sore thumb....

I joined John at the Benton Shooting Club yesterday afternoon after church. It was a be-a-u-tiful day outside and I was happy to tag along with my hubby as he enjoyed one of his hobbies. I particularly love that this hobby is shooting at clay targets and not animals so I'm happy to show my support in this area anytime!

I don't have a lot of experience at shooting ranges, but I've been to enough to know that they are all really different. This happened to be the best one yet! It's on gorgeous property in Benton TN (about 45 min away from us) and the people were super nice! The shooting mascot, an old mutt, was our greeter to the property and he enjoy the attention I gave him while John got everything set up on our golf cart.

Here is how this set up works....
You get a golf cart and an electrical remote thingy. There are 15 stations and you drive to each one. The stations change several times a week to keep the shooters on their toes. My job was to drive the golf cart, keep score & set off the targets! I really liked my job!

First you have to program your remote thingy when you get to the station. So, I would set the station (1-15) and press enter/fire. It did alarm me that there is a button called "enter/FIRE" but I pushed it none-the-less....ok John did it the first time b/c I just can't push something that says fire on it at a shooting range. Each station has a green or red plaque that says tricky things you have to decode...kinda like the Da Vinci code, but kinda not. For example it might say something like "3 report pair". That means John gets to shoot 3x at this particular station and "report" means that the two "pair" clays won't go off at the same time...it also means I get two buttons to push! When John says "pull" then I press #1 and once I hear the gun go off, I immediately press #3! I also get to do a "show pair" before he shoots anything and show him where the targets will be coming from so he can get in position. I felt a little smug when I got to show him where the targets would come from...as if I set them up or something! If there is a red plaque that say something like "4 true pair" then I press #5 when he says "pull" and two clays come from different directions at the same time!

I have to keep two score cards, one for "broken" clays that come out wrong or don't come out at all and the other for each shot he makes at each station. "X" means he hit the clay and "0" means he missed. It really is quite fun! It's also great that it only took a little over an hour!! When I've driven the cart for a round of golf it has taken HOURS. I didn't even have to use my kindle or grab a snack so I was a happy girl!

My favorite quote of the day is when John said "you sure do stick out like a sore thumb around here babe" when he climbed into the golf cart with me. I was happy to be sticking out like a sore thumb. It just proves you don't have to be a redneck to go to a shooting range...you just have to marry one! kidding...kinda. We may be an unlikely pair, but we have fun together & we make time for each others hobbies. He doesn't say a word when I ask him to hang one of my crazy paintings in our house or ask him in all seriousness what the things about me getting a side table that is made out of clear plastic and I go with him to shoot guns or play golf. I still don't know what made me stick out so bad...was it my skinny jeans, tom's, kate spade purse or the big sunglasses? I guess I'll never know....

cutie pie

Isn't she a doll!? I just had to share...

NOLA!

Several times a year I get to travel with co-workers for conferences. This year the AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) was held in New Orleans LA. I had never been to NOLA before and was very excited!

Thursday evening we grabbed dinner on Burbon st. at a place called Desire. It's attached to the Royal Sonesta hotel. Burbon street is a very interesting place. I loved loved loved all the music. There was such a variety of live bands, DJs, dueling pianos & jazz! Unfortunately for bystanders I happened to find a wonderful karaoke bar. :) Let's just say I've got "less than perfect" pitch.

Lucky for us, my boss allowed us to fly out a day early so we could explore the city. So on Friday, we ended up taking a 3.5 hr bus tour to see as much as possible in such a short time. I really enjoyed it! I realized more than before what a deep history and interesting culture they have. It made me want to learn more. I wish we could have visited some of the museums they have, but one day simply isn't enough time. However, our tour showed us their famous graveyards, the garden district with the beautiful historical mansions, the french quarter, the art district and the riverside area. We also visited the 9th ward where hurricane Katrina hit the hardest. It was quite the site...they still need so much help!

