December 30, 2016

Although we were missing the matriarchs (Gogo and G-mama) who passed away this year, Christmas at the Locklin house was tom-terrific.  I guess that term shows my age, but it was really great to have everyone here for Christmas.

Next year we will add 2 more grandchildren as both Katy and Emily are expecting.  In addition not pictured are the 4 Labs and Max.  They were not allowed in the picture since they could not be still.  Also for lunch on Christmas Day we had Amy's sister, Ginger, her husband, David, and their son, Sam.  Lots of food and fun.

I also think that the best thing that while the kids were here we only had one real meltdown.  Quite an accomplishment for this group.  During the coming year we hope to do more hiking and camping, and maybe a vacation trip with our good friends Chuck and Meri Jane Wood.  Not sure where that will be yet, but should start planning soon.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year as we bring in 2017!!!

November 18, 2016

So, this is Max when we first got him.  He was 8 weeks old.  A little 4 lb. ball of fur.

This is Max today.  He is now about 6 months old, weighs about 10 lbs, and is an attack dog.  He attacks lizards, grasshoppers, wasps, and any other thing that moves.  

Max will chew on anything.  Including Camilla buds.  He will also eat anything.  He tears up anything in reach.  When he gets something he is not suppose to have, he plays catch me if you can, and most of the time my wife and I are to slow to catch him.  He is so fast he runs circles around us. He will pull out each piece of kleenex from the box it he can reach it.  He has learned to climb up on the sofa to get to the things on the end table.  

He will then give you that innocent look like I would never do anything wrong.

We had to fence in the backyard just for him, hoping this would help with potty training, but he will only go outside if one of us goes outside with him.   He still has us trained.  Outside to play and inside to potty.

Last week we went to Virginia, to see the grand-kids. Since we did not know how well Max would travel on a 12 hour trip, we left in the middle of the night.  We were thinking Max would sleep all night, which he did.  We came back during the daytime and he slept through that trip too.  We are going to San Antonio for Thanksgiving, and hopefully Max will be as good a rider as he was to Virginia.

We are already looking forward to everyone coming to our house for Christmas.  

October 9, 2010

Mom passed away on September 26, 2016.  This was exactly one month after my brother Lewis passed away.  Her obituary is given below.

Obituary for Lela Lewis Locklin

     A Celebration of Life service for Lela Lewis Locklin will be held on October 2, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Talladega. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.  Rev. Benjamin Crawford and Dr. George Ricker will officiate.  Burial will follow at Pine Hill Memorial Park, Talladega.

Mrs. Locklin was a long time resident of Talladega who touched many lives as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and educator.  Born on July 19, 1928, in Dallas, Texas to Arthur Thomas Lewis and Margaret Hendrix Lewis, she lived in and attended elementary school in Houston, Texas, junior high in San Antonio, Texas, and high school at North Dallas High, Dallas, Texas.  She attended Monroe County High School, Monroeville, Alabama for her senior year, graduating in 1945.  She was a student at The University of Alabama from 1945-1947, where she was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, Blackfriars Drums Troup, and Alpha Phi Sorority.

In 1948 she married her high school sweetheart, John Marshall Locklin, and they lived in Monroeville for the next thirteen years. They were active members of First Baptist Church, Monroeville, where Lela taught Sunday School.  She was a Welcome Wagon hostess and secretary to the plant manager of Vanity Fair Mills, Monroeville. 

In September, 1961, John, Lela and their three children moved to Auburn where John resumed his education and Lela worked as a secretary in the School of Education.  After John’s graduation from Auburn University, the family moved to Tuscaloosa where John began work on his master’s degree and Lela returned to school and received her Bachelor’s degree in Education.  She was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi honor society.

Upon graduation, the family moved to Talladega where Lela was employed by the Talladega City School system, teaching English for the next 28 years at Talladega High School.  She was the yearbook sponsor for 20 years.  She also taught night classes at Gadsden State Community College Center in Talladega.  During this time, she received a master’s degree and Educational Specialist degree from Jacksonville State University.

Active in community affairs, Lela was a member of the Pinecrest Garden Club, the Inter Se Study Club, the Andrew Jackson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and served as a docent at Heritage Hall.  She taught Sunday School at First Baptist Church for over 45 years. 

Her hobbies included writing, genealogical research and oil painting.  She was a member of the Wednesday painters group known as “Sarah’s Girls,” studying oil painting under artist Sarah Whitson.

Lela was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, her daughter, Lela Locklin Crawford, and her son, Lewis Edward Locklin.  She is survived by her son, John Marshall Locklin, Jr. (Amy); daughter-in-law Dee Locklin; and son-in-law Leslie Crawford; seven grandchildren, Jason Locklin (Shelley), Katy Wright (Scott), Emily Burt (Craig), Taylor Locklin, Ben Crawford, Matt Crawford (Megan), Jac Crawford (Jacinda); and five great grandchildren, Kinsley and Cooper Wright, Greyson and Rilynn Crawford, and Kale Burt.

