Concrete tears us apart...Karaoke puts us back together.
Mood:  lazy
Last night Lennie showed up with a grinder for the patio. The thing weighed 235 lbs which made getting it out of the back of the truck an adventure. We got the grinder pads on and the water hooked up and Lennie went to town. I was not at all prepared to resurface the patio last night. Actually I was looking forward to a relaxing evening. No such luck. Things started out smoothly until he stopped to check his work. He got so into making the surface level and smooth that he forgot that in some places the concrete we put on was only ? inch thick so when he grinded he went clean through to the crappy concrete below. Then he went to brush off the water and grit and pushed it off the side of the patio that borders my neighbor’s yard. This sent red water and grit right down to my neighbor’s house. I ran down to try to stop it but he just kept pushing more water. STOP!!!!! He looked at me and said “What?” I yelled that this was not my yard and I am pretty sure my neighbors don’t want red concrete in their yard. So I had to then dig up and throw it back over onto my yard. I mentioned that had I know we were doing this tonight I would have gotten plastic to put down to catch all the crap. He then said under his breathe that he was about sick of this project. I stated it was fine if he wanted to quit. I would just call a professional in to fix it. Well I think that made things worse so now he is determined to do it himself. He now wants to buy 4 more bags of concrete and mix it up tonight and put it down. UGH!!!! I am so not looking forward to it. But I just keep telling myself that it will look nice in the end. I probably just should have stuck with laying tile. Is there an Idiot’s Guide to Laying Concrete? Because this idiot (I mean me not Lennie) needs something.

Once we finished we sat on a rock and just stared at the patio. Neither of us spoke much but you could feel the tension. We didn’t really have a fight. It was more that we were both fed up with the other at that point. He finally looked at me and asked if I wanted to go for a beer. I asked if he brought a change of clothes. He shook his head no and said he would go home. When he left I wasn’t sure if he was coming back. I got cleaned up anyway and sure enough I see Lennie pull up in the driveway.

We decided to go to Piper’s Tavern for dinner and a beer. When we got there the place was packed. This is an unusual site for a Wednesday night. We got a booth along the wall and I ordered crab cakes and he got wings and as we ate I saw some people setting up a bunch of equipment near the stage. When they finally put the TV monitor up I realized…OMG its Karaoke Night!!! I didn’t even thing this still existed. Our moods started to uplift with the thought of being able to snicker at the poor Idol wannabe’s. By the time they finally got everything set up we only stayed long enough to hear two people sing. It was getting late and I was early ranger today so I had to get some sleep.

We made a promise early in the relationship to never go to bed angry. We definitely were in a much better mood when we laid down last night and quickly fell asleep.

We will see how the final attempt at the patio goes tonight. I will keep you all informed.

The next project after this….Build a Pergola.

Even the best laid plans....
Mood:  hungry
What a weekend!!!

Saturday morning Lennie and I got up to start work on the patio. The plan was to put in the frame and then on Sunday pour the concrete. Lennie said the hardest part of the whole process would be the prep work. Man he was wrong. That was actually the easy part.

The concrete slab that was in place was in really bad shape. The top had large stones sticking our and the edges were all wavy and uneven. Lennie decided that we should build a permanent frame around the edge to even everything up before we started pouring the concrete. We had purchased 10 inch wide treated lumber which meant we would have to dig a trench around the existing structure. Lennie started digging and immediately had trouble. The soil was so compacted it was like trying to shovel through rock. He handed me the shovel and ran to Home Depot to pick up a pick ax. I proceeded to dig. I figured I would get as far as I could then he could get the rest with the ax. I managed to make a nice trench on one side and had started to other side before he finally returned. The pick ax made quick work of the rest. When we finished that part Lennie’s friend, Todd showed up with his cement mixer. He proceeded to help Lennie sure up the wood frame At this point I ran to Lowes to pick up some cement to fill in the large gaps where the concrete was uneven. I also stopped at the store to pick up stuff for lunch.

After feeding the boys it was time to head back outside to finish up the frame and patch the holes. I think Todd left about 5PM and Lennie and I worked till 7:30 but were finally able to get the frame completed. We came in and showered and I cooked us a steak and potato dinner. We were both so tired that even chewing food was a chore. LOL Lennie assured me that Sunday would go much smoother. I only wish that was true.

We got up Sunday and drove to Knightdale to pick up more concrete and the dye to make the concrete red. When we got back I realized I had left the bag of dye at the register and had to drive back to Knightdale to pick it up. Ugh!!! Lennie said he would start mixing the first batch and start pouring while I was gone. But when I got back he apparently had just gotten of the phone with his Dad and had started. It was almost 1PM at this point and it was starting to get very hot. So we headed out and started the first batch. We mixed 80bls at a time. Then we would pour it into a bucket and Lennie would start troweling it on. This process wasn’t nearly as easy as he and Todd said he would be. My theory is that we didn’t make the concrete wet enough in the mixer. We would start smoothing it out and it would get hard and we would spray water over it. I read the box of dye later and it stated that doing this could cause uneven color and white spots. Whoops! At 8 o’clock we finished up the concrete and cleaned everything up. I wish I had gotten a picture of what I looked like. I was covered from head to toe in cement dust, dirt, sweat, and red dye. I think Lennie was surprised I lasted as long as I did. We decided to get cleaned up and grab a bit to eat. Once again I was too tired to even chew but I managed to get down some cheese fries and Salmon.

Monday morning we got up to take a look at our handy work. Neither one of us were too happy with what we saw. It was all patchy and different shades of red. I knew there was a reason I don’t lay concrete for a living. I suck at it. LOL We started to discuss what we could do to fix it. My plan is to rent a sander and sand down all the rough patches. Then I can sponge on some color paint or glaze to even out the color a little. Then carve in the grout lines and paint them black. I think this will make the patio look like stone. Because stone isn’t always one color…right? Lennie wants to mix more concrete and pour it over the top. I am sooooo not looking forward to mixing more concrete. I think I got him to agree to try my idea first. We will see.

We both decided that Monday would be our day away from the patio. So we went downtown and had lunch at Napper Tandy’s and then headed over to see if there was an IMAX movie playing that we wanted to see. The only thing playing was Spiderman and neither of us have a desire to see it, so we drove up to the mall to see Shrek 3 instead which I thought wasn’t too bad, I know my sister and two other friends hate it but I laughed. There were come cheesy, campy moments that I think were funny and I loved Merlin who was played by Eric Idle. I found out from a friend of mine who used to work at DreamWorks that there is a TV Christmas Shrek called Shrek the Halls as well as Shrek 4. I really think they should just stop with 3 but hey it’s their money.

After the movie we came back to my place and Lennie got in his truck and went home. I think he had hit is “Rebecca” limit for the weekend. I wish I had been more enthusiastic yesterday but I was just feeling so lousy. I was sore from all the work and I think dehydrated as well. I am really surprises that we didn’t fight or argue once.

Last night I slipped into my PJ’s, order a pizza and watched a movie. I LOVE having Lennie there but it was nice to just relax on my own. I can’t wait till the patio is finished and I can start enjoying it. I will post pictures when it is complete.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

What a girl won't do for $100
Mood:  hungry
Yesterday I logged online to pay a couple of bills. When I pulled up my phone bill I was shocked…$140.00. I had signed up for this Triple Choice plan because the women at AT&T told me it would way cheaper than what I was currently paying. The deal was for phone, DSL, and Direct TV and was suppose to be around $99 a month. So when I saw the $140 I just about lost it. I knew it would be a little over $100 with taxes and fees but $140? This didn’t even include the $48 I just paid for Direct TV. I was also supposed to get $100 in cash for switching whish had never arrived. I picked up the phone to give AT&T a piece of my mind.

The first guy I talked to wasn’t very helpful. He said that by signing up for the plan I had switched from unlimited long distance to the 5 cents a minute deal. In looking at the bill my long distance charge this month was only $6.50. Still don’t see where the $140 came from. HE assured me that next month I should see a drop in price. He tried to tell me that the extra fess was to set me up on this service. I asked about my $100 cash back and he transferred me to the reward department. The woman there was not helpful at all and kept saying I was not eligible and that I was going to have to call customer service. I was just speaking to customer service and they transferred me to you. Frustrated I hung up on the rewards lady without even saying goodbye.

