Teapots, Head Nods, and Country Roads

So where did I end up? Ashland, Alabama. It may be the smallest town by far that I have lived in and obviously will be the most limiting as far as things to do, but I have a feeling it will be one of my most memorable assignments. I will explain why as soon as I catch some of you up. I was really starting to sweat that I was not going to find a job, but for reasons unknown to me, God decided to make me wait a few weeks. Fast forward. So here I am at the end of my first week working in Lineville, Alabama. You don't know where that is? Okay, here's your quick geography lesson. It is 30 miles south of Anniston and about 75 miles east of Birmingham. I spent my first four nights in a motel in Anniston. When you are in small towns, the options for housing are limited. That all changed when my company convinced me to call a lady that owned a bed and breakfast in Ashland, Alabama. Never mind the fact the name of the B & B was Teapots, Lace and Roses (everything that I am not). On the website it looks like someone vomited lace everywhere, particularly in the Bridal Suite. I expressed my concerns with living in a B & B for 3 months (confined to a room, not being able to cook, having to eat out, no privacy, etc). She quickly assured me that I would have access to the whole house, I could pick any room I wanted and I would be treated like royalty. So obviously my curiosity was peaked. Royalty...what's that like? After a quick tour, I decided to suck it up and stay in the B & B...oh dread. Now here is where the memorable part comes in. Virginia, the owner, is a 77 year old lady who is adorable and has diarrhea of the mouth. I just love her. She can't finish one thought before she is on to the next. She knows everyone in town and has made it her mission to introduce me to all of them. She took me out to eat at the "Dary Delight". She proudly told the workers, "This is Daphne and she is going to be staying in my Bed and Breakfast for three months." If we didn't know them before we went in there, we knew them when we came out. She has a little cabin out in the country where she stays most of the time but comes back into town occasionally. Are you curious which room I chose? Yep, the Bridal Suite. It was the biggest with the most storage. We quickly "de-brided" the suite. No more lace, thank goodness. Ashland is a quaint little town. The only places to shop are Piggly Wiggly and Dollar General...go figure. Everyone waves or gives a head nod when they pass you. I will have to admit that this area is prettier than I would have thought. Today I went to Cheaha State Park. Cheaha means "high point" and that's what it is, Alabama's highest point. I hiked on two short trails and stopped to take some pictures and just sit. It was a definite "Go God" moment. I hope to return and hike some of the longer trails or even eat at the restaurant at the top.



I am enjoying the people I work with and the patients are absolutely cute. It is such a small place that I feel certain I will get to know a lot of people. I have already found a group of people who play volleyball on every Thursday night. It is amazing how many muscles you actually use to play that game. I also found a cute art gallery in the square. I think I may take art lessons. At least it will give me something to do. I joined the Wellness center which is very nice and large for such a small place.

I am slowly getting closer to home. But now I will settle for a closer drive. I am certain I will have more stories to tell.

100,000 Miles

A momentous occasion occurred recently. My Toyota Camry hit 100,000 miles. While that sounds like a lot, it actually seems like it should be more when I consider every where that I have been. As I watched my odometer slowly tick closer to
100,000 miles, I began to ponder my relationship with my car. In August of 2003, I bought the Camry brand new with only 5 miles, which I put on it taking it for a test drive. I suppose you could say that my purchase of the Camry signified my emergence as an independent, self sufficient woman. Besides my washer and dryer (which at the time seemed like a big purchase), this was the biggest purchase I had made and I did it all by myself. Yes, the Camry has carried me from one corner of this great nation to other and even into Canada. It has driven through canyons, over mountains and across plains. My Camry has been faithful, dependable and there for me when ever I needed it. Hum...it has outlasted any relationship that I have ever had and it is still there for me. Anyway, I digress...My Camry is not as new as it once was, even though I think it should still work like it was brand new. I no longer park far away from other cars. It's okay if is gets a little dirty. I don't get mad about new dings or scratches. Kinda like life huh? Our bodies get older and they don't work as good as they used to. We still think they should. The exterior gets faded and banged up which equates to old, wrinkled and saggy. It's not about what's on the outside though. It has everything to do with what's on the inside and the memories, oh the memories.

