My Day

3:00 A.M. - Bubba up and wants to play
4:00 A.M. - Thunderstorms and Tornado Siren
6:00 A.M. - Alarm goes off
6:30 A.M. - Julie gets up
7:07 A.M. - Julie can't find keys. Cursing begins
7:23 A.M. - Keys located. Cursing ends.
7:30 A.M. - Julie sets off alarm on car.  Julie wonders why if the key fob will not work to unlock your car and you have to actually insert your car key into your car, why is it that the alarm must go off? Brief cursing episode.
7:55 A.M. - Julie arrives to work and enters plant. Julie realizes that she left her safety glasses in the car. Julie would curse but she is with co-worker who doesn't curse. Bugger.
11:50 A.M. - Julie leaves work for lunch.  Pouring down rain.
12:15 P.M. - Home to walk Bubba. Is that the sun shining? Rain has stopped for Bubba's walk.  (thankfully, because the princess hates to get wet.)
5:40 P.M. - Julie leaves work. Sun is shining...weeee
9:00 P.M - Another tornado warning for Bardstown issued.  News says to seek shelter! (shelter here being the cellar that you can get to from the patio....you remember that scene in the movie Twister..?) Bubba sound asleep.
9:23 P.M. - Rain and lightening has started.  Tornado seems to be going to the south-east side of Bardstown only....I wonder if the downtown area is considered south-east side of Bardstown. No siren yet for the tornado.
9:34 P.M - Flicking back and forth between Dancing with the Stars and the News.  Now they are talking about hail the sign of golf balls....not again.
10:02 P.M. - Hail begins....awesome.

Adventure #2

It is Sunday night, I am watching 60 minutes and I have just finished dinner.  Outside we are having another thunderstorm.  I am pretty certain I have never seen this much rain or heard this much thunder over such a short period of time. Luckily my animals don't go insane at the sudden clap of thunder that has been constant over the last three days.  Lots of areas around Kentucky are still under flash flood warnings.  I don't know how my drive to work will be tomorrow if this rain lasts all night.  I might be taking the long way into Springfield.

So, I guess it is a good thing that I got my touristy adventures done the beginning of this rainy Easter Weekend. After our blissful trip to the Zappo's Warehouse, we headed to the Jim Beam Bourbon Distillery for a tour and taste. A couple of things I learned about Bourbon. 

Bourbon fun fact#1:  For any alcohol to be considered Bourbon it must be made with 51% corn and produced in the U.S.
Bourbon fun fact#2: 90-95% of Bourbon is produced in Kentucky. 
(there is a lot more to share, I just can't remember it right now :) ) 

Below are a few pictures of how Bourbon is stored after it is made.  We went to the Heaven Hill distillery after this tour and as nice as it was, it didn't have the feel of history or familty that the Jim Beam distillery did.  I have four more distilleries to visit to complete the Bourbon trail.....and get the free t-shirt!

Tornado Watch

I can now say I know what a tornado siren sounds like.  Bardstown was just under a tornado watch which ended 23 minutes ago. We have now been downgraded to a severe thunderstorm with possible flash floods. However, the news says a funnel cloud was reported on the north-east side Bardstown.  But don't worry....Dorthy and Toto are fine.....and I don't think TC even stirred during his nap.

This is the view from my room before the rain started. 

Happy Easter Weekend! Part One.

Well, it is only Friday night and I already have lots to share about my weekend thus far.  I think I will have to break up the stories over the whole weekend, it just might be too much for you to handle all at once.  So, last night I was very lucky to have Paula and Andrew stop in Bardstown and visit with me on their way to Tennessee for the long weekend.  They stayed the night and most of the day today. It was so great to see them and I was very happy to have them here to help me play tourist and check a few more things off my KENTUCKY ADVENTURES list.  They arrived last night around 7:00 and we sat for a bit enjoying a glass of wine and getting caught up on our respective families.  Hers being a lot bigger than mine!  Paula is part of the MacInnes clan that has been like family since we arrived in Guelph from Ottawa some 38 years ago....and yes we did spend a lot of time trying to get our heads wrapped around the fact we have known each other for 38 years!  But let us gracefully ignore that part. After playing catch up we went across the street for dinner at the Old Talbot Tavern.  Restaurant, gift shop and Bourbon Bar Extraordinaire!  They also boast the fact they are haunted and are a part of the Bardstown Ghost Walk.  After dinner I took them on a quick stroll downtown before heading back to the apartment.

