Spring is definitely in the air. Today, it was almost 80 degrees. I got in my car this afternoon and had to crank up the air conditioner. Savannah is so beautiful in the spring. Already, trees are beginning to flower and pink blooms are opening on azalea bushes. In just weeks, this city will be ablaze with color.
Of course, spring does come with a downside. I was down by the Savannah River yesterday, and the sand gnats were beginning to feast on me. They are such evil little bugs. You can barely see them, but they pack a mean bite. A few days ago, they were nowhere to be seen – or felt, rather. But suddenly, they are out in force.
Lee got to go to the beach today, and I was happy for him but jealous, too. I am definitely looking forward to spending some weekends there soon. Just me, my hubby, two chairs, and a book. And some sunscreen. And some bug spray. And or course, anyone else who would like to come play. No jellyfish are invited though.
I know we need rain to sustain life, blah blah blah. But yesterday, the rain just took it too far. It had rained for several days, and last night Lee and I were sitting at the dining room table when I saw something disturbing. On the ceiling. A hole.
The fake-o popcorn facade was peeling back, exposing the ceiling, and a yellow-brown ring that we though was evidence of an old stain had grown. We have a leak.
Old Man Clanton, our neighbor, is so going to feel so vindicated. He kept saying we needed to get the leaves off our roof, and even mentioned that we should buy a ladder like his so we could get onto the roof. But he never offered to let us use his ladder. Just told us to buy one. But when he sees roofers working on house, I’m sure he’ll think, “I told you so.”
I don’t know yet if homeowner’s insurance will cover it, but I’ve been told not to expect it. Replacing our roof could cost thousands. And we just broke the bank for Alaska.
Time to go deliver some pizzas for extra cash. I heard there’s a decent brothel up the street. Maybe they’re hiring. Anyone want to donate to our roof fund? Send cash, checks, or money orders. Or shingles.
This week, I had the distinct pleasure of spending a day at an elementary school for career week. I went from classroom to classroom talking about my job. The kids ranged in grade level from kindergarten to 3rd grade. Boy, are they funny when they’re that age. And boy do they ask some funny questions. Here were a few of my favorites:
Student: “Do you ever have one of those days when you just want to quit?”
Another student: “Do you ever have a bad day and wonder why you chose that job?”
A student who didn’t ask what he really wanted to ask: “When the aliens … what do you like about your job?”
Student: “Do you have a good boss?”
Me: “Yes, I have a very nice boss.”
Different student: “My dad has a nice boss. He is the boss.”
Student: “I was born in Maryland.”
Me: “Me too. What city?”
Student: “Pennsylvania.”
Student: “When my dog gets wet, he smells like a wet dog.”
At least no one asked me something as uncomfortable as what was asked of a guest from one of our hospitals:
Student: “Do your doctors ever accidentally kill people?”
Crazy kids.
27 years ago today, a wonderful thing happened. Lee Heidel was born.
Today, he is celebrating by taking the day off work. Wish I could take it with him, but we will get to celebrate together tonight with dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Tango.
Alva, thanks for having Lee. Lee, thanks for being the wonderful man you are. I’m happy every day that you were born – I just get an excuse to talk about it more today.
Happy Birthday!
I can’t help it. I’m getting so excited. Lee and I have been booking our lodging for our Alaskan Adventure. In Anchorage, we’re staying in what looks to be a really cool hotel right on a lake near downtown. Got a good deal. In Seward, we’re staying at a small, bay-front hotel, and we got the swank room. Cathedral ceilings with windows that go all the way up, gas fireplace, etc. Then we’re staying in a riverfront cabin just outside Denali National Park for a few days (still pending reservation confirmation – keeping my fingers crossed they’re not booked up).
I can’t wait. I lay in bed last night thinking, “this time three months from now I’ll be in Seward…”
I did have a weird dream the other night. We were in Alaska, but all the roads were really steep and really scary to drive up. I kept getting scared the car was going to tip over backwards and roll down the mountain. I don’t know what that means – probably has something to do with my fears that the trip won’t live up to my expectations.
But I just can’t stop being excited about it.
