Seriously Awesome Weekend

Yes, I realize the weekend was a few days ago now, but seriuosly, it was Awesome! My college roomie Kristina and her husband Eric made the trek down from Iowa and spent a couple of days with us. We had the most fun! We see them about once a year, and it's like we saw them last week. Totally love it. I did a little figuring while they were here, and as it turns out, I've been friends with Kristina (and as we all met the same day, my Andi) for going on 13 years. How is that possible? We all started college together in the fall of '94. We all lived on the same floor and had some serious bonding. I haven't always been the best friend to them, but they're such good friends, they've been able to love me anyway. Wow! Just wow!

From the moment K&E got here, it was just easy. No awkwardness at all. Just easing back into each other's company, and just like that we were laughing and sharing and having an awesome time together. The boys played Xbox and thanks to Eric's influence, we'll be the proud owners of a 360 in the next week. Kristina and I scrapbook shopped and talked and scrapbooked and gabbed and had the best time. Being around them made me realize how much I miss them. Kris and I aren't super good phone talkers, but no worries, when we're together, you can't shut us up. And I love it! I was so sad when they left. I shed a few tears, and it took me till Monday morning to get out of the funk of missing them. Never have I been so happy for a good 'ole Iowa ice storm. We got to keep them here for a few extra hours. Yay! We're trying to convince them to move down here. We don't think they'd actually do it (all their family is up in IA), but man, would we be happy if they did!

You just don't find friends like Kristina and Eric every day.

Rocket Science?

I think yes! It finally warmed up above 40 yesterday, so we decided we needed to to some topless driving. (insert giggle here)The Jeep has this new Sunrider feature. With it, you can flip the top back and get sun in both the front and back seat, but the cargo area is still covered. It took us hours to get it figured out. Literally hours. With 2 college degrees and a master's among us, you'd think we could figure this kind of stuff out. Apparently, you have to have a Phd in Physics. Yes, we did get the owner's manual out, but I didn't know this was actually called something, so I passed right by the Sunrider section.

Chris decided to go up to the dealership. They told us to just come up the first time we wanted to put the top back & they'd show us how. When Chris called for me directions, I remembered, "It's Sunday!" Being that we live in the land of the Okies, car dealerships are closed on Sundays. Aaaaaaaarrrrggghhh! So home he came, and after another 45 minutes of working on it, he and then we figured it all out. Thankfully, we're staying pretty warm this week, so it's staying back. That just means I have to go out with it in sub-50 degree weather this morning. Brrrrr! At least the heater rocks. And I mean rocks!! There is no other vehicle heating like this.

What with the top back, we couldn't just stay home. Off we went for a late afternoon drive. We headed east and ended up in Coweta. A town that a scant few years ago seemed forever away and is now quickly becoming a 'burb. We didn't actually do anything there, just drove around the town and then headed back. It's someplace close enough to take a quick drive. Having the wind in my haif felt good. Really really good. I love my Jeep!

a perfect morning for Dave

I woke up this morning with some classic Dave Matthews Band running through my head (I Did It). Don't know why, but it was. So I listened to it. And now, here I sit, listening to my fave DMB songs. Their music just makes me feel good. I'm usually so amped up, and their mellow, yet still rockin' sounds are just what I need. I'm not quite his standard demographic (nor he mine), but who cares? The music rocks! Seriously, there's too much Fifty-Cent type music, and not enough DMB type music. Acutally, I know it's out there, it's just not as "cool" and therefore doesn't receive as much play. Let's not get me started about my music-related/MTV is the bane of our society conspiracy theories. Anywho...I'm thinking about trying to convince Chris into going down to Austin for SXSW this year.

So, I've been asked to expand a bit on the last post. I guess a 2 week teaser is enough! I got a Jeep!! Yep, a 4-door Wrangler Unlimited. It is totally my dream vehicle (I keep calling it a car...don't tell those in the inner sanctum of the Jeep circles! I'd get my ouster before even being let in!). Seriously, Chris and I occassionally play the PowerBall, and as such, wonder about what we'd do if we won. Which, in turn, leads us to what kind of car we'd buy. He always sticks with the luxury vehicles, you know, a big honkin' Mercedes or a Lexus SUV (which, btw, shares the same platform as some Toyota SUVs). I always leaned toward the sporty and convertible. But none of them ever seemed quite right. Yes, I *loved* the Miata and would love to drive another (preferably newer) one, but it just felt like maybe there was something else. And then I realized it. Duh! What had I wanted since I was a kid? A Jeep! It's got the best of all worlds, stable and convertible and seriously sporty. But, what if (God forbid) we ever had kids? What a pain that would be. And then last year, they introduced the 4-door, and I knew I had to have one. Chris really wanted me to have a new vehicle, and as that was the cheapest one I'd ever wanted, he was totally open to the idea. So, we visited the dealership a few times and 2 weeks ago Friday he came home early and we came home with a new Jeep. I can't even begin to explain how happy I am. Giddy actually. I tell everyone about it...constantly. Come on by, I'll be happy to give anyone a ride! I finally took some pictures! I know, totally un-Jamie-like to take 2 weeks to take pictures of something, but what can I say? I've been too busy driving it!

I am stupidly giddy!

Why? My husband got me an early Valentine's present. Here's a hint!

Seriously...

Can one company consistently have such bad, horrific customer service? Apparently, yes. Cox is my nemesis. I hate Cox. Those living in non-Cox parts of the country should thank the Lord for their good fortune. Seriously. Cox sucks. I have had to schedule not one but two service calls this week. They're a bunch of morons. I've had my intelligence insulted and some uninformed person tell me I can't do anything with the account because my name is not actually on it. What are you kidding me? How about the 50 bijillion service calls I've scheduled since Sept., not to mention the one I'd scheduled and been here for the day before! All this because the guy who came out on Tuesday said there was nothing wrong with the cable to cause the Blue Screen that we get periodically from the DVR/cable box. I told him we needed a new box. He siad if we had the problem again, call in and they'd give us a new box. So, yesterday the Mitusubishi repair man comes out because our TV has had a minor issue and while he's here the Blue Screen returns. He checks to make sure it's not the TV. It's not. So I call Cox. AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH.

All I want is a box that works. Is that to much too ask? Apparently it is, because the woman who told me I couldn't do anything said that we couldn't just come in and bring the box and exchange it. But she could give me to a technician, oh, and is there anything else you need? Well, since I'm not allowed to do anything, I guess not, but give me to the tech to do something. Oh yeah, and the tech said, sure, bring in the box and exchange it, but let's schedule a call just in case. So Chris went and got a new box and installed it, and we could only get the first 5 of our 50,000 channels, so he had to call them again. Notice he handled it. Oh, they make me so mad. Kind of like Sprint. I don't deal with Sprint anymore. They act like I should be on my knees thanking them for the pleasure of giving them my money. What are you kidding me?

And, if that isn't enough, we have snow again. It started yesterday, continued all day and is still coming down. What is with this winter? I cracked up yesterday. I saw an interview with one of the meteorologists who said this really isn't any more than usual. Our average is 8.5 inches of winter precipitation. Before yesterday, we'd had 13.5 inches. Okay, I'm no math whiz, but when your ave. is 8.5 and you're at 13.5 with more falling, I'd say you're most certainly above average. But then, who am I? I think God thinks this is funny.....it's 100% a cruel joke!