Monthly Archives: August 2006

Aug 23 2006

headaches are a bad way to start the day

I decided to get a new pair of contacts out this morning to see if that would help, but it hasn’t so far. I’m wondering if I need to make a trip to the eye doctor. I always feel like my headaches are related to my eyes somehow. Maybe there’s something wrong with me other than just bad eyesight? And how much Excedrin is too much?

In other news, Paul and I decided to opt out of the bug spraying today. I put a sign on the door saying “Please do not enter – Cats inside”. Then in small print underneath, I wrote: “(The cats are our pest control)”. Hehe It’s true, though – especially Ebony. She’s all about the chasing of little bugs.

The other evening, I had gone out to my porch to make a phone call (since my phone does not work in my apartment). Lewis joined me, and when I asked the person to call me back on the landline, I returned to the nice non-humid indoors. Lewis remained on the porch, dutifully hunting. At one point, I looked out the window in the door, and Lewis was staring at me, wanting in! In his mouth was a nice big cockroach. Blech! I reminded him of the house rule, no bugs in the house. He didn’t seem to care. The next time I looked out the window, the bug was gone and by Lewis’ feet were a few legs. Another blech. At least I don’t have to worry about feeding him. ;-)

Question, does anyone have any advice about what to do with a wedding dress? I am happy to give it away; it’s in great condition although it does need to be cleaned. I would sell it on Ebay but I don’t think I would get enough for it to offset the cost of cleaning. I definitely don’t want to save it (I just don’t have the room).

Another question, any advice about gifts without tags? We received a lovely sleeping bag and tarp, but there were no tags and we don’t know who they were from. :-( I feel really bad not writing a thank-you note for that. Did anyone else come across that problem, and what did you do about it?

That’s all for right now. I’m going to go take an Excedrin.

Aug 22 2006

days like these

“Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don’t help.” – Calvin (from Calvin & Hobbes)

Sigh.

These past few days have been exhausting. I have been a little down – not depressed, persay, but rather just really tired and non-energetic. I have come home from work several times with bad headaches, and my body still hates me for getting up at 5.

Yesterday, however, I got up at 5 and didn’t go back to bed (for the first time). I was very proud of myself. When evening rolled around, I felt exhausted. I was ready to get to bed at 10. Unfortunately, that was when Paul decided to shave and the constant drone of the shaver kept me from being able to sleep. Then when he finished, the storm started. Thunder, lighting, rain – the works. Now this might be all fine and dandy to some people, but I personally am really disconcerted by lightning. I was all wound up and unable to sleep. Finally, when it stopped storming (after midnight), I drifted off to dreamland.

Sometime in the middle of the night I woke up really thirsty. I stumbled to the kitchen and as I was reaching for a cup, I knocked a glass to the floor and it shattered. Almost in tears, I turned on the light and swept it up. I really don’t remember this well… I was pretty sleepy, and didn’t even think about the fact I was barefoot.

I went back to sleep and woke up again at 4:30 with a strange beeping sound. It took me a while to place it, but I finally figured out that it was my battery backup for my computer. The power then came back on and the incessant beeping stopped. I rolled over to see that my clock had reset with the power outage. So, you guessed it… I had to get up, turn on the light (I think that’s the worst when you’re up in the middle of the night!), reset my clock and both alarms, all before going back to sleep. Half an hour later, my alarm went off and I decided to forget the 5am dealio and sleep until 8 (when I have to work).

So yeah… today so far hasn’t been very good. I am very tired and worn out… Tonight I get the joy of removing everything from our kitchen because the apartment complex is spraying for bugs tomorrow. We found out yesterday. I am frustrated because Paul and I spent many hours this weekend cleaning and organizing the kitchen. I am also concerned about the cats… They want us to put our pets (actually the note said “pests”) on the porch, which of course I can’t do since my porch isn’t screened in or anything. I really want to opt out of this whole extermination ordeal, but I’m not sure if that’s an option.

Now I’m complaining. I’m sorry. Almost lunchtime! I’m looking forward to going home for lunch.

Aug 22 2006

practicing hospitality: banana bread

Originally published on August 22, 2006 at Onward & Upward

I may not be much of a cook, but I do love to bake. When I was growing up, my mother would always make banana bread and give it to our neighbors or people just moving to town. I remember many a day, wrapping up banana bread in saran-wrap or foil to take to someone. I hope to continue the tradition on my own. This weekend, I made banana bread and brought some with me to visit my dear friends, the Garrisons. I used my new mini loaf pan that I got from Pampered Chef. It makes the cutest little loaves that are perfect for giving away. Here is the banana bread recipe I use:

Banana Bread
1/2 cup shortening or 1/3 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1-2 beaten eggs, optional
2-3 bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon of lemon juice, optional
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine shortening, sugar, and water. Then add eggs, bananas, and lemon juice. Combine separately and add flour, salt, baking soda, spices, and vanilla. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 375 F for 45-60 minutes.

The result is delicious! You can also add chopped nuts, but I usually avoid that since so many people are allergic to nuts.

