Dixie Carter,

The first time I became aware of Dixie Carter was sometime in the early 1970's. She was playing the part of Olivia Brandeis Henderson on one of my favorite Soap Operas, The Edge of Night. I couldn't remember exactly what the role was, only that she was a lawyer of some kind. Actually, she played an assistant District Attorney from 1974-1976. Even though I don't remember the details of the role, I remember how I was struck by her beauty, charm and strength.

I lost track of Dixie in the next few years while I was busy changing diapers, potty training, wiping runny noses and rocking my babies to sleep. Fast forward a few years and my girls are teenagers, enjoying watching television with their mama.

Now I have always loved southern women. In fact, to this day, I think I should have been born a southern women. They are without a doubt my favorite females on earth. Add to that strong minded, smart, beautiful southern women and whoop-di-doo, you have my attention. All that equals Designing Women, which my girls and I fell in love with.

Never before, or since, has there been such a great cast of women, great writing, and great acting. It was a sacred ritual that Paige, Gretchen and I sat down together to watch DW every week. When Paige went off to college, we taped every episode and watched them all together when she came home for holidays. Nothing could become between the Wo*****er Women and Designing Women.

I've purchased the first two seasons of this show and am watching them by myself these days, making plans to watch some of the episodes this summer when the girls come home for a visit. Although there are many, many delightful skits featuring all of the talented actresses of DW, Delta Burke, Jean Smart and Annie Potts, this one is a classic.

Bon Voyage, Julia Sugarbaker.

May 25, 1939 - April 10, 2010

~Hippo Hugs~

It's Tuesday

It snowed this morning, but I was determined to bring spring to my front door.

Hippo Hugs

Random Tuesday

Cheryl revived her Random Tuesday post today and I thought I'd just continue the tradition here. If you're interested, you can answer here or post this on your own blog. Come along and join the fun.



1. I was so excited when I bought____________________

If you've been reading, you know I bought a new dress recently. I bought it without trying it on and brought it home thinking I would probably return it. But, then I tried it on and I was smitten. I love that dress and I'm really excited about it.



2. If I had some "mad money" to spend right now, I'd buy__________________.

We received a flyer from Bed Bath and Beyond today and this is what I'd buy.

It's a La-Z-Boy recliner for my sun porch. It is just what I've been looking for. The problem is that I bought two chairs last summer. This chair is $297 and I don't know if I can justify it.

3. I really shouldn't have_________________________________.

I really shouldn't have stopped for a McDonald's Frappe this morning, but it tasted soooo good.

4. _________________made me cry.

Talking to Shelly today, about Bruce's accident and recovery , made me cry. It has been such a long and arduous journey for them and they have so far to go. It hurts to see your precious friends hurt.

5. _________________made me laugh a lot.

Gretchen told us a story about a happening at her workplace recently. I couldn't stop laughing. No one understood what made me laugh so much, but I was really tickled. If I were to tell you the story now, I would break up in laughter once again. It just hit me that way.

6. _______________us awesome.

God is awesome. He never fails me. He covers me with his grace and rewards me with his mercy. What more can I say?

7. I just cannot believe___________________.

I just cannot believe that my hand is so sore tonight. The doctor says this is arthritis. It hasn't hurt me at all while I was in the Southwest. Tonight, I can hardly type. Now, that doesn't mean I'm complaining. Just sayin'.

8. I'm really looking forward to__________________.

OMIGOSH! So many things. I'm looking forward to having both the girls home this summer. We are already making plans for the things we'll do in one short week. I'm looking forward to our trip to the Pacific Northwest next fall. I'm looking forward to getting some scrapbooking done. I'm looking forward to the LPGA and Laverne & Cathy's visit. I"m looking forward to spending the rest of my life with my love, Jim.

9. The weather right now is__________________________.

The weather right now is beautiful. Everything is beginning to bloom, the grass is green and the temperature is mild. Who could ask for more?

10. My mood right now is_____________________.

My mood right now is better than it was earlier today. I read something on FB that hurt my feelings and caused me to be angry. Then I received a wonderful prayer on email from a dear friend. It was as if the Lord spoke directly to me telling me to give it up and allow him to love through me.

11. I couldn't believe it when_________________.

I couldn't believe it when Jim told me that the riding mower started right up this morning. He had gone out and bought a battery charger which he didn't need after all.

12. And now I'm going to__________________.

And now, I 'm going to watch NCIS.

~Hippo Hugs~

Home Again

We arrived home about 1:30 PM EDT yesterday, tired, but very happy to be home. You all saw how hard it was for me to leave Nevada. I really like it there. I feel so at home and comfortable. I'm sure if I had to stay through the very hot summer, I would complain, but while we are there all is just wonderful.

But give me a couple of days on the road and I'm thinking home and all the wonderful things that await me here. The only problem is just that. All the things that need to be done to prepare for summer. This morning, I just sat here and wondered, "Where oh where, do I start?"

