All's well... for now.

Well, my dad's back from surgery and doing well. Well, as well as can be expected after having surgery. Phoebe snuggled with him all day. She's daddy's little girl! I've posted a pic of her.

On the wedding front, we got the dress squared away. For now anyway. Still need to go and get the alterations. That will have to wait until next week.

I need to get to sleep soon. It's been an exhausting day.

An updated pic of little Phoebe. Isn't she adorable? She's just over 2 lbs. now. Here she's snuggling and playing with her ferret toy.
(c)NKSF

ARGH!!

I'm officially getting nervous about the wedding! But with good reason, you see! I still haven't received all the reply cards (you know who you are!) and I need a final count next week. Yesterday I went to get my dress altered, and the seamstress found a stain on the back of the dress! No kidding! This is supposed to be a BRAND NEW dress shipped from the warehouse -- and there's a goddamn stain on it! Looks like tea or something. That, and there's sequins along the top, and they're falling off. I was livid! This is my SECOND dress from Jessica McClintock! We had to talk to corporate to get anything done -- they overnighted a new dress to the store in 12 Oaks. The lady at corporate talked to me like I was stupid -- are you sure this is your first time wearing it? Um, lady, not even wearing it -- trying it on to get it altered! It's a wedding dress!! Where the fuck would I wear it before my wedding? Then, you could see the boning in my bustier through the dress, so I had to go and get a new one, and when I went to return the one I originally bought to Marshall Fields, they gave me a hard time. 1) I bought it two months ago. However, the back of the receipt says I have 90 days to return something. 90 days motherfucker! Can you count? Feb 24 to April 28 is not 90 days! It's 64! 2) I bought it before they switched over to their new computer systems, so it was having a difficult time finding the receipt and letting the girl return it any other way than a store credit. I paid for it on my mastercard, it's going back on my mastercard! 3) Their employees are just plain dumb. No offense, Carrie, I know you used to work there. But seriously, you're too smart.

Then, I called the florist, because they were supposed to send me a wedding packet for ordering flowers, and I never received anything. They messed up the zip code. ugh. However, the lady I talked to there was very nice and helpful and we got an order. Finally. Something accomplished.

On the homefront, Penny J. Weasel is insane! (ummm, d'uh!) We were hoping to get her a new friend this weekend -- I saw a couple young ferrets up for adoption, but I was too slow on the take, and they've both found new homes. Penny really needs a new ferret friend. I hope she can wait until July when we get her a new buddy from the breeder! It's just really difficult to chase her through tunnels, you know?

Well, I have to get going.. Dad's having hernia surgery today. His brother drove him to the hospital -- he had to be there at 6:00 in the morning! He should actually be in surgery right now. Now I'm off to go and pick mom up so we can take him home.

God, I feel old!

Ok, I've procrastinated putting these pictures up, but finally, they're posted! Alexei turned 21 on Friday, April 15 (yup, tax day). So, we all got together at JB's in Belleville (the bar Joel DJ's at), and celebrated. Then, on Sunday, we got together for a BBQ at Joel's. Had a lot of fun. Enjoy the pics!

Alexei turning pink opening his gag gift (yes, we're evil, we know).
(c)NKSF

Alexei with his REAL gift: The best of LIfe photographers. An awesome book!
(c)NKSF

DJ Joel getting down.
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Playing pool.
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Carolyn striking a pose.
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Nancy and AJ both came to the party (AJ all the way from West Virginia!)
(c)NKSF

The girls goofing off.
(c)NKSF

Alexei at the end of the night on Friday with his drink totals.
(c)NKSF

Yes, that is one enflamed Ritz bear.
(c)NKSF

Alexei taking a dive into Belleville Lake.
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The group of us at the picnic table eating pizza (this was before I started the diet!)
(c)NKSF

Joel roasting a marshmallow 'round the bonfire.
(c)NKSF

Less than a month!!

Well, it's official! Rob and I are getting married in less than a month! Whee!! And I feel like I still have nothing planned! Oy! I still have to go and get my dress altered. My mind is spinning!

Can you believe this insane weather? It's snowing! SNOWING! And it's the end of April! I hope mother nature gets this shitty weather out of her system so that we have beautiful warm sunny weather for the wedding.