I called customer service back and this time got this woman who seemed to know what she was doing. She pulled up my bill and was shocked by how high it was. She decided to see what she could do to lower it. She was so nice. We discussed how we had both just bought new houses and she said she knew having a mortgage could leave you strapped for cash. An hour later not only had she lowered my bill but I am getting DirectTV free for 6 months including all the premium channels (HBO, Showtime…), I now have the fastest internet speed they offer, unlimited long distance with discounted international rates (I mentioned Lennie being from Scotland and so I guess she figured I needed to call overseas), and I am getting $180 cash back. She even tried to give me 4 free Razor phones but I already have a cell phone I like. She assures me that my bill next month should be about $80 without DirectTV and when the 6 months end my rate will be a little over $100. We will see when I get the next bill if what she says is true.

To add to the glorious deal day I was having I get home to find two checks in my mailbox. One for $120 from my mortgage company. Apparently I had money left in my escrow account for the month. The second check was for $75 from cancelling my renter’s insurance.

Accepting Body Guard Appilcations....
Mood:  chillin'
Ever since I moved into the house Lennie has been asking me when I was going to get a dog. Then he states I should look at getting a big dog like a Rottweiler or Doberman. My answer is always the same. Not anytime soon. The backyard needs to be fenced in first and I need to make more money than I currently make because, lets face it…my animals are spoiled and it costs a lot of money to keep them in the life they are accustomed to.

Last night this kid came to my door. I say “kid” because I swear he couldn’t have been more than 12. He was going door to door trying to sell home alarm systems. Which honestly has to be the worse job in the world. He must have been new to the whole sales thing because he was awful and lost me from the moment he uttered his first sentence. At one point he pulls out his cell phone to show me about what size the detectors would be and he sort of pushes me aside to enter my house to show me where they would connect. SOOOO NOT COOL! You never enter someone’s home unless you are given permission. This freaked me out a little. See on Monday night a guy came to my door selling magazines and he got a little pushy and a little odd. Asked a lot of personal questions that just made me feel uneasy and he refused to take no for an answer. I finally shot the door on him. They have been talking on the news about people who are going door to door trying to push their way into people’s homes. So when the alarm guy pushed past me my hackles went up. Luckily Lennie was sitting on the couch so I didn’t worry too much. I knew I could have taken the guy. I mean come on….he was like 12. But it still made me uneasy and I think Lennie saw that.

That night at dinner we got to talking about the incident and Lennie brought up the fact that I should look into getting some sort of home security. Jokingly I said, “I do have a security system. I have a deadbolt and an attack cat.” He looked at me and I knew he was serious. He said he didn’t care if someone broke in and robbed me because that stuff could be replaced. He worried about someone breaking in and assaulting and/or raping me. He didn’t worry about it so much when I was in the apartment because no one in their right mind would walk up those steps if they didn’t have to.

For some reason I was really touched by what he said. I know that he cares about me. I have never doubted that. But I could really see the concern in his eyes and it was just one of those “awww he loves me” kind of moments. I know that Lennie is worried about what will happen to me while he is in Iraq. He can’t protect me and I think that really eats at him. I have looked into alarm systems because my house is set up for one, but the monitoring fee is $30 a month and that is just not an expense I can tack onto my budget at the moment. I guess I will just have to practice my self defense moves some more. Anyone want to volunteer to be my practice dummy?

On a different note…

My friend Marie wrote in her journal yesterday that she was quitting her job and moving to Charlotte to be closer to her boyfriend. Although I will miss her terribly (now who am I going to go swing dancing and Ren. Fairing with?) I am excited for her. She is much braver than I am. From reading, I don’t think she has a job lined up which would scare the crap out of me. I am very much a planner and need stability. I envy people that can just pick up and go. Way to go Marie. I wish you all the best and hopefully you won’t be a stranger to Raleigh. Maybe we can have a girl’s night out before you go. I still have my CF to Tir Na Nog.

Different subject #2

For those of you who have been asking me about last week’s drowning…

On Monday they finally recovered the body of the man who drowned at Jordan Lake last Thursday. State Park Rangers discovered the body about 1000 yards away from where searchers were looking.

Details about the man and the incident started being release over the weekend. Here is how the story unfolded…according to the news. On Thursday Jamie Burney decided to head out on the lake with some of his friends. They took along with them a full cooler of alcohol. After drinking a few (or many) Jamie decided the water looked great for swimming so he dived right in. Burney was not wearing a life jacket and was partially paralyzed on one side of his body from an earlier accident. This might have prevented him from fully feeling how cold the water was. Water temperatures at Jordan are currently 68 degrees. Anything under 70 can be enough to cause hyperthermia. Jamie calls to his friends to jump in the water was fine. They jumped in but unlike Burney, they were wearing life jackets. They swam around for a nit then got back in the boat. Jamie’s girlfriend looked for him and noticed he was in trouble. She attempted to throw a rope to him but he went under the surface and never came back up. Scared for their friend they took the boat to shore to get help. In doing this they forgot where they had been on the water and they were unable to give the searchers the exact location. Which is why it took so long to find the body.

Jaime Burney was only 36 years old and to be taken so early is completely tragic. When will people learn to put on a life jacket? This gentleman would still be alive if he had been wearing one. It just completely saddens me. When I talk to people about putting on their jacket they always have some sort of excuse. It is uncomfortable, too bulky, I am too macho, it will ruin my tan, I don’t need one I am an expert swimmer. Well you know what? I would rather go out on the lake and be a little uncomfortable and come home safe and sound than go out on the water and come back in a body bag. I also consider myself and expert swimmer. I am even a certified lifeguard. But I would never get on the boat without a life jacket. What if you were to fall out of the boat and smack your head on something? You can’t swim if you are unconscious. Some people swallow water and choke. They panic and forget to swim.

Shooting Tigers
Mood:  don't ask
Why do I end up with all the strange phone calls? This morning I got a call from a lady and at first I wasn't sure if it was real or if I was being pranked. Below is our conversation. When reading the part of LADY image a REALLY thick Hispanic Accent.

ME: This is Rebecca, can I help you?
LADY: Yes…ummm...hello?
ME: Hello? Can I help you?
LADY: Yes…ummm…my English no so good. Ummm I don’t know how you say…..my husband wants to shoot the tigers. Where he do that?
ME: (very puzzled) He wants to shoot the tigers?
LADY: Yes the tigers…where he do that? Off 98 many people fishing…he shoot tigers there? You know I mean?
ME: Ma’am I am sorry but we don’t have any tigers.
LADY: Yes off 98…he shoot tigers….you know I mean?
ME: (repeat louder) Ma’am we don’t have tigers at Falls Lake.
LADY: Oh…..no?.....maybe is not right word? He shoot little paper he stick to the trees.
ME: Oh you mean a TARGET.
LADY: Yes…he do that off 98?
ME: No Ma’am we don’t allow target shooting at Falls. He will have to find a firing ranger.
LADY: He do that off 98?
ME: No Ma’am he will have to go to a shooting range. We don’t offer places for target practice. He can hunt here but he can’t shoot at targets.
LADY: No he no hunt… just shoot. He do that off 98?
ME: (getting frustrated now) No your husband will have to go to a firing range.
LADY: Oh…… you have number?
ME: No sorry I don’t have a number but I am sure you can find it online or the phone book.
LADY: I call you…your number on the sign.
ME: Yes ma’am it is on the sign but we do not offering target shoot here your husband will have to go to a firing range.
LADY: Oh….a what?…you spell please?
ME: F…I…R…I…N…G
LADY: F…I…R…I…N…D
ME: No G
LADY: D
ME: No G as in Grape
LADY: P
ME: No G…F…I…R…I…N…G..........G
LADY: Oh G
ME: Yes G.
LADY: You have number?
ME: No you will have to find that information.
LADY: Oh…..firing?
ME: Range
LADY: Eh?
ME: Range….R…A…N…G…E
LADY: R…A…N…D…E…
ME: No D….G
LADY: R…A…N…D…G…E
ME: No there is no D in it. Replace D with G.
LADY: You have number I can call?
ME: *sigh* No I am sorry you will have to get that number on your own. I don’t know of any local firing ranges.
LADY: oh…(hangs up phone).


I felt like was part of that "who's on first" routine that the 3 Stooges used to do. Oh I love my job!!!! The one thing that worries me is that we might have some non-english people out there shooting guns. If they can't speak english they certainly can't read signs. *sigh* What's next?

A weeked full of this and that
Mood:  lazy
What a busy weekend this was. It was also kind of sad because I finally gave my notice at the pub so this was my last weekend to work. I told them I would work on an emergency basis if they really got into a bind. But now I can focus on my real job and start doing some things to the house that I haven’t had time to do. It is hard to work 7 days straight. My house is a mess and my laundry pile is taking over my closet. So I guess I know what I will be doing tonight.

