Miss Me?

Hey Everybody - Taking a break from blogging during the holidays. Had to share some Christmas photos with you though....

Here is Rachel with her stuff from Santa Claus. Yes, she is 18 and still gets a "Santa" pile. (Her pants leg is up because she just washed her new tat, and it had to airdry)

We bought this picture in Rome from a street painter....didn't it frame up nice! I was so happy with it, and she didn't have a clue.

Here is where Sally spent the morning...in a present box. What a great Christmas present!

Below is Rachel, Spike, and my bother Larry when we exchanged gifts with his family.

And here is Mom, Naaman and Linda....

Hope you all had a Very Merry Christmas...and have a Safe and Happy New Year!

Love

Baby sitting

Here are some pictures I took when Jimmy and I babysat Tatum and Luke. They were so fun and cute, but a handful. I couldn't have done it without Jimaymay. Here is Poppy putting together a Thomas the Train track. Aren't Tatum and Luke sharing nicely? Didn't last long.... I told them to stand still and let me get their picture...that didn't last long either! Gosh, I love those babies!

Katt Williams

Rachel turned me on to a comedian last night. Please go to you tube and watch some of his videos. I was crying during the one about Michael Jackson, oh and the one about trying to get "Unhigh". He is a little vulgar, but hilarious.

Merry Christmas!

CRAZY BUSY WEEKEND

Ok - I am now feeling the Christmas rush.

Friday night - went to the grocery store, then home to wrap presents for my Mom and make marinated carrots for Tim's dad's birthday party.

Saturday morning - up early to wrap more presents and clean up house. Went to Holloways, bought ham, took to Nash for them to smoke. Made broccoli cornbread for beforementioned party. Took food to Tim's and brought potatoes back to house to cook. cooked potatoes, wrapped Jimmy's grandbabies' presents. Went to birthday party, ate, had fun. Left party at 5:15 to go babysit said Grandbabies. Boy, I could not have done it without Jimmy....two two year olds are a handful! Home at midnight. Watched "Predator" for the umpteenth time. Bed at 2:00 am.

Sunday -Up early to straighten up the house more because my brother and his family are in town. They come over after lunch. Larry Naaman and I go to Belks to get Christmas presents. Take them back to Mom's. I go by the house and get grocery list I forgot. Go to targets, and then the grocery store. Leaving the store I go by and pick up BBQ for dinner. They all come over, we open presents and eat BBQ. Visit and talk until 10:00.

Monday - to work I go, having to finish my month end entries, run payroll early because of the holiday and make sure cash accounts are in balance. Leave work at 5:00 to have Christmas dinner with Jimmy's sister and her family at Carraba's. Both grandbabies were there too, so it was fun. Home at 9:00 - exhausted.

Today - work again, much slower than yesterday....it looks like a ghost town around here. Leaving at 4:30 to go to Nash BBQ and pick up ham and fixings. Serving Christmas dinner at my house at 6:00.

And through all of this I am sick with a sinus infection. I just want to crawl in bed and never come out.

When will the madness stop? After I serve Christmas Breakfast (sausage balls and cheese grits) I am done. If I can make it that far!

Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year!

Love

Make it stop....

Here is the latest "artwork" on my Rayray. It is on the outside of her right ankle. The sun is designed after an amulet that we found at my brother David's house right before his death. So, at least it has sentimental value.

Can I ask the bank to reject any debit purchases from "Ink City?" I guess then she would just get cash.

Kids, got to love 'em cause you can't kill 'em.

Happy Weekend.

Cat Nativity

Ok, you all know how much I love cats, but this might be taking it too far. I ordered this cute "Kitty Cat Nativity" from the same "Everything Under $14.95" catalog that Cat O' All seasons came from. Isn't it cute!!! I just love the baby kitten Jesus! Look at the Cat wise men! I just love it.

Meowy Christmas!

Evil Zlid Strikes Again

Evil Zlid (Sally) has struck again. When Rachel went back to school last weekend (on her way to take exams - which she did very well - got B's in all classes, whew) she emptied her backpack in the middle of the living room floor. Isn't that where all back packs are emptied? Anyway, there were 3 paperback books, one notebook and one DVD just randomly laying in the floor. Then...

When I came home from work on Monday I found one of the books in this condition....guess Evil Zlid did not like it. I hoped Rachel didn't need it for anything, or if she did, that she had read the first 20 pages or so. That is about how deep Zlid got.

I moved the books and DVD to the chair. On Friday I was wrapping presents trying to get Rachel's wrapped before she came home for the Holidays, and Zlid got up in the chair and started ripping at the book again. I started to wonder..."what in the world is it with her and this book?" I picked it up and started looking at the title and found....



