Picture Day!

Okay, so as promised I am posting pictures today. I have TONS so I'll try and keep it to a dull roar. (I said I'll try.) I can't tell you guys enough how amazing it was to see Rob. I think I would have met him in a dark alley if I had to- but Ethiopia was BEAUTIFUL. We had two local guys take us everywhere- which turned out to be a huge blessing. The first lesson I learned about driving in a third world country...the road signs are merely a suggestion. So, more info to follow- let the annoying "Our Trip To Ethiopia" slide show begin! Can someone get the lights?
Okay, I'll start with the cheetahs since I know they are the big favorite. Wow have they gotten big! For size comparison, the picture with Rob holding both of them is from before the rescue. The other one is me holding Scout this week. She's as big as OUR Scout now! They are a hilarious pair of cats, very friendly and playful. The government thanked Rob again for all his work in getting them. They have a great home- which we were invited to inspect, and are well fed, with plenty of room for exercise. It was so cool to actually meet them!




This would be Scout Oh, SO Shyly crawling around on Rob's lap while Patch attacks my pants. It was an experience I'll never forget. They invited us to come see them anytime. (You know, because tickets to Ethiopia are sooo cheap!) I hope we can go back when they're fully grown though. Wow.

This is the view from the balcony of our hotel. Gorgeous huh? The sky there is amazing at night. I was in a constant state of awe. The other picture is Rob and I trying desperately to appreciate all aspects of Ethiopian life. I can't remember the name of this beverage, but I can tell you it ain't Orange Juice folks. The alcoholic content was so high that neither of us could stomach more than one sip. The natives thought that was pretty funny. Okay, I'm not sure how many more pictures this will allow me, so let's call this the first installment. Hope you guys have enjoyed it so far!

Quick Note to the famous coward

I'm back in London on my way home! I'll post tons of pictures. We had a blast! To sir/madame "no name". awww go cry in your tax dollar corner. You didn't pay for ONE CENT of our trip. By they way, I know exactly who you are. You can wish our marriage was on the rocks all you want. I can only imagine you don't recognize because you've never known. So allow me to educate you: This is what Love looks like.
Cheers everyone!

The Long Journey Home

Ok everybody...Rob here! A much longer entry is sure to follow (our "second honeymoon in Africa" was amazing)...but at the moment I'm just going to ask you all to pray for Danielle's safe return home. I recieved a short message from her while she was at Heathrow airport in London on her return trip...apparently my wife's not feeling too well and could use some kind thoughts thrown her way. So....everybody pray on three...One, Two, Three!!!!

Smashing, Brilliant, and other British words insterted here...

Hello my friends. bet you didn't think you'd be hearing from me so soon. It's 10am or something here in London (like 5am for you guys) and wow. what a ride so far. Nothing crazy in BWI, but I get to London and the drama begins. My credit card is protecting me from myself. It doesn't work. My INTERNATIONAL calling card only works in the states, and I can't buy another one because of my afore mentioned problem with the credit card. I have exactly three American dollars on me...which over here equals like 15 cents. And every exchange costs about six dollars to do. So basically I'd be handing them my three dollars, and I'd still owe them three in order to get nothing back. That was a fun surprise. I spent $10 this morning on breakfast...a stale bagel and coffee. Crazy. (Obviously this was before the discovery of my big cash problem.) BUT I am only about 14 hours away from seeing my husband!!
Thanks again, Jessica and Adam for saving my butt yesterday- you guys...there are no words. Okay, that's it for now. Rob, I know I'm supposed to call and tell you we're good to go, but obviously I can't... I've emailed everyone who's addresses I can remember and asked THEM to call, and I'm hoping you have the sense to know what a mess your wife is and check the blog. :-) Love Words, Baby! See you TODAY!

Ahhhhhhhhh FREAK OUT!

Oh. Holy. Smokes.

THIS is what I woke up to this morning. Oh, in addition, I came to the startling realization last night that I HAVE NO SUITCASE. (duh). Rob has them. Please do not take this obvious opportunity to leave me some smart comment about the importance of planning ahead. You will disappear and it will look like an accident. Oh, I know people. Yeah. And Scout is supposed to magically show up at my sister's house (30 snow-filled, accident proned miles away), crate and all, so she can watch him this weekend. Right. I'm so sure all of this will happen before 6 pm. No pressure, Danielle.
....Oh, THIS JUST IN.
Adam and Jessica, there has got to be some special corner in heaven for people who drive all over Maryland with no notice to help out a spastic friend. You guys are like the "Make a Wish" foundation for Type A people. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

keu and sam-ment bo-hal-la e-meul-leu-sal-lo

In Amharic that means "I'm returning in one week" (....hopefully).

Okay, so I'm leaving tomorrow. CAN YOU STAND IT?! Actually, I'm sure you've had about all you can stand by now. My plane leaves in exactly 24 hours. Here's the best part...I haven't packed yet. For some reason I can't pack until the day I'm leaving. It's an OC thing I guess. I'll have to lay everything out and look at it. I'll pack way too many shirts but manage to forget something important.... like my contact case, or malaria pills. Okay, I guess the malaria pills would be trump. Still.
In other news, it's SNOWING outside. Great. The girl that's terrified of flying gets to take off in a snow-ridden runway. I love how we've had a winter that probably rivaled Hawaaii's yet now that it's almost spring and I'm going to travel, we've managed about 4 inches in the last 6 hours. Can we do nothing without drama? So. Please pray for us this week that we stay safe, flights all land smoothly where they are supposed to, AND (thanks to my not-so-useful visit to the doc) that I don't get exposed to yellow fever for at least the next 10 days.

THREE MORE DAYS!

Okay. So check out me and my sweet T-shirt. (Thanks Laura!) I am getting all kinds of geared up for my trip. I'd like to thank the military for doing their part in getting my shots taken care of 3 days before I leave. (Shots take 2 weeks to become effective. Enter Irony). Just so you know; I was all geared up to write a very sarcastic email about the 4 hours of my life I'll never get back that I spent dealing with ignorant hospital personnel. But those stupid shots have made me so drowsy. No, like SO drowsy. ...drowsy is really a funny word when you think about it. I can't think of anything it rhymes with... or who made up that word. I tried to make up a word once. No one else picked up on it, but I still use it anyway. Me and this guy Matt from college who I used to eat cereal with. Who decided drowsy would mean drowsy? At this point, drowsy has lost all meaning to me. I wish I was famous because then I could name our first son Drowsy and it would be cool because he'd be in day care with kids like Gweneth Paltrow and Courtney Cox's kids, Apple and Cocoa (respectively). Drowsy Townley would be the man. I think there should be a test people have to pass before they're allowed to stick needles in other people. Just to mkae sure they're smart enough.

Pictures from Rob's last road trip in Africa.

