WIP Friday - 23 March

I've been setting my WIPs up on the mantel, so as to keep them safe from marauding Things.

I was struck this afternoon by what an odd-looking tableau I had inadvertently assembled...

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Experimenting a bit more with little knitted & felted critters.

Making a friend for SmittenKitten, whom you've already met.

Playing around with the felting technique to see what else I can make it do...

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In other news - we got a bit of rain today.
Initially, I was all excited - thinking that it would make some of the pollen go Gone, Daddy, Gone.

It didn't.

In fact, it was such a light smattering of rain that all it did was combine with the pollen to make this superindustrial strength pollen paste. It's both impressive and horrible at the same time.

Since hellacious pollen is a novelty to some of you - I've taken some pictures of the sludge. You can view the entire pollen set over at Flickr.

Be warned - it's not for the faint of heart.
Although, I did throw a few gratuitous pictures of my boy, Schecky, in.
Just 'cause...

Holy Itchy Eyes, Batman!

The pollen this year is crazy.
Absolutely and totally insane.
(It's bananas! B-A-N-A-N-A-S!)

Apparently, it's a combination of "no rain in forever" + "unseasonably high temperatures."

The radio this morning said the pollen count was going to be over 6,000. I knew that was high, but had no real concept of just how high.

Let me share with you just how high that is....

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For starters, I had to go and get my car washed this morning.
I didn't want to do it since I knew there was just going to be more pollen. However, I had to as the pollen had become a safety hazard - I could not see out the side windows of my car!

This is my car - which was washed, I kid you not, less than an hour ago.




And just now as I was sitting here at the computer answering some email? I looked up and out the window. And was literally struck dumb...

For a brief second, I honestly thought that it was snowing. Except snow's not yellow.* I was having difficulty seeing the house that's right across the street.

I tried to take some pictures of the pollen in the air - but was having no luck. Any of you who have unsuccessfully tried to photograph falling snowflakes will empathize.

Instead, let me show you the street in front of my house:



That's oak tree crud. And it's falling in glops from the sky, and rolling down the street like bizarro tumbleweeds.



And the front porch. Which was swept clean just a few days ago. It's green, in case you were trying to figure it out.

Like I said, crazy.

My heart goes out to all the allergy sufferers. This has got to be murder. For the first dozen years that I lived here in Atlanta, I was the seasonal allergy queen. I imagine that this would have killed me. Oddly enough, I have finally acclimated to the oak/pine/misc. pollen that we have and aside from getting annoyed (and somewhat grossed out) by all the dust, it doesn't really affect me.

Ironically, I have horrible allergies anytime I go back up to Tennessee now...

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*Feel free to insert your own "yellow snow" joke here....

Oh Lovely MoonPie - I Can't Stay Mad At You...

From the very moment that I learned of the publication of David Magee's MoonPie: Biography of an Out•Of•This•World Snack - I knew that I had to read it.

I know, I know. I'm not normal.

And whoever heard of a snack food with its own biography?
Crazy, right?

But MoonPies are from East Tennessee, and so am I.

So I had to read it.

And that's when the trouble began...

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Now the trouble didn't begin with the book. No siree.

The book is great. It's cute, well-researched, entertainingly written. It lovingly details the history of the original chocolate-covered graham cracker and marshmallow sandwich treat.

I highly recommend it, if food biographies are your kind of thing.

You know, even if they're not your kind of thing I'd still recommend it. It's a fast, fun little read. And it has recipes. That's right: r-e-c-i-p-e-s, people!
And you've got to confess - doesn't some MoonPie ice cream, or a MoonPie Brownie sound pretty darn tasty???

So where did the trouble come in?

With the cravings.

Oh, the cravings.

My waking thoughts were filled with visions of MoonPie.

Now, this should not have been an issue. According to the book, MoonPie has distribution deals with both Publix and Target. That may very well be the case, but as it turns out they aren't in *my* Publix or Target...

This led to a Sunday afternoon trek to a Cracker Barrel. The less said about that, the better. Let's just say that even though I had not previously given a lot of thought to what hell would be like, my new personal vision has it looking a lot like a Cracker Barrel on a Sunday afternoon. Make that exactly like a Cracker Barrel on a Sunday afternoon.

