Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things that make me smile. 1. Waking up every morning and realizing I didn't die in my sleep. 2. Coming home from work and having Fenwick greet me at the door with sleepy eyes and loud purrs. 3. Snuggles and kisses from Merlin. 4. Getting lost on a road trip with Justin. 5. Finding money in my pocket. 5. Spotting a bald eagle flying over the lake. 6. Fox pups playing with a dead black snake. 7. The Terminex trucks. For some reason seeing a truck with a huge bug on top wearing a top hat and gloves makes me giggle. 8. Planning on how I am going to use my $100 gift certificate to Tir Na Nog. 9. Getting a "1" on my evaluation. That is a good thing. Is is based on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 means you are superb and 5 means if you didn't work for the government you would be fired by now. 10. The Dead Squirrel cards I got from the group of 4 year old's that I did a program for. I brought in a bunch of animal pelts and skulls for them to see. After I left they cut squirrel shapes out of a paper bag and some kids drew tire marks and blood them. Some thought it was morbid. I thought it was funny as hell. One card read, "Thankao you for showing sgolgs and sgms." Don't know what that means either but it made me laugh. 11. Funny cards showing up in the mail from friends. 12. Phone calls from forgotten friends. 13. Pj's, a warm fire, a cozy couch, and a good book Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Anne 2. Diana 3. Your next...Leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!

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Everybody sing with me now...*all by myself...don't wanna be... all by myself*
Mood:  lyrical
I am all alone in the office today. :( I was so excited about it yesterday. I would be able to get so much done...no interruptions. But I sit here this morning and it is just too quiet. I know I complain sometimes about being swamped with work and the staff interrupting me with cray questions but I really think I miss it. One of our normal walkers out here felt so bad that I was sitting in here alone that he went and bought me a sausage biscuit at Bojangles. AWWW that was so sweet. Now I just have to figure out how I am going to work lunch since I went off and left mine at home. LOL Tomorrow is a holiday and I have the entire day off. YAY!!!

Last night's episode of LOST was awesome. Although I really didn't think the couple of scenes with Lock and the others burring MR. Eko really fit in. The whole episode could have just been about Sawyer, Jack and Kate. I would have been okay with that. I think Mr. Eko saying that the others were next before he died was a good stopping point for the fall. I still don't care about the two characters. It is getting exciting though. Is Jack really going to let Ben die? I know an oath. If he does save Ben do you think Ben will keep his promise to get Jack of the island? I couldn't help but get a little giddy when Sawyer finally told Kate that he loves her. *giggle* He is such a cutie.

Well I should get back to the quiet. *sigh* LATER!!!!

OMG I think this girl is me!!!!
Mood:  silly
My mom sent me an email this morning with this joke attached.

A guy took his girlfriend to her first football game. They had great seats right behind their team's bench. After the game, he asked her how she liked the experience. "Oh, I really liked it," she replied, "especially the tight pants and all the big muscles, but I just couldn't understand why they were killing each other over like 25 cents." Dumbfounded, her date asked, "What do you mean?" "Well, they flipped a coin, one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was: 'Get the quarter back! Get
the quarter back!' I'm like...Helloooooo? It's only 25 cents!!!!

LMAO...The sad thing is...I have probably said something like that. I am not a football fan. Never have been and never will be. I just don't have the patience for it. I can't understand if a quarter is 15 minutes and there are four of them, then how can it take 4 hours to play a game? I also can't handle the constant stops and starts. Just play dammit. I usually watch the superbowl every year because when you think about it...it is really the only game that matters.

To buy or not to buy? That is a serious question
Mood:  not sure
Okay so last night I came to the decision that it was time to buy a house. Don't get too excited just yet. It may or may not happen. As most of you know I have a huge fear of commitment as well as having severe buyers remorse. Reading through the Fannie Mae website for 1st time home buyers got me completely scared. I tried buying a home last year but when I would go to look at the homes, this sense of panic came over me. I think the fear comes from the fact that this is all foreign to me. I have never bought a home. What happens if I don't make a good deal? What if I get in way over my head? How much below the asking price should I offer? I know a good real estate agent is suppose to help you with these things but they work on commission right? So can they actually be trusted 100%? It would be in their best interest to get you to pay more for the home...they in the end would end up with more money. *sigh* The whole thing is VERY scary. There needs to be a 1st time home buyers hot line where I could call and say, "okay here's the deal...the agent thinks I should pay $125. Is this a good deal or can I go lower? Can I get the seller to pay closing costs and throw in the fridge?" Maybe the hot line could even help me with my commitment phobia. They could give me a pep talk every time I feel like backing out.

