That Other Post Was Getting Long

If you want to read Part One of my trip to Ohio, go here.

Tuesday: I can't remember Tuesday morning. I think I slept in. Till 10. I met Sally for lunch at Tony Packo's, the non-glitzy one since it was closer. She also showed me the house her boss is building. I know, how awesome! Then more rehab in the evening so she could finally finish the paper! Which she did.

Wednesday: This morning I got up early so I could be ready in time for a quick trip through Sally's office before lunch at the yatch club with Jane, and the g-rents, and all their friends. Most of these friends are in their late 80's and early 90's. It was the most entertaining lunch I have ever been to. One woman, Naomi, showed up about an hour late. She said it was because she was worried about the snow and getting back up her driveway. Her friend told her to "Just gun it!" Naomi won't reveal her age, but she did say that the next week would be her 68th wedding anniversary. So Rose asked her how old she was when she got married, and Naomi said "Old enough to know better." They were a dynamic group!

After lunch, Sally and I finally accomplished something we do so well. Shopping. We didn't get crazy shopping, since we were going to go to Ann Arbor the next day for Outlet shopping. Although I did buy two corsets and Sally bought one. We also went into a little photo booth, hoping that we were going to take the little black and white photos on a strip. Instead, we got some wackjob computer artist who sketched us out in pixels. He kept saying stupid things too, like "Oh my, are you a model" and "oops, let me just erase that." But we did get a really fab printout for all our suffering.

Thursday: Thursday morning, we got up early (9) to get ready for the drive to Ann Arbor. Once we got our Timbits fix and TimmyHo's coffee (omg, did I not know coffee from TimmyHo's was amazing when I was at school?) we trekked into Michigan for some deals. And we spent a lot of money. But we got some cute stuff. For example: J Crew embossed beach dress, rainboots (that are not DG even if they have anchors on them, thank you very much), Banana shoes, Banana skirt, sweaters, and lord knows what else. After spending so much money, we went to AA to see where Sally is going to do her Teaching Thing. It was freezing there, but we found a Starbucks. Apparently, so had everyone else in Ann Arbor. Two story Starbucks, and nowhere to sit! We finally snagged a table and had some good Coffee Shop Talk.

Thursday night was a trip to Doc Watsons for med/law/nurse school night out. Unfortunately, I did not find a husband there. It must have been my terrible skills at pool. After we left the bar, we took Ben home. And since Nick was in bed sleeping, we decided that jumping on him would be a good idea. I backed out at the last possible second and let Ben take on Nick because in my experience with men and sleeping, someone's gonna get a black eye. Fortunately, no one got a black eye but somehow all four of us ended up in bed together. At least Nick was wearing pants.

Friday: Slept till 12:30. Watched a few hours of DVR'ed TV. Went for a long walk. In a knitted hat with bear ears. And puppet mittens. We made sloppy joes for dinner, just like we used to do at OWU. No green beans from a can though. After dinner, Sally and I tried to stay awake but we ended up falling asleep on the couch, while wearing our knitted hats.

Saturday: Woke up at 4 AM. Dragged my stuffed to the gills bag down the stairs. Went to Timmy Ho's. Coffee and a ten-pack, my love! Drove to MI and at the airport I was informed that my bag was four pounds too heavy, so I removed a jacket and she said she "would take it at 52." That's right, biotch.



I still miss being there.

I'm A Celebrity!

I'm back from Toledo and missing it like whoa. I want to write down each day for my own records. Well, that and I don't want to post some sad, inadequate post about how much I miss being there.

Friday: I love direct flights. Now that I've had two trips of direct flights, I never want to stop mid-flight again. I arrived in Detroit about 15 minutes early. Thus preventing Sally from getting to the baggage claim, or even the airport, before I had my bags and was waiting outside. She had some grand scheme of pictures taken while I descended the stairs, just like a princess or something. Once that was ruined, we loaded my heavy bag into the car and hugged awkwardly because when you're parked in the no parking zone at the airport, you feel like you must hurry, hurry, hurry or they are going to cart you away and impound your car.

