Saturday, December 17, 2011

Loss

Me and my grandpa...missing him today :(  Christmas will definitely not be the same this year.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

What's up with the hubz?

Ok, so the hubby acted a little strange on our recent visit to Myrtle Beach...

The trip starts out like all the other ones...the hubby gets a little obsessed with GETTING to the destination.  When we were dating, he'd make us leave for Carowinds at 6am, arriving at 8am, waiting at the locked gate until the park opened at 10:30am...he's always been like that.

So, of course, we're getting ready to head out way before we need to.  By the time we get to the hotel, of course, we can't check in because, of course, we're there 12 hours early...

We went to the aquarium because it's one of the only things that we haven't done in Myrtle Beach...everything's normal until we go into the gift shop.....

There's an unbelievable cute shirt...a little spin on duck duck goose...

Unfortunately, the biggest size was 18 mos and I couldn't squeeze into it...but Paul suggests we get it anyways.

Actually, not suggests, picks it up and takes it to the register...

This is the guy that had a mini-fit at Boots, Bridles, and Britches when I wanted to buy the cutest little pair of cowboy boots for our 'one-day baby'...

A light breeze could've knocked me over...I'm in total shock...of course, the hubby acts like it's business as usual and brushes it off.

LATER THAT SAME TRIP...

We went shopping at Barefoot Landing, not unusual.

The T.I.G.E.R. people with the cute tiger cubs aren't there, not unusual.

We walk right by the Christmas Mouse (a store completely devoted to year-round Christmas), not unusual.

Paul asks if I want to go into the Christmas store, COMPLETELY unusual.

Not only does he actively look and shop with me, he actually gives input and even picks out several ornaments all on his own...

What is the deal????

Not that I'm minding the changes, I'm kinda excited about it...it's just freaking me out a little :-/

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

This is getting ridiculous...

My husband likes his job, so I don't say a lot of what I want...and when I do say something I drop it quickly.  But you gotta admire the audacity of some people...

When he first started there, he was placed in a rotation with 2 other guys to work the store front of the business on Saturdays.  Before long, Paul was getting called in on most Saturdays because of all the activities the other guys were doing with their kids.  I swear, there was a period of about a month that both of them were making crap at Lowe's with their kids every Saturday...EVERY Saturday...

Now, our Saturdays off were mostly spent on the couch in pajamas watching movies...but that was OUR Saturday.

Finally, the charade is over, Paul is asked to take over Saturdays...all Saturdays.  At that point, it really wasn't a big change in his schedule...he'd been working the other guys' shifts anyways.

But...the priorities were set...

The insinuation that our weekend of lounging on the couch is not as important as their weekend of making ugly birdhouses that would never be used at Lowe's with their mini-me.  THEY decided that.  Who do they think they are?? And, it was very obvious... this blatant discrimination...

But, whatever...it doesn't bother Paul so I try to not let it bother me.  He gets most Fridays off, which works with my schedule.  I was way more peeved at the fact that they decided amongst themselves what our priorities were than the actual change in schedule.

Paul works long and hard hours...lots of times going after hours and the non-working part of his weekend to make sure the businesses he is responsible for iare up and running.  You'd think that would count for something??

This time, they crossed a line...they messed with my vacation...

Paul put in his request for time off in the middle of July for a trip at the beginning of September...the request was approved. We plan our trip...

Yesterday...August 22...Paul was told that he would need to be on call on the weekend of Labor Day (our weekend off).  Paul reminds him that we are leaving for a trip...apparently that is a non-issue since it is a free trip, Paul just won't go...

WHAT???????

First of all, it is a marriage retreat provided for by the Augusta VA.  NOTHING a combat veteran gets from the VA is free.  Just the fact that it can be trivialized like that saddens me for my husband.  How disrespectful can you be??

Second of all, the days were approved over a month ago.  This should have been planned for.  When scheduling important installations, it should have been taken into consideration that the POS guy would be outta town so they might not should plan an installation that weekend.  That, instead, the installation was planned on the fact that they'll just tell the POS guy that he can't have off and deal with it is, again, completely disrespectful and horrifically unprofessional.

