Archive for May, 2009

Oh, joy! The Humidity is back.  We’ve had a really wonderful Spring…. unlike most years. It’s been fairly cool but even better than that: we’ve had low humidity. My hair has looked good. I’ve been able to breathe. I haven’t started sweating at 7 in the morning. It’s comfortable to sleep at night. But all that is over now because my enemy Humidity has returned to taunt me for another summer. It’s currently 91% humidity.

Instead of  just spending the next several months cursing Humidity and trying to avoid him, I’ve decided to make an attempt to understand him a little better and maybe come to a truce. Here are my findings:

Humidity is the amount of water in the air.

Doesn’t sound that ominous, does it? But I’ve learned that Humidity is a sneaky little bugger.

As the relative humidity increases, hair becomes longer, and as the humidity drops it becomes shorter. On very humid days, your hair actually becomes longer and this extra length causes the frizziness that gives us bad hair days.

So my hair is getting longer when Humidity comes to visit and that’s why it is frizzy? All I know is that I have curly hair and it doesn’t get longer, it gets bigger. I guess maybe it is getting longer but not vertically. It’s getting longer horizontally and I can promise you that it is not a pretty site.

This is not me but does demonstrate my hair nicely when Humidity is attacking it.

Asthma and humidity should not be put together. For medical reasons, these two things can really damage your body.

As an asthma sufferer, I can personally vouch for this.  Humidity makes it difficult to breathe … period. Your lungs feel heavy. Your nose feels stuffy. It’s like breathing underwater and that is not fun.

Heat and humidity causes acne flare-ups because the skin “swells” from the cardiovascular system kicking in. When you get hot or exercise, two things happen at once. Your skin swells from the freshly oxygenated blood sent to the surface to feed the muscles that are “working” and then you start to perspire producing acids and salts to “cool” the body off. This combination of swelling skin with acids and salts irritates and dries the skin and can cause ZITS to get worse and become larger.

Big, fuzzy hair and zits. Just perfect….

Okay… I have spent a lot of time searching the internet for good things about humidity. It’s seems to be futile. I know some people love summer. I am not one of them. I hate being sweaty. No one looks good sweaty. Well, maybe Jon Bon Jovi or Hugh Jackman but only if it’s a good sweat and not a stinky sweat. No one smells good sweaty which is a real problem for me in the summer because I have a very good sense of smell. My husband says I should work for the DEA sniffing out people’s luggage at the airport. I have a lot of friends that just love to hang out at the pool and watch their children swim. Yuck. Sitting in the stifling heat, sweating, and counting the hours until I can go home is not my idea of a good time. It’s total misery.

So I’ll be waiting for Fall and for a phone call from Magnolia. I just remembered that “sweat” is not a word I’m allowed to use. It’s “perspiring”. Sorry!

A Southern Belle’s Ten Golden Rules

1) Never serve pink lemonade at your Junior League committee meetings. It has communist undertones.

2) Always wear white when you walk down the aisle (even if it’s for the third time).

3) Never wear white shoes before Easter or after Labor Day. The only exception, of course, is if you’re a bride. Bridesmaids, however, must never wear white shoes. Bridesmaids’ shoes should match the punch.

4) It doesn’t matter if you marry a man who doesn’t know the difference between a shrimp fork and a pickle fork. You can always teach him. Just make sure he can afford to buy you both.

5) Never date your sorority sister’s ex-husband until at least three years after the divorce. You might need her to write your daughter a Kappa Kappa Gamma recommendation one day. Just remember it’s a lot easier to find a new man than it is to get your daughter into Kappa.

6) Never marry a man whose mother and grandmother owned silver plate instead of real silver. He’s not used to quality and he’ll try to cheat you on the divorce settlement.

7) It’s never to soon to write a thank-you note. Some belles take the notes and a pen with them to party. In the middle of the evening they go into the ladies’ room and write a thank-you describing how much they enjoyed the dinner (naming specific items). They then put the note in the mailbox as they leave. The hostess receives it first thing in the morning. Sure this is compulsive, but you’re going to have to be compulsive if you want to be president of the Junior League.

8 ) Never show your bosom before evening and never wear and ankle bracelet before anything. Girls who wear ankle bracelets usually end up twirling batons. There has never been a baton twirler who became Miss America and there’s certainly never been a baton twirler in the Junior League.

9) Never chew gum in public and never smoke on the street.

10) Buy low. Sell high.

