Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat

Christmas is almost here and I'm very unprepared for it. I've not finished my shopping and I've barely had time to rest. My inlaws came to visit on Saturday, our first visitors in our new cottage. We spent the entire week before cleaning and preparing for them to come. We're short staffed at work so I worked every day but one last week and it's looking like the same this week. Extra hours means extra money, but honestly I'd trade the money for being home and not having to work. I'm still waiting and hoping for snow. We had some ice but it went away quickly and nothing else has happened since. As a matter of fact it's been quite nice out, with no wind. That makes it nice for walking and such, but I want snow for Christmas!

Bob and Maggie at RTG Party

Here we are at the Rooms to Go Holiday Celebration! We had a great time! Don't we look spiffy!?!? 

snowman

I've been taking a painting class on Tuesday evenings and this is one of the many things I've painted. The other things involve more technique, this one was just for fun! 

Is it November?

I think it is, but from the weather outside I really can't tell. The sun is shining and it's 72 degrees! Bob and I went to Qdoba for lunch, substandard experience. Then we went to the Bakery and got a yummy loaf of bread. We're home now but we are about to go fishing in the pond behind our house. After that Jasper has a playdate..hehehe, that's so cute!

I've been working on my current crochet project a lot lately. I have to get it finished by December 10th. I only have 2 more rows on the main part of it, I'm not sure how long the second phase will take. It's 25 inches now though! Sorry, Rachael, I'm not putting a picture up because I'm not sure if Birch and Gretchen have the address to this site and it is supposed to be a suprise. I might still take one and email it to you though.

Aleve

I just saw a commercial for Aleve. I have never used Aleve, nor do I plan to, but I just wanted to point out how silly this commercial was (and most others for that matter). Ok, the mother (old) and the daughter (middle age) were gardening or something...they were outside. Anyway, the mother winces and looks like she's in pain. The daughter looks over and says "You've got to try my Aleve" and pulls a BOX of Aleve out of her pocket. Yes, that's right folks, everyone who uses Aleve, no matter what activity they are currently involved in, carries a BOX of Aleve in their pocket. A BOX!!! I could maybe understand a bottle, but not really because you are GARDENING. What on earth would you need a bottle of Aleve for while you are GARDENING? Do they really expect us to believe this or is it just product recognition? I'm hoping it is, they can't think we're that stupid.

Hooray for Centrum!!

I'm been taking Viactive vitamins, and they're kind of icky and they take forever to chew. They are chocolate flavor though, so that was something they had going for them. Anyway, I ran out so we were at Wal Mart (eeeewwww, walmart!) last night and looking at all the multivitamins. I, as most everyone knows, cannot swallow pills...so I was looking for a CHEWABLE adult vitamin. These are usually very rare and not very tasty. So anyway I found a chewable orange flavored Centrum. I got the bottle and had one last night and one when I got up today and they are yummy! They taste orange-y...there is a slight bit of vitamin-ness about them, it's kind of like eating a Rolaid...dry and crumbly. But the flavor was good...and it has all the vitamins I need every day! (Mom says I should take Calcium and Magnesium, plus it has 100% of the folic acid recommended) Well, and a lot of other things too. So there, Bob, I'll take my stinking vitamin every day!

I'm sick!!!

I got a cold somehow and now i'm miserable! For the last two days I haven't been able to talk like a normal human and now I'm blowing my nose every two seconds! I hate being sick!

Poor Bob hurt himself last night when he was out playing with the dog. He stepped in a hole and hurt his back. I feel so bad that I was at work and not here to help him up off the ground and back to the house. He layed on the sofa with a heating pad all the rest of the day after I got home. Poor honey!

He bought me a suprise...teehee. I now own Hitch and Rodgers adn Hammerstein's Cinderella on DVD. YAY Bob, great present.

Halloween is over

Well, Bob and I had big plans for Halloween day, but then i got sick and ruined everything. I started feeling better later in the day so I drew a jack 'o' lantern on the window with some window paints and above it i put a bunch of bats (their wings were on right side up, thank you very much bob).
We had dinner at Tex and Shirley's ( a place I highly recommend) and then hung out at Friendly Center. They have a nifty toy store there that I really like to go to. Then we went to ACMoore and looked at some stuff there. Didn't buy anything though. After that we went to EarthFare and got a fire log that is made out of recycled coffee grounds. It burned really well and had a slightly sweet smell to it. We sat the rest of the evening in front of the fire sipping tea. How delightful!

neat effects

I just figured out how to do this and I thought it looked really neat. 

The Indian museum

This is a few of the things we saw in the Indian museum in DC. 

DC

Here are some more pictures of things we saw in DC. 

American History Museum

We saw these things at the American History Museum in DC. The ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, Kermit the Frog, Oscar the Grouch, and Mr. Rogers' sweater. 

Visit with Chris

These are pictures from when we were visiting Chris in WV. He took us down to the river (not sure which one, there was a park there I think) Anyway, we had fun leaping from rock to rock and the waterfalls were absolutely beautiful. Good thing we didn't fall in, though. I'm sure the water was freezing and the currents looked really strong!! 

This is the deer I shot!!!

Nice "shot", huh? 

Jasper in the wilderness

Jasper liked being outside. He even got in the river!! He didn't seem to be too bothered when we were shooting either. He really enjoyed running free through the woods, and he looked so handsome!! 