Third of all, the manager-man is supposed to be a quasi-intelligent man and a semi-friend to my husband.  Paul asks him if he can just provide phone support for the weekend and manager-man can go onsite if needed.  Paul will be available for questions and troubleshooting by phone.  The resort has wi-fi, I have wi-fi calling capability, we would definitely be reachable.  The manager-man states that Paul can make his own decision, but insinuates hefty punishment for disobedience.  This whole conversation is, again, disrespectful and unprofessional. It also makes manager-man look like a lazy tyrant who counts his own time as way more important than Paul's...get over yourself, manager -man.

Fourth of all, AND most importantly, who are you to decide that our vacation is not important??  Who gave you the authority to decide that the Saturday at work is more important than the retreat??  Paul asked and received the days off, it is irrelevant what he chooses to do with those days off.  How do you get to say what is and is not appropriate to do with those days??  What kind of person feels like they have the authority to make those decisions for other people??  At my worst job, I was never treated so minuscule.

This is ridiculous...

Saturday, July 9, 2011

The Bark Park

Last Friday, me and the hubz took the boys to the vet...it wasn't really a great experience...kinda * traumatizing *...

Anyways, we ended up having Zeus with us and having to leave Zax at the vet.  I figured this would be a great time to try out the Bark Park at Pendleton King.  I'd read about it, but hadn't taken the boys there.  Zax is a jumper and a runner.  We've done professional training with him, but it didn't help.  He was basically an adult when we got him, and we've had a difficult time undoing his life before us.  So, I'm very nervous about taking him to a dog park...the whole 'off-leash' thing doesn't sit well.

Zeus, however, has been with us since he was 6 weeks old...and it pretty trustworthy.  Zeus had already been through a lot at the vet, and he was visibly concerned that we left Zax there :(

When we got to the park, we were the only ones there.  We tried to get Zeus to play...ran around, threw a ball...but he just wanted to stay right next to one of us.  When another dog showed up, Zeus went to greet the owners, but wouldn't play with the dog...even though the other dog was pretty persistent.  And we couldn't get Zeus to drink from the faucet, even though he was obviously thirsty.  At one point, Zeus came up to where we were sitting and just laid in the dirt...he was ready to go.

I tried taking him back to the Bark Park by myself two days later.  He was excited when he realized where we were going.  When we got there, there were 4 or 5 other families with dogs there.  When I got closer, I saw that there was a jack russel mix and a papillion mix in the park...there is a separate side for dogs under 30lbs...but they were in with the big dogs.  I was walking a 129lbs dog into the fence...and the jack russell was ready to walk right underneath him.  I'm never worried about Zeus intentionally hurting a smaller animal or biting at it...I'm scared to death that he will get excited and trample it...kinda like a horse. 

But, he was fine.  He played and ran and got lots of lovins and treats from the other people in the park.  I noticed that all the dogs had to be coaxed to drink from the faucet... 

He helped a dog dig a hole...and then pushed the dog out of the way so he could lay in it :)

Yay for the Bark Park!!!



I'm still not sure about taking Zax...I know he would have snipped at the smaller dogs...but they weren't supposed to be in there anyway... 

Traumatized by a Vet Tech

Recently, Zeus (our big black boy) had to go to the vet for his 3 year old appointment.  Somehow, our 2 dogs got on different schedules with the vet...Zeus's check-up was this month but his rabies shot wasn't due until October, but Zax's rabies shot was due now but his check-up wasn't due until October.  Our boys can be a handful together, and I remember we brought them separately last year...but I'm still confused.  Paul was off work, so we brought them together for Zeus's appointment to get everything over with.

Zax has had a growth on his paw since last October, the vet quoted us $60 to remove it, but said that it was just  a mole and didn't have to be removed.  Since October, Zax's attitude has changed a little (he's become a little less patient with us).  He was also starting to act like the mole bothered him, he wouldn't let us touch it or get close enough to look at it.  So, we decided that we would talk to our vet about removing it.  While we were at the vet this month, he stated that he could remove it that day, but Zax would have to stay until later in the afternoon.