What has caused the recent home buying decision? MY RENT!!! When I first move to Raleigh I paid $599. Now they want me to pay $710 (it was $729 before I talked them down). At the rate they keep increasing the rent..this time next year I will be paying close to $800. That is way too much money to throw away on an apartment.

I would love to own a home in Wake Forest but I fear I wont be able to find a place I can afford. I have sent emails to a couple of mortgage agents to see just how much house I can afford. I also have to take into account that I have almost $0 in savings. When my car died 2 years ago I used what I had in savings to pay for the repairs and to purchase my new car and I never got back around to saving. There are things I know I am going to have to pay for upfront. Deposit, inspection fess, closing costs. Just don't know if I can come up with that kind of cash. We will see. I will wait to see what the mortgage brokers say.

Talking about this is starting to make me nervous again so I will stop. If anyone out there has advice on things you learned when you bought a house, please pass it on. I will need all the help and support I can get.

These people actually expect me to do work....the nerve!!!
Mood:  don't ask
I came into work today and found a pile of bills that need to be ASAP. Combine that with the fact that I also must reconcile my credit card today and you get the hint that I wont be writing much of an entry today. I did however want to tell you all that I finally uploaded the pictures from Halloween. I know there aren't many of them but i was too busy having a good time to have a camera glued to my face. Hyun-woo took a lot of pictures so maybe I will get a few from him. But in the mean time....

Halloween Pictures

A view of Catoctin
Mood:  happy
Some of you have asked to see pictures of Catoctin (pronounced Ca-Tok-Tin). So this past weekend I went through my pictures and selected a few. For those of you who are new to the blog or are just getting to know me, I worked as a park ranger for the National Park Service for almost 5 years at Catoctin Mountain Park. I really loved the job but decided it was time to move on. So I accepted a ranger position here in NC. Although I love living in Raleigh, there is part of me that really misses Thurmont. I have included a slide show below but if you wish to take a closer look at any of the picture you can go here

I hope you all enjoy!!!

I feel like I am working in a box of crayons
Mood:  happy
The ride into work this past week has been so enjoyable. I haven't minded the usual morning traffic, the drivers who haven't a clue how to drive, the constant stops at the traffic lights that the city of Raleigh can't seem to synchronize. When I have a moment when I feel like I am about o get upset and yell at the idiot who just cut me off, I glance over to the side of the road and see all the beautiful leaves of gold, red, and orange and it makes me smile. Yesterday I missed my turn into the office because I was too busy looking at the leaves. I also allowed myself a little extra time in the morning so I can ride across the dam and see the leaves reflecting in the water. The leaves on the trees have really started to change. I think this weekend will be peak color. I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR!!!!!!!

This morning was very cold. My thermometer when I got op this morning read 33 degrees. *sigh* I am so not ready for it to be cold. All I want to do is curl up on the couch with a fire in the fireplace and a good book. Maybe I will have a chance to do that this weekend.

Speaking of which...I don't have any plans for the weekend and I am really looking forward to it. For the past two months I have had something to do every single weekend. This weekend I am locking the door, turning off my phone, and taking care of me. I might not even make it our of my PJ's. HEAVEN!!!!My apartment is in desperate need of a deep cleaning so that is on the list but that's it. The rest of the weekend is mine.

I know some of you in the chat room the other night, brought up the fact that I have never posted any pictures from Catoctin. For those of you who are new to the blog, Catoctin is the name of the park where I worked before moving to NC. The reason why I haven't provided any pictures is because they were all taken pre-digital camera. It really is a beautiful park and I want you guys to see it so I will go through and dig out the pictures and attempt to scan them in. It might take me awhile so please be patient.

Well that is it for me. Take care you all and have a great weekend. Oh I also promise that by Monday I will post Halloween pictures.

