Turkey Dinner

I just had the best Turkey dinner ever!

Actually, it was the only Turkey dinner I've been to. Not that I haven't eaten my weight and then some on Thanksgiving.

This Turkey dinner was actually a luncheon I attended at the Jackson Hilton today. The Turkey, Azerbaijan & Mississippi Business Summit Luncheon, to be exact. I was covering it for a newspaper, but that was just an excuse to be exposed to a culture I knew absolutely nothing about. Until today.

Turkey is a cool country! So is Azerbaijan. The people (and there were a lot of them) are just as nice as they can be, although those with strong accents were a little difficult to understand. All the big-dog elected officials were there: Congressman Gregg Harper, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, and other assorted State senators and representatives and a sprinkling of mayors. And no, we did not eat turkey (big disappointment for me, as I love irony so very much!).

I had so much fun with my new Turkish friends that I went to the Old Capitol Inn tonight for the reception. Am I glad I did. I got to hob-knob with our new governor, Phil Bryant.

(That's Bill and Linda Wilson. Don't they look important, posing with the Guvna?)

And the food (again, no turkey) was a. maze. ing. Kind of a mix between Lebanese and Greek food, but with a twist. All fresh, delicious and beautiful.

We drank special Turkish tea and Turkish coffee in little demitasse cups for dessert. All while listening to wonderful blues music by my man, Raphael Semmes, and some of the best musicians in Jackson: Jewel Bass, Greg "Fingers" Taylor and Barry Leech. It was so surreal, being in that grand ballroom, surrounded by so many people speaking a language I've never heard before, eating amazing food that was new to my tongue and listening to familiar blues music. I loved it when they closed with B.B. King's "The Blues is Alright," and several of the Turkish-Azerbaijan contengency got on stage to sing with them. I've never seen grown men have so much fun!

We even did art projects! I made a picture of a flower, but the technique was the craziest thing I've ever seen. Paint is dropped on water using a paintbrush made of a rose bush stick and horsehair. Then you "dot" the paint with a little metal stylist. It's much more involved than I am describing, but trust me when I tell you my artwork was magnificent. I gave it to my mama and she was so proud of me!

Since the Baptist Hospital, my mother's home-away-from-home, is just down the street from the Old Capitol Inn, I scored a few Turkish treats to surprise her with. She was a happy camper!

Now added to my bucket list: a trip to Istanbul. I'm serious. I want to go!

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan

This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef...

Deja vu...all over again!

I've spent the past week, off and on, in a hospital room. This time it's with my mom. Ahhh....memories....

She developed a little boo-boo on the tip of one of her toes, which for most people would have been no biggie. But Mama has a touch of diabetes (insulin injections and the works), so it became a bit more serious for her. (Long story...could get gross, but I won't go there.) After a week of intravenous antibiotics that did nothing but tear her gut up, she fell last Friday night and hit her head. That meant an ambulance ride to Baptist Hospital and the decision was made to axe the bad toe. Get rid of it for good.

Now I didn't really count it down, but my sister, Sarah, said it was the "little piggy that ate roast beef." Always looking on the bright side, Sarah pointed out that Mama can now get a 10% discount if and when she ever has a pedicure. Now Mama likes a bargain, so she really liked that idea.

(Note: photo for illustration purposes only. I have no idea who's feet these are. My mom's newly missing toe is the third, or middle, toe.)

Sarah and I are taking turns spending the night at the hospital, as Mama is not real compliant when it comes to staying in the bed. Even then, I slept through her trying to get to the bathroom a couple of nights ago. She's like a stealth fighter, that one.

In between hospital time, I'm trying to get work done, but it's been difficult to do this week. I did manage to cover two awesome things for PORTICO jackson magazine. Both were a splendid diversion from hanging out in the hospital.

The first story I did was last Sunday, when I had the time of my life covering Supperklub, the most incredible supper club I've ever seen or heard about. Those folks were SERIOUS foodies. I'm not going to say much more about that, because you'll be reading it in the March issue of PORTICO, but I will say that it was the best 8-hour feeding frenzy I've ever experienced, and they really raised the bar on what I want to put in my mouth from now on!

The next story was a feature on a spectacular home on Belhaven. I've covered lots of homes for PORTICO, and it's one of my favorite things to do, but this house was hands-down my favorite. I think it's because I could really feel the creativity, love and happiness in the home. Again, I don't want to give too much away, as the story and photos will be in the April issue of the magazine. Just know that both of these events were a huge blessing, as I had so much fun covering and writing the stories, and both inspired me in such a big way.

