Is Your Face Sparkling?

What do you get when you combine cake, balloons, make-up, nail polish, high frequency sounds that could shatter glass, and eleven 4-5 year old little girls in their pajamas? That would be my niece's fifth birthday party. Not just any party though...a Hannah Montana party. It was crazy fun. I went to Meridian this past weekend to celebrate. They all had a blast singing and dancing. My niece who doesn't have a shy bone in her body made the statement,"Hey, I have an idea. Everyone can sit here and I will come out and you can all jump up and scream." No, she has no problem being the center of attention. My brother who stayed in the bedroom most of the night with Cole (because is was a girls only party) briefly came out and at one point made the statement to Laurel that she was being bossy. She quickly replied, "It's my birthday party." It was a lot of fun and very exhausting. After the party was over, DeAnna and I got our own personal make-overs from Laurel complete with crowns. I am still finding glitter in my hair and on my face. I also soaked up every minute with Cole. He just makes me melt.




I have made it through one month already. I have some established routines like eating with the Methodists on Monday mornings for breakfast. Granted everyone has about 40-50 years on me, but they are sweet and it is fun. Thursday night is volleyball night. I am consistently working out at the gym and meeting new people everyday. I even had a first happen the other night. I had a note left on my car at the gym, actually a gum wrapper, with the question "Want to go out for dinner?" Yep, got asked out on a gum wrapper. It was a very attractive guy from the gym but I had a sneaky feeling that he was much younger than me. I think the gum wrapper gave it away. Being as I live in a small town now, it did not take long to ask the right people and I had his life history. Seriously, a gum wrapper? While cute and enduring, I would prefer a man that could ask me out in person. Seana thinks that I should write a memoir about the men I have encountered and dated since I have been traveling. It would definitely be interesting.



I met a girl at the gym who plays tennis. I am excited to be playing again. I absolutely love my patients at work. They are adorable. The people I work with are great. This small town is not so bad but I will be ready for a change of scenery. I have scoped out a few trips to take in Alabama and explore my state. I have really been impressed with how pretty it is here. It is also nice to be so close to my friends Wendy and Seana and spend time with them.

I have decided that Virginia is crazy but I still like her. She stays out in the country most of the time so it is just me and this big old house. It is a little scary at night with all the noises. I am freaked out every time I walk by the stairs leading down to the basement. Last week when we had all of those storms the sirens went off 5 times that night with all the tornado warnings. I made up my mind that the tornado would just have to carry me away because I was not going down there. Especially after the stories I have heard about a little old lady who stayed down all depressed after she lost her husband and son. Creepy!!!



My traveling career is slowly coming to an end. Pray for me as I begin to look for a permanent job. Yuk!! One thing is certain, after interviewing for a job every three months, I am not worried about the interview process.

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.