Red Talied Hawks....with bells on
Mood:  quizzical
Sorry still no Halloween pics. I honestly intended to edit them and post them last night but I was still so hung over and exhausted from the night before that I came home and slept until LOST came on. Then once the show was over I was back in bed. Speaking of LOST...who the hell were guy and the girl in the hatch with the others? You can't just bring people on without introducing them. And what was up with killing off Mr. Eko? Sooooooo not cool. He was one of my favorite characters. *sigh*

Anyway...on to the main subject. I am duty ranger this week which means I am the one who has to lock up the park in the evenings. Last night as I was locking one of the gates I heard bells jingling. I looked around expecting to see someone with a dog but saw nothing. All the sudden this huge bird swoops out of the woods, grazing me head, and lands on the roof of my patrol vehicle. I turned around slowly towards the bird. I was now eye to eye with a very pissed off looking Red Tailed Hawk. Then I hear a voice from behind me say, "I am sorry I didn't mean to startle you." I turned to see a man standing there with a large leather glove on one hand. He is a falconer (a real one Marie...not like the one at the festival) and this bird is one of three that he has. The other two being another hawk and a kestrel. He said he has seen me the last few days and thought I might enjoy the encounter. Not exactly sure if he was trying to pick me up or just figured rangers were into this sort of thing. In any case I did think it was very cool. I don't think I have ever been eye to eye with a hawk before. This bird was very well trained. The guy would blow his whistle a certain way and the bird would take off. Another whistle sound would make him do something else. I stood there and watched him for about 30 minutes before realizing I still had work do. Very cool experience. He must be back this morning because I have see the hawk fly past my window a couple of times.

I am always amazed by the types of people we get here at the dam. It definitely makes the job a lot more interesting.

The Gaelic Festival and the Halloween Bash
Mood:  lazy
I finally loaded some pictures from the Gaelic Festival. I had such a great time. There were some really awesome bands and dancers. One band in particular I just LOVED!. They were a pipe and drum band from Scotland called Albannach. They put on a great show. You couldn't but move to the music. I bought there CD and brought it into work to listen to it and now boss has made off with it. LOL Hopefully I will get it back soon. Anyway enjoy the Pictures

Last night a group of us went to Tir Na Nog for their Halloween bash. It was Marie, myself, Marie's BF Alan, and his friends Scott, Matt, and Hyun-Woo. Hyun-Woo is visiting the US from Korea for a year and has only been in this country for about 3 months. He was the main source of our entertainment for the evening. We spent the evening explaining American things and teaching him slang. I guess it was about 11:30 or so when they finally announced the winners of the costume contest. 1st place went to.....ME!!!! I couldn't believe it. It took me awhile to get to the stage because I didn't realize they were calling my name. I seldom win anything. LOL What did I win? a $100 gift certificate to Tir Na Nog. That is a WHOLE lot of beer. Annie (the very nice lady who runs Irisheventsnc) also gave me a copy of the cover to her son Andrew Britton's new book coming out in March. It is a sequel to his first book entitled, The American. If you haven't read it...I highly suggest you do. It is a great book. I don't have pictures to post yet. I got home too late to download them off my camera. But I promise to post them when I do.

You can read Marie's blog here . She has some pics from last night.

I hope everyone had a great safe Halloween.

I'm fitted for fangs and now I am ready to go!!!!
Mood:  hungry
Okay so I was all set to NOT celebrate Halloween. I was going to lock myself in my apartment and spend the night watching movies. Well my friends have other plans for me. Marie, determined not to succumb to the Halloween malaise, has scheduled us an evening of fun at Tir Na Nog Irish Pub. Okay great…now I have to come up with a costume.

So Friday I headed to the Halloween Spirit Store. Now for those of you not from the US these are special stores that pop up only at Halloween and are FULL of costumes and decorations. I decided to go as some sort of spider vixen. Of course the one costume I wanted was sold out but the girl, seeing my disappointment, took me over to the clearance section and showed me a costume that I could modify for my needs. Best part is…it was only $5. Okay now to the accessories. I would need to get some fangs. There was half an isle dedicated to fangs and blood. I had tried most of these out before and they never stayed in. Watching me eyeing the selection was a young man by the name of Dan. He came over and proceeded to ask me what I was looking for. After describing what I wanted to be, he insisted that I not settle for the cheap fangs. That I should get this specific brand of fangs. It is the kind he started out with. Okay pause here…started out with? Okay Rebecca…don’t judge. Okay back to the story. I agreed and splurged on the expensive ones…$19.95. Luckily I have all the makeup I need, red spray for my hair, spirit gum and spiders. So I set off for home.

Once home I tried on the costume. It was great except for the fact that the skirt part of it is see through. No problem…I would just hit the fabric store Sunday and make a better skirt. I then went to “fit my fangs”. The kit comes with this dental molding stuff. You put it on the tooth and hold it in place for awhile and it forms to your teeth. Then you can pop the teeth in and out at will. Doesn’t sound hard…but it was. I managed to get one fang fitted properly but the other one just wouldn’t stay put. By now I am out of dental stuff so I will have to stop by the costume shop to buy more.

