2001

Wesley dropped by on New Year's day and took us for a ride to Home Depot in the limo he was driving.

We entered the new year from the coldest December since 1963, and the new year started the same way. We have had a little snow on the ground for almost two weeks, the longest stretch of visible snow in my recollection. One of the benefits is the beauty of the snow and ice formations. Even ice on the windshield shows some beautiful patterns.

On February 16 we had a severe storm which moved through the area, and we rejoiced to come through it safely.

We didn't get power back until the next morning, but were glad to get it then so we could prepare for our Sunday School class to come Feb 17 for a chili supper.

We have come to celebrate Mardi Gras because it brings Jeff and Darla and the girls to us for a visit. They arrived in the wee hours of Feb 23. It was a busy weekend. Rod had three boys in the associational RA Racer competition on Saturday morning.

Brenda and Rod went out to visit with Philippe and Mary Sue on Sunday afternoon. They were babysitting with little Ethan.

Rod, Johnny Huffman, and Ray Collier, Jr. took the RA's to Sweetwater Creek Park on March 31 for their monthly RA outing.

The Easter Pageant at First Baptist Church Mableton was a major occupation of the first two weeks of April.

Mark and Rod worked on plumbing at Bent Tree and made plans for spring repairs. We got to see a scarlet tanager - the first I had ever seen.

Brenda and Rod mark the passing of Rod's beard as a celebration of the end of the term at GSU.

Rod's HyperPhysics gets a review in the May 11 issue of the prestigious journal Science.

Dorothy, Suzanne, Mandi and Garrett represented 4 generations on a visit to us the first week of June. Among their excursions was a trip to the Coke Museum and the Varsity.

We had an RA Campout on a lake between Rockmart and Rome, June 8-9. RA leaders: Rod, Johnny Huffman, Mark Bryant, Ray Collier, Jr.

Darla drove up with Ashleigh and Jordan on June 20 for a couple of days and then joined the Moyle family for a vacation trip to Bethany Beach, Delaware. Brenda and Darla took the girls to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens on Thursday. The Moyle family ate dinner with us on Friday, June 22 before driving on northward. The family returned and spent the night with us on Saturday, June 30, and Jeff and family stayed with us for the week. Jeff ran the Peachtree Road Race on July 4.

Rod and Johnny took five boys for an RA trip to Bent Tree, July 7.

Ronnie and Shirley came down for a visit on July 19. We had a relaxing time doing touristy stuff, watching movies, and just visiting. We each have two little granddaughters, so there was a lot of grandparent talk.

Mark and Marty were working on Bent Tree repairs on July 26, and Rod went up to install a new dishwasher. It was a treat to see the deer which are now plentiful at Bent Tree.

Brenda and Rod left on July 29 for a week in Pompano Beach, Florida. We visited Denise and Roger in the Port Coral area and spent a pleasant evening with them. Then we made a liesurely trip across Florida by the south end of Lake Okeechobee.

On August 13, Aunt Orvetta passed away. She was the oldest member of our family, and will be much missed. She was just two weeks shy of her 93rd birthday. Rod and Brenda went to Owensboro, Kentucky for the funeral and the gathering of the family. On the way back, we stopped and spent the night with Philippe and Mary Sue in their new home in Cleveland, Tennessee

For the Fall term at GSU, Rod again participated in teaching the Integrated Science course for Education majors. Participating in teaching were Rod for Physics, Pam Burnley for Geology, Davon Kennedy for Chemistry, John Wilson for Astronomy, and Barbara Baumstark for Biology. The general outline was posted as NCSI 3001: Integrated Science I. The overall coordinator was Nydia (Cookie) Hannah from MSIT, College of Education.

On October 4 Jeff and family were able to come up for a short visit.

In late October, Brenda and Rod enjoyed a rare 2 day weekend at Bent Tree.

Rod, Johnny Huffman, and Jason Brice took five of the RAs to Stone Mountain on November 3.

Jeff and Darla and the girls arrived on November 17 for their Thanksgiving visit.

Rod and Brenda were planning a trip to New Orleans for Christmas, so we had a pre-Christmas celebration with Mark and Cindi and at Bent Tree on Saturday, Dec 22 with Sherry, Mark and Cindi and the Harris's. We headed out for New Orleans on Sunday morning for Christmas in New Orleans.

We went to Bent Tree for a New Year's Eve party with Sherry, Dec 31.