Wednesday - Run Away Without Leaving Home

Image:  Elysium by Anna Dykema Photography.

Charming Words

Grateful [greyt-fuhl]


-adjective


warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful.

Image:  Peony Two by Selena Vallejo Photography.

Random Pretty Man

In the "Coolest Man in the World" (Rock Star Division) contest, I personally think it's a close race between Adam Clayton, The Edge and Charlie Watts.

Ultimately, I have to give it up to Adam Clayton because he is Irish, he is hot and he is the bass player.

A Word From The Bean

This weekend is the seventh anniversary of the incident that we now jokingly refer to around here as "Lola's Night Out."

At the time, there was absolutely nothing funny about it.  In fact, it was one of the worst nights of my life.  In her defense, I don't think it was a cake walk for her, either.

On that night, just one month short of her first birthday, Finn, Lola and I went out to potty before bed.  It was dark and quiet and deserted and I was with them, so they were not on their leashes (my first mistake).  A couple of minutes after we got out there, the local 4th of July fireworks show started (which just so happened to be near our house) and Lola (whose terror of loud noises was not yet known) bolted.  I turned to see her running down the sidewalk toward the house and I thought that's where she was going.

No.

She ran.  And I didn't see her again that night.

I was up all night looking for her, calling for her.  Finn and I walked the neighborhood repeatedly because I thought if she heard him, she'd come to him.  She was more attached to him than me, anyway, back in those days. 

But we could not find her.  Finally, at around 2 a.m., I called it a night.  I thought one of two things would happen:  She would be picked up and stolen or I would find her dead on the road the next morning.   I had failed her and my heart was broken.  I prayed and I put her in God's hands. 

The next morning (Saturday) I was up as soon as it was light, looking for her.  I made flyers and took them around to the grocery stores and banks.  I drove around.  I made a plan to call every veterinarian's office in Charlotte in case she was brought in.   I was a mess.   I should say that many darling friends helped me look for her, for which I am eternally grateful. 

Then I came in from looking and checked my messages at around 11.  A message I will never forget....

"Hi.  I've got your little black dog here.  She was hiding behind the garbage cans in my back yard.  Please call me."

I am crying just thinking about it.

She had run and run that night.  Almost a mile.  Because God's hand was on her, she did not get hit by a car, but somehow managed to squeeze through the hedges into some kind person's backyard.  And she stayed there.  Again, because God's hand was on her and maybe even me.   I have repeatedly thanked Him for this, on my hands and knees. 

The point of this story is that in addition to God,  Lola came home because of one simple thing:  She was wearing her collar, with her identification tag and my phone number.  Because no matter how safe she was or how kind the person who found her, she couldn't tell him her phone number.  I am also eternally grateful for that little heart shaped tag. 

Since that night, I have found one little wandering dachshund (an escapee from the patio) who went home immediately, because he was wearing his collar and a tag with his owner's telephone number.

I have also found one little chihuahua, picked up from the middle of the road, who was on his way to animal control because although he had a collar, he had no tag.  I took him to my vet's office to see if he was chipped (no dice) and they told me to call animal control because that's where any inquiry would be directed when his owner started looking for him.  Turns out Scooter (that was his name) was saved because our office's mailman ran into Scooter's owner (who was out looking for him in the neighborhood) and directed said owner to our office (where Scooter was waiting for animal control to come get him).  Scooter would have been immediately returned if he had just been wearing a tag.

Then the other night, I was out walking the Beans and one of my neighbors was trying to find the owner of a little Yorkie, which he had found wandering our neighborhood.  He (or she) was wearing a collar, but no tag.

If you are a pet owner or are reading this, please get I.D. tags for your pets.  They don't cost much and this very simple thing could make all the difference if your pet should go missing.

The fact is that they run, leashes break (Scooter's case), they slip out, sneak through, the door is left cracked or the back gate doesn't get quite shut and they're gone.  Things happen.  Don't loose your love when there is such a simple and inexpensive solution.

Tuesday's Girl

"The key to change...is to let go of fear."

Rosanne Cash

Domino Magazine

No.  It's not back.

For a while after Domino folded, I took comfort in knowing that the online archives were still there.  But then they were taken away, too.

Well, now there is happy news!

The archives are back on-line at brides.com.  You can see what's up so far by going here. 

Don't Dream It's Over

My favorite version of one of my favorite songs.  Sung by Neil Finn, after whom I named my little Butter Bean...

