So many things

I don’t know where to start. Time just keeps slipping away. 

Wood delivered. Truffles happy. 

It’s that time. 

Same ol’ same ol’

Sue set a lovely table for Book Club. We had switched months so we read my selection , Be Frank with me. We all liked it. 

Pumpkin sweet potato chili. Sounds odd but was interestingly sweet and hot. Loved it. 

Blew out the door from there to camping trip. Leroy Percy was lovely. 

Best prank ever

So it’s been a long standing bad joke of mine that whenever we open fortune cookies at a Chinese restaurant I read mine aloud. It always says the same thing - Help I’m being held prisoner in a Chinese bakery. Well it’s really not funny over and over and Paul always gives me a hard time about it. He recently went on a trip to San Francisco so it was no surprise when Sophie said he had brought a special dessert for us to share at our weekly Sunday lunch. We had Mr. Chen’s (yum). Well it was handmade fortune cookies.  

I opened mine ready to pull the same lame joke. 

Look what mine said!

He made it for me!! Love that guy. 

It’s over.

How quickly the week went in Orlando. I only have a few goofy pictures (no, not OF Goofy although I saw him) just goofy in general. I didn’t take my phone in so here is what I have. 

As soon as we walked in Ryan jumped in a ride line leaving us stranded on the other side of the rope. He helpfully snapped this pic of my frustration. 

Started at Epcot and enjoyed the food and wine festival which was going on. Each country was selling special food and drink pairings. Tiny servings , crazy high prices but very fun. 

Next day Magic Kingdom. Here we are on the surface of the sun. Oh no wait it just felt like it.  Record breaking heat   Got to100 degrees. 

Found Betty Boop for Mom. 

Last day was Animal Kingdom. It was our favorite of the Disney parks. Much shadier and had animals. 

However our last ride was an 80 minute wait and patience was wearing thin. 

Our sweat stained well used guide maps. It was so much fun especially being with my sweet kids who had to slow their pace and took good care of me. 

Orlando

Mary Grace and I have been wanting to see Harry Potter World at Universal studios. She, Ryan and I boarded a plane and flew in very late Monday night. 

 Found our cute condo and settled in. 

Got there. Already burning up.

Our first look at Diagon Alley. 

Amazing. Headed to wand shop first. The perfect wand picked Mary Grace. 

Got a Butterbeer to celebrate. It was quite good. 

I look awful in this picture but we were so happy that I included it. Horrible humidity = terrible hair. 

Ryan trying the wand. 

They had these markers in the street that told the wand motion to use. If you did it correctly things would happen. 

Followed by traditional English breakfast. 

Hogwarts castle. 

Halloween at St C’s

Thought y’all would like to see Mom’s handiwork on her common area table. 

Cute. Remember the howling witch she used to have? Sophie hated it. 

How about this one as I walked down the hall to take the picture. 

Ordered these very appropriate coasters. 

Let’s hope they work. Coasters never work. 

Sure sign

It’s still hot but fall is here. Was surprised to see lots of spider lilies coming up in the yard. 

We usually only get a few. Must have been the perfect weather for them. 

We used to take them to our teachers for back to school. Back then school started in September. 

Well they opened a few days later so I picked them to take to Mom. I’ll be on my trip to Orlando tonight so won’t be able to enjoy them. Wonder if they are blooming well on Riverwood. 

Just a happy dog. 

Will miss her this week. Headed to Harry Potter world at Universal Studios and Disneyworld with Mary Grace and Ryan. This has been MG and my dream since HP opened 

Unexpected adventures...

...and some planned ones. Ryan asked my advice in finding the perfect sofa. I told him that he would have to go to every furniture store in town to see no one has what he wants. Then we look somewhere else. I called J. Allan in Brookhaven and the sent me a picture of exactly what we wanted. 

We took a little trip there so he and Mary Grace could sit on it. It was perfect. We asked where to go to eat lunch. Always an important part of adventures. He recommended a little po boy shop nearby. He said don’t let the front fool you. Go around back and there it is. 

I’m glad he warned us. It said discount beer and cigarettes. But dang were those po boys good. So good I didn’t even look up long enough to take picture. 

Much anticipated event. St C’s play. Mom on stage. 

Curtain call. It was so cute. 

Mary Grace always brings flowers. Tommy on the other hand always is a nut. See him behind Mom?

Glad I snagged this little pitcher from Amy’s mom’s things. I avoided it during packing and garage sales. But when the last buyer left and it was still there I had to have it. So much for my hard and fast rule to simplify. 

Also an older church friend gave me the rest of her Jadeite. 

Had to take a pic of this little baby croc someone left at the pool. Experienced moms always look back one last time. 

Last adventure. Triple birthday for Kathy, Jill and Pam. We met at Bravo for food and presents. 

Some signs of fall

We had a back to school lunch at church and invited Millsaps students. Flowers for the tables. 

Ready for fall colors. 

But then I noticed how the pencils I bought for back to school drive matched perfectly. Mom artfully scattered them on the tables. 

Another sign of fall...Ed boiling peanuts 

Somehow I never read Donna Tartt’s book The Goldfinch when it came out. Decided to read it before I see the movie. Check out this weighty tome.(literally) It is a whopper at 700 plus pages anyway but get in large print and it is a weapon or a front door step. 

Jill hosted Book Club and we enjoyed this one. Everyone is fascinated by Harper Lee. I think she was not the most pleasant person. 

More signs of fall in the beautiful table setting. 

Look at the yummy individual chicken pies. 

Jill’s specialty. We beg for it every time. Pavlova.