Saturday, June 30, 2007
A New Beginning
Okay, so I just got back from Summer Honors and I wish I wasn't home. I had so much fun!! You guys, I can't tell you how scary and exciting it is to know no one and no one know you! There were no preconceived ideas or opinions, it was a totally new beginning! Now, it's not like I have any sort of reptaion to be ashamed of or cover up or whatever.. but I was only known by my present. No one knew me as Ellie that works alot or Ellie control freak student government girl or Ellie who thinks twice before having fun or even Ellie who likes dinner parties and cooking. I got to be whatever Ellie I wanted and I took advantage of that! I made some really great godly friends! I was covered with a cottege cheese buttermilk gouck, I participated in a spice girls dance, I dressed up like a pirate voluntairly, anyways you get the point. I love my friends and family and everyone that has made such a positive influence on my life! I love my spa girls and my homecoming crew and the people I've grown up in school with but Im just really excited about this new opportunity to focus on my needs. Yea for college and new beginnings! It's not so scary afterall! Embrace it!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Sandy Plains 07
The Directions:
"Hey Ellie, its Colleen, so the show is at "the art place" and you just go straight down Barrett parkway and onto Piedmont, left onto sandy plains, and its right after the aquatic center on your right. The grounds open at 7 and the show is at 7:30.."
Simple directions, right? HA that's what you think.
Put me, Jessie and Emily in a car and these directions turn into Piedmont to Canton road, stop at a Dunkin (no smoking) Donuts, and an Eckerd to ask where Sprayberry High is, then a right on to Sandy Plains continuing down to Gilford Lane, and driving past the Naked Indian, Folks restaurant, and Hobokins bagels and bakery 4 times. And yes, of course we got a picture with the Naked Indian. So you're wondering, why all the wrong turns with such easy (and accessible) directions? Well, because the three of us listened to the directions three times and each of us agreed that she said to take a right onto Sandy Plains. After our fourth trip by the Naked Indian we listen to the directions again, and very clearly hear Colleen say "left". Only us. But its okay, because we found the East Cobb Daily Grind, with fireplace and loft. Leaving Emily's house around 6:15- shaving accident delay- we got to The Art Place at 7:30 exactly, parking lot full and the show starting.
The Show: Carousel
With a prompt start, and a good meal, we are confident that our evening will be a blast. And it was, especially after we left at intermission. Now the musical was...great entertainment- the seven year old boys digging kept us entertained as did the guy (our age probably) behind us who evidently had some beans for dinner. After an hour and a half of bad acting (Jessie called it), we packed up our picnic ( 3 spring salads, fruit, pringles, quaker crisps, and whole grain fig newtons, and non-alcoholic ,but alcoholic looking beverages), and went to unwind at the grind.
The E.C. D.G.:
We order, we go up to the "loft", we try to take a picture by the fireplace, sit and chat. Did i mention explore places a customer normally shouldn't? If you ever need the hot water heater at the E.C. D.G., don't worry i know where it is..and the extra cups, sugar, and stirs...Emily and I also know how to run a gift card through.. unlike the employee, it's okay, he's learning. He also needs to learn not to use a cell phone in front of a customer, and how to write decaf legibly.
The ride home:
Lasts 15 minutes, unlike the hour fifteen ride there. Probably because we blasted Jack Johnson, and didn't almost get into 4 wrecks.
The Night over all:
A huge success. During the musical we planned our spa girls trip, and reminisced of our past high school peers. Lost a lot of calories through laughing, though were kinda bummed when we read the serving size of fig newtons (2, for 110 calories). It was worth it, we learned that Jessie deprived of meat, but excess of grapes, and caffeine is a great combination. We are going to try it more often. There were a few disappointments, such as my camera dying so we couldn't take a goup Naked Indian picture or a fireplace picture, but that just means we will have to go back.
SANDY PLAINS 07!!!!
