Things got worse...

So things with the driveway got bad. People/me/Terry kept getting stuck and the driveway became impassable. Well, it has been at least 15 years since the drive has seen any new layer of gravel. We got 13 inches of snow before Christmas, a bunch of rain, and it's been freezing and thawing ever since. Something had to be done! So, I bit the bullet and hired my man Terry to reinvent our driveway. (how else can I get him to finish the pool deck?? ;) ) He pulled out the posts (that Chris has been meaning to pull out for years) and moved the drive over about 30 feet and is going to put ditches on both sides, which should solve the washing/draining issues. Terry made all the arrangements to have about 50 tons of gravel delivered to build up my drive. He spent 9 tractor hours (that's how he's payed after all) pushing dirt around enough to have the gravel dumped. Luckily, he likes me enough to only charge me half price. (good to have friends who know how to do stuff I always say) Here's a picture of the progress. When I woke up that morning Terry was just a plowin' away and there were 3 dump trucks just waiting to get at it.

At the end of the day though, it looked just AWFUL! basically like the above picture! Everything was covered with the classic red Carolina mud. Boo hiss! I felt like, OMG "I spent $1,500 for this????" BUT...we got a hard rain that washed all the mud off of the pricey rocks that I had put on the drive and the driveway is actually passable now and looks like something has been done to it. After things dry up a bit we'll get another load or 2 of gravel and then some crush'n'run dumped on top and then we should be set for the next 15 years!(?) Again, it is all looking great in a birth-is-messy sort of way.

Pool Deck and Driveway Issues

Construction on the pool has begun! The deck wraps around the back half of the pool and is going to be 8 ft wide. It looks much bigger, wider, and is pricier than I expected but is exactly what I wanted so...I'm happy! All the space under the deck will be mulched and used for storage of pool equipment. I've hired my friend Terry to build it since I've seen his work and he's such an anal perfectionist. (exactly the type for a job such as this!) It took him and Carlo about 6 working hours to get it framed up and during this time he asked me why I couldn't just have a square pool because he would have been about half way done by now!? Look, he knew what he was getting into! He drew up the plans for cripes sake! I told him just to be quiet and get on with it. LOL. Yup, that's how we roll! Anyway, things are looking great, in a birth-is-messy sort of way.

I seem to be losing my yard, but hey, less to mow right? That pile of stuff in the bottom right is a pile of mulch. We need more....lots more.

I'm in no real rush to get the deck finished because, well, there's still about a 6 inch layer of ice floating around on top of the water and I/we don't plan to become part of any polar bear club any time soon!

So while construction continues in the backyard, major construction needs to happen on my driveway! OMG it's never been this bad!
Piles and ruts of icky, sticky, red Carolina mud!
I don't know who, or how, or how much it will cost (basically the details), but I know it has to be fixed! Ok, here's the problem:

the construction/dug up yard + the mud in my driveway

+ two smallish dogs who like to frolic = serious (red) dirt/mud in my house! ugh!

Just picture eight of these (but much dirtier) jumping onto the couch, bed, anywhere they please....

But my dogs know the drill. I stop them at the door and say, "hold up!" or "hold the phone!" or "back the truck up!". They know my tone and Max just stops and Tater...well, she's working on it. So, if they're outside and I'm not ready for them yet I shut the door in their face and they will give me the what-do-you-mean-I-can't-come-in-right-now? look. They completely understand when I come back to the door with my sleeves pushed up or, worse yet, a towel! ooooo... Yup, they know that if either of those things happen it's feet cleaning time! If the feet situation requires, I snatch them up and plop their little rumps on the side of the sink and they get a feet bath! Max will sit very quietly. I like to think that he is thinking, "I love you, thank you so much for caring for me." but what he is probably thinking is, "Oh man, this is so degrading!"

I sure can't wait until things dry up!

Name Tags

Today I went into work as a shadow....ooooo...creeeepy! So, during my time there I basically just watched the experienced people prepare tax returns. It was great and I learned a lot. (people itemizing and all that) This has been the first job that I've had where time actually flew by! The best part of my work day (yeah, I have a "work day" :) ) was that I got an official NAME TAG! (it's the small things really) This name tag is magnetic! The name tag itself has a metal strip on it and there's a magnetic strip that sticks onto the name tag through your shirt, so much better than the pin type! so cool! AND it has MY name on it stating that I'm a tax preparer! I know!! can you believe it??? how super fab is that? ::giggles::

So, after 'shadowing' I now feel great/confident and really excited about doing it on my own. Did I mention how everyone in the office is really nice? In fact, Sandy (the office Accountant) made chili that tasted like heaven! I'm so happy with my job!!!! I once had a job as a cashier in our local Ingles and I absolutely HATED that job, lasted all of 6 weeks! I was afraid that I would never be happy working out 'there'. Well, as it turns out I will be! yay! I'M SO EXCITED!

New Job

About a year ago, after I graduated from GWU, my aunt Meda suggested that I talk to a woman that she goes to church with who owns a Jackson Hewitt about the tax class that they give every year. So this summer I went in and had a job interview with the office manager, Stacie (a true gem of a lady!) and got some info about starting tax classes. Long story short, I took the class and got the job! Yay! (not everyone who takes the class gets the job.) It kinda felt like back in high school when I went out for a part in a play...I got the part, I got the part!!! Yeah, it was like that. So I had to go out and buy new clothes for my "work wardrobe" because no jeans allowed! I went shopping and was very successful! (that's a rare occurrence) I came home with 3 pairs of slacks (LOL! slacks...haha! sorry that's a word that older people use and now I'm using it. ::giggles:: ), a sweater, and new (high heel platform type) shoes. The shoes were a must because well, I'm short and the pants weren't so I pretty much NEED the platform type shoes. Funny thing is that when I come home and take them off I feel SO short, like I've come down a few stories! Anyway, I've been in training for the past week. The super fabulous thing?....I actually get PAID to learn things! again I say...YAY! Well, today I passed all the state required tests and tomorrow I get to shadow people and Monday....I get to be the one on the other side of the desk (dressed all professional) and looking like I know what I'm doing! Things are going great!

I'm so glad to get out of this house and join society again! It got to the point where I would wake up, take the kids to school, and sit in front of the computer until I finally got around to take a shower. Of course there's always laundry, dishes, yada, yada, yada....you know, all the bitch work (yeah, I said it). BOOO!!! I'd clean the house but to no real end! The kids come home and put their stuff everywhere anyway (not to mention the blanket fort that is always in the living room!) sigh. Needless to say, I'm enjoying this new era in my life!