Mothers, Doctors and trips to Atlanta

Weird subject line, isn’t it?  I agree, but it really is what the subject is.

After talking to others in my same age range with aging parents, I have to say I’m lucky.  I’m very, very lucky both to have my mother still here on this earth with me and to actually like spending time with her.  And I also have a great mother-in-law too, so I’m doubly blessed.  I hear horror stories of parents in homes, parents who are highly dependant and have to live with the family – not that this is a bad thing, I think having older generations in the same house as a great thing for kids to live and learn to appreciate who their grandparents are as people.  Note to self, have more family time with folks :o)

Anyway on to the subject at hand.  Mom had a Dr’s appointment in Atlanta at Emory – the very same place I had my surgery back in 2007 (has it been that long?) so knowing the area was key to getting her there in one piece.  Driving through ATL can be a challenge on a good day and impossible on a bad day.  This was a good day.

 I worked ½ a day and then picked mom up and had a nice lunch at Olive Garden (soup and salad – yum!) then headed north.  We only made one other stop and got to Emory right on time – literally – got there at 2pm for a 2pm appointment.  Hum should have planned that a bit better, eh?  Either way, they didn’t look at us funny.  Mom got in and out fairly quick for a large teaching hospital.

Now, if we headed home, we would get into traffic of schools, work, etc, so *I* had made some plans to go thrifting while there in a LARGE town.

The run down:

1.       Finders Keepers (2134 N Decatur Road) – clothing, just clothing and nice clothing.. but tiny clothing.  Not for me, thanks.

2.       Last Chance (2525 N Decatur Road) – HUGE goodwill sort of place.  Tempted by one console table.  Good prices, but nothing screamed buy me

3.       Buckhead Thriftique (800 Miami Circle #1600) – looked to be very nice – why I headed that way to begin with… but they were CLOSED at 4pm – what the heck?

a.       Side stops here included one place with a moving sale banner that drew us in.  Very nice, very high end, nothing there for me.

b.      Antique Asian Market with a cart in their roll up door (picture forthcoming when I get home)

c.       Note to self, this road is KILLER with shopping!!

4.       Last Chance (yes this is another!) (5488 Peach Tree Industrial) same as the last one, smaller building with a very tempting hotel close out store next door, however, we were running out of daylight and due to NOT knowing the area and shopping thrift, not something I wanted to do in the dark, thanks!

5.       My Favorite Place (5596 Peach Tree) right down the road from the last and the mother load of all fun things.  My whole childhood was in this store… and some of mom’s too.  Found a lunch box like Dad’s old metal one he took to work every day of my childhood… old rotary phones – the big black ones that I would love to have hooked up now in a house just for giggles.  My mother-in-law has one in her kitchen that I just LOVE in a green.  Had the wall one I found in this store been anything other than tan, I think I would have been more tempted to buy it just to mount to the wall (we don’t have a land line!)  There was soooo much in this store it was scary and so much fun!!  By far the best place to end our thrifting trip.  Mom even purchased something at this one too – a nice solid rooster made of cast iron and metal – very nice one too.  What did I purchase?  Nothing – the whole trip – nothing was purchased by me… how very sad, eh?  Not really, I have enough projects to last me a year.

The drive home was adventurous too.  We ran into traffic on 285 just as we hit 85 – so I zipped over on 85 across to 75 south and zipped right along in the HOV lane (carpool) until we were just south of ATL and saw a warning of “all lanes blocked” at Cleveland street.. Where IS Cleveland Street?  Not a clue… so I see the sign, just as I see a lot of solid red so I continued on 85 around the airport…. However, not before I noticed the “all lanes” was only in reference to the actual Cleveland exit… 75 was clear as a bell, drat it.  Oh, well, just a few more miles out of the way and around the airport… zipped back over on 285 to 75 and headed south… doubled my miles the whole way – but better than sitting in a parking lot, I guess.

All in all a great day!!

Daylight Savings Time...? Really?

This weekend was a full one (when are they NOT full?)  We had a friend of Angela’s overnight Friday night and most of the day on Saturday.

The kids really enjoyed that part – they slept until they wanted to get up, they did nothing but play games on the xbox up stairs and visit, talk, eat, play… ah, the life!

We had to take Liz to the school at 4pm for her last football game and we headed to the fish fry.  She was NOT happy she was missing the fish fry this year again – seems it always conflicts with football schedules in the last few years.  Poor Lizzie! 

