Guess What?

Peace on Earth...
Originally uploaded by pkoczera

I've got big news.

No fair spoiling it if you're one of the two people who already know what it is. The photo should provide a clue. Post a comment and tell everyone what you think the big news is. First correct guess gets a song from the iTunes store. Bonus points if you say something intelligent about the photo : )

What's that you're weeding?

We weeded the yard this weekend...meh. Apparently our lawn is really an onion patch, so we decided to uproot the suckers in a feeble attempt to get real grass to grow. Not much to show for our work, after two days spent we filled up two garbage cans (the BIG ones) and we can't even see a difference. I was at least hoping that while I was out there for hours my pasty legs would get a little color, but no luck. I did get some pink on my shoulders, but the only thing colorful on my legs are my vericose veins. I'm just hoping the cellulite on my thighs distracted anyone from noticing... Oh well, at least my Momma says I'm special...

Sending You Birthday Greetings, Mom

We still need you and we'll still feed you (well, Jonna will have to help) now that you're 64. Hope your day is happy.

Our Newest Family Member

Her name is Sheba. I have no idea what breed(s?) she is or much else since she was a stray found by one of my co worker's son. She's super cute, extremely hyper, and a bit on the destructive side. Yep, she'll fit right in!

All Hail Broke Loose in Atlanta

Boy did we have one heck of a storm here last night. Hail and driving rain, lots of lightning. But apparently when it moved from the west side into Atlanta it got a whole lot worse. Sounds like most of the damage was concentrated around the CNN Center/Philips Arena/Georgia Dome area. What they're saying now is "possible" tornado.

It takes the National Weather Service a few days to make up its mind. What tore up Chapel Hill Road last week has been officially labeled a "mini super cell" - not a tornado. Given that last night windows were shattered, roofs torn, parts of buildings collapsed and furniture was sucked out the broken windows into the streets, perhaps it will be an official tornado. Not that it matters, really.

Whatever you want to call it, both landmarks and homes were damaged and people were hurt, but no serious injuries have been reported as I write.

Flickr Member Photos | 11 Alive Story

Marshmallows!

The original plan was to make S'mores but while waiting three weeks for a weekend that was not windy, raining, snowing, or just plain bone chilling cold I decided to cut my losses and let the kids roast marsmallows last night before the other half of them disappeared. The Hershey bars and graham crackers have already been long disappeared.

Amazingly the kids were this close to the flames yet the woods are still there and we only had one marshmallow burn (poor Daniel)



Lea Anna sinks her teeth in



Another marshmallow casualty has Daniel stunned

Okay So There WAS a Tornado Last Night

I got back to Douglasville late because of my after-work detour to Target in Atlantic Station, and when I came over the Six Flags hill on I-20 it was really dark. It took a couple of minutes before I realized power seemed to be out everywhere (yeah, I know - "Duh"). As I got closer to home, however, street lights and traffic signals were working. I wouldn't care about losing power if it were just me but the thought of my poor, confused doggies penned up in the dark for who knows how long made me worry until I got in the house and saw no clocks flashing : )

I learned this morning that, depending on who you talk to, a tornado or a "mini super cell" (isn't that an oxymoron?) tore through the Chapel Hill Road area last night. Whatever it was was powerful enough to throw cars around and rip a huge AC unit off of the Kroger store. You can see pictures here. I suspect Gary still hasn't gotten over his tornadic encounter, because he made Lisa call me and make sure it hadn't hit here. No, but it hit your sister-in-law's friend's Kroger : O

My friend Angela lives in the subdivision across the road from that Kroger, as does Nicole's mom (some of you may remember Nicole from the New Year's Eve party). Nicole's mom and younger siblings were leaving the Kroger (probably getting bread and milk!) at the time the storm came through and, according to Angela, were blown back into the store and into the deli counter. Freaky.

When I drove by the Kroger today they had cranes there and a huge work crew, and the parking lot was cordoned off with police tape.

Damn I miss earthquakes.

I'm So Freaking Southern it Ain't Even Funny

No, I'm not sitting down drinking a Bush and watching Nascar. Nor have I redecorated my living room with dead animal heads, had a baby by a first cousin or anything that drastic. Although I am picking up a bit of an accent. I just risked life and limb in the CB Foods parking lot (and those of us who live in the south do know that entering the grocery store parking lots under a snow advisory is close to suicidal) to get the obligatory bread, milk, eggs and toilet paper since after all, they are predicting a whole whopping three inches of snow over night. I did live to tell about it which is a good thing. It wouldn't be pretty if I ran out of milk and had to skip my morning coffee!

Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes

I can't remember who I told but Ryan has been shipped out since the end of January. I got an email from Ryan that the Postal Service announce they have bigger flat rate boxes with first time Military discounts, those mailing to a APO or FPO address. Regardless of weight the boxes will cost $12.95 to the public and $10.95 if mailed to a APO or FPO address. They are 12X12X5.5". There is a 5% discount online. If anyone needs his address email me, he would love letters and packages.