is it only tuesday????

the weekend went fairly well...
had dinner with H on friday night - which was good...
mom came down on saturday to spend the night and, surprisingly we got along just fine...
lots of wedding talk, blah blah blah...
J has been in Alabama since friday and has, apparently, been bored to tears...
he comes home tonight and all i want to do is stay home today and enjoy my last few hours having to be concerned only for myself...but, alas, to work i must go.
Gollum has had some issues since coming home - the biggest of which is that he hasn't been eating...
my boss told me yesterday that i should try baby food...and it did work ! he didn't chow down like i'd hoped he would - but at least he ate a little bit !
blah.
guess i should go start getting ready to face the day...

YIPPEE ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

GREAT NEWS ! ! ! !
I just talked to the vet and GOLLUM IS COMING HOME ! ! ! ! ! !
SQUEEE ! ! !
I'm sure I won't be "squeeing" when I get to pay the big fat bill....but at least I'm getting him back earlier than projected.
The doctor is worried about his mental state...and thinks he'll be better recouping at home.
I TOTALLY agree.
After my visit last night, and my talk with the girl on duty, I was really hoping to hear that they were taking his mental state into account and taking his issues seriously.
I guess so !
:)
Now I just have to desperately run around and try to get his bathroom all set up for him !
(I thought I'd have until sometime tomorrow !)
With my mother coming to spend the night tomorrow I need to clean the bathroom before getting it set up for him....
All plans shoved forward ! ! ! !

Poor Fella !

So I visited Gollum last night.
He was SO depressed ! ! ! !
It made me feel even MORE guilty for having to put him through surgeries right now !
:(
Luckily the two HUGE BARKING German Shepards who were there my last visit had been checked out - so it was a LOT quieter for him.
Though he did have a snoring Beagle under him which was quite interesting.
I stayed with him for 1/2 hour - 45 minutes and just talked to him and scratched him.
The woman on duty last night was really nice. She and I talked a bit about him. I'd asked if he'd lashed out at any of the staff and she said that he was basically just petrified and didn't really move at all.
That just sank my heart.
He's regressed.
And he's not eating or drinking.
So I explained his deal to her- his emotional problems, his past abuse, his behavioral issues and his patterns of not eating, drinking or eliminating when he's in "trauma" mode.
She was in shock over this - apparently no one noted this information (of which I'd told about 10 people) in his chart ! ! ! !
So she did.
I'm hoping those notes will encourage the staff to handle him gently.
My poor boy !
I just WISH I could bring him home today ! ! ! !
He's still hooked up to an IV so that he's receiving fluids and I know they're making sure he's going to be in good shape before they send him home with me.
One more day (hopefully) and I'll be visiting him again tonight.

I didn't expect to miss Gollum this much.
When I got up this morning and walked past his room I instinctively looked in to check on him.
And his crate was sitting there - empty.
* SIGH *
Yesterday was even more insane than I'd thought it was going to be.
I left work early to meet with a friend before heading home to pick up J and head to the tux shop.
We then went to visit Gollum and then went to dinner.
Not 5 minutes after I got home the phone rang. It was the "friend" who I'd said I was going back & forth with via e-mail in her attempts to get back to being friends with me.
The conversation was VERY strained on both parts.
It was just plain weird.
But I suppose I couldn't have expected any different, right?
She mentioned visiting the area in April and made a mention that if I wanted to "schelp" to the state she'd be in then maybe we could see one another.
I was non-commital.
I don't know if I'm really up for that.
Today is another sure-to-be insane day.
I really should've already left for work but I'm just not ready to do that yet.
I woke up with a HUGE crick in my neck and decided that I could take a day off from working out.
So I get to deal with the job today, then head home to meet up with J, then head out to meet with our last officiant interview, then grab dinner, then head up to the vet to visit with Gollum and see how he's doing.
I'll be lucky to fall into bed by 11 tonight.
At least tomorrow I'm working from home. That usually makes things at least a LITTLE easier on me.
J's also leaving tomorrow afternoon.
And so tomorrow night I'll not have to do ANYTHING I don't want to do.
I can eat a big bowl of ice cream for dinner if I want and go visit with Gollum for as long as I want.
:)
Besides, I need to prepare myself for mom's visit.
The house is a DISASTER and I really need to get it tidied up before she arrives in all of her critical glory.
Ah well...
At least the end of the insanity is near...
I hope !

