Wedding Pictures

Mother's Day

This Mother's Day was extra special for me for several reasons. First of all, I was in Florida with my girls. That in itself was cool, but now that my daughter is expecting baby number three it was even more wonderful. Her youngest will be nine years old in a few weeks so this was definitely a surprise to everyone.

Anyway, we all got up early and went to church. Pastor son in law had to stay for the late service so we girls decided to have an early lunch at Woody's Bar B Que. After all the seafood at the wedding, I was ready for some juicy baby back ribs. Daughter was craving some fried onion rings. Her father in law and sister in law had the same idea and came in right as we were being seated, so they joined us at our table. This place is also known for their delicious homemade pies, cakes and banana pudding........well, it was Mother's Day and we had already blown the diet at the wedding. What would one more piece of pie hurt?
The girls shared a piece of French Silk pie, Father in law and I shared the Coconut Cream pie and daughter went for the banana pudding. Oh wow, was it ever good! We didn't forget pastor S-i-L....we took him a sliced beef sandwich, french fries and saved a few bites of pie and pudding.

Now, for the real story. After we had kicked back for a short siesta, we hooked up the boat and went to the lake to do a little tubing. CB, the oldest granddaughter hopped on for the first round. She's a regular hot dog and really loves to ride the waves. What fun, I thought. I had been tubing once before and felt up to the challenge again. I put on my life jacket and gingerly hopped on the big blue tube. They forgot to tell me to slide toward the back before take off and before I knew what was happening the thing flipped forward and landed me face first in the water. There was no way I could pull myself back up on the thing from the water, so I had to get back in the boat and climb on it from there. I managed to get on the ladder but was unable to pull myself up into the boat.
S-I-L had to give me a hand! Eventually, I got back on the tube and away I went. It was a nice ride and I managed to stay on the entire time. Getting back in the boat proved to be a challenge once again, but I made it in. CB took another spin, then the youngest granddaughter wanted me to ride with her. No problem, I survived the first ride, so the two of us climbed on and took off. I guess A felt safe with me because she wanted to go faster and 'get some wave'. I gave S-I-L the thumbs up to go faster and make some waves. Next thing I knew, we were hitting the waves, bouncing up and down on the tube. I was holding on for dear life and A was screaming like the little girl she is! All of a sudden, we went over the edge of the wake and I lost my grip. I went flying into the water and came up gasping for air. Every muscle in my body was jerking....I was exhausted! How was I going to get back in the boat, I thought. Somehow I was able to get onto the ladder but there was no way I could pull myself up. I must have looked like a drowned rat because they were asking me if I was OK...while laughing their heads off, I might add! S-I-L held out his hand but I was afraid to let go of the ladder. I knew I had to either get in the boat or they would have to idle back to shore, dragging me in the water. Long story short, I finally grabbed his hand. He literally had to flop my body over the side of the boat. I felt like a fish that had just been reeled in. My muscles were quivering and I felt like I weighed a ton! Those brats were still laughing as we headed for the dock. What a blast....so invigorating! Can't wait to go again!!

When we got home, father in law had gone to the store and bought a huge ice cream cake. He's such a nice man! Oh mercy....more dessert, but I couldn't resist. Besides, it would be rude to refuse.....and I needed to replace the calories I burned during my wild ride around the lake!

So, how was that for a fun Mother's Day, ya'll?

A Beautiful Wedding

A Limoge box was the inspiration for the wedding cake, designed by the bride. Fresh citrus fruit, tropical flowers and sea grasses adorned the top of a delicious lemon pound cake.

The large vase to the right of the cake is filled with seashells. In the bottom of the vase, the grooms sister placed sand from the beach. Each guest placed a shell in the vase as they exited the beach after the ceremony. I'm sure the bride and groom will enjoy this reminder of their special day for years to come.

I just returned from sunny, or I should say, smoky Florida this afternoon. The smoke from wildfires in Georgia and northern Florida was blown by a subtropical depression, covering the entire state. I flew into Tampa Wednesday afternoon and the skies were fairly clear, as they were most of Thursday in Winter Haven. By Friday, the sky was a little hazy, but we had a wedding to attend.

