Sigh....

I want to point out that it is only 9:30 in the morning and I am already ready to call it a week. I want to go home and get in my jammies and have a cup of hot tea.

I carpool with two girls from my department and we drive into work each morning- saves gas for everyone and all is good...

Except when you get rear-ended...

My beautiful 2012 Honda... rear-ended.

The good news- it seems undamaged... The bad news- one of my passengers banged her head and had blurred vision... so off to the hospital she went...

Myself and my other friend continued on to work. Not gonna lie- I am a bit sore, but I will be fine.

But the story doesn't end there, because the policeman who took the report called me to tell me that the plates on my 2012 Honda are actually listed as being on the 2004 Land Rover that I sold six months before I bought my Honda.

WHAT!?!?!

He suggested I go to BMV and straighten everything out... TODAY.

Did I mention it was ten after eight in the morning when he called?

I HATE THAT LAND ROVER! AND I DON'T EVEN OWN IT ANYMORE!

So I call BMV, the registration line, and my 2012 Honda does not appear under my social security number... Just the two cars I no longer own...

I think I am going to be sick.

And the woman is talking to me like OBVIOUSLY I did not register my car... really?

Not happy... and growing concerned, because there has to be some sort of penalty for not having your car registered properly, even if it was the BMV's mistake.

Then I remember- one of my favorite Eagle Scouts, and our old Scoutmaster, works in some capacity at the BMV.

So I call and he gets back to me and I tell him the whole story.

After confirming my 2012 is listed on my insurance, my friend tells me, from an accident standpoint I am fine, and then he asks me if I have the registration sheet they gave me when they issued the plates and the memorandum title. I am sure I have them somewhere... Where exactly I have NO IDEA, but I know I didn't throw them out because I don't throw anything out. Of course I would know where it was if I had less crap, but that is another story...

My friend will look into it and call me at lunch and tell me what I need to do.

Thank God for good friends!

Journal Article

After working on this project for over six months, today was submission day. I have submitted a paper to a professional journal. I just got the confirmation:

Dear Ms. Kelly-Mancuso:


Your manuscript has been successfully submitted online.

The Editorial office will review your submission to be sure that it complies with the submission guidelines. Once your manuscript is approved, it will be assigned to an Editor for initial review. Please be sure to monitor your email for any messages from the Editorial office regarding your submission.

Please mention the above manuscript ID in all future correspondence or when calling the office for questions. If there are any changes in your street address or e-mail address, please log in to Manuscript Central at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/peddermj and edit your user information as appropriate.

You can also view the status of your manuscript at any time by checking your Author Center after logging in to http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/peddermj .

Thank you for submitting your manuscript.
I am so excited... I hope they decide to publish it... What a great day!

Tickets have been purchased...

Okay, so I still feel like I am dreaming.

We bought our airline tickets today. We are going to South Africa next summer. I am going to swim in the Indian Ocean and see amazing animals and stay at a beautiful resort...

I just cannot believe everything has fallen into place and that we have everything lined up so far in advance and at such phenomenal pricing.

We fly from Chicago to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Johannesburg and then on to Durban... Over 20 hours of flying...

Then we go on the photo safari of a lifetime...

God is good!

My New Year Reading Challenge

I plan to read 52 books this year. That is my goal. A book a week for the year. And I certainly have enough books to choose from here at home.

These will all be books I have not already read cover to cover. Some will be books I was part-way through and never finished.

Please feel free to suggest the best book you have read lately. I am excited!

And it I am visited by the tech genie, I will add the counter from GoodReads, but don't hold your breath on that one!

1 down, 51 to go!
  

   

"You are confirmed..."

I just got my e-mail confirmation regarding the Photo Safari. We are booked for the end of July and I just can't wait.

I am already packing.

My vaccines are updated. Peg is getting hers.

My passport is being updated.

There just are not words... This is a dream come true!