Home Grown Country Girl

Mood: Happy
Listening to: She Talks To Angels by Counting Crowes

Alrighty! Now that ya'll have seen the pictures, Im gonna do an update. I'll try to not make this ginormously long. First, though, I want to talk about yesterday. I went to school because I was thinking that if I get a bachelors in Psychology, in order to get a good paying job Im going to have to get my masters degree. *have* to get it. The people that just graduated with the psychology degree aren't working and can't find jobs. That scared the crap out of me. The last thing I want to do is spend 4 years in college and not be able to find a job. There is no job placement with the psychology degree. Once you graduate, they wish you luck and there ya go. So, I was freaking out. I went in and talked to Janet. She is one of the two angels of mine at school.  I talked to her for an hour and a half. FINALLY figured out the degree that would be best for me AND there is a type of job placement during the last 2 quarters [the last 6 months are internship classes]. She also called up Dr. Rau [the man over this particular program] and asked him how many students that graduated with this degree are now working. 8 out of the 10 are. Ok, those are good statistics. 4/5 of the graduating class that just graduated in June are working. OH! This degree is Healthcare Administration. It has nothing to do with nursing. It's the business end of the healthcare field. You learn billing, coding, medical terminology, business law - tons of business classes. I have one this summer and one this fall. She told me that by the time I graduate, there should be a Masters degree in Healthcare Administration at my school! If that's the case, I *will* get that degree. I don't *have* to, but Im going to. So, I got my schedule for summer and fall worked out. I feel a lot better. I have some research to do today to kinda plot out what classes I need. It's going to take 2 years. 5 quarters and one quarter is 10 weeks long. So 50 weeks of school left. Mahah! The jobs start around 26,000 per year and the most that anyone has started out [that graduated this past june] at is 31,000 per year. There's full benefits, too. It's working in the business parts of the hospital, that's all. Human Resources, Personnel, things like that.

Ok, now onto the beach! We left at 3am. I called and woke momma and cory up. Cory drove here and we packed up the rental car. We went and picked up momma. She was waiting on us! We got her stuff all packed in and then we went to Wal*Mart. We got a few things, momma and I just ran in real quick. Then we filled the car up with gas and we were on our way! We stopped around 6am and ate breakfast at Cracker Barrel. That was delicious, naturally! We didn't stop too many times along the way. Momma and I slept a lot. We got to Myrtle Beach around 3pm. We finally found the Bermuda Sands hotel and I ran in and checked us in. I was so mad. The gentleman on the phone told me we would have room 115 on the first floor with an ocean view. Well, we were on the 4th floor with an ocean view. I specifically asked for a first room floor and he said he put us in room 115. The man at the counter justified his actions by saying he was new. Ok, I get that. He made a mistake. That's fine. So, I took our room key, went out and told everyone the room number, and grabbed some luggage and up to our room we went. We loaded everything in.

The elevator floors were squishy and lumpy. I *so* did not feel safe in that elevator at all. It's like when you stepped on it, the floor sank a little. I think it might've been because people swimming in the pool and ocean and then they come in without drying off and it was carpet? I dont know, it just was scary. Steve stepped onto the elevator and it started going up! He had to hurry and jump on. The doors were still open! So we survive up to the 4th floor, go in our room and unpack everything. While the guys are bringing up our stuff, I kinda looked around the room. It was nasty. Like the edges of the mirror were all rusted in the bathroom, the tub was nasty, it smelled like 2 day old sex in there - but at least the beds were made, right? So, I just laid down on the bed and stared at the ocean. So very relaxing for me. I thought, 'Momma is here and Im going to make this work. She's not been to the beach since she was 18 years old and Im not going to cause a big fuss.'

The guys were done carrying stuff up and we all decide we wanna go swimming in the ocean. So, momma goes to her part of the room, closes the door, and starts changing. Cory is digging through his stuff and found his swimming trunks and is in his underwear. Steve and I are just kinda hanging out. All of a sudden momma screams for me. There's panic in her voice, so I go running. She's naked and pointing at the wall. I turn around and there's a dead cockroach squished against the wall. It looked like it had been there for at least 4 hours or so. It was dried out, if that tells you anything. Shit hit the fan, instantly. I was beyond mad.

Steve was in the bathroom. Cory was taking pictures of it and I was on the phone with other hotels finding us another room. Steve gets out of the bathroom and I tell him. He looks at it and says, "I'll go down there." I told him that would probably be best because I would probably choke someone. While they're down there, momma and I find another hotel. The Reef Resort. They come back up about 10 minutes later and tell us the guy says its some kinda bug they have down there and if we still want to leave he'll give us a full refund. I then explained to Steve that it isnt a bug, it's a cockroach and we do want a full refund and we're going to be staying at another hotel. Steve said it would be best if I not go down there cause the lobby is full and would make a scene. Mahahah! So, he went. Apparently the guy told Cory that it would be hard to find another hotel room like the one we needed and Cory pointed out that we already had one. The guy was an idiot. So, within 5 minutes Steve and Cory are back up the room loading up the luggage. Momma and I had already repacked everything and we want the CRAP outta that place! We were at that hotel for no longer than 30 minutes.

We make our way to The Reef Resort and it is like the Hilton or something! I *strongly* suggest to anyone that is going to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to stay at The Reef Resort. They have an amazing staff, the facility is clean, it has all kindsa things for children to do, it's right on the beach, has ginormous pools for those of you who dont like to go in the ocean, provides umbrellas for those that like to lay on the beach, and is in a very quiet part of myrtle beach. It's about 10 blocks from The Pavillion [which is where all of the shops are] and has a grocery store right across the street from the hotel. You can get rooms with full kitchens and the balconies are fantastic because they're private! They've got walls that come up on the sides and the only ones you can see are up and diagnol from you, but you can't really see the people on that balcony unless you stretch your neck out over the side. This hotel was fabulous. We were swimming in the ocean within the hour once we got there. The front desk clerk, Andy, was great. He really worked with me on the price and was very kind to my momma. Uncle Michael let us use his credit card to book the room, as mine had the rental car and the hotel charge [which was gonna take 2 days or so to reverse] and I didnt want to max it out. Uncle Michael was a life saver, too!

So we all change clothes and momma and cory head on out to the ocean. Steve and I stand on the balcony and watch them. I could hear momma laughing and screaming. It was so nice! I loved it! Bless her heart, she had an asthma attack because she was laughing so hard and she didnt realize the waves were that strong. She was only out there like 20 minutes and had to come in. We were out there about an hour or two. We came in and ordered some pizza for supper. We got up the next day and spent the entire day at the beach. Momma and I laid out in the sun and then we went and got in the ocean. We just were lazy! It was fantastic! Around 6pm we all came in and got ready and went to Broadway at the Beach. We did stop and eat at Cheeseburgers in Paradise! I *love* that place! When the other cameras get developed, I'll show ya'll the inside of that place. It's so neat! Momma and I did a Build a Bear at Broadway at the Beach. She did two of them, actually. I did one. It took For-Ev-Er! It was crazy! We did those and then the guys were ready to come home. They refused to wear sunblock during the day and turned into little crispy critters. Momma and I used 50SPF and we still got burnt! It was water proof and sweat proof AND we reapplied everytime we got out of the ocean and/or pool. So, we came on home.

The next day Steve couldn't go outside. He was too crispy. He could hardly sleep, even. Bless his heart. He told us to go on, so we did. Momma, Cory, and Myself headed out to the ocean. We were out there bout 2 hours and then momma and I got tired. We came back up to the room. I got a shower, momma got a shower and we just relaxed. I think momma even took a nap. When she woke up it was like 4pm. So, we were starting to get hungry. We fried cheeseburgers that night. I *love* my mommas cheeseburgers! DELICIOUS! After we ate and hung out, around 7:30pm momma and I went back to Broadway at the Beach. We were there til 11:30pm [when they closed]. I got so much stuff! Mahah! We did some shopping and had a blast. When we got home we went right to bed, as we had the casino cruise at 8:45am the next day!

