Soon, I will be off...

Heading to New Orleans!! I am so excited! I LOVE New Orleans! I know, most people think its dirty and don't really like it. Well, most big cities are dirty, so that's not a big deal to me. I used to think the same way, though- I didn't really care for the Big Easy. In fact, it wasn't until a couple summers ago when my dear friend, and avid blog reader, Penny, moved down there that I really began to like the City! We have had lots of fun times down there and I only wish I could go more often!

This weekend is the Ole Miss-Tulane game at the SuperDome. Its been forever since I've been to the SuperDome (last time my dad and Nick went, Dad caught the football after an extra point-- he was on the video screen. He and Nick are ALWAYS on the tv-- football, baseball, basketball. They are totally celebrities) and Penny scored us some free tickets (Thanks Penny!!). Parker and I will be heading out soon. In fact, her pink polka dot bed is sitting by the door in the dining room ready to be put in the car. And she's laying in the bed! So sweet!!

I'm looking forward to seeing Katherine, David, Gregg, Christy and hopefully lots of others as well! My dad and Nicholas and some of his friends are going as will be Mr. Phil!

Here are some of my favorite things in NOLA:

BEE SWEET CUPCAKES




These are literally the best cupcakes I've ever eaten. If you know me (and I'm sure there aren't any people reading this blog who don't know me), you know that I really like my breads, my potatoes, my carbs. I'll cut someone for a good piece of garlic bread. But, sweets, believe it or not, I could mostly do without. Oh, I'll eat them, and there are occasions where I crave sweets, but I'd be okay without them. But I ADORE these cupcakes. They are so yummy! I cannot believe how good they are. Penny told me about this place and we went and I fell in love. I go everytime I am in town! Penny is even wonderful enough to occasionally surprise me with some when she comes this way! I like the plain chocolate or vanilla variations, but there are all sorts of fun kinds-- the Roger Rabbit, a carrot cake cupcakes, I Love Lucy, made of red velvet,etc. Lots of fun! I plan to go there tomorrow to get some and I promised Nick I would get him and his friend one as well! I cannot recommend these highly enough (although when I was nice enough to buy a bunch for my family, they were idiots and waited forever to eat them and the cupcakes were stale. I won't make that mistake again!)

St. Paddy's Day Parade

I don't love Mardi Gras- its too busy, too crowded, too much trouble. But, last year, my friends Courtney and Penny and I happened upon the St. Paddy's Day Parade on Magazine Street (while eating at Juan's Flying Burrito, which is excellent!). I am unable to find any pictures since I am in a hurry-- but its like a mini, more family-friendly Mardi Gras! It was so fun and they throw the traditional beads and footballs and bracelets and stuff, but they also throw cabbage, carrots, crackers, garlic, onions and all sorts of other actual food items! And yes, that's a bit dangerous. I actually had bruises on my arms and was luckily able to grab a large cabbage coming right at someone's head! That day we met several local people who don't go to Mardi Gras, but made a point to come to these parades to literally "grocery shop"! They had bags ready and everything. We found out later that these items are ingredients in a traditional Irish stew that's made on St. Paddy's Day! I cannot wait to go back next year!!

Ignatius



This is a fabulous restaurant that Penny and I randomly walked into. Unfortunately, I've totally forgotten what I ate, but I do remember thinking it was the best thing I've ever eaten! I often feel torn in New Orleans-- should I eat somewhere I know is great that I've already been or should I try something else? There are so many good places to eat but what if they aren't as good as somewhere I've eaten before? This same reasoning is why I almost ALWAYS get the same thing at a restaurant-- I know I like it, and I'm afraid if I try something new, I won't like it as much or at all.

Okay, there are so many more wonderful places I love in New Orleans, but that's another blog post for another time. Right now, I've got to hit the road!

Big Announcements are overrated....

I got this off Facebook-- the FB link said it is a speech given by Bill Gates, however, it also said it might have been given by someone else. Who cares who says it, its totally true! Love love love this!!!

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.


