Follow Me...

119/365

2009-04-30T00:31:00.002-04:00

Although there are only 14 days left in the school year, homework is still a part of our weekday afternoon routine. Here, J is working on a spelling worksheet.

118/365

2009-04-30T00:30:00.002-04:00

The younger grades at school follow the alphabet for the last 26 days of school. Today was "J" day, and Joshua's 2nd grade teacher asked Stephen if he would be the Computer Expert at their Job Fair. He was delighted to help out - and the kids really thought computer programming was cool when he associated it with Wii, XBox, Nintendo, etc.

117/365

2009-04-30T00:28:00.002-04:00

Wisteria starting to bloom and leaf-out on our backyard deck pergola.

116/365

2009-04-30T00:23:00.001-04:00

After finding 7 of 8 geocaches in western GA and eastern AL, we stopped at The Varsity, on the way home, for dinner.

115/365

2009-04-30T00:20:00.001-04:00

30th Annual Grayson Days - Joshua partaking in the school bus driver's Bash Out Cancer (with a sledgehammer, on a junked car)!

114/365

2009-04-30T00:18:00.002-04:00

Because D has a "summer birthday" - it's only a week after preschool is over, but anyway.... - they have 'pretend' birthdays for the kids. Today was D's 'pretend' birthday, and we celebrated with a cookie cake and class picture. :))

113/365

2009-04-30T00:17:00.002-04:00

Soccer practice ran late, so it was a quick stop at Shane's BBQ for dinner. J's playing his Nintendo DS, and D's enthralled.

112/365

2009-04-30T00:15:00.001-04:00

Earth Day. Love Her! All People - One Planet.

Peace, y'all!

111/365

2009-04-30T00:14:00.002-04:00

Joshua prefers apples to bananas. So I give you - apples.

110/365

2009-04-30T00:11:00.002-04:00

Life is not always fun. Errands - boring and normal - are a big part of my day. Since Project 365 is supposed to document the mundane, as well as the exciting and unexpected, here's one of my ordinary tasks: filling up the minivan with gas, about twice a month. *yawn*

109/365

2009-04-30T00:06:00.002-04:00

We went geocaching again today! Got two in before the rain. Then, when there was a break in the weather, while Dylan (and Mommy!) were napping, Daddy & Joshua went out and found 2 more. This is our first Travel Bug. Its name is Pizmo and its trying to go cross-country from GA to CA, and maybe up into Canda, before finding its way home again. What a fun hobby we've started!!

108/365

2009-04-30T00:05:00.001-04:00

Our azaleas are starting to bloom. We have red in the front, and pink on the side of the house. Pretty.

107/365

2009-04-29T23:16:00.003-04:00

We celebrated Cooper's birthday by joining the Cook family for dinner, and then it was time for cake. I don't know if the late-night sugar had anything to do with it, but Dylan and Cooper were positively goofy. Here they are - self-cuffed together - wiggling on the floor (in the dark - for once, a flash came in handy!), singing Guitar Hero songs at the top of their lungs (Livin' on a Prayer, I think,) and making funny faces. Little-boy energy... why can't we bottle this?!

106/365

2009-04-29T23:05:00.002-04:00

Joshua claims boredom at Dylan's Kickeroos practices. D cannot say the same, as he is a total goof and gets his kicks in (har-har) at every opportunity. In fact, that's our biggest challenge - to keep him from interfering with the big kids.

105/365

2009-04-29T23:03:00.002-04:00

Did I mention that I *LOVE* Dogwoods in bloom? Wish I could have found some less-common pink Dogwoods to photograph this year.

104/365

2009-04-29T22:59:00.002-04:00

Dylan and I got into giggle-fits this afternoon. He was scooting around the living room in his dump truck (which he's almost too big to fit into now!) and came close enough so I could give him a push with my feet. That started the zooms and giggles and was a great way to spend playing with my youngest.

103/365

2009-04-29T22:58:00.001-04:00

Apply blossoms on our backyard trees.

102/365

2009-04-29T22:51:00.003-04:00

Easter bunny came through!

After Easter breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast and juice - yummy!) we started a new family hobby: geocaching!

