can anyone say blonde moment?

Yesterday I ventured to Jacksonville...all by myself...and I made it! I ventured all around the city...I didn't show my blonde side until the ride home. Which is where the story begins!

It was 5 pm and time to head back to Savannah. I take off and discover that I will need to get gas. So, I am on 95 and see a billboard on my right that reads "$2.76 Fuel - Truck Stop - Next Right". I'm thinking...cool...I'll go there. Sweet! So, I crank the radio back up and continue jamming to "Waterfalls by TLC" (had to sing the rap part!!!)...old school...and get into the right lane prepping for my "next right." So, as I'm singing "You claim the insane, and name this day in time..." I follow a truck onto the exit.

As I continue singing I look around to see if the gas station is right or left from the exit, and I notice there aren't any roads leaving this exit ramp. Hmmm...so I start to wonder and I immediately think I entered a rest area...but as I continue following the semi (with I-95 traffic zooming by me on the left) I see that I am the only non-semi in a long line that is creeping along. OMG...I'm in a TRUCK WEIGH STATION! Yep, there's the little Jeep Liberty...the smallest thing in a line of about a dozen semis...just waiting my turn to get weighed! (Just think of what all those vehicles on I-95 were thinking and the CB talk...oops!)

Finally, it was my turn to get weighed. So, I stopped to get weighed (might as well since I'm there!) and I roll down my window to visit with the FL officer that didn't look too impressed. He approached and I just couldn't stop laughing...I was beat red and told him I was looking for a gas station at the "next right" and he started smiling. I thanked him for his time and told him to have a nice day - and he wished me the same. As I drove away I honked my horn a couple times to say thank you and through the rearview mirror the officer was buckled over laughing after seeing my ND PLATES! Yep, I represent well! I know.

"Clueless"

Mikey is flying tonight, which means I needed to find several ways to keep my mind busy after work. First, I took off to the pool...that only lasted 30 minutes...normally I'd sleep in the sun; however, I was bored and wasn't finding any friends over the age of five at the pool...so I had to call it an early night and leave before they thought I should be behind bars!

So, in a wet suit and curly hair I took off in the Jeep looking for my next adventure. I didn't have a plan, or a map, I just had the desire to find my own way around. I know...asking to get lost...but in reality I was staying on major highways so I knew I'd be okay. My Jeep turned right onto the highway and I found myself heading towards Pooler. I thought maybe I'd find some more shops or a Super Target or some kind of "gold mine" that I've been missing out on. Instead...I found myself in an instant replay of the movie "clueless". (Yeah, it seems this would happen often to me, but not this scene!)

I started to get onto the major Interstate and I didn't think anything of it until I was actually trying to merge onto the Interstate. Immediately I was replaying the "I'm on the Freeway, aghhhh," scene from Clueless. I mean, I'm a fast driver, but I found myself ready to let go of the wheel and scream because I couldn't get going fast enough to merge! Seriously, the speed limit is 65...and to Georgians that means 80 at minimum! I felt like I was the "Sunday cruiser" holding up traffic.

So, after getting on and off the Interstate and finding no fun "new shops" in Pooler I found myself heading home. I guess I'll try again tomorrow while Mikey is flying. Sooner or later I'll either end up completely lost or just more stories!

Until another day...

Exhausted...and back in GA

Here I am, back in Savannah sitting in my living room trying to decide how to summarize my recent ND visit. I can say this - It was so much fun it was sick!

I wish I could share stories right now, but I'm barely able to keep my eyes open. Unfortunately I'm going to have to use this weekend to catch up. I guess getting into the airport at 3 a.m. and working by 9 a.m. is tougher then I originally thought.

Keep checking back - I have plenty of stories from the reunion...and the lake...but I'm told, what happens at the lake stays there...at least when my brother from Vegas is there! wink...j/k. I'll be sure to write more when I can be entertaining!

lizard...lizard...lizard

...yep, I had my first encounter with the wildlife of Savannah and it wasn't with the Armadillo. Yesterday I was out in our back yard and as I turned to my right there was this lizard, a 12 inch brown, slimmy lizard...just staring at me. I know he was saying "hey lady, what u doin'" I immediately ran inside and was yelling...lizard...lizard...lizard. Mikey and his mom gave me the "are you serious...this is pathetic" look. I told Mikey he had to come and take care of it. So...his solution was to spray it with water so it would come out of its hole. (And at this point he had me convinced there were poisonous lizards, they were the ones with strips on its eyes so I was trying to remember if I saw a strip...very traumatic.) Instead we found ourselves playing a hide and seek game with the lizard.

It was gross, this lizard kept poking its head out and laughing at me. And yep, when if finally ran out of the corner I jumped right up on the table outside. I stood up there and he went right under the table. He knew I was grossed out by him. So, after about 15 minutes (which I felt was a lifetime) we had chased him away.

