BabyGurl and I went to Nashville Fri nite to see our friend Anthony.  It was a fundraiser for www.monroeharding.org Take a peek if you get a chance.

We saw Anthony ...

The flash didnt go off on this one and it got a funky glow, so I played around in photoshop and smeared out the people in the background.

Kix Brooks was in attendance, an graced us with a song.  He was GREAT!  (For those of you who may not be country music enthusiasts, Kix is 1/2 of the duo Brooks and Dunn).

Two of the other songwriters performing this night were Shelly Fairchild, and Lisa Carver.  Great singer/songwriters! 

And the beautiful and gracious lady who organized the event ... Laura Stroud.

Well worth eight hours in the car (my dad's truck to be exact, since the air is still out on my Jeep) and not getting home til 4am.  I love love love it (and so does BabyGurl).

I think I'm gonna be forced to look into getting a blog at an actual blog site.  This 'free' one that came with my webhost isnt cutting it any more.  It wont let my friends post, and now it wont let me change templates.  No telling what you'll see (or not) over the next few days as I take out my frustrations on the blog template site.  I'll try to get something going soon.  In the meantime, please feel free to keep emailing me!

BabyGurl and I are going to Nashville tomorrow night to see my favorite songwriter - and very good friend - Anthony Smith.  Check out his music at www.anthonysmith.com  His new album will be out in a few weeks and you can hear five songs on his website. 

You can also be his friend at www.myspace.com/anthonysmithfans and you can keep up with his antics at www.twitter.com/anthonysmithhq

He's a top notch songwriter, amazing singer, and all around great guy.  I'm proud to call him my friend.  (And I'm honored that he calls me his friend!)

(This is from a couple of years ago.  I think it's time for a new one!)

I've heard from a few folks that the blog is being moody and not letting some of you leave comments.  Seems to be a hit and miss kind of thing.  If you want to leave a comment and cant, feel free to email it to me at

aluapenyap at aol dot com

At BCT BoyChild could not have his cell phone or any electonic device (computer, mp3 player).  Now that he is at AIT, he can have those devices. 

He wants me to look around for a laptop he can afford.  He can barely afford pen and paper.  So, being the sneaky good, kind, generous Mom that I am - I am going to send him my laptop.  It's old, and slow, but it gets email just fine and will do the job for what he needs. 

Besides, I've been thinkin' about tryin' a MacBook Pro anyway. 

:-)

If I may bore you with just one more pic ........

Also - update on the air (or lack thereof) in the Jeep.  The warehouse only had one compressor (the defective one we got last week) so they are having to get another from the factory.  It will be here in THREE OR FOUR MORE DAYS!  My daddy has graciously offered to let me use his truck for my trek to Nashville Friday night. :-)

Friday morning BoyChild left Fort Knox, KY on a bus for Fort Gordon, GA.  Along the way they stopped for lunch.  The Army gives each soldier a meal voucher which they turn in to the cashier and the restaurant turns in to the Army for payment.

So the bus stopped at Pizza Hut in Greensboro GA.  They all went in and when they started to order and showed their meal vouchers the cashier had to go get the manager (understandable).  But the manager wouldnt take the meal vouchers!

So the soldiers (about 50 of them) walked (easier than moving the bus) a block and a half down to Zaxby's.  When they arrived and started ordering their food a lady (my son said about 75-80 years old) came up to them and asked where they had walked from (I guess 50 soldiers marching up to Zaxby's did create quite a sight).  One of the soldiers told her what happened and she was quite interested in that fact and started questioning the other soldiers and their commanders - and taking notes. 

Well, it just so happens that this lady was the editor of the local newspaper.

I dont think this is exactly the kind of free advertising Pizza Hut might be hoping for!

Hopefully tonight I can pick up the new compressor for the Jeep and BabyBrother can put it in tomorrow.

However .... when I got home last night .... it was HOT in my HOUSE.  Yep, the a/c was out.  Blowing lots of air - but not cold air.  Called my dad who called our a/c guy and he was out there before I left for work this morning (7:30am).  I came on to work and about an hour later BabyGurl called and said we had cold air now.  Our guy had left without saying goodbye or leaving a bill.  But I have cold air. 

I'll track him down this afternoon and see how much I owe him. 

Thank goodness for a nearby thunderstorm last night that kept the temperature in the house at least bearable!

All that and it's only Tuesday.  Wonder what the rest of the week holds in store?  Good things I hope!

Me and BabyGurl in my Dad and Mom's front yard - about to leave.

Yes, I'm on the phone and driving.  I'm talking to BabyBrother who is right behind me .... telling him I suddenly have no A/C.

(Ignore the dates on the pics.   Amber's camera is whacko!)

We are barely 25 miles from home.  I'm hoping it's something he can fix without parts or tools (he's pretty good). There was some smoke ... the compressor clutch locked up.

 Unfortunately that is unfixable without a $300 part that must be ordered.  So .... we are back on the road ... with the windows down .... singing "sun, sun, go away" ........

Then .... four hours later ... we arrive at out dinner destination, to meet up with friends. My friend Drey next to me, and her friend Shirley on the right.

BabyGurl and Amber.

BabyBrother and his wife, Amanda.

Then, two blocks up the street to the venue.  Waiting on the back deck (we have connections and we get in a few minutes before the general public)

We didnt get any real great pics in the venue (it's really dark and they just dont do well).  But we enjoyed a great show that raised a lot of money for a fellow songwriter who has cancer and no insurance.  It was organized by a songwriter friend of ours, and there were numerous songwriters performing, and special guests such as Pam Tillis, Lady Antebellum, T Graham Brown, and Jessie Colter.  It was an amazing show.  Amber cornered every artist there and got her pic made with them!

Then ...... it was on to the hotel ... we got there about 3am ... and needed to leave about 630am going out to the base for graduation.  We 'rested' for a few minutes, took a shower, changed and headed out to the base. 

Waiting to get in to graduation.

The pics of graduation didnt turn out too well.  Indoors, poor lighting, far away, BoyChild was in the very back (they were alphabetical). 

After graduation we got several good pics though. 

With Amber .....

With BabyGurl ..

With me!

We went to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays.  Then we just hung out in the hotel room for a few hours and visited.  Then it was back to the base for him and back to the room for us.  We got a good nights sleep and headed home Friday morning.

BoyChild left Friday morning on a bus for Fort Gordon GA.  He will be there for sixteen weeks.  At least he will have access to his cell phone there (he did not in basic) so he wont feel quite as lonely.  And we think he will get a long weekend for the 4th of July and will get to come home.  We'll know more about that next week.

And that .......... was our trip!

Well, there was this little milestone too .....

Update: Picked up the new compressor late Saturday evening.  BabyBrother put it on Sunday morning.  It's defective!  We have to order another one, so now it will be Wednesday before I get it fixed!!