Ingredients:
1 12oz Coke Zero, consumed while driving to work from a blue Aladdin insulated-cup-thingy
1 Little Debbie Apple Pie, consumed while driving back to work from the gas station
2 Excedrin extra-strength coated tablets, purchased at the aforementioned gas station
1 20oz Diet Mountain Dew, purchased prior to the Excedrin in vain attempt to avoid taking medicine by using caffiene (diet because we're watching our calories...never mind the apple pie), all in an effort to ward off the blistering pain over my left eye
1 Huxtable's Beef Shepherd's Pie, otherwise known as The Ambrosia of The Gods of the Walmart Deli Case
I'm not sure, but I think the shepherd's pie coupled with a four word story including "they called him...Tater Salad" from the Lost Boys Gathering Place forums MIGHT have done the trick...though the monitor still has a funny aura around it and my ears are ringing louder than the Carol of the Bells...
29 December 2005
On the Road Again
My dear Thug brought up a good point the other day on the phone. She said "You sure do travel a lot!" She had called me twice in as many days and both times caught me on the road to Georgia. I was thinking about how much I drive this morning as I was driving from Greenville to Anderson for work.
Tomorrow I will be driving almost to North Carolina to pick up said Thug. Then Saturday I will be driving to Lawrenceville for a Lost Boys concert at...gulp...a comic book convention. Once the merriment and revelry are done, Thug and I will drive back up to my house in Greenville for the night.
But wait, there's more...
The following weekend, I will be returning to Georgia to attend a party thrown by my sister and her husband, but it will be a tad less stressful because I can take my dogs with me to their house. Christmas I worried the entire time because I can't take my dogs to my parents' house. Also, I may be able to see my friend ebeth while I'm there...I can't believe it's been almost ten years since I've seen her in person, and I'm so incredibly excited at the possiblity of meeting Andrew and MC in person!
I travel a lot...but my life is never dull, I suppose.
Tomorrow I will be driving almost to North Carolina to pick up said Thug. Then Saturday I will be driving to Lawrenceville for a Lost Boys concert at...gulp...a comic book convention. Once the merriment and revelry are done, Thug and I will drive back up to my house in Greenville for the night.
But wait, there's more...
The following weekend, I will be returning to Georgia to attend a party thrown by my sister and her husband, but it will be a tad less stressful because I can take my dogs with me to their house. Christmas I worried the entire time because I can't take my dogs to my parents' house. Also, I may be able to see my friend ebeth while I'm there...I can't believe it's been almost ten years since I've seen her in person, and I'm so incredibly excited at the possiblity of meeting Andrew and MC in person!
I travel a lot...but my life is never dull, I suppose.
And to all a good haul!
Here's a photo of my parents' den this year on Christmas Day. Note the picture of my sister over the mantle, and how mine was carefully not included...
Hope everyone's day was merry and bright...is it 2006 yet?
Hope everyone's day was merry and bright...is it 2006 yet?
27 December 2005
The Day After The Day After Christmas
I know some of you are back at work today. I'm so terribly sorry. I don't have to go back to work until Thursday, and then after working for two days will have another day off for New Year's. You may commence the tomato hurling....now.
I now have a fridge in my kitchen, and it has food in it! This morning I had a marvelous breakfast of blueberry bagel with butter and a latte with dulce de leche creamer. Yeah, so I'll start my diet tomorrow...
Christmas was grand fun, and will continue tomorrow when I venture back to Georgia to see Susan and Dave who were visiting his family in Alabama over the actual Christmas weekend.
I really feel like my house is home now. My cats are here, my dogs are here...and I have a new DVD player to learn how to use (thanks to Mom and Daddy) as well as a new VCR so no more missed Days of Our Lives!!
I now have a fridge in my kitchen, and it has food in it! This morning I had a marvelous breakfast of blueberry bagel with butter and a latte with dulce de leche creamer. Yeah, so I'll start my diet tomorrow...
Christmas was grand fun, and will continue tomorrow when I venture back to Georgia to see Susan and Dave who were visiting his family in Alabama over the actual Christmas weekend.
I really feel like my house is home now. My cats are here, my dogs are here...and I have a new DVD player to learn how to use (thanks to Mom and Daddy) as well as a new VCR so no more missed Days of Our Lives!!
24 December 2005
Another Quiz, Thanks to my Thug
Not really a surprise, not at all...Thanks Kalyne for the linky.
Reflections of the Spirit? You reflect the sadness of the spirit. You have been wronged by life and are troubled by the spirit's journey, yet find strength in this. This is a temporary reflection and once time has past you will find that you have a new reflection and show others that they too can rise above their depression. Take this quiz!
Reflections of the Spirit? You reflect the sadness of the spirit. You have been wronged by life and are troubled by the spirit's journey, yet find strength in this. This is a temporary reflection and once time has past you will find that you have a new reflection and show others that they too can rise above their depression. Take this quiz!
Merry Christmas
So I'm not really a Scrooge after all...thanks to my sister and brother in law for coming up here yesterday and reminding me what Christmas is about.
Oh, and to my sister, for keeping my pseudo ADD in check while we shopped in MOBBED stores...thanks Sooz. She even helped with my tree, and the Nuclear Powered Angel you see in the picture.
I hope everyone is warm and happy and with loved ones this weekend.
Oh, and to my sister, for keeping my pseudo ADD in check while we shopped in MOBBED stores...thanks Sooz. She even helped with my tree, and the Nuclear Powered Angel you see in the picture.
I hope everyone is warm and happy and with loved ones this weekend.
22 December 2005
There's No Four Day Weekend for Crazy
(thanks to Charles for the title of the post...)
I am in a state of complete denial that Christmas is this weekend. With everything that has happened over the past month, I'm not even sure where I am half the time, let alone how many shopping days left there are or what Christmas movie will be on TV tonight. Is it really December 22nd?
I am thankful that my power is on. I am thankful that I have heat. I am thankful that all six of my critters are still with me this Christmas.
