Why is it...

that your house never seems dirtier than the night before you leave town. I accomplish a lot because I feel like it has to be done. I know exactly who I learned this from ~ and she knows where I learned it from, too.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, I'm like my mother after all.

Local news

Wise county girl duct-taped to tree, Sheriff says

Update:

Wise County Messenger, Wednesday, July 9, 2008
INDICTED - An Alvord couple accused of making their young daughter stand outside in 40-degree temperatures for hours have been indicted for endangering a child. William Doyle Pierce and Latricia Pearl Holguin were both indicted for the second degree felony on June 27. They are accused of forcing the child to stand outside on Christmas Eve "in clothing that was unsuitable for the temperature," according to the indictment.

Good Educational TV

Watching Primetime episode about Amish teenagers. Very interesting!

Not the lifestyle for me, but I do admire it.

If I were a donut

I'd want to be twisted with cinnamon!

Most shocking

Although most any Wal-mart parking lot in America can produce the same general 'interesting character' sightings, Greg and I hit the mother lode last Sunday in Azle, TX. If it weren't for my inability to operate technology (cell phone camera) under pressure, I would have the most awesome piece of evidence. I would bet most people would question if it was a Photo Shopped picture.

Here goes the description:

One white female in short shorts bent over the passenger side of her pickup revealing the most 'dead on' tattoo I have ever seen. I cannot believe what I saw. Most people would never think to tattoo "White Trash" on the backs of their thighs. No I am not kidding!!! I might mention here that it was very nice penmanship, cursive, 3-inch letters. It gets better, don't stop reading.

She had obviously been banished to the outside of the vehicle because she was smoking. She was quite the multi-tasker though, she was also talking on the phone and managing a toddler that that was bouncing between the front and rear of the vehicle. Still...don't stop here.

My attention was briefly diverted as I was still trying to master the camera on my phone when I looked up and saw from her now side profile...she was pregnant. OMG!!!

I should point out that Greg considers this a trip to the city that included CULTURE.

There are two items that cross my mind:

1. I hope for her OBGYN's sake she has a c-section.
2. What does her baby daddy look like?

What would you do...

at 9:20 pm when you step on the porch to open the door and something hurriedly crosses your path?

At the Arrington house we grab a flashlight and a hoe and commence with the Welcome Wagon ceremony. Such entertainment yields two worn out, freaked out paticipants and material for one-half of a pair of cowboy boots.

Intervention, A&E, Mondays 9PM/8C

If you have the stomach for it I recommend a show I have become fascinated with. Intervention is on Monday nights on A&E. It is quite disturbing to say the least. Basically, it shows addicts in their daily environments and how they function. The functioning part is amazing and often questionable.

There are a few things that really bug me about the show:

1. all of the addicts were the 'cutest, sweetest, most-loving' children
2. most addicts come from divorced families
3. most addicts experience trauma
4. the lengths some of the family members go to to support/enable the addictions

Although the first three items could apply to alot of the population, items 2 and 3 are just another attempt at avoiding accountability and I believe the last one is a major factor in the addicts' issues.

All is well with the critters! Whew

Gregory Scott aka (~~)n%dl

I was oblivious to the activities of the universe surrounding me in 1998. After two years Greg finally got the nerve to confront me.

Greg was an officer I worked with that came to the department in 1996 (I had already been there two years). All I knew about him was that he was recently divorced.

I recall the first time I ever saw him he was wearing jeans and they were tucked inside his leather boots. The boots were dirty and he was obviously working outdoors. Upon telling him about this recollection he recalls he had only stopped by the department to pick up an application when Lt. Trussell drug him back to meet Director Guillory. Greg had a horse trailer parked out front and had only intended to run in and pick up an application.

What started as large in attendees 'choir practices' quickly dwindled to three (RuthAyn, Greg and I) and eventually Greg and I. I think it may have been a strategic plan on RuthAyn's part. According to Greg she was constantly prodding him to 'just do it'. He was silently torturing himself to ask me out. Apparently he was intimidated and knew that I did not date co-workers.

