Snow drifts call for supplemental airport support

Sunday morning. Mom and I woke up, late of course, and had to rush to get ready for church. She told me I didn't need to wash my hair...not something I agreed with but, c'est la vie. I scarfed down some Puffins (my absolute favorite Whole Foods cereal) smeared on some mascara and threw on my sweater. After bundling up in my down coat, scarf and gloves I was ready for the snow boots. Mom was running down the stairs and we were off, Church here we come!

Dad had suggested that when we back out of the driveway we try to hit the tracks of his truck so that it would be easier for us to get out in Mom's 2WD Toyota Rav4. Why anyone would get a 2WD SUV is beyond me, but to each his own. With the blizzard that we have been experiencing for the last week it is quite difficult, suffice to say, to recognize exactly where the snow drifts start and how high they really are. Unfortunately, we didn't see the 3 ft high tightly packed drift looming in our future pathway. We gunned it down the driveway and "Whomp!" Stuck. Not moving. Tired spinning. Yep, we were high-centered. In a fit of laughter we hopped out of the car and called Dad to come outside and help.

Now is when you should be ready to really laugh. My dad, the glorious and hilarious man that he is loooooves getting a reaction from people. He struts outside wearing his long underwear (he pointed out that they are navy blue with pockets) sweatshirt, hat and gloves, with his cowboy boots and the Pièce de résistance, my grandmother's fur coat! He sure thought he was the cat's meow.

After some neighbors stopped to help us once followed by us getting ourselves stuck again, then, rocking back and forth, putting a board under the front tire and scooping all around the tires, we had to call in the big guns. The neighbor boys. It took four grown men and me behind the wheel to get our car out of the driveway.

By that time, we were already 15 minutes late to church and by the time we got there we would be almost a half an hour unfashionably late. Dad needed time to snowblow and scoop the driveway so we took a nice tour around the neighborhood to check out the rest of the winter wonderland. There were some drifts that were so big that even the city snow plows avoided them. Chickens, I'd say. People were strewn all over the streets shoveling and scooping hoping to make enough of an indent to allow them to leave their homes after suffering a long bout of cabin fever.

As I phoned Dad to tell him we were on our way back he said to make sure we come from the east because he had a path ready and he would direct us in. He's all about directing. As we turn down 34th Street (yep, we live on 34th Street just like the movie, that was one of my most bragged about things as a child) I saw a tall lanky figure in the distance. As we got closer I could make out that the figure was wearing a woman's winter fedora and familiar "signature" cowboy boots while holding a flashlight in one hand and a kitchen scrubber brush in the other. Good Lord, it was my father. He was literally an air traffic controller guiding us safely into the garage. For even more convenience and ease he had set up "runway lights." Blue, red and yellow shovels lined our path into the driveway as he motioned and directed us home. I was laughing so hard that I almost missed the clearly marked runway. I could not help but exert all of my energy into my abundant laughter, this was certainly a sight to see.

Inbetweenie

Well, I have been on hiatus for over a month and have found a new direction! In the words of Lucy from Charlie Brown's Christmas, "You've got to have DIRECTION!!" I have found a new direction and am excited to start the journey down this new road. Although there are undoubtedly twists and curves in the road, there are a few sure-fire exceptions. I am moving home. That's right. After 4 1/2 years of living either in a gorgeous spanish tile roof historic house full of 72 girls (unlimited closets and abundant social engagements), a conveniently-close-to-the-bars downtown apartment with two of my best friends or in complete solace and bliss in my very own beautiful 916 square ft apartment decorated to my exact wishing....I am back in the basement of my childhood home with a pair of somewhat older and kookier roommates to boot!

After a series of knock-on-the-door "can I have a job?" attempts, applications, interviews and thank you notes with no thank you in return, I am mixing up some new ingredients consisting of early add-ins of a para position in my elementary school followed by graduate school, I am looking forward to a superb end product!

I have a tendency to get ahead of myself and forget the ever important "inbetweenie" stuff. This is the stuff that will be a challenge, cause headaches, test my patience but also make me laugh until my stomach aches and my eyes water. This has already started and I am not even home yet! Case in point:

The rumor mill in Columbus runs a little rampant at times, especially when a long-gone graduate looking for a new bright and shiny world returns home. Obviously, she is getting married. Right? Wrong. It seems that people tend to be of the opinion that I need to either a. be getting married...and soon; or b. dating someone very seriously and am just living at home until we move in together. If anyone is of the opinion of either of those, you may now leave. I am NOT getting married nor am I dating anyone. Although, some of my friends did suggest that I tell these rumor-spreaders that I am registered. When I say registered I am talking stores like DSW shoes, J.Crew, Banana Republic, and Anthropologie. I suggested Manolo Blahnik but my mom reminded me that not everyone from Columbus would know what that was, in other words, they haven't seen Sex and the City, which is just wrong! Then, when people ask, "Do they have household appliances there?" I will simply reply, "Why no, what do you think I am registering for? I really need to restock my closet." Hahaha, I can't wait for their reaction; the reaction is really the part that I am excited for.

