Tag: weather

Tuesday Randomness on Thursday

Posted on by Amy

I think I need to start paying attention to the calendar more since this is Thursday. . . oops. I would like to blame it on being so busy but I think it has more to do with I went to a hockey game Monday night and I have been trying to catch up on sleep since then. Hey, I am old, what can I say. . .

  • Allan keeps scoring more points with the Queen, which is a good thing, case in point, he went to the season ticket holders fan appreciation last week and got my jersey signed by Terry Crisp!
    Crispy!
    Crispy!

     

  • If that wasn’t enough, he learned on Sunday that he won a contest for two tickets to the VIP suite at the Preds game Monday
  • Which he was nice enough to take me to (who am I kidding, I would have done some serious pouting if I had been left at home)
    Crispy, Moi, Petey
    Crispy, Moi, Petey

     

  • And it also proves that I need to start doing crunches since my gut looks unseemly in that picture
  • No restraining order has been issued for my near obsessive fascination for Crispy
  • We got to listen to hockey commentary from two of the greatest unedited (first game for Pete to not actually call a game)
  • Crispy called it halfway through the third period that Josi would score a goal and we would win 5-4
  • It happened but in overtime
  • I got to see a great fight during the game and really, isn’t that the whole point of hockey?
  • A great view in the suite but while I love what a suite has to offer, I kind of miss being right there in the game
    Let's Go Preds!
    Let’s Go Preds!

     

  • Petey showed us a picture of Crispy from the late 70s in a stellar polyester leisure suit. . . he had modeled that in a Philly fashion show, when asked how many he sold he said ZERO!
  • It’s a good thing that those suits are not back in style, one random ash from a cigarette would equate to that suit going up in flames in under five seconds
  • I have decided that when I am at a game, they win. . . maybe the organization should take this under advisement
  • Mother Nature is still taunting me with snow, I just want one decent snow storm
  • Am I asking for too much here?
  • Hooch has very kindly sent pictures of her house covered in snow
  • It almost makes me consider relocating to Kansas City
  • Almost. . . I still prefer Nashville
  • I loathe NASCAR, from the time I was a little girl I remember the endless Sundays when the only thing allowed on the tv and Granny and Popa’s was the race
  • Five laps in, all of my relatives would be snoring but you couldn’t change the channel!
  • Allan likes NASCAR. . . and since he is such an avid fantasy (enter your sport here) player, he is in a NASCAR fantasy league
  • I was informed that I would have a team, I would like to welcome my drives to the Mullet Mafia. . .
  • I am currently in eighth place, Allan is in 14th
  • Don’t ask a competitive girl to play in a league where she knows nothing
  • She will win
  • I am ready for a vacation. . .
  • Unfortunately that vacation doesn’t happen until late April

So my week has consisted of hockey, NASCAR, hockey, hockey and some food. The occasional whine about no snow was thrown in for good measure. I am off to turn my jammies inside out and do all the other stuff that needs to be done to get some snow. Does anyone know of a good dance to get the snow to start falling?

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

I have been teased by Mother Nature quite a bit lately and I am close to channeling Stace’s little one’s terrible two tantrums if I don’t get snow soon. I am also quite proud of the little guy for really giving it his all! Having observed countless two year old behaviour in my friends’ kids I have to admit I am kind of thankful that Wook’s outbursts can be dealt with by simply giving him catnip. That noise you hear? That is the lynch mob courtesy of my friends for me laughing while this happens.

  •  I learned Sunday that Wook has a huge aversion to hot pockets. . . as in the snack food. Or at least the word. Stu set him off while talking about meeting up with some people heating one up in the middle of the night at a hotel. Wook’s rage was only calmed by some catnip and his safe space away from Stu.
  • Stu can cause interesting reactions in my cat as well as women. . .
  • I enjoyed the tweets about the Super Dome losing power as much as I enjoyed the actual game
  • In what has to be one of the best surprises, I ended up getting my birthday wish. Allan is back and while I still have moments of fear when it comes to what happened before I am taking a leap of faith.
  • Being friends first is probably one of the best ways to build a relationship
  • I finally watched Ted last week, I think we need to have more vulgar teddy bears in the world
  • I am getting a firm grasp on the game of hockey, while it isn’t football, it will work
  • I am still counting down until preseason though
  • Besides a horrible obsession with Candy Crush, I have find another time suck courtesy of myVegas. . .this might end up being intervention worthy

Short and sweet this week, I have a million and one thoughts unfortunately I am spent and my really comfy bed is calling my name.

