We’re a close family, and this will just bring us together to support and love more than ever.

But for once I’m not going to entertain ye with my sagas; luckily I’ve had nothing crazy happen – except the 100 mph bike ride (I wonder if he was hoping I’d fly off the bike or hang on tighter?!).  In his defence, the highway had been shut down for a charity bike run so there wasn’t other traffic to contend with.  There’s something exhilarating about being a pillion passenger going 100 mph, I’d forgotten how much fun that is, but once again I digress!  Why don’t you people stop me when I start to ramble???

I’m watching my friends on their dating adventures too; it gives us something to talk about over lunch.  Why do some just lay down and allow the other person to treat them like shit?  Why do some people think they can behave like a total asshole and demand everything from someone, without giving anything in return?  Why do some allow themselves to be treated like shit?  Is a shitty relationship better than no relationship at all?   And why is it so easy for us to see the flaws in another’s relationship and be completely blind to the same flaws in our own relationship? 

It’s early days in this current dating pool; I’m sure I’ll be including some of my own scintillating stories in the days to come.  Ater all, if I can’t laugh at myself there’s no hope for me!

Slowly but surely she’s decorating the house for Christmas (already!), and has now stated she wants to put up a tree.  It’ll be bad enough to have Christmas shoved down my throat when I’ll be out and about, but I really don’t need a huge, flashing reminder of it every night.  But as she’s said, it’s her house and if she wants to put up a tree then she will.  I’ll probably just take it down as soon as they leave for the airport! 

I’m extra homesick right now for some reason.  I have a nephew who’ll be 2 in February and I’ve yet to meet him, the other 4 are growing up so fast and I’m missing out.  If it wasn’t for Baby Bro visiting with his family each year, I’d never see anyone.

I’m hoping to take a trip home in May, but I’m also hoping to move into my own place soon too; I think it’s going to come down to one or the other as there’s no way I can pull the two off.  

And while I’m trying to forget all the Christmas crap, work is super busy and is a great distraction.  It turns out that one project I’m working on will involve me calling special meetings to discuss the project.  As much as I hate speaking in public, it’s bound to be interesting!

I only know it’s been 3 months as I had my check-up with my surgeon yesterday.   First glance at everything had him pleased with the healing progress.  However, an x-ray was soon to burst that bubble.  While it’s only been 3 months, the x-ray should show the area filling in where the cyst was.  But alas, that wasn’t the case.  While there’s no immediate signs of a new cyst growing yet, he’s not convinced that the lack of healing internally isn’t something other than a new cyst forming.  I go back in April for another x-ray and if things haven’t changed, then it’s more surgery for me.  Bleugh!

But I’ll worry about that in April.  Hopefully come April, I’ll have booked my flight to Ireland and it’ll be a fabulous distraction if I do end up having surgery. 

I officially move departments October 20th, and in the mean time have to help interview & train my replacement.  This new job has so many perks, first and foremost being the money, but it means I answer to a different supervisor and my current supervisor, who’s become a great friend, and I will have a more flexible schedule to spend time together, and it means I have to have little or no interaction with the coworker I mentioned several posts ago.   I can’t find a downside to any of this! 

And it means I’m so much closer to my goal of moving out and giving Big Sis her extra room back!  I hope to give the new job a couple of months to see how it goes before leaping into a lease somewhere, and then make the move around the first of the year.  Mr Marine has been drafted into joining me on the apartment hunt……another reason to pity the poor bastard! 

Given where I was a couple of years ago, the Gods are definitely smiling on me now!  Long may this streak continue!

It ended up making land as a cat 1 storm, a far cry from the cat 3-4 forecasters had been predicting.  Still the storm managed to cause at least 4 deaths, flood several areas, bring down trees, power lines, and rip roofs from houses.  

We got lucky here.  Very very lucky!  We lost power, but only for a few hours.  Big Sis & her hubby had some tree limbs down, but compared to neighboring streets their damage was minimal. 

But Hurricane Irene caused at least one good thing to happen this weekend……she gave me time to claim my rightful place as Monopoly champion!

When friends tell me their problems, I can’t help but compare what’s going on in their life to what’s going on in my life.  Even though there’s no similarities to anything going on in my little world, I still search for something.  Possibly because I’ve been in their shoes more times than I care to admit, and a part of me feels I haven’t broken that cycle.  Whatever the reason behind it, I end up driving myself bat shit crazy, for a bunch of what-ifs.

Do I stop listening to friends’ problems to save my sanity?  Or do I try to stop trying to find something that I’ve had no reason to even look for?