Saturday I spent the day at the Gaelic Festival and I will write more about that when I get the pictures posted.

Sunday morning I got up and headed over to the fabric store and bought some tool and fabric which all happened to be on sale…total $8. I then met Andy for lunch and he informed me that we was going as a Vampire and needed fangs. Since I needed to get some replacement stuff for mine I agreed to drive him over to the costume store. As I walked in Dan came up to greet me. I explained my situation and Dan then told me that I really should have my fangs “professionally” fit. I laughed, saying I didn’t realize that there were such things as professional fang fitters. He looked at me with all seriousness and said that HE was such a person. Andy then chimed in with the fact that he was looking for silver fangs. Dan informed us that he would be willing to meet all our vampire needs if I agreed to cook him dinner. Before I could respond Andy yells out, “It’s a deal!!” Wait a minute… there is a guy who claims to be a professional fang fitter coming to MY apartment and I have to make him dinner. I gave Andy a look like, “what part are you playing in all this?” He just smiled back.

At 6PM there is a knock at my door. I opened the door to see Dan standing there with a tackle box in hand. I invited him in (because I read somewhere that they can’t come in unless you invite them). He set up in the bathroom and started fitting Andy’s very cool looking sliver fangs. In the mean time I started dinner. I could hear Dan in the bathroom telling Andy all about the “vampire” community. Each sentence would start with, “well in the vampire community they would do this…” I couldn’t help but chuckle a little. Okay now it was my turn. Dan didn’t like how the fangs I bought matched my teeth so he fitted me with a pair that matched much better and would be easier for me to wear. I know I made him mad at one point. See you put this dental putty on the fang, put it in place, and then you have to hold it there for 5 minutes while trying not to move. Well I must have moved because the fit didn’t take. So Dan had to scrape it all out and start over. But both now fit really well. I can talk, drink and sort of eat with them in. Very cool. Most of the vampire talk by this point had subsided until we got ready for dinner and Andy informed Dan that I made spaghetti and that it had garlic in it. Andy was worried for Dan’s safety…didn’t want him to go up in flames. This upset Dan and he proceeded to tell us about all the fake Hollywood myths. This lasted all through dinner.

So now I have everything I need for a night of fun. I hope that everything that I want to do with my makeup and costume turns out. I have decided to be Spiderella or Spinderslla (can’t decide on a name) I must find a Prince Charming by midnight or I turn back into a spider. LOL I will try to take some pictures. I hope you all have a great evening.

The Legend of the Snallygaster
Mood:  mischievious
About a month ago Marie pointed me to myspce blog or a gentleman living in Ireland. He goes by Tuathal and a few days ago he wrote a really great blog about the legend of the Banshee. Last night before LOST came on Tanya, her brother Andy and I got to talking about Halloween costume ideas and Tanya mentioned she would like to go as some sort of mythological creature and the banshee was brought up. I showed her Tuathal's blog post and she was amazed by what she read. Thanks to Hollywood the Banshee has gotten a bad rap. Anyway...Tanya then stated that America doesn't have cool figures such the Banshee or Leprechaun. It is true that the Emerald Isle may have some cool mythological creatures but there are some pretty cool legends close to home. I then brought up the tale of the Snallygaster.

When I lived in Thurmont, MD a lot of the older people used to tell the story of the Snallygaster I am guessing to scare children. I have always been amazed and slightly amused by the story. I comprised information taken from Wikipedia and Ghosts and Legends of Frederick County by Timothy L. Cannon and Nancy F. Whitmore to give you the following story of....The Snallygaster.

According to legends repeated in the Middletown Valley Register in the early 20th century, the community was terrorized by a monster called a Schnellegeister. The word means "fast spirit or ghost" in German, but neighbors nicknamed it the "Snallygaster." The Snallygaster was described as half-reptile with octopus limbs, and half-bird with a metallic beak lined with razor-sharp teeth. It can fly. It can pick up its victims and carry them off. The earliest stories claim that this monster sucked the blood of its victims. The beast was spotted in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey before finally arriving in Frederick County, MD. It has been suggested the legend was resurrected in the 19th century to frighten freed slaves.
In February and March of 1909, newspaper accounts describe encounters between local residents and a beast with "enormous wings, a long pointed bill, claws like steel hooks, and an eye in the center of its forehead." It was described as making screeches "like a locomotive whistle."

