Tom Petty was right...The Waiting IS the hardest Part

 Cocoa, what are you staring at?

 Cocoa, I'm talking to YOU! What are you staring at?

 Oh, a squirrel?

 Cocoa, you know in all of your eight years on this earth, you've never caught a squirrel. 

You've never even got close to catching a squirrel. 

Finally~she heard something I said. But I think she still has hope. 

Dogs with hope.....they are sooooo darn patient. 

Do any of Tom Petty's tunes get old? 

The correct answer is No.

Happy Hump Day.....I hope you don't experience too much waiting today.

XOXO

Last Minute might be my new middle name

Last week I was whining about doing Lindsay's yearbook ad/page last minute and that apparently got the last minute ball rolling. 

Friday morning, I took a last minute 4 mile walk with a friend who I don't see enough of. 

Saturday morning found me at the Buddy Walk {National Down Syndrome Society} with my friend Dawn.  I was so glad she texted me last minute on Friday night!!

Saturday afternoon found me running to the post office {last minute} to mail something and then dropping off expired Rx's at the DEA sponsored "Operation Medicine Cabinet"

Saturday evening brought a last minute birthday dinner at our house for a good friend. {The Coach did most of the cooking} I thought it was going to be a quiet night with both girls gone, but we ended up with six guests; three of which spent the night. 

Sunday I attended a photography class, last minute of course!

All in all, aside from Mother nature wreaking havoc on my insides, it was a great weekend. Our weather is finally being tolerable. {Yay for less humidity in the air!}

And I just have to add, that the Buddy walk was SO much fun...BUT I really wish they would have given out  medals for the fastest walkers because Dawn and I would have gotten Gold AND Silver! 

No, we're not competitive at all! :)

I'm just wishing someone would call me this morning {last minute} and say I can stay home today!

XOXO

The waiting and wishing.

I might have mentioned that Linds is going to leave me us this summer. 

She has applied to two Florida colleges.

She has already been accepted to her second fiddle college a few weeks ago.
Now we wait for the dream school to get their act together.

Second fiddle school accepting her means no air-conditioning/refrigeration school.
Which means I'll always overpay for appliance repairs.
*sigh*

***
This past week I had the pleasure of putting together her senior ad for the yearbook...with none other than Linds. (she is one of the yearbook putter-togetherers)

I had to gather photos and write some nice words. I'm sure when I did this for LoLo I had it together weeks ahead of time.

This time? Not so much. I got photos and words together 30 minutes before my scheduled time.

I might have even cussed trying to save photos onto a cd....knowing full well had I done this ahead of time, the cussing would have been minimal.

But where is the fun in minimal cussing?

If I had a third child, that child would get nothing I'm sure. 

"Yearbook? Suzanne Jr, you don't need a fancy smancy yearbook; all your memories are in your heart honey." 

Next week is senior night for dance/band. 

Please don't let me forget this.  

I can't help but see this face when I think of all these big plans:

She saw this photo and declared she had Miley hair. 

But her hairdo is the only Miley thing about her. 

***

Our weekend will be filled with dancing, softball, weeding, working and maybe a little rest.
How about you?

Mo blog, mo problems.

I'm throwing this out there hoping that someone smarter than I can help me.

I've had issues the last year with my posts showing up.

I hit publish, and my post will publish but it won't show up on blogger feeds. (The dashboard)

I found that if I set up posts to post to a scheduled time, they would....but only they would post hours after the set time.

Which is fine, so I would set them for 6:00 am and they'd show up around 9:15am, just like a bad employee.

I've tried to adjust everything in my settings to rectify this. My next step is to poke someone in the eye with a spoon. Maybe even a grapefruit spoon. 

I know. Violence doesn't solve problems but it does feel good at the time.

So I guess my real question is this: 

If someone posts a blog and NO ONE reads it, did they really post it?

They eventually show up on Bloglovin' but not everyone uses that yet.
{BTW: how do you know when someone has posted something new?
What feed do you use?}

This was missed by most humans and one alien: My most recent blonde moment

For the life of him, Ozzie can't figure out why this frustrates me.

He works out his frustrations by licking his crotch area...I'm not that talented.

Anyone else suffer from the non-posting of posts?

Should I seek medical help for my non-post traumatic stress? Hmmmm....I wonder if my insurance would cover that. 

What Store Did I Just Walk Into?

A few weeks ago I had to send a very important banking document out of state and I needed to make sure it got there quickly and with confirmation.

I looked online for my closest authorized Fed Ex shipper. I briefly looked at the map I found on their site and realized it was just down the street in a Publix plaza.

 This plaza has been standing as long as we've lived here and it dawned on me that I've used this shipper years ago.

(In general, I use the post office for all mailings)

I hopped in my car, drove to the plaza and strutted my stuff in; happy to have this ordeal done with.

