Sunset

Jay and I went out on the boat last weekend right around sunset, and caught these beautiful picture. THIS is why I love living where we do!

Buh-bye!

We all know what I think about FEMA, and even after the events of today, I still feel the same way about FEMA. However, they did pull through on one thing... Tree Removal! Wahoo! We had pulled a permit to take down three trees in our front yard, but hadn't gotten around to it for a variety of reasons. Then we got an e-mail from the city that says FEMA is paying them to remove trees that were damaged by salt water. So we submitted the paper, and today, we have orange marks on our trees! Including two of the three we were going to take down, plus two more, and they're going to trim some. Did I say Wahoo!!!!!

I know it may not seem like a lot to you everyday readers out there, but it's exciting news for us (especially because even though FEMA isn't paying us directly, they still have to pay someone, and that makes us very happy).

Tree in the driveway that is going to get trimmed.

Poor apple tree in the back yard

Front yard tree getting trimmed.

Back yard trees that are either getting trimmed or cut down.

Front yard trees going buh-bye!

UGH!

I am SO OVER BRETT FAVRE!!!!!!! Who does this guy think he is and why does he think it's ok to retire, then say he might come back, only to decide he's really retired for good, to play for the J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets, and then to retire for good again, only to meet with the Vikings, and decide he's not in good enough shape to play, and then sign a $10 to $12 million deal with Minnesota today. SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?!? How positively annoying and just plain unbelievable. I mean really, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE BRETT FAVRE?

And the tropics heat up...

Well, today turned out to be an interesting day in the tropics. Excuse me if I'm a little more keenly aware of what's happening out there (yes, the National Hurricane Center's Web site is my new favorite site). I figure I have reason to be. Tropical Storms Ana (pronounced Ah-na, in case you're wondering) and Bill have formed, and there's another low not far behind. It is indeed the beginning of the peak of hurricane season.

Michael Vick

Ok, so I told myself I wasn't going to blog about this, but I can't help it. Sports is a passion and football is my favorite sport, and, well, you know me... I usually don't keep my mouth shut on most things.

Am I appalled at what he did? Absolutely, positively, no questions asked. It's incomprehensible. I'm not a self-proclaimed animal lover, but I also don't hate them. And I think what he did was wrong.

But I also think that the man paid his dues. That's what's so great about our justice system. (There's also plenty wrong with our justice system, ala Donte Stallworth, but that's a separate conversation.) I listen to sports talk radio in the morning, and Vick is pretty much all they were talking about this morning. And it'll be a good chunk of the conversation for the next few weeks, probably until he's fully reinstated. Plenty of people think he never should have been reinstated in the NFL in the first place, let alone for the Eagles to sign him. And I think I have to disagree. Like I said before, the man paid his dues. In more ways than one. But you know what... football is his job. What about people who commit crimes, do their time in prison, and are released? They find jobs in society and work, so why can't Vick? Just because he doesn't sit behind a desk or anything like that, doesn't mean he shouldn't get another opportunity at a job. He just happens to play football for a living. Am I wrong? Some people will say I am, and that's fine. I can understand why they would say that. But I really don't think it's that big of a deal that he's back playing in the NFL.

The job I wouldn't want is one in the Eagles PR office. No thank you. No way. No how. That has got to be a tough position right now. Even though Vick has reached out to the Humane Society (I don't know that I really believe him when he says he's learned his lesson, but again, another conversation entirely), there are still going to be organizations and individuals who feel strongly about what he did, and are going to make their voices heard. And again, that's fine. That's what's great about our country. We have that freedom and right. But I still wouldn't want an Eagles PR job right now.

The simple fact that I'm talking about Michael Vick means that football season is here. And I couldn't be more excited. The Texans have their first preseason game tomorrow night, and Ohio State opens against Navy on September 5. O-H!! I-O!!! Football season is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Furniture shopping

For someone who absolutely LOVES to shop (it's an addiction, really), furniture shopping has got to be one of the most FRUSTRATING things in the world. I mean, really! It's killing me. And I'm not sure why, exactly. I think part of it is because I have this idea in my head of what I want, and I either find it online in 20 different selections (all very similar, yet different, not sure of what the exact color is, it says hardwood, but is it really? etc.) or I can't find it in a store period. I'd prefer to buy it in a store so that I can actually see the product before I buy it, but I'm coming to the realization that that probably won't happen. So what is a girl to do?