Last weekend of September...

My mom is back home from North Carolina. Although she lives in Pensacola (about 1hr 20 minutes away...) it is much closer than the 9 hour drive to N.C.

Mom decided to drive over Saturday and spend the weekend with us. I had to work, Hubby had to work, but we were all going to meet at home around 5:30.

I get a call from mom about 4:30 - she *thought* she had a flat (heard a pop and then the car started shaking violently...) but saw no evidence of a flat tire... hmmm... what to do? Well, she inspected the tires a little closer and saw that the front driver's side tire was shredded. (Good thing she didn't lose control of the car!!!)

Told mom to wait (what else was she going to do, right?) On the way to meet Hubby at his work - pack up and get to where mom was ASAP. Mom called while I was en route and said a nice fella stopped to help her. He was glad to have a reason to stop because his bum had gone to sleep! =)

I don't know this gentleman's name, but I am thankful for him stopping. Mom said that he wouldn't take any money. He was driving from Dallas, stopping for the night in Tallahassee, then going to drive the rest of the way to Miami. His mother in law was in very poor condition last week - told them to get there ASAP. Made the trip - MIL got a bit better, so they went back home to Dallas. A couple of days later - they called to say MIL had passed away. So the trip had to be made again.

Thank you kind sir, for helping my mom.

That was about all the excitement we could handle for a Saturday night! So today, we went to Walmart to get a new tire, went to the bookstore to pick up Gregory Macguire's new book (which turns out is a book for middle school aged children - jenn - maybe gabi would like it! It is called "What the Dickens" and it is a funky story about the tooth fairy. His books are amazing.)

We also had lunch at a local chinese restaurant. (Can't wait until P.F. Changs opens!!! Anyone ever eat at one? The rumor is that once you eat at P.F. Changs - you will never want to eat at another chinese joint again...)

After some serious shopping at Walmart we stopped to get some ice cream at Marble Slab... Hubby's fave - black cherry ice cream, dark chocolate ice cream, graham cracker and strawberry mix-ins. My fave - chocolate dipped rolled in nuts waffle cone - dark chocolate ice cream with a snickers mixed in. Mom's fave - white chocolate dipped rolled in sprinkles waffle cone - strawberry ice cream and chocolate ice cream. Not thrilled with the snotty girl behind the counter swimming in attitude, but we overlooked that and enjoyed ourselves.

We also picked up the Halloween version of Yahtzee at the bookstore! Just like regular yahtzee, but the die have Halloween pictures! A haunted house, a spider, a headstone, a witches hat, a pumpkin, and a bat! Mom kicked my butt! As usual.

After mom left, Hubby and I were out in the yard admiring our flora. He just got a 'forest pansy' redbud tree, a 'brown turkey' fig tree (stinking birds already ate all the figs!!!!!!) a strawberry bush (not the kind that produces strawberries, but the blooms look like strawberries...) and a couple of butterfly bushes (one is 'bi-color' -lavender and orange, and the other is called 'midnight magic' - blackish purple.) The monarchs have begun their migration - we are on their way to Mexico. Hopefully I can get some great shots before too long.

I was, however, able to get a few shots of this cucumber beetle. Not sure if he is harmful for my roses or not, but isn't he cute???