Friday night was fairly quiet. Lennie and I ate dinner at this little Greek place called Taverna Agora. The food there is always outstanding. I haven’t found another place in Raleigh that serves up flaming cheese. LOL We then headed over to Adam and Eve (a little pleasure shop) and then went home where we crashed on the couch. We have both been so tired lately. We had plans for a nice romantic night but that never happened. We agreed to give it a try Saturday instead.

Saturday morning I got up and drove down to the pub. I totally forgot it was Artsposure weekend. There was no place to park and I refused to pay $3 to park in the garage. I ended up at the science museum and then had to walk three blocks. I got there about 30 minutes late which didn’t seem to matter because nothing we really set up. We started out slow but at noon we were packed. The kitchen fell behind and some people had to wait 45 minutes before they saw any food. Lennie showed up around 2PM and told me he wanted to cook me dinner. His plan was to roast a chicken with some potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Since my kitchen is better stocked than his, he asked for the key to my place so he could go ahead and start cooking. I handed him my key and told him to make sure he said hi to Annie before he left. Big Mistake! Annie was outside talking to a group a guys sitting at one of the picnic tables. 2 Irish men and a Brit. Annie introduced Lennie to the group and they convinced him to stay and have a beer. An hour later he was still sitting there. I went out to tell him the chicken wasn’t going to cook itself and he handed me back my key and continued to hang out with the guys till I got off work. I was a little disappointed I wasn’t going to get my homemade dinner but he made up for it by taking me to Red Lobster. We then met up with his friend Sean at the Ale House for a beer and then headed home. Once again we laid down on the couch and fell asleep. So much for our romantic night. LOL

Sunday morning I got up to head back to the pub. We were steadily busy all day. Brunch ended at 2PM and we immediately starting serving off our main menu. We really should have given ourselves an hour to get the kitchen set up and the buffet taken down because we got slammed and the kitchen got backed up again. Apparently when Annie goes out of town the pub falls apart. While she was gone nothing got ordered and we ran out of food and supplies. Pete (the owner) made 5 trips to Sam’s Sunday morning. I left around 3PM and headed home to change. Lennie and I were going to go see Grease with another couple and we were due to meet back down at the pub for dinner. I was told the festival would be over at 5PM so we assumed when we got down there we could find a place to park close to the pub. We apparently the festival didn’t end till 6PM and they were still charging $3 to park in the garage. Lennie tried to get us in for free by lying to the attendant. He told them guy we were managers at Tir Na Nog. The guy wasn’t buying it and said if we wanted to park there we would have to pay $3. Lennie wasn’t having it so we drove around. We ended up parking at the theater then had to walk 7 blocks to the pub. It wouldn’t have been bad if I wasn’t wearing heels. Lennie’s friends called and said they were going to make dinner and would just see us at the show. After dinner we then had to walk the 7 blocks back to the theater. My feet were killing me. The show was good but not outstanding. But I do enjoy going to the theater. There is just something nice about grabbing a glass of wine, sitting in the balcony, and watching a play. After the show we walked 5 blocks to a bar called The Big Easy for a drink then had to walk 5 blocks back to where we parked the car. My feet still hurt today. Note…next time I go out with Lennie and he drives…wear hiking boots.

We are planning to start of the deck this week. I had a guy come out and look at it but I never heard back from him. So Lennie decided we would do it ourselves. I have ordered the paint and hopefully it will be here soon. The plan is to mix the power color in with the concrete. Then once it is poured we will use some pipes to stamp the grout lines. Once it dries I am going to sponge on some color and paint the grout. Keep your fingers crossed that it will work out.

Everywhere you look there is an idiot...look there goes one now!!!
Mood:  irritated
I was saddened to learn that Jordan Lake had its first drowning on the season yesterday.

“Crews were dispatched to the southern portion of Jordan Lake Thursday afternoon after receiving a call about a missing boater. The man, who was also the driver of the boat, reportedly went for a swim with four of his passengers. He was last seen in water estimated to be ten to fifteen feet deep, and the water was more no than 60 degrees in temperature. Officials say the man, in his 30's, was not wearing a life jacket.
According to Riggsbee, the other swimmers couldn't pinpoint where their friend was last seen, so no divers were used in the search. Instead, four boats spent hours dragging the bottom of the lake. "The sad situation is, is it all goes back to not wearing a life jacket every time," the Chief said. "I've never had a person drown with a life jacket on."
Authorities said the search turned into a recovery effort at 7 p.m. due to low water temperature and low visibility. The search continued Friday morning. Three of the passengers on the boat are related, and say they are friends of the missing boater. “
That is an except from a news article I found online. While reading the article I noticed they had a section where people could comment on the story. I clicked on the link and was surprised at what I read...
One guy stated that he was irate that the press didn’t release the name of the victim. He said the guy could be missing. That he probably swam to shore and went and had a beer with his friends. He felt that the police and the press were keeping something from the public and that there had to be more to the story than what we were being told. Are you kidding me? This is not a missing person case. This is a drowning. The victim’s name has not been released because the body has not been found and the next of kind has not been notified. The gentleman was the driver of the boat so it is safe to assume that he wouldn’t just swim to shore to have a beer with other friends and abandon his other friends in the water. If this was the case I am sure he would have shown up at home last night and the authorities wouldn’t be out searching for him today. He was also not wearing a life jacket. The water is still below 70 degrees. He could have gotten hypothermia, crapped or got caught on something in the water. But plain and simple…he drowned and the police and news have no evil master plan in keeping information from the public they are just trying to be respectful to the family.
Another person was upset to learn of another drowning and was asking why there were so many drownings at Jordan Lake. They said there was something wrong with Jordan and it should be closed to swimmers. Someone else agreed and stated that maybe there was an evil sea creature in the water. Like our very own Loch Ness Monster. Are you kidding me? There is nothing wrong with the water at Jordan Lake. There is nothing sucking people into the depths and there is no evil sea creature. The reason people drown is simple…THEY DO NOT WEAR A LIFE JACKET!!!! I consider myself an expert swimmer but I still do not get on a boat without first putting on my lifejacket. Like the police chief stated above...” I've never had a person drown with a life jacket on”
On guy stated that there was plenty wrong with the lake. That he actually ran his boat onto something there once, in the middle of the lake. He was cruising at about 20mph and the boat STOPPED. He wasn’t even close to land. The front of the boat was tipped upwards. They jumped out of the boat, and got the shock of their lives. They were on a ROAD. You could still see the paint from the broken white lines. They walked around a pavement area of about 12' x 14' in the MIDDLE of the lake. Boat sustained about $3000 of damage to rudder, underside and prop. Luckily someone responded to this comment before I had to. They stated they knew where the guy was talking about and that you hit the road after you pass through two buoys marked with Do Not Enter signs. LOL Idiot! When Jordan and Falls Lake were formed they flooded out certain areas. Those areas contained homes, bridges, and roads. All obstructions are marked. If you don’t know what the signs on the buoys mean then pull your boat out of the water, put it on a trailer and don’t come back until you have taken a safe boaters course. The Coast Guard offers them once a month and they are FREE!!!!!
One thing that amuses me is that now there seems to be a “Name the Jordan Lake Monster” contest going on in the discussion board. So far we have…
Jordie
Billy Bob
Cletus
Monty (I am assuming this comes from the fact that part of the lake is in Moncure, NC)
I think my vote would be for Jordie. LOL People never cease to amaze me.

I love it when a plan comes together!
Mood:  energetic
Apparently my refusal to go get a new CAC card (Military ID) got the attention of some people in the District. I kept saying that I found it odd that I could log into several programs with my CAC card but couldn’t get into my computer. They kept telling me it was my card and I would just have to suck it up and get a new one. Even the Colonel got involved and told IM they needed to sort it out. But he met the same answer. So I broke down yesterday and called the National Guard to set up an appointment to get a new card. I wasn’t at all happy about it. My picture is halfway decent on this one. Unlike my driver’s license where I look like and angry Hispanic woman.

Yesterday I got a call from Security stating that they think they found the problem and someone from IM would be calling me shortly. They remoted into my computer and loaded a few things. I then stuck in my CAC card and …no error message. *cheer* So now I can cancel my appointment with the National Guard. Why couldn’t the first guy in IM figure that out?

