The camera's view of Destin

I know the first photo is kind of fuzzy ... I forgot to clean the lense before taking the shot (duh), but I kept the picture anyway. The pic at the bottom is from the beach, which lasted about 30 minutes. My children are definitely bred from their father's genes ... they started complaining about the sand 10 minutes after arriving! We spent most our "outdoor" time in the pool :)

Anyway, Hannah caught the stomach flu bug while in Destin, which made for a puny trip. Not her fault ... just poor timing, that's all. They're all glad to be home. I, on the other hand, long for a quiet moment on the beach ... ALONE.

Update & Miscellaneous News

Yep, this is where we're headed first thing in the morning - Destin, Florida. Ron has a PA conference to attend. So me, Hannah, Eli, my friend Angela, and Ginger's daughter Alexa, are headed for 3 days of beach condo living! Not bad, eh? We went last year to this conference, which is why we're going back this year. He hates the beach ... and I, on the other hand, love it. He's given me orders for next year's PA conference - find him one ANYWHERE but Florida, preferably in the mountains somewhere. Okay, I can do that.

An update on Kathleen ... things are looking positive. Her kidneys are functioning again and her body is responding to the antibiotics that are fighting the e-coli infection. She's still on a respirator (which is not good) and they've moved her up to 2nd on the list for a liver transplant (kinda good). I may try and drive to Jacksonville next weekend to see her. I'd only be allowed ten minutes, but that's all I need. I just want to tell her how much we need her.

Well, I'm officially through with my graduate classes! I was supposed to make some final postings today ... but nooooooooooooooooooooooo ... I chose to ignore them. I'm sooooooooo burned out so I don't really care if my participation grade takes a hit. That last statement completely goes against the grain for me ... so that should prove just how sick I am of school. I've got two years before I begin my doctoral program and I'm gonna enjoy each and every minute.

Well, off to bed so I can get some rest. Eli is SUPER hyped about the beach, so I'm going to need all the energy I can muster.

:) J.

Prayers

For those readers who are spiritual and believe in the power of prayer, I ask each of you to add one more good thought to your lists. A woman I work with, Kathleen Duncan, is in the hospital fighting for her life. She has been ill for some time, but no would ever believe it. She would come to work laughing and smiling, never letting on that her body was experiencing Armageddon.

We just received word that her blood pressure is falling quickly, her kidneys have shut down, and she is only able to breathe through a ventilator. She needs a liver transplant, but even if one were available she isn't capable of going through surgery due to an e-coli infection in her urinary tract. She is retaining all of her body fluids and is bloated almost to an unrecognizable state. Her body is so filled with fluid it has no where to go but to seep through her skin.

To know Kathleen is to love Kathleen. All of the students love her ... probably because she is a great listener. Lord knows she's listened to me so many times.

Her husband Joe is beside himself ... he suffers from heart disease and I cannot imagine how he will get through this. Kathleen is only 49 years old (I think) and is way too young to leave us just yet. There is so much more to do ... and we need her here.

We love you Kathleen.

Selling Ralph a Buick ...

Ugh. That's the state I'm in right now. Lucky for me, I somehow managed to catch a stomach virus bug. Wooo hooo! Can you say, "Jen has the trots?" Oh my goodness ... I am thankful, however, that my husband is a PA. He gave me a shot last night (and hopefully another one this evening) to take away the nausea (and get your head outta the gutter, Will ... not THAT kind of shot).

I'll be back to detail other parts of my life ad nauseam (pun intended) when I feel better. Oh, and do your best to stay away from someone who looks green in the face ... this stuff ain't for sissies.

J.

Quote of the Day

This one comes from Jimmy Carter ...

"You can do what you have to do, and sometimes you can do it even better than you think you can."

I find that statement to be very true. I am 24 days away from graduating with my Master's degree in Adult Education (the countdown is officially on). When I read my first syllabus, I got very nervous ... began to doubt I could do it ... even wondered if I had made some sort of mistake, telling myself, "what an ego you have! you thought you could do this?"

Thankfully, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I'm staring at this completion right in the face. Not only did I do it, I did it well. That may appear to be a conceited statement, and if that's the way it's being read I can only apologize. Granted, one or two classes weren't as challenging as they could have been ... but there were SEVERAL courses I completed that really put my neurons to the test, especially International Adult Education with Dr. Hill. Talk about a tough course ... gad, just ask Will ... I think our respective phone lines were burning up the entire semester. But we did it ... we made it through ... and we performed well.

So ... 24 days left ... and I'm hooded. Kewl.

And after August 5th the next countdown begins ... for my Ph.D..

Ron will be glad to read that the countdown is MUCH larger ...

Roughly 700 days ...

Let the countdown begin!!!

Four Things

Okay ... I know some people hate this sort of thing, but I sometimes think they're fun. My friend Donna sent this to me, so I'm gonna play along. For those who want to participate, post YOUR four things:

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Color Guard Instructor
2. Girl Friday
3. Hairdresser
4. Educator

B) Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. West Side Story
2. Glory
3. The Usual Suspects
4. Groundhog Day

C) Four places I have lived:
1. Houston, Texas
2. Pullman, Washington
3. Anniston, Alabama
4. Thomasville, Georgia

D) Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. ANY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL GAME
2. Jon Stewart's Daily Show
3. Seinfeld
4. The Shield

E) Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Vacation? What is that? I travel 3 or 4 times a year for my job, and ANYWHERE I go I make it into a vacation!
2. Denver, Colorado
3. Chicago, Illinois
4. New Orleans, Louisiana

F) Four Websites I visit daily:
1. UGA WebCT
2. SI.com (Sports Illustrated)
3. Google News
4. Atlanta Braves official website

G ) Four of my favorite foods:
1. Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
2. Venison Sausage
3. Garlic bread
4. If "Aunt Flow" is visiting, anything chocolate

H) Four places I would rather be right now:
1. The beach
2. Mom's house
3. Anywhere with my sister D.D.
4. Atlanta Braves game

I) Four books I've loved:
1. The People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
2. Citizenship, Democracy, and Lifelong Learning. Edited by Medel-Anonuevo, Carolyn & Mitchel, Gordon.
3. The Words We Live By. Linda Monk
4. Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat


I found it difficult in some categories to only list four ... see if you can do it.

Road Trip Details ...

... well, not too many details. Afterall, what happens in Atlanta stays in Atlanta :)

As you can see from the few pictures above, I focused more on the game than anything else. Oh, and by the way, we had some dude sitting behind us take our picture, but our backs were to the field lights so all you can see is a black outline of 3 women ... crap ... so, I didn't post it. Besides, after all the tequila and Bud Lite it wouldn't have been a great picture anyway :)

Ginger had never been to a major league sporting event, so I think she was the most excited out of the 3 other women. She really got into the game, too. I saw her do the "Tomahawk Chop" more than once, and I remember her hollerin' trash at the umps. That'a girl ...