I was pleasantly surprised, as I was clueless, that there was any interest in me. My impression of Greg was that he was the moodiest male I had ever met. That item and the fact that the only females I ever saw him with were blond hair, blue-eyed, Barbies, I could have never imagined that he would find interest in me. I am at the exact opposite end of the spectrum of that description.

We dated a few weeks and decided to tell our boss because it was the right thing to do. Since Greg's career was in law enforcement and we saw that our relationship was headed towards marriage I was the one that would leave the police department and look for another job. I left in February we got engaged in April and married in November 1999.

Greg proposed to me at a Citizen Police Academy graduation. What better way than in another manner consistent with how we meet.

Camille

Camille has been with me since 1996. I was sharing an apartment in Fort Worth with Shelli and her son Zach. One afternoon I came home to the apartment and there wasn't anyone there but I heard whelping and crying from Shelli's bathroom. I opened the door and saw a VERY small, but loud puppy.

The maintenance man found a stray pup and told the kids in the complex if their parent would let them keep the puppy the pet deposit would be waived. Zach convinced Shelli that he 'needed' the puppy. Shelli gave in and Zack named the puppy Sabre.

By the time Monday came, Zach was bored with the puppy. I came home from work Monday evening and noticed the dog was gone. Shelli decided she couldn't manage getting Zach up for school and taking care of the puppy so she turned it into to apartment manager's office.

Without thought I went to the office and got the puppy. I changed her name to Camille and we went to PetSmart for puppy supplies. Camille has certainly brought 'issues' into my life. Who ever heard of separation anxiety with dogs?? We got that. When do you take a dog to a dermatologist for allergy shots? We got that, too.

Making progress:
Both cats are eating....yippee!

Saturday night lifeless:
Watching the oldies: Say Anything and Sixteen Candles. Have John & Joan Cusak ever been in a movie without the other? The only thing missing to make my evening complete:

Man, has twenty years really gone by. I seemed to have missed it (maybe I was just too, busy).

Eeny update:
We went back to the vet today. Since Eeny is so 'special' she will no longer get vaccinations. She still isn't eating or drinking and is hiding in the closet again.

Date with (~~)n%dl:
Greg and I went to see Get Smart with Steve Carell. We both enjoyed it! Nostalgia RULES! I did learn a new stapling technique. Only thing is I am certain I could serve time if I ever actually tried it ;p

My Little Girl:
I am worried about Eeny-meeny. She and Mo got their shots today and she didn't do well. She is still not doing well. I hope that changes by tomorrow. I know she won't enjoy going back to the vet's office. It makes my heart ache when my animals don't feel well. :''(

2:00 am cake making:

Simple Sprite Cake
1 white cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 box instant vanilla pudding (3 oz. size)
8 oz. of Sprite

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Mix ingredients on low until combined and then increase speed to medium and mix for about two minutes. Pour batter into pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used Jamaican Rum extract instead)

1 1b. 10X powdered sugar

1-3 teaspoons milk, half and half or cream
Using a mixer, cream softened butter and vanilla with until smooth. Add sugar gradually, allowing butter and sugar to cream together before adding more. If you want it a little creamier, add a teaspoon of milk at a time and beat on high until you get the right texture.

After frosting the cake I sprinkled toasted slivered almonds on top.

Who am I?

Imparter of JOY, God-Fearing American (English/Irish/Italian), Carolina Girl, Daddy's princess, big Sister, dog owner, orphan kitten lover, Wife, Aunt, Global Warmer, NRA Supporter, carbohydrate consumer, and firm believer in Aliens, Santa and the Boogieman.

I believe in FAIR AND EQUAL and really wish I could convince the rest of the population to subscribe as well. These are a few self-descriptors. Most days I am not really certain how others see me and some of those days I don't really care.