Sometimes (Most times?) I'm the laziest person I know

I'm really lazy. Each night, when I go to bed, I take either a cup of water or my unfinished tea to bed with me. (Unsweet, please!) I take my nightly pills, brush my teeth and then empty said cup. At that point, the cup goes to the end of the counter.

Here's where the laziness arises...I do this for days on end. See, my bedroom is in the back of the house, and it's not a real chore to take the cup to the kitchen. But no. Instead, I build a cup tower. This particular tower is comprised of 9 cups. I'm so proud.

L-A-Z-Y

Burnin' Down the House, or How Dave made my Day

We saw the Dave Matthews Band at the Verizon Amphitheatre in Charlotte on Friday. I sure do love Dave. I think this is about the 20th time we've seen him. We've traveled to different cities, and we've seen him with many different friends. And, no matter where we go, or who we go with, it's always FANTASTIC.

Charlotte 09 was no different. It was a gorgeous day filled with sunshine and very warm temperatures. We arrived plenty early to tailgate and enjoyed ice cold beer, sandwiches and snacks. We watched all the YOUNG kids play cornhole, Frisbee and football. (We watched from the shade of a tree, wisdom comes with age!) We watched people scamming for tickets. We saw a gorgeous dog. (his name was Jake, and he was a Presa Canario. Heard of it? We hadn't either) The tailgate was the perfect prelude to the concert.

We saw Dave introduce the opening act. (The Avett Brothers) He always does this, and I think that's real classy. Granted, I can never understand a word he says, but I still think it's very gracious. Plus, we get to see him live, with a very small audience and that feels like our own little secret.

The concert was wonderful. He plays forever, and the entire band gives 100%. Everyone is so musical and truly seems to be enjoying themselves. I won't bore you with exact details, but if you ever get a chance to see the band, go! From the lighting to the staging, to the music to the dancing, it's just super. This year, he covered Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House." What an unexpected treat!

I think one of my favorite things about the shows is the camaraderie I feel with other concert-goers. For a few hours out of one random evening, all these people are focused on one thing: enjoying music, dancing and just being happy. We all need more of those nights, eh?

T Minus 24

This time tomorrow, I'll be on the road, heading to a Friday night bit of bliss with Dave and the Boys. I wish you all could join me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypaH1Gj6VIs

Griffin's First Oyster Roast

I love me an oyster roast. I love hanging outside with friends and family and "oohing" over the great find inside the oyster shell. (I like mine medium sized, thank you!) I like big oyster roasts (example: Boone Hall Plantation has the biggest one in the Southeast) and I like em small. (anyone's backyard will do) I also have a new favorite-the two month old boy's first Oyster Roast.

Griffin Reaves was our guest of honor at our oyster roast Friday. His dad was in charge of cooking the oysters and the CRABLEGS (to die for). Thanks for all the hard work Larry.

Here we all are chomping down on some serious oysters. Note the baby being held by his mama. (in the red shirt)

Steven doesn't hold babies very often. But, Steven likes Larry a lot (think bromance) so he likes him some Griffin.

Jodi loves babies. So, Jodi loved Griffin. Griffin loved Jodi.


Look how hard Mary and Larry are concentrating on their oysters.
Rockett really wanted some oysters, but was content to lick things that fell on the ground. Taylor has been eating oysters since WAY back in the day.

Steven hates oysters. I love all food. And I love hanging with my friends. I'm very happy that Griffin chose our house for his first oyster roast. Look, I'm going to cry, I'm so happy.Mary and Larry are so proud of Griffin, as they should be. He was the hit of the Roast! (although the crab was a very close second)

Neil just loves oysters.

I love Jodi because she made this HoHo cake. I wish I hadn't asked what the ingredients were. CRISCO was mentioned.

I wish you all could have joined us. It was a great evening, filled with friends, fun and a little boy's first roadtrip adventures!

My Crazy Aunt Kathi

Uh oh. I'm in trouble. My aunt has discovered my blog and she scolded me for not mentioning her. Rather than write about it, I thought I'd share the actual email I received. I think if she lived closer, she would ground me.

Dear Judi,

II have a bone to pick with you about your BLOG. bridget told me she was "hooked" reading it. Today i read a little...........II need a long section of time.

There is so much I don't know about YOU! I will buy the proper nutes for your next visit. I always use hellmans!!!!!!!!!!

Now, I was never mentioned.not once! I thought i was your favorite auntie!!!!!!!!You should dedicate a day to me. Why I am so wonderful. Shall i tell you? I babysat for free for y'all. I gave up critical weekends in high school so your parents could attend Bradley games and hit the Hilltop bar before they rolled in a 2 am! I slept in YOUR room on Virginia knowing you would be standing in your crib bright eyed at 6am! I have stood by you and loved you all 45 years!

I am an old woman and need alot of attention!