Hi Everyone! So Danielle, being the amazing wife she is, posted some photos from my last trip into the bush out here...what a ride! We went about 1000km across the savannah to get to this one really isolated area where there's a bad famine going on...the people there were SO nice. Well, that and they'd never seen a white guy before, so us American boys were kind of a novelty. Anyhow, the first photo is just an overview of what things look like out there...the decided lack of roads makes for really fun driving. I think we're all going to sign up for a rally race team when we get home. I somehow managed to blow all four shocks, one strut, the alternator, four pistons and two tires on my truck, and we ripped off the antenna, some of the bumper, the turning signal and the brushguard. Yeah...the government wasn't too happy with me about that, but it was fun!
Can you guys say your office looks like this?!? Seriously though...if anyone has a cubicle or a real office they want a break from, I'll trade you in a heartbeat. Can't wait to come home.
So...here's a photo that was taken when we got lost like 300 miles from anywhere...that's my partner Nate and I trying to figure out where exactly we made a wrong turn (Must have been back there at that camel. Yeah, that was it. Only now the camel's gone. Argh!) And no, I'm not shooting at anyone...in this case I just had to use the scope on my rifle to see what was about since there were lions around and we generally try to avoid becoming an appetizer.
Speaking of lions...Meet Barre the lion! He's kept in a little thatched hut in a village we went through. The villagers had him since he was little, and now they really don't know what to do with him since he's a "little" 320lbs. He's not a very nice lion...though neither would I be if I ate one goat a day for the last 4 years. Poor guy gets one little billy goat each morning and sits around for the rest of the day. Anyhow, I got within about 6 feet of him (for which I was severely chastised by my wife later..."You did WHAT?? Robin Hamilton Townley! No playing with wild animals!!") Mufasa, Mufasa! Oooh...say it again!

Rob would be proud

This would be our little brainiac dog, Scout and his beloved flashlight...ahh, bet you wish YOUR dog was this spastic. :-) Scout, I got nothing but love for you, big guy. So, courtesy of Adam, I give you Scout.com!

I'm Smart. S-M-R-T

I don't think I would have posted this if I had failed... I'd like to see your "report card" on my comments page... don't think I won't check.

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 9/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

My sister, My friend....My date?

I apologize for not blogging sooner. (Thanks for the guilt trip comment!) I actually tried a few times yesterday but my blog was down. JUST my blog. I noticed everyone else's was working.
You know what that is, don't you? That's The Man trying to keep me down.
Anyway, so last night I went to my sister's Company Gala. I'm sure that more than a few people are re-thinking her sexuality given that she showed up with a girl and we danced all night (okay, not the slow songs). Eh, sometimes coworkers need something to discuss around the water cooler. I'm just happy we could make that dream come true for them. Actually, if you look at us and can't tell we're sisters...you're an idiot.

While I'm on this topic, let's expand shall we? Ever notice how no one would ever tell a person "hey, um, by the by, YOU can't dance" but they have no problem telling EVERYONE ELSE how awful you are? Makes me wonder if there's something the world needs to tell me and my signature "white girl" move of "snap, touch, snap touch".... Whatever. When I dance in front of the mirror, I'm soooo hot. (and now you're laughing at me).
Shaddup.

AMHARIC PHRASE OF THE DAY! (you thought I forgot, huh?) I can tell you guys don't like this part of my blog because no one comments...notice that has no effect on me. It's still here!

wu-sha neu-keu-seuny!

Translation: I've been bitten by a dog!
Ahh see there? We all learned a little something. Knowledge is Power!

cooking, traveling, and office space...who am I kidding? This entry has no real point.

12 days left until I leave for Africa! (That's right, this annoying countdown will continue for 12 more days).
I am starting a new position in my company this week. Today I got to visit my new digs- VERY spiff. (read: MY OWN OFFICE). Adam and Jessica came over last night to watch figure skating and make fun of my cooking (Picture of me "cooking"). This brings me to another point; Why don't people just believe me when I tell them I suck at cooking? It's not for lack of practice, cookbooks, or materials. I just suck. But I always get that disapproving look that "us quitters" get and an adamant "Yes you can, you just need more practice".
In my opinion, this is like expecting someone who owns athletic shoes to be able to run a 5 minute mile. You can practice all you want. If you ain't got it, you ain't got it. Everyone seems to understand THIS, Yet the world is intent on making me a chef. Trust me, people. I just can't cook. That's why I have ROB. :-) (love you, honey).

Amharic Phrase of the day: en-gli-ze-nya yeu-mi-chel teu-beu-ka e-feul-le-gal-lo
This means: "I want a lawyer who speaks English."
I feel like I should be commiting this one to memory...just in case.

I'll just put that on my VISA

TRAVEL VISA, that is. I left work to visit the Ethiopian Embassy in D.C. yesterday and 4 (FRUSTRATING) hours later, including an impromptu visit to Baltimore (Don't ask. Long story short - I'm a moron.) I was back with Ethiopia's permission to tour their country. I think the only thing I have left to do now is get that stupid Yellow Fever shot. Good thing I just loooove needles. Plus I'm getting it done through the military, and their bedside manner is more like "You can quit whining, or you can do 10 pushups".

Thank you, sir, may I have another.

Yesterday I got a book in the mail. Rob sent me an Amharic Phrase book. If I ever write a phrase book, I think I might limit it to information that is REALLY important. (i.e "where is the bathroom" or "I'm an American, I'm allowed ONE phone call!"). Some of the phrases in here crack me up. Anyway, I've decided we're all going to learn a little phrase every day that I remember to put one up until I leave. (which means today, and possibly tomorrow).
Today's phrase is brought to you by the "Nightclubs and Bars" chapter:
re-ge beu-tam e-weud-dal-lo

This means: "I really like reggae".

I plan to try and use this phrase some time during my 96-hour stay.

I know I know. Aim high, Danielle.

P.S. Thanks to those of you who have been asking: No, no progress on the bathroom. The tile saw is broken. And the toilet is still residing in the bathtub. (Sooo classy.)

Things that leave a bad taste in your mouth the next morning...(even after you brush your teeth)

1.) Salsa
2.) Beer
3.) Sour Cream and Onion chip or dip
4.) medicine
5.) speeding tickets. Okay, not literally. But I was still mad about it when I woke up this morning...
...This must be part of "the healing process".

Niner-Niner, do you copy? (kshhh) Over.

Well, it's official. I am going to Africa! The plane ticket is paid for, the hotel room is reserved, and when our financial advisor finds out, he will probably be in a corner somewhere holding his knees rocking back and forth screaming "Why God, Why!"
We Townleys figure you only go around once. This is probably the craziest thing I've ever done, but life is fun like that. My biggest drawback is that I hate flying...and it's a 21 hour flight just to get there. THAT should be interesting.
Anyone have one of those hand held DVD players?

On a personal note, I'd like to thank the government police (K-9 division to be exact)for my ticket this morning...all three cars (two of them were "for backup"). That was fun. No really, boys. It's always fun to have an overzealous guy give you an $80 ticket (for what SHOULD be a warning) AND then add "Yeah. We could tow your car if we wanted to." Thanks.