Additionally, some people (ahem, Mom, Ju, Penny) have implied that my "Big Announcement" with Katherine was, sort of lame. In fact, some people didn't even realize that the "announcement" was the Book List. So, if you didn't get that, now you do. And also you should be embarrassed of yourself in this day of celebrity and outrageous stunts-- the media has conditioned you to to think everything is a spectacle. And when Katherine and I are trying to better ourselves, immerse ourselves in the classic books that made this Country great, you are all upset because we didn't announce we were quitting our jobs and joining the circus or adopting a Malawian baby together. Shame you you! Ha ha! Just kidding! Sorry if our "announcement" let you down. I mean, did you really expect something that interesting??!! Its my blog-- your expectations are too high.

In other Book List news, I've started Love in the Time of Cholera. Its, um, interesting. I'm on page 7.

Laboring on Labor Day...

Today I've been finishing up my porch project. I've actually been working on the porch for more than a week now-- I started last Friday, and painted one coat of paint, and then, it rained the rest of the weekend. I waited and waited to put on the second coat and then yesterday I put on two coats of the sealant stuff, which didn't take long at all. I'm a bit disheartened because the light blue paint shows a lot of footprints-- my flipflop prints show up especially bad, and while you can wipe the prints off, I'm not planning to sweep/mop everytime I walk outside. I knew it wouldn't always look pretty and new, but I did hope it would look good, you know, at least until I finished and put all the furniture back on the porch.

I also did some "gardening". I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I'm not much for gardening. I did plant a few flowers in the flowerbed last year as a surprise for my mom-- on my hand and knees, planting. It was NO FUN. I mean, why the heck do people think gardening is a fun hobby? I have no idea. But, I did plant some ivy into a pot-- it was my type of "gardening"-- sitting in a chair outside, with the plant in front of me. But my hands did get super dirty:



Aren't you all impressed? Now I'll have dirty fingernails and probably some blisters on my hands and people will know I'm not a lady who lunches but that I work hard for a living!!! Just like Scarlett.

I'll post pictures of my new porch, ivy included, when I am totally finished. I'm waiting on a couple things to dry off before I put them back out. But see how dirty I got? I'm even wet from using the hose to clean off some furniture:



I also painted a cute little table with red spray paint-- it looks cute, but I got into some ants on my right leg. I didn't take any pictures because I was too busy hopping around the yard trying to stop itching. I'm sure it was hilarious to everyone else.

Between all my hard work today, I've had a bit of a chance to read The Blind Assassin.



But Jessica, what about your book list? Love in the Time of Cholera?, you are probably wondering. Relax, dear readers, I'm still doing that. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, was another book I bought several years ago with high hopes of reading. And after seeing in on all sorts of book lists while researching my book list, I decided to put it on there. Then I picked it up last week, while our list was still pending, deciding to get a jump on it, and realized, its a REALLY strange book. And being the good friend I am, I decided to remove it from the list so that Katie wouldn't have to be subjected to this weird sci-fi story within a story within a story within a memoir thing that the book has going on. Its gotten better but its still really strange. I'll start Love as soon as I finish this one.

To end my Labor Day post, here are some pictures my mom took in the Grove Saturday!!

Betsy and Peter-- isn't my sister so pretty?



Nicholas and his friend, Kellie-- I LOVE Kellie. Can I trade her for Nicholas?



Parker in her cheerleader outfit!! Beautiful!!



In her Ole Miss bed. This bed usually stays with Dad in Newton but we brought it so she'd have a place to rest. She preferred the ground most of the day.



She's a tired girl-- its a hard job being so cute all the time, you know.



Me and Parker!!



Parker and her new friend Sophie who is also a cheerleader. Although I am way to Southern to be mean about it, I do believe the red looks better on Parker than the navy looks on Sophie. However, Sophie's mom did tell us that they also have a PINK cheerleader outfit and Parker seemed really excited about that. Perhaps Santa will bring her that!

I' ve had...

