“One Lovely Blog” and “Inspiring Blog” Awards

A gigantic thank you to the Unconfirmed Bachelorette for nominating me for the One Lovely Blog and Inspiring Blog awards.  You’re too kind. 🙂

In accepting this award, it is my pleasure to complete the following:

  1. Link back to the blogger who nominated me.
  2. Post the blog award image on my page.
  3. Tell 7 facts about myself.
  4. Nominate 15 other blogs and let the nominees know they been chosen.

7 things about me:

  1. I realized at age 19 on an amusement park ride that I am somewhat claustrophobic.
  2. I don’t have a favorite color as I prefer different colors in different contexts.  As a designer, I’d like to think I could make any color appealing with the right companions.  Except mauve.  I really don’t like mauve in any situation.
  3. I’ve never broken a bone. 
  4. I love wholesale clubs.  Especially ones that carry 5lb bags of Ghirardelli 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips.
  5. There was a period in my life when I shopped almost exclusively at Gap Boys.  Thank goodness that phase is over.
  6. On a semi-regular basis, I have dreams (nightmares) that I am late for high-school lacrosse practice and don’t have athletic clothing, a lacrosse stick, a mouth guard, goggles or my locker combination.  I don’t know what this means, but I’m sure it’s serious.
  7. Two of my favorite TEE-vee shows are Reba and Dexter, which could not be more opposite.  I think that just about sums me up.

 And, now, for my nominees:

  1. http://thecountrychick.com/
  2. http://silvermoonfarm.wordpress.com/
  3. http://apronhead.wordpress.com/
  4. http://beautifulsimplemeaningful.wordpress.com/
  5. http://undertheskysofark.wordpress.com/
  6. http://seasonsgirl.wordpress.com/
  7. http://twocatsviews.wordpress.com/
  8. http://lynettemia.wordpress.com/
  9. http://blog.humbleabode.com/
  10. http://emsbytes.wordpress.com/
  11. http://barbellsandbuttercream.com/
  12. http://threepointskitchen.com/
  13. http://thisbountifulbackyard.com/
  14. http://goodlifefarm.wordpress.com/
  15. http://finickydesigner.wordpress.com/

A lot of the blogs I like have the same theme that I do.   I wonder: Do I like these blogs because I like the theme? Or do I like these blogs because the writers like the same things that I do and therefore I feel a connection?  Seriously, like half of the blogs I nominate have the “forever” theme.  It’s so warm and nostalgic.  So informal and yet tidy looking.  It’s how I like things to be.

Y’all hurry back,

Sugarlump

The Garden: Progress Report #8

I went to up to Kentucky to visit the grandparents this week.  And I FINALLY had a mess of beans to pick out of the garden! I headed over to Granny and Papa’s from Grandmother’s Thursday morning, and not long … Continue reading

Let Go and Remember

I have days where I get myself all wound up in a knot about silly things that don’t really matter, but I let them bother me.  Sometimes I blog about these things and other times I don’t because they’re not even worth the energy to write about.  And then, just when I am about to go bonkers over the stupidest thing, someone writes a comment on my blog that cuts to my core and makes me realize that some things aren’t worth stressing over, because in the grand scheme of things, they just don’t matter.

I have written several posts about my sister leaving for Paris for a semester.  I am very excited for her, and yet I will miss having her just a car-ride away.  A fellow blogger commented on my most recent post about my sister leaving, saying that it brought tears to her eyes over her sister that she lost not so long ago.  She thanked me for sharing my story.

Reading that brought tears to my eyes and reminded me how important it is to focus on the things that really matter, like the ones you love and the memories you have shared.  Thank you to my blogging friends for reminding me how much there is to celebrate.

Love y’all,

Sugarlump

Stormy Drive Home

Clearly I’m having a hard time accepting the fact that my sister is leaving the country for 4 months as this is my third post on the subject.  This post is more focused on neat skies and my random thoughts. … Continue reading

The Demolition Derby

Growing up, the Cumberland County Fair Demolition Derby was the highlight of my summer.  We always planned my visit to Kentucky around the fair and when I was in elementary school, I even arrived several weeks ahead of time to … Continue reading

Scatterbrained

Hi there, I’m having trouble coming up with a nice, cohesive story to share today so I’m just going to offer a few photos, thoughts and comments that may or may not make any sense collectively and/or individually.  It has … Continue reading

Passport Service

In honor of my 100th post on the Sugarlump, I want to share a very special part of my childhood. When my cousin Lauren and I were little, we loved to play in Papa’s old office, which was attached to … Continue reading

Cricket, Cricket

For the 4th of July, Eugene and I headed to Burkesville to see our extended family.  As we went to bed on Tuesday night out in the country, we couldn’t help but notice how loud the crickets were. It’s funny … Continue reading

Family Visit: Scene I

I haven’t posted much this past week as I have been a tad busy with out-of-town guests (my immediate family), visiting my grandparents in Kentucky, picking beans out of the garden, making potato and chicken salad (clarification: potato salad and chicken salad, not salad with chicken and potatoes.  That would be weird.), cleaning up my house, drinking enough water to match the rate at which I am sweating it out due to the triple digit heat wave, breaking up and shelling beans to put up, wrangling my cats, watching the clouds, working at my day job, watering my scorched container garden, sending thank you notes, catching up on recorded reruns of Pioneer Woman, tracking severe weather across the U.S., and remembering my name.

It has been quite a week, but a good one.

I had Mexican food for dinner Friday, Sunday and Monday nights.

I repeat: It was a good week.

It was also nice to see my family.  We tend to have some good laughs when we’re together.

The fun began when my sister drove down from Lexington and we picked up my parents at the airport the Friday before last.

Getting down to business, we drove straight to Mexican Restaurant #1 for dinner.

My Dad ordered a large Margarita, which was served in what seemed to be a punch bowl with a stem.

I had taken a few minutes to decide what kind of drink I wanted and I was telling the waitress that I would like a strawberry daiquiri as my Dad’s water basin of a drink arrived.

The waitress then asked me what size drink I would like.  Seeing my eyes bulge out of my head as they placed my Dad’s drink on the table, she cracked a smile and devilishly asked:

“You want big?”

I was a little hesitant to order a drink as large as my head, but I kind of wanted one.   The waitress was a very perceptive lady and concluded:

“You want big.”

A few minutes later, this is what arrived.

Yes, Eugene, that is my drink.

As you can see, we were off to a great start with the family visit.

We enjoyed a tasty dinner and caught up on what had gone on in the past week.  I was telling my parents about taking my cats, Gus and Scarlett, to the vet for the first time since moving to Nashville.  I had to take them in for a distemper shot and I was going on about how Scarlett had behaved quite badly, per usual. I believe at this point in the conversation Eugene was sort of half-listening as she tried to make a dent in the 4 plates of food she had been served because she looked up confused and asked:

“Wait, she had to get a shot for his temper?”

We all died laughing. Another great “Julia-ism.”

Oh, you crack me up, Eugene.

More to come on the rest of the family weekend.

Y’all come back,

Sugarlump

The Cat’s Out of the Bag

The cat’s out of the bag.  Or, rather, into the bag. Scarlett is feeling a little left out on the Sugarlump lately.   She’s very sensitive about these things so she decided to do something cute to get my attention and … Continue reading