Written on Wednesday . . .magically posted on Thursday!

1. How did you welcome the month of July, and tell us one fun thing you did to celebrate the 4th. (or the weekend for any non-USA residents playing along today) Our sweet friends, Terrie and Duane, asked us to meet them for dinner on Friday night, so we ushered in the month of July eating, drinking, laughing, and talking. We ate at Sky Castle Gastro Lounge in the Lakeview district (I told y’all about Lakeview recently). Mark was terribly disappointed that they didn’t have fried chicken and waffles this time. I think he felt better after finding a new beer that he likes. Mark is all about local brews. He rarely drinks “the other kind” of beer anymore. He and Duane both had a Trim Tab Rye Brown and really enjoyed it. Sky Castle serves a really great hamburger and fries – a tiny bit gourmet and a whole lot of deliciousness.

   

   this is what I had at Sky Castle - it is one of THE best hamburgers ever and isn't that fry basket the cutest thing ever?

2.  Right now..what's your favorite red thing? white thing? blue thing? Red thing – fresh Alabama tomatoes . . .on a sandwich with Hellman’s Light Mayo, lettuce and tomato!! White thing – my tiny essential oil diffuser that I keep in my office. There is a dead mouse somewhere . . .I smell it. Blue thing – fresh blueberries – yummmmmmm.
3.  Wave the white flag, raise a red flag, fly your freak flag...which 'flag' have you flown most recently? Explain. That is a difficult question . . .Wednesday night is my “wave the white flag” night – I’m usually pretty tired . . .Sunday is busy, Monday is usually crazy (we did have a holiday this week!), Tuesday is busy from 5:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. Wednesday is work all day . . .and crash! Wave the white flag!
4.  According to Cond Nast Traveler these are the seven best places to visit in July- a boat safari in Botswanna's Okavango Delta, Riviera Maya Mexico (it's whale shark season and apparently you can swim with them), Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, Pamploma Spain, St. Petersburg Russia, the Fuji Rock Festival at Mount Naeba Japan, the Salzburg Festival in Salzburg Austria  If time and money weren't factors would you want to see any/all of these? Which would you most like to see and why? I’m open for almost any travel! All of those sound great except I’m not sure that I want to swim with sharks – I’m not a very good swimmer and they might decide I look like a nice plump treat! 
5. Grilled cheese, pimento cheese, or mac and cheese...your favorite from the cheesy treats listed? Cheese is great in all forms! Have you tried a grilled pimento cheese? So delicious!! I even like grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast! (I’m not a traditional breakfast food person). I like to make (and eat) homemade pimento cheese and also homemade mac and cheese. 
6. What makes you sweat? Really? You are asking me that question? I live in Alabama. It is 92 degrees outside and it feels like it is 100. The humidity is only 50% - not bad for a summer day in Alabama. I sweat mostly under my right arm! That is crazy, isn’t it?? I also sweat when I’m nervous. I sweat profusely every single Sunday morning when I stand up to teach Sunday School. I’ve been teaching for about 25 years ago and I’m still nervous.
7.  Your favorite movie with a 'patriotic' theme of some sort? I’m not sure if this is considered a patriotic movie or not . . .but my first thought was of the movie – Major Payne! We’ve watched that movie a million times. 
8.  Insert your own random thought here. I love my job! I sometimes momentarily forget just how much I love my job!!