I had written a completely different post for today, but it will have to be saved for later because tonight I went out with some girlfriends to the Olive Garden and boy was it quite an experience.
We met up at the restaurant at around 6:30p.m. to get the party started so to speak. Our friend Shawna was in town and we had not had an opportunity to spend time with her in a long while and so she arranged our little soiree. Shawna, Lisa and I were the first ones to arrive and be seated and our waitress said she would be over in a few minutes and by the time she finally did come over (10 minutes or more later) everyone had arrived. Listen, people, I waited tables for a good five years or more in my college and post-college days and I know what good service is and isn’t. Now, our waitress, bless her heart, was pregnant and no doubt tired and running the gamut of emotions.
We were served salad and drinks but our waitress was MIA for a long while and when she finally did return, it was with our dinner. We asked for more salad and extra dressing but she didn’t acknowledge that she heard the extra dressing bit and so Amy told her again and she finally acknowledged that she heard us.
We ate our dinner and talked and talked some more and once about every 15 minutes or so our waitress would show up and refill a drink or ask us if we needed anything. About 20 minutes or more after we had finished eating, she finally brought our checks to us. She then collected all of our cards and dinner checks on her tray. Lisa commented to me that all those cards and checks on the tray was going to be a disaster and sure enough it ended up being just that.
Lisa and I saw her tray tilt over and the money on the tray fell in the floor and some of the cards got mixed up. I noticed she kept looking on the ground for something and figured she probably was missing some money or a card. When she came back to the table, she tried to give me my check with Amy’s card. I told her that wasn’t my card and gave it back to her. She passed out some other cards and took Shawna’s and then came back and gave everyone their card but me. She then asked me to look in my wallet for my card, which was the ceiling for me. This whole time I had been watching her and knew my card was lost and for her to come over and ask me to look in my wallet, well, that was the final straw. I said, “I saw you drop your tray, I know you lost my card, you’d better find it.” She went back over and got assistance from another waitress and they moved chairs and other various and sundry objects looking for it. She finally found it, I think it ended up being on her tray the whole time, under something.
I then asked to speak with a manager and when the manager came over I told him that the waitress had not been very friendly and that she only checked on us every 15 minutes or so and that losing my card was unacceptable. He then said he was going to take care of my meal for me, which he did. We then discovered that the waitress had originally charged my meal on Amy’s card but then credited it back and charged her for the correct meal.
The manager then showed me where he credited my meal and he gave each of us a $5 gift card. The waitress then came over and apologized and she started crying and y’all, I just couldn’t take it. My guilty conscience took over and I felt so bad. By no means did I intend to upset her. I’m sure she was just having a bad night. I mean, she’s pregnant and I’m sure she is doing the best she can to make a living for herself and her child and I just felt terrible for causing her to cry.
We sat around and talked for a while longer and when we got ready to leave, the waitress was sitting at a table with one of the waiters rolling silverware for the next day. I went over to her and apologized to her. I told her I was sorry if I was rude and certainly didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. She apologized as well and I apologized again and told her not to worry about it. I hope she won’t get in trouble over the situation and hopefully she will have a better shift the next time. In short, it was a great night with the girls and I’m glad I went over and talked to her before I left; I certainly hope it made her feel a little better about the situation.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Movie Experience and Review: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
As mentioned earlier in the week, I went to see a movie on Saturday afternoon. I took in the 4:30 showing of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", a British flick starring Gary Oldman (a genius!) and a Colin Firth (LOVE him) and a bunch of other cute and also not so cute British men. The film was released overseas in September of last year but for whatever reason was released in the States just this month. All the reviews said it was a flawless and (insert other flattering adjectives here) performance by Oldman so I thought, well, I'll go check this out.
Once again I went by myself. Jackie has her kids this past weekend and I really didn't think anyone else I know would want to see this particular film so I opted to just go by myself, mostly to get out of the house before I forever became a permanent fixture on the couch.
I got to the theater about 15 minutes before the movie started, bought my ticket and a medium popcorn. I had my contraband Diet Coke in my purse. I found a seat at the end of an aisle where there were five empty seats together. I put my coat and purse in the seat at the aisle and sat next to them. People started flowing into the theater and there were a few times when I thought that someone was going to plop down beside me, but thankfully that didn't happen and I was able to enjoy the luxury of elbow room and moving around freely without disturbing anyone next to me.
