This week...hmmm...what to say. I have been in a mood, not really a people person mood either.

Monday, after work, since it was so nice, we decided to start working on one of the flower beds. We cleared out all of the rocks that the previous owner had filled it with. His ears were probably burning during that time, but oh well. It is done and looks much better. Zora does not like being tied in the yard. She whined the entire time that we were out there. You would think she would enjoy the outdoors, but no. She is such a brat sometimes. Anywho, I have to wait til nights are you going to freeze to plant some bulbs I got this weekend.

Tuesday was a cleaning day. Pete also fixed the back screen door. Heavy winds had ripped the door and defeated the purpose of a screened in deck. Bugs could get in. It was so nice yesterday. I had all the windows open. I can't wait til we have consistent nice weather.

On a happy note, I ordered my curtains for the kitchen. I got sick of waiting, and now they will be here next Tuesday. I can't wait. There will finally be some color in my kitchen. There is so much I want to do and so little money to do it with. All in time. Though we have people coming the first week in April and then later in April, so we need to buy a mattress for the guest room and some towels for the guest bathroom.

It is almost 5 so I am outta here.

It's raining

and it sucks. I hate when it rains. Things get so blah. Yesterday was gorgeous. Sunny and warm. Zora enjoyed laying in the sun in the front yard and rolling in the dirt pile that is our front lawn. She was in definite need of a bath when she was done, but she enjoyed herself and that's what counts. Last night we went out to dinner with a friend of Pete's from UNC. He is visually impaired and we got to meet his new guide dog. He is a black lab and cute as can be.

Since it was raining today, we haven't done much of anything. Per usual, Sundays are our day to spend money. Trips to Sam's, Target, Home Depot and Walmart. I got a bunch of spring bulbs to plant in the yard. I am looking forward to the next warm day to plant them. I also got a new shower curtain for the guest bathroom. It definitely brightens the room up. When I find my camera, I'll post a picture.

Pete just called up and he wants dinner. So I am off to cook.

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten Season. This morning Pete and I went to Mass and received our ashes. While I have had bad experiences at work when wearing ashes, I thought that here would be different. People here are well educated and have been all over the world. They work with people of many different races and nationalities. I thought that there would some understanding. I guess I was wrong. You would think I had 666 tattooed on my forehead the way people looked at me today. There were some that knew what it was and did not question. A few that questioned in a good way about the meaning and other practices that go with the Lenten season, but overall I got a lot of people telling me I had a little something on my forehead. I expected more and I was sadly disappointed.

This weekend...

was great! Saturday I didn't get out of my pajamas until 4 and that was only because we had to go to church. For the first time since we moved into the house we had an entire day where we didn't do anything. It was so nice. I caught up on shows and movies that I had taped. Church was enjoyable and we went to dinner at Ruby Tuesday. Pete stayed up to watch the game and I went to bed early.

Sunday was cleaning and errands as always. A good deal on sneakers at Sam's Club for Pete, an enjoyable trip to PetSmart for Zora to visit the guinea pigs and a new shower head from Home Depot.

The shower head was definitely a highlight of my weekend. The water pressure in our shower sucked. Water pressure is very important to me. After my boss gave Pete and I a Home Depot gift card, I decided that a new shower head would be a good purchase. I was lucky to have gotten out of the shower this morning. Apparently the screen was clogged in our old shower head. This new one is heaven. Multiple sprays.

Tomorrow morning we are having a landscaper come out to talk to us about getting the yard into order. I am looking forward to that. Our yard is a mess.

It is time to go. Until tomorrow.

Fun new work hobby!

With my wonderful husband giving me a thumb drive with Firefox on it, I have been able to find a new hobby at work to fill my downtime and some of my other time too. I watch TV online now. I have watched the season premiere of Survivor and I am watching Grease: You are the one I want. I am not really watching, but more listening and occasionally flipping over to see what is happening. It is much better than my IPod. More variety. Plus, Thursday nights are so full on our TV home that I can't tape or watch Survivor.