I have to keep reminding myself that everything doesn't have to be done this week. I am almost all unpacked. That in itself is a great accomplishment. Jim was like a human dynamo today and got a lot of stuff done. I, however, am a much slower starter. I did get to CURVES this morning and managed to get groceries. I thought that was a lot.

This afternoon found me going to calling hours for my friend, Kathy's, dad. He was 96 years old and sat down in his chair and left this life. Oh what a way to go. He was a really great guy and enjoyed his life until it was over.

We have come home to spring and it feels really good. I took some pictures today to prove it.

As you can see, the weeds are very prominent. I guess I need to dig a few dandelions sometime in the next few days. We are at least three weeks ahead of the normal spring. I worry about a really hard frost doing damage.

I know I've made a lot of fun about Jim worrying about his grass, but he was right. The grass is really high. Tomorrow, he'll get the mower overhauled and probably be mowing.

I know we'll get into a groove and catch up soon. Just for now, I'm still a little overwhelmed.

~Hippo Hugs~

Oh, Oh, Omaha

I really sounded pathetic in my last post, didn't I? Truly, it isn't really that bad. I just have a hard time with change. I always have, probably always will.

We are now more than halfway home and I am feeling much better. I still miss Gretchen and Brian, but what's new? I miss Paige too. I always miss my girls, but they are doing what they were meant to do and that's good.

We had a beautiful trip through the Rockies yesterday as evidenced by the following:

I just kept snapping pictures. The topography changes at every turn. No matter how many times we take this route, we still continue to ooh and ahh all the way up route 70. This time, we took a little side trip to Boulder, CO and saw some absolutely beautiful sights.

Boulder is a delightful little city. We stayed in probably the nicest Quality Inn we have ever seen, in Boulder. We met our friend, Dan, on Pearl Street, a pedestrian area with sweet shops and nice restaurants.

We enjoyed fun rooftop dining and had a coffee at an outside Starbuck's. The time with Dan was great. He is a real favorite of both Jim and I, and seeing him as a successful young adult was a joy to both of us.

Today was driving through Nebraska. What else can I say? We saw lots of cows. Tonight finds in a Comfort Inn in Omaha where we stay every year on our way back home. It's a really nice Inn with a restaurant. We love not having to leave the hotel and search for a place to eat.

Now that we are well on our way home, we are anxious to get there. I had an email today inviting me to lunch with some of my sweet friends from W**lw**th. Something more to look forward to.

Life is good. Here we are more than half way home, enjoying each others' company, tired and ready for a good night's sleep.

More tomorrow.

~Hippo Hugs~

Leavin' Las Vegas

Here we are in Richfield, UT, resting, sleeping, preparing to continue our journey back home tomorrow.

I love my home in Upstate, NY. I love my friends, my church, my neighbors, but it kills me to leave Nevada each spring. Saying goodbye to Gretchen and Brian breaks our hearts. It is so tearing to leave them. Then I love my Bible study group at Green Valley UMC and the church services. We also have good fellowship with friends at Advent UMC where Brian and Gretchen attend. All in all, we really love our time in Henderson.

But we know when we come out that we will be going back home. We wouldn't want to leave our home permanently, so here we are in this bittersweet moment. Tomorrow will be easier, we will be one day out and looking forward to meeting our friend, Dan A. in Boulder for dinner.

By Friday, my mind will be on our home, the things that need to be done this spring, on our flower and vegetable gardens, on seeing my friends, breakfast with The Losers, getting ready for VBS, and on and on. In other words, I will be fine.

We're looking forward to our summer plans which are many and include a visit from both our girls in July.


In case I sound pathetic and pitiful, here is a picture of just one of the happy spots in my day.

I ordered the silver dollar platter. When it arrived, I had to look twice before I realized that I had Mickey Mouse pancakes. After this fun breakfast, we got in the card on a beautiful, sunshiny day and started home. After all, there's no place like home.

~Hippo Hugs~

Winding Down

We have only a few more days left here in our desert escape so we are trying to pack as much in as we can.

As you may have heard, there has been an abundance of rain this winter (for the desert, that is). Consequently, we were sure we would see beautiful wildflowers if we took a trip out to Nelson's Landing and ElDorado Canyon. And, sure enough, we were not disappointed.

Everywhere we looked were patches of beautiful wildflowers. This is only a small sampling of all the beautiful photos I took on this ride into the desert.

We followed this journey with a delightful alfresco lunch at one of my favorite little restaurants in Boulder City. An absolutely perfect day.

When we were out at Red Rock Canyon with the H**ks, I discovered a moderately difficult hiking trail that I wanted to attempt. So, Friday afternoon found us, once again, at Red Rock Canyon. Can you tell that is a favorite spot of ours?

Although we enjoyed this hike out to the Calico Tanks, both Jim and I decided we might call the last part of the trail a little more than moderately difficult. It was a perfectly beautiful day and I wore my shorts and tank top, white legs and all.