Thursday, we got up around 7:30am and got ready. We had to be waiting out on the sidewalk infront of the hotel at 8:45am for the free shuttle to take us to the casino cruise thingy. So, we did. He came around 8:55, wasn't too bad. It was a ginormous bus, like a greyhound! There were 2 little old women on it when momma and I got on. It was fine. We went and picked up about 6 more people then went on to the cruise place. It said on the flyer thingy that during the day, up on deck, they have dolphin watching. WELL - that was a pack of lies! It's a ginormous boat - holds about 1000 people. Had 500 slot machines, gillions of tables to play black jack, roulette, texas holdem, etc. People were getting drunk and betting. Momma didn't feel comfortable there and I was bored the whole time. We spent 90% of our time up on deck just hoping a dolphin would start swimming by our boat. No such luck. The entire point of the thing was so momma could see a dolphin and NO DOLPHINS JUMPED! *sigh* I will show her a dolphin one day, if it's the last thing I do! She loves dolphins and has never seen one with her own eyes! The cruise was just awful. The boat stunk, it wasn't clean at all, the bathrooms were so dirty that I *refused* to use them. It was a horrible time, but I had fun cause momma was there.

Our boat docks and we wait in line to get off. We do the million mile walk back up to the bus and find our bus driver. We get on the bus and new people are hopping on. We then leave. Oh, I forgot to mention that the EMS had to be called because someone OD'd on the boat. The person that OD'd was supposed to be on our bus. So, yeah. Anyway - we get back home around 4:30 or 5pm and we walk over to the grocery store and grab us some dinner. We've no idea what the boys are doin and we dont care by this point. We get there and they're there. Mahahha! So, we ate. Then, Steve and Cory went to Quizzno's to get them some supper, came back and ate. Around 7:30ish I decide I want to swim one last time before we leave. So, the boys get dressed and we all go to the ocean. The currents were so strong that they were knocking me around and I was just in up to my chins. Steve and Cory are having trouble staying up and the current has pushed them about 2 hotels down, so I refuse. I would *so* not survive. So, I went to the pool. OH it was nice! It was like bathwater. Not even 10 minutes later, here come the guys. They hop in the pool with me and we swam for like 2 hours. We got out and headed up to the room. Got all of our stuff packed and then went to sleep.

We got up at 10am Friday, as checkout was 11am. Loaded up the car and checked out around 11:45ish. We then went to Bob Evans for breakfast. Then we stopped at the Tanger Outlet Center where they have like a Ralph Lauren Outlet, Nike Outlet, Liz Claiborne Outlet, stuff like that. Steve got him a new outfit, I got me a few new pairs of shoes, pawpaw a Nike golf shirt, Steve got a new hat, Momma got her some new shoes and I dont know what else she got, Cory got him all kindsa new clothes from Ralph Lauren [Polo]. Two hours later, we're heading back!

We got home around 1:00am Saturday morning. We dropped momma off. The car ride was so much fun, especially around 11pm when we're all so exhausted and you just get goofy. Mahah! We did stop in Mount Airy, Virginia at a Golden Corral for supper. It was fun. The entire trip was so much fun. I just now finished up the laundry and have the house semi-straightened up. I spent Saturday visiting my grandparents, we had to take the rental car back, and stuff like that. Sunday I went and got the pictures developed and visited my grandparents while that was happening. I do the 1 hour thing. I get too excited! Mahaha! Monday I spent like 2 hours at school then watched The Closer and Real World/Road Rules Challenge Fresh Meat. Yes, I love that show! Mahah! After that went off, I was asleep.

Today I've not really done anything. My grandma called me, I need to call her back. I'll bet the shirts I ordered came in. I'll take the pictures down to them and let them look through them. I start classes on Monday so Im just going to relax the rest of the week. Steve is in the bathroom shaving his face and his head. Mahah! He's got some job interviews lined up the next couple of days. So not a whole lot is going on in my world now. We had an amazing time at the beach and Im so glad we went. Thats a trip I wont forget, that's for sure! Mhahaha! Welp, gonna call my grandma back - hope ya'll are having a decent week. Tomorrow is the Hillbilly Humpday Challenge! Be sure to check back! Oh, if you want to see pictures from Myrtle Beach, they're in the next 3 entries. Just click on July 17th in my calendar over there, and it'll bring them up. Bye! =)