Anyhow - traumatic experience aside, I got a box of gorgeous lovely MoonPies.
And one nice thing about the Cracker Barrel? They've got them packaged in a really cute retro-style box.



But once I had my hard-won box of goodies - I found myself hesitating. Perhaps the actual MoonPie wouldn't live up to my expectations? Should the foodstuffs of our childhood memories should stay in our memories?



Nah.
I decided to dig in.

Sweet (Chocolate-Covered-Marshmallow-and-Graham) Cracker Sandwich.

It was fabulous.
I loved it.

The marriage of graham/marshmallow/chocolate was spot-on perfection.
Every bite better than the one that preceded it.
It was like eating happiness out of a crinkly cellophane wrapper.

And that's where the trouble comes in.

I seem to be unable to stop eating them.
And my box is getting scarily low*.



I need to get over this addiction, and quickly.
Or else, I'm going to have to revisit Cracker Barrel.

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*Which is doubly scary - because I'm the only one in the house who will eat them.
In fact, Schecky has none-too-quietly pronounced them "gross".
(Whose kid is that, anyway??? Seriously. This is the kid who honestly believes that our family motto is "If It's Fried, It Must Be Tried"...
He eats everything!)

Thoughtfulness and Generosity - All Packaged In A Gorgeous Basket...

A wise man once said that the best kind of gratification is delayed gratification...

OK, actually - that's crap. I just made that up to try and excuse how long it's taken me to get to this post!

If good intentions counted for anything, well... then I'd have lots of whatever it counts for. Lots of good intentions around here the last week. Lots of good intentions, and not as much follow-through...

I find myself in an odd space... maybe it's Spring Fever? But I find myself starting to wonder if perhaps I am spending too much time following the lives and craftiness of others, and not focusing enough on my own.
I'm managing to take care of all the day in, day out stuff that life needs- but it seems there's not enough time for the "extras". I want more time for knitting and creating. More time for reading books again. More time to finish up on the great decluttering project of 2007. I'm craving the "extras" these days...

I'm not going to say I'm taking a full-out break... Let's face it - how many times have you read on someone's blog that they're going to take a little break? Sometimes it happens, and sometimes they're back 36 hours later -- more prolific than ever!
(Which, selfishly I kind of always cheer for! I miss my favorite bloggers when they go on a hiatus!)

So, no - I'm not announcing an official break. But don't be surprised or worried if I seem to be more quiet than usual. I might not be stopping by your blog as frequently, but I'll still be stopping by. I might not be posting as much here, or commenting as much out there* - but I'm still going to be around. Still blogging, still reading and commenting - but trying to examine my own life a bit more...
(guess it all goes back to the "Doing What I Can, When I Can, and In A Way That Makes Me Happy" thing...)

Now onto the GOOD STUFF!

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I've got my camera back - so I can share the loveliness that is my goodie basket from Daisy and Cookie's Big Weekend o' Fun!



Have you ever seen so much thoughtfulness packaged up so nicely?
(You can click on the picture to see it larger at Flickr - and see notes on what all there is!)



And did you check out Wee Bunny's face? Isn't he the cutest? I just want to eat him up.

And this:



I had actually seen this over at Creative Little Daisy - and thought it was beautiful, but I knew it wasn't for me. 'Cause I'm the Queen of Can't Sew.

But you know what? I do use needles** - when I put together a little bear, or when I did the face on SmittenKitten! So I have loved having this gorgeous case to put my needles in. Also - there is a little pocket on the inside cover, which is so clever. I've got lots of leftover strands of embroidery floss (you know, from when you use only two of the six strands, or somesuch) and the pocket is lovely for stashing all those leftover bits!

So, yes - I am horribly remiss in how long it took to get the post up...
But seriously, this kind of fabulousity? Worth the wait...

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*I have long suspected that I am a far better commenter than I am an actual blogger...

**Oooh - that makes me sounds all dark and damaged and stuff, doesn't it?

Hello, Kitty!

Hello, Kitty!, originally uploaded by lla.

Finished up last Friday's WIP - and I'm smitten*...

This little girl is from a pattern by craftyalien - and she was mighty fun to make.

I made her as directed - but already my mind is churning and thinking of other little guys that I'd like to attempt. I suspect there may be more (and different) little felted ones in my future.

Because you know, I'm just psychic that way...

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*A smitten kitten!

In Which I Inadequately Attempt to Describe My Weekend...

