Give me a break!

Yesterday I stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few items to bake a cake for work for Halloween. I bought 10 items and somehow this nitwit bagger boy managed to put them in 7 bags. It was crazy. I have 2 reuseable grocery bags that Rachel and Nathan gave me last year. They fold up real small in your purse, but can expand pretty big. I am really going to start making a more green effort at the store, expecially when I am only picking up a few things.

Packing from Lucky's:

Bag 1: Dreft (I can understand this one because it is detergent)
Bag 2: Foil pans
Bag 3: Eggs
Bag 4: 2 small bags of Butterfinger Candy Bars
Bag 5: cake mix and Pam
Bag 6: 2 small boxes Kung Fu Chicken eggrolls


Bag 7: Cool Whip, Sweetened Condensed Milk, and jar of ice cream caramel topping

Now, let me point out that Bag 7 was packed by another bagger because I had forgotten some items and had to go back.

Here is how it should have been done.

Bag 1: Dreft (still give them that one)
Bag 2: Foil pans, cake mix and pam
Bag 3: Butterfingers, then egg rolls then eggs on top
Bag 4: Same as bag 7

That would have cut the plastic waste by 42.86% I need a life!

Happy Halloween!

Take the Long Way Home

This was my lovely view for about 45 minutes driving home yesterday....well, I wouldn't really say I was "driving" moving at that snails pace. Thank goodness I had my camera with me and could amuse myself. I know the other drivers thought I was crazy...and they might be right.



Here is proof positive...look at the speedometer! It is reading 0 miles per hour. Just noticed that I should probably get gas too. I didn't even look at the level this morning after driving back to Huntsville. Isn't the sun reflecting of the 18 wheeler lovely?

Here is the Tennessee River. I cross it twice a day. I was trying to make out the Two Mile Bridge in this picture, but it was to far away. I was wishing I had gone Interstate 65 instead of staying in this mess.

The infamous "WRECK" that had traffic backed up forever. Please do not look at how dirty my windshield is. There are bugs on the river.

Yea! Back to normal speeds to cross the bridge and onto home....Glad y'all could tag along!

Love

Hippy Rachel

Rachel went to a Halloween party last Friday as a hippy. I ordered this shirt off the internet on Tuesday and paid for overnight shipping. When I got it, it said "One Size Fits Alll". I thought to myself, "Lord, why didn't you notice that before?" But, after several attempts to tye the damn thing, and about 6 safety pens later, she was covered and ready to go.

I love my Hippy Rayray!

CAT O' ALL SEASONS

Here she is, ready for Friday - Cat O' All Seasons. I love this tacky little kitty. I ordered her from a catalog where nothing was over $9.99. She has costumes for Halloween, Christmas, Easter, and 4th of July.

When Christmas time comes I will have to show you the kitty cat nativity scene I also ordered....they are all cats, and the baby Jesus is a kitten! (I know you think I am insane)

Happy Halloween!

spider lillies 2

I just realized I uploaded the same picture in the blog below.

Spider Lillies

These are called Spider Lillies. Years ago I saw them in a yard at an old established home in Decatur. I asked my mom what they were because I had never seen them before. She told me their name and said they were a very old species of flower. I asked her where I could get some, and she said it was like trying to get Jackson Vine....you have to know someone who has it and get it from them because they aren't sold anymore (or ever).
So I didn't really think about me acquiring any of them after that. Rachel and I would just enjoy them in the fall when they bloomed at that house. We called them Dr. Suess flowers because of their unique shape. They have a stalk about 18" high and then these beautiful "spider" looking blooms.

Then out of the blue a couple of years later mom called and said..."I have you some spider lily bulbs. I got them from my friend." So now we have the funny "Dr. Suess" flowers for a few weeks in the fall at our house! Thanks Mom.

More Pumpkins

I didn't have pictures of Miss Beth's pumpkins the other day. This is Posh Kitty...I thought she was spunky! I would have liked to carve her myself.
....and Beth is a huge Matt Kenseth fan (Nascar driver for those of you who aren't cool) so she paid homage to him with this pumpkin

Flight of the Conchords

Rachel turned me on to this duo. You all have to go to youtube and watch some of thier videos. I think I am addicted. They are so funny. Here is one of them performing "It's Business Time." They had a show on HBO that I never saw, but I am going to try to find it in DVD. Bret and Gemaine are from New Zealand, and I love their sense of humor...kind of sexy too!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGOohBytKTU

2nd Annual Pumpkin Carving Party

Well, the 2nd Annual Pumpkin Carving Party has come and gone. It was a huge success. There was an enormous turnout - lots of old friends and their offspring! The food was delicious (I made broccoli raisin salad). This is my Frankenstein pumpkin above. And, not to brag or anything, I really think it was the best ones there. Oh, some of the others were good, but my pumpkin was so BIG, and lots of imagination went into the lightening bolts, and so on and so on. Yes, I did work hard this weekend!

