Ahhhh the internet. Its so good to be back. If you missed the first parts of the Gwen story, they can be found here and here .

I didn’t get the chance to tell yall the great news that happen last week, Gwen came home! Even picking her up was a bit of a hassle, being I had to sit there for 45 minutes while they “finished something up”. Rather frustrating for sure. Being that I was house sitting I didn’t really have any need to go on the highway so I didn’t drive her much past 50 mph this past week. This weekend I drove along the 40 quite a bit and in a phone call conversation with my mom I discovered my steering wheel was shaking! My alignment was off! I thought I had felt my wheel tighten when I turned but I didn’t know if that was me just being used to driving the rental for so long (this happened little over a month and half ago). I was super paranoid the first day I got her back, just felt weird to drive my own car.

I gave Rick a call this morning and told him I have to work this evening but could bring it in. He said Id have to leave the car with him if I did that since there are a lot of cars at his shop at the moment. I told him I shouldn’t have to wait in line again being this is something they should of fixed when it was there last week (I’m not playing around anymore!). He said there was already a car up in the machine, and he was down a person. If I could wait till Wednesday he could get it down in an hour. I told him I couldn’t bring it in till noon. He said he still could get it down while I waited. And so the drama of Gwen continues. I surely hope this is going to be the last visit to the body shop she has in a very long time! She needs NC plates but she cant get those if she keeps having to have long visits at the body shop. If I didn’t like dealing with car stuff before, I really don’t like it now.

I’m house sitting this week for a cowoker of sorts (she works for Starbucks but not at my store) this week. When trying to connect to the internet I couldn’t because the connection had a lock on it. So when I called with a pet question I asked what the password is for the internet. I was told that they don’t have wireless but I was welcome to use their computer which is hooked up as long as I push Netscape. I get off the phone, boot the computer up (ahhh desktops, its been a while to use one of those) and then I click on Netscape and then I hear the noise. The noise I haven’t heard in many moons… the dial up noises. You all know what I’m talking about and I couldn’t not believe that anyone still has dial up! It didn’t connect (of course) and I gave up and came to Panera down the road. But even still, I have to grab little internet time between work or Panera closing (like tonight). I didn’t really realize how much of my daily routine was dependent on the internet. I commutate with so many people through email or messages and got information like the weather and movies and anything else! Its amazing the life I didn’t really knew I lead. So if you wonder where I’ve been, its in a house with dial up. Internet life will return to me this weekend.

Now, I know I get teased about how crazy my drinks at Starbucks sound. Especially to Jason who sweetly goes and gets a coffee for me time to time. Well, I have found his “Starbucks” because this is how he likes his McDonald’s hamburger prepared:

We are so even with my complicated drink order at the ‘Bucks if he get to order his hamburger this way (tee hee). I guess McDonald’s is where Jason gets to have it his way.

Jason and I have been eating at McDonald’s a little more than healthy. Actually, sometimes just for a diet coke because, Monopoly is back. I always like playing this game but never get that into it. I have now collected every piece from each color of properties cept one. This is where you come in. You just have to get a medium (or larger) drink or a premium sandwich (which I got for the first time this past week, I wouldn’t of guessed it was from McD’s) which also comes with a Best Buy buck. Im looking for the following pieces and would be really fun if yall would want to help me out on this. And of course, we’d share the prize money. So keep your eyes pealed (no pun intended) for: Pennsylvania Avenue, Ventnor Avenue, Kentucky Avenue, Tennessee Avenue, Virginia Avenue, Vermont Avenue, Mediterranean Avenue and Boardwalk.

Sitting in church on this soupy day, I felt something I haven’t felt in a very long time. John, the middle school pastor, whom I have the pleasure to work under in the middle school group spoke in big church today. Fellow youth group leader friend of mine and I sat there thoroughly enjoying his talk and being moved to small tears as his passion for his family and youth shined through his words. I felt a comfort in sitting next to a new friend who I’m enjoying getting to know. We made our way up to the middle school room and my small group girls actually came up to me this week. I felt very little force from my end with them. It takes time for middle schools to really trust or want to befriend a leader, so it was a wonderful surprise to have that sorta connection this soon. The girls and I seem to just play off each other during the whole service, just enjoying ourselves and each other. The other leaders who are also apart of middle school seem to just have conversations with me like we’ve known each other for years. Not that we were all that deep but it wasn’t awkward to just grab the bits of information we needed from each other or silly banter. Its such a great warmth in my heart to have a church I feel connected to this quickly. This town is still new to me, so to find comfort in a place that is still new, is something Im sweetly surprised by.

