Did you know...?

I learned a few things on this trip [yes, shocking but true] and I thought I would spread my wisdom. So here are some things [in random order] that I learned while travelling in a Tahoe with a uhaul with my Mother and with My Addy, who was in her kennel in the back surrounded by wine, beer, and all the crap I felt I needed but wouldn't fit in the uhaul.

1. The Holland Tunnel from NJ into NYC does not allow trailers--and that includes uhaul trailers, even when they meet size requirements.
2. There is a uturn around the police station just past the toll booth for all the ignorant people who are not aware of rule #1.
3. People in the NYC/NJ metro area LOVE honking their horns, especially when you are blocking the toll booth with your Tahoe with the uhaul trailer with your Mother navigating and your Addy in her kennel in the back surrounded by wine, beer, and all the crap I felt I needed but wouldn't fit in the uhaul. Oh and it cost us $11.90 in tolls to find this out.
4. There are very few things in life scarier than driving down a mountain on a windy interstate road, surrounded by truckers on one side [whose trailers are causing the wind to whip your trailer violently from side to side] while on your other side is solid concrete dividers from all the construction.
5. Even scarier than #4 is attempting to do this in the dark.
6. Okay even scarier still is attempting #4 & 5 in the rain.
7. If you're eating in Virginia and you like rare or medium rare steak, you should ask them to gently pass it by the flames of the grill. If not, you're going to get a well-done piece of meat.
8. People up here are scared of big dogs and rather than asking if she's friendly, they just ask if she bites [while gesturing as if to bite their own arm]. Needless to say [but I'm saying it anyway] we usually get the elevator to ourselves.
9. A taxi ride from the Days Inn in North Bergen, NJ to the heart of the Bronx will cost you $71 [but in allllll fairness, $7 of that is for tolls]
10. Attempting to navigate my way out of that part of the Bronx and back to a part of the city I knew sans $71 taxi ride, took nearly 2 hours of walking/finding the bus/riding the bus/transferring to and then riding the subway and in hindsight, probably the $71 just may have been worth it.
11. Unless you love the smell of urine, don't get off of the #1 subway at 168th Street.

That's all I have for now! Apartment hunting is kicking my ass, but I am determined [of course, feel free to keep your fingers crossed for me!]!!

:I SHEZ

Good-bye Dear Friend

This post is dedicated to my dear sweet little rat-dog, Ginger.

Ginger led a wonderfully spoiled and very loved life until last Sunday.

I have no doubt where ever her spirit is, she is running around green fields chasing butterflies, keeping an eye out for someone to pet her.

Because she was so loved, she will be so missed.

Good bye Ginger, I love you.
Momma Sherry

Thank you Eugene!

And of course Gretchen who drove allllll the way in from Austin to help oversee the packing of the uhaul [which was done MOSTLY by Eugene, David, & Becca].

Little did Eugene & Becca know when they left Amarillo early Friday morning, they would get into Fredericksburg just in time to help me load the rest of the stuff in storage, take it out to Mom's, and then repack EVERYTHING in the uhaul. Okay, well almost everything. Mom fixed us all dinner, or the last supper, as I like to call it :) and it was nice just sitting around with everyone one last time.

Soon B&E were off to Austin--no kids, hotel room--WOO HOO! :) ahem, sorry....with David off not too far behind them. Gretchen stayed the night with a promise to leave when we did eeearly in the morning.

We got up eeearly in the morning, but in an effort to NOT come back to a disorganized house, Mom spent a little extra time cleaning everything, so we got off a bit later than we would have liked [okay 58 minutes to be exact!] with Gretchen giggling most of the time about Mom & I killing each other on the trip.

We had a few stops to make in Fredericksburg, but soon we were on our way....in the Tahoe....with the uhaul....and Addy snoozing in her new kennel in the back, surrounded by wine, beer, and all the other crap I felt I neeeeeeeded but couldn't fit in the uhaul [just going to reitterate that if you need lots 'o crap packed in a tiny space, Eugene is your man!!]

Did I mention at this point my apt fell through? Well, it did, but having no choice and hopefully better luck once I got there, we plugged on....through Texas....through Arkansas...through Tennessee...through Virginia....West Virginia....Pennsylvania...New Jersey....and finally New York--kinda.

I was right [and I hate it when that happens]!!

Dean graciously offered to lend me his covered little trailer and I tried telling him & Mom that all the crap I wanted to take was NOT going to fit into his covered trailer. But it was free, so I figured what the hell. After 1.5 hours of rearranging furniture [in the rain] Mom finally conceded and let me go rent a larger uhaul :)

I resisted in saying "I told you so!" nor did I point out that even though the uhaul was twice as big as Dean's trailer, I still left a few [albeit non-essential] things behing.

I like occassionally taking the high road!

:I SHEZ

Happy Birthday Bubba!

Poor Bubba is on-call at work, which with all the storms we've been having means that he's out on calls all the time....including, today, his birthday. So no party, no getting together for dinner...oh well....i guess we'll just do the celebrating at my going away party!! Happy Birthday Bubba!

The Time Has Come....

Things have been uber, insanely busy!! I have approximately 10 [HOLY $&&%(^#$(*^#@$(*(*^#$(*^$#(*#$(&*(*&#$] days left until my departure to NYC. I'm so excited and so nervous and so freaking stressed about getting everything done! I have a lot to fill you in on, but unfortunately not a lot of time in which to do so. BUT if you're reading this and are within driving distance, YOU MUST COME to my going away party.

It will be at 2pm-ish August 12th [yes, that's a sunday]. It's at Hometown Electric, email me for address and directions. We will be partying until the alcohol runs out...which is probably 2am when the bar across the street closes. Invite everyone you know! B.Y.O.whatever you're drinking and if you wanna bring a snacky type food, I'm not going to say no!

Hasta for now. More to come later!
:ISHEZ