What a scare

This has been a stressful week for us. Tuesday we rushed my mother in law to the hospital because she had nausea, abdominal pain and a fever of 103. After a CT scan we found out she had appendicitis and they had to operate as soon as possible. Ok I'm sure I mentioned in my last post that she is 82 years old. So imagine, she doesn't speak any English nor does her daughter and son in law who brought her here, and the day before she goes home her appendix nearly bursts. I chose a hospital near MrPea's work since, obviously, his French is better than mine and I wanted to make sure it would be easy for him to get there fast. Thankfully everything went well and she's convalescing comfortably in our home prolonging their visit for at least another week. I'm just so thankful this did not happen a day later while she was en route to Canada in a damn plane. I was so scared. I am proud of how well I held it together considering I only have two years of high school French. Ok and let me tell ya, anyone who goes on vacation with me to any French speaking country would be well taken care of...I might not be able to talk philosophy, my accent is not the prettiest, but dammit I can get you what you need! And I get better everyday. I'm as tired as tired can be from the sleeplessness and stress but I should be ok by this week's end.

Anybody need a ride ?

 

I might know someone who could help out. Designated driver service is also available for a couple milkbones....

Getting better

Unfortunately, I managed to give my 82 year old mother in law my cold. But that didn't ruin the whole visit. We managed to have a good time these past couple weeks. I'll be sad when everyone goes home. Last night we had this great idea to drive south to a protected beach to look at the stars. Until we realised there was a full moon out.....but still it was pretty. It was a giggly time.

Guess who has a cold...

Yep.

Still Alive

I got a lot of emails asking if I was ok. My in laws are here so I've barely been home. Sorry. My brain is all used up speaking French with just my 2 years of high school classes....I'll post better stuff and visit more soon.

Cross Creek

Thursday my friend Dee and I jumped in the car thinking we would just drive to "a river, any river" for a change of scenery not knowing we would end up here. We've been talking about making a trip to Cross Creek for a long time since both of us have read the book by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings about a thousand times. Usually our plans to leave early and stay all weekend in a small town nearby are usually interrupted by my many health issues or hers. We were already halfway there when we decided, Dammit we might as well go now. I was more excited because she had already been there before. What used to be the orange grove is now a park with lots of trees, benches, and places to picnic.

The rusty gate....

I was dying, just dying to bang on that bell and yell, Dinner! Ya'll bad kids git in herr and eat!

I didn't take any pictures inside the house because there was a tour going on there and it was full of people putting their greasy fingers all over even though we were asked not to. Just picture your Grandma's house with lots of books, that's pretty much what it looked like. Ok when we were in the guest room, I heard the tour guide say that a few famous people had slept there, including Ernest Hemingway. I heard, and I won't say who, but I heard someone whisper in my ear,"I'da slept with him..." I giggled loud enough for the tour guide to give me a stern look which, actually, is the real truth about why I don't have any pictures for ya'll of the inside of her home.

Above is the front porch where she did her writing. Below is the side porch. If you've seen the movie(which, in my opinion, was not as good as the book ) you'll recognize the water pump which still works but we weren't allowed to touch it.

We walked around a bit. The orange trees were in blossom and I was scared of the bees but the air smelled so nice. This is the servants' house. We peeked inside since my giggling got us in trouble and seperated from the tour group who was by now in the barn(and I don't have pictures of that either because the tour guide was mad at me.)

It was full of 'antses'

We snuck behind the little house looking for varmints, keeping an eye on the ground for any snakes. We were both in awe of the canopy. It is exactly how I pictured while reading and exactly how I thought old, undeveloped wild Florida was.

We wanted to stay longer for more walking around, more giggling and more pictures but we were dying of starvation and getting eaten by the bugs--what nature girls we are! We ate lunch at a place with a name I can't remember for the life of me but it smelled like my Grandma's kitchen at the farm. I have to admit that we pigged out on fried chicken, biscuits and fresh honey, greens, butter beans, mashed potatoes, rice and beans...all the food I just answered as my favorites in my last post but no strawberry shortcake. Like I had any room left anyway. We both decided if we had been real visitors to Cross Creek, that's probably what we would've been served. Is the Spanish moss romantic? I think so.

Friday I went soul searching elsewhere and found some of these......

47 odd questions my Aunt sent me

1. Do you like blue cheese? Gross! That would be a No.
2. Have you ever smoked heroin? No. It probably smells bad.

3. Do you own a gun? A glue gun.
4. What flavor do you add to your drink at sonic? Haven't been there in probably 5 years but I like the Cherry Limeade.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Hello! Anyone who's been reading here knows YES. I pretend to not be scared though.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? I think they're disgusting
7. Favorite Christmas movie? Don't really have one,
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Coffee in the winter, Orange juice in the summer.

