Back Online yay!! We finally got our DSL hooked up yesterday. I'm so much of a nerd and blogging is so much my hobby that I typed up 2 blogs in the month of January so that I could post them now... Lots of pics to post too!!

Sunday, January 10th, 2010
The Farmer and the Dell...   

     It's been a long time since I updated. One week before Christmas we woke up on a Sat morning with a wild hair. We had a few drinks in us and we went to an animal shelter. We came home with a 65 lb pit bull / American terrior mix and we named her Cocoa. She is a really sweet dog. She was found as a stray, and they think she is about 2 and a half. We think she was mistreated because she is so timid. Originally we were thinking of an out door dog, but her fur is short, so an indoor pet she became.    
     The cat Miley, and Cocoa did not take much time at all to become friends. They are buddies. One minute they are chasing each other all the way around the house, the next they are snuggled up next to each other sleeping. Sometimes I feel like I'm baby-sitting the two of them! And yes, we still have our bearded dragon, Spike-O. He is like the wise old lizard, watching everything from the inconspicuous corners of his aquaruim.    
     Our first few weeks of adjustment with Cocoa were a bit rough. She tore up our house the first few times we left her alone. We quickly realized we needed to kennel her in the kitchen. Now we padaloc her in there when we go to work, and we even had to screw the kennel to the floor! She is getting used to the routine now though.     In the past month we had the dog, she ate a few Christmas gifts we had to replace. She destroyed my peace lilly plant. I have witnessed her eating cat poop numerous times. The dog eats all the cat food, and the cat eats ANYTHING, including the dog food. We can't convince them differently. I lost one pair of shoes to the dog. Chuck lost his gorilla slippers, and some electronic cords. The dog has ate all the cat toys. The dog is doing much better now, and at the end of each day it is so great having our furry friends waiting for us.    

    Our first Christmas came and went all too fast. I did not even have a chance to decorate this year... The pets would have destroyed it anyway. Christmas wasn't too shabby. Mostly just a pain having to juggle in both of our families and please everyone. New years was a lot more special for us. It was just the two of us in our Wellman farmhouse. We scraped together about 70 dollars for alcohol and that lasted the whole weekend. I really had fun with the butterscotch schnapps.   
     Iowa winters really suck. It's been about 15 below zero for the past week. There are snowdrifts outside our back door, 3 and a half feet deep. Cocoa loves playing in the snow! I got one paid snowday last week from work and I rather enjoyed it. I can't stop thinking about our sunny Myrtle Beach wedding. 109 days to go!        
     Meanwhile, we are filling the days inside. We finished decorating the computer room, and then I had Chuck hard at work decorating our bedroom. I choose a red paint for two walls and a grey paint for two walls. Then I have black decorating accessories. Chuck was nervous when he first opened the red paint, but then he did end up telling me it looks really good. It has a stand offish and sophisticated look. We were joking around about our bedroom being hooker red. I think we will redecorate the bathroom next. Probley in a really dark and light blue with my yellow rubber duckie collection. We have some faucets in there that need fixed too.    
      Guess that sums everything up for now. Can't think of much I'm missing. Think I will snuggle up with Chuck and a movie now and make some popcorn too...

Wed. January 20th, 2010
January in Iowa...

      January blahs here... They hit me every year. I'm home from work yet again today... Bad ice storm. This is the 3rd day I've missed since December due to the weather. I think the pets are happy to have company all day. It's cozy at home here. I have candles lit, I can hear sleet hitting the house, Cocoa has her chin in my lap, Miley is watching me type. I just finished a long chat with Angie, my BFF in Georgia.
     When I am at work this time of year, I'm just not feeling it. That goes with january in Iowa. Same old Same old. But I have a job, and I'm good at it. I can't afford to stay and I can't afford to leave. That's America.
     The past few weekends Chuck and I have stayed home and done absolutely nothing. A lot of being stoned and a lot of sex. Some of the best times originate out of that. Once again, what else is there to do in January in Iowa? I trimed my hair over the weekend and saved $15 on a haircut. I kind of look like a 5th grader, but it will grow fast. I also buzzed Chuck's head. We are watching countless movies and trying food recipies... OK Chuck is the cook. I can't take credit for the good food we eat. I have been calling a lot of old friends to catch up. I planned a birthday dinner for my Grandma Dee at our house in Feb with my brothers. Grandma will be 80. I don't miss living with her, but I do miss her company. This weekend is my company winter party. An open bar, a fancy dinner, listen to a few speeches and awards ceremony, chance to win $1,000 door prize and a discounted hotel room. Chuck and I are very excited about going to it. I remember a year ago, going alone and vowing I would have someone special with me for it this year. I never dreamed that someone special would be my husband to be in 3 months! It still amazes me how much can happen in a year.
    So the countdown is on, 3 months to our wedding day and I couldn't be happier or more excited!! I actually started packing a half a suit case four Myrtle Beach last weekend. Chuck thought I was crazy. Angie is getting married in 2 months, (March 20th) and she asked me to be her maid of honor, but there was no way I could make it to Georgia so close before our wedding in Myrtle Beach. She was really understanding about it. It has been really exciting and helpful having someone to walk through the process at the same time with. I feel relaxed though. Not much left to worry about, except finances. Chuck and I weren't going to register for gifts anywhere, because we thought it would be rude since we are having such a small wedding so far away, and there isn't much stuff we really need... But Target bribed me into it... Seriously, I got a coupon in the mail that if I registered there, I got a free $20 gift card. How cool is that!? So it was a really fun experience, I just don't have to tell many people we registered.
    I suppose that is it for now. I should do a few productive things while I am home today, like the dishes and take care of some phone calls... And then when Chuck gets home... You guessed it, sex, beer, stupid movies, drunk card games, followed by dinner, repeat cycle... Once more that's January in Iowa for you...

Pics... Hundreds more on Facebook, check 'em out... Especially the ones of Miley and Cocoa. I'll post pics of our house later.

New Years Eve...

Miley and Cocoa...

At my company winter party...