Saturday afternoon we went to my sister's house (located in the suburbs of Waddy, Kentucky)....for our annual T'Giving Feast.  We had it a weekend early because my nephew Daymond and family were in from Arkansas.
  Jane (his wife) is a professional photographer, and decided to take a family portrait as a Christmas present.  Since we have not had one done in 17 years....it sounded like a good idea.   I hate to think that it was because of me being in the pics....she took over 100 shots.
  Due to taking off next Thurs and Friday, we had to go out and work for about 4 hours this afternoon to get a jump start on our work schedule for the week.
  Then in late evening, I took the dogs and headed for the cabin.  The outhouse is now completed, and the floor is about 90% sanded.  Kim and Marisa have finally decided on a paint color for the interior (light green), so, I hope to get the paint this week, and take it down next weekend so Andy can paint when it's ready.  NOTE:  THE BOSS said that I was not to do the painting!
  Kooper, the bigger dog, went off into the woods and caught a possum.  He was pretty proud of that, however, I made him turn it loose. I don't think Mama would have cared for him dragging it home to play with!
  Here is a sample of some of the pics Jane took.

Well, it was "back to normal" with work and life in general.  Got to run down to the farm on Saturday.  The cabin floor is finished except for sanding.  Biggest advance so far, is that the Outhouse is about 90% completed.

Well, I left out early Friday afternoon and went down to Cumberland Falls State Park for our annual magic Unconvention.  The fellowship, food, and shows were excellent.  Due to just sitting around till all hours in the night,( 3:00 A.M.) and getting up early each morning ( 7:30), I was totally relaxed, but, also worn out!  I didn't get to go out and take pictures though it was beautiful weather for it. 
  When I got home today (after 2 1/2 hour drive) I had to crash for a 3 hour nap.  Then, I went out and worked for about 2 hours to make up carryover work from being off Friday night.

  Check out this picture and you can decide for yourself if I was having a good time!

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Heading out Friday for Cumberland Falls State Park down near Corbin, Kentucky for our annual Unconventional Magic Convention.
Weather is supposed to be clear and warm.  Hope to maybe drive down into Tennessee and check out some places I've never been.  Have packed the camera, so, maybe will have something to show for the trip.

Got some nice weather today....grabbed camera and went out shooting some Fall colors around town this morning.

Weather past couple of weeks has been pretty cool and lots of rain. That kind of put a damper on my "camping" down at the cabin.  However, I did go down  last Sunday and shot a few pictures on  the way.
  

  Last night I took the dogs and headed for the cabin.  Though it was a terrible rainy night, I was very content just sitting back in the rocking chair on the porch, sipping on coffee, watching a DVD, listening to the frogs, crickets, and constant rain on the tin roof.  Yep.....I slept like a baby....except for the times that one of the damn dogs wanted to hog room on my small cot!
  
   A couple of weeks ago, Marisa said that we need to give the cabin a name....other than "Marisa's Cabin".  So, we decided on naming it the "Reed Cabin".
This was based upon several factors.  The first being that the part of the farm where it is located was part of the my Grt Grt Grandfather Eboneezer Reed who purchased the farm for his son Thomas Reed back around 1850.  It was then passed down to Hattie Reed Bell ( my Grandmother), then to Reed Bell (Father), to me, and someday hopefully to Marisa Reed Bell.  It was my Dad's idea to build a cabin at this location some 40 years ago, however, he just never got around to it.
  Construction is moving along smoothly.  The attached photos will show the completed front porch (along with loafing rocker), the cedar siding on front, side porch deck is done (side porch roof  hope to have done in a week or so), dry-wall is being finished up today, wood burning stove is installed and working great!

Next major project....building the outhouse!

Marisa and her friend Elizabeth (both are Nurses at Louisville Hospitals) decided to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city on Tuesday night and just "chill out at the farm".
Since the cabin is not finished, they opted to spend the night at the "Crazyman's Lodge" located about 1/4 mile up the lane. 
I dropped by with the dogs to mooch supper.

