new camera and rainy day at the beach

I drove over to the beach the other day for a few minutes. I wanted to try out my new camera. It's a Sony (this model). Merry Christmas to me...seriously. It's all I want for Christmas, and I went ahead and bought it for myself. The husband doesn't have to worry about getting me anything, maybe. I was fed up with the camera I bought last year. I would only get about 50 percent decent pictures with it. I decided to spend the extra money to get what I wanted. I want a fast camera, and that's hard to find in a small-sized camera at a reasonable price. This camera has a lot of power and the ratings looked good. Now I need to take some classes on how to use it other than on the automatic settings. It is fast!

There is a new ride at the beach. The observation wheel. I have not gotten the nerve to get on it. I'm sure it's fine, I just don't like heights or feeling like I can't get off when I want to. If I ever do ride on it, I would like to do that at sunset.

This picture was taken from far away. I zoomed in for this.

I like the way the clouds show up in these pictures.

It's back again

MIL's 80th Birthday in Tenneessee

Back in May, my MIL had her 80th birthday party. She lives in Clarksville, Tennessee, with my SIL and her husband. I had not been to their house since my MIL moved up there. They have a beautiful house and where they live is so pretty. Clarksville is an hour north of Nashville. My SIL's home is just beautiful. She has a knack for decorating and bringing the colors together. Their yard is so pretty, too.

On the way up to their house, we stopped in Birmingham, Alabama, and had lunch at Saw's BBQ. It was a little place and very crowded. The BBQ was pretty good but the ribs looked even better. Next time I'd get the ribs. It was such a tight fit in there between tables, it was not very comfortable trying to eat with people waiting in line or getting around the tables.

A couple of doors from Saw's BBQ is Dreamcakes bakery. So many yummy cupcakes. They have a cupcake truck that travels around Birmingham and parks and sells the cupcakes. That would be an ideal job for me as long as they didn't keep a strict count on inventory! These cupcakes tasted good, too. I bought their cookbook from QVC.

Here is picture taken right before the party started. This is my niece that lives in North Carolina talking to my BIL. My husband is standing the background next to his mom and then a friend of the family sitting there, too.

My SIL really did a WONDERFUL job of putting on this party. She had done so much prep work and it really turned out nice. The food was so good. There was a big turnout of my MIL's friends. MIL told us she wants a 90th birthday party!

A friend of my MIL's made these pigs in a blanket. I loved them and so did most everyone else.

We were just about 10 miles from Kentucky, if that far, so I got the husband to drive over the state line so I can say I've been to Kentucky now! It really is pretty there.

Crop fields in Kentucky.

I enjoyed the trip up there to Clarksville, visiting with family, and glad that MIL was able to celebrate her 80th birthday.