A Day Out & About

Yesterday, Mom & I went to run some errands. When we began the day, Mom came to get in the car & she had on her "shopping shirt." I call it this because she tends to only wear it when we go shopping. And one week she wore it more than once. She has a closet full of nice clothes, but she wears this tacky shirt she got out of a bag of clothes from freecycle. Did I mention I hate this shirt?
I didn't have a specific need for the trip, I just went to get out of the house. We made a few stops & I got a few new pink Christmas decorations for my Lucy tree this year. Lucy is getting an upgraded tree. I got a brand new silver tinsel one from ebay, which I'm very excited about.
We were ready for lunch & went to a place I had never eaten. It's kinda of a buffet country kitchen kind of thing. Mom had been there before & had a good experience, so I wanted to give it a try. Plus they serve fried catfish...I love me some fried catfish! She also said my meal would only be $6.99. When we got there, Mom suggest we get it all to go & have a picnic at the park. It was an amazingly beautiful day & I was all for it. I grabbed a coke & a fried apple pie from the counter & it rang up to over $12. That was one expensive apple pie! Mom decided to stop by the Publix to get a fountain drink from there. So, we finally made it to the park, but most of the picnic tables were gone & the ones that were there, we already being used. We drove around the park & by this time I was in one crappy mood. I don't really have an explanation for it...I just was. And I went over the edge when we just parked & sat in the car to eat. It unnerved me for some reason. I was fussing & went to take a bite & dropped my food on my shirt. Which caused greater hysterics from me! Mom had gotten some fried green tomatoes. I don't like them, but I always like to try them again to make sure. She handed one to me & it was super hot, I started frantically blowing my poor hand. The tomato fell apart, because it wasn't really green anymore & I didn't want it. I was complaining & frustrated the entire time. It was also hot as heck yesterday, Crystal + hot & sweaty= ill as an old wet hornet! I kept looking at the sky & saying, "Lord, it's freakin' October!!!!!!!! Please make it cooler weather!" During all of this, it was like I could see myself acting a fool, but I couldn't stop myself. Do you ever do that? Know you are being such an idiot & can't seem to snap out of it? Hahaha! What helped was when Mom took a bite & it fell off her fork & food was all down her chin & the front of her "shopping shirt." It was hilarious. All in all the food was not good & that fried apple pie was nasty. I decided to give it to some of the 100 geese that were at the pond. They were on the other side of the pond & started coming too me, once they realized I had some goodies. But they weren't exactly nice. I didn't have enough pie & they were letting me know it. Or maybe they were mad because it was nasty pie! I was about to be attacked, if I hadn't gotten the heck out of dodge when I did.

When left & finished up our important stuff I convinced Mom to stop at this antique/consignment store I have wanted to go to since it opened (I didn't realize it has been open for 3 years!). Jen & I almost went on Saturday, but got side-tracked. Let me just say...I have found my new favorite place to go! This place stinkin' rocks!!! It is 2 levels of room after room, wall to wall, old stuff & new stuff all mixed together. They even have I Love Lucy things! I can not believe I have been missing out. I'm in heart with it. Oh & we ended the day with wonderful Route 44's (Fresh Lemon for me, Diet Cherry Limeade extra cherries for Mom). Too bad I can't send that in my Favorite Things gifts, because it would surely be in the box!

Mom's nice new purty rugs.....

Can someone please....I beg you...Send Mom a new shopping shirt! She even lost a button! This is how she looked for the majority of the day...Ha! Sad, very sad.



Here are the lessons we learned:

• Do not eat at the place again.
• That certain park no longer has many picnic tables
• When you have $ to spend, you can't find anything
• Walmart no longer has a craft area...This makes me sad
• The calendar is wrong...It's June, not October
• Crystal doesn't eat in cars very well
• We found a new incredible place to shop...Wee Doggies!

