Off he goes!

AHOY!! Blue Waters......Blew Bayou is comin' for you!

Yep, the cap'n is heading your way and soon his precious bebegirl catamaran will be lappin' the waves and her sails will be flyin' high!!

Our sailboat has been sleeping in protective waters in Guatamala...Rio Dulce...since hurricane season began last June. Well, the season is over and it's time to hit the road again..er, waterways! He is going down to get her cleaned up, decks swabbed and sails aired out. He will be there a week or so until his buddy, Curt from WA, comes down for a two week adventure. Again. He did this last yr. and the two of them had a blast. They plan to scope out the Rio and then turn Blew Bayou toward the east or the north..depending on which way the wind is blowing!! The path could be Honduras, Belize, Mexico....get my drift? He hasn't a clue what the final destination will be. Doesn't matter. It's the travel, not getting to a destination, that matters. And all sailors know that the sailing is what's the most important and fun part of any trip!

A funny story that only the Cap'n could conjure up....He's packing today. He takes only a duffle and a hiking backpack for a 3 month sail. And do you know what he's got packed in that duffle? Sunscreen, Rufus T barbeque sauce, roux(what us southerners have to have as the base for all of our good foods and no doubt would not be found in Central America!) and a cast iron skillet. No. 9. Because everyone knows that proper cooking can ONLY be accomplished with a heavy, seasoned skillet. And now he's online checking to see if cast iron is banned on the airline! No one will ever get his skillet from him. Crackin' my as* UP!!

I will not be along for this part of the adventure. I've got a new grandbebe that I need to love on and hug on and kiss on and spoil! I've also got a bad back that needs a wee bit of attention before I move aboard. Our oldest son and his wife are planning to sign on as crew for awhile after they get moved back south and my youngest will be joining them for awhile as well. So.....once again Good Times are in order. I will be following along thru the cap'n and keeping all of our family and friends updated on all thing caribbean, sandy, hot and windy!!

Fair Winds to you, my dear Cap'n......may the waters be kind to you and may your sails fly in all their glory!!

Believe It or Not.....

There is even MORE news around here besides the arrival of Ms. Thang.....my firstborn son and his lovely bride are moving back this way!!! They have been living in Californey for the past 6 yrs and we only got to see them a few times a yr. So even as proud of them as we are for....being completely independent in tackling life and a new marriage......and for gaining so many life experiences on their own......we are so happy to have them back close. Finally, all my lil chicks will be within reach of each other (and me!) and will be able to play together again!! Looks like by the end of February, they'll be home. My DIL is starting a lil blog to detail their trek across the country and the time they're getting ready to spend aboard Blew Bayou. Like gypsies. They're just gonna float for awhile and enjoy life while scrambling to find work in this horrid economy. In fact, that's what she's named her blog, The Gypsy Life, and you should check it out because I'm gonna tell ya.......this girl is a hoot!! There's no telling what you may encounter once her thoughts become words!!

They're just so squeezable.........

AND ... Blew Bayou is set to sail again.............Once again off into the wild blue seas!! That post will follow!!

Hi Everybody!! I'm Lilli!!

Lillian Leigh, that is.......but they all like to just call me Lilli. Or Lilli Love, by some crazy woman that calls herself YaYa! Just thought I'd stop by and introduce myself since it seems like I'm the center of conversation around here these days. My family brought me to a new bed at a really nice home yesterday and I think I'm gonna like it here. My granna and pop are here and my sister Sadie and brother Jack are here too. hmmmm....not so sure about those hairy ones! I also met my Uncle Josh and Aunt Hailey too. They're really cute! and they like me alot!! My YaYa is going to show you some pics of me in what she keeps calling my "doll clothes" and when I met everyone else! Glad to be a part of this bright new world!!

Oh...........and my yaya keeps whispering something in my ear........GIRLS ROCK! anyone know what that means????????

Hi Ya'll!!

(one more thing I need to tell ya'll is this.....my daddy kept pointing to a lady the night I was born telling me that I better watch out for her.....that she might get me into trouble. Crazy trouble. Hmmmm.....wonder what that means??)

Promises, Promises. Heh!

I do promise that I'm not gonna make this blob ALL about the new bebe. I am so not gonna do that. Promise.

But until the newness of precious Lilli wears off, I must do just a bit of bragging.....not only on her but also on my children.

I am so proud of my son. And my daughter in law. They have pulled the whole baby-havin' experience off with flying colors! She was tough when she had to be and the look in her eyes when she's holdin' that bebe just makes me swoon........

My boy has given me the opportunity to realize every mother's dream.....the pride of feeling like everything we did in raising him was right. Well......let me re-phrase that cuz I'm sure there was lots we screwed up on, but at least he hasn't killed anyone or gone to jail because we didn't let him watch R rated movies when he was young!!!! (a joke they will all appreciate...wink, wink!)

