Relief panicy symtoms--mine--sign up

Going into my usual jittery mode before my fundraiser.  It's less than a month away but I play it in my head from morning until night.  Drives my family crazy---Hedgies are the program this year.  Pray for all of us.  I always envision making a ton of money--wish it was so. I can dream that someone out there has a big check burning a hole in their pocket and just the right moment will occur to make them put it on the table in an envelope or give it to me to wear in my pocket. I always wear pockets because some folks do give me money as they come in the door. I always take it back to the counting basket and not to the KEB fund--which is non-existent.  I pray for calmness but perhaps the jitters are a good way to burn calories? 

The doctor on Morning Joe says walk 10,000 steps a day and 25,000 on the weekend.  Say what?  Gotta get my walking groove on again. May was my high month where I averaged 7700 daily.  That was pre-baptism. 

Great Korea meal last night at the West Point restaurant with the Divine Ms. M and her family.  Cousin Nancy was in town and brought some adorable hooded towels to the Double Hedgie boys that she'd made.  So cute.  She's always fun.

Make plans to "Join us on the Journey"  on August 26th at noon at First UMC in West Point, GA.  Tickets are $35 each and you can buy them from me or any Pastoral Institute Advisory Board member. 

Hope Tuesday is a good one for you. 
Peace from the Hooch.

Ms. M on her 80th.  She always makes me laugh.

Life with Max

Here is a copy of yet another news article.  Can you tell I'm having a fundraiser in about a month.  Yikes!  Hope you all have a great day. 
Love from the Hooch were all the plants are smiling. 

Wahoo, rain, and lots of it.  Duke Boy was doing the happy dance over the weekend.  You know I’m the irrigation system and he was less than enthusiastic when I asked him to be my backup plan in case all my pre-rain planning (car washes, garden watering, and umbrella carrying) fell through.  I went south to visit family which meant he’d have to water if God didn’t. God did a beautiful job. Duke Boy got to play with little Hedgie Boys instead.  I’ve had time to do things other than water since I got home.  Nice.  Plants just love God’s water so much better anyhow. 

While visiting in south Alabama I spent a little time with our newest family member, Max.  Max is an almost four month old German shepherd puppy.  He is probably in the mid-40s pound-wise and has ears that look like he might have some rabbit in him.  Don’t get me wrong he is gorgeous. All that gorgeousness doesn’t negate the fact that he’s a German shepherd.  Bad history with shepherds. Bitten. Twice.  One was a momma dog with new puppies.  My bad.  The other was a bad yard-guard dog from my days of door-to-door social work.  Since Max is in the shepherd family I’m a little concerned about our relationship.  He will be part of family gatherings for years to come.  I will have to walk past him to get to my sister’s house. In a few years I will still be in 60s and slower.  I love my sister and I’m hoping to always be able to visit with her.  My sister has owned some big dogs in her 46 years of married life. They were what I call “south Alabama bulldogs”.  They come up past your waist, are white,  and have heads the size of a calf.  Teeth are usually large and visible or worse yet eyes that appear disinterested. Disinterested eyes are a sign that they are calculating how fast those meaty legs can move. Cell phones were such saving devices from panic attacks when someone would appear after my call to put up the beast so I could get into the house.  Long before cell phones and dog bites I have a memory of visiting my sister and spending time in the car after I’d left something there.  Someone either left something too or noticed I was missing and came to escort me back to the house.  After my dog bite days my personal philosophy became: never buy a dog taller than your knee caps.  This makes the rear and your neck at least a jump away.  Bullet point #2 of that philosophy is: always share your bacon.  Twice this weekend I gave Max bacon.  First I had him sit then said “good boy” then head pat, then bacon.  Didn’t get the second head pat in because he was going for the hand that smelled like bacon.  Welcome to the family, Max.  I promise to always share my bacon and I hope you promise to never bite the hand or any other body part of the one who gives you bacon.   