       ~ from A Southern Belle Primer

I’d like to think a lot of this is tongue-in-cheek, but unfortunately I’m not so sure. I absolutely believe the Rule about thank-you notes. It’s exaggerated but so true. Thank-you notes are a wonderful thing. Magnolia writes the most beautiful thank-you notes. Not only are they long but they are extremely detailed. She will mention each item you served for supper in such glowing words that you will start to wonder if she meant it to go to someone else. There have been times that I have hardly recognized my own cooking. However, in this world of texting and emails, getting a hand-written thank-you note in the mail is a treat.

I do have one little issue with thank-you notes though. If you have just had a baby, gotten out of the hospital, lost a loved one, or sick enough to need a meal, do you really feel up to writing a thank-you note? I really, really appreciated all the wonderful meals we received after the birth of our children and when I had pneumonia last year and was recovering from a hospital stay and surgery. But none of those times did I feel up to writing a thank-you note. Why can’t a very heartfelt verbal “thank you” be enough? If you’re sick enough (or exhausted from having just brought a new life into the world) to need a meal, you should be excused from having to write a thank-you note. Unfortunately I’m in the minority on this idea, so I’m just going to keep it to myself.

So to everyone that I owe a thank-you note (and I’m sure the number is many), please accept this public acknowledgement of your thoughtfulness and caring. THANK YOU!!!!!!! And please keep in mind that I am still a Belle-in-Training and I’m bound to make some mistakes along the way.

My friend Jackie, an absolutely hilarious Belle, shared this with me today. It might be a teensy bit exaggerated in spots but overall, it’s right on.  And since it’s my blog and I can do what I want (gotta love a dictatorship!), I’ve added my own personal thoughts.

THINGS I LEARNED IN SOUTH CAROLINA…

1) A possum is a flat animal that sleeps in the middle of the road.

~ This is absolutely true. Plus we’ve had more than a few possums at my house over the years that had decided to just move on in. And we do not live out in the country. Fortunately my neighbor has a possum cage so we “relocated” those possums to somewhere else. I didn’t ask where and I didn’t care as long as it wasn’t my house. My son wanted to keep the last one as a pet, but my husband nicely told him that possums are mean and stink. Thanks, Cole!

2) There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 of them live in SC.

~ I hate snakes. I don’t care if they are the “good kind” and wish people would stop telling me that. All snakes need to vacate the earth. I think Genesis was pretty clear about how God felt about snakes. I concur.

3) There are 10,000 types of spiders, and all 10,000 of them live in SC.

~ I actually like spiders so I have no problem with us one at all!

4) If it grows, it’ll stick ya. If it crawls, it’ll bite cha.

~ Enough said.

5) “Onced” and “Twiced” are words.

6) It is not a shopping cart, it’s a buggy.

     ~ Doesn’t a buggy just sound more fun? I also love pocketbook instead of purse.  My 4-year old is always going to get her “pocketbook” which is usually an Ariel backpack or something she’s stolen from me.

7) “Jaw-P?” means, “Did y’all go to the bathroom?”

8)  People actually grow and eat okra.

~ When I first moved to Atlanta way back when, someone asked me if I wanted some okra. Sadly, I thought it was some kind of seafood. I guess I had Orka and okra confused. And knowing me, I probably let everyone know that I had thought that. If you haven’t had okra before, make up some fried okra. Yummy!

9) “Fixinto” is one word.

~  Yes, it’s true. Southerners are always fixin’ to do something and right now, I’m fixin’ to look at #10.

10) There is no such thing as lunch. There is only dinner and then there is supper.

11) Iced tea is appropriate for all meals, and you start drinking it when you’re two. We do like a little tea with our sugar.

~ Southerners do drink sweet tea for every meal and with everything all year long. And it’s sweet, sweet, sweet. I used to order a Coke when I was a brand new “newcomer” and people would look at me and say “You ain’t from around here, are you?” In Atlanta, everything is a Coke. They would ask, “What kind of Coke do you want? Pepsi, Coke, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper…”   Obviously Coca Cola being headquartered in Atlanta has had a profound effect on the drinking habits of that city.

12) Backwards and forwards means, “I know everythin’  bout you.”

~ Uh oh.

13) The word “jeet” is actually a phrase meaning, “Did you eat?”

14) You don’t have to wear a watch, because it doesn’t matter what time it is. You work until you’re done or it’s too dark to see…

~ Maybe… but I can assure you that I do not subscribe to this theory. I don’t wear a watch but it’s not because I’m working until it’s too dark to see. Now playing is another matter entirely!

