Abbeville, AL - Home of Huggin' Molly

I ride through the town of Abbeville, Alabama several times a year - probably 10 - 12 times at least - maybe more.  So I have been through there a lot over the years. 

Back at the end of October, when I was riding through (my 4th time that month), I noticed this new sign they were putting up on the outskirts of town.  They were actually in the process of putting it up as I drove by, so I couldn't stop and see what it was all about.

When I went through in November, I saw the sign and for some reason it struck me as soooo funny.  It was pouring rain though and I was very tired and wanted to get home so I didn't stop.  But this time...the weather was okay, the traffic was light so I decided to stop and see it up close.

The sign says "Welcome to Abbeville" - Home of Huggin' Molly.  Okay, at the time, I didn't know who that was....all I could think was....it looks like a witch, chasing a child.

I mean who doesn't want to live in or visit a town where witches chase your children, right?

Haha - well, as it turns out Molly is not a witch but actually is more of a ghost.  Apparently, the legend is that Molly is the ghost of a very large woman (7 feet tall and as big as a bale of hay), who is dressed all in black - after dark, she will chase you down, give you a hug and scream in your ear. 

Apparently, she has a particular fondness of children (especially boys).  According to the Washington Times (Jan 2 2013), a local named Jimmy Rane, also known to many as Yella Man, swears he encountered her as a boy.

I read a story somewhere by a girl that said when she was about 11, she and her BFF wanted to see if the story was true, they went into some woods and stayed until it got dark - after a while, this tall woman, dressed all in black, came running at them with  her arms outstretched.  The kids ran out of the woods without looking back - they were afraid to see what was behind them I suppose.

Apparently, Molly is a little misunderstood - she doesn't do this to scare people, per se, she may be seeking her own child.  I guess she screams when she realizes she has the wrong kid.

Not sure if the story is true or not but....it sure makes for a good tale (and an interesting town welcome sign).

If you are ever in Southeastern Alabama - a few miles from Dothan, stop in at Huggin Molly's Restaurant in Abbeville -  a good old fashioned soda fountain, with great food and find out more about her and the town.

December 2013 Movies

Movies that I saw in December 2013 that were new to me (doesn't include made for TV movies)

• Saving Mr. Banks - 2013
  Oh so good - great acting, interesting story but boy that Walt Disney was a patient man - P.L. Travers was a very difficult person.  While this movie made you understand why Mr. Banks (the father in Mary Poppins) was so important to her...and you do see some childhood struggles she went through - it doesn't quite show why she was so extremely difficult.  I get the feeling she was like this in all aspects of her life, not just when it came to the making of Mary Poppins.  Emma Thompson deserves an Oscar nod for this one if you ask me. Big thumbs up for this one.

• Suspicion - 1941
  Starring Joan de Havilland Fontaine.  Okay, first of all - how in the world did I NOT know that Joan Fontaine was Olivia de Havilland's sister???  I can't believe I did not know this until, while watching this movie with my mother, she shares this information with me.  Secondly, this movie was somewhat predictable and boring and thirdly, I can't believe Joan Fontaine won an Oscar for this role as Best Actress.  She was horrible in it if you ask me.  I like her, she is a good actress but in this movie, she was just not good - sorry Joan.  I know she only passed away a couple of weeks ago and I don't mean any dis-respect.  I don't know if it was her acting or if it was just the role but I give this movie a thumbs down.

• Gaslight - 1944
  Starring the ever beautiful, Ingrid Bergman, who rightly so, won Best Actress for this movie, which won Best Picture.  Great movie - suspenseful, interesting, great sets and customs.  Also featured, Dame May Whitty (who also happened to be in Suspicion) - great character actress, who I just adore. This movie gets a thumbs up.

Saving Money in 2014 - Pinterest Related

I saw this on Pinterest - a way to save $1,378 in one year that won't be too difficult to do....that is IF you stick with it. I started out doing this last year and somewhere along the way kind of forgot about it and stopped saving...So I am starting over this year. I made my own schedule because the one on Pinterest doesn't have dates and I think it helps me to keep track of it better if I have a date to go along with the week.

The dates below are every Monday in 2014 (I started on 12/30/13 since it was the closest Monday to Jan 1st).

The idea is, week one, you save $ 1.  Everyone can do that, right?  Week 2, you save $ 2 so by the end of week 2, you have $ 3.  So on and so forth.

By the time you get to week 52, you still only have to add $52 - that can be a lot to some people for one week, I suppose but that is the MOST you will have to put away at any given time.  If you do this throughout the year, you will have saved $1,378 by the end of the year.  Not too shabby.

I'm going to give it another go this year.  Wish me luck.