Friday, June 1, 2007
A Hitchcockesque Affair
June 1, 2007 a.k.a. Last Day of School
So... tonight was my first attempt at a large social affair. I thought "Cookout, what a fantastic way to end the school year!"
Well, my efforts floundered.
It turns out that this particular night of June the first was by far the most terrible night to plan
an event. Between summer camps, rehearsal dinners, weddings, recitals, trips to Nicaragua, and attempts to avoid awkward conversation, we had a grand total of seven fabulous people.
The evening (afternoon?) began with my beloved Emily arriving three hours early and assisting me in cleaning up spilled tea all over the kitchen floor. Yes, you know you have a friend when they help you scrub your own floors.
When the burgers were cooked, baked beans ready, and casseroles prepared (Emily's salad made), a crew of an additional three graced us with their presence. Megan and CLinton showed up armed with hotdog buns.... OK, she insisted on bringing something so I texted her to bring "hamburger buns". Now, I specifically remember saying hamburger because I thought just saying "buns" would sound silly and encourage immature humor. (P.S. Megan checked her phone and it DID say Hamburger!) Upon their arrival, Barb (aka mom), decided she would have a rock garden. She also decided that everyone passed our way would create their own addition to the rock garden. Hence, Emily, Megan, and Erin began their masterpieces. Sometime in between, we ate a lovely dinner (Hamburgers with hotdog buns!) and finished the rocks four hours later: Megan with her basketball, Erin with her Bible verse, and Emily with her meadow and a cucumber (because "Emi-loo" and "Barbie" are pals, Emily painted two rocks to sweeten the deal.
Around 9:30, Jessie called to say that the wedding was over, Wiley was fishing, and she was stopping by. About ten minutes later, Dixie announced her arrival, and everyone screamed, "JESSIE!" It was an exciting moment for everybody, especially Barb, who snatched her up immediately to create another rock for the blooming garden. More on that later.
This all sounds very exciting. However, the real excitement began with Hitchcock himself. As Erin and Megan moved their masterpieces onto the porch, I decided to share with them the news of the new edition to our abode: four (I think) small chirping birds in a watering can on the shelf. For days, I've watched the mother and father run in and out and feed their children small worms, slimy grubs, and other things I hope my parents never fed to me. On numerous occasions, my lovely sister has pulled the watering can down from the shelf to peer inside at these tiny creatures. At this moment, I am excited to share with Megan and Erin my new discovery. However, as soon as I pulled down the little watering can, two tiny birds fluttered out recklessly. I screamed, Erin yelled, "No!", and Megan made some disgusted grunt. As we stood there totally stunned, Erin announced in her sweet manor and precious optimism that we needed to save these birds. With one stuck behind the door, another mounted on the screen, and two, very confused, still stuck in the watering can, we were set. My Dad appeared with gloves (always good when dealing with birds), and Erin fearlessly put them on, Megan armed with the watering can and I with my camera.
We spent the next half hour to forty-five minutes in a courageous attempt to save the birds. After coaxing the birds several times in the watering can, and then watching them scurry out, we captured all four at one time. Then we were really confused as to what to do with them. We weighed our options to and fro: "Do we leave them outside?" I said. "No!" Erin protested, "There are predators!" "Well we certainly can't leave them in here," Megan reasoned, "The dogs will eat them." At this time, Jessie and Emily came to see what all the fuss was about. As we were distracted, the birds slyly escaped from their can, and created mayhem about the porch. The chase began again and it was five against four, (although one time we were sure there were many many more.) We succeeded in our endevors and captured all four birds but were once again faced with the familiar dilemma. What do we do now? We all agreed (well, everyone except Birdsaving Erin. But we converted her with a little coaxing) that the birds were now stong enough to fly and face the wild on their own. We felt that we had trained them up and now they were ready to face predators. We opened the porch door to the outside for their ready escape and snuck inside.
Our night has now ended with four Wrenns on my back porch (Still), Erin demanding a full report in the morning, Jessie still working on her rock (we still don't know what it is) and me wondering if I should let my dogs outside...