15) You don’t PUSH buttons, you MASH em.

~ My husband is also always asking me to “Cut off the lights.”

16) You measure distance in minutes.

17) You switch from heat to A/C in the same day.

~ Today is the perfect example of that. Woke up to 45 degree BRRRRRRR weather and this afternoon, it’s in the high 70’s. And it’s the middle of May which is really unusual for this time of year. But I will say that I have LOVED this Spring. Normally we go from 40 degree days to 90 degree days. We have had absolutely glorious weeks of 70 degree weather this year and I for one am a happy girl about that.

18) All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.

~ Drive around the South and you will see Coon Dog Days, Catfish festival, Rockin’ Ribfest, the Mosquito Festival (I’ll pass on this one), Pigs and Peaches BBQ festival, and any number of small town get togethers. All of these come complete with good food and usually great music. Love it!

19) You know what a “Dawg” is.

~ And this is not the Randy Jackson “Dawg”.

20) You carry jumper cables in your car – for your own car.

21) You only own five spices: salt, pepper, Texas Pete ,Tabasco and ketchup.

22) You find 100 degrees “a bit warm.”

~ Unfortunate but true. Humidity was obviously invented in the South.

23) You know all four seasons: Almost summer, summer, still summer, and Christmas.

24) Going to Walmart is a favorite past time known as “goin’ Walmartin” or “off to Wally World.”

~ I have always refused to patronize Walmart but it does seem to be a popular past time. Along with hittin’ rummage sales. Walmarts have long lines and kind of creepy people. But then a little Walmart (by Walmart standards) opened down from my house… by the Country Club no less. You can imagine the outcry that occured during that planning phase! It’s actually not too bad. I only go if I absolutely do not feel like driving over to the local French store, Target.

25) You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good hog killin’ weather.

~ I describe it as perfect porch-sitting weather, but whatever…

26) Fried catfish is the other white meat.

27) We don’t need no dang Driver’s Ed…  If our mama says we can drive, we can drive dag-nabbit.

~ I’ve always wondered how to spell dag-nabbit. Now if I only knew how to spell that other Southern beauty… dad gummit. It’s the closest thing to a cuss word I’ve ever heard my husband say. He’s one of those Sophisticated Southern Types. Not to mention totally handsome. Yes, I’m a lucky Belle!

Some things I love about the South:  My husband stands up when I leave the table and when I come back.  He opens my car door… every time. My children say “Ma’am”  and “Sir”  out of habit. I can be treated like a lady and it doesn’t mean I’m weak. Strangers invite me to church. And they hold the door for me, even if I’m empty-handed. It only snows a few times a year and then only lasts a day or so before our beautiful weather returns. And if it is going to snow or ice or be ice cold, it’s a several-week worthy news story full of excited anticipation and much grocery shopping. The world is green and blossoming most of the year but we still get to see the beauty of Fall. There are 3 churches on every corner. If you are hurt, sad, have a nasty cold, or your Great Aunt Sally died,  you will end up with more meals than your refrigerator can hold.  People hug. Family traditions and stories are revered and passed down from generation to generation. We eat a lot of deviled eggs, pimento cheese and BBQ.

I could go on and on. I love the South. I love the people here and I love majesty that God saw fit to put here. In my eyes, it is Heaven on earth. I’m so lucky to live here.

I have a beautiful friend named Tanya.  She recently celebrated her 15th wedding anniversary with her sweetie. Hopefully most of you have a friend like Tanya. A sweet, kind, gentle person who sings like an angel and always has a smile on her face. A person who faces adversity with grace and strength and is a constant example of what a Christian really is. I know if Tanya is reading this, she’s probably shaking her head at me for exaggerating, but that’s just because Tanya is pretty humble. A few months ago I was looking around during Communion (I know… I know… my husband has already lectured me about that so no need on your part). I saw Tanya in a pew a few rows up and she had the most glorious and peaceful look on her face. I remember thinking, “I want to be like that.”  It’s not the first time that Tanya has been an inspiration to me and I know it won’t be the last.

For the last several years, Tanya and her husband have been faced with a situation that would have brought most of us to our knees.  Tanya’s husband (and my friend!) has been battling a very serious medical condition that has taken a lot of twists and turns. They have three small children. I’m sure at times the future seemed very scary and uncertain, and it probably still does. But you wouldn’t know it by talking to them. Not only has Tanya been a shining example of trust in our Lord, she has also been a constant source of strength for those around her. Faced with one challenge after another, she has always remained positive and prayerful. God has a pretty amazing soldier in that one. I’m so proud to call her my friend.