My daughter, son in law and grand daughters left Friday morning, driving south to Naples/ Fort Myers for my niece's wedding. We arrived at The Bellasera hotel www.sunstream.com around 1:00 pm, entering the lobby through two huge, heavy dark wooden doors. A metal spiral staircase led to the second floor landing. I felt like I was in Italy. Our two bedroom suite was beautifully appointed in a warm Tuscan decor. The complete kitchen had gorgeous granite counter tops and beautiful black appliances. I could live there!

After checking in, we met up with my sister and other family members and went to the pool area. Her two grandsons and my two granddaughters enjoyed a swim while we sat and had a glass of tea. Soon it was time to get ready for the wedding. My daughter and I were 'in charge' of the bride, so I gathered her and all her stuff and we went to our suite to work on hair and make up. The little girls were fascinated by the whole process. Since both were members of the wedding party, I styled their hair too, and helped them get dressed. My sister took charge of the boys, and soon we were all ready for the trek to the beach for the ceremony.

When we arrived at Lowdermilk park beach around 6:30 pm, the wind was blowing and there was a smoky haze covering the entire area. The chairs weren't set up yet, so everyone pitched in a got them set up. Then, to the melody of a Jamaican steel drum, the bride made her way to a bamboo arch, festooned with palm fronds and orange tropical lilies. She wore a beautiful cream gown and held a hand tied nosegay of orange calla lilies and tiny green orchids. Her handsome groom awaited, dressed in a light summer suit, a lime green Cymbidium orchid pinned to his lapel. My two granddaughters stood by the bride while the brides two sons stood by the groom. My son in law officiated the ceremony, and as he pronounced the happy couple husband and wife, my heart swelled with love and appreciation for being blessed with such a wonderful family. At the end of the ceremony, instead of throwing rice, everyone tossed a seashell into the surf while saying a prayer or blessing for the newlyweds. Their names were inscribed on each shell.

After the ceremony, the entire group of about 25 people, went to Truluck's Steak and Stonecrab restaurant. We all enjoyed a beautiful sit down dinner of steak and seafood. Need I say more? Yum!!!

Wait, there's more! Saturday morning, The groom's family hosted a brunch at the couple's new home in Fort Myers. More food......including mimosas, desserts from the night before that we were all too stuffed to eat, PLUS wedding cake!

Finally, it was time to say our goodbyes and get on the road. We decided to stop by Sanibel beach before we left the area. The smoke had cleared and the sun was shining brightly as we walked along the waters edge, picking up sea shells. What a perfect end to such a perfect day!

Guess what I did on Mother's day! More about that later.....

And a good time was had by all, ya'll!

Birdhouses

I found this cute birdhouse at the Bluebonnet festival a few weeks ago. It has a crackled tin roof and I love all the metal work on it. The little green birdhouse and the Boston fern are hanging on a piece of metal scroll work from an old screen door.

One day I noticed a pair of Eastern Bluebirds flying near the porch. One of them lit on the front of the house and went right in while its mate waited, perched nearby on top of a wind chime. They must have liked the location because they immediately began to bring pieces of straw inside and started making their nest.

I can't get close enough to take a picture of the birds. I caught this shot as they were dragging a piece of grass into the house. I love collecting unique, hand crafted birdhouses and have quite a nice collection. This is the first time some of my feathered friends have taken up residence in one.

Snake!

I was in my backyard Saturday afternoon watering plants. As always, Elvis and Presley were 'helping' me. As I aimed the hose toward the fence I notice movement near the plant I was about to water. It was a HUGE snake, about 3 feet long! I jumped back and screamed, which alerted the dogs. Elvis started barking at it and Presley ran for the porch ( he's the smart one). The snake ran(?) toward a flower bed with Elvis in pursuit. I grabbed a shovel and managed to hold it down while whacking it with a piece of landscape timber. At the same time, I'm trying to keep Elvis from attacking the thing as it writhed about. By this time, blood was all over the place.....It looked like a murder scene. Well, those two little hounds were determined to get all in it, so I had to hose them and the surrounding area down before throwing the dead carcass over the back fence. I don't know if it was poisonous but I didn't want to take any chances with it biting one of 'the boys'. I know snakes have their place in the environment, eating rodents and other vermin and I'm sorry I killed the poor thing. I just FREAKED, OK? I wish now I had had the presence of mind to take a picture so I could have identified it, but it would still be dead!

