As Lindsey sends me pictures of her work I will put them on here for all to see. This is for her Drawing class. Her professors are so pleased with all of her work. She has all A’s right now. Hope Blake can look at these because I hear he is getting really good. Get good grades Blake and work on scholarships because this is an excelent school for you!! Can you imagine being in College together!! that would be really cool.
November 3, 2008
September 26, 2008
So here we are finally at school. To understand why the big smile on her face we have to go back in time about a week earlier. The day she arrives is September 13th. On August 29th 3 years to the date of Hurricane Katrina we are once again packing up and saying goodbye to our home being told we will probably have nothing to come home to. So on top of all of the pictures and things that I evacuate with I am now having to pack all of the things Lindsey has bought for her dorm. Gustav is on his way. So off we go to Pensacola yet again to wait it out and see if we have anything left to come home too. Fortunately we are saved and everything is fine. We leave Lindsey in Pensacola only for me to return and pick her up a week later with yes IKE looking at us or Houston. So on Friday the 12th Lindsey, Kathy and myself pack up my car and head for Savannah. We make it there ok and another adventure begins ( next blog its hysterical ) Lindsey thought she would never make it to school but I promised come hurricane, tornado, or anything else mother nature wanted to throw at us, she was getting to school. Hint, the happy smile on her face.
September 26, 2008
After 8 hours of driving , 3 gallons of windshield wiper fluid ( someone please tell me why we have love bugs ) gas stops and potty breaks we made it to Savannah only to find that the Four Points Sheraton had royally screwed up our reservation. For some strange reason the girl behind the desk thought all three of us could sleep in one King size bed!!! After several minutes of getting no where and the desk clerk basically saying take it or leave it, we said for one night and we want the manager in the morning. So we dropped off our luggage and headed out for dinner. Now remember this was the weekend Hurricane IKE was making landfall between Houston and New Orleans. When we got back from eating we all showered and got in our jammies , turned on CNN and looked at the bed. They gave us a roll away that would only fit in front of the air conditioner so that wasn’t an option. By 9 I think we all had hit that brick wall. You know, where you are so tired you can’t sleep? We all climbed into the bed. Lindsey in the middle of her Mom and crazy Aunt Kathy. Now keep in mind, crazy Aunt Kathy snores. So before we left on this trip Lindsey took her to the local pharmacy and bought out the whole isle of snoring remedies. So Kathy put on her Breathe Right Nasal Strip ( on wrong at first ), put some crazy thing in her nose, and sprayed the back of her throat. I think she overdosed on the stuff and became hyper. I tried a Breathe Right Nasal Strip and became loopie myself. Lindsey climbed in bed with her computer and by 3 in the morning we were all wide awake and giggling like we had never giggled before. I am surprised no one complained ( not that we cared ). I think we got 2 hours of sleep. These two pictures are my favorite of the ones we took and pretty much sum up the night. We did wake up in time to get Lindsey off to check into her dorm. Kathy and I need to come up with names like Lucy and Ethel, Frick and Frack, Crazy Mothers or something, because this is just the start of our adventures. Our trip home is next. FUN FUN FUN 
September 29, 2008
I love this time of the year. The weather gets cooler and the birds start to twitter-pate. This was taken Sunday morning after I fed them. Don’t they just look so cute!!! Now if I could just figure out a way to keep those pesky pigeons away. Now its back to landscaping the yard for the winter. Butterflies are starting to come around and the hummingbirds are all over. Will try to get pictures of those. Time to get the Halloween decorations out and see what to keep and what to throw away. Maybe Martha will have some good ideas this year for me!!!
September 29, 2008
No these were not taken on a swamp tour. This guy was swimming around behind my fence Sunday morning. Time to call the chicken man. This is the gator man that comes out and catches the alligators by stringing a chicken leg to a poll and fishing them out of the water. Really fun to watch. I don’t mind them in the water this time of the year because there are no baby ducks. But come spring we don’t like to see them. This one looks to be about 6ft.
October 8, 2008
I love this time of year. The weather is getting cooler and Hurricane Season is almost over. I love to decorate my yard especially for Halloween. The only thing I hate about decorating my yard is the wasps. Unfortunately one particular wasp loved my thumb. Not good. Had a terrible reaction and my hand has been swollen for 3 days. On top of that once again I am out of the loop for ” Garden of the Month”!!!!! Just kidding. Really don’t care about that although they are having a competition for Christmas Decorations ( HMMMMMMM ) wheels are turning. Come on Martha, give me some good ideas!! Better start stocking up on Halloween candy because I ran out early last year and that didn’t go over well with the little ones. I can see it now, me handing out my crafty decorated candy bags and Jerry making hot dogs with chili and cheese and falling asleep before the first trick or treaters arrive. Good times, Good times.
