Hot Stone Treat for Me

I had Monday off to celebrate President's Day. Each year, each staff member at my office gets to pick 2 days to enjoy as optional floating holidays. We submit our days at the beginning of each year. We may choose from any of the holidays we do not get off (such as Veteran's Day or MLK Jr. Day) or we can pick any day of our choosing (such as a birthday or anniversary). This year, I chose President's Day because I thought I would enjoy a day off during the long winter stretch and I chose my birthday because it just doesn't seem right to work that day. It is an extra sweet day off since I knew most of my colleagues were working while I was playing.

So, I decided to see my friend Heather, a professional massage therapist, and enjoy something I had never done before - a hot stone massage. Let me say that if you have not indulged in a hot stone massage, you should really go out and get one right away. If you live here in NC, go see Heather - she is wonderful! The massage lasted 90 minutes and was pure bliss. Heather massaged my head, face, hands, and feet which I loved. She used the stones in combination with her hands on my arms and legs. She placed several stones on my back on a towel to loosen the muscles while working again on my arms and legs. Once my back was warm, she used strokes of her hands and stone to work all of the kinks out. I felt positively feline when I was done. It is truly a fantastic feeling, and one that I will be enjoying again on my birthday, if not sooner.

Canes Win Big

I wound up going to the game by myself last night as Bill was not feeling well enough to attend. It was an interesting experience. I just took a book to read during intermissions until they turned the lights low to show the highlights. Maybe I need a flashlight for the next game...

I'm really glad I did go to the game. With all of the recent injuries and the flu going through the team, I was wondering what kind of game we would see. (Thank goodness the gentleman next to me provided a line up card - I would have been lost with all of the new acquisitions and call ups from the minors). The Canes played so well. Each line was able to add to the scoring (although Walker's goal was waived off). The defense played especially well, too. We had a bit of issue in goal, but a goaltender switch saved the game. The resilient (it is the new word in the press) Canes came back from a 4-2 defecit in the third to win the game 5-4 in regulation. It was a hard fought battle and the crowd was certainly into it. It will be interesting to see how the Canes cope in the last 20 games of the season. If they play the remaining 14 home games like they played last night, the crowd will certainly be there to cheer them on. Who knows what might happen come April.

Going to the Canes Games tonight

My favorite Cane tore his ACL in the game two night ago. He's out for 4-6 months. Not a good thing when you are heading down the stretch for the playoffs. He joins about 10 other players who are injured. Top that off with the fact that we traded a great forward and a team leader earlier this week (Cory Stillman is no dummy - he waived his no trade clause for the #1 team in the East), and it is going to be a tough way to end the season.

I don't know what to think about the team now, but I am kind of glad I did not send in my playoff request yet.

Shiny New Bike

Two weeks ago, Bill and I went to All Star Bikes to pick up my shiny new Giant FCR. It is a beautiful road bike hybrid. The wheels are not as thin as a road racing bike, but it is not as heavy as a mountain bike. It is just right - and red!

So, last Saturday we finally got the chance to go out riding the bike. It was a beautiful day, so we went along the American Tobacco Trail to downtown Durham. The trail crosses the back section of our subdivision about 2 miles from our house. The trail goes straight downtown (about 4 miles from where we pick it up) to the American Tobacco Complex where there are restaurants and office buildings, including my former employer. We had a great lunch at Tyler's, then headed back down to trail past our house to a grocery store. We were able to pick up an item we forgot to make our dinner that evening. The best thing about the day was that we were able to have fun, exercise, go out and run errands without having to use any gas. It was a great green day for us.

I forgot how much fun it is to ride a bike. When I was a kid, I was on my bike almost every day. I would ride to school, go to the pool, and just ride around with friends. Although my butt was pretty sore on Sunday, I had a great time riding my bike. I think I had a smile on my face the whole time we were out. Sadly, Bill is sick today, so we can't go out. I look forward to our next ride together.

Happy Valentine's Day 2008!!

Happy Valentine's Day to all!!

I hope each of you is spending the day with a loved one - I am. Bill and I had lunch together and we are going out to dinner tonight after my Board meeting (they did not reschedule for the holiday~men!!)

We had a party at work and asked each employee to write a short personal ad about himself/herself. We then posted the ads and had everyone guess who wrote each one. It was much harder than you would think! I only got 6 correct out of 18. Guess I need to speak to my co-workers more!

Here's what I wrote:

Sassy, stylish book lover is seeking friends with common interests. Applicants should enjoy ice sports, fancy footwear, canine companionship, disco, recycling, and running the ATT. UNC fans, people who do not drink beer, the rhythm challenged, and fashion don’ts need not apply. Who am I?

Does it sounds like me?

Crazy Hockey World

First, there is the freak accident of Richard Zednik getting his throat sliced open my a teammate's skate (he is doing fine after surgery). Then, the Canes announce their big trade. What is the hockey world coming to this week?

I can fully understand trading Mike Commodore. He is a big guy with a great heart, but not the best defenseman we have. But Cory Stillman? Are you crazy Jim Rutherford? Stillman is a great player. He is a goal scorer and a fantastic assist man. He is a great leader and a guy with experience. I do not like this trade. I think it was a mistake to send Stillman off for two relatively unknown Ottawa players. I hope that this decision does not bite us in the butt. I have a feeling we will be watching Stillman and Commodore in the playoffs, and maybe only them.

I hate this time of year! The trade deadline is February 26 at 3:00 pm.

Conservators' Center Inc.

Today, Bill and I volunteered at the Conservators' Center. It is a rescue habitat for big cats as well as a variety of other animals including caracels, binturongs, servals, and even a lemur. We started with a tour of the lions and tigers. It was great fun to see these gorgeous animals up close - much closer than you would ever see them at a zoo. After the tour, we tried to work on hanging a sun screen around the perimeter fence. It was too windy, and the sheet came off. It blew yours truly straight to the ground and knocked all of my wind out of me. My chest is still a bit sore. From there, we went to clean the storage shelter - a much less dangerous job. Our day finished with a last loop of the cages, and an in cage visit with the New Guinea Singing Dogs. These cuties love humans, but they would rip the throat out of a domestic dog. This little girl's kisses made me feel better.

Old Friends, New Ghosts

I have mentioned in this blog that I recently joined Facebook. I have really been enjoying Facebook and have found many friends through it. Last week, I was thrilled to find Adam, one of my best friends from high school. We had lost touch when we went off to different colleges, and I was so glad to hear from him again. I was looking forward to catching up on 19 years of life that happened since we last spoke.

He filled me in on his life, and also gave me a piece of shocking news. Our mutual friend and part of the group of seven that I hung out with the most, Stephanie, had developed cancer several years ago. She passed away last year. I was so shocked and saddened by the news. I felt hypocritical that I was so upset as I had not spoken to Steph since we graduated and she was a very good friend. We had our differences and a little spat that led us to pull apart. Still, I somehow thought that we would meet again somewhere, sometime. Now, she is gone from this Earth. She was only 35 years old. It made me wish life were different, but glad to have the people I do have in my life.

I hope to rekindle my friendship with Adam. I will hold the high school version of Steph in my memory for as long as I live.

Happy Super Fat Tuesday!

If you are lucky enough to be in a state holding their primary today, please go out to vote!! I wish I were voting today, but, alas, my state's primary is not until May. I feel like the candidates will be decided before I even get a chance vote my opinion. I will be watching coverage tonight when I get home to see how things are going. I am quite interested to see who will be the party front runners come tomorrow morning.

If you are a Catholic, get out there and enjoy all of your bad habits. Today is Mardi Gras which means tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. I will never forget the first time my in-laws came over after Ash Wednesday services. I looked at my father-in-law and had a moment of panic. I thought he had fallen and bruised his forehead - thank goodness it was only the ashes!

My New Read

I have just started a new book called "Just Try It On! A Month by Month Guide to Shopping and Style" by Susan Redstone. So far, it has been pretty good. As you know, shopping is my favorite hobby, and I like to be good at what I do. So, I thought this book would give me some valuable information. It has.

