http://www.goodreads.com/
My friend Kim showed this to me today. It's basically Facebook for bibliophiles. If you're interested, sign up and become my friend!!
Yay reading!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The fan is still winning.
Brian/Laura - 4
Fan(s) - 2
Laura's Car - 1
Yup. Still no functioning fan in one of the guest rooms. Yesterday morning, Chris from Centex came by and tested the current in our ceiling wires and confirmed that they're definitely working. So last night, Brian went back to Lowe's with our fan motor in tow to exchange it out. When he got back, we went upstairs to install and the fan still wouldn't work (the light, however, is still shining brightly). So then it dawned on me (Physics 208 at NCSU is finally worth something, other than a B-) that all of the wiring had to come through the fan motor and down into the light, so maybe something was weird in the light casing. So Brian took it down and sure enough there were two wires coming out of the fan-pull-chain-box that were unhooked. We tried a little bit to fix it, but decided that it was fruitless. So, when he gets home from work, Brian will be heading back to Lowe's to replace the light. Maybe this time it will work; I'm kinda still betting that the fan wins.
This morning I woke up with a very wonderful surprise. My passenger's side front tire was so unbelieveably flat it wasn't even close to having a picoLiter of air left. I have no idea what happened, but I'm betting that I ran over some type of nail, because there's so much construction going on in our cul-de-sac. So I went upstairs and woke up Brian (lucky me!) to have him help me assess the situation :-) We decided that I needed new tires anyway, so we called up Just Tires and told them that we would be coming in shortly and then we called AAA and they said they'd send a tow truck. AAA actually arrived in about 45 minutes, which we thought was quite good, and then I spent the rest of the morning (a 1/2 day of "vacation" from work) reading the paper and two Pottery Barn catalogs at Just Tires. Of course, it also turns out that I was due for an oil change (which I was planning to do this weekend) and my alignment was out of wack (which Brian and I were discussing last weekend). So, for $575, I now have excellent alignment, 4 phenomenal tires, and new oil.
We decided that it probably wasn't wise for us to cheapout on tires for my car considering I drive 60 miles/day roundtrip to work, all on the Interstate, so we ended up with slightly nicer tires than we would have normally bought.
I have the absolute worst luck ever with flat tires. Ever since I started college, I've had, literally, 7 or 8 flat tires (about 1/year). I really don't get it. Whatever. I'm just very thankful that it happened in our driveway and not on the Beltline or I-40.
Fan(s) - 2
Laura's Car - 1
Yup. Still no functioning fan in one of the guest rooms. Yesterday morning, Chris from Centex came by and tested the current in our ceiling wires and confirmed that they're definitely working. So last night, Brian went back to Lowe's with our fan motor in tow to exchange it out. When he got back, we went upstairs to install and the fan still wouldn't work (the light, however, is still shining brightly). So then it dawned on me (Physics 208 at NCSU is finally worth something, other than a B-) that all of the wiring had to come through the fan motor and down into the light, so maybe something was weird in the light casing. So Brian took it down and sure enough there were two wires coming out of the fan-pull-chain-box that were unhooked. We tried a little bit to fix it, but decided that it was fruitless. So, when he gets home from work, Brian will be heading back to Lowe's to replace the light. Maybe this time it will work; I'm kinda still betting that the fan wins.
This morning I woke up with a very wonderful surprise. My passenger's side front tire was so unbelieveably flat it wasn't even close to having a picoLiter of air left. I have no idea what happened, but I'm betting that I ran over some type of nail, because there's so much construction going on in our cul-de-sac. So I went upstairs and woke up Brian (lucky me!) to have him help me assess the situation :-) We decided that I needed new tires anyway, so we called up Just Tires and told them that we would be coming in shortly and then we called AAA and they said they'd send a tow truck. AAA actually arrived in about 45 minutes, which we thought was quite good, and then I spent the rest of the morning (a 1/2 day of "vacation" from work) reading the paper and two Pottery Barn catalogs at Just Tires. Of course, it also turns out that I was due for an oil change (which I was planning to do this weekend) and my alignment was out of wack (which Brian and I were discussing last weekend). So, for $575, I now have excellent alignment, 4 phenomenal tires, and new oil.
