Sunday/Monday recap

Ok, this is about the cutest thing EVER! My grandmother and I stopped to visit Parker and Emma (and Larry and Ashley) last night after dinner. They are growing like weeds! They're now smiling and laughing and really responding. Ashley took this pic a couple of weeks ago (I bought them the outfits!). Don't you just want to squeeze them?



My grandmother asked if they were identical. I said, "No, one of them has a pee pee."

After surviving the strong winds last night that knocked out the power and downed power lines and tree limbs all over the Fort, I met my friend Susan at the country club to work at a golf tournament. Thankfully no one had a video camera on us as we, quite comically, struggled to put up a tent in the rain. Then it stopped raining just after we were done. By that time I had frizzy hair and two inches of mud on the bottom of my pants. The rest of the day was pleasant, and we got to visit in between guys stopping by for our bananas, cereal bars, and bottled water.

I dropped $113 on running gear at Academy Sports this afternoon. You may recall that Lonnie, Jen and I are going to "run" in a 5K this Saturday (the quotes are for Lon and me, who will probably walk 90% of it). Needless to say, if I'm going to run five feet I need to look good. So I bought new shorts, two shirts, running socks, and an industrial strength sports bra.

After a pedicure at my favorite nail place (yes, I'm a brat), I came back to Siloam and met my friends John and Tricia for dinner. Now I'm just unloading my car and thinking I need to get on the treadmill. But I probably won't.

Yesterday, after Sunday School, I headed to the big city of Midland (pop. 221) to celebrate Dad's day with my dad, stepmom, brother, nephews, and niece. I also got to see the famous Uncle Cecil Missouri, who's evidently forgiven me for deserting her five months ago. We ate burgers and watched Chance try out his new golf club while Hope played with her imaginary baby sister. When we left, Hope told Brad, "Bye, Daddy. Happy Fodders Day." It was cute.

This coming weekend is Brady's birthday party, so I called to find out what he wanted. He wants cash to buy a big screen TV. Lucky thing his mom's a doctor.

I hope everyone had a happy Fodders Day and sustained little or no wind damage. Is it too early to go to bed?!?

{ last dance }

While I really haven't been in Conway long enough to form major attachments, it's still a little sad to be leaving. This week I've started experiencing all the "lasts" associated with a major life change. Last Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday of work. Last council meeting (and last time to take minutes... yeah!). Last boring and pointless spreadsheet (at least at this job). Turning off utilities, turning on utilities. Packing, packing, packing.

My boss has an all-day meeting in Little Rock on Friday, so tomorrow's our last day together. And while I won't miss most of the mindless drivel I've done for 10 months, I will miss her, because she's been completely awesome. I've learned a lot about managing with respect, grace and ethics from her.

Tomorrow my pal Estella is coming to spend the night, and we're meeting Joe at Mike's Place for dinner. Friday night I'm going to Little Rock to have dinner with Brent and Dave. And Sunday Joe's taking me to Michelangelo's for our farewell dinner/packing party reward.

You'd think as much as I change jobs and cities, I'd be used to this by now, but it's always hard to say goodbye, even if you know it's the right thing to do.

When I gave my notice at the rental place here, they informed me that, since I was breaking my lease, I'd forfeit my deposit. No problem. But then they told me that I was responsible for rent for the final two months if the place didn't re-rent during that time. They haven't shown it at all, so I've been freaking out. But when I called today, they've already rented it sight-unseen. Woo-hoo! No paying rent in two places!

And I got my new job contract in the mail today, which made me VERY happy.

Oh, and Dad reported today that Cecil is finally acclimating to her new digs. Evidently she's still acting like a diva (which is not surprising at all), but she is letting them touch her now. But only when it's her idea.

Cecil, the foster cat

More than a decade ago, my niece, Paige, adopted a cat and named him Uncle Cecil Missouri. Upon discovering that Cecil needed to be spade rather than neutered, she refused to change her name, so the girl cat remained Cecil. Cecil lived the first few years of her life in Midland, then she came to live with Mom and me for over a year in Hartford, then she moved with me into the new house in Midland where she remained with my brother's family until last November, when I somehow regained custody and moved her into my house in Fort Smith (did you get all that?). She moved with me to Conway in March. And now, since I can't have pets in the new place and my dad and Vickie were nice enough to adopt her, she's in another new home.

It's been a traumatic day. After work I put Cecil in her crate (which she hates) and in my car (which she hates more) and took her to Dad and Vickie. She cried the whole way. I struggled not to cry, too. Because even though she makes me crazy, it's nice that something cares when I come home. And it was depressing when I got home from the ball game and she wasn't there to greet me. Now I'm laying in bed and she's not on the pillow beside me. And that's kinda sad.

