weekend countdown

Weekend countdown! Although I feel like the weekend started yesterday and my body can’t figure out what I’m doing here… I left home without my makeup this morning and had to turn around and go back and get it… when I texted Theresa to let her know I’d be a few minutes late, she texted back that I had an appointment scheduled for 8:30 (information that would have been helpful to have prior to then)… so I rushed in the house, grabbed my makeup bag and didn’t even notice that I was missing half of the items that are normally in it because I did my makeup at home yesterday morning and didn’t put things back where they go. ARGH! So I’m sorta makeupless. Not cute. I also decided to try my new ‘do curly today and … I’m not loving it curly. Add that to the fact that I no longer have any jeans that fit…I am NOT feeling cute today… really, it shoulda been the weekend already!

Yesterday was fabulous, though! Candice’s plane was early, Michael’s was a little late.. I had a good time people watching in the airport. We tried to go eat Mexican and it was a bit of an adventure as traffic was backed up and we had to go a circuitous route… and then the place we planned to go was closed down (who knew?). We were close to the performing arts center where Michael and I had put on a few fabulous shows together so we HAD to go in and revisit our old haunt. We ran into our favorite techie – an old hippie lady who was just always a joy to be around. She was excited to see Michael and I – still together after all these years – and we had a group hug! We didn’t get as warm of a reception for the lady who now runs the PAC… not really surprising… we were part of the old administration. Things have changed in Clayton County, Georgia and we’re not part of that world any more.

We went for lunch at Longhorn – the one my brother used to work at – which is being remodeled and was practically empty, smelled of wood and the service was incredibly slow. We had time to linger… otherwise it might have been frustrating. Michael and Candice got along great- I knew they would – they have similar likes and dislikes. Once we finished eating we needed to take Michael to his sister’s work so that he could borrow her car for the weekend.

After we dropped Michael off at his sister’s… Candice and I tackled Atlanta traffic. We had a good time chatting and we took advantage of the HOV (carpool) lane but it was still pretty slow going through town. She was shocked to realize that we were the ONLY ones in the HOV lane… few carpoolers in Atlanta’s commuters. I don’t know why… but that’s the case. We stopped for gas and coffee… stopped by my office so she could see the cute little house where I work… and then headed toward the setting sun toward Jim and Angie’s. Jim and the girls had walked down the bumpity bump road (the gravel road) to the little café near their house… I didn’t know what was up because his truck was in the driveway but they were nowhere to be found! We sat on the front porch in rocking chairs and waited for them to come home – and they came running up the driveway within a few minutes. I loved on the girls a bit, made sure Candice was settled into the Highway 17 Hilton (Jim and Angie’s) and headed home. It was a long day but well worth it!

Today I’m working (boohiss! I would much rather be playing!) and will head to Jim and Angie’s after work to do dinner and whatever. Seven and a half hours to go. Ugh!

I will never again respect the Nobel prizes since they gave one to Obama based on… what? Empty, unfulfilled promises? He hasn’t done anything! Certainly not for world peace! Good grief! Has this world gone mad?

It must be a full moon… I’ve been dealing with a lot of crazy today. Gonna post this and keep my nose to the grindstone… shaping up to be quite a Friday!

not WHINY Wednesday

I had to laugh… a client of mine picked up a police report from the local city police department. There was only a first name on the outside of the envelope. Last names aren’t needed here, apparently.

Still loving my hair! The humidity was high this morning so I was worried that I’d look like a dirty q-tip… or something… but it worked pretty well. And I could tell that it’s going to look cute curly too. It’s amazing how good a new hairdo can make you feel! I thought that short hair would make me look older… I think it makes me look younger… and more hip… I thought I’d miss tossing my long hair back – Cher style – but it’s ok. I can toss my head and my hair just bounces!

The minister of music from the church I grew up in passed away yesterday. His youngest daughter is due to have her first child in a few weeks… so sad he won’t get to meet her. Through the magic of facebook I’m able to keep in touch with former church members and it was nice to know that people who haven’t been around this family in twenty years – still extending their condolences IMMEDIATELY. Say what you will about social networking, I think it gives us a great opportunity to participate in people’s lives.

Tomorrow is the big day! I’ve been emailing back and forth with Candice and Purple Michael all morning. LOVE them! So excited about seeing them!

I woke up to the sound of rain this morning… made me want to stay in bed. Lately I’m awake until nearly midnight and have a hard time dragging myself out of bed before 7am. It’s a weird schedule for me. We have another month until we “fall back” … so I guess I’ll be going to sleep at ten and waking up at 5am again soon. I dread driving home from work in the dark. The days seem so much shorter here in the mountains once time changes. We fall back an hour and it seems like we lose two hours.

