Why I hate Texas, by Abby Dennis

Is it normal to feel like you want to murder someone after you've dealt with the DMV all morning? 

The Texas Government is so completely inefficent it's unbelievable. It's a miracle Texas functions at all as a state.

First off, we go down to the DMV, where oddly enough, they don't issue liscense plates. Which doesn't make any sense at all. But, we're told, before we can get liscensed in the state of Texas they'll need to see our DL from Oregon, our Social Security card, and our BIRTH CERTIFICATE!! Birth certificate? Really? Like my soc. card and my DL aren't enough to prove that I'm an American citizen...Do I look like a illegal immigrant? Is it my accent? Is it to confusing to you? I don't drawl my vowels...that's it. They must think I'm from Mexico. Anyway, the lady who said I needed a Birth Certificate said that my passport would do just fine...which expires this month...and it's not even valid anymore as I got married. So now, I get to bring in my passport and MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE to get a stupid Texas drivers liscense. And I'm sure that if I do it after May 31st (which is this Sunday) I'll have to do a whole NEW thing to prove that I was born here.

So, we can't get our Drivers Liscense done until we have plates on our car. So we head down to a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BUILDING ON THE OTHER END OF TOWN to try to get that done. Where we were told we need to have our car inspected, and fill out all this paperwork before they can issue us plates. Plus, if we don't have our title it's still an out of state car, it's just registered in Texas. And at this point it was all sounding like "blah blah blah" to me, because frankly...I don't care that much anymore. PLUS on top of it all we have to switch our insurance to Texas insurance because Oregon insurance just doesn't cut it apparently. Even though it's USAA and the USAA headquarters are located IN SAN FREAKING ANTONIO!!! Then the lady proceeds to tell me that just for registering our car it's going to cost us $193.30 and that'll will be our registration and taxes for the year, and she says it like she's giving me a super duper present on my birthday. And all I could think of is "Lady, you really are going to be number one on my homicide list, if I ever make one".

So, we left the Tax building where all of this last bit occurred, and all I got out of a morning spent trying to become Texas citizens was a bad attitude and a headache. 

And on top of it all...our Oregon plates and registration expired on May 22nd unbeknownst to  me. I'm sure that'll be another fee or two from the government that wants to take my money away.

I really hate Texas. Really hate it. Really.

Oh and mom, the last thing I need to hear is any thought about Oregon or being Oregonians for one more day, so just snuff the urge before you say anything. Because I might explode.

THE DMV and DEATH

Oh the perils of going to the DMV...

We attempted to go to the DMV again today. Well we took the time to find all of our social security cards, and the insurance from USAA, and to track down where the DMV is. And we got to the DMV and they didn't take debit cards and I forgot my checkbook at home. *sigh* SO, we'll attempt the DMV again on Friday morning and hope for the best.

Rob and I almost died last Saturday. We were at the San Antonio Zoo (which is a lot of fun actually). Anyway, we were walking around the Zoo and it started to rain, and it wasn't a bad rain. It cleared out all of the annoying kids who liked to cut in front of you at the frog exhibit. So Rob and I were enjoying ourselves at the rainy zoo, when all of the sudden a HUGE lightening bolt and almost instantly a LOUD thunderclap occurred right over our heads. I ran for cover, instantly. It was a gut reaction...even after the "almost" death-by-lightning occcurred. Rob just started laughing. My reaction was the laugh/cry. It scared me so bad. I've never been that close to being hit by lightning. With the crazy drivers, and the wild weather it'll be a miracle if we don't snuff it down here. If you want anything of mine let me know, I think we're making up wills next week. :)

And on that happy note, I'll leave you. :)

Loopy Loo

Holy Schnikey I'm tired. Me and a lady from church got together today and painted more backdrops for VBS. I've sniffed enough Acrylic paint fumes to last me a lifetime. And we're doing the same thing tomorrow...*sigh*.

Rob and I ended up NOT going to the DMV Wednesday morning. Rob called them, wanting to know the price of new plates and licenses, and all in all the cost will be about $200.00. That's a lot of money just to change over the plates on your car and to get your picture taken. Anyway, we get paid next week, so we'll take the trip to the DMV next Wednesday morning. So I'm still an Oregonian for another week. yay.

My brain is fried. God bless a good cup of tea, and the ability to sit down in clean air.

YAY!!! YOU MADE IT!!!

MY SWEET BABY NEPHEW IS 6 MONTHS OLD TODAY!!!! HAPPY BIRTH(DAY) TO MY SWEET BABY NEPHEW!!! 

I HOPE YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOUR AUNT ABBY AND UNCLE ROB LOVE YOU!!!!

Creepy crawlies in the night...

Ok. I remembered another thing I like about San Antonio. Lizards!! There are little lizards everywhere. They're so cool. Bright green ones, see through pink ones, I've even seen a yellow one. I love lizards. 