October 8, 2008
There are so many quotes I could make for this picture but I will leave that up to you. Don’t know if I should be mad because of the pollution floating down my bayou or just keep laughing at this bird. Guess after awhile pollution and wildlife have a way of blending together. What a shame.
October 27, 2008
Kathy and I made a trip back to Savannah the weekend of Oct 15th to see Lindsey again and go to a craft fair at Tybee Island. It was great seeing the Lindsey girl again. She is so happy and as you can see she has lost a lot of weight due to walking a lot and going to the gym. She is doing terrific in school and her professors are loving the work she is doing. All along Tybee Island are these turtles that are dressed up. Right up her alley because she is like her mother and collects turtles. Kathy and I ate at The Lady and Son’s restaurant which is Paula Deen’s restaurant. I got my picture taken with her ( cardboard but close enough ) it was terrific. Great down home southern cooking. We had a great time. I love Paula Deen. We also took a drive to Hilton Head which was gorgeous. The little house used to be the light keepers home that they turned into a bakery. Got some great stuff there. On our trek home we stopped by Sea Side in Florida. Another great trip for the traveling sisters.
October 27, 2008
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Martha Stewart. So this was an exciting treat for me. She was here book signing her new Cooking School book at the grand opening of our new Macy’s. I was in line at 8:30 in the morning so that I could be sure to see her. She was so nice and looked just like she does on her show. There were close to 300 people waiting in line to see her. She stayed I’m told till all books were signed. Since I bought 2 books I had some time to talk to her which was awesome. I met a lady in line that took the picture for me but she had the camera backwards at first so she took a picture of her nose which Martha thought was really funny. She told her to turn the camera around and when I told her I didn’t even know that person she really laughed. The night before she did a benefit for NOCCA with Emeril Lagasse. Those tickets went for $500.00 a piece. As much as I tried hubby said NO WAY. The book signing was just as great. Her retail section in Macy’s is huge. Guess what I will be buying for Christmas!!!!
November 3, 2008
Since it was so nice and cool outside this Halloween we decided to make it a family affair. So we got the chairs out and Jerry, Jeff, mango and myself sat outside and handed out the candy. Well what Jerry and Jeff didn’t eat while waiting for the trick or treaters. We had quite a few kids come by. I ran out of candy last year so I made sure I didn’t run out this time. Jeff and Jerry put out the fog machine pumpkin which was really neat because it put this smoke around the front door and around the house. The kids got a big kick out of it. Behind the pumpkins we put a spooky sound machine. Was really cool. Mango loved all the attention and was so good when the kids came up. Some of the little ones came right past the candy and gave him a big hug which he just loved. One little girl said “yours is always my favorite house” They all still ask if Jeff will ever do the haunted house again. Jerry and I reply quickly NO. Hope everyone had a great Halloween and ready for the holidays to begin.
November 3, 2008
Lindsey and her friend James dressed up as Pocahontas and an Indian who’s land was taken away. Doesn’t forget her Chitimatcha heritage. She made her outfit!!! Pretty cool. They had fun driving around downtown Savannah watching the adults in costume get crazy. The picture is one of her projects she had to do for 2-D design class. It is black paper on white paper. All the black design is cut out with an exacto knife like a stencil. This took her a long time to do. I can’t believe she is turning 19 on Thursday!!! She and her roommate are going to Orlando by train to visit her roomies grandmother and go to Epcot for a day. Should be fun.
May 12, 2009
This past February Jerry and I made a special trip back to Maui to return my Aunt Judy’s ashes as she requested. I think in every family there is a special favorite Aunt that everyone loves and who touches so many lives. My Aunt Judy was that to me. She helped raise my sister and I when we were very young and living in El Paso Texas where my Dad was stationed. I have such fond memories of her throuh out my life and the crazy things we did as kids. She would always great me in my highchair in the morning with a ” Good Morning Breakfst” as Sylvester would say to Tweety. She loved Hawaii and especially Maui. Always trying to get me to go with her, Jerry and I decided 5 years ago to take her up on that offer and we have been going ever since. We fell in love a long with her with all the islands but found a special place in our hearts for Maui. We visited all the islands over the years and she had always said “when it’s my time to go, take me home to Maui” and that is exactly what we did. She died unexpectadly last June after complications from surgery. It has been a rough time for all of us. Jerry and I decided that we would take her this past February because we were all planning to go at that time for whale season. It was a beautiful trip and we spread her ashes everywhere she wanted to be. She use to have a condo there and we made sure she was put there. She loved Kapalua and the Lahainna area the best. We found a great spot in Kapalua where there are Sacred Buriel Grounds and felt that was the perfect place to have the final ceremony. It was beautiful and peaceful and a spot that we will come back to over again each time we go to Maui for vacation. Now I will be able to go to that spot and say “Aloha Judy, we are here” The Hawaiians have a saying “Me ke aloha pau ole a hui hou” With everlasting love and affection until we meet again. Mahalo Judy for being the special Aunt you were and giving me a piece of the Aloha spirit that you loved so much. 