Speaking of food…

Chattahoochee Federal Credit Union, CharterBank,, Deborah Grossman Law Firm, Shawmut UMC, Lanett UMC are all sponsoring a table for our indoor picnic on August 26, 2014 at noon at First UMC in West Point.  Capital City Bank is also joining us.  The door prizes are rolling in from West Point Tire, Payless Furniture,   Don’t be left out of this fun.  “Join us on the Journey” and hear the Royster, aka Hedgies, Family love story where extraordinary happened.  Our lives go from ordinary to extra daily and the Pastoral Institute is available to help with transitions from birth to death, marriage to divorce, job to job.  The tickets are $35 each, or $375 to sponsor a table. Call us at 334-768-2341 to schedule an appointment or buy a ticket for our picnic.

Karen Erwin-Brown is the director of the Valley office of the Pastoral Institute.  She provides individual, marriage, and family counseling by appointment. Call 334-768-2341 for an appointment.

 

Ordinary + Extra in a heartbeat or two

This is a copy of my news article for today---it's blog style--hope all of you have a great day.
Would love to have you come to our event.  

                                              one side of my extras

Rain…ok...I washed both cars, well M& M Carwash in West Point did.  Thanks guys.  They do a great job. Your car will thank you too.   Back to the rain idea…I watered the front and back gardens, it helps if I don’t think of myself as spending time watering a “yard”.  “I’m sorry I didn’t call you back about the important _______but I was watering my yard.”  No, no, no.  “My garden just had to have a good soaking so I just spent time with my flowers.”  Helps if you add extra syllables to garden and flowers while explaining your behavior.  After all I am the irrigation system at my home.  If you need an out you may borrow my line.   Back to rain.. We need some rain and usually if I wash the cars and water the gardens it helps.  I will also try to remember to leave my umbrella at home today. Unfortunately, we are frightened to death about our day ahead due to the impending, dangerous, thunderstorms headed our way according to the weather channel.    I don’t mean to make light of the weather reports.  I appreciate knowing when my life might be in danger due to inclement weather.  Just ask Hedgie Girl.  I do my best to pass on this important information to her in case she needs to grab up the little Double Hedgies and head for cover.  Don’t ask her about all my lightening warnings.  Yes, lightening can come in a window! Watch the weather channel….it happens…just because I’m over 40 and it’s never happened to me doesn’t mean it can’t… alright…I’m over 50…I am not over 60 yet…not until October.  I really just want rain.  I don’t need all that oak tree on the house windy stuff.

  It’s July and it’s a struggle to stay out of the dismal pit of brown structures in the garden which once were lovely lilies and happy daisies.  On Saturday in Pine Mountain across from the Liberty Bell Pool, Duke Boy and I went to a Farmer’s Market and I bought a Hot Papaya Echinacea, that’s a flower, so I could spruce up a brown spot right at my front door.  Hurrah.  Now I have a happy place there again thus the need for rain.  Check out that market…wonderful produce too and nice folks.

I have a plan to help you beat the lack of rain in August.  It’s an indoor picnic at First United Methodist in West Point.  The Pastoral Institute is having our annual fundraiser.  The Hedgies, aka Lucy and Cody Royster will be presenting the program, “Join us on the Journey” and sharing their love story. Yes, they are kin to me but I wanted folks to know the joy in our family due to new life or lives—two of them—and their story is extraordinary—that’s what you get when you add extra to ordinary.  My day is spent listening to people who lives go from ordinary to extra---birth, marriage, death, divorce, job change, college, and parenting. The monies from this program help us keep these counseling services in our community.  If you’d like to purchase a table for 8 the cost is $300.  Individual tickets are $35.  Table sponsorship is $375 and helps defray our meal costs.  Sid Lockhart is the chef and if you’ve ever had one of his hamburgers then you know you’re in for a treat.  Call 334-768-2341 to make a reservation or for more information. 

Karen Erwin-Brown is the director of the Pastoral Institute in Valley, AL.  She provides individual, marriage, and family counseling by appointment only.  Call 334-768-2341 for an appointment or more information.  She also hobbies a booth at Bluffton Antiques in Lanett where a great sale is taking place.

July and cool morning. Super.