This morning I came in all excited that I could log onto my computer without having to call IM and security to unlock it. My happiness was short lived. No it wasn’t my CAC Card this time that ruined my day. It was coming in to find that we don’t have water. The plumber came out yesterday to fix a valve and was unable to finish so he said he would be back at 7AM and we would have water by the time we opened at 8. Well it is now 9:09 and I have yet to see the plumber. So until it is fixed we have to drive down to Bojangles to use the rest room. One highlight of that is…I now have an excuse to go get a breakfast biscuit.

Yesterday we got off 59 minutes early. This is normally reserved for holidays but seeing as our beloved LTG Strock is retiring, he decided to let us off early to say thanks. So what did I do with my 59 minutes? I went to the bank then to Target to buy a new cell phone. Don’t worry my number hasn’t changed.

The battery in my old phone wasn’t holding a charge. I have had the thing for 6 years and it has been a great little phone. I called Virgin Mobile to see if I could get a replacement battery but they said they no longer carry those. Oh course not. So I went on the site and looked at the phones they currently have. I wanted a Razor but Virgin Mobile doesn’t sell them. They have one that is slim like the razor and what luck…it was on sale for $19.99. So I went to Target last night to pick one up. The guy kept trying to get me to buy on with a camera on it but I don’t need anything fancy. I don’t use my cell phone much. I make quick calls and text message a few people and that is it. So I get home last night and immediately log on to the Virgin Mobile site to swap phones. I am going along pretty good till it asks me to input my MSID number. I searched the book and the website and nothing mentioned were to find the number. So I broke down and called the 1-888 number. Virgin Mobile has recently one and award for their outstanding customer service. And after talking to the tech last night I can see why. These people really seem to love their jobs. The guy was so helpful and perky. In about a minute he had my new phone up and running. The only thing I don’t like about getting a new phone is there wasn’t anyway for them to transfer my contacts so I had to do it all by hand last night. That took awhile. I was also hoping to get a Harry Potter ring tone but all the ones on the Virgin Mobile site suck. I just want the theme song. Is that too much to ask?

Today should be quiet seeing as I am the only one here. Hopefully I was get motivate to do some actual work. :)

Hitting the Couples Scene
Mood:  hungry
Lennie and I both commented this weekend about the fact that we seem to be invited to more events now that we are a couple. His theory is that he is now viewed as “safe” because he is dating me and I have been a good influence on him. My theory is that when you are a couple you feel weird invited your single friend along because you fear they will feel like the 3rd wheel.

This past weekend was jammed packed and I don’t feel the least bit rested. I really need to stop working two jobs.

Friday night Lennie came over late and he headed to the Olive Garden for dinner. But first he wanted to make a pit stop by Home Depot to look at cement for my patio. This ended up taking two hours as we ran around the store looking at different ideas. If it works the way we hope it will I think it will look nice. I had hoped to lay tile but I am having a hard time finding tile I can afford. Who knew your basic ceramic tile would cost over $2.00 a sq ft.? I was hoping for something around $0.50 per tile. LOL yeah right. While looking at the cement I noticed boxes of pigment that you can add to the powder to create different colors of cement. So we thought we would pour cement and then make a template out of wood and press it into the cement to make it look like tile. Then I could go back and paint the grout lines. We are still trying to iron out all the details.

Saturday I had to process a new employee and then head down to the Carolina Kids Expo for a few hours. There were little kids running around EVERYWHERE! It was a good event and it was nice to see such a great turn out. Around 3PM I left and came home to start Lennie’s Birthday dinner. I was suppose to do it the weekend I moved but thing were just too hectic. I made finger-lickin’ good pork chops, French cut green beans with almonds, steamed red potatoes, fried apples, and my famous pie. I guess Lennie liked it because he licked the plate clean. LOL After dinner we just sat around drinking wine and chatting.

Sunday I got up and went to work brunch at the pub. We were packed. They actually had to stop taking reservation because we got so booked. It surprised me that people showed up with large parties without reservations. A majority of them were men who stated they didn’t realize they needed reservations. HELLO!!!! It’s Mother’s Day! Do you think you are the only one who came up with the idea to take Mom out to brunch?

That evening I met up with Lennie and his friends Maria and Todd (Maria’s husband) I enjoy hanging out with Maria. She is so sweet and easy to talk to. Several people have even mistaken us for sisters. LOL Maria’s parents are visiting for 3 weeks (poor Todd). They are from Ireland originally but I think they live in NY now. Maria’s Dad brought his accordion with him and played in the jam session at the Hibernian with several other Irish Musicians. The rest of us sat and had a few beers and just listened to the music. Maria and I perked up when we noticed the Hibernian’s Rugby team (Viper) walk in. I was on eye candy overload. Lennie said there is a guy on the team who looks like Hugh Grant but I never spotted him. I should make a point to go to a game or two.:) And for those of you worried that I was eying up other men…don’t worry Lennie had his own distraction in the form of a cute young waitress with beautiful long curly hair. It was funny watching Lennie and Todd trying to flirt with her.

About 7PM I became extremely hungry so we headed over to 518 West for dinner. The food there is okay. Not one of my favorite places. After dinner we headed to Tir Na Nog to attend a Hispanic Wedding Reception. One of the busboys at the pub got married on Saturday and we were invited down for a drink. We got there and were handed 5 drink tickets each. I only used one. I know I am a light weight. But I had 2 large pints of beer at the Hibernian and since I was driving I decided to take it easy. I had never been to a Mexican party but it was a lot of fun. The one thing I noticed is just how tight the Hispanic community is. Everyone takes care of everyone. It was nice to see.

I don’t think this coming weekend will be restful either. I am scheduled to work both Saturday and Sunday at the pub and there is some sort of Art festival which means we will be busy. (Sigh) I am hoping someone will call me and tell me I don’t have to work this weekend. I have so much to do at my house to get ready for my housewarming.

Cliff Swallows
Mood:  chillin'
Cliff Swallows are not a common site in the Eastern United Sates. They are more prevalent in the West were there are large rock over hangs for them to nest. With the loss of habitat and man made structures popping up all over the East, The little swallows have found a new home.

I was out on the tower one day doing a gate change when I noticed small birds swarming near the tower. Upon closer inspection I noticed they were Cliff Swallow and that they had chosen the south facing bridge wall to build their nests.

The swallows build their nest out of little balls of mud that they carry one by one. They form a cone shape with a small hole pointed downward. They build in large colonies as you see in the picture obove. Some colonies have been know to hold over 100 nests.

The female lays 3 to 5 eggs per nest and some times will lay eggs in other nests. She then sits on the eggs while the male goes in search of food. Their primary diet is insects which are caught in flight. The male returns to the nest with lightening speed and leaves just as quickly to catch more food. There primary feeding time at the dam seems to be around 11AM. It was such a flurry of activity it was hard to watch them through the camera lense. They were quite comical to watch. At one point I watched a male return to the nest. He didn't offer the female any food but instead pushed his way into the nest. The female quickly followed after him. A few seconds later she tosses him out of the nest and proceed to chirp fiercely. Almost like she was saying, "Get you lazy ass out their and get me some food!!! You good for nothing ball of feathers!!!! My mother told me I shouldn't have fallen for you bright rusty colored head."

Nature never ceases to amaze me. It always seems to adapt to any situation. There is a lesson to be learned there.

Complete Mental Breakdown
Mood:  irritated
Yesterday afternoon we were reminded that we would need to use our CAC Cards (military ID) to log onto our computers come Wednesday. They came last week and installed the card reader on my computer and issued me a new card because mine had expired.

I get in this morning and stick my card into the reader and try to log on but I ended up with an error message instead. I called the help desk and proceeded to spend two hours on the phone trying to get it to work. In the end the guy said he thinks it is the card and that i will have to get a new one. Now getting a new card isn't an easy process. I have to call and make an appointment with the National Guard. Then I have to fill out two forms and get my supervisor to sign them. Then I have to drive all the way into town and pray they will let me through security. Then I have to hope that once I get to the CAC office that the machine and computer are up and in working order. The last time I got a CAC card, I had to make 4 trips. Either I didn't have the right form or the printer was down. So when the guy told me I needed a new card....I snapped. I don't mean the little rants that I normally do. This was HUGE. I am pretty sure I made the poor Help Desk Guy cry. I yelled so loud and used such language that my boss came out and grabbed the phone from me and told the guy he would call him back. My boss then looked at me and I just burst into tears. I think he was a bit concerned because this was not at all like me. He then handed me my camera and the keys to our brand new Durango and told me to go and he didn't want to see me for at least an hour.

I went and drove to our tower to get some pictures of the cliff swallows that have set up home there. I got some great pictures that I hope to post soon. After the tower I went down to one of the areas we burned yesterday to check out an area that had crossed the line in the middle of the night. At one point I found a log, sat down and just cried.