So speaking of lizards I was putting Stoney out for the last time last night and there was a lizard on my sliding glass door. He was about 5 inches long from head to tail and he was so cute, with his little buggy eyes, and his little pink body. The cool thing about it was that he was on the glass door so I could see the underneath side of him too. It was awesome. Rob was sleeping and I almost woke him up to come look at the lizard, but I didn't think he'd appreciate that so much.

I'm getting my office cleaned slowly. Today I need to move stuff into the guest room that I'm not going to use in my office. Like the boxes for our phones...don't know why they're in my office. But they are. 

And the garage is slowing getting to where we can park in it. The boxes are going down. There's a little pathway now, I don't have to climb over Mt. Everest to get to anything anymore. Mostly they went down after I got the kitchen unpacked, but getting my office unpacked helped a lot too.

Ok, so extremely boring last have of my post. Sorry guys. But my life is filled with boxes, and dust. Tomorrow we're heading to the DMV so that at least should have an interesting story or two to it. Love ya!!

FINALLY! The list...

Tragedy struck this morning in the Dennis household. 

I drank 1/4 of my Super Irish Breakfast tea, and then promptly spilled the rest of it all over the couch and floor. Now, those of you who know me know that the real tragedy of this story is the spilled tea, not the wet couch. It was a bad start to a morning. Chocolate is needed to sort out the rest of my day.

I bought a shredder yesterday. This single machine is probably the best investment I've ever made. It shreds with ease, I got rid of the massive pile of papers in my office, and I can sleep with peace at night knowing I'm doing more to protect my identity. :) Not that we have a whole lot of identity to steal, but still...I am now one of the thousands who shread every little bit of evidence that proves they ever existed. Mainly because it's fun to watch the paper being sucked through the hole. Facinating.

Ok, as promised, things I like about San Antonio: *ahem*

The fact that if I want any type of food I can go out and get it. (I'm not limited to McDonalds)

There's no carpet in my house, except for in my closet. It's all ceramic tile

Rob makes more money so I don't have to work

A mall with a store called "Teavana" is right down the street from Rob's work

I have banana trees in my backyard, those are kind of cool

...

...

...

I know there are other things that I like about San Antonio, but I can't think of any right now. 

I'm starting on my novel. I think all of you (mom...Arly) know that I'm writing a novel. I bought a book the other day called "The Mythical Creatures Bible" and it has a little blurb about all the mythical creatures from Beasts to Vampires to Fairies from all the worlds cultures. India, China/Japan, Native American, European, Biblical. It's really cool. It's a book that gets me started in the right direction. Because this novel really can take place in any time, on any continent, battling any "baddie". Really, all in all, I've left it pretty wide open for myself. What I really need is a large (like 4X8 large) corkboard, so I can pin all my research onto it, and not have to look through piles of papers all the time. 

Ok. Gonna go. Love you all!! 

As promised

Ok, so I said I was going to write again "tomorrow", but "tomorrow" came and found me painting the backdrop for the VBS coming up next month. I did the same thing today, but today I'm not so tired. 

And Arly, I would love to change the background on this thing for you, but I can only remember how to do it once in a blue moon. So when the next brain epiphany comes along, my blog background will be the first thing I'll change. 

And I also said I'd do a list of things I liked about San Antonio, but I'm so tired, and hungry that right now, I don't care all that much. 

Ok guys. Tomorrow is Saturday. Hopefully I'll get some rest and be able to clean my house and do a few things around here that I've been neglecting this week. 

Love ya!

It's been a month!!

Okay, so people have been bugging me to get on this thing and blog more. Rob even pulled the "your parents want to know what's going on with you" card...which was a low blow. But it worked, and made me get on here.

I have pictures of our house in San Antonio. They're on my camera. I'm completely technology unsound, so I have to wait for Rob to get them off my camera and onto my computer...then I have to be taught (again) how to put them on Facebook, or this blog. It's rediculous.

Anyway, as of today (May 13th, 2009) we have offically been out of Baker for a month. Most of the time it feels like it's been longer than that. I don't know if that's good. Maybe it's just because we've been busy, and I haven't had time to think about how long it's been since we moved. So, in honor of being out of Baker for 1 month I'm going to list a few things I miss about Baker. (Mom, you'll probably end up crying, so you might want to stop reading this now.)

Things I miss about Baker City, Oregon

My parents

My grandparents

The rain

The snow capped mountains

The rivers that actually have water in them

The farmers starting to plant their wheat fields

The baby horses and cows on Harrolds farm

The sand cranes

The cool weather

The 5 minute rush hour

The grass, and trees, and things other than hot concrete

The fact that there are no roaches, fleas, and other nasty creatures that bring death and disease

The real people

The fact that people love their state, without people LOVING (to an insane degree) their state.

Tomorrow, things I don't mind about San Antonio...should be a small list.