Twelve days...wow

It's been a while, but these twelve days have been eventful!! To say the least...

Our drive out to SC was fine...went faster than we thought and my butt didn't even go numb. I found out one good book is all I need for that trip. Same was true going home,except the trip always seems longer on the way home.

Michelle had already gotten her gown and tassels by the time we got there, so all I had to do was iron it and wait...for the duct tape to come out to make that little white thing stay on. The school gave us for 1x1 stickers, as if that would work on SC humidity. So laugh if you must, but it worked...and she looked fab.

My siblings haven't changed...it's been a year since I saw my brother and two since I saw my sister. My brother was largely unavailable but we did have a nice conversation at Denny's (yeah, that's the only place open at 10:00 in Spartanburg), and he promised to come out for Memorial Day...was a no show. that's Joe in a nutshell. Alicia and I had one good conversation while I was there. Good isn't really the word, but honest is. Her parting words to me were "keep beating me up". Ouch.

Michelle graduated, with four honor tassels that weighed down her neck and brought on endless teasing from Melissa. We couldn't even FIND her till she stood up to walk for her diploma. But I think if there's ever a time to find someone THAT IS IT!! Her graduation was outside and the weather was beautiful. They have a tradition of storming the field at the end of the ceremony so it took us a long time to find her.

Don't wear strappy sandals to a graduation unless you know you won't be walking 1.5 miles (no,I am NOT kidding) to your seat. We had to walk across three parking lots, a football sized field, down 50 stairs and back to where we were, just 2 stories lower in the field. Yeah. Blisters. Lots of them. For a week. Good thing there were flip flops for the rest of the week!!

Phase 10 is still a game that goes on far too freakin' long!!

1. I still can't golf. More accurately, I can't get the ball past the 50 foot mark on the driving range. It might me my equipment. Flip flops and a tshirt skirt. But I did have my shades. And we had so much fun. I'm sure it takes actual golfers more than 10 minutes to blow through a bucket of balls, but not us. That includes the walking time to get the balls and get to the driving range. But admit it. I looked good while I was hacking away...

1. MacAllisters and Chik Fil A are the only places that know how to make sweet tea that doesn't counteract a diabetic coma. Yummy. Had it as often as I possibly could. And Chik Fil A's chicken is yummy too.



2. Ah...speaking of food...Waffle House (sorta a trailer version of International House of Pancakes) is fabuloso!! The cheese grits were to die for...a big ole' bowl.Yum. Crispy bacon, in IL, means, mildly floppy. Crispy bacon at WAHO is CRISPY. Delish. And perfectly cooked eggs. Really, my favorite place to eat when visiting the girls.

Cooks.com has a fabulous lasagna recipe. And easy. I lost my beloved St Mary's cookbook with my fabulous recipe. So we had to go on line to find it. I am reminded again that sometimes what we get instead of what we WANT is still good. And then, the day after the party, the girls find a copy of the recipe for my lasagna in their cabinet.!!

I missed Cassie this trip. Cried through Kentucky...on the way there. Come to think of it, cried through KY on the way home but for different reasons.

1. Drove all the way to SC and went shopping at their Kohls, finding some great shirts and shorts for Joseph and a Spidey tie for Melissa
We were looking for jean initially, but no luck there. I guess we'll have to get his jeans altered to fit. But we did expand Jofee's wardrobe beyond the 4 pair of khaki shorts he brought with him. And of course he got compliments on his new clothes, including a baseball-ish hat. My son the fashion plate. Who'da thunk it??

Next trip Will be a girls' trip. No men. Seriously. Not sure where or when, but it's gonna happen!!

So I"m home now and the laundry is done, the house is clean again and Joseph is gone again. Off to FL with a friend for 2 weeks. I missed my friends tremendously and can't wait to see them all.

I think I've even gotten Paul on the WAHO train...but he won't admit it!!