Frequent are the times in which I wish that I were a far better writer. It is, I would imagine, so very satisfying to be able to capture emotions and feelings accurately - in a way in which the reader is able to immediately, effortlessly grasp what it is you are trying to convey.

Unfortunately, I'm finding that I am having a very difficult time this morning - I've started this post 3 separate times, and then gotten frustrated and deleted it in a snit of disappointment.

I am learning that it is very, very difficult to express a very fun and positive experience without sounding gushy.
Or somewhat simple-minded.
Or - even worse - insincere.

So - that having been said, I'm apologizing in advance - because I'm probably going to sound gushy. And even more simple-minded than usual. But I'm digging my heels in for a fourth attempt, and - for better or worse - this one's staying.

I just hope it doesn't sound insincere.
'Cause I mean every last word...

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Daisy and Cookie's Big Weekend of Fun???
Was FABULOUS!

I. had. the. best. time.

You could not ask for a more welcoming, inviting and charming family with which to hang out for the weekend. Truly, a lovely, lovely time.

It's funny - as the weekend drew closer and closer, I started getting a wee bit nervous and fretsome.

For starters, all the "jokes" that Bubba was making about how Autum going to kidnap me and keep me in a pit and fatten me up so she could make a purse out of me? Yeah - those got not funny in a hurry. I know, I know - he was just worried about my safety, etc. However, these wildly exaggerated worries of Bubba's paved the way for more realistic worries in my mind...

What if I got there and we didn't like each other?
What if we had nothing to say and just stared at each other awkwardly for the entire time?
What if? What if? What if?

Then I gave myself a mental "Snap out of it!" - ala Moonstruck.

Sometimes you've just got to take a leap of faith, trust your instincts, and do something that might take you out of your comfort zone.

And hopefully, it will turn out as positively as my weekend at Autum's.

Oh - we had big plans! We were going to craft, we were going to take pictures, we were going to craft some more, we were going to...

Well - let me tell you what we did do...

We talked.
And talked.
And talked and talked and talked. About everything and anything. Stuff important and trivial. You already know from Creative Little Daisy how articulate and thoughtful she is - she's also wicked funny, and smart. The conversation just flowed and flowed...

The house was toured - and it is every bit as beautiful as it looks in Autum's wonderful photographs.

There was much petting of small dogs, and large cats.

There was good eating - oh my word, such hospitality...
We went out for great Mexican food. We feasted on a breakfast casserole that Autum's sweet Aunt Mary brought over. And there was cake. There was an amazingly wonderful cake that I wish I had a huge hunk of right this very second now. (And yes, I realize that it's still breakfast time, and I don't care!)

And still there was talking throughout it all.

I think the only time that there wasn't non-stop talking was when we settled in for the night and watched Grey's Anatomy before retiring. And even then, there was still some talking. (Which would shock Bubba, because around here the rule is NO TALKING DURING GREY'S!)

So - yes. It was a lovely weekend.
I know the Internet is filled with horrible "I met this person via the internet, so we met in real life and it was a nightmare" stories. So, I thought that y'all might be happy to read an account of a meeting that ended happily.

No matter how awkwardly written...

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END NOTE: I know, I know - those of you who have gotten this far are thinking "What the...??? Where are the pictures? We wanted pictures! Grrrr..." And I don't blame you. I always want pictures too.

However...

There are a few reasons why there are no pictures.

1. I didn't take my camera this weekend.
   Bubba and Schecky took it to Space Camp for their "Boy's Weekend" Trip.
   
   
2. I'm not sure how many pictures Autum has, either.
   We seriously spent practically the entire visit just chat, chat, chatting. And forgot about cameras entirely.
   I think that maybe Autum's daughter snapped a few photos as we dawdled over the breakfast table??? I'm sure that I have egg on my chin and my mouth wide open from talking in everyone of them, though... so I'm not so sure that these should ever see the light of day...
   
   
3. There are no pictures of the scarf that I made for Autum.
   Because I am a moron, and forgot to take any pictures before I went. That's the only explanation for that.
   
   But you all saw the start of the scarf here.
   (And wasn't that all sly of me? Pretty sneaky, sis...)
   