So, after that little detour, I went in the house, had a diet coke, freshened up and went to the mall to do a little shopping. I bought a sun hat to wear to my niece's beach wedding in Florida. Then I notice that Dillard's was having a sale on bed linens. I've been looking for a new comforter for my bed, so I decided to see what they had. I found it! It's called 'Romanoff' by Croscill. It was 33 % off!!Check out the little animal print pillow I found at the Bluebonnet festival in Chappell Hill (TX)...it says "Who Cares".... cute, huh?

It's almost time for Dancing With the Stars...

Bye for now, Ya'll!

New Beginnings

Tomorrow is April 1st...the beginning of a new month. Spring time is all about new beginnings...with the trees budding out and flowers beginning to bloom, everything looks fresh and new. My herb garden is planted with new basil, chives, thyme, sage, parsley and cilantro. Last years cilantro even re-seeded itself and is now exploding with tiny white flowers that will go to seed and become coriander. The White Princess peach tree I planted three weeks ago is thriving and has a dozen or so tiny peaches on it. The birds are singing and building their nests. The tree frogs have suddenly appeared, filling the night with their song. Nature has awakened from its winter's nap, ready to begin a new season.

As for me, I am beginning a new season in my life. The domestic issues I have been dealing with for the last year are finally being resolved. Hope and expectation have finally begun to replace sadness and despair. The winter doldrums have been awakened by the hustle bustle of spring. My life, like my garden is taking on new growth.

Easter is a week away. What better time to celebrate? The resurrection of our Lord and Savior is all about new beginnings!

It's Saturday, and I'm still sick. Wonder what's on TV today? I'll check it out later. Elvis and Presley are really enjoying having their Mom home with them. They seem to sense that I'm sick. They look at me curiously when I blow my nose, which I'm doing a lot. Presley keeps trying to lick the Vick's off me. Euwww. They sure kept me warm Thursday night when I was having chills, though.

The following is a post I wrote yesterday on another blog:

I'm home sick today...the flu finally 'got' me! Been laying on the sofa, on and off all day, watching daytime TV. Elvis and Presley are right there with me, arguing over who gets the prime spot on my lap. I finally put them outside..after all, they're dogs, they need to be out in the sunshine, working on the the holes they've been digging!

TV got a little boring...I dozed off during Montel. It was about spoiled kids/teenagers. I love they way they dance around the fact that these little brats could use a good spanking. It seems the parents feel the need to give their children everything but discipline and boundaries. Just watch Nanny 911...the kids are running the show! The parents are wimps!

So, I thought I'd browse a few profiles, read a few blogs. People are so interesting and I love reading about them, but it amazes me how many adults can't spell. Get a dictionary, for heavens sake, people! I can accept the non-use of punctuation and capitalization. I don't have a problem with 'computer speak spelling', such as 'u r' for 'you are', but 'friend' is not spelled 'freand'!

OK, I've had a sinus headache for 5 days, so thanks for letting me vent. Just in case you're reading this, Mr. Wonderful, I really am a nice person!

I just hate being sick!

Lainey

You Are 85% Feminine, 15% Masculine

You are totally in touch with your feminine side.Chances are, you are a very typical woman.And if you're a guy, then you're just super sensitive.

Are You Masculine or Feminine?

Still Livin Life One Day at a Time

Where have I been? Just working and hanging out with Elvis and Presley. The weather has been too nasty to do much of anything. Today, however, is beautiful! It's 75 degrees and sunny! I took the boys with me to the bank and to do a few errands this morning. Elvis loves to 'go bye bye' but gets so nervous and whiny the entire time we're gone. We stopped by the church to see Uncle Buck and Elvis tinkled on the carpet the minute we walked into the office! Presley, on the other hand is very laid back and quiet. He just wants to be on my shoulder, like a baby, at all times. When we got to Petco I put Elvis in the basket, but Presley wanted me to carry him. They are such a cute pair, getting attention wherever we go. I love 'em to pieces.