This afternoon I told my mom about my exciting adventure in the ditch. She gave me a little sympathy because of all the crazy car trouble I’ve seem to be having since moving here (she believes its a sigh I should come back). The last part of our conversation went a little something like this:

Me: “Before getting stuck in the muddy ditch, I pulled over to take a picture of, what I called a spaceship-looking-farm building. Apparently its not common around here to not know what that’s called.”

Mom: “You mean a silo?”

Me: “Yes! Why did I not know what it was called?”

Mom: “There’s no way your blaming this on me.”

Me: “Well, its not like we lived anywhere that had them or anything.”

Mom: “Remember your Fisher Price farm with the little people?”

Me: “Like when I was in preschool?”

Mom: “Yeah. It had a silo on it and I remember you asking what it was and told you.”

Me: “I was like, 3? 4? MAYBE 5?”

Mom: “I just know at some point in your life I told you what it was. Its not the parents fault is all I’m saying.”

Its a nice overcast day here in North Carolina. I’ve been wanting to capture the beautiful fall leaves on film for a little while now and decided this afternoon was the time to do it. I drove around the quant town I live in take photos of a tiny church along with the leaves. I’ve never been past the street the house is on, so I got a little adventurous and went further than I’ve ever been before. I passed a couple cute bridges and came to a farm, well, I think its a farm. It had one of those tall round space ship looking building? I pulled over to take a picture of the farm building because its just neat. Then I drove a little further and saw some horses lines up in a row. Very neat photo, don’t ya think? I thought so, and pulled over on the side of the road. I realized it was a little muddy because it has been raining a bit this week but I didn’t know how muddy till I got stuck. Yes, stuck . I didn’t realize how high the grass was and thought it was just as level as the rest of the sides of the road I had been pulling off onto. I try and get myself out of what I realize now is a ditch by pushing the gas with all my might. But we all know what happens when you do that, you get even more stuck. Realizing even if I did get behind my car and try and push myself, I wasn’t going to be able to move the car (which is still the rental by the way).

I call Brian and tell him I’m in bit of a pickle. I started to feel a bit woozy sitting at an angle like I was, I got out of the car. I think about 10 different people pulled over offering to help me. I don’t know what any of them really would have done but its very nice to live in such a friendly town. The second to last folks to stop was the guys who lived on the farm I was sorta parked in front of. Once Brian arrived I told him of the nice offering of being pulled out by the farmers (I don’t know if they actually are, but they own a farm, I think that makes them farmers). He said we need to take them up on that and walked up the drive to accept. They grabbed their big truck thats back window is covered by a sticker of the confederate flag and their chain. Brian is reassuring me at this point that they have probably done this many times before me and will really think nothing of it. Nothing else, they probably enjoy the chance to pull someone out of the mug. Once back at the car, all of us are really unsure of where to hook the chain up to, being the car was really in the grass and mud, making it hard to see. Brian found a secure spot and I got in (a little scared at that point) the car, put it in neutral and steered with all my might (I don’t think I’ve ever driven a car in neutral before) and got pulled out of the ditch of mud. I will forever be grateful to the guys who live not too far down the road from me. And they were trying to give me one of their kittens, nice guys.

I have just finished cleaning off any evidence that the rental car has been in a ditch being I’m more than likely turning it in tomorrow. There was a whole heck of a lot of mud under the car. Needless to say, I feel rather embarrassed that I got stuck in a ditch to take a picture of some horses. It better be the best photo I have ever taken. Brian can fill you in on the rest of the details that I’m surely missing.

I really want to blog, I just been busy with work and fun things. I have a couple of blog posts rolling around in my head that I will take the time to write soon. Today felt like day of the car accident all over again, playing phone tag and talking to car people. Wayne was sorta frustrated that my car wasn’t done (I would be too if I was paying $1500 for a rental car, not even a good one). He told me to put some fire under the body shops butt (not those words but the tone was there) and I told him he could call them if he’d like, I can really hurry the work along, I don’t fix cars. Which all of this only happened once I called him telling him my rental car bill wasn’t ever transferred from my credit card to their billing. Then I think after seeing the amount due was trying to get lose ends tied. That, and hes going on vacation next week, one of the two. So apparently right now Gwen is getting a new coat of paint (I fear a little she wont be the same pretty color she was. Is that silly?) and will be dry and ready by Friday. Well see. They told me she’d be ready last Thursday and here we are almost a week later and no Gwen. Stinky rental car needs to go.

