Click on a picture to see a larger version. Saturday morning Brody enjoyed just running around in Aunt Rowen's yard and exploring.  

Yancey, Shannon, and Brody arrived in Macon Friday evening.  

Bryon, Dad, and me at Aunt Rowena's  

This is a beautiful picture she painted for her late husband John. John was a dear man, a real Southern gentleman.  

Aunt Rowena is an artist and she painted this picture. I just fell in love with it and she gave it to me!  

Cousin Sheila and Aunt Rowena - before Sheila changed Rowena's hair color back to her normal color.  

Aunt Rowena, Daddy, Aunt Doris  

Japanese magnolia in Sheila and Larry's yard  

Sheila's daylily 

Another of Sheila's flowers 

Cove to Lake Sinclair 

I never plan trips but I knew our time was very limited and we had a lot to cram into one week so I planned this trip to Georgia down to the hour. Byron and I would leave early Wednesday morning, stop for the night in Gainesville and arrive in Americus Thursday afternoon, spend the day with Daddy, and then go to Macon to celebrate his ninety-sixth birthday with Aunt Doris, Aunt Rowena and hopefully Sheila.
Aunt Doris called the Saturday before we left and Daddy was already in Macon. Byron called and he had an important meeting at 11:30 so we would have to leave late. So much for my detailed itinerary.

We left at 3:30 but managed to get to Gainesville before stopping for the night. We were back on track. Our first stop was at Aunt Christine's - a day early and right at lunch time. We didn't plan it that way and of course she insisted we stay and eat a delicious lunch with them. It was good to see her and Tommy and Princess even if it was a short visit. We just missed meeting Chester.

When we arrived in Macon at 3:00 Thursday Daddy and Aunt Doris (Dot) met us at her house and we drove over to see Aunt Rowena. Cousin Sheila had invited us to spend the night at her house on Lake Sinclair and she met us at Aunt Rowena's.

We had a nice visit at Aunt Rowena's. Byron tried to get her AOL working but her dial-up connection wasn't getting a good signal and was too slow. We met Sheila's husband Larry in Gray and had supper at a fantastic Mexican restaurant. Daddy spent the night with Aunt Dot. Sheila saves her leftover biscuits in the freezer and she made the BEST bread pudding for a late night snack. We talked until 1:30; I told her my life story. Oh, how I wished we lived closer. She has a lovely house and the yard is so pretty and peaceful. I stayed in what I call the Scarlett O'Hara room. She has a wonderful collection of "Gone With The Wind" plates hanging on green ribbons at the headboard of the bed. We were actually a little late the next morning getting back to Macon because we started taking pictures of her daylilies. Sheila's brother, Culver, develops new varieties of lilies so Sheila has some beautiful ones in her yard.