Friday night I skipped out of work early so I could get down to the farm before dark.  (Had to make up the missed work on Sunday). 
Grabbed a few supplies and the mutts, and got down to the cabin just before dark.  Was able to set up a cot in the nearly completed cabin, so to spend the night there with the dogs.  With a little portable stove, I was able to fix supper (Campbell's Soup) and hot water for instant coffee.  ( Gotta get me a drip coffee pot!)  Sat on the porch for several  hours letting the dogs run free.... perfectly content sippin on my coffee and listening to the "sounds of country"!
  Saturday night I attended a 60th Birthday Party for the graduation Class of 1967.  This is the 3rd reunion of sorts that we've had in the past 3 years.  Which is odd, because we never did much as a group in High School, only had a 10 year reunion (which few people attended) and then our 40th which was well attended.
  Got the pleasure of getting to work about 3 hours Sunday, then about 5 hours on Labor Day!  Kim and I went to Lexington for a cook-out Monday Evening.  This is the first "social event" we have attended in about 3 years!
 

Here is a small compilation of some video clips of Marisa in 1990 

Well, the cabin construction is moving along fairly well.  Finally got the front porch flloor and cedar support posts installed.
Last Friday night right after work, I got the dogs, ran by a little country store to get my supper (two bologna sandwiches) and headed for the farm.
Got up to the cabin and let the dogs run free....while I kicked back in the rocking chair on the porch and started "unwinding"!
It was so peaceful just watching the moon creep slowly across the sky and listening to the to the crickets, frogs, an occasional deer cough, and even the chorus of coyotes up on the ridge.
  I did not bring a cot or sleeping bag, so, around 10:00 P.M., we headed up the lane about 1/4 mile to spend the night in the "Crazyman's Lodge".
Had to get home Saturday afternoon to work on my fishpond...and then "work cleaning up after a Wedding Party"...that was from 11:00 till 3:30 a.m.!
Sunday P.M. was on my way to Lexington when fuel pump went out on my truck....ended up costing $703 !!!
  Marisa came in to town on Sunday afternoon, so we were able to put some chimney flues in her car and take them down to the cabin. 
  It was her first time down there to see the cabin.  She really seemed impressed with it!

After a long grueling week at work, on Friday night, I once again threw the mutts in the truck and headed for the farm.  Due to the late start, I didn't get down there in time to get pictures of the cabin.  Then I ventured on up to the "Lodge", but, there were some other folks there for the night.  They were down for the opening of "Sqirrel Season".  Sat around and "shot the bull" for awhile, then ventured on down to the tennant's house to see Andy to check on "cabin status".
Agreed to meet at Lumber company on Monday to purchase more supplies.  Headed for home around midnight.  Got on computer till around 2:00A.M.

Saturday morning, crawled out of bed around 10:00A.M......COFFEE and PAPER!  Again, threw the mutts in the truck and headed down to Owenton to make a bank deposit.  Treated mutts to Mc Donald's double cheeseburgers for lunch.  Then back down to the cabin to take some updated pictures for Marisa.  She had decided Friday to go down there with the dogs and a good book.  However, after going only about 5 miles out of town, she realized that she forgot to get her gate key back from me....so, it was ...back home to waste away the day!

As soon as I finished work Friday evening, I zipped home, grabbed the dogs, a few Pepsis, and a sandwich, then headed down to the "Crazyman's Lodge at the farm.
  Got down there just about dusk.  Checked out the cabin and could not see any progress from last week.  I let the dogs run free as I drove on up the old road to the "Lodge", and they loved the freedom to run.
  After I unlocked the place, I just settled down on the side porch in a comfortable chair and "mellowed out".  My biggest exersion was to go inside and make a pot of coffee. 
  I was able to just sit back and listen to the crickets, tree frogs, a Screech Owl, some deer across the creek, and a couple of coyotes.  There was an almost full moon, which lit up the valley, and cast some eerie shadows by the trees.
  As I sat there on the porch, I remembered some of the ghost stories told to me about the "old house" that once stood on the site where
I was sitting.  It didn't take me too long at all to change my thoughts to "other things"!
  Crashed out around 11:00, and got up around 8:00 on Saturday morning.  Finished up the coffee and headed for home.

