SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Few Words, a Few Pics

The last couple of days have been very productive. Between work-outs, website rennovations, bridal portrait proofing, house reorganizing, etc., I'm a little drained. It feels good, though.

Yesterday was my first meeting with my Little Buddy. That's how the Big Brothers, Big Sisters people refer to the child with which they match you. I'm not an official "Big Sister", at this point. I'm beginning this at the Buddy level, meaning I spend one hour per week with my Little Buddy during school hours. This poor little girl with whom I've been matched is so in need of someone to spend time with her.She was so closed when we first started talikng. By the end of an hour, and with the help of hand puppets, she was opening up and showing little glimmers of her personality.

Having never done anything like this before, I really felt like a fish out of water. Upon leaving the school, I decided it might be a good idea to study up on child psychology. I'm only there to be a "role model" or "mentor", not a counselor. But I need to know what I'm dealing with and how to approach my time with her to make the most of it. I would appreciate any prayers and advice that anyone might like to offer up for me and my Buddy. ;0)

I've been chowing down on the venison sausage this week. It's very lean and I wrapped it in small (lower calorie *SIGH*) portions for freezing. I've had deer and eggs (well, egg) and cream chipped deer and Mexican deer omelets and the list goes on and on (don't worry, I throw a little roughage in there, too!). It's cheap, it's lean, it's tasty and I'm realizing more and more, VERY versatile. This is my 5th day of dieting and the venison has really helped me stick with it.

And now, to liven up this most desperately boring blog, I offer a bit of eye candy.

Highlights from Q's 5th B-day
















Have a good day, everyone!

A T-day, a B-day and online dating

I'm back!

Thanksgiving was wonderful, as always! Excellent food, prepared by the folks. Wonderful conversation around the table. Hunting prior to the meal and creme de menthe following it. AAAHHHHH!

I must pause here to issue an official statement of apology to Dy. For the first time ever, I didn't capture a single image of the Thanksgiving table, all brimming over with food. No pics! SORRY!! And after you made an official request for pics and toasted my family over your meal, too (hanging my head in shame, here).

As a small consulation I offer for your viewing pleasure our annual family photo( I know, I know , it's not food but it's all I've got, LOL!)





Saturday was Q's big B-day bash. He was SO cute! His little expressions as he was opening his gifts were just priceless. And of course all of the other little kids were gathered tightly around him with the wonderful, unaffected joy and curiosity of preschoolers. It was so fun to watch!!

There was quite a crowd of young'uns there ranging from about 18mos to 14 yrs old. They danced and skated and played in the FunZone and ate pizza and cake and candy (from the really cute bug-themed treat bags that Em had prepared for each little guest). I had a great time playing music and taking pictures! I'll post the images soon.

From Thurs-Monday, I spent chunks of each day in the woods. I didn't kill a single thing, but it felt SO good to get out there and reconnect with nature. I was soooo close to bagging a nice doe, but she just wouldn't come out of the thick underbrush far enough for me to get a clean shot. Wow, does a situation like that send the adrenaline pumping through your veins! It felt good.

Well, here's the other big thing going on with me, right now. I joined an online "match-making" service. That's right! I initially went on it, just messing around. It's free and completely anonymous so I thought, hey why not see what's out there? Then I began receiving ALL of these cyber winks and messages from local single men. Who appear, at least, to be "quality" singles. And I'm ready to make some new friends. So, I may eventually end up doing some dating. This terrifies me, slightly. You see, it's one thing for a someone to see a nice professional portrait of you and think you're attractive. It's quite another to meet them in person---no flattering poses or glamorous lighting!

Therefore. I am dieting for ALL I'm worth! LOL! I know, I know. It's pretty sad that it takes the thought of dating again to really light a fire under me concerning my appearance. But, there it is. If that's what it takes to make me get back into shape, so be it.

Well, I need to get back to work. Lots to do. Trying to stay busy so as not to think about the hunger pains. ;0)

The weekend

Saturday's first appointment was a no-show. That seems to have been a common theme for last week. At 3PM I met a Bride2B downtown at a beautiful old church building and spent an hour making bridal portraits. Then we traveled back to my place and spent another 45 minutes taking some gorgeous images in the meadow with the last rays of the golden fall sun on the mountains, in the background. I believe they may be the best bridal portraits I've ever shot. :0)

Sunday morning, late, I headed up to Mom&Dad's house to meet the family and welcome Race home. Everyone was already there when I arrived. Race looks good--none the worse for wear!

WELCOME BACK, RACE!!!

Me and the kids went down to the barn and played chase on the rows of hay bales. Q, who was hesitant at first, was running and jumping bravely with the big kids by the time we were ready to head back. Everyone had a great time and we were all a little tuckered out when the cell phone call from the house--the modern dinner bell--came through.

Little W was awake when we arrived back at the house. He is such a good talker now! And still just as cute as can be.

Supper was just fantastic, as it always is at home: steaks off the grill, Montreal seasoned; baked, buttered sweet potatoes, fresh green salad, thickly sliced hunks of crusty garlic bread. And the WHOLE family there together to laugh and talk and enjoy it!

Austin and Jackson and I (with Q popping in and out of the fray, occasionally) engaged in numerous to-the-death light saber battles in the front yard, by the light of the porch. The boys' padded swords from martial arts endured a thorough workout that evening, as my bruised and battered knees and elbows will attest! It was SO much fun.

This morning, we headed up to the skating center (minus Em& the Gang) and I spun tunes from the DJ box while the kids skated and played games and generally frolicked. From there, it was lunch at the little family pizza and sub place. The USA Shooting Competition arcade game was played non-stop until the food arrived. We've got some real sharpshooters coming up in the fam, I'd say!



Well, that was the weekend. I'm back home, now, and pretty tired. The next couple of days are going to be full--lots of work to be completed before I can head home again. I'm really looking forward to the holiday: family(the WHOLE family), food and hunting!!! Does it GET any better than that??

I KNEW it, I just KNEW it!

I mean, I always suspected it, but now it's just OFFICIAL!
(I found this over on Kathy Jo's blog, Barefoot Meandering))

You scored as Indiana Jones. Indiana Jones is an archaeologist/adventurer with an unquenchable love for danger and excitement. He travels the globe in search of historical relics. He loves travel, excitement, and a good archaeological discovery. He hates Nazis and snakes, perhaps to the same degree. He always brings along his trusty whip and fedora. He's tough, cool, and dedicated. He relies on both brains and brawn to get him out of trouble and into it. Indiana Jones 88% Lara Croft 87% Batman, the Dark Knight 83% William Wallace 71% Maximus 71% Captain Jack Sparrow 63% The Terminator 63% Neo, the "One" 54% The Amazing Spider-Man 50% James Bond, Agent 007 50% El Zorro 42% Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0 created with QuizFarm.

