Time Flies!
Habits are important — and I am working on the habit of keeping up with all things technology and making time to write. At different times in my life I spent a lot of time and paper journaling. It is an effective way to record what happens in life and process aspects of life. With all the activities of fall — I needed and still need to hone this discipline.
July - I presented at Charlotte Mason Institute’s Joy of Making Conference in Kentucky, worked with groups here in Jacksonville as they prepared for the school year and sorted books for RCL. I also helped my mom and Lee start the process of sorting and packing for their upcoming move to a condo in the main building at Givens Estates, Asheville, NC.
August - More book shopping, a gathering of Charlotte Mason Mom’s south of Greenville, SC (where there is a fun booksale), more sorting and packing in Asheville and the start up of multiple homeschool communities and Volumes groups.
August-September — Lots of fun gardening/harvesting — Muscadine Grapes, Pineapple Guava, Persimmons, Papaya, Thai Roselle, a few figs and greens…..
September - At the end of the month it was time to actually move to the new condo in NC — with the Hurricane Forecast I headed up early to Asheville to avoid driving in stormy weather. Of course, I stopped and shopped for books on the way. Little did I know that I would soon experience a total lack of communication. That was surreal. Givens Estate lost power, water, landline and all cell communication. Thankfully the temporary towers and change in restrictions on tower use made it possible to get spotty cell coverage by Sunday — in just a few physical places on campus. The staff at Givens were so helpful in keeping the residents aware - and passing on our only way of outside information — Public Radio. Since I didn’t have a battery operated radio we elected to go to the car for the 4pm updates. No flowing water meant no flushing toilets - so a bucket brigade delivered water to the many floors. Generators at Givens powered elevators in the main building and provided a few electric outlets in common areas. As of mid October the bucket brigade is still providing water for manual flushing.
Faithe, a senior at Appalachian State, was in Boone during the hurricane. She saw more first hand destruction from the rising waters and mud slides. After driving out of Asheville on Sunday evening without cellular data for maps, I was able to meet up with her on Monday and head to PA where we did chores and readied the cabin for my mom and Lee who desired to live with running water. After a few days of chores and rest she returned to Boone to volunteer, I made it back to Florida to get ready for the next hurricane with Padre.
School is back in session at App State, I have books to return to the shelves and new finds to process and share. I’m also in the final planning stages for the 2025 Delightful Living Weekend featuring MIn Hwang. Details, tickets and more will be published soon!
Heather
