Post Gordon Memorial

I knew I would see lots of old friends and share lots of memories. It was so much more than I expected. RIP, Gordon P. You will be missed! Photo is our group of friends out for lunch and a drink in Gordon's memory after the service.

Photo: Jason B., Jeffries M., Boyd K., Doug L.

Cupcakes for Work!

Every Tuesday I have a Senior Staff Meeting with C & D for 2+ hours. Yesterday C asked if I were bringing snacks for the meeting??? I have never brought snacks before so why now? Then he went on to say he hasn't had a cupcake in years and how cupcakes would be a nice addition to the meeting. I told him I would try to fit baking into my schedule for last night. Two messages came across out inter-office messaging system shortly after.
Message 1 (from D): Can you please make yellow cupcakes with chocolate icing?
Message 2 (from C): I like white cake with chocolate icing.

D won! I bought the baking supplies after work and committed myself to making the cupcakes after my trip to the gym. I have not made cupcakes in years (since my married days, I guess for some school function). The first batch look like a child made them. I filled the paper cups too much and the cupcakes had huge tops that were impossible to apply the icing to. The second batch looked better but still nothing like a cupcake you see in the bakery window. They kind of remind me of the silly looking sugar cookies I attempted to make at Christmas last year. Much like cooking in general, baking must not be my thing.

I wish the market in my neighborhood would have had sprinkles for the cupcakes, but I guess I am lucky they had the rest of the supplies on their four aisles of groceries! Sprinkles can make every ugly cupcake look better.

HHB and I walked the LSU Lakes in the middle of the day like big dumb asses today. I am not sure if it was the extreme heat or the few Vodka drinks I had while out watching LSU Baseball game last night, but the 4.5 miles (which should be no problemo) was quite difficult today! I am beat, but want to see ND so not too tired for that!

Naked.

I finished "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" yesterday. I really enjoyed every page of it. Now I can allow myself to see the Lifetime movie based on it...I know cheezy, but it was on twice while I was reading it and it took a lot of will power not to watch.

On to another book I have been meaning to read for a while, "Naked" by David Sedaris. I picked it up at Cottonwood Books while errand running yesterday. Apparently, David Sedaris was in BR just the day before signing at B & N at Perkins Rowe! Typical, I am always a day late!

Field Trips

The field trips were sooooooo much fun! I wish we could do one every day. I found myself so excited to go to work for the second field trip day, kids are such a treat! They were completely fascinated with the dough making process and had a ton of questions. When it came time to make their own pizzas, I had pre-packaged the toppings I thought most kids would choose (pepperoni, beef, sausage), one child screams "I want olives! And ONLY olives!!" She was four. I have photos from both days but am waiting on a photo release from each child's parent so I can write a press release to submit to the newspaper. Once I have the releases, I will post pictures, or maybe not on the blog.

KK's visit.

Kristen's visit was quite nice and very relaxing. We spent Father's Day having a late brunch with my parents at Mestizo's...yummy, then to the market to pick up treats (vodka and mixers, chips and candy) for the LSU baseball game. Watched a little with my dad. Left before we could see him get too upset about their losing. Met some friends at Mellow Mushroom for the tail end of Sunday Funday. Ventured out with Cousin Will to the AP to see Cam Pyle play, he was not playing AGAIN. I swear that is my last time to travel 30 minutes to see him play his regular weekly Sunday gig and him not be there! Damn! Then back to Spanish Town. When we arrived to the neighborhood, Holly V had a few friends over and they were drinking on the porch. We walked across the street to say hello, Kristen stayed (I think until the sun came up). Monday, we met my mother for lunch at Chelsea's then had plans to shop, go to the LSU Museum of Art and to see Sex and the City movie. After lunch, our plans changed to watching some SATC at home (Kristen has never seen any of season 6). We will save the free movie passes for a night out while we are at the beach with our parents in a few weeks. After a few hours of sofa city and enjoying the AC, we went to Red Star Happy Hour. Kristen refers to Red Star as "Our Office" since we worked so close to it and would hop over for a quick drink while miserable at "A". Some vodka, fresh squeezed OJ and a few board games (mostly Scrabble) later, Boyd met up with us, made fun of my poor spelling and use of the English language, then we walked down to Happy's. I only stayed for a drink because I had dinner to attend to. Kristen's friends met her out, she missed dinner, I only saw her sleeping when I had to leave for work the next morning. It was a great visit and I miss her tons!

Field Trips!

I have field trips this week for work. Today 4 & 5 year olds, tomorrow 6 & 7 year olds. They will learn how we make dough, see how we shred the thousands of pounds of cheese we use each week and finally make their own pizza to take home. While some in the office are less than thrilled with this, I am quite pumped and can't wait. I may be singing a different tune this afternoon.

Saturday

Saturday = Work-out, Grocery, Work.
Sunday = KK in town!

New Book

My new book is great and I am only about 70 pages in! Thank goodness...I think it will be quite sad.

PS - Darn! I couldn't meet up with Nat and Jimmy Dean last night. Have a blast in NOLA, wish I could be with you but I have to work ALL weekend, AGAIN!

Kristen will be in on Sunday and stay through Monday, so I am off on Monday to enjoy a full day of KK.

Free Ice Cream?

