Archive for the Just Another Mary Monday Category

Just Call Me Glamping Queen

Just Call Me Glamping Queen

As y’all may remember, my husband Dale and I have a habit of getting into misadventures, like the time we flipped over our new pontoon boat in the middle of game day traffic (whoops!). We live in the present, which means sometimes hard-earned wisdom shows up a few seconds too late. As if we didn’t learn our lesson from last year, we recently invested in yet another tow-behind toy: a camper!  Why now, just after I’ve officially become debt-free? For good reason, of course: The camper was a gift to ourselves to celebrate our wedding anniversary. On May

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Smitten With A Blackjack Dealer

The last time I wrote y’all, I told you I was credit card debt-free. Lest you think I’ve made a complete Dave Ramsey-inspired turnaround, let me tell you about my recent trip to Las Vegas, where, yes, I played in another pool tournament and lost. I also lost in the casino. You see, I got pulled in by the charismatic charm of a blackjack dealer who was so magnetic, so fun, so entertaining, I couldn’t pry myself away from her table. She just had one of those personalities – everybody wanted to be near her, including me. I

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Debt-Free in West Virginia

As some of you may remember, I have a bit of a history with credit cards. When the cashier tells me I stand to save 50% with a new loyalty card, it’s tough to say no to that sweet, smiling face! Southern ladies aim to please (and then, there is that great outdoor furniture set at Target!). But today, I’m celebrating a whole new lifestyle: I’m 100% credit card debt-free, and I plan to keep it that way with good ol’ fiscal responsibility. Here’s the thing, though. Years back, I told my husband Dale that

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Weddings, Puppies and Kids – What Could Go Wrong?

As the warm weather months roll in, my Facebook feed is filled with photos of adorable babies all dressed up, beautiful bursts of tulips and daffodils, weddings galore, and, of course, lots of rambunctious puppy videos. Now’s the season of rebirth, hope, and new beginnings! And, for the love of animals, you’ve got to see my new favorite video. A bride in Iowa decided to make her wedding especially warm and fuzzy by skipping traditional flower bouquets and walking down the aisle with puppies instead. She linked up with a rescue group that had managed to save

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It’s Spring Again (and Again!) in the South

It's Spring Again (and Again!) in the South

Recently I heard something quaint from someone who’s not from The South: “I thought you guys had just two seasons –  warm and hot!” Bless his little heart, y’all. Down here, we have twelve seasons at the very least, and most occur in the middle of ‘spring.’Don’t get me wrong. I rejoice when I know it’s spring again. I’m all too quick to toss my winter sweaters and heavy coat into storage bins and break out the beach gear. But then winter whips right back, and no meteorologist can clarify what exactly is going on. As

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Can Yard Sales Spark Joy?

The decluttering craze is sweeping the nation, guys. Have you watched Netflix’s Tidying Up With Marie Kondo? It seems like everyone has. The sweet, soft-spoken organization guru from Japan has gazillions of views on Netflix, and she is bringing the life-changing magic of throwing out old stuff to households all over America. Gretchen Rubin, long-time self-help author, is cashing in, too, with her latest book Outer Order Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness. I haven’t read Rubin’s book yet, but I have seen Marie Kondo’s reality show. But let’s face it – reality

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It’s True Love, Can’t You See?

Love is blind, or so they say…. But true love? It’s got eyes and it sees everything, just ask my hubby Dale. This Valentine’s Day, he covered all of the bases: beautiful flowers, a sweet card, chocolates in a heart-shaped box, and…wait for it…reading glasses! If heading for the corner of CVS to peruse reading glasses for your wifey sounds a pinch unromantic compared to, say, a fluffy teddy bear or swanky candlelit dinner, think again. Monday through Friday, for years, I’ve been staring at not one or two – but three – computer monitors for nine

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Watch Instant Karma Work Its Magic

So, we’ve all had this experience: an inconsiderate driver cuts you off in the parking lot just to steal the space you were waiting for, and then what?  Basically… nothing. As your blood boils and you hold back a stream of cuss words, you tell yourself that *someday* karma will get him for you. Then, you drive on like the mature, not-road-raging adult that you are.  What’s better, though? When karma swoops right in and does its work right in front of you.  For instance, one man who’d just gotten cut off by somebody in the

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Just For The Records

On a recent trip to Walmart, I was launched down memory lane when I saw a surprising addition to their inventory: vinyl records! I could hardly contain my excitement or nostalgia. As a child, I remember sitting by a huge stereo and listening to music on the record player with my family. My dad played this game with us where he’d put on a mystery record and we had to guess who the artist was. One time, when I was about six years old, I knew the song and the artist’s first name, but for the life

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GRITS And Football Games

Most days, I aim to be a sweet and charming gentlewoman of the South, but when game day comes around, all bets are off. As many of you already know, last week Alabama (ranked #1) and Clemson (#2) faced off at the College Football National Championship. Both teams came in undefeated, but our quarterback threw two interceptions and Clemson…well, let’s just say I feel no need to share the final score. I was hot, and bothered, and upset, and I had no idea what to do with myself except for prep for next season.

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