Here I come!

Okay, so I am buying Rob the most expensive Valentine's Day gift ever. Tomorrow I am going to the airport to officially book my flight to Africa. Holy Smokes what a lot of crap you have to go through to do that! I still have to get my visa and some shots, but then I'M OUT OF HERE, BABY! I gotta start working on my tan. :-)

Additional Thoughts By Danielle:
It occurs to me there are two types of people in the world:
First there the "Grocery Getters". The people who take multiple trips from the car to the house when carrying in their groceries. This makes sense, is safer, and the task is quickly completed.
Then there is the "One Trip Tribe". Those who are determined to do it all at once. Even though it takes twice as long, involves dropping at least one breakable item, and leaves deep red marks in the skin from the weight of so many bags on one arm.

Seven. The amount of neighbors who witnessed me as an acting member (probably president)of the "one trip" people this afternoon. I'm such an impressive member of society.

You say it's your Birthday

Well, today is my birthday and I'm 26. You don't really get anything cool at 26. At 16 you can drive, 18 you can vote, 21 you can dri- I mean... at 24 you can rent a car or a hotel room. 26 = Nothing. You have reached that point where getting a year older is not cool. Unless I plan to run for president or something, the years of waiting for age qualifications are over (if you don't count the senior citizen discount). Soon I'll be too old to try out for American Idol. Not that I want to, I'm just sayin'.
Greeeaaaat.

Rob did call and sing happy birthday to me in Amaric though. I love being married to someone who's cooler than me. It makes me cool by association.

P.S. Thanks all you guys who sent me birthday cards! That was way cool. Those of you who didn't...If I were you I'd claim I did. Who knows, I'm so old I probably won't remember who did and who didn't in a day or two anyway.

Pictures of the hottest man alive. (No really, it's hot there!)

Okay, so these are pictures Rob sent me to upload for him. I'm going to let him comment on the who/what/when. For now I'll put in what I can. (Honey, please change these comments as soon as possible!) He's getting kinda scruffy though! Hey All! Rob here. So here's a photo of Kalkidon (pronounced "Cal-kee-dawn") at her family's house during the celebration of St John the Baptist. Last month when I met her she had a severe case of malaria, but luckily we got some medicine in her in time, and she's feeling much better. Even to the point where she wanted to rock my sunglasses 'Lenny Kravitz style" over lunch. Isn't she a cutie?
Hmm...This is not what it looks like. The locals use these big water pipes called "shisha" to smoke dried fruit while they drink cofee...a little weird, but it has sort of a relaxing effect. I wasn't too keen on it at first, but I figured I had to give it a shot or risk offending angry tribal people...so, ya know...
Here's me and my partner Dave at the celebration of St John...it's kind of like the last day of celebration in their extended Christmas holiday over here. They do the Ethiopian Orthodox Church thing over here...really interesting. Kind of like the distant cousin that no one talks about.
This is a state of the art, camel-powered sesame seed press. Basically the camel walks around in a circle and drives this kind of mortar and pestle thing that grinds sesame seeds into oil. And the kid just sits on top of it and whips the camel all day. This camel has been at it for like 10 years. You really, really have to screw up in a former life to come back as a camel sentenced to walk in circles for your whole life. What a depressing thought.

Hmmm....yeah....I have to...

I was contemplating not adding this. I don't really enjoy writing "angry thoughts" as this is my outlet for all that sarcasm I keep bottled up inside all day. Okay, okay, that I TRY to keep bottled up inside. But well... Occasionally angry words are warranted.
That said.
It's come to my attention that we are a society that enjoys drama. We look past people to focus on their flaws. We revel in the failure of those we feel threatened by. You need only to open a People magazine and read about Brad, Jen, and Angelina, or Jessica and Nick to come to this "shocking" truth.
To the person who attempted to make a "Page Six" case out of my marriage this weekend I would like to say thank you. You have taught me a valuable lesson about our society. Our jealousy, gossip, and hatred extends past the world of celebrities and infiltrates our relationships with people we consider friends. I am insulted and infuriated by your accusations, but more than that I am sorry that my eyes were not opened to this sooner.
I refuse to cite you with examples proving to you that we are solid. Knowing anyone at that level is a privilege - not a right. I am clueless as to your reasons for stirring this pot. Twice. But allow me to caution you; You might want to figure out what exactly you're trying to accomplish before I hear about this story hitting the news a third time.
We don't appreciate publicizing incidents like this with friends, family and anyone who has internet access. Rob and I prefer to use this space to make our friends and each other smile (or roll their eyes). This entry is a waste of my time and those that just spent the last few minutes reading it. Our hope is that you realize the destruction that your words are capable of causing before your ignorance attacks someone in a situation far less stable.

Everybody on three...

My hands are clammy, my head hurts, and I'm in a cold sweat. I know what you're thinking: Flu. No, my friends. I have just spent the past 3 hours going through our wedding pictures to decide what will go in 'THE ALBUM'. Oh, the PRESSURE. How in the world am I supposed to decide what goes in and what doesn't? After a while, it starts looking like just a bunch of pictures of me and Rob.(Shut it. You know what I meant). Plus it's causing me to regress. I have been doing so well making dinner for myself lately and going to the gym after work. Tonight I had peanuts and orange juice for dinner, and sat on the couch with re-runs of Friends as backround noise. Not my proudest moment...Help Me!

Board Games for Smart People

I have just spent the past 4 hours hanging out with friends and playing Trivial Pursuit. I don't know anyone who doesn't LOVE Trivial Pursuit. Except me. I hate that game. I suck - and after a while I start feeling stupid because I'm always "pie-less". Poor Carrie was on my team and (no offense, Carrie) she's as bad as me. Rob even called in from Africa and answered a few of the questions FOR US. (Seriously, how amazing is he?)

Anyway, the humiliation has ended. And I admit, I cheated a little...I sort of gave us the green pie when no one was looking.. it was a confidence booster!

Next time: Chutes and Ladders or bust.

Communist Coffeemakers

Hi folks...it's your favorite Safari guide. So I've finally gotten some email access out here, and what do I find? This link from Slate Magazine detailing how Starbucks manipulates their advertising campaign to entice customers to buy larger drinks, when they're actually only paying for a larger cup.

http://www.slate.com/id/2133754/?nav=fo

I am admittedly one victim of this dastardly ploy, as Starbucks has sucked more than its fair share of dough out of my pocket, mostly in the form of Grande Caramel Macchiatos. However, I entreat you to join me in boycotting Starbucks and it's line of caffeinated goodness... if we all band together against this mocha-flavored atrocity, maybe they'll stop acting like the primadonnas of the coffee world and sell a reasonably priced cup o' joe. And maybe, just maybe, that Starbucks manager who once would not let my wife use his establishment's bathroom will be "marginalized due to corporate downsizing." Ahh...revenge will be sweeter than a mint-chip frappucino.

Ever have a day when...