Below is an article that Tanya wrote for the website Build Up and Sharpen. I just love it and thank Tanya for letting me share it with you. Love you, girl!

Love
Written by Tanya Coggin

Isn’t interesting how the meaning of a favorite scripture can change with time and still remain the same?

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-7).

Isn’t it interesting how the meaning of a favorite scripture can change with time and still remain the same?

1 Corinthians 13. The LOVE chapter! When I was 16, I spent part of my summer as a camp counselor for abused and neglected children. One evening, a leader gave a simple devotional about putting your name in place of the word love …. Tanya is patient, Tanya is kind …. Uh oh. I had some work to do! Still do …. this devotion opened my eyes to God’s design for me.

Five years later, I was blessed enough to meet my future husband. Before I started planning for our wedding, I knew THE chapter to include. Holding hands at the altar, I remember that perfect moment, the feeling of security in His love and Mike’s love for me. The sweet looks on our family members’ faces as we declared our love for one another.

Years pass and love grows. Meanings change. Flash forward to age 26, holding Mike’s hand as he recovers from major surgery. A few more years, to age 34, holding hands during more medical treatments and tests. Listening. Loving. Wondering “Why us, Lord?” Waiting.

When appearances change and the white picket fence needs mending (or at least a fresh coat of paint!), what do we hold onto?

That same simple love! His love for us … so much LOVE that He would send His son to die for us. Our love for one another and our love for others drives us.

I still hold onto His promise of love and each day try to make Tanya more patient and kind …. His work in me continues! Thank God for His spiritual gifts!

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

This Friday, May 15, 2009, I will be participating in Relay for Life. I was signed up to do it last year but I had a very unfortunate bout with pneumonia, including a week in the hospital, surgery and a chest tube… so I didn’t make it. Considering it is in 2 days and I am apparently healthy, I’m confident that this year I will be a Participant! I can’t wait!

Relay for Life is sponsered by the American Cancer Society. They explain it better than I can:

Relay For Life is a life-changing event that brings together more than 3.5 million people to:

Celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight.
Remember loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, people who have walked alongside people battling cancer can grieve and find healing.
Fight Back. We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease.

I am part of the John Knox Presbyterian team. Go John Knox!!! I love my church for many reasons but the main one is the amazing people who are a part of it. We have a little fireball in charge of our Relay team and this year, she’s in charge of our whole city. And she’s a cancer survivor. Miss Georgia is a true Belle in every sense of the word: from her beautiful Southern accent to her way of making everyone feel special. We are all so fortunate to have her on our team.

I’m positive that most of us have been touched by cancer in some way. Unfortunately it’s usually because we’ve lost a loved one to it or have been touched by it ourselves. I’ve spent the past year watching my best friend conquer breast cancer. She lost her hair but not her spirit and now her hair looks better than ever! Relay for Life starts out with a Survivor Lap around the track and I can’t wait to see my friends take that walk.

Relays take place all around the country. It’s a fun event, raises money to find a cure, and is a way to honor those we have lost and those we continue to support in the fight.  Check and see if there is a Relay in your area.

If you’d like to donate to my team, I’d happily accept! Just click here.

The Grits girl… if you’ve been in a store somewhere in the South, particularly one that sells to tourists, you’ll have seen a a T-shirt or some other product about being a GRIT girl. Girls Raised in the South.  I just love the book, The Grits Guide to Life. It’s a very funny & informative guide to being Southern and being a Grit. I particularly like when they point out that if you weren’t born in the South, you can still be a Grit… a Girl Refined in the South. I guess that’s me.

The book is full of Grit Wisdom. The first one deals with grits themselves… the food, not the women.

Grits Pearl of Wisdom #1

Grits are eaten with butter, gravy or cheese – never sugar.

I used to really, really dislike grits. I didn’t really understand the fascination with grits or anyone’s desire to consume them. They looked like, and tasted like, bland mush. I realize now that a Belle’s love of grits will definitely be influenced by the maker of the grits. I’ve had really bad grits, and I’ve had absolutely yummy grits. The yummy grits generally have tons of butter, cheese and probably garlic. For some reason when I was expecting (Magnolia absolutely does not approve of the word “pregnant”) my daughter, I began to crave grits. I don’t know why. Maybe being pregnant expecting a real, live Southern Belle influenced my taste buds. Whatever the reason, I now really like grits, if they are good.

