A Peanut Date

Good Thursday morning!

The Gallery Pics are from my cooking experience last night. The Chicken and Potato Pancakes were a Five Star Faulkner SUCCESS! We will be having them again because they are easy, tasty and fun to make. (Plus, the recipe makes a TON of batter, and I can refrigerate it and use it for fresh-tasting leftovers later in the week.)

Oh, and there's a good picture of Roxie wearing her new summer hat I thought was cute. She saved her money for this hat, and we discovered something in the process... the chick can rock a cap!

RANDOMNESS #1 - Yesterday I spent 94 minutes in line at the high school registering my son for his Senior year of school. I've always done this for Austin and Josh. I think of it as my little gift to them. They will have a lifetime of registering and filling out paperwork, whereas I only have 18 years for each child and I will officially be DONE!

I wish I had recorded Austin's first telephone call after he registered for college classes all by himself... on the Internet... in his air-conditioned dorm room... in his pajamas.

"Well, that was a major pain," he whined.

"Really? Really? How long did it take you, Son?" I asked testily (AFTER he told me he had registered on the Internet... in his air-conditioned dorm room... in his pajamas).

"Ugh. That's 32 minutes I'll never get back," he groaned.

Thirty-two minutes! Thirty-two minutes! I seriously thought about getting in the car and driving the 83 minutes to his college and hitting him over his head with his computer.

But, no. I wasn't going to waste another second with HIS registration. I had to put on my extra deodorant, tube top and bathing suit bottoms to go to high school AND middle school registration for my remaining children. My gift to them for a year of hard work and good grades.

I hung up on The Boy. He assumed something was wrong with the telephone lines because he couldn't imagine someone being angry enough to hang up on HIM... and he took a nap because he was exhausted, you see... from registering on the Internet... in his air-conditioned dorm room... in his pajamas.

RANDOMNESS #2 - Today I'm registering Roxie for her FIRST year of high school. Girls are a little different from guys. She is going with me because she wants to be sure she gets in line with her friends AND has a locker next to all of them.

I'm going to teach her well, and next year I'm dropping the chick off! There's no sense in both of us sweating off five pounds. (I WISH!)

This is a big year for me. My last registration year AND my last carpool line year. I need to to do something big to celebrate. Any suggestions?

Blog Linkage - I have three links for you today from three of my favorite bloggers. I'm also investigating a new food blog, and I might add that to the mix next week. It looks very promising.

1. Go to Big Mama under My Blog List and read her post entitled "Wherein I reach the end of my Internet rope" dated June 2. I, too, am having major Internet problems. I am typing my blog posts on The Boy's computer, because although I've tried, I cannot get an actual person to help me... and I do not understand the things the "troubleshooting" website is trying to tell me... and I am frustrated beyond belief. But Big Mama makes it funny. (I am too close to the situation to find the humor in it yet. Maybe one day.)

2. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and read the post entitled "18 Summers" dated June 1. It's short, sweet and to the point. I love the message.

3. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and read the post entitled "A Different Perspective" dated June 1. She hands her child a camera and looks at the world through HER eyes. I love it!

Enjoy!

A Peanut Date

You read the title correctly. A Peanut Date! It wouldn't be a long date, and it wouldn't be an expensive date, but it would be a fun date... and maybe a little tradition would begin.

If you have a little one who likes an occasional peanut, head to The Peanut Depot, 2016 Morris Avenue in Downtown Birmingham (205-251-3314). They are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

The following is what they have to say about themselves:

The Peanut Depot has been roasting nuts the old-fashioned way for over 100 years, and still supplies legions of ballparks around the United States.

Take a factory tour, or just purchase some freshly roasted goobers (the Cajun blend might be a little too spicy for little ones).

I called the number to find out about the tours, and it is VERY laid back. The gentleman on the phone said to call first, and if they weren't too busy they would be glad to show you around.

Since he was SO laid back, I asked about the cost of the tour. He chuckled and said it didn't cost a penny... which led me to believe it's not going to be a super-structured learning experience. But a tour which ends with fresh, hot roasted peanuts is a tour worth taking, I always say! (What? You've never heard me say that? We need to start hanging out more!)

Call first, and enjoy what the place has to offer... and have fun with your date! (While you're there, take a few pics of your date on Morris Avenue. More fun!)

And the tradition I spoke of above... It might be a place you and your son or daughter go to purchase fresh bags of peanuts before watching a big game on your television set... or before you go camping as a hiking snack... or (you fill in the blank).

Have a cool Thursday. We are sweating a lot in Alabama, and it looks like the fun has just begun. I'll be back tomorrow morning with Weekend Happenings, pics and Randomness.

Take care, and I'll talk to you Friday.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda