We were on our way to the Ryman entrance, talking about different shows we’d seen there. I was in the middle of explaining why I should be envied, not laughed at, for seeing Dashboard there earlier this summer when my friend Becka nudged me. I looked up just in time to see Chris Thile coming toward us from the opposite direction. I grinned stupidly when his shoulder brushed mine as he passed. I was starstruck.

I get to meet famous people every now and then in my job, but it’s rarely someone I actually care about outside of work. I saw Nicole Kidman at dinner once, and that was pretty incredible because she is a REAL STAR, not just a Nashville person. But when I see or meet people who are personally important to me, I don’t know what to do with myself. I get dumb. It’s why I never talk to Andrew Peterson when I see him - I don’t want to look like an idiot, so I don’t say anything.

Seeing Chris Thile in person was just the beginning of what turned out to be a great night. I was a bit of a Nickel Creek fan after the first album came out, but they weren’t really on my radar. I missed the second one completely. But when Why Should The Fire Die? came out, I was hooked. It’s a beautiful album. They took some chances and created a great record. I have a new favorite song every time I listen to it.

There’s not much better than Nickel Creek at the Ryman. (I think I might say that about every show I see there.) They played all my favorites, including Best of Luck, Helena and Somebody More Like You. They also covered Britney Spears’ “Toxic”, complete with dancing and a tech coming on stage just to push a button on a laptop for eight counts of percussion in the background. It was awesome, even though I knew that was what they were going to play when he started talking about how they wanted to do a song that was a fitting tribute to the history of the building. (Blasted internet always spoiling things!)

They are just incredible to watch, particularly during the instrumentals. I have never seen fingers move so fast. It’s always fun to watch people do what they’re good at, especially when it’s a talent you yourself could never dream of having. I would give my right arm to sing like Sara or write songs like Sean or tap dance like Chris and the bass player.

Oh - and did I mention that Bela Fleck came out and played with them? No? Well he did. Holy moly.

I also really liked opening band The Mammals. Same general idea (two guys and a girl who plays the violin, plus a bass player and a drummer), but with more of a rock tinge and lots of feedback I could definitely have done without. But they were good, and their songs were high energy and fun.

Overall it was a fabulous show. I’ve been spoiled by great seats the last few times we’ve been to the Ryman, so much so that I’m hesitant to go if I can’t sit center balcony. Luckily, this time I got not only center balcony but an aisle seat, which is pretty much worth the weight of the pew in gold. It was a great night.

We got a DVR. It completely rules. I’ve had it for six days and I don’t know how I ever lived without it. Rewinding the television is pretty much the greatest thing ever. And you’re all invited to my VCR-burning party next week. Bring your fire extinguishers. And some wine.

I love not having to rush home to set a tape on Tuesdays for Gilmore Girls. I love that Sunday night church doesn’t mean we miss Amazing Race. I love that I can watch Monday Night Football without worrying if the VCR is actually taping Studio 60 or if it has switched channels and we are now getting CSI:Miami.

We also got NFL Sunday Ticket, which is what heaven will look like for Aaron. It’s pretty great to be able to see the Cowboys games without having to go to a sports bar. Makes it a lot easier for me to take a nap. You can also tell it who is on your fantasy football team, and it will update their stats on the screen in real time. Who needs that?

Besides us, of course.

Dear Miles,

I am so, so sorry. I don’t know what got into me. I should have known that deciding to give you a haircut at midnight on a Friday was not the best of ideas. There’s a reason Aaron does your grooming… I should not be trusted with clippers. Those lines on your back will fade as your fur grows back in.

Sorry for all the abuse lately,
Brandi

———————————————————————–

Dear DirecTV,

I don’t know why you hate us. We’re trying to pay good money for your services, including DVR and Sunday Ticket. WE WANT TO GIVE YOU MONEY. But for some reason, you don’t want it. Maybe we smell bad. Maybe you hate Texans. Maybe you’re afraid of Miles because you can’t really tell what kind of animal he is right now.

I just can’t think of any other explanations for why you would schedule and then fail to show up for not one but TWO installation appointments. I don’t understand why “no tech was in the area” is a good reason… doesn’t making the appointment GET the tech into the area? I am dumbfounded.

If you don’t show up on Thursday, when I am staying home from work for the third time to meet you, it’s over between us. I’ve already written a letter. Don’t make me do it again.

Wishing and hoping to get rid of the rabbit ears,
Brandi

———————————————————————–

Dear Nashville Chargers,

Triple A hockey is fun! Thanks for the free entertainment and the free food. We will definitely be back.

Still wincing a bit,
Brandi

———————————————————————–

Dear VCR,

I know you know we are trying to get rid of you. It’s nothing personal, really. You’ve been very good to us. But there’s no need to lash out in our last days together… it was really mean to ‘accidentally’ tape Grey’s Anatomy reruns instead of the Amazing Race premier. We do not appreciate it.

I already saw that one,
Brandi

———————————————————————–

Dear Care Group members,

There’s a reason we ask people to sign up for food to bring to events. Pizza rolls, pigs in a blanket and nine kinds of chocolate chip cookies do not a meal make.

Hungrily yours,
Brandi

———————————————————————–

Dear Cowboys,

Thank you for the win. It makes life in my house much easier. We heart you.

I’m a Dallasite at heart,
Brandi

———————————————————————–

Dear Kari,

Thank you for the letter-writing post idea. It’s a good one. Got any muffins?

Kisses,
Brandi

One of the things that was hardest for me when we first moved to Nashville was the food. I’d been working in downtown Dallas for about a year when we moved, and I had gotten very accustomed to having my favorite local restaurants right down the street whenever I wanted them. It took me a while to find my places here.

We hadn’t lived here long when a friend invited me to dinner at Bread & Company. I arrived early and spent some time perusing the giant sandwich board for just the right thing. I decided to try something a little different: The Fresh Mozzarella.

Oh my word.

There is not a better sandwich. Anywhere. In the whole world. Sliced mozzarella cheese, big fat tomatoes, basil leaves, black olive tapenade and artichoke mayo on sourdough. I thought I had died and gone to heaven, where this sandwich will be prepared by angels for me every day and served to me on a solid gold plate by Matthew McConaughey. Or something like that.

I can’t even begin to guess how many times I’ve had this sandwich in the past four years. It would be embarrassing to know the true number. But every time the guy in the blue and white apron hands me that sandwich with the chips and pickle and a glass of fruit tea, it makes my day.

This time of year is an especially good one for the Fresh Mozzarella – the tomatoes are in peak condition. Which is why today, when I sat down to eat my lunch, I felt the need to take a picture of the beauty that is this meal that instilled in me the hope that I would be able to find good fun local places to eat in Nashville. It was too pretty to not.

I rolled houses this weekend. Some things never lose their appeal.

We had a slumber party for the youth girls on Saturday night, and a few couldn’t make it. You know how it is… you don’t show, you’re fair game. So we loaded up and headed to Walmart for the cheapest toilet paper we could find.

You may not know this about me, but I am an expert house-roller. I couldn’t even try to put a number on the houses I rolled growing up. Or forked. Or flocked with that fake Christmas tree snow stuff. It’s one of those things I just assume people know about – especially adult people. How to effectively roll a house is just something you learn as a kid, right?

Apparently not. We had 12 girls, and plans to hit four houses. One of the other leaders picked up a 48-pack and started heading to the registers under the assumption that one roll per girl per house would suffice. I think she was a little surprised to turn around and find myself and another leader climbing the shelf to get to the cases at the top – the ones that hold four of those 48-packs. Four rolls per person would ensure adequate coverage of each house plus extras for any other houses we pick up along the way. Duh.

I had forgotten how much fun it is to throw the roll up into a tree and watch it work its way down. How you can’t just lay the paper on top of the bushes, but have to twist it around the leaves and stick it deep down in the plant for maximum cleanup difficulty. The thrill of sprinting down the street because the porch light was turned on.

It’s as fun as an adult as it was as a kid. Who knew?

Hi. My name is Brandi, and I am a procrastinator.

I have opened up the white screen of death and stress every day this week, and every day I have quickly closed it, making plans in my head to write something later. Later later later.

But, y’all, my brain is fried. Much like my skin and that of my dear, hot pink husband.

We settled into a couple of chairs by the pool on a nice, not crazy hot day with a bit of a breeze with the intention to get some serious reading done. Do you know what kind of conditions are perfect for a nap? A nice, not crazy hot day with a bit of a breeze. Did you know that it’s a bad idea to fall asleep by the pool for a few hours in the middle of the day? That if you are asleep in a deck chair, you are probably not turning over for even color or reapplying sunscreen as needed?

If you didn’t, I’ve got proof. And it’s peeling all over me.

We had a great weekend in Arkansas with my family. If you ever have the desire to rent a nice condo in Hot Springs Village on the lake for CHEAP, I’ve got just the lady for you to call. We couldn’t have asked for a more comfortable (albeit RETRO) place to stay for a few days. We did a lot of nothing, including sleeping in, eating hashbrowns, visiting the bath houses and Tiny Town, and frying ourselves up by the pool. We even had a mini-surprise birthday party for my mom, complete with party hats and little horns that look like they should make noise but definitely don’t and purple crepe paper expertly tied to every doorknob in the place because we forgot to bring tape to hold it up. It was all very good.

Then we came home, pink and hurting, and tried to get as much done around the house as we could without actually touching anything.

After several suggested remedies, including oatmeal baths and dousing ourselves with vinegar, we finally found relief in the form of aloe lotion that smells like a creamsicle. I may now have an overwhelming desire to go to Dairy Queen, but my skin feels a lot better.

3:00 pm - leave work early because I can barely hold my head up

5:00 pm - go to sleep

9:00 pm - wake up, starving

9:30 pm - eat two egg rolls, because I’m sick and I can do what I want

10:00 pm - watch lame tv

12:00 am - go back to sleep

3:45 am - wake up in a start because Miles is convinced someone is in the house and has propelled himself off the bed barking his fool head off

3:46 am - lay flat on my face and try to catch my breath and get my heart rate down

3:48 am - Miles starts whining at the foot of the bed because he can’t get back up (he’s still on the DL)

3:48:30 am - Miles comes to the side of the bed and tries to jump up

3:48:31 am - Miles only gets half of his little body onto the bed and proceeds to fall off, hitting his head on the nightstand on the way down

3:49 am - completely out of it, I go to pick Miles up and put him on the bed

3:49:02 am - not realizing his head is under the bed, I knock his head on the bed frame

3:50 am - I decide to use the restroom, since I’m already awake

3:50:05 am - not realizing Miles has jumped down again and followed me into the bathroom, I push the door closed behind me and it smacks him in the face

3:52 am - I pick Miles up and put him on the bed, this time taking care not to give him a fourth head injury in less than ten minutes

4:00 am - Miles is sound asleep. I am wide awake, composing this entry in my head and wondering if Miles did in fact hear someone outside the door.

4:01 am - I turn over so that if they break in, I’ll be ready for them