Then, my dear hubby treated me to lunch at Balboa Pizza, another one of our favorite places. It was quiet at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and we enjoyed watching golf on the many flat screen tvs placed strategically around the restaurant. I think during sports is the only time when we really miss our tv set at home.

Jim had read in the paper on Friday morning that the AAA baseball team, The Las Vegas 51s, was having a home game with fireworks that evening. Soooo, off we went to the ballgame. It was, once again, a perfect night for baseball. We had great seats, four rows back, along the third base line. Jim couldn't believe what great seats we had for $14.

The 51s won 7-3, a good game, and the fireworks were fantastic. Jim and I are suckers for fireworks anyway, so we were in seventh heaven.

Are you tired yet? Cuz, I'm not done. Last summer when I came out to camp, I met Kellie. Now Kellie is the age of my daughters, but she and I bonded almost immediately. What a dear woman she is. She lives in Arizona, not too far from Las Vegas. So, she and her family drove up on Saturday and I met them for lunch. We had a delightful time catching up. I am so happy that camp gave me the opportunity to meet Kellie and her family.

Today we went to church and out to breakfast. The afternoon was spent watching The Masters. Now we are looking forward to seeing the new Cirque du Soleil show, Viva Elvis tomorrow night.

It's hard to believe that our two months here in Henderson is almost at an end. But, the lawn and our home are waiting for us in Upstate, NY.

~Hippo Hugs~

Oh What a Night!

There are some shows you never tire of seeing. Mama Mia, Les Mis, Miss Saigon, and for me, Jersey Boys. Maybe because the music of the Four Seasons coincides with my late teen years, maybe because You're Just Too Good to Be True is "our song", whatever the reason, these guys and their music really cause me to smile, and smile and smile.



So, Tuesday evening, my poor face actually hurt by the end of the evening. Jim and I went to see Jersey Boys for the second and one half time. The one half is a story in and of itself, left for another day. The second time, however, was not a disappointment.



When we go to the theater, we hardly ever buy refreshments. The tickets themselves are enough to drain our entertainment coffers. But, I have personal money, you know and decided to treat us to an adult beverage. Just that made it seem like an exciting date night.



Then, I had on my new dress. When I went shopping (for something Springy to wear for Easter) I saw this dress and bought it on a whim. I brought it home with reservations, but decided to try it on again before I decided to keep it. It just felt so good on and made me feel so good. I had to keep it...along with the jewelery I bought to go with it.

So there we were, all gussied up, adult beverages and the curtain going up on one of our favorite shows. The show was wonderful, once again. We held hands through the whole thing, feeling like those young kids we were back in the day. And then, we ended the evening with a delicious dinner at the Grand Lux Cafe. This restaurant never fails to please us with their great food and service.

"Oh What a Night!"

~Hippo Hugs~

Easter and Balloon Animals

What a blessed Easter celebration we had. We decided to attend the traditional service at Green Valley UMC in stead of the contemporary one. The church was full as the Chancel Choir opened the service. There was a full choir, bell choir as well as organ, piano and brass accompaniment. It was glorious.

Pastor had a wonderful sermon about redemption and rebirth. The singing was exhilarating and the fellowship was heartwarming and encouraging. The postlude organ solo was tumultuous. All in all, it was a perfect way to worship our risen Saviour.

Jim and I were invited to Gretchen and Brian's for a late lunch/early dinner celebration which included their dear friends Karin and Jeremiah. This couple is such fun and such great friends for our children.

Brian outdid himself with the ribs. The rub was a concoction of his own, accompanied by a good bar-b-q sauce. Add to the main dish, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, delicious asparagus and you have a perfect meal. Dessert came later and we all enjoyed that too.

Last week, while we were in San Diego, I happened to mention that I would like to learn to make balloon animals. The kids took that to heart and bought me a kit which includes balloons, a pump to inflate said balloons and a little instruction pamphlet. Of course, I also mentioned that I want to learn French, but they didn't run out and buy me a $400 Rosetta Stone course.

Anyway, yesterday they hauled out the balloon animal kit and insisted I practice. Let me say that I think learning French might be easier than making balloon animals. Here is what was supposed to be a butterfly.

Blogger isn't exactly cooperating today, but as you can see, Gretchen had a little better luck than I did. Actually, Jeremiah did a much better job than either of us, but I was pouting and didn't take a picture of his lion.

I guess I had better close this post and get to practicing.

~Hippo Hugs~

Happy Easter

He is risen indeed! Happy Easter to all my dear friends in Blogland.

~Hippo Hugs~

San Diego Days

We spent Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in San Diego with Brian and Gretchen. The weather was cooperative (despite predictions of rain), the company was exquisite, the zoo, Old Town, the beach, the food, all speak for themselves. I can hardly wait to go again.
I think I left my heart in San Diego.

~Hippo Hugs~