Happy Birthday Tami

Today is Tami's birthday. I wish I was in Ft. Myers celebrating with her and Bridget (not Wheelchair Bridget - but that is another story), and BJ. I am sure the city will never be the same again. This is a milestone birthday for Tami, but I promised not to talk about how old she is, so I won't.

Love and birthday wishes to Tami! Miss you.

T, V, LL, B

Here are Tim, Veronica, Me and Beth at Rachel's "Go to College" party. We have been friends since middle school (gulp) OH, My Lord, that has been 28 years. Man we are old. That's over a quarter of a century.

I am a little jealous (I seem to write about being jealous a lot - you know I am just kidding). Two of the people pictured above are at the beach. I will give you a hint, one is male, and the other is not me or Veronica! Can you figure it out?

Have fun y'all. (I just figured out that I have been spelling y'all wrong for many, many years - i used to spell it ya'll).

Happy Belated birthday Larry

Happy late birthday to my brother Larry. He turned 48 on Sunday (man is he old). I thought I posted this message on Monday, but I must have just thought it in my head.

ll: did you have a good birthday
l: yeah, i went to an 8 year old's party Sunday
ll: did you blow out her candles?

Anyway - Happy Happy Birthday to you Larry.

Love,
Your younger sister

My retirement village

This quaint little town is Delphi in Greece. I am going to retire there one day and open a soul food restaurant for the tourists that are tired of eating grape leaves and moussaka. About day 8 in Europe and you would kill for a Chik-fil-a. I fell in love with this town the moment we got there. The streets are full of cute little shops. The people are so friendly. Do you see that mountain in the distance? At the base of that mountain is the Mediterranean Sea....so beautiful. And not far away are the ruins of Delphi where the Oracle in Greek Mythology stayed. It is truly a magical place.

Lucy in my purse with green eyes

Get it? Like the beetles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." (Except they were talking about tripping) This is Jenfer's cat Lucy. Isn't she just the cutest thing. I wish I had rotated the picture before I uploaded it, but oh well. I got to kittysit Lucy while they were at Smith Lake. We bonded, and she still misses me!

Rachel in Rome

Here is my beautiful daughter at the Coloseum in Rome. Yes, I do mean "THE" Coloseum. We were fortunate enough to get to go to Europe this summer. On our way back we had a conversation like this:

ll: I love traveling in Europe, it is so fun to see all these neat places

r: Yeah, me too.

ll: Where do you want to go next? Maybe next summer?

r: Shouldn't we get college paid for first?

Now wait a minute....who is the grown up here?

Leave me alone!

Here is Evil Zlid. She comes out some time in my sweet heart kitty Sally. She is saying "Leave me alone and quit calling my name to look up at you with that stupid grey and black box you are holding up to your face. At least when you do that I don't have to look at your ugly mug. And thank God that black and white Yodi looking retard is not in here bothering me, always such a spaz, or I would have to open up a can of ......" - Ok Sally that is enough!

Rachel are you there?

Rachel! Rachel....are you there? Does this look familiar? Does it look inviting? How about Does this make you miss your mommy and your home? Look at that cute little Salad walking out to me by the car. She says she misses her Rayray. You mentioned you might be coming home this weekend....I hope you are. We will always be here waiting to see you. We love and miss you!

SUSHI!

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy! I had sushi for lunch today. My friend Lynn was going to pick it up so she asked if I wanted anything. Good thing I did, because the bread that I was going to make a turkey sandwich with is GONE! Some one was looking out for me today about lunch. Now, I have only been eating sushi for a few years. I don't eat the raw kind (normally called sashimi), but I will eat the raw spicy tuna because I am used to eating tuna just seared anyway. What did y'all have for lunch? I bet it wasn't as good as this!

Remembering Billy

Today is my brother Billy's birthday. He would be 50 years old today! I can't believe it. For those of you who knew Billy, take the time today to remember some of the great times you had with him. He will appreciate it.

Today is also the day my father passed away in 1995. Think of them both. I know they, along with David are watching over and taking care of us.

