I am scared of this child

After introducing my ratchild to the wonders of quad-google the other day (and having him freak the computer teacher out at school with it), he asked me today is there quad-mysterygoogle. Um, can you say somebody seriously needs to put an internet filter on a child's computer?

Conversation between me and my son

I could not find any socks this morning and my feet were cold, so I though, "Hmm, ratchild and I wear almost the same size. I'll borrow a pair of his."

Ratchild: Mom, are those my socks on your feet?

Ratmom: Yep.

Ratchild: Why are you wearing my socks?

Ratmom: Because I need socks.

Ratchild: But they are MINE!

Ratmom: Who bought them?

Ratchild: You.

Ratmom: Doesn't that make them mine too?

Ratchild: No!

Gotta love 11 year old logic.

First Post In Forever

Okay, I have given up on Project 365. It was nice while it lasted, and I may try again, but circumstances have conspired against me and I am so far behind I will never catch up.

For some reason, the school decided that my severely ADHD child needed to be in advanced math and science this year. Uh, hello? It is not that he is not intelligent enought to do the work, it's just...wow, butterfly...and kitty...oooh, shiny. So this puts extra stress on the homework wrangler (i.e., me). So now I have to come home from work, cook dinner, wash clothes, clean, and oversee more homework that I have ever seen in my life! No, I am not smarter than a 5th grader. Can you say mom needs a happy pill? Please?

I am going to at least try to get back into blogging. Who knows, I may actually have some interesting stuff coming up soon. Munchkin child and I are supposed to go camping with Cub Scouts soon. The first time I have been camping in, oh, 25 years? Tent? Sleeping Bag? I can't bring my parents' RV?

Happy Friday!

Project 365 Day 42

Dell Me

The innards of a Dell Dimension 8200 that I am upgrading. I had to take this pic because I have never worked on this particular model and spent 10 minutes trying to figure out how to get the case open. No screws, no bolts. It ends up it opens like a clam shell. Buttons on the bottom and top and slide open. The people at Dell must spend nights at bars going, hmm, how can we design this next case? Oh, yeah, let's put a button on the bottom of the case. Yeah, good idea!

Don't get me wrong, Dells are my favorite brand of PCs. I just wish that the designers would at least try to make the case styles uniform. I have 3 Dells; they all open differently.

Smile!

Project 365 Day 41

9/11

Not a very good shot, but hopefully you can make out the flag. I was very proud and a little choked up to see these flags in front of businesses all around town today in memory of 9/11/01. God bless America, and the soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen here and overseas.

Project 365 Day 40

Hammer's Drive Thru

Louisiana...gotta love a state that has drive-through liquor stores! Can you buy lottery tickets in there as well? Hmm.....

Project 365 Day 39

Racer

This is Chris' snake preparing his Friday meal. He gets 2 mice every Friday. Let the complaining begin.

Project 365 Day 38

Please, Rain, HOLD OFF!

This was about 3:00 p.m. Hoping the rain would hold off, since I had two whole spatchcocked chickens and 8 leg quarters on the smoker! And BTW, the chicken was YUMMY! With todays brisket, I shouldn't have to cook any meat for the rest of the week.

Project 365 Day 37

Fatties

A fatty is a whole pack of ground sausage, rubbed and smoked. I did two, since Chris and I like mild and Darrell likes hot. OMG! I had ended up having to cut the mild one up and hide the slices, since Darrell kept telling people who came to the house "here, try this". I want some for sausage biscuits next week!

Project 365 Day 36

Locker Madness

Ah, middle school. Schedules, lockers, changing classes...Do you see how neat this locker is? Those of you who know me and my son probably cannot believe this locker belongs to him...aka the boy who still had homework from August in his desk last year when we cleaned it out in May. I have taken a proactive approach this year. Twice a week, after school, I stop in and we have a locker cleaning. Pull all books out, set the shelf back up (I hate these folding metal shelves) and put all homework that has not been turned in in the "turn in" section of his binder, and all notes in the "notes" section of his binder. Homework may be a little late, but not 9 months late now!

