home improvements slideshow

Our family's Christmas presents to us this year were several projects for our new home in Georgia. Our sons worked on clearing the backyard fence and trees of some pesky monster vines, possibly English ivy - no one seems to know for sure. The last of the vines were cut at the bottom of the trees about 2 months ago now, and the vines still look green and healthy - maybe in another month they will die. Another project was to repair/replace the flooring at the entrance. The previous owner had cats which did not know how to use the litter box. So the floor at the entrance and coat closet had cat urine soaked into the sub-flooring. Josh and Stephen cut out and replaced the sub-floor and by the end of the week, Stephen was able to finish installing a new porcelain tile floor. We really enjoy the look of the tile and it blends very well with our stone fireplace in the living room.

family photo Sunday

Among the old family photos I recently acquired is this picture taken of my late uncle Jimmie Rice standing in front of the Azay Le Rideau Castle in France. The castle (click to read more) was "close to camp" according to the back of the photo and was taken on Sunday, March 5, 1952.

Slideshow - places to visit when in Atlanta

The first time I tried to visit the Varsity Restaurant (click to view website) was about 4 years ago when we were tourists in Atlanta. The sign inside the building says that there is seating for 650 people and when we walked in the door that Saturday afternoon, it looked as if all seats were taken and another 500 people were in line waiting to place an order. So obviously, we picked a bad day and time to go to the Varsity and turned around and walked back out. Now that we live only 30 minutes from downtown, we have been several times. Bob, one of my co-workers in Jacksonville who used to live in Atlanta, gave me a couple of gift certificates to enjoy the Varsity when I moved here two years ago. So we took some of our family to visit the world famous Varsity on New Year's Eve. (read more below slideshow)

On that same day we discovered another interesting place to visit, the Cyclorama,(read more) located near Grant Park. Inside this building there is a 360 degree hand painted Civil War canvas of the Battle of Atlanta, about three stories high. You are seated in the center of the room and the seats turn as you view the painting. We were not allowed to take pictures as the painting was done by hand with oil paint in the late 1800's. A Civil War general commissioned the painting to use while he was running for election. But he died before it was completed, and it was sold to a circus. After traveling around the country with a circus for many years, it ended up in Atlanta in the early 1900's when the circus closed down. The animals in the circus became the Atlanta Zoo and the building to display the painting was completed and named the Cyclorama.

family photo Sunday

This is one of the few photos I have of my Dad's mom, Mattie Belle (Keeter) Franklin. It was probably taken in the early 1950's in front of their home in Clifton, SC. My mother recently gave me an envelope full of old photos so I am looking forward to scanning and posting them this year on my blog. Grandma Franklin was born on April 13, 1889 (120 years ago) and lived until she was 91 years of age.

Blue Devils rally to beat the Hurricanes in OT 78-75

Click to view photo gallery
It has been a tough week for the Dukies. Wednesday night, Duke played their worst ball game of the season at Clemson, and the Clemson Tigers played a perfect game - humiliating the Dukies 74-47. At least my sister was happy :) I think that was the first time this season that Duke has scored under 50 points. Duke had at least 13 turnovers in the first half of the game on Wednesday night and most of those were from bad passes. In today's game, they started the first half of the game against Miami stone cold, even though the game was at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The half time score was Miami 34, Duke 19, but the Dukies came to play in the second half and prevailed in overtime to win the game 78-75. (I have no finger nails left) The team was definitely a different team that played the 2nd half, so I can only guess what Coach K told them in the locker room.
Click to read the recap at ESPN

After the game, Coach K had some interesting comments:

Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski
Opening Statement:
“Today’s game was one of the most different that I’ve coached in my 29 years here, and I thought it was a game that we lost, then we won. President [Richard] Brodhead came into our locker room after I was finished talking with the team and I think he put it in the best description. He said, ‘That was a game you had to win over and over again.’ Both teams had to do that. There was so many great efforts and plays in the last 17 minutes and overtime that it was a game you had to win over and over again. [Jack] McClinton was spectacular. The shot he hit with two guys on him was just a big-time shot. I stopped to mention a couple things to him because that’s not luck. The kid is just a great player, a great shooter. You worry that you spend so much to come back that you’re not going to have enough for overtime, but I thought we were great in overtime. Gerald [Henderson]’s penetration of the zone – there was so much more movement in the last 17 minutes that we didn’t have before, but his penetration helped a great deal, and no turnovers and four assists. Then Greg [Paulus] when he hit, and was cutting through, that was pretty good. But, the relentless pursuit of the ball by [Dave] McClure was just a great example for the rest of the guys that we’re going to keep doing until it works, which wasn’t the attitude that we had [in the first half]. We were absent of attitude. I think we just had such residue from Clemson in that first half. I thought we did some good things, but when our shots weren’t going we slipped right back into that, and somehow we got out of it. Paulus’ performance – he became our leader today. . . I saw some amazing things this afternoon for the making of a team that happened for our kids. We were real men, and we beat a team that is very talented and very difficult to play against.” click to read more quotes at duke.edu

