It is a White Christmas

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas. It is snowing! It was snowing when we woke this morning and a few hours later, it is still snowing. Everything is white and gorgeous.

We have been partying for weeks. Work parties, family parties, having people here, and going to friends' houses. Now, the un-fun begins......packing away all the Christmas decorations. I think I will leave the decorations up another week just to enjoy the lights.

Tide Guy is off work for a week and plans to get the drop ceiling started or maybe completed in the basement industrial side. He got a big tool box/organizer for Christmas, a Lowe's gift card, and has bought some supplies to complete the project. Once that project is done, we'll start on the floor, then we should be able to get the organization going.

Gas prices are now back up to $2.89/gallon. Ugh.

So, on with the day of fun, eating, visiting, and playing!!

Merry Christmas!
Tide Gal

Not Much to Say.....

I haven't posted anything in a while. There really hasn't been too much to say. My Bama team ended the regular season 9-3. Not bad, but the 3 losses were games we should/could have won. Now, Bama is headed to Orlando to the Capital One bowl. As of right now, we are not planning to go. We may change our minds later.

Gas prices soared to $2.89 for a while, but gratefully have dropped back down to $2.79 or so.

Tide Guy's program at work is barely hanging on. Job hunting is not fun at this time. There is a chance his program will hang on and start back soon. There are several factors and statements that seem positive and the new congress could help.

Christmas is just around the corner. So close I can almost see it. I need to finish shopping and I hope to complete my list today.

I just had a friend visit this week. We were friends in Okinawa and I have not seen her since June of 2004. She and her husband were visiting family close by. They have recently moved and are now about 7 hours by car from me. I see a road trip in my future.

News on China adoptions? Well, we completed our home study. We also had our fingerprints done. When we received our appointments for the fingerprints, Tide Guys was at 3 pm one day and mine was 8 am the next morning. Really? Seriously? Of course, there is no phone number to see if it was possible that I could have mine done at the same time. So, I went with him with hopes they would slide me in during his appointment and not have to make the 3 hour round trip the next morning. Luckily, they did. We received notice that our fingerprints have been accepted and we are now good for another 18 months.

So what have we been doing? Here is a short list: Carrie Underwood concert, tailgating in Tuscaloosa, all Bama home games, Bama games in Columbia, SC, and Knoxville, TN, Styx concert, local basketball games, Heart concert, met Verne Lundquist in SC, started some work on the basement, etc.

Merry Christmas!
Tide Gal

Where There is Smoke.....

The big news here in Alabama is the possible cheating, stealing, and lying of Auburn's football quarterback, Cam Newton. He was at the University of Florida as a back up to Tim Tebow. He left after one year stating he wanted to play rather than sit out as Tebow completed his senior year. Turns out, he may have left due to stealing then buying research papers. After one year at a junior college, he is now accused of "pay for play" at Mississippi State. The University of Auburn, Cam Newton, and Cam's family denies the "pay for play" and is upset that any academic information from Florida has become national news, violating privacy laws. Of course, there are the dropped felony charges in Florida for buying a stolen computer out of a man's trunk.

Lots of news, allegations, rumors, and stories are flying on news sites, facebook, e-mails, and television. This will be interesting when the dust settles.

As Always,
Roll Tide
Tide Gal

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Since my last post, the temperature has dropped. The past few mornings have hovered between 35-40 degrees. I hate cold weather.

I noticed my last post was titled "Defeated" in reference to UA football. Since then we had won all games with all analysts saying Bama controlled their own destiny. Meaning, if Bama won all games they still had a good chance to go to the National Championship game. However, Saturday we played LSU and they beat us. Our hopes are dashed. I think Tide Guy and I will probably fore go any bowl game this year and take a last minute cruise if we can get a good deal.

Our paperwork from our agency should be on its way to USCIS today and we should receive fingerprint appointments soon.

Yesterday was our niece's 4th birthday party. The kids played on swing sets, the trampoline, riding toys, sidewalk chalk, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, darts, and several yard games. Kids were everywhere and they all had a blast. It was complete chaos with the present opening. Lets just say I think most of the kids had a hand in ripping paper or pulling ribbons! But, seeing the kids with icing all over their faces was priceless.

Tide Guy has interviewed and applied for other jobs. His program is in severe jeopardy, most of which is due to the current administration. Election day was last week and the Republican party was hugely successful in replacing many national, state, and local seats. In fact, all Democratic incumbents with opposition lost in our county.