Sightings of the Snallygaster were creating such a commotion that at one point it was reported that President Theodore Roosevelt might postpone a trip to Europe so that he could lead an expedition to capture it. Apparently the Smithsonian Institute was also interested in the beast. From the description provided by engineer 83, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, they determined the strange beast was either a bovalopus or a Snallygaster, since it had the characteristics of both. Further, its hide was so rare that it was worth $100,000 a square foot, as it was the only substance known to man that could polish punkle shells.(Punkle shells, for those of you who don’t know, are used by the African tribes of Umbopeland for ornamentation.)

The last sighting in Frederick County in 1909 occurred near Emmitsburg in early March. Three men fought the terrible creature outside a railroad station for nearly an hour and a half before chasing it into the woods of Carroll County.


Twenty-three years passed before the Snallygaster appeared again in Frederick County. First reports were received from just below South Mountain in Washington County. Eyewitness accounts claimed that it flew toward them from the Middletown Valley.

The beast was often seen floating back and forth over the area and was described as being as large as a dirigible, with arms resembling the tentacles of an octopus. The creature appeared to be able to change its size, shape, and color at will.

Although the creature made no attempt to harm any of the residents of the Valley, most people sought the safety of their homes as it flew overhead.

The Snallygaster finally met his end in a way some might envy. The creature was flying near Frog Hollow in Washington County when it was attracted by the aroma of a 2500-gallon vat of moonshine. As the beast flew overhead, it was overcome by the fumes and dropped into the boiling mash. A short time later, revenue agents George Dansforth and Charles Cushwa arrived on the scene. They had received information about the still, but were rather startled at the sight of the dead monster in the vat.

The two agents exploded five hundred pounds of dynamite under the still, destroying the remains of the Snallygaster and John Barleycorn’s workshop.

A great deal has been written about the Snallygaster since 1909. It has appeared in countless articles in the Middletown Valley Register, Frederick News Post, and other area newspapers. Is has also appeared in the Baltimore Sun, National Geographic, and Time Magazine.

In 1976, the Washington Post sponsored an unsuccessful search for the Snallygaster, as well as other strange Maryland creatures.

Frederick County is known for a great many things, but most will agree that none is as imaginative as the Snallygaster.

Romantic menories keep popping up in my mind....
Mood:  caffeinated
As I sat at my computer this morning trying to remember what I was working on yesterday that I needed to finish, I stared at the image I have set as my wallpaper. It is an image of the Cliffs of Moher that I took during my visit to Ireland last year. I recalled the day we visited the Cliffs. I like to do this a lot because that way it keeps the trip fresh in my mind because I haven't a clue when I will have a chance to go back. Anyway...I remember that day as being the coldest day of the trip. It was raining that morning. Not a heavy rain, just a steady mist. The wind coming up off the cliffs was so strong that it nearly knocked you off your feet. The sky was gray and there was a light fog surrounding the cliffs. I remember someone from our group complaining about the fog and how the view is much more amazing when the sun is out. Which maybe true, but I remember thinking that it couldn't be more perfect. This is how I always pictured Ireland when I was a little girl. What would Ireland be without the "Irish Mist". Anyway...I stood there taking pictures hoping to take that one shot that would help me remember this day forever when I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and saw a young couple standing not far from me. The young man was holding his girlfriend, trying to keep her warm when all the sudden he broke away and turned her so she was facing him. He got down on one knee and started talking. I know I should of walked away or pretended not to notice. This was a private moment between the two, but I couldn't help myself. I just stood there and watched. He gave this long speech about how they hadn't known each other long and that he knew that she said she wasn't ready but that he couldn't imagine himself without her. He was so cold (and perhaps a little nervous) that he shivered so badly that he could barely get the words out. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring box and asked her if she would marry him. The girl hesitated for just a moment before she responded with a yes. It was so sweet and romantic that I couldn't help but tear up a little.

The weather has gotten much cooler lately and all I want to do is curl up on the couch under a warm blanket with a fire in the fireplace. The cold evenings make me miss Philip a little. He was so great to snuggle up to. I really miss that.

One good thing about the cold is that the leaves have finally started to turn. This is my favorite time of year. The cool crisp morning, the smell of the leaves mixed with the smoke for chimneys near by. The sky is blue and clear and its color reflects in the lake. I tried to take a picture of it but the colors just didn't convey well on camera. The water is still a tad warm and with the mornings being so cold, a mist rises up off the surface. It almost looks like smoke on the water. When the sun hits it in the morning with the colored trees in the background...it is just breathtaking. I really wish you all could see it. *sigh*

Well I better get some work done. Enough romanticizing for one day. Till next time...

