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By The Social Frog, on September 4th, 2010
It has been a long time, a few years really since we have gone to a speedway to watch some racing. We did go to the Daytona 500 in February but that does not count. We used to go to the Oxford Speedway in Maine, so it’s been at least 6 years!
Our original plan was to go to the drive-in but unfortunetly nothing good was playing. So I decided to find the nearest speedway which is really not that close, it’s about an hour and a half away. We can’t seem to find things we enjoy close by, but that’s okay because we love to drive and find new places. Getting there and back is half the fun.
It was a pleasant ride out there, a little long and out in the middle of nowhere of course. It was beautiful out, humid though.
We got there in time to watch some practice runs. Did I mention this is a dirt track, so mud and dirt flying into your eyes and all over you is something you can not avoid.
There were many heats and 4 feautre races, one with a winning pot of $2,500.00. It seemed just as it got really good and everyone was fighting to get a spot, something would happen and the caution flag would go up.
One of those times, it was because a car all of a sudden emptied all of it’s gas on the track, so they had to light it up to burn it off to make it safe to race again.
We had a lot of fun, the season ends sometime in October, we may or may not make the drive out there again. While there we saw some interesting folks as you might imagine at a speedway. I saw more ass-crack than I cared too and the most unfortunate female mullet, so I will leave you with that to look at.
Sorry for the terrible, grainy shot BUT we did not want this poor woman to notice us taking a picture, plus it was dark out and my camera hates the night shots without some sort of flash.
By The Social Frog, on August 3rd, 2010
It is always so busy just before family comes because we feel the need to make the house look like no one lives in it! Haha! I kid, but we want the house to sparkle a bit. It has been a busy week and it is Tuesday….
I worked at the USO as I do every Tuesday and it was slow going but the pace will pick up soon with the Jaguars tickets going on sale next week. Maybe with how unpopular the Jaguars are though we might not sell many.
Did you ever watch the show “Thirtysomething”? It was on in the 1980’s. I remember I watched all 4 seasons with my mother. I found it on Netflix several weeks ago and decided to watch the whole series again but on my time. Not only am I hooked on it but hubby is too, so we try to watch a few episodes a day. Sadly we are coming to an end of it all but happily by the time we are done with this series, Lost Season 6 will finally be out so we can finish watching that.
Tomorrow I am making a checkerboard cake for my brothers, so check back to see!
I do hope the weather is nice for my brothers visit. We have a few things planned and just about everything you do in Florida requires nice weather outside, so cross your fingers for me!
In other news, we went to the drive-in, in Jesup,GA. on Saturday. It was hot, humid & muggy! The movies we saw were: “Salt” & “Grown-ups”. Salt was okay but not very exciting even though there was a lot of action, it was missing something. Grown-ups was a nice little laugh and a great summer movie. I think I got bit by at least 1 million misquitoes for sure!
Time to do some cleaning and maybe read. I need to finish my book so I can start another.
By The Social Frog, on August 1st, 2010
 Jaws! The movies I happen to love and I own all of them except for the very last, cheesy one.
I have had a fascination with sharks since I can remember, always desiring to swim with them.
Little did I know when I was young that in a way, we do swim with them when we are in the ocean.
My parents always told me there were no sharks where we lived. I grew up in Rhode Island, summer vacations in Cape Cod & Maine. Maybe the threat of sharks then was so tiny that it was okay for them to say there were no sharks.
Now I live in Florida. I remember several years before we moved here, all we heard about in the summer were shark attacks. I was glad I did not live in Florida, near shark infested waters. I told myself if I ever lived in Florida I would skip the ocean and stick to pools.
Well I have been cautiously swimming in Florida waters for 3 years now. The fear is always there and we never go out far and we always stick together. Recently there have been 3 shark attacks at Jacksonville beach, this hits close to home you see. We do not swim out there but we do in St.Augustine. This is not normal for this area so it makes it scary. We have yet to swim in the ocean this summer here in Florida. We did swim in the Caribbean ocean and oddly I had next to no fear of being attacked there. That might have something to do with the clarity of the water as well. It is easier to see whats coming at you when the water is clear. Here the water is murky.
