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Monday, January 31, 2011

Point my rocking chairs towards the west

Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die

For this one I had to reference my bucket list.

Then I had to choose.  Let's see, bunjee jumping?  Flying in an airplane?  Visiting Mt. Rushmore on my cross-country road trip?  Watching the sun going down over the Pacific Ocean?  Buying a cheese hat from Wisconsin?  Waking up at a Bed & Breakfast in Ireland's countryside?  Seeing Wicked on Broadway?

Oh, decisions, decisions.

However, if I could only carry through one bucket list item before my time comes, it'd be this:


 I want to have this view from my front porch. 

This might sound dorky (it's ok, because I am), but I want to live on top of the small hill about 60 yards from the place this picture was taken. 

Oh, and I want rocking chairs on the previously mentioned front porch.  Rocking chairs and a good dog.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Hey, Soul Sister.

Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without

As soon as I read this one, I knew who to pick.

She's my speedometer.

My confidant.

A best friend.

My secret keeper.

Yet she gets mad at me to the point of silent treatment at least once a week.

She's beautiful and has the heart of gold to match.

She keeps me grounded and tells me she loves me 48 times a day.

And she hasn't killed me yet.

Oh, and she's my kid sister,

Although she's not much of a kid anymore.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Be still, my heart.

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist

This one isn't hard at all!

Yes, I love music.

Yes, I love all different kinds of artists, but there is one who I turn up extra loud.  He's country, but he's got the rock edge that I like.  He sings about the things he knows and the things his listeners can relate to.  His shows are energy-packed and over the last couple of years, he's shown Nashville what he's made of. 

Oh, and he wears those wranglers the way every man should...

Dear Jason Aldean,

Please come to Mayberry and put on a concert for my birthday.  It's in June and I'll even bake for ya.  Have your people call my people.  Please?  Hello....   Is this thing on??

Oh, nevermind.


Until next time, I'm gonna go crank up my radio.

Sincerely,
A Jason Fan

Friday, January 28, 2011

Ahhhhh

Day 12 - A picture of something you love

How can I pick just one thing to post a picture of?  Lets see... I love my family, my friends, Jesus, trucks, farm equipment,  technology, sweatpants, driving, lemon shake-ups, the river and the list goes on.

Wait, did I mention trucks? 

I did?  Good.  I'd hate to leave that one off the list.

Hmmmm... I still don't know what to put.

Oh, I've got it!!


Ahhh - the sunrise over the ocean has made its way onto my list of loves.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Yuck.

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate

1.  I try to not hate too many things, although I am guilty of this.
2.  With that being said, keep in mind that I hate this habit and not necessarily the people who have this habit, although I think some could be a little more considerate (ie - not blowing it in my face).




Why can't I stand this?  In short - I'm allergic.  Cigarette smoke throws me into an asthma attack every time.  If you've ever experienced one, you know what I'm talking about.  Do y'all remember how I flipped out over that cigarette butt I found in my truck?  Yea, it annoys me.  But, that cigarette butt in particular is the same type that my friend Linz smokes, even though that still doesn't explain how it ended up in my floorboard.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

"I think your truck need to go to Confession."

Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most crazy things with.



This one wasn't hard: Lindsay.  Ok, so this isn't a picture of her face, but it's currently her facebook profile picture and since I never saw her yesterday to snap a photo, this is as good as it gets.

Can you tell who she's rooting for in the big game?  Hey, I never said we agreed on football teams!

Anywho, back to the crazy stuff we've done....

Well, I can't exactly say ALL of it, because some things belong in the past.  But here are a few that will always take me back to some of our shenanigans:  Summer '04 (I can't begin to go into detail...), walking down the dam, Hacienda! (or anytime we go for Mexican for that matter), my truck's confessional, the sofa that made it's way to the riverbank, spray painting names on the water tower, drunk bowling (it was a good idea when we were 21) and the big yellow truck named Maria.   Oh, and I almost forgot Labor Day Weekend a couple years ago!  Someone (not me) wound up with leaves in her hair while someone else (me) got to ride around in a diesel at 3 am.  Oh, that was a blast.

