Tonight Dennis and I went to another cooking class at the Fleur de Lys cooking school with Chef Francois.. this is one of our favorite activities, although we have not been in 3 months. We are also signed up for another one in mid-September... tonight's class was glazed shrimp over rice and poached pears covered in chocolate sauce - yum! We got the recipes to add to our recipe collection - and I really DO hope we try this one. At least the pears! I could have lapped up that chocolate sauce WITHOUT the pear - just a spoon was all I need!
Before going to the class though, we went by Providence Hospital.. my friend Lydia's husband, Troy, suffered a massive heart attack just yesterday morning and isn't doing real well. Just found out this morning and so I wanted to go by and see Lydia and get an update.. It really makes me stop and think. Troy JUST turned 40.. he's about a year and a half younger than me.. and several years younger than Dennis.. puts things in perspective really fast. Just last night someone really aggravated me because I thought they were being very petty and ridiculous about something, and I got upset about it. Then this morning, I found out about Troy, and it quickly made my little "nuisances" pale in comparison. Makes you REALLY stop and think. Most of us just have nuisances, not real problems. I think the key to letting go of some stresses is to remember that. Most of us really have little NUISANCES. As a dear friend of mine has told me several times, "don't sweat the small stuff" - so this reminder is a good one. Definitely a wakeup call and something to remember.
Anyway... as I go to bed tonight and reflect on this, I pray God's healing hand will touch Lydia ant Troy - my best thoughts, wishes and prayers are with them!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
A New Hobby? Maybe!
Tonight was my first crochet class... I signed up for this class several months ago, it's three sessions, three Monday nights in a row... tonight was session one. We learned how to make chains and stitches... Ugh, talk about awkward! I was actually making chains and doing stitches by the end of the evening, but it will take LOTS of practice to get comfortable with it.. I plan to spend a couple nights, at least, this week, sitting and working on it some.. hopefully by next week's class, I will feel more comfortable with it.
In the last few months, Dennis and I have been trying to learn to play bridge. My mom is an awesome bridge player, and my stepfather, although not quite as good a bridge player as she is, plays pretty well too. I've been wanting to learn for years, and never took the time, so now Dennis and I have been trying to learn that.. I'm taking on lots of things that I HOPE to find new hobbies in eventually, although right now, they are very frustrating. Bridge and crochet at once - yikes! Both are challenging and taxing; yet I know that if I end up learning both, I'll enjoy them!
Tomorrow night we attend another cooking class at the Fleur de Lys cooking school on Millwood. We enjoy those - that is Dennis' big thing - did I ever mention that HE is the real chef in the house? Can I pick 'em or what? He LOVES to cook and is QUITE good - I've told him many times he really ought to attend chef school just for the heck of it! Anyway... we have been attending cooking classes at Fleur de Lys with Chef Francois for about two years now - lots of fun! We always order a bottle of wine, sit back and enjoy the cooking demonstration, then enjoy the meal! Now we just need to start TRYING some of the recipes! We haven't been to Francois' cooking class for three months now, so I'm looking forward to returning! Bon Apetit!
In the last few months, Dennis and I have been trying to learn to play bridge. My mom is an awesome bridge player, and my stepfather, although not quite as good a bridge player as she is, plays pretty well too. I've been wanting to learn for years, and never took the time, so now Dennis and I have been trying to learn that.. I'm taking on lots of things that I HOPE to find new hobbies in eventually, although right now, they are very frustrating. Bridge and crochet at once - yikes! Both are challenging and taxing; yet I know that if I end up learning both, I'll enjoy them!
Tomorrow night we attend another cooking class at the Fleur de Lys cooking school on Millwood. We enjoy those - that is Dennis' big thing - did I ever mention that HE is the real chef in the house? Can I pick 'em or what? He LOVES to cook and is QUITE good - I've told him many times he really ought to attend chef school just for the heck of it! Anyway... we have been attending cooking classes at Fleur de Lys with Chef Francois for about two years now - lots of fun! We always order a bottle of wine, sit back and enjoy the cooking demonstration, then enjoy the meal! Now we just need to start TRYING some of the recipes! We haven't been to Francois' cooking class for three months now, so I'm looking forward to returning! Bon Apetit!
Happy Birthday, Mom and Weekend Recap
Friday night Dennis and I enjoyed a nice dinner @ Carrabba's and then coffee and reading at Books a Million, so that got the weekend started off quite nicely. Saturday was my mom's birthday, so we headed to Abbeville for the day.
