Signs of the South

This is a Banana Spider, a non-aggressive big boy (or girl) who lives in our tree and in our flower beds and by our front door......

I had never seen anything like this until we moved to South Carolina but all that I have read indicates I don't have to worry about these guys. In fact, they eat insects so I think I like them. And their webs are so strong - stronger even than kevlar!

We have had others that were bigger. I think I will try to collect pictures of them. This picture isn't very good. I was afraid to get too close and get my camera mixed up with that web!

(And another "Sign of the South" in this picture - our neighbor needs to power wash his house - it is growing! Yuk!)

A More Natural State

Yup, that's Kirby standing on a dock with boats and water all around. Looks good doesn't he? Sort of like he belongs there - and he does but he also belongs in the Man Cave and you can't have it both ways!

Do you remember Frank, who sold us our boat, Tobias, up in Merryland a few years ago? Well, Frank called with a favor to ask - would Kirby go check out a boat in Hilton Head for a client of his so they wouldn't have to drive all the way down if it really wasn't a good boat. Of course we said yes! A day around boats - what could be better?

So we headed out at 7 AM for the 2 1/2 hour drive to glitzy Hilton Head. We hadn't been there except for a quick look/see about 8 years ago. We felt like we were back in California and the only give-away was the green - gorgeous green everywhere and perfectly manicured too. It was really beautiful but rather shocking after our casual Charleston with pine straw laying around and some old fallen leaves and hedges that aren't perfect. I prefer Charleston!

We met with the broker and went looking at the boat. Yup, we wanted it. Won't let Frank's clients have it. It looked almost exactly like "Oz", our friends, Connie and Ken's boat. So we know for a fact that that boat does great cocktails! We both went away knowing that we had found our perfect boat.

But, a boat is not in the cards and besides - we have the Man Cave - where we sat last night and enjoyed some barbequed chicken and good company. It is just that we still have a piece of our hearts buried deep in salt water. Guess it will always be that way.

I Am OLD!

I was browsing some of my old pictures tonight and ran across these old pictures from "Junior High School" - more commonly known today as Middle School. They were taken in June 1960 - probably the last days of 9th grade and about a month before my older sister got married. It is funny, I can still remember some of the names without even thinking about it and haven't seem most of them in years and years and then more years (almost 50!) We were at Runnels Junior High School in Big Spring, Tx. My father was stationed there at Webb AFB and I was 14 years old.

In this picture I see Mary Thornton (Schulke) standing on the edge, Judy Engle and Linda Manning.
I had a notebook zipper binder just like the one in this picture. Check out the radiators, the wooden window that open and the blackboard.
This picture can still gives me the willies. This was Miss Drake, our PE teacher. She and I DID NOT like each other and I can still feel my stomach tighten upon looking at her picture. I was so happy to leave junior high and go to high school to get away from her and then found out that she had received a transfer and she was going to! I had to deal with her for a couple more years. Not a happy memory!
Amazing how I felt pretty grown up at the time and now I look at these pictures and we are all so young! Children!
In the front right is Anita Horne Vaughn - my best friend in 9th, 10 and 11th grades. She and I got into so much trouble together and had a blast doing it! We are still in touch today and have gotten together a couple of times. Also - Cheryl Wittington (?) on the left and then maybe Janie Barber Stroud and Judy Engle, back right. I can't eve say that I have wonderful memories. It was so long ago.....I think I have forgotten all but about 4%!

4th of July Was A BLAST!

Pretty Things

This is what I do in my spare time. I am addicted to spending my time looking at the pretty beads and putting them together in different ways. It all started when I first got to Charleston and Christie and I went to a beading place as a fun afternoon. We took a bottle of wine and went and made some bracelets. Then we went back with Devani when she visited and then again when Tanya (niece) came to visit. Last year during the holidays I wanted to wear my old crystals but they were broken so - I went down and bought the tools needed to repair them. That was the beginning of the end!

Now I have a whole bunch of pretty beads, spend way too much money and go way too frequently to the bead store. But it is something that I really enjoy doing. I just need more clothes so that I will need more jewelery to go with it!

Sweet Tea!!

Throughout my life I have drank iced tea - who hasn't? Some years I have drank more than others. I have wonderful childhood memories of the tea my mother always had in the refrigerator when I was growing up. As an adult, tea was there but never in a big way. Diet Coke and Wine took it's place.

Then we moved to South Carolina and let me tell you - they love their tea here. It is called Sweet Tea - or you can get Non-Sweet Tea. All the restaurants have it. All my caterers serve it. Everyone loves it!! It is the most common drink in town.

I am preparing for a function at work tomorrow and went to Costco today to get cake and cookies. Then on the way home from work I went for the Sweet Tea. Check this out!

