School's Out Party

My hubby is a principal of a local high school. Graduation was scheduled for Thursday evening for two of the high schools in our district. Well, one was able to do it, but not Hubby's school. Rain is one thing, but lightning another, so Hubby tried to postpone, but to no avail. Thursday evening ended up being a long and tense one trying to make the call when 4,000 people are in the stands waiting for your decision. One of his best friends was able to pull graduation off at the other high school with just rain.

Yesterday, they met again for the event. No lightning, but a deluge of rain. There is no space in the area large enough to bring it inside, so 450 graduates with Hubby and his administrative team got soaked. It was if the cloud of rain both nights was one spot off the radar....right over the high school.

To celebrate a year of hard work from his administrative team, we celebrated with a day outside on the bayou.

He has one of the best teams ever. They all get along so well. Such camaraderie is rare.

All of their children are elementary aged except for one, but she was a fish in the water. The kayak, paddle board, and floats were put to good use today, topped off with tubing.

The menu was spectacular and everyone ate well.

Menu

Grilled Pork Tenderloin (Hubby is quite famous for it in our friend group.)

Barbecued onions

Homemade sauce

Baked Beans

Corn Dip

Pound Cake

Peaches

Homemade Whipped Cream

I will be back on the diet tomorrow.

I think all really relaxed and enjoyed their time on the water. Cloud cover was intermittent all day, but I think that kept it from being too hot, so I was ok with that since we were all outside. The kids only came out of the water for eating. Even the adults all took a kayak or paddle board ride. 

All of the wives of the male administrators are teachers, so I know it was a great release for them too, as the last day for students was just Thursday. I was glad to kick off summer for all of them.

Looking forward to many more sunny summer days,

Sandy

Buffet Table Redo

One thing leads to another. I moved some things around in the foyer last week, redoing my foyer table.  I have wanted lamps for my buffet table for awhile. I have been so busy the last few months with taking care of Mama that I have done ZERO shopping. Today was the day I decided to just stop and do something I wanted. I started out at the beach, but only got to stay an hour. I know I live on the bayou, and I never ever get tired of that or forget how lucky I am, but there is just something so therapeutic about the beach. The Gulf view, emerald waters, and sand can calm stress like... well,  really nothing else. I only got an hour in before thunder. I don't do lightning at all, so I came home and cleaned up to go shopping. 

Shopping led to new lamps.

I hate that nowadays, there are few places to shop in Fort Walton Beach. Everything has moved to Destin. So usually, it is Destin or Pensacola for home purchases. I just was not in the mood to deal with the tourist traffic today for a Destin trip, so I shopped locally.

I started at Tuesday Morning and found cute lamps, but wrong shades. I almost passed Ross up even though it is in the same shopping center, but ended up stopping. Both of these stores in Fort Walton Beach are quite small compared to the Destin stores. I walked into Ross, and Bam!!! there was what I had in mind.

I purchased two gold buffet lamps, right height, and right color shades...TAUPE.

Then, to make sure I wasn't going to find something better, I drove on over to T J Maxx, and no, they had only silver. I love silver, but my house was built in the 80's, so it has gold galore.

Pleased, with my purchase, I came home, and plopped them on the dining room table. Off to take care of other things. 

Do you see Lemony, the Golden peeking over the table? I had a cookie while I was redoing things  and she was hoping there was a crumb left. Isn't she adorable?

Hubby left to go do the graduation thing as he is a high school principal. I don't go to graduation with him. I would just have to sit by myself, and quite frankly graduations are not so fun. Instead, I do Baccalaureate with him. (He just texted that they had to cancel because of the thunder storms. I am guessing he will not be in a good mood when he gets home.)

When he left I went into the dining room to set up my new lamps. I cut off my plastic and those TAUPE shades kind of looked gray. Hmmmm. Then, I put a bulb in and plugged them in, and danged if those shades are not amethyst.

I definitely am liking the look of the lamps on the buffet, but I am concerned about the color. I am not hating it...kind of like it, but hoping it matches. Dear Daughter says yes...I have decided to keep the lamps. Honestly, the price was a big YES, even if I have to change out the shades that were TAUPE in the store. 

I also changed out the table centerpiece. I have seen silver trays everywhere. I decided to pull mine out and do a little summer centerpiece. I am thinking that vase needs some white or coral roses.

I am guessing the store lights and plastic really threw me, because even turned off, they have purple in them.

Lastly, the bowl of shells on the buffet has an interesting piece in it. That ball of straw is called a hurricane ball. They are quite rare. A friend of mine found it after Hurricane Ivan just off the Eglin Runway.

This project is going to lead to more because I loved the lamp and candlesticks that I had in there, so I have to find them a new home.

Older version of buffet.

Candlesticks that have to find a new home.

Enjoying the opportunity to have time to move things around for a new look.

Sandy