First, we mixed up two thermoses of mimosas for the trip, then packed the car with a cooler and the mimosas and even decorated the car with Happy Birthday Mom signs and streamers hanging all over the backseat. We picked them up around 9:30 and headed for Abbeville. We arrived around 11:30 or shortly after at Yoder's Dutch Kitchen, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch, then headed for the Abbeville town square, to enjoy browsing the antique shops. We went into Trinity Episcopal Church, which is always open, and the organist was playing, so that was quite a treat, to catch him in there.. he played several of our favorite hymns while we sat and enjoyed.
After wandering around the square for awhile, we headed over to the Abbeville Opera House, where we enjoyed a matinee performance of "Smoke on the Mountain Reunion" - enjoyed by all! After the show, we browsed a couple more shops, then headed for dinner at another restaurant on the square, Windows on Main Bistro. They have YUMMY shrimp and grits! We arrived home about 9:45 Saturday night, tired but having had a great day.
On Saturday, while we were away, my stepsister and her family rolled into town for a few days' visit. We have not seen them for several years, as she and her husband and children have been living in French Guiana down in South America for years now. They are spending some time in the states and have been here for about 3 weeks already, sightseeing and visiting with some of her old friends in NY and PA. They are here for a few days before going on to Florida to Disney World and then Miami, before heading back home.
We headed down to my mom's house late Sunday afternoon for a cookout with them and also my stepfather's nephew and his wife, who drove down from Pinehurst, NC for the day to visit with everyone too. We had a nice time hanging out by the pool, cooking out and visiting. My stepsister plans to treat everyone to a Brazilian style dinner on Wed. night so I will look forward to that!
Tonight my mom and I are attending the first session of a three-session crochet class at Midlands Tech that we have signed up for. I have to work for awhile today and then we'll be heading to the class tonight. I'm looking forward to learning a new hobby that HOPEFULLY will be something I will enjoy doing.. My mom used to crochet and hasn't tried it for years, so she is going to go brush up on her skills while I learn how myself... let's hope when the three sessions are over, I have a new hobby to enjoy doing on trips and while watching TV - I've wanted to learn how to crochet for years, so hopefully it won't be TOO difficult! I'll let everyone know how it goes!
First, we mixed up two thermoses of mimosas for the trip, then packed the car with a cooler and the mimosas and even decorated the car with Happy Birthday Mom signs and streamers hanging all over the backseat. We picked them up around 9:30 and headed for Abbeville. We arrived around 11:30 or shortly after at Yoder's Dutch Kitchen, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch, then headed for the Abbeville town square, to enjoy browsing the antique shops. We went into Trinity Episcopal Church, which is always open, and the organist was playing, so that was quite a treat, to catch him in there.. he played several of our favorite hymns while we sat and enjoyed.
After wandering around the square for awhile, we headed over to the Abbeville Opera House, where we enjoyed a matinee performance of "Smoke on the Mountain Reunion" - enjoyed by all! After the show, we browsed a couple more shops, then headed for dinner at another restaurant on the square, Windows on Main Bistro. They have YUMMY shrimp and grits! We arrived home about 9:45 Saturday night, tired but having had a great day.
On Saturday, while we were away, my stepsister and her family rolled into town for a few days' visit. We have not seen them for several years, as she and her husband and children have been living in French Guiana down in South America for years now. They are spending some time in the states and have been here for about 3 weeks already, sightseeing and visiting with some of her old friends in NY and PA. They are here for a few days before going on to Florida to Disney World and then Miami, before heading back home.
We headed down to my mom's house late Sunday afternoon for a cookout with them and also my stepfather's nephew and his wife, who drove down from Pinehurst, NC for the day to visit with everyone too. We had a nice time hanging out by the pool, cooking out and visiting. My stepsister plans to treat everyone to a Brazilian style dinner on Wed. night so I will look forward to that!
Tonight my mom and I are attending the first session of a three-session crochet class at Midlands Tech that we have signed up for. I have to work for awhile today and then we'll be heading to the class tonight. I'm looking forward to learning a new hobby that HOPEFULLY will be something I will enjoy doing.. My mom used to crochet and hasn't tried it for years, so she is going to go brush up on her skills while I learn how myself... let's hope when the three sessions are over, I have a new hobby to enjoy doing on trips and while watching TV - I've wanted to learn how to crochet for years, so hopefully it won't be TOO difficult! I'll let everyone know how it goes!