I wish I could go shopping right now! I would like to try my hand at a few vintage/thrift shops. I just finished a chapter about them, and would like to go look for myself. In the past, I have not had much luck with them. I think it is because you need to slow down and really take the time to look. Just remember - try it on!! That is the key. And if you don't love it, put it back. So simple!!

Also, February is the month to buy undergarments. So, go forth and buy bras, panties, hosiery, and maybe a sexy piece of lingerie. The month of love and Valentines is the best time to do it.

Super Sunday

I am so, so, so happy that the Giants won Super Bowl XLII!! I have always thought that the Patriots were overrated and that Tom Brady is not the wonder that so many think he is (the dude dumped his pregnant girlfriend - so uncool!! Giselle, you can do much better). Way to go Eli and the Giants for hanging tough and being the best team on the field today.

Terry and Heather came over for the game, and all four of us cheered on the Giants (and ate like pigs - chili cheese dip, pizzas, chocolate chip cookies and beer, but we did have veggies, too). I admit, I got very nervous toward the end there. I actually had to get up and start the dishes. Luckily, I had Heather to yell at me when things were good. I am not very good under pressure, but I am so glad Manning is. He played a great game, kept his cool, and was a true leader. Thank, Giants, you made my Super Bowl Sunday!!

MeetIn Fun

Bill and I attended our first official Meet In event last night. We met a group of folks for dinner at a local Mongolian buffet. Mongolian barbeque has long been a favorite of mine, since the days of California. You choose your own meats, veggies, oils, and spices, then hand it over to the cooks to have it stir fried to perfection. Yummy!

Anyway, I am usually not very comfortable in a crowd, but the group that was there last night was so welcoming and warm. Of course, it probably helped that my friend Josh was there to soothe any awkwardness. There were 9 of us for dinner, and we stayed at the table for a little over 2 hours. We chatted in small groups, as a large group, and as individuals. It was fun to meet new people and learn about different places everyone had been. I am glad I joined the site and am looking forward to my next experience already.

And then there were two...

With John Edwards withdrawl from the Democratic Presidential bid yesterday, we Democrats were left with two candidates - a woman and an African American man. One of these two people will make history and become the first of their demographic to be nominated by a major party for the presidency. What a great and wonderful time for American politics!

So, the question is, will Americans vote for someone new or will they go with the white male standard presented by the Republicans? Nine months, five days...

Rangers in the Night

When 2 guys drop the gloves before the puck drops to start the game, you know it will be a good night. (Way to go Scotty Walker!)

The Canes came off their long All-Star break to play the Rangers last night. After a rusty first period with over 60 minutes of penalties and an ejection (Tim Gleason - on his birthday, no less), the Canes came back to win the game 3-1. It was the best game I have seen all season. The Canes played tough, matching the Rangers punch for punch. They were not going to let the Rangers get away with anything in their house. They took a 0-1 deficit to the locker room after the first period, but came out with a different attitude.

The remaining 3 goals scored in the game went to the Canes. Each goal was a wonder to see. I noticed that each scorer (Samsonov, Brind' Amour, and Letowski) took an extra millisecond to wait for the goalie to make a commitment before taking the shot. There were no rushed plays on these scoring plays. I was in awe of the restraint they used, and that it worked - 3 times.

Cam Ward was back in MVP form last night. After letting in a deflection in the 1st, he remained solid in the rest of the game deflecting 34 shots. He even kept his calm in the last moments in the game when the Canes had 2 in the box and the Rangers played with an empty net. Getting out of the 6 on 3 situation as well as the other stellar play made Ward the first star of the night.

The Canes have 29 games left, and need to win 19 on them. I hope this team shows up for the next 29 games. If they do, no one will keep them from the playoffs.

SAG Goodness!

I am so glad that the Writer's Guild gave the Screen Actors Guild a waiver to hold there awards show this past Sunday night. After the disaster that was The Golden Globe Awards, I was ready for some red carpet sizzle. I was not disappointed.

Sure, the awards part is great and interesting enough (Charles Durning stormed the beach at Normandy in WWII, killing 8 enemy before being shot himself, the only survivor of his unit - who knew?), but I really go for the clothes. Even better that watching the red carpet arrivals is the day after fun fest on E! called Fashion Police. I love Debbie and Mr. Jay with whoever may fill the next seat (Peter the Brit this time). They are catty, funny, and always have an opinion. I love how they gush over one actress (like Christina Applegate in this gorgeous frock), then slam the next. So great - the highlight of the awards season for me.

I just hope those writers are cool in a few weeks when it is Oscars turn...

Beautiful Friends

First, Michelle and Jon. Now, Dorene and Brian.

My dear friend, Dorene, who I have known since I was in the second grade, it getting married. She sent me a link to some engagement pictures she had taken this past weekend. She looks absolutely gorgeous and so happy! It almost makes me want to take some professional photos of me with my sweetie!

I Love to be Pampered

Yesterday was a good day. I went to get my hair done in the morning, then met up with my good friend Lisa for lunch. We had a great time catching up and laughing. After lunch, we headed to a nearby nail salon for a mani/pedi. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy a good pedicure. It is the best!! I love to soak my tootsies in that hot water, then have someone scrub them clean. It feels so good when they rub your feet and legs, then paint your toenails a beautiful color. It is worth every penny. It was a great way for two busy ladies to slow down and enjoy a Saturday afternoon.

After we split up, I went to Macy's and bought myself a new dress and a new coat (on sale, of course!) I was polished and pretty for our dinner with friends last night. It is good to be able to pamper yourself once in a while.

It's Hard Out There for a Liberal

Being a Liberal (yes, Dad, I am a Democrat) is pretty tough. A lot of my political beliefs come down to choice. I believe that a woman has the right to choose to have an abortion if she wants it. I believe that homosexual people should be able to choose who they want to marry just as heterosexual people do. I believe that people should have the right to speak their minds and have their opinions heard. The tough part comes in when their opinions differ from mine.

It boils my blood that people think that there should be an amendment against gay marriage. Who do these people think they are to deny any two people who love one another the right to a holy union? I just do not believe that love, in any form, is wrong. The hard part for me is allowing others to be against it without me thinking they are stupid and closed minded. We all have a right to our beliefs, even if they differ from mine. Still, I really hope neither Huckabee nor Romney become the next President of this great country.

I know it's 2 days later, but HEATH LEDGER is dead!

Wow, what shocking news to hear on Tuesday. I enjoyed his work as an actor. His movie, 10 Things I Hate About You, is a favorite of mine. I think the saddest part is that he was such a young man, only 28 years old. It is not surprising when a 75 man dies, but it is always sad when someone so young passes too early. Even sadder still is that he has a 2 year old daughter. She will have only vague memories of her father, but at least she will be able to see him on film. It's a nice legacy to have.

I wonder how he died and how the next few weeks will play out. The media sure seems to be suggesting that it was drug related. I always wonder when people die unexpectedly or in a freak accident, do they look down from Heaven in shock? I wonder if the new spirits think "I can't believe I am actually dead." Death is a scary and strange thing for me. I have always wondered about it and feared it. I hope I don't find out about it for many years.

Set for Super

So, we are now down to two teams - The New England Patriots (Boo!) and the New York Giants (Boo!). As you may be able to tell, I am not particularly interested which team wins. I really wanted to see Brett Farve and the Pack take the whole thing. It is no longer possible. Now, I really have little interest in who actually wins. I guess I would be happier if the Giants won - I always like to see the underdog pull out a victory. But who will I cheer in 2 weeks? The advertisers.

Yes, it snowed

When I woke up this morning, I thought there was no way it would actually snow today. I was very glad of it because I had planned to have lunch with Michelle and had been looking forward to it all week. Luckily, I was able to see Michelle. It started to snow about 2:00 pm while we were comfortable in the restaurant. It has been coming down ever since then, but melting on the ground. The grass is just not showing the faintest hint of white. I wonder how long it will continue and how much we will get. I love snow, but I don't want it to interfere with my plans (except work, of course!)

