Last night I got a text from this one asking if I wanted to go to the Hilltop tomorrow with her family after they picked up Owen from work. And Boppy could come too, if he wanted to.
"Of course!" I texted back. And so we did. Gibson wasn't there because he had a birthday party movie to go to but the rest of their family was there including Lauren and also, Hank and Rachel made an appearance.
Maggie looked so darling. You probably can't see it but her make-up is on point and includes glitter. The clip-on earrings slay me and her hair is perfection. Her mama did that for her. She is getting her money's worth from those silver shoes and if I were her, I would wear them every day I could still fit into them. And the dress! It's a dream! I am thinking that I might get her to do my make-up for the wedding.
The Hilltop was great, as always. I took a few pictures.
There's been a baby boom amongst the employees in the last few years. And if you look closely, you can see the lady behind the counter is wearing her baby as she works. He's actually more toddler than baby and he's sleeping.
And here's a picture I always mean to take when we're there but never do.
That's southern heaven right there, y'all. You've got your pineapple banana cake, chocolate cream cake, red velvet cake, carrot cake, cheese cake with many different toppings, and all the salads.
Potato salad, macaroni salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, krab salad...
Potato salad, macaroni salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, krab salad...
Don't forget your deviled eggs or smoked pimento cheese.
Can you believe I have never once had one of their desserts? What is wrong with me?
Can you believe I have never once had one of their desserts? What is wrong with me?
I got a barbecued pulled pork sandwich with a side order of fried okra. The pork was so-so but that okra was gourmet. We ate outside under the awning thing at picnic tables and thankfully, it wasn't too horribly hot and the mosquitos left us alone.
So that was a very good time and I'm glad Maggie invited us.
So that was a very good time and I'm glad Maggie invited us.
Besides that, Mr. Moon and I did hardly anything today. It's just so unbearable, working outside. The temperature has dropped some but it's so humid. I went outside before we went to lunch to simply water the porch plants and repot my growing mango plants
and that was all it took to be soaked in sweat. But don't those baby mangoes look good? I've got another one too but it's not nearly as far along as those two are. I surely hope that they survive the move. You can see how nicely my sea grape is coming along too. It probably needs a bigger pot and more dirt.
But the message here is that it's just too dreadful to work outside. Sometimes I feel like I can tolerate it and I do. I just accept the sweating and get on with it for as long as I can tolerate it. Other times, I just can't. Both Glen and I were having one of those other times today. And we didn't.
I stitched one patch onto the overalls I'm mending for Mr. Moon and pinned on another. The stitching I did was mostly just basting to keep the patch in place.
Yes, I am using a pair of his old hunting britches to make my patches with. They are beyond repair in certain areas but still strong in others. This is definitely going to be visible mending and I should study that more so I actually have an idea of what I'm doing but fuck it. There are indeed beautiful online images of some of the different types of techniques but from what I understand, the aim of visible mending is to use your own imagination and whatever skill level you have to patch and mend in such a way that the result represents you in the finished result.
This patch is not going to be very artistic, if at all, because of the difficulty of getting a needle through that tough fabric, especially in the seam areas. So if I get it done and it holds well, I'll be happy. I will definitely be using a thimble.
Now. I am loathe to report this but...
Fuckity fuck, fuck, fuck.
The last thing that part of Florida needs is another hurricane. And of course, it might head more northwest because hurricanes do what the hell they want to do. I'm waiting for Rob Nucatola's take on the situation tomorrow as he has a little more time to study and ponder the factors that determine how strong a storm may get and where it may go. But that's the National Hurricane Center's report and they are very Just The Facts, M'am about it all.
And that's all I need to say about that right now.
I've had no news from Black Mountain today. Jessie's at work and she's the one I hear from about all of that. I assume that Vergil is still planning to head up tomorrow. I sure hope the generator he ordered has shown up.
Due to another televised FSU game this evening, Mr. Moon will be eating hot wings again which he got from the Hilltop as a take-away. At this point, FSU's season is so dismal that hot wings are the only thing that make watching the games enjoyable, I think.