   
4. There are no pictures of the huge, ginormous basket of loveliness that was awaiting me at Autum's.
   Because Bubba still has the camera. Although, I'll get it back at some point, and will take pictures then. I've got to tell you, though, I am dying to dig into the basket and play with all my goodies - but am trying to show restraint because everything is so artfully arranged, and I'll never get it looking as nice again!
   

WIP Friday - 16 March

Seems like it's been a while since I had anything to show for WIP Friday. So, here goes...

Very mysterious, no?

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WIP Friday - 16 March, originally uploaded by lla.

Today, I'm laundrying, cleaning and packing for the Big Weekend o' Fun. Hard to believe that it's finally here!
And why am I frantically cleaning if I'm going to Autum's? Good question. It's because I'm a freak who can't leave the house in a mess because I'll dread coming home to it!

Aside from being all atwitter about tomorrow's roadtrip, here are a couple of things that also have me in an exceptionally silly mood...

• My new shirt.
  It goes without saying that Schecky is not a big fan. But in this case, I've just got to shrug and say "tough rocks, kiddo."*
  
  It's amazing what a bad attitude combined with a teeny bit of bling can do for a girl.



• These cats.
  I know, I know - this is wrong on so many levels. But I still think it would be cool to at least get to see one.

So - what's making you all punchy/giddy/silly today?
Inquiring minds always want to know...

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*And I think this sums up perfectly why I will never be in any danger of being honored as "Mother of the Year."

Abbreviated Happy Things...

Today's list is going to be short, and fast...

Out of necessity.

Because I am dealing with a plumbing disaster.

Yes, something else is going wrong at the house that crazy built. You have no idea how much I wish that I was making this stuff up, or exaggerating it.

I went to the basement early this morning, to be greeted by a large puddle of water. Which was growing in size rapidly thanks to a steady trickle from the ceiling above.

It seems to be coming from the kitchen.

And for whatever reason, I can't seem to get the stream to stop. Even though I've tried using every single water cutoff valve I can find...

I've been calling the plumber, whom usually I love, since 6:45 this morning. If his receptionist tells me one more time "He should be on his way, hon" I may very well lose it.

In the meantime, I'm getting all kinds of lovely exercise by emptying out the large 5 gallon bucket that I've put under the deluge of water. It fills up way faster than one would imagine....

I can still find two things, though, that are worth smiling about. I present them below:

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A COMPLETED PANDABABY!



Although I never did get her sweater to come out quite right, I went ahead and finished her up. I needed her done ASAP - because I donated her to my son's school's upcoming auction. I hope she goes to a good home. I became quite fond of this one...

I've still got one or two more ideas for a lil' Panda sweater up my sleeve, and I think I'll get a chance to try them out still. I've got a feeling that I am not done with Pandas just yet...

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GOOD MUSIC TO LISTEN TO
while I wait and wait for the SF Plumber
and as I empty out bucket after bucket of water

One of my dearest friends from college sent me an email on Friday - always a fun occasion in and of itself - in which she told me about The Music of the Year Jukebox.

I am loving this, although I'm not exactly sure of all the details about it (such as what it is, who runs it, etc.) But the short version is that someone has put together the top music by year from 1950 - 1984. Click on a year for the top 30 of the top 100 songs from that year. The songs are by the original artists and the quality is about what it was back then.

There are other playlists available too. I've been spending this morning bouncing back and forth between 1984, and 1968.

Although, I'm currently listening to AC/DC. Loudly.

Because the plumber's not getting here any faster, and I'm not getting any less cranky about it...
But the too loud music is appeasing my inner angry child.

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UPDATED TO ADD: Plumber finally got here. Don't worry, I won't bore you with all the gory details - but the good news is that the tide has been stemmed, and the floor will probably be fine once it dries out. The bad news is that my arms are incredibly sore. Not from hauling all the buckets, but from writing the big old check that I had to write to the plumber.... sigh...

Oh - and the 1983 playlist is my absolute favorite!

Good Fortune!

A second entry for the list of Stupid Happiness....

I got a good fortune in a fortune cookie!



To get an idea of just how big a deal this is - please keep reading...

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You know how when you get Chinese food (or Thai, or Vietnamese - basically anyplace where you might get a fortune cookie...) there is always one person at the table who gets the sucky fortune?

Well - that person is me.

It's. always. me.

This is just a fact of life, and has been for as long back as anyone can remember.

