Merry Christmas

to all and to all a good night!

Let the Sun Shine In

While my brother and his family are dealing with the storm of the century in the Pacific Northwest, the weather here in middle Tennesse is picture perfect. It is strange that in December I am enjoying warm weather and sunshine and not dealing with snow or cold weather. I think I will enjoy my first Christmas in the south even if there isn't any snow!

Company Christmas Party

I had my company Christmas party on Friday night. The theme was Casino Night and it was a blast. My company gave everyone $15,000 to gamble (of course, not real money!). The object was to win as much money as you could because at the end of the night you cash in your chips to purchase raffle tickets from your winnings. For every $5,000 you get 1 raffle ticket so even if you are not a gambler you already get 3 raffle tickets. The big prizes were raffled off at the end of the night and there was no limit to how many prizes you can win. Plus every 20 minutes during the evening door prizes were given away and no gift was under $100! At the end of the night I won $111,000 playing Black Jack - total $126,000 worth of raffle tickets (25 tickets). Up until the raffle ticket drawing I hadn't won anything so I was hoping to win one of the big prizes at the end of the night. I ended up winning an iPod with some accessories! I was so excited to win something because I never do and I won something I can use. I like this company.

Romeo Visit

I went back home to Romeo for Thanksgiving week. This was my first time being back home since I moved to Nashville 5 months ago. I didn't even get back home to pack up my condo!

I had a jam packed week, but it was fun. Although I already finished making all of my Christmas cards for this year, I needed some more. My Mom and some of her friends had already signed up to make some holiday cards so I joined them. We made some really nice cards and laughed a lot. I then spent several days visiting friends and shopping with Mom. A couple of my friends had babies since I had moved. Another friend was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and is currently doing aggressive chemotherapy. It was so nice seeing her and spending a couple of days with her shopping, eating, playing PlayStation 2 and just laughing. We are planning a trip to San Antonio, Texas in January.

Thanksgiving Day was a bit different this year. My brother and his family went to Hawaii to watch their beloved Boilers take on the Warriors of the University of Hawaii. I, on the other hand, chose to go to a cold weather state and watch my Lions attempt to play football. The weather on Thanksgiving Day was beautiful (sunny and around 55 degrees) so Mom, Dad and I decided to go to America's Thanksgiving Parade in downtown Detroit and this year marked the 80th birthday of the parade. It is always so cold on Thanksgiving Day that we never go to the parade. We walked the parade route, stopping to view floats and bands. We also went to Campus Martius Park where the city erected the Christmas tree and what a beautiful tree it is. It came from the UP and is enormous. Then we headed to Ford Field. I chatted with our other season ticket friends and they filled me in on the season so far. The Lions started out hot on Thanksgiving Day, but then did nothing after the second quarter. By the fourth quarter the "Fire Millen" chants started and it wouldn't surprise me if the Lions fans held a second annual Fire Millen March. Although the Lions got beat and only showed up to play half a game, it is always a good time at Ford Field.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful that I only had to sit through 1 Lions' game this year! Even though the Lions decided not to show up and play a complete game on Thanksgiving Day, I still had a great time being back at Ford Field.

The Big Apple

I spent a few days last week in New York City. Yes, I actually got to go somewhere else besides Mexico! My company's headquarters is located in Manhattan in the Met Life Building at Grand Central Station. I stayed at a nice, but of course overpriced hotel in Times Square. I did all of the tourist sightseeing of famous NYC sites. Ground Zero was one of my visits and it was humbling. And to see so many people from all over the world there paying their respects was amazing. And to top it off I was greeted by a mouse at La Guardia airport!

WOW! It's Cold!

It was 28 degrees when I woke up this morning and it was chilly in my house. It took me a minute to reaelize where I was because it was so cold, I thought I was in Michigan! I should have turned on a little heat last night, but didn't realize it would be cold down here. I didn't expect it because it has been so nice here, plus I haven't watched the weather reports! The high today will be in the mid 50's, but we will be back in the mid 70's by Monday. At least the sun is still shining!