I’m hoping we get to leave work early tomorrow, I still have some  running around to do before the weather turns.  I should have been running around tonight  but Big Sis had hurricane preps to take care of else where and so I was on puppy duty. 

The latest predictions (depending on who you listen to you!) have the outer bands of the hurricane making an appearance tomorrow afternoon.  I’d like to get my errands done, help Big Sis hurricane-proof the house/yard, and be enjoying a nice beverage with Mr Marine before the weather gets too bad.

Here’s hoping everyone stays safe!!

See ya on the flip side!

And the poor man has informed me that there’s more to come.  I should and could warn him he’s heading down a path of self-destruction, but where’s the enjoyment in that?! 

I was nice enough to invite him to dinner tomorrow night though…. I hope he likes sloppy joes!

Love to you all!! xx

I called the surgeon’s office and explained what was going on.  What I had initially thought was dry socket seems to be something else, as the pain is not brought on by food or drink.  They recommended avoiding solid foods and that I go back for a check up sooner rather than later.  Today I reached my breaking point and called to schedule an appointment.  I was all set to see the surgeon this afternoon but some work drama put an end to that plan.  So they reluctantly agreed to see me tomorrow morning.

In the meantime I was told to double up on my dosage of pain meds and use hot compresses.  So I gladly followed their recommendation and to say I’m extra loopy right now is the understatement of the year!   But I’m feeling no pain and for that we’re all thankful!  Well I’m thankful, and happy; and a happy Limerick Gal makes for a peaceful life for those around me!  Win win!!

Isn’t it human nature to look at other people? I know when I’m out and about, whether at work or where ever, I will pause to admire a good-looking man.  I’m sure Mr Marine would do the same thing if he saw a pretty woman.  Of course I look mostly with my single gal friends in mind – you never know when you’ll get a chance to play matchmaker!  I’m not sure Mr Marine is as considerate as me with his friends!

At the end of the day, you have to be secure enough in yourself and have enough trust in the strength of your relationship to allow a little wandering eye; as long as that’s the only thing that wanders, life’s good!

Men react differently than women when they find out their loved one has cheated on them.  It usually involves consuming large amounts of alcohol with the boys, checking out the rack on the waitresses, and beating some poor random fool to a pulp cos he looked at them the wrong way. 

But women are a whole different kettle of fish.  Some women will gather their pride and walk away, rather than disgrace themselves by facing off with the “other woman”.  They’ll have their girlfriends rush over to comfort them, loaded down with wine and chick flicks.  They’ll have a cleansing ceremony, where they’ll destroy one of his most treasured possessions, which he conveniently “forgot” while she was screaming at him to pack his shit and leave.  They’ll mourn & weep for an acceptable amount of time, til the girlfriends rally around her and encourage her to get back in the dating pool again. 

Some women though are simply too idiotic to realize that no good will ever come from threatening to kick someone’s ass.   They won’t break up with the cheater – after all he didn’t mean it.  He was lured from her loving arms by some Jezebel who flaunted her assets in his face.  And that Jezebel must pay the price for having such distracting assets.  They may stalk her for a while, getting her schedule down to the millisecond.  They’ll know when she eats, sleeps, picks her nose, and pulls her underwear from her butt crack – if the Jezebel is a fan of undergarments!  All the while telling their darling cheater how they’re waiting for Jezebel, how they’ll show her a lesson.  And that’s when the fun begins! 

It never ends well.   But it’s funny as hell to watch from the peanut gallery! 

1. When you invite someone to dinner, make sure you have enough money to cover the bill – if you extend the invitation, you need to extend your arm and offer up that credit card!
2. If you invite someone to dinner and you cannot cover the bill, your broke ass better not order steak! 
3. Sex isn’t something you can demand!  If you think it is, you need to adjust your attitude!
4. Calling someone a whore is not going to make them hop right into bed with you.  If it’s worked for you in the past, maybe you need to revisit that street corner and see if you get the same services as before.
5. Telling someone they’re cute but need to hit the gym is never the way to a woman’s heart!
6. Sketchiness is not a good trait; if you’re not honest with us, we will catch you out and we will nail you to the wall over it. 
7. Dragging someone shopping who’s just not feeling 100% will not get you a 2nd date – unless you’re dead cute!
8. It’s nice to have someone open doors for you.  To stand there and glare at him until he opens the door for you is just wrong.
9. If you invite someone to your home, it means at some point you actually wanted to see them.  When they show up, you shouldn’t treat them like a piece of shit you dragged in on the sole of your shoe.  Man up and act like a gracious host or cancel the invite.
10. If you’re not happy with the person you’re with, leave.  Call it a day and move on.  It may not be the easiest way to do things, but it’s the best for all involved.