Gas prices are on the rise and are about $2.69 per gallon.

That is all for now.
Tide Gal

Defeated

Tide Guy & I traveled with the Tide to Columbia, SC. They beat us. All the experts predicted Bama would win, but would have to struggle. They were half right and half wrong. We lost, but did struggle. Bama played horribly and South Carolina capitalized on all of our mistakes. This was our first regular season loss since 2007. The South Carolina fans are not good winners. Well, actually, the adult fans are not good winners. The students were whooping and hollering like they should. The adults (age above 35) yelled and screamed obscenities at the Bama fans. No class....at least from the adults. Disappointing.

On an up note, we met Verne Lund*quist (CBS college football commentator) at our hotel. We talked to him three different days. He was the nicest guy and talked to us for a long time each day.

Via UPS, we mailed in all of our paperwork except for the completed home study on Thursday, October 7th, 2010. Of course, our deadline was October 10, which was a Sunday and Monday (the next day) is a holiday. We barely made it.....again. Our home home study still isn't complete, but we included a letter stating it would be in the mail soon. Maybe in 18 months, we will not wait til the last minute again. Maybe in 18 months, we will be very close to referral?? I doubt it.

Fall is here. At least on the calendar. We still have temperatures in the high 90s. The mums are blooming and will probably be dried up and dead by the end of the month.

Lots to do today. I am still unpacking from South Carolina. I dropped Tide Guy off at the airport on the way home from SC, but am picking him up at another airport Wednesday. We are going to see Carrie Underwood and spending the night in Nashville. We will be home Thursday, but will leave again Friday for a weekend in Tuscaloosa for Bama's homecoming game.

More later,
Tide Gal

Referrals Slow Down, AGAIN

Bama beat Arkansas. Barely, but we won. It was a great come from behind win, but it was scary.

In the last post, I mentioned that China was slowing down the number of referrals. It appears that is a correct statement as it seems only 3 days were referred this batch. That number should be confirmed within a day or two. A huge difference from the 2 weeks referral a few months ago. Ugh. If the two weeks trend continued, more babies would be brought home, the "line" would move faster, and we would travel to China much quicker. A 3 day referral slows us down tremendously.

The weather is cooling down and fall weather seems to be right around the corner. It is time to find mums and pumpkins.

Roll Tide,
Tide Gal

The Boys of Fall and Paperwork

Well, it is a rainy day here in Alabama. I'm glad that Bama plays Arkansas away today, so we don't have to travel to Tuscaloosa or sit for the game in the rain. There is a lot of hoopla surrounding this game because of Arkansas's quarterback. I think he is good, but "the experts" are saying Bama will still beat Arkansas. Of course, I think they are right.

In the adoption world, after a few months of positive referrals, China is back to it's old tricks. Right now, we are all waiting and there is no word this month. Some have speculated they are close to their quota this year, so they have to back off. Who knows.

We are through with our home study and our agency has all of our paperwork. Right now we are just waiting on clearances, then we can do our fingerprinting and submit the rest of our paperwork. We have to submit copies of various things like marriage license, driver's license, and birth certificates. Eighteen months ago I made several copies of everything so all we had to do was organize them. Of course we've moved since then and things have been misplaced. Yesterday, I finally found the copies and I just need to double check the list.

Here we go!!!

We have officially started our home study process. Yesterday, the social worker came to update our paperwork. Since this was our third visit, she completed her questions in a matter of a few minutes. Then, she walked through our new house. Done. Easy peezy. We did ask some questions about domestic adoption which we will probably consider and do quickly. Once she writes her update, this portion of the home study will be complete. It will then be mailed to USCIS with other paperwork and we should receive our fingerprint appointments soon.

It seems like China had a few good months as far as the number of referrals. But, we should have heard something this month and there are no rumors floating around. So, they may be slowing down again. Speculation is China is close to the quota of referrals and they are slowing down so they don't refer too many. We may never know.

In football, Alabama is now 3-0, but we play our first SEC game against Arkansas on Saturday. Since it is an away game, we will stay home and watch it in our media room.

September 11 and Football

Tomorrow is September 11. A preacher in Florida has stated he will burn a copy of the Koran tomorrow in protest of the Mosque being built at Ground Zero. This statement has fueled a massive debate from Muslims across the world. There have been threats for massive destruction in our country if this happens. The FBI has stated they have are concerned with the safety of our citizens. The President has gotten involved by stating the book should not be burned. What a mess.

