Brittanie and Katie bought Tom a birthday cookie from the Great American Cookie Company and I made him take it to work to share with his coworkers. Rod and Tom's boss, Mark, took pictures of their celebration with Mark's camera and e-mailed them to me. I really appreciate them doing that. Tom tells me Mark's camera came over on the Mayflower so what you are seeing is actually hours worth of picture taking. LOL
From left to right here is Ken, Mark, Tom, Kevin, and Goldie.
Tom works with the best bunch he has ever worked with. We owe Mark big time. He hired Tom to work at Network and then helped him escape Network before the ultimate collapse and now he has the best job he has ever had and actually enjoys his coworkers. He just wishes they would eat out more. They haven't figured out yet that diet is 4 letter word. ;^)
Ever notice that when Tom is nervous he scratches his head? Me thinks he has fleas. hehehe
This is Rod with Tom. Rod is multitalented. He is a pilot as well as a computer guru. I also love his website. He has lots of cool stuff on it. If you have a minute, take a look around. Click here.
After Tom got home from work, we gave him his gifts. He got a Carolina Panthers jersey....
He said he wasn't trying to make a mean face here. It is a weird combination of a mean and sleepy look. Go figure!
Look who's on the Carolina Panthers roster!!
His big gift was a Delphi XM Satellite Radio for his truck. We actually let him open it before going to eat....while waiting for Katie to wake up from her nap. He was having fun registering it and getting the service set up and installing it in his truck. Now he is looking forward to his ride into work tomorrow morning so he can play with it.
After eating at O'Charley's, we were all too full for cake. So we will have to cut the cake tomorrow. In case you are wondering, there were no gripes at O'Charley's tonight. He had his normal blackened prime rib and it was cooked just right and he had a HUGE cut. He got the complimentary O'Charley's birthday cake without being sang to. (He had a duck one year when he was sang to at Ryan's. We won't EVER do that again!) He had a really good birthday!
Today is Tom's birthday and we have a couple of special gifts for him. He doesn't want to open them until after work so I will have to post pictures of him opening his gifts and doing the cake thing later on tonight. We are also going out to eat at O'Charley's to celebrate. We have gone there for the past two years and he has griped about something both times and both times swore he wouldn't go back. But he says that he likes O'Charley's and part of the fun is griping. Sounds like Tom, huh? LOL Anyway, before going to bed tonight, I'll post pictures. In the mean time, if you see or talk to him today, wish him a happy birthday. If you want to send him an e-card, his e-mail address is ttsig@tuxyturvy.com. Have a great day yall!
I nearly caused an international incident when we went to Fort Polk! Fort Polk is a Joint Readiness Training Facility. They do things differently than Fort Jackson and Fort Gordon. I didn't know that. When we got to the gates, we had to stop in and get registered at the Visitor's Center. While everyone else was walking into the Visitor's Center, I stopped and took a picture of the Visitor's Center (which was VERY nice) and the "Fort Polk" cement brick sign right by the checkpoint gate. 
(This is the sign I took the picture of. Now I couldn't take it with my camera but I found this one on the internet.....on the Fort Polk website. Go figure!)
We then went into the Visitor's Center where they looked at our ID's and did a quick background check....we even had to give our Social Security numbers. While they were registering us and our vehicles, the MP took Brittanie and William in the back and showed them some cool high tech stuff and how to do background checks and talked to them about the Army because they both said they were in JROTC and planned on joining the Army one day. They were very nice. We all checked out ok and got back in the van and were following my sister, Jeannette, as she was going to lead us around the Post and Aimee was in our van with us and was going to tell us what stuff was. Well we got to the gate and the security officer at the gate asked me if I was told in the Visitor's Center that we weren't allowed to take pictures. Well we weren't. She told me I had to delete the pictures. Then we were told to pull off to the side and they wrote up an incident report on me taking pictures of the visitor's center and the sign! Once the report was written up, I had to go through the pictures in my digital camera and show him that there were no pictures of Fort Polk on my camera. That was tedious because I had take 75+ pictures already on that camera. It was kinda silly because they didn't check the 4 camera phones that was in the car with us. But we understood since 9/11, they have to be very careful. I was just really bummed about the no pictures rule because Fort Polk is beautiful and it is where my biological mom met my biological dad and where I was conceived. I was going to take pictures of my biological mom's office and everything. But at least we were allowed to take pictures at Alligator Lake, which was outside of the gates. So I still got pictures of me and my sisters. So that was cool.
