Help! I Need Somebody!

...Not just anybody! I need someone who knows how to remove weird junk (possibly spyware) from computers! And even if you don't know how to do that... Click on the link and listen to the Fab Four sing my blog-post title :).

Basically, something called Alpha Antivirus showed up on my mom's computer Thursday night and is causing issues. Several attempts to do a system restore have failed. We are on to another step. I'd just love to know where the stupid thing came from, because I am always very cautious about the sites I visit. I was in the middle of trying to look at April's wedding pictures on facebook when everything went haywire. Blech.

Anyway, as promised, I am finishing up telling you about my latest trip. On Thursday, the 15th, I had to head to Birmingham. I woke up early to pack and to spend a bit of time with my dad, a.k.a. the eBay addict :). My dad drove me to rent a car and I was on the road to Birmingham by 10:30. It's always sad to leave my dad. I wasn't in a rush to get to Birmingham, since April and Greg were working and Courtney was at school. So I moseyed (is that how you spell that word?) along and jammed out to my mp3 player, because the rental had the auxiliary jack. I stopped in Montgomery to get a bite of lunch, and then continued on my merry way up to Birmingham. It's a good thing I wasn't in a hurry since I drove straight into a huge rainstorm. I haven't driven in rain like that in years. We had to slow down to 35 on the interstate with windshield wipers going full blast. Crazy.

Anyway, I found April's new house and still had plenty of time, so I headed up to the Summit (where they have done a ton of new construction), and got a giftcard for April and Greg from the Cheesecake Factory. Plus I walked around Bed, Bath, & Beyond (I love this store) and gabbed with Julie on the phone. Then it was time to head back to April's, since I knew Courtney would be home. But on the way, I spotted Old Time Pottery and decided I needed to stop in there :). So I roamed around that store for a while -- it is huge, after all -- and then finally made my way to April's. Courtney gave me the tour of their new place and introduced me to all of the cats. Then we just hung out. Greg came home and left again to do pre-wedding stuff. So Courtney and I went to Sonic to get a treat :). Then I got a shower and we vegged on the couch until April got home. And mostly we just hung out and watched Jeopardy episodes and an episode of a show called Freaks and Geeks that looks like a good show, though it only lasted one season. I turned in sometime around 1:30 in the morning. The next morning, we got up and went for me to return the car. Then we headed into the heart of Birmingham and ate at The Original Pancake House. Oh my gosh we got so much food. I couldn't finish all mine and I even gave one of my pancakes to April! We got a group picture by a guy who was just sitting around. Who proceeded to ask us if we had any money to spare. Ugh. Oh well.


We spent the remainder of the day doing pre-wedding stuff. We went by Publix to pick up flowers and other goodies for our snackie night. We went to the wedding venue to look it over and imagine how things were going to be the next day. We went by the (in)famous trailer hotel and I finally got my picture!! (This one's for Julie :)):

Does that not just look like a two-story trailer!?!?

We went to another Publix to pick up the wedding cake. And then, after taking all the stuff to the house, April went to get a pedicure while Courtney got a manicure.


We stayed up late again doing more wedding things. We got all the table centerpieces done, we ate junk, we watched tv shows about Bridezillas... We went to bed after 1 in the morning again.... We didn't have to wake up super-early the next morning, but it was wedding day, so you know it was going to be a busy day. We started out by having all of us girls get our hair done at a Paul Mitchell academy near Birmingham. It took us a lot longer than we thought it would. And I heard a million times from the girl who was doing mine that my hair is so fine. That was awful. I don't really want to hear those things. I've been having a hard time dealing with my hair issues for over a year without it being brought to my attention (and to everyone else's who is around me in that salon). Sigh. Anyway, here was my result:


We rushed down to Alabaster so April could get her make-up done. It looked really good and we still had enough time :). Even in spite of the hair place getting us behind schedule.


On the way back to the house after this, April found a New Kids on the Block collector's card that she'd been saving for me. It got donated in some books that were donated to the library and she saved it for me :). It's of Jordan. hahaha... We ran to the house, picked up the clothes we needed to change into and then headed to the wedding venue to set up. I think we did a great job with the set-up. This is just one picture, but if you click on it, it will take you to more pictures.


Interesting tid-bit... That little pink book in front of the sock people... April got it from a donation to the library where she works. I had seen that book at HLML once. It came across my desk in tech. services. I'm not sure if "I processed that book," but I know I saw it :). It's so adorable. It's all about love. I even used a quote from it once for a photo album I made. The quote says: "Love comes softly, but you know when it's there. Because suddenly you aren't alone anymore, and there is no sadness in you." Loved that quote.

Oh, and here is a sample of the book centerpieces. I think they were really cute. April and Greg really had great ideas!


Here is the wedding cake:


And here are me, Courtney, and April before going to change:


The girls all went to the hotel to change and get ready. April was absolutely beautiful and her dress was perfect! We headed back to the venue and the wedding went really well. It was so nice and beautiful. I'm so glad I was able to be there for it. Here are me and April:


After the wedding, April and Greg went to the hotel and April's parents took me back to April's. That night, it was just me and the 6 cats. I watched tv and read and just enjoyed the night. I turned in again at about 1. I slept in until 9:30 on Sunday and hung around the house. April and Greg stopped by to pack for their honeymoon and so we all visited for a while. Then we all left at the same time and I head to Tuscaloosa. I got to Virginia's house and we visited for a while. Then we headed off to Swen's to get some food. Which was totally delicious, by the way :). Viriginia and I watched Better Off Dead -- a classic 80s movie that I hadn't owned until this last trip to Dothan :). And we ate Publix brand mint chocolate cookie frozen yogurt. Because I am convinced you can't get enough of that stuff :) :) :). And then we gabbed and visited some more. We went to sleep around midnight -- well, and I talked to Mary for about an hour also. The next morning, we got up and I took Viriginia to campus, since her son took the car to school earlier. Then I took my car and parked it at the Insitute building, since I can't park on campus anymore without getting a ticket. Boo. I visited with Annie and Le and saw a few other people I used to work with, including Loretta :). She is still so sweet. Several people asked me if I'd go back to work there. At about 11:30, Annie, Le, Sharon, Virginia, and I all went to lunch at the Ferg. And we visited and laughed and talked, and it was really nice :).


I soon had to leave and head back to get my car. I stopped in and said hello to everyone at the Institute building, and then had to make my way back to Birmingham. I stopped by Edgar's Bakery and bought a few treats. Including a Hello Dolly bar to send to my BFF -- to remind her of the weekend of the trailer hotel :). I even was able to mail it to her before I flew out on Tuesday! I got back to April's and just hung with April's mom and Courtney for the night and read. And on Tuesday, April's mom as so kind to take me to the airport. We had an enjoyable chat (oh, I rode in a Hummer -- a very bumpy ride!) on the way. All my flights were on-time. I mostly read on the way back. I finished Deja Dead at April's, so I started The Time Traveler's Wife. I'm moving right along with it. For the first time, I think I can say I liked the movie better than the book. It's not a bad read. Just a lot rougher than I thought it would be as far as sex and language.

Anyway... So, it's been back to life as usual. I've been working since my return. I had a Relief Society training meeting on Thursday night. So yeah... Nilla life as usual :). Oh, and thanks to Becky and Stacy for the cute 80s-looking stationary that made them think of me when they found it :). So they sent it my way :). Too funny!