Dum de dum dum dee dum...

Happy toes!

Happy girls!

Today was one of my favorite days. First, because hubby got paid! We're a one income family 'til August...so this means I get to have food to feed my children for another two weeks. :) Second, because I got to spend time with the lady who has been my best friend since we were 4 years old. Third, she has little girls that I adore. Fourth, three of my favorite Gators went in the TOP TEN of the NBA draft. Woot Woot!! And last but not least, because we went to the beach. (Friend and I, not the Gators and I.) Because she has children who are younger than mine, she claims this makes her younger than me. I completely refute that argument. She is, however; three MONTHS younger than me. Anywho...

Because school administrators and school boards operate on a schedule all their own, I learned YESTERDAY that I was to attend a two-week conference-y thing nearby. Well, if I wish to be paid for the aforementioned conference-y thing I have paperwork to submit. Summer = all offices and schools are closed on Friday. Today = THURSDAY. Next Board meeting for my pay to be approved next Tuesday. So my beach trip was delayed by a trip to my school, back to my home and to the district office. GRRRRR.

Finally got there. Hungry girls and hot sun. It was good to see them play. The little one came up with a new friend and said, "we found a plasic bag and a nine-year old." LOL...out of the mouths of babes. The little girl they "found" was just visiting our area and was happy to have playmates. We saw dolphins frolicking. They found hermit crabs and jellyfish. I found my beach chair and "A Passage to India." Life is good.

Our trip ended on a cloudy note. "Med a lee" , as I am known to the girls, isn't a big fan of Florida's thunderstorms. When I saw it moving towards us, I hinted...not so subtly...that all good things must come to an end.

We headed back home. During a torrential rain. YAY! Greeted by the sound of a soon to be 16 year old boy practicing drumrolls out in the shed. All is well and life really is good. Happy summer. More to come later.

Wow...it's been a while!

Unimaginable...it's been a busy time. I just got home from "Newberry's Backyard BBQ." They have near 'bout the best BBQ chicken anywhere around. It was a good ending to a long - but productive day. Started the morning with my favorite date (for the past 24 or so years!) went to my favorite bakery where they serve perhaps the best French pastries anywhere, drank my favorite coffee (Starbucks--yes, I am a corporate puppet). We then went leisurely WANDERING to pick BLUEBERRIES! Hurrah for Brad's Organic Blueberries! He's a post all on his own. :)

It was about 95 degrees but beautiful. The trees had been pretty well picked over but we still managed to get 3 lbs. At 2.50/lb. that was a steal. Even at WM (corporate puppet again) they were 2.48/PINT and that was on sale! Same reason I finally bought a Meyer Lemon tree...I HATE paying so much for fruits, herbs, and other produce. I never had a garden growing up but my grandparents, and their grandparents, and their..well, you get the point...did. I'm trying hard to learn about gardening and native plants. I'm mostly trying to learn how not to kill stuff. My great Grandma Quillen had a green thumb not to be believed. The smell of rich, fertile soil immediately takes me back to her yard with its beautiful roses and white half runner beans growing side by side. She was a native of Tennessee so you can imagine how much she LOVED being able to grow year round here in Florida. One of my worst memories from her yard though was eating a pepper I was told NOT to touch. I have no idea what it was I just know it was small, yellow, and HOT as Hades. I don't think I even put the pepper itself in my mouth, I just rubbed my hand over my lips. Man, I still feel that pain!

So now I'm off to get the berries in the freezer. Then off to bed with visions of blueberry muffins, blueberry - lemon tea cake, blueberry crepes, and blueberry tarts dancing in my head. Sweet dreams! :)