Brunson's Safe & Lock Co.

Brunson Safe & Lock Co
4137 Plank Rd
BATON ROUGE, LA 70805
Phone: (225) 356-3515

As you all know I'm in property management - the job that never stops. I'm technically still working even though I'm not in the city. Today, I had to copy building keys and overnight them to our main office. Commercial building keys can't just be copied at Wal-Mart or Home Depot. I had to go to a Locksmith. First of all, the keys say "Do Not Duplicate", so I had to explain the whole situation to the Locksmith and thankfully he said okay and copied them anyway. When he finished I held out my debit card and he said that debit cards are not working today. So, Kent and I pulled out our cash to pay him in cash, but he refused to take it. He would not accept our money because we are from New Orleans and he couldn't take it knowing all the problems we have there right now. We tried to insist on paying him, but he simply would not take it. So, Kent shook his hand and we thanked him. Although it wouldn't have broken us to pay for those keys, it was just a small example of the kindness being extended by this city and nieghboring communities to the evacuees from New Orleans.

WHAT??!!!

It's just unreal. Kent and I live in Jefferson Parish. I have no idea what our house looks like now. I get choked up just having read what I'm now posting. The following is from the WWL TV website:

****ALL RESIDENTS ON THE EAST BANK OF ORLEANS AND JEFFERSON REMAINING IN THE METRO AREA ARE BEING TOLD TO EVACUATE AS EFFORTS TO SANDBAG THE LEVEE BREAK HAVE ENDED. THE PUMPS IN THAT AREA ARE EXPECTED TO FAIL SOON AND 9 FEET OF WATER IS EXPECTED IN THE ENTIRE EAST BANK. WITHIN THE NEXT 12-15 HOURS****

The following was posted before the item you just read:
Jeff Parish President. Residents will probably be allowed back in town in a week, with identification only, but only to get essentials and clothing. You will then be asked to leave and not come back for one month.

I'm speechless.

Katrina Shelter - Donations Welcome

The Plains Presbyterian Church in Zachary, LA is opening as a shelter for Katrina refugees. If you have any mattresses, sleeping bags, pillows, towels, diapers or of course food that you'd like to donate. Please deliver to 22929 Old Scenic Hwy. Zachary, LA 70791. Phone: (225) 654-2960.

Hunkering Down

For those of you who may be wondering, Kent and I have evacuated to Z-town. We're here with my dad and mom, Laura, my oma and aunt Suzette. My grandma and grandpa just happened to be in FL so they stayed there. As far as I know Aunt Naomi, Uncle Alan and Crystal have left too. I worked all day Saturday.

The property management business gets pretty hectic with the threat of a major hurricane. I was WAY stressed.

Anyway, we left yesterday around 5:30, so I think we missed the worst of the traffic which is today. I'm so thankful that we have my parents' house to go to as there are no hotels available. I guess we'd have Kent's parents' house as well, if my parents didn't live here Zachary. We'd just have to be on the miserable interstate a little longer. Maybe Kent and I should invest in four-wheeler and ride in on that during evacuations. I bet you'd be moving faster than how fast they're moving on the interstate now.

I guess all we have left to do is to pray for the safety of those who couldn't leave. There are thousands of people in New Orleans who rely solely on public transportation. The superdome is open for them, but I still can't help but feel guilty that I'm here and they're not.

Just Two Good 'Ol Boys

Kent, Laura and I went and saw the Dukes of Hazzard last weekend. I REALLY liked it! Sometimes I don't know what is up with those critics. Two and a half stars...what..Well, maybe it had something to do with the fact that Johnny Knoxville and Jessica Simpson are the worst actors that ever walked the planet. Other than that, it was great. A lot of it was filmed in and around Zachary which was even cooler. If you've seen the movie there's a kitchen that Uncle Jesse and Pauline are in. I took my first art lessons in that house. I could actually see the room I used to work in. Then there's a roadblock that is right next to the spot that I had a booth of my work in Downtown Clinton at the Clinton Street Market. Also, the bait shop is actually at the house of someone we know from Zachary. Very neat. Anyway, I liked the movie too. It was funny and had cool cars.

So I just found the NEATEST website!

Check it out kitties! Maybe I'll actually make friends!

Of Course it doesn't look so bad...

...now. Today's dinner was a force to be reckoned with. I, being the Donna Reed that I am, was hurriedly fixing dinner for my husband tonight because he had to leave for a meeting at 6:05. I am no good rushed. I produce a much higher quality work when I have no time constraints (but do I ever finish anything? No.) So, I decided to make Jambalya. Only I'd bought turkey sausage because it's better for us. Well, you have to thoroughly cook Turkey Sausage in the skillet. Uhg...So I'm following the directions. "Grease skillet...saute' sausage" Sounds easy, right? Yeah...first of all, the sausage looked gross! I don't think I've ever worked with raw sausage and I'm not sure that I will again. GAG! I put a link in the skillet and it immediately started splattering. So much so, that it splattered me on the eyelid with hot grease. So I grab my eye. Right at the same time Coca runs in and I call to Kent "PLEASE GRAB HER, SHE'LL GET BURNED!" In that same instant I knock a serrated knife off of the counter and into my "tallman" toe! The blood actually splattered...which freaked me out at first because I am so not good with blood. Kent ran off to look for a bandaid and I got brave enough to look closely at my toe (normally this would be Kent's or my mom's job. I will lose it if I have to tend to my own bloody injury). I realized it wasn't near as bad as when I dropped the scissors on my toe and decided to clean it up myself. I didn't even get weak while wiping it up. Of course the blood on my toe was like the size of a sunflower seed. Anyway...Kent did get to eat before he went to his meeting, but it was not without a price.

