Well. I've really gone and done it now. I did something I'm already regretting. Oh....it's nothing bad or shameful.....it's just.....frightening. I RSVP'd to our neighbor's Halloween party. A neighbor I've never met. The invitation came in the mail. It was one of those really thoughtful ones...made fromscratch. It's a genuine hand-made, paper, multi-layer-used the Cricut-and-the fancy paper-punch and added a pretty-colorful- spooky-halloween -font hand-made invitation. WITH a jaunty little halloween rhyme printed in black and orange. Just looking at the invitation makes me feel inadequate. And much to my shock and horror............. I RSVP'd. Not only did I say we were DYING to attend....I even signed us up to bring chips and dips. Now...I never, EVER, EVER go to these kinds of shindigs. (Actually, I've never actually been invited before....) so now the only thought running through my mind is GREAT GOOGLEY-MOOGLEY , WHAT on earth HAVE I DONE????????????????????????????
My second thought was....I MUST PREPARE!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've obsessively looked through my pintrest pins trying to decide on JUST the right 2 dips and chips that would make a good impression. I can't decide. I bought sour-cream.....and a bag of tortilla chips....and a couple bags of fancy crackers...but that's as far as I've gotten....paralyzed with indecision. Do I just keep it simple with a guacamole type dip....or do I pull out the big guns with my Williams and Sonoma cookbook and the hard to find foodie seasonings (you know....like eye of newt or something). Should I try for something seasonal and fun? (Like the unfortunate time I tried making a wacky Halloween snack called "Ear-Wax on Q-tips"?? (mini-marshmallows stuck on the end of pretzel rods with peanut butter smeared on them.....was so gross even 10 year old boys refused to eat them). I don't even know. I'll probably just end up in a panic at the last minute and run out and just buy 2 tubs of French Onion dip and a bag of Lays Chips and bring them in the Kroger bag. I'm classy like that.
Next......did I mention that this fiasco is a COSTUME party??? I have gone through my meager closet this week and I have tried on everything left in there (which isn't much, mind you). NOTHING works as a costume. I wanted to look like a biker chick......so I tried putting on a lot of black eyeliner and bright red lipstick. I looked like a sad raccoon that got punched in the mouth. Washed that off. Tried again. Looked like Saddie the Painted Lady. Washed that off. Tried again. But found a do-rag in the closet and tied that around my hair....trying to look edgier. Yeah. I looked like a little old lady babushka hooker. I give up. No more make-up tonight. My face is too tired for another go. I will probably just go to the party as myself. That's scary enough. No costume necessary. If anybody asks....I'll just say that I came to the party as a family member of Honey Boo-Boo. Nobody would question that. I just have no talent for making myself up. I can do theatrical make-up on other people...but when it comes to myself....I am stuck in such a deep rut that no matter what I put on my face.....it still just looks the same. Maybe I will become inspired over night and come up with something by 5pm tomorrow evening. We'll see.
And now.....I can begin worrying about being awkward at the party. I never know what to say, what to do, where to look.......I hope I don't do anything too terrible. I am that one person who always spills the red wine on the white tablecloth.....who gets explosive diarrhea in the bathroom and then the toilet overflows.....who knocks over the priceless family china heirloom that shatters into a million pieces.....who trips and falls into the curtains, ripping down the entire draperies and knocking over a candle that sets the entire house ablaze......okay. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating. But I am clumsy and I am socially awkward. And that's not a good combo. Oh....I'm a little better than I used to be...but mostly I fake it. Maybe I should look up "topics for conversation" and have index cards at the ready in case I can't think of anything to say. Kindda like Sheldon Cooper does? Maybe not.
At least their house is less than a block away. If I do crash and burn socially....I only have half a block to run home crying.....and then move to another neighborhood. What if it turns out that my neighbors are all really nice and I enjoy myself and get to know some people and make new friends? Well, now. That's very different! Now I remember why I RSVP'd in the first place!! But I'm going to pray up before we go....just in case. It will be my standard prayer, "Lord, keep your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth!" :) Now, if you will excuse me.....I need to consult a cookbook about some dip recipes!
Friday, October 26, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
My Dream Home...dreaming BIG!!!
I was looking at pins on Pinterest and thinking about what my perfect dream home would look like if I was able to piece together every element of all the "dream homes" to make the ONE perfect dream home for me. What would it look like? What would I include if I could build it? Hmmmmm. Fun to think about! I am going to break it down room by room and come up with a working dream-plan! (As long as it's a dream plan, I can dream BIG! Which makes the exercise much more fun!)