One couple that came in looked perilously close to sitting next to me but instead chose the two seats directly across the aisle from me. Let me tell you, if they had sat next to me, I probably would have gotten up and asked for a refund because it was bad enough having them across the aisle. The man constantly snorted and sniffed and it wasn't discreet in the least. Each time he snorted, he then sounded as though he was about to choke on whatever he snorted up and would cough and clear his throat. Clearly he has issues. I don't know if he was sick or if this is his normal behavior but if I was his wife or whoever that woman was with him, I would not have put up with that. It was disturbing. Once the movie got started, he didn't do it quite as often. My guess is because the movie was very quiet. At one point he got up and to be honest, I was so engrossed in the movie that I didn't even notice. I did, however, notice when he came back and it started all over again. I tried to give him the stink eye when I left, but the theater was dark so I doubt it did any good. But, seriously, it was probably the worst movie experience I've had as far as weirdos in the crowd.
On to the movie portion of this story - I had no idea what this movie was going to be about, just that the previews were intriguing enough to get me down to the theater. Turns out it was about a British government agency (they never said, but my guess was MI-6) who was tracking a mole within the group, well, Gary Oldman was tracking the mole. The film is based on the book of the same name, which was written in the 1970s and no, I haven't read it so I can't give you a comparison. In fact, this movie is not one that's easy to write about because the plot was quite complicated. You had to follow along real closely, blocking out as best you could, any snorting that was taking place to your left. The scenes flash back to the past and then to the present and everyone is trying to find the elusive Karla and who is leaking information to Karla. In other words, if you are looking for an easy breezy movie, this one isn't it. The film is very quiet and there are sometimes scenes where no one at all is talking, just thinking or reminiscing. It's a different sort of film, but it was quite good. In fact, it's a little over two hours long and when it was over, I could hardly believe that much time had passed. For me, I got really engrossed in what was going on and who was Karla's spy and would they ever catch him. Which one was it? Tinker? Tailor? Soldier? Or Spy? Code names, you see.
I'll let you go see if for yourself if you want to find out all the gory details. It was quite a good film, but not one that everyone in your group will enjoy.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Guest Post: Jackie's National Championship Experience
As per Natasha’s request I am writing a guest blog; so, bear with me because I am nowhere near the writer she is (Natasha’s note: She’s really too complimentary).The road to the National Championship game has been a rocky one, but I am glad to say that I was able to witness one of the best defensive games in the history of my love for Alabama football. I would like to say thanks to my wonderful boss who provided me with the tickets.
I headed out of Huntsville on Sunday around lunch time and made a quick stop in Birmingham to pick up one of my oldest and dearest friends, Tina, and her wonderful husband Chad. Chad is a lover of all things Alabama so needless to say he was more excited than a 5 year old hopped up on sugar who just found out they were going to Disney when I called to say I got the tickets! They were gracious enough to get us a really nice room at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi which is about an hour outside of New Orleans. The drive down went by super fast because we had a lot of catching up to do; so poor Chad had to endure endless yapping from me and Tina. The Beau Rivage is a beautiful hotel and I would recommend it to anyone who is headed down to Biloxi.
We got to “The Big Easy” around 11:30 on Monday morning. We slept in a little because people watching was way too much fun down in the Casino the night before. We valet parked my car at the Hilton and took off on foot to see all the sights. It took us a little bit to get our bearings but before I knew we were crossing the threshold onto Bourbon street and suddenly my nose was filled with an odor that words couldn’t possible do justice. In the great words of Zack Galifinakis, “if a foot could fart” that’s what it would smell like. Bourbon Street is one of the most interesting things I have ever witnessed in my entire life. It is definitely NOT a family friendly environment considering there is a new bar every 10 feet not to mention more Gentlemen Clubs than any street should ever possess and yet I was amazed at the amount of people walking with their children on this street of debauchery.
We then headed over to Jackson Square which was quite lovely and took in all the sights. While standing in front of Andrew Jackson’s statue I was harassed by a boy who couldn’t have been more than 8 or 9 years old. He was wearing a LSU jersey and had a Alabama Elephant hanging by a noose wrapped around his belt loop dragging it on the ground behind him and started screaming “Tiger Bait, Tiger Bait” at me. His dad finally jumped to my rescue and told the boy to calm down that the game hadn’t started yet. I found this very funny but also a little unnerving since I had seen this same boy on Bourbon Street earlier that day. I guess those LSU fans start them out young.
Per Natasha’s recommendations we went to Café Du Monde and ate some beignets and had an iced café au lait. It was absolutely scrumptious!! There were horse drawn carriages, sidewalk artists, people dancing and musicians trying to make a penny all around us. It was all very entertaining. After having dessert we decided to eat an actual meal so we went to Muriel’s and I had the best seafood gumbo I have ever eaten. I will say this, people in NOLA don’t joke around when it comes to food.