Will it snow, will it snow, will it snow?

The weather report is calling for measurable amounts of snow tomorrow in my local area. By measurable amounts, the weather folks mean 2-4 inches. I know we need the snow to help combat the drought, but why on a Saturday? It should only snow during the work week so we can stay at home, but still get paid. If we lived in Camelot, we would not have to worry about these things.

I really wonder if it will snow or not. It is sunny right now without a cloud in the sky. It is about 48 degrees, hardly cold enough for snow right now. Guess we will know for sure in about 14 hours!

Ya snooze...Ya get more sleep

;I set my alarm in the morning for 6:15 am. I don't actually have any intention of waking up at 6:15 am. I don't have to be to work until 9:00 in the morning. I will usually run in the morning or take my sweet Sammy for a walk, but I still rarely get out of bed before 6:45 am. So, why do I set the alarm for 1/2 hours earlier? I like the idea of the snooze button. It gives me that extra "stolen" sleep time in the morning. It is so nice to hit the button and curl back up in the nice warm bed. It doesn't even matter that the alarm will ring again after 9 minutes. It still feels so good to wake up slowly by my own schedule. It makes the whole "going to work" thing seem so much more bearable.

Yet, have you ever noticed that you can wake up at 4:00 am with ease as long as you are not heading to work?

Could it Be Magic?

I just finished a book called "Enchanted, Inc." by Shanna Swendson. Two books prior to that one I read the sequel to "A Girl's Guide to Witchcraft" by Mindy Klasky. I love stories that feature magic. One of my favorite shows growing up was "I Dream of Jeannie." In more current years, I loved "Charmed." Any story about supernatural powers pretty much appeals to me. I guess I just want to believe that there is something out there that is more interesting than average, normal me. I wish I could blink my eyes or twitch my nose to get what I want. Maybe if I concentrate really hard, blink my eyes, move my nose...nope, no new shoes appeared.

Our President to Be

My sister-in-law sent me a link to a quiz about the upcoming Presidential election. Just answer 11 questions and rank them in importance, and the results will tell you which candidate agrees with your views. Take the quiz by clicking here.

My results were not a total surprise. My highest match was with Hillary Clinton with a score of 42. She was closely followed by Bill Richardson with a score of 41 (too bad he dropped out of the race yesterday!). Obama was tied with Edwards at 39 points, and Fred Thompson was dead last. Like I said, I am not surprised - I am a Democrat after all. Time to do some more research!

Go President Adams!!

The President of UGA sent a letter to the NCAA (he is one of the Board members) outlining a proposal to do away with the BCS system. He would like to see a playoff for the football national championship. He proposes to take the top 8 teams and have them fight it out for the championship on the field over 3 weeks.

Some other members are against the proposal. They would like the traditional ties the certain bowls (like the Rose Bowl) have with certain conferences to continue. They also question whether fans would actually travel to three different sites for their favorite school.

In a non scientific poll at the bar last night with my beer drinking buddies, we determined that the proposal was a great idea. We all agreed that the BCS is lacking (or flat out does not work). We also agree that fans are fans and they will support their school wherever they go. It would also mean more money for the NCAA in TV agreements.

Can we start in 08-09?

Susan in Cyberspace

I have had this blog for a while now, so I thought it was time to expand further in the World of Cyberspace. A friend of mine (Prancer Caught in a Whirlwind) sent me an invitation to join Facebook. So, I joined. It is a networking website like MySpace, but it has an added feature. People have to request to be your friend before they are able to view your profile page. I happen to think that is a great feature. It has been fun to meet new friends via the Blog, but I do feel safer knowing that the whole world can't see my detailed profile info. Anyway, it is fun, addictive, and free. Join up now!! I tried to talk hubby into joining, but he just shook his head and muttered "You kids and the Internet."

A different friend suggested Meet In. It is a volunteer group of folks who just want to meet other people in their local area. He is the leader of our local group, so now I am able to find out about events and meet new friends.

Cool stuff, huh?

Great News for Georgia

Well, college football ended last night with another SEC team taking the championship. Unfortunately, it was not Georgia. But it could be Georgia in 2008.

The final AP poll has Georgia ranked at #2. The final Coach's Poll has Georgia as 3. In an article I just read from Yahoo!, Georgia is already predicted to be #2 in 2008 with the leadership and talent of Matthew Stafford at QB and Knowshon Marino at RB. The author of the article selects USC as #1 for 2008. I think that will be a good match up in the BCS Championship game. Let's make it SEC for 3 years in a row. It is Georgia's turn.

UGH-Today is the day

Today is the day that we are taking down all of the holiday decorations. I hate this part of the season. Nothing seems as depressing or as difficult as taking down the tree. It is something I think about and do not look forward to from the second the decorations are put up. Guess I need to stop whining and get to work!

Christmas 2007 Remembered

Dawgs + Sugar=Happy New Year!

Well, I certainly hope you picked the Georgia Bulldogs to win the Sugar Bowl on January 1. I had great faith in the guys, but was even surprised by the 41-10 victory. As we watched the pre-game show, I was actually touched by the Hawaii players. They have such heart and tradition, and I was very impressed with their head coach. I felt so bad that their 12-0 season was going to end with a loss. I just didn't expect them to get stomped so badly. Poor Colt Brennan, darling of college football, got his butt handed to him. He was such a great leader and had such a good season all to see it end with 8 sacks and a very confused look on his face. Guess that's what happens when you go from WAC to SEC.

The Dawgs looked fantastic. With the team losing only a few seniors this season, they are poised to be incredible next season. They will continue to have quarterback Matthew Stafford and sensation running back Knowshon Marino. I predict great things for this team. Under Coach Richt, they have done so much. I foresee a National Championship in their near future. I know Mark Richt will lead the Dawgs there.

2008 is great!

We rang in the New Year with great friends last night. Our friends, Janet and Dan, called on Saturday to see if we wanted to do something for New Year's Eve. Janet had seen a restaurant in nearby Hillsborough that was having a special dinner. We went to dinner at 9:00 and enjoyed a wonderful 4 course feast. The food was really delicious. We were able to sit at our table until just before midnight when we headed to the bar to watch and participate in the countdown. It was so nice to ring in a brand new year with friends.

So, now, 2008 is here and it is time to make resolutions. I have never been really good with resolutions, but I do have some things I want to accomplish this year.

1. I want to manage my weight again. I have been way too easy on my diet - heck, I have not followed one in over a year. I need to watch what I eat. Period.
2. I want to continue running and work up to at least a 10K this year. Bill and I have already checked out runs for this year and found a few we want to do.
3. I want to continue to try new things and do the things that I have always wanted to do. I have already signed up for a beginning yoga class and an Indian cooking class in '08.
4. I want to decide if I should stay in The Junior League. It may be that my attention would be better used elsewhere and for a different organization. I know at least 2 people think I should quit the League.
5. I want to travel this year. I want to go to Germany as well as visit family and friends.
6. I want to de-clutter my life. I want to get rid of the stuff I don't need and simplify my life.
7. I want to continue to enjoy my job and my co-workers.
8. I want to spend time with my husband, my dog and my friends.
9. I want to earn that plate on the wall at The Flying Saucer!
10. I want to be more flexible and more relaxed.

So much to do and no time like January 1 to start!

Lazy Holidays

It seems we get very lazy during the holiday season. I know for sure that I have relaxed my rules. I have been eating anything and everything, and not exercising with regularity. I will enjoy it for the next 2 days, but then a new year begins. It is time to eat right, exercise, work on the mind, and improve the spirit. But for today and tomorrow, it is all about beer and relaxing!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!

Workin' is for Chumps!

5 1/2 days off and now I am back to work. Thanks goodness I only work today and a 1/2 day tomorrow. This working thing stinks!

