Look who's out of braces! (For now!)

She's in her retainer even - it's the new "Invisalign" type... pretty cool, eh?

Random photos

Ok, I have put captions on this sheet MULTIPLE times and the dang pictures keep shifting, so you get what you get on the text on these... %^&*( pictures!!!
This is what happens to pots when you let them freeze, it's NOT all the way through; just the outer shell is cracked off - weird.

Liz, the adventure girl got a short hair cut this year. Winter not withstanding... she got this right before the horse show. It's cute, however has to be COLD in this weather. The hairdresser loves the fact that the girls will try new haircuts all the time :o)


Mom wanted to go see the Lipizanne stallions... so we went with her friend, Dad and the girls. Had a great time watching all the pretty horses preform

Fun show!

The ill fated plane that blew it’s engine on take off.

Another first – the only time I have used an emergency exit to exit the plane above and enter the new one as well – they didn’t have any stairs at this airport – it wasn’t meant to handle this size jet. Good thing the runway was long enough :o\

Fog coming into Norfolk from the sea

The first part of the tunnel and seagull pier going across the bay. On the way back from a road trip we passed directly under two large ships – one going out to see on the first tunnel (longest one) and one coming into port on this very tunnel

The same tunnel seen from the surface. Very cool thing to see.

Fish Taco’s at Aqua in Cape Charles. We had dinner the night before at Croakers (I had fried flounder/shrimp/crab cake) and the night after this we went to the Waterman (?) at Virginia Beach for some peppercorn flounder. I have to find that recipe. It was very good!

This was today coming home – just cool cloud patterns

Flying and new experiences

I had a fun (?) experience with flying to Virginia last week (Tuesday).  I thought it was going to be a beautiful flight.  Hardly anyone was flying.  The airport was semi-empty.  There were a lot of folks milling about talking about their cancelled flights into the north and central US with the storm that was ripping through the states.  The plane was mostly empty every other seat unoccupied – unusual in this day and age of flying.

Our take off was directly into the LOW clouds as it was foggy, misty, dreary day in Atlanta.  We're just into the clouds and BOOOOOMMMMMMM with a slight shutter, then silence.  No one is screaming, no one is talking, just quite.  We're not dropping, there is no smoke - however, no one is coming over the intercom to address what just happened.  Everyone waits very patiently (and quietly) - it's VERY quiet in every way - amazing when you're NOT going fast how quiet airplanes are.  There is little or no wind noise; there is no engine noise from climbing.

The flight attendant finally came on and told us the pilot would tell us what happened when he could and assured us he was probably pretty busy making sure everything is OK.  Gee, I HOPE he is busy trying to keep us in the air!!

‎‎

‎‎5 minutes later, the pilot finally comes on and tells us we have an engine problem.. ya think?  Is it back on the ground from take off?  The pilot first said we were to land in Columbia South Carolina; however we only managed to limp to Augusta.

If ever there was a silver lining to this story is that due to the storms and the huge number of cancelled flights due to the storm, they were able to fly us a plane up in a matter of hours, not day - and not shuttling us all back in puddle jumpers to Atlanta.  We arrived in Norfolk at 6:30pm instead of 2:30 pm, however could have been a LONG day long or more process to get us all out of there had it been a full flight and a regular flying day.

A few accomplishments...

Today put in two new sets of door locks - and have them rekeyed to a single set of keys... now to start the replacement from brass to stainless through the house... three done... 12 more to go (give ore take)

• Kitchen
     • Tile in the kitchen backsplash
     • Paint the kitchen (ok, these have to go in order – tile first – THEN paint
• Master bathroom
     • Paint the ceiling with the new ceiling paint I just purchased
     • Paint the walls to match the brown in the potty room.
• Have the living room painted (by someone else)
     • I would LOVE to get some crown molding put up at the same time….
• Trees:
• Call the dentist
• Install screen door
• Paint the front door frame
• Sprinklers:
     • Find the sprinkler box UNDER the ground from when the wall was put in a year ago…
     • Get the new sprinklers laid
     • Borrow the trencher and put the new sprinklers

The list is shrinking... slowly, but it's shrinking... and what did I do this weekend?  NOTHING!!

One more project DONE!!

And without lifting a finger - just having an opinion on placement between leaving work and going to my Dr's appointment - now that's a trick! 

Now everyone say a prayer that these lovely trees grow and fill in and make a very PRIVATE backyard and lovely little oasis for our world...

For those wondering they are Cryptomeria - Japanese Cedars - although looking up everything they really aren't a true Cedar - which makes me happy as Mom is allergic to Cedars.  They should get HUGE and fill in nicely.  I'm hoping for at least a 2' growth this next year and continued as time goes on.... everyone say a prayer they all do well and flourish!!

One HUGE project done...

...during... not sure why I never seem to remember to do a "before" shot!

After - 1

After - 2

OK, so the thing was, I got the wild hair to check ONE thing off my "to do" list.. and thought, why not the ceiling?  I got started painting... near the sink and completely ran out of ceiling paint.  Crap!  Popcorn ceilings SUCK up paint.  So... I went to Lowe's, and thought while I was going, i would pick up the wall color too.  Just in case I decided to get REALLY ambitious. 

Well, I got the WRONG color.  I picked up the paint chip for the front door instead of the bathroom - can you say CAVE dark??  Yeah, that color is sitting in the garage now waiting on a project for someone, anyone to use it on. 