We finally headed over to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and that’s when the crowds became almost too much for this girl to handle. I felt like a Crimson fish swimming upstream in a sea of gold and purple. LSU fans are rabid! Not only are they obnoxious they wear the most ridiculous outfits. I thought overalls, toilet paper and a Tide soap box were bad but these people take it to a whole new level. We got some beads thrown our way and no we didn’t have to show our “tickets” as my nieces used to call them when they were little.
Here is where the real fun begins...totally being sarcastic! We finally get in line to enter the superdome and make our way in rather quickly. I am so excited that I can’t see straight and I immediately reach into my purse to get cash for a program only to find my wallet is GONE! Yes that’s right GONE! I panicked for all of 2 minutes and then maintained composure that Janice Bell (mom) would have been very proud of. I was determined this would not ruin my experience and it didn’t. After a few quick calls to cancel credit cards, bank accounts and so on I was back to “fun time” Jackie again. (Natasha's note: for those of you wondering a nice LSU fan found Jackie's wallet, got in touch with her and sent it back. Jackie got it this past Saturday and was planning to send the lady a thank you reward, but there was no return address.)
Unfortunately Tina & Chad were sitting a section over from me but this too didn’t deter me from having the time of my life. I ended up sitting with my boss’s son and became fast friends with the girl to my right. We were high fiving, screaming and hugging each other before the game was over. I have heard from some people who watched the game from home that is was boring to them. Well it’s a whole different story in person. I was terrified it was going to be a kicking game like last time and even though it somewhat started out that way our players played with such heart and soul it brought a tear to my eye. The boys were pumping the crowd up every chance they got and for there to be so few Alabama fans compared to LSU fans it was absolutely amazing how loud we were. When Mosley went down the Alabama section started chanting CJ. When Maze pulled up because of a pulled hamstring you could see concern on all of us Alabama fans. We later watched the replay of the game & it was heartbreaking to see Maze crying on the sidelines knowing this is his last game & he can’t even finish it.
The game was a nonstop adrenaline rush that I will never forget and I am very lucky to have gotten the chance to experience it. We stayed throughout the ceremony and interviews. The streets were full of crimson and white and everyone was in great spirits! This would have been the time to head back to Bourbon Street to celebrate but my feet were killing me and Tina & Chad were ready to get back to the room. I heard more “Roll Tides” during those 2 days than I have ever heard in my life and I have never been more exhausted! It was well worth all the craziness and sleep deprivation. I would do it again in a heartbeat! ROLLLLLLL TIDE ROLL!!
I headed out of Huntsville on Sunday around lunch time and made a quick stop in Birmingham to pick up one of my oldest and dearest friends, Tina, and her wonderful husband Chad. Chad is a lover of all things Alabama so needless to say he was more excited than a 5 year old hopped up on sugar who just found out they were going to Disney when I called to say I got the tickets! They were gracious enough to get us a really nice room at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi which is about an hour outside of New Orleans. The drive down went by super fast because we had a lot of catching up to do; so poor Chad had to endure endless yapping from me and Tina. The Beau Rivage is a beautiful hotel and I would recommend it to anyone who is headed down to Biloxi.
We got to “The Big Easy” around 11:30 on Monday morning. We slept in a little because people watching was way too much fun down in the Casino the night before. We valet parked my car at the Hilton and took off on foot to see all the sights. It took us a little bit to get our bearings but before I knew we were crossing the threshold onto Bourbon street and suddenly my nose was filled with an odor that words couldn’t possible do justice. In the great words of Zack Galifinakis, “if a foot could fart” that’s what it would smell like. Bourbon Street is one of the most interesting things I have ever witnessed in my entire life. It is definitely NOT a family friendly environment considering there is a new bar every 10 feet not to mention more Gentlemen Clubs than any street should ever possess and yet I was amazed at the amount of people walking with their children on this street of debauchery.
We then headed over to Jackson Square which was quite lovely and took in all the sights. While standing in front of Andrew Jackson’s statue I was harassed by a boy who couldn’t have been more than 8 or 9 years old. He was wearing a LSU jersey and had a Alabama Elephant hanging by a noose wrapped around his belt loop dragging it on the ground behind him and started screaming “Tiger Bait, Tiger Bait” at me. His dad finally jumped to my rescue and told the boy to calm down that the game hadn’t started yet. I found this very funny but also a little unnerving since I had seen this same boy on Bourbon Street earlier that day. I guess those LSU fans start them out young.
