South Carolina Visit: Day Two

Saturday.

Game.

Day.

Clemson was playing North Carolina State (Carrie R., you know this??) at noon, so we headed out to try to hopefully find parking.

* Side tangent:

For those of you that DON'T know, I went to Clemson for graduate school and got my MS in 2004. Then moved to Florida, met Darin, and well. Here we are. We had gone up last year for a game, had fun, and were hoping to come again this year - and got the invite! Yeah!

There is nothing like a Clemson football game. Nothing. It is described as "the most exciting 25 seconds in college football". To get the gist of the magnitude of people...

Clemson as a town has like, oh, 12,000 people with like 18,000 college students.

The stadium can hold on average (per game) over 81,000 people.

Yeah. It's crazy.

* End tangent.

So we go and get parking at the YMCA and walk 1.1 miles to the stadium.

Death Vally from a distance.

The Hill. Love this school, man. Oh the memories...

Got to the game, got nachos, water, and dippin' dots (love those!) and waited for the game to start. In the hot sun.

Hot Darin...

It was hot. Ick.

I got hot though in the second quarter. Darin got sunburn on his nose (poor boy, looked like a raccoon). Had to take a break from the game and sun... got a icee thing. It saved us.

I was hot hot hot. And then happy happy happy!

Thank you, slushie/icee thing. We love you.
(And you can see my ring here too, in case you haven't seen it!)

Left at the fourth quarter (they were obviously winning and were going to win. And we were hot), and had to find the bus to bring us back to the car because we didn't want to walk back. Was tricky. But we figured it out.

Decided to get some food and ended up in downtown Seneca. I used to go to church in Seneca with my friends Lisa and Herb, and their boys W. and M. Once while I was babysitting, the three of us walked from their house to downtown Seneca and went to this restaurant for lunch.

Well I found it again. And we had fried pickles. Numm.

Beautiful tree outside Paul and Ann's house. It was fantastic.

Then went home and CRASHED. Man, were we tired. Ended up watching The Black Dahlia (because I had listened to the book and wanted to see the movie.) And later made some Home Run Inn Pizza. Then lazed the night away. Rest. Movie. And pizza. They're a good combination.

South Carolina Visit: Day One

Our adventure began...

Darin and I were headed up to South Carolina for some r and r and f. (rest, relaxation, and football). On Friday we left semi early (like nine am, which I know is not early at all, but considering Darin had already worked three hours, it's understandable) to head up to the Clemson area to stay and dog/cat-sit for our friends Paul and Ann. They had invited us up a couple of weeks ago because they were headed out and about, and had a free house for us to stay at. On a lake. In the middle of no-where (sorry Paul and Ann, but you are in the goonies). With hummingbirds. (I love hummingbirds). And a Bodie-dog. And lots of other things.

Yea for free houses.

Though annoyed on our way North because of ridiculous gas prices (can we say price gouging, really), we made it in time to do dinner with our friend LaShan. Hurray!

She was going out of town the next morning (for a cruise, no fair!) and luckily we got to see her before she left. We went to Applebees.

Our fake smiles. Come on, how can you not think this is awesome?

Ahh.

And this little lovely was dessert. It was key lime pie.

We bonded. As always.

Then went back to P and A's and played with Bodie (the dog) and Cadbury (the cat). Such fun hosts!

More to come.

Registry

We are registered at:

Crate and Barrel
Bed, Bath, and Beyond

Story below:

Darin and I went to register for gifts last Saturday before the UCF/USF football game. Oh, first though we went to Ikea (which is probably my most favorite store of all time because it's huge and has cheap stuff in it) for lunch.

Lunch? But why, you might ask.

Well, they have like the best Swedish meatballs around and are very cheap. Last time we went there (we were bored one day and a big thunderstorm was rolling in, so we decided to visit and walk around), Darin got this awful dish of rice pilaf and salmon. Ick. He didn't like it so I "had" to share my meatballs with him. I'm nice, you see. (Though I really didn't want to and had to tell him I was full to get him to eat them. Come on... me, full...). But this time around we both got meatballs. Though the other stuff looked really good too.

It was our gift to ourselves for registering...

Anyways, we went to Crate and Barrel and walked around. We decided on our plates and plastic glasses (we drop glass glasses ALL the time and have good ones already for special occasions). Liked the green (as in color) stuff there. Green dish towels and bowls. Like the bright stuff too. Oooh ohh. Excited about color.

