I honestly don't even know what day it is. I don't know how many days we have been "staying home".  Our life has been off track since March 3, 2020. That stinking tornado. 

I knew the rain was coming. On my way home from work, the radio DJ mentioned the yucky weather we were going to get. Apparently some nasty cells would be moving through middle Tennessee between 1-4am. 

I listened. Well, half-listened. I was thinking about other things... I was tired. It had been a long day. I was hungry. 

Ok, I probably will not rock cowboy boots. 

We are moving to Nashville, Tennessee! I can't quite believe it. Stu and I have been trying to move our family out of Florida for 13 years. And it is finally happening. 

As our wedding approached in 2006, we went to Nashville for job interviews (Stu even had an official offer from a police department) and shopped for houses with a realtor. Then some conversations happened, decisions were made, and we stayed in Florida. Since then, we have randomly attempted to find jobs in various other states... I think at least 10 states have our resumes. The doors never opened. 

So we stayed. 

And dreamt of four seasons. 

Obviously, these are not complete lists. They are my snarky thoughts as I am feeling them at the moment. I am coming out of my hurricane hole. Irma put me in a funk. This felt like the longest storm - and I was around for all the 2004-05 hurricanes and went without power for weeks! Irma drained me mentally, emotionally. She stressed me out.  

We moved into our new house about 2 weeks ago. Immediately after closing and getting the keys, we called to get all the usual utilities set up. This included a call to the cable and internet company. 

They told us for new construction, that had to come out and hook some things up. Ok. No worries.

They told us, because of the volume of new construction around us, it was going to be 2 weeks before they could get to us. Huh? Two weeks without internet? How are we supposed to live? 

Riley was crushed when I told him. It took the fun right out of the new house purchase (for him). And I think he probably contemplated asking if he could remain at Grammie's house for a few more weeks. 

Well, I am SO HAPPY to tell you that our time is up. We are back in the land of the living. Our zero-bars lifestyle is done! We survived! 

Truthfully, it was more of a major inconvenience than anything else. It seems our whole world requires a strong wifi signal. And our black days have probably cost us, I'm sure my cell phone data usage is outrageous. (Sorry hun... just remember you love me and the kids.) 

Huge news from our family... We bought a house!

What is good? What is evil? They are a lot like beauty - in the eye of the beholder. In the real world, it's important to look beyond the surface to find the good and bad apples. 

There are plenty of people who look shiny, perfect, blessed and happy, but when you open them up, some are the most rotten apples. These apples will tell you all sorts of wonderful and kind things to your face. But their behavior will not match their words. They will behave one way in front of some people and do a 180 when around a different group. In front of some, they will have nothing but kind words for you, honey flowing from their lips, praise and love for all to see; privately they will hardly open their door to receive you. 

Then there are the apples that fell off the tree long ago. They are bruised; they've been kicked around. They do not sparkle. These apples are rough and tough. They are harder to cut open. Because these apples won't kiss your butt or shower you with constant flattery, some people won't even bother to pick them up. These apples are quieter than the first group. They often appear rude because they sit silently and observe. 

People are quick to judge. And the first apple is often dubbed the good one. 

I have a connection to the latter group. Give me fallen apples any day. I, myself, definitely fall into that group. I do not show my core easily. You have to earn that. Shiny apples refer to us as cynical or mean. I disagree. I am not cynical, I just might not like you. I choose to be real. My life is not perfect, but I do not feel the need to project a perfect image. I know plenty of cynical shiny apples... shiny apples sometimes make their Facebook posts pessimistic as a way to have others compliment them, shower them with affection, buff them (to extend the analogy). 

So, what to do? 

Books teach us that the true character of a person reveals itself through actions. Character is what a person is like when he/she does not think anyone is watching. No one is perfect. I have yet to meet a single perfect, sinless apple. 

I tell my kids to watch and listen - pick apples who do kind things (without seeking recognition for it), pick apples who are honest, do NOT pick apples based solely on what they project to the world. And most important, it is ok to put an apple down and walk away if you feel you made a bad choice. 

Do you ever feel like life is getting away from you? 

Like you're trying to hold on, pay attention to the small things, accomplish all you can in each day... yet, they seem to be blowing by? 

​I do. 

I'm not unhappy. Quite the opposite. Things are wonderful in the Stu household (knock on wood). It just seems like some aspects of my life are moving at a snail's pace (like the afternoons when R & R decide they can't stand each other) and other parts are whizzing by me (I feel like it was just Christmas, but we are well into March). 

Ugh. 

When was the last time I wrote a post for this site? One of my New Year's Resolutions was to write (and post) twice a week, at minimum. Broke that already. Although, did I really break it if I was busy on another site? I mean, technically I have been writing... 

I've also been teaching... you know, that whole homeschool thing. 
I've also been editing... something I love that makes Stu happy.

But, that's about it. I think those things sums up my life.