Pigs...

as in guinea. Yes I must be crazy to let this happen to me again.

 

 

Ivy took pity on these two older guinea pigs at Petco. They had gotten a new batch of babies and these grown ones had to go. She got them for 5 bucks.

 

I have to admit that I am a sucker for guinea pigs. They are so cute and social. When Mary Grace saw them she immediately realized that the albino one is blind! So how do you like our old, blind, bargain pigs? Oh and don't you love Ivy's cute new haircut?

 

One little guy was less than enthusiastic about the new arrivals.

 

It is funny because they are about the same size.

 

 

 



Freshman year...press start

How does every good journey begin? With great food of course. So Candy and Lucy loaded up their vehicles with Lucy's stuff, picked me up and we headed off. Oh stopped for lunch 3 miles down the road at Biaggi's. Oops, well we didn't want to make something at home. Now on the road to Mobile and Springhill college. Checked into the hotel and had our favorite Mobile resident, Medea to come over and guide us. Naturally that led us to one of her favorite local places.

 

 

Butch Cassidy's has great burgers, wings, fries and the like. I made a fool out of myself, eating like I had just gotten out of food jail.

 

 

 

 Two for one appetizers? Hot wings? Hand dipped onion rings? What else could I do? I did only order a mini burger. But what do you think a mini burger in a place like this looks like? A lot like a big ole burger.

 

 

 

The next morning we pulled up to her dorm front entrance and were greeted by the girls volleyball team and the boys basketball team. Everyone pitches in to help and welcome the new freshmen. In 10 minutes our cars were unloaded and deposited in her 3rd floor dorm room. I was impressed.

 

Just getting started.

 

The little hammer set my mom gave her came in handy.

 

Here is the room pre-Target trip. We added some pillows, lamp and a few things. Oh, and her roommate seems like a great match for Lucy. She is from Delaware!

 

The campus was gorgeous. Here is the chapel. The school was founded in 1830. I just loved that there were palm trees everywhere mixed in with those majestic coastal live oaks.

 

The inside was breathtaking.

 

Cool old cemetery where the priests and brothers are buried.

 

Candy met a big man on campus.

 

 

It was so hot and humid that we scampered from air conditioned building to air conditioned building.



 

Yes, a few tears were shed...but only a few. We had sweated so much that we had none left. I left feeling happy for her and satisfied that she is in the perfect place.















New beginnings

Just got through catching up on Whitney's blog. Reading about the last days of their summer and the first day of their school brought back a flood of memories. It was Liam's first day of kindergarten so that is particularly poignant. I clearly remember each of my girl's first day of kindergarten. Care to walk down memory lane with me?

 

Sophie - waved goodbye from the porch as she walked to the corner to get on the bus. I was hugely pregnant with Ivy and had a 2 year old Mary Grace hanging on my leg.

 

Mary Grace - I met friends Vick, Medea, Bev and a couple of others that I can't remember at the new McDonald's in Madison. Bev and I weren't as sad as the others because we still had one at home.

 

Ivy - thought this day would never come. Went to see a movie every single day that week, sometimes alone or with a friend. I saw The Sixth Sense two days in a row. If you have seen it you understand why. I felt so free.

 

I think that by the third time I realized how to enjoy my time without them. I'm sure Whitney will too. So as I write this I am about to ride with Candy to move Lucy into Springhill College. I'm so excited for her. I'm not sure how Candy will be on the way home. How will she learn to enjoy her time alone? We will see.

 

Be sure to check her blog

 

tospringhillandbeyond.BlogSpot.com



too busy to post

I hate it when I am too busy to post and my pics pile up. So hang on this may be a long one.

 

Remember beef stroganoff?

 

has to be served on egg noodles. I cooked some whole wheat penne for me and it was not right.

 

When I was visiting the barnyard the other day , we let the girls roam.

 

Buddy was scratching to get out too. He is so cute. We let him out as well.

 

In related news this was my breakfast the next day.

 

 

Book club at Pam's. Always the spectacular hostess. Food and table were fabulous. The discussion was interesting regarding the book. We read, The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell. I love a book that makes you think and become immersed in another time. Read it soon. I just heard a movie is being made.

 











Great news. A new olive oil and balsamic vinegar store just opened in town. It is called J Olive Company. Linda and Joe were in town, so Jan and I took Linda. Huge urns with so many flavors to choose from. I bought a cranberry pear white balsamic vinegar and lemon infused olive oil. Mixed together they became our salad dressing that night.

 

 

Yes there were lots of people at this party but only one got his picture taken. We celebrated Ed and Cary's birthday. It was also Brian's 30th. We skyped with he and Ashley in Boston. Ashley had decorated their place with pictures of him at all stages of his life for a party. We sang happy birthday to him and cried. This is reminiscent of a story from his toddlerhood when we sang to him and he laid his head down and cried. You have to remember we are not the best singers.

 

The table...so glad Jan found this big ole antique table. We love to crowd around it.

 

Mary Grace and Ryan had us over for lunch the next day after church. We had quiches...imagine that. Plenty of eggs on hand. Daphne was hot and tired after performing with the soccer ball. Those are flower petals not something she tore up.

