Long Weekend...

So, I have a much needed four day weekend break from work thanks to the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, and my forward thinking to request Tuesday off as well, so woo hoo!  Good thinking on my part, because I am much in need of an extended break.

I won't know the results of my "pass or you get fired" test until early June, but things did not go well.  At least the first day.  I felt better about the second day, but there were math problems involved, and as we all know:

It tends to stagger me.  But we'll see.  I'll know whether or not I passed a stupid test that has nothing to do with my day-to-day job in order to keep said job in early June. Until then...I ain't bothered.

Other than that, despite my crushing depression that keeps me from even wanting to wake up in the morning, the Rottenator has been spectacular in supporting me the best he can.  I cannot say it enough: there is something to be said for someone who loves you unconditionally.  Yes, you may get angry when they leave the seat up...don't take the garbage can to the curb...play NBA basketball on Xbox non-stop, but seriously...then they spend a whole day taking you out to eat, enduring your shopping for clothes, feigning interest in the things you're interested in...it means a lot.

So you deal with the minor problems when it comes down to the fact that they are loyal, love you unconditionally, and do whatever they can to make you feel better...even when there's nothing that they can do.  That makes me sad for him, actually.  Because there is no logical reason for me to feel so down right now and he is scrambling to do everything he can to make it better, but he can't.  Stupid chemical imbalance.

But it's okay; I'm soon to get everything sorted;  tomorrow is my mother's birthday, and I made her a strawberry pie...I will post pictures tomorrow, once it's all decorated with the whipped cream and whatnot, and share the recipe IF it gets the approval.  It's a homemade version of a Shoney's strawberry pie, y'all.

In the meantime, I am losing myself in a marathon of "Arrested Development" on Netflix because it is one of my most favorite shows every, and they are debuting 14 new episodes tomorrow.  God love the internet.

My Mood Ring(tone) Of The Day:

Home Again, Jiggity...Whatever

Another weekend at the beach, yes, I know my life is so hard. Whatever.

Anyway, it was a very nice weekend, with more relaxation than work, and I have come to the decision that I am going to retire at the beach...hopefully within the next year.

In my dreams.  OH, but I wish I could, because how I envy the laid back, easy going, island life. Even the Rottenator is in a better mood at the beach.  There's just something about it.

So, thanks to my sister and brother-in-law, there was less furniture putting together, and more relaxing, and more eating this weekend, which is good and bad. And I cannot truly distinguish between the two, so I will offer you a mixture of both:

First good and bad: we had time to explore Botany Bay which is a protected nature habitat near Edisto Island which is great if you love birds and wildlife and, as the Rottenator calls them, "tree-hugging hippies".  Whatever, is was very pretty, even though the "tour" left much to be desired.

I would insert a bunch of pictures here of our tour and how anti-spectacular it exactly was but for some reason, my phone and my computer are not communicating so you will have to just imagine the spectacular that was the "stone beehive"...and imagine the Rottenator saying, "What...the...fuck...this...is...bullshit..." as he sped up the car and we whizzed by at 100 mph.


And for once, I did not blame him. I was done at the ruins of the plantation house that consisted of a pile of bricks that sat surrounded by what I assume is electronic fencing. And this was after we passed the John Deere tractors.  Did they have those back in the 1800s?

Needless to say, the tour was not memorable.  But the beach was very nice, and the shells were quite pretty...to look at.  Because don't take one, or someone might report you to 1-800-Thief, and then...yeah, well, get ready to pony up that $470 Mister, or you're off to the pokey.

Despite the disappointment of the tour,  the beach is very pretty.  Au natural, as it were.  So, not a wasted walk.  I will now offer you up a link of spectacular photos to look at because I cannot provide my own:
Gorgeous.

I loved the hermit crabs the most.

Part two of the good and bad: oh my Jeebus did I eat too much this weekend! I mean seriously, I am done. Not just with seafood, but I'm talking all of it: biscuits, chicken, hamburgers, shrimp, red snapper, hollandaise sauce, crab, more shrimp, more burgers, more Rubens, more chips and salsa, Reeses white peanut butter cups, Snickers peanut butter bites, you are all the devil! I renounce you all!

So, moving on, the diet starts tomorrow.  Power bar breakfast, yogurt for lunch, lean cuisine for dinner. I'm not fucking around.  Just one week of this and I'll be back on course. Because I am pretty fucking sick of my belly jiggling like Santa Claus every time I laugh.  Yes, before you start, I have weight issues.  I finally got to the point where I am in the "normal" weight range and I'm not about to let it go now, and I see my triggers and I'm catching the problem before it becomes a true issue.  This is just me.  A daily struggle on how to be healthy.