And yet through all that thankfulness I am reminded that I still only have 2.5 shopping days till Christmas and so far I've bought ONE gift. One. I think you know where I'll be once I leave work today.
I am in a state of complete denial that Christmas is this weekend. With everything that has happened over the past month, I'm not even sure where I am half the time, let alone how many shopping days left there are or what Christmas movie will be on TV tonight. Is it really December 22nd?
I am thankful that my power is on. I am thankful that I have heat. I am thankful that all six of my critters are still with me this Christmas.
And yet through all that thankfulness I am reminded that I still only have 2.5 shopping days till Christmas and so far I've bought ONE gift. One. I think you know where I'll be once I leave work today.
A Quick Quiz
I am 79% (Dixie). "Your neck must be at least pink!" I am not sure that this is really a surprise.
Thanks to Amy for the linky...Are You a Yankee or a Rebel?
Thanks to Amy for the linky...Are You a Yankee or a Rebel?
20 December 2005
All Hail to the Duke
Duke Power that is...
Man alive, have they had a job to do. This is a quote from their website (linked in the title above, if you missed it in my last post):
I have seen Duke Power trucks all over the place over the past 6 days, and I have to say that I take back some of the harsh things I've said about the company over the years. I saw guys out on Thursday, in the freezing rain that continued to come down for most of the day, working while bundled up to their eyeballs. It can't be an easy job, and I appreciate all the work they are doing.
Now, having said that, I'm sure that I have a different perspective because I have heat and power. I'm sure that those that are living in cold houses for the 6th day in a row, using fireplaces and blankets to keep warm and taking cold showers in the dark before work every morning aren't as understanding as I am about how long it's taking to restore power.
I just hope that Charter is as fast as Duke Power...
Man alive, have they had a job to do. This is a quote from their website (linked in the title above, if you missed it in my last post):
Peak Outages: 700,000Someone asked me yesterday what on earth could be taking "them" so long to restore power. Well, according to "them"...
Total Customers Restored: 593,700
Total Remaining Customer Outages: 106,300
In North Carolina: 16,300
In South Carolina: 90,000
County Name/Total Customer Power Outage
Anderson, S.C./2,200
Burke, N.C./Complete except for scattered outages
Catawba, N.C./Complete except for scattered outages
Cherokee, S.C./750
Cleveland, N.C./Complete except for scattered outages
Greenville, S.C./56,700
Henderson, N.C./10,000
Pickens, S.C./1,100
Polk, N.C./1,700
Rutherford, N.C./3,200
Spartanburg, S.C./28,400
Transylvania, N.C./550
At this point, crews often are forced to clear entire trees before they can replace a pole, cross arm, transformer and wire that may result in only a few more customers being restored.Pretty much that's what happened to my neighborhood. I live off of a fairly busy street in Greenville, and the businesses on that street have had power since Friday I think. My neighborhood is still dark.
Restoring power to some homes in a neighborhood doesn’t necessarily mean all will be restored. The structure of electrical lines doesn’t always follow the layout of neighborhoods and streets. There may be occasions where restoring a circuit results in electricity to some homes or businesses, but nearby locations served by different circuits remain without power.
I have seen Duke Power trucks all over the place over the past 6 days, and I have to say that I take back some of the harsh things I've said about the company over the years. I saw guys out on Thursday, in the freezing rain that continued to come down for most of the day, working while bundled up to their eyeballs. It can't be an easy job, and I appreciate all the work they are doing.
Now, having said that, I'm sure that I have a different perspective because I have heat and power. I'm sure that those that are living in cold houses for the 6th day in a row, using fireplaces and blankets to keep warm and taking cold showers in the dark before work every morning aren't as understanding as I am about how long it's taking to restore power.
I just hope that Charter is as fast as Duke Power...
19 December 2005
A Cold Lesson in Humility
I'm back...probably not many of you noticed I was gone, but I'm back...sorta.
Last Wednesday evening/early Thursday morning, an ice storm hit the Carolinas. As usual, Greenville was one of the harder hit areas (just lucky, I guess?) of South Carolina. I'm not sure about North Carolina, but when I checked the Duke Power website today (first day I've had access to the internet since Wednesday!), there were still 76,000 reported customers without power in the Greenville area. The next one down the list was Spartanburg who still has 45,000 customers without power.
My neighborhood was hit pretty hard. We have power lines STILL down across one of the streets, there is a line dangling in my yard (but we think it isn't a power line, maybe phone, doesn't connect to my house at all), and I cleared a pile of limbs (some as big around as my arm!) out of my yard that now stands taller than I do. There was a huge limb (prolly about 2 feet in diameter) that fell on my roof, but luckily it didn't have far to fall so it just kinda came to rest up there and didn't puncture the roof. My landlord got up there with a chain saw and cut off what he could to lessen the weight on the roof until a tree service can get there...with all the downed trees in Greenville they are booked solid.
I can't complain though...I still have "the country house" which has power and heat...just no TV or internet or phone. I've been watching a lot of movies since Wednesday of last week... A lot of the people in my neighborhood don't have anywhere else to go, and I've seen more firewood stacked on porches there these past few days than I have since I started moving in! At least I have hot water and heat and lights, and all my animals are safe and warm as well. We only lost power in the "country house" for a few hours on Thursday morning.
Here is a link to some images from the ice storm courtesy of Duke Power, they don't tell you where the pictures are, but it was pretty much the same all over I think. I don't know when my internet will be back...the lines leading to my house look to be solid so maybe that will happen as soon as the power does. It is a little disconcerting to have to drive off the road to avoid the power line that someone has propped up on a street sign to keep it from completely blocking the road...
But on to the lesson...as I said above, I have a warm place to be. I have power. I have lights. I have my animals with me and my house in Greenville wasn't damaged. I have it so much better than so many other people, even those just down the street from me. So for that, I am thankful...even if it means no Christmas decorations this year.