101/365

2009-04-29T22:47:00.002-04:00

Here comes Dylan Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail. Hippity-hoppity, Easter's on its way. This was our first year of the Great Egg Hunt at Bluesprings Ranch. Like D's "Easter bonnet"? Ha-ha-ha.

100/365

2009-04-29T22:46:00.002-04:00

Spring Break Friday: Mommy needed to escape. The Easter stuffed animal aisle at WalMart cheered me right up.

99/365

2009-04-29T22:31:00.002-04:00

Spring Break Thursday: It's been a blast having Daddy home with us all week. But the boys needed to blow off some energy (it was FINALLY a nice day!) so it was off to the new park. We met Lynn & the boys there too, so it was extra fun!

98/365

2009-04-29T22:26:00.002-04:00

Spring Break Wednesday: Stars & Strikes bowling and arcade. We all had a blast, and this was the first time Dylan really bowled, they didn't have ramps.

97/365

2009-04-29T22:22:00.001-04:00

Spring Break Tuesday: A trip to the new Tellus Science Museum of North GA. Dino bones, precious gems, and a planetarium... what's not to love?!

96/365

2009-04-29T22:10:00.002-04:00

Spring Break Monday: Yellow River Game Ranch with our favorite cousins. Linds & Scott brought the girls down for a visit, and this was our day together. It was overcast and blustery, but we made the best of it. Joshua and Willow are 11 days apart - both 9 now. Angelyn turned 4 in February, and Dylan will be 4 in May.

We also hit Stone Mountain Park. The Skylift being closed was a disappointment, but we made the best of it. Choo-choooo!!

95/365

2009-04-29T22:08:00.002-04:00

The worst thing about springtime in the South? Pollen. The best? Blooming dogwood trees. I *love* these trees. Hate Bradford Pears - LOVE Dogwoods!

94/365

2009-04-29T21:59:00.002-04:00

First Saturday of Spring Break Week. We love having dinner with our best friends. Tonight it was Classic Pizza, where each table has a "theme". The boys' table was Gwinnett Gladiators - but maybe it should have a theater theme, since they were really "hamming" it up for the camera!

93/365

2009-04-29T21:57:00.002-04:00

Egg hunt day at preschool!

92/365

2009-04-29T21:50:00.001-04:00

After dropping major hints, my wunnerful husband went to our local florist and got the Bouquet of the Month club card. Heck, they only wanted $40 for a year. I'm worth it! And these are gorgeous.

91/365

2009-04-29T21:43:00.001-04:00

For his birthday last year, Kimmy & the girls gave Dylan this wall-size Aqua Doodle. Now that he can write his entire alphabet, spells 3 and 4 letter words with regularity, and is working on his numbers, he spends his quiet/nap time practicing. :)))

90/365

2009-04-29T21:42:00.001-04:00

Remember those jasmine buds 10 days ago? They've "poofed"! There is now a riot of yellow blossoms encircling our mailbox. Beautiful!

89/365

2009-04-29T21:39:00.002-04:00

Nicki's "lump" is back. Turns out, this is an abcessed upper molar. She had to have surgery - keep in mind she's 13 years old - but she came through OK. What troubles me more is that she has "lumps" on her left flank side. Could be cancer, could be fatty tumors. The vet is of the mind to leave them be. If it's cancer, there's not much we can do. If they're fatty tumors, although they're not malignant, if you remove them, there's an 85%+ chance they'll come back. So we give her the best life we can while she's with us. :)))

88/365

2009-04-29T21:32:00.002-04:00

Blueberry blossoms in our backyard.

87/365

2009-04-29T21:27:00.003-04:00

We may have been in a drought the past few years, but this spring we seem to be making up for it. 4 1/2 inches fell in the past 24 hours. Soggy, to be sure.

86/365

2009-04-29T21:23:00.001-04:00

At the end of a busy week, Joshua and I got to have fun at the Mother/Son Pizza & Game night. For the first game, the DJ had the boys split into 2 groups, then they had to blow up balloons, run down to a chair at the other end, sit on it, and pop it. Yeah... boys LOVE that stuff. It felt good to laugh all night. :))

85/365

2009-04-29T21:19:00.003-04:00

While Daddy accompanied Joshua, and his FOCUS class, to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens on a field trip....

.... Mommy took Dylan to the dentist for his first real cleaning. He did so well, they were even able to take x-rays!