It was a book on Charles Manson...called "The Family". I guess cats as well as horses can sense evil.

Why is it we think horses can sense evil? I guess that is a blog for another day.

Happy Wednesday.

History of Reindeer Names

I share these tidbits of useless knowledge with y'all because I think all should know them. It is important because we might need to know these things on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" one day.

For instance, I learned several years back the the original name for Donner the reindeer was Donder. I recently found out how that came about. "Twas the Night Before Christmas" was written by Clement Clark Moore in 1823 and the name Donner was used. However, the original Christmas poem was written by Major Henry Livingston, Jr. in 1807 and the reindeer in the original was Donder. Rudolph was not part of this story...He came later.

Donner means thunder in German. Donder means thunder in Dutch.

So, rest assured that you now know.....

Love

Cat O' All Seasons

Here is Cat O' All Seasons dressed up for Christmas! I just love this tacky little thing. I ordered it from a magazine where everything was $14.95 or less. He has an outfit for Christmas, Easter, 4th of July and Halloween.

If any of you can sew, please let me know. I would like to have more outfits for him!

(I think I am loosing it)

Christmas Superstition #1 - Stockings

Stockings are hung by the chimney in remembrance of the generosity of St. Nicholas. Out of compassion he was said to have tossed three coins down the chimney of the home of three poor sisters. Each coin fell neatly into stockings left drying by the hearth. Therefore, we leave out stocking out in hopes that a similar bit of good fortuned will befall us. - Snopes.com


Happy Holidays and Happy Friday!

FULL MOON

Everyone pay attention to the moon tonight.


The full moon tonight will be the biggest one of the year as Earth's natural satellite reaches its closest point to our planet.


Earth, the moon and the sun are all bound together by gravity, which keeps us going around the sun and keeps the moon going around us as it goes through phases. The moon makes a trip around Earth every 29.5 days. But the orbit is not a perfect circle.


The moon's average distance from us is about 238,855 miles (384,400 km). Tonight it will be just 221,560 miles (356,567 km) away. It will be 14 percent bigger in our sky and 30 percent brighter than some other full moons during the year, according to NASA.

Boy, am I smart or what.

Angelina Molie

This is Angelina Molie (like as in a mole - rodent). I came across this picture on one of my discs and thought I should share. Rachel had to make her as a project for Chemistry (?) I think. See, not only is a mole a small, mouse like rodent that burrows in the ground, it is also:

1. The amount of a substance that contains as many atoms, molecules, ions, or other elementary units as the number of atoms in 0.012 kilogram of carbon 12. The number is 6.0225 × 1023, or Avogadro's number. Also called gram molecule.

or

2. The mass in grams of this amount of a substance, numerically equal to the molecular weight of the substance. Also called gram-molecular weight. See Table at measurement.

This was a fun project. They had to actually make a mole (the animal) that resembeled a famous person, character, etc. We came up with many ideas: Mickey Mole (Mickey Mouse); Christopher Molumbus, Samumole L. Jackson, and others. Rachel came up with Angelina Molie! Isn't she pretty with her big hair and lips.

Happy Thursday - Be safe out there in this weather.

The stockings were hung....

Here is my Stocking. I have had this as long as I can remember. My Mom knitted one for all of us. I think she might have made mine while she was still pregnant with me. Santa had an angora beard (the fuzzy has pretty much worn off by now). He is going down a chimney. As I said, all of them were the same, so the way to tell them apart was, and get this (HOW UNFAIR), Billy's was the longest, then Larry's, then David's and FINALLY mine....THE SHORTEST! I always thought that was so unfair! Even though I was most spoiled being the baby and the only girl.

Don't even get me started about the Easter Baskets!


Here is Princess Rayray's stocking. It is Precious Moments. Mom sewed the pattern and I cross-stitched her name and birthdate on it. She too has had her stocking since her first Christmas.

How long have you had your stocking? Can you even find it? Is it just that plain red and white, generic, fuzzy one? (Just kidding Tim)

Disney Tree

Here is a picture of Rachel's Disney Tree. When she was a baby I joined a Disney ornament club. For 14.99 a month you received a different ornament each month. That went on for 2 years. Now we set up this cute little tree in our den.

Here is the Genie from Aladdin....

.....and Pluto....

....and Tigger!

...just to show a few. We have Figaro, Belle, Snow White, Pocahantus, Chip and Dale, Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey, and Lewey, the Beast, Uncle Schrooge (as Schrooge of course), Dumbo, Jessica and Roger Rabbit, and many more.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....Disney style!