Now, usually, we love our vet.  But this visit was a little traumatic.  The vet tech stuck Zeus 4 times with the needle to get blood work...the last time moving the needle while it was in his arm.  Zeus has a high threshold for pain...but the bear was squirming in Paul's grasp crying at this point.  I'm thinking....'would I sound crazy if I asked her to stop and get the vet??'  Just then, she gets the blood and it's over.  Zeus is cowering in the corner...but it's over.

Not yet....they always clip the boys' nails when we go.  The same vet tech cut through Zax's quick...twice...


When Paul went to pick up Zax, he came home with an $80 bill and no instructions...I had to make a call to the vet to straighten everything out...$30 back and the stitches will dissolve...geez

Caylees Law

Caylees Law
This is a petition created to drum up information for the proposed Caylees Law.  This law would make it a felony for a parent/caregiver/guardian to not notify law enforcement of a child's disappearance within 24 hours of knowing the child is missing.  I know everyone has an opinion on this case.  In my interactions with other people, I think most people agree that there wasn't enough evidence to charge Casey Anthony with the death of her daughter.  However, there is suspicion around the fact that this 2 year old was not reported missing for over a month.  Even without being a parent, I can look at that fact and determine that something is hinky.  Unfortunately (& fortunately), gut feeling and situational circumstances are not enough to convict someone for a heinous crime in a criminal case.  If something comparable to the proposed Caylees Law was on the books, Ms. Anthony would have had to answer for not reporting this child missing in a timely manner.  We will probably never know what happened to little Caylee, but I think it's a reasonable assumption to say that this incident would have turned out much differently if Caylee had been found sooner...if Caylee had been reported missing sooner...much sooner.  The site at change.org allows you to sign a petition for Caylees Law (which is getting some national attention) and provides a form letter to send to your representatives and legislators.  I think a lot of people are frustrated with this case.  Like I said before, I think most people understand why the verdict was not different and do not think badly of the jury or courts...but are still angry that Ms. Anthony did not have to answer for her responsibility to her child.  If you're one of these people, make that frustration productive...look up your representatives and mail them the petition.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Tervis fever

Yep... I've caught it.  For anyone living under a rock, Tervis is the brand of tumbler in every store.  They have awesome little patches inside and are virtually indestructible.  And, if somehow you do manage to damage it, there's a lifetime guarantee.  You fill out a form, send it in with the damaged tumbler, and they send you a new one.  It's awesome.

I remember when I first saw these tumblers.  It was in Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  I remember thinking, I'm not paying $20 for a plastic cup.  Then, I started seeing them everywhere...at work, shopping, at friends' houses.  Now, I'm all about jumping on the nearest bandwagon...but I still didn't see the usefulness in the Tervis...it's just a cup.

Then, my parents bought into it.  My parents are the least superfluous people I know.  They are not the type to buy something just because it's on the shelf.  This confused me, maybe there is something to this...

You never know until you try.  I pack up the hubby and head to Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  I pick a 24 ouncer with a cute pink-bowed skull.  The hubby picks some random Superbowl 24 ouncer (it was half price)...and it starts.

The Tervis actually did everything it said it did.  If you fill the cup with an iced drink...it's got minimal melting.  And if you fill it with coffee...it is warm to the last drop.  Since I spend a lot of my day in the car, this is awesome.  I can fill the cup with ice water in the morning, and (as long as I keep it out of the sun) the Tervis keeps it cool until I drink it all...it's amazing!!
Recently, the hubby noticed that my Tervis was fogging up.  I get on the website to find out if my precious tumbler was damaged.  It is, I have to fill out the form and send it in.  This was a bit of a problem, since I have to send my tumbler in...what will keep my drink cold while my Tervis is being replaced??
I start to look at the products on the website...probably not the best idea.  I buy the hubby and I new 24 ouncers...customized with our names and everything.  His has an emblem of Minnesota Wild...no way I would find that in a local store.  And now, I get e-mail updates with coupons every other week...I see this fever turning into a plague in the near future!!

