I received an email from Melita Harris on June 23, 2016 inviting my bride and myself to a birthday party in honor of her Momma, Janet Harris to celebrate her 80th birthday.  The event will be held on July 2, 2016 at 1:00 PM in the Jackson's Cafeteria which is located in the Akers Shopping Center, Gastonia, NC.  Janet's birthday is on July 5, 2016 and a birthday I should easily remember since our son, William, Jr. has the same birthday.

I programmed the address in the Garmin GPS unit and also printed out a Mapquest driving directions route, of which Mapquest had too much information at each turn advising you if you were at so and so street you had gone too far, etc.  The word discombobulation comes to mind.  We have OnStar but I am too frugal to keep it activated. 

My bride and myself left Wadesboro, NC around 1030ish or a little earlier to have plenty of driving time with the July 4th Independence Day holiday right around the corner, whereas the traffic on the highways should be heavy and it definitely was.  I elected not to use the Interstate 485 outer loop around Charlotte, NC but go up Independence Blvd. to access Interstate 85 South which wasn't that congested at all.  However, about 8 miles on I85 South before Exit 20 to Cox Road, Gastonia, traffic was moving at around 20 MPH for a few miles due to construction up the road somewhere.

We arrived at the Akers Shopping Center sometime about 12:30 PM and located Jackson's Cafeteria and went inside to the room reserved for the birthday party celebration.  Melita Harris was doing the final decorating touches and we were the first guests to arrive.

Below a few pixs taken of Melita Harris with a big grin going and the decor:

BIRTHDAY PARTY GETTING UNDERWAY

Within about 10 or 15 minutes, other guests began to arrive along with the birthday girl Janet Harris and her husband Vernon and other family members and friends.

Melita Harris was the Master of Ceremonies and directed us to the cafeteria serving line and it wasn't long before everyone had gotten their food and seated.  This is about the only time things get a little quiet when folks are in front of some "beautimous" vittles and today was no exception.......grin if you must!

I broke my normal protocol of getting pictures of the serving line and it wasn't by choice.  The drive and traffic apparently rendered myself "brain dead", psychologically for sure!

JACKSON'S CAFETERIA - SATURDAY MENU

Roast Beef
Spaghetti
Chicken Livers
Chicken & Dumplings
Fried Fish
Baked Fish
Meat Loaf
Baked Chicken
Country Style Steak

LUNCH SPECIAL - Spaghetti w/tossed salad

VEGETABLES: Pinto Beans, Lima Beans, Black Eye Peas, Mac & Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Cabbage, Carrots, Turnip Greens, Broccoli Casserole, Rice, Corn, Fried Okra.

HOMEMADE DESSERTS: Chocolate Pie, Hot Fudge Cake, Egg Custard Pie, Strawberry Shortcake, German Chocolate Pie, Pecan Pie, Japanese Fruit Pie, Lemon Icebox Pie, Assorted Cakes.

After consuming a big plate of country fried steak and gravy, mashed potatoes, cream style corn and a fresh baked roll, it was time to get the camera going again. 

CLICK ON BELOW THUMBNAIL PIXS FOR A LARGER SCREEN VIEW:

While taking pictures, I took time out and Vernon Harris and myself sang a few verses of an old Jimmy Rodgers song titled, Waiting For A Train which was definitely fun.  I remember a story Vernon told years ago relating to his courtship and marriage to Janet, whereas his Father-in-Law Henry Adcock, told Vernon that he had picked out the Lord (aka a preacher) for her and she went and married the devil.  I still get a grin out of that one. 

Above Vernon Harris with a good grin going.  Vernon retired from the US Army many years ago and if memory is correct was a Green Beret but his specialty was in the Food Service area.  Vernon and Janet would host a family reunion at their home that was off Sam Wilson Road outside of Charlotte and that was before the digital camera age.  I remember taking slides of the event with an ole Nikon F2AS camera and will see if I can find the slides that I digitized.  Vernon build a small pond in his back yard that was fed from a creek than meandered through their property.  The kids and adults had a tremendous amount of fun in his pond.  I remember when our oldest grand son Travis Huneycutt now 23, was very small and while playing in the pool, he pulled off his shorts and went "skinny dipping" and the little girls that were in the pool went to screaming and scrambling to get out of the water.  Travis's Momma had to quickly remove him from the pool and get his shorts back on.  Man, time gets gone in a hurry!  Vernon also constructed a "Tarzan type steel cable swing" high up in a large hardwood tree on the high bank on the other side of the little pond which was awesome to use.  The swing had a seat that you would straddle and gripped the steel cable with your hands.  I believe there was some type of safety strap or harness to keep you attached to the steel cable to prevent you from falling but I am not sure.  Vernon also built several stone benches from the rocks removed from the creek bed while constructing his "cement pond."

