I am in love with a robot

This one, as a matter of fact:


(© Disney/Pixar)

I saw Wall-E over the weekend and it was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. I think the story was well done and the graphics were everything we've come to expect from Pixar and more. Wall-E is such an endearing character because he is so flawed and hopelessly romantic...wishing for more than his lonely existence on earth. Plus, look at that little robot face! What's not to love? Go see it. I promise you will enjoy it and it will be worth your ten dollar ticket and twelve dollar popcorn, candy and coke combo.

What else? Oh, it stormed last night. It hasn't stormed that hard since...well...oh, yeah, since I rode my motorcycle home on the day my in-laws were arriving from out-of-town. What was so neat about this storm, though, is that it was threatening all afternoon while Dave and I went and ran a few errands. Right when we pulled into the driveway, it started raining really hard. It waited until we were home to really get rough. We were already eating dinner when the lightning started, so we hurried to get done so we could watch the show. In Florida, we had severe thunderstorms all the time, but here in Georgia, they are rare. Mostly, it is just hot. And humid.

So the storm was short-lived and Dave and I watched it from the safety of our garage. Then, when it was all but over, the sky turned this amazing orange color (due to the setting sun) and there was a rainbow and also the departing lightning. So I grabbed my camera and captured this:


(Click here to see the lightning in action.)

A few random things...

I have been busy, internet, and I've been neglectful in my blog updating. But yesterday Kaylee had another seizure. She is fine; she snapped right out of it after a few minutes, just like the last time. I remembered that I recorded the first two instances on this here little blog, so I figured I'll just use my blog to keep track of her seizures from here on out.

Okay, now that the bad news is over with...here are five fun things I have been up to:

1. I finally saw Sex in the City and I'll admit, it was pretty good. A lot better than I expected it to be, since the reviews have been so mixed. I actually enjoyed the story and felt that the writer(s) did a good job of keeping it real. My only complaint is how much of a bad guy they made Miranda, but whatever. It really doesn't bother me that much. Dave went to it with me, but only because he did something that I could have held over his head for a very long time and he used this movie as a way to make me promise never to mention the incident again. So, I will make good on my promise and not even mention what he did here. But I wish I could because it was golden blogging material!

2. I have now seen all of the Bourne movies and I like them. The Bourne Ultimatum is my favorite. Are they coming out with a fourth one? I really hope they are. I love me some Matt Damon as Jason Bourne. Or David Webb. Or whoever he wants to be, really.

3. I have read three books in the past week or so and I am currently working on Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes. So far so good! The one I just finished was the fourth book in Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series. I thin kit is called Odd Hours. Originally, I tried to check it out at my local library, but they take forever to get new books. The library man said a lot of people had been asking about that one, so I decided to donate it when I was done reading it. I'm so glad I did, but I wish they had counted it toward my late fees.

4. I have become something of a bad ass at Assassins Creed. I am not much of a gamer, but Chris bought me this game a while back and I just never made the time to play it. So now that gas costs a fortune and I can't afford to go anywhere or do anything fun that requires spending money, I am searching for entertainment closer to home. And I have discovered that playing video games is a cheap thrill. And so is assassinating people, apparently.

5. I am now riding the motorcycle to and from work every day. And I rode it to the library. I am getting to the point where I am actually enjoying riding and am no longer fearing for my life every time I gear up. Of course, it has been in the 90's around here lately, so that kind of takes some of the fun out of it. Motorcycle gear is hot. (Haha, I typed hott, at first. I guess it's that, too.) I just keep telling myself, 70 mpg!

Sometimes, I just don't know. And that's okay by me.



The in-laws are officially gone and now I want to just curl up somewhere soft and warm and go to sleep for about a week. Like a cat. I am so tired, but I did it to myself. I do not have any leave left, so I had to work while our company was here and I stayed up late visiting each night. YAWN.

