Sunday Random

This past week has been a doosie. You name, it's happened here.

The 1st surprise: my family from TX decided they needed to be in town due to events in my DIL's family. I had a week to put away 6 months of projects and junk to prepare for them. They arrived Friday night a week ago. While they have spent all but 2 nights with me, many of their days have been spent with other family members.

Last Sunday, we attended the church we went to when the kids were growing up. My son and DIL met each other there. Monday I had my wreck. Tuesday was spent at home resting and trying to get a rental car. Wednesday it was back to work for me. The kids and their mom spent most of their time with my DIL's family. Brandon, my son, worked from my house. Wednesday night I picked up barbecue sandwiches for supper. Thursday, more work. Friday night, I brought home Chinese take out. Saturday we all went in different directions. Brandon sweetly went for supplies to fix stuff. Rachel drove me to a city nearby to purchase the car I found. My DIL Beth met a dear friend from out of town at Cracker Barrel. After buying the car, Rachel and I crashed Beth and friend's get together....you'll learn why in a minute. In the afternoon, we went to a cousin's birthday party. Saturday night, I went back out for more take out. This morning we went to church at Beth's parents church and over to their home for lunch. I left them there and went by the grocery store. I'm determined to cook something this afternoon so that we don't have to eat anymore take out.

So after all that, here's a look at my new car, some cutie pies and Rachel and I as party crashers.

Yep, it's another Corolla. It is 2 years newer, has less mileage, new tires, in very good condition and it cost a little less than my 2006 did. The only downside is that it isn't red. : (

There's nothing like ice cream and cake after playing on a slip and slide.

Daddy helps CA eat her's.

Rachel and I crashed the party because we wanted to meet Beth's dear friend. Many of you know her as ModGirl! Weren't we lucky? She is every bit as pretty and elegant and softspoken as you have imaged.

I am looking forward to spending another week with family. The Fourth is a big day with us because of 2 important birthdays. Our nation turns 233 and LC turns 5. Have a nice week and drive safely!

Shopping Spree!

I'm off to buy a car today...wish me luck. I've done my homework and made the phone calls. I've got the best deal in my sights. Update later!

Sprechen Sie Deutsch

Today's Postcard Friendship Friday is brought to you courtesy of Ludwigsburg, Germany home of the largest Baroque castle in the country. Ludwigsburg can be found a short 12 kilometers north of Stuttgart.

Grube aus Ludwigsburg/Greet from Ludwigsburg

I'd love to know what this card says if anyone speaks German and can translate for me.


I tried one of those online translators and this is what I got.

Dear Eva
Thank you for thve map on the mid toe pleased i have and i write the thven a postcard i am mid zebr who lie mid again write today for kemme i Ichbieb. he grukl
you Erika

This card is from a lot of postcards I purchased from Ebay. The message is dated May 26, 1988 and is addressed to:

Frau
Eva Nechenia
Shalom Yehuda 14
Jerusalem, Israel

Please let me know if you can figure it out. Until then, Happy Postcard Friendship Friday!

Random Photo Day

Playing dress up....




always fun!

It's Totaled But I'm Not

You never know when you leave the house in the morning what the day might bring. About half way to work I found myself hanging suspended by my seat belt in this.

I tested all my appendages. Nothing broken. And though the person who caused this by pulling into my lane and forcing me off the road drove on as if nothing were wrong, many other Good Samaritans stopped to help.

Because the seat belt was so tight and cutting into my arm, I took a chance and released it. Once I was on the roof/ground I wiggled out this window.

I was checked out at the hospital and warned that I should expect to be really sore tomorrow, which will be today by the time you read this. I'm pretty black and blue already.

There were angels watching over me today and I know it well.

Collaborators

She dictated and I wrote. We both drew. Lilly and Tiim bad boy! is the companion to her earlier work Ann's Badness. She said she is writing a collection of stories about bad children.

She is almost seven. She is a pixie and a stinker.

At the top of the third page, you might find that you are confused by the phrase "battled Tim slides...." as much as MK was when she read her story aloud to her parents and sisters. She looked puzzled and I asked what was it supposed to say...she replied, "bad ole Tim slides."

Sorry folks, I just writes what I hears!

More Grammacation Time

I might not be around very much for the next couple of weeks. I am enjoying a visit from these little darlings.

