Not that kind of Girl

While writing my favorite cousin an email about the Redneck Vacation, I realized I forgot to tell y'all about Restoration Park. I am running late for Church so I am will be lazy like usual and exhibit my famous copy/paste talent.

The weather was gorgeous (however, I cannot imagine how anyone lives there in the summer...all that sitting water made me want to put on bug repellent and there weren't any skeeters yet. I need to google bayous since I can't figure out if all those dead looking trees come to life in the Summer or they really are dead, if they really are dead how did they get in the middle of all that black water? Oh, and I took the kids on a walk in this "Restoration Park" next to the hotel and I am thinking "restoration" like mind/yoga/zen...not.  It was a restored mine area well, minus the mine, now a park...there was even a very rusted pump cart in the middle of the trees...probably should have included that in my blog...About an hour into the walk, I am looking at the ducks paddling in the water thinking "Oh dear Lord, what if there are gators? What does one do if one comes across gators?" Fortunately, there were none and I spent the rest of the walk with thoughts like "This is so serene. Good gracious, this must be nasty with gnats and mosquitoes in the Summer. What a pretty tree. I bet there are a lot of snakes in here." I have concluded I am not an outdoorsy kind of gal. 

M with his duck call on our walk and Mr. Geiko.

My Newest Obsession

Okay, so you all know I am obsessed with Downton Abbey. I was not content to wait on it airing here in the US so I ordered it early from Amazon.UK Color me happy when my parcel was "dispatched" to the US. Now, we all know how based on your purchases Amazon will recommend more things you might be interested in...the book The Ladies' Paradise by Emile Zola and the mini-series based on the book The Paradise were recommended along with Call the Midwife. I have been watching Call the Midwife but I was intrigued by The Paradise since I had just read about Emile Zola in a non-fiction book I was reading by Lillie de Hegermann-Lindencrone. I bit. I ordered it. LOVED it. Now it appears, it will be shown here in the US next year, yay!!! http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bbc-worldwide-masterpiece-producing-victorian-377324

Just a little funny note to my ordering from the UK. I discovered the discs do not work on my DVD player so I had to use the computer. I also discovered that you have to change the region on your computer. AND I discovered, you can only change the region 5 times. My computer is staying on the UK region since it has been changed 3 times.(Just a blonde rant: Don't you think in this day and age of computers linking international businesses you should just be able to change your region at will???)

First NHL Game

I am in love with Downtown Nashville. (I really should work for their Tourism Board).  We went to a Predators Game last night...I enrolled the kids in their Kids' Club so we get great deals on tickets like buy one get one free. The only catch is you have to go Monday thru Thursday. (Oh, and the kids got a shirt, an old fashioned lunch box like we had as kids, pencils, and a pencil holder)/ Geez, I digressed...again.

Let's see, let's do Downtown Nashville first, the architecture is charming  and the eateries provide live music...even if it is only 6 pm. LOVE the Music City...

The game. Sold out. Who knew Southerners loved hockey so much? The crowd was filled with fans wearing gold shirts. Live music provided between periods. Really gotta love The Music City. Polite people. A five minute standing ovation for a returning soldier from Afghanistan honored during the game. Another standing ovation when the local news announced a Sunny weekend and 70 degrees (yep, it has been a little chilly and very rainy for the past months).

I really need to run to the Commissary so I will be back later with more pictures and more rambling later.

Have a great day, Y'all.

Vicksburg

I think I inherited my love for History from my dad. This includes his love for the Civil War and WWII. (I also love reading about the American Revolution and WWI, in addition to loving British History...it's the secret Anglophile in me). I digress.  So, I was so excited to go to Vicksburg. I did my anti-rain dance but apparently, I didn't do it right. We got rained on...but that is okay because some things just cannot be spoiled. (I love rain so I didn't really mind getting wet, I just hate when my eyeglasses get wet since they don't come with wipers)

A few picture...

The Chef

Poor Roo, she had to work and do school during our Redneck Vacation. She got cat-sitting duties (which she thoroughly enjoyed...I got Lots of texts letting me know what the feline was up to...including pictures...what did we do without cell phone pics in the old days?)

The GREAT part was coming home to Easter Dinner which the favorite eldest daughter prepared...she did a great job. She used a few traditional dishes and pulled a few off of Pinterest...what did we do without Pinterest.

A delightful dinner. Hannah prepared the table before we left, so when we got home. It was CHOW Down time.

My Little Redneck Vacation

It has been forever since I posted  on here so it is time to play catch up!!!

Spring Break was last week and guess where we went? West Monroe, LA. Yes, Duck Dynasty mania has gripped my husband. We went to the Duck Commander Building, bought a Mallard Duck Call for Matthew, ate at Haskell's Donuts (owned by John Godwin's brother BTW) bought tea at The Cornerhouse Coffee Shop, rode go karts at Excalibur...and a non-DD event was going to the Black Bayou (advertised canoe rentals but they were nowhere to be found, must be too early in the season) and I have to tell you, I'm okay with that because that was black water and it has American Alligators. I didn't have to break into a sweat thinking about falling into the water and finding what lies beneath the surface. It was really pretty though.

Now let me explain a few things about DD. The Duck Commander Building is not located in a remote area, it is in an industrial area with a few houses across the road...one is for sale and I am POSITIVE it is for sale because they are tired of all the tourists. The place is PACKED with DD Pilgrims. There is no way any member of the DD Family could even walk in or out of the building without a riot taking place. It is like a Redneck Grace Land.

I took a picture for one lady by the DD RV and she said she had just (accidentally) went to Phil and Miss Kay's house. Jas was in the front yard with one of the grandkids. She said that she googled Duck Commander Building and that is where it took her. I don't think so...I Googled it and it took me to the actual Building, I think a bit of stalking was involved. However, the house on DD is where Phil and Miss Kay live...down a long road next to a lake according to our stalker...

Now to get me on this Redneck Vacation, my husband threw in Vicksburg. He knew this would get me to go along for the ride. The Battlefield is a lot larger than I envisioned...It is beautiful. The Parks Department  has done a really good job taking care of this. I do have to say, if you ever go, stop at The Visitors Center first and get the Tour CD, we did the drive without it and then went to The Visitor's Center...so I bought the CD and we did the drive a second time. Yep, a car full of blondes gets a blonde result.

I hope you enjoy the pictures!