Thanksgiving 2010 in Asheville and a MOST Unfortunate Football Game Ever

We took a few days over Thanksgiving and headed to the Biltmore Inn in Asheville.  We collected Lorelai along the way and Legare motored in from Chapel Hill.  Delicious food...quality time with our children...a little shopping...a massage and facial at the Inn spa. On Saturday, we headed to Clemson for the state rivalry game, USC vs. Clemson. 

Tailgating =  FUN

Game = NOT ONE SINGLE BIT OF FUN

And that is all I'm going to say about that...

How about some fun photos?  Yes, I thought you'd like that.  Hope that your holiday was the best ever.  Two slideshows...one of Asheville and the second of the tailgate...

GOBBLE GOBBLE

Another Thanksgiving, another year of blessings.  The family is happy and healthy.  Legare, upon his graduation from law school next May will be gainfully employed in a VERY fine law firm.  Lorelai is still loving life and doing beautifully in college.  Hank is great.  I'm loving my new job.  Ned and all of the little old ladies are doing well.  Our dear friend Will came through his bypass surgery with flying colors.

THANKS be to God for all of His mercies and miracles.

I can't let Thanksgiving go by without two of my favorite video clips of all time.

Enjoy...Taking a few days off for rest and relaxation.  Hope that you're able to do the same with the ones you love.

A Belle in a Bank

Left my wallet on the desk at home this morning.  Had to go to the local branch of W Bank to withdraw a little bit of money for mother from a certificate of deposit.  Naturally, I'd put it off to the last minute.  Didn't realize I'd left the wallet at home until I got to the bank.

A very personable new fellow was helping me and when I realized I had no ID (although I recited all social security numbers, phone numbers, addresses, etc.) he asked if I by chance knew an employee in the bank who could verify that I was who I said I was. That didn't upset me...I like that the bank won't just dole out cash out to any Tom, Dick or Harry who might be up to no good.  Not too many people working there looked familiar...last time I was in, I knew three or four employees. Sure enough though, there was one lovely lady still standing whose son had been in high school with Legare.  We chatted about the boys for a minute then returned to the business at hand.  Nice guy typed and printed and I signed. 

When he went to cut the check, the bank manager somehow became involved and after five minutes, I looked over the cubicle wall and inquired as to whether or not they needed me to join them.  He led her back over to the cubicle and as she rounded the corner she gave me a look that I could not possibly describe and asked in the MOST unprofessional manner you could imagine, "So, you're driving withOUT a license??"

My stars woman, I wanted to say...Do you moonlight for the

highway patrol??  Goodness knows that my nerves were a bit frayed after keeping high school students focused on the last school day before Thanksgiving, but I kept calm and carried on...

I stood up and said..."So...I'm going to run home real fast...ten minutes there and ten minutes back...and get my driver's licence."  She smiled smugly as I continued, "While I'm gone...you shred those documents I just signed to withdraw X dollars.  Let's just close the account.  Thank you SO much. Be back in a jiffy."

Now the account didn't have a gajillion dollars in it but it wasn't chump change either.  As I walked out, Ms. Manager wasn't smiling.  Smug gone bye bye.  Some advice, when you're a new person working in a bank in a small town, you ought not tick off people who have lived in said small town for 25 years and have really good relationships with people who work in other banks in town.

When I returned with the proper credentials the manager was nowhere to be seen and the young man was waiting on me with the paperwork I'd requested.  I signed...he got a check...all was right with the world.

I didn't want him to think that things had gone south because of him.  He was very professional and polite.  It was the manager. Had she walked around the corner and said, "I'm so sorry but I know you understand that we really need to see the ID", I would have still been slightly perturbed (even though a rule is a rule); however, it was the tone and implication that she was distracting me with small talk while they ran my picture through the FBI database to prove that I was a criminal mastermind set to defraud the entire national banking system that made me go "twink."