We went to the first Bama game of the season last weekend. We played San Jose State and easily won. We have a big game tomorrow against Penn State. Everyone, including the media, is very excited about this game. We have ESPN game day in Tuscaloosa.....AGAIN!!

Well, we are almost at our 3 year LID anniversary and it is time to renew our paperwork again. Our agency sent us the paperwork a while back and I filled out some papers and had them in the mail on Tuesday. Our medical was done this week and Mike will have to fill out the financial form this weekend and we will get them in the mail by Monday. Our home study is scheduled for September 20. I really would like to have it earlier, but with Tide Guy working out of town so much, that is the earliest we can get an appointment. Oh, well. I really want to avoid the stress of waiting till the last minute. And the problems we had the last time. That was not fun.

BP has stayed out of the news for a while. It seems the leak has stopped and clean up continues on the beaches and marshes.

Gas is down to around $2.43.

On with the football weekend!!

Tide Gal

Playing Catch Up...Again

So much is happening that I cannot keep this blog updated. And, to make matters worse, my computer crashed and my Internet explorer has disappeared. It has been more than a month. So far, Tide Guy hasn't had time to fix it.

We had a blast in New York City. We saw Jersey Boys, which was wonderful. The musical is based on Frankie Valli & The Four Season's career. Ah, the music was fabulous and the show was spectacular. Afterwards, we were able to get tickets at TKTS for Momma Mia and saw that two hours later. It was great, too. All the great 70s Abba music was just wonderful.

We also walked through Chinatown and Italy. We ate some wonderful hand-pulled noodles in Chinatown and some tasty gelato in Little Italy. Yum.

We've also spent a long weekend at the Marriott's Starr Pass in Tucson, AZ which is always relaxing.

We filed a complaint with the company that sold us our deck materials. The deck has faded, shrunk, boards have broken, all boards are wavy, and it looks terrible and is potentially dangerous. All in less than a year. After several e-mails, we were refunded the full cost of the materials. Now, we have to decide on a new decking material, pull up the defective boards, and install something else. Our hot tub is also on this material, so that should be fun.

Our 3 1/2 year old niece started preschool yesterday. No one knows if she likes it because she just won't talk about it. She is hilarious.....and very stubborn. But, she is so cute and lovely, we all easily forgive her for that.

This summer has been one of the hottest in history. It has been in the upper 90s and low 100s for several weeks. The gardens have suffered and farmers are hoping for rain.

Football starts in a few weeks and we are looking forward to the season. The season should be a good one for Alabama again this year. We have rooms reserved in Atlanta for the SEC Championship game and in Phoenix for the National Championship game. Hopefully, we will be at both.

In national news, BP's attempt to stop the oil leak seems to be working. They pumped mud and concrete into the pipe to permanently stop the leak. Now, the attempt to redirect the intake of oil is on. They are drilling two pipes beside the original pipe. Now, they are trying to get the oil off the beaches that has settled into the sand. Tests are also being done on seafood in the ocean to determine if it is safe to eat.

Gas prices seem to be going up and down a lot. Anywhere from $2.56-$2.69 a gallon.

A group of Muslims have requested to build a mosque beside the site of Ground Zero in New York City. The president has attempted to support this request, but, due to the backlash, he has tried to "correct" his statement. Now, he says that he only supports their right to build a mosque, not that he supports the actual building of a mosque. Most Americans think this is a slap in the face from Muslims. Many Democrats are now avoiding the issue or not supporting it. I guess it is a good thing this is an election year.

More later,
Tide Gal

The Oil Well is Plugged!

BP's latest effort to stop the gushing oil has worked. The cap was able to contain the pressure and as of now the attempt is considered a success. BP will now continue drilling two relief wells to pump oil.

Now, the oil in the water, on the shores, and in the marshlands will have to be cleaned. Unfortunately, a lot of financial damage has been done and many business people have lost so much they may never recover. It is heartbreaking to see them on TV talk about their personal losses.

This is good news for right now! Hopefully, BP will now help those who have been affected by this disaster.

Have a good

Tide Gal

Basic News!!

We bought two coffee tables!! Yahoo! We found a coffee table, but luckily decided to measure before purchasing. The table is big, but so is our family room. However, with the layout of the furniture, the table would not fit.

We also had my piano moved to our house Saturday. It also got it's first tuning in over 30 years!