Given that we’ve spent the majority of our time apart, the thought of having him here permanently is both thrilling and terrifying.  Thrilling because we’ll finally be together to work on us, to get to know each other on a different level, to laugh & love & enjoy ourselves, amidst the daily routine of work & all that annoying grown up stuff.  Terrifying because he may come to his senses and run, screaming, for the hills!  Because, and this may come as a shock, I (like most females) have that crazy streak that can make a grown man cry! 

So I’m nervous.  Slightly.  Nervous. Excited.  Happy.  Giddy.  A jumble of emotions.  It’s such a great feeling!! 

When I first started work, us 4 gals were a very close bunch, the office was full of laughter and playful banter, we enjoyed our daily gatherings, and would have lunch together as often as possible.  We shared stories, discussing life, love, family, likes, dislikes, etc. 

Mr Marine and I were still in our very early stage, and unsure of what was to become of us due to him being in Alaska and me being in North Carolina so I shared that with the group.  Another had recently relocated to take this job, and her husband remained behind to finish up his last year of employment before retiring.  As we got to know her, she shared more of her life, telling us of her “outside marriage activities” - something I’m sure she wishes she’d never told us but it’s too late to take it back now. 

The suddenly she changed – a complete 180, with no rhyme or reason to her actions.  She’s suddenly rude, stand offish, unapproachable….and that’s on a good day!  At first I seemed to be her main target, but she wasn’t long aiming for another girl in my office.  We tiptoe around her, waiting for the next eruption.   It seems that she truly believes she’s the greatest thing ever, that the office will collapse without her,when in fact she’s nothing more than a glorified bookkeeper whose job I could do (and have done!!) without any trouble, or attitude!

How do you handle someone so unpredictable?  Do you step up and get in her face, believing she’s nothing more than a bully who can dish it out but can’t take it?  Do you sit back & not let the bullshit get to you, hoping that she’ll cross the wrong person some day who’ll quickly put her in her place?  Do you bite your tongue day after day, until one day she pushes you too far and you snap, thereby coming off as the bad guy and possibly making her look like the victim rather than the villain??

The Parental Units have asked if he’ll be joining me on my next visit to Ireland, and as his new unit is currently deployed he seems to think that a May vacation for D’Nephew’s first communion is something we can make happen.  I’m just not sure that Ireland is ready for him!

Our Atlanta trip is fast approaching too – I’m really looking forward to catching up with old friends, and as he’s from Atlanta too hopefully he’ll have the chance to catch up with some of his old friends while we’re there. 

But even better than all that is the Wispa I have sitting in the freezer!  Big Sis got me some for Christmas and I’ve somehow managed to hang on to one until now.  I had toyed with the idea of munching on it before my surgery, but now I’m glad I waited! 

But oh am I sore!  Stiff and sore!  And sick to my stomach.  Weetabix is my best friend today!  I was prescribed oxycotone but it just makes me loopy and adds to the nausea so I have now pushed those to one side and am taking the ibuprofen I was also prescribed. 

There may be a slight jaw fracture and I’m to avoid all hard foods for a few weeks.  And I feel like I’ve had a shot of Novocaine, so I’m guessing that’s the nerve damage he spoke about, but that lessens more and more as time goes by.  Biopsy results and stitches removal on Aug 8th. 

Mr Marine had his orders delayed so is leaving Anchorage today.  I’m not sure how long it takes to drive from AK to NC, but he’s predicted about 8 – 9 days.  I know he’s sorry to miss out on all the fun he’d have if he was here to cater to my every need today.  I think I’ll be nice though, and give him a chance to experience that when he gets here! 

In comparing x-rays taken in his office and x-rays taken in May, the cyst had grown and is close to the nerve.  When I heard the bill for the surgery would be $2,300 I panicked slightly and refused to schedule the surgery until they had spoken to my insurance company to see how much would be covered.  After getting a more acceptable amount, I went ahead and so this Thursday I have the procedure. 

I’m looking at possible nerve damage and a fractured jaw; while part of me is ok with the fractured jaw as I see it as a chance to shed some pounds, the rest of me isn’t ok with slurping back soup for the next 4 – 6 weeks.  And then there’s the bruising and swelling that go along with it.  But the alternative to not having the surgery is that the cyst will continue to grow and eventually eat through my jaw bone which sounds way more painful. 

I’m not too keen on the choice of sedation the surgeon is going to use – he says I’ll be quite relaxed but aware of my surroundings.  I don’t want to be aware of anything except the pain afterwards and the lovely pain meds they’ll prescribe for that. 

