Monday, August 31, 2009

RESTED

What a weekend. I feel like I did so much but did so little. Per usual, here's the weekend recap:

Friday: C picked me up and we went to see 500 Days of Summer. It was very good! It made me not like Zooey Deschanel, oddly enough. But it was a good film, very clever and touching.

Saturday: Slept til 10 am. Ate. Went back to sleep and stayed in bed until past 4 pm! Lounged around until it was time to get ready to meet C's brother and sister-in-law for dinner.

Sunday: Cleaned up my apartment. Did three loads of laundry. Threw away two boxes of stuff. Watched Will & Grace in between. I mean, I got it tidy in there. Finally. And then, to top it all off, I cooked a delicious dinner* for C and then we watched Sunshine Cleaning. Another good movie - not as funny as I thought it would be but still good. Quite a different role for Amy Adams but good stuff nonetheless.

And to top it all off, the pièce de résistance, MY NEW IPOD CAME TODAY. Glory, hallelujah. Things are great in Lindsay-land. And my own personal DVR? Worth. Every. Penny. I've got 37 episodes of Will & Grace coming my way this week alone! It's good to be me.

*The delicious dinner was straight off of Rayne's blog - you were right, it IS yummy and super easy, especially with rice! And I don't even like mustard really, but you can hardly taste it. Makes nice leftovers, too. Thanks, Rayne!

Friday, August 28, 2009

BEAT

1. The cable guy came this morning. I am now a proud cable subscriber and very proud! renter of a DVR box. I am so excited.

2. I shipped Rod the iPod off yesterday. The Grim Reaper/Fed Ex came for him at 6:38 last night and twelve hours later, he arrived in Sacremento. And I just got an e-mail from Apple that he's going under the knife any minute. Now that’s fast. The new iPod should be here next week.

3. I got the new Colbie Caillat album this week – it’s good. Also good? “Gold Digger” by the Glee cast. Not that ANYONE could top Kanye, but this is a cool version. I can’t wait for Glee!

4. I’m getting a haircut today… have I mentioned lately that I love haircuts? Hopefully Erin won’t have more tragedy to share this time.

5. It’s been a long week. I feel like I have done nothing but work, work, work (bunko aside). And to top if all of, there were a few "incidents" while I was on the clock: broken bathroom stalls and busted, bloody heads – I feel like I’ve seen it all. The weekend could not come at a better time! Peace out!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

CHEERED

Today I was waiting on the elevator at work and started hopping around, shifting my weight from right foot to left.

Which made me think of the DUMBEST cheer we used to do in junior high. Of course at the time we thought it was the best cheer in the history of all cheers ever.

It involved some fancy repetitive hopping footwork while yelling the following:

"You might be good at football (clap)
You might be good at track (clap)
But when it comes to basketball you might as well step back (clap)
We’re taking it to the top (clap)
The Lions can’t be stopped (clap)
Cause we’re N-U-MBER one!

I think that’s how it went. I may have forgotten a stanza. Was there something in there about being the best, from east to west?

My personal favorite cheer (ever) was one we used in basketball: “Do it like the army does, shoot it! shoot it! Do it like the Navy does, sink it! Sink it!” Come on! Can you stand it? That’s just clever.

Poor muddy cheerleader. If that were me, I'd have my eyes closed, too!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

FLAPPED

Here are some photos from last night's Bunko. Missy had transformed her home into "The Bunko Monkey" speak easy, complete with blacked out windows, sultry jazz music and--required for any speak easy worth our time--a password, which I can now share with you was "banana hammock."