Now, please excuse me while I go and try to find that can of green spray paint.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I could really eat a blizzard right now

Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most

First of all, I don't know who to put here.  So many people have helped me out when times got rough and I'm not sure if I can pick just one, but here goes....




This girl saw me through one of the hardest times of my life - whether she knows it or not - and for that, I  am eternally grateful.  She's been at the receiving end of my sobbing phone calls, the voice of reason for all of my harebrained ideas, the one who helped me drink the bullfrog and the one who said "let's go to DQ and forget about boys" each time my heart was broken.

Nowadays we live in different time zones, but one thing remains: she's one of my best friends. Now excuse me while I go to DQ to get a blizzard and send her a funny text about camouflage and chocolate cupcakes.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Clowns

Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh



Maybe I'm just choosing this one because today is his birthday, but my grandpa is a funny guy!  This was taken a couple Christmases ago when the clown wig was somehow incorporated into someone's gift.  Knowing the randomness of my family, there is no tellin' how it came into the picture.  But, nonetheless, we were tossing it around and everyone was trying it on.

Well, I didn't.  Those colors don't exactly flatter my freckles.

91 Big Ones

Today is the day!


This man is celebrating something quite spectacular.


No, It's not riding down Mayberry backroads with the windows down looking at his fields.


No, it's not that he has the best granddaughter ever (although he really does!).


Or the fact that his great-grandson, my nephew, has the most adorable smile.

Today is all about him, because it's his 91st birthday!  I could give you 91 reasons why I love him and think he hung the moon, but I'll leave with this image from yesterday of him digging into his birthday cake before we could even sing "Happy Birthday" to him.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

These are my people

Day 07- A picture of your most treasured possession.


Hmm... I really don't know what I'm supposed to put here.

You see, I love my truck.  I love Jackie Dog.


But then again, I also value my friends...




However, the most valued thing I have in my life:



It's these guys.  Hands down.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Fiesty Redhead

Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day


Do you think she'd trade places with me? 

Wait, I haven't had enough sleep to be Reba for a day.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Take me away to warmer weather....

Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory


I have TONS of great memories, so picking just one was harder than originally anticipated.
But here goes the story behind this one:  It was two and a half years ago. 

Before college graduation...

Before I ever locked my keys in my truck...

And before I knew I'd have to say goodbye to one of my heroes sooner than I ever thought.

In the company of some of my favorite ladies, we were bound and determined to drive until the map turned blue and lose ourselves in blue water and white sand - and wouldn't you know it, but that's just what we did.  For an entire week, we laughed till we cried, we stuffed ourselves with the local cuisine and we burned our skin silly.  Well, scratch that last part, because only 4 of us burned ourselves silly.  You see, my older sister is "allergic to the sun."  Her words, not mine.

Basically, this was one of the best vacations I ever had - and I can't wait to do it again next year!  Now, please excuse me while I try and go squeeze into my bathing suit and handcuff myself to the treadmill.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

I love that movie.

Day 04 - A picture of your night


As you can tell, it snowed in Mayberry today.  School was canceled and roads are slicker than dog snot on a a frozen cow pie.  

But, what is the worst part of the snow?  I didn't get to go four-wheeling.


But like Scarlet says, "Tomorrow is another day!"


Happy snowball fighting, everyone!

I'm gonna go watch Gone With the Wind.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

4077th

Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show


Yes, I realize this show left the airways before I was even conceived, but I always loved watching re-runs with my dad.  Radar was my favorite (but wasn't he everybody's?) and I never could stand Frank, and after he left Charles filled his place nicely. 

Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy current shows, too - like Grey's Anatomy, for instance.  I could talk about that one for a while. 