The domestic scene has been rather tense lately. The big 'D' is in the works. Things have begun to level off some, but I'm not out of the woods yet.
Stay tuned....

In spite of the trials I am going through, I know that I will survive this storm and be a better person for it. I am so blessed in so many ways...wonderful friends and family, great career, decent health and a church home where I can go to worship and be refreshed. God is my strength and refuge!

Like I have said before, I won't allow this one glitch in my life to define who I am. I can rest assured in the knowledge that I have gone 'above and beyond' to make my marriage work. I do, however, know when to jump off a sinking ship!

That's a fact, ya'll!

Happy New Year

It's 2007! Wow, time flies.... Seems like only yesterday that we were all waiting for 2000, the millennium to happen. I was in Florida with my daughter, just in case disaster struck. We were all at a friends house, gathered around a fire in their back yard. As midnight got closer and closer, we all speculated on what might happen and what we would do. We even had the TV on, watching the clock strike 12:00 midnight in other parts of the world. People were in the streets as fireworks exploded at the dreaded hour....hmmm...Nothing out of the ordinary happened! The partying continued and life went on. So, we went back outside, threw a few more logs on the fire, refilled the chips and dip and continued our wait. Sure enough, the clock struck 12:00... And nothing weird happened. All the suspense, hype and drama of 1999 was finally over. We gathered the babies and our empty dishes, went home and crashed.

Flash forward 6 years. Once again, I was in Florida with my daughter. This time though, there was no party. Just she and I on the sofa, in our jammies watching, of all things, 'Cars'. Her husband had left early that morning for Atlanta to attend a conference and girls were at a sleep over. The DVD was over about 11:00...by 11:20 we were both out like a light! Even after drinking a pot of coffee and eating chocolate, we couldn't keep our eyes open. Oh well, at least we were together. And the movie was cute....I love Tow Mater!

I just know that 2007 is going to be a great year, Ya'll!

Christmas, etc

Well, another Christmas pageant is behind me. After months of preparation and endless rehearsals, The Celebration Choir shared a concert of inspirational Christmas songs. After a short intermission, we presented a short play about The Journey to the Manger. It's all about the 'true' meaning of Christmas. Needless to say, we are all exhausted after it is over, but it is worth every minute!

Anyway, besides working in the world of hair, that's where I've been the last few months.

The wreath is on the front door, the mantel is done and that is the extent of my Christmas decorating because I'm headed for sunny Florida in a few weeks to spend Christmas with 'The Girls'! Yay!!

Today, my little doxie, Elvis is 1 year old. I wanted to get him a cake and take pictures, but I have been grounded to the house today because I caught a stomach virus that was going around during pageant. At least I didn't get sick during that time, though.

Later, Ya'll!

Still Kickin'

I just have not been in the mood to write much lately. A lot has been happening, though. My niece moved back home with her Mama almost a month ago. Let's just say it was a learning experience for both of us and leave it at that. She went for a weekend visit and decided to stay. It must have been something I said! All her clothes are still here. Princeton, (the cat) is here also, and will be staying for a while longer. He will be moving to his new home in about a month. By then, the new puppy should be here. Yes, I am getting another mini doxie...a bro for Elvis. His name will be Presley. I hope The King accepts him and that they become buddies.

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's hard to believe that this will be my second holiday season in the new house. Even though things haven't turned out the way I expected, I have enjoyed being here. The neighborhood has changed considerably in the last year, too. Many of the families that have moved in relocated here from Louisiana, in the wake of hurricane Katrina.

