The Christmas Tree is Still Up

I have been taking it down before the SEC tournament for the past few years but have decided to leave it up until we are no longer are in the Big Dance. See, I have determined we haven't been very far in the Big Dance in recent years and it must be because I have taken down the tree too early. Let's see if it works. Camille has come and gone and I am getting better about the airport thing. At ll east we had a Bowl Game in Nashville to anticipate and we had a great time in the Music City. Today Casper had his New Year's Day Walk in the Park and he was met by about 50 others of his species. We are very careful to keep him away from other dogs as he is very friendly and was attacked once by another dog out there bc of his friendliness. So we give the others a wide berth---One of the best amenities of our town is the greenbelt system where we can walk all over town on nice pretty trails. This was a great Christmas. One of the highlights was a reunion with the Jacobsons and Lindsay.

Casper Climbing a Tree!

As many of you know Casper was near death two weeks ago w/congestive heart failure. With some herioc measures by Dr. Carr Kelsey, he responded to treatment and is now back to better than he has been in a long time. He takes us on daily walks on the Greenbelt and is often responsible for the exact path we take. For instance, today we wanted to go to the boardwalk to the Wolf river and he chose the wagon trail. He wins every argument these days.

With Apologies to Geoff Calkins,

When I was looking at my blog last night I realize it has been over three months since I last posted but the last post was still relevant and bears repeating.. only the dates and the restaurants have changed...yes, Camille has been to Memphis and Nashville for work, we have made and cancelled numerous doctors/dentist appointments. It was stormy as she waited at the airport to leave and we eventually "got over it" when she called safely in her apartment.  We didn't go to or Gus' but managed to get in a Holiday Ham, Jim's Place and family Mexican dinner.  We shopped, waited on her hand and foot (no pun, here) and can't wait til Thanksgiving where we will do it all over again.... The Egg Bowl will be the crowning occasion of the next visit and hopefully we can three peat that glorious event.  

Sad Face

Today my calendar reads "sad face" and that means Camille has left the city.  I met her in Nashville last Monday and after a couple of days in that enlightened city, we drove back to Memphis for a whirlwind of activities.  Not a minute was wasted while she was here---we shopped, we ate tacos, Gus's fried chicken, St. Clair, homemade hamburger and the grand finale at Erling Jensen's.  It's a good thing she doesn't have a desire for a bbq fix as there would have been no time to fit that in.  I drove like a maniac all over town to get her haircut, shots and no shoes.  This morning I got a call from her dentist cancelling a 9 am appt. and we all breathed a sigh of relief that we didn't have to try to fit that in before her 11 o'clock flight.   It was just as well because we ran into ungodly traffic delays on the way to the airport and if Dean hadn't been driving aggressively, I am not sure we would have made the flight.  I helped her get checked in at the airport while Dean and Casper sadly circled the airport waiting on me and I didn't even cry!  It was such a fun week and went by at lightning speed.  Speaking of lightning, she got out of town just in time to avoid the huge storms this afternoon as Casper and I made our almost daily trek to the closet---When we see Dave Brown, it is time to take cover! 

The Memphis Grizzlies' Grand and Greatest Season

The Memphis Grizzlies' Grand and Greatest Season

A Sweet Thought from my Trilingual Manicurist!

When I went in to get a mani/pedi at VT Nails (which has the best ones in town) I sat down in the chair and somehow she noticed in English that my phone battery was low so she asked if I needed to charge it while I was here--well, that put me in an immediate good frame of mind!  So then I noticed when she answered her phone she was talking in Spanish--unusual at a nail place--and started telling me about her sick baby--then she starts to talk in Vietnamese to the other manicurist!  So I asked her how many languages did she speak and I was floored to find out she was tri-lingual--I thought that might me a pretty good marketable skill so I asked her if she ever thought of going to work for the police dept or hospital who desperately need translators.  She said no and that she loves the nail business--she offered that she often went to the doctor, etc w/friends who needed a translator and they would offer to pay and she said she wouldn't take any money as it was her gift to have her child and unborn baby to be blessed.  I was simply struck by that conversation and love she had.  She went on to say that money comes and goes but gifts and blessings you will always have.  I feel the need to share that message from her.

The Tom Lee Statue — High and Dry

The Tom Lee Statue — High and Dry