Senator Robert Byrd

Rest in peace, Senator Byrd.  Thank you for your service.

This Charming House

The new powder room mirror, purchased at Classic Consignments in Hilton Head.

Happy Monday!

Hi.

I'm back from my vacation and I'm exhausted!  I swear, I need another week off.

The coming week will be really hectic.  I'm playing catch-up at work, I've got court out of town on Tuesday and starting on Thursday my parents will be in town for my brother's wedding.

Oh, yeah.  My little brother is getting married on Friday....  And you know weddings are always such a blast.....

*heavy sigh* 

And then we have the holiday weekend and all the hullabaloo that goes along with that, including two fireworks averse Beans.

I have been invited to go to the symphony and fireworks on Saturday night, but I am worried about leaving Lola.  My parents have volunteered to sit with her but I haven't made up my mind about whether I can go.  I know I'm probably being silly, but I can't stand the idea of leaving her, knowing how terrified she will be.  I think I may call the vet about a sedative (which we've done once before).  We'll have to see.  I will tell you that she's very funny when she's stoned.  The fireworks would go off and she would start to bark but then it was like she lost her train of thought.....

Hilton Head was, in a word, sweltering.  It was terribly, miserably hot.  We had a good time but man, the heat really sucks the energy out of a person.  Unless you are 7 and then you are oblivious.  It was fun to spend some time with our little guy.  He's at a fun age, full of courage and fear and questions.  He eagerly agreed to try a sip of wine at dinner (he had to immediately rinse the taste out of his mouth with copious amounts of iced tea) but I had to pay him a dollar to try a bite of cucumber.  Go figure. 

I hope you all had a great week.  I hope that this week will hold some good surprises and some fun.
Image:  Magnolia Grace by Georgianna Lane Fine Art Photography.

Sunday Morning

Coffee and headlines....

Did the dishes....

Made the beds....

Dusted the bedrooms .....

Finished the laundry...

Cleaned up the dog yak from somebody's early morning indiscretion ....

Blogged and paid the bills....

Closely supervised and assisted at all times...

A Little Extra Grace to Start Off the Week

The Must Haves

Yeah.  It would be better if you kept your fingers and other extremities away from my profiteroles. 

Just. Sayin'. 

The Bee Charmer Loves Charleston

"I'm going back to dignity and grace.  I'm going back to Charleston, where I belong."

Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind

Image:  Charleston Sidewalk by The Eccentric Lady.

Happy Friday!

Hey!

How are we today?  Good I hope.  By the time you read this, I will be out riding bicycles with my nephew.  And searching for a stuffed toy that he wants.  I suspect that we will have to end up back in the top of the lighthouse to find it (don't ask).  In any event, it's been nice being down here.  I had forgotten how beautiful it is.  Last night we had dinner overlooking the harbor and it was just gorgeous.  Wonderful dinner and such a beautiful night. 

I have to say, though, that I miss my Beans and I'm ready to get home.  I'm such a homebody.  I like to be out and about during the day, but at night, I miss my babies and I wish that I was home.  Oh! How I love my home.  I don't think there are enough words.  And Finn and Lola are my home, so I want to be where ever they are.  I'm such a pitiful little dog mama!

But anywho.....

I hope y'all have all had a good week.  Thank you so much for stopping by and reading.  I really appreciate it.  Have a great weekend.

And I'll see you on Monday.
Image:  Faded Pattern by Allison Stertag.

The Bee Charmer's Nephew - The Bee Scammer...

This is my nephew, Jay.

He is a scam artist. If you look over his right shoulder you can see the parrots, Kiwi and Cherokee, hanging out in the tree. 

In the span of 2 hours he scammed me out of a hat from the Crazy Crab, a t-shirt from the Crazy Crab, a trip to the top of the lighthouse, a pirate coin and a stuffed toy from the gift shop of said lighthouse and a t-shirt from the Salty Dog Cafe.

I have no more money, but my nephew is very well dressed.  And if asked, I win the 'Cool Aunt T' award. 

A Little Extra Pretty for the Weekend

The Christian Louboutin Python d'Orsay from Neiman Marcus. 

If there has ever been a more perfect or fabulous shoe, I just don't know where....