Lost World Caves

It was very interesting to go into this cave. I'd never been in one before so I was very amazed at all the formations coming from the walls, floor and ceiling! It was also very cold. They told us the cave stays at 52 degrees! 

Christmas list...

I'm not sure what happened to the list I put up before but here's a list. I'll be adding more as I think of it.

Maggie:

hair clips/ponytails, etc
Drawer organizer
gift certificate to old navy
crochet books (easy/beginner)
Smartware muffin pan
Plastic serving spoons
word puzzle books

things I don't want:

anything that will sit around and collect dust (statues/figurines/decorative)
anything edible (candy/cake/sausage/cheese)

Bob:

Audubon Society books
belt buckles
flashlights
gift certificate to lowe's or home depot

Jasper:

Rawhide chews (non dyed only)
rubber/latex toys (I can't chew these up into tiny pieces)
Bill & Jack treats (i like lamb flavor)

Things I can't have:

Anything soft or stuffed
anything edible that has dye
anything with a squeeker (I tend to chew them out and try to choke on them)

Race to Lose

Starting today Rachael and I are starting a race to see who can lose 10 pounds the fastest. I am definately planning to do this the healthy way...no pills, no starving. I've started keeping a food/exercise log and I will be recording my weight every day. Luckily the apartment complex we just moved into has a gym and I can go anytime I want! So anyway, my starting weight is 120 lbs. I also hope to lose a few inches from my waste and hips. Goodbye tummy!!!

moving...

We signed our lease yesterday and finally got the keys to our new apartment! We call it our "married house" because it's the first place we've gotten since we've been married. (heehee) Anyway, we went in and looked around and it's very nice. It's going to take some serious adjustment to go from a 3 bedrooms to one. We started moving stuff in today and so far we've gotten the kitchen mostly set, and everything else is still in boxes stacked in the bedroom. We haven't moved any big stuff yet (bed, sofa, tables, etc) but we are going to do that on Monday.

When we first went in and were looking around we found a welcome bag! It had a bunch of nifty stuff like coupons, magnets, a pen, a roll of paper towels, some candy bars, a bag of chips...and in the fridge was a 6 pack of assorted sodas. There was also a magnet on the fridge that had a part with all those words you break up and can make your own sentences/poetry.

Anyway, we were moving in...VERY hot work, and wwe turned off the air and opened the window (yes, there's only one, it's in the bedroom) and the screen door (that leads to the porch) and it still stayed very cool in there. Yay! One more way to save on the electric bill!

We took two carloads over then went to home depot and got some shelf liners and went back. We forgot the scissors so we didn't put the liners in yet but next time we go we will. After we unpacked a bunch of stuff we had a little picnic in the living room of pizza (cold because we didn't bring the microwave) and blue gatorade. Very yummy!

Oh, I think I forgot to mention...since this is our "married house" the first time we went into it Bob carried me over the threshold...teehee! He's such a sweetie!

on a lighter note...

we get our new computers at work this week! They have flat panel monitors and a windows based program. Hopefully it won't be too hard for the salespeople to figure out...point and click guys! point and CLICK! All the printers are being changed to laser printers too...easier to refill with paper. silly salespeople are always letting the printers run out because they either can't figure out how to put more paper, or are too lazy. Training class will be on Wednesday so woohoo for us...can hardly wait!

Also, as time for moving draws closer and closer I can't find anything! Ok, really though, there's nothing that I've packed that I can't live without for a week. I've thrown away a lot and given more to goodwill. I wonder how much stuff I can fit in the new closet we'll have...going from 3 bedrooms to one is so hard! I can't wait to move though! Our new place is going to be so great. It's bright and open, it has a pantry, and a sprayer, and a dishwasher! There's 2 pools and 4 tennis courts, 2 fishing lakes (one of which we have a view), a gym-room, a dog run, and it's right accross from a park! www.lincolngreen.com if you look at floorplans, we got the cypress. (if you click on it, it brings up the birch though) We get to sign the lease on Friday!

September 4

September 4th was our first anniversary! Well, Bob and I called it our 12 month-a-versary. We celebrated every month a versary since the first one and it was exciting to finally be at one year! I had to beg to get the day off for it, but i finally persuaded my boss that I didn't need to work. Bob and I went up to hanging rock and had a very nice little picnic at the top of a path that I'm not sure anyone else knew about. (we had bread and cheese and grapes) Then we went walking down another path that lead us around a looooong way and we ended up at the road. We probably walked about a mile straight uphill to get back to where the car was, but it was a very nice day so it wasn't too bad. Then we went over to the swimming area, but it was closed so we left and went home. Then we went to Macaroni Grill for dinner and it was very yummy. Overall a very nice day!

I am VERY happy being married to Bob. He is my other half...my BETTER half even. I'm glad we're together and I'm glad he can put up with me! I've enjoyed our one year together more than any other year I can remember, even with the 3 months we spent apart and all the little stupid fights we've had. Bob, if you are reading this, I love you more than I could ever express in words and you make me happier than I could ever have imagined.

So as our first year passed and our second has started, I can only hope that this one will be as good, if not better, than the last.

new entry...

ok i'm adding, are you happy now?

dance dance yeah!