Here is a brief recap of our holiday:

December 21 - I worked a 1/2 day, and Bill came to pick me up. He finally got to see our offices and meet a few colleagues he had not met prior to this visit. We ate lunch, went to the bike store to get his Christmas present (new pedals and shoes), then the museum. It was so wonderful to see a special exhibit when there was no crowd. There was no pushing, little noise, and we could really appreciate the landscapes at our own pace. We finished the day with a stop at Big Boss for a beer, dinner at Tyler's, and home for a DVD (The Simpsons Movie).

December 22 - We went down to Southern Pines to help Bill's parents. Bill cleaned their gutters while his mom and I supervised. I can't even remember what we did after coming home. I think we watched The Sting.

December 23 - We hung out at home, but did take our sweet puppy Christmas shopping at Pet Smart. She loves going there and picked out some treats for herself. We sent the evening at a Christmas party with friends. When we got home, we watched The Bourne Ultimatum.

December 24 - The entire Morrison clan was together for the first time in 2 years when the crew came up to our place. We met our new nephew, Ryan, and had lunch with the family. It was a nice day to play with the kids and socialize. That evening, we watched Christmas Vacation.

December 25 - We got up and followed the Krueger family tradition. We opened our stockings first, then ate breakfast before opening the remainder of our gifts. I think Bill really enjoyed the gifts I got him and I know I love the gifts I received. I got 2 new ornaments for the tree (a high heeled shoe and a handbag), a book, a robe, and 2 special surprises. Bill gave me a box filled with rocks. I thought it was part of another gift, but Bill said I should check the entire box. At the bottom, I found a gift card for a hot stone massage. I can't wait to get that - I have always wanted to try it. Bill also upgraded my diamond earrings. I have been wearing them every day since Christmas. I got running gear from Dad, Bunny, and Jamie, and chick lit books from my best pal in California. We quickly dressed after opening our gifts, and headed to So. Pines once again. The kids were already hyped up when we arrived, but seeing more gifts made them even crazier. They really liked the cars we got them, and played with them the rest of the day. We had traditional turkey dinner, and just enjoyed family for the rest of the day. When we got home, we watched the first half of The Holiday (which I received with Harry Potter 5 and a gift card from my favorite store, Nordstrom, from my sister-in-law) and will watch the rest tonight.

December 26 - I got up at 6:00 am to go shopping. Bill thought I was crazy to be wasting a vacation day. I got to the mall at about 7:20. It was not too crowded, except for the hundreds of people waiting outside of Crate and Barrel. I bought some holiday things at Pottery Barn, gift wrap and stickers at Hallmark, 2 shirts at Banana Republic, and a few other odds and ends. I was out of there by 10:00. I went to Barnes & Noble to exchange 2 books, then to Target and lunch. I got to the other mall, but did not stay long as I was very tired. The shopping this year was not as good as I expected. I think the fact that it was raining did not help either. I headed home at about 1:30 pm. Bill came home about 4:30 and we headed to a nice dinner before seeing the stage play White Christmas. It was a very nice way to end the holiday.

I wonder what we will do for New Year's?

Merry Christmas 2007!

What a fantastic holiday season!! My Christmas was fantastic. I have so much to share, but I will post it all later. I had a great day today and received many wonderful gifts. The best gifts I got, however, were 4 1/2 days with my husband, and 2 days with the entire Morrison clan. Family is what this season is all about, and I am so thankful that I was able to be with mine.

Merry Christmas to all!!

Last Work Day Before Christmas!

Yeah!! Today is my last work day before Christmas. I am really lucky - my company closes for 3 days at Christmas, so we will be off December 24-26. I am taking a half day today. Bill is going to pick me up at 1:00 pm. I am excited for him to see our new offices and to see all of the decorations we have up. We will go to lunch, then a little Christmas shopping, and a trip to the art museum. I am ready to leave now.

It has been a great holiday season so far. My big boss gave us gifts this morning. We all received a beautiful holiday plate with a $10 gift card for Chick-fil-a. It was a very sweet gift, and one that will be used. I have been very lucky with the gifts I have received so far - I love them all. My office mate gave me a lovely pair of tiger eye earrings yesterday. It is not strictly about gifts, though. I just feel lighter and brighter during the holiday season. Everyone is cheery and in good moods. I love Christmas music and all the lights. It's like Scrooge says - I need to find a way to keep Christmas in my heart all year long. That sounds like a good goal for 2008 (among many others!).

Not Much to Report...

Things are slowing down as the big holiday approaches. Work has been quiet, and I know it will be dead tomorrow. Luckily, I am taking a 1/2 day, so I will be out of here at 1:00pm. Bill has the whole day off (as well as the 4 following it), so we are going to go to see an exhibit at the art museum in the afternoon.

We did have a nice event yesterday. The three of us from accounting went out with the 4 ladies of reimbursement. We are all considered finance, but we have never done anything in a large group. It was nice to celebrate the season and December birthdays with the 7 of us. We even got coffee after our lunch, and we spent a few minutes browsing in Barnes & Noble (we were already there to get Starbucks). It was a nice way to kill 2 hours in a work day. Gotta love those work lunches!!

Just clicked over to People.com...

I always check People.com to check out the latest celebrity happenings. The headline this morning:

Britney Spears' sister is pregnant!! Her 16 year-old sister is 12 weeks pregnant.

Wow, the white trash runs deep in that family.

A Bad Break is a Good thing

My day started with a bang. I was trying to place the sweet potato casserole I made for the company holiday potluck in the oven when I made an unfortunate shift. The glass lid of the Corning dish slipped off the top and shattered into about 200 pieces on the floor. I thought "Oh, great, that's how this day is going to be."

Well, I am pleased to say that was the worst part of my day. I arrived at work to find out that I had won a contest from the local newspaper. I will be receiving a copy of The Bourne Ultimatum on DVD. I should have it before the weekend.

My supervisor then asked if we could go over my one year evaluation (if is a little early, but I think she wanted to get it done prior to the holidays). It was the best review I have ever received. There are some places I need to continue to improve, but it was a very good review overall. I am so happy with my success at work, and I will be seeing a bump in my paycheck come January.

When I arrived back at my desk after the review, a Christmas present I purchased for Bill had arrived. I was so worried that it would not get here for Christmas, and it arrived with a week to spare.

We had our holiday potluck lunch, and everyone had a good time. The food was wonderful, the "Dirty Santa" gift exchange was fun. I got a DVD copy of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." I have never seen the movie all the way through, so I look forward to watching it soon.

After lunch, my supervisor gave us our Christmas gifts. She got me a 2008 calendar of 365 days of shoes. I love it!! It is so me. I can't wait to get to 2008 so I can begin looking at all of the glorious shoes! She gave me the perfect gift, and I am thrilled.

I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow brings...

PS - Don't you love Bumble Beer? My favorite holiday cartoon and my favorite beverage all in one!!

A Niece, please!

We just found out yesterday that my sister-in-law, Sally, is pregnant with her second child (Matthew will be 4 next month). We are thrilled to be getting a new addition to the family! After 3 nephews, I know that I am really hoping that this baby will be a girl (and so is my mother-in-law!). I don't think we will have many more chances!

2nd Annual Hoilday Party

Bill and I hosted our second annual holiday party this past Saturday night. The turn out was not as high as last year, but the people who are most important to us did show up. Our friends are the greatest. It was pouring rain, and they still came. A few had to overcome babysitting problems (our neighbors bought their 3 year old daughter at our request and she was absolutely delightful). Many had scheduling conflicts (Janet and Dan stopped by at 11:00 pm after seeing our lights on - they had been to 2 other parties already). Some even worked while at our house (Terry and Jon hooked up our big screen so that the HD feature now works properly - after 2 1/2 years!). Best of all was just to share the holidays with our dearest friends. It was a great evening (after massive stress levels earlier in the day) and I am already looking forward to our next party.

