oh man I missed it!

I'm very sad that life's events caused me to miss a Thursday Thirteen post.
Please forgive me and I promise to get back on track next week!

We are having one of my favorite type of days here in NE TX. If it would only be raining too that would make it just perfect! It's windy and almost chilly! I'm soooo making chili for dinner tonight!

Ok, I don't know about the rest of the world but C and I listen to music as we fall asleep each night. (I also have to have a fan on but that's not what this paragraph is about.) Usually it is a cd that has Meryl Streep reading The Velveteen Rabbit story w/ George Winston piano music in the background. Recently, I purchased from wallyworld one of those cd's from that spot that has that machine where you can hear a sample of the music, they usually have seasonal type music and instrumental stuff. I have a few from there and I really like them. NEWAY: my most recent cd purchase from there was "Dreamsurf: ocean waves for relaxation" I love love love love it! It reminds me of many things, the first 21 yrs of my life on Long Island, our recent vacations to Rockport, MA where the B&B is right on the ocean and you sleep w/ your balcany door open to hear the ocean. It's so awesome and sooo relaxing, we are really digging this cd. If you listen to music to fall asleep to, I highly reccommend this cd. If you don't, I reccommend you start and get this cd! and no this is not a paid advertisement! ;-)

Ok, so the closing on the house in IL that has been up for sale for 20 months is today at 2pm! I'm sooooo excited to finally be rid of it! God's timing never ceases to amaze me!
Before we made the official move to TX, I had the house inspected by the city... at first it didn't pass and they gave me a list of things to do... I did what I could and then paid someone else to do the rest. The inspector came back and said we passed. I even have the paper to prove it.... somehow 14 months later it no longer passes the city inspection. We offered the buyer some dough (that we really didn't have) to get the stuff taken care of on her own. She accepted and we signed papers. The new inspector insisted that there was no way this house had passed inspection just last year blah blah blah and he had a whole list of stuff he didn't like. Well, new buyer took care of it, called an electrician and a plumber and a handyperson, sunk a chunk of money into the house already and everything is taken care of. Inspector comes out again and almost fails the house b/c an outlet cover wasn't on. Mind you the outlet cover and screws where right there on the floor in front of the outlet. Our realtor went and got a screwdriver and put it on! That inspector is a moron! We found the inspection report from last year last night in our office. C is faxing it to our realtor to show her (and the new buyer) that the house really did pass inspection before we left it. The date of the inspection August 29, 2005. What in the world has happened to my house in the 14 months since I've been gone???? According to our realtor there were no amendments made in the city code that affected our house. So tell me, how come one city inspector will pass a house and another city inspector (for the same city!) fails it!??!?!?! I just can't wait until tomorrow when I am the homeowner of 2 houses instead of 3!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

This is a C A K E ?????

Holy cow did I have fun!

So this weekend was, like, a total blur and I loved every bit of it!
I'm sooooo glad that I went to OK w/ our youth choir. I had such a good time getting to know them those wackos better.
As you know from previous posts of mine, I am from New York and not upstate country New York, I am a Jewish (turned Christian)girl from Long Island. I spent a few years in the middle part of America and the last 13 months here in the NE corner of Texas otherwise known as Dallas. Dallas is not a small town by any means, and you know what they say, "everything is bigger in Texas". I have discovered that while Dallas may not be a 'coastal' city (ie: New York, LA, Chicago (it's on the Great Lakes) or any other major city I just can't quite put my finger on right now) the Dallas-ites are quite, um, how can I say... big city, I guess. They are very used to creature comforts (and then some!)they are quite high-tech, and most have the latest and greatest of whatever the newest thing might be. This remark is in no way intended to make fun of or offend any local that may come upon this 'musing' today; it is solely intended to make totally clear what happened to us this past weekend.
So, 3 15 passenger vans and one pickup truck hauling a small Endtime Ministries trailer made their way to a VERY small town in Oklahoma on Friday evening. We arrived around 7pm or a little after. It was COMPLETLY dark out there in the sticks. I saw more stars (in the sky) this weekend then I've EVER seen in my life! It really was beautiful. But I say that to show you just how dark. it. really. was. As we piled out of our vehicles we were met with a rather interesting ragamuffin looking group. Their talk and dress left me and the rest of our group quite speechless. We were like deer in headlights. Dumbfounded. Was this for real? It was like every hee haw character was being introduced to us. They warned us to stay away from the farm animals, to watch for 'cow patties', and to use the outhouses should nature come calling. OH. MY. GOD! I don't even like to use public facilities, let alone a port a potty! It wasn't too long that the whole hillbilly thing was revealed as a joke on us city slickers, (thank goodness!) We had work to do, so the kids played volleyball and roasted hotdogs over an open fire on wire hangers (?!?) C and I set up the sound equipment which took just about 2 hours, we had 5 speakers, 18 mics, 12 mic stands, 1 small sound mixer board, 1 large sound mixer board, a 100' long snake box, and about a mile in various other cables. Seriously, I was just about ready to call for the choir to do a sound check when I was told the whole thing would have to come down and be covered up or put away because there was a threat of frost. oh and we needed to do it quickly so that the boys could get out to the field to put up their tents. I just about cried. So we broke it all down and covered it up or carried it in so that we could do it all again in the morning. :oh joy:
Saturday went well, the kids sang wonderfully, and we were even able to take down the stage early b/c they needed the trailer for the hayride. All in all, it was one good trip. The bathroom situation bothered me quite a bit, but I was able to hold 'it' far longer than I ever thought was possible. It's a good thing I've never been pregnant.... I hear its a killer on your bladder!
Here is a pic of the red-neck drum stool that they set up for us! I really wanted the picture with the goats behind us but you can't see the stool as well in that one!

