So much for not working...

Blair and I had declared yesterday (Saturday) a non-working day for both of us.  He had a rare day home from the office and I didn't want to look at anything even remotely resembling a keyboard.

However, I did have one little appointment to go to in the morning for Tire Tracks, the weekly featurette I write for the News & Record on people who have interesting, unusual, or unique cars.  We had our 8:30 appt., then started running errands. 

Driving around, we passed a Volkswagon dealership and Blair said, "There's your next Tire Tracks piece." A psychadelic-painted convertible bug was parked in front. We did a 180 and I ran inside to ask who owned the car.  I did a quick interview in which I found out the owner and sons strongly suspect the car sitting outside was the car in the 1999 Austin Powers "The Spy Who Shagged Me Movie."  The salespeople were having a ball and everyone was walking around saying, "Groovy, baby!" 

Then, as ran into PetSmart to grab some food and kitty litter, I did a 3rd Tire Tracks interview with a pet groomer who had a cool car out in the parking lot.  Again, so much for not working.

But what an incredible day. Tire Track stories are hard to come by so knocking out 3 in one day--especially with the Austin Powers car find--felt great.

I hope I can keep up the momentum today, Sunday, which is a working day for us both.

Christmas Cards - Keeping Count

Every year our Christmas card giving gets more out of control.  I blame myself.  I don't like leaving people out and hey, everyone likes to get mail, right?

Blair has advocated for the last couple years that we cut back our list.  "We never hear from these people," he'll say, handling an envelope ready to go out.  "When was the last time you talked to this woman? Five years ago?"

Maybe.  But it seems cruel to cut people from the list, especially if they made the list the prior year.  "Yeah, sorry, we decided you just don't have what it takes this year. Buh-bye."

This year we probably sent out around 120.  To date--and it's early, mind you--we've received about 10.  I line them up in front of the mantle in our front room.  Blair came home the other day and stood in front and counted, moving his finger from one card to the next.

"One, two, three... That's it!  People better start sending cards or," he made a cutting motion across his throat, "they're off the list!"

He was kidding and we were laughing as he said it.  I know more and more people who aren't going to the bother and increasing expense of sending cards and I don't hold it against anyone if I don't receive one.  It is a hassle.  Oddly, for someone like myself who gripes about putting up the tree and pouts for three days when I'm forced to decorate the house, I actually enjoy the whole Christmas card process.  I love writing the annual newsletter and reviewing the year and I get a sense of satisfaction as I watch the completed "to be mailed" envelopes grow in a pile beside me.

So for those friends and family who chose not to send cards, fear not!  If I have my way (and isn't it cute the way I write "if?"), you'll still make next years list.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS ! ! !

Local Humane Society

I did get a call back from my local Humane Society, responding to my request to volunteer some time.  I'll be attending their monthly meeting next Monday at the Eden library and find out what I can do to help.

I live in a rural, economically depressed county in North Carolina.  Many of the people here earned good money doing factory work.  Notice the past tense.   A lot of the plants have closed down or drastically reduced their work force and people are hurting.  Add in to that our county doesn't have a bus line and transportation is a huge issue.  It's at least a 30 minute drive to the bigger cities and with no car or no gas money for a car, finding work out of town is not an option.

But the people in this area are fantastic.  They give when they have nothing.  That neighbor-helping-neighbor thing really happens around here.  People know and greet you by name.  When friends come to visit and we maybe run some errands, such as dropping off clothes at the dry cleaners, they stare as I just hand my clothes over and drive away.  "Don't you need a ticket?" they ask.  "Don't you need to give your name?"  No, they know me.

When we first moved here, there was a historic home that had been converted into a gift shop.  We had browsed the store one day before X-mas, and wanted to come back and buy a few items but the shop would close before we could get there from work. So the owner left the items we wanted out on the back porch and told us to just leave the money in an envelope when we came back.  How often do you find that??

Getting back to the Humane Society, my point with all of this is that even though our county doesn't have much money, the spirit here is strong and I think great things can be done. People are always willing to help if you provide them with some passion and direction. Right now, abandoned animals taken in off the street are held an average of 3 days before they're put to sleep.  That's unconscionable.  We need a shelter where animals can be taken to and adopted from.

There was an article in today's paper that our county is trying to raise money for a homeless shelter.  Would it be farfetched to suggest the two groups -- the Humane Society and the Feed the Homeless society--combine forces for one large building vs. trying to run 2 separate campaigns to raise money for land, supplies, and labor?  The services could be run independently, but it seems to make more sense to work together and pool funds for one large building than to compete with one another.  And who knows what sort of cooperative agreements could be worked out with funding, volunteers, etc?

What do you think?  Am I missing something major for why that wouldn't work?  Or is it an idea with potential?

Missing Old Friends

I was reading my friend Rachel's blog the other day in which she was discussing that, even though having moved to what is probably the cafe capital of the United States (Seattle), she rarely frequents coffee houses any more.  She attributes this partly to cost (how were we all suckered into thinking paying $4 for a cup of coffee was a reasonable expense??) and partly to not having her Greensboro coffee-house friends with her.

I'm sitting in a Panera right now, sipping hot orange ginger mint herbal tea and avoiding work on my networking article that's due at the end of the month and that I'm woefully behind on.  I'm also missing my friend Rachel because she was always one for hopping in the car at moment's notice and joining me at a Panera or Starbucks to while away 3 hours talking about work, husbands, goals, obstacles, dreams, and--if really pressed for topics--the latest fashions of the day or who was on Oprah.

I chase friends away.  Not intentionally, and the good news is they all go on to much better things, but the fact remains that if you live near me and are friends with me, you have maybe a 2-year shelf life with me before you move on to bigger and better things.

I moved to NC in 1992. Since then I've lost Anne, Teresa, Jennifer, Jennifer (yes, there were two), Heather, Robbyn, Rachel, and I'm soon to lose Melody as well. 

As I said, good for them, bad for me.  Everyone moved on due to promotions and following life dreams and are doing well.  I just miss them.

So, Bernie, Mariela, Joyce, Pam and crew...beware!  Being friends with me means many things but above all it means that at some point in the not too distance future, a moving van looms on your horizon.

Don't say you weren't warned.