Andrew's Truck Got a Bath

So the nasty little truck that Andrew proudly drives to and from work each day, got a bath today!! And I don't mean that it was outside while it rain really hard...or it got driven through the standing water on the road. I mean a legit car wash type bath. And maybe if he is lucky, I will take the time to clean the interior at some point in the near future.

Now why I am so excited about this - well first it hadn't been washed in...ohhhh...three years and second, I hate when I brush up against it in my work clothes because then they get nasty all over them.

So instead of threatening Andrew that I was going to trade it in, I washed it for him. But if the dang, stinkin', stupid, inadequate brake light system fails for the sixth time (yep, already happened 5 times) or gets recalled for a third (that's right Chevy recalled it once and couldn't get it right so they did a second time last month) - I will trade it rather than getting it fixed. But it is paid for (thanks to the Ouzts') and one car payment is much, much better than two.

I am only slightly upset that my hard-earned tax dollars went to a company that needs three times to figure out how to design a brake light system...not to mention how angry it makes me that the Ouzts' paid hard-cash to have it repaired at least three times, we paid once, and it has been covered by recall twice.

Crazy Me

So we got invited over to fellow resident's home for dinner and board games on Sunday evening and were asking to bring a potato dish and a dessert. Andrew immediately says, "Gray will make her twice baked blue cheese potatoes," and I say, "I'll make a peach cobbler." No problem, fairly easy things to make. In fact I only needed sour cream, potatoes, and bacon from Kroger.

But while on my morning walk prior to church on Sunday, I have this thought - I don't want to use up my good Georgia peaches yet, and I have a turtle cheesecake recipe that I have been wanting to try. Sure, why not make a cheesecake?? I mean, they are super easy (ha, right), and take no time to put together. Oh and I also decided not to skip church...awesome...now I have to get to Kroger, come back unwrap carmels, rush to the Church, rush back home and get in the oven no later than 1:00...we don't usually get out until 12:15ish and it takes 15 minutes to get home...

Anyway - it all worked out - the cheesecake wasn't too bad to make, and I got it in the oven right at 1:00 and it was ready for the freezer by 2:00 for the needed at least 3 hour freeze.

And here is the result...(this was as I was tempting my coworkers to eat the leftovers on Tuesday so it looks a little ragged because of the plastic knife we were using).

Friday Update

Okay so the bottle of wine is needed now...not later...

1) found the missing files with the assistance of Kim and D2

2) got a call asking for assistance filling out a form that does not apply to the community in any way, shape, form, or fashion...stupid federal bureaucracy...

3) got a call from a county supervisor asking for a grant for a new fire truck but gave me the spill as if I was the one funding the project and failed to realize that unless the rest of the board wanted to apply he was wasting his time...

4) #3 and #2 are related to grants from the same stupid agency...

5) got an email requesting economic impact information that we don't have for a grant application due on Monday that we ended involvement with because the community doesn't have the $7M match that is required...

6) was told to reply to #5 with "where is the match" and "we don't have the information you need"

7) got asked to call one of the businesses on Hwy 80 to tell them that our subcontractor would be out taking pictures of their site because the subcontractor didn't have their phone number...it is a massive "CAT" rental, repair and sales center...google it...come on...

8) still have to proof read zoning and land use ordinances from someone that believes everyone still uses or has access to Word Perfect rather than Word...

9) the same author thinks Italics, Bold, and Underline should be used in just about every sentence...

Wine, Beer, Sweetwater, Woodford...something...anything...hurry...please....

My Teeth...

Okay so I just need to brag for a minute...

I visited the Dentist yesterday and much to Andrew's and Sister's dismay, I still have no cavities...never, none, nothin', ain't goin' happen!!

He told me that my teeth are beautiful, healthy and show that I really take care of them. In fact he believes that I rinse and floss daily...haha, what a joke...my teeth get flossed about 4 times a year...twice when they do it with my cleaning and twice more at random points when something gets stuck...and I never use mouthwash...hahaha...but I do brush thoroughly twice a day...

