Yeah, I have got the blues, and as you can see I did not go to Tuscaloosa this weekend. Turns out my car didn’t need a new water pump after all. No, no. Much worse. I have a busted head or head gasket. Needless to say, I was pretty much told since my car is 11 years old, has over 250k miles on it, and I have already replaced the head last year, it’s time for a newer vehicle.

That’s all fine and dandy if you can afford one. I don’t make big bucks; I can barely feed myself half the time and now I have to worry about :

1. Not having a down payment for a ‘newer’ car
2. Not having money for a monthly car payment
3. Not having money for increased car insurance and tags
4. Weather my car will make it long enough to try and work all of the above out.

Seriously, if I could afford a newer car, do you really think I would be driving around an 11 year old junker? No way. I’m not even the greedy type, I don’t want anything expensive or stylish. Just a non gas guzzling, 4 door whatever will get me to and from work and wherever my fancy might take me car. Actually, I would really like a Honda Accord, but there is no way on this green earth I can afford that, let alone fix it if God forbid something happens to it.

I’m not so concerned about the insurance thing…I only pay $30 bucks a month. Yeah, 11 year old car and I haven’t had any accidents since I was 18. Well, I have, but none reported to the insurance companies and the one I had didn’t involve any other car but mine and both sides of the bridge in Decatur, Alabama. (Hydroplaned, wasn’t fun!) Anyhow, I figure with my good insurance thing it would only go up $50, maybe. I hope.

Needless to say, while the rest of my family is in Tuscaloosa having fun and playing with the new baby, here I sit, depressed and all alone with a beat up old piece of clunker that is going to die at any moment.

There’s a Hallmark card for ya.

Thanks to Annie for asking a very good question about the Alabama Mascot and what it has to do with the Crimson Tide. Short answer? Well, Big Al doesn’t really have anything to do with the Crimson Tide, in fact, until 1907 the University of Alabama’s football team was just referred to in newspapers as either “Varsity”, or “Crimson White.”

In 1907, Hugh Roberts, a sports writer for the Birmingham-Age Herald, tagged the line “Crimson Tide” after a rough and tough game between Alabama and Auburn. The game was played on a muddy and wet field, Auburn was the favorite to win, however the “Thin Red Line” played an awesome game in the red mud and held Auburn to a 6-6 tie, and forever earned the name “Crimson Tide.” Former sports editor of the Birmingham News, Zipp Newman, is most credited with popularizing the name more than any other writer.

Alabama became associated with the “elephant” back in 1930 when Coach Wallace Wade assembled a great football team. On October 8, 1930, a sports writer for the Atlanta Journal, Everett Strupper, wrote a story of the Alabama-Mississippi game he had witnessed in Tuscaloosa.

Strupper wrote, “That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical Wade machine, powerful, big, tough, fast, aggressive, well-schooled in fundamentals, and the best blocking team for this early in the season that I have ever seen. When those big brutes hit you, I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes. Coach Wade started his second team that was plenty big and they went right to their knitting scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against one of the best fighting small lines that I have seen. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground.

Strupper went on to say, “At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, ‘Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,’ and out stamped the Alabama Varsity. It was the first time that I had seen it and the size of the entire eleven nearly knocked me cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size!”

Strupper and many other writers continued to refer to the Alabama linemen as “Red Elephants,” the color referring to the crimson jerseys. The 1930 team ended the season 10-0. It shut out 8 opponents and allowed only 13 points all season, while scoring 217. The “Red Elephants” then “rolled” over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions.

So, that’s the story of how old Big Al came to be. I had read this story a few years ago after a game; I believe it was an article within the game fliers they give you. I obviously had to go back and get some details because while I remembered the story, I didn’t remember all the names.

I hope this covers it!

American Idol, yes, Bo.

I don't know what is going on with blogger tonight, I have been trying to view this page all evening and keep getting a nasty 404. I don't understand how I can post anything, but hey.

I'm out for the night!

I get so distracted sometimes...

I walked into the kitchen, poured a cup of coffee (I drink way too much!), and instead of putting the cup in the microwave to warm up, I stuck it in the fridge.

Yeah.

As you can see, I have been quite busy since opening this new blog page for my personal thoughts. New template, worked on some new graphics...I'm quite happy with the result.

Believe it or not, I'm not quite finished. I still have to do the whole "get listed" thing so I won't be the only soul out in internetdom who is reading my blog.

You can probably tell that I'm a bit of a Alabama fan. lol. Every year right around this time I start longing for Alabama Football. It's still a couple of months away, but for whatever reason I know that as soon as the weather starts to warm up it's time for some football! My brother graduated from the University of Alabama, so of course that is where my loyalties lie, it doesn't hurt that I grew up with the love of football.

