Sunday, April 29, 2012

BUSY

This week has ended much better than it started. Maybe next week I will blog about the Great Comcast Saga of 2012. It's just too soon to talk about it. I made a mention or two of it on social media but I really barely scratched the surface of the level of hell that company put me through this week. And the day after my services finally started working, I got my first month's bill in the mail, including charges for five days that I couldn't even use their product. It never really ends with them. But enough about that.

While that was going on, I also discovered that my car title got lost in the mail. It was not a good week for LJ v. the Man, to put it mildly.

But, there were also a lot of highs this week:

• First homemade dinner in my new house, at the table, watching the storms roll across town (I have a beautiful view!)
• Mary Byrne came by Thursday night with a bottle of Cupcake Red Velvet (delicious) and time to kill. We visited and caught up and it was delightful. We also talked artwork and curtains and other homemaking things (not only is she the daughter of an interior designer, she is moving into a new house this week too, so it's all fresh on her brain as well). We even negotiated a sale on her nice trash can that won't go in her new kitchen!
• The car title that had previously been lost in the mail FINALLY arrived.
• My sister got an iPhone, and I spent twenty minutes on Friday watching my cute nephew smile and kick, and giving them a virtual tour of my new house. Technology is so great!

On Wednesday night, my bunko club went bowling for our "non-Bunko" monthly activity:



and on Saturday, I drove about a mile up the road to my friend and sorority sister Corrie's house, to have dinner with other sorority sisters and husbands (and babies!) who were in town for the race.


And just for good measure, I also hung two sets curtains all by myself... not as easy as it sounds!

Hope you all had a good week, start to finish!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

STRONG

"Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come." - Proverbs 31:25 (American King James translation)

More than one woman I know needs a reminder today of how strong she is, and that better days are ahead!

With all the wrath I have been spewing at Comcast this week (daily bordering hourly), it's time I put some positive vibes into the world anyway. Encourage someone today!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

STORAGED

In keeping with the "more space/storage for LJ" theme, it was announced yesterday that Google is increasing the storage limit for Gmail from 7.5GB to 10GB. This probably is not very interesting to the majority of you. Somehow, I had managed to use upwards of 90% of my Gmail storage, so this was a nice little bump.

Thanks, Google!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

MOVED

Woohoo! Coming to you live from my new condo. Guess what? I LOVE IT!

Overall, it was a pretty good day. I have been planning the way it would go for almost three full weeks now, ranging from hiring movers and scheduling Comcast to writing an agenda so I wouldn't forget to do anything when I needed to do it.

Example: the first thing I did when I woke up was strip my bed and wash my sheets. The new place does not have a washer and dryer in it yet so I was bound and determine that not a single thing came over less than clean. You gotta think these things through people... remember those four lists?

First up, however, was breakfast with my uncle, who had SO KINDLY driven up my kitchen table and chairs from their resting spot in my sister's home for the past year. Sorry, table, you won't see anything like that food anytime soon. Much to the table's chagrin, we got everything set up and then ran up to Evan's, where I picked up THIS pretty little gem:


Someone can do more than provide furry bunny fun. I am really, really paraphrasing here, but more than a year ago, Evan saw the dresser:

took it home and turned it into the beautiful piece you see above. It is the PERFECT spot for my TV and other living room type things!

So my uncle and I picked it up and brought it to the new condo where it looks like it was custom made for the place. It looks amazing. After getting things underway, I headed back downtown for the rest of Operation Move.

I finished packing and literally the roll of tape ran out as I was making the very last box. After I was all packed, I started cleaning. Just as I had finished cleaning, the movers called to say they were on their way. I loaded some random things into my car and they showed up around 3. It took them an hour to get the old place empty and I vacuumed us right on out the door, left my keys and followed them south of town. That was my goal: a clean break. Mission, accomplished! It took almost another two hours (hmm) to get everything loaded into the new condo and poof, the hardest part was over.

Comcast was arriving just as the movers were heading out... and so did a visitor! My sweet friend - and new neighbor! - Jamie stopped by with her baby girl, a bottle of wine and some pretty fresh flowers for my condo! I am so thankful for my sweet friends... especially ones that bring vino! Part of the reason I am so excited about this location is all my friends that close by, so expect to hear even more about them!

After Comcast got their work done, I went and got some dinner and have slowly but surely started unpacking, based on necessity of course. Had to find the iron, to iron the bedskirt, before I could make up the bed. Had to find the shower rings, to put up the shower curtain. Had to find the towels and soap to take a shower. Etc. Y'all know the drill. Tomorrow I will knock it out room by room.

The point is: I am moved in, happy as a clam, and tired as can be! Happy times are here again, and hopefully I can find something besides moving to talk about now.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

CLOSE

When I think about moving

When I think about being done with moving


Back to work.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

BERRIED

Just when I think EVERYONE in the world has traded their Blackberry for an iPhone...



A baby AND a blackberry: a winning combination for sure! Work it, Bey!

PS- If you haven't checked out her new website/blog - you should! It's fabulous.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

ORGANIZED

Welp. I have to say that my GET STARTED PACKING EARLY strategy is working. I move in six days and I am probably 75% packed, not counting furniture. Mom was here this week (keep reading) and remember how I was the only one in the office on Good Friday? I "traded" that day and took my holiday on Wednesday so I could play with her. We got the entire kitchen packed up. Then yesterday, I knocked out my bathroom, storage closet and bedroom. All I have left is clothes! My labeling method is keeping me sane along with the very practical room by room approach (or zone defense) and I also should mention I have four different lists I carry around with me everywhere so that anytime I think of something to do or pick up or remember, I write it down. But successes aside, my back is starting to feel the pain which is why I am so glad I have movers coming on Saturday. I don't plan to lift a thing!