There are lots of kids, running all over the cul-de-sac. I wish their parents would teach them to get out of the street when a car is approaching. The little ones are allowed to run amok all over the place. The big ones move their portable basketball goals out to the curb and shoot hoops in the street, almost daring me to hit them! At least they could step to the side and allow me to pass. I'm going to go to the next home owners meeting and say something. I'm not a mean, old, grouchy woman yet, and I realize that children need to play outdoors, but NOT IN THE STREET where I have to drive to get to my home! That's what driveways, yards and parks are for.

Enough ranting about the juvenile delinquents. I'm still looking for a Halloween costume for Elvis so I can take his picture. All I want is a black t-shirt with something on it. I'm afraid he might eat/tear up anything else. He is such a destructo-puppy! It would be cute to get Princeton a matching shirt, too. I'll go look tomorrow after work.

I'm going to go read cookbooks. I'm having a luncheon here in a few weeks and I need to work on my menu. I'm thinking pasta salad and stuff to go with it. Pumpkin bread or mini pecan tarts sound good, too. I found some brownish/amber plastic plates at Target today that will go perfect with my Fall theme. They were marked down to 98 cents each! I bought 14 of them and a salad bowl to match. I love finding a bargain like that!

It's almost time for Dr. G, Medical Examiner....I love that show!

Take care, ya'll

Life Goes On

I'm still painting! I was almost finished in the family room when I started getting sick with a sore throat. I laid on the couch Sunday and Monday looking at a half painted wall! Hopefully, I can wrap it up next week. I'm having a luncheon for a few of my girlfriends the first week in November, so I still have time. I've been in my new home for a year and none of my friends have seen it. Mainly because I'm just now getting it decorated properly. Until recently, All the 'domestic issues' kept me from really having the desire to do anything. Now that things are finally getting resolved and I plan on staying in the house, it's time to get on with my projects.

The window treatments in the family room look great. I like them even better than I thought I would. I'll take pictures soon. I found some velvety looking moss green panels for the window in the front room/sitting room at Ross. They are perfect! I still need to decide on a wall color for this room, too. It just never ends! One thing leads to another, but it's so much fun. Anyway, I need to get it all done asap.

The holiday season is fast approaching, which means Christmas Pageant, which means lots of work and rehearsals. A friend and I have been asked to re-work and repair about a dozen or so large banners to be used in the pageant. It sounds like a fun project, but will take some time. We will need to ask for volunteers to help, I'm sure. This Friday evening and all day Saturday is our Choir retreat, where we will really get into the music and CRAM! Lot's of work, but oh so rewarding!

My niece moved back home a few weeks ago. She missed her family and they missed her, in spite of their differences. She is still searching, but hopefully, she will find her way. I hope I made some sort of impression on her, although she thought I had too many 'limitations' (her word). What she called limitations I called expectations. Live and learn, Miss Sophie.

Yes, Life goes on, ya'll

High Maintenance Women

Here's the question: Are guys intimidated by attractive women? I recently asked a gentleman acquaintance this question. He said, 'Yes, in most cases they are, because an attractive woman usually means 'high maintenance'...(which, of course means Big Bucks). I said facetiously, 'You get what you pay for'!

It is possible to look H.M. without being H.M. However, the reverse is also true!

This debate reminds me of a quote by Dolly Parton, ' It takes a lot of money to look this trashy'.

Or, to quote my Mama, 'You can't judge a book by its cover'. I had a hairdresser friend that used to say, 'You cant make chicken salad out of chicken s***'!

Aunt Era used to tell me that it doesn't matter how pretty you are on the out side, if you're not pretty on the inside.....She'd say, 'Pretty is as pretty does'.

As for me personally, I love to dress, love my jewelry, love my having my nails done, love pedicures and facials, love playing with my hair color..I love all that girly stuff, but that doesn't make me high maintenance because I don't ask or expect anyone to bankroll my personal indulgences. In fact, I call it 'creative marketing'. I am, after all, in the beauty business. I must constantly endeavor to perfect the art and science of looking high maintenance, while not breaking the bank. I love my job!

So guys, the next time you see an attractive woman, don't judge a book by its cover. But, FYI, if you happen to run into a gold digger, their motto is: 'If you wanna play, you gotta pay'! Hmmm, come to think of it, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea! Just kidding...maybe!