You feel like you're on the other side of this door...





disclaimer: This picture was taken by Saul and his new lens.

Jingle Bell Hades

Tonight's post will only make sense to those of you who have AOL Instant Messenger. Dude. The Jamster Jingle Bell thing that plays one of three Christmas-ish songs every time I ACCIDENTALLY scroll over it -and seemingly a lot when I'm no where near it- is driving me nuts. (Okay, "Axel F" isn't exactly Christmas). I can't handle "Crazy Frog Goes to India" one more time. I go to work and hear "Ring Ding Dinga-ding ding ding" in my head now! I mean, as of Saturday, Christmas is even over in Ethiopia - and they're like 8 YEARS behind us! (for those of you who know how much I tend to exaggerate, I want you to know that that's actually a fact). Anyway, my point is - Go home, Jingle Bell Man. We're done here. If you're still here in February, I'm calling security.
-P.S. Don't bother commenting that I need more to do with my time. Obviously I'm aware.
- P.S.S. The Bathroom still looks horrible

Happy 90th Birthday, Deda!

Hi Everyone! So we had Deda's birthday party yesterday - good times! It's a good day when your whole family gets together to celebrate your grandfather's 90th birthday. So, since you're all jealous for missing it... here are some pictures...
This is me and Deda

This would be us singing a birthday song that sounded alarmingly similar to "The 12 days of Christmas" You can guess who's idea this was (cough-mom-cough) -- I'd like to note that Alex didn't bring his girlfriend because he was worried she'd find out how psycho we are and dump him. All I have to say is I know Rob would have been down with this.

All the women... I don't know what it is about us and making faces... maybe Alex made a smart decision not bringing his girlfriend.

> This is the Bunnel/Kukich cousins....again with the faces.

YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME

Okay, I stole this link from Wade.
ClickHere
But seriously... THIS WOMAN MARRIED A DOLPHIN. Some people I can look at and think "Everyone is different and different is okay". Others I just want to slap.

Africa?

Sorry, no updates on el banyo just yet. I know, you're crushed. In other news... I MIGHT GET TO GO SEE ROB IN AFRICA!!! Okay, so it's like a 50% chance, but you know how we Townleys get- we're SUPER hopeful. How cool would that be!
On a completely unrelated subject- A big shout out to Meg, my workout buddy all the way in the Carolinas. We motivate eachother with condescending phone calls, i.e. "Get on the treadmill- NOW....I'm gonna call back as soon as I get out of the gym, and if you don't sound out of breath, you're DONE." Never have I worked out with someone "over the phone". Sweet.

The madness continues

The front hallway of my home currently looks like a junk yard. About this bathroom... yeah. The plumber guy ROCKS. He tore out my sink and the toilet all with me cheering in the backround. The 'fun' part began when I realized the house builders in their infanite wisdom (drench that word in sarcasm please)did not complete the flooring under the sink. SO, now I have to add more flooring before I can tile anything. Oh, and my plumber is going to have to come back and RIP OUT PART OF THE WALL. (Rob I really hope you find all this out through the blog instead of me. Please don't call me until you've started breathing again). The good news is that the water is back on and I can shower! Yeah, so this is the new deal:
1.) I paint
2.) Jim rips out toiled and sink
3.) I replace floor
4.) Jim (plumber) installs stuff that requires wall getting knocked in
5.) I paint over big hole in wall
6.) Jim comes back to install sink and toilet
7.) We all dance and dance and throw a party in my bathroom.
# of Trips to Lowes = Amazingly still just 2. Although we had a scare there this afternoon
Current State of bathroom:
Disgusting. And yes, that's a toilet in the shower.

Bathroom Blues

Day Two: the bathroom saga continues.
Today I woke up with a new vengence for the pipes that won't budge. All of my local friends are not answering my calls. Honestly, I don't blame them. So, I called around to find a plumber - no luck. My former realtor actually came over to help me and he hooked me up with a plumber who I am waiting on presently. In the mean time the water has been turned off... I painted whatever I can reach, I've removed most of the flooring, and the light fixtures. I'm having horrendous flashbacks of our first month living here.
# Trips To Lowes - Two and holding
Current State of Bathroom:

Four FRUSTRATING hours (and a hacksaw) later...

Okay.(Grumble).
Just ONCE I would like one of these home improvement jobs to go as planned. The PVC pipe was not budging. Trust me. I tried. I finally called Lowes to ask about their "installation/removal" services. $150. Not too bad, considering that at this point I am ready to set the sink on fire. I drove down to Lowes to sign the paperwork. $150? Oh no, more like $325. No thanks boys, I'll figure it out. The guy there recommended I buy a hack saw because you can saw through the pvc. Hmm. interesting. $8 later, I'm on my way home again. I sawed through the pipe - which relieved a LOT of aggression. Again I am ready to take on the world (or maybe just the bathroom). To my dismay, I realized the water pipes are also stuck. But they are not pvc, and again, I am screwed. Plus while sawing, I hit my finger on a plastic bucket so hard that bled and caught my arm on a nail. I basically look like a small child beat me up.
# of Trips to Lowes - 2
Current state of bathroom... same as before.

Happy New Guest Bathroom

Okay, so my big new year plan is to redo the guest bathroom. It's not a huge feat... it's just a tiny bathroom, right? We Townleys are already experienced in painting, electrical units, tile, and sink/toilet removal so it's like I went to home repair college! PLUS my fantastic inlaws gave us the "how to" book from Home Depot. You just don't understand how cool of a gift that is. More updates to follow...
# Of Trips to Lowes = 1
Current State of Bathroom:

So Long, 2005!

Well, I hope 2005 was a good year for you. I'd like to think it's one of the best one's so far, lots of good things happened...
My Boyfriend came home from Iraq safely in March, we got engaged in April, Married in October, bought our first home, my sister moved up from Florida, and I learned important life lessons, like beware of anything promised by the Military. "We won't be sending Rob back to Iraq" never said anything about not sending him anywhere else. "Helloooo Africa". Oh, also never buy seafood on sale.
So yeah, good year and all, but those lessons smart a little. I've been working on New Year's resolutions. I have two that I'm really shooting for. One of them being "learn to cook". (yes, again..."if at first you don't succeed" and what not). Last night I bought some lobster tail on sale (hey that rhymes!) And I decided to do it up. I actually made vegetables, mashed potatos, poured a glass of wine, and steamed my lobster tail. (This is a HUGE step up. Normally I eat cheerios and maybe a slice of cheese.) It was awesome... two hours later though "awesome" was not the word I would use. All of a sudden I'm sick to my stomach and everything that touches my skin feels like sandpaper.
Rob said that when they put seafood on sale for 50% off, there's a reason.
Thanks Safeway. Happy New Year to you too.