We'll be here through the weekend, and then Mama will be moved to a "step-down" facility, where she'll do some rehab, mostly getting her strength back after being in a bed for a couple of weeks (at home and then in the hospital).

During my time in the hospital (I'm here now), I've mastered my new obsession.

I've never seen so many creative ideas in my life! Sarah has gotten addicted as well, and we are constantly pinning and re-pinning things to our boards. Check mine out here. I've had such fun finding and pinning each thing on each board, and each of my boards has a purpose. I LOVE it. It's like an online bulletin board and a place to put things so you won't forget where they are. In the process, I've discovered some really great blogs. If you aren't doing Pinterest, I really encourage you to do so. Life will never be the same...

Now, if only I could spend some quality time at home, doing something with all the ideas that are filling my head. This little piggy really wants to go to the market about now!

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan

Got me some Hot Pants!

So...my dreams have come true!

All I have to do to lose two jean sizes is to wear a pair of "hot pants" every night for two weeks.

Count.
Me.
In.

It popped up on my email today. It's the Groupon Deal-of-the-Day. Only $26 (regular $71) for a pair of bike-short lookin' pants that are supposed to "smooth thighs and other dimple-prone areas by galvanizing the skin's internal zamboni to promote a deep warming of body tissues and promote lymphatic drainage. This process boosts sweating by up to 80% and aids in eliminating the toxins responsible for cellulite. Ladies can sport HotPants alone or under other clothing while awake and active, asleep in bed, or executing a series of high kicks when sleepwalking." (Hmmm...cute copy to boot!) The pants are supposedly made of a comfortable bioceramic material (can you imagine wearing bioceramic material??!!!) that emits *~*infrared rays*~* to help wearers naturally and efficiently amp up weight-loss regimens.

Here's what they look like:

I assure you, I will NOT look like that while wearing them, not for the next two weeks, at least. Or even for the next two months. So, I'll wear them in my sleep, if I can stand it.

And yes. I ordered them. Of course.

Actually, I accidently clicked the "order" button, but then I thought the Universe might be sending me a message and I decided against cancelling the order.

If you'd like to have your very own pair of Hot Pants, click on this link to order.

Really, something's gotta give. I do yoga two days a week, but that's more for sanity than anything else. I've signed up to do Jazzercize again, and will begin next Tuesday. Three days a week. I'm determined. That, combined with my healthy-eating regime and the Hot Pants to make me sweat my fat away, and watch out...I may just end up being the skinny hottie was meant to be! (wink-wink.)

There's only 3 days left to order at the incredible low, low price! Let's start a Hot Pants sensation!!!

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan 



T.G.I.F.

TGIF!

No, I'm not talking about the restaurant, although I do have good memories of TGIF in Highland Village in Jackson. If you remember it, you're old like me. I loved the colorful Tiffany-style lights above each booth and I remember how sophisticated my friends and I felt when we sat in the bar. 

Back in the day, the legal drinking age in Mississippi was 18, and we'd order up exotic drinks like tequila sunrises or Singapore slings. But I digress....

TODAY. IS. FRIDAY!!!!!

It's been a long week, and even though I have an extremely full day, just knowing it's the end of the week helps me to give a sigh of relief, knowing that the pace can slow just a little bit this weekend.

I am wearing multiple hats these days, but I'm not complaining. I wanted more work, and I'm getting it. My day started yesterday with a meeting at the Gulfport Police Station. I met with the Chief of Police, and someone from Parks & Rec. about the Walk to Defeat ALS I'm coordinating. It will be March 31 at the old V.A. Hospital. The place is better suited for a haunted house. It would be the ideal place to shoot a horror movie. But it does have pretty live oak trees and it's the ideal place for a fundraising walk. I think it's hauntingly beautiful...check out this video and see for yourself: Centennial Plaza.

Next I drove up Highway 49 and stopped in at Mt. Olive's City Hall, where I met with the mayor and the guy who runs their water system. 

I'm doing work for the Mississippi Rural Water Association and my assignment was to write a feature article about the Mt. Olive water system for the Association's in-house magazine, The Faucet. The water guy was about as enthusiastic about water as a dog is with a bone. He loves his job and wanted to tell me all about water pressure, additives, valves, water tanks, pumps...my head was spinning, but I got all the information I need to write the article. 

