The South with a capital S

We are home safe and sound from North Carolina. It was a good trip. We got to spend lots of time with family. The kids totally wore me out, but in a good way that I miss already. We stayed in a nice hotel that had a wine bar! Our room had an L-shaped couch, a big plasma TV and a comfy bed with nice sheets, so I was very happy.

A northwestern girl’s impressions of the South:

• People are very nice, friendly and polite


• Homes are beautiful


• People drive fast


• It’s hot (but I did really well, I didn’t even get a heat rash)


• The vegetables are overcooked

A couple of funny stories:

Amerikan
One evening DK was out having a guy’s night with his brother. I decided to stay at the hotel and enjoy a few (maybe a few too many) glasses of wine and watch a three hour Law and Order marathon. I went outside for a smoke break (I know, I know, I am quitting soon!) and noticed a taxi from the “Amerikan” cab company. I grabbed my cell to take a picture and of course the cab driver walks out of the hotel and spots me. He informed me that he decided to spell American that way because he is an Obama supporter and he is ready for change. Although that was refreshing, I am not sure that was the true reason for the spelling. (Very blurry photo above.)

Abe Lincoln’s Cabin
While at the Raleigh/Durham airport, again I was outside smoking (I know, I know, I am quitting soon!) and a little old man drove up in his truck and parked next to the smoking area. I was reading my magazine but kind of keeping an eye on him. He was looking really closely at the ground and moving in a grid-like pattern. He noticed me looking at him and started talking to me. It was hard to make out everything he was saying because he spoke softly with a heavy accent and the background noise was loud, but I did catch that he had been coming to the airport smoking section every Wednesday for a long time looking for used wooden matches.

He informed me that he is building a small scale replica of Abe Lincoln’s cabin out of wooden matchsticks and the airport smoking area is his prime hunting ground. He said that it’s always windy on that side of the airport, so he has to look in the seams in the concrete because the match sticks usually roll in there. He found one. One. I asked if he had considered buying a box of matches. That way they would still have their little flammable tops on them and when he was all done he could light the little cabin on fire and watch the match tops flame up. My suggestion fell on deaf ears, literally.

Treadmill Cats

My brother Ty sent this to me. I need to train our chubby cat Chloe to do this!

The Zzzz Doctor

Some of you know that I have been having a lot of problems sleeping. It’s really easy for me to fall asleep, but I cannot stay asleep. I usually fall asleep around 10:00 pm and my alarm goes off at 7:30 am. That is 9.5 hours of “sleep” and still I am not rested. I fall asleep a lot at my friends’ houses and at home when I don’t want to fall asleep.

It’s an absolute miracle if I can sleep through the night and it’s a good night if I only wake up once. Most nights, I toss and turn, wake up a lot and have trouble getting back to sleep. DK said he thinks he has heard me gasp for air when I wake up. Not good.

For about a year now I have been really tired and I rarely ever wake up feeling rested. I didn’t do anything about this sooner because I didn’t really know how bad it was until DK told me that one night he was awake a lot and couldn’t believe how I was sleeping. Some of the time I know I am partly awake, but not really conscious. So I can only assume that the sleep I am getting is not good quality sleep.

I went to my doctor yesterday to see what we could do about it. I am not interested in taking sleeping pills, I think doing so would only cover up the symptoms and wouldn’t actually solve the problem. According to her, I have the classic symptoms of a sleep disorder or sleep apnea. Fun stuff.

I have an appointment scheduled for the end of May (first available) to go for an initial consultation with a sleep specialist that my doctor recommended. At that appointment they will listen to me talk about my symptoms and talk to me about staying for an overnight sleep study. I know a little about these sleep studies because my friend M.S. had to do one. They hook you up to a bunch of shit and measure things all night. It kind of freaks me out to sleep in a strange place, by myself with wires hooked all over me and people watching and listening to me. I know they won’t let me bring my husband with me, so I am going to see if I can bring my yeti Abe.

What not to do when stealing a purse

File under: "fucking dumbass!"

Police: Suspect poses for photo with women shortly before robbing them.

Read it here.

Insane celebrities

What is wrong with these people?

Mariah Carey& Nick Cannon wed (& get tattoos)…
People says they've needled on tattoos, with Mariah opting to emblazon her back with "Mrs. Cannon”…
Source.

Jamie Lynn Spears on her baby shower and why certain people where invited…
"There were mainly people her [Mom Lynn’s] age so that way they could get me all the important stuff I need," admits a surprisingly practical Jamie Lynn. "The people my age ... got me the cute stuff."
Source.