Where y’at Jen?

09/21/2025

This is adorable. Go ahead. Make the call.

So cute!

09/01/2025

Yummy Donuts, Benton, LA

Ok. Let me ‘splain. We tried to eat healthy for breakfast. But, we didn’t really like our choices; so…..
To quote James, “This place is awesome!”
His combination breakfast burrito was, well, yummy.
And Wesley’s sausage kolache was pretty much gone before we got to the car. In fact, after I finish writing this,I gotta run back in and get Wesley another one.
And yes, we tried the donut holes (just 1/2 dozen) . I mean, how could we not try them?
Nice little breakfast spot in a sweet little town.

08/30/2025

Monjunis, Benton, LA

Isn’t this the cutest little place?
I love Italian; but…. No pasta, no bread has been my life for the past few years.
So, I stopped at this cute little place in Benton hoping for Italian without the starches. And you know what? They delivered. There are all the usuals Po-boys, pizza, pasta, lasagna; but, they also have salads and were able to suggest a meatball with sauce.
It was oh so good with just a hint of sweetness along with good protein.
I also saw some yummy dessert choices.
Sadly, if you’re a fan of this kind of food, you better get here soon. I’m afraid they may be closing shop soon.
But, I’ll try to get back here as often as I can before this adorable and yummy little homestyle place closes its doors for good.

08/30/2025

Truth.

08/20/2025

Tornado Coffee, Benton,LA

Soooo, since we last visited,
I been to PA, SC, TN, LA and several interstates in between. It’s been lovely and I have enjoyed all the sweet family visits and lovey-hugs!

Today, I’ll just be running around the Shreveport/Bossier area.
But, first, it’s always good to start the day with a hug from my littlest grandboy. I was privileged to get to drive him to school today. We had the best time driving and talking. (And I was pretty impressed with the way that his school did the drop-off line. )
On the way from here to there, I saw a new coffee place and decided to pop in and try it.

Yum! I’ll leave it at that for the first visit; and tell you that it is worth a second visit to see what else is brewing.
The great news: They make a good latte’, have coconut milk, 2 sugar-free syrup flavor choices, AND they use fairly local coffee beans from a company in Dallas.

08/15/2025

Just giving y’all a head’s up… I might have been hacked…so, be careful of anything from me while I try to figure this out.

08/08/2025

08/08/2025

Aki, Hanover, PA

Wow!!!!!

08/04/2025

Virginia State Line

Blowout; Sunday afternoon; Virginia/North Carolina State Line; passing an 18 wheeler on a curve; 2seconds from heading up a mountain.
Bad News: bent the wheel.
Good News: Everything (and I do mean everything) else.
Now, some of y’all are gonna call this the luck of the universe; some might call it serendipitous.
Here’s the 911.
As I went around that big truck, I felt my car start to run really rough and I thought it was the motor. However, when I looked down, I saw that my tire light was on. That little Fiat drove like a champ. I went right around that 18 wheeler and pulled up to the rest area and called my insurance company for the tow.
Pretty soon a Virginia state trooper came and checked on me; several people at the rest stop asked if I needed help, and while my insurance company had a terrible time finding a tow truck, I was safe and in a clean, lovely and friendly little place. When a tow person finally was found, he said “ma’am, I’ll be there just as soon as I can. I’m about 45 minutes to an hour and a half away.” But, 15 minutes later, Willie‘s towing service showed up. My phone rang and the gentleman who was supposed to be there told me that he called a friend of his so I didn’t have to wait. That young man, Willie, took me to Mount Airy, North Carolina.
I don’t know if you know where Mount Airy, North Carolina is (I didn’t); but, I shall be forever grateful to have been there Mt. Airy was renamed “Mayberry” in a little television show that we all loved.
So, Willie, took me to the Mayberry Motor Inn to drop off my luggage; dropped off my broken little car at the local FIAT dealership (I sure enjoyed my conversation with that young entrepreneur) and dropped me off at a local eating establishment before he went on his way.
Earlier in the day, 👨‍✈️ had to go to work, but would you believe that his trip cancelled at the last minute and he was actually to Mount Airy before dark?
So, Sunday night, I was tucked up in Mayberry Monday morning, we went across the street (literally) and let me tell you something. Mount Airy Dodge Chrysler Jeep Fiat treated us just like neighbors. In fact, everybody in that little town treated us so well. The people at the hotel, the people at the restaurants, the people at the car dealership. Everyone. By Tuesday afternoon, Rich had found and delivered a wheel, we had two new tires there was a new motorcycle helmet and motorcycle shoes in the trunk of Rich’s car (more on that later) and I was on my way to PA.
Are we going back to Mayberry? You better believe it. Just as soon as we can and hopefully I won’t have to have a blowout to see that wonderful little community and have some more of Aunt Bea’s BBQ & sweet potato casserole once again.

