3.29.2009

Cranes, Parties, Hot Tubs, Wine and a Near Death Experience

So let's recap starting Friday.  

A friend was getting an old hot tub taken out and then replaced with a brand new one.  He had to work so I offered to go over and take some photos.  I spent the morning talking to the installation guys.  I asked questions, made conversation, etc.  Typical me making friends.  I also played with my friends two kitties.  They are starting to like me.  Lol.  Here are some highlights.

First they had to get apart the old hot tub.  They then hooked it up and craned it out.  But who cares about the old one?  (And if you do click HERE for the WHOLE process).  Here is the BIG crane.

Yes they parked the crane out front and hoisted it OVER the house practically.

The main guy would watch the progress and the make hand signals (shown here) to the crane operator.  It was a neat process to watch!

So here is the new hot tub.  I left before they were finished (my friend got home), but you get the gist.

After the above picture the guys left for lunch.  I cleaned out my friends flower beds, and also a lot of debris, plants, grossness from under and around his deck (yes Barry, you owe me just a little, but it's okay *wink*).  I plan to do some more weeding sometime in the next two weeks.  Hopefully we'll have some nice weather.  I also *may* have sat out on his deck for a little bit sunning myself.  It was GORGEOUS and sunny.  Mmmmm...

After the hot tub delivery, I showered and then I hung out at home until 6ish when I headed out with my friend/neighbor.  We went to a Pampered Chef party for a girl I know.  It was nice, but I was tired from doing the work in the morning.  I was home by 8:45ish and then just vegged.

FYI  - since I didn't update on Friday.
FRIDAY was TWO WEEKS until my next surgery.  I can't wait to get smaller boobs.  SO excited.  I am going to be even HOTTER than I am now.  Lol.  I'll do some posts this week about this surgery instead of just blabbering on about my life.  I promise.

Anyways, getting back to the weekend. 

Saturday morning we had to get up early and head up to Bethel, PA (about an hour and twenty away).  Josh's cousin is getting married in Kentucky on May 2 and we just can't make it to every wedding that day (we have two others).  So we headed up to the couples shower.  It was very nice, but unfortunately we had to leave early.  Why?

Well see Josh's OTHER cousin is getting married May 2 as well (here in PA) and I had already RSVP'd to an event for her upcoming wedding.  Yikes.  So Josh and I left Bethel and headed to Lancaster.  He dropped me off at the event.

Here is my cousin-in-law Ann.  The event was for her and all the female family members were invited (and came).  It was at this cute little tea place called Sugarplums and Tea.  We ended up having high tea  compliments of Aunt Nancy.  It was nice, but a TON of food.  I was so absolutely full by the time we left.

Here is a parting shot of the bride to be and I.  I adore hanging out with her and can NOT wait until her upcoming wedding.  Her and her husband to be are such great people.  Yeah!!

So Aunt Nancy brought me home (and checked out the house - which she liked).  I was so WIPED OUT from the day, but the hot tub that was delivered the day before was calling.  Well actually it's owner called, but I'll just pretend it was the hot tub.  I was also kind of excited since I was given permission to try some drinking.  Hmmm...

Over to friend's house we plan to go.  I tried finding a bathing suit I still owned that fit.  No such luck.  So I just wore a one piece (that covered my belly incisions) and hoped for the best.  Ugh.  The top was WAY too small and the bottom too large.  I can't wait until I am proportionate!!

Here are some photos documenting the night...

The first hot tub photo taken.  I am not in this photo because I was the photographer.  Go figure.

Now here is a nice group shot (that I'm in!!)  Another guy took it.  We thought he might fall in because he kept leaning closer, and closer, lol

And here is the hot tub owner, myself and another friend.  There's my one of many strawberry margaritas.  Mmmmmm....

After the hot tub we still partied for a while.  If you aren't my facebook friend you won't see the rest of the pictures.  If you are my facebook friend they STILL aren't all the pictures.  Some were bad, others much worse, some incriminating, etc.  There is even one of me smooching the host on the cheek.  Haha... I really love that hot tub apparently.  There aren't any photos of the dance party we had though.  Hmmm...

Anyways...

My friend Kandice and I looking good for the camera.

And this is just part of the crowd at one point.  Hmmmm... 

Here is me refusing to drink anymore.  These boys TRY to be persuasive, but I know my limit.  Or something.

