Polaroids

I can't believe that Polaroids are coming back! I think I took the last of the cameras to Goodwill just last year! Yikes. Not a problem, though. There's an app for that. Pretty darn cool, eh? 

Self Portrait Puerto Rico 1978

While this one? It's an original. This is one of my all-time favorite original Polaroids. The oldest one I was looking for was of me at my Aunt Ollie's, wrapped in a fur rug when I was about four years old. I can see it; I just can't find it. The following aren't quite as old, but they are pretty darn old, kids!

This is probably about 1975 at work. I would have to walk over to the bank every Friday and get cash for payroll. I was the banker! No, really. My father paid our employees CASH every Friday! Nice!

This is at the Grant Memorial at the Capitol where our photographs were taken. After I finally got my diver's license, I'd have a little freedom to drive up to the Capitol, pick up the film and then take it back to the shop to develop and print. I must be killing time here waiting on a shot. This looks like a "dad" pose to me! Too funny. Note the Dr. Shoals!!! brahahahahah I had just got my first pair of glasses--hippyish, of course, no frames. My dad said they looked like granny glasses. :( 1978

Here I am at the shop. Looks like I was cutting a small mat for a print. Where's the print?? Perhaps it's a practice piece for my photography class. 1979

 

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

1977

El Yunque National Rainforest, Puerto Rico. 1978

Posing perty in the L.A. hills. HA! 1982

     Skiing in the Poconos. 1983

Twenty-fourth birthday with my mom's new English Bulldog, Brittany--better known as "The Brit." I miss her handwriting.

The Brit has grown in a year! Twenty-fifth birthday.

1985

Hey Kell!

This is the first time my brother Johnny met the hub-to-be. 1986 

This could be the first time my father met the hub-to-be in my first apartment! New furniture had just arrived--finally something to sit on!! Oh, and by the way, I literally JUST got rid of the set this year. It held up pretty well until the last couple of years! Here we are with my dad. 

Freshly back from our honeymoon at one of my oldest friends' wedding, Larry. 1987

I didn't like the size of this Polaroid film. I got it right before the Kid was born. He wasn't even a month old here! Little Boo. And the Teenager! Ahmazing! This was a test shot for a Christmas card with the kids. 1993.

Ok, now that this has taken WAY too LONG to write, I have to get back to my photo sorting! Geesh. I am out of practice here!           

Labels: Brother John, California, Dad, Dogs, Family, Hub, Kid, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Teenager

My New Fave

Today, The Dead Weather released their new album. So, you know where I was -- at Third Man Records, of course. Along with other new goodies, they were selling this gorgeous 6-fingered hand necklace (from the album cover in which Little Jack has six fingers). The artist is Vera Meat; and I'm "needing" a lot of her stuff! ha

The details are amazing.

Of course, there were mini cupcakes.

And champagne. But, I swear they pump oxygen into this tiny store. Every time I visit, I get absolutely giddy. I suppose it could just be over stimulation. Right? No people, it wasn't the champs. Whatever it is, love love love.

One of Jack's Grammys on display. 

Another fun day, dragging the hub to places he'd never visit if it weren't for me. This is what empty nesters do. Am I right?

PS Hey Kell!

Labels: Hub, Music, Nashville, New Stuff

End-of-Summer Soirée

How seriously Seersucker fabulous.

We were happy to see the fundraiser was successful for the O'More College of Design's student scholarship fund. 

I didn't know there was going to be a silent auction. DANGER! Yes, we bid on some rare bourbon for the "teenager" who is now 26! I also bid on an Manuel skirt for my niece. About a size 1. ha. People must have thought, "Ah, hun, you don't think that will fit you, now do you? Bless your heart." I haven't heard back, so I probably won nothing. Which is probably a good thing!

G&G sponsored! (No, I did not bid on this, thank you very much!)

 Hub bidding on a cigar holder. Just what every Southern gent needs, right?

Robert Hicks--host, Southern author ("The widow of the South") and bourbon extraordinaire--offered his new Battlefield Bourbon. Yum. (not) You know I'm a vodka gal. Oooooh, which reminds me, there's a new local vodka on the block! Lookie, Sarah!!

As the evening wore on, Mr. Hicks arrived with his sidekick, awwwww. And .... dinner, drinking and dancing commenced!

My cutie pie.

I need to find these Seersucker chocolates. I didn't even taste them! Wait. WHA??? What is wrong with ME?

The school is housed in an old Victorian mansion which I had to tour on my own. I LOVE!

I had my hair pulled together by someone else. I wish I could do THIS! Damnit. I could get used to this primping stuff! HAHAHA. No, not really.

Ok, can we move on into the fall now so I don't have to pull my hair up? Please?

Newbies

I'm no fashionista, but I can pull it out when needed!

The hub is getting all into the new Nashville fashion scene; and now we're on lists. LOL. LISTS!  I have to put my introverted self away and work on the my social skills. Funny when you've been a stay-at-home mom for so long and begin getting a life after the little ones leave the roost. Ugh. This is tough stuff for me.

So, tonight, we are going to a Goodbye to Summer Seersucker Party! Wha??? Ahhhh, don't ya love the South?! I pulled out a beautiful white dress I've had hanging in the closet since forever then found this wonderful clutch for the garden party. I have to admit, I'm very excited about going. What? Being the extreme introvert and painstakingly shy, I'm surprised with myself. Social settings KILL me. But, perhaps since I won't know a soul there; I'm good. Right now, anyway. Ask me about a half an hour before we leave, and that will be a whole other story! UGH.

