Oops, I Sorry!

Sorry for the delay in publication all, but I know you will all be happy to see another update in the life of our heroine, Catherine Carswell (18 months to be Aplin). Having read this opening line, you all must have realized that it is I, the fiance, writing to you once again. I obviously have fallen short on my duties by not updating our public sooner; hence, the title of this post. Catherine has been dealing with a serious bit of arthritic stiffness and pain since her last chemo treatment on May 22nd. At this moment, she is entertaining Catie Beth (Holley & Scott's little girl). I must tell you that if you have not had the pleasure of meeting the Cookie Monster, you are truly missing out folks. This little girl is a bundle of ridiculousness. She refers to herself constantly in the 3rd person and reminds me of a professional wrestler ("Do you smell what the Catie Beth is cooking!?") Before dinner this evening, as I was bringing her in the house from being on the back porch, she told Granger, "No Ganger, I go inside! Bye bye, Ganger; I see you later!" It's a riot, people - when she wants me to pick her up, its, "B hold to!" & her command for getting down is, "No, I do it!"

So, what has happened as of late in the life & times of Catherine Lee Carsell to be Aplin (my god, what a name). Since Relay for Life has completed for this year, I am happy to announce that the Team Cure Catherine raised over $2000 to put towards cancer research and the ACS. Other big events to discuss in this issue - we do our best Wizard of Oz rendition, making plans, a trip to Atlanta, chemotherapy #4 & meeting the surgeon, Gigi & B finish the school year and Holley, Scott & the Cookie Monster come to town. Here's how it all went down.

The week following our engagement at Relay, Catherine stayed busy with talking to everyone in the world who would listen and ask to see the ring. We spent the latter part of that week getting ready for Mother's Day, but it would become a far more memorable day than expected. Around 4:30am on Mother's Day, Catherine was awakened by an automated text message from the Mercer Mobile system (which sends phone messages to Mercer students - a plan enstated following the Virginia Tech tragedy). The message said basically that severe weather was in the area and that all students should seek shelter in the bottom floors of their residence halls. Intrigued, Cate Lee turned on the TV to WMAZ as Ben Jones was saying that tornadoes had been spotted around the intersection of Bass & Rivoli and another around River Crossing. A few minutes later he began to say that a tornado had touched down in Lizella at which time our power promptly went out. Catherine, becoming extremely terrified at the thoughts of tornado, came to my room to awaken me and then we went downstairs to get Bubba & Gigi. As we all got into the downstairs bathroom, we began to hear torrents of water hitting the front side of the house, which faces toward Lizella and the lake. After a few short minutes of our sand castle in the surf experience, we began to hear the proverbial freight train sound (I thought it sounded more like the hum of a machine in a mill or, as suggested by Mr. Lee, a jet engine). As Catherine & Ms. Pam were complaining of the pressure causing their ears to pop, and Catherine frantically tried to get me to let the dogs out of the laundry room so that I could put both of them in the hall closet with me, Mr. Lee & I began to move toward the front door to see what we could see.

By the time we actually got outside, what we found was pure reckage. A major pine tree in the backyard had snapped and fallen across the fence in the rear of the property, crushing some maple trees and the fence, Granger's pen was under about 1/2 of another pine, which had been topped around 20 ft. up and a barrage of other trees and debris were scattered around the house. As we moved to the front yard, we found more damage throughout the neighborhood. Now that things are starting to get back to normal, if you drive around the west side of town and the lake, you can see just how much damage was done. We lost approximately 27 trees in the storm, and the next neighborhood over (Pineworth) has several homes that are in a state of un-repairability (I know this is not a word - sew me! I'm the teacher, not you.)

The other unexpected part of the tornado meant some serious damage to the rear of Westside. This meant finding a new location for the remainder of the school year. Thus, I got to spend the last 2 weeks of the school year in the land of Rut a.k.a. Rutland Middle and High Schools. We spent the remaining days of the school year alternating classroom days with the Rutland students - I must tell you, that has got to be the most awkward end to a school year that any community has ever experienced. But many thanks go out to the people of the school board and Rutland Middle and High Schools for their gracious hospitality.

