|
Dear
Friends,
We, Max and Judy,
are turning a new page in our lives and it is with bittersweet feelings
that we announce to you, all our devoted friends and great customers,
that we are officially retiring from innkeeping. We will be closing The
Lodge on Apple Pie Ridge on May 1, 2012. Our last day to take guests
will be April 30, 2012.
|
|
|
Judy
and Max share grandson Zach's wedding day at the Lodge.
|
As most of you
know, Max and I are not "Spring Chickens" anymore, and we both
have aging parents, who we want to be able to help more than we have
been able to in the past. Also, we want to be able to spend more time
with our 3 children and their spouses. We also have 8 grandchildren
that bring us so much joy!! The three smallest ones, Maddie, Brad,
& Callie, 8, 6, & 4 years, live close to us and we want to be
more involved in the activities that they are involved in, and spend
lots of "Me-maw and P-Paw" time with them. They make us laugh
and keep us active. They grow up so fast!!! Our oldest grand-daughter,
Kimberly, is now 25, graduated from West Georgia College, got her
Master's
|
|
|
From
left: Zach, Kassie, Callie, Jake, Brad, Alec, Maddie, Emily and
Kimberly.
|
degree in
Education from Lagrange College and is teaching 3rd grade in Newnan, GA.
We want to be able to have time to check in on her and invite her up to
spend a weekend with us. She is our first grandchild and is so special
to us. As some of you know, Zach, age 23, our oldest grandson, was
recruited to play football for Army and graduated from the US Military
Academy (USMA) at West Point last May, then got married at The Lodge in
June to Kassie Brooks, who we dearly love. You did good Zach!! Zach was
fortunate to get to spend 8 months of his duty time as an assistant
football coach at the West Point Prep School after graduation. He and
Kassie have just moved to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he will proceed
with his Field Artillery training. Zach's brother, Jake, age 19, was
recruited to play football at West Point too. Zach was one of Jake's
coaches. Jake entered the Prep School at West Point in June, 2011 and
will enter the USMA officially in July, 2012. Jake is doing great with
his grades, and with his football endeavors and we are extremely proud
of him!! But, listen to this, we got another wonderful surprise last
month. Our grandson, Alec, age 20, who is serving in the Georgia
National Guard, and just recently graduated from the Defense Language
Institute in Monterey, California, was nominated by his commanding
officer to apply for an appointment to the USMA at West Point. Alec
filled out all his paperwork, and he, too, was accepted to start in
July to West Point. Alec and Jake will both be starting their studies
together in 2012 and will both graduate together in the Class of 2016. Three
grandsons going to the Military Academy at West Point equals TWO VERY
PROUD GRANDPARENTS!!!! So, we want to be able to go to NY to share in
some of their special times and to see some Army football as well. Go
ARMY, Beat NAVY!!! Now, let's go on to Emily, age 19, our
granddaughter; she has been attending Georgia Perimeter College in
Atlanta, working part-time, and performing part-time as a
singer/dancer. She has aspirations of going to New York soon to study
fashion design and merchandising. She has the sweetest personality and
her " Granny & Gramps" always love it when she calls to
say she wants to come up and spend the weekend with us. So as you can
see, we have so many things we want to do with all of our special 8
grandchildren!!!
During our time
being B&B hosts, it has been a challenge to manage our own health
as well as we should have. So we want to focus on Judy's losing weight
and Max's keeping his diabetes under control and his arteries clean. We
will definitely have to stop cooking and eating so many desserts to do
that. Oh no! That means far fewer Caramel Pound Cakes, the Apple Pies,
and Lemon Cakes!
Max is going to
continue working with his cattle a few more years, and we both want to
be able to spend more time with and help out our parents more. We both
would like to do some volunteer work, travel more, get back involved
with our church, and just enjoy "old age" together.
We definitely do
feel sad in lots of ways, too!! We have formed some close relationships
with many of you through the nine years that we have been your hosts at
the Lodge. Some of you were so loyal to us that you visited us 9 - 12
times in the 9 years we have been open. Many of you have truly become
like family to us. We have laughed together, cried together, and shared
our families' joys and heartaches together.
We have learned so
much from you, our very special guests, these past nine years and we
will never forget the wonderful times you spent with us. You have come
from everywhere - England, Sweden, Washington state, California-- we've
welcomed many Floridians, lots of Alabama friends, North & South
Carolina friends, and of course all our fellow Georgians and lots and
lots of others from all states in between. Thank you from the bottom of
our hearts for supporting us!! You all left a special place in our
lives that contributed to the joy of being bed and breakfast hosts. We
loved showing you our Lodge, cooking for you, and telling you about our
little piece of Heaven here in the Northeast Georgia mountains. Max has
dearly loved talking each night over dessert with all of you. Thanks
for putting up with all his questions and his humor. As you could tell,
he never met a stranger...you will be missed so much!! Our son, Casey,
said, "Mom, you will definitely have to help find Dad something he
can do where he gets to socialize! He dearly loves that." As all
of you know...that is so true!!
My joy was knowing
that you had what you needed in your room to make you comfortable, that
I had pleased your palate and filled you up...I didn't want you to
leave hungry. It was great having you in my kitchen on all your
visits!!
If you were one of
our 137 couples that were married here, thank you for choosing The
Lodge on Apple Pie Ridge for your "special day"! For all the
parties we had celebrating special occasions, all the business meetings
that were held here, and for all the Christmas parties, church
gatherings, and family reunions...thank you all!! Each event, each
B&B stay, each great review you blessed us with helped make The
Lodge on Apple Pie Ridge the success it has been. Thank you all so, so
very much.
We hope you will
keep in touch with us....let us know how you are doing occasionally,
and if you are ever close to Alto, stop by to see us. We invite each of
you to stay with us once more before we retire. And if you have an
outstanding gift certificate that you haven't used, or if you have
given one to a friend or family member, please let them know so all can
visit before we close.
We love you all
and cherish the time we spent with you. We pray that many blessings
come your way because you have all truly blessed us.
Your friends,
Judy and Max
The Lodge on
Apple Pie Ridge
|