There were gangsters and flappers alike, and we all had a great time. The winner - Casey! - had closed on her new house yesterday, so I didn't even feel sorry for myself when she took home the big pot. We had to have a roll-off for the Most Bunkos pot, as well as a roll-off for the measly Loser pot. The person who has lost the most games that evening gets to take their $10 home. So for the second time in a row, Mary Byrne thought she was a shoe-in for the Loser win, but ended up being tied with someone else at the last minute. The tie-breaker is a roll-off in which the first person to roll a bunko (aka win) loses. MB rolled three 4's - poor thing couldn't even lose the Loser roll! So no $10 for her, again. She took it hard, as you can see:
Don't know what the theme is for next month yet but I know it will be fun!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

JOYOUS

OMYGOSH. Do I have a tale for you. Please read the post I was going to share today - I had it all written and saved to draft to go up this afternoon:
-----------------------
Houston, we have an iProblem.

Guess whose iPod has decided to stop playing audio? Yes, that’s right. Last Sunday, the iPod decided it had lived a good life (and four years in the Mac world is a good life, I guess). So Rod the iPod’s functionality is now restricted to that of a paperweight. It will play when I hook it up to my computer via USB port on the bottom, but nothing from the ear phone jack and oddly, nothing via the same USB jack in my at-home speaker dock. It will only play with my computer.

And by computer, I mean my WORK computer, because in case you are new around here, my home computer died around this time last year. See the pattern? Computer, Car, Chi, iPod… why do bad things happen to good appliances? Except the car – surely that thing is rotting in hell.

Anyway, Ben at Apple outlined the three R’s for me: Replace with a refurbished 5th generation for $130; Recycle and get 10% off a new iPod; but not Repair, because it wouldn’t be cost-efficient and frankly, he didn’t want to talk about it. I can’t help but wonder how much they looked into the problem to see if it was fixable or if they just said, “nope, this is definitely not working” and moved on. Either way, I still don’t have an iPod. I have seen this coming down the road so it is time to do something.

Here’s my big complaint – of the thousands of songs on Rod the Pod, probably 90% of them are stuck on the dead computer’s hard drive, which is recoverable (at least that’s what Best Lie told me) but what good is a hard drive without a computer? I have to either have a new computer to transfer that data to, or replace the motherboard on that one so it will power up again, giving me access to songs, pictures and more.

Curses. Anyone got a spare motherboard lying around?

-----------------------

And here is the post I want to share today:

APPLE IS REPLACING MY IPOD FOR FREE!
APPLE IS REPLACING MY IPOD FOR FREE!
APPLE IS REPLACING MY IPOD FOR FREEEEEEEEEEE!


I am beside myself with glee (obviously!) Here's how I did it.

1. Leave work. Decide to call Ben at Apple and tell him to authorize the $130 swap.
2. Realize there is a 9 in the number therefore the call will have to wait until tomorrrow (today) at work.
3. Come to work. Pick up phone to call Ben at Apple. Get put on hold. Three times.
4. Start Googling around while I am on hold to see if I should have tried to fix this myself. Read about someone opening their iPod and soldering some pieces back together.
5. Find this thread. Follow the instructions.
6. Try not to wet my pants and do a happy dance when I realize IT WORKED. You know what Apple? It IS your fault, not mine. I didn't drop Rod. I didn't take him for a swim. I hardly ever even leave him in the car alone lest he get stolen. It's not my fault your product crapped out.

I guess enough people complained about the same problem that they realized they had to fix it. Yay! New iPod!

However, it still leaves me without most of the songs I ever listened to on it. But at least I can take my $130 I was going to spend to replace the iPod and put it towards fixing the computer. And I'm getting a new phone, too, RIGHT MOM, so I can put the money I was going to spend towards that purchase to a computer as well! Small victories, people. God bless Apple and God bless internet message boards.

Monday, August 24, 2009

CLUNKED

So, we’ve all heard of this Cash for Clunkers program, right? It ends tonight. Fun while it lasted, y’all! How long did it take for them to run out of money, three weeks? But it didn’t end quickly enough for me to figure out what was REALLY going on.