Pall bearers will be grandsons Jac Crawford, Matt Crawford, Jason Locklin, Taylor Locklin, grandson-in-law Scott Wright, and longtime friend and neighbor Hubert Hubbard.  Usrey Funeral Home will direct the services.

Donations can be made in memory of Mrs. Locklin to the Locklin-Lewis Scholarship Fund at the First Baptist Church, 216 North Street East, Talladega, Alabama 35160.

This has really been a rough summer.  Amy's mom died in June, Lewis in August, and mom in September.  Through it all, we rejoice in knowing where each of our loved ones are.  One day we will see them again.

September 23, 2016

On Saturday, Sept 10, we had the memorial service for my brother, Lewis.  Since we had traveled to Woodstock, Ga for his funeral service, I tried to talk mom into just having a graveside service for him.  Deon, his wife, said whatever mom wanted was okay with her.  The service was really good.  Ben Crawford, Lewis's nephew, preached and did a great job, Jac and Jacinda Crawford sang a duet.  After it was over I was sure glad that mom's got her way.  

At the cemetery mom refused to use a wheelchair and instead used her walker.  This was the last time she was able to walk.  On Monday, Sept. 12, her legs could no longer support her and we called for the ambulance to transport her to the hospital thinking she may have had a stroke.  When the paramedics arrived she flatly refused to go to the hospital, so they helped her get into bed.  On Tuesday morning she woke up and said that it was time to go the hospital, so we called the ambulance again and headed to the hospital.  They discovered that she had a UTI which was probably causing a lot of her confusion, and treated her for that and dehydration.  She was released on Thursday.  On Friday we called in hospice.

It seem that Lewis was hanging on to visit mom one last time, and that mom was hanging on for Lewis's service.  Mom's health continues to deteriorate each day,  Also last week one of my favorite cousins past away.  Although he lost his battle with cancer, he like Lewis, has won the victory.

Apparently there is a lot more to putting up a fence for Max than I thought.  I am sure glad I did not try to do it myself.  Seems there was a 3 week turnaround in ordering the vinyl fencing.  Hopefully it will be installed soon, and Max will have a large area to roam.   

To close on a more positive note, Amy and I will be having another grand daughter.  Looks like  Kinsley and Cooper will be getting a new little sister.  Amy is headed to Virginia to visit them.

I did get to hike about 9 + miles yesterday.  This was the first time over the same section that I had fallen and broken my wrist.  No falls this time.

September 6, 2016

     A lot has happened in the last 2 months.  After the Alaskan cruise, we went to visit the grandkids in Virginia.  While there, Amy's mom passed away, so our trip was cut short.  Her health had really deteriorated to the point that we considered canceling the trip, but she had rallied temporarily and we thought making the trip would be okay.   After the funeral, we settled back into our normal routine with one exception.  We have a new family member.  A Yorkie named Max.  He was about 3 lbs when we got him and he has doubled his weight.  He is now about 4 months old and about 7 lbs.  He has us trained.  We take him outside to potty, but all he does is play, chasing anything that moves.  Then back inside to use the bathroom on the floor.  At least he will go on pads, sometimes.  We have had to put him on a leash when he goes outside, just to keep him from going into the woods or under the neighbors fence.  He is fast and sneaky and loves to tear up anything he can get his mouth on.  He also bites and chews his toys and my hands if he can get his mouth close to them.  He loves chasing a plastic tea container, growling and barking at it like it was a threat.  I think he has ADHD and may need medication.  On second thought he is just a puppy.  That is what I keep telling myself as my hands are bleeding from his sharp teeth.
       My part-time job turned into more hours than I wanted to spend and my Fridays off disappeared.  Between working during the day and coming home to work most of the night, it made me remember why I retired in the first place.  July and August seemed to fly by.  At least till the end of the month.
I drove to Woodstock, Ga., to see my brothers son , Taylor, graduate from college.  About two weeks later I picked up my brother and brought him to Talladega to spend a few days with mom.  After returning home he lost his battle with cancer.  It was almost like he had two things to live for, Taylor's graduation and one last visit with mom.  His funeral was on the 31st of August in Woodstock, Ga.  A memorial service will be held on Sept. 10th in Talladega.  Burial will follow this service in Pine Hill Cemetery in Talladega.  I am now an only child.  The past few years have been rough.  First dad, then my sister, then my mother-in-law, and finally my brother.  Mom continues to do well and will probably out live Amy and I.  We are really fortunate to have good caregivers for her.
     As of last Friday, I have officially retired again.  This week will be spent catching up on work around the house that has been neglected since last April.  It is cleanup time at the Locklin house.  We have also decided that we need a fence in the back yard for Max.  He has a small contained area inside and outside that we refer to as puppy prison.  He does like to get on a float in the pool and he knows instinctively how to swim.  The fence should be installed next week.  This will also be good for my kids labs when they come to visit.    
  

July 9, 2016

It has been about 2 months since my last post.  So much has happened during that time that it will take a couple of posts just to get caught up again.  I will try to do this over the next two or three days.
First --- the Alaska Cruise.
We flew from Birmingham to Seattle on the 26th of May.  Once there we met up with Chuck and Mary Jane Wood, and then took a shuttle to the Embassy Suites which we called home for two nights. We spent the 27th going to the Space Needle and Pike's Fish Market.