Tomorrow morning, I'll be depositing mother's money from W Bank in the hometown bank down the street. The one where you can walk in on Monday morning wearing sweats and not one bit of makeup and where they'll laugh about your not having your driver's license while you wait 10 minutes for them to write you a check for a $25,000 personal loan to cover the check you wrote on Saturday when you bought a boat.

There are benefits to small town life...but apparently NOT at W Bank.

Is it just me??

What a week.  Meetings in Columbia for two entire days.  Too far to drive back and forth but too close to spend the night.  The time alone in the car did give me opportunity to think and reflect.  Good thing too...returning to the office on Friday was wild.  Two days of work piled up, absent secretary, guidance counselors day at another school, one BIG meeting, DNR presentation to students, ordering of class rings and senior supplies, senior luncheon, second quarter progress reports, and the ten other things that I'm not at liberty to discuss.  At least that's what I'm able to remember...

And people wonder why I act the way I do...

Lorelai is in Clemson.  Legare is going to the Clemson-Wake game.  Hank is hunting.

I finally got my 2010 Christmas with Southern Living.  I'm going to read it cover to cover and make my Christmas list.  This is the first time in 15 years that I haven't had my shopping done by the week before Thanksgiving.  Gosh, I wonder why?

On a different topic...Facebook...I may have offended some people this morning but don't really care.  Lorelai is taking a belly dancing class.  Yes, this is why we pay the big money to Clemson.  Anyhow, she wrote, "Going to belly dancing class...need to get this routine down for my final."  First of all, why she feels the need to let everybody in the world know where she is going all the time is BEYOND me.  Second of all...three people...adult women who live in our area commented, "post a video for us to see" or something along that line.

SERIOUSLY??  I don't think so!  I could resist and commented myself..."her mother does NOT want a video posted online."  

Now I ask you...would you want a video of your daughter belly dancing posted on FB, no matter how innocent it might be considered by others?  Even if it's just her 1,279 "good" FB friends?

Nope...not me.  (Oh goody, now I'm annoyed...)

Student Quotes of the Week

"I like it here because I can work at my own paste."

Student to teacher after principal (me) makes a stern announcement regarding students who are behind in their work..."Is Mrs. Southern bi-polar?"    Teacher response:  "Could be...her job will do that to people."

AMEN!

Football Weekends...Hamburger Helper...and ByPass Surgery

1.  Big crazy football game against NC State last Saturday.  Hank and I got thoroughly disgusted and left about one minute too early.  Just as we got out of the stadium we heard a loud roar.  A minute later as we walked into the parking lot we heard my favorite football song..."we will, we will ROCK YOU!"  Clemson won the game but I surely don't know how.  It was one blunder after another until the last few minutes. 

2.  One of the best events of the season...Military Appreciation Day at Clemson...happened at the game.  I cried about three times (and NOT because they played so badly).  Slideshow below...

2.  I'm eating Hamburger Helper for supper.  It's one of my guilty pleasures when nobody is home for supper but me.  DON'T JUDGE ME.  Judge Mother instead.  She wasn't that great a cook and when daddy was away, which was fairly often, she was prone to taking out a box of potatoes stroganoff.  The southern belle good cook gene passed her by. Nothing like reconstituted potatoes and powdered sauce to bring back warm fuzzy memories.  (Seriously...I really like the stuff...a lot...good thing I'm not on my own for supper very often.)

3.  Keep our friend Will (of Meg and Will "rowdy girls" fame) in your prayers.  Just as we were leaving Clemson on Saturday evening, the phone rang and it was Meg telling us that she had taken Will to the hospital with chest pains. He is scheduled for double (at least) bypass surgery on Thursday. We stopped by on our way through Columbia on Sunday and his spirits are good.  No more Hamburger Helper for him.

4.  Legare took the first part of the Bar Exam last Saturday.  How is it that my baby boy is about to graduate from law school?? 

So...onward we go.  Have a good week...

Fall Break

Yep...said I'd post on Monday and here it is Thursday.  At least give me some credit for blogging at 4:32 AM!