 

Next up was Ed's birthday dinner. Always make his favorite meal.

 

 

Fried chicken gizzards and livers. I know, I know, it sounds gross but I have perfected the technique. Breast strips for Ivy.

 

Is that perfect gravy or what? He likes to make a well in his (homemade) mashed potatoes and use it as a dip. And don't forget the canned Leseur peas. 

 

The worst part. Thank goodness it is only once a year.



 





Stormy weather

So we have been having these ridiculous torrential thunderstorms almost every afternoon lately. One of them caused a huge limb to break off one of our trees by the deck. It was probably weakened by the ivy vine that has been strangling it for years.

 

 

You can hardly tell it is a branch for all the ivy. We should have cut it back a long time ago but that vine really sort of scared us. Thank goodness there wasn't a giant at the top. However in related news it seems that Johnny Depp will be playing the giant in a Disney movie coming out on Christmas day...hmmm.

 

 

Pots smashed

 

 

Ed tries to clean up. Nice legs though and I don't mean the table.

 

Deck got crunched. But the worst part was...

 

Mr. Moon bought it. Mary Grace said it is ok, he just looks surprised. Well y'all know who else doesn't like storms.

 

between my otto and chair.

 

The back end didn't quite make it.

 Lucy is on the final count down before leaving for college, so we are trying to pack in all the fun we can.

 

Lunch at Biaggi's and a movie.

 

This isn't the movie we saw but I couldn't resist this shot. We saw 100 Feet. It was visually beautiful but dragged a bit.


I couldn't end this post with out saying how sad I am about Robin Williams being gone. He was such a big part of all our entertainment lives. I loved that he said his favorite character to play was the genie from Aladdin.  











Cary's birthday

 

What kind of birthday lunch features absolutely no pictures of the birthday girl?

 

 

This one! We got together to celebrate Cary' birthday and I took no pictures of her. That's what happens when you have a cute baby, cousin and grandma.

 

 

 

 

Mamaw polished off her gyro.

 

Painting project continues. This is the actual new wall color.

 

Friend Bev recently had her house repainted.

 

Isn't it great with that fun yellow door.

 

You know something good is waiting behind there. I'm helping her now with 2 bathroom remodels too. Will post pics.

 

As promised here is the link to the AWE blog post.  blog.atwestend.com  or just go to their website and click on the In Awe button.

 

I got a fun comment on the facebook page from an old friend I grew up with on Meadowridge. She remembered an old upholstered rocking chair that my parents had put in the garage. We used to sit in it and rock for hours. Back then kids stayed outside all day and it was cool to have a chair like that.

Guilty

I have to confess...I ate it.

 

 

Candy and I took Chris out to lunch before he heads back to Sewanee this weekend. We drove all the way to Table 100 in Flowood. Worth it. The lunch special was fried chicken and I went for it. I didn't eat that muffin and the sides were healthy but still. It was great but I felt pretty bad later. I'm not used to fried foods anymore.

 

Evidence is still building in the jumpsuit arena/

 

This one was at TJMaxx, but it looks like it may have actually come from the 90's.

 

Thought I would share this with all the out of towners. Mom and I have shown it to everyone in two counties.

 

That would be our own cute pizza man, Ryan. It is a weekly article on local chefs. Awww.



 

Jumpsuits and wedding gowns

Please tell me it isn't true. Jumpsuits aren't really coming back are they?

 

 

I had a denim one that I thought I looked excellent in. I'm not sure I was correct. I may try to find a picture of it.

 

More wedding news. Fitting day! Fortified with mini bottles of chardonnay, we busted up into David's Bridal. The poor seamstress had never encountered a bride like Mary Grace. She would rather be feeding chickens or shooting guns than standing in a dressing room trying on dresses. Here she is getting the dress on.

 

That's her in the Superman socks and there are her wedding boots waiting to be put on. Well the dress is beautiful and MG held up for an hour and a half of pinning.

 

Mary Grace kept trying to get her to cut off the train or cut out the petticoat. The bottom line is it is a beautiful dress that is so different and so...her. You will just have to wait and see.

 

So I have 2 different projects that involve 2 bathrooms each. I love it. One of the projects is for the pastor who will be marrying Mary Grace and Ryan! 



 

 

 

 

 

eggsactly what we wanted...

for lunch that is. Since Sophie, Paul and Ryan  were all busy, Mary Grace cooked Sunday lunch for us. We had church service in the fellowship hall due to painting project. Guess what she cooked for us.

 

You guessed it, eggs. In the form of a fabulous mushroom, tomato, basil quiche. The kid can bake.We enjoyed the animals and wedding talk.

 

I like the taste and nutrition of quinoa.

 

But you have to admit it is not a beautiful grain. It really looks like something you should not be eating. Like maybe these black beans and corn are up to no good. This tastes great however with cilantro, cumin and lime. I'll let you know Ed's comments. I think it will go well with sweet, hot chili pork chops.

 

I washed this comforter and it was still a bit damp so I let it lay on the sofa back.

 

Cats! Especially this one. He looks so indignant.