08/04/2025

Sat. Aug. 2, 2025
Gastonia, NC
East, east, east… ever drive through the Smokies with rain, construction and lots of BIG trucks?
Well, that’s a bucket list item I didn’t know that I needed to experience.
But, it was still beautiful, all the drivers were careful and WAZE kept me entertained (y’all….. the Minion sidekick!!😆)
At the end of the day, there was Rich. 💗 And yes, that a cool little local diner with really good food and an eclectic vibe. And, yes, that is a mororcycle helmet; I mean, not mine, (mine is white) and yes, I am now the proud owner of a helmet, gloves, and boots…. More on that later.

08/04/2025

Friday. Aug 1. 2025: Tennessee!
https://watermanpools.com/
There are lots of beautiful places in this country of ours and this place is one of ‘em. Of course, my favorite thing about the Nashville area is that my Richie, Carolina, & Victoria live there.
What a lovely, peaceful respite after toooooo long without hugs from my boy.

08/04/2025

Thursday: July 31, 2024
Woodland Plantation
https://woodlandplantation.com/

Just thought I was going for a little drive south of town…..which turned out to be the ‘underthought’ of the year.

At a recent birthday dinner for our Stephe’, I asked where the best bread pudding was made. The folks, at the table, who are from New Orleans, all said, “Uncle Foster’s.”
That wasn’t a restaurant that I had seen on all the visitor guides, so… Ben kindly explained that his Uncle had a little B&B/camp/fishing tours/feed the ‘gators place with an attached resturaunt to feed the guests and a few others folks who wandered in. And, he invited me to go down with them to see the place and try the bread pudding…
Hey, why not? This family knows NOLA food and I was excited to find out what was south of the city.
So, Thursday afternoon, off we went….through the city, across a bridge, bumpy-bump on the eastern New Orleans streets, down past Belle Chasse, past the biggest refinery, I’d ever seen… until the next one down the road.
Man, with all that oil, Louisiana should have the best streets in the nation. (But, I digress).
Somewhere, along that road, we made a u-turn and then turned right onto a little driveway….
Ummmm, yeah. That little driveway turned into a beautiful South Louisiana driveway, with verdant greenery, strong trees, beautifully landscaped areas and absolutely intriguing buildings.
Let me just say what a delightful afternoon and evening we had.
Very low-key, very friendly, just gorgeous and a bit scary. (I mean, watching an alligator come out of the water to eat a treat of chicken leg quarters…. Let’s just say that I stayed in the ATV.)
In case you haven’t met Foster, he is a fierce advocate for and lover of the natural environmental treasures of this part of our state. He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk of a brilliant man who understands the balance of business, nature, historic buildings, and South Louisiana culture.
And this place is beautiful. The website says it so much better than I ever could; but, I gotta tell you, at the end of this homey and surreal juxtaposition of an experience, we were treated to the best meal of my life.
Yes. The best. Of my entire life.
If you like fishing, there are really good guides here. If you like a low key natural areas to unwind, this is just perfect. And, if you like astoundingly good food with a casual atmosphere, oh yes, this is the place.