Fraud finds us

Darn if I don't get a phone call this morning from our credit card company asking about suspicious charges. Three strange charges posted last night from a L4Hinc.com. I knew they were not mine, but Bill thought they could have been business related. I decided to check out the website to see what the company did. Well, it is adult websites. The company Bill purchased from was LADD.com. So, I had to call the credit card company back and confirm that the charges were fraudulent.

Our account was shut off immediately. I asked when I could expect my new credit cards with new account numbers, and was told 7-10 business days. That long at Christmas time!! I told the rep that would not work. Luckily, she was able to expedite the claim and I will get the cards on Monday. Of course, I have to be home to sign for the package between 8 am and noon. I will be using the 4 hours of comp time my boss just gave me so I can sit at home and wait for the cards. I guess I should not complain - I could be with out Visa for 10 days!!

Most Wonderful Time?

So, it's December - the most wonderful time of the year. It is wonderful, but it is also tough. It seems that I am constantly running around and doing things. First, we decorated the house. Then, I sent out 75 Christmas cards. I seem to be at the mall all the time, and I am still looking for presents. I am wrapping gifts in the evening and in the morning. Tonight, I am dropping off gifts to mail to Boston at the UPS store on the way home, then we are going grocery shopping for our party. Bill and I will spend the rest of the time to Saturday evening cooking and cleaning. I still need to finds gifts for two of our nephews, Bill's parents, and Bill. On top of it all, it is year end for my company and our auditors arrived today. Luckily, they will leave on Friday. Then, we have our holiday potluck for work next week, a council holiday dinner for JLDOC, and more shopping.

I love Christmas. It is the most wonderful time of the year. I am really looking forward to my 5 day vacation, though.

Illegal Aliens

The local paper had a front page story about the outgoing system chief for the state's community colleges says that illegal aliens should be let in to the schools. His reasoning is that with the huge amount of illegal immigrants in this area, we need them to be educated and able to take more demanding jobs. It would be a strain to have to support them if they were not educated.

I see his point, but if these people are smart enough to attend college, can't they become American citizens? I don't understand why our country gives so much to people who will not stand up and become our citizens. Why should we support you if you are not here by legal means? Why should a freeloader get the same benefits are a citizen? If my taxes go to support the community colleges, I want to support people who are citizens who will be giving back to this country over time. It may not be politically correct, but it is how I feel.

Jingle All the Way

On Saturday, Bill and I participated in the Jingle Bell Run in Raleigh. It was a 5K race benefiting the Arthritis Foundation. What a great day for the race! The temperature was cool, but not cold, and the skies were clear and filled with sunshine. Race participants were given jingle bells to tie to their shoes, and several runners were in holiday garb . I wore my red running shirt and had my Santa earrings as well as my jingle bells on. Santa Claus was even there to cheer for the runners. I guess it was the holiday atmosphere that got me running faster. I set a personal best for a 5K. I was pretty darn excited. I think it helped to have a few friends in the race, one who I kept pace with for the whole course. She really pushed me at the end and helped me to sprint for the finish. I am happy to say that we ended with the same official time.

What did we do to celebrate our great race? Go to the Sauce, of course, for a few celebratory beers.

Free Wings and Beer

Our local radio station, 96 Rock, is currently hosting a contest for free wings and beer. You sign up online for your company, and if you are chosen, the radio morning DJ will bring chicken wings and beer to your workplace. So, I signed up about 2 weeks ago, and put the contest out of my mind.

Yesterday, my home phone rang at about 8:30 am. It was the radio station. My entry had been selected and they wanted to bring the food out that afternoon. Well, wouldn't you know it, but we were having a catered breakfast that morning. I told them to come on out anyway. The DJ, Demitri, brought up 100 wings (our president told me to order 50 more so we would have enough and expense it) and a 12 pack of beer (Bud Light, but it was free). He recorded sound bites of about 5 employees talking about our company and/or themselves. It was funny and light (and was played this morning at 6:40 am).

We enjoyed the wings (although I think most people were still full from breakfast) and really enjoyed the beer. How many times can you drink beer at work during lunch?

My Type of Christmas Tree

Gosh, I wish I had thought of it! How clever!

Thanksgiving is gone

Boy, this holiday weekend went by quickly!! Here is a recap:

Thanksgiving Day: Bill and I ran in the Gallop and Gorge 8K race in the morning. I thought I was going to die for a while during the race. My legs felt like lead in the beginning, then I got so hot! It was in the mid to upper 70s on Thanksgiving Day and I was dressed for winter jogging. I pushed through and really ran as fast as I could in the last 3/4 mile. I finished at about 1:08, and I wanted to finish 1:10. Bill ran it in about 45 minutes. I think we were both pleased.

We headed home to start cooking, and Bill's parents came over. We had the traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings. It was really good. We were pleased how well everything came out and it was all delicious. We watched Evan Almighty after dinner (it was better than I expected - we all enjoyed it).

Black Friday: We got up early to see Bill's parents off. I did not wake up at 2:00 am to head to the stores. I didn't even head to the mall until about 2:30 pm. I only went for about 2 hours. I was unimpressed with the so called sales. I bought something for Bill (but not for Christmas - it was for immediate use) and a sweater for myself. I was rather disappointed.

I had tickets to the hockey game, so Heather and I went to the game while Terry and Bill hung out. It was a great game. The Canes looked good in the first period and went into intermission with a 1-1 tie. They looked horrible in the second with only 3 shots on goal. The score was 3-1 Tampa by the second intermission. To their credit, the Canes came back in the 3rd period and got the crowd behind them. They pulled out the come from behind victory with a nice 4-3 win. We met the guys for drinks after the game.

Saturday: Bill wasn't feeling well, so we had a very lazy day. We took Sammy for a walk, but that was about it. The Dawgs beat GA Tech!!!

Sunday: I went to Pottery Barn for a free class on holiday decorating. It was a great class, and inspired me to do our decorating. I did shop for a little while (I got one present and a new holiday dress for myself), then headed home. Bill and I decorated the whole house and put up the tree. He was wonderful helping me with the decorations. It was fun to trim the tree with someone.

Next thing we knew, the long weekend was history. I don't know how it goes by so quickly. I hope that you had as wonderful a weekend was we had and that your Thanksgiving was wonderful, too.

The Night Before Thanksgiving

I am stuck at work. Almost everyone has left, but no one officially closed the office, so here I sit. I usually get off at 5:30 pm. I have had nothing to do since about 2:00. I do have things to do at home, though. I need to bake a pumpkin pie, and Bill and I need to get our race packets for tomorrow. It would be nice to tidy the house as well, but I have almost given up on that thought. At least I was able to clean and prepare the guest bedroom last night. I cleaned the dining room on Sunday, so two rooms will look good. I am trying not to panic - it won't do any good anyway.

The heck with it - I am leaving at 5:00 pm.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!

I knew it would be too much

This past weekend I participated in a JL project which we call "Extra Hands." In these projects, we do a one day volunteer activity in our community. These events are usually great fun and really help people. On Sunday, we served a Thanksgiving dinner at The Durham Rescue Mission.

In preparation for this event, the organizers sent out a spreadsheet with items that we needed to bring. I checked it out and went for an easy pick - vanilla ice cream. I was asked to bring 8 gallons of vanilla ice cream, and my friend was asked to bring 8 gallons of chocolate. I thought this was OK - until I went to the grocery store.

I realized that a gallon of ice cream is not the normal size people buy. A gallon of ice cream is one of those huge bucket. Those buckets cost $6.00 each, if you are lucky. Do you think I was going to spend $50 on ice cream?? Heck, no. I wrote 3 e-mails to the organizers telling them that I thought there was going too much ice cream, and that the cost was too expensive for what is supposed to be a volunteer activity. I was really quite pissed, and almost dropped out of the whole project. The best thing I did was to get the other lady involved, too. When she found out how expensive it would be, she agreed it was too much. Finally, the organizers compromised with us and asked us to bring 3 gallons each.