The Kitchen:
I have to start with the kitchen. It's the heart of the home and because I love to cook....it's where I spend a lot of time. What sort of materials would make for the perfect dream kitchen? I'd love some roughly mortared exposed brick.....I'm thinking Old-World style curved brick ceiling. Exposed beams. Perhaps a nice Travertine Tile back-splash with a Pot-filler over a massive Antique-style stove with at least 6 gas burners and a grill-top. I'm torn over the counter tops.....do I want granite or do I want a stained concrete? I love both! I guess it would depend on the style of the decor. I do know I want a farm sink.....and perhaps a prep sink in a giant island. Lots of counter space and lots of storage space. I want appliance storage space too.....so that I can have clean counter tops! The cabinets can be either dark or light....I like both....but they have to be plentiful. I have SO MUCH kitchen gear that the kitchen needs to be quite large. I also want a walk-in pantry with shelves from floor to ceiling with an organization system. Places for canned goods, spices, dry goods and what-not. I'd love to have a keeping area with a fireplace and sitting area in my kitchen....as well as a breakfast nook with lots of windows. I'd love for the kitchen to be open to the living area so that I can still watch TV and interact with folks while I cook. Nothing sadder than being stuck in the kitchen cooking supper during prime time and missing my favorite shows and missing out on conversation. I'd like for the floors to be tiled or brick or hardwood. The kitchen floor is hard for me to keep clean. I'm a messy cook! A commercial style fridge would be a boon.....and of course, I'd like to have a microwave, coffee machine and a double convection oven built right in.
The Living Area:
Open to the kitchen (see above). Fire place, tall ceilings, ceiling fans, exposed beams or coffered ceiling, built-ins with room for the TV to be mounted to the wall. Wood floors. Lots of windows. Open and airy. I'd like for the living area to be able to open up to the outdoor space...via a garage door or French doors or sliding pocket doors....to have one large entertaining space for warm evenings.
Master Bedroom:
Tall ceiling (barrel, trey or vaulted) and a fan (we DO live in the South...a ceiling fan above my bed is a MUST). I'd like a sitting area and a fireplace and windows with a view. Hardwood floors (no carpet!), amble wall space for furniture. En suite bath.
Master Bath:
Soaking tub, walk-in shower with NO shower doors (they are SUCH a pain to clean!), shower-tower with multiple shower heads and a "rain" shower head, steam shower, heated tile floor. 2 sinks, large mirrors, speciality sinks, lots of storage for linens and toiletries. Vanity area for make-up. Separate water closet for privacy. Bidet.
Master Closet:
LARGE area with built in storage areas...drawers, areas for hanging ties, shoes, purses, jewelry, scarves. Ironing board area inside the closet would be a bonus. NO WINDOWS in the closet. This is a must.
Laundry Room/Mud Room/Pet Room:
Area for washer/dryer, hanging clothes to dry. Laundry Sink. Counter Space for folding and cabinets for storage. Mud Room area for hanging coats, purses, shoes and what-not. Area for charging cell phones and keeping pocket contents to keep my counters clutter-free. Area for Motorcycle gear storage. Dog-Wash area with hand-held shower spray and built-in dog crate/dog food storage. Would like this room to be tiled for easy clean-up.
Library/Office/Music Room:
Lots of book shelves (built in) with a library ladder. Nice desk with computer set-up, cozy sitting area for reading, and perhaps even a fireplace. Decorated in rich, warm colors with dark wood and furnishings....cozy. I'd LOVE to have a piano in there as well.
Dining Room:
Formal Dining Room with easy access to the kitchen via a Butler's Pantry. Room for my large table and china cabinet and perhaps a built-in buffet with storage for serving dishes. Tall ceiling and hardwood floors.
Craft Room:
Tiled floor for easy clean-up, lots of windows for natural light, built-in storage and bookshelves, work-island, easel area, sitting area.
Media Room:
With NO windows and wired for sound...but SOUND-PROOF so that Steve can watch his yucky action explosion/yelling/horror/war man-movies without disturbing me. Needs to have at least a half bath and a refreshment area with a wet bar with a small fridge for drinks/snacks. This room can also double as a game room for Steve's Pin-Ball machines and what-not.
Garage/Workshop:
A real Man-Cave area for Steve with that nice interlocking foam type garage flooring, wood working bench, ample storage and an area for working on the motorcycles and cars and built-in storage for all his tools. Wired for sound because my man loves his music. Also, Storm shelter built underneath it.
Guest Bedrooms:
Probably at least 2, so we can have multiple guests. En suite baths. Nothing fancy....just room for the kids, family and friends who visit.