Oh well. Planning – determined – to go to church tonight. I’ve been absent on Wednesday nights for the past month. I’m determined to participate. My nose is still icky and my cough is worse today… but I feel stronger. I don’t have that feeling of complete and absolute exhaustion that I had for awhile there.

Gotta get on the phone and get some appointments scheduled… hope y’all have a great day! And I’m not Whiny! No Whiny Wednesday!

I did it!

Well. I did it. I cut off all my hair. Ok, not ALL but a significant amount - over a foot! It’s about chin length and super cute! I have pictures but can’t post them from work. Stasha went with me… so she got good pictures. Too good… they’re definitely inspiration for dieting.

Other than that… it’s been a quiet day. I’ve seen a few clients. Have a sinus headache (it’s aggravating but completely manageable). Had lean cuisine for lunch. Fruit and yogurt parfait for breakfast. I’m sleepy. Totally uninspired and undermotivated. I’ve been pondering earth shattering topics such as “will Tim Tebow be cleared to play this weekend?” and “how should we fix the girls’ hair for Crazy Hair Night in AWANAs tomorrow night?”

I shaved my legs this morning. I went to bed early last night. I still think Jon Gosselin is a loser for clearing out their joint bank account. I need to put on some lipstick. I made a suggestion about recycling unused payment return envelopes that clients bring in with their payments. It’s been that kind of interesting day. Aren’t you glad you’re reading my blog?

We’re down to counting hours instead of days until Purple Michael and Candice arrive Atlanta. I checked the leaf watcher report and everything in Georgia is still pretty much green. There is an actual leaf report on the Georgia State Parks website. But there’s still plenty to do – or not do. The girl cutting my hair today (whose name is also Candice) said, “you have to take her to Fred’s Peanuts”. I will. Candice has never had boiled peanuts. Everyone must try them at least once. I love ‘em. But then again, I love a lot of culinary treats from around here. And we’re going to the winery. And to Stasha’s parents’ jewelry store in Helen. Good times!

My co-worker asked how I was going to be able to drive without putting my hair in a ponytail. I can’t remember the last time my hair was too short for a ponytail. I guess I’ll be able to ride with the windows down without having hair in my eyes. Weird.

I would mention that I think David Letterman is a creep but honestly, I think it’s the times we’re living in… anything goes. People seem to have no concept of fidelity. There are a lot of creeps out there. You know who you are.

I wonder if I’ll be able to fix my hair myself. I’m nervous. It’s supposed to be cut in such a way that I can still wear it curly. Think of the money I’ll save in conditioner! Candice (the stylist) suggested that I should get my hair colored now. I don’t know. I’ll have to let this look settle in a bit first. My hair is definitely darker!

I just mentioned that we need a dance break this afternoon and “Car wash” came on the radio… I got up and danced beside my desk. Two more hours, I need to wake up!

So that’s the haps… hope you have a great Tuesday!

I think I need a Deliverance Divorce...

Blanche Truelove – that’s her name. First and middle, anyways. She was with her husband from the time she was 18 until his death just recently. She is 92. Seventy four years. And still in love… she said he was still her sweetheart after all of these years. She said she was so sad without him… I said, “oh, Miss Blanche… what I wouldn’t give to have the love of one man for my whole life” and she thanked me for reminding her of that. She is blessed.

Goodbye is never easy… even when they’re not worth grieving. But to lose someone that you’ve loved your whole life… that has to be hard. She sounded strong, though. She was taking care of business. Capable. A Steel Magnolia. There are a lot of those around here. She said it’s harder on gray days, like today. It’s a cool, wet fall day. The temperature is hovering around sixty. I guess that would be balmy for some of you. It’s chilly after a long hot Georgia summer. Especially the first time it turns cool.

I have been feeling stronger myself. Coughing less. Finally starting to feel like this creeping crud that’s had me in it’s claws for three months is moving out (like the mucinex commercial). I just remembered that I’m supposed to be taking mucinex. Oops. I have been feeling better, though. I got a little wheezy during lunch today and once I start coughing it seems to escalate. I’m not feeling exhausted and weak any more, though. I’ve been dancing around a bit… feeling more energy. Now I have to work on undoing the effects of three months of steroids.