About three weeks ago I started seeing lots of people being pulled over by cops in unmarked cars. And not just any unmarked cars – clunkers! I mean funky, discolored paint jobs, nothing like the neat and tidy white car you are used to seeing. I mean, one cop car had a hubcap missing. And the more I looked for it, the more I saw it: visibly used vehicles with lights installed and a cop behind the wheel. Honestly, if I were pulled over by one of these cars, I would have to do like that old e-mail chain that went around a few years ago to all the women, and call 911 to make sure that is indeed a police officer behind me and not a rapist. But then again, the 9 key on my phone* doesn’t work, so I’d be out of luck, wouldn’t I?

On a related note, when I drove home to Alabama and back two Sundays ago, I saw probably ten police officers (some of them in clunkers) with a motorist pulled over on the side of the road. And I probably saw another five more during the week. That 100 Days of Summer Heat they’re advertising? It’s for real. Although I personally think some wiseacre figured out a quick way to balance the budget – pull more people over. More traffic citations = more fines being paid = more money to Uncle Sam! Oh, and safer roads and all that.

So the gig is up, government. I know why you want our clunkers. May I suggest a new, cheaper program: Amnesty on Your Latest Traffic Citation For Turning in Uninsured Drivers. Now that's a good idea.

*See, Mom? Yet another reason why you should give me the new phone you just won.

Friday, August 21, 2009

BRIEF

1. Commercials I Hate part 1: Old Navy Modelquins. O. Ver. Done.

2. Commercials I Hate part 2: Publix's too busy for dinner. Like any dad would ask "are you sure we have time for this?" to a homecooked meal.

3. Commercials I hate part 3: Jif's College Girl. Moms send packages? True. College girls eat peanut butter? True. People talk that way? FALSE.

4. Shows I am going to start recording as soon as my DVR works: Will & Grace, Top Chef, SNL and the Office; and once they start fresh: The Office, 30 Rock, Glee, SNL and Cougartown.

5. Things I am doing this weekend: babysitting, working, going to the pool!

xoxo

Thursday, August 20, 2009

CONNECTED

I caved. While I appreciate all the comments encouraging me to get cable, little did you all know I already had my mind made up before I even published the post. And I got the DVR. Of course Complicatedcast pushed their luck right out of the gate, trying to tack on one-time fees and such. But I called them and managed to get all the ridiculous "one time" fees waved except the dang $20 installation (and that's after I asked repeatedly if I couldn't just set it up myself). So all I'm paying for is my monthly service. And I am so excited!

A few of you asked which half marathon I had my eye on. The answer? None. I do want to run again. I miss it. But I sure haven't signed up for any races... or started training for one. I guess the cable thing is a good incentive and motivator: okay, fatty - all your shows are being recorded now, so get your booty back outside. And I did very well when I had a goal I was working toward, so I think I need to try that again. Therefore, I have been shopping around today, looking for what races are coming down the pipe in late 2009 and 2010. Here's the one I got REALLY excited about. I mean really, really excited. Anyone else interested? It's four months away so if I'm going to do it, I need to commit quickly - who's with me?

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

CABLED

So I am about to have a pretty big milestone in my life. Are you ready for this? For the first time ever, I am renewing a lease. Like clockwork, I have moved in and out of dorms, apartments, condos, etc. this time of year. And boy, does it sucks. Read about (some of it) here here or here. I hate moving. But recently, I told my landlord that I was looking forward to another year in my apartment, and I felt so free. I get to stay! I don't have to move! This is HUGE!

So since I have been there a whole year, and plan to be for at least another year, I am considering that it is time to get myself some cable. I waited to make this decision last year, since I wasn't sure if the computer would get fixed and therefore didn't know if I would need just cable, or cable and internet. Then I decided all of it was too expensive for one girl and I would just do without anything but the basic channels. And now, a year has come and gone. I've got Monica and she's all the internet I need. But that still doesn't solve the cable question.

