It's a Midpoint Hodgepodge

I'm joining up with Joyce at From This Side of the Pond for the weekly Hodgepodge:

1. The midpoint of summer (believe it or not) is August 7th. Describe a perfect summer day. Have you had one this year? 

I'm laughing as I read the question because we are in full "return to school," "come back to church," "party in the lot" mode at church. Summer is over . . .which is sad. Actually, we have a lake weekend scheduled toward the end of August and I am so excited. We haven't been anywhere this summer and I haven't had a perfect day yet, but that weekend is coming soon. I'm going to sit my fanny in a chair on the dock and lather up (stupid skin cancers) with sunscreen and enjoy a mini-vacation. A perfect summer day is a blue sky and sunshine with a light breeze and low humidity (low humidity rarely happens here!) surrounded by friends or family (those I love). The day should include lots and lots of laughter! I imagine that there will be boat rides and lots of talking.

2. What's one thing you wish you knew before starting high school? 

I wish I had known that I was enough. I didn't have to be someone else - I could just be me!

3. What's something that bothers you if it's not done perfectly? 

hahahaha! I'm a number one on the Enneagram. I would like for everything to be perfect, please. I like the bed made up a certain way and the towels rolled in a certain way . . .BUT . . .Mark is retired and if he does these things while I'm at work, I am trying to roll with it and be thankful!!

4. What's the most overrated food you're convinced people are just pretending to enjoy? What's a trendy food you actually do enjoy and would say is definitely not overrated? 

I know this will be an unpopular answer -- how could anyone enjoy Sushi? My family loves it (or so they say!). I also feel that way about lavender. I do not want lavender in my food. I DO love charcuterie boards and avocado toast!

5. Wrapping it up this week with five fun this or thats...

personal stylist or personal chef? Can I not have both? Please? I want a personal stylist but it would be far more useful to have a personal chef right now!

dance like nobody's watching or sing like nobody's listening? I don't do either well so I should probably do both while no one is watching haha! I have been known to sing and dance my way around the house when I'm home alone. Once again . . .do I have to choose? Really?

unlimited tacos or free pizza? Dang! These are tough choices. I guess I would go with tacos.

bookshelf organization-by size or by genre? Right now neither my bookshelves at home or in my office are organized in any way other than "on the shelf." I should do something about that!

ten minutes late or ten minutes early? Finally! I have one where I can choose. We are usually 10 minutes early. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

This is finals week. By the time you read next week's hodgepodge, I will have completed my second semester (mini summer semesters but full work load) at Samford University. After Friday, I will have about a two week break and I am thrilled. I will be taking a heavy load in the fall. Life is busy right now. I feel super blessed . . .even on the days where I fall apart!

Weekend in Review

 This Sunday was "Bless the Teacher" Sunday and we put goodie bags together on Thursday. Our pastors asked for all of the educators to come to the front of the sanctury(ies) at the end of the service and gave them the gift and then the whole congregation prayed over them.

This is our "main" statement for our church - "Here at Trinity, we are in the business of making disciples of Jesus. we believe that a disciple is someone who has experienced God’s grace to share God’s grace, that a disciple’s faith is a growing faith, and faith only grows in community because the love of God is bound up in our love of neighbor." We believe everyone is our neighbor, so one of our "brands" (for lack of a better word??) is "Hey Neighbor" in the speech bubble in teal blue.

On Friday night, our neighbors texted at 6:00 p.m. and said,"What are y'all doing for dinner?" I had just stepped out of the shower and we were literally trying to decide what to eat. I said that I could be ready in just a few minutes and we picked them up and headed to Casual Pint. It was just what we needed. I had spent the entire day studying about Sexually Transmitted Infections and Diseases - nasty stuff - and it was one of those days where I had to deal with a mad parishioner and I left a brand new gallon of milk in the garage floor overnight (trash), etc. We laughed and talked and I felt so much better after dinner.

On Saturday morning Mark made the custard for homemade ice cream (I had to go buy another gallon of whole milk on Friday to replace the one left on the garage floor).

This was the finished project.

Mark has been decorating the screened porch. He found those ball jars in his mother's basement. Our son made the lovely table for us years ago.

He hung the new fish picture in the bigger spot (thanks for your opinions last week!).

On Saturday night we went to Mark's sister's house for dinner. Our nephew, Thomas, has moved to Birmingham to work on his Master's so we all got together to welcome him home. I've written about our every Sunday family lunches at Mark's mother's house. We tried to continue that tradition for a while, but we aren't doing it very well. We are trying to make sure we get together as a family - it just might be on a Saturday night and might include beverages other than iced tea :-).