Yesterday's wedding consultation was a no-show. But, I accomplished alot of digital work and the portrait session with Austin went well. He and Jack stayed at my house for a few hours while Savannah was at ballet. When the pictures were finished we took the dogs for a run out in the field and climbed on the hay stack. The boys had a running light saber battle using dried cornstalks that was very amusing to watch and listen to. At one point out of the semi-darkness I hear Jack's voice announcing loudly to a fallen Austin "Drop your sword and I'll kill you quickly!". I was rolling.

When we got back to the house, the boys started a campfire in the yard and messed around with it until it was time to go. I gave Jackson my lighter (not without some trepidation) to light the fire. When I walked back outside I could hear Austin admonishing him to be careful, but allowing HIM to light it, all the same. I thought that was nice. Alot of big brothers would have wrestled it from him and lit the fire themselves.

They really get along well. Austin obviously finds Jack to be just this hilarious, wide-open little person and genuinely "likes" him. And Jack, even when he's trying to aggravate the sense out of Austin, will come to his defense in a moment if he thinks Austin needs defending. That's so nice to see. Too many people let their kids fight amongst themselves like cats and dogs instead of teaching them to respect one another and work things out. Now that's not to say the occasional little scuffle doesn't have it's place. I think it probably does. But there shouldn't be lasting mailce or bitterness.

The biggest incentive for me and my sisters not to argue and fight was Mom declaring that she would force us to kiss and makeup, afterwards. Oh, the horror! Many a fight was very quickly de-escalated that way, I'm here to tell you! LOL!

On the way out to meet Melissa and Savannah, we listened to U2's "Vertigo" a couple of times with Jackson repeatedly sneaking the volume up louder. The kid really digs his tunes! It was fun.

Well, I'd better get back to work here. I just wanted to jot that down while I was thinking about it. At the moment, I'm trying to wrest myself back away from the ibuprofen bottle and heating pad so I can make some more progress with the house reorganization project.

Have a great day!!! :0D

Stuff that's been happening

Well, I just haven't felt like bloggin. I really haven't. And I still don't. But I will. Because eventually, I WILL feel like it again and I will have lost my little readership. :0D

SO:

Tuesday I worked the polls and Austin stood there with me and helped hand out literature to the voters. We both enjoyed ourselves. Later that evening, I headed back out to the post election "victory" party at the Wingate Inn with a dish of mini-fried-green-tomato-BLT
-biscuits-with-chili-mayo under my arm. Our local delegate was there and he won his race. I'd met him the week before at a campaign supper and he came over and asked how things went at my polling place. I'm glad he remembered me, as it's always good to have friends in high places. I met a few new people, but the atmosphere was not overly conducive to cheery, chatty conversation. As the numbers for the governor's race were flashing up on the TV screens, it became obvious that our candidate was getting beaten by a disappointingly large margin.

The better part of last week was spent deep in the midst of a massive home-office reorganization devoir (translation: throwing out a TON of CRAP!). I bought some new shelves and other organizational necessities at Lowes. I also purchased a toilet tank kit, which I'm dreading to deal with. It's just gross to mess with toilets, even if it IS just the tank part. Yuck.

My poor little shed is just bursting at the gills, but still, I keep hauling more stuff out there. It's gotta go somewhere and I simply cannot stand to have the clutter underfoot any longer. The massive shed reorganization devoir can wait until next spring!

Friday afternoon, Savannah and Jack came over to visit. Savannah and I did an art lesson while Jack explored the yard and played with Hilda. We then transformed Savannah into a beautiful Fall fairy and drove down the road to a pre-appointed location at a pre-appointed time when the sun is doing just what I need it to do. These are all works-in-progress, at this point, but I think they have a lot of potential. Savannah makes such a pretty fairy!










After de-fairying Savannah, we headed out for pizza and a movie. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is weird but funny. We all enjoyed it. I dropped the kids off back at home and chatted with Melissa for a while.

Saturday was spent cleaning house and then prepping for a 4PM Senior session. The shoot went really well and the images are extremely good. The girl was attractive and easy to pose. Her mother, I despised. Truly. I'm not going to get into it, even, I disliked her so much. I don't often have that kind of gut reaction to a person, but rarely does my gut lead me astray.

Anyhoo, other than one of my lights breaking and another catching on fire, it was an uneventful session. Yep, that's right, up in flames. Had to fling it into the yard. Thankfully, it was the end of the session and I played it off the best I could. I mean, you can't exactly say "Oh, it happens ALLL the time, no worries!", but when I showed the girl her images she couldn't have cared less about the fire. SO, I guess that's good, right? Could've been alot worse! ;0)

Well, anyway, that's what's been happening with me. You're up to date!

G'night, folks!

P.S. Please continue to keep Melissa and Race and the kids in your prayers!!!!

Showcase

Well. It was not the stunning success I had hoped for, but it was pretty good.

It bugs me a little that I put so much effort and careful planning into it, only to end up doing my usual dumb routine of forgetting things and rushing around at the last minute. I am rather proud of the fact that I was all packed and ready to go on Friday night, to include having my outfit all pressed and ready to slip into. So when I arose on Sat morning, I had only to shower, brew java and hit the road. Which I did. Without my suit jacket and without the door prize I was supposed to bring. *SIGH*

I arrived at the Showcase in plenty of time to run out and get a new jacket from Goody's (just across the street, thank you, Lord!) and the door prize will be mailed out to the winning bride this week. Problems solved. Another one cropped up almost immediately as I started setting up the table for the enormous TV to be displayed upon. The desk I had taken apart the night before would NOT go back together again. I begged a larger screwdriver off of another vendor, but still no luck. I was all sweaty and disheveled and frazzled by the time the TV guys arrived and the thing still wasn't assembled. I told them the problem and began to clear away my albums and frames to make room on the small booth table---I just didn't have any other place to put it. The guy stopped me and asked for the screwdriver. L.D. (that was his name, no joke!) and his little assistant proceeded to whip that desk together for me with the speed and skill of a master carpenter. They were done in a jiffy and had the TV set up for me in no time. God bless 'em, chivalry is NOT dead!

As I began arranging my display, it became apparent that I was missing...something. It eventually dawned on me that I needed something behind the booth--like a backdrop or giant tri-fold panel. All of the bigger businesses had them. Ah, well. Too late to do anything about it then. But a large and boldly lettered mental note was made to be sure to get one before the next show.

The placement of my booth was not optimal. In fact, it was probably the worst in the whole joint. It's like they hid me.The vendor locations had apparently been rearranged at the last minute and I just kind of got stuck wherever. I had chosen #22 on the booth placement chart, but #22 had been relocated--unbeknownst to me until I arrived that morning. The only thing that may have saved me, is the fact that every bride had a little sheet that every vendor was supposed to sign in order for said bride to be eligible for a cruise vacation giveaway drawing.
So a large number of brides had to actively seek me out (with binoculars and compass!).