Feeling the heat of the recession or the hatred of many customers, Complicatedcast* has a deal going - $30 a month for a full year contract. And since I am renewing my lease, that math works for me! Of course set up and taxes and fees are not included. But I think I could live with that. Now my big dilemma is over the DVR. Since my work hours are so unpredictible, I really NEED a DVR, don't I? It's "only" another $16 a month. C has one that he lets me hijack from time to time and even though he records some of the same shows I watch (NBC comedies + SNL), there was a real threat that he would delete an episode of the Bachelorette that I had asked him to record and that's just not a risk I want to take. Plus, now we have Glee and Cougartown and a fall series of So You Think You Can Dance and with my wanting to train for another half-marathon (true story) I will need something to record these shows on so running won't take a backseat to TV watching!

So what do you think? Am I being ridiculous? If you lived by yourself, wouldn't you finally crack and get some cable after a year? I mean, at least I'm not having to pay for moving trucks again.

*Be-lieeeeve me I have checked and they are the only ones that service my neighborhood. Oh how I would prefer not to deal with them.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

PROMOTIONAL

Last week, I hauled myself all the way out to Wal*Mart after work to buy groceries but more importantly, to buy Sugarland’s new DVD/CD which is only available there. Bah. I hate exclusive deals. But in this case, it was worth it, because It. Is. So. Good.

There’s two discs – one is a CD with 10 tracks: 6 covers and 4 Sugarland songs. The covers are so great! “Sex On Fire” a la Kings of Leon, “Irreplaceable” by Beyonce, “Better Man” by Pearl Jam and more! The one weak moment is the “Love Shack” cover, which has started to grow on me actually, but I didn’t like at first.

Then there’s the DVD, which may or may not be just like the concert that aired on TV a few weeks ago (I wouldn’t know since I didn’t watch it). It’s so awesome! I watched it four or five times just last week alone! My favorite songs are "Genevive," "Steve Earle," and "Baby Girl." There’s also a mini rave with lightsticks and a disco ball, an acoustic set with foot stomping and lots of harmonizing, and lots and lots of Jennifer Nettles, who I think I want to move in with. She’s just a doll.

And you know what the most amazing part is? How much would you expect to pay for an item like this? Because it only costs $12.98. Seriously. Way to go, Sugarland. Everyone go buy your copy of Live on the Inside today – you won’t regret it!

Monday, August 17, 2009

ANGELIC

I know, I know, I know. I am such a bad blogger. No rush stories, no Loofah stories, not even my review of Sugarland's new DVD/CD or a summation of my theory on the government's Cash for Clunkers program. In my defense, I have been super busy. I promise, I'll be back.

Until then, look who I met this weekend:
She's just perfect, can't you tell? She loves her Aunt Linds - look at her hugging me in that last photo. What a doll.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

CAPITOLED

Back to DC. Where was I? Oh yes – I was on the train, feeling very dirty (no shower) but cosmopolitan (I was on the train!).