Karli hadn't been to a Braves game since she was 5 years old (she's 19 now), so it was an all new experience for her, too. She did the "chop," too, but what I remember most was her checkin' out the backsides of the ball players and lookin' for hot men in the stands. We saw a few where "milk did their body good" ... but they were always with girls ... so Karli struck out.

Nita hadn't been to a Braves game since her UGA undergrad days. In fact, she had never seen Turner Field, she only knew Fulton County Stadium. So ... she loved the new digs. Poor Nita had a headache most of the game ... of course, it didn't help matters that I was screaming my lungs out right next to her ear. (I can barely talk today, but hey ... it was worth it).

In case my readers don't follow baseball, you should all know that we won! We beat the Reds on Saturday AND Sunday. I was thrilled for my friends - they were fortunate to see John Smoltz - a FUTURE HALL OF FAMER - pitch a 120 pitch game. He was AWESOME. Oh yeah, and Franceour hit a homer ... he's Karli's favorite (he's a 21 year-old rookie who is BEAUTIFUL). The 44,000 crowd count added to the excitement ... it was completely electric the whole night!

After the game we had to stand in the parking lot for almost an hour waiting for the cars to dispurse. We got lost on our way to the hotel (of course) and finally got back to the room around 11:30 (the game ended at 9:30 so that should give you some idea how long we were lost), and Karli and Ginger were ready to hit the town. Nita and I, on the other hand, were ready to kick back and veg out. I couldn't keep up with the young folk ... age has a way of reminding you how young you aren't!

Anyway, Karli and Ginger joined Jenet at a tavern frequented by Ethiopians (Janet is Ethiopian), and they rolled in around 4:00 am. They tried so hard not to wake us up, but I think they were standing in the hall trying to get the plastic key in ... oh, I don't know ... FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. Tequila strikes again! Finally they get in the door and are laughing hysterically. I just laid there in the bed wondering how long it would take for them to finally get into bed. Too funny.

I can't sleep when I'm not home, so I woke pretty early. It took a while for all four women to get showers and get ready ... but we made it by noon (check out time) and headed for lunch. After driving around downtown Atlanta looking for a place called Micks (and not finding it), we settled on Ted Turner's Montana Grill. It was great! We actually ate bison (which is very lean and very good).

After lunch I drove Nita back to her car, hugged her goodbye, and hit the road for home. I was sooooooooooo glad for my XM radio - I picked up the Braves Sunday afternoon game and listened to it all the way home. It's a long drive, so after the Braves game ended (we won that won, too) we listened to the White Sox/Red Sox game. Gotta love XM ...

I arrived home to my family (who missed me) around 6:15 pm and passed out the gifts I bought for them while in Atlanta. Took a shower ... and died on the couch.

Today I'm still tired, but it's a "good" tired. I know that this was the only game of the year I'll make, so I'm thankful it was a good one. Just the fact that I was able to watch my Smoltz pitch made every tired bone in my body worth it.

On our way ...

Last post before we leave for Hotlanta ...

We are leaving early so we can stop at every hole in the wall mom-and-pop store on the way to Atlanta - you know, we're chicks ... gotta look at stuff on the way to the game. I've double-checked the hotel reservation, I've got the tickets in my bag, the Pilot is on full, and we're ready to start yellin' for Smoltzy.

And to Will - these had BETTER be decent seats ;) ... if not, be prepared for some bitchin' from me.

I'm low on funds but hopefully I'll have enough to bring Eli and Hannah something back from the game. Eli is easy ... I can bring him a program and he'll be in heaven. Hannah ... well, she's a bit more difficult. I'll have to find some type of art supply stuff to carry back to her.

Okay, I'm outta here. See ya on the flip side ...

Disclaimer

Okay, I think I need to inform all of my readers (excluding Will) about ... well ... about Will. All of you will notice from time to time a really crass comment directed to and illuminating my mistakes, faults, and blunders. Those are from my friend, Will. I've discussed him before on my blog ... very early on ... but I think it is important to remind my readers that while his words may offend you ... or make you scratch your head in wonderment and ask, "this is her friend?" ... don't let his attitude bother you. I, for some silly reason, enjoy his pissy attitude. Why? Because Will is consistent. I never EVER have to wonder how he feels about an issue ... probably because he's given me his opinion on it ... but really, Will is the same guy day in and day out. I appreciate his consistency, his brutal honesty, and his quick wit. Not too bad fer a young fella ...

Anyway, just wanted to provide a disclaimer for him. Knowing him, he'll probably post something about what I've just written. I hope he does ... whatever it is, I know it'll make me laugh.

:)

SMOLTZY!!!

Mmmmmmmmmmm, only two more days and I get to watch my Smoltzy pitch. Ain't he the cat's meow? Puuuuuuurrrrrrrrr. He's almost as cute as my husband ... almost.

Another Birthday Moment

Geeez, I'm sorry folks ... but I cannot NOT mention a gift I received today from one of my students. Just look at that photo and you'll see immediately why I had to share this news. The earrings are from Karli; she is a student and an English tutor. The earrings are actually paper! They're handmade Washi jewelry, which means:

"Washi is the Japanese word for the traditional papers made from the long inner fibres of three plants; wa meaning Japanese and shi meaning paper" (This information was on the box)

Aren't they lovely? I can hardly wait to wear them this weekend! GIIIIIIIIRLS WEEKEND only 2 days away!!!

King George

Can you imagine how our world would be without the event for which we celebrate today? I can't even begin to wrap my head around that and I consider myself a fairly imaginative person. I think it's appropriate that today, of all days, that citizens not only remember the bravery, the vision, and the arrogance which our forefathers embraced to form an independent nation, we must also remember the philosophical foundation they built our country upon. For those who haven't studied American History much, you may remember your history teacher/professor discussing Thomas Paine. Without giving an entire lesson on this man's life, the important element I think American citizens should know about Paine is that he believed that it only made Common Sense (also the name of his famous pamphlet) that if a nation's government was not taking care of the majority of the people the majority of the time, it was the RESPONSIBILITY of the people to overthrow the tyrannical government and replace it with a government that takes care of its people. Now, of course, Paine writes this in a much more eloquent fashion that I, but the message is the same. I mention this because of the manner in which our government is taking care of its people today ... ALL OF THE PEOPLE ... not just the ones who contribute money to politicians, but all of us.