Oh, and my booth was also directly under one of the speakers. The steady stream of music and announcements was a little distracting to myself and my potential customers as I tried to promote my wares.

By the time the show began and the brides started milling about, my booth was all set up and my friendly-wedding-service-provider smile was all pasted on. Over 500 brides-to-be attended the show and I lost count of how many brochures and business cards I handed out.
I received alot of compliments on my images and alot of folks (the majority, I'd say) perused and thoroughly extolled my albums. So that was good.

It was too busy for me to get around to check out all of the competition, but there was ALOT. Too much, really, for the size of the show. There were many more photographers than any other type of vendor. Heck, I had 4 other photographers within 50 feet of me and I was facing the wall! I guess I felt a little cheated in that regard. Most shows will hold the number of each type of vendor to a minimum in order to optimize each vendors marketing opportunities.

The show itself was a little more upscale and better attended than the last one held by this company. They had a very nice bridal fashion show and a couple of big surprises, too. Two different gals involved in the event were proposed to by their boyfriends, onstage. That was neat. And of course one lucky b-2-b won a cruise. Sweet.

All in all, it was okay. I handed out a ton of info and I made a couple of new business connections. And I learned some things, too. :0)

Here's a snapshot
of my not-QUITE-as-impressive-as-I-wanted-it-to-be-but-still-pretty-okay-I-guess display:

Mullet Haiku

Tracking the haiku theme from the Crib Chick's blog, I found this posted by Hillary in KS in the comments section on Jo's Boys blog. Unfortunately, I don't know how to link to them all cool-like here in the text of my post. But that's where the haiku originated.
It's just too hilarious not to share!

Mullet Haiku:

Party in the back
Luscious locks blow so gently
No wind can tame me

Hillbilly tresses
Ponder the meaning of life
Soaked in Budweiser

Short, for such is life
Long, for freedom has no bounds
American way

Born to Run Hairdo
Whither doest thou wander, Dude?
Home to New Jersey..

I'm a champion
My mullet sways with each pitch
I'm Randy Johnson

It's not a trailer
Angry mullet man insists
Manufactured home

His tortured nightmares
Phish concerts and micro brews
Hippies kick his *ss

Show Prep Update and a Few Pics

As I'm currently up to my eyeballs in Showcase prep work, I'm just going to take a couple of minutes to scribble something here. I don't want to put off the few faithful readers I have by non-posting! :0)

All of my Big Gorgeous albums arrived and are in the process of being filled with Big Gorgeous example images. Sleek, newly designed brochures are printing off as I type. A 50" flat screen TV is scheduled to be delivered to my booth on Show Day. I have business cards and pens a-plenty, to hand out. My work outfit and hairstyle for the day is all settled upon. My car is just a giant dung heap and MUST be cleaned out in order to haul my stuff (and to be seen in civilized society). I have some corrections to make on the Slideshow DVD I'll be playing on the big TV. 16x20's still have to be printed and mounted. And I'm sure there's lots of other stuff that I'll forget and have to rush around to get finished by Saturday. Set-up time begins at 9:00AM and Showtime is 12:00.

I volunteered to make phone calls for my political party to "get out the vote" for November 8th's election, this week. This is not a great week for me to be volunteering, but I've ebbn meaning to get involved since I moved here and I was already committed. I have a car load full of campaign signs that I need to get put up along the road, as well. Thus far, I've struck out with every person whom I've asked for permission to put something up in their yard. That's just disappointing. And when your heart's not in your work to begin with, it's a little difficult to stay motivated when folks just keep shooting you down. Ah, well. I said I would, so I shall. I shouldn't complain. It's an opportunity, not a chore, right? (Right?Anyone?... a little encouragement here?)

I have a short, humorous story/observation to share about the volunteer phone call operation at the Republican HQ. When the Show is over and done I shall share it.



In the meantime, for your viewing pleasure:

Steeplechase at Oak Ridge 2005 (and Terrier races!)









It was alot of fun!

Cabin in the Woods

I enjoyed a wonderful time at an old 1800's era cabin with Melissa and the kids last week. I was invited to spend the night with them for an early celebration of Austin's birthday. Gorgeous old cabin,cool mountain air, fall foliage, hot tub, woodstove, incredibly delicious chili (Melissa makes the BEST chili!), hot mulled apple cider with a smidge of cinnamon Schnapps (just a smidge, mind you), marathon Monopoly with Austin, metal detecting in the meadow, pancakes and bacon and coffee the next morning...







Jackson catches a Monarch butterfly


Metal detecting in the meadow



Austin cuts loose with a startlingly loud and scary Uruk Hai roar

Couple of pics

It's been an eventful week. I'll have to post about it later, as it's a rather long story. Here're a few images from an enjoyable evening I spent at Melissa's house last week. The kids had gathered tons of wood and made a wonderful campfire. We had hot dogs, marshmallows, fried apple pies and good conversation.


Jackson, master of fire!


Ummm...so when did Austin become, like, a full-grown man? Check out those guns! GEEZ!

Brief Update

Since last blogging, the following things of note have occurred:

*I wrecked my car, resulting in a nice goose egg and a sore neck. The car is back running (many thanks to my friend) and the injuries healed.

*I have started back working-out again like I mean it.

*I have made a major (positive, I think) change in my life. I'm having a tough time of it, right now. Things should start to get better in a few weeks. In the meantime, prayer would be appreciated

*On one of my runs in the National Forest I spotted the massive buck with the massive rack that I shall attempt to make my own as soon as the appropriate season arrives.

*I have been involved in the foiling of two separate attempts by the craven and dastardly group of sub-humans known as poachers to spotlight deer in "my" field. I despise cheaters.

*Two successful art lessons with Savannah have transpired and two successful home cooked meals have been enjoyed by myself and Melissa and the kids.

*Major accomplishments on the business front:
.(1)Completion of ALL the St. Lucia proofs
(2)Big lead on the astoundingly cool albums I've been searching for, so tirelessly
(3)Two more wedding consultations scheduled, using my new package prices
(4)Making some headway on improving the look and content of my website
(5)May have found another competent assistant for wedding photography--will know more after the weekend.

*Hilda's first, and last episode of "womanhood" has been survived (although it required the discharge of firearms in the wee hours of the morn' on more than one occasion to discourage her would-be suitors and protect her maidenly honor).

*It would appear that the way is clear for me to get a "Little Buddy" in the BBBS program. Just waiting for the call. :0)

* It became abundantly clear to me that the organization of my political party in this area is either non-existent or just sucks. I have tried 3 times to get in touch with ANYONE in the organization in order to volunteer my time and talents to further the conservative cause. Or just, like, get a sign for my yard. SOMETHING.
No one seems to give a rip. May have a Rant about that later.