We should have gotten a cat

Well I'm glad the stupid eye thing made everyone's day...Meanwhile back at the ranch, my dog is smarter than me and it sucks. I'm trying to figure out a way to sway him from lounging on the furniture while I'm at work. I feel like my wisdom is being shipped in parts that must be assembled slowly. It's finally dawned on me to close my bedroom door while I'm at work. Then I came home and the couch had mysteriously aquired a patch of fur... so before I left for the gym (bonus points- THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS, I WORK OUT), I put the box our Christmas tree came in on the couch. I just got home. The only chair left in the house feels rather warm... Scout was innocently walking around the kitchen with that "I don't know nothin'" attitude but he somehow also aquired yet another pair of my socks.
Anyone know a good taxodermist?

My Eyes...

Okay I tried this thing that tells you what color your eyes SHOULD be. Honestly, I think it's pretty stupid. But hey, you be the judge- the link is there in case you want to check it out. For the record, my eyes aren't brown- they're hazel.

Your Eyes Should Be Brown

Your eyes reflect: Depth and wisdom What's hidden behind your eyes: A tender heart

What Color Should Your Eyes Be?

Christmas.

Hey folks...so it's Rob again. Once more, the Christmas holiday passes on a bittersweet note for the Townley family. Though it's not the Norman Rockwell setting I'd like (i.e. Rob, Danielle and Scout opening presents with a crackling fire in the background), I have to admit I'm continually amazed by the efforts of my fellow servicemen and women in their endeavor to make this incredibly unhospitable place feel a little more like Times Square on Christmas day. The tinsel, cheesy plastic ornaments and miniature fake trees have come in droves, as have innumerable stockings and candy canes that adorn nearly everyone's tent entrances. Some brave soul even hung a huge "Merry Christmas" sign from the barrel of the artillery piece guarding the entrance to the base headquarters, and a roving party of well-wishers wrapped many of the doors around here in some sort of sparkly wrapping paper. There was actually caroling last night (yes, those boys and girls the government pays to fight our wars added their voices to the resounding chorus of "Silent Night" that echoed off the bomb bunker walls here on base). The display of goodwill that has temporarily pervaded this military installation at the edge of the civilized world will be short lived, but it has strengthened in me the sense that though I am away from my wife for the holidays, I am still incredibly thankful for the blessings she and I enjoy though we cannot be together. Had I not you, my love, I would have given up on myself a long time ago. You are my most precious blessing, Danielle, thank you for marrying me.

My warmest holiday wishes to all of you out there...Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas!!

Well my parents are on their way up to our house for Christmas. I pretty sure we'll all be busy driving eachother nuts, so there won't be much time for me to post updates this weekend. (I know I know, boo. hiss. Please try to put on a brave face) So, here's our Kukich Family e-card that we took for ROB- I LOVE YOU HONEY! Merry Christmas!!! The rest of you can suck it up...and Merry Christmas and stuff to you too!



The First Townley Christmas!

The Sock Monster Lives

Dogs show frustration with their humans in a myriad of ways. Scout enjoys the fine art of chewing socks. In fact Scout's been known to actually take Rob's socks out of his shoes, chew holes in them and then put them BACK. Rob used to get mad and I would tell him that if he maybe put his socks somewhere Scout couldn't reach them (i.e. THE SOCK DRAWER) instead of leaving them on the floor this wouldn't be a problem. Lately I have been doing laundry (translation: like three loads in the last year) and I have been losing socks left and right. Today I was lamenting this problem to Rob on the phone when it dawned on me to check under the bed. It was like sock heaven. So of course, here I am, FURIOUS with our dog and yelling at him, meanwhile in Africa and my husband is LAUGHING at me. When I "scolded" him (husband) for not being more supportive he said "Sorry honey, I was just wondering when Scout learned how to open the sock drawer". Touche, Sgt. Townley. Touche.

Get Lit...Mission: Accomplished

Well, another holiday party is done. The Kim's annual "Get Lit" party was a hit! I think it's safe to say everyone had a great time and never has a Christmas apron looked so good on so many people. SO, that said - I've uploaded the majority of the pictures onto Snapfish (if you want 'em, just say so) but here are a few teasers for you party animals who showed up.

Proof that I really did have friends in high school! Shari and Tara (respectively) came out to the Kim household to meet the Maryland crew.
One of many alchohol induced "I love you, man" shots. For instance, almost no one in this picture knew eachother an hour before it was taken. BUT for those of you keeping track- that's Saul (Rob's Africa buddy) standing next to me!
The flip cup Olympians. You can't tell who won can you? That's probably because at this point no one remembers.
Soooo tempted to start singing the "sisters" song from White Christmas.... but I'll spare you. I Love how as we get older, Laura gets more cool while I...I'm the one wearing the Home Goods apron and this time I can't use the excuse "Yeah...my MOM made me wear this".

Pictures of Rob!

I thought you guys would like to see some pictures that Rob sent last night. I stuck one in here of the guys he's been playing soccer with, the other two are cheetah pics. I think one of them is Rob giving eye drops to Patch... good times.
We love you Honey!

Impossible, Ethiopia

Hi folks! So, 40 days and 40 nights later, I've finally made it back to some sort of civilization, also known as my office in Djibouti. What a trip! From reading her prior posts I gather that Danielle kept you all informed about how the whole affair with Scout and Patch came about...I think that's going to be my and Danielle's 15 minutes of fame. Anyhow, the kitties are doing just fine in their new home. If anyone ever makes it over to Ethiopia, just stop by the National Zoo in Addis Ababa and say "Yeah, I know Danielle and Rob, now lemme see the cheetahs!" and they'll let you right in. Better than being on the VIP list at a night club, I'm tellin' ya.
Hmm...in other news, my crew and I took a trip a couple weeks ago to a place called Mustahil. Translated literally, the name means 'Impossible' in the local dialect. Fitting name for the town, since for 3 months out of the year the whole place is under 5 feet of water and the townpeople have to evacuate to high ground and live in tents. Why anyone would ever try to build a village there, I have no idea, but the people were themselves were amazing. No water, no power, yet they figured out how to build a camel-powered (think hamster wheel) sesame seed press to make sesame oil. Totally bizarre. The local tribe there adopted me, and gave me a new Somali name, "Santoori." I'm told it means "Senator" in the local dialect...who knows. On day two of the trip, we distributed some soccer balls to the local childrens' teams...those kids can play ball! They might have been running around barefoot, but a few of them had a mean penalty shot.
Hmm...in other news, I've traded in eating goat for dining on camel and wild boar, not bad! Camel kinda tastes like lamb, and boar is like incredibly tender pork (Only setback is that you have to shoot and roast the boar yourself...most people here are Muslim and have an aversion to pork in general). But, we split a 55 gallon fuel drum in half, welded some metal bars on it, and voila! Instant charcoal grille. So at least we have some variety in the cuisine now...it's alot better than goat scraps every night. African barbeque!!!
Spent a lot of time providing medical assistance to local doctors, helping out kids with malaria or flu, etc. I guess it's the cold season over here now (south of the equator and what not), so the locals are a bit under the weather. Oh, and before I forget...the coffee here is unbelievable. They have a whole ceremony surrounding morning coffee here; they literally roast the raw beans in front of you, grind them up, and make this incredibly thick, sweet coffee poured into little tiny cups. And a little tiny cup is all you need, that stuff is strong!
Other than that, I've spent the decidedly lonely nights (read: half the globe apart from my wife) sleeping under the stars...which are brilliant like you would not believe out here. The safari's nice, but I'd trade it all in a minute for an evening at home curled up on the couch with the Mrs. This deployment crap is for the birds. Anyone have a desk job open for me?