TOTALLY Random stuff from my head!

01. I'm dreading and excited about this weekend.

02. I have so many things I should be doing OTHER than blogging!

03. I hate to miss a TT post!

04. I enjoy (love, actually) working at the church.

05. I have an intense desire to go shopping and spend money we don't have.

06. I wish I was independantly wealthy.

07. Because I am not #6 I can't do #5!

08. I hate that I am a procrastinator!

09. I have ideas that I wish I would implement...

10. I have had ideas that I wish I hadn't implemented!

11. I wish I made my bed everyday. There is no reason why I don't or shouldn't.

12. Today was a beautiful day and I didn't get to take any pictures!

13. I actually love being busy.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Nothing new... sorry.

I have a bunch of things that I could be doing, but I have no drive to actually do them. Not even s c r a p! :GASP!: My floors downstairs are incredibly filthy!!! thanks to 2 dogs and 2 days of rain... however, I am NOT complaining about the rain... we sooo desparetly needed it (and still need more!), I'm just upset that my floors aren't self cleaning... maybe I'll take a pic and show you... I think it actually looks fun, except that it's in my house. brb, gonna snap a photo, hopefully blogger will let me load it!



and the culprits...
Duke Josie


I guess this is a little new, we have a contract on our house. Today is their home inspection. As long as nothing 'pops up', we will close on Oct 27th! I'm just gonna hold my breath until then.

Josie has mastered the art of digging her way out of the yard. So on Sunday morning we had some excitement I certainly could have done without. And of course it was raining. When we discovered she wasn't in the yard we went searching...C and I went out the front door, he went to the right and I went to the left... we both heard her bark and spun around... she was somewhere between us! We could hear her, but not see or find her... turns out a neighbor saw her and put her in their garage and then they left!!! (They did put a sign up at the front of our developement but of course we didn't see that until later and after they told us.) I was banging on their door like a mad person! Calvin was talking to the garage door... there was a car parked in the driveway so I pulled the handle and it opened and YAY there was a garage door opener in there so I pushed the button and out ran my little baby. I shut the door and we went home, C fixed the hole under the fence and then we finished getting ready for church. When we got home, we went to meet our neighbors and tell them how we got the puppy. They were super nice and turns out that C had met them once before, and they were so fine w/ how I got Josie out. They actually thought we had gone in the house to get her b/c they leave their front door unlocked! Crazy people! ANYWAY... this just proves to us that we have some yard work to do now. :oh joy:

I'm excited about some new opportunities that are popping up... people are asking me to take some pics for them. I really need to take some classes and get another lens... but those things will have to come with time. Right now, I'm just getting what I can off of the internet and other various resources.

Well, for not having anything new this is a long post!
I'm off to go to the grocery store to return the rug doctor and to pick up some stuff I need to make stuffed shells for dinner!
Catch you guys later!

Have a fantabulous day!!!!

