Catch Up Time

Goodness it has been a whirlwind few months with a Red Hot & Blue restaurant finally joining the ranks of the corporate offices here in Winston Salem. It's a slow process, this opening up a restaurant business, and it is not for the faint-hearted. I never knew how involved the whole process was until now. "Out of sight, out of mind," has been my response to those who have asked about the business and I was content in saying that up to this point.

The process from start to finish took about 70 days to reconvert an existing restaurant. It was so much fun watching the changes from day to day, and now it's neat watching the new relationships gel. Randy is loving getting to know their staff and returning customers. He is truly in his element. It is hard for me to stand on the sidelines because I really am a change agent and teacher. I want to jump in and say, "Let's try this! How about that?" Don't think I don't do that, and they have all been very gracious, but I really want to get in there and be in charge of the "classroom," because I really do see all of our lives as one big interaction with each other. I see my life as a change agent for GOOD.

It's very interesting how my life has taken such an interesting turn. I told you about the women's retreat I did back in September. Well, a new invitation came out of that for me to speak at another Lutheran church over near Greensboro as "The Mystery Guest Speaker" at their yearly stewardship campaign. Their Evite invitation was so beautiful and they had so many wonderful things planned. I couldn't wait to hear "The Mystery Guest Speaker" by the time I got there. I left on cloud 9. They laughed in the right places and nodded and "Amened" just like I'm used to with the Baptists. And of course, the food was plentiful and delicious. The pastor said that everything revolves around food with the Lutherans. So help me, I thought that was just a Baptist saying. I'll bet the Catholics and Methodists say the same thing, along with all the other denominations.

THE BOOK is always looming on the horizon. Leah made the comment as Randy and I were en route home from the dinner that I needed to see the book as a history lesson in the making for the neighborhood, because teaching is what I do best. She's right. I'm starting to get excited as my time is "freed up" for a while. I interviewed Lilian the cook yesterday and cannot wait to try some of her recipes.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my sister Linda's house in Jonesboro, GA. Some of our cousins were there from our childhood. It's always fun to be reunited with my sisters and their families...add our first and second cousins in and you have a true THANKSGIVING, because that is what it is all about. We pictured our mothers smiling from above.

My sister Scarlette, and our second cousin, Lena, are into family history, and have both joined DAR and the Manakin Huguenot Society. Here's what I pulled up as an explanation:

The Huguenot Society of the Founders of Manakin In the Colony of Virginia

History: Huguenots began coming to Virginia as early as 1620. In 1700-1701, five ships arrived at the mouth of the James River, then the York and the Rappahannock rivers, east of present-day Richmond, Virginia. French Huguenots, having fled religious persecution, had lived in England and Ireland and done military services for King William. They were granted lands in the New World for a permanent home where they had the freedom to worship as they pleased. West of Richmond, many founded a colony on the site of a village deserted by the Monacan Indians.This is a society of the descendants of that colony and French Protestants who came to Virginia before 1786 [see history of the society]. The society headquarters and library are located beside the Manakin Episcopal Church on the original King William Parish glebe land in Manakintown.

Welcome "Gator," my newest follower and cousin from where else but Florida.

I've "Birded" You ALL to Death!

Oh my word. I just found out my widget is missing. I hope I didn't hit the wrong button and upgrade, because I am perfectly satisfied with my widget as it is. (You know, that's the little moving thing on my blog to the right that states how many hits I have and the country they are coming from.) I love that thing. It just makes me happy...especially when I see the number has gone from 1 to 2 for any given country. I wonder if it's a new person who stumbled upon Brookberry Girl, or if it's a return reader. Either way, I'm grateful for the audience.

My sister Scarlette from Atlanta obviously is taking my advice and freeing herself up a bit. I sent out a notice to my sisters that I was up and writing again after a long summer hiatus. She requested my blogger information earlier, which I don't recall her ever doing, and commented when I asked, that it was all about birds. She's right. I have shown quite a preoccupation with the birds around here. I think it's because I never really noticed anything but the Bob Whites and eagles down in Florida. I was just too busy. I have often repeated myself in regard to the birds, because every time I noticed something new about them, I just added that to what I already knew...just in case there was a new reader who would not take the time to go back to previous blogs. (It's the teacher in me...and yes, this is a repeat...EVERY SITUATION IS A TEACHING/LEARNING situation. I just can't help it.) So, I am going to try to become more DIVERSE in my future blogs. Our children have said more than once that they are worried about me and the birds. So please excuse me for this short entry today. I must go and feed the empty bird feeders. Hope you are having the most wonderful day!