On a fun note, some friends and mine have started an online magazine of sorts called Corner Table . This in the very baby stages but thought Id let yall check it out while it was still bran new. Its exciting to be apart of.

Hope yall are enjoying the amazing fall leaves that autumn is bringing.

photo by scott

Originally uploaded by coffeestainedpages.

Im stealing this photo from Scott becasue it shows my life lately. Hmmm… let me rephrase that. I have not become a drunk, more so, Ive grown to really enjoy beer. Samual Adams is the only type I have had (besides Pumpkin Ale of course) and its rather good. In my hand is a Brown Ale that was quite tasty. Tempted to go to World Market to get the Winter Brews (and more Pumpkin Ale.. ) to try lots of beers at once.

The other afternoon Jason asked if I wanted to get some dinner before Jr High group at 5. I thought it would be nice to see him before small group so I agreed. Not long after that I got a text message from him saying “Can you be there at 430? You don’t want to miss this.” Now that’s very different from “We are getting dinner at 5pm” now isn’t it? I begin to wonder what is going on because clearly something is up. “You don’t want to miss this” part was what is making my wheels turn. I hurry to finish my lesson plan and grab directions to the restaurant. On my drive over I calmed myself down (I was really worked up) that it has to be someone I know is in town that Id be really excited to see. I look over the parking lot for out of state license plates and I see one but cant recall to what state its for (the state name was covered by the frame). I walk into the restaurant not knowing what I should be expecting. I was happily relived that our friends Graham and Nicole where passing through town.

The whole ride to the restaurant I was stressed out in what Jason had up his sleeve. This is when I realized I don’t like surprised that I know are coming. Maybe it was because it was so last minute I had no real time to prepare myself for this surprise. I am also one of the most jump people you’ll ever met. You don’t have to sneak up behind me to make me jump. I don’t remember being that jumpy as a kid. This isn’t to say that I don’t like surprises. I do. Mostly, because its seems to be rather easy for me to figure them out, which is half the fun of a surprise. Until the other day, I didn’t think of myself as someone who doesn’t like surprises. I’ve had surprised birthday parties in the past which I remember enjoying. Has the fun that a surprise brings something I grew out of over my years of becoming an adult? Even sometimes when getting gifts (I can see this getting me in trouble) and we have done this… we open a gift in fear we are going to hurt the gift givers feelings with our reaction. So as you tear the paper you are thinking how to express your reaction no matter what you really think of the gift. Now this is sounding shallow and I don’t mean it like that at all. Its not I don’t appreciate the gift, I do. Its more I’m afraid of hurting the person who gave me the gifts feeling. I’m most always thankful for a the thought of gift.

I just wonder if its all connected, that deep down I’m scared of hurting someone’s feelings. And in that, I an really scared of what someone else thinks of me which really isn’t what its about at all. The other night Jason just wanted to surprise me, in the simple joy that it was. But instead of thinking that, I was in fear I wouldn’t react the right way or let someone down. I guess its more learning how to push self away and focus on really what’s important. Who knew a surprise could stir such thoughts?

I have been eyeing these Rachel Ray recipes the past few weeks. Now that fall is officially in the air and its October, it seemed to only fitting to try these out.

First, Kal-iflower Stoup. Its a little thicker than soup but not a stew. I didnt tell Jason my theme last night but after a couple of bits he said “This would be perfect for a cold night.” Thats just what a fall night is all about (and what Rachel Ray said about making this stoup. Shhh dont tell Jace that him and Rachel were in the same wavy length of thinking). The only thing I changed on this recipe was leaving out the kale – Im not sure what that was but I could not find it at the store.
Im a fan of having something salty (the chicken broth from the stoup) and finishing it off with something sweet. The other recipe I had been eyeing was a Buttercup Squash Custard. Really, what is more fall than a squash custard? Sadly, this did not turn out as well as it should have. Make sure and use the right size cup to cook them in. But they are very tasty, which you dont think as squash being a dessert but little nutmeg and sugar (and really its only a little) you have yourself a tasty fall meal.