Very close

Hey, almost open.

 

 

Trip managing the kitchen 

 

Ryan serving the first pizzas

 

Mary Grace's coworkers were the willing guinea pigs.

 

My baby can work power tools. Framing the art.

 

Finally found a chalkboard artist.

 

this is his first chalkboard menu !!! What ? it is wonderful

 

Art is being hung.

 

 

Social media is being sent...by a professional. My babies are talented.

cook out

Well we celebrated Memorial Day in traditional American style. I certainly did my part to honor our fallen heroes.

 

 

Yikes, those ribs were good. Ed and I put a rub on them, cooked on low for 2 1/2 hours, then finished them off on the grill with Sweet Baby Ray's sauce. I didn't even get pics of Paul's beans, MG's potato salad and corn. It was so great to have all 3 girls and 2 husbands here. Poor Trip had to work at Pizza Shack.

 

I made a skillet cookie for Sophie's birthday which is Thursday. Cooking it in an iron skillet makes it so crunchy and crisp on the bottom and moist inside.

 

Truffles has not been enjoying the storms. Here she is hiding by me.

so much stuff...just bear with me

It is Memorial Day weekend...so what does that mean? At our house...war movies. As  I type,  the sounds of John Wayne's Green Beret are blasting in the next room.

 

May is always a busy month. Endings and new beginnings...I get emotional. First came Sital's wedding. Sophie and Sital have been friends for so long. They had a traditional Indian wedding. Her husband Kiger is an American Korean guy. He was a real trooper during the hour and a half long ceremony. No pictures can be taken during the wedding , so this is after.

 

 

She had 3 wardrobe changes. This white one was second. She was so beautiful.

 

Brides, and female friends get henna tattoos called Mendhis. Hidden somewhere on her arms and  legs is hidden the name of the groom. He is to find it on their wedding night.

 

Cutting the cake. The food was fabulous. On Monday I was craving Indian food. I called Sophie and she and Paul took me to Spice Avenue for a fix. I am totally hooked.

 

Pizza Shack Madison update.

 

Clean, clean, clean.

 

Thanks to a few great employees the place sparkles.

 

Brody stopped in the check the progress.

 

Yes , that is Dad, David on the ladder.

 

Lucy and I spent a couple of days looking for things to finish the restaurant. Searching for a fountain for the patio.

 

I'm sorry, these hats were so bad.

 

Michael's...oh please. Sent this to Amy, who hates flip flops.

 

Book Club at  Priscilla's . Homemade crab cakes. So good.

 

Shortly after this we solved all the world's problems. You are welcome.

 

Ok...y'all are not going to believe this next bit, but I swear it is true.

 

Candy has lost so much weight. She was holding a plate of watermelon and turned around and her pants fell off. Yes I said they fell off. I want that to happen to me.

 

Some of the framed art for Pizza Shack. Ryan used the old fence boards yet again. Well I have to go I hear the part where John Wayne befriends the little Vietnamese boy. Sniff sniff.

Froggy went a'courting

If you read Mom's blog you know she is growing morning glories from seed. I hooked her up with some trellises to support them. Let's see how they grow.

 

 

This fat little toad had been hanging around our back porch in a little hole. I looked at him the other day and he had a friend in there. I thought, how cute, he has a roommate.

 

So, I took a couple of pictures.

 

Went back out a little while later and it was apparent they were more than friends. In fact the big one is a female and the smaller one her boyfriend. Yikes. I did not take any more pictures. The next day, they were gone.

 

Had fun helping cousin Karen set up tables for her daughter Ashley's graduation party.

 

Used some of the things I had from various events and weddings. Karen bought beautiful tulips and roses.

 

Here is Ashley.

 

Proud mom, Karen.

 

All ready for the food.

 

I know they had fun.

 

Enough already

Ok, the cicadas were fascinating at first, interesting later but are getting old now.

 

 

No surface is immune to their little crunchy shells, which by the way the chickens love!

 

There is no dignity left, even for my little boy on a dolphin.

 

If you look close you can see that the picnic table was a party  place.

 

Our crumbling bird bath got nailed too.

 

Oak leaf hydrangeas on my walk. We had such beautiful ones in the cove at Riverwood.

 

Got a ladder and climbed up to get this from the tree in my yard.

 

Chris is home.

 

It was so pretty in Vicki's backyard the other afternoon.

 

2 of the 4.

 

Stopped by the PS Madison to check progress. They were cleaning everything. I told Ryan I was going to have lunch with Mamaw...would you like to go. He said he was too busy but as I was leaving , I asked one last time. He said why not, guys , I'm out of here.

 

She was so happy to see him (and me I guess).

 

He ordered the daily special...the cowboy burger. It had bacon, cheese and chili on it. Key lime pie finished it off.

 

His wife came over after work because he went back to work until late. Here is Pepper getting some woo. Daphne does not know what to think of that.

 

And I got to hold Dupree, who is looking distinguished with his graying mug.

Mother's Day

 

Did that get y'all's attention? This was the shirt from the 10th Ellis Beach Week. We are coming up on the 30th this June! Working on a new idea for that.

 

Junior was mad that I laid this toy on him, but would not shake it off. Now I know a clean closet is not that big of a deal but I sure get a rush off of having one. It was a mess.

 

Now for Mother's Day. Sophie and Paul hosted.

 

as usual she set a lovely table.

 

Look at this cool old table Paul had in his storage unit.

 

So retro. The party can start once Brody arrives.

 

This cucumber salad MG made was so good. Mom's fruit salad. Chicken spectacular and spinach by Jan. I did not get a pic of Cary's Chocolate Lasagna. Yes I said Chocolate Lasagna. Layers of oreos , pudding and whipped cream.

 

Brody and T in matching shirts.

 

Brody got to get in the back of Ryan's big truck.

 

Mother's and daughters. Missed all who could not be there.

 

And the men who love them!