One of my palmetto tree paintings (not pictured, obviously) also has a flamingo painted on the back of it.  He wanted to charge me extra for that, but decided against it.  He will give you a better deal if you have cash.  Last time I bought something from him he asked me out, so maybe it’s not the fact that I have cash, but if I were you, I’d bring cash. Or me.

This is a small set of nesting dolls from Iran.  They are a favorite because 1) I got them from a very good friend and 2) how can they not be?  They are too cute.  I love the colors and the flowers on the big one.  Unlike other favorite things, I don’t think you can get these anywhere.  Well, maybe Iran, but I’m not sure.  And I don’t plan to go there to find out.  So you will just have to enjoy mine from afar!

Behold, the Cherikee Red!  This is THE BEST cherry soda ever.  I used to drink this during the summers when I’d stay with my grandparents in West Virginia.  If you live in PA, like my brother, you can probably find Cherikee Red in the stores.  If you don’t, too bad for you, cause you aren’t going to find it anywhere else.  Are favorite things supposed to make you sad? Hmmm…

However, if you live near me, and if I happen to have some (gifted to me by said brother), and if I’m willing to share from my supplies, I might let you try a can.  Maybe.

Soon after my husband’s announcement, the AC in my car crapped out.  I was already stressed about finding a place to live, etc.  Honda wanted $2700 to fix it.  I managed to not cry until I got back in the car.  I then took the car to Steve’s Auto in Augusta and got it fixed for less than a quarter of what Honda wanted.  Thanks, Steve!

May 25, 12:41pm
drinking a real Pepsi… reminds me of summers at Beaty Ave. on my grandparent’s porch.
(I used to spend about a month each summer in West Virginia with my grandparents, hanging out with family and old friends.  That’s why I’m still friends with Brooke and Whitney – who I’ve known since I was three.)

May 26, 4:16pm
took the dogs to the kennel in preparation for my cousin’s wedding.  I miss them already, but am looking forward to the weekend.
(Had to kennel the dogs, even though there was someone at the house that could have taken care of them.  But, it was well worth it to see my baby cousin Ryan get married to the beautiful Jenna!)

May 29, 7:56am
Happy wedding day, Ryan and Jenna!

June 6, 7:59pm
What a day.  Thanks everybody (you know who you are)!  Much love.
(This is the day I moved.  This is also the day that I learned that I own way too much stuff.)

June 9, 9:53am
is lucky to work with awesome people!
(Many of the folks that helped me move are people I work with.  They are awesome.  Wait, I already said that!)

June 12, 10:20pm
Elise + dips and chips + mojitos + Wii = FUN!
(Enough said, I think.)

June 13, 1:52pm
stupid dryer.
(It partially dried one load, then stopped working.  I checked all the breakers – I thought.  I went to the laundry mat for the next two weeks.  There’s a nice one around the corner.)

June 14, 9:48pm
any suggestions for getting pine sap out of dog hair?
(Nola laid down outside and got pine sap in her hair.  While I appreciated everyone’s suggestion to try peanut butter, these people had never met Nola.  I would have had peanut butter EVERY.WHERE.  I eventually cut out the sap with scissors.)

June 19, 4:59pm
can’t catch a break
(The AC broke in my car again.  Did I mention it was already in the high 90’s?  Steve fixed it again  – apparently the brand new compressor had a huge hole in it.  Fail.)

June 26, 11:16am
is going to fix the dryer.
(FAIL again.)

June 29, 11:55pm
goosebumps
(USC won the College World Series. Gamecocks FTW!)

July 2, 7:01am
Oh, attic fan.  How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
(I still love it, however it no longer works properly.  It squeals loudly and sounds like it’s going to fall out of the ceiling.)

July 2, 9:55am
even though I thought I checked them all, it was a breaker the whole time. I now have floodlights in the back yard and a WORKING DRYER!!! WOOT!
(So the electrician figured out that the floodlights weren’t working because there is a switch in my bedroom CLOSET that was turned off.  WTF?  What. The. Face?  So I go to the back porch to see that the lights are on and hear a noise.  I realize that the dryer is running…!?!  He said he flipped a breaker that seemed soft.  FAIL and WIN.)

July 3, 9:03pm
Famously hot Columbia is cool tonight @ Finlay Park.
(Went to the park to watch fireworks.  A great night!)

July 5, 2:48pm
sitting on the porch enjoying the breeze?  This weather has me confused.
(I took advantage of the cool weather and mowed the grass.  A co-worker gave me a mower.  Did I mention I work with awesome people?)

July 8, 11:55am
is refraining from reminding her friends to the north that it’s hot like that ALL summer in the south…

July 12, 6:48am
AC doesn’t seem to be working correctly… hmmm
(Not in my car, mind you, but in my house.  Trying to sleep when the house is over 85 degrees is no fun.  FAIL again.  It took me a week to convince the handy man that it wasn’t working properly.  I realize that I’m just a girl, but I. KNOW. HOW. AC. WORKS.)

July 13, 9:29pm
It’s a balmy 84 degrees here in the house tonight.

July 16, 1:24pm
is about to Shoot the Hooch with the fam!
(We had our family reunion this summer in Toccoa, Georgia.  We all went up to Helen one day and tubed down the Chattahoochee River.  I only fell off my tube once.  The water was over my head and I went completely under when I fell, but I managed to keep my hat, sunglasses, and flip flops on.  Ryan lost his real glasses and several people had scrapes and bruises, but overall it was a good time!)

July 19, 11:30am
Staycation, Day 1: Watch Drew play Lego Star Wars on the DS and wait for the AC repair guys.
(I brought my 7 year old nephew back from the reunion with me and got to spend a couple of days with him.  I heart him.)

July 23, 5:18pm
Over the river and through the woods, I made it to Virginia. About to meet Evan for a birthday dinner!

July 24, 10:54pm
Just played Left, Right, Center w/ some bikers from NJ @ the hotel. I won $21!
(Haven’t we all?)

July 29, 11:36am
If I could throw Word out the window right now, I would do it. And then I’d stomp on it.
(Some people say I have an anger problem – that I am a ball of rage.  I disagree.)

August 11, 8:51pm
has a “birthday-cation” in the works!
(You heard that term here first.  I fully expect it to catch on!)

August 16, 8:09pm
This year’s Freshmen class was born in 1992. I’m currently wearing a t-shirt from 1995…
(This is completely true – a Spring Week shirt from USCA.)

August 17, 8:54pm
guess whose AC isn’t working right again?
(That’s right, the AC in my car broke twice this summer, as did the AC in my house.  This time I made calls as soon as I suspected a problem.  This time the handy man knew that I knew what I was talking about.  Duh, y’all know that I know what I’m talking about, right?)

August 19, 5:35pm
HAS WORKING AC!!!

August 20, 2:41pm
has had an article accepted for publication in the Fall 2010 issue of the NACADA Journal!
(Things are looking up!)

I went to court last week and we are legally separated.  We have to be separated for a year before we can get divorced.  (Fail.)  I like my new home, despite its flaws – the attic fan still squeals, the yard needs work, etc.

The dogs seem happy – this may be because I let them on the furniture again.  Rudy is happy too – he gets to drink water out of the shower again.  And I’m a bit happier too – day by day.