The Jellyfish

This experience REALLY warrants a blog- so here it is!

Last weekend we went to PC Beach to relax for the day... no big oil has been reported there YET so we are trying to make the most of our remaining beach opportunities. Well, no oil, but some jellyfish! I got stung on my belly... looks like three tentacles got me from top of my belly all the way down to my hips and around to my back. It stings and its very uncomfortable when running, but other than that no big deal. EXCEPT... I sure don't want scars!!



So I called the clinic on post and asked for an appointment. No appointments left, but they told me a nurse would call. She did call later in the day and asked what was wrong. I told her what had happened and when, and said I wanted to know if I was doing the right things to treat the sting and prevent scarring.



WELL- she then told me that it would only scar if it was an open wound/bleeding. I told HER that I wasn't so sure, since I have scars from curling iron burns and THOSE weren't open wounds. (Seriously what woman among us hasn't been burned my a curling/straight iron or stove/hot pan before??!) So she said she would go ask a doctor what I should do or see if I need to come in.



Then she got back on the phone and started reading verbatim from a "physician's wilderness guide to medicine" (what happened to asking a DOCTOR??). She told me to rinse it with salt water/urine during the first few minutes after the sting (even though I had JUST told her it was a few days old). She then told me to try meat tenderizer (already told her I had tried that) and vinegar. And now comes the best part... she asked what type of jellyfish stung me. I told her I had no idea- I'm not familiar with the jellyfish species that might be present on the Florida gulf coast. So she asked... "Are you SURE it wasn't a BOX jellyfish?"



At that point I was torn between saying something funny or rude. Seriously? Hmmm... well I didn't travel to a location close to Australia... and I didn't get rushed to the hospital or DIE... so... no... don't think it was a box jelly. Should I also make sure I wasn't victim to an underwater bear attack?

Universal Truths of June

• Horses cannot outrun horse flies. I don't know why I even try. Also, a direct hit with a fly swatter will NOT kill a horse fly. Oh- and they can draw blood.

• You can tell how bad the humidity is when your sunglasses fog up on you.

• As much as country music idolizes "down by the river"... stereotypes become TRUE down by the river. Just something to keep in mind.

• No matter how slow you move- having sweat marks is GOING to happen. Might as well look like you were trying to exercise anyway.

Yummy Southern Summer Treat

Last week as I was enjoying the last of my free time, I watched Fried Green Tomatoes. I had never seen it and thought what better time to watch it?

So then shopping for groceries I came across locally grown green tomatoes and bought a few. I'm not a big fan of fried foods (or at least not a fan of calories) so I cut one up for a salad. As it turns out, green tomatoes are MUCH too tart for a salad!

So we sauteed some in a bit of olive oil....

Then added a bit of good ole Danny Cash...

Delicious! I think I might have one as an appetizer every night this week.

Bosco and the Blue Boat

As we cannot take our ole Blue with us when we move, we are attempting to sell him. I don't know why, but we haven't taken Bosco out on the boat yet- I think we thought he'd be scared. Nope! As you can see he is happy as a clam!

And what fun is being on a boat if you can't get out and chase your tail in the water?

**sigh**

If I only had a dog's life...

Attack of the Mosquitos!!

This weekend we went to the drive-in, and I got 34 mosquito bites. I wore long pants and a jacket... yet somehow was eaten alive. I tend to have a slight allergic reaction to mosquito bites- and since I was bitten several times on my hands, I cannot get my rings off or really bend my ring finger (pinkie finger is also jacked up!). It started throbbing around 3:30 am- so we got up and tried SEVERAL things to get those darned rings off. In the end I couldn't take how bad it was hurting, so I took pain pills and let it be.

I think my only option is cutting the rings off or waiting and hoping the swelling goes down... so... here's hoping.

ALSO (please note picture) while I was contemplating my numerous bites, I saw something in the window. I thought it had to be some other type of bug, but after Trent inspecting it, then disposing of it, we concluded it is just a HUGE mosquito.

Did he follow me home? Not sure. But at least if he DID contribute to my 34 bites all over my body, he didn't get away with it!

