Tuesday Tumblings

Hey there Peeps!!!

Long time no tumble

(lordy...if you don't know who this is just click here to find out)

1)  Any-who  let's get back to important things.  Most important THIS is tonight!

Last week's season premier was brutal I tell ya, just brutal but I loved it.

I'm terrified of the casualties coming on this last season of the show.  How about you, are you a SOA fan?  Who do you think isn't going to make it?  

2)  Hubster is still working out of town and rubbing in all the good food he's eating, I am still eating my weight in this deliciousness.  Don't judge, it's full of vegetables.

                           

3)  After a not so successful experience with a local CSA we've gone back to getting our Bountiful Baskets.   Peeps I'm here to tell you all that goodness you see was $30!!!!  Yeah, you read that right, $30.   I know it's crazy, now does anyone want to come help me with all that corn?  That's one normal fruit/veggie basket and one tailgate package.  I've had an avocado every single day and it's been awesome!!!!

(that's Gertrude the cow in the picture and yes, half the wall is painted grey, I'm trying out paint samples)

4)  I thought the Abogg was coming to visit on Monday so I made a big pot of Cowboy Stew. He ended up getting called back to work so I ate the bowl  of stew you see then the rest I split into freezer containers, one for us and one to take to the Merebear later this week.   I'm sure I'll be happy to have a big container of Cowboy Stew in the freezer this winter and I know the Merebear will be happy for a meal she doesn't have to prepare herself.

5) Sir Winston got his first ever Bark Box and I'd say he loves it.   I signed up for the 3 month subscription and they were running a promotion to get an additional month free so we'll see how it goes.  The packaging was adorable and I really loved the fact that all the treats were grain free. 

6)  I've been working on refinishing our kitchen table and chairs.  They looked really really bad and since getting a new table and chairs wasn't an option I've been gel staining away.  People this stuff is crazy amazing!!!   The picture below is the first coat of the stain and you normally do three.  Don't worry, there will be a whole post coming up about this amazing stuff.   I have the kitchen table finished completely and I have the wood bases of the chairs done except 1 last coat of Poly and I should finish that up tomorrow.   I am using a metallic soft iron color spray paint on the metal part of the chairs and as soon as I go get more spray paint I'll get the last three chairs finished.  It already looks SOOOOOO much better.  I'm ready to get it finished and so is Hubster, he wondered how much longer it would be before we could eat at the table again.  

7) It's been 10 years since Hurricane Ivan, hard to believe that 10 years ago we were watching from Texas a horrible storm hit our hometown and like so many others just sit wondering whether or not we would have a home to go back to.  It's also been 1 year since my hysterectomy which I  happily celebrated at Grapefest this past weekend.   If you remember last year I might have pushed my physical limits at the festival but I was more than ready this year!!!   And since we didn't get out of the 70's temperature wise on Saturday I'd say that the weather gods were smiling too!!! 

BONUS)   My sweet friend Kelleigh has the new fall designs on her  Die Hard Nails site.

There are sooooo many cute new designs.   I've got a post I've been working on forever and I just keep forgetting to finish it up ( I know I'm horrible) but if you go check out the new fall catalog on her site you can order yourself some Jamberry fun and get in the fall spirit or if you are super prepared go ahead and get those cute Christmas designs ordered so you'll be ready come December.  Here's her Facebook page, so go and like it and keep up with her specials and the fun things she's showcasing.  

That's all for me today Peeps......I have to go get mentally prepared for SOA!

Peace, Love & Jax Teller

My week at the beach

Hey Peeps!!!

I'm just back from a week at the beach and I thought I'd give you guys a recap of how the week went and just how crazy life can get.   I'm just going to go day by day to try and keep me on track.


Friday Aug. 29th

I spent the morning cleaning up the house ( am I the only one whose house has to be cleaned before I leave for vacation??) and packing up the car.   Hardest part of this was the fact that the dog was going with me so the back seat was reserved for him and knowing that he would be confined to my tiny backseat for 12 hours.   We finally got on the road about 2 which was only about an hour after I planned but not too bad.  I did manage to miss rush hour traffic all around and we stopped in Baton Rouge for the night.   I'm not used to traveling with the dog so I didn't some research and find a great site called Bring Fido and found a pet friendly hotel close to the interstate.  Not a bad day but not much sleep, poor Winston was very restless in the hotel.   If you travel with your pets then I highly recommend checking out the site for pet friendly hotels in your travel area.

He hardly rested on the drive instead nervously looking over my shoulder, like I'm a bad driver or something.   pssshhhhttt

Saturday Aug. 30th.
Up for a quick breakfast at the hotel and maybe I snuck some scrambled eggs and gravy off the breakfast bar to take back to Winston in the room.  shhhhhh.......

More driving and we finally make it to the beach around 1 or so and after getting Winston secured in the condo I'm off to the beach.  Hubster and his friend had arrived much earlier that morning so I had some beach catching up to do!

