Day Three Hundred Ten 2013

We had lunch today at this little meat n three called Wilma’s Country Cooking. It’s located just around the block from our house in what used to be, decades ago, a neighborhood country store called Sparks Grocery owned and operated by a lady who lived right next door to the store. I have fond memories of Sparks Grocery. It’s across the street from the elementary school I attended back in the sixties. I used to walk over there after school and buy Beatles bubble gum cards. Still have them. Great memory. The grocery store went out of business years ago and has since gone through many incarnations ~ a bakery at one time and an antique store being the most recent. Now it has become a meat n three restaurant. Daughter Kelly and her hubs Kerry and son Knox walked over there yesterday to check it out and brought us a menu. They have different daily specials. It sounded really good, so we gave it a whirl today. We had pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and a roll/corn bread. And tea, of course. I’m happy to say their food is totally delicious and the price is very reasonable. They're only open for lunch. The place was hopping today with tables full and lots of take out orders. We hope to eat there again sometime soon.

Day Two Hundred Forty 2013

Won't you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you.   ~Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Neil and I had lunch in the rose garden today. No, not that rose garden but a local rose garden. This is the view from inside the gazebo at Dogwood Park. It is surrounded on three sides by all different kinds of rose bushes and the scent in the air is delicious. The bright sunlight almost washed out all the pretty colors, but you get the idea. Apparently, a local rose society plants and maintains the garden for all to appreciate. It’s a pleasant way to spend some time with my hubs on his lunch break.

Day Two Hundred Thirty One 2013

Enjoying a Thai food lunch at Ocha ~ hubby Neil, niece Sarah, daughter Holly, grandson Knox, and daughter Kelly

Knox hijacked Granny’s strawberries and cream drink at Starbucks. He likes the whipped cream.

We had fun hanging out with Sarah at Starbucks this afternoon. She’s loving some freedom after high school and before her college classes begin next week.

The kids love playing on the trampoline ~ even daughter Holly, who might be the biggest kid of all.

Knox thought this was the best fun ever.

Beautiful afternoon

Happy face

Monkeys on a trampoline, having fun and being eaten alive by skeeters

Granddaughter Shelby making bubbles which makes a Monday even more fun ~ hope yours was, too.

Day Two Hundred Twenty Six 2013

Whenever we have the opportunity, Neil and I enjoy lunch in Dogwood Park these summer days, weather permitting. Today’s weather was perfection. With a 68 degree temperature, a cool breeze blowing and blue sky overhead at noon, it felt like fall. We ate our meal in the gazebo which is surrounded by a variety of beautiful rose bushes in full bloom. This was our dessert ~ fresh juicy red strawberries and of course some Cool Whip for dipping. Yum! Hope your day was delicious!

Day Two Hundred Nineteen 2013

Lesson for the day: Never park your car beside a road that floods in a heavy downpour. That little red car is mine. I went to climb in after Neil and I had finished our subs and had waited out the heavy rain, never thinking that the car coming toward me on that street was going to drive through that flood and send a giant wave of water into me. If I hadn’t had my umbrella over me, I would have been drenched from head to toe.  I still got soaked from chest to Crocs. And was about to get soaked again, but the next car in line took pity on me and slowed down enough so that the wave wasn’t a tsunami. It's funny because we were sitting in a window booth, watching this road start to flood when I took this random picture, and I was thinking that anybody standing out there on the sidewalk would get drowned by the wave from a passing car. Well, duh! [Where's a surf board when you need one?]

Day Two Hundred Fifteen 2013

EVER LOVIN SATURDAY

Neil and I visited grandson Knox, daughter Kelly and son in law Kerry today. We haven’t seen them in a couple of weeks. Neil wanted to spend some time replacing their front porch hand rail. Knox was pretty happy with the new Elmo book we brought him.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch at The Chop House ~ turkey and dressing and broccoli [we all ended up ordering the same thing]. They also serve up awesome bread before the meal. Even Knox enjoyed some broccoli dipped in Ranch sauce. Everything tastes better dipped in Ranch sauce.

Kelly accidently locked us out of the house and didn’t have the key she needed to get us back inside, so we stopped by Kerry’s workplace to pick up his key and to say hi. Kerry was working hard. Knox was thrilled to see his dada.

At the house, we hung out on the back porch and enjoyed the nice weather [well, except for the rain] while Neil worked on the rail. Knox has his own pint sized chair.

Knox could hear Neil’s saw buzzing and had to go check out what Grandpa was up to in the garage. Knox was happy to help out. He kept handing things to Neil that Neil didn’t need, so we took him back inside.

We made tall colorful buildings that reached to the ceiling. Well, almost. Then nap time rolled around.