Per Natasha’s recommendations we went to Café Du Monde and ate some beignets and had an iced café au lait. It was absolutely scrumptious!! There were horse drawn carriages, sidewalk artists, people dancing and musicians trying to make a penny all around us. It was all very entertaining. After having dessert we decided to eat an actual meal so we went to Muriel’s and I had the best seafood gumbo I have ever eaten. I will say this, people in NOLA don’t joke around when it comes to food.
We finally headed over to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and that’s when the crowds became almost too much for this girl to handle. I felt like a Crimson fish swimming upstream in a sea of gold and purple. LSU fans are rabid! Not only are they obnoxious they wear the most ridiculous outfits. I thought overalls, toilet paper and a Tide soap box were bad but these people take it to a whole new level. We got some beads thrown our way and no we didn’t have to show our “tickets” as my nieces used to call them when they were little.
Here is where the real fun begins...totally being sarcastic! We finally get in line to enter the superdome and make our way in rather quickly. I am so excited that I can’t see straight and I immediately reach into my purse to get cash for a program only to find my wallet is GONE! Yes that’s right GONE! I panicked for all of 2 minutes and then maintained composure that Janice Bell (mom) would have been very proud of. I was determined this would not ruin my experience and it didn’t. After a few quick calls to cancel credit cards, bank accounts and so on I was back to “fun time” Jackie again. (Natasha's note: for those of you wondering a nice LSU fan found Jackie's wallet, got in touch with her and sent it back. Jackie got it this past Saturday and was planning to send the lady a thank you reward, but there was no return address.)
Unfortunately Tina & Chad were sitting a section over from me but this too didn’t deter me from having the time of my life. I ended up sitting with my boss’s son and became fast friends with the girl to my right. We were high fiving, screaming and hugging each other before the game was over. I have heard from some people who watched the game from home that is was boring to them. Well it’s a whole different story in person. I was terrified it was going to be a kicking game like last time and even though it somewhat started out that way our players played with such heart and soul it brought a tear to my eye. The boys were pumping the crowd up every chance they got and for there to be so few Alabama fans compared to LSU fans it was absolutely amazing how loud we were. When Mosley went down the Alabama section started chanting CJ. When Maze pulled up because of a pulled hamstring you could see concern on all of us Alabama fans. We later watched the replay of the game & it was heartbreaking to see Maze crying on the sidelines knowing this is his last game & he can’t even finish it.
The game was a nonstop adrenaline rush that I will never forget and I am very lucky to have gotten the chance to experience it. We stayed throughout the ceremony and interviews. The streets were full of crimson and white and everyone was in great spirits! This would have been the time to head back to Bourbon Street to celebrate but my feet were killing me and Tina & Chad were ready to get back to the room. I heard more “Roll Tides” during those 2 days than I have ever heard in my life and I have never been more exhausted! It was well worth all the craziness and sleep deprivation. I would do it again in a heartbeat! ROLLLLLLL TIDE ROLL!!
Jackie and Tina
Jackie and Chad
Beignets and Cafe Au Lait
As seen on Bourbon Street
LSU fans on Bourbon Street
Sunday, January 15, 2012
My Glamorous Weekend Life
Well, we’ve reached the end of another weekend/the beginning of another week. Why is it the weekends seem to go by so quickly?
I didn’t do much of anything this weekend. Friday I did some cleaning and some catching up on the DVR. On Saturday morning, I went to the gym and then came home and did some more cleaning and finally managed to put away the outdoor Christmas lights. The sun showed up on Saturday which was a nice surprise; sadly I think the rain is returning again this week. Saturday afternoon I went to see a movie (review coming later) and then made my weekly Publix stop.
After stopping by Publix, I popped in to Tommy’s Pizza for slice. The last time I had a slice of Tommy’s Pizza was in 2008. That particular evening I ended up having an attack of the gallbladder and then had surgery just a month or so later. So, I really didn’t know what to expect this time when I ate a slice. When I went to bed, I started having a little stomach pain, but gratefully didn’t have any sort of attacks or anything of the sort. So, I may give it another go again soon because it is quite good.
Sunday I went to church and really didn’t do much else than that. See how much fun the life of a single gal is! Please don’t be envious! I’ve spent some of the evening watching The Golden Globe Awards and I must say that Ricky Gervais never ceases to make me laugh. A lot of the other actors and actresses have been quite humorous as well. At this precise moment I am watching the Morgan Freeman montage as he is about to receive the lifetime achievement award or something like that. Let me state for the record that he makes some mighty fine movies! I’d also like to say why couldn’t I have ran into Channing Tatum down in Cullman before he made it big in Hollywood. He is handsome. I didn’t realize they grew men like that down in Cullman.
