Greenville Newcomers and Greenville Woodworkers Guild meet

Bob and I had a wonderful morning.   We hosted 26 Newcomers for a tour of the Greenville Woodworkers Guild.   We brought about 20 items for “Show and Tell” so they could see what we have made and how we have progressed in three years.   We split the group into three sections and each section got a guided tour of the Education Center.   The pres. of the Guild also gave a brief presentation about the Guild.   Bob and I talked about how we got into woodworking and our projects.   Afterward about 14 of us all went out to lunch.

We heard many good comments about the event.   Many said it exceeded expectations and they were surprised how big it was, all the classes and training available and the complete selection of equipment they could use.   Bob and I also thought it went very well and it was a lot of fun.

You can visit the Guild on line at: http://www.greenvillewoodworkers.com/

Out and about

In spite of not feeling great we managed to get in quite a few fun activities in March.    In the OLLI newsletter they mentioned a Furman student who was doing a paper on the Confederate flag and what people think of it and she was looking for two people our age from the North to interview so we met Ann for the interview.   A very nice young woman from Georgia.   Hope we get to see her paper.

The only Olli class I am taking this quarter is Advanced Tarot Cards and have had two classes.   Good to be working that side of my brain.

One of our favorite activities is the annual Furman dance recital and we were not disappointed.   Twenty very good dance routines from ballet, jazz, modern, belly dancing, Irish dance and Indian dance.  Good variety and good dancers.

Last Saturday we were the host and hostess to an activity we planned for Greenville Newcomers and in the pouring rain had about 30 people out for a tour of the new Greenville Woodworkers Guild Learning Center.   It went very well and everyone was quite impressed and a few will join.   After that out to lunch with the group. 

Other artistic activities included the comedy musical/dance performance of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Centre Stage  which was fantastic and then the Dance Theater of Harlam performance at the Peace Center.  Those performers are not only great dancers but incredible athletes.

The first OLLI field trip was to the Perrigo factory which manufactures and packages generic vitamins and gelcaps for companies like KMart, Wal Mart, etc.  We put on our hairnets and labcoats and saw the warehouse, ingredient mixing, creation of the pill, coating the pill and packaging.   It was really interesting.  I will never look at a vitamin the same way again.

As you can see we keep busy with a wide variety of activities and still have time to sleep in till 8 or 9, take a nap, sit in the hot tub, pet the cats and watch a movie at night.   Life is good.

SC Upcountry Holiday Parties and Activities

Last Wednesday, a day where it poured rain all day, we went to the beautiful historic Poinsett Club for a Newcomers Holiday Luncheon.  The club, originally a home built around 1925, is stunning.   It is about 40,000 sq. ft, including two newer additions, a ballroom where we had our luncheon and three floors of beautiful decorated small and medium sized dining rooms.   What a mansion it must have been when it was built.   We visitied with our new friends and at our table had a lively discussion about all kinds of local issues.   The facilities definitely were 5 star.   The food was just average.

Monday night we went with our neighbors Vickie and Ed to the annual Greenville Woodworking Guild Holiday party.  There were a couple hundred guests there.   We had turkey dinner with all the fixings and then wonderful entertainment provided by the head of the John Campbell Folk School.    The school has 850 craft, art, writing classes every year.  Some for a week and some a weekend.   You can stay on site.   A very well educated historian, musician, storyteller and craftsman who told folk stories and played old folk ballad music.   Very Upcountry SC and charming.

For me the biggest part of the evening was to see the 1500 wooden toys that the members have made to donate to 14 children’s groups here in the Greenville area.  Is this impressive?

It was pretty emotional to see all these toys and realize the 4000 hours of work that went into making them and think about how many happy children will receive them.

There were many door prizes for the guests (wives).  Below are a couple examples.  I got a door prize but not one of theses, darn.   The man who made these helped Bob sharpen his new tools and taught me a little about wood turning.   He and his wife are so nice.

The bowls and ornaments are about 6″.   Guess what some of you will get for gifts next year?

On Friday we go to a special Cocktails R Us Newcomers party at a clubhouse in one of the developments and will have a band!  We each bring whatever we want to drink and a snack or dessert.   I’m actually getting some use out of the three dressy items in my wardrobe!

Saturday morning I have a neighborhood coffee party to attend and weather permitting I think Saturday afternoon we will go to see Travelers Rest Christmas Parade.  Sunday we will go to Easley (30 minutes) to see an ice carving exhibit (100 sculptures including an 8000 lb sleigh – that’s not a typo it is 8000  not 800) and then to Pendelton (another 30 minutes) to see Christmas in a historic plantation home, complete with Christmas little skits written from the information in old letters and diaries.  Sounds like pretty simple Upcountry holiday events.  Hope I can get some good photos to share with you.

