Fashion

Photo by Daniel Giles of the Times DailyI am pretty much the messiest eater ever. I literally cannot get up from a table without a shower of crumbs, I carry stain removal products with me at all times and my husband begs me not to drink my favorite strawberry-flavored drink mix in the car because I leave splatters of red everywhere. This problem led me to create the Cathy Wood Method of Wardrobe Selection, or, How to Coordinate Your Clothing with Your Food So You Don’t Look Like the Slob You Truly Are and Your Family and Friends Will Eat with You Again. Intrigued? It really works! No more hastily pulling on a sweater to hide the coffee dribbles. No more holding your purse in front of you to distract from the gravy droplets. You will be free to eat and enjoy without fear! Read more at http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20090826/SW/908259959/1085.

And while you’re there, read other Shoals Woman articles, such as the story on Halloween food, http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20090826/SW/908259955/1085 with my friend Kara Sams, and  another story I wrote — a guide to retirement planning, http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20090826/SW/908259973/1085.

Family

Backyard poolIs there anything better on a hot summer day than Capt. Adorablecooling off in your backyard pool? Especially when the pool is a family heirloom? My mom had this inflatable pool at her house more than 20 years ago for her granddaughters and now her great-grandson thinks it’s the best thing ever. Honestly, I didn’t remember the pool, but my mom kept saying, “I have the pool the girls played in and it would be perfect for Capt. Adorable.”  And she was right! It fits just exactly on the patio, which is in the afternoon shade, and 17-months-old Capt. Adorable and his mommy get out and have fun in it almost every day (although that’s the Captain’s aunt in the photo). Say the word “pool” and the Captain’s at the patio door, ready to go. It took him awhile, but now he’s fully conversant in the arts of splashing, pouring and dumping cupfuls of water on anyone brave enough to get close.

Friends — and Bad Poetry

Bad poetryDo you see that huge guffaw of laughter coming out of my Campoutmouth in this photo? Trust me, it’s there. And do you also see that strange look on my husband’s face, almost as if he were embarrassed about something? Trust me, he is. We were at the annual — or whenever we can get everybody together — Wild Drunken Brawl that our friend on the left organizes. And don’t worry: It’s not wild, the drunkenness is overstated and no brawling is allowed. Instead, we all gather at a beautifully peaceful farm near Manchester, Tennessee — which most of us claim as our hometown — and spend the evening reminiscing around a campfire. We Photo by Kris Lowrancelucked out this past weekend with unusually cool and clear August weather and had a fantastic time. Since most of the crowd also graduated in communications from nearby Middle Tennessee State University, our trips down memory lane include our shared college days. One of my friends who was attending her first WDB brought with her a copy of Collage, the MTSU literary magazine that most of us worked with at one time or another. For this particular issue, my husband John Pitts (he wasn’t my husband then, although we were friends and did date sort of off and on) had done an interview with Steve Martin, who performed at MTSU  just when he was on the verge of greatness — an interview which still reads well today, decades later. However, also in this Collage was a poem my husband John Pitts had written, and that’s what we’re looking at in this photo. It did not read well decades later. I can’t really describe this poem. There was a lot of angst and beer-drinking and something about some woman and lonely nights and even though we called for the author to give us a reading around the campfire, he quickly declined. I can’t imagine why. And of course this gave me an idea for a book: A collection of bad college poetry. It’s gotta be a bestseller.

Mailboxes

MailboxDid you know that U.S. mail carriers can give you a parking ticket? Well, not really. But they can leave you snarky little notes. Yesterday I went to my daughter’s house and parked on the street, careful to not block their mail box. I am a law-abiding citizen, after all. And polite. But apparently I Residential mailboxam not law-abiding or polite enough because when my son-in-law came home from work, he was waving a parking-ticket-like piece of paper and laughing. “The mail carrier is mad at you,” he said. The paper was printed with 19 infractions, complaints and transgressions regarding residential mail boxes and according to the emphatic and accusatory black-ink circle, I had broken No. 9: “The approach to your box should be kept clear of snow, vehicles and other obstacles.” Sooorrrrryyyy. Let’s get the measuring tape out, shall we? But what really got me was all the other 18 home-mailbox rules that potentially could be contravened, such as “No. 2 — The door needs attention:” “Nos. 5-6 — Box should be raised/lowered __ inches;” “No. 10 — The signal flag needs attention;” and “No. 18 — Your box should be painted to prevent rusting.” Who knew? The note goes on to say that the Postal Service might stop delivering mail until you raise/lower, paint or whatever. But what about all the dilapidated, rusted, dented, falling-down and falling-apart mailboxes I see all the time? Do they get snarky little notes, too? It’s like all the people who speed past you on the interstate and then you get stopped for doing 3 miles over the limit. Sigh. And then in related news — how’s that for former newspaper-reporter lingo? — I read this morning that the Postal Service is removing its blue collection boxes because fewer people are using them. Coincidence??? I think not.