I looked up at the sign over the counter and it said:
The UPS Store.

Me thinking: Huh? I swear this was the Fed Ex location on the website.

{picture me thinking very very hard at this moment and realizing that I didn't look at the address of the Fed Ex location, just the street name}

The young man behind the counter said Hi and asked if he could help me.

And here is where I asked the stupidest question I could have asked:

Can I send something via Fed Ex from here?

As soon as I said it, I could almost read his mind. Surely you could too:

"Girl, can you READ? THIS IS THE UPS store!!!

Of course, he was too polite to state the obvious.

And yes, I sent my very important document via UPS ground. It was after all a matter of convenience at this point....and a bit of humiliation too.

It was one of "those" days.
XOXO

....Of Course We Visited The Biltmore Estate

It's not that there isn't a plethora of things to do in Asheville, but visiting the Biltmore Estate seems to be a must-do. 

It's pretty janky by my standards. I'm pulling your leg hairs...I haven't had standards since 2002.

If you visit the house I'd advise you to do the 'audio' tour. Or else, you'll walk around clueless and just make up stuff about each room. Wait, that is usually my style.   

The house tour was fantastic; so much to see and learn about the Vanderbilt family. 

43 bathrooms.

4 freakin' 3.

Can you imagine the amount of toilet paper to keep all the roller do-hickeys full?

No photography was allowed inside the house, but we captured a moment on the terrace though.
Did I say terrace? I meant back porch.

And as hard as I looked, I could not find anyone wearing Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. 

It would have been super cool to see Anderson Cooper WEARING Gloria Vanderbilt jeans.
Actually, that would have made my day. 

The gardens here are just as famous as the house; lovely! 

The coach....he's so easy....it was his birthday trip and he acted like he enjoyed the gardens.
Ok, maybe he enjoyed them a little bit.

But after this I declared that he do something manly; such as fart in public or wrestle a bear.

Instead, we sent Don and Coach for a little fly fishing on the property. 

After our tour we had a little lunch and perhaps bellied up to a bar for some vino...someone has to do it. 

If you get the chance, you should visit the Biltmore Estate; and do it before you're 70 because there are a lot of stairs. 

TGIF my people!
XOXO

The In's and Outs of the Inn

The Coach and I were B & B virgins prior to his surprise birthday trip. 

I booked our rooms at The Beaufort House B & B.

This was a great place for us to lose our B & B virginity....

It didn't even hurt!

That was our room up there. Don and Kelly were right next door~~

Here is Kelly posing for me outside her door. 

 Our rooms were not INSIDE the main house. Actually, we were in the basement if you want to know the truth.  But if you are staying in a B & B and they put you in the basement, they refer to it as "terrace" rooms. Ok, it wasn't a basement, but I love to play the pity card. 

This is a view of our rooms from the outside....you can see that Don is in there laying on MY bed.  He and the Coach were watching some sort of auto auction, plotting on what to buy next. 

Our rooms were quite nice. Although, I would warn anyone older than me...Or even ME to avoid these rooms next time because the bathtub/shower combo was dangerous.
It was hard to climb in and out, and I consider myself to be fairly agile; I can still do a cartwheel/roundoff as well as walk a straight line while bossing people around.
Yes, I'm bragging. 

Can you believe I took a photo of the bathroom with the toilet seat UP? Me neither. 

We did have a cute little fireplace in there too; quaint and warm. 

BUT the step next to the {again} Open toilet makes for a good squatting spot to open some wine.

Yeah, we are classy like that!

The breakfasts were divine. The hosts of the house were fabulous; Chris and Jim plus one employee {Erin} running it all. (11 rooms)

By the end of it the Coach, Don and Jim were the best of friends. They bonded over micro-brewed beer. You know how men are....

One evening while we were heading out for dinner I spotted some eyes peeking at me from one of the cottages behind our 'terrace' rooms. 

Erin lives back here with Merry and Clive. Aren't they so cute? She told me it must have been their dinner time when I captured this; hoping I was going to feed them. 

So, do you B & B when you travel? 

I  guarantee we will do it again. We'd actually stay here again if we get back to Asheville. 

The rooms in the main part of the house are just awesome too....with clawfoot tubs. 

I'm going to start planning my next get away as soon as I'm unpacked from this one.

The One Where I Pull Off A Surprise~

Happy birthday to The Coach!!

For his birthday this year I planned a little get away surprise. I got my friend Kelly involved; her husband Don shares a birthday week with Coach.
Don and The Coach have been friends since Jesus was a small child. You know, like 40 years!

 They go together like peas and carrots. Or in our case, like wine and cheese. 

Did I ever tell you that Don and Kelly went on our honeymoon with us? Hey, it wasn't like THAT!

But we do love each other more than a fat kid sugar addict loves cake. 