We decided that it probably wasn't wise for us to cheapout on tires for my car considering I drive 60 miles/day roundtrip to work, all on the Interstate, so we ended up with slightly nicer tires than we would have normally bought.
I have the absolute worst luck ever with flat tires. Ever since I started college, I've had, literally, 7 or 8 flat tires (about 1/year). I really don't get it. Whatever. I'm just very thankful that it happened in our driveway and not on the Beltline or I-40.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Mourning the American Department Store
:-(
As I was unpacking stuff a few months ago, I found two Belk gift cards that were leftover wedding gifts. A happy bonus!!
This morning it dawned on me that we should use the gift cards to buy bedside lamps for our room because we need some (we had a mismatch, hodgepodge at our apartment). So after work we headed over to Crabtree (I refuse to go Triangle Town Center because it's scary [I thought it was scary before the gang melee!]).
So we walk around Belk for-like-ever to find out that they don't sell lamps anymore!!! I mean, WTF?! It's a department store (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/department%20store)!!!! How can they not sell lamps?! So, Brian and I figure that Belk and the like must really be feeling the pinch from stores like Target and Wal-Mart.
So, as the good Americans we are, we went to Target and bought the lamps that we needed and they look soooo cute! I am quite pleased.
Oh yeah, and we bought two gift card's worth of towels at Belk because we saw some that we liked that were cute.
Correspondingly, we decided that the fact that we were at the mall (which is very rare for us) was a special occasion, so we decided to celebrate at Kanki. Brian had a super yummy filet mignon and I had sushi. Major props to Kanki for the ability to order half sushi rolls. God Bless Japan.
Also, we got our lawnmower (c. 1923) on Saturday. We haven't tried to work it yet, but if it does work, we'll be pleased.
Elmo also gave us a very lovely statue boy that creates a fountain in a cement birdbath. Elmo explained to us that his wife found the birdbath in an antique store in Charleston and that the birdbath is an antique from an English garden. It is very cool-looking, but the problem is that it weighs (no lie) 300 lbs. It took 3 of us to get in the Lowe's truck and then when we got it home, we had to literally just push it out of the bed of the truck onto our front yard and then Brian had to roll it to its place of honor by our front porch.
We also had a Battle Royale with two fans. The current score Chez Nouveau LeBlanc?
Brian/Laura - 3
Fan(s) - 1
The first fan was a major, super pain, but we FINALLY got it up and working. The second fan we got up, but for some reason the wiring won't work. We tried it twice and we definitely know how to match the wire colors, but there appears to be something wrong with either the wires in the fan or the ceiling... So, tomorrow morning, Chris from Centex is going to check our ceiling wires to make sure they have a charge. If they do, then we'll return the fan to Lowe's, but if they don't, then we'll call an electrician because the wires should be under our house warranty.
Oh yeah and we're going to be in New Orleans/Baton Rouge in a week from Friday!!!
As I was unpacking stuff a few months ago, I found two Belk gift cards that were leftover wedding gifts. A happy bonus!!
This morning it dawned on me that we should use the gift cards to buy bedside lamps for our room because we need some (we had a mismatch, hodgepodge at our apartment). So after work we headed over to Crabtree (I refuse to go Triangle Town Center because it's scary [I thought it was scary before the gang melee!]).
So we walk around Belk for-like-ever to find out that they don't sell lamps anymore!!! I mean, WTF?! It's a department store (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/department%20store)!!!! How can they not sell lamps?! So, Brian and I figure that Belk and the like must really be feeling the pinch from stores like Target and Wal-Mart.
