Charleston Two

We took Conrad, the same day as the "hair hat" day - downtown for some learnin' !

First - the market. It IS the old slave market, which is a sad and terrible thing. But they have preserved it and now it's like a giant flea market. Each one (there are four) has an opening on each end and the Sweetgrass Ladies sit at each opening. They weave the sweetgrass baskets - Charleston is known for them and they cost more than a car. Ok not really - maybe an older car ...

Ah - a water fountain. Donated by the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1896. You go girls! I am a TRUE Daughter of the Confederacy by birth - and so proud ... so I took the pic. Also, God bless Jefferson Davis. Just saying ...

Me and the cannonballs. Waterfront Park - known for the cannons and cannonballs there. I have a picture, taken in the 70's, of my Aunt Margie (may she rest in peace), in her nun habit, there by the cannonballs. So I got one taken of myself there as well. Made me briefly feel closer to her. I didn't have a nun habit handy, but I was wearing black- so it was meant to be, I guess.

Karyn and Conrad self- portrait on The Battery. Like a seawall, of sorts.

Ft Sumpter. Get out your history books - or your Bible- (kidding!) and you would know the first shots of the War of Northern Agression were fired from this spot - you can still visit there. You just go to Patriots Point and they have a boat that goes out to the fort in Charleston Harbor several times a day. The last time I went was with my good friend and Southern sympathizer, Tracy ... ah, good times were had that day. I think we were hungover from the moonshine the night before, but we have pics of the day and we don't look that bad.

Conrad with Ft Sumpter in the background. He probably has family that fought in the war there, but we'll never know because the boy AND his family know nothing about their heritage ... and show no signs of even wanting to know. *sigh* I hope we don't have to do a blood test on him eventually.

A shot of the canal my mom and stepdaddy live near. This was taken from the yard of the restaurant there. It was GOOD- they had a philly steak sandwich that will knock your socks off. My mom had one with no cheese and no peppers and no sauce. I don't know really what that is- a dry steak and onion sandwich I guess. I had mine the REAL way and I would almost kiss a Yankee to get the recipe.

Last day of the trip will be the next post. We went to visit the Swamp Fox!

Kah

Benjy's

You will be pleased to note the "old married couple" - (1 year, 5 months TODAY) got out of the house this evening AND out of our ten mile comfort zone ... we never seem to stray too far on the weekends, unless it's back to Dallas to see fam and friends.

So I got tickets (and a parking pass) to the Astros game tonight. It's the next to last one for the season. I'm not an Astros fan - and I really don't care about baseball - but sometimes it's good to get out and participate in what's going on with your city - and who I am, REALLY, to keep the people from enjoying my company? I try to pretend I am still a Dallas-ite, but the truth is, I've been here three years ... we own a house here, I married a man who lives here and likes it here, I have a great job - and even tho' I miss my friends in Dallas, I've suddenly found myself with quite a few good ones here too ... *sigh* - so Dallas in my heart and Houston in my reality.

So we kicked off the evening at Benjy's. http://www.benjys.com/

It has foo foo food - Conrad is not a fan - but he had been to this place before and he knew I would love it, so he suggested it and I did love it.

They have stuff like (and I am making this up, but this is how the menu reads):
Quail stuffed with hazelnut and asparagus spears over a bed of corn polenta, with blue corn chips
or .... Parmasean crusted wild salmon on a bed of wilted lettuce with dill lemon vinegarette

I am SO all over that kind of stuff. The more fancy and imporant I feel, the better! This place was just that kinda place and even better, you get to see all the other people who think they are hot stuff come in and out. Women teetering on heels they shouldn't be on- women in thigh high boots with jeans (it was 91 degrees today) ... I mean RIDICULOUS people.

It was awesome! I had a beef and noodle salad in a seasame-soy sauce. It was good - but it did NOT stop me from ordering some loaded nachos at the ballpark. Conrad totally understood. It's just something you have to do.

Big props to Conrad for making the outing great and for making sure we ate somewhere he knows I would like. LOVE you C!

Kah

Charleston- Part Uno

Hey ya'll!

Happy Friday. We had homemade BLT's for dinner and I just pulled chocolate chip and sugar cookies out of the oven. It is the WEEKEND! It's just starting to get brisk out there (mostly in the morning) and I found pumpkin spice creamer at Target this week and I.AM.READY for fall!

Ok so the Charleston part of our trip has way too many pictures, so I have to spread it out a little more. The day after Savannah, we decided to take Conrad downtown - to Charleston to really see the city. The old slave market, The Battery, Rainbow Row, Waterfront Park - we wanted him to see it all.

The first thing he saw was a 28" pizza. It's the biggest one I've ever seen in my life. It was good too! Giovanni's downtown, across the street from the market. Super yum - we couldn't finish it.