In fact, it's where the title of this blog comes from - when I was trying to come up with a name, I asked Bubba for help. He's funny and good with words. I was having a difficult time coming up with a name that I felt summarized "me" and who I am.

So I asked Bubba: "What's something unique about me? I need a few quick words that sum me up."

Without hesitating, he replied "You always get the crappy fortune in your cookie".

And so, Bad Fortune Cookie was born.*

But I'm digressing - the point that I am trying to make is that no matter how bad, or trite, or cliched your fortune cookie fortune might be - mine will be worse.

I've got proof - I've been saving fortune cookie fortunes for - gosh, maybe 16 years? 20? Somewhere in there.

I've literally got hundreds of them, which I keep in a little pottery jar by the stove. These fortunes aren't all sucky - a lot of them aren't mine. If you and I were to eat Chinese food together and you offered me your fortune (which happens a lot. I get a lot of "Wow - your fortune sucks! Want mine?" pity fortunes.) I'd keep it. I keep them all...

It's been a long-running joke in my family. I used to take it personally. Heck - I was a teenager, I took everything personally. But one day something happened. Something that made me realize that it was simply my lot in life to get the bad fortune, and to get over it.

It was when Bubba and I were dating. He had taken me home to meet his parents, I believe for the first time. And we'd gone out for Chinese food.
Bubba was telling his parents about my fortune cookie curse. And everyone seemed to think it was hilarious. I protested - "It's not my fault!" I cried, "*I* don't get to pick my cookie - the waitperson picks it out for you! I have no control over the cookie that I get!"

Bubba's daddy excused himself from the table. Long story longer - seems that he knew the owners of this particular restaurant. He went to the owner and explained my predicament. So he and the owner return to the table, bearing between them a 30 gallon trash can.
Filled with fortune cookies!
I could pick out my very own cookie. At last - my true fortune would be revealed...

I took a deep breath.
I closed my eyes.
I plunged my paw deep into the 30 gallons of cookies, and rummaged around until I found the one that felt like "mine."

With all eyes upon me, I opened the cookie.
Everyone leaned in expectantly.

It.
Was.
Empty.

So, yeah. It's my lot in life to get the craptacular fortune in my cookie. I don't let it get to me anymore. It is what it is. And it's pretty darn funny...

But not this week! Not for me and my young, attractive and gifted family!

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FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE
I PRESENT
AN ABBREVIATED GALLERY OF REGRETTABLE FORTUNES



You may view my commentary on any fortune by clicking upon it.

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*In retrospect, I wish I'd been quick enough to come up with Ms.FortuneCookie - but alas.

Other blog names I wish I'd thought up?

• Knitty Bar - I *thought* I thought this one up, but when I looked, there already was one.
  
  
• I Think I'm Gonna Purl! - I didn't think this one up, but really wish that I had....

I Do Have One Tiny Bit of Disappointing News...

I interrupt this Stupidly Happy week with a bit of bad news...

By the time I realized that people wanted to see the poxy red flower, it wasn't poxy anymore. The pox had expanded into rather sweet looking stripes.

So that's the bad news...

But if you want to see the same flower with some gross cat fur on it, you may do so here...

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Days Late and Dollars Short...

I had originally intended to write a "Stupidly Happy Friday" post last Friday, as it was a day that was chock full o' things that were making me...well, stupidly happy.

However, there were just too many things*, so the post that I was composing in my mind was going to be a monster!

Plus, there was no time to convert the post-in-my-head into an actual post.

Turns out being stupidly giddy takes up a bunch of time.

So, dear reader, I've decided to take a new tack. Instead of one monster post, I'm going to break up the Stupid Happiness and dole it out in bite sized chunks.

Here is installment one...

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Obviously, first and foremost on the list of things that have me stupidly happy and all atwitter is the upcoming Daisy and Cookie's Big Weekend o' Fun. If you're not familiar with this road trip, you can read more about it here.

But that's still a week away - what to do until then?

Well, I can begin by admiring the loveliness that came in the mail!

I learned about GreenLeaf&Owl from the ever charming and entertaining Leah at Between Stupid and Clever. She had a link to GL&O's etsy shop in her listing of "Blatant Distractions."



I, too, fell in love with everything in the shop - I felt quite restrained in only ordering a few gift tags and this darling chickadee pendant.
(I'm not sure where it came from, but I've got a serious fondness for chickadees. I mean, they're just insanely cute birds. With spunky attitudes. I like that in a bird.)