Bad, Bad Dog

This little squirt is in serious trouble. As I mentioned last week, he had been escaping the back yard via holes in the fence and a high hanging gate. Well, Saturday I did a walk around the parameter and plugged up all the holes with concete blocks and bricks. Well, Byebye the Magician moved a brick last night between 10 and 10:30 and got out AGAIN. I called and called and called, but he was no where to be found. He is so not street smart I thought he had probably been hit. Well, at 12:47 I had to go to bed. It was a very hard thing to do. I left the gate open and the light in the carport on in case he did come home.

I got up to, well, you know, at 5:30 - opened the back door and there he was! Sleeping in the monkey grass. I did not say a word to him, but I wanted to hug him, and love him, and tell him how scared I was. I just couldn't imagine my life with out that little dog! But, he needed to be punished and so I just ignored him this morning. Before I left this morning I offered to let him out to go to the bathroom...he declined.

I can't believe how smart that little bugger is. Guess I will have to leave early and build a moat around my yard....no, then he would just become a champion swimmer.

Love

COUCH AND DOG

This is my new couch. It is HUGE! Jimmy and I went to pick it up the Friday after Thanksgiving. As he was moving the old couch out I said, "I hope the new one will fit." Little did I know.....
Jimmy and Tim had to wrestle with this HOG for an hour and a half. We had all the doors off the hinges, turning it this way and that (look how I said we - I was just sitting there cussing myself for buying a HUMONGOUS couch). At one point it was standing straight up in the foyer. do you know how they finally got it in there? Jimmy had to take the door facing off the door! That gave us (being them) another inch and a half. Then they shoved it on through!

It is so comfortable - with recliners on each end, so you can guess how heavy it was! Thanks guys.

STS9 and New Years

Let me just get this off my chest....My daughter is spoiled. I know, I know, it is all my fault. She is not a brat (often), but she pretty much gets what she wants for Christmas. Christina and her are going to Atlanta for New Year's to see STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9). This is a picture of them in concert. I bet you can't guess what 93.7% of the audience are "doing".

Anyway, I called to make reservations for them for December 30th and 31st. The cheapest hotel within walking distance of "The Tabernacle" is a Quality Inn for $199.99 per night. See, the rates double downtown for New Year's. It is in a nice part of downtown - rightoff Peachtree Plaza. I booked the hotel before it got gone. Her friends are going to pitch in, so I could recover around $300. I think I will wrap up a picture or brochure from the hotel and put it under the Christmas tree.

Have a good weekend.

Urban Dictionary - Screwvenir

Screwvenir


Rhymes with (souvenir); This is something, a personal item, that you take with you after a night of wild lovemakin', after a booty call, or a one-night-stand. You take these things without the original owners' knowledge. It could be a t-shirt, cd, lighter, hairbrush, etc., that belonged to the person you just hooked up with. Sort of like a 'souvenir' of the encounter.

Olive Garden is dead to me!

Yes, you heard me right. Mickey and I ate there yesterday for lunch and it was so gross. I wanted something warm and cheesey. I got cold, gross lasagna, burnt chicken and congealed fettuccini alfredo. Gross, gross, gross. I never have to go back there again.

I have a wonderful couch story to tell you, but am waiting to have pictures. I keep leaving my memory card at home. Hopefully tomorrow.

Born Free

Spike got out again last night. This time he did not push the gate open. I had laid bricks under the opening after he got out a couple of nights ago. I called and called for him, and rode around the block twice looking for him. He is not street smart at all, so I worry about him getting run over. Friday, while we were trying to shove the couch in my house (that is a story for another day) I saw a dog run in front of a car on my busy street. The car was honking, but the dog didn't pay any attention. I told Tim - "That looks like Spike"... and it was.

Anyway....he finally came home about 11:30 all proud of himself, until he got a spanking with some limp rolled up newspaper. You know, just the sound of the paper is enough. Well, this morning I took him out back on his leash so he couldn't escape. I did not know about the hole yet (couldn't figure it out in the dark). Spike must have learned his lesson because he led me right to the hole and stuck his head through like "See, this is how I did it. You better cover it up or I will do it again. I just can't help myself."

Spike is so smart.

Here's to all the smart, cute, funny, hyper, loving dogs and their people!

Welcome back

Hey Everybody - Hope you had a relaxing Thanksgiving....I sure did. Not much to say today. Just busy, busy, busy.

Rachel went to Ashville to see Widespread Panic. Had a wonderful time, but now my poor baby is sick. Sick and at school where Mommy can't take care of her! It is just about to kill me. The doctor is supposed to be calling her in some medicine. I wish he would hurry.


Say prayers for Rayray.

Happy Tuesday.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for my family and friends. I really am happy and fulfilled with my life. I could not ask for anything more. That is a great place to be at. I wish you all the same.

Love

When the Roll is Called Up Yonder!