So, I will be using this blog as a basis for living back in my hometown and all of the funny and quirky people, events, stories and situations that I come into. Entertainment factor will be over and beyond what anyone is expecting, I am sure. I mean, living with my parents has already given me a TON of material.

I hope you are ready for it...I know I'm not.

Fish out of water

My adorable and fantastic grandpa is in town from Tennessee and of course insists on hitting up all of his favorite local spots. He has already checked out a few antique stores as well as making his daily (often thrice daily) trip to Lowe's. Today, we made the long haul down to South Omaha to delight in the neighborhood fare. In these parts, fried carp is the favorite. Yep, that's what I said, fried carp! Joe Tess is a landmark spot in Omaha known for its seafood and especially the fried carp. Just last year, the place was featured on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives"! So any place that Guy Fieri thinks the world of, you know I want to try! Now, I am no dainty lady, but I do fancy light cuisine and let me tell ya, fried carp from Joe Tess Place is not light cuisine. Because of my skeptical nature, I decided to go with a cup of Fisherman's Chowder (safe route) and only a one-piece meal of the "famous fish" ie the carp. Grandpa was so dang excited that I was trying it, I just couldn't let on that a nice piece of grilled salmon would have whet my palate slightly more. After adding a healthy dose of hot sauce and carefully choosing the meat portions of the interesting looking meal in front of me it wasn't half bad! I enjoyed the chowder immensely and would have downed a couple more glasses of their fresh brewed iced tea!

No, I will most likely not be becoming a regular of Joe Tess Place, I do feel a little sassier for growing some fins and trying the famous fish.

Miss Madeline

This past weekend I ventured to Lincoln on a quest to meet up with one of my most fun and sassiest of sassy friends, Michaela, who was visiting from Phoenix. In preparation, we informed the bars she was in town so that they were fully stocked with their finest Jack Daniels Whiskey, her personal favorite. We had an exciting night romping all around O Street and enjoyed a fantastic bowl of chili for lunch the next day at Bread & Cup before witnessing a horrendous effort (if you can call it that) by our dear Huskers.

After a perfect Saturday night filled with "Say Yes to the Dress" and girl time with Maria I headed home to Columbus for some down time with the rents. I had some relaxing time with them but once Monday morning rolled around I had a busy day ahead. I was spending the morning with Miss Madeline herself. Madeline lives right down the street from me and is a fashionista extraordinaire. She has the best fashion sense and fabulous accessories to boot! While lounging together we made our Christmas lists, played tic tac toe with some sassy pumpkin and spider confetti and braided our hair in matching side braids. We were both very sought after that day, of course, so we went to Madeline's school, Lost Creek elementary(where I also went) to visit my mom in the library. The ladies were quite enthralled with Madeline's necklace and top with sparklies on it. B-E-A-utiful! With her killer plaid ballet flats, dark wash jean capris, pink 3/4 length top with sparklies, necklace and side braid she sure was the cat's meow. I am just waiting to see what she comes up with in 10 years.....watch out world!

Ripped

I have joined a gym. It is the best decision I have made for my mental and physical well being in a long time. It is like a glorious palace where I can sit in a mint eucalyptus steam room after a run on the treadmill or a fitness class hell bent on making my entire body feel like jelly. I have always enjoyed being physically active whether it was dance, soccer, biking or hiking; but in the coming winter months when it gets dark at 6 pm and I find myself wanting to sit on my couch and watch a movie I have a new haven to seek out. My gym.

I am planning on turning into a super buff lady with a horseshoe on her bicep (Mel and Liz always talked about this, I never could see it) and calves that you could cut glass on. Ok, ok, so don't worry I'm not going to start drinking protein shakes and steroid supplements, but I do see a rock solid tummy in my future.