Will I stop swimming in the ocean?…No, but I might not stay in as long and I might go out even less farther than I normal do. It’s seems we all need to be more cautious as in the New England area shark sightings have been on the rise. I wonder why? Don’t say Global Warming, I don’t believe that BS for one moment! The picture at the top of this post was taken in Port Canaveral in July, before our cruise.
By The Social Frog, on July 27th, 2010
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten so mad at a gas pump in my life as I do with #14. I swear it is broke!
Today I worked at the USO, something I enjoy very much and I look forward to it every week. Where ever we end up next I do hope they have a USO! Today was not so busy, the usual phone calls and the occasional person coming in needing a fax or looking for tickets to an event.
I put a lot of packets of different papers together. It took forever on the new fax/copy machine we got while I was gone on our cruise. It is so much better than what he had before but at the same time some things don’t run as smoothly. All that matter is, it all got done.
Heading home I decided to stop and get gas, normally I get it in the late evening on my way to pick hubby up but I wanted to get it over with,haha! Every pump was taken BUT #14. I am assuming everyone knows it is messed up. I figure they might had fixed it. NOPE. I am not joking when I say this, it took me a good 10+ minutes to pump $20 worth of gas. It makes odd noises, stops and goes when it wants. I nearly break nails and pinch my skin, it never fails. People stare and wonder why you are still pumping gas…
After that I was just ready to come home but we did not get to go food shopping this weekend, so I had to buy some dinners. After buying all kinds of things, I still forgot 2 important items, so I guess I will be running into the store late tonight after getting hubby from work.
Do you like to go to Fairs? Local, County or State? In the almost 3 years we have lived here not once have we made it to the Greater Jacksonville Fair. I am sure there are good reasons we missed it. I only remember why we did not go last year, hubby was on deployment and I don’t do Fair’s without him.
So, the Fair is from November 3rd-14th. We WILL be going this year, it’s our last chance here in Florida PLUS I decided tonight I will be entering 2 Baking Contest’s! YAY!!! One is a Pie contest, it has to be an original recipe or family recipe. The second one is a Cake contest…WOOT! This one also has to be an original recipe or family recipe. So guess who’s kitchen is about to become a test kitchen?!? I am excited about it. Both come with some great prizes also but just entering will be fun. Why have I not done this before?
I might post pictures of what I concoct but I will not post the recipes. Was that a BOOO I just heard? Most likely not, as just about all of you out there are lurkers and you read my blog but seldom do you comment,haha! Thank you for reading 
I was all set to start experimenting when I got home from work, after shopping for items I needed and one of the important things I forgot to buy…Butter, for my frosting! So instead I will try to think up some yummy cake/frosting combinations.
Anyone else enter cake or pie contests?
By The Social Frog, on June 7th, 2010
Two years ago today I quit smoking. I can’t even describe how good it feels to be able to say that and to be at this point. I am sure there are those out there who will laugh and make light of it, which is fine but if you have EVER tried to quit smoking, you will know how hard it is.
I tried quitting before this last time and it only lasted for a month at the longest and I believe it was due to having a tooth extracted and I was scared to death about getting a dry socket, but I did not stay quit. I was not ready but that was the longest till now.
I don’t k now why 2 years ago was finally my time, my “it”. I remember sitting outside smoking and I told myself enough was enough. I don’t need them, they don’t help anything and they sure as hell do not fix anything. It’s a mind game.
I started thinking about my and hubby’s upcoming wedding anniversary which is on the 9th and I thought about wanting to be around for a long, long time with hubby and for our future children. Something clicked. I put the cigarette out and ran to Quitnet.com.
2 years. I remember going through the support forums over the first few days of my quit and seeing all the people celebrating their quit anniversaries and I imagined what it would be like to celebrate 1 year and I got a little discouraged thinking it would or could never be me, that I was not personally strong enough after smoking for almost 12 years.
