Greetings from Pensacola… home of the remnants of Ivan, shark attacks, and hot sticky weather. Ack!
It was an uneventful trip, thankfully, as we found a really nice Holiday Inn in Lake City. It was either refurb’d or brand new and the beds were, oh I swear to you this is true, more comfortable than ours at home! Other than the A/C being very loud, it was a great sleep.
And for those wondering, evidently there was a good enough assortment of jellies that Bones was happy. Life is good when you’re 6 and jelly makes you happy.
My parents go by the names Mimi and Big Daddy for their grandparental names. Of course over the course of the years, there have been changes. Mimi goes by: Mimi, The Mim, Mimster, or… Mim. “Hey! Mim!” has been heard more than once. The Great Omnipotent One goes by: Big Daddy, Big Dad, or… just… Big. Yes, there is an occasional, “Hey! Big!” which is very funny in and of itself since he is not Big nor has he ever been…standing at all of 5’6” and probably never weighing more than 155 lbs.
So we’re at Mim and Big’s and life is good. The boys are already talking to TGOO about what he’s going to cook for breakfast in the morning for them, as that’s his big thing… big breakfasts. I think tomorrow morning is poached eggs and sausage on buttermilk biscuits. I heard Sunday is waffles and pancakes.
It’s really amazing to me how these breakfasts have not ended up on his spreadsheet. Yes, you heard me. Spreadsheet. Starting about 2 months in advance, he puts a spreadsheet together by calendar day and on each day, lists the menu for that night. At the end of every day is a grocery list so he knows what extra items need to be picked up for that evening’s meal. Also on this ‘meal calendar’ spreadsheet is the arrival and departure times of every individual.
One does not deviate from the meal calendar. I’ve tried. So if I KNOW I want to cook a meal when I’m visiting, I have to reserve a day with TGOO well in advance or no can do.
Needless to say, poor planning on my part with regard to wanting to prepare a special dessert for TGOO (his fave is banana pudding) and not telling him until a couple days ago, has resulted in my getting a spot on the calendar for November when we come for Thanksgiving. That’s right. I got my meal calendar reservation 4 months in advance. Gotta reserve it while you can.
Did I say TGOO was career Navy?
LMAO!! He'd get along with my dad and his labeler...
Posted by: Sissy at July 1, 2005 08:15 PMBoudicah, you must be on a chocolate high to have overlooked that I gave you a choice of either of two days next week for my banana pudding. I just asked that you not make it for the 4th, because the relatives will eat it all up and I won't have any for the next day. You need to start writing stuff down so you won't forget. No more chocolate for you.
TGOO
Man, that sounds awesome! And I feel soooo much better about my "super hostess" ADD that I have goin' here (and yes, we are having 2 parties -- one on the third and one on the fourth). Color coordinating M&M's, booking menus 4 mos. in advance and all of the above sound like something I would surely do! :D I hope you have a great time!
Posted by: Richmond at July 1, 2005 09:43 PMTGOO... uh no. The first thing you said was there was no room. So then Mom and I decided on Thanksgiving week. But then you found time... and I realized, between the peach/blueberry cobbler, angel food cake with dark chocolate frosting, and carrot cake, that my banana pudding would be lost, so it is better to wait.
Posted by: Bou at July 1, 2005 10:15 PMsounds like the mimster, and Biggie...know how to entertain right....
What a great relaxing time, indulge....life is short.
Posted by: ArmyWifeToddlerMom at July 1, 2005 11:58 PMCan I be a relative long enough to have some of those desserts? ;-)
Posted by: vw bug at July 2, 2005 06:21 AMGlad to hear you made it safe and sane. :-)
BTW - I see nothing wrong with TGOO's calendar/spreadsheet. Hell, I thought everyone did that! Come on Bou - you got to plan ahead.
;-)
Posted by: Tammi at July 2, 2005 08:34 AMDoes your father give lessons? I'd like to send my husband down for some training... really. This would be a huge load off my plate.
Posted by: Marie at July 2, 2005 04:38 PMUm, I do that for our vacations.
Every day is planned out and put on an excel spreedsheet including restaurants I want to eat at, arrival and departure times for flights, times attractions are open/close, etc.
I'm really anul about my vacations. I even include extra activites in case we don't spend as much time that was planned for each activity.
And I consult my spreadsheet every night so I know what is going on the next day.
Wow... and I thought I was organized! Your family sounds so great, Bou.
Posted by: Jody Halsted at July 3, 2005 12:10 PM