Charitable Contributions

Chris and I have gotten a whole ton better at navigating through Memphis. We're pretty awesome at getting from our daily places to our other daily places, but once in a while we find ourselves at one new place and not quite sure how to get to another new place.

So we pull out the handy dandy iPhone or Garmin. And, it seems like we always find ourselves on an adventure.

A few weekends ago, we were traveling between some new places one afternoon, and the Garmin directed us through some neighborhoods we don't usually travel. We came to a stoplight, and there was a group of young kids, boys, all wearing red jerseys with numbers but no team name on the back, and traveling car-to-car getting money. They were putting the money in an upside-down football helmet.

Chris pulled some change out of his pocket, and handed it to one of the kids.

"There's a block party right down that street that you can go to if you want," the kid says. "They have hot dogs."

"Oh, okay thanks," Chris replied.

The kid moved on to the next car, and I busted out laughing.

"What did you just give that kid money for?" I asked.

Silence.

"I guess I don't know," Chris said, "but we can go to the block party if we want."

We both busted up laughing at this point, and continued to our original destination.

"At least they were all wearing the same jersey," I said.

"Yeah, I feel better about that," he said.

Oh Memphis, you are such a gem.

The Get-Along Gang

A lot of people ask us if Grace and Porter get along well. Many people can't imagine a cat and a dog hanging out. I try to explain how they play together, but nothing is as good as getting it on a video. 

Note how we go from grooming and some love to bite-your-eyes-out-fight. Awesome. 

Win the most delicious mushrooms!

You all know how much I love Marx Food, and now they are giving away 2 pounds of morel mushrooms! You should really enter because they more people enter, the more packages they'll give away.

Just click here!


Yummy!!!!

Happy Birthday, Porter!

Porter, you're two years old today (plus a little probably.)

Two years ago, Chris brought home Porter. He found him outside a bar, late at night, with no mother or family in site. (In reality, Grace and I were waiting patiently at home!)

Porter was so tiny!

(The artwork on the fridge was Bryce's, not Chris' as you might think.)

 Grace wasn't sure what to think of him, but she was so good with him. I think it helped that he was so little.

And, I loved him. Note how big his ears and paws were compared to his little body. 

He loved playing with Grace's tail...and still does.

And getting into places he didn't belong.

And laying on Grace's bed, where he didn't belong.

 And on me, where of course he belonged!

Then, we finally put him to work.

But he still found his way into places he didn't belong.

But he is so cute!

Happy Birthday Port Man. We love you!!

Now get out of the sink and put that stopper back!

Neighborly Love and Hot Wings

This Saturday, after I worked the farmers' market, we met up with our neighbors and went to the Southern Hot Wing Festival downtown.

Our neighbors after some good wings.

All the proceeds went to the Roland McDonald House here in Memphis. There were tons of tents with teams cooking hot wings, and you could go up to each one, give a small donation and get some wings. We had some really good ones, and some that burned my lips off. But it was fun, and the weather could not have been any better.

Look how happy and cute we look about hot wings!

After we ate all the wings we could, we went to Earnestine and Hazel's for some refreshments. Earnestine and Hazel's is a really old place in downtown that used to be a brothel, and has been used in lots of different movies. 

They had an open room that we sat in, which was pretty cool. 

 And then Chris wanted to go upstairs. Oh my it was scary. There were all these rooms and bathrooms, and any moment you just knew someone was going to jump out at you with a chain saw.

Note the scary bathtub...but at least there used to be non-slip flower stickers. That was thoughtful.

Scary hallway.

And this room. The owner/manager/all-knowing guy came upstairs and told  us all about the history of the place, and how now, late in the evening people come up here and play cards, etc. I'm not sure Chris fits in.

We decided our day-time trip to Earnestine and Hazel's was enough for us so we moved on. It was about time to eat again, so we headed to Huey's for some burgers. As if the hot wings didn't fill our fried and grease quota for the day.

The fun thing about Huey's is that you can shoot toothpicks on the ceiling.

Lots of people have accomplished it.

Nicole had good aim.

Sean had a secret straw loading technique.

Occasionally, the toothpicks would fall back to Earth and hit one of us, but we still have all our eyeballs.

I think Chris enjoyed his interactive dinner.

 

Also at Huey's, you can write on the wall. A lot of people do it. I didn't have my huge Sharpie in my purse, but I did write my name, albeit tiny, on the wall. So just in case my signature is worth something one day, you can find it here.