Big G Update

So...
Gollum came through his surgeries albeit with some complications.
We visited him tonight and he's just pathetic looking.
The poor guy !
He was still coming out of his "haze" and was just bundled up on blankets and had his blankie wrapped around him. He was SOOO lethargic ! He didn't even react when I pet him or gave him a kiss on his head. Poor kitty head !
I'm going to go visit him again tomorrow after work. They say that he should be more alert at that point.
And, thanks to a few issues he's had/is having, he's stuck there until at least Saturday now...so I will be hanging out at the vet's office in the evenings until then.
My mother is set to come down for a visit on Saturday and plans to sleep over that night...
So if nothing else, she can help me in bringing him home and getting him re-settled in.
I was annoyed at myself that I didn't think to bring my camera in with me tonight so I could have a picture of him to base his progress off of.
Oh well.
Maybe that's for the best, right?
He's just SO sad looking right now, I don't know that I would want to upset y'all with such a shot.

Sadistic Bitch

That's my new name for Denise Austin !
I just did a new workout routine compliments of Ms. Austin....and it nearly KILLED me !
It's a yoga buns workout dvd and it is HARD !
This is the first workout I've done since starting my exercising routine that has REALLY kicked my ass and has made me not only break a sweat but kept me sweating the entire time !
Though I know that's good...I couldn't help but keep talking to the t.v. and calling Denise a sadistic bitch.
:)
It'll be interesting to see if my mother wants to try to work out with me when she stays over.
LOL
Then I can be sadistic and make her try pilates or yoga !

It's "D Day" for G Man...

That's right...
In a little bit I'm taking up Gollum's food and water...
And tomorrow morning he goes to the vet for the big snip-a-roo ! ! ! !
I just hope all goes well...
I was noticing tonight just how slimmed down his back end has become...
He's not skinny, skinny....but he's definitely not the "fat cat" he once was...
The vet didn't seem concerned a couple of weeks ago at his last check-up...so I suppose I shouldn't be, huh?
And, he has been eating and drinking...not a lot but at least SOMETHING.
Tomorrow is going to be interesting seeing as how I have to do the vet first thing then drive to work and then J and I are going to finalize the tux information after work. It's going to be a BUSY day.
Heck ! It's going to be a busy rest of the week !
Thursday we're interviewing the 3rd of 3 officiants after work.
Then Friday Gollum comes home and J is heading to Alabama for a long weekend of work.
THEN !
My MOTHER is coming to spend the night over the weekend...so the fun just doesn't stop !

Is That?!?!?!?

Could it BE?!?!?!?
A cheekbone ! ! ! ! !
YES !
YES IT IS ! ! ! ! !
WHOO HOO ! ! ! !
I don't know if it's the lighting or what but I do believe I can see my cheekbones again !
Not in all of their "high cheekbone" glory...not yet...but the beginning of them peeking out from my big round head seems to be happening !
SQUEEE ! ! ! ! !
I haven't seen much in the way of changes with my exercising every day...but I can't really expect to see much in the span of a week, right?
The only thing I really have noticed is #1 - how completely out of shape I truly am and #2 - that exercising sure makes you tinkle a LOT !
So far I've stuck with the exercising for a whole week - missing only 1 day due to the fact that I could hardly move my body thanks to the sore muscles.
OH ! ! !
And one other weird thing I've noticed ! ! ! !
Over the weekend J wasn't going to be around for lunch one day so I headed out to the grocery and, on my way back home, picked up a Happy Meal for myself and one of those apple/grape/walnut salad thingies. I had SO much trouble eating the fries and cheeseburger !
The grease was turning my stomach ! ! ! !
I ended up throwing most of it away as a result.
What is THAT?!?!?!??!
I usually LOVE it when I treat myself to junk food ! ! ! !
Then, when I ate my "salad" I was TOTALLY content.
YIKES !
I guess my body's taking this exercise thing seriously too ! ! !

