Good grief I have a lot of JUNK

Good grief. I've spent at least 10 hours now just going through the junk in our spare bedroom, and I'm STILL not done! It's amazing how much stuff we've accumulated in just two years in this house. We threw out so much when we moved from Raleigh, and it seems we've replaced it with even more stuff!

I personally think the junk is multiplying overnight when I'm not looking.

But, on the bright side I know I'll be done by Thursday since that's when the carpet cleaners arrive. Right now, you can't even see the carpet! :-)

You'd think I'd learn my lesson by now...

Let's just put it this way - thank goodness the sheriff only gave me a warning!

Yup, I got pulled over again, this time for running the stop sign leaving our subdivision. I honestly never noticed there was even a sign there! But yep, there is. What I can't figure out is why the cop followed me a full five minutes before pulling me over! I just thought he was tailgating me.

In any case, I think I'm just determined to lose my license before we move.

Welcome to Durham

It seems that Cary, one of our neighboring towns and where Matthew and I lived when we were first married, has been named the 10th safest town in the U.S. I believe it - I don't remember any real crime while we were there. I do remember an interesting thing - the police don't park their cars at home or in one central location, they park them all over town. So, you see cop cars everywhere but never know if someone's in them or not!

Now for the clencher. Guess where Durham ranks - WE'RE NOT EVEN ON THE LIST!! In fact, we're the 77th MOST DANGEROUS city in the US!

Now, who here is suprised? Just ask Matthew about his stolen grill or the youth about gang violence at school...

And for anyone who is suprised, just take a look at the trailer for the documentary Welcome to Durham.

In many ways, we'll be much safer in Thailand.

I'm a criminal!

Well, not really. I DID, however, get a speeding ticket today.

I was in a hurry to get to the chiropractor and got off the interstate too fast and didn't slow down. :-( I don't think I was going THAT fast, but the cop said I was so now I have to go to court! He walked up to the car and said that I was going 19 over, and that's an arrestable offense! My eyes got as big as quarters and I must have looked terrified - I thought he was going to arrest me right there!!!! But, he said I just have to be sure to show up in court because if I don't that's when they might choose to arrest me. So, I'm looking for an attorney in Raleigh. I know plenty through the youth group in Durham (teenagers speed!) but none in Wake county. Anyone know a good one?

On a lighter note, I'm up to 6 cans now stacked on my desk. My record is 18. I'm just too darn lazy to get up and carry them to the recycle bin in the breakroom! :-)

Horseback Riding!

It's been so long since I posted anything, I figured I'd post about this weekend.

Matthew and I decided we needed some time alone this weekend, so we drove down to the beach and went horseback riding on Cedar Island! It was so nice to be back on a horse again - I really do enjoy it. This ride was just wonderful - the weather was a gorgeous 65 degrees and sunny with a nice breeze. We rode 1/2 hour down the beach, then crossed over the water (about 1000 feet) to an island, then rode back. I did have the biggest horse I've ever seen - she was so tall I couldn't get my foot into the stirrups without standing on a hay truck!

I have to admit I was a bit naughty and made the horse trot a couple of times intentionally when I wasn't supposed to, just for fun! :-) I think the instructor figured me out when another horse jumped into mine and I let mine run a few steps and was entirely too calm about it. :-D So, after that I behaved myself.

RIP Memphis the Lovebird

I found out today that my parents' lovebird, Memphis, died suddenly yesterday morning (Nov. 2). He was 10 years old so lived a long, full life for a lovebird. He had a beautiful parrot cage to live in (very large for a bird his size) and loved my parents and sister as much as they loved him. He had been part of our family since he was a baby bird. Memphis died suddenly at the vet in my mom's hands after having a routine beak and wing clipping. My parents, especially my mom, are obviously quite upset.

Memphis, you will be missed little buddy. Rest in peace.

It loves to fly, and it shows!

Well, it seems Matthew's cell phone really liked being on vacation. So, rather than come home with us when we arrived at RDU on the 24th, it hopped a flight back to Chicago O'Hare. The good folks at United figured out what the phone was up to, put it in lost and found, and just gave me a call. How they got the phone to reveal what it's home phone number is, I'll never know.

But in any case, looks like the phone gets one more trip home, this time via FedEx!

The poor trees are so confused

Here it is now, November, and the trees are just getting around to changing around here. We usually peak in mid-October (we would have missed it while in Thailand), but just this week the trees around my office started to change.

I thought it had been a bit warm - I mean, it's November, and I wore flip-flops to work today!

Oh, and before I close this oh-so-captivating post, I wanted to add a quick shout-out to my parents - congrats on your 36th wedding anniversary! :-)