In Harm's Way

As everyone prepares for the holiday weekend, many of our neighbors to the southwest are once again evacuating their homes in prepartion for Hurricane Gustav. I just checked out the latest stats, and it has been upgraded to a category 4. My thoughts and prayers are with all of my southern neighbors..may you be safe. Once again, I'm thinking about all of their pets, the homeless animals, the animal shelters. My they be safe, warm, and dry. This is a good time for everyone to review their families' disaster plan. What would you do, if you, your family, your home, your pet(s) were in harm's way? Plan ahead. If you don't have one, go ahead and make your family and pet disaster plan. Click HERE for Disaster Preparedness tips from the American Humane Association. You can also check out the Red Cross Disaster Preparedness programs HERE.

Labor Day...BLAH!!

Even though it's an extra day off from work, I've never really been fond of Labor Day. It's just the end for me. The end of summer. The end of my VERY favorite season of the year. I always know that the fall/winter depression is about to start. Days on end of gloomy weather, stuck inside. YUCK!! My beloved outdoor pool has already closed for the season. It just kills me to swim inside on a hot, sunny day. It's just not as much fun swimming indoors for me. I NEED that good healthy dose of sunshine. At least, I can still run outside. I hate fall so much that I can't even enjoy the last few weeks of summer for dreading the onset. That's it. I've got to move to south Florida!! So what if there's hurricanes. I can travel inland for those. I need my summer weather!! The summer place that's my favorite...I'm missing it so....

Back To School

Casey went back to school this week. He enrolled in Nashville State Community College's Culinary Program. He's taking an online class and one class on campus. He's SO excited and REALLY enjoying it too. Last night was the first meeting of his on campus class. They did the lecture portion, and then for their cooking portion, they got to observe the Italian Pastry Team work. They are in from Italy for a competition this weekend. He got to watch them color, heat, and mold sugar. He said it was one of the coolest things to watch! Casey's such a foodie, that I'm sure he was fascinated. I'm so glad that he's doing this. I know that he's just going to love it. He's hoping, after this semester, to get a kitchen job to start building his resume. Who knows, I may have the next Gordon Ramsay on my hands!!

I DID It!!

I completed my very first 5k this past Saturday. It was the Fenton Payne & Fred 5k. I'm proud to say that I was able to run the whole race. That was my number one goal. My time wasn't too bad either for a first timer. My gun time was 38:37. My chip time or actual running time was 37:33. I managed to shave a couple minutes off my time while at it! WOOT!! I was anxious, when I started running, and that messed up my breathing a bit. I finally got calmed down. I think I could have made better time, if it hadn't been for that. Now that I've done it once and know what to expect, I think I'll do better. I had so much fun, and now I can't wait to run my next 5k!!

In the starting line.

Starting the run.

Running for the finish.

Coming into the finish line

Finally done!!

Afterwards

So Busy!!

Yesterday and today have been incredibly busy!! I'll give more details next week. I'm getting ready to run my first 5k tomorrow. I know that I just need to relax and have a good time, but I'm still a bit nervous. I'll have the whole story and pictures next week. Everyone keep their fingers crossed.

Soooo Busy!

I can't believe how busy I've been lately. We've been busy getting Casey enrolled in a Culinary program in Nashville. We finish the details this Friday.

I've also been busy planning for our 4th Annual Celebration Pet Day. We've really got some exciting stuff for this year's event. We've got a performing dog act coming, The Comedy Canines. All of the dogs are rescue dogs. Their show is based on rescue, spay/neuter, responsible pet ownership, etc. We've also got agility dogs coming this year. Mudbug Farm Agility is coming and giving demos. There's a lot more too! If anyone is close enough here are the details:

Saturday, September 27, 2008

10:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Bedford County Agricultural Center

I've also been busy training for my very first 5K this Saturday. I'm participating in the Fenton Payne & Fred. I'm excited, but I'm also a little nervous. I just hope I'm able to run the whole race.

I've got to run for now. I still have TONS of stuff to get done. Toodles!

This Weekend

This weekend will go by in a blur. I've got LOTS of things I'm doing this weekend. Tonight, I'm going running. More preparation for my first 5k that is one week from tomorrow. After I get home, as I've done all week, I'll stay up too late watching the Olympics. Tomorrow, I'm going swimming. Saturday night, Casey and I are going to the drive-in to see The Clone Wars. Sunday, I may go do laps again. I'm not sure. I know that I have to get the house cleaned up. It's in a sad state right now. Busy, busy, busy. Everyone have a great weekend!

Night Owl

I am SO sleepy today. I stayed up WAAAAAY too late last night (Ahem...1:30 a.m.) watching the Olympics. I've REALLY got to stop doing that!! There's more swimming tonight, and I can't wait.