WORLD SERIES BOUND! ROAR!!!
After sweeping the Oakland A's, the Tigers are heading to the World Series after a 22 year absence. And what a way for the Tigers to win the American League Championship with one of their famous walk-off homers. Way to go Maggs! I guess we should give the Yankees some credit; they did win one game against the Tigers!

And the question on everyone's mind in Detroit is "Who's Your Tiger?".

WAY TO GO TIGERS!!!

The Yankees don't know what hit 'em! They're just lucky they didn't get swept! I miss being in Michigan and part of this excitement. Classy move by Leyland to let Bonderman try to finish pitching all nine innings. Detroit will be rocking tonight because "there ain't no party like a Detroit party because a Detroit party don't stop". Bring on Oakland!

What is the definition of the Fall Season in the South?

So, here it is October 4th and it is 91 degrees in Nashville. I can't help but wonder when fall will begin down here and what it will be like. Starting next week the temperature will drop into the low to mid 80's. Fall is my favorite season, but I don't think it will compare in color or weather to Michigan's fall season. I am not complaining that it is still beautiful weather here, but I need to get used to the idea that fall and winter will be so different for me. I have been ready to pull out my sweaters and sweatshirts for a month now!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!

Cheesecake Factory

I broke tradition last night and left work at a reasonable hour to have dinner with some new friends I have made in Nashville. A group of 15 of us went to the Cheesecake Factory in Green Hills to celebrate one of our friend's birthday. This is the only Cheesecake Factory in Tennessee so it's always busy. The usual wait is between 45 minutes to 2 hours. What most people do is put in their name in as soon as they arrive to the restaurant, then they go shop at the mall or see a movie and when they arrive back to the restaurant, their table is ready. Some have really mastered the timing! It is definitely worth the wait. The owners are originally from Detroit, Michigan, and they owned a cheesecake shop there as well as catered to many upscale Detroit restaurants http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/aboutus.htm. I have eaten there 4 times now and have always had a great meal. This is a must when parents come down for their next visit.

Fun Weekend in Nashville

After being in Mexico for a week on business, it was nice to come home and spend some of the weekend with my sister-in-law. Amy was in Nashville for a MOPS convention and we were able to get together for dinner on Friday night and hang out all day Sunday. We had a nice dinner at the Old Hickory Steakhouse which is located in the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. Sunday was fun showing her my new condo and some sights in Hermitage as well as Nashville. The next time she visits we will have more time to do more sightseeing.

A Day of Remembrance

Never forget...

Congratulations Detroit Shock!

2nd Championship in 4 years! It is fun to watch Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn get so excited about the their team. Way to go ladies!

Detroit Lions Assistant Coach arrested for nude, drunken driving

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060907/SPORTS01/609070331/1048/SPORTS

Labor Day Weekend

I had a nice Labor Day Weekend. My parents were in town for the week and we had excellent weather. We went to Miss Marple's Dinner Theatre Saturday night and "enjoyed a hilarious murder mystery and live music while feasting on a gourmet dinner". We spent a lot of time putting some finishing touches on my new house. We hung a lot of pictures and window treatments, put together shelving units, did some touch-up painting, planted flowers, etc. My new house is really looking like a hime now. I sure will miss my maid and handy man!

Nashville Sounds Game

Went to my first sporting event in Nashville. My company bought tickets for all employees and their family to attend the Nashville Sounds game. The Sounds are a Minor League Baseball Class AAA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They won the Pacific Coast League last year and are currently in first place with a 5 game lead over Iowa. The Sounds beat the New Orleans Zephyrs 6-1. And to top it off, it was 'free loaf of bread' night!

