The Time Traveler

This weekend Anthony was the time traveler. He went back about 150 years and joined the Confederate States of America Army of Tennessee. They were in Blountville, Tennessee, which is a beautiful, very old town. After a little research, Tony found out that his great great grandfather had done Civil War battle time in this town, not with the same Division Anthonywas with, but it was on the same street.

This was all very new to us. Anthony and I had met a few Divisions when we were at Cumberland Gap in the Spring and after talking with them, we decided this was the group that would be the best fit for Anthony. Our dilemma? He's 15. We (Tony and I) are not joining the CSA reenactment scene. And Anthony is. Not us. Him. Alone. He's 15. And they stay the whole weekend. And he's ONLY 15.

Tony took him on Friday night and since I was the only one who had met this group at Cumberland Gap, it was his turn to size them up. He is a great judge of character, much better than I seem to be of late. Once he met them, he came to the same conclusion as I, and decided to leave him in the encampment. Instead of driving the two hours home, though, he got a hotel room so that he would be close in case Anthony needed him. He would decide on Saturday if he could come home on Saturday night or if he needed to stay in the hotel again. Needless to say, Anthony was in a good group and had a great experience. Tony watched the demonstrations on Saturday and the battle on Saturday afternoon, then came on home. After all, he is 15.

Here is his tent. He had a tent all to himself. All modern supplies have to be out of sight, so he covered his cooler with a burlap sack. The cooler full of drinks was a must since it was in the 90's and their uniform pants and jacket are wool.

Tony and I returned on Sunday morning. We got there just in time to attend the church service. The chaplain preached the service just as if it was the morning before a battle and prayed for the soldiers' wisdom and safety. He talked about the "oppressive, ungodly federals," and he also preached about facilitating the meeting between the union soldiers and their Creator. It brought quite a few chuckles.

During breaks, the soldiers had to fill rolls of paper with gunpowder. During battle, they tore the end of the paper roll off with their teeth, poured the powder in the barrell of the gun, and fired. It made a very realistic sound but since there was no ball, all it provided was the sound. Below, Anthony is preparing his gunpowder for battle. He went through about 30 shots per battle.

This is the town of Blountville. Most of the buildings on this street are the same ones that were standing there 150 years ago. The same buildings Tony's great great grandfather walked between.

This one has had some very influential guests...

These are pictures from the battle on Sunday afternoon.

Anthony in the heat of the battle.

Before the battle, it is decided who will win and who will die. Usually the Union will win one day and the Confederates will win the next. This weekend, though, the Union won both days. Sometimes, their death was so realistic that it fooled me. On one in particular, the gentleman fell and was holding his eye. Several of his men went to check on him while he was writhing on the road in pain. I was sure that his gun had malfunctioned and left him with an eyefull of gunpowder, but no, he was just a very good reenactor. After the battle is over, someone declares that the soldiers can "resurrect", and miraculously they all get up. Ready to go to the next battle.

While I know this is all an act, I can't help but fast forward my life several years. Several days ago, Anthony and I were discussing his high school friends and the fact that they were getting jobs. This conversation lead to other conversations,which lead to the "real jobs" conversation. The jobs after high school and after college. What he told me I will never forget. He said he couldn't imagine why anyone would want a job that "wasn't serving our country." So while he is only 15, I am haunted by the fact that he is already 15. Three more years. Then, this may be my reality.

That's Two in Row!

Last weekend Alex's team got another first place win! They didn't lose any games at all, 6-0.

Alex gettin' the fist bump from Shane. Alex's accomplishment this weekend? She didn't strike out a single time!

The other team asked if they could get a picture of all the girls together. I thought it turned out GREAT.

What a great group of friends she has made. She is really going to miss them when this season is over.

Congrats again, Team Synergy!

Just Like Christmas!

Recently Anthony placed an order, last Thursday to be exact, and much to his surprise it arrived on Friday. We saw this wonderful UPS truck in our driveway and he ran to meet it. Trying not to look TOO anxious, of course.

It was a package from...

He couldn't wait to get into it!

What did my 15-year-old son order?