(Ok, I stole the title of this post off the web)

Now, this is earth-shattering news. Kraft Foods no longer makes the garlic cheese roll!!!!!! I can't believe it. No wonder after going to 7 stores last night I could not find it. Yes, I said 7.

1. Publix

2. Lucky's

3. Kroger

4. Hollaways

5. Walmart

6. Meximart (really Star)

7. Piggly Wiggly

What are us Southerners going to do. How will we make Garlic Cheese Grits for Thanksgiving and Christmas morning? Can we go on?

I made cheese grits last night for Jimmy and his kids to eat tomorrow. I used velveeta and garlic powder. Then I saw this article below. I actually put in my garlic powder by the 1/4 tsp and put in 3 for the grits.

I hope you all realize the importance of this news. This is a sad day America.

"Huge news flash, Feb. 21, 2008 — well, for me anyway. The Kraft company has stopped making Garlic Cheese Roll. A call to the Kraft consumer hotline confirmed that “not enough consumers were buying the product to justify continued production.” In other words, the passion of millions of people in one-fourth of the US for cheese with grits meant nothing to a company with hundreds of product lines. Social chaos is likely to ensue in the Sunbelt. What will Southerners serve at Christmas morning breakfast and wedding brunches. Did the company consult one single Southerner before they discontinued it?
It’s like a whole way of life coming to an end. First they came for the garlic cheese roll. Can whipped topping and mushroom soup be far behind? Without those basic ingredients, there could be no community cookbooks. I better dust off my resume.If you reached this page looking for a substitute for Kraft Garlic Cheese roll, try this. For every 6-ounce package, substitute 6 ounces of Velveeta and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder. Taste and add another 1/8 teaspoon if needed"

7 RANDOM THINGS

I have been dinged by Jamie Lynn Marie to list 7 random things about myself.

1. I nickname everybody. My pets, if you read this blog you will know, have many different nicknames - so does my child.

2. I don't use a straw to drink out of unless it is in a to-go cup. Not at any resturant. It was weird because the other day a server asked if we wanted straws. I had never been asked that before. Rachel said "Why don't you?" and I don't know why.

3. I used to try and chew the exact same amount of food on each side of my mouth....one bite of potatoes on the left, one bite on the right.

4. I do not appreciate Clint Eastwood as an actor. I do not think he is very good.

5. My favorite color is green - any shade.

(this is getting hard)

6. I believe in superstition...I pick up my feet in the car going over roalroad tracks, and I hold my breath when passing a cemetary.

7. Sometimes I catch myself (especially while riding) in the car like, (I don't know how to explain) if I am looking out the window and it is grass, then a driveway comes I will blink at the start and end of the driveway - blink blink. Not just a driveway, but anything that interrupts the line of what I am looking at.

I think I need therapy.

I don't have any friends that blog except Jamie and Kevin that blog. Kevin just had a new baby so I am sure he is too busy. So, ya'll think of 7 random things about yourself and leave in the comments or send me an e-mail. I will post some of the funny ones. This ought to be good.

Love

Rayray, I love you.

Random Definition

Reported in the news this week....it has been confirmed, Hitler was monorchic.

You are now asking yourself what is monorchic? It is the medical term for having one testicle.

Just thought I would through that in!

Have a good weekend.

Favorite Movie Quotes

Thanks for all of you who responded...here are a few of my favorites

LL - "That's some bad hat, Harry." Jaws

(Of course you all knew that one, but I am the one writing this blog)

Jenfer - "Mr. Wilkes, I's have to get them clothes in the ballin' pot......."(boiling pot). GWTW Mammie

Mickey - "Sometimes being a bitch is all a woman has to hold onto." Delores Claiborne

Beth - "Hope is a good thing...maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." Andy Dufrane, Shawshank Redemption

Ang - "Some people show off their beauty because they want the world to see it, others hide their beauty because they want the world to see something else." The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Niece - "Nobody puts Baby in the corner." Dirty Dancing

Kevin - "Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?" Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Jeff - "What, no f__king Zitti?" Sopranos (not really a movie, but we will give it to him)

Jamie - "Tina, come get some ham."

Bruce - "You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?"Dirty Harry

"You can't leave, all the plants will die." Bill Murray in Stripes

LL - A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti," Hannibel Lector The Silence of the Lambs," 1991.

"Blind Child Area"

Ok - one more post about my mommy and then we will leave her alone for a while. You know this is all in good fun - she reads my blog too, so she knows what I am telling - and, she can laugh at herself - we all need to do more of that.

While driving mom home from the "Great Shopping Fiasco of November 2008," on Magnolia Street I saw a yellow warning sign that read "Blind Child Area." I had seen these signs before in other areas, but had not seen this one close to my house.

