midnight in the livingroom of juleps and sloth

We’re headed to Morganton tomorrow morning, supposedly bright and early. Because Baker B told his mother we’d make her breakfast. I certainly hope she’s planning on sleeping in. Of course, if I were a good daughter-in-law I’d be down there right now. Instead of being stretched out on my livingroom couch, under the ceiling fan, sipping a mint julep at 12:11 in the morning.

But it’s 80 degrees in here. And the garden is full of mint that needs to be used up! And Baker B is the one who wanted to wait till tomorrow to go down there. I left it completely up to him.

Oddly, I haven’t protested one bit at the idea of getting up at 7:30 on a Saturday. So that we can drive an hour to Morganton and cook breakfast. Partly because I have my serious doubts that Baker B will be bounding out of bed and ready to go either. Partly because I’m not completely and totally wiped out after a grueling horrible week at work. Like I used to be. I have energy again! It’s amazing!

Baker B is staying in M’ton with his mom all weekend and I’m going to visit my own parents in Asheville tomorrow afternoon. His mom is doing well, but her neighbor who has been checking on her daily and bringing her food- also in her 80s, LATE 80s I think – has gone to the beach this week. Which of course is a fine thing, except that it’s kind of a weird thing, because the neighbor’s daughter had a heart attack a few days ago. So we’d already planned to go down there, assuming the neighbor would be, oh, with her daughter. No, she’s taking off for the beach. Well, whatever!

This neighbor actually grew up in the house where Baker B’s mother now lives. When she was over there a couple of weeks ago checking on Baker B’s mother, she went upstairs for something and as she was turning to come back down the stairs she saw her father. Sitting in a chair at the bottom of the staircase. Lacing up his boots. Her father who has been dead some fifty years. Baker B’s mother was not a bit perturbed by this, but Baker B and I were just a tad weirded out. Especially since she went on to discuss all the people who have died in that house over the years. Especially since Baker B used to hear the sounds of digging outside his window when he was a kid, and then found out years later that someone buried a baby in the front yard back in the 20s.

Oh, no, it’s not creepy at all!! And I certainly don’t have to leave all the lights on if I’m upstairs by myself!

And I better stop this and go to bed, or I’ll be the one not getting up. Still a heat wave – I may have sounded disapproving in my last entry, but I’m actually loving the heat wave. I thrive on hot weather, and humid is okay with me too. It’s so seldom this hot that it’s quite exciting, although I know I’m in the minority. And it’s not gotten above 90 here – mostly it’s been in the high 80s. I’m trying to soak it in while it lasts – it will probably be snowing next week.

i love you. you are so marvelous. bet you dont get there till noon tomorrow!

haredawg

August 10, 2007

I know your problem with mint, too much mint, needing to be used up. I have the same problem with rock glasses and ice cubes. If I use enough scotch I can make a dent in the surfeit of rock glasses and ice.

I’d love to do an investigation at that house. I bet we could get some good results. Just let us know if anyone would like it done. It was over 100 here again yesterday, but today it’s supposed to be around 88. I love summer, until it’s over 100 because then it just drains me.

cousin e

August 11, 2007

ryn – not only did she tell us, she ASKED us, or asked me rather (didn’t want to talk to dad about such a delicate matter). And Football Don asked Dennis first if he could be her boyfriend, then later (a year or more), if he could kiss her. Apparently he’s a pretty compliant child. He asked his mother if he could kiss Betsy, and his mother said “ask her father”. His mother also asked Betsywhat are her intentions toward her son after Dennis said it was ok to be boyfriend and girlfriend. While it’s great to have such a well controlled teenager, it’s a bit alarming to be asked “is it ok for my boyfriend to kiss me?”. My gut reaction was NO OF COURSE NOT!!!! We had several discussions about it. The first thing I told her was “you have to finish college before getting married”. She was totally puzzled at why I went off on that apparent tangent. By the way, when the boy asked Dennis about kissing, he was told “of course you may kiss her, anywhere between her fingertips and her wrist” and Dennis pointed to the back of his hand. I seriously doubt Betsy will ever ask us anything else again regarding relationships with the opposite sex. It was emotionally costly.

Ghosts are harmless – except in the movies.

FallingDog

How romantic, all those ghosts!

XistDense

I love your title and am so glad your new job allows you energy for life! I think you need to report back with pictures of those ghosts! Happy travels/weekend.

noko

Heat and too much mint! And a not exhausted Edna. Wonderful, marvelous, I wish you could go to the beach instead of the neighbor.

I don’t usually talk about it but I see things that I’m not supposed to. My mother sees the most and she is very quiet about it, too. I think because people think you are crazy. I like mint but I don’t have a clue what mint julep tastes like. It always sounds good though. Nice to read that you are rested for a change.

dapinkiiee

ugh, the heat here is killing me, I need to head to the mountains.

dragonlady

August 12, 2007

Just be nice to them and they’ll be nice to you. They might even have something to tell you. Glad your stress level is dropping. Bottoms up! (oh, and Prairie Winds-I thought they sounded cool, too, so I finally tried one at the K. Derby. It’s just bourbon. Nothing minty about it. Yuck!!)

Redcat

August 13, 2007

100’s here. you can have it. way too hot for me. i remember you saying that you liked hot weather. did you make it for breakfast??

August 14, 2007

Yes, she still looks and acts like she’s in high school.

August 15, 2007

ryn: i am going to have a “redcat wants to go to europe” cause, and i’m sure there is some idiot out there willing to finance my every whim. i’m going to just ignore the e mail. she’s got a lot of nerve.

it’s not the gas cap. i wish it were.

August 16, 2007

ryn: really? it’s common in Britt land? i heard once years ago the people from india give their children sedatives when they go out, thus also leaving their children at home, alone. it’s hearsay, of course, and i wouldn’t assert it. my dad used to say that once something happens there’s no changing it. these innocent children die or disappear and no one ever knows why or where. i could not imagine the despair and torment. another aspect is common sense is not that common, is it?

ryn: btw…where did she get the medical alert necklace?