We went to a "practice party" tonight with Kyle and Cindy (friends from work) and saw what they'd been learning in their dance class. The instructors danced with the guests and taught us the basic steps just so we could get around the dance floor. It was so much fun that we decided to take some lessons ourselves! After all, there are lots of places you need to know how to dance and also, for $15 a person we couldn't pass it up! We start next week so wish us luck and steady feet!

smartware

I finally got my smartware after waiting for 2 weeks after I ordered it. I haven't used it yet because we badly need to go grocery shopping, but I did use the baking sheet to make fries and they turned out better than the first batch I made without it. (the first batch was burned) I can't wait to get something really gooey and messy like meatloaf and see if it really doesn't stick!
In case you don't know what I'm talking about www.buysmartware.com

oh and another christmas idea now that I'm talking about this...I'd like the smartware muffin pan.

well, no pictures yet

I haven't been able to put pictures from vacation on here because for some reason the computer won't recognize the camera. Which also means that for the time being I won't be able to put up a picture of the baby booties that I crocheted. They're cute and fuzzy though! (even if they ARE too big for a newborn...oh well, I'll do better next time) I have started on another pair, but we went to look at apartments today so didn't get very far. Maybe I can finish the set tonite though. With this yarn it probably won't take me very long.
We're also thinking about getting a new camera, so hopefully I'll be able to put some pictures up soon.

Vacation Day 1

We got to the beach before anyone else so the house was not unlocked. We got out our swimsuits and went down to the beach to check the place out. It was so pretty and the water was very warm. We were walking along in the waves but then decided to go in. The water was rough and I got dunked a few times, but once we got past the break it was great! Everyone else started to show up at the house about an hour later and we all hung out the rest of the day.

Vacation Day 2

We got up early because we were in the loft and the sun was shining in from all directions. Bob went on a bike ride with his dad and some others, I hung out at the house and ate breakfast and watched TV with the kids. When Bob got back we went to the beach again and this time Bob got on the boogie board, but I wasn't brave enough yet. We stayed out there until about 2 when we met everyone back at the house for lunch. After we finished lunch we went shopping at all the little beach stores. We didn't buy anything but it was fun to look. We got back late and just relaxed and stuff till we went to bed.

Vacation Day 3

We got up early again and headed down to the beach until about 12. We ordered pizza for lunch then headed out to Wilmington to spend the day shopping there. We had a good time and by the time we had been in all the shops we were tired and starving! We went to a resaurant called "Front Street Restaurant" and what a nice place it was! Bob had a burger and I had a salmon sandwich. The waiter (Colin, who looked just like Bill) was very nice and made sure we had everything we needed. We were seated in a "secret booth". It was kind of back in the corner around the side so that it was very secluded. I don't think they meant for it to be that way, but that's what we named it. When we got back Sara dyed my hair back to natural colour and then we went to bed.

Vacation Day 4

We got up and went to the beach again! This time I got on a boogie board too and Bob taught me how to do it. We swam around a bit, then Angie and I fortified the "family sand castle" (which lasted until we left, i think we might have done this day 3, not sure) We didn't eat lunch until about 4:30 because Brenda spent all day making delicious mexican food. We stuffed ourselves silly and then Katelyn put blondish red highlights in my hair while I looked at pictures from Brenda's vacation to Washington (to visit her son) and Las Vegas (to visit a friend)

Vacation Day 5

We got up and went for a bike ride. We rode 8.2 miles!!! After that we got on the boat and tried out the kneeboard. I got up on it and rode for a little way but that uses EVERY muscle in your body!! Bob tried to get up on it but he is too tall and so it didn't work. We tried the tube after that and it was fun too. When we were done we packed up and headed back home.

Vacation Day 6

I got up and was going to finish unpacking and clean up the house a little but Rachael called and wanted me to come up to Asheville for a few days. Off I went leaving my poor husband to fend for himself. I hung out with Sarah some when I got there because Rachael was working, then I hopped over to Rachaels and we played Empire Earth for a while, (before or after?) we ate dinner.

Vacatoin Day 7

We got up early and met Mom and Dale at Cracker Barrel (and sarah and delilah) where we all ate drank and were merry. Then Rachael and I went shopping in two very sorry malls (although i did run into two people I knew a few years ago that remembered me!!) Then we went back to the house and I played Dave at Empire Earth (he kicked my butt too) then it was back home.

Misc stuff that I can't remember when it happened

Brenda, Sara, Katelyn and I played Senior Moments twice. I won the first one and Brenda won the second one.

Sunday I was supposed to go back to work but I went in and they didn't need me so I left again! Hooray for an extra day of vacation!

home again!

I'm back from vacation, but I am exhausted! I had a great time though, and I have 2 days to catch up on rest. More to follow tomorrow, plus pictures!!

Vacation!!!