February Birthday Slideshow

Duke bounces back to win big over Virginia, 79-54

What a difference a "game" makes! After losing a tough game against Wake Forest, the Dukies were able to bounce back with a win over Virginia. Duke is now 5-1 in the ACC and holds onto first place in the conference. Another tough game is coming up on February 4th against Clemson, but lately every game in the ACC is tough - just look at what happened to Wake Forest Saturday when they lost to Georgia Tech in the last few seconds.

Click to read recap of game by AP

Photo: Kyle Singler dunks the ball during Sunday's game

Click to view more photos at espn

family photo Sunday

One big happy family . . . the Franklin family Christmas photo (2008)

Happy Birthday, Cindy

Duke loses in the last 2 seconds

What a tough loss for the Dukies! After being down 61-48 in the 2nd half, Duke was able to come back and tie the game 68-68. I thought the game was headed for overtime with 2.6 seconds left. Wake had missed their shot with 2.6 seconds to go but was able to get the ball back when Duke was called for traveling after securing the rebound.
Wake ends up winning 70-68.

photos from our "After Christmas Party"

Click link to view photos from our "after Christmas party"

It took a few weeks, but I have another Christmas photo album ready.

On the Saturday after Christmas (27th) my sister and her family along with my mom and dad drove down to Georgia from Cowpens, SC for the day. We had a good time, with lots of food and games. Click the link above to view all 33 images (I borrowed a few of these from April's facebook site)

Duke vs Wake - Dukies have a chance to prove they are # 1

Wake Forest was #1 last week, until they lost to Virginia Tech, and Duke moved up in the polls to the top spot this week. Duke has a chance to prove they belong in the top spot when they play Wake Forest tonight at 7:00 pm EST. (ESPN) I will be at church tonight, so I will have to set my VCR to record the game and then watch it at 9 PM.


Click to read "No Question Who Owns This House" - after the win over Maryland Saturday (85-44)

Click to read "Q&A with senior Greg Paulus"

Click to read "Straight to the Top; Duke no. 1 in both polls" - did you know this is the first time the Dukies have been #1 since the 2006 season?

family photo Sunday

Stephen (holding Sophia) and Leah (holding Meredith) with Natalie (r) -Christmas 2008

Sure hope our son's family has adjusted to the cold and snow up in Wisconsin, after spending Christmas in Georgia with us.

Duke is now 4-0 in ACC conference play

Off to a good start in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Dukies are 4-0 (17-1 overall) after beating North Carolina State last night, 73-56. It was not an easy win. NC State is a pretty good team and they were leading by four points with about seven minutes to go in the game. Duke outscored NC State 17-3 in the last seven minutes to win the game. Of course, all the teams that Duke plays always bring their best game against the Blue Devils. Duke (#2 in the nation) can now look forward to playing Maryland on Saturday and Wake Forest (#1 in the nation) next week.

Link to Recap of game at ESPN.com

battle of Cowpens

This past weekend the Battle of Cowpens was re-enacted - celebrating the 228th anniversary of this decisive Revolutionary Way battle (January 17, 1781.)

View photos and read the article at the links below:
Blasting Back to Cowpens
photo gallery

family photo Sunday

Josh, Janelle and Brielle - Christmas 2008

We are looking forward to March 15th, when Josh will be ordained into the ministry at Hope Baptist Church in Hanover, Pennsylvania.

Slideshow: After Christmas fun

the Dukies win a big one

Georgetown played tough but the defense of the Dukies wore them down and Duke won today 76 - 67. Gerald Henderson shined again and is fast becoming a star for this team. Singler and Paulus and the rest of the team didn't do too bad either. Seth Davis of CBS and SI said at halftime he thought Duke was playing like a "final four" team. It is a different team than last year. Things are looking good for March Madness, but they have to play North Carolina twice and Wake Forest once between now and then! Photo of Greg Paulus - good to see him playing so well today!
(Click to Read recap at ESPN)

Duke plays a tough Georgetown team today

Game time today: 1:30 pm for Duke vs Georgetown. (Click to read preview of game)

Duke is now 15-1 overall and # 2 in the polls but the Georgetown Hoyas always play a tough game against the Dukies. Gerald Henderson has been outstanding in the last month and is becoming the team leader. He scored 19 points against Georgia Tech. Kyle Singler, who also scored 19 points in that game last Weds, has become a solid player this year also. My favorite player this year is Jon Scheyer. Last year he was the sixth man and came off the bench to play every game, but this year he is a starter and he can really shoot the long ball when he is hot. He reminds me of JJ Redick, who by the way is playing for the Orlando Magic and his team is leading the conference and may be in the NBA finals this year. (Check out his website at this link)

cold is a relative thing...