Meanwhile, my mother is about to get her pool all kinds of fancied up with a new liner so that's how I plan to spend my summer: laps in the pool.  Because god knows, the only thing I hate more than excercise is sweating, so I figure, burning off some calories in the pool is a win-win...win.



In the meantime, I adore this tune, so here is My Mood Ring(tone) of the Day:

Are you kidding me, he is in Batman footie pajamas, how could I not love him?

C is for cookies...

That's good enough for me; however, it is not good enough for the Rottenator.  Mr. "We need to save money for a second car and Harry Potter blah blah blah" would not touch a left-over even if it slapped him in the face and demanded to be eaten.

I don't get it.  I can make a beef stew on Sunday, and still be snacking on it for lunch on Tuesday.

The Rottenator, however, is convinced that bacteria starts forming on meat within two hours of it being prepared so he won't touch it.

HOWEVER, he will chow down on a chocolate peanut butter Reeses bunny like it's nobody's business if it's left in a cabinet for more than one day.

He ate the face first.  Then finished off the rest of it with abandon.

I relayed this information to my mother who happened to mention that I may possibly have food issues (duh!) and this particular "all the food in the universe is mine don't touch it or I'll cut you" impulse is heriditary.

Good to know I'm crazy for a reason.  It seems my father was the same way.  In fact, the Mother relayed an incident wherein my father and my godfather left their chocolate bunnies in the refridgerator for more than one hour and she devoured them both and my dad freaked the fuck out. With good reason.  My mother's explanation:

"Well I warned them."  Are you kidding me?  THAT IS NO EXCUSE!!!!

It was MY chocolate peanut butter bunny and there will never be another one like it and you took it from me and now you must suffer and possibly die.

Those are the consequences of touching MY food.

Tell me people, who is right in this situation?  And if you say that it's anyone other than me, believe me, I know how to cut a bitch.

My Mood Ring(tone) Of The Day:

Spring Break, Woo Hoo!

So, this upcoming weekend, the Rottenator, the Mominator and I are going to spend Easter at the beach and I am SO looking forward to it.

Not only does this mean I have a four day work week, but I also get to be at the beach! 

Incidentally, the family beach house is at Edisto Beach,SC which is approximately here:

And it looks like this:

And this is the oak tree in the yard that I absolutely adore:

I have been craving fresh seafood for a few weeks, so this trip is a long time coming.  I'm kind of a snob when it comes to seafood; it has to be fresh from the dock to my plate for me to enjoy it.

Needless to say, I've never been a fan of Red Lobster. And rightfully so. Except for their god damn cheese biscuits.  They are amazeballs; more than enough to pull you over to the dark side.

This will also mark the first weekend that the Nooge is going to be left alone overnight.  This cat can barely stand a second by himself without going mental so I don't know what we're going to return to.

Side note: I accidentally locked him in the bathroom for a few hours while I was running errands this afternoon.  And after he wrecked the entire room, I've had to deal with this:

"Never leave again...never leave again!"  He's been passed out ever since his unfortunate incarceration.


I fully expect a demolished house upon our return.

Nevertheless, upcoming mini vacation, yay! I hope to find many shark's teeth and also am praying for no rain.

And an Easter basket on Sunday morning.  If not a basket, then at least some perfume.  I'm just sayin'...time to make up for Valentine's Day, Rottenator.

My Mood Ring(tone) of the Day:

Genetics

This is my daddy...

This is my niece...

We always debated over where Victoria got her spectacular blue eyes from, and that unique impish expression, and finally have photographic proof.

Genetics are a hell of a thing.  I miss my dad; it's been nearly 20  years since he passed away of "the cancer" (always said in a whisper) and I still think about him constantly.  How things would be different.  And how he would love his grandchildren, especially that little supastah up there.

My nephew turned 11 years old yesterday, and my mom and I travelled to my sister's house to celebrate this momentous occasion.

This is the birthday boy:

Yet I remember him when he was like this:

And even younger.  Man, I'm old.

This kid is awesome, btw. All of my sister's kids are.  Thank God she had some to carry on the family line because I sure as hell wasn't going to.

I can barely handle a Nooge and a Rottenator.

Such is life.