After shopping and walking around ... we hit one of those tourist type shops. This is the place where I made Conrad wear the Confederate hat - seen in the post a few posts ago ... I, however, found the long hair hat ... and I put it on and IMMEDIATELY looked like a prison escapee - on the lam- out to cut as many people as possible.

My mother, however, looked like Little Bo Peep, missing her sheep. Why IS that?

... and then I don't know ... preening for her sheep?

My stepdad? Just crawled out of the river, deep in the woods of Georgia - someone start the Deliverance music! Even more scary? Later that night he showed us pics of himself, several years back, with an impressive mullet - and he looked very much like he does below.

Good times were had by all that day. My stepdad bought a T shirt that said "It's my Duty to Please that Booty" .... and it tickled me so bad, I laughed all the way back to the car. I laughed so hard I couldn't walk up the parking garage stairs. HIGH-larious.

to be continued ....

Kah

Savannah

I am SO sorry ... I just have not "felt it" when thinking about blogging. I have been exhausted every night when I get home. Now the cooler weather is coming, it's been raining and I've made some headway on my bills - one of my cards- and suddenly I am feeling better.

Ok, so then here was our day trip to Savannah. First of all, SPECIAL MOMMY HUG to MY mommy ... she got us VIP tickets to Ms Paula Deen's - The Lady & Sons restaurant. They start taking names at 7AM and I heard the lady at the podium say by 7:15 they were sold out for lunch and dinner. CRAZINESS. Mom got us a reservation for 12:15. It made my entire trip I was SO excited. It was all I cared about doing. So without further ado ... the famous Lady & Sons!
Poor Conrad and Stepdaddy Brian - we drug them there and they took it well ... and here is Conrad. I wanted him to be famous and have proof he was there. He likes Paula Deen but only because he is convinced she secretly talks dirty during her show- like when she moans and talks about "drizzling" chocolate or something on her desserts. He just howls. He thinks she is so bad! ... and ALL thosse people in the pic are there begging to be let in. I think it goes on all day long.

Ah ok- so there are THREE stories at Lady & Sons - and each floor has it's own kitchen and own buffet ... and that's what three of us had. The EXCELLENT buffet ... Conrad had the crabcake sandwich. The buffet items were: fried chicken, ribs, black eyed peas, mashed potatoes and gravy, rice, lima beans, mac n cheese (OMG!) collared greens and sweet potatoes. BABY - it was GOOD. They also give each person a cheddar garlic biscuit and cornpone.... and yes I SURE DID take a picture of my lunch. I wanted to remember it forever - and I can still taste the greens.

Oh- and even tho' she wasn't there, I did get an autographed cookbook from Paula Deen. It is and shall remain one of my prized possesions and it wasn't even expensive. It was only $15 - which is good I mean even for a normal cookbook. They can run $10-50 - you know? So this just tells me her celebrity has not gotten to her head and she doesn't think she's all that and a basket of cornpone, ya mean ???? I LOVE HER!

We had a super fun time. My next blog will be about our day in Charleston, my hometown. THAT was a funny day!

... and a big happy birthday to my Papa Dick up in heaven - I think this would have been # 88 ... and also a big happy birthday to my mom (tomorrow). I guess she was his birthday present and I am excited to say she is 29!

Ok, TGIF

Kah

Confederate Conrad

That's what I'm talkin' about!

Back on Track

Our router broke! We were without internet for FOUR DAYS! It's crazy how much you reach for your computer during the day and very frustrating when you can't use it!

Anyway, tomorrow is Bible study night, but afterwards - I am hoping to come home and download my pics and start posting about our vaca.

We went back home, well MY home, to Charleston SC and also went to Savannah and the highlight of the trip was eating at Ms Paula Deen's resturant in Savannah, The Lady and Sons. THANKS MOM!!!!

Anyway, I will detail it all for you shortly. :)

Hope you all have a good week.

Kah

Back!

Hey ....

We've been gone on vacation but home safe now. Sorry for the silence. I left computers and cell phones behind!

We were in Charleston with my mom and made a quck jaunt to Savannah too!

I will start posting all about it with pics. Fab time!

Kah

Fall

I went to Starbucks this morning and OH MY GAH ... Pumpkin Spice latte is BACK! It's not even November. They brought it back early this year!

Pumpkin Spice Latte is like THANKSGIVING IN MY MOUTH.

I was so happy ...

Kah

Posting just to post

Whenever the end of the month falls on say a MONDAY, like it did this month ... it just exhausts me. It's two days of running around like crazy and while you're trying to close, regular business doesn't stop ... so I have been so tired. Sorry for not posting. I don't even really have much to say but I didn't want you to wait for a whole week - which seemed to be rapidly approaching.

Nothing really to say or add, sorry for being so boring. I appear to be in somewhat of a mood.

Hopefully the holiday weekend will snap me out of it. LOVE having a short week! .... and I also love that the weather is starting to change. Come on FALL!

Kah