Our Valentine's Day was pretty good. I got up early yesterday morning and made Pete Eggs Benedict and hash browns. When Pete and I were doing the dishes after breakfast, Zora quietly disappeared. We went looking for her and found her very primly propped up on the couch. We hadn't put the cushions down yet, so she thought she could sleep there that day. Brat. Work was OK. I got to take 2 hour field trip to the warehouse. I have been very unproductive this week except on Monday. We got dinner from Maggiano's because we figured we would avoid the crowds and eat at home comfortably. The line at the take out door was long. Pete waited a half hour just to get in the door. That when you know he loves you. I went to Pottery Barn and the jewelry store to get my rings cleaned. Some of the stones in my wedding band were loose and it had to be sent out again. This is the 3rd time in less than a year. I am starting to get frustrated.

I am off. Pete just left his office, so I have to get downstairs.

Movie Review

In the search of the perfect grocery store, I finally settled on Harris Teeter. It is not the closest, but I like it best. This Harris Teeter has a RedBox. It is this machine where you can rent movie for $1 a night. It doesn't have a huge selection, but they are new movies, so it is kinda cool. When I went shopping yesterday, I was looking at what they had and saw two movies I had wanted to see.

First was John Tucker Must Die. Not an award winning movie, but funny. It passed the afternoon while I folded laundry.

Next, I got for Pete mostly. We have been wanting to see it since we saw the Trailer. Snakes on a Plane. We weren't expecting much, but it was pretty good. Once again not awarding winning, but entertaining. A little gory at times for me. Those snakes definitely know where to bite. I was just waiting for Samuel L. Jackson to say those words. Of course it wasn't until the end, but it was a good way to curl up on the couch together and spend the evening. I would recommend it just for the entertainment factor.

Weekend....

This weekend was pretty good. Saturday morning was lazy and then we headed to Chapel Hill. Parking and taking the bus up to campus is so worth the 5 bucks. No having to deal with traffic is really nice. We got the Dean Smith Center and found our seats. They were pretty good until a big guy wearing an Ramsie hat sat in front of me. I spent the first half of the game trying to see around his head and watching the game on the screen. Way fun. The 2nd half we played musical chairs with another co worker who was there and the game was so much better when you could see the court. The half time show was good too. They were honoring the '57 and '82 teams. Michael Jordan was there. It was interesting to see the footage from those two seasons. Their shorts were really short. Thank goodness they don't dress like that anymore. UNC ended up crushing Wake Forest.

After the game we went to the apartment to change and head to church. Much easier than driving all the way back home and then back into Chapel Hill. Some perks of paying rent on an empty apartment.

We got dinner at Rudino's and then rescued Zora from being all alone all day. I ended up passing out at 9:15.

Sunday morning, we got up early, though I didn't realize it. For some reason I didn't look at a clock. I cleaned the bathroom did 2 loads of laundry and showered before we headed out shopping. We got to Sam's Club and I noticed it was really empty. I finally looked at the clock and it was only 10, which means we must have left the house at 9:15. I am never up and out that early on weekends. It was nice to shop that early though. Sam's was empty. The lines were quick. I got my valentine's day present Sunday. An under the cabinet radio and IPod player. It took Pete awhile to install it, but it is pretty cool. It makes cooking much more fun. Pete also got my IPod working again, so it worked out well.

We finally got something that can hold Zora in the backyard. It is airplane cable. Made for a 250 lb dog. It wraps around a tree. The cat by, so we were able to test it and all Zora could do was bark. We will work on that soon enough.

While we were watching her, we figured out what we can do with the backyard. It has kinda of steep slope at one point, so we think we are going to add a lower deck section. It will cover the worst of the yard and we still have the side yard.

I did not want to come into work today. I don't feel good. My head hurts, my nose has been running for 2 weeks. People are way too chipper here for a Monday morning. I have to get back to work though. Blogging is not chargeable.

YEA!