Love

Rachel is Fine

I have been in touch with Rachel often since I left her at school. She attended her first class today (Psychology - I had better behave now), and she loved it. That, and the fact that she loved her dinner last night in the cafeteria is music to my ears!

Conversation yesterday:

r: Where are you?
ll: Driving home.
r: oh, I miss Bikie (Spike)
ll: what?
r: I miss Bikie
ll: what about me, don't you miss me?
r: yeah, but I miss Bikie

Honey - Bikie and Mommy miss you lots too! Be safe. Love

Did you know...

I am going to start posting "Did you know..." blogs because you all know how inquisitive I am, and once I get something in my head I have to find out the answer, reason, history, etc.

Anyway, Tim and I had lunch yesterday at Donato's. We wondered where it was founded 45 years ago....

Did you know that...Donatos Pizza is a "fast casual" restaurant chain founded in 1963 by college sophomore Jim Grote. The first Donatos was in Columbus, Ohio. Donatos currently has locations in Alabama, Ohio, Kentucky, Indianapolis, and Orlando.

Fascinating!

It's in the genes....

Here is Rachel and my Mom on Friday night...aren't they pretty with their tongues hanging out? Mine was hanging out too as I snapped this picture. It is in our genes to be funny and have a good time. We have always enjoyed hanging out as a family and love to make others laugh. My friends loved it when I told mom to imitate Ray and she did!

Give us a kiss

This is Tatum, Jimmy's grandaughter. We got to visit with her and her mommy and daddy on Saturday. She is too cute for words. She knew exactly what she was doing by smearing the yogurt all over her. She had eatin most of the container with her spoon, so neat and tidy....we were talking and not looking at her, the next time her mom did this is what she saw.

Love her!

PARTY FOR RAYRAY

We had friends over on Friday to give Rachel a send off. It was sooo much fun. There are Rachel and her friends Crissy, Adrian, Clark and Robert. And there are me and my friends Mickey, Jenfer, Veronica and Beth. Mom, Elwyn, Tim Brittney and Joey were also there. I will post other pictures over time because they are funny! It had been years since me, Beth, Veronica and Tim were at the same place at the same time. Boy, did we do some reminiscing. We had those kids laughing so hard! We are all going to have to get together again soon.

Oh, also, someone got arresticated (I have been waiting to use that word - you know how I like to butcher the language) on Pennylane. We were treating it like a spectator sport! We are really rednecks at heart!

Jimmy? Is that you?

Sent Jimmy an e-mail today with an advertisement for Ruth's Chris Steak House. You can get a three course meal for 2 for $89. Thought it was cute that I was thinking of him. All I typed was "Date?".

His response: "I have been hearing this advertisement and thinking, but who knows when scheduling will allow?"

Uh, Hello - Where is my Jimmy? When did I start dating a Robot?

Poor Jimmy - they are working him way too hard.

Confessions Cont'd

I have had a lot of response to my Confessions of lyrical retardation, and I would like to share them with you for a laugh.

Beth informed me that Veronica (another great long-time friend that I have failed to mention yet in my blog - sorry - but I will remedy that), anyway, that Veronice used to think the U2's "Desire" was "Fire".

Jenfer has probably the most outrageous....

Laura Leigh, I just read your blog...how funny about the song! You know, I always thought Steve Miller's song "Jet Airliner" was "big ole jet and lighthouse"! And, 38 Special's "Hold On Loosely" was "hold on loose legs"! We just funny!

That made me laugh today! Have a good one.

CONFESSION

I am going to share something with ya'll that is a little embarrassing. After going to dinner with Love (Jimmy) on Saturday, we were in my kitchen talking. I know I can tell Jimmy anything or ask him anything no matter how stupid it may make me look. I had a song stuck in my head that never made since. For all of these years (at least since some time in the 70's) I thought that Olivia Newton John song went "Please Mister, please....don't let him be just seventeen..." So I asked Jimmy, "Why would an adult be messing with a 17 year old, and then be upset when they found out because they don't want to leave them?" He responded, "Laura Leigh..." (When he calls me this way it is like - listen to what I am fixing to say, or kind of "I really want to help you understand this". So he goes, "Laura Leigh - it is G17, don't let it be G17 on the juke box. A guy is fixing to play a song and she doesn't want it to be G17, because it was their song and now it is over."

