Good riddance apartment!!!!

 Jason and I are done with apartments! We lived here for 4 years and I think it was last year when our landlord got cancer and since then this complex has gone to Hell. (no nicer way to put it.) Ever since she left we've been through like 5 landlords and nothing gets done if you call in a matinence request.
    When I had my medical issues we had moved from an apartment in this same complex on the 2nd floor down to a first floor apartment under people that argue a lot. This apartment has had a lot of leaking problems and at one point our breezeway light was out and we had to carry a flashlight around every time we left or came home... speaking of coming and going, the parking here is HORRIBLE....not enough spots in front of our building.
     So our lease is up and we gave our 60 day notice. We found a 2 story duplex for rent with 3 bedrooms and a bath and 1/2. One spare room will be my scrapbook/family research room and the other will be Jason's "Man cave". Right now those rooms are combined... not working. We will also have washer dryer connections and a mailbox attached to our building that the mailman will actually pick up mail from. And last but not least it has a garage.... no more carrying groceries in the rain for us...
         Now the fun task of moving..... packing and unpacking......

New (Rent) Home Search.....

After 4 years in our current apartment complex, we've decided we are ready to move on. More space is a must!! Lately Jason claims that my scrapbook stuff is taking up space in his "man cave", I think it is the other way around ;-) We also want a larger master bath and at least one and  1/2 or another full bath. Lately I've been wondering how we ever survived in our first place together which was a studio apartment (basically a hotel room with a kitchenet,)
    If it hadn't been for my health issues over the past couple years, we would have stayed upstairs. I thought being downstairs would be great so that some of my friends could come visit....wrong!!! They put us in one unit in our building that has 2 steps up to the front door. We got stuck under a couple that fights a lot,  and another family that thinks the breezeway in our building is their own personal space.  We'd like our own personal space, a yard for a small dog or 2, and our own parking space!!! (Garage or carport) The parking spaces here are not assigned, and some people think it's ok to park over the line.
     Speaking of misplaced car parts. Some lady thought it was a good idea to place a shiny metal CAR HOOD on her balcony. The purpose of that wasn't just to get on our nerves I don't think... but every afternoon guess where it shines? She also has a larger breed dog. When we first moved to this unit, I heard her in her old lady southern accent talking to her dog, " GOOO PEEEE!!!" (short pause) "I said, GOOO PEEEE!!!" Jason and I gave her the nic-name "The Go Pee Lady".
        Lastly, we are ready to be a 1 to 1 ratio as far as tenant/ landlord goes. I think it's safe to say if someone that owns a house but is renting it out, they'd still like to keep the place more than  halfway decent looking. Ever since our favorite landlord here had to leave for medical reasons, this place has gone downhill and has been through about as many managers as years that we've lived here. Is it August 1st yet?
     

Carpal Tunnel Relief

As you may or may not know, I've suffered from both carpal tunnel and ganglion cyst in my left wrist.  I have had a total of 6 surgeries to correct this problem. Due to all the surgery I had scar tissue buildup that has caused carpal tunnel like symptoms.
      Not to long ago, I was going to go for surgery #7 at the "Brown Hand Center". The doctor I saw there was way to quick to want to cut me open and operate. Since I was born with a heart condition I needed to get clearance from my cardiologist before any surgery. I also need to stop my blood thinner like a week before. To my surprise, this doctor at the Brown Hand Center did NOT get clearance from my cardiologist nor did he have me stop my blood thinner!!! So I didn't show up for surgery ;-)
      A few weeks later I was introduced to a representative from the Dynasplint Jaw and Carpal Tunnel division. I told him what I have told you in this blog so far and he said that the device could break up the scar tissue! When I told him that I would need a list of orthopedic docs that could write me a prescription for one, he suggested that I just go to my pcp, because another ortho doc might be quick to want to do surgery.
     So now a few weeks later after getting all the necessary paperwork and doctors notes, I have been using my dynasplint  for almost a week now. So far I have not needed my wrist brace as much and it doesn't hurt in the different weather situations as it had in the past. The video above shows how it works.

I met my husband a decade ago...

