Before and after and here we go again

Before Hurricane Sally. After Hurricane Sally. I couldn’t have told you what the neighbor’s houses looked like before the storm. You can look at the house in the distance and see the blue tarps on their roof. Everyone in town can show you similar photos. It’s not just me. We’re all in the same boat…

Read More

A hurricane and farewell to Winston Groom

We just received word today that one of our local favorite authors in Fairhope, Winston Groom has passed away. I don’t know any details, but he will be missed. He always took time to talk with me when we saw each other, although I always felt like I needed to remind him who I was.…

Read More

Don’t give me a bad hushpuppy

Go ahead and talk ugly about my hairdo, say my pearls are plastic, but whatever you do, don’t ever give me a hard-as-a-rock, pre-cooked and flash frozen hushpuppy.  They’re easy to spot and wildly rampant these days, even in the best restaurants. Looking like little brown jawbreakers from the gumball machine, and tasting about as…

Read More

Saying goodbye to Lois Lane

My long time blog readers have heard many stories about my sweet beagle, Lois Lane. She has received her own fan mail and I’ve had readers ask about her during book signings. You’ll see in this story, that she passed away on her 15th birthday after a very happy and spoiled life — which is…

Read More

Italian Bolognese

“When you hear people speaking about Bolognese cuisine, be reverent, because it deserves it.” Pellegrino Artusi As I sit home with the rest of the world, wondering if we’ll ever be able to use our suitcases again, I’m thinking about the happier days when we could travel. This time last year, as I was freely…

Read More

Social distancing with Alan Jackson

***This was written during the thick of the pandemic when we were wiping down our groceries and spraying our mail with Lysol. – What is going on in this world?  While the world was swirling in turmoil and we were wringing our hands in angst, wearing masks and trembling in our homes . . .…

Read More

Romance and the dishwasher

My husband and I are enjoying our extra “together” time during this stay-at-home marathon. We’re the model couple for romance and fun. Sitting together while reading, watching movies and sharing candlelight dinners is all wonderful. Once we finish the romantic meal and the extinguished candles send a snaking stream of smoke to the ceiling, the…

Read More

Now is the time for all Southern ladies . . .

Now is the time for all good Southern ladies to come to the aid of their country. The stay-at-home slouch-fest is almost over, and we’ve got the needed skills to return America to proper civilized society.  We were taught that during trials, we should, “slap on some lipstick, stand up straight, and for crying out…

Read More

Mad scientist or bread baker?

I remember about 15 years ago when I had two little boys spinning around my feet, someone, who obviously didn’t like me very much, gave me a jar with goopy, puffy, gurgling – “something” inside. “It’s bread starter” she explained. Then this woman, who still needs a lesson in payback – maybe in the form…

Read More

The two-bite rule

“Hey! He didn’t leave any broccoli for me!” “You already had lots of it, now give me some!”  My two boys were the only children I knew who would sit at the dinner table and fight over steamed broccoli. While they had one friend who would only eat macaroni and cheese and another who refused…

Read More