Auntie K

**********

I don't know which emotion I'm experiencing more, fear of the wrath of my kookie crazy aunt, or excitement with the thought that two people are reading my blog!!

On a serious note, I do love my aunt, uncle and her family. They are a lovely bit of normalcy in an otherwise dysfunctional bit of folks.

xxx

KP, Norman Tittlebaum and Little Bridge

My Oldest Youngin'

This is the face I've been dreaming about lately. My "baby" is 22 years old, but it's this little fella I've been seeing at night. I love both of them so much!

ONE WEEK UNTIL DMB!

and Happy Friday to all!

What's Your Favorite Subject?

Remember elementary school PE? I always loved our unit that involved this big parachute. Our teacher would play music and we would spend so much time lifting the parachute, running under it, bouncing balls on top of it. I think it was one activity that boys and girls, alike, both enjoyed. (Well, the other being those square wooden things on wheels that you rolled all over the gym! You know, you would always catch your finger in them at some point)

Our house is near two schools, and on my way home from work, I always see kids playing in the field, on the basketball court, or just hanging near the fence. It takes me waaaaaaaay back to my elementary days and all the fun we had at recess.

I think one of my favorite things to do was to play tether ball. I was never a fast runner, strong, or tall. So, I could never be competitive in games that require those attributes. But, tether ball was the great equalizer.

I remember the joy of hitting that ball over and over again and watching it wrap itself around that pole. And, remember how people would stand in line to play the winner?

How about this dangerous looking piece of equipment?

There's nothing like riding this sucker after your lunch of bologna sandwich, chips and SuzyQ's to test your stomach!

Another game I enjoyed was four square. I remember the joy of the perfect serve, and getting the ball just inside the square in order to eliminate someone. The end-of-recess bell would ring and it was a mad scramble to get back in line to go inside the school. You had to mentally note who was where when the game was called, and someone always would have to remember the ball. Such responsibility!

As much as I enjoyed these games, I think my favorite activity was spending time on the monkey bars and the uneven bars. I remember hanging upside down for ages and then doing "Penny Drops." I would go 'round and 'round in never ending flips and circles. I never hurt myself doing this, but I imagine now that kids aren't allowed to do this at recess for fear of broken bones! I would wear shorts under my dresses so that I could hang upside down without fear of being teased. I didn't care about sweating, dirty hands, messy hair, or anything else "grown up."

You ask any kid today what their favorite school subject is, and they're bound to say, "Recess." I know when I was a kid that was my answer too!

Precious

In 1987, I had my first baby, and I moved across the country. I lived in my in law's house while we found a place we could afford. We were living in Northern Virginia, which was one of the most expensive places in the country. We eventually found a home in Winchester, Virginia, that we could afford.

We bought the house. My job, a part time job, was at a bank about 60 miles from the house. The job was far, but my babysitter (grandma) was only blocks away from the bank. Ideal! And, even though this meant a long commute, I was happy to do it, knowing my baby was in loving caring hands. I would leave my affordable home in Winchester, pack up my baby in either the 1980 Honda Prelude or the 1985 Ford Mustang, and drive to Grandma's.

That drive became precious time for me and my baby. It was the one time we were alone, just the two of us. We would listen to music, enjoy the sounds of the road, and the solace of being together. I would drop him off, go work, go back to pick him up (and usually, Grandma would have dinner for me, thank you Grandma) and we would head back to our home. I filled these drives with music. Granted, this was a time when music was changing. I spent a lot of time listening to George Michael's Faith. I listened to Taylor Dayne and Randy Travis. (how different are THOSE artists?) But there is one song that encompasses those drives, that time of my life, and my feelings now.

I hadn't heard this song since 1988, and then last week, I stumbled across it on YouTube. I cried while it played, because it took me back, as clearly as if it were the actual time. I could hear this song and see my precious baby sleep on that drive home. The lyrics are still so poignant and moving. "If you're still within the sound of my voice....you were always my only choice." I hope my baby will always know how important he has always been.

It's amazing how music can bring back and re-create these feelings we thought we had long forgotten or put aside. I'm glad I found this one again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIirdWNrVpg

Countdown to DAVE-Two Weeks

Best Song, Great Video. YOWZA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywNbf0AXL6Y

Decade of Decadence

Thank you dear.

25 More

Here's some real random things about yours truly:

1. I love almonds and pistachios, but really hate pecans, cashews, peanuts and walnuts. The texture makes me gag.

2 I have a big scar on the inside of my left ankle. When I was six years old, I was riding double on a bike and I got my foot caught in the bicycle spoke. The rubber of the tire burned out the area in my ankle. I missed three weeks of 1st grade, and to this day, I still favor that ankle!

3. I went to the Masters in 1996. (as a fan, not a golfer...) I was there on Sunday, the day of Greg Norman's historical collapse.