    It looks like I already wrote about how I "picked out" my husband on AOL instant messenger 10 years ago. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the day we met in person for the first time.   My friend Jenny U. had gone up to the Chili's in Grapevine with me to meet him. This was one time I was glad that I had lied to my parents because I don't think, "Mom, I am going to Chili's to meet this guy that I have never met before but have been talking to on the internet." would have worked for my Mom. (Even though I was 22 at the time.) Jason and I were both very shy, so my friend Jenny had to ask us questions to get us talking. Later people who noticed that we were both shy would comment on the fact that it was "amazing" that we met and talked to each other at all.
         I always make remarks in my head when I see commercials for E-Harmony.com and other dating sites. Maybe one of thos sites  worked for you, but I took a risk and met my husband for free. We are friends with a couple that dated off and on a few times before they got married. Jason and I think it's funny that as long as he knew the guy and I knew the girl, we never met each other before April 7th 2001. The important thing is, we have been together for the past 10 years...I love you Jason!!!

8 years married!!!

Jason and I were married 8 years ago today. I had "picked him out" using the  find a buddy feature on AOL instant messenger. I just typed in that I wanted to browse males, between the ages of 22 and 27 in Fort Worth Tx. His screen name was one of a few that popped up. Then I saw that he was offline at the time but I had left him a message briefly describing myself. We then ended up writing and chatting back and forth on AOL. About a month later we decided to meet in person. I was 22 and still lived with my parents, so I took a friend with me to go meet him. I told my parents that I was just going out to eat lunch with my friend who later acted like a mediator on the date since Jason and I were both very shy.
     Two days later we met for lunch by ourselves... Within a week or so I finally told my parents that my friend had introduced me to him. Then I had him pick me up at my parents house. My sister was 9 at the time and she immediately asked him what his last name was... When he replied "Lee" She said "Kimberly Lee ..... THAT SOUNDS FUNNY!!" I though Jason would turn around and run out the door!!! But he didn't. He understood that she was only 9 and attempting to be cute.
                So we continued to date and after a misunderstanding with my parents, I moved in with him.Then 1 year 4 months later we were at my cousin Melissa's wedding in Virginia Beach. At the reception he caught the garter and I caught the bouquet. It was a sign... On our flight back to Texas, Jason was wanting to get me to stand up so he could get down on his knee and propose. I didn't stand up, so he had to think of another way.

   So he borrowed my palm pilot and  found the date 3/22/03. Then he typed "My wedding" and handed it back to me... I thought he had someone else's palm pilot!!! While I was staring at it he pulled my Grandmother's 50th wedding anniversary ring off my right hand and then put it on my left hand. Of course I said yes.

After we landed Mom picked us up and asked how the flight went. I kinda shook my left hand and said "This guy proposed to this girl and she said yes!!" Mom did not catch on... so we walked over to baggage claim and Mom finally asked me what the ring was doing on my left hand... I just said, "Remember that couple on the plane that I told you about....."

Tweet vs. status update

I decided to give Twitter a shot. I get that your supposed to share random thoughts facts or feelings and can reply to others, but I am not sure that I am doing it right. (the replying part anyway). I am supposed to put different symbols in front of  Twitter ID's to reply or mention another person (I think). Anyway if you are reading this and know what I am talking about... HELP!!!
    Is Facebook not "in" anymore? I can spot status' and comments no problem...To me Facebook is more direct to your friends and vice versa. Am I right?

Random thoughts (by someone who woke up too early)

       1)    Is it just my brain, or do you have extremely weird memories from your childhood also?  Maybe it is being in the neighborhood that I grew up in, or maybe being here turns me back into a child and sends my brain back there as well. For example, I was in a bathroom at a friends house, and when I was younger, another friend and I had seen something through the shower's frosty door that was probably something to do with the lighting or whatever, but to us we saw a "black cloakey  looking shadow, and from then on, that bathroom had a "ghost".

       2)   Right now my husband and I do not have any pets.  Maybe that is why while I was eating breakfast and my friend's cat started chasing a rubber band around the floor, I started cracking up.

       3) I wore this shirt yesterday and my friend's Grandmother thought it was a Coke shirt:

4) Well, it's 3:24 pm... I am still awake! (But my brain isn't.)

Now it's 6:49 and my brain is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......