Friday, August 8, 2008
A Trip down Memory Lane
Well, I returned late last night from my trip to Biloxi, MS - and down memory lane! It was a short trip - just gone four days.. but a great time! My mom and I always have a wonderful time together when we travel. I did take some pics with my fairly new digital camera, and when I get a chance to sit down with Dennis and figure out how to get the pics off the camera onto the computer, I'll post them. But here's a quick rundown of my trip:
Day 1: We got up EARLY EARLY and left shortly after 7:00 a.m. to head for Biloxi. After a few quick rest stops and a stop for lunch in Auburn, AL, we arrived in Biloxi at the Beau Rivage in the afternoon... fortunately, we gained an hour going there, so we arrived at a good hour in the afternoon and still had quite a bit of time left in the day to enjoy ourselves.
After showering and changing, we headed down to the casino to play for awhile, then had dinner at a fabulous Mediterranean restaurant called Olives. We ate there last year when we visited the Beau Rivage and remembered how wonderful it was, so we had dinner there again. After dinner, we headed back into the casino and played some more, and eventually turned in around 11:00. We were still on Columbia time so to us, it was midnight and we were beat after a long day of travel.
Day 2: We got up early in the morning and headed to the casino buffet, where we enjoyed a fabulous breakfast, then went around 9:00 a.m. and picked up our rental car. We decided to rent a car since we were with a tour group and did not have our own vehicle. We wanted to be sure to drive over to New Orleans and Slidell, LA while we were close by. We lived in Slidell, LA when I was 9 and 10 years old, 31 years ago, and I had not been back to Slidell since then. I've been back to New Orleans, just three years ago, just before Katrina hit, for a long weekend for Dennis' birthday - and wanted to visit New Orleans again and wanted to see our old neighborhood, etc, in Slidell too... so it was indeed a day for traveling down Memory Lane!
We got in the rental car and headed toward Slidell - it takes somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour to get there from Biloxi. We enjoyed a very nice drive through Biloxi and Gulfport, along the coastal road the runs along the gulf. Still definitely some residual damage from Hurricane Katrina evident but it looks much better than it did a year and a half ago when we were last there. They are definitely making progress.
We arrived in Slidell and stopped at a convenience store/gas station for a pit stop AND to get a cold drink. I was surprised to see that in the GAS STATION - yes, the GAS STATION - they actually sell LIQUOR! Not just beer and wine but the HARD stuff. I am so NOT used to that here in SC! I can't imagine being able to walk in and pay for gas AND buy liquor! Now that's what I call civilization - haha!
After leaving the gas station, we headed through town and found the old neighborhood where we lived, thanks to a little help from our GPS, which we brought along on the trip with us. We drove down the street and drove through the neighborhood - it looked pretty much as I remembered it but it also looked like the neighborhood had taken a bit of a beating from Katrina. I had heard after the hurricane that the Slidell area was underwater for awhile - and you could see that a lot of the homes in our old neighborhood still had visible signs of damage and of being repaired.
We drove up to our old house and parked across the street and got out of the car with the camera. While we were standing there, getting ready to take pictures, a man drove up in a car and asked if we needed help or were looking for a particular house.. When we told him why we were there and that we used to live there many years ago, he started talking to us about some of the different neighbors. I have a great memory for things that I don't need to remember quite often, so I remembered a lot of old neighbors' names and names of my school classmates from the year I lived there, so I rattled off several names to this man, and he remembered some of them.
He took some pictures of us in front of our house and told us a little about the neighborhood over the years, including the aftermath of Katrina... our house and neighborhood were under SEVEN feet of water after the storm - people lost everything and many houses have been gutted and redone, including our old house.. he told us to go up and look in the windows, because nobody was home right then and the residents of our old house were good friends of his and wouldn't mind. We walked around and looked in and were absolutely shocked to find that everything was totally different inside.. they tore out walls and redid everything. The great room was still the same but the old dining room was now a combination kitchen/dining area.. and the garage was gone was now a den area! So strange to see our old house - so familiar and yet so different now.
We had a nice conversation with the man and enjoyed looking at the house and neighborhood and taking some pics. After reminiscing a few more minutes, we climbed into the car and took off. We drove over to my old elementary school and parked out in front... school was not in session yet but they were having registration and a few people were there getting things ready for the first day of school, so it was not desserted. I walked through a few of the hallways, looked down the hall where my old classrooms were, and then went to check out the old playgrounds which now had some buildings on them. The school looked somewhat the same but a few things had changed over the years... it looked like they had added on, which isn't surprising in all that time.