Ha!

Trials and Remembering

It's been about a year and a half since moving to AL and becoming a newly wed. It has been an adventure, for sure, and sometimes a difficult one. I found myself on the "bottom of the bucket" a few days ago. This has happened a few times already... feeling lonely, helpless, frustrated, angry... and not just at being married or living here- my job, my health care, my goals, my schoolwork...

I started to think about other times in my life. Sometimes the crap just hits all at once. And who knows why... but I think of them as seasons. I KNOW there is another season coming. I can feel it. I think the upcoming move to Germany has something to do with it too, but I feel a readiness to say goodbye to this and move forward.

So I was reading through my well-used Bible and came across so many verses that I'd underlined a long time ago. Verses that were so important at different times. And I felt at peace. It was as if the old me was looking through the pages and helping me remember all the wonderful things God did in my life.

And there is much yet to happen! I need to remember these things. (God scolded Israel all the time about remembering...)

I'm choosing to remember that I have a wonderful husband and a lot of good things in store. A lot of lessons to remember (learning the hard way) and a lot of areas for improvement... but a new season is coming.

Grrrarrrrr.

That's all I have to say for now.

I will try to post more blogs, but after working or doing classwork online all day I really don't have the energy to blog. I know, lame.

I HAVE had a lot to blog about. So, quick recap of blogs I should be writing....

1. Radio is CRAP here. On Mondays listeners can call in and give 3 words to describe their weekend. UGH! They then go on and on about why they picked the three words... enough to make you sick on the way to work. WHO CARES???? I don't know you people. I DON'T CARE about your weekend. Hey WKMX radio- please come up with something interesting for a morning talk show! Thanks.

2. Moving to Germany. Will not make it in time for old college friend's wedding.:( Going to start learning German once finals are over. Woohoo!

3. Bosco is KING of dog park. By far most people's fav regular. ;) Or at least top 5.

4. Class is hard. Accounting is going to kill me.

5. I got a $0.39 raise at work. So I gave EJ a not-so-great review on the survey for Best Places to Work in Alabama. Ha. Take that, EJ. Too qualified for this job I can't keep my licenses but can't get a decent salary?


That's all. Maybe I'll write a better blog in a few weeks.

The Weather Channel

Does anyone else have the Weather Channel Desktop?

Just checking mine today, and there is a picture of a snowy roadside under "weather photos". Apparently, users of The Weather Channel Desktop can upload their own weather-related photos.

The title of this fine picture is "we got hite with snow". Is this something only those from Buffalo understand?

I sure don't.

Gearin Up

So, I haven't been blogging lately. Maybe I need to start doing that more often.

Anyway...

Since I've been fighting-a-cold/dealing-with-AL-allergies I haven't been very consistent in my running. I made a new year's resolution to make a PR in the St. Patty's Day 10k here on post. (I'll update this hopefully with a great finish time!) So, this morning since Trent was studying I woke up and got out the door to get in a nice long run. The weather isn't humid yet and it's getting warmer... yay!

I guess my only real reason for posting this is I have odd thoughts while I run, and I wanted to share one.

I thought, what if I write a book and it makes tons of money and I become wealthy and famous? (... well not famous. I don't like talking to strangers as a rule...)

What would I write? Hmmm.... maybe... "How To Run: For Lazy People". It could be all about my ups and downs and finally getting to the brink of really loving to run. I'm a lazy person so I'd understand the content of the book pretty well. But then what if I write this book and then get super into running and start doing marathons? Could a book possibly be written on "How To Run Marathons: For Lazy People". I just don't think so... and I spent about a mile wondering about all that would go into a book and if anyone would read it... blah blah blah. And then I went on to think about something else... maybe my IT band. Or my knees. Or how when you yell "on your left" some people jump around all over like they can't decide which left is "their left".

I'd also like to note Ash is a great writer- see Lost in Arkansas on my blog list. She could write a book for sure... but she probably couldn't use my title without me gettin real mad and making her pay me lots of money.

Wow

So, its been what- four months since my last post?

Should I just delete this blog or try and start being a better blogger?

Tell me what to do!!!