HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!!!

MAN is he getting old!  ha!! Thankfully, I'm still 29 1/2!!  HA.

Yesterday was our 23 anniversary!  I had to work till 7pm, so when I got off work, I went to his mothers house and they had made MEATLOAF!  WOOT-WOOT!  Actually, Mikes Grandma made it and it was FANtabulous!  

Britt was sick with the crud going around, so I had stopped by Jack in the Box and brought her a chocolate milkshake for her sore throat.  I may have a "sore throat" when I get off work tonight that will require a milkshake too!  ha...she's feeling better tho after Mike's mother took her to the Dr. yesterday and was given antibiotics and prednisone. THANK-YOUUUUUU!

While there, Mikes Dad made Darrell and video and we all got to talk to him in front of the camera.  As I was saying my un-prepared, yet verbous, touching piece, Courtney was standing behind the camera making faces TRYING to get me to mess up. But I didn't!  Darrell is doing much better and is walking somewhat thanks to his intensive therapy.  GO DARRELL!

Well, I'm off to work again!  Have I mentioned that I LOVE my NEW work schedule!  I work 3 days a week, from 7am to 7pm.  It don't get better than that!  

Only problem now is Courtney has this tendency to get suddenly SICK on my days off and just canNOT make it to school, OR gets suddenly sick while IN school so I have to go pick her up.  I've out-smarted her now tho and I don't TELL her when I'm off, so she doesn't know it till that morning that I'm HOME and I tell her I'm NOT going to pick up her at school.  SO, she then out-smarts ME and tells me if I let her drive to school, she'll stay there..."like, ALL DAY LONG, MAMA!"  She now drives to school... alot.

No pics this morning...I'll put some on here Thursday when I've had time to take some.  

More soon!

Joan

Dad's pics...

OK...now dad thinks he can perform miracles....check this out....

Observe the water bottle and chair in the back ground....NOW check this out...

HAAAAAAAAAA! Neat, huh!

More later...

Joan

My day...

Today (Saturday, which I thought it was Sunday), I went to Mom and Dad's to visit.  Then, I went to Blooms....now THAT place is a "conumdrum".  **ASHLEY** Look it up. 

 It's so relaxing to go in there...nice people working, not real bright lights, so you don't get a migrane like at Bi-Lo's and it even smells good - even where the fish is!  So, you walk in and see really pretty stuff...

These pics were taken with my BLACKBERRY Curve 8330 in PINK.  Anyways, so you're like going thru there and checking stuff out, thinking if THIS is where all the yuppies shop, this ain't bad...check out their fruit!They even got stuff there I don't even know what it is...ain't like Wal-Mart, baby!

So, you load up the buggy and head to the super friendly people at the checkout, load the stuff up and get rang up...THEN IT HITS YOU LIKE a BRICK...WHAAAAAA? The other half of your conumdrum... YOUR BILL!  Your reminded that you are indeed NOT at Wal-Mart. 

Not only that, but I thought it was Sunday, which has rotosserie chicken on sale for cheap...but Not on SATURDAYS...which is WHAT FLIPPING TODAY IS....geeeeze....

Well, that's it for the moment!

More soon-

Joan 

Guadalajara's

YES...YES....YES... We went to Guadalajara's last night for H-O-U-R-S...ZZZzzzz....Most of ya'll know it is NOT my favorite pastime. BUT, being the trooper that I am, made the best of it.  We went, we ate, Court sang, we talked...alot, we left!  ha

Court and Peej was there...

After we had been there awhile, Silker and Papa came...

and inbetween Court's singing, she entertained us!

Yup...we had a grand 'ol time!

Finally, we left and came home.  WHEW! I actually have more pictures, but Court spent the night at her friend-gurls house and took the camera with her...it IS her camera, after all!  SO, when she comes home today, I'll add more pics on here!

More soon!

Joan

It's FRIDAYthe 13th and we're gonna have a great day!