I am not proposing a revolution or am I completely suggesting that George Bush and his administration are tyrannical ... but I am asking those of you who read my blog to consider one thing today: if our nation was founded upon the idea that a government should take care of its people, shouldn't our government "take care" of us by being truthful? I celebrate today, the day our country gained its independence, but I am also upset that our independence is the weapon Bush wields to explain away why he has our military fighting a war that cannot be won. Over 2500 men and women have been killed in the Iraq war (this number includes American contractors, too), and over 18,500 men and women have been injured. Please don't misunderstand ... I am in no way implying that we, as Americans, should not support our military. On the contrary, I thank each and every one for putting their life on the line to save mine ... they are doing their jobs, and by doing their jobs they protect my rights, such as having the right to blog my opinion. I get that ... I have no problem understanding that concept ... but what I do passionately oppose is sending those brave men and women to Iraq and attempt to finish a war our president's father couldn't finish. We only need to look at Vietnam to see how this war will end ...

Okay, I'll hop off my soap box and finish the laundry.

A boy and his gun

 


Yep, I already know that some mothers will look at this photo and complain that I allow my ten-year old to play with guns ... it's unsafe, it teaches violence ... blah, blah, blah. Well, those who fall into that category - let the crucifixion begin! Just to set the record straight, the BB gun in Eli's hands never has nor ever will have BBs in it. We have rules: (1) the gun is NEVER to be pointed at a person; (2) the gun is for hunting wild animals ... you know, like squirrels; and (3) the gun is not to be used to hit anyone.

He loves his gun. Look at the photo and see that for yourself. He's focused, he's happy, and he's got a good bead on Lillie our beagle ... yep, if there were BBs in the shaft she'd be a gonner ;) 

Paquita Lives!

 


This is the most expensive kitten in Georgia ... but she's also cute as a ... a ... kitten. She's not gaining weight like she should, so who knows what will happen next. I've already informed Ron that Paquita has a DNR in place. (Yeah, sounds harsh but there is a reason why momma cats abandon the kittens they know will not survive - and I've learned that the hard way). 

Birthday Part II

Okay, I failed to mention one of the coolest elements of my birthday ... that is, my friends and employees (tutors) gave me a surprise birthday party on Thursday. My friend Ginger arranged the whole thing through her cell phone by text messaging everyone to meet at my office on Thursday at 5:30. I never in a million years suspected anything! I was cruising on Cloud 9 after having my exit interview with Dr. Truluck, Dr. Sandmann, and Dr. Cervero (Professors from the program I'm about to finish have to interview everyone in the cohort to ask questions about our final projects and portfolio - mine went better than I could have imagined, but it'll have to be another posting to describe it), and I was in my office telling Ginger and her husband Sean about the interview. They were REALLY acting as if they were interested and kept asking me to tell them all about it ... yada yada yada ... and then I notice some other tutors gather around my door ... when finally Ginger stands up and says, "come on out here and finish telling me." I walk out my door and streamers are hung everywhere, there's a big Atlanta Braves birthday cake on the table, and friends, colleagues, and tutors are gathered all in the main room of the building! We have a back door to the building and they quietly crept in without my knowing. I never heard a peep come from that room as they're hanging the streamers everywhere. It was such a surprise!!! I knew Ginger had to have her hand in this ... 'specially when I saw the Braves cake. Ginger, myself, and my friends Angela and Nita are going on a "girl's weekend" to see the Braves play this coming weekend, and, of course, ALL my friends know how Braves crazy I am ... so the cake was PERFECT. Thank goodness the Braves decorations are plastic because I washed them and put them on display with all the other things my students have given me over the years. In fact, I can see it now as I'm typing this ... the home plate is sitting next to my Ken Griffey, Jr. bobblehead doll! (See above photo)

There ... I think that takes care of all of the birthday news (I know that makes you happy, Will ;))

Dooney Bites the Dust

Ugh. That's really all I can muster when I look at this photo. Ugh.

What you're looking at is my very new Dooney & Bourke canvas laptop case, which is now the very covered-in-spaghetti-stains Dooney & Bourke canvas laptop case. See what I mean? Ugh.

No, I didn't pour a jar of Prego on my bag to see if OxyClean really works ... and no, I didn't dip the bag in tomato sauce to change the trim color from green to red. Okay, here's the deal ... my 14 year old daughter ACCIDENTLY tripped on something while carrying her plate of spaghetti to the table ... and ... and ... the spaghetti went all over my bag, which was on the floor in the kitchen by my PC. We're living in what feels like a closet while our home is being built, so things are very cramped here. The house we're temporarily living in is so small that I had to put my desktop and bookcase in the kitchen ... which is why my laptop bag was in the kitchen on the floor. Ugh. Again.

It is moments such as these that I could easily open a vein over ... but how could I? You should have seen Hannah come and tell me what happened. She was sobbing uncontrollably ... so much so that I couldn't make out what she was saying. I thought she had hurt herself at first ... that is, until she began pointing towards the kitchen. Through her sobbing I could barely make out the word "bag" ... then I heard the word "spaghetti" ... and lots and lots of "it was an accident" and "I didn't mean to." I was prepared for the worst as I entered the kitchen ... but there was no way I could prepare for this ... ask any woman who collects shoes and handbags how SHE would feel viewing her $300 bag covered in never-gonna-come-out spaghetti sauce. I wanted to cry ... but Hannah was crying enough for both of us! I just hugged her real tight and told her that it was alright ... it's only a bag ... and we'd clean it up together.

And we did ...

And after she finished eating lunch and went back into her room to do some more drawing ... I quietly slipped outside ... and cried like a baby. Ugh.

Oh well, life will go on ... with or without Dooney ...

I'm just thankful my favorite Coach bag was still in my car :)

Introducing ...

Mr. and Mrs. Justin Barwick!! Isn't this a cute photo? I was pleasantly surprised on Friday night by these two kids as I was working late into the night on a project for my class. The beautiful bride is Jenet Lemma, who was not only a very valuable tutor of mine at work, she was also my babysitter for two semesters. She would pick Hannah and Eli up from school twice a week and take them home and watch them until either Ron or I returned home. MY KIDS ADORE HER ... as do I. The good-looking blonde kid next to Jenet is now her husband. His name is Justin and he is a proud member of the United States Air Force who will leaving for Iraq in 3 weeks. They surprised everyone on Friday by making a stop at the courthouse and tying the knot!!! I knew they were a serious couple, but I had no idea exactly HOW serious they were.

Jenet is from Ethiopia and her parents are still living there, so she brought Justin by to meet me because I'm the closest thing to a mom she has in the states! I had always heard her talk about Justin, but I had never had the opportunity and pleasure to meet him. He's a great kid and I think they will be VERY happy. Jenet graduated with her associates degree in May, and now she'll be attending a university in Atlanta while Justin is in Iraq.

Let's raise a glass and toast the new bride and groom!!

