For Whom the Belle Tolls 9/29/24 For Whom the Belle Tolls 9/29/24

Hurricane Helene and Homecoming

This weekend was an adventure. Hurricane Helene stormed her way through the Southeast last week, causing flooding, downed trees, power outages and more, just in time for us to make our way to Clemson for homecoming. As we left town Friday at lunch, we were completely unaware of just how hard the area had been hit. Neighborhoods around us were without electricity but we still had ours, so we made our way around a few trees that had fallen and headed toward Clemson and what we assumed was about to be a carefree weekend of tailgating and football fun.

Our first moment of truth came as we stopped at multiple gas stations, all jam-packed with cars at pumps that didn’t work. Inside, the shelves were empty, picked clean. There was no gas, no food, no ice. Our cell phones were going in and out of something called “SOS mode,” which was disturbing to say the least. We reached Clemson and saw that traffic lights were out and half of the downtown businesses had power while the other half did not. Due to the weather, the homecoming displays had already been taken down, which gave Bowman field an eerie, half-destroyed look. And imagine how my heart sank when we found out that our hotel was one of the unfortunate establishments that did not have power. Oh. My. Word.

Determined to make the best of it, we took the free pocket flash light we were given at check-in (ah, perks!) and climbed the stairs to our very dark room. I made a quick playlist to set the mood (“I Can See Clearly Now,” “I Love A Rainy Night,” “Rock You Like a Hurricane”) and we lit a candle and broke open some snack mix. How bad could it be?

This is not what I think of when they say "Friday Night Lights."

As we settled into bed Friday night, I (ever-so-foolishly) said, “Well, by the time we get back from the game tomorrow night, the power will be back on and this will all be over.” Right. I admire my wishful thinking whilst also curse myself for saying things like that out loud. Because while the power company had said they would have things restored by noon on Saturday, it did not quite work out that way . Which led folks to get resourceful.

This is one of my favorite moments of the weekend. These girls used the generator from the pickup truck for their curling iron to fix their hair. After all, it's game day.

Thank goodness my friend Megan was down the street at a hotel with electricity, so I took my overnight bag and all of my beauty supplies to her Saturday morning and got ready for the game. We headed to the tailgate and compared stories with our crew about estimated power restoration times, tree damage, best use of generator power…misery loves company. We were all grateful to have a distraction, and frankly, the tailgate amenities were the nicest we had seen since we left Charlotte.

Did we make a frozen bourbon cocktail and transport it from Charlotte on dry ice for the game? Naturally. No trouble at all.

Orange and grape popcorn, just to keep it festive.

I have so many dietary restrictions, I always insist on a veggie tray. But I at least try to make it fun. See? The paw is fun.

Not that we really needed them Saturday, but Megan and I were twinning in our matching Clemson sunnies.

Hurricane or no, it's so good to be with these friends.

You cannot put a damper on our gameday good times.

Okay, so I was supposed to be taking it really easy with my rheumatoid arthritis. But then "Whoomp, There It Is" came on the playlist. So we whoomped. And later, lidocaine patches.

And then Megan served us all up a Lot Shot! Gooo Tigers! Almost game time....

I rarely ask for photos with people who are better dressed than I am, but check out this dapper Clemson gentleman we passed on our way to the game. He made sure to show me his matching Clemson needlepoint belt and wallet as well.

We had fantastic seats in the West End Zone and our Tigers beat Stanford 40-14! Night games in Death Valley are so much fun.

I was exhausted and achy by halftime, so we made our way back to what I had hoped were the relaxing confines of our hotel. Imagine the disappointment when we arrived at that Clemson Comfort Inn to find it still pitch black, lit by emergency lanterns, and even stuffier and more stifling than the morning when we left it. As much as I hated to, we quickly packed our bags and decided it was time to call off the crusade. We drove back to Charlotte, where a hot shower and the cool of some air conditioning never felt so good.

We will add this escapade to our list of Clemson adventures—and between the2015 Notre Dame hurricane game, my wall jump ankle break going down onto the field after beating Louisville in 2016, and all my years in school there (years not to be named), there are loads of stories to tell. We came, we tried, we made the best. My heart goes out to everyone affected by the storm who is still cleaning up and will be for weeks to come. It was an unusual homecoming this year, but no matter what, Clemson always feels like home.