Getting to Know Nashville

Haven't been able to spend a lot of time in downtown Nashville yet. I continue to travel quite a bit with my new job so it doesn't leave me a lot of time to be in town. I did get a chance to get downtown for a couple of nights last week when some Mexicans from our warehouse came for a visit. We went and line danced at the Wildhorse Saloon and ate fried pickles (a southern favorite and now mine!). Then it was off to Tootsie's, which is the famous bar where the country singers hang out, but we didn't see anyone famous. Then it was off to Coyote Ugly because the Mexicans had never been and wanted to go to a famous place they knew. All in all, it was a good time.

My Corporate Buyer for another account I manage came into Nashville this past week. My entire department went to dinner one night then it was off to play Laser Tag in downtown Nashville. What a blast! It was about 110 degrees in this place plus we had to wear special clothing which did not help the heat situation. We played 2 games and I came in 2nd in the first game and 3rd in the second game. You actually get a printout scorecard that tells you your percentage of hits versus attempted shots then it compares it to everyone else. I should have practiced shooting guns more at my Uncle Kelvin's house when I had the chance!

I am officially a Tennessean!

And of course with some bumps along the way. Original TN condo closing date was set for July 24 at 9:00am. The fun started the week of July 17 and I was in Mexico on business most of the week. When I got back to Nashville on Thursday night, I got a phone call from the movers that they would be a little late picking up my belongings in Michigan on Friday. No biggie, just a quick phone call to my parents to let them know. Then the movers told me they will be dropping off my belongings in Tennessee Sunday morning. Sunday morning?!?! I don't even close until Monday morning. So I called the builder and begged him to let me move my stuff in early and he finally agreed.

Once I got back into the office on that Friday, I had received several phone calls and emails from the closing attorney that they were missing some information from my lender. Not a big deal in my mind because the lender had all day Friday to submit their information and I could still close on Monday morning. I finally got in touch with the lender Friday mid-morning and they were working on sending their information. Great, so I thought at the time. Lunchtime rolls around and still no word from my lender. I then left several messages with the lender and no one returned my call so I am under the assumption they are taking care of it. At 5:05pm on Friday night I received a call from the closing attorney and they still do not have the lender information. And to top it off, the information they did receive was incorrect so that also needed to be corrected prior to closing. Of course, I cannot get ahold of anyone at the bank because it is after 5pm on a Friday. So I had to move back my closing back to 2pm Monday and hope the lender sends their information to the closing attorney first thing Monday morning.

Saturday is final walk-through day. There are still some things that need to be fixed, but for the most part all is fine with the condo. The builder gave me keys and a garage door opener. The only problem was the builder hired a cleaning company to come clean the place before I moved in, but that didn't happen so I spent Saturday night cleaning.

Sunday morning at 9am the movers were to arrive. I finally got a phone call around 10:30am stating they won't arrive until 4pm that afternoon. Around 5:30pm the movers finally showed up. YEAH! Not so fast! They cannot get the semi on my street because there is a low hanging electrical wire. What to do, what to do. Met a lot of my neighbors because I went door to door asking to borrow a pick-up truck from them or someone they knew. No such luck. So we decided we had to rent a small truck on Monday morning and transload my belongings from the semi to the smaller truck to deliver. We decided to meet up again on Monday morning at 9am. Good thing the closing was moved to 2pm!

Monday morning I waited for the movers to call and finally they did at 10:30am. Now they have to pack the smaller truck, get to my condo, and unpack all before 12:45pm so I can leave and go to closing. They arrived at my condo just before noon with only half of my stuff. I asked them (or should I say the one mover. There were 2 movers, but only the younger kid came with this load to move my stuff.) to unload this first load and we would meet up again around 4pm to finish the move. When I got back from the closing they were actually on time and had the remainder of my things. By the time they finished I was too tired and stressed to even unpack one box. Now I just have a big mess to clean up and unpack. I am happy to see all of my stuff again!

I closed on my Michigan condo July 24 also (actually my parents did). Now I am done with Michigan and it is onto Tennessee. Can't wait for the weekend!

