I had a very ENGAGING conversation on my tonsillectomy bed yesterday....

Yep, he proposed--precisely one year after our first contact!





At the time of proposal I had just woken up: no shower, no make up, no hair combing, still in ratty t-shirt. Not to mention my very romantic scabby tonsil breath! Basically, the boy is not just sweet and romantic; he is also brave.




I hope this self-taken cell phone engagement photo (which I really do want to put in the paper as our official announcement) fully captures the pain of a tonsillectomy and the fear in our tiny loving hearts...

You know you love it!



For those of you who have asked/are wondering: the big bruise on my left hand is from the tonsillectomy IV. The dark spot on my finger is an old ring (from AL-Stephanie, I think?) that we put on for the purpose of the photo--we are going ring shopping as soon as I am able to get out of bed!

Also, I am feeling much better today--they upped my pain meds and I seem to be making progress toward healing--finally.

So much love,
Scraps

I Feel Like Scrap!

We want our tonsils back.

Happy Independence Day!

Funny, I don't feel very independent with my poor mother waiting on me hand and foot and my being unable to talk or eat or drink.... Yep, I went through with the surgery. I can't even eat ice cream right now! What a rip off—that was supposed to be the only perk of this darn surgery! Swallowing my liquid painkiller makes me double over in pain. I just started taking the steroids this morning, which should make it all much better soon; they better not make me angry and hairy like I heard they might. Gross.

The good news is I can tell this surgery will help with my asthma--I can breathe better already now that my airways aren't obstructed with enormous tonsils! Still can't swallow, but I can breathe. I think my recovery will be a tad harder because the doc says it is harder when the tonsils are infected and big at the time of surgery and mine were both.

So, I am going to be out of work for at least a week to recover, and there IS a good chance that I will be fired upon return for some things that I couldn't possibly get done before taking my sick leave.

I’m sorry, but when you are sick and exhausted from working to death for paychecks smaller than what I made in undergrad and you are asked to stay over to finish up a project the night of the TOM WAITS show you spent $195 on and have been waiting since 1992 for…. well, I guess it kinda skews your priorities a little. So, I may get fired and I may not care…

And I am sooooooo glad I went to see Tom Waits. This guy really knows how to put on a show. I knew he’d be good, but this was downright thrilling. We were in the center of the tiny (gorgeous & old) theatre--only 15 rows back....perfect view. The audience was great, too….they knew all the words and got really into clapping for the encore and randomly standing up to yell and clap after certain awesome songs. After the show we walked out the side door where he was standing about 10 feet from a bunch of fans and talking to them! I stood behind everyone and waved timidly. HE WAVED BACK! I expect his proposal any day now. Then he walked over and started shaking hands with everyone, but not me because I just couldn’t put my hand out there or make eye contact. This man fully defines cool. Boy Wonder only knew two songs before the show: “Mocking Bird” and “Goin’ Out West.” Now he is a HUGE fan and wants to go see him again!

The perks of possibly being fired after sick leave: not working that hell job any more and at least a day off before I start my new emergency job. Any job, no matter how quickly rushed into, would have to be better than the current one. And I should know by the beginning of August if I have a teaching gig or not. The principal seems convinced that I do…. It is all in the Board of Education’s court.

Much love,
Scraps.

Grandwoman.

Grandman Triathlon
Fairhope, AL
May 31, 2008

THAT’S RIGHT—I DID IT!

And I have the world’s ugliest shirt/photos to prove it.

1/3 mile swim.
16.4 mile bike.
3.1 mile run.

2 hours and 19 minutes.
And I wasn’t last.




Boy Wonder looks all fresh and non-sweaty because he finished a tad bit before me. Show off. This is me in my sweaty, red-faced glory just after crossing the finish line...

So, on the way home I was expressing how proud I was of myself that I finished without DYING and Boy Wonder says, “So are you ready for the one in July?”

WHAT?!

Upcoming events:

TOM WAITS: JULY 2ND IN A TINY THEATRE IN MOBILE, AL!
I am sooooo ready for that.

And the next day I am having my tonsils removed. I am not so ready for that.
But, yay for ice cream!