My birthday is Tuesday and we might go to Asheville to see the Gingerbread Houses but more likely to downtown Greenville for dinner (have a discount coupon for restaurants there) and to see the Christmas Trees that light up downtown.   Supposed to be pretty.   Maybe a trip to a museum or art gallery in the afternoon.

Wednesday night we go to Roper Mt. with friends from Newcomers to see the Light Show there and after Christmas we go to see Hollywild Zoo 100 acre light display.   I guess we take a trolly through that area.

As you can tell there is lots going on and all of it is quite inexpensive plus we don’t have 3 feet of snow and sub zero temperatures to dress for.

Bob and I have been assembling 8 pens and pencils so as soon as he gets home with a part for the lathe we will start turning.   Wish us luck!   We have had a few mishaps already.

The world is beautiful

Here is an assortment of pretty photos I thought you might enjoy.

Biltmore Estate in Asheville

Our backyard

Show and tell at the last Greenville Woodworkers Guild Meeting
These are examples of wood turning which Bob has been learning how to do.

So far he has done some practice bowls and a beautiful little covered jar.   As soon as I put a finish on the pieces you will see photos.   Neither of us can believe how much he learned in a few weeks.

Fay and Tanya Cuddling – Tanya gets a tummy rub

Bob is SO excited about his woodworking classes

Bob is so excited about his classes at the Greenville Woodworkers Guild that he can hardley stand it.  Bob likes to research everything so he already has purchased and read many books on woodworking as well as lots of web articles and videos. I think they almost scared him out of this hobby but now he can get some hands on to give him confidence. 

We have both been looking for deals on woodworking equipment on craigslist.com but so far nothing.    He already has started a 4 night hand tool class and a 5 or 6 night wood turning class. I have a bowl he made which really impressed me to have him make it at the first class.  He says  it needs much more work but I think it looks great.  We are both going to go to an all day wood finishing seminar and he has one night  classes on routers, joiner/plainer, tablesaws and a dovetail jig class.  I think I know how he feels because I was the same way with my art classes.

A couple weekends ago we finally got the last of the boxes unpacked so now I have all my art and craft supplies out and a work area set up downstairs right in front of the window that looks out into the trees.  I ordered a couple more DVD’s on water color and have to buy a vcr/dvd  player to hook up downstairs to play my old vhs art tapes.  Now I just need to get over my resistance that I can’t paint and just do something!   Wish me luck.

It’s been a very busy fun social week!

The last week has been so busy I haven’t had time to get my photos off the camera and write in my blog.   We have gone hiking on Caesar’s Head Mountain, toured historic Kilgore-Lewis home in Greenville, attended the Greenville woodworkers guild meeting and learned all about Minwax stains and finishes, took a boat tour on Lake Lure NC, started Tai Chi classes and helped with a huge Greenville Newcomers coffee.  Bob also has been swimming and working on projects around the house and I am visiting the massage therapist and chiropractor to try to get my ankle better.

I will show and tell more in the days ahead.

Almost a year in Travelers Rest SC

Paris Mountain

There is no place like home.  It’s hard to believe we have been here almost a year.  The old saying “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” is so true.  Two months in Naples FL really made me appreciate again all the reasons we moved from MN to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in SC.  Without a doubt our “Life Part Two” has exceeded our expectations.  It has been fun using the blog to share this adventure with our friends and family.

• The weather is gorgeous.

• The ease of making new friends in the neighborhood. Most people in our development are from other places so most everyone needs their neighbors.   My first neighbor friend Kathy Hill’s son is getting married this weekend and Bob and I will play host to three couples that need a place to sleep and hang out.  We are looking forward to opening up our home this weekend to these new people.

• Doing a private website for our Glastonbury Village Home Owners Association has helped connect our neighborhood.

• Organization to meet new people and find new activities.

• Newcomers of Greater Greenville
• OLLIE at Furman
• Greenville Woodworkers Guild
• Meetup

You will be hearing a great deal about all the activities Bob and I are doing with these groups.

• Good medical care
• An endless list of art, theater, cultural events
• Football
• Breathtaking scenery.   I can’t wait to show off the fall colors to friends coming from Charleston and MN in October and November.
• Greenville as an award winning town:  AARP names Greenville number two in “Best places to live the simple life”.

This week was Bob’s first week in our house since he finally ended working for ING.   He is having so much fun.   I love watching him enjoy each day.