He ordered a half canteen (aka plate), tin cup, wooden toothbrush, Lucifers (matches), wooden handled fork and knife, a pocket knife, a housewife (no, not really...it's a sewing kit), and that box of rolled up papers. They are to load gunpowder in so that it's handy to put in your gun.

Why would he need all of this? He has decided to go Confederate. After much research as to what was in the napsack of a good Confederate soldier, this is what he ordered. His first reenactment is tomorrow through Sunday and he CAN'T WAIT! We are having a few scheduling difficulties with Alex playing ball this weekend and his reenactment (and naturally they are nowhere near each other), but I am hoping to make it to at least some of his reenactment so that I can get lots of pictures. Check back next week to see how this battle went!

Progress Report

This is a picture of our babies last Thursday. Still huddled up close together, not venturing out of their nest.

Today, when I checked on them, they had taken a short stroll, or fall - I'm not sure which...

And are outside the nest, but still in the kayak. I don't know if they can't get back into their nest or if they just like it here. Now I can tell they're getting actual feathers instead of fluff. They're actually starting to look like birds!

I'm so proud!

We Finally Finished One!

Last weekend Alex had another softball tournament. Believe it or not, this is the first 12-under tournament that we have played through to the end without getting rained out. We have actually played all the way through two 14-under tournaments but not a 12-under tourney. Don't get me wrong, we did have rain, with a 15-20 minute rain delay, in the championship game but it didn't stick around for long and we were able to finish the game.

Alex enjoys playing first base and pitcher. Their team made some great double plays during this tournament, what we like to call "Synergy ball". The better the teams they play against, the better they play. There were some good teams in this tournament and none of the games were easy games.

Finally a true first place win, playing all the games, and winning all but one. One of the teams from Georgia beat them in pool play - if we're gonna lose a game, we would prefer it be in pool play.

Not only did our girls play well but they exhibited a great deal of sportsman-like behavior in light of how one particular team behaved while playing us.

This is a very special team where the girls have become great friends. They enjoy spending time together off the field, which makes those long delays between games so much more bearable. We are very thankful for these new friends she's made as well as the parents who have become good friends to us.

After the tournament, when the tournament director was giving out the trophies, he gave our coaches two individual trophies to present to the best defensive player and to the best pitcher. You know where those went? Straight in the garbage! They told the girls it was a team effort and we couldn't have won without every one of them and no one player was more important than the others.

GO TEAM SYNERGY!

The Most Beautiful Lake in the World!

We ventured again to our favorite lake in the world. Look how beautiful. And clean. When Anthony was hanging on the side of the boat, we could see clearly all the way down to his feet.

Took a few pictures of them tubing, and they need no explanation.

Yes, that's his leg!

The boat was bouncing so much I almost missed his air time. They had a good time - and I only had to endure very limited fishing.

The Dam Store

This store is a landmark we (my kids) look for every year on the way to our decoration in Sevierville. You can only imagine the conversations this has sparked.

"Can you go to 'The Dam Store' for some milk?"

"I got gas at 'The Dam Store'."

"Turn left at 'The Dam Store'."

Anthony has been a fan of 'The Dam Store' for many years now. I think he may get a t-shirt for Christmas.

Look What We Found!

On Friday morning, while Tony was working on his boat before we headed to the lake, he kept hearing a strange flapping sound. Since he was changing the fuel filter and cleaning the spark plugs, he really hoped the noise wasn't coming from his boat. A little further investigation revealed this...

A bird had built a wonderful nest in our kayak that is hanging on the wall above the boat. What a smart place to build a nest! There is temperature control, no rain, and no wind. But... she was underestimating our dog who also lives in the garage and can hear a "mouse pee on cotton" (as my dad says). How is she going to push them out of a nest to teach them to fly when there is an 80 pound lab waiting to pounce? We are going to have to guestimate when launch day is going to be and keep the dog locked away in my office until she can teach them to fly. Of course, the dog will think she is being rewarded for something being locked inside. I will keep you posted on this young family.

What's He Shootin' At?

