Back from Shreveport

I left Shreveport at 3:45 AM today. Made the trip home in 5 1/2 hours. Yes, I'm crazy. I like to leave early....really early. But I got home at 9:00 AM so I have have all day to do things....like nap! Here are samples of the table linens in daughters color choices. I like them. The green cover on the chair with navy sash will actually be on the pub tables set up for people to set drinks on while they dance.

We did not go to Dallas to shop. The weather was terrible....rain and wind and since I was leaving on Saturday to drive home, I felt that was all the driving I could handle. We are going to order shoes online, hope they fir and if not return them.

Our Favorite Aunt and Uncle

My most beloved extended family has been here since last Tuesday. Aunt Rebul is my MIL's baby sister and Uncle Sid is her husband. I first met them back in 1977, after hubby and I married and moved to the south. They live in Springfield, MO . We have made so many trips there for family reunions, and they have been here to see us. My children thought and still think that Aunt Rebul and Uncle Sid were their grandparents.....that is how warm, loving, and fun they are. And I adore them and will all ways think of them as parents.....they are so loving.... To this day they are still are most beloved family members. So, they arrived this past Tuesday, and I 've been busy with them ever since. Yesterday, another close cousin and his wife came for a great lunch together. I love family....wish I were closer to mine. Spell check still is not working....anyone else having that issue?

Help with my shoes

I think I would love these Christian Louboutin shoes. They seem to be a metallic goldish. Daughter says shoes to go with the Poppy red dress should POP and be different. I like slides and these have 2 inch heels which I could actually walk in.

I like these black Christian Louboutin....but maybe they don't have enough spark? I want something really fun but I need to be able to wear them for them ...hhhmmm...10 hour time period with out being in pain!

Anyone out there from Dallas? We are planning a shopping trip to Dallas and would like info on the best stores, malls, etc that might have the brands we are looking for. Info greatly appreciated.

Mother of the Bride Great Debate Update

After many emails and countless hours online long distance with daughter, we think we have found my dress. The wedding is very very casual in style so we will all be dressed accordingly. Men are in Navy blazers, Vineyard Vines ties, and kahkis, bridesmaids in green and white seesucker dresses from Vineyard Vines with Jack Rogers sandals. Obviously the Moms can't be in the typical Mother of the Bride/Groom georgette flowy dresses. Not that we would anyways....Ha! Here's is what we both love for me. This is a cotton eyelet Nanette Lepore " La Dolce Vita" dress in 3 color choices. Now we have to commit to the color. White is out, I love both the Navy and the Poppy Red. Daughter wants me in the Poppy Red. Red looks good on me, with dark brown hair and blue, blue eyes. Do I dare do the red?

My New Old Clock

This is an E. N. Welch Co. Ogge clock that has been in husband's family for over 50 years. He had it shipped from Falmouth, MA when he went up there before Christmas. It dates back to the late 1800's and is very good condition.

We had to bring it to our clock repairman in Ocean Springs, MS.....actually twice between January and February. Just got it home today and it is working great. It is a 30 hour wind clock with heavy weights.

First, we put it on fireplace mantel but it competed too much with my Cathe Calhoun Pelican picture. Tried it few other places before decided to hang on wall here. Mr. Englehardt, the wonderful man that repairs clocks told us this interesting story.... around the time of the Revolutionary War, our American ancestors began making clocks. They needed a cheap clock for their humble homes as the French and English clocks were so expensive. With typical American ingenuity, they used local trees for the wood, fabricated inexpensive interior parts and sold these clocks for a few dollars. All the clock companies that sprung up in the New England area thought people would buy a new clock every few years. In essence, theses clocks were meant to be "throw-aways". But these clocks kept on working and working...they were even imported to Europe since they were so cheap. But the clock companies all eventually went out of business as the demand was no longer there. With a little love and care these beautiful clocks are still ticking today!

New Furniture

Since Katrina, I have been slowly replacing our lost furniture. I posted early on about the flooded chests of drawers. Most could not be saved as they were so swollen from the wet clothing inside each drawer. I have taken my time replacing things....first , of course, the cost. But more important, I want to get it RIGHT. This will most likely be my last time to buy new furniture, so I want to absolutely love it forever.


I'm looking for a beautiful accent peice for the Master Bedroom. I want it to be in an aqua wash with an old world look. All my other furniture is cherry, walnut, and very traditional. I want a piece of furniture to really POP! and make a statement about my wild side! Ha! How wild is this! Sorry, some of these pictures are fuzzy. These are all from Horchow.com.