We don't have anything in this state as far as professional sports, so we have to rely on our faithful college teams, and let me tell you, college football in Alabama is something to be in awe of. I have never lived in a state that is so loyal to it's college teams! On game day, and sometimes before game day you can see hordes of cars heading to Tuscaloosa for the game touting their banners and pom pom's, it's a wonderful site to behold. Yeah, ok, so I'm really a fan.

I lived in Tuscaloosa for a bit when I first came down Alabama way. I was staying with my brother and he happened to live about a block from Bryant Denny Stadium. That was amazing during football season. We could sit outside and listen to the game, hear the fans screaming, and see folks walking about the stadium hurrying to get in to see the action. *sigh* While my brother was attending UA he was afforded the opportunity to work as a PT trainer for the football team, and with that I was able to barter my way in to a couple of games. There is nothing like sitting in the 'players family' section and watching an exciting game of Alabama football. R-R-R-O-O-O-L-L-L TIDE ROLL!!!!

Let me get off this subject now. lol. My car wasn't fixed this weekend, witch really sucked because as I mentioned I had planned on taking a trip to Tuscaloosa to visit my new niece and family. It also sucked because I barbecued, made potato salad and all the fixings for these folks and they didn't show up, or call to even let me know that they weren't coming. Talk about depressed! When I went in to work Monday I had planned on giving said person some serious words, however she was off, so I guess that will have to wait. I actually probably won't say anything at all because after telling someone else about it, she immediately called her husband and told (LOL! The power women have!) her husband he was going to fix my car on Friday being that he was off for the Memorial Day Weekend. I even offered to give them some money for the work, but she refused and said that it wasn't necessary. (God Bless you ANNE!)

I had wanted at least a couple of days to make sure the car was running okay and that there weren't going to be any unexpected problems before I started the four hour trip up there. I suppose I could drive the heck out of it Friday after work to make sure all is a okay, but my folks who are driving down from Kentucky need to know if I'm going to make it before they make reservations at the Ramada. God willing, everything will be fine.

I was supposed to have a doctor's appointment today, however I received a nice letter in the mail yesterday letting me know that my appointment had been changed to Thursday. That stinks because it's pay day, and it's normally the day I have to do all kinds of errands. I won't have much time after I get off work to get the check cashed, get home to change and get to the Doctor's office. Grr. I hate being in a rush. Ah, well. I'll get over it.

This is turning into a rather long post and I have much I still need to get done, so I best be getting to it. Just want to add that I was not at all happy with the season finale of Las Vegas last night. Why not just end the season with everyone getting screwed in some way?

It's pretty sad really. You get them in your e-mail. Bombarded by them in internet advertising. I suppose there are those that enjoy Porn, however, I am not one of them.

While checking out my blogs this morning, I noticed I had some comments left on this blog. I checked them out only to discover that someone had left a link to a porn site. Argh. I guess spamming isn't enough, let's just go straight to bloggers and get them too.

Sheez.

Yes, I know it's very early in the morning. I made the mistake of taking a nap when I got home from work today. Actually I fell asleep on the couch, but the point is that I didn't end up waking up until after 7pm. I guess this is going to be a regular Friday occourence. :)

As you can see I have moved some of the non-faith related items from the Nest here to by new blog site. Keep your eyes open cause some changes will occour. Of course I will just have to create a new look for my new blog. lol.

Well, I know this isn't much as far as having a lot to say, but it is getting about that time where I should force myself to get some sleep. I have a long couple of days ahead of me. Chores tomarrow and Sunday hopefully my car will be getting a much needed water pump.

peace out.

What kind of grass this is called?



I of course know what it is because I'm surrounded by it, just want to see how many folks out there can identify this type of grass. :)

I think I have mentioned that I have two adorable kitties. Today, the one pictured above did something a bit odd…I actually still can’t figure out how he did it even.

First I have to explain that I live in my parent’s home while they are in Kentucky finishing up a contract for the military before my father retires. At one point they owned 3 homes…they are down to two, however all the stuff that was left in the 3rd home when they moved from N.H. down here to Alabama still remains in the basement of my Grandparent’s home. (Also in N.H.)

Now, I live in a 3 bedroom house, most of witch is furnished with partially my stuff and partially theirs. Whenever they come down to visit they bring a truck load of stuff with them until the day comes when my dad does retire. Well, the 3rd bedroom is jam packed full of stuff ranging from old clothes/computers/furniture you name it, you can probably find it in there. They’re last trip down they brought yet another load, of witch due to there being no space remaining to store is still in the garage. Basically if you can walk in the garage you are doing well.