They even have a cute little mascot... Phil-Up. 


Thursday, June 9, 2011

The chain of technology :-/

I've always been a fan of technology...and I married a technology enthusiast.  We own completely out-of-date cars...but are always on the top of it when it comes to the TV, sound system, laptops, game systems, cell phones...and I also have an awesome printer/fax in my office.  Paul has some kinda monstrosity in his office that prints...but I don't think it's called a printer.  And when one of those things breaks...we immediately find the funding for a new, most of the time updated, replacement.  We're only limited by the satellite internet...

Recently, we went to Best Buy to get an extra cable for the receiver.  Apparently, we did not have enough cords running behind the entertainment center...who knew??

We needed another cord so the sound from the new XBOX 360 could come through the surround sound instead of the TV.  While we were looking for a cord...Paul spots a whole new receiver with an open-box price.  We talk to the salespeople (yep, multiple salespeople), we talk to each other, we leave with the new receiver.  Paul (and the salespeople) explain to me that our current receiver is outdated based on our TV and the BluRay player...so we really needed to update the receiver to get the most out of the TV.  The new receiver allows for a better quality picture through the TV and is 3D compatible.  I'm not completely sold on the whole 3D TV thing...but just in case.

A few days after we get it, it completely freaks out.  One night, Paul was playing a game, and the sound just got lower and lower until it was off.  We did all the trouble shooting and I got on a live chat with a Sony tech....

Side Note...I could work as a Sony tech and be way more helpful than that clown was...all he/she did was basically cut and paste the manual troubleshooting tips... Trust me, we went through that entire manual before wasting life chatting with you.

We take the receiver back to Best Buy, they order us the same model from a different store...it'll be here in a week.

Paul changes all the settings so we can hear the sound through the TV...and found out that our TV has extremely crappy sound quality.  Thank goodness we were out of town that weekend...

We finally get the new receiver and hook it up.  Tonight, we throw in an older DVD, The Ref...a classic.  The picture comes up in a box on the screen.  It's literally like a pan-scan boxed frame in the middle of the screen...  Apparently, the receiver updated our TV to the 1080p output is was supposed to be putting out instead of whatever quality it was putting out with the old receiver.  Basically, the DVD is now outdated...

So...we went through several older DVDs...most of them are in some kind of bizarre format...square framed boxes, rectangle framed boxes, zoomed into full screen, etc.  The DVDs that we own that are post-digital filming are fine and the BluRays are fine.

Right now, Paul is on the floor in the living room pulling the older DVDs off the shelf to figure out which ones need to be replaced with BluRays...if we can even find them on BluRay.

And that's the chain of technology...we bought new surround sound for the new house, we updated the TV to catch up with the sound system, we updated the receiver to catch up with the TV, now we have to update the DVDs to catch up with the new receiver...

And it never ends...

I think I'd be a much bigger fan of technology if it were cheaper...and retro-compatible :-/

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Where Heaven meets Earth

These pictures are not photo-shopped...they are an exclamation of God's perfect design...

In Salar de'Uyuni, Bolivia, there is a huge salt flat.  Most of the year, this area is dry and arid, making the ground cracked...but during the rainy season, the water turns the salt flat into a massive reflective mirror.  It's called the border between Heaven and Earth...  This is officially added to the places I want to go before I die.

Stunning...

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Gotta love him

I love my husband!!  There's very rarely a dull moment.  And he brings out the craziness in me :)  Exhibit A:
The hubby tends to leave things wherever he drops them...even after I ask him to put it up.  For example, since the hubby can't seem to walk to the bathroom to put his dirty clothes in the hamper...I have strategically placed dirty clothes hampers where he tends to pull socks and shirts off throughout the house.  The hubz is really only expected to have a semi-accurate toss from wherever he's sitting to get the clothes in the bin.