Project 365 Day 35

Wantin' a bike!

Why is it, when you finally decide give in to middle age craziness and you want to go ahead and buy a bike like you have wanted forever, you see them all over the place? I swear, I have seen more bikes in the last month than I have seen in the entire 10 years I have been living in Natchez.

Project 365 Day 34

"George"

Anyone who has viewed my pictures knows that at one time or another, I have had quite a menagerie living around or under my house. Wild kitties, skunks, armadillos, possums, squirrels, chipmunks...One of the wild kittens even walked into my house a little while back; I caught it and took it to the vet, but it died. Well, a couple of weeks ago, this guy showed up. He has a collar, so I figured he was out for an evening stroll and smelled momma cat. Genetic duty done, I figured he'd leaveand go home. Nope. He seems to have taken up permanent residence. Every time I go outside, he comes to greet me...rather loudly. I've taken to calling him "George" when I go outside and he is sitting on the steps. Now, as the husband is very strongly against having a cat, I'm wondering what to do.

Project 365 Day 33

Yes, I am running behind!

The object of this little project was to take a picture with my BlackBerry and post it every day. Kind of like a mini-blog. I have missed quite a few days. Let me 'splain, Ricky, said Lucy.

I live way out in the country. I mean way, way out. No cable, only satellite. We just recently got DSL. And definately no cellular coverage. So that means I have to either take the pictures and upload them while I'm in town, or take the pictures and upload them when I go to town. And I prefer not to go to town if I can help it. So this limits me. I try to take a bunch of pics and upload them, so they are ready, but on days when all I do is school drop off, work, and home, well...you can see the problem. But I'll try to do better! Now, on to todays pic. The squeamish may want to discontinue reading...

Why, when I go to the pet store for mice for the snake, does the lady always seem to make an effort to pick out the cutest mice in the tank? Ah, I know. Because I have taken Chris in there with me before, and she has seen him looking at the hamsters and drooling...She's thinking, "cage, 2 cute little mice, ball, wheel, water bottle, bedding, food..." What ever happened to those ugly little white things with the pink eyes? And yes, Chris did sit there and look at them and sigh before he dropped them in the snake cage. I seriously need to get that child another pet. And no, Jess, the pet store does not sell dumbo rats or I would consider it!

More to come....

Project 365 Day 32

Best View In The World

This view means I am about two miles from home. I love living in Kingston, but WOW, the drive is killer sometimes.

Project 365 Day 31

The color did not turn out right

This kind of aggravates me. This car was not this color in real life. It was lavender. Yes, lavender, with matching hubcaps. Sigh...I really need a new BB with a better camera, but don't have $500 for the new one. What to do, what to do...

Project 365 Day 29

Gonna be a new sheriff in town

No, I am not endorsing Cliff Cox for sheriff; I just wanted to use this as an example to describe the politics behind the sheriff's race in a small, Southern town.

Sheriff Ronnie Brown passed away March 11, 2009. His wife, Angie, was appointed to complete his term, with a special election to be held in November. So far, Cliff Cox, former narcotics division commander, Randy Freeman, constable, and Chuck Mayfield, former narcotics officer and now youth court administrator, are all running, as evidenced by their signs. I'm sure there are others, but those are just the signs I have noticed. At least 10 have picked up the paperwork to run.

Natchez has had only 3 sheriffs in almost 50 years. A father and son for most of the time from the mid 60's until 2003, and then Brown from then until his death. Now it is a wide open field, and I expect it to get pretty dirty. Friendships are already being tested, and the official qualifying date isn't even until September 3.

There has already been accusation of canditates acting outside the campaign law. I certainly expect more mud-slinging to follow.

Project 365 Day 30

Pull up your freakin' pants!

(Not my pic, I borrowed it)

Okay, how many of you does this "fashion statement" annoy? I have no desire to know what kind of underwear the guy I just passed in the Wal-Mart parking lot is wearing. Um..."under-wear"? As in, UNDER your clothing?

