WooHoo!

WOOHOO! We're grillin' steaks tonight!! Hooray - real food!! I am so excited to FINALLY get to use my Dale's steak marinade that I swiped from the Old Lady's pantry the last time I was home. Mmmmm. Plus, Matt and I always have so much fun when we cook. Good times, good times.

Four Gold Stars...

I have to give props to Matt: He, like, did my dishes for me....All weekend. Any time there was a dish in the sink, he put it in the dishwasher and then ran it at the end of the day. After every meal or snack, he cleaned the kitchen and wiped down the counters. I don't even do that. My kitchen has never seen itself so clean.

*Swoon*

We're not in Vancouver anymore....

Here is the thing about Vancouver: People walk everywhere. It is common for a household to own only one car. Some don't own cars at all. That's because people don't mind walking or bussing to and from the grocery store, convenient store, coffee shop, mall, dinner, theater, ect... In awe of this, I decided to drive less and walk more. For instance, the gym and grocery store are in the same tiny shopping center only 4 blocks from my house. Literally less than a 1 minute drive. Yesterday, I decided to walk to the gym. Yesterday, I almost died. Halfway there I kept thinking, "It's not too late to get your car..." I was so hot and exhausted and drained of all energy by the time I got to the gym that I could only stay on the elliptical machine for 15 minutes before I thought I might pass out. So I went into the yoga room and laid on the floor for long while to cool off and catch my breath. (I was "stretching.") It was the most awful experience of my life.

My Poor Abused Credit Card and One Long Lost Hubcap: A Tale of Woe

First of all, let's have a moment of silence for my poor, poor credit card

. . . . . . . .

I has been through so much lately: A week of shopping with Fiona, a trip to Victoria, B.C., and four new tires for my car. Bye, bye cash.

Second of all, let me tell you about my tire-changing experience this morning. So, I woke up at the crack of 6 a.m. to make my way to Wal-Mart before they opened so that I would be the first in line to get new tires. It was still a three hour wait, partly due to the fact that this old geezer in a pick-up truck cut in front of me in line, but I digress... Anyway, I bought my tires, and they look fabulous. I ran a few errands, and then when I got home, I noticed I was missing a hubcap. My back passenger side tire was incredibly naked! So I call Wal-Mart to see if maybe it fell off in the parking lot when I drove away. They tell me, "Oh, yeah, one of the clips broke..." I say, "Why didn't you tell me that? Why did you even bother to put it back on if you knew it was broken?" They did not have a response. Apparently, I befuddled them. At that point I get in my car and retrace my steps around town looking for the long-lost hubcap. And there it was: In the middle of the intersection, broken in two pieces.... I wanted to retrieve it and at least bring it home, but I feared I might suffer the same terrible fate as my hubcap. Poor, poor hubcap....

This Just In....

Melissa is found. Not to worry. She is safe and sound, and she sent me presents. I LOVE this kid!

Missing....

This is my friend, Melissa. She has been avoiding my calls for MONTHS!!! I think she is lost. If found, have her call me (I will be home tomorrow). I miss our witty banter :(

Not so hillarious story:

Did I tell you about the time I tried to fly to Canada without a passport and/or birth certificate? Not a fun experience, let me tell you. So I got to the airport in Tucson last Tuesday and the desk clerk asked for my passport. Well, I dont have one. I also forgot to bring my birth certificate. The guy gives me my boarding pass anyways, and checks my luggage all the way through to Vancouver, but then leaves me with the comforting farewell, "Just so you know, if you were to get detained at the border, it is your responsibility to pay for a flight back home...." Well thanks buddy. Once I got to Vancouver International Airport, I had a bit of bickering with the Customs Officer, but eventually finagled my way across the border. I had Daddy-O overnight my birth certificate to Fiona's house. Problem solved, right? Not quite. When 24 hour delivery had not arrived after 3 days, I decided to call good ole Fed-Ex. Apparently my package had somehow found it's way onto to plane to Dublin. Nice Job guys, but I need it in Canada...like three days ago! Long story short: yelling ensued, and my package arrived 12 hours later. Moral of the story: get your passport immediatly, and don't leave the country without it. And also, Fed-Ex overnight delievery is not always a sure thing.

Greetings From Canadia!

So my first day in Vancouver landed me and Fiona at a salon to get our eyebrows threaded because we both looked dispicable. Very interesting experience. It involves a piece of thread looped and pulled in such a way that it rips out all those stray eyebrow hairs at the root. It only lasted about 3 mins, but by the end, my face was SCREAMING, and for a brief moment I was afriad I was blinded. However, now my eyebrow look amazing! I can't stop glancing at myself in the car's side mirror. Then, we spent the rest of a dreary day at the mall. Shopping. With our credit cards. Very dangerous indeed!

Here's The Thing About Texas...

Here's the things about Texas: Texans are very proud of the fact that they are Texans. Take for instance, the Comfort Inn And Suites in San Antonio, Texas: Their continental breakfast featured a make-your-own-waffle bar with a waffle iron in the shape of the state of Texas. Now, I LOVE Mississippi. In fact, I have a new-found appreciation for the beauty and uniqueness of my home state even more so now that I have moved away from it. But, I really see no need in forming any baked-goods in the shape of Mississippi. Don't get me wrong though --the waffles were EXCELLENT-- I stood in line for 30 minutes just to get one.

Congrats Kate and Eli!

Wedding Weekend 2006 was a hit. Here is a picture of me and Kate at their reception on the Riverwalk. Beautiful wedding, exceptional reception, and great after party...