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

How in the world is it Thanksgiving next week? Where did the time go? And is it possible that this next weekend not be in the 70s? I am beginning to get a complex when it comes to picking out clothes to wear each day.

  • The past couple of weeks I have indulged myself by taking Friday off. Apparently I needed it. The Friday before last I took it so I could deal with my guest room. . . but I didn’t even so much glance at that room.
  • Last Friday I knew I had no choice but to deal with it because I also needed to buy a bed for my parents and the current state of the room didn’t exactly welcome a queen size bed.
  • Because I rarely sleep in anymore, I got up and dealt with the room first thing. This never happens, so I was shocked as I went through the stuff that had been thrown in the room; putting everything in a tote and stacking them in the closet.
  • FYI–guests will not really have room to hang stuff in this closet, oh well. At least it is no longer an episode of Hoarders. 
  • I also managed to gather the random junk mail, paper and other crap that seems to camp out into a trash bag to take to the dumpster.
  • I started laundry, dealt with the kitchen and finally got cleaned up.
  • The nice part of taking a Friday off from work, it gives me a chance to get stuff done but not feel rushed. I knew I would need to get out to run a couple of errands but instead of running out of the door as soon as I got cleaned up, I read, watched some tv and piddled around.
  • I went to a couple mattress stores and giggled when the salespeople wanted to point me to the higher end models. Seriously? I need a basic queen set and frame. Doesn’t have to be fancy people. And while I could have dragged my very old queen set back up here when I moved, I didn’t want to torture any future guests.
  • I am sure it used to be a very comfy bed but in all fairness, how comfortable is a 30+ year old mattress?
  • My trusty, I am never ever going to part with it, like ever rocker is sitting in the guest room, waiting for the bed to come so it won’t be lonely.
  • Background: this poor rocker is as old as me. I was rocked in it as a baby, my mom’s dog used to hike his leg around it in a fit a jealousy and it was re-upholstered sometime in the late 80s. Dad also broke the base so if you sit in it a certain way, it will tip over with you in it.
  • But I love that thing and it has moved about 100 times with me. I will eventually get it fixed and recovered.
  • I was told a few years ago that being an Ole Miss fan is one of the tougher things a person could do. . . they were right. So close, yet so far Saturday night; Vandy beating us AGAIN. Not enough Jack in the world to get me through those losses.
  • I did get to witness two, um, interesting women get into an argument about football teams in the bar. The drunker one of the two did the whole up close, bump you with my chest and let the bar stool fall on the floor. She was ushered away to cool off and the other woman quickly paid her tab and left the bar.
  • I am still wondering why drunk one didn’t get kicked out or cut off. She came back, did a few more shots and wallered (is that even a word? I mean, I use it when talking about the cat not leaving me alone. . . ) on a few men.
  • It was all Klassy with a K.
  • I believed I OD’ed on football Sunday and watched the ESPN 30 on 30 documentary, Ghosts of Ole Miss. It was a wonderful documentary and left me conflicted on what I know is right and traditions.
  • Monday night was filled with a lot of pacing, gripping the arm of my chair, yelling at the tv and thinking I might need oxygen
  • All because the Steelers almost lost to another crappy team
  • They pulled out the win but my man Rothlisberger is hurt
  • I am officially a sad panda
  • I am doing fairly decently on try # 1,875,139,471 of losing weight, getting into smaller sized pants but I need to get back into walking, ugh

Now I must go deal with my fantasy football team, I won this past week but I need to deal with some players going on bye this week as well as some players that are questionable. I also need to have a talk with my Steelers, I need them to beat the Ravens. I need them to go into the playoffs and not as a Wild Card. I also need to talk to Coach Freeze about Ole Miss needing to win so they can go bowling this year.

