Cake

Yesterday we celebrated a co-workers birthday with cake, a card, and the same candle we have been using for ages (it's a really long candle). The cake was a swedish pineapple cake. I am known around work as the picky one and I agree to it. I have lots of foods that I don't like to eat. When it comes to desserts I like sugar--unadulterated sugar. I don't like nuts, coconut, or fruit in my dessert product. This means I don't like apple pie, peach cobbler, cherry cobbler, and when it comes to banana pudding I pick out the bananas.

I put forth an effort and tried a bite of the cake. It might have been different if it was a fruit I actually liked but I really don't like pineapple. I did like the cream cheese icing! I felt really bad when Effie, the lady who made the cake, pulled out a chocolate pie she bought in case I didn't like the cake. I was happily content to not indulge in cake. I felt like the spoiled brat of the office. As she cut the pie I could feel my cheeks becoming warm and I knew my face was bright red. Oy!

On a lighter note I learned yesterday how to manually flush a toilet. Our water pressure was very low and in order to make the toilets flush you had to hold down the handle. Well, when I used it the water pressure was even lower and nothing was happening. I asked Effie what to do. She told me to fill up the huge bucket in the back hall with about a foot of water. It was an interesting sight--lugging a huge bucket in a skirt and high heels. I was told to pour the water in the toilet quickly (but not so quick that it made a mess). I was astonished as it all went down the toilet! That's a handy little trick to know...for later emergencies.

Back to School...Sort of

My employer, Blinn College, sent out an email about a month ago advertising a discount on online courses. I thought I might peruse the courses that were being offered. I happened to find one that I had always regreted not taking at ACU--Personal Finance. This week I signed up to take the 6 week course and learn all about how to take care of my money. I figure now that I am out on my own it would be good to know how to create a working budget and also how and where to invest. I'm actually quite excited about my class. I've never had an online course so this should be interesting.

Work is getting very busy. January to the end of May goes very fast and is packed full of events. Right now I am still taking tours but I'm quickly running out of room. I am also starting work on the Art Contest for area-wide 4th graders. History Fair is in 3 weeks! I am helping Anne a little bit with that. I think during the fair I am going to be judging the Individual Exhibits--exciting! Our Texas Independence Day Celebration weekend is March 3-4. We also have a reception the evening of the 2nd. Lots of things need to be put together for both of these events. And then March, April, and May are chalked full of tours. It will be quite busy the next 4 months.

It Actually Feels Like Winter

Yes even down in College Station the artic blast has brought a lovely layer of ice. I don't believe we have had it as bad as Abilene--the ice hasn't been sticking to the roads. A&M closed yesterday and today--a nice surprise for the students. And my work decided to close yesterday! So I stayed inside as much as possible and did quite a bit of reading. Today we had to go in but not until 10:00. Thankfully I thought to get up a little early to have time to de-ice my car. Goodness gracious that ice would not budge! The fun part was watching big chunks fly off and crash into tiny pieces as I drove down the highway.

When I arrived at work I found out that the heat strip in the office was not working. So our office area if full of 60 degree air. My boss found me a space heater to warm my little body--I get cold when the heat strip is working! Needless to say I have yet to take my coat off and at times have donned my gloves.

I'm sure all the people up north are laughing at us crazy Texans for closing schools and businesses for a little bit of ice.

I hope everyone enjoys the ice/snow days!

Travis Receives Major Brownie Points!

So far I have known that Travis is more fantastic than most guys I know...but today he blew all other guys out of the water! After church we ate lunch at his apartment and then spent the rest of the day watching--Pride and Prejudice! I'm not talking about that horrible new movie that was made with Kiera what's her face. We watched the best one out there--the A&E 5 hour version with Colin Firth.

He stayed awake during the entire thing. We didn't take any breaks and he never asked to have it turned off. I think he did get a little jealous when I drooled a bit over Mr. Darcy :). There are not many guys that would sit through that whole movie. I have found a truly fantastic guy! But of course I knew that long before today!


I love him so much!

Catch Up

* I had a very enjoyable New Year's Eve. Robin came down Saturday night after shooting pictures at a wedding. We spent New Year's Eve at Travis's apartment with his brother, Sarah, and Kendra. We watched movies, made Robin's famous puppy chow (man, I miss that), and played lots of Nerts.

* I've been off work this entire week. In theory it sounds wonderful to get 2 weeks off from work but when you don't have much planned to do you can get bored really easily. On Tuesday night Travis's coworker gave him tickets to the men and women's basketball games. I really enjoyed it. I really like sporting events. I get more into them when I'm actually at them than watching them on tv. It's too bad there isn't a hockey team here.

* I am back at work today--my first day back in two weeks. I realized yesterday that I forgot to put a phone message saying I would be out of the office. When I came in today there was a note on my desk from the secretary saying "have fun with your voicemail." How many did I have? 17.

* I received an email today from my employer (Blinn College) saying that Blinn employees will have a discount on online courses run through ed2go.com. I have always regretted that I didn't take a personal finance class in college. So I think I am going to sign up for this class to learn more about budgeting, saving, and investments.

Pictures/Christmas

Here are the pictures from my special project:






Christmas was very enjoyable. I spent a leisurly week with my family in Abilene. I also spent some time with the Abilene girls and with some of the gang from college. But by the end I was really ready to get back home and see Travis.

Saturday Travis and I had our Christmas together. Travis got me the most wonderful gift! He told me he didn't have the gift with him but he had a picture of it on my computer. When I opened it up I found out my present was tickets to see the musical Wicked in Houston in April!!! I'm so excited! He knew exactly what to get me!