Southern Gals...

What does it really mean to be a Southern Gal ?  Is it just being born south of the Mason Dixon line ? Is it simply being a member in good standing of the Junior League ... little black dresses , lily pulitzer,  Jack Rogers and Jackie O pearls ... I aspire to be much like Jackie in her style ( heck I would gladly take her bank account  and her slim profile too too ... ) but us southern girls don't evny what others have .. a true southern girl knows it's about family ... and good friends ...  about quality over quantity , about proper english, making your debut, and Irish diplomacy ... southern women are strong on the inside yet gentle in demeanor ... we are well rounded in both sports and social circles... Southern girls have grace ...Southern Girls also  have a good "go to " recipe from the Charleston Receipts Repeats of course - if not , I'm sure it will make the next edition -  ...  I am one of the lucky ones  - a Southern gal born in Virginia  and Southern by the Grace of God !   Lastly, a true southern girl knows the real meaning of Bless you Heart !
So to all my friends ... " Here's to the true hinges of friendship - swearing , lying , stealing, and drinking .
When you swear, swear by your country; When you lie, lie for a pretty southern woman; when you steal, steal away from bad company; And when you drink ... come drink with me ... !

Smile and the world smiles with you ....

What in the world possessed me to visit my dentist first thing this morning  ?  Clearly I was not thinking ... An early morning appointment means that you can't drink coffee on the way in ... and we all know that I need a huge kick of caffeine to get my morning personality going ....JEEZ ... so I hauled out of bed this morning dreading waking more than normal but excited to put a new condo on my vacant lot - I mean , have you priced out dental  work lately ??  It might as well be a condo ... .  I lost a crown a few months ago and thought perhaps I'd leave the gaping hole as a tribute to our move to the country ... after all ... you can't really see the absent tooth way in the back ... after a few days of gumming my food and chewing mostly on the right side of my mouth , I drew the line  - good dental hygiene is once again beckoning - call me a city girl or whatever you like ...  but I need my teeth !   I congratulate my new dentist on many things ... a friendly office, nice ambiance, good looking staff , and the most modern technology ... I mean , I've never had my blood pressure checked at the dentist office ?? I've checked it at a Doc In The Box, at the Regular Dr's office, a hospital, even at the CVS while waiting on a prescription fill , but until today .... never at the dentist office.  I was comforted to know that even after my temp. crown procedure I still have a really good blood pressure reading... I also feel confident that should you ever need it ... I could be identified by my thorough dental records though I sincerely hope you never have to resort to this ... So two hours and I won't even tell you how much money later I left with a new temporary crown , dental panorama shots of my mouth  including sinus cavities, the obligatory paste, brush ( for travel I suppose since I"m supposed to use my pricey sonicare brush ) , floss, and for some reason a pen ???  That must be to write the big hefty check -  The office name is printed clearly across the side so I don't mis-spell ...   I really wanted a boat ... or a vacation ... but I'll take my pearly whites  and keep  smiling ... 

I Thee Wed ...

Yesterday we celebrated the marriage of our friends Betsy and Moyer....  I remember the first time I met Betsy ... Randolph and I were at Dunleavy's on Sullivan's Island ... we had just started "hanging out" ... certainly  not  "D A T I N G "... We  were truly hanging out ... having fun .. I was minding my business listening to Carroll Brown strum my favorite tunes ... of course I was feeling confident as I have known Carroll for years and he kindly ( thank you Carroll) called be by name making me feel loved and part of the "in" crowd with my new pursuit!    Just when everything was going great , enter Betsy - the cute petite  blonde who I wanted so terribly to hate... She was nice ... ok ... nice enough for a girl I am going to have to pee on like a big newfoundland on a pine sappling...   Well... as they say ... NEVER say NEVER ... Betsy truly is a beautiful girl ... inside and out ... jump forward a couple of years now and find two girls who have forged a great trust and the beginnings of a lifelong friendship ... How flattered was I when she asked me... yes ... ME to help her with her wedding plans... She came over soon after her engagement with a big bag of ideas and photo's she'd collected ... we poured over that book like little girls showing off new Barbies ... It was heartfelt and I am blessed that she would want my input and assistance... never mind this is what I do passionately for a living ... It's different when a friend  trusts you with the details of their vision for the most perfect , memorable day of their life ... Even better, Randolph would cater and we were off and running ... All of those plans came to fruition this weekend... We were invited to attend the rehearsal dinner hosted by Moyers family at Magnolia's ... there we quickly bonded with Moyers aunt and uncle over a common loved of Haps hotdogs... but equally as heartfelt was the toasting ... Generally  when you don't know all the folks present and don't have a lifelong knowledge of the memories being touted .. this is a treacherous journey where you are forced to listen to drunken stories, wanting to grab the "hook" to free the stage but this was different ... despite being the "newest" kid in this most intimate family gathering , I sat on the edge of my seat , soaking up every word of love and affection of this beautiful couple ... I was drawn to tears over many of the sentiments and totally absorbed in the love that seemed to warm the room ( no it wasn't the wine ... I 'promise .. )
Saturday rolls in and set up begins .. as I throw everything in the car in preparation for what could possibly present itself , timeline carefully crafted and in hand, I head to Boone Hall plantation where the Cotton Dock is  dolling up for the soiree... The day ran smooth ... even dare I say ahead of schedule...   guests all arrived right on schedule ... here comes the groom and his men ... all looking fine ! and then .... the bride... she pulled up in her limo with her girls ... her face truly glowed , the smile on his face was priceless ..  It was a truly priceless - the ceremony, the decor, the cake , the guests,  even down to the weather which for July was unheard of at 86 with an ( almost cool)  breeze...  As I watched Moyer look at Betsy all night  ... the dances... his careful watch that she had freedom to bond with her girlfriends but not ever be left wanting for a drink or companion... it makes my heart happy ...
Congratulations to our friends ... I can't wait to one day have you share in my joy on my own wedding day ... and yes Betsy ... everything was JUST FABULOUS!