My sister-in-law, Susie, is so much like her mother. She always has beautiful flowers on her table.

There were several appetizers (no photos). Susie smoked ribs and chicken on the Pit Barrel and she made grits. Someone brought fruit and someone else brought a layered salad. Susie and Bob invited their neighbor to join us. She was very interesting. She is a producer and has produced TV shows on all 7 continents. She was an excellent conversationalist and you didn't have to worry about talking.

Sunday morning was back to work fo rme. As I was leaving the neighborhood, I had to pause for several minutes while this gaggle of geese crossed the road.

Last week our builder contacted Mark and asked if we would recommend their company to another couple whose home burned - it was struck by lightning just like ours. We agreed and Mark invited the couple to come see our house on Sunday afternoon. It is much easier when you can see, rather than just tell, the wonderful work done by ELM. Steve and Tyler were so nice and we have such empathy for them as they are going through this hard time.

So what did you do this weekend?

Sunday Stealing about Blogging

 

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

This week's meme is swiped from If By Yes, a Canadian blogger who describes herself as a "left wing left hander with two left feet." It's a shame she doesn't update her blog anymore. Anyway, she participated in a meme that she tells us was popular way back when.

About Blogging

1. When are you at your blogging best – a.m. or p.m.? I'm at my personal best in the a.m. but some of my favorite posts over the years have been written in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep. Life is so busy these days that I don't find myself actually "writing" blogposts. I have a tendency to participate in this meme each week and Wednesday's Hodgepodge hosted by Joyce at From This Side of the Pond. I try to also do a "weekend in review." Maybe someday I will write actual posts again.

2. How many blogs do you have? Please include the links in your answer. I only have one blog. You are reading it :-)

3. Do you prefer silence when you compose your posts and write your comments? In the early morning, it is usually very quiet in our house. I don't know if I have a preference - some noise is ok! As I've been typing these answers, Mark has walked through the room several times and we've discussed our passports and the excursions we want to sign up for on our cruise this fall. The dryer is clunking behind me.

4. What's the grossest thing you've ever spilled on your keyboard? I've only spilled a Diet Pepsi that I can remember BUT my laptop and my keyboard are always nasty! I've tried wiping both with an alcohol wipe. I even bought some of that sticky stuff that you roll over the keyboard. Both are still dirty.

5. Ever posted while intoxicated? I don't think so. At this stage in my life, I rarely have more than one beverage - and sometimes I just drink a Diet Ginger Ale. Cheers!

 
Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

A HOT Hodgepodge!

 

1. On July 29th 1957 The Tonite Show premiered with Jack Parr as it's host. This marked the beginning of the modern day talk show. Do you watch any daytime or late night talk shows today? Do you have any thoughts on the hubbub surrounding the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, or are you more in the camp of 'who is Stephen Colbert? 

I don't have an opinion about the late show. I'm at work all day so I definitely don't watch daytime TV and we are usually in bed by 10:00, so I don't watch late night talk shows either.

2. What's the best part of your day? 

I am a morning person! I get up early and enjoy the quiet. I have a diet pepsi and I ride the stationary bike . . .and then I get ready to go to work.

3. What's something your generation does that you actually dislike? 

I strongly dislike the tendency of several Baby Boomers to turn everything into a political matter. I also don't like when someone my age dismisses the opinion of young adults. Both of those things could be any generation, but I've noticed my own doing both things quite often.

4. When you cook do you clean as you go, or clean it all up once you're finished cooking? What's the last thing you cooked/baked in your own kitchen? 

I only clean as I go IF I need to reuse some items such as the mixer bowl. I really love when Mark comes in and washes as I cook!! I served baked spaghetti last night for the young adults so I used one of my ovens yesterday.

5. Sum up your July in ten words or less. 

July: HOT 🥵! Time with granddaughters plus learning LOTS about Human Sexuality 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My random thought today is actually a couple of random questions? Here are the things I bought on Saturday. What should I put on the bottom shelf of this piece of furniture? It is located in the dining room.  

Here is a closer look. I bought the three old cups and saucers and the red pitcher. Just FYI, I have a little red in every room but one. I love a pop of red in every room, which is actually tough because we are all Auburn people around here. At least I'm a student at Samford University and their colors are red and blue. I'll claim it!

What should I put on that bottom shelf?

