A trip to remember

This weekend I went on a little outing that I'd been planning for some time.

Vader helped me pack.

I went with my good friend Mrs S - she's a lot of fun, but we don't get to see each other very often.

In preparation, we both got pedicures. Don't we have cute toes?

the view from the inn's porch

On Saturday, we drove down from Hotlanta into the southern part of our state. We stayed in a lovely little inn in this tiny town, an inn with historically themed rooms.

Ours was the 1940's room - very cool.

It was totally decorated in the 1940's style. Check out the bathroom - the tub has tall feet (which proved sorta treacherous at bath time, but we survived).

The bedroom was lovely. This was the only room with 2 beds at the Inn, and it's the reason I picked this room. (I'm very fond of Mrs. S, but I'm not up to snuggling with her at night.) I loved the decorations! Everything in the room was from the 40's, or appeared to be - with the exception of the AC and the television.

Reading materials were provided for us, a book on each bed. They were part of a 40's edition of the Waverly Novels, written by Sir Walter Scott. The one is Black Dwarf.

The inn was really lovely. There was a nifty kitchen area...

And cool stuff in the hall.

Mrs. S and I went window shopping on the street. Then we headed off to bed. We had to meet someone important the next day!

Bright and early we got up and made our way into church, where we got some etiquette lessons from Miss Jan. Miss Jan is really sweet, but you best not cross her. She will make you pay!

And then it was time to see what - or rather who - Mrs. S and I had come to see.

It was former President Jimmy Carter! (No telephoto lens used here - I was close enough to touch him!) Jimmy still teaches Sunday School in his church the tiny town of Plains, GA, and yes, you can go to his Sunday School class! This is his regular gig, and he's been teaching adult Sunday School classes since he was 18. He continued to teach while he was President. No other sitting President has done such a thing.

 Jimmy was wonderful.

He works as sort of a handyman at the church. The past week he mended one of the church pews. He made the plates used for the offering. (They're signed on the back.) His wife Rosalyn lined the bowls with felt.

Jimmy taught on prayer, and gave a terrific lesson. (I was moved to tears.) He's still very, very sharp. He taught for forty-five minutes, speaking without notes, remarkable for someone who's 87. He knows his scripture - and he walks the walk.

I love Jimmy. I always have. As I said, he walks the walk.

I wore my special Jimmy pin. And yes - I was there at the World Congress Center in Atlanta on election night in 1976. I stood up all night on those hard concrete floors, and was at the barricade when Jimmy came by shaking hands on the way to the podium to deliver his victory speech.

Mrs S and I stayed for church, along with the little congregation and their visitors. This week's group included a large group of diplomats, folks from consulates in Hotlanta. And people from all over the country.

After church, we got to have our pictures take, quick quick quick, with Jimmy and Rosalyn. And as former President and Noble Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter slipped his arm around my waist for the picture, he whispered to me:

"I like your pin. I noticed it all through Sunday School."

Thank you, I replied, I got it honestly.

And then it was over.

Mrs. S got her picture, and we went home, having had a day we'll tell our grandchildren about.

If you want a remarkable experience, go see Jimmy Carter teach his Sunday School class. He's a fine man, a remarkable Christian, and he won't be with us much longer. Go. Go soon. Miss Jan can tell you how.

And you can read another description of the Jimmy experience here.

Mrs. S is a bit nutty!