My sister, btw, is a cupcake genius.  Check out these badboys:

And they were delish. The Rottenator and I are on a budget to save up for a second car so currently I am no longer concocting delicious dishes (unless you count Hamburger Helper or Beans and Rice as delish, and why would you) so I am living vicariously through the sis's creativity.

And am massively impressed.

Meanwhile, it's St. Paddy's (not Patty's) Day and to honor my forefathers, here are my Mood Ring(tones) Of The Day:  (and oh yes, there are more than a few...)

And who could forget...

Amused Douche

Can we just take a second to discuss the Top Chef finale?

Let me just back up a moment to say that this is my favorite show on television; I have been a devotee since the very beginning, when Harold Dieterle won way back in 2005, way before the world was introduced to the semi-delights of one Padma Lakshmi.

I have suffered through the Hoseas ,the Kevins, and still...I love this show.  And not just because Tom Colicchio has the most amazing blue eyes since Ian Somerhalder.

But this year, the finale, I don't know...

First off, I am thrilled that there is finally another female Top Chef; it has been a long time coming since Stephanie Izard won back in 2008.  And Kristen totally deserved the win...but I disagree with the voting process this year.


Even though it did include my latest celebrity chef crush, Hugh Acheson, as one of the judges.

This year it was based on a round by round comparison; there was no debate at the end of the 5 course meal, there was a death by elimination factor wherein the judges decided there on the spot which dish was better.  And whoever had the best three out of five was automatically deemed the next Top Chef.

So Kristen won after round four. And Brooke never even got a chance to present her final dish.  So, what, Top Chef is suddenly a death match?

This is where my  mother and I disagree; she approved of the new format, stating, fairly, that normally during the debate portion of the program, certain judges can thereby exert their opinion on other, weaker-willed, easily persuaded judges, and proclaim the winner of their choice.

Fair enough.  But I always enjoy the debate. But I guess the bottom line is this: Tom Colicchio always gets his way.  And he's always right.

And it's near time for Top Chef Masters.  The scary part: Kathie Lee Gifford is signed up to be a guest judge.  *sigh*

Here's hoping this show doesn't jump the shark.

My Mood Ring(tone) Of the Day:

Just Breathe...

Sometimes I forget my own philosophy.  It's the Virgo in me, I guess.  What the above does not say,  however, is that sometimes, you have to take a breath, pull up your big girl britches, grab a faithful companion, and get shit done!

So the money situation is somewhat resolved.  It involved me taking a day off from work, and driving up to our state's capital with a purpose:  I needs my merney!

The IRS: could not get my agent on the phone; bank would not release my money, IRS didn't send over the right release form, back and forth, each blaming the other, I would call it phone tag with the exception being I was the only one making the calls, so bottom line, I hunted that bitch down and showed up in person with one evil looking boy from Alabama and refused to leave until I got paid!

And was home by 11am.  And had my money returned that same day.  Funny how even in the age of new technology, with smart phones, texts, emails, faxing, sometimes the old fashioned approach works the best.

Show up in person with folder in hand and take no shit attitude.

Still, we are out $300 in bank overdraft fees, but we got the big chunk back.  Which is significantly better than nothing.

The worst part of it was (other than the returned check from my garbage pickup which was my final straw) was the fact that it wasn't just my money that was affected.

The Rottenator and I have a joint account, so not only was my paycheck hijacked, so was his.  His hard-earned paycheck from a job he can't stand (which he is soon out of) was eaten up by means of a direct deposit and overdraft fees.

I felt guilty beyond belief; he, however, handled it wonderfully.  Even though this was MY mistake, made long before the two of us even met, he saw it as OUR problem, OUR money, OUR hurdle to get past.

And I love him all the more for that.  Maybe this was a lesson, that I was taking him, and our recently more comfortable life for granted by claiming I was bored, I don't know.  Of course, my boredom could have also been cured by suddenly inheriting a million bucks, but this worked, too.

A heightened appreciation of the Rottenator, and an appreciation of my "boring" and drama free life.  Lesson learned. And I realized, that once again, I do have a support system, people that love me, people that are willing to help out no matter what, and I am infinitely blessed.  PS: thanks Mom.  You know what for. I am, as always, grateful.  And I promise that one day, you will not have to step in and bail out your 40 year old daughter.

Though I'll always be your favorite, right?  ;-)

So, things are better, not completely perfect, but close enough for me to be able to relax for a minute and appreciate.  I've also reached out to a very close friend that I knew over college and through my own selfishness, let the relationship flounder and die.  And they responded favorably, as they always have when I have failed them in the past.