Midweek Rambling ...

So this week has already been a crazy , exciting, updside down week where once again time has completely evaporated into thin air... complete hours have simply vanished ... Is it me or is it funny how time , while scientifically calculated is exact but in reality some time moves faster or slower than others ??? Take for instance... when you have big plans for the weekend or a vacation -  time seems to
C R E E P by .. nothing can speed it up ... but when it's time to actually go there never seems enough time to PACK, wash the dog, do the laundry so you can pack , stop the paper , water the plants, finish up the last e-mail at work  - the list goes on and on ... mind you I don't have any plans for vacation any time soon but am certainly trying to find the time to are work on that too ....  In the meantime , I long for those Norman Rockwell moments where time seems to slow down ... to sit in my new vintage style chairs that remind me of my great great grandmothers yard ... and sip sweet tea ( vodka but don't tell ) , and simply be....  So as we head into a long holiday weekend  my hope for all my friends is that you can hurry up getting everything done so that you can slow down and enjoy friends, family, burgers on the grill, iced cold beer, a few fabulous fireworks , and the independence our soldiers and those before them fight so hard to give us !

Finds....

Yesterday Randolph and I set  out with no real agenda other than to get to our debut at Harolds Country Club by 6:30 pm so we headed out for a  drive south in search of nothing really but time together... one of our favorite things... time and roadtrips ... we never like to take the highway - if there is a backroad that will get us there at least the same day ....we're off trail and running !  We find the most beautiful things , places and people this way.. and many times our best conversations on life , love and the pursuit of happiness occur on these drives ! 

Today we experienced all of the above. 

First stop ... a little shack on the side of the road in Adams Run .. we had been kicking around the idea of a new dining room table - not just any table ... one that would reflect our love of all things old, that would be a place where many friends would surround for a hearty home cooked meal and share laughter and stories ... one that could tell a few stories of its own .. you know the table ... the one that you will want to pass down and your grandkids would say... THAT was my grandmothers table and they would reflect on the many great memories made there. 

Well who would've thunk that our perfect table , all dressed up with just the right shade of shabby chic blue as if she were smiling at us &  saying - "take me home " ,would be waiting patiently for us in Adams Run!  After a little romance dance around the perimeter of the store we got closer... fearful that she may carry too high a price tag ... we didn't want to fall in love... not just yet ... what if she didn't fit ?

Again she called ... finally, as we prepared our exit Randolph made the approach ?  Do you want this table he asked ?  I don't know ... how much ?... he just said .. do you want it ??  I did but seriously ... we weren't out to actually BUY a table today ... but there she was like most great finds ... ready and waiting ... so love had already taken hold ... she was ours ... and she was out for her first big adventure ... All loaded up in the back of the Surburban we head further south to Walterboro ... Randolph had never been and I had not really wandered around Walterboro .. ever ... wouldn't you know ... we wandered into the most peaceful environment ... peaceful  like a  museum or library  ... the Artisan Center in Walterboro ....  There we found more clues in an artist named Bernadette Cali .  She knows   a store on Wadmalaw that we too have fallen for ... another romance in the making... this one however may take a lot of courting ... be patient dear ole' nine mile ... we will find our common ground in time !  However I do have high hopes of making another friend in Cali Arts ... a beatiful artist who seems to know much about our beloved store .. excuse me ... schoolhouse...  I can't wait to know you Ms. Cali and soak up your stories of island life and travel ...

Onward and upward we continue our adventure ... upward to the next store that is ... by now I'm getting hot and hungry ... but Randolph is now on a mission ... our girl needs chairs to complete the family... again ... in and out of stores ... lots of cool things ... then ... we spy the ones ... 4 beautiful ladder back chairs right in the window ... mismatched with a wobbly old table.  We came and went and came again after justifying .. I negotiated what I believe to be an incredible deal ... the family is complete... no more looking ... we are so excited ... and still hungry .. so we drove "the family" around some more ... when what did we find next ... DAIRYLAND ...retro and ridiculously yummy - chili dogs classic , onion rings, soft serve and iced cold coke with rabbit pellet ice ! My somach is jumping up and down in anticipation ... DAIRYLAND - you did not disappoint !  When it can't be Jacks Pink Rockets a trip to W'boro for Dairyland is worth the gas...