It looks like the people in charge of the Chinese adoptions have stepped up! This month rumors show a possible referral time of 2 weeks. That would be awesome. If this turned into a trend, it would be even better.

Gas prices are down to about $2.49 a gallon.

BP installed some type of cap over the past few days. The "cap" does not have a "lid" right now. Soon, possibly starting today, they will attempt to close off the leak. They need to make sure when the lid is installed, it can hold the pressure. BP is estimating they have spent over a billion dollars on this disaster. Many business owners on the Gulf Coast are becoming very upset due to loss of income and the delays in filing complaints with BP. They can't pay basic bills. Utilities are being cut off. Fishermen need to sell their boats to pay bills. A vicious cycle. Once the boat is sold, they won't be able to continue with their trade after the clean up.

Spain won the World Cup on soccer on Sunday. While watching the game in a large viewing area in Africa, some bombs went off killing a few people and harming many others. Ridiculous. Islamic radicals are claiming responsibility for the killings.

In big national news, the President's approval rating is dropping.

We leave for New York City in a few days. We are going to see Jersey Boys! I wanted to go to the crown of the Statue of Liberty, but we didn't order tickets in time.

Have a good day!
Tide Gal

Summer Is On & Happy 4th of July

We have been so busy the last month. However, we did not get the flag up by Memorial Day. The pole was cracked! There was a page in a clear envelope stuck to a box that said we were supposed to report any damages to the UPS guy before he left. Uh.....who reads things attached to a box before the UPS guy leaves. We thought we would have problems, so we cancelled the charge on our credit card and contacted the flag company. They eventually replaced the pole, but we had to pay for shipping. The pole is now up and Tide Guy installed an up light that comes on at dusk and goes off at dawn. The flower bed around the pole is also complete and we put black mulch in the bed. It looks really amazing.

The oil spill is still a major disaster with no end in sight. BP thinks they may be able to stop the leak next month. The oil has been rushing into the ocean for well over 60 days. And, we have another possible 120 days to go. It is so sad how this spill has affected the people on the beaches and shores of Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama. The fisherman have lost their income. Restaurants on the coast have lost a lot of business. Hotels and condos are at about 40-50% occupancy in this prime time rental season. Stores, businesses, and shops on the coast are suffering from lack of business. And, the environmental effects are horrible. Oil and tar are washing up on the beaches and getting into the marshes. It is beyond horrible. And, we have at least over 30 days to go with the leak. I went to the beach a few weeks ago with my niece and family. Luckily, we got to play on the beach the day we arrived. The following days....well, the oil and tar covered the shoreline.

In national news, gas prices are surprisingly wavering at $2.55. Amazing for the summer.

Bama football will begin in about 7 weeks and there is some thought that we could win another championship this year. We already have room reservations in Phoenix just in case!

We are going to look for some end tables and a coffee table today. Since it is the 4th of July weekend, we hope to find a great sale!

Happy 4th!
Tide Gal

Flag Pole, AI, & Oil Spills

We received our 20 foot flag pole & flag. The pole was delivered by UPS in an 18 wheeler truck. It was too long to fit into the regular "brown truck". After Tide Guy got home from work yesterday, he dug the hole, inserted the tube for the pole, and set the concrete. Now, we have to insert the pole and set it with sand. We will have to install the light and can then raise the flag. I hope weather permits us to have it all ready by Monday, which is Memorial Day.

Wednesday was the end of an era. American Idol said good bye to Simon Cowell. The show has undergone many changes in it's years on TV, but Simon is the one thing that never changed. He was honest, direct, and sometimes very critical. In addition, he was also hilarious and dead on most of the time. He was the only judge that America could count on to tell the contestants the brutal truth. Sometimes he seemed to be the only judge that knew what he was doing and demanded the best from the contestants. Now, AI has to replace him. If they choose the wrong judge, the show will fail.

This morning, BP thinks they have slowed the oil spill by pumping heavy mud into the spill. More details will come throughout the day. So far, the damages have been horrible. And the potential for more disaster is staggering. After more than a month, the President just decided he should now visit the areas affected by the spill. Yeah....thanks.......

This month marks Tide Guy's 2 year retirement anniversary and our 30th month wait for China. 30 months and truly, no end in sight.......

