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!

High School Graduation

My oldest grandson (Brendan) graduated from high school this week. I am so proud of him and his accomplishments. He will be going to college next fall at Iona College in New York where he will play soccer, study and have fun.

We had a little "pre-party" for him at home before we left for the graduation ceremony where we watched over 700 students walk and get diplomas.

Here is Brendan and his proud mom!

Uncle Ryan came from San Diego to celebrate with his nephew. Here is a picture of Casey (Brendan's brother - he's next) , Kirby and Ryan on our way into graduation.

After graduation Michael treated us all to a wonderful dinner to celebrate. Great Family Time!!

For Wanderer Masa - to go with his Hydrangea

Sunday in Charleston

On Sunday we found a little spare time and decided to go downtown for a little walk-around and an ale. I never tire of walking Charleston. I always see something new and I always see beauty.
What do you think this marker means? It certainly caught my eye as we walked along - it was the "sailboat" that got me, I am sure. We talked about it for a while - wondering what the A.P.I. means and the M23. Mostly I wondered why a sailboat on the sidewalk. Maybe someone will read my blog and will know what it all means.
A nice lady offered to take our picture.
In Mexico we called this the "Malecon". Here I guess it is the Boardwalk. It runs along the Charleston waterfront with the bay on one side and the lovely mansions on the other. I don't think I would like to be here during a hurricane.

Just look at this lovely grillwork. I think this must be very old. I wanted to get closer but it just didn't work.
This is a lovely fountain in the Battery Park. It was double-sided but here you can only see one side. It made me think of Jake and how much he would have appreciated it.



Kirby assured me that these were real cannon. I still don't believe him! But they are pretty cool looking!
They were performing regular maintenance at the gazebo in Battery park.
We were at a small party at this house just a year ago this week. It was such a treat and a pleasure to see the interior of this lovely old home. Here are some pictures that I took at that time.




I have never seen a fireplace like this one before. There were warming cupboards above the fire to warm the plates before the meal.

The second level was a real treat. There were only 2 bedrooms and they were connected at the back by a private walkway. The wife's room was large and luxurious and the husband's was much smaller and simpler. Wow, I thought these only happened in old novels!

Doggie Surgeons

The dogs relaxed after a hard evening of operating on the stuffed animals. They were very thorough in their work!

Kirby in Retirement

When we first decided to move off the boat and sell it I was somewhat concerned about what Kirby would do to occupy himself. I had my job but he didn't have the boat to work on anymore. Well, I really should not have worried. He has spent the last 18 months working his little fanny off on the house. He turned it into a Project Boat!

It is almost finished now and the pressure is off to work on it everyday to get it ready for - company for dinner, friends coming to stay, me needing (wanting) my bathroom back, me wanting my closet back, me wanting to be able to cook a dinner..... I think you get the idea.

I have been thinking about all that Kirby has done on the house and I get amazed at his talent. He hired 3 jobs out. The kitchen granite, the glass shower stall and the carpet installation. Other than that, he did it all himself.

And in the meantime he learned to make sourdough bread and the best ale around. He also attended H&R Block Tax School, cleaned the yard (including the doggie poo), cooked dinner, cleaned the floors, paid the bills.......

So, in a way, Kirby is not retired at all. Just look at all he has done in the list below and you will be just as amazed as I am! And you know that I could never remember everything he has done and besides, some of those things I didn't even realize he was doing because I wasn't there!


Removed flooring in hall, bath 1, kitchen and dining
Tiled floor in hall, bath 1, kitchen and dining
Painted the whole house inside
Painted all the baseboards
Painted cabinets in bath 1, installed new doors on cabinets
Installed new granite top in bath 1
Installed new faucet in bath 1
Installed new toilet in bath 1
Painted all interior doors and replaced all hardware
Painted front door, installed new hardware and new kickplate
Installed new porch lights – 2
Remodeled 4 bedroom closets with custom shelves
Painted all closet doors and installed new hardware
Sanded and painted the kitchen cabinets
Installed new pulls and hinges on kitchen cabinets
Remodeled kitchen pantry with custom shelves
Removed stove and dishwasher
Installed new stove and dishwasher
Removed old countertops and prepared for granite
Installed new plumbing and faucet in kitchen
Installed new water heater
Installed venting in the attic (after making access available!)
Installed new under-cabinet lights in kitchen
Installed new window coverings (blinds and curtains) throughout
Re-designed and remodeled the fireplace, tiled the hearth
Refinished dining room table
Built living room accent table
Removed old shower, flooring and toilet in bath 2
Tiled shower and countertops in bath 2
Installed new faucets in shower and tub in bath 2
Painted cabinets in bath 2
Installed new sink and faucet in bath 2
Installed new toilet in bath 2
Installed new window AC in bedroom
And on and on and on……………

So, before you ask, NO, I DO NOT HIRE HIM OUT! It is time for him to spend a little more time playing with the dog and making ale. (Well, he can cook me dinner sometimes too and it will be OK!)