I was a SLUG on Saturday and most of Sunday.  It was glorious....absolutely positively glorious.  Lorelai caught up on some sleep and on Monday we shopped the day away.  We started out at our favorite store, Gwynn's of Mt. Pleasant, and stayed there for two and a half hours.  They treat Lor like a little princess at Gwynn's.  She tried on some gorgeous things and we brought most of them home with us. Here are several ensembles she will be sporting...

About the time we were dead on our feet, she connected with her pals Phillip and Alex and we all met for an early supper.  Those guys are two of her best buds.  Wish I could clone them to replace some of the dumb boys she keeps coming across. 

On a less happy note, Clemson played TERRIBLE football last Saturday against Boston College.  BC had lost five in a row until we came to town.  On another less happy note, the elections in SC did NOT go my way...hardly a one at the state level. 

Mother and Ned are fine.  There's been a little upheaval at Ned's house.  As I mentioned before, the latest resident to move in has some behaviors which are not compatible with the other three boys.  Apparently, there was some sort of altercation last week between the boy and the only male caregiver...the one who takes the boys fishing and to the gym.  The only male role model.  We don't know what happened and they won't tell us.  All we know is that he was let go.  I'm angry that we had to find this out from the parents of one of the other boys.  I feel that we should have been notified if something happened that warranted an employee being dismissed. Did the boy attack him?  Could Ned or the other boys be in danger??  Probably not, but when people won't tell me what's going on, I tend to start making things up. I understand privacy laws and all that, but still...

Any thoughts?

For Your Halloween Reading Pleasure

This was first posted a couple of years ago just before Lor left for college...a nice little ghost story for your Halloween enjoyment...


LOWCOUNTRY KIDS AND THE LITTLE GHOST GIRL
Lorelai is trying to fit lots of activity into her last week before heading to Clemson. The other night, she and her best friends stayed out at Molly's house which happens to be located on the property of Mulberry Plantation. To people who don't live in our area, "plantation life" might sound like something out of Gone With The Wind but in our area, which is so rich from historical and natural resource perspectives, well, it's not unusual to know any number of people who live and/or work on plantations that date back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

As an aside...it's important to note that lowcountry kids (note also that "lowcountry kid" is a term like "southern belle"....just because you live here doesn't mean that you ARE one and vice versa) grow up in a beautiful world. They are well-mannered, well-educated, and know how to entertain, but they also know their way around a deer stand, a dove shoot, how to call a turkey, ride a four-wheeler or tractor, throw a shrimp net, catch and clean a crab, etc. Not just the boys either...us girly girls put on our wellies and join right in. The lowcountry of SC is a great place to live.

Well...I birdwalked a bit there. ANYHOW...at Mulberry, there is a ghost...a little girl whose name, I believe, is Robin. She comes and goes and the way you know she's been around is a very strong smell of perfume. Lor and her pals were hunkered down in one of the cabins...several were watching TV....Lor and Ashley were in the bedroom talking. They walked out to see what the others were doing for about five minutes and when they went back into the bedroom the smell of perfume was overpowering...all around the bed the Lor had been sitting on...and her eye glasscase was gone. Clearly, the little one wanted that bed for her own so Lor QUICKLY moved her pillow and all of her things OUT of the way. When our girls went back in an hour or so later her glasscase was back on the bed. We're thinking Robin felt bad about scaring them. More likely than not, the little ghost girl just wanted to join in the fun, bless her heart.

I know what you're wondering...does Belle REALLY believe in ghosts or was some prankster just playing a practical joke? The answer is maybe...to both!

Fall Break and Joy in My Heart

I don't know how to express how joyful my heart feels just now.  Lorelai is home for fall break and since my high school runs somewhat on the college schedule, I also have vacation until next Wednesday.  It didn't get here a moment too soon.  I had to deal with a situation at work on Friday that made my heart very very sad and I'm bone weary...but again, my heart is JOYFUL to the max that I have four days to rest and renew. I just tucked the warm comforter up around Lor's chin before I came downstairs. If that doesn't make a mama feel all warm and fuzzy, I don't know what will.

