Listening to the dogs play

As I write, I am listening to Jolie bark at Diesel because he won't play with her. They've been getting along very well over the past few weeks. I'm so proud of both of them. Diesel has been more accepting of her actions and Jolie has calmed down some. Even Lucy has learned to tolerate our hyper little Jolie.
I've had football the past two Friday nights. I haven't had any action yet but it's really nice to be a part of high school sports. Fyffe lost a very well played season opener to Westbrook Chrisitian.
I'm really looking forward to the upcoming week. College football begins Thursday and we're going to Tuscaloosa for the game this weekend.

Glad the weather has finally cooled down some. We can't wait for Fall here: Melissa because she likes to decorate for the season and me because it's football season and the weather is much cooler.

Hope you're all doing well!
Caine

Whew...It's a bit warm.

I find it a bit to warm when you can't even get into a swimming pool to cool off. I've been avoiding all yard work and I just sorta wish my grass would burn up instead of growing. I've been going to morning football practices and even then it's almost too hot to be practicing football. They practice at 5:00pm today. There are many times I wish I was back on that field but this is not one of those times. I remember when I was younger, I'd need a jacket when we woul go watch football games. Now, you might need a jacket if you make the playoffs.

All this watching football practice has really got me charged up for the upcoming Alabama football season. I hope to make it to Tuscaloosa for at least 2-3 games this season. I'm definitely going to make it for the Georgia State game. I don't know if all of you know this but I am an alum of both schools. I know GSU won't be very good but I am going to pulling for this this season as they get started. Bill Curry is one of the more genuine individuals that I've ever met in my lifetime. You can't get away without him telling you stories about about when he played at Georgia Tech or when he played with Johnny U in Green Bay. I didn't agree with and still don't agree with them having a football team but when they hired Coach Curry I became more supportive.

We're doing very well right now. Our mini zoo is running as smooth as can be expected. We hope to get the puppy trained on our underground fence ASAP. Maybe she can teach Diesel a few tricks.

Melissa started back to school this week and I think the kids start back on Tuesday. She loves her job more than anyone I know and I proud that she found something that is so meaningful and fulfilling.

Until next...
Hydrate, stay out of extreme temperatures, and Roll Tide!

Six months...

It has been almost six months since I've sat down to write and it seems like it's been even longer. I just read my last entry and so many things have changed.

Two weeks ago I started a new job. I'm now working as an athletic trainer for a family-owned physical therapy company, Pro Health Physical Therapy, located in Rainsville and Fort Payne. I'll be covering some Dekalb County schools during the school year. Melissa thinks that it's hilarious that she works at NSM and I could potentially be working at Plainview. Melissa has been doing some PRN work at The Highlands Hospital in Scottsboro this summer.

We made our second trip this year to the annual CMA Music Festival. If you like country music you should definitely check it out. There are tons of big names and some interesting smaller names. We got to see Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, and Carrie Underwood just to name a few. Below is a picture of our group on a bridge overlooking downtown Nashville.

We came home to find our new alarm clock sitting on our front porch... There was a puppy asleep on our front porch at about 3:00am when we got home from Nashville. She's as cute as a button but wakes up fairly early. Jolie and Diesel didn't get along well at first but they are slowly but surely getting more acquainted with one another. She's definitely a chewer but as you can see ,she's as cute as can be...

We also went on vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC. and drove back through Charleston a few weeks ago. It was my first time to experience Myrtle Beach and it was pretty cool. There are way too many diferent things to get into. I'm more of a go to the beach and go out to eat kinda guy but Melissa has to have things to do. We also had some of the best seafood I've ever experienced, mainly at the Dead Dog Saloon in a small community called Murrells Inlet. Charleston was pretty cool but I wouldn't want to spend a whole lotta time there. Here's a couple of pictures from our trip...

This Melissa's attempt at her own Corona commercial

This is beautiful Murrells Inlet.

And this picture is from Charleston.

It is my intent to keep up better with this thing. Hope you're all doing well and will let us know how you're doing.

Can't wait for football season 55 more days!!!. Roll Tide!

Guess who's back?

I know, I know. It has been a really long time since I've updated my blog. What a hectic few months. The month of November was spent working on our remodel. We put quite a bit of work in our new house and made a huge difference. We are blessed with great family and friends who have and continue to work hard helping us. About two weeks before Christmas the remodel really slowed down. We've still gotta finish the interior doors, kitchen cabinets, and back door steps. I've also got to finish Diesel's fence. We moved into the house right before Christmas.