I haven’t seen many of the Golden Globe nominated movies so I’ve got quite a bit of catching up to do before the Academy Awards. Thankfully a lot of the movies are available through DirecTV so I hope to take some time to order a few over the next few weeks. I think last year was the year I saw the least amount of movies; not sure why that was.
I don’t suppose I have much else to say at this time. I should really stop writing when I don’t have anything much to talk about because I’m sure you’ve all got better things to do.; but at the same time, I know Erika needs something to read at work every day. So, this one’s for you, Erika! Hope your Monday is great!
I didn’t do much of anything this weekend. Friday I did some cleaning and some catching up on the DVR. On Saturday morning, I went to the gym and then came home and did some more cleaning and finally managed to put away the outdoor Christmas lights. The sun showed up on Saturday which was a nice surprise; sadly I think the rain is returning again this week. Saturday afternoon I went to see a movie (review coming later) and then made my weekly Publix stop.
After stopping by Publix, I popped in to Tommy’s Pizza for slice. The last time I had a slice of Tommy’s Pizza was in 2008. That particular evening I ended up having an attack of the gallbladder and then had surgery just a month or so later. So, I really didn’t know what to expect this time when I ate a slice. When I went to bed, I started having a little stomach pain, but gratefully didn’t have any sort of attacks or anything of the sort. So, I may give it another go again soon because it is quite good.
Sunday I went to church and really didn’t do much else than that. See how much fun the life of a single gal is! Please don’t be envious! I’ve spent some of the evening watching The Golden Globe Awards and I must say that Ricky Gervais never ceases to make me laugh. A lot of the other actors and actresses have been quite humorous as well. At this precise moment I am watching the Morgan Freeman montage as he is about to receive the lifetime achievement award or something like that. Let me state for the record that he makes some mighty fine movies! I’d also like to say why couldn’t I have ran into Channing Tatum down in Cullman before he made it big in Hollywood. He is handsome. I didn’t realize they grew men like that down in Cullman.
I haven’t seen many of the Golden Globe nominated movies so I’ve got quite a bit of catching up to do before the Academy Awards. Thankfully a lot of the movies are available through DirecTV so I hope to take some time to order a few over the next few weeks. I think last year was the year I saw the least amount of movies; not sure why that was.
I don’t suppose I have much else to say at this time. I should really stop writing when I don’t have anything much to talk about because I’m sure you’ve all got better things to do.; but at the same time, I know Erika needs something to read at work every day. So, this one’s for you, Erika! Hope your Monday is great!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
People Are Strange
Well, I've been basically staring at a blank screen for the past 10 minutes or so trying to think of something hilarious and entertaining to write about and sadly, I've come up with nothing. It's been a slow week for me; nothing much going on other than work, and church and going to the gym, none of which really provide a great deal of interesting things to write about. Although I guess I could write about the odd things I see at the gym because believe you me, there are quite a few and it's doubtful I can even remember them all for this post. I will give it a shot though. See, apparently all I have to do sometimes is start typing and a subject will flow from my fingertips!
If you've ever gone to a gym just once or on a regular basis then you probably know there are all type of people who frequent the gym. I've been going to my gym for almost two years now and sometimes I am still in a state of shock and awe at the things I see. When I first started going to the gym, I went to a class that involved weights. There was a lady who came to the class that wore a white wife beater tank top. She had a large derriere and she pulled the tank top down over the derriere but it was not pulled down in the front. On her head she wore a clear shower cap. It seriously looked like her hair was being set for a perm. I still see her occasionally and always want to ask her why the shower cap but I never do because she talks like she's from the streets and could beat me up.
Last week there was a girl in spin class who wore one of those box shaped caps and she tied her t-shirt in a knot at the front. Due to her t-shirt being tied up in the front, it was raised up in the back, thus revealing her rather large tramp stamp, also known as a tattoo on the small of her back for those of you unfamiliar with the terminology. This wasn't the first time I've had someones back tattoo glaring at me in class and I have no doubt it won't be the last.
Speaking of tattoos, there used to be a girl that came that literally had tattoos on almost every inch of her body. The only thing that wasn't covered in tattoos was her face, neck and hands. Both of her arms had sleeve tattoos and she always wore a tank top and best I could tell, her back was covered as well. I haven't seen this particular girl in a while, but she has been replaced by a woman who was changing in the locker room this past week who had a tattoo as large as her back. I thought it might take wings and fly off. This particular woman, who looked to be in her 50s, also has been known to have bright pink hair.