LL - I have not noticed that sign before
P - Oh, its been there for a while - I keep looking for him, but haven't seen him yet
LL - looking for the blind kid?
P - Yeah
LL - how are you going to know which one he is?
P - I don't know
LL - do you think he is going to be like holding his hands out in front of him feeling for stuff?
(I know I am going to hell - we are both dying laughing at this point)
P - No (laughing)
LL - or have a shirt on that says "I am blind" or have big black patches on his eyes
P - yeah, or walking with a cane with a red tip
LL - I can just see you saying "I don't know how I hit the tree officer, I was just trying to spot the blind kid."

Polly - you got to love her, and I do.

Coming tomorrow....

"Blind Child Area": Converstations with Polly (my mom)

You won't want to miss!

Shopping Fiasco November 2008

(Dickey - an article of clothing made to look like the front or collar of a shirt, worn as a seperate piece under another garment.....not Dickies as shown below.....you will get it in a minute....)

Well, I went shopping with my mom for the last time last night. I thought I would be sweet and ask her if she wanted to go to Parisian (yes, Parisian) and get Rachel something for Christmas. After all, I had $90 in Belk Bucks to spend before Thursday. Well, we shopped for a while and went to check out.

Mom ran her Belks card through the machine to pay for her purchase. Uh oh, the lady then told her it was denied. Mom said it couldn't be, it didn't even have a balance on it. The lady then asked if mom wanted her to call about it. "Yes" was of course the answer.

Well, to make a long story short, they told her it was inactivated ("By who" asks mom) because of inactivity or something. Well, Mom just whips out her LL Bean mastercard to buy her purchases. She then makes a snide remark about "...everything will really probably be on sale this Saturday." Uh, mom, look around - everything is on sale now. And so what....you can use other credit cards at Belk - not just your Belk card. We just established that Belk even took LL Bean!

My mom just could not get over the fact that something a little out of the ordinary happened and she was just ready to go home. Kind of like "my Belk card doesn't work so I can't buy anything."

So, this attitude proceeded to ruin the shopping I still had left to do. I told her I wanted to go look at the pants. On the way I found a real cute shirt for my sister-in-law that really looked like her. I told mom I didn't like the shirt they showed under it, that I would just get her a camisole. I did not mean right then, before we left. I started looking at the pants and she said she was going to lingerie.

About 45 seconds later I hear her asking a sales rep "Where are your Dickey's?" "Maam, we don't carry Dickies." I said S__t. I guess it is time to go. She is asking for dickey - like an fake undershirt thinking that is what I want to get Linda and also that we have to have one before she can go home. I walk/run over to the check out realizing I have to get her out of there...there will be no pleasant shopping time for me tonight! I also tell her that anyone under the age of 50 thinks only of the work clothes Dickies when asked. She tries to tell me to go look at the pants, she will wait quietly while I do. I know it is a lost cause. I check out, but not before she tells the twin sales clerks that "I am embarrassing my daughter." Then asking the obviously identical twins, "Are you sisters?"

We are walking out, my Mom, knowing that she mucked up my shopping says, "Well, that was fun." "Yes," I reply, "I hope you enjoyed all 37 whole minutes of it."

She then thanked me for loving her.

Your welcome, Mom.

In the Spirit

Started Christmas shopping this weekend. This will shock you! I was at Parisian at 7:00 Saturday Morning!




Yes I said Parisian - it will take me forever to call it Belks. Hell, I am just getting around to saying Dillards instead of Castner Knott. (don't know what is happening with the font - long day)

Anyway, I shopped early and got some great deals. Bought Jimmy some POLO on sale. Got Rachel the cutest and matching and ! She is going to love all of it!

After she awoke we had lunch at O'Charleys (she loves the potato soup) then I took her back to Parisian (i know, i know) to show her these cute Lucky Brand purses. Well, who would know that at that moment she was going to become a accessory junkie, a purse addict and would ask for not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 purses for Christmas! She almost cried when I made her judge them by how much she wanted them. It was like she couldn't believe that she would not receive all 4 for Christmas. I said "No one usually asks, or receives 4 of anything for Christmas....that is kind of gross." (And these are pretty pricy purses range from $90 to $168. And I do remember something about a trip to Atlanta and concert tickets was all she needed for Christmas?)

But now the real dilemma falls on me.....I have to decide what purses to buy, and totally restrain myself from buying all four....(talk about addiction! haha).

Happy Monday!

Big Eds Pizza

Met former co-workers at Big Ed's Pizza for lunch. Yum-yum! Had a great time visiting and laughing! The pizza was wonderful - highly recommend the Big 8! Great to see Suzanne - she is out at the arsenal now - her laugh is so contagious. Byron is always interesting. Princess Stefanie is, as always, regal (yeah right). Jimmy Dean always makes me laugh. Laura S. enjoyed herself. Great ending to the week.

