H2O

Okay, so in the past 18 months, we've had 8 people on staff (or wives of staff people) either have a baby or become pregnant. Upon some of the most recent of news, Jason approached me while I was in the break room/kitchenette refilling my water bottle saying, "It must be in the water - my wife & I are having a baby!" While I rejoiced in the great news, I about choked on the water I was about to drink. Someone call 911...if it's in the water, I'm about to dehydrate.

So Sad

So Brent and I drove by one of our most favorite restaurants the other day. Really, we love this restaurant. It's a Mediterranean grill, and they had some of my favorite foods - hummus, tabouli, falafel, kibbeh, kosheri, stuffed grape leaves, and lamb. We loved this place so much they began to recognize us when we came in, they knew our "regular" order, and loved it when we introduced new friends and family that we came in with to eat. So when we drove by the other day, they were closed, which we thought was odd, but we recognized one of the workers who was mopping the floor, the booths had been turned over (looked like they were being cleaned), and the Coke machine had been taken apart. So we figured that they were remodeling, or maybe doing some serious cleaning, or something. We drove by again last night, the lights were off. Panic began to rise. The big sign in the front window confirmed our fears - the sign said 'for lease'. So Venus - we are super sad you're gone and we will surely, surely miss you.

lol

I just have to share with you two of my favorite tv commercials that are playing right now. This is the first and here is the second. They're both Intel commercials, and I can't help but lol (that's "laugh out loud" for all ya'll non-chatting peeps) every time I see either one of them! And hey, don't make fun of the fact that I'm a nerd...I know I am! :)

You can take me out of redneck county, but...

So last night Brent and I tried a new kind of soup. We bought it from the "specialty" section of the grocery store...you know, the section where they have Ginsing Grape Gingersnaps and All-Natural Apricot-flavored Apple Cutouts of Aliens (for the kids, of course). Brent and I decided to try Roasted Red Potato & Garlic Soup. On the cover it has a picture of the soup in a silver bowl with a silver spoon in it, next to a white cloth napkin, with a wine glass on the upper right hand side. The soup is garnished with a few thin slices of roasted red peppers, a few shreds of cheese, and a few tiny bits of some kind of bread. I could see the waiter who served the soup would be wearing the tux with the white towel over his arm. The woman eating the soup is probably some French debutant who would rather be caught dead rather than slurping. Pretty fancy stuff, huh? So last night I get out the soup, heat it up in the microwave, and voila, the fancy soup's ready! I take my first bite, expecting bliss. Ummm...not so much. The garlic was very overpowering and there was a sharp spicy flavor in the end. So I thew a little cheese in there. And then a lot more. Then I decided Goldfish make everything better, so I threw in some of those. And then a lot more. No, it still needed something...BacO bits! So by the time I finished, I had more other things in my soup than actual soup!! Take that, Ms. Frenchie! At least my soup tastes good! And, I didn't even slurp at any time while eating it.

News Report: Earthquake on East Coast

So yesterday afternoon I was leaving work and had just pulled onto the main road from our offices. So I'm sitting at a red light (shocker!), listening to my radio scan, trying to find a song I know, and all of a sudden, my whole car starts to vibrate to a low growl. Stunned, I looked around to the car in the left lane. She's looking around just as bewildered, until we both hear the growl come closer...and closer...and closer. At this point, my sunglasses are falling off my face and my Tupperware from lunch has slid from the seat to the floor and is making it's way across the passenger's side footrest. I look back at the girl on my left...she's looking around to see what's making the rumbling, too. Finally, we both spot the culprit - the Escalade 5 cars behind us has their sub woofer so loud that it's literally shaking the cars around it. Boom, boom-ba-boom. Boom, boom-ba-boom. I seriously thought this would be the cause of an earthquake. I mean really, was he trying to cause an earthquake? I see the girl in the left lane scowl at her (shaky) rear view mirror while I nonchalantly turn up my radio all the way up. I think I hear a song I know, but alas, it was only the "Ride Home on Bad Mexican Music" show. Back to scan...wait, is that Boogie Wonderland I hear? Is it really like the penguins sing on Happy Feet? As I strain my ears to hear my music and ignore the free massage I'm getting, the light turns green and off we go. I thought, well, once we get going I won't be able to hear the Escalade's bass line. Wouldn't you know it, the Escalade somehow maneuvers to be right behind me. Moreover, I was actually completely wrong with my thought that somehow the movement would decrease the moving earthquake. I mean really, I just wanted to hear if Boogie Wonderland sounded like the movie penguin interpretation! Finally, finally, finally, the spinning hub cabs of the Escalade pass me by (it's not like I was going to run the red light with him just to stay next to him). After a quick prayer to thank the Lord that the Escalade has moved on and for my headache to reside, a car next to me pulls up, looks around with a confused look on his face, glares in my direction, and promptly turns up his radio. It took me a minute to realize...since I hadn't turned down my radio yet, I had just become the masseuse. And yes, I got an even stranger look from him as I busted out laughing.

Why I love the place I work, Part 2

Last week Shannon, Danny, and I were having a conversation about private vs public blogs. Here's my recollection of how the conversation went down:

Lori: I don't know...I'm kinda nervous about people knowing my name and picture. There's so much information on the internet now that somebody could probably look up my address and Social Security Number just by Google-ing my name or something.

Shannon: Well, instead of putting people's full first names, I usually just put their first name initial.

Danny: Yeah, I thought of that doing that too, or maybe not mentioning my family on my blog, but I mean really, if people are really out to grab my family, I would think they would do enough research to do it without looking at my blog.

[Shannon looks uneasy but reluctantly nods.]

Lori (flabbergasted): Danny! Are you saying you don't care enough to at least try to stop someone if they try to stalk you? What about if they grab one of your kids????

Danny (without missing a beat): Which one?

Patience...is not my best virtue

Tomorrow's gonna be a beautiful day to go for a motorcycle ride. But alas, my motorcycle is currently undergoing some cosmetic changes and needed to update her style, so she is currently missing both wheels and the back fender. BUT, I'm super excited about the new belt drive conversion! And the new style I'll be sporting with the new license plate set-up and new back light/blinkers. And the tires that Brent and I removed ourselves (and hopefully will put back on!). What's that? You never knew I was a grease monkey? You'd better believe I am! :) Love it! There's just something about working on it yourself that you don't get just by taking it into the shop.

So, after I'll be missing a week* of perfect riding weather, I'll have a better, more efficient belt drive (that's maintenance free!), new tires, and an updated back light/blinkers, I'll be on the road once more!

*A week's the alloted amount of time I gave Brent and myself to have my motorcycle back together. I almost started to tear up when we started taking the tires off just because I knew it wouldn't be ride-able. So patience, you're my new best friend.

The Questionaire

Usually, I never fill these out since I figure everyone I'd send it to either knows it already or has better things to do. But, since this blog is all about me, and for my 3 loyal readers who possibly might enjoy this, I figured I'd post it. So, here it goes...

1. What is your occupation? Administrative Assistant
2. What color are your socks right now? White
3. What are you listening to right now? A vacuum cleaner in the Bay...and a bouncing ping pong ball
4. What is the last thing you ate? Sour Patch Kids (yum!)
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Yep - my one and only car I've ever had is a stick
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Depends on the day and my mood...
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Someone asking about their giving statement.
8. What are your guilty pleasure(s)? I have lots! Let's see...reading YA (young adult) novels, eating sugar, peanut butter, and playing outside are just a few
9. How old are you today? 25
10. Favorite drink? Water
11. What is your favorite sport to watch? Any
12. Have you ever dyed your hair? No
13. Do you wear contacts or glasses? Contacts
14. Pets? None
15. Favorite food? I pretty much like all food.
16. What was the last movie you watched? Beauty & The Beast...one of my all-time favorites
17. Favorite day of the year? Not sure I have one...
18. What do you do to vent anger? Go away by myself
19. What was your favorite toy as a child? I remember I had a ballerina Barbie and a hot pink/hot green/hot yellow/purple dog that my friend gave me for my birthday that I LOVED (hey, it was the 80s!)
20. Fall or Spring? Right now, I'm ready for spring
21. Hugs or kisses? Both
22. Cherry or Blueberry? Neither
23. What is your favorite color? Blue's always been one of my favorites, but lately green has been moving up.
24. What's in your CD player right now? A Place in the Sun by Lit
25. Which laundry detergent do you use? Tide (Lavender Scent with Febreze)
26. Living arrangements? Apartment with the hubby
27. When was the last time you cried? I don't remember...
28. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes, and clothes destined for Goodwill
29. Who is the friend you have had the longest? My family
30. What did you do last night? Read, worked out, watched TV, slept
31. Favorite TV shows? Thanks to Hulu, I have so many! Let's see...The Office, 30 Rock, Chuck, Dollhouse, BSG (Battlestar Galactica...I will miss you), Big Bang Theory, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance
32. Who inspires you the most? The Lord
33. What are you afraid of? Lots of things, but I try not to dwell on them...and bugs
34. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Cheese
35. Favorite car? Eh...one that runs.
36. Favorite article of clothing? Usually anything my hubby buys me...which would be most of my wardrobe since I hate to shop.
37. Number of keys on your key ring? 5
38. How many years at your current job? Almost 2.5 years
39. Favorite day of the week? Saturday, because I get to sleep in. Although, I usually wake up at 6:30am anyway...but at least I get to go back to sleep! And because of the fact that I have plenty of time to make a big breakfast.
40. How many states have you lived in? 2 - GA & NC
41. Favorite holiday (s)? Christmas & Thanksgiving
42. Ever driven a Motorcycle or heavy machinery? I own a Honda Shadow 600 VLX Deluxe. LOVE it.
43. What's your shoe size? Ladies 6.5 Wide Width (and yes, the wide width is a necessity)
44. Favorite smell? Honeysuckle
45. Don't you hate these stupid things? Eh, I could take 'em or leave 'em. I usually leave 'em...maybe I should have done that for this one, too...

