I Count My Blessings Instead Of Sheep

August 5, 2010

Dearest Jodie,

My mailman left me the sweetest package the other day and I am just now writing to say thank you....shame on me for not doing so sooner. How can I say thank you and let you know how much I truly mean it?

The day you sashayed into my life was a gift from God. You are one of the funniest, prettiest, and generous Southern belles it has ever been my pleasure to meet. You make me smile with your comments, giggle at your antics, swoon with your talent, and you allow me to be one of your friends. This my darling girl is the real gift...the gift of friendship.

You provide me with the warmth of a hug...even from long distance. You lift me up when I'm feeling blue (how on earth do you know when I need that the most?) and never fail to show me the beauty in the humblest of things. You are a joy in my life and a chance to be young...even if for just a little while. Being around you, I forget just how old I am and for just the tiniest moment...I'm 34 again...thanks to you.

By now I'm sure you've realized I'm not just thanking you for the lovely papers, but for being Jodie...thoughtful, crazy Cajun, sweet potato you!

I hope I never get so jaded that I take for granted the little gifts in life and the joy that comes from simple things such as love freely given with no strings attached. It's an art you have perfected and one I hope to achieve.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the top. I miss you and I love you too.

All my love,

Debbie

Hot Flashes

Stick a BBQ kabob fork in me y'all...I'm done! We went this weekend and worked on the window at Winnie & Tulula's and can you say HOT! I'm not talking about all the merchandise for sale inside the shoppes ('cause that stuff is just way cool)...I'm talking about up in that window! Whew...was I ever glistening (translation: sweatin' like a rented mule), but more on that later. First, I wanted to remind y'all of the opening of the Sweet Pea Bistro on August 11. I know I have told y'all how hard Gloria (and Don) have been working to get things ready for the "soft opening", but I think it's finally starting to take it's toll on her.

Think I'm woofing y'all? Listen...you didn't hear this from me, BUT let's just say a certain person, who shall remain anonymous (Gloria), was walking and working the shoppes Saturday while carrying the phone with her (she is the epitome of professionalism after all). Let's also just say this certain anonymous person (Gloria) couldn't understand why when said phone rang, no one answered her repeated hellos. Picture if you will the customers observing this same certain anonymous person (Gloria) trying to get someone to talk to her through the stapler! (People...I cannot make this stuff up!) I'm telling ya...if the 11th doesn't come soon...she's gonna be living at the home with me and they do not allow scissors or staples here! I'm just thankful she didn't try to jiggle the trigger!

What do you mean you can't tell anything from my photos? Do you think I'm as crazy as Gloria? You'll just have to plan on coming in soon to see for yourself how wonderful it is AND if Gloria is still just as goofy...I mean tired! Heck, no telling what kind of deals you might get in her state of mind...no kidding. What's that? Oh yeah...I was telling y'all about the window Cat Daddy and I did...right? What do you think...is it amazing?

(Pay no attention to that lady behind the curtain, Dorothy.)

Still can't tell anything from my photos? Know what that means then doncha...get yourself on down to Athens to see for yourself!

For those who live out of state (and that's the only acceptable excuse for not visiting Winnie & Tulula's), I'll be posting better photos the closer we get to the opening of Sweet Pea's Bistro & Espresso Bar.

In the meantime, here's a little hint...prepare to be Texasified!

(Like that word? Gloria and I made it up! Spellcheck hates it!)

Keeping Time

I don't know about y'all, but it seems the older I get, the faster the seasons pass. I can't believe it's already the end of July. I mean good gravy y'all...weren't we just dancing under the firecrackers yesterday and now look...school will be starting again in just a few weeks. Whew! Somebody slow this train down so I can get off!

There's a lot of things I'll borrow...jokes, ideas, money...but two things I won't...trouble and time. Such a waste to worry about tomorrow when there is so much to do today!

Cat Daddy and I went to McKinney this past weekend to check out Patina Green's new shoppe (read about it here) then on to Athens to prettify my space.

SQUIRREL ALERT...!

Have a mentioned how much I love Winnie & Tulula's? I do! Gloria has done such a great job of bringing like-minded people together and except for the dirty job of rearranging things, it's a joy to be there!

OKAY...I'M BACK.

We went to drop off a few things...move stuff around...shake it up a bit...ya know? Back to school sales may be just around the corner, but there's always something on sale in downtown Athens on the corner of Hwy.19! (FYI...there's also a farmer's market, across the street from the shoppes, selling on weekends now. How cool is that?)

Case in point...did y'all know the opening of the Sweet Pea Bistro is less than 3 weeks away? I Know! Y'all can't imagine all the work (not to mention hours) Gloria and Don have put in to make this happen. It promises to be a wonderful spot to land after a hard...hard...really hard day of shopping. She's carefully selected the menu, created a charming dining area and even taken the time to scatter seating for just sitting, sipping and sighing! Wait until you get a load of the desserts she has lined up...oh my! She's planning something special to go with the soft opening...so start making plans now for August 11. (Which btw...just happens to be the day after mine and Cat Daddy's anniversary...guess I know where he'll be taking me!) I love seashells and especially seashell art...can you tell? I started buying it years ago, but no one wanted it so I kept it. Now everyone wants it and I don't want to sell mine. Some things really don't have a price, but I do sell things I now find if that makes y'all feel any better. I'm going to be working this weekend on one of the windows at W&T's. I thought (emphasis on thought) I knew what I wanted to do, but that idea is just not coming together for me. So-o-o...it's off to put on my thinking cap and see what "Tom Terrific" idea I can come up with!

Well what do you know...wow...that thinking cap really works...just thought of something! If school is just around the bend, then that means Warrenton/Round Top can't be far behind...but more on that later!

YIKES!!!

The Watermelon Crawl

Now I ask you...who doesn't love a cool little watermelon on a hot summer's day?HMMM? Careful where you spit those seeds!

Now You See Her...Now You Don't

Some of you may have noticed I've been a little MIA lately...or at least I hope you've noticed and I'm not just talking to crickets. With all that's been going on in my life the past year and a half, the one thing that has been repeatedly neglected is my home. Except for a lick and a promise (just in case the preacher dropped by) I haven't put a lot of thought or care into being a domesticated animal. Case in point being my spare bedroom. I had sold all the furniture out of it and just about gutted it when Jenn first went into the hospital in February 2009. I'm ashamed to admit it...BUT...it still is in a state of complete disarray! I decided it was time to get bizzy on that one and no time like the present to dig in. I'm redoing it for my girls ( I love saying that...my girls) and hopefully I'll be able to show photos in the near future. That is...if what's in my head transfers to reality!

Y'all know me though...I can't stay focused on just one thing. I also decided to flip my living and dining areas (SSSHHH! Don't tell Cat Daddy...he doesn't handle change well!) This opened up a whole new can of worms since I want to change the wall color to white. Simple huh? Do y'all have any idea how many shades of white there are? Good gosharover, but there are tons. Any help on this one will be greatly appreciated. I want a true white, but not antiseptic and no yellow undertones...does that make sense? Guidance people...I need guidance! (BTW...are you loving my sweet firecracker of a doll? She's a gift from the darling Red Shed girls and was created by Grace Barzyz. This woman has mad, crazy skilz and I love her art! Thanks V&M!)

BUT...back to what I've been up to...

In doing all this "reworking", I'm trying to clean...and I do mean clean...and get organized once and for all! No easy task for a hoarder...can I get an amen? Slowly but surely, I am digging out of this mess of a house and restoring calm to the Casita de Trash. (A quick update on Cat Daddy for all of y'all who have asked. He is doing great...mending well...and driving me crazy. Things really are starting to return to normal!)

Finally, I want to add I may be MIA again for a while. I've got a lot of stuff to do around here and Jenn has made a life decision that I want to fully support. She did a post recently on her new path and if you have the chance, please go over and read it. She needs all the help, encouragement, advice, and prayers she can get. I'll talk more about it later, but I don't want to get in her way right now...only be a helpmate. May I also add how tremendously proud I am to be her mother? Okay...I guess that's all I got for now.

Trash Out!

If It's Tuesday...It Must Be Summer Store Time!

Yikes! I just realized today is Tuesday. Gosh, those short naps are wonderful. Anyway...to get to the point...if you're planning on attending THE Carolyn Westbrook Home Summer Store Twilight Shopping Thursday evening...better check your day planner! Due to a glitch (not by the Fab U Lous Carolyn), there is a slight change in plans. You better jump in the shower and plan on being there TODAY at 4:00pm. Don't...and you're gonna miss some terrific stuff!Just goes to prove you can't believe all you read in the paper!

My Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory is defined as a cosmological theory holding that the universe originated approximately 20 billion years ago from the violent explosion of a very small agglomeration of matter of extremely high density and temperature.

Webster's defines theory as a guess or conjecture. The key word here is guess. I happen to believe this is a bunch of a hooey.

Our universe was created by one loving God who only asks for one thing...to be worshipped. This I will do with my last dying breath. All I have to do is look at this little firecracker to know He is The Great I Am.

Happy 4th on the 5th!

BTW...don't bother leaving any opposing comments...it's not open to debate!

(P.S. Bella's actual due date was July 4...so her adjusted age is now one.)