I used the digital zoom on the camera to take this picture of the cruise ship.

I don't think Amy was enjoying the height.

I had read about this place in the book 

Fish!: A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results 

so this was high on my list of things to see in Seattle.

The next morning we boarded the ship and for the next 7 days it was our home.  Great food, good friends, very restful and did I mention COLD!   We left Alabama temperatures in the 90's and expected temps of mid 60's. Instead the temp was mid 40's.  Just a little cold for the shorts and short-sleeve shirts I had taken.  There were a lot of others on the ship that had not planned on the cold.  They were probably from the south also.

View from our stateroom balcony looking over Seattle.

Amy "enjoying" the balcony.

Our first stop was Juneau

Eagles were everywhere.

We rode the tram to the top of the mountain to do some hiking.

View from inside the tram, about half way up the mountain.

Mary Jane and Chuck

Amazing views along the path we hiked.

Of course Amy was always in front.  My excuse was I lagged back to take pictures.

Carvings in the trees.

Tram ride coming back down.

Back on board the ship and sailing again.

Our next stop was Skagway.

Beautiful snow covered mountains everywhere.  We hiked this trail system.

Just part of the uphill climb on this hike.

Of course note who is leading and who is bringing up the rear.

View from the trail overlooking the cruise ship.

We did not hike the 3 additional miles around the lake.

Next we sailed in Glacier Bay.

Next stop was Ketchikan.  Cold and rainy.

This boat was once on the "Deadliest Catch". Now it has been converted to a tourist attraction to teach people about the crab fishing industry.  The ships skipper was one of the speakers onboard our cruise ship. Very interesting. 

Front view of our cruise ship.

Our last stop.

Then back to Seattle.

Our ship docked about 8:00 am on June 4th.  We pre-shipped all our luggage so we would not have to carry it around the airport.  Our flight out of Seattle was not until 10:30 pm which meant we spent the whole day at the airport.  We arrived in Houston at 2:00 am and had a four hour wait before flying to Birmingham.  Stepping out of the airport we knew we were back in Alabama, high humidity and mid 90's temperature.  Finally home at 12:00 pm on June 5th.  All in all, it was a fantastic trip.  I would highly recommend this cruise and the Crown Princess on the Princess Cruise Line (featured on The Love Boat)

May 14, 2016

Amy and I just spent 2 nights camping at Vogel State Park with Jason, Shelley and Brooks.  We had a really great time.  Enjoyed everything except traffic delays just getting to the park.  Atlanta traffic during rush hour and road construction made a 3 hour drive into almost 6 hours to get there.  Vogel State Park is located in north Georgia at the base of Blood Mountain.  Blood Mountain is the tallest mountain in Georgia on the Appalachian Trail. Several pictures of the park are given below.

Park entrance.

Amy looking over the lake.

Ducks went wild when Brooks went into the water to play with them.

Great view of the mountains from the far side of the lake.

Great view of the falls below the lake.  All of us.  Brooks would not pose for the camera.

This one is slightly different from the one above.

This is the name of the trail around the lake.

Managed to get our campsite setup before dark.

Of course eating is always important.

Great location for tents.

Brooks was the most well behaved of all of us.

Okay, this is not a great view, but our campsite location.

On Friday we ate breakfast and prepared for hiking up Blood Mountain.  The name comes from a war with the Cherokee Indians.  Legend has it that the fighting was so severe that the streams flowed red with blood.  Therefore the name Blood Mountain.

Jason and I posed for a selfie before the hike.

No trip to the Appalachian Trail would be complete without a stop at Mountain Crossing. 

Amy and Shelley

The store is located at Neel Gap.

Our hike started out on the Byron Reece Trail.  Seven tenths of a mile in we turned right on the Appalachian Trail.  This approach trail was rated strenuous due the climb in elevation.  

Lots of steps up. 

About a 1200 foot increase in elevation over .7 miles.

The approach trail intersects with the Freeman Trail, which goes around the mountain instead of over the top.

Of course we choose the AT trail (white blaze marked) at this intersection.

When I needed a rest, I took a picture.

These two were taken during a rest stop.

As you can see I was quickly lagging behind.

Amy taking a break.  Me too, that's the reason for the picture.

There were even some rock scrambles near the top.

Views near the top were awesome.

I think I like this one best.  Taken from the top near the shelter.

I threw this one in to prove that I made it to the top of Blood Mountain.

     Of course we went down the same path we went up.  Turned out that was a great day hike.  We met several through hikers along the way.  One young man was from Scottsboro and another from Birmingham, and many others.  One day hiker was from Blairsville, a town close by.  Of course some people passed me going up and then passed me again on their way down before I got to the top.  I might add this included my own family.  Beautiful park, beautiful views, lots of steps up and then lots of steps down, but well worth the effort.  I would totally recommend this for anyone who loves the outdoors, loves to hike and loves to get away from it all.

Just as a side note, the knees did fine and the wrist held up with the hiking poles.  We are looking forward to our next adventure --- Alaska here we come!