Afternoon Adventures, Part 1

I started this post while I was on my 2-week "independent study," i.e., my 2 week break. My break wasn't exactly geared toward productivity. I slept until almost noon more days than I should probably admit. I feel like I should be slightly ashamed of that, but it was the best dadgum thing that's happened to me since sliced bread. (As if I've ever known a world without sliced bread.)

I pretty much did nothing for 14 days. It was glorious.

By the time Matt got home everyday, boredom had usually begun to take hold. One lovely afternoon, I convinced him to go on a drive with me. I wanted to take pictures of something besides Oscar Bob and Grayce. I mean, I love them, but I need new subject matter. I'm really getting into this camera, if you haven't noticed.

So he drove toward Flora, looking for nothing in particular. I saw this group of horses, and I wanted to take pictures of them. I love horses. And cows. I really love cows. I've been telling Matt that I need to own a cow someday. I don't know what it is about them. I just want one. Can I have a cow for a pet? I don't see why not. I would just love to photograph it, pet it, milk it. I'm being serious.

Anyway, I wanted to photograph these horses. They're beautiful creatures. Majestic. Well, we pulled into this little cemetery that bordered the pasture about the time the horses all started trotting away from us, toward a truck. I guess they were about to be fed. So much for my horse photo op. Much to my surprise, Matt started wandering around this cemetery. [Matt does not do cemeteries.] It was small, and most of the graves were from the 1800s or very early 1900s, many of them Civil War veterans' graves. We spent the next hour reading interesting things on very large tombstones and taking pictures. Weird? Maybe. But I loved some of the pictures.

That is a little baby's headstone that I'm assuming was probably placed at the foot of a much younger, smaller version of this tree. Fast forward 130 years, and the tree and its roots have grown all around it. I just thought it was interesting to physically see how time had passed. It looked safe and protected in the embrace of the tree. I liked it. Matt thought it was creepy. Of course. 

To be continued.

Road Trip

Last week, I took a little spontaneous road trip with my friends Bobby and Meagan. Don't get too excited... we just went to Vicksburg. Bobby had a photography business before med school, and I've been wanting to go somewhere and play with my new camera. He let me try some of his lenses and showed me a few things. Meagan just came along because she knew she could rope me into going to Fenian's at the end of the day... She was right. We had a grand ol' time. We listened to Ghetto Cowboy on the way, which always puts me in a fun mood. (Stop laughing; you know you like that song. I'm proud to say I still know about 90% of the lyrics.)

When we got there, we went down by the river to a cool little spot with murals and railroad tracks. Here are a few of my favorite pictures.

The adventure ended with a shrimp po'boy at a quaint little place called Rusty's... and a neon pink gorilla.

What a perfect day!

The Blinds Project

My front door has lots of windows. Big windows that open right into my living room. Big windows that allow people on the street to see what channel I'm watching at night. I mean, if there were people on the street. I basically live on the moon, so it's generally not a problem. However, after 2 years of living here, I decided it's time to put some blinds up.

God, help us.

Matt accompanied me to Lowe's--a decision that he would later regret. I debated on which blinds to purchase for quite some time. Blinds vs. shades? Light vs. dark? Which specific shade of color? Bamboo vs. whatever that other material was. Ahhh... Matt was ready to kill me. "Just freakin' pick something!" 

Conveniently, my sister's boyfriend, Chris, just happened to show up on this particular day. I'm sure that was a decision he would later regret as well. You see, Chris is quite handy. And my door is a weird shape. Who makes a door with curved windows at the top?? That is not conducive to blind installation. And the size of my wallet is not conducive to custom blinds.

Anyway, I was hell-bent on putting these suckers up myself. I was going to feel so accomplished. So victorious. So capable. 

Well. So much for that. After turning the blinds around 7 or 18 different times, reading the directions more times than that, and hollerin' "Hey Chris? What exactly is a wingnut??", Chris comes waltzing in and hands me what apparently is a wingnut. He kindly offers to assist me. Assisting turned into doing.

Well, next time I'll be able to do it myself. Dangit.

Notice Matt in the reflection being ever-so-helpful.

Katie, you're such a freak.

Matt now being helpful, Katie still being... Katie. And Polo being Polo. I mean look at that toolbag. How did I think I could take on this project with my little, pink, graduation gift from high school toolbox?

The finished project. Such a relief that all those people out in the streets won't be able to see all up in my business. Whew.

Grayce's happy about it too.

Gameday!

I love Saturdays.

I love Saturdays more when I don't have to be up before dawn.

I love Saturdays even more during the months of September, October, and November.

I love GAME DAY.

Matt and I scored some sweet tickets from a friend for the first game of the season. We sat in The Zone, and we got a little taste of heaven. (Define heaven: being able to sit in the A/C during a September game.)

Ah, college... I miss you so.

This may be the best idea anyone has ever had:

Bahahaha....

Anyway, since Matt and I are far too poor to afford season tickets at Alabama, and even if we weren't too poor, we'd be on a waiting list until at least the next decade, we have since been enjoying our own little gameday festivities on the homefront.

Matt's mom sent Grayce and Oscar Bob a little gameday happy in the mail. Grayce was not amused. [She's saying, "If you don't get this $%*# off of me in the next 10 seconds, I am going to sink my huge, sharp teeth into your flesh and rip it off."]

Oscar didn't mind as much.

If you were worried that Matt was left out, fret no longer. My cousin Malisa had a little prize for Matt a few weeks ago. She ran across this beauty and couldn't resist. Matt wore it proudly (in the privacy of our own living room, blinds down, after a couple of stout coke and rums). He even let me take his picture! (Now he's going to kill me for posting it on the internet...)

Aren't they precious? (Make sure you note the Alabama "A" on the pocket.) See how happy Matt is in his new shirt?! Thanks Malisa!

My favorite picture of the day:

Roll tide!

On another note, my Mamaw and Pap celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary this week! I feel like that is such a rare feat these days. We are so blessed to have such a Godly, loving example of marriage at the center of our family. Happy anniversary, Mam and Pap! We love you!