues there.  Their answers have not helped at this time... I even had to go back into my settings and re-add my email, etc..  --but still no changes...  I'm not sure who else is having this problem.   I did find one other person who is having the same issues as I am..  BUT---that's it so far.

I know I haven't blogged as much as I used to (since I blogged every day for years)--but I still like to blog about once a week when possible.  AND--even when I couldn't comment on your posts,  it was easy for me to read them.    BUT--now that my communication possibilities have changed,  I truly don't know what to do...

It seems as if my only option is to add all of my email friends back on my Followers List --and then keep up with you through that list on my dashboard.   I do not keep my followers' list on my blog --and don't like doing it that way.  I also don't like Feedly and some of those options...  I felt as if I had the perfect system for me ---which is now GONE.  I am just disgusted that Blogger makes all of these changes without thinking about what it may do to us...  IF it is all about ways we communicate with each other,  why are they taking that away????    Maybe it's truly time for me to hang it all up!!!!!       (Maybe this is just an error from Blogger --and maybe they will fix it...  I'm HOPING!!!) Any suggestions or thoughts????

By the way,  I did publish a neat IRIS BLOG --which some of you had requested that I do... Nobody much as seen it yet... Check it out if you can!!!!   Thanks.

UPDATE:  Finally,  after writing this post,  I got a note from Blogger saying that they are 'tweaking' their email program --and it should be up and running sometime next week.... (We'll just have to wait and see what comes back!!!)

Hugs,

Emoticons