Lorelai got home about 6 pm yesterday and immediately showered and headed out to her high school alma mater football game.  I was out like a light by 9:30 and Hank made a good attempt at "staying up" until Lor got home, but I'm sure I heard snoring.  Today and tomorrow we are hibernating and on Monday morning, we'll be on King Street the minute the stores open. I'll have lots of photos on Monday night.  The fair is in town, but even though we talk about going to eat fair food, we haven't gone in something like seven years...maybe longer.  Probably won't make it this year either.

Clemson is at Boston College today...kickoff at noon.  LET'S DO IT, TIGERS!

Where to begin...

Since I'm quickly becoming a once a week blogger...(do you wait with bated breath?????)...

I had my first evaluation conference with the superintendent this week. It's hard to believe that the first quarter of the school year was over last Tuesday. He came to our faculty meeting then stayed and talked with me. It went better than I EVER could have imagined.  I won't bore you with the details but he was very complimentary and helpful and shared a lot with all of us about his dreams for the future of our new school.  I came away feeling inspired and with the sense that I'm doing what he wants done.  Oddly though, I'm having a (hopefully short) "spell" worrying about every single little thing about work.  I am a big believer in being appropriately concerned but this transcends that...I'm fretting and obsessing. For about 24 hours after the meeting I was floating on a cloud...then this.  Any ideas??

In a good solid attempt to forget about work, Hank and I headed to Clemson for the weekend.  BOY OH BOY did the Tigers show up and play some good football against the Ramblin' Wrecks from Georgia Tech.  Bless their hearts, the were indeed a wreck. They reminded me of our boys the three consecutive weeks before the Maryland game.  We enjoyed a great tailgate and one of my favorite things to do...singing We Will We Will ROCK YOU with 80,000 of my friends in Death Valley on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Legare was in Greenville for the Furman Homecoming and inauguration of Rodney Alan Smolla as its eleventh President. He's an impressive man to be sure and we won't hold that law degree from Duke against him.  I guess he couldn't get in at Chapel Hill...ANYHOW, we had a lovely breakfast on Saturday morning with Legare his pal Richard before they headed to their game and we headed to ours. It was a good day (and then I went to bed and dreamed all night about work...AARRGGHH!)

Lorelai is coming home next weekend for Fall Break and I know what she has on her mind.  Shopping!  Luckily, I get my own little fall break on November 1 and 2, while she's here.  Can't beat that!  We may have a little at home tailgate party on Saturday while we watch the Tigers play at Boston College.  That sounds like a good little project for me this week.

Hang in there friends...one month from tomorrow (Monday) is Thanksgiving Day and two months from tomorrow is CHRISTMAS Day! 

MERCY! 

I leave you with a photograph of Clemson's "new" CJ Spiller, hometown football hero Andre' Ellington as he slips by GT for a 55 yard touchdown run.  He makes us proud down here in Berkeley County.

I've got nothing but random thoughts...

I was a wild woman on a mission this week.  Lots to get done at school and the superintendent is coming to our faculty meeting on Tuesday afternoon and is staying after to talk with me about my evaluation.  Yikes!

We didn't go up to Clemson this weekend but watched the game this afternoon on TV.  Thank goodness they finally got some momentum going and won the game against Maryland.  Next week is Florida State and no offense to my Seminole friends out there, but that war chant drives me nuts, although I suppose that's the point, isn't it?

Hank is making shrimp and grits for supper tonight...YUM.  I'm the luckiest girl in the world.  His bruised ribs are feeling quite a bit better and he's outside right now working away.  He's like a child...I have to yell for him to come inside when it starts getting dark.  (I've been working a little bit while he's not looking...shhhh, don't tell...). I think we might watch Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges tonight.  Heard it was good.  Have you seen it?