My mom took a couple pics of the school and me in front of the school, and then we climbed back in the car and drove around Slidell a little longer. We looked for the old restaurant down the street from our house that we used to like to go out to eat at but the spot where it once stood was empty. Don't know if that was from Katrina or if it was just gone anyway. Anyway.. a nice, sentimental trip down Memory Lane. I have been wanting to visit Slidell again for years, and finally got the chance... I wish I knew if some of my old childhood friends and classmates from that time still lived there, but did not really have a way of finding out. The man we talked to at the old house indicated that many people had moved away from the area in the 25 or so years he's lived there so I am guessing many are long gone..
Once we left the Slidell area, we drove across the bridge over Lake Ponchartrain into New Orleans. Just three years ago, as I said before, we spent a long weekend there for Dennis' birthday, at the W Hotel and Harrah's Casino, so we knew where that was. We drove through downtown New Orleans for a little while and took in some sights, then found a parking spot in a public garage near Harrah's and the Riverfront, and parked the car and walked a short distance down to Laffitte's, a creole restaurant, and had lunch. We got the shrimp creole and red beans and rice and split both - yum! Nothing like eating real creole style food right in the heart of New Orleans!
After lunch, we went into Harrah's Casino for about an hour and played the slots.. then went into the shops at Canal Place by the river for a short while, then decided we better get in the car and start heading back. We left New Orleans and drove back through Slidell and then got on our way back to Biloxi.
After arriving back in Biloxi, we checked out the factory outlet stores for a short while, then headed back to the Beau Rivage, where we showered and changed, and headed back to the casino to play for awhile and have dinner. Then we turned in around 11:00ish again and got a good night's sleep after a long but WONDERFUL day.
Day 3: On Wednesday morning, we slept in a little this time.. and then got up and enjoyed another delicious breakfast, followed by a leisurely day of playing the casino, exploring the hotel, checking out the outside pool area which overlooks the water, and browsing through the boutiques and shops at the Beau Rivage. After enjoying a delicious dinner buffet that evening and taking more pictures, we played in the casino again for a little while and then turned in, as we had an early morning again on Thursday.
Day 4: We got up early on Thursday morning, enjoyed breakfast in the coffee shop - croissants and lattes. Then had to meet our tour group to head for home. It was a rather uneventful day - a long trip back to Columbia... we arrived home Thursday night tired but having had a WONDERFUL trip - we are already looking forward to returning sometime in 2009 - with the tour group again perhaps - and perhaps on our own too - there are several other places we'd likek to visit that we didn't make it to this trip - so we will see the Beau again next year!
Like I said, we took a good many pics on this trip - and I will post them with descriptions SOON - hopefully it won't take me TOO long to get them off my camera!
Today, Friday, was a day for sleeping in a LITTLE bit (I had taken today off too!) - and then catching up on some e-mails and washing laundry from the trip and running a few errands too. Dennis and I enjoyed dinner at Carrabba's tonight, followed by reading and drinking coffee in Books a Million. Then home so I could post on the blog and turn in shortly - tomorrow is my mom's birthday and we are all heading to Abbeville for lunch @ Yoder's Dutch Kitchen and a matinee at the opera house to celebrate her birthday! Happy Birthday, Mom!
Day 1: We got up EARLY EARLY and left shortly after 7:00 a.m. to head for Biloxi. After a few quick rest stops and a stop for lunch in Auburn, AL, we arrived in Biloxi at the Beau Rivage in the afternoon... fortunately, we gained an hour going there, so we arrived at a good hour in the afternoon and still had quite a bit of time left in the day to enjoy ourselves.
After showering and changing, we headed down to the casino to play for awhile, then had dinner at a fabulous Mediterranean restaurant called Olives. We ate there last year when we visited the Beau Rivage and remembered how wonderful it was, so we had dinner there again. After dinner, we headed back into the casino and played some more, and eventually turned in around 11:00. We were still on Columbia time so to us, it was midnight and we were beat after a long day of travel.
