Chapter 39

She Says: Woooo! Go Bowtie Runners, I think... There is a cheering squad by Memorial Park for the runners. Hope it is a good fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Will credit Jason, he thought it was worth a picture for the blog.

Once again the week started out wonderful, never a more perfect Sunday! Lounging reading the paper, finished watching The Tudors and stayied home all day expect for my shift at the Nick. Then the work week started and I think the world decided to celebrate the full moon early...

We live in a construction zone again! The cats are listening to country music and hiding from Jeremy. Picking the shapes and sizes of the holes in the wall  was harder that we thought. The accompanying pictures display what we have settled on.  Jeremy is anxiously awaiting the right materials to finish off the edges and will add another coat or two to finish smooth out the wall. Maybe Monday it will be over and then we will await Caleb to fix the trim and counter top. Then the painter....

 

We went to the updated Town Theater to see a comic this week. I found the rehab to be great and look forward to attending future performances. It was worth it to see Ron White, not sure I need to again... 

Last night was a great one for this Jane Austin fan! Sister-in-law Nancy and I went to Drayton Hall at U.S.C. to see Cheer from Chawton: A Jane Austen Family Theatrical written and performed by
alum Karen Eterovich. Catch it if you can tonight or of it opens in a town near you. I think I would have liked having Jane as a friend. Bill Schmidt wins the manly award and attended while the man in this condo abstained. But never fear there will be more opportunities to see Jane's work for free! The South Carolina Shakespeare Company will be performing Pride and Prejudice in the park later this month and another show in the spring. I do need to find out what the jazz performance was at the State house on my walk up to the theater, it was good!

Today starts off on a bitter sweet note with the death of Jerry Salisbury. Jerry was a brilliant man that could talk to anyone and not make them feel anything less than brilliant themselves. In honor of his request to "party 'till you can't anymore," his family will host a memorial gathering. He would like to be remembered as a curmudgeon, with a hint of charity.

So, indoor cats living in a condo... Maeeo just back peddled at lightening speed from a bird attempting to land on the railing... Laugh out loud funny! I guess indoor kitties can loose some of their natural instincts.

Then today we have a dilemma! Too much to choose from to entertain ourselves, and mostly all within walking distance. We will start with the Italian Festival on Main street and then head to Viva La Vista! Mary just called, she and Miranda will be coming to the festivities to see Miranda's voice teacher's band perform!  We will sadly miss the Rosewood Arts festival to make it a walking only day, hope he rain will hold off... So yes, living in the Vista is good!

Read more here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestate/obituary.aspx?n=jerry-lee-salisbury&pid=160134751#fbLoggedOut#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestate/obituary.aspx?n=jerry-lee-salisbury&pid=160134751#fbLoggedOut#storylink=cpy

Chapter 38

She Says: The trick to seeing the condo is to come to Blue on a Friday night, watch Jason drink grape juice and then walk on down! Carla, Jasmine and Laura came home with us and all said they thought it was great:)

The wall artist is due to begin Tuesday morning, we just need to finalize the shapes of the openings... Jason is also focused on a piece of furniture for our entertainment items, but we are both still committed to no cable!

Wednesday night was beautiful! The cooler fall weather is here and time on the porch in our trusty rocking chairs is cherished.

I also learned that a colleague in RSD1 is in the trying to buy a short sale and move into Renaissance Plaza. Wish her and her husband luck. They are fortunate to be in a situation were they can rent a condo on the lake... But sounds like they would be good neighbors. Interested to see how it works out for them.

News to folks, it is expensive to get your hair cut in the Vista. My girl quit (issues with the owner). So I investigated the Vista hair salons, one $45 rest all $60 and higher?!?!? Will try a new salon recommended to me by Angie that is out by the VA hospital. $25 isn't unreasonable and my hair grows so fast that if it is true you get what you pay for, any harm will it will be invisible in a week or so.

Did learn that our (forgotten ice) neighbor is still a practicing judge at 91 years old. Believe it is Solomon Blatt and lives above Wetzel. Entertaining stories shared...

The cats continue to like condo living. We all survived the girls annual exam this morning, no blood on anyone. The drive is a  bit too long for Koska, but I will not leave Four Paws! Neko claiming the guest bedroom sleeper sofa as his! Even Macka is getting into spending time on the porch.

Chater 37

She Says: I still got it! Bad picture, but a pile of yard debris. Motivated by Joy, yard work commenced and we are now able to walk around without being attached by limbs and are fairly weed free!

