Birmingham Blues

Late again…
15YOD had a birthday yesterday. A big one. She got her learner’s permit and her first experience behind the wheel of a car. I think she’s going to be a good driver.
Happy birthday, sweet girl — we’re glad you were born!

After my sad post a few weeks ago, my friend Miss Wild Thing gave me some great advice. Give your grief to the earth, she said. Make a garden that will honor the memory of your brother. So — I’ve been working on that, and it has been quite therapeutic.
While cleaning out [...]

I hope everyone is okay in the wake of yesterday’s storms. We lost power for about 12 hours — went to bed last night in the pitch dark to the hum of the neighbor’s generator (*grumble, grumble, grumble*). Power came back on at 4:30 this morning, and we cheered. Other than some [...]

I planted our vegetable garden today. It’s not one of those neatly laid out, orderly plots. There’s not much room, so I just stick tomatoes and peppers wherever they’ll fit, working around the mass of sage and the compost pile.

This year, I’m experimenting, trying four varieties of tomatoes. I have an Early Girl [...]

Eighteen years and counting.

We thought the whole thing was going to be a bust early this morning. We had heavy sleet during the night (it melted), but snow was nowhere to be seen. It finally started falling around 9 AM. There’s maybe an inch on the ground right now, just enough for the girls to [...]

Usually, we fall south of the snow line in Birmingham, but it looks like we might be in for some serious accumulation this weekend. Serious for Alabama, anyway.

I hope everyone has time to go to the grocery store for the obligatory bread and milk. Or beer and chips. If not, the Birminghamster [...]

It’s truly a blogger’s worst nightmare. Our power went out around 5 pm, along with that of a couple of our neighbors. We suspect a squirrel suicide brought on by reading the squirrel-hate on Jennifer’s blog.

Well, here it is. The end of a year that has sucked almost beyond belief for my family. I hesitate to say that 2008 will be better — I don’t want to jinx it — but I’m hoping.
So. Who has big plans for the evening, and what are they? Dear Husband [...]