The visit was nice, though I am always amazed at how differently Dave and I were raised. Dave's mother is very mothering, always wanting to know what is going on, hanging on every word, following him around. So completely devoted. This is completely opposite me and my mom and I just don't know what to think, sometimes. Things she did while she was here that my mom would never, in a million light-years, would do:
1. All of our laundry. She even washed the sheets from our bed yesterday.
2. She prepared dinner the first night she was here.
3. Dusted.
4. Made our bed every single day.
5. Walked into my room while I was changing, immediately after knocking, but without waiting for a reply.
6. Insisted on camera help.
7. Removed the teapot from the stove top every time we left the house. I would remind her that the teapot lives on the burner (turned off, of course) when she is not here, but she needed to put it elsewhere.
8. Went grocery shopping.
9. Packed lunches for our trip to Dave's games on Saturday.

Dave's dad is a lot more laid back and a lot less officious. He's quiet, an observer and a hard worker. He likes to stay busy busy busy and while he was here, he:
1. Helped Dave cut down trees. I think more than two, but less than five.
2. Planted even more stuff in our garden and flower boxes.
3. Burned leaves, brush, branches and logs from tree removal.
4. Burned our Pampas grass. "They will grow back even better. Like a phoenix."
5. Tilled our front island and removed the old pavers.
6. Helped Dave take the old refrigerator to the dump.
7. Moved my old futon mattress into one of the guest rooms, under the bed. We threw the frame away years ago, but I like the mattress and want to keep it for company or to use in a new frame someday.
8. Helped Dave with attic stuff.

Just typing all of this is making me tired. Okay, Yankees, you win. This southerner needs sleep!

he's always a winner to me


Originally uploaded by philoschelle



We went to another Scottish Games, this time in Blairesville, GA. The weather was rainy, then it wasn't. But it wasn't hot, and this was a good thing. Dave placed in every event, and finally claimed first place overall in his division. The best part: I got to take the winner home with me.

Tiny Victories

I've been riding the bike to work lately on days when it does not look like rain. I rode it on Monday, but since the forecast called for rain on Tuesday, I decided not to risk it and drove my gas guzzling suv, instead. And the day turned out sunny and gorgeous. On Wednesday, the forecast again called for rain. Dave needed the suv so he could pick up his parents from the airport after work. So I decided to chance it and rode the bike.

It started to look overcast about the time I was leaving, but the rain held off. I said a little prayer in my head for it to please just wait until I made it home. Not two seconds after that thought had left my brain did the sky open up. And it didn't just rain; it poured. It was storming so hard that Dave later told me his parents' flight was delayed because the weather conditions would not permit them to land safely. They spent 50 minutes circling the airport. That was the 50 minutes it took me to get home on the bike.

I made it safely, despite the lightning and fallen (or falling) tree branches. And despite the deer that ran in front of me out of nowhere. I had to stop at one point because the lane was closed due to a fallen power line and wait for a police officer to direct traffic (me) around it. I had stayed relatively dry up until that point because I was moving. Once I stopped, it was all over.

I didn't want to stop and wait it out because I knew my in-laws would be at the house soon. So I pressed on and finally made it home. The power was out, so I had to park and walk through the house to manually open the garage door. I didn't know how to do that, but now (thanks to Dave) I do.

In a way, I consider my experience to be a series of tiny victories. I was worried about being caught in a downpour...scared that I wouldn't be able to handle myself on a motorcycle. I feared falling on slick roads. I feared that the bike would malfunction. I feared that I would be drenched in the spray of oncoming cars and lose control. I feared the unknown. Now, I know better. And I can finally say that I've had an experienced on a motorcycle that Dave has yet to have had. And that makes me feel a tiny bit triumphant.

He's not heavy, he's my brother

Chris is safely back in California and my in-laws are in the air as I type this. I had so much fun with my brother and I wish he didn't live so far away.