Tide Gal

Landscaping

We finally finished the landscaping in the largest bed and it looks great! It took a while because we had a lot of rocks in the bed. Big red rocks. And clay. And gravel. The ground was very hard and took a while to dig some of the holes. We used red lava rock in the bed. We were first going to use mulch, but was concerned it might wash away after rain. It is now complete and we love it.

We are looking for someone to do some edging around the smaller bed on the north side of the porch. After we get that installed, we can complete that bed. It won't take long, but finding someone to put in the edging is proving to be hard. One guy had a minimum of 100 feet and we only need about 30-35 feet. We have someone else to check with today.

We received the flag, flag pole, and parts for the bed at the end of the drive. The pole is 20 feet and really looks massive lying at the end of the drive. We would love to have it up by Monday, which is Memorial Day. Once the pole is up, we can easily complete that bed.

I saw three hummingbirds yesterday, but they were not close to our feeder! I need to get more out to attract them.

In national news, oil is still spewing into the Gulf. It has been well over a month and a few attempts to stop the spill have failed. There will be a new attempt today. It looks as if Louisiana's fishing industry is severely affected. The oil slick is spreading to the Florida panhandle and may go down around the Keys & up the east coast. And, now hurricane season is just around the corner. A hurricane will "mix up" and disperse all the oil that is sitting underwater. A hurricane will also stop attempts to stop the attempts to control the leak. It could cause much more problems. Right now, the slick doesn't appear to be on the Alabama beaches.

In the adoption process, something interesting is happening. There was a couple who was approved a few years ago to adopt from China. Since that time, they have divorced. The lady notified her agency and provided an update and request to continue the adoption. Other than being single, she still meet all the medical, financial, and other requirements. Since their original approval, China has stopped single person adoptions. After receiving her request to continue with the adoption as a single parent, China approved her request since the original approval was before the more strict guidelines. Fast forward almost two years, she is a few months from receiving her referral. China has now decided she cannot adopt since she is single. Basically, she is appealing this decision through her agency. But China owes no one an explanation, is "self governed", and the US has no say-so in their decisions. If this decision holds, China may go back and review applicants as they get closer to their referral time. Not long ago, China became more strict with their qualifications: better financial status, better medical reviews (especially weight issues), etc. With the number of people "in line" for Chinese adoptions, China can now pick families that are more healthy, reliable, and more financial. If China re-reviews each case, many families will no longer qualify for adoption. The economy has caused some families to lose jobs, have lower incomes, move into smaller homes, etc. Also, some couples are now divorced and some spouses have died. In reality, many things could happen to eliminate a family. This has caused quite a stir in the Chinese adoption world since many families have waited patiently for 3-4 years and are concerned they will be denied close to referral time. This is a lot of time to NOT KNOW what is going to happen. Plus, all the money already spent, with more that will be needed.

So, what does this mean for us? Well, we don't know. If China does decide not to "grandfather in" those couples that no longer meet their qualifications, our wait should decrease. But, there is no way to know how many people "in line" no longer qualify. I feel there are many, but that is just a guess. And, there is no way to know how much it will decrease our wait.

If China does disqualify people, we will know. More people will provide information if they are no longer qualified and we will probably be notified by our agency.

Bad news for others....but good news for us.

Tide Gal

Spring has Sprung

We cut our new sod for the first time yesterday. The sod has roots and had no problems after our zero-turn mower ran over it. It looks a lot better and maintained.

Today, we are going to start (and hopefully finish) the landscaping in the front yard. Yesterday, I ran 3 rows of the landscaping fabric but the heat ran me back inside. The wind also made it a bit difficult for one person to get it down. Today it will be a lot cooler, so we can work longer.

Last weekend, we went to Nashville to see Jimmy Buffett. Luckily, it was inside at the Bridgestone Arena. It was supposed to rain, so we went prepared for water. Unfortunately, it did rain. And storm. And rain A LOT more. In fact, Nashville and the surrounding areas flooded. Interstates were closed Saturday night and Sunday night. We barely made it there, then left early enough on Sunday to get out of Nashville. The Opryland Hotel is flooded and it isn't known when it will open again. It could be a year. The Grand Ole Opry is flooded, but the show has been moved to another location. Opry Mills Outlet Mall flooded and two Piranha from the aquarium are swimming around. Many country music stars have lost all or most of their sound equipment. There was a place where the stars stored their equipment and this place flooded. The Tennessee Titans stadium flooded and water got up to the level of the lower seats. There is a lot of damage to homes, roads, bridges, and buildings.

