WHAT A DAY! I cannot believe Congress or the stock market. There was a lot of anxiety at our office. I'm lucky (for the time being) that I work for a foreign owned bank.

I still have a lot more ironing to do. Sometimes I hate that I have to have everything starched and pressed. Is that considered OCD? When I was growing up, my grandmother lived with us and she starched and pressed everything, so I guess that is what I expect my clothes to look like. I use Bissel starch and a Rowenta Professional iron.

I really don't have that much left to say. I need to get your blogs read so that I can watch Gossip Girl and the recording of Desparate Housewives.

I hope tomorrow is better.

I was so bored yesterday. I was so glad when 5:00 came so I could go home.

This morning, the guy at the car wash came and got my car and took it and washed it and cleaned the inside for me. It looks good and he only charged me $7. I gave him $10 because he didn't have to come and get it. He even washed the strips inside the doors. Now I have a clean car.

When I get off work at 2:00, I'm going home and getting a few things done for my trip. Plus I'm going to watch the Auburn game. WAR EAGLE!! The game comes on at 2:30. I hope it is better than last week's game. Auburn lost to LSU.

I hope everyone has a good weekend. Don't forget to watch the season premiere of "Desparate Housewives" tomorrow night.

Nothing much has happened this week. Tonight on the way home from work, I stopped by Target for a few things. While I was there, I took a stroll through the $1 section. I ended up buying 3 Charlie Brown notepads just because. I've always been a fan. After Target, I went to The Fresh Market and bought some Waldorf Chicken Salad (YUM!), some cheese straws and some Brent & Sam's chocolate chip cookies. I bought the cheese straws and cookies to take on my trip. I hope I don't break into them before then. I am making progress with my ironing. I am about 2/3 finished. I'll finish the remainder on Monday (or maybe Tuesday).

I watched Ugly Betty tonight. I have been waiting to see who she left with - Geo or Henry. If you didn't watch it, I'm not going to spoil it. I just hope all the actors will be on the show this season.

I stopped by Talbot's on the way home from work to get a pair of panty hose. Sandal season is almost over. While I was there I got the kelly green textured cardigan, a kelly green/navy striped headband and a red/navy striped headband. I received a coupon in the mail for 20% off until October 13. Everything I bought was on sale plus my 20% off.

Today Queenie had on a sleeveless v-neck black knit top with an empire waist with a white with navy striped blouse over it. Bless her heart.

After I read blogs, I need to start ironing. I have a huge pile of clothes to iron.

Yesterday was my sister's birthday. My mother and I cooked dinner for her. We cooked this delicious chicken. Everyone enjoyed it. It is so easy. You take skinless, boneless chicken breasts, coat well with soft butter and roll in potato chips (you don't need to salt the chicken at all). Place on a baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes or until done. To go with it, we cooked mashed potatoes, mac & cheese (it's a vegetable in the South) and green peas. My sister's foster son requested a banana pudding for dessert and my mother did not have to have her arm twisted to make one. It was back on the diet today.

Queenie's outfit today was something else. She had on a black and beige printed skirt that was too tight, a black tank top with her stark white bra straps showing and a white eyelet belt over the tank top. I think the belt goes with a dress. It has holes and a buckle. Sometimes, I don't know what she's thinking when she puts her outfits together.

Gotta go. It's almost time for Gossip Girl and after that is Two and a Half Men.

I forgot until I was driving to the store that today is Trail of Tears. It is an annual motorcycle ride that raises awareness and education for the Trail of Tears, the forced removal of Native Americans from this area. The ride started several years ago with less than 30 riders. Now, they have tens of thousands of riders. Our former neighbor was one of the original organizers. He recruited our family to serve on the committee because my father was a local businessman plus we were raised right along the original Trail of Tears. The third and fourth year, my sister and I rode as escorts and helped to sell T-shirts and pins. The third year, they were hoping for 3,000 to 4,000, but it started raining about 1/4 of the way. My sister was invited to ride on a motorcycle for the last leg of the ride. We got to Waterloo, Alabama before the motorcycles and stood and watched them drive in. They were two abreast for over 2 miles. It was amazing. It took forever to get all those motorcycles into the small town of Waterloo. I worked the next year and that was it. One year, I was listening to the radio and they were giving traffic reports for Huntsville. They were warning people to stay off the roads until the motorcycles got through. The radio said that they were 2 abreast for over 40 miles. It has grown even more since. Last year it took them about three hours to get through Scottsboro. This year there are two routes: one through the original route and a route going through south Tennessee. It is amazing to watch the motorcycles, especially if you are driving along with them.

