rather productive day...

my day started when that damn alarm clock went off. don't you hate those things? as much as i do, i have to go buy a battery-operated one for training... ugh. and, i'll have to set it around six a.m. as training is from seven a.m. until five. yay, right?

i'll make it. i'm determined.

warm water woke me as i showered and the new face gel i'm using invigorated me... i needed it. the wind was whipping the whole way home yesterday so i was tense and tired when i got home.

i called tom and asked if he'd like to ride with me to forsyth to pay for the traffic ticket i got last month. we really sat the way there since there was a major accident: it took almost two-and-a-half hours to drive seventy miles.

apparently, i semi rig ran off the road and into a bridge girder. i don't know how the driver or any passengers could have survived as the cab was disintegrated. it was one of the most horrific sights i've seen.

on to forsyth, though... i paid the ticket, which was $140. hated that. then, because of the coast guard's instructions, i asked the lady to correct my name... with one t... but she got mad. she rudely asked for my license to even see if i was telling the truth.

sure enough, there it is: m-a-t-h-e-w. she hit a few keys and handed me a new receipt, which still had two other m-a-t-t-h-e-w's on it. i pointed those out only to be told she couldn't fix any more. don't we hire the best in government?

since we measured the backed-up traffic and determined it was more than eight miles sitting on the asphault, i called leslee to get angel's number. she's doing extremely well... she's opened a restaurant in jackson.

so, we called and stopped by for a bite to eat to pass time. the place is very cute and more than i expected. it's very nice and well equipped and not too far off the interstate. debbie, her aunt, was there and had cooked the daily special, which was homemade vegetable stew with rice and cornbread. mmmm... go by if you ever have a chance. it's about two miles east of exit 198.

i'm working on re-doing her menu as soon as i finish posting.

i have a few more things to take care of tomorrow then my going-away gathering at blake's tomorrow night. only a couple things to do thursday and then i'll be headed to maryland for training.

did everyone forget to tell me that it's winter in atlanta? i came back from south georgia and it's freezing. note: don't wear flip-flops and a short-sleeved shirt... and always remember your jacket.