I Got New Stuff!

It has been a very exciting day in Lloyd, Florida. 
Well, you know the bar is set pretty low on that but still.

First off, as you can see, Gracie laid another egg. I can't tell you how dear it is to me to have eggs in a bowl on the counter. Store-bought eggs go in the refrigerator because their natural preservative coating has been washed off but eggs from the nest don't need such fanciness. Yard eggs make me feel rich, even if there is only one laid a day or every few days. Perfect protein from a pretty hen. It's a sort of magic I will probably never get over.

Lily texted the group this morning with two things she found at the Bad Girls Get Saved By Jesus thrift store and asked if anyone was interested in them. One was a bright-emerald green velvety chair for $37 and the other was a pretty little green wicker table. I said that if no one else wanted them, I would take them. And so Lily got them and then she and Lauren and the kids came over and my big boys brought them into the house, or, well, to the back porch where I planned on putting them, and then we all went to the Hill Top for lunch. I haven't been there in quite awhile but nothing had changed. You go in, stand in wonder at the myriad choices on the huge dry erase boards, stare at the salads and cakes in the refrigerated display thing, finally make up your mind, order at the counter, and then wait while they prepare your food in a kitchen that can't possibly be the size of a small bedroom. I sort of want to see inside that kitchen and I sort of really don't want to. They wouldn't let me anyway so it's a moot point. 
Our orders today ranged from shrimp po'boys to chicken tenders to a Philly cheesesteak sandwich to fried green tomatoes to fried okra, to fried onion rings and to yes, french fries. 
I still feel a little sick even though I swear I did not eat that much. 
Owen and I got the shrimp po'boys and they were way, way too salty. As in, I should have taken mine back. 
But we had fun and that's what matters. It was the first time I've gotten to hang out with those grands in quite awhile. Gibson is doing his growth-spurt thing now and will soon be taller than me, like his brother is already. 
Maggie was very happy because she had her new doll. I finally gave her Lisi, the doll Linda Sue sent with REAL HUMAN HAIR and the pretty little dresses I'd made for her. I also gave her the little wicker carriage that I found at the dump a long time ago (we needn't tell Maggie that) and the child was thrilled. She had to bring the whole shebang to eat lunch with us at our outside table. She has renamed her Elsie which is fine with me. When I told her that Elsie's hair is real, her eyes got as big as the slices of fried green tomatoes we were eating and Gibson said, "That's not creepy."
I told her she could wash Elsie's hair with a tiny bit of shampoo and a tiny bit of conditioner but she had to be very gentle. 
Do y'all remember Lisi? She looked like this. 

I was so happy to see Maggie so happy. 

I made the children pose with the new green chair. 

Do you love Maggie's make-up? She had worn it to ballet class this morning. 
And isn't the chair gorgeous? 

The little wicker table is a beauty too. 

Do you think I have enough plants on it? 

And if all of that weren't enough, I dragged the garden cart out to the front yard where so many little limbs had fallen during the storm. 

Nature's pruning. 

And of course, Maurice had to supervise although she is pretending that I'm not even there. 

Y'all- I swept those steps a few days ago. So many oak leaves fell on Thursday. And I have NEVER seen so many acorns as I am seeing this year. The squirrels are absolutely frantic trying to gather and bury them. 

I did manage to also clean off one area of the kitchen counters. I took everything off and cleaned underneath it all, and wiped down all the stuff before I put it back. 

It looks better. It feels better. 

Tomorrow I am going to go to Publix to get my flu shot which I scheduled this morning. I am getting varied reports on reactions to it. We shall see how it affects me. 

So there- my very exciting day. Thanks for coming along. 

Love...Ms. Moon

P.S. Here is a hint as to where Gibson got his sense of humor: In the parking lot of the Hill Top there was a car with a bumper sticker on it that said, "Tested Positive As A Republican!" and Lily said, "Well, at least they acknowledge it's an illness." 
I am so glad my kids and grandkids can make me laugh. It's the best.