(OK - enough of that - I bet Brittney is having a melt down. Truth be known, I did work hard this weekend, but not carving pumpkins....I was babysitting and because of circumstances beyond anyone's control I did not return from Birmingham until the 2nd Annual Pumpkin Carving party was drawing to an end. Brittney (Jenfer's daughter) was kind enough to carve this lovely Frankenstein pumpkin for me. And my daughter carved me the bat below.)

Hillary's spider web, Rachel's bat, skull and crossbones, smiley face (I think Lisa's daughter did that one), and check out Ozzy Ozborne.

Scary face, Skull, Lily's cat

Cute Cat, spider, Rachel's first attempt (looks like an alien kitty - Love), and the Grim Reeper. The Grim Reeper is Tim's, but I can't remember who carved it for him. I know Adrian carved him the tree, but I don't have a picture of that one...it was real kool.

Lily's cat - (I am going to use this one as a screen saver too, Jenfer).

Love

P.S. Happy Halloweeny!

P.S.S. I finally figured how to upload pictures and be able to write between them. It is called the "UPLOAD ANOTHER IMAGE" button.....can't believe it only took me 3 months to figure that one out!

Babysitting Saturday

Jimmy and I are going to Bham to babysit Tatum tomorrow. I can't wait! Her parents are going to Atlanta to see Jimmy's son Blue. I went to Toys R Us today to get her a little something....

Jimmy: So you made it back from Toys R Us?
LL: yeah
Jimmy: did you find something you liked?
LL: yeah, something Rachel had....a book called "Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See" Rachel loved that book and had a brown bear made out of resin that she carried around for about a year and a half so I found a resin bear too...
Jimmy: Ok, well good
LL: .....and a puzzle that I think she will really be able to work, and a movie "Curious George Comes to America" and a Disney sing-a-long....
Jimmy: Good gracious...for what, Christmas?

(He doesn't know I already had Garfields Halloween movie and a little people farm girl on a tractor with a cow at home.)

Can't wait to tell stories of the weekend...It is also the 2nd annual Halloween Pumpkin Carving Party!

BYE BYE IS SMART

Spike is so smart. I thought a few weeks ago that Tim had left the gate open and Spike got out. Then, the other week my mom said she must have left the gate open, and he got out. But, the other night, I was sitting under the car port on the phone, and thought Spike was in the back yard (I had let him out about 30 minutes before). Well, I was talking and heard the tink-tink of his collar (we used to call Sally tink-tink) and thought he had run up to the fence. Then I noticed in the front yard a small back and white dog. I thought, "Yeah, Spike is coming to the fence to talk to a friend." But, as the "friend" got closer, I realized that it was MY BELOVED DOG!!!! He had been out galavanting through the neighborhood....then I realized, he had learned to open the gate!

So, at 10:30 Tuesday night I was outside wrapping coat hangers through the handles of the gates to keep my love locked up!

MICKEY

Mickey had surgery yesterday for a hiadel (sp?) hernia. That is at the place where your stomach and esophagus meet. I went to visit her in the hospital. I made her laugh and it hurt....so what did I do? Tried to make her laugh again! Tell me, is there something wrong with me? Why did keep trying to make her laugh knowing that it was uncomfortable for her? Was I jealous of the morphine substitute she was being provided? Maybe, or sometimes I just might be cruel. Trust me, Mickey can handle it.

LL: Did you go to my blog yesterday?
M: No, I never go anymore, quit going after that stupid story about Pam's birthday.
LL: Well, you should.
M: Why would I, you never write anything about me.
LL: I have too, you were in the picture of Rachel's go to college party....
M: Yeah, one meesley picture,
LL: ...and when we were at lunch and saw Pam...
M: Yeah, yeah, big deal
LL: ...and plus, Mickey the blog is not about you!

I helped her to the restroom while I was there...and scared her by saying I was going to put that 15 minute show on my blog....but, being a good friend I won't. (And I won't mention her pretty stockings, with the hole in the toe either!)

Love

STANDARD BED SIZES

This is driving me crazy. I was discussing bed sizes today with Tim. Then, I started to wonder, when were the sizes regulated....like Twin, Full, Queen, and King. At what point in history could you order a Queen sized bed and know that it would be a regulated size? I looked on the internet and could never find the answer. Was it 1970? 1945? Before? I CAN'T FIND THE ANSWER!

(Can you tell it is driving me a little crazy?)

HELP!

Party Last Weekend

I went to a party at my friend BJ's the other night. It was her party, but she said I could invite a few people and I did. I was helping her make appetisers when all of these people from my work walked in....people I hadn't invited! AND THEY HAD INVITED AND BROUGHT PEOPLE I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW! I just knew BJ would be so pissed. But she wasn't. I looked in the den and she was talking to my friend from college - Vivian. BJ called my over and said "Look who is here! Aren't you excited?" Of course I was! It was good to see Vivian. I had gotten Cocoa from a friend of her's who ends up being the cousin of Jamie's fiance Ben....boy, that was a mouthful.