Here are some belated photos from our down-home family Easter:






This one is my favorite of me and the sisters. Wendy is clearly saying, "Take my photo already!" Nancy is clearly wondering if she should put on more lipstick while my face contortion screams "Not ANOTHER photo!" Precious. They will kill me for putting this one up.


This is the randomest all-time blog. That being said, below lies The Creature.



My mom and I have been hiding The Creature all over the house for each other to find (attempting to out-do each other each time) much in the tradition of the "I Voted" sticker that Maske and I used to hide all over the Glendale Ghetto and the unmentionable that Katie and I used to hide all over the dorm. So, I think I won when I surprised her by having the waiters at the Olive Garden put it on a cake and sing Happy Birthday to her. No, it was not her birthday. Yes, it was hilarious.




When I was looking for more memories to add to my sentimental tee-shirt quilts I found this bonnet. My mom ACTUALLY made me wear this bonnet on an Easter Sunday when I was a yoot. Yikes. That explains a lot about my love for all things cheesy.



Stephanie's Amazing Fondue Birthday Party in the Neck.





No, I do not have a teaching gig yet. Soon, my pretties. In the meantime I am the Assistant General Manager at the local Books-a-Million. Which will have to do--for now.

-K

Maybe I have just been supporting the writers' strike all this time? Yup, that excuse works for me!

I am back at last--and am finally providing you with the cheesy update/photos you know you long for! Sorry for the neglect, but I hate the dial-up almost as much as I love you....

Also, I've been a bit busy looking for a new career, working two jobs, getting my life in order, hanging with the family, re-connecting with AL-Steph, catching up on some reading, and just being in love. Eeeeeew, that was sappy. Sorry. I'm gross.

Things are really great here. Seriously. I mean, yeah, I am broke as a joke but I got to play in a rectum at the Science Center's Grossology exhibit! You know yer jealous. And I only did it so you'd have a photo to tease me about. I am so giving.




Below are two photos of last year's Halloween merriment. Yes, I know it is now the end of February. Sorry. I am officially the worst and the laziest correspondent EVER.

I was lazy about the costume, too--simply wore my goth bar uniform and my old vampire teeth (thanks, Adam!)--but we weren't lazy about the decorations--and the party itself was a blast! + how cute is AL-Steph???






Still don't have a proper teaching gig due to the hiring freeze in Mobile (let's hear it for my awesome timing), but I have been subbing a lot at a local middle school. I also continue to work part time at the bookstore--and may get promoted to a manager position next month (which is better than my current situation anyway).

Since I last wrote to you I:


...watched friends make fools/superstars of themselves at Ben and Katie's Karaoke Death Match....Ben and Katie throw a great party, let me tell you! They also have an awesome house and guest room. I can't wait to visit them again.




...went to Dothan--the land of the PEANUT!







...consumed mass quantities at Thanksgiving. My first thanksgiving with my whole family since I was about 14! Apparently they have a tradition of making individual gingerbread houses with random candy bits after dinner. Boy Wonder was a good sport about this--even after the nieces and nephews smashed his house to smithereens...




...turned 34--and realized birthdays are much better when yer young and precious, like Princess Baby Allison (my Fairy God Daughter):





...attended several Christmas parties...




...had a holly jolly very merry Christmas with the family, Charlie Brown, and Boy Wonder (who hates having his photo taken and is dating the queen of photos)...



...rang in the new year...




...almost learned how to play chess. No photos to indicate who won.

...went to my first Mardi Gras ball. Major cultural experience--let me tell you. It was white tie. This means very fancy, kids. I didn't even know white tie events existed! I wore a dress I got at the thrift store in LA and felt very under-dressed.







...jog/walked my first 5k (did I say first--I have to do more now???) I almost died, but it actually was fun, and I guess I am pretty proud of myself and what not.




...and spent an entire week and a half fighting the Death Grippe (still in progress). You will never see photos of that.


Love ya bunches!
-Scraps.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, MY CREEPIES!

It has been far too long since I have updated you, my friends in far-away lands, about Southern Living.

As you can see I am now officially an Alabama resident. There is no turning back now. They better just get over themselves and hire me already!