Shopping

Holiday shoppingThis is — to use one of my dad’s favorite expressions — a prime example of … well, I don’t know what. But Do-it-yourselfsomething. It’s still two weeks until the Labor Day weekend, yet walking around a corner in Hobby Lobby I ran smack dab into a clash of holidays that jarred my eyes and confused my brain. Islands of orange pumpkins and homespun scarecrows competed with rows of red Christmas bows and twinkling evergreen trees. I don’t even know if a summer item was left anywhere in the store — if you’re looking for something to enhance your Labor Day cookout, forget it. And why is Hobby Lobby doing this to us, anyway? On my ever-lengthening Stress List, “get ready for holidays” wasn’t even a contender. But now it’s vying for a top spot. Thanks a lot, Hobby Lobby!

Shopping

Toddler boy clothesYou all know that shopping for almost-17-month-oldJanie and Jack grandson Capt. Adorable is one of my most favorite things to do — and this outfit is one of the reasons why. I love little-boy clothes! I think it’s because little-boy clothes look almost exactly like real big-boy clothes — with the cuteness factor upped by about 100. For instance, how cute is this pirate-themed shorts and T-shirt? I spied it at Janie and Jack children’s boutique at the Summit in Birmingham, Alabama, this past weekend and I had to have it. Didn’t even stop to think. It’s from the Treasure Explorer collection that has all sorts of appliqued and embroidered pirate details such as parrots, maps and treasure chests. I don’t know why this appealed to me so much — calling Jack Sparrow! — but I do know that Capt. Adorable will look … well, adorable in it.  And now that I’ve check the Janie and Jack Web site, http://www.janieandjack.com, I notice that all the pirate things are on sale. Dear husband, look away.

Lofts

Baylen apartmentsOkay, I’ve finally found my dream home. I don’t Pensacola, Floridacare that it’s hundreds of miles away from where I want to live and more than twice what my husband’s willing to pay. A girl can dream, right? This past month when my husband and I were in Pensacola for a lie-on-the-beach-and-drink-beer-and-eat-crabcakes vacation, we came across the Baylen Lofts a couple blocks north of the historic downtown area — and I immediately fell in love. These are five townhouses carved out of an old industrial/commercial building, with enclosed garage space, a balcony and fun rooftop views. I love the sleek modern feel, the airy open spaces and the cool-factor of being steps away from restaurants, shops and museums. If I had a spare half-million dollars or so sitting around, I wouldn’t even hesitate. “Think of all the money we’d save on condo rentals if we had an apartment instead of having to make reservations every year when we go to the beach,” I pointed out to my husband. He wasn’t buying it — literally. But since I can’t, I want somebody else to get one of these lofts so I can come visit. Anybody??? Check out Baylen Lofts at http://www.homefinder.com/FL/Pensacola/50059300d_109_S_Baylen_St

Shoe Shopping

Shoe shoppingBelk shoe saleAre there any words more dear to a woman’s heart than “shoe sale?” There’s just something about a sea of markdowns that we cannot resist. This past weekend some friends and I were in Birmingham, Alabama, for the funeral of another friend’s Shoe shoppingmother. After the service, we needed some therapeutic girl-time, and there’s no better place than a sale at Southern department-store icon Belk. It’s definitely the place to be, female-wise. My friends were on the hunt for specific  shoes for upcoming weddings and christenings and I’m always open to the siren song of possibility — “I don’t really need these 4-inch purple snakeskin platform sandals or these bright turquoise-and-yellow pointy-toe flats but you never know when they might come in handy.” That is, I was open to possibilities of expanding my own personal shoe options until somehow, from many miles away, my husband felt the cosmic vibration of me being in the middle of a shoe sale and called to forestall any impulsively major purchase. How does he do that???

Mississippi

Lifesavers

I'm sure this contravenes all sorts of trademark laws, but I love this bus! I pass it all the time on U.S. 72 in Burnsville, Mississippi, in a church parking-lot.

Restaurants

Rice Box in Florence, AlabamaYes, the economy is bad. Yes, people are watching their pennies. Yes, businesses are failing every day. Yet, in my town of Florence, Alabama, a newly opened Chinese restaurant is so popular that there’s a line to get in from 11 in the morning until 2 or later in the afternoon — pretty much unheard-of around here. And that’s not even including the takeout business. Even weeks after it opened, there’s still a half-hour or so wait at lunch. But so worth it. Everybody asks, “Have you eaten at the Rice Box yet?” and the lucky ones talk dreamily of the fresh-tasting vegetables, the light and flavorful stir-fries, the innovative sushi rolls and, of course, the fried dough rolled in cinnamon and sugar known as Chinese doughnuts. (I have to limit myself to one 10-piece order a week.) Why is this place successful when so many others aren’t? I’m not sure, but here are some observations: The Rice Box has 1) good food that’s actually cooked to order in the kitchen instead of warmed-up in the microwave after being off-loaded from the freezer truck; 2) affordable prices that mean you don’t have to feel guilty or sacrificial about eating out; 3)  a knowledgeable, friendly and efficient staff that keeps the traffic flow moving without stress; and 4) unobtrusive cleaning that keeps things neat and sanitary despite the crowds. Plus, it’s in a nearly empty shopping center where rent, I’m sure, is not astronomical. The Rice Box decor is calm and serene without being cloying — the dark wood and contemporary lighting makes it seem modern and sleek — and the restaurant’s layout means diners can peek into the bustling kitchen and grill area but the noise and chaos doesn’t take over. I’m not sure exactly what the Rice Box is doing right, but it sure is doing something. Check it out at http://www.ricebox.us — and you’d better go ahead and get two orders of doughnuts.