A Good Day

Since Mom & I had "gone to the Big City" for the day, I convinced her to go the cemetery where my Granny is buried. I think Mom may have been once in the last 16 years, so this was a big deal. She was starving & when that happens, the world stops! Thankfully...Mickey D's was across the street from the cemetery. We got our food & I wanted to eat outside. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, being indoors was not appealing at all. But because of miss communication, we got in the car & started to leave. So we ended up driving around the cemetery eating our McDonald's. It was actually fun! We found were Mom's Mam-maw was buried, so I got on my knees & was cleaning off the marker...I guess I stood up to quickly, because I felt myself passing out...I went down! I didn't go out, but I couldn't catch myself. I sat on the grass for a few minutes to get my barrings & after I got up I felt something biting my foot. It was an ant. Than another bite. And another...Then I felt then crawling up my leg! I literally had ants in my pants. I still have bites. Uuggghhh!


Anyway, you have to realize the importance of this certain cemetery to my family. There are quite a few families members there & it was a place Mom used to spend holidays in as a kid. Now that is funny! My Granny would dress her up for Easter & they wouldn't go to church, but to the cemetery to take pictures. Hahahaha!

As for me, I can remember going there with Granny, mostly before Christmas to decorate. And it would be an entire day event. We would visit all the different "sights" throughout this rather large place, including the statue that says, "Nothing." And you can't forget the doo-doo ball tree. I have no clue exactly what kind of tree it was, but that's what we all called it, since the brown fruit that grew on it, smelled exactly like doo-doo!

Maybe going to the cemetery back then, made me not afraid of them. They became a place of adventure, nothing spooky or sad. I find beauty in them. And they truly are peaceful places. I'm not some morbid freak. When I got older & got my own car, a local cemetery became a refuge for me when I needed to think things through or just time to myself. Plus I love reading the names & dates on the graves & imagining the life that person may have lived.

Happy Day

Sunday afternoon D & I went on a date. We just needed some "get out of the house, spend time together" time. We saw that Olive Garden was having their Bottomless Pasta Bowl & every time they have that, we seem to miss it. It was good, but not overly incredible. I didn't care though, it was nice being out with my love. From there we went over to Costco (D's idea) he renewed our membership a few weeks ago, but I haven't been able to make a trip there yet. I got some of those nice memory foam pillows, in hopes they will help my neck. I used them last night & could tell a difference today. Good purchase!
Linens & Things are closing a store & were having a 30- 50% off everything must go sale. I knew that they were closing, but thought I missed it, in my blur of a September. The store was a disaster & really picked over. I couldn't really understand why, since basically everything is only 30% off. But I did get a new wooden drying rack & it was cheaper than I could have gotten at Walmart.
I can't pass by a Ross without a check of the purses & I found a Fuschia bag that was too die for! But.....I was good & literally kissed her goodbye. Bu now I can not stop thinking about her & now I'm sad. Molly got a new bed. I know they all got new beds a while ago, but 2 of the beds are in our room & one is the office. Molly & Razz sleep in the 2 in our room & Rocco sleeps in our bed. But the last week, Rocco has been stealing Razzy's bed during the night & little fella has been sleeping on the floor. Now Rocco has Molly's old bed.

On the way home we stopped by Sonic for some treats. D loves the fried ice cream shake & I got my usual...Route 44 Lemon Slushie...I would drink these every single day.

Steam Clean

I got a new to me couch awhile ago now, but ever since I have been planning on steam cleaning, but do to different reason, including just putting it off, I haven't done it yet. I plan on borrowing Mom's steam cleaner, but I'm not too fond of borrowing or lending for that matter. I may just look into steam cleaners, that would be beneficial to my family. And one that is cost friendly. I know it would be put to good use though!

Baby Clothes

I have always wanted to be a Mom, but the last 7-8 years that desire has been an extremely strong one. I haven't been blessed with a little one running around just yet, but that doesn't mean I can't think about the future, when it comes to what I would buy when the day comes. I do tend to torture myself though at times, when I walk around the baby department & look at baby clothes. I did find some super cute stuff that is exactly the kind of things my babies would wear.