I really don't know shit about FSU's season except that they seem to keep losing and you have no idea how impossible it is around here to not be aware of that.
So instead of making supper, I'll be cutting up carrots and celery and peppers and stuff to go with the wings and I'll be eating leftovers by myself which is fine. I am always invited to go sit in the Glen Den and join Mr. Moon and our neighbor to watch the game and eat bar food but the chances of that happening are less than none. Perhaps I shall do some more patch work.
I really don't know shit about FSU's season except that they seem to keep losing and you have no idea how impossible it is around here to not be aware of that.
So instead of making supper, I'll be cutting up carrots and celery and peppers and stuff to go with the wings and I'll be eating leftovers by myself which is fine. I am always invited to go sit in the Glen Den and join Mr. Moon and our neighbor to watch the game and eat bar food but the chances of that happening are less than none. Perhaps I shall do some more patch work.
Oh wait. Just saw this.
Remember, we look at the whole cone and not just the center where the icon is.
We will see more tomorrow and know even more on Monday.
There’s a boundary that’s going to make it very very very hard to become an issue for much of OUR area. But that cone is a little too close for our SE areas for Wednesday
I’ll have more tomorrow and a full update on Monday.
Seriously? A Cat 3?
And keep in mind that hurricane season does not end until the end of November.
Why do I feel as if this is a particularly Florida post? All I need is a damn alligator eating a dog story and a recipe for shrimp and grits, and key lime pie and that's all we'll need.
Anyway.
Love...Ms. Moon
If you took away that bottle of whatever Maggie is drinking....this could be a renaissance painting! Lovely girl she is in all her finery. I want that lunch you all had, complete with the dessert offerings. WTH, another hurricane? Shit. We are still slogging through the heat...at least its not 4 days of 106.......but almost 90..overcast monsoonal sky, DEAD air.......and humidity of 50. Better than last week, but not by much. I won't be a truly happy camper till I can put a fire in the woodstove and don a pair of wool socks. I guess I'll be waiting a while for that
ReplyDeleteSusan M
I came here to say the photo of Maggie looked like a Mary Cassatt painting! She's absolutely gorgeous.
DeleteI was really struck by how lovely Maggie looked but she was still sassy. I asked her, "Who did your hair? It's so beautiful?" to which she replied, "Who do you think?"
DeleteWhen I see hurricane reports on the national news, I try to puzzle out where you are in relation. It hasn't been good, lately.
ReplyDeleteIn this case we are a bit NW of where it's "supposed" to go.
DeleteThe picture of Maggie looks quite Rubenesque except for that bottle of whatever that is!
ReplyDeleteWhat climate change? Sheesh ... just stay safe and don't feel guilty because you have a generator! Invite the folks in that don't have one!
Red Gatorade, I think.
DeleteYeah- what climate change?
Why can't a hurricane destroy Mar-A-Lago? That would be useful and karmic justice to boot. Sigh. Do you ever feel like Florida doesn't like humans?
ReplyDeleteI would eat any and all of those desserts at the Hilltop. By the time I die, my goal is to exist solely on cookies.
The only problem with that (and I do mean the ONLY problem) is that if a storm hit the shitty golf resort it would take out a whole lot of other people and their homes. Ugh.
DeleteI've been really craving cookies lately. What's up with that?
I hate seeing these weather outlooks. So worried for the people in the path.
ReplyDeleteMaggie is amazingly grown up. How did that happen?? Her hair is very cool.
This is turning out to be a bad year for hurricanes. I hate it.
DeleteI expect Maggie to start college any day now.
Maggie is growing up, such a young lady. I've been known to eat dessert first, those look yummy. I agree with Pixie, the hurricane should hit where it can do us all some good.
ReplyDeleteIf only we could direct a storm with pinpoint accuracy.
Deletethe photo of Ms. magnolia looks like a painting- How lovely that girl is, always has been, The shoes OMG I wish I had a pair!
ReplyDeleteThe storm, I hope skips by you again, knowing that ain t nobody got time fo dat! Damn storm.
Like waht Pixie said- Mar-a lardo needs to be wiped out.