Well, that explains the mystery of the cradle robber! What would I do without my Jimmy?

P. S. I don't think my misunderstanding is as bad as Crazy Kathy thinking the song went "Let Milo open the door" onstead of My love.

Donations Needed

Shopping with Rayray today....these are her new favorite jeans, design name Cali from Hollister and Company (the jeans pictured are what they call "destroyed"). Can anyone say cha-ching cha-ching? 3 jeans, 3 shirts, 300 dollars. How I love my baby. I told her "Happy going away present!" I think I am starting to appreciate the old days of jeans from PacSun - two pair for $55. But, at least she will look good and feels good wearing them.

I still just love my Levi's. I don't think she has ever owned a pair, at least not after she was old enough to help choose her clothes!

"Break Down in Home Furnishings..."

...."Break Down in Home Furnishings." I could almost hear that in my head yesterday at Target. You know how you will hear over the loud speaker "Clean up on isle 7" that is what I mean. She (Rachel) was only picking out a pillow. A pillow that she will not lay her head on for the first time in our home. No, not our home, but that evil, ugly, sin-filled dorm room she is so looking forward to going to. (kidding about the sin-filled - hey, this is my baby).

I really am doing quite well with the whole "move off and leave your poor, sad mom" bit. We spent most of the weekend together and had a good time. She was not feeling well yesterday, that is really why she sat around with me, but who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Boy, am I going to miss her.

Visit with Tami and Bob

Had a nice long phone conversation with Tami and Bob last night. Well, Bob wasn't around all of the time....he would pop in and out. (Bet you appreciate that one, Tami) Any way, it was nice to catch up with my best friend ever. She is wild and crazy and I love her. Oh, and she has a birthday (birfday) coming soon.....(had to get that in there)

Figs

This is what figs look like. Well, what figs look like covered in sugar. Have you ever seen one? Not sure what all they go in...I know Fig Newtons, but not much else. Anyway, these figs are sitting in my dutch oven at home waiting for me to get home and make preserves. Fun, fun. It is a lot of work for very little yeild. But, they are free (my mom has a tree at her house) and everyone loves fig preserves. Don't they?

Here it is.....

...the new artwork purchased Tuesday by Rachel. Aren't the colors striking? The black symbol toward the top is an om. Here is the lesson for the day: Om - the supreme and most sacred mystic symbol used by Hindus and Buddhists in religious rites - it symbolizes the purification of the mind from all negative. Boy, where can I get mine?

Now, we don't have to worry about where we are going to display this new art work...is she taking it to college, or leaving at home with her mother? Would it look better in the living room, or the den? No, we don't have to ask these questions because of the nature of the canvas. You see, IT IS NOW PERMANANTLY INKED ONTO THE SMALL OF RACHEL'S BACK!!!!!

There, I said it, the word is out. Yes, my daughter is 18, and no, she does not have to have parental permission to do stuff like this to her body. Let's just hope this is the end. Remember the "that is not a buger" post.

Lord help me!

Surprise coming tomorrow

You will have to come back Tomorrow. We bought some new art and I will have a picture of it then.


(I never can remember if Surprise is spelled with an s or a z. I had a z in there and it looked stupid......still had to put it in there first.

Rachel and Spice

Here is a picture of Rachel and our cat Spice. (No, that is not Sally). Spice was around before Rachel was born. In this picture Spice was 17 years old. We were very fortunate that she was healthy most of her life, only becoming sick shortly before I had to have her put to sleep. (except for the time she almost died from drinking antifreeze) This picture was taken over two years ago. Rachel was dying her hair dark and was 15 years old. I am glad she does not dye her hair anymore, but I do wish she was 15, or 5, or 5 months because then she wouldn't be leaving me in 10 DAYS!!!!!!