There has been a oil explosion off the Louisiana coast and the engineers could not get the oil to stop entering the ocean. The spill hasn't hit the shore yet. Yesterday, they attempted to cap it and so far it has been successful. Of course, we are supposed to go to the beach next week, so we hope the oil doesn't postpone our trip.

Time to go outside....more updates later.....

Tide Gal

Quick Update

An update from the previous post....The sod guy never called back to request more money. I hope he realized what he requested was a bit ridiculous.

We spread over 9,000 pounds of top soil in our front flower bed. Now, we need to put down the landscape fabric, put in some plants, and add the mulch. I think we have agreed on black mulch. It will go well with our house and the black accents. We can't put the fabric down right now because Tide Guy has to run an electrical wire through a pipe in the ground under the sidewalk so we can install our outdoor lamp. We did buy a few plants, but they are sitting in their pots in the flower bed.

We went to Nashville the other night to see Bon Jovi in concert. It was great!! I love that old 80s big hair band music.

We finally got rain last night, so the pollen covering our world should be gone. Everything had a yellow tint. It was awful.

On with spring!

Tide Gal

Sod is down

Well, the sod is down and I think it looks fine. We struggled for a while, but finally got the sprinkler system to work. Now the big problem is making sure we get enough water on the sod.

We had an agreement with the owner that we would provide the top soil and deduct the cost from the total he quoted us. After they were done and loading their truck, Mike took the invoice for the top soil to show the owner's son the amount we paid. He didn't look at it and basically said "whatever you agreed on".

We went to eat and during dinner the owner called. He claims we shorted him. He said the top soil guy quoted him a price that was almost half of what we paid. Tide Guy told him he would just have to talk with the top soil guy and get back with him. The difference is $180. These guys are a bunch of yahoos. No one can get a truck load of top soil for $90. In two days I waited 3 3/4 hours for them to arrive, and they had 4 blow outs on their trucks and equipment and they are claiming we are not honest? Seriously. The workers didn't even have water, so I gave each of them 2 bottles of water through out the day. Even the owner's son! And grandson!

In world news, a volcano in Iceland is erupting. Ash and smoke are thick in the surrounding areas. This has caused thousands of flights in, to, and around Europe to be cancelled. Right now, no one knows when flights will resume. It will probably be several days.

On with the weekend.....
Tide Gal

Sod is here

Well, the sod layers got here 45 minutes late. Much better than on Tuesday when they were 1 1/2 hours late. But, the truck with the sod had a "blow out". I've decided that "blow out" is a code word for these guys, but I don't know what it means. The sod truck got here about 1 1/2 hours late. Just after they finished preparing the ground for the sod.

So far, it looks good and they are doing a good job laying the sod.

More later...................

Sod....

OK. We are supposed to get sod today at 9am. Of course, they will first have to finish spreading the top soil and use the machine to pick up the rocks. The "boss man" doesn't seem to listen to me when I tell him what we want or expect. I guess I may need to be more aggressive. We need top soil in a few places that he doesn't think needs it. Tide Guy told his dad (the owner who isn't on site now) and I've told the son ("Boss Man") we would rather have too much top soil than not enough. I hope the finished job is what we are expecting, but I am beginning to have many doubts.

The tub is now FINISHED!! What a long task that should have been finished long ago.

The past few days, I was able to hang many pictures, prints, and paintings, so it the house is really starting to look more complete and less bare.

We still need to find an end table and coffee table for the family room. I have looked a lot, but am having a hard time finding pieces that are not too big.

Well, I need to prepare for the sod guys. Good luck to me!
Tide Gal

I'm back

I just realized I went without posting one time in March!! Bad Blogger.

It is now spring time and we are completely covered in yellow pollen to prove it.

We have some of our top soil spread in our front yard. The soil was delivered yesterday and the sod guys who were to spread the soil blew two tires on the trailer getting here yesterday. When they finally got here 3 or so hours late, they worked for about 2 hours and blew a tire on the bobcat. So, only part of the soil has been spread. They were supposed to bring the sod tomorrow, but are now saying it will be the weekend. Of course, it hasn't rained in well over a week and is supposed to rain on Saturday.

The "electrician" (I use that term for him very loosely) showed up to "fix" the blower on the tub a few weeks ago. I told him to be sure and bolt it to the floor. When he was leaving I asked if he secured the blower to the floor so the vibration wouldn't loosen it. He said he got it in. When I checked it after he left, he only put in one screw!! One!! It is predrilled for one on each side. I had the builder come in and finish the project. The tile guy came and put up the tile and grout on the front panel of the tub. He is supposed to come today to wipe off the grout film. After that, this project will finally be complete.