Anyway, that was my international incident. Tom says he can't take me anywhere. I just cause trouble whereever I go. hehehe
It was quite a vacation let me tell ya! We left on April 8th. It was a smooth trip. We stopped and let Brittanie and William take pictures on the Louisiana sign. Sunday we had a big crawfish boil to celebrate Easter a week early because we were going home the day before Easter. That was alot of fun. I ended up eating left over crawfish all week. It was GREAT!!!!!Monday, Tom took Brittanie and William to Baton Rouge to see the sights. (I haven't edited those pictures yet but I will.) Well while they were out and about, the engine light on the van came home and it was bucking a little.
Tuesday, the van was fine and we headed to Rosepine to see my sisters for the first time in 15 years. We had a GREAT time. We went out to eat then to Fort Polk, which is where our mom worked most of her life. After touring Fort Polk, we went to Alligator Lake which is right outside the gates of Fort Polk. It was beautiful. Katie loved playing on the playground equipment. Actually so did Tom. I got a picture of him coming off the slide but he jumped off the swings before I could take a picture of him! On the way home, we went through the campus of Louisiana College, which is where I went before going to PCC. It hasn't changed much.
Wednesday, Tom took Brittanie and William to Avery Island to tour the Tabasco Plant. I edited a couple of pictures from that trip but not all. I will upload them when I get them edited.Thursday, Tom was going to take Brittanie and William to New Orleans but the van started acting up again...pretty bad. So he took it to Sterling in Opelousas, which is the Chrysler dealer there. Meanwhile, I was getting my hair done by my cousin's wife, Tara. It came out GREAT! I LOVE it. I don't have any pictures of it but when I take one, I'll post it. Anyway, Sterling told us the cam sensor was bad on the van and needed replacing and the van would be ready Friday.
Friday, I picked up the van and took Brittanie, William, Katie, and my nephew's daughter, Amber, to Acadiana Mall in Lafayette for the grand opening of Build-A-Bear. When we got into the mall parking lot, the engine light came back on the van bucked once. Because this was Good Friday, the dealer was closed and wouldn't be open until Monday. Friday night, we went to my nephew's house for fried shrimp and Brittanie, William, and Katie rode the 4-wheeler. They had alot of fun.
Saturday, Tom rented a car from the airport in Baton Rouge and headed home with Brittanie and William and I stayed to put the van in the shop again. We were scared to take it home like that. Monday, I called and they told me to bring the van in Tuesday. So Tuesday, I took it in to Sterling and they told me it was still telling them that the cam sensor was bad so they are going to replace the harness and cam sensor computer but they won't get the parts until Thursday. Well only the computer came in Thursday. The harness didn't come in until Friday and the mechanic stayed late to finish it up. I went to pick the van up Saturday morning, which is when I wanted to leave, and when I left the dealer with it, the engine light was off but the speedometer and cruise control wasn't working. The gas gauge was also showing more gas than I left it with. I had to take it back there and they finally got it fixed. They said the speed sensor had gone out. *sigh* I got on the road at 1:50pm central time and got home at 2:20am eastern time. It was GREAT to be home. I missed Tom and Brittanie sooooooooooo much.
The Wednesday before we left Louisiana, Brittanie FINALLY got rid of Justin for good. She started talking to a guy named Randy from here in Gaston. He would call her on her cell phone while she was in Louisiana. Well two days before coming home, he asked her to be his girlfriend. When she got home from Louisiana, he was waiting in our driveway with three pink roses to welcome her home.
He seems like a nice guy. Tom was able to get to know him first because I was stuck in Louisiana an extra week. Anyway, he'll be 17 in July and is a Junior at Swansea High School. His parents aren't psycho. They are still happily married to each other and are pretty conservative. Randy has a 10pm curfew. He drives a 66 Galaxie 500. He is a Platoon Sgt. in JROTC. He is also on the drill team and will be joining the rifle team next year. He plans to go to college to be a photographer. He is very respectful. Tom likes him and that's something for Tom because he rarely likes anybody. I'm just thrilled to be rid of Justin. He created so much drama in the 5 1/2 months he was around than I have had in all my 36 years of being alive!