4. I sang the National Anthem at an NFL game in 1997. It was Arizona Cardinals v. Cincinnati Bengals. There were 55,000 people there and I sang it live. (I nailed it!) In a fluke of circumstance, my dad was coaching with Arizona at the time, so he was there when I sang. He had nothing to do with me getting to sing, and was suprised to see me there.

5. I can't click my heels.

6. My favorite job ever was as a bank teller in Wilmington, NC. I only made $5.00/hour, but that was the best. I'd balance my drawer at the end of the day, head home and didn't think about work until the next morning.

7. My dad always had company cars, so we'd have a new car every six months or so. As I grew up, we had a Vega, a Pinto Wagon, Thunderbirds, Capris, LTD's and Ford Pickups. When I could finally drive, I was driving the Ford Pinto Wagon with red vinyl interior. CLASSY.

8. I played the flute and piccolo all through school. I was in the marching band and the pep band. I was in all the choirs, the musicals, and these were the best experiences of high school.

9. My first boyfriend was Mike Roberts in the 6th grade. He wrote me love notes and quoted Olivia Newton John songs. (he had real loopy pretty handwriting)

10. When an ambulance passes by, I try to remember to pray for the victim inside. One time Steven pointed out to me that the ambulance was "on the way" to the scene. So, I prayed for the driver. Hope that helped.

11. I once wrote a fan letter to Danny White, then QB of the Dallas Cowboys. He wrote me back. It was in his own handwriting.

12. I was in the David Cassidy (Partridge Family) fan club. I had stickers all over my wall. I owned all his albums. Things haven't changed much in my life. Almost forty years later, I'm in the Dave Matthews Band fan club, and I have stickers all over. (extra tidbit: I got to meet DAVE a few years back before a concert. SWOON!)

13. On the day that both my parents died, I felt that they both contacted me. (my mom through wind chimes, and I swear I saw my dad driving a truck) To this day, when I see a red Cardinal bird, it's comforting to me; like they're trying to speak to me.

14. I used to spend every Friday night at my grandparent's house. When I dream at night, their house is the one in my dreams.

15. I love Hellman's mayonnaise, but won't touch Miracle Whip.

16. When I was a kid, every day for lunch, I took a bologna sandwich (with Mayo, see above), a bag of chips, and a Suzy Q. I don't think I had anything to drink because I hate milk. The only day I ate the school's food was chili/peanut butter sandwich day.

17. I've had four major bike accidents, and in two of those, I was hit by a car.

18. I read the first Harry Potter book to my daughter while she would bathe. Steven and I listened to the remainder of them in the car. BEST EXPERIENCE.

19. If I can't fall asleep, I count backwards from 300 by 3's.

20. My fingers are really double jointed, freakishly so. And, both my kids have the same freakish joints.

21. I still crave attention and approval from my brothers.

22. I watch Beverly Hills 90210 every day.

23. I've fallen in love with the English Premier Soccer League, the fans, the players and the beauty of the game.

24. I have very little body hair.

25. And, if you're still awake...I still love Barry Manilow songs.

I'm a Junkie

ADDICT: someone who is so ardently devoted to something that it resembles an addiction; "a golf addict"; "a car nut"; "a bodybuilding freak"


Oh my gosh! I realized today that I have a problem. A serious problem. I am addicted to Reality TV. When I sit down and think about the shows I watch, and the schedule for watching them, I realize these people have overtaken my evenings.

I start on Monday with Dr. G, Medical Examiner. My night isn't complete until she's made the "Y Incision" and weighed the heart. I love hearing her whiny voice discuss the steps of the autopsy. I love how she gets this crinkled up nose when she's looking at body parts. But, I think I love most of all, the fact that she solves the mystery every single time.

Tuesday means Real Housewives of some area. It used to be Orange County, and now it's New York City. My gosh, I'm so involved in these crazy women's lives. Last night, I wanted to get on my computer and post on the Bravo website how NUTS that Kelly is. (Seriously, she's loony tunes!) I follow Bethenny on Twitter! I consider myself "Team Jill." PROBLEM.

Also on Tuesday, I watch American Idol, and all the craziness that involves. I know the contestant's names, their life stories and how much winning this competition means to them. I am proud to say, though, that I do not vote. Do I have still have some semblance of control? I'm not sure.

On Wednesday evenings it's MODEL night on Bronwen Court. I watch Tyra teach the young women how to become America's Next Top Model, and then follow that with Tyson making men and women into supermodels. Of course, I don't watch for the bitchiness, but the magic of the photography...I love seeing these funky looking kids turn out gorgeous photos.

The remainder of the week is spent watching DVR'd episodes, soccer on Saturdays and the Criminal Intent marathon on Sunday. I never see shows like, "The Office, " "30 Rock," "24," or "Lost." I watch TRUE crime shows. I watch Dateline, 20/20 and 48 Hours. I just can't get enough of REAL stories.

Now, do I embrace this addiction, or do I try to cure it? Hey, I thought of another reality show I love, "INTERVENTION..."