We had a good time while there, Butch was flying kites and I was helping the gals with the fish (no complaints, as we get all the gossip while in there too!).. we ate and sat around and chatted by the fire late into the evening.  We were some of the very last to leave and got home about midnight – just in time for Butch to get Liz from the school after her return from the football game (they won!)

Sunday morning I woke up LATE – looked at my clock and thought – WOW – it’s LATE, then looked at the TV and discovered it was changed already – well, lookie there, it wasn’t THAT late after all – ha!  Good theory.  I really didn’t sleep all that long as compared to when I went to bed and when I woke up, but let’s just say that it was over 8 hours… but under 10  J  Ah, the life!!  I got up to find Angela still at home and not on her way to church as she had overslept as well due to our late arrival home the night before.  

We had another bummy weekend day lazing around, doing laundry and waiting for Butch’s 15 bean soup to finish in the crock pot – it smelled SOOO good cooking!! 

I did a few more coats of paint on my projects – and even took a BEFORE picture of a few of the new ones (finally remembered).  Ran to Lowes for more spray paint… let them dry one more time then moved them all into the garage along with my car.. yes, it’s true, the car is STILL in the garage.. now to keep it that way J

Today…. Sinus headache… what’s up with that?  I did notice late yesterday there was a front or something coming through as it clouded up like it was going to rain… I don’t think it did actually rain, however.  Hum.  This morning seems to be fairly clear.

 

Goal revisited

• 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:
• 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

I think I first published these goals about a year ago... but look they ARE getting done.  I'm still toying with the kitchen color.  I think the current goal is to paint the laundry room first so I can see if I like the much BRIGHTER color for the whole room, or if I should tone it down for the main room.

So there it is in writing - PAINT ... starting with laundry room
how about I just get the laundry done today instead?
Yeah... that sounds good.
I did accomplish another coat of paint on a LOT of little projects outside today.. so that is something... not really the end goal, but something :)

Why I love my new buiding the photo explanation

This is the hallway outside of my door - I'm actually standing in my doorway looking towards what used to the be the gym - that is natural light you see at the end of that hall - the hallway is flooded with light from the courtyard and from the big windows at the end of each of the hallways to left and right.  Ah... light... the opposite direction has the same effect

 Turning around facing into our room - what you can't see is there is a window the the left and right of this photo - albeit above the cubicle walls, it is still natural light into the room...

 What I can see if I'm sitting in my chair and just turn around.  There are squirrels in the trees too - and, well, in our ceilings for the time being too - ha!  Small problem.  Two rooms over there is a panel missing in the ceiling and the gal turned around to see a squirrel checking her out from the hole - how funny!  This is also our FAT trap door... note the cube goes one third over the door -doesn't stop us!!  I have since put two rugs - one inside the door and one outside the door for the dirt factor. :o)

 My cube in the background... where I sit.every day for the better part of 8 hours.  it's smaller than before, but really, I LIKE it... Even Butch said I'm a lot happier since I moved into this building.  I really think it has to do with getting more sunshine in my day!

 What I see when I step out the door... ah, it's so nice!!  It's more of a fall landscape now with leaves changing fast.

 the white building you can see to the right of the picture is the BX (clothing store, like a mini-target without the grocery store). they have a food court and this is where I will walk to most of the time for lunch.  short white building in the FAR distance (not really that far).. is the commissary (grocery store) so no more excuses that I can't get to the commissary for shopping - drat it!  Within walking distance there is a Pizza Depot that has everything from Pizza to burgers to salads.  There is a bowling ally with a grill within walking distance and of course the BX food court with two sandwich shops, a Cinnabon (I have avoided it this far!), a pizza place, and a Mexican place.  Ah... the life!!

Fall School Pictures

NOW I remember why I don't buy school pictures!

 This is SO not Angela - she isn't smiling big - she looks like she's in pain (or constipated!)... HATE this picture of her.... she is SO much more beautiful than this picture shows and something with the angle gives her a MUCH more rounded face than in reality.  Horrible picture!

Liz's, I had to take a picture of a picture (from her school ID) because I don't know where her package went to purchase (thus couldn't get a good picture of it...)... I like hers well enough.  But there are no glasses - reality is that there are glasses in her life.  Hum.. interesting. 

Even though I don't buy them, I do want to see them, look at them.  Then take my own with their personality shining through :)

Happy Halloween (yes, I know this is late - we've been busy!)