I love Urban Dictionary

Have you ever been to urbandictionary.com? It is really a cool web site. Today I learned a new word that I will probably use a lot. Hope (or not) that you will too!

Leanover: A small-sized hangover, usually comes with merely a mild headache, a vagur fatigue, and little or no sense of regret and/or shame.

Example: "I didn't really drink a lot last night, but I sure have a leanover."

Love it!

try these:

Textpectation: The anticipation one feels when waiting for a response to a text message. "I just texted her for a date, and now the textpectation is killing me!"

Flirtationship: When you regularly flirt with an acquaintance or friend but do no more.

Funny!

POPPY!.....POPPY, BOON!!!!

Sorry i have not posted for a few days. I had the busiest weekend I have ever had. Usually my weekends are spent lounging, eating, sleeping and generally just rebounding from the week. Not this weekend. I had a surprize 40th birthday party for my friend Pam on Friday, Jimmy's grandaughter Tatum's 2nd birthday on Saturday, a baby shower on Sunday, and my brother and his family were in town. Anyway, sorry, I will post at least once a day this week.

Back to Poppy, Boon!. At Tatum's Bday party Tatum and Luke wanted to hold the baloons with helium in them. Jimmy kept making a big deal about tying the balloon to their arms so it wouldn't fly away. He told his daughter Jamee to tie Tatum's good, all the while he was tying Luke's. Well, the balloon fascination last all of 2.7 minutes for Luke. Then he decided to take it off. Jimmy was watching him and caught the balloon before it took off.

Now, Poppy has Luke's balloon and is trying to attach it to the fountain (don't ask me why not just tie it back to the heavy thing holding it in the first place). Well, you can only imagine what happened. POPPY LET THE BALLOON GO. I was sitting there thinking "he is going to loose that balloon" and sure enough he did.

Luke didn't miss it either...hence the title. He walked around and told everybody what Poppy had done to his boon! I love those kids (Jimmy included).

Good Eye Doctor?

I took Rachel to get her eyes checked and get new glasses yesterday. We went to Target in Huntsville because that is one of the few places that will except my insurance. I shopped while she had her exam. Then we picked out regular glasses and sun glasses (thanks G-ma). While driving back to my work we had the following conversation:

R: That Dr. was real young and kind of weird.
L: Like, what do you mean weird?
R: Well, we had to do that little thing where you pick between the two settings - like "which is better, one or two" - a lot
L: It takes a lot of settings to get it all right
R: No, I know that, we had to do the whole thing like over again like 3 times
L: Why?
R: We would get through and he would say "Ok, read the line" and I couldn't read it.

(This is the part that really gets me)

R: One time he even said "Well, can't you just try and guess?"

WHAT! THIS IS AN EYE DOCTOR....CAN YOU TRY AND GUESS? I AM SURPRISED HE DIDN'T SAY LIKE "IT COMES AFTER THE LETTER E". Where did he get his degree - KMART?

Thank goodness there is a money back 90 day guarantee on the glasses once we get them!

Lord help me.

Canning

Last Sunday I got real brave and decided to can somethings I had never done before. My mother's fig tree finally decided to produce fruit this year so Jenfer, Tim and I picked figs on Saturday, I soaked them overnight in sugar, then cooked and canned them on Sunday. I thought I was so successful that I tried it again on Wednesday night. Just as much work, but not the same amount of production. I ONLY GOT 2 PINTS NOT THE BEAUTIFUL 5 PINTS YOU SEE ABOVE! I was kind of upset. Of course our weighing of the figs is not down to a science. We send Mom back to her bedroom to get on the scale with the figs and without.....now that I think of it, my Mom was never really good in math. There's no telling what measure of sugar I should or should not have been using.

Jenfer and I made apple butter too. That is it to the left above. I liked that recipe....it made a lot. The funny thing about all of this is that I am not even sure I like either the fig preserves or the apple butter....Labor of love everybody, labor of love.

(Don't you love "Cat 'O All Seasons" on the table by the apple butter. He is in his Uncle Sam outfit from the 4th).