My name is Danielle, and I'm a scrapbooker

Okay I hate to admit this; I have started scrapbooking. What a moneypit hobby THIS is! I was looking through Heather and Clayton's wedding album recently and I'm not sure what came over me. The next thing I knew I was staying up late gluing stickers and punching holes into our new honeymoon album. Just for the record, this is the SECOND hobby I've picked up since Rob left. (The first one being the glass beads class). They seem to be getting more expensive. Notice how I never seem to talk about going to the gym anymore. (Which we have a MEMBERSHIP to)... hmmm.
Moving on - I have good news for those of you who continue commenting that my blog is more interesting when ROB writes. Tomorrow Rob SHOULD have internet access for a few days, so hopefully he'll get a chance to post some updates.
OH, AND (how could I forget!?) OUR WEDDING PICTURES ARE UP! If you want to see them, just go to www.pictage.com and create your own password. Then just type in one of our last names and the "code" (the date of the wedding 100805) and SHA-ZAM! You're in.
...it doesn't actually make the "sha-zam" noise

Let there be light

So. I had a professional electrician come and work on my kitchen lights this evening and I am happy to report that once again I can actually see dinner as I'm burning it! (pause) On second thought...maybe I was better off with the light out....
Rob is doing really well out in Africa. No more endangered animals to save and he's managed to sidestep eating bad goat. It really doesn't take much to keep him happy. A few more days and he *should* have internet access for a little while again. You'll be able to tell if he does because I'll probably have something like 500 pictures of him posted up here. I don't think any of us are prepared for another war between the internet version of the Greasers and the Soc's, so I'll leave the "military wife" updates at that. (If you didn't get that, you need to read more. Like A LOT more).
In other news, I took a Yoga class tonight. I hurt like an 80 year old man. Yoga people be crazy.

Ahh, the Christmas Spirit

This cracks me up. Laura, Scout, and I look like part of the Christmas Mafia. I think that this should be on our family's Christmas card this year...

Food, Folks, and Fun

Okay, sorry it's been a few days. What a wild weekend -
My mom came up to spend the weekend with me and I took her to a cocktail party in Baltimore. It was awesome. These people are fascinating - we met everyone from artists to insurance salesmen.

I never thought I'd see the day that I'd come stumbling into the house after 2 in the morning WITH MY MOM. I'm not really sure what that says about either of us... Anyway, this was the Baltimore crowd sans me (someone has to take the picture)


On top of all that excitement, the Renders came to visit this weekend. For those of you who don't know - Liz and I went to middle school and high school together - and our moms are friends. (I know I know "awwwww" - shaddup). So Laura came over to hang out and the five of us had a little mom/daughter thing going this weekend.

I am also not in this picture, cameraman obligations being what they are.
I think my most memorable moment this weekend was the 2 hours four of us spent on Sunday morning trying to put that stupid lamp up in the kitchen (which I've been working on for about a week now). My husband will be pleased to know I am keeping up the Townley tradition of making every task take more time and more money than it was intended to. So far I have made THREE trips to Home Depot, electrocuted myself (read: not "shocked" - ELECTROCUTED), and managed to BREAK the wiring inside the walls..... Right now I'm waiting for the electrician to call me back.

Truce! Truce!

Well, it's been an interesting few days on here, eh? I feel like we're all one big happy internet family. Everyone has struck nerves, put in their two cents, and now I feel like everone is reading this going "......and?" As if this is the season finale of the web page and I should either have a link to an episode of Oprah titled "Soldiers and the girls that love them" or one to tomorrow's front page with a story titled "That Girl That Snapped'" all about how I was found walking up and down I95 with a sharp object pointed at my wrist screaming "I'LL DO IT, I SWEAR I WILL!"
I have neither.
Tim Jenkins, you have been a worthy opponent. I look forward to reaking havoc on your blog someday soon. Your unknown sidekick is a wuss ;-)
So let's move on. In doing so I would like to share that Saul, Rob's buddy in Africa, is HOME! He came over for dinner earlier this week and I noticed that he was eyeing the meal warily. He finally admitted that Rob MIGHT have mentioned something about me being ...."unfamiliar" with the kitchen.
Rob, sweetheart, you have some explaining to do!

You Dunn Struck A Nerve.

So. I've pondered the best way to respond to a recent comment and here's what I've got.
"Tim Jenkins"....You can shove it. Let's review some facts:
1. Rob has spent Christmas in some dangerous armpit of the world for at LEAST the past three years (as long as I've known him) and yeah, we're both tired of it. He's currently on his 7th deployment, we're newlyweds and this is my web page, not yours.
2.If I want to take a minute and express that I'm having a rough day missing my husband of 8 weeks (2 of which we actually spent in the same country) don't get on my ass about how I'm being insensetive to those of you who are single. I'm not saying I'm the ONLY person who is, was, or ever will be lonely. Just expressing that I'm having a rough day.
3. Ask a Marine sometime what it's like when they are on these "trips". It's not like it's just a few months away and then they're home and "Oh, stop your whining Danielle. I'm ACTUALLY single and whah whah whah." Check the stats on how many of these soldiers don't make it back. And then shut your damn mouth.
4. Don't insult me with your bumper sticker "I complained about not having shoes until I met a man with no feet" bull crap. The first time that you spend Christmas in Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, or somewhere that you have to worry about more than just holiday traffic - we'll talk. Until then, since you're so insistent on the shoe proverbs, why don't you walk a mile in ours?

P.S. I find it interesting that you feel bold enough to blast me on a topic you truly do not understand, yet you sign your comments with a fake name.
This is one topic you shouldn't check me on.
Comments?

Keeping up with the Townleys!

So apparently when the cat's away, the mice buy ELECTRONICS! This evening I was settling down for a night of dvd's and gift wrapping when our dvd player decided to cash in its chips. I've known this day was coming for a while now and I've been preparing for it. (Preparing = sucking up to my friend's husband that knows about electronics).
Clayton is the electronics king. I swear, Sony probably calls him for advice. He dropped everything and met me at Best Buy (THAT'S a good friend!). I should note here *in case Santa reads my web page, that Clay also fixed the air pressure in my car tires last week* ("nice" list).
Anyway, Clay and I found a niiiiice little system for a reasonable price. I headed home, AND ASSEMBLED IT MYSELF!!! (cue the applause)That was a very proud moment(aka three hours). Hooking up surround sound speakers, fixing the wires and finding out the blue/yellow/red/white cords that never have corresponding colors on the machine. It works though! ...ish.
Clayton is coming over tomorrow to fix it.