I have hung most of our paintings, prints, and pictures in the house. We still have an 8 foot Venice painting to hang. We definitely need help. It isn't heavy, just big and bulky. We got plantation shutters installed a few weeks ago and they look wonderful inside and out. They are wonderful to keep the bright sun from fading our walls, hardwood, pictures, and paintings.

We have two bays cleaned out in the garage and can park my car and Tide Guys truck inside. We need to clear out the third bay, but we need to put a lot in the basement which we have to finish, too.

I am hosting a baby shower in a just over a week, so I am trying to take care of a lot of loose ends Once that is all done, I would love to start prepping for paint in the basement. We also need to get the landscaping started around the front of the house and in front of the porch.

It seems the Chinese are referring more days now which would make for a small speed up. But, it could be that there are less people in line during April 2006. There just isn't any way to know with the limited information coming from China.

Unfortunately, a single lady in Tennessee, who adopted a 10 year old boy from Russia, decided she did not want to parent him anymore. She claims he was disruptive and out of control and this information was not disclosed to her during the adoption process. He had been with her for several months. The mother put two hundred dollars and a note in his pocket and put him on a plane by himself back to Moscow. The media is all over this and Russia has either stopped or planning to stop all adoptions to the US. This action could also cause many problems for all international adoptions in the future.

*******************

Gas prices are on the rise and is predicted to go above $3.oo per gallon this summer. Right now it is $2.74 at the local Race Way and $2.69 at Wal-Mart.

*******************

China had another big earthquake yesterday. It was close to Tibet and was a strong earthquake. Hundreds are dead, thousands are injured and now homeless.

*******************
On with spring!

Tide Gal

Closing Ceremonies

Tonight are the Closing Ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Tide Guy and I just watched the US play Canada for the gold in ice hockey. Canada won by one in overtime, but it was such a great game. The US has won more medals than any country during these games and many competitions have been very exciting to watch.

In the adoption world, we may have a small speed up. This month, the number of referral days has increased and more adoptions have been referred this month compared to many.

Okinawa had a major earthquake that was centered in Chili. It was felt in Hawaii and even in Arizona. The magnitude in Okinawa was the same as in Haiti, but there was no damage in Okinawa. Most, or probably all, structures in Okinawa are concrete, and built to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. We went through two typhoons while stationed in Okinawa that had 140 MPH winds. Since we lived on the China Sea, we had no protection from the wind from other buildings. It was very scary.

We may get snow Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Tide Gal

2010 Olympics, Vancouver, Canada

I forgot to mention that the 2010 Winter Olympics began on Friday in Vancouver, Canada. The opening ceremonies were okay, but they had a problem. Four beams were to raise into the air mid-stage, then lean toward the middle. The people carrying the torches were then to each light a beam which would carry up to the cauldron. Unfortunately, one of the beams never rose from the floor. After a few awkward moments, the three beams rose and three torch carriers were able to light those three beams.

The country of Georgia lost an athlete before the festivities began. He was at the end of a practice run in his sport of luge. After rounding a corner, something happened and he came off his luge. His body hit an exposed pole.

Hopefully, the US athletes will do us proud again.

Winter Wonderland

Big News!! I turned in my 2 week notice at work on January 4, 2010. My last day at work was January 15, 2010!!

I've been spending my days getting our new house in order. All the boxes were unloaded into the garage. I unpack the boxes, bring in items, and put the items in their new homes. All boxes and packing materials stay in the garage. Anyone who has ever done a major military move will understand how nice it is to not bring the boxes and paper inside. When the packers pack military families, they use lots and lots and lots of paper. So, our house is not cluttered and we can enjoy it. All the boxes in the garage have been opened, but I am now to the point that I have a hard time finding homes for items that are left.

We still have a few items at our old house. It would only take a day of work to empty the house, but there are two major problems. One, the weather. It is either raining, freezing cold, snowing, or a combination of the three. Two, Tide Guy is traveling frequently for work. He has only been home a number of days this year. I have loaded my car a few times, but I can't get the big items and it is just too cold to stay in that house for a period of time.