Take for example this sassy lady: so I worked out this morning; some treadmill time before hitting the weights and stretching. I head to the locker room to sit in the intoxicating steam room and catch a quick shower. As I am drying my hair two women walk into my locker section. Both in their 30s to 40s and cordial. I don't take too much notice until one of them removes the towel from her vein-popping arms. W.O.W. This is a woman you would definitely not want to meet in a dark alley. It looked like she was hiding cantaloups in her biceps and metal plates in her stomach. After eavesdropping slightly, I found out that she is a triathlete of sorts and trains like a maniac. Oh yeah, and she's the mother of 3. After she rinses off and stands buck naked for a while applying lotion, she throws on some jeans belonging on a teenager and a colorful ringer tee I think I saw in the juniors department at Dillards; she threw her bag over her shoulder and sauntered out without a second glance. What a Sassafrass.

Matching Electronic Devices

I have never thought of myself as a matchy-matchy person. I think that when things coordinate and match too much it comes across as trite and obsessive. Contrary to my beliefs, once I took a look at my favorite electronic devices I realized that although my adorable apartment is filled with family hand-me-downs and romance-inspired baubles, I really do love blue devices that you can talk on and take pictures with. My blue cell phone and brand new, never been used blue digital camera make the quaint pair.

I just bought this new camera in preparation for my Baltimore vacation. I am going to visit Courtney in her new city and we have a great weekend planned. She has sent me links to fabulous little shops and boutiques that we plan on exploring and of course, ice cream and cupcakes won't be too far away. This trip will be about much more than shopping in fun areas, I get to see my best friend! I am so excited to spend time with her and her doll of a husband, Evan and peruse the wonderful city they live in.

Be ready for lots and lots of pictures as I will be capturing all of our memories with via one half of my blue electronic duo.

Plans Shmans

I have been thinking a lot lately and I have come to realize that thinking and planning usually gets me into trouble. Why can't I just take a hold of something and mold it into exactly what I want? The perfect thing, thought, memory and future event could be shaped into perfection by my agile hands. I have known for a long time that if the world and the people who live in it would just listen to my plans and do what I told them to do, everyone would be a whole heck of a lot happier. These plans that I have always seem perfect in my mind but it's the follow through that trips me up. When an opportunity is dropped into my lap should I take it? The obvious answer is yes. But there is this annoying voice inside my head telling me "it's too easy" "it will never work out" "you don't need help, do it yourself". I have discovered through my stubbornness that if a seemingly perfect plan is starting to unfold in front of me and I did not come up with it, I become uneasy and reject it immediately. My name is Sarah Haskell and I am a commitment phobe. My new found discovery has led me to a new motto. Stop thinking and just roll with it. Seize the day! I will land where I am supposed to land and must remember that perfect plans never start as perfect plans but if you work hard enough and believe in yourself, they turn into something great.

View from my Sunglasses

I had a certain pair of sunglasses that I had becomed completely attached to. These blockers of the harmful rays were my perfect accessory. The kind of sunglasses a person wears helps define them. When you find a pair that works, you stick with them. Many people decide that they want to keep up appearances and go for that really expensive trendy pair with the thick white frames or the tricked out shades with bling covering every inch. Not this sassafrass. I am an aviator girl. No, I did not start wearing them when they became "cool", my first pair of aviators was a gem left behind and forgotten until I picked them up and slipped them on my face 4 years ago. They were perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Through my first pair of aviators I saw the best summer I have ever had. I saw my sophomore year of college and how truly important my friends and my sorority had become. My friends saw me behind my aviators; the outspoken, opinionated, strong, determined and loyal friend. They helped me define my world and they helped me define myself. Then, my aviators broke. I mean, I was already missing one side of the nose piece, but I wasn't quite prepared to lose them yet. I needed a new pair, and they had to be perfect. I found them, and I bought two pairs, just to be safe.

Through this new pair of aviators I saw the rest of my college years. Theme parties, formals, early morning classes I didn't want professors to see my eyes, roadtrips, spring breaks to Chicago and L.A. I was growing up and my aviators were right there seeing it all. I could not imagine a different way to see that magical and unforgettable 4 years of my life.

Recently, that pair of aviators passed away. It happened at a friend's wedding. I think it was a sign that I really was becoming an adult, life was changing and I needed a new pair of sunglasses to help me down my new path. I went out and bought a new pair the next week. Through them I have seen myself as an alum going back to my sorority. I have seen myself as a professional working a PGA golf tournament and then, I saw my friends pack and move away. Through this new pair of sunglasses I have seen my carefree college days turn into life as a young professional, and you know what? I can't wait to see more.

Did I mention that although I may be growing up, I still bought aviators. Some things you can always rely on.