My aunt just called from Greenville to let me know about a fire in North Carolina. I paused, listened - six Carolina students? Dead? I jumped on The State and read that the students might also be members of Delta Delta Delta.
The sisterhood at South Carolina has given me strength - may it continue to do so this week. My thoughts are with you all.
I dated a guy once who made me a sports widow. I could barely be in the same room when he watched a game -- let alone talk to him. He didn't watch basketball that much - but that didn't matter, college baseball had started. I vowed that I would never become a sports widow.
Tonight, after eating a delicious dinner of asparagus tart and stuffed mushrooms, K. turned on the USF v. Rutgers game. All things considered, I suppose I'm a Rutgers fan. My maternal family is from Highland Park, NJ - right next to Rutgers (New Brunswick). Go Scarlet Knights!!!
My husband is rather vocal during games. I'd go as far as obnoxious. LOUD. ANNOYINGLY LOUD. Last Thursday when FSU was loosing to NC State, I made him close the windows because I was worried that the family that lives four houses away would fear for their kids' innocence.
While he's passionate about his football, I have no worries of becoming a football widow. He just looked at me - and in all honesty - asked if I wanted to make out during the timeouts. Ahhh, love.
I love the old Ball Coach. I do. I am encouraged and excited and thankful. However, this is wrong... Just wrong.
The State has an interactive game, accessed by clicking here, which allows people to dress up Coach Spurrier. Seriously? I don't want to see Steve in his skivvies. Do you?
The husband and I took the weekend off. While we had friends over for dinner on Saturday night, it was a pretty low key weekend. Which was fabulous.
K. made me a headboard. I'm pretty impressed with the kid lately -- although we have a mutual pact that has all home improvement project on hold. I love how he can take an idea and just make it happen.
And so the week begins. It seems to me that when I've had a quiet weekend, the week seems to start with the force of a hurricane. It's the universe balancing out all the laziness.
1) We got Miami tickets (I think). I've never been to a Miami game, however I can't imagine that Miami fans are any worse than LSU fans. (Have I ever told you that story? 8 am on the Friday before the LSU v. Ole Miss game -- I'm getting coffee on the Square at Bottletree Bakery (it's so amazingly good). Anyway, I turn away from the counter and there are four men in varying degrees of full body paint. It's Friday. 8 am. It's not game day. Those folks are intense).
2) I'm in love with HBO's Tell Me You Love Me. After I got past the sex scenes (of which there are many), I am enthralled in the stories of the couples. It's intimate - and that's why I think I can get past what would be, on any other show, gratuitous sex. It's on Sunday at 9 pm.
3) Today might actually be cool in Tallahassee. I say "cool," when what I really mean is the outside world won't resemble a sauna. WahOO! I cannot wait for fall. I love the month of October. Yesterday, I posted October's Party - which my mom would usually read to us in the beginning of October. K. saw that and sent me flowers yesterday - all he said was "Happy Fall." Who does that? How did I get this lucky?
October gave a party, The leaves by hundreds came. The chestnut oaks, and maples and leaves of every name. The sunshine spread a carpet, Miss Weather led the dancing Professor Wind the band.
The chestnuts came in yellow The oaks in crimson dressed The lovely Misses Maple In scarlet looked their best; All balanced to their partners And gaily fluttered by; The sight was like a rainbow New fallen from the sky.
Then, in a rustic hollow, at hide and seek they played The party closed at sundown and everybody stayed. Professor Wind played louder They flew along the ground then the party ended in jolly "hands around".
Today I walked outside for lunch and I couldn't tell if it was almost spring or almost fall. It was hot, but bright. And the leaves either look they're about to burst or fall off. We don't get much of a fall here in Tallahassee... which Law Hobbit was only too quick to point out this evening.
Okay, so I have a mental illness. Who doesn't these days? I mean, seriously? I think more about finding the perfect buffet for my dining room than I do about the fact that four years ago I was diagnosed with something.
While others choose to make mental illness their life struggle, I don't. It just doesn't seem like something I need to worry about every moment. Do I ever have a day that seems harder than the one before? Sure! However, I think I'm safe to assume that most everyone on the planet has the same experience.
Why do folks who advocate for mental health make it the end-all-be-all? It's important - and it deserves advocates, but I don't think the men and women that advocate for seat-belt laws make it their reason for living.
This weekend has been busy. (And it's only a little after 3 pm).
I took a trip to Destin on Friday, went to dinner with my sister-in-law and fell asleep early. On Saturday, I bought my first piece of real furniture. And by that, I mean a piece of furniture that either: did not come in a box, come with a wood-colored marker or was picked out of the Goodwill Showroom.