2 phones, 1 girl

Today I got an e-mail from my new boss, telling me that I'll need a cell phone for the new job, and since the university doesn't support my iPhone, they've reserved me a Blackberry. Really, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but since my iPhone contract doesn't expire 'til November 2009, it looks like I'll be carting around two cell phones. Yeah, I'm THAT GIRL. You know, the one who tries to look important by carrying around multiple phones. I swear, if I start wearing a Bluetooth headset into Wal-Mart and talking in the produce aisle, somebody kick me in the rear.

Last night I finished packing up the china cabinet, so things are plugging along. I can't believe I only have 11 more days of working at UCA and only 17 more days 'til the movers are here. I'm trying to be more organized this time and not just throw random stuff in boxes. I won't have to be frantic for another 10 days or so.

Tomorrow after work I'm meeting my dad and stepmom in Ozark for barbeque, then we're going to see Taylor play basketball. I haven't seen a game all year! And, if it's not too cold, Uncle Cecil Missouri will be accompanying me so that we can complete her adoption to dad's house (my new place doesn't allow pets).

Man, this going back to work has been tough. I can't go to sleep early, and I don't want to get up in the morning. I can barely hold my eyes open right now.

So, g'night.

Scrub the Floors, Cindarelly

I've been cleaning the ol' casa for three and a half hours. I just don't understand how I accumulated so much filth. I live alone. I'm reasonably neat. How is my place so messy? I vacuumed up five pounds of hair... part of it mine, part of it the cat's. Granted, hair loss runs in the family, but unlike my dad and my brother, mine seems to grow back.

Now I'm watching Barely Manenough sing "Mandy" on "Dancing with the Stars." That's actually a good song. Barely looks like he's had almost as much work as Wayne Newton.

And allegedly Sabrina Bryan's departure on "Dancing" is the biggest shock ever (kinda like "the most dramatic rose ceremony ever" every week on "The Bachelor.") I for one am happy not to have to hear anymore adjectives like "cheetalicious."

I'm excited about tomorrow 'cause I'm meeting my friends Joe and Estella in Little Rock for dinner at PF Chang's then shopping at Williams Sonoma and the Fresh Market (my two favorite stores). I'm also hoping that the kids from the child center eat all of the Halloween candy I've been stuffing my face with at the office when they trick-or-treat in the morning.

Wow. I just realized how very random this whole entry is. Sorry... I'm exhausted from the hair extraction.

So, what's everyone going to be for Halloween? Hope's going as her favorite movie character, "Cindawewa."

Ride 'em, Cowboys!

I was on my third cup of coffee before 8 a.m. this morning. Why? Because I was woken up not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES last night, and I'm very sleepy.

After a nice dinner at Mike's last night to commemorate my boss' last week, I headed home to settle in for a good, old fashioned butt whoopin' of the Bills. Um, that didn't happen.

Romo threw four INTs before half (two of which were ran back for TDs), and the undefeated Cowboys appeared to be caught looking ahead to next week's showdown with the Pats. So when the Bills went ahead 24-14, I gave up and went to sleep.

My pal Ryan called at 11 p.m. to talk some smack about the "Cowgirls" (his term). His glee was short-lived as the impossible happened... on-side kick and not one but TWO 50+ yard field goals made to win the game for America's team.

One of the bloggers on si.com called it the "greatest regular season game I've ever seen." I don't know about that. Exciting? Yes. The sloppiest game that the winning team didn't deserve to claim? Perhaps. The #1 play on SportsCenter's top 10? Absolutely. But the best game ever? Doubtful. The best game would infer that someone deserved to win. Last night's game was a showcase of who wanted to give away the game more... the Cowboys who had six turnovers, or the Bills, who only had three offensive points.

We'll take the "W." And deserved or not, the 'Boys are 5-0 for the first time in over two decades.

So I finally got back to sleep after midnight. The cat woke me up for attention (and subsequently being thrown off the bed) at 3 a.m., at which time I reset my alarm for 7 a.m. My dad called at 6:35 a.m. to talk about the game.

See, I do dearly love my Cowboys, but let's talk about it when I'm awake, okay?

And for those of you waiting for my "Bachelor" reviews, my apologies. Monday night's when my testosterone leaks out and I trade giggling girls for bumbling commentators. Sorry, Emmitt. Perhaps you should stick to the paso doble.