But as for my favorite of all time, M*A*S*H is the one!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Linz

Day 2 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest


This is Linz.

We've been friends since 5th grade.  Not best friends the entire time, but always friends.  Through fights,  boys, distance during college and fights about boys, this girl knows entirely too much to be my enemy - and vice versa.

She's one of the first I call to talk about how a date went and has been known to calm me down over the phone at midnight when someone has broken my heart and I can't seem to stop crying. 

Just the other day, as a matter of fact, we were sitting down to dinner at the local Mexican restaurant (I feel like I should be a walking advertisement for them) and such topics came into discussion like they always seem to do.  She knows all the code names, all the dating horror stories and she has her lines planned out if she ever runs into some of them.... may the Lord be with them when that time comes.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that Linz knows just about everything there is to know about me and still hasn't run screaming across state lines.  It's hard to find friends like that nowadays.

Monday, January 17, 2011

30 Days.

Today....

Since I have writer's block

Because the thing I really want to talk about has no business being posted on the internet.

And seeing as it's trying to rain in Mayberry:

I've figured out what to write about!  It all started with one of my friends on facebook in what she calls a "30 Day Challenge."  You see, every day for thirty days you're supposed to post a picture - so, this would help me figure out that new camera I was telling you about, too.

So, here goes nothing.

Day 1 - A picture of yourself and five facts.   Ok, this sounds easy enough.


My kid sister snapped this picture one day last spring.  It works, right?

Now for five facts

1.  Umm... there's really nothing interesting about me.  Sorry to disappoint, but I really am a boring person.

2.  Unless you count me doing cartwheels in the front yard of my place of employment as interesting (or insane).

3.  And then sometimes I make a big deal out of people's birthdays.  When my boss turned 55 I got him a hearse and made him take pictures with it.  

4.  But I sometimes I can be very random and start talking about things like volunteer corn and Napoleon.  That is why my best friend and I are on a first name basis with the staff of Mayberry's Mexican restaurant.

5.  So really there's no facts that really set me apart from everyone else, although I do love the smell of diesel fumes.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Point & Shoot.

No, I'm not talking about guns. 

Recently, I've been asked what was up with my lack of pictures on here.  Well, the answer is quite embarrasing. 

You see, I received a new digital camera for Christmas.


It's really nifty and is definitely a step up from my old one, but there's a problem: my new one has a lot of fancy things that my old one didn't, making it a little harder to get used to.  For this creature of habit, it's very hard to learn to use new things, especially when new things come with a 146-page user manual.

But it does have a cool/confusing touchscreen
Why can't I decide whether or not it's cool or confusing?  Because I'm stuck in the stone age and kinda scared I'll break it.  But, it does come with a stylus, which is more precise than using a finger.

The camera has been in my possession since Christmas Day and I've really been trying to take good pictures with it, but it seems the harder I try, the more I realize that I know nothing about photography. 

Expect pictures soon.

Signed,
The amateur. 

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Where are my keys?

No, I haven't forgotten about you.

Yes, I promise.




And these aren't my keys.


Moving on....  Mayberry is cold.  The low this morning was 19 with a wind chill of 7.  Brrrrrrr!

I may or may not have worn my Carhartts to work. Did I mention I don't work outside?  Because I don't. It's actually kind of a desk job, but that's not my point.

My point is (I promise there is one) this: its cold and I'm acting blonde.

This morning the roads were slick with snow and ice so my little sister asked me to take her to work. Since our jobs are only about a quarter mile apart and just a few minutes from our house, I obliged.  The problem would normally be that she has to be at work at 7 while I have until 8.  So what does Rach do when there is an hour to kill and the roads are slick?

She plays.

As soon as my sis was out of the truck, I peeled out of the parking lot with one destination in mind: a twisty, curvy, narrow highway a few miles from town. But, much to my disappointment, the road I was so certain would be untouched and slicker than dog snot on a frozen cow pie, was in fact clear. Very clear. Like there was no such thing as snow.   It was quite disheartening.

