Happy Birthday, Mary!

Now that's what I call a birthday cake!

Charlie and I were invited to go with the Bratton Family to celebrate Mary's birthday. Guess where we went?

St John's Restaurant in Chattanooga.

Nice.

...and this is Mary blowing out her candle

but this is at the end of the meal.

We first had to look at the menu.

And it's tough making choices.

But not for me - I knew I wanted either Tuna or a good White Fish, like Snapper or Sea Bass.

and that's what they offered.

Hawaiian Mero Sea Bass

So good.

Porcini Mushroom Ravioli...I think.

and...

Strube Ranch Kobe Beef Zabuton Steak...

Maybe.

Mary's Plate

Charlie's Plate
And several others.



We laughed and talked and discussed

and analyzed just a little.

Good Company

It was a great night.

And it's a little like winning the lottery when Mike Bratton issues the invitation and he's treating to dinner out...especially if it's for his dear wife's birthday celebration.

We have so many memories with the Brattons.

My birthday was in July and the card Mary selected had a funny picture on the front with kids or somebody in the mud or dirt.

Inside it read....

"We've shared a lot of dirt".

So cute. So true.

We've shared the good, the bad, and the ugly.

That's what friends do.

2009-2010

Charlie and I went to see 2 movies yesterday.

First we saw, "It's Complicated".
Second we saw, "The Blind Side".

Very good movies. It's Complicated has a little "stuff" which can be awkward and some comments and conversations in the script are inappropriate for mixed company - but being somewhat desensitized by our "world" - well - all in all it was hilarious. Meryl Streep is such a great actress and so refreshing. She's very comfortable in her own skin.

The Blind Side was really good, especially knowing that it's a true story - the bonus we got - well - on 20/20 at 9:00 was a special story about the real family who took in the real Michael Ohr. We watched that last night. Fascinating.

Hard to find things to talk about which are of any interest on this Wednesday - the next to the last day in 2009.

Time is rushing by - speeding by - and here we are about to step into 2010.

I haven't had many memorable New Year's Eve events. I do remember one year, I was in Junior High - I was with Mother out on Hwy 31 at my cousin Scott's house. It was a cold, rainy day - We had all been downstairs, in the basement, in Scott's room and came up - all four. Who remembers "picture" windows? They had one. On the back off of their dining area. It was a great view of the back and the fields - anyway - one of us looked and realized the rain had turn to snow and sleet and it looked promising and committed to sticking. You'd have to know Scott. He is so funny and fun and dear. He had to have been in the 11th grade because I was in the 7th. He got just as excited as I did about the snow. He and I were having a coniption fit over the snow. Mother quickly summoned me to the car to "get back into town" - all of maybe 5 or 7 minutes of driving. We did - and we had a great snow that New Year's Eve. I had a friend over to spend the night and we woke up to about a 3 or 4 inch blanket of snow in Evergreen, AL. Mary Ann, as I recall, was going to a spend the night party that evening. She did, so she enjoyed the snow, not on Williams Street, but across town. Great days, easy days for me. Uncomplicated and very safe.

And - now get ready - 2010. 2 more days of 2009.

New

Therefore,
we are buried with Him by baptism into death,
that as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:4

Being born again,
not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible,
by the word of God,
which liveth and abideth forever.
1 Peter 1: 23

Therefore,
if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creation;
old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

More Favorites....

Pictures I found on my camera today, after Laura Beth and Scott and Ada left. I took the ones of Andrew, and also of Ada at the Piano, but the last 3 were taken today as Kate and Charlie and I were in the kitchen getting lunch on the table. I love this stuff - baby faces/hands/toes/Ada being Ada with her hair so wild. Missing from the group are Luke/Ellie/and Kate.

Goopy Vanilla Wafer junk all over precious little hands

That wrist!

Ahhhhhh....the TOES!

Ada playing the piano(pretending to play) with a neck/face warmer on her head and still in her Curious George PJ's.

Her hair when she takes off the head piece.

Mom getting and giving so much sugar!

Loving those babies!

Doing Art!

Christmas Day

Andrew with his new Fisher Price Cell Phone, complete with lights and cool noises.

And at the Barber house, where Ann served breakfast following all the Santa gifts being opened.

Ada and Andrew

Mary Ann and Andrew

Then back to Charlie's and Near's house for those gifts.

And we wait to begin opening.

And then the go ahead to begin

Ada was a little off the mark with her makeup I gave her, plus she was using nail polish for eye shadow.

And the aftermath of empty boxes and torn paper,

And what appeared to be the most popular gift of all...

Luke's Superman shirt that had a cape attached - given to him by Mary Ann. That doesn't include the Santa gifts received that morning...Ann & Laura Beth will eventually tell about those.

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas Day - making lots of good memories. I always think of Mother and Daddy and have a million flashbacks of the dearest memories they made for me and Mary Ann, along with all of my extended family - with Ella and Elbert at the top of the list. I find it hard to grasp that "the little girl Elizabeth", moving around inside of me, is now at the grandmother role.