After my short train ride, my brother-in-law picked me up and we headed to his office, which has a great view of the Supreme Court. We took some time to catch up until lunchtime rolled around and we headed off to Good Stuff to meet my sister for lunch. Michelle, as in Obama, had eaten there the day before so the restaurant was pretty crowded. I was so glad to see my sister! I was also very glad to see the delicious burger and fries that was soon in front of me.
After lunch I went with Jennie back to her office adjacent to the Capitol. After she completed some tasks, we went on a tour, which I had been looking forward to for one main reason – the Senate subway. I have seen pictures off some of the senators looking so silly riding around in this thing and I couldn’t wait for my turn. After some touring around I finally got a turn and it was just thrilling.
On the other hand, not so thrilling was the elevator ride we went on afterward. A Capitol Policeman jumped on board with us, studied us for a second and asked if we were MOTHER AND DAUGHTER. Seriously? This harkens back to this dark memory. We asked him who he thought was the mother and that b@$+@rd actually pointed to ME! I then asked him to take out his gun out and shoot me. I mean, I had been up since 4:30 a.m. that morning, and was unshowered, and I know my sister looks very young, but surely I don’t look that old enough to be her mother? He scampered off like a roach in the light when the doors open – I guess we put him in his place. Hint to all men out there – 1. Don’t ask a woman when she is due, and 2. Don’t ask a 26-year-old and a 28-year-old which one’s the mother. Sit back and wait for that information to be volunteered, okay? Even if you are carrying a gun.
So after my “daughter” took me on a very informative tour, we retreated to her office until it was time to head to meet Jamie for dinner. Jen picked an Italian restaurant close by for us to try. It was delicious. I know there weren’t any leftovers on my plate… nor in the wine carafe we split. After dinner, we weren’t sure what the night would hold so we decided to figure it out at their apartment. I was so pleased to finally see their cute home! We lingered there before deciding to take a field trip.
First stop, FDR Memorial. I had not seen it and they promised it was neat, especially at night. Right out of the gate Jamie starts impressing me with interesting facts about the memorial, which is outdoors and features four different scenes – one for each term of FDR's presidency. There is a lot of water and stone used, along with plenty of statues, which we started climbing on and posing with immediately. I thought my idea to join the bread line was so original, until we were on our way out and I saw another tourist doing the same pose. Oh well.
Second stop, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. We wanted to go there for a few reasons. First of all, the building is very significant to Jennie and Jamie since he proposed to her at sunset on the rooftop terrace. While we didn’t have time to go up there, we did get a good spot for Reason Number 2 – Fantasia. My sister is a much bigger fan of Fantasia's than I am, but maybe that’s because earlier that week she saw her give a phenomenal performance as Celie in The Color Purple, which was playing that week at the Kennedy Center. The evening show was still going on when we got there and I watched Fantasia sing her big ballad “I’m Here” via a video feed and I was brought to tears, even not having seen the play or the movie. It was very touching and the musical is very high on my must-see list now. After the performance she saw earlier that week, Jennie got Fantasia’s autograph but not a picture. She wanted to remedy that, so we planted ourselves by the red rope and waited for the show to end. Long story short, guess who decided not to take any personal photos or sign autographs that night? Fantasia did come out and talk to us, though. She addressed the crowd and then mingled a bit, walking right up to my sister and asking her (of all things) how old she was. When Jennie answered 28, I added “Yeah, and I’m her mother” (referencing the guard’s comment earlier). This threw ‘Tasia for a loop ("YOU'RE her MOTHER?!") and she laughed/cringed with us when we explained the story. I asked her if she would stay on the tour through Nashville and offered that she could stay with me if she wanted. She pretended to be really excited about that idea and told me she wanted macaroni and cheese with sweet tea. I jokingly told her I’d write down my number for her to call me when she got to town.
The next day, we got up a little later than we'd planned. Our first stop was for lunch at a place called Cosi – it was delicious! I am waiting for one to open in Nashville. After a filling lunch, we took off for the Newseum via the Metro and a walk across the Mall.
The Newseum is a journalism museum that opened in its current location in 2008. It’s six floors full of interesting information! We got there at 2 pm and stayed until they closed shop at 5 pm, and the only reason we managed to cover all six floors in those three hours is because we were rushing a little and moving along. The exhibits in which I was most interested included G-Men and Journalists (about the FBI and the role the press has played in solving (or ruining) some of their biggest cases: there was the actual electric chair used on the Lindy baby's kidnapper, the unabomber’s teeny-weeny shack, a replica of the car used in the DC sniper spree and more) and the 9/11 Gallery (self-explanatory). I also found lots of interesting things scattered among the many other displays on every floor. It was worth the price of admission for sure. After we were (politely) shooed out the door, we headed to the Museum of American History to see the renovated exhibits. That didn’t take too long. We hit the Abraham Lincoln exhibit, the pop culture corner, the first ladies gallery, Julia Child’s kitchen and the Presidential exhibit before paying respects to Ole Glory and heading home for the real treat of the weekend – a home-cooked meal!
My sister whipped up a DELICIOUS dinner on Saturday. What a chef! For an appetizer, we had Wisconsin cheese fondue, straight outta the Melting Pot only better because we were at home! She nailed that recipe and I could have stopped there. But there was a deliciously seasoned, grilled to perfection, NY strip steak with my name on it that she had made (on a Foreman grill!), along with potatoes Au Gratin (Jamie's one request for the weekend) and salad. For dessert, we had more of the amazing ice cream pie we’d been feasting on all weekend. I am still full from all of that! Thank you again, Chef Sister. We tried to watch a movie after that but all of us were so full and tired that we were asleep pretty soon.
On my last day in DC, Jennie and I took off bright and early for the Ikea store. You already know how that went. We spent more time there than I predicted we would, but I also spent less money there than I predicted I would! Our priorities changed after that - instead of cramming in more sightseeing, we had to figure out how I was going to get all the stuff home. They loaned me an extra suitcase and helped me pack and organized all my purchases in two suitcases and a NBC store shopping bag before we had one last slice of pie and left for the airport.