Yesterday, Queenie left work about 4:15. She has been driving to work everyday for the past week and a half because her husband has been out of town. Yesterday he showed up at 4:50 looking for her. His hair looked like it had not been washed all week and he was dirty. He walks up to the Vice Chairman of the bank and starts talking to him like they are old buddies. He even made a sarcastic remark about the VC squinting as he was trying to read. We couldn't figure out why he didn't call her on his cell before he blew in. What a loser!

It's all about football today. Alabama plays Arkansas and Auburn plays LSU. WAR EAGLE!!

Thursday morning, Queenie came over to me and asked if it was allright if she ate the leftover bag of potato chips that came from Jason's Deli. I told her to go ahead that they were for whoever wanted them. She said that she was giving up sugar but she was hungry and needed something. When the day's training was over, she asked if there were any leftover cookies. I don't know where she thought the leftover cookies were coming from. I ordered box lunches and each one has its own cookie. As a matter of fact, some of the extra box lunches were missing a cookie. I think the attendees were going through them stealing the cookies. I can't say anything, I did the same. Then, she told me that she bought a box of chocolate covered doughnuts and ate some for breakfast. She's giving up sugar...don't chocolate covered doughnuts have sugar in them? Maybe it's today that's she's giving up sugar. She had on black pants, white tee and another black menswear vest.

I will be so glad when the training is over. Ten no shows yesterday and nine today. I have eaten Jason's Deli two days in a row. I can't imagine what it is doing to my hips. Of course, I could have said "No, thank you" to the box lunch with a huge roast beef sandwich, chips and chocolate chip cookie, but that would have been rude, wouldn't it? I still haven't figured out how this got to be my job. Oh well. It makes me look good to the guy from Raleigh doing the training.

Queenie's attitude is a little better this week. Today she had on some beige polyester pants, a pink sleeveless shell and a black menswear style vest. At least her boobs weren't hanging out. Her Sarah Palin hairdo looked good on her.

Two weeks and one day until vacation. YAY!!! It will be so good to get away and have a fun trip. As I've said before, I'm going to Williamsburg. I was afraid to admit to BFF that I had an agenda for shopping while I'm there. She informed me today that she wants to do A LOT OF SHOPPING. I know I'm going to hit the Pink Cabana, the Lilly store. I also have a list of jewelry from the Craft House. And let's not forget the outlets. I want to check out the Brooks Brothers outlet and the Clinique outlet. I need a new muffler from the Scottish Shop. On the way back, I hope to stop by the Pendleton outlet in Pigeon Forge, TN. I had good luck there last year. I need some basic wool skirts and I'm sure Pendleton has them. I don't like stretch wool, I like 100% wool and it is extremely difficult to find. I usually try to buy 100% cotton or 100% wool. I'm a natural fiber kind of girl. Am I the only one? It seems that way since no one manufactures it any more. I hope the weather is pleasant. I'm taking oxford cloth shirts and cotton sweaters to wear with chinos and jeans. I'll throw a lightweight jacket in the car just in case.

I was too lazy to post last night. I came home and watched Gossip Girl and a recording of Mad Men. Yesterday, everyone at work had a bad day. Nothing was cooperating. To put the icing on the cake, the guy over training called me to see if I would arrange for lunch for 35 every day for the remainder of the week. So it was Jason's Deli. I ordered box lunches and tea and got it over with. Today there were 10 no shows, so my coworker and I got free lunch. Maybe tomorrow there will be some no shows and we will get free lunch again. Friday, I am ordering my boss and I lunch with the "Deli Dollars" that I have gained from ordering lunches.