Another Day, Another Interview...

Today we met with the 2nd officiant in the running for who gets to perform our ceremony.
Today's is DEFINITELY better than the one we met last week...
Not that weeks candidate was so bad...but today's was BETTER.
AND !
Come to find out the one we're meeting this coming week was the mentor of the one we'd met today.
So I guess we'll see what we think after meeting candidate #3 and we'll have a decision made by Friday of next week - the day J's leaving for a business trip.
FUN !
So, we're nearing the end !
WHOO HOO !

So I Haven't Posted In A While...

So what have I been doing?
Let's see....

I've been working with Gollum constantly...



And he's come SOOOO far ! ! ! !
He's been spending most of his time these days in our master bathroom. He only has to be crated when we take our showers in the morning so he's got a window to sit in and a whole room to stretch out in all to himself.
My big boy now climbs right into my lap and, when he's not doing that, he's attached to my side. He and J aren't buddies as of yet...but they're getting better.
This coming Wednesday he goes in for his procedures (neuter, declaw & dental) and he'll have to stay there a couple of days to recoup.
I only hope that he doesn't regress as a result of having to have all of this done and being away from home for a couple of days.
The good news is that once he's all healed up he'll be able to be lose in the house and we can complete the final phase of kitty integration.
WHOO !
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel ! ! ! ! !

The ex-"friend" and I are still going back & forth via e-mail.
I'm willing to crack the door open for her, but she's got a LONG way to go if we're going to get to a point where we resemble friends again.
I told her that I'm engaged and her response was all "CONGRATULATIONS ! I'm SOOO happy for you !" which I find funny seeing as how all she ever did was try to convince me that J wasn't good for me and that I should break off my relationship with him.
So I'm seeing what happens from here...

The wedding planning is continuing to take up an INSANE amount of time...
We're nearly at the end of trying to nail down our vendors - one left to decide on - and then we can relax a little bit.

My exercise kick is continuing much to my joy !
When I get into this "zone" I know it's something I'm going to stick to...almost to the point of obsession.
12 years ago when I was heavier than I should've been I got into this "zone" and I PEELED all that weight off. Though, I did perhaps "overdo" it seeing as how I was doing 2 hours of aerobics EVERY day and landed myself at about 95 lbs. by the time I got out of the "zone".
I don't think, by any means, that I need to get THAT skinny again...just tone up and peel off some of this fat I've collected over the past 10 years or so...
I've got until April 8th to shed some of this chub of mine...that's the day I have to go get measured for my dress...I certainly don't anticipate being at my goal by that time (I'd have to stop eating and increase my exercise up to that 2 hours per day to get there !) but at least I won't be as embarassed when the seamstress asks me to strip down to nothing so she can measure me. ;)

What else?

Let's see...
Work is INSANE right now both in workload and thanks to an incident on Friday which left me having a breakdown at my desk. I wanted to go home 1/2 day as a result of the drama, but after talking to my boss and going to a lovely lunch of Indian food with him, I didn't waste my vacation time and stuck out the rest of the day. It's been SUPER high pressure as of late and, with the "incident" on Friday I just cracked which TOTALLY ticked me off seeing as how I take pride in the fact that I can typically handle a lot of stress.

It's frickin FREEZING today.
It's so bitterly cold outside that it's the kind of cold that gets into your bones and just stays there.
ICK !
What happened to that lovely weather we were just having that was up in the upper 60's?????

