Chatham County, NC Blogs

Despite all the horrendous stories of newspaper layoffs, near bankruptcies, and even “bailout plans for journalists,” there’s some silver lining in the media world: blogging is blooming into a profitable financial and publishing enterprise for at least a few. The Huffington Post, which had 4.5 million unique visitors in September, just landed $25 million of new funding. It plans focused acquisitions, and currently has a valuation of $100 million. TPM Media, founded by Talking Points Memo blogger Josh Marshall, which has about a dozen employees, is hoping to expand in 2009 through micro-targeted advertising.And despite the decline of traditional newspaper…

The day has finally arrived. We made it. And it is my prayer that everyone who is eligible to vote will do so. It is a true privilege to have such a right as to choose our beloved country’s leader. Why would anyone simply choose not to be a part of that?

And regardless of the turnout, I think we’re in for - and ready - for a change. And while some changes we make in our lives are frightening and can almost be paralyzing, they usually end up being for our greater good in the long run.

Let’s exercise our right to vote today and in the coming months, let’s exercise our right to pray for our new president. For whomever takes this seat has a difficult road ahead. We need to be supportive and respectful Americans.

God Bless America and God Bless the future of our country…

“It’s my birthday, not a holiday, but I’d like to say, it’s my birthday…go Joyce, go Joyce, go Joyce!!!!” (hands raising the roof)…

Yep, today’s my special day!! Yeah!! I LOVE birthdays, but I’ve already shared that with you. I just think it’s awesome to celebrate one’s being, our very existence.

I’ve had a WONDERFUL weekend! My parents arrived late Thursday night. Mom and I were up until after 1:00 AM catching up. Friday was a day of errands and some relatively minor mechanical work. Yeah, my folks had a little red trailer made for me for my birthday (I wasn’t quick enough to snap a photog or two before my dad tucked it in under a tarp for safe keeping. I’ll undress it one day soon and post pics for you). It is TOO cute. It’s a trailer to pull behind the truck/car to carry whatever you need (yard waste, mulch in the summer time, hay bales, trash, a cart load of puppies…hee, hee). See, there is no trash/waste collection in these parts - we are on our own! So, the trailer was a much needed and much appreciated gift! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Saturday mom and I spent tooling around Apex. We hit Home Goods and boy was it good!!! She treated me to some after Halloween goodies at unbelievable prices! I got the cutest rug to put at my kitchen sink; a black background with three white ghosts on it. And four great dessert plates (I have a china fettish…); two have these funny witches on them and the other two have pumpkins. I’ll have to post pics ’cause they’re very hard to explain. Let’s see…we then went to downtown Apex and strolled in and out of the shops - LOVELY. And then visited the Garden Supply in Cary - AWESOME. They were decking their halls for Christmas, while it was 75 outside! I love the South baby!!! Back home we changed and grabbed our dessert and blankets and headed for the church. It was our annual Fall Fellowship get together! This year there was a blow up boxing ring. There were two “stumps” to stand on and these “sticks” with these huge Q-tip looking things on the ends. The idea, very Survivor like, was to knock your opponent off their stump. We had husbands beating wives, children beating mothers, brothers beating sisters, deacons beating the preacher…it was GREAT!!! Then, it was time to eat. Fried chicken, barbeque, butter potatoes, green beans, cole slaw, biscuits and a table full of desserts. I LOVE the South baby!!! Then, it was time to hit the wagon. Two farm tractors get hooked up to two HUGE flat bed wagons. The wagons are filled with hay and we pile high with homemade blankets and sweatshirts. The closer you get, the warmer you stay. It gets pretty chilly back in those open fields! This year’s ride went perfectly. Not like last year when the wagon we were in ended up with two flat tires…yep, two flat tires in the middle of I don’t know where and boy it’s a long, dark walk back to the church - through the cemetary. Talk about a Halloween to beat all Halloweens!!! And that was my parent’s first trip! I never thought I’d see them again - Ha! But they laughed and were great sports and came back for more this year! But before we took off this time, the tires were inflated and the gas tank was topped off, just to be sure! We sure have made some memories here…I love the South.

I was also treated to some spending dollars from my brother - how sweet was he? And my DH gave me a gift certificate to get my nails done for the next six months I think! Thank you Mikey! Got some nail polish and a wonderful Rascal Flatts CD and countless cards and emails from friends and family along with sweet well wishes from my church family this morning. I really am a lucky girl. And I love my life and everything about it and all that it brings me…ALL that it brings me.

