The Good Times Continue

On Wednesday we set out bright and early for Frank Jackson State Park in Opp, Alabama.  This continues to be one of our favorite places to camp.  It is a park with everything important (a beautiful lake, full hook ups, and wifi).  It is also our favorite because it is located close to Joe and Judy.  Amelia was really looking forward to this trip because she was scheduled to have four days with her cousin, John.  You may remember John from a prior blog.  He is eight years old and Amelia loves him.  They play very well together probably due to his patience with his younger cousin.  We arrived and were setting up on our site when Joe and John drove up.  Of course, Amelia gave John a big hug which he politely endured.

After lunch at Joe and Judy's home, the kids spent the rest of the afternoon in the swimming pool.  Both love the water and it was nice to see them playing together while we sat in the shade ever watchful for their safety.  That night we went out to eat at a local restaurant.  (You can't rough it all the time, you know.)

The next day Judy and I took Amelia and John to Dothan.  We had a big day planned starting with lunch and fun at Chuck E. Cheese.  (You know they do have good pizza.)  This was followed with using all their tokens to play games.

John and Amelia have different "styles" when it comes to selecting what they want to do.  John studies the situation before he decides he wants to play. Amelia shoves the token in and worries about how to play after the game starts.

By the time they had used up their tokens, it was time to head out for the movie which was next on our agenda.  They cashed in their tokens for great prizes.  Amelia selected a little plastic bug and green fake teeth.  John (the big winner) got her a pink slinky with some of his winnings.  

Aren't these green teeth an appropriate prize for a sweet little girl?

I tried hard not to think about all the dirty hands that might have been involved in producing these things.

After stopping by the concession stand to purchase incredibly expensive popcorn and drinks, we settled in to watch the Disney movie, Epic.  I've linked to a review of the movie which is pretty much accurate; however, it did hold our attention.  In several places Amelia said she was scared and would climb into my lap, but afterwards she said she enjoyed the movie.

While we were away, Joe and Bubba kayaked on a portion of the Pea River.  Although the trip took only five hours, they encountered several rapids and this time Bubba had no option but to go over them along with his reckless younger brother.  Just look at that white water behind him!

This is a picture of Joe enjoying a delicious lunch of sardines... ugh!

We returned to our campsite on the lake where we were joined by Joe, Judy, and John for hamburgers.  Amelia helped a lot by carrying everything to the table and setting our places for our "picnic".

By this time we have had Amelia for six days and I can tell that she is beginning to miss her mom and dad a little.  That night after she was settled into her new Dora sleeping bag on her Dora sheets, she enjoyed a phone call with mom.

Amelia was listening to music on my i-pod while I was getting ready for bed.  By the time I finished, she was sound asleep without her story, her prayers, her "Jesus Love Me" or her hugs and kisses.  We had really had a busy day!  The next night she remembered that we hadn't had a story the night before, so we read two to make up for it.

Friday we went over to Joe and Judy's for a fish fry.  While I was trying to brush Amelia's hair, she was misbehaving and I asked her to stop twice.  The third time, I sent her to "time-out" on our bed in the back of the trailer.  She cried and carried on like I had beat her with a big stick.  (I always had my doubts about this "time-out" business before, but now I'm a believer.)  After several minutes of crying (me and her) she came out and told me she was sorry and we finished brushing her hair.  A popsicle made us both feel better.

Back at Joe and Judy's, the kids played games on the i-pad and the Wii. Finally Bubba had the fish fried and we sat down to a delicious meal of Fried Fish, Hushpuppies, Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Fried Onion Rings, Fresh Cucumbers and Tomatoes AND Judy had baked a lemon pie AND she had baked a seven layer chocolate cake.  

Amelia and John spent the afternoon in the swimming pool.  Both of them seem to prefer being under the water most of the time.  It was another great day.

Back at the camp site, Bubba took Amelia out in his kayak.  She loved looking at the lily pads and their blooms.

Amelia enjoyed paddling the kayak.  After Paw-Paw gave her some pointers, she was ready to do it on her own.

We were back at Joe and Judy's Saturday by lunch time.  This time Joe manned the grill.

As you can see, we had Grilled Chicken, Corn, and Zuchinni.  It was delicious! That afternoon (although we had already had chocolate cake for dessert), we had homemade ice cream.  John ate three bowls and announced he had a tummy ache.  Amelia ate two bowls.  She loved it.

Sunday morning while I was getting things inside the trailer ready to go, Amelia and Paw-Paw enjoyed some time together outside.

We thoroughly enjoyed these four days in Opp.  Joe and Judy are the most hospitable folks you would ever meet. Amelia enjoyed playing with John.  She says that he's her cousin and her friend.  It could not have been any better.

Back home on Sunday we got everything put up and resumed our normal life.  Amelia had her favorite meal -- pancakes, and this time she ate bacon with them.