Freddy's Antics - Day 15

Monday will be the last day - Freddy is about to say bye-bye soon.  The last day he is going to leave a note and not really do any pranks so today was the last day Freddy will be "doing something".

I thought that it would be a good idea to have Freddy be reading the story of the birth of Jesus to his little friends.  That is what Christmas is all about, after all.  M.J. is religious and it seems everyone in our office is so ... I don't think it will "offend" anyone to share the true reason for the season.

 

Funny Friday - Frosty's First & Last Hot Tub Experience

Freddy's Antics - Day 14

Okay - I think this one my be my favorite so far....Freddy and Friends are having their first annual "fictional character" sack race.

Looks like Freddy is in the lead....

 

They even have some friends to cheer them on 

and hold up race signs 

(click on photo to enlarge)

Mrs. Claus sent M.J. some cookies to enjoy while 

he is watching the race.

Freddy's Antics - Day 13

M.J.  really seemed to like the light display yesterday.  It looks like Freddy could use a little help today, he stumbled into Jurassic Park !!

Freddy's Antics - Day 12

Freddy decided it was time to decorate M.J.'s office a little bit.

He strung lights on his computer monitor, put up a couple of Christmas Trees, left a Penguin Door Hanger on his door knob.  He also decided that M.J. might like a box of candy and a candy cane pen so he left that too.

Freddy's Antics - Day 11

In case you were wondering....Freddy was still up to his tricks last week but since I was in Nashville, TN (more on that another time) - someone else in the office helped Freddy set up his pranks.  I am working on obtaining photos (not sure they were taken each day) and will post those if they become available. 

In the meantime...Here is what he was up to today.

Making another Christmas Tree - this time out of Solo Cups.

I'm a Sensitive Doer

So... I took this Personality Quiz on=line and it says I am a "Sensitve Do-er"

Sensitive Doers are gentle, modest and reserved persons. They cope well with everyday life and like their privacy. With their quiet, optimistic nature, they are also good, sought-after listeners and other people feel well in their company.

All in all, this type is the most likeable and friendliest of all personality types. Tolerance and heir regard for others distinguish their personality. They are very caring, generous and always willing to help. They are open to and interested in everything that is new or unknown to them. However, if their inner value system or their sense of justice is hurt, Sensitive Doers can suddenly and surprisingly become forceful and assertive.

Sensitive Doers enjoy the comforts life offers to the full. They are very happy in everyday life. Sensitive Doers are often gifted artists or very good craftsmen. Creativity, imagination and an especially keen perception are just a few of their strong points. Sensitive Doers are very presence-oriented; long-term planning and preparations do not appeal to them. They take life as it comes and react flexibly to daily demands. They do not like too much routine and predictability. Their talents come more to the fore when work processes are variable and there are not so many rules. 

Sensitive Doers like to work alone; if they are part of a team, they do not get involved in competitive or power games and prefer living and working together harmoniously and openly.

Sensitive Doers are completely satisfied with a small, close circle of friends as their need for social contacts is not very marked. Here, too, they avoid conflicts - quarrels and disputes put considerable strain on them. 

Sensitive Doers are often very fond of animals and are very good with small children. As partner, this type is loyal and reliable and is willing to invest a lot in a relationship. Mutual respect and tolerance are very important to Sensitive Doers. Their love of pleasure makes them a pleasant companion with whom one can experience intensive moments. They like to look after their partner with attentiveness and small gifts and are very sensitive to the partner’s needs - often more than to their own. However, should they meet the wrong person, they run the risk of being taken advantage of. They are then deeply disappointed.

Adjectives that describe your type
introverted, practical, emotional, spontaneous, sensitive, peace-loving, reserved, gentle, good-natured, independent, empathetic, friendly, playful, carefree, sympathetic, relaxed, quiet, modest, pleasure-loving, loyal, obliging, caring, helpful, optimistic

CAREER ADVICE:

Your type, although belonging to the introverted doers, is also the most amiable and friendly in his dealings with others of all types. This special combination is the reason for your great flexibility. It enables you to work excellently and contently on your own to suit any situation, but also achieve extraordinary popularity and professional satisfaction as a member of a team. Here the precondition is a friendly, collegiate environment characterized by harmony and mutual respect.

You need a working environment without intrigue or political manipulation, and with the least possible deployment of elbows. Cooperation rather than confrontation, should be the order of the day. Colleagues as well as superiors equally appreciate your unassuming, congenial nature and your unbelievable sensitivity plus your attentive and generous ways toward others. In your presence, people simply have to be comfortable; you are not competition oriented, whatsoever.