Then it was up the road to a little slice of Heaven I like to call Donna's #6 Produce. 

I do their facebook business page posts and I had to take some new photos to use online. While there, I picked up some Florida strawberries (they smell divine...) and a sack full of white sweet potatoes. I've only had those one other time, when I was in high school (another very old memory) at my friend's deer camp. Later today, in-between writing about water systems and working on the ALS walk, I'm going to look up some recipes for white sweet potatoes. 

The day ended with a "sip and see" at Leslie Puckett's house, where I got to meet her new granddaughter, Autumn, who is visiting from Alaska. The best part of the night (besides seeing Autumn's little pink painted toes), was seeing her meet her cousins Liam and Spencer for the first time. It was fun seeing Leslie with all her little chickens.

Thank God It's Friday!!!

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan

Waking up in Different Places

For the tenth time this month, I've awakened in a bed different from my own. It's been a busy month!

My first trip was to Jefferson, Texas for the annual Girlfriend Weekend. Now, it wasn't just a weekend trip with a bunch of girls. It is a full-out literary adventure, with over 40 authors and 300 book club women from across the country talking about books.

In. Jefferson. Texas.

  I know....


Kathy Patrick, THE Pulpwood Queen, has put together quite an event, born years ago in her interesting business, Beauty and the Book--part hair salon, part independent bookstore.

This was my third year to attend, and my sister, Sarah, went with me this year. She just had to see what it was all about. In the past, Pat Conroy and Fannie Flagg have been there. This year, John Berent (Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil, etc.)

 and Tina Sloan (she played the character of Lilian Raines on "The Guiding Light" for a hundred years) were there. She wrote a fantastic book called "Changing Shoes." Read about it here.

We all had a ball.

We stayed in a bed and breakfast called The Captain's Castle.

It was my second year to stay in Bill and Angie Herlocker's beautiful inn. Staying in a B&B is so much more fun than staying in a generic hotel. Getting dressed and eating a wonderful breakfast at the dining room table with other guests is a great way to really know about a place, and to meet other folks. We met a vacationing family from Austin, some of the authors who were in for Girlfriend Weekend, and a mother-daughter pair who were in for the weekend.

I had a two-day turnaround at home before heading up to Nashville for the ALS Association Winter Walk Forum at the Opryland Hotel. I stayed with my bestest pal, Carol Terry, so I had to get up super early every day to drive to Opryland. It was worth it for the brief visits we got to have.

After a whirlwind grocery shopping trip at Trader Joe's in Nashville Saturday, I drove home, only to turn around again on Tuesday morning to drive to Bay St. Louis on the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast for an events conference. I had never been to Bay St. Louis, but I'll go back. It is the cutest, quaintest little town filled with wonderful antique shops, restaurants and the nicest people ever!

Today I woke up to a severe thunderstorm. I could have just stayed in that nice hotel room all morning, but I had to get up and drive to Gulfport for an 8:30am meeting with the Police Chief and Brittany Dyess from Parks & Rec. about the ALS walk I'm coordinating on the Coast. (Check it out: Walk to Defeat ALS, March 31, Gulfport, MS.)

Yep, I've been a girl-on-go, but so has Nicole...she's had speaking engagements all over the state this month. This morning she's in Tupelo, speaking to a group of high schoolers for the American Lung Association. I'm so proud of how she's turned a tragedy into a way to inspire so many others.

It's 10:30 now, and I'm just sipping on my first cup of coffee for the day, watching the rain outside PJ's Coffee Shop in Gulfport. It looks like the sun is trying hard to peak through the clouds.

Here's praying I make it home safely today. I'll look forward to laying my head on my own pillow tonight.

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan

Give Thanks.

As most of you know, there's an abundance of things for the Marquez family to give thanks for. And we do.

This  was our fourth Thanksgiving since Nic's accident. The first year, she was still an in-patient at Methodist Rehab, and she had to get a day pass to have Thanksgiving dinner with us. Jacqui Katool hosted it at her home, and Nicole enjoyed dinner while sitting in a wheelchair.

The next year, she was home, and we had dinner at our house. It was a joyful day!

Last year, I hit the wall. Exhausted. My strategy for Thanksgiving dinner was to keep my mouth shut and hope someone would invite us to their house. It worked! We had dinner around my parents' dining room table!

But this year was different.