Back Yard/Porch area:
Screened porch.....possibly even a sleeping porch (could be a daybed, maybe?). Arbored or partially covered Patio area with built in outdoor kitchen with grill, smoker, sink, fridge, counter space and storage space. Table and chairs for dining, sitting area built around an outdoor fireplace. Lots of raised beds with herbs, flowers, vegetables. Koi Pond with a small waterfall and landscaping. Lots of trees and lots of bird feeders and bird houses. And out-building....a green house/garden shed/retreat with lots of windows and a sitting area (decorated in Shabby-Chic style). A potting bench. A hot-tub that's built in would be wonderful....and a pool would be such a bonus in the hot summertime....but the upkeep and maintenance would be a big bother. If there was a way to pull off a very private outdoor bath/shower area...that would be heaven on earth!
Wine Cellar:
Old-World Brick and Reclaimed wood and wrought iron with shelving system and a tasting area. Chiller to keep the wine at the right temperature.
I'd like the style of the house to be Old World (Think....Tuscan meets French Country meets American Farm-house...but with modern amenities). And I'd like for it to mostly be on one level....(the media room can be upstairs or downstairs) because we're going to be getting older and this house would be for our retirement years. A basement for storage and the extra rooms would be lovely though. I'd love for the house to be on a good bit of property.....enough room so that we can have out-buildings, gardens, orchards and even a few chickens if we so desired. We don't necessarily need a FARM, per se....but a few acres would be nice. I'd love for the land to be pretty. I'm thinking of the rolling hills of Tennessee or North Georgia with hardwood trees, evergreens and perhaps a little stream or pond. There's just something soothing about water.
The materials for the home should all be warm and inviting: Stone, brick, wood, tile....reclaimed if possible. Older, natural materials seem to have such character! And windows!! Mercy, I do love windows! And nooks and crannies!!! Built ins in all the nooks and crannies! Window seats, storage tucked under stairs, closets and pantries....no space wasted! Fireplaces, molding, carving, little decorative touches. Openness ....but still cozy and inviting. Pocket doors, vessel sinks, antique fittings, plantation shutters, arched doorways, skylights, sun rooms, desk nooks, hidden storage, glass doors on cabinets. Sliding barn doors, industrial style antique pulleys and hardware.
Maybe some day, we will build our dream home! Well, at least a house with some of these elements! Hahaha!!!
The Kitchen:
I have to start with the kitchen. It's the heart of the home and because I love to cook....it's where I spend a lot of time. What sort of materials would make for the perfect dream kitchen? I'd love some roughly mortared exposed brick.....I'm thinking Old-World style curved brick ceiling. Exposed beams. Perhaps a nice Travertine Tile back-splash with a Pot-filler over a massive Antique-style stove with at least 6 gas burners and a grill-top. I'm torn over the counter tops.....do I want granite or do I want a stained concrete? I love both! I guess it would depend on the style of the decor. I do know I want a farm sink.....and perhaps a prep sink in a giant island. Lots of counter space and lots of storage space. I want appliance storage space too.....so that I can have clean counter tops! The cabinets can be either dark or light....I like both....but they have to be plentiful. I have SO MUCH kitchen gear that the kitchen needs to be quite large. I also want a walk-in pantry with shelves from floor to ceiling with an organization system. Places for canned goods, spices, dry goods and what-not. I'd love to have a keeping area with a fireplace and sitting area in my kitchen....as well as a breakfast nook with lots of windows. I'd love for the kitchen to be open to the living area so that I can still watch TV and interact with folks while I cook. Nothing sadder than being stuck in the kitchen cooking supper during prime time and missing my favorite shows and missing out on conversation. I'd like for the floors to be tiled or brick or hardwood. The kitchen floor is hard for me to keep clean. I'm a messy cook! A commercial style fridge would be a boon.....and of course, I'd like to have a microwave, coffee machine and a double convection oven built right in.
The Living Area:
Open to the kitchen (see above). Fire place, tall ceilings, ceiling fans, exposed beams or coffered ceiling, built-ins with room for the TV to be mounted to the wall. Wood floors. Lots of windows. Open and airy. I'd like for the living area to be able to open up to the outdoor space...via a garage door or French doors or sliding pocket doors....to have one large entertaining space for warm evenings.
Master Bedroom:
Tall ceiling (barrel, trey or vaulted) and a fan (we DO live in the South...a ceiling fan above my bed is a MUST). I'd like a sitting area and a fireplace and windows with a view. Hardwood floors (no carpet!), amble wall space for furniture. En suite bath.
