Labor Day on the New River

We spent Labor Day weekend in the mountains to celebrate my father-in-law Dick's 70th birthday.  The trip was just one of the surprises we all had planned for him.  We told him a week beforehand about the trip so he could pack and get his fishing gear together.  He had no idea that Tina was coming in from London for the occasion.  The day before the trip, Tina just showed up for dinner.  That definitely surprised him!  The last surprise was that his brother, sister-in-law, nephew and his wife were joining us in the mountains.

We stayed in a house on one of the forks of the New River, and we had so much fun in the water.  I may not classify myself as a mountain person, but I am definitely a water person.  I just wished I had brought my bathing suit because I would have loved to go tubing.

We had a mix of weather each day with sun and rain, but Dick didn't let the rain stop him from fishing.

We took a morning trip into the nearest town, West Jefferson.  It has a cheese factory and store, so I would say it's a great little town!  It has a very picturesque downtown with murals and a view of the mountains.  We, also, saw the Ben Long frescoes at the Episcopal church there. 

Sims loved a long weekend with his cousin Zack.  They are seriously so sweet to each other.

Photo by Tina

I don't have any photos of the big birthday dinner, but it was delicious and included a red velvet cake made by the Ashe County High School cheerleaders (Go Huskies!).  You've gotta love local farmer's markets!  Vivian is so creative, and she made the perfect banner for the occasion.

This was the first time that I had spent any significant time with Dick's family, not including weddings and funerals.  They are a lot of fun, and we loved spending time with them and getting to know them better.  We hope to make this a tradition!

Dick with his brother Bill.  Photo by Tina.

Happy birthday, Dick!  I hope your actual birthday is as fun as your big birthday bash!