These are the cyclists that I hang out with a lot.  Josh is on the far right.  They race, ride and live for road (and a little mountain) biking.  I am a cycling widow.  *sigh*  No biggie though.  :-P

This group directly above (minus Josh who was more than willing to take me home) went out after all this.  I did that LAST weekend and it wasn't all that much fun once we went out so I declined.  A few of them tried to convince me it would be fun anyways.  Ummmm... guys?  I'm wearing ugly sweatpants, an old sweatshirt, my makeup is smeared from the hot tub and my hair is a disaster.  I don't mind hanging out in PRIVATE with you guys looking like that, but not in public.  Sorry.  

We declined (well I declined and Josh was fine with that) and we headed home.  Bed.  Yes!

Sunday I got up and got ready for a little wine tasting event.  My friend from above planned a girl's day out for three wineries in York.

First stop was Naylor Winery. It was cold, yucky, grey, spritzling and gross out when we got there.  That didn't stop us from trying some yummy wine (and buying some too).

Inside looking at all the boxes of wine bottles being readied for shipment.  

The ladies hanging out outside the winery.  There was another group with us (four more girls) but this was our car of girls.  

After these photos and on the way to the next winery the weather started clearing up.  It got sunny and warm, the clouds went away and we had blue skies (YES, the WEATHER details are super IMPORTANT - trust me).

We arrived at Allegro next and sipped some more wine.  This was the fun photo shoot area.

Don't tell me this isn't the cutest picture!  Good idea Kandice!

The ladies.  And yes, the two on the ends are sisters.

There was also this random chair I took a picture of.  It was just kind of out there next to the creek.  Hmmm... weird.

I am sure you've noticed that all the ladies have our jackets off.  We are basking in the warm glow of the sun, slightly intoxicated at the wine and are having a great time.

To finish our day we head to Moon Dancer for some snacks and more tasting.  Now I was here two weeks ago as well, but this time wasn't nearly as busy.  

We shared some wine, ate some food and had a great time.

Look at those beautiful blue skies!  About 15 mins after this picture one of the girls mentioned a severe weather warning 20 mins away.  We looked the OTHER way from this picture and the skies were BLACK.  We quickly packed up and started to head home.  

My friend (and the driver) Kandice got a phone call from her boyfriend saying to stay off the main roads and take a different road.  Apparently west of where we were was getting dime size hail.  

This is what we drove into.  It was terrible.  The hail was hitting us hard, it was raining, there was like zero visibility.  Ugh.  BAD BAD BAD.  We had to pull over a few times due to the bad conditions.  

During all this I call Josh who had texted me a little bit before to see how he's doing (he was going to be out riding).  He is in a car wash bay for shelter listening to tornado/severe weather sirens going off.  Great.  I'm stuck on a road on the OTHER side of town and he's on his bike.  So we call Kandice's boyfriend back (who is one of Josh's cycling/skiing/snowboarding friends/cycling teammates) and he heads down to grab Josh.  This was an ordeal I tell you!!  It was also very scary car or not.

Photo of the hail piling up outside the car when we stopped.

Photo of a tree ripped in half and another one completely uprooted.

That power pole to the left should be IN the ground about 15 feet from where it layed.  All the poles to the right of it (including the one you see) are all broken.  The power lines were laying in the roads and there was one on a car.  The car behind that poor car had a tree on it.

I don't know what this was, but it isn't anymore.  Whatever building/structure this was was completely and utterly demolished.  It was scary.  We were maybe 1/2 mile from this (stopped) when it happened.  The news says there was no tornado touch downs, but this devestation was horrific.

Another large tree that is no more.  Ugh.

I jumped out of the car to get this picture.  That hail isn't dime sized like further west.  Where we were and what hit the car was the size of a golf ball!!

So in conclusion, this weekend was filled with good and bad (again).  Josh is safe, as are other friends who were caught in this weather (we have a lot of friends that are outdoor people and it was BEAUTIFUL earlier).  The weather turned really quick and was really scary.  There wasn't much warning.  I hope this week is much less eventful although I am told that Wednesday wings may involve heading back to the hot tub afterwards... we'll see.  

I will also have to do an extended update tomorrow about this past Friday.  It didn't happen to me, but I caused it so yeah.  Details of that tomorrow...

*hugs and kisses*
mj

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