Let me run with you tonight, I'll take you on a moonlight ride

Picture: Oh man. On hot, sticky days like today, I want nothing more to be in the mountainous region of North Carolina, sweating my body weight off and skinning my knees on exposed rock...throw on a 30lb backpack, tie a bandana around my head and I'm ready. In a way, southern summers are merciless, but there's nothing better than feeling sweaty, dirty and a little beat-up after a day of hiking. So in honor of this long lost love of mine...behold, the Linville Gorge.

Meteorologists here (and in general, I think?) tend to overplay the weather. This morning before I left for work there was a bunch of hoop-la about the "most severe weather day of the year" being upon us...tornado watches, flooding warnings...the whole shebang. So it turned midnight dark for about twenty minutes and I watched via woodtv.com a red strip of thunderstorms pass over the city and now the sun is shining. (I may eat my words, as more storms are supposed to come through this afternoon.)

HOWEVER...Monday night I woke up to a pretty hardcore thunderstorm. (I always see my little impatients and vinca vine getting pummeled with rain and feel so bad for them.) Dan slept through it, but the lightning was intense! I stayed up from about 1:00-1:30, just watching it from the sliding door in the living room. I was enjoying the power and beauty of it all, when I heard a group of (what I'm guessing where intoxicated?) young adults in the building next to us HOWLING LIKE WEREVOLVES on their deck. You guys! This is NOT a college dorm - this is an apartment complex! Adults who have to work in the morning and young children live here. Can you please NOT act like idiots?! (Can you tell we're SO excited for Dan to get a job so we can get the beeeeeeeep out of there?)

My eye twitch is back with a vengeance. DANGIT.

I've heard crazy Bachelorette rumors. Justin has not one girlfriend, but two? Honestly, that doesn't surprise me. I'm not sure if it's his Canadian accent, but he just sounds sleezy. But FRANK? I thought he was totally into Ali! Along that topic...Jake and Vienna broke up. What WHAT?! I think everybody knew that dysfunctional relationship wouldn't last. I've heard rumors that Ali doesn't choose anyone on the Bachelorette finale. I scheme in my head about she and Jake getting back together. (Yes, it's sad...this is my life.)

Did I mention in my last post that I can now make a mean egg salad?

So, me and Dan are pretty good with money. Even though he's been out of work for 17+ months, we've still been SO blessed to be able to put chunks of money into our savings account and have seen it grow over the last year and a half. We're about transfer more, but Dan is leaving an extra $100-$150 out to split up between the two of us for some spending money. (His motivation? He's in desperate - and I do mean desperate - need of new golf shoes.) The idea is, obviously, grand to me. But I know myself and I'm going to agonize how to spend that precious money. I've had more than one "want" in the last little while. My choice will be on of the following:

Crocs flats. I tried them on and they're SO cute and super comfortable!


Fossil "summer" purse. I've been told the one I have is more of a "winter" purse. So now I'm self-conscious about it.


Road I.D. To wear when I run outside. Super practical, but let's be honest...not the funnest treat in the world. I'd want something like this, or preferably something that could ALSO hold a cell phone.


Food dehydrator! I love dried fruits and I think it could be a good investment. I've been wanting one for a while, but I'm a little nervous. I don't know if I'll really get as much use out of one as I think I will...

Here's an excerpt from my Streams In The Desert from this morning. Super good.

"I can still believe that a day comes for all of us, however far off it may be, when we shall understand; when these tragedies that now blacken and darken the very air of heaven for us, will sink into their places in a scheme so august, so magnificent, so joyful, that we shall laugh for wonder and delight."

"Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength." -Charles Spurgeon

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:33-34