Here's a good question...Have you started your Christmas shopping?  I'm usually on it by now but this year....WHEW!  Everybody might get money if I don't get organized soon.  As usual, Mother and Ned will be my biggest challenges.  I am; however, already planning Christmas Day.  I refuse...REFUSE, I SAY...to leave my house on Christmas Day.  I'll cook for anybody who wants to come and it will be MARVELOUS but I'm not going ANYWHERE. 

I MEAN IT I MEAN IT I MEAN IT I MEAN IT I MEAN IT

I feel like I'm back in the land of the blogging...

I hesitate to say that things are calming down because as soon as I do, all H.E.double toothpicks will break loose. We stayed home for the weekend...that was a tremendous help.  And being the fair weather fans that we are, Hank and I have decided to boycott the Clemson game next weekend and let Lorelai have our parking pass and tickets to give away.  I asked a friend last night, "So, is it the players or the coaches?" and he replied, "Yes."  Sad, sad, sad...

So, going with a "we aren't as young as we used to be" theme.  On Friday afternoon, Hank had to lie down on his belly and reach down into the pool to grab the vacuum thingy that had come loose. To make a long story short, he was uncomfortable Friday night and after going to the farm on Saturday and lifting 50 lb bags of deer corn, he came home early in a fair amount of pain.  I gave him a Lortab left over from my root canal but he hurt all night long.  This morning he went to the local doc in a box.  Thank goodness nothing was broken or cracked, but his ribs are bruised and the muscles inflamed.  Trying to keep him still is practically impossible. Not that I'm the best nurse in the world.  I woke up around 2 AM with a headache and asked him if he wanted another Lortab while I was getting advil...he did.  When I walked back upstairs with the medicine and water, I realized that I'd knocked back the Lortab and only had the advil in my hand.  The bright side is that we both slept really well for several hours.

I haven't had much time to get out the Halloween decorations but wanted you to see the one thing I have put out.  I saw this on another blog last year and just had to order one for myself.   These are "The Strange Belongings of Permilia Sickfrits" purchased online from Hootin Annies. If you're a do it yourselfer, you can purchase a kit.  Me?  I went for the already done version.  Jump over for a visit...she has really cute things.

Aren't the "strange belongings" just magically delicious???

Facebook cracks me up sometime...

I don't do much on FB...mostly stalk my children and their friends.  Lots of chatter this morning about USC taking down Alabama and how utterly embarrassed we Clemson fans are just now with a three game losing streak.  That aside, I came across this...

"Let's remember those who have passed. Press Like if you've lost a loved one."

Seriously????   Press LIKE if you've lost a loved one?????

That's just WRONG...

So...

Randomly speaking...

Hank is hunting.  Legare and Lorelai are at the Clemson UNC game in Chapel Hill, which is, here at half-time, being dominated by UNC 13-3.  I can't pick sides for this match up.  I love being a winner no matter what...it feels GOOD!  My friend Ted and I went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast this morning.  I love Cracker Barrel and not another livin' soul in my family ever wants to go there to eat.  Not even Ned...he's a Shoney's kind of guy.  Sometimes I can talk Mother into it because she likes the gift shop, but not very often. Ted and I used to see each other every day and have lunch most days.  Now that I'm school-based again, I don't get to go out to lunch.  Good for the budget and waistline but I miss the social time.

School is interesting as all get out.  I absolutely made the right move in pursuing my new position.  I so often have to bite my lip to keep from smiling at the students, even when I'm giving one of them what for.  One day last week, I walked into a classroom to find a student who'd apparently gone temporarily insane.  As I walked to the back of the room, I heard one young lady say to another, "See, you can tell she's mad because she's breathing heavy."

On Friday morning, a student came in all dissheveled and I invited him into the office to see what the matter was.  By the time I joined him, he'd hitched up his britches and tucked in his shirt and was sitting at the conference table waiting.  His eyes were bloodshot and he smelled to high heaven...not like any one thing in particular though.  After a short conversation, I was satisfied that he was sober, but asked, "Larry, what in the world is going on...you smell like a pool hall."  His reply...not at all sarcastic...just honest, "That's because I've BEEN in a pool hall...but I didn't drink because I was the driver."  So, I went into my mama speech about what is appropriate and what is not and how he needs to go to bed before three in the morning and wear clean clothes, blah blah blah.  To his credit, he kept nodding and saying "Yes ma'am, I'll do better."  As I sent him on his way, he turned and said, "But Mrs. Southern...you'll really be proud of me...I WON $275 playing pool."  God bless Larry!