I just don't know what is wrong with me. Could be PMS? But I normally don't get emotional. It could be that I am just tired. I don't mean in the haven't gotten enough sleep way either because I have been sleeping great. I think I am tired in the haven't taken a break kind of way. As I mentioned before, I haven't taken a vacation since my trip to Ireland. I do have the occasional weekend away and I have gone home to visit family. But the weekends are just not long enough and when I go home to WV my time is usually not my own seeing as Mom usually have me booked solid with visiting other people. I make it home so rarely now that I live in NC that when I do go home everyone wants to see me.

I just need to get away for at least a week. No schedules, no phones, no computers, no fax machines. Having a mortgage now that is stretching me thin financially, any vacation I take will have to be cheap. Since I work for DOD I can take advantage of the American Foreign Vets Travel site. I can go and stay pretty much where ever for $299 for a the whole week. I could get a few people to go along to make the trip cheaper. The only problem is that you can't normally pick the dates you want. Some places are only available for certain months. I did find a Chalet in Bryce, VA that is available in Sept. Can I last till then? What I would really like to do is to go up to the mountains, rent a cabin on a lake. Make sure it comes with a canoe. Get a fishing license and some gear. Doesn't that sound great? *daydreams a little*

Massages, Rod Stewart, and Cinco de Mayo
Mood:  hungry
Friday afternoon I met up with Lennie at my favorite spa in Raleigh, Iatria. Lennie had booked us a couple’s massage. After the big move the muscle in my back ached so much I could hardly breathe. So I was in desperate need of some pampering. Our masseurs for the day were Jeff and Jennifer and they were amazing. Jeff really focused on my back and was able to work out most of the knots. I could have laid there all day. It was such a nice treat.

Afterwards, we went to our respective homes to get cleaned up for dinner. Lennie stopped by and picked me up and we headed over to the Macaroni Grill. I haven’t been there in over a year. The food was great as always and we had a fantastic server named, Princess. I swear that was her name.

With our bellies full and a little drunk off the wine, we headed to the Rod Stewart Concert. I am not a huge fan but Lennie LOVES him (I won’t hold it against him.) We had nose bleed seats, which was okay because they had large TV screens so we could see all the action. It wasn’t a bad concert except for the drunk redneck yahoo’s who sat behind us. At one point they got up and were dancing in the aisle and got mad at me because I wasn’t clapping along to the music. It was hard for me to stay awake. I was so relaxed and tired after the massage that all I wanted to do was close my eyes and go to sleep. But I made it through the concert.

Saturday I got up and headed over to Bed, Bath, and Beyond were I proceeded to spend $300. It was all stuff I needed for the new house and I even had a gift card and a coupon. It still made the $300 a little hard to swallow. I got these great towels that were on sale. They are so soft. Can’t wait to use them.

That night I went in to work at the pub. I stopped working nights because I normally spend the evening with Lennie but Roxanne’s new Bo was in town and so I switched with her. About 6PM Roxanne shows up and asked me where all the people were. Apparently Pete (the owner) called her and asked her to come in because I was slammed. I looked around and we had a good number of people but we weren’t packed and there wasn’t a wait. Maybe Pete thought it had been awhile since I worked a night shift that I might be a little rusty. *shrug* I tried to send her home but Pete wanted her there till 8PM. I think she managed to sneak out at 7:30.

Sunday morning I went in to work brunch and we were so dead. I hate it when it is slow because the morning just creeps by. Brunch ends at 2 and normally then pub is slow enough for the staff to grab a bite to eat and break down the buffet. Well all the sudden all these people came in and we only had one waitress. I felt so bad for her that I ended up getting drink and food orders for her till re-enforcements arrived. It makes me a little mad that I help out and the staff never offers me a share of the tips. Oh well I will probably be quitting at the end of this month and gong to emergency status.

Sunday night we headed over to John and Dee Dee’s house (friends of Lennie’s) for a Cinco de Mayo celebration (yeah I know it is a day late). But first we had to make a pit stop at the Hibernian for a beer with some other friends (Lennie’s social calendar is so packed we have to fit people in where we can. LOL). We got to the party and I poured myself some Sangria and scarfed down some food. Man was I hungry. We then sat around for the rest of the night chatting and drinking. I have managed to get myself invited to some sort of candle party next weekend. Trying to find an excuse not to go.

So all in all it wasn’t a bad weekend. I hated to come back to work. I need to take some time off soon. I haven’t had a vacation in forever. Yeah I know I went home for a few days at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I have taken a few Fridays off to go to the beach. But it hasn’t been “me” time. When I am home I am usually running around getting together with friends or family and the weekend trips are just too short to really enjoy. I will have to find an inexpensive idea for a trip. Now that I have a mortgage, money will be a little tight. To the ladies out there reading this who live in Raleigh (pr close by) I am thinking about having a Girl’s Night Out. I still have a $100 gift certificate to use at Tir Na Nog. So let me know if you are up for it.

Breaking up with your Apartment Complex
Mood:  hungry
As most of you know by now I bought house. Well before moving into said house I lived in a 3rd floor apt in North Raleigh. I moved there 3 years ago and have been relatively happy with it. Well last December when it came time to renew my lease they decided to increase my rent about $80 more than what I paid last year. I was shocked when I opened the letter. I immediately went to the office to get them to explain why the increase was so high. We haven’t been getting any additional services. Actually we have had services taken away. So why the big increase? Their response was that the price was consistent with what was on the market. See after Katrina we had over 150 thousand people move to Raleigh. They scooped up all the low priced homes and apartments. So my greedy landlord thought they could get their share of the action. Not having a place to go at the time I renewed my lease but swore that I would buy a house and leave this place for good.

I started my house search in January. I wasn’t in a hurry to by something and really didn’t expect to find something till the spring market opened up. I ended up changing agents 3 times till I found one that understood what I needed. Well in February I was showed this little house and even though it wasn’t the “perfect” house it seemed to fit me very well. So I put in an offer. I don’t think I ever really thought it would be accepted but after several phone calls and deals they finally agreed to sell it to me. Then it hit me…Oh my God I have a lease to try to get out of.

I stopped by the office one afternoon to talk to the manager. She and I have had a fairly good relationship. I have been a good tenant. I have always paid my rent on time and no one has ever complained about me. So I didn’t foresee a big hassle. Boy was I wrong. I understand that they are in the business to make money but I honestly thought they would work with me on this.

She at first congratulated me on my recent purchase and how great it would be to own my own home. Then she stated that she guessed I was here to get out of my lease. I asked what my options were and here are the two…the only two…I was given.

1) Pay rent on the apartment until they are able to rent it out again.
2) Pay a buy out fee of $1420.00

I knew I couldn’t afford to pay rent and have a mortgage payment so I knew my only option would be to pay the buy out fee. No where the hell would I get $1400? I called my dad and asked him for the money and to my surprised he decided to give me the money. So that problem was solved and I could breathe easier.

As I was moving my things out of my apartment a couple who lived in the building next to me came over and asked if they could take a look at my place. They were currently living in a one bedroom and wanted something bigger and mine was in a prime location with the balcony in the back facing the trees. After they looked at it they ran up to the office to sign a lease for my old place. That night I took a look over my lease and I saw something in it that the manager never mentioned. It stated that if the apartment was rented out before I moved then I could break the lease without owning anything. GREAT! I would now have $1400 to spend on the house.

The day after I moved I went over to the office to return the keys. The manager wished me luck, told me they would send me a bill for any damages. She never mentioned the $1400 so I assumed what I read in the lease to be true. Well two days later the manager called me to tell me they overlooked the buy out payment and they would need it from me as soon as possible. I immediately called the office. I informed them that I knew they had re-rented my apartment and that according to my lease I didn’t owe them anything. I lied and even said I had my lawyer look over the lease as well to make sure I was correct. Landlords fear lawyers. There was some silence and then the manager put me on hold for a good 10 minutes. I am sure enraged that I found out that apartment had been re-rented. She came back and said that I was correct and asked how I found out about the apartment. I informed them that the tenants told me. She stated that I didn’t owe the buy out fee but then tried to use a scare tactic by stating that if the people decided not to take the apartment then I would have to pay monthly till it was re-rented. I knew for a fact they were taking the apartment because the guy informed me that he was trying to hook up his cable and that my cable was still on. So I told the manager that I was okay with that. She then informed me that I would owe rent for the last week in April and any damages. I worried that they would try to get their money back on damages.