Bubba did pretty well with having visitors stay the night and I was pleasantly surprised.  He kept a safe distance at first and I am not sure if it was because we were ignoring him or because Andrew is some sort of dog whisperer, but the next thing I know Bubba has jumped up on the couch beside him and put his head on his leg!  I was speechless!  I had to get proof to share.

UNBELIEVABLE!

No coaxing, no treat bribes, nothing!!  All on his own.  It was like some kind of Easter miracle.

Now Paula being a follower of the blog, she had read about "The Most Fantastic Shoe Warehouse EVER" and knew she needed to see it for herself.  Understanding the love of shoes, I was not one to deny her this opportunity.  That would have been too cruel and heinous of me to do.....so off we went!  wwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!  I think it is safe to say we spent over an hour in the place scouring the racks for the new friends that would have to come home with us.  Andrew was patiently holding onto Paula's purse and did not complain once.  That is a good man! I controlled myself somewhat today and it was hard!  But I settled on a pair of brown, distressed leather boots.  At 70% off $131.00 (all boots are 70% off) I could hardly say no!  Wait....it gets better. Standing beside Paula and Andrew he noticed that on the box, there was a sticker for $20.00.  $20.00!!! These beautiful boots are now only $20.00.  It was like suddenly, in one day...two Easter Miracles!!   WAIT...it gets better.  Today was friends and family day... and possibly something else...but when I went to pay the lovely sales clerk told me my total was ...wait for it...............$8.48.  MY FREAKIN' BOOTS WERE LESS THAN 10 BUCKS.  I swooned, I gotta little misty, I professed my love to Deb The Sales Clerk and asked her for a hug.  

This is Deb. (not a hugger, but quite

lovely anyway.)

And these are my new little friends!

It was a happy, happy day.  I am spent just thinking about it, so you will have to tune in later this weekend to find out about the distillery tours of Jim Beam and Heavenly Hill.  I gotta say Bourbon is not so bad when you cut it with water.  I have also learned that I seem to prefer the $53.00 Bourbon over the $32.00 Bourbon!

Only me...

Just the other day as I was sitting on the couch pondering my existence, I thought to myself that the last week was nice and uneventful....quite peaceful actually. ( I mean besides the AWESOME discovery of the most amazing shoe warehouse EVER) I realized that I hadn't done anything, or said anything to cause myself any discomfort, personal embarrassment, public embarrassment or bodily harm.  That should have been my first clue that the calm wasn't going to last.  Today was the day! When I came home at lunch to walk Bubbalicious, I parked in front of the house and headed up the stone stairs to the front door. Just as I was going to punch in my code to open the door, I just happened to drop my car and apartment key from my key ring.  No big deal you might think, but alas.... you forget who we are talking about.  Just my luck there is an inch wide crack between the concrete of the stairs and the house.  An inch wide crack that my keys felt they needed to fall into.  Now someone without my experience of  "accidents" or shall we say "incidents", might break down and cry....might want to throw a little tantrum in the street and call for help. However when you are someone like me, you would know this was just your frequent, kick in the butt, punch in the stomach, toilet paper on your shoe "reminder" from life to keep it real! Slow it down! Pay attention!
So with much thanks to a neighbour who loaned me a wire coat hanger and held the flashlight so I could see, I was able to call on my McGyver-like skill and free my keys from the depths of No Man's Land in record time. Tragedy averted. No tears of frustration, no kicking of car tires, no screaming "why me"!
Problem + Action - Freak Out = ME!!  Bring it on!

"THE CRACK"

Adventure Log Enty #1.