For the Ladies
Mood:  happy
Colleen posted this on her blog and I thought I would share it with the rest of you.

Go here. HERE

Select a product. Ask to see the side effects.

Enjoy.

So Others May Live...
Mood:  a-ok
Last night I was suppose to meet Pottery Guy (protecting his identity) at the North Hills Mall Theater. He has been wanting to see "The Guardian" so we decided to make it a date. The deal was that we would meet outside the Theater at 7PM. He called me just as I was heading our the door to tell me that he was running a little late. No big deal. I needed to call my mother anyway. Which turned out to be a mistake because she really wanted to talk. Now I was the one running late. I got in my car and drove to the mall and parked in my usual spot by Target. I ran over to the elevators that take up to the Theater. The doors close and I pressed the button for the 1st floor. Nothing happened. I pressed the button again. Nothing happened. Time now is 7:18...movie starts at 7:20. I decided to exit and try the other elevator. I pressed the "open doors" button and nothing happened. OMG I am locked in the elevator!!! I kept pressing the button in a panic, praying to everything holy that the doors would open. Finally after about 5 minutes I was released from my steel prison. I decided at this point it would be safer to take the stairs. As I reached the top I nothing they had the elevator taped off and barricaded. WTF! They should have put signs on the ones in the parking garage so tha you know that they were broken. *sigh* I finally made it to the Theater and found Pottery Boy. We bought our tickets and headed in. Luckily they were still showing previews.

The movie was very good. I am not a huge Kevin Costner fan but he actually did very well in this film. Incase you haven't heard anything about the movie:

After losing his crew in a fatal crash, legendary Rescue Swimmer, Ben Randall, is sent to teach at "A" School, an elite training program for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. Wrestling with the loss of his crew members, he throws himself into teaching, turning the program upside down with his unorthodox training methods. While there, he encounters a young, cocky swim champ, Jake Fischer, who is driven to be the best. During training, Randall helps mold Jake's character, combining his raw talent with the heart and dedication required of a Rescue Swimmer. Upon graduation, Jake follows Randall to Kodiak, Alaska, where they face the inherent dangers of the Bering Sea. In his initial solo rescue, Jake learns firsthand from Randall, the true meaning of heroism and sacrifice, echoing the Swimmer's motto--"So Others May Live!"
The Guardian

The best part of the evening actually came during the previews when they showed the trailer for Eragon which is based on the book of the same name. A boy named Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest. At first, he thinks it's a lucky discovery, something that will bring food to his poor family for the winter. Instead, it brings a dragon hatchling, and Eragon is soon thrust into a world of magic and power through which he and the dragon must navigate. This is the first in the trilogy and it will be released in theaters December 15th. I am so excited. It looks awesome.

Well until next time...

I am just not in a haunting mood....
Mood:  blue
Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. So my less than enthusiastic attitude towards it this year has me completely baffled. By now I would have decorated my apartment, carved a few pumpkins, made a costume, and visited a few haunted houses and corn mazes. I haven't done any of it. I just don't know what is wrong with me. Maybe it is the fact that the weather has been warm or it could be the fact that Halloween isn't a big deal down here. Whatever the case I just don't feel Halloweeny.

When I lived in Maryland, Halloween was a big deal. Bars, restaurants, and hotels had big activities plan for the holiday. There were so many haunted houses with in a 50 mile radius of where I lived that even if you started going to them on the 1st of October you wouldn't even come close to seeing all of them before 31st. I would look froward to choosing a costume. I loved picking a pattern and making it with my own two hands. They just always looked better than the store bought ones. There were corn mazes and hay rides to attend, complete with a free pumpkin and some hot apple cider. My friend Justin and I would dress up Halloween night and attend some sort of party and/or go to Denny's just to watch people stare. It was FUN!!!!

Moving to the bible belt has changed all that. Bars and clubs here have events but they are not highly advertised or are really expensive to get into. There are only about 3 haunted houses to attend and two corn mazes. One of which is in the shape of a race car. Most people refuse to celebrate it because they think it is a day that people converse with Satan. These are the same people that picketed Harry Potter, but that is a whole other entry.

You would think I would relish in dressing up and shoving it into the face of the the bible bashers but I quite frankly don't have the energy. I think if I was surrounded by people who were more enthusiastic about Halloween I might feel a bit different but everyone here feels the same way I do. I feel like the Grinch but instead of Christmas...it is Halloween. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!!!!!

