Remembering 9-11

"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly:

it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.

Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods;

and it would be strange indeed

if so celestial an article as FREEDOM

should not be highly rated."  Thomas Paine

On A Different Note

The thing about Random Dozens and memes of the sort is that sometimes we inadvertently reveal something about ourselves that we otherwise would keep hidden.  Sometimes it is a huge character flaw.  Sometimes it is an embarrassing situation.  And sometimes it's both.

Yanni.

Somehow, in the midst of my meme madness last week, I admitted that Yanni was the last concert I attended.  I realized that this was uncool, but I had no idea how uncool it was until a few of you commented and/or emailed me.  Apparently, I'm not hip.

This, or course, came as a complete shock to me.

Cough. Cough.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, or the pink, dorky elephant is in the room, as it were, I have to explain my Yanni fondness.

Way back in the day, in the mid-nineties, when Meg Ryan still looked cute and everyone thought she was married to Tom Hanks, I loved Yanni.  I had all of his CD's, including the "Best Of" collection.  Yes, m'am, I loved him almost as much as Linda Evans.

We were living near Pensacola at the time, and what would you know? Yanni was coming to town.  Right around my birthday.  It was fate.

I asked Hubs if we could go and because he loves me dearly and has some sort of issues, he agreed to take me to the Yanni concert for my birthday.  At the time, he was working in a place which was primarily men. Somehow word got out that he was taking me to the Yanni concert.  Yanni and red-blooded, American men go together like Al Gore and SUV's. 

One day at work, someone announced on the intercom, "Hubs (only they called him by his real name), please come to the front desk and pick up your Yanni tickets." 

Needless to say, the ribbing and teasing began, but Hubs took it like a man and also took me to the concert, like a man.  I absolutely loved it and he managed to sit through the entire performance without his ears bleeding.  To this day, I know it is one of the greatest expressions of love he's ever shown.  Well, that, and the time he sat up with me at the ER while I pewked my guts out.

If you ask him, I'm sure he'd tell you there really wasn't much difference between the two.

As for me, I still secretly love to pop in a Yanni CD when I'm feeling especially uncool.  Linda has since moved on, but I'm still a fan.

For the record, I do not like Barry Manilow.  I may be a Yanni geek, but let's not get crazy!

Please take this all down, Miss Hathaway.

I woke up this morning, got coffee, fixed breakfast, rushed Daughter off to school, kissed Hubs good-bye, and sat down to catch up on emails and such.  I found a nice, sweet note from Nancy warning me to update my blog or else I was banned from the walking moms group. 

She's such a doll.

Seriously, she's one of my BFF's and is only motivating me to do what she knows I love best- write.

I'd do the same for her.  So, Nanc, if I learn you let a week go by without painting or printing or otherwise exercising your creative genius, I will ban you from the walking group and/or from all those peanuts we're going to boil when the peanut crop is in.  Nuff said.

The truth is that I have at least five posts saved in archives that need tweaking or editing or whathaveyou.  At some point, you look at a post and think, "Ehhh... that's old now.  What's the point?"

Eventually, I just start all over with a new post, which in this case, begins with a threat from one of my best friends.

Insert Transitional Paragraph Here.

Last weekend we went to Amarillo, or as we like to call it, Town. 

Daughter needed some school clothes as we have out shopped SmallTown.  Half of her class is wearing the same Dillard tops and Wal-Mart socks, resulting in what could be the new school uniform.  We have never cared about looking a certain way or being fashionable, but when you have purchased nearly every single top or jeans at the local department stores, it's time to go out of town.  .

On our way, we passed through Hereford.  Hereford has like 1000 cows per person or something, so every time we drive through I have to hold my nose.  Hubs told me then I'd have to breathe it in through my mouth, an ugly, yet less smelly choice.

On this trip we pulled over to take pictures of all the cattle to share with family back home.  Hubs pulled to the side of the road, opened the sun roof, and stood in the seat to take a photo.  All the while I was yelling for him to hurry up because the flies kept coming in the car.  He eventually took a panoramic, so as to include all the bovine, and I still haven't checked to see if it turned out.

When we arrived in Amarillo, we went straight to PetSmart.  We have been looking for a dog since we lost Maggie, and PetSmart was hosting an adoption event.  Well, we thought they were hosting one.  When we got there, a sign was posted at the adoption area announcing that the local shelter would not be bringing any dogs that day.  So we all piled back in the car and drove to the shelter.  We didn't find a dog, but we did get to play with a few pups.

The rest of the afternoon was spent finding Daughter some clothes from stores other than Dillard and Wal-mart.  Note to Justice-  Please offer espresso for moms.  The two hour dressing room event would be much more tolerable.

After a very successful cool school clothes shopping marathon, we all went to World Market.  The foods and kitchen items and colorful decor tickled my poor deprived SmallTown self.  I felt the same way Granny did when she saw the cement pond.  Only Granny didn't buy Italian soda and olives.

