6-30-12

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Oh my!

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I ventured out into the real world twice today ~ once by car and once on foot ~ and it so wasn't worth it!

The driving patterns around here are crazy because of construction and repairs that are going on right in front of where I live. That means one entrance into the parking garage and the main walking gate are off limits. UGH! So, everyone ~ pedestrians and drivers (garage users and valet parkers) are using the back entrance. One of the entrances at the back gate is also off limits. Basically, it's all just a big mess!

Some genius has decided that it would be a good idea to add a second security stop after the gate. So, after entering the garage there is a security guard or two or three waiting to stop you. Apparently, they're there to make sure people looking for the valet don't take up spaces in the garage or some such craziness. It looked to me like they were sitting in chairs and talking to their friends and blocking the way so that no one could enter the garage until their conversation was finished. Trust me, I sat and waited while they finished a conversation and I didn't enjoy the wait!

Walking isn't much better, because there is no place to walk except in the road with the cars. Then, when you go through the garage the security guards tell you to be careful and pick that moment to end their conversation and let the cars go. No pedestrian right of way around here.

I think I'll spend all of Friday inside boiling water since we're still under that boil water advisory. lol!

Thank goodness!

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I spent most of the day out running errands and meeting my friends for lunch and thank goodness cause there was a water line break right in front of where I live and there was no water for most of the afternoon.

Isn't it funny how once you can't have something that's all you want?

We got water again a little after 7PM and are now on a boil water advisory for the next day or two. UGH!

I used bottled water to wash my face and brush my teeth. lol!

6-27-12

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Fun and traffic!

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I spent a fun morning taking pictures of my friend Frank. He is such a good sport and he posed in every ridiculous pose I asked for without questioning or laughing at me. I haven't even looked at the photos yet, but I'll share some of them when I get a chance.

On my way home from his house I got tied up in all the traffic from the Heat celebration in downtown Miami. Now, I love the Heat and I am so, so happy that we won the championship but I did not enjoy sitting in that traffic. lol!

If the weather cooperates, I'm going out in search of architecture and abstract photos tomorrow.

Who is the crazy person in the room?

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Next Saturday we're going to Wings Over Miami to take pictures and someone asked me today if I would give them a ride. Well, because of my schedule and other plans I'm not able to give the ride and apparently that makes me the most evil person in the world.

Seriously, I have spent most of the afternoon trying to figure out what I'm missing. How and why does someone get angry over something like that? I mean, while I'm more than willing to help if I can it's not my responsibility and I already have other plans.

Would you seriously expect someone to leave where they are drive 30 to 45 minutes to pick you up and then drive back to the general area they were in to begin with? I was going to offer the person a ride home if they could get there on their own, but I never had time to do that cause she was already sending me nasty text messages and saying that my photos suck.

Yep, that was the big insult of the day---my photos suck. lol!

Tell me, who is the crazy person?

Photographs

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It's been a while since I've bored...um, entertained you s guyby showing off my attempts at photographic genius so here we go.

Here are some of the photos I shared today. First are some pictures from the copy work assignment. There had to be some sort of picture inside our picture. It could have been an actual picture, something on the computer, TV or even from a book. My first photo got lots of laughs.

Here's what you're having for dinner and what you wish you were having...

Dinner for one...

My dad painted the snow scene...

And my Fifty Shades of Grey inspired photos...

I took the 50 shades photos while I was out of town. It's amazing how these ideas come to you after you've had too many margaritas. lol! The wifi in the room wasn't working so I had to use my phone. The pictures would have been so much funnier if you could actually see that I've pulled up a Christian singles website site.

Here are some photos that show reflections.

One more 50 shades pic

A couple of still lifes...

And a landscape...

Rain, rain and more rain!

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So, I go away for a few days and it rains the whole time. I come home and it rains. What the heck did I do to make Mother Nature mad? lol!

I do have some good news though. Sebastian's mom says that he is walking more and for longer distances at a time. YEA!

Now, I am going to get some much needed sleep.