Thinking of starting a "Etiquette Lessons for Byron" or ELB for short. (This is Huntsville, you have to have an acronym).

SUPERSTITION #21 Knock on Wood

When you knock on wood after mentioning good fortune so the evil spirits will not ruin things for you.

The American version is "knock on wood", while the British version is merely
"touch wood". The tradition traces back to an ancient pagan belief that spirits
resided in trees, particularly Oaks, and that by knocking on or touching the wood,
you were paying a small tribute to them by remembering or acknowledging them,
and could call on them for protection against ill-fortune. With the second knock, you were thanking them for their continued blessings and good luck.

It may be traced back even further to an ancient Greek belief, according to Sauren
Dessai "that if they touched an Oak tree, they communicate with Zeus, who
would protect them from misfortune."

42 Days Until Christmas....Happy Thursday!

Injured Sally

My poor kitty has a hurt paw. I had to take her to the vet yesterday afternoon. There were no broken bones. Dr. English said it must be a puncture wound, but he could find no entry or exit because her little paw was soooo swollen. He gave me some antibiotics and told me to keep her inside for a while. He said the medicine tastes really bad, but it is the best that there is for wounds like hers. "Bring her back if it gets any worse."

I took her home and gave her the medicine. Around 8:00 she realized I was not going to let her out, so she went to sleep on the dining room table.

When I woke up this morning I could not believe how much better her paw looked. It was still a little swollen, but nothing like yesterday. She was hardly even limping! I am so glad my baby is on the road to recovery!

My Crazy Offspring

OK - I think Rachel has finally lost it. Must be the strain of going to "Big Bad Scary College." She called me a little bit ago and this is how it went....

R: Hey
L: Hey
R: What are you doing?
L: Working. Sally is hurt......

(insert explanation about the cat)

R: You need to check your e-mail, but first I want you to know....remember that really mean art teacher I have, the one that didn't like my opinion on the exhibit in my first essay....well, I made a 91 on my paper. I am so happy.

L: I am so happy and proud of you
R: OK, now read the e-mail

Well, I had already opened the e-mail checking for F's in Psychology or a ticket, or a police report and noticed things that caught my eye....like the PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEs and the $160, and the SOOOOO proud....so I knew she was just asking for something BIG. The crazy thing is, I might let her go.

Here is her e-mail - Hey, at least she has goals....

So, you know how much you love me? and how youre SOOOO proud of me for making As and Bs my first semester of COLLEGE.. BIG SCARY COLLEGE...? well.. i think i know something i want for christmas. :)

STS9 (the band i saw friday) is going to be in Atlanta for 5 nights, including New Years Eve. The new years show alone costs 70 dollars or you could be amazing and get me a 4 days pass for only 165.50 :) Xtina is also asking for this for christmas. then xtina and i could use christmas money for a hotel and such for me and her.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

Kids, you gota love them!

Christmas Present

This is a tree in Tim's back yard. It is literally loaded down with these little red berries. He believes it is some kind of non-edible plum...maybe onramental plum. I did not remember it flowering in the spring though.
I took this picture up close. Right after I did he mentioned getting an up close picture, having it framed and hanging it in his house...Then a light bulb went off in my head! "ding, ding" Christmas present!

Fall Folage

Hey Everybody - Hope you had a good weekend. I have really been enjoying the fall folage this year. It seems that this year is the best year we have had in a while for watching the leaves turn. Research Park is beaustiful, but I snapped some pictures around my neighborhood this weekend

This beauty is on Stratford Road. Worth a drive down just to see this!


These beautiful muted colors are across the street from Tim's....

This is looking down my street from the corner....

This gorgeous orange is in my mom's friend Jan Kirk's yard when you enter Point Mallard on 11th...

Just wanted to share....Happy Fall!

Favorite Movie Line

OK - Now that "That's some bad hat, Harry" has replaced "Say 'ello to my li'el friend" (from Scarface) as my fovorite movie line, I was wondering what are some of y'alls favorite movie lines? I know none of you post a comment on my blog (except Kevin and Denise and Jamie - thanks!) so e-mail me and tell me. I will blog back with the responses....

sounds like fun, right?

Love

Wild Thing

My friend Jenfer bartends at the Country Club. This is a relatively new job for her, but she loves it. It also has its perks (like eating off the Sunday buffet for free). The other night they had a guest Chef that was an expert in preparing wild game. Jenfer was so proud of herself. The patrons were getting her to try the entrees before they would eat it! She couldn't wait for me to tell Jimmy what she had eaten....

rattlesnake and rabbit sausage
antelope quesadillas
elk (at first I typed elf - gross) flank steak
New Zealand stag - she said was gamie tasting (hey Flight of the Conchords are from NZ)
yellow fin tuna (not that unusual - have sushi)
and finally - tear, sigh - kangeroo served in chunks with like a soy terriaki sauce

I am not sure I could have tried the last one...

