Billy and I went to Beale Street last Saturday afternoon. We ran into the Boll Weevils. They were driving a green converted school bus, in the background.

They're a Cotton Carnival Crewe. These guys had jumped off the bus to flirt with some young girls who were standing on the corner. I tricked them into getting this picture made, but as soon the button clicked, those wild Weevils were right back at it, trying to get phone numbers and determine who was engaged and who wasn't– as soon as the old people got out of the way–some things never change.

Angie is my neighbor. She lives about three doors down. When Billy and I were looking for a house hers was for sale. I'd drive by and look at her yard and her adorable little yellow cottage with the little white fence. 

"This is the house I want," I'd say, pulling up in the driveway.

"But it only has one bathroom,"Billy repeated over and over, "I'm not living my golden years of retirement sharing a bathroom with you." It was a point well taken. I'm not the kind of girl anybody would want to share a bathroom with. You might get hurt. Especially if you got up in the night, tripping over clothes on the floor or magazines, baskets, shoes, not a pretty site.

Angie loves her yard the way I love mine. We have similar interests. We're even starting a book club together. 

She invited me to go with her to a Race for the Cure. I'd never been to one before. Can you believe that? We got up early and went to Saddle Creek where all the walkers(and very few runners) were waiting.

I've been in big crowds before. Football games in Knoxville, concerts and stuff, but I'd never taken a walk with 15,000 people.





The walk was 3 miles and Angie and I were just about in the middle. As far as I could see behind us were throngs of people and as far as I could see ahead of us were throngs of people.
I walked in memory of my mother who died of breast cancer and in honor of my sister who survived it. Angie's sister-in-law died last month of breast cancer and she walked in memory of her.












I snapped this shot as these cute ladies were walking by. Almost everyone there wore pink(except me).

I haven't been writing on my blog lately because I've been working on getting a website built. I can't believe I'm doing that. I went on line and bought my name so that now I own melindashoaf.com.

I have a 3 page website which will feature pictures of my bread and when I'll be selling it. 

FYI my latest capitalistic venture is selling bread. I've been at the Farmer's Market at the Botanic Garden for the last 3 weeks. I've sold everything I baked. My most popular item is a pan of Aunt Velma's Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls. mmmmmmmmmmm whachutalkinabout.

They are soooo yummy. 

Last week I baked rolls all day on Tuesday and froze them over night. On Wed. morning I got up very early and baked loaves of bread and cinnamon rolls. All of it had to be labeled and put in bags. My shoulders still hurt from all the bending and the stress. If it goes well I think it will be a nice cottage industry. Maybe someday I'll own a cafe and sell whole wheat cinnamon rolls and delicious rolls and coffee. It will be a green cafe, all organic and all like Seattle or something. But that's a long way away.