My Stuff is All Packed

Thanks to my parents my condo is all packed and ready for the movers later this week. Both of my closings are on July 24 so my parents will be at the Michigan closing and I will be at the Tennessee closing. The movers will arrive down here the week of July 24 (I am hoping for the 25th). Then the fun begins with unpacking about 95 boxes! I am actually looking forward to getting my stuff down here because it will give me something to do. Another busy month ahead of me with lots of travel to Mexico as well.

I Bought a Condo

July will be a busy month for me. I bought a brand new condo which is nice because nothing has to be done to it and no one has lived in it. I will be closing on it July 24 and I will also be closing on my Michigan condo July 24. I have already hired a moving company and Mom and Dad will work on packing my place once they get back from Nashville. Some things have and are going to the Salvation Army which will make my life easier when unpacking. No sense moving stuff I don't want anymore. Plus I will be heading back to Mexico for a week so that doesn't leave me too much time this month to get things done. I am already looking forward to August!

Happy Birthday America

I had a busy July 4th weekend. My parents are in town so we did a lot of Nashville sight seeing. First on the list was to visit J. Percy Priest Lake which is about 1 mile from where I live. It is a large lake with a dam, picnic area, water park, beach and recreation area. It is a popular spot for fishing, boating and swimming because there aren't many lakes in Tennessee.

Next on the agenda was to do a walk-through at my new condo I just purchased. It is brand new construction so I had to do a punch list prior to closing. No better time than when my parents are in town! It is a really nice place with lots of upgrades and quality touches. We then hit a local BBQ restaurant called Famous Dave's and it was excellent. Mom and Dad finally got to have the famous southern sweet tea.

The next day, July 3, we went to visit President (General) Andrew Jackson's mansion and plantation, The Hermitage, hence the name of the town I live in. It was a perfect day to go because they had lots of patriotic things to see (artillery shooting demonstrations, soldier quarters set-up, cannon shooting). It took you back to the war of 1812 and everyone was dressed in old clothing from that era. It was a very hot day, around 98 degrees, but these people didn't miss a beat or seem to notice the weather, despite wearing wool! And of course the mansion was impressive as well as the plantation with the slaves quarters and Mr. & Mrs. Jackson's tombs. After being out in the heat for several hours, we went back to my place to rest before hitting Opry Mills. They tore down the Opryland Amusement Park a few years ago and built a large mall called Opry Mills. It is quite nice with lots of name brand stores. On our drive back home from the mall, we saw fireworks at J. Percy Priest Lake.

July 4th is a busy day in Nashville because they have a free country music concert then a huge fireworks show after. Ronnie Milsap was the guest this year. People start showing up at the Cumberland River downtown around 9am and stay all day waiting for the concert that doesn't start until 7pm. Fireworks are at 8:45pm. It was another hot day around 95 degrees and we didn't want to sit downtown all day in the heat so we made our way to the west side of Nashville to a neighborhood called Belle Meade, which is the richest area in Tennessee. We visited the Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art www.cheekwood.org which was built and owned by the Maxwell House Coffee family. The mansion, which is now the Museum of Art, is 30,000 sq. ft. and the gardens make up 55 acres. We took a lunch break half way through our garden walk and ate at the Pineapple Room, which is a restaurant right on the grounds. Even though it was hot, it was nice to be outside and strolling through the impressive gardens. We once again headed back to my place to cool off and relax before heading out for dinner. We ended up eating at the Aquarium restaurant. It is an indoor aquarium filled with sharks, sting rays, and many other kinds of fish. It was awesome and the food was awesome, too! On our way back to my place for the night, we saw lots of fireworks. Once we got home, we watched the Nashville fireworks on TV. The Nashville Symphony Orchestra plays while the fireworks show is going on. It was well done.

I am now back to work while my parents are off to see more Nashville sights (Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, etc.). Maybe they will even be able to make it down to Memphis to visit Elvis. We are possibly going to the Vince Gill concert Thursday night. Having a great time with my parents!