84/365

2009-04-29T21:17:00.003-04:00

7 quarters in a row of All A's. This one was a bit of a surprise, as we were expecting a B or 2 (which would still have been awesome, don't get me wrong!) I love this kid of mine!

83/365

2009-04-29T21:16:00.002-04:00

The first time Dylan wrote "Mom". 1-2-3..."Awwwwwwwwwww!"

82/365

2009-04-29T21:12:00.004-04:00

Yeah. Skin Cancer. Oh, the follies of youth. I remember putting on baby oil - or, better yet, Ban de Soliel SPF2 WITH TAN ACCELERATOR! - and climbing up on my parent's roof. Then there's the fact that, although I get a nice, deep, beautiful (if I do say so myself,) tan, I burn first, if I"m not ultra careful. Well, time to schedule out-patient surgery!

81/365

2009-04-29T21:12:00.002-04:00

When it's a sunny Sunday, what's better than a walk through the woods to Tribble Mill Park with Dad (while Mom is stuck at home paying bills and doing other paperwork,) until Mom shows up with the minivan - and some ice cold water - for the 1 3/4 mile ride home. Fun, fun, fun!

80/365

2009-04-29T21:11:00.002-04:00

J's back on the soccer field every Saturday. He usually plays goalie for the first half, then switches to striker (forward) for the second half.

79/365

2009-04-29T21:10:00.002-04:00

Happy first day of spring! It was a lovely day here, and the jasmine around the mailbox is about to burst with hundreds (thousands?) of yellow blooms.

78/365

2009-04-29T20:54:00.003-04:00

D's best friend got a pair of these when the local Dollar Tree opened. C refers to them as his "disguise" D thinks they're his "funny face" and talked about them incessantly until he, too, got a pair. For a buck, I was willing to give in to this particular "I want!"

77/365

2009-04-29T20:52:00.003-04:00

Time for *my* 6 month cleaning. No cavities, gums look good, so I'm set until September!

76/365

2009-04-29T20:50:00.003-04:00

When Dylan was younger, he used to eat a yogurt a day. Now he's switched and eats at least 1 banana every day. That means I'm at the grocery at least twice a week to keep us stocked up. Thought it merited a photo.

75/365

2009-04-29T20:48:00.003-04:00

Spot check. I've had a "spot" on my temple that has darkened and gotten bigger (from the size of a pin head to about pea sized) in the past year. Time for a trip to the dermatologist to have it checked out. They took a biopsy and will call me in 7-10 days with results.

74/365

2009-03-16T08:59:00.003-04:00

Indoor soccer center birthday party. One of J's favorite presents was a rocket, from Uncle Davey. Fun was had by all - even Daddy (who was feeling it this morning!)

73/365

2009-03-16T08:58:00.000-04:00

Mom-made soccer ball ice cream cake. Yummy!

72/365

2009-03-14T14:19:00.004-04:00

option A
Today was my rescheduled Guest Reader gig at Joshua's school It was supposed to be March 2nd, Dr. Seuess' birthday, but there was that snow thing going on. I had the honor and the pleasure to read to 2 fourth grade, and Joshua's third grade classes. It was a total blast, and I'd love to be a Guest Reader again.

option B
My bestest friend's little girl is selling Girl Scout cookies. Tonight, they camped out in front of a chilly Beef O' Brady's. Stephen usually buys several boxes to take to his office, so it's nice to have our own personal cookie dealer. And she's so cute, too!

71/365

2009-03-14T14:18:00.002-04:00

Third time is not a charm - it is ENOUGH! Now Joshua has the stomach virus. Dylan had it last Saturday/Sunday. I had it Sunday/Monday, and now poor J paid homage to the porcelain god.

Bananas, saltines and ginger ale. Worked for my mom 35-40 years ago with me, so that's what will work for my kids.

70/365

2009-03-14T14:16:00.003-04:00

My baby brother has done SO well for himself.You cannot believe how proud I am at all of his accomplishments - personal, and professional. It occurred to me that I've not taken any picture of his Body Heat Tan Studio.

Ta-Da ... Doug in the Studio.

If you're ever in Loganville, stop by and tell him 'hello'!

