Come, let us reason together...

When it came time to buy a computer for the house, Scott and I chose a Mac for several reasons:

1. They're are user-friendly...which really means all the right-brained people in the world like myself can use them without getting ulcers.

2. They're pretty.

3. The Mac commercials TOTALLY kick the booty of the PC commercials

4. Once you go Mac you never go back. (Scott already owned a PowerBook)

So, with this stellar reasoning, we ordered an iMac with our tax return money last year. Let me just say, seeing that beautiful shiny computer sitting on the desk for the first time might have made me tinkle in my pants a little.

Anyway, I love my computer. My computer loves me. Until two days ago, it decided to stop loving me. As I was editing pictures, my editing program started turning all the pictures black. It can't be undone. I tried everything: I sang it love songs, I reasoned and debated, I cried, I pleaded, I bargained, threatened, burned incense....nothing. So, that's why there are no pictures in this post. And that's why I have been in a state of despair the last two days. And that's why I can't post pictures of the particular Southern gem that is The Church Picnic.

My computer problems have led to other problems in my life: my dogs got into my vegetable garden. I accidentally peeled the whole plastic label off my Chapstick (my pet peeve!). I am having a bad hair day. So you see, I need to fix this problem pronto so that my whole life doesn't crumble around me.

Strange Events and "Useless" Seniors

The last week has been a bit bizarre.... (by the way, I just learned  that "bizarre" has two r's. Like 3 seconds ago.) ....a bit like the Twilight Zone, minus the scary music and 20 story elevator drops. Truly, nothing major,  but several small strange things add up to one weird week. Just to name a few of the strange and unusual things that have been happening the past week:

1. The Braves won a baseball game.

2. My grandparents got Facebook.

3. My home was not under a tornado or severe thunderstorm watch this past week.

4. I learned how to use a sewing machine and it didn't involve an ER visit.

5. I have NOT killed a plant or bought a pair of shoes. (if you know me, this is HUGE)

And to match the theme of the week, I thought it would be a good idea to do an impromptu "I Like Casual Friday Dance" in front of my boss this morning. Awesome. 

Moving on...

My Seniors left this morning for their Senior trip in Orlando. So yesterday, their last day of school before their departure, they were useless....meaning, I wasn't gonna get a thing out of them even remotely academically related. Being the wise and strict teacher that I am, I took them outside and took pictures for the Senior slideshow. Here are a few that I think really speak for the overall personality of the class of 2010. 

In other news, I got a new lens for an upcoming trip to Europe....and while it has a wide range (ahem, Camille), I am very pleased with the results so far. These are of Shiloh in the backyard. She has recently learned that the camera will in fact, not kill her or steal her soul, so she is finally becoming useful and sitting still for pictures. 

I realize that this picture of my back door and porch isn't the best reflection of my house. Please disregard the clawmarks. If you come visit, I will make sure that you only see the pretty doors. 

Little Man Brooks

W is the son of my very dear friend AB...who was actually my very first friend in South Georgia. When I moved here I was newly married, overwhelmed with my new life, and completely unsure about what to think about this Land of the Peanut. Soon after this little guy was born, AB and I started running together, so I have been able to see W grow from this tiny little baby to this very handsome little man and looking at these pictures, I can't believe that this year and a half have gone by so quickly.....or that I have survived almost two years of South Georgia! Thanks AB, for being my very first friend down here and thanks for letting me be "Aunt May" to this sweet little man.  

He's very proud of his teeth. 

W never met a puppy he didn't like. 

Golly, I hope my kids are half as cute as he is. 

Wesley has recently learned how to smile on command and is quite proud of this accomplishment.

 

Air Brakes, New Orleans, and Easter

Ahhhh, Spring Break. Students love it, I love it. Really, it's good for everyone's sanity at this point in the school year. During my Spring Break, Camille and I decided to finally take the long-awaited and much discussed road trip to New Orleans. After over a year of saying, "Hey, lets go to New Orleans!" we finally did it!

Late Sunday afternoon (the Sunday before Easter) we loaded up and left Camille's house in Birmingham. Jane, AKA the Garmin GPS, told us that our arrival time in the Big Easy would be 10:46 pm. Sweet. So, we drive and talk, I flip through magazines, we discuss cake recipes....and then we heard it.....something like a small explosion, a cat, and a rush of air all at the same time. We look at each other and I say, "It's okay. It's just the air brakes." You see, my grandfather used to drive a semi-truck, which kind of makes me a not-so-much-expert on the matter. Since we were traveling right beside a big semi, the air brakes were the only logical explanation for The Noise.

Well, we drive on and just as we are about to cross into the wasteland that is Mississippi (sorry Aunt Kelli), we hear The Other Noise. This one we easily recognized and it was definitely not anyones air brakes. Camille pulls over and I get out of the car to state the obvious; "Your tire is definitely blown." Camille promptly calls her dad, while I confidently assure her, "It's okay. I can change a tire." (does anyone else see a pattern?)

We transfer all of our earthly belongings from the trunk to the backseat, get the spare out and all the tool do-dads that go along with changing a tire, and I was about to give it a go. (I would like to add the disclaimer that I DO know how to change a tire...I was just confused about which side of the jack faced up. I would also like to add that they need to print THIS SIDE UP on the jack. Anyway...) Right about then David came. David was the sweetest truck driver and when he saw two girls on the side of the road, one on the cell phone and the other helplessly holding the jack and the crank thingy, it was quite obvious that we needed some help.

When we saw the semi pull over and a man jump out, Camille said something along the lines of, "This is either going to be really good or really bad." Thank you Jesus, he was the good kind of truck driver. He very quickly changed the tire and then told us that he didn't think the spare could make it much past Meridian, MS, about 14 miles away. After telling Camille not to drive like she was in the Indy 500, we were on our way and so was David.

(Side note: this little incident and the kindness that David, a total stranger, showed us reminds me that there are still good and kind people in the world...and that kindness should be passed on. Like David said, "You never know when you're going to need help." It's like the Golden Rule. Except in truck driver lingo.)

Camille and I crept into Meridian and after much ado, we settled into the Comfort Inn. Because of our deep distress and sorrow, we thought it appropriate to drown our troubles in a nice dinner at Outback--yum! Since no tire store was open so late, we ate and watched a mini-marathon of "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" in the hotel room. (That show, by the way, will blow your mind). The next morning, after a little leg work and approximately $1,000,000, Camille had some new tires and we were FINALLY on the way.

New Orleans was fabulous. Meredith and Zack affectionately call it "The Big Nasty," but I think it is one of the most interesting places that I have ever seen. It's such an abrupt contrast of the dirty and beautiful, the Old World and post-Katrina construction....and did I mention the food? YUM. I ate my little heart out and loved every minute of it. It was so special to visit Meredith in her post-married life and let me say, she is the most knowledgeable tour guide you could ask for. Having worked for a non-profit rebuilding the city after Katrina, she knows so many fascinating facts and stories....I could ride in the car and listen to her talk all day. I really can't tell you how nice this little trip was. It was a throw back to my college days, hanging out with the girls and talking about everything. So fun. Thank you Zack and Meredith for being such gracious hosts! I might have to just make my way down there again sometime soon.

At the end of the week, my family dodged some tornadoes to come down to our house for Easter. (I missed you Amanda!) It was such a fun weekend with the family and I hosted Easter dinner both mine and Scott's side of the family--Yikes!

Camille has some great pictures of our roadside debacle. Check out scbphotography.blogspot.com

Jackson Square

A beautiful church
A New Orleans cemetery...creepy!

Brad Pitt's hurricane proof homes in the 9th Ward, part of the Make It Right campaign.

The French Quarter