All in all, a great great great weekend that really flew by! I forget how much I miss my sister (and Jamie!) until I am around them. Thanks again guys – love you both! See you at Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

DECORATED

I feel like I should follow up the Ikea post by saying that last night I unpacked all of it and started putting it away and I LOVE MY NEW THINGS. I really didn’t spend a lot and considering I haven’t done squat towards decorating in the past year I’ve lived there (save for two shelves from Pottery Barn), some inexpensive decorating is long overdue.

First up, I unpacked my magazine files. I had two of them from my first Ikea trip with Allison in 2008 and got three more sets of two for six total. And boy did I fill them all up. I save all my issues of Real Simple and Entertainment Weekly, and the best issues of the other magazines (Best of/Worst of, Inauguration, Tribue Issues, etc). Once I started putting the magazines away neatly, I realized it was time for a bookshelf overhaul. I love books so you would think my display of them would be fitting to my love of books. Partially because I also have a love for silver picture frames, and they were competing with space. I had seen bookshelves organized by color before but never thought I could pull it off – my books weren’t colorful! Or so I thought, until I started pulling them off the shelf and stacking them by color. I removed a few of the dust jackets and what do you know? A stack of yellow, purple, red/pink, blue and green! I edited the silver frames down to three and arranged, rearranged and rearranged until I got a look I like. The camera shot doesn’t really translate it well but trust me, it looks good and is a much better improvement over the chaos that was going on previously: a clock, picture frames, magazine racks, two artsy wine glasses, a pewter horse head (from Evan, don’t ask), more magazines and stuffed in between all of that, my books!
Next, I got out the three wicker baskets I had purchased to go under my coffee table. That poor coffee table serves as a footrest, dinner table and a crap magnet. I did quick math in Ikea to decide that I could get three of them on the shelf and they look great. I also added a coffee table book to the table top, a candle stick, two frames and a little dish I use for pens, keys, etc.
Next I took off the silver frames I had on my Pottery Barn shelves and put up the white gallery looking frames I picked up at Ikea. The whole effect is much cleaner and subtle, and once I get them all filled with 5x7 pictures, it will be exactly what I was going for!
The last item that needs attention I couldn’t attend to immediately. I bought a small bar with hooks that I want to hang by my stove for spoons, spatulas, etc. The problem is that the entire wall by my stove is tiled. Since I am renting and can’t even paint a wall, I don’t think leaving four gaping holes in the backsplash would be a good idea. I am waiting for permission from my landlord to hang the bar and leave it, an option I don’t mind since it cost me only $2. Since there is hardly any drawer space, I’m sure the next tenant would appreciate having another storage option. I know I would. In the picture below, just use your imagination!
Last but not least, the couch pillows. They also look better in person. But here they are.
Baby steps! Next up, some curtains and a rug to tie the black and white from the couch in with the color from the bookcase! And a recap of the portion of my time in DC that wasn’t spent in Ikea.

