Pretty Pictures Of Pretty Babies

 Lord only knows how many times I've posted this picture of Magnolia June but every time it comes up in my memories, you can bet I'm going to post it again. It may be the best picture of any of my grandchildren I've ever taken. I made Maggie that dress and she was helping me pick the vegetables and grabbed those three squash to her chest and somehow it all came together. The colors of the squash and the dress, the green grass behind her, those beautiful eyes and lips. Those curls. 
She was an artist's vision of a cherub, without a doubt and I love the determined way she is holding the squash. She is doing work! She is helping! 

And since I'm posting memories, here's a picture of Baby Maggie that I have been meaning to post for awhile. 

She has always been a glory, that one. 

My across the street neighbor texted me this picture from the Tallahassee Democrat (the local paper) this morning. 

I had already gone through the paper and yet, somehow missed that. Look at that precious little boy. Three years old. Four years ago! He has always loved a good story, that one. 

I am waiting to hear from the fisherman that he is safely back on land. I swear- I do not know how he managed to get up at four this morning to go back out on the water. He sent me this about the time I got up but I know he took it much earlier. 

I hope they had another good day. We surely had a wonderful dinner last night. I fried some of that mahi and made a Thanksgiving-worthy green bean casserole out of our fresh green beans. Mr. Moon had asked for it, and I so I made it. It was delicious and the fish was beyond excellent. 

This morning I called my compounding pharmacy to see if there was any progress being made in getting my hormones to me. They were ready to go, but they still hadn't gotten an order back from my doctor. They said they'd resend everything and that it might help if I called them. So I did. I swear- the woman who answered the phone was fairly clueless but I will say that she figured it all out and had a nurse send over my refill order. I am so grateful. But first she told me that the doctor was out of town until Wednesday AND that they were having problems with their internet but that the internet guy was coming RIGHT THEN to fix the problem and it wasn't half an hour before I got a text from my pharmacy that my hormones were ready to pick up. 
Saved from lunacy and divorce! 

So my day's plan changed. I had thought I'd can the last of the green beans I am going to deal with, preservation-wise, but instead I drove to town to get those troches. "Troches" are the form in which I take my hormones. They are sort of like a gummy, at least in texture. You hold one between your cheek and gum and let it dissolve. It tastes...eh. Like not much. 

And since I was going to town I put on a dress that I love so much but that has no pockets so I rarely wear it. I decided to go to Joanne Fabric and get some material to make pockets for it although why I think I can do this is beyond me. But it's so simple! They're going to have to be inseam pockets because the fabric is a close match but not an exact one. Shopping for fabric is fine and sometimes even fun and I don't mind it. I found something close enough and there was only one lady cutting material and a line of people waiting. I needed all of half a yard. Probably not even that much but I'm allowing for fuck-ups. So I stood in line and waited while the one lady cut what the people in front of me needed. The woman who was right before me in line had her daughter and her granddaughter with her. She was fairly old, the woman. She was leaning on her cart and I could tell that she needed that support. She got her cloth measured out and tagged and then it was my turn and when I went up to pay, there was only one cashier and again- a line. The same three women were in front of me and when it came time (finally) for them to pay, the grandmother was having a bit of a difficult time with her debit card and was also trying to use a Joanne gift card that appeared to have no money on it although she swore she had not used it. 
Anyway, it took some time and the granddaughter turned to me and rolled her eyes but not in a mean way but more of a I'm sorry this is taking so long, way and I said, very sotto voce, "It's all right. We will all be there eventually. I'm already speeding down that road myself."

The young woman nodded. 

For whatever reason I think I may remember that brief exchange for a long time. 

Somewhere in that errand-running, I stopped for a sandwich and by the time I got home it was too late to fire up the pressure canner so I have put that off until tomorrow. Instead, I finished up the black dress and I would be ashamed for anyone to actually look at my handiwork but I'll be able to wear it and that's what matters. And then, since the iron was out, I moved that operation to the Glen Den and watched a little bit of one of my horrible reality shows while I smoothed out the wrinkles in some garments. A few hours ago the sky got a little darker and there were some rumbles of distant thunder and suddenly, the power went out. In a few seconds, our generator kicked on which is why I was able to iron and watch TV, run the dishwasher and a fan, all in air conditioned comfort. 
Although, just as I have written that, the generator appears to be making a rather loud sound and by that, I mean much louder than usual. Of course this makes me anxious and the fact that I have not yet heard from my husband makes me even more anxious.

Well, the generator has resumed normal decibels but Glen is not answering his phone. I worry so and he always says, "Why were you worried? I was fine!" which is just such useless nonsense. Of course I know he's fine when he's TALKING TO ME! 

Ay. I'm sure he's fine. Of course he's fine. 

One last picture. This is one that Jessie sent of Levon from yesterday. He was a tired boy. Her friend Dana took the picture and she is a very fine photographer. She did the wedding pictures for Jessie and Vergil and they are perfect. 

Look at that sweet boy. How I miss him and his brother. Jessie also texted me that August said yesterday that his favorite food is my chicken and dumplings. I can't wait to make him all he wants. 

Love...Ms. Moon

P.S. And just like that- within seconds the power came back on, the generator went off, and I got a text from the man that they are safely on land again. 

Phew.