Last Wednesday evening/early Thursday morning, an ice storm hit the Carolinas. As usual, Greenville was one of the harder hit areas (just lucky, I guess?) of South Carolina. I'm not sure about North Carolina, but when I checked the Duke Power website today (first day I've had access to the internet since Wednesday!), there were still 76,000 reported customers without power in the Greenville area. The next one down the list was Spartanburg who still has 45,000 customers without power.
My neighborhood was hit pretty hard. We have power lines STILL down across one of the streets, there is a line dangling in my yard (but we think it isn't a power line, maybe phone, doesn't connect to my house at all), and I cleared a pile of limbs (some as big around as my arm!) out of my yard that now stands taller than I do. There was a huge limb (prolly about 2 feet in diameter) that fell on my roof, but luckily it didn't have far to fall so it just kinda came to rest up there and didn't puncture the roof. My landlord got up there with a chain saw and cut off what he could to lessen the weight on the roof until a tree service can get there...with all the downed trees in Greenville they are booked solid.
I can't complain though...I still have "the country house" which has power and heat...just no TV or internet or phone. I've been watching a lot of movies since Wednesday of last week... A lot of the people in my neighborhood don't have anywhere else to go, and I've seen more firewood stacked on porches there these past few days than I have since I started moving in! At least I have hot water and heat and lights, and all my animals are safe and warm as well. We only lost power in the "country house" for a few hours on Thursday morning.
Here is a link to some images from the ice storm courtesy of Duke Power, they don't tell you where the pictures are, but it was pretty much the same all over I think. I don't know when my internet will be back...the lines leading to my house look to be solid so maybe that will happen as soon as the power does. It is a little disconcerting to have to drive off the road to avoid the power line that someone has propped up on a street sign to keep it from completely blocking the road...
But on to the lesson...as I said above, I have a warm place to be. I have power. I have lights. I have my animals with me and my house in Greenville wasn't damaged. I have it so much better than so many other people, even those just down the street from me. So for that, I am thankful...even if it means no Christmas decorations this year.
13 December 2005
Profile and Jeany's Big Adventure
(As originally posted on a message board, 12/05/05)
See, that's why the other post is called "Mommy is an Idiot..." but should be called "Padlock your Gates."
I had the life scared out of me yesterday, and was reminded why I'm so thankful that I'll be taking all three of the doggies with me when we finally settle in the new house this week.
I was loading boxes in the car and had the gate open. I was interrupted by a phone call from my sister, and sat down to talk to her a sec. After about half an hour on the phone, my doorbell rang. My neighbor was at the door and said the words that none of us ever want to hear:
"One of your dogs is out of the fence."
He went on to say "It's the little one, and she won't come to me." I dropped the phone and ran out the front door to see Jeany running back and forth along the fence across the street. I called her and she flirted a bit, then thankfully ran to my neighbor...but not before she darted toward the busy street. I walked her back to the house and put her in the yard, then went to find Mr. Lassiter. He hadn't checked the gate and just let her out the basement door.
Okay, I've recovered, I'm loading boxes again, this time having driven the Element inside the fence to avoid another escape. Jeany and Hunky are dancing around me, inspecting the car and trying to hop UP to GO for a RIDEINTHECAR.
Where's Profile? I head back in and ask Mr. Lassiter. He doesn't know, he says. "Isn't he out there with you?" I head back upstairs and check the bedroom. No Profile. PANIC.
I fly back down the stairs and confront Mr. Lassiter who "can't remember" if Profile went out when Jeany did. He's yelling at me to find the squawker and I'm yelling at him to get his (very ugly language omitted) outside to help me look for my dog. I run outside, fully losing my composure and screaming for Profile when I see His Royal Silliness across the street down by the lake. He comes flying back up to the house and bypasses my waiting arms to poke his nose through the gate, waiting to be let back in the yard.
Thank goodness both of them are still safe with me...and thank goodness we should be in our new home by the end of the week or there might be a homicide. I will admit to sometimes not looking to make sure the gate is closed before I let the dogs out, but at least I know which dog is where.
And where was Hunky through all this? Snoozing on the sofa.
See, that's why the other post is called "Mommy is an Idiot..." but should be called "Padlock your Gates."
Mommy is an Idiot or Profile's Big Adventure Part Two
Stupid people really make me mad, especially when it's me that's stupid.
There is a gentleman working for my landlord that is painting the outside of my house. On several occasions I have mentioned to him that when I have the dogs living here full time (almost there, not quite, still no fridge ), he has got to make absolutely sure that every time he comes into or goes out of the back yard he closes the gates behind him.
You can see where this is going, I'm sure.
Yesterday he was supposed to paint my front porch and iron railing and front door. This was to be done with oil based exterior paint, so he was going to leave a trail for me to get to the door that would be painted later. I get here last night, nothing has been done. Nada. Zip.
Or so I think...
I went back to the old house to spend the night last night and then came early this morning to leave the doggies here before I went to work. Being the good mom I am, I let them out in the yard before I left them here.
Yeah, this is the part where I'm stupid.
I didn't look before I opened the sliding glass door that leads to the backyard. All three dogs sprinted for the back of the yard to do various and sundry doggie business. I walked out on the deck and that's when I saw the gate standing wide open...unfortunately Profile saw it the same time I did and decided to go exploring.
Apparently the guy had been painting the back of my house, rather than the front like he told me.
For those familiar with the Greenville, SC area, my road is off Laurens Road, otherwise known as HIGHWAY 276, otherwise known as A VERY BUSY ROAD. I jumped off the deck, ran after Profee (shutting the gate as I went through it) and when I got out of the yard I couldn't see him. I was screaming for him...no Profile. I ran out into my street, no Profile...but the gate leading to my neighbor's yard was open. Sure enough, Mr. File had gone to check out their back yard. I ran in, shut the gate, and resisted pinching his little head off long enough to drag him back to my yard...then I hugged the stuffing out of him until he growled at me to let him go.