I know what you're thinking...man, she's a great wife!!  The only thing that I ask is that he not put his belts in the bins...because I'd like to just pour the clothes out of the bin into the washing machine...life is simple for everyone :)

But guess what??

You got it!! I still find belts in the bins.  I didn't even know he had this many belts...he has one for each day.  So, not only are they in the bin, but they are spread throughout the layers of the clothes...  This makes me completely see red...and when I bring it up to the hubz, you know what he does??

He laughs because it makes me so angry...

Apparently, I'm not doing something right.  I've tried to make it convenient for him.  I've also tried behavior modification tactics that I've studied to work with children...no dice.

So...when I find a belt in the bin...I stick it in the microwave...

Not the working one...I'm not that crazy!! We have an extra microwave...long story...got a counter top microwave for a wedding present and bought a house that uses an over-the-stove microwave.  So, we have a microwave in storage.  Anyways, I stick the belt in the extra microwave in the utility room.  Not forever, just long enough to make it a pain for him to find.  So, when he realizes what an inconvenience it is to find an item that he didn't put up...he'll take the time to put it up the next time.  See the rationality there?

It's not just belts and the microwave, it's anything that I've just been fed up with...and anywhere I think of at that moment.

Oddly, this doesn't work either...he just finds other belts, or pens, or cups, or socks, or mice...  Yes, our house is filled with mice.  Not the rodent variety, the clickable variety...corded, USB, wireless, miniature, colored, LED...

At least it makes me feel better...or it did...until today...

Paul was looking for something.  He opens a drawer in the bathroom that is rarely opened.  'What's that?? My MP3 player??  I've been looking for that for months, I thought I was going to have to buy another one.'  WOW...

I don't even remember sticking that in there.  When the hubz found it, we both knew exactly how it got there.  And looking at it...I know exactly why it was there.  The MP3 was still attached to the arm band.  Paul came home from a run and {more than likely} slung it onto the key bowl* (key bowl* = bowl that I put on the table in the foyer by the door for the purpose of placing keys).  As any reasonable person can see...they key bowl is obviously not for MP3 players.  And that's how the MP3 player ended up in the obscure drawer in the hall bathroom.

Maybe it's time I re-evaluate my thinking process...just typing this makes me sound kinda certifiable.  Plus, I've realized that I can't even remember all the victims of my little form of home management.  And at some point, I decided that it was a better idea to hide an expensive MP3 player rather than just put it up...

There's gotta be a more constructive way...  We just went on a marriage retreat and learned all kinds of positive ways to interact with each other.  Surely, I can pull something out of my new skills tool box.

Maybe I'll try a sticker chart :)

Eternal bowling...

So...the hubz signed up for a league-type bowling thing to get a bowling ball.  It was every Tuesday night for 4 weeks, and of course, I went with him...  At the end of such league-type thing, information came out for a new LONGER league-type thing...10 weeks.  Since I figured I was going to go every week anyways, I decided to also sign up for the league-type thing...

I don't have a 10 week attention span...

Even worse, the hubz continually wants to bowl between Tuesdays...as if one night a week isn't enough.

It's fun and all, but we've been going FOREVER...I don't remember which week we're on, but I don't think it matters...because I have this sneaking suspicion that it is NEVER going to end.

I mean, this league will be finished at the end of the 10 weeks...but then what? I'll tell you then what...another league, that's what.  Is this going to become a staple once a week in our lives forever?  Yes, it will...because at the end of this league, we'll both have a ball, bag, and shoes...which pretty much ensures that we are going to want to use them.  When I'm absolutely sick of bowling at the end of the league, I'll get shiny new stuff that'll make me excited for bowling again...triggering me to sign up for another league...then, I'll be 4-5 weeks into the next league feeling the same way I do now...absolutely sick of bowling...

Does this sound incredibly like street style drug-pushing to anyone else???

Monday, June 6, 2011

Congratulations...you're an accident waiting to happen...