Day 2: We got up early in the morning and headed to the casino buffet, where we enjoyed a fabulous breakfast, then went around 9:00 a.m. and picked up our rental car. We decided to rent a car since we were with a tour group and did not have our own vehicle. We wanted to be sure to drive over to New Orleans and Slidell, LA while we were close by. We lived in Slidell, LA when I was 9 and 10 years old, 31 years ago, and I had not been back to Slidell since then. I've been back to New Orleans, just three years ago, just before Katrina hit, for a long weekend for Dennis' birthday - and wanted to visit New Orleans again and wanted to see our old neighborhood, etc, in Slidell too... so it was indeed a day for traveling down Memory Lane!
We got in the rental car and headed toward Slidell - it takes somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour to get there from Biloxi. We enjoyed a very nice drive through Biloxi and Gulfport, along the coastal road the runs along the gulf. Still definitely some residual damage from Hurricane Katrina evident but it looks much better than it did a year and a half ago when we were last there. They are definitely making progress.
We arrived in Slidell and stopped at a convenience store/gas station for a pit stop AND to get a cold drink. I was surprised to see that in the GAS STATION - yes, the GAS STATION - they actually sell LIQUOR! Not just beer and wine but the HARD stuff. I am so NOT used to that here in SC! I can't imagine being able to walk in and pay for gas AND buy liquor! Now that's what I call civilization - haha!
After leaving the gas station, we headed through town and found the old neighborhood where we lived, thanks to a little help from our GPS, which we brought along on the trip with us. We drove down the street and drove through the neighborhood - it looked pretty much as I remembered it but it also looked like the neighborhood had taken a bit of a beating from Katrina. I had heard after the hurricane that the Slidell area was underwater for awhile - and you could see that a lot of the homes in our old neighborhood still had visible signs of damage and of being repaired.
We drove up to our old house and parked across the street and got out of the car with the camera. While we were standing there, getting ready to take pictures, a man drove up in a car and asked if we needed help or were looking for a particular house.. When we told him why we were there and that we used to live there many years ago, he started talking to us about some of the different neighbors. I have a great memory for things that I don't need to remember quite often, so I remembered a lot of old neighbors' names and names of my school classmates from the year I lived there, so I rattled off several names to this man, and he remembered some of them.
He took some pictures of us in front of our house and told us a little about the neighborhood over the years, including the aftermath of Katrina... our house and neighborhood were under SEVEN feet of water after the storm - people lost everything and many houses have been gutted and redone, including our old house.. he told us to go up and look in the windows, because nobody was home right then and the residents of our old house were good friends of his and wouldn't mind. We walked around and looked in and were absolutely shocked to find that everything was totally different inside.. they tore out walls and redid everything. The great room was still the same but the old dining room was now a combination kitchen/dining area.. and the garage was gone was now a den area! So strange to see our old house - so familiar and yet so different now.
We had a nice conversation with the man and enjoyed looking at the house and neighborhood and taking some pics. After reminiscing a few more minutes, we climbed into the car and took off. We drove over to my old elementary school and parked out in front... school was not in session yet but they were having registration and a few people were there getting things ready for the first day of school, so it was not desserted. I walked through a few of the hallways, looked down the hall where my old classrooms were, and then went to check out the old playgrounds which now had some buildings on them. The school looked somewhat the same but a few things had changed over the years... it looked like they had added on, which isn't surprising in all that time.
My mom took a couple pics of the school and me in front of the school, and then we climbed back in the car and drove around Slidell a little longer. We looked for the old restaurant down the street from our house that we used to like to go out to eat at but the spot where it once stood was empty. Don't know if that was from Katrina or if it was just gone anyway. Anyway.. a nice, sentimental trip down Memory Lane. I have been wanting to visit Slidell again for years, and finally got the chance... I wish I knew if some of my old childhood friends and classmates from that time still lived there, but did not really have a way of finding out. The man we talked to at the old house indicated that many people had moved away from the area in the 25 or so years he's lived there so I am guessing many are long gone..
Once we left the Slidell area, we drove across the bridge over Lake Ponchartrain into New Orleans. Just three years ago, as I said before, we spent a long weekend there for Dennis' birthday, at the W Hotel and Harrah's Casino, so we knew where that was. We drove through downtown New Orleans for a little while and took in some sights, then found a parking spot in a public garage near Harrah's and the Riverfront, and parked the car and walked a short distance down to Laffitte's, a creole restaurant, and had lunch. We got the shrimp creole and red beans and rice and split both - yum! Nothing like eating real creole style food right in the heart of New Orleans!