Master Bath:
Soaking tub, walk-in shower with NO shower doors (they are SUCH a pain to clean!), shower-tower with multiple shower heads and a "rain" shower head, steam shower, heated tile floor. 2 sinks, large mirrors, speciality sinks, lots of storage for linens and toiletries. Vanity area for make-up. Separate water closet for privacy. Bidet.
Master Closet:
LARGE area with built in storage areas...drawers, areas for hanging ties, shoes, purses, jewelry, scarves. Ironing board area inside the closet would be a bonus. NO WINDOWS in the closet. This is a must.
Laundry Room/Mud Room/Pet Room:
Area for washer/dryer, hanging clothes to dry. Laundry Sink. Counter Space for folding and cabinets for storage. Mud Room area for hanging coats, purses, shoes and what-not. Area for charging cell phones and keeping pocket contents to keep my counters clutter-free. Area for Motorcycle gear storage. Dog-Wash area with hand-held shower spray and built-in dog crate/dog food storage. Would like this room to be tiled for easy clean-up.
Library/Office/Music Room:
Lots of book shelves (built in) with a library ladder. Nice desk with computer set-up, cozy sitting area for reading, and perhaps even a fireplace. Decorated in rich, warm colors with dark wood and furnishings....cozy. I'd LOVE to have a piano in there as well.
Dining Room:
Formal Dining Room with easy access to the kitchen via a Butler's Pantry. Room for my large table and china cabinet and perhaps a built-in buffet with storage for serving dishes. Tall ceiling and hardwood floors.
Craft Room:
Tiled floor for easy clean-up, lots of windows for natural light, built-in storage and bookshelves, work-island, easel area, sitting area.
Media Room:
With NO windows and wired for sound...but SOUND-PROOF so that Steve can watch his yucky action explosion/yelling/horror/war man-movies without disturbing me. Needs to have at least a half bath and a refreshment area with a wet bar with a small fridge for drinks/snacks. This room can also double as a game room for Steve's Pin-Ball machines and what-not.
Garage/Workshop:
A real Man-Cave area for Steve with that nice interlocking foam type garage flooring, wood working bench, ample storage and an area for working on the motorcycles and cars and built-in storage for all his tools. Wired for sound because my man loves his music. Also, Storm shelter built underneath it.
Guest Bedrooms:
Probably at least 2, so we can have multiple guests. En suite baths. Nothing fancy....just room for the kids, family and friends who visit.
Back Yard/Porch area:
Screened porch.....possibly even a sleeping porch (could be a daybed, maybe?). Arbored or partially covered Patio area with built in outdoor kitchen with grill, smoker, sink, fridge, counter space and storage space. Table and chairs for dining, sitting area built around an outdoor fireplace. Lots of raised beds with herbs, flowers, vegetables. Koi Pond with a small waterfall and landscaping. Lots of trees and lots of bird feeders and bird houses. And out-building....a green house/garden shed/retreat with lots of windows and a sitting area (decorated in Shabby-Chic style). A potting bench. A hot-tub that's built in would be wonderful....and a pool would be such a bonus in the hot summertime....but the upkeep and maintenance would be a big bother. If there was a way to pull off a very private outdoor bath/shower area...that would be heaven on earth!
Wine Cellar:
Old-World Brick and Reclaimed wood and wrought iron with shelving system and a tasting area. Chiller to keep the wine at the right temperature.
I'd like the style of the house to be Old World (Think....Tuscan meets French Country meets American Farm-house...but with modern amenities). And I'd like for it to mostly be on one level....(the media room can be upstairs or downstairs) because we're going to be getting older and this house would be for our retirement years. A basement for storage and the extra rooms would be lovely though. I'd love for the house to be on a good bit of property.....enough room so that we can have out-buildings, gardens, orchards and even a few chickens if we so desired. We don't necessarily need a FARM, per se....but a few acres would be nice. I'd love for the land to be pretty. I'm thinking of the rolling hills of Tennessee or North Georgia with hardwood trees, evergreens and perhaps a little stream or pond. There's just something soothing about water.
The materials for the home should all be warm and inviting: Stone, brick, wood, tile....reclaimed if possible. Older, natural materials seem to have such character! And windows!! Mercy, I do love windows! And nooks and crannies!!! Built ins in all the nooks and crannies! Window seats, storage tucked under stairs, closets and pantries....no space wasted! Fireplaces, molding, carving, little decorative touches. Openness ....but still cozy and inviting. Pocket doors, vessel sinks, antique fittings, plantation shutters, arched doorways, skylights, sun rooms, desk nooks, hidden storage, glass doors on cabinets. Sliding barn doors, industrial style antique pulleys and hardware.