A wonderful weekend so far! Ole Miss lost, but who cares (I mean besides the approximately 25 State fans who were very concerned with it yesterday on FB-- I mean they are more worried about our game than their own. I'm glad my life isn't so sad that I spend all my time worrying and being jealous of someone else!)-- honestly, the game hardly registered on my radar yesterday. I was way too busy enjoying the sights and sounds of the Grove-- it was good to be back. And it was even better to see everyone-- I didn't have time to mull over the game because I was enjoying seeing my sister, my family, my friends from all over the place. It was like a big reunion. I love it! I don't care what team you root for, or where you might tailgate, there is NOTHING even close to tailgating at the Grove. Its like comparing Grace Kelly to Kim Kardashian. Its spectacular. I'm super blessed to get to be a Rebel fan! The weather was absurdly gorgeous-- I'm not sure I can think of a prettier football day, ever! I really enjoyed getting to see all my friends-- I saw Karen and Jeremy, Karin and Paul, and their cute kiddos, Conner and Patrick at the game (I left after halftime, thinking it was going to be a blowout! Serves me right!) and got to see Betsy and Peter for a while at the game. I also got to spend lots of time with my other friends-- Katherine, Courtney, David, Lauren, Gregg, Nathan, Christy, and some other new friends! Unexpectedly, I also got to see some other old friends, which was wonderful. Most importantly, Parker and her Ole Miss Cheerleader outfit were a hit! I don't really have any pictures because I failed to take my camera anywhere but there is always next game!!!

This morning, Parker and I went outside for a long walk and we eventually just sat on the little stairs across from the Park, which is across from my house. She likes to sit there and watch the traffic at the red light-- she likes the soft noise of the cars going by and likes to smell the air. She could sit there all day if I'd let her. This morning we sat there for a long time and I spent some time in prayer and enjoyed the beautiful weather we've had this whole weekend.

Now, for an exciting announcement:

Katherine, at my sister blog, and I have decided that we need a challenge-- in an effort to get our lives together and continue becoming the people we want to be, we've decided to make a list of 100 books that we are going to read over the forseeable future. I LOVE to read, but I go through many periods where I don't read at all and I'm also prone to getting so caught up in a book that I cannot put it down-- I will ignore housework, actual work and anything else to read it (See previous post on The Hunger Games). But there are shockingly a TON of really great, important, influential books that I've never read! In fact, when I was in college, my friend Rebekah game me a list of 100 Books to Read Before College. I still have that list and occasionally come across it-- its still a goal to read all of them, though I am WAY past college! Its actually quite sad at how few of those books I'd read before college and how few I've read since then. I graduated from a small high school and we didn't do a whole lot of literature, but I was still shocked at how few I'd read, and even worse, some of those books I'd never even heard heard of the title at the time! Even sadder, I knew that I had read a LOT growing up (my parents punished me by taking away books!) so I knew if I hadn't read those books, then chances are that my classmates at NCA hadn't either.

Anyway, our list of 100 books doesn't have a rhyme or reason. I think we both researched a lot of book lists-- 1001 Books to Read, 100 Most Influential Books, 100 Travel Books, 100 Books I'm Ashamed to Admit I Hated, etc. But we decided to just come up with a list of our own instead of using someone else's list. Actually, this whole thing is Katherine's idea and she came up with the first 50 books on our list, and then she mentioned it to me, and I'm always up for a good idea, so I joined in. She graciously let me pick the second 50 books to make 100, and let me tell you-- it wasn't easy. She had picked a lot of good ones so some of my original list was redundant. But then it became harder and harder to find books I wanted to read. Most of Katherine's books are the good, classic books that everyone should read. Some of which one or both of us has already read. She is very classy and well-mannered and smart and her list reflects that. Mine reflects me-- a totally random mix, some old, some new, some recent classics, some books that were made into really good movies. I'm a bit all over the place and so is my list. But, just like in real life, together, Katherine and I complement each other nicely.