I did carry on a tradition of mine at the beach and have gotten myself addicted to a new series that the world started watching in 2007, The Tudors. Better than Vampire Diaries that hooked me last year. I will still catch up on The Sun magazine and squeeze in a trip to Charleston...

Chapter 36.1

She Says: Moving into a condo complex that has mucho security allows one to be more free in saying publically they are out of town. We are at the beach for a long weekend, so the brain is allowed to get a bit mushy... so I think this post is 36.1 cause I usually start the week on Saturdays, and today is Friday. Last week I was late and started on Sunday so I am confused...aka mushy brain.

Yesterday was spent like every first day on a mini vacation should be spent; I did nothing but read and eat good food.  Today I got off to a better start and walked for 45 minutes on the beach. High tide was slipping away and people not to plentiful. The reward of getting up while others slumber is a good IOP beach breakfast; eggs with goat cheese sandwich, grapes and a tiny slice of key lime pie (it felt bad, only tree people at 1/4 of the pie for dessert last night). Yummy:)

The keys to having a nice mini vacation are:

#1 is a very good friend to look in on the four legged kids. I do hope Mary is relaxing by the pool or on the porch with the kiddos. Delighted Neko is becoming his old self and socializing with Miranda. I know Mary is going overboard spoiling and glad Maaeo still likes his treat (steroid in a pill pocket that I'm not sure is working o cure pillow foot).

#2 is a good book. Thank you Holly! The Knight Circus was a great read. I'll admit the changing of years back and forth was a bit hard to follow, but it was a great fun read with a wonderful ending. The imagery was masterful and I could smell it! No worries, no live animals that could be having a less than stellar lifestyle. A bit of mystery and a hint of love story.

I have been reflecting lately... We have passed the one year mark of the start of this journey to an urban condo lifestyle. Change is always hard, but this was a great change for us! If I haven't voiced it loud enough please hear me now. Moving to a a condo in the Vista was the right thing for us to do!

I have said before and I'll say it again we lived in the best house in the best neighborhood. I was apprehensive about moving but knew my greater loves in my life were Jason and the cats, so a compromise was necessary. Since we have moved I spend more time out doors, read more, exercise more (well, more lately), participate in more community activities and my list of things to do isn't nearly as long. My new guilt surrounds not cooking more (too easy to run out and get healthy food that support the local small businesses) and not participating in every walkable community event. So yes, this was the right thing to do.

And on to stories of the progression of the condo,  the artist has been hired! The wall will be fixed
and natural light added to the guest/music room. No timeline yet, but hopeful by December. Will have to see how urgent repainting is once the wall and molding is corrected...

Maybe more tomorrow so I can start week 37 and cure my mushy brain!

Chapter 36

She says: This week was mostly a slower paced week! Probably prompted by my slide from allergies acting up to sinusitis (in case you were wondering grass, ragweed and mold pollens are high right now and tree pollen moderate). So of course when I announced it is wonderful and cool outside this morning, Jason opened all three windows. I'd rather sniffle with the windows open than closed. Doesn't get better than this!

sun	mon	tue	wed	thu	fri
sep 09 P Cloudy 85° 69°	sep 10 Sunny 83° 59°	sep 11 M Sunny 83° 62°	sep 12 M Sunny 82° 59°	sep 13 M Sunny 85° 65°	sep 14 P Cloudy

Was sad to miss the Jazz Under The Stars on the statehouse lawn due to crazy weather. But loved the inaugural picnic dinner at home and watching a movie (but I don't recommend The Rum Diary).

Of note this week is the opening of the new Nick and proving the IRS isn't perfect. Yes everyone gets goosebumps when they have to go to he post office to sign for mail from the IRS... but in our case some IRS agent decided to credit the last BIG tax payment to 2012 instead of the exact balance due for 2011...

The Nick you say? Bumpy first week if you are an insider, but smooth if you were a customer. I played what I call at work "that volunteer" for a bit, but like to think it has helped some. Beasts of the Southern Wild is a great show to debut the new projector and theater. Popcorn not as good, but with time this new slower popper will get seasoned. The theater definitely has more of a multiplex theater kind of feel, but the 99 seats (with cup holders!), sound and picture quality are really nice.

My next update is  more closely aligned with the intent of this blog, should be told by Jason... I will try to do the story justice.  The expert in walls (or mudding of walls) finally came to look at "the wall". Jason said he was a nice laid back guy, about our age.  Per Jason " He walked in,  felt the wall at the seam gently with is hand, and slowly said "this (pause) is sooooo saaaad" in a very depressed tone. So we will get an estimate Monday. He does like the idea of cuts in the wall and suggested a semi circle type cut. We shall see:)

My task of getting in a licensed electrician was not as successful. Hopefully this week after work I'll be able to get some people in, my connection duo was re-wiring one of  their own houses this weekend!