So... I go BACK to Lowe's and get the correct color - in for a penny, in for a pound, right?  I get the ceiling painted and decided that yep, while on a roll, get the walls done too.  I cut in all the walls and I think I got the first coat on before dinner.  Then sliced my finger wide open making taco salad of all things.  Yikes... however was determined to get the 2nd coat on the wall and be DONE with this tonight. 

This is the end result.  Every time I would sit down and relax - as in for dinner, I got sooo stiff, I figured I had BETTER get it ALL done tonight or it will NEVER get wrapped up tomorrow!  I did get some trim paint too, however, that will wait for another day, I'm afraid!!

Lighting throws these pictures off, shading etc.  I'll try and get some with natural light tomorrow.

The Dream House....

Is sold... did you hear that flushing sound?  That was my dream spinning down the drain... ah, well... I guess I'll TRAVEL instead!!!  Always a silver lining right?

Back on THE House track

Ok, the internal argument has been going on for a week now… do I call the inspection company back?  Do I pursue investing in a 100 year old home?  Am I out of my mind to think I can rent a home out for weddings and make a profit in a decent amount of time so as to not go broke in the process?  Am I nuts?  I mean, really, really NUTS?

Do I really WANT to go into business for myself – even if it would be part time?  Do I want to strap myself financially and time wise?  Am I REALLY NUTS?

So… I called the inspection company one more time… I had called them right before Christmas.  They did let me know that a person had it inspected in May of 2010.  That person did not purchase the house.  Why?  Who knows?  He moved to Macon.  Location?  Too much expense to fix this place up compared to something in Macon?  Hard to know, I’m sure that I want to find out…  So.  I’m down to cutting deals with the inspection folks if the prior inspection won’t be released to me.  Shoot, I would be willing to pay the other guy ½ of the cost for the original inspection…. Otherwise, it will be a whole new inspection.  Sigh.

Am I really, really nuts?  Yep, I think I am.

Snow er, I mean... ICE Days in Georgia

... it's been COLD in the south the last few days... and icy!  Burrr COLD
But fun too.  Sunday the girls school called at about 4pm that school was closed for Monday due to threat of ice.  I scoffed.  Then the base called at about 8pm and said the base was shut down for threat of ice, I scoffed HARDER and louder.  Then Butch's alarm went off at 5:30 am and I could HEAR the sleet hitting the window, so I got up to see what it looked like and THIS greeted my sleepy little eyes:

and it didn't stop for a while :o)  WOW - the weatherman was right on the money... and not really a lot of the fluffy stuff in there...

So, did I do work around the house from the goal list?

HECK NO! 

Enjoying the GOOD life and the only way to have an "ice day" ever :o)

And even invited the neighbors over too :o)

HOWEVER, boys, it would seem are insane!!  The decided to join the polar bear club while out there... I just laughed and took pictures as ALL boys went into the 40 some odd degree pool! 

Looks like he thought twice about that, AFTER the fact, eh?

BONZI!!

They all survived... burrr!

Goals revisited....

• Kitchen
     • Tile in the kitchen backsplash
     • Paint the kitchen (ok, these have to go in order – tile first – THEN paint)
     **not done, not started, not even thought about… sad, but truth in advertising.
• Master bathroom
     • Paint the ceiling with the new ceiling paint I just purchased
     • Paint the walls to match the brown in the potty room. 
     **not done, started, but just not done… the first coat of the spackle fix stuff had to dry to convince me that it wouldn’t look so horrible… now I need to be convinced to paint the entire ceiling in there… GAG
• Have the living room painted (by someone else)
     • I would LOVE to get some crown molding put up at the same time….
     **not done, not started, not even thought about
• Trees:
     • Tree farm. I have to make it to the tree farm as well to order trees for the backyard.
     • Call our general contractor that I love (Steve – the one who did my wall, the arbor, etc)… to see how much he would charge to come and auger the holes for the trees
** DONE** – well, sorta done… hear me out, I didn’t go this route… after going to the now defunct tree farm, looking around, calling around and having folks tell me that FIFTY trees aren’t enough to be considered “bulk buying” (hello?) I gave up to some extent on the “do it yourself mode. I called a local tree guy (well, not so local, but close) and had the whole neighborhood (will, 4 families and 16 trees) involved in getting some LARGE pines removed… so that part was done in prep to put in the screening trees. I’m on my way; I have them “ordered” and contracted to be installed… Need to call him tomorrow about time frame.
• Call the dentist… I need to have a tooth worked on
     **DONE and the good news? It didn’t need a crown. It will need one in time.. However with no cavity, nothing wrong but a crack, we’ll let it ride until something goes south and we HAVE to crown that bad boy!
• Install screen door
     **not done, not started, thought about it, but I suck!
• Paint the front door frame
     **not done too COLD to think about it
• Sprinklers:
     • Find the sprinkler box UNDER the ground from when the wall was put in a year ago…
     • Get the new sprinklers laid
     • Borrow the trencher and put the new sprinklers
     **not done I did borrow a metal detector; however it’s a “toy” one… I’m going to borrow one of Bob’s heavy duty ones from work and see if that will do the trick a bit better… and to add insult to injury? Butch lost his CUSTOM wedding ring in the yard somewhere… lovely – maybe we can find it with the metal detector? If not, he’s out of options for rings now… I quit – this is #2 that he’s lost – the first had diamonds in it… it’s gone. I replaced it with a custom job with waves, just for his Scuba soul… and the pea picker lost it… so I warned him on the last one, he’s down to clearance rings now… I have two from Target that I’ll dole out over time… both less than $25 plus the cost of sizing… I can deal with him loosing those… now watch he’ll keep those for YEARS to come, won’t he? Bless his pea brain.