On a much sadder note, Casey and I had to have our beloved cat Lucy put to sleep today. Her kidneys were atrophied and failing due to nothing but old age. She had become unresponsive at the vet's overnight. Lucy was 17 years old. We've had her almost as long as we've been together. There is a HUGE emptiness in my house today. Lucy was the queen of the household. She ruled the cats AND the dogs. Goodbye sweet Lucy. You will be missed.

Olympic Haze

Those of you that know me, know that I'm riveted by the Summer Olympics. I watch or try to watch it all. I watched until 2 a.m. Saturday morning. Then, I started watching around 9:00 yesterday morning. I'm totally addicted. Swimming is my favorite event all, and yes, I'm a dyed in the wool Michael Phelps fan. The swimming has been incredible so far. The mens 400m relay last night was the BOMB!!! It was SO exciting!! I rewatched the video this morning and let me tell you, victory is SWEET!! If you haven't seen the video, check it out HERE. If you need me, I'll be by the t.v.

Exclusive Summer Olympics news & widgets at NBC Olympics.com!

The Next Book I'm Waiting On

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This is another of my favorite series, The Mortal Instruments. Each book just gets better and better!

Gratuitous Kitten Pictures

The kittens are getting SO big!! They are in that REALLY cute stage too. They have such neat personalities. Casey and I have become so attached that we are keeping them all. We have Ramsay (after Gordon Ramsay), Sookie (after Sookie Stackhouse from the Southern Vampire novels), and Trianna (after Trianna Orpheus, Dr. Orpheus' daughter on Venture Brothers). Enjoy the cuteness....

Ramsay

Trianna

Sookie

Ramsay and Sookie get ready to watch a little t.v.

Hanging out witht the pack

With "Mama" Shingo.

Ramsay and Indiana.

A Good Day

It's been a good day so far. It's been beautiful, but REALLY hot today. It was the perfect day to take a break at the pool, where I just got back from. The water was absolutely perfect and like crystal.

Squinty from the sun.

Now I'm just waiting for Kim to bring me my copy of Breaking Dawn. I ended up not going to the midnight party, because I was SO tired from the night before. Kim had already pre-ordered our copies and told me she would grab mine. She's on her way now, so soon...very soon! Everyone have a GREAT weekend!!

It's Coming!!!

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She signed my shirt!!

Excellent Show!!

Casey DID feel well enough that we were able to go to the special showing of Long Way Down last night in Green Hills. I think it made him feel better to just get out of the house for a little bit. We met up with a couple of our friends, Derek and Jess at Cheesburger Charlie's for bite before the show. It was a great visit, because we hadn't seem them in a while. Anyway, the show was GREAT!!! The new series starts tomorrow night on the Fox Reality Channel. Casey and I don't have the channel, but Mom does. I know where I'm going to be tomorrow night! There were lots of really funny moments and lots of serious, sad ones too. It was everything that I hoped it would be. It just turned out to be the best evening!

Big Day Tomorrow

Casey is doing REALLY well. He spent the better part of yesterday up and about. He even cooked dinner! By last night he was in a good deal of pain, but they said that was to be expected. Tomorrow he goes back for another physical therapy appointment. Tomorrow night, if he feels like it, we are going with some friends to see Long Way Down. We'll see. He may not feel like it. Anyway, I'm taking the day off tomorrow to get him back and forth to physical therapy. Everyone keep their fingers crossed!

I Can't Wait for This!!!!

Relieved!!

Casey's surgery went well. The doctor removed a spur from his shoulder and some of the end of his collar bone. The spur ended up being a lot bigger than they thought. We were told that it was good that he went ahead and had it removed. We were looking at a torn rotor cuff sooner than later, had it stayed in. He's had very little pain. They did a nerve block on him, so he didn't feel anything in his shoulder and arm for nearly 24 hours! Even afterwards, there hasn't been much pain. Well, until his first physical therapy yesterday. The doctor really wants him to move it, so scar tissue won't form and hinder his movement. He made it through it, and we have to go back on Thursday. Thanks to everyone for the e-mails, prayers, and well wishes. They have been greatly appreciated!

At The Fair: Dog Show Report

The dog show went really well last night. We set up and registered everyone smoothly. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. Everyone was in good spirits, including all of the dogs. I was excited to see some Schipperkes, including a puppy, come to participate. They are not real common around these parts. Of course, I'm partial to them because of my beloved Bear. Below are some pictures from the event:

Before the show.

Look at the costumes!

A few contestants

AWWWW!!! Look at the Schipperkes!!!

Raymond Pimental, member of the Fair Board, clowning around.

Best In Show!

To see all of the pictures from last night's show, click HERE

Awwwww...Sleepy Puppies

This is SO sweet!! I wonder if this would work on my puppies?

WOOT!! Long Way Down Movie!