I officially started my vacation today! So far I have watched a few cartoons, eaten a bowl of fruit loops and washed the dishes. Ok that last thing isn't very vacationy, but it had to be done today because tomorrow we leave for the beach! I've been looking forward to this sooooo much! I don't have to worry about crazy customer calls, terrible delivery drivers, demanding salespeople...hurray!
I have a few more not fun things to do before we leave, but I suppose it won't be that bad. I have to get my car inspected and go trip shopping.
I still haven't finished my bag so maybe I will finish it tonite...I suppose I'll have to unless i want to do it tomorrow when we are driving. I don't think that would be very fun so I better get to work (thanks Rach, was counting on you to keep me motivated and working on that...by the way, how's the sweater coming?)
Hmmmm, I'm not sure what else to put in here right now. I won't be posting again until we get back, but hopefully I'll have some pictures to put up when we do. (get back that is)

i'm 25 now

I turned 25 in May, which seems like so long ago now. Since then I've been camping twice (once with the dog, once without), I got a (small) promotion, I started a new crochet project, and pretty much all the normal stuff too.
We went camping on my birthday weekend and we had a lot of fun. We put Jasper up in a doggie hotel (he had a great time, didn't even miss us) and we went up to Lake Kerr, which is right at the VA/NC border. We fished a lot and hung out at the campsite which is RIGHT on the lake. I didn't catch any fish, but Bob caught a catfish. It was ugly so we didn't eat it. We did have some really superb camp food though. We went swimming...if you can call it that. The water was so cold that we got in and got out quick! We spent some time on the boat with Bob and Dolly and had a picnic out on the lake. When we got back to shore I locked ALL the keys in the car and with a little luck and some hard work (and because Bob left the window open just a crack) Bob Sr. and Bob finally got the door unlocked and open.
We went camping again this past weekend and this time we took Jasper with us. He was very well behaved, and even went in the water. He was afraid at first, but he eventually followed us in until he was chest deep. Maybe next time he'll actually swim, but he didn't like the waves! We caught 7 fish this time (Bob 4 and me 3) but none were big enough to eat. There was one very large fish (I think about a foot long and maybe 6 inches around...maybe more?) that kept swimming really close to where we were standing. I really wanted to catch him, he would have been delicious!
My new crochet project is a beach bag. I've had to restart twice, so I suppose I'm having a bit of trouble. I only have a week to finish it before we go to the beach, so I need to get moving on it!!
We're still looking for a house. Looks like someone else is buying the one we liked. Oh well, there's plenty of houses out there, maybe we'll find one that's even better.
As for my promotion, it's title only. I'm now the assistant office manager at Rooms To Go in Gso. Hooray for me...now if I can just get rid of that pesky OM then I can really be in charge. That is unless I win the lottery first, then I'll quit and just live a life of luxury.

Hurray!

My birthday is in 9 more days!! I'm very excited because we are going to go camping and fishing and fun stuff. We've decided not to go to West Virginia this year, but we may go on up to Virginia where Bob's dad has a campsite and just stay there. It's right on a lake so we'll have lots of things to do and it's very secluded so we could probably take the dog and not bother anyone. My boss is getting us a tent as a wedding present (yeah i know, it's kinda late, but you know how it is sometimes.) Hopefully it will be warm enough to go because it hasn't been very spring-like lately.
I have a job interview on Monday! It's for a receptionist position at a temp agency. If I get it then I would work Monday through Friday 8-5 and no holidays!! Also, they are offering me a little bit of a raise (about a dollar, which is actually pretty good...I'll make more than Bob then. tee hee) I suppose that means that I would have to get my resume ready before then, so that will give me something to do tonight after I get home from work. If I start now then I should have some vacation time by then and can take off the week of my wedding anniversary (unlike at Rooms) Hooray!

Jasper!

Yesterday was Jasper's birthday! We took him to Petco to get groomed and he looked so good afterwards! While he was getting groomed we went to Mi Pueblo for dinner, which is my very favorite Mexican restaurant. I had my usual, two taquitos, and nacho toppings with a cherry Pepsi and Bob had his usual Enchiladas Rancheras(i'm not sure what it is except that it has enchiladas) and a Pepsi. When we were done we went to Sports Authority where we looked at camping equipment for our upcoming adventure. There were some things that I really liked, but didn't buy because it's almost my birthday! At about 8 we went back to Petco to get Jasper and then we let him pick out some birthday treats. He ended up getting a pork bone covered with meaty fatty stuff, a trout made out of really tough fire hose stuff, and a special dinner of Venison rice, potatoes, and carrots. After he ate we played with the fish for a while and then he settled down to gnaw on his pig bone. He ate both of the big knobby ends off before we took it away and sent him off to bed. Overall I think he had a pretty good birthday.
My computer's been acting up and something caught on fire. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but Bob showed it to me. So we are now using our old computer which, while slow, is still a computer so I'm grateful to have anything at all.

disgruntled...

