Party Weekend......Part 1 continued....

I forgot to add that Ga Ga and Grandaddy made it to Pawleys about 11. Since we were not able to get into the beach house until after 12, they went to Elaine and Johns. We decided that we were all hungry and decided to go to Landolfi's. Unfortunately, there were people waiting outside Landolfi's, so we kept going and decided on Gator Krawl. I took Daddy (who was following me) on a wild goose ride and I think I had just about gotten on his last nerve. My brain was not connected that morning. All I could attribute it to was staying up waaaaaaaaay too late for the past couple of weeks playing cards and eating waaaaaaay too much sugar. Anyway...lunch was delish. Afterwards, we went to the beach house and I collapsed on the couch and mom and dad went for a walk on the beach.

I also forgot to say that the house we rented is Fabulous! VERY big and Very nice. Six bedrooms and 6 and 1/2 baths. Huge kitchen and enough seating in the dining area for 16. Plus, since our orginal house had to be changed because the owners decided they wanted it this weekend, the rental company gave us free linens and the beds were made when we got here. They can change our rental any time!

I really do have to go this time.....gotta make some yummy grits to go witht he casserole.....Tootles....and I mean it this time!

Party Central........ Part 1

It has begun! We are all at Pawleys Island for the Party! Jamie and Lesley flew in on Thursday. Dick flew in on Friday. Chris, Linley, Julianne and Nathan drove in on Friday night. When the gang from Raleigh arrived, we met up with the Benson Family and Virginia and dined at Nances in Murrells Inlet. The oyster eaters were in heaven and the non oyster eaters were also in heaven with other delish food. We had one looooooooooooooooooooong table because we had 16 diners there. Somehow, the adults (if they can be referred to as that) and their children were on separate ends. The "adult" end ordered "a" beer or water or tea. The "children" end started off with an "initial" order of two (2) pitchers of beer. Of course, there were 3 "children" that are not of legal drinking age. After several more pitchers ordered, Dick quietly cut them off with the waitress. We all left very full and happy. (Some were happier than others!) The "children" then went to a local fun spot (bar) and the "adults" went to get their pj's on as fast a possible. Everyone went on to bed and I stayed up until the "children" came in. Why is it that I feel I need to wait up for them to come in when "Thank God" I have no idea when they come in when they are at school? Well, I did wait up and went to bed pretty much after they got in and they did too.

We don't have much planned for today except the party. It is about time for me to put the breakfast casserole in the oven. That is assuming that the "children" will be up by 9:30 to eat. And you know what they say about assuming.......

I know all of you are wondering where Weezie is......she is at the Spa enjoying a pampered weekend. Hey.....she deserves a nice weekend too! I think she is enjoying hearing how other dogs bark......sniffing a few butts......you know.....good dog stuff. Of course, Maggie, aka Tar Baby, did her best to teach her how to bark. Thankfully, Weezie is more refined than that......

I will update later.......Tootles!

You Are Strawberry Ice Cream

A bit shy and sensitive, you are sweet to the core. You often find yourself on the outside looking in. Insightful and pensive, you really understand how the world works. You are most compatible with chocolate chip ice cream.

What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?

Happy IVGLDSW Day!

Today is International Very Good Looking, Damn Smart Woman's
Day! Remember this motto to live by: Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body
thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Have a wonderful day!

My name is Frannycakes and I am a chocaholic!

I can hardly believe how bad I have been at posting. I love doing it. But somehow I have stayed busy and just have not settled down to the computer to post. I apologize. Thank you for understanding. I appreciate it.

Where do I start? Yesterday, Elaine and I went to Myrtle Beach shopping. We went to Stein mart (Love it), Target, TJ Maxx, Goodys, Lowes and Brusters (yes, again...).
It is fun to shop with Elaine. We have had plenty of practice doing it. We had called Anne Marie to see if she wanted to play cards and she did. She called Sonya and they came over around 7. We had Hershey's Eggs and popcorn and assorted other "sugar" products. And diet Pepsi, of course! We played Shanghai. Anne Marie sang and sang. For some reason, she thinks she can sing GOOD! HA! I can't tell you the song we sang with her. We have made some plans for that song and I will give you details about that in a week. By the end of the night, I was nauseous from the candy and popcorn and singing!

