In Like a Lion...

I can confidently say I'm not alone in wanting this winter to end. Enough of the cold weather already! I long for spring weather!

I did wake up to blue skies and sunshine today...and when I got up to let Roxie out, I heard a symphony of birds. That's a good sign for sure. As we head toward the weekend, weather reports say we'll have highs in the low 60's and sunshine for the weekend. I can already think of so many projects I'd love to do in my yard...

At least I'll have the energy to do it. The detox diet last week helped me in so many ways. One is increased energy. I'm still doing it, in a more modified way (I added dairy and fish). Still trying to stay away from caffeine and sugar, and surprisingly, it's not as hard as I thought it would be.

Of course, I blew it big time Saturday night when we went to the 25th Anniversary celebration at Hal & Mal's. We almost didn't go in, as there were no parking places for blocks. But Larry got lucky on the second trip around the block...someone was pulling out right in front of Hal & Mal's! A sign we should go in. Being old, we had decided we would only stay a little while. That was at 8:30. We didn't leave until after 1am! It was like a big reunion--25 bands and hundreds of people we haven't seen in forever. We heard our friend Lisa Palmer perform with the Knight Bruce band...Knight, Rafael Seemes, Rufus Mapp...wonderful...

We have lots of fun memories of times spent at the restaurant...
like the time I was at an afternoon Jubilee! JAM committee meeting there and realized I didn't know where Nicole was (she was five at the time). Panicked, I started looking for her and found her sitting up at the bar, sipping on a Shirley Temple that she bought with her smile...

Friend Jared, dressed for the occasion!

Malcolm (Mal) White with a mask of his brother, Hal.

Jazz diva Lisa Palmer with opera diva Lester Senter.

Good times.

This weekend I'll be doing something a bit more tame..Friday night I'll be at the MS Museum of Art to see an interactive viewing of The Labrynth, which is part of the incredible Jim Henson exhibit. Then Saturday, I'll be

heading to the Ag Museum to see the wood carving show. My dad has become a talented wood carver and it's one of his favorite things to do all year. He's won ribbons for his work at the show in the past. It's awesome to see the incredible work of wood carvers from all over the south.

But today, I'll be working hard on my office project. It's coming along--slowly--but I'm excited that it's going to be an organized, functional and creatively inspirational place. Good things take time!

Just have to take a quick moment to say I'm proud of Nicole. Her speaking career is coming along...she spoke at a sports banquet at Jackson Prep a Monday night, and will speak at a sorority conference soon. And she got a contract yesterday to speak at a conference at Ole Miss in June. Her career goal is to be a professional motivational speaker, and she's well on her way. She certainly has alot to share about perseverance, attitude, and hope...

Speaking of hope...be sure to order your tickets for "An Evening of HOPE" on March 27...they're going fast!

Blessings to all who read this!
Susan