I'm buying a padlock for my gate.
There is a gentleman working for my landlord that is painting the outside of my house. On several occasions I have mentioned to him that when I have the dogs living here full time (almost there, not quite, still no fridge ), he has got to make absolutely sure that every time he comes into or goes out of the back yard he closes the gates behind him.
You can see where this is going, I'm sure.
Yesterday he was supposed to paint my front porch and iron railing and front door. This was to be done with oil based exterior paint, so he was going to leave a trail for me to get to the door that would be painted later. I get here last night, nothing has been done. Nada. Zip.
Or so I think...
I went back to the old house to spend the night last night and then came early this morning to leave the doggies here before I went to work. Being the good mom I am, I let them out in the yard before I left them here.
Yeah, this is the part where I'm stupid.
I didn't look before I opened the sliding glass door that leads to the backyard. All three dogs sprinted for the back of the yard to do various and sundry doggie business. I walked out on the deck and that's when I saw the gate standing wide open...unfortunately Profile saw it the same time I did and decided to go exploring.
Apparently the guy had been painting the back of my house, rather than the front like he told me.
For those familiar with the Greenville, SC area, my road is off Laurens Road, otherwise known as HIGHWAY 276, otherwise known as A VERY BUSY ROAD. I jumped off the deck, ran after Profee (shutting the gate as I went through it) and when I got out of the yard I couldn't see him. I was screaming for him...no Profile. I ran out into my street, no Profile...but the gate leading to my neighbor's yard was open. Sure enough, Mr. File had gone to check out their back yard. I ran in, shut the gate, and resisted pinching his little head off long enough to drag him back to my yard...then I hugged the stuffing out of him until he growled at me to let him go.
I'm buying a padlock for my gate.
12 December 2005
Two steps forward, one step back
A new house with freshly painted walls and nice sofa slipcovers and new beautiful dishes that match the aforementioned walls and a snazzy desk and beautiful hardwood floors and a fireplace that works all mean nothing when you hate being alone. That would be my thought for the day.
Don't post a comment to talk me out of it or tell me it will get better, it's how I feel right this second and there's nothing wrong with that. Cranky? Yep. Every so often the enormity of what I'm doing hits me in the head and I get a bit cranky after.
Don't post a comment to talk me out of it or tell me it will get better, it's how I feel right this second and there's nothing wrong with that. Cranky? Yep. Every so often the enormity of what I'm doing hits me in the head and I get a bit cranky after.
You know you're exhausted when...
...you can fall asleep sitting straight up in your desk chair while playing Everquest.
...you can fall asleep on the sofa watching Comedy Central when your allergies are so bad your lungs feel like they are full of wet cotton.
...you can fall asleep in the desk chair at work even though the back of the chair only just covers the lumbar region of your back.
...you can sleep soundly in a double bed with two greyhounds pinning you to the mattress (and a third voicing objection to the new digs by sleeping alone in the guest room).
...you grab everything you could possibly need to shower and get dressed back at the old house EXCEPT for your hairdryer.
...you can't figure out the lock on the sliding glass door to let the dogs out.
I am still living between two houses and I'm so tired I barely know my name, but I think it's coming along well. I was making progress on setting up things (with Scott's help to get my blinds up and slats cut for my bed) yesterday until I had to leave to go to Katy's for a dinner party. Now, before that, I had to feed the dogs and since I don't have a fridge yet I had to run to the store to get something for just that one meal.
My new house is just off of a fairly busy road in Greenville that has EVERYTHING...except a grocery store. I rode for at least fifteen minutes before I remembered a grocery store on Roper Mtn Road, so I headed for that...via Greenville Hospital Patewood Campus and 385. I chalked it up to being in a new town and scampered into the grocery store to get my long suffering puppies some dinner. Easy, right?
Since when do butchers NOT package chicken leg quarters in quantities of less than a zillion? Luckily I found one tray that only had 5 quarters so I grabbed that. The problem was that I have 3 dogs so I'd have to do something with the other two quarters. Cooking them up was not an option as the stove is still hanging out with the fridge, so I got creative. In addition to the leg quarters, I bought a new litter box for the cats and a bag of ice. After I fed three of the leg quarters to the dogs, I wrapped the other two (which were still a bit frozen) in 2 walmart bags, put them in the litter box, and then put the bag of ice on top. (No, there isn't cat litter in the box yet.) That stayed in my sink while I went to Katy's and had a marvelous time with some good friends and even better chili!! I got home around 9:30 and sat down to play some Everquest and revel in the fact that it only took me FIFTEEN minutes to get home from Katy and Kurt's house. The leg quarters which were still cold went out onto the porch, still in the litter box and still covered with the bag of ice.
At around 10pm, I had a weird allergy attack and took some benadryl. As sure as clockwork, when the four hours that the medicine keeps me in a sleepy stupor and free of allergy symptoms were up, so was I, wide awake on the couch and gasping for each breath. (Those who don't have respiratory allergies can't fully appreciate the literally choking fear of feeling like each breath you take fills your lungs with damp cotton rather than air. Relaxing enough to fall asleep during an attack is just impossible.) Two more benadryl, check the clock and sigh loudly when I realize it's 2:30am, turn on the computer and play City of Heroes until I AGAIN fall asleep in my desk chair...get up, stumble to the bedroom and fall onto my now HUGE bed (thanks to my beautiful sister Sooz for the most gooshy-comfy mattress on the planet!) but this time I managed to sleep past the four hour mark and didn't wake up until 8:30am!!
Did I mention I was supposed to be in Anderson at 9am?
Did I mention that I forgot to take my alarm clock to Greenville?
Thank goodness my co-worker had agreed to cover for me in Anderson until I could get myself together and into work. She is a blessing.