On Monday I took Amelia out to where I work for a visit with my friend, Bridget, who was filling in for me.  I was so proud of her as she shook hands with my boss and the assistant warden.  She answered their questions and was very personable.  Afterwards she got to spend some time with her Aunt Ashley and cousins, Madison and Avery.

Tuesday we headed home with her.  Boy, were she and her mom glad to see each other.  I never saw so much hugging going on.  Amy had unpacked most of the boxes and had their new home looking great.  She had even taken time to bake a chocolate chip cookie cake and oatmeal cookies.  Then she insisted on paying for our dinner that night.  I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but not only is Amy a wonderful mother, she is a wonderful daughter as well.  We were so pleased to have Amelia with us for ten glorious days.  I can honestly say it was one of the best vacations I've ever had.  We're hoping that she and Amy will be able to spend a few days with us before school starts.

Good Times and a Plan for the Future

On June 14, we went out to Baton Rouge to pick up Amelia for a visit with Nana and Paw-Paw while Amy and Darryl moved into another house.  (Hey, didn't we do this last year also?)  We made the eight hour trip over on Friday and made the ten hour trip back on Saturday.  (The traffic was horrendous!)  Amelia is an excellent traveller.  She plays games on the i-pad and amuses herself with whatever toys she has in the backseat with her.  

On the way home we made a necessary stop at Wal Mart for some things Amelia "needed" for going to the beach the next day.  She selected sunglasses, a swim noodle, a swim board, a new beach towel, and last but not least, she spotted a Dora the Explorer sleeping bag that she desperately "needed" for our upcoming camping trip the next week.

Sunday was the perfect beach.  The water was clear and beautiful with gentle rolling waves -- not the kind that knock you down when you least expect it.  Amelia was sporting a new mermaid fin that she was eager to try out.  She LOVES mermaids.

We stayed several hours with most of the time spent in the water because Amelia, just like her mom did, loves the water.

Bubba worked on Monday so Amelia and I went shopping.  I was wondering how that was going to work out, but she was a very good little girl the whole time.  We went to Kohl's because I was looking for a new swim suit -- you know, the kind that makes you look slim and well toned.  Well, I didn't find one even worth trying on, but Amelia found something for me that she was very excited about.  It was a two piece top consisting of a tank top type thing underneath a flowing chiffon flowered top.  Amelia held it up against herself and urged me to buy it because, "Nana, it is just so beautiful!"  I resisted as long as I could, but finally agreed to try it.  Amelia was so excited.  She insisted that this was the perfect thing for me to wear when I'm 80 and we go to New York City together.  (By the way, I'm very flattered that she thinks that when she is 20, going to New York City with her 80 year old Nana would be fun.)

Here you have it!  When I got it on, Amelia said, "Nana, you look so beautiful!"  What would you have done?  I bought it because she loved it.  I think Bubba thought I was crazy because I do not need anything that looks like cruise ship attire.  By the way, I'm taking it back.  It is really not something I would wear, especially in the chiffon.  The important thing is that Amelia thinks she picked out something beautiful for me.









Tuesday we spent time around the house and in the neighborhood while we were loading the trailer for our camping trip to Opp.

Amelia and Paw-Paw sat in the swing with a carton of Blue Bell Chocolate Ice Cream and two spoons.  Isn't that the best way to eat ice cream?  They ate until they finished off the carton.

Then they went down the road to visit our neighbors, Jo and Fletcher.

These dear people have been our friends and neighbors since 1974.  They were like grandparents to Amy.  They attended her piano recitals and her graduation from Samford University.  They even helped us move her stuff to college and back in their van.  So, of course, they love Amelia too.

Amelia enjoyed fishing in the lake behind their house.  She caught two turtles and was just as happy as could be with her catch.

Amelia talked about Archie a lot. She was sweet talking about how she loved him and he loved her.  She is convinced that Archie is seeing Jesus right now. She asked, "Nana, where are Archie's bones?"  I couldn't figure out what she was referring to.  Was she asking to see his grave?  She finally said enough that we realized that she was asking about his "toy" bones that he chewed on and played with.  She determined that he had all that stuff with him in heaven.

We had two days at home before we left to go camping.  Amelia is growing up fast.  She entertains herself well.  We get lots of hugs and kisses.  What a joy she is!

By the way, she wanted to sleep in her new Dora sleeping bag here at the house.  I didn't want her to because I knew that she would be hot.  She insisted that she was cold and that the sleeping bag would keep her warm.  When she got up around 12:30 to get in bed with me, her hair was damp with sweat.  I told her that I knew she would be too hot and she said, "That's okay, Nana.  I like to be warm."  I know that she will enjoy it more in the camper because it does get cold in it at night.  

So many special moments in just two days time -- we are looking forward to our trip to Opp where we will stay for four nights.  There are more good times ahead for sure.