Sally had a fever, so she felt awful on the drive from Detroit to Toledo. But then she took meds and the drive down to Columbus was so lovely and chatty. But also long, and the gas gauge kept dropping at an alarming rate. We finally arrived at dinner, Moretti's, where Sarah, Hallie, and Allison were waiting. They didn't even eat bread until we go there. That's how nice they are. We quickly ordered a bottle of wine, ate some bread, and ordered our food. The wine was good, a second bottle was ordered and the first bottle was given to the "wine man" who walked around the kitchen for the rest of the evening trying to make the whistle sound out of the bottle top. He succeeded!

After dinner, Sarah, Sally, Hallie, and I went out on High Street. And we had a good time. How good a time, I can't really say. There were martini's, crowded law school bar, a sketchy looking place called the Beer Stuebe, a helmet, face licking, cab ride, chips, and a conversation on IM about pickles. And then three girls passed out in a full sized bed. It was a good night. With a morning made so much better by Tim Horton's TimBits.

Saturday: After my Timbit fix, I laid around with Sarah watching the Food Network before meeting Kirstin, Krista, and Liz at Sheridan's. Which was closed! Damn them. So we went to Camille's for lunch and sat around for a few hours catching up. Then there was a mad dash to Delaware for the Yarn Store, which was closed. So we drove back to Toledo so we could have enough time to have dinner and get dressed before the party at the Blarney. The place was packed. A band was playing some great Irish songs, and many drinks were being consummed by me. The night ended with a trip to McDonalds. A place I have avoided since the last time I was in Toledo, starving in the middle of the night, about four years ago.

Sunday : I slept till noon. Took a walk with Sally and Bilge, the Prince. Went to a coffee shop so Sally could research. Read a book, tried to watch Grey's online but it kept freezing since I was steeling 2 much bandwidth. Then there was yummy Jane and Tom dinner and TV watching. I may be addicted to What About Brian now.

Monday: Slept till 10, while Sally went to work, the poor dear. Camille picked me up so we could have lunch at University of Toledo. I discovered that all Universities get rice from the same place. And U of T is of such high caliber that they have University of Toledo water glasses and forks. After a lovely U of T lunch, I went to the yarn store with Jane. Which is the whole reason I came to Toledo, like I told that nice boy at the bar on Saturday. He didn't believe me. I bought a lot of yarn, I spent a lot of money. We went to a coffee shop right next door and waited for Sally to get back from class. She had a waffle there. It was awesome. That evening, I began Rehab. The silent type. But I had yarn, so it's ok.

I'm Not Allowed To Talk Right Now

Annushka's working on a paper for her econ class and I am in this room for support. But I'm not allowed to talk. Do you think my keyboard typing is bothering her? I'm not allowed to ask. I could choose to sit downstairs and work on my knitting while watching TV, but instead I've allowed myself to be locking into the room above the garage to sit in silence while she finishes this dratted thing. I figure that since I paid a lot of money to be with her, I should be with her as much as possible. Even if there are no words. We spend a lot of time together in my "store" (room) in college, not speaking while I worked on my stories and she did reading so this is sort of tradition.

My room was called the "store" because I had a black shelve unit in my room. On the shelves, I stored my stuffed animals, books, picture frames, tea, knick-knacks, and other random things. On top of my radiator, I kept my small collection of dinosaur figurines, plus a wooded banana leaf bowl and maybe some fruit. My lotions were all lined up on my plastic, Rubbermaid dresser, and I had a plaster Bunny Plaque on the wall. (Sally still hates the Bunny Plaque. I bought it without her knowledge, she had already forbidden it's purchase) I kept my room so tidy, and grocery store like at school because I had such limited space. I am not so tidy now. I have a whole house, technically two houses, to throw my things about and not have to worry about them being thrown out or really getting in my way. I still miss the "store" though. There is something to be said for being able to live in one tiny room, with almost all of your possessions.

It makes me think I will be capable of living in a small space in Denver, then I remember the seventy pounds of Chocolate Lab that will be confined to that same space and I regain my senses. We are going to need much more than just one room.