Since that time, Catherine and I have begun our wedding plans - here are the best laid plans, thus far. We are to be married on November 21, 2009 at 7:00 in the evening at Martha Bowman UMC. Catherine has decided on the magic number of 13 bride attendants - I had to come up with 13 friends to keep from hiring somebody off the corner. Catherine will have Holley as her maid of honor and my dad will get the honors for me (sorry Chip, you're still my boy, but you're stunned! HA!) A note: if you are reading the previous paranthesized (another non-word) statement and are slightly confused, not to worry - its between brothers. Of course, Delaney Holliman Studios and Stephanie Lynn will be taking all sorts of kinda photos - they gonna take our picture!

Transitioning well into the next update, last Monday we traveled up to Breast Care Specialists at Northside Hospital in Atlanta to visit Dr. Amerson, Catherine's surgical oncologist. We spent most of the ride there and back discussing some of our wedding plans with Ma Pam preciding in the backseat (I was informed previously that I must be involved in the transportation to Atlanta on this trip because Catherine & Ms. Pam got lost on the last trip - Catherine is in love with my navigation system in the Jeep, but she doesn't like that I listen to my navigation ladies' voice, at times, more readily than I do Catherine. After getting to the doctor's office I waited outside in the 1st of many waiting rooms with Catherine and Ma Pam to move on to the next one. As I was making my way through the USA Today crossword, we were called to the next waiting room &, after making our way in and just barely getting comfortable, one of the staff members comes into the waiting area and announces to the entire room, "Males are NOT allowed in this waiting room for the comfort and ease of our female patients." As I then proceed to look around the room, I realize that I am the only MALE in the room. I look at her to reply, "You mean me?!" and she just gives me one of those, "You're an idiot" faces. I mean, honestly, why in the flipping French fiddle farts (notice the alliteration) did she not just come over to me privately and say something like, "Sweetie, could you please remain in the other waiting room until your party gets into their examination room?" Thanks for calling me out, woman. Another note: if you are a male, do NOT go to Breast Care Specialists in Atlanta for any reason. That place has a serious ball-busting, She-Man, feminism-at-its-finest vibe going on. The odor of estrogen is so strong in there that they wouldn't even allow a guy with breast cancer in the office to get into the 2nd waiting room. And for all the Seinfeld fans - the best part about it; the guy's last name was Castanza. HA! Those Castanza's always have the worst luck.

Any who, after the doctor, we stopped by the Cheesecake Factory and low and behold, guess who is sitting at the table no more than 5 feet from us - Delaney Holliman and Stephanie Lynn! What a coincidence.

Since that time, we made it home, Ma Pam and I finished out the 2007-2008 school year (good luck and good riddance - just kidding), and Scott, Holley and the queen of 3rd person speak, Catie Beth, came to town on Friday. Scott and I played speed golf on Saturday out at Fox Run Country Club at Barrington Hall before I had graduation that night. My parents, Matt & Renee, and Aunt Sharon & the JPster came over Sunday afternoon for a big ol family eatin' meetin' with some delicious fried chicken served up by our very own Gigi, then Scott and I played golf again on Monday morning. The only problem with having more time to play on Monday morning was that I couldn't get out of the round fast enough - I was worthless with a golf club in my hand and Scott smacked me by 5 strokes. You better believe I will get him next time and, oh by the way, don't ever play UNO with anybody in this family. I thought I was on the inside but they will turn on you and cheat to win in a heartbeat. I swear they rig the deck or somebody has some base-dealing skills that I was unaware of until recently. Back to the point, Holley and Catie Beth decided to stay through Friday morning for Catherine's appointment with her plastic surgeon, Dr. Beagle (I wonder if he likes chasing foxes), which brings me back to now - Bubba & Gigi off to bed, Catie Beth checked out a few hours ago, Holley, Catherine, Sarah & I took a late night trip to Target and Sonic and now I am ready to call it a night. I hope you have enjoyed your time reading - I know I certainly have enjoyed my time typing. See ya'll back here next time - same breast time, same breast channel (I think that's how it goes).

Don't forget about those TaTa's - Check 'em early, check 'em often. Peace, Love and Chicken everybody.

B out!