I'm not liking my job so much anymore. It is the same crap every day. Customer is mad, customer yells, i help customer, customer is not grateful at all and hangs up on me. We finally did hire some newbies though. The OM did use the schedule I made with a few minor changes. That made me a little happy.
At home...we're still looking for a house to buy. We've been driving by some of them and peeking in the windows (if no one lives there). some are good, and some not so much. I really liked one we saw the other day. It had a really big bright kitchen. That is pretty much my only requirement in a house. I'll let Bob figure out the rest of it.
I found out the other day that we actually get our taxes back! Hooray! We were a little worried for a while that they would be automatically applied to Bob's student loans, but they aren't going to be! Yay for us! That just means we'll have more money to go on my birthday trip! Maybe I can get some new clothes before that too.
I've been working on the same afghan since i guess just before Christmas. I had to pull out two rows on Tuesday because I missed a stitch on both of them (same stitch just didn't catch it on the second row) That was very frustrating because I had started a new roll of yarn and I had to wrap it all back up. Maybe one of these days I will finish it. I've also been trying to decide what to do with it when I'm done. It started out as a birthday present for my niece, but her birthday passed and I SO wasn't done with it. Bob said he really likes the colours and that I should make it big enough for us. I don't know how much yarn that would take, but it will probably take me forever to make it that big. It's only 28 inches right now. I wonder how big it would have to be for us to use it. I'm thinking for Bob that it would have to be at least 5 feet. If that's the case then i only have 32 more inches to go! If I keep going at the pace I've been going it will take me the rest of the year to finish it. So much for Christmas presents! Speaking of which, I need to find out what everyone wants.
I wish our scanner worked, I have some pictures and stuff that I'd like to put on here. I don't know why it doesn't work, but it's very frustrating.
I've done a lot of housework today. I like having a clean house, but I hate cleaning. I wish I didn't have to spend my whole day off cleaning my dumb house. I suppose I could just get paper plates and napkins and cups, but then I'd have to take the trash out way more often and that can't be good for the environment, landfills, etc. I hope our next house has a dishwasher.
Tonight is date night and I have no idea what we are going to do. We were talking about seeing a movie but I can't remember which one and I don't like that to be our date because there's no interation. Maybe if it stops raining we can go play mini golf or something.
I don't guess I have anything exciting to report, so I'm done here.

Date night!

As you may or may not know, every Friday is date night. I was sick today and so didn't eat much of anything all day. When Bob got home we took a nap and when I woke up I was ravenous. We ended up going to Golden Corral, and I ate way too much. Really all I had was some roast with baby carrots and potatoes, rice, mac and cheese, chocolate cake and ice cream. Anyway, after we stuffed ourselves at the buffet we ran over to Target to look for a movie to get. We ended up getting Chicken Run, which I intended to see when it first came out, but forgot about and therefore never saw.

Last night we finished watching The Great Escape which, even though it was about a war and it was based on a true story, grabbed my attention and really got me attatched to the characters. The end is really sad, but there are parts that are funny, too. Anyway, if you like historical movies then this is a good one, and if you don't ...well it's still good, kind of an adventure-ish movie too.

monday monday...

I'm sitting here in front of the computer blogging when I should be catching up on housework or exercising or walking the dog or finishing my crochet project. I finally got Joe to take Bob out for the evening so I'll be all by myself for a while. I should use the time to do something constructive, but I just feel so lazy. It's really warm and nice out, the kind of weather that makes you want popsicles. If I had any patio furniture I'd be on the porch right now even though it's dark out. Although if I was out there I'd probably get eaten alive by mosquitos. I guess that's the way of things...the sweet with the sour as bob always says.
The house we looked at yesterday that I really liked didn't work out. They don't allow pets and they were a little (ok a lot) out of our price range. I hope we find one soon because I'm ready to get out of this place. The bees are back and the complex still isn't doing anything about them. Also, ants have started to come in the kitchen. I don't know why, they just come in and crawl all over my clean dishes until i squish them or spray them or wash them down the sink.
I like to go from blog to blog and see what's going on in other people's lives. Yeah, I'm nozy, so what? They put it there. Anyway, I posted on one today (anonymous as always) and apparently he liked it so much that he pasted it to a new post and commented on it. Wow...it's odd to know that you can make an impact on someone you've never met.
Work is the same, but I'm tired of it. I'm tired of doing it, I'm tired of talking about it. It's the same thing every day. Deal with ignorant customers, deal with ignorant salespeople. If there's one thing I can't tolerate it's stupidity. Not even just stupidity, because some people are just stupid and can't help it. It's when someone is stupid and they know they're stupid but they just wallow in their stupidity and don't try to learn or grow or become anything besides more stupid. That's what I don't like.
I've been reading lots of blogs and some really sound so cliche or like they are scripted. That makes me start to wonder if mine does, too. Do I sound like a Lifetime movie? Something off Pax? Something really cheezy where the teen runs out of the house in a fit and the mom or dad or aunt or whoever goes running after them trying to appologize and make things right but then they stop and just stand there with that hopeless look on their face and then we fade to commercial. I try not to sound like that. I hope I don't.
I've decided that my calling is to be a teacher/trainer. I don't think I'm supposed to teach kids because I really don't like kids. When I've had to train someone at work, that's when I've been happiest. In any job really that's my favorite part. I'm good at it, too. The guy I trained at work is doing much better than the girl the OM trained and he's been there a lot less time. The manager of the store told the OM that the new people need to work my schedule so that I can train them. I guess that means that my ability and talent is being recognized. He also said he was going to try to create an Asst. Office Manager position for me so that I could start training to be an OM.
I had a Quizno's kid's meal for dinner. It's a six inch sub, a pack of goldfish crackers (the multicoloured ones!), a cookie, a small drink and a toy for only $2.99!!!! You can't even get a small sub there for 2.99!! The small sub is 6" on the regular adult menu, the cheapest one is $3, but they go up in price for the better ones, and that's without a drink. A cookie is $1.99! A bag of chips is about $1.49 I think. The kids meal only comes in three types of sandwiches, but for $3 I'll take a turkey sub every time! Yum yum!!!