Posted Now Because Blogger Hated Me On Thursday Night

My bag is partially packed and taking up most of the hallway. The clean clothes are thrown on top of the bag. More clean clothes (whites) are in the dryer. Toiletries are scattered all over the house. I'm still unsure about if I packed enough and will I have space to bring back all the things I'm going to buy. Not that yarn takes up a whole lot of space. But I don't want to have to board the plane on my way back looking like this:



It's quite a dashing look, don't you think? I just don't think I'd be very comfortable in my seat for the three hour trip. Plus, my return flight leaves at 6:30 in the morning and I am staying an hour from the airport. I don't know if I could put that much clothing on at 4 AM. I'm under the impression that staying up all night before my flight is a good idea. I also stay up till 4 on a regular basis, so perhaps I am alone in my brilliant plan. I forget that I have a pilot to fly me back home while Sally will only have herself to co-pilot with. Well, at least she has an ipod.

Oh, the thought of the unpacked bag and the impending traveling is making me anxious and excited. In college, the week before breaks I would have dreams where I would suddenly realize that I had to leave for the airport right away and I would simply start throwing clothes into a bag and hope that I had enough time to get to the airport. Usually, I didn't succeed. I haven't had any of those dreams this week, fortunately. I usually fret most of the way to the airport, through check-in, and past security, until I get to the gate and am reassured that the plane hasn't left without me. Only then do I feel safe to go get coffee or breakfast. Which is stupid because I always get the gate that is furthest away from the Starbucks and i have to walk half a mile to get there. My fear, so logical it is. It's silly that I stress over my plane leaving but yet I will abandon my seat in Detroit so Sally can pick me up and drive me to Columbus rather than stick with the regulations laid out in my contract with the airline, thus jepordizing my return flight and almost having to purchase a new ticket. Oh no, that doesn't stress me in the least bit.

The Day After Tomorrow

I will be in Sunny Ohio on Friday. Except the weather tells me I'm bringing some nice snow/ice mixture with me. But the temperature should be in the 30's so that's a nice change from 8.

I booked this trip with two intentions. One was that I am truly trying to move to Denver and it may be the last trip I can take for the next 6 months or so. And Two is that BB was supposed to be in Utah by now. And the trip would serve as a nice distraction to me while he was getting ready to leave as well as a escape once he had left.

But he's still here.

Don't get me wrong. I am so excited to see Annushka. I haven't seen her since last February and that is far too long. I cannot believe we've gone so long without seeing each other, yet it doesn't feel like a year. I'm so glad that I was able to convince her that my coming in January would be fine.

But it is one less week in this relationship I have with BB. I know my relationship with Sally, Sarah, and Kirstin is going to last. We've been out of school for almost two years and we still keep in touch. We get excited for visits and plan more. I don't know how much time I have left with BB. I have no illusions of us "staying together" once we are apart. We are not the couple to try and work things out long distance. I have no doubts that we will keep in touch for a while, and there will probably be a visit or two. But the relationship I've invested myself in for the past few months will be over soon. And like he said, "it's better to have something rather than nothing."

I have many somethings.

Dear Annushka

I know you're a little busy right now.

But it's been a month since your last post. And we miss you.

So, in an effort to help you out, I am going to make you blog once a day while I'm visiting. I know it's going to be hard. What with the nonstop latte drinking, movie watching, sweatpant wearing, liquor drinking, and knitting that will be going on. But we'll work on it, just baby steps. ok?

Things I Did Not Say This Morning

"OMG, real bloggers left me comments!"

No, I did not say that.

I also did not forget my Christmas present from K, even though it was right next to me all night.

Oh, no. I would never forget something that I've wanted for months!

"I almost got stuck in a ditch!"

It was not my fault.

psst. All of this is true.

Despite being stood up for the second time this weekend, I had a great time in Denver on Monday. I discovered that I am a size 4, not a size 6, according to Gap. But later I was told that I can't wear Gap jeans, so perhaps it doesn't matter. I also have love handles on my thighs that will never go away, no matter what size I'm wearing. I also have them on my hips and back. They too will never go away. Unless I try the "anorexic look" and I don't know how good I'd look with that. I'll keep my squishy parts, thank you very much.

I know I've been bitching about the snow here, but I have to retract all that. I'm glad that we don't have as much snow as Denver does. While the main streets are clear of snow, the neighborhoods are a mess. There are huge piles of snow from the plows lining the streets. Yards have two and a half feet of snow covering them. The roads have "ice pot holes" from where the snow have been compacted into ridges that no plow can sweep off. We got off easy with our foot of snow and a few warm days to melt the ice.