Monday, August 10, 2009

SHOPPY

Things I Took to Washington, DC:
Purse
Carry-on suitcase with two books and enough clothes, toiletries, etc. for two nights in DC

Things I Brought Home from Washington, DC:
Friends frame fridge magnet*
Playbill with autographs from the cast of Nine to Five*
Purse
Carry-on suitcase with two wicker baskets and a picture frame with half of the clothes, etc for two nights in DC packed in as a cushioning
Extra large shopping bag packed with a third wicker basket, two more picture frames and three sets of magazine holders
Large suitcase with three more frames, two sets of four dishtowels, two potholders and an oven mit, train set**, one roll of art paper and wooden dowel dispenser**, three pillows, kitchen utensil rod with ten clips, pack of 5 note cards to be framed and the other half of the clothes, etc for two nights in DC packed in as cushioning

So clearly, I went to Ikea while in DC. Checking or carrying-on case of Trader Joe's wine (if you can even do that) got bumped the minute I started buying baskets and pillows. I ended up having to borrow a suitcase and carry a paper sack on the plane and almost had to ship some stuff as well. As I put it to my family, my eyes were bigger than my luggage. And what's sad is I could have bought more, lots more, if I had been driving home and not flying. Ikea strikes again!

*Thanks, Jennie and Jamie!
**In my defense, it wasn't all for me!

VISUAL

Back from the beach, back from DC, back from eight days of solid vacation. No more sand, no more Smithsonians, no more sleeping in.

I bet you thought I was going to get on here and post a bunch of pictures to tide you over and not recap it all properly just yet, didn't you?

Well you were right. Behold:

More to come later about my whirlwind tour of the Atlantic seaboard!

Friday, August 07, 2009

TRAINED

Right now I am sitting on a train (the MARC!) heading from Baltimore to DC. I have been up since 430 EST. I am one tired turtle. But I was that girl, changing clothes and putting on makeup in the airport restroom, so I am a tired but polished turtle. It's amazing what a fresh shirt and a little makeup can do to wake you up and take the haggard away.

The beach was awesome. Pleasantly, surprisingly good. Thing 1 and Thing 2 kept us on our toes and the weather was mostly cooperative. I tended to hit the beach in the morning with everyone, and then would stick to the pool at the house after lunch. We only ate out one night and cooked at home the other nights. I even made dinner for everyone one night! I know. Strange things happen at the beach.

Last night we did beach photos in all white, packed up and then played cards. Phase 10 to be exact. It reminded me of my teenage years at Mawmaw and Big Daddy's house. He got SO into card games: Sequence, Phase 10, Uno, etc. Every time we went down there, he had a new game. I need to play more games. I forget how fun they are. I also forgot how funny the Cosby Show is. It was on TV yesterday when it was raining and I watched an episode. Theo had decided to move in with his girlfriend and Cliff and Claire weren't thrilled to say the least. So funny.

Pictures from the beach coming soon. For now, I am going to try to catch a cat nap. But this big fast silver train keeps whizzing by us on the center track (and the side that I am on) and it scares the crap out of me every time. Heavens. I may have to go change clothes for the second time this morning.

Monday, August 03, 2009

UNGUARDED

When I see this picture, I think:

a) Lindsay clearly didn't realize the guard wasn't on before she put the razor on Chris's head;
b) Chris must have made her really mad;
c) He is a little too old to be experimenting with his look;
d) Payback is a $&%@#!
e)___________________.

BEACHY

So far so good. The weather has been tolerable. Today is gorgeous. Not a cloud in the sky. But it rained a little yesterday, causing us (okay, me) to break into a jog on the way back. What can I say? I didn't want my phone and ipod to get anymore ruined than they already are.

We are doing a lot of eating in while we are here. Last night was hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, chips and baked beans. Delicious, just as you would suspect.

The home also has a pool so we have done some night swimming and enjoyed ourselves tremendously.

Atlantic ocean beaches are different from gulf shore beaches. The sand is much darker, yellow even, and the water is not even close to clear. But I saw some dolphins frolicking earlier so its obviously not doing anyone any harm.

In other vacation news, my mom (who is in DC right now) and sister saw Paul McCartney in concert and the Color Purple starring Fantasia over the weekend. Mom's vacation is giving mine a run for the money. But then again, does her vacation have anything remotely this cute?

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