But enough about that. Mom flew up this week to go to a concert with me. We had fun at the show but the real fun was Wednesday. We got breakfast, I showed her my new place, we ran a few errands and then she helped me clean, and pack, and was so helpful! It was so great to have extra hands to give me a boost. It made me feel like I wasn't totally alone in this overwhelming process. Ha.

Here is a cute picture we took after dinner on Tuesday, walking to the concert.


Sunday, April 08, 2012

BUNNIED

Happy Easter! This is the second Easter I have not spent with my family, and the first Easter I have not done so by choice. The wind blew us all different ways this year and that's okay. I will see them, all four of them, soon enough.

So I used the weekend to PACK PACK PACK. T-minus two weeks until the big day. The last time I moved, I feel like it was pretty quick. I hadn't packed a thing when I had to be out. I'm not making that mistake this time. I got about ten boxes from the liquor/wine store and about 40flattened boxes from a Craigslist ad. I borrowed a tape gun and am labeling each box as I go. I've already made some progress, and with 13 days left (including a free weekend), in the words of Kevin McCallister, "I'm in good shape." Exhibit A. I wish that box of Gato Negro was full of Gato Negro, not picture frames.

So I took a break to eat dinner and got a call from Evan. He had a surprise for me. With this kid, it could be anything. Knowing he was on his way home from a party, I was a little disappointed when he said it was not edible, but I told him to come by anyway. Ten minutes later, he shows up at my door with this:

Yes, 2'x3' cage with three tiny baby bunny rabbits in it. The Easter bunnies hath arrived.
I love that last shot. The hare does hair!

Before anyone calls PETA, the bunnies were on loan. I think the first thing I said when he walked in was "I hope those aren't for me." They were adorable but let's get real. Evan borrowed them from one Easter party, to take to another Easter party, and brought them to me on the way. I am so glad he did. They were so sweet and tiny and once they warmed up to us, were hopping all over us. They liked to perch by our necks. We had some good laughs and it was such a nice, random surprise. Only Evan.

Today he joined me at early church and then at brunch with some coworkers. I took a nice long nap since I haven't been to early church since I was in high school, and betcha can't guess what I am doing now? Gotta go - the tape gun is looking lonely!

Friday, April 06, 2012

CALLED

I am the only one in my office this Good Friday and it is a ghost town. If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll tell you a secret: I love it. I am getting so much busy work done... updating databases, "tickling" files, catching up on reports, etc.

BUT. I am sure there are several of you sitting at your desk right now who aren't so fortunate to have plenty of work to do on this holiday weekend while everyone else but you and I are off work. Been there, done that. So, let me help you out.

Add this to the list of good things happening to me in 2012: This web site makes me CRY from laughing so hard. I can relate to almost every one of the funny little posts on What Should We Call Me?

Here are some of the ones that made me LOL.

What Should We Call Me....
When I see a guy wearing embellished jeans?
When I'm Out with my boyfriend and his ex shows up?
When a celebrity says they stay in shape by drinking water and chasing their kids around the house?
When you lie to your boyfriend or girlfriend and say you are too tired to go out?
When I overhear someone saying something bad about me?
When I leave for class work and my hair is actually washed and blow dried?
When the waiter brings our food and mine looks better than everyone else's?

Hope you get a laugh or two out of it. Lord knows I did, then I went and got my whole office addicted. Who went and got their kids addicted. What should we call me when I realize I'm a trendsetter?!

PS - Here's an article about the two founders. Women are behind this! Yes!

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

CONQUERING

Remember when I told you that during my 3-hour car ride on New Year's Eve, I spent a lot of time thinking about my goals for the year? 2011 was a good year in terms of getting my confidence back, figuring out what I wanted to do with my life and making a game plan for change.

2012 is the year I act on it. At the end of 2011, nothing in my life was working for me. So 2012 is the year I fix what I can and go for all the plans and dreams and thoughts I sowed in 2011.

First up: I was promoted. Already told you about that. A combination of hard work, shifting staff and several conversations with my boss and I was positioned into a job that I really, really love. I feel like a flower that has bloomed. And it shows.

Next up: paid off my car. Mailed the check on Friday. Feels pretty good. Now if I could get people to stop breaking into it....

Enter step 3! I am moving. No, not to Alabama, though someone's big blue eyes are making it hard to stay away.

I found a place 10 miles closer that direction though, south of town and in a great, safe area and my favorite part: it is SO CLOSE to many of my friends. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I miss having my bed in a room with three other women, but I do miss the community of the dorms, especially as a single woman. I can't wait to be walking distance to at least three of my girlfriends. I also will be very near all kinds of shopping, restaurants, and other conveniences not found downtown (or at least on my current commute).

I am SO excited. This new place also has a SECOND BEDROOM, so ANYONE who wants to come and visit, or is passing through town, or needs a place to stay for any reason at all, is more than welcome to! It also has a pool... so if you need me, that's where I will be.

Generous friends are giving me some great handmedowns but I also have my eye on some things to save for. Who wants to read some humble little decor posts?

YAY for change! I don't think I have ever celebrated change before, I usually hate it. But in this case, I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!

Monday, April 02, 2012

VINEYARDED

On Saturday, some friends and I made a trip out to Arrington Vineyards. This is my third annual trip - I always say I need to go more, but for some reason only make it out there once a year.

We got a table and spread out our picnic. Everyone just brings whatever is in her fridge and it's usually a good mix of snacks: fruit, cheese, crackers, chocolate cake, hummus, pasta salad, etc.

We had one "underage" in the group. This picture cracks me up. My, how things change!
Bonus: as we were leaving the Vineyards, Kix Brooks (owner) came driving up in his yellow drop top!

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