*I'm beginning to think that my landlords are avoiding me on the whole new floor issue. It's been more than 10 days since I talked to them. Am I just being impatient and paranoid? I'm at least willing to admit that that's entirely possible.


Alright, that's all I've got. Will blog more when feeling more humorously inclined. G'night, all.

Lunch hour bloggin'

Well, I'm getting fat again.Not that I ever actually got thin, but at least I was getting back into some of my jeans. My exercise routine will have to be put back in full swing tonight. Running/fast-walking, floor exercises,etc. *sigh*. I've got to do it. I have this whole other wardrobe of clothing that I could wear if I would just buckle down and REALLY lose some lbs. Deer season is fast approaching,too, and I don't want to have a heart attack while trying to drag my enormously huge buck out of the woods. So. Back to workout Hell, I go.

I enjoyed a nice day and night at Mom and Dad's last week. I drove in on Thursday and ate lunch with M&D and Em and the boys. Then I set up my traveling studio and did some images of the boys. They were both well-behaved, but it's darn hard to get everyone looking in the same direction and smiling all at the same time. A well-timed bribe of candy smoothed the way, considerably. I got some cute shots. The neighbor-chick later brought her 2 little girls down, all decked out in their pink princess Halloween duds and I did a few shots of them, as well. It was fun.
As soon as the studio was packed away, I grabbed my gear and headed out dove hunting. I plan to share my bounty with Melissa and the kids after art lessons on Tuesday. Curried, roast dove with an apple glaze and fried green tomatoes. Mmmm. I'm looking very forward to it!

The carpet in my house is very cheap and worn and just UGLY. I've Rug Doctor'd it and spot scrubbed it and done everything else I could think of to make it more presentable, but to no avail. It looks and smells bad. The rest of the living room/consultation room/studio looks good. I've painted and decorated and done what I could do to spruce the place up. I like the results---except for the nasty carpet! The last 2 weeks I've been gathering information on laminate flooring--the type that looks and feels like wood. Prices, installation,labor,etc. I gathered my courage and made a presentation/proposal to my landlords on Saturday.
They were amenable to a change in the flooring. They will get back in touch with me with the details. It turns out that there may be good wood flooring under this nasty carpet. If that's the case, I can just rip up the carpet and sand and varnish to my heart's content. And I could do the whole house, not just the living room. That would be AWESOME! We'll see.


All of my perrenials are in the ground and all but 2 appear to be thriving. It took me 4 hours with a pick-axe, shovel and rake to get those dozen or so plants in the ground. I have no outside running water source, so I'm hauling water from the kitchen like a madwoman, trying to keep thngs alive. Surely it will rain again, someday?? If I can just get them to stay alive, it will all be SO worth it next spring/summer/fall!

It's going to be a busy week, but the completion of several projects/orders can be achieved by Friday, if I really work hard and no major problems crop up. That would free me up to work on some serious marketing plans that are waiting in the wings (is that a real expression or did I just make that up?).

I'm looking very much forward to tomorrow's art lesson with Savannah. We started lessons again last week and she did NOT disappoint. Her talent never fails to amaze me and her ability to master the different skills we're learning is a marvelous thing to see. It's also great for me to have a reason to practice and stretch my own skills and creativity as I prepare for the lessons. As an adult, I find it tedious to have to practice and mess up and erase and do-over again and again. Teaching her, has removed the tediousness for me and given me a much-needed dose of self-discipline. I have to master these skills myself, if I'm going to be properly prepared to impart them to her.When I was Savannah's age, I remember having her enthusiasm for learning new skills and experiencing the satisfaction of seeing my artwork improve. Seeing HER enthusiasm and satisfaction acts as an "upper" for me. I'm so pleased to have the opportunity.

I'm waiting to hear back from the BBBS lady about getting assingned to a "Little". I have to get one more reference and then the path should be clear for me to start spending an hour per week with a "needy" kid. I'm a smidgen apprehensive--I've never done anything quite like this before-- but, I'm really looking forward to to the opportunity.

Well, lunch is long over and I gotta get back to work.

Here are a few images I did over the weekend that I may use in an art show or on notecards. (Some of these are still "works, in progress" so please be kind).

Vacation and stuff

Vacation, in a nutshell

Vacation at Emerald Isle was awesome. The house was gorgeous and the weather (after the hurricane) was perfection. Many fine meals were enjoyed (Dad's beach soup...mmmmmm)and many cool shells were found. We (the kids and I) swam and frolicked and got rolled by bone crushing waves and just generally had a great time in the ocean. I got a nice tan and some way cute freckles on my cheeks ( I hated the freckles for years, but have lately come to accept them--- I suppose because they make me feel youthful??). I had a wonderful time cooking a Mexican seafood feast for the family--2 nights in a row, by special request! *blush* And homemade margaritas were a perfect accompaniment. Another night I served shrimp marinara over angel hair with caesar salad and a lovely chianti. I just LOVE to cook for folks who enjoy eating a s much as I do.

I think the kids really enjoyed this year's Treasure Hunt (a sort of a scavenger hunt with scary parts and dress-up characters and lots of candy). Featured characters this year were the Old Sea Hag (a much-requested favorite), the Floating Skull of Death and the Pirate Ghost. Many thanks to Austin for his spirited portrayal (no pun intended) of the Pirate Ghost.

It was also great to have Uncle Roy join us this year. Unfortunately, he had to take off early to avoid Ophelia and had to evacuate his own home a few days later running from Rita. He said he just couldn't get away from all these women chasing him, LOL!

Really, despite the hurricane, it was one our more enjoyable beach vacations. The only thing that could've made it better was for Em's fam and Race to have been able to stay a bit longer to enjoy the balmy, post hurricane weather.


Just a few random happenings and what-not

*Saturday morning I met Melissa at the local nursery and bought a bunch of perennials in hopes of creating a nice flower bed in front of my house. I had to borrow a pick axe to dig the holes--the dirt is HARD! But it SHALL be worth it to see my beautimous flower garden next year.

*I gave a large, smelly lady who was stranded with a flat tire a ride to her house, whilst en route to Lowe's for mulch. Why wouldn't a person shower? I just don't get that.

*Driving along the other day, minding my own, I was accosted by the sight of a shirtless, overweight, retarded man buzzing along on his (obligatory) motor scooter with his pants hanging so low that the prominent display of the cleft of his behind gave the appearance that he wasn't wearing any pants. Alone in my car, I first screamed in horror. Then, seeing that he actually was clothed, I laughed hysterically. Several days later, while on the way to supper with my friend, I saw the same dude again, still shirtless, with his bum STILL prominently displayed, zipping by on his scooter. My Friend's only response to my startled scream of recognition and outrage was "Heeey, 'just say no' to crack".

