Seven Quick Takes

--- 1 ---

This has been our vacation week.  On Saturday we traveled to Gulf Shores Alabama.  Traffic was miserable and we pretty much just had time to get our stuff inside the house before it was time for Mass.  The parish kids had just finished VBS and sang for us.  Fr. talked about rubrics, including genuflection and the proper way to receive communion.  After mass we hit the grocery store and then went for a walk on the beach.

--- 2 ---

Fun in the sand

Husband and daughter in the water

Sunday morning we headed for the beach.  It was overcast and the wind was blowing but we managed to have a good time anyway.  Just as we got back to the house for lunch it started to pour.  I spent the rest of the afternoon reading and sleeping.

--- 3 ---

Monday we again headed to the beach early.  Again, it started to rain not long after we left.  I finished a book I really enjoyed.  Read my review here.  It is the story of a pastor of a mega-church who loses his faith, and finds it again with the help of St. Francis of Assisi.  My girls and I headed for the outlet mall in Foley.  For some reason my husband didn't want to join us.

--- 4 ---

Tuesday we rented jet skis and rode them for an hour.  Yes, it was great fun.  My seventeen year old who hates to drive even loved driving them.  After that, back to the beach.  Our cupboard was getting bare so we ate out for both lunch and supper.  I got in some more reading time.

The view from my favorite reading spot

--- 5 ---

Time to return to reality, but you can have fun along the way.  Instead of taking I-10 home (it was a miserable ride over through Alabama and the other side didn't look any better) we took the Ft. Morgan Ferry to Dauphin Island and then drove to Bellengrath Gardens and did the tour.  While Gulf Shores had been overcast and breezy, Bellengrath Gardens was muggy and the air was still.  Not the best day for a tour but it was pretty.

My youngest on the ferry

My handsome husband

She likes \flowers (Bellengrath Gardens)

Dad and his girls

The youngest and her mom

--- 6 ---

The reason we had to return to reality is that we are getting sand pumped under our house and into our yard and they came on Thursday.  For those not lucky enough to live in the New Orleans area, "getting mud" is a regular home maintenance chore.  There are two ways to do it:  1) Some guy with a dump truck drops a hill of dirt at the curb and leaves. Then you and yours using shovels, wheelbarrows etc. spread the dirt around your yard.  2) You pay someone with the proper machine to use what looks like a fire hose to shoot the dirt under your house and around the yard.  Since we hadn't gotten mud in a long time and our foundation was very exposed, we are having it pumped.

--- 7 ---

While we were gone, a new cookbook showed up at my door.  Today I spent much of the day in the kitchen.

Potato Chip Cookies

Nutty Oven-Fried Chicken

Sally Lunn Batter Bread

These are all from Taste of Home's Recipes Across America, which I reviewed here.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!