None of those things are bad -- in fact, a new desk I bought at Target is much more than I expected. However, with Parent's Weekend approaching, I wanted something real. Lemme tell you -- Haverty's has a clearance room in the back! Overstocks and scratch/dent furniture seriously marked down. I am so excited! It arrives on Saturday.
I returned home to my husband only to discover that he was itching for a project. So, around 3:30 pm on Saturday we started to pull up our carpet. The living room was first, then the hall. I drew the line at the bedrooms or office. We refinished some floors.
So, now -- after renting a sander at Home Depot (www.homedepotrents.com), we're waiting for our gloss stuff to dry. Next weekend it's on for the rest of the house. I feel like I belong on TLC or Design to Sell.
I have a love/hate relationship with Justin Timberlake.
And yet, after reading one of my new daily reads, fourfour, I'm totally over him. You too should read the analysis of the Sexy/Future/IMessedWithBrittany'sHead/Goober Tour. Read it here.
K. found this fact hard to believe. I've gone away for weekend getaways, but never have I been taken. I'm usually the one making the plans. He left me a message on Thursday and told me to pack a bag. He had plans. Plans.
I was swept off my feet. We went to the Forgotten Coast -- it was gorgeous. The oysters were unbelievable, our Inn was just lovely and the weather couldn't have been better. This morning over brunch we made retirement plans for our entire family.It's only been four months (yes, I'm counting), and I am so very glad that I am so much in love with my husband. I had no idea it could be this good.
I was in Greenville all last week. And the Panera in Greenville closes at 9 pm, which does not allow enough time to check both work email and blog.
My grandmother is sick. She's dying -- and, as she'll remind you, we're all dying. She has brain cancer and I've been trying to figure out how much a 6 cm tumor weighs.
The Hospice nurse (I will be praying for their strength until I'm no longer on this earth) said something that resonates... "People die the way they lived. If they lived in denial for thirty years, they'll die in denial. If they lived with spirit, they'll die with spirit."
Thus, she'll be the fighter, the loving supporter and the fascinating woman she's always been. And so far, she's proving me right.
I spent time with her -- and it was incredible. To use a word I use too much, precious. And that might be all I have to say about that. For now.
Not to get entirely too personal -- wait, who am I kidding? So, today I had my Yearly appointment. And I had a great experience. (Which is saying A LOT).
It absolutely threw me -- the having a conversation with a doctor (a trained professional) about planning a family. And it wasn't in vain either; it wasn't solely about preventing. I cannot believe how it threw me.
This might not even make any sense, but all of a sudden I was planning for twenty-six months from now. Twenty-six months, which would make it November 2009 that I should be having a conversation with my husband about what could potentially happen in August of 2010. And how the heck I came up with twenty-six months is still a mystery.
I'm watching old episodes of Sex & The City (t was either that or Sell This House on HGTV) and I cannot sleep.
Chris left this morning for Tampa and I leave tomorrow morning and it reminds me of the days when we were dating and we'd only see each other on the weekends.
I can't sleep. I'm sure I'll be singing the praises of Red Bull tomorrow morning.
I've reverted my old comforts -- a handmade blanket, frozen oreos and sappy movies. A few years ago, when I didn't quite know how to cry for things that were worth crying about, I would watch sappy movies and cry from the first scene till the last credit.
If I couldn't cry for myself, I would cry for some ridiculous wanna-be heroine.
Today, however -- well, the last few weeks -- I can't seem to stop tearing up for the greatest heroine I've ever known. And so, I am now eating frozen oreos and drinking sweet tea straight from the jug. It's okay, the eating of the oreos and the snuggling under a blanket.
It's okay because I'm not sure how else to get through this.
You Are My Sunshine My only sunshine. You make me happy When skies are grey. You'll never know, dear, How much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away
When I was young, I had the paparazzi (aka Mom & Dad) snapping pictures constantly. In high school, I usually had the latest innovation - the throw away camera - in my backpack. And in college, I had friends who took pictures (lots of pictures) and would even go the extra mile to post them online. But now, I need to be own paparazzi. Who'll take pictures of our life?
This stems from seeing pictures of my grandmother and her friends at parties. Full skirts and rocks glasses -- lots of smiling young faces. K. and I have been rather social lately. I was joking that in the last two months we've had more people over than we had the previous year.
So, I'm not sure what to do. I feel like I should hire Snaps! the function photographer that took many pictures of me in the years 1999 - 2003. It's sort of amazing what pictures do - what stories they tell.
So, Snaps -- if you'll travel to Tallahassee, I've got a job or two.
It's only been four months (yes, I'm counting), and I am so very glad that I am so much in love with my husband. I had no idea it could be this good.
