Friday, June 22, 2007

Who Are You?

We have a stat counter on our blog that says we have lots of folks visiting our blog but we are curious to know who each of you are. Would you take a moment to post a comment on this posting and let us know who you are? First name or username is fine. Don't put last names for security purposes. Thank you!

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Wild Kingdom

We spent Saturday morning at the Birmingham Zoo, trying out our new family membership. Zoos have changed a lot since I was a little girl. Philip got to talk to the animals, pet the animals, and feed a few. He wasn't so sure about a few but as soon as we would leave the exhibit he would ask for "more."



Thursday, June 14, 2007

Father's Day and Anniversary Present

It's no secret to Philip that I want to get him a really good charcoal grill for Father's Day. A really good grill means that this gift will also be a combined anniversary present. After searching for the elusive combination charcoal and gas grill, I am convinced there is no such thing. This invention may be where we can make our millions. So, after much online research and reading many "grillmaster" opinions and online discussions, I think I've decided to get Philip this one:You know, nothing fancy, just a basic outdoor kitchen with a custom limestone surround, just a wee bit of slate tile for flooring which is hardy enough to withstand a grease splash. While I would want our firepit seating area to be a bit further from the grill for safety reasons, the reflecting pool that seems to be just out of frame is reason enough for my compromise. I figure we will mortgage the house, donate a kidney each, maybe sell plasma for a the next millenium and then maybe, just maybe, we could afford a hotdog to test this bad boy out. At least this girl shares her man's dream!

OK, the real grill for consideration is the Weber Performer, a charcoal grill that is gas lighted to cut the charcoal preparation time to about 10 minutes instead of 20-30. We have a fake Weber grill now so the combination of the two grills should provide enough cooking area for a larger crowd but the Performer would be ample for our standard family meal which might include grilled vegetables.
If we suffer a serious financial disaster between now and the big purchase, we can always go with this model.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

2007 Moss Family Beach Reunion We are fresh back from the annual reunion at the beach and had a great time. We also got to see Memaw and Papa Julian in Daphne and Grandmother and Grandaddy Wettermark in Mobile on our way down to the beach. In Daphne, Little Philip chased some guineas across the field and loved it when they all started cackling together before they went up to roost at night. Once again, Renie and little man stayed the entire week but Daddy spent most of the week with us before heading to Starkville for new student orientation days. This reunion had a little more activity than usual, with cousin Jimbo Moss marrying Britney Wilkes on Saturday evening. Little Philip loved the music and dancing and stayed up way past his bedtime. During the week we dined on the traditional Moss BBQ shrimp, along with some shrimp poboys and shrimp casserole, etc. While last year's trip made for some interesting beach strategy with a not-quite one year old, this year was a blast for little man, who loved the sand, surf, and sun. He also loved getting to know all of his cousins better. Daddy got up early one morning and went out to the beach to watch the sunrise. We took his word for it and saw pictures later that day. All in all, it was a wonderful week of memories, but Maggie Moss was never far from our thoughts as this was the first year both she and Boompah were not with us.















The Scoop on Homewood

I found this nifty little site tonight, just puttering around the internet. I learned a lot about our little suburban paradise here in Homewood, AL. For instance:

The 2005 median price for a home in Homewood was $209,000. Yikes, not on our side of town.
Just over 54% of Homewoodians have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
Tornadic activity is 191% higher in Homewood than the US average.

And we have no basement.