American History

This is cool ... I bought a USA Today yesterday so I could get more about MLB than my hometown newspaper, and I ran across an article in the Travel section. The article, "10 great places to steep in American History," is not only important, but I felt pretty good about the fact that I've been to 6 of the 10 places listed. The 10 are:

1. The Old North Bridge (Concord, Massachusetts) - Nope, haven't been here.
2. The Old North Church (Boston, Massachusetts) - Here either.
3. Fraunces Tavern (New York) - Nope.
4. Old South Meeting House (Boston) - Um, nope. Not here either.
5. Independence Hall (Philadelphia) - YES! Was there a few months ago. Very cool place.
6. The National Archives (Washington) - Oh yeah, was there, too. Can't find the words to describe how cool this was.
7. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (Baltimore) - Here, too. Was there ... um, four years ago.
8. American History Museum (Washington) - Bingo! Loved this museum the most. I felt at "home" there.
9. Betsy Ross House (Philadelphia) - I walked by, walked in, and felt like I was in TOURIST HELL ... so I walked out and went down the road to see the Quaker church and Franklin's grave.
10. Yorktown Battlefield (Yorktown, VA) - Was there in 2002 when we took a few history majors to Williamsburg. Saw Jamestown that week, too. The photo of me above was taken in Williamsburg on that trip. The guy in the photo is that of a student, Jason Schoudel. He is a local sheriff's deputy so it was funny to have him on the "other side" for once!

There ya have it. I'm missing numbers 1-4, but I got the rest! I am going to New York in September, so I'll have to see if I can make it to Fraunces Tavern. As far as going to the other three in Boston ... well, I'll have to keep my eye out for any higher ed conferences slated to be presented in Boston. I'll get the top 10 soon ... but hey, 6 outta 10 ain't bad!

Birthday!

Above is a photo of the dragonfly pendant given to me by two of my tutors, Steve and Valeria. Before I say more about the birthday gift, I want to describe Steve and Miss V (as I call her) for y'all. Steve has been a tutor for SSS (the TRiO program I work for) for about 2.5 years. He is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S. He is so very bright ... and if that wasn't enough he is also the sweetest kid you'd ever hope to meet. He is a biology major who is academically gifted and has a heart as big as Georgia. Valeria is Steve's girlfriend. I think she weighs about 85 pounds soaking wet. I am constantly saying, "eat something, Valeria!" She, like Steve, is super smart but is a business major. I think Steve and Valeria have been together for several years (not sure of the number) and I know they will one day be married. They are from different countries - Steve is from Honduras, and Valeria is from Nicaragua. They will both graduate in May 2007 and will also both attend the University of Alabama in Birmingham seeking graduate degrees. I failed to mention that Steve is my lead tutor - he's my right AND left hand man. I would be lost without him and I dread his impending graduation (but in a good way!).

Anyway, the dragonfly pin you see above is my birthday gift from Steve and Valeria. It isn't difficult to figure out I have a "hankerin' fer" dragonflies. With this gift, that brings my total number of dragonfly jewelry to 12. I have rings, pendants, pins, and earrings all with dragonflies on them. Three of those 12 come from students ... so I cherish each one.

I promised Will I would update my blog ... so there ya are, snapperhead. I have more to write but I have to put dinner on the table - "my man" is on his way home (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

Oh, I almost forgot. We didn't go to dinner afterall ... I asked if we could stay home instead because I have homework to do (I know, I know ... always a student first). And as far as what Ron got me for my birthday ...

HE BOUGHT ME APPLIANCES!!! Woo hoo! (He's gonna KILL me for telling on him) I already had two colleagues talk on the phone yesterday to Ron telling him that all gifts for women should NOT include anything with a cord ...

but this time ... I'm not complaining. He bought me a stainless steel 6 burner gas stove with a matching professional hood with a stainless steel backsplash. Oh, and last thing ... the oven/microwave combination is gonna be so much fun! (I know I'm old now just based on my last comment) ... anyway ... the double oven includes a trivection oven. I've wanted one of those ever since I saw them in the showroom. I can cook a frozen pizza (like a Tombstone that would normally take 18 minutes) in 5 minutes ... not that we eat A LOT of frozen pizza, but I like that I will have the option!

Okay, that's all for now. Gotta get going on my PowerPoint. Anyone wanna help? Just grab Friedman's The World Is Flat and follow me.

Damn Yankees

Grrrrrrrrrrr. Bottom of the 12th ... (yes, 12th) ... Braves are winning 3-2 ... one man on base, one out, A-Rod at the plate (who, I should mention has grounded out into a double play 12 times in the last 6 games) ... and he hits a HOMERUN. Yankees beat the Braves 4 to 3. Arrrggghhhh. So close ... but no winner, winner, chicken dinner for the Bravos.

I can't make it to the game this Friday (I usually go to the game every year on my birthday), but I was able to garner some decent tickets from my snapperhead friend, Will. I won't go until July 8th, but it's close enough to call it my birthday present. And I really can't complain ... Ron bought me my new S.U.V. this year (along with custom exterior parts), so I've already had my birthday! He is, however, taking me to dinner on Friday. I even gave him a "way out," but he still wants to take me to dinner. I guess I must be a good date ... one sip of wine and I can't feel my lips or my toes, so yeah ... I'm a good date ;)

Tomorrow is a BIG day. I teach American History I from 8:00 am to 11:45 am (and hey, Will ... I'm covering Teddy Roosevelt tomorrow ... have we had "the Teddy talk" yet?) ... then two meetings back to back, followed up with my exit interview (via telephone) with my advisor Dr. Truluck, and a former professor, Dr. Sandmann. The interview is at 3:00 ... so everyone light a candle for me. It's not as if I think I'll fail it ... I just don't want to stumble all over my words. I'm not sure why I get nervous when I talk to them ... I work with Ph.D.'s all day long ... but for some reason these folks intimidate me. Go figure ...

Oh my ... it's nearly midnight. Last thing ... I picked out the granite countertops today for the kitchen and masterbath ... OMG ... they're gorgeous ... can't wait.

J.

Kitchen wall color

So there I was ... standing at the counter at RSC Rental Center. Ron had sent me there to inquire about a certain tool/machine we needed. I was not working on Friday (which I won't all summer) so I did what I could to help Ron with the house - I ran his errands. So ... anyway ... as I'm waiting patiently for the guy to find the tool, I look to my left and I see an office. A man finally exits and leaves the door open. I almost screamed, "THAT'S THE COLOR I'M LOOKING FOR!!!" (Yeah, I'm easily excited ... um, no more comments on that, alright?). That's the color you see in the photos above. I wanted a muted mustard color for my kitchen because I have chosen cherry cabinets with a BEEEEEAUTIFUL granite countertop. Also, I intend to accent the kitchen with burgundy and black, so the faux muted mustard was my only choice (I have gay male friends who are helping me with my colors ... need I say more?)