Here’s a recipe from the Grits book.

Cheesy Grits Casserole

1 cup grits, quick or regular
1/2 cup margarine
3 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup sweet milk
1/2 pound cheddar cheese
1/2 pound fried bacon, crumbled

Cook grits according to package instructions. Add margarine to hot grits and stir until melted.  Add cheese and stir. Combine eggs with milk and stir into grits. Add crumbled bacon. Pout into greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle extra cheese on top if you desire. Bake 30 to 40 minutes at 325° until mixture is set and light browned. The center is the last to cook.  Yields 8-12 servings.

Sounds really low in calories, doesn’t it? But I guess the calories is what makes them taste good.

Do you have a family recipe for grits you’d like to share?  I’m on the search for the best grits recipe!

I saw this little miracle product on TLC’s What Not to Wear. Carmindy, the makeup artist, uses it a lot and I’m always willing to give something new a try. A few drops of Transformer turns any eye shadow into a great eye liner. It lasts and lasts and really cuts down on having to buy a bunch of eyeliners. It’s a little bottle but you only use a couple of drops at a time, so it lasts forever! Don’t put it directly into your eyeshadow though!

I also have the Paula Dorf brush that goes with it and I highly recommend that as well. It’s angeled and you can do a thin line or a thick line. Very versatile! The eye liner is waterproof but does wash off easily.

Give it a try! Just think of all the eye shadows you have just sitting there, waiting to become an awesome, waterproof eye liner!

This magical solution instantly turns eyeshadow into a liquid liner. Simply place a few drops into the eyeshadow cover, dab brush into liquid, glide along the outer edge of the shadow and then apply to eyelid. Never put Transformer directly into eyeshadow!

Paula’s Tip: To create the illusion of fuller lashes, dab color on the upper inside root of lashes, all along the lashline.

Here’s the link to the brush.

Paula Dorf Angle Liner Brush     Paula Dorf’s Angle Liner brush is the perfect tool for applying shadow as a liner. Dampen the brush and dip it into your shadow pot to pick up some color, then lightly press the brush along the lashline.

Let me know how you like it!

Mother’s Love
Her love is like
an island in life’s ocean,
vast and wide
A peaceful, quiet shelter
From the wind, the rain, the tide.
‘Tis bound on the north by Hope,
By Patience on the West,
By tender Counsel on the South
And on the East by Rest.
Above it like a beacon light
Shine Faith, and Truth, and Prayer;
And thro’ the changing scenes of life
I find a haven there.
Author Unknown

Being a mom…. For many years it was something I didn’t think I wanted or ever do. Then it became something I couldn’t accomplish without a lot of prayer, pain and medical intervention. But I did accomplish it and now I am watching my two little rascals swimming in the pool, squealing with delight. I find motherhood to be both extraordinarily rewarding and confounding at the same time. There are moments of absolute joy and also moments of total frustration. Thankfully the moments of joy come much, much more often. Is there anything better in this world than the feel of a little hand in yours, wholly trusting you to lead them down the right path? Or the sound of a child’s belly laugh and unadulterated glee at the littlest thing? Or the smell of a freshly bathed baby, all warm and snuggly?

I love being a mother. The gifts my children give me are far more numerous and valuable than the ones I give them. And yet tomorrow, on Mother’s Day, they will give me their little gifts, handmade cards, and sweet kisses, hoping to make me feel special and honored. Little do they know that they give me the most precious gift of all every day just by being my children. Don’t get me wrong…. I fully intend to enjoy my special day and am hoping it starts with a piping hot cup of coffee in bed. But inside I will be quietly thanking the Lord for these two amazing little souls that I get to enjoy every day and for as long as He sees fit.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! I hope you each feel wanted, loved and adored tomorrow and beyond.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

When I first moved to the South, I fell in love with all the lovely Southern names, especially all the Double names. A lot of girls in the South have two first names and you better not make the mistake of just using the first one. I did that only one time and got a big dressing down by the owner of that particular double name. I know many girls that have their mother’s maiden names as part of their double name. Southerners love their heritage and history! I do believe that many of our Modern Belles just pick double names that they like which might explain all the little ones I know named Anna Katherine, Anna Grace, Anna Kate, Emma Kate, etc.