Melissa seems to be enjoying her job within the school system. And it looks like she will start a part-time job with a clinic in Fort Payne fairly soon.

My work has good days and bad, but overall I'm really pleased with where I am right now. I'm definitely not working those grueling hours like I was at Georgia State. Sometimes I miss having important decisions to make, but then I remember the headaches that I had to endure while I was there and know that it wasn't worth it.

Christmas was great this year for us! We got to see everyone and we didn't have to rush back somewhere. It's pretty nice when you're practically just down the street from everyone.

Its been so long since I've written about football as well. I am so proud of the accomplishments that The University of Alabama football team had this year. It was truly a monumental season and I look forward to next year with every passing day.

Hopefully, I can make myself be more dilligent in writing my blogs not just to let you know whats going on in our life, but also to help me reflect on the things that've happened. They tend to be fresher on my mind when I write about them sooner rather than later.

Halloween Eve.....boogidie boo.

Good Morning!!! As I sit here at my desk finishing my 36oz cup of coffee (can you say caffeine dependent???)on the day before halloween I got to thinking. #1 tomorrow is Halloween and I have to work at a dagum dance for middle school kids...maybe a scary mask is in order. #2 It has been just touch longer than 9 months since we moved back to Sand Mountain. This time last year was when I decided that it was time to move on from GSU... I remember it like it was yesterday. I had applied for about 10 other jobs in a short amount of time. Then I saw the posting for the job here in Scottsboro over Thanksgiving break. Isn't it funny how God provides us with things we don't even know we want or need at the time but it seems so right later. I never imagined that I'd end up back "home" but it has been one of the more awesome things that has happened to us.

We closed on our house last Wednesday!!! Right now we're waiting on the previous owners to get outta there so we can get in there and do the renovations that we have planned. I'm not going to explain it you'll have to come see it, but what we're doing will drastically change the looks of this place.

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. What an exciting time of year. It will be lots different this year because we're already at home. Maybe a little less stressful and hectic???

Yesterday, I tried a new sport that I had never really tried. I played racquetball for the first time ever. It's pretty fun. More fun than tennis and I enjoy tennis most of the time. One of my co-workers talked me into playing. It was a pretty good workout; I def. got in a good sweat.

So I guess I've seen a few of you since last Saturday and I'm sure the rest are wondering if I'm still alive after the myocardial infarction that was the UA v. Tennessee game last week. I am still here but man was that ever nuts. Just in case you don't remember exactly what happened I've added a picture for your viewing pleasure. Props to UT; they played a heck of a football game. But our play calling was appalling. RUN THE FOOTBALL!!! Thank you.



Soccer season is almost over and would've finished last night if not for all the rain we've got this week. I'm ready for my slow period.

Hope everyone has a good day and spooky halloween!
Caine

eeeeeeeewwwoooooohhhh That smell...

Greetings! I have to assume that most of you have at least heard about our unfortunate encounter with mother nature this week and I will soon enlighten you on the story I received (thank God I wasn't there) after I update you on other things going on in life.

We have almost reached one of many milestones as a married couple. We are very close to being first time homeowners (Please hold your applause till everyone's name has been called.) There have been some bumps along the road but I'm certain those things will work themselves out over the next couple of days. We will be doing quite a bit of renovation after we take possession of the house. We'll be doing some demo, new flooring and painting (we'll have plenty of brushes ;)). Hopefully this time next week I will be getting ready to go to our closing.

This past weekend we participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. We did so in memory and in celebration of our friends and family members who have fought the ugly disease. It wasn't the most beautiful day and the rain couldn't have felt any colder but it was nice to see how many people get involved with that thing. I'd also like to give props to Luke who finished the race at a blistering pace of 21 minutes. Melissa and I took our sweet time (there we a lot of people in the way. haha). I tried to do a little prep work during the week last week. On Thursday I ran about 2.5 miles and knew then that the race was going to be brutal. It was a good time and I hope to do it again in the future.

While in Birmingham we also got to see some old friends. We had dinner with Dan, my old roommate from college. We also got to see the Johnsons, Melissa's friend Elizabeth from grad school and her husband David. It was really good to spend time with folks we haven't seen in far too long.