Garden District
graveyard

pic of 9th ward

new home in 9th ward thanks to Brad Pitt's make it right foundation

Saturday, Sunday & Monday we worked the conference. I always enjoy getting to opportunity to chat with the doctors, nurses & physician assistants in my territory. The conference is so wonderful because they aren't in the middle of seeing patients & working so the conversation can be more relaxed. We have a new product available too which is always fun!

Some of the highlights in the food department included Cafe Du Monde for beignets, Red Fish Grill for seafood and Commander's Palace where I had a delicious steak. I also had a fabulous time at Tony Moran's Italian restaurant on Bourbon street. In fact, since it was the night of the super bowl there wasn't hardly anyone in the place, which allowed Nadia and I the opportunity to talk for over an hour to our waitress and other staff. I got to hear their personal hurricane Katrina stories & the dreams and ambitions they have moving forward. Their tears as they described what it was like to be on the roof of their house for two days, be separated from family members when evacuated, still not knowing where family members are was enough to make me not trade my experience in NOLA for anything. I felt ashamed that I didn't truly understand the effects of Katrina even though I watched it on the news every day...until you see it with your own eyes it just doesn't register...and I still have questions.

Red Fish GrillCommanders Palace

Commander's Palace

court date

Dear Mars Incorporated,

It has come to my attention (since it's in my freezer) that Snickers Ice Cream mini bars are now available at your local grocery store. Although I'm very thankful for the 90 calorie package, I am not happy with one of your ingredients....nicotine. This unnamed ingredient has left me with no choice but to eat several at at time and naturally caused weight gain. I feel confident that if someone can sue McDonalds for hot coffee then I can sue you for weight gain...since it's really not my fault..um...with..the nicotine and all.

Shame on you for not listing all the ingredinets in your mouthwathering bars! Why else would these harmless bars of caramel, ice cream and the perfect amount of peanuts with a chocolate coating call out to me all hours of the day!? I may also sue my mother for buying this poison and placing it so nonchalantly in my freezer, but that is for another day. I feel certain one of you is to blame for my extra 10 lb. of weight gain & I plan to take legal action soon.

Sincerely,

Lisa

ps. we can settle this out of court with large amounts of snickers ice cream bars as payment.

Hardwood Floors

I used to be scared to death we would scratch our hardwood floors. I would literally walk on my tip toes when I had on heels so I wouldn't let them touch the surface of our sacred wood...holy ground if you will.

In the beginning I noticed every new little scratch and would tense up each time I saw a new scar across this blemish free surface...like seeing a pimple on the cheek of a baby's porcelain skin...it just didn't belong.

I thought about this as I rolled my suitcase across the floor tonight. This would have never happened in year 1 of living in our new home. We are the first to live in these walls so every ding, scratch or hole is totally ours and as much as I would like to blame a previous family with their unruly-Tarzan-like kids and ignorant way of housekeeping, I have to take responsibility.

Every now and then the light will hit the floor at a perfect angel to show off each injury & it screams out to me in horror, but most of the time I barely notice it anymore. I'm not exactly sure when the transition happened...probably when the scratches outnumbered the perfect. However, I'm happy that the transition has finally taken place. I'm relieved to not squirm when someone walks across the floor in their pointy heels. I don't hold my breath when my dogs run so hard down the steps, to greet my husband, that they can't get traction and bare their claws into the soft wood. It means our house is lived in. It means that we've had someone so special at the door that Jax & Raleigh don't mind interrupting their afternoon nap to sprint & meet them. It means we've come home with suitcases much heavier and full of goodies from the trip or left in a hurry with excitement for a weekend away. It means heavy boots have tramped in and out while working on projects & spending time with family. It means our lives are full...messy...but full.

Anytime I grit my teeth at a "unnecessary" scratch because the Christmas tree wouldn't fit through the back door, I tell myself we're simply making a mess so my future kids won't worry about making theirs...and it makes me thankful. Thankful each scratch bares a memory. Thankful for the blessing this house has been to us & so so so very thankful for the people that have helped make their mark in the wood.