Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Hail Wheeling!

I told Reid last evening that the deer must have had a great feast on the hydrangea bushes in the front of our house. The hydrangeas were chewed to shreds!

Apparently we got out of Wheeling at the right time. On Tuesday, July 21st, a hailstorm lasting for more than 30 minutes hit Wheeling. Our next door neighbors, Jim & Marie (the greatest neighbors in the world) phoned to make sure we knew to look over our property. The pictures they took of the aftermath showed hail stones from very small to nearly the size of golf balls.

Here is a picture that someone in the area snapped of the storm (no idea who or where):


I guess the deer didn't have a feast after all.

So, after talking with Jim & Marie, we set about to inspecting around our home. Fortunately, no major issues with the house. A few vents were dinged. Some paint was chipped off the house (not good, but it could be worse.) All of the stained glass is intact. Even the glass-topped patio tables are free of damage. The landscape lights show indentations, one is cracked on the top.

I started taking pictures of things like the landscape lights, the plants (I know that is hostas pictured and not the hydrangeas!) -- pictures that could help us should we need them for insurance...

The greatest damage was done to Elizabeth's table. (Doesn't she really look pathetic?) To make matters worse -- Elizabe th inspected her "colors" (colored chalk) and noticed that the lid to one of the containers wa s cracked (gasps!) She insisted that I take a picture of this, too!



Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Things EJ Will Miss About West (by God) Virginia

With our dear friend, Erin, heading South for her internship at Disney's Wide World of Sports (soon to be ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex), I thought it would only be appropriate to give her a send-off Blog post...with some of the things she will most miss about West (by God) Virginia:

  • Showing people where she lives while simultaneously flipping them off.
  • Game days...nothing is finer than a fall in Morgantown on game day!
  • Getter "Bonnie Blue Blazer" inspected by the Great State of West Virginia and declaring on an annual basis that she is not a farm-use vehicle.
  • Pepperoni rolls
  • Being bossed around by a 3-year-old that inquires, while EJ is bathing her, "Ya gittin' in???"
  • A cemetery in her back yard.
  • Country Roads -- and all of the beautiful scenery.
  • The WVIAC Basketball Championship week...always a good time!
  • The social scene at D-Lazy Lizzard, Bent Willies, and the other fine-quality establishments downtown...
  • Coffee, free Wi-Fi hot spot, and excellent bridesmaid dress alterations thanks to the Fairmont Folks!
  • Michael Walker...oh wait, that ship has already sailed!
  • Clapper Burgers
  • Easter celebrations with the Morton Clan in Webster Springs.
  • Having to pay to get that savage tan...
Considering what goes on with the animals around here, she may be happy to be getting out of dodge!

Happy trails, Erin! We'll miss you!!!

Friday, July 3, 2009

Elizabeth-isms

Sometimes it's just easier with the Cliff Notes:

  • Last day = Yesterday (as in, "I played with the kids last day.")
  • Yes I ma'am = Yes, I am!
  • West Liderdee = West Liberty
  • Pack Pat = Backpack
  • Patapiller = Caterpillar
  • Paint Nails = You have your fingernails/toenails painted
  • I wanna watch 'The Kids' = Jon & Kate + 8 (one of her favorite shows)
  • I'm going to 'The Kids' = Daycare
  • Miss Frienda = Miss Brenda (her teacher at Daycare)
  • Baseball Papi = Big Papi (David Ortiz) - still not to be confused with Papi (Rogers Cunningham)
  • Lady = Erin Jones - she sometimes call Erin by her actual name, but for the most part, it's "Lady"
  • Pewter = computer (as in, "Close your puter, Daddy.")
  • Moat = remote
  • Can I help you? = Move over, I'm going to do this...forewarned is forearmed.
  • It's Wake-Up Time = daybreak (pre-cock-a-doodling of any roosters!)...yet, strangely, when the sun goes down, it isn't "Shhhh! It's sleepy time down South"
  • Yellow is MY favorite = Yellow is my favorite color. Because it is my favorite color, it cannot be your favorite color. Additionally, I reserve the right to call certain foods that are yellow during certain times of the day (example: bananas at breakfast or corn during dinner) by the color "yellow" (typically stated, "I want to eat Yellow.") and you should know just what in the heck I'm talking about, because "Yellow is my very favorite!"