69/365

2009-03-14T14:15:00.002-04:00

One week after the snow. What were buds on March 3rd, are full peach blossoms on March 10th. Wish the focus was better, but c'est la vie!

68/365

2009-03-14T14:14:00.002-04:00

Homemade chicken enchiladas. They tasted much better than they photographed. Trust me!

67/365

2009-03-14T14:12:00.001-04:00

When Joshua saw the pictures of our anniversary dinner last fall, he was SO JEALOUS of the chocolate fondue we had for dessert at Urban Flats. For his birthday dinner, it was a no-brainer where he might want to have lunch. Yes. He enjoyed every bite. :)

66/365

2009-03-14T14:11:00.002-04:00

Another basketball seasons comes to a close. The Vipers did well, and you could see growth in all the player's skills from game 1 to game 8. Corey, Cameron, Matthew, Joshua, Noah and Coach Dwight are in this photo. Two other team members, Holden & Godwin are not pictured.

65/365

2009-03-14T14:10:00.005-04:00

My firstborn turns 9. Last year before double-digits. Joshua, my life changed forever when you came into our world. You are an amazing young man and I look forward to see the man you will become.

64/365

2009-03-14T14:10:00.002-04:00

Soccer practice is back on our schedule, and Joshua is on the Blue Sharks again, with Coach Bobby.

63/365

2009-03-14T14:07:00.004-04:00

option A
While Dylan was at preschool, Rufus had an appointment for his Well Doggie visit. Dr. Robertson, and vet tech Beth, were very complimentary to our stubby-legged guy. He's in tip-top health and cleared for another year.

option B
March 2nd was Dr. Seuess' birthday, but the Read Across America events that the schools had planned were postponed because of snow. Today Dylan's preschool went ahead with Monday's plan, so he came home with a Cat in the Hat chapeau, and promptly sat down to read his current favorite book: "Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?"

62/365

2009-03-14T14:03:00.002-04:00

Spring is making a valiant rally. Peach blossom buds on our backyard tree.

61/365

2009-03-14T14:02:00.002-04:00

Snow day! No school, although the roads were mostly clear. Lucky for us, being GA, it was gone the next day. But here's picture proof that it DOES snow here - albeit not often (not even every year!)

60/365

2009-03-14T14:01:00.002-04:00

March came in like a lion with a rare GA snow. Three inches for us, more like 9-10" for our friends in Athens. But it was just enough for everyone to have a bit of fun for a day.

59/365

2009-03-14T13:55:00.001-04:00

Dinner at Beef O' Brady's.

58/365

2009-03-14T13:50:00.001-04:00

Date night! We went to see our favorite local band, Guilty Pleasure, at Atmosphere. HATED the bar smoke, but the music and friends were amazing. Thanks to Beth, it was a SGHS mini-reunion!

57/365

2009-03-14T13:49:00.001-04:00

Nikki was bitten by something - we still don't know what. But she had a golf ball size swelling that shut her eye and prevented her from eating. The vet gave her a couple of shots and meds to take for a week. Swelling was gone in 48 hours.

56/365

2009-03-14T13:48:00.004-04:00

Daffodil with morning dew.

55/365

2009-03-14T13:48:00.002-04:00

Chef Joshua preparing his first solo meal.

54/365

2009-03-14T13:47:00.002-04:00

The Papa Johns tour that wasn't.

53/365

2009-03-14T13:46:00.002-04:00

We've been trying to get Dylan to write for a long time. One night, he just picked up the chalk and started writing 3 letter words. He has a Leap Frog Word Finder on the refrig that he plays with every day. Watching the connections being made in his mind was magical.

52/365

2009-03-14T13:44:00.003-04:00

Basketball pictures all came out blurry, so I made this one artsy, like a water color painting.

51/365

2009-03-14T13:43:00.002-04:00

At Carey Paul Honda - AGAIN. Third time was a charm. O2 sensor fixed and no more annoying dash lights telling me something is wrong. Best part? It was covered under warranty.

50/365

2009-02-19T16:47:00.003-05:00

Fifty days already, eh? That's almost 1/7 of the year. Yeah me! Guess this picture is self-explanatory. Just part of my day. See ya tomorrow!