Later that night we headed out to one of my favorite Destin/FWB restaurants, AJ's.   We tried a new appetizer Oysterss AJ's and boy were they yummoo!! Jalapeño peppers, monterey jack cheese and bacon, baked on the half shell.

These are a new favorite and you can bet I'll have them again!!  We headed back to the condo and were all so tired that we were asleep before half time of the LSU football game.  

Sunday Aug. 31

The guys got up early and ran across the street to a new breakfast place on Okaloosa Island called Asiago's Skillet.  It's only open from Midnight to Noon but man, you can bet this is another must have food stop when we are at the condo.  CRAZY good breakfast, they've only been open 2 months and word on the street is they are adding a Bloody Mary bar.  Oh yeah!!!!

More beach time and then we took our friend Kenny over to our fave stop:  HelenBack pizza.  Yeah, no trip to the beach is complete without pizza.  

Monday Sept. 1 - Friday Sept. 5th 

These days all look pretty much the same, only difference being that Monday our friend Kenny had to head home bright and early and Hubster got to spend the entire day on the beach with me.   The rest of the days I spent on the beach while poor Hubster had to work up in the condo.   He turned his back to the doors so he didn't have to see the ocean, poor guy!    If you follow on Instagram you saw most of these but each morning I took the obligatory beach photo from the balcony

Actually, it never rained this day but this was a beautiful sight.

Morning over the pier

Beach time!!!

Late afternoon is my favorite time on the beach.

A walk down the beach and we saw the cutest little sandcastle.

The pineapple leaves on top of the sand bucket were such a cute touch!

The birds crack me up like they are all just sitting around watching the water.

Afternoon drinks at the The Crab Trap

ahhh, late afternoon when the beach quiets down and the beach service guys are kind enough to take my chair last.  

We tried a new place to eat and WOWZA we hit a restaurant home run!

We actually went back to eat a second time!

Prop's Craft Brewery

Crazy good Fish Taco's.  I mean like nothing left on my plate when I finished kind of good.

Hubster had a burger craving so he had the Props burger.  Once again, nothing left on the plate!

Hubsters first trip to the The Candymaker.  I think it's safe to say he's a fan!

Also his first trip to The Back Porch restaurant and now he's a fan of this place too.

Started off the meal with a good old fashioned dozen of oysters on the half shell, never disappoints.

The dog kept getting up super early and while it was slightly annoying, I did get to see more than a few of these beautiful sunrises over the pier.

Early morning is another great time at the beach.

Poor Winston, he really wanted to go to the beach but no doggies allowed.

He looks so HUGE in this photo, not a flattering angle for the buddy at all.

(you can also see why Hubster turns his back to the patio when he's working)

Second trip to the Props Brewery and I just had to have the fabulous Mac & Cheese.  We saw so many tables with this on them when we ate there the first night I had to try it.  Next time, I'm getting the Buffalo Mac & Cheese.    mercy me

So many beautiful beach days and I soaked up the sun.

Look at that water!

Met some new friends from Louisiana and they had these awesome little beach tables and as luck would have it we found some at Target.   They fold up and they are perfect for keeping my water, beer and kindle out of the sand!

Second item to note on that table.....the Yeti cooler cup.  HOLY COW, worth every penny my friends.  I'd fill that cup with water and ice when I went down to the beach each morning and then pack extra water in my cooler and I'd still have ice when I got back to the condo after 6 that night.   I'm a fan and honestly I'm trying to justify buying another one so I can have one for hot coffee/tea and one for cold water.   

Our last morning and we were sad to go but we'll be back in October.

Saturday Sept. 6th.

Time to pack up and head home this time it's me, the dog and the Hubster in the car.   To say we were a wee bit crowded is an understatement but all was good until somewhere near Grosse Tete, La and WHAM.    The guy in the left hand lane decided to move into the right hand land and smacked right into us.  We spent the better part of the next hour or so on the side of the interstate waiting on the State Trooper to arrive and file the report.    Fortunately we were all ok but my poor little car doesn't look to great.

Thankfully everyone involved was ok (including Sir Winston) and the guy who hit us had insurance.

I tell ya, going 70 mph down the interstate and having someone slam into the side of you doing 70+ is a scary event people.   This one shook me up pretty bad for awhile after it happened.  We finally arrived home a little after midnight making our normal 12 hour drive around 14+ hours.   Not a great way to end the week but everyone is ok and that's really all that matters. 

I'm ever so grateful for my last minute trip to the beach and I can't tell you how much better my soul feels after some needed rest and relaxation.  I sunned, I read, I met some wonderful new people and I might have napped a little on the beach and I spent an entire week with Hubster and sometimes that's just what you need.   We're looking forward to October when we make the trip down again with a bunch of friends where we will laugh and relax and carry on like crazy people and sometimes that's just what you need too!!!

Hubster only has a few more weeks of travel for work (hopefully) and I should be cooking again.  For now though I'm still living on chips & salsa, cereal and popcorn and Starbucks Iced Coffee that you get in the grocery.  

Peace, Love & Beaches