Southern Women

I received the below from a co-worker. Little does she know that I am all about 'football' religion. She doesn't know that my church is Ford Field on Sundays!

Southern women appreciate their natural assets:
Soft skin
An easy smile
That unforgettable Southern drawl

Southern women know their manners:
"Yes,ma'am."
"Yes, sir."
"Don't you DARE...Billy!"

Southern women have a distinct way with fond expressions:
"Y'all come back, soon!"
"Well, bless your heart."
"Call when you can."
"Can I get you a glass of tea?"

Southern women know their summer weather report:
Humidity
Humidity
Humidity

Southern women know their vacation spots:
The beach
Shopping
Shopping at the beach

Southern women know the joys of June, July, and August:
Summer tans
Strapless sun dresses
Air conditioning

Southern women know everybody's first name:
Honey
Darlin'
Shugah

Southern women know the movies that speak to their hearts:
Fried Green Tomatoes
Driving Miss Daisy
Steel Magnolias
Gone With The Wind

Southern women know their religions:
Baptist
Methodist
Football

Southern women know their country breakfasts:
Red-eye gravy & Country ham
Grits
Mouth-watering biscuits with momma's homemade jelly

Southern women know their cities dripping with Southern charm:
Charleston (Chawl'stn)
Savannah (S'vanah)
New Orleans (N'orlins)
Atlanta (Addlanna)

Southern women know their elegant gentlemen:
Men in uniform or tuxedos
Men who open doors for women
Rhett Butler, of course!

Southern girls know their prime real estate:
The Mall
The Country Club
The Beauty Salon

Southern girls know the four deadly sins:
Having bad hair and nails
Having bad manners
Cooking bad food
Wearing too much makeup

Southern girls know, men may come and go, but their girlfriends last
fahevah!

If you're a Northern transplant, Bless your heart, just fake
it. We know you got here as fast as you could.....!

I Sold My Condo!

And it only took 30 days! I actually received a couple offers late in the week last week; one was an insult (rejected it right away) and the other offer I rejected after many conversations with my parents. This potential buyer did come back and made me a more reasonable offer so I finally accepted it. I am glad to have sold it sooner than later and I am happy with the offer. I close July 24. Now I am working on getting movers.

I went condo shopping on Saturday and I did find one I love. It is brand new and ready for immediate occupancy. My agent down here is working on the details of an offer this week so I hope to have everything finalized by the end of the week. Now I will have to coordinate the 2 closings. I owe a lot of thanks to my parents for all of their help in Romeo and now in Nashville. I couldn't do all of this without them. It doesn't look like I will be traveling all that much the next 2 weeks so that should help.

Condo Update

I finally had some activity on my condo last week. I had one showing on Thursday night and 2 on Saturday. I heard feedback from 2 of the 3 potential buyers and they loved my place and was move in ready. At least it is showing well. Now all I need is an offer. I possibly could get one at the end of this week which would be great. I am going to have to pay my parents commission for all of their trips over to my condo to turn on the air, open the blinds, do some light cleaning, all before a showing, then they go back over after the showings to turn off the air, close the blinds, make sure all doors and windows are locked, etc. I think they feel they have 3 homes now! Looks like my agent will be hosting an open house this Sunday so maybe more activity will help me sell it faster. I am working with an agent in Nashville right now to find me something in the next couple of months. Homes are different down here. Most of them do not have basements and most condos do not have garages. But I know I will find something that will fit my needs.

Mexico Business Trip

I went on my first Mexico business trip with my new company last week. I traveled with 2 other people which was nice since I am used to traveling alone. All in all, good meetings, but lots of work to be done and I guess that is why they hired me! I had dinner with some of my Mexican friends from my USS days and had lots of laughs (and lots of margaritas!). It was good to see familiar faces again.