I hope I get out of this funk soon but I have a feeling I will let Halloween pass by me this year. :(

I've been published
Mood:  happy
If you have been following the journal you know that this past spring we had a den of foxes on the dam. In April I was asked to write an article about the foxes for a community paper. Somehow our Public Affairs office got a hold of it and decided to publish it in the October addition of our newsletter. So check out page 13. Just a warning though. There are two errors in it that apparently they didn't catch before they published it and I wrote it for parents with kids so it is on that level...not really expert journalism but the pictures are cute. District Newsletter

I know I haven't updated since Monday but it has been a crazy week. The power company was digging a trench and hit our water line. Not once but twice. They finally got it fixed Tuesday morning and we went to turn the water on and nothing happened. We then spent the rest of the day out in the rain at the pump house trying to get everything running again. Then this morning I came in and went to unlock the bathrooms and heard water running. The toilet in the men's room was continually flushing. I jiggled the handle but it wouldn't stop running. Exhausting all of my plumbing knowledge (basically jiggling the handle is all I know how to do) I decided to wait until my boss came it. They are down there down trying to get it fixed.

It also turns out that my mother is coming back this weekend. She just loves it here sooooo much. LOL no actually she is using Raleigh as a stop over. She and some friends are traveling to Hilton Head, SC and they think it is too long of a trip to do it all in one day, so they are stopping in Raleigh overnight. The plan is that her friends will stay at the hotel and Mom will stay with me. Which means tonight I will be busy cleaning and getting her room ready. All this must be done before 8PM so that I can watch Survivor.

Mom is also brining with her more apples and cider as well as a jar of apple butter. Aunt B REALLY wants to make sure that I don't suffer from Apple Deficiency Syndrome this year. LOL I am starting to get sick of the site of apples. LOL I really need to write her a thank you card. :)

This weekend is the last weekend for the NC State Fair. I am hoping to make an appearance on Saturday but I will have to wait and see what time Mom leaves. I like to go early to avoid most of the crowds. There is also a Monet exhibit at the art museum that I have been dying to see. So much to do...so little time.

That is pretty much it. Have a great day and a fantastic weekend.

Good Day Lords and Ladies
Mood:  hungry
This past weekend was the The Renaissance Festival that Marie and I have been preparing for. I had such a great time. I am not sure if I like it better than the one here in Raleigh. They are both so different

Marie offered to drive since I did most of the driving during our trip to Ocracoke. She picked me up at 7:30 in the morning and we set out on the road. Marie had forgotten the map so we didn't really know where we were going. We just knew it was somewhere off I-85.

We stopped at a rest area to look at a map. You should have seen the looks we got walking into the building. LOL Priceless!!! We glanced at the map, hoping I would recognize the name of the small town the festival was in. No such luck. We set back out on the road and decided to look for a gas station and a place to get some breakfast.

We stopped in Salisbury and decided to hit the Starbucks. It was funny to watch people's reactions as we walked in. They all tried not to stare. Acting like this is something they are used to seeing. We got some coffee cake and sat down at a table and started searching the paper for an ad for the festival hoping that it had the directions on it. A woman sitting close by was kind enough to offer to help us search. She found the ad and gave us the info number to call. Marie called and got the exit number. Turns out we only had about 1/2 hour left to go. *Yea!*

We finally arrived about 10:30 or so and headed into the fair. The weather was cool which was great because my dress weighs like 100 lbs. The area they have the festival in is pretty amazing. It seems to be dedicated solely to the event. All the buildings are "Renaissance" in appearance in an amusement park sort of way. There were some "medieval rides" for kids, lots of places selling some sort of food item on a stick, and several stages with performances. We decided to walk around a bit to get the lay of the land before deciding which shows to attend.

One new show this year was called Hey Nunnie Nunnie. It is a comedy/musical show with these two nuns, Sister Redempta and Sister Philomenia. It was Hysterical!!! I think it was bad to see this show first because it was so well done that the other shows paled in comparison. Walking around the faire we also saw fire and sword dancers, The Green Man (man on stilts dressed as a tree), The Ded Bob Sho (no I sm not missing letters...that was the name of the show), and a Celtic harpist.

My favorite part of the day was when we attended to joust. We sat in the section that was cheering for Sir William de Bracey who just happened to be the Queen's champion. Marie thought he looked like Sting. LOL I guess he did...a little. Anyway...There were three knights one of which was the evil dark knight, Sir Philip of France. At one point in the tournament, Sir Philip was losing and decided to cheat. He injured Sir Jeffery (the other good knight) and insulted the crown prince. Well our Sir William wouldn't stand for this so he challenged Sir Phillip to a Joust TO THE DEATH! *gasp* Which would be held at the hour of 4 and 15 (4:15 for all you non faire folk) We didn't make this last event but from the cheering we heard from the crowd I am assuming Sir William won and all is right with the world again.