What is up with this? There are actually places that are making this illegal. I hope Natchez hurries up. Of course, there is a good side to this. I don't imagine they can run from the police very fast with their pants around their ankles!

Project 365 Day 28

St. Catherine Creek

I promise, I am going to go somewhere tomorrow where I can get some good pictures! This one is actually kind of cool, though, because it was taken from the car window as I was going over the bridge. Notice the ghostly image of the shopping bags on the front seat?

Am I caught up? I'll have to go back and count days.

Project 365 Day 27

TWINS!

Okay, this amused me to no end. (And yes, I am easily amused!) Stopped at the local Walgreens, (which is quickly becoming my favorite store), and what did I find? My car's identical twin! I've had this car for 4 years and I have never seen another one exactly like it! So I just had to take a pic.

So the work week is done and we are on to the weekend. I hope everybody has fun plans. Me, thinking about taking Chris bowling, TRY to get some housecleaning done, and I have three new books from the library. Plus I seriously need to catch up on Project 365. I'm 3 days behind. I feel your pain, Jessica. It's hard!

Project 365 Day 26

Yes, I know I am behind. I am working to catch up. This week has not been great. ADHD, tests, etc., etc. Trying to pound knowledge into my little one's head.

This is the front door to my office. Natchez is an interesting town. To do ANYTHING to a building downtown, you have to get permission from the preservation committee. All my boss wanted to do was paint the durn door the same color white. But NO! You have to fill out a 15 page form. Submit a paint chip. Have the paint chip approved. Pay a fee. Get a permit. All to paint your door! The door is just going to sit there and turn black.

Project 365 Day 25

Hitchhiker

Not a very good picture tonight; my BB takes good pics @ medium distances, but not very good at close up. Sigh...I guess I need to upgrade to the one with the better camera. But I thought this little guy deserved a post. I stopped at Go-Mart to get a Propel (love the grape) and noticed him. I decided if he was still on the window when I got to school to pick up Chris, he was today's pic. I kept looking over my shoulder the whole 1.4 miles, and he was still there. Grasshoppers are either very aerodynamic or have killer sticky feet!

Project 365 Day 24

The little whimseys that make us smile

My next-door neighbor has replaced his run of the mill mailbox pole with this little guy. One of the advantages that come with living way, way out in the county. If this little guy was downtown, ooh, boy, how the presevation people would hollar! We can't even paint the door at my office the same color without filling out an application, getting a permit, submitting a paint chip of the EXACT color, and supplying a urine sample (well, I'm exaggerating on that last part, but not too much). But out here, well, we may loose power for days at a time, there is no cell phone service, but, hey, we can put anything we want in our front yard!

Project 365 Day 23

Go Into The Light

I was sitting outside last night, looking through my phone memory at pics, wondering what was a worthy subject when I heard "zap, zap, zaaaaapppp". "Hmm", I thought. "You know, that looks pretty cool." We own a little less than 4 acres, and then my parents own the 7 acres next to us, so all together there are about 11 acres of bug magnet. You add my own personal mosquito pheromones to the mix, and bug zappers are a necessity if I want to avoid blood transfusions. "Off?" The mosquitos laugh at it. Like a dinner bell. I saw one sharpening her proboscis as I was spraying. Little tiny file...rasp, rasp.

Project 365 Day 22

Crossin' State Lines

Heading to Vidalia, Louisiana to the liquor and pet stores. Interesting combination, hmm? I always find it curious that the speed limit on the bridge is 45 mph, but as soon as you get off, it is 35 mph. Can somebody explain that to me?

Project 365 Day 21

White Lightning II

To put this into perspective, I have to add another photo, and then I will explain what this is.

This is the Trinity school bus, White Lighting II (named after the original...yes, White Lighting). The bus is used for away football games, field trips, etc. Now, take a look at the upper picture. What looks like a red stripe in the lower picture is actually a collage of pictures of the students taken at various athletic events, special programs, etc. You have to give JM Digital major points for this decoration job. The elementary school kids always get so excited about field trips, because they get to take "Lightning". It has A/C!