We did get our new refrigerator installed, it is nice!!!!!! Big, not sure how two people could fill it up, but I love that it is quiet and that ice shaving don't fall to the floor when teh freezer is opened.


Only other comment is my football widow days have dawned once again. Gamecocks won again and we will see what happens to the Packers later today. The Packer Backer gang Jason hangs with had a new addition with the heads of the club having a baby. Will wait and see how this year turns out!

Credits: From Google search of football widow from cartoonstock.com

35.1

She Says: Things that make you go hmm?

< The white object to the left and just below her knee is a cup holder. It  holds a Dunkin Donuts drink (with straw)...

> 19" flat screen TV is about the same (if on sale) as a 19" monitor (yes I talked Jason into it, promised no cable or antenna (at least until the Olympics).

And last but no least, drum roll please...

 Who is the smallest government spender since Eisenhower?

(Source - Forbes.com)

Chapter 35

She Says: Once again I think it has been a no news week, but then I look though pictures I have taken and this a lot has happened! I took today off to jump start my chores so I could really participate in the holiday and not labor...

Monday started with our new tradition of going to Mezza for wine tasting night. $7 allows one to sample four good wines and have an appetizer or two. Not quite filling us up we then had an order of Falafel and Foul Mouddamas, yummy!!!!

Tuesday brought the effects of Isaac to South Carolina. The picture is actually of New Orleans the day after it hit courtesy of John Harvey. What he saw when he walked out of his apartment.

It was also the night I went for volunteer orientation at the new Nick. It is amazing and they are looking for more volunteers to fill additional needs in the new space. Each shift earns you a free ticket! Glad to tell you more about it. Kind of ironic that Beasts of the Southern Wild is the opening movie with the weather we were experiencing.

I will say that the sound of rain isn't as good here at the condo as it was on Shalimar, but it isn't too bad either. Nothing I love more than curling up in a chair to read a good book and have rain in the background.

 
Had I been brave I would have taken a picture of this car in our garage a bit earlier. The puddle to the left of the car was formerly a bag of ice propped next to a cooler. The car is overlapping two spaces allotted to a condo owned by Wet Willies. Now just ask me in person what the special tag on the car is... The car does magically appear every couple of weeks for a few nights and it isn't a legislator...

Did my first two morning sessions with Angie at Fit Columbia. I will have to devote an entry to the people there. It is complete with a native Vermonter who works for SCANA and a gentleman who had the opportunity to spend the night in a "plastic" canoe in the Cayce PD. Of course he was booked erroneously. 

Also have to do a shout out to Teri at Communities in Schools of the Midlands (CISM). Still the best non-profit around to help youth be successful in life!!! We had a great catch up lunch and she actually looked at the blog!!!!

Wednesday was Louisa's birthday (best sister in the entire planet!) and we had a chance to catch up. Sounds like it was the best Ravaris reunion ever at the Trout Club (even Gwen and Don joined the celebration). And I got to hear a little about her recent connection with her Aunt. I never knew Luther had a half sister living in Maine till a few months ago. So glad Louisa is having a chance to get to know her Dad better through her Aunt.
 
Last night kicked off Carolina football with a victory against Vanderbilt. It was celebrated at the Tree House Tavern and yours truly was DD:) I did get a chance to catch up with Dawn who has been busy journeying across the US while the fans were watching!

This morning did not start out so great. I had made an appointment for the boys to get a mani/pedi (yes, those are Neko's eyes in the carrier) in an attempt to eliminate the chair scratching, but is was pretty much a failure before it even started. Jason had caught Macka red handed defacing the chair earlier this week (my perfect Slovakian doing something bad?). When I arrived at the vets I was told Maaeo and the girls were overdo for their annual (forwarding mail wasn't perfect during the move???). Girls will go in three weeks and Maeeo's was squeezed in to today's appointment. And just to keep my gold medal status in cats with weird conditions, Maeeo has pillow paw (you can Google for ugle picture) and poor guy is in pain. He was ready to tear up the vet and vet tech when they tried to clip his talons. Neko was the perfect patient. Four Paws is worth the drive, but the ensemble singing isn't convinced.

Sad that the Famously Hot Music Festival  was about 1000 attendees short of breaking even. Wonder if they will try something again next year. No Finlay park concerts this weekend, what will we do?!!?