Stepping Out of His Comfort Zone

Friday, June 1, 2013, marks a special day in the life of my husband, Bubba.  He embarked on an adventure that was totally out of his comfort zone and totally spontaneous.  In fact, one of Bubba's favorite Bible verses is 

"A wise man thinks (plans) ahead; a fool doesn't, and even brags about it. Proverbs 13:16."  We pretty much only do the things we have planned carefully ahead of time so you can imagine my surprise when Bubba called me at work with the news that he was going to Texas.  His brother, Joe, needed to deliver a piece of farm equipment to a buyer near Dallas, Texas, and asked Bubba to make the trip with him.  After giving the idea very little thought, Bubba agreed and announced that he would be leaving the next morning at 2:30 to head for Opp to join Joe for the trip.

Joe and six other men have formed a company, Flex Rake LLC, to market a piece of equipment that was invented to make the baling of hay a more efficient process.  The equipment is beginning to catch on with this latest sale being to a farmer near Dallas.  

Joe and Bubba headed west by 6:00 on Friday morning.  The drive out took nearly seventeen hours.  The trip was not without its problems.

Somewhere along the way, they had a blow out and had to replace a tire on the trailer. They saw many new sights along the way.

On Saturday morning they made the delivery and Joe spent some time with the customer explaining the operation of the new FlexRake.

Just remember, if you know any hay farmers be sure to tell them about the FlexRake.  If Brother Joe gets rich selling these, he is sure to treat his relatives well.

Mayo on the Side, Please

As Memorial Day weekend drew closer, we began to worry about how much we would enjoy our stay at Seminole State Park if we could not get a spot on the water.  We made our reservation weeks ago, but unlike Florida where you can reserve a specific site, Georgia and Alabama are first come, first served.  The solution came when Joe and Judy announced that they were going too and that they would check in on Tuesday and out on Friday.  That way we could pull into the spot they were vacating.  They were pulling out because the campground was scheduled to be full for the weekend so they would not be able to stay on.  To make a long story short, Joe made friends with the right people and we were all able to camp on the lake for the weekend.  Go Joe!

Since our last outing, Judy has aquired her own kayak.  She and Joe spent a lot of time of the lake. 

It wasn't long before Bubba got in on the action.  He and Joe fished late in the evening and early every morning.  And they caught a few fish -- enough to keep it interesting.

One of the things I enjoy the most is sitting outside in the morning drinking my coffee.  It was cool enough that I had to cover up when I first went out.

We went out to eat Friday evening at a little restaurant that was part of a private campground near the state park.  Joe and Judy had discovered it earlier in the week.  Papa Doc's proved to be an excellent choice.  It was homey, but very clean looking and smelling.  Judy had fried catfish.  Joe had fried gator tail.  Bubba had fried shrimp.  I had a hamburger steak.  All of us were very satisfied with our meal.  By the way, I tasted the gator tail.  It tasted like chicken, but like the crawfish I sampled, I would never order any.

Saturday evening Joe took charge of the grill and prepared some delicious chicken.  We bought some corn earlier that day in Bainbridge and he added that to the grill to cook at the same time.

As you can see, we had a table full of good things.  Hamburger patties, smoked pulled pork, chicken, corn on the cob, pear salad, chicken, and grilled tortillas for bread.  It's not all about the food, but preparing a meal together and sitting outside to eat just makes you feel like life is good.

We had promised Joe and Judy that we would stay up until 9:00 with them Saturday night and enjoy some time around a blazing campfire.  We did it!  We are used to going to bed early because during the week we get up so early, but we did manage to make it until 9:00 as promised.

Joe and Judy packed up and left Sunday morning.  Bubba and I planned to stay until Monday.  That afternoon we sat outside under the awning and enjoyed some reading.  While we were reading, the lake was full of boats, jet skis, wave runners, pontoon boats......

It's funny.  Joe and Judy had seen an alligator out there the evening before we arrived.  I don't know what happened to him, but if he was lucky he did a hasty retreat when all this activity started.  

Judy and I did some walking and talking.  We have to catch up on what's been going on.  She graciously allowed me to bring her bicycle home with me so that I can "practice" riding it.  Riding a bicycle is supposed to be one of those things you never forget how to do.  I tried it briefly Sunday afternoon when we got home.  I caught my pants on the pedal and lost my shoe plus I was wobbling all over the place.  On my next try, I will have on jeans and tennis shoes.  I think it would be good exercise for my knees if I can do it.  I don't want to buy one until I'm sure.

Oh yes, the title of this blog.  After we had finished eating hamburgers Sunday evening, I was putting things away when I dropped the jar of mayonaise.

It went everywhere.  It was on the ceiling, on the blinds, on the sofa, on the cabinets, on the floor, and on my pants.  What a mess!!  We think we got it cleaned off of everything.  This was the worst part of the weekend.  You can bet that I will be sure a lid is on tight on the things I pick up in the future.  

We are looking forward to our next outing.  Amelia will be with us for that and we can hardly wait.