Just the same old stuff

Mostly nothing new has been going on. We are still looking for a house to rent. We drove around after I got off work today and found 2 places that were really nice. I'm not sure if they are in our price range yet, but hopefully one of them will work out. We've been looking at houses from the list we got but most of them are ghetto! A few were nice, but farther from work than I'd like. Especially with the price of gas going up up up!

Bob went to the eye doctor and they told him he's weird! Actually that's not exactly what they said but they did say he has a condition that they don't see very often. Anyway they prescribed him some glasses to help him see better (especially at night) and he let me pick out frames for them. Good thing too, the last time he got glasses he picked out his own frames and they were UGLY! Anyway, he went to pick them up a few days later and it turns out they are Harley Davidson frames. He said since he has the glasses he needs a motorcycle to match. Of course, I said "NO WAY!!"

Work has been hectic, we've still only got 4 office employees. They tried to hire some more but out of the 3 candidates only one got hired. The others just didn't work out. That's fine with me because that means overtime for a while longer, but it sucks because...well, it means overtime for a little while longer.

I've been so tired lately. Bob says it is because my metabolism is slowing down but I don't think so. I think it's because I work all the time. I suppose if I exercised more and ate better food I would probably feel better, but I don't have the energy to cook or do anything when I get home from work. My days off are usually spent catching up on housework or packing or shopping or looking for a house. I can't wait til we move!!

My birthday is next month and I'm getting a little excited. Bob said he has a special birthday trip planned but he won't exactly tell me what it is. He did say we would be camping and doing something like we did last year (which included a camping trip, a canoe ride with fishing (I caught two fish, bob caught none AND tipped over the canoe) and riding a horse) I can't wait til my birthday!

Chain Story #3

The sun came streaming in the window, brushing away the night. She yawned and stretched. Her golden hair flowed over her soft shoulders. Her skin almost glowing in the new sunlight. She lay back against the pillows and snuggled back down into the blankets. It was so early to be awake, and yet she could not go back to sleep. Excitement was building, today was the day! She threw off the blankets and quickly slipped into her robe and slippers. "Mayla!" she called as she filled the wash basin, "Mayla, where are you?" In a few moments her maidservant appeared, carrying fresh towels and soap. "Here I am, ma'am. Shall I draw you a bath?" She asked. "No, that would take too much time. She washed her face and hands in the basin all the while thinking of what she should wear. Mayla left the room, but returned shortly carrying a new dress. "Your father thought you might like to have this for today, " she said as she presented it to Andara. It was perfect! The soft lines and light lace, and the colour would compliment her softly tanned skin and bright green eyes.

new stuff

We had a date last nite and ate at Pastabilities. Very good food, reasonable prices. I had pasta with italian sausage and peppers, it was much better than the Olive Garden! Bob had the manicotti and it was really yummy too. For dessert I had the tiramisu and Bob had key lime pie. It was quite tasty, and they both had lots of whipped cream on them. It was great!

So after that we went to Target to see if we could get some new stuff. We ended up getting several dog toys for Jasper (a blue football made out of the same stuff they use to make fire hoses!) and some sheets made of T-shirt material! The great thing about the sheets is they are only $20 for the set. (bottom sheet, top sheet, 2 pillowcases) I haven't tried them out yet but I'm washing them today. I'm so excited!

Chain Story #2

The rain was falling harder now. Daniel pulled his coat tighter around him as he hurried along the empty street. Finally, he reached the small, brown building that was his destination and quickly opened the door to go inside. A small bell jingled as the door closed behind him.He stood a moment, letting his eyes grow accustomed to the dim light in the room. The familiar smell of the musty old books reached his nostrils. The room was filled with shelves full of them, not to mention those strewn about on the tables and piled on the floor.Suddenly, a voice came from the other side of one of the shelves, "So there you are Daniel. You're later than usual. I was beginning to think you weren't coming."The words angered him. He always came. Always.

... ... ...

I went to visit my family this week! I had a pretty good time with all of them. I mostly hung out with my older sister Rachael (fondly called "O"). We went shopping, which is always fun, and visited with some of the relatives that are around. Uncle Greg was in from Mass and it was good to see him and Kristen for a bit. She showed me how to play Sims2, which I am totally addicted to now. I wish my computer had enough memory to handle it, I'd go out and buy it quick. Also we had a birthday party for my niece and my stepfather. It was pretty fun we had cookout style food and everyone liked their presents.

I still haven't finished the afghan I've been working on but I'm still working on it. It's about 25 inches across now, which means I only have to do 11 more to make it big enough. Unless I decide to keep it for myself, in which case I will have to make it lots bigger.

I won the family limerick contest! YAY!!! I wonder what the prize is this year. I think it's kind of funny though because I was talking to some other people and they worked on their limericks for a long time. I just sat down the morning they were due and whipped that one out in about 2 minutes. I guess that makes me the limerick master! HEHEHEHEHE!

it's been a while...

It's been a while since my last post, I feel like I've been so busy but I can't really remember what I've been doing. I got Jasper groomed, he looked and smelled super! They even tied a little bandana around his neck. He was so cute! Of course then it rained and he got dirty again but at least his toenails are clipped.
I started a new crochet project, it's so fun! The last one I don't know why but it was so frustrating. This one seems to just get bigger and bigger with hardly any effort. I'm sure as it gets bigger that feeling will go away, but for now I just love it. It's made from microspun yarn and it's the first time I've made stripes! It started a salmon colour and then there are alternating stripes of royal blue. It looks really great!