I also bought the fish picture. I had admired it a month or so ago, but was not going to pay the price. It was on sale 65% off on Saturday. The person is trying to clean out their booth. Sold! I originally bought it to hang over this bench on our screened porch. There will be an inch or so on each side of the picture if we hang it here.

Or should we hang it in this big open space between the two windows? Thoughts?

Weekend in Review

We had a long weekend which began last Wednesday afternoon. After a lunch meeting at work, I slipped off and headed home. I threw enough clothes and toiletries in a bag for a 24 hour stay. Mark was already packed and he had loaded the furniture in the truck. We were on the road by about 2:30 headed south to our daughter's house. Laura and Scott purchased a house and had planned to totally remodel it and add on a master bedroom and bath BUT the numbers they were given before they purchased the house DID NOT match the REAL cost of redoing the house. They (and the rest of both families) did some of the work themselves and they hired a local contractor to do the rest. Then they put it on the market while they continued to live with the in-laws (8 months - too long on all sides). It didn't sell in a month and school is about to start, so they spent Monday and Tuesday packing and moving into the house. While we were all at dinner on Wednesday night, they received two offers and one was for full price. Why is life like that? If the offer had been two days earlier, life would have been easier for them. Now we are praying for the house to pass inspection.

Laura wanted two of her grandmother's chairs plus the long table that was in her entry hall so Mark had tagged them for her and he loaded and delivered.

The granddaughters all love their pops. He is THE BEST and MOST CREATIVE playmate.

They built castles and mermaid homes and all sorts of things on the kitchen table . . .so that the little one wouldn't destroy them.

They also played roller coaster . . .which was loud and hilarious and fun. They went on at least 30 roller coaster rides.

We were finally able to spend enough time with the little one for her to "know" us. She would come to us and raise her arms to be picked up -- hallelujah! We haven't been able to spend as much time with her as with the older two and it has hurt my heart.

We got home around dinner time on Thursday night. I had a quiz and a huge project for school. 

On Friday, our son texted and wanted to know if our daughter-in-law and oldest granddaughter and two friends could come play in the neighborhood pool. They had a blast. It started raining and they kept swimming!

After studying all day, I headed to the nail salon around 5:00 p.m. for a much needed pedicure. I have NO desire whatsoever to do my own toes, and I realize what a luxury it is to be able to get a pedicure every few weeks. In and around the other things, I washed our sheets, washed a load of my workclothes I wash my dresses, etc. in cold water on a gentle cycle and hang to dry and I keep those clothes in a separate pile so they don't get thrown in with towels and underwear.

Saturday morning - guess what I was doing? Still working on my project for school. My powerpoint presentation is on Maternal Mortality rates. I would get up every hour or so and dust something. I ran the roomba downstairs while I was studying.

I decided that I had to get out of the house for just a few minutes and even though I had ordered groceries earlier, there were a few things I needed to pick up at the Pig. Before going to the store, I stopped at the Shades Mountain Mercantile. I actually bought several things - 3 cups and saucers (antique Fiestaware) and a big red pitcher plus a wooden art piece with colorful fish for the screened porch. I took this photo because I love iron skillets and cookware.

Sunday morning found me at work at 7:00 and then I taught our adult Sunday School class a lesson on tragedy and loss and grief.

Mark and I dug around in the refrigerator for lunch. I didn't cook! He went to our brother-in-law's to make drawer fronts for the kitchen at the farm and I worked on the project plus made a quadruple recipe of one-pot spaghetti for Tuesday night and I baked brown sugar brownies for two neighbors - our next door neighbors celebrated their 50th anniversary yesterday and Lu, who lives across the park, will celebrate her birthday this week.

I've been trying to come visit everyone's blogs . . . I'm just a little slow lately.

What did you do this weekend?

Sunday Stealing

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

This week, while looking for a blog we hadn't hit yet, we discovered Living in the World, Not on It. This meme comes to you from "life in the slow lane of the unemployable, unworkable, disabled HR Manager/EMT." Too bad she quit posting because she sounds interesting.

Living in the World, Not on It

1) You're on a trip taking a tour through the jungle. You have a backpack with some food, first aid supplies, a pocket knife, a flashlight and a couple bottles of water. Somehow, you get separated from your group. By night fall you haven't found your group and haven't heard them looking for you. How long do you think you would be able to survive on your own?

hahaha! I would NOT survive more than a few hours. Mark, on the other hand, would survive indefinitely! 

2) Do you think it's okay to lie to spare someone's feelings? Why? 

I try not to lie . . . but sometimes I might answer in a round-a-bout way.

