Does The End Justify The Means?

Does the end justify the means? Will you do everything in your power to achieve your most cherished dream in life? Are you willing to make sacrifices just to achieve it? Please explain your answer.

Tags: Does The End Justify The Means? Ambition, Lifelong Dream, Sacrifices

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Do you have the "Fever?"

I didn't think I would......but I must confess that
"Yes, I have caught the Fever".......

It's been pretty exciting so far......
And just NOW.....
Our American Men's relay team JUST WON the Gold in the "400 Meter Freestyle" overthrowing the French swimmers......whewwwww!! It was pretty edgy.
Just seconds between the Gold and the Silver......

They just showed the awards ceremony and it is always AWESOME to see the American Flag raised and hear our National Anthem played. I Love that.
Always a proud moment.

I'm not into China's "politics" but I am into the Olympics right now.

Do You Believe In Soulmates?

Do you believe in soulmates? If you do, have you already found your soulmate? How were you able to recognize your soulmate? Please explain your answer.

Tags: Soulmate, Destiny, Fate, Love Beyond Time, Undying Love
Posted by:Mel Avila Alarilla

"Time for Tea with Father Ted"

If you've never seen the show "Father Ted" before, here's a tiny clip of the infamous "Mrs Doyle" the housekeeper trying to coax Father Ted into a nice "cuppa tea and a cake."



"Father Ted" was a weekly show that used to come on PBS a few years back. It was a BBC production of course about three Irish Priests and their mad housekeeper who live on "Craggy Island" off the coast of Ireland somewhere. It's all fictional of course. I think. HA!
We had a boy from Ireland staying with us one summer and he was watching this show one night at our house. We had never even heard of it before.
He told us that "it was one of the most "favored" shows in Ireland" at the time...so we watched it.

My sister Jerri who lives in Iowa and I got pretty hooked on this show because "if you love sarcasm and you love the Irish"....well.....it's all of that.
Plus I had just gotten back from Ireland so I was into all things Irish at the time.

Then our local PBS never put it back on. I couldn't blame them though. I suppose they got complaints about it.

It is a bit "sacrilegious".....especially for South Louisiana so I was surprised that they even showed it down here. But then again...it is pretty sacrilegious for Ireland too actually.

I have to warn you because some of the episodes can get a bit "crass" so you have to use discretion.

They are posting lots of short clips from the show on U-Tube and I found this "tea clip" that I thought you might enjoy today.

It's rainy as Ireland here today in Baton Rouge.

When I went to Ireland....it rained every day I was there....10 straight days of rain. Not all day long mind you. But every day still.

Interestingly enough......it also rains EVERY single day in South Louisiana in the summertime.....did you know that???

But it's hot and humid here...pretty much ALWAYS.....and their accents are way cooler in Ireland.

"Time For Tea?" Not even.....

Exhausted.
Now there's a word. We are all tired. But we have to still keep "running" for now.

The "Twins/Cousins" made it safely back to Iowa...."K" threw up in the truck at the New Orleans airport...poor thing.

"K and KJ getting ready to catch their flight to Memphis"

"The Cousins and Caleb"
"All the Cousins.....except Miss Priss hanging out on the back patio"

The "Twins" at the LSU Student Union Steps.


(note: I put those "closed eye" photos on here anyway because those boys did it on PURPOSE....BRATS!!!)

Miss Priss starts school in TWO days....what's up with that??
Luke starts College in about 2 weeks. I think. HA!

We have errands galore today.....I can't even stop for tea.

I hate that.

Next week.....back to "house" things around here. It's time to finish up.
"Fall's a coming."

Well.....not anytime soon in Louisiana.
But it's a nice thought.

Do You Believe In Destiny?

Do you believe in destiny? If you do, have you discovered your destiny? Do you think you can achieve it in your lifetime? Please explain your answer.

Tags: Destiny, Crossroad of Life, Lifeline, Fate

Posted byMel Avila Alarilla

St. Francisville....and rain...lots of it.

Beautiful Lousiana Oak trees in the "Feliciana's".....

Friday I took the "Girl Cousins" to
St. Francisville....probably my MOST favorite town in all of Louisiana.


St. Francisville is a small wonderful old town that is very quaint on the Mississippi River....about 45 minutes north of Baton Rouge.
"Girl Cousins"

It was the scene of a "Civil War Battle" is full of rich history...old, beautiful Plantations and Antebellum homes....the most wonderful HUGE Oak Trees with Spanish Moss hanging off of them and... cool antique shops. Fun!
"Church and Cemetery at Grace Episcopal Church...St. Francisville La."
Miss Priss and I LOVE to go up to St. Francisville and hadn't been since January.
So we decided we needed to take "KJ" before she left here for home.
We knew "K" would HATE it so we didn't take him. HA!
"KJ and Miss Priss"

We got to do a bit of sightseeing before a terrible rainstorm came upon us.

After having lunch at the "Magnolia Cafe" me and Miss Priss's favorite place to eat.
Then a bit of looking around the downtown and doing a bit of shopping.

I decided against my BETTER JUDGEMENT and took the girls in the storming, lighting, thunder and rain (my sister Jenny would have had a FIT had she been with us!!) to one Plantation nearby...which is supposed to be majorly HAUNTED.
I only went there because I knew I could get to it quick.....most are a bit further outside the town.

And we weren't skeeeered of the supposed "ghost".....lots of people on the "porch" were though. It was a tad bit "creepy" with that storm going on and it was only about 4:00pm and had turned "very dark" outside..then add in the terrible thunder and lightening and all those big massive Oak trees looming over head.

Photo of "The Myrtles Plantation" on a "dry day." I didn't take this photo of course.

Big.... hundreds of years old....heavy moss laden limbs.....just waiting to get hit by lightening and fall on us. Ugh. That's all I could think about...I wasn't worried about the ghost. I didn't want a huge Oak limb on our heads.

We weren't going to tour it but I just wanted my niece to see the architecture of the home......because it is beautiful outside of it. Lovely ironwork all around the front porch and such.
Of course they had suspended "tours" because of the storm and everyone was sitting outside in rocking chairs on the back veranda.Scared.

I think the storm enhanced their "nervousness" about the tour and the "ghostie" that is supposed to show up.
Whatever floats your boat.

We checked out the gift shop and walked around the grounds a bit then left....with the lightening and thunder pounding directly over our heads. It was very bad too.
I snapped this photo on our way off the grounds. I loved that Hydrangea bush and that cute little statue.

Didn't get a photo of the "ghost" though. Believe me...I wasn't paying big money to get in to look for her either.

I told the girls....that these Plantations and such have to have some kind of "draw" to get people to visit them.

It's very expensive to upkeep these places you know. And they are beautiful and full of history.....and some of the history is tragic....like at this particular Plantation.

I wrote a longer post about St. Francisville earlier this year so check it out so you can learn more about that area called the "Felicianas."
It's geogeous....if you ever come to Louisiana...make sure you visit there.

"Me and KJ"...waiting on the porch for the storm to let up. But it didn't so we made a run for it to the truck.