It makes me want to be a better person, and to appreciate people more.  And be more accepting of what I perceive of as "flaws" and "shortcomings" in others.

Because I am far from perfect, and yet seem to be the first one to cast a stone. Empathy, it is MY major shortcoming, because I seem to have very little of it for others, yet demand tons of it for myself.

But I'm learning, and I'm working on it.

Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!  My sister sent me this:

which was amazingly awesome; have I mentioned that you must be watching the Vampire Diaries?  It is the one hour a week that I can escape the pressures of adulthood and forget myself in teenage drama, and I love it for that.

And the Rottenator and I enjoyed a lovely dinner out; we celebrated early because he's working tomorrow night, but that's okay.  At least the IRS couldn't manage to ruin that.


My (two!) Mood Ring(tones) Of the Day:

My, but we are a persnickety bunch

I'll be first to admit it: my family has issues. 

For a long time I thought it was me, I was the black sheep of the family, the problem child.  But no, oh good God no, I finally realized that every one of my characteristics and my troublesome nature are derived from somewhere in this branched and crooked family tree.

Number one would be my food issues.  I'm sure I've mentioned my relationship with food before.  As in, it's mine, all mine, not yours, there is no edible scrap of food anywhere on this planet that does not belong to me.  I don't care if you bought it, you cooked it, you cared for it and cleaned it, it's mine.  Even if I don't want it.  I may develop a taste for it someday and therefore, you cannot have any, because it may never be replaced, and then I will starve to death.

In like...50 years, because I'm pretty sure I've stored up enough fat that my body can subsist on its own for that long by devouring itself.

But hey guess what, I'm not the only one who has this til death do us part relationship with food.  So does my sister.

We discussed it ad nauseum this weekend at her house during my niece's birthday party:

That, btw, is the one and only picture I managed to get of this child because much like her Aunt, she doesn't like her picture taken because she's afraid it may steal her soul.  That, and she doesn't appear on film.  This was a miracle Hail Mary shot.

So, where as all of the food on the planet belongs to me, my sister's thing is that she's desperately afraid that the planet's food supply is going to run out and it's never going to be replaced so she will never be able to eat again and starve to death.  This is actually a realistic fear because being that the food is mine and I seem to be eating everything in sight, a world-wide famine is highly probable.

It's always amazed me that some people view food as merely the fuel by which we need in order to survive.  It doesn't matter if it tastes good, they have no particular favorites, they just eat what they need to and move on.  Even crazier are those people who forget to eat.  How can you "forget" to eat?  Like, didn't your stomach growling, or the fact that you're feeling weak or fainty clue you in to the fact that you may have missed a step.  Like, sleeping, peeing, pooping, blinking, or, breathing?  It makes no damn sense.

I've always had food issues.  I don't know if this was a turning point for me or just another phase in my food obsession, but I distinctly remember connecting food with my father.  We would have long, drawn out family meals that lasted for hours, long enough that you'd finished eating one meal and were hungry again for another one.  It was where I developed my love of food, connecting it with family, and good conversation, and togetherness.  That's also where I learned to eat slowly, so slowly that when I watch the Rottenator devour an entire chicken in 0.02 seconds, I am equally fascinated and horrified.  Our meals are nothing like that.  He's seriously done in, 10 minutes, tops, and I am struggling to keep up with him which usually ends up with me puking in a bathroom because I've eaten too much too fast and I'm totally stressed that my stomach is in a knot knowing that meal time is almost over and I may never get to eat again.

I finally understand my sister.

Going back to my father, I also remember when he got sick with cancer.  The extent of his illness was hidden from me for a long time, I was maybe 12, so I didn't understand how serious it was.  He was dying of cancer, but I remember my grandparents (my mom's parents) buying him Ensure because he was getting soooo skinny and losing so much weight he was getting gaunt and weak and they were trying anything to get him to keep his strength up.  And I remember thinking to myself, "if only he would eat, if only he gained weight, then he wouldn't be so sick and he'd get better".

Food saves all.  So maybe that's why I'm fat.  Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with my love of ice cream and cheese at all.  I'm just sayin'.

Another issue I have is OCD.  And it's getting worse the older I get.  This I get from my maternal grandmother.  Yes, the older I get, I am not, in fact, turning into my mother.  I'm turning into my grandmother, thereby completely bypassing middle age and hurdling straight down the tunnel of death towards the light with breakneck speed.