Random Q & A

I totally stole this from Oscar's blog

1. In two words, explain what ended your last relationship? Boredom
2. When was the last time you shaved your legs? Wednesday
3. What were you doing this morning at 8am?Peeing :-)
4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago? getting a bottle of water
5. Are you good at math? Eh, so-so. I just don’t like it.
6. Your formal night? I hate formal stuff!
7. Do you have any famous ancestors? not that I am aware of
8. Have you ever taken out a loan to pay for school? Not yet
9. Do you know the words to the song on your myspace profile? I don’t have one
10. Last thing received in the mail? A gift from my aunt in Austen, TX. She sent a box of samples of loose teas.
11. How many different beverages have you drank today? Water and tea, so far.
12. Do you ever leave messages on people's answering machines? No, hardly ever unless it’s important.
13. Who did you lose your CONCERT virginity to? DCTalk
14. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach? Of course!
15. What's the most painful dental procedure you've had? A filling
16. What is out your back door? My lawn.
17. Any plans for Friday night? Shopping and dinner w/ a friend.
18. Do you like the ocean? Yes, it’s my favorite place to be. I wish I lived near it.
19. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different kinds of popcorn? Yep, but I HATE the cheese flavored one. And I’ve never finished a tin yet!
20. Have you ever been to a planetarium? yes
22. Something you are excited about? Starting school in January
23. What is your favorite flavor of jelly? Seedless strawberry
24. Are any of your great-grandparents still alive? no
25. Describe your keychain. Key fob thing for C’s truck, part of a NY Yankees lanyard, some metal flowers from Making Memories and keys of course!
26. Where do you keep your change? In a cubby spot in my car or in a cup from the National Zoo in Washington, D.C at the house.
27. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people? When I left my church in IL.
28. What kind of winter coat do you have? I don’t wear a coat… ever!
29. What was the weather like on your graduation? I don’t remember!
31. Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed? closed
32. What is your sibling’s middle names? Gregory
33. Where is your dad right now? On Long Island
34. What was the last thing you said? Have-a-good-day-I-love-you!
35. What is something you've learned about yourself recently? I can stand up for myself.
36. What color is your watch? Stainless steel/Silver
37. What do you think of when you think of Australia? Finding Nemo
38. When was the last time you squatted to pee? Seriously can’t remember!
39. Who is the last person you liked? Huh?
40. Are you close to your mom? I was very close to my mom. I miss her terribly.
41. Where does your best friend work? Amdocs Inc.
42. What is your least attractive feature? my weight
43. How old were you when you started wearing a bra? 10
44. What color are your pants? Black (they are shorts actually)
45. Do you have a roommate? My hubby, C.
46. What color is your bedroom flooring? Mostly cream w/some other flecks of color. I haven’t really paid much attention to it.
47. Do you have a chair in your room? Sometimes. Lol, I like to change things up occasionally.
48. What time of day were you born? 9:55pm
49. Do you know anyone who is engaged? Not right now.
50. What's your favorite number? 7
51. Do you know anyone named Laurie? Yes
52. What color is your mom's hair? It was light brown then white.
53. Do you have a dog? Yep, 2!!
54. Where did you live in 1987? Patchogue, LI New York
55. What happened to you in 1993? I graduated high school, went to college, and met my future hubby!!! (good year for me!)
56. Does your first memory involve your dad? Uh no
57. Do you remember singing any songs as kids? Oh yea! All the time!
58. When was the last time you went swimming? This past August.
59. Has your luggage ever gotten lost? Yes, once.
60. When was the last time you talked to your sibling? Last Saturday.
61. Did you ever go to camp as a kid? Yup, church camp.
62. Do you play an instrument? Not really.
63. Have you ever thought it would be cool to smash a guitar? Oh yeah!
64. Do you like fire? It fasinates me and terrifies me at the same time.
65. Where is your best friend from? Dover, DE
66. Are you allergic to anything? Mosquitoes and amoxicillan
67. When was the last time you cried? This morning while reading someone's blog. It was very moving.
68. What kind of shampoo do you use? Pantene
69. Have you ever been to a spa? YES, LOVE THEM!
70. Were you popular in high school? Not really.
71. Did you take science all four years of high school? Yes
72. Do you like butterflies? I never really thought about it.
73. What is the last book you read? New York
74. Do you like Coke or Pepsi more? Pepsi
75. What is one thing you miss about your past? My mom
76. Did you ever see the school nurse? yes
77. Have you ever wanted to be a teacher? Absolutely, even went to college to become one… got married instead!
78. What is one thing you've learned about your life recently? I can always grow and improve.
79. Are you jealous of anyone? I try not to be, but honestly, I am.
80. Is anyone jealous of you? Nah, why would they be?
81. When was the last time you were in an elevator? Monday

Thirteen things that annoy me or tick me off:

01. Idiot drivers
02. Gas tank doors on the passenger side
03. When no one replaces the empty toilet paper roll
04. Traffic
05. Spelling or grammatical errors in published items
06. People who have no consideration for others AT ALL
07. PJ's being worn in public
08. Foul language
09. Running out of an everyday ingredient that I should have in the house
10. Animal cruelty
11. Double standards
12. Being rudely awakened
13. When I screw up or do something brainless

Wordless Wednesday ( which I almost forgot about! )

well, there are words... but they aren't mine!!! lol

I'm back!

Here I am, back in Texas. I got to have 2 weeks of real fall weather and then I was brutally thrown back into summer-like heat! :grrr: I'm telling you this TX weather had better quit it or I'm outta here!

I had a wonderful visit w/ my sister in law, my nephew, my niece, and other family and friends. I miss them all so much already. I was teary eyed in the airport as my brother dropped me off. :big sigh: I really don't like being so far away from my family.

I know that there are some things that need to be worked on on the ole blog... I hope I can get C to help me with that tonight.

I've gotta run... but I may post again tonight.
Take it easy!

Thursday Thirteen

Thursday's Thirteen reasons why I LOVE NEW YORK!
1. B A G E L S!!!!!!!!!!
2. The YANKEES!!!!!!
3. Pizza
4. Broadway shows
5. Most people here know how to drive.
6. The Bay
7. My home church
8. They get all four seasons
9. Dairy Barn
10. The Ocean
11. My lifelong friends are here.
12. Family is here. (ironically also the reason why I don't live here!)
13. It's just cool.