Then there are the group of girls who don't necessarily look weird, but they are only there because they think they are hot stuff and they love to flirt with the male instructors and basically think they are God's gift to the human race. they also talk in those high pitched voices that many girls with lack of brain power think is attractive - it's not. These are probably the people that get on my nerves the most.
You can also always spot the guys who want to try and lift the most weight even if they might not be able to walk when they get home in the evenings. There are people who don't wear deodorant or at least needed a refresher before they started sweating. I don't know if they are oblivious to their stink or what but sometimes it's more than a girl can bare.
Seems like there are more intersting people I wanted to mention but at the moment I can't think of who they might be. Needless to say, it's ever a dull moment at the gym, people. It apparently takes all kinds to make the gym go round and that's okay because if you're a people watcher like me then there's a lot to see. You should stop in some time.
If you've ever gone to a gym just once or on a regular basis then you probably know there are all type of people who frequent the gym. I've been going to my gym for almost two years now and sometimes I am still in a state of shock and awe at the things I see. When I first started going to the gym, I went to a class that involved weights. There was a lady who came to the class that wore a white wife beater tank top. She had a large derriere and she pulled the tank top down over the derriere but it was not pulled down in the front. On her head she wore a clear shower cap. It seriously looked like her hair was being set for a perm. I still see her occasionally and always want to ask her why the shower cap but I never do because she talks like she's from the streets and could beat me up.
Last week there was a girl in spin class who wore one of those box shaped caps and she tied her t-shirt in a knot at the front. Due to her t-shirt being tied up in the front, it was raised up in the back, thus revealing her rather large tramp stamp, also known as a tattoo on the small of her back for those of you unfamiliar with the terminology. This wasn't the first time I've had someones back tattoo glaring at me in class and I have no doubt it won't be the last.
Speaking of tattoos, there used to be a girl that came that literally had tattoos on almost every inch of her body. The only thing that wasn't covered in tattoos was her face, neck and hands. Both of her arms had sleeve tattoos and she always wore a tank top and best I could tell, her back was covered as well. I haven't seen this particular girl in a while, but she has been replaced by a woman who was changing in the locker room this past week who had a tattoo as large as her back. I thought it might take wings and fly off. This particular woman, who looked to be in her 50s, also has been known to have bright pink hair.
Then there are the group of girls who don't necessarily look weird, but they are only there because they think they are hot stuff and they love to flirt with the male instructors and basically think they are God's gift to the human race. they also talk in those high pitched voices that many girls with lack of brain power think is attractive - it's not. These are probably the people that get on my nerves the most.
You can also always spot the guys who want to try and lift the most weight even if they might not be able to walk when they get home in the evenings. There are people who don't wear deodorant or at least needed a refresher before they started sweating. I don't know if they are oblivious to their stink or what but sometimes it's more than a girl can bare.
Seems like there are more intersting people I wanted to mention but at the moment I can't think of who they might be. Needless to say, it's ever a dull moment at the gym, people. It apparently takes all kinds to make the gym go round and that's okay because if you're a people watcher like me then there's a lot to see. You should stop in some time.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Regarding Rain and the Lawn
Sadly, I have nothing very exciting or even interesting to write about today, which means this is the first still of what will most likely be many posts in 2012 of me rambling on about nothing in particular. I can feel your enthusiasm beaming through the interwebs!
So, yeah, I still have my outdoor Christmas lights up. As you may remember, they are while lights and the cord actually blends in with my porch railing so I doubt you can really tell it. I haven't turned them on because I get really annoyed with Christmas lights shining bright after about January 1. I planned to put them away last weekend, but it was apparently the start of the monsoon season in Huntsville and hanging out in the rain wasn't at the top of my agenda believe it or not. So, with any luck, the rains will disperse this weekend and I'll be able to wrap those lights up and stash them away for another 10 months or so.
Speaking of the monsoon season, I can't believe how much rain we have been getting lately. I'm really sick of it, and I'm a person who actually likes rain from time to time; I mean, it is kind of essential to the circle of life, but good grief, I've practically forgotten what the sun looks like. Today in Huntsville, there are a lot of flooded roads, including the one I live on; one end of my street is apparently closed. I haven't seen it with my own eyes, but I did see it listed on a couple of websites after my aunt emailed me to tell me about it. Then my mom called and wanted me to leave work early - um, no, I have to make that time up; so, that's not going to happen.