Our other adventure included a visit to Cadillac Ranch, the place where some artists buried cars in the ground and now tourists freely spray paint messages and smiley faces.  It's the first time I have actually done any graffiti, partly because it was completely allowed.  For some of you, I know that totally takes the fun out of it.

Before we headed home, we went for a late lunch, dinner (or linner, as we call it) at Red Robin. The mushroom burger?  YUM!

So that was the weekend we went to town.  Stinky cows, shelter dogs, school clothes shopping, yummy food, and a moment with some great artistic Americana.

It was big fun or as Jed would say, "Whewwww, Doggie!"

Lid's Random Dozen: Interpretation Of Dreams And Creepy Bug Question

1. What insect are you most afraid of? Feel free to post a picture.
New Mexico fire ant.  I was bitten/stung a few weeks ago and it felt like a knife went through my skin.  OUCH! These cowboy fire ants are much tougher than the Georgia redneck ones I grew up with.  Mr. Bug man came and made them go away.  (That's my nice way of saying he obliterated them.)

There are insects in the rainforest that make me freak out a little, but I won't list them here since I don't think I'll ever be in the rainforest.


2. What is the greenest/most organic thing about you or that you do?
The greenest would be when I ride the rides at the fair... oh, that was bad.


Seriously, we drink organic dairy. I started out choosing organic dairy to avoid the hormones in our diet, but now I also just love the taste.  And organic sour cream?  Oh, you'll want more than a dollop!

3. Tell me about a recurring dream that haunts you.
OK, Lid. What is this? The therapy edition of Random?  First my scariest bug and now my dreams?
I don't have any recurring dreams anymore.  However, it always bothers me when I dream about something bad happening to someone I know. I always want to call them up and warn them.  I don't think I'm being given any message or anything- just makes you think.

4. Have you ever missed a flight? What were the circumstances?
No, but I've come really close.  On our trip this summer our first flight took off late and we had about 10 minutes to get to the next one.  Lucky us, the second flight was delayed for maintenance. This was the first time I was glad the plane had maintenance issues.

5. What do you consider your best feature?
Physical- Eyes
Other- I really like to encourage and help people. 

6. What was the last concert you went to?
Ummm... Yanni.  In 1997

7. Describe the most embarrassing church moment you ever experienced.
I was about 12 years old.  I sang a duet with a friend.  My friend missed her notes and at the end, she stood there in front of everyone and did the "gun to your head" gesture with her finger.  The congregation laughed, but I'm pretty sure that's a prime example of "quenching the Spirit."

8. Are you a whistler, hummer or singer?
Singer, unless Andy Griffith is coming on.

9. George Washington Carver said, "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." What is God saying to you through nature today, or this very minute?
God is saying, "Ragweed is an example of my mystery."
No really, nature always reminds me that things smaller than me and larger than me go on with their lives without my knowledge or involvement.  Just watch a Live Oak weather a storm or a fire ant make an ant hill.  All of God's Creation is important to Him and in His control. 

10. On September, 1, 1752, the Liberty Bell arrived in Philadelphia. What memorable event will take place in your life on September 1, 2010?
I will post the Random Dozen before noon.

11. Taco Bell or the Liberty Bell? (You must choose.)
The Liberty Bell.  I am a patriotic mess. 
Although, I really should choose Taco Bell. That story later...

12. Do you believe men and women can have purely platonic friendships?
Not a close one.  I know a lot of people disagree, but I have seen that usually at least one or the other begins to have feelings beyond friendship, even if the other does not share those feelings.  This may come as a shock to you, since I am always quoting Jerry and Elaine.  But, HELLO, that's a TV show.

Visit Linda for more randoms.  Her Random rocked this week, even with all the creepy bug questions. ;)

Showdown

I just got back from our moms morning walk.  A few of us are walking after we drop the kids off at school.  So far, we usually walk close to 3 miles each time, with a goal of three days a week.  I walked only two days this week, but next week I'm in for all three.

That last paragraph was a lot of rambling and numbers and poor grammar.  Please don't judge me.  My feet are still tingling from the exercise.  Apparently, an increased heart rate leads to decreased brain activity.

Anyhoo.

The walking has been great.  I'm getting to spend time with old friends and get to know some new ones.   I take Daughter to school, then come home and throw on some old yoga pants and t-shirt and put my hair in a clippy.

We meet each other on a designated corner. This morning I arrived a bit earlier than the rest of the team.  I was all proud of myself until every car going by kept looking my way.  I told the other ladies if I am going to start standing on corners, maybe I should start dressing a little better.  Ahem.

Now it's only 9:30 and I have the rest of my day to clean, do laundry, run errands, and watch Price Is Right.

May I just add that, although Drew Carey is no Bob Barker, I think he is doing a fabulous job. I keep wishing he'd launch into his old sitcom theme song and scream out, "Ohio!"  But, other than that, bless his heart, he has a tough act to follow.