It was a huge part of my life, life with hubby. Every place reminded me cigarettes from our porch to the car, I was afraid of going out to drink for a while. I guess I did not give myself enough credit and today I celebrate my strength and my commitment to myself.
I still have the occasion weak moment, but I can pull myself out of it and remind myself where I want to be and that nothing is worth loosing my quit for. This weekend was a little hard oddly. We went out to a club and I did not realize smoking was still allowed inside, but it was. I did have a moment of weakness in my thoughts, but I was able to tell myself that I could drink, dance and have fun without cigarettes and that was that.
It has not been easy but it also has not been as difficult as I had imagined it might be. I feel so much better than I used to, my breathing has changed for the better since I quit as well, I honestly can not think of one negative thing about quitting. Your mind is what you have to get past and it’s not always easy. Quitnet is a wonderful place for information, support and to help keep you in check. I used that place all the time for like the first 6-8 months, now I go there occasionally to see who is celebrating an anniversary.
I thank anyone who has been there for me and has encouraged me to keep my quit along my journey. I look forward to putting another year behind me and I know it will always be a distant part of me but one I will always have to deal with but know the thoughts get fewer and fewer as time passes.
If you want help quitting I suggest heading over to Quitnet or you can always contact me and I can give you some encouragement or maybe point you in the right direction.
By The Social Frog, on June 3rd, 2010
I have so many things on my mind this week, it is boggling, really. Let’s start off with some good things on my mind lately like our Eastern Caribbean cruise!! It is only 1 month away now, so it is coming and I can’t wait. I want/need to get away from it all with hubby.
Not much left to prepare for the cruise, we just need to go check out a place we are planning on kenneling our dogs at, it is nearby, convenient and affordable but we must visit and get a feel for the place first. Everything else is taken care of already, well we need to buy new clothes for the cruise…that’s it though.
Another good thing, I actually planned something for this weekend. If you know me, I usually wait for hubby to come up with something or decide. I think those days are just about over, although I think I still want him to make plans sometimes. So this weekend we will be downtown Jacksonville, enjoying each other, the symphony, The Landing, some drinks and some more music. I am really looking forward to it.
Onto the things that are bothering me or have rubbed me the wrong way so far this week. There is so much, most of it, maybe all of it does not directly effect me but has sparked something in me, something like rage, anger, sadness, curiosity or is just making me wonder what the hell is wrong with people in general. This might be a long post,lol.
Let’s start with BP Oil Company:
WTF is wrong here…it’s been 44 days that oil has been seeping into our water and the best they come up with is a sorry ass “I am sorry”. Does not work for me. It really sucks when you hear people talking about not going on there vacation because the place they might be heading to will have an oil slick. No family wants to be swimming in oil. I live in Florida and it is expected to make it’s way around. I am not happy with this, I enjoy ocean swimming but I sure as hell wont if oil threatens the water. At this point what can they do…right? The damage is done, fixing it now is just a band-aid that most likely wont hold. Is it the end of the world? No, but it does not make the earth any greener and the effects will not be known for years to come.
Next….
Rep. Linda Sanchez:
She is off her rocker and needs to go back on her meds! You can not say that Arizona’ illegal immigrants law was inspired by white supremacists. Give-Me-A-Break!!!! If you are going to play the blame game, direct it at the right person(s). I however support parts of the Arizona law. Why is it so hard for people to get that you are more than WELCOME here in the United States as long as you do it LEGALLY. I take no issue with people coming here BUT do it the right & legal way. You are not awarded special rights just because you cross the border you earn them by doing what’s right.
Next….
John Mark Karr:
There really is not to much to say about this sick bastard. Seriously. He was odd before and now he has brought it all to a new level of sick oddness that I am having a hard time understanding but really…do I want to understand this sick man? Ummmm NO! Wait..is he a man or woman now? I am not sure, the police say he is now a woman trying to recruit little girls into his sick, twisted mind. God have mercy on his soul!
Next….