I acquired a 10' long rustic farm table and that started a chain of events....like totally rearranging my house! My tiny dining room is only 10' x 10', so that wasn't an option. I had to put it in our den, which meant moving furniture around, or even out. But it was important enough to do, as it meant that my entire family could sit at one table for Thanksgiving.

This Thanksgiving was picture perfect...the weather could not have been better. The day started with brunch, which disappeared pretty fast.

 Classic Breakfast Casserole is a family favorite, and a Thanksgiving tradition, usually eaten during the Macy's Parade, but as children have grown older, if they parade hasn't been Tivo'd, that doesn't happen any more.

Even though I cooked all day Wednesday, I still had some last minute things to do...like make the pumpkin pies.

Soon, the table was set...

Before long, the table was surrounded with family. The Marquez's on one side...my sister's family, The Jordans, on the other, with my parents sitting at either end.

I sat across the table from Matthew and Sarah.

My plate was filled way to full...

Yet, fifteen minutes later, it looked like this:

While my niece, Lauren, and brother-in-law Bob had an after-dinner snooze...

Sarah and I washed dishes...and washed dishes...and washed dishes....

Then we stuffed the leftovers into the fridge...

And of course, while we cleaned, the guys watched football. Two of Joe's best buds, Phillip Norton and Micah Pellerin, stopped in to watch whatever big game was being played...

Those are Joe's hairy legs stretched out on the ottoman. Joe graduated high school with Phil and Micah, and they are all still great friends. (Kudos to Micah, who is a first-round draft pick for the NFL!!!) Larry loved having all the guys over, too. He's just happy when he's with his "babies." 

It seems like every year there is more and more to be Thankful for. Joe is leaving December 6 to go to Los Angeles for what could be the opportunity of a lifetime (stay tuned!). Nicole's motivational speaking career is taking off and she continues to grow stronger every day. Larry and I are fat and happy and in good health. And our extended family is doing well. The list of blessings we have is long. 

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan

Orange You Glad it's FALL??!!

Fall is my favorite time of year, hands down. Perfect weather--right when we thought we couldn't take another hot and humid Mississippi day, the weather has turned cool, making it a great time to take a walk, dine outdoors and enjoy doing just about anything without sweating!


One of the things I like most about fall is the colors: reds, golds, bronzes, yellows and ORANGE, which is one of my favorites. I've heard tell that orange is the color of insanity. Well, call me crazy, but it's one of my favorites, and there's plenty of orange just about everywhere you look this time of year.


Huge pallets of bright orange pumpkins stop customers just inside the doors of every supermarket. Pumpkin patches appear at fruit stands and church lawns. Pumpkins for baking, carving and decorating. I love them all, even those that aren't orange (since when did white or green pumpkins become a part of this season?)

Orange mums add a splash of color to front porches and the leaves are starting (trying!) to turn shades of orange, red and gold. 

Inspired by the season, I brightened up my hair a bit (rather, Crystal Williams at Social Agenda Salon in Fondren did it!). The initial result was amazingly neon. I'm talking hair so bright orange that pumpkins everywhere would be jealous. After a moment of shock, Crystal quickly regrouped, squirted some toner all over my head and voila! A lovely head of gloriously bronze hair, perfect for the season!

I really just love all things pumpkin...from pumpkin pie to one of my favorite seasonal beverages;

Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale...kinda sweet, kinda spicy, very smooth.

Another fun orange treat is candy corn. CBS Sunday Morning did an entire segment on candy corn recently. While good on their own, my favorite way to eat them is mixed with equal parts of roasted, salted peanuts. Eaten together, it's the perfect combination of salty and sweet. Kind of like eating a PayDay candy bar.



If you'd like to see lots of ORANGE, head down highway 49 south and stop in at Donna's #6 Produce. It's on the right, just outside of Florence. It's a "you can't miss it" kind of place.

I recently set up their Facebook page and I'll be updating the content a few times a week. I went down to meet Donna and tour the place and wow! Was I ever surprised! It's a treasure chest full of not only fabulous produce, but homemade ice cream and fudge, pumpkin rolls (incredible!), preserves, syrups, jellies, sauces and more--all made on site, and an incredible gift department. And this time of year, everywhere you look it's orange: There are Vardaman sweet potatoes, pumpkins, satsumas...Please go to their Facebook page and "Like" it!

They say it's going to be a long winter, so don't let this beautiful fall weather pass you by. Get out and enjoy it...dance a jig if you feel like it...if someone calls you insane, just tell 'em the orange did it!

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan