Thoughts From The Dollhouse: January 2007

Twice The Speed of Life

The past few days have been crazy for the Frashleys! In the midst of all the chaos, some total strangers were very kind to us.

We were going to Augusta, GA to fill out applications to work at The Augusta National Golf Course and we had a tire mishap. A nice man flagged us down on the interstate and motioned to us that we needed to pull over. He then pulled over in front of us on the side of the highway and told us we had a really flat tire. At first we wouldn't pay him any attention or pull over because we thought he might be some kind of pervert trying to pick us up. His name was Ivan and he was in a white work truck, so Ivan wherever you are: Thanks from the Frashleys.

The next person who helped us was a trucker who saw us struggling to attempt to air up my flattening tire. Neither one of us has ever had to air up a tire before so we were basically just standing by the car laughing. The trucker saw we didn't know what we were doing and came to our rescue. He also asked us if we were high because we were laughing so hard! We weren't. So Thanks from the Frashleys to the trucker who helped us at the BP at the Pillion exit.

Then, today we went to Wal-Mart off of Rosewood, near Sears and Target. I had put a can of Fix-A-Flat in my tire to get me to the Wal-Mart. Ashely followed me in her mustang just to be sure I got there okay. On the way there the Mustang over heated. We were both really stressed out when we got to the Wal-Mart. Gus in the car shop part of Wal-Mart was super nice to us. He put some coolant in the Mustang so Ashley would be able to drive it. Luckily, I had a warranty on the tires I bought at Wal-Mart about a year ago so I got a new tire for free.

In two days, three different strangers have shown kindness to the Frashleys. We both feel touched and felt that these men could have easily gone on about their days without taking time to notice we needed help. We also hope we can do something nice for someone one day in the spirit of these kind strangers.

Facebooking

Not much was going on at work the other day so I got on facebook. I decided I would join some groups. I joined Animal Rights groups, because I support animal rights and also joined groups supporting homosexual rights/marriage. I kept looking and found Future Trophy Wives. I joined. This is some of the things the group page says. Enjoy!

We are the girls who spent more time on our hair, clothes, and accessories over the past 20 years than on our school work. We knew preparation started early.

We know that all you truly need is good looks to get you through life.

We exercise our left hand to build up strength for the GZAIMOND that will one day be placed on it.We practice our screams for when we receive Range Rovers as gifts.We have researched and confirmed a minimum acceptable carat size.

We have been told by guys that they will never be able to afford us.

We strive to be well rounded (whether it be from the help of a plastic surgeon or not).

We know how to throw anything from a fit to a party.

We know that we will be the wife at the office party that all the other ones won't talk to, and we are okay with this.

Here She Comes.......

Last night Miss Oklamhoma was crowned the 2007 Miss America. She is only 20 years old! Miss Texas was the first runner up. I must admit, being from Texas, I always pull for Miss Texas. It's true that all the prettiest girls come from Texas and I think if you look at the Miss Texas website that will be apparent.
The new Miss America will travel the United States and help raise money for the Children's Miracle Network.

Below, me the year I was first runner up in Miss Sweetheart. I can't remember the year, but it was 2001 or 2002. The theme of the pageant that year was The Age of the Aquarius.

New Year's Resolutions--New Year, New You!!

January is almost over, I know, but I am just now getting around to my resolutions. I was so busy working at the Hilton, The Islander, being sick, having low blood sugar, having a bladder infection, trying to spend time with S and my pets, and family, getting my new horse...and so on that I barely gave resolutions any thought. I have given some thought to resolutions in the last few days and am now ready to commit to some on paper. 2007 is going to be a big year for me, after all this is the year when I graduate college. I do not know where I will be at the end of 2007. I mean this as where I will be physically living and in all other senses of the word. The future is the great wide unknown. Change in and of itself, whether it is good or bad, can be scary. I have to keep reminding myself change can be a good thing! After all, I have sort of given myself a life makeover in the past few years. 2003 was a really weird year for me and was not really the best. 2004 and 2005 were really good years. 2006 wasn't bad either.

Resolutions
1. Drink more water
This one should be self explanatory.
Eat more fruits and veggies.

2. Continue getting good grades in school. Nothing below a B is acceptable, ever. It is really important to me that I do well in HRTM 270. Get a good internship for this summer.

3. Go to all of my classes.

4. Travel somewhere I have never been (already Ashley and I did this today, so the year is off to a good start). Try to go to New York to visit for father for the first time ever, maybe try to go to Texas again. Hawaii is a big dream destination of mine. In 2006 I had the opportunity to go on a vacation with Shawn and also go to Florida for the first time in 10 years.

5. Get a flat stomach for once and for all.

6. Keep up with my skin care. I started ProActiv Solution about a month ago and what a difference! Also, moisturize and wear sunscreen. Also, my teeth. I recently had some very expensive and painful dental work done. Now I have been flossing a few times a week. Continue flossing throughout year.

7. Attend career fairs and the career center to start putting my resume out. I feel like this is something I could potentially become lazy about because it may scare me on some subconcious level. Already one of my co-workers gave me some helpful suggestions that I immediately put to use on my resume. I also have had it printed on some really nice ivory resume paper. Also, get a really good interview suit.

8. Get hired to work the week of the Masters at Augusta National Golf course, preferably as a bartender or in the pro-shop. Already went for the interview!!

9. Work on my tan but not too much. Only natural sunlight, never in the tanning bed. Also, sunscreen on face. That is what bronzer is for!

10. Continue with jazz dance class and practice more. Improve as a dancer overall. Imporve flexability.

11. Continue to grow closer with my boyfriend, S. Our relationship has been through a lot but so far has really stood the test of time. (3 years and counting). Hopefully our relationship will continue to move forward.

12. Stay in touch with the very few and precious old friends I have. Such as Jamie, Lindsay, Jenn and Bradleigh, PR, AF, Jeremiah....

13. Make a few new friends (it has always been hard for me to make friends) but only if they are really worth having as friends. Over the past few years I have really found out who my real friends are and as a result seem to have a lot fewer of them.

14. Take excellent care of my pets (my horse my Mom takes primary responsibility for, my dog Morgan-Annabel and cat, Ricky I take responsibility for and will take with me when I get to wherever I end up going).

15. Become more responsible. Over the past few years I have become a lot better about going places on time and want to continue this pattern. Part of this will also be managing my time better. Getting better about procrastinating. Also, be more organized. Put all my pictures into some sort of chronological album. Clean the house. Paint the 1970s ugly yellow shelves white. Maybe even a bight crisp white and paint the inside parts a Tiffany's box blue or other fun color.

16. Get a really good hair cut, but continue to keep my hair long. I have had a hard time finding a good stylist. I have difficult hair and not every stylist understands curly hair.

17. Find a really nice and cozy place to live when I graduate. I have lived in both a house and apartment that were less than nice before. I was fine with it then,but now I feel like I am older and need a place where I feel comfortable and can relax. It would be best if I had access to a place to walk Morgan and a pool to lay out.

18. Get myself a real piece of furniture. A nice piece of furniture, even if I do luck out and find it at Goodwill or a yard sale I want Pottery Barn quality. Commit to a color scheme and decorate.

19. Take naps. Sit in the sunshine. Hoola Hoop. Blow bubbles. Wear flip flops. Drink tea. Learn a new recipe. Read. Spend days doing nothing (which seems to be few and far between now). See some baseball games. Drink lemonade.

20. Make the time to spend with my family. Quality time.

On The Reading List
A Piece of Cake, A Memoir By Cupcake Brown (I love this book!)
Manhattan, When I Was Young By Mary Lee Cantwell
Training The Young Horse, By Pippa Funnell
The New Vogue with Rene on the cover (alrady read it, good issue)

On The Play List
Chain of Fools, Aretha Franklin
Stop! In The Name of Fools, Dianna Ross
Aint No Mountain High Enough, Dianna Ross

Valentine's Day Wish List

On the Valentine's Day Wish List

Frist off: Flowers, of course. What woman dosen't want to be sent flowers for Valentine's Day? Flowers are a simple and easy choice sure to bring satisfaction. Roses are good (but only for Valentine's because they are in the Valentine's theme, not other occasions). Sunflowers, good. Tulips, good. Also, I can stand the stuff florists use called "baby's breath".
Pink or red or white flowers.

My work address is 2221 Devine Street, should they need to be delivered to me at my job, which is really the best place to get them. I am on the second floor in a cubicle.

The Pat Conroy cookbook. I have been eyeing it for awhile. Looks like it has some yummy recipes.

Jessica Simpson Dessert Brand Bubble Bath. They sell Dessert at Wallgreens. Smells yummy. Also, the Girls Next Door with Body By Jake workout video, if it has been released yet.

I have already had Shawn's present ready for about a week now. I am crazy about him so I always have his gifts ready before the actual holiday I am preparing them for.

Sunday

Today the Frashleys are in deep relax mode. This involves sleeping until about 1 PM, doing laundry, changing FF's sheets, trying to get motivated enough to go out and find something to eat, talking to our mothers on the phone, and possibly going to the gym.

Flashback

These are some pics of me growing up. I look deceptively sweet, I was really a bad and mean little girl (and even more hateful as a teenager, sooo glad I am an adult now). I could be very cruel to my Mom and had a real smart mouth on me. I was hard to discipline and pretty much did what I wanted and in my Mom's words "dilliberetly disobeyed". I must have been a real headache, thinking back on myself is probably part of what makes me not want children. That, and I am very attached to my sleep. I was cute though.

Top photo taken outside the Big Lots (or was it a Wal-Mart then?) in Lakeside Shopping Center on Highway 24. The other photos are in Cedar Key, Florida.

On the Playlist (All From 1992)

One-U2

Under the Bridge-Red Hot Chilli Peppers

My Love-En Vogue

Damn, I wish you were my lover-Sophie B Hawkins

Smells Like Teen Spirit-Nirvana

Nightmare Weddings

These are some pictures of my Mom's weddings #1 and #2.
The first groom is my biological father.
The second is my step-Dad.

The first wedding was in 1983.

The second was in 1994.

The time passes too quickly.

I am like a solar eclipse, it is very rare that you see me, but when you do it's very special.

My Next Must Have!!

I am working one long day and three short shifts every week at my fabuous job that I love . I will be saving my money for these. I think they are adorable. They remind me of a little girls tap shoes. I haven't bought nude shoes in a while anyways. They are called Lehanna and are $79 at NineWest. Maybe they'll go on sale.
I love them!!

Extreme Cuteness!

Extreme cuteness! The little boy, not me. I found this while I was going through pictures over Christmas break. I used to wait on this little boy's family when I worked at The Islander. He is a great child, he is so so funny. One Christmas he gave me some pumkin scented candles he had picked out for me himself. I saw him over Christmas break with his nanny, Meredith. Meredith told me that he was very dissapointed to find out that I am a GAMECOCK now. He is a huge Clemson Tigers fan.
Also, the t-shirt I have on in this picture was the all time greatest t-shirt that ever lived. It was navy blue, from Abercrombie and Finch and it said Martha's Vineyard on the front. I wore it until it faded, the letters were peeling off and it lost it's shape from being washed so many times. I still have not found a t-shirt to replace it. Last summer J Crew had a navy blue t that said the Hamptons on it but it was so thin it was practically see through.
Well, I am off to get ready for bed. I now go to bed at 10:30 or 11 because I have an 8 o'clock class. I have not had an 8 AM since my first year of college back in 2002.

All That Jazz

This semester I am taking a class in Jazz technique. I have already been once and love my dance teacher. She is fabulous. I went to a store in dowtown Columbia called "Gotta Dance!" and bought myself some jazz shoes (gore boots) and some really nice tight black dance pants. The pants seem to hold in any jiggles I may have. The class is an hour and fifteen minutes twice a week. She begins the class with a warm up, stretching, then crunches and then learning techniques and routines. At the end of the semester I will get the opportunity to be in a showcase!
This is one of my all time favorite teachers, Professor Anne Dreher. She taught my Theatre Appreciation class my first semester here at Carolina. She was so funny and so damn dramatic. I heard that she recently retired.

A Beautiful Beginning

I didn't want another horse after losing Dawn. I thought they are so big, such a responsibility, so much can happen with them...
Then my Mom learned of an Arabian mare, only 3 years old, that was at a nearby farm. She comes from a breeding farm in the low country that was shutting down. An attorney in the lower part of the state raised Arabians and then became tired of it. She ended up at an auction and was bought by this farm we visited. As soon as I saw her, it was love at first sight. We immediately took to each other.
I named her Scarlett Mimosa.
My Mom also bought a horse from the farm, hers is Ruby. We don't have any pictures of Ruby yet, except for her looking on in the background of the picture above. Ruby is a beautiful, sweet, and unusually tall, bay Arabian mare. She is 2 years old.

I hope we have as many good times together as Dawn and I did. We are off to a beautiful beginning.

Just for fun, Morgan-Annabel Sunshine Hardy and her brother, Elwood Boi Hardy relaxing on Shawn's bed. We were all watching Napoleon Dynamite.

Better To Give...

For Christmas Shawn really spoiled me. He gave me two Victoria's Secret bikinis I have been wanting, including the zebra one I have been looking at for quite some time. He also gave me a roomy Coach tote bag in a great color. It is big enough to put my makeup, wallet, camera, and even a notebook in. After all that happened with Dawn, Shawn really went out of his way to make Christmas special.

Christmas Break

Fran and Ashley getting ready to go out right before Christmas break.

This is us with our favorite friend, Joe, at the Islander Christmas Party. What a crazy night!

This is me with my beloved boyfriend, Shawn at my Mom's house. He was waiting on me to get ready for a date. We went and had dinner at Brick City Grill (yum). I had not fixed my hair yet, which is why is looks sort of like a birds nest. I don't really look this bad!

Blast From The Past

Fran (me) with Alexis at the Luau my friends Jena and Jessie threw for my 18th birthday. We made PJ (fruit punch, cut up fruit such as watermelon, sprite or ginger ale, Malibu and Everclear). The PJ we made was lethal. I don't think there was a person there that wasn't sick as a dog. That party was ridiculous. We had it at the pond out behind their house. House parties just aren't the same anymore. I have not been to a good house party in probably 3 years.

I think the saying goes " The times you'll never remember with the friends you'll never forget". That is sooo redneck! But I have to admit, it is so true. I found these old pictures when I was looking for pictures of my Dawn for the post I wrote about her.

The Kids Are Alright: Me with Jessie ringing in New Year's 2002. More crazy times.

With Jamie in TD's June 2003. I was 18 and had just recently gotten my first fake ID. I am 22 now and still think I know the driver's licence number for the fake ID, but not for my own actual licence. Wow.

More good times with Jamie, Hurricanes June of 2003. This was before I got really out of control. I think I drank more in high school and when I first lived on my own than I have the whole time I have been over 21. Hard to believe I will be 23 this year!!

Dawn

Over the break, three days before Christmas, my Arabian mare very suddenly and unexpectedly became ill. The exact cause of her illness is unknown, but renal failure was suspected. Her sire, Southern Whiz, passed away a few years ago from renal failure. Sadly, she was unable to recover and we lost her.

T.H. Southern Dawn
1988-December 2006