3) If a talking doll were made to resemble you, what 3 phrases would it say?

Well . . .Every Sunday I say "Welcome to Trinity" -- "Good morning!" - "Happy Sunday"!! I guess that is what she would say!  

4) If the super power to be able to read minds at will was possible, do you think it would be... cool and helpful, intrusive and wrong, manipulative or maddening?

 I don't think I would want to read minds. I think my feelings might be hurt haha!

5) Are drunk confessions things people can't bring themselves to say sober or just the crazy ramblings of an influenced and intoxicated mind? 

That is a really good question. I've always wondered and I don't have an answer. I can't wait to read the thoughts about this question!!

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

Time for a Hodgepodge!

 

I am joining up with Joyce and friends for the Hodgepodge questions of the week. If you have commented on my blog, I promise to come back and visit you VERY soon. I'm running a tad behind this week, but I love comments.

1. When does time pass slowly for you? When does time past quickly for you? 

My sister and I were just talking about our daddy and how he used to tell us not to "wish our lives away." He would always say that the older you were, the faster time went. I know there are 24 hours in a day for all of us, but I think I understand his comment now that I'm 67!

Time passes slowly when I'm having to do something I don't enjoy - like sit in a hospital room with someone. Time flies when I'm having fun . . .or when I have a lot to do . . .or just . . .time flies.

2. Do you have a favorite beach? What's your favorite 'beach' activity? Tell us what we'd find in your beach bag.

We haven't been to the beach in a couple of years which is tragic :-). For almost my entire life, a beach trip was a part of the year. Our family would go to Laguna Beach (which is probably part of 30A at this point). When I was a teenager, we went to Destin or Fort Walton. After Mark and I were married and after our kids were born, we went to Gulf Shores or Orange Beach every year. We went for a week in June of 2021 and we went for several days in October of 2023.

sun was in our faces - creating too much
and too little light

our beach vacations always
include fishing

You can find sunscreen, a diet pepsi, a bottle of water, and something to read PLUS my phone in my beach bag - at home, I will have the pool swipe card and at the beach, the key card (or whatever is needed to get back in the condo).

3. Your favorite book or movie with a beach setting? 

Have you read The Noticer by Andy Andrews? I love that book and it is about Gulf Shores, AL.

I've also read some "fun" books about the beach over the years that I've enjoyed -- written by authors such as Mary Kay Andrews and Elin Hilderbrand.

4. What's a food you love, but find it's a pain to eat? Is it worth it? 

I don't eat things that are a pain to eat hahaha! Seriously - I don't like ribs (too much trouble). I can eat fried chicken on the bone, but it isn't my favorite. I can't wait to read everyone's answers for this question.

5.  Do you like roller coasters? What's the best (or worst) roller coaster you've been on? 

I do love roller coasters. I haven't ridden one in several years. I loved Space Mountain at Disneyworld. I have always loved wooden roller coasters - I remember riding the Great American Scream Machine a million times (slight exaggeration) at Six Flags over Georgia.

not my photo - borrowed from the internet

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Mark made our Trinity UMC social media page. I've mentioned how he volunteers at The Hub (our missions and outreach center) a couple of days every week. Here he is hard at work:

Weekend in Review

We are headed to Amsterdam in the fall and this popped up in my social media feed this week -- oh my goodness - how cute! I wonder if it is real or AI generated haha!

My ENT has prescribed a new medicine for me. This is a steroid nasal spray powered by your own breath! Seriously. Also, it cost well over $500 but my insurance pre-approved the expense.

I hope it is helpful!

On Friday, I met my monthly "lunch bunch" group at Ashely Mac's. We normally eat together on the first Friday, but that didn't work this month due to the holiday. The group agreed to meet at noon instead of 11:30 because I had a hair appointment that morning. By the time I arrived in Homewood at 11:55, there was not a parking place to be found. I had been in the car for 45 minutes and had consumed a ginormous bottle of water . . .after driving through the soho parking deck (nothing) and around the block (nothing), I turned in the opposite direction and headed to our church to go to the bathroom!! (TMI?) Then I headed back to the restaurant and my friend called and told me where she found a place. I usually order a salad but they had a summer tomato tart on the menu. I ordered and enjoyed. Then Mark wanted a tomato tart for dinner hahaha! Here is mine - Heirloom Tomato and Feta tart (it is a Weight Watchers recipe!) That is a 1/4 of the pan - 2 points.