Anyway, instead of loading this thing up with pictures from the trip, I uploaded them and put them in a flash player. Here is the link where they are uploaded: Click here
And here is the flash player.
April Fool's Day started bright and early as Brittanie had a drill team competition at Scouth Carolina State University in Orangeburg and had to be at school at 6:30am!! Everything started at 8am but Swansea wasn't scheduled to be on the matt until 10. So Tom took mom and Elvin to see where he works....both places....and they were very impressed. He took them through Orangeburg....the upscale side....and let them see Edisto Gardens, which was in full bloom. They loved Orangeburg and told me we need to move there. I thought that was funny....no thank you!! But anyway, this was Brittanie's drill team's first competition. They have only had 9 practices, whereas other teams have been practicing for months. Well we got 1st place in unarmed competition and 2nd place on the uniform inspection. HOOAH!! By next year, they will take first in everything!Later that afternoon, we all just rested for awhile. Here is a picture of Brittanie, Justin, and Katie chillin out. 
Then I took Mom, Mr. Elvin, and Katie to see Tunnelvision and what has to be the world's largest fire hydrant. It did inspire a new redneck joke....If you think a HUGE fire hydrant is art....you might be a redneck. Anyway. Here are some pictures of Tunnelvision (alone and with everyone in front of it) and the hydrant.
This sign (above) made me laugh. Can you imagine how big the dog would have to be to use this hydrant?
All of the pictures are taken in the same parking lot of the Ag First Bank. While we were taking pictures, that's when we noticed the building above, which was to the left of the Ag First Bank building where Tunnelvision is painted and couldn't resist taking a picture. It was so pretty!!
If you notice in the pictures, Katie is frowning in most of them. There is a reason for that. Right before we left to go see Tunnelvision and the hydrant, I told her she had to try to go potty before we left. That is something we have always done....even with Brittanie....when we are about to go somewhere. She threw a tantrum that she didn't want to try. I was about to get the paddle when she stormed into her bathroom and slammed the door so hard that the full length mirror on the outside of the door shattered. It had been on that door for over 20 years and Katie destroyed it today. Well she got her butt tore up for that one but then still came out with an attitude not wanting to put shoes on. My mom said she would carry her. *sigh* So I let her go barefoot but when we got where we were going she wanted to walk in that parking lot barefoot and I refused and that's what the mean look is all about. She is so headstrong. I dread her teen years!!!! I told my mom that she gives in to her too much but she claims that is what grandparents are for. They left at 1am our time to go back home and are taking Katie with them. We are leaving here on the 8th of April and will be spending a week with her in Louisiana. So mom will have gotten 3 weeks of Katie time. I know she will be ready to see her go home after that. hahaha Now everybody just needs to pray that I get caught up on my typing next week. My house looks great now that hurricane mom blew in and straightened it all out.
But I will say, this was by far the best trip we have ever had with my mom. We REALLY enjoyed it and so did she and Mr. Elvin.
We have been tirelessly trying to find a 2006 Honda Civic LX Coupe in Nighthawk Black Pearl. I am not exaggerating when I say that I contacted EVERY Honda dealer in South Carolina plus 4 in Georgia and a few in North Carolina. Finally we found a dealer that could get us one today. We were so excited that we put a deposit on it over the phone....sight unseen. We drove almost 2 hours to Indian Trail, NC....near Charlotte....and got her car. It is beautiful but Honda is selling those things so fast that they don't offer any specials on financing for them and we got a horrible deal compared to what we have been getting with the last few vehicles we purchased. We got 0% on the Jeep and 1.9% on the van we have now. Needless to say, they didn't come close and Tom's credit report that they supposedly pulled was wrong. It showed us having no credit.....as in no financed vehicles or our house. Well if we had no house mortage or van mortgage, we could pay for that car cash. We wouldn't need to finance it. But anyway, I'm going to call the bank Monday morning and refinance it. They should know how to pull a proper credit report. But anyway, Brittanie LOVES it. Tom is very proud of it as well and proud that he could give this to Brittanie. She has been such a joy in our life and never gives us any trouble. She really deserves this. But she will be getting a job starting in the summer to pay for the insurance on it. Here are some pictures of her new ride.
I think that smile is going to be there for quite awhile. She LOVES her new car!