Well, I'm going to do something comPLETELY different today.  It will probley throw my whole system and well-being off it's axis...I'm going to BLOOM instead of Wal-Mart, followed by the Dollar Tree (I'll explain in a sec...), then to UPS store. OMGEEEeeee....Ya'll be watching the stock market today and see if shares of Wal-Mart stock don't plummet!  BAH-HAAAA!

I'm NOT growing tired of Wal-Mart, but Bloom is having it's usual killer fruit sale, of which, I must experience again.  THEN...I'm putting Ashley an Easter box together and I need to get a couple things from Dollar Tree.  Little fun stuff that only Dollar Tree has.  THEN, to UPS so I can mail her box off! MAYBE she'll get it by Easter!!  I don't put alot of money into her boxes because it can be up to 3 months before she gets it, as what happened to her lap top when I sent it!  I ALMOST had to call the Admiral-General of the Coast Guard to tell him to FIND HER LAPTOP! She finally got it, but months later.  

I don't have any pics at this moment, but I am taking my about-to-break camera with me this morning to see what I can find that's "Blog-Worthy".  That should be a challange considering my morning.

More soon-

Joan

Tuesday...perfect day!

Is this not PERFECT WEATHER?!?!?! 

I'm just SOOO happy to not be at work today so I can enjoy it.  I'm off Friday thru Sunday this week and the weather is supposed to be cold.  Everyone will be in the Emergency Room next week sick too!

Well, Ashley has written me from somewhere in the great unknown, BUT...she sent pics! So, I have to share them with my fellow bloggers!

Me and Dad think Ashley is the one in front judging from boot size and she's holding some kind of wrench, which she has told us in the past that she uses.

This view is taken as the Helo is landing...I believe Ash said she is in the center weating blue...

Ain't she beautiful!!!

I wanted to include this pic so you could see her boat...

I'm just glad there's NETS around the boat incase they fall off!

Anyway, there's loads more pics here...http://picasaweb.google.com/JoanBuddy/ForwardHeloTieDown#

She emailed again last night and said she had been on a strict DIET and exercising alot, including RUNNING...so she can look good in...Cozumel!  

 WHY DOES SHE WANT TO LOOK GOOD IN COZUMEL?  

WHERE is this COZUMEL and 

WHY is there this need to impress the Cozu-smellians? 

She's also making E-3 next week and should go on the A-School list next week as well, which means this is her last patrol with this particular boat! While in A-School, she can pick from a list where she wants to be stationed for the next 3 years.  

Her Daddy and I TRUELY wouldn't mind like...Hawaii or one of those caribbean stations...GREAT vacation spots.  ha

We want her to go and do things she won't ever get to do again.  I guess tying a helicopter down would count as one of those!

That's it from me today! have a great day everyone!

Joan

It's 80 DEGREES TODAY!!!

I'm finally off work for a couple days and I wanted to start my wonderful day off by updating my blog.  I personally don't have anything to update it with because I haven't done anything except work and I did go to a Mexican restaurant last night and watch Courtney win $50. singing karaoke!  WOO-HOO! Come to think of it, I never actually SAW the money, she shoved it in her pocket so fast, but she was happy!! and so was Mike!!

Mike's family got back from California as I mentioned below and I finally saw them !  They took a LOAD of pics from all across the US...I will put them on here as soon as I get them to my computer...hopefully today.

My parents also have pictures to share, of which I have access to.  Firstly, they went to my Aunt Rheba's house to visit and then drove to her son Tommy's house that he is wanting to buy.  They said it was absolutely GORgeous!

Can you imagine living HERE!  OMGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  If you look closely, you see Mom and Aunt Rheba looking thru the windows...geeeze.  I hope noone was home.

Here is a pic of the BOAT HOUSE!Now, if this was MY place, that would be MY little house within my place. NO KIDS ALLOWED. I LOVE it!

I just think it's beautiful and Tommy, I know you don't read my blog, but if you ever do and you buy this place, feel FREE to invite me ANYtime to your house and I will make the pilgramage to your Mecca.  

Then, the next day, Mom was sick, so Dad went to Aunt Aurelia's house to celebrate my Uncle Dale's birthday! They like to celebrate stuff....and EAT!