Ok, maybe I’m being a buzz kill…but does it make anyone else nervous that a scary number of 17 and 18 year old drivers are cruising around with limited visibility??  Maybe it’s just me and maybe it’s because I’m on the road all day and have seen SOO many.  How long are those fancy graduation cars gonna last if the kid can’t see behind them?? Are they avoiding backing up, or just holding their breath and backing up on a prayer??  I’m not saying that 17/18 year old drivers are particularly hazardous, but isn’t anyone with massive graffiti on their back windshield hazardous??  Plus, it’s completely unoriginal…can’t parents think of a better way to celebrate their child’s achievements without taking the ‘semi’ out of their semi-unsafe car?? If it does only bother me…my bad :/

Funniest blog ever...

Vampire squid

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Un-vegatizing

I haven't eaten meat (beef, pork, poultry, wild game) for 2 1/2 years...it started as a New Year's resolution type think and ended up as a meat made me physically sick thing.

The hubby has been after me for a while to break back into the meat market. I understand...as the main cook in the house, I usually only cook things I can eat (we eat a LOT of veggies and fish, and a LOT of take out food). I don't cook chicken, pot roast, meatloaf, etc. Paul just wants something for dinner that is home cooked and has meat...I get it.

So, for a while now, I've been tinkering with the idea of un-vegatizing. The problem is two-fold. One: It's hard to break a habit after close to 3 years. Two: Like I said...it's makes me really sick.

Last night, the un-vegatizing process began. The hubby called to ask what's for dinner. It had been a long week and I had no intention of cooking. I told him to bring home dinner. He asked what I wanted - I thought about it - I asked for a hamburger. After the shock, the hubby agreed to pick up dinner on the way home.

We didn't have anywhere else to go, so if I got sick it would be in the 'comfort' of my home. It took me the better part of an hour (we watched an episode of Leverage while I ate), but I got the whole burger down.

And there it was...the reason this is going to be really hard...I felt like my intestines were going to explode for about an hour and a half...and you know what???

It WASN'T worth it, the burger was not that good...not a even better than the veggie burgers I've been eating the last couple of years. Me = disappointed...

I ate half of a slider patty tonight...out. The ride home was painful, but after we got home and I settled in...I was ok.

Maybe this won't be as hard as I thought it would be...I hope, I hope, I hope.

Summer Cravings



I wanna go to the beach!!! We usually don't go until August so we can incorporate Paul's birthday...but I wanna go now!!! I have been sitting here thinking of rationales of doing a day trip to the beach. It's only a 3 hour drive, no biggie. Hmmm...

Friday, June 3, 2011

Executive Decision = no changes

I signed into my blog today with the full intention of completely revamping it. The hubby always makes fun of my title anyway. Also, I've noticed that there are a lot more options to customize through blogger now, including customized URLs...I always hated that they just kinda handed one to me... So, Executive Decision = revamp blog.

First matter of business...custom URL. Easy enough (check).

Second matter of business...new title. Not as easy... I got nothing, so I start googling quotes, song lyrics, book titles...anything that'll help me think. Nothing. Executive Decision = keep current title with change later option.

Third matter of business...new layout. So...I go through some of the blogger templates. I'm not good at trying to fit pages into a template...that was my problem with MySpace, I changed the background once a week because I couldn't find one that fit...but that's a different story.

I look through a couple of websites, no go. So, I start tinkering around with my own HTML. I apply different ideas and realize that I don't like any of them near as well as I like my own. Executive decision = keep current background.

I changed little things within the HTML codes like text colors and fonts to at least make myself think that I've freshened it up...that counts!

Meeting wrap up: either I'm just not creative tonight or I got it all right the first time... Executive Decision: go with the 'got it right the first time' option and run with it :-)

Sunday, May 1, 2011

sweet strawberries

This year, I decided to plant some strawberry plants in my flower bed. I bought a few plants from Home Depot with my mom and came home to place them in the ground. I was sooo excited when the little white blooms opened up, and before too long, a teeny tiny strawberry!!!! Me and the hubz split the baby berry, it was soooo good :)

So, since the first berry, I've been painstakingly watering and weeding the strawberry plants. A few days ago, we had this HUGE storm....thunder, lightening, hail...the works. After which, I went to go check on my strawberries........

