Rain, Rain, Go Away

Well, this was a first. This was the only time I can remember that our big cookout was actually cut short by the weather! It wasn't the rain, necessarily, it was the lightning. Things were a little out of sorts this year from the beginning. We were missing some Key family members. My son Cody had to stay in Greenville to work and My sister and her family were in Orlando. The girls (Emilee & Erin) were in a National Dance Competition, but...the food was great and there were around 100 or more people there. We made it through the cooking of the chicken and ribs and everyone got to sit down and eat without 1 raindrop falling. Then the bottom fell out of the sky!, and to top it off, because we had rain all around us the entire week but never at our place, we decided NOT to put the tents up this year, but because it was more than just a rain shower, (which has happened to us many times over the years) most people had no choice but to leave.

(The "BIG MEAT" is cooked all night on an inside barbecue pit, the coals are placed from the outside into 2 doors on the backside of the pit.)

We still managed to retain a few for the annual "sitting around & talking", But because most of the women couldn't cut a few drops of rain and even fewer bolts of lightning, the men that were left didn't want to revisit the past as we always do, instead the talk was mainly FOOTBALL.

We still had a great time, and next year the tents go up

NO MATTER WHAT.

Mealtime

We should all relax and enjoy our meals like Gabe

The Grape Popsicle

Word is Gabe loves grape popsicles. Must be true because Mom sent in the evidence.

It's HOT outside!

Well, wouldn't you know it, we have no AC. Our unit went out yesterday, so of course we called a repairman as soon as possible. We had high hopes that it was something simple, such as... just needing coolant or something being disconnected. Ah...but no such luck! The whole unit is shot. That leaves us only one choice: suffer until we can have a new one put in. Problem is, we can't get the new one put in until July 27th. So... I did what any self-respecting Internet nerd would do. You guessed it...I Googled "how to stay cool without an AC".

Here's just a few samplings of their expert advice:

1)Wet your wrists with cold water. Constantly cooling off the wrists will also cool off the body.
wow, I can do that!

2)Use perspiration to cool the body down.
Wait a minute, I thought the whole purpose was NOT TO SWEAT!


3)Wear a short sleeved shirt and put water on the sleeves.
now, that's attractive

4) Stay in a shaded area if possible.
I am not going outside just to stand in the shade


5) If you're in a house, get lower than the roof.
Not even gonna comment on that one


6) Turn off the stove or other sources of heat. Turn off your lamps, as well as your computer.
Stove, OK... Lamps,OK ....computer NOPE

7) Fill a basin with water and sit with your feet in it.
I'm definitely trying that one!


8)Ladies: Try a slightly wet tissue in the cleavage.
Ah.....No thanks

Then they had these Warnings:
1)Over-hydration is a possibility. Do not drink excessively.
2)A body temperature above 104 °F (40 °C) is life-threatening and if it reaches 113 °F (45 °C) you are approaching sure death. Seek medical attention if you are unable to sweat!
At 113 degrees, I would think that you would be more than just "approaching death"


And then there's my Favorite:

If all else fails, go to the mall, library, movie theater or some other air-conditioned public building.

Well, if the experts say to....

Breakfast

It's 5:30 am and the phone rings, my dad picks it up and says nothing, the voice on the other end is my Pap. He only says 2 words, "Come on". My daddy hangs up the phone and walks next door. There sits his two sisters and his dad. His mom (maw maw) is frying eggs to go with the bacon and homemade biscuits. After she finishes she sits down with her husband and children. This happened every morning that I can remember until the day she died in 1980. My dad had a family, my aunts had husbands and children also, But that time together for them was very special. It wasn't that the rest of the family wasn't invited, we could come anytime we wanted. All I had to do was tell my Dad, "wake me up when Pap calls". Most of the time the rest of the family just wanted to sleep another hour or two. It also helps that on 2 acres sat 4 houses, you guessed it...My grandparents and their 3 children. So to say that this family has always been close is an understatement, but because of those early morning breakfasts, "closeness" goes way beyond those 2 acres.

On the lighter side....

To Mom, Jake, Andrea, Gabe, Jimmy, Wendy, Emilee,

& most of the smarter ones in the family

What does the average Alabama player get on his SATs?
.........Drool.

To Sam, Greg, Melody, Audrey, Sarah, Tony & Erin

What are the longest three years of an Auburn football player's life?
.........His freshman year.

To Josh & Kelly

How many Florida freshmen does it take to change a light bulb?

.........None. That's a sophomore course.

To Cody

Why did Clemson choose orange as their team color?
.........You can wear it to the game on Saturday, hunting on Sunday, and picking up trash along the highways the rest of the week

and finally...

(to atone for making fun of ALABAMA)
An Alabama fan was driving down a country road when he came upon an Auburn fan, a Florida fan and a Clemson fan hitchiking. He told the players to jump in the back of his pick-up truck. He then drove down the dirt road rather fast and lost control of the truck as they were going around a curve. The truck landed in a lake. The Alabama fan scrambled to the surface and swam to the bank. When he looked back at the lake, the Auburn fan. Florida fan, and the Clemson fan were still sitting in the bed of the truck looking frantic. As the truck began sinking the Bama fan yelled for the guys to get out of the truck, to which they replied,

“We’re tryin’ to get out, but we can’t get the dang tailgate open!”

The "Magic" Haircut

Turned my youngest son Cody

into my oldest son Josh