I love the chest .... 2 pictures below. Not to keen on picture directly below. Also, I LOVE LOVE the first picture that I posted. Think those are my 2 choices.... My favorite 2 pics below is also sold at The Well Appointed House for 3 times as much as Horchow wants for it. Mental note to myself.....don't purchase from "The Well Appointed House".

So which one should I chose? Does anyone have any great sources for beautiful furnitue? I would love any imput.

Happy Mardi Gras, Y'All!

HAPPY MARDI GRAS! No, I haven't been celebrating the last week but working in the yard. Almost every day....this is our big spring clean up time. The leaves from the Water Oaks are just about finished falling. They are tiny little leaves that are too difficult to rake. I use the lawn mower to bag them and also a leaf vacuum that kills my back.

Above is the remaining 14 foot wide clump of umbrella plant that I still have to cut down. Umbrella plant is the only thing that we have left to give privacy in backyard since Katrina. My husband went crazy and planted new clumps ervery where. But when we have a freeze, it all has to be cut down.

Above picture is just a couple of small clumps waiting to go out to my wonderful trash service. I love my trash men and regularly tip them. They take my garden debris and I am careful to wrap it up or bag it.

I I treated myself to some new house flowers after all the yard work. I love orchids! Look familar, Preppy Napkin?

Another beautiful yellow orchid in the living room.

A cyclamin in the sunroom. Sorry to have been out of pocket. Looking forward to daughter's new post. She picked up the WEDDING INVITATIONS today. She is so happy with them. She said Denelle at Mint Julip Papperie told her that she could use parts of the plate to have personalized stationary made. Can't wait to see them!

Meeting Hubby

I got tagged by One Fabulous Mom to tell the story of Meeting Hubby. It's ancient history but I'll do my best.
In the Spring of 1974, I was approximately a Junior Library Science major, formerly an art major in college. I took a part time Library job at night at a Maritime Academy. It was all male...HA!!! That was fun. One night I looked up and saw my future husband walking towards me and I absolutely fell in love, with his looks of course, since I had not even met him. The semester came to an end, he had visited me a few times and I knew what a nice, sincere person he was. Then summer came and he had to leave for his Senior year cruise. I was on the dock along with all the other parents, girlfriends, and family members to wish them Bonn Voyage. He came over to me and shook my hand goodbye. He totally sealed the deal with that handshake. It was the longest 2 months of my life....all I could do was think about him. When he came back from the cruise, we went out and became inseparable. He graduated in 1975, took a job that he didn't like, finally got a great engineering job so that he felt he could support both of us. I was still in school. We married in April 1977.....31 years ago. This is what he surprised me with last year in honor of our 30 years married...

I tag Frannycakes, Gracious Southern Living, Mom on the Run, and True Southern Heart.

Don't Do What I Did

I used the wrong cheese. All I had was Kraft's 5 cheese which has Parmesan..... OK, Romano...OK, Mozzarella...WRONG, Provolone....WRONG, Asaigo.....WRONG!!!! I didn't have a block of Parmesan to shred and now I realize that is the only type you should use to make these. It still worked but the bowls were not crisp because of the softer cheeses. They tasted good despite my subustition but would have been better if I had the correct cheese. Next time!

Parmsean Cheese Bowls

At our reception tasting at the Petroleum Club last Wednesday, we were treated with not only delicious food....but beautiful presentation for each dish. I wished I had taken pictures of everything...daughter would not have let me even if I tried. It was during the busy lunch hour and the dining room was packed. We stood out from the git go as Jennifer, the catering manger, dressed in a beautiful red business suit, donned a white apron to serve us. Everyone else was served by the usual wait staff in their black and whites. Regardless, it was still perfect.


The first item that Jennifer brought out was a lovely baby spring mix salad with fresh Louisiana strawberries.....yes, Louisiana is famous for strawberries very early in season....toasted pecans, drizzled with a very mild warm honey balsamic reduction served in a toasted crisp Parmesan bowl. It was so pretty...the bowl was lacy and had totally nonuniform which added to the visual delight. It was served on a pretty white square dish with a sliced strawberry or two on the plate, then a few dots and squiggles of the reduction vinaigrette. So pretty and delicious. David, who normally doesn't eat salad, loved it and ate every bite. Below are 2 pictures I found online that at least have the Parmesan bowl.




I'm going to try to make these bowls tonight for husband and I. He was is Stone Mountain, GA Tuesday through Friday, flew to West Palm Beach, FL Friday morning and home today. So we are celebrating being back together since I left to fly to Shreveport on last Sunday. I'll post my feeble attempts at Parmesan Cheese Bowls tomorrow!!