Rawk On!

Oh the good times that were had at Mr. Reeses karaoke party on Saturday night. I really thought I'd be the old lady leaving the soiree at eleven, but twelve at the latest. But when I found my mojo and my groupies, I couldn't be stopped.

Let it be noted that the crew and I were the old folks of the joint since it was adjacent to the campus of our alma mater. But we totally won the kids over because I'm a rockin' old lady. They were all like "Wow! That lady is um old....but SHE RAWKS!"

The nights line-up?

1. I Will Survive
2. Keep Your Hands to Yourself (duet with Mr. Reese)
3. Let 'er Rip*
4. Total Eclipse of the Heart
5. The Right Stuff
6. Summer Nights (duet with Mr. Reese)

Mr. Reese belted out a number of songs on his own too but let it be noted that MY HUSBAND, MR. BELLA, sang karaoke! I would not lie about such a thing! I'm quite certain it was his first and last time, but there he was! On stage! Singing some Hank Williams Jr. And that my friends makes a Southern girl swoon as she takes another swig of Jack (right Reese?)

Note: Mr. Bella is a bit of a wallflower and not so much the loud one. That would be me if you hadn't noticed!

So in light of the fun that was had on Saturday night I'd like to leave you with my top ten.

Top Ten Ways You Know You Are Old

1. You arrive at the bar at 9:30 pm. Twenty one year old you was taking a nap at this time in preparation for hitting the bar at midnight.
2. Your bar tab is no longer more than a days salary at your nanny job.
3. You wear ballet flats instead of four inch stilettos.
4. In addition both twin peaks and your ass-ets are covered, more or less
5. You forget that there is a 3:30....A.M.
6. You're not carrying a friend home, three blocks away, all up hill. And as a bonus, you're not going in search of your car tomorrow morning.
7. Drunk dialing isn't an issue.
8. You know where you're waking up...and who you're waking up with.
9. You do not walk through the drive-thru to "sop up" or offer to help the man behind the counter at the slow pizza joint. Then proceed to help man behind counter all for the love of a slice of greasy, cheesy, goodness.
10. You know everyone in your pictures at the end of the night, and for the most part they are all concious, coherent, and semi-functioning.

But the one thing that does not change is the bathroom. We still go in pairs.
9.

Recovery

I've got nothing y'all! I'm still in recovery mode from last night. After a whopping four hours of sleep the Bellas drove to Mr. Bellas hometown (2ish hours) for church and family day while his brother was home. We didn't get back until 10 pm this evening. For those of you playing along that's my bedtime and I was already running on far less than optimal sleep.

But again....guess who has the big eye during their time of exhaustion.

I need a personal assistant

I'm running around like a headless chicken today because of my hectic schedule tomorrow.

10:oo am: Sorority Alumni Meeting
11:30 am: Sorority Alumni Spring Tea
1:30 pm: Service Project at local Children's Home
3:30 pm: The CiCi's arrive, leave for shower in farawaytown
5:00 pm: Mr. Reese's Birthday dinner (boo! I have to miss this)
5:00 pm: Shower for Lynisha in farawaytown (go with Cici and Janie)
6:00 pm: Bimonthly Dinner Party with group from church (miss this but Mr. Bella and Mr. Cici go. What a cute date they are!)
8:00 pm: Leave farawaytown to haul booty back for
9:30 pm: Mr. Reese Karaoke Birthday Party

So today I'm buying items for Spring Tea and getting flower arrangements together as well as prepping the meeting and making agendas (I'm currently the President but my term is up in May...PRAISE THE LORD!). I'm also cleaning my house for guests, and behind guests since Mr. Bella's brother just passed through town and spent the night with us. In addition I need to do errands around town such as the bank, the post office, pick up a shower gift, wrap Mr. Reese's birthday gift and pick Brother Bella up at school and take him for a haircut.

When did I have time for a job?

The Rug

During my shopping excursion on Saturday I helped Reese to spend a small fortune on "must haves."

After a forty five minute discussion on sofa cushions (with a decision finally made) it took only about three minutes to pick out a large 9x12 area rug.