Maybe some day, we will build our dream home! Well, at least a house with some of these elements! Hahaha!!!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Alas. Yet again.....I've been woefully neglectful of my blog. I had such lofty and grand intentions of pouring my heart and soul out and scribing wise, meaningful, deep and insightful musings........but instead, I occasionally and sporadically pen some rambling and non-sensical stuff that would make most anyone reading my blog want to poke their eyes out with rusty nails. Oh well. Writing the occasional rambling memory or experience out to mull over is MUCH cheaper than psychotherapy. And probably more effectively cathartic. If you do stumble onto this blog and end up reading my diatribes.....just realize that I'm mostly writing for my own pleasure and sanity. And I'm sorry to subject you to it. I'm truly sorry. I typically write like I talk.....and I tend to chase my own tail down rabbit trails and tangents that lend no insight or meaning to my conversation......and I just get lost in my own random thoughts most of the time. Anyhoo.....fair warning.
This last month of my life has been.....well.....it's been interesting. My entire work life has been up-ended and tossed on it's head. I will admit that it has been exceedingly stressful. My office was closed and I was charged with moving almost the entire contents of the office....lock-stock-and-barrel 40 miles to the west....a feat accomplished almost single-handedly. I think I made a total of 11-12 trips back and forth with the back of my Element cram-packed with boxes getting it all moved. In the change-up, I lost an employee (who means the world to me) to downsizing.... and that was the single worst part of the entire ordeal. I'm still struggling.....adjusting to my new role, my new office, the new routine. Don't get me wrong....I love the folks I work with - and think they are awesome - and I knew most of them very well long before the changes....but it has still been incredibly stressful. I'm not an old codger who resists change....but it does take me some time to adjust. I'm getting a little better and my anxiety level is decreasing somewhat as time goes on; and I am able to get a better grasp on what's expected of me. I am putting in a LOT of hours though and I'm always behind. I am in the office from 7am until about 6pm almost every day Monday thru Friday and then I lug my laptop home every night and right after I cook dinner....I usually end up on the couch doing paperwork until bedtime. That doesn't leave a lot of time for my hobbies or my husband or my puppy or writing or well....just about anything. I think that once I am able to get caught up and get a regular routine in place, things will ease up and I can get my evenings and home-life back again.
That said, I've had some pretty wonderful weekends with Steve. Three weekends ago, we drove down to Pulaski, TN to the Milky Way Farm (owned by Mr. Frank Mars, of the Mars Candy Company fame....hence, the name "Milky Way" like the candy-bar). Every September they have a charity arts/crafts/antique show in the giant stone barn there called "Bella Rustica" and we braved an overcast and misty Sunday afternoon to attend. The barn is down a long and dusty winding gravel road and the scenery was beautiful. The leaves were just beginning to have a blush of autumn color and hint that harvest time was coming. The barn was filled with booth after booth of artwork, crafts, antiques, and vintage items. There was even live-music and food vendor carts! We made our way from one end of the barn to the other, browsing in each booth and getting ideas for decorating in a shabby chic fashion. I adore the Shabby Chic/French Country decor scheme...so I was in hog-heaven! While we were looking, I spotted an old window.....repainted and it had a vinyl sign declaring "French Market" and it looked like something you'd see in an old shoppe window just off Bourbon Street in New Orleans!! It was love at first sight! Steve bought it for me!!! I got to put a giant "SOLD" sticker on it with my name!! We left it there in the booth so that we could finish looking around (It was quite heavy) and we continued our rounds around the booths and then made our way outside the barn where they had tents set up all across the lawn and picnic tables under the giant oak trees. There certainly was a lot to see! Antique tools, vintage metal fans, and old pickup truck, vintage dresses, hats and gloves, jewelry of all kinds, quilts, toys.....pretty much you name it, it was there! After we'd seen all there was to see, we ventured back in and picked up my window. We back out to the car and found (MUCH to my dismay) that the window was too big to fit into the trunk of Steve's car. The only way we had of getting it home was for me to squeeze into my seat and then hold the window in my lap....a feat which required the top of the car to be down and my neck to rest at an almost acute right angle to the left so that the window could tilt back and not shake and rattle against the frame of the car. So this is how we rode home. I'm pretty sure it was a sight for sore eyes...us rolling along the country back-roads..me hunkered down in the front seat behind a glass window proclaiming "French Market"....Hahaha!! We did get some odd stares. But OH WELL. I was so proud of that window, I just didn't care! We made a stop in a tiny little town on the way back thru and we stopped and had lunch at an old pharmacy that had been turned into a cafe. It was very colorful and quaint....but the food was only "so-so".....you could tell that things were frozen and thawed out. It was nothing to write home about....but it was warm and filling. It was still a fun trip....even if I did arrive home with a crick in my neck! And, of course the window looks AMAZING on my living room wall!
