In the top picture, Chris poses with the trombone section. Below is Sam with the color guard.
Years later, Nemo was all but forgotten until I saw the cake book at the store. My eyes lit up like a kid's at all the bright colors. They even had cool, clear gel bubbles on the cake! It especially goes well with the beautiful roses from Wayne and the Chihuahua's who dearly wanted to eat some of the cake.
Don't tell Wayne, but I think both Lady and Chee got licks of frosting!
Wayne's spoken with a variety of companies and had very positive reactions all around. In a couple of cases he was told he was more than qualified, but they felt the job would be too boring or unchallenging to him. In another case, they wanted to hire him, but the numbers didn't look the best because the location had state income tax, higher property tax than here for less of a house, etc.
Bottom line, he's generating a lot of interest even in the tight economy. It just takes forever for things to happen. One place gets 120,000+ applications a year, so the fact that he's already had multiple conversations with them is a good sign. It's just a matter of time and finding a good match. Sadly it's becoming increasingly obvious that that perfect match WON'T be in the Memphis area. It upset the kids a lot at first, but I think they're slowly coming around. They're good kids, and with their band involvement they're sure to make friends wherever they go.
As you may remember, Chee helped Sam and I through an awful lot of bad stuff earlier this year. Heck, he still helps us that way. Unfortunately, Chee never really took to Wayne. I mean they get along and hang out and all, but something was missing.
Well after the layoff, the dead air conditioners, car batteries that needed replacing, etc., some things started clicking for us.
As the job search progressed, it was looking more and more like one of two things was destined to happen: 1.) we'd both have to work, leaving Chee all alone, or 2.) Wayne might end up in a different city all by himself, and a companion who got along with Chee could be very helpful and desirable. Combine that with the fact that we're all home now to help with puppy training and, well...
Anyway, Lady definitely appears to have chosen Wayne even though, like Chee, she loves everyone. She's got the most expressive eyes thanks to tan eyebrows on her black body, and she sure keeps Chee on his toes!
So yeah, maybe spending the money wasn't the most sensible thing to do under the circumstances, but I'll tell ya what, she's a WHOLE lot cheaper than a shrink!
She's a longhair Chihuahua like Chee'burger, and she isn't exactly new around here. Lady Bandit joined our family at the very end of June.
My pneumonia/bronchitis thing made the thought of sitting outside all day in the heat and humidity not at all appealing, so we just stayed home, played Monopoly, and watched fireworks on TV.
Hearing the Boston Pops play John William's 1984 Olympic Fanfare was a real treat since that was my first marching band routine in college with "The Power and Class of New England"! Ah the memories...