* I'm almost finished with Atlas Shrugged. Wowee. Alot to digest, there. I started reading Don Quixote at the beach. And then stopped. I'm trying, I really am, but that book is just soooo loooong and wooordy. I know it's a classic; alledgedly the first "novel" ever written. I hate it that I'm not "getting" it. But, I guess I shall persevere and eventually get it finished .*Sigh*


I have a special prayer request for a member of my extended family whom I know is going through a terrible, heart-wrenching time. Please pray for him. Thanks SO much to anyone who does!

Well, the night is still young and I have tons of work to get finished. So I'd best get to it.
Goodnight.

Home Again

I arrived home yesterday after being on "vacation" for 11 days. I put that in quotes because the vacation was interrupted by hurricanes, car trouble and mysterious rashes. Don't get me wrong, it was GREAT! Definitely one of the best beach trips, ever, if only because it was so memorable. I'll write that whole story down later.

As I pulled in last evening it struck me how much things had physically changed around the ole homestead. Farmer Sammy has cut down all of the corn, returning to me my treasured view of the mountains. My lawn has begun to turn brown in preparation for the winter. The dogwood are already displaying their fall colors. There was a smattering of leaves across the front yard. I miss that little bite of crispness in the air, but I know it will be here soon. I love Fall!

There is a young lady whom I pay to dogsit my pups. I will hereafter refer to her as TheBestDogSitterintheWholeWorldPeriod. Not only does she take wonderful care of my dogs when I'm away (to the point where the dogs are happy to see me when I return, but not actually flipping out about it), but she cleans (scrubs) the house, does home repairs like replacing doorknobs and light bulbs and shower curtatins, waters my plants and gets my mail. I hired her to watch the dogs and straighten the house--everything else she did just because she's SO awesome. What a gem of a find! And how nice to come home to a clean house with lights and fully functiuoning doorknobs, where there were none before. That's what I'm talkin' about.

Well,I gotta run. Lots to do today--back to the old grindstone, livin' by the sweat o' my brow and all of that.
Later!

The MALL manicure

I went for a pedicure today. I just went over to the little quickie place at the mall. Melissa and Savannah met me over there--a little girl time together.

You don't expect Spa treatment at the mall nail salon. You expect a quick, okay manicure or pedicure and you expect a little pressure from your foreign nail gal about how "vay pwetty" some 3 inch, airbrushed gel nails would be on your hands. I knew this going in. I was ready.

Well. My particular foreign nail putter-onner apparently just really didn't want to be bothered with yet another richie "round eye" with bad nails on this particular day. Broken-English-Speaking-Miniskirt-Wearing-I'm-Better-Than-You-Nail-Girl decided that not only did I need gel nails to be put on over my own "no look good" nails, but apparently my eyebrows were just disgusting her with their blatant unevenness: "Dey look vay bad. I shape dem fuh you, reah fas".
After the third disparaging remark about my eyebrows and nails, and my third polite refusal of airbrushed gel nails and a "reah fas" brow waxing, she begins loudly chattering with the other nail persons in their foreign tongue. They laughed and bantered back and forth loudly with me sitting right there, gritting my teeth, rolling my eyes at Melissa and trying not to reach across and grab Rude-Foreign-Nail-Girl by her scrawny little neck.

I've never felt SO much like I was living a Seinfeld episode. I'm sitting there, knowing full well that I'm being verbally slammed behind my back--well, in front of my face, really--and knowing I can't nail anybody about it (no pun intended!). I would catch a word of Engish every now and then and concentrate really hard on what they were saying, trying to catch them dissing me.
No luck. They're sly, in their own foreign way. I'll give them that.

Melissa and Savannah were finished well before me and sat there snickering and exchanging significant glances with me, while their nails dried. Their finger and toenails looked very nice. Apparently their foreign nail personages weren't quite so bitter about their job as mine. Maybe it was just my atrociously uneven eyebrows that made her hate me, I just don't know.

Ah, well. Lesson learned. When going for the mall manicure, one must develop a thick skin.
It's not for the faint of heart! LOL! ;0D

Quick ,un!

I'm in NOVA babysitting thru Monday. I'm VERY tired. W didn't sleep too well last night and neither did I. This was my 4th night of not-enough-sleep, so I'm in a half-zombie state (sickness, work,etc. kept me up the previous few nights). Despite the groginess, it's been nice.
Other than throwing a whopper of a tantrum this morning over cream-of-wheat too long in the making, W has been good as gold. I can't believe how much he's talking now. He's funny and smart and silly and just SO cute. Q and I have spent the last 2 days catching all manner of living creatures and drawing zillions of pictures. He's such a great little kid. Sensitive and intelligent and opinionated and silly. It's great to get to spend time with these 2 little critters.

I'm heading back home tomorrow evening. There's SO much to be done before I can head off to the beach on Saturday. It's going to be a long work week, but I am SOOOO looking forward to vacation! :0)

Up, Pukin' and Dukin'

All. NIGHT. LONG.

...will blog more when rehydrated.

Dog Stories

Evening Jaunts with the Pups

When I take the dogs for our run in the evenings, the ritual goes something like this. I step into the bathroom and put on my workout clothes. The dogs both raise there heads and watch me as I shut the door. When I emerge, donning my workout wear, they are both sitting outside the door looking at me with big, excited eyes. Once they get a whiff of my clothes (no matter how often I launder them, the pups can always tell they're my "outside" duds), the excitement begins. Elvis pants happily and whines and stands underfoot as I fetch my running shoes. Hilda, being female in all ways, makes no attempt to hide her emotions and barks and scampers and jumps everywhere trying to grab the socks from my hand. Leashes at ready, I open the front door and the dogs rush into the yard. I spray my pants legs with bug repellent, attach the leashes and off we go.

This is how it goes every evening. Until yesterday.

I wasn't feeling too wonderful and decided to just enjoy a long, leisurely stroll instead of a strenuous run. With that in mind, I warmed a cup of soup to have for supper while I walked. So, soup in hand and dogs all primed and full of energy, I opened the front door as I normally do. The dogs burst forth, as usual. Suddenly, I hear Elvis' signature long, descending growl. In the blink of an eye, he's off like rocket! To my horror, I see the 2 yippy irritating Pomeranians from up the road fleeing for their lives! E's in hot pursuit with Hilda at his heels!

