officially back.

well, i am officially back in raleigh. i was in charlotte last monday - wednesday trying to tame the loose ends and clean, clean, clean before my lease was up wednesday. i made it out by the skin of my teeth..leaving at 5pm. i had wanted to stop by the office before i left town, but i obviously didn't make it! oh well, i'll have to plan better for my next trip..whenever that will be.

i'll admit i was sad to go, even went out for one more "$2 tuesday" at stooly's, but i'm glad to be here. i really appreciate my parents taking in bella and i. this week, i really start the reorganization/rearrangement process here at my folks' house. i need to be able to set up my computer and printer so that i can get back into job applications...there are some new openings: kansas, south carolina, north carolina, etc. that i want to apply for but i need my printer! :) i am hoping this week will prove fruitful and that we can have the garage cleaned out by the weekend (that'll be amazing if it actually happens!).

i hope everyone had a blessed easter weekend and resurrection sunday. the easter bunny brought me a purse (that his rep bought a couple weekends ago) and bella got a barker's dozen from the rocky mountain chocolate factory. :)

i'll pst some pictures soon....

67 years

today is my dad's birthday...he was born 67 years ago today!

a late night and rainy weather deterred me from heading to raleigh today, but that's where we're headed tomorrow, through monday (or tuesday?), to celebrate. shh! my mom got him a wii. :) i'm excited. i got him one of those squishy neck roll pillows, burgundy with the vt logo of course. :) hope everyone has a great weekend.

by the way, did the groundhog see his shadow on tuesday??

Last week was abnormal with the committee meeting, happy hour and social, that this week just seems boring. :/ The meeting was good and the socials were fun. I did get to see Joanna--which we've been trying to work out since I moved to Charlotte! & my friend Chris went with me to the HCYP social. Now, I can say I've been to Whiskey River. Not that I really care....

After the Epicenter experience, Chris and I went to Flying Saucer. I tried 2 new beers. I hated the first, Purple Haze..too much raspberry flavor. The other was a German wheat beer, supposedly close to a Blue Moon. It was okay. For now, I'll stick to my fave. I did want to try the Highland brewed in Asheville I had when I went to Intermezzo, but I couldn't remember what the other half of the name was, and they had several to choose from. All I know is it was darker than I normally like, with a more "hoppy" flavor.

Saturday evening, I went to dinner at Fiamma with Matt in Dilworth. It was really good. I would highly recommend it. Even my wine choice worked out (which rarely does since I'm such an Asti snob!). Then, we drove around and got in a fight. We recovered, and went to Picasso's for a bit. Afterwards, he drove back to my house for Round Two. On the way to work Monday morning, Matt and I talked. Basically, we can no longer be friends. It's been volatile so far and we've known each other maybe two months. I expect friendships to be supportive and comforting, not stressful and critical. It sucks to kick people out of your life, but sometimes, you just have to do it!

Sunday afternoon, Joanna came over and we talked for a bit..got a chance to catch up on what we've been doing for the past few years. I love her and hope that we can hang out again/more frequently.

It been a SLOW week so far and I am ready for 5pm Friday. I've decided to make a surprise trip to Raleigh this weekend..but will probably wind up leaving Saturday morning (I really don't like driving in the dark & I've been exhausted all week). :)

Making my way down the hill

This weekend, Bella and I are heading to Raleigh to pre-celebrate my birthday and Father's Day since Paige will be off with Paul and his dad next weekend. For the first time in awhile, I am actually all packed (except to change my clothes and pack up my toiletry items) and ready to go. We should be pulling out of the parking lot by 7 (7:30 is probably more realistic) with an estimated time of arrival in Raleigh by 9:30/10. :D

What's on tap for the weekend? Paige is cashing in her Christmas coupon so I'm heading over to her house to paint my old room and the hallway (she wants her house on the market by end of July). The COLLEGE WORLD SERIES (CWS) begins tomorrow at 2pm with Cal-State Fullerton/Arkansas and LSU/Virginia at 7pm. Sunday, UNC plays Arizona State at 2pm and Texas takes on Southern Miss at 7pm. I haven't decided my pick for the Sunday afternoon game...we'll see. Back home in Omaha!

Sunday, I'll be back heading back to Charlotte.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! I'll come back and two days later, it'll be my birthday! :D

P.S. It ended up that I don't have a peritonsillar abscess but I do have tonsillitis.

Vacation

Happy 66th Birthday to dear old Dad!