And if you are in the market for something completely outrageous, impractical and utterly frivolous:

It's the Toundra Booty in Fur.... Cause' you know you need these to jazz up your sweat pants when you run to the grocery store.  You can be all 'Posh Spice' with your bad self.

I swear to you, I'm going to see some poor, sad woman teetering down the mall in these in Charlotte and I am going to laugh. at. her.  Or even worse, I'll see somebody teetering along in the Steve Madden knock offs.  And I'll laugh at her, too.  Just for different reasons....

The Way My Mind Works

In case you don't know, I believe that Marshall Crenshaw, Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson are all the same person when I hear them on the radio.

And the person that I believe that they are is Buddy Holly....

Hence the birth of my "I'm Not Buddy Holly" iTunes play list. 
Image:  String Me Along by Kris Norman Photography.

On Being A Little Better

"We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

Aristotle

Image:  Velvet by Carl Christensen.

French Aspirations.....

I wanna be Marion Cotillard when I grow up....

I would kill for lips like that....
Images:  Mario Testino for Vogue.

The Weekly Bean

Recovering from the spa.....

Somebody Shot My Car!!

No.  It's not bird poo.  Its the crack in my windshield where somebody shot my car.  Bastards!

*There will be profanity.  Just sayin'*

So.

I'm on my way to Hilton Head, on Interstate 77 South, nobody around me, and I see something coming at me from across the median.

I thought it was a bug.  It glinted in the sun and came at me fast, in a straight line. 

Then it hit my windshield with a sharp sound and cracked it.....

And I was like "Somebody shot at my car!  Somebody over there just shot my car with a BB gun!"

Mother F______!  (I'm sorry, but that is what I said and there is just nothing else to say and there is no sense lying about it....)

Anyway, I didn't want to stop because, you know, they might shoot me again and hit something more valuable than the windshield.  And I was sort of afraid to call 911 because, I mean, what if it was a rock or something.  But it wasn't.  Somebody freakin' shot my car.

Flabbergasted and shocked,  I drove on down the road to the next exit and there just so happened to have been a deputy sheriff at the gas station where I stopped to check out the damage.  He looked at me like I was crazy, by the way, until he looked at the windshield and then he decided to look into it.  I made a report, so I feel like a good citizen.

But now I gotta get the windshield fixed.  Damn it!

When I got to Hilton Head my Daddy came out to meet me and said "How was your trip" and I said "Somebody shot my car!"  He looked and agreed that that's what it was.

Again - Bastards!

It's kinda scary.  What if some nut had had a real gun?  Wouldn't that be a way to go?  Driving down the highway, obeying the speed limit, listening to Depeche Mode, minding your own business and then BAM dead because somebody else is mean or crazy or stupid or deranged.

I guess that happens to a lot of people, though, doesn't it?

The Great Gatsby

He took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, one by one, before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel, which lost their folds as they fell and covered the table in many-colored disarray.  While we admired he brought more and the soft rich heap mounted higher - shirts with stripes and scrolls and plaids in coral and apple-green and lavender and faint orange, with monograms of Indian blue.  Suddenly, with a strained sound, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily.

"They're such beautiful shirts," she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds.  "It makes me sad because I've never seen such - such beautiful shirts before."

Shopping

You know, when I fall off the wagon, I really don't do it in a half-assed way. Fortunately, I'm so enamored of the cute that I'm not really worried about the credit card bill right now....

These are the Steve Madden Kinetic flats from Nordstrom.  I like them.  They are just the right amount of sparkly to go with my shorts and skirts.   However, like every other pair of Steve Madden shoes that I've ever purchased, they rub my feet.  *Heavy Sigh*.  Still,  I'll wear them - because they're cute and  I'm a shoe slave.... Seriously, you just get to the point where you don't even feel your feet anymore...

I also got these:

the BP Frankie flat.  Also at Nordstrom.  I found them surprisingly neutral, given the print and I see from Vogue that animal prints will be HUGE this fall, so they'll carry me through.  They looked really cute with my khaki shorts/black t-shirt shopping outfit...

And then I got these:

I never pegged myself for a Chuck Taylor kind of girl, but I've been seeing them more and more lately and I've warmed to them.  And when I put them on I had to do a little happy dance.  They're fun little grocery store and dog walking and flea market shoes.  Sold.

And then I also got these - which are marketed by J. Crew as the 'miracle' pant....