6-22-12

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6-21-12

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6-20-12

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Mini Vacay

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OK guys, I'm going out of town for the next couple of days. NO, I'm not going to New Jersey, but OCG is doing well and he told me to tell all of you that he says "hi".

Gabby, here's the link to the first installment of The Story of Me.

http://gingershouse.blogspot.com/2011/08/story-of-me.html

From there just forward to the other parts. I've posted one every week.

I just realized I've been voring you guys with this story for a long, long time. I really need to change it up and force you to read something else that I've written. lol!

I'll be back Friday. Hopefully, there won't be any problems with the downloads.

6-18-12

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I'm alive!

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I've actually ventured out into the real world for two days in a row and I'm still alive! Today, no one went Mel Gibson on me, gave me a bruise or coughed on the back of my head. I will admit to getting a little freaked out as I exited the causeway and saw a homeless guy approach my car. I know that wasn't nice, but if you've watched the news even once in the last month I'm sure you can figure out exactly where I was and why I was freaked out. More cars pulled up and the light changed so I wasn't sitting there for long.

My photography class that was supposed to start last Saturday actually started today and it was awesome. A new guy has joined our little group and he's a good photographer. He's also really hot and has a british accent. I love guys with accents! Judging from the laughter I heard around me after I sighed and said, "I love his accent" most of my class now knows that I love guys with accents. lol!

We have a lot of homework to do this week and it's seriously going to cut into my "doing nothing" time. I have to take lots of pictures and everyone of them is to be in black and white. Here's the funny part...I have to photograph the human body. lol! Anyone want to be my model? I've asked all my friends and so far they've all made fun of me. I think I'll be photographing lots of feet and hands cause anything else will have me laughing too hard to snap the picture. I'm afraid that I may not be mature enough for this class. lol!

After class, I got an Oreo Blizzard from Dairy Queen. YUM!

It's a scary, scary world!

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So, today I ventured out beyond the security gate because after living like a hermit since last Friday I needed to run some errands and pick up some important things like toilet paper and junk food. I also needed to get some blood work done for a doctor's appointment I have next week.

I decided to go for the blood work first and as I was driving there I passed one of those evil speed checker thingys. (I swear they love those things around here!) The stupid thing flashed repeatedly to let me and everyone else that was close enough to see that I was going over the speed limit. Well, what do you expect? I mean the speed limit is only 35. Give me a break. lol! (Just kidding---I never drive faster than the speed limit, so if you know any cops in this area please tell them I said that. OK?)

I make it to LabCorp and the lady there must have been having a bad morning cause she took her frustrations out on the poor vein in my arm. I didn't scream, but that's only because I held my breath!

As I was leaving LabCorp which is on the second floor of a building with a very, very small elevator I was joined by three guys. Now, normally I would be excited about the guys cause they were kind of cute, but all I could do was stand there silently and mentally calculate every one's weight to see if the box they called an elevator would hold us all. It held us all and I didn't freak out, but once again I held my breath!

I stopped at the store at the same time half of Miami Beach decided to stop there. I can't stand crowded grocery stores and I had stopped at one of the older stores cause it was closer to where I was than the one I usually stop at. This one is smaller and doesn't have as much space between the aisles so when you get behind a family of four that can't agree on what kind of bread they want you're pretty much stuck there. I didn't scream, but by the time I got to the check out counter I was ready to!

I paid for my goodies and was walking out the door when I heard someone fall in behind me. I didn't think anything it cause the place was crowded and I'm sure I wasn't the only person that wanted out. Then, there was this loud hacking sound behind me and I actually felt my hair move. How gross is that?!? Someone was right me and they were coughing on my head. YUCK! I didn't scream but I visibly shuttered and moaned as I stepped to the side and turned to see who was trying to kill me. It was just some dude who didn't even say he was sorry before he walked off. How rude is that? I mean if you're going to give me your killer germs you should at least say you're sorry...and buy me dinner!

I got home and realized that I didn't stop at the post office to mail a package. UGH! OK, so I kind of screamed about that cause I really needed to get that package in today's mail.