I’ve had an interesting year and I’m prayerful that this coming year will be even more memorable and that I’ll make a difference to someone. I want to work on staying healthy and continuing to run. I want to work on gaining a position in a company where I can be happy and be a quality employee and offer something special. I want to get more involved in my community. I want to join a committee of some sort in an organization that I’m passionate about - I have to research this further. I want to do more volunteer work. I want to be a better Christian, wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. I want to make sure I recognize the little things/moments in life. I want to say I Love You more. I want people to know I care about them. I want to have greater faith in the new leadership of my country and believe that things will get better for us all. I don’t want to take anything for granted. I want to celebrate my life everyday.

My sweetest thanks to those of you who sent birthday wishes to me. Please know how they touch my heart to the deepest. I treasure each of you and I treasure each and every birthday!!

Happy birthday to me!!!! Yeah!!!!

This is my grandmother, my mom’s mother. I’m not sure how old she is in this photo but I’m thinking it was taken in the early to mid 1940’s. Isn’t she breathtakingly beautiful?

Today is my grandmother’s birthday and I believe she’s 83. While I’m not able to celebrate with her today, she did get her celebratory birthday sing-a-long from me, my daughter and son-in-law with the dog as back up!

My grandmother was and is something else. She’s often referred to as “crusty”. And all things considered, she was a very young grandmother to my brother and me and an even younger great-grandmother when my daughter came along. She was a smoker for more than 50 years of her life. As a kid, I thought she was so glamorous when she pulled out her cigarette case. She sports a tattoo on her right shoulder blade. She cusses like a sailor. She is a jewelry hound - the bigger the stone, the better (that’s where Brandi gets it from!). She has always had the most beautiful smile. She’s never been a snuggler or hugger but she’s quick to tell us she loves us. She has a deep, soothing voice when she’s trying to comfort us. She will not hesitate to tell us when we’ve put on weight. She is ALWAYS on our side. She loves lipstick (that’s where I get it from!). She likes to shop but is an in and out kinda’ gal - no window shopping at all! She loves Chinese food. She’s never driven a day in her life. She is the last surviving child of 5. She had her last child AFTER my mom had my brother - yep, my brother is older than our uncle! She has the most infectious laugh and I’ve actually seen her laugh until she cried! She has always been there for me, never judged me and always supported me. She has the most beautiful blue eyes. As she gets older, she doesn’t hear as well so we can now make fun and laugh at her and she doesn’t even know it - although she tells us to shut up anyway (remember, crusty). She and my grandfather have lived in the same house for over 40 years. She loves me to her deepest core, and I’ve always known that.

How blessed am I?

Happy Birthday Ma! You rock - always have, always will.

I love you with all that I have.

I’ll spare you most of the commentary and just share the weekend in pictures instead. Enjoy - we did!!!

…and rained (hey, don’t laugh at the plastic “trash bag” rain gear! They were truly a saving grace!)

But sometimes the sun peeked out and we had to put on some bling! (Hmm…that little girl next to me musta’ ate some bad cotton candy…)

And that made us super happy!!

At this point, Brandi’s second guessing her willingness to participate in this event with us!! Ha!!

But she finally warmed up to the idea (and was able to pin her bib to her shirt) and told us she was here to save the day!!

Bran and I ran the 2.5+ miles in about 25 minutes…not bad for a first time trail runner and an aging “big block”! Here are Bran and Michael after the run relaxing and looking forward to some pizza!! Of course, if I didn’t eat so much pizza I could probably run a lot faster… Forget it, I really like eating pizza!!!

I’m getting ready for some post-race photo ops…

Michael and me cheesing and feeling pretty good about having put another notch in our running belts…and a little half notch because Bran got to play, too!