He got here after midnight on a Tuesday and left on the earliest flight the following Wednesday. On his weekend, he decided to drive down to Florida to visit mom. I took a sick day and rode along with him. We only stayed a weekend and weekends go by so fast. We helped mom with a few chores around the house that she just can't do anymore. Like cutting down tree branches that were damaging her roof. Chris climbed up onto the roof in flip flops and shorts. I told him it was unsafe, but he never listens.

My older brother is becoming more of a recluse than ever. He only drove down from the city twice to see Chris. Only the first visit was any fun. The second, he wasn't feeling well and left soon after he arrived. On Chris's last night here, he didn't even make an effort at all. I feel uncharitable when I get so annoyed with him, but I don't understand how someone can not even try, always expecting everyone else to bend bend bend. I don't feel close to breaking, but I am tired of being so flexible.

I got to go on a bike ride with Chris while he was here. He gave me a few pointers and said I was doing really well for a beginner. I am glad Dave trusted Chris to ride his new bike. I think that was one of the highlights of Chris's trip. I know it was one of my favorite things.

I also put Chris to work during his visit. He came to eat lunch with me at work everyday, and on his last day, we did this:



Chris is a really good sport. I needed a photo for an ad for our manhole security product. The premise of the ad is keeping unauthorized personnel out of manholes. Chris offered to be the model (and the muscle) and we got a good photo for the ad. And we had a great time while doing it. Oh, the jokes that were flying around during this photo shoot!

I miss Chris and hope he moves close to me and Dave when he gets out of the Navy. He is mellow and fun and easy to be around. It's always hard to watch him leave, especially when he is so unhappy in the Navy and disappointed with where he lives. Only one more year. I hope he can hang on that long.

I'm looking forward to the next group of visitors. The house has been cleaned, the dogs bathed, the garage straightened, so I think we are ready. Now, if only I had about a day or two to catch up on my sleep!

Misplaced

You haven't seen my May, have you? I seem to have misplaced it because it cannot possibly be June already. Can it? Damn.

Why is it that the older you get, the faster time gets away from you? When I was a kid, I remember days just dragging by, especially school days. And even in the summer time, the days felt endless. My brothers and I would head outside to play not long after the sun had made its appearance and we'd only go back inside for meals until the sun went to bed for the day. Now that I am older, I feel like time is just slipping away and I've done nothing to try and capture it.

So, it's June. Day two, to be precise, and this month is already off to a busy start. My house has decided to become a bed and breakfast for the month. My bigger-than-me little brother will be here Tuesday night. He's having a rough time of it in these last few months of his naval career. For some reason, his Chief is really out to get him and he's trying to hang on until he's fulfilled his obligation. I think he's hanging on by a thread at this point, so I'm hoping that this visit will help lower his stress level a little. I want him to know that it's okay to escape every once in a while and sometimes, the very best escape comes from being surrounded by those who love you, no matter what.

Chris leaves on the 10th and my in-laws get here on the 11th. They are staying until the 17th. That leaves the second half of the month wide open for potential guests of the Philoschelle Bed & Breakfast. Any takers?

Visitors also mean that I get to clean, which I will admit I have been slacking on lately. I would much rather hang out with friends or read a good book or watch a movie than dust and vacuum. This weekend was perfect for cleaning, though; Dave had to work evenings and I had no plans. So I vacuumed and dusted and put away a lot of clutter and even caught up on laundry. Tonight I will clean bathrooms and wash the sheets on the guest bed and maybe mop the floor in the kitchen, though I am hesitant to go too crazy in the cleaning of the kitchen since our refrigerator is on the fritz and Dave keeps dragging it out of its nook to mess with it. I think we just need to bite the bullet and buy a new one, but Dave wants to try and fix it first. We are on Try #2 and it doesn't seem to be working any better. The fridge was bought in '94, so I think it's had a good life. Ima give Dave one more chance because I'm really beginning to miss having a freezer. And ice! I really miss you, Ice.

I have been at work for an hour now, and have done nothing productive. So I'd better get to it.