Have I told you how Briscoe hates skateboarders? It might be one of the funnier things I’ve seen in a while. I think it is the noise that scares her. The dog needs a haircut like whoa. She’s going to get her hair did tomorrow, and I expect to have a little lamb by tomorrow night instead of the bear that is currently sleeping in my kitchen.  For some reason she has developed this ridiculous habit of spilling her food all over the floor.  It is like she picks up her bowl with her teeth and dumps it out, although I’m not sure that is actually possible.  But once the food it on the ground, she won’t eat it.  For a while, when I would come home to her spilled food, I would pick all the pieces up and put them back in the bowl.  Then I realized, wait, she’s a dog, if she wants to spill her food on the floor, she should eat the food off the flood.  So, I stopped cleaning it up, other than to turn the bowl back upright.  Sure enough, after leaving the food on the ground until late into the night, the dog finally decided she would eat it off the floor.  So, she’s started cleaning up the mess herself, but she’s still spilling the food. 

Something about summertime makes me want to lose myself in a story, preferably a long drawn out saga. Happily, HBO has provided that for me with The Game of Thrones, and even more happily, I am able to read the novels instead of waiting to see what happens in HBO time (which is painfully slow in my opinion). I enjoy the story, the show (and the novels for that matter) are quite gruesome and violent. I find reading about violent and gruesome things is easier than watching them play out on my unnecessarily large television. But I’m totally engrossed in the novels, each chapter is told from a different character’s point of view, and the author has mastered the ability to speak in each character’s voice in a way that is seemless but also adds a depth to the writing and storyline that is not immediately apparent. I would not recommend the books or the television series to everyone, there is a base element to it that not all will find endearing, crass talk of sexual encounters and horrible things happen to almost all of the characters. But even the villainous characters have redeeming qualities (well, some of them do) and the heros have flaws, and there is nothing I love more than a good story with round characters.

I spent the last two weeks of May in Washington, D.C., training for work. Let me tell you, two weeks is a LONG TIME to be in a hotel. I learned a lot, got to spend time with some old friends (sadly, the Bizzy was out of town the entire time I was there), and enjoyed some fabulous food and beautiful sights, but I was very happy to come home to my apartment and my dog. I did meet some super cool new friends though. My mom and my aunt Jan came to visit me in Charleston this past weekend, and boy did we have a good time. I wish I could tell you we did lots of productive things, but really more than anything, we simply enjoyed Charleston and each other. We wandered, we enjoyed drinks on the rooftop under the shade with a breeze, we ate phenomenal food, (as a side note, a merinague will always add to a dessert), we peered through hedges, gates and walls into the fabulous gardens and side yards of people we didn’t know but wish we did, we sweated, we watched little children play in fountains, and Kate and Jan rearranged the furniture in my apartment. We did not shop at all, other than a short trip to the grocery, and we spent most of our time outside. It was great.

Oh! So I want y’all to check out my cousin Heather’s blog - she has MS, and has an amazingly honest and refreshing perspective, including my favorite – Wheelchair Etiquette.

Since I drive by a Harley Davidson Dealership on my way to work, I got to see a parade this morning.  Hooray!  Who doesn’t love a bunch of motorcycles blocking a busy intersection on Friday morning at 8:55 am?  They were even selling italian ice. 

It is getting pretty warm around here, which I have to say makes me extremely happy.  The warm weather has everyone all itchy and scratchy to get out to the beach for a good buzz and burn.  Unfortunately, what with all this warmth and humidity comes thunderstorms and clouds.  Then there is the undying dilemma, stay in Friday night so you can get up super early Saturday and hit the beach before the storm?  Go out Friday night and take your chances with the gods of thunder and lightning?  Decisions, decisions. 

Since having my appendectomy, I’ve become an even worse hypochondriac, except now, when I have random sharp stomach pains, I can’t automatically assume they are my appendix.  Life is hard.  But I have been working out more, and have been feeling good, despite my occasional imagained illnesses. 

I’m ready to admit it, I have a problem.  I’m a hoarder.  I hoard candy.  Part of this is that I find it necessary to have candy around at all times, but I don’t actually eat that much candy.  This is compounded by society’s need to only sell certain candy at certain times of year, which leads me to buy said limited time candy in large quantities, just in case.  Add the fact that everyone gives me candy as presents, and you have the perfect storm.  I can’t express to you the guilt I feel when I let a mini kit kat go stale in my desk.  It is a travesty. 

I will be at training for the next two weeks, so if you need me, do not look for me at my office.  Keep your fingers crossed for sunshine and beer tomorrow, because I need a good sunburn before I leave the low country.  Briscoe says hey.

This year, I’m again confused.  Twenty Eleven?  Two Thousand and Eleven?  Most of the radio commercials here in Charleston have decided to go with Tweny-Leven, which I’m fairly certain is not the proper pronunciation, but it sure does roll off the tongue real nice.

It is no longer dark when I leave work, which makes me insanely happy.  Sometimes I worry at my emotional stability by how happy certain things make me.  Like the sun setting a minute later every day.  I got so excited about the sun staying up longer, that I figured I needed to know more about when this whole daily light saving thing was going to happen. 

