Well MERCY BOOKOOP!

Y'all know I don't leave the Ponderosa that much. I'm a homebody. I've tried to change. It hasn't worked. I love my house. I love the farm. I love the dirt road. I love everything about this place. Well maybe except that the phone goes out every time it rains. But hey- who needs a phone anyhow. But there does come a time when you need to get away so they tell me. So, when the Teacher of the Gifted invited Pete and I on a fishing trip to Apalachicola Bay, we decided it might be a nice last blast before summer's passed. Y'all remember the Teacher of the Gifted, right? We were friends before the great lab fire, but after, when our friendship had been literally forged by fire, we became good friends. That's a good thing since she and her husband have a kickin' camper and boat! I love the CS Lewis quote about friendship. He says, "Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, WHAT? YOU TOO? I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE!".  Ahhhh so true. Beth makes me laugh. A lot. And she won't tell if I pee on myself. Because I know the true story of the Maxway pants and I will tell it. 

So anyhow, we set off to St George Island on Friday of last week. Beth and I pulled the boat and Pete and Timmy pulled the camper. We camped at St George Island at the state park. It was a really nice area and we enjoyed the beach there. The first night there we met Betsy, or as her French mother pronounced it "Bedzee". Bedzee and her "Bonne maMA" as she called her, cooked our dinner the first night there. I just attract good folks I guess. We had a nice dinner with perfect strangers that we'll probably never see again. The funniest part of the night was when Bonne maMA told us "Merci, Beacoup!" (Thank you very much). Timmy replied "Mercy Bookoo". I swear it sounded just like that. Imagine "Mercy Bookoo" with a Washington County accent and you'll have it. Poor Bonne maMa just looked at him perplexed. 

I told Addie Belle we were going to catch some scallops and cook them for dinner one night. She gave me some good advice before we left. "Y'all better pack a sandwich". It's a good thing we did. We found like 8 scallops! It was fun though. Something I'd never done before.

Friends are good... if they have a boat, even better! 

I'm not sure where Pete learned to snorkle. He looks like he's genuinely pissed off with those elusive scallops. 

Good thing we didn't depend on Beth for dinner. She had a hard enough time keeping up with her chap stick. 

Pete found this AWESOME conch shell. I wanted to keep it for my mantle but we were afraid we'd end up in a Cuban prison for taking Florida wildlife. Since there was a big G on the front of the truck, I was doubly concerned so we threw it back. 

Pete and Timmy tried their best "Old Man and the Sea" impressions...

On Wednesday, we went shark fishing. Y'all know I don't give a wet whistle about fishing. It is fun watching people reel in sharks though! It was REALLY fun to watch Beth hurdle the bench in the boat to catch her first shark. If she'd have fallen I would have wet my pants. That's how friends are I think... you know... you trip up and they help you up. Then they trip you again.

Poor Beth got tired trying to teach Timmy to fish. 

I got my shark! Sort of.. while the guide held the rod and I reeled when he told me to!  I just remember Beth yelling HELP HER TIMMY! DON'T LET HER FALL IN! I must have looked like a total nut trying to reel that stupid fish in.

We had a great time. It was just what the doctor ordered. Now I'm not leaving the compound for a few days. Mama and Daddy left for a bed and breakfast in West Virginia for a few days, so it's just us around here. We're slowly getting used to the idea that school is starting soon. I've had a fabulous summer but I must admit I am getting used to the idea of a sweatshirt, football, and a crock pot.  

Sometimes I think I'm crazier than the goats..

I was sort of bummed when I tracked Addie's boots on the UPS website and realized they wouldn't be here until tomorrow, the day AFTER her first goat showing clinic at the 4-H office. We were both SO EXCITED when we came in from swimming and Pete showed us the package on the kitchen counter! She loved them and they fit perfectly!

The goat clinic started at 530 so late this afternoon, Pete helped the girls catch the goats and get them loaded onto the trailer. My sweet Daddy, who just  got back from Oklahoma this morning, went with the girls to the 4-H office for the clinic.

The goats were loaded by 5, and off we went to town. The girls sat quietly while the county agent talked about everything related to goats. Fortunately, the girls already knew almost everything he had to say. I think they could have taught the class. They don't have any experience with goats, but they've pretty much grown up here on the farm and I am now realizing just how much practical common sense they pick up on in the daily goings on around here. 