Somehow I convinced the dogs that it wasn't time to be HUNGRY and we would EAT when we got HOME but first we had to GO for a RIDEINTHECAR. Herding cats isn't as hard as re-arranging three sleepy and hungry greyhounds. It took a good five minutes to coax Jeany out from under the covers in the guest room bed!
I realized I didn't have my hairdryer just as I got off the interstate in Anderson...too late to turn back now. The dogs had a fast breakfast of...GULP...Pedigree canned food (hey, I don't have to sit in that house and smell the after-effects today!), the cats got fed, and I got clean and dressed and headed out with my wet hair plastered to my head.
Right now if I took it out of the ponytail I would most likely look like one of those Troll Dolls, circa 1975, that someone shook violently until its hair stood on end. Hell hath no fury like naturally almost-curly hair devoid of PRODUCT.
So the first night in the house wasn't too bad. I think the allergy attack was brought on by a sweatshirt I found in a box and put on...that I haven't worn in a LONG time and might have been stored in the basement in Anderson. Once I took it off I slept like a baby...well, a baby with allergies, lots of drugs, and a bedspread made of sleeping greyhounds.
I don't know where I'll be sleeping tonight, but you can bet I'm going to the store to look for a longer acting benadryl today.
...you can fall asleep on the sofa watching Comedy Central when your allergies are so bad your lungs feel like they are full of wet cotton.
...you can fall asleep in the desk chair at work even though the back of the chair only just covers the lumbar region of your back.
...you can sleep soundly in a double bed with two greyhounds pinning you to the mattress (and a third voicing objection to the new digs by sleeping alone in the guest room).
...you grab everything you could possibly need to shower and get dressed back at the old house EXCEPT for your hairdryer.
...you can't figure out the lock on the sliding glass door to let the dogs out.
I am still living between two houses and I'm so tired I barely know my name, but I think it's coming along well. I was making progress on setting up things (with Scott's help to get my blinds up and slats cut for my bed) yesterday until I had to leave to go to Katy's for a dinner party. Now, before that, I had to feed the dogs and since I don't have a fridge yet I had to run to the store to get something for just that one meal.
My new house is just off of a fairly busy road in Greenville that has EVERYTHING...except a grocery store. I rode for at least fifteen minutes before I remembered a grocery store on Roper Mtn Road, so I headed for that...via Greenville Hospital Patewood Campus and 385. I chalked it up to being in a new town and scampered into the grocery store to get my long suffering puppies some dinner. Easy, right?
Since when do butchers NOT package chicken leg quarters in quantities of less than a zillion? Luckily I found one tray that only had 5 quarters so I grabbed that. The problem was that I have 3 dogs so I'd have to do something with the other two quarters. Cooking them up was not an option as the stove is still hanging out with the fridge, so I got creative. In addition to the leg quarters, I bought a new litter box for the cats and a bag of ice. After I fed three of the leg quarters to the dogs, I wrapped the other two (which were still a bit frozen) in 2 walmart bags, put them in the litter box, and then put the bag of ice on top. (No, there isn't cat litter in the box yet.) That stayed in my sink while I went to Katy's and had a marvelous time with some good friends and even better chili!! I got home around 9:30 and sat down to play some Everquest and revel in the fact that it only took me FIFTEEN minutes to get home from Katy and Kurt's house. The leg quarters which were still cold went out onto the porch, still in the litter box and still covered with the bag of ice.
At around 10pm, I had a weird allergy attack and took some benadryl. As sure as clockwork, when the four hours that the medicine keeps me in a sleepy stupor and free of allergy symptoms were up, so was I, wide awake on the couch and gasping for each breath. (Those who don't have respiratory allergies can't fully appreciate the literally choking fear of feeling like each breath you take fills your lungs with damp cotton rather than air. Relaxing enough to fall asleep during an attack is just impossible.) Two more benadryl, check the clock and sigh loudly when I realize it's 2:30am, turn on the computer and play City of Heroes until I AGAIN fall asleep in my desk chair...get up, stumble to the bedroom and fall onto my now HUGE bed (thanks to my beautiful sister Sooz for the most gooshy-comfy mattress on the planet!) but this time I managed to sleep past the four hour mark and didn't wake up until 8:30am!!
Did I mention I was supposed to be in Anderson at 9am?
Did I mention that I forgot to take my alarm clock to Greenville?
Thank goodness my co-worker had agreed to cover for me in Anderson until I could get myself together and into work. She is a blessing.
Somehow I convinced the dogs that it wasn't time to be HUNGRY and we would EAT when we got HOME but first we had to GO for a RIDEINTHECAR. Herding cats isn't as hard as re-arranging three sleepy and hungry greyhounds. It took a good five minutes to coax Jeany out from under the covers in the guest room bed!
I realized I didn't have my hairdryer just as I got off the interstate in Anderson...too late to turn back now. The dogs had a fast breakfast of...GULP...Pedigree canned food (hey, I don't have to sit in that house and smell the after-effects today!), the cats got fed, and I got clean and dressed and headed out with my wet hair plastered to my head.
Right now if I took it out of the ponytail I would most likely look like one of those Troll Dolls, circa 1975, that someone shook violently until its hair stood on end. Hell hath no fury like naturally almost-curly hair devoid of PRODUCT.
So the first night in the house wasn't too bad. I think the allergy attack was brought on by a sweatshirt I found in a box and put on...that I haven't worn in a LONG time and might have been stored in the basement in Anderson. Once I took it off I slept like a baby...well, a baby with allergies, lots of drugs, and a bedspread made of sleeping greyhounds.
I don't know where I'll be sleeping tonight, but you can bet I'm going to the store to look for a longer acting benadryl today.
08 December 2005
Where I will be living...
Yep, the first thing up in the house is the computer...Just wanted to share a photo of the most amazing transformation...look in the set for the Bleckley Ave house for a picture of "my office" to see this same room before it turned blue. Thanks to my Daddy for painting it in record time while Mom and I were at the store, and to Amy and Charles for this smashing desk...that only took me 4.5 hours to put together!