Not only did my goodies arrive super-quickly, but they were packaged so beautifully. (And I'm a packaging junkie...) I am just delighted with it all, and would recommend this shop to everyone...

Chickadee
Originally uploaded by lla.

I immediately took my new pendant to Atlanta Beads, and got a few findings so that I could string it on an organza ribbon, and I've been wearing it all weekend.

What can I say, upcoming road trips and happy mail? Stupidly happy....

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*A very nice problem to have, I might say.
I'd love for this trend to continue!

Gratuitous Pretty Pictures, Revisited...

Thanks for all the enthusiasm about our science project! It's always nice to know that I'm not the only one getting excited over the simple things...

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A day later, there are some color changes, although not as dramatic as I remember when using carnations. The blue and the green are the most noticeable. The red has only come through in blotches - which makes it look like the poor flower has some sort of hideous pox.

I am not sure what kind of flower we are using. (Which is hardly surprising - I am quite botanically challenged!)
They were inexpensive and white- my two main criteria...
Maybe some sort of mum?
I think the sticker that came on them said something helpful like "asstd bqt"...







Isn't science fun???

Gratuitous Pretty Pictures....

Well, since I scared the living daylights out of everyone yesterday, with the hideousness that was my eye*, I figured I needed to make it up to you with something pretty...

Voila!

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While talking with Schecky today, I realized that somehow he's never done the "experiment" where the white carnations change color due to food coloring in their water.

I thought that needed to be rectified. Immediately.

So off we went to the grocery store - only to realize that our Publix doesn't carry white carnations. (Apparently, they "don't sell well in this market," according to the floral associate. Who knew?) So, we got the only white flowers they had and set it all up.

And then Scheck spent the rest of the afternoon asking me every. five. minutes. if the colors had started to change.** Which has the potential to be annoying, I know - but sadly, I was right there with him every five minutes, wanting to know myself! (Secretly, I'm not that much mature than my 8 year old)
(OK, yeah. That's not such a secret, is it???)

I'm halfway worried that it's not going to work, since we're not using carnations... But even if it doesn't work, they still look awfully pretty...

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*And please know that it was not my intent to become the posterchild for "why you don't want to go to the eye doctor"! It's important to take care of these things, ladies and gentlemen...

(Plus, here in Georgia, you have to go once a year, or you can't get new contact lenses. Hmph.)

**One of the reasons that he keeps asking me, instead of just trusting what he sees, is that Scheck is almost completely colorblind. He's worried that the flowers are changing colors, but that he isn't able to see it... It's kind of cute, and kind of heartbreaking all at the same time...

Guess Who Went to the Optometrist Today?

And that's about *all* that happened today.

I had an appointment first thing this morning, and the doctor dilated my eyes. And - boom! - that was pretty much all she wrote for the rest of *my* day...

Unless you count walking around looking like an anime character, or the subject of a Margaret Keane painting - because I did a lot of that...

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That would be me...
Originally uploaded by lla.

I got home from my appointment, and realized I couldn't read, or knit, or even see the computer screen. Also, the sun was just killing me...
I spent the entire time that Scheck was in school sitting in a darkened living room, listening to trashy television.

I kind of hate myself, because in spite of protesting that I would never watch that "Who Wants to be the Next PussyCat Doll" show... please don't make me finish that sentence. I'm too ashamed...

Picked Schecky up from school, and had to tell him that we couldn't go to the park, despite it being a gorgeous 70°, because Mommy was a vampire and the sun was killing her.

Instead, we went to the soothingly dark Lizards and Snakes exhibit at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Where Schecky tirelessly read me all the signs by the exhibits. He's a good egg, that boy is. I may have to go back with my camera to take some pictures, because lizards and snakes are way cool...

Eight hours later, I am just now starting to be able to see small print, etc. again. And my pupils have gone down slightly. But only slightly. I can't decide if they changed the stuff that they put in your eye, or if I'm just getting old. But I don't ever remember this ever being this big of an inconvenience in the past!

Bloggers are Just Nicer Than the Average Bear...

I've suspected this for quite some time - but I've decided to make it official. Bloggers are just nicer, more thoughtful (and more thought-provoking!) than the average person.
Remember, you read it here first! :)

Thank you so very much for your sweet comments, and the emails that you sent, in response to the last post that I made... I feel so lucky to be part of a community of such generous, and kind, people.