I am still creeped out by this lizard...I'm sure it is out to get me.

and they say I know how to shop...

I just want it to be known that I, yes I, was sitting in a shoe store for over an hour last night. Typical, I know. However, the odd part of this was I walked out without purchasing a single pair of shoes...and still I was there for over an hour. How you ask? Mikey is the culprit. He tried on more pairs of shoes then I did! It was comical - I turned the corner to check on him , thinking he was TOTALLY BORED and as I entered the men's shoe section I saw Mikey with several pairs of shoes. He was busy, not bored. So now it was time to ask for socks...try these puppies on. This shoe store obviously didn't cater to men because their socks were those pantyhose small socks. It was hilarious. I fell right off the foot stool watching him try to put these tiny "socks" over his size 12 feet. And he was trying to cover all of the foot, not just the bottom. So it wasn't working. After a good laugh I did go and help him. So, as my night went last night - I walked out of a shoe store with NO shoes for myself...just 2 pairs for Mikey! It was a great chuckle!

Okay - now i have to log off...he can't see this! wink. wink.

In search for a new Mexican restaurant...

Last night I was on a mission - an important mission...to find a Mexican restuarant that can tame my craving for Juano's. And as Mikey knows how important food is to me, he was happy to assist.

So, we headed off to Jalapenos. When approaching the restaurant I was having a good feeling about it, the building was older and small...it appeared to be a non-chain, authentic restaurant. Walking in was so exciting for me. Mikey was laughing because it was like I was a kid finally getting the puppy I always wanted. :-) I think I almost took out a kid opening the door - I didn't even see him and I guess I just wanted to get in there and get a table before him. Don't worry, I let the kid and his family go first. (honestly, I didn't want Mikey to think I was totally psycho about food!)

We entered, it looked good - more like a Paradiso then a Juanos, but that is acceptable. We waited 5 minutes before being sat at a booth. The hostess, waiters and waitresses, bartenders were all speaking their native tongue to one another, so again I thought...good deal. So we start - of course I get a Corona...it is a Mexican beer...then they bring us the chips. This was a defining moment...the chips and salsa can make or break a place! And after trying the first one...yep, I was addicted. Their salsa was the best - right up there with Juano's. I was so relieved to finally get good salsa. I couldn't stop, they had to refill our salsa before we even ordered!

So, now that I know they have good chips I am thoroughly excited. I ordered one of their special plates - the number 25 - beef burrito, cheese enchilada with rice and beans. He left with our orders (oh, Mikey had the number 19...just in case you were wondering). I was excited and dancing in my seat. I keep inhaling the chips and salsa thinking I don't even care if I get too full, these things are good. Then before I could even get chip number 3 in my mouth our food was there.

What? Honestly? Okay, now I'm scared. The guy brings them out and warns me of the "hot plate." Okay, it was hot...but after taking the first bite, that was the only thing that was steamy hot. I did enjoy the food, it just would have been better at a higher temp.

So, all-in-all...it was a fair to good review. I know this much...we will be going back for beers and chips in the bar!

Enjoy...the next story will have to be about our shopping experience after this meal...oh does Mikey have a lot to learn about coordinating colors in a room!

Tata for now everyone!

Well...here begins the adventure of blogging!

I've been a resident of Savannah for three weeks already. Time flies. It amazes me. It has been a blast. Of course I still have my moments of missing everyone back in ND, but I know I'm going to see a lot of people in about a week. So, I'm focused on seeing everyone and Mikey is probably looking forward to being at home by himself and not worrying about my schedule of events every evening.

Well, over the past three weeks I've had a few laughs at the differences between Georgia and North Dakota. First, Armadillos are the main road kill of Georgia. Second, we don't have "deer crossing" signs, rather we have "turtle crossing" signs! (I love that one) Third, when it rains it pours and only for about 20 minutes...and the humidity doesn't disappear after a good rain. Fourth, the food choices remind me of the fair...everything is fried...but without the food on the stick! Fifth, the healthy chain of Subway...yeah, they carry ice cream...not frozen yogurt, full calorie ice cream! Ice cream and candy stores are everywhere. Sixth, there are just as many Jeeps here...and over 50% of them have 4-wheel drive...why? And finally, my favorite observation...when people see my North Dakota plates they stare...typical, but the other day someone actually rolled his window down and with a shocked face he said, "Are you REALLY from North Dakota?" My response, "Yeah" (with a confused look - I didn't think he was serious) and to which is response "Wow, really...huh."

Well, I think that is all I'll write for tonight. Thanks for reading my novel and hopefully you were entertained. I'll be sure to keep writing stories as they come. I'm sure there will be plenty more.

Tata for now everyone! Write or call me, I miss all of you.

Annie