Anyway, back to the party....I asked BJ if she and Tami wanted to go for a walk. They did so we left, rounded the corner and there was the COLOSSEUM....LIKE IN ROME! I started to show them around since I had been there before. We realized we should get back to the party. We pulled up and there were a bunch of people we didn't know walking out with big garbage bags full of stuff. I jump out of the car, approach the biggest, burliest looking man I have ever seen and asked what he thought he was doing. Well, he then pulled a gun, proceeded to make us kneel on the street, and scared the crap out of us. Then a nasty woman was walking around us telling us to take off our bras.....I couldn't figure this one out. Then it dawned on me that we could make a weapon out of the underwire! Well, i just happend to have on two bras that night, so I only took off one and saved the other to make a weapon. I was so proud of myself.....


.....then I woke up!

Happy Monday.

ALABAMA HISTORY 101

Alabamians will be receiving new car tags soon. They are kind of boring and just blue and white (no red). I enjoyed the "Stars Fell On Alabama" tag. But some prople might say, "What in the world is that all about? It's stupid." Most know it is an old song (1934), but it is also a book (1934 and again in 2000). The book, by Carl Carmer, "recounts the time he spent traveling through Alabama in the late 1920 as a professor at the University of Alabama.

The titles of both works refer to a spectacular occurrence of the Leonid meteor shower that was observed in Alabama on November 12-13, 1833. As reported by the Florence Gazette: "[There were] thousands of luminous bodies shooting across the firmament in every direction. There was little wind and not a trace of clouds, and the meteors succeeded each other in quick succession."

Sounds pretty spectacular to me.

Rayray update

Rachel did very well on her big Art midterm - an 87! I am a proud Mommy. She also did supurb on another Psychology test - 94 or 96 I can't remember. That is really good considering that in that man's class an 84 or above is an A. His test are so hard he told them no one ever makes a 100 - so see how smart my baby is.

Love, love, love

and finally.....BJ

Here is a picture of my beloved friend BJ (with her son Mark and grandson Ross). I have known BJ and her family for most of my life....heck, we are family. Mark and my brother Larry were good friends growing up, and her daughter Tami is my best friend..(remember conversations with Tami and BOB?). Anyway, I have been meaning to introduce BJ (though I know most of you know her). We talk all of the time - usually once a day. She lives in Florida with her girls and I miss them all so much. We all look forward to BJ's visit because we have such fun together.

Speaking of visits...."BJ, come home soon!" I love you!

I'M BACK!

Hey Everybody - Did you miss me? I had a nice trip to Boston, worked hard and came back. That is about the extent of it. My flight home was memorable. On the first leg I was sitting at the airport watching people come through security, when I realized that 4 people in wheelchairs were waiting on the same flight as me. I thought they should rename US Air to Assisted Living Airlines! Oh, and two people had cats! One of the women with a cat was in a wheelchair with her husband using a walker when he wasn't pushing her. When he was, she was trying to hold on to 1) cat, 2)walker, and 3)cane. She dropped the walker and cane so many times I just quit watching. Of course, that would not have happened if they could decide to stay in one place and just wait for the plane! Thank goodness she didn't drop the cat. I would have had to have said something then.

Have a great weekend!

Here is my pretty princess on the hood of my car last night.....so what would her name be right now? That's right Salibu (Sally on the Malibu). Just a post to let you know I am going to Boston on business. Won't be back until Wednesday evening. Will try to post from there, but not sure if I will have time.

Oh, and Boo made a 97 on her Math exam! Yea! Proud, proud, proud. And she survived the evil, nasty, Art Mid-term. No grade there yet.

Take care!

Squirrel Tree

This is a Cypress tree in my yard. The squirrels will climb the tree and gently pull off long lengths of bark. They will pull several pieces at a time and delicately roll them up into a big ball. While holding this ball with their teeth, they then look in all directions for Evil Zlid (Sally). Once they see the coast is clear, they run across the driveway, jump into the tulip tree, climb to the top and jump into the big oak tree, and from there they are home free! I love to watch them, but they sure are scarring (scar-ring) up the tree.

Happy Friday!

DEAD HERBS

WATER! WATER! Guess who forgot she was growing an herb garden. Oh well, it was a lot of fun, and I did use them a lot. I can't wait to do it again next year. I promise to do better next year and share with all of you. I had enough I could have dried them and not bought any at the store. The bright green plant in the middle is not a strong, healthy sole survivor, it is a weed.

Green Thumbs to you!

Eerie - My friend Pam

Yesterday I was having lunch with Mickey at Rosies. We saw our friend Pam just as she was walking out of the door, so we didn't get a chance to say hey. I was sitting home last night and the phone rang and it was Pam! She hardly ever calls, so I thought how ironic it was that I saw her at lunch (she didn't see us) and then she calls me. Kind of strange don't you think.

Another thing that is strange is that Pam didn't want to believe that Clay Aiken was gay! She was so in denial. I guess she does not have a choice now but to accept it and move on! Poor Pam.

Love

P.S. Ya'll say a prayer for Rayray....she is having a huge Art midterm this afternoon.