But seriously, watching him with his daughter only minutes after she was born.....weighing, measuring, bathing, putting her first diaper on, while the love literally dripped from his eyes, melted my heart in ways I never thought possible. There is no way, in heaven or on earth, that I could ever explain in words how much love there is in my soul for him right now.

The Circle of Life continues to amaze me.

I mean, really...........how can I NOT have this blown up to a life sized pic to hang in my living room???? bwahahahahahahahahaha.........I KID, I KID!!!!

I'm in Love............

9 lbs. 9 oz. of pure LILLI LOVE!!!! ~~~~~ahhhhhhhhhh.......I feel some GOOD TIMES ahead!!

Had to add one more!!

Today's the Day!!!

Leaving for the hospital right now!!!
Hopefully, by tonight, I'll have some pinkness..........some granddaughter pinkness to share with you!!

Some Lilli Love!!!

Chicken Wings.....Chicken Wings!!

Experiment Day!!

Yep..........rainy winter weekend days lend themselves to experiments in the kitchen....Heh! So..........the trials this day were all about chicken wings!! The cap'n has been looking for a great sauce for wings, so after examination of recipes online and a trip to the grocery store, it was time for the cooking to begin. Used four different bases for sauces for tasting purposes........some with a leetle extra love thrown in!

And while gumbo is a feel-good go-to on a rainy day.......this day, the cap'n made me a seafood gumbo!! So, while the gumbo is brewing on the back burner....the wings and sauces were simmering on the front one. And during the football game, we had the taste testers go to work. Um, that would be me and the cap'n!!

Cap'n? Cook? Bottle Washer? Yep, he does that too!!

He's a keeper!

When the Princess Comes Home...

...she needs to be 'stylin'........everybody knows that!!

So. The other day, the babymama asked me to come by and help her decide what ms. thang should wear home from the hospital. Um.........yeah. I think this is something right up my alley!

So. Since she already has a whole closet full of beautiful things that friends and family have given her, we proceeded to look thru it all. Again. So many cute things...beautiful things...but there just wasn't any one thing that was gonna be that "Porcelain Doll" outfit. Which, of course we all know, this bebegirl is going to be SOOOO porcelain doll-like!! heh. (Spoken like a true first time grandmother!!) I looked at her and she looked at me and my first words out were LET'S GO SHOPPING!! Off we went!

What can I say? You decide. Think she's gonna look like a babydoll in these things? We outfitted her from head to toe!

Man, oh man....this girl thing is gonna be sooooo much fun!!

Ok, so to balance things out...the baby daddy had asked why did we have to get something new when everything in her room is brand new.......duh, such a man thing to say.......we found something 'new' to make it all ok!

Playing with more pictures!

Um............now I just have to go find some pink stuff!! As in pink fur, pink feathers, pink netting, pink lace. You know....just a few things to use as props for a certain bebegirl!! New batteries and a good lens cleaning and I'm good to go!!

A Mother's Pride & Joy

There is nothing quite like watching the circle of life unfold right before your eyes. Watching your children grow up and become independent, strong men is one thing, but watching them become fathers is an entirely different ball of wax!! The love you feel for them is immeasurable on a daily basis, but the love that washes thru your heart and soul when they are on the threshold of the parenting phase of their life truly goes beyond word description. As I sit here, days before the delivery of his first child, I am overcome with emotion. I've searched and searched for the perfect words, the perfect description of what I'm feeling and well............I can't find it. There are no words..................but there is this!!

We had a lil photo shoot last night and I took over 225 pictures so I have a bit of work to do but I will be back with a nice lil collage of the proud parents after I get the ok from babymama!

They are at the doctor's office right now making the decision to get this show on the road!!!!!

What a wonderful time in their lives!!

On this Monday morn.....

Just..................whether you dream big or small, just do it!!

What... right now, if you close your eyes, are you dreaming about?

(I'm dreamin' about snugglin' with a newborn bebe girl!!)

Life.....

is like a box.....of chau-co-lautes!! So, yesterday, I was at lunch with the babymama and my babyboy's girlfriend. They proceeded to talk about how they wondered and wondered where the chocolate covered peanut butter balls were this Christmas... that last yr they ate their weight in them and couldn't wait to have them again this year. AAAAACCCCKKKK. Ya know? That was on the list but was one of the things that just didn't get done. We laughed about it and went on about our merry leetle ways. On the drive home, the light bulb in the air hit me in the head..........ding,ding,ding...babyboy's girlfriend's birthday is tomorrow so I should make her some chocolates for her special day! It will make her laugh and laugh. So I did and I laughed and chuckled the whole time knowing it would make her smile!

Happy Birthday, sweet Hailey!!