I found this sweet little website, and I learned a few things I’d like to share.     First, and most importantly, mark your calendars for March 13, 2011, because that is when summer officially begins as far as I’m concerned.  Then, I want you all to know that it is Daylight Saving Time, and not Daylight SavingS Time.  Saving is used here as a verbal adjective (a participle).  It modifies time and tells us more about it’s nature, namely, that it is characterized by the activity of saving daylight.  The site goes on to say that the term Daylight Shifting Time or Daylight Time Shifting would be more accurate, but neither is politically desirable.  (I find this interesting.  What makes it undesirable?  People don’t want the government shifting around their daylight?  Hmm.)  The US of A begins daylight saving time two weeks before Europe in the spring, and ends it a week later in the fall, giving us A-mare-ic-uns three more weeks of extra daylight shifting.  The website has a lot of other interesting facts, none of which I find interesting enough to discuss right now, other than to say that the idea behind DST is attributed to Ole Benjamin Franklin. 

I went to New York last weekend for an engagement party for Libby and Bryan.  The party was Mad Men themed, and I have to say I believe it was a complete success.  I succeeded in teasing my hair up about half a foot on my head.  I hadn’t been to New York in TWO YEARS.  It was a quick trip, and the weather was BRRR, but it was really fun.  There was tons of snow.  And wine.  Haha. 

The weather tomorrow is suppose to be sunny, high 63, and the weather on Sunday is suppose to be Sunny, high 67.  I’m so happy it is friday, and I’m so happy about the impending sunshine and the fact that it is only going to get warmer from here on out.  I anxiously await the day where my feet and shoulders are bare, the humidity causes my sunglasses to fog up when I go outside, and the inside of my car is consistently over 110 degrees.  I’m dreaming of beer with condensation, leather seats that burn the back of your thighs, and the smell of sunscreen.  Happy Sigh.

On a sad note, someone stole part of my herb garden.  I had three pots – one with mint (it was a BIG pot), one with Lavender (it was a MEDIUM size pot), and one with oregano (it is a LITTLE pot).  I had these three pots on the side of my yard so they could get enough sun.  Well, while I was gone, some one stole the two big pots.  Which is weird if only because the BIG pot – I can barely pick up and carry ten feet.  And I’m strong.  And the other pot is heavy too.  Plus the little pot was the actual thrown pottery pot of value, and the only one portable enough to carry off in your arms.  And if they pulled a truck up and threw the big pots in the vehicle, why not take the little one?  I don’t get it.  But now I’m fresh out of mint and lavender and my life is less complete.  Sigh.

But on a happier note, I had an awesome new friend that I met during a period of logistical difficulty this past weekend send me a super awesome package that I got yesterday.  It was amazing, and hopefully I will tell you more about the contents of the package in the future, if I can stop neglecting this blog.

I also got some fun mail on Tuesday, but I’ll wait to tell you about that later.  Suffice it to say, as cool as email and bbm and gchat can be, there is nothing better than pulling up to your house after work and seeing something interesting sticking out of your mailbox.

Yesterday and today have been the first truly hot and humid days we’ve had this summer.  When I got in my car after work this afternoon, my sunglassess fogged up completely.  I had to roll down the windows to unfog them.

This time every year I have to relearn my jogging routes that involve shade.  My winter routes involve sunshine, so it’s always an adjustment.

I had dinner tonight with Robin Anne – tomorrow is her birthday!  HOORAY!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBIN ANNE!  We had so much fun, it was a perfect evening.

YAWN!  So happy tomorrow is Friday.  Sweet dream friends.

But I want to tell y’all that Peter and JBlanchard are the best friends ever.  Saturday, on the 4th of July, Emily and I were grabbing lunch at the sub place that I can’t remember the name of right this second on Mount Pleasant, and when we got back in the car to drive to the beach, Emily’s car wouldn’t start. 

Everyone we knew was already on the beach.  Some of the people we called were on islands you can only get to by boat, which was not helpful.  This was not awesome.  Parking lots are hot.  Everyone is doing something on the Fourth of July.  Something other than driving around Mount Pleasant with jumper cables. 

Jennifer had called when we were in the sub place and I called her back.  She and Peter were on their way out to Folly, sitting in traffic that was horrendous.  When I told her what happened, she and peter went back to Peter’s house and got jumper cables, and drove all the way to the end of Mount Pleasant to save us.  It was a true act of love and friendship.  On the Fourth of July.  Don’t make me start singing Lee Greenwood, cause I will. 

I think Tracy Lawrence, Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw would approve.

When I got to work this morning it was so hot in my office that I almost had to go downstairs to the conference room to drink my coffee. 

Right now the temperature is 93, but it feels like 98. 

I have the unceasing desire to sit outside and drink beer. 

Sitting inside and drinking diet coke is a poor substitute.

The weather threatened to rain on our parade, and although we could see the rain off in the distance at many times over the weekend, we only got rained on once.  And we were prepared for it. 

