The Start of the 4 Day Weekend.

I have not had a 4 day weekend in a long time. It will be action packed. I got off work today at 12 and came home to clean house and do laundry. It is crazy, but it calms my nerves. Jason came home and we went to work out and go to the store. I then realized that I didn't know what I wanted for dinner. It drives him nuts that I can't just decide what I eat. What he doesn't know is that it drives me even more nuts to be hungry and not know what I want to eat. It is frustrating.

Tomorrow, Christmas day, I will make breakfast and work in the yard as Jason goes over to Eric's to work of the finances for the hall. At 4 pm, I have my congregation pioneer meeting with the elders, followed by dinner at the Hoover's house. Free dinner, yeah!!!!!!!

Friday is the pioneer meeting with the circuit. I always love it because I get to see everyone and it is just so encouraging. I wonder who the speakers will be...........

Sat and Sun is the assembly. So much spiritual food. Can I handle it?

I got some really cute outfits at Koel's. I got 2 skirts, a shirt, a jacket, a necklace, and a dress for 68 bucks. Not bad. That 30 percent off coupon came in handy.

Jason and I had such a good time with Martin and his family on Monday night. He called Jason while I was on my way home from work. I get a call as soon as I am rounding Lake Monroe that he wants us to meet him for dinner at the Garlic Crab House. He promises a real party with seafood and booze. Count me in. So I hurry home to get the smell of wet dog off me.

Voila, we are sitting in The Garlic Crab House which is on the corner of 25th and Park Ave in Sanford. It is sort of on the border of the ghetto. It looks more like a hangout/ fish market with metal crabs on the tables holding the salt and pepper shakers and hot sauces. Jason and I are the only white people there. Martin informs us that he needs to make a run the convenient store for cups. I didn't realize that everyone brought their own alcohol to this establishment. I thought we had to be all discreet about the alcohol, until I realized that the lady behind the counter knows of the alcohol and gets us cups of Coke to mix with our rum. I told you the place was really ghetto.

So many nice friends showed up. A lot of the Sanford crew showed up, beer in tow, and a small boom box to churn out r and b. I felt out of place at first, but then, it was a real good time.

Martin's son in law invited Jason and I to Ohio to visit. He said he would arrange for Jason to give a talk in his hall. Sweet. I have never been to Ohio.

I am so getting ready for this long weekend ahead. Still thinking of the good times of this past week. I love time off.

My Workout Playlist of the Day

1. Chamillionaire- Ridin' Dirty
2. Dirty Vegas- Days Go By
3. Wyclef Jean- Perfect Gentleman
4. Britney Spears- Womanizer
5. Interpol- Evil
6. John Legend with Andre 3000- Green Light(Ready to Go)
7. MC Hammer - 2Legit to Quit
8. Mika- Relax, Take it Easy
9. Vampire Weekend- Oxford Comma
10. The Police - Syncronicity 1
11. Katy Perry- Hot and Cold

Not About Love ------Great Fiona Apple Lyrics.

The early cars
Already are
Drawing deep breaths past my door
And last night's phrases
Sick with lack of basis
Are still writhing on my floor

And it doesn't seem fair
That your wicked words should work
In holding me down
No, it doesn't seem right
To take information
Given at close range
For the gag
And the bind
And the ammunition round

Conversation once colored by esteem
Became dialogue as a diagram of a play for pun (blood?)
Took a vacation, my palate got clean
Now I could taste your agenda
While you're spitting your cud

And it doesn't make sense
I should fall for the kingcraft of a meritless crown
No, it doesn't seem right
To take information
Given at close range
For the gag
And the bind
And the ammunition round

This is not about love
'Cause I am not in love
In fact I can't stop falling out

This is not about love
'Cause I am not in love
In fact I can't stop falling out
I miss that stupid ache

What is this posture
I have to stare at
That's what he said when I'm sittin' up straight
Change the name of the game 'cause he lost
And he knew he was wrong but he knew it too late
But I'm not being fair
'Cause I chose to listen to that filthy mouth
But I'd like to choose right
Take all the things that I've said that he stole
Put 'em in a sack
Swing 'em over my shoulder
Turn on my heels
Step out of this sight
Try to live in a lovelier life

This is not about love
'Cause I am not in love
In fact I can't stop falling out

This is not about love
'Cause I am not in love
In fact i can't stop falling out
I miss that stupid ache

Some pictures for the week.