Thank you Lord for that rain yesterday.  First morning in awhile some of my baby hydrangeas have cooed when I walked past them.  BW was under the ottoman when I came home so she asked to please ease up on that thunder.  But I'm loving not having to water this morning.  Also loving this coolness on the porch--the coolness in addition to my personal coolness.   :)

Sat on boys last night.  They were super sleepy because they'd kept their parents up most of the night.  Parents are implementing new sleeping technique without Houdini outfits. Double Boys not digging.  Getting to snuggle with them while they sleep is pretty blissful and provides intoxicating napitus or napmeus, however you choose to construct that word.

Hope you all have a marvelous Saturday.

 West Point Girls All-Stars.  Goooooooooo. Hope they have a great game. 

Me and the Boys

Queen of denial

Did a little speed gardening this morning after reading the post on Facebook from Southern Roots Nursery in Newnan.  A cool spot with neat people running it.  You get a Lott for your $ there.  Go and meet Bob & Sherry.  Their post inspired me to cut my hydrangeas, coneflowers and daisies back.  Hoping I'll get more blooms out of the last two.  The hydrangeas still make a lovely turn the corner surprise jar in your home even though they have brown spots.  They are probably just trying to imitate me.  Yuck, yuck.  Stay with me.  It gets worse.

                              the youngster above is a great nephew and the source of many lovely clothing                      items for our Hedgie boys. Sweet Ryan.

                                                          Thatcher Hedgie and Paw

I was temporarily crowned as not smart for eating a life saver.  Do not bite those things if you are over 40 like me.  I'm definitely there.  Dr. Jenny McClendon in Lanett is a marvelous dentist and saved my tongue from destruction on the broken filling.  Her staff is kind and gentle.  Thanks Y'all.
I will get my official crown and sash in August. 

Another great experience with Joe at Ponder's Nursery.  He's always very patient and friendly while I look at every plant and ask 2 million questions.  He is also good to just let me browse and drive away if I need to.  Shopping for a gift yesterday and came away with a lovely Limelight hydrangea.  Gotta love that Kia when it comes to stuffing things in the back.  My trusty blanket protects the nasty cargo area.  My poor girl so needs a bath. 

Speaking of baths--how about some rain up in here, God.  No storms...just rain.  I didn't water because there's greater than a 30% chance ALL Day!  You can do it.  Which may mean a 30%+ chance of more dying plants if 0 rain.

Prayers for those struggling with illnesses and grief.  Prayers for new parents and their new little humans who are changing daily and requiring more brain power and energy to stay ahead...did I mention praying for the Sughar and Paw too.  I regret not having my phone in my pocket yesterday because I know I walked a mile trying to settle little brother.  All the sweetest of cooing and laughing makes it all a great day.  I did get a good nap in. 

Phone was in pocket for speeding garden--a mile--yes--the gardens are extensive and weedy on the Hooch.

Peace to all.

Writing vs. sittin on the boys

This article appeared in the Valley Times/West Point News last week.  I didn't want to leave you out.  I also wanted you to know about our August event.

Writing has taken a back seat to baby holding.  Baby holding is a lot more fun.  It’s also a great cure for insomnia.  It has also taken precedence over gardening.  Just ask the weeds.  Party—she’s got the boys or she went the Hedgie House to sit on boys.  I did some speed gardening in the front yesterday.  It didn’t take long for the sun reflecting off the siding on the house to run me indoors.  I did manage to get the major offenders pulled up or cut back one more time.  The good news is that the Lord has taken over the watering for me.  Hurrah. 

Duke Boy and I had the opportunity to take a little trip down to the Keys to participate in a wedding.  One of your own, Joey Johnson.  He now has a lovely new family. What a lovely place Key West is.  I’ve visited there once on bus tour years ago but only for an afternoon.  This time we stayed on the water, walked the city, and ate everything we saw.  I made it a point to eat something Key Lime at every meal---Key lime French toast, Key lime muffins, Key lime tea, key lime and mango salad dressing.  The best one of all was in the airport on the way home—Duke Boy got a chocolate dipped piece of Key Lime pie on a stick.  Wow.  He let me have a bite or 3.