The thing is....Reese didn't know she needed a 9x12 area rug that day.

Praise the Lord she had me, huh?

Y'all this rug was origianally $1250. One thousand, two hundred, and fifty dollars.

The low, loooooooooooooooooow bargain price Reese paid? $278. Two hundred and seventy eight dollars.

So it was like a thousand dollars off.

That's a large percent and I'd tell you all about it but I don't really do math. I'm sure you're shocked.

So with a heaping cart the little petites that are Reese and I heave this bit honkin' rugh on top of it.

I have stitches (then) and am not supposed to lift more than 20 pounds.

But for the love of a rug and a bargain price you do what you have to do. I simply could not let my friend down in her time of need.

Oh, Reese also drives a solara. Again I don't do math but you can imagine how this worked.

I had faith. The carry out boys did not have faith. But I had faith.

I also knew she had a sunroof and I could hold on really tight if necessary. Again, for the love of a rug and a bargain price!

But we folded down the back seats, and bent the rug, and tucked it neatly under the windshield, and proceeded to shop at three other stores because we are not quitters.

The ride home involved Chick-Fil-A sweet tea because we are Southern. It also involved my shifting gears while she drove.

We raced home (literally....girlfriend drives like turn four of Talladega) and moved the living room furniture, laid out the rug, replaced furniture, hid the old rug, and had a few mins to spare before the boys came in from golf.

They arrived home to find us sitting at the bar (shocker!) all chatty about the game. The kitchen and living room are open by the way. They are walking around the entire kitchen getting food and drinks. But nothing.

Mr. Reese stated he was exhausted and just wanted to change clothes and relax (dude....you just played golf....but that's another story for another day). He walk around the sofa and into the living room

"OH SH**!!"

He noticed.

The potato salad was a bad idea

Oh the gyno! I loathe the gyno. Every year I seriously feel as if I'm the only women who possibly has to go through that and feel this way. I realize women do it every day and most do it once a year or more, still I feel like I'm alone in the humility.

Do you ever wonder what the gyno think of your...errr....floors? You know...carpet, hardwood, rug.....

I do. I wonder these things.

WHO DOES THAT?

Oh yeah, me.

I need another hobby I suppose.

So the gyno was horrible as always.

I had an hour between the gyno and the dermatologist. Just enough time to get from scoot about doctors offices with a trip by K. Roger to get items for a fresh salad. I had a meeting this evening with my college sorority so therefore the boys were getting pizza and salad.

While strolling through produce I realized I was hungry as it was 2:30 and I'd only had a granola bar. I ventured to the deli hoping it was sushi day. I know I know...sushi at K. Roger? The cali rolls there are actually pretty tasty. I was really feeling like Chick-Fil-A would be a perfect treat from my day at the gyno but alas it was en route to be efficient. And I'm nothing if not efficient. So as I meandered through the deli a little bowl of potato salad caught my eye. Yum! Potato salad. I've not had that in a while. So I bought potato salad.

Oh, and a package of two-bite brownies.

I go into the dermatologist office and before I even sit down the medical assistant is ripping out stitches.

Ok not really, but kinda.

So I'm chatting and breathing and being normal. There isn't any pain except for the scissor tip scraping my skin. Not pain really, just UGH THERE ARE SCISSORS CLIPPING STITCHES RIGHT THERE. I feel the hard tug as they snip.

Then I feel light headed. And floaty.

But I can do this. I mean they must be nearly finished.

Then they announced three down.

Oh good grief there were like fifteen stitches.

Head floats....tummy sinks......

Potato salad was a BAD idea.

I picture it coming up.

Eww!

I ask to lay down so they put me on my side.

Oh please honey I mean LAY DOWN!

Flat! Face down! Smelling salts!

Finally it was over. I survived. The doctor checked me out and informed me that if the scar didn't lie flat in about a month he'd inject it.

I'll live with a bumpy scar thankyouverymuch!

Mr. Bella and Brother Bella never knew about the two-bite brownies.

The Big Eye

I'm exhausted.