Neil couldn’t finish the project today and decided to pack it up and bring it home with us to finish building the new rail. Besides, he wanted to spend time with Knox, who was dying to spend time with his ‘pa’. Knox helped carry stuff to the truck.

And he helped Grandpa push the dolly so he could load up the saw.

Then he wanted to drive mom’s car for a while and push all the buttons and turn all the knobs. [Watch out next time you turn on the radio, Kelly. It might be very loud.]

Knox time and Grandpa time is the best time in the world. Grandpa is the man.

Until daddy comes home. While Kerry ate some of the yummy chili Kelly made us for supper, Knox ran in there to him and started pulling on Kerry, saying, “High! High!” Which means throw me up into the air as high as you can. And daddy did. More fun than pint sized human beings should be allowed to have [but not so great for daddy’s back, but daddy did it anyway cause Knox loves it]. Good times! Fun Saturday! Love you guys!!

Day Two Hundred Thirteen 2013

Thrilling Thursday

Neil and I have eaten our lunch in Dogwood Park almost every day this week ~ very enjoyable ~ although the picnic table was pretty soggy today after the rain ~ lots of people in the park with the same idea

We started out gray and finally turned into blue ~ not too shabby

We took a quick stroll around the park after lunch ~ Neil spotted this kite eating tree ~ Charlie Brown must have been around somewhere

I Spy with my little eye ~ a butterfly ~ see it? As I was heading across the back yard on my way to pick up Elijah after school, I saw this large butterfly [flutterby] soaring along from plant to plant ~ I only had my cell phone camera and managed to snap a picture before it was gone ~ it was really beautiful but it’s washed out in the bright sunlight ~ I was thrilled to get this shot ~ so I guess that makes this a thrilling Thursday. It’s the little things. Happy first day of August!

Day One Hundred Ninety Eight 2013

Little ladybug on my arm
you wear a heart as part of your charm
You joined me on this sunny day
just for a moment then you flew away.
~Author Unknown

I lifted my cup to take a sip of my drink at Taco Bell today and there was this ladybug, clinging to the cold, wet side. I figured it would eventually either fly away or drop into my food, so I nudged it onto the table where it crawled around in circles. Neil finally caught it on his finger and took it outside where it flew away. Ladybugs are supposed to be good for your garden and bring good luck. I’m lucky it didn’t end up in my chicken quesadilla. [Couldn’t resist adding that cute corny ladybug poem]

Day One Hundred Ninety 2013

Tuesday Lunch Bunch Peeps: hubby Neil [who always looks thrilled to be in my blog pics], daughter Holly, daughter Kelly, grandson Knox, granddaughter Shelby, niece Julia, niece Sarah, and grandson Elijah. We hit the D.Q., enjoyed a meal together and shared some laughs. Good times, y’all!

Day One Hundred Eighty Nine 2013

PLAY ‘TIL YOU WIN!

We ended up at CiCi’s Pizza today for lunch. The kids, big and small, were attracted to the game room where  Kelly and Shelby sparred in a game of air hockey.

Elijah drove a race car ~ mostly on the side of the road. No seat belt.

And ~ uh oh! ~ Knox spied …

… Elmo buried in that impossible quest where you drop the claw on top of the toy you want and pray that it latches on so you can pull it out of the pile. Grandpa knew this particular quest would bear no fruit ~ Elmo ~ so he didn’t even try. Walked away. Left Elmo buried. Uh oh.

Shelby found a game ~ with a similar claw ~ that scooped up candy and cheap plastic toys. Not as difficult as that other game.

They scooped out all sorts of goodies.

The name of the game!

But, alas, Elmo got left behind, buried in the machine, and there was no consoling Knox, who cried big tears, and wailed for Elmo all the way home. We’ve never seen him so distraught. But time heals all wounds. He soon forgot his heartbreak and finally moved on with his life, thank goodness. School of hard knocks [Knox?]. Lesson learned. You don’t always get what you want. It must be Monday or something.

Day One Hundred Eighty Six 2013

Carrots ~ they’re what make Superman super. Happy TGIF, y’all!

Day One Hundred Eighty 2013

EVER LOVIN SATURDAY! 
Miscellaneous Random This And That

At the carwash

Pretty clouds today

Lunch

Busy bee

He was too fast for me

Yard work

Pole dance ~ me and Mr. Clean ~ those sponges really are magic

Reward for hard work cleaning back porch posts

Gratuitous foot shadow picture

And the sun slowly set in the west
Happy Saturday!

Day One Hundred Seventy Six 2013

In the summertime you never know who might show up for lunch with peeps in Dogwood Park. From left: great nephew Ethan, brother Ken, hubby Neil, nephew Chris, sister Jane, sister Ann, niece Julia, and great niece Ashley. We have a good time together, sharing stories and laughs and an occasional cool breeze. Hot day. Cool peeps! Until next time ….