Later in the afternoon we st tended a falconry demonstration. I was a little disappointed in this show because it wasn't really about falconry. It was more of a show and tell about birds. At one point they brought out a large albino python. WTF! This is not a bird and it really had no place in this show. Oh well.

The festival came to a close at 5:30 and we headed home. It was such a fun day and our dress were a big hit. People were amazed we made them ourselves. I even had a little girl ask to have her picture taken with me. She apparently thought I was Cinderella. LOL

I have attached a slide show to this entry but if you don't have the time to watch the show you can also look at the picture here.

Gaelic Fest 2006
Mood:  happy
Do you live in or around the triangle area? Are you frustrated with the lack of fall activities? Well then let me draw your attention to the Gaelic Fest 2006. Myth & Mayhem - A Gaelic Halloween at the Koko Booth amphitheater in Regency Park in Cary NC. Saturday, October 28th 11:00am till 10:00pm.

I went to this event last year when it was held in Raleigh and had a great time. There will be some fantastic Irish music, dancing, food, and vendors. This year has a Halloween theme complete with costume contest and a haunted trail.

The whole week leading up to the big event is packed with activities. There is going to be a KILT Night on the 26th at Tir Na Nog. Then on the 27th they will have two bands, The Ghosts of Erin and then later that night Seven Nations will preform. All day Saturday at KOKO Booth there will a bus going from Tir Na Nogto the event and back to the Pub at 10.15 for the After Party. So if you are interested in that either let me know and I will pass your name on to the even planner or you can go to Irisheventsnc and send a message to Annie Nice.

May I also recommend going back to Tir Na Nog on Sunday for their brunch. One of the best brunches in the triangle. All of the food is fantastic but you got to try the bread pudding...it is heaven on a plate.

Admission is $5 and you can purchase them through Ticketmaster


Hope to see you all there!!!!

Mystery Solved
Mood:  don't ask
Okay so I solved the Nancy Day and Robert Walter mystery from yesterday. I was correct about not know Nancy but wrong about Robert.

Robert, or Rob as I know him, dated about 4 or 5 years ago. We only went out a total 4 times. He just wasn't what I was looking for and I had had my eye on a Marine so I called it off. We remained "friends" and we have only talked about 3 times since we dated. I don't know much about his life except for the fact that he discovered that women like men in uniform and supposedly joined the air force. I have no proof of this just his word.

I haven't a clue why he would put me down as a reference. If I am going to use someone as a reference I would make sure it is someone I talk to with great regularity. Not some person I dated years ago. You can't tell me that this guy didn't have another friend he could use.

Why didn't I remember him? I think I was so hung up on the name Nancy Day because that is the first name the guy on the phone gave me. I was so focused on it that when he mentioned Robert I just drew a blank. I was sitting at home last night and it finally dawned on me who it was. So I dug out my old address book and looked him up. I didn't have a last name, just wrote Rob W. Assuming it is the person in question.

Oh well...Hopefully they can still get the loan without my reference. Even though I have remembered who he is, I don't have a clue what he has been doing for the last few years and would not feel good about giving a reference.

Is my memory getting that bad or are these people up to no good?
Mood:  quizzical
I just received a strange phone call from a company call Capital Auto Loans stating that someone by the name of Nancy Day and Robert Walter put my name down as a personal reference. Normally this would not be a big deal but I don't know these people. At least I don't think I do.

I told the guy that I hadn't a clue who these people were. He said they are more than likely an acquaintance that thinks we have more of a friendship than we actually do. I am pretty good at remembering people but the name doesn't ring a bell. He informed me that she works for USDA and that she had put down my home address and phone number. He said she lives in MD and the other references live in MD and DE. He believed that Robert Walter was her son...maybe I knew him? Nope!!! Still doesn't ring a bell. I am hoping this is a case of mistaken identity. There are several people in Raleigh with my name, maybe they have me confused with them?

After I hung up the phone I looked Nancy Day up on the USDA website and got her email address. I sent her a message to see if she can jog my memory. I will be anxious to see if she responds. I will keep you all informed.

Just a word of advice to all my readers. If you are going to use someone as a reference...call them first to see if it is okay and to see if they still remember you.