Vernon and Janet were and/are excellent hosts and make you feel right at home.   

I got a pix of Sarah Cannon and her husband John who were married last year, so they are still on their honeymoon for sure......another grin is in order:

I told John, I have heard the song "Big Bad John" all my life and finally got a chance to meet John!

Vernon's Sister, Sherry Darnell is seated above front right across from her husband Jack.  The name Jack Darnell and his Father B. F. Darnell's name have come up in conversations about early times in Belmont, NC when the Adcock family lived there and finally got a chance to meet Jack Darnell and his wife Sherry.  B. F. Darnell was the Pastor of The East Belmont Church of God at the time the Adcock family moved to Wadesboro, NC in 1957 when I met my "bride to be" Joyce Adcock.  I tell our son Bill, Jr., if I hadn't been dumb as a fence post he would be 52 years old now instead of 48.....grin if you must!

Wanda Guion who is an avid and excellent photographer, took a pix of yours truly with my camera.  Most of the time, you rarely see Bill aka Mickey Porter in any of my short stories but didn't slip through the gauntlet today!  Brother-in-Law, Jerry Adcock, the "baby" of the Adcock family on the left.

TIME TO PUT ON THE PARTY HATS

ADCOCK KLAN LINE-UP

Above pix of the Adcock Klan; missing are Bernice Talent of Florida, Aline Mosteller of Hayesville, NC and Rose Tucker of Morven and/or Baden, NC.  Pictured above from left to right; Jerry Adcock, Frankie Beachum, Boyce Adcock, Joyce Porter, Sue Newton, Rachel Myers, Janet Harris and Carolyn Haigler.  One brother Don Adcock, one sister Barbara Gant along with parents Henry and Nellie Adcock are deceased.  Time waits for no one.  Check this link out. 

It didn't take too long before the above cake was demolished....my slice sure did taste good!

Below pix of Janet aka the "Birthday Girl" blowing out the candles:

One thing that comes to mind about Janet Harris, she rarely ever missed a family member's birthday sending out a birthday card and continued to do that for many, many decades! 

COOKING WITH JANET

Janet Harris is an excellent cook and I feature several of her recipes in my on-line recipes and two comes to mind; hashbrown casserole and sweet n sour pork.  I adapted her hashbrown casserole recipe for my venison hashbrown casserole recipe.  Janet has many of her recipes published in the Adcock Family Traditions Cookbook and Labor of Love Cookbook, both out of print.

Janet has a wonderful personality, intelligent, quiet, soft spoken, gentle, reserved and humble with many of the traits of her Momma Nellie Adcock and have never heard Janet say anything negative or harmful about anyone!

JACKSON'S CAFETERIA EMPLOYEE BARBARA

A special thank you to Jackson's Cafeteria employee Barbara that kept things moving along bringing out coffee, etc., to those that wanted it with the cake and cleaning up our mess. 

In closing, this was a wonderful birthday party and another special thank you to Melita Harris for getting it organized.   We all had a great time and as I post on my blog at every chance, "Two of the Greatest Ships that ever Sailed, Friendship and Fellowship." Family and friends makes Life worthwhile, therefore show and tell your love ones how much you love and appreciate them at every opportunity because Life is so short.  Lets not forget that actions speak louder than words, therefore show your love! "Yesterday is History, Today is a Gift and Tomorrow is a Mystery."

JAMES 4:14  "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life?  It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

PROVERBS 18:24  “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY - JULY 4, 2016

Happy Independence Day to all and remember that many hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians have given their lives over the decades and centuries that we might enjoy freedom here in America.  There are fanatical groups and individuals abroad and even within our own borders that want to destroy our American way of life, and YES; The United States of America was founded by God fearing Christian men of faith and not by extremist militant religious crazies aka terrorists bent on destroying everyone that doesn't believe and adapt to their sadistic way of life.  Say a special prayer for our men and women in uniform that they are kept safe from harm and that America's enemies will be smitten down by the swift wrath and judgment of God!

God bless each and every one of you and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 07-03-16 and updated on 07-04-16.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE