OH What a Night!!!

It has been a wonderfully crazy few days...crazy being the way I seem to live my life.  That is another post for another day.  Today I just wanted to update my few, but totally loyal readers about the progress I am making on some of the items on my list! 

Last night I completed my T-Shirt "Quilt" that is really a BLANKET!  I have no problem saying that. But it is done!  Below is a picture of my WONDERFUL co-workers helping me get it done.

I work with a few women who are real quilters and I would never try to say that what I have done is quilting.  But it is a snuggly blanket!  I have enough T-Shirts that this one is going to my Dad (and since I am pretty sure he never gets on here I will post a picture tomorrow) and I had enough t-shirts left over to make a pillow case that holds 2 pillows.  I am making an "Elba" blanket for my Mom and I am going to have a Troy/Phi Mu blanket for myself.  I didn't realize how many t-shirts I have accumilated over the last 15 years or so!  But the good news is my List only calls for one so it is DONE!

CHECK OFF # 24

Last night I also talked to Jason about a time for me to head his way and we are looking at a few dates in late summer!  Hopefully he will be in his new digs by then and ready for some "REESE ACTION!"  Jason and I met each other years and years and years ago at a very early YLF. He is also the person I flew to Seattle to see a few years ago....man what a trip!  I was on the ground in Seattle at total of like 36 hours.  But we packed in a ton of fun!  I always enjoy hanging out with Jason that is the reason I have him on my list!

Basically things are LOOKING UP!  If only the weather would co-operate with me!  It did help force me to stay inside to finish the blanket.

***Side note...My internet at home that I was "borrowing" from a neighbor who hadn't put a security measure on his/her internet is no longer working.  So if my posts are hit and miss it's because I am at the McDonald's down the street and I can't get online whenever I want to!  I may just have to put my big girl hat on and get internet.....we shall see.

Same-Same

I know many of you probably don't know that ADRS offers a Sign Language Class in Tuscaloosa!  I have been taking it for a few months now and I am really enjoying it.  I don't know how much I am learning, but I am enjoying it.  When I was a younger girl I wanted to be a sign language interpreter.  Although that little dream died, I have dusted off what little skills I have and added to them!  We have a wonderful woman who works in our office as a Deaf Specialist and there was no way for me to communicate with her until now. I think she enjoys watching us "attempt" to sign sometimes! 

Any-WHO!  There is a sign that is like "Same As" or as we say in class "Same-Same".  So if I am wearing the same jacket as someone else I would sign JACKET, SAME-SAME!

http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/s/same-as.htm

WEIGHT THIS WEEK, SAME-SAME!

I like the idea of "Same-Same" rather than...I didn't loose any this week.  Maintenance it a big part of weight issues.  So I am proud of my "Same-Same" weight!!! 
Your FUNNY for the week:

Burp (***excuse me***) eeeee

So this afternoon I was introduced to the delicate intracasies of the BURPEE! (Groan)
http://www.rosstraining.com/articles/burpeeclip.htm

BUT what I did...did NOT look nearly as fluid as the one the guy is doing on the page the link takes you to.  However I just had to say that I did 30 today and I think it is a sign of some sort....hopefully that I may never have to do them again!  Good thing I was down that pound today otherwise I might not of done that 30th burpee! Hahaha

Every Pound Counts

I woke up this morning knowing it was...DUH-DUNH-DUUUUUH....

WEIGH-IN DAY! 

Low-and-behold I was down 1 POUND!

I wasn't expecting any weight loss honestly.  I have been sticking to my diet but my workouts haven't become a routine yet. I am hoping to cure it this week.  My personal trainer has her clients going on a field trip of sorts!  It is Spring Break here in Tuscaloosa (aka "God's Country"-Neil Grantham) and our field trip is to CrossFit Innovative

(I think I linked the picture with their website)

I went yesterday at 5:30 and for a 20 minute workout I was huffing!  It was a great workout!  I am good and sore today, which is a feeling I LOVE!  I hope this week's field trip will help jump-start me back into a routine!  

I know I have to keep on keeping on with the diet and def get into that workout routine! After all....September is not too far away for that Half Marathon over there on the left side of the list!!  And of course I didn't forget your funny for the day!



Did that REALLY Happen?!

Do you ever wake up on a Monday morning and think, "Did that really happen?"

Good or bad I think most of us have had that experience.  Mine, although not so great...ok it was bad, was exactly that. I woke up this morning and I thought, there is no way all of that happened.  I won't bore you with the details, but it was a roller coaster of a weekend.

The point of my post is that I realized something this weekend.  I have an amazing mother.  I know many of you have known my mother for a very long time.  But it seems like in the last year or so I have begun to know her in a different way.  We are great friends, in fact she is probably my best friend.  She has always given me perfect advice on life, whether I followed the advice or not, and this weekend was no different. I guess I started looking at our relationship different. 

I hope you all had a better overall weekend than I did. I surely needed Church yesterday and it hit the spot.  I hope your week is great too!  The Ladies of the University of Alabama Softball team were fantastic this weekend in their tournament!  And Wednesday the Auburn Tigers will be at Rhodes Stadium for a double-header for the first SEC action of the year!  ROLL TIDE LADIES!!!

Late Tuesday on Ash Wednesday

SO Let me play catch up first!  Yesterday I did weigh and I was down 2 pounds!!!  WHEW HOO!!!  However when the weather was getting so good it made me more than a LITTLE nervous about swim suit shopping this year.  It has been a while since it has been fun and I am REALLY hoping it will at least be bearable this year!

ASH Wednesday (aka the "Hey you have something on your forehead Day!")