I will just interject two facts here before I continue with my narration:

These 2 little mongrel neighbor dogs are a menace. They are allowed free reign (no leashes, no fences) of the neighborhood and I have caught them tearing up my trash and crappin in my yard on more than one occasion. So, while I certainly didn't wish for them to die the terrible death that Elvis would surely inflict upon them, I also wouldn't mind the fear of God being put into their little black hearts as regards their trespassing in my yard. The other fact pertinent to this story is that Elvis is sure death to any living animal caught in "his" territory. Once he launches forth, and pursuit begins, it's like trying to stop a locomotive. When he eventually hears me saying "NO!", he'll slow down. But, by then, it's usually too late.

Back to the story:

I immediately flung my supper into the yard and sprinted after the pack, yelling "ELVIS, NO! ELVIS, NO!" in my mean-loud-dog-commanding voice. I could hear a terrible ruckus as they passed from beyond my line of view. As I rounded the edge of the yard, I expected the worst--bloody,mangled neighbor dogs being shaken to death in Elvis' jaws. By some minor miracle Elvis had heard me yelling. He had slowed up enough for the trespassers to escape. They were running as fast as their little legs would carry them, tails between their legs, yelping as if E'd already caught them. I was out of breath and out of temper. Elvis came trotting back to me, quite satisfied with himself. Hilda, at first excited with the chase, was terrified by my yelling and was now seeking reassurance by trying to walk between my legs. We all walked back to the house and I sat and let my heart descend from my throat while the dogs ate my supper off of the lawn. Lesson learned: E must be on his leash BEFORE I open the door.


Treats

It is a ritual to give the dogs rawhide chips when they've come in from doing their business. And so here begins the drama I like to call "As the Rawhide Turns".
Each dog grabs their treat and heads to their customary chewing locations. Elvis puts his treat down between his paws and begins to eyeball Hilda, who's happily chewing away. Eventually, he feigns sleep. Hilda, being a puppy and of a naturally flighty personality, lacks the focus required to completely dispense of a rawhide without distraction. Elvis, the patient scavenger, knows he has only to wait and watch. He's developed quite the taste for a soft, pre-chewed treat, you see. Eventually, inevitably, she drops the rawhide and scampers off, only for a moment, mind you, to investigate some interesting sound or smell. It is all he needs. Smooth as glass, he slinks over filches the treat and slinks back. Hilda, upon returning, is at first bewildered and begins to sniff about. Following the scent too closely to it's source, Elvis growls and hovers protectively over the treats between his paws. At this point, Hilda runs too me and whines and gets another treat. And so the drama continues...



Regarding Hilda's approaching ...umm...b*tch-hood?

Hilda is showing signs that she will soon "become a woman". I've decided to allow this to happen once before I have her fixed. It's supposed to be healthier for the dog. The logistics of it happening, however, will naturally be a problem. When talking to Janelle about it she suggested a Diva Cup. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Short and Sweet

Yesterday was really busy and really profitable. Two senior sessions (one scheduled, one spur of the moment) and a bridal consultation--all went very well. After the appointments were through, a quick trip to the store and a bit of veggie chopping and fresh herbs and I had a nice pot of chicken soup on the stove. I worked on wedding proofs until the soup was ready and then ate (good soup!) and worked some more. Then off for a long run with the dogs, floor exercises, shower and a quiet hour on the back deck in the cool night air making up my list of things to do for the next day. It was a good, fulfilling day. A great follow up to a nice weekend with the fam.

Elvis and Hilda:

They're good pups!

W's b-day in pictures...

...until my camera battery went dead, heh,heh.


W's Big 2nd B-day Extravaganza:

Happy is the boy who's b-day is celebrated via pool party


There was much running and joyful shrieking of small children



There was much daring-do by users of the newly installed, ultra-firm diving board


There was watermelon...



oh, yes...there was watermelon, my friends


Birthday songs were sung while, 2yr old big boys eyed the cake and tried not to grab the train off the top before the people stopped singing...


...without success.


Happy, dripping, be-toweled crowds formed as cake was cut and handed out


Many gifts were opened and much delight was had by the opener and his crowd of cake-filled onlookers


Many a train was played with on that day, I can tell you


And finally, the image that just personifies the whole event:


How cute is THAT???????

A great party for a totally awesome little critter whom I can't BELIEVE is already 2 yrs old!

:0)

...cause I'm baaad...like Jesse James

That was a line from a John Lee Hooker song.
Good ole' Johnny Lee.

When I'm feeling particularly pleased with myself it generally pops into my head. It's one of my happy songs. Zepplin's "Rock'n'Roll" is prob'ly my all-time-super-happy-song.That little guitar riff just perks me up every time.

Anyone else have happy songs? You know, the tune or lyrics just sort of jump into your head at a happy or joyful moment? Care to share? I'm quite curious. :0)

It's been a productive and rewarding week. I booked my first "higher end" wedding (well, she's a-movin on uh-uh-up...) and completed a couple of other big work projects as well. Booking that wedding is a big deal for me. It represents my first booking using my new(and still partially under construction) Package pricing. The lady saw my work, saw my (much higher than anything I've charged before) prices and didn't so much as blink. The consultation ended with a smile on her face and a check in my hand. It just doesn't get much better than that, folks.
I squealed--after making sure she had pulled out of the driveway, of course---and then said a prayer of thanks and then squealed some more. And then sang aloud, all low and bluesy-like "'cause I'm baaaad....like Jesse James"... hee-hee!

On the weight loss front...I think I may have. Lost some weight I mean. My jeans seem less snug and my face may be a tad less hugely fat. Could be just wishful imaginings but hey, I'll take that. Workouts and dieting are tiresome, but I 'm doing OK. I did go a little crazy with the Reduced Fat Wheat Thins last night, but aside from that I've stuck to it.

I didn't get a whole bunch finished on the house this week, but it's in the works for tomorrow.
I wish I had a little more energy and a few less headaches. It would make me much more productive. It's most likely just the ragweed pollen giving me problems. The Weird Leg Itch has calmed down for the time being, though. That is good.

Garden club was tonight. We had a flower arranging "party" in the social hall of a local church. There were big buckets full of wildflowers and cut, cultivated flowers and vases of all shapes and sizes. We basically just grabbed a vase apiece and went to cutting and arranging whilst gossiping and politely critiquing and complimenting one another's work. In the end, we had an informal judging and I came in second place. Refreshments followed: Homemade sour cream pound cake, fresh peaches, ice cream and various finger foods. I had a 2in square of pound cake and about 2 tbs of ice cream and peaches and 2 potato chips. It was SO hard not to grab a giant slab of that moist cake and drench it under a sweet mountain of ice cream and peaches and then scoop a giant handful of delightfully greasy chips and a 1/2 pint of dip onto my plate. So. Hard.