Sister's response to me giving her the required post-dentist visit call..."Gray all your teeth are going to fall out at the same time one day and I am going to laugh when you call to tell me."

Now, I need to get back to proof reading zoning and land use ordinances while crunching ice and drinking coffee!!

Oh..Friday...

Whelp, even though it is Friday...

1) my knee and wrist have a dull nagging pain (so I didn't walk/run this morning)...
2) got up extra early and was at the office by 7:10 for no reason at all...
3) found that approximately half of my electronic files related to the Hwy 80 project are MIA...
4) have long day of proof reading zoning and land use ordinances in front of me...
5) Andrew is on call...
6) our new TJ Maxx opened, but I have no budget for shopping...dang it...
7) need to cut this grass this evening...
8) since I ate a blizzard last night, I can't eat out for lunch today...

But...when I get home today, I do have half a bottle of wine that needs to be consumed...

Just figured I would share what my day is shaping up to look like...

Where are our minds??

Sooo....its official....we have lost our minds...well really Andrew lost his mind, mine has been gone for a while....but we are getting a dog...and not just any dog...but the 50lb, 4 month old, wide-open, harlequin/merle Great Dane puppy that MB and Hugh bought on July 5.

Tucker is coming to live with us since he could not get along with his other brothers. It was described as a love/hate triangle...Tico hates John and Tucker, John hates Tucker but loves Tico, and Tucker wants to love both Tico and John...not to mention, John is more than a handful on his own - there is no need to be training to crazy boys at the same time.

We will pick him up in Atlanta on August 29 after Natalie's wedding in Tallapoosa, GA. First, Natalie went to Mercer and is doing Med/Peds out here - you can say that she is one of the reasons that we are out here (and will likely play a role in where Andrew practices)...second, Tallapoosa is just over the Georgia line on I-20 from Alabama...and third, MB had to come to Atlanta for work so Mom and Dad are keeping Tucker and Tico for her while she is working and they will just keep Tucker until the next weekend when they bring him to Atlanta to us.

Trains, Tractors, and Lawn Mowers...

We had the great honor of hosting MB, John, Tico, and Tucker over the weekend while Hugh worked.

We visited the Ag Museum and its train and tractors (and a few animals thrown in). There is an actual museum building with all kinds of tractors, airplanes, cotton bales, etc and an outdoor "old town" complete with barnyard, general store, etc...but in the museum there is currently a huge model train display and did John love it. Not to mention the hundreds of toy tractors sitting on a high shelf...he was just pissed that he couldn't play with the stuff.

(Note: The kid demands that he wear his hat and sunglasses any time he is outside.)

Then we headed to Bass Pro so he could see the fish and the deer and the bear and the turkey and ducks. We forgot about all the 4-wheelers and side-by-sides. Although John really enjoyed all the animals, he enjoyed the "tactors" the most.

Then as they were leaving he spotted our push mower...the entire time MB and I were loading the van, John stood beside the mower saying "lawn mow, lawn mow." He was so excited he couldn't stand it. Then trouble set in, when I loaded him in the van for them to leave, he started pitching a fit...and I mean a royal fit...he wanted to take the "lawn mow" with him. Once MB got to the gas station, she took John inside to walk around and it seems he forgot the "lawn mow" and was mostly peaceful the rest of the way.

I hear something...

...it sounds like John telling his mom what to pack in his suitcase!!

That's right - Andrew and I are so excited that John is bring both his brothers (Tico and Dog/Tucker) and his mom to come spend the weekend with us. Granted Andrew would be slightly more excited if John's dad didn't have to work, but he is pretty excited about getting to play with John and Tucker.

So while I clean my house five times to make sure it is spotless and make sure the bug Sister killed in March isn't in the window - y'all get jealous that you are going to miss out on the dog walking, swimming, chick-fil-a milkshakes, peach ice cream, lawn mower dreaming, train searching, and about a million other things. And with it being Sister - I can assure you we will make at least one trip to Williams-Sonoma...some times I think she comes up here just for our Kroger, Fresh Market, and Williams-Sonoma.