Yesterday, we got up at 3:30 A.M. Why, you might ask? We had to get to Clarksville, Tennessee, which is a 4-1/2 hour drive for us. And we had to be there by 8:30 a.m. We were going for The Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program state tournament. This is a new sport at our high school and the state tournament is this weekend. Unfortunately, due to vacations and previously planned engagements for the other team members, we had to go with a three person team. Because of this, we were not allowed to shoot the trap portion of the competition, which is what they had practiced all year. Since we only had three team members available we could only participate in the sporting clays competition. Which they had NEVER done before. We didn't even know what to expect. He was shooting at 9 and we thought he would be done by 10. We learned that sporting clays is a 10 "station" event where you shoot ten targets at each station. Each station is different with some being in the woods and some being in the field. And the walking. Oh, the walking. In flip flops. Up and down ridges in the woods. In flip flops. Carrying ammunition, my camera, book, Ipod, and cell phone all in a pretty pink Vera Bradley book bag. Did I mention I had on flip flops? Oh, and it was at least 198 degrees. I felt like one of the families ready to venture into the unsettled west, taking lots of stuff I didn't really need but not realizing I didn't need it or want it until halfway through the journey, probably around Oklahoma. After I had already worn down my pack mules.

Because there were ten stations, and to move things along as quickly as possible, each group started at a different station. Anthony's first station was #6. We walked about 100 yards before we entered the woods, walked along a nice rambling trail, then down a large hill that curved several times and was so steep the golf carts were sliding down it in the gravel. Oh, did I mention all the OTHER teams knew to bring 4-wheelers or golf carts. Just sayin'. At the bottom of this hill was station 5. And, since what goes up must come down, the opposite is also true. We went down, so must go back up. To station 6, which is RIGHT NEXT TO THE PARKING LOT. You see where I'm going with this, right. We walked FOREVER only to end up practically back where we started. In flip flops.

Sporting clays, apparently, are a simulation of hunting. That is why it is in the woods and in fields and all the different stations simulate a different hunting situation. Well, we (I) had never heard of sporting clays. When they were talking about the rabbit I thought there was an actual rabbit. Who picked a horrible day to be strolling around Clarksville. Nope. There is probably not an actual rabbit or bird in the greater Clarksville area due to this particular sporting event. The "rabbit" is a clay target that is rolled/hurled out of its chute at a very high rate of speed that bounces and bumps and jumps across the field in front of them.

There's smiley getting ready to "shoot some wabbits" (just like Elmer Fudd).

Okay, see the rabbit? ME NEITHER!!! If you will look very closely in the middle of the dark, shady spot, in the middle of the picture, there is a little orange spot. Just a fraction above the grass. THAT is the rabbit. THAT is what they were shooting at.

All the rest of the targets were in the air after station #6. The targets would come from beside you and behind you. Often times, the first one would come out quick and the other one was more of a lob. Sometimes the clay would be completely sideways making the target very small and then sometimes it would be turned so that you could see the whole face of the clay.

After we did stations 6 through 10, beside the parking lot, we caught a hay ride back around to... the beginning, where we had to walk the entire course again. In flip flops. At least we got to stop at each station this time, though, for a little rest.

This station was particularly difficult and Anthony had to go first on it (they rotated going first). The targets were going through the trees. The other shooters had the opportunity to watch and see that you needed to wait until the clay passed a particular tree before shooting it, which is why they rotate going first. You can learn a lot from others' success and failure.

The coaches from the two teams took turns working the "pull". This was Tony's turn.

And then there's Alex. She didn't want to go and we had made arrangements for her to stay home with her grandmother. But wait! You may eat at Rainforest Cafe afterwards? Then, I'm going. I can sit through shooting clay targets if I get to eat at Rainforest Cafe on the way home. I can ride 9 hours in a car in one day if I get to go to Rainforest Cafe afterwards. I can sweat through a 198 degree day if I get to go to Rainforest Cafe afterwards.

What? Rainforest Cafe is closed due to flooding in the Nashville area?

That's what she found out when she googled Rainforest Cafe Nashville on her phone at about Anthony's 8th station. Oops, we maybe should have checked that before we left...

We left soon after he finished shooting so we still don't know his results. He did very well, though, on some stations hitting 8 and 9 targets and on the last one he hit all 10. Can't wait to see where he falls in the rankings.

Now, off to nurse my feet after walking the sporting clays course twice. In flip flops. Carrying a pretty pink Vera Bradley bag with lots of unnecessary stuff in it.

In flip flops.