Well, I'm going to eat dinner now. TTFN.

FLOP!

So, it's what, day four, and I've failed. Yup, lost willpower. If I see another piece of meat, I think I'll puke. So, I'm quitting phase one of the South Beach diet a week and half early and I'm moving into stage two early. So, only good carbs: no white bread, pasta, etc. But I can't wait to sink my teeth into an apple!! Yum!

Got balls?
(c)NKSF

Day two... will I survive?

So, I'm on my second day of stage one of the South Beach Diet. My body is going through a complete sugar withdrawal and I'm crabby as all hell. Rob says I should be better by tomorrow -- something about my body finally accepting, blah, blah, blah. All I know is that I really want a giant glass of orange juice! I've been really good though. No matter how bad I want to cheat -- I haven't. And trust me, sugar free jell-o, just doesn't cut it. Ugh. I can't wait for the next two weeks to be over. Then I can start eating some normal foods again -- like blueberries and apples and oranges and....

The weekend's not even over yet

and I'm already exhausted! I've haven't really in-depth posted lately... been really down with the loss of Ryker. Anywho, here's the scoop on the last week or so:

Last Saturday was the bird show. We sold ALL the lovebirds that we took with us! Oh joy! Oh happy day! We actually only sold about half; the other half we traded for two baby ringneck parrots (one lutino, one blue). In fact, the lutino one just fluttered over, he's hungry. The bird show is always exhausting, and last Saturday was no exception. I've been so tired. Rob too. We think we have a small case of the flu, actually: tired, achey, low-grade fever. Not sick enough to stay home. Just sick enough to feel run over. A little sick to the stomach too, but I just thought that was because I started eating meat again. Yup, I've given in the South Beach diet. Rob and I officially start Monday.

Last night was Alexei's 21st birthday. We all went up to JB's in Belleville, the bar that Joel DJs at. Had a good night. I played some pool -- and sucked at it. Nancy and AJ even came up for the party (and AJ's coming from W. Va.) Today Rob and I slept in, fed baby birds, then headed over to the Matthai Botanical Gardens for the orchid show. Tomorrow I'm going again for the photographer's hour before work. A local grower is going to bring some white phaleonopsis plants tomorrow that should be in bloom around the time of the wedding. This way I'll have stem for the bouquet and some for my hair. :-)

Well, going to feed baby birds again and go to bed. I'm half asleep now as it is.

Oh, this is too funny. A real talking Jesus doll. Kid you not. Here's the picture, folks! Don't believe me? The CNN article for it is at: http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/12/news/midcaps/jesus_dolls/index.htm and the website where you can purchase your very own talking Jesus doll is: http://www.one2believe.com/. I couldn't make this up if I tried!
(c)NKSF

Ryker passed away last night. He was suffering from lymphosarcoma (cancer on the lymph glands). He had a very large tumor on his belly and it had spread throughout his body. He was the sweetest, most wonderful ferret ever. He loved to run through tunnels, get ear scritches, and play with his string and bell toy. I miss him soooooo much. I'll never forget you Ryker. I love you.
(c)NKSF

ACK!

So, I've been trying to be productive and go through my closet and weed out what doesn't fit and what I won't wear anymore (regardless of whether it fits). And I've come to a sad realization: half my closet doesn't fit anymore!!! I keep gaining weight. Ugh. So, after the bird show, (Satuday, April 9th, at the Warren Community Center -- Come, buy lovebirds!! Lots and lots of beautiful lovebirds!!!) Rob and I will be starting the South Beach diet. All the weight has gone to my stomach (and up until I had gall bladder surgery in 2001, I had a lovely flat tummy!) and I can't stand it! Well, South Beach being a low carb diet (not like Atkins, which is no carb) and meant to be a smart way of eating for life kind-of-diet, I have chosen to go back to eating meat, at least through stages one and two of the diet. So, today as I write this, I am eating some turkey with cheese and triscuits to get my body used to eating meat again. Then next week Rob and I will be purging the apartment of all the foods we'll no longer be able to eat, so if anyone wants cereal, crackers, chocolate, let me know.

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