I moved into my apartment last Monday or should I say 'an' apartment. The apartment that I am renting was not ready for me to move into so I had to move into another one for the week. I got home from Mexico Friday afternoon and had to move into my original apartment that night. There is something to be said for not moving twice and I didn't even had to move furniture! It was still an inconvenience, but now I figured out relocating is not easy. The best part was the Tiger game was on TV. They played the Cubs and I get WGN so at least that kept my mind off of the move. Actually got to watch the Tigers all weekend put it to the Cubs. At least the announcers were having fun. At one point the announcer said, "The umpires are really having some difficulty rounding up some extra baseballs. They should have placed an extra order Friday night." The Tigers were just crushing the homeruns. At this point the Tigers are STILL in first place. GO TIGERS!

Happy Father's Day!

This was the first year I didn't get to spend Father's Day with my Dad. Although it was different and probably peaceful for my Dad, I am thankful that I still have my Dad to call on Father's Day.

First Week of Work

I made it through my first week of work without any difficulties. I traveled to Louisville one day and Decatur, Alabama, another day. It was nice seeing different parts of the USA that I don't normally get to see. Plus I traveled with 3 other people from my company which was nice because most of the time I travel alone.

I went and opened a bank account today which took a lot of time. I went to about 5 different banks before deciding on one. I never had to do this before because I have always used the account my parents set-up for me when I was little and it has served me well all these years. I also got pre-approved for a mortgage (another one!) so I am ready to buy something down here right away. Our VP's mom is a real estate agent and she is currently working on finding me a house. She has been in the Nashville area for over 30 years so she is able to point me in the right direction as to where to buy. I need to find something within the next 90 days so I can move in once my apartment lease is up. I am not going to wait for my house in Michigan to sell because there is no telling when that will be. Kind of disappointed that I haven't had much activity on it yet.

At least I am providing these southerners with free entertainment because no matter what I say or how I say it, it is hilarious to them. They really get a kick out of the word "pop". And every time I say it they cannot stop laughing! They refer to "pop" down here as coke. And if you want a Sprite, you order a white coke. Tennessee is known for their sweet tea so that is the drink of choice. I guess I will have to order a sweet tea instead of a pop next time and they will flip out! Very different than the north!

It was hot here yesterday (91) and again today (95), but it is a heat that can be tolerated. I haven't experienced the humidity that we get in Michigan, but it is hot! Guess they don't get a lot of humidity, but at the end of July and beginning of August, it will be humid a few days. In due time, I will be able to compare.

I move into my apartment on Monday evening and it will be nice to get out of a hotel. Then I am off to Mexico the rest of the week to visit my customers. Looking forward to this trip because I will see a lot of the same people I have dealt with in the past.

I'm in Nashville!

I arrived in Nashville this afternoon after a 9 hour drive. Pretty easy drive, but it did rain the whole way. Staying in a nice hotel. My room has a kitchen, office area, small living room with couch, chair and ottoman, king size bed and large bathroom. Plus I have a lot of amenities like a 24 hour fitness center, laundry room, pool, dining room and store. I think I can survive for 10 days!

I will need to get used to the 1 hour time difference. Doesn't seem like much just being one hour behind Detroit, but the news is on at 4pm and 9pm so that is different. Sports are on an hour earlier which is nice (GO PISTONS). It gets darker one hour earlier (8pm), but the sun rises an hour earlier.

I am looking forward to starting work on Monday. I will be busy my first week getting to know the company and our customers then I am off to Mexico the following week. Nothing like jumping right in!

Last Day in Michigan

This is my last day in Michigan as I will be heading to Nashville bright and early tomorrow morning. Just doing some last minute cleaning and packing today and wrapping up some loose ends. Looking forward to starting my new job and getting to know Nashville. My parents bought me a great book on Nashville and it sure will come in handy once I get there.

Thanks to all of my friends who met me for lunch and dinner these past couple of weeks. I really enjoyed all of the laughs!

GO PISTONS! GO TIGERS!