And I think that about covers my past week.
Today is one of the rare days when I don't have much going on.
Unfortunately, J's father has held him captive most of today so on our day of "nothing to do" we've not spent more than an hour or two together.
You see, J decided to FINALLY get his father and best friend down to the tux shop to get them measured and have their tuxes put on hold for them. This was supposed to be about 1 hour of the day. They went this morning. As is typical, J's dad pulls the old "I have something I want you to do for me and I'm not going to TELL you until the last moment so that you won't say no". He was getting appliances delivered today and he asked J, while they were doing tuxes, if he'd help him move the appliances into the house. J called me to let me know he shouldn't be more than 2 hours as a result of this. Uh huh. 3 1/2 hours later I called him. They were JUST leaving the store ! ! ! ! ! We are now at nearly 5 hours and J's STILL not home.
I am NOT happy in the LEAST.
GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRR.
And his father WONDERS why I don't like him ! ! ! ! !
I just WISH J would tell him NO every so often and "lay down the law" about how his dad needs to give him ADEQUATE notice rather than springing this shit on him once he has him "captive".

Operation Fight that Flab !

So, we're on day 2 now.
Yesterday was "abs workout" day.
Which has resulted in my neck KILLING me this morning !
Granted, my abs hurt too - but not nearly as much as my neck.
So much for "keeping my neck relaxed" and "lifting with my abs and not my neck."
So this morning was "yoga workout" day.
I found a yoga program on tv that seems pretty good and it's only a 1/2 hour long.
My neck is still killing me, but at least I feel good and stretched out now and I know that I've done one more workout towards the slimmer Liz !
WHOO HOO !

Pet Peeves, Part II

Yet another one !
This is one I recently discovered as of the acquisiton of my new car.
The gas cap is on the passenger side and the gas attendants are SO FRICKIN LAZY ! ! ! !
They expect me to talk to them and pay through the passenger window !
WALK AROUND THE BLINKIN CAR ! ! ! ! ! !
One even went so far as to TAP on my passenger window to get me to roll it down ! ! ! ! !
I'm not a very big person - my arms aren't all that long - so having to try to get my credit card or cash to them results in them 1/2 way in my car ! ! ! ! !
GGGGRRRR ! ! ! ! ! !

Pet Peeves

So I'm at the grocery today...
And I discovered a new pet peeve of mine.
Have you ever seen those shoes that kids have now with wheeles in the bottoms of them so they can either be shoes or skates?
There was a kid rolling around the grocery store today and she was COMPLETELY out of control ! ! ! !
She was flying around and then kept nearly losing her balance.
It was AWFUL ! ! ! !
One day I'll have to do a post about all of my grocery store pet peeves - - - the list is QUITE long !
:)

I don't WANNA go to work ! ! ! !

This week has been CRAZY !

Gollum has had run of our master bathroom for the past few days and I realized that he's not using his litter box but, my theory is that he's being lazy and just peeing on himself ! EEWW ! Yet he'll use the litter box within 15 minutes of being put back in the crate !
UGH !
Yet another thing for me to talk to the vet about tomorrow morning !

Work is INSANE !
I now unofficially have 2 bosses (my old one and my new one). This transition is going to KILL me, I swear !
I keep missing eating lunch because before I know it I'm looking at the clock and realizing it's 2:00 !

Then there's the personal fun of the ex-friend trying to get back into my life - which I've been posting here.

And the "joy" of planning our wedding. Yesterday I talked to my best friend's husband (he and I work at the same company) and he said something that I've been waiting to hear. The voice of reason and reality ! I was telling him that this planning stuff was not fun and that I was wondering what the heck is wrong with everyone who keeps telling me "remember, this is supposed to be FUN !" or "have fun with it !". He responded by telling me "It's absolutely NOT fun ! It's one of the most stressful things people can go through ! And we were lucky to have both sides of our families helping and we still weren't having any fun !" FINALLY ! Someone who gets it ! This is why I need to talk more with newlyweds rather than people who've been married for a while that have romanticized the process. The funny thing was that he went on to say that he didn't even remember most of his wedding and reception because they were busy being the bride and groom and running around and that he didn't even remember hearing any music either...that his pictures are all the "memories" they have. WOW ! I LOVE realistic people ! ! ! I knew there was a reason I liked him ! :)

As Promised....