Today/tonight, Brent is coming to Charlotte to hang out with me since his class was cancelled and I won't be around this weekend. I'm thinking of asking Brent to be my valentine. How cheesy but fun! <3

Apparently we both have things to share/ask/say to each other. I'm trying to be patient, but I want to know! ;)

I am taking Friday and Monday off from work for a much needed break. I feel like I'm a short fuse lately at the office and need to get away and relax. So, Bella and I are headed to Raleigh! I'm getting my eyebrows waxed Saturday morning and making a much needed visit to the dentist on Monday. The intent of the visit is also to help my mom with the house and to purge in my room too...and there will probably be some mother-daughter shopping time squeezed in there too. :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend! See you next week!

p.s. Bella graduated from her intermediate class last night! Whoop-whoop! :)

Post-Thanksgiving

We had a pretty nice Thanksgiving this year. Bella and I got to my folks' early enough to help make a couple dishes (total shocker for my mom!). Joe arrived around 1:15, followed by Paige and Paul around 1:30. We munched and talked while Mom and Dad were fiddling with the turkey, that came out too soon and had to be put back in. We had a great spread, the usual, but still yummy: turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, yams, green beans oriental, yummy fruit salad, cranberry sauce (at Joe's request). Later, pumpkin pie and carrot cake. It was delicious! :) Paige, Paul and Mom had fun making music in the living room while I watched football with my dad and Joe. My mom said Paul got extra points for bringing his new guitar with him! I wish I would've taken a picture!
Friday, I spent the day with my mom and Bella spent the day with my dad. My dad raked the entire yard and let Bella hang out. He said she had a great time running through his piles of leaves and at one point, even stole his rake that he'd left on the ground! :) Needless to say, when she came inside, she couldn't stay on her feet she was so exhausted. She'd sit up in her crate and basically slide down in exhaustion. It was really funny and super cute! :) Saturday, I went to the fabric outlet off Capitol with my mom and got a couple swatches. I intend to recover the blue chair (again...since Bella went to town on my incomplete upholstery project a couple months ago!). So, we'll see. That will be my January project perhaps. And that's where the "great" parts of the holiday end.

P.S. The Conference USA East Division Champs, the East Carolina Pirates will be playing Tulsa on Saturday in the conference championship game, 12pm on ESPN2! AARRGGHH!! :)

Homecoming....

This past weekend was Homecoming at ECU. Not that I need an excuse to go see my girlies, I decided to give myself a little vacation by taking Friday and Monday off from work. Tuesday was Veterans' Day, so I got a nice 5 day weekend. Lovely.

Thursday after work, Bella & I drove (well, I did the driving!) to my parents' house for the night. There's just something about home....Friday, we headed down to Greenville. I dropped Bella off at Auntie Adina's so that I could go to campus to see old professors, to the City to see the GIS guys, and to UBE to get some new Pirate paraphernalia. It's interesting to see how much Greenville has changed since I graduated..even since January!
Friday night, Adina and I went with her brother, Toby, to the Rebel opening at the Emerge Gallery downtown. The Rebel is a student publication that features extremely talented writers and artists, and is mighty difficult to be offered a spot. Well, Toby had two animation pieces chosen! So, it was fun being around the artsy-fartsy folk, although it did make me miss art school. ....Adina ran into Julianna, a girl she went to Italy with 4 years ago, so we all went to Boli's on the Boulevard to eat, drink, and be merry!
Saturday, Adina, Bella and I went to the Homecoming Parade on 5th. I learned that she gets apprehensive around bands and firetrucks. When the ECU Band came by, Bella actually hid behind me. Aww, so sweet! After the parade, we met Joanna and Hannah at the Fresh Market. Yes, Greenville has a Fresh Market..finally. We took lunch over to Hannah's so that Bella could meet Ramseys, her sister-from-another-mother. I was slightly worried that they wouldn't get along, but they quickly put my worries to rest as Bella chased her around and under and over and around for the next hour plus. It was a great afternoon with my girls (human and canine alike)!
Sunday, I packed and headed back to Raleigh for the night...Bella got her Christmas present early, as my parents bought her a crate like the one I have for her here--the biggest one they make (48"x42"x33")--and, they actually put it in the kitchen! My parents--not huge pet people--put my dog in their kitchen! It's a big deal, to say the least.
Monday, I got my hair done and I hate it. I was going to take the plunge and go dark, so I told the lady "no more blonde". How did I come home? Still blonde. Ugh! There were harsh words and tears...I mean, it looks fine (I do happen to have great hair), but it's not what I wanted. But, never fear, I'm getting it done on Saturday afternoon. Only 2 days left as a blonde...........I'll post a picture once it's all said and done. :)

Well, this post has turned into a short story, so I'll cut it off ...HERE. Until next time.....


p.s. ECU beat Marshall 19-16 (OT). We are now 6-3 with 3 games to go before the conference championship. GOOOOO PIRATES! Aarrgghh!