I am so BLESSED!

I have had the most wonderful Spirit-filled weekend. It started off with a book-signing of Bowman Gray, IV's newly released book, "As a Man Thinketh," by James Allen, but with Bo's photographs.

Click on this link and you can learn more and even order an autographed copy! As A Man Thinketh, By James Allen (With my photogrpahs) It is very inspirational visually, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. Randy and I are very proud of him. I really admire a person who is willing to take a risk on trying something NEW, rather than succumbing to failure before they are even out of the gate. I hope I will persevere and be the same example.

I started Saturday off with getting up quite early for me, 6 AM, to get ready to go and facilitate a women's retreat for a local Lutheran church. We left shortly after 7 and started promptly at 9. I can honestly say, I have never had the time or took the time to prepare as well as I did for this particular retreat. I am certified by Dr. Mels Carbonell, to conduct seminars on Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts and Behavioral Blends. I've facilitated MANY of these, but this one was different. I've never spoken outside my Baptist denomination. I learned so much in helping me understand how alike and somewhat different we are in our beliefs. I hope I can do more like this so that my knowledge will help me in meeting others where they are in their particular faith walks. The women were so open to what I had to say, but more importantly, they were so excited about discovering just a bit of how their SHAPE helps point them to service within the context of their church. (SHAPE is from Rick Warren's acrostic in "The Purpose Driven Church," and stands for spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality and experiences.) One never knows until after a seminar if there is fruit from their labor or not, but it was very apparent after I'd given them a homework assignment to take specific Scripture, and then use given tools to portray to the rest of the group how these things could be used to convey their understanding of what they had read. Their work was thorough; creative; beautiful and spoke truth...all I needed to know to see that they were open to the Holy Spirit's work within them. I have great excitement for their church and cannot wait to see the fruit that will be borne individually and as a group working together in ministry.

I got home and proceeded to set off the alarm next door because I thought I was supposed to take in their mail and papers since they were gone for the weekend. You can imagine my wonderful peace from the retreat being shattered by a woman's voice echoing throughout the house that there was an intruder "at the front door," then in the hallway. She had far-seeing eyes, because she followed me from room to room and back out the door as I ran next door to scream to Randy, "Call _____! I've set off their alarm and they're going to call the police!" I returned to hear a small voice asking for a dispatch to the house. I picked up the phone and started yelling over the Alarm Lady's VOICE, "Stop...don't call the police! I'm a neighbor who made a mistake!" I got her attention and finally composed myself and told her the whole story. I have learned that it is best to let them see your wacky personality, because they are a lot more open to chalking it up to stupidity, rather than your calm rationalization, because that can sometimes be a sign of calculated craziness.

She very sensitively told me that they had to call the police unless I could come up with the code, which I could not. So I screamed for Randy to keep looking for that number. He finally came over with my cell phone, punched their number, and there's our house number showing up as an incoming call. So, in desperation, I did what any humbled person would do in this situation, I asked the sweet lady if she would call the homeowners so the police wouldn't come. I had nothing to lose and it was worth a try. She was seeing the real me under stress and she could obviously relate... AND...she did! I tell you...never under estimate the power of humiliation and human empathy. They sometimes go hand in hand and produce great things.

I fed the cat and fish while I was waiting for the result I wanted, just to prove to myself that I had nothing to worry about except for the possibility of re-enacting it all for the police when and if they arrived. I was just hoping they would be as sensitive as the lady on the other end of the phone, and that I was not going to be led away in hand-cuffs for all the neighbors to see. I really wasn't up to explaining anything, especially to my Bible study ladies. Over all this contemplation, the lady's ALARM voice followed me everywhere screaming to the world that I had just entered another room and was moving into the next area. The lady on the phone finally said with such empathy, "I've talked to the owner and the police weren't called," much to my relief.