Anyways, it was fun.

Totally realized we are both very minimalistic and actually had a hard time finding stuff we liked - not because we disagreed, but because we weren't sure if we really needed things. It was frustrating for us both...!

That's about all I know. Oh, we got a free glass heart bowl thing. Pretty snazzy. Go Crate and Barrel for free gifts.

Writing on the Walls

Friday night, Darin and I went out with some friends who I've met through my volunteering. I have met some great people and am so blessed to have them as friends. Josh is the Manager of the Ronald McDonald House by Florida Hospital, and Suzanne is the new Assistant Manager. I have know Josh for probably over 1.5 years and met his new wife, Janice, about a year ago. (They invited their friend Megan to join us all for dinner.) Suzanne is new to the house and she gets to listen to me talk for four hours a week... not really. Hmm. I hope I don't talk that much at least. Anyways, we all went out for FOOD. How is that not great!

Side note - we went to Janice and Josh's wedding in May. It was tons of fun and the food was really good, and it wasn't too hot. And the band was fantastic. Fantastic.

Okay. Did dinner - went to this place called P.R.s (a Mexican joint) that supposedly gives you a free shot of tequila when a train goes by (it's right by train tracks), but a train went by and we did not get a free shot. Josh said they are 'reduced' in price. I think they should be free.

Megan and Janice, a Margarita, Del and Darin

Oh well. It was one of those places that had writing all over the wall. I knew this, but forgot a pen. Oops. Gotta remember to do that next time; probably would have written something obnoxious though.

Then we went downtown to Church Street to go out. Went to Latitudes (just a rooftop bar) and then the Cheyenne Saloon. Very cool place, kind of reminded me of the Wild Horse Saloon in Nashville. There was lots going on in that bar - line dancing to non-country songs, poker (?? how can they do this? We think it was for charity), weird girls in puffy vests with faux fur trim dancing hip hop, deer heads, buffalo heads (poor Ralphie). Weird stuff. And NO bull riding. Come on.

Megan and Suz taking shots (Josh got 'em), Janice and Josh dancing the night away,
Suzanne and I

And we went home early because we're old. And Darin was playing tennis with Jim in the morning. And again, we're old.

Had a good time. It's always fun to get together with new friends and share memories!

Miss Maggie Mo

From the tune of Miss Mary Mack.

Miss Maggie Mo, Mo, Mo
Came for a visit, visit, visit
With lots of slobber, slobber, slobber
all over the floor, floor, floor

(The end)

I was trying to be creative, but I'm not in a rhyming mood... so.

We love our Maggie Mo, who belongs to Russell (a DVM I work with - he's a Senior Scientist at my job). Every once in awhile we get to dog sit her, and we never really want to give her back. She's just a special, sweet dog. And is like the most gentle big dog I've ever met.

One of my favorite things about her is that she scares the living &@*! out of people because of her size. And her loud bark.

Yikes.

But she's cuddly and friendly. And a wimp really. And Jake loves her to death (though if she stays for over a week, he gets moody because he definitely is an only dog).

Just wanted to post some pictures from when she was here.

Mo the Mosquito's response to the Devil Del

Ghost writer Darin from the memoirs of Mo the Mosquito

The scene in our living room this past Wednesday of wanton mosquito death and destruction caused by the evil Del and Kerry (and Jake) reminded me of an episode of the Mosquito Hunter, from the memoirs of Mo the Mosquito:

Mo: "Look at these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat, the living room of one Del and Darin. As they go about their normal business of obtaining nutrients from what looks like plant life and dead animal a normally calm situation seems to my heightened insect senses to be changing for the worse. Could their agitation be due to my presence as well as the presence of hundreds of hungry colleagues (mosquitoes...duh). Let's look in more closely. Now, for you viewers at home I'm in no real danger. I'm keeping my distance and.....DARN, They've spotted me!"

Del, "AAAAAAAHHHHH, THEY ARE SWARMING ME. BITING ME IN AREAS I CAN'T EVEN MENTION. GET THEM OFF ME, PLEASE. I'M TENDER AND SWEET!"

Mo: "All chance at an unobserved observation appears to be lost. However, to be honest, a feeding frenzy is fun (we can't really change who we are, can we?). Therefore, I swing into action. Two targets present themselves. Darin, with his putrid, vile blood (honestly, smells like Lima beans...ugh!) is definitely the meal of last resort. Del, so sweet, so succulent. I must taste that sweet sweet nectar...IT'S MINE AND MINE ALONE! Unfortunately it appears all 200 of my hungry mosquito friends have the same thoughts and ideas."

