Halibut a Valoute

Wow - did we have a good dinner tonight.

Halibut, scallops, "Ers-styers" and a Champagne sauce to die for.

John did the honors with the oysters, since he's a Charleston Boy. (Citadel Grad...God Bless 'im.)

I do indeed love this Man.

Armour will need to be the judge, but I think he will decide this is "one of my best efforts."

Missed ya, Bro.

Dad is Here, and this is all I have to post of him...

Aha.


So Dad is here (he flew in Sunday night) and we've had some great suppers (beef rib roast and Mom's flied chickie) and some great laughs (always plenty to be had with him) but no good pictures. In fact, he's been working his tail off since he got here.

Mostly for me.

Er...

completely for me.

Every Dad should be like him.

*****************

I've included a couple shots I took today of Dad helping me put John's golf clubs on Craigslist. :) We're on the whole PURGE program ... and Craigslist is a great incentive. I mean, why not make $50? Or in this case, a little bit more?

SERIOUSLY. HOW did we accumulate so much stuff???

I cringe to tell you this - but since no one but close friends and family ever read this godforsaken cluster of my thoughts...I will go ahead and admit that I actually put dirty cat travel kennels on the curb the other morning and someone wanted to take them. She, maaaaaybe 22, sporting low ponytails, and adorably cute, jumped out of her little car and says:

"Ma'am?"

(At nearly 40, I suppose I should get used to this...)

"Um... are you going to use these? I mean, are these ok to take?"

**********

(People, I admit it...a little Devil on my shoulder wanted to just say "Go for it!")

....hmmmm.

....ahem.

...................................

{Sigh.}

In the end, I just couldn't. I had to tell her that one of the cats had tinkled in one of them.

I cringed...thinking she'd see me for the horrible old crazy Dr. Seuss "One-Fish-Two-Fish"-yellow-and-blue shorts and ratty-gray-tank-top-messy-hair-I-am-a-Saturday-garage-cleaner Lady I've become.

But she didn't.

Instead?

"That's ok! I'll clean it!"

Bouncy ponytails - Can-Do attitude.

There's hope for America, Folks.

Signs we're home and Mom has been here

So Mom is here, and SO ARE WE! We're in Tampa for the next 3 weeks - with a trip to Jordan in between - and we hope to be home in mid-June for (basically) good.

I rode today and realized horses are something I just need. I am happier when I can regularly be around them. More pictures from the barn I found in Pinellas Park when I come back in June. The only thing(s) that would make this barn better is if I could have Max and Sterling there.

Speaking of horses, here's one of two little Korean horses Mom found (on a trip to visit me!) in Seoul. We had them refinished because they were so pitted and damaged.

Love the horses. (There are two, actually. This is just one.)

Despise the wallpaper.

Can't have everything. \

Mom always starts avocado seeds. I had a four-foot plant I had to give to my neighbor, Sandra, when we left Germany (I rue the day) - and everytime I'm in a house for more than 6 months, she starts more. I might actually have a chance for a tree in Tampa.

I love the red toothpicks!

...and here's our Cheju Man - from the island off the southern tip of Korea. I think he's great! I got a multi-colored one for Mom and Dad and a miniature, leaning one for Arms. They're good luck.

Might as well be by the Pool, then.

Cool little "found object" Mom unearthed from our yard while we were gone. I have no idea what it is, but I like it.

The "num-num" stone (this one we found in France) is filled.

So you know, Num-Num stones are an invention from the most unique grandmother of all grandmothers - my dad's mom, Peggy Craig. She had a whole bunch of these circling her porch in Massachusetts, and always filled them with leftovers for the birds and squirrels.

Anyway, a "num-num" stone is any big stone with a natural (or manmade - but the rule is, YOU can't have made it!) depression that is suitable for goodies for the little varmints who might frequent your yard...

I know you wanted to know all that.

...Asparagus Fern in my one pot from Grandmother Peggy's porch. (The same porch that held all those beautiful Num-Num stones!)

...and here's my favorite subject - the pup. (He was diagnosed with Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever the other day, for Heaven's Sake!)

Love that puppy. Love you guys, too.

