Day 212 - July 31, 2011



Caro @ the Mariner

 Tonight we celebrated July birthday's at the Mariner.  I think we had somewhere in the neighborhood of 30-32 in our group (2 long tables full of great people).  Some come to our Sunday School class (The Pathfinders) regularly and others are singles who minister in other areas of the church or perhaps attend another Sunday School class. 

I have known Caro since I first came to Dayspring.  Her and her husband Jim, who passed away several years ago, were such welcoming faces to me.  I always got a hug from them.  I miss Jim, but Caro stands at the door and greets me with a smile and a hug each Sunday morning.  She has gone through some serious health situations in the past year, and it is so good to see her out and about with a big smile on her face.  Love ya, Caro! 

Day 206 - July 25, 2011

Madi wanted to give Kellyanne sugar - how sweet?!

Day 205 - July 24, 2011



Annie & Mitchell



Day 204 - July 23, 2011

Clint and Stephanie

Although today is my sister's birthday, I realized that somehow I didn't get a pic of her.  I think it's because we all got together at her house for a family cookout and she was flitting around here and there.  However, my son Clint and his girlfriend Stephanie were down from South Carolina.  Don't they make a cute couple?  Stephanie is a really sweet young lady, and we had a great time visiting with her.  It was also great to see my son.

Family get togethers are great and we had plenty of food!

Day 182 - July 1, 2011

At the pool

Day 180 - June 29, 2011



Farewell to Brandi

Brandi became an admissions counselor right after her graduation from Spring Hill.  On Wednesday, we said farewell to her.  She has decided to take a job in Mississippi as a college counselor.  Brandi was always my go-to girl in the Admissions Office.  She will be missed very much on the Hill!

Day 179 - June 28, 2011



This is where I blog.



(P.S.  It doesn't always look this neat)



Sometimes I kick up the footrest and get comfy, so I can work on my pics and check in with friends on facebook.  I can't wait to see where you blog.

I did a little research on my camera and figured out that it had a timer on it.  So, I decided try to take a pic of me in my blog space.  Tada!  Not the best lighting, but not bad for my first attempt.  Well, I'll see you on Misty's page, hopefully.  Now to figure out how to link up.  This will be my first attempt.

Post your pic at the link below:

Through a Photographer's Eyes - Where I Blog

Day 149 - May 29, 2011

When I walked into the nursing home today, I found mother in a bundle of tears.  The receptionist said that she had been like that most of the day.  I'm sad to say that it had been a bad day for her.  She tried to tell me what a bad week that she had experienced.  Apparently, she has been hallucinating some which has caused her paranoia.  My poor mother was so afraid.  I held her while she cried and tried to comfort her.   Later, the chaplain's wife, seeing that mother was so upset, brought Brody by for mother to hold.  The minute Brody crawled up in her laps she began to calm down .

Mother and Brody

Mother hugged Brody and kept saying, "I love you, little Brody!  I love you!"  It's amazing how much comfort an animal can give to the elderly or someone like my mother.  Mother loves Miss Bridget, our little Pomeranian so much!  But for now, Brody is the closest thing to Bridget she can get.



Mother & Brody



I wish I could say that when I left her she still had that beautiful smile on her face, but that's not the case.  When we parted she was crying once again.   We hugged her neck and told her we loved her.  But she called out to Melvin and hugged his neck again and told him, "I don't guess I'll see you no more."  He assured her that he would see her again.

It was hard to leave her because she was afraid.  Gloria, one of the sweet nurses there, and I assured her that she was in good hands, and that nothing was going to harm her.

You know, it's hard to walk away and leave your mother when she begs to go home with you and when she is so afraid.  I have to place her in God's hands and in their care of the nurses at Allen Memorial.  My prayer is that God would restore her mind, but if for some reason He choose not to, I have to trust Him anyway.  Please continue to remember my mother, Jean Barnett, in your prayers.  Thank you, my friends!

Day 103 - 4/13/2011

Today was Honors Convocation at Spring Hill College. We celebrated our students' academic and extracurricular achievements.  In 2006, I was recognized at this very convocation.  But today, I was the coordinator not the recipient.  I put together the script, the program, the set-up, and ordered the food.

Below are photos of St. Joseph Chapel where the ceremony took place.  These photos were taken about 15 minutes before the ceremony started.  Everything was in place and the students were lining up outside on the Quadrangle near the Chapel.  The Chapel is so beautiful. I hope that you can get an idea of just how beautiful it is through these photos (but I'm not really sure that you can).

Sancturary

Altar/Sancturary



Sanctuary




Diploma/Award Table


Norma, the records secretary in the Registrar's Office, stands nearby the award table to make sure that all of the awards are safe until the procession walks through the door.  I take one last look around to make sure that everything is in place before the ceremony starts.  Everything looks fine, so now I take my seat at the back of the Chapel and wait for everything to begin. I've done my job!  It's time to sit back and watch the show.  Tomorrow, I will finish the prep work for the next ceremony--Commencement!  Say a little prayer for me!!!