ASSIGNMENT: SHOE SHOPPING
LOCATION: ZAPPOS WAREHOUSE, SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY

It was a lovely sunny day here in Bardstown, as I left around noon to complete my first adventure of exploring Kentucky.  Today's assignment was to locate ZAPPOS shoe outlet in the nearby town of Shepherdsville, KY.  It is located just off the I65 about 25 minutes north of Bardstown.  I was unsure of my directions as I found myself in an Industrial park. A most unlikely place for a shoe store.  However as I ventured in farther, I noticed a parking lot just packed with cars and knew I had found the place. 

From the size of the building you can just imagine my excitement thinking of all the shoes that could be housed in such a facility.  Alas, as you enter you find yourself in just one room....one room...WITH RACKS AND RACKS OF SHOES...just waiting for someone to take them home.  Almost brings a tear to your eye! Once I was able to gather myself together and wipe away the drool, I went in search of the racks that would hold all the shoes in my size. The variety of shoes is amazing and so were some of the price tags.  I don't understand the recent style of some of these popular shoes. Maybe it is me?  But it is hard enough to try and date when you are 5'10"....I certainly do not want to wear shoes that put me in contention for playing in the WNBA.  I took some pictures to show you some of the styles you will find here.  Great for New York....not so much Bardstown, KY!

So not only do I have 4 inches of heel, I have about an inch and a half on the ball of my foot. Not hot. 

I won't lie my enthusiasm for this adventure was starting to wane at this point.  From the price tags I saw and to the "designer" shoes I was finding, I was just about to pack it in.  But as I rounded the last rack, I looked up to see a sign that would change my trip entirely.  ALL SHOES 50% OFF!  ALL SHOES 50% OFF??  Are you freakin' kidding me?  This changes everything!!  My waning was gone, the hunt was on!  Now I finally understood why woman were walking around with huge bags filled with boxes of shoes....all these babies are 50% off.  Hello Kate Spade!  Hello Nine West! I am sorry, is that you Cole Hann? Where have you been lately?  I have missed you so.... Let's be friends!! 

I won't lie, I could have done a lot of damage.  I actually had to put stuff back.....pace myself...talk myself down from the shoe high I found myself in. I had to remind myself that I am here for 6 months...I know people are coming to visit and they will all surely want to come here. So, I will be back and there will be even more to discover.  With that pep talk I went from 4 pairs to only taking home 3! I took some pictures so you could see my brand new friends. I would like you to meet....

Anne Klein...

..Nine West...

..and Enzo Angiolini.

Adventure #1 was a success.  I hope all the others are able to measure up. They have got some big shoes to fill....ha...get it?...big shoes!...measure up?....I shop and I am a riot.  How am I still single?

The Week in Review...

Ah...it is another Friday night.  Hard to believe the week is over already, not that I am complaining.  It is going to be a cold weekend though and tomorrow there are more thundershowers in the forecast.  Tomorrow is also the official kick off to the Kentucky Derby season.  They call it Thunder Over Louisville.  Air shows during the day and the biggest firework display in America at night.  At least that is what they say.  I am not big on either, but if it was going to be nicer I might think about it.  Yesterday, I got the Kentucky Tourism brochure in the mail.  It has a list of things to do through out the whole state.  So I circled all the ones that interest me and I have decided to do one each week while I am here. It will get me out of the apartment and also give me something to write about!  Looking back through the ones I have circled there seems to be a trend toward Winery and Distillery tours.  I don't know what that means.  I also found out that just a mere 1/2 hour away there is a Zappo's warehouse!  You can take a tour and shop! A WAREHOUSE OF SHOES! Have you ever heard of a more wonderful thing?  I will most likely be making that one my first choice for adventure! 

The sun does come out....

After raining for 24 hours, the sun has finally come out.  However, not before it flooded a lot of areas around Springfield.  About two hours after I arrived to work someone told me the road I take in from Bardstown was shut down for flooding waters.  The area they call The Burg had flooded.  I guess this is pretty common in that spot.  I wish I could have stopped to take pictures.  Houses were flooded, cattle were up to their chests in water and bridges were washed out.  Luckily it had receded when it was time to come home.

I also just found a tick burrowing into Bubba's hind leg.  Those buggers can really latch on and now I am really grossed out.  Washing and laundering everything in sight. Grrr....suddenly everything itches!!!..... I wonder why the cat is scratching...must investigate. Here kitty, kitty....