When it was all said and done, I heard from my neighbor and she so sweetly apologized for nothing she did, as I profusely apologized for what I did do. I reset the alarm as she told me what to do and then I walked calmly back home and stated, "I'm home!" On a more serious note, you might want to check out this specific alarm company. They are advertised on TV all the time and it works just like they say it does. What self-respecting thief is going to stick around while THE VOICE from above is screaming where you are at any given time? I hope you all have a wonderfully blessed and calm day. I know I am.

It's Catch Up Time!

I should have been an ornithologist. I had no idea birds could be so interesting. You are not going to believe this, but we had another nest of mourning doves just fly the coup yesterday! We thought it was unusual for birds to mate twice in a year, but three different times! (Not sure if it's the same mom or not...I hope not. That's a lot of work taking care of those babies for so long.)

Here are just a few patterns I've observed since it is right outside our front window and we keep the shutters open just where we can see them and they can't see us.

1. Mom and Dad scout for the nest together.

2. Mom flies back and forth until the big day.

3. Dad hangs around for a little while after the big day, then disappears.

4. Mom just sits there until they are hatched, then she sits on top of them some more. (It is so cute to see their little heads sticking our from under her thick down.)

5. They stay in their nest for about 3 weeks, then one day dad will show up again and he and mom will go sit on the roof for awhile and watch them. (There is always one that will venture as close to the edge of the hanging basket as it can get without falling...it's obviously a boy, and the "sister" just sits demurely in the middle.)

6. Usually mom and dad are making cooing sounds from down below telling them what to do, but we didn't hear a peep this time.

7. This group was a little more unusual than the last inhabitants. I saw mom and dad down below on the porch, and walked away for a few minutes. I went back and there was only one baby in the nest...all day! I saw dad up on the roof next door, but rather than watching the baby, he was looking the other way -- worriedly, I might add. I wondered if the boy went a little wayward and flew too early, or if mom was just giving him private flying lessons. We'll never know, but mom and both babies were tucked safely back in the nest by the end of the day, only to have disappeared by the next morning. Mom and dad will come by a time or two...kind of nostalgically to me, and then I will just have to guess if the next group will be one of them or not.

6. I clean up all the dead flowers from the basket, and the mess from below and we start all over again.

On another note, Red, Hot & Blue is open for business, we just haven't had our Grand Opening yet. We're still in the "practicing" stage, but Randy and John are meeting so many wonderful people who are telling others, so it is just snowballing for lunch. Dinner is still slow, but hopefully it will catch on as time and tasting goes on.

I have had the most productive week. (I wish my writing time could be this productive.) I have spent the week preparing for a women's retreat I am facilitating for a local Lutheran church. I am speaking on "Discovering Your Giftedness," and will help these ladies identify where they can best serve in the church. We also discuss personality types and how they help us to better understand ourselves and each other. I am quite excited. I don't think I've ever planned anything so exact in my life. It's quite refreshing to have had the time to do it RIGHT for a change. Next week my friend Susan and I paint pigs on the back fence at RH&B, then I have until the holidays to write, with a little trip to FL thrown in. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, if you're local and reading this, head on over to Red Hot & Blue for a taste of the dry rub ribs...they are not your typical NC barbecue, but they are deliciously different. (They're located over on Deacon Blvd. off of University Blvd.) Everyone raves about the potato salad, so give it a try too. Enjoy!

Labor Day is over...

It was bittersweet going to the pool for the last time this weekend. I made myself get into the frigid water one last time so I could be reminded why the pool was closing. (OK, maybe it wasn't frigid, but it was very cold for a Florida girl who waited until after the 4th of July to get into the pool back in the pre-NC days.) There's something sad about a beautiful pool sitting there unoccupied for 9 months once the doors are locked for the season. During the summer I knew I could go when I wanted...now I have no choice. I wish they would freeze it in the winter so we could all go ice skating, but even our ponds have not frozen here since we have relocated. The one near the pool froze near the shore this past winter, and I pictured myself ice-skating around the edge of the pond, but I stepped onto it with one foot and it dipped, so my next thought was of my dying of hypothermia because no one thought to look for me there in my time of need. I would hope the ice skates still tied to my feet would paint the picture needed to explain how I had met my demise and everyone would say, "She went doing something she wanted to do."