After filling up on chili dogs we head for Yemassee - more food ... but on the way  - one last stop for serenity at Old Sheldon Church ... That in itself is another blog but not to be forgotten ... What peace lies there in that beautiful place.



We did make a 15 minutes of fame stop in Beaufort to see if we wanted to make a day of it on another trip but now back to Yemassee and Harolds ...
Harolds is a delight ... we arrived and found parking right up front ... we dusted off, straightened our shirt tails and made our way in ... past the gas tanks and right in the front door ... first things first ... when you don't know anyone - go to the bar ... or the bathroom !  Rand gathered our liquid courage ( a bargain at $ 5 bucks )  while I visited the loo.   I loved the people watching but was in great anticipation of THE CALL ...  The call for dinner  that is ... Randolph called early, ordered our steaks as we had been instructed, and shortly the lline opened ... lord child ... you should have seen that place move - like the Dixie Stampede they ran .... old and young.... now being a veteran I'm not so sure what they were running for because once you pay up and get through the turnstile , Gladys finds your name on a sheet , highlights it , and hands over the goods... rib eye - well done - it's all well done thought they do let you believe that the three pans of steak hold med rare, medium and well just for shits and grins ... jokes' on you ... all well done ... but then again .. it's not grain fed texas kobe beef so ... probably a lesser health risk ... well done it is !   Move on to the salad bar - or shall I say ... iceberg ,  1000 island ,  baked potato and a roll.  There is a pile of A1, parkay spread and sour cream likeness... and don't forget the ketsup ... lord i've never seen so much ketsup on adult steaks in one place IN MY LIFE ...

So as much as we loved our Harold's experience , the new family was waiting ... we were excited to get home and make introductions ... and as etiquette goes, it's really not polite to stay too long anyway  - especially on your first visit .... We we thanked our hosts , bid adieu to Harold and headed back home ...  It was the PERFECT day .... and we are excited for our first dinner guests to share stories around the table ...

Lost time ...

WOW ...when you are young , an hour seems like a lifetime ... when you are older - you'd give anything for just another hour .  Time - just like pigs - really CAN fly .... Since my last post I have started a new job as a sales manager at the Courtyard by Marriott ... it's been fun getting to know new people , new methods, and have new motivations.  Thank you guys for a warm welcome .. I look forward to a long successful run with you all ...

 I have also been busy performing some of the most beautiful weddings and tomorrow I once again attempt a dual language English - German ceremony ! If nothing else my sweet tea southern accent coupled with years between me and a schnitzel should break any nervous factor for the couple ... again ... a time I'd love another hour to practice my gutteral deutsch sounds ... ha!  It will be beautiful and if the wind continues to power through like it did at the rehearsal today , people will likely just think I have something stuck in my throat .. Heather - if you stumble on this post I hope you are laughing and not crying .. I promise I'll do my best... I love you guys ...

Speaking of nuptials , aren't Kate and William are all the buzz  with their big to do ... and to do .. and to do ... I mean isn't it about time for the TA DA !!??  and do they really have to do it at 4 AM ..??? Come on guys - get with the networks like any other sporting event and plan it around the media .. I mean are we going to be watching them set up the palace and polish the pews at the cathedral ??  All joking aside, thank you to kate  for providing our next wedding trends ...

Well other than the work and the weddings , and looking for more hours in the day ,  we've just been collecting eggs, enjoying endless enjoyment with the feathered ones - a topic worthy of it's own post very soon I promise...

I hope those of you who may find this blog are having great days and finding something in every day that makes you smile !

Until later...

Change

Change - by definition is to make different... I haven't written for a few weeks because of just that very thing ... I've been really busy with change ... lots of change ...change in my house in town, change in jobs for both Randolph and myself which leads to more change - ie the house may just have to have some judge hair on the floor.... I'm so happy for Randolph who is working hard in Jim - N - Nicks BBQ  management ... they are lucky to have him - and he seems to have found his niche and even despite some VERY early mornings ( we can now attest to the fact that 5 o'clock actually DOES come twice in one day - more change  ) he is really embracing his new digs ... I have one more week with Planters Inn & Peninsula Grill before going to Marriott - i'll only be a few blocks away- I always have a hard time with goodbyes and since I'll be back to officiate weddings it'll only be " see you later "   - I thank you guys for a great 2 years ..
I look forward to new chapters with Marriott and will write more about that later....
 Thank goodness for the  change in the garden - oh  how it is  growing... lettuce and radishes and onions, oh my! It makes for happy deer, happy rabbbits and a happy girl here ... Thank you to Rand and G for planting enough for us all ... Getting your hands ( and knees ) in the dirt is therapeutic.  I appreciate that the guys have done the hard work and let me come "play" when I need to get my "grounding" on...

So like Jimmy Buffet says, changes in attitudes can make all difference with  the changes in life ... and why not ... after all , life would be pretty boring without change!