Girl's Weekend

I had The best girl's weekend this past weekend! After getting lost, Jody & I arrived just in the nick of time to go with Iris to pick my BFF Genie up at the Huntsville airport. Iris was going to have Genie's senior picture from our annual blown up and the word "Wanted" put on it to hold up, but Iris' daughter Meredith talked her out of this. It was a good thing because my BFF Genie doesn't like to draw attention to herself. Genie was calling me as we were on the elevator at the airport to get her. Somehow Genie had managed to hurt her foot the day before. I noticed she was walking funny. I found it interesting that I know her that well, but after over 50 years of friendship, I suppose I should know her very well. We drove back to Iris's to await the arrival of our other friend Connie who also got lost.
Unlucky for me, I was having a bout with the runs. Iris bought us all these special glasses with our names on them. They had a very unique blue curly stem. She had a bottle of champagne and we had a toast to friendship. One glass only even for the non-drinkers. Of course I took pictures of my glass and bubbly inside it! We had lasagne, salad with homemade garlic rolls Iris made for us. We sat around the table talking and laughing. Then Iris pulled out her annual. She had where we had signed it marked. I honestly don't remember what I wrote in her's, but it all came back to me as she read it. Ever the writer, it was almost a full page long! It began with "How 'bout ya?" which was something Iris always said back then. This brought back so many memories I'd forgotten. I could tell Genie was getting tired. She was the first one to call it a night after teaching half a day, catching a plane and probably suffering from jet lag.

I used an old beige shoulder bag for this trip instead of the purse Kristina gave me with my art on it. I happened to have some Pepto in it, but I don't know how old they were because they tasted really OLD. I worried they would make me sicker. I think I had to get up twice during the night, but slept fairly well considering I was in a strange bed without my own pillow and I did wake up shaking once thinking I had a stomach flu. Genie & I shared the same room which had a window, but was it was covered up from the inside so there were no windows in the room. We cracked the door and sunlight came in from there. Having visited before, I knew what should have a closet was attic storage. I mentioned it would make a great room for a vampire. A vampire's lair. Keep this in mind for later...

Luckily I did feel better in the morning. Iris had made breakfast crepes consisting of sausage, eggs and cheese. Yum. I'd always wanted to have crepes before but never had them until now. They were delicious. Iris had prepared alot beforehand. I am not that organized. Martha Stewart has nothing on her and I told her this!

We went to a festival much like the Cotton Pickin' Fair in Gay, Ga only not as large. It was interesting to see new and different things such as LARGE paper mache pumpkins in orange and BLACK with their faces carved out and painted inside. I'm still trying to figure out how they were painted on the inside. The lady wanted $135 for them. No one seemed to be buying. I tried taking a pic from the other side, but didn't get a good one due to all the people passing by. There seems to be a fair amount of artists in Madison, Alabama. There was a gallery I went inside. I saw a studio which let in a lot of sunlight. Small but cute. Very well organized where mine is not; its all over the house! Don will tell you this. There were some abstracts so I got some ideas. Not to be bragging, but I think we have better artists at home. One artist drew very good pencils portraits, but then the mouth or some other part would be sliding off. Even I thought that was weird! I guess the artist was trying to be like Salvador Dahli. LOL I did buy a zebra watch band for $4. I got business cards and info sheets to check out later. I could probably submit my art for this festival, but it would be a long, long way to have to go for an art show. I have gotten spoiled by doing in town market days less than six miles from home.

We came back to Iris's for lunch which was to be chicken salad, my favorite. Iris is a lot like Genie is - a very fancy cook whereas I am not so much. I thought she had celery in it, but discovered she was putting green grape halves in it, toasted almonds and some sort of yellowish sauce she wouldn't tell me. She was making a corn salad which I'd never tasted before. I worried the barbecue corn chips wouldn't agree with my tummy. And she made cornbread. I was thinking it was a very different combination. As I was dipped out a helping of the chicken salad, I saw it had rice in it as well big chunks of chicken. The corn salad was very good, but I would leave the onions out of it. The cornbread really brought out the flavor. Because of my upset tummy, I ate lesser portions which is probably a good thing. LOL

Then we went to the Rocket Center in Huntsville. I was really missing my hubby and son so they could share this. Believe it or not I did not take as many pictures because I do want to come back there with them. Iris got a discount for the center and paid our way inside. There was a circle frame that reminded me of the movie "Stargate" and my wild imagination was creating scenarios of astronauts traveling through time! LOL Genie took lots of pics for her class as well as bought a book. I bought Rhett a few small things. He really liked this cool pencil that is lavender, shaped like a rocket at the top and changes color when you touch it! He knew it did this before I did!