 I think Angela changed outfits about three times before heading out.. she had this choice on first, then went to bride of Frankenstein (*my favorite!) then back to this - vampire girl :) 

Her Friend - Miss M is a SkullAnimal person.  Cute girls!

 Not sure about the bloody bandage on her wrist, but it's an addition that couldn't be passed up given it was in the blood package I picked up for the night :)

 Liz looks positively scary and actually answered the door to some trick-or-treaters and gave them a second thought about getting candy form this house!  ha!  Can you believe that is her MIDDLE SCHOOL chorus dress?  Yes, she's a Junior now... and it still fits - it's a few inches short in the length, but overall the rest fits just fine.

Although looking horrible, actually a smile for me before she headed out... all alone with her sword in hand ... She never did catch up with her sister on their rounds. 

They were all back in the house at 7:30 and 8:00 - Angela came home first, then Liz came in thinking it was closer to 9pm since it was dead (no pun intended) out here...  Our last trick-or-treater came at about 7:50 - then NO MORE.  I went through about 3 1/2 bags of candy where as we typically go through about 5.  Weird event this year.  It didn't seem nearly as busy I actually watched part of the Walking Dead (zombie apocalypse show filmed out of Atlanta for those not in the know) between treaters.. how appropriate, eh?

Hot Tub Season is now OPEN!

Yes, it’s official – hot tub season is now open and in full swing… the tub has been heated and occupied for about an hour last night – ah, the life!!

Come on out and join in on the soaking!

 

College Meet and Greets and choices...

Well, last night was a meet and greet with Georgia Southern University.   We’re trying to get Liz to concentrate on a school or two to figure out just WHERE she wants to go.  This could be interesting.

She has been to the SUU Campus (my Alma Mater) by default because *I* wanted to see how much it had grown and changed since the 80’s and boy has it!!  It’s still a very small campus (only about 4 city blocks long and two city blocks wide), but has a lot more to offer than when I went there. 

We drove through the GSU campus on Saturday night on the way home from the band competition in Statesboro and it was large, but looked to be fairly manageable and they have transportation on campus, so that is a plus.

There is an open house on campus on the 12^th, so I guess that is the next step – have her go there and see what she likes.

I should have all my nieces and nephews and even Sister tell her how great SUU is and the benefits of it as well.  Butch doesn’t want her going that far away from home, however it could be an option in the future…. Or not.  I think she is destined for a much brighter future than I could even dream of.  We have even teased her about Harvard… maybe it’s not so far fetched…

So – for now, we keep visiting campus’ and see what she feels is a good fit.

Should I tell her Princeton is a very small cute campus too?  Hee hee hee.

Tupperware....

On our trip to Orlando this fall, I inadvertently left a whole Tupperware full of crackers as well as a jar of peanut butter in the cabinet of the Condo.  Was it worth it to call the condo place?  Do you think they would have kept it – it took me a few weeks to even discover it was missing?  Sigh.  Today I went over to the BX and picked up a replacement container from the Tupperware Lady… did I mention just HOW much I like my new office location?

I now have a door and a window to my back – which you would think would bug the crud out of me with folks behind me all day, but really I don’t mind as I can look OUTSIDE.  This is a first – in 15 years with civil service and 5 years with contractors for the government and this is the first time I have a window, much less a door!!

I’m so thrilled with the cubicle I have.  So thrilled that I can actually walk out the door.. even if it is a “fat trap” – aka it’s not to be used for anything other than emergency as it’s partially blocked with the cubicle furniture… thereby making it a smaller than normal opening.

Even with all the horrible flimsy furniture (plus side is it’s new), and the odd door, and the fact that it is a school house and still is very much so with the tack strips down the hall that everyone saw fit to decorate with cutouts for the holiday (yes, now it SCREAMS school house)… even with all that I LOVE the new place.  Parking is wonderful.  You can walk to multiple food locations:  BX has sandwich shop, pizza place, Philly cheese place, and a taco place; class 6 has Churches Chicken; bowling alley; old NCO club has the pizza depot.  AND the thrift store is also within walking distance.  Yes, yes, I know – NOT where I need to go, but I still do!

I’m in love with my new work location!!

 

Concessions

This was our last weekend with concessions too – this year I only missed one game.  I had a sinus headache/migraine and just wasn’t up for it that night.  I thought there was ONE more home game that I was going to ditch… one that they had swapped from a Friday to a Saturday.  Turned out that was/is an away game, this last Friday was the last day our team would man the concessions – so I did my motherly duty as well as my school duty and did the concessions for my 3^rd year – yeah me!!