The next weekend, we decided to head out to Grinder Switch (home of Minnie Pearl!)/Centerville, TN to the National Banana Pudding Festival. And yes, it really IS a real thing! It was like....part county-fair, part blue-grass festival, part flea-market, part fall-festival, part hoe-down and then...there was something called "The Puddin Path". The "Puddin Path" was where you paid $3 per person and you received 8 tiny cups of banana pudding and a carton of milk. Each cup of pudding was made by a different organization and the proceeds went to charity. My favorite pudding was one made by the little Methodist church ladies. You just know that pudding made by little old church ladies is going to be good! My least favorite was....well, I had a tie for the worst 2: 1. Chocolate Banana Pudding. (I don't care for chocolate) and 2. Elvis Banana Pudding (yep. It had peanut butter). By the time I had 8 little cups of pudding and a half a carton of milk, I was almost in a Diabetic coma and I was ready to walk around. Guess who we saw? Minnie Pearl!!! Well, not THE Minnie Pearl....but a very reasonable facsimile thereof! She was the cutest little lady with white hair and patten-leather black shoes and a Minnie-Pearl hat with the tag and a gingham dress!! I talked with her and she of course greeted me with "Hoooowwwdeeeeeee!!!!" in true Minnie style. She then asked, "How are you folks doin today?" and I told her "O! We're just so PROUD TA BE HERE!!" and we both had a good laugh. Turns out, she was from the area and knew Minnie when they were both much younger. I even had my picture made with this sweet lady. She was a hoot! After meeting Minnie, we looked around at the craft tables and by then...we'd had quite enough of the Banana Puddin Festival. I am from a Southern-Red-Neck family myself.....and I embrace my heritage....but O, MY GOODNESS. There were some folks at this 'Nanner Puddin Festival who made Honey Boo-Boo's family seem sophisticated.
After we left the 'Nanner Puddin festivities, we drove on down the road to the Grinder's Switch Winery and walked around a bit and then we went to downtown Centerville to check out the town-square. We walked around some antique shops there and caught the tail-end of a craft show that was wrapping up. There was even a tent set up serving "Hot-Dogs for Romney" and passing out Romney signs to post in your front yard. I pride myself on being apolitical....so we passed on the Wienies and the politics (which could be one in the same, really) and took off on foot to find the classic car show that was advertised to be in town. We went all the way around our elbow to find our thumb....but we finally found the car show and met up with some more colorful characters....in particular, a short and stocky old chap wearing a velvet top hat, carrying a cane and wearing a Waist-Coat that made him look not unlike Bilbo Baggins....and he was carrying around what appeared to be a tin stein of "Ye Old Grogg". His wife was dressed like a human (not a Hobbit) and appeared to be a little embarrassed by her mate's shenanigans and Tom Foolery. After the car show, we headed back towards home....and a good time was had by all!
Last weekend, we took another motorcycle trip.....we wanted to ride up to Mont Eagle Mountain to see if the leaves were in full color. We drove to Murfreesboro, thru Woodbury, along the back roads to Altamont. We stopped at a mini-mart on top of the mountain in Altamont and went in to get a drink. I was decked out in my skinny jeans, rock-n-roll t-shirt, black eyeliner and combat boots (I was totally kicking butt and taking names in that outfit!!) and I go in to the store and buy a bottle of..............milk. We stood outside the store and drank our milk...feeling rather silly. Altamont was a bit of a rough town. Several folks came and went while we stood there sipping our milk and most of the were a little scary-looking...you know, in a chain-saw-eat-your-face-while-listening-to-banjo-music kind of way)....and we even saw what appeared to be a drug deal go down between 2 men who were in their 80's if they were a day. So we gulped down the last of our milk, wiped our mustaches away, suited up and hit the road again.......hitting Coalmont, skipping Gruetly-Logger and then driving along Mont Eagle and down the other side of the mountain - passing Suwanee and down into Winchester and we stopped in a little town called "Cowan". Cowan was a cute little town with an old log cabin court-house and a train museum housed in an old train station. Very quaint and quiet little town along the railroad tracks. It was good to get off the bike and stretch our legs and just walk around a bit. From there.....we took the back roads parallelling I-24 all the way back up thru Shelbyville and then home. It was a long ride, but the fall colors were beautiful!!