Here is the response to that back & forth of e-mails that I posted the other day:

I understand you being skeptical. I would be as well. There was no
trigger that made me decide to contact you. I just decided to contact you.
If there is a trigger, it is subconscious and I cannot put my finger on it.
Yes, you were the person I always talked to about my personal issues. By
the time they were starting, I had already gotten the impression that you
were no longer interested in us having a friendship. To be honest, I had
gotten the feeling that you had pulled away because I had gotten married
and was having a child so I didn't feel right talking to you about the
issues I was having. I did try to contact you several times through e-mail
to you personal address and got no response. I had also left you a couple
of messages at home not long after I got married and got no response.
It sounds to me like we both got the impression that the other was pulling
away and both got hurt. I am just trying to extend the olive branch. Like
I said before, if you have no interest in rebuilding a friendship, I will
understand. If we do try, I don't expect things to be the same off the bat
or ever. I don't blame you for being hesitant and not wanting to risk
opening up again to getting hurt. Just know that I am here and willing if
you decide you want to try.

So now it's up to me to decide.
Is it worth it to try to work with her?

Retraction ! ! !

The inherited kitty's name has changed ! ! !
So let me retract my earlier announcement that his name is Koi.
We tried that name out and it just wasn't working...
So we went with our 2nd choice - which really does seem to fit him...
Gollum
The cat is bipolar - I swear ! ! !
It's crazy !
And he's just SUCH a Gollum ! ! !
So...
There it is...
Koi no more...
Gollum it is ! ! !

Randomness....

So...
Last week I got this e-mail (as part of a group e-mail) from a former friend (a girl I haven't talked to in nearly 8 months):

Hi everyone,

I had my little boy on 12/15.  Wednesday was my first day back.
Here is a picture of Alex.  He looks just like his dad with my nose.

And, I thought about it over the weekend and decided to respond today with:

Not sure if you meant to send this to me or if I just happen to still be
on your distribution list and you haven't taken my name off of it yet.

At any rate, congrats on the baby & hope all is well with you and your
new family.

To which she responded:

Actually, I did send it to you on purpose.  I was wondering if you might
respond.  I have really missed our friendship and have no idea what
happened.  That last I heard from you was that you couldn't make the
wedding due to a medical procedure.

To which I responded:

O.k.
So why not e-mail me with saying that rather than trying to bait me
with your announcement about your son to see if I'd respond to you? 
Were you baiting everyone else on that distribution list to see if they'd
respond to you as well or was I just thrown in there for good measure? 
So far as I've been concerned our friendship was over - you were
doing your own thing and so was I.  You started cutting me out of your
life a while ago and that's o.k. if that's the way you wanted it but that
would mean that I'd, in turn, cut you out of mine.  Why chase a
friendship if the other person doesn't seem to be interested anymore?

I did have to have a medical procedure done which made it impossible
to come to your wedding.  And, if I recall correctly, I did send you
wedding gifts and we even spoke after you'd received them - and
you sent me the link to look at your wedding photos.  After that the
e-mails and phone calls on both of our sides (because I'm not going to
say it was just you) dwindled until I didn't hear from you again so I
just figured it was the final "nail in the coffin" so to speak seeing as
how you'd already distanced yourself from me up to that time.  I
just really thought that it sucked seeing as how I was (and still am)
going through some medical issues and you couldn't be bothered to
check in to even see how my procedure had gone.  Yes, it was your
wedding and I certainly wouldn't have expected for you to call me
or e-mail me immediately thereafter - - - but something
sometime...yeah, you could say I'd have expected that out of
someone who considered themselves my friend. 