Tigger is a very smart cat. The garage, like most is not finished, so until recently the little bugger would find himself in the attic roaming around. I had tried everything I could do to prevent him from going up there, but no matter what I did he would find his way up there. I finally had to nail particle board all the way up the wall from my Dad’s work bench to the rafters, and close off any hole he could fit in. He can’t get up there now, and he is not happy about it at all, let’s me know constantly with his crying.)

I don’t smoke in the house, my parents didn’t want to come back to a icky smelling house, and I don’t blame them. I don’t really care for the smoke smell lingering in the house either, so I go outside or in the garage to smoke. (Yes, I know it’s a disgusting habit and I should quit, for more than one reason.) Well, I was out there minding my own business when I kept hearing this faint meowing. I walked up and down the garage along the little pathway from the backdoor to the garage door trying to detect where the meowing was coming from. At first thought it sounded like he had managed to get in the attic again, witch wouldn’t have really surprised me. (Like I said, he’s smart!) I started searching the rafters to see if I could see his little head poking fun at me from above, but no such luck. I started to think maybe he had fallen in between some of the piles of boxes and couldn’t get out, so I got on top of an old computer chair to see if I could lean over and find him. Nothing. Again with the faint meowing.

I forgot to mention, on top of all the boxes and other assorted items in the garage, there is also a hot tub. Lol. Yes, I know, my parents are pack rats. On top of the hot tub is one of those old car top carriers. When I say old, I mean old…I remember using that thing when I was ten years old..and we all know how OLD I am now. Inside this car top carrier are a bunch of broken down boxes that I was told to keep so it would make packing some stuff up later easier to do. Well, the lid is on it, but not on well, but well enough that the cats couldn’t get into it and do anything naughty (like potty).




I happened to be leaning on top of the car top carrier while bending over to see if I could spot Tigger, and low and behold heard a scratch coming from INSIDE the carrier!!! I lifted up the lid and there he was meowing his little head off!!! How he got in there I really don’t know. I didn’t think there was any space left open large enough for either cat to get into, but evidently the little guy found a way, course once he did, he couldn’t get back out.

He couldn’t have been in there for very long, I had only been home from work for a couple of hours and he bugged me for at least a half hour after I walked in the door. I’m so glad I found him when I did, poor thing could have been in there for a good while before I started missing his incessant crying.

Yeah, I have had an icky Friday. You would think I would be happy it being the last day of the work week, and I was when I finally walked out of the door of work today.

Friday the 13th. Huh. I'm not one to be superstition, but sometimes things just happen to make you think otherwise.

I spilled very hot coffee all over my hand, at the time we are getting our butt's kicked so I really didn't have time to deal with the pain, or anything else for that matter. (No burn marks as of yet, surprisingly.)

Brac closure list, and military pay day, all in one. Um, yeah. I don't know if I mentioned it, but I work about 3 mins from Ft. Rucker, and most of our business is military related. You would think that people don't eat any other time except on pay day.

There was never doubt in my mind that Rucker wouldn't be on the closure list, so I don't see why that was a big deal. I mean c'mon...it's a global training facility for army aviation. Not going anywhere anytime soon, I'm guessing. Why our government thinks it is a good idea to shut down any bases at this time is a big question to me. What are they thinking? Yeah, good idea to close down bases when weather or not our president wants to admit it, we are still at war. Iraq won't be the end of it either, North Korea is more than likely next.

My water pump on my car is kuput. Fortunately my wonderful brother in law was kind enough to send me some money so I can get it fixed. I have all the parts, now I just need someone to fix it for me for a cheap rate. I'm pretty car savvy, but I'm not THAT savvy. I can do more than most women, change the tires, oil, spark plugs, check the fluids. I know my car pretty well, so if something goes wrong, I can pretty much tell the mechanic what's wrong with it. I do sometimes use words such as dohicky, and thingamajig, but I figure I know what I'm talking about, so should the mechanic! :)

Not too much else really exciting is going on, at least not that I'm aware of. lol. I just felt like jotting something down for a minuet, but now I'm done.

Can you believe this is my little brother? :)



I can remember when my sister and I used to make the poor kid do all kinds of not so nice things, just for the fun of it. My how times have changed. My little brother, with a little girl.
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

Notice how the new Mom is so thin already????? sheesh. :)

Well, I can't even say how happy I am that it's friday! It's not only been a busy week for me at work, but been tiring as far as working on transferring everything from my old place to here. I'm still not happy with the layout I have here, but at least now I know I can tweak and play with it a lot more than I could at the other place. I'm no where near done with my 'plans' so I'm sure I will be busy the better part of the weekend trying to work some stuff out, but at least I can do it at my leisure.