I'm not sure what this weekend holds in store.....but Steve has mentioned some shopping because he needs a new suit. I would like to go shopping (especially since most of my clothes look like I stole them from a Hobo because they are too big for me now!)....but I prefer fresh air to retail air....maybe I can talk him into another side-trip to see the leaves....this weekend should be peak-color time! Fall is my favorite time of year too.....everything just feels more poignant and meaningful in the autumn air. That sounds corny when I re-read it....but it's true. I get a melancholy feeling in the fall. It's not unpleasant or sad.....it's just.....mellow.
Here's to more adventures!!! And hopefully more faithful blog entries! I have good intentions, anyway. :)
This last month of my life has been.....well.....it's been interesting. My entire work life has been up-ended and tossed on it's head. I will admit that it has been exceedingly stressful. My office was closed and I was charged with moving almost the entire contents of the office....lock-stock-and-barrel 40 miles to the west....a feat accomplished almost single-handedly. I think I made a total of 11-12 trips back and forth with the back of my Element cram-packed with boxes getting it all moved. In the change-up, I lost an employee (who means the world to me) to downsizing.... and that was the single worst part of the entire ordeal. I'm still struggling.....adjusting to my new role, my new office, the new routine. Don't get me wrong....I love the folks I work with - and think they are awesome - and I knew most of them very well long before the changes....but it has still been incredibly stressful. I'm not an old codger who resists change....but it does take me some time to adjust. I'm getting a little better and my anxiety level is decreasing somewhat as time goes on; and I am able to get a better grasp on what's expected of me. I am putting in a LOT of hours though and I'm always behind. I am in the office from 7am until about 6pm almost every day Monday thru Friday and then I lug my laptop home every night and right after I cook dinner....I usually end up on the couch doing paperwork until bedtime. That doesn't leave a lot of time for my hobbies or my husband or my puppy or writing or well....just about anything. I think that once I am able to get caught up and get a regular routine in place, things will ease up and I can get my evenings and home-life back again.
That said, I've had some pretty wonderful weekends with Steve. Three weekends ago, we drove down to Pulaski, TN to the Milky Way Farm (owned by Mr. Frank Mars, of the Mars Candy Company fame....hence, the name "Milky Way" like the candy-bar). Every September they have a charity arts/crafts/antique show in the giant stone barn there called "Bella Rustica" and we braved an overcast and misty Sunday afternoon to attend. The barn is down a long and dusty winding gravel road and the scenery was beautiful. The leaves were just beginning to have a blush of autumn color and hint that harvest time was coming. The barn was filled with booth after booth of artwork, crafts, antiques, and vintage items. There was even live-music and food vendor carts! We made our way from one end of the barn to the other, browsing in each booth and getting ideas for decorating in a shabby chic fashion. I adore the Shabby Chic/French Country decor scheme...so I was in hog-heaven! While we were looking, I spotted an old window.....repainted and it had a vinyl sign declaring "French Market" and it looked like something you'd see in an old shoppe window just off Bourbon Street in New Orleans!! It was love at first sight! Steve bought it for me!!! I got to put a giant "SOLD" sticker on it with my name!! We left it there in the booth so that we could finish looking around (It was quite heavy) and we continued our rounds around the booths and then made our way outside the barn where they had tents set up all across the lawn and picnic tables under the giant oak trees. There certainly was a lot to see! Antique tools, vintage metal fans, and old pickup truck, vintage dresses, hats and gloves, jewelry of all kinds, quilts, toys.....pretty much you name it, it was there! After we'd seen all there was to see, we ventured back in and picked up my window. We back out to the car and found (MUCH to my dismay) that the window was too big to fit into the trunk of Steve's car. The only way we had of getting it home was for me to squeeze into my seat and then hold the window in my lap....a feat which required the top of the car to be down and my neck to rest at an almost acute right angle to the left so that the window could tilt back and not shake and rattle against the frame of the car. So this is how we rode home. I'm pretty sure it was a sight for sore eyes...us rolling along the country back-roads..me hunkered down in the front seat behind a glass window proclaiming "French Market"....Hahaha!! We did get some odd stares. But OH WELL. I was so proud of that window, I just didn't care! We made a stop in a tiny little town on the way back thru and we stopped and had lunch at an old pharmacy that had been turned into a cafe. It was very colorful and quaint....but the food was only "so-so".....you could tell that things were frozen and thawed out. It was nothing to write home about....but it was warm and filling. It was still a fun trip....even if I did arrive home with a crick in my neck! And, of course the window looks AMAZING on my living room wall!