Friendship/Then and Now

Trips are taken. Those at home are remembered fondly.

Postcards fall from mailboxes into eager hands.

The message is savored. The postage must be examined before the card is placed on display. Eventually, it is carefully tucked away with other mementos.



One day both will be treasured by a collector of such things.

The first card was mailed from Paris to Florence in March or May of 1907. It reads:

"Here I am once again in gay Paris. Wish you were with me. I arrived this morning for a few days. It is simply perfect here and everybody seems intent on enjoying themselves. Write me soon and tell me all your news. Yours (affectionately?) Mau(d?)"

It is addressed to 10 Via Garibaldi Florence Italy

The second card was sent to my daughter recently from a friend who was in Paris for her first time.

Years may go by. Styles may change. But friendship remains the same.

Happy Postcard Friendship Friday!

Random Photo Day

Blue glass and crystal balls.

Taking Life Inch By Inch

Today, I'm joining Paris in her weekly Inch by Inch Art Tuesday. This weeks theme is Journey/Traveling.

Each art piece is supposed to be 3x3 but, I don't seem to be able to follow the rules. Ooops!

I couldn't resist toying with the image in Photoshop, so here is another look.

I like the simplicity of this one.

Check out all of the artwork today at Remembering Paris.

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time, when the cost of a home was $10,250.00.....when the average income was $3,960.00 a year....when a new car cost $1,700.00....when movie tickets were .70 each...when postage stamps were .03 each....when Joe DiMaggio married Marilyn Monroe....when On the Waterfront, Rear Window and White Christmas were playing at the 'picture show'....I looked like this:

Remember when cars looked like this?

And when moms looked like this?

Or when having a glass of Kool-Aid with your friends constituted a party?

The best parties are the ones where all the guests love you!

Thanks ya'll for making my birthday so much fun. It took the pain out of turning #@&!

Lunch, Shopping and a Movie

Birthday gift from my faraway family; lunch at the restaurant of my choice for my daughter and me. Wish they could have been here too.

We had Chicken Panang, Super Crunch Sushi, Crab Angels and Coconut Soup.

A little shopping at a few of my favorite stores.

They take a break while I look

Baby Elijah agreed to sit through a $1.00 movie in the afternoon, Sunshine Cleaning.

Then back to Rachel's for a supper of baked ziti with ricotta cheese.

Another fun day of my Grammacation.

PFF and the Zoo

Instead of planning a trip this summer, I am taking a couple of 3 day staycations...or as I've renamed it, a Grammacation. I'm taking time off to spend with my 8 grandchildren. Today 3 of the grands came to town with their mother. First we had lunch at Nabeel's Cafe & Market. They serve wonderful Greek and Mediterranean food. We ate stuffed grape leaves, Homos and pita bread, olives, cheeses, olive salad, tabouli and their own chicken salad.

Then we were off to the Zoo. We walked for hours, the girls feed the Lorikeets and rode a camel. We saw the monkeys, the cats, the giraffes and more. Bet you're wondering how PFF fits into this...here's how:

Circa 1956 postcard from the Birmingham Zoo

Monkey Island is the one thing we didn't see...a sight that I remember from my childhood trips to the zoo. It no longer exists because a more environmentally friendly habitat for the monkeys was built many years ago. This postcard isn't a part of my personal collection. I found it on the Internet. But I imagine the message on the back goes something like this.

"Dear Mama and Daddy and baby Joey,
Gramma took me to the zoo today. We watched the monkeys. I wanted to play with them, but Gramma said it wasn't allowed. It was hot there. I drank a Coca Cola. I had fun.
Love Kay"

Like Kay, we were hot...that is what summers in Alabama are like. Like Kay, we drank copious amounts of Coke and Blueberry slushies. Like Kay, we watched the monkeys. Like Kay, we had fun.

Here are some photos from our trip:

The girls get in a little work for a home-schooling assignment...recording facts about
North American animals.

Feeding the Lorikeets.

Watched this dude sleep.

Flamingos fixated on feeding.

Got to hold out some food for these to lick off their hands.

Cooled off with Blueberry Slushies.

Rode a Dromedary.

Watched the Gorilla.

Patiently waited for butterflies to light on their fingers.

Made friends with a goat.

Went home pooped.

Tomorrow, more of my Grammacation. I'm spending the day with my daughter and my youngest grandson.