Our Last Day

Shell's car packed to the hilt!

the dips and bread from lunch

visiting while dinner was cooking

heading down to collect eggs.

Saturday was our last day with Shell. We had wanted to "spend the day" with Lady Melanie down in Birmingham but just didn't have time during the week so Shell, Lady Melanie and I came up with the plan of Shell and I driving down in Shell's car....spend the afternoon with Lady Melanie and then Shell would drive on to Gene and George's to spend the night before driving the rest of the way home and Lady Melanie would drive me home and spend the night with Chuck and I. It all worked out great! We had the best time with L. Melanie. She treated us to a wonderful lunch!!!! We had the best " minted ice tea " we have ever had in our whole lives! I think we all drank three glasses of it. First we had a three different dips . Don't ask me the names of them because I couldn't even pronouce two of them much less spell the names. ...but they sure were good! They served chips, pita bread and small pieces of bread for you to use the dips on. THEN! we all three had grouper sandwiches on a wonderful some kind of wheat bread. We were all "stuffed" when we were done. I even bought a bag of the chips to bring home. They make them right there in their deli. After lunch, Lady Melanie took us to the " Bead shop" that she goes to make jewelry. What a nice lady that owns it! We ohhhhhed and awwwwed over all the pretty beads and of course we all bought some. The owner even made me a little chicken, hangie downie thing to go on the end of a bracelet that I'm planning on making. It's so cute. Now I just have to find the time to make my bracelet. After the bead shop, it was time to go back to Carmichael Hall and tell Shell good bye. It's always so hard to tell her "good bye" because I always know it's going to be about four months before I see her again. After the hugs and tears, Shell headed south again and Lady Melanie and I headed north. I was so glad to have Lady Melanie to keep my mind off of Shell leaving. We did have a fun trip up to Moulton. We stopped at the Bakery to get butter and spices amoung some coloring books for L. Melanie's grand children. Then, just down the street is a cute little " antique shop"(which Gene and George found when they were here) so we hoped that it was open and it was! L. Melanie found a couple of things and I found another " Bird picture" to hang in the sun room. I also found this 5 x 7 ft area rug that had " CHICKENS!!!!" on it!!! They only wanted ...are you ready.... $20 for it!. I kept looking at it and just didn't know if I should get it or not. L Melanie said if I put it under the kitchen table and chairs, we would trip over it and she was right....so I didn't get it. When we got home, Chuck grilled some steaks and I put some veggies in the oven to roast. It turned out to be a pretty good dinner. ...of course a bottle of wine went with it all. After dinner, we got our jammies on and L. Melanie and I headed to the sun room to visit. ...and visit we did. We stayed up until midnight, talking. I couldn't believe how fast time went while L. Melanie was here. (I can't wait for her to come back.) After a breakfast of " fresh eggs from the girls", we walked down to the garden and then to collect more eggs. It was time for L. Melanie to head back south to "Carmichael Hall". What a busy, fun week I had!