I'm bored...

I have to go to work at 1, but I got up so early and there's nothing to do. I suppose I could wash that huge pile of dirty dishes in the kitchen, but I just don't feel like it. Bob's getting ready to take the dog out to the park for the day, he doesn't have to work. It's so pretty outside, I wish I could just call and say I'm not coming in. I guess I could...they won't fire me because 2 people just quit. I just had the weekend off though so I guess I should go in.

We got Jasper some new toys and he seems to love them. One is a big tire, it's so funny to see him chewing on it! the other is a rubber soccer ball that has a hole through the middle that you can stick treats in. He's chewed all his old toys to death. I can tell already he has a very expensive toy addiction.

My neice's 1st birthday is coming up and I'm not going to be able to go to her party. I'm very disappointed! Also, I was making her a birthday present but it will never get finished because I'm so irritated with it that I can't even look at it anymore. I am however making some stuff that I'm hoping I can selll at my mothers' store. (www.kolorfulkitchen.com) She sells all kinds of kitchen stuff...dishes, towels, napkins, pretty much anything you'd ever use in a kitchen.

Oh yeah, we are still looking for a place to move into. We were looking for a place to rent, but we picked up the FSBO magazine anyway, just to see what was in it. There is an unfinished house on a little over an acre of land for only $86000! We're not sure what it's like yet, but we are definately going to check it out. We'd both like to have our own place and also to be putting our money into something that is ours instead of handing it over to someone else all the time. I suppose we'll be in Greensboro long enough to fix it up and when we get ready to leave we can sell it for more because it will be finished (and very pretty)

Yesterday...

Yesterday was my 6 month anniversary!! Yay!!! We went out and had dinner and then went to paint pottery at the pottery bayou (http://www.potterybayoumosaicstoo.com/) We had a great time. Then today we went to the flea market in Winston (not much fun) and on the way back we went to the farmers market. If you have never been to a farmer's market you should definately go!! We got some great deals on some yummy food. www.agr.state.nc.us/markets/facilit/farmark/triad

anyway, that's all for now

I have a cold!!!

I got a cold a few days ago and I've been miserable ever since. I can't breathe out of my nose most of the time, but at least it's not running uncontrollably anymore. I'm glad I haven't got a sore throat or cough though.

Two of the girls at work turned in notice today so at the end of the month we will be back down to 4 people. That really sucks! I suppose we'll start interviewing people again very soon, hopefully we'll find someone half decent. I'm kind of upset because one of the ones that is leaving is the one who does my hair. :(

Also, I've decided I like people posting comments. Especially random people. I like when people I know post (like my sister) especially when she ADDS TO THE CHAIN STORY. But when a random person responds it just seems more special. They aren't obligated to read my posts, but they do. I feel so warm and fuzzy!

hmmm...

I'm sitting here eating girlscout shortbread cookies and wondering why I paid $3.50 for one box. They are good, and I could eat a lot of them, but $3.50? come on! I could probably make them cheaper myself! I just thought about it, and I bought 3 boxes. One thin mint (which I ate all of...frozen), one shortbread (which I just opened) and one carmel delight (which i have no idea what happened to them). I know Bob didn't eat them, he doesn't like coconut. Hmmm, I'll have to look around and find out.

I started on a new crochet project today. I'm trying to make some potholder/hotplates for my sister. They were supposed to be for her birthday, but I'm so slack that her birthday already passed 2 weeks ago and I'm just now starting them. Oh well, I'm sure she'll like them anyway.

I spent most of the day at work sitting around with nothing to do today. I like Wednesdays at work though for two reasons. One is that all the new merchandise comes in to put on the showroom floor. The second reason is, as a result of the truck coming, the manager buys everyone lunch. Today we had chinese food, and it was delicious!

Bob and I are both off work this weekend and we are going house hunting! I'm so excited about getting ready to move. The place we live now is a dump and they are raising the rent in April!!! Besides, we want to move out before the bees start coming in again. (They live in the wall of the 3rd bedroom) Also, they don't allow pets, so we want to move out before they find out we have Jasper. by the way, they are owned by ARC which is Affordable Rental Communities...yeah, they're affordable if you want to live in a junk heap.

We've been eating only organic veggies and meat products as of the first of February. We got some organic eggs and they were delightful! The brand we buy is Horizon (www.horizon.com)
and they have everything! Milk, eggs, juice, pudding, jello, cheese...and their drinks all come in single serving size packs too so you can pack them in your (or your hubbies) lunch! Before you say anything, organic milk is still Pasteurized!!! The only difference between it and "regular" milk is that the animals are fed a strictly vegitarian diet, and they are not injected with antibiotics or growth hormones. This makes the milk untainted. Check out the website for more information.

I suppose that's all I've got for now

The last few days...

I just got my hair dyed again. It was supposed to turn out blonde, really really bleach blonde, but the red just does not want to go away. The roots are super blonde, but it fades into medium red at the bottom. It kind of looks like I planned it that way, but I really didn't.

I'm trying to find a new place to rent. The place we are in now is horrible and the place we were going to rent got sold. I guess now we are just kind of stuck here until we find something better. Hopefully we will find something soon, maybe with a yard for the puppy and a big kitchen for me!