We used one gallon of vanilla and one of chocolate. I am very glad I stuck to my guns.

Check out Free Rice

My colleague, Rebecca, found a cool new website today called Free Rice. The site has a vocabulary game on it where you are given a word with 4 possible definitions. If you choose the correct definition, 10 grains of rice are donated to the United Nations to fight world hunger. If you miss a word, your difficulty level will go down. You can play for as long as you like. Have fun and help prevent hunger!!

**We checked out the website on Snopes and it's good!!

Hangin' with The Gravy Boys

Bill and I went to a little restaurant in Pittsboro last night to have dinner and see our neighbor play with his band, The Gravy Boys.

When I first heard my neighbor was in a band, I immediately pictured a rock band. That is the style of music that I listen to, so I just made an assumption that that was the sort of music he was playing. Tom sent us a link to their website, and I listed to some clips from their CD. The music is Americana in style - kid of a down home, bluesy, folksy mix. I was terribly disappointed. Tom is a good friend, so we went to see him play. Boy, were were surprised.

The Gravy Boys are absolutely amazing live. Their music is so pure - no electronics masking their sound - just guitar, stand-up bass, harmonica, and sometimes a fiddle or banjo thrown in. Last night, we saw them for the second time. I think we have now become even bigger fans of The Boys. If you live in the local area, do yourself a favor and look for The Gravy Boys' next performance. I am sure that you will become a fan as well.

Young Again

Last night, Bill and I went to the Hurricanes game with our friends M&J. The game was horrible - the Canes never found any of their usual fire. They lost in a disgusting 3-0 showdown. We left the game early and went downtown to a new club. My colleague was hosting a party for his social club. The 4 of us went in, and it was like stepping back into the days of college. I felt really old - there were so many 20 year olds there. Then we had a drink or two and the band came on, and we remembered how much fun it is to dance and get crazy. It turned out to be a really great night.

Post #250!!
Sauce beer #102!!

Sadness

This week marks the 10th anniversary of my mother's death from lung cancer. It is such a surreal thing. It doesn't seem like it has been 10 years, but at the same time, it does feel like it has been that long.

My mother and I were great friends. I was an only child, and my dad traveled when I was a kid. I was always shy, but I did have a few good friends. I think I spent more time with my mom than any other person on the planet. She was a homemaker, so she was always there for me when I got home from school. On my days off from school, we would go shopping together (guess that's where I get my love of the mall, huh?) We would eat dinner together, we would watch TV together, and if I were sick, we would lay in bed all day together. She was the most amazing woman in the world. She never ceased to surprise me with the things she knew.

One day, our car was acting up. She popped the hood, looked at the engine, and determined what the problem was. I don't remember what it was specifically (I did not inherit that trait), but she did fix the car. I was amazed. It shouldn't be a shocking thing. After all, this was the woman who won the powder puff drag race in college. It's how she first met my dad.

I only wish she were still here to teach me more things. We had 26 wonderful years together, and I know I will see her again someday.

PS - Don't cry Maggy. I know you miss her , too. Just remember the good times and that she and I both love you.

Nothing like the smell of poop in the morning

I knew there was something wrong with the dog. I just didn't know how bad it was. She seemed restless all night, and was messing with me at about 5 am. It turns out she has explosive diarrhea. My poor baby!! There was some in the master bath, some in the hall, two spots in the dining room, and the bomb was dropped in the kitchen. Bill was the lucky guy to fine it. He cleaned the kitchen (the smell was absolutely sickening) while I started on the dining room. While I was scrubbing the carpet, my sweet girl threw up in the living room. That is not the way I wanted to wake up this morning.

I checked on her at lunch and she seemed just fine. There were no surprises. I hope the same holds true when we get home this evening. Two bombs in one day would be too much!

My Honey Can Do!

My honey had a very productive Sunday. He hung the bicycles from the ceiling in the garage to get them out of the way of the cars. He hung 2 shelves in the bar so we can enjoy the various beer glasses we have gotten at The Sauce. He hung the new curtain rods and curtain in the dining room as well. Major brownie points for my baby! The best part - after installing the curtains, he said he really liked them and wondered if I was going to get the same set up for the living room. Guess what we will be doing this weekend?

Black Rules!!

The Georgia Bulldogs showed up to play Auburn yesterday in new black jerseys. It is something that the seniors wanted to do for their last game between the hedges. It worked beautifully!!

The Dawgs smashed the Auburn Tigers 45-20 in a fantastic football game. I am thoroughly impressed with red shirt Freshman running back Keoshawn Marino. He is going to be the future on Dawg football. He, and the rest of the team, looked great yesterday against one of our bigger rivals. Now, we just need that horrible orange crew from Tennessee to lose one of their last 2 games.

We called my sister-in-law twice during the game. There was no answer, but we did leave messages for the Auburn Alumna. Hee hee, I love a good beating!! (the Canes also won 5-3 versus Atlanta!)

Yes, I did it/Shopping News

I did go to running class last night and I did complete the 5 mile run. It was very cold and I was tired. There were times when I was alone, running in the dark, and kind of scared, but I did it. I am glad it did, even if I complained to myself the whole time I was running. I thought about dropping out of the 8K race on Thanksgiving, but I feel better in the new day. I think I will run it anyway.

In other news, the Nordstrom Half-Yearly sale for Women and Children started Wednesday. I was disappointed with the selection (if was not nearly as good as Anniversary Sale), but I did manage to find a very cute pair of brown booties. I have been wearing my new boots all day. Thanks to my good buddy Melissa and my Nordstrom points certificate, I only paid $11.00 for them. It's Veteran's Day sales this weekend - hope I find more bargains!

Sleep Slidin' Away

For some reason, I could not sleep last night. I woke up at about 3:00 am for no reason. I didn't have anything on my mind, I wasn't stressed over anything, but I was awake. I would have turned on my light and read for a while, but that is rather rude to do when your husband is sleeping next to you. It was too cold for my lazy bones to get out of bed, so I just stared at the ceiling and tried to get back to sleep. I did eventually fall back asleep, but I don't feel like I got a restful sleep. I never had problems sleeping. I can usually count on my ability to shut down at the end of the evening.

Instead, I have had numerous people tell me I am grumpy today. Not only did I get little sleep, I also had a dentist appointment this morning. I had an old filling removed and replaced. I am feeling the pain now. In about 20 minutes, I am to leave here and go run 5 miles. It's 45 degrees outside. I wish I could just go home.

Sticktoittiveness

I think I have a problem. It seems that I cannot stick with one thing. I have tried many things in recent years (Tai Chi, interior decorating, feng shui, meditation, art class, writing), but nothing seems to stick. I go into the task thinking that it will be so interesting and fun. I do get enjoyment out of it for awhile, but then I quit. Is it because it is too hard? It is because I have ADD and get bored? Do I lack self confidence? I don't really know.

I have been running now since about March. When I was out Tuesday morning, I began to seriously question what I was doing. Is running becoming my latest passing fancy? I don't know. It could be that I was cold, then I was warm. Maybe I was just tired. All I know is that I did not really want to be running. I hope it does not continue. I don't want it to be the latest thing that I have tried, then given up. After all, I still have the Junior League to quit...

Mamma Mia! What a weekend...

So, this weekend was our fall back weekend. We gained an hour on Sunday, so why does it feel like this weekend was so short??

Bill and I had dinner with friends on Friday. I had attended a show with my office mate that evening that featured hand made glass. The artist blows the glass, then makes jewelry, decorative balls, or vases. I got a lovely pair of earrings that are silver with clear and frosted glass. After the show, we met up for dinner. It was nice to be able to do something with my colleague outside of work. She and her husband invited us to their home after dinner. It was nice to see her house after we have spent many hours talking about design and decorating.