Anyway, I was pretty excited to get home and see what all the fuss was about. Sadly, the street was not closed or flooded; I suppose the water had all receded by the time I got home. However, there were no barricades on the side of the road either which was peculiar. When I got home, my front yard was basically a mudslide. My house is elevated from the road so I suppose all the water ran down to the street and since my front yard never seems to get much grass (which I found out is because I didn’t rake my leaves – who knew?), it’s just all mud at this point with some smooshed leaves and a few random blades of grass. I think if I wanted I could easily slide down to the road without much effort. It’s pretty gross out there.
Also, I saw where all the manhole covers on California Street between Governors and Bob Wallace were gone because flood water had washed them away? Now, that's some serious water people. I hope it brings lush green lawns this spring.
Speaking of which, I hope to put down some grass seed at some point. I've got to consult my resident expert (also known as my dad) as to what kind of seed to put down and when to put it down, but I am tired of having an ugly front yard. I was planning to sod my front yard this spring but I don't have the money to do that. So, if you happen to know of someone or hear of someone who is giving away free sod (don't laugh, I've known it to happen in my parent's neighborhood), then please pass the word along because a nice lush front yard is a goal of mine, I'm concerned it may never happen.
I guess that’s really all I have to ramble on about for now; but don’t you worry, it will only be a matter of time before I write another post about nothing in particular. In the meantime, stay dry and warm – it’s supposed to get cold out there tonight!
So, yeah, I still have my outdoor Christmas lights up. As you may remember, they are while lights and the cord actually blends in with my porch railing so I doubt you can really tell it. I haven't turned them on because I get really annoyed with Christmas lights shining bright after about January 1. I planned to put them away last weekend, but it was apparently the start of the monsoon season in Huntsville and hanging out in the rain wasn't at the top of my agenda believe it or not. So, with any luck, the rains will disperse this weekend and I'll be able to wrap those lights up and stash them away for another 10 months or so.
Speaking of the monsoon season, I can't believe how much rain we have been getting lately. I'm really sick of it, and I'm a person who actually likes rain from time to time; I mean, it is kind of essential to the circle of life, but good grief, I've practically forgotten what the sun looks like. Today in Huntsville, there are a lot of flooded roads, including the one I live on; one end of my street is apparently closed. I haven't seen it with my own eyes, but I did see it listed on a couple of websites after my aunt emailed me to tell me about it. Then my mom called and wanted me to leave work early - um, no, I have to make that time up; so, that's not going to happen.
Anyway, I was pretty excited to get home and see what all the fuss was about. Sadly, the street was not closed or flooded; I suppose the water had all receded by the time I got home. However, there were no barricades on the side of the road either which was peculiar. When I got home, my front yard was basically a mudslide. My house is elevated from the road so I suppose all the water ran down to the street and since my front yard never seems to get much grass (which I found out is because I didn’t rake my leaves – who knew?), it’s just all mud at this point with some smooshed leaves and a few random blades of grass. I think if I wanted I could easily slide down to the road without much effort. It’s pretty gross out there.
Also, I saw where all the manhole covers on California Street between Governors and Bob Wallace were gone because flood water had washed them away? Now, that's some serious water people. I hope it brings lush green lawns this spring.
Speaking of which, I hope to put down some grass seed at some point. I've got to consult my resident expert (also known as my dad) as to what kind of seed to put down and when to put it down, but I am tired of having an ugly front yard. I was planning to sod my front yard this spring but I don't have the money to do that. So, if you happen to know of someone or hear of someone who is giving away free sod (don't laugh, I've known it to happen in my parent's neighborhood), then please pass the word along because a nice lush front yard is a goal of mine, I'm concerned it may never happen.
I guess that’s really all I have to ramble on about for now; but don’t you worry, it will only be a matter of time before I write another post about nothing in particular. In the meantime, stay dry and warm – it’s supposed to get cold out there tonight!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
There Was More Than One Trophy Presentation Monday Night
Was everyone else as tired as I was on Tuesday? Needless to say, I stayed up late on Monday night watching the National Championship game and even some of the post game coverage and got into bed much later than my normal 10:00 p.m. bed time.
After work, I had an appointment at the chiropractor and then went to the gym for spin class. I came home, showered, grabbed the king cake I had made the night before, rounded up The Tide and headed over to my parents’ house to watch the big game and arrived just a few minutes before kickoff. My dad had picked up some barbeque earlier in the day and we had that for dinner and it was quite good. I love me some barbeque!
We settled in and had an enjoyable time watching the game together. I figured I might fall asleep since it started so late and I’ve been known to fall asleep a time or two watching a game, but I guess my adrenaline was pumping and I sat up and watched from start to finish and enjoyed every minute of it.