Project 365 Day 20

Is there treasure behind that brick?

Let me set the scene: The building next door to my office building dates back to the mid 1800's. It's covered in stucco on the front, while the sides are the original brick. Guess I should have taken a pic of the front, too. Oh, well. But on both sides of the building, all the bricks are in line except this single, solitary one. This is right outside my office window, and I just had to take a pic. We have often wondered if maybe, possibly, something is hidden behind this brick. Gold hidden during the (Civil) War? Jewels? Or was the brick simply misshapen in some way? Someday, somebody is going to bring a ladder up to the office and we are going to find out.

Project 365 Day 19

Historic Adams County Jail

I'm still trying to get details on this building. But it looks pretty cool, doesn't it? Supposedly, the upper levels were the jail, and the windows are still barred.

Project 365 Day 18

Rollin' on the River

Not the greatest picture; I stopped in Cock of the Walk's parking lot to get this. Why are they called tug boats when they don't tug, they push? My thought for tonight.

Project 365 Day 17

Federal Courthouse, Natchez

This is the Federal Courthouse located in Natchez. Dedicated in 2007, it serves the Mississippi Southern District. The legislature approved the establishment of a Federal Courthouse in Natchez in 1999. Hearings were held in 2001 regarding the funding for the overhaul of the building, Memorial Hall. Memorial Hall was in the past used as public library, an opera house, and a skating rink. Renovations were finished in 2007 and the building was dedicated October 22, 2007.

Is there a point to this? Yes. In July, I received a questionnaire for potential Federal Court jurors. I wrote in every available space "I work for lawyers", or words to that effect. I figured, no way they would call me. I was summonsed to jury duty in Circuit Court a few years ago, and as soon as I walked in the Courtroom, lawyers huddled. Every lawyer in Natchez knows who I am and who I work for. I was release in very short order. I figured the same would happen again.

No such luck. Two weeks ago, I got a jury summons. Federal Court, so I can't count on walking in and knowing every lawyer in the room. I have to call an 800 number EVERY NIGHT in September to see if I have to show up. Now, the problem is this. Do I WANT to serve? Nope, not a chance. I know too much. They would strangle me in the jury room.

So how do I get out of this?

Jess suggested walking in, saying "Give them the death penalty". Now while that may well work if it is a criminal case, the vast majority of cases heard in District Court are civil. And there is no way I want to get stuck for a week or so listening to a car wreck case. I see enough of that at work. So, any ideas?

Project 365 Day 15

Fried Green 'Maters

I would LOVE to meet the marketing person who came up with this one. A fried green tomato KIT? I checked it out, and it consists of 4 very small green tomatoes and a little bag with a batter mix. All for the BARGIN price of $3.99! Isn't this taking convenience a little too far? Green tomatoes, corn meal, salt, pepper, bacon grease. What Southerner doesn't know that? Maybe the kit is aimed at transplants from above the Mason-Dixon line? It does have my mouth watering, though. And my tomato plants have yet to recover from the heat. Hmm...trip to Piggly Wiggly anyone?

Have a great evening!

Project 365 Day 14

Carriage Horse

When I first decided on this pic for today's post, I had no idea this was such a hot topic. Just google "carriage horse". There are whole societies against it. Locally, there have been a few articles in the newspaper concerning the health and well-being of these animals which are frequently seen around town ferrying tourists through the downtown district, but past and current vets have publicly stated that these animals are treated and taken care of. After all, they represent a substantial investment on the part of the carriage tour owners. When not giving rides, the drivers are frequently seen at the carriage stop currying or just petting the horses. One driver even said he thinks of his horses as his pets. So why is there such an outrage about carriage horses? Granted, yes, it is hot here during the summer, but if they were out to pasture, wouldn't they be standing in the sun anyway? And these are draft horses, bred to pull a load. They are frequently used by Amish as plow horses. I don't think a light carriage with 8-10 people in it is going to be that much of a strain, especially at no more than a slow walk. After 8 years working downtown, I've learned to tell the horses apart, and they get more days off than I do. The above is Rodney, and he works Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays one week, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays the next week. And the kids at Presbyterian Playschool across the street love them! "Horsie, horsie!" And are these animals smart! I've have never seen Rodney's driver even have to touch the reins to get him to stop at the "pink gingerbread" which is next door to our office (see Day 12 and 13). Okay, enough rambles for tonight!