Mo: "MAAAASSSS ATTACK!!!! Wait, she's on to us. SHE'S FIGHTING BACK! 3 of us make it through and taste that delectable blood nectar, if only briefly. The evil human she-devil kills two of us (you will be remembered as martyrs, brothers!) but I could tell they thought it was worth it. Sweet blood or death!!!...or both (gulp) .... just give me her sweet sweet delicious delectable blood!!!"

Mo: "Now it's my turn, my opportunity. I'm swooping in for the sting, and WOW am I fast. Nothing can stop me, I'm the best there ever was! Better than the great prophet Mohsquited. I avoid all the flack coming my way... pillows, shirts, tennis balls, even what appears to be a banana (I'm confused about that one). I remain on target (Great fly in the sky, I can almost taste the fruits of my labor!) when--swoosh-- what appears to be male underwear flies through the air to force me way off target and at the same time kills three of my wingmen. Underwear???? Damn weapons of mass destruction! They have so may ways of killing you"

Mo: "One last chance, a feint within a false attack within a diversion. I jive left (she's got her eye on me). 3 compatriots zoom toward her face, distracting her long enough for me to zoom right toward her lower ankle, sink my fangs into her sweet tender flesh, and start extracting the nectar of this god. IT WORKS, and ooooooooooohhhh, WOOOOOW, better than I thought it could ever be!"


"Just as I almost had my fill my heightened senses alerted me to a new, unfamiliar intruder. Short, long nose, bad breath, beady eyes, and what appeared to be some sort of hyperactivity disorder. He SEES ME...HE'S COMING FOR ME. Only one last chance. Remove my needle from delectable Del and get the heck out of there....but I'm so full..my belly is sloshing full of her wonderful nectar."

I have to hurry. HE'S GETTING CLOSE. I CAN SMELL THE FISH ON HIS BREATH, SEE HIS TEETH, HEAR HIS FRANTIC WHINING. I'm almost away. I need only a fraction of a second more....I think I'm going to make it

GULP

Hate = Mosquitos

Now, my mother always would yell at me if I said that I hated someone because it's a very strong word, not a nice word, and you shouldn't use it.

There are exceptions to the rule though.

Exhibit A: mosquitoes.

I hate them.

A lot.

It all started because of Tropical Storm Fay. There is a lot of water around here just cookin' those mosquito larvae and helping them grow. Ick.

Yesterday morning, I was taking the dogs for their morning walk (we're dog sitting Maggie, the Great Dane) and they were bombarded by the little devils. I mean everywhere. Poor Maggie Moe got the worst of it - probably because she's the biggest of us three. I was trying to swat them off of her, but she was getting upset because she though I was hitting her (she's sensitive). Poor dog.

I guess I thought it was a morning thing or that the damn bugs would be gone when I got home.

They were not.

I walked up to the front door and they were everywhere. And I'm not exaggerating - like probably over 200, trying to obtain entrance to my abode.

How do I get in the house? Really?

So I ran for it, arms whaling (to frighten the mosquitos), opened the door, shut it very quickly, scared the bejesus out of the dogs, and only allowed like 20 of them in.

And then they went after Maggie (and Jake too, I think).

So we spent the rest of the night (not really the whole night, but it was becoming quite fun killing the suckers - no pun intended - an obsession, really, for their demise) throwing either shirts, socks, tennis balls, underwear, or whatever up in the air to the ceiling to K.I.L.L them.

Honestly killed like 10 right when I came home. Then more and more. Kerry (our roommate) was throwing a tennis ball up to the cathedral ceiling trying to get them. I found that throwing a shirt up there traps them and then bring them to our level so we can kill them.

And Jake will eat them if he gets the chance. He's smart like that.

Ohh, and they were bloody. Ick. Those poor dogs (we hadn't really gotten bitten so it had to be the dogs).

This morning I was attacked in the car.

(It's the giant bite on the top of my foot. The little ones on my leg are from yesterday morning from the walk because we went in grass and they flew up my jeans. Grr.)

Side note - I should be happy that I only have five bites because I'm one of those people that the bugs LOVE. Horseflies, mosquitoes, no-see-ums, anything really. They love me.

But I think they love Maggie more.

And this ends my post on mosquitoes.