The sun is setting on the day and my weekend...

Well another weekend comes to an end and I am facing another glorious work week.  Today was a beautiful and sunny day.  I don't know if the temps got as high as they thought they would, but last time I checked it was 86.   It was pretty windy out so it did not really feel that hot.  I got up early...well not really....7:00 is actually sleeping in compared to the work week....and  I headed in to Louisville. It was only about a 40 minute drive straight up Bardstown Rd.  Much more scenic than taking the highway.  I went in search of Pet Smart, Target and Whole Foods.  I was successful in finding Target and Pet Smart, but didn't actually make it to Whole Foods. I was distracted by Marshall's, Meijer's and a shoe store and didn't have time for Whole Foods!  Next trip.  I was able to find a couple of short sleeve shirts for work at Marshall's. Surprisingly I didn't buy much while I was in Target.  Cable for the DVD player, earrings and dryer sheets!  However, when I was in Meijer's  I stumbled across some German coffee....me so excited. 

I got home around 1:30 in the afternoon to an insanely excited dog, so we went straight out for a walk.  We met this lovely older lady named Ellen who was quite taken with Bubba.  He of course wanted nothing to do with her.  She wanted to know about the lady and the dog she has seen walking around lately.  When I introduced myself she told me she had a niece named Julie who was getting married this fall in Bardstown.   Apparently Julie has been a bit of a traveller and Ellen hopes that she has it out of her system and is ready to settle down now that she is getting married.  She was also told me about a book Julie had written.  It is so interesting to wonder how people get inspired or get ideas about things and act on them.  She wrote a book about transforming big box stores.  She had noticed how these stores come into these towns and for whatever reason have to close up shop. Left standing are these empty big box stores.  So she has this idea of how to show people to convert these places into churches, senior centers or schools.  How great is that?   I just googled her to see what the name of the book is.  Ellen wanted me to come in to her house so she could show me the book, but Bubba wasn't having any of that.  Anyway, the book is called Big Box Reuse.  Maybe Ellen will let me read her copy.  

When I got home, Bubba collapsed in a heap on the floor and fell asleep. Myself?...I cracked open a margarita and sat on the couch to read the paper.  It is Sunday so that is flier day...weeeee. I did find an interesting article about a woman who developed this charity where she collects baby clothes and then makes up boxes for mother's who are in need. Each box is either for a boy or a girl and are full of enough clothes to get through the first year of the baby's life.  The boxes are made up to look like stacking blocks. She donates them to local hospitals and they give them out to the patients they think need them.  Again, what a great idea!!   I love it.  It is very inspiring...it also makes me feel like I should be doing something a little more than reading the Sunday paper sucking back a margarita!  ;)

Here are a couple pictures I took during our walk....just cuz.

Jailor's Inn. They have tours!

DRIVE THRU LIQUOR STORE!!!!

ahh...the weekend.

After setting off the fire alarm at the beginning of the week, I am happy to report the rest of the week was not as eventful.   However, we do seem to be having summer like temperatures.  Yesterday was around 83 and tomorrow is supposed to be a whopping 90!  As excited as I am for the warm weather, I am very aware I did not pack thinking I would see it so soon.  There will be a need to go shopping to find more appropriate attire.  Oh darn.

As much as I love the warm weather it is not enjoyable while working.  Whereas back in Blenheim I had an office with wonderful air conditioning, here I have a desk at the back of the plant, on the production floor surrounded by boxes.  I thought I would take some pictures to share with you the glamour that comes with designing patterns for automotive headrests and armrests. Prepare yourself!

The glorious view from my desk every day....

...the production line...

..the view to my right.

I bet you are asking yourself how did I get to be so lucky! 

Today there is a thunderstorm and tornado warning in affect until 2:00 this afternoon.  So I think today will be a cleaning the apartment kind of day.  Tomorrow is supposed to be nice and sunny, so I predict a little field trip for Bubba and I.  Perhaps a little sun tanning?

Today's Observation.