I have also found that Southerners do not constantly shorten your name. Growing up in the North, I was always called Sue. Yuck. Despite all my attempts to get back to my given name, it was pretty much a lost cause. But here in my precious South, I am Susanne and no one has ever tried to call me Sue. My children have friends named James, Andrew, Joseph, Jonathan, Katherine and that is what they are called. But don’t get me wrong… I also know plenty of Jimmys, Billys, Rickys, and Juniors. It’s a lovely mix!

You will also find a lot of girls with names that sound like last names… generally because they are. Southerners also have a tendency to go by their middle name. This is very popular in my husband’s family (including him!) and we have continued that with my son. He was three before he actually knew his first name. I’m still not sure he can spell it. Unfortunately the practice of going by a middle name means a lot of beautiful first names are just sitting out there unused. When we were expecting our first child, I had a whole host of nieces and nephews and several had unused first names that I really loved. It was very tempting to actually use one but I was informed that this was not proper. Using a family name is definitely the appropriate route to go but when you have 12 nieces and nephews, all the “good” family names are already in use. Magnolia informed me that we were free to use Lorenzo but I politely declined.

Here is an excerpt from A Southern Belle Primer on Southern names:

When Southern belles want to join local committees and organizations, they rarely have to fill out applications forms to tell people who they are. That’s because Southern belles have names that are walking family trees. It doesn’t matter where you go in the South, because the entire South seems to be married to one another.

In some towns you can find Davis Carlyle Sotheby and her first cousin Sotheby Carlyle Davis and they are both leading tours for the local pilgrimage. They have cousins in places like Little Rock and Augusta named Carlyle Sotheby Smith and Smith Carlyle Jenkins. When cousins marry, they are likely to name their daughter Carlyle Davis Carlyle.

The use of double first names like Rebecca Ann or Jennifer Mary are also common. Double names are usually given to honor both grandmothers.

There are lots of children in the South named Rhett and Scarlett. Almost all of their families are newcomers. One belle in Savannah recalls that a magazine writer from New York once interviewed her about her hometown for an article. The writer ignored the established local Southern names and asked where in the South would he have to go to find a young girl named Scarlett.

“Well, not in Savannah,” the Georgia belle said. “And I wouldn’t bother with Atlanta either. I think you’re looking for someone you might find in southern Chicago.”

Ouch.

First of all, I apologize for my total lack of blog commitment the last month. I have heard from many people (shocking me to pieces) asking when Modern Belle would be back. It has been a crazy month.

We spent the first week of April in Curacao. It was a great trip but the island was not at all what I was expecting. The ocean was a gorgeous shade of turquoise and you could literally go out 20 feet and be able to snorkle to your little heart’s content, seeing all kinds of amazing things. You will have to take my husband and son’s word for that since I don’t like to go underwater and just watched and waved from under my palapa on the beach. What I didn’t expect was how desert-like the island was, full of cactus and iguanas. We rented a dune buggy, complete with Dutch guide, our last day and went off-roading all over the island. That’s the only way to even see the uninhabited north side of the island. The waves there come crashing into the cliffs, water is spraying everywhere, and you are standing on a vast land of old coral. Being a Dutch island, there is certainly a Dutch influence and lots of Dutch people living there. Curacao is a total blend of all different heritages. It was lovely, the people were so nice, and we all had a wonderful time.

We arrived home to a home renovation in progress. Our upstairs is a complete work in progress. I am currently living out of a suitcase in my son’s room and my bed is in the music room downstairs. This is my first renovation and I didn’t realize how much I was going to have to be involved on a daily basis. Decisions, decisions. We also decided to add on to our deck, screen in our sunroom, have stone walls and a firepit built, and do some big-time landscaping all at the same time. I have been spinning in circles for weeks but I do see light at the end of the tunnel! The backyard is almost finished and I was just enjoying listening to the rain on my new screened porch. Heaven! My contractor has assured me that they only have 3 more weeks on the upstairs and I can live with that. Especially when I think about my new 10 x 15 walkin closet, my 6 foot soaking tub with heater, my upstairs laundry, all that beautiful tile….. I’m drooling just imagining it! After 10 years in my home, I’m finally going to have a closet and a tub I can fit into!

Stay tuned for an exciting new look for Modern Belle and daily posts….. I think.

Oh… I just remembered! My Lady Banks Rose looks just lovely on the new deck. They were able to build around her and she now has a very fine looking arbor to call home. I’ll post a picture soon although I missed her in all her yellow-bloom glory. You’ll just have to imagine the blanket of blooms when you see the picture.