Dad sent me pics of that too.  Here is a pic of my cousin Kristie (Uncle Dale's daughter), whom I haven't seen in Y-E-A-R-S, her 2 kids, who I believe I saw when they were just infants and her boyfriend/husband/fiance...not sure whichbut will clarify with Dad.

As I have said MANY times before, we McCauley's got some purty genes! 

Anyways, Kristie works at the Travelers Rest Police Dept. as a dispatcher and her boyfriend/husband/fiance is a COP there!  

Now, if ya'll remember back some time ago, Courtney received her first warning ticket there, but this guy wasn't the cop.  Course it was pitch dark and the blare of the flashing blue lights was quite blinding and the howl of Courtney squawling was deafing against the shrillness of Mike YELLING BESIDE MY EAR, but I'm certain this wasn't him. BUT, it's good to know we got kin in the po-lice dept. up there!

Did I already mention how purty our genes are?? I ain't quite sure what Esther is doing...maybe napping?!

I KNOW it must make him proud to have his grand-daughter, like, TOTALLY into tech stuff! It makes ME proud and I'm her cousin! sniff sniff....

I love this pic...two cousins staring at a computer screen...

Ahhh well...I wish I could have been there, but AS USUAL, I had to work.  Maybe this year they will be at Aunt Aurelia's house for one of the holidays when I'm there.

As for our news, Courtney bought her prom dress, which is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!  I would put a pic of it on here, but she would kill me.  She will have the "unveiling" on prom day and Dad and I will capture it then.  She's going with a bunch of girls and they're planning a whole day of it...an "EVENT" of it.  This bunch of girls she is friends with are VERY nice and all come from good families and they all go to church together.  What more could a parent as for?  At least she ain't going with some FREAKING boy and I'd have to listen to AND watch Mike pace the floors till she got back home. 

Well, that's about it.  The weather ouside is going to be just about perfect and I plan on enjoying it as I head to Wal-Mart later on.  I might even get wild and go to Big-Lots!  ha

l8r-

Joan

Our Blizzard 2009

As EVERY March, it snowed!  WOO-HOO!  What I can't figure out is WHY there was NO SCHOOL YESTERDAY?!  I think the Greenville County School System looks at my work calender and determines school closures based on my days off.  Even Courtney...COURTNEY, wanted to go to school yesterday!!

That's Mom and Dad's barn...that's alot of snow!

So...the boys LOVED the snow day!  They were just BESIDE themselves!

BAH-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!   I couldn't get them to move off the couch!  Courtney was laying on the couch, then we moved Harley's bed on the couch and I had started a fire.  This is what they did all day yesterday.

This is Boomer frolicking!  HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  (I just made my own self laugh!!)

Then, I was poking around on the puter and GUESS what just POPPED up on my puter?

Now, HOW did he get here?!  I promise I don't know how these things happen

I was poking around on Dad's web album and saw where they had went to an Old Peoples dinner at Enoree Baptist Church.  SO, I know Lauren and Ashley are two of my loyal readers, so I wanted to educate you in addition to entertain you...

This is a pic of your Great Uncle Hugh...Your Grandpa's Dad's Brother and your Aunt Betty.

I thought that was a great pic!

Here is ya'll's Uncle Harry and Ester...And Uncle Dale and friend...I don't know her name, but I've met her and she's nice!

And here is your Grandparents...The rest of the pics were of people I don't even know. MAN we got some HOT LOOKING GENES!  Ain't we purty!

**ASHLEY UPDATE** - Her boat departed from Portsmouth yesterday headed back to the caribbean...where it's WARM and the water is actually BLUE and Flipper lives! Actually, they were supposed to leave around 9am yesterday morning, but the "GYROSCOPE" sp?? broke and they had to return back to the port and fix it.  She called me at 2pm and they were still waiting on it to be fixed, but hoped it would be by 4pm and they would leave out then.  She said it was FREEZING on the boat deck....sniff sniff...my baby was COLD.