While in the lunch room today grabbing a fork to eat my lovely salad from Wendy's... (it is actually pretty good.  Apple, pecans, blue cheese with grilled chicken) ...I noticed that the lone gentleman sitting in one of the booths was cleaning his ears.  Sadly, I can't say this is an uncommon sight.  I know we have all witnessed that occasional man (and it is always a man) digging deep to find a golden potato with his car keys. It's gross! I don't get it.  I mean do you have to clean your ears right now and why would you chose your car keys of all things? What I found kinda disturbing about this occasion is that this gentleman in question had an actual Q-tip to the dirty work.  I like that better than your car keys, but who on earth carries Q-tips around with him? And then to feel it is ok and normal to just whip them out in the lunch room after you have eaten to clean the ears?  What happened to the Al Bundy's of the world and just sticking your hand down your pants after a good meal? 

I eat at my desk now.

On the bright side it was a beautiful day here. Bubba didn't make a mess in the apartment and I didn't feel like punching my boss out today.  CUP HALF FULL!

In Case of an Emergency....

I just wanted to let you know that the fire alarm system in this building is first rate.  Just blowing out a cheap candle from Wal-mart will set off the shrill scream into the night for all to hear!  I was also most happy to find out it wasn't the simple kind of alarm you usually get.  You know the one where you can just rip of the casing and yank out the battery to get it to stop....or beat it down with a broom  Nope, not here.....nothing but the best here in this house.   Tightly screwed down and wired to every room! I was even more ecstatic to learn that I have even further protection, because not only does it sound in my apartment, BUT ALL the other apartments in the house. Yes, I believe my neighbours were also very happy to learn as they stood on the street at 10:00 last night that I am so well protected from a mere candle. After several unanswered calls to the landlord, Gary the neighbour on the ground floor was able to disarm the beast.   I can only hope and assume that because Gary knew how to disarm the beast that this wasn't the first time this has happened.  At least that is what I am going with so I can stop feeling like such a dumb ass. :) Do you think they are counting down the months until I leave?   

Only in Kentucky....

....will you find that the Mullet is alive and well!... and apparently fashionable for women. 

Only in Kentucky will you find a drive-thru window for a liquor store. 

I love Kentucky.

75 and Sunny.

I don't mean to rub that in...no wait, I really do. Bwahahahahahahahaha....ha! It was another beautiful day here in Kentucky.  A little windy. but nothing a spring jacket couldn't handle.  Since it was such a nice day it would have been criminal not to get outside and enjoy it.  So I packed up Stubby Legs and headed out to Danville.  They have the closest dog park in the area.  A mere 56 minutes away.  I thought the wee fellow could use some socializing time and maybe, just maybe there might be a nice, available, tall fella I could socialize with.  We were both crap out of luck.  Just two bitchy mutts with their chubby, crusty old man of an owner.  But I got some nice pictures for you!

Look at me...I am happy....

...so happy....

...so tired...

...like really, really tired....

..did you say we were going?

HOME SWEET HOME!

Here are a few pictures of local colour for you.

My artistic attempt.

Bardstown Mill

A little history lesson...

... history lesson continued. Nite y'all!

So, this was odd...

....I was taking Bubba out for his last bathroom break before bed last night and noticed this man walking across the street in our direction. This isn't odd, since I am downtown and there are always people walking around.  From his lumbering and slight listing to one side I thought maybe he had just come from the local tavern after enjoying some good Bourbon. It was late and kind of dark so I couldn't really make out his face, but he was about my height and stocky.  He made it to the corner of the street the same time I did and when I looked up and said hi I noticed (and this is the odd part) that he was wearing a ski mask!! A FREAKIN' SKI MASK!!!! He stopped, looked at me and gave this kind of surprised grunt. I practically peed my pants at the sight of him! I then swore like a trucker in my head, kicked it into high gear, dragging Bubba in my wake constantly checking behind me along the way.  I was relieved to see he was still focused in the other direction. I won't deny it was a little chillier than usual last night, but I am from Canada and we don't even wear those things in snow storms. I also won't deny I came home turned on all my lights, checked in every closet and under each bed.  I am proud to say however, I didn't end up sleeping with the lights on.  I might carry something sharp on my walk tonight....