Not really a cat person, BUT...

Before July got away from me, I wanted to wish my sweet Izzy Girl a happy TENTH birthday. We're not exactly sure when she was born, but I know it was sometime in July.

From the moment I saw this sweet thing with a Garfield scarf around her neck at the adoption place, I knew we'd enjoy one another's company. She is the best cat in the world, and I still don't really consider myself a "cat person" necessarily (especially since I'm incredibly allergic), but it's been a great decade.

She kept me company in my little one-bedroom apartment in Vicksburg, in my too-big-for-one-person house in Vicksburg, and even finally took a liking to her "brother" Bentley after a while.

Her favorite pastimes include sleeping and eating. She wouldn't chase a mouse even if it was chasing her (we've tested this theory), but she sure is a good cuddler.

Happy Birthday, Iz! I've enjoyed every cuddle you've wanted to share with me. You don't meet a stranger. Here's to another ten years, my sweet baby girl.

Adult Kickball

Derek and I played in the inaugural league of adult co-ed kickball this summer in Clinton, and we had so much fun! Our team (the Honey Badgers) was a few girls I played bunco with and their husbands/brothers/friends. What a fun group!

We didn't completely embarrass ourselves, either... I think we ended up in third place overall, which made us pretty happy. After the first game (back when we all thought we were 10-year-old kickball all-stars but ended up injuring ourselves instead) we got the hang of it and started having fun.

This was way better than co-ed softball, which we tried for a few summers. This was fun, and I can honestly say I CONTRIBUTED to this team! Ha!

Until next summer when I decide to try another random sport, this Honey Badger is hanging up her cleats (or New Balances, but whatever).

Bice Visit and Gibbes Grocery

We had a really wonderful weekend. It started Friday with a quick trip to Hattiesburg after work to catch up with my cousins and aunt and uncle who were in town from Oklahoma to visit Grandma. It wasn't the whole Bice crew (we were missing a few cousins and some spouses), but some is better than none!

We went to dinner at Rocket City Diner, where I spent many a fun night back in the '80s and '90s. It reopened last year in a new location, but the food was just as great as I remembered it. I think I was more excited than the kids were (which is why we went to begin with), but I'm not ashamed. We had a good time. :)

On Saturday we had a nice visit with Grandma, then Granny and Pap, before heading back to Jackson.

Saturday night was a very special treat. As you know from my last post, our friends Drew and Kristin have had a petty rough week. Yesterday was Kristin's birthday, so we went out to dinner Saturday night to celebrate. We took a mini road trip to Gibbes Grocery in Learned, Miss. It's about half an hour away (when you don't get lost). It's an old country store that serves some delicious steaks, lamb chops, and seafood on the weekend. The tables are set up family style, and it's just a really cool place. Dinner was delish and the company even better! 

We had SUCH a great time and shared a lot of laughs, which they definitely needed after last week. Drew's mom continues to make progress every day, but she still has a long way to go. Please keep them in your prayers. It's been tough. So glad we were able to help them take a break from it all and celebrate Kristin's big 2-9. We love these two. :)

We didn't do too much on Sunday except cook up some homemade shrimp and grits and white chocolate bread pudding. Derek and I cooked as a team like we were on Iron Chef and really enjoyed ourselves!

Some weekends are just more enjoyable than others, for no particular reason. This weekend we were able to spend some quality time with people we love, and we just enjoyed every minute of it. Life is good.

Prayers

A very special family needs your prayers right now. The mother of one of our best friends is in stable but critical condition after a brain aneurysm. She's making baby steps in progression every day, but if you could spare a few prayers, they would appreciate it. We were with him when he got the call that it had happened on Saturday, and as the events unfolded, it was like deja vu for us.

While each situation is different, we can only hope and pray for more positive outcome this time around. Please say a prayer for the Gorneys that Debbie makes a full recovery - at her own pace - and that the rest of the family has strength through this process.

If you'd like to know the whole story and read the updates, here is the Caring Bridge website:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/debbiegorney

Each new day they hope for better news than the day before. It might be a long road, but what a great, loving support system they have in the meantime.

Cheers

"Where everybody knows your name... duh duh duh duh duh..." Well, maybe not everybody, but at least a couple of the bartenders and a few friends and neighbors.

There's a little bar just a few blocks away that has become "our" bar in recent years. It's pretty much a dive, but it's a cozy little place where there's almost always a seat or two available, plenty of games to play like shuffleboard or bowling, and CHEAP pitchers of beer when you're extra thirsty after a rough day at the office.

Fun memories at this place for us have included spending a Thanksgiving night in T-shirts hanging with our neighbors, winning the best couple's costume contest for Halloween (Ringo and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds), watching the monsoon rain come down Labor Day weekend last year while playing a "rainy day" mix on the jukebox, and many a happy hour beverage with my husband to just talk about work besides the basic "how was your day" conversation.

"Our" bar closed Saturday night. They're changing it into some sort of seafood/tiki restaurant and bar. Change is good, right? And a renovation was definitely needed for this place sometime in the near future.

We went Friday night to bid farewell, and it really is bittersweet. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but I just think it's kind of sad when a place where you have memories just isn't there anymore. Like the Mugshots in Hattiesburg that burned down last year. That was where Derek and I shared our first kiss. (Ha, classy, I know...)

Anyways, I'm rambling like I've had one too many $6 pitchers... In closing, FAREWELL and thanks for the memories. What stories those walls would tell if they could talk!

Greycation Part 2

And now we continue... the second half of Greycation was as great as the first, if not better.

We spent some time at The Track racing go-carts and playing goofy golf, hanging out on the back deck doing a little yoga (see below), heading over to Dauphin Island to visit Derek's grandparents, and then enjoying our last few days on the beach.

We really lucked out with great weather the whole time, and now we're nice and tanned, not burned, for our first day back at work today.

We ended our vacay by spending Saturday out at the lake for the July 4th (a few days early) boat parade and fireworks. Now it's back to real world, at least for a couple of days before the actual holiday.

Leaving the beach was pretty hard... but the good news is we'll be able to get back down there in just a few more weeks.

I do it all for you, blog readers... It's a hard job, but somebody has to do it. I like to keep things interesting on here. Ha! ;)

Greycation Part 1

I'm blogging live from the beach at Fort Morgan, Alabama. As we speak I'm watching the waves roll in and drinking a super cold beer. Gotta love technology...

We got down here Friday night for a fun, family-filled week with all Derek's siblings and families.

We've had a fabulous time so far with beautiful beach days (despite the threat of Tropical Storm Debby yesterday), a fun dinner out at LuLu's, bushwackers at sunset at Tacky Jacks, a birthday party for Frances, and some family fun in the hot tub playing tea party with Ryan Hadley.

Here are a few pics from the first half of our "Greycation"... More to come when we get home in a few days.