All of our new furniture has been delivered. We still need end tables and maybe a coffee table for the family room. I've looked a few times, but can't find anything I really like. That, or the pieces are just too big for the area. It is wonderful to sleep in our new bed with the king size mattress that has been in storage for three years. It is so nice to see the house beginning to look like we want. We haven't hung any pictures since we are not sure of some furniture placement. That is the last thing we will do.

We had measurements done yesterday for plantation shutters. We hope to have those installed within 4-5 weeks.

We have had so much snow this year. I haven't seen this much snow in years. I even made snow cream. I have some great pictures of the house covered in snow.

Saturday, Tide Guy and I went to Tuscaloosa for the First Annual A Club BBQ Cookoff. The A Club had many former players signing autographs on the field. When I walked into the stadium, Derrick Oden gave me the pamphlet for the day. I was star struck immediately. Tables were set up on the field for former players to sign autographs. They started with players from the 60s, then each decade had a turn. Also, many players were roaming on the field signing autographs, too. We also got a tour of the field house. Mike hit the "WIN" bar that all the players hit as they leave to go to the field for a game. I couldn't reach it, so he picked me up so I could hit it, too. I also sat on Mark Ingram's stool in the locker room. Some of the players we saw: Coach (and player) Ray Perkins, Paul Hogan, Derrick Oden, Jay Barker, Wesley Britt, Tyler Britt, Jeremiah Castille, Chris Rogers, Tyler Watts, Dr. Gary White, Mal Moore, LaRon McClain, John Copeland, John Moore, and dozens more. The players were all so very nice. They all thanked us for coming and supporting them both on the field when they played and in their efforts to raise money. We enjoyed watching them interact with each other, too. The 60s players were giving each other a hard time about different plays or things that happened. It was incredible to walk on the field of Bryant-Denny Stadium. From the field view, the stadium seems so much smaller that sitting in our seats looking down Saturdays in the fall. We had so much fun and I can't wait to go again next year.

Afterwards, we went to the Colosseum for the Bama/Arkansas basketball game. Bama had no chance of winning and they played that way during the first half. Something happened in the second half and Bama actually turned it around and won.

In national news, gas is down to about $2.49 or so. The economy is horrible and the employment rate keeps getting worse. Houses are being abandoned every day because people can't make their payments. Luckily, the health care issue seems to be stalled, at least for now.

In adoption news, it looks bleak. Rumors are rampant that China wants all international adoptions to become special needs. We have been "in line" for over two years for non-special needs. Another rumor is China expects to refer more babies this year, but not really speed up. I don't know exactly how that can happen, but it doesn't look promising.

Time to get working on the boxes in the garage.....Oh, there is snow outside right now!

Tide Gal

National Champs!!

Tide Guy and I went to Pasadena for the National Championship game earlier this month. We saw the team arrive at the Rose Bowl and Mark Ingram, the Heisman winner, winked at me as he walked toward the stadium. (Well, he winked at someone in my area, so I assume it was me.) We sat in the Texas section. Ugh. Although they were nice, we had to contain a little of our excitement during the game. Not too much, as we cheered our team to victory. It was a nerve-racking game, but in the end, the best team won. We stayed for the Coach's Trophy presentation. The team was ecstatic and such a joy to watch. This team is such a great group of leaders and young men. I am so proud of them. They played as a team and gave credit to each other.

We slept for the first time in our new house on New Year's Eve. Tide Guy was determined to move in our new house in 2009. So, by a few hours, we made it. We still have a few little things at the other house to move. Plus, right now, the new garage is packed with boxes and such. We have done a lot here, but we still have a lot to do.

In world news, last week, Haiti had a 7.0 earthquake. There is so much damage and destruction. Hospitals, schools, hotels, their one airport, and most homes are completely destroyed. Even their palace is destroyed. Their leaders are homeless, too. People are living on the street. As of yesterday, they pulled people out of the rubble. The people are desperate for water, food, blankets, and medical supplies. There is a lot of help arriving, but for some reason it is bottlenecked at their airport. It is taking a week for help to get to the Haitians and that help is very slow. The estimated the death toll is 200,000.

In national news, gas has gone up to about $2.61 a gallon. There is an election today for Teddy Kennedy's Democratic Senate seat. There is a chance this could go to the Republican candidate thus causing the Democrats to lose their majority in the Senate. This would severely affect the health care issue in the Senate.

In the adoption world, even though there is a new director in the CCAA, nothing has changed positively. There is such a slow down it is unbelievable and basically disgusting.

On with the day!
Tide Gal