P.S.  The lighting coming through the stained glass windows in the Chapel caused the photos to be a little yellowish, but I'm not sure how one would adjust for that.  I know that I couldn't.  It's a beautiful Chapel.

P.S.S.  Guess what? I just caught up on posting pics (except for the two that I really need to replace).  Yeah me!

Day 102 - 4/12/2011

Early - Cook to the SHC Jesuits

Early is the cook for the Jesuits that live on the Spring Hill College campus.  Let me tell you, this man can cook.  The Jesuits hosted a luncheon for the secretaries again this year (a little early) to say thank you!  It's usually held a little later on Administrative Professional's Day.  Early makes the best bread pudding you have EVERY put in your mouth!!!  And he always makes it for us.  :-)  We also get him to cook for us for special occasions (i.e., end of year retirements).

The spread of food (not including the dessert table)

He served a delicious salad, grilled chicken, mixed vegetables, shrimp creole & rice, croussants, and a table full of desserts (bread pudding, cream puffs, brownies, german chocolate cake, cookies . . .).  We rolled away from the tables.  It was such a wonderful time, as usual!


Becky Shirley (Science & Mathematics) Dottie Barnett (Languages & Literature & Philosophy & Theology)

I tried to take a picture of these two twice, but my camera was operating in slow motion.  So Becky told Dottie, come here!  They gave me two great smiles and waiting for my slow-motion camera to blink at them a couple of times, and vuwala - a great pic of two great secretaries!

Well, until next year!  Fr. Campbell, please keep the tradition going.  We always love being invited to the Jesuit house for lunch with the Jesuits (especially when Early's doing the cooking!)!!!

Day 99 - April 9, 2011

 



Melvin talking on the phone while grilling steaks.

Is this what is known as multi-tasking?  lol

If Melvin is in town on a Saturday night, we usually drive over to Longhorn's in Daphne to eat us a couple of good steaks and salad.  Time permitting, we will also end up at Bass Pro Shop for a brief shopping spree (or perhaps to look around).  But I know how much Melvin enjoys grilling and since the weather was so nice, I picked up two New York strip steaks that I caught on sale at Food World, we threw them on the grill Saturday afternoon.

He got a phone call while we were sitting outside, so I took my liberties with his camera and snapped away. I really got a lot of nice shots of him, but I chose one of my favorites to post.  And of course I had to post a photo of the great steaks that we ate that night for supper.  Don't they just make your mouth water?

Day 98 - April 8, 2011

Professor Tom Loehr & Divisional Secretary Dottie Hempfleng

Today we celebrated the retirement of Professor Tom Loehr; Professor for Communication Arts, Division Chair of Communication, Fine and Performing Arts; and the Department Chair of Communication Arts & his secretary Mrs. Dottie Hempfleng.  I took photography from Professor Loehr back in 19??  lol . . . (Seriously, I think it was 1998 or 1999).  He is a great teacher.  I learned a lot from him, but remembering it now is the problem.   Sorry, Tom!

As secretary to the Provost, I work closely with the division secretaries.  Dottie has been a division secretary for 30 years, I think.  Both Tom and Dottie will be missed.  It just won't be the same without them.

I took the opportunity to take Tom and Dottie's picture while our professional campus photographer was taking a photo of them.  Unfortunately, I cannot always see my screen that well and I almost cut the top of Tom's head off.  Again, sorry Tom!  Perhaps I got a little nervous around my prof.  Nah, I just can't always see the view screen.  I wish these little cameras had a the small viewfinder, instead of just the view screen.  Oh well,  . . .  they still looked great, and they will be greatly missed!

Day 94 - 4/4/2011

Miss Bridget

Day 90 - 3/31/2011

Kellyanne

My daughter called me this afternoon to see if I would watch Kellyanne while her and her husband went to a wake for a friend of theirs' father.  Naturally I said that I would.  I played with my little precious for just a bit and rubbed her tummy a bit--she seemed to have a little bit of a gassy tummy.  We had our little Nonna and granddaughter playtime and then I put her up on my shoulder for a little while.  Before I knew it, she was out . . .  Once I was sure that she was asleep, I put her in her bed.

Kelly told me that the cute little stinker doesn't want to sleep in her bed, especially on her back, but basically in her bed period.  So, I thought I would try her in her bed anyway.  The first time we weren't very successful, but the second time was a charm.  Kelly and Bill had come home, and we ate some Lasagna while she slept.  She stirred once, and I went in and gave her her passafier, rubbed her face and tummy a bit and she fell on off to sleep once again.  Now, how long she slept, that I don't know.  But I felt good that we got her to sleep in her bed for a little while.

It was nice babysitting Kellyanne tonight, and it gave her mother and daddy a little time to go out without having to pack her up just for a short trip down the road.