On Saturday, Bill, Samantha, and I went to a charity dog walk. We did a 2 mile fun walk and raised money for The Animal Protection Society. It was a lovely weekend, so it was great to be outside. We even won this huge outdoor dog bed in a raffle. We think we are going to donate it back to the APS. Saturday evening, we went to see the play "Mamma Mia!". The musical is based on the songs of ABBA. I loved it!! I think "Dancing Queen" is one of my all time favorite songs. Bill said he would have preferred a musical based on the works of AC/DC. We went to The Sauce after the play for a few beers, so I think he was OK.

Sunday went by so quickly, I can't even tell you what we did. We did watch the movie "The Number 23". It was strange, but I liked it. Jim Carrey is kind of cool when he is not being an over the top clown.

The weekend went by too quickly. When is the next one?

The List

Bill came up with this idea with a few drinking buddies of ours - compile a list of 50 things that you want to do before you die. The list can also include things that you have already accomplished that you always wanted to do and think that other people might enjoy. We would all submit the lists to him and he would remove the duplicates to get one list. We would then have things to talk about and events to plan with our friends.

Sounds cool, huh? It was, but it is much harder than you think. It is especially difficult if you are a person like me. Compared to our friends, I have no desire for the adrenaline rush as they do. I also have very little ambition. In the end, I came up with 34 items. Many of them are shopping (own a Birkin bag, buy a pair of designer high heels) or travel (visit Australia and New Zealand, go on a photo safari in Africa) related. I do have a few adrenaline rush items (fly on a trapeze), but not as many as I suspect our friends will list. It will be fun to see the complete list and see how much we have in common.

What would you put on your list?

Happy Halloween 2007!!

Happy Halloween everybody!

Well, it is a tradition where I work that all employees dress up for Halloween. Those who do dress up are allowed to leave after a half day of work. So, really, it is a no-brainer as whether to or not to participate.

This year I went with what I know - I was a Caniac. I pretty much have everything I could possibly need after being a season ticket holder and fan for the past 7 years. Next year I can be a rabid Caniac, then a dead Caniac...I can ride this train for some time to come.

We had great costumes this year - a proctologist, a Twister game, Captain Jack Sparrow, a gang member, Luigi from Super Mario Brothers, and a guy who wore a blow up doll on his front and looked like a baby on her back. It sounds weird, but he won the best costume contest. Fun was had by all.

As I pass into my 36th year on this planet...

Today marks the beginning of year 36 for me. This morning, during my run (yes, it was very cold outside), I started thinking about my past relationships - past loves, past regrets, past mistakes, past chances that failed, and past chances never taken. I had a few fond memories in the bunch, and more than I few memories that I wished to forget. I thought about the people who have affected my life, and wondered where a few of them are now and what they are doing. I remembered a few people that I wish I had never let in my life.

For better or worse, these people made me the person that I am today. At the ripe old age of 36, I find that I am happy. I have a wonderful husband, a sweet dog, good friends and family. I have a job that is decent and a home that is warm. I have love and I am loved. I think that is pretty much all we want as humans. The first 35 years have been good - I hope the next 35 continue to bring more of the same. Happy birthday to me!

A Happy Mistake

So, last night, Bill and I were going out for an early birthday celebration. He had asked me to make reservations at a restaurant called Vin Rouge. As we were getting ready to leave the house, he mentioned something about the restaurant. I told him that we were not going to either the restaurants we had discussed the previously week - he had asked me to make a reservation at a totally different restaurant. Boy, was that news to him!

As it turned out, it was a great mistake. We were a little nervous going to this French restaurant. We were afraid it would be pretentious. It was very good. The atmosphere was chic and modern - not in the least bit stuffy. The food was great (Bill had French Onion soup and trout almondine, I had a beet salad and steak au poivre with pommes frites) and the waiter didn't mind translating the menu for us. We had a lovely evening together and discovered a great new restaurant.

Sometimes mistakes are good.

Great Weekend for Sports

What a great weekend for sports!!

My Georgia Bulldogs' football team beat arch rival Florida on Saturday 42-30. That is (unfortunately) something that does not happen very often. It was an awesome game! Georgia is now ranker #10 in the AP Poll.

My Carolina Hurricane's beat the NY Islanders 8-3 Saturday with my favorite Cane recording a hat trick!!

My new favorite baseball team, The Boston Red Sox, beat the Colorado Rockies in 4 straight games to win The World Series (ever since the tour of Fenway Park this summer, I have been smitten).

It's good to be a winner!!!!

M & J's Engagement Photos

M & J took their engagement photos this weekend. I think the pictures are awesome! Their photographer was wonderful. These two look like they could be on the cover of a magazine. It makes me wish I had some pictures of us looking this good...

They get married 06-07-08.

The Fall TV Season

I am not a big TV watcher normally, but I have found some shows that I have been enjoying this season. Now, I am happily addicted to three new fall shows. My favs are Samantha Who?, Dirty Sexy Money, and my guilty favorite, Gossip Girl. I am so addicted to Gossip Girl right now (yes, I realize that I am no longer a 16 year old girl - that's why it is a guilty pleasure) that I have been watching the episodes I tape over and over. I am just a romantic at heart and I love Serena and Dan as a couple.

I have also continued watching old favorites - Bones, Scrubs, and America's Next Top Model (I like Jenah or Heather to win it all!).

Do you have any favorite TV shows I should check out?

CA Update

I am happy to say that my friend in California is OK. She was evacuated from her home on Sunday, but has been staying with her parents. Her office is closed as well. None of the structures in her area have burned, but there is a lot of smoke and the air quality is very poor. She hopes to be able to visit her home today, but will probably stay with her parents through the weekend. I am so glad she is safe!!

California Burning

I have been watching the coverage of the fires in California. I grew up in Southern California - I lived there from second grade to my sophomore year in high school. I really didn't think that the area where I grew up (and where I still have friends) was in danger, but I just checked out the interactive map on MSN, and the fire was closer than I thought. There was no mention of my specific town, luckily. I sent off a note to my girlfriend who is still there to see if she is OK. I hope to hear back from her soon. I have been getting e-mails from my friend who now lives in Long Beach. She is OK.

One side of the country is in a miserable drought, the other side is on fire.

I can't imagine what it would be like to lose everything you owned whether it be from a fire, a flood, a hurricane, or a tornado. Your house was there one minute, and gone a few minutes later. Bill and I have made a donation to the American Red Cross. If you would like to help, click here.

Back to the Canes

My friend, Heather, and I went to the Canes game last night. It was a different experience to go with a person who was actually interested in the game. We had a good time.

We sat in the seats where we will have tickets all season. We are definitely in a hard core area. These folks were all dressed in their Canes gear with their radios on to listen to the commentary while watching the live game. I had better not make a false comment during the season - these guys may give me a run for my money.

I was glad to be able to enjoy a Canes victory. They beat the Canucks 3-1. Once again, they played one brilliant period, then made me question the rest. They came out swinging last night with 16 shots in the 1st (out of 31 for the total game). To his credit, the Canuck's goalie, Luongo, stood tall and rejected everything the Canes sent his way. His luck ran out in the 2nd period when Carolina finally scored on the power play.

When we went into the third period, I was nervous that the Canes would lose their lead as they had in the previous game. Luckily, my favorite Cane sent a gorgeous pass to the wide open Chad LaRose who was able to convert to the high side. It was an absolute beauty to see. While goalie Cam Ward played a great game, one finally slid by him with just under 7 minutes to spare. Again, my Cane came to the rescue in the final moments by stripping the puck from a poor slow Canuck and send it over to Ray " the Wizard" Whitley for the empty netter. A happy ending to a good game (there were even 3 major fights!).

I saw a great hockey game. My hubby went to car club and drank beer with Terry (Terry's wife was with me at the game - go figure, you would think it would have been the other way around). All was well in Raleigh last night.

The Worst Part

The worst part of a vacation (for me at least) is the travelling. Our recent trip to Antigua was no exception.

