Happy Birthday to Me!

Robert called and told me he had something that I needed...(no not that...something else).

He had seen my lopsided "swooping in the middle"
entertainment center and knew I was needing a new one.It was in pretty pitiful shape (after being in storage and having boxes stored on it there was considerable cosmetic swooping damage not to mention the dust). I SAID DON'T MENTION THE DUST!

The new entertainment center is much nicer and made of cherry. Robert brought it over while I was at work and set it on the carport. I asked him how we would get it in the house and he said we could. It looks pretty heavy to me!

A couple of days later, Robert and my brother-in-law attempted to get it in the house by dolly ( I had opted out of the transferral of furniture to the living room).

First they had to lay it over on the dolly....

It is so heavy...

Then through the doorway...

Then over the step...

Then (to make a long story short) they got in the house and it was too tall on the dolly to stand up and they had to bring it back out, take it off the dolly, I attempted to pick up one end with Robert and could not even lift a corner. Then my sister helped Robert pick up his end (she could lift it--WOW) and the three of them carried it into the house with much huffing, puffing, grunting, and exasperation and finally got it on the wall it was to go on with only tearing a small piece of paneling off the wall!

It does look much better than the older one that swooped so much...

Thanks so much Robert (but now I need a bigger TV) !

On another note, tomorrow night I go to the good old OMNI hotel and the Breakfast Club for our girls night out! I am so excited to get to dance (we've decided on Buttery Nipples for our preBreakfast Club drinks) I can't wait!

Then Saturday evening I look forward to eating at the Best Cellar (early birthday dinner)! Thanks Robert, I can't wait to eat the raspberry duck!

Sunday I'll be back at work on my birthday! I will enjoy finishing up my weekend with Hospice and those who I love to care for.

Update from North Carolina

Last Friday I went hiking at Chimney Rock Park which was a great stress reliever. Chimney Rock is located near Lake Lure, NC (the setting for the gazebo scene in the movie Dirty Dancing). Dr. Lucius Morse purchased 64 acres at the turn of the century to fulfill his dream of developing a park for all to enjoy. The park now has over 100 acres and is still owned by the Morse family. Scenes from various movies have been filmed at Chimney Rock. "The Last of the Mohicans" included quite a few scenes filmed at Chimney Rock. See video on side bar for a scene with the Falls in it!

My family and I have been traveling to Chimney Rock for years. A few years back my sister happened across a dirt road called "Hog Road" which led to a little dirt path called "Edge of the World". Traveling down this little goat path will lead you literally to what is the edge of the world. This awesome view is indescribable and if you happen to end up in Western North Carolina I highly encourage you to take a trip to the edge of the world.

The Chimney:

Hickory Nut Falls:

Hickory Nut Gorge:


Another view of the Gorge:



The Needle's Eye:

There are some interesting stories about Chimney Rock and the Hickory Nut Gorge. One involves a Presbyterian minister living there in 1806. There were eyewitnesses including the minister who reported seeing people (men, women, and children) flying around the side of Chimney Rock. The minister reported that the people were dressed in clothes so brilliantly white it hurt his eyes to look at them. Prior to that, the Cherokee Indians who inhabited the land had reported seeing such sights and they referred to them as "The Little People". When visiting Chimney Rock and the Hickory Nut Gorge you can well imagine the sight of angels or "the little people" floating around these inspiring hills.

Thanks to Robert for making the Chimney Rock day so memorable!

On another note, Lisa Vella (Getting it Write for You) tagged me with a meme asking "What Is Your Favorite Type of Writing?"

As a new writer, I don't think I have quite figured out what my favorite thing to write is. After publishing two little articles on Associated Content, I then jumped into a nonfiction book of which I have finished 103 pages and thrown on the back burner. The problem was after completing this many pages, I read another book about the same subject that said basically everything I had wanted to say. I had a gread idea but someone else beat me to it! In the process of writing this book, I found the passion and joy in writing! I then started working on more nonfiction articles (have since had one published) and also began delving into writing fiction.

Currently, I have a humorous short story in the fiction genre entered in a contest. I'm anxious to see if it makes it to the finals as I really enjoyed doing the piece. My challenge as a new writer is finding and making the time to write. There is such joy in the writing process that it is something I hope to learn to effectively incorporate into my life on a regular basis.

I am tagging:

Anne from Anne Brooke's Writing Journal

Dan from Dan's Blah Blah Blog

and Vickie M. Taylor

Dying Well

She had not responded all day to her family or friends. Her daughter was reading her Psalms and singing hymns to her while holding her hand. At one time, she squeezed her daughter's hand and her breathing changed at that moment. Within five minutes time she was gone but as she left she got the most incredible smile on her face...a smile that seemed to say, "oh there you are!". A light also shown on her face as her features relaxed and her body went limp. It was the most beautiful death I have ever witnessed.

Easter and Church People

My mom's church makes breakfast during Easter week every morning for the public. Today was the prison day whereby the church feeds all the prisoners breakfast who are in the local jail.

My mom was up there this a.m. helping to prepare the 40 plates for the jailer to pick up and take back to his prisoners. Bojangles had donated 100 biscuits to the prisoner cause of which my mother voiced appreciation to other members while preparing breakfast.

A church member piped up and says, "I don't know why we have to feed them prisoners anyway, Let's just let Bojangles feed em' next year altogether" in a nasty little manner. Plates were heaped as the man's remark were ignored and the jailer picked up the welcome breakfast for his prisoners and fellow guards. Why is it that church people are afraid to address hypocrisy within their own peoples?

I do not attend church. Hospice is my church. However, in the mail this week a man will open an envelope to find these verses:

Matthew 25:43-45 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not... Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

I'm heading to the Post Office now! Happy Easter Everyone!

Highway Patrolwoman

My friend Nickcola! She moonlights as a highway patrolwoman...just kidding. She was part of the Village People at our Safety Meeting at work! She's the Compliance/Safety FacilityCoordinator at our Hospice and does a fabulous job. Looking forward to Thursday Girls Night Out Nickcola!

GIRLS NIGHT OUT THIS THURSDAY

Okay, we girls couldn't wait to go out on April 27. Gotta head down to Charlotte this Thursday...got an all night babysitter lined up...hitting the Breakfast Club...may or may not get a room (might crash at a friend's in Charlotte). It's retro 80s night so that should be interesting. Going to drink and dance, dance, dance!

This Could Be My Match

So my exboyfriend sends me a page from Match.com that says, "this could be my match"...showing a girl that lives in my area. Hmmm...well, she loves TIVO and since he is a total TV freak (the opposite of moi) I assume the match will be made in heaven. Curious that he feels the need for my response or approval. Methinks he really is just looking for a response. Whatever.