**Due to many requests!!! Here ya go.... Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

2 sticks butter, softened

2 cups creamy peanut butter (have tried crunchy..didn't like it)

1 1/2 lbs powdered sugar

Mix above with your hands, until blended and sticks together like bread dough. (It'll take a while...find a good teevee show to watch while playing with your dough..heh!)

Roll into balls. Put into freezer to harden......at least an hour.

Melt 2 bags chocolate chips or a really good chocolate with 1/2 bar parafin.

Dip chilled balls. Voila!!

So easy peasy and very yummy! ENJOY!!

Hump Day.

So, it's Wednesday..........middle of the week.........in January.
After Christmas. After New Yrs. After oldest boy's birthday. After my birthday. After oldest's anniversary. BEFORE NEW BEBE ARRIVES. (waiting patiently....thumping fingers on a table.......waiting patiently to smell the back of my new grandaughter's neck!!)

So what do I have for you today? Just cake. Carrot cake with cream cheese and caramel icing! Enjoy!

(just realized it's still Tuesday-late.....duh. Oh well, by the time ya'll read this, it'll be Wednesday!)

It's mah birthday.....It's mah birthday!!!

Back in a bit with pics of an awesome birfday parteeeeeee!!!!!

How fun could life possibly be without girlfriends? Not much! Two bffs treated me to a most glorious day on this *%#* celebration of my life. When I rounded the corner in a wine bistro, I was surprised with our own room and a table full of love!! (gifts..heheh!) How cool would any partee be in a place like this?!with friends like these! and food that tasted even better than it looked....mushroom pasta and shrimp & grits!







and the finale....rasberry chocolate cake!!

As each new year of my life begins, I realize just how blessed I am to have been given the life experiences thus far. Even tho the ol' bones creak more and the memory starts to enter an alzheimic phase these days, I do relish my luxuries.........family, friends and especially........FUN!!!!!!

Some of my birfday cards!

Don't you just love cards? I think they tell so much about the people who give them to you. I love to actually imagine my givers shopping for a card for me and laughing when they find the perfect one...you know? Like I do when I find the perfect card with the perfect pictures and the perfect words on it....for someone I care about! Such a neat way to show the love!

Winter!

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show."

~Andrew Wyeth(Winter is nature's way of saying, "Up yours." ~Robert Byrne)

Knittin' n' Strippin'!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Here's the story.......don't I always have one??!!!

I have a friend who is a fancy pants knitter. Her name is V and she has an awesome knitting blog, of which I do not understand one word of her talk on it about knitting. But that's ok....she knows it and babies me with explanations all the time of what she is working on and talking about. In fact, I think she likes having me, the special child, in her class! So, with that in mind, you must also know that she must think I'm a wild child.....can you imagine that?? Because she surprised me today with the most adorable and fun gift EVER!! She sent me a scarf....beautiful.....that she knitted herownself......she's a yankee from Nu Yurk Citee so she knows all about scarves...AND the cutest stripper glasses and coasters that you've ever seen!!!(I've told ya'll about my glassware whoreness...heh!!)

So, as crazy as the mix of these two creative gifts is, it was so perfect coming from my buddy.

She knows me so well and I'm so proud of her knitting progress. I've watched her from the beginning, learn and practice and read about her knittin' on the subway, so receiving a handmade piece of her art is such a gift. And the strippers????? Well, you'd just have to know some of the stories we've shared in the past!!!

Take a look!!! Beautiful colors and as soft as a baby's butt! And we're having temps in the teens this weekend, so I'm gonna wear it and act like a 'yank' just for her!

And then I'm going to come inside and have a hot toddy in one of my strippin' glasses!!

What more can I say? Another crazy internet buddy! since oh, about 2001!! Do I dare say that when I get back to NY, this girl and I will HAVE to visit a strip club!!! Bwahahahahahahahaha!!! Right V??

SNOW!!

Oh ok..........more like just a leetle bit of snow! But I had some on my car this morning!!

And I just had to show all my "Yank" friends that yes, we do indeed get snow in the south.....even if it looks like salt and even tho we only get it maybe once every 5 yrs!!

The red swing. Ok ya'll....this looks like a pile of snow to me!

And for a little housekeeping.

Several of you have asked me what or who a clisa is....from my last post!!

Well.............I could go into detail 'trying' to explain it but Oh My....it would take forever and I wouldn't be able to tell all about her in "nice words"! Heheh. Her name is Lisa but her nickname is Cool Lisa, and I shortened it to Clisa years ago. She's one of those wild and wooly internet friends that when I finally met in real life ..... turned into a very cool friend. But crazy??????

OH YEAH!! And in contrast to my winter post today, here's a pic for you of us in a very tropical land. ~~sigh....................~~Good Times!!