On the trip down, we had to get up early in the morning to get to the airport for our 7:20 am departure time. We flew to Miami where we were supposed to have a 3 hour layover. The three hours turned to 4 when our flight crew was delayed by an international flight. We arrived in Puerto Rico with only a half hour to spare for our connection to Antigua. While that seems like a lot of time, the gate agents were calling for final boarding while we were trying to run through the terminal. But, alas, that flight was also delayed by a driving thunderstorm that closed the ramp. We finally left about a half hour late, and arrived in Antigua in the dark. Unfortunately, our bags were still in San Juan. They did not have time to make the connection. There were about 5 couples who were in the same situation. By the time we arrived at the resort and got checked in, it was about 8:30 pm. We were starved as our last meal was breakfast in Miami, so we hightailed it to the closest restaurant we could find (we had a delicious Caribbean meal and several drinks). Happily, our luggage did arrive at the resort at about 1:15 am the next morning.

So, was the return trip better? No, the return trip made the outbound trip look like a piece of cake. Our phone rang at 5:30 am to wake us for our last day in Antigua. We had a quick breakfast and were shuttled to the airport for the second flight of the day. We wound up arriving so early, that the agents moved us to the first flight. That turned out to be fine because we were able to travel with a celebrity. Actress/model Amber Valletta was on our flight. You may remember her from her role as Allegra in the movie Hitch. She had been in Antigua for a photo shoot. I am pleased to say she is just as lovely in person as she is on the big screen. We lost track of her in San Juan where we had a 3 hours layover before flying to JFK. We arrived in JFK at about 5 pm, ready for our 5 hours layover before our next flight. Luckily, there was a great bar/restaurant where we were able to hang, and it was next to a sterling silver store where I purchased 2 rings. Finally, at about 10 pm, we boarded the final leg of our trip. We were so excited to be on our way home until the pilot announced that we had about an hour wait to get to the runway. We fell into our beds at home at about 1:30 am. Yes, we both had to go to work the next day.

The best part of the return? I caught someone's cold on the flight to JFK. I was so sick, I was unable to go to work on Tuesday. I am feeling much better now, but still have a bit of congestion. The travel was definitely hellish, but I think the trip was still worth it.

Back from Antigua!

Bill and I spent a wonderful week in Antigua at the Sandals Resort. It was absolutely wonderful! It was simply one of the most relaxing vacations I have ever taken. Usually, we go on vacation and go, go, go! We sight see, shop, go on tours, see shows, etc. Not with this vacation. There was nothing to see other than the clear blue water, no place to go other than the bar. The weather was wonderful (if not a bit hot). We would sit out on the beach (under a shade) after our breakfast. We might go to lunch, or simply sip on a pina colada. We would head to the main pool in the afternoon to float around with more drinks from the swim up bar. We would go to the hot tub as the sun began to set. When dark arrived, we would head to our room to relax and watch TV until we felt like showering. We would then head to dinner at any of the 9 restaurants and listen to some live music afterward. It was everything a vacation should be. Not that we were bums the whole time - we did do some activity.

We did a day excursion around the island where we toured by SUV, then went ocean kayaking. We went out to a small island called Bird Island for lunch and snorkeling. Sandals also offered many different water sports. Bill tried wind surfing. We went snorkeling on another day to a reef that is beginning to come back to life after a hurricane. We also sailed on a Hobie cat catamaran. It turned out to be the most fun thing we did and we didn't try it until the last day!

The resort was all inclusive, so there was plenty of eating and drinking. We loved that you could just walk up to a bar, request a drink, and walk away. No check, no room key, no signature required. It was the same with the restaurants. You walked in, ate what you wanted, and left when you were ready - no waiting for the wait staff to bring the bill. If that wasn't enough, there was a bar in our room with a little refrigerator. It was restocked everyday with beer, soda, mixers, water, and fruit juice. Above the bar on a shelf were 5 bottles - vodka, gin, whisky, rum, and a red wine. Yours for the taking! (there was also white wine and champagne in the frig!)

I have to say, we really enjoyed ourselves. The staff was friendly and helpful, the grounds were beautiful, and the food and drink was quite tasty. I would recommend a trip to Sandals. As a matter of fact, we are thinking of going to their St. Lucia property soon!!

Canes 10th Season Opening Night

Well, opening night didn't exactly go the way I had hoped. After the banner raising to celebrate the franchise's 10th year, there was a montage of great moments in their history. Absolutely no mention of last season, mind you. Of course, it was highly focused on the 2001-02 season when they won the Eastern Conference, and 2005-06 when they won The Stanley Cup. It's getting to be a little like Bush or Guiliani mentioning 9/11 in every political speech. Yes, we won The Cup. Yes, it was wonderful. But, it was over a year ago - let's focus on the now!

So, the Canes looked pretty good in the first period. They scored first on an Eric Cole deflection of an Eric Stahl shot, much to the delight on the pumped up crowd. Man, they had so many opportunities! I can't even count how many close calls there were in front of Montreal's net. The angels were definitely with the Habs last night. Montreal came back to tie it before the end of the first.

The second period was very slow - not much action to speak. The Canes had multiple 5 on 3 chances, but never did convert.

The Habs came out in the third and took the lead on a Koivu goal. The crowd booed. I hate negative crowd reactions. Cheer for your team, don't boo anyone!! Especially a guy who fought back from brain cancer and returned to the NHL. Luckily, the Canes got back on the ball in the last half of the third. They really did a good job forcing the net. Hedican had a beauty of a goal to tie the game once again. Overtime was looming.

I am not one for overtime. I like to finish the game in regulation. I never have a good feeling with OT. As soon as our player, Nick Wallin, took the cross charge penalty in OT, I knew it was over. Sure enough, the Habs scored within a few seconds. They crowd poured out, as defeated as the Canes.

Ward looked good in goal, and there were some sparks during the game. The Canes need to continue to work on the power play (old problem). I hope that this game is not indicative of things to come. We don't need another long season to nowhere.

Bill is Drivin' Fast!

Bill had fun in Charlotte over the weekend driving race car at The Richard Petty Driving Experience. After instruction, he was able to drive a race car around Lowe's Motor Speedway for 8 laps following an instructor. The cars on this track top out at the low 140 mph - Bill got his #55 car to just over 139 mph. He was quite pleased. I think it was a great experience for us both. I had never been to the speedway - it is huge!! We were in the center of the track, and the cars left from pit road. It was a vantage that few people get to enjoy. Bill says that next time I need to do the ride along program where I can ride passenger with a professional driver. Those cars get to about 160 mph. We now have a list of all the different locations for the experience - we may have to road trip to another race track. I am so glad he enjoyed his birthday present!

Love this picture!

The actual caption: Sometimes when you are angry with someone, it helps to sit down and think about the problem.

My husband writes: that's AWESOME. A great use for a cat- a dog's butt pillow!

The Queen City

Bill and I had a great time in the Queen City, Charlotte, this past weekend. It was part of Bill's birthday gift to go to The Richard Petty Driving School and spend a long weekend in Charlotte. Yes, Bill did go fast (more on that later).

We were totally taken aback by how beautiful and big Charlotte is. We drove down the streets and admired the gorgeous older homes on huge amounts of land. Goodness only knows how much those homes cost, but it was nice to look at all the great houses on the tree covered streets. There are some very ritzy areas of Charlotte, but also a nice mix of other, more relaxed neighborhoods. We were in an area that used to be textile mills that has now been renovated for shops, condos, and offices. It was another lovely area with a real homey feel.

Downtown was wonderful, too! The place was hopping on Saturday night with traffic at the many bars and restaurants. We were able to eat outside at a lovely Italian place called Luce in one of the tallest buildings, The Hearst Tower. We ate our brunch on the sidewalk outside of Harry and Jean's Passionate American Food (it was out of this world!) and watched all the folks walking around in their Buccaneers or Panthers jerseys.

All in all, we had a great weekend. We even got to visit the Charlotte Flying Saucer (twice) for a few beers. Great area, good shopping (of course we did some of that, too), wonderful food, tasty beer and high speed - what more could you ask for in a weekend!