Yesterday Hubs went to work late and we watched Price Is Right together. I realize most couples do not spend their dates together while listening to the sounds of Plinko, but I'll take what I can get.  Price Is Right is such an American experience.  If there were one show I'd like to attend, that would be it.  I spent summers watching Bob Barker give away showcases of Chevrolets and trips to Paris. 

Every kid in the 70's could tell you the going price of corn or if Bounce dryer sheets and Metamucil added up to a total of over $10.00.  We also knew that the most important lesson in life is to spay or neuter your pets.  Granted, we had no idea what that was, but it was the last thing we heard as the showcase winner's family members rushed on stage to climb in the winner's aqua blue Chevette.

The sad thing is that now I know exactly how much dryer sheets and Metamucil cost and it has nothing to do with watching Bob or Drew.

Maybe I should go on the show. I'll be the winner sitting in the PT Cruiser. 

Just look out for my crazy family members rushing on stage. 

Random Dozen: Because people like to say "salsa."

1. What is your favorite Mexican dish?
Really good chicken chimichangas.  Close second- Tamale
I like nearly anything from a good Mexican restaurant. I judge Mexican restaurants by their salsa.  If the salsa is good, pretty much everything else on the menu will be good. Hubs judges them by their guacamole- the simpler, the better. Okay, who wants tacos for dinner?

2. When you were a kid, did you get started on your homework right away after school, or did you procrastinate?
In elementary school, I don't remember having much homework.  I spent the afternoon eating Little Debbie cakes and watching I Love Lucy re-runs.  In middle school and high school, I procrastinated as long as possible.

3. What is your favorite store for home furnishings?
Ballard Designs.  Most of the time I "catalog" shop and then look for something similar somewhere else for less.  Sorry, Ballard.  You're not within my price point. 

4. When you were young, did you like school lunches?
I liked elementary lunches. Once Middle school hit, the lunches went bad.  Very, very bad.

5. Is religion a crutch?
It can be.  It can become a crutch for not taking responsibility for developing a relationship with Christ.  It can also become a reason to close yourself to other denominations within the Christian faith.

6. In your region, what is the "big" (most popular in the community or state) high school sport?
Football.  


And I'm not one of the big fans.

7. Do you consider yourself rich?
Not by American standards. I consider myself blessed and thankful for what we have.  I know that it all really belongs to God and what we do with it should be used for His glory.  Do I always do that?  No. I do try and often need reminders of how blessed we truly are.


The truth is that all Americans are rich compared to the rest of the world.  We have no idea what it's really like to be poor. 

8. Which of these would you have the best chance for success in administering:

A) CPR

B) Heimlich Maneuver

C) Changing a flat tire

CPR  I hope I never have to use it.

9. Which dance would you prefer to learn & why:

A) Salsa

B) Hip Hop

C) Waltz

D) Swing

Salsa...hmmm...maybe there's a connection to Number 1.

10. What's the worst news you've ever delivered to someone?
Having to tell my family that Maggie had cancer.  That was difficult.

11. Name something you learned in college that had nothing to do with classes or academics.
It doesn't matter who is or who isn't teacher's pet.  It all boils down to responsibility.  The professor doesn't care if you show up for class.  I loved this!  So many of my teacher's pet friends had a rude awakening.  I was glad to be out of high school and be treated like an adult.

I also had a professor who said not to worry too much about getting straight A's. He said, unless we were trying to get into another academic program, it didn't matter.  Employers will never ask you what grades you made in biology. They want to know your work ethic and if you can manage the job at hand.  What he was trying to do was relieve our anxiety and encourage us to enjoy college, work part-time, and participate any other things.  (May I add that he was a Psych professor!?)

12. New variation on an old question: If there's a song in your head that just won't get out, what is your favorite (or most repeated) line in that song?
Sock it to me.  Sock it to me.  Sock it to me.  Sock it to me...

Visit the Lid for more Randomization!

Monday Goals and The Spice of Life

I've decided to set myself a few goals for the week and post them here.  I mean, really, what better way to hold yourself accountable than to POST IT ON THE INTERNET?

1.  Breathe a little life into the 'ole blog.  Seriously, the dust is settling, mainly because I've had serious writer's block.  I hope to lift that block write out of the way (get it? WRITE out of the way? Tee Hee... sheesh. See I told you.  Blocked.)

2. Walk with friends at least twice a week. 

3.  Get most of the housework complete by Friday so I can enjoy my weekends with the family.

4.  Blog about all the sore muscles which will be the result of #2.

5.  Clean out the spice cabinet.  I realize this isn't a monumental accomplishment in the grand scheme of life, but have you seen how many bottles of oregano I have stashed in there?

Hope your Monday is off to a great start, with or without the oregano.