 

Band Competitions

Last year there were three band competitions if I remember correctly – one in Southern GA, one in Atlanta (really enjoyed that one) and another to the west, I believe (we didn’t go to it).  

 

This year there was only one and it was this weekend.  

 

Do I have a single picture?  Nope. 

 

Did I care?  Not really, I really enjoyed sitting there and watching the performance and cheering on the kids instead of worrying about missing a shot, and trying to get it “just so”… it was nice to sit, snuggle and watch the performance.  It was COLD – 40’s which to some isn’t too bad, but for us warm blooded folks, cold!.

 

The kids did GREAT.  They got excellent in all the classes and over hall “High Guard” as well.  They were excited. 

 

They still lost the overall best in show… but that is because there is a smaller band that goes for the “fun” factor and always puts on an excellent show (sorry Liz, but they really do have the entertainment factor down!)  Our band is good, really good and really BIG.  They are huge compared to most on the field and they can do some intricate work.  However, they do it as a band does, without a “show” and without much more than the band uniforms… these guys were dressed like crash test dummies or road crew or something… and really hammed it up.  Ah, well – our guys are good and very intricate and very formal :o)  That’s a good thing too.

 

All in all a good weekend activity.  Angela got to bring a friend with her, so was running back and forth to the concessions and here there and everywhere.  Half the time wrapped in blankets, which I didn’t care because they were red, so I never really lost sight of them!  Ha!

Project in full swing!

 Low and behold you CAN see the original color still from the bottom side.  I guess I haven't perfected the art of spray paint at all angels yet and spray from my HIGH vantage point without taking height into consideration - woops!

 All painted and looking loverly on the mantle with some tiny pumpkins :)

The full Mantle experience

BOOOOO!

Just don't look up!!!

Woops - you looked up!

things still hanging around on the floor that will go outside come Halloween night (floor) and a rat infestation!

The mantle

Sofa table on the wall behind the sofa...

Project in the works

Three vases/candle stands are being repainted... and would you know it, I forgot to take a BEFORE picture - drat it!!!

Oh, well.  It was a brass vase (with scroll work sides, so not solid functional vase, just decorative), a candle stand in multi colors with the same type of open work and a solid ceramic vase that started out as a gaudy gold...

Let the painting begin - they are BLACK now and will go on my mantle with some pumpkins on top of them....

Photo to follow after I get the final coat of black on them… and if I think about it a shot of some of them where the original color still shows through – if I remember!!

A Universal Adventure!

We were able to get a GREAT deal thanks to the Air Force Vacation club and booked a week in Orlando for a whopping $300 - yes, that was from Sunday - Sunday... We didn't use the entire week at the condo/apartment, but it was sure fun for the days we did spend there and for the price, we just couldn't beat it.  We stayed at the Summer Bay Resort (http://summerbayresort.com/orlando_villas.htm) villas.  I must say that they had a LOT of nice amenities there.  Some of which you will see on this, some we'll just tell you about ;)

This is what greeted us when we went into our kitchen in our nice unit:

 Living room/Dining room/kitchen combo - tiny but good for what we needed.  To the right is the kids bed and bath and the left, master bed/bath.

 Master bed/bath combo (with Liz visiting!)

 Kids bed

 Kids bath

 After we settled in, the kids and I set off to explore the area - found a play ground to play

(note Angela's hair is sticking STRAIGHT up with the static from the slide - ha!)

 Obligatory "pose" by the flowers :o)

Day 1 - Monday in the Park!!  Universal Islands of Adventure - here we come!!

We had been told to go straight to Harry Potter as it would be the most crowded (they were NOT kidding!).. we went there and rode the Harry Potter ride - it's mostly 3D stuff and screens with a little bit of actual motion in the car... Angela even rode on it with us and seemed OK with it.. didn't DIS-like it, but has stated over and over NO roller coasters for her...OK.  'nuff said.  Butch rode the dragon challenge roller coaster (feet are hanging) while the girls and I got some much anticipated butter beer - frozen cream soda basically with a cream on top - very cute!

This is the Hippogriph ride - you pass by Hagreds house and can hear Fang barking...

 The view of the castle and a little of the track that for the ride - its a fairly calm easy roller coaster.. and Angela LOVED IT!  She rode that thing over and over and over again!