Ashley...be careful and don't fall off the boat and don't give your cell phone number to any strange boys (or ANY boys for that matter).  IM me from your Blackberry Curve 8330 in PINK to MY Blackberry Curve 8330 in PINK!  HAAAAAAAAAAAAA From Blackberry to Blackberry Instant Messanger is FREE anywhere in the world!  I HEART BLACKBERRY!

L8r everyone!

Joan

Well, that's about it for the moment from here!  Have a good day everyone!

Joan

The BIG Dig-out

As I'm in my warm house, Mike is outside scraping snow off the truck so he can take me to work...

and here are some icecycles..........and here is mike again....HAAAAAAAAAAAAA....gotta go to work now....YES, I have my walking boots and GPS..."HE" insists on driving...

JOAN

SNOWWWWWWWWWWWW

YES...we have SNOWWWWWWWWWWW!  This is when it first started snowing... Here it is...a view of across the street towards Mike's parents house...That's Mike's dad pulling out of his drive way, only to pull back in again...not sure why!

Then...after it was dark and snowing like CRAZY, I took the tape measure out and took a pic of what it's done so far...

Is that not the WORST PIC I'VE EVER TAKEN???  It was pitch dark out and the camera wouldn't focus...OH WEL...3 inches so far!

This is actually a picture of a tree in the back yard!  BUT, it wouldn't take it, so I thought this was a neat pic of the actual snow flake anyways!  COOL!

I also wanted to let ya'll know that I have been RIPPED OFF BY TV.  I was watching my usual Star Trek Enterprise show and this STUPID INFOMERCIAL came on about this FLIPPING container you can buy to grow your FREAKING TOMATO PLANTS - UPSIDE DOWN.  HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  Did I not do that year before LAST?!  I actually did a comparison study...one upside down and right underneath that, so that it would get the same amount of light and water, I planted another one in the ground.  The upside down one did FAR better.  

WHO'S BEEN STALKING ME?  OMGEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeee.

It's hard enuff people always trying to emulate me because of my strong genes and gifted talents and creativity, but to actually market my ingenious inventions and SELL THEM ON AN INFOMERCIAL?! This is WAR.

Well, I guess I need to get ready for work.  Mike is taking me in the morning due to our blizzard like snow drifts of 3 inches and I need to get prepared... to WALK to work.  His driving skills are exTREMELY lacking, but he doesn't think so. Why is it men think because they are men, they can drive better?  I think our lower insurance premiums suggest differently...but who am I to say.  I'll pack my snow shoes and turn my GPS locator on, on my Blackberry Curve 8330 in PINK, just to be safe.

Be careful in the snow everyone!

Joan

TWITTER!!!

OK...so me and Court are Twittering and now Mom is at this very moment, signing up so she can twitter also!  

My twitter is....http://twitter.com/joanarnold

I KNOW....VERY NERDY....

If you look to the right, you will see my twitterings with Mom and Court....

Well, Mom and I are twittering, so I'll go.  If any of my faithful viewers TWITTER, leave a comment and let us know!  

Joan

New Stuff...

In my newly found freedom from WORKING so much, I have discovered new "BLING" for my Blog! 

I was poking around other people's blogs and noticed they had some pretty neat stuff they added.  So, I have added some to mine!  After all, I can't be out done by the "ordinary", so my blog must be EXTRAordinary!

If you will look to the right, you will see a visitor count!  How many times have you guys read that I have been wondering how many people actually DO visit my blog since nearly EVERYONE doesn't leave comments?  Well, now I can keep count.

Under that, I added a "Quote of the Day". I like it, so therefore, I have it! It changes daily, so you can check back tomorrow to see what it says!

I will be adding more as I discover it!!!

Joan

HEY!

Just a short update to update!  I'm off today thru Sunday!  YIPEE! I have the BEST schedule in the world and I LOVE IT! Working 3 days a week is a dream and I waited along time to get it!

Well, Court and I decided to TWITTER!  I'm not entirely sure what it is, but I have signed up for it.  So far, my Blackberry Curve in PINK hasn't twittered nor has this computer.  hmmm.... I'll update if I figure out what it is.