This isn't the best angle, but I wasn't about to put that flash in her face and take a chance on waking her up, not when I had been successful in getting her to sleep in her bed.  So, even though it's not the best shot, it will have to do as my picture of the day.  :-)    (Especially since that's the only picture that I took  lol)

Day 88 - 3/29/2011

Dottie B. feeding Kellyanne

My daughter Kelly brought my granddaughter (Kellyanne) to campus today to for show and tell.  lol  The divisional secretaries always eat lunch in the caf on Tuesdays and I told Kelly that this would be a great to bring Kellyanne to campus.  I would buy her lunch and we could let everone see Kellyanne at the same time.  It worked out great!  Becky and Dottie had a great time holding the baby and feeding her and talking to her. Kellyanne was just eyeing everyone and everything.

Kellyanne seemed to enjoy her visit to SHC.  At least she didn't misbehave on campus like her mother did when she was a student there.  lol   You'd better hope that this little lady doesn't follow in your footsteps, Kelly girl.  :-)

Day 84 - 3/25/2011

Regina Dunnam & Kellyanne Elizabeth Moody

My baby sister turns 49 today.  I thought since today is her birthday, I would post a photo of her holding my sweet granddaughter.  Happy Birthday, Sista!  Love ya!!!

Next year, watch out--yep, she'll be the big 5-0!  :-))  The pictures of her will be quite different.  lol

Day 79 - 3/20/2011

I have seen Laura and others of you take some great photos of birds, but I can't even get close to a bird.  Melvin decided that in order for me to attract more birds (close enough to photogragh), I needed a bird feeder.  He's been talking about getting me one, so Saturday night we made a stop by Lowe's and got me a bird feeder and some bird seed.  Today, he hung it in the tree in my front yard, and we filled it with seed.  He is so handy to have around--he has built shelves in my closet, hung the gutters on the front of my house--just to name a few things.

New Bird Feeder

I was having trouble getting a good shot of the bird feeder because I couldn't get a very shallow depth of field with my camera.  Fortunately, he had brought his Nikon D5000 and I used it to take some photos.  I took a pic of the bird feeder and also took quite a few pics of him too.  He cut down some limbs out of the tree in order to be able to hang the bird feeder.  I took the pics of him while he was taking a rest in the rocker on the front porch.

Melvin Moseley

Isn't he handsome?!

Day 78 - 3/19/2011

Kellyanne Elizabeth Moody

Melvin and I went over to visit Kellyanne, since he hadn't seen her since she was born.  He also gave her a little camo cap that read, "Future hunting princess."  I meant to get a couple of pics of Melvin and Kellyanne, but I totally forget.  However, I take a few photos of her.  She and I had a nice little chat.  Of course, I did most of the talking and she did most of the listening, with a little cooing here and there.  lol  Either way, I could tell that she was already recognizing my voice and that's so wonderful!

Have I mentioned that I love being a grandmother?  :)

Day 77 - 3/18/2011

Melvin Moseley

Melvin and I went to eat at one of our favorite restaurants--Longhorn in Daphne.  Afterwards, we stopped by Bass Pro Shop.  We could spend hour in that store.  But since we didn't get there until 9:15 and the store closed at 10:00 p.m., we didn't get a chance to unload much money.  As we left the store we spotted what appeared to be an old '49 Chevrolet pick up truck.  You know me, I thought this was a great photo opp.  So, I asked Melvin to be my model.  A rusty old truck and a good looking man, you just can't beat that, can you?  :-)

Day 76 - 3/17/2011

Dr. Cynthia Blum Schneider

So, how does one celebrate St. Patrick's Day?  Well, you start by making sure you wear green so that you don't get pinched, which my friend Cindy and I both made sure we did today.  Then, you grab your friend(s) and go out and eat Mexican food.  :-)  Huh?  Yep, Mexican food!

Cindy and I met when I needed to take an English class for college and, fortunately for me, she happened to be my English professor.  We really hit it off and started hanging out together once the class was over.  We found out that we had a lot in common.  We are both born in the same month, our ex husbands have the same first name and so do our mothers.  She has a daughter named Gina and a cat named Mitchell.  I have a sister named Gina, and she has a son named Mitchell.  That's just the few things I can think about off of the top of my head. We just enjoyed each others company and could talk for hours!

This morning I saw Misty's blog where she had photographed an avocado.  It reminded me of this great Mexican restaurant down the road from where I work that serves the best fix-at-your-table guacamole dip.  I always thought that I hated guacamole until I tried this--that was the moment that I became a lover of guacamole.  It made me think of Cindy because we have frequented this restaurant so many times.  Well, I must have been on her mind too because she called me to go out for dinner and, well, you know where we ended up going . . .




Cindy & Cheryl at our favorite Mexican restaurant

 So, Cindy and I met up for a good meal, some fresh guacamole, some green refreshments, and a lot of  heart-warming laughs.  As I've said before, laughter is good for the soul. I enjoyed catching up with you, my friend!

Happy St. Patty's Day!