Project 365 Day 13

My Little Cold One

If you have shopped for beer lately, you may have seen the above item on the shelf next to your Bud and Bud Lite. I was like, what? Clamato is basically tomato juice, some spices, and a shot of clam juice. Eww, just doesn't do it for me. Then throw in some Bud or Bud Lite, and you have GROSS OUT. Turns out my tastes aren't too mainstream. The chelada, or michelada, is basically a Mexican beer cocktail. The simplest version is beer in a salt rimmed glass with a squeeze of lime. Now to me, that sounds good. I like Miller's "Chill", which is a variation of that theme. But tomato juice? Popular in the midwest, where it is known as "red beer". The michelada is limited only by your imagination. And leave it to Miller and Anhauser-Bush to jump on the bandwagon. By all accounts, sales are soaring, especially in areas that have a heavy hispanic population.

Now, to finish from last night:

B'Nai Israel dates back to 1848 with the formation of a Jewish burial society. The present building, on the corner of South Commerce and Washington Streets, was dedicated in 1905. From a high of about 650 members, there are now less than 10 members, and the property was deeded to the Museum of Southern Jewish Experience in 1991 to preserve it. The pink gingerbread house from last night's post was the home of the Rabbi for the synagog at the time, Seymor G. Bottigheimer. It now belongs to a Circuit Judge. Every day, when the carriage tours come by, the guide tells the tourists, "This is the home where they want to change the color. When I first started doing these tours, I said let the man paint it any color he wants, better than being unrestored. Since then, I have learned the story behind some of the other houses which are painted wild colors and now I agree he should keep the original color, and I'll tell you why in a few minutes." Then they move on and I never learn why! Guess I'll have to take the tour! And by the way, they are restoring it and it is the original color. The Garden Club has fangs!

Project 365 Day 12

The home of the Rabbi, Temple B'Nai Israel.

A two-parter-I'll finish tomorrow and post tomorrows pic. Just tooooo tired to do it tonight.

Project 365 Day 11

First Day of Middle School

Just look at the expression on that face! This was right after I asked him if he wanted me to walk him to his first class. "Mom......". Dang, when did he grow up on me? Told you he had they eye roll down, Jerry. I worried about him walking to after-care by himself, since they don't walk them from middle school. I asked him if he wanted me to call Mrs. Donna and get her to come get him. "Mom.....". I asked him if he was going to remember to write down all his assignments and get all his books and folders that he needed for homework. "Mom....". Well, Mom won that bet. The only homework they had in one class was to bring home a policy sheet for the parents to read and sign. You know what he brought home? EVERY book he was issued today, but...yep, no policy sheet. Sigh, I'll have to stop and sign it in the morning. Parent-teacher conference time. I really appreciate the way the teachers worked with me last year; hopefully I can get the same kind of cooperation this year. His ADHD comes with a definite emphasis on the AD part. Well, thanks for letting me vent!

We resume our tour of Natchez tomorrow.

Project 365 Day 10

Why is THIS not covered under the sign ordinance?

This wasn't going to be the topic of tonight's posting; I wrote one last night about Trinity and Greg Iles, but this building just struck me as I was leaving the mall today.

Natchez has a pretty strict sign ordinance; it's supposed to protect the view of all the historic buildings and such and to provide for continuity. It also has more holes that Swiss cheese and is 34 pages long.

Signs can only be certain sizes, certain heights, there are special rules for billboards, realtor signs, political signs, etc. The city fathers want them to be visually pleasing.

I want to know how the above monstrosity slipped by the planning commission. I had to play with the colors of the photo to get it to resemble the true color of the building. Loud, screaming yellow. In a city where tourism is one of the, if not the top, industry, how can they let this sit on one of the main highways into town?