I got tickets to the UNC vs Wake Forest game tomorrow. They are going to be Pete's Valentine's Day present. I am so excited. We have lived in NC for almost 4 years, worked or gone to school at UNC for most of that and still never gone to a game. I am excited we finally get to go.

Finally an update....

I can't believe that January 18th was the last time I posted anything that wasn't a survey. I am a major slacker. I blame work though. Internet Explorer wouldn't let me sign into blogger anymore. I have found a way around that though. I am now running Firefox, GAIM and sudoku off a thumb drive. I love portable applications. Now I can browse the net and they cant tell. My bookmarks are no longer on my work computer, which makes it harder for them to find. Just in time too. IT came taking inventory just minutes after I deleted everything off my computer.

Life has been good. We are settled into the house. I love it. I haven't found anything about it that bothers me a lot, which is good since we will be here for awhile. I love having a huge bathroom and closet. I love having a big kitchen. And most of all I love not having the washer and dryer in the kitchen. It is right near where all the dirty clothes are.

We really need to start decorating. It needs some color. I found some curtains for the kitchen that I love. I am waiting for some gift cards that are coming to help lessen the cost on us. I found a really cute monkey bathroom set that I really want for the extra bathroom. We really need to get a mattress for guest room. The empty bed frame is a little weird. Maybe with our tax refund. Though that should also go towards paying to get the walls painted or the yard done. Our gutters are finally cleaned, though that is story in itself.

When we got the house inspected before we bought it, the inspector told us to get some kind of gutter guards because the back was going to get clogged a lot. We had one estimate come and it was going to cost a pretty penny, so we decided to get another estimate. When this guy called he kept asking if I was going to be there during the appointment. I really didn't want to spend my Saturday afternoon listening to this guy, so we set the time an hour and a half before we had to leave for church. Then we could get rid of him if we needed to. In the end, we did. He gave a good show and the product looked promising. He then asks me, would I get it if he could make it affordable? Sure, anything that is affordable. At this point it is after four and almost time to leave the house. I go to walk the dog and Pete goes to change for church, while this guy does up an estimate. I come back in from the walk and look at the number and HOLY CRAP! I thought the last estimate was high. Four Thousand Dollars!! for gutter guards. Screw that. He then makes a deal that is half that number. I don't think so. Unless they are gold plated that shoot money at me, then thank you goodbye. Pete asked to think about it overnight and he'd call him back. Think about what? Way too much money and that guy drank the last of my lemonade. Needless to say we didn't go with him. We ended up getting another estimate that was half the original estimates price and much more in our price range. So we have clean gutters and gutter guards that you can not even see.

We also had a security system installed. I get a little freaked when Pete travels and feel better with it. When the guy came for the sales pitch, he told me how people wait until you are pulling into your garage and then sneak in behind you. I never even thought of that one. I know he said it to freak people out and it worked. Not that it could happen with us, because we back into our garage. Its easier and apparently much safer.

Zora has adjusted well to the house. She makes her self right at home on our bed and the sofa while we are work. She has been since banned from both. She is angry about this decision and spends the entire night trying to get invited up. She is quite pitiful when she wants to be.

We still haven't met all our neighbors other than saying Hi. Through a mutual acquaintance, we found out that one of our neighbors is not as friendly as most (that is the nicest way I can put it on a public site).

Work is getting frustrating at times. Sometimes I have a lot of work. Everyone gives me stuff to do. Too bad they cant spread it out. It all happens at once and then there are other times when I have absolutely nothing to do. One group keeps saying they have tons for me to do and then never gives me anything to do. I have made my first domestic booking though. I am quite proud. I had a lot of help, but I still did it.

My new pod mates are good. They are in the HR group. One is a tall Asian gay man. Always makes me laugh. Another is pregnant right now. Very nice, though she will be out for 3 months soon. They brought in a temp to take her position while she is gone and to help them out. They were so impressed with her. She bothers me a bit. Maybe it is just because she is new.

I just hope they continue to keep me on. Though I complain about the job sometimes, I do like. It could be worse, I could be back cleaning poop.

I think that about sums up the last couple of weeks. I will update more now that I have access again at work.