I came inside, put my junk food away, took the band aid off my arm and saw that I was already getting a bruise from the mean lady at LabCorp and took a shower to get the killer germs off of my head.

I still needed to mail my package so later in the day I decided to walk to the post office. As I was going out one of the security guards grabbed the gate after I pushed the button to release the lock and held it open for me. He even called me a queen! I was thinking about what a nice guy he was when he suddenly went all Mel Gibson on me and started telling me that the least I could have done was tell him thank you.

I had told him thank you! I said it as soon as he reached for the gate! Luckily, another security guard was standing there and pointed out that he had heard me as he laughed at the other guy.

I never got an apology for his rudeness and I really think that I should have cause I did all the hard work and pushed that button.

I made it to the post office and mailed my package with no problem, but on my way out of the building another guy opened the door for me and I think I scared him when I said thank you loud enough for him to hear. Actually, I may have said it loud enough for all of you to hear. I just wanted to make sure I didn't get yelled at again. lol!

When I got home again, I entered through a different gate cause I didn't want to see that first security guard again. I haven't left home again!

I'm done! I'm home, I'm happy and I'm done......until tomorrow when I'm going to drive across the causeway into Miami.

Wish me luck!

The Story of Me part 44

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Random People

Eddie and Kathryn King
　
I went to live with the King family after leaving the Harrison’s. It’s unfair to put them in the random group of people that entered my life. They were more than that. They were responsible for teaching me how to hate. I had used the word ‘hate’ before I met them, but it wasn’t until living in their house that I learned what the word truly meant. I died still carrying the physical and psychological scars cause by these people and it is with a clear head that I say I hated them.

The Kings were young. Maybe they were too young, but the great state of Florida had decided they were qualified to be foster parents and that was all that mattered to anyone. No one cared that Kathryn used me as her personal maid and punching bag, drank too much and cheated on her husband with his friend. No one cared that Eddie also drank, stole cars and used me for things that a grown man should never use a child for. It was the story of my life. No one cared, or at least, they didn’t care enough.

I had withdrawn back into myself. I thought I was safe that way. I had loved Grandma Pat and I had loved Leo and they were both gone. If I had been able to love to the Harrison’s I would have, but it was too late because Gene was gone and Mary didn’t want me anymore. That made me an easy target for the Kings.

Things weren’t bad at first. They fed me and I had my own room. I wasn’t forced to attend church anymore. The Kings didn’t worry about my lack of friends. They never asked if I had homework. They didn’t even care if I attended school. Eddie King taught me how to play poker. Kathryn King taught me how to cook. Eddie took me for rides in the cars he brought home from his shop and Kathryn would take me to the beauty salon where she worked and fix my hair.

I was young and even though I had been through more hard times than some people twice my age I was still very naïve. I had no idea what an ulterior motive was. I knew that people were capable of doing bad things, but I had no idea that they could be evil. The kind of evil that goes all the way down to their bones. The Kings were that kind of evil.

I did not see the Kings before I died because there was definitely no love shared between them and myself. I wouldn’t even tell you about them, but I can’t tell my story without them.

Happy Days

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I can't even begin to tell you how much sleep I've been getting these days. It's been nice to catch up after being so busy at the end of the school year. I've napped every day and I've loved it! Of course, I haven't done much of anything else. lol!

6-13-12

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6-12-12

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Under The Sea Template pack by Shel Belle Scraps

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Have you checked out the latest template pack by Shel Belle Scraps yet? You get a set of four templates in PNG, TIFF and PSD for only $2. PLUS...since they're a part of the June build a kit sets at STS you can mix and match your favorite mini kits and save 50% when you buy at least three items from the June build a kit section of the store.

I used one of the templates and Shel's Isn't She Lovely kit to make a layout...

Vacation time!

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Well, the school year that wouldn't end has finally ended and I'm declaring the first day of vacation a smashing success!