So, as the good Americans we are, we went to Target and bought the lamps that we needed and they look soooo cute! I am quite pleased.
Oh yeah, and we bought two gift card's worth of towels at Belk because we saw some that we liked that were cute.
Correspondingly, we decided that the fact that we were at the mall (which is very rare for us) was a special occasion, so we decided to celebrate at Kanki. Brian had a super yummy filet mignon and I had sushi. Major props to Kanki for the ability to order half sushi rolls. God Bless Japan.
Also, we got our lawnmower (c. 1923) on Saturday. We haven't tried to work it yet, but if it does work, we'll be pleased.
Elmo also gave us a very lovely statue boy that creates a fountain in a cement birdbath. Elmo explained to us that his wife found the birdbath in an antique store in Charleston and that the birdbath is an antique from an English garden. It is very cool-looking, but the problem is that it weighs (no lie) 300 lbs. It took 3 of us to get in the Lowe's truck and then when we got it home, we had to literally just push it out of the bed of the truck onto our front yard and then Brian had to roll it to its place of honor by our front porch.
We also had a Battle Royale with two fans. The current score Chez Nouveau LeBlanc?
Brian/Laura - 3
Fan(s) - 1
The first fan was a major, super pain, but we FINALLY got it up and working. The second fan we got up, but for some reason the wiring won't work. We tried it twice and we definitely know how to match the wire colors, but there appears to be something wrong with either the wires in the fan or the ceiling... So, tomorrow morning, Chris from Centex is going to check our ceiling wires to make sure they have a charge. If they do, then we'll return the fan to Lowe's, but if they don't, then we'll call an electrician because the wires should be under our house warranty.
Oh yeah and we're going to be in New Orleans/Baton Rouge in a week from Friday!!!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Happy Assumption!
Yeah, I know most of y'all aren't Catholic, but it is my duty as your intrepid blogger to keep you abreast of the events of the day! So, if you don't know much about the Assumption, you should look it up: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02006b.htm. So, because today is a Holy Day (but not a holiday!), Brian and I went to church. It was a lovely Mass; however, there was a family in front of us with SEVEN kids. It was crazy--the oldest kid was only about 10 and the youngest was probably almost 1 year old--but the parents couldn't have been any older than 40. God bless them!!!!
Today was another work-from-home day. Yay! Next Tuesday, my team is going to go get pedicures and lunch for a team reward for meeting all of our fiscal year 2008 publication dates. There's definitely something to be said for being on a team of all (wonderful) women!!!
Tomorrow we're off to the Doctors Scoggin (with the Lowe's truck) to pick up the lawnmower and some other lawn stuff that Elmo and Hannah are graciously giving us before they pick up and move to their assisted living house (remember--they're both in their 90s!). They are really the most awesome two people. I was going to give y'all a little bio, but then I remembered that the N&O did a bio of Elmo a few years back, so I can just supply the link: http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/365638.html. It's a really good read! Brian and I were really lucky to have him do the Old Testament reading during our wedding.
So, anyway, he and his wife are giving us a lawnmower and tomorrow is the pickup day. We're also going to buy two ceiling fans at Lowe's and put them up this weekend, so that they'll be all set for when my family is visiting during football season. I'm sure it will be an adventure for us to get both of them installed :-)
If you're bored tomorrow or looking for something to do, Brian is volunteering at WCPE from 3-6 p.m. and he'll be on the air spinning the best classical tunes from cinema. In central North Carolina, you can hear him at 89.7 on your FM dial or you can listen anywhere in the world at TheClassicalStation.org. (Can you tell that I spent countless nights in college up until 3 or 4 in the morning IMing Brian when he was working the weekend night shift from midnight to 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings?!)
