The Nelsons have had car troubles two weekends in a row. First, on Sunday, Aug. 17, as Chris, Jake and I were on our way to brother Garry Nelson's house in Raleigh, we had a flat tire on the minivan. We were on the Beltline (I-440 West) when it happened. We got over to the right shoulder on this very busy, high-speed highway. Chris tried to change the tire, but the lugnuts were on so tight that he could not get them off. As he tried, one of the bolts broke off. We had called AAA for help, and when the driver finally arrived, he said he couldn't fix the flat. Then we had to call for a tow. That took even more time. We were beside the highway at least 90 minutes. Joan and Laura, sister-in-law and niece, came to rescue us, and we followed the tow truck driver to the Firestone place near our office, where we get our cars' tires and other maintenance. Then we went on to the other Nelsons' house. Joan took us home later. She also had to pick up her mother, who was having dizziness symptoms. It turned out to be severe vertigo, but they found that out only after a trip to the emergency room. What a day for them!
This weekend, Saturday, Aug. 23, was my turn for car problems. My station wagon wouldn't start at home, and I thought it just needed a jump start. We did that, and I drove the car around for a while before I went to the grocery store. Of course, when I came out of the store, the car wouldn't start. Chris came to rescue me, but the car wouldn't take a jump this time. So I called AAA. We were supposed to go to a concert at the N.C. Museum of Art, and we thought we might still be able to make it. I stayed with the disabled car in front of the Food Lion on U.S. 70 in Clayton, while Chris went home with the groceries, packed our concert picnic and went to gas up his car. The AAA said it would be about an hour until the tow truck came; it turned out to be about 2 hours. By the time we deposited the car at the Firestone lot, it was too late to get to the concert. (We also had to pay for the tow because it was more than 3-mile limit on our AAA tow.) Chris and I ended up having dinner downtown at the Raleigh Times Bar and ice cream at Crema. It turned out to be pleasant, but, boy, what a hassle. I felt particularly stupid for having insisted on driving the car to the store.
Chris' bill was about $500 because he had to get new tires and he had an overdue tuneup. I have no idea, of course, what is wrong with my car (maybe an alternator?), but I am sure that it will be at least $500. When it rains, it pours. I was glad, though, that the car trouble was on Saturday afternoon and not Monday morning. This way I can ride to work with Chris and not be late for CCI superuser training. I am sorry I missed the Tift Merritt concert, though -- not heartbroken, but slightly disappointed.
UPDATE: My car needed a new battery (battery was under warranty so I didn't have to pay full price for a new one) and I had some scheduled maintenance done. The bill was about $350.
My August break is over, and I have to go back to work Monday (tomorrow). I didn't accomplish much except some work on the grammar blog, which got good traffic.
Chris, Jake and I went to my folks' house in Catawba County for a pottery festival that my brother Tim Blackburn thought of and helped organize with the congregation at Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, which is my family's home church. It was billed as "A Day at the Wheel" and all went well Saturday. The weather was perfect -- a little warm but sunny. The exhibition included about nine area potters including Steve Abee, who is shown at right above working on a piece at the exhibition. He is a very fine potter who follows the Catawba Valley tradition. A group of local musicians, Rosie and the Flattops played old-time and bluegrass music. The group includes my lifelong friend Janice Richard Ford and her husband, Cecil.
Tim, pictured at left, has a special interest in North Carolina pottery, and he has a renowned collection of old and rare pottery from the Catawba Valley tradition. He is also president of the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove. The church has a strong connection to the early pottery tradition in the area. Many of the leading potters are buried in the church cemetery. The church produced a booklet that catalogues all the graves, and made a special note of the potters. including my great-grandfather Henry Blackburn and his brother Cornelius. The speaker for the opening ceremony was Charles "Terry" Zug III, who wrote the book "Turners and Burners" about North Carolina folk potters. He also had some nice things to say about Tim and the great efforts Tim has made to keep the pottery center going in tough financial times.
Chris made a batch of iced tea that we sold and donated the money to
the church. He wanted to see how the tea would sell. We've often
thought that this could be a side business for us -- selling
home-brewed tea at street fairs. We sold 16-ounce cups for $1; we
donated $42 to the church, which included what we sold plus a bit extra. He bought some piggy banks, shown at right, made by B.R. Hilton, also someone I've known all my life and a member of a well-known potter family.
The church sold food and some of the church ladies' crafts, and they took in a good amount of money for a first time event. I hope they keep it going.
We have had an eventful few weeks. Chris' family gathered Monday (July 28) at Haymount United Methodist Church in Fayetteville for the memorial service for Chris' mother, Bette. It was a nice service. The very young associate pastor of the church gave the meditation. He had talked to George, my father-in-law, and to Joan, Chris' sister-in-law, and he was able to talk about Bette's life. He emphasized the right things: that Bette loved little children and took care of her family. Those are the qualities I will remember about Bette. The first hymn we sang during the service was "How Great Thou Art," a hymn that always moves me deeply. It was my grandmother Blackburn's favorite hymn and a soloist sang it at her funeral. I always tear up when I hear it. I will miss Bette, but I am glad she isn't suffering from dementia any more.
Everyone in the immediate family was at the memorial service except for Greg's son, Alex. [Amendment: As Chris noted in a comment below, I neglected to say that Patrick, Chris' youngest brother, who is bedridden, also was not at the memorial service.] Jake was glad to see his girl cousins, and they seemed happy to see him, too.
After the memorial service, everyone went to Zorba's restaurant in Fayetteville. We ate and talked. We later dropped by George's house.
On Tuesday, Chris left for the mountains with his brother Tim and Tim's wife, Tara. I had to work, so I didn't go. They are staying through Sunday at a cottage between Franklin and Sylva. Tim and Tara live in Alabama.
We spent time with David, Chris' oldest brother, and his wife, Martha, who were here from Mumbai, India. They were scheduled for home leave and meetings in the U.S. anyway, so that's why the memorial service was scheduled for July 28. David and Martha and I went to a concert-movie at the N.C. Museum of Art. The Carolina Chocolate Drops played, and the movie was "The Great Debaters." Martha and David were impressed with Rhiannon Giddens of the Chocolate Drops. Rhiannon sang "Hit 'Em Up Style." Wonderful! She is a marvelous singer and a charismatic performer.
Today, Jake and I took advantage of tax-free weekend to buy his textbooks and some supplies for this semester. The tab was about $500, even with used books.
I am on vacation now. I will go to Catawba County late next week to help my brother Tim and my parents put on a pottery festival at the church that's beside my parents' house. This is a special project for Tim, and I want to do what I can to help. The ladies of the church are going to sell food, and I will help with that. Jake and Chris will help. too.
I still have a job, by the way. Our revenue numbers are terrible, though, so who knows what will happen? In a few weeks, I begin superuser training for the new publishing system, CCI, I look forward to getting away from my usual duties for a while. I am, to say the least, burned out.
Here is a YouTube video of the Chocolate Drops doing "Him 'Em Up Style." If you ever gets the chance to see them in person, take it.
Willa Cather: My Antonia When I read this book as a teenager, I became enchanted with Nebraska. I moved from North Carolina to west-central Nebraska when I was 25 and lived there for about three years.