Toddlers in Tiaras:
Wow, do I even want to get started on this…it kind of ties in a bit with the story above on John Mark Karr. TLC is keeping true with being called “The Learning Channel” because if you have EVER seen this show you learn alot about some mothers and how not to aspire to be them. I am sickened by some of these parents, really. I don’t even know why we have pageants like these. What does it all mean in the end? I could care less that your 4 year old has been named the hottest kid around. These children end up looking like some things I wont even say because it is not their choice or fault. I want to know what is wrong with the parents. Do you ever notice the fathers around? It’s rare and the ones that are in the show are there because their wives have their balls in their pockets and they are to scared to refuse to go. I really wish these men would stand up for their daughters, let them know that they are worth much more than being pretty, if you can call it that. This is not a place for kids, its for the mothers, spoiled, bratty mothers who are damaging there young children and for what.. a title…a tiara…no it’s for the money that can be made. Such sad people. I could go on and on about this, I really feel for the kids but they can not control what happens to them at this young age. Shame on the parents.
Next….
Kate Plus 8:
Gag. Why is this woman still on TV? Another TLC show, another lesson on what kind of mother you should NOT be. If there is to be less of the kids on the show now, what the heck is it going to be about? Hrrmmm. Is Kate going to sit there for a half hour and talk about herself once a week or talk about Jon and what a douche nozzle he has been and still is. The show was dead before. It will be canceled soon. TLC needs to rethink it lineup.
Next….
Defecating in Soda:
Yeah, you might not want to read this story. It’s short though, not much to it and left me with more questions than one would really need answered on this subject. Not a well thought out prank at all. Weird, gross and makes me wonder what is wrong with this 17 year old, he is not a little boy. I honestly do not remember ever reading of such a thing being done by a child and that is who I would expect such a thing from, not someone who is almost a man, a man by at least age standards. Fail.
I could keep going, but the post would be pages and pages long. I am tired of stupid people or smart people making bad choices or stupid choices. Thinking is a good thing sometimes. Its people like in the above stories that make my head spin and make me wonder about this world we live in. Yes, most of these stories are superficial crap that wont effect me but they are part of this world we all live in and frankly it sucks. Enough with my rantings for today,lol!
So what has your mind boggling this week?
By The Social Frog, on May 31st, 2010
Does this look HAPPY to you? It doesn’t to me, and so I have a very hard time understanding people when they say “Happy Memorial Day”! It is not a joyous occasion. It is a day to remember those whom have died defending our freedom, lives snuffed out way to soon.
Here are 3 of those people who are in this picture, click on their name to learn a little about who they were and who they have left behind. These 3 were local people around my area here in Florida.
James Lackey
Michael Speicher
John Hayes
I wish peace and understanding to those who have lost someone in war. I wish peace and understnding to those who will be loosing someone to war in the coming days, weeks, months & years.
By The Social Frog, on May 19th, 2010
 We have always had a land-line, we have been anti-cellphone since the things were invented. In today’s world though it is as if you need a cellphone and some jobs require you to have one at all times. Yuck. Maybe I am old fashioned when it comes to the telephone but if you need me, you can wait till I get back home because I do not need to be reached while I am in a bathroom at some restaurant or while I am at church.
We finally had to make a choice about owning a cell phone or keep paying up the arse for a land-line. For the last 2 years it had not occurred to me to actually look at my phone bill. Not look by just checking the amount due but really looking through the whole thing, each and every charge, local & long distance. What I found made me ill last month. I found we were being robbed of hard earned money and something had to be done, but what? Cue Star Wars music and realize a cell phone is the only other option.
I honestly did not have a clue that long distance calling packages were still chrging you by the minute. We were under the impression we were on a unlimited package, pay a flat fee, talk all you want to dear mommy. Not the case. Those 300 minute phone calls to home were coming right out of our pocket. I shudder thinking about all the money we have given to AT &T over the years. No longer will we be stupid. Cell phone it is. Now for more of a head ache.. Who to go with? Contract or no? Pay as you go minutes or unlimited monthly plan, blah blah blah!!