Today, Elaine tutored for an hour this morning and I went to a store that sells fabrics. Since I can't find comforter for my bed that I like, I thought I would find some fabric and make my own. Big Head Fred, I appreciate all your suggestions, but I think I will do it my way. Elaine did like your idea of painting the carpet so I feel like one day when I come visit I will find it painted! I found something that might work. I picked Elaine up after tutoring and we went to meet our friend Jeannie at Lands End Restaurant. We had a wonderful lunch and a great visit. It made me miss living in Georgetown.

Then we came back to Pawleys and went to a couple of fabric places. I didn't really find anything. Then I went through the car wash so Dicks newly wrecked truck will be shiny and clean. I know he will be proud.

I guess I better go..........Elaine is about to work me like a dog.....Tootles!

Greetings from God's Country!

I have made it to God's Country. This is a place where I feel most comfortable.....most familiar........most at peace. It is where I want to end up one day. There are so many memories everywhere I look. It makes me homesick when I leave.

I got here yesterday around lunch. John had ordered a new suit that he needed to have fitted, so we took off for Charleston. To convince us to go with him he had to promise to let us shop and take us out for dinner. He followed through with all his promises. We picked up God-Child Emily from outside her dorm and took her to dinner with us. She has grown up into a beautiful college girl. After we ate, we boxed up every single morsel that was left and she took it back to her starving friends at the dorm. I am sure it was a feast for them!

Today we rode with John to Myrtle Beach to pick up a package at Fed Ex. Of course, we required the promise of food to go, so we ate out and then stopped at Brusters to get ice cream. YUM YUM!!!!!! Tonight is a friends daughters engagement party in Sumter. So we have a couple of hours until we leave for that.

I apologize for the lack of posting. I really thought I would have alot of time to do the posting. Instead, I had trouble with internet connections. For the next 4 or 5 days, I will try to go at it steady.

Talk to you later.....Tootles!

Happy Valentines Day from Sumter, South Carolina!!!!!

Greetings from Sumter, South Carolina! I arrived here yesterday after getting my hair colored and cut. It really really really needed it. My gray was taking over. Now I look fresh and new! If only the liposuction machine had been working..... I am staying with Virginia and Henry at their beautiful fall, winter, spring and 3/4 of summer estate. As we all know, and now you know if you didn't before, their main estate is at Pawleys Island at the beach. One week here..........one week there.....forever in our dreams......Anyway....back to reality......they upgraded my accommodations to the luxury suite. In addition to a four poster bed, I have a cozy couch with coffee table topped with all the latest mags, a large tv, a computer (!!!!! they know about my addiction!!!!!) and my very own bathroom with fresh fluffy towels. I feel so spoiled! Last night, some friends came over to play cards. We ate and drank. Two large bottles of wine disappeared and one can of beer was emptied. Guess who had the one can of beer.....yes, I was the drinker. We had a great time and I laughed until my head hurt. I can honestly say that I have never met anyone from Sumter who I didn't really like. These women are wonderful and I feel honored to be able to count them as friends.

OH! Happy Valentines Day! I hope you all have a good day......my valentine sent me something to Elaines house. I will get it tomorrow. Today, I am having lunch with Pam and Mary Garland and I hear we are having a martini party here tonight. I have not developed a taste for martinis yet.........maybe if I put enough splenda in it........

I gotta go get ready for my lunch date but I will be back later today since I have my own computer in my luxury suite.............Don't be jealous!!!!

Tootles!

Tears on My Pillow

For some reason I have an internet connection. That's a first for me since I got to Raleigh. I have gotten all my things together because I am leaving tomorrow heading down to South Carolina. I am sadder today than I was when we left for Maine in September. I have cried off and on all day. Julianne cried tonight when I took her back to her dorm. She has stayed every night I have been here with me. Chris keeps coming in here saying things to try and cheer me up. He is a great kid.........

Tootles.

Notes from North Carolina

Wow! I can't believe it has been so long since I posted! I actually have an excellent reason. I can't get my computer connected to the internet here. For some reason, Chris' internet is down and he is picking up some unsecured wireless network here in the apartment complex which explains why I am able to post now. However, my computer will not work with this particular network.....so much technical lingo, but that is my reason and I am sticking to it!