The next weekend, we decided to head out to Grinder Switch (home of Minnie Pearl!)/Centerville, TN to the National Banana Pudding Festival. And yes, it really IS a real thing! It was like....part county-fair, part blue-grass festival, part flea-market, part fall-festival, part hoe-down and then...there was something called "The Puddin Path". The "Puddin Path" was where you paid $3 per person and you received 8 tiny cups of banana pudding and a carton of milk. Each cup of pudding was made by a different organization and the proceeds went to charity. My favorite pudding was one made by the little Methodist church ladies. You just know that pudding made by little old church ladies is going to be good! My least favorite was....well, I had a tie for the worst 2: 1. Chocolate Banana Pudding. (I don't care for chocolate) and 2. Elvis Banana Pudding (yep. It had peanut butter). By the time I had 8 little cups of pudding and a half a carton of milk, I was almost in a Diabetic coma and I was ready to walk around. Guess who we saw? Minnie Pearl!!! Well, not THE Minnie Pearl....but a very reasonable facsimile thereof! She was the cutest little lady with white hair and patten-leather black shoes and a Minnie-Pearl hat with the tag and a gingham dress!! I talked with her and she of course greeted me with "Hoooowwwdeeeeeee!!!!" in true Minnie style. She then asked, "How are you folks doin today?" and I told her "O! We're just so PROUD TA BE HERE!!" and we both had a good laugh. Turns out, she was from the area and knew Minnie when they were both much younger. I even had my picture made with this sweet lady. She was a hoot! After meeting Minnie, we looked around at the craft tables and by then...we'd had quite enough of the Banana Puddin Festival. I am from a Southern-Red-Neck family myself.....and I embrace my heritage....but O, MY GOODNESS. There were some folks at this 'Nanner Puddin Festival who made Honey Boo-Boo's family seem sophisticated.
After we left the 'Nanner Puddin festivities, we drove on down the road to the Grinder's Switch Winery and walked around a bit and then we went to downtown Centerville to check out the town-square. We walked around some antique shops there and caught the tail-end of a craft show that was wrapping up. There was even a tent set up serving "Hot-Dogs for Romney" and passing out Romney signs to post in your front yard. I pride myself on being apolitical....so we passed on the Wienies and the politics (which could be one in the same, really) and took off on foot to find the classic car show that was advertised to be in town. We went all the way around our elbow to find our thumb....but we finally found the car show and met up with some more colorful characters....in particular, a short and stocky old chap wearing a velvet top hat, carrying a cane and wearing a Waist-Coat that made him look not unlike Bilbo Baggins....and he was carrying around what appeared to be a tin stein of "Ye Old Grogg". His wife was dressed like a human (not a Hobbit) and appeared to be a little embarrassed by her mate's shenanigans and Tom Foolery. After the car show, we headed back towards home....and a good time was had by all!
Last weekend, we took another motorcycle trip.....we wanted to ride up to Mont Eagle Mountain to see if the leaves were in full color. We drove to Murfreesboro, thru Woodbury, along the back roads to Altamont. We stopped at a mini-mart on top of the mountain in Altamont and went in to get a drink. I was decked out in my skinny jeans, rock-n-roll t-shirt, black eyeliner and combat boots (I was totally kicking butt and taking names in that outfit!!) and I go in to the store and buy a bottle of..............milk. We stood outside the store and drank our milk...feeling rather silly. Altamont was a bit of a rough town. Several folks came and went while we stood there sipping our milk and most of the were a little scary-looking...you know, in a chain-saw-eat-your-face-while-listening-to-banjo-music kind of way)....and we even saw what appeared to be a drug deal go down between 2 men who were in their 80's if they were a day. So we gulped down the last of our milk, wiped our mustaches away, suited up and hit the road again.......hitting Coalmont, skipping Gruetly-Logger and then driving along Mont Eagle and down the other side of the mountain - passing Suwanee and down into Winchester and we stopped in a little town called "Cowan". Cowan was a cute little town with an old log cabin court-house and a train museum housed in an old train station. Very quaint and quiet little town along the railroad tracks. It was good to get off the bike and stretch our legs and just walk around a bit. From there.....we took the back roads parallelling I-24 all the way back up thru Shelbyville and then home. It was a long ride, but the fall colors were beautiful!!
I'm not sure what this weekend holds in store.....but Steve has mentioned some shopping because he needs a new suit. I would like to go shopping (especially since most of my clothes look like I stole them from a Hobo because they are too big for me now!)....but I prefer fresh air to retail air....maybe I can talk him into another side-trip to see the leaves....this weekend should be peak-color time! Fall is my favorite time of year too.....everything just feels more poignant and meaningful in the autumn air. That sounds corny when I re-read it....but it's true. I get a melancholy feeling in the fall. It's not unpleasant or sad.....it's just.....mellow.
Here's to more adventures!!! And hopefully more faithful blog entries! I have good intentions, anyway. :)
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