Sisterhood Hen Huttle or Huddle or Party...all good

I have a new found group of "sisters" here at the Redneck Riviera. We are all women of worth, character, brilliance, charm, talents, strength, enduance with life experiences as military wives, military moms, civilian wives, civilian moms, businessness women, business owners, Soldiers' Angels, Patriot Guard & Warrior Watch Riders,little league supporters, chief cooks and bottle washers.. the list is endless.  We've all had dreams from the times we were little girls that have sometimes come true, sometimes crushed and carried away into nowhere like a feather on a breeze over and into the ocean. We've shifted from sizes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 to 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, or more and strive to fight the hormonal changes and birthing that caused it with one diet after the other, on and off again exercise, and just plain wishing.  We've suffer the continual surprises, good and bad, that go with being a wife, a mom, a daughter, sister, or friend. We often wonder who we can trust to tell our deepest woes and hope someone is there that understands. We know grief of the death of parents, grandparents, siblings, husbands, children, and friends. We know the joy of the unexpected gift of hugs, laughs, support and love given by one another in an unexpected moment. ...through one another we can cope better with the downsides of life and create more laughter for the upside....thank you to all my sisters...together we'll meander this journey on planet earth.

Love with the passion of a burning sunset....

Sugar Sand, Emerald Water, & Sun...Doesn't get much better

The pier across from Pier Park & Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville PCB Fla

I Think the Worst of Spring Break is Over...

Hello from Sisterhood of the Redneck Riviera! After what is considered winter here at the beautiful Redneck Riviera when shops shorten their hours and some restaurants close after Thanksgiving and re-open in mid February, the first great happening is of course "Spring Break" that goes from March thru April, give or take a few weeks plus or minus.  So, Panama City Beach where I live is known on the Travel Channel as one of the very top 10 destinations for the high school and college kids to find their way to from all over the southeast and upwards to Michigan, New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and all those cold places I'm so glad I don't have to endure during their winter months. Heck, winter here in PCB may mean wearing a sweatshirt if the wind whips in off the gulf for a few days and in the evenings after dark from sometime in mid to late December to early to mid February, and I only take off the flip flops and put on sneakers when I walk my precious retrievers, Scout and Annie. Of course we get some freezing temps at night during our short winter, and I have proof of this from the frost bite that killed a few of my palm trees that Lowes should never bring to this part of Florida anyway.  Thank goodness they refunded my $900.00 and I purchased those that will definitely endure a PCB frost.  Anyway, enough about our short pleasant winters...back to spring break...so my personal opinion of spring break and the youth that fill our hotels and condos, sure they get loud with their yelling and music pouring from their cars and trucks cruising up and down Front Beach Road aka Miracle Strip, and make you nervous riding the scooter rentals, several of which I've seen toppled over...yep, they can be annoying just as my boys always could be, and sometime although grown, can still be...but, hey, they are bringing money to our town and economy and helping me obtain a few bucks in a paycheck from my part time work with a local hotel.  I've met a number of them staying at the establishment and for the most part they were courteous, even when the beer breath of nineteen year olds nearly knocked me off my feet. I could only shake my head after they walked away and be thankful I completed and survived "Life and Stories of Teen Sons" But anyway, my most irritating encounter came on a day I wasn't working at the hotel and decided to ride my bike over to the beach which is one mile from the front door of my home. After arriving at one of  my favorite spots on the sugar sand of our delicious beaches across the street from Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, I leaned my bike against a post and placed my towel on the ground where I could sit and lean against the post.  I got my bottle of water and my notebook to write in and was comfortable when 4 young men that I later learned were from Houston, Texas, decided to get in the vicinity of my space to throw their frisbee. Now if the two on my end a short distance from my feet knew how to jump, run, or catch a frisbee within their reach, my "space" wouldn't have felt so invaded.  But after a toss that landed in a manner to cast sand into my face and left the frisbee next to be, I had to toss it back and ask the young man to put more effort into getting to the frisbee before it got to me.  I played along for a while, throwing the frisbee back when it came into my space, telling them they might want to consider exerting a little more effort, and better yet considering moving from my space after the frisbee hit me in the left shin and left a small egg on the bone.  "Okay guys," I said, "I was here first, so you might want to consider moving away from "my space" and also the space of the protected sanctuary area behind me and the post where the frisbee kept entering and they kept trampling.So okay, when the frisbee flies by my face, I had to get a bit stern.  "So, have any of you guys ever seen the show on television called, "A Thousand Ways to Die?"  Well look it up, and make sure you we're part of the show scheduling after I become the first woman attempting to relax at the beach to have her head taken off by a frisbee."  So they laugh it off, and zing, it lands beside me again as sand flies up and into my face again. Okay, so anyone who really knows me knows I can be "sweet" for only so long."  I picked up the frisbee, and in the "mama tone" I said, "enough is enough, you need to take this frisbee and get out of my space now."  Okay, so as usual it always takes a "mama tone" to get a kid  or 4 to believe you aren't a push over.  And I enjoyed the rest of my time in my space and fortunately, won't be debuted on "1000 Ways To Die" from frisbee beheading! Happy Spring everyone! 