Random Dozen: Fair and a bit unbalanced

1. What is your favorite fair/carnival food?

I haven't been to the fair since Daughter was a tiny baby.  It may or may not have something to do with Hubs' aversion to carnies.  Or it could have something to do with the fact that I can't even look at a ride without needing some Dramamine.  The only things left are the games (which are soooo rigged,)  food, and the animal exhibits. I will still play a few of the games in denial and I can see the animal exhibits by looking out my back door. Hello! SmallTown. 

That leaves us with the food.


My favorite fair foods growing up were the Jaycee's foot long hot dogs.  Local Albany non-profits had their own booths and they were always better than those little wagons the carnies brought to town. My second favorites were the freshly made pork rinds.  (Hey, it's the fair.  Cut me some slack.)

If I have to go with the typical fair food, I'd say funnel cakes.  Who doesn't love fried dough topped with powdered sugar?


2. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?

My aversion to carnies?

3. What is your favorite gift to receive?

Something handmade or something that is simple, but shows someone remembered me mentioning it.  My close friends are the best at this.

4. When was the last time you tried something new?

This one made me think for a loooonnng time.  Can't think of a single thing.  Wow.  Guess it's been a while.  Maybe I should try something new, like daily posting to the blog. 

5. What is your favorite and least favorite book genre?

Memoir, Mystery, Political Intrigue, Romance, Humor, Historical Fiction, Historical nonfiction, Chick Lit, Self-Help, Other

Least Favorite-  Historical Fiction in it's true sense. I like fiction set in different times with the historical setting as a minor component.  I don't care for fiction drowning in empire waists, Lords of The Manor, or prairie fires. 


Favorite- Good Southern Fiction in any time period (I realize this isn't really a category.  Please don't judge me.)

6.Silver or Gold?

To wear- Silver
To win- Gold

7. What makes you sigh?

People in car line who refuse to follow the rules but still want me to let them in/out, even though they are going the wrong direction, in the wrong lane, and making other people sigh. 

Sometimes I don't just sigh. Sometimes I talk to them from behind my windshield in a higher tone than my normal voice.  Ahem.


Sigh.

Note to self-  New thing to try:  Relaxation techniques

8. If you didn't know how old you are, how old would you claim you are?

I've always felt older in the mental sense, not necessarily in the physical sense.  I think it has something to do with growing up an only child and being around adults a lot.  You could say I have an old soul (not that I believe in that sort of thing.)  One of my best friends is the same way. 


I'd say 45. 

9. Would you break a law to save a loved one? To protect a loved one?

I am normally a rule follower (see number 7) unless it is a matter of life and death or goes against common sense.  SO, yes to this one.

10. If you had to teach something, what would it be?

Reading

11. You're having lunch with 3 people whom you respect and admire. They begin to criticize a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. What do you do?

Take up for her.  This has happened to me regarding someone I barely knew and I spoke up.  When I tactfully (I hope!) said something, the women got really quiet.


I can't imagine what I would do or say if it were a close friend.  (Probably do more than sigh.)  I'd want someone to do the same for me.


12. Which of the 5 Love Languages is your prominent means of experiencing love?  (Check out Lid's blog for a link to the quiz.)

Quality Time

Physical Touch

Acts of Service

Gifts

Words of Affirmation

My love lanugage is definitely Acts of Service, followed closely by Words of Affirmation

See Lid for more great Dozens!

Piggies and Betrayal

Well, the week is nearly over and the cobwebs are forming in the corners of the blog.

I'm sure you've moved on with your life by now, but the consensus seems to be that the little piggy from the rhyme was sad.

I think he was said, too. Hubs is convinced he was happy. Who knows, really? And who cares, right?

This is my life, people.  I spend time pondering the emotional state of swine.

What I really should be concerned with is why a pig would eat roast beef. That's just wrong. There should be some sort of farm animal pact. 

Little piggy

Hubs and I were watching TV last night when the new Geico commercial came on.  (Have you noticed a theme here lately? I love commercials.) The one we watched featured the little piggy going "Wee, wee, wee all the home."

This launched into a controversy which I hope all of you will settle.

In the story we all told to our children, was the little piggy happy or sad?  Was his "wee, wee, wee" a gleeful one or a teary one? 

What do you think?

I'll tell you my take on it later. 

As you can see, we had an exciting weekend.

Looking forward to your thoughts in the comments!


Love the comments.  Keep 'em coming!

Also, CPQ has written a wonderful tribute to her dad. Today is his birthday. Be sure to head on over and wish him a happy one!

Friday's Fave Five: Silly This or That

1.  Yesterday I was at a local gift shop purchasing a stack of cards.  I like to purchase cards in bulk. If I need a card, I buy that particular one and also buy some for any birthdays or other occasions over the next few months.  That way I can have them on hand when I need them or just completely forget I have them and buy duplicates later.  It all starts out to be a very efficient plan.

So I was paying for my cards when a little boy behind me kept stomping his foot. I thought he was marking time with the Sinatra tune playing overhead, but then I realized he was just a nervous kid.  After a few minutes of this, his mother finally said,"That's enough."

I wanted to turn to her and tell her it was enough for me about 100 stomps before that.  However, bless her heart for her patience.

Did I mention they were standing in line to buy candy?  That's just what you need to give to a nervous kid- a bag of candy.

The clerk put the candy on the counter after she counted the pieces.  She added up the amount, then waited as another clerk rang up my cards.  In the meantime, the leader of Stomp nervously waited for his candy.  The clerk then offered him his choice of one free silly band from a basket behind the counter.

Silly bands have been around for a while but they have just caught on here in Small Town.  New fads arrive to us via Pony Express.  It takes a while.

So the little nervous boy, wide-eyed, chose one silly band from the basket (which is like eating one potato chip) as the clerk quickly snatched it, I mean gently placed it back behind the iron bars of the counter.  The little boy's mom asked her if they sold them, which they did, in packs, on the other side of the counter.

I chuckled and said to the clerk,"Yep.  Go ahead and give them some crack and then get them addicted."

The mom laughed but the clerk was not amused.

All of that leads me to my favorite thing of the week, which is not silly bands, as you may have guessed.

No, it's the fact that I have a dark, sarcastic sense of humor which old clerks do not understand, but tired moms of nervous kids find amusing.

2. The hamster commercial. Hubs and I have laughed and laughed.  Either you hate it or you love.  We love it. 

3.  Lunch with friends.  I had a nice lunch with a friend yesterday. Our girls played while we talked.  It was great. 

4.  The bug man.  I am waiting for him to arrive as I type.  One of those New Mexico fire ants got me the other day.  We have an area in our driveway where they have taken up residence.  They are about to get evicted.

5.  Good Mexican food.  This was one thing I missed while we were away from Small Town.  There's nothing like taco grease to lift a girl's spirits, until she stands on the scales.

Suddenly silly bands are looking more interesting.

See Susanne for more faves this week!  Thanks, Susanne for hosting.

On Beauty Products and Brides

I really should rename this blog "This Ain't Updated Very Much.  Check Back When I Remember To Write Something, Probably In List Form."

But that would be really wordy and tough to center in my header.  It could encroach on the curious cow photo.

I'd say we've been busy and productive this week, but I'd be lying. 

Daughter had some friends over one day.  We've had horseback riding, several unfruitful trips to the grocery store (I am holding off for the BIG shop,) and one trip to Sonic. 

My big accomplishment?  Cleaning out three drawers in our bathroom vanity. 

Poor Hubs gets a small area under his sink. The drawers are mostly for me and all my make-up, hair and moisturizing products.  I would say I feel sorry for him, but I really don't think a man needs more than a small area under the sink for his morning routine products. Do you?

As for the results of the clean-up, I realized that I buy a lot of anti-aging products that don't work and that we have every shade of pink nail polish known to woman. 

Maybe that shade of fuchsia will distract from all the wrinkles. 

On a completely unrelated note, I am tickled pink about the upcoming Say Yes To The Dress- Atlanta.  I watch the New York version, but I can't wait to compare the two shows.  It should be a delight in accents, opinionated mamas and the importance of deciding on a hairstyle before purchasing the bridal head piece.  (Priorities, people.)

Have a great Thursday. 

I hope your toes are pink and wrinkle free.

  

More things I don't understand: Flying

1.  Why does the pilot always tell you the weather of the arrival city during the flight?  It doesn't really help me to know it's 95 degrees and humid in Atlanta or 42 degrees and cloudy in New York.  I already packed.

2.  Why does he tell us our altitude?  The number of thousands of feet we are cruising at doesn't really matter to me as long as that number isn't rapidly decreasing and that little oxygen thing doesn't pop down.

3.  The extra weight fee on luggage is a total scam.  I recently was charged for one piece of luggage being 4 pounds over the weight limit. The baggage checker lady told me I could take things out of it and put it in another suitcase.  That makes no sense to me.  Shouldn't it be TOTAL weight of all my luggage? 

I just let them charge me extra because I knew if I had opened that piece of luggage, it would have been like opening a can of silly snakes.  Stuff would have been flying everywhere. Not that I packed snakes.  That's out of regulations.

4. Why do I get excited about the free soda on the plane? I don't even like my Diet Coke over ice.

5. Is it just me or does that little drink cart look like a cross between an ice cream vendor's cart and something from a HazMat team?

That being said, where's my ice cream?

  

Classic Southern Writing and Baked Goods

Yesterday I spent my time running errands, going to horseback lessons (which is always a treat,) and staring at the basket of folded clothes which continues to nag me.  Never mind the inch of brown dust in my windowsills and on the furniture which collected while I was away.  I also need to mop the floor (brown dirt of SmallTown, you are my nemesis) but instead I am on here blogging about the fact that I've done nothing about it.