Dieting is NOT for the faint of heart, I can tell you. Temptation is all around you. The TV, the billboards,the radio--heck, just the the smell of grease as you pass McDonalds is enough to start my stomach growling and darken my mood. It's just everywhere. And then there's the whole Forbidden Fruit Syndrome at work, as well. It's always that much more delightful to sneak a snack when you KNOW how wrong it is. I mean, having a piece of b-day cake is great when you're not counting calories. But having a little piece when you know you really shouldn't ...when you know how many calories those 3 little bites of luscious, creamy sweetness hold inside their innocently festive exterior...oh, the forbidden joy it brings...maybe I shouldn't be sharing this...I digress. Ahem.

It was so wonderfully cool last night, I took the dogs for a long walk after dark and sat in the field under the giant oaks. The moon was full, or pretty close, and the night time bugs were in full voice. It was just lovely. I prayed and watched the dogs run around and hunt and play. A good time had by all.

I have an awful lot to do before I can leave for the weekend for W's 2nd B-day partaay. I would so like to return home to an organized house and a not insurmountable pile of work to complete. So, I guess it's going to be a busy day tomorrow. That's alright, though. I really dig my work.

But all the same...come onnnn beach vacation!

Okay, gotta run. The cool night air is like an "upper" for dogs. They're laying waste to my living room, as I write. Time for a walk!

Night, all.

Boring update blog

There hasn't been a whole lot going on here lately that seemed blogworthy. Below, I'm listing a few categorized updates on the goings-on in my little life, just for the record. Those of you who come here for entertainment purposes may just want to skip this one---pretty bland stuff. I was up working really late last night (this morning really--5AM!) so I'm just too pooped to be very creative. :0/

HEALTH
My exercise and low-cal eating regimen is still a "go". I've been doing very well and hope to start seeing some results here soon. On a less positive note, I'm facing a return of the dreaded and still inexplicable Leg Itch. Pretty frustrating.

WORK
Business is pretty good. I've had two return-business customers give me more work this week. I got a very nice check in the mail today and have another consultation tomorrow. Last week's GlamGirls session produced wonderful results and I expect good return business from that, too. Lots and lots of wedding work to get finished this week, too!

OUTSIDE-OF-WORK ACTIVITIES
Attended a really nice church on Sunday. Today, I enjoyed a full afternoon with Melissa and the kids and their little friends at the local arcade/batting cage/go-kart place along with some shopping and a lo-cal supper at a restaurant. Sent an email offering to volunteer my time with the local Republican Party. Still working on massive, whole-house reorganization project. Will carpool with Peggy (my landlady) to Garden Club on Thursday. Looking very forward to W's b-day party this weekend and visiting with Uncle Roy (in town from La.) and the rest of the fam.



I have a bit more work to finish here and then I'm hitting the sack early. I look forward to a full, busy day tomorrow! Happy trails to Mel and the kids on their journey to see Race tomorrow.

'night all! :0)

Dieting Hell, DAY 4

The last few days have been work-as-usual. Except that I'm hungrier and sorer (more sore?). You see, I started on my pre-beach diet and exercise plan: counting calories and running/walking/aerobics/resistance training. Vacation starts Sept. 10th, so I've given myself exactly one month to lose as much weight as possible and tone the flab. Whilst vacationing, it's no-holds-barred eating, of course. Post vacation, it's back to a sensible, healthy eating/exercise plan. Quite suddenly (it seems sudden, anyway) I no longer possess any fat jeans--sadly, I amply fill out the formerly fat jeans and can barely squeeze into my regular jeans. Not good. VERY, not good. *SIGH*
The old metabolism ain't what she used to be, folks. Time to take action. I'm on Day 4 of Dieting Hell and have done really well, thus far. I'm irritable, but I'm OK.

My friend came by on his Harley yesterday evening and took me for a ride up the Parkway. It was really great fun! We rode up into the cooler, higher altitudes of the mountains and took in some gorgeous, hazy views of the valley. We were planning to stop and eat at this restaurant along the Parkway. When we arrived, there was such a long line waiting to get in, that we skipped it and headed back down to a little local eatery (I had a grilled chicken breast, about 6 fries and a diet soda--very diet friendly meal!)

By the time we left, it was dark and we took a long route home, just enjoying the free, adventurous feeling of winding along the back roads in the cool mountain air. Back at my place, I sat in the yard and played with the dogs and started watching for any sign of the Perseids meteor shower. I had the privilege of seeing one really enormous meteor streak across the sky. It was an impressive sight! I was tempted to go and check in Farmer Sammy's fields to see if there was a crater. ;0)

I got up around 4am, this morning, to look for more shooting stars but couldn't keep my eyes open or my head skywards for more than about 20 minutes. I saw a few little streaks, but nothing quite so impressive as The Big One, from the night before. So, I went back to bed.


I would like to add a prayer request for my cousin, Ellen, who is going through a really tough time. Specifically, for her illness and the resulting financial problems. Thanks!


Have a great day, everyone!

Fairy Shoot

We braved cow-pies and briars and poison ivy and heat and humidity and rain. We dealt with fairy wings that fell off and hair that went flat. But Savannah was a real trooper and we got some very cool images. Totally worth it! They're a little on the artsy-fartsy-weird-fantasy side, but I kinda dig that stuff and so does Savannah. (These are from a couple of weeks ago).

The Spiney Mussel Blues

The Stain

The morning after my last post found me still snoring soundly by 10:30AM. The phone rang, startling me awake and I stumbled around to look at the clock and almost fainted. I'd set the alarm on my cell phone for 7:30 AM and it simply didn't go off. Stupid, stupid phone! I still had a whole room to paint and carpets to clean and a consultation to set up for and errands to run and the rental Rug Doctor was due back to the store by 1PM! So. I decide to cut my losses and headed out the door with the Rug Dr. and a handful of paperwork to run the rest of my errands.

Back home, errands complete. Dive into the painting. Alright, everything's okay. I'm thinking I can get it all done and have the room set back up before my 6PM appointment. It'll be tight, but I CAN do it! 3:45 rolls around and 3 out of 4 walls are painted. Only one wall left, but it's a doozie. Crimson colored paint on a light yellow wall. Gonna need 2 coats, minimum. Start getting set up and begin pulling off masking tape from the previous 3 walls. To my dismay, large chunks of fresh paint begin coming off with the tape. YIKES! Alright, minor set-back, I'll touch it up later. I mask the final wall and look at the clock. 4PM. I go to mix the dark red paint and in that instant the unthinkable occurs. Before my very eyes, there's suddenly, shockingly a half a gallon of crimson paint spreading in a dark pool across my carpet. The horror! The humanity! I stood there for a full 30 seconds, I'm sure, just staring helplessly. How can I possibly get this up? Towels, I thought. No. I don't have that many towels--there aren't THAT many towels in the whole world! It's too thick for towels, anyway. And it's too thin to be"picked up". So I ended up frantically scraping at it with a spatula and then as a last resort with my bare hands, trying to scoop it into a dust pan. I'd then fly into the bathroom and dump it down the drain and fly back to the spill and do it again. Eventually I looked down and realized that at some point in my scurrying, I'd stepped in some of the paint and tracked it all over. OH.GOOD. Bloody footprints to finish out that homicide-scene effect. When I had exhausted the scraping/scooping option, I called Melissa for advice. By this time, my house really did have the appearance of a crime scene. I really should've taken a picture! Anyhoo, she directed me to the WTM board. I posted my dilemma and learned from "the hive mind" that keeping the spot damp and then woking it over extensively with a shop vac is the only possible hope. Not being a shop vac owner, I was preparing for a harried flight to Lowe's, when my phone rang and my consultation appointment postponed for the day. Normally, I would be very disappointed by this, as I always need the work. Today I did a small but sincere dance of joy. Now, I had until the next morning to get the house back together.