Then we went back to Iris's to change for dinner. We went to a steak and seafood place called Connor's in Westbridge Street mall. There was a small body of water and this mall structure is built over it. It used to have several gondolas, but only has one now. So it has a very Italian feel to it. Walking through it makes you feel like you are in another country or at least I did. I was missing walking with Don and holding his hand, wishing he and Rhett could be there to share it with me. At Connor's I got lobster bisque soup then a 10 oz ribeye steak which I couldn't eat all of it. I think it was the best I have ever had. After we ate, we walked around and looked in shops I had never entered before such as Anthropology, but had heard about. So colorful. Got lots of ideas here with pieces of materials to use as wall hangings, a paper mache wild animal heads. Took neat pics of gigantic white stone horses outside another eatery, a huge fortune cookie in an art gallery. That was obviously meant for me. A cold front had moved in and we were getting blown away. Since there was only one gondola and it was lite up, I didn't think my camera would do it justice. It just looked like a half moon sliver.

Iris' daughter worked at a store called Papaya. Rhett called me while we were inside, but I had trouble hearing him with all the music. I was loving the prices of the clothes. I couldn't find the sweater I really liked in my size, but Genie got a black pea coat for $23! Wish I had gotten me one too.

Back home at Iris', I called Rhett and talked to Don. Afterwards we all sat in the living room talking and laughing. Iris and I went to bed about midnight. The next morning I awoke to another story idea about vampires and Iris's house. I shared it with Meredith, Iris' daughter then everyone. We all could collaborate on it. I already had the dedication to all my friends there and this weekend. Of course they all laughed at me.

That last morning we went to a country club called the Ledges up on a mountain, passing the biggest Church of Christ I have ever seen. The leaves were beginning to turn on the trees on the way up. The mansions built here were out of my world. Huge, huge houses with very little land. The clubhouse we were going to looked like a castle. The inside made you feel as if you just stepped back into an earlier century. It was very dark. I didn't like the dark colors so much. I had eggs benedict for the 1st and last time. I don't like my eggs runny so I ate the outer part. I wasn't impressed with it. I am not fond of English muffins. Too pickie I know. Although I am willing to try new foods, I realize I am just a plain ole country girl at heart. I like normal foods.

They had a variety of deserts. The red velvet cake looked good but it had raspberries flavor in it which I don't like so I was glad the others tried it first. Genie got a lemon tart. Connie got a pound cake that had an almond topping again I was glad I didn't get that one. Iris got a chocolate one with some ice cream. I decided on a two layer chocolate cake square. Iris was watching me as I tasted it. I made a face. I told them this always happens to me especially if we go to Golden Coral or Ryan's. I think the chocolate cake is going to taste like a chocolate cake only it doesn't. Don said it is my hormones. Iris tasted of it and said it had armeretto in it and that is why. So at least I know I am not going crazy! LOL

I'd taken some pics before we ate. We just left our purses to go outside to get the mountain view. It was weird to not worry about your purse. As we were leaving, we took a few more pics of the front of the castle like building. Then we drove around looking at all the many mansions.

When we got back to Iris' where we took more pics of us outside the house. All too soon we had to start bringing our packed bags down. I changed clothes. I knew I'd be hot in the car on the drive back home with sun shining in on us. How do you say good bye to good friends and a great weekend? You don't. You plan to get together again in July at Iris' condo in Gulf Shores!

On the way home Sunday, Rhett was calling me to ask, "When are you coming home, Momma?"

I am so thankful for this girl's weekend. I cannot stop thinking about it and reliving it. We had so much fancy food it is hard to come back down to earth to reality and eat at Burger King. I am thankful nothing bad happened while I was gone. The weather was just perfect as if the whole weekend was meant to be. The good Lord truly smiled down upon us.

Monday morning was back to reality. Don had blocked me in which made me late for work. He went out to his truck in a tank top and silk boxers only to realize fall has arrived in the south! LOL

Having sent this out as an email to all my friends, my friend Anne paid me one of the best compliments I have ever received. Besides saying I should be a writer, she said she felt as if she were there.