My rant for the day. Chris goes back to school tomorrow and I have got to get both of us more organized this year. Lockers, schedules, homework. At least he gets a study hall this year! And his teacher is trying to get us a set of books to keep at home. That would help a lot. We had to track down the custodian almost every day last year to let us into his room to get something he had forgot. Ah, the joys of parenting a boy with ADHD.

Have a great night!

Project 365 Day 16

I'm cheating. Haven't been feeling too good today so I'm recycling a post I did last week but never finished.

For Greg Iles Fans

For those of you who are Greg Iles' fans, you have read about St. Stephen's Prep, the school Penn Cage attended and which his daughter, Annie, now attends. St. Stephen's is loosely based upon the school Greg actually attended, Trinity Episcopal Day School. He graduated from Trinity in 1979.

Greg holds a deep love for Trinity, and its alter-ego is featured in all of his novels based in Natchez. As he was a member of the football team, several scenes are set at the Trinity (St. Stephen's) football field.

The above picture is Trinity Episcopal Day School's football field. This was taken from the parking lot, so I hope it gives you a good impression of how low the field actually is. On home game Friday nights, the grassy fields are ringed with spectators. For such a small school (we just hit an enrollment of about 300), football is a huge draw.

For those of you who have never read any of Greg's books, I would encourage you to. Start with Quiet Game. Those of us who live in Natchez and work within the legal community had a ball trying to figure out "who was who".

Project 364 Day 9

The Vine That Ate The South

This kudzu covered light pole caught my eye the other day as I was picking up Chris from daycare. Like everyone else from the South, I have looked out in amazement at kudzu covered fields, trees, and sometimes even houses.

Kudzu was introduced into the US in 1876 to be used as an ornamental plant, erosion control and forage for animals. The wily vine took an extreme liking to the South, with our hot, humid summers and mild winters. In ideal conditions, it can grow up to a foot a day.

The USDA declared kudzu a weed in 1972. Various means of controlling the vine have been tried; mechanical removal, herbicides, grazing animals, and most recently, biological control.

Kudzu does have its uses. Various studies are ongoing to research its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Particularly in the South, kudzu is used in making jellies, soaps, and lotions. The vines are also being used to make baskets and sculptures.

From the poem "Kudzu" by James Dickey:

Supposed to keep from eroding.
Up telephone poles,
Which rear, half out of leafage
As though they would shriek,
Like things smothered by their own
Green, mindless, unkillable ghosts.
In Georgia, the legend says
That you must close your windows

At night to keep it out of the house.
The glass is tinged with green, even so...

Project 365 Day 8

A little bit of Natchez History

This is the gravestone of Tripod, who was known as "The City's Kitty". It is in front of City Hall. Tripod was a three legged, toothless orange and white tabby who appeared at City Hall in September of 1979. Employees began feeding him. From all accounts he was a very loving cat, and former mayor Tony Byrne adopted him, or maybe it was the other way around. He was soon ensconced in City Hall. He attended board meetings and lived in the mayor's office. When one council member moved to have Tripod removed (he was allergic to cats) a fellow council member moved to have HIM removed. P. M. Magazine broadcast a 10 minute newscast about Tripod's life. In October of 1983, his kidneys failed and the decision was made to put him to sleep. Natchez Monument Co. donated the gravestone.

And that's my Natchez tidbit for the day.

Project 365 Day 7

The future continuous flow intersection on Sgt. Prentiss Drive in Natchez. They have been working on this for about two years now. DOT says they may get it done by the end of the year. Please!!! It has been a collective PITA and a major hassle.

The lane unexpectedly shifts in several places. They have started using some of the new lights, still using some of the old lights, and I'm surprised there have not been more accidents, because people don't know what light to look at from day to day. I see a law suit coming.

Project 365 Day 6

I think I am going to have to take a lunch hour to walk around downtown Natchez and come up with new ideas. I'll I've done is walk back and forth from my office to the Courthouse lately, and ideas are running scarce. But I think this is a pretty cool one.