Yes, I am still struggling with the job hunt. The Alabama Board of Education has FINALLY given me the "go ahead" to shop my resume around to schools--months after I applied for Alabama state certification. Of course, since they took so long to process my application, the only remaining openings are in elementary schools--yuck. So, my choices are: wait around for someone to retire, quit, go on maternity leave, and/or die.....or just suck it up and take something in an elementary school. I am looking for ANYTHING now because I can't really afford to be picky anymore.

My advice to you: never move anywhere until you have a job lined up.
Of course you already knew that--didn't you?


The legendary Ms. Roman came to visit for a day! MOST pleasant surprise. Her sister lives about an hour away, so she dropped in, met the folks, and treated me to lunch. Super fun times were had. I still owe her a postcard....


People from Alabama are odd--in a good way. They have this whole "Boo-ing" tradition here (which I actually suspect my sister may have started because not too many folks around here have heard of it). It goes something like this: You leave a bag of treats on someone's doorstep and sneak off. Then that person hangs a ghost in their window to indicate that they were "Boo-ed" and then they have to do the same thing to someone who doesn't have a ghost in their window. I didn't fully understand the concept of Boo-ing, so I tried to "Boo" Boy Wonder by decorating his door with the help of my niece, her friends, and Stephanie. We brought faulty tape and hideous decor--as you can see.






(note the awesome Milky Way shirt)

We did this on our way to BayFest--which is the cheapest (as in thrifty) and most organized music festival I have ever been to. For $35 dollars you can get in for the entire weekend to see dozens of bands (some of which were decent big name bands). Tons of good, greasy food: every type of french fry, corn dog, and funnel cake you could possibly imagine!

We saw JOAN JETT there! She was brilliant. I want to be her when I grow up.
I certainly want to look like her when I grow up.


The Halloween Party was spooktacular. You have no idea how serious these people (AL Stephanie, Tamara, and Lorrie) are about Halloween. They impressed ME. Actually I felt ashamed by my pathetic lack of life-sized bloodied brides, grooms, butlers, dead babies, etc. as I helped them decorate a whole house with theirs! Pictures will come soon (from Stephanie)--and I hope they somewhat capture the terrifying decor and mad, crazy times of that night. I highly recommend that everyone fly down for next year's event.

And now for a special shout out to Katie and Ben who drove all the way from MEMPHIS to be there: YOU ROCK! And to Wendy and Sparky for dropping in way past their bedtime--and driving way out of their way: it really made my night to have you there! "Come here li'l bee!"

Below is my niece, Natalie, modeling what was Boy Wonder's costume for the party. Hey, he lost a bet. Yep, I beat him at pool so he had to be a pink unicorn.
Never bet your Halloween costume, guys. He was precious by the way.







Next time I will tell you about the Mullet Man....it's not what you think!

Have a SPOOKY day!

What a load of Scrap!

Happy BEST MONTH EVER!



Went to Harper Lee's hometown yesterday and took no pictures and bought no cheese. Er? Who am I? Will do better next time, I promise.

Today I used the John Deere to mow my parents' lawn again. SOOOOOO scary. Took me two hours and I did not get to the whole lawn! If I ever grow up and have a house I will pave the lawn--or make the whole thing a pool--just to avoid having to mow. Sheesh. Okay, so, yeah, it was a little fun riding that thing.

The Alabama Board of Education interviewed me today, but there are no jobs left in Special Education anymore. Great. So, now I can take any old teaching job--but miss out on the SpEd signing bonus--or WAIT SOME MORE. I am opting to wait and do subbing/tutoring in the meantime because the signing bonus will be worth it.

Here are some photos of recent adventures...




Sister Nancy, Kym, Me. Getting crafty--woo! Wait....wrong blog??? So, I went to a crazy crafting party at Sister Nancy's Friday night. Eeeeek. We made scary (not spooky--SCARY) ornaments.



Afterward Emma and I left stalker notes on Boy Wonder's door and tried to hide, but he caught us. We are so smooth. Emma and I then had a slumber party, ate too much junk food, and watched 16 Candles (she is 16 now, see?). That girl has WAY too much energy.




Emma wants to be a super model...




Yep, I am feeling a bit nostalgic. Here is my old classroom's Quote Wall. Some of the finest thoughts ever put to paper, by some of the most loved and missed students in the world.

Spooky fun to all!