Anyway, give me some feedback, folks. Do you like it? hate it? suggest something wholly different?

Feed the Monster

I ran across the story I have copied and pasted below a few weeks ago while searching for a different document. While it was written very soon after 9/11, it is very applicable today. I hope you all take the time to read it.



A Daughter’s Wisdom

My daughter and I were walking in the woods today playing a game. She was pretending that there were monsters in the forest and that they were coming to eat us. We had to be vigilant. We had to defend ourselves. I asked her, “What is the plan? What are we going to do if we see one of the monsters?”

She replied, “Feed them.”

“Feed them?” I said.

“Yes, if we feed them they won’t eat us.”

I think she has the answer. Imagine if George Bush took that $40 billion that Congress gave him and used it to feed people. Heck, take $20 billion to fix up U.S. security and clean up New York and use the other half to feed people. And not just feed them with food. What if we chose to take $1 billion and build the biggest, most beautiful mosque in the world, right in the heart of Kabul? And what if we gave it as a gift, no quid pro quo, as a place for people to feed their spirits?

What would the reaction be? What do we want the reaction to be? We have choices. Seems we could bomb innocent people to death and celebrate, mirroring images of this week, and thereby satisfy our thirst for vengeance. But what would that get us? A world that so admired the West that it wanted to emulate it in every way and celebrate its way of life? Or would a large part of the 5 billion people that don’t live in the West see things differently? Would more people feel as if vengeance was the only possible response, and figure out more simple and effective ways to terrorize? We can have that kind of world if we choose it. Or we can take my little daughter’s advice and feed people. And what would that get us?

There is no better way to rob the world of its anger and bitterness, jealousy and hate, than to feed people unconditionally … feed their bodies, minds and spirits. Build places of learning, places of spirit, places for healing and nourishment, places of community. Take that $40 billion dollars and spend it in every neighborhood in the world. Put the world to work growing food, healing people, restoring land and water, building communities, creating the thin fibers of connection between peoples, families, communities, cities, nations …

“If we feed them they won’t want to eat us.” Can you think of a better form of security?


From FRIENDS OF PEACE, PILGRIM newsletter, Fall/Winter 2002



Now,I understand that some of you may read it and believe that this idea is very naive ... and that's okay. EVERYONE is entitled to their own thoughts and opinions. I only want to share this story to feed all of you who read this ... food for thought.

Jen

DICK

Cheney, in his infinite wisdom, had the following to say with regards to attempts by Congress (or selective members) to force a withdrawal out of Iraq:

"It doesn't matter where we go. This is a global conflict. We've seen them attack in London and Madrid and Casablanca and Istanbul and Mombasa and East Africa. They've been, on a global basis, involved in this conflict.

"And it will continue -- whether we complete the job or not in Iraq -- only it'll get worse. Iraq will become a safe haven for terrorists. They'll use it in order to launch attacks against our friends and allies in that part of the world."

Cheney said a pullout would signal the United States would not stand its ground in the war on terror.

"No matter how you carve it -- you can call it anything you want -- but basically, it is packing it in, going home, persuading and convincing and validating the theory that the Americans don't have the stomach for this fight."

So American men and women are fighting and DYING to protect EGO??? PRIDE??? He says himself that "IT DOESN'T MATTER" ... really? Tell that to all the parents and children of the dead ... both American and Iraqi.

I have a question for you, DICK ...

When do you put on your BDU's and fight?

'lil bit falls asleep ...

... on the ShopVac.

As you scan this photo you will notice all the CRAP around the ShopVac. The vacuum is in the storage room where the washer and dryer is kept. We are still living in the little house that belongs to Ron's granny until our house is completed. Anyway, I went out to the storage room to get the clothes out of the dryer and I found 'Lil Bit asleep on the ShopVac. Doesn't she look dead? At first glance I thought she was ... and truthfully all I could think of was, "OMG ... Paquita has been at the vet's for a week now ... and now I've killed her sister." Once I saw that she was breathing I stepped inside and grabbed my camera. The flash woke her up.

Isn't she a cutie?

Roof!

They have nearly finished the roof on the new house. As you can see from these photos, we are slowly getting things done. Tonight Ron said that he thinks we'll be finished mid-September or early October. Hannah's birthday is October 2nd, so I really hope we're in by then. She's so excited about having such a bigger bedroom than she's ever had, not to mention having her own bathroom connected to her room. We will go sometime this summer and pick out her bathroom accessories. I've given her freedom to pick out what she wants in her bathroom ... with some veto power by Mom ... but I want her to have what she wants. She has good taste so I'm not too worried. I've already bought Eli's bathroom stuff at Bed, Bath & Beyond (who doesn't love THAT store?). We're going to use a baseball motif ... surprise, right? His bedroom will be decorated for the Atlanta Braves, but his bathroom is more neutral .. you know, baseball in general.

The pictures are kind of dark, I know. We were there tonight around 6:30, and one has to remember that we are surrounded by trees, so there isn't as much light at that time. The photos I took inside are of part of the den and the kitchen. The guy who is building our cabinets sent samples to me today via his wife. His name is Shane and his wife is Heather. She is a student of mine, so I really struck it rich! Anyway, he sent 4 samples. Two with two different colors, and two with those same two colors but with glazen (not sure I spelled that correctly - it's where there is a hint of dark stain around the edges). I had told Shane that I really wanted the cherry wood with the glazen, but if the glazen added thousands of dollars to the price I'd have to do without. Well ... when Heather brought me the samples today she told me that Shane said to tell me that if I really wanted the glazen, he'd do it for a discounted price. Are you ready for this? He said that normally he charges $2000 for the glazen (because I have LOTS of cabinets in the kitchen), but for me he'd do it for cost - $700. Who could say no to that???? Not me!!! Shane and Heather are such a nice couple and I'm thankful that I've not only hired the best cabinet man in the state, but he and his wife are friends of ours. I'll try and lay out the samples and take some pics tomorrow ... maybe they'll look alright to post and I can get some feedback from all of you!

Plumber starts tomorrow ... so we had to go to the house tonight and mark where we wanted the shower heads in the master bath. I've ALWAYS wanted two shower heads in the shower ... so I'm thrilled that my wish has come true. It was fun, actually, picking out the plumbing fixtures. I never thought I'd like that, but I really did. For the kitchen I chose a single faucet where the end of the faucet comes off and becomes the hose. Did I explain that right? Can y'all picture that? Let me simplify that ... instead of having a different spot for the spray hose, it is built into the faucet. If y'all still can't picture it, you're S.O.L. ... I can't explain it any better!