Ironic.

Oh, I forgot. There was one other thing I did yesterday.  That was catch up on my TV viewing, including O'Reilly featuring Laura Ingraham who is smart and witty and lovely, but I'd rather watch Bill.  Sorry, it's like Jay stepping in for Johnny.

I also may or may not have watched a few minutes of Days of Our Lives during my daytime channel surfing.  Within the time it takes me to get a Diet Coke, I was all caught up on Sam's latest saga and the fact that Hope still looks good. 

I'm still so proud of her for losing all that weight and keeping it off and if you find that shallow and unimportant, then you've never struggled with a weight problem or seen the wedding episode where she had to ride the back of Bo's bike with her dress flapping up in the wind. 

Bless her heart.

So today I've decided to get back to the important things in life, regular posting on my blog.

If you are wondering about the donut I mentioned in my last post, it was from The Donut Hole in Destin.  The Donut Hole is not paying me for this endorsement, by the way.  They've already rewarded me plenty with their good key lime pie, huge biscuits, and now the red velvet donut.

It tastes just like red velvet cake, only with the added benefit of not needing a fork. It even has a layer of cream cheese icing on top.  Y'all.  It was better than Krispy Kreme.  That's pretty much all I need to say about that.

On our trip, I decided to pick a good book for the airport, down time in the airplane, and all the moments I was able to put my feet up on the beach and relax.  I say "able" because I have a daughter who likes me to help her build sand sculptures and look for shells and a husband who likes to come report to me about Daughter's sand sculptures and found shells. 

I picked The Help because I had read great reviews from other bloggers.  It was probably the best book I have read in a very long time.  Again, no endorsements.  (I really should make a button to cover that.)  I won't go into the details or the characters, but if you are from the South, you'll love the voices and themes.  Be prepared to cry a little and cheer a lot.

Moving on.

Now that I've delved into the serious issues of life- donuts and Southern novels, I need to get to that layer of brown dust and that irritating folded basket of clothes...

I HEAR YOU. I SAID I WAS COMING.

P.S.  A bite of red velvet cake donut while reading The Help would be a great combination.  I wish I'd thought of it earlier myself.  Drat.

On vacations, planes, and housekeeping hang-ups.

We are home.

Our luggage made it.

We made it.

And I have some stories. Oh, the stories.

Some of which include weird people on the plane (not us, although that could be a post,) the best donut I ever had, one of the best books I've read in a mighty long time, my love for water, and the incredible irony of changing seats on the plane.

It's all in my head.  Along with plans to lose the five pounds I gained on the trip.

May I just add that your comments about cleaning motel rooms and cabins made me feel a little more comfortable about leaving my house?  Yes, there is an underground Lysol/Clorox cleaning team out there, folks, and we are keeping the world as germ-free as possible.

You could say it's a wealth of information. Or not.

We traveled right through the Peach State and I didn't manage to blog a thing.  It may have something to do with my lack of Internet access, but I'm just guessing.  I do have some things tucked away in the dusty corners of my brain, so we'll see if I ever get it on the Web.

On Saturday, we arrived at our condo on the beach.  Let me clarify- the condo we rented, not our condo, as I have not won the lottery (you have to play to win) and no rich uncle or aunt in my family has died.  However, what we lack in inheritance, we make up for in crazy.

Where was I?

Oh, yes.  The beach.

So we arrived at the condo I rented from "one of those websites where you save money by renting from the person who owns it" (totally trying to avoid the correct title so as to avoid Google searches.)  We have done so in the past and it saves a lot of money.

However.

There are a few perks you do not receive. 

There is usually no daily maid service. You could be totally caught off guard by something when you arrive.

Now, you do have some negotiating power with a contract, but then you have to be all confrontational and assertive and, unlike many of my sweet Southern friends, I have no problem with that.

So far, the two places we have rented by the person(s) who own them have been fine. They have been clean, but I had to do my own cleaning. 

Then again, I have issues. 

Let me tell you about my issues.  Go ahead and get your second cup of coffee.

I have two clean standards.

1.  Family/Friends/People I Generally Know Or Send Christmas Cards To-  When I visit their house, I feel at home.  I have no issue about clean/neat/tidy.  I feel welcome.  I know them. I love them. I hope they extend the same graciousness to me when they visit my house.  (Don't even ask me how often I vacuum under the bed.)

2. Hotel/Motel/Good Grief, People I Never Met Have Slept and Eaten Here-  Hotel germs are different.  And, I don't mean Forrest Gump, we'll grow to love you kind of different.  I don't know them.  I don't love them.

The thought that someone I don't know has been there and maybe the housekeeper missed a few places makes me twitch a little.  So, unless I am at the Hampton Inn (they even wash the comforter!) I clean the place again. 

Here's the kicker.  The longer I'm there, the deeper I clean.

It's a sickness, really.  But they say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.