Well yesterday I got the bill in the mail. $173 was the final cost. That was for the remaining rent, water bill, and carpet cleaning. SWEET! That is way better than $1400. The plan now is to use that extra money to tile the patio out back. It feels so good to be rid of that apartment.

Let this be a lesson for you. Stand up to those who try to screw you over. They will often back down.

Chivalry makes us paranoid
There is a commercial out right now for a cell phone company which talks about how their network has the fewest dropped calls. The commercial features a woman who calls her best friend to tell her that her sweetie has sent her flowers. The friend immediately “awww’s” the gesture. The woman then states that her coworkers think he sent the flowers because he has done something wrong. Her friend, I am sure, offers reassurance that the sweetie sent them to be nice but the woman does hear that…the call has been dropped. Not hearing her friend’s response she fears her coworkers are right and that he has indeed done something terrible and is sending the flowers to soften the blow.

It has seemed lately that everyone around me who is involved in a relationship has been having some issues. Is it Male PMS? The full moon perhaps? Is he just not that into you? *shrug*

For some reason I seem to be immune to this current male dilemma, because my current sweetie has been more than accommodating. Which makes me wonder what he is up too?

Friday night Lennie and I were supposed to spend time together. We had talked about dinner and catching a movie. I got up that morning and felt like crap. It got so bad that I even ended up leaving work early. I called him to say that I just couldn’t make it out. That I think the stress and the recent move have finally caught up with me. He fully understood and said he would grab a beer with a friend and then call later to check on me. Later that evening he called to say he was on his way over. When he showed up he had a bag in his hand from a swanky new restaurant that just opened up. In the bag was a chocolate molten cake and ice cream. He apparently remembered me mentioning that chocolate always makes things better.

Saturday morning we got up and he offered to cook me breakfast. It was a wonderful concoction he created. He took a small pie tin and lined it with crescent roll dough then lined it with bacon, topped it with egg and cheese and put it in the oven to bake. Turned out really well. After breakfast while I got ready to go to work, he install a new digital thermostat for me. I had an old mercury one that the numbers were all worn off of. In the process the fan stopped working and he spent the rest of the morning fixing it.

Sunday I asked if I could borrow his mower since I have yet to purchase one. He said he would drop it off in the afternoon so that I could mow right after work. I got home and there were 4 bags of lawn clippings sitting on my driveway. I was a bit upset at first because I thought my neighbors had thrown there trash on my property until I realized that my grass was cut. Well actually I don’t have grass I have WEEDS!!! Lots of them which he said were a pain to cut. I have a man coming out to look at the yard this week.

Then last night he called to say he wanted to book a couple’s massage Friday afternoon. We could do the massage then grab some dinner and head over to the Rod Stewart concert that he had bought tickets too. He said if I booked the massage he would pay for it.

It is not uncommon for Lennie to do nice things for me. But 4 day’s straight has me wondering. Like the girl in the commercial….has he done it to be nice or is he making up for something he did wrong. Lennie's response would be, "Damned if you do...Damned if you don't"

.

A Fairy Tale that we should have been told as kids
Mood:  hungry
I am busy playing catch-up from taking two days of and then being out of the office for most of the week. So I don't have time today to write a proper entry. So instead I decided to leave you with a fairy tale my mother passed on to me as well as an news article my sister posted on her blog about a new scam sweeping Japan. But first...the fairy tale.

Once upon a time in a land far away, a beautiful, independent, self-assured princess happened upon a frog as she sat contemplating ecological issues on the shores of an unpolluted pond in a verdant meadow near her castle.

A frog hopped onto the princess' lap and said: "Elegant Lady, I was once a handsome prince, until an evil witch cast a spell upon me. One kiss from you, however, and I will turn back into the dapper, young prince that I am and then, my sweet, we can marry and set up housekeeping in your castle with my mother, where you can prepare my meals, clean my clothes, bear my children, and forever feel grateful and happy doing so.

That night, as the princess dined sumptuously on lightly sauteed frog legs seasoned in a white wine
and onion cream sauce, she chuckled and thought to herself: I don't freakin' think so.


SCAM Alert. I just want you all to be informed so that you won't fall victim to this scam.

Japanese fooled in poodle scam
April 26, 2007 - 8:59PM


Thousands of Japanese have been swindled in a scam in which they were sold Australian and British sheep and told they were poodles. Flocks of sheep were imported to Japan and then sold by a company called Poodles as Pets, marketed as fashionable accessories, available at $1,600 each. That is a snip compared to a real poodle which retails for twice that much in Japan.

The scam was uncovered when Japanese movie star Maiko Kawamaki went on a talk-show and wondered why her new pet would not bark or eat dog food. She was crestfallen when told it was a sheep. Then hundreds of other women got in touch with police to say they feared their new "poodle" was also a sheep.
One couple said they became suspicious when they took their "dog" to have its claws trimmed and were told it had hooves. Japanese police believe there could be 2,000 people affected by the scam, which operated in Sapporo and capitalized on the fact that sheep are rare in Japan, so many do not know what they look like.

"We launched an investigation after we were made aware that a company was selling sheep as poodles," Japanese police said. The Sun reported. "Sadly we think there is more than one company operating in this way.” The sheep are believed to have been imported from overseas - Britain, Australia."

Many of the sheep have now been donated to zoos and farms.


I hope you all had a good laugh. Happy Friday!

You too can can lose 7lbs on my new weight loss system
Mood:  hungry
I’m back!!! Did you miss me?

I had a Dr.’s appointment last Thursday and every time I go in she insists on weighing me. Well according to the scale I lost 7 lbs in just one month. I guess it is from all the stress and going up and down 3 flights of stairs 20 times a day with heavy boxes. My butt is looking amazing. LOL

I am finally living in my new house. What an ordeal. I never realized I had so much crap to move. I managed to have most of the boxes out of the apartment so all I had left was furniture.

I had taken Friday off to get the rest of the boxes out, move the animals, buy food for the moving party, and take apart my old bed to carry it to the dumpster. I planed to have all this done by 8PM and then I could just relax till Anne and Kate arrived. Well nothing went as planned. It took me awhile to get the animals loaded. I had to lock Fenwick and myself in the bathroom to try to get him in the carrier. We had quite the battle and I have the scars to prove it. Things didn’t go any better when we got to the new house. Merlin refused to go into his new cage and Fenwick wouldn’t come out of the carrier. This nonsense put me about an hour off schedule. I thought buying the food at Sam’s Club would help me on time but there were only 2 checkout lanes open and tons of people waiting in line. About 8PM I finally got around to taking apart the bed. Lennie was suppose to meet me at the apartment to help but called and said he was running behind. Not wanting to be doing this at 11PM I went ahead and started taking it apart. I had it all apart when Lennie finally arrived. He took one look at me and I think he knew I had had enough. I was hot, sore, and I had managed to injure my knee. He carried everything to the dumpster while I did some little things around the apt. We then headed back to the house where I rested and he ordered a pizza while we waited for Anne and Kate. He was going to take me out to eat but didn’t want to be seen in public with me because I looked like hell. LOL

The girls arrived about 1AM and were hyper and ready to go. Me?….well I was tired and could barely keep my eyes open. Lennie decided to go home because he wasn’t up for sleeping on the floor. I talked to the girls for a bit and then headed to bed. I had to be at the U-haul place at 9AM so I need to get some rest.

Kate and I got up and she was going to drive with me to the U-Haul place and Anne was going to sleep in a bit. Anne got up right before we left and decided to go with us so she wouldn’t have to find the apartment on her own. After picking up the U-haul they followed me back to my apt. I apparently made a left at a light that they missed. The truck was so big I couldn’t see behind it so I didn’t have a clue that they weren’t behind me until Anne called me on her cell phone. We got there about 10AM and started to load some things. Everybody else was due to arrive at 10:30. As we loaded the tuck my neighbor James and his two sons offered to help. Thank God because the rest of my movers didn’t show up till 11. By noon we had everything out and were on our way to the new house. The unloading went much quicker seeing as my house is one level and we were able to back the truck up to the porch and put the ramp down and just wheel everything in.

