Chattanooga hates me

My friend Kait, who set up my blog, told me that in order to have a successful blog, you have to mix it up every once in awhile. People are annoyed when all you do is talk about how great and perfectly exciting your life is. So here is me mixing it up.


Today stinks. The US postal service lost (or stole) a $50 gift card I sent to someone. My neighbor's dog pooped on my doorstep for the second time. My herbs are struggling. My hiking trip got cancelled by a thunderstorm. The vacuum cleaner sucked up the drawstring on my blinds, pulled the blinds plum off the wall, broke the blinds and the brand new vacuum cleaner...and Walmart wouldn't exchange it because I didn't have the receipt. Some days you just need a hug... 

Things I have learned...

1) They put lollipops in your sandwiches in Chattanooga.

 2) This birdhouse makes me smile.

3) Shemama has released the powers of her hidden talent in canvas painting.

4) Without a husband, a kid, or a dog, one resorts to maintaining an intimate connection with her plants. Please join me in welcoming the newest members of my herb garden: parsely, oregano, basil, and chives.

5) I am overcome by the 4th verse of Psalm 65. "How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You to dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house."


6) The Ocoee is definitely the route to take from Chatty to Clemson...but taking pictures while you're driving is NOT!

7) My new fetish is in the form of paper flowers...and my first attempt was an epic failure.

8) Grief far outlasts sympathy, and our grieving is often not convenient with everyone else's timelines.

The New Mrs. Wigington

A wedding 28 stories up on top of a building in downtown ATL...yes, please.

The night view from the rooftop.

Gorgeous.

Minor catastrophe with the steak sauce at dinner. 
Good thing it's machine washable!

Roomies reunite!

Those would be sparklers that never got lit because it was too windy.
What else was I supposed to do?

Am I in a Gang?

Question: Is a black bandana a gang symbol? Because I just wore one when I went running downtown, and I suwannee everyone young and old; black, white, and Hispanic; homeless and not were looking at me funny. Maybe it's because they all know something that I don't...or maybe it's because when I run I look like one of those arm-flailing, inflatable tube men you see in front of car dealerships.

This would be my front door. Please note the THREE lock systems in place...just in case I am in a gang, and they come looking for me.

Home Sweet Home

A sneak preview of my unfinished home. More pictures to follow once Grace Anne gets up here and adds her designer touch extraordinaire. 

Hopefully I'll stumble upon a matching chair someday. But until then, it's just little ole me at my breakfast table.

I LOVE my bicycle, Vruti!

My fridge of friends. The first trick I learned to helping one feel more at home in a new place all by herself...pictures of everyone you love...everywhere!

My music room :)

I am so enjoying my new bedroom furniture! Thanks, Dad!
I am intentionally not posting pictures of the walk-in closet (doorway shown above) simply because I don't want to cause anyone to stumble into jealousy. It's huge. I could charge someone rent for it.

If I stub my foot one more time on that dang footboard...@$%#$^#)@%!
Where's Waldo? Can you spot the Willow Tree miracle angel? I think of you, Becky, every night before I go to bed.

Welcome to my garden.

Independent Women Celebrating Independence Day Weekend

You know you have wonderful friends when they willingly drive 5 treacherous hours just to accompany you to all the restaurants you want to try in your new city but can't because you hate to go alone and be the awkward, lame single girl sitting in a booth all by herself. Thanks, Karen and Hannah, for letting me drag you around town this weekend!


Just to highlight some of our great eats from the weekend: 


1) Met an Indian dude (at the Sitar Indian restaurant) who tried to pick us up by telling us that he taught Hindi classes every Monday at my apartment complex. I don't know if he actually lives in my complex or not, but I do know that the Sitar catering van pulls up to my doorstep every week to do their laundry in the laundromat below me. Hmmm.     


2) Met a really awesome guy at the Chattanooga Market who owns The Pop Shop out of Atlanta. They make delicious handcrafted popsicles in the coolest flavors like "Cucumber Lime Cilantro" (me), "Orange Vanilla Pineapple" (Hannah), and "Mango Mojito" (Karen). Check them out at www.thepopshop.us. They deliver on dry ice by Greyhound, and their only company car is a little red Nissan Frontier. Love it!


3) Met our boy Mario and his crew at Taziki's Mediterranean Restaurant. Feta cheese galore! You know I love it! 


4) Didn't meet anyone special at Taco Mamacita's, but it was AMAZINGLY scrumptious guacamole and mango salsa!

Pops in the Park

Entertaining ourselves while we waited for the symphony and fireworks to start.

While walking over the Walnut Street Bridge (the world's longest pedestrian bridge), Hannah's glowstick bracelet burst all over her hand, contaminating it with toxic neon green carcinogens.

Please note: this is all I had in my purse to save her life.

One of my favorite things in Chatt. Can you guess what it is made of?? 

Drum roll please...

It is finally here...the infamous blog that so many of you have been asking and waiting for. Due to an overwhelming number of requests, as well as my lack of connection with the rest of the world via Facebook and Twitter, I have succumbed to the pressure of social networking and consented to join the world of blogging. I would like to extend my utmost gratitude to my dear friend Kaitlin Suits for setting this up for me. I would also like to thank her in advance for her continued tech support as I figure out how to work this dumb thing. 


The truth about blogs: there is a lot of pressure to be either knee-slappingly hilarious or inspirationally profound when you become the author of a blog. (Not even sure if "knee-slappingly" or "inspirationally" are real words, so don't judge me for my poor grammar and sad attempt at using big vocabulary. I'm already crumbling under the pressure.) All of that to say, please enjoy reading without any preconceived notions or expectations, for there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Thanks for joining my adventure.


Welcome to my new life in Chattanooga, TN.