07 December 2005
Follow up to "Give me your tired..."
Otherwise known as Overheard In the Walmart Customer Service Line...
Woman in front of me: You know, if they don't stop soon the whole store will be covered with those instruction signs.
Me: Huh?
Woman in front of me: The ones up there, telling you how to do refunds, they're already in at least one other language, what is that, Spanish?
Me: (after noticing the billboard sized YOU MUST HAVE A RECEIPT sign) Yeah, that's Spanish. I hadn't noticed till you said something, actually.
Woman in front of me: Well, there are a lot of (sic) Mexicans so I guess they have to have Spanish, but what is next? There are a lot of Indians too, so I guess they'll have Indian up there.
Me: (not responding due to the tone I heard in her voice)
Woman in front of me: I mean, this is America. We speak English here. If you are going to come here and live you should learn English so we don't have to re-do all our signs in fifteen different languages.
Me: (still not responding and trying to figure out why she decided to tell me this in the conspiratorial tone that makes me think SHE thinks I'd agree with her)
Woman in front of me: (after finally noticing that I was not responding and very obviously trying not to look mortified at her words) Well, maybe it's just me, but we do speak English in this country.
English...and Spanish...and French...and Hindi...and Cherokee...and Russian...and American Sign Language...but hey, who needs diversity...
Woman in front of me: You know, if they don't stop soon the whole store will be covered with those instruction signs.
Me: Huh?
Woman in front of me: The ones up there, telling you how to do refunds, they're already in at least one other language, what is that, Spanish?
Me: (after noticing the billboard sized YOU MUST HAVE A RECEIPT sign) Yeah, that's Spanish. I hadn't noticed till you said something, actually.
Woman in front of me: Well, there are a lot of (sic) Mexicans so I guess they have to have Spanish, but what is next? There are a lot of Indians too, so I guess they'll have Indian up there.
Me: (not responding due to the tone I heard in her voice)
Woman in front of me: I mean, this is America. We speak English here. If you are going to come here and live you should learn English so we don't have to re-do all our signs in fifteen different languages.
Me: (still not responding and trying to figure out why she decided to tell me this in the conspiratorial tone that makes me think SHE thinks I'd agree with her)
Woman in front of me: (after finally noticing that I was not responding and very obviously trying not to look mortified at her words) Well, maybe it's just me, but we do speak English in this country.
English...and Spanish...and French...and Hindi...and Cherokee...and Russian...and American Sign Language...but hey, who needs diversity...
My American Hero
Today is Pearl Harbor Day. I am lucky to have had three uncles that are members of "the Greatest Generation" and were in the military during World War II. I love all of them, of course, but this post is going to focus on my Uncle JC, my father's brother-in-law.
I grew up knowing that Uncle JC was a POW during WWII because everyone in our family knew that. He had the Purple Heart license tag on his car and his medals graced the walls of their den. He never really talked about it other than to say that he had to go to the VA hospital for this/that/the other or meet with his fellow POW's for some gathering. In fact, he talked more about the years that he was a schoolteacher following his military service than he ever did about being a soldier, a POW, or any of that.
Just recently he has started talking about all of it, and I am encouraging my father to get his stories on audio/video tape so that I can transcribe it and the family can have a permanent written record of our American Hero, Uncle JC. I remember at a recent family get-together he suddenly started talking about being part of a forced march from one camp to another. The story came on so suddenly and took me so by surprise that I don't remember where the camps were...but he told us how they walked and walked because the enemy had guns on them and if they stopped they'd get shot.
Someone was pointing a gun at my Uncle JC!
I know that I come across as anti-military in a lot of my posts, and that is not totally true. I think that a country, any country, unfortunately needs a military in the world we live in today. I am proud of those who can sign up and go serve, not knowing if they will come back home or not...I certainly don't have that courage. I also think that you can't possibly compare the world then and now or compare warfare then and now because it's like apples and oranges. The quote that I see SO very often that more Americans died in World War II in a short period of time than have died in Iraq is a ridiculous comparison. Of COURSE more people died then. WWII soldiers didn't have the technology we have today. WWII soldiers didn't have the medical advancements we have today.
So I'm not anti-military...my father was in the Army, three of my uncles, as I said, were enlisted men, and one of my best friends from high school is in the Air Force. Not anti-military...I'm anti-war and anti-lying. But above all that partisan crap... I'm darned proud to be JC Cannon's niece.
I grew up knowing that Uncle JC was a POW during WWII because everyone in our family knew that. He had the Purple Heart license tag on his car and his medals graced the walls of their den. He never really talked about it other than to say that he had to go to the VA hospital for this/that/the other or meet with his fellow POW's for some gathering. In fact, he talked more about the years that he was a schoolteacher following his military service than he ever did about being a soldier, a POW, or any of that.
Just recently he has started talking about all of it, and I am encouraging my father to get his stories on audio/video tape so that I can transcribe it and the family can have a permanent written record of our American Hero, Uncle JC. I remember at a recent family get-together he suddenly started talking about being part of a forced march from one camp to another. The story came on so suddenly and took me so by surprise that I don't remember where the camps were...but he told us how they walked and walked because the enemy had guns on them and if they stopped they'd get shot.
Someone was pointing a gun at my Uncle JC!
I know that I come across as anti-military in a lot of my posts, and that is not totally true. I think that a country, any country, unfortunately needs a military in the world we live in today. I am proud of those who can sign up and go serve, not knowing if they will come back home or not...I certainly don't have that courage. I also think that you can't possibly compare the world then and now or compare warfare then and now because it's like apples and oranges. The quote that I see SO very often that more Americans died in World War II in a short period of time than have died in Iraq is a ridiculous comparison. Of COURSE more people died then. WWII soldiers didn't have the technology we have today. WWII soldiers didn't have the medical advancements we have today.