Except exhausted doesn't describe how exhausted I feel.

The weather was so nice this morning that Mr. Bella and Mr. Reese put in a round of golf before we ever hit the road.

It's a six hour trip.

But after being up far too late in the night since Wednesday night and travelling all day to boot....I've got the bit eye and can't find sleep.

I'm also not very coherent.

Maybe you've noticed.

I need to find sleep because I have a big day tomorrow. First with the gyno for my Grand Opening. Then with the derm to get these stitches removed. Then tomorrow evening is a meeting. So I should probably get some sleep.

I went shopping! Oh how I went shopping! Schmottery Schmarn and Schmilliams Schmonoma had fantastic deals. Oh the deals!

Mr. Bella gave me a shopping limit on Friday. Something about a budget and responsibility and not "needing" anything.

He didn't, in fact, give me a shopping limit for Saturday.

He played golf Saturday.

Mama went shopping.

Road Trip

It's Spring Break in these parts and the Bellas are gearing up for a road trip!

Here we come Reese and Mr. Reese!! Stock the fridge! Make the margaritas! Alert all drivers on the Interstate that there will be a petite brunette in pearls and pink sneakers going west and driving like a hell bent banchee.

Well at least until Mr. Bella gets his wits about him and realizes it was a fundamentally BAD IDEA to allow that and puts me back to shotgun.

Hope y'all have a great week! I'll be visiting a college campus with BB, shopping with Reese, imbibing Jack, taking walks, eating too much, getting manicures, and sending the boys to play golf so that I can really go shopping with Reese. What Mr. Bella doesn't know won't hurt him, right?

Time Wasters

Remember how I told you I got a smartphone? Well I did. It's a brain child I tell you.

It also has fantastic time wasting capabilities.

HELLO YAHTZEE!

Seriously I have too much going on to find myself playing yahtzee at random times of the day.

I'm currently up to my eyeballs in orders and trunk shows, I'm preparing for our Spring Break trip, I have a host of other responsibilities for committees I'm on for my sorority alumni and Southern Belle Society as well as church bible studies and volunteer commitments.

And I'm playing yahtzee on my phone.

Footloose and Fancy Free

BB went to stay with friends this weekend leaving Mr. Bella and I home alone.

Um, can we can brown chicken brown cow? AHEM!

We went on a date, just the two of us. And we skipped church to lay in bed with coffee and laptops. And we watched Caddyshack because it was on some movie channel and we were sitting in bed with coffee and laptops.

We love BB, and were happy to go get him this evening, but the time of being childless for a few moments was bliss.

Laundry

Burning question for you today gals. What's your laundry schedule?

I used to do it when it piled up and I had no underwear left. Which for me was about six weeks because I have a bit of a thing for undies. Mr. Bella and I both had cushy desk jobs and our dress clothes didn't get laundered with each wear. Therefore I really could go for about three weeks.

When BB moved in and I was no longer an executive the schedule had to change. I made Monday and Thursday my laundry days. Monday is clothes and sheets, Thursday is clothes and towels. But sometimes I wonder if it's the best system. Thursdays are normally a busy day for me so it's a rush to get it finished. But moving to another day doesn't give it adequate spacing and I don't want to do laundry on the weekends. I also don't want to do all laundry on one day. Ugh!

So I'm thinking of adopting a daily system. Laundry isn't my favorite chore but if it's just a load a day maybe it will be simple and routine like loading the dishwasher and cleaning the kitchen. Let's see now:
Monday: Sheets
Tuesday: Brights
Wednesday: Darks
Thursday: Towels and Whites (bleaching day)
Friday: TBA

I was thinking Friday could be nothing, or it could be a potluck load of whatever clothes are in need and can be washed together, or, because I am one fantastic wife who deserves two carats in each ear I could do dress clothes and actually wash my husbands work attire.

For those of you who don't remember Mr. Bella and I used to do our own laundry. It was our own little secret to marital bliss. However I took over doing all of his non work attire when I no longer worked outside of the home. I suppose I could start laundering all of his clothes because again I am a fantastic wife who deserves two carats in each ear. Ahem!