Not In Need Of This

My car Bubbles has been such a good car. She is a 1999 model & has been back & forth from California a few times. She is the only car we own, so she has had her fair share of wear & tear. She a a few issues that need to be taken car of, like some brake work & I think the oil pan is leaking. I'm glad though, the steering rack or engine doesn't need to be replaced.

Thank Goodness

I am so in love with my digital camera. I became a huge picture fanatic probably 12 years ago. I started out with my little 35mm camera. Of course, then I had to be selective of what exactly I took a picture of. Then 4 years ago, I joined the digital camera club. And it was instant love. Then I had a camera that didn't have much storage, so I can't a memory card....Thank goodness for flash memory! I could take pictures & delete them & start all over! What a new way of life! And I say life, because picture taking is such a part of mine.

I Never Got One!

I was just thinking & realized that I never got a trophy in my entire life! Maybe because I never was athletic....But you can get trophies for other things also, like music, beauty pageants, scholastic competitions, there really are so many reasons to receive a trophy for your accomplishment.
My Granny loved to bowl & she had tons of plaques & trophies for triumphs.
My brother had football trophies for the few years that he played, before high school.
My dad even received one for being with his company for a certain amount of years.
Now I need to think of something to do, so maybe, just maybe I can have a trophy of my own to display proudly.

Loosing It

Battling my weight has followed me my entire life. I do not remember a day, that from the moment I woke up that food wasn't on my mind. I have had ups & downs, but I have never been able to beat this monster. My doctor has given me a diet pill, that he is monitoring me while I on. The results have been good, actually better than I expected. It is not a cure all, it is just to jump start my metabolism, to get my weight down, so that I can maintain the results.

Strolling Along

In my longing to be a Mom, I seem to find myself browsing different sites about babies. Also all my friends are Mom's & they blog about their favorite items. I figure all this will help me, when my time comes, in finding the perfect things I will actually need & use vs what companies try to make me think I can not live without. One product I know I will have some knowledge on is strollers. A close friend has a small addiction to strollers & I don't know just how many she has owned. And if you don't want to know her true opinion on the subject then don't ask! Hahaha! She has a stroller passion. I know I will go to her for advice.

A New Place

My day dreams often take to some faraway place on vacation. It's normally to Europe visiting places full of history. One place, I can honestly say never has crossed my mind is St. Barts, until I saw some pictures of this gorgeous place. I decided to look into this place & found some St. Barts villa rentals. I'm not sure when we would ever be able to visit St. Barts, but it is definitely on the list.

Let Me Take Your Picture

I am a bit obsessed with taking pictures. I love my current camera & I receive alot of positive feedback from the quality of the photos. But I do have different camera aspirations. I have looked at this Canon camera. I would really enjoy some more professional. I don't want to be a "photographer" it seems everyone is one of those these days. It's just a hobby for me. My favorite subjects are animals, especially my dogs & flowers.

Moving Up

I'm so out of the technology loop. I just now got a laptop, but I still listen to music on CD's! And have never worked an MP3 player. D & I have both been wanting one. D wants his for work, he can spend hours at a time just basically baby sitting a project. And I would love one so that when I go walking I can enjoy some tunes. Music always motivates me & I know I would workout longer if I had an MP3 player. Since Christmas is getting closer, we are on the look out for the best buy on MP3 players, but specifically Ipods.

What Happened?

Oh, how grateful I am that the lure of drugs has never been something that I have had to deal with. I don't quite understand the fascination with them. But previously being in the ministry, I had to counsel people that had allowed this addiction consumed their lives. Many of them I knew from spending time downtown at some of the weekend hangouts. Wow, that was going on 10 years ago now. I do think of some of those people often. I wonder how their lives turned out. Did some go into drug rehabilitation? Did their lives change for the better? Did any of their lives end at the hand of wrong choices? I hope they all did make changes & are living full lives now. Even though I know the very sad reality that some never did see the light & left this world in complete darkness. It breaks my heart.