I think it's also fair to point out that, though I did receive an
 invitation to your bridal shower, I did not receive one to your baby
shower.  That, to me, was another clear indicator that you had no
need for our friendship in your life anymore.  And, to take it a step
further, you've moved since you got married, haven't you?  Did I
ever receive a "new address" notice?  No.  So, you have to admit
that with all of these things not happening that I'd be inclined to
think that you really wanted nothing more to do with me.

I'm sure a lot has happened in both of our lives in the past how
ever many months it's been.  And have there been times I've
thought "I wish I could call (insert name) !" - sure there were. 
But at the same time, I figured that our friendship was dead
and that if you weren't calling me I certainly wasn't going to call
you.  Besides, let's be honest, after a certain amount of time
passes without talking to someone - even if you're unsure of the
status of the relationship - talking can be awkward. 

Net:
I responded to your e-mail because I figured you'd included me
by mistake and wanted to be sure you didn't repeat that mistake
in the future as it was apparent that we were no longer were
friends.  I do wish you and your family well and I do hope that you
are happy.  What I don't understand is that, if you missed our
friendship so much and wanted to talk, why haven't I heard from
you and, when I did, it was through a "baiting" tactic rather than
just getting to the heart of the matter and saying "Hey, I miss
you and don't have a clue what happened to our friendship.  We
should talk." or something along those lines?  I really have no idea
what you want, (insert name), but I wish you'd just come out and
say it rather than beating around the bush. 

To which she responded:

I called and left messages and sent e-mails asking how everything
went after the procedure and go no responses.  I finally got to a
point where I gave up because it seemed that you were no longer
interested in staying friends.  I miss you a lot Liz.  There have been
so many times I wish I could have called you as well.    I did not
have Shelley send an invite to the baby shower because I had
gotten the impression that you were no longer wanting to hear from
me.  As for change of address, I didn't get many sent out before
Alex was born.

Any distancing I had done to you was unintentional.  I had been
going through a lot at work and personally and still am.  When I am
times of extreme stress, I tend to pull away from things and hide.
I didn't realize how much I had been doing that until recently and I
am truly sorry.  You are not the only one that has pointed this out
to me.

What is going on with you medically?  I am and have been concerned
about you all this time.   I am care about you and still love you very
much.  If I didn't I would never have sent you the picture as a way to
find some contact.

What I want?  I would like to work on repairing our friendship.  I
miss you.  You are a great person and a great friend.  I know things
have changed between us and may never be the same but I would like
to try to repair our friendship if possible.   I know it will take an effort
on both our parts and I am willing to try.  I will also understand if you
choose not to.

I miss you and our friendship more than I could ever explain.  I am
sorry that I baited you with the e-mail of Alex's birth.

To which I responded:

So what exactly is the "trigger" that's made you decide to try to get
me to respond to you?  I mean, it's been nearly 8 months since you got
married - that's a long time.  To have you suddenly decide to take
action on a friendship you were missing...something that you've let go
for that long...it seems odd to me so excuse me if I'm a bit leery about
the "why" here.

As to what you'd been going through at work and personally.  Am I not
the one (or at least one of the ones) you'd talk to during those times?
Granted, what do I know, but on the personal front you've got your man
and your baby - so how bad can it be?  But maybe if you and I were
still friends I'd already know the answer to that question - or maybe I
wouldn't if you've been shutting everyone out.  If you'd really needed
me then I would've been there for you and I would've done what I
could've to help - even if it was just moral support.

My medical issues are not something I care to talk about at this point.
The last thing I need to be doing is the "woe to me" - particularly to
someone I haven't spoken to in nearly 8 months.  No offense, but
that's just how I feel about it.