After lunch, we went into Harrah's Casino for about an hour and played the slots.. then went into the shops at Canal Place by the river for a short while, then decided we better get in the car and start heading back. We left New Orleans and drove back through Slidell and then got on our way back to Biloxi.
After arriving back in Biloxi, we checked out the factory outlet stores for a short while, then headed back to the Beau Rivage, where we showered and changed, and headed back to the casino to play for awhile and have dinner. Then we turned in around 11:00ish again and got a good night's sleep after a long but WONDERFUL day.
Day 3: On Wednesday morning, we slept in a little this time.. and then got up and enjoyed another delicious breakfast, followed by a leisurely day of playing the casino, exploring the hotel, checking out the outside pool area which overlooks the water, and browsing through the boutiques and shops at the Beau Rivage. After enjoying a delicious dinner buffet that evening and taking more pictures, we played in the casino again for a little while and then turned in, as we had an early morning again on Thursday.
Day 4: We got up early on Thursday morning, enjoyed breakfast in the coffee shop - croissants and lattes. Then had to meet our tour group to head for home. It was a rather uneventful day - a long trip back to Columbia... we arrived home Thursday night tired but having had a WONDERFUL trip - we are already looking forward to returning sometime in 2009 - with the tour group again perhaps - and perhaps on our own too - there are several other places we'd likek to visit that we didn't make it to this trip - so we will see the Beau again next year!
Like I said, we took a good many pics on this trip - and I will post them with descriptions SOON - hopefully it won't take me TOO long to get them off my camera!
Today, Friday, was a day for sleeping in a LITTLE bit (I had taken today off too!) - and then catching up on some e-mails and washing laundry from the trip and running a few errands too. Dennis and I enjoyed dinner at Carrabba's tonight, followed by reading and drinking coffee in Books a Million. Then home so I could post on the blog and turn in shortly - tomorrow is my mom's birthday and we are all heading to Abbeville for lunch @ Yoder's Dutch Kitchen and a matinee at the opera house to celebrate her birthday! Happy Birthday, Mom!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Busy Weekend - and Beau Rivage, Here We Come!
Another weekend has passed quickly. I went an entire week without posting this time. This past week was pretty hectic.. I traveled for work two days, and spent the rest of the time trying to get caught up before leaving on my trip tomorrow. That's the worst thing about taking a vacation - you have to run yourself ragged before you leave, catching up on work and getting ready to go.
Friday night we joined friends up at Capital City Club for dinner - we opened several bottles of wine among the eight of us - and had a terrific time! Saturday we did some yard work and I cleaned the outdoor furniture on the deck.. then Dennis and I headed out later in the afternoon to the other side of town for some tax-free shopping at Columbiana Center and dinner. I love the tax-free holiday - there were some awesome sales going on to start with - and with no taxes, it was a great time to get a few things!
Today I attended the district meeting for the woman's clubs in South Carolina.. it was a great meeting, and it was great to see several friends from around the state that I had not seen since our April convention. After the meeting, we headed out to dinner, then I came home to pack for my trip to Biloxi!
Early tomorrow morning, my mom and I roll out for our second annual trip to the Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, MS.. we are planning to rent a car on Tuesday and drive over to New Orleans and Slidell too - we used to live in Slidell, about 31 years ago, and I have not seen it since I was 10 years old.. I have been back to New Orleans, but not Slidell. There's a tropical storm brewing in the gulf of Mexico as we speak - so I hope we do NOT run into that!
Anyway, I know my mom and I will have a wonderful time - this is her birthday trip so we are going to celebrate her birthday - and hopefully win a little money on the slots! haha! This will be quite a week - we return Thursday night from Biloxi, then I have to go to Charlotte on Friday for some work-related stuff, then we head to Abbeville on Saturday, which is my mom's ACTUAL birthday - we are all going there, to have lunch at the famous Yoder's and see a matinee at the opera house - can't wait!
Friday night we joined friends up at Capital City Club for dinner - we opened several bottles of wine among the eight of us - and had a terrific time! Saturday we did some yard work and I cleaned the outdoor furniture on the deck.. then Dennis and I headed out later in the afternoon to the other side of town for some tax-free shopping at Columbiana Center and dinner. I love the tax-free holiday - there were some awesome sales going on to start with - and with no taxes, it was a great time to get a few things!