Our daughter is a teacher and she will be teaching in a different school system this year and she will be teaching kindergarten rather than 3rd grade. She asked me to make curtains for her classroom. Sewing was on the agenda for the weekend.

When the designer came to visit a week or so ago, she suggested ordering a bookcase shaped like a canoe for our upstairs loft area. The loft is where we keep all of the toys for the grandkids (there are also barbies and accessories stuffed into all of the drawers in the loft). The bookcase came from Bass Pro Shop! The delivery guy (not bass pro) threw it up onto our porch - thank goodness it wasn't broken. Mark unpacked it downstairs and he and I lugged it up the steps. I will do more work on "decorating" it, but for now . . .it is fine. Just fine.

I did a lot of homework over the weekend. 

Saturday afternoon, I made a giant salad to take to supper club. It was delicious and I didn't even make a picture.

I took one photo of the appetizer made by the hostess . . .and somehow deleted said photo. Duh! So I borrowed this one from the wonderful world of the internet. The host and hostess also made chicken kebobs for dinner.

https://beyondthenoms.com/prosciutto-melon-skewers/

She also made some mini cheeseballs similar to these:

https://dangthatssweet.com/mini-cheese-ball-bites/

We love these friends so much and are so thankful to be loved by such wonderful people.

I had to be at work at 7:00 on Sunday morning and I taught our adult Sunday School class on Good vs. Evil (we are still in the movie series for the summer).

We ate leftovers for lunch and took a nap!

I finished sewing the curtains and did more homework.

We watched a couple of TV shows and were in bed by 10:00.

How was your weekend??

 

Sunday Stealing

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

This week we stole from Follow That Dream. Bonnie, who posted it, admits she stole it from Stella. Now here it is, just waiting for you to steal it for your blog ...

Stolen from Follow That Dream

1. My bestie and I once ...I skipped this question and answered all of the others, but now I'm back and the question is still the same. I cannot come up with a response. Let's see . . .this is lame. We are die hard Auburn fans at our house, but one time my bestie and I went to see the girl's gymnastic meet at the University of Alabama because my bestie's sister-in-law was the head coach. My bestie and her husband had season tickets. I tried thinking back to childhood -- I'm sure my various besties and I did all sorts of things.

2. When I'm nervous ...I pick at the skin on the side of my thumbnails - I don't even realize I'm doing it. Sometimes I also talk too much when I'm nervous.

3. My hair ...is blonde . . .but it wasn't originally . . .but it should have been blonde all along - my eyes are green and my eyebrows are light.

4. When I turn to the left, I see ...a cute piece of furniture we bought last week.

5. My favorite aunt ...died of covid complications.

6. I have a hard time understanding ...why other people drive like they do.

7. You know I like you if ...I hug you.

8. When I was 5 years old ...I didn't go to kindergarten because they didn't have kindergarten in my school.

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

Calm, Cool, and Collected Hodgepodge

 

1. What's a characteristic you admire in others? Elaborate.

I wish I could stay even-tempered no matter what’s happening around me—calm, cool, and collected in any situation. I also wish I felt more self-assured, or maybe just had more confidence in myself.

2. Do you have a favorite mug? Let's see it. Why is this one your favorite? 

I do not have a favorite mug because I rarely drink from a mug. Mark has a couple of favorite mugs - he wants a big cup for his coffee because he uses a healthy large amount of half and half in his coffee.

3. July 15th is/was National Give Something Away Day...will you (or did you, depending on what day you answer these questions) give something away? If so what? Do you regularly give away or do you tend to  'accumulate'? 

Now I want to go clean out a closet! Mark and I try not to hold onto things. We try to clean out stuff once a year or so. I've got a 35mm camera and some amazing lenses . . .I should give them away. Maybe I'll do that. I did give a piece of furniture to the Community Furniture Bank this week!

4. You're planning a trip. Do you prefer exploring big cities or smaller, more off the grid towns? World Atlas lists these 12 'off the grid' towns to see in 2025. How many on the list have you seen? Of those listed which one would you most like to visit? Tell us why? 

Boothbay Harbor Maine, Middlebury Vermont, New Hope Pennsylvania, Rehoboth Beach Delaware, Brevard North Carolina, Saugatuck Michigan, Medora North Dakota, Ouray Colorado, Lamoille Nevada, Neah Bay Washington, Hood River Oregon, or Cambria California

*You can read more about each destination by clicking the link above. 

I love to travel, but I’ve never really thought about whether I prefer big cities or small ones—maybe I lean toward smaller? I’m not sure! I haven’t been to any of those places, but they all seem really cool. Rehoboth Beach and Ouray both look like fun spots to visit. I’ve also never been to the Pacific Northwest, so several of those destinations are definitely on my list.