So, how did I not know that when you dine at Jason's Deli you can help yourself afterwards to free soft serve ice cream (cup or cone)? Wow! They have vanilla, chocolate and swirl! No one has chocolate soft serve ice cream, it is always yogurt. This was a very exciting discovery for me. I must go back soon!

Book Shopping

I will go book shopping after my 12:00 appointment today. I finished that other "book", now on to better reads, I hope!

So this is my latest "pass the time at the gym" book. I was kind of excited to read it since the same author wrote "The Devil Wear Prada" which I found extremely funny at points. But that was many years ago, maybe I am mistaken. This book...mmm...not so much. I only have a little left and am sooooo ready for a new book!

Frick!

I forgot the Weepul again, darn!

Weepuls.

Saturday, Natalie showed up to watch the game with Green Bean and I and brought Weepuls for us. She gave a lime green Weepul to GB and a hot pink one to me!!! When I got to work yesterday, I was excited to root around in my purse for my Weebul so I could strategically place him in my office somewhere, but I switched my purse and my Weebul buddy still remains at my place. I will make a note to not forget him tomorrow.

Eaters

Watched the LSU baseball game with Green Bean, Laura and Natalie yesterday. Natalie seemed to really enjoy that UC Irvine's mascot is the Anteater and their uniforms say "Eaters". Ha!

It's a Wrap

It was decided instead of going to a movie rental store we choose movie(s) from our own personal libraries to watch last night. Bean brought popcorn, Sheridan brought crawfish and wine, and I provided the candy display. I went to the neighborhood grocery to load up on candy for Movie Night. At the checkout, I tell Heath all of the candy is for girl movie night. Barry walks into the store and looks at the counter filled with the likes of Jelly Beans, M&Ms (plain and peanut), Gummy Bears, etc. and asked what I was up to. Heath quickly responds, "She's having a girls movie night and I wasn't invited". I tell Heath he is one of the girls and therefore is ALWAYS welcome. Especially since he is due to leave for his regular tour at summer camp today where he will mold the minds of America's youth. HB and ND never made it by. We decide to watch Almost Famous (Sheridan Fay had never seen it!!!). Fast forward 45 minutes and there is a knock at the door. It is is Roi, Heath's roommate and boyfriend. It is ok when a gay guy crashes girl night. Especially when they work at Trade Secret and arrive to your place with goody bags for all. The girls scored nail polishes and great hair products. Heath came by when he got off from his shift at the grocery. They stayed and chatted (movie on pause) while Roi and Sheridan shared a pint of Ben & Jerry's. Heath tells us of his plans to share drinks with a few friends at Hound Dogs (the only bar actually located in Spanish Town and a known gay bar). We are talked into joining him for A drink. We changed from our PJs (movie night requirement) and walked to meet them. Music was rocking to George Michael, Paula Abdul, and Elton John. I just knew I would hear Cher while there, but was disappointed. We stayed for about an hour and walked back to finish Almost Famous. I forgot how very good that movie is. Star studded too! Almost Famous was the only movie we watched for this edition of movie night.

Have a great summer Heath! I can't wait until August 17th when you return and I can hear all of your "Once, at band camp" stories...

picture is of Heath and I

Big Plans

Green Bean may come over to my place tonight for movie night. HB might be up for it, I haven't mentioned it to her yet. Possibly Nat Rat too, although she did just suggest a back yard HH if she is back from K's mom's memorial. What we are watching, eating or drinking...not sure yet. I am fairly certain the menu of goodies will NOT include hot dogs since they totally gross me out. I just thought the dinner plate was quite cute!

Long Days....

Is it the weekend yet? Sometimes I work weekends, so I don't even know if that is something to look forward to. To quote ND "Ya'll are always putting some new system into place". And here we go again. With six stores and one new POS system and almost 100 employees to train = lots of work for me! I have been spending my mornings in the office tying up loose marketing ends, lunch, then off to a store to make sure their transitions one by one are going smoothly. I hestitate in using the word smooth to describe this transition, but I am sure it could be so much worse. I am such a perfectionist, any little glitch seems like a crisis to me. We are live with the system in five of the six stores, last one will go live next Monday, with very few problems thus far. We did, however, save the best for last. Being totally sarcastic, this last store is our hightest volume store and smallest store. Add extra employees assisting with training to an already busy and cramped environment...that one will be fun! C & D will owe me dinner, cocktails, trip to Mexico...something for this one!

PS to my girls - sorry for having to cancel dinner last night. I was not home until almost 11:00...reschedule for this weekend? Saturday perhaps?

New Book

Someone recommended this book to me months ago and I never picked it up. Last night while on the dreaded trip to Wal-Mart (why do I continue to torture myself with trips to Wal-Mart?), I picked it up. I am not very far into it, but think it will be a charming story. Also, it may inspire the beginning of the Knitting Group of ND, LN and JK...when is that happening???

Oh, Ms. Bradshaw...

I met up with my mom, Holly, Heidi and Hillary for the 4:00 SATC at Citiplace yesterday. Patricia Field (stylist for SATC) did not disappoint for the big screen. The outfits designed for Carrie were amazing, as usual! Movie was good too. But then again, how can anything be bad when there is popcorn, Goobers, soda and a great group of gals! I will see it again before it leaves the theater.