So spill of all of your dirty laundry secrets. How do you keep up with it?

I just wanted lunch...

...but I found my best friend, lover, soulmate, and lifelong partner.

On this day five years ago Mr. Bella and I went on a blind date for lunch. Who knew it would turn out so beautiful.

Certainly not him. He really got more than he bargained for!

Could have been worse I suppose.

My mani and pedi are rockin', even though I totally screwed up a finger upon getting in the car. Of course!



I'd say my big girl panties are ready for retirement after this afternoon. I held it together rather well for the first 20 mins, but the last five or ten were quite painful. I was borderline panic attack. The tears welled up and the nurse got a bit worried. I assured her that the old me would have cried upon entering the building. Since I didn't, I'd call it a success!





The doctor has NO sense of humor. I suppose I should be happy he's all business back there but c'mon now.





Me: You should have a wine bar at the door. No price to high today.


Dr.: Wine makes you bleed.


Me: Oh, well, uh I guess a show of Jack is out.


Dr.: (silence)


Me: I'll take an aspirin too?


Dr.: (silence)


Me: Whew...tough crowd.





Oh so the spot on my back was "small". Small, ha ha, that's so relative. Small to what? Small compared to an elephant? Want to see how small it was? Do you? Ok well Reese does so I may was well post here, be warned:





So yeah, it's "small" but I have tape from my neck to my hip. Well, almost.

I'm going my Mecca next week, also known as the outlet of one of my favorite stores, the Schmottery Schmarn. I plan to reward myself handsomely when I get there!

The Day

Today is the day.

I'm going back to the doctor to have the thingy cut out of my back. Shudder! Did you know there will be stitches? Wonder how much sympathy I can get out of Mr. Bella for stitches? Did you also know I think there is another on my back and also one on my arm?

I have my ipod ready to go with some music that will hopefully take me to somewhere besides that office chair, and also a mani and pedi scheduled for late morning just before I get sliced and diced.

If I'm going to be whiny and cut up, I may as well have pretty piggies.

Whooping Cough

I'm not exactly sure what whooping cough is, but I can say with a fair amount of certainty that I think I have it.

It's been coming on for a few days of the evening or morning, but today it's not went away. Cough syrup doesn't work.

I've moved on to margaritas.

I'm not afraid to move on to straight shots of Jack.

Don't mess with me whooping cough.

Random Question

Why is it that when the British sing, they don't sound British?

Southern Belle Friends

Today was a full day for me! I was up and ready to take BB to school (his normal ride is having his car serviced this week), followed by a trip to Target, the UPS store, and the office of my ladies organization, let's call it the Southern Belle Society (SBS). From there it was on to Bible Study (currently doing Calm my Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. It's fantastic!) and it was only 9:15. I left Bible Study and zipped home for a quick lunch and to let the pooch out. Then it was time for shots and on to the dentist and then across town to deliver items for the SBS big thrifty sale event this weekend. Then back across town to pick up BB at 4:10 because he had to stay after school for a test.

So anyway I had to take my donated items across town for SBS. It's a makes me pee my pants scary less desirable part of town. Seriously, white girls in a Benz with pearls and a pink phone need not be over there. Makes me wish I already had this. I was talking to Risse on the way as I lamented about being stopped by EVERY freaking redlight on Bad Avenure.

Later upon arriving home I texted her:

"Back to West MyTown, PRAISE THE LORD!"

Her Reply:

"Without being mugged and all in one piece. AMEN!"

The joy of Southern Belle Friends!

Looky there!

It's me! Back in town. For a whole five minutes! Ok for a whole week and a half.

We've been busy bees around here with a family weekend away two weeks ago, followed by only a few days home before I traveled six hours to the deep south to visit Holly and my true loves, her kids! When they moved last year it totally broke my heart.

The visit was fantastic, it was somewhat "business" as I was able to promote my shop. I stayed in extra day because of the sweet, precious, beautiful faces that asked me too. And then, when I did come home, I had two of four in my car.

So much easier to say goodbye when they follow me home!