Ya Say It's Your Birthday??

I forgot to mention on today's earlier post...

It's Mark's birthday today!!

Happy birthday!

A Nod to Southern Living, South Carolina Style

Coming from Arkansas, I’m used to my fair share of crazy laws.
Some of which Dan will say aren’t the wisest ever created…one example is yielding or changing lanes for folks coming onto the highway from their onramp.
Not the wisest, but it’s something I never knew differently and I get disappointed when determined motorists don’t let me in or even acknowledge my presence, let alone my blinkers.
Or the truly weird regulations…It is unlawful to walk one’s cow down Main Street after 1:00 PM on Sunday. And no, I’m not kidding. It’s one of those dumb laws every state is guilty of…look ‘em up, it’s quite entertaining.
Here in South Carolina we’ve experienced a new law, coincidentally a Sunday law too. I’ve never heard of it, and it still baffles me. However, my mom knew about it, so it can’t be that uncommon.
After Mass on Sunday, Dan and I decided to head over to Wally for a few quick pick-ups.
In hindsight, we probably should have gone to the Zsa-Zsa (Commissary). It was certainly closer and it might even be a bit cheaper. Dan’s doing the formal and official research on the price comparison. I’m pulling for Wal-mart. C’mon! You can get EVERYTHING, 1-stop!

So the 2 adventurers pulled into Wally at 10:30 am and noticed 1 side of the parking lot was almost completely absent of cars. We shrugged it off as some unusual sequence of events, an unknown magnet pulling shoppers over to one side, or maybe the locals knew 1 side of the parking lot was better paved than the other. As we walked up to the door closest to the barren side, we noticed the doors didn’t ‘Open Sesame’. Like deer in headlights, we turned to each other confused, and back again. Then we noticed the Hours of Operation…Open: Sunday, 1:30 pm.
Huh? Insert another look of confusion to each other. As if our heads were connected by string, we simultaneously looked over at the other door the moment a fellow shopper headed out with a buggy full of white plastic bags. Maybe the hours were wrong? Were we looking at the Pharmacy hours? It is Wal-mart, right? It’s right there on the big blue sign, 24 hours a day. ???
We trekked over to the other door, walked in, and saw many people. Ok, so the hours were wrong. We MUST have looked at the Eye Doctor or Pharmacy sign.
Nope.
Walking in we noticed a long rope strewn through the clothes section. It was strung across the front of the jewelry counter, from 1 rack of clothes to the next, blocking all sections and aisles that connect the maze. It was even draped across the magical yellow brick aisle that Dan follows to the wizard, er, er I mean the electronics department. We were completely unable to walk anywhere EXCEPT the food area unless one wanted to play a quick game of limbo.

We opted to just pick up the groceries and head out, making a mental note to ask someone at work the next day.
Yes y'all, after a conversation with my mom and a few guys at work, South Carolina law states you cannot buy anything and I mean ANYTHING except food staples until after 1:30 pm on Sunday.
Upon further research, apparently it’s unlawful in South Carolina for horses to be kept in bathtubs too. What are ya gonna do? :-/

On the bright side of South Carolina, it’s a beautiful time of year. 70-80 degrees, sunny, with the occasional southern rain storm. The plants are coming along nicely, and my tomato plants have grown at least 3 inches in almost 2 weeks. The strawberries are also starting to fruit! Next stop, Easter with fresh veggies and no horses in the bathtub.

Spring Has Sprung!!

Spring has certainly sprung!
2 Nice weekends in a row = time for Laura to plant the first round of plants....
And this weekend I jumped head first into the daisies, strawberries, petunias, marigolds, tomatoes, etc because the rental house needed the spring color sprucing up. ;-)

Here is the first round of plants.
As you can see Ginny and the kitties wanted to help out as much as possible.
I think they are enjoying the warm weather even more than me!
Of course it was very enticing to Scooter and Ellie Mae because we picked up some fresh live catnip. They are too funny with that stuff!
I automatically flash back to Shrek 2 when Puss n’ Boots has the baggie pulled out of his pocket by the Far, Far Away Land police. Tee hee! Good stuff.

I can't wait for the 85 degree weather, but I'm not complaining about the 70-75 degrees!
Summer, here we come!!