So I'm not anti-military...my father was in the Army, three of my uncles, as I said, were enlisted men, and one of my best friends from high school is in the Air Force. Not anti-military...I'm anti-war and anti-lying. But above all that partisan crap... I'm darned proud to be JC Cannon's niece.
06 December 2005
Okay, no more Anti-Bama Jokes, Dave
As seen in my photostream...and just because I love my family...Dave, hooking up my parents' new DVD player last Christmas.
Notice I waited until AFTER they headed back to Georgia to post? Plus it just showed up in my photostream, yeah, that's the ticket...
/hug Dave.
Notice I waited until AFTER they headed back to Georgia to post? Plus it just showed up in my photostream, yeah, that's the ticket...
/hug Dave.
Where is Nan?
I'm in my new house!!!
Thanks to my wonderful brother in law, Dave, I'm sitting on my couch in my new house on the laptop (only because I don't have my desk yet) reporting to all of you that I am finally here!!!
I think that my sister took some pictures today while they were here, so I'll try to get them out of the camera and into the computer as soon as I can.
I'm off now to go back to the Anderson house to spend the night because I don't have any provisions here to do that...but I'll be back tomorrow after work.
My house. This is MINE. Where is Nan?
Home.
Thanks to my wonderful brother in law, Dave, I'm sitting on my couch in my new house on the laptop (only because I don't have my desk yet) reporting to all of you that I am finally here!!!
I think that my sister took some pictures today while they were here, so I'll try to get them out of the camera and into the computer as soon as I can.
I'm off now to go back to the Anderson house to spend the night because I don't have any provisions here to do that...but I'll be back tomorrow after work.
My house. This is MINE. Where is Nan?
Home.
05 December 2005
Give me your tired, your poor...but not your sick
Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and warn you that this post will be filled with the kind of tree-hugging, peace-mongering, liberal rhetoric that may bother some of my more conservative readers. I heard a story on NPR on the way home tonight (see the link in the title) that made me nearly sick.
The story concerned the death of an immigrant detainee due to the apparent negligence of the prison staff where he was being held. Richard Rust, a Jamaican immigrant, died in the Oakdale, La. federal prison of cardiac arrest on May 29th, 2004. He was 33 years old. Allegedly he was not given any life saving measures in the nearly forty minutes from his collapse in the prison barber shop until an ambulance arrived to take him to a local hospital.
Not surprisingly, the prison and the Department of Homeland Security have refused to comment on the incident other than to state that the prison staff's behavior was "appropriate."
Mr. Rust is not the only one. There have been many incidents of immigrants dying in detention centers...one of which was a minister from Haiti named Joseph Dantica that was seeking asylum in the United States. He was meeting with an immigration officer and a lawyer when he had a severe medical attack, and the lawyer reports that the guards refused to call for help.
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
What really lies behind that golden door? I don't care if they are from Jamaica, or Haiti, or Cuba, or even the Middle East...they are still human beings, and it is reprehensible for a country that touts itself as the leader of the free world in decency and morality to allow something like this to happen. Are these people less than we are because they were not born within our national boundaries? I'm just disgusted...I hope that the families of these brave people that have come here for a better life only to fall through the cracks can find peace. May their God bless them and give them strength.
The story concerned the death of an immigrant detainee due to the apparent negligence of the prison staff where he was being held. Richard Rust, a Jamaican immigrant, died in the Oakdale, La. federal prison of cardiac arrest on May 29th, 2004. He was 33 years old. Allegedly he was not given any life saving measures in the nearly forty minutes from his collapse in the prison barber shop until an ambulance arrived to take him to a local hospital.
Not surprisingly, the prison and the Department of Homeland Security have refused to comment on the incident other than to state that the prison staff's behavior was "appropriate."
Mr. Rust is not the only one. There have been many incidents of immigrants dying in detention centers...one of which was a minister from Haiti named Joseph Dantica that was seeking asylum in the United States. He was meeting with an immigration officer and a lawyer when he had a severe medical attack, and the lawyer reports that the guards refused to call for help.
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
What really lies behind that golden door? I don't care if they are from Jamaica, or Haiti, or Cuba, or even the Middle East...they are still human beings, and it is reprehensible for a country that touts itself as the leader of the free world in decency and morality to allow something like this to happen. Are these people less than we are because they were not born within our national boundaries? I'm just disgusted...I hope that the families of these brave people that have come here for a better life only to fall through the cracks can find peace. May their God bless them and give them strength.
A Funny from "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me"
I'm a big fan of Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me which is a news quiz on NPR every weekend. I was listening to it yesterday afternoon when I heard this quote which nearly drove me off the highway in fits of laughter...
I agree with Roy Blunt, Jr., who followed up that quote with the following response: "It's seamless, really..."
Before I'm accused of being a left-wing-anti-war-democrat-who-doesn't-know-what-Dubya-said...I read the transcript of Bush's speech, and I pretty much came away with the same summary as Mr. Siegel. So I do know what Dubya said. /wink
One more from the show... Why Cameron Diaz would not be a good choice to play Maria Von Trapp should the Sound of Music be remade to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film's release:
Here is the executive summary of the speech the president gave in front of the big signs that read "Plan For Victory": We're going to leave, but not until the Iraqi troops are ready to take over, and, as a general told the New York Times, "They should be ready to take over by the time we leave."
-Peter Siegel, host of Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me
I agree with Roy Blunt, Jr., who followed up that quote with the following response: "It's seamless, really..."
Before I'm accused of being a left-wing-anti-war-democrat-who-doesn't-know-what-Dubya-said...I read the transcript of Bush's speech, and I pretty much came away with the same summary as Mr. Siegel. So I do know what Dubya said. /wink
One more from the show... Why Cameron Diaz would not be a good choice to play Maria Von Trapp should the Sound of Music be remade to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film's release:
She's not flighty as a feather. She's not a darling. She's not a demon. She's not a lamb.Don't get it? When you're done watching National Lampoon's Vacation as I told you to do, go rent the Sound of Music. You'll thank me.