What can be more entertaining than a crazy 4 year old, a completed bathroom, and a beautiful cake. I wanted to share pictures of my irises, but I forgot to name my photos at uploading, so I thought i would just guess. I guessed wrong. Annelysse was so crazy at the Dougherty's with the fart machine. I am glad the batteries went dead.

Delivery is the Key

I have a weakness for anything on the artsy side. I love museums, art galleries, musicals, symphonies. But then, there is the side of me that will watch TMz and pour over Perez Hilton's blog for the latest gossip from Hollywood. I am such a gossip junkie. I wonder how my two sides co-exist.

I have really been watching and dissecting this whole Caylee Anthony thing. It really upsets me. Two days ago, they tentatively found her remains. It still isn't definitive if they are positively her remains, but the odds are that they are. It so upsets me that this person, the mother of this child, has led the police, her parents, and the American public, on a wild goose chase to find her daughter. Hoping, wishing, deluding, any moment we would find this bright little 3 year old safe. I don't want to believe that she is dead, but when the FBI says "you're dead", uh, you're dead.

I know a lot of it boils down to this young mother not wanting to be a young mother. She wanted to party, to live her own life, a life without the restraints of a child. It is sad that her mother convinced her to have this baby and not let HER make the decision to give it up for adoption. I don' think that is the only issue her. I know plenty of very young mothers, and fathers for that fact, who step up and take the responsibility to be a parent in the capacity that they can. Sure, it means sacrifice. It means giving up a lot. But that is your lot when you decide to conceive a child. Your life is a little less yours than it was in the beginning.

I don't understand Casey's whole way of going about it, unless she just wanted to get back at her mother and hurt her in the worst way she could by getting rid of the child so she couldn't have it. There is no telling. But to boldly go partying and living the single life while your daughter is dead is just plain evil. I know in some capacity, she is crazy. Anyone who can justify killing someone else is crazy in my book. But I think she knew what she was doing. She knew enough to lie, conspire and bend the truth in a thousand different ways, that we didn't come across Caylee's little (alleged) remains that were hidden just blocks from the place she called home.

Why? How could you do this? When there are so many people who want a little girl just like Caylee to love? I don't think any punishment could ever fit the crime.

It is so true that pride is an ugly thing. Narcissist are the worst. And Casey is the perfect description of a narcissist.

Ok, that is my rant on this whole thing. Hopefully, this whole community will get closure soon.

My Newest Reads I Love

I'm So Proud of Myself.

I know, I know, pride before a crash, but really I've done a lot of work in my yard. I wish the same thing could be said about my master bath. I would love to dunk Martin's head in the toilet right now, if it were attached to the plumbing. It greatly incenses me more that he is leaving for (gasp) Puerto Rico and I don't think my bathroom will get finished until he comes back. That will explain why I would like to dunk his head in the toilet.

But, enough about him. I mulched the new bed and I had an iris bloom. Sure, it was only a single solitary iris, but she was beautiful. Must upload the pictures. I extended another bed and put Jason's grill on it's own slab that I laid. I even bought him a cover for the grill. I can finally park on my car port. What an odd thought.

Today is going to be stormy. It is sad that i need to be out is service but the weather is going to be bad. I hope I can at least make it out for the morning.

I am burning lavender and vanilla incense. It so reminds me of happy memories. Isn't it crazy how certain smells can make you think of patches of time. Sometimes, you wish that certain sense wouldn't work. This is a good smell in my book. Happy times.