The Pics Are In!

Ok, so traditionally paper is supposed to be the 1 year anniversary gift, but who follows those guidelines anymore?
I’ve declared anarchy and decided to make 2 months the “Paper” anniversary.
It’s a good thing, and might I say quite coincidental (not!), that the pictures are in! And just in time for the 2 month anniversary!
If you click on the link for our photos you’ll see most of them, however we had over 200 so not all of them are out there.
Happy 2 month anniversary!

Gettin’ dolled up

Getting all dressed up can be fun, as long as it’s not required everyday.
This past week was an opportunity, and requirement for Dan, to get gussied up.
We headed up to Norfolk, Virginia for a military conference where Dan acted as commander for one of the ladies in his office (Amy). She was up for an annual award as top civilian for 9th AF.
In order to understand the awards selection, I related them to some sort of Air Force version of the NCAA playoff bracket. In my imagination, first you are in the “Sweet 16” (for Amy it was the top civilian at Shaw AFB), if you win that, you move on to play against the 8 winners (the entire 9th AF) until it’s down to the final four and then the championship where I pictured she would be up against all the winners in the entire Air Force.

The days in Norfolk were filled with required meetings for Dan where he was responsible for updating everyone on the goings-on for his office and the nights were group activities. The last night was the awards ceremony for everyone (civilians, enlisted and officers) and the formal attire requirement.
It was really neat and unfortunately my camera ran out of batteries 20 minutes in. Grr!
Every nominee was presented with a cool eagle statue by the 3-star general. The mayor and other city dignitaries were also present. They had the honor guard ceremony, the fallen soldier table observance, a fellow 9th AF soloist sang a breathtaking rendition of the anthem, the AF band played, and of course the video montage with thrilling pictures and videos from the past year. Admittedly, I had to look away for a few of the fighter in-seat videos, RALPH!

To make the scene a bit more diverse and, um, interesting, Phish was having their reunion tour that weekend. During the last day, we started seeing the stereotypical concert goers for that group. I’m sure you can picture them, so I digress. The front desk attendant even divulged that she had already received many phone calls regarding “Why can’t we have beer delivered to our room for breakfast??” Good stuff.
Even though Amy didn’t win the round at the conference in Norfolk (I’m still asking for a recount!), we all had a fun time and the Shaw AFB level award is a huge recognition.
So congrats Amy! We’re all very proud of you!

Attack of the Acronyms

Ever since high school I’ve been inundated with acronyms….heck even my high school is known as one.
In college Chris and I both served our time dishing out sarsaparillas to local yokels. Remembering what ingredients formed the concoctions was 1 thing, learning the “lingo” was the secondary task. Everything from MGD, Rita/x, BlokeDarn, DURita, Glen/up, Navel, Chard…. We learned a lot of things during our stint and I still, to this day, think about saying “Corner!” when strolling though the Wal-mart aisles.
After graduation, I was again flooded with not only computer lingo but hospital jargon too. I thought the sheer number acronyms used in daily dialogue was insane. LPN, DEV, IT, GRID, Delphi, EL, PA, R&D
Round #3 was a short venture into insurance. Every policy and line of business had a nickname. AL, PhysD, GL, Umb, MTC

Why do I sum up all these experiences?
I can’t seem to get away from those infinite acronyms!

Here we are on round #4.
I thought the magnitude of acronyms and situation-specific-lingo used in my previous ventures was colossal. Boy, I didn’t have a clue!
Here’s a small glimpse into my new world.
To start off, everything I’m encountering now is in the foreign 24-hour time setting. Yeah, I know… take away 12, add 12…then divide by 1862 + ab + c = MC2.
To regrettably quote Beavis and Butthead….”If I wanted to do math, I’d go back to school.”
I’ve learned that everything, everywhere and everyone has an abbreviation. Grocery stores, hospitals, clothing, job title, computer systems, moving, vacations, buildings, paperwork, people, doctors. BX, DEERS,MDG, TDY, BDU, PT, TLF, PCS
Sssshew!
About a year ago, I created a few nicknames from a play on words but now I’m realizing I’ll need to come up with more “learn by association” memory tools.
So, if anyone is savvy enough to catch a snapshot of Bret Favre’s (since he’s “retiring” and wont need it) wristband playbook, please send it on! I need to make a cheat sheet!
FYI, I need one ASAP via EMAIL or I’m SOL b/c I will get ADHD and RIP! LOL

Mele Kalikimaka

“Aloha! Good morning!” That was the melody we heard every morning as we walked into breakfast, past the concierge desk, sitting by the pool, or even past the valet parking. The ladies chimed it, as one does with a song (…more-ninnnnnnng!). And now it’s become a steadfast mimicked saying from Dan. I’ll have to attempt to record it.

