Chatbug Karen

My family has been keeping a secret from me. For months, they have been planning this. I have been told that I didn’t make it easy. Buwahaha! Unbeknownst to me, my son, who lives in Missouri, picked up my daughter, who lives in Florida, at the airport last Thursday night. Her flight was delayed which had them walking into our house at 2 in the morning. I thought we were being robbed. LOL

It seems as if we just picked out Graduation Photo Announcements for these two and here they are, adults. Conniving adults, yes. I like their conniving.

While in Branson, we ate at a restaurant known for their scrumptious seafood. Landry’s also makes a wicked bananas foster. I have never seen such a large portion served on one plate. Unfortunately, we were too full to order dessert but that didn’t stop us from drooling over it.

Look at that crepe filled with banana and drizzled with chocolate/caramel.

I was not compensated for writing this about Landry’s yummy dessert. I certainly would have eaten it if offered!

If you haven’t noticed, our dogs rule the roost around our house. I have been bugging my husband by telling him we need to buy a motorhome. Hubby likes to travel and while I also like to travel, I don’t want to leave our dogs at home or put them up at the doggie hotel. Hubby thinks we have to pay for a motorhome! Why is there always a roadblock?

Take a look at this picture. It looks as if they are saying, “what? You want us to write a pronexin review? Do we get bacon for that? Does it require us to move?

My husband and I played hookey yesterday. At least, that is what it felt like. We had one of our employees work in our store and we headed towards Indianapolis.

I, recently, made a table runner that has become very popular with my readers over on my sewing blog, Kreated by Karen. I needed to buy more fabric and after checking fabric sites online and getting wrinkles on forehead, I decided I needed fabric therapy. I have not been fabric shopping, except to Joanne’s, for weeks! If you know me, you know that is a miracle.

One of my favorite fabric stores is Always in Stitches in Noblesville, Indiana. They have so many finished projects on display. I love their choices of colors and am always inspired after visiting their shop. I can’t wait to start sewing! I did get my fabric and have enough to make runners galore! LOL

It is hard for me to believe that it has been at least three years since we visited the Outer Banks area and saw the Currituck Lighthouse. I have been on a quest to visit lighthouses. There is something intriguing about them. Perhaps it is the assurance they provide to sailors as they journey across vast oceans. For me it is their sense of isolation. They stand alone in areas found inhabitable by most.

As ships found themselves in low and hazardous waters of the Outer Banks, they often struck land before they were aware of it. The coastline is made up of mostly brush and very few trees were found to point out the dangerous banks they were nearing. A lighthouse was needed as badly as the body needs creatine however, it wasn’t until after the Civil War that funds were found to build the Currituck Lighthouse.

Finally, a foundation of stone and timber piling was laid seven feet below ground, and well over a million bricks were used for the 162 foot tower. On December 1, 1875, the last brick lighthouse to be built on the Outer Banks was illuminated for the first time.

I am having a great time on vacation. Yes! We are on the road and enjoying every minute of it. I’ll admit, I am missing my dogs but other than that, it is nice to be traveling.

I did a lot to prepare for this vacation. In fact, I almost think the prep work is the reason we don’t take more vacations. There are the bills to pay ahead, the iphone warranty to check on, the dog kennel reservations, etc., etc. Now that we are actually on the road, I can breathe a sigh of relief and watch the world go by through the window of the car.

Have you taken a vacation lately? If so, where did you go?

While traveling through Ohio and Kentucky last week, we searched for quilt shops. We also searched for eating establishments that were locally owned. We found a wonderful place in Burlington, KY, near Florence, KY. Washington Square Cafe and Catering is one place that I am anxious to return to and share with my husband.

My sister, mom and I had the most wonderful meal that included a “to die for” bread pudding. We needed no Mesothelioma treatment after that filling meal. I had a meatloaf sandwich while mom and Grace each ate the Rueben sandwich. We tried to eat light because a man who was eating bread pudding told us that we absolutely had to have some. We took him at his word and OMG!, was he ever on the mark.

The restaurant is located in the Joseph Graves House, the 1817 building may be the oldest brick structure in Burlington and is one of the few surviving structures built on Union Square. Built facing North on lot 16, it was originally the residence of Joseph Graves (1773 to1836) an early prominent citizen of Boone County, born in Virginia. The Graves family moved to Boone County in 1797. Graves was instrumental in the development of Burlington as the county seat. In 1816, he and several others were appointed to draw plans for the new courthouse. Graves served as Boone County Sheriff from 1820-1822.

Washington Square Café & Catering – c. February 2010

Today Joyce McNeely is living her dream of owning and operating a hometown, family owned restaurant in this historic Burlington Community. Joyce along with her family, Dee & Mike Dragan & children Patrick, Ashley, Drew and Chelsea; Dawn & Brad Denham & son Kye; and mother Sophia Brinegar are proud to serve you at Washington Square Café & Catering.

My sister was so surprised to find that I have been here in Florida for almost a week without visiting a quilt shop. Well, I have been busy getting used to the area and honestly forgot about quilting. That is so unlike me! Well, I have not been thinking about herpes simplex or anything thought provoking, I have been relaxing! I love having someone else picking out the places she wants to show me. That is what vacation should be about. Mindless travel, right? Anyway, today we will be finding two quilt shops! I’ll be back to let you in on how they fared compared to the shops at home. Have a great day everyone! Oh, and it is a bright sunny day today! Woo hoo! Love it.

This weeks theme at Heads or Tails is the word pack. When I first thought of the word pack it instantly meant packing a suitcase. Years ago we took care of my parent’s yellow striped tabby cat while they lived in Saudi Arabia. Cats were eaten in that country and my parents decided not to take a chance with our precious Goldie. When my husband and I would pack our suitcase, Goldie would sit in it as if to say, “you are not leaving without me!” That cat had such a neat personality.

This picture is similar, (I don’t have a cat), to what our cat looked like while sitting in our suitcase.

If you would like to join us by participating in this fun meme, click on the picture of the coffee cup.

I have a few friends who are teachers and they are looking forward to winter break. I envy them! One friend is traveling to Minnesota to visit with her husband’s family and share Christmas together. They are a very dysfunctional family and my friend always has funny stories to share.

If I had a week off, I hope I would get back into my exercise routine. I hear that the dip machine misses me. LOL Seriously, if I had a few days off from work, I think I would travel a little. Maybe visit my son or go down south to see what my sister is up to.

What are your plans this holiday season?