Work

It seemed like a good idea at 7:30 AM...

...turned out - it was just weird. I have a pair of dark red pants that I wear to work. I also have a red purse (that can be switched to a backpack) the exact same color as the pants! Well, in my early morning, first day back from vacation stupor on Monday I decided it would be a good idea to remove the strap from the purse and wear it as a belt. It was not until around 5:30 that evening as I was slouching on the couch that I looked down and began to laugh at how weird it was that I wore a purse strap to work.

Me and mornings - not a good team.

Back to Reality

Well, we're home from the beach trip with my family. It was so wonderful. We had a GRRRREAT time! 9 DAYS IN A ROW OF NOT GOING TO WORK!! It was like a dream come true. No stress, no high heels, no dress clothes, no brushing teeth (okay I did brush every other day), no make up...mostly just no working. I totally do not want to go back tomorrow. I am not ready to be tense again. I will just think about the beach when I get stressed. Anyway, here are some pictures:

Kent's thirsty...
Beachy
Me and my sissy
Phase 10...Love it..
Kent making a kissy face
Beach birdies
WE LOVE THE BEACH!

Poop Stories & Pepsi Commercial

So, I heard from Kent that someone told him that it's just not right without a good poop story (you know who you are). I couldn't agree more! I miss ya!

Has anyone seen this pepsi commerical? I think it is Huh-huh-Huhlarious!

**So, by now, most of you have probably already read this post. I decided to remove the video, so that you wouldn't have to wait for it to load every time you viewed the page. If you have not see the commericial I highly recommend you do so HERE **

Closing in on a record

I am closing in on a personal record. I've never had a job for more than 10 months. It just hasn't worked out. I've been with my current company for what will soon be 9 months. Of course I have a reason why all of the other jobs didn't work out. I now take you on the timeline of unemployment:

Babysit two kids all summer - 5 days 1996- One kid chased me with a cow rib.






YMCA Camp Cullen - Summer 1998 - Job ended, that's it.




Jean Breaux & Associates - Sept. 1998 - May 1999 - I wanted a more fun job for the summer



Lafayette Health Club "Life Guard" - 2 days in May 1999 - Boring





BREC Camp - Counselor - 4 days in June 1999 - Kids drove me crazy



Toy Soldier - Sales - Never showed up for the first day


Talbot's - Sales - 2 Days in november 1999 or 2000 (I can't remember) Told me I didn't dress nice enough


I'm not sure, but I don't think I had another job until I got out of college.


Highland Baptist Christian School - "PE Teacher" August 2001 - May 2002 What was I thinking. I never even liked PE. It really takes a special person to teach and it's not me.

Corky's Barbeque - now that was awesome! Just kidding - 3 months sometime in 2002 Do I really need to give a reason for quitting?

The Hise Company - 10 months (the record) - moved


Current Company...we shall see...

Voodoo...

Who? Me?

Well, today was like any other day...work-lunch-work-home. There was one event that made this day unlike any other I've experienced. I'd gone to lunch as usual and was headed back to the office as usual. I pulled into our office driveway and saw the maintenance engineer getting into his truck. I wasn't going to get out to talk to him because it was raining and I'm allergic to water. However, he kept motioning like he needed to tell me something. So, I stuck my head over the top of my car to see what he wanted. He then asked me, "Did you bring your dog to the office recently?" I said that I had on Saturday for a little while. He then covered his face as if to say "Oh no..." (like the guy on SNL). I said, "Why did she have an accident?" He said, "Uh, yeah." So I asked him where, thinking it was in the back hallway, or the storage area, where we rarely go. "In the boss's office!" Oh great...now I'm in trouble. I rushed inside and much to my disappointment the boss was on the phone. I hurried to my computer and messaged him,  "Are you ready to be mad at me?" No response, so I typed "I brought my dog to the office on Saturday and I think she may have left a surprise in your office." I heard him get off the phone and start walking to my office, I turned as red as a tomato as I heard him turn the corner and I started in on the "I'm so sorries." I was shocked and emabarrassed. He said he'd already called the cleaning company thinking one of them had brought a dog into our office, but was relieved to know it was me. I of course, couldn't quit laughing and apologizing. He laughed it off too and said it was funny more than anything else. I told him I'd go clean it up and he said "no, I'll do it". There was no way I was letting him clean my dogs poop, and I went to clean it up. There they were...two little Coca turds, about the size of the long skinny tootsie rolls. I was totally embarrassed and proceded to explain to my boss how I can never be normal and that it's just fitting that I get a new boss and my dog poos on his office floor!! I told him I wouldn't bring her back any more, but he said he didn't care if I brought her to the office. It really was no problem. He just told me he may leave a surprise under my desk. I told him that would be really wierd since he doesn't have any animals... The thing is, that little turd factory ran into our building about 30 seconds ahead of me. I quickly went in and shut everyone's office doors except mine so she couldn't leave any surprises. She must've shot those out like missles as soon as she got in there. Thanks Coca...way to help your moms get on the boss's good side!