-Paula Poundstone
A Quick Note
B-flat!
Okay, yeah, bad joke there. Anyway, I did not get anything painted yesterday, but with the help of wonderful friends I got LOTS of furniture moved up to my house. I wish I'd had the camera out to get the look on Hunk's face when I told him to go "sofa" (lie down somewhere) and he stood where the sofa used to be. I swear, I could hear him thinking... "SOMEONE STOLE THE FURNITURE!!!!"
Poor puppy. I promised him that I knew exactly where it was and that the sofa was fine, but I don't think he believed me. My house is starting to look cozy...and I'm starting to miss it when I come back down here at night.
Off to feed the dogs and go back to work!!
Okay, yeah, bad joke there. Anyway, I did not get anything painted yesterday, but with the help of wonderful friends I got LOTS of furniture moved up to my house. I wish I'd had the camera out to get the look on Hunk's face when I told him to go "sofa" (lie down somewhere) and he stood where the sofa used to be. I swear, I could hear him thinking... "SOMEONE STOLE THE FURNITURE!!!!"
Poor puppy. I promised him that I knew exactly where it was and that the sofa was fine, but I don't think he believed me. My house is starting to look cozy...and I'm starting to miss it when I come back down here at night.
Off to feed the dogs and go back to work!!
04 December 2005
It isn't stalling if you're drinking coffee...
(At least that's what I'm telling myself this morning.) Today I have decided I will paint the kitchen and move more small stuff to the house. It occurred to me that the appliances might very well be coming to the house soon, and once the stove and fridge are in the kitchen there won't be much space left to paint...and I want the kitchen to be clean, not just hidden by large appliances.
I got out my Christmas decorations to take to the house today and found a box of knicky-knacky stuff that apparently used to be out in the house somewhere. To my utter joy, the box also contained my Legos...I LOVE LEGOS. I have a bunch of Star Wars ones and some King Arthur types and I'm going to put them out somewhere in my new house. An end to lego repression is in sight, let the little plastic people rejoice!
Okay, I don't love them that much, but I did collect them for quite some time, and when Scott was still being the doting husband he would give them to me for birthdays and Christmases.
I'll try to remember to take the camera with me today so that I can show the difference a coat of paint has made to the two bedrooms.
Coffee seems to be gone...so I'm outta here.
I got out my Christmas decorations to take to the house today and found a box of knicky-knacky stuff that apparently used to be out in the house somewhere. To my utter joy, the box also contained my Legos...I LOVE LEGOS. I have a bunch of Star Wars ones and some King Arthur types and I'm going to put them out somewhere in my new house. An end to lego repression is in sight, let the little plastic people rejoice!
Okay, I don't love them that much, but I did collect them for quite some time, and when Scott was still being the doting husband he would give them to me for birthdays and Christmases.
I'll try to remember to take the camera with me today so that I can show the difference a coat of paint has made to the two bedrooms.
Coffee seems to be gone...so I'm outta here.
The Movie of My Life
And to think, I just watched Clerks last night..."I'm not even supposed to BE here today!"-Dante
Thanks Dave for the linky...
The Movie Of Your Life Is An Indie Flick |
You do things your own way - and it's made for colorful times. Your life hasn't turned out how anyone expected, thank goodness! Your best movie matches: Clerks, Garden State, Napoleon Dynamite |
Thanks Dave for the linky...
03 December 2005
Stalling again
This time it's stalling with packing. Scott has told me for years that I have too much stuff, and I might be willing to believe that now that I'm trying to pack up 6 years worth of married life and move out on my own.
I just don't get why I'm sad though. My new house is wonderful...Mom and Dad came up yesterday and we got the bedrooms painted (with only one "mishap" that resulted in a very clean corner of carpet in the guest room) and some things acquired for the house such as shower curtains and sofa slipcovers. I just look at the stuff here though and want to cry, it's like I can't decide where to even start. I have cleaned off my bookshelves and packed up the various and sundries from my sewing area, but that isn't even close to being all of it.
Oh, and since I'm able to post this, Charter hasn't switched my cable tv and internet to the new place yet.
I'm just ready for it all to be over, I guess. It's also frustrating doing it all by myself...I don't hold any hard feelings that my family can't help when I can do stuff...it's hard for a family full of preachers to coordinate doing anything on weekends. They are coming up here on Tuesday with stuff and to help, so maybe I can move stuff then.
It's a cardboard jungle in my den right now. I hate cardboard.
I just don't get why I'm sad though. My new house is wonderful...Mom and Dad came up yesterday and we got the bedrooms painted (with only one "mishap" that resulted in a very clean corner of carpet in the guest room) and some things acquired for the house such as shower curtains and sofa slipcovers. I just look at the stuff here though and want to cry, it's like I can't decide where to even start. I have cleaned off my bookshelves and packed up the various and sundries from my sewing area, but that isn't even close to being all of it.
Oh, and since I'm able to post this, Charter hasn't switched my cable tv and internet to the new place yet.
I'm just ready for it all to be over, I guess. It's also frustrating doing it all by myself...I don't hold any hard feelings that my family can't help when I can do stuff...it's hard for a family full of preachers to coordinate doing anything on weekends. They are coming up here on Tuesday with stuff and to help, so maybe I can move stuff then.
It's a cardboard jungle in my den right now. I hate cardboard.
02 December 2005
Here Goes...
Dad and Mom are coming up today to help me paint the two small bedrooms in the house and get stuff like blinds and so forth. This is the last step before I start hauling my stuff up there to the house and making for myself a new home.
I'm stalling now again I think...I'm burning a CD to listen to in the car...looking for just the right lyrics for a blog post...when I should be getting ready and going. Story of my life...procrastination is my way, I suppose.
So here goes...
I'm stalling now again I think...I'm burning a CD to listen to in the car...looking for just the right lyrics for a blog post...when I should be getting ready and going. Story of my life...procrastination is my way, I suppose.
So here goes...
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