My day didn’t start out so great… nothing tragic… just realized I had forgotten to forward the phones back to the answering service when I left on Saturday so calls went to our voicemail . Had filled out the bank deposit wrong on Friday… having to fix the collateral damage from those things. I wasn’t exactly employee of the month material over the past month. I tried. I kept going… if it had been up to me, I wouldn’t have gotten out of bed for a month. My house looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in months. I need to scrub floors…

I guess, ultimately, though, you have to get through life by just getting up every day and giving it the best you’ve got, whatever that is… and forgive yourself for your shortcomings… and try harder when you can…

At least, with all my marital failings, I didn’t have the misfortune of marrying Jon Gosselin. He is demonstrating the ultimate in bad ex behavior… taking all the money out of a joint account.

I heard from Dean over the weekend. Those of you who are his facebook friends – he posted a new picture of him and the kids. They look great! All of them! I’m so proud of him. And me. We’re survivors. We had some really nasty conspiratorial stuff done to us… in the words of my *husband* “She helped me get out of my marriage and I helped her get out of hers”. Of course, the flaw in that is that he’s still not out of his… by his own fault… but maybe that’s his own way of keeping himself from ever having to commit again. He drags me along for the rest of his life and can date whatever kind of women he wants without having to make a commitment… of course, that won’t work… I’ll file for divorce up here and have a Deliverance Divorce done my way and add to his long list of creditors by filing for court costs… which should be fairly easy to have awarded up in these parts… where judges don’t take kindly to men who abandon their wives… and cheat on their wives… and refuse to take care of business… and maybe I’ll throw in a little spousal support and personal injury and whatever else I can tack on… and since it’s on my turf and not in some big metropolis, get a little monetary award – at least on paper.

Monday is ticking by. Hope you all are having a great one… Happy Fall, y’all!

weekend countdown

Wow! You know it’s been a busy Friday when I don’t even start my weekend countdown until after 3!

My day started with a trip to a consignment sale. There is a group that does two consignment sales a year… and I had been given a $50 gift certificate… so I was there when they opened the doors at 8 this morning. I scheduled myself to be at work a little late so I could take my time but it was really neat and well organized. I was able to go right up to the area that had stuff in my size and LOAD UP! I don’t even know how many outfits I got… I’ll count and tell ya later. I would say at least ten outfits for work, a thick hoodie, a couple of nice shirts and a skirt. I got Austin three shirts and a brand new (labels still on them) pair of jeans. I even got a costume princess dress for Sarabeth and Jamie’s dress-up closet. All of that for only $6 of my own money! Woohoo! I did NOT find any jeans for me and I really need jeans. If I had known about this sale a few weeks ago, I would have put my own stuff in it… I have so much practically new stuff that doesn’t fit me… I could have made enough money to buy a few things… oh, well. I’ll get in the spring sale. Or lose weight so I can wear my stuff and sell the big stuff… anyways…. I was in and out in less than fifteen minutes… and I was only about 8 minutes late for work. Not a bad deal!

When I started working through my budget yesterday afternoon I realized that I was in a big old world of hurt and was going to have to postpone a payment or two… and then… I got home and had a nice child support check waiting for me! Right. On. Time! Austin headed out for the mailbox and I said, “buddy, you better pray that your daddy comes through for us!” and Austin came back with it… excited! He knows how much we live on prayer… I wish his childhood hadn’t involved so much struggle… but I’m glad he’s learned to have faith.

He told me last night that one of his friends at school is having stepdad trouble. He said the stepdad gave the kid a bloody lip. Austin was really concerned. I wish that Austin had never lived through a situation that would make him empathetic to a kid in that situation… but I’m proud of him for having the courage to talk to the kid. Austin’s a mess… literally… he’s the messiest kid you could ever imagine… but he’s got such a huge heart. You can’t help but love him.

We’re under two hours to go until the weekend! I’m working tomorrow… like, ONE HUNDRED percent definitely working because I need the hours so I can enjoy my time with Candice and Purple Michael next week…. And I have appointments scheduled so I really have to come in. The time goes by fast. And besides, it’s a bye week for florida so I won’t be missing the Tim Tebow show. I haven’t even checked to see what games are televised tomorrow. I’ll do that tonight.

I set an appointment for a haircut for myself… but I might not wait that long… I might go ahead. Or I might chicken out. I practiced different lengths in the mirror last night. I decided that I’m cute enough to carry a really short hair cut but I would miss playing with my hair. *laugh*

You know… I’m really starting to perk up. Not feeling the same overwhelming weakness that I had for so long. I’ve still got a cough but it’s better. I am starting to feel like I’m going to be well one day!
Ok… hour and a half… it’s ticking away! Have a great weekend, y’all!

my life is average

I was marveling at how cool it is that I can twist my hair into a bun and hold it in place by sticking a pencil through the bun - something I think is a really neat trick... and five seconds later I was frantically searching my desk for my pencil. My life is average.