The carpet spot cleaner I had poured on the stain needed some time to work, so I got busy and finished the first coat on the final wall before I ran out of paint. I was about to jump in the shower and wash off the worst of the blood-like smudges coating my body, when I had the great misfortune of answering my phone. It was a girl who lives down the street, whom I barely know.Who decided to share her sad, sad life's story with me (I get that alot, for some reason). The tale that followed was a redneck soap opera of abusive boyfriends (the last of whom she's still shacked-up with), illegitimate children, drugs and poverty. Very disturbing. Not one of those conversations where you can easily make an excuse and get off of the phone. So I sat there and said "uh-huh"and "oh,man" at all the right intervals and watched the stain on my carpet set-in. When I finally got off the phone, it was after 8PM. I showered and headed out the door just in time to see teenage-neighbor-boy from down the road approaching my doorstep.The dogs, who had been securely locked away in the office, hearing a strange voice, somehow broke free of their confinement and proceeded to tramp all through the stain and run all over the house confusedly, amid my shouts of "NO! DON'T STEP THERE! GET OFF THAT! COME HERE! NO! NOT THAT WAY!MOVE! MOVE! NO! STOP! STAY!" After helping me wrangle the dogs, teenage-neighbor-boy said that he had a shop vac and ran home to get it. 15 minutes later he arrived, vac in hand. We set it up and plugged it in and turned it on and dirt and ashes flew EVERYWHERE! He said that he had another vac at his house that was newer and he just KNEW it would work(I think he was feeling bad about the dirt and ashes). SO, to save time I drove him home and after some searching through a shed full of junk we found a non-functioning Rainbow. His mom, after hearing my sad spill story, was kind enough to lend me her small carpet cleaner. I took it home set it up and gave it a try and it immediately SPREAD the stain to another third larger than it's original size. And coated the inside of the poor woman's steam cleaner with rasberry colored goo. So, I sent the cleaner home with teenage-neighbor-boy, who promised to get the rasberry mess out of it for me, and I headed to Walmart--open 24/7! :0)
I was back home by about 12AM and went to work. The only plug close enough to The Stain, decided to be tempermenal and kept clicking the shop vac on and off every time I moved it. So, I unscrewed the plate and in prying it off the wall it broke into 6 pieces and took giant hunks of my freshly painted wall with it. GOOD. After fiddling with it for a while the plug began to work properly and I set to scrubbing. The first couple of tries were disppointingly fruitless. I eventually found a method using pitcher's full of bleach water and carpet cleaner that started to do the trick. At about 1:30AM I was making real progress, despite the fact that I had to get up and empty the shop vac about every 90 seconds and refill the pitcher. Imagine my utter discouragement when I felt dampness on my leg and turned around from my cramped hands and knees poisition to see an enormous pool of what loked like ultra-concentrated, rasberry Crystal Light on the carpet around the shop vac barrel and sprayed onto my newly painted wall. Apparently the shop vac had malfunctioned and sprayed the last batch of paint water it'd been collecting ALL.OVER.THE PLACE. The carpet stain was now about twice the size it had been when I started scrubbing. And it was on the wall. And all over my pants leg.
I took a 5 minute break to collect myself and started all over again. I finally fell into bed (the futon, still coverless and crammed into the kitchen) sometime between 3-4AM. My consultation for the next morning was at 10AM and I had a REAL alarm clock set for 7:30. The stain was still there, but no longer looked quite so much like the sight of a murder investigation. The giant dark spot was mostly pink now and could be partially, temporarily covered by furniture. The furniture was still half in the yard and half scattered around the house, but I was just too tired to mess with it.
When I awoke the next morning, painfully bright and early, I rolled over and screamed as a fiery crick shot up my neck and paralyzed me for about 10 minutes. The dull pain in my lower back I was able to just ignore. When the crick finally wore off I got up and got ready. I had to wear long pants, because apparently the combination of bleach and carpet cleaner produces a compound which eats human flesh--there were raw spots on my shins and knees. I put the house back together and had my consultation and it went surprisingly well (later in the week, the lady called and booked the wedding with me--apparently the bloody carpet and my haggard appearance didn't put her off--go figure!).

The next few days were spent moving furniture, scrubbing The Stain and moving furniture again and scrubbing some more. It's finally gone.

I think that the moral of this story might be this:

If you ever spill paint on your carpet, don't panic. Just gather your most precious belongings and put them in a safe place and then burn your house down.

Trust me. It' s just easier.

:0)

Just a quick how-do-ya-do

I've spent the last 3 days scrubbing and organizing and cleaning carpets and painting and hauling junk to the outbuiliding. It's past midnight now and I have to repaint the wall I was working on because I truly despise this particular shade, now that it's dry. Dangit.*SIGH*

I have a really busy work week ahead and I'm trying to get all of the house revamping finished so I can hit the ground running.It's going SSSLLLOOOWW. The living room furniture is currently divided between the kitchen and the front yard. I'm really kind of hoping someone will just go ahead and steal the coffee table tonight so I don't have to move it again. Perhaps I should take down the "Beware of Dog" sign. Just for tonight. I really don't like that table, yet I lack the courage or fortitude to just haul it to the dump. It's an antique, I think, and I just keep hanging onto the fantasy that some fine day I'll repair that cracked wheel and I will sand it and revarnish it and I will love it and hug it and squeeze it and....Ah, well. The night is young and the neighborhood is full of ne'er-do-wells. Perhaps fate will smile upon me, yet, heh, heh. ;)

I have pics from Dad's b-day, Jack's B-day and some very cool images I did of Savannah, dressed as a medieval-woodland-fairy-maiden-type-girl. I just don't have time to post them right now. Aaannd I just spilled wine on my keyboard for the umpteenth time. Alrighty, then.
Gonna quit with the wine and get back to work.Will blog more when the housework is through. Nighty-night, all.