She keeps her beads in a keg

This is a long post and I'm sorry it's taken me all week to get something up. I need to work on time management don't I?

The week started out being so much fun with Merd's friends John and Son coming to town. We got to do all the fun Chatt-town things, like the Riverwalk, Clumpies and the lake. But, the lake was slightly different this time. Normally it's hot with skiing and swimming. This time I had chill bumps the whole time and it was a bunch of climbing and freaking out for me. We were sailing. Oh, how I love sailing. You know, me and adventures go together like peanut butter and bananas. I love being scared for my life.



We can just put it this way, the next day, my neck was literally sore from being so tensed up for the 3 or 4 hours we were out there. I didn't tell anyone because it was slightly embarassing. Everyone else was enjoying themselves, but Merd and I, we were having a harder time doing that. But, I must say, in the end, I was truly glad I went. It made for some good memories. I'll always remember sailing with the MacLeans. It was some good bonding time with the people I had just met. They could quickly learn that I don't like adventures.

It was a beautiful day for sailing.

MMac had to climb to the top of the sail because something broke. I never really knew what happened except that Merd and I were really scared for her going up that high.

The boat was back to the dock and we were able to take a happy picture

So then they left and the next day Merd, Mars, and I took Gdad to get pedicures. It was much needed for all of us and Gdad loved it. He keeps asking me how often we're supposed to go back to get another one.

I stayed with Gdad a lot this week, and Friday we took him to hear country/bluegrass music at this place that we knew he loved because we thought he should get out a little. So, we go in and there aren't many seats, so we go sit in the seats that are like on the stage behind the band where people dance. Merd, Gdad and I sit down and immediately I notice a woman a few rows in front of me turning backwards staring at me. I feel awkward and look away and then look back and there she is, still staring. I'm feeling quite uncomfortable now but I assume the best, that she's looking at someone behind me.

So then the woman gets her stuff and moves to the seat directly in front of me and does a complete turn around to stare. I'm thinking what in the world, this is totally CREEPY. She's right in my face, and now even Gdad notices, and that's saying a lot. So she does that for a while and then gets a bead necklace out of her purse and turns around and puts it on me! Then she puts another on Meredith and starts talking to me.

She has no teeth and I quickly realized that she's just not all there in the head. She said she sells them for $4 each so we had to pay her. I was completely flustered and didn't know what to do- we had no cash so had to get a loan from Gdad.

The woman talks to me for the rest of the night and I could barely understand what she was saying because it was loud and she made no sense to me. I know she was talking about a motel once. And she keeps her beads in a keg. Children make her confused. She gets confused when children are around. Children make her confused. She gets confused when children are around. Children make her confused. (She repeated herself) And lastly, she has a thing down yonder with my name on it. A thing. A thing down at house. With my name. My name really big. My name across it down yonder. I never actually told her my name.

So, yes, now I have a new $4 beaded necklace like the ones I used to make in elementary school.

After that, I watched her gradually spend the $8 we paid her on a hot dog, popcorn, candy, and 2 Sprites. She must have been really hungry, and Gdad was so confused the whole about why we had to pay her. He didn't realize she wasn't all there, so he kept trying to talk to her and then he'd make faces to her right in front of her face because she would start talking about some motel she stayed at on the floor with her teacher. It was a situation to laugh at because if not, I'd just feel really awkward. We had a late night. Mars and Lara showed up and we all took turns dancing with Gdad on stage and didn't get Gdad home until 10:30- record time.

That was the highlight of our weekend around here. Saturday consisted of hanging out with family, family, and more family. And also David at night. He should probably feel special since he's the only non-family member I saw all day.

Today, Gdad went to church with my family instead of with FP where he normally goes. After church, we went to Sweet Peppers and it's like Panera-- You order at the front and then you get your food. He was paying and he went to the lady and asked if there's any way we could put all 6 of us on one ticket. Then he asked if we pay up front. Then he asked if he could pay before we order. The woman was so confused and trying not to laugh. And I was trying to keep from laughing along with my mom and Lellen. Oh my, Gdad Gdad.

So also, here are pictures from the last post that I couldn't add.

The strawberry cupcakes that took me all day long.

Sweet LA. She's adorable.

Gdad with his cupcake and candle. He looks exactly the same here as in his portrait behind him.

Dang I'm hard at work in the kitchen. Or maybe just trying to read a cupcake recipe and failing.

Mars is checking the temp on the pork tenderloin we made without anyone's help.

Merd and Lellen with those strawberry cupcakes.

Now I'm trying to decide what I'm going to make for Labor Day on Monday. We will see, we will see. I'm thinking about grilling these hamburgers, roasting some asparagus, and grilling pineapple with passion fruit butter and having either grilled bananas foster or brownie peanut butter cups because they just look so amazing. Maybe I'll make both. I'm hungry now just thinking about all of this food and looking at these pictures on the links.