Without doing to much research we decided to go with Metro PCS, should have done our research before shelling out oodles of cash for the phone and a pay your bill card. Activating that phone was bullshit. So much in fact that we are now proud owners of a useless piece of shiny trash and out of money not well spent. I just want to say that Metro PCS is not great, at all. We could not get the thing activated, people on the other side spoke broken English and made no sense. We were sent to Metro stores around the area only to be told they could not help us. Not worth it.
We then decided to go with Straight Talk and as of now it is going well, I can now talk to mommy all I want for a hell of a lot less than before! The signal is great, it’s clear, no complaints aside from the fact that it is a cell phone. However, it will stay home while we are out and about. It is our main home phone, only one so it will be treated as such. Even though it is a cell phone, I can control it and choose to keep it home so I guess it is not all that bad and it’s saving me some money which is a major plus of course.
Don’t Forget To Enter My Book Giveaway!
By The Social Frog, on May 12th, 2010
 For a long time, like I mean for a few years really, I had been toying around with getting highlights in my hair. Not sure what exactly stopped me, could be change. Sometimes I do not like change but in the end find out it is much nicer than the “same old”.
In April I finally looked around and decided to go to Beau Monde Spalon. After deciding where to go I had to decide WHO was going to do my hair and what level of expertise. Of course the less experienced, the less expensive and the more experiencethe more expensive. I had been wanting to do it for so long and I wanted it done exactly how I imagined, so I decided to go with a Master Stylist and I chose “Jenny”. Since I was going all out and it was my first time there, I was scheduled a color consult before anything was to be done. I highly recommend doing this. It was a great experience and it allowed me to interact with Jenny before she did anything.
She listened to me and I was sure she would get it right. I came in a week later and had my hair done. I absolutely loved it. My hair grows fast so I go in about every 6 weeks. We decided the next time we would go darker with the base coat and keep the blond highlights for more of a color pop. The picture is from my latest visit last week. I love it even more this time around.
I look forward to going back one more time before our cruise in July! If you are in the Jacksonville, FL area, I highly recommend this “spalon”. Everyone there is great, very professional but easy going. They are a full spa as well so you can get everything done in one place. I have yet to use any of their other services but I may in the future.
It has been nice to go these past two times, it’s some “girly” time for me and its fun to get pampered. Do you have a favorite place you go to? Or does any old place do?
To get to Beau Monde:
2758-401 Race Track Road * Jacksonville, FL 32259
By The Social Frog, on May 11th, 2010
 I know that most people who shut their satellite off do it for some important reason, like to save the earth or to stop rotting the minds of little children. I’d like to think our reason(s) were just as important…like for one, we were paying out the arse for a channel package I like to call the “Infomercial Package”! Yes, there were like two normal channels; Food Network & HGTV but there really is only so much food you can make in one day and only so much house you can renovate every weekend. With the money I am now saving from shutting it off, I can cook more food and build my own house if I want! There was nothing more boring than flipping through 100+ channels and never finding a thing to watch. Essentially you end up paying Satellite Company money for nothing, they win…you fail.
We had it shut off a few days ago and I still feel we made the right choice for us. I know there are some people who would cry and get into a fetal position if their satellite/cable were shut off on purpose or any other reason. I feel for those of you out there who are like that, maybe you should cut that umbilical cord, might do you some good. Its freeing to know I now have more time to take showers and vacuum my floors!
We do have Netflix that I stream through my PS3 but we only use that on the weekend when we have our movie night on Sundays. It’s really not a big deal for us but we were never huge TV watchers in the first place, my hubby more so than me. I suppose it would all be much harder if we had kids but they would have to deal and realize like we have, that its not the end of the world.
By The Social Frog, on March 24th, 2010
I honestly never thought going to have dinner at a restaurant would leave my ears bleeding. Friday evening hubby and I went to get a bite to eat after he had a long night at work. We chose Applebee’s since it was close and usually decent food.
I forgot until we were out of the car and almost inside that they started doing Karaoke on the weekends, oddly I think they thought this would help business considering the only “nightlife” place around closed a few months back due to two people being murdered in the parking lot of the other establishment.
I do believe by the time we got there everyone who was singing or about to, were already way past drunk and honestly thought they sounded great. Let me say, the more drinks we had with dinner, the worse the singing got but it was very entertaining to say the least.