Oh, and more exciting news (at least to me) ... Ron found a website where we can order our kitchen appliances online at contractor's prices. I'm able to buy Thermador appliances instead of the GE Monogram series, so I'm super hyped about it. I may have already posted that news ... I can't remember. Anyway, I'm excited. Also, I found a stainless steel lighted hanging pot rack that matches the appliances to hang over the island in the kitchen. At first Ron said I couldn't have one because they cost $1000, but I made a bet with him that if I could find it for half of that I wanted him to change his mind. Not only did I find it for half the price, I found one for $386! Yeah ... someone had to get out the checkbook and eat crow ... ya gotta pick your battles ... and when you do, you have to make sure your guns are loaded.

Annie-Oakley-ing,

J.

When there's a Will ...

.. there's a way. Okay, corny intro ... please forgive me. But I knew that when I made a post about my friend Will I'd need something extra to make his grand entrance. What the hell can I say about Will? Hmmm, well ... I am trying to keep this blog clean so I'll refrain ;)

Let me introduce him. First, you all must know that I have never laid eyes on him. Not in person, that is. Will is a member of my cohort at UGA. He, too, has decided to add drama, frustration, and sleepless nights to his life in order to pursue a Masters in Education. We have become compadres of sort ... we give each other grief (dare I write "sh_t") at every opportunity. That's what friends do, right?

Will is also a few years younger than I am. I believe I am only 6 or 7 years older than he is, but to hear Will talk you'd swear I was 60 years older. There's a gap there, sure ... but not entire generations! Anyway, Will is married to a woman who should receive an award for putting up with him (bless you Stacy), and they have three gorgeous boys who thankfully look nothing like their dad . Seriously, they have beautiful children and from the things Will tells me, they are truly lights in his life (as is his wife).

Will is ... has been ... will be ... one of the funniest people I know. He can drive me to drink sometimes, but I have to say ... he makes me laugh all the time. Another bonus of being friends with Will is his love of sports, specifically baseball (although he's really a UGA football dude). We can talk about the Braves and trades and stats and ... and ... everything baseball. Few of my friends can hold a conversation about baseball for any great length of time, but I always can with Will.

August 5th is the day I'll finally put a face with the legend. We figured out that we will be fairly close in line when we line up for graduation. That's a good thing ... because we have TOO much to laugh about.

So that's Will ... my partner in crime ... after graduation I'll make sure to post of pic of his ugly mug so all of you can see who makes me laugh on nearly a daily basis. I'm kind of curious myself ...

Father's Day

Well, the holiday came and went without much excitement (which can be a GOOD thing). Ron opened his gifts from the children ... shorts, t-shirts, and a game called 20 questions ... and ... and ... that's it. My husband is not one for celebrations ... never has been, never will be. I, on the other hand, LOVE to celebrate most anything. New car, "A" on a paper, a lost tooth, a new tattoo (just kiddin') ... just about anything. My mother was always very good at that sort of thing. I feel that is why I love birthdays so much. She would make the biggest deal out of our birthdays ... let us know the entire day how she was glad we were born. My attempts to help my husband find the joy in celebrations has been futile ... but sometimes I keep trying. Not yesterday though ... I made the mistake of watching a movie I have seen literally dozens and dozens of time: On Golden Pond. L O V E the film. The problem ... the mistake I made ... was watching it on Father's Day. Yep, memories of my father took over any motivation for celebration. I wonder how long I will feel like that? Forever?

Memories

I just noticed this morning that a friend of mine, Donna Kay, posted on my blog. I must tell those who actually read this thing about her because she may post from time to time, and I think it's essential for my friends and family who do not know her discover why she is my friend.

Hmmm, where do I begin? If memory serves me correctly, Donna and I first met in an upper-division history course called Critical Decade during my time as an undergrad student (and Donna, if I'm wrong please correct me). I was a double major of History and Education, and Donna was majoring in Accounting. I'm not sure why Donna was in there other than she might have needed some elective hours and she loves the professor, Ms. Whitehurst (and Gale loves her, too!). Oh wait, maybe we were in a different course together ... um, was it Special Topics? Crapola. Anyway, the course is actually irrelevant. So ... whichever class it was I became friends with Donna. She has the most infectious laugh you could imagine ... and while she is a brunette, we often wondered if she was covering up the blonde hair! (Just kidding ... Donna can laugh at herself). She is a bright and articulate woman who would keep us in stitches telling us stories. This one time she related a story about something her mother said ... and to this day I remember how hard we laughed when Donna told us about it. I can't remember the entire story ... I only remember how Donna was either on a boat, or talking to her mother about going on a boat and she didn't want to ... in either case, Donna was going to Lake Seminole and going skiing/boating ... and her mother didn't want to join her because lately there had been so many shark attacks ... and ... and ...


OMG, I'm laughing just thinking about that ...

Donna has been married a few years to a man who obviously adores her. I've seen them together and you can see in their eyes the love they have for each other. They also have a new baby who looks JUST LIKE HIS DADDY!! As she mentioned in her post, we don't see each other very much anymore but keep in touch through e-mail forwards and an occasional visit at Publix. I will ask Donna to send me an updated picture of her son so I can post it for everyone to see and fall in love!

Yep, Donna is a funny one ... I'm lucky to have friends like her. I plan to post other short bios about all my friends so my family and other friends can get to know each other.

J.

Where does it come from?

Yesterday as we were riding home ... out of the blue Eli says, "These pretzels are making me thirsty!" ... and then he bursts into laughter. I admit I, too, was laughing so hard I almost had to pull over. Why is this funny? It's funny because that line about pretzels and thirst comes from an episode of Seinfeld. It's been months since that episode, but I remember how Eli laughed and laughed at Kramer (his favorite character) when he kept saying, "these pretzels are making me thirsty." One never knows what Eli is going to find absolutely hysterical ... it just so happens that Kramer puts Eli in stitches. The reason I laughed so hard was because it has been MONTHS since that episode ... and out of the blue ... no reason at all ... Eli looks at me and blurts, "these pretzels are making me thirsty!"

I'll have to call my friend Angela and tell her what Eli said. Angela LOVES to hear about the things Eli says and I love telling her because she has the most infectious laugh ... oh, and she thinks I'm the funniest person on the planet. We all know that I'm not, but you could never tell Angela any different (she's my bud) :)

I think Angela's favorite story about Eli was when I was driving home after picking up both kids from school one day. As we're driving home I suddenly realized that I forgot to run by the store ... and without thinking about Mr. Sponge (Eli) in the backseat, I yell "Oh crap!!" What does Eli say? He says ... "where?"

Where does it come from?

Teaching Philosophy

"We are what we teach; we are the questions we ask; we are the answers we accept; we are the perceptions we hold; we are the feelings we have; we are the thoughts we have; we are the mood we create; we are the vision we have; we, and only we, are the difference between being a stepping stone or a stumbling block. What we think and feel determines the very nature of the classroom world we create for ourselves and others."
- Louis Schmier

I wish I could take credit for those words, but I cannot. I can only post them and relate how I feel about them. I have these words framed in my office so I can remind myself daily how true they are. I teach. I am a teacher. And I couldn't be prouder of my work. I don't know what propelled me to post these words today other than I am exhausted from teaching last night. It has proved difficult at times to also teach some students how to learn as opposed to what to learn.