Also, be sure to keep Brian's grandma in your thoughts and prayers as she's in the hospital at Rex because she's been having some bad breathing problems. She's been there since Tuesday night and probably won't be out until sometime during the upcoming week. Fortunately, last Sunday, we all got to spend some time with her for her 86th birthday:
Today was another work-from-home day. Yay! Next Tuesday, my team is going to go get pedicures and lunch for a team reward for meeting all of our fiscal year 2008 publication dates. There's definitely something to be said for being on a team of all (wonderful) women!!!
Tomorrow we're off to the Doctors Scoggin (with the Lowe's truck) to pick up the lawnmower and some other lawn stuff that Elmo and Hannah are graciously giving us before they pick up and move to their assisted living house (remember--they're both in their 90s!). They are really the most awesome two people. I was going to give y'all a little bio, but then I remembered that the N&O did a bio of Elmo a few years back, so I can just supply the link: http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/365638.html. It's a really good read! Brian and I were really lucky to have him do the Old Testament reading during our wedding.
So, anyway, he and his wife are giving us a lawnmower and tomorrow is the pickup day. We're also going to buy two ceiling fans at Lowe's and put them up this weekend, so that they'll be all set for when my family is visiting during football season. I'm sure it will be an adventure for us to get both of them installed :-)
If you're bored tomorrow or looking for something to do, Brian is volunteering at WCPE from 3-6 p.m. and he'll be on the air spinning the best classical tunes from cinema. In central North Carolina, you can hear him at 89.7 on your FM dial or you can listen anywhere in the world at TheClassicalStation.org. (Can you tell that I spent countless nights in college up until 3 or 4 in the morning IMing Brian when he was working the weekend night shift from midnight to 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings?!)
Also, be sure to keep Brian's grandma in your thoughts and prayers as she's in the hospital at Rex because she's been having some bad breathing problems. She's been there since Tuesday night and probably won't be out until sometime during the upcoming week. Fortunately, last Sunday, we all got to spend some time with her for her 86th birthday:
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Triangle Business Journal
If you haven't seen it yet, Brian and I were mentioned in the TBJ's New Homes insert. The full article isn't available online, but a preview with our picture is available: http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2008/08/11/focus8.html
We have a copy of the full article, but we were doofuses and left it at the beach with my mom and dad. When we get another copy, we'll put it up for y'all.
We have a copy of the full article, but we were doofuses and left it at the beach with my mom and dad. When we get another copy, we'll put it up for y'all.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
We're still alive! Seriously!!
I know I've been pretty lax with the blog, but it seems like we've been so busy the past few weeks.
Last Thursday night, Brian and I headed down to Oak Island for the weekend. The weather was absolutely hellish on the drive down. I'm talking like super-cell thunderstorm for 1.5 hours of our 2 hour drive. It was insane!! A couple of times lightning struck no farther than 150 feet from our car. It was pretty scary, but so very cool. When we got to the beach house, it was a balmy 91 degrees inside at 9 p.m.!! (No one had been down there in a few weeks.)
On Friday morning, we woke up to find a leaky toilet, so we had a mini-crisis that we quickly solved with $101 and two very cute plumbers. On Friday afternoon, Brian's parents and his grandma arrived and we enjoyed a fantastic weekend. Friday night we went to dinner at the Island Way restaurant by the Ocean Crest Pier, which is where we had our wedding rehearsal dinner. The food was really good--I had grouper stuffed with shrimp, crab meat, and hollandaise sauce!
On Saturday, Mike and I headed out to spend the afternoon on the beach and Brian, Barb, and G went roadtrippin' to Holden Beach. Saturday night we had two rousing games of Contract Rummy--the first of which, your intrepid blogger was victorious. The second game was not nearly as exciting, but because I'm fair and balanced, I feel it's my duty to let you know that Mike won.
On Sunday, we had a relaxing morning and then went to Wrightsville Beach for a fantastic early lunch at Blue Water Grill. I had peel-n-eat shrimp. Yum!