As to working to repair our friendship - I really don't know.  I mean,
I am wondering "why now?" and am trying to figure out why the heck
you'd need my friendship.  You have your life in Texas, a good husband,
a son and a ton of friends - so what the heck do you need me so bad
for...I've been totally replaceable for the past 8 months, right?

I have a lot going on in my life right now - both personally and
professionally - and I really just don't know that I need the added
stress of trying to rebuild a friendship right now.  At least not without
knowing what exactly I'm getting myself into and why.  I have missed
your friendship as well - but I don't know if I can put myself out there
again allowing for the possibility of being hurt should I open up again to
let you in.  Also, I do appreciate that you apologized for baiting me with
Alex's birth...but he's really the one who deserves the apology - not me.

And that's where it stands as of right now.
She didn't respond before I left work and who knows if she will at all.
I really don't care too terribly much whether or not we rekindle this friendship...when I cut someone off it's pretty cut & dry for me and I can completely disconnect myself from them.
Sure, it doesn't hurt to have friends...but I'm just SO angry at her for a number of reasons and I REALLY don't like that she felt the need to "bait" me to try to re-open the line of communication. And I really want to know WHY the hell she's suddenly so interested in rekindling this so-called friendship.
To most I probably seem harsh and mean in my responses to this girl...but the reality is that I'm being honest with her about my feelings since she's SO interested in trying to be my friend again.
UGH.
And so that's how my day's gone....

What the HELL was THAT?!?!??!

So...
This morning I went to my 2nd florist appointment (I had my first one last night with another florist).
This woman was SHADY beyond compare, let me tell you ! ! ! ! ! ! !
She was trying to sell me EVERYTHING under the sun and slapped down TeleFlora books for me to "pick" which arrangements I'd want.
NO creativity at ALL and NO actual pictures of their past work !
THEN ! ! !
After she comes back with the quote she starts whispering to me about how she's leaving that company for another one and that she'll give me that package for less if I go with her and with a "here's my cell numers" and a wink she told me that she was going to tell her boss that I undecided. When I got up to leave she mouthed to me "call me". I nodded and ran out of that joint ! ! ! !
I felt I needed a BATH after that experience ! ! ! !
I drove STRAIGHT to the florist I'd seen last night.
I walked in, apologized for just dropping in, and said that I'd like to book her RIGHT NOW.
She looked at me, surprised and said "Didn't you have an appointment this morning?"
"I came straight from there to here" I told her.
"That bad, huh?" she said with a smirk.
"Oh yeah !" I replied while whipping out my checkbook.
So now I have a florist - - - a GOOD florist who is CREATIVE and will do a NICE job for me.

WHOAH ! ! ! !

Apparently, 8 1/2 months is HARDLY enough time to get a florist as well ! ! ! !
I went to my first florist appointment tonight and I have to get back to her early next week if I want to use her.
EEK ! ! !
I have another appointment tomorrow morning...so I'll see what they have to say for themselves, compare and make a decision.
Fun !
Ya know....everyone keeps saying "this is the time to have fun !"
When is that "fun" going to start? That's my question...
So far it's nothing but stress and a drain on my bank account...

Shake, Shake, Shake....Shake, Shake, Shake....

Shake my booty ! ! !
Shake my booty ! ! !
WHOO HOO ! ! ! ! ! ! !
The DJ for the wedding is BOOKED ! ! ! !
(shakes booty some more for good measure)
I'm realizing that 8 months is HARDLY lead time for booking a DJ, photographer or celebrant ! ! !
EEK !
I found a DJ that is reasonably priced who includes a piano player for the ceremony !
YEE HAW ! ! ! !
1 down, 2 to go ! ! ! !
(3 if I count the florist - - - but I think I have a little more time before I have to book them)
So, I do feel a LITTLE better now that the DJ's booked....
Next comes nailing down a photographer !
That and finding the money with which to nail that photographer down ! ! !
So much for "we have PLENTY of time for all of that" !