It was cool here today. I'm ready for some crisp fall weather. I hope the weather is nice when I go to Williamsburg in a couple of weeks. I want to be able to wear cotton blouses with light to medium weight sweaters.

I don't know about your part of the country, but the media here has caused a panic with the gasoline situation. I filled up Wednesday afternoon and paid $3.59/gallon which was about the going price. Friday morning on the way to work, I topped it off at $3.59/gallon. After lunch, my co-worker's husband called in a panic because she only had 1/2 tank of gas and gasoline was $4.69/gallon in most places. If you could find it for $3.99/gallon you were lucky, and most of those stations were either out or almost out. If a station had gasoline, the people were lined up down the street. I would have stayed in Birmingham, but I have a dentist appointment in Huntsville on Monday. When I got almost to my mother's house, I saw a Shell station with gasoline for $3.77/gallon. I whipped in and finished filling my tank. Some places had jacked their prices to $5.99/gallon. The media announced that Hurricane Ike would shut down the refineries and the terminals would not be able to get gasoline for 2 weeks. Someone said that they thought the stations could charge what they wanted, but as best as I can remember, I think this is price gouging. A gas station cannot raise the price on gasoline that is in the tank unless he has a drop of gasoline that he pays more for. (They also cannot sell it below cost) The governor has called a state of emergency. I don't want to be a part of the panic, but I do want to conserve gasoline if there is going to be a slight shortage.

I pray for all those people in Texas and the surrounding states that are effected by Hurricane Ike. Hopefully, everyone will be able to recover in time.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

Let's take a moment today to reflect. I still remember it like it was yesterday. It seem so unreal.

Suburban Cupcake?

Does anyone know what happened to Suburban Cupcake? She implied that she was going to stop blogging and then she was gone. I still keep her on the list in case she decides to come back.

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a couple of days. I've had internet trouble, plus I couldn't think of anything to say. I got my internet back last night.

I need some advice. BFF's birthday is in a couple of weeks. I don't know what to get her. She's getting new flooring, countertops and backsplash in her kitchen. I thought about going to Williams-Sonoma and getting her some kitchen towels and spatula to match plus a gift card. What do y'all think? My sister's birthday is the same day. I have no clue what to get her. When I ask what she wants, she just shrugs her shoulders.

While I'm typing this, I'm watching Nancy Drew. The movie is so unrealistic, but I love her clothes and her roadster.

I'm back. I hope everybody had a good week. I had a very relaxing week off. I could live like this, but it's back to work on Monday. I'm sure I will hear what Queenie was up to while I was gone.

Sunday, I worked at Art Sunday, a local arts in the park event that benefits educational programs. Labor Day, I worked at the store from 8:00 until 4:00. Tuesday, I took my mother and two of her friends to Atlanta to shop. (you know that I didn't complain) We went to the Atlanta Mart where we spent most of our time at Morgan & Co. We bought monogrammed jewelry and purses. Then it was off to Lenox Square. I went to Kiehl's, Aveda, Sephora, Lacoste and Kate Spade. I bought the usual at Kiehl's, Aveda and Sephora. At Lacoste, I bought a long sleeved red polo and some socks. At Kate Spade, I bought a 2009 refill for my planner. The sales girl gave me a huge shopping bag to put all my bags in. People probably thought I made a haul at Kate Spade. Wednesday, my mother and I drove over to Guntersville. It is about 20 miles away. We went into a couple of shops. I bought a Vera Bradley Ditty Bag that was marked 40% off. We then went to visit some of her former co-workers. Thursday, we washed the front porch and windows. I had to work at the store from 3:00 to 4:00 because the normal help had to leave early. When I started to leave, my car wouldn't start. It was my battery. Yesterday, I took my car and got the tires rotated, the brakes checked and a new battery. This afternoon, my mother and I are going to Huntsville to run a few errands. We are going to visit my sister's mother-in-law. She has been in the hospital since July 11. She fell and broke her ankle in two places. She got a major infection that would not heal. She eventually had to have part of her leg amputated. (She is a diabetic). Tomorrow, hopefully, I will be able to rest.

I hope everyone enjoys the remainder of the weekend.