I think overall, the point is to practice hospitality. Whether you bring banana bread, or just a kind word, it is much appreciated!

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:8-10

Aug 18 2006

meet mrs. b

After writing the post last night, I felt a bit better and was able to go to bed. This morning I got up for work and long story short, realized that for $10 I could get a copy of my birth certificate from the Vital Records office in Atlanta. I am very fortunate to be living in the state where I was born. :-) Therefore, plans for errands were still on and I am so glad I took the entire day to deal with this!

1) Leave at 9am to go to Vital Records office – about 20 minutes from my house. Fill out application, pay $10, wait. Hear my name; take certified copy of the birth certificate and leave.

2) Go to the Courthouse (40 minutes from my apartment, in the opposite direction). Turn in marriage license and receive marriage certificate. Finally!

3) Go to DMV (20 minutes back towards my apartment). Wait in line. Change name on driver’s license; take a new picture (wasn’t expecting that!). Receive new license.

4) Eat lunch (time is about 1pm). Wonder where the Social Security office is – we just have an address. Decide to go to the library to Google map it. Get to the library and find out we have to wait 20 minutes for a computer. Go down the street half a mile to our church and borrow someone’s computer there.

5) Drive 20 minutes back, since the Social Security office was very close to the DMV. Take a number; wait over an hour. Finally see the person to find out that they don’t need my birth certificate (even though it very clearly says in the instructions that I had that they prefer to see the birth certificate as proof of age). I freak out, because I have nothing else official to show. She asks if we have the application for the marriage license, which we do happen to have. I don’t know why this is better because the application was hand-filled out by me and nothing was verified. But somehow in our government’s mind it is more accurate than a birth certificate. Go figure.

6) Finally at 4pm I am legally Ashley B. I should get my SS card in a few weeks. I’m excited to have one for the first time in my life. I am excited to have my birth certificate. I am excited to have my marriage certificate. I am excited to have a new driver’s license.

7) Paul and I look at one apartment to end the day, which was beautiful but priced out of our affordability range. Sigh, oh well. We decided we’d rather live somewhere not as nice and be able to pay more on our loans. Welcome to life and the choice and sacrifices!

That’s my day. :-) Back to work tomorrow – ugh, not looking forward to that! Now if I could only convince my body to go to sleep…

Aug 17 2006

martha's tonsils in ernestine's mouth

So have you ever read Cheaper By the Dozen?

In one chapter of the book, five of the 12 kids need to have their tonsils out. Their father, as efficient as always, decides to have the doctor remove them all on the same day. Martha is the only one of the older children who doesn’t need to have her tonsils out. She is sent to their aunt’s house, being fed on all sorts of unhealthy sweet stuff, while the rest of the children waited for the knife, starving as they weren’t allowed to eat. When the doctor goes to operate on Ernestine, he discovers that he made a mistake – Ernestine is the one who doesn’t need her tonsils out, but Martha does. So they drag Martha from her aunt’s house, kicking and screaming, to get her tonsils out along with the rest of her siblings.

I feel like Martha right now. I had carefully taken the day off tomorrow to do all sorts of errands: first the courthouse, to get the marriage license official; then the DMV to get my new license; then the social security office to get all that changed. I was excited, because Paul has tomorrow off as well and we could spend the day together. Of course the best part of all: getting to sleep in. So tonight I had a coke for dinner! Then I stayed up late with Paul, until about 11 when I decided to get everything together for tomorrow.

I set about on a hunt for my passport or my birth certificate. I have to prove that I’m a US citizen. I looked everywhere. Paul looked everywhere. Neither is here in my apartment. Now, my birth certificate could very well be in Orlando with my parents… but I KNOW I have my passport here. I remember having to show it when I started working here – you know, the whole two ID thing. I remember putting it in my file box. It’s not there. It’s not anywhere.

SO… long story short. I will not be able to change my name at Social Security tomorrow. I am praying my mom has my birth certificate and can mail it up. Otherwise, I will have to look into replacing that, or my passport, or getting a social security card. (WHY don’t I have a social security card? I really am curious about that.) And since Paul can handle the marriage license and I can deal with the DMV on a Saturday, it doesn’t make sense for me to use up my precious last paid vacation day of 2006 tomorrow, when I will need it later for the social security.

I’m super bummed. I was SO looking forward to having tomorrow off – you have no idea. I’m would NEVER have had caffeine for dinner if I had known! I do NOT want to go to work. :-( But, I need to. I will need to take another day off in the future to go change the stupid legal stuff. Why can’t my passport be where I remember it being? Why do things disappear? Why does it seem that 10 vacation days a year jut aren’t enough? I’m considering keeping my maiden name, just to not have to deal with everything.

So I’m Martha, drudgingly going to work tomorrow because I thought I was getting a break and now I’m not. And I really only have myself to blame, although I’m trying desperately to be mad at someone else. Sigh.

You really should read Cheaper By the Dozen. It’s a great book.

EDIT: I decided to take today off anyways, since there’s a chance I might have to do some running around to get a new copy of my birth certificate or whatnot.