Anniversaries and pizza ovens

Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll last week! The clear winner was 'Go back to our honeymoon spot (Brampton Island, Australia near the Great Barrier Reef)'. Unfortunately we won't be able to get back there this year, nor will we get to Hawaii. All spare money is being coralled for the pizza oven and its accessories. I'm hoping for our 20th wedding anniversary we can get back to Greece. Maybe I should start a travel fund now so that it becomes a reality!


And speaking of the pizza oven, the dome has been completed, except for a small hole at the top for a light. Andrew had to climb inside (yes through that small hole) to chip off lots of mortar at the top that had seeped through. He's now working on the second arch at the front. Then there's a lot of metal work, the rest of the brickwork, the tiling, the stonework etc etc. There's lots more to be done! However going to bed at 2am every night is not good for anyone, nor does it make for a happy home life so we may not make it to Greece if this continues for much longer!

Over the weekend we managed to squeeze in Cooper's 2nd birthday party. Lucy insisted that she give him the present and then promptly ran away from him. She ate lots of hot dogs, chips and cupcake icing but she especially liked the take-home party favour bags full of balls, bubbles and balloons. Happy birthday Cooper!

Weather update

The weather has been crazy lately as it cannot make up its mind as to which season it is. Here's a rundown:

13 October it was 90 degrees and we were swimming at the beach!

18 October autumn arrived and the temperature dropped to 60 degrees (with lows of 38)

1 November we are back at 75 degrees (and this is still the case today).

We are basking in these North Carolininan blue skies even though we know this weather will break soon. I think God gave NC a extra pinch of something special when he formed it.

Autumn, we are awaiting you!

Southern slang

I saw a personalised number plate (licence plate) on a car the other day that said INHGHCTN. In other words, in high cotton. I'd heard this Southern phrase a few times and decided to investigate. Here are some definitions:

• 'In high cotton' is a Southern term expressing the best of times and meaning that all is going very well
• 'in high cotton' - to have a lot of money. Prominently featured in the country-western song "High Cotton" by Alabama . "When we were kids, we thought we were in high cotton if we had a dollar."

There's also a fantastic restaurant in Charleston called High Cotton. When we were there we ate at the sister restaurant Blossom as Lucy was with us and HC looked a little too fancy.

Pizza Oven update

The pizza oven is progressing well. Andrew is working out there every night and is now up to about the 10th layer of bricks. Things are getting tricky at the top so the number of bricks laid each time is small. Keep checking www.andrewspizza.net for up to the minute news.

And happy birthday for tomorrow Dad!

Vote in my poll!

Given that in the US today is Election Day (with a capital E) I thought I'd give you a reminder to vote in my poll. For those of you using feeds to check the site, swing by and let me know how you think Andrew and I should spend out 10th wedding anniversary in December.

Product of the week - Fair food (elephant ears and funnel cakes)

Food at the fair! What do you imagine? Fairy floss (cotton candy), check; hotdogs, check; philly cheesesteaks, check; sno cones, check; funnel cakes, check; elephant ears, check.... wait funnel cakes and elephant ears???

The first photo is a funnel cake. Essentially strips of fried dough in a squiggly pattern, smothered in icing sugar or a topping or your choice (there is apple on the top half of this one)

The third photo is an elephant ear. Also fried dough, but in a single piece. Smothered with butter and then icing sugar.

Needless to say Lucy and Andrew devoured them!

Fun at the fair

The Cape Fear Fair and Expo is in town for a couple of weeks so we headed over to the airport to join the festivities. There was chainsaw woodcarving, cheerleading competitions, a livestock tent (full of rabbits, roosters and baby goats), sideshow games and rides, rides, rides. We thought the emphasis might be on agriculture and animals but really the focus was on entertainment for the kids. There were SO many rides and SO many games to spend money at. Fortunately the rides were covered by the admission price but it was surprising how many people wanted to shell out big bucks for the chance to win a stuffed animal!

Unfortunately we missed the kangaroos and tigers but we did have lots of fun. Lucy liked the police, fire, sheriff and national park stalls and even got a fireman's hat and a Smokey's friend bracelet. In the end Lucy did not want to go home but she was appeased by dinner at Cracker Barrel. Incidentally isn't funny how sometimes you keep bumping into the same people. At the fair on a number of rides, randomly placed throughout, we would end up being on the same ride as this particular family (who we don't know). We left at the same time (we bumped into each other at the exit) and then we walked into CB (10 minute drive away) and guess who was sitting at the table next to us? We should have introduced ourselves!

Whilst Lucy has been on lots of carousels (Hartford CT, Washington DC, Wilmington NC) she hasn't been on any other rides yet. She made up for it here having fun on the fire engine, wigglin' worm, carousel, ferris wheel, house of mirrors and the giant slide. She also went on a motorbike ride by herself but was so self conscious of all the parents staring at her she put her head down and stared at her feet for the whole ride. The operator was really worried about her so he stopped the ride to check on her but she just said 'more' so he started the ride up again and she put her head down again!

I'll leave you with a little video of Lucy and Andrew on the fun slide. Tune in for tomorrow's blog about American fair food - you can only imagine!!