I'm not sure that they're a miracle for me.  In reality they're called the Minnie Pant.  I'm still on the fence about them.  I think I got the wrong size, though and I really think that they're too short.  I know they're supposed to be short, but I think mine are too short.   I see from the website that they come in 'long' so I'm going to head back over there today.  Despite my shortness, I have incredibly long legs.  Seriously.  I'm 5'4" and 3 and 1/2 feet of it is legs.  If my torso were proportional to my legs I'd be 4" taller.  Also, being PMS-y and bloated is never a good time to try out skinny pants.   In any event, they are super comfortable and look great with the new flats so we'll see.....

The South Carolina Candy Stop

When I was in law school, my best friend, Beth, and I would road trip down to the beach from time to time.

Inevitably, we'd have to stop and potty and buy gas - whatever.

She would disappear into the store and come back out with bottles of diet coke and a little brown paper bag full of candy.

She was the Queen of Candy.

Everlasting Gobstoppers.  Junior Mints.  Bubble Gum.  Sweet Tarts.  Bit-O-Honey.  Mary Janes.

She would have the most fabulous and replete little bag of candy that anyone could ever have put together.  She was a curator of candy.

After the shooting incident on Wednesday when I stopped to potty and buy diet coke, I decided to get some candy and I thought about Beth.  She was so much better at it than me.

She has two little boys now.  I hope that they know that their Mom is the Candy Queen.  And that she is wonderful and brilliant and fun.

I sure do. 
Image:  Oodles of Candy No. 2 by Tali Schiffer.

The Bee Charmer's Closet

I'm always trying to get in the habit of wearing more jewelry.  But the fact is, that I fail at it more often than not.  I'm pretty good about wearing it to work and for dress up, but I'm trying to figure a way to comfortably incorporate it into my casual looks.

Last weekend, I picked up these cuff bracelets at Nordstrom.  I'm in a huge Jackie O mood right now and they seemed very 'her' to me.  They're chunky and colorful and you can mix and match them.  And at $28 each, I bought 4.  Oh, and they're small enough so that they don't fall off my wrist - what?  I have little bones, I can't help it, it's my Grandmother's fault!   And, you, know, a problem is a problem....

Wednesday - Run Away Without Leaving Home

Image:  Pink Umbrella When it Rains by MagMoment.

Random Pretty Man

It's Mr. Johnny Depp!

You know, he plays these parts... and he hides under the makeup and the hair and the beards and you kind of, if you're not careful, forget how beautiful this man is.....

Books

I found a list of the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.  Go here and see it.

I've read 44 of them.

Clearly, I need to get crackin'. 
Image:  Old Books by Lynda Naranjo.

Charming Words

cool [kool]

- adjective

14.  slang

       a.  great; fine; excellent
       b.  characterized by great facility; highly skilled or clever;
       c.  socially adept.

Image:  Dew by SLG Designs.

This Charming Kitchen

I don't think I've ever shared a non-alcohol-related recipe before, but this one is great and it is, after all, summer.

And what says 'summer' like macaroni salad?  Nothing.  Macaroni Salad is what you need.

This is from Mr. Rass Spears, renaissance man extraordinaire and is an old-fashioned, little old church lady recipe.  There is nothing fancy about it.  It's just good.

What you'll need:

• 1 lb box of pasta, cooked according to package directions.  I use medium shells, but you can use whatever you like.  Do not over cook it.
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 ripe tomato, chopped
• 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups of real mayonnaise - I use Duke's - and don't be messing around with that 'lite' shit.  Now is not the time.
• 2/3 cup of sour cream - I do think 'lite' sour cream is acceptable if you're just dying to make this a little healthier.
• 1/2 cup of grated cheese.  I use parmigiano-reggiano, but you can use whatever you like.  The three cheese blend from Pasta & Provisions is also very nice.
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

First, boil the water for your pasta:

Then, assemble what you will need.

Chop your veggies -

I like to mix the wet ingredients and the spices together into a sort of dressing.  You might also add a little white wine to this to thin it up a little bit and give a little more 'oomph' to the macaroni salad.  However, since this is a little old lady church recipe, wine was not included.  We cannot have that kind of thing in the parsonage....

Make sure that you are carefully supervised by a food expert.  Just in case.....

After the pasta is done, drain it and let it cool off for a while.  I like to add the dressing while the pasta is warm because I think it absorbs better.

And this is what you get.  A big bowl of crowd pleasing macaroni salad.

Yum!