How appropriate that this Thankful Thursday would fall on the 16th of October. October 16th is a special day in our family…

Isn’t it amazing the things you remember about your life? I remember being in the first grade and crying on the days that it rained(?). I remember sneaking out during one of my father’s birthday parties to ride my older brother’s “sooped-up” bicycle, which I was forbidden to do, and wrecking, hitting my head and being taken to the emergency room (happy birthday, Daddy). I still have the knot on my head from that stunt! I remember “field days” in elementary school and after school dances in junior high. And of course, the football games and band camps and basketball games and homecomings in high school. I remember spending many spring breaks in the outterbanks of North Carolina. I remember dying easter eggs with my mom and brother. I remember sunbathing with my grandmother (we were a very young family - ha!). I remember my mom throwing great parties (we’re talking live bands, people) for any real reason she could find!!! My mom LOVES to celebrate an occassion! I have countless memories with my best friend Teri - oh the times we had together.

But the clearest memory I have is the birth of my daughter. Today is Brandi’s 26th birthday. And I cannot believe it. How thankful do you think I am? I remember the 16th of October of 1982 like I was experiencing it this very moment. From the moment I woke up that morning to the moment my mom finally made it to the hospital for Brandi’s arrival. That was a bittersweet day, my friends. For while I was delivering Brandi, my parents were in Southern Virginia burying my grandmother - my father’s mother. But God is good is He not? Because that baby was such - and continues to be - so very special to my father. I can’t believe that there is another grandfather out there that loves their granddaughter any more than my father loves Brandi Lee. I can’t begin to imagine how he felt that day… I know Brandi didn’t “replace” my grandmother for my father but she sure did help fill that void in his heart.

So, today we celebrate my wee one. My little schtoogy. My greatest accomplishment. That which I love more than life itself. My little ray of sunshine. My little woman. My Bran…
I can physically FEEL the love I have for this child. I’m sure you moms know EXACTLY what I’m talking about.

“God sent children for another purpose than merely to keep up the race - to enlarge our hearts; and to make us unselfish and full of kindly sympathies and affections; to give our souls higher aims; to call out all our faculties to extended enterprise and exertion; and to sing round our firesides bright faces, happy smiles and loving, tender hearts” - Mary Botham Howitt

“The beginning is scary, the end is sometimes sad but it’s the middle that counts and is so exciting” - Hope Floats

Happy Birthday my sweet Bran…I’m so thankful that I’m YOUR mom…

My cup runneth over

Cornucopia - 1. “a representation in painting, sculpture, etc. of a horn overflowing with fruits, flowers and grain; horn of plenty”, 2. “an overflowing fullness; abundance”.

My cornucopia runneth over (with my little Bea…)

Oh, that is such a lie… I didn’t forget to post this event and these pictures. Truth is, I’ve just been in a funk, feeling sorry for myself and not very “perky” or creative - which I think is what makes reading these things so much fun.

But we had such a good time here that I didn’t want anymore time to pass without calling out a great date night with my DH.

I went to and graduated from (with a BS degree) a 4 year college. However, due to my circumstances I needed to stay close to home and chose a small college that I could drive to daily. My school did not have extra curricular activities; there was no basketball team, no football team, no marching band, etc. At the time, I didn’t miss those typical college experiences because I was so focused on school and raising my daughter and finishing college, a statistic that was really unrealistic and almost out of reach for someone like me in my situation.

But today, 20 years later, I am experiencing those things that were just out of my reach. And I am loving it! And maybe even appreciating it a little more because I’m old enough to really grasp what’s going on around me.

On Saturday October 4th my husband took me to the UNC vs UCONN football game. My first ever. This may not seem like a big deal to most of you, but to me it was a long dream come true! The kids, the junk food, the band, the cheerleaders, ESPN, the alumni, and the sea of Carolina blue…I was in awe…
I’m not sure how long you have to live in a “new” place or what, exactly, you have to do to officially “come from there” but after that silly college football game, I thought to myself “I’ve arrived - I’m a Carolina girl”!!! I mentioned this to my preacher the Sunday after the game - he’s originally from the Northern Neck of VA. He said he thinks one has to attend a Nascar race in order to truly reach Carolina status - at least that’s what the men at church told him. I said if that’s the case, I’ll NEVER officially be a Carolina girl!!! Sorry race car fans!!

Regardless, I will forever be grateful to my husband for making this memory with and for me. He knew I had this little tiny hole in my heart and it was his desire to help me fill it. And I’m sure this will just be the first of many UNC football games. Second to being true Wildcats (DH went to UK), we are by geographic default Tarheel fans - true, Carolina blue Tarheel fans.