Wilhelm Scream

Ok - thanks Kevin, now I am going to have to say "That's some bad hat Harry," and then follow it with the Wilhelm scream "Aaaarhhhg."

My friend Kevin sent this:

LOL! I'm a freak when it comes to movie trivia and quotes and love this little nugget of info. Thanks for tying that reference to Jaws! Have you ever heard of the Wilhelm Scream? It originated from a cowboy/western movie in the 50's and was recorded as a sound effect of a guy screaming in pain after being shot by an arrow (the character's name was Wilhem). It's a very unique and identifiable scream and was resurrected in 1977 by it's use in Star Wars. Now, directors add it to movies and TV shows as a tounge-in-cheek homage. Here's a montage of it's use:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdbYsoEasio

It's sounds dorky, but we get great enjoyment when we're watching TV and suddenly and surprising hear the Wilhelm Scream in a show or movie.

So now, I will be listening for this distinct scream and get a laugh!

Poor Cleaning Guy

Poor cleaning guy....he is not our regular person (thank goodness because they are WEIRD!) and this building is really confusing. You have to pass through one of several sets of glass doors to get into the heart of the building where the offices are...at times it can be confusing if you aren't used to it. Well, he has just cleaned the glass door outside of my office for the 3rd time! It's not funny, but it kind of is in a mean way!

I mean come on...He has looked at me in my pink sweater all three times. After the second time you would think he would just turn around and walk away. I wonder if he wants to borrow my compass? (Jeez, I am going to hell)

That's some bad hat Harry

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8472541286401891457&hl=en

OK - Can't stop saying it....about drove Rachel and Jimmy crazy with it at dinner Saturday. Rachel and I were watching "Jaws" on Friday. During one scene, the old man of the town (with saggy boobs) comes up to Chief Brody on the beach and is making fun of how the chief won't go in the water. Chief Brody looks at him and then looks at his silly bathing cap on his head and then says....ARE YOU READY....HERE IT IS.... "That's some bad hat, Harry."

I love it!!!! If you have ever noticed, there is a TV show production company (logo above) that has this saying as it's logo. After "House" goes off (on Tuesday night on FOX at 7:00) a shoe stomps on something and then you hear "That's some bad hat, Harry." Now we know where it comes from, and that was exactly what Rayray said the other night. Click on the link above to see the scene from Jaws....loving me some Chief Brody!

Nightmare Before Christmas on DVD!!!!!

Rachel and I were watching TV on Saturday and a commercial came on TV advertising the movie "Nightmare Before Christmas" on DVD. Now, as many of you know, this is Rachel's favorite movie of all time!!!!! Her bedroom used to be totally decorated in NBC, comforter, sheets, light switch, dolls, ornaments, jewelry, posters, clothes, etc. It really is a cute movie, and I enjoy watching it myself. Directed by Tim Burton, so you know it is quirky.

Anyway, she it pointing to the TV at the commercial and getting all excited. I am looking at her like "what?"

r: look, look, look Nightmare on DVD

l: so

r: you know how much I love that movie

l: I know, but you already have it

r: in vhs, but not DVD

l: yes you do, I bought you that for Christmas years ago

r: no you didn't

l: yes I did. It was in that coffin shaped box with the nightlight and some other things...a big special anniversary dvd gift set

r: unh-uh

l: yes it is

r: show me

So I proceed to go to her room and get the box set off of her shelf where it was proudly being displayed....well, you would have thought I gave her a million dollars! She was so happy - had no clue that she already had the movie (had actually had it for years). Does this point out the fact that she probably gets way to much for Christmas?

What bothered me then was the fact that she must have thought that her mom had not provided her with the movie she loved the most, years after it was released on DVD...what kind of mother does she think I am?

Crop Dusting

New one from Urban Dictionary - Rachel will love this....

Crop-dusting: Farting while walking; walking while farting

"I crop-dusted all the way down the isle at the grocery today."

Rayray? Remind you of anyone you know?

Superstition #114

My Friend Jenfer's daughter Kadie is selling RADA knives for a fundraiser for DHS chorus to go to New York. I was glad to hear this because Rachel sold them in 5th grade and I love the ones I bought then. Needless to say I have ordered $70 worth from Kadie (if you are interested let me know - the peeler and tomato slicer are to die for!) I was going to get a set for Jamie as a wedding present, but Lynn said it was bad luck to give knives as presents. Well, you know me, I had to look that up so here it is.