My trip was 17 hours long. It probably would have not been that long had it not been for hitting the Washington, DC area around rush hour. It was one big nightmare. But all in all, it was not a bad ride. Lots and lots of things to look at along the way. Not like the trip from Louisiana to Georgetown I used to make all the time. There was nothing to look at but trees forever and ever. While in New York, right outside New York City, I almost hit a deer! This was not a rural area! The deer jumped over the fence, ran through our four lanes of interstate, jumped the median and continues across four more lanes and took off into the woods. If she had hesitated one second, I would have hit her.

Julianne was at Chris' apartment when I got there. She ran out and it was so nice to see her. Chris came out shortly....he was.....busy...... We went to bed around 12. They were wanting to talk to me but I was just about in a coma so I begged them to please lets just go to bed and visit in the morning. Friday, we went to the mall and shopped and waited for Linley's mother, Kathy, who was coming to spend the night with her. After she arrived, we went to PF Changs. It was wonderful! YUM YUM YUM!!! We walked around the mall for a little bit afterward then went to the car. When we got near it, there was a note on it that the car had been involved in an accident. It was from the police there at the mall. So I called the number listed and they said to come down to their offices. So we did. Apparently, the car beside us was backing out and a car hit their car and pushed it into the side of Dicks truck. The passengers door on the drivers side is mashed in. They called the mall police (thank you thank you) and the police collected all the insurance information and wrote up a report. I pick it up on Monday. They went ahead and gave me the drivers names, phone numbers and insurance numbers. Unfortunately, neither one of them will answer their phones. The people involved are young, so they may not have told their parents yet. HMMMMMMM. Three years ago, at the same mall, someone hit my car. It was raining and there was no note. It was right after we had moved to North Carolina from Tennessee. We had not gotten our North Carolina tags yet. About two months later, we received a call from an insurance company asking if we had been at Crabtree Mall on ??????. They said they had an elderly policy owner who had hit the car when backing out and had wanted to leave a note on the car, but it was raining. So she took down the tag number and it had taken the insurance company that long to find us. She said to go get an estimate and call her back, that the policy holder wanted it taken care of whatever the cost. You don't hear of that happening much these days do you? So I am beginning to think Crabtree Mall has something against us.

Last night we went to Zaxby's for dinner and we left needing a nap. It was really good. Oh....let me backtrack some. Saturday, Linley's mother brought a cake decorated with the NC State logo for Chris. Linley had planned a surprise party for Chris to celebrate his acceptance into NC State. I had brought Chicken Stew with me from ME and we had it with rice and green beans and fruit salad and Sister Shuberts rolls. LOVE SISTER SHUBERT! I needed cool whip for the salad, so I sent Chris to the grocery store and we all decorated really quick while he was gone. He was surprised and it was alot of fun. We are all very proud of him.

Linley is babysitting this morning and when she gets off we are going to Cracker Barrel for Breakfast. Maine does not have Cracker Barrels, so I have been craving it. And our plans for the afternoon is pretty much lay around and nap. I think I will be able to comply.

I know that I have been rambling.........hope you were able to follow. I will try to update again tonight.

Tootles!

On the Road Again....

It is almost here.........Thursday morning I will be getting up early to leave for North Carolina. I am excited and a little tired. I have been working toward it for the past few days. Weezie will be my navigator. She has been napping heavily for it the past few days. She is a wonderful traveler so I don't have to worry about her.

I plan to do more blogging when I get there. I am sure there will be many more topics to talk about!

Tootles!

Weekend Update!

Life in Maine is good.It has surprised even me that I like it up here. The state is beautiful. It is not as built up commercially as other states we have lived in. You do not see fast food restaurants on every corner. Now I do love me some fast food so that has been hard adjusting to. But they do have a Dunkin Donuts every few miles. They love their coffee and hot chocolate and donuts. Why do you think they like their hot drinks......BECAUSE IT IS COLD HERE!!! We got a big snow Friday night. When I went to bed, it was coming down hard. When I heard the snow plow at 6 AM I figured we had gotten alot of snow. If it is just a little bit of snow and it is the weekend, they kind of take their time coming to plow....mid morning. But he had gotten enough that you could not even tell where the roads were. We live at the very end of the road. When they were planning the subdivision, they figured we were the only ones coming down this road so it is only wide enough for one vehicle. And it is not a straight shot, very curvy. So we need it plowed to be able to leave the house! Another thing I have learned about a snow plow. If you see one coming, move out of the way because it is going ninety to nothing and they are not interested in you. And that was your lesson for today. You are welcome.