I slept in. I made an omelet for breakfast that was edible and didn't set the smoke detector off. I watched all 6 hours of the Hatfields and McCoys that I recorded from the History Channel. I napped. I thought about doing a load of laundry, but decided not to cause I'm on vacation and it doesn't matter. I read. I played on the computer. I talked on the phone.

It was a perfect day!

Monday Speed Scrap at STS!

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Shel of Shel Belle Scraps is hosting a speed scrap this coming Monday in the forum and the chat room at Stuff to Scrap. It will be fun, laid-back hour and you'll have a fabulous layout at the end.

For participating, you'll get a versatile outlined alpha.

Hope to see you there!

The Story of Me part 43

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Leo stood and looked around at the faces of the boys who hadn’t run from the house when they saw he had a piece of the broken mirror in his hand. No one said a word. No one even made eye contact. Leo dropped the glass onto the floor and ran from the house.

Leo didn’t stop running until he was standing on Harmony’s porch. She had been sitting outside waiting for him, but she was reading a book and her eyes were down so she didn’t see his approach. Harmony looked up expecting to see Leo’s crooked smile but instead she saw his lips trembling as tears ran down his face mixing with dirt and blood.

“Leo, what happened to you? Are you alright? Leo?” Harmony started crying instantly. Leo just stood there as she jumped up and threw her arms around him. “Leo, talk to me? Who hurt you?”

Leo was in shock, but he slowly wrapped his arms around the girl who had been his best friend since third grade. The girl who made him want to grow into a man who was worthy of having her in his life. “Harmony, I’m so sorry.” Leo was fighting back the tears because he didn’t want to scare Harmony anymore than he already had.

“Come in th house. We’ll get Mary and Gene. They’ll take you to the hospital.” Hamony pleaded with him.

“Harmony, stop.” the sound of Leo’s voice scared Harmony. He had never raised his voice to her before. “Listen to me.” Leo said as he placed his hands on Harmony’s face.

Harmony looked up at him with the saddest eyes he had ever seen on this sad little girl. Leo felt the sadness in his heart and was angry with himself for being the cause of her pain. “I have to go away for awhile.” Leo couldn’t fight the tears any longer as he tried to shush Harmony’s cries.
“Listen to me. I did something. I did something bad and I have to go away.” Leo tried to explain as quickly and calmly as he could.

“Why, Leo, why?” Harmony continued to cry.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I have to go away, but I promise you I’ll be back. I’ll be back for you.” Leo leaned his forehead against Harmonys as he once again tried to quiet her tears.

“Don’t leave me. I’ll come with you. I’ll come with you, Leo.”

“You can’t come where I’m going. The Harrison’s will take care of you. Just stay here until I come back for you. Stay here where you’re safe.”

“No!” Harmony cried even harder.

Leo heard police sirens and they sounded like they were getting closer so he knew he had to hurry. “I’ll be back for you. I promise. I will always come back for you.” Leo dropped his hands from Harmony’s face and took a few steps back. Harmony was crying so hard her body was shaking. “I’ll be back.” Leo said one last time before running off the porch and down the street.

Leo ran until he was far enough away that he could no longer hear Harmony calling after him. He stopped long enough to look around and get his bearings. Then he pulled his shirt up and attempted to wipe his face clean. After Leo had done that he walked to the street corner, took a seat on the curb and waited for the police to come find him.

Leo didn’t have to wait long. He knew that the police would go to Harmony’s house looking for him and he couldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t let her see them taking him to jail.
A police car pulled to a stop in front of Leo moments after he sat down. A second car pulled up right after that. Leo didn’t try to run away he simply put his hands in the air and waited for the arrest to happen.

Kinder-Grad by FlowerScraps

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On Monday we had our Kindergarten promotion program. I took my camera to school, but I never took it out of the camera bag. UGH!

I really wish I had gotten some pictures because the kids always look so cute all dressed up and Flower Scraps has just released this adorable Kinder-Grad kit...

Since I was a total dork and failed to get any photos on Monday, I decided to make a layout with an older vibe to it. I used pictures of my friend Amanda who is finishing up middle school this year...