That's about it for the moment! I'm sure it will get more interesting as the weekend approaches.  Ashley leaves out on patrol again on Monday and she's excited.  She's going "Patrol shopping" today!  I don't know how that will differ from any other shopping she's been doing! She's also moving into a different barracks.  The Coast Guard has some town homes right off base which are apartments.  Has washer/dryer etc...so her and her girl buddies are moving into that today also. What a life!

Mike just called and informed me that I must go get the oil changed in the car today. SURE...I'll get right on it!  hee

Joan

Pics from Spartanburg....

I think we're all coming out from under the rock now...we've ALL been sick!  Just when I thought I had my head cold licked, I sneezed and threw my back out!  geeeeeeze. It actually hurt to sit straight up in a chair, so I haven't posted anything.  My back feels tight but good this morning!  WOO-HOO!

Yesterday morning, Court calls me from school and said she was nauseated.  SO, once again, I go get her from school...why is it she ONLY gets sick when I'm off work?!? Anyways, she actually WAS sick!  If ya'll remember, she had stomach surgery a few years ago which makes it nearly impossible for her to throw-up...she can, it's just extremely painful.  Well MAN was she sick.  Her stomach and back muscles hurt her so bad last night after she started feeling better.  Poor baby...but she's going to school today. period.

I, once again, have no pictures to add here.  I did take a couple with my BLACKBERRY CURVE in PINK of the dogs, but they aren't really blog-worthy...just Ashley-worthy.  I sent them to her.

Mom and Dad, Uncle Harry, Ester and Aunt Aurelia and I'm not sure if Dale went, but they all went to Spartanburg to see a show at the auditorium.  Dad was there with his camera and took loads of pics. Here are a few of those...

I'm assuming that's Ronnie McDowell...I thought it was Liberace's NEPHEW at first!  BAH-HAAAA!

Here are all the ones that was there...Mom and Dad said it was a really good show...TOOOOO bad I was sick and couldn't go!!!!

Here is a link to all the fun-filled pictures Dad took-

http://picasaweb.google.com/larryandjewel/LegendsAndMemoriesConcertSpartanburg22February2009#

Well, that's it from me for the moment.  

Hopefully we're over all this sickness...Mike's Dad has been pretty sick too with a head cold...he said yesterday he was feeling a little better.  GOOD.

Ashley texted me last night and said SHE has a cold!  She was having to drive herself all the way to 7-eleven to get her own juice.  sniff sniff....IN THE FREEZING COLD! ALL BY HERSELF!! and it was COLD!  sniff sniff....

I guess I'll have to add vitamin C to her next care package!!! POOR baby!

later-

Joan

Still Here!

I didn't want any of my readers to think I had dropped off the planet...I'm HERE!  I just haven't done anything blog worthy...except catch Courtney's cold.  I haven't felt like writing anything creative whilst sick.

Mike's Mom, Grandma, Uncles and Aunt have driven to California to see Darrell, who had to have emergency brain surgery.  This was on Tuesday.  He's holding his own, is the latest word. We're pulling for you, Darrell!!!

That's about it!  I'm working the next 3 days, so I won't post anything probley till Monday UNLESS something blog-worthy happens.  I hope not...I like things nice and boring while I'm working these long hours.

More soon!

Joan

Powderpuff Football

Last night was the BIG GAME as I mentioned before.  Our baby did great as the "hiker" for the team.

Notice her in the middle! What poise!

Here she is showing what she's made of-

OH the ANGER!  hee

Of course, she has to take a moment to pose for her fans!

They actually did play some....Of course, then they had to get a water break or two in...and hug each other for a well taken water break...and then the coach had to tell them where to run...and then more hiking the ball...and more discussing...and RUNNING....MY BABY RAN!aand then another water break...notice the super dooper industrial strength MOUTH GUARD!and finally...THEY WON!!!!!it really was a good game, if not slanted for the SENIORS to win...but our girls pulled thru anyways!

Enjoy everyone and more later!!!

Here is a link to all the nights fun...http://picasaweb.google.com/larryandjewel/CourtneyPlaysInMHSPowderPuffFootballGame10February2009#