On the otherhand, it is quite enjoyable to watch the geese fly in and go skittering across the top of the ice on their bottoms. Speaking of the geese, we have another loner out in the yard. It must have been very serious, because there is not another goose on the pond. (Remember, they are very respectful of each other during their mourning times.) I even broke my rule and fed this one bread. Randy loves to feed the fish in the evening, so we go out and they all just swim up as close as they can get. The goose came right up to us, so how could we not feed it? I don't cry anymore when I see them. I hope I have not become calloused.

I'm off to write. I have to stay home all day as I await mattresses being delivered. It was a sad mistake for the McCann family that all this bed bug hysteria came out all over the news while Leah was visiting last week. Needless to say, she was UP on all her mattress trivia since she had worked at a hotel at one point in her career, and proceeded to check all the dates on the two oldest mattresses. She reminded us that after a specific period of time, the mattress doubles in size due to human sweat and dust mites. She painted a pretty gruesome picture and it worked. We both began to itch and scratch. Lucky for us, anyplace that sells mattresses has a Labor Day Mattress sale. I guess they think that if we are celebrating working, we may as well make sure we get a good night's sleep so we can get up day after day and head out to labor some more.

We hit every mattress establishment we could find. They all had their spiels ready and we listened to them all. Of course, I tried each one, but Leah wouldn't do anything but sit on the side, which they told us served no purpose. One has to lie down to get the full effect. She finally did try one out prostrate on the bed, and that was because it had the most potential, and that's all it took. We got home, delayed getting into the shower so as not to foster our paranoia, and I finally decided I couldn't go to bed wondering if I had picked up lice or worse. I would never forgive myself if we had to get rid of our Sterns and Foster just because I didn't take a shower. The final straw was seeing the men in their bed bug preventative suits spraying heat of 130 degrees and higher on the mattresses and carpets to kill the bed bugs on TV. I came out with wet hair and that's all Leah needed to be affirmed that it's better to be safe than sorry.

Yes, I did say mattresses. She checked the date on the guest room bed, and sadly it was over the required time to keep a mattress. Oh, well, they were on sale, AND it will be a long time (we hope) before we have to do mattress shopping again, which I acquaint to buying a car. You never know how good the product is until you get it home...and then it's too late to do anything about it if you don't like it. (The mattress people will take them back after a few days, but it's just too much trouble in our opinion.) So, for those of you have been here or are coming, you've got something to look forward to...a better night's sleep. In the meantime, keep laboring so that you will be worn out by bedtime and can wake up the next day to do it all again with a good attitude.

Winston Salem Is Getting the Blues...

Red Hot & Blue that is. Yes, it's true. A wonderful opportunity came our way and here we are preparing to open our first restaurant in the triad, probably in the next few weeks. We are a part of the Wake Forest renovation project off of University and Deacon Blvd. (It's in the old Goobers for those of you who know that area.)

Richard Bloyer, one of the managers from D. C. who has an art background, came to paint our Blue's guitar playing pigs over the fireplace in the new restaurant two weeks ago. I didn't even have to beg to help! I became his apprentice and took my place over the mantle and VOILA...people have to take a second look to determine if the bricks are real or not. I really enjoyed working with him. Once he got home, he sent me two books on how to paint murals. That is a true teacher...encouraging the fledgling artist to try her wings...which I did.

It was Richard's last day and a group of workers from down the street came in and walked right over to us. One said, "Do you two work alone, or do you work for these guys?" I smiled and said, "I work alone, but he works for these guys," as I pointed to Richard. They asked if we'd be willing to paint palm trees on the back of a building they had just painted. Richard looked at me and said, "Let's go take a look." We did and the next thing I know, I have been commissioned to paint palm trees on the back of this building." Richard left that day and I was left alone to myself because I had said one too many times, "I can do that."