Move Over Cinderella

Is this new month already half way over? Wow, 2008 flew by. I went to Montgomery,Al to ring in the New Year with my friend Seana and 9 other people that I luckily already knew. It has been so long since I just danced the night away. Literally, after we ate, we stayed on the dance floor. Dancing is very therapeutic. I highly recommend making a complete idiot out of yourself occasionally. The band was so much fun and very kind to allow me to play the tambourine. Why it is that I always end up with some kind of instrument in my hand I will never know. It was fun though. I am certainly getting older. Staying out after 12 midnight reminded me of that the next day. I really prefer to be in bed by 10pm. Anyway, I have had so much fun reconnecting with friends that I have not seen in a while. I even got to visit with a former stroke patient and his wife, Tony and Bea. We laughed as recalled his days in speech therapy. I spent some time with my friend Angele and her family. We went to Battleship park and looked at the ship, planes, helicopters and submarine. I love that Calvin, Angele's son, would only hold my hand...if only he was 30 years older.


I have been hanging out with my mom and dad. Mom decided she would organize all the photos. It will be months before she finishes that task. We have had some good laughs looking at old photos. From about 6th grade on, my hair got progressively longer and bigger. Thank goodness that I frequently changed my hairstyle though. It helped me figure out what grade and age I was while I was organizing.


My family went to Meridian for my nephew's baby dedication today. He is so adorable and surprisingly laid back given that his sister is always in his face. I suppose Laurel was tired of Cole getting all the attention and decided to give us a concert complete with Miley Cyrus as backup vocals. The outfit she chose was priceless. Those little tight black jeans and the crop t-shirt that read "move over Cinderella" had us all laughing so hard we were crying. I think she is destined to be a performer.


I still don't have my next assignment. I am starting to get a little nervous and also craving the structure from a job. I had requested the south but I suppose I could go ahead and get the west coast out of my system. So the next time I update this blog, there is no telling where I will be.

Christmas has now come and gone. I have turned another year older and a new year approaches. Although thirty is quickly becoming blurred in the distance, I hope that the remainder of my thirties will be as exciting and memorable as the first few years. I honestly think that the best is yet to come. Therefore I am encouraged, excited and very hopeful about a new year.


It has been a blast seeing old friends and visiting with my family. I am pretty sure that I am a little more plump after eating all the good food, especially the homemade chocolate birthday cake that I have come to anticipate every year. This year I had three assistants to help me blow out my candles. I certainly hope they are still around if I live to see 90. Anyway, a little extra spit never hurt anyone. We are all family, right? It was fun watching the kids open their presents.
It was even more fun watching them have a blast digging in the dirt while a house full of new toys was only a few feet away. My favorite gift this year, besides being home, my Billy Joel's greatest hits CD. Look out Lionel, you have competition. We have now given my brother the "number one dad" title as he helped Laurel sew a pretty pink purse out of yarn and foam. Mom and dad thought it would be a great idea to buy the boys these huge (I mean huge) remote controlled trucks. I think the adults had more fun than the kids, but it scared Mason and he ran every time it cranked up. I had my trunk open getting something out of it which turned out to be a great hiding place from the "shruck".


My mom, dad, aunt and I began cleaning out my grandfather and grandmother's house. I was a little sad because it reinforced reality that both of my grandparents were gone. We laughed a lot though as we were reminded of great memories. It almost felt like an invasion of privacy as we went through every little piece of paper, box, bag, clothes, etc. I couldn't help but smile at all of the clippings. My grandmother clipped out everything from recipes, to home remedies, to advice columns. She jotted random notes down, prayer requests, dates, phone numbers and addresses. I found medical terms, definitions and abbreviations from where my grandmother was studying to be a nurse technician. We found old letters, hair nets...lots of hair nets, pantie hose and girdles. Clothes, jewelry, handkerchiefs, hats, blankets and the "purry" perfume. The latter was a little unexpected but made us all laugh. No I would not expect to find anything that my grandparents would have been ashamed of. They were both God fearing people who lived as wonderful examples of what a Christian should be. It did prompt a thought in my head. If I suddenly departed this earth and my family was left to rummage through my things would they learn something about me they never knew? Would they view my belongings as garbage or charitable donations? Would they know what things I cherished and valued? Would they find anything that would shock them? Would they keep anything or simply just throw it away? Something to think about, huh? Perhaps we should live life and keep our households in such order that if someone had to come behind us and clean out our houses after we die, we would not be ashamed of what they would find.



Met up with old roommates from PRCC and USM, along with other friends Monday night and had a great time catching up on old times. My friend Stephenie dropped by the house in Prentiss on her way to Hattiesburg and it was great to finally visit with her after several years. Headed to Montgomery to ring in the New Year with Seana. I will definitely be sure to eat my black eyed peas and cabbage...I wouldn't shun luck or money. Hope everyone has a great New Year. Don't forget to look for blessings and little miracles that occur every day around us!