August 10, 2005

Columbia, South Carolina 

Once again Lee and I had the opportunity to host a daughter of Hubert & Susanna Tinneny at our home.  It was an absolute delight to have Emma and Werner with us and our family from July 26th - August 1st.  We had a great time and trust that they did.   

The week was action packed beginning the evening of their arrival when our son Matt and his wife Jennifer hosted a beer chicken bar b que at their home in Elgin South Carolina.  When asked prior to her visit what she like to eat and drink Emma responded that she had heard from Kitty about Matt’s “Beer Chicken” bar b q – so that’s what we did.  It was a grand evening and she got to meet Christopher as well as eat beer chicken.  The highlight of the evening was when she and Werner fired Matthews 50 caliber rifle which I had helped him to make when he was in high school.  They really got a “kick” out of it. 

The next day Wednesday I drove them to Charleston where we saw the city from 8:00a.m. til 3:30 - on foot.  It happened to be the hottest day so far this year.  The temperature was 41 degrees your temp.  100 degrees our temp and about a 110 degree heat index.  They saw old revolutionary period homes and gardens, museums and the battery where the civil war in America was started.  We had a nice lunch in a British pub (it was air conditioned and had Guinness). We then headed on foot to catch the ferry to take us to Fort Sumter at about 3:30p.m. but the heat was really affecting us all and Emma said that we should save that till the next time she is here.  So we walked back to the Charleston Visitors Center where we watched a movie relating to the history of Charleston as told by a storyteller – in the air conditioning.  Then we drove to the old Magnolia cemetery and headed home to a big roast beef dinner and fancy desert. 

On Thursday we took them shopping on Fort Jackson and they were astounded at the inexpensive prices and they did a bit of shopping.  We then headed to a big Wal-Mart store where there was a lot of looking and a bit more shopping.   

   

Then Lee took Emma to Michael’s, which is a craft store, where they bought some fuzzy looking yarn to knit scarves and boas with. 

Lee made a fantastic Mexican meal.  That night Matt took them downtown to 5 points where all the college crowd go. They went to a place called Yesterdays where they had a great evening by all accounts and where they were introduced to a number of drinks they had never been exposed to.  Matt was the designated driver so he had none and was fit to then take them on a tout of Columbia by night.  They saw the Horseshoe at the University of South Carolina and many other sites in the city.  Got home late and slept in the next morning. 

Friday another run to the stores on the part of Lee and Emma and Werner spent a good part of the day getting Lee’s computer reinvigorated – and did a great job of it.  He added memory and cleaned up years worth of problems.  Instead of working at a snails pace – it now zooms right along like it did when it was new.  That night we had dinner with the Duggans and the Wisharts at Little Pigs Restaurant and we all pigged out on Bar-B-Q.  We all then went to our house for fancy deserts that Lee had baked and made.  We all talked of Duggan family history and of Eli’s connection to Newtownbutler.  The Wisharts and Duggans really enjoyed meeting Emma and Werner and the evening’s conversation. 

Saturday was a highlight for Werner.  Matt and I took him to the big gun show in Columbia, which they have periodically.  Thousands of people attend and there are a couple hundred booths of guns and rifles and knives and any kind of firearm accessories new and used you could buy.  After spending the morning there we came home and then Matt and his family and Pat and his family came to the house and we had a big bar B Q (hot dogs and hamburgers with all the trimmings and again – much fancy desert.  Lee added to the festivities of the evening by having a early birthday surprise party for Werner – with a store bought birthday cake and all.  Needless Werner was surprised since his birthday is in December. Followed by another great night of conversation and a couple of drops of the 1.5 liter bottle of Bushmills I had picked up for the visitors.  Was a late night – and fun. 

 

 

Sunday the visitors rested and slept in.  That afternoon Matt came and we cooked a Beaufort stew consisting of pounds of  shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob and potatoes all cooked in a big pot with special South Carolina seasoning (a Charleston tradition.).  What a feast - and along with it of course more of Lee’s deserts.  Throughout Sunday Werner continued to work his magic with Lee’s computer. 

 

           

 

Monday August 1 we had another big breakfast and the visitors finished packing and played a bit with Chris before I drove them back to the Charlotte North Carolina Airport for their flight to Texas where they would be continuing their journey.              

We think our mission to spoil Emma and Werner was a success - Werner gained 7 pounds and Emma gained 5 during the visit. 

Rich & Lee Tinneny