Excuse me while I go attempt to balance my checkbook. I need to see if I can afford to go to SteinMart tomorrow. It's the perfect place for girls like myself, who have Champagne taste on a beer budget!

Just doing a little creative marketing, ya'll

My New Walls

I love this taupe color in the Family room. It's Martha Stewart 'Tumbleweed'. You can see the contrast with the unpainted wall to the right. I'm still looking for just the right window treatments. On the mantel, I arranged a colorful Fall swag with red votive candles nestled among the leaves, enhanced by clove scented pillar candles. I'm thinking about antiquing the mantel...what do you think?
Here is the entry hall. The wall color is actually a bit darker than the picture shows. It too, is a Martha Stewart color called Jasper, a soft sage green. It contrasts beautifully with the creamy taupe in the family room. I love the way it brings out the richness of the dark brown metal side table and other accessories.

I love it Ya'll!

Me and My Chicas

A few of my good buds met me for lunch today. My birthday isn't until Saturday, but Wednesday is the day we all get together to celebrate special days.

Of course, if you go to a Mexican place, they always sing and make you wear a silly hat!

Ole! ya'll

Where Were You?

What a perfectly beautiful morning, I thought as I hung up the phone and looked out the back door. A perfect day for flying...I had just finished talking to my daughter in Florida. We were both excited and making plans about our visit. I was scheduled to fly out the next morning, September 12, 2001. My birthday is on September 16 and my son in laws' is on the 14th. We thought it would be fun to celebrate together. I remember thinking, as I continued to get ready for work, 'I wish I had left yesterday (the 10th), I would already be there having fun'.

I had the radio on, as usual, listening to my favorite DJ's on KSBJ, a Contemporary Christian station. I looked at the clock, it was about a quarter to eight. I was running a little late because I had stayed on the phone too long. As I ran to get dressed, the DJ broke in to announce that there had been some sort of explosion at the World Trade Center in New York City. I quickly turned on the TV to get more information. To my horror, there it was; live coverage of this horrible event. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing! Suddenly, I saw an airplane heading toward the second tower, the first tower already in flames. The plane crashed into the building and appeared to come out the other side. I watched in utter disbelief as pandemonium broke loose.

I had to leave for work and by the time I got to the salon the whole world seemed to come to a halt. All of the local radio stations were broadcasting live reports. Everyone seemed to be in shock as we listened to this unbelievable tragedy unfold. As the day wore on, I realized that I wouldn't be boarding a plane the next day because all flights were grounded...every airport in the nation was shut down. At the end of the day, I went home and turned on the TV, once again seeing the Towers being assaulted, watching as they tumbled to the ground. Over and over, they showed them as they fell. By this time, the reality of what had happened became clear. The hijacked planes, the attack on the Pentagon, people running in the streets. I finally had to turn it off. I was numb. I called my daughter, my son...every one in my family.

The next morning I got up to another perfect day, weatherwise, but I wasn't going anywhere. I turned on the TV. There it was again, footage of the Towers coming down. Stories began to unfold...it seemed to go on and on. I was so sad and angry. I had to turn it off and get out of the house. I put my bathing suit on and went out to the pool and floated around all morning. I lived close enough to the airport that I could hear the planes as they took off. They flew over my house as they coasted in to land. The noise of the airport was just a part of our daily life. But not this morning. As I floated around looking at the perfect, cloudless blue sky, there were no planes, no noises coming from the big airport. The world was eerily quiet. The trees were almost perfectly still. There were no birds chirping or flying about. No dogs barking, very few cars passing by. It was as if the whole universe had been paralyzed by this tragic turn of events. I began to pray; God help us all! Then came the tears. Our world was forever changed that day. Now, five years later, we are still shaken...WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

Remember the heros and those who lost loved ones, ya'll

The OTHER Sister

Aw, ain't he cute? His Auntie just wants to give a big ole birthday kiss! It's kinda hard to pucker up with these buck teeth, though.

Seriously...