I'm tired but fulfilled today ... and I am only hoping I will feel the same when I finish my portfolio tonight!

Rain, rain, go away ...

... come again another day ... ya know, like next week when I don't have a paper due! Grrrrr ... hurricane season is upon us. Today we're feeling the effects of Hurricane Alberto. It's not bad ... yet. It's only raining and no substantial wind. According to the weather report, it should be right on top of Thomasville around 1 pm today. On the bright side, at least it will hit during the day. Eli FREAKS out when the lights go out, so maybe it won't be as bad if it's still light outside.

I have what experts call "the dead ass" today. I am sooooooooooo tired, and all this rain isn't helping matters either. I'm nearly through with my paper that is due tomorrow ... about another page and it should be complete. I'm STILL trudging through my portfolio that is due on Monday. I really need the weekend, so I may be putting in a phone call to my prof today asking if I can overnight it to her on Tuesday. She's been very understanding the entire two years, so what's one more favor? (Shut up, Will ... I don't wanna hear it).

Our little kitten, Paquita (which, from the way the vet was talking we should really name the kitten PaquitO), had to have emergency surgery last night. Her rectum was protruding out of her back side yesterday (try not to get a visual on that), and when Ron came home from work he said she had a blockage. So ... $400 later ... she's well again. I'm hoping the vet will take payments ... ;)

Nothing will be done on the house for the next two days ... Hurricane Alberto has seen to that. They did install the doors yesterday ... and man oh man does the the french doors leading to the back porch look wonderful! We invested in Anderson windows and doors (high dollar up front but will save us in the long run on electricity), which means they are all double-paned windows and doors. The grids are on the INSIDE of the two panes which will make it soooooo much easier cleaning them. Also, my smart husband made sure to get all the windows and doors to where we would never have to paint them. I, of course, would have never had to paint them ... but Ron would have. HE'S THE MAN ....(hee hee)

Well, I had better get to working on my paper before the lights go out. Oy vey ...

J.

Acid Stained Floor

As promised, this is a photo of what an acid-stained floor looks like. When Ron and I saw this flooring technique we immediately fell in love with the look. The floor can be made to look like granite or marble, and the color choices are numerous. The bonus to using a flooring method like this is that we are using the concrete floor! No tile, no wood, no carpet to buy ... we use our existing foundation and it will look as if we paid HUGE money for a marble floor. Friends of ours (Micky & Lavaugn) recently built a house, too, and they used this method on their floor. It is BEAUTIFUL ... so we can lean on them to assist us with questions when it comes time to do our floor.
Ron is contracting our home (and much like he does everything else) ... so he has studied every aspect of this method. Just today he spent time at the new house testing different colors so we can find the one we want. The color we both like looks very much like this photo.

Anyway, here it is ... our floor. Kinda cool, huh?

Jen

Progress ...

Starting from the top:
- The first photo is of the grilling porch and the breakfast area.
- The second photo is showing the sitting area and the master bathroom. The second window from the left is where the garden tub will be. It was strategically placed by the window so it can be opened while in the tub ... was Ron's idea ;)
- The third photo is of the side of the house. Beginning from the left side, the smaller window on the end is part of the breakfast area. The huge hole in the middle was a late edition window, so the unit has been ordered. The original plans had a fireplace/hearth room in the kitchen, but I wanted a big window instead. Next is the opening for a door that leads into the mud room/laundry room, and obviously next are the garage doors. The first bay is a single bay for my vehicle, and the next bay fits two cars but we will use it for Ron's workshop.
- The last photo is of the front of the house. I couldn't get it all in one picture, so I made sure to capture the main part.

Roofers are working on the roof this weekend, and the framers should be through at the end of the week. Next comes electrician, plumber, and at the end of the month the bricklayer will begin. Hopefully by the time my mother and brother arrive (last week of July), the outside will be complete and a lot of the inside work. We'll have to see how the weather cooperates ;)

I'm headed out to the property now. Ron is out there (of course) and I'm sure he's not getting much done since he's on call this weekend. He is sampling the acid stain we chose for our floors ... and if anyone is confused by that, I'll use my next posting to show what acid stain is, and how we are planning to utilize this flooring method on the bottom floor of our house.

J.

Male Bonding?

Ron will probably kill me for posting this, but it cracks me up. Like father, like son ...

More artwork

Hannah saw the post I made (see "My Creative Daughter" posting), and she provided me with two other pieces she likes better. I wish I could scan the painted work she has done for me, but she used canvas that is too big to fit on my scanner.

Anyway ... here is some more of her Anime characters. She's good, huh?

J.

Cha Ching!!!

That's the sound I'm hearing ... I just returned from the property. Ron met with the builder and together they decided (and I agreed) to add another room upstairs. It's always hard to tell on house plans just how much room one has until it is being built. We had a lot of extra room upstairs that would be attic space, so we decided to add a 11 x 15 room. The original plans had the large bonus room as a shared room - recreation room and my office. This extra room now will be my office and library. The large bonus room will remain the recreation room, which will allow a pool table, Ron's Bow Flex, and a treadmill. Ron was going to surprise me about the room, but when I went upstairs and saw the extra room being built he couldn't hide it anymore! We discussed columns separating the room from the others upstairs, but decided instead to have French doors open into the room. This gives me a quieter area, but also allows others to see into the library. I liked this idea immediately!

The roofers were there when I left ... but the shingles won't be delivered until Monday. My guess is there is a lot of prep stuff they have to do before the shingles go on. Something wierd ... one of the guys with the roofing company is in a wheelchair. I asked Ron if the guy fell off a roof, and he said he wasn't sure. My next call was to our insurance lady ...

Classes (my UGA classes) begin today. Ahhh, the last semester for my Master's. My friend, Will (the uber-crazy dumbass city planner from Columbus), and I are already fretting over the work. We just found out today that a quite involved portfolio we have to construct is due on the 19th. We thought we had all summer to do it!!! Joke is on us ... but I'm not laughing. Ron already made the comment, "I guess I'm a bachelor again for another two months, huh?" He's right - he is. Such is the life of being married to a lifelong learner ...

J.

My creative daughter

This picture was drawn by the resident artist in my home - my daughter, Hannah. She is sooooooooooo into Anime! Please don't ask me to explain what that is because I don't think I could. I also attached a picture of Hannah surrounded by all of her Anime stuff (the child never asks for anything, so when she actually does I buy it - and this picture shows it all).