New blog coming soon! Mid-April! :)

Grouper, and since it's the 11th when I post this - Happy 41st Anniversary Mom & Dad - pics coming later

Have you ever had it?

It is an AWESOME fish! Big wide mouth, lots of white flesh that cooks up succulent and firm - like a Halibut - only a lot more economical!

So, Mom, Dad, Armour, John, and I went out with Anthony - who was a great guide - didn't overteach - not overbearing.

Dad got the only grouper we could keep - we literally caught about 100 of them - but they have to be 22 inches or more. John, Armour, and I got Mangrove snapper and regular snapper - and John actually caught an octopus, and a puffer fish. (Anthony wanted the octopus for seviche *you go right on ahead, Buddy* and you can't eat the puffer...)

So we went to clean the fish, and the pelicans were ubiquitous. Anthony hated them - called them "Rats with Wings" - but I've always liked them. I think they're cool birds.

Mom (bless her peapickin' heart) got sick, didn't fish - and consequently, didn't catch anything.

The Whole Fam Damily

Here we are - John and I just getting home from work and we wanted a shot...

We're going fishing tomorrow! Fresh Grouper, we Hope!

:)

Love this guy...and this puppy dog.

Fo' Sho.

Happy Birthday, Fathah

Dad is turning ?? this year.

Let's just say sometimes it's best not to put candles on your birthday cake. :)

Love you, Fathah....and I love the Father you are to me.

Goodbye, Faithful Little Friend

"Uh-Oh"

St. Valentine's Day 1997 - Columbus Day 2008

When the body that lived at your single will,

With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!)

When the spirit that answered your every mood Is gone

--wherever it goes--for good,

You will discover how much you care,

And will give your heart to a dog...

Excerpt from "The Power of the Dog", by Rudyard Kipling

Act Your Wage & Prepare for the Recession (Thanks, Dad.)

So my dad sends me a note that I intend to take seriously. He never gives me advice anymore unless I ask for it, so when he sent this unsolicited email to me a few days back, I paid attention:

"...further, this recession will probably last another 2 years, so Save, save,save, and try and cut your debt!"

Interestingly and coincidentally, I've been skulking around this site: Dave Ramsey.com, lately, and I've been impressed. This guy is so simple. There are no gimicks - it's just "Save, save, save, and CUT your debt." (Sound familiar?) He gives you a lot of instruction and eye-opening examples about how typical folks waste money. He's even a proponent of the 100% down program for buying a house. Wow.

Now that we're homeowners and only have secured employment for a few more years, I guess it's time to get our stuff together...

So, check out Mr. Ramsey's website and enjoy this random sequence of pictures that I took of Spectre and John wasting time in the pool while I slaved away with the laundry a couple weeks ago. :)

Family Tradition

When the Craigs get together, our last night together is always a Lobstah Dinnah.

This is a wonderful tradition on so many levels...

1. I love Family Traditions.

2. I love Lobster

3. If your last meal together is Lobster - you'll always have a good memory.

Mom and Arms had lobster together their last night in Armour's place... and here's a pic of us having lobster before I leave for Qatar and Bahrain. If I go down in the Atlantic...Ma's got a good meal to remember. :) HA!

Please try not to notice Mom's hair, which looks like Mr. Energy from the Rudolph cartoons they show at Christmas...or the fact that I'm trying to press in my girth surreptitiously.

Your kindness to two women "of a certain age" is much appreciated.

Christmas at my folks' house

Well, I told you about this dinner in the post with Pam's Fun Christmas Questions - but here it is...and it looks as good as I've ever seen it! Bravo, Mom, Dad, and Armour!



Dosie "helping" Mom...

Arms with his loot John and I sent him from Afghanistan...if he grew a beard, he'd pass as a northern Afghan...

This is quite simply: Dad's job - he always carves. We don't. (We just eat it!)

Tucker in her Christmas Collar...

Uh-Oh - who came to live with my parents when I went to Korea 6 years ago - and never left...

My Poor Old Man - relegated to the glassed-in porch because he's a tough guy who can't play nice with the others. Poor Baby...

I'm not sure why Dosie is stuck in there - SHE gets along with EVERYONE...