Once finished I cranked up the new grill and made hamburger and hot dogs for everyone while they relaxed with a beer. After lunch we sat around and chatted for a bit then Marie and Allen helped me return the U-haul while Anne and Kate laid out in the sun on my new patio. Once we got back we planned the activities for that night. Marie and Alan went and picked up our Korean friend Hyun-Woo and brought him over to see the new house. I hadn’t seen Hyun-Woo since Oct. I had forgotten just how adorable he is. They decided to go grab dinner…I think at Moe’s and we decided to head to Napper Tandy’s. Lennie had a Scottish/Irish thing to go to that we were not allowed to attend so after dinner Anne, Kate and I headed to Mosaic to meet up with Marie and friends. Mosaic is a cool new wine bar in Raleigh. It has a Moroccan theme and cool house music but I think Anne and Kate were disappointed there was no dancing or cheap beer. LOL We hung out for a bit then Lennie showed up with some of his friends from the meeting he attended earlier. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer so I rounded everyone up to go home. Along the way we made a pit stop at a sex shop called Priscilla’s. I didn’t buy anything but Kate got a few toys for her and her new boyfriend to try out.

Sunday morning we got up and I drove the girls out to see the lake and my office before heading down to Tir Na Nog for brunch. After brunch we headed back to the house and the girls packed up to head back up to Maryland. It was sad to see them go. Hopefully they can come back again and stay a little longer. Next time we can see more of the town because we won’t be so tired. Lennie and I met up and headed to the apartment to clean up and then we headed for a quick hike at the park. We got down to the boat ramp and I put my feet in the water and just relaxed. Lennie and I both commented later that it felt like we had hit a brick wall. We went to bed early and I immediately went into a dead sleep.

I took off Monday so that I could unpack and try to get things settled. I managed to get the kitchen, dining room, and living room in order. Those were the hard rooms the rest of it should be easy. I just have to find the motivation to do it. I also got my Driect TV hooked up which Lennie was excited about because I now have BBC America. He just needs to figure out how to work the remote.

Thanks again to everyone who helped with the move. It is good to know I have such great friends. Now that I have extra room feel free to stop by and crash if you are ever in Raleigh.

What do you mean we put it together backwards?
Mood:  caffeinated
Okay so last night I decided to buy a gas grill. Since I have promised everyone that helps with the move hamburgers and beer, I needed something to cook the burgers on.

Lennie met me at the house around 6:30 or so and we headed up to the Walmart in Wake Forest. I had done research online so I already knew which one I wanted to get. We go in and search for the girl and the one I wanted wasn't anywhere on the floor. I was about to give up when I glanced up to the top shelf and saw it sitting there. An associate came over and got it down for me and put it in the cart. I also told them I would need a full propane tank. I didn't realize there was an empty tank already in the package. But the one I got is a Blue Rhino tank which I can exchange for a full one anywhere. I now also own a brand new empty propane tank that I have no clue what to do with. But anyway I digress....

I paid for my grill and tank and pulled the car around so that Lennie could load it in the back. We then headed over to O'Malley's (we seem to spend a lot of time in pubs) for a quick bite to eat before heading back to the house to put the grill together. Seeing as it was a LOST night I wanted to be back at the apt by 10PM.

When we got to the house we unloaded everything and started to try to put this thing together. Who ever wrote the instructions did a piss poor job in my opinion and the pieces should have been labeled better. Lennie was certain that during the construction of this grill, that we would have our first fight.

In the beginning we had used the wrong screws to assemble the legs. We had to take those out and put the correct ones in. After that things went together quickly until...we realized we had put the legs on backwards. *sigh* So we had to take it all apart again and start over. I thought for sure Lennie would be pissed and would get up and walk out but he just laughed and started to loosen the screws.

I only lost my temper at one point and it wasn't with Lennie. I was trying to attach the side tray and the screw wouldn't go into the hole. I got pissed and through the side tray across the room. I then took a deep breath and went over and picked up the tray and went back to trying to attach it. But Lennie and I never argued. Not even a little bit. I think he was a little disappointed. He thinks we need to have a fight just to make sure our relationship is solid.

We finally finished it and rolled it outside. Lennie turned on the gas and I pressed the starter switch and Ta Duh!!!! We have fire. At this point I was exhausted and looked at the clock...11:30. Damn it I missed LOST. But at least the grill is together so now the people will not have to eat frozen burgers. LOL Here is what it looks like.

I am off tomorrow and wont have much internet access till after the move. So I hope everyone has a great weekend and if you are looking for something to do Saturday morning...come on out and help with the move. Should be fun!!!!

Your not safe anymore
Mood:  blue
This whole tragic incident at VT has just blown me away. As I sit and watch the news it actually takes me back to 1996 when girl opened fired on Students at Penn State where I was going to school at the time.

Sniper kills student on HUB lawn
By KEIGHTLEY WITTICH
Collegian Staff Writer

A University student was killed and another was injured yesterday after a 19-year-old State College resident allegedly opened fire with a high-power military rifle on the HUB lawn. Jillian Robbins spread a tarp under trees in the northwest corner of the HUB lawn and fired five shots toward College Avenue about 9:30 a.m., said David Stormer, assistant vice president for safety and environmental services.

Robbins, of Turtle Creek Apartments, 358 Toftrees Ave., was arrested at the scene and will be arraigned today, according to the Office of Public Information. Melanie Spalla, a 21-year-old senior who lived at 286 Simmons, was shot from about 138 feet away, Stormer said. Spalla, a journalism major from Altoona, died at the scene. Another student, Nicholas Mensah, of 407 Stephens, was shot in the left side of his abdomen from about 300 feet away, Stormer said. Mensah's family told reporters he is 22 years old.

Mensah, a native of Ghana now living in Philadelphia, was operated on yesterday afternoon at Centre Community Hospital and was upgraded from critical to fair condition, said Donna Williams, a hospital spokeswoman. Spalla's autopsy is scheduled for this morning. When questioned by police after her arrest, Robbins said she knew none of the people at whom she allegedly fired. Police were unsure yesterday whether there is a motive behind the shootings. "They asked her why she did it. She kept saying, 'I don't know. I don't know,' " said John Lazo (senior-administration of justice), a witness to Robbins' arrest. "Her legs were all blood."

Stormer said Mensah was probably hit first in the shootings yesterday. He was walking along the path between the HUB lawn and Health and Human Development Building East near the gazebo, Stormer said. Another student reportedly found a bullet lodged in a textbook in his book bag.
Robbins loaded a second clip before Brendon Malovrh, a witness to the shootings, found her hunched over a 7mm Mauser rifle, a high-power military weapon, Stormer said. During a struggle, Malovrh, of 57 Atherton Hall, wrestled the gun away from Robbins. She then pulled out a knife and attempted to stab him. When he stepped out of the way, Robbins stabbed herself in the thigh. Robbins sat on the ground and Malovrh used his belt to try to stop her bleeding, Stormer said. Robbins was treated for the stab wound yesterday at Centre Community Hospital and was upgraded from critical to fair condition, Williams said, adding that no one was permitted to see her by police order.
Williams also said Robbins is under assessment, but she would not say if Robbins was under the care of a psychologist.

Mensah was in surgery for about an hour and a half, and Robbins was in surgery for about an hour, Williams said. Mensah was operated on first because "he was in much worse shape," she said.
The alleged shooter and the victim were placed in the same recovery room after their operations.
Mensah's brother, Michael Mensah, a high school student, was told about the shooting when he returned from school yesterday. His father and uncle are with the victim and the family is doing well, he said.

"Everything's OK here," he said, "but we're taking everything very serious." Police have interviewed about 15 witnesses and plan to reconstruct the event within the next couple of weeks, Stormer said. Kerry Butler (sophomore-division of undergraduate studies) was walking along the same path as Mensah when she heard the shot, followed by a pause. She had not realized the noises were gunshots, so she kept walking at a normal pace toward the area where Mensah fell. She then heard four more shots in quick succession.
"I heard a man yelling from the HUB that there was a shooting and to run away," she said. "I took off and went onto Old Main lawn. I can't make out my thoughts after that."

Kara Pehanich (sophomore-secondary education) also witnessed the incident. "I heard the first two shots and when I looked over I saw the person with a gun under a tree in the corner," she said. "Then I heard two more shots." A man asked for someone to call University Health Services and the police, Pehanich said. Shrubs around the lawn prevented her from seeing the victims fall. "As soon as I heard the shots," Pehanich said, "I got out of there."
After the gunshots, Delorse Homan, a staff assistant in the dean's office of the College of Health and Human Development, looked out of a second-floor window of Henderson Building and saw a person with an umbrella on the ground. "A woman ran to his side and said something to him and then ran for help," she said. "I knew it must be serious because he buckled over like that. I thought, 'He's not getting up.'" Some students inside surrounding buildings during the shootings did not realize immediately what had happened, and several assumed the loud noises were something other than gunshots, such as rifle practice or construction.
Tom Cioccio (junior-food science) said he and other students on the second level of the HUB heard the gunshots but continued studying because they did not know what the noise could have been. When a man informed them of the shooting, some began to scream, he said, and many went to the window and balcony to see. Faith Georgic (junior-nutrition) viewed the aftermath from a kitchen window on the second floor of Henderson Building. She saw a police officer holding the rifle and the knife.
"It was just like this one," she said, holding up a six-inch serrated steak knife. Georgic said she also saw the suspect, wearing a black, military-style beret and a camouflage shirt, being loaded into the ambulance. Jen Butler, a State College resident, was in the Centre Community Hospital emergency room for a leg injury unrelated to the shooting. There was not much activity around Robbins, who was surrounded by a white curtain, she said. "There was mud all over the floor," she said. "There were cops all over the place."