So, it's time for what most of you have been waiting for. Keep in mind this is only an account of the story that I was told.
Melissa calls me in hysterics (on a Melissa hysterical scale of 1-10-ten being the most crazy-I rate this at a 7.2) She then began to tell me how it all played out. Nancy mentioned that she heard Diesel barking and stepped outside. Melissa looked out and saw Nancy start walking at a fast pace. She went outside and saw D carrying something black and white. Melissa immediately thought it was one of their cats and began to yell at him. Nancy then explained to her that cats don't smell that foul. Then Diesel tried to bring it to them "Look what I got!" Nancy enticed him to let the skunk go by offering chicken fingers. Then he rolled around on the ground for a while and was bleeding. They then loaded him into the car to take him to the vet. Diesel has a blood disease that doesn't allow wounds to clot properly so a minor scratch could turn into a huge problem. They got like a mile from their house and all the bleeding had stopped so they decided to return home.
Since that time Diesel has had a 3-4 baths. His face (most likely, the point of impact) still smells like skunk. We've let him back indoors now but he smelled putrid for a few days. I hope he's learned his lesson but who knows.

This is the point where I start talking about sports. If you don't care no need to read any further.

Happenings in non-college Football news.
-The US qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa!!! Congrats.
-The Atlanta Dream (WNBA team I worked for in Atlanta) made the WNBA playoffs one year after having the worst season in league history. Coach Meadors was awarded WNBA Coach of the Year and Angel Mccoughtry was named rookie of the year.

2.5 weeks ago Tim Tebow got a pretty serious concussion while being tackled if you haven't heard. It's also a rumor that during that time away from football he found a solution to world hunger.

This college football season is turning out to be one of the more interesting in recent past. There are two teams, maybe three (We'll see this weekend how good Texas really is.)that are very strong, Alabama and Florida. I would be foolish to say that my allegiance to Alabama football plays no role in my observation of the two teams but this may be one of the most unbiased opinions that I've ever had. Alabama is a better team; Florida has better athletes. We'll see how that comes out in the wash. After the coming year's recruiting class arrives on campus that might not be the case. Hopefully we'll get to see a match up later on in the year.

On the Ole Miss game...
I hope it's the first and last time we try to force the ball to Julio every time we get into the redzone. The same tight ends that have been open all year long were open last weekend. Problem solved. That changes the score to 38-3. I'll accept one FG.

It's a beauti-fall day in the neighborhood.

Today, like the past few days is about as picture perfect as you can get. Here in Alabama we are enjoying days in the upper 60's and low 70's and night down into the 40's. Hello cheaper power bill! I read yesterday on that our friend Brittany, who lives in Ohio, had a freeze advisory this morning. I couldn't handle that kind of weather. I'm wearing a sweatshirt and shorts right now with the temp in the mid 70's.

Today, I should be on the nearest golf course but sometimes we have to work. I must say that I am blessed right now. Soccer season has begun and it is by far the most calm season to date for me at my new job. It's funny, most of you know that I worked at Georgia State over the past few years and that was really my first time to be exposed to soccer and even then I didn't truly embrace the sport. I found out enough about it to scream at the referees (my favorite past time) but I am by no means as adept at soccer as I would be at football or baseball. However, this is the funny part, with the exception of 2 coaches I know more about soccer than quite possibly every person in Scottsboro.

We finally found a house!!! Can you believe it! I will be living in the big METRO of Rainsville. We found a deal with a cute little house and a rather large spot of land for Diesel to roam. We're just waiting on the powers that be (The FNB) to get everything squared away. So, here's my call to you. Clear your schedule for...let's say...the second weekend in November plus or minus a weekend. I could use your back. :) If there's one thing I hate it's packing. I can handle the move but I don't have the patience to pack (good luck Liss). I'll give a little more info about the house. It's a small brick house on 1.5 acres on the Powell side of Rainsville. It's still a short drive to Scottsboro for me and it doesn't really affect Liss's trip.

Football is in full swing. WOOOOHOOOO and Roll Tide. Over the past 4 weeks of play I have really impressed with our offensive attack. While not always starting with the most gusto. We eventually impose our will (running the football) on our opponents. The thing that is most impressive to me is Greg McElroy. He is really good. "He ain't no JPW." has been my quote of the week. Not only is he smart; (unlike John Parker) he has a cannon. We'll see in a few weeks, when we play someone with a good defenseHokies. You make us look stronger every week.

Have a great weekend. Apparently I'm going to the fair.