I got to see so many awesome people, and it was wonderful to have a weekend where the only requirement was that all activities must take place outside, weather permitting (except when we had to do a little shopping for outdoor gear like bathing suits!). 

What with the sun bossing around all those rain clouds and making them act right, and the fact that we saved the bocce balls from certain death in the tidal pools (cold beer can make you irresponsible), and all the dolphins that wanted to hang out at our boat, it was close to being a perfect Memorial Day Weekend.  The beer was cold, the music was loud, and Jennifer cooks a mean hot dog.  And only the bottom half of my back is sunburned.  The air temperature was in the upper 70s, the water temperature was in the lower 70s (both of which are a little colder than I prefer, especially for this late in the year, but it was tolerable). 

My only regret is that I didn’t get to sing any patriotic songs.  Sad.  I guess I’ll just have to practice up for the 4th of July. 

OHHH!  And BETSY and BRAD had a BABY!  So happy!  James Brooks Bagwell.  They are going to call him Brooks.  Bety, Brad and Brooks Bagwell.  Poor little Amos.  He missed out on the alliteration.  Maybe Briscoe and Amos can get married and Briscoe will be Briscoe Bagwell.  Ha.  I don’t know why I think that is so funny.  Oh, and for the record, Betsy’s due date is actually tomorrow – but we all made guesses on when the baby would be born, and I guessed the right day.  I was off by like three hours, but still.  I was REAL CLOSE.  Betsy and I just have such a magical connection – the date came to me in a dream.  I can’t wait to meet him!

I love the way a charcoal grill smells.  Love. 

I don’t like the way bug spray smells when you aren’t outside anymore.  Speaking of, sometimes I feel like that kid at camp who is super high maintenance.  I can’t go into the sun without sunscreen or I burn like an infant in Cancun, I can’t go outside these days without being DESTROYED by mosquitos unless I put on bug spray (btw, I like this kind – the dry spray for when I’m at home and the little toilettes to keep in my pocketbook for weddings and other outdoor events). 

Briscoe went to the vet today to have her shots updated so she can get her hair cut tomorrow.  She’s really hot, but the dog salon requires kennel cough.  I’m excited about taking my big fuzzy bear animal in the morning and getting back a shorn lamb tomorrow afternoon! 

Maggie is getting married the weekend!  It is going to be lots of fun.  Now I just have to make it through another day of work and try really hard to pay attention.  Focus.

How often do you get in the car and think, dang, I don’t have on any shoes!  I’ll have to go back into the house and get them?  Once a year?  Once a month?  Once a week?  Never?  Now that it has gotten warm outside I have revived my beloved habit of only wearing shoes when it is required by my job, the law, and/or to comply with social norms.  It’s awesome.  What isn’t awesome is that Donald and Ronald (my home repair people who are fixing all the things in my house that need fixing, and who I would be lost without) keep finding these HUGE metal roofing nails that the roofers left in my yard.  Those nails look like the quickest way to get lockjaw I can imagine. 

Briscoe has enjoyed having Donald and Ronald around (they are twins), and D & R have gotten pretty attached to Briscoe.  To the point where they have renamed her.  Her new name is Biscuit. And you know, she sort of looks like a little biscuit!  It’s the perfect new name for the fuzzy head. 

I almost stepped on a snake this morning right outside the front door of our office.  He was a really cute little green snake.  He told me his name was Lionel. 

Okay, I’m off to track down a judge and get my summary judgment motion signed!  Hooray!  And Molly is getting married this weekend!  And it’s suppose to be 90 degrees tomorrow!

My inclination towards barefootedness allows me an extra sensory receptor neglected by most people.  Namely, I know what the ground feels like. 

Briscoe likes me to come out into the backyard with her at night. Grayson will go out into the backyard by himself and take care of things, but Briscoe will sit at the back door until I walk out into the yard with her. In the winter when it is cold I wear my uggs to walk Briscoe, because they are easy to take on and off.  Or I walk out in my sock feet.  I also spend a lot of time in my barefoot dreams robe. 

The nights for uggs and socks are long past.  My robe is still useful, but the day will come soon when it will be too hot even in the morning and the late night for the robe.  The wooden planks on the deck, although too hot to stand still on in the middle of the day, cool quickly when the sun sets and are pleasant to walk across at night. 

The stepping stones through the grass and the concrete parking pad retain the sun's heat much better than the wood and radiate warmth late into the night.  I can tell the difference between a cloudy cooler day and a sunny hot day by the temperature of the concrete.  My feet have been telling me recently that it is getting hotter by the day. 

In other summer related news, I've been swimming a lot.  Since I have had my eyes lasered, swimming is so much more fun.  Briscoe likes to swim too.  She just got her hair cut and dries off quickly. 

Emily and Greg got married this weekend, and I was dog sitting for Kate and Trav, so I thought it was a good idea to invite everyone from the wedding over to their house for a pool after wedding party.  We had a big time and stayed up ENTIRELY too late.  When I went out to the backyard on Sunday morning I found a tie, a tshirt, a sock, the back of a cell phone, and some raybans.  Like I said, we had a big time. 

I am going to New York on Thursday!  Get excited!