You are almost limitlessly tolerant and always prepared to accept others as they are. As a consequence, you very rarely have problems getting along with different people. The only exception: when your private value system is hurt or you notice injustice somewhere. In that case, you can react quite forcefully but even in the most heated dispute you always try to argue respectfully and fairly.

Therefore it is very important that your work is compatible with your (high) values and ideals. In the long term, it is not satisfactory to just do any job with the sole objective of finding money in your account at the end of the month. 

You need the feeling of being able to totally identify yourself with your job, and to fully support whatever it is that you do every day. Ideally, your usually more practically- than theoretically-oriented activity provides you with tangible results. Then you can walk home at night feeling that you made the world just a little bit better than it had been in the morning - preferably for another human being.


All and all, I think that is pretty much all true - What is your personality type?

Take the FREE PERSONALTY QUIZ

Funny Friday - Why Goldfish Don't Decorate for Christmas

Freddy's Antics - Day 7

Freddy is getting a bit more adventurous and even had his pal Peter Pan join him for Zip Lining today  -  it only cost $5.00 to take a ride. 

Apple Fritter Let Down

Have you seen what an Apple Fritter looks like ?

They look kind of like THESE, right?

That is what I thought they looked like too and in fact, I was kind of happy the other day, when I went by my local Krispy Kreme and they had a picture that looked pretty much like the ones posted above - the sign said - TRY OUR APPLE FRITTERS.  Yum, I thought....that will be something different so I got one (now this was at the drive thru window so I couldn't see them before I ordered except for the picture they had posted).

When I got home, I took it out of the bag and THIS is what I got:

Seriously....That looks NOTHING like the photo they had.  Basically it was a donut with no hole and surprisingly no apples - oh wait - I take that back - there was TWO tiny (and I mean TINY) bits of apple. 

If you have a magnifying glass and look closely at the arrows, you will spot the 2 little bits of apple on the "apple fritter" (click on the photo and you can see a larger image).

It didn't tastes like apples or have any cinnamon flavor to it at all - just tasted like a yeast donut with a little bit of glaze on it.  They should have been totally embarrassed to serve this.  So disappointing.

Maybe I just got a bad one, maybe they are all like this but I can promise you that I will never get an "apple fritter" from Krispy Kreme again - lesson learned.

Freddy's Antics - Day 6

Freddy is back for another week - I am sure M.J. was secretly hoping he forgot to come back over the weekend. 

M J made a remark that he was a bit worried he might look out his window at home and see the elf running through his yard.  Ha Ha !

Today he is spending his day fishing.

Dogs in Boots

I wonder why dogs are not sure what to do when they have their feet in boots - I wonder why it feels so different to them.  Anyway.  I thought this was pretty cute...

Freddy's Antics - Day 5

M J is not a big sweet eater but he likes 2 things - Yorkshire Peppermint Patties and Hershey Kisses. 
But ..... it appears that Freddy likes Hershey Kisses too, he broke into the bag and left them all over M J's desk.

Funny Friday - Snowmen Birthday Cake

Freddy's Antics - Day 4

Boy, that little Freddy is sneaky...last night he got in M J's office and added mustaches to all the photos.  He even left a new frame (which looks like he colored himself), with a photo of M J, who also now has a mustache. 

Freddy's Antics - Day 3

Freddy is still up to his pranks.  Today he made a Christmas Tree entirely out of Post-It Notes and posted it over the couch in my boss' office.  He even topped it with a star.  You know it was him because he was caught in the act.

Freddy's Antics - Day 2

Since we are Accountants, of course Freddy had to get tangled up in some calculator tape.

I see that my boss left added a little note on Freddy that said "Someone help me, I am being retained against my will" - glad to see that he is getting into the spirit of Freddy's pranks.

Freddy Arrives - For My Boss

I don't have any small kids at home but I thought it would be fun to do Elf on the Shelf this year for someone...but who???

Well, we are a bunch of pranksters at my office so I thought - who can I do this to that would appreciate it ?  MY BOSS of course - he has a great sense of humor.

So...he was out the office Wednesday, 11/27 and so was I.  I was going to be out of the office Monday 12/02 but HE wasn't so I had to set up "Freddy" the Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving so that when my boss ( here on referred to as M J ) would see him first think Monday Morning.

So..here is what he saw when he came to work today.  The letter just explains that his name is Freddy The Elf and that he will be watching M J until Christmas and reporting back to Santa each night.  The only rule - you can't touch Freddy (name chosen due to my boss' middle name of Fredrick).  Elves have sensitive skin so no touchy !!!

I wish I could have seen his face when he saw Freddy - he doesn't know I'm the trickster - I think I am the last person he would suspect - haha.