But I am so excited to move to Denver next month! Even if the storms are going to last until April, like some are saying! Remember Laura Ingalls Wilder and "The Long Winter"? It's gonna be just like that. Dear Lord, let "the people" be wrong.

The move to Denver in February is looking more and more logical. I have a job option for an insurance company due to knowing people who already work there and a possible roommate who has a dog so that I won't need to feel guilty about taking Hunter away from Emma. He'd rather wrestle all day and Emma doesn't, and his voice is kind of hoarse from barking at her all day in protest anyways. He's obnoxious like that. It comes in handy though, because JBelle has discovered he will bark at her and she has spent many an evening on top of the stool in the kitchen saying "Hey Huntur, come here and bourk at me! (to me) Hey, say Huntur!"

Biting The Blogger Bullet

I switched over to the new version of Blogger. I'm disappointed that it did not make a difference to my screen with Safari. Come on, Google. You wanna be the best? Then help out the Mac users.


It's snowing here again. I thought that this would make 3 storms in 3 weeks, but apparently it's the 4th storm in as many weeks. My mind has been rendered useless by all the white stuff. Actually, if the storms would choose to come during the week rather than every weekend, I wouldn't mind. If it's snowing during the week, I only have three destinations I need to be able to get to. Home, work, BB's house. But the weekend has many more options and if it's snowing I am severely chastised for attempting to use my 4-wheel drive. Actually, I try to only use two-wheel drive most of the time because 4-wheel eats up my gas and we can make it up that hill, down the street, or out of the driveway without it in most cases. And as long as I don't actually hit the mailbox, I'm ok with sliding all over our road. I have an SUV, I am wasting it if I'm not using it! Sure, you can slide all over the road in a car. But you don't have the little 4-wheel drive button to turn on when your front wheels are stuck on top of that drift of snowy ice you ran up to see if you could crush it, or a V-6 engine to help you get past that person who is going 20 miles an hour in the fast lane. (But maybe your car has a rear windshield wiper that works or you can go 400 miles on a tank of gas, shut your face.) Plus, in Colorado we don't tolerate the liberal salting of the roads like the East does. And we have a really hard time plowing the roads in a timely manner, or ever.


Apparently, this was National Delurking week (was it really National? or do I just like the way it sounds?) and I commented on two blogs! Maybe I'll make it a regular thing, posting comments. It's kind of nice to get comments. But really hard to leave them.

New pic for the profile. I look toothless in the previous one. And I didn't get 14 teeth pulled and have two years of (torture) braces to look toothless on the Internet.

"Hi, We Need You To Come Back Because We Left A Wrench Under Your Car"

I finally got my oil changed today. I was seriously overdue for one. You'd think dating someone who owes a tire/vehicle repair shop would make me a little paranoid about taking care of my car. Instead, I've actually stopped caring because if BB isn't worried then why should I! (There are numerous reasons why, I won't go into depth.)

Anyways, after I picked up my car, Big O called me back to ask that I stop by because they left a wrench or something under my car. I already have to go back there to actually pay for what they did (oil change and something to my transmission, I don't ask questions I just do what the boy tells me) since when I picked it up, BB wasn't there and I was told to work it out with him. Since I'm "special". I'd also really like to wear my Big O sweatshirt there, wait around for someone to ask me for help and be able to say "No, I don't work here. I'm just an advertisement."

A Pleasant Surprise, Or Why I Drove Home Last Night

When I got off work at 7, my mom called to tell me there was a surprise at home. I assumed it was Annushka's present to me and since she was at the Phantom of the Opera last night, I didn't feel especially inclined to go open it. We like to open the presents we send each other while we are on the phone. Just in case we don't like it, we don't want each other to have time to prepare a little speech about it being "so great, thanks!"

Anyways, it wasn't a package. Honestly, I was hoping it was my mom's friend Virle from Austin. Abe's a pretty good second though. He brought a puppy with him, who they named October. The puppy already knows his name, which is a big shame because Toby is SUCH a cute name. But I've tried, he doesn't respond to Toby. October did manage to steal Hunter's stuffed bunny from him last night. Toby can't weigh more than 5 pounds and he was able to get the toy, which is much larger than him, behind him and stand possessively in front of it. He kept snapping at Hunt when Hunter tried to take it back because Hunt's a jealous whore when it comes to his toys, and also "my mommy gave that to me, you better give it back! Right now!" It was refreshing to see a dog put Hunter in his place, it's just hilarious that the one pet who can weighs as much as his left paw.