Robbins enlisted in the Army Reserves in March 1994, and went through basic training in June and July 1994, said Maj. Greg Yesko of Central Pennsylvania Army Reserves. She was discharged in June 1995 because she failed to complete high school, he said.

Collegian staff writers T.R. Deckman, Laura M. Boscarino and Jim Kinney contributed to this report.

If you look at the map below I was in building #2 at the time of the shooting.

Like many other students at the time the sound of gun fire didn't register. There was a lot of construction going on in the area at the time so I dismissed it as a very loud hammer.

Here is the scary part of that day. Normally in the mornings before my class in the Henderson buidling, I would walk up to the HUB and grab a cup of coffee and a newspaper. It was raining that morning and I was coming down with a cold so I decided to limit my outdoor exposure and just head to the class room. If I hadn't made that decision I would have been walking along the same path that Mensah had been walking.

I wish there was some way to make sense of these killings. They say often the person was dismissed by society. Can loneliness really make you want to take a gun and shot someone?

Such a tragic event!

I swear officer...it WAS a China Cabinet that beat me up.
Mood:  irritated
Last night I decided I wanted to put my new china cabinet together. My friend Andy offered to help me and told me he would meet me at the house around 6. I rushed over to the house after work and unloaded some stuff from my car. I looked at the clock...6:15...no Andy. I called his cell phone and there was no answer. I decided to go ahead and start, figuring he would be along any minute.

At one point in the assembly you have to place the hutch on the base. This requires 2 people because it weighs a ton. I looked at the clock...7:32 and still no sign of Andy. I called him again and still there was no answer. I don't know where the strength came from. Must have been the anger of being stood up coming through. I picked up the hutch and placed it on the base and managed to balance it with one hand till I was able to get everything lined up in the right holes.

Now it was time to attach the doors. Of course the cabinet is standing upright now and there is nothing to rest the doors on while you attach the hinges. So here I am with my knee up in the air, trying to balance the door while trying to hold on to the hinge with one hand and a screw and screw driver in the other. I almost had everything lined up when the doorbell rang. I yelled for the person to come in. It was Andy. He comes over and I know he sees me struggling with the door but does he offer to lend me a hand...no he just goes into this story about how he and his boyfriend got into a huge argument and that is why he didn't come earlier.

I finally managed to get one screw in after about 15 minutes of struggle and Andy just watching from behind. As I started to put the other screws in Andy asked me if I had eaten. I said no in a very angry tone. Thinking to myself, "I have been here putting this thing together all night by myself. When the hell did I have time to grab something to eat?" He says, "Well it looks like you have this under control. I better go grab something to eat and get home and see if I can mend things with Richard." As he started to walk away I just looked shocked and said, "Are you f***in' kidding me?" He turns to look at me with a vacant expression on his face. I proceeded..."You call me and tell me you want to help me put this thing together. I waited for you and you didn't show up. You finally show up 2 hours later and stand there watching me as I struggle to put on the doors and never once offer to help. You then ask me if I have eaten and I say no and then you decided to leave. What did you expect me to say? No I haven't eaten...let me drop this f***in' door and make you a sandwich. The least you could have done after standing me up was offer to run out and get me something to eat. You ALWAYS manage to disappear when there is manual work to be done. I seem to recall that Tanya and I had to put your entertainment center together because you got a call on your cell phone and walked out." I don't think he expected me to react like that because he just stood there starting at me. He then asks if I wanted him to run and get me something to eat. I said not right now I am too angry to eat anything. He decides to leave as I continue to try to attach the doors. Finally at 10:30 I put on the last door knob and the project was complete. It really looks nice and I am very happy with it. I am completely covered in scratches and bruises and my back is KILLING me but I managed to do it all by myself. I know that Lennie will be upset that I didn't call him to help but I honestly thought Andy would follow through. I should have known better.

This morning I got an email from Andy apologizing for last night but I am still too upset to accept it.

Tonight the plan is to pack up the kitchen and bathrooms. I am slowly running out of time. I still need to by a grill and put it together. *sigh* I will be so glad with this whole move is over.

I have about 8 boxes of stuff at my apartment waiting for the Vietnam Veterans of America to come and pick it up. I hope the guy doesn't have issues walking up the steps. I don't know what I will do with all that crap he they don't show. Keep your fingers crossed.

Pig Pickin', Renaissance,Faire and Charity Donations
Mood:  lazy
Friday night Lennie and I met up at Duffy's Tavern for a beer. I used to visit Duffy's a lot when I first moved here. They have great salads. Anyway...I kind of wanted to talk to Lennie about what I was feeling lately. When he was gone for his 2 week military training I had time to think about the relationship and where I thought it was headed. When it comes to men I tend to be stand-offish because I have a fear I will care too much and then end up getting my heart stomped on. Let's face it...I haven't had great men in my life. Just look at my Dad. Anyway...A guy once told me that I was the most unfeeling person he had ever met. Not wanting to push Lennie away I decided to relax a bit and let my guard down. Well I found that with letting one's guard down...the paranoia seems to increase. It isn't that "He hasn't called me in two days he must be sleeping with someone else." kind of paranoia. It is more the "he says he loves me but does he really? Is he just settling till something better comes along?" kind. As luck would have it...Lennie had some of the same concerns. After each of us reassured the other that we had no intentions of messing this relationship up, I was able to relax a bit more. The one thing I really love about Lennie is that he isn't afraid to talk about the relationship and to let me know what is bothering him.

Saturday morning I got up and went into to work at the pub. We were DEAD. I think he had a total of 25 people in for lunch. At 4PM I clocked out, picked up Lennie and drove up to Kerr Lake for a Pig Pickin' to celebrate my friend Josh buying his first home. He has always been supportive of me so I wanted to return the favor. We didn't get up there till about 7PM. I was praying that there would be pig left because I was starving. I had made my famous Red, White, and Blueberry pie and Lennie thought we should leave it in the car till we found out if they had saved us some food. I really thought Lennie wasn't going to hand the pie over when we got there. As luck would have it there was a ton of pig left and I scarfed down two helpings and then headed for a piece of my pie. It got rave reviews as always and I was surprised there were two pieces left when we got ready to leave. I think it helped that shortly after we got there everyone else left. LOL Maybe we smelled. Oh well more food for us. We headed back to Raleigh about 8:30 and on the way home I looked over and Lennie was licking the pie plate and server. LOL I guess that means he liked it. His birthday is coming up this Sunday. Maybe I will make him a pie.

Sunday I was suppose to go to the Renaissance Faire in Raleigh. It was the last weekend and I was so looking forward to donning my dress and eating some great food. When I got up the rain was just coming down. I turned on the TV and there were tornado warnings in effect till 3pm. *sigh* I called Marie and decided it was just too crappy to go. There were points in the day when the sun came out and I thought "man I should have gone!" But then the sky would turn dark and the rain would start and would just confirm my decision to stay home. I had called a Vietnam Vet group and they were willing to pick up my donations of crap but I had to have it together by Tuesday so I spent the day going through my closets. I have 8 boxes of stuff to go to charity and I think I made 10 trips to the dumpster. Oh and Anne....last call on the lamp. You better claim it now or it is going off to a new home.

Later that night Lennie came over and we headed down to Napper Tandy's (Irish Pub). I used to go here a lot before I started working at Tir Na Nog. I need to start going more often. It is a pleasant pub and they have fans going so you don't end up smelling like smoke. Something is wrong with the fans at Tir Na Nog. Even on days when there is no one smoking I come out smelling like smoke. We have even had a few customer complaints about it. They defiantly need to do something about it.

Well the big move is still planned for Saturday. I have so much to do. Tonight I hope to put my china cabinet together. We will see how that goes. LOL At least I don't have to measure anything.