This is not something Applebee’s should consider at any of their locations, if anything it will drive customers away and have them vowing never to return unless they forget of course. It certainly left us laughing and feeling bad for those singing.
Anyone elses Applebee’s now offer Karaoke on the weekends?
By The Social Frog, on November 27th, 2009
I am thinking that it is coming to the fact that you will have to go stand in a line starting 2-3 days before Black Friday to get what you want. It is not good enough apparently to go several hours before a sale starts anymore.
I must say I was impressed, compared to last year people acted human and not like disgusting animals, at least at the places I went to.
I headed out and was at the first place at 3am. I somehow thought this was a decent time to get there. This is the first time I’ve done a Black Friday alone, Daniel & I always go together and we never get there days in advance. So I figured a few hours ahead was good.
Certain stores begun using “tickets” this year when they never did this before, nor did they state it anywhere that they were doing so. Not that they have to, BUT it would have changed my mind about a time to head out.
I went to several stores looking for one thing…one thing…a laptop. I walked away with nothing. I was hoping I might have a chance but that’s just it, Black Friday is a game of chance. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don’t.
By The Social Frog, on November 13th, 2009
I have been terrible at blogging since I returned home from visiting my love! I want to blog, I’ve just been feeling blah and I am antsy, excited and just wanting hubby home.
Good news on my cousins son Gideon, the 6 year old whom had a brain tumor. As I stated before they were able to remove it & he is recovering nicely and will be going home very soon!
Time is not moving, well it is but it just feels like it is not, the last few weeks to the end of a deployment sucks,lol.
Anyone else bite thier nails? I have all my life, although I go through spurts of just letting them grow and they get very long! Well when I went to visit hubby in October he asked me to let them grow long. Well I am happy to say I have not touched them, they are growing nicely and they are shiny!
I need to catch up with my reading. I honestly have not been in the mood to read recently. I think that is okay though, I am sure it is just for a short time.
I am trying to keep busy, some days are better than other days.
By The Social Frog, on November 4th, 2009
I know I have not been “around” much but a lot has been going on but I’ll be back to my blogging self soon.
I’ve been thinking about recent tragic events that have happened. There seems to be so much violence and murder going on, it really is depressing.
Somer Thompson was from around where I live, that has really rocked this area and it is so sad. What’s also sad it to find out that there are over 150 sex offenders around.
My cousins son Gideon, he’s only 6 years old. On Sunday he was found to have a brain tumor, although very tragic the news this evening sounds like there is going to be a good outcome for little Gideon, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. His surgery is on Friday.
Then yesterday a local man, for what ever reason killed his two children in their sleep, ages 16 & 11, then turned the gun on himself. His wife was in the shower while he did this. SICK…Come to find out they were in the middle of a divorce.
I just do not understand some people.
By The Social Frog, on August 25th, 2009
What a unhappy day it has been for me. If I had a “do over” button I would have pressed it yesterday. I for one, did not sleep well last night & it seems neither did my hubby due to our car problem.
I ended up calling a local Toyota dealership this morning, after hoping the car problem would just disappear over night,ha! I was told they could take care of me as soon as I got there.
I honestly was not sure I’d get there as the problem seemed to get worse over night! The car still sputtered terribly but now the car shook violently if you tried to make it go 50!
My mind raced and I talked to the car, willing it to the dealership and we made it. It took a while for them to run diagnostic tests. All I could think about was how much it was going to cost.
My mother was with me and she tried to stay positive and I just did not want to talk about it. Eventually I was called back to Fred’s office and that is where I found out about all the trouble and cost…
Have I mentioned I don’t like cars? Well after talking to Daniel and knowing we did not have much choice, the car is to be fixed. I had to leave it over night and it should be fixed by tomorrow evening.
I worried about getting back home and having to get a car rental. My family is still here and the list goes on. I was thrilled when I found out the dealership shuttles you to Avis and they pay for the rental. Very good!
In all honesty, renting the car was the easiest thing I did today.
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