Seriously Santa, hook that boy up.

Cue the fantastic husband...

Okay, as if on cue, not even an hour after my last posting these flowers were delivered to my front door from Rob. The lady who brought them was really nice, and even went on and on about how much she liked our tile floors. I really didn't expect to smile today.
Thanks Honey!

Bahumbug

So, I'm having somewhat of a "feel sorry for me" day. I know it's pathetic but hey, don't act like you never had one yourself. I'm tired of Rob being gone during the holidays. Make that EVERY Holiday. We have been together since January of 2004 and have yet to even have a Halloween or Valentines Day together- let alone Christmas/Thanksgiving. Last year sucked, but I dealt (Hoo Rah and what not). This year it's not even December yet and I'm already tired of putting on the brave face at the holiday parties alone with my big, stupid "no really, I'm fine" smile. I swear, if one more person puts their hand on my shoulder and shares in their infinate wisdom; "Don't worry, the next 4 months will fly by"(and then grabs their husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/family cat/whatever to go home for the evening) I will be forced to break their fingers. (Hey, originally it said "face"...I like to think I've calmed down considerably)

Picture of Cheetahs

There has been another story on the cheetahs, It's pretty much the same story, but they included a picture this time that I thought you guys might be interested in; THIS is how those two cubs have been living for the past 5 months. 8 inches of rope between them and the ground.
People Suck.

We made two cheetahs smile!

Okay you guys- The Cheetahs are under rescue! - HOW COOL IS THIS??? This was published yesterday. It's kinda long- but I thought you'd like it anyway...
(Rob is my super hero!)

A HAPPY THANKSGIVING FOR TWO CHEETAH CUBS IN ETHIOPIA
Cheetah Conservation Fund Collaborates With Ethiopian and US Authorities

Ethiopia- Two orphaned cheetahs tied to the ground by an 8 inch rope were confiscated today, and will be flown to Addis Ababa tomorrow through the combined efforts of various people coordinated by the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a not-for profit organization dedicated to helping to save this endangered species for extinction. Dr. Laurie Marker, an American who founded CCF, says that, “Today is truly a great Thanksgiving for all – and in particular for these cheetah cubs. I can’t give enough thanks to all the many people who rallied together to assist these helpless cubs”.
The two cubs were reported to CCF by concerned representative of the US military Civil Affairs unit who is providing humanitarian assistance to the inhabitants of the region as part of the Combined Joint Task Force/Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA). CCF representatives then coordinated a group of Ethiopian officials and concerned individuals helped by representatives in the US Embassy in Addis, the US military unit, and the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme to locate and airlift the cubs to Addis, where they will undergo medical treatment by the Ethiopian Wildlife Department.
The cubs were being monitored by and reported to CCF on a daily basis; however the involvement of the Ethiopian WL Dept was needed in order to take the cats into custody for medical care. Both cubs were in critical condition: the male had a severely infected eye that will need surgery and follow up medical treatment. Both cubs were starving and being fed a diet of milk and cheese, not an appropriate diet for young cheetahs. As a carnivore, the cubs needed raw, lean meat, and the milk diet was causing the cubs to be suffering from severe diarrhea and dehydration.
The cubs, estimated at approximately 5 months of age, were believed to be illegally purchased by the hotel owner, probably to be sold to wealthy buyers. There is a lot of illegal catching of young animals in this area, particularly carnivores, said Dr. Zelealem Tefera of the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme.
According to Marker, “Cheetahs are an endangered species, with less than 15,000 cheetahs left in the world. Regrettable, there is still illegal trade in live wild endangered cats and their fur and body parts. This is not the first instance of cheetah cubs being reported in illegal situations in Africa. Cheetahs, particularly cubs, are easy to capture. Fortunately, this time we were able to intervene before the cubs died or were moved to an untraceable situation.”
Contingent upon a medical check-up and assurances that the cubs are healthy enough for air transport, the cubs will fly aboard a US military plane and will be taken to the Ethiopian National Palace in the capital, where they will housed and given proper care.

Couch Reservations For One, Please

Yes, that is a picture of our Christmas Tree. Hey! I'm a lonely married woman, trust me, there are worse ways I could be spending all this free time! I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon putting that up. The whole time thinking of my adorable husband all alone in Africa with his two cheetahs and how we will be spending our first Christmas apart. (sigh). So Rob called last night and asked how my day was. I told him how much I missed him and about our tree that took me and my sister forever to put together, decorate, etc. and how sorry I was that he wasn't going to be here for Christmas this year. Do you know what he said?
"You put the tree up already??? Danielle, It's not even Thanksgiving!?!?!"
...And then he laughed at me....for like 5 minutes....

Men.

(I have to leave the blinds closed for a few days... apparently I should have read the "Home Owners Association Handbook" first). shaddup.

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

I woke up this morning with every intention of going to church. I am not sure what happened...It's 10:30am and here I am in my pajama pants, cup of coffee, and hair in ponytail mindlessly checking my email. I do have a splitting headache though... does that count?
Last night we watched "Mind Hunters". It's a psychological thriller a guy at work recommended. I do not support his recommendation. It was a lot of "You're the killer! No, YOU are! Shut up! No YOU shut up!" I kept waiting for "my dad can beat up your dad". That movie is the poster child for proving that it really is all about who you know and HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH an actual talent for screen writing....or acting.
Rob called this morning to say hello. You know that "butterflies in your stomach" feeling you got in high school when 'Johnny Football Hero' or 'Susie Cheerleader' said hi to you in the hallway? THAT's what his phone calls are like for me. And yes, I know you think that's cheesy and no, I don't care. No progress on the Cheetah's yet except that we've named them. "Spot" didn't make the cut.
Okay, if anyone needs me, I'm probably on my couch watching VH1's "Top 101 Celebrity Oops".

Hoorah.

Okay, so we're working hard on this Cheetah thing. We've contacted a rescue organization that can actually help (thanks Neal!) and Rob is contacting them whenever he can - which is tough with a 12 hour time difference. More on that when I have more.
So it's Friday. I had the afternoon off so of course I went shoe shopping. (Rob, that's slang for "grocery shopping" - I swear). So, a question: Ever have those "Super Friendly" sales people that follow you all around the store making suggestions and offering advice even after you've politely refused their help? I hate those guys. I started to feel like I must strike them as a shoplifter. I used to work retail, I've seen the same training videos. You see a "potential shoplifter" and you follow them around annoyingly and ask them if you can help them...with anything...really....I'll even give you unsolicited advice on an outfit that would look, like, SO good in. Totally.
Yeeeaaaah.
Anyway, now I'm at home and blah blah blah. I think my sister and I are going to go see Jarheads tonight. (Sorry honey. I love you!) Hoo. Rah. Baby.

Cheetahs never win!