What were you thankful for this week? Want to share? Then join us at Lynn's at Thankful Thursday at the following...
I had The best girl's weekend this past weekend! After getting lost, Jody & I arrived just in the nick of time to go with Iris to pick my BFF Genie up at the Huntsville airport. Iris was going to have Genie's senior picture from our annual blown up and the word "Wanted" put on it to hold up, but Iris' daughter Meredith talked her out of this. It was a good thing because my BFF Genie doesn't like to draw attention to herself. Genie was calling me as we were on the elevator at the airport to get her. Somehow Genie had managed to hurt her foot the day before. I noticed she was walking funny. I found it interesting that I know her that well, but after over 50 years of friendship, I suppose I should know her very well. We drove back to Iris's to await the arrival of our other friend Connie who also got lost.
Unlucky for me, I was having a bout with the runs. Iris bought us all these special glasses with our names on them. They had a very unique blue curly stem. She had a bottle of champagne and we had a toast to friendship. One glass only even for the non-drinkers. Of course I took pictures of my glass and bubbly inside it! We had lasagne, salad with homemade garlic rolls Iris made for us. We sat around the table talking and laughing. Then Iris pulled out her annual. She had where we had signed it marked. I honestly don't remember what I wrote in her's, but it all came back to me as she read it. Ever the writer, it was almost a full page long! It began with "How 'bout ya?" which was something Iris always said back then. This brought back so many memories I'd forgotten. I could tell Genie was getting tired. She was the first one to call it a night after teaching half a day, catching a plane and probably suffering from jet lag.

I used an old beige shoulder bag for this trip instead of the purse Kristina gave me with my art on it. I happened to have some Pepto in it, but I don't know how old they were because they tasted really OLD. I worried they would make me sicker. I think I had to get up twice during the night, but slept fairly well considering I was in a strange bed without my own pillow and I did wake up shaking once thinking I had a stomach flu. Genie & I shared the same room which had a window, but was it was covered up from the inside so there were no windows in the room. We cracked the door and sunlight came in from there. Having visited before, I knew what should have a closet was attic storage. I mentioned it would make a great room for a vampire. A vampire's lair. Keep this in mind for later...

Luckily I did feel better in the morning. Iris had made breakfast crepes consisting of sausage, eggs and cheese. Yum. I'd always wanted to have crepes before but never had them until now. They were delicious. Iris had prepared alot beforehand. I am not that organized. Martha Stewart has nothing on her and I told her this!

We went to a festival much like the Cotton Pickin' Fair in Gay, Ga only not as large. It was interesting to see new and different things such as LARGE paper mache pumpkins in orange and BLACK with their faces carved out and painted inside. I'm still trying to figure out how they were painted on the inside. The lady wanted $135 for them. No one seemed to be buying. I tried taking a pic from the other side, but didn't get a good one due to all the people passing by. There seems to be a fair amount of artists in Madison, Alabama. There was a gallery I went inside. I saw a studio which let in a lot of sunlight. Small but cute. Very well organized where mine is not; its all over the house! Don will tell you this. There were some abstracts so I got some ideas. Not to be bragging, but I think we have better artists at home. One artist drew very good pencils portraits, but then the mouth or some other part would be sliding off. Even I thought that was weird! I guess the artist was trying to be like Salvador Dahli. LOL I did buy a zebra watch band for $4. I got business cards and info sheets to check out later. I could probably submit my art for this festival, but it would be a long, long way to have to go for an art show. I have gotten spoiled by doing in town market days less than six miles from home.

We came back to Iris's for lunch which was to be chicken salad, my favorite. Iris is a lot like Genie is - a very fancy cook whereas I am not so much. I thought she had celery in it, but discovered she was putting green grape halves in it, toasted almonds and some sort of yellowish sauce she wouldn't tell me. She was making a corn salad which I'd never tasted before. I worried the barbecue corn chips wouldn't agree with my tummy. And she made cornbread. I was thinking it was a very different combination. As I was dipped out a helping of the chicken salad, I saw it had rice in it as well big chunks of chicken. The corn salad was very good, but I would leave the onions out of it. The cornbread really brought out the flavor. Because of my upset tummy, I ate lesser portions which is probably a good thing. LOL

Then we went to the Rocket Center in Huntsville. I was really missing my hubby and son so they could share this. Believe it or not I did not take as many pictures because I do want to come back there with them. Iris got a discount for the center and paid our way inside. There was a circle frame that reminded me of the movie "Stargate" and my wild imagination was creating scenarios of astronauts traveling through time! LOL Genie took lots of pics for her class as well as bought a book. I bought Rhett a few small things. He really liked this cool pencil that is lavender, shaped like a rocket at the top and changes color when you touch it! He knew it did this before I did!