With my shoulders low, I went back to see my sister and tell her about the road situation, and maybe make her feel bad for bumming a ride to start with since all the roads were fine.

Upon pulling up to her place of employment, I decided to come in the back door so I could sneak up on her and maybe get a squeal. She's so fun to mess with like that. I parked my truck in employee parking, which is nothing new, left my keys in the ignition (again, nothing new) and then proceeded to carry out my plan.

Walking in the shop door around the side of the building, I was greeted by some of her co-workers and made small talk about the weather, diesel fumes and girl scout cookies. Minutes later, I successfully snuck up behind desk and in the blink of an eye my hands were on her back and she jumped about five feet in the air, then quickly punched me in he back as I was trying to turn away.  Touchdown.  My goal was met, despite  my own physical ailment, which is still stinging a couple hours later.

I said my goodbyes and told her I'd pick her up at noon, then I was out the door. But, there was a problem. My door wouldn't open.

What?!

I tried again but to no avail.

Peering through the tinted window I see the keys are still in the ignition and the doors are most definitely locked.  A four letter word may have been uttered as I turned to go back inside with my pride dragging behind.

"I thought you left.  Don't you have to get to work?" One of the guys in the shop was just as puzzled as me about my presence as I walked through the shop door.

"Uh, yea, about that... I need a BIG favor. You guys busy?"

"What did you do?" he already knew i must have been in trouble a he rolled his 20-year-old eyes at me.

"Um, I kinda locked my keys in the truck." An attempted laugh failed miserably here.  Note to self: don't laugh when you're asking someone to break in your truck when the wind chill is seven degrees and they have things they need to do anyways that don't involve helping you.

Thankfully, he walked to the back of the shop, grabbed some wire and I followed him back outside in the frigid air.  After a couple minutes of nothing working, he said he needed a better wire and when we headed back inside the other three guys asked me what was going on and I could only laugh.

"Well... It's a funny story."  I proceeded to tell them about my keys and they laughed and shook their heads. Then, myself and four men headed outside to tackle this truck. But, as if my clumsiness hadn't shone through enough, I fell flat on my hind end after my second step out the door. Seriously, my middle name should be Grace.

The guys went right to work, gathered around my blue Chevrolet with wires, coat hangers, and I think even a block of wood which kinda made me nervous.  I kept looking at my watch, realizing I was supposed to be at work by now. Crap.

I asked them to just let me know if they got it open but I had to walk to work really quickly. One points to his truck and says "Keys are in it."  Not knowing if he was serious or joking, a bewildered expression made it's way across my face. "You can take it." I thanked him as I ran off towards his red diesel, fired it up and pulled out.

I got this text about ten minutes later: "Got it after bustin the window."

Excuse me?  Do what?  Busted window?  You gotta be kiddin' me!

Thankfully, he was joking, as everybody who knows me knows how serious I am about that truck. The good thing is that now my truck is unlocked across the street while there is still a truck that doesn't belong to me parked in my spot behind this building.

I guess we'll trade trucks when I go to pick up my sister. But I have to wonder... How in the world am I gonna live this down?

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Haunted

For the past several months, I've had the idea in my head.

It started when I noticed one of my favorite rings was missing from my jewelry box and I just assumed my kid sister borrowed it.


Then a couple weeks later it was a misplaced notebook, followed by a pair of earrings and then a missing CD (they took Jason!) joined in on the mix.


It's quite baffling.




Where is my stuff going?  There's been nobody strange in my house that I'm aware of, my sister hasn't borrowed anything, in fact some of her stuff is missing, too.

So when we unwrapped Christmas presents and new jewelry was among some of my gifts, I became nervous.

Very nervous.

Let's hope theses don't disappear, leaving me to post their pictures up on every telephone pole in Mayberry.