Everywhere we went in Keys was very welcoming.  People just seemed to spring out to help you.  This was not our experience at the Atlanta airport where we had to search out the correct security line for our plane.  Enough about that---the Keys are a tourist destination so they seemed to do their best to make us want us to return.  Duke Boy was so impressed with Harriette’s Restaurant in Key Largo that he used them as a sermon illustration.  It was an amazing little place. When we arrived we were greeted with a friendly hello and then treated to the warm smile, and lovely blonde sticky uppy hair of a waitress about our age.  I may have to do that blonde thing again because she was totally rockin my look with her color. The muffin list there had about 15 choices and, of course, Key Lime was one of them.  It was big enough to share so that was our appeteaser—Ms. Blonde’s word.  Delicious.  Only knocked off its’ favorites pedestal by the chocolate pie on a stick at the airport.   We returned the next morning and shared the coconut muffin appeteaser.  Lucky the plane managed to get off the ground with all those folks who’d been in Key West.

Speaking of fun places to be…”Join us on the Journey” on August 26, 2014 at noon at First United Methodist Church in West Point.  The Hedgie Family, my daughter and her husband, will be sharing their love story of bringing double bundles of love into our family.  This will be our annual fundraiser for the Pastoral Institute.  Our Chambers County Sherriff Sid Lockhart will be cooking up burgers for our indoor picnic.  The tickets are $35 each for individual seats.  We also have seating for 8 if you’d like to purchase an entire table for $300 and sit with 7 close friends. Our corporate sponsor tables are $375 and come with lots of fun and accolades for your support.  You can call our office at 334-768-2341 to get a ticket or see one of our board members:  Bill Edwards, Marilyn Stokes, Lessie Beck, Donnie Erwin-Brown, Mary Susan Underwood, Shelly Hunter, Christine Simpson, Sandra Thornton, Marshall Sapp, or Traci Crosby .  They will also be visiting local businesses for door prizes soon.  I hope you will give them a Harriette’s welcome.

Karen Erwin-Brown is the director of the Valley office of the Pastoral Institute. She provides individual, family, and marital counseling by appointment.  She also hobbies a booth at Bluffton Antiques where there is great sale.  Call 334-768-2341 for an appointment or to purchase your tickets for our luncheon. 

Writing has taken a back seat to baby holding.  Baby holding is a lot more fun.  It’s also a great cure for insomnia.  It has also taken precedence over gardening.  Just ask the weeds.  Party—she’s got the boys or she went the Hedgie House to sit on boys.  I did some speed gardening in the front yesterday.  It didn’t take long for the sun reflecting off the siding on the house to run me indoors.  I did manage to get the major offenders pulled up or cut back one more time.  The good news is that the Lord has taken over the watering for me.  Hurrah. 

Duke Boy and I had the opportunity to take a little trip down to the Keys to participate in a wedding.  One of your own, Joey Johnson.  He now has a lovely new family. What a lovely place Key West is.  I’ve visited there once on bus tour years ago but only for an afternoon.  This time we stayed on the water, walked the city, and ate everything we saw.  I made it a point to eat something Key Lime at every meal---Key lime French toast, Key lime muffins, Key lime tea, key lime and mango salad dressing.  The best one of all was in the airport on the way home—Duke Boy got a chocolate dipped piece of Key Lime pie on a stick.  Wow.  He let me have a bite or 3.

Everywhere we went in Keys was very welcoming.  People just seemed to spring out to help you.  This was not our experience at the Atlanta airport where we had to search out the correct security line for our plane.  Enough about that---the Keys are a tourist destination so they seemed to do their best to make us want us to return.  Duke Boy was so impressed with Harriette’s Restaurant in Key Largo that he used them as a sermon illustration.  It was an amazing little place. When we arrived we were greeted with a friendly hello and then treated to the warm smile, and lovely blonde sticky uppy hair of a waitress about our age.  I may have to do that blonde thing again because she was totally rockin my look with her color. The muffin list there had about 15 choices and, of course, Key Lime was one of them.  It was big enough to share so that was our appeteaser—Ms. Blonde’s word.  Delicious.  Only knocked off its’ favorites pedestal by the chocolate pie on a stick at the airport.   We returned the next morning and shared the coconut muffin appeteaser.  Lucky the plane managed to get off the ground with all those folks who’d been in Key West.

