ain't life grand?

We've a wee bit of catching up to do, don't we?

 First, a glimpse of grace from a few days ago: perfect cheery sunlight streaming in through the window and onto my chair, making it seem like that's exactly where I was to be sitting in that moment.  (And under the chair seems to be exactly where Hayden preferred to be resting at that moment.)

With a move to North Carolina coming quickly, I decided to take a break from packing (going great!) to visit my Grandmother.  Isn't she lovely and joyful?  We had a wonderful time.

She made me what I've had at her house for as long as I can remember: biscuits and gravy for breakfast.

 There's nothing as good as my Grandmother's gravy.

 (And of course, copious amounts of coffee to go with it!)

 I went with her to get her hair fixed, and met her hilarious hairdresser.  As you can see, they get on famously.

My Grandmother lives in Alice, Texas, a small South Texas town with plentiful palm trees, several Mexican restaurants, a friendly feel and, apparently, an old Mexican-Italian restaurant.  Judging from the disrepair of the place, I take it fusion food isn't too big in Alice.  We did, though, discover some very fun boutiques in Alice.

This monarch butterfly fluttered around a blooming bush near Grandmother's apartment. If I got a bit too close, it would just take off in large arcs around me before finding its way back to that same bush.

Thanks for everything, Grandmother!  What a fun time.  Love you!