Tigers 8-Game Win Streak Comes to an End...

and we were there to witness it! Must be that Mom, Dad and I are not good luck for the Tigers or maybe they are not used to playing in front of 37,000+ fans yet. We decided not to go to Saturday's game because the Pistons were on at the same time so we ended up buying tickets Saturday night for Sunday's game. It was fun to be at the game; the ballpark was packed and the temp was 89 degrees. Tigers are still in first place ahead of James and Amy's White Sox! Best part was the free hat!

GRROWL!! How 'bout those Tigers!

They have the best record in baseball and they are 1.5 games ahead of the White Sox. I don't know if their winning streak will continue, but it is exciting to see these young guys doing well. They have their work cut out for them the next 10 days hosting the Indians, Yankees and Red Sox. Mom, Dad and I might go to the game tomorrow depending on the weather. Just hope we can get tickets! Who could have imagined that in May the Wings would be out of the playoffs and the Tigers would be the best team in baseball. GO TIGERS!

One Week and Counting

until I am officially a southerner!

Weekend at the Lake

I spent this past weekend at the lake with my parents. I always look forward to relaxing and getting away from the 'city' for a while. And you think you have plans or a schedule when you are there, but that always changes so you have to just go with the flow. Glad Mom told me to grab a coat before we left because it was cold up north!

Friday night was Game 6 of the Pistons/Cavaliers series and the Pistons were down 3-2. Mom and Dad don't have cable at the house so we had to go to the local bar to see the game. Of course, we run into Mom's cousin, Sam, and they invite us over to their new house to watch the second half. We had a great time telling family stories, laughing and watching the Pistons pull out a close one to come back home for Game 7.

Saturday was Lee and Carrie's wedding. Carter was sick so we watched him all morning and some of the afternoon so Lee and Carrie could finish some of their wedding activities. Mom and I had to finish the candelabra at the church around noon so we left Dad in charge of Carter. Carter was feeling a lot better at this point and we were happy he would be able to make it to the wedding. The weather cooperated and the sun was shining most of the day. It was a nice wedding and always fun to sit and laugh with family.

Sunday was Game 7 in the Pistons/Cavs series so we wanted to head back home so we could see the game that afternoon, plus it was soooo cold! Couldn't get on the lake because it was too cold. The whole weekend we had the fire going and electric heat on and it was still chilly!

But no matter what the weather is at the lake, it is always great to be there. And this was my last time for a long time.

Location, Location, Location

I put my condo on the market today. I am hoping it sells sooner than later, but the way the housing market is right now in Michigan it is hard to say what is going to happen. I told my neighbors I was leaving and selling the condo and they were completely surprised since I just moved in a few months ago. I hope to find neighbors and a home comparable to what I will be leaving behind.

I Won't Be Homeless...

I finally found a temporary apartment to stay at in Nashville. It was harder than I thought it would be to locate housing. First of all, I was having difficulty finding something fully furnished and available in 3 weeks. The next issue was the price. Many of the places I contacted were really high in price per month. And lastly, I only want to live in the apartment a few months until I buy a house and a lot of places wanted a longer stay agreement. But I finally found something that will work and the complex is really nice. I will have to stay in a hotel for about 10 days until the apartment is ready for me to move in, but now I know what to pack. Just one more thing to check off my 'TO DO' list.

Goodbye Michigan...

After calling Michigan home for my entire life, I will be relocating to Nashville, Tennessee at the beginning of June. I've accepted a position at Mitsui Steel as a Senior Marketing Manager and will be traveling extensively to Mexico. I am really looking forward to this new transition in my life; new job, new state, new house, but of course there are some things I will definitely miss:

Family
Friends
Romeo Peach Festival
Achatz Michigan 4 Berry Pie
Sundays at Ford Field
Emerald Lake
Card Club
Snow
Scrapbooking with Friends

If anyone gets the itch to getaway, mi casa es su casa! Come on down!