Saturday we went to Farmington for lunch and to look around. We didn't spend too much time there. We were both wanting a nap so we headed back home where we spent the rest of the afternoon lounging around.

Sunday, Dick wanted to go eat BBQ again....yes, he is BBQ man....so we went to the BBQ place in Auburn. Afterwards, we hit the grocery store and headed home. He called a couple we know and invited them to come and watch the super bowl with us. Since we have the new big TV, he was not embarrassed to have people over for the big game. We once had a super bowl party with a 13 inch tv for them to watch it on.....yes, that will have to be a story for another day. They came and we ate and nachos and dip and all kinds of other fat laden foods and had a nice time.

Today I am trying to line up everything I need to do for my trip. I am kind of dreading the ride. I really don't mind driving all day and most of the night but I do dread trying to navigate all the different interstates trying to get there. I will figure it....I always do. Dick has it all mapped out for me. He says I need to be studying it today and tomorrow. Okay....

Most of you who know me know that I hate conflict with another person. I cannot stand the thought of hurting someone's feeling. The thought of it just makes me sick to my stomach. Well, I hurt someones feelings. And I feel terrible. Sick. Worse than sick. This feeling has been with me all weekend. Last night I finally had a chance to talk to this person and feel better that we have talked, but really don't feel better knowing that she was hurt. I hate this feeling.

Enough drama! I still have to shower...yes I know, it is 11 AM......but I have been busy lining things up for the trip and of course checking my email and blog friends. I am going to get my suitcase out and see just how many I can fill up! How can some people pack these little bitty suitcases for two weeks? I can't do it, I have tried and got there with nothing to wear. It just isn't possible. So why fight it......

I will leave you with a temperature update. I know you were wondering when I would do that......it is 4 degrees, -11 wind chill. We are getting some wicked wind gusts.........it looks like a major snow storm out there when it is blowing. I bet there are some big snow drifts blocking our road.......hurry up Mr. Snowplow Man.....

Tootles!

With This Ring I Will Not Hyphen

Today I received the proof.....Yes, Dick and I are married! I got the certified marriage certificate in the mail. I can see Dick's signature clear as day and it looks like he was very relaxed when he signed it. Now, his signature looks even more relaxed when I sign it, but we won't go down that road right now. Tomorrow I will dutifully go down to the Social Security office where I will take a number and wait in line to have a very personal conversation with an employee there with a very thick piece of bullet proof glass between us. Things have gotten to a sad point out there folks. But since I cannot change the world with my blog, I will only try to change my name. Well, not change my name, but take out the hyphen given to me by the state of Louisiana. Bless their hearts. Do you think it will be that easy?

I went to Portland today. I had to take back the pillow sham that I bought. I also went to TJ Maxx. I somehow cannot go near that store without stopping and checking it out. I also went by a store that sells fabrics and curtains. I found just the fabric that I wanted for my bedroom. (Nothing is easy) I patiently wait until a sales person can help me. Finally she comes over and checks the tag. Stapled to the tag it says "Hold". It also has an employees name under that. She tells me that it is being held by this employee and she cannot sell it without talking to the employee. So I stand there looking at her and she asks would I like a piece of it to take home to match. I wanted the whole roll!. So she proceeds to cut this piece that has none of the colors in it....it is basically just a piece of off white linen. I looked at her and told her it showed me nothing to match. "Well, I can't cut any farther up." I was just about to lose it, so I handed her the piece of fabric back and told her there was no reason to carry it home because it would show me nothing. Did she say she would call the employee to check on the fabric? No Should I have insisted that she call the employee? Yes But I was too mad at that point so I just turned around and left. Yes...wuss.....

Aren't you glad you read the blog today? I will talk to you tomorrow.....Tootles!