1. My husband and I took a mini vacay last weekend to Nashville. I am eternally grateful to my person, Terri, who always opens her home to me (and this time, to my husband as well) whenever I want to visit.
2. On our way to Nashville, we had a lovely picnic in a little park I found that overlooks the Mississippi and Ohio River confluence. The weather was delightful and there were no ants. Or bears.
 |
| The Mighty Mississippi behind us, with a barge obligingly heading down river for atmosphere. |
3. We are not used to driving in city traffic where we live, and I'm okay that I can drive all the way across town in less than 20 minutes even if I hit red lights all the way, but there's also not much to do in a small town, and we had SO MUCH FUN while in Nashville attending a free big band dance at Centennial Park. The music was great, we danced a little and we people-watched a lot. We also ate yummy sammiches that we picked up at Publix. I sure do enjoy going to a big city grocery store!
 |
| Hawaiian shaved ice. Like eating a flavored snowball and sooooo yummy! |
 |
| My poor husband had to put up with us all weekend. |
4. I was really touched when my old friend Larry made a point of joining us for Sunday brunch because he wanted a chance to see me while I was in town. He's a good guy.
5. We ate at pretty much all my favorite restaurants. Party Fowl. San Antonio Taco. Five Points Pizza. Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream. My belly was so happy!
 |
| When the chef thinks you're 10 because you don't want your hot chicken to touch your cream cheese and apple stuffed french toast.... |
6. We stopped by the Tennessee Titans training camp for about an hour. We would have stayed longer, but it was (1) really hot and (2) not the Chiefs training camp. Really cool to watch the players go through the paces, hoping to make a spot on the team.
 |
| Marcus Mariota working with the running backs. |
7. I have mentioned before that I am working on my curls by following the Curly Girl Method (yes, it's a real thing). I am obsessed with products and techniques, and I got confirmation that it is, indeed, working when the 20-something checker at Walmart asked me if my curls were natural, then said they looked really good. Score!
8. I stepped on a fish hook in the kitchen at the lake house. This is a thankful because (a) it didn't embed into my foot like it could have and (b) it was my foot and not a kitty paw.
9. We may not have big band dances where I live, but we DO have Marian Days, an annual pilgrimage for Vietnamese Catholics in a neighboring town that brings in about 100,000 people to the town of 10,000 or so. They have giant food tents where you can get Vietnamese food, most of which I am too picky to eat, but I do love pho. I met my husband there for an early dinner, stopping at the bank first for some cash, which I tucked in my back pocket. We walked onto the festival grounds at Congregation of the Mother Co-Redemptrix and headed straight to our favorite food tent, ordered bowls of pho and spring rolls. When the server brought our food, I reached into my back pocket for my money and...nothing. Empty pocket. I frantically check all my pockets, but no money, so my husband pulled cash out of his hidey hole in his wallet and paid for the meal while I fretted about how I could have lost $43. About halfway through our meal, I suddenly picked up my bowl of pho, and there was my money. I have a vague recollection of pulling it out of my pocket in anticipation of paying the server when she brought our food, then apparently sat my bowl right on the cash without even noticing it. Oopsie!
 |
| My beautiful bowl of pho didn't taste quite as good as usual when I lost my $43 cash from my pocket.... |
 |
| Well, I'll be! Hiding under my bowl the whole time! |
10. Anyone remember the old cabinet I bought an auction and have been wrestling with refinishing? After a few weeks off for hot weather, I am at the painting stage. By this time next week, I hope to have a finished project!
There are decisions to be made. Prayers to be said. But I'm thankful. Always thankful.
I know that feeling of things “weighing” on a person. Glad you knew what to do. . .link up to TToT!
ReplyDeleteGlad you and your husband were able to get away for a mini-vacay. Oh I would have been just like that, hardly able to enjoy the food for wondering whatever could have happened to the money. Glad you didn’t really lose it.
I hope the job concerns are quickly resolved and you are able to enjoy the week.
We had a great time on our trip! The only downside was I didn't get to spend much time alone with my friend, but I'm planning to return this fall for that fix! SO glad I found the money! That would have been one expensive bowl of soup otherwise! And thanks. I'm not sure what to hope for except to hope everything is for the best for me.
DeleteWhat a fun trip! And finding money you thought you had lost is such a huge relief, i'm glad it was there.
ReplyDeleteMan, I was glad to see that money under my bowl!
DeleteFun times! I'll pray for your decisions
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa. I appreciate that!
DeleteSounds like a fun road trip. I visited Nashville once, but it was a drive through to the airport/checkoff on a list of cool cities to claim to have been to...
ReplyDeleteVisiting cities that are more dense than home is very helpful to remember how better less traffic is than more.
Nice dodge on the fishhook.
I loved living there more than anywhere I've ever lived, and I even lived on the beach for awhile! Having my bestie there helps, too. It would be nice if it were any easy drive away. Five hours would be good. I could do five hours way more often than the 8-9 hours it actually is. Then I could enjoy my small town traffic and then go get some culture in da big city!
DeleteSomeone at my house would have been in BIG TROUBLE if that fish hook had really hooked someone, either human or feline. Unless it was the person who dropped it....
Weekends away are fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found your money. I bet the soup tasted much better after the discovery.
Ouch on the fish hook--way to take one for the team!
I remember the cabinet. Can't wait to see the finished project!
Oh, the soup tasted SO much better when I realized it hadn't cost me $51!
DeleteIt's a good thing I go barefoot a lot and have tough feet!
The cabinet still smells like they kept chickens inside it, but I'm hoping with enough fresh paint I can combat it!
Love this! Man, Jak and I really need to roadtrip down for Marian Days one of these years... and binge on pho and bubble tea with you!
ReplyDeleteI have been dabbling in CG method myself but not too seriously. I figured, I have always had a very low maintenance hair plan (never use a hair dryer or curler, always have air dried it and already washed my hair every other day.) I started noticing the Herbal Essence shampoo I was using was DRYING my hair out soo bad and I was having more frizz than curls, so I decided to look into this. Right now, I am using a Love Beauty and Planet shampoo 1-2 times a week and then washing with a Tresemme Botanique Nourish & Replenish Conditioner the other times. What products are you using? What have you found most successful?
I'm always changing up my products with CGM. I use Deva Curl no poo and one condition. My scalp feels awesome with the no poo! I squeeze out all the water I can and add curl activator. I have been using Curls Blueberry Bliss but just switched to AG Recoil and think I may like that better. I follow it with Ecoslay Orange Marmalade, then I put on a little gel. Sometimes I use LA Looks blue, sometimes I use Aussie Instant Freeze. I use a t-shirt to blot the excess water, then use a Denman brush, brushing small sections at a time and scrunching with the t-shirt as I go. Then I diffuse and root clip when my hair is about 90% dry. Starting to get faster at the routine! Have you joined a CGM group on facebook yet? Curly Girl (Method) Support Group International is a page I belong to. There's a lot of good advice there. Some of the members are real sticklers and there are a lot of rules that go along with belonging and posting but you can glean good information as well.
Delete