What Is Going Oooooonnnn?

So, seriously, what the hell? 'Member how I wrote about my car? Yeah, the 400 bucks to fix it. Well, turns out they broke a bolt trying to fix it, and it is STILL in the shop. When will I get it back? And I quote, "Sometime next week. No idea when really." Then today, my washing machine broke AGAIN. I just spent 120 bucks fixing the b**ch like two months ago. Did I mention I have to fork over 1,725 bucks for tuition before Wedenesday? WTF?!? WTF?!? WTF?!?

That is all.

Blast from the Past-Double Dip

So, this week I got a comment on MySpace from one of my old college roommates, Todd. Todd is now an ER nurse in Baton Rouge. He's married to the awesome Bethanie, whom he met while rooming with me, and they have two cutie-patooties, Grace and Christian. He let me know he was coming down to Lafayette for a review course for his nurse practitioner board exam, and we decided to get together for lunch. We went over to Antoni's with his buddy and fellow nurse Jody. We had a great time catching up. (I was trying to think of the last time I saw him, and I think it's been over five years. Wow! Time does fly!) You know how there are certain people with whom it seems not a day has gone by since you last saw them, and you're just always super comfortable with them? Well, that's how I feel when I see Todd. I always had really good luck with roommates, but Todd was definitely my favorite. He was a totally laid back guy who loved to party with me, paid all his bills on time, and never caused any drama. He's still that great guy- handsome, funny, honest- with the addition of a beautiful wife and kids. In fact, the only character flaw I can think of is that he's allowed himself to be sucked into the LSU vortex, although he's a graduate of UL. Evidence:

WTF, Todd?!?

I'll have to chalk it up to the fact that he's living in the greater BR area and has been brainwashed. Although this is a major flaw in his otherwise stellar attributes, I'm willing to forgive and accept him, albeit grudgingly, because he's such a cool dude. And meeting up with Todd made me feel all nostalgic, so I broke out the old photo albums and, sure enough, I had a few pics of my boy from the old days on Henry Street.

Payin' the rent- on time!

Awww, cher! Those kids didn't get all their cuteness from Bethanie.

This is one of the more frequent views we had of each other when we lived together. I wouldn't remember when this was but on the back of the photo, I happened to make the helpful notation "Todd passed out after Mardi Gras- 1994." Apparently, I knew even then that frequent and massive consumption of alcohol would eventually cause large memory gaps.

After the fun luch with Todd, I had another trip down memory lane by attending the UL basketball game and watching the Cajuns whoop up on some UNO in fine style. This year's team is really coming around. They're 4-0 in conference. Hope they can keep it up. *fingers crossed* After the game, the mayor and first lady treated us to sushi at Bonsai. As always, it was delish. And speaking of the mayor and first lady, how about another trip back in time?

The 'rents on vacation in Arkansas circa 1994.

And, just a friendly warning to all of my family members, I also found some other great pictures which I will break out in the near future as archival footage. Be very afraid!

Get Ya 2008 On!

So we had a fine time over at Molly and Ted's place celebrating the New Year. For myself, nothing that looked like it might be edible was off limits. I think at one point I pulled a branch off of the Christmas tree and started gnawing on it. Yes, it was gorging on an epic scale (for me) and football, football, football- yard and boob tube versions.

The boys thinking up a game plan. Notice Byron's uncanny resemblance to Bill Belichick.

Max and JT kicking off. This is moments before John zeroes in on Nanny Kate and tries to take her legs out.

Max practicing his poses for future Heisman candidate photo shoot. Looks may be deceiving as Max's forty yard dash speed, unlike most Heisman candidates', is about that of a cement truck if it had legs.

What I imagine is Max's inner dialogue- "After I play football outside, I must come in and watch it on TV, naturally, with my fellow rabid football enthusiast and the one from whom I am cloned, Uncle Charlie."

Emily enjoying a bowl of gumbo. I looked a lot like this with my bowl...except I'm not nearly as cute, and my face was buried in it.

Mary Grace looking pretty in lavender. There is no way you will ever convince me that this is not the cutest bay EVER!

There he is. Our little LSU fan. Oh my God, my eyes! My eyes! The burning! Make it stop!

Johnny T tearin' it up on his new scooter from Santa. As he so eloquently put it, "Look, Nanny Kate! Spiderman scooter! Iz so cool!"

I just think this is one of the cutest pics of JT ever. And Sam took it!

Later, the men put on a fireworks show for all of us. Then Byron and I took all the kids (except Mary Grace) to the movies. Emily was a champion. It was like she had a Ph.D. in Advanced Kid Wrangling. We saw Alvin and the Chipmunks, quite possibly one of the worst movies ever committed to film. Words don't exist to describe it- inane? banal? suicide-inducing? All too generous. Of course, the kids loved it. Max was standing up and dancing to "the music" (and I use that term in the loosest of all possible definitions) while Gabe, Sam, and Noah were bobbing heads and clapping along. All JT was worried about was controlling the popcorn bag. After eating approximately half of it, he leaned over and said, "This is some good popcorn, Nanny Kate." Really? I guess that death grip on the bag and your face planted in it should have tipped me off, JT.
All in all, barring those unfortunate incidents with gumbo, ribs, and brownies on my part, it was a great first day of 2008. Now the second day of 2008? Well, let's just say a phone call from the Saturn dealership telling me it would cost 400 dollars to fix my car was the first clue that those patented Mottram Son of a B**CH!!! moments weren't left back in 2007. Sigh.