I'll post the list some other time, and I'd like to hear from all my readers what their opinions are. To be honest, some of these books (both mine and Katherine's picks) are going to be hard to get into. She is going to pick a book of my list and then I pick a book of her list. We will both blog about them when we finish! Isn't this exciting! I'd love for all my blog fans to join us! Her first pick (one of my books) is Love in the Time of Cholera. I'm not exactly sure how to pronounce Cholera, but since this is a blog and not stand-up comedy, I should be fine. Patrick, from our tent yesterday, talked to me a bit about it. He said its a favorite of his, that its "Very grounded". I don't think I'm nearly intellectual enough to talk about this book with him. I'm low-brow.

Okay, off to clean up the house, unpack the Grove supplies and watch NCIS. We start reading tomorrow!!!

Calling all TV watchers...

We got picked to be a Nielsen family for a week! Last week we got a card in the mail warning us of a big white envelope we should be on the lookout for-- and it arrived yesterday. I'm excited-- we did this many summers ago, when I was in Newton, right after college, down with knee surgery so I was watching lots of tv. And I included shows I didn't actually watch but knew they were in danger of being canceled so I put them on there as well. I'm sure the Nielsen people were intrigued by our mix of ESPN, westerns, Star Trek and Law and Order. Just as I'm sure this year they will be similarly confused.

Above is a picture of what we received. Its very unassuming but take note of the two crisp dollar bills we got for our trouble. Mom and I plan to blow that money on a steak dinner! Those Nielsen people know how to tip!

Sometimes you want to go...

Where everybody knows your name. I'm a big fan of Cheers. Never really got into Frasier, but loved Cheers. I love the idea of a ragtag bunch of random losers spending all their time together and becoming a family. Its sorta like my life.

I don't have a place of my own in Laurel, but my place in Newton is, as you might have guessed, Cooks BBQ. Its actually a pretty good BBQ place and its made even better by the lack of other good places to eat in Newton. Its right beside the Piggly Wiggly (my former employer) so its easy to find!! My dad, Dave, goes there ALL THE TIME. I mean all the time. Recently, he's been a bit under the weather, so he's not been able to go and I swear their sales have gone down 35%. Its his favorite place. He goes to Hardees in the morning with all the old-timers and then hits up Cooks either for lunch or, on Lions Club or Rotary Club days, for a mid-afternoon DC. Obviously I go there a lot as well, mostly with him (he pays!) and occasionally with friends or Carol from the office. They have really yummy BBQ, great homeade chicken nuggets, fabulous banana pudding, and even boiled shrimp on the weekends. I am lobbying the owner to get a sausage and cheese plate, hopefully named after me.

Its kinda sad how often we go there-- there are a couple other people who go out there a lot-- Curtis Blackburn and the "ladies" from the horse farm (where Patrick Swayze used to frequent). But dad beats them all! We know all the people and they are always super good to us-- free banana pudding or something. They are super great people and I am glad their business is doing well. When both Mamaw and Pop died, they not only sent food to us, but they even sent flowers! Cooks is decorated with all sorts of sports stuff and we have been known to head out there for lunch on a Saturday so we can watch a game on one of the tvs (although, Newton is about to get a SPORTS BAR!! Isn't that funny! So, now we can enjoy a cold DC while watching the game at the sports bar. It was supposed to be open last football season, but we've been assured it will open before Thanksgiving!)

Here are some pictures of Cooks for those of you unlucky enough not to live within driving distance. And if you ever do some through town, go to Cooks! Tell them I sent you! Or not!

This is our booth. Its the Ole Miss booth. Heaven forbid we have to sit in the State booth, or worse, the Bama booth. Ronnie, the owner, is a big Bama fan, so we have to put up with lots of Bama bragging from all the employees. He's got them all drinking the Bama koolaid. We just ignore them and thank God we know better. One time, we ate there on a Saturday, and a couple hours later, after we were home, Dad went outside to take Parker out, and he found a Bama vanity plate on the front of his car! Apparently, while we were eating their yummy food, they were pulling a prank! Dad retaliated a few weeks later by calling one of the younger girls who works there and pretended to be the health department!