I got a raise at work, but when I looked on my check it was wrong! I was told on January 23rd that I would get a $.75 raise, it just showed up on my last check, but it was only $.25!!! I told my boss and he said he must have been confused as to what my original pay rate was. I already waited 6 weeks for the raise! now i have to wait even longer for them to fix it! It really sucks. I was also told that I can not take vacation the week of labor day for my 1st wedding anniversary because we are not allowed to take time off on holidays because that's our busiest times. I found out the other day that the office manager is taking off the entire week of July 4th. Well, if she does I suppose I'll be off on Labor day week whether they like it or not.

nerdy?

Interesting reading

I don't know how he came across this site, but Bob printed this out and I thought it was rather interesting...maybe even a little frightening at how acurate it is.

www.ausbcomp.com/redman/hopi_prophecy.htm

This is my dog, Jasper. He's a very good dog most of the time. We got him the beginning of January. He's a lab mix, but mixed with what we don't really know. So far he has gained about 10 pounds since he came to live with us (he was a shelter dog). Isn't he handsome?

me and bob ...taken on my last birthday in West Virginia 

saw this on my porch, couldn't help but take a picture 

The birds!

I saw the strangest thing today as I was coming home from work. I pulled up into the road that leads to my house and there was a huge flock of birds flying in a spherical pattern above the woods at the end of the road. There was another of the same a little farther away, but not very. I ran inside to get the camera or the video camera, but when I came back out (less than 2 minutes later) they were gone! not a bird in sight! I'm not sure what kind of birds they were, but they looked like gulls. I've never seen birds fly in a sphere before. it was very odd.

Various stuff

Over the years I've started collecting various things like salt and pepper shakers, postcards, squished pennies, monkeys, etc. Well I suppose the latest thing is patches. When Bob was in Texas he got a bunch of patches from the state parks there, and I have gotten some from around here. Museums and aquariums and zoos usually have them too. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them but I have quite a few now. Maybe I will sew them all to something and hang it on the wall when we move to our new house. Eventually maybe I'll have a whole room covered with patches from all over the place!

That reminds me, I will be moving into a townhome in April. The rent is going up, but so is the square footage! There are three bathrooms and we will have a guest bedroom finally! and a garage! We definately don't have enough furniture to fill the thing, but that's ok, we'll figure something out. I'm really excited because we'll have space to have dinner parties and things. Also, the closet in the master bedroom is huge! It's almost like another whole room. I can't wait to get in there and get organized.

The puppy has to go to the vet today to get his booster shot for some doggy disease. He had a tick the other day. It was nasty! Bob had me hold him down and he pulled it out with some pliers. Ticks are disgusting! I guess it's warm enough now to put him on flea and tick meds.

I had a very pleasant dream about a picnic and opening a library last nite. I was wearing a red dress, and when I went in to check on everything there was a bunch of mail for me. When I opened it there was a bunch of packets of seeds. I was very excited in the dream and woke up feeling very happy and energetic. According to www.dreammoods.com a picnic means a joyful and tranquil domestic life. red is the color of energy and passion, a library symbolizes the search for knowledge and hunger for ideas, and seeds mean new ideas and new experiences. Sounds like a very positive dream!

Ok so I'm off to spend a few hours with my hubby before I have to go to work.

Hitch

ok so we went to see Hitch and it was hilarious! I could not stop laughing when Will Smith was teaching Kevin James how to dance. The parts with Will Smith's love interest weren't that good, but Kevin James is the funniest guy! If you haven't seen it already, you definately should.

Me and my hubby 

Chain Story #1

Deep in the forest he sat. A lone figure huddled beneath a tree, shivering. The rain was pouring steadily now, but he no longer noticed. He was soaked through and there was nothing else he could do about it. He pulled the blanket a little tighter around his shoulders and scooted closer to the trunk of the tree. "Why did I ever leave home?" He wondered to himself. "Well, I guess there's nothing to be done about it now. I can't go back." With this thought he drifted off into sleep. When he woke up the sun was shining. He ate a meager breakfast of dried fruit for he could build no fire with the soggy wood that was laying about. When he had finished he repacked his blanket, shouldered his pack and continued through the dense trees that surrounded him.

Yadda Yadda, Blog Blog Blog

Bob is enjoying his new job with Rooms To Go. So far he hasn't had any horrible experiences. The worst thing is getting up so early!

I've started to learn how to crochet. I'm learning very slowly, but I think I'm getting better. I am thinking of trying something a little more challenging as soon as I finish the project I'm working on now, which is a blanket for Delilah. That is IF I ever finish it. I'm not sure I have the patience.

We got a dog. His name is Jasper and so far he's been pretty well behaved. He does NOT know how to walk on a leash without choking himself to the point of wheezing terribly. But so far he's only ruined one pair of shoes, two blankets and about 4 of his toys. I guess that's what dogs do, and I don't suppose I could ask for a better one. He hasn't messed the house and he hardly ever barks!

I've been getting into cooking a lot lately and eating healthy, too. We are only buying organic milk and eggs, and soon we are only going to eat free range meat. no hormones or pesticides for us, thanks!

Thanks to Rachael I've been keeping the house spick and span! She set me up with a program where I have a few chores each day instead of trying to get everything done on my day off. It makes it much easier to keep up with things! Bob even helps out with stuff, even without being asked! It's nice to know that people can stop by without me having to worry about how messy the house might be.