9. Can you do push ups? yes I can!!

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? I haven't bought it yet. I'm not a big jewelry person but I have these pearl earrings MrPea bought me in Hawaii a few years ago that I love .

11. Favorite hobby? Looking for shark teeth and painting

12. Do you have A.D.D.? Probably

13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? my temper maybe, and my body image issues

14. Middle name? Marie

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. I'm thirsty. It's finally warm outside yay! I need to get my house together before my inlaws' visit next week.

16. Name 3 things you bought yesterday. I didn't buy anything yesterday....

17. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? water, water, water

18. Current worry? I have so many--that I might have to move before I can enjoy my summer here, my next CT scan in July, Peanut's turning into an old man

19. Current hate right now? high-waisted pants.I don't know who decided to try to start that trend but whoever did needs to give up that idea, they look horrible on everyone.

20. Favorite place to be? at the beach or on my patio with Peanut
21. How did you bring in the New Year? kissing my husband

22. Where would you like to go? to Hawaii but I could stay here in FL a little while too

23. Name three people who will complete this? whoever wants to

24. Do you own slippers? yes, some Hello Kitty ones I got in the kids' section at Target for my hospital stay last year

25. What shirt are you wearing? A white tee--also from Tar-jay

26. What year would you go back in time to? Kindergarten because I got to be the little Lady Blue Bird character in our Gingerbread Man play and sing,"Run Home! Chirp, Chirp! Run Home! Chirp, Chirp!" It was the best day ever.

27. Can you whistle? yes but I don't often, I'd rather sing

28. Favorite color? Don't really have one. I like to wear white alot but it's not my favorite color
29. Would you be a pirate? If the clothes look good on me. Just kidding! I'm not to big on pillaging and plundering so that would be a no.

30. What songs do you sing in the shower? Mostly reggae songs. Anything.

31. Favorite girl's name? Annabelle Lee from the Poe poem I think.If I had a daughter I wouldn't name her that though

32. Favorite boy's name? Any name that starts with a J. Every boy I've ever know with a J name has always been really nice, and really cute so I like J names.

33. What's in your pocket right now? Peanut's next doctor appointment reminder and a shark tooth

34. Last thing that made you laugh? My husband, he likes to make me laugh

35. Best Halloween costume? a dead rabbit

36. Worst injury you've ever had? hurt my leg in junior high, it aches sometimes when I'm tired. Spider bite form when I was a kid, I still have the scar
37. Do you love where you live? YES!!!!

38. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2

39. Who is your loudest friend? My friend Dee or my sister C

40. How many dogs do you have? One, (sigh)....I'd like nothing more than to have a basket full of pups but I live in a condo.

41. Does someone have a crush on you? always...just kidding, how the hell would I know

42. What is your favorite book(s)? Don't really have one. When I was little I loved all the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary.
43. What is your favorite candy? I don't like sweets but Hershey's Kisses are good once in a while. I'm more of a chips person

44. Favorite Sports Team? I don't do sports. I love the Olympics though.

45. Your favorite meal? Southern food.....fried chicken with biscuits or corn bread and mashed potatoes with butter beans. Strawberry shortcake for dessert. And my mom's Filipino food.

46. What were you doing 12 AM last night? Watching tv with MrPea and Peanut on our new bed
47. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? Damn I love this new bed!

Whoever wants to use this for a post be my guest.

Tuesday Confession: My height

I tell everyone I'm 4'11". Actually I'm exactly 4'10 1/2". It's just that saying the "and a half" part sounds like it actually means a lot to me so I don't bother. Because it doesn't. And I figure I might as well round up since either way people laugh.


Tattletale!: My sister Neenee tells everyone she's 4'11" too. I'm taller than her so she can't be. I'm also taller than my mom and my other sister C. I'm the tallest girl in the family. Ha! I accomplished this by drinking milk....


These pics are bad because I took them with my cell phone. I was too lazy to dig out my camera and in a hurry to find some teeth.

I was barely there for 2 minutes when these popped up.
I rode my bike as usual and the scent of honeysuckle was in the air the entire ride. It was nice to be back, it's been too long. I have to admit, I laughed the whole way down the entrance stairs, I was so damn giddy. Jumping up and down was also involved.
The weather this week is going to be stormy so I probably won't get back out there until Sunday or Monday, depending what time low tide will be on those days.