Homesick

Not sure why, but I'm feeling very homesick today. Sometimes it hits me like a cannon and other times it hits me like a soft snowball. Today's the cannon. So, prepare yourself - here's a post that's gonna be all feel-y (and a little depressing).

I miss having family close by - talking every day, seeing each other multiple times a week. It almost makes me sick to tears to know I've never been to one of my nephew's soccer games, school plays, or birthday parties. I haven't been called at the last minute to meet my sister at the local mall to give my feedback about a possible purchase, for a last-minute dinner out, or to pick up my nephews so my sister can have some sanity time. I haven't been able to spend the day with my step-nephew doing whatever it is that that one 11 year old boy wants to do. I haven't been around to show him that he can trust me to talk about anything, that I want to be there for him. I haven't had an unannounced visit from one of my favorite people in the world, or helped her tend to her yard or garden while getting some sun on our cheeks, or paint our toes in the sun, or watch a bad made-for-tv movie while eating one of her delicious kitchen concoctions. I haven't had anyone in my family over for a home-cooked meal or cook out. (Oh, how I miss cooking for a bunch of people!) I haven't been fishing, tied a fly, or went for a walk with my uncle while he points out plants and trees beside us or talks about his past in a coon's age. I haven't seen my nephews grow or learn new things, nor have I seen my step-nephew start to mature. I miss the constant noise, the constant movement, the constant chatter of a large family get-together. I miss my dad's big smile (he sure can light up a room!) and him winking at me when we share a secret. I miss my aunt and uncle's lazy front porch swing, picking blackberries in their back yard, and spending some down time with them. I miss going to WalMart and seeing at least 3 people I used to go to school with. I miss my mom's red hair, pale skin, and green eyes. Her robust attitute for life. I'm even so homesick right now, I miss my mom telling me to keep my back straight and not to slump! :)

I pray the Lord will send us back home, but He knows what is best for us, so I trust in Him. I am so thankful for my Bible study small group and my wonderful co-workers, who have helped to fill the void. I pray I have returned the favor to them, too.

Good vs Bad

For someone as picky as me, I have recently (like within the past 6 months or so) found that I like trail mix. No, not like, love. Who knew the secret was to eat the M&Ms, raisins, peanuts, and almonds at the same time?? Last weekend Brent had a quick stop into Wal-Mart and brought home what is quickly becoming one of my favorite trail mixes. It's called Tropical Sensations and has huge chunks of dried pineapple and papaya, banana chips, dried cranberries, raisins, almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts. YUM! Of course, I just did a Google search and found that this is probably one of the worst trail mixes out there (preservatives, lots of extra sugar, and additives), but hey, it's good, fills me up, and has fruit and good fats from the nuts in it...so it can't be too too bad, right?

I love you like a fat kid love cake

I'm so excited!! Brent gave me my birthday gift a little early this year: (drum roll, please) enrollment in a cake decorating class at the local college! :) :) I have such a great husband who knows me so well that he knew I'd love this - and I do!! I'll be learning rope designs, boarders, an assortment of flowers, gum paste, fondant, and more! And what's more - our friends and coworkers will love us, too, for we'll be bringing the sugary concoctions into work and giving them to our friend's work to eat because really, what would Brent and I do with a cake a week? The class is for two hours every Wednesday night starting in June and lasting through the end of July. I'll probably take pictures of each cake each week and I'll try to post pictures of the best concoctions, but you know how I am about actually getting to the picture-posting part! :) So wish me luck and pray for my (non) creative side!

Chillin out, maxin, relaxin' all cool

I had a great weekend last weekend. There wasn't any one thing that made it great, just a lot of great, relaxing, fun things. On Saturday I got up and went for a run with Sarah, who is an awesome running partner, book reference, and friend. After running we went to pick strawberries! YUM! We each ended up picking about 5 pounds! I wish I would've taken my camera to take a few pictures of us. After a quick lunch at home, I had more time then I thought, and was able to lay out by the pool for about 20 minutes. For a fun bonus I saw Sarah (and her husband Jonathan) at the pool! A couple in our small group Bible study, Grant & Jen, came over and we rode to UNC where we were able to see Randi (another girl in our small group) walk across the stage to receive her master's degree in nursing. After a few pictures with the new graduate, Grant, Jen, Brent, & I went to Foster's Market (a locally owned restaurant/country store) for a late lunch/early dinner since Grant & Jen have never been. Saturday night we were going to go on group motorcycle ride, but the weather didn't want us to, so we stayed in for a few hours then decide to go to Barnes & Noble so Brent could get some work done and I could read a book.

Sunday was Mother's Day and I got to talk to my mom and my aunt! Wish I could've been home to see them on their Special Day, but at least I was able to chat with them for a few minutes and let them know how wonderful they are. After church and lunch in the car, Brent & I went to see Jen walk across the stage at Duke to get her master's in nursing, so that was fun. They're moving to Minnesota in a week & a half...we'll surely miss them. The rest of Sunday was relaxing...more time by the pool, a little tv, and I made bison burgers (so good!) and fresh green beans for dinner.

It was so nice to have a weekend with a few events but still low-key enough to spend time with Brent and relax. Loved it!