This week we've pretty much been relaxing and doing basic house things. Tomorrow is my first work-from-home day and I am sooooo excited. We also have an exterminator coming in the morning because we continue to have issues with psycho, Satan beasts (aka ants) and I'm done with them and wish for them to be permanently eliminated.
This weekend we're going to visit my mom, dad, Callie, and Clay in Morehead. Yes, if you're keeping count at home, that's four weekends at the beach since July 4th! I love summer!! I have a feeling that I'll have some good stories after this weekend, as Callie, Dad, and I have plans to go a shooting range in Jacksonville. Cal and Dad went this afternoon and both of them consistently hit the target, so I have to be on my A-game to compete!!
Next weekend we're staying in K-town. We're going to go pick up the lawnmower and other yard thingies that the Scoggins are giving us, which means another rental of the Lowe's truck!! And we're planning to put up ceiling fans in our two guest bedrooms, so that the rooms will be in good shape when football season kicks off!
Speaking of which--App vs. LSU is three weeks from Saturday!!!
And, no, your ears aren't deceiving you...Brian has been filling in during the afternoon drive doing traffic reports, since the TTNers are short staffed. He's on 850 AM, 1550 AM, and 102.5 FM. OK, so now that I realize what stations he's on, I realize that you're probably not listening to any of those...I know I'm not.
Last Thursday night, Brian and I headed down to Oak Island for the weekend. The weather was absolutely hellish on the drive down. I'm talking like super-cell thunderstorm for 1.5 hours of our 2 hour drive. It was insane!! A couple of times lightning struck no farther than 150 feet from our car. It was pretty scary, but so very cool. When we got to the beach house, it was a balmy 91 degrees inside at 9 p.m.!! (No one had been down there in a few weeks.)
On Friday morning, we woke up to find a leaky toilet, so we had a mini-crisis that we quickly solved with $101 and two very cute plumbers. On Friday afternoon, Brian's parents and his grandma arrived and we enjoyed a fantastic weekend. Friday night we went to dinner at the Island Way restaurant by the Ocean Crest Pier, which is where we had our wedding rehearsal dinner. The food was really good--I had grouper stuffed with shrimp, crab meat, and hollandaise sauce!
On Saturday, Mike and I headed out to spend the afternoon on the beach and Brian, Barb, and G went roadtrippin' to Holden Beach. Saturday night we had two rousing games of Contract Rummy--the first of which, your intrepid blogger was victorious. The second game was not nearly as exciting, but because I'm fair and balanced, I feel it's my duty to let you know that Mike won.
On Sunday, we had a relaxing morning and then went to Wrightsville Beach for a fantastic early lunch at Blue Water Grill. I had peel-n-eat shrimp. Yum!
This week we've pretty much been relaxing and doing basic house things. Tomorrow is my first work-from-home day and I am sooooo excited. We also have an exterminator coming in the morning because we continue to have issues with psycho, Satan beasts (aka ants) and I'm done with them and wish for them to be permanently eliminated.
This weekend we're going to visit my mom, dad, Callie, and Clay in Morehead. Yes, if you're keeping count at home, that's four weekends at the beach since July 4th! I love summer!! I have a feeling that I'll have some good stories after this weekend, as Callie, Dad, and I have plans to go a shooting range in Jacksonville. Cal and Dad went this afternoon and both of them consistently hit the target, so I have to be on my A-game to compete!!
Next weekend we're staying in K-town. We're going to go pick up the lawnmower and other yard thingies that the Scoggins are giving us, which means another rental of the Lowe's truck!! And we're planning to put up ceiling fans in our two guest bedrooms, so that the rooms will be in good shape when football season kicks off!
Speaking of which--App vs. LSU is three weeks from Saturday!!!
And, no, your ears aren't deceiving you...Brian has been filling in during the afternoon drive doing traffic reports, since the TTNers are short staffed. He's on 850 AM, 1550 AM, and 102.5 FM. OK, so now that I realize what stations he's on, I realize that you're probably not listening to any of those...I know I'm not.
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