I always rewash all the dishes before we use them.  I wipe down the microwave, frig., and counters.  And then I sanitize the bathrooms.

Sometimes I use Lysol.  Sometimes I use cleaner with bleach.  It's all about the mood at the time.

That environmentally-friendly stuff is great for the environment but seriously, vacation is no time to be saving the environment.

All of this being said, if you are still here, you are probably sitting there either shaking your head at my insanity or thinking about all those times you stayed in a condo/hotel room and wished you'd had a can of Lysol.

I'm just here to help.

You're welcome.

Oh, where do I begin?

I have a multitude of travel tidbits and my mind is swimming with blog fodder.

I will post later, but here are a few little morsels for you.

1.  I had no idea how much I had missed hearing a Southern accent.  It is music to my ears.

2.  The humidity, it is good.

3.  It is downright shameful how much food I've eaten since we arrived in the South.  Tasty, but shameful.

4.  I was sitting at lunch today and saw a woman with skin that was actually dewy.  Note to Hubs:  You have to get me out of New Mexico in time for my skin to eventually return to the dewy.

5. The sound of bugs at night is delightful.

6. I head for southeast Georgia tomorrow.  Red clay and good fried catfish.  It doesn't get any better than that.

7.  On Friday, I saw a gator.  A gator!  I love that.  He welcomed me back home.  At least I think that look was a welcome.  Although it could have been the "you could sooo be my dinner" look as well.  Those gators are so hard to read.

8.  I realized today that I could visit Target in three states by the end of my trip.

9.  I am all about setting goals and reaching them.

Observations From 5-B

Yesterday Daughter and I arrived at the home of my in-laws in South Carolina. It was a cool and breezy 100 degrees.

I've been planning this trip for months.  SmallTown does not have what I'd call a reliable airport (as in the airplanes are so small they look like they need an 8 year-old on the ground with a remote control.) So we always have to drive at least 2 hours to another airport. For some reason, I decided it would be a good idea to fly out of Lubbock at 7:30 AM.  That would be in the morning. 

This meant that I had to be at the airport at 6:30 AM.  In the morning.

My goal was to reach South Carolina before rush hour and before dark.  However, flying out of Lubbock at 7:30 would mean leaving my house at 4:30 (which is also technically in the morning.)

We decided it would be better to drive over the day before, enjoy a good dinner, get a good night's sleep, then head to the airport, as opposed to getting up while the night watchmen were on their coffee breaks.

Hubs left work a little early and I already had our bags packed. We drove to Lubbock and went to Pei Wei for some good Asian food.  That's when it all went very, very bad.

Hubs decided to teach Daughter the art of making a suicide drink at the fountain drink machine.  He apparently only mixed Dr. Pepper and root beer, but mostly Dr. Pepper. The thing about the Doc is that it has caffeine.

By the time we got back to the hotel, Daughter was full of energy, so much so that she had the uncontrollable giggles.  This lasted until 1:00 AM.  In the morning.

We got up at 5:00 AM.  Yes, that would also be IN THE MORNING.

We opened up the Hampton Inn breakfast and I must say that those scrambled eggs taste much better when they are freshly made.  I usually eat them near the end of the breakfast time because I am normally still in the bed and the only way I ever get breakfast and coffee is if Hubs brings it to me while I'm still in my pajamas rubbing my eyes. 

But yesterday the sun and I shared our first cup of coffee together. I looked around for that Jimmy Dean sausage commercial guy, but even he was still asleep.

When we loaded our suitcases in the car, I said,"It's still dark.  This is so wrong."

Hubs drove us to the airport and dropped us off at the curb because of something about a meter running.  Oh, I kid.  He parked and then made me pay for it.

Seriously, I was eternally grateful that he was able to drive us to the airport (which is an act of love and friendship right up there with helping someone move) before returning to SmallTown to go to work.  God love him.  He pulled the suitcases, hoisted them up on the scale, checked our bags.  He basically did all the heavy lifting.

He even waited to make sure we made it through Security because you never know, what with my record and all. 

After we made it to the other side, Daughter decided she needed a water.  I was glad to fork out the twenty bucks to keep her hydrated, so we waited at the Starbucks counter.  A lady dressed like a pilot was ahead of us.  She ordered 4 drinks, all with different dairy and non-dairy contents and types of syrup.  I kept an eye on my gate, wondering if I'd make it and get the water.

I couldn't complain because every girl needs her Starbucks coffee whenever available and heaven forbid for me to get in the way of a pilot who is just trying to keep her crew awake.  (I don't know much about flying regulations, but that seems like it would be at the top.)

We were able to get our water in time and board our plane, which had another pilot and crew, I may add.  I don't know if they were properly caffeinated.

Within 20 minutes of takeoff, the pilot or co-pilot (how do you tell?) walked to the back of the plane to the bathroom.  My first thought was, "Don't they need him up there?" and my next thought was, "Didn't he go before we left?" 

