oh Maddie Girl..

Marshall took the girls to visit Granddaddy and Mema the other evening.. and he let them ride in the truck.. in the back of the truck. Maddie is slightly familiar with riding in the back.. Sassy no.

So Marshall leaves to pick up last week's Chuck episode (on tape.. yes) and returns a little later. From our kitchen I hear him hurrying Sassy inside.. no Maddie. He's a little frantic and tells me that Maddie jumped out. Where? Oh.. we have no idea. So he jumps back in the truck and I jump in, too.

We pull out of the drive and dodge a family with 3 girls on bikes as we hurry out the subdivision. We saw a cat and assumed she's gotta be around there.. nope. No Mad. Pull out of the subdivision.. nothing by then. Drive down the highway.. and see another dog.. and Maddie! She knew she was in trouble (she always knows.. why she gets herself in trouble we have no idea)..

So, she jumps in the front of the truck with us and we head home.

This was Monday night. And since then she's been acting different, at least I've noticed. Her tail doesn't wag as high.. she keeps closer to me than normal.. which is pretty close already. And she's a got a scratch on her face. I kept telling Marshall something's wrong.. finally Daddy Doctor took a look.

After a thorough visit in our hallway, Dr. Marshall concluded with, hopefully, temporary nerve damage.. in her tail. And her butthole is scratched. I saw her poopie today and Marshall says that's a good sign.. that she can control her bowel movements and there's no nerve damage there.


In other news.. Sassy loves to dig! Lots of big holes.

before and after

Ok.. so it's taken awhile but it's not my fault. Our neighbor's internet has been screwy the past few days. We've made some changes to our living room and guest bathroom. Marshall picked out "Oyster Shell" and we used that color for both rooms. Decorating is so much fun. We're using what we have right now to make do.. but soon I'll be able to go shopping and buy stuff that I really want!

Today we went thrift store shopping and got 2 bar stools for $20. After much cleaning, they go nicely in our country kitchen. No pics.. not worth it.




Dining room before... and Dining room after...

Shower before.. so boring! Shower after.. spa like!

I was midway through painting and realized I didn't have a before picture. Now we just have to get a toilet paper holder.. and other items

Had to add some dramatic lighting..

So, that's it for now. If the internet continues to work I may update more with some Brooklet happenings.

OFFER: moving boxes, Brooklet, GA

*Sigh*

We are completely worn out from moving today. After sleeping maybe 6 hours on the floor and carrying boxes and boxes and umm.. furniture.. for 6 more hours, we are spent.

We're so blessed to have a beautiful and completely (nicely) furnished home. Not apartment, townhouse, duplex, condo, trailer.. HOME! I can now say, "I'm on my way home.." without feeling that I'm lying. I have felt that way for the past 2 years in our townhouse.. is that weird?

But we've settled in quickly. Most boxes have been emptied, clothes put away.. well mine anyway. We just have to tackle that "office" that is lined with boxes. If we came across a box we didn't know what to do with.. put that in the office. Oh joy. Have fun Marshall!

My in-laws helped tremendously today. And Mama Jean prepared dinner for us. Again with the blessed thing.

I made a quick trip to Dollar General (where most of my gallivanting will occur) and en route got the "wave" from oncoming cars. How I missed that. I still feel awkward waving back.. but soon I'll fit right in.

Athens definitely changed me. I'm going to have to talk to people when I go to Wal-mart.. I can't stay in my little bubble and keep to myself. I have to chat with people as we wait in line. I have to be super friendly to cashiers and pretend like I know their family. We have to talk to our neighbors.. not scream at each other about dog poop. (Side note, as soon as Mad and Sass got out of the car today, they headed straight to our neighbors yard and pooped in front of their house.. I was a good neighbor and picked it up.)

We're exhausted and I would love to go bed, but I'm waiting for the water heater to get my shower nice and warm. Then it's foot rub, back rub, hand rub, and Marshall wants christen to our house. I asked if he wanted to do every room.. umm not tonight.. just the bedroom. I can handle that. I hope.. I am really tired.

I'll post pictures soon..

Let's all thank our neighbors internet for this nice update. :)

Maddie Girl

Our oldest dogter.. Maddie. She's got to be the smartest dog. Ever. She's also the most stubborn.

[CAUTION: this a nude photo]
Can you say photogenic?!
She's showing her feminine side.. and her eye boogies.

Sassy Bean didn't want to be left out.. she's just special.

maybe i AM rude..

With any type of customer service job, you encounter various types of customers. Sometimes I'm lucky. I'll have a good day and get my favorite people. Other days.. like today.. you get the people that think the world of.. themselves.

We have a new "rule" in the drive-thru. We're not gonna give you a deposit slip to spend 5 minutes filling out, so that the customer behind you.. that came prepared.. has to wait for you. Plus.. we don't like waiting either. This "rule" wasn't my idea, but I like it.. and I definitely enforce it.

So, Customer Lady pulls up to a tube.. I greet her.. she sends in her transaction. Hmm.. driver's license and a check with "deposit only" written on the back. I know what she wants to do, but.. I'm not supposed to act as smart as I am.. and ask if she wanted to deposit it..

Um.. Ms. Lady did you want to deposit this?

Yes, that's why I wrote deposit only on the back with the account number.

Okay, well, we require that you present a deposit slip. We have them available inside the bank if you don't have one. If you have your ATM card you can make a deposit at the ATM without a deposit slip.

I have TWO kids in my car! I can't come inside.