Will keep you posted.

Genes

This is one of the oldest pictures we have of our mom. Isn't she precious? 

I've been absent from here, I know--same ol' song and dance. I have been, however, absolutely enthralled in our family genealogies since the New Year. We took a trip in the early spring to Atlanta; and we ended up going to my mom's home town, not too far west of Atlanta. I was on a mission to find some family members in the old town cemetery. (We found only a few. ugh.) And now, I'm totally hooked. I've found a lot of new information since I first began this journey. It was 1985. No computers. Only libraries. Can you imagine? Of course, I wasn't able to find a whole lot way back then.  I did, amazingly, have enough sense to ask my Aunt Mary to write down all she knew of the Bailey family. And she did. Her papers have given us endless clues.

This is the kid, probably about the same age my mom was in her photo. He was so much like her. Look at that face. Same sweet grin. Sniffle. Now he's grown. But he's doing great away at college!

And then we move to the hub's family. His mom is Italian and second-generation American. His father is Ukrainian and first-generation American. I can't tell you how much information I have found online for both sides. Finding a lot of the ship manifests when they migrated to New York has been absolutely amazing. Then, I began going through old family photos on the hub's side. I had brought this picture back from NY last fall after helping the SIL go through the parents' things. No one knew who it was. I think it looks more of the Italian side. But there are a few who could also pass as Ukies. 

And, speaking of Ukies, the hub and teenager are in New York to celebrate Ukrainian Easter this weekend. I gave the hub a copy of this photo so he can ask his mom if she knows who it is. I know she will. She is sharp as a tack!

I have always so LOVED old studio shots. No one ever looks happy. Notice the three back drops? Poor feller on the right is too tall for two of them! Awkward. I think those two boys on the ends are WAY too tall to be Ukies. But "momma" in the back, she don't look too happy. Perhaps the first son did not marry first. That is what happened at the hub's mother and father's wedding. The Ukrainian momma wasn't too happy about the whole thing since he was the youngest son--the oldest had not married yet. And it is told that she let it be known she was none-too-happy. Now those, my friend, are some strong, old-world customs. Kinda harsh, don't you think?

Oh well. Now I'm wishing I were in New York with the family. But, then again, I am kinda enjoying the peacefulness of the house.

Будьмо

Labels: Aunt Mary, Family, Georgia, Hub, Kid, Mom, Teenager, Ukrainian Easter

Buzz, Buzz, Buzz, Buzz

We had a cold, blustery day earlier in the week; and I was completely stir crazy by about 3 p.m. sitting in the house. The hub was in Tejas; and I was soooo bored. Funny, you probably would not have heard that from me a year or so ago when he began working out of the house. Ha!

There's a coffee shop on the East side of town named Barista Parlor that I've had on my mind recently. I had never been, so, I jumped in the car and drove on over. I have now finally had my first cup of coffee with a pretty swirled heart. Well, yes of course I've tried this at home--none as pretty as this. A neat place inside what looks like an old car garage. I wonder if they open the doors during the warm months? I can't wait to take the hub here.

Speaking of which, we just had our 26th wedding anniversary yesterday! Yay! We're going out to celebrate as soon as he gets home tonight. 

Fun.

Lables: Hub, Restaurants, Nashville

As If It Were Yesterday

Thanksgiving 2012

 We were a few short this year, but the table was still filled with lotsa love and delicious food!

The teenager took my place as head sous chef. Definitely not complaining! I so enjoyed being the extra, extra help. Jim enjoyed showing the teenager the ropes. It was all good.

Three days' worth of prepping and cooking makes the difference in a meal. Having three sets of hands makes a difference in a kitchen! Since I wasn't head sous chef, I kept the prep area stocked with what was needed and clean as a whistle! It was a well-oiled machine, that kitchen was. We could have pulled off a TV program in there, I swear--that is, if it weren't for the language at times. We got pretty goofy. It sounded as if we were back in the hood. HA!

Our dessert this year was from Garden & Gun. My brother and I both subscribe to the magazine; and when the fall issues arrived, we called each other and said "Check out the dessert recipes -- FOR THANKSGIVING!" We decided on the Pumpkin Bread Pudding. A lot of steps, a lot of time; but it was worth it--IF you have three sets of hands in the kitchen!!! *Note: Could replace the cranberry sauce with a caramel sauce. Just saying.

It was all good. (Except the first batch of whipped cream tasted a tad cheesy. I was afraid to say anything since Jim and the teenager had worked so hard. Then Jim brought it up the next day. We all had a great laugh over that!)

Jim looking oh-so-British. A fork AND a spoon? Must be gud!

 And then --dun dun dun-- we had time to play. Hit TMR on Black Friday. A quick snap out front.

I then took him over to Otis James where they hand make fabulous ties and hats out of scrumptious fabrics. Great shop!

  

 Brutha tipping his hat to the ladies. So propa! (JK, this was staged.)

 Love him!!

And I miss him.

Labels: Brother Jim, Family, Hub, Jacq, Kid, Nashville, Teenager, Thanksgiving

Valentine's 2013

I loved the pink champagne (on ice).

When you find this sign upon entering Better Than Sex, you know you're in for a sweet treat.

Or, as in our case, many sweet treats. Absolutely sinful.

How else should you spend your Valentine's?

Labels, Hub, Key West, Florida, Restaurants, Valentine's