49/365

2009-02-19T16:34:00.004-05:00

Car ownership is fun. Car maintenance? Not so much. When I went to Goodyear, I was planning on spending $18.95 for tire rotation and an oil change (gotta love coupons!) Two hours, and $200 later, I was not happy. AND, I still have to go to the Honda dealership on Friday to replace 1, maybe 2, O2 sensors that have gone bad. Thank goodness they're still under warranty.

I also learned an important car maintenance lesson. You'd think, since I've owned vehicles for the past 27 years SOMEONE would have told me this before, but no: you need to have your tires aligned every year (or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first.) Matilda (the minivan) has 28,904 miles on her, and 2 of the tires have uneven wear - so much so that they are recommending replacement of the tires. The original tires are Michelins. When we bought the Odessey, the dealership told us they were 100,000 mile tires. The have less than 30,000 and 2 need replacing? I'm not a drag racer, people. I'm a Mom Taxi, bebopping around town to school, doctor appointments, soccer & basketball, grocery shopping, and the like. I *pride* myself on easy tire and brake wear. Did I mention that the tires run $180-190 EACH, plus balance and mounting? Ugh. Car maintenance sucks.

48/365

2009-02-17T20:38:00.003-05:00

It's been about 5, maybe 6, months since D had a haircut. He doesn't do well with them. Watching his appearance altered, it's like he's losing part of himself. Which, truth be told, he is, but it's hard when I feel like I'm traumatizing him. He cried, he got his lollipop, and now he looks a LOT older and taller! I loved my shaggy toddler (scroll down 2 days for the February 15th "shaggy D",) but I love my handsome nicely shorn young guy too.

47/365

2009-02-16T18:49:00.004-05:00

Did you know that I have another blog? It's my personal one. And this is a very personal day for me. Go there, through the link, and read what I mean.

I miss you, Mom. Always.

46/365

2009-02-16T18:47:00.003-05:00

Now that D is talking a LOT more, and growing up, he and J are playing "together". Sometimes that involves wrestling, and I have to remind J that D's a LOT smaller, and can easily be hurt. Sunday nights we tend to watch America's Funniest Home Videos. J & D have taken to laying a blanket on the floor and watching it stacked on top of each other. Doesn't last long - usually - but it makes for cute pictures.

45/365

2009-02-16T18:45:00.003-05:00

Valentine's Day. Low-key, cards, chocolates, chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, lovely yellow flowers from the Canuck. I love him. They're beautiful.

44/365

2009-02-16T18:40:00.003-05:00

Friday the 13th. Three days until my Mom's 3rd Angel-versary. It's a damned good thing that I have a counseling appointment today. Kathy B. has been key in dragging me from the depths of another major depression. Nine months of Postpartum Depression, compounded with the sudden death of my mother and the hornet's nest of crap in the months that followed, then waiting another 6 months before getting help. I'm a stubborn one, no doubt. But I'm a far sight better than I was 18 months ago. Thanks, Kathy. Practicing compassion. Trying really hard.

43/365

2009-02-16T18:37:00.003-05:00

Early release. Parent-teacher conferences. An opportunity for a best-friends mid-week play date! J & N are thrilled. C wants to play with the big boys. D is happy playing his Leapster and watching Blue's Clues (ON DEMAND, of course!) Lynn and I are happy as clams, side by side with our laptops, catching up on our 365s. So many pictures, so little time. The astute of you will notice that this picture was taken 4 days ago - and I'm just now posting my photos on the blog. Ah well, I never claimed to be perfect.

42/365

2009-02-16T18:36:00.003-05:00

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays... drop off at 9:30am, pick up at 1;30pm. Preschool carpool. I am part of the minivan-parade. Who would have thunk it?!

41/365

2009-02-16T18:33:00.003-05:00

We have a new front door! Hallelujah! No more drafts. No more rotten wood. No more replacing door knobs every 2-3 years ... we have a snazzy new keypad entry system. It's been a long time coming, but we finally have a new door. Next year, we need to replace a few windows. Gosh, I hope our tax refund will cover that!

40/365

2009-02-16T18:32:00.003-05:00

Since I'm here several times a week, I thought it deserved at least one picture in my 365.