Honk Honk

Tonight Kent and I went to eat dinner at CiCi's Pizza. Those of you in Lafayette, this is actually a good CiCi's Pizza...Really Good! Anyway, their credit card machine was broken so you had to pay cash. Good for us, our bank was just two buildings down. So we decided to walk over there. However, the only ATM they have is a drive up ATM. There were already two cars in line so we went and stood behind them. Of course I was cracking up laughing. Then another car pulled up behind us. This was very, very funny to me. It was like that commercial where the lady pulls up at her kid's school pretending to be in a car and blows an air horn. All we needed was an air horn. I got a good laugh tonight.

I'm outta here!

Coca's cousin, Pixie. She doesn't like kittens.

My Cokes

Well, joy of all joys, Kent and I now have this thing called the internet at home. Very exciting. YIPPEE!

Coca, our pup, is getting bigger all the time. She looks even bigger today because she had a bath and is very fluffy! She recently got a great Summer outfit so I just had to share. So cute, and ready for the beach.




She's spent alot of time hunting wild pigs, as well. She's quite the hunter...


Anyway, that's all I have for now. I'll probably post more pictures now that we've joined the rest of the world in the 21st century.

Nite!

Banasas

Yes, that is what I meant to type...Banasas.

I'm so stressed.

I had a bad day about a week and a half ago. Really, the only thing going right was that I continued to breathe. It was that bad. To top it all off, Kent and I went to my Grandpa and Grandma's for dinner that night. As we were leaving we walked towards my car and Kent says, "Jessica, what happened to your car?" What happened? Not sure...But I do have a big dent in my passenger side front fender. It may have happened during one of the three times in the previous week that people suddenly decided to back-up while driving in front of me. One of them got really close and I layed on the horn, so I thought he missed me. Maybe he didn't. Sometimes I'm so oblivious when I'm driving. Not just when I'm driving I guess. If I have a lot on my mind I tend to space out when doing everyday tasks. I'm okay if I'm talking to someone though.

Anyway, two weeks from tomorrow I'm on VACATION!!!! WOO HOO! I can hardly wait!

Big Brother 6

Every Summer I watch Big Brother. Every Summer there is someone on Big Brother that I cannot stand! This year it's Eric. Ugh! He's awful. Everyone just follows him around like their great and powerful leader. I dislike him for many reasons. Here is a short list:

*He's way to "gung-ho" about everything.
*He's way too much into "teamwork."
*He likes to teach the group a lesson with his enlightening lectures on not making anyone feel bad for losing. (*gag*)
*He's all about loyalty.
*He says things like "NO ONE MESSES WITH MY FAMILY." It's not like someone went and poked your wife in the butt with a needle. Talking about your grandparents will not hurt them.
*He manipulates the house by showing them how "honorable" he is.
*He acts like the King of the house walking around displaying how much better he is than everyone else.
*He makes me want to vomit.

Mostly, he just takes the whole thing way too seriously and I hope he leaves the house soon. It makes me cringe to think that he could win.

Think I watch too much reality TV? Do I take it too seriously as a viewer to actually post about how much I dislike someone on the show? You're right. But, I don't really have anything better to do with no friends in New Orleans and Kent busy with school work.

Why do roaches get on people while they're sleeping?

As many of you may know, New Orleans has some huge roaches. They actually use bucking roaches in rodeos here rather than broncos. I've been thinking about our disgusting brown neighbors a lot lately due to all the rain we've been getting. It has made me recall two roach stories from people I know:

1. *Person* who shall remain nameless, was sleeping in her comfy, cozy bed. All of the sudden she woke up to something sharp poking her in the leg. When she lifted her covers it was a great big flying cocroach!

2. *Person* who shall also remain nameless, woke up to a huge roach on his hand and proceded to fling it across the room!

WHY DO ROACHES GET ON PEOPLE WHILE THEY'RE SLEEPING? Are they looking for crumbs? Do they watch us all day and think, "Just wait till you go to sleep. I'm going to get that little jelly smudge off of your cheek." Maybe they're just mocking us. They know they're hated so the crawl on us just to spite us. Neither of the above stories were about me, but I've been sleeping with tissues in my ears a lot lately, just to make sure nothing takes up residence.

Anyway, just wanted to share some grossness...