For Whom the Belle Tolls 9/17/24 For Whom the Belle Tolls 9/17/24

I Like Older Men (Happy Birthday, Clint)

Ain't it great--look who just turned 48!

You all know by now without me saying it, but it bears repeating: birthdays are a big deal. I have not been feeling human so great lately, thanks to a run of Covid which has left me hobbled with a horrible flare of rheumatoid arthritis, but when National Clint Day approached, I knew it was time to peel off the lidocaine patches, unplug the heating pad, and get ready to celebrate.

Luckily for me, my spouse does not want, expect, nor tolerate all the fanfare I relish during my birthday month. He basically wants a steak, a loaded baked potato, and a good bourbon—perhaps a gift or two, and then he prefers to call it a day. Well, I had a few more merrymaking moments in mind, so we settled for a birthday weekend and off we went. And I think for a girl with a limp who can’t tie her shoes without assistance at this point, we managed just fine.

Friday night was our fancy dinner out. Clint always chooses a steakhouse for his birthday meal and this year's pick was Ruth's Chris. As you can see, we started with the seafood tower, which made the birthday boy giddy. Lobster, shrimp, lump crab, and cracked crab claws will do that to a person.

He had generously offered to order Door Dash and eat in our sweats (yet again) but after the meal we had, we were both glad we made the effort to have a celebratory evening out. And then: time to head back home for dessert.

Saturday of the birthday weekend bonanza arrived, which means it was Birthday Eve. Much to my shock, the man of the hour declared he had gift cards to use and wanted to shop. I have a bit of experience in that arena and throbbing ankle or no, I do not turn down any type of retail therapy. We spent the afternoon perusing some men’s fashion and spicing up Clint’s wardrobe a bit, then headed home for a little rest and relaxation.

Birthday browsing ("Susie, I feel like I'm in a photo shoot.")

A round of cocktails after some successful shopping. I found a tasty recipe called the "Honey Bee," a tequila, mezcal, honey, lemon juice and jalapeno concoction. The name alone seemed like a good fit for a Georgia Tech man.

Sunday was National Clint Day! We had a lazy morning and then opened gifts before venturing out for a little revelry. I did some research on where to find the ultimate Bloody Mary here in Charlotte, and it led us to a restaurant called Moo and Brew and their “Large Marge.” Clint and I both love Bloody Marys, and over the years we have sampled quite a few, and bedecked them with what I thought was every garnish known to man. I was so wrong. We had no idea what levels this drink could rise to!

Let's get down to the important part: the gifts.

Only my husband would ask for a sprinkler controller for his birthday. An old gold (nod to Georgia Tech again) shirt, a much needed new pair of shoes, and some pretty funny gummy candy to top it all off.

Large Marge Bloody Mary — Spectacular! I am already thinking up other special occasions to go back and have another. Birthdays, anniversaries, Columbus Day....

Needless to say, Marge was a meal. We staggered away, full and Bloody Mary blissed out. On our way home, we stopped by another men’s store (what has gotten into Clint?!) and found a new sport coat and button-down for the toast of the town. Forty eight is going to be looking great! The weather was beautiful, so we spent a leisurely afternoon on our patio, sipping Ranch Waters, playing with the dogs, and listening to Billboard’s Top 100 Songs of 1976. As Clint so deftly put it, “1976 was a very good year.”

We capped off the day with dinner at our favorite Tex-Mex spot, and a little more of that birthday tiramisu for the occasion. Just like the birthday guy himself, the weekend was relaxed and easygoing, mellow and peaceful. I hope that will be the sign of the kind of year ahead for him (although he lives with me, so good luck and Godspeed, babe)!

Happy Birthday, one more time, Clint! Thank you for being so easy to celebrate!

For Whom the Belle Tolls 5/28/19 For Whom the Belle Tolls 5/28/19

Blog Post Title One

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

For Whom the Belle Tolls 5/28/19 For Whom the Belle Tolls 5/28/19

Blog Post Title Two

It all begins with an idea.

For Whom the Belle Tolls 5/28/19 For Whom the Belle Tolls 5/28/19

Blog Post Title Three

It all begins with an idea.

For Whom the Belle Tolls 5/28/19 For Whom the Belle Tolls 5/28/19

Blog Post Title Four

It all begins with an idea.