39/365

2009-02-16T18:26:00.004-05:00

I have a nightmare that I'm going to drown in a sea of LEGO. J has far too many of these bricks. This afternoon, he tripped over one of his buckets and it spilled everywhere. Yes, aficionados will notice non-LEGO things in there. Just trust me when I say that LEGO is not an insignificant thing for my boys. But it's colorful, no?!

One of the things I keep meaning to do is get in touch with my friend, Maggie, from high school. Her older brother, Mike, is a big wig at LEGO Australia. Talk about a dream job! Joshua REALLY wants to have a job like that when he grows up. If he moves to Australia, I'm going with him!

38/365

2009-02-16T18:24:00.004-05:00

FINALLY, I'm feeling better. I can actually carry on a conversation without coughing incessantly. It's still there, but manageable now. So much so that I can go with J to his basketball game this afternoon. They won. Go Vipers! Yea team!

37/365

2009-02-16T18:22:00.002-05:00

Spent some time in the library this morning, after dropping D off at preschool. In the teen section, they have two giant chess sets. I love these. I want these. Here's a picture. Enjoy!

36/365

2009-02-16T18:20:00.003-05:00

I'm 43 today. Woo-hoo. I'm still sick, and not in any real mood to celebrate. This is a dolphin bowl that a friend of mine sent me when he was working in Africa. I love this bowl. It's my favorite. Those are cinnamon scented pinecones. They make the house smell good. Not a real exciting picture today, but there ya go. My dolphin bowl.

35/365

2009-02-16T18:17:00.003-05:00

Dylan was given these Cars/Lightning McQueen rainboots for Christmas from his best buddies, Cooper and Noah. D is ALL about Cars. Seriously, this boy can sing Rascal Flatts' "Life Is a Highway", from the soundtrack. When the movie plays, he quotes lines. Is it any surprise then that these are his FAVORITE form of footwear. If I didn't make him take them off when we got in the front door, I think he'd happily sleep in them.

When I picked him up from preschool today, Ms. Tracey said that they're afraid he's going to fall down the metal stairs (because he stomps, rather than walks normally, when he wears them - especially if his feet can make noise... like on metal stairs in an enclosed stairwell.) So, no more boots to school. Everywhere else, yes. School - no.

34/365

2009-02-16T18:13:00.005-05:00

Preschool registration was this morning. I still have pneumonia, feel like death warmed over, am coughing up lung (so it feels,) and D's along with me, as it's a Tuesday, and he's in school Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Fortunately, there are many other 3 and 4 year olds running around in the gym, so I'm not stressing. However, the lighting stinks, I'm shaky, and I can't figure out how to do image stabilization on this little pocket cam. So, Ms. Melanie's picture isn't the most flattering, but there ya have it. D's registered for 4 yr. pre-kindergarten, 4 days a week, Monday-Thursday, beginning in September.

33/365

2009-02-16T18:13:00.002-05:00

32/365

2009-02-16T18:08:00.004-05:00

DISCLAIMER: I have no imagination of late - at least when it comes to how I want to display these photos. My best friend, Lynn, who is doing her own Project 365 this year (and is a much better photographer and photo editor,) has been putting these dates on her photos. I don't know if/when I'll ever scrap them properly - I'm doing good to be taking pictures DAILY - so I've "borrowed" (OK, I STOLE IT. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?! I AM A IMAGINEER CRIMINAL!)her photo date format. It's not exact, but close enough that I want to fess up here. So, thank you, Lynn, for letting me adopt your style. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?!

31/365

2009-02-16T01:22:00.003-05:00

January's finally all posted. I'll post the first half of February soon, and add some journaling to the past few posts. Thanks for hanging in here with me.

G'nite.

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2009-02-16T01:21:00.002-05:00

29/365

2009-02-16T01:20:00.004-05:00

28/365

2009-02-16T01:20:00.002-05:00

27/365

2009-02-16T01:18:00.004-05:00

26/365

2009-02-16T01:18:00.002-05:00

25/365

2009-02-16T01:17:00.005-05:00

24/365

2009-02-16T01:17:00.002-05:00

23/265

2009-02-16T01:16:00.002-05:00

22/365

2009-02-16T01:15:00.005-05:00

21/365

2009-02-16T01:15:00.002-05:00

20/365

2009-02-16T00:56:00.002-05:00

Being witness to history is a warm-fuzzy feeling.