Maggie's a beauty for sure. I hope she sees her beauty now and always.
DeleteI want a pair of those shoes too.
I watched Isaac and whatever the J tropical storm was...and then I guess I blinked and missed Kirk, Leslie and Milton. MTG is saying 'they' are controlling the storms, sending them to Republican states. JD Vance was right there to call her a warrior and sing her praises.
ReplyDeleteGood luck this week.
Yeah. Who are "they"?
DeleteCan you believe we're at the point where a person who believes that some evil force is controlling the weather is part of our government?
I read that Kirk is supposed to affect us here in the UK! It won't be a hurricane by that time but it's supposed to bring a lot of rain and wind.
DeleteYep and it is perhaps going to be centered over Tampa...just a thrill a minute...
ReplyDeleteI know, e. I'm thinking about you.
DeleteGlad you all had a nice lunch!
ReplyDeleteWe did!
DeleteI hope that hurricane swings out to sea where it can't hurt anybody or anything. Maggie's hair and dress are so beautiful! The food there looks fabulous and I would have tried just about all the desserts by now, pretty sure I have more than one sweet tooth here.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, there is no place for that storm to swing out to sea. It's already a hurricane now so if it suddenly changed course, it would take out the Yucatan and Cuba.
DeleteI find myself craving sweets less and less as I age.
Yes, fuckity fuck fuck fuck!
ReplyDeleteThe photo of Maggie is priceless. Like a Norman Rockwell painting. So framable.
Yes! A Norman Rockwell painting.
DeleteMy parents lived in Palm Harbor, near Tampa. They always said that if Jim Cantore showed up anywhere near them to broadcast, they knew they were in trouble. I guess he is the ultimate storm-chasing showboater. Hope this one passes by w/out too much damage.
ReplyDeleteHell, Jim Cantore WAS in Tallahassee when Helene was coming in which yes, we all know means that you're about to get smashed into pieces. Thankfully, this time he was a little off course.
DeleteWe all dread Jim Cantore’s arrival in Galveston, too. We use him as a sort of benchmark, as in , “ it can’t be too bad, Jim Cantore’s not here yet.” Margaret
DeleteI hope this storm touches your area only briefly and if at all, without damage. I adore your mango plants!
ReplyDeleteIt is possible that we won't get any effects from this storm although who knows? Not me.
DeleteI adore my mango plants too. I'm at the stage of life where I'd rather have plants than a dog. Especially plants that I've grown from seed. They're my babies.
Oh goodness, I hope the storm dies out over the water and doesn't do any more damage.
ReplyDeleteNo way that's going to happen. The gulf's waters are very warm and that's what feeds the storm.
DeleteFlorida is definitely on the hot seat this year regarding hurricanes.
ReplyDeleteI've been getting some work done outside though still not putting in more than an hour or so at a time. not that hot currently but still recovering from all the procedures this summer and don't want to overdo it.
Yes. I guess the god of storms decided that it was a Florida year this year.
DeleteI worked in the yard today for about an hour and between the mosquitoes and humidity, that was it for me.
Maggie clearly likes style and fashion. She is a lovely girl. It must be great fun to shop with her.
ReplyDeleteAnother hurricane heading to FL just plain terrible. People are still recovering from Helene.
Maggie is quite interested in style and fashion. And I'm pretty sure she was born that way.
DeletePeople are not only still recovering from Helene, they're still reeling from all the damage around them. As you know.
Oh Damn! Here we go again! stock up on those cookies.
ReplyDeleteYes. Cookies. I might get some chocolate chips tomorrow although those chocolate cookies I made were excellent.
DeleteMy goodness Maggi is lovely. Her stillness in that picture makes the image seem hushed, almost reverent, and yes, she could be the subject of a most beautiful painting. I did see that another hurricane was forming in the Gulf. Oh Mary, I hope. I hope.
ReplyDeleteI love Maggie's silver shoes! Someday I've got to try the Hilltop. Red velvet cake is my idea of heaven. And carrot cake, too.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how anything good can come of this Milton situation.