Plus, I love superstitions...I think I will post one a week. (And the number 114 I just made up)

Happy Monday!

Love


"There is a folk lore or a superstition regarding the giving of a knife as a gift. If the knife is given to a friend, money must be exchanged as well. It is considered very bad luck to give someone a knife without exchanging money or the friendship will be cut by the knife. Because of this superstition, it is common that the gift of a knife will be given along with a penny, nickel or dime in the box with the knife so that the recipient can give back the coin, thereby saving the friendship from being severed by the giving of the sharp blade. The exact background of this superstition is unclear yet, even today most people will include a coin with the gift of a knife and request the coin be given back. The apparent view is that it is far better to be safe than sorry. "

Give me a break!

Yesterday I stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few items to bake a cake for work for Halloween. I bought 10 items and somehow this nitwit bagger boy managed to put them in 7 bags. It was crazy. I have 2 reuseable grocery bags that Rachel and Nathan gave me last year. They fold up real small in your purse, but can expand pretty big. I am really going to start making a more green effort at the store, expecially when I am only picking up a few things.

Packing from Lucky's:

Bag 1: Dreft (I can understand this one because it is detergent)
Bag 2: Foil pans
Bag 3: Eggs
Bag 4: 2 small bags of Butterfinger Candy Bars
Bag 5: cake mix and Pam
Bag 6: 2 small boxes Kung Fu Chicken eggrolls


Bag 7: Cool Whip, Sweetened Condensed Milk, and jar of ice cream caramel topping

Now, let me point out that Bag 7 was packed by another bagger because I had forgotten some items and had to go back.

Here is how it should have been done.

Bag 1: Dreft (still give them that one)
Bag 2: Foil pans, cake mix and pam
Bag 3: Butterfingers, then egg rolls then eggs on top
Bag 4: Same as bag 7

That would have cut the plastic waste by 42.86% I need a life!

Happy Halloween!

Take the Long Way Home

This was my lovely view for about 45 minutes driving home yesterday....well, I wouldn't really say I was "driving" moving at that snails pace. Thank goodness I had my camera with me and could amuse myself. I know the other drivers thought I was crazy...and they might be right.



Here is proof positive...look at the speedometer! It is reading 0 miles per hour. Just noticed that I should probably get gas too. I didn't even look at the level this morning after driving back to Huntsville. Isn't the sun reflecting of the 18 wheeler lovely?

Here is the Tennessee River. I cross it twice a day. I was trying to make out the Two Mile Bridge in this picture, but it was to far away. I was wishing I had gone Interstate 65 instead of staying in this mess.

The infamous "WRECK" that had traffic backed up forever. Please do not look at how dirty my windshield is. There are bugs on the river.

Yea! Back to normal speeds to cross the bridge and onto home....Glad y'all could tag along!

Love

Hippy Rachel

Rachel went to a Halloween party last Friday as a hippy. I ordered this shirt off the internet on Tuesday and paid for overnight shipping. When I got it, it said "One Size Fits Alll". I thought to myself, "Lord, why didn't you notice that before?" But, after several attempts to tye the damn thing, and about 6 safety pens later, she was covered and ready to go.

I love my Hippy Rayray!

CAT O' ALL SEASONS

Here she is, ready for Friday - Cat O' All Seasons. I love this tacky little kitty. I ordered her from a catalog where nothing was over $9.99. She has costumes for Halloween, Christmas, Easter, and 4th of July.

When Christmas time comes I will have to show you the kitty cat nativity scene I also ordered....they are all cats, and the baby Jesus is a kitten! (I know you think I am insane)

Happy Halloween!

spider lillies 2

I just realized I uploaded the same picture in the blog below.

Spider Lillies

These are called Spider Lillies. Years ago I saw them in a yard at an old established home in Decatur. I asked my mom what they were because I had never seen them before. She told me their name and said they were a very old species of flower. I asked her where I could get some, and she said it was like trying to get Jackson Vine....you have to know someone who has it and get it from them because they aren't sold anymore (or ever).
So I didn't really think about me acquiring any of them after that. Rachel and I would just enjoy them in the fall when they bloomed at that house. We called them Dr. Suess flowers because of their unique shape. They have a stalk about 18" high and then these beautiful "spider" looking blooms.

Then out of the blue a couple of years later mom called and said..."I have you some spider lily bulbs. I got them from my friend." So now we have the funny "Dr. Suess" flowers for a few weeks in the fall at our house! Thanks Mom.

More Pumpkins

I didn't have pictures of Miss Beth's pumpkins the other day. This is Posh Kitty...I thought she was spunky! I would have liked to carve her myself.
....and Beth is a huge Matt Kenseth fan (Nascar driver for those of you who aren't cool) so she paid homage to him with this pumpkin