A Drive to Sunnyside March 27, 2011

So Dave and I headed out on our Sunday routine around 11:30 and ended up at the recommendation of an acquaintance to try breakfast at Sunnyside Cafe in the beach community of Sunnyside 6 miles from the house.  "It's just a hole in the wall, but great food and hashbrowns," he said.  So up for our Sunday morning adventure, we went to the roadside cafe across from the most beautiful beaches in the world, and sure nuff, just beyond the door of the flamingo pink house was the hole in the wall cafe created in a space about the size of what was probably a good size living room kitchen combination. It was the perfect example of "Redneck" Riviera style with a wooden counter running in front of the grills and cooking area.  Above, the ceiling was clean and white with stippled sheetrock like I watched my granddaddy put in houses when I was a kid. On the sheet metal above the grill and stoves were stickers fun to read like: "Liberalism is giving to others what the rest of us earn," "Don't blame me, I voted for the American," and such.  I'm sure you get the picture.  And speaking of pictures, anyone could tell the proprietor is an Alabama fan since the opposite wall from the counter honored Bear Bryant with multiple prints, but of course the King himself, Elvis, was represented by a rather nice pencil drawing.  Between the counter and the wall celebrating Alabama wth an encased football and a print featuring Joe Namath, were tables and chairs of various  shapes sizes that were from grandmother's or maybe great grandmother's yard sale, depending on how old one is.  It was a place to be entertained by all the wall effects and the conversations about duck hunting, who knew who from where, and the guy at the end of a community table letting a joke roll now and then.  The cook, maybe the proprietor, I'm not sure, wore his baseball cap and a youngster washed dishes over in a far corner. One waitress climbed into a chair to reach the serving tray on top of the refrigerator a spitball throw from where I sat. The other waitress was quick and down home country pleasant taking our orders, mine being a BLT with onion rings since it was already noon and breakfast service ended at 11:a.m., and Dave ordered homemade chicken and rice, which turned out to be a huge chicken breast covered in white rice and buttered rolls.  The quaint place was filled when we walked in and a comfortable place to listen to neighborly conversations among those who apparently resided in Sunnyside, to read the wall stickers, and peruse the pencil drawings, quotes on wooden placques like "What we value here most is our sunshine, beach, and beer" And by golly, I couldn't agree more.  And it felt good being in a "hole in the wall" where people are just people and humor abounded. And although I am by birth a redneck due to my growing up environment and all, I'm sure no one thought I was as I sat dressed rather pretty with my bright pink ruffle scarf draped around my neck and falling down the front of my nice top over my nice knee pants and wearing a fake pearl bracelet on one wrist and a bracelet of dolphins on the other, (although my diamond rings are very real, my hubby would have it no other way) and with makeup and my hair pinned up all neat and nice. I just like being a classy redneck.  I like being comfortable in flipflops, sneakers, cowboy boots, flats or high heels, blue jeans or evening gowns, which makes it a lot of fun to fit in "either/or".  There was only one catch when Dave went to pay the bill, Sunnyside Cafe took only cash or checks...all we had was a debit card...but you know, the waitress just smiles and said "we trust you."  There's an ATM up the road at the Winn Dixie. But to ensure Sunnyside Cafe we were honest folks, I left Dave at the cafe as collateral while I went to the Winn Dixie. And I played it smart and here's a tip...don't use the blasted ATM, the bank screws you and the ATM screws you for $2 or $3 fees each.  Make a purchase like I did, get a bag of chocolate chip cookies for $3.59 and another for free, then go through the checkout, use the debit card and get the cash back that you need.  Now had Dave gone to get the cash, he'd just have gone right to that ATM.  Anyway, after getting the cash, I returned and paid the bill and learned others were writing checks (but we don't carry checkbooks around anylonger) I went to where the waitress was standing behind a refrigerator door and I poked my head around the side. "I'm back," I told her.  She smile, saying "I wasn't worried.  You have a nice day."

So, I would say this Sunday morning was real good.  And I say I'm so happy to have created my "Sisterhood of the Redneck Riviera."  I'm going to take that sweet waitress one of my original items and let her know shes automatically a member because we need all the members we can get because sadly I learned later in the day while speaking with a great gal in a wonderful little artsy shop in another of our, lets say, more afluent seaside towns, that that community's "elitist" are trying to make our old term "Redneck Riviera" disappear...just seems no matter what we do, somebody wants to bury our southern culture and traditions. So, I'm considering driving my red Mustang convertible through that community with a magnetic sign I'm going to place on each door of my car reading: "WELCOME TO THE SISTERHOOD OF THE REDNECK RIVIERA!" Now won't that just get some attention.  I might have to tell someboy to just "Kiss my grits" if they don't like it! Bye for now!  Have a blessed week! Deb T Sisterhood of the Redneck Riviera..."Take nothing but memories, leaving nothing but footprints"

Islanders Market Place Front Beach Rd PCB Fla

Thanks Diane for the support!

Sisterhood of the Redneck Rivier 1st Art at Islanders Marketplace

My original photography and poem for Sisterhood of the Redneck Riviera set up March 25, 2011 at Islanders Marketplace Front Beach Road, PCB!  Sold the first post card!