My third thought was,"Maybe he did get a double espresso."

And my last and final thought was,"This is such great blog fodder, if only I can stay awake long enough to write it.  Maybe I should have had the double espresso."

No need for Lat/Long; Just follow your nose.

I've been running around today, getting ready for our trip.  First I was off to the drugstore, then to Wal-mart, then to UPS, which was closed for the holiday that fell on yesterday.  Whatever, Brown.

They know I'm in their clinches and I'll return tomorrow since I do not go to the post office EVER.

I returned to an empty house and unloaded my few packages.  Hubs and Daughter had gone geocaching. Soon, they both waltzed in with Hubs' new GPS (which we gave him for Father's Day) but no geocache treasures.  They were pretty disappointed.

However, they can't blame the new GPS.  It is pretty cool, if I do say so myself.  

Daughter gave me an update on their hunt.  She told me that one location had a lot of grass or brush or something and that they decided it was best "not to stick their hands in there."  That was when I thanked the Good Lord that I married a man with sense.

Then she said they "smelled a rotting carcass, IT SMELLED JUST LIKE A ROTTING CARCASS!"

She said it in all caps for emphasis. 

That was when I thanked the Good Lord that I birthed such an honest and olfactory sensitive child.

And that I was left out of the expedition.

Untold lessons in American History and side dishes.

I was driving home from the grocery store last night feeling like I was dodging cannonballs from the Redcoats.  Everyone in SmallTown decided to set off their fireworks, some of which were very close to the road and to my Honda packed with provisions.  Is this what it was like for Paul Revere while he was trying to make it home with his Diet Coke?

Growing up, we had only sparklers.  The rest were illegal in Georgia.  Living in Florida, most of the fireworks were legal and we always enjoyed our neighbors' fireworks across the beaver pond.

However, living in SmallTown, some of these rockets are a little too close for comfort.  Either that, or I've turned into the neighborhood old lady who runs outside swinging my cane and yelling something about getting off my lawn or I'll go get my shotgun.

Not that I have a cane.

While I was at the grocery store, I ran into a friend who asked me how we were going to celebrate the 4th.

Without hesitation I answered, "Eat."

That's pretty much how we celebrate everything, isn't it?  Even a funeral, which is not a celebration, of course, but requires lots of food. 

Hubs' birthday is also coming up, and Daughter and I will be out of town.  So we thought we'd celebrate this weekend.  My idea is to celebrate his birth with the birth of the country, because that would be festive and easy and, let's face it, the two are close in age.

Oh, I kid.  Our country is still young.

For Hubs' birthday I ordered Corky's BBQ.  Hubs loves ribs.  Good ribs.  He is a rib snob.  I don't judge him.  I feel the same way about coffee.  We are big fans of the Memphis-style BBQ.  Kansas may run a close second, Texas third, and poor East Carolina trails in at the end. 

I just can't get past the vinegar based meat and the idea of eating corn fritters with my BBQ.  I need ketchup and brown sugar and buttered BBQ bread, or even a loaf of light bread on the table. 

(Note:  Light bread is just a plain loaf of sandwich bread, perfect for sopping up sauce that managed to drip off your fingers.  There is nothing light about it.)

You may wonder why I'd pay an arm and a leg to have the FedEx man deliver ribs to Hubs.  We have BBQ restaurants in SmallTown, but nothing compares to Corky's. The only thing better would be to take Hubs to the restaurant itself, which, looking back may have cost just as much as shipping on dry ice.

In the ribs package were beans, pulled pork (for me!) and a fudge pie.  The fudge pie wasn't necessarily a required menu item, but for the small amount of extra money, I couldn't resist.  All I have to do today is make some potato salad. 

Potato salad is a required BBQ menu item.  And, of course, I am using BBQ as a noun here. 

Come to think of it, potato salad shows up on the table for a lot of meals.

When you ask a woman, "What are you taking to the cook-out?" she will answer in one of two ways.

"The men are cooking the meat, so I'm taking potato salad," or "I don't know what to bring, so I think I'll bake a cake."

For those of us who don't bake cakes, we bring that chocolate pudding dessert which has about a million names to include words like "delight" and "death."

Which brings me back to potato salad.

It also makes an appearance at funerals.  Something about mourning the beloved calls out for a Tupperware or an heirloom glass bowl of potatoes smothered in Hellman's mayonnaise.  What else do you eat with the bucket of fried chicken?

I have no idea how my post on Hubs' birthday turned into a tangent of side dishes, except for the fact that pretty much everything in a Southerner's life revolves around food.

Apparently, the same food.

You could call potato salad the Southerner's fruit cake.  It has a long history of showing up at important events.

You know, they say some Loyalist never returned that Tupperware dish of potato salad and that's what really started the Revolution.

Have a Happy 4th!

(Just be sure to return the Tupperware.)