Family

It was so good visit Andalusia and some of my family members.  There are precious few of us left, and we're scattered everywhere, but it was good to catch up some.

Staying with Kathy and Alan is always such a comfort.  I don't have to worry about anything.  I just have my little space and a key (and the garage door password) and come and go as I please.

New to the family since last visit is this beauty.  Allie.

She kind of accidentally came to live with them during the winter but has really added a lot of fun.

The first time I met her, she was scared of me and didn't really warm up that night but would take a treat from me and run.  I'm not sure how scary you would have to be to make her turn down a treat.

After that, day by day she came to accept me, although I don't think she let me pet her.  It was more like tolerating me for the treats and Nerf ball throwing.

Her little routine made me laugh.

She would run around and around with the ball and then go throw herself on the pinestraw - but not before stopping for a couple of seconds to stare at the vent on the side of the house.  Every time.  SO cute.






Elise picked out these toys to take her, and she showed how much she liked them by squeaking them and getting busy on those ears.  Supervised toy only!

Kathy caught me taking pictures inside and outside the house and I think is worried about what I may have captured while she wasn't looking.  No worries.  If I had taken inside-the-closet pictures, they would have been perfect.  I didn't though.

Most mornings Alan picks Kathy up a Sonic tea and brings it home, and he was sweet enough to bring me one - or several.  I could get used to that.  The coffee was extra good that week too.  I usually had Folger's (Classic, I think) and liked it enough to order several boxes when I got back.

This cross-stitch picture is an oldie, and I accused Kathy of putting it up when I came, but she insisted she kept it up all the time.

Looking from the kitchen into the den.  So pretty and inviting.

 

A beautiful new staghorn fern just Alan just brought home.  I think I'd like to have one of those.

Nice screened porch and deck outside, but it was surprisingly cool for that time of year, so we didn't spend much time out there - except for playing with Allie.

Pretty breakfast room.

I was proud that I had planted a tomato this year on my balcony, when  I saw this.  Now THIS is a tomato plant!  I saw on the porch table a label that said Bush Goliath, so I guess that's what it is.

Carol and I saw each other most days and ate lunch and went shopping and hung out at the nursing home, but the last day I went over to her house - or her former house/Allison's house.  She and David are living in Aunt Nell's house now and liking that just fine, but this is a beautiful place - perfect for three little boys to ride and swim and jump on the trampoline.

I really didn't get too many good pictures because no one would be still!  Except for Gus.  He looks a little subdued, and I heard he may have gotten on the counter and demolished a whole rotisserie chicken earlier after lunch.

Another dog cousin.  This is Tallulah, and she belongs to Meredith and Tim.

Sweet folks.  Meredith and David.  You can tell they're related!

Carol and their oldest grandson, John David.  He was trying to get to his ballgame, and these people kept trying to take pictures of him.

I'm not sure what was happening here, but it was funny.  Allison, Wilson, and Spencer.

Spencer did stop and give me a good pose - kind of willingly.  

What a good time with good folks, all of them.  Almost makes me want to move back.  Almost.  It hasn't gotten hot there yet.

I went by Dean's Cake House to get some cake for Mama's little party and asked if I could take some pictures in there.  Not only did Mrs Jacobs agree, but she went running to the back to bring out more cakes.  

I got a lemon cheese and a caramel.  Mama didn't eat any, so we took home a piece for us and left the rest for the nursing home staff.  I chose caramel, of course!

I guess that's about all I can think of from my Andalusia visit, but it's a little bit.  

For Mother's Day, I got something called StoryWorth.  I may have been elected the family historian.  I just hope I can remember enough things.  I think it will be fun.

Here’s how it works.

• Every Monday, we’ll email you a question that Emily has chosen for you, for example “How did you get your first job? or “What were your friends like in high school?”
• All you have to do is respond with a story, either by replying to the email or by calling the number we send you.
• Emily gets emailed each story you record. You can add more recipients if you’d like other loved ones to receive your stories.
• All of your stories are saved privately, and will be printed in a beautiful keepsake book.

My people are off camping in Eastern Washington (I think).  I got one picture, and it looks beautiful.  I thought it was going to be more of a forest, but it looks like a river and open spaces with mountains in the background.  Another family with two little boys joined them, and Graysen has been planning a wedding between her and Camden.  They're been friends since birth - but that's not very long.  And maybe Katherine and Branson, the little brother.  She's seriously been planning it, all the activities, drawing pictures of flowers and her dress.  

Just a couple of sweet videos of the girls.  Those little moving cars/truck/airplanes/animals on the sidewalks outside stores have never held any interest for the girls because they're a little scared of them.  But last week, we've learned that you can just sit in them without the money going in to make the music and shaking, and it's a fun play place.  Cheaper than a bouncy house.

It's time for the girls to start preparing their own meals.  It's a start.