Recap of the Fall

Here's a not so quick update on our fall.  We've been busy...

Let's start with Labor Day!  We went to Ohio to see Hubbie's Mom and extended family.  While we were there, we went to "The Farm".  Puppy came with us.  What is making ripples in the water you ask...that's Puppy.  He loves the water.  

Just swimming with my stick.  The only way we could get him out of the water,was to throw a stick in and have him fetch and bring it back to us.  If we just called him, he would just keep swimming around.   

Chewing on my stick in the weeds.  He was so funny.  He had to sit in the weeds.  But isn't he just the cutest!  Taking puppy to the farm is always so fun.  The only down side is you have to keep an eye on him.  When you aren't looking, he will head back to the pond to swim around.  Sneaky little dog.  

An update on Puppy.  He is currently at my Mom and Dad's house under surveillance.  He was starting to walk really funny and be so lethargic and so I took him to my parents for him to get looked at.  We found out that he has some compressed discs in his back.  Now he is on some pain meds and being watched to see how he improves.  Life at our house just isn't the same since he has been gone, but extremely thankful that my Dad is a vet!

Mid September.... 

We were invited to go to a UNC football game.  Not just any ole seats at the football game.  We got to sit in the Blue Zone.  Talk about nice!  As you can see they were in the end zone.  Inside there was a buffet that you could eat from the whole game and then outside we got to sit at these seats with cushy blue roller chairs.  Hubbie loved these seats.  Not because of the chairs, but because there were these little tv's every two seats so he got to watch the Auburn game.  He was living the high life.  

Livin the high life!!

Moving on to October...

Hubs got tickets to the Duke Midnight Madness!  Yup, we got to to Cameron Indoor.  What a sight and a fun night!  What a treat to get inside Cameron Indoor too!

The Blue Devils!  Not that we favor any team here in the Raleigh - Durham - Chapel Hill area.  We are glad to support all three and in fact we have.  Just keep reading.

We took a break from sports and one weekend headed to the NC State Fair with Andy's Dad and his wife.  This was the winning pumpkin and watermelon.  Yup, that does say 522 pounds.  Hello!!!!!  State fairs are always interesting and you can never leave without eating some of the fair food.  We did our share by eating corn dogs and funnel cake. I love funnel cake!!!

Mid-November:

Our friend here in Raleigh invited us to a NC State game.  This game was against Clemson and so we were really hoping NC State would win since Clemson beat Auburn, but we weren't holding our breath since Clemson was favored.  I don't know if we were good luck, but NC State won!!!!  Yeah!  Another bonus - Hubbie was able to do a lifelong dream....  

Yup, he got to cut a pig that had been smokin all day.  

He was so happy that he got to be apart of this!!  He could hardly wait for them to start and then he just moved in.  I first saw him with just a knife in his hand.  I was like how did he get that knife...then he got the tongs and I knew it was all over.  It wasn't even his pig!

The evidence!

That pretty much wraps up our fall.  In between events, we packed - moved - unpacked.  Fought with leaves and acorns.  Still fighting with leaves...we have so many!!!   At one point I thought they might win, but then we got a second wind!  I see a victory in our near future.  

Stay tuned for the story of Biscuit!  Biscuit - who is that?  Well, stay tuned and you will soon find out!

5 Things I'll Miss About Our Apartment!!

We've Moved!! And yes, while that is exciting!, our house is a pile of boxes that seems to grow rather than vanish.  Some of these boxes I haven't opened since I packed them last November when we moved to NC.  Kind of makes you wonder if you really need what is in those boxes....but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  I just can't part with my moose mugs!!  I must have them in my cabinet.  Doesn't matter if I haven't seen them in almost a year. 

I've digressed from the reason I'm writing this blog.  I will miss our little apartment.  So as a goodbye gift to that special abode - here is a list of things I will miss.

1.  Ability to walk across the street to the grocery store.  Talk about convenience!! 
2.  The easy running routes that were accessible from our complex.  I'll miss running in the country club down the street (even though snot rocket man lives there).  Such great sidewalks!  Can't over appreciate a good sidewalk.
3.  The gym at our apartment complex.  Convenience again.
4.  Our covered patio.  You could people watch for hours out there.  And since we were hidden in the trees, you couldn't really see us. 
5.  Some of the people who we have fondly nicknamed:  Bearded Man, Mr. Walker, Hut and Tut, AKC and we will miss seeing the ugliest dog known to the planet:  Guiness.  Oh how we will miss all your snorts.  You truly are the ugliest dog I've ever seen.  I mean that in the best way possible. 

Goodbye Apartment!

Things that happen while running...

I can't believe it!  I really can't believe it.

I was running the other evening.   As I was running, I jumped off the sidewalk to pass this man walking his dog.  As I was passing him, he shot a snot rocket!!!!  I mean right as I'm almost parallel with him boogers being shot out of his nose in my direction.  I'm sure I got hit, but I don't want to think about it.  There isn't that much space between the sidewalk and the road.  My reaction:  I just kept running in disbelief.  I did do a quick glance to see if the fellow knew what he had done, but he didn't seem fazed.   No expression on his face, like "oh I didn't see you there", etc.  Nothing!

So here is my warning to all you runners out there:  BEWARE OF THE SNOT ROCKET SHOOTER!!!   He walks his dog in the evening and he doesn't care.  Just doesn't care if he hits you.  If you see him, quickly run in the opposite direction. 

U2

This post is so overdue, but hey better late than never!

For a Christmas present two years ago, my sister and her husband gave Hubbie and I tickets to see U2 with them in Denver at the Broncos Stadium.  Isn't that such a cool present?  No, I'm not 2 years behind in posting.  Bono, whose real name is Paul (how boring after being called Bono your whole life),  hurt his back the summer we were supposed to see him and so he canceled his tour and scheduled it for the following summer.  So in May, Hubbie and I flew out for the weekend for the concert.  It was a once in a lifetime concert.  I mean when is the next time you will see U2??

Anyway, I took some pictures with my phone, which I will warn you did not come out well.  I think I was just so excited.  My favorite part of the whole night was after the opening band (the frey) finished, they turned off all the lights and all you could see were cell phone lights.  It was pretty neat.

This was their sound booth.  Kind of cool - right?

This is the stage - the spider looking thing.  

It was Mid May in Colorado, so it was kind of chilly.  Fine with my fleeces.  This is Hubbie's new favorite hat.  He got it at the Durham Bull's game (the local AAA baseball team in Durham).  I think it is also his favorite because it is Auburn colors.  

In between the opening band and U2, they would put up all these random facts on the screens.  Some were interesting, some depressing.... Later it made for a really neat screen to see U2.

Not a great photo, but this is when they turned off the lights and all the cell phones popped up.  You can't get the feel from the photo, but it was really spectacular.

Yup, that's them.....U2.

So, that was the trip.  Kudos to my sister and husband for a fabulous Christmas gift.  We are always up for more concerts:)
 

Bailey goes to Camp!!

This week, the place where I work, hosted a day camp for the kids at the Durham Rescue Mission.  They have a shelter for women and children.  The children from the shelter came everyday and we did all kinds of fun things with them including a slip and slide on the last day.  We also taught them about Jesus!   They were so precious and I wanted to take each one of them home!  Another fun thing is I got to bring Bailey to work with me!!

Bailey was a huge hit and such a good dog.  They loved him!!  They hugged on him and combed him, took him on walks and threw the ball to him.  Bailey was so tired at the end of the day.  He would come home and just sleep the whole time. Usually in the mornings when we get up, Bailey will hear us and come into our bedroom.  On the mornings after being at camp, we would have to wake him up.  


Here are some pics!  Enjoy!  

Just adorable!

Puppy getting combed.  He loved this! All the attention!

Strawberry Pickin'

Hubbie and I went Strawberry Picking last weekend at Page Farms (pictured above).   It was only about 4 miles from our house and had tons of strawberries.  I was so impressed!!  Neat and clean and strawberries.  What more can I ask for?? It wasn't crowded either.   Another plus.  Enough people for entertainment and people watching, but no fighting over strawberries, although that would have been fun to watch.  My fav are all the kids with the pink all around their mouth from eating strawberries.  Right before you get your bucket to pick, there is a sign that says, "Tasting allowed, but please do not graze!"  Loved it!

Hubbie picking strawberries.   His favorite part about picking strawberries were the the old timers (his term) that were sitting in their lawn chairs when we pulled up wearing overalls and the old time baseball cap.  They must have been the owners of the farm observing operations.  Anyway, he knew it was going to be a good place after seeing them.

We chose the small bucket.  Those strawberries were so red and so good!  I went to work on Monday and they asked what we did over the weekend.  I told them and they asked what I made with the strawberries.  Much to their sadness, I said just a pie and then gave some to some friends where we ate dinner.  Their response, no jam, no freezing, nothing else.  Jokingly they said, somebody got the LB this weekend.  Unfamiliar with what LB meant, I proceeded to ask what that was.   They said, "Lazy Bug".  Yeah, I didn't feel like doing a lot.  Just wanted to pick and eat and then be done.  So, maybe next year I'll jam it up. I did end up making 2 pies since we had so many strawberries and then we just had some plain sliced .  I tell ya, I forgot how good my grandma's strawberry pie is.  Just yummy!  I'll give you the secret ingredient:  7Up!  Who knew people still drank 7Up, but they still sell it in the stores.

Strawberries, Strawberries, Strawberries.  They were everywhere and so many and so red and beautiful.  Hubbie gets the award for finding the biggest strawberry.  I had a picture, but it didn't turn out.  Too many shadows.

More of the farm.  It was a great day. Not hot, just perfect.  

Stanky Leg

This is hilarious.  Hubbie and I laughed so hard.

I know it is long, but be patient!  If you can't wait, then scroll to around the 2 minute mark. You will be rolling...

Holla to all my Memphis friends...doin the stanky leg!!