As some of you know I was raised in the Methodist Church.  We have always participated in the season of Lent.  For many people this is an unknown concept.  Let is the 40 days leading up to Easter (not including Sunday's).  During Lent many people fast and it is a time of remember what Christ gave up for us.  I am almost through Leviticus in the Bible and although it has been a tough chapter it reminds me of the spiritual rituals we all participate in throughout the year.  Christmas Communion services are probably my favorite quickly followed by Ash Wednesday.  Years ago when I was in school at Auburn I had a close friend who had never participated in Lent decide to join me in it.  We are forever bonded by that experience and every year-to this day-we talk, catch up and discuss our plans for Lent. It is a wonderful time for us, even if we haven't talked in months.  My family has adopted her for this service and I know she will be participating with Neil tonight in Elba.  I enjoy Lent and encourage everyone to reflect on something you could do every day to remind you of what Christ did for you.  Happy Ash Wednesday!

The Big "C" on My List...Update

Sometimes it is hard to share things because if they don't happen it is even more of a let down when people keep asking about it.

Thus was the case of "Pat Watch 2011." For those who haven't studied and memorized my list from front to back let me explain.  Back in 2005 I finished Graduate School on the Plains of Auburn and I was pretty sure I would never want to read again. Once I started working with the State of Alabama it was all paperwork and (I know this may come as a shock to some of you) I was complaining that I was just a smidge bored with life.  My wonderful mother suggested that I start reading again. I just didn't even know where to start or any authors I would like to read.  She told me that I would LOVE this book called Beach Music, by Pat Conroy.  Being the beach bum I was raised to be I, of course, liked the title and told her, "Ok I'll try it."

I finished the book in 2 days flat.  I was engrossed with the writing and the plot and even the places being as I had recently been to Italy.  I liked that Mr. Conroy (Mr. C) wasn't afraid to show the dark side of life or the struggles that many have at one point or another.  Well, this was all I needed.  Immediately I went to the book store and bought every book he had written.  And then one day I found out there was a book he had written early on in his career that wasn't in print anymore.  AS IF!  I had to have it and got it for Christmas one year!  Nerdy right?!  But then again this is why most of you like me so much!

I tell you all of that,,,to get to the 30 in 30 part of the story.  Mom called me a few weeks ago and stated that Cassandra King (Mr. C's wife who is also a phenomenal writer-check out The Same Sweet Girls and The Sunday Wife) would be speaking at the annual Social Work Conference in Orange Beach...on the same weekend as my Mardi Gras Ball.  I felt the fates aligning as I packed everything up to head to Mardi Gras.  "Pat Watch 2011" had been in full swing for at least a week, getting tid-bits of information from the planning committee.  As the time grew closer I travelled down to Daphne to prepare for my weekend of wildness with visions of autographs dancing in my head.  Finally, we got the word, it was only the guest speaker herself attending.  But alas I thought, the wife of Mr. C and such a great writer, I wasn't going to miss her speaking.  As I gussied up to head down there, I was informed of a gigantically small problem...a float for the parade was stranded on the causeway!  For most of the AML girls this was no concern-for CA and I it was huge because we were the girls who fueled up the trucks to pull the floats!  We flew into emergency overdrive and I didn't get to hear Mrs. King speak.

(Man this is getting lengthy) Everything was fixed and the parade was a great success!  The ball was equally amazing and the weekend was as much wild fun as expected.  I came home and while coming down off my weekend high I decided to do some recon work on Mr. C. I check both his and his wife's websites for possible book signings.  Being as my goal is only to "Meet Pat Conroy," not shake hands, get an autograph, or have an in depth discussion. So I started with his website.  Ugh...no updated book signing or anything.  There was a place to get on his e-mail list so of course I signed up.  I thought to myself, "Hey Cassandra's website could be a possibility, after all they are married." (Yes she autographed a book for me so we are now on a first name basis in my mind!) And because she is in the process of writing a new book (YEAH!!!) she didn't have any updated speaking/signing dates either.  But she had a place to write her a note.  I thought why not I can thank her for the autograph and if she does read it let her know how much fun we had semi-stalking her and her husband.  I NEVER in a million years thought she would read it...non-the-less respond!  <<<insert giddiness here>>>

SHE RESPONDED!!!! 

Yes that is right ladies and gentlemen!  I got a response from the writer herself!  So I took a day to calm down before I posted this. Because she sail that she could make my meeting Mr. C HAPPEN!!  I want to say that no matter what comes from this...this is really cool!  Plus there is a chance that I will get to meet "Mr. C"!!!

I'll keep you posted!  For those wondering I tried to link both of their websites to their pictures.  I'm still learning the ins and outs of this so please bear with me! 

Better LATE than NEVER!!!

Recovery from Mardi Gras is a tough thing to do...especially when you are recovering and your dog is too!  That is right CHECK NUMBER 19 OFF THE LIST! 

This past weekend the Apollo's Mystic Ladies rolled through the streets of Daphne and strutted to the beats of the Velcro Pygmies late into the night!  I hear that Amy Ruddock and Michael Hall may have been in attendance for the first but not the last Mardi Gras of their young lives! 

The weather was the best it has been since I have been in attendance! And those Floast 4 Girls were making their hips "SWING"!!!  Love you guys!

Saturday morning after everyone was on their way home Roxy and her cousin Al were busy getting all dolled up for their parade!  This was the 8th year of the Mystic Mutts of Revelry Parade in Fairhope, AL.  This is a fundraiser for the Haven, which is a no kill shelter.  After I was showered, and rejuvinated we all loaded up and headed downtown for the parade. 

Final tallies are as follows:

409 Humans+

350 Dogs+

1 Cat=

Over $12000 Raised for the Shelter!

Now THIS is a Goooood Barking Group!