Speaking of fun places to be…”Join us on the Journey” on August 26, 2014 at noon at First United Methodist Church in West Point.  The Hedgie Family, my daughter and her husband, will be sharing their love story of bringing double bundles of love into our family.  This will be our annual fundraiser for the Pastoral Institute.  Our Chambers County Sherriff Sid Lockhart will be cooking up burgers for our indoor picnic.  The tickets are $35 each for individual seats.  We also have seating for 8 if you’d like to purchase an entire table for $300 and sit with 7 close friends. Our corporate sponsor tables are $375 and come with lots of fun and accolades for your support.  You can call our office at 334-768-2341 to get a ticket or see one of our board members:  Bill Edwards, Marilyn Stokes, Lessie Beck, Donnie Erwin-Brown, Mary Susan Underwood, Shelly Hunter, Christine Simpson, Sandra Thornton, Marshall Sapp, or Traci Crosby .  They will also be visiting local businesses for door prizes soon.  I hope you will give them a Harriette’s welcome.

Karen Erwin-Brown is the director of the Valley office of the Pastoral Institute. She provides individual, family, and marital counseling by appointment.  She also hobbies a booth at Bluffton Antiques where there is great sale.  Call 334-768-2341 for an appointment or to purchase your tickets for our luncheon. 

 

 

Independent feelings

Fireworks have finally stopped popping.  Little BW had her panic meds but is still hiding under the ottoman.  Bless it.  I don't remember a night with such festivity before. Perhaps everyone was so happy from the lovely day--cool and 86 here--super--low humidity.  Minimal flies.  Peach ice cream and watermelon tea cakes, ribs, chicken, bar-b-que--the patriots on my porch were straining the supports. 

                         Here is MawMaw Brown and all her greats. She had a super day.

Now the fireworks are popping again.  Next 4th our Double Hedgie boys will be trying to follow their cousins up and down stairs and on to the river.  Maybe we'll institute some fishing next year. 

Thanks to all who made my day lovely.

The day Dad burned the toast

My only memory of my Dad ever cooking anything was 51 years ago today.
  He burned the toast that day.  We had a toaster but I'm not sure if he was using it.  I prefer to think it was on a cookie sheet in the oven. 

He grilled in later life when he retired and moved to the new house in Leeds.

But that day we got to eat breakfast somewhere else? No sure where? Perhaps the little café in downtown Birmingham across the street from his office.  He worked for the VA but for a while had an office on a corner near the Alabama Theatre. Or at least that's my memory? Mr. McMurray, who worked with him. would always want to borrow money from me--a dime or a nickel--which of course I had to get from my Dad.  Then a week or so later I'd get an envelope with a quarter or fifty cents--he always paid it back with interest.  Wish I could find that return now. 

Back to the toast story.  After breakfast we went to the hospital--which I think was the West End Hospital where we all first saw the light of day in my family.  I road the elevator up with my sister and brother--the doors open and we walked down the hall--STOP- a nurse called out.  That girl is too young to visit on this floor--I was 10--you had to be 14.  Nancy and Henry were 15 and 14.  Pooh. Sad. 

I needed to see my Momma. I had never been separated from her except when she went to her brother's funeral when I was 5 or so.  She didn't go away over night. 

I was also curious about this new arrival.  Dad said it was another sister.  Bette Eugenia.  In my memory she weighted 8 pounds 8 ounces. 

I was banished from the floor that day.  I'm not sure who went to the lobby with me? 

I didn't see my Mom or new sister for a few days?  In those days after a C-section you got to rest for a minute. 

 Happy Birthday Bette Eugenia--this is last year when she was 50.  Didn't get a 51 picture on my camera.

I did see my sister over the weekend--actually both of them--and my Mom--who was 88.  It was a good visit in Samson, AL.  The land of peach drinks and butter sandwiches according to Hedgie Girl who spent some time there when she was younger.

We took the newest  Double Hedgie Boys to visit their Great Grandmother and to check out a future vacation site complete with peach drinks,butter sandwiches, and fishing.