I hope this little Tarheel fan stores this memory safely in her heart. I just wish her parents knew how it warmed me so that they were exposing their child to such good, wholesome fun so early on… Without even knowing it, they may have planted the college seed in this little girl. We can only wait to see what her life holds.

Go heels!!!

“Kapow!!!”

Yep, that about sums it up. We’ve been hit again here in the country. I was laid off from my job this past Monday. I knew better than to stay in my field… but that job came along and I wasn’t getting any response or positive feedback or offers from any of the local government jobs I’d applied for and time was running out for us. So, I signed up.

You know that “gut” feeling you get? That nagging feeling that won’t leave your thoughts? Just this constant churn deep within you that something’s simply not right?

I had that feeling the entire time I was employed with this company. Even though I was a telecommuter, I’d never felt so micro-managed! I always felt like I was being observed through a microscope. I woke up every day praying that I’d have a positive day because I never felt confident that I’d have a job at the end of the day. I HATED working like that and having those types of feelings! I’ve been in commercial leasing for more than 12 years, in a variety of capacities. But I’ve never felt such pressure as I have over the last 4 months.

I had recently learned, also, of what I considered shaky business practices, involving the “confiscating” of any commission I earned. It upset us (me and my DH) so much so that we agreed I needed to move on and away from this organization. Little did we know that just a few days later they were going to make the decision for us.

I did learn that I was one of 5 employees who were laid off. I am selfishly taking some perverse form of comfort in knowing that I’m not alone in this journey and that it wasn’t due to lack of performance on my part (which I knew it wasn’t but you know, you start questioning your work ethic, self esteem and overall worth as a person…).

I am fearing this lay off more than the one back in January simply given the state of our country’s economy. We all see the news and read the papers - this is not a good time. I am more determined now than ever to land a position within my local government. Somehow, someway I am going to get the message across to these people that I am what they need. What is the issue with these people that they don’t believe I am looking to 1) make a career change and 2) realize I’ll need to start at the bottom to do it and 3) am willing to take the pay cut to get my foot in the door???!!! Oh, it is so frustrating!! If any of you out there in blog land have experience or tips in this arena, PLEASE, PLEASE share them with me - I am ALL ears!!

I am taking stock that, despite my batmobile has been flatmobiled, I have my faith. And I’ve taken to heart two messages Robin Roberts recently shared on GMA earlier this week: “Make your mess your message” and “Position yourself for performance - show up”. Despite my recent position, I have to practice what I’ve always preached here and I have to continue to find the wonderfuls in my life and all that I’m so grateful for. We are in for a hard struggle but I’m prayerful that we will be able to ride this storm and come out the other side still with our home intact, our health and a stronger people because of it. I can’t help but feel like I’ve let my DH down - we are, after all, a team but it seems as though he’s had to carry us alone more times than I am proud to admit. But if there’s anyone in this world I would have to go through a crisis with, it would be my better half. He is my pillar of strength.

So, please add us to your prayer list and bear with me as I try to keep my chin up every day.

Saturday was the epitome of the perfect Carolina day. A crisp, brisk, “see your breath” morning with blinding sunshine and the bluest of skies that you can only find in North Carolina. But you know in just a matter of a few hours the temperature will be t-shirt and jeans perfect!

And it was a great day for a race!

The DH and I ran the Carrboro 10k (6.22 miles) Saturday morning and both of us set personal records! Yeah Mineers!! Yeah “big blocks”!! The Carrboro 10k is the second in the Tri-Fecta of races that this little town is hosting. We ran the first on July 4th and the last will be run Thanksgiving Morning (I’ve already convinced myself that means I can eat unlimited amounts of stuffing and dinner roles - yep…). We understand that if you complete all three races you’re rewarded with a great Brooks running jacket! And, well, I’m all about the free stuff! I figure why not? I KNOW I’m never going to win one of these races so why not be in it for the goodies - and the good health that comes with it…

As the runners crossed the finish line, we were directed to the track where we could load up on water, power aid drinks, bagels and bananas - yum! This is a great time to chat with everyone, learn a little bit about the fellow runners and just take some time to cool off and relax.

Here we are after finding each other when I crossed the finish line. Happy, healthy and successful. See what I mean about that Carolina sky? I know every state in this awesome country of ours has something magnificent to offer. Carolina does not fall short. The mountains, the Carolina coast… and that Tarheel blue sky. I simply love it…
And if you take the time to linger awhile you will have the pleasure of watching the best part of the day - the kids’ race. I had my money on superman (you see him there on the left)… I shouldn’t have been fooled by the shirt! He fell back quickly and never recovered. I wonder if there’s a Tri-Fecta for 4 year olds - children, that is, not equines! Ha!