 Chilling with the butter beer my story got ahead of me!  I guess we rode the Hippogriph first.  ;o)

 After Potter World we made our way through the rest of the park.  Jurassic park had the LARGE water flume ride that we opted out of since everyone was coming off it dripping wet... no, thanks!  We wandered into the Marvel comics area - fun stuff!

 Liz and Angela could not resist the Bilge Rats ride...

 and it was a SOAKER!!

 Angela and I amused ourselves with a tea cup style ride for "storm" from the comics it was fun. 

 All the while Liz and Butch were riding the Hulk!!

 From there it was off to Seuss land...

 they really should have had the maintenance crew dressed as characters :o)

 Look Hogwarts in the background!!

 Poseidon's adventure was a fun walk through special effects show.  Very entertaining!

 And full circle to Hogwarts and BACK on the Hippogriph ride once with me, then two or three more times on her own :o)  Ah, the energy of youth!

 A trip to the candy store

 (puking pastilles - it was scrolling down from her mouth to the bucket - ewh!)

 And making our way out of the park!

 Liz at the condo with her frog... it didn't get far, she ate it's head off first - poor frog!

Liz and I had Henna Tattoos done and Angela opted for two feathers in her hair...

Day 2 - Tuesday - bumming at the resort club house for the day!

Butch and Angela in the paddle boat!

THIS is where Liz and I chose to hang out instead - reading books!

WAY out there!

Cranes on the lawn

Cute little perch in the lake.  I tossed a few pieces of fish food in to them them to leap out for the picture!  They were fast little things!

Butch let Angela get the power boat for a 1/2 hour around the lake...

getting instructions...

backing out slowly and calmly...

and she's OFF!

On the way back to the condo, we stopped in the little water park in the complex - it was really cute - Angela was all over it... running around shutting off water, turning on water...

Butch even tried to get in the act....

And paid for his involvement by being soaked by Angela turning the water on him - ha!

Day 3: Universal Studios and the FIRST ride. 

That REALLY is Elizabeth and Butch on the ride ... back car, 2nd from last

They loved it!

Off to the Mummy Ride!  SCARY stuff!

She was really picking his nose.. just glad Butch was holding a hand, not picking a butt ;o)  ha!

Yeah, Liz is DONE with me taking pictures - ha!

JAWS!  I was the ONLY one who wanted a picture with the shark.  I need to find the one from when we were about 10 and went to Universal in California!

... Another fun filled day over and on our way OUT of the park ...

I look worse for wear, but felt pretty good..

Pretty sunset!

Day 4.  I had to ask my girlfriend Lesselle where the place we used work back in the 80's was... this is it - 1987 - bustling family hotel with a restaurant - Days Inn at the time... yeah, those were the days! 

..and today is the day MOM rides the roller coasters.   Most of the time they give me a headache from the movement and the jerking, but I must say the new ones now are SMOOTH and don't jerk you and are... really, really, REALLY FUN!!!

hahaha

another view of Hogwarts!

I tell you, they are set up for HORRIBLE lines, but where they don't have any - they suck!  It took us the anticipated 5 minute walk to walk from the opening to the ride.. there was NO ONE in line.. they didn't even have anyone telling you what ROW to go in because, really - it didn't matter - they were all OPEN!!  yes, it was that light of a load on this ride.  Scary!

The candles were illuminated, but you can't see that due to the flash - very cute effect... even with the flash, I can't really see the way they're held up without zooming in!

After all the roller coasters it was time to get some lunch - the squirrel in the area had the same idea and just sacked out within almost reaching distance from us.. cute!!

From here forward there are no more pictures in the park because simply put - we did the water rides... and did them over and over and over... until we were soaked.  We had put dry clothing into a locker at the beginning of day just for this reason.  So... we rode them all - log rides, bilge rats, everything over and over until we were SOAKED then we rode the hulk (Liz and I) ONE more time before slogging to the entrance of the park and changing in the bathroom for a nice dry ride back to the condo. 

The weather forecast was for rain all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday - so we bailed out for a much needed and welcome visit with Sally... we drove up there on Friday - out of the rain and into the sunshine.  We had a great time visiting with grandma for the rest of the weekend - sure wish she could have joined us for some of the fun in Orlando - next time we'll plan further in advance so we can all make it down there!!

This treat should say the end... but Thing 2 works too :o)