I had chicken soup at a mexican restaurant for lunch. It was perfect... hot and just barely spicy... opened up my sinuses for a bit. Now I'm clogged back up but it was cool while it lasted.

I've been chatting with Whitney a lot this week. I miss her. Whitney and the beach are probably the only two things I miss about Jacksonville... I lie, I miss the stepped-on-sons. I miss hearing Rocky the chihuahua bark his fool head off in greeting from his porch downstairs. I miss Michael's nephews... but I really miss my all day banter with Whitney. I still have it to some degree through the magic of email...

In the same way that I can still "chat" with Amy at my uncle's office during the day. I love my State Farm girls!

Remember Hottie Heath who worked for my uncle? He was the one who was so incredibly beautiful .... breathtakingly beautiful... who turned out to be a really amazing friend to me and helped me for hours on end while I was moving my stuff from my trailer to storage so that I could move in with Michael. (Clue number one, Heather - if the man won't help you move... he probably isn't worth moving in with... I'm just sayin'!) Anyways... Heath has stayed employed by my uncle all this time... but tomorrow is his last day because he's going to become a FIREMAN!

If that don't get your blood pumpin' - nothing will! I think they hired him just so they can put him in one of those hot firemen calendars! Ha! anyways... I emailed him today and wished him luck (and wished him to get a facebook page... he won't).

Today went by fast until the last hour... then it started to drag. I actually feel less tired than I've been feeling... sharp pain still in my right side... clogged sinuses... but no headache for the most part... the cough has been better...

Gotta do the bank deposit! Love and hugs, y'all!

I'm so thankful!

I need a new attitude.
Not that I’m Debbie Downer or anything. I just need to wake up in the morning ready to thrive, not just praying to survive. I need to complain less and praise more. I am so blessed and have been brought through so much! It’s Thankful Thursday, y’all!
1. My co-worker Shirley discovered that the peach candies that we had tucked away in our sugar packet canister at the office will dissolve in hot tea and make it peach flavored! It’s awesome! What a treat! She’s a genius!
2. My co-worker Kevin’s wife is still hanging tight with their first baby… he’s 47, she’s 42 and they’ve been trying for years. Ten weeks to go until little Raleigh makes his appearance.
3. The weather here is incredible! Perfect weather! It’s the temperature we set our inside thermostat to and it feels wonderful!
4. We’re at full staff today. That rarely happens.
5. I had a great dream the other night about Mr. Drake – thank you for visiting me in my sleep!
6. Shirley is about to take a two week vacation to Niagara Falls. I’m excited for her! They love to travel. I do too, I just can’t afford to right now.
7. I’m thankful for the new meds that I got – they weren’t cheap – but health insurance paid a huge part of the cost. I’m hoping they start working SOON!
8. I had a hard time going to sleep last night… and I woke up early because Stubby the 3Legged Rooster/Cat thought that it was HIGH time for me to get up and fill his bowls. I kept trying to push him away but he kept licking my face. Eventually I just got up.
9. Thursdays are the BEST day on Superpoke Pets because they put new inventory out that you can buy for your pet. I had spent $30k coins before 7am. (It’s not real money – it’s money you earn playing the game). When I get home tonight I can decorate new habitats! Yay!
10. I’m thankful for halls cough drops and tissues. Still.
11. I still really love my keurig single cup coffee maker, especially since I figured out how much cheaper it was to use the “do it yourself” basket and buy espresso blend coffee to serve in it.
12. For that matter, if nothing else, being married to Michael earned us a great coffee maker, a big tv and a Wii. That doesn’t make things even but it softens the blow.
13. Reality tv. Love it. Amazing Race, Hell’s Kitchen, Survivor, The Duggars, Kate plus 8 (yes, I still love them!), Toddlers and Tiaras… I love it all!
14. Leads and lists… it’s where my extra money comes from… chasing down leads.
15. Taco Bell. Cheap lunches!
16. Living off the bounty of the pantry… it’s amazing how long we can go between grocery visits!

Not a bad list, right? I had a nasty sinus headache yesterday and by the end of the day felt like someone had kicked me right in the bridge of the nose! The pressure was UNREAL! I fought it all night and had trouble going to sleep because of it. My cough is less frequent but thicker… I’m not as tired as I was before I started the new meds but my head is more congested. Go figure.

I’m working on marketing today… hitting it hard. Need to start putting money away for Santa and Cody’s wedding.