Absences and Rednecks

Hiya! So here I am again after yet another hiatus from this little blog of mine. So, yeah....I dropped off the map without any warning or notice, but it was for a very good reason and I had true intentions on blogging and posting, but you know how it goes, sometimes plans change :)

My dad has been desperately waiting for approval from his insurer to proceed with a much needed back surgery. He's been living with alot of discomfort, and at times, excruciating pain in his back yet his insurer did not deem the surgery as 'necessary'. Finally, after alot of applications, paperwork, appeals and more paperwork the surgery was approved and within the span of about 5 days his surgery was booked and completed!

I ended up flying to Nashville last Sunday and on Tuesday, my dad was wheeled into the operating room while my mom and I hung out together waiting for the news that all went well. I'm happy to report that all did go as expected, but my dad has been feeling less than stellar as he starts his recovery. After four fused disks and eight bones spurs being removed he is feeling pretty awful, but in the end we are hopeful that all of the pain and discomfort will be worth it. So instead of blogging and cooking up a storm as usual, I've spent the better part of a week sitting in a hospital room with my parents.

I flew home late on Friday night and it's taken me a few days to get my groove back. I've gotta tell ya that as much as I love to travel and to hang out with my fam, I do not do well without plans. I felt like I was in a fog all last week....sitting around all day long can really mess with ya. I had to ask more than once what day it was!

I packed really light and I didn't bring my Canon Rebel with me on this trip. Instead I took my trusty ol' point and shoot and I took one, yes one, lonely pic.....and this was it.

Pretty sad huh?! LOL ... my mom and I stopped at Opry Mills Mall to pick up some of Gigi's Cupcakes (now THESE are what I should have been taking pics of --- AH-MAZE-ING!!!!) & this was parked next to us when we came back out of the mall. Um, can you say redneck?! God how I love the south! :-D

Anyways, please make sure to check back this week --- I'm working on my What I Ate Wednesday post as you read this, I have a recipe recreation planned for Thursday and then who knows what might be up my sleeve?! It's supposed to be SUPER hot and humid this week, so I'm thinking lots of cool and refreshing eats might be in order!

Do you like to travel on the fly or are you more of a planner?

What is the funniest redneck thing you've ever spied?

Have a fabulous day and I'll see ya on the flipside,

Andrea

xo