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Keeping that in mind - the general niceness and good-to-be-aroundness of the bloggers I've encountered - I've got the perfect segue into the non-sucky part of my laughably annoying day last week.

Yes, as I've alluded, it wasn't all trial and tribulations... Between my boring morning meetings, and my afternoon of auguring and plunging - I had a delightful lunch date with Amy, from 3 To Get Ready.

I had a lovely time. This was our second get-together, and I had every bit as much fun as I did the first time (I would have said that I had more fun, but I am not sure that's possible!)

Amy graciously allowed me to choose the venue, and I immediately chose The Flying Biscuit because I was craving grits something fierce (and their grits are fab! I might even smack my mama if I thought it would get me a bowl of them!)

Amy, her charming daughter Hattie and I chatted, and giggled like a bunch of schoolgirls! Once again, excellent company and excellent food. A very nice way to spend an afternoon....

And I really appreciate the tactful way in which Amy and Hattie ignored me when I did my "Randy, how does the piggy eat" impersonation in my attempt to get every last grit out of the bowl. Can't help it - those grits are seriously, seriously that good...

Amy comes into my neck of the woods ever-so-often to get her hair cut, and I'm already looking forward to the her next appointment! And, Amy - I'll let you pick the restaurant next time!

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Also on my list of things that I am just totally looking forward to? I've got an upcoming trip planned to the wilds of North Carolina to spend a crafty, girly weekend with Autum of Creative Little Daisy!

Autum was the first person that I didn't know from "real life" to comment on Bad Fortune Cookie over a year ago. I guess it's true that you always remember your first???
Over the past year, I've been truly amazed at Autum's many, many talents. She creates the most gorgeous things with her sewing machine, has such a knack for interior design (maybe she got my share of that gene, because goodness knows I don't have any of that!) and has just the biggest, most generous heart.

So I am thrilled that we're going to get to meet in real life... I predict a fun weekend filled with giggling, and craftiness! And I just can't wait!
Hee - Daisy and Cookie's Big Weekend o' Fun - coming up soon...

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And since I've been subjecting y'all lately to my latest passion for cute and small food - I can't finish up this post without sharing this:




One perfect, tiny, happy little jelly doughnut.

It's hard to get a true sense of scale, since it's sitting on a salad plate next to a stupidly large cup - but it's about the size of a persimmon? (Upon re-reading that I have to question how helpful that is. Does anyone really know the size of the persimmons that used to grow in my backyard in Tennessee? Probably not. Let's see - the jelly doughnut was smaller than a golf ball, but bigger than a quarter...)
I guess that technically, it's a doughnut hole, or a Munchkin, or whatever you want to call it. But I'd never seen a doughnut hole with filling before, so of course I had to give it a try.

Found the darling little doughnut at Happy Donuts in East Atlanta. It's no Krispy Kreme* (but really, what else is?) but I'd still recommend it. It felt like a neighborhood doughnut shop, and I liked that. Plus, the tiny doughnut? Very, very tasty...

(Upon re-reading this entire post, I have to marvel at the fact that I don't have scurvy. Since this blog makes it seem as if I eat nothing but nutritionally-devoid breakfast foods....)

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*As an aside - there was an article in the paper about Krispy Kreme's new whole wheat doughnut. I was telling Bubba about it, and he asked if Shecky and I were going to try them. I believe that my exact reply was "what's the point?"

But I blame that conversation for planting the whole idea of doughnuts in my head today. An idea which stuck like a big shiny diamond....

It's a Sad Morning In Georgia...

and in Alabama, and Ohio too...

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My heart is breaking for the families of the Ohio college baseball team whose bus plunged off an I-75 overpass this morning.

My heart is breaking for the townspeople of Americus.

And my heart is breaking for the families of the students at Enterprise High School.

That's a whole lot of sadness for one 24 hour period.

If you are the kind of person who prays, or sends good wishes - please take a second to remember some of the folk above.

I think that they could use it.

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And I think that both WIP Friday, and the discussion about how not everything on Wednesday was sucky, are going to have to wait for another day.
I'm not going to be all morbid and depressing and brooding today - but I just don't feel like today is the day to talk about little bears and stuff...