Then we went back to Iris's to change for dinner. We went to a steak and seafood place called Connor's in Westbridge Street mall. There was a small body of water and this mall structure is built over it. It used to have several gondolas, but only has one now. So it has a very Italian feel to it. Walking through it makes you feel like you are in another country or at least I did. I was missing walking with Don and holding his hand, wishing he and Rhett could be there to share it with me. At Connor's I got lobster bisque soup then a 10 oz ribeye steak which I couldn't eat all of it. I think it was the best I have ever had. After we ate, we walked around and looked in shops I had never entered before such as Anthropology, but had heard about. So colorful. Got lots of ideas here with pieces of materials to use as wall hangings, a paper mache wild animal heads. Took neat pics of gigantic white stone horses outside another eatery, a huge fortune cookie in an art gallery. That was obviously meant for me. A cold front had moved in and we were getting blown away. Since there was only one gondola and it was lite up, I didn't think my camera would do it justice. It just looked like a half moon sliver.

Iris' daughter worked at a store called Papaya. Rhett called me while we were inside, but I had trouble hearing him with all the music. I was loving the prices of the clothes. I couldn't find the sweater I really liked in my size, but Genie got a black pea coat for $23! Wish I had gotten me one too.

Back home at Iris', I called Rhett and talked to Don. Afterwards we all sat in the living room talking and laughing. Iris and I went to bed about midnight. The next morning I awoke to another story idea about vampires and Iris's house. I shared it with Meredith, Iris' daughter then everyone. We all could collaborate on it. I already had the dedication to all my friends there and this weekend. Of course they all laughed at me.

That last morning we went to a country club called the Ledges up on a mountain, passing the biggest Church of Christ I have ever seen. The leaves were beginning to turn on the trees on the way up. The mansions built here were out of my world. Huge, huge houses with very little land. The clubhouse we were going to looked like a castle. The inside made you feel as if you just stepped back into an earlier century. It was very dark. I didn't like the dark colors so much. I had eggs benedict for the 1st and last time. I don't like my eggs runny so I ate the outer part. I wasn't impressed with it. I am not fond of English muffins. Too pickie I know. Although I am willing to try new foods, I realize I am just a plain ole country girl at heart. I like normal foods.

They had a variety of deserts. The red velvet cake looked good but it had raspberries flavor in it which I don't like so I was glad the others tried it first. Genie got a lemon tart. Connie got a pound cake that had an almond topping again I was glad I didn't get that one. Iris got a chocolate one with some ice cream. I decided on a two layer chocolate cake square. Iris was watching me as I tasted it. I made a face. I told them this always happens to me especially if we go to Golden Coral or Ryan's. I think the chocolate cake is going to taste like a chocolate cake only it doesn't. Don said it is my hormones. Iris tasted of it and said it had armeretto in it and that is why. So at least I know I am not going crazy! LOL

I'd taken some pics before we ate. We just left our purses to go outside to get the mountain view. It was weird to not worry about your purse. As we were leaving, we took a few more pics of the front of the castle like building. Then we drove around looking at all the many mansions.

When we got back to Iris' where we took more pics of us outside the house. All too soon we had to start bringing our packed bags down. I changed clothes. I knew I'd be hot in the car on the drive back home with sun shining in on us. How do you say good bye to good friends and a great weekend? You don't. You plan to get together again in July at Iris' condo in Gulf Shores!

On the way home Sunday, Rhett was calling me to ask, "When are you coming home, Momma?"

I am so thankful for this girl's weekend. I cannot stop thinking about it and reliving it. We had so much fancy food it is hard to come back down to earth to reality and eat at Burger King. I am thankful nothing bad happened while I was gone. The weather was just perfect as if the whole weekend was meant to be. The good Lord truly smiled down upon us.

Monday morning was back to reality. Don had blocked me in which made me late for work. He went out to his truck in a tank top and silk boxers only to realize fall has arrived in the south! LOL

Having sent this out as an email to all my friends, my friend Anne paid me one of the best compliments I have ever received. Besides saying I should be a writer, she said she felt as if she were there.

What are you thankful for this week? Care to share? Then please join us for Thankful Thursday at Lynn's at the following...
http://www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com/

Quote of the Day:
A returned smile can change everything.
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-