A mob of ants have taken up habitation in my garden.....when did this happen??? I leave the berry patch alone for TWO days and a whole CITY of ants moved in.....Not like a little ant bed.....the whole ground around the berries is black and moving!!!!! Now what???

I call the husband out...he says he'll call his father when he gets home from church. I'm FRANTIC!!! My little berries may not make it until FIL gets home from church!!

We pull out the ant poison....yep...there's the label that says 'do not consume'.....but maybe that's one of those over-protective labels???

I call my mom....not over-protective....apparently ant poison is also human poison....which is very inconvenient for my current situation. Mom suggests that we hose the bed down and make the ants want to move. What are we???? Ant landlords???? The only solution is to make the home unlivable so they'll move out on their own??? Ok....

We pull the hose out...which we haven't used since last year (there's a sprinkler system in the front and I use a watering can for the porch)....so, of course, something doesn't work...

The husband fixes the faucet and we're ready to cause some serious water damage to the patch...we water until I'm scared the plants are going to wash away....I go up to the bed to get a closer look at all the floating black dots....

Nope, that's not what I see....

I see a lot of swimming black dots....great....we apparently have aqua-friendly ants....

Today, I pull the plants out of the ground and re-plant them in big pots....I'm bitten all over my hands, arms, and feet....but my baby berries are safe!!

AND...now we can poison the little monsters :-D

Friday, April 22, 2011

Happy Easter


1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

we're NEVER getting home.....

My baby brother is 15...which means car shopping. My mom has looked at several cars...I've looked at several with her. She calls me this week and says that she has found one in Georgia somewhere and wants to go look at it Friday. Dad works until Sunday, so she asks me to go with her. Sure, I'll go....

'Good, it's a 3 hour drive'...ok...don't they have cars in Augusta?? Oh well....

It's Friday, I'm done with visits...and we're off...kinda...

My baby brother is like a 'special' monkey trained by a not-so-bright person when it comes to getting ready :/

First...he has to decide if he's going or not...'I don't wanna go', 'I'll go', '3 hours? I'm not going', 'I'm hungry', 'I'm going'...for goodness sake, can we pick a personality and just run with that one??

Second...the boy has to become presentable...'It is a shirt', 'But this undershirt is big enough and thick enough to just wear as a shirt', 'I don't have a shirt', 'Where's my shirt', 'Do I have shoes?'...oh good, the special monkey is on a scavenger hunt...

Third...we have to get there...

'Where do I go?'

'It says you go straight for 40 miles'

'Do I turn there?'

'How many miles have you gone?'

'Oh, I've only gone 3 miles'...

'Where do I go?'

'Straight for 40 miles'

'Oh, I've only gone 13 miles' :)

We get there!!!! We get in the car for a test drive...I notice that it's on empty, but no one else seems worried about this so I'm good. Then mom asks 'it's on empty...how much further can we go?' The guy's response????

'Well, if we run outta gas, we'll make someone bring us some. We drive cars on empty tanks all day long'

Really???? I'm here to tell you...cars WILL run outta gas...it's not just a cautionary tale, it DOES happen.

Mom takes the car all over the place...ending up on a side street in some little neighborhood. She asks the guy 'Where do I turn to go back to the dealership?' The guy's response????

'I reckon I'd go straight...I don't know these side roads, they all look the same to me'

Really???? Aren't YOU the local here?

We get back to the dealership. The car has a 'bump' when it turns...the mechanic looks at it and explains where the 'bump' is coming from. They bring the car down off the rack and we take it for another spin...after we get gas.

Mom decides to get the car...actually, it seemed that she had decided to not get the car...then sat in the dealer's office and signed all the paperwork to get the car. Mom asks for the title...the guy says they mail the title after the check has cleared...it's a REGISTERED CHECK...no clearing necessary.