May 11, 2009
Boy did we surprise him. We almost didn’t pull it off because he decided to schedule a surgery that afternoon. I thought I was going to kill him. But lucky for me everything went smooth and he really had no idea we were planning a birthday bash. Brian and Sally came with the kids and everyone from work came. He was so surprised when he walked in the door and heard us yell “SURPRISE” The only thing missing was Lindsey. She called from school to wish him Happy Birthday. He got lots of 50 gag gifts but his main gift is a trip to Maui in a couple of weeks to see the Humpback Whales and to take Judy to her favorite place. HAPPY 50TH YOU OLD FART
February 4, 2009
Every January since 2006 around 50 white pelicans have migrated to my back yard. They stay till around the end of February then leave. They are so neat to watch fly in all together. They swim up the bayou during the day then back behind my house around 5 in the evening. We are use to the brown and the grey pelicans here so these are a treat when they show up.
February 4, 2009
flying over Miami Beach (black lines are propellor)
flying towards the keys
looking down on Disney World Epcot
street in Key West
Ft. Lauderdale
Ft. Lauderdale
Key West
Southern Most Cafe
Disney World
house in the keys
end of Florida and everglades
February 4, 2009
landing at airport(strip of dirt)
Key West
Southern most tip of Florida
Miami Beach
This past week Jeff had to fly with one of his students across country so they decided to make a trip to Key West. Lucky dogs. They flew from New Orleans to Ft. Lauderdale with a stop in Tallahassee to fuel the first day. When I dropped Jeff off at the airport it was raining and windy. Yes my thoughts exactly!!! ARE YOU NUTS but he assured me that the heavens were going to open up and he would be able to fly out with no problems. Guess that is why he is the pilot and I am just merely his taxi service because l0w and behold he was right!! They headed to Tallahassee for fuel then on to Ft. Lauderdale where they stripped of their sweatshirts and jeans and put on their shorts and t-shirts. Then proceeded to email me pictures of the beach while I shiver at home. They woke up the next morning and flew down to the Keys. Warm, sunshine,beach Keys. They ate breakfast at Southern Most Cafe and got to take in some sights real quick and then off they went. They flew from the Key’s to Orlando just in time to land before they got the bad weather we had just the day before. Jeff told me he wouldn’t give me the details of landing but that it went really well. They stayed on the ground in Orlando for an hour or so to let the front pass and then they were off again to Pensacola to stay the night with Papa and Nana. Tired but there safely they stayed over night and then came back home around 4 in the afternoon just in time for RUSH HOUR yeah!!! He did take some great pictures and maybe those who have been down there before might recognize some of the spots. I have never been down there, but would love to go. Jeff will be qualified to do charter flights in two weeks so if I rob a bank now I might be able to afford for him to take me down there. One can dream.
January 7, 2009
Before Christmas Jerry and I took a trip to New York just to get away by ourselves. It was so nice. We went to see Young Frankenstein and South Pacific which were wonderful. We had front row center seats for South Pacific. This is Jerry’s favorite movie thanks to Aunt Judy and a trip to Kauai where it was filmed. While we were there we went shopping of course and it started to snow when we were walking along Central Park so we jumped on to a horse and buggy and rode around the park while it was snowing. Just like out of a movie. It was so much fun. The snow was gorgeous. Just light enough to make it real pretty and very New York for Christmas. The tree was very pretty and we got to see it the last night while it was still snowing. The city is so pretty at night with snow on the bushes and the christmas lights. I recommend this time of year for anyone. It wasn’t very crowded either. It was a very romantic weekend. We were back for Christmas and New Years which was very quiet around our house. Kids were home and we had a family holiday. New Years was spent taking down Christmas decorations and getting ready for Mardi Gras and Jerry’s and my trip to Hawaii. Lindsey went back to school on the third and all is quiet and back to normal here. Well that is until Feb. 2 JERRY TURNS 50
December 11, 2008
Not sure I am really happy about this because the last time it snowed here the next August was Katrina. Hope this isn’t a repeat!! Started about 7:30 this morning and lasted until around noon time. Kids had a good time out in it with Mango. Made snowballs and snowmen and Mango rolled and jumped all in it. Was very pretty while it lasted. Now it is just cold and windy. Glad we could stay home because it shut down a lot of roads. There is nothing wrong with your computer. I actually made it snow on my website. Cool huh