5. Have you ever...ridden a motorcycle? yes been to a Disney park? yes met a celebrity? yes won a contest? yes Tell us something about whatever you answered yes to on this list. 

I went on a date with a guy who drove a motorcycle. It was fun riding behind him, but I don't think I would want to do it all of the time. 

I've been to Disney World twice. The first time we went was when our kids were about 10 years old. My sister and her husband (ex - he who remains nameless ha!) and son met us. We planned that vacation for months! We stayed at Port Orleans and had so much fun.

About a year and a half later, Mark had a meeting at the Contemporary and we pulled the kids out of school and we went with him. It was late October and we rode and rode and rode the rides while Mark was in his meetings. The kids rode Space Mountain about 10 or 12 times in a row one night. I made it through 3 times and then I said, "I'll be standing right here."

I've met Bob Goff. In case you don't know him, he is an author and has several book studies on DVD. One of his studies is why I'm back in college at the fine age of 67. The study is Dream Big . . .and I did Dream Big!

I also got an autograph from Jerry Clower one time for my father-in-law. 

I won a Pappy van Winkle contest and won a bottle of Pappy for Mark.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

It’s so hot here in Alabama, I’m starting to understand why Southern porches were made for sitting still with sweet tea—any movement feels like a negotiation with the sun. Actually, I am so thankful for Willis Haviland Carrier who was an American engineer, best known for inventing modern air conditioning, inventing the first electrical air conditioning unit in 1902. Thank you Mr. Carrier! I appreciate you!

Weekend in Review - Monday! Monday!

 Our weekend started on Thursday night! We met Mark's sister and her husband and his twin brother and his wife for dinner. I wrote "sib dinner" in my calendar!! We met at Giuseppi's Cafe. You may remember that Mark doesn't like Italian food . . .but he ate a Muffaletta and was perfectly fine.

I ordered Chicken Piccata . . . I think it was linguini? I did not even make a dent in this bowl!

On Friday, I did homework for HOURS. I finally hopped into the shower around 4:00. I didn't dry my hair - just let it air dry. Mark worked in the yard and was still messing with the sprinkler system when our neighbors pulled up in front of the house and said they were going to grab dinner . . .and for us to come along. Mark ran in and hopped in the shower (in, out, and dressed in 10 minutes). I changed clothes and off we went. It is good for us to be spontaneous. It would have been so easy to say, "nope. we can't." For once, we didn't see anyone we know while out and about! 

We ate at La Paz in a neighborhood near us.

Saturday morning found us on I65 South headed to our daughter's house for our middle granddaughter's birthday. We walked through the door and she asked Pops to go play in her room.

We had not seen our youngest in a while. She is walking now and is so cute!!

She is climbing up on every chair and is so proud of herself.

The party was at the home of the other grandparents . . .and they have a pool!

Our two oldest granddaughters had lots of fun swimming. Other kids arrived shortly thereafter.

Our oldest is 9 and our middle is now 6. The 6 year old idolizes the 9 year old.

I've been in the fruit kebab making era. The wooden picks had tiny disco balls on the end.

The party was a combo "hello kitty" and "toy story" - our granddaughter couldn't decide. Our daughter saw these decorations on a "free" site - they were brand new and free!!

Aunt Alice and Uncle George sent her a new "fancy" coloring book.

You can see all three granddaughters in this photo!

She had asked for Jessie and was so excited that Uncle Glenn and Aunt Lauren and Emma bought it for her.

She also received a Woody doll.

. . .and a Barbie pony

Aunt Becky sent Bullseye - the horse!

A former lunchroom lady makes these birthday cakes from scratch. It was perfectly even all the way across until Mark cut his piece. Our daughter and daughter-in-law both sent this photo to me!!

I can't believe she is six years old!

Rather than drive back on I65 north, which is horrible during beach season, we took the scenic route and drove 231 to Sylacauga and then 280 to home. It took us less than 1 1/2 hours to drive to their house, but projected time for our return trip was well over 2 hours on I65 North. It would have been lots of stop and go traffic . . . and it irritates both of us. We decided 29 extra minutes would be worth it.

Sunday morning found me at work and Sunday afternoon, I did 4 hours of homework while Mark and his siblings and our son worked on cleaning out his mother's house. They are finally getting it ready to go on the market.

I hope you had a great weekend! I always enjoy reading about what other folks are doing!!