20 gallons - only three of them are Lemonade (the second most favorite drink). I am thinking I need to buy more tomorrow when I get the ice.

The folks in South Carolina are also very clever. What do you do if you want your Sweet Tea and your Cocktail too? Why you drink "Firefly Vodka", that's what you do!

Kirby did some work on our neighbor's well and sprinkler system and she gifted us with a bottle of Firefly. It is sweet tea flavored vodka and I am in love! I don't think they sell it anywhere else and I have heard things about the demand being greater than they can produce as the are a small local business. But if you get a chance, give it a try! You won't be disappointed and you might start feeling like a southerner! I do!

Buses and Boats and More Buses

This is how we began our little "Adventure" to see the Tall Ships at the Charleston Harbor Fest. We decided to use the "remote" parking and take advantage of the shuttles. What we didn't plan on was 100 degree weather and long bus rides!




We also didn't plan on the crowds! The 15 minute plus waits in line to get on the boats and then a wait in line just to get off the boat. I guess it would have been OK if it hadn't been so blamed hot but it really was blazing and not fun to stand in line.


We only boarded one boat - the Virginia, a 126' schooner, with the beautiful wheel, wooden blocks and coiled sheets and all the shiny varnished teak.

Neither Kirby nor Brendan is nice about having their picture taken - this is the best I got!
We felt that we spent the day on the hot, non-air conditioned School Buses - we rode to the first stop - about 15 minutes, stood in line and waited for the next one to take us to the area with the big boats and then rode again for 10 minutes and then back to point A and then back to the parking lot.....about an hour and 15 minutes or more all together not counting the waiting in line. I don't think we will go again next year - especially at $20 a person!!

Cheeseburgers In Paradise

We went to Dog and Duck in Park West yesterday for $4.00 Cheeseburgers in 95 degree heat. Actually, the heat was bearable but when they brought in the Jump Castle, the kids doubled in numbers and the squeals quadrupled. That was when it was time to go home!

Dogs were welcome and there were cute neckerchiefs for them. Jennifer was very prepared and brought a battery operated fan and a bowl of ice water for the kids.





There was even live music and it was good!! Lots of Jimmy Buffet stuff - you know, like Cheeseburger in Paradise!



In this picture - Christie, Jennifer and Phil. Christie is my first born, Jen and Phil are the Cave Masters.

Kevin and Justin

My San Diego grandsons are growing so fast! I just received this picture from their mom and decided to share it. Kevin is over 3 now and Justin is 4 months old. I am hoping to get back there again before the year is over. I miss them so much! I wish I was Samantha and could wiggle my nose and.....................

Shrimp and Trains

Last weekend was just the best ever! First Ryan came from San Diego on Thursday. On Friday Brendan graduated from Wando High School and on Saturday Tom arrived with Holly.

OK, Ryan is my son and the father of my 2 youngest grandson's, Kevin - 3 years and Justin - 4 months. Brendan is my oldest grandson and lives just down the street from me. Tom is the great person who took in our wonderful dog, Holly, when she said "No!" to boat life and sailing. Tom has been Holly's dad now for 3 years and she absolutely adores him.

So, on Saturday night we all got together at our house for a celebration. We had Peel 'n Eat Shrimp for dinner as it is everyone's favorite. The 8 of us devoured 7 and a half pounds of large shrimp! I think a few had more than a pound because I sure didn't eat a pound - as much as I love it!

In this picture - Brendan, Casey and Tom

Michael, Brendan and Casey

I get so few pictures of Ryan so with this one - I treated it special because he is special! I miss him so much with all the miles between San Diego and Charleston. It was just the BEST to have him out here with us for a few days.


After dinner we all enjoyed a great game of Mexican Train. It continues to be the family favorite and we thank Rick and Tanya up in Nova Scotia all the time for teaching it to us.

Brendan and his mom, Christie were having fun!

Here is a picture of one of our trains.












And now - here is a picture of our Holly!! Yes, I cried a little when I first saw her and I think she remembered me because she didn't normally warm much to people and she just kept kissing both Kirby and I! It was wonderful to see her again and to know that she is so happy in her new life. She even has a little doggie brother to play with.


I really wanted both of my dogs to like each other but Holly never did like other dogs and always was the "Alpha Dog". Jake is extremely mellow and loves everyone. He was really shocked when she snapped and snarled at him. He spent the remainder of the day pretty much hiding away. (We decided it was best not to have Granddog Socks come visit since Holly was exerting her Alpha-ness and we already had 3 dogs in the house making noise).

So, I didn't get a picture of my 2 dogs next to each other. I had to create my own!