the thin line between optimism and delusion…

Today is a the big move day.  The carpet people were at my house till 8:30 last night, and everything now looks awesome (well, my bathroom needs to be put back together).  I took out the bizarre chandelers downstairs and put in ceiling fans.  Actually, for me to tell you all the crazy things that have been changed so far would take a lot longer than I currently have.  Let’s put it this way, things are coming along nicely at a rapid clip.  Which is important because all kinds of people will be staying with me in the new house next week for the Masters!  I’m so excited.  I literally get emotional about it.  I think that has a lot to do with all my old friends and my entire family coming into town, and just all the happy fun memories associated with the week and the course. 

I’ve got a few more days of super hard work, then it will be play time.  Gah.  I can’t wait!  There are so many things I want to tell you about my house, but with the intensity of the next few days, I can’t promise anything until after the tournament.  Let me know if you are going to be in town and want to come over for a beverage on the new porch.  Briscoe will be slinging drinks all week long.

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(I love bungalow houses, and I’m still in shock that I actually own one.)  Briscoe really likes the front porch.   And since we haven’t moved in yet, she volunteered to wait on the front porch for you, in case I got tied up and missed you. 

She wasn’t sure what time you were going to show up, so she decided to get comfortable on the porch. 

I made Briscoe her own key the other day, and she couldn’t wait to show you everything. 

Too bad Briscoe is a lazy puppy who can’t make it ten feet before laying down again. 

We have spent a lot of time planning and thinking about where everything should go.  She wants your opinion on where we should hang some pictures and what colors we should paint the walls, because she thinks you have great tastes. 

This is the bedroom that Briscoe wants.

She thinks a bed would look good right where she is laying.  There is good light, and you can see two doorways and make sure no one sneaks up on you. 

The kitchen needs some paint like whoa(and a dishwasher, but don’t worry, it is in the dining room waiting to be installed), but Briscoe likes it because there is a door mat, and she thinks it sucks that there are so few rugs in this joint.  She keeps complaining, saying this place could use a pillow, or a couch, or SOMETHING fluffy and soft besides the freaking dog!

One thing that Briscoe and I agree about 100% is that this stove is a little out of date, and a strange size.   But since this picture was taken I’ve painted the hood with liquid stainless steel and it looks awesome. 

Briscoe thinks the little nook is going to make an excellent bar.  I hope she’s already offered you a drink by this point in the tour, otherwise I’m disappointed in her hosting skills.  I bet she was drinking beer on the porch before you got there.  Booze Hound.

I hope she didn’t try to take credit for the chalkboard painted refrigerator.  All she did was bitch and complain that I was getting paint in her hair.  But she does agree it looks a lot better.

The steps are really steep so be careful!

The stairwell is sort of dark, and bright flashes can blind fuzzy headed dogs. 

The upstairs used to be a separate apartment and has a door that leads to nothing.  Apparently there were steps at one point, but now there is just a door, then a screen door, then air.  The bank made me nail it shut before they assist me in the purchase.  Briscoe thinks the fake carpet is super lame, and is trying to make do with door mat that is upstairs for some reason.  Maybe for the door to nowhere? 

This was the kitchen sink for the upstairs apartment.  It’s a nice bizarre addition to any home.  I bet she’s ready to show you backyard now.  You’ll have to go back downstairs, through the dining room and the kitchen to the back door –

And She’s probably going to stay on the steps, and let you go into the yard. 

Notice our fabulous new fence, and the sweet carport that came FREE with the house. 

Some times the back screen door is hard to open, so Briscoe is going to hold it while you look around.  Oh, you have to leave?  She wants to show you one more thing in the front yard.

Yay!  All my life I’ve wanted a yard with Blue Star Onion flowers!  The dreams you never knew could possibly come true!  I hope you can come back sometime when it’s not just Briscoe.  We can sit here and tell stories –

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We had a big weekend here in Augusta.  I woke up Saturday morning exhausted with a bit of a headache.  I laid on the couch and watched law and order for a couple of hours then Britt and Ross and I went to the mexican restaurant for a late lunch.  It was a beautiful day, and Ross said he felt like he was in college (Ross often has to work on Saturdays and he didn’t this weekend, so he was excited).  Britt and I both echoed the college sentiment.  We sat out on the deck at the mexican restaurant and split a pitcher of beer, since we are so college.  To make the day even more college we made plans to play bocci ball later in the afternoon for a good excuse to be outside and drink another beer. 

Before bocci, but after lunch, we took the dogs to their friend Riley’s third birthday party.  Riley is a very pretty golden retriever and she was excited about her birthday.  Briscoe and Grayson were the smallest dogs there and it was a lot of fun.  The party was in the backyard, and we were sitting out on a deck.  Britt and I were sitting on the railing of this deck, when Ryan (Riley’s person) decided we needed a picture.  So Ryan went to sit on the railing with us.  Within seconds, the railing gave way. 

It happened in slow motion.  I saw Ryan falling, and I thought, that is weird, she shouldn’t be falling like that, and at the same time I felt myself falling.  We hit the two lower railings, landed on the edge of the deck, then all three tumbled backwards off the deck, through the bushes, and on the the ground.  We are lucky we hit so many things on the way down, because we probably fell easily six feet altogether. 

Nothing was broken, and we are all going to live, but I got pretty banged up.  Now, I bruise easily, I think it is mostly because I have transparent skin, so any bruise looks terrible, but I look like someone beat me up.  My shirt was torn, although i didn’t notice it until later in the afternoon.  I have significant bruises on both arms, my back, my right calf has a real pretty purple bruise, and right below my right ankle is a nice shade of blue.  And I somehow pulled a muscle in my left leg as well.

As I was laying on the ground staring up at the bushes I’d just damaged, I thought, this is how days change.  This is how you go from making plans to play bocci ball all afternoon in the sunshine to spending the day in the emergency room.  Granted, we were all fine, but we could have just as easily not been fine.  And it happens that quickly.  In the blink of an eye.   

It took us a few minutes to get up from the ground, and everyone crowded around and brushed us off and made sure we were all in one piece. 

All Ross had to say about us falling off a deck was – COLLEGE!

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I got locked out of my house last night due to some miscommunication while I was walking Briscoe.  I walked the half mile to my parents house in my flannel pajamas and barefoot dreams robe.  At 10:30 at night.  Sweet.  Trav and Kate were like, WTF?

I’ve sneezed at least 9 times today.  Big sneezes.  I don’t feel bad.  Call me sneezy. 

I’m watching the fourth and final dvd of the second season of The Office.  Netflix sent it to me today.  Awesome.  I love The Office because no one on the show has any concern with the future.  It is great.  Very little ambition around that place. 

It is such a pretty day today.  Too bad it is going to be rainy tomorrow!  I should enjoy it while it lasts and go run outside.  But is cold!  I’m not sure I can take it, what with the sneezing and everything.  Maybe I should just rest and watch the office. 

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The flags in augusta are being flown at half staff.  But don’t get confused.  This is not in memory of President Ford.  This is in memory of the Godfather of Soul.  The Hardest Working Man in Show Business.  King of Augusta.  Days before his death he gave away toys to children in downtown augusta.  I wish I could go to his funeral on saturday – but I’m going to be in the ATL for the Peach Bowl.  I guess the flags will have to be at half mast for President Ford next week.

This is the memorial at his statute in downtown Augusta –

Here is James with Coach Dooley – this looks like a recent picture –

Damn he could dance –

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