After we got to the 4H office, Addie caught her goat quickly.

When it comes to catching a goat, Ali Grace is the true goat whisperer. 

The clinic was great. The girls got to practice and learn.

Addie listened to everything the judge had to say...

I think Ali is having a come to Jesus meeting with her goat in this picture.

Yipee for no tears today! Ali Grace insists she wants to have a livestock project so we're pressing on. She did very well at the practice clinic this evening. 

And sweet Addie with the red cowboy boots takes everything in stride. She really doesn't care how well her goat does in the show. As long as it beats her sister's goat, she will be thrilled. Sisterly competition I guess!!

Love the Skin You're In!

As everyone knows, I'm the mother of two fair skinned redheads. I think their sweet ivory shoulders are just beautiful. Granted, we go broke buying sunscreen, rash guards, and zinc oxide each summer but it's worth it. Recently Ali Grace came downstairs excited that she had a "tan line". I told her a tan was nothing to be proud of and that it was her body reminding her that she was damaging her skin. I know the "in thing" with white folks is to be tan, but this image really needs to change. Melanoma is a bitch I hear. Which brings me to another topic. I have several black friends. They don't want to be dark! WTH? Okay so white girls literally bake themselves in an oven to be dark skinned, and black girls are using all sorts of kooky creams to lighten their skin.   Love the skin you're in people!! When Pete and I visited the British Virgin Islands, I can honestly say some of the DARK black women there were some of the most beautiful women I have ever seen anywhere. I say love the skin you're in whether you're so black they can't see you at night or so white they can see right through you. Seriously.  We don't do self tanners around here either. Kinda defeats the purpose of loving the shade of skin we were born with don't you think? White is wonderful. Black is beautiful....and every shade in between.
Okay excuse me as I hop down off my high horse.

Pete came home Wednesday after being gone since Monday morning to GVATA conference in Athens. Other than Addie's stomach virus, we had some good girl time. Of course, the girls have had a ball in the pool. Ali Grace has been sidelined a few days with swimmer's ear, but we've had a great few days despite the funky ear. We bought a few school supplies already just to ease ourselves into the idea that school will be starting very soon. We haven't gotten used to the idea yet so we speak of it in hushed tones. :)

Ali Grace worked with her goat this morning. Pansy is her 4-H project and honestly, I'm not sure it's gonna work out. While some say stick out what you start, I'm more of the life's too short to cry over 4-H mindset. Ali doesn't have the patience for animals which is somewhat ironic considering her grandfather and her uncle Ernie are in Oklahoma scouting out the grandchildren's next 4-H show prospects.  Addie will sit and watch a snake all day long in complete fascination. Ali would shoot it with her pistol without hesitation. Funny how two kids can be so completely different. Today wasn't a good day in the arena. Let's just leave it at that.

Mama entertains her first poolside guests tonight. The Thompsons, old friends from way back,  rode down on their Harley to visit. It sure was good to laugh and catch up. 

That's about a wrap for this week. We're jarring our first honey over the next few days so I'm looking forward to that! Unfortunately, Pete was attacked by one of his honeybee hives this afternoon and had to jump in the pool to get away from them. It's okay to laugh. I did. I would have sprayed those dang bees with a can of Raid by now if it was left up to me. Happy Weekend Everyone... and just remember. When you think YOUR family is nuts- just think of us on the Ponderosa. One is off in Oklahoma trying to find the perfect goat and another is running from bees through the pecan orchard and into the swimming pool. NEVER a dull moment. EVER.

Watch Out! Poppy is in the Pool!

The kids have had a wonderful few days in the new swimming pool. Addie says "this pool keeps getting better and better".   I am so glad they have something to do outside even in this heat. It's a constant battle keeping sunscreen on the snow whites, but I love seeing them play hard and then sleep like rocks at night. This morning they went to Augusta with Pete and ran some errands which included a stop at Tutti Frutti, Ali's favorite frozen yogurt place ever. Of course when they got home, they hit the pool all afternoon.

The girls enjoyed having Colten spend the night and play in the pool.

This evening, the girls talked Poppy into getting into the pool in the only pair of shorts he owns, New Holland hat and all. They quickly got into a water cannon war and Ali Grace took it SERIOUSLY!

Summer break is winding down way too quickly. We are trying to squeeze every last minute out of it!