Today Lee and I threw a baby shower for our good friend Nikki, who (if you click that link) you can see is very pregnant. She keeps saying that Lee and I have been so good to her during her pregnancy, but I really feel like I’m the fortunate one. I’ve never had a friend have a baby. The whole thing is so cool, and she has let me in on every part of it.
The shower went well, despite the fact I’ve never thrown a shower in my life and had no idea what I was doing. Big thanks to everyone who came for being such good guests. We had fun, and Nikki got some more good loot.
Playing hostess was fun, but I guess it wore me out. We went to pick up Millie after the shower (we took her to stay with some friends because we didn’t want her eating all the shower food off everyone’s plates), and I fell asleep in the car on the way back. They only live 15 minutes away. Then Lee, Millie and I took a three hour nap. Yummy.
That’s the motto of the Cape Fear Fire Antz hockey team. Despite having an evil mascot, their jerseys are cool because they have flames.
Lee, his dad, and I went to see the Fire Antz play the Winston-Salem Parrots (what’s with the lame mascots?) playing in Savannah tonight. It was good fun. The place was pretty empty, but we got really good seats. Second row. I thought it was fun to watch the guys get slammed before – now I could make out their faces as they were thrown against the wall. One time the ref got nailed, but he was a good sport, got right back up and kept skating. There was only one real fight, but at least it happened right in front of us. It just cracks me up that the guys are allowed to go at it until one goes down. The refs just stood around, waiting, while they punched at each other. Also good times. So not only have I decided Lee and I must get season tickets if we ever live in a hockey town, we must have first or second row seats.
My throat hurts. Too much yelling.
Today is not a good day to be afraid of fire. The story about the club fire and the almost 100 people who died is horrific.
I have always been afraid of hotel fires, but I never thought about a fire in a place like that. Could you imagine how frightening that whole thing was? Especially as quickly as the building seemed to burn. I wonder what I would do in a situation like that. Run for the same exit as everyone else? Get smart and head for one of the other exits? Or what if I didn’t have a choice, because the surge of the crowd was too strong for me to move on my own?
I feel so badly for everyone who was in that club – the ones who survived for having gone through something so terrifying, and of course, the ones who didn’t make it. Fire can be such a beautiful, warming, comforting thing. But it can also be a nightmare.
We’re really going to go.
For years, I have been dreaming about going to Alaska. For at least five years I’ve actually been planning the trip. I remember dragging Lee into an Athens book store, pouring over different Alaska travel books, and finally buying the “Compass American Guide: Alaska.” I know it was five years ago because the book was published in 1997. I distinctly remember standing in the bookstore, clutching the paperback, and asking Lee, “we’re really going to go, aren’t we?” He said, “yeah, we’ll really go.” But he kind of said it like he says, “yes, one day you’ll have a pony.” It was something he really wanted to do for me and with me, but we were ramen-eating college kids.
Last year, we tried to make it work but just couldn’t. This year, I’ve been obsessing with budgets and constantly checking travel websites for fares. I even bought another Alaska planning book. I figured something might have changed in five years and I’d need to be up to date.
I just saw the funniest thing on TV ever.
Lee and I were watching television, and there was a mistake during the commercials. Something got crossed, and you could see the video for one commercial but you were hearing the audio for another commercial.
The first commercial was video from a Friedman’s ad, and audio promoting an upcoming show or something. A couple of highlights were when the happy woman opened a jewelry box, and the voice you heard said, “Unacceptable!” Then at the end of that commercial, as the Friedman’s logo came on screen, the voice said, “What is the price for peace?” Apparently, it’s platinum and sparkly.
Then, the next video you saw was one of those Subway commercials featuring Jared, the guy who lost a billion pounds eating sandwiches. As he shows us a pair of his “fat boy” pants, the voice to another ad for an upcoming show says, “What are the signs telling us?” Then the next shot is of Jared running on the beach, and the voice says, “It paints a portrait of MURDER!”
Oh my goodness. Lee and I laughed and laughed and cried. I couldn’t stop laughing. I still can’t stop laughing.
I guess you had to be there to appreciate it – but believe me, it was really funny.