I see how it is. No one ever e-mails me... but post a picture of a hot, single guy up and all of a sudden my inbox is packed with girls requesting more information and closer pictures. (Names with-held to protect the predators). Saul, rest assured that when you come back from Africa you will never spend a Friday night alone unless you want to.
Moving on, Rob has befriended two cheetah cubs in Africa. (he's sending pictures soon) They are only 3 months old and their mom is dead. We're looking for a rescue foundation that will take them so they won't die. Customs is pretty difficult to get through though, and a lot of organizations want you to take care of that on your own time - which Rob doesn't have. Any thoughts or ideas anyone? I talked to the San Diego Zoo today and got a lead on a zoo in Africa that I'm going to contact, but other than that... I got nothin'.

If you can help me, I'll put in a good word for you with Saul.... :-)

Shameless Danielle....

What is up with that?

Okay, so I leave work every day at 3pm (shaddup, I go in before you're even awake). How is it that it's now 5pm and I am still in my work clothes, having eaten random foods that together I (loosely) call "dinner". (apple, potato chips, peanut butter, milk, and a few ginger snaps)...and my big plans for the evening after I'm done on the internet are that I'm going to watch TV. I think winter has a hibernating mechanism that affects me. All summer I loved being outside and active. Now I just want some stretchy pants and a good movie....and maybe some cookies. WHY AM I SO LAZY?!?! You know what...forget this. I will not become "sloth girl" just because of some crap weather! I'm going to the gym.
Saul!?!? What the heck! You're supposed to be on vacation!
Okay, for those of you just tuning in, Saul is one of Rob's buddies out in Africa. (all together class, "ooooooooh"). He sends me all the "Your man is okay" emails when Rob can't call or write me. Saul Rocks. Anyway, this is the first picture of Rob I've gotten since he left. You guys all know who Rob is...and Saul is the guy second from the right. Hellooooo Ladies.

Baaaaaad Goat (you have to make the goat sound when you read that or you'll just think I can't spell)

Well, here's hoping that this week is better than last week. Rob called me around 5am (Africa time) having been up sick for most of the night after eating "bad goat". When he told me that, I decided that my week was already doing better than his, so I probably shouldn't complain.
Hey, so a question for the dog owners in the crowd... Sometimes during the course of a day does your dog get so much energy that he just can't sit still any more and start tearing around the house like a rabid animal up and down the stairs, in and out of rooms, sliding all over the kitchen floor, etc??
....No??
...oh...mine either...

The day I bet $5

I will bet you $5 that my day today was worse than yours. Before you start planning your strategy, be aware that I wouldn't just put $5 on the table if I didn't have one BAD day to back it up with. I'll even give you a teaser: One of the TAMER incidents today was the news that I will need a root canal. Anyway, my feeling is that if your day was in fact worse than mine, you probably deserve 5 bucks.

One Whole Month!

So, today is our ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARY! (Stop rolling your eyes, I won't do this every month!) Anyway, In honor of the Townleys first full month as a married couple, I am posting our first picture we ever took together. Wow. Have you ever seen a picture of you and someone you were dating and thought..."Why are they dating me?" THAT'S what I think when I look at this picture.



And, AND, I'm taking a beads class. I kinda suck now, but who cares how good the beads look- I get to play with a blow torch! (And no, there were no casualties). It may seem like I'm posting a lot of pictures lately. That's because I am.


I think this constitutes as another one of those pictures I was just talking about. But seriously though, I look pretty hot in safety goggles....

Come join Danielle's weight loss program! (No really, it works!)

Okay, without Rob the house has turned into the next season of Survivor: Townley Household. I have GOT to learn to cook! I came home this evening ready to make a baked potato and re-heat a hamburger for dinner. Thirty minutes, a smoking toaster oven, and a very dry disgusting piece of beef later (apparently it doesn't reheat well in a toaster)- on the brink of starvation (slight exaggeration) I ended up eating 4 cookies, a glass of milk, and some cheese. Seriously, I think I need Rob here more than the military needs him there. ...I am so tired of unplugging my fire alarm from the ceiling. Why do we have to have them on BOTH floors?

Eat, Drink, and be Lethargic

I have just wasted an entire weekend. Every night has been spent right here at my computer. Even Scout is bored with me. I just ate a ton of sushi, some ice cream, and a tootsie roll. (no, I'm not pregnant. Shut it). If I keep this up I'm going to need those pants that just have the big elastic band on them. I'm going to wake up tomorrow and it will be Monday. I will probably complain about how much I'd rather be at home or out doing stuff. And now we all know that by "stuff" I mean hanging out on the internet. I think Rob needs to come home....

The First Wedding Picture

OKay, for those of you who have been asking, we don't have our wedding photos back yet- our photographer is getting married this month (Congrats Joe and Beck!) so he's a little busy. But he's doing what he can. Anyway, he likes to 'tease' us occasionally when he gets a chance to work on one or so. So he sent us our very first picture from the wedding... and here it is:


That's Deda (My grandpa) and my cousin Alex. I love my family! We're a classy bunch!
:-)
This is one I managed to steal... :-) I know it's not as fun for you kids at home, but Rob and I like it!

A moment of silence

This week was somewhat sobering. Rob's grandfather passed away last Thursday and I flew to Ohio to be with the family and say good-bye to Bob Larcey. Larcey funerals aren't what I thought they would be though. The whole family gathered to share funny stories about Bob, I got to FINALLY meet Neal- my brother-in-law, and everyone had baby stories (and pictures) of Rob.... that might have been my favorite part. Anyway, this entry isn't so much to entertain or vent, I just wanted to post some pictures up for Rob. Honey, we missed you! I love you!

next year I'm handing out dental floss

Okay, how did I become "uncool" so fast? I'm only 25!!! I still have like 5 years of "cool" left before kids think I'm old because I'm 30. WHAT IS THE DEAL!?
So last night I had my big bowl of candy by the door and was all excited about seeing kids' costumes, etc. (Yeah, I know what you're thinking- no life). Anyway, so the first AND second group of kids that came by were all dressed as the same thing - and they weren't witches or ghosts or butterflies, or whatever. No. They were CRACK ADDICTS. I told them I couldn't endorse drugs so they had to come up with a better title for their outfits. (This is probably where I started the downward spiral to uncool). A few ninjas, spidermans, and Buzz Light Years later an adorable little girl came to the door. I asked her what she was for Halloween. (I don't know, aren't you supposed to ask so that the little kid can tell you? Isn't that part of the fun for them?) She ROLLED HER EYES, sighed empathetically, and was like "I'm a princess. DUH". Responses like that just make me want to take a step back and say "Okay, first of all, you're like 3 feet tall. I WILL CRUSH YOU AND YOUR LITTLE PRINCESS OUTFIT. And "DUH"? WHO SAYS 'DUH' ANYMORE? THAT IS LIKE SOOOO OLD". But I'm 25,not 7 (and her parents were watching) so I had to be like "oh, well you're a beautiful little princess! Here's a snickers bar.