Making the rounds on the internet........

COLD IS A RELATIVE THING. . . . . . .

65 above zero:
Floridians turn on the heat.
People in Wisconsin plant gardens.

60 above zero:
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
People in Wisconsin sunbathe.

50 above zero:
Italian & English cars won't start.
People in Wisconsin drive with the windows down.

40 above zero:
Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves,wool hats.
People in Wisconsin throw on a flannel shirt.

35 above zero:
New York landlords finally turn up the heat.
People in Wisconsin have the last cookout before it gets cold.

20 above Zero:
People in Miami all die.
Wisconsinites close the windows.

Zero:
Californians fly away to Mexico .
People in Wisconsin get out their winter coats.

10 below zero:
Hollywood disintegrates.
The Girl Scouts in Wisconsin are selling cookies door to door.

20 below zero:
Washington DC runs out of hot air.
People in Wisconsin let the dogs sleep indoors.

30 below zero:
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Wisconsinites get upset because they can't start the Snow-mobile.

40 below zero:
ALL atomic motion stops.
People in Wisconsin start saying...'Cold enough fer ya?'

50 below zero:
Hell freezes over.
Wisconsin public schools will open 2 hours late

Duke #2 as the ACC regular season begins

Now that the college football season is over, I can concentrate on my other favorite sports team, the Duke Blue Devils and college basketball. When the season began in November, the Dukies were # 11 in the nation, but as the season has progressed they are now # 2 in the nation. The ACC (conference) season began last week as Duke defeated Virginia Tech on Jan 4th, 69-44 and also defeated Florida State, 66-58. Next on the schedule, Duke comes to town here in Atlanta Wednesday night to play at Georgia Tech. (Jon Scheyer in the photo - love the faces he makes)

Duke has also started a new website for basketball - for those of us who can not get enough :)

Check out these links to DukeBluePlanet.com and the BluePlanet YouTube channel

family photo Sunday

"Born and bred Gator fans" Meredith, Sophie and Natalie were dressed to cheer as the Florida Gators won the national championship game Thursday night.

Go Gators!

more Christmas photos

Click this link to view more photos from Christmas Day at our house!

Gators play for the National Championship tonight

Today is the day the Gator fans have been waiting for. I don't know if the Gators will win, but I know that they can win; and I expect the final score to be a close one.

Go Gators!

link to BCS coverage at ESPN.com

January Birthdays Slideshow

family photo Sunday

We enjoyed spending time with Rachel and Brandon - it was their first Christmas since their marriage in March.

Slideshow: Christmas Eve in Cowpens

family photo Sunday

This is our youngest grand-child's first Christmas. Sophia Martha is being held by great-grandma Martha.

Christmas at our house

Christmas morning at our house, 2008








We gathered around the tree on Christmas morning to sing carols and celebrate Jesus's birth. This was our first Christmas in our new home, and all of our children and grandchildren were with us. Also, this was Sophia's 1st Christmas.

family photo Sunday

Another favorite Christmas photo of my three sons, taken at their grandparents in SC in 1985 or 1986.

Christmas is a-comin' ...

Well, it has been just over a year since the Lord moved us from Jacksonville, Florida, to the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. We are still huge Gator fans, but we are in the minority, surrounded by Georgia and Georgia Tech fans. After renting a house in Duluth for a year, the Lord gave us the opportunity to purchase a home closer to our church.

So this Christmas it is our turn to have all of our children and grandchildren with us for the holidays. We are sooo excited and we are busily decorating the house. I finally put some lights up on the front porch last weekend. We plan to buy a live tree this weekend and decorate it just in time for Christmas! Joshua, Janelle and Brielle (2) will be driving from Pennsylvania. Stephen and Leah, Natalie (4 1/2) Meredith (2) and Sophia (8 months) will be driving down from Wisconsin. Brandon and Rachel will drive up from Jacksonville and Grandma Baggett (Winnie) will fly in from Texas after Christmas. After spending Christmas Eve in Cowpens with my parents and the rest of the Franklin family at Cousin Judy’s home, we will drive home (two and a half hours) to Georgia. We have invited our new friends, AJ and Jong and their son Eugene (2) to join us for Christmas dinner. They are a Korean family and this will be their very first Christmas.

Hope your Christmas 2008 will be great!

family photo Sunday

The only time it snowed during the 30 years we lived in Jacksonville was Christmas 1989. We were stranded at home that year, and we took advantage of the only hills in our area enjoying "sledding" at the BMX Bike track.