I love this little life of mine and everyone I have in it.

I have a love-hate relationship with nature.

I’m the first to admire and mention something awesome and wondrous and breathtakingly beautiful.

I’m the first to grab the camera and stop one of those moments “mid-flight”.

What I have NEVER been able to get my mind around, however, is how we can have something so pretty in our world as these Gerbera Daises every spring…

Or something as magnificent as the view of the Rockie Mountains from Estes Park, CO…

And, at the same time, something so heartbreaking as this - a 3 legged deer.

I was sitting on the sofa yesterday morning drinking my coffee when I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye. I went to the window and saw this sweet little girl grazing in the side yard. She was facing the opposite direction when I looked out the window and I noticed when she moved she sort of hopped. I then realized I didn’t see her front, right leg. I thought to myself, “awe, she’s hurt and is holding her leg up”. But then she turned around and I saw full on that she doesn’t HAVE a front right leg.

I was filled with anger… Seriously??? A deer with only 3 legs? Much like a horse, a deers legs are their life line.

Oh, why does it have to be so…hard and mean? Or why can’t I not let it bother me so much?

They say when we get to heaven we will be in such awe of our Heavenly Father that we won’t care about what’s going on here on earth or what we’ve left behind. I’m hoping and praying that’s not the case because I have a list of questions the length of my arm that I really want answered when I get there. And one of them is why do the little animals have to suffer?

But herein lies the good news, I guess. It’s going to be perfect in Heaven isn’t it my friends. Simply perfect and without pain or sorrow or tears of sadness or sickness or soreness… or 3 legged deers. Amen to that…

It became an annual event at Antioch Christian Church about 5 years ago. On the last Saturday in September every year the Ladies Aid Society hosts a mother-daughter luncheon for the women in our community. This year I’m proud to say that we had 65 guests for lunch! Keep in mind, people, my church only has 47 members! Ha!

This is one of my most favorite events at my little country church because I am a HUGE fan of women in general. But I’m especially fond of the mothers in my church and my ‘hood. I love bringing these women together and just marveling at the children they’ve raised and the grandchildren they’re making memories with. You can see the love in the room…

And I am especially giddy when my own mother and daughter get to attend! Living 4-5 hours away makes for special planning to get here. And I respect that they both have schedules to keep, husbands and homes to care for and, quite frankly, it costs a lot of money to travel anywhere these days. Which is why my heart was so full this weekend because I got to have them both with me! We didn’t think my mom would make it for a number of reasons but she (and my father) so unselfishly got up Saturday morning at 3:30 and made the treck to NC simply so that my mom could have lunch with me at noon… Believe me, I never doubt how much my mom loves me…

I thought I’d share a few pics from the day…

Here’s little Bran with her proud mama!!! Isn’t she beautiful?

And here we are! That little schtoogy of mine, my mama and me! Obviously, I got the Robinson (my dad) genes - tall, “monkey arms”, wide nose and big feet - and I’m proud of all of it!!

Yesterday, I played 1/2 day hookey from work so that I could spend the morning and afternoon with my buds, Cathy & Linda. I’ve shared with you before how we try to get together about once a month to simply catch up and enjoy each other’s company. We met early, about 9:00 AM, had a cup of coffee/tea and something sweet. Then we headed over to Fuquay-Varina, a small “duo” town with quaint, independent shops and restaurants. We chose FV because Cathy has a booth at the Brew ‘n Browse and we wanted to check out her new little shop (okay, I’m an idgit - had the camera in the car the entire time and didn’t snap one photo of the entire day’s events!!).

We strolled into the wind, literally, as we were facing the Nor’ Easter setting it’s sights on Carolina! “Rain, sleet, snow and Nor’ Easters simply can’t keep women from their goal - shopping”!

We blew ourselves into a great antique shop. It was full of furniture, pottery, clocks, knick-knacks, primitives, estate jewelry and CHINA!! We started digging…

And look what we found (above)! A sweet little Homer Laughlin platter. Now, there was another one exactly like it in perfect condition for $15.00. But this little wounded veteran spoke to me, especially with a price tag of $2.00 and a date stamp of 1937, my oldest HL piece to date. I brought him home and carefully washed him cleaned and set him aside until I decided where he’d take up residence here in the house.