I felt confident as I took my supplies and laid them at the back door, where I thought they would be out of the way. My new jar of paint thinner didn't last long. It only took one hard bang of someone walking out for it to reach the jar and turn it over. I just smiled and chalked it up to inexperience. The next thing you know, I have the Roto-Rooter type guy pumping out the sewage system only 1 foot away from where I was supposed to be painting. Other painters, electricians,a telephone cable worker, supervisors and a whole bunch of other workers doing various jobs, are all around me. I don't have a problem painting the stem of the tree, but when it came time to paint the fronds, everyone has an opinion. I painted over those stems 5 times before I finally called my friend Marsha to come and help me. She got there and we whipped those fronds out in no time flat. It took her 2 hours to do what I had been trying to do in 4 hours. I considered this a lesson learned and went back to finishing the pigs at Red Hot & Blue.

Last Monday came and I dropped my friend Gail off downtown to take care of some business, then I went and picked up some food for Ella and I, and we sat on her front porch and had a picnic until I had to pick up Gail. I took her by to meet Ella and then off we went to see the restaurant in progress. In the midst of all of this, I called Randy to see how things were coming, and lo and behold, he tells me that the painters are looking for me again. I figured they didn't like their palm trees and wanted their money back, but it was just the opposite...they wanted me to paint palm trees on the new dumpster walls they had just built AND a palm tree on the door. I am a runner and I wanted to run, but if they thought I could do it, I was willing to give it one more try. When I saw the guy who hired me, he said, "Here's my girlfriend, " so I knew I must have made an impression of some kind. I agreed to do it. The palm fronds look like fountains, but I have heard no complaints as of today. To tell you the truth, it may be a work in progress. It may look totally different from week to week as the mood hits me. My sister Pam said she can't wait to take a driving tour of all the stuff I've painted in Winston Salem. I don't have the heart to tell her it will just be a walking tour of two places. Maybe I need to get busy on some graffiti.

I will try to keep you posted on our progress as we head toward completion. In the meantime, call me if you ever need someone to remind you that you sometimes just need to say "NO," when someone asks you to do something you really aren't qualified to do. On the other hand, it could just be the beginning of a great adventure.

For more pictures of the restaurant, and me painting the pigs, visit Red Hot and Blues facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=202886&id=43579759913

It's a New Day!

Did any of you know that birds mate at least twice? Once in the spring and once in the summer? I did not know that. We have had double occupancy this year in our front porch baskets and trees. We left for that week to Florida and came back and there were nests EVERYWHERE! We just had the new Mourning Doves fly the coup this past weekend. I'm getting really good now at recognizing the signs. Dad starts out being a great dad after the birth of the babies, then he pretty much leaves the rest to Mom. Next thing you know, he's absentee...shows up sometimes. I always knew when because he'd be down below on the porch making that sad mournful call. The mom appeared to be drawn to him again, because she'd go visit and the teenagers would be propping themselves on the edge to test their bravery. Mom eventually starts leaving for short periods of time, that progresses to hours, then she's gone for the day. Before you know it...they're gone with nothing to show for it all, but the mess down below and 2 new birds in the sky.

It's been a while since I last wrote. My birthday has come and gone and it was the best yet. Our children convinced Randy that I need an iphone because anyone can use one and I need to be current in the 2010s. I am amazed at how easy this phone is. The best feature is that it has voice command. I can just punch the little button and say, "Call Matthew," and it does! I've never seen a cell phone do that. Speaking of Matthew...he loves toys. He stood in line all night while we were down in Florida to get the newest iphone IV. His actually has the video where you can see the person if they have a compatible phone. Our friend Michael, told me that you can actually put on a application (Aps, they call it for short.) where you can just bump the phones and they trade each other's numbers! Can you imagine? What will they think of next?

I just want to update you on the book. I am writing once again with a vengeance. I am almost through with the toughest chapter, which has been holding me back, because I wasn't sure how to execute it, but I feel I have a clearer picture and I am just free writing. The information just flows as opposed to writing word for quoted word. I would love to have a completion date, but I know me, so we will just wait and see.

I would like to welcome all of my visitors from other countries, even if they somehow made a wrong hit on a key to get to me. Go back to the very first posts, because they certainly are the most humorous. Sisters and friends, hit the follower, BG4, if you want to see a beautiful slide show of Maine. Make sure your sound is on and set aside about 35 minutes for uninterrupted pleasure. It's how I started my day and it just made me HAPPY!

"This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Psalm 118:24.