Some guy walks through the office and asks if everything is ok, Mom states that she wants the title.......guy comes back with the title and hands it over.....well, looky there....someone knows what they're doing!

Not so fast....

Mom noticed that he didn't sign the title...she asks about it.....guy says 'We don't sign it over...the DMV does that'....

Really???? Because I'm pretty sure the DMV doesn't sign over cars....Mom's pretty sure too....but we trust them.....well, not really.....but we leave with the unsigned title.

We program home in GPS and set off....the GPS isn't taking us the way we came....we go down this road, and turn around....we go down that road, and turn around....we stop at a gas station, and turn around...

Mom is still uncomfortable about the title...we turn around one more time to go back to the dealership...

After MUCH explaining...someone FINALLY signs the title over...we leave again...

How does an ENTIRE car dealership NOT know how to sign over a title?? 'Well, I mean, I'll sign it if it'll make you feel better'...would it make her feel better if she actually owned the car she just paid for??????

GEEZ

With an exhausting ride home that included phrases like 'we're in commerce hell and we're never getting home', and 'you will not take a dump in your new car'...the adventure is done and the car is home.....

Friday, February 25, 2011

but baby, everyone else's wife...

My job gives me a lot of wiggle room in my schedule...if I don't have kids to see, there's no office that I have to be in. When I can, I join my hubby for lunch.

On Tuesday, I woke up sick. I laid around the house trying to shake it off before my visits. The hubby wishes me well and goes off to work. I eventually feel better and start my day.

Around 1, I get a call from the hubby...to make sure I'm ok???

NO...' So, uh, what's the plan for lunch?'

Well, my plan is to work through lunch, & I'm feeling much better, thanks for asking...

' But baby, everyone else's wife came for lunch today...'

Ugh, ok, I can be there around 3:30 for a late lunch...

We go to Rhinehart's...their credit card machines are down so the hubby goes to the back to try to fix it...after sitting at the bar for about an hour and a half returning calls and texts, the hubby figures out that the cable has been cut and calls the cable guy...

At 5, we sit down for the ' late' lunch...

GOOD GRIEF
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Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy Anniversary...just another day :(

5 years ago, on December 31, 2005; I married my honey. We'd been dating like 4 years and had a beautiful post-Christmas wedding. The sanctuary was still decorated for Christmas and there was silver everywhere...I LOVE silver!!! We didn't go on a honeymoon because Paul's family was in town and we were both new to our jobs and didn't want to try to take the time off.

I think that's the reason we always try to get out of town for our anniversary...

Year 1 - Bahamas....great trip!!!
Year 2 - Edgefield Grill...not exactly out of town, but a 5 course meal with wine pairings.
Year 3 - Myrtle Beach...actually not so much fun to go in the winter, but a nice getaway.
Year 4 - Chattanooga...Ruby Falls, lighted Rock City, wonderful B&B.
Year 5 - this is where the blog comes in...we planned to stay in town...

Paul had Friday off, so we had planned to go to several movies to catch up and have dinner with one of the gift cards that we received. I planned the times for the movies and was super excited. Sometimes, its less stressful not to go out of town...especially when it seems that we JUST unpacked from Disney (woohoo!).

So, the hubs says that he needs to do an install Thursday night but would be home sometime Friday morning. The pups were happy because they got to sleep on his side of the bed, however, I wasn't as happy. But, I replanned the movie times...everything's good.

I woke up Friday morning late, but no Paul...I called him...still working

I finish the massive laundry resulted from the massive donation...I call Paul...still working

Long story short...the hubby gets home around 2 and goes straight to bed...

He wakes up close to 6...no movie...just sitting on the couch...

We did go to the hockey game (GO RIVERHAWKS), but that's not blogful...we usually go every weekend...

But at this point, it's not really that big of a deal. In the 5 years we've been married and the 9 years we've been together, we've seen everything from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the valley. I only hope that mark 5 sees us on top on Everest :-)

Happy 5th Anniversary, Paulie
PitaPata Dog tickers
PitaPata Dog tickers