I am lucky that I have an arsenal of pictures Hannah has either drawn, colored, or painted. Next month I am enrolling her in sculpting classes ... maybe if I keep pushing this, she may get a scholarship! Which, by the way, I should mention that in August she begins high school. MY BABY DAUGHTER IS BEGINNING HIGH SCHOOL.

Faintingly,

J.

Having a rough day ...

... so I thought I would post a picture that always makes me smile. The photo above was sent to me by a former employee, but he's also a friend of mine. His name is Chris Wiksyk and he worked for me for two years as a peer tutor. He graduated from our institution a year ago and is attending Hawaii Pacific University while he earns his MBA. Chris is one of those guys who will always come out on top ... he has a Midas touch and is the biggest charmer I've ever met (he's also from Canada). If his intellect and wit doesn't win you over, his blue eyes and powerful smile will get ya. We miss him something terrible at work ... things haven't been the same since he left.

My favorite memory of Chris is when I played the ultimate practical joke on him (I had a former student who happens to be a police officer to pretend to arrest him). Chris LOVED to play jokes on me ... from writing on the board (in what looked like MY handwriting) certain messages to other tutors (for example, one time he wrote a note to Hweekor - tutor from Kenya - that he had won Tutor of the Month and was entitled to a $300 gift certificate) to leaving dozens of post-it notes all over my desk and PC monitor (with comments like "Your daughter's principal just called - she was caught having sex). Chris ... is one of a kind (thank goodness) ... and I am posting this picture in his honor. (Also, I'm curious to see who knows who the ugly guy in the photo is ... and HOW they know him).

Chris, if you're reading this ... tell Ole' I said hello ... and where the hell is my video that you promised?

J.

Blueberry Bread

Hello all ... I wanted to share the most fabulous recipe for blueberry bread. It is WONDERFUL ... and very easy to make. I found it on the 'net ... not sure where ... I guess this is plagiarism, but it should be noted that I would give proper credit IF I actually knew where I got it! Anyway, here it is:

- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 2/3 cup milk
- 1/4 vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Grease and flour a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In large bowl, combine beaten egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract; add to dry ingredients.

Stir just until batter is melted.

Fold in lemon peel, blueberries, and chopped pecans. Spoon into pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 60 to 75 minutes.


It's VERY yummy ... I know it's probably about a gazillion calories ... but it's a great bread to give as a gift. Serve it warm with coffee ... and everyone will love you.

J.

Bullpen Woes ...

OMG ... can Chris Reitsma become an even worse pitcher than he already is? The answer is yes ... he can ... he has ... he's proven it today by giving up two homeruns in the 9th inning. Ugh. I can only hope that Bobby Cox (the Braves manager) reads my blog and understands that he MUST do something about Reitsma. We're now below .500 as a team ... 1.5 games behind the Phillies and 7 games behind the Mets.

Jen's gettin' skeered ...

Dream Home

Okay, the picture above is from the website in which we found our dream home plans. As you look at the photo try and imagine a deep red brick. We also picked a red grout (for the bricks) to give the house a solid look. The shutters you see will be black, and the trim will be in white. As I post pictures throughout the building process, everyone can compare it to this final picture and watch how it takes shape. Pretty cool, eh?

It's late ... nearly midnight ... and my Braves were swept in a double-header today. They put up the good fight though ... when they came to bat in the 7th inning they were down 10-2. By the end of the 7th the score was 10 - 9. But of course ... our suck-ass bullpen gave up a homerun so we lost 13-9. Oh well ... I'm adjusting to the thought that this may be the year of the Mets. Geeez, I shudder at the thought ... is it terrible to pray that Pedro Martinez gets carpel tunnel syndrome?

I'll leave with that thought ...

J.

H O T

Yeah, that's right - HOT. That's what Georgia is right now. We had some bad weather last night which caused the electricity to go out for over 3 hours. It's funny here in a small town ... when your electricity goes out you call a designated phone number (automated answer) and leave your name, phone #, and address. After your electricity comes back on, the city calls you to see if it came back on! How's that for small town service? This is, of course, in addition to paying your phone bill at Knapp's Hardware store ... gotta love small town life.

I just hung up the phone with a friend of mine who lives in New Jersey, and he was commenting on southern culture and questioned whether or not that is an oxymoron! Grrrrrrrr ... well, I'd LOVE to get some comments from my fellow southerners about aspects of our culture so we can prove that we indeed have culture in the south! Come on friends ... let's show Mr. Joisey that not all of us have broken down and rusty cars in our front yards!!! Let me hear from y'all!

Okay, gotta run now and get the cornbread baked along with making the green beans with new potatoes. Gonna grill steak and sausage tonight ... a southern delicacy, I'm sure ;)

J.

Journal #4

Okay, below this posting you will see pictures of our home being built. So much has been done since taking these photos so I will take some more this weekend. The pictures don't really capture the size of this house ... the roof pitch is so steep ... I think it's the most impressive element of the house. I can't wait for it to be finished!!

Well, it's dinner time and Ron just got home from a hard day at work. Will post more later ...

J.

House !!! (and again)

These pictures are of the land as it had just been cleared. We only cleared enough for the house, the parking pad, and a yard that surrounds the house. The rest of the land will be cleaned up some but remain as natural as possible. As you look at the pictures, try and imagine 10,000 acres of plantation land surrounding our land ...

J.

House !!! (again)

These pictures show early framing ... The picture on the top shows the back of the house, and the picture on the bottom is taken from way back on the driveway.

HOUSE!!!

Okay, I have the first pictures developed. It's funny ... as Ron and I were looking at them last night they seem so outdated already. I took the last ones on this roll just 5 or 6 days ago, but so much has been done on the house that they look like they're so old. I plan to take some more pics on my digital camera this weekend. The roof (from a framing standpoint) is complete - no shingles, but everything else is done to close in the roof.

I will post the pictures in stages. The pictures attached to this posting show the front of the house (which shows Hannah's window of her bedroom, and the window of her bathroom), and the 3 car garage. I will take more this weekend of the back of the house to show the bay window and back porch (which includes a grilling porch, too). Since I am posting these photos now, I will post them in reverse order because they will show up on the blog in order (does that make ANY sense?).

Okay, this posting will be the pictures that show the framing. Again ... SO much more has been done since these pictures but it will give everyone an idea ...

J.

P.S. In one of the pictures you can see the back of my new SUV ... gotta have 4WD for country living!

Justice for Immigrants

http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/

I wanted to share this link with my family and friends. This issue (Citizenship for Immigrants) is very close to my heart. Those who know me already know that I am a proponent for justice. As one of my professors told me once, "If we want peace, we will have to work for justice. If we desire to work for justice, we have to educate." He's right ... and I am doing my part.

For those interested in this issue, please check out the following link.

J.