Anyhoo's....Kelly and Don flew out from their town and we flew out from our town; we coincidentally met up in the baggage claim at the Charlotte NC airport.

SURPRISE!!!

They boys were clueless and that is how we like them. 

We had a great weekend in Asheville.

I'll share some photos later, but right now I've got to get back to life....and I'm pooped. 

Did you know that having fun is exhausting? 

Hey, I know a photo opportunity when I see one. (fake unloading!)

Happy Monday my peeps and happy birthday to the best boyfriend ever!

XOXOXO

From the back door~

 My morning routine usually includes heading out the back door.
On the mornings that I'm not working, it is more leisurely.
Work days, it is more business--to the point. 

The dogs come with me no matter what.
Me:  Lets go check the garden and your kitties. 

{The cats live on the lanai and now belong to the dogs}
Our cat Harley needs medicine each morning for his thyroid and the other two get treats as well. 

Then we water the garden together....it is our special time.

 Harley-inside the pool lanai; Cocoa, Ozzie and I are out. 

Some of you thought my garden umbrellas were funny. (Ok, I did too) But hey, they worked. I cheated mother nature out of a few weeks by planting early. Don't tell the garden police....they are stern about NOT putting your garden in until the 2nd week of October way down here. 

  

Our first harvest!!! Ok, these plants were in last year, but they keep on producing. Eggplants & peppers oh my. 

Funny about my morning routine, I do this after work as well--aside from giving Harley his meds. 

I'm thinking of putting a cot out there by the garden.....but then again, a watched garden never grows. 

Or something like that. 

Where'd he go? Where'd he go?

Ozzie.

 Ozzie Boy...Where are you?

OZZie?  Are YOU supposed to be on Mama's couch?

What? Me? On the couch...I'm not on the couch am I? 
How'd that happen? 

Oh brother. Some battles I've just chosen to lose. The couch is one of them. 

This month we celebrate 5 years that we Adopted Ozzie from a boxer rescue group. 

Time flies when you are loved by a sweet boxer boy.

His hobbies include:
smelling Cocoa's butt,
peeing on every inch of our property,
running away from dog toys,
 following my every move OR standing in front of me,
barking at TV doorbells,
and of course sleeping on our leather sectional. 

So yeah, he is pretty much perfect.

XOXO

Well, that's annoying

Do you have someone in your life who is a constant talker as well as a constant NON listener?

They talk and talk and talk and talk about their lives, their family, what they ate for breakfast, work issues, blah blah blah. 

ON the rare occasion they realize that they don't ever shut up about themselves and will ask about your life. No sooner do you get 4 words out of your mouth, and NOW they have to 'go' do something. 

Oh, so you could talk for 40 minutes about your nonsense and you can't hang on for 2 minutes when it concerns someone other than yourself?

So yeah, thats annoying.

Honestly, I'm a great listener. I don't really NEED to talk about my stuff.
It's better if I just keep it in until it festers like an untreated wound atomic bomb.

Yep, that is the face of an atomic bomb.


LOL.
I was just kidding, I'm never annoyed.

Anything you want to get off your chest....
You know, before it explodes and makes a huge mess....computer screens are expen$ive to replace.  

Oh, and TGIF to  my favorite listening people.

XOXO

Tidy

A few weeks ago The Coach replaced some of our office drawer file hangers for me. This in turn prompted me clean out several of our office drawer/files as well as the surrounding cluttered countertops.

 I'd only asked him to replace these 4 14 times over the last 6 months.
I know, I'm SUCH a nagger, but hey, nagging gets you new drawer file hangers.
Boo-Yah.

After a few hours of cleaning up my office area, I went to work on the crafting and laundry area.

7.5 hours later and my craft/office/laundry room was pristine; you could eat off the floors and counters.

But if I catch you eating off my floors and counters, I'm going to ask what you have against dishes.
Who eats off the floor? Oh, yeah, my dogs and people who don't think anyone is watching.

 7.5 hours of cleaning. Who wants to do anything for 7.5 hours?
I had stopped calling it my craft room and renamed it the CRAP room because everyone's crap ended up there.
I put everyones crap elsewhere....mainly the recycle or donation bin.

I was THRILLED with myself for getting it back into a nice clean room again.


A few days later, Lo and I started working on ONE art project....and she started another.

I'll share photos of the art work soon...you'll want to see it even if you don't think you want to see it.

Then I was inspired to work on the 2 years worth of photos/scrapbooking that was piling up.

Of course, then I realized I was missing large quantities of photos that had to be ordered, so I was road blocked from finishing. Again, it was me and shutterfly having a moment or 27.

Today the table is a mess. Jes-usMaryandJoseph!

The moral of this story is: 
Cleaning will only inspire you to make more messes.

See, this IS NOW a learning blog with at least one moral....and I apologize because that was never my intention.

XOXO