Clearly I have issues. . . I am also waiting for Bettman to throw greed to the side and get the NHL season going. I haven’t been to a game in forever and I always loved going when I lived here before.

Natural Disasters

Posted on by Amy

I have been lucky when it comes to natural disasters my whole life. Living in Nashville I had a close call with a tornado that apparently wanted to see what Tootsies was all about. Sure, some buildings had damage to them, there were live wires all of the place but I was cozy in the women’s, um, maybe it was the men’s restroom at the time. Such is life. My car was okay but my nerves were shot.

I then became a tornado specialist. I learned what to look for (thank you Nancy Van Camp) on the radar and by then the tornado sirens were built, one block from me. I always heard them and would shake. Wookie would look up at me and think, “Crap, that crazy girl is going to haul all kinds of crap into the bathroom, me included. ” Well, you do what keeps you sane and I did.

I had even managed to miss all the hail during these storms while living in Nashville. It was comical because my car should have been slammed a few times. I moved to Chattanooga last year just in time for the flood of all floods hit Nashville. I did learn that had I been there I would have been fine. Even though my apartment was on the first floor.

This year the tornadoes lost their way and somehow kept up their pace to hit Chattanooga and Cleveland. While I certainly miss the sirens and Nancy Van Camp’s soothing voice telling me to take cover, I had another worry. My parents. They last power that morning during the first round. I didn’t want them to panic, just cluster their cats up and stay in the closet. I had power and a tv. I told them I would call and give them a heads up when things got worse again.

After all of that, it is now time for Hurricane season. As my BFF posted on FB, This makes you want to sing Come on Irene instead of Eileen. And I have had that  song in my head since then. I prayed for my friends living up and down the coast. I stayed glued to MSNBC for the coverage and also some snarky snark on FB. Sure, it is a pain to evacuate but I would rather be safe than sorry ya know?

Now the NE is dealing with flooding. I remember the pictures for Nashville’s flood and stories my friends shared with me. I also was in shock about two weeks later when I went up there for a weekend and it rained hard. Guess the other water hadn’t vacated just yet. The water rising so quickly on the streets gave me a moment to pause. Scary! But I carried on.

The NE got lucky because it could have been worse. It could have taken more lives and the flooding may take some time to subside for them to rebuild. But I promise you this, if you can gather your community together to pitch in and help, things will get better soon. I have witnessed this first and second hand. Help a neighbor out and you will get help in return. If one person has a generator; use it for the common good of the neighborhood. The kids can play together, the parents can cook for an impromptu block party.

Those are those stories I like to hear. People helping people instead of fighting about who has what. Or when will the power come back on. God Bless you all, and thank you Irene for slowing down a bit to help everyone out.

Now will someone send some rain clouds over here???

Tornados and Thunderstorms

Posted on by Amy

I never really dealt with tornados until I moved here. Growing up I think we had watches but they never got close to where I lived. Then in 98 one blew through downtown two blocks from my office and that changed things, a lot.

For many years I couldn’t sleep if the weather turned bad. I would sit and stare at the tv trying to understand the radar. I lost count the number of times I locked myself and the cat in the bathroom waiting for the whole thing to be over.

Then magically one day I slept through a few storms and didn’t panic when I saw the warnings. I have friends that LOVE bad weather. They find the beauty in them, me? Let’s just say I am normally thinking the worst, praying with all my might that nothing bad will happen and I can go on with my day.

Yesterday my phone was blowing up with texts from weather.com with warnings of bad weather. My work email also had two new messages, one warning of thunderstorms with high winds and the last one that warned of tornados. Umm, really? We have to go there? Next thing I know, the sky is black, the rain is coming down sideways and the alarm goes off in our building. Time to hit the stairwell.

Luckily I have coworkers that like to chat and laugh to pass the time. We played with my phone, was requested to play music from the radio option on there and answer questions about a new software program that was being rolled out. The not knowing or hearing what is going on outside is a bit stressful but luckily enough people distracted me from the weather and my thoughts.

I can now get behind a good thunderstorm, the smell of the rain and how it cools things down in a hot southern town makes me smile. Of course not being flung to the other side of town helps too.