At half time we enjoyed some king cake and we also got a few laughs out of The Tide and Scout chasing each other and playing with a sock. The Tide had a hold of one end and my dad would give Scout the other end. Scout would hold on for a few seconds as The Tide pulled him across the room. It was quite humorous! I tried to get a photo but was unsuccessful in getting a really good shot.
The second half of the game was just as good as the first and we were all elated that Alabama won their 14th National Championship and second in three years. Three years in a row for the state of Alabama and six years in a row for the SEC! That’s pretty amazing!
After the game was over, we had a trophy presentation of our own. As you may recall, my family has a football bowl challenge each year and last year I purchased a trophy for the reigning champion to keep for the year. At the beginning of the bowl season, the champion returns the trophy until the next winner is determined. Well, folks, this year’s winner was none other than…wait for it…. me!
I beat out both my dad and brother to be the 2011 bowl season champion! My record was 28-7. Justin finished second with a 25-10 finish and my dad ended up 22-13. Yes, the master, my dad, finished last. In his trophy presentation, my dad congratulated me and told me he was proud he taught me to love sports. We stood there shaking hands for what felt like 15 minutes while my mother, God bless her, tried to operate the camera. She finally managed to take a picture or two and then my dad took a few. They aren’t the most glamorous pictures considering I’m in my PJs and have on no make-up and my hair is kind of crazy and I’m wearing my glasses in some shots, but that’s okay. I’m not really here to impress anyone and I had a good time taking these.
It was a fun Monday night and worth the sleep deprivation. Thanks, mother and daddy for hosting me and The Tide! There’s only 233 days until the 2012 college football season starts!
P.S. Jackie was lucky enough to be able to attend the game on Monday night in New Orleans. I’ve asked her to write a guest post about her experience. So, look for that to (hopefully) be coming soon!
After work, I had an appointment at the chiropractor and then went to the gym for spin class. I came home, showered, grabbed the king cake I had made the night before, rounded up The Tide and headed over to my parents’ house to watch the big game and arrived just a few minutes before kickoff. My dad had picked up some barbeque earlier in the day and we had that for dinner and it was quite good. I love me some barbeque!
We settled in and had an enjoyable time watching the game together. I figured I might fall asleep since it started so late and I’ve been known to fall asleep a time or two watching a game, but I guess my adrenaline was pumping and I sat up and watched from start to finish and enjoyed every minute of it.
At half time we enjoyed some king cake and we also got a few laughs out of The Tide and Scout chasing each other and playing with a sock. The Tide had a hold of one end and my dad would give Scout the other end. Scout would hold on for a few seconds as The Tide pulled him across the room. It was quite humorous! I tried to get a photo but was unsuccessful in getting a really good shot.
The second half of the game was just as good as the first and we were all elated that Alabama won their 14th National Championship and second in three years. Three years in a row for the state of Alabama and six years in a row for the SEC! That’s pretty amazing!
After the game was over, we had a trophy presentation of our own. As you may recall, my family has a football bowl challenge each year and last year I purchased a trophy for the reigning champion to keep for the year. At the beginning of the bowl season, the champion returns the trophy until the next winner is determined. Well, folks, this year’s winner was none other than…wait for it…. me!
I beat out both my dad and brother to be the 2011 bowl season champion! My record was 28-7. Justin finished second with a 25-10 finish and my dad ended up 22-13. Yes, the master, my dad, finished last. In his trophy presentation, my dad congratulated me and told me he was proud he taught me to love sports. We stood there shaking hands for what felt like 15 minutes while my mother, God bless her, tried to operate the camera. She finally managed to take a picture or two and then my dad took a few. They aren’t the most glamorous pictures considering I’m in my PJs and have on no make-up and my hair is kind of crazy and I’m wearing my glasses in some shots, but that’s okay. I’m not really here to impress anyone and I had a good time taking these.
It was a fun Monday night and worth the sleep deprivation. Thanks, mother and daddy for hosting me and The Tide! There’s only 233 days until the 2012 college football season starts!
P.S. Jackie was lucky enough to be able to attend the game on Monday night in New Orleans. I’ve asked her to write a guest post about her experience. So, look for that to (hopefully) be coming soon!
I was trying to take a picture of The Tide and Scout lying on the couch beside me but was at an odd angle. This photo still cracked me up.
Entertainment by The Tide and Scout
My dad would hold on to the sock and then let Scout grab the other end.
I wasn't quick enough with the camera.
The trophy presentation
The Victor
Doesn't every winner kiss their trophy?
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