[At this point she sends the tube back.. with her ATM card]

Ms. Lady you would still need a deposit slip.

I'm coming inside to close my account!!



.. so are you gonna bring your kids inside??

This isn't the first time this has happened.. and it won't be the last. The lady came inside, with her two children ages 7 and 11, and closed her account. I'm assuming she wasn't going to bring her kids inside to fill out a deposit slip because they would have misbehaved and she would have had to hold them the entire time...

And she also told the personal banker that the girl in the drive-up was rude. That's also not a first..

I love the excuses I get about people not wanting to come inside..

I got a broke leg!
Really?! How'd you get IN the car?

I got a baby..
Looks like a toddler.. I bet he can walk.

My kids are really bad!
Maybe you should take them to church more often.


I really like my job.. sometimes.

girl's weekend

I left early Saturday morning for a girl's weekend with my college roomies. Our destination was Hilton Head.. somewhere none of us had ventured yet. We were excited.. looking forward to the beach and sun.. and hopefully good food.. and numerous stories of sex, love, and past boyfriends.

Well, we got too much sun (I'm so burnt!).. food was okay.. I think I got sick.. and of course, I find out more than I want to know about my girlfriends' preferences. Don't bother correcting any apostrophe errors.. I gave up a long time ago.

I honestly had a good time. However, I would have rather been the one to drive. I'm not gonna say that I'm the best driver.. but I am an incredibly good driver. Going the speed limit - check. Using turn signals - double check. Not pulling out in front of others, proper lane changing, using common sense instead of a GPS - check, check, and check.

Next time.. I'll offer to drive. Lesson learned.

We went to The Big Bamboo for dinner last night. It was pretty good. I'm not sure if the pasta I had caused me to dirty poopie 3 times this morning.. but it was bad. Along with nausea, cramps, and some female red stuff..... should I stop?

I felt miserable, but it subsided after laying down for a little.

I don't think I'm pregnant anymore, either.

Tanger Outlets = bargains! We went to Banana Republic and they were have an entire store sale. If you bought 1 item, you get 30% off, 2 items 40%.. then 3 or more 50% off. So the girlfriends were going crazy.. had to get at least 3 items. They both got like 3 or 4 items.. spent over $60. Yeah, that's great.. they got a good deal. Me, however... Marshall and I decided a few months back I could get an article of clothing if it was less than $5. That had been the arrangement for a while now. Last week I bought 2 tops at Target, one for $2.50 and the other like $4. So, since I was on vacation I was able to splurge a little. I went for the $5.97 clearance top. Got the 30% off.. $4.47 after tax. Hey, under the $5 rule!

So, the cashier rang up my shirt and was quite impressed with the price.. but of course she had to remind of the sale they had. I told her I was okay. What I really wanted to say.. something like.. "That's okay. I'll save $40 dollars all by myself by only purchasing this $5 top. Thank you!"

I love bargains.

a start

My husband decided to make his famous coffee milkshakes last night.. probably much later than we should have had all that caffeine. But as usual, totally worth it. Needless to say, I stayed awake much later than I would have preferred. With all the quietness I started thinking about possible blog topics.. "blopics" .. hmm? So.. here goes..

On the most recent Grey's episode, one of the patients was an elderly woman who would not die.. eventually she did.. and when she passed, all I could see or think about was my Grandmommie. They way the patient was laying, on her side, hunched over, her frail, bony fingers. That's how Grandmommie looked the last few years of her life. She passed away back in January. We had been expecting this for a while, she had battled Parkinson's for about 5 years. Even though, when you know it's coming and you prepare every visit to be the last.. it's still shocking and painful. She was my only grandmother, and the best grandmother. Ever.

A chapter closed in my life after the death of Grandmommie and, six weeks later, my D-Dad. When my mom left my dad in high school, everything changed. But Grandmommie and D-Dad continued our family traditions of Sunday Dinner and, when my father wasn't there, my grandparents were. Concerts, award programs, a car.. most high school memories include my grandparents. Around the time I was leaving for college, D-Dad began having strokes and was later diagnosed with Alzheimer's. We had also found out Grandmommie had Parkinson's, this being after she successfully survived breast cancer and a masectomy.

It seemed each time I came home to visit, they had both taken dramatic steps into their diseases. On one visit, D-Dad greeted me at the door and asked, "Hey! Who are you?!" I replied, "You know who I am!" I thought nothing of it at the moment. D-Dad was known for his teasing and humor.. I know I got it from him.. and I thought that was his way of getting at me for not visiting as often as I should. We we sat down with Grandmommie and talked for a bit, only for D-Dad to tell us a little later that he really didn't recognize me at the door. That was the first hurt. To know that this disease was real.

With Grandmommie, her legs and hands would shake constantly. I found it sweet when D-Dad would hold her hands so the shaking wouldn't be as noticeable.

I think it was easier for me to adjust with their deaths because I mostly remember the "real" Grandmommie and D-Dad. The Grandmommie that could sew anything I asked for, made the best homemade hot chocolate, and made me feel like her favorite grandchild out of the ten of us. Even though I knew I really was.. at least for a good 8 years because I was the baby. I always wished Marshall could have known D-Dad. They would have shared a passion together for wood working and projects. I could see them drinking Coke and having a Hershey bar. But D-Dad was far gone around the time Marshall showed up. D-Dad would have made him laugh, too.

On a lighter note, I have become a pro at making homemade ravioli. And finding tops for $3-4.00. Oh and $60.00 pictures frames for $6.00! Now I just have to work on the do I really need this or do I just want the good deals? part...