I remember my grandmother driving me bat fucking shit crazy when she got older because when she got something on her mind, it had to be taken care of now, not later, now.  Like, stop what you're doing right this very second and handle this thing now.  I don't care if you're in mid-stream, or driving, or solving the budget crisis, if you don't change this light bulb right now, the world is going to end, Rottenator.  I mean, Buster (my grandfather).

Because I'm nothing like that at all.  And neither is my mother who recently called me while I was getting ready for work in a panic because she couldn't figure out her direct TV remote and Judge Judy was coming on...in six hours.

I'm just sayin'.  These issues run deep.  And the good news is, I don't have to beat myself up for my bad habits anymore.  It's hereditary.

And what exactly does this have to do with my trip to Orlando to Universal Studios in September to see Harry Potter?  Not a damn thing, so it's not worth mentioning.

That's pretty much how I'm going to see every conversation for the next 8 months: "And what exactly does this have to do with my trip to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter?  Nothing? Then why are we still discussing it".

My Mood Ring(tone) of the Day:

30 Days of Thanks...in one post or less

Tis the season...

1. My family
2. My job
3. Money
4. Normalcy
5. The Internet
6. Cable
7. Top Chef
8. Brit Pop
9. Razors
10. Makeup
11. Hair Color
12. Bras
13. Insight
14. My Brain...most days
15. The Rottenator...some days
16. E-cigs
17. Buffy
18. New York City & London
19. Cell phones
20. Diet Cherry Pepsi
21. Electricity
22. Freedom of religion, or the freedom not to have any religion at all
23. My country
24. Cars, and the ability to drive them
25. Forgiveness
26. Christmas
27. Snow
28. The ability to appreciate beauty in almost anything
29. Inner peace
30. Spell Check

The Little Things...

So, even though I didn't get something accomplished yesterday that would be a BIG deal for me while taken for granted by a lot of other people (i.e., people who can drive), I'm okay today.

For now; it's still early. Things that are okay today:

1. I got some sleep yesterday.
2. The Rottenator and I are one step closer to getting a new car.
3. I got a comforter for $17!  And it's nice.
4. It's fall which means the weather is nice and the holidays are getting closer.
5. I ate a double Whopper yesterday and lost four pounds...in one day.

Which brings me to this point; I shall link to my sister's blog because we have the same problem.  Our bodies are endlessly fascinating, but not in the cool "oooh, look at that, it's so sparkly and lights up and awe-inspiring and beautiful" way like this pumpkin:

I'm purple and sparkly and light up, say what?!?!

But more in a WTF is going on!?!? kind of way.  I can eat ice cubes and celery for a week or eat ice cream and pizza and my body only deviates 5-8 lbs.  The only problem with this is that my body is comfortable at a weight that I am not comfortable with it being...at.

I'd be much more comfortable minus 25-30 lbs, frankly, but I think this would entail exercising and I'm not ready for that kind of commitment yet.

So I'm going to have to deal with this for now.  Oh!  I just realized something!  I had half a bottle of water yesterday so maybe that's why I lost 5lbs.  Take note, sis!  Half a bottle of water is the magic exlir.  Now watch, I'll drink a whole bottle of water today and either wake up 10 lbs lighter, or have gained 15.  Who knows.

But that will not concern me today.
     6. I got a new vacuum cleaner.
     7. I found this in my mother's yard:

Not near a sewer...possibly still a ninja

Just chillin' in her front yard.  You can't see it in the picture, but he had evil orange eyes which prevented me from picking him up despite my sister's urging because she "wanted to see what happened".  Mom says it's a box turtle.  I figured it probably escaped from the teenager who lives next door who probably bought him about 10 years ago when he was the size of a teaspoon and he finally managed the 30 steps to the front yard.

I highly doubt he is a river cooter.  That would have been too cool!  Then I could have totally texted this pic to everyone I've ever met with the title "Check out my cooter!"  And then laughed hysterically because I'm so fucking hilarious.
     8.  I haven't thought about my birthday once today...until now...dammit.
     9.  I got nothing.
    10. I have to end my list in a even number of 10 because not doing so would disrupt the natural order of things.

My  Mood(ring) Tone of the Day:

          

Happy Christmas! No...wait...

Not yet, but today means Xmas is that much closer, so with that in mind, Happy 4th of July!!!

Today signifies an important event in our nation's history in that it marks the anniversary of when we declared independence from Rule Britannia and dropped the superlative "U's" from all of our words, such as colour, flavour, and favour and also ensured that I would spend extra dollars ($) versus pounds (£) on things such as Walker's Prawn Cocktail Crisps, McVitie's Jaffa Cakes, and copies of the NME.  Alas, pip pip and whatnot.