So we had a little over a week in beautiful Hawaii, what could be better? (a month?)
Dan was in charge of all the planning, prep and organization. He really did a fantastic job too.

Right off the plane (which is another story for those of you who know how I am combined with flying, let alone a 10 hour flight) we gathered our luggage, caught the hotel cab and arrived at the Kahala Resort with a welcome wagon of people whisking us away. We also had the traditional ceremony with the flower lei for me and Kukui Nut lei for Dan. It’s a good thing too. Dan was expecting those as we walked off the jet way. ;-)

Our resort was secluded on a stretch of white sand beaches that was just close enough to the city for alternate fun, excitement and shopping! And for an added bonus, it was right down the road from Tom Selleck’s house…er, er, I guess mansion is the more appropriate term.
In one of the lobby hallways, they had autographed pictures of celebrities who had stayed at the resort. There were hundreds of photos. Every president since Nixon had stayed there, including the current one 3 months before being elected, but I digress away from that subject. Among the other pictures we saw were people ranging from David Schwimmer, Tiger Woods, Ryan Seacrest, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Christie Brinkley, Alec Baldwin & Kim Basinger before the infamous custody battle, all the way to foreign dignitaries and even some sumo wrestlers….at least I hope that’s what they were famous for, otherwise I should have inquired about the diaper couture.

The very first evening, Dan and I ventured out to find some food. Being that it was pretty early there, but not really for us on Central Time, we decided to enjoy the weather and scenery and opted to walk a mile or so for a California Pizza Kitchen and the Whole Foods Market down the way. I thought it would be best to get some bottled water, oranges, apples, etc to keep in the room’s fridge. We found it with little trouble and on the way back, I was lucky enough to have a bug, large enough to have flown in from Isla Nublar’s cloning lab, crawl up my leg. What is it with me and bugs??? I swear I carry an “Eat at Joe’s” sign with me!

For the first few days, our morning and day time was spent sitting at the beach and pool enjoying the warm sun, walking the grounds, and admiring the 6 dolphins on staff. The dolphins were amazing. Dan and I giggled how their mannerisms for praise mimicked Ginger. They loved the attention and the “Hip-hip-HOORAH!” when a request was performed to perfection, as does Ginny when I hoop and holler.
In the evenings we took a quick ride into the city for shopping/site seeing/dining.
The Royal Hawaiian blocks of Waikiki were amazing. The shops reminded me of something out of Pretty Woman …Prada, Armani, Kate Spade, Gucci, D&G, etc. When you stepped a few feet off that block, you were inundated with local flare selling their goods and of course the beach scene including luau-type performances. And the surfers were still coming out of the water around 8-9 pm! That’s dedication.

We broke up the required historical visits into 2 different mornings. Pearl Harbor including the USS Arizona and USS Bowfin were on the first outing and the USS Missouri on the next. There’s only so much history to see and hear in your headset a person can take in 1 day....but all 3 are a "must-see"!!

For the afternoons/evenings of those days, we spent them driving around the island. We even got cool convertibles (Wrangler & Mustang)! We covered the entire circumference of Oahu, ate at some yummy local eateries, and also made the mandatory drive inland for the Dole Plantation and mountain scenery. The Dole smoothies were to die for! I think the Dole Plantation was a dream for Dan. We got to see and eat all the pineapple we could stand and we were able to take a train ride around the grounds. Trains, pineapples, ice cream…put your hands together! ;-)

The only bad news is we both got sick during the week. I started it off on the 2nd day with fevers and a horrible cough and Dan followed suit 2 days later. The worst thing about a small island = no Walmart/Walgreens on every corner for required meds. The best thing about Oahu = 3 Air Force Bases for us to visit the base grocery store and stock up on meds. Sssshew!
Dan’s fever hit worse than mine, or at least I was able to deal with it a tad better (“arguable,” says Dan). He was ready to get out of the sun on his worst day. Only to be forced into a cool bath to bring his core temp back down. :-(
All in all, I think we did a pretty good visit for just over a week.
We saw so many beautiful things and it was fantastic. You know it’s a good sign when neither adventurer wants to depart.