But this time next week it’ll be over & done with, and I’ll probably look beaten & battered!  Who’ll be the first to laugh at me???? 

While discussing the women’s world cup final today with Mr. Marine, realization hit me in the face, the realization that he can not and will not ever embrace the sport.   The weekends full of football are fast approaching and he’s turned himself into the football grinch right before my eyes!  What terrible thing did I do to the Football Gods that would result in such punishment??  And just to piss on my parade even more, when it comes to American football our good old Georgia boy is a Steeler’s fan.  Shocking!

We’re looking forward to labor day weekend in Atlanta; so much to do there, so little time though.  An action packed weekend of shopping & catching up with old friends.  And whatever Mr. Marine wants to do/see as well.  Busy, busy, busy!! 

And before that I have to try and schedule surgery to have a cyst & wisdom tooth removed.  Hopefully I’ll get that taken care of sooner rather than later!  Thankfully I have insurance but I still think it’s going to cost a nice chuck of change!   Consult with the oral surgeon is on the 18th, so fingers crossed for good news, and by good I mean inexpensive!

Those days are gone!  I now only have 1 job – a fantastic full time job, with the benefits I longed for since I moved here!  I work with a great bunch of people, and while my days can often be routine, they are always far from boring!

Life is definitely good these days!

I’ve met a great group of people at work and having had one fun-filled night out on the town with them already, we’re planning on another night of debauchery in the coming weeks.  So you could almost say I have a social life again (almost!).  I’m still living with Big Sis but hopefully I’ll be able to make a move as soon as the car note is finished.  Honestly I could pay it off now but I like looking at the total in my savings account and so I’m reluctant to touch it. 

Big Sis & her hubby are off home next week – to say I’m jealous is an understatement.  They’ll get to meet my nephew who is now almost 9 months old, and they’ll get to meet our newest nephew, who is 2 days old.  I’ll probably get to see them sometime in 2012, all going well.     On a brighter note, Big Sis & Bro-in-law are flying there with suitcases full of pressies and said suitcases will be empty on their return, so they’ll have plenty of room for all my gifts!

It’s been a long time coming, but i finally think things are getting back on track for me!  Hurray!

Baby Bro & D’nephew left yesterday.  I hate goodbyes, hate them!  D’nephew isn’t too keen on them either and warned me that Big Sis & I weren’t to cry at the airport.  He didn’t get his way!  

It was a great visit, definitely not long enough, and I definitely didn’t get to spend a lot of time with them – they took a trip to Williamsburg for a few days and I had to work.  But Big Sis is the favorite aunt (I just happen to live here too), and so my absence wasn’t met with tears & tantrums.   At least the dog was happy to see me!

At least I have something to look forward to, and that’s my weekend in Atlanta!!!  Saturday just can’t get here soon enough!!!   I really didn’t give myself a lot of time there, but any time at all is better than nothing; and the less time for trouble is probably a good thing!!

I thought as the time passed, I wouldn’t miss Atlanta as much.  That’s not the case.  Oh how I miss it!  I miss my friends, I miss the hustle & bustle, I even miss the shitty traffic.  While I was there I was under the impression we didn’t do much of anything, but looking back we had concerts, screen on the green, baseball games, football games, free shows downtown, trips to the zoo, random shows & exhibitions to name but a few.  I can’t wait for my trip there but I already know it’s not going to be long enough.  But it’s better than nothing, and I plan to make the best of it!

I’m busy counting down the days to the Parental Unit’s arrival.  They’re spending a few days in NYC before coming here, and have no idea that Big Sis & her hubby are going to meet them in New York.  I’d love to see the looks on their faces when they meet up – I’ll have to settle for being on the phone and listening in to the reunion instead.

A busy few weeks coming up!  It should be a lot of fun!

I’m very excited about it, if you can’t tell!  While I’m finally starting to settle in here and start enjoying things more, I do miss my friends in Atlanta, and a weekend with everyone will make this happy camper even happier!   Big thanks go out once again to Big Sis, who found a steal of a fare for me, meaning I don’t have to drive.  Every driver who’d planned to be on the road that weekend should probably offer up major thanks to her too!

But it was a beautiful day, and I couldn’t resist taking a quick walk on the beach.  Definitely one of the best perks of moving here – the proximity to the beach!  All in all, yesterday ended up being a pretty good day!