Today I attended the district meeting for the woman's clubs in South Carolina.. it was a great meeting, and it was great to see several friends from around the state that I had not seen since our April convention. After the meeting, we headed out to dinner, then I came home to pack for my trip to Biloxi!
Early tomorrow morning, my mom and I roll out for our second annual trip to the Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, MS.. we are planning to rent a car on Tuesday and drive over to New Orleans and Slidell too - we used to live in Slidell, about 31 years ago, and I have not seen it since I was 10 years old.. I have been back to New Orleans, but not Slidell. There's a tropical storm brewing in the gulf of Mexico as we speak - so I hope we do NOT run into that!
Anyway, I know my mom and I will have a wonderful time - this is her birthday trip so we are going to celebrate her birthday - and hopefully win a little money on the slots! haha! This will be quite a week - we return Thursday night from Biloxi, then I have to go to Charlotte on Friday for some work-related stuff, then we head to Abbeville on Saturday, which is my mom's ACTUAL birthday - we are all going there, to have lunch at the famous Yoder's and see a matinee at the opera house - can't wait!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Too short of a weekend!!!
Well, I must say.. this weekend was WAY too short... Friday night I headed out with Tammy, Cindy, Angie, Elizabeth and Chris to Bar Louie @ the Village at Sandhill.. we enjoyed cocktails and appetizers.. then we headed over to the movie theater to see Mamma Mia - only to find out that the movie was SOLD OUT! Arghhhhhh! Undaunted by this turn of events, we headed back in to Bar Louie for a few minutes, then strolled on down to the grassy circle and headed in to Wild Wings, where we got drinks at the bar and went outside to a table to listen to the last bit of the concert going on and hung out for quite awhile. Dennis and Kevin were there already, since they had plans to get together that evening, so we crashed their "male bonding" time - but I think they rather enjoyed hanging out with six women! Needless to say, I still did not see Mamma Mia - so I hope to try AGAIN another night! A fun time was had by all though so it kinda worked out great!
On Saturday we just did yard work and I worked some on some work for my office, then we headed out for yummy BBQ at Little Pigs for dinner, with my mom and stepdad.. then it was over to Home Depot to buy some flowers for Dennis to plant today!
Today, Sunday, we went to church this morning, then just spent a quiet afternoon... cooking Mexican at home for dinner tonight! I'm taking a little break right now from working some, so I thought I'd catch up on posting some pics - several are pics of our three "children" - our three dogs, Gracie, Prissy and Chase.... I found another pic from my installation as President of JWC, so I've also posted that, and some pics from our recent cruise with friends from Capital City Club aboard the Southern Patriot.
Still have to get pics of the new car - that will be next!
On Saturday we just did yard work and I worked some on some work for my office, then we headed out for yummy BBQ at Little Pigs for dinner, with my mom and stepdad.. then it was over to Home Depot to buy some flowers for Dennis to plant today!
Today, Sunday, we went to church this morning, then just spent a quiet afternoon... cooking Mexican at home for dinner tonight! I'm taking a little break right now from working some, so I thought I'd catch up on posting some pics - several are pics of our three "children" - our three dogs, Gracie, Prissy and Chase.... I found another pic from my installation as President of JWC, so I've also posted that, and some pics from our recent cruise with friends from Capital City Club aboard the Southern Patriot.
Still have to get pics of the new car - that will be next!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Busy Week, Charlotte, Etc.!!!
This has been a pretty busy week for me workwise... on Monday, I had depositions all day, then spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Charlotte for a class and exam - my mom went with me and we made an "overnight getaway" out of it... we did manage to hit two of our favorite restaurants in the world, Cheesecake Factory for lunch and PF Chang's for dinner.. YUM! Got a little shopping time at two Charlotte malls in too! My class went well and I passed my exam! Sweet!
Came home Wed. night and then had to get up this morning to head to Sumter for a morning depo at Tuomey Regional Med Center, then back to Columbia for an afternoon depo here in town. Then back home to my office to do more work. Thankfully, I'm off on Friday and heading out with several girlfriends to see Mamma Mia while Dennis heads to the ball game! busy week - but looking forward to the weekend!
Came home Wed. night and then had to get up this morning to head to Sumter for a morning depo at Tuomey Regional Med Center, then back to Columbia for an afternoon depo here in town. Then back home to my office to do more work. Thankfully, I'm off on Friday and heading out with several girlfriends to see Mamma Mia while Dennis heads to the ball game! busy week - but looking forward to the weekend!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