So, on the last day we enjoyed the usual beachside breakfast, took a few last videos and photos, listened to the soft waves, stepped one last step in the white sand, took a deep breath of the sweet sea air and then we packed up our things, bid “Aloha! Good Morning!” to Kahala & Oahu and flew back home only to be greeted with the unusual freezing rain Little Rock gets twice a year. Where’s that beach again??

The Start Of Our New Adventure

So we did it! Hitched, honeymooned, moved, and slightly unpacked in South Carolina.

For those of you who haven’t figured it out, we have a blog now! SURPRISE!
I make no guarantees that it will be updated frequently, but I’ll give it a good try!
On the left side under our picture, you’ll see a link for “our pictures”. We’ve posted a bunch already. Mostly historical and from Hawaii but I’ll make sure to keep posting pictures there. So to see the newest ones, just click the link. I’ll also put the professional ones there when we receive them.

I’m reporting from “our” living room in South Carolina. Calling things “ours” is gonna take some getting used to, especially since I still own a house in AR. But for now, they are both our houses. The kitties are great after the 3 week vacation from Dan and Ginger is still in vacation mode. This might become more “home” to her after a week or so.

So, back to the opening line. Yup! We did it! No more planning, last minute changes, or organizing! Wedding is over, and now we move onto the good stuff. All that planning and stress did turn out great though! Most everyone who will be reading this attended the events, so I’ll try not to bore anyone.

To start off the weekend, the small group of us attended the rehearsal and then Mom and Dad hosted the best party at their house Friday night. We kept it in true Arkansas mode and went with a catfish caterer. He came right out to their house and fried it up. YUM! The downside: Dad’s garage is gonna smell like McDonalds for a month. But the house was spectacular. Their house is gorgeous to begin with but Mom definitely knows how to decorate for a special occasion in addition to her already stunning decorations. The whole house was beautiful. It was really, really great. So very special. Better than anything I could have done and it was fantastic to have it at their house.

Mom and Dad’s party set the stage for Saturday the 17th. We all got up and dressed and made it to the church on time. My side hung out at Mom’s for the morning and she did my hair (it was amazing!). Dan hung with his family and got to the church a few minutes before me, so I had my gumshoe Mark help me get in without any spoilers. The anticipation was building but with my crew by my side, everything went well. Mom and Chris helped me get all pulled together and Dad and Mark ran routes with Dan, Msgr Malone and Dan’s team. Everyone was great!

The ceremony was truly extraordinary. It was a full Catholic Mass, with Sean reading a couple special passages Dan picked. Msgr Malone was fantastic, the soloist and organist were phenomenal and both the bride and groom got a bit emotional. My mom played 007 with her video camera and captured a few snippets of the special moments. Dan has them on his laptop, so I’ll have him load a couple at some point for everyone to see.

After the ceremony, we chatted with a few guests, took some pictures and then headed over to Chenal CC for a family dinner. Breathtaking! The florist did an amazing job, the cake was beautiful (and very very yummy!), the harpist playing in the background was so special, and having all the family there was terrific.

Dan took charge of the honeymoon planning, and he did sooo GREAT! Just over a week in Hawaii was awesome. Ahhh, 70-80 degrees every day, a sandy beach 5 steps away, tasty tropical fruits, all the fresh fish I can handle (hello!! Have you met me??), and the best part is the resort. It was incredible! Keep tuned, we’ll be posting another section on our adventures and sight seeing in Hawaii.

Thanks to everyone who attended the wedding festivities. You made it so very special to both Dan and me.
Ok, as I mentioned, I’ll try to keep updating. So keep checking in!
Oh, and thanks to Chris for her phenomenal pictures. I hijacked a few from her site and put them out there. Thanks Sis! You’re sooo talented! :-)