Flip Flop Alert!

I love flip flops! I wear them in the house during the winter, to the beach in the summer and everywhere in between. I have cheap ones and not so cheap ones. One of my recent favorites is a pair in white patent that I bought at the beginning of summer to go with my white linen pants. And I love the gold bronze pair that I bought to wear on vacation to Key West, that never made it to Key West, thanks to hurricane Ike...but that's another story!! They are quite possibly the most popular, comfortable shoe ever invented. Everyone in the world wears them it seems.

So, why the alert? I recently had a run in with my 'house' flip flops...the cheap rubber ones that I wear around the place. I hate to go bare footed! I vaguely remember hearing at one time that these simple shoes could be dangerous. Well, now I know first hand about the ....gasp...Dangers of Flip Flops!

I was busy being Suzy Homemaker this past Sunday afternoon. The house hadn't been really cleaned since Ike put all our lives on hold a few weeks ago, so I went to work on the floors. I was heading for the closet to get the vacuum cleaner and somehow the front of my right FF bent under and caused me to trip as I was turning around. My left foot got tangled around my right ankle and I started going down. As I fell, my right ankle twisted inward and made a horrible popping sound. It felt like an electric shock went thru the bone. I hit the carpet and lay there stunned from the pain, unable to move. My ankle immediately began to swell to the size of an egg! I couldn't get up and walk so I lay there freaked for a few minutes. Finally, I crawled to the kitchen and managed to get a bag of ice to put on it. Now, what to do?

Call Mr B, that's what! My favorite paramedic, who was on a bike ride in the far reaches of northwest Houston by this time. I frantically speed dialed his number and sent out an SOS... I fired off a text message, just to cover all my bases. Then I crawled to the sofa with my ice bag and waited.

Eventually, he stopped for a break and checked his messages. Long story short, he came to my rescue. By the time he arrived a few hours later, I was in some major pain and really swollen. After assessing my injury, we were fairly sure that it wasn't broken but continued to watch it the rest of the evening. A few glasses of wine helped my feelings a little.. I continued to ice and elevate on Monday but it continued swelling and turning blue.

My bff Lisa loaned me some crutches and a client loaned me an Air Cast which helped me get thru the work day on Tuesday. Now, it's Wednesday and I'm still in pain, bruised and swollen. I finally decided to go get an X ray. Thankfully, it's not broken! I have to wear the Air Cast for 3 or 4 weeks then be in a small brace for a few weeks after that. No prob...as long as I'm able to hobble onto The Carnival Conquest on Oct 26th for a 7 day cruise to the Carribean and Cozumel!

And, I WILL be taking those gold bronze flips flops along too. I refuse to give up my FF's...

I'll just get a maid and stop vacuuming, Y'all!

Remembering Galveston

Galveston and Kemah are trashed. Rob and I visited both places this summer. We ducked into The Balinese Room http://www.balineseroom.net/ to get out of the rain. Rob had never been inside and wanted to check it out. They let us walk all the way to the back and look around. It was the 4th of July weekend and they were setting up for a private party in the ball room. As we walked along the pier, we could see the ocean through holes in the wood floor! It was awesome! We sat at the old bar at the front, sipping a Corona with lime and chatted with the bartender while looking at a wall full of pictures of famous people who had 'played' there (music and otherwise!). ZZ Top played gigs there when they were just a 'little old band' from Houston. They even wrote and recorded a song about it. The place always held a certain mystery for it's reputation from the days of prohibition. Later, it was just a familiar site to we native Houstonians each time we went to The Island. Invariably, someone would say as we passed this old, weathered structure jutting out into the water, 'Look, there's The Balinese Room', like it was some kind of a shrine. Well, to us, in it's own unique way, I suppose it was. A part of our local history that had survived many other storms was finally taken down by Ike. Galveston will recover and rebuild but the Sea Wall won't be the same without The Balinese.

It's sad, y'all....

Ike...Yikes!!!

The driveway was covered in debris. Jim parked mine and Lavonne's car in a warehouse that he owns nearby. We had just gone and moved them back to the house. Good thing...the streets around the warehouse flooded!

Sis, starting the clean up. Papa John's Chestnut tree received a good pruning. He planted it years ago.

Jim, attacking this gigantic limb that fell on the corner of their house.

Very minimal damage was done but it sounded like the entire tree was coming down when it hit.

This is the back of the house. Notice the extension cords running out the window to the generator in the garage. Our lifeline!

A huge limb from this Tallow tree barely missed the swing.

The day after Ike...digging out of the fallen limbs and debris. This is my sister and brother in laws' home, where I 'hunkered' (love that word) during the storm of the century. They live on the north side of Houston, near Bush IAH airport. We fared better than a lot of folks but....

WHAT A MESS, Y'all!!

The Bluebirds are Gone

Well, they've been gone for a month or so...I've just been too upset to write about it. I guess the little red house held too many sad memories after the death of their babies. Or maybe it was because red wasps kept building a nest inside...who knows? One day, it occurred to me that I hadn't seen them coming and going so I began to watch for them. I heard no sweet chirps outside my window, saw no early morning 'breakfast runs', no late afternoon feedings. I watched and waited for days but they never returned! It's not the same without them. I miss those beautiful blue creatures!

Once again, I've learned a lesson from the birds. They know when it's time to move so they just pack up and go! I've been in this house too long and have felt for quite a while that it was time to move on; to leave the shadow of old memories behind. But it's easier for the birds...they take wing to parts unknown, leaving no thought to the gory details. We humans have to worry about things like financial obligations and other trivia. Birds, like butterflies are so free!

I want to be a Bluebird, (or a Redbird?). Or maybe Mr B and I will stay in The Keys and I'll be a pink Flamingo! Wonder what kind of bird he'd like to be?

Here's to being free as a bird, y'all!

Booty Bag

This is my latest project...a cute purse made from old jeans. I got the recipe from Catie-Beth, #1 granddaughter. She and her sister Abby and I made them each one when I was visiting in July. I came home and found a pair of Old Navy jeans in my brothers stuff and started snipping and sewing. Catie-Beth found a pattern online and I'm sure there are many others out there as well. We used the basic instructions to make the bag, then used our imaginations to decorate and embellish. The girls' bags had purchased iron on appliques and buttons. My appliques are cut from floral fabric and applied with a heat transfer material. I love the bright orange lining. I added an inside pocket, made from the floral fabric...kind of brings it all together. The belt came with a pair of capris and I never wore it with them. Glad I saved it!

Everyone wants one! I'd have to charge 200.00 bucks a pop, I'm afraid. It's all hand sewn and glued with fabric glue for extra strength. I literally bled at times, trying to get a huge needle thru that tough denim! Between that and burning my fingers on the iron while transfering the appliques, my hands were sore.

It will be perfect to take to Key West next month. Mr B and I are counting the days!

Anyway, it was fun...but I'm done y'all!

Fun in Galveston

Mr B and I went to Galveston for July 4th. Stayed at The Harbour House at Pier 21 on the Strand. We did the usual stuff...ate at Rudy & Paco, The Sky Bar (great sushi), The Sunflower Bakery (awesome breakfast), shopped the Strand, caught some sun and swam at The Galvez pool. We found a fun place to watch the fireworks at the Seawall. It's called 'The Spot', where all the Harley riders hang out. A guy standing near us gave Rob the cap....now all he needs is a Harley! All in all, it was a fun, relaxing time.

It's all good, y'all!