So...it's my birthday...

...or rather it WAS yesterday.  Today is Ned's birthday.  We're seven years and one day apart.

This was one of the best birthdays ever.  It was Clemson football homecoming and even though they played an AWFUL game, there was tailgating, dinner out, cake and much singing of Happy Birthday to ME!  Lorelai even pulled a fast one...she got an extra game ticket and Legare drove all the way from Chapel Hill to see me.

Poor Hank...it's hard for him to keep a secret but he did a good job UNTIL we're sitting in traffic on our way to the game.  I looked over in the other lane and saw a familiar car...I said, "Gosh, that looks just like Legare's car."  Hank didn't say anything.  Then I said, "And you know...it has a North Carolina license plate..."  Hank said, "Oh "*@(*&^%$*$#."  I felt kind of sorry for him...

Now I ask you...what were the chances that with 82,000 plus people headed to that game, we would be in the lane of traffic beside the big surprise?

Unfortunately, my camera battery was dead so I didn't get photos, but Lorelai did and as soon as she sends them to me I'll share.  It was a noon game so we had bagels with assorted cream cheeses, fresh fruit, donuts, and mimosas.  Yum!  When we visited with our friends at their tailgate after the game, I was greeted by my next door neighbor with a Clemson themed birthday cake.  It was a good day and I felt incredibly special.  I like feeling special.

We stopped by Ned's on our way home this afternoon and had another round of cake and singing. 

I usually do a giveaway around my birthday but this year, well, you know how busy things are at school.  It has been almost two weeks since I posted.  I'm a bad blogger.

BUT...forgive me this time and humor me (for my birthday present from the blog world) with a De-Lurker day.  Let me know you're out there and haven't forgotten about me.  It's the least you can do for a OLD woman like me!!

What the future may hold...

While we were sitting on the beach late Saturday afternoon with Meg and Will, an elderly man and woman, in black bathing suits and straw hats, walked along the edge of the surf holding hands.  I leaned over to Hank and said, "Well, there we are in in about 30 years."  A minute later, another woman joined them and I added, "Look...there's Meg."  Will remarked, "Yep, you'll have to take care of her because I'll be dead by then..."  We all assured Will that we CERTAINLY did hope that he would NOT be dead by then. 

We got quiet for a bit as we continued to watch the trio and it seemed like I should be taking photos...don't know why exactly...it just did.  When they all three held hands and started to walk into the water...well...it was just the sweetest thing.  Hope you enjoy the photos...



It must have been a full moon...

...but it wasn't.  Lord HAVE MERCY, last week was a humdinger at school.  When Friday afternoon got here, we were packing our bags to head down to Folly Beach to join Will and Meg, who had been on a glorious week of vacation at a friend's condo.  I'll let the pictures tell the story...boating, the calming goodness of pluff mud and salt water, good food, good fellowship, riding around on the golf cart, sitting on the beach watching the people. 

I read a book once (actually, I've read books many times) which talked about "thin places" where we feel the closest to God.  I'm pretty sure that He created salt water and pluff mud just for me.  That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.  I hope that you enjoy it too. 

Where are your thin places??

Enjoy the photos...

Lunch at TACO BOY...mango margaritas...yummy!

Folly Beach is an eclectic place...you see ALL kinds of people and all kinds of sights...

Another reason why my brother Ned ROCKS!

In case you're a new reader who doesn't have a handle on my history.  Ned is my almost 42 year old brother who has Downs Syndrome.

So, a new young man has moved into the group home.  Ned and the other two boys who have lived there the longest get along marvelously.  Their family backgrounds are the same and they are all very gentle and well-mannered souls.