Our booth is usually open and if its not, Dad "threatens" to kick the people out, but I've not actually seen him do that yet. If its taken (by out-of-towners who don't know who were are, I am sure), we sit in the NCA Generals booth. There is even a picture of Dad, my Pop and Houston Nutt-- taken the April before Pop died-- my uncle arranged a tour of the field house, IPF, and stadium complete with a meeting with Coach Nutt for my Pop. He hadn't been up there in a long time and he had a great time seeing how much things had changed!



Also, a very recent addition (this evening) is the signed football from Coach Nutt to Pop. We "donated" it.





These are some of the other booths:





So if you come to Newton, I will take you out to Cooks. I'm trying to convince Dad to open a charge account there so maybe I can pay for your food as well!!!

Ready for the Grove...

I am so ready for the Grove this year! Some years I am not quite as excited about football season-- oh, I'm ALWAYS excited about football season, but in previous years, specifically the season or two after I graduated law school, it was harder to go to Oxford. Its such a great place and I have so many wonderful memories, both from college and law school, that it was, frankly, a harsh reminder, at that time, of where my life had been and where it was then. It made me take a hard look at my life, my happiness, and my decisions and I didn't always like what I saw. Now, this year might not be much different-- I'm still not where I thought I'd be, or where, in a perfect world, I would like to be, but I'm thankful for the many, many blessings I have, and the place God has put me. It enables me to enjoy Oxford for the times I've spent there and to make new memories to add to my life. I'm sure, in time, I'll be thinking of how nice and simple my life was, back in 2010, when I could go to the Grove and visit my friends and see my family, before everyone started having kids and stopped going to games, and we quit tailgating, etc. So, someday, these days will be my memories and I will wish I was back here, sitting with Katherine, David, Courtney, Greg and Robie, enjoying the Grove.

Bittersweet memories aside, I am super excited about Saturday! I don't give a rip about Ole Miss's Masoli (truth be told, I think we should be above semi-shady matters such as this, and I would like to think we are ALWAYS about Mississippi State-- I've laughed for years at some of the players they've had arrested-- something like 9 former players are serving federal time even as we speak. I prefer to think of Ole Miss as above that-- when you are given much, much is expected, so I would have rather this entire stink be erased and, in the future, try to have players who are respectable and wonderful both on and off the field.) but I'm ready for some football.

Things I am looking forward to--

1. The debut of my new ice cooler-- isn't it wonderful? I am so excited about it-- I've been planning it for months now, but it took a really long time to find a suitable large cooler and then get it painted. (Alert readers will notice the light blue floor-- my new porch paint color. More pictures of the newly remodeled porch coming up... as soon as I finish. Its rained a lot lately!!)






2. Finger foods-- appetizers/finger foods/party foods are my favorite foods in the world. I love any type of dip (even with sour cream!) and sausage balls, little sandwiches, mini-versions of anything, and pigs in a blanket. I don't know if its the fact that I practically grew up eating Grove food, or if one of the reason I love the Grove is because of the finger foods. Regardless, the menu for this week consists of pigs in a blanket, sausage balls, Captain Rodney's dip, veggie dip, Chinese slaw and some other stuff.

3. Seeing everyone back in the Grove-- not only will I see my friends from law school, and probably some of my friends from college, but you see all sorts of people in the Grove-- people from Newton, people from Laurel, acquaintances from college and law school, old friends, Grove neighbors, etc. Its so much fun! Everyone is in good spirits (probably most because of the spirits!) and its colorful and fun and exciting!

4. Parker will be there! She has an adorable Ole Miss cheerleader outfit that I bought for her. It cost more than most of my clothes, but it looks so cute! I think she's really excited.

5. Getting chills from hearing the band play and the student section start screaming the "Hotty Toddy"! In previous years, I've had to beg, borrow or steal a ticket as I didn't have season tickets. While my sweet dad would always buy me a ticket if I wanted one, I always felt bad to make him pay a lot of money to get me a ticket on gameday. But this year, I've got a season ticket of my own!!!

Hotty Toddy!!