I don't know if I have mentioned that I'm the type of person who is a bit retentive...as in, I hate this layout and it is really irritating me so I have to do something about it now before it drives me crazy, retentive. It's not that it's bad or anything, it just isn't doing anything for me for whatever reason. I would really appreciate any feedback from anyone who might happen to stop by, if that is you can get your two cents in before I go and change everything. lol. I have been having problems with my lovely Photoshop not doing what I want it to do, well, let me clarify..It's doing what I want it too, but when I save it, it doesn't look the same as it does when it's in photoshop. Kinda irritating. I have tried every tip and trick I could find out there in internet space, but ufnortunately so far nothing seems to be fixing the problem. I'm wondering if it's my browser, although I don't recall ever having any problems like this with it before. I use a great little diddy called Crazy Browser. I love it because it blocks just about every pop up you can imagine, gives you the ablitity to have several different web pages open at the same time, within the same program, so you don't have to worry about all those little annoyances that arrive with the use of Internet Explorer. I have been using it for probably 4 years or so now and I can honestly say that I love it! Last I checked it's blocked over 800 pop ups in the last year, not bad for a free program!

Yes, I know I got a bit distracted there. As I mentioned, I'm beat. I woke up this morning and litterally crawled out of bed, went in the kitchen and started the coffee pot, and fell asleep standing there waiting for my coffee. I hate mornings like that. I usually wake right up once the alarm goes off, and couldn't go back to sleep if I wanted too. Not the case today because all I wanted to do is crawl back in bed and go right back to sleep! Needless to say I was late for work. heh. Not that my being late is anything new, I'm horrible about being on time for anything, but I was REALLY late today.

Anyhoo, enough of my mindless drivel, I'm outta here for now. Toodles!

I'm a new Auntie...again. :) Baby Avery Marie was born today, 5-5-05 at 4:38pm, 6lbs 3oz. (How cool would it have been had she been born at 5pm?) No pictures yet, but mommy and baby are fine! ttfn!

Yeah, it’s raining, thunder storming, and threats of tornadoes are in the midst. I find it to be no big deal, but I suppose if you weren’t from these parts, it would seem a bit scary. If you live here for any amount of time you sort of get used to the thunder storm warnings, tornado watches and the like, it’s a pretty regular occurrence. In comparison, people who live up north are rather used to the snow, whereas down here we would not only be in shock, but all of our roads would be closed. The state would be closed. Lol. Believe it or not, but it has happened. I wasn’t here when it did, but it was such a big deal that you can go into some restaurants in Tuscaloosa and they have newspaper clippings hanging on the wall. There are two malls in Tuscaloosa, one fairly close to the highway. The parking lot was packed with semi trucks because they had no other place to go and the roads were so bad that they just couldn’t drive any further. The state shut down the highways and roads, no work, no school, no nothing. The next day it melted of course. Snow doesn’t last for any amount of time in Alabama.

I live about four hours south of Tuscaloosa, so the chances of that ever happening down here are slim to none. I think in the last 10 years I have seen flurries once, and woke up one morning with snow on my car, but it didn’t stick to the ground. Last Christmas I went to my sisters, she lives about 45 min from New Orleans, and go figure, I saw snow, and some actually stuck to the ground. (On Christmas Day, no less!) I don’t understand it, but they got no snow here, however there was a pretty bad tornado touch down in Montgomery, I believe.

And what joy, hurricane season is just around the corner. It’s supposed to be another above average year as far as hurricanes. I have to wonder if the area I live in is going to be as lucky as it has been. I was here for Opal, and that was no picnic, I can’t imagine anything stronger than her coming through here and if it did we would be talking major damages. As it was with Opal, we didn’t have power or water for almost a week. Power lines were down everywhere, our next door neighbors had a tree go down in their backyard, missed their house by maybe a foot. You have to understand, we live about 45 minuets from Panama City, so if they get hit, we will too and although it may not be as bad as when it hits them there, it’s still going to be pretty rotten, of course this is depending on the size of the storm too. The eye of Opal went right over Enterprise, and you know the saying, anything east of the eye is going to get wapped, well, we got pretty wapped. It wasn’t as horrible as I thought it would be, fact, my parents went to bed right in the middle of the storm. I sat up for a few hours and listened to the radio before I finally fell asleep. I think the worst is when it happens at night, you never know what you are going to wake up too.

How I got all on this weather kick, I don’t know. Lol. I was actually doing some spring cleaning and decided to take a short break. I suppose I should get back to it, otherwise I will never finish all I had intended on doing today. I think the rain is making me lazy because really all I want to do is go crawl back into bed and take a nap. Lazy Daze.