So... tonight was my first attempt at a large social affair. I thought "Cookout, what a fantastic way to end the school year!"
Well, my efforts floundered.
It turns out that this particular night of June the first was by far the most terrible night to plan
an event. Between summer camps, rehearsal dinners, weddings, recitals, trips to Nicaragua, and attempts to avoid awkward conversation, we had a grand total of seven fabulous people.
The evening (afternoon?) began with my beloved Emily arriving three hours early and assisting me in cleaning up spilled tea all over the kitchen floor. Yes, you know you have a friend when they help you scrub your own floors.
When the burgers were cooked, baked beans ready, and casseroles prepared (Emily's salad made), a crew of an additional three graced us with their presence. Megan and CLinton showed up armed with hotdog buns.... OK, she insisted on bringing something so I texted her to bring "hamburger buns". Now, I specifically remember saying hamburger because I thought just saying "buns" would sound silly and encourage immature humor. (P.S. Megan checked her phone and it DID say Hamburger!) Upon their arrival, Barb (aka mom), decided she would have a rock garden. She also decided that everyone passed our way would create their own addition to the rock garden. Hence, Emily, Megan, and Erin began their masterpieces. Sometime in between, we ate a lovely dinner (Hamburgers with hotdog buns!) and finished the rocks four hours later: Megan with her basketball, Erin with her Bible verse, and Emily with her meadow and a cucumber (because "Emi-loo" and "Barbie" are pals, Emily painted two rocks to sweeten the deal.
Around 9:30, Jessie called to say that the wedding was over, Wiley was fishing, and she was stopping by. About ten minutes later, Dixie announced her arrival, and everyone screamed, "JESSIE!" It was an exciting moment for everybody, especially Barb, who snatched her up immediately to create another rock for the blooming garden. More on that later.
This all sounds very exciting. However, the real excitement began with Hitchcock himself. As Erin and Megan moved their masterpieces onto the porch, I decided to share with them the news of the new edition to our abode: four (I think) small chirping birds in a watering can on the shelf. For days, I've watched the mother and father run in and out and feed their children small worms, slimy grubs, and other things I hope my parents never fed to me. On numerous occasions, my lovely sister has pulled the watering can down from the shelf to peer inside at these tiny creatures. At this moment, I am excited to share with Megan and Erin my new discovery. However, as soon as I pulled down the little watering can, two tiny birds fluttered out recklessly. I screamed, Erin yelled, "No!", and Megan made some disgusted grunt. As we stood there totally stunned, Erin announced in her sweet manor and precious optimism that we needed to save these birds. With one stuck behind the door, another mounted on the screen, and two, very confused, still stuck in the watering can, we were set. My Dad appeared with gloves (always good when dealing with birds), and Erin fearlessly put them on, Megan armed with the watering can and I with my camera.
We spent the next half hour to forty-five minutes in a courageous attempt to save the birds. After coaxing the birds several times in the watering can, and then watching them scurry out, we captured all four at one time. Then we were really confused as to what to do with them. We weighed our options to and fro: "Do we leave them outside?" I said. "No!" Erin protested, "There are predators!" "Well we certainly can't leave them in here," Megan reasoned, "The dogs will eat them." At this time, Jessie and Emily came to see what all the fuss was about. As we were distracted, the birds slyly escaped from their can, and created mayhem about the porch. The chase began again and it was five against four, (although one time we were sure there were many many more.) We succeeded in our endevors and captured all four birds but were once again faced with the familiar dilemma. What do we do now? We all agreed (well, everyone except Birdsaving Erin. But we converted her with a little coaxing) that the birds were now stong enough to fly and face the wild on their own. We felt that we had trained them up and now they were ready to face predators. We opened the porch door to the outside for their ready escape and snuck inside.
Our night has now ended with four Wrenns on my back porch (Still), Erin demanding a full report in the morning, Jessie still working on her rock (we still don't know what it is) and me wondering if I should let my dogs outside...
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