Toadfrogs and Elephants

Our company doesn’t pay for models (if you have seen our packaging this will not be surprised). We use company employees and then pay the employees with power tools. I have modeled for two tools – a Ryobi One Plus Spotlight and a Ryobi Battery Powered String Trimmer. I have not seen either of these items on the shelves at Home Depot. However, Wade is now in stores. Wade modeled for a Homelight MightyLite Backpack Blower. I was hunting up a blower to do my leaves and the boxed unit arrived in my cubicle. I took it home and before I opened it realized Wade was on the box. None of the pictures are very large or clear, but I recognize Wade. He’s the one in the top picture.

I included my picture but it’s not on the box.

I received a pair of Merrell Promo Chill Slides for Christmas a few years ago. I wear them all winter long. The soles are in great shape – the insides is another matter. The shoes have shearling lining which make them wonderful to wear. Over the years, the foster puppy Jack tore out a bit of the lining and the insoles are full of holes. I assumed I would just have to buy some generic insoles, but I did check the Merrell website first. I didn’t see anything listed, but decided I might as well email the company. They emailed back and do sell them – for only $7.50 a pair. I bought two. Then I get a personal phone call telling me they are back ordered, but would I still like to place my order. What a great company. Hopefully I will get them by the middle of January – I will really appreciate them in Milwaukee!

Everyone knows what a huge football fan I am so I was excited about the GaTech vs. UNC game this afternoon (okay, none of that is true). Wade flew in to Atlanta last night at 10:30. We got a hotel room and planned to join Daniel and his fiance, Karen, for the GaTech football game the next day. Karen had given Daniel tickets a while ago and he had asked if we would want to join them. It all worked out perfectly. We stayed in the same hotel, went for breakfast at OK Cafe, and then watched the game. The game turned out to be really good and we did win! Next it was a quick trip to the Tech Bookstore for a new shirt for me and then on to Fellini’s for dinner. We had a great day with old friends.

We picked Madison up in Duluth (the only boarding place I could find that is open on Saturdays) and then headed home. We even got home in time for a relaxing evening.

I decided tonight was officially wrapping night. I unloaded all of the gifts from the backseat of my car, made a pizza, popped in a move, and started wrapping. I thought all of the wrapping would be done in a few hours – wrong. I was up till 1 am, but I am done. All of the gifts are wrapped, tagged, and bowed. They are even in separate piles for KY and for shipping. Now I just have to get them all loaded in my car for my drive next Wednesday. For now they can sit in the dining room.

I have mentioned my friends from Governor’s Scholars before. Travis emailed me a few days ago and asked for a place to stay on their drive from Florida to Ohio. I was happy to have company – I get to see friends and have company for an evening. They arrived just in time for dinner. We spent the rest of the night watching their daughter, Melilla, play with Madison. They were both ready for bed around 9.

Travis and his family are preparing for a mission trip to Bulgaria (their website is here). They are spending the next few months raising money and then will live overseas for 3.5 years. It was exciting to hear about their plans and catching up about the changes in the last year.

It occurred to me the other day that I have no idea where I will be before Christmas. I could be living in Milwaukee. I could still be in Anderson. I could even be in the middle of moving. The more I thought about it, I realized it would be very smart to get a majority of my Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving. Then I could leave the gifts at my mother’s house and not have to worry about them.

Our realtor scheduled an open house for this afternoon. Perfect! I went to church in Greenville (at Summit), made a quick stop at the Haywood mall, and then spent the rest of the day at the Gaffney Outlets. I have one or two people left, but the majority is done!

I have decided to leave all of the presents in my backseat until I can get them wrapped (hopefully this week). Then I don’t have to create a random pile of stuff in my house. It’s amazing how much better I feel and how excited I am about Christmas.

Michelle invited me to an evening event in Greer. You paid $20 for a ticket that went to a good cause and then received discounts at local stores. A boutique shoe store was hosting the event. Imagine my surprise when I found a pair of brown boots – which I needed. I am not normally much of a shoe person, but these came in narrow and felt wonderful on my feet! We also stopped in a boutique clothing store next door to visit a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy and I ended up buying a present for mom. Christmas shopping has officially begun!

Saturday night my internet died. I rebooted the modem and then went to bed. My master plan did not work, the internet was still out when I got up on Sunday. I tried a few other tricks and called Wade for some advice, but no luck. (Lucky for me, my neighbors have an un-encrypted wireless network.) I finally called the cable company and the earliest they could send someone out was today. Two guys showed up at my door. First they determined that we had too many splitters in the hosue and we could no longer have cable upstairs. Then they decided they could work around that. Finally, they decided I had a bad modem. They gave me a new modem and now I have internet! They didn’t even charge me. I miss my wireless when it is down.