I came downstairs this morning and thought I’d place him in the wall cabinet in the dining room next to the bowl Michael’s Aunt Wilma gave me this past July (here she is pictured above). Notice anything?

THEY MATCH!!!! It’s the same pattern!!! I think Cathy called it “fluffy rose”. It doesn’t take much to make me happy or make my day - and this little happenstance just made an already good Friday GREAT!!!

How ’bout that, Aunt Wilma!

Have you heard this song? You’ll find it being played on your local country music radio station. It’s by the American Idol contestant Kelli Pickler. Kelli’s a local Carolina girl - she’s from Albemarle (spelling?).

I love the song and the video that accompanies it. The message is simply that every young girl is beautiful, from the time we start losing our baby teeth, to greasy hair and acne, maybe we’re lucky enough to throw braces into the mix…but all along, still beautiful. And then, we get old enough to let society creep into our thoughts. We see what we think are perfect women in the magazines we read, on the billboards we see, on the marketing posters in the windows of the retailers we shop in…and doubt sets in. “I’m too fat, I’m too skinny, my hair’s too flat, my hair’s too curly, my hips are too wide, my body looks like a boys”…

I commend Kelli for putting this song out and the writers for having compassion enough for young women to send the message loud and clear. I wish the world were brave enough and caring enough to see that every young girl is awesome and that each of them has something amazing to offer. Wow, what a dull, unenthralled place it would be if we were all the same.

I am blessed to have a number of amazing women in my life - each one different in so many ways and each one offering something incredible to me personally.

And every few weeks I get to spend a weekend with these two…

My daughter (that’s Brandi on the left in each shot) and my neice, Christa, couldn’t be any more different from one another. But both of these young women bring such joy and chaos and laughter and heartbreak and love and concern and pride and warmth into my life that I find them flawless in my eyes and heart. And it would be my prayer that they see themselves in the same light - they are perfect in our God’s eye.

If there’s an impressionable young woman in your life, be an encouragement to her. Try not to let society get in her way and cloud her vision to what’s real. Make a fuss over the freckles on her face or the gap in her teeth - those are her “signatures”, what makes her HER. And be certain to ask her “don’t you know you’re beautiful?”

And in the words of my dear, dear buddy Cathy…

I mean, look at the SIZE of these things…

These mums have morphed into small bushes! And I simply can take no credit for it! I think Mike and I stuck these guys in the ground last Fall when they were finished decorating my front porch steps after Thanksgiving.

And they have really been this size all summer long! Of course, we had a “well-balanced” summer with the perfect amount of rain, sun and humidity.

And, well, let’s face it, a few pounds of homemade kitty fertilizer (if you know what I mean) are working wonders!

You may have noticed that I’ve been hit and miss here of late. I know you’ll find this hard to believe, those who are more in tune with my day-to-day life, but my Hughes Net Internet service has been out again. Yep, since September 5 to be exact. You remember, we had that little hurricane named Hannah? She BARELY skimmed central NC, just giving us what seemed like a terrible summer thunderstorm. But it was enough to destroy our satellite service. Actually, given our history with Hughes, I’m more inclined to believe it’s the shoddy equipment provided by Hughes that can’t withstand the elements rather than some rain and wind.

I won’t go into the gory details of what the last two weeks have been like here in what should be the quiet country - you wouldn’t be able to stomach it! Just let me say that my Saturday (yesterday) was completely devoted to Hughes and the technicians that had the pleasure of spending their day with me. We have now been “upgraded” with a new dish and another new modem. When the tech got me up and running she was beaming a huge smile and turned to me expecting the same. When she saw my expression (which said, “yeah, this is great…but for how long”?) it was like watching the air slowly leak from a child’s balloon! I’m sorry, I just couldn’t rally and share her enthusiasm.

Historically, this service lasts about three months and then something happens and I need technical support again. That puts us at around Christmas. Santa, if you’re a blog reader and tap into my little on-line diary, the ONLY thing on my wish list this year is for Embarq (SPRINT) to build the hub on the corner near my house so that I can hook into a DSL line. I’m baking and freezing cookies for you beginning immediately!