Bama, Bucklebury and Birthday Blessings

The recent tornadoes devastated the south. Six states were hit hard. At least 326 people were killed.  My home state of Georgia lost lives and suffered tremendous damage. Love and prayers to the victims and survivors of this destruction in those six states and all others that were hit by the storms. Alabama was hit the hardest. University of Alabama students preparing for final exams and upcoming graduation were caught in the path of this horrific storm along with non-student residents of Tuscaloosa. Lives were lost and lives were forever changed. Neighbors here were phoned to check on their adult kids and grandkids in Tuscaloosa. And I just about put out an all points bulletin on one friend's son. Clearly caffeine and the weather channel are a dangerous combination. My mother was born in Marion County, Alabama and that county has 21 dead and 20 missing. But another report lists 29 dead in Hackleburg and 6 in Hamilton. (Therein lies a problem. They still do not know who is missing in so many of these hard-hit areas. An accurate count may not be possible for days to come.) These small towns neighbor Guin, Alabama where my mom was born. Bridgeport suffered damage and it is a neighbor to Stevenson where my father was born. I could list many towns and cities in Alabama but they are,in fact,all neighbors to someone. I watched the twister come through Birmingham on television and began to wonder about my grandparents' old home and landmarks throughout the city. I wondered about cousins too and I called and texted and facebooked. Social networking was successful in this storm. Prayers were said for Rabun County, Georgia and Jackson County, Alabama and Tuscaloosa and Ringgold and the list grew and grew. The heartbreak continues as do the prayers. If you want to give a shout-out to Bama students...hit them with a RTR ( Roll Tide Roll) on your facebook status. You can also give to The American Red Cross. We are fortunate to have doppler radar and the weather channel and warning sirens and phone calls. Heed these warnings. Oh and RTR !

Every bit of minutia that could be judged in regard to the royal wedding was put under a microscope and dissected. A reminder that it WAS Kate and William's wedding so all that mattered was what THEY wanted. I'll say it again. It was Kate and William's wedding. One of the non-news items that received enormous press coverage was the wedding invitation issued to John Haley. He owns and runs The Old Boot Inn in Bucklebury in Berkshire. Kate and William enjoy going to this pub. The pub is in Kate's home town. He seems like a fine bloke. Imagine that. They invited a friend to the wedding. He has not been seen running around with a fascinator on his head . He has not tried to exploit his relationship with the famous patrons of his pub. He seems very friendly and nice. They invited him to their wedding. I feel good about Kate and William. They are quite a beautiful couple. Long live Kate and William and John Haley.

Another birthday has come and gone but the celebration continues. Friends and family have called, written, texted, facebooked, toasted and hugged me. The gift of friendship is a priceless one and one that I do not take for granted. Friends dined with me at many meals throughout the week with more to come through next weekend. Taking time to sit and share a meal and have a conversation is indeed a gift. Fish tacos,baked oysters,steamed shrimp and crab all found their way into the birthday celebration. Good friends,good food and breathtaking sunsets. And laughter...always laughter. A year ago the Gulf of Mexico was in dire straits as a result of the BP oil spill but clear gorgeous water and pure white sands were the backdrop for the party. In fact Mexico Beach never showed signs of damage to this pristine treasure. Yes, I have been blessed.

(*Killer Seafood grouper tacos and key lime pie are a blessing unto themselves. Another gift is the friends I have found there and the place I go "where everybody knows your name". My gift to you is to tell you of this special place and invite you to join the Killer family on Highway 98 in Mexico Beach,Florida.)