Right now Kinder-Grad is on sale at Digital Scrapbooking Studio so make sure you check it out and visit FlowerScraps blog to see more layouts.

6-6-12

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Just so you know...

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He read.

He called.

He misses my left hand.

BUT....I still don't want to go to New Jersey. lol!

6-5-12

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6-4-12

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Orange Croc Guy

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It was pointed out to me last week that my blog posts have not been funny lately and I had to admit to being too sleepy for funny adventures. I said that maybe summer vacation would bring back the funny, but now I have to admit that I'm not so sure that's going to happen. At least not any time soon.

There's been a big change in my life. I've known for quite some time that it was coming and as of this morning it's official.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Orange Croc Guy has left the building.

Actually, he's left Florida all together.

After his mother passed away last summer, he started going to New Jersey once every couple of months or so to take care of things that needed to be done. Being around family again started making him feel homesick so when his cousin offered up a business opportunity he couldn't turn it down. For right now, he's gone for at least three months, but who knows what will happen after that.

He's rented his place out to a friend for the summer and asked me to join him in NJ once I finish school, but I had to say no because it's New Jersey. What the heck am I supposed to do in New Jersey? And what if he decides to stay? I'm not entirely sure they even let people with southern accents into New Jersey.

This morning before he left we had one of our usual conversations where in true Ginger fashion I refused to say what I really felt...

OCG: Are you going to miss me?

ME: No.

OCG: You'll miss me.

ME: No I won't.

OCG: What are you going to do while I'm gone.

ME: I'm going to eat ice cream for breakfast everyday, order fajitas for dinner every night just so I can see the cute fajita delivery guy and I'm going to google stalk Russell Brand.

OCG: Sounds like fun, but you'll still miss me.

ME: No I won't.

OCG: You'll miss me and when you do I want you to call me.

ME: I won't be calling cause I won't miss you.

OCG: You'll miss me.

ME: No I won't.

OCG: I'm not going to call you if you don't call me, so you better miss me and you better call me when you do.

ME: I guess we won't be talking cause I won't miss you.

I won't bore you with the rest of the conversation cause it just went back and forth with him saying, "Yes you will." and me saying, "No, I won't." over and over again.


I have always told Orange Croc Guy that he is not allowed to read this blog. He has always claimed that he doesn't want to read this blog. However, I know that he has and I am betting ~hoping~ that he will again. So, once again, in true Ginger fashion, here I am saying way too much, way too late and to all the wrong people because maybe, just maybe, he'll read this and maybe he'll call...maybe...


OCG,

You asked what I would miss the most about you and I let you know that I would be far too busy to miss you, but what I should have told you is that I will miss your hands. Or, more specifically, your right hand.

The one that reaches for mine with silent confidence and holds on with a gentle strength that lets me know I am safe.

The one with fingers that fit perfectly into the spaces between my own.

The one whose warmth I feel as it rests on my lap or across my shoulder.

The one you place on the small of my back as I enter a room beside you.

The one you cover your face with as you shake your head and laugh at my ridiculousness.

The one I reach for when I am frightened.

The one you don't use when we arm wrestle because you know I'm left handed.

The one that you wave impatiently as you try to explain something to me for the second or, sometimes, the third time.

The one you rub against your chin when you're thinking.

The one with the scar that's been there since you were a child.

The one that holds the TV remote just out of my reach.

The one that has reached out to dry more than one of my tears.


Your right hand. I miss your right hand the most.

June stuff at STS

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**Come back tomorrow for the girl version of this wordart***

Check out the new designer collab at Stuff to Scrap called My Guy

If you buy the kit during the first week of June you'll get the quickpages for free...

You should also check out the commercial use grab bag! It's full of patriotic-themed goodies and includes extracted elements, layered element and paper templates, textures/overlays, and style sets.

Of course, you'll also want to check out the June Build a Kit section of the store...

Make sure you get the code off the flyer to save 50% when you buy three or more of the June Build a Kits!