Today also marks an anniversary of sorts for the Rottenator in that a year ago he made an important decision to get healthier, and has stuck with it, and for this, I am very proud of him.  He's come a long way, baby.  Hell, we both have, so pass the chips!


To celebrate, he bought himself some fancy new underwear:

Against my better judgement, and to the horror of fashion experts every where.  Here he is showing them off while posing in his Coca-cola fancy pants (what else?)


Classic:

And dress blues:

Hey, you never know when you might be invited to dinner with the Queen, or the President even.  It's important to always be prepared.


And because I am the most awesome of the awesomest people ever, I made him holiday chicken and dumplings.  My gesture has nothing to do with the fact that I am now dieting due to returning from El Paso about 5 lbs (not British) heavier (which was lovingly pointed out by a caring family member, thanks, mom!) and hate c&d so therefore I won't be tempted to eat them, and everything to do with the fact that I'm just so damn sweet.


And because I'm sweet, I will share this crockpot recipe with you.  It's very easy in that like most crockpot recipes, you throw everything in at the same time.  Now, you will find other recipes that will tell you to add the biscuits in towards the end, but I always find that doing that leaves the dough raw and uncooked, so I put everything in at once.  Might have something to do with the fact that our crockpot is a fast cooker (recipes that say 6 hours on low take 4 hours in ours, etc.) so all I can say is that this works for us, and the c&d connoisseur in our house says that it's one of the best, so take it as you will.


Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

1 half onion, chopped

Two 10.5oz cans condensed cream of chicken soup

Two 14.5oz cans chicken broth

1 small can (about 6) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (like Pillsbury Grands Jr), cut into bite sized pieces

salt & pepper to taste (I use a mix of salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and Lawry's seasoning salt)

Lightly grease crockpot with cooking spray (like Pam), add chicken and onions, and season with salt & pepper mix.  Give it a good stir to coat everything.

Add in two cans of condensed cream of chicken soup and one can of chicken broth. Drop in torn biscuit pieces, then add second can of chicken broth.  Carefully spoon liquid over dumplings to ensure that they are covered, then pop on the lid and set to low.

In our crockpot on low, this is usually done in about 6 hours, if on high, it's done in four.

Enjoy!  Or, if you're like me, watch someone else enjoy while you passively-aggressively digest your Lean Cuisine.

Have a Happy Holiday!

My Mood Ring(tone) of the Day:

All Together Now...

Awwwww!!!!

Yes, I'm afraid I've become "that girl", you know the one?  The Crazy Cat Lady who posts pics of their kitten's every move and has framed glamour shots of it covering the walls of her cubicle at work.

Yeah, I definitely see that in my future.

In other me news, I would totally get a new job every day if it meant receiving fantabulous gifts like this all the time.

Thanks to the Mom for the Piggybank...perhaps one day I will actually have some pennies to put into it.  J'adore.

This weekend went by really quickly, no?

How I'm feeling today:

Severe weather in Aiken claims life of senior citizen

The near tornado-like weather that hit Aiken this Friday afternoon tragically claimed the life of one elderly grandmother of three.

Reports are stating that DeArbra Weaver, 63,  died of a heart attack in the parking lot of the southside Kroger supermarket while waiting for her daughter, international sensation Kathleen Weaver, 29, to finish her one of her legendary shopping sprees.

undated photo of victim

The elder Ms. Weaver was apparently so terrified of the golf-ball sized hail and frequent lightening strikes that she refused to exit her vehicle to head for the safety of the store, and instead decided to wait it out in her car while being nearly swept away by tornado-strength winds.

She was found when nearby shoppers noticed her vehicle which was the only one stationary in a parking space with its hazard lights on, and smoke pouring from the slightly open driver's side window.

Emergency personnel responding to the scene reported that her last words were "I always knew it would end this way...one of my daughters would be the death of me.  I always thought it would be the other one, though."

When reached for comment, the other daughter, Michelle Seigler, responded,  "I'm kinda surprised she went down like that. I figured it would either be a heart attack, diabetes, or cancer.  Hell, maybe even driving her car, but I never thought it'd be weather-related.  She was scared of that shit for real."

Kathleen Weaver, the daughter present during the time of the incident, is currently on tour and could not be reached for comment.

Ms. Weaver leaves behind two very wealthy daughters, and three cute as hell grandchildren.  The family is asking that in lieu of flowers, mourners make donations to the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, or the American Cancer Society.