I’m still toying with the idea of a quick visit to Atlanta, but there’s always the financial aspect to consider.  While I am working again, it’s still not full-time and the pay is nowhere close to what I was making (pre-unemployment!) in Atlanta.   I actually found a direct roundtrip flight from here to Atlanta for $300 which seems to be a fairly decent price, and would definitely cut down on travel time, making a weekend there easier to swing.   But knowing I can drive there for about 1/3 of that is bugging me!  Course the drive can take anywhere from 6 – 8 hours, which is easily the most boring drive ever!   If I was to fly, I could leave on Friday evening & come back on Sunday, but driving would have me leave on Saturday morning & back on the Sunday as I hate driving at night.  It’s a tough decision!!!   Maybe a decision I should let the Finance Gods make for me!

This weekend marks the annual St. Paddy’s Day celebration at a nearby town.  A very sick and twisted part of me is tempted to go and check it out.  It’s been over 10 years since I last attended the “festival”, but I doubt the years have softened my memory of it!  To go or not to go, that is the question!

Today I was full of the joys of summer, even though it’s not quite spring yet!  But soon, very soon, dearies!  Oh it’s almost time to push the boots to the back of the wardrobe and pull out the strappy shoes again!  Almost time to shun the wooly sweaters & thermal knickers! 

I know I may be celebrating too early.  I know the weather gods will decide to piss on me some more.  But I don’t care!  Today was beautiful.  Today was not a day to be stuck indoors.  Today was the kind of day that makes me happy to have co-workers who smoke as much as I do!

In Atlanta, I was just one of many Irish people milling about the place.  In this particular part of NC, I’m probably one of two Irish people milling about the place!  Am I playing  up the Irish card?!  Ya bet your sweet arse I am!  And it’s great!!

If you’re lucky like me, you’ve got the type of friends who get that you’re hopeless, and when you finally talk it’s like all that time never went by.  It’s good to have friends like that.  Those friends are the ones to hang on to.  I just need to get better at hanging on to them.

March 3rd hasn’t been on my side for the last two years.  March 3rd, 2008 was my car accident.  March 3rd, 2009 my house was foreclosed on.  So it’s with a sense of foreboding that I await what surprises March 3rd, 2010 has in store for me.  I was hoping things were getting back on track for me, so let’s hope that whatever happens it’s just not too bad!

I’d like to give ye an insight into where I am, but I’m afraid I just won’t do it justice.  As you may remember from earlier posts (if you’re a return visitor) I’m now close to a military base.  Thousands of single men milling about the place, and not one of them desperate enough to glance in my direction……but I digress!  The one thing I’ve noticed so far: the car of choice is definitely the mustang.  Unless you favor a pick-up truck, in which case you just have a hard time parking with all the gobshites in their mustangs who like to take up 2 spaces at a time.  And I take back every bitchy statement I ever made about Atlanta drivers (even the SUV-wielding soccer moms), because the drivers here have definitely accomplished what is the worst case of ”scaring-the-fucking-shit-out-of-you-itis” I’ve ever come across in all my driving years. 

When I found out I had a job (finally), I was talking with the bro-in-law, asking what time I should leave each morning and he informed me that my schedule meant I’d be dealing with base traffic 2 days a week.  He rolled his eyes, gave a hefty sigh, and said he dreads base traffic.  Now granted he’s pulling a trailer loaded with equipment, but having lived through Atlanta rush hour, when he said “base traffic” with such dread and foreboding, I must admit a shiver ran down my spine.  How overjoyed was I to realize that “base traffic” is about a mile or so of traffic, interrupted by 4 stop lights, that has added mere minutes to my drive?!  Now having said that, I stay on the main road and jump on the bypass to avoid what I’m sure is the worst of the traffic.  But it still makes me giggle whenever I sit in traffic on that road.

What’s happened since I was last here?  Well with the ups and downs following a foreclosure and the endless unemployment situation, I bade farewell to Wonderpooch, friends, and Atlanta and headed to NC to stay with Big Sis.  I’m happy to report that I’m now gainfully employed, still a part-time position but I live in hope that will soon change.  I’m still living with Big Sis and though I don’t say it, I’m eternally indebted to her and her hubby for opening their home to me. 

But I miss my friends, and I miss Atlanta.  Why am I never happy??  When I was surrounded by friends in Atlanta I missed family, and now that I’m with my family I miss my friends and Atlanta.  I know it’s not that far away and I could make a weekend trip, but now that I’m working, it’s hard to justify to myself making a 16hr drive round trip for one night.  I’ll just have to sit tight til Memorial Day Weekend and see if the Finance Gods are going to play nice with me.  Mr Taxman looms in the background too – a 1099 for the remaining amount on my loan from the mortage company has me panicking over doing my tax returns this years.   Eh, it’s always something!