Recently I crossed paths with a young man whose political views and philosophy on life is totally opposite from mine....someone who, if I encountered him on the street, or saw him hanging out at the mall, I would label as a skater or a punk. He's a 19 year old kid after all! Why would he and I have any inclination to want to know each other?

Well, certain events lead us to meet, along with a few of his friends. They seemed uncomfortable, even though I tried to make them feel welcome in my home. I'm sure I represent a lifestyle that they have had very little exposure to. Nevertheless, I tried to make them feel comfortable for the short while they sat in my living room. I admit I was a little uncomfortable myself.

I silently sized him up while the introductions were being made. I immediately noticed the cold, blank look in his eyes. He seemed emotionless, as did his buddies. It was as if he didn't want to make eye contact. There were none of the usual social gestures made. No "Hello, pleased to meet you" from him or the other boys. He had a small boom box with him and began checking the batteries. He then asked me if I had any extra ones he could borrow, as the batteries were dead. How weird, I'm thinking. So, for the remainder of his brief stay he concentrated on changing out the dead batteries.

Because of circumstances that I can't go into because of privacy issues, I felt it necessary to find out "where he was coming from". Through Myspace I started a dialogue with him. ( I had checked out his site and was a little shocked and concerned at what I saw). I began by telling him it was nice to meet him and that I hoped they enjoyed the reggae concert. I asked about his family. I asked about the *ska* lifestyle. He told me his people were a bunch of rednecks from Mississippi and that he didn't fit in with them. He came here to visit his brother and decided to stay. He's more punk than ska...he's also an anarchist, not into religion and believes that the bible was written by some random guy, and just like Harry Potter, it's stupid. He has morals, he says, but people judge him and call him a satanist when they find out what he believes. Politicians invented religion to control us, America is the next Hitler and on and on! The boy was getting fired up! I'd heard enough! I never could get him to tell me why he believes as he does. Ironically, he signed each post; peace. I wonder, how can a person who believes in chaos and lawlessness have true peace in their life?

No, it's not up to me to judge him or anyone. That's God's job. As a Christian I feel sad for him...for his young soul. What a shame and a waste to be filled with such negativity and bitterness. Of course, I pray that his heart will soften and that he will come to know that there is a better way to live. I wanted to tell him more but he stopped communicating with me when I (politely, I might add) called him down for being disrespectful. The *Mother* in me was starting to kick in!

If the eyes are the windows of the soul, I saw nothing but emptiness and darkness when I looked into his. There's only one thing that will light up that lost soul...the light of God's love and grace! I pray that he finds it!

Know God
Know Peace

No God
No Peace

Bless Ya'll!

Goofin Off

I've been painting my entry hall all day. No, this is not what I look like right now. Let's just say that I look like I've been painting all day and leave it at that. A lovely Martha Stewart sage-y green. I'll take pictures when I'm done.

I like my hair color this week, so I took a few pictures so I wouldn't forget what to mix when I touch it up next time. I hate my nose! Oh well, I'm not going to bother getting it 'fixed', so I'll just live with it. If I were going to spend money on plastic surgery, I would have *the girls* whittled down and made to stand at attention. I still dream of wearing a hippie halter top. Anyway, back to the hair...I never can remember from one time to the next what I've done. I'm always experimenting..to see what I come up with. Better on me than my client, dontcha think?

I like to name all my hair colors after desserts, spices and other food. I did a tri color hilight/lowlight combo the other day...called it gumbo, you know, two shades of spicy red, and golden roux . My client is from Louisiana originally. That's why I called it gumbo. She liked it!
I do a choco-latte/french vanilla combo that is yummy. Then there's gingersnap and cinnamon.
Golden vanilla is pretty. Clients love it!

I love these sunglasses. I found them in Dallas when I was at a Hair Show. In the bottom picture I'm saying something goofy so I enhanced the picture when I edited it. That's not dirt on my lips, it's just the 'cartoon' effects on my editing program. My hair looks rather brassy too.
I don't do brassy...ever!

I'm pooped! Can't you tell from the content of this post...such randomness!

Think I'll go soak these weary bones in the garden tub and crash.

Night, ya'll