This is a stained glass window that is at First Presbyterian Church in Natchez. I walk by this building two or three times a day, but have never stopped to really look at the windows. I have since found out that they are over 200 years old.

Project 365 Day 5

So here is todays post. This is a lonely rose growing in my front yard. Know how it feels sometimes. I used a black and white effect to take all the color out except in the actual flower itself.

I'm really beginning to enjoy these posts, and I thank Jessica for the idea. BTW, how did you put my blog address in there under my name?

Project 365 Day 4

This is one of those tubes that you crawl through on the playground at the daycare across the street from my office. I used a gritty effect on it. Thought it made a nice contrast between the black bars of the fence and the blue on the tube.

I really loved it when Chris went to this daycare. No drive to daycare, drive to work, drive back to daycare. Walk across the street and there I was. I could watch them play outside on water day. Didn't get a lot accomplished at work at times, but oh well. Only problem was I had to be careful when I was going to the Courthouse. If they were outside playing, Chris would want to go with me. I took to hiding behind trees when he was looking! LOL. Well, I guess I'm going to read a few Photoshop tutorials tonight. Have a pic that I want to do something really special with and I haven't worked with Photoshop in forever!

Day 3

This is a photo of a mushroom growing on the library lawn. I took it and messed with the colors some.

Yeah, my life is REALLY boring...LOL!

Project 365 Day 2

I'm starting to have fun with this project. I actually stopped on the way home from town to take a picture of a field of kudzu. (That pic will come later; I can't upload from the house. No wireless coverage.) This is a picture of my absolutely favorite place in Natchez...the library! And to make it even better, it is right across the street from my office. I am a complete book junkie. I normally have at least 4 or 5 books out at a time. Everybody who works there knows my name, and there is talk about getting me a bronze library card because I keep wearing them out! LOL!

Project 365

Well, my friend Jessica has started this project called Project 365 via Blackberry. The idea is to post a picture taken with a Blackberry each day. It seemed kind of interesting, so I thought I'd try it. There is no shortage of things to take pictures of in Natchez, so this will probably end up being a lot of things that catch my eye while I am at work or driving around town. It will also give me a chance to play with Picnik, and maybe get me back to blogging. So, without further ado, here is my first picture:

This is the crape myrtle tree that is directly outside my office. These trees are all over downtown Natchez. There is even a variety called "Natchez", although, interestingly enough (to me, at least) that is not the variety that is planted in Natchez. The "Natchez" crape myrtles have white blooms, while the ones planted in Natchez have pink. Go figure.

A Little Bit About Me

Let's get the introduction done with. I am Debra Dawn Miller Vanier. I go by Debbi. Yes, no E. Born October 14, 1967. According to family lore, I was supposed to be named Delta Dawn, which I have a hard time believing, since the Tanya Tucker song of the same name did not come out until 1972, but there you go. I still claim it as my own, and used to have to sing it at family reunions. I have a 11 year old son, the light of my life, Christopher Jordan Vanier. He has ADHD and we are...oh, is that a butterfly? Very smart child, but school is a constant struggle. Married to Jimmy Darrell Vanier, Sr., since October 17, 1997. Might have to send him a link for him to remember that. Two step-brats, Jimmy Darrell Vanier, Jr., (DJ) and Amanda Marie Vanier Kelly (Mandy). I actually love them both very much. Step-grands who call me Memaw are Becca and DJ Kelly, Jacob Vanier, and one on the way. We lost Eric Vance Kelly on March 28, 2009, after a valiant battle against diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. Also involved in court proceedings over BreeAnna, DJ's oldest. Also playing parent to Robert Fisher (Rabbit), who came into our lives when we discovered how shitty his dad and step-mom were. Whoo, that should be enough for tonight.

First Post

Okay, let's set the ground rules right now. This is my new blog, to write about anything that crosses my mind. At times, that may be mundane, disjointed, or totally off the wall. I will probably bitch about my child at times, my husband at most times, or my job ocassionally. But I promise to TRY not to be boring.