Enter Bob.  Bob who has QUITE a mouth on him and appears to be hyperactive.  My understanding is that his mother is a widow and was perhaps not equipped to handle him.  (Although, our daddy passed away when Ned was just thirteen and mother did just fine...) I kind of feel like Bob just says some things for shock value because he wants the attention.  Although, we're told that he'll sometimes refuse to do what the staff asks him to do. 

The big thing, though, is that Bob tries to bully the other guys.  I've heard troubling stories from the mothers of the other guys, but nobody has ever called us to say that Bob was bothering Ned, so I inquired the other day.  The house manager couldn't help smiling as she said, "Ned won't put up with that...anytime it looks like Bob might be going to start up, Ned says, 'Bob, I'm not talking to you when you act like this.' and turns around and walks away."

We were all assured that the personalities and behaviors of the guys chosen to live in the house would be compatible.  Having said that, Bob may stay, OR, Bob may go.  In the meantime...I think you'll agree with me when I say...

 NED ROCKS!!!

Another Week Becomes History

...and another week gone, but not forgotten !!  The Monday holiday was quite a blessing, might I add.  The remainder of the week was routine...meaning that I hear, "Mrs. Southern...I have a question..." at LEAST every five minutes...sometimes more.  Generally the questions are pretty easy to  handle.  It's when I hear an adult utter the words, "Mrs. Southern, we have an issue..." that my blood runs cold.   Oddly, the issue is usually no big deal, but the seriousness of the tone and the looks on the faces of the adults with the "issues" causes me a split second of terror. Not quite sure how to address this particular challenge just yet. Perhaps it's my own insecurity as a new principal causing the moments of terror.  I know not...Any ideas?

Just got back from Clemson.  Getting away the last two weekends has been sheer joy.  If I stay home, I feel compelled to work.  If we go out of town and I "accidentally" leave the laptop home then I cannot POSSIBLY work and feel very relaxed when we return home.  Here are a few photos...

By the way, the other side lost....BADLY!

I seriously need to start training some other people to take pictures.  I'm NEVER in any of them.

We stopped by Green Grove on our way home to visit with mother and Ned for a little while.  Ned's birthday is in a few weeks and he's requested a cookout (what some of you Yankee friends of mine might call a barbeque, even when you aren't actually serving barbeque.)

I reckon we're going to be having a cookout sometime around October 3.  He doesn't ask for much, bless his heart.

Have a lovely week.  Here's wishing you NO "issues." 

Football Season

I'd love to tell you that things have calmed down on the work front but they haven't. We just aren't even going to talk about it. We're going to talk about FUN!

Hank and I packed up late Friday afternoon and took off for a Clemson weekend that would bring visits with both of our children and, of course, the TIGERS! You may remember that I made every attempt early on in our football obsession to create the perfect tailgate experience. Ninety percent of the time, Hank and I enjoyed the experience alone because Lorelai wanted to be with her friends at parties closer to the stadium. We have a beautiful parking area, but it is on the edge of campus. She doesn't love hiking over there, especially now that she lives off campus. So, Hank and I now glom on to invitations we receive to tailgate with other people. It's easier anyhow...we just carry food and drink and don't bother with tables, chairs, and tent. I do miss planning my "perfect" experiences though.

To tell you the truth...my favorite time is when the team gets ready to run down the hill.  Gives me a chill every single time.

Legare and friends traveled to Atlanta for the UNC-LSU game.  If the Tar Heels had been able to dress out all of their players, I believe they'd have won the thing.  Clemson brought down North Texas (a school which none of us had every heard of) but the "green mean" put up a fight.  Our boys better hunker down before the game with Auburn in a couple of weeks.

Legare met us in Greenville for brunch on Sunday morning at High Cotton.  Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict to DIE FOR!  This was first time we've seen the boy since he accepted the offer of gainful employment post law school. 

I'm rested...ready to jump back into the thick of things.  After all, it's a short week and next week....MORE FOOTBALL!!!!!

What did you do for Labor Day weekend???