 A Saturday night party in West Liberty, KY.... A bunch of music and even a little magic!

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YouTube - Potter Party
  

Each Memorial Day Weekend, we celebrate the Owen County Magicians Convention.  This was our 12 th year.  It started with 3 magicians just hanging out down at the Crazyman's Lodge on my farm in Owen County.  This year we had 18 attendees.  It starts on Friday night and ends on Monday afternoon.  Most folks leave out on Sunday morning , but, Edgar Hume, Gary Burgdorf , and Self stay the extra day just to "unwind" a little more.
  The video clip shows part of Gary's Ring on String Routine, and also some of the music the guys were playing. 

Well, the last video worked....here's another one.   

I guess you might say that this is an experiment using the "video" part of this blog.
This is a small slideshow I did last year showing the beauty of Elkhorn Creek here in Central Kentucky. 

Got up early, again, let Hardees fix my Breakfast.  Went out and did a little "catch-up work.  Home for shower, then went to funeral for an old friend from back in the early 70's.  Saw a lot of folks that I had not seen in many years.  One of those folks came over and sat down to talk.  She was a very attractive young lady that looked to be anywhere from 35 to 40 years old maximum.  She mentioned that she "remembered" my old '59 Ford...(which I got rid of in 1968).  That had me very confused!  Turns out, when she said her name, I remembered her....however....she is actually 57 years old....and she looks as good now as she did "way back then"!
  Threw the dogs in the truck and headed down to the farm to check on the cabin, and to just "kick back and relax".
Has part of front porch built.  Having to wait for road to old barn to dry up some so he can get the floor boards for the porch.  Bought a used generator for the cabin for $100.
  I went up to the Hunting Lodge and just sat back on the porch and "chilled out" for a couple of hours while the mutts checked out the countryside.
They got their fair share of exercise, because they both are laying at my feet right now sound asleep.

Saturday Morning started as usual....let Hardees fix my breakfast...got extra order of Bis and Gravy to put in fridge for Sunday Brkfst!
Went down to farm and checked on cabin.  Has the two doors and one window in so far.  Hope to have the other 5 windows in by next weekend.
Andy (the guy building it) has had to "rework most of the windows and doors, because they are used.  Like the Franklin Stove, I got them at a "can't beat price"......FREE !!!   Then went over to the "Crazyman's Lodge" (the hunting lodge on the farm) and visited with one of the hunters that brought his wife and granddaughter Allie) down to "rough it" for the weekend.  Allie is no stranger to the place, her mother was down there "roughing it" the night before Allie was born.  And, she has been a regular down there every chance she gets.  She is now 13 years old, and got her first buck down there at the farm when she was 11 years old.
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Sunday July 19, 2009 :  Exactly 100 years ago today, my Mother was born in a log cabin in Henry County.  I went down to the cemetery to visit her and Dad's graves.
  Got home and actually cleaned on basement....offered to help clean upstairs, but boss said she wanted to do it (even one handed).  Guess she wanted it done correctly!
  However, I was able to help fix supper...shucked the corn... threw shucks over the fence for the cows...and did the grilling.  I even washed the dishes and put them away!  Hell, I even filled the ice trays and changed the toilet paper rolls!

Weekend didn't start off real good.  Went up to Louisville to help Marisa (daughter) move into a new apartment.  Actually, I just drove truck....(and not all that well as you'll see)...hired 4 young guys to do the carting around the boxes and furniture up narrow stairs to the 3rd floor!
  When in process of backing up truck...wife jumped behind truck to "catch a ramp" that had come loose...and got knocked down before I could stop truck.  She ended up with cuts and bruises on arms and legs...and a broken wrist! 
  Of course, being tough, and "in charge", she refused to go to hospital until Marisa and her friend got home from work about 7:30 that night...and both being nurses...made her go to the E.R.
  She now is sporting around her broken wrist (in two places) in a nice cast...and will be that way for about 6 weeks!

  Saturday evening, I went down to the farm to check on the progress of the building of a cabin for Marisa.  It now is under roof.