A little something to hold you over

How do you take your steak?
Medium

Who was the last person to call you?
Pete

Who was the last person to call you just to chat?
Jesse

Who was the last person to text you?
Jesse

Who was the last person to email you? A real person?
Aunt Jeanne

Do you have plans tonight?
Watch the UNC-Duke game, and hopefully get to the gym

Last person you rode in a car with?
Pete

Where did you go?
Work

Have you ever been to Oregon?
No

What state were you born in?
MA

What is the last type of shampoo you used?
Pert Plus

Do you have Cingular ?
No, Sprint

Last person's house you were in?
Dana's

What is/was your dad's name?
Daniel

What is/was your mother's name?
Barbara

How old will you be on your next birthday?
27

Are you wearing makeup?
No

Last movie(s) watched?
My Super Ex-Girlfriend

Do you like to ski?
Love it.

Snowboard?
Yes!

Met anyone famous?
Not that I can think of.

What instant messaging service do you use?
GAIM

What are you wearing?
White button up shirt, maroon sweater, khakis, and black shoes

Have you ever been to Hawaii?
No, wish I could though

What is your favorite number(s)?
4, 7

Most hated food?
Liver and Seafood

The doorbell rings - who do you want it to be?
Anyone

When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?
Yes

In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?
Depends if I know the people or not.

Do you take compliments well?
Sometimes.

If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?
If I had a good book, maybe.

Do you like to ride horses?
Yes

Did you ever go to camp as a kid?
Yes, Overnight Girl Scout Camp, I loved it.

What was your favorite game as a kid?
Mall Madness and Legos

Are you judgmental?
Sometimes, though I am trying to stop.

Could you date someone of different beliefs as you?
Date, yes, Marry, no.

What is the first thing you see that is green?
Small notebook that sits under my computer monitor.

If you had to choose, would you rather be deaf or blind?
Deaf.

Are you continuing your education?
Not really, though I probably should

Do you know how to shoot a gun?
Yes, and I will never forget when I learned how.

If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you would take with you?
Pete if he couldnt get out on his own, or Zora and computer harddrive cuz it has everything on it.

How often do you read books?
As much as I can.

Do you think more about the past, present or future?
Future.

What color are your eyes?
Hazel

How tall are you?
5'9"

Where is your dream house located?
I guess I could say I am in it.

Last person you talked to?
Frank

Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?
Yes

When was the last time you were at Olive Garden?
May '06 after hearing the organ guy play.

Where was the furthest place you traveled today?
Work, I guess, since its the only place I have gone.

Where is your current pain at?
I dont really have any pain.

Do you like mustard?
Yes

Do you prefer to eat or sleep?
Sleep

Do you look like your mom or dad?
Not in the least, I am adopted.

How long does it take you in the shower?
5-10 minutes. longer if its cold out and the water is warm.

What movie do you want to see right now?
Jesus Camp, a documentary about a Christian camp.

What did you do for New Year's?
Went out to dinner with Pete, Jesse, Amber and my in-laws

What was the cause of your last accident/injury?
Closing my finger in the lazy susan cabinet.

Do you own a camera phone?
No

What are you drinking?
Water

Was your mom a cheerleader?
Yes, and she twirled the baton.

What's the last letter of your middle name?
E

How many hours of sleep do you get?
7-8


Do you like care bears?
I did.

Do you know how to play poker?
Yes, but not very well.

Last animal to pet?
Zora

What are you worried about?
Nothing I am sharing with everyone

Have you ever had a panic attack?
No

What color is your hair?
Red

What do you smell like right now?
White Tea Ginger

Who are the five people you talk to the most?
Pete, Jesse, my Mom, Pete's Mom and Pete's Mom (I talk to her enough to count for 2 people)

Do you want children?
Yes soon hopefully.

Score!!

I downloaded Firefox onto my work computer and now I can get into blogger, that makes me really happy.

I cant update much right this second but I will try and get to it today.

YEA for Firefox!! Boo IE!