Work is steady, for the most part. Everyone in this area is crying over the economy. Jason's hours were cut. It was to be expected before he changes divisions. I am sure he'll be happy when that happens.

Our pioneer meeting with the elders is this weekend. Those are always well needed. I always enjoy the encouragement and then the dinner afterward. So nice.

From Chick to Chiq

I guess it is the sign of our bad economy. Jason's company has decided to cut the work week for his division from 5 days to 4. That is an eight hour cut. Corneck interestingly enough mentioned last week that working a 4 day week will benefit you. You really don't make much less money. You have more free time. And you pay less taxes. Oh, the taxes. Plus, one day entirely for yourself. Why not go out in the ministry or just enjoy it?

I watched the documentary on Britney Spear. I pity the poor girl. She is trying to tell the world that she really isn't that happy and her whole appearance and comeback is an illusions. Can we say, "Duh?" Who doesn't know the whole entertainment industry is nothing more than the work of smoke and mirrors?

My second bathroom is almost done. I just hope it is entirely done before this weekend. I hate dust.

What do dreams mean anyway?

So, I have become a regular member of Facebook. I know, why waste my time? It has been really nice finding people from the past, all grown up. It's nice to see what people are up to. Having babies, getting married, going places, some still being immature. It is nice to keep in touch with old friends.

I had a dream the other night about the corny little dance school I went to when I was between the ages of 4 and 8. The dance school doesn't even exist anymore. In fact, when the school went under and moved somewhere else, the owner had our deposits for the next season's dance classes. Betty Vacarro's World of Dance, I think it was called. It's pretty ambitious to call your place a "world" of anything. The dance school did stink and she always picked the ugliest costumes. Although, my very first tap/ballet costume was sooooooo cute. It was a yellow leotard that had a yellow tutu and a lacy overlay thingy for the tap costume. The cutest ever.

Anyway, back to the dream I had. I had a dream that the dance studio was going out of business. The plaza that the studio was in has a highway over it as we speak. So it really, really doesn't exist. But I was allow to go to the costume room and pick out a costume. I picked the big green Scarlett O'Hara dress with the big green hat. Who could dance in that?

I thought my friend Abbie would get a kick out of me having a dream about our old dance studio.

I have to do a lot of tying for Jason today. I was suppose to do it last night, but tired Julie went to sleep at 7:45. How pathetic.

Making the split pea soup again. Delish.

Earthworms of Great Strength

I worked very hard in the backyard today, making room for the new flowerbed that I am developing that includes the 2 laurel oak trees right outside my sliding glass door. I dug up all the rocks and places them ever so gently in a kidney-shaped fashion. What to do next? I really should post some pictures. I always complain that I can't see results, but everyone raves that I have done so much. I can't see it. It is the perfectionist in me.

Under all the rocks that I used, there were tons of earthworms. Gillions of them, and that's not even a real word. Good old fashion earthworms. It made me think if an earthworm farm would be profitable. Maybe I could make some extra dough by selling bait to fishermen. What a sweet idea. I have too many of them.

This will be our bookstudy's last goody-night. Yes, every first of the month we have snacks after the bookstudy. It usually is a big hit and everyone enjoys. I am doing an ultimate fake-out by slicing up the left over pies I have and serve them on a tray with whipped cream. I must get rid of all those pies. This is a genius way to do it.

I am reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, and honestly, I can't put it down. It is a great book. It makes me really appreciate all the freedoms we have as women in this country. Just the thought of being confined to wearing a birqua is so constricting. And that is just a minor part of the culture. You have to read it.

I also saw a great movie. Picture Bride is the story of a young Japanese girl sent to Hawaii to be a picture bride. It's sort like a mail-order bride. The husband-to-be sent her a picture that was 2o years old. When she finally saw him, she was quite upset and spends the better part of the movie trying to go back to Japan. She can't quite save up the money to do so, and ends up staying with her husband. Such a sweet movie.