October is a beagle, and this morning when I let him out of his kennel, he showed his true beagle side by refusing to come out because I am a stranger. I've had Labs for so long that I don't understand a timid puppy. A puppy who doesn't immediately cover my legs in joyous hugs that I am in such close proximity to him! Or launch himself out of the cage to run around me, and kiss my face before I have time to stand up. Beagles are weird.

I'll take my Bucky Boy any day!

Here, Have A Pretzel!

Photo blogging is addicting! Right now, when I have no photos to post because I'm on a work computer and not a personal one with 2,453 photos at my disposal, I am feeling very limited in blogging.

Also, I made a fatal mistake in saying "I have a blog" in front of a bunch of people and the sounds of despair were clearly audible. Sure, there are a lot of lame blogs. Most of the people with lame blogs don't actually post all that often. Or they do, thus the lameness. (Not that I am an incredibly cool blogger. But I'm cute and smart, so I don't care!)

fortunately, I didn't give out my blog address or I would have to start a new one. Which would be a shame because I'm very fond of my blog name and I don't think I could come up with a better one. I adore the bar boys, but I do not want them to read this. See, they think I'm kind of cool. And I don't want to blow that by knowing that they read my blawwwg and "God, she's obsessed with her niece."

Maybe I should put Hunter on here to balance out the obsession!

2006

I've been struggling with deciding on what kind of post to do about 2006. I don't really feel like doing a little survey one because they are long and predictable and they always ask about one night stands as if those are something needs to post on the internet to various strangers. Hi, I'm a whore! No, really. Ask some of my friends.

And I'd like to do a photo recap, even though I hate most of the photos since I've lost so much weight this year and also it's a lot of work to find those photos, email them, and post them here.

Eh, oh well! I'll do it anyways!

JANUARY
This was New Year's Day. I spent New Year's Eve with Jo and Heidi at a party in Denver.











This photo is the return of JBelle to our lives. She was missing over Christmas due to the male ego of my brother. I'm just glad she's back!










February

Annushka came to visit me for the first time ever! This day was a cold, snowy, dark day and it may be one of my favorite days of all time. There is something about hanging out in a river, on the side of a mountain, in 22 degree weather with your best friend. Who may or may not have a rock in her ear.











We went to a bar. They probably served us beer.










March

I needed something to cheer me up in anticipation of Annushka leaving me. So I planned a trip to DC with Duncan Donuts over her spring break.












I love DC.













April

She's speaking Monster.

2006 Continued

May

Earlier that day, JBelle and I sat on the floor in the kitchen with towels and ate a lot of watermelon. We're cool rebels like that.














The Annual Trip To The Zoo. This is an Uncle K and I tradition that we started right before I left for college. Uncle K and I hadn't spent much time together before that due to my dad but we started again that year and it's been our thing ever since. And now that JBelle is around, she's going to join in on the fun. The Tradition Of The Niece!












This is Abely Tably in his Senior Picture. I'm so glad he graduated! Now please go to college.














June

How most of the early summer was spent.












July

And then we put the pool up. You'd think this means I am one tan babe, but if you look in the background you can clearly see the huge rain clouds in the sky. Maybe we had a wonderful, wet, green summer but I'm not tan so I don't care.












August


Highlights of August: I turned 23 on the 23rd so this was my Golden Birthday. I spent it working at the bar (another highlight! Cash!). I also met my boyfriend, BB, there. Oh, and I cut my hair. Technically I cut my hair in September, but it really needed it in August.
















September

These are balloons from BB, who owns Big O. JBelle likes balloons. Well, she really liked the "geen one".

2006 Extended

October
For Halloween, I wore my mother's old costume from Pinky's. I wore an apron at work, so it wasn't until I walked away from someone that they saw I essentially had no pants on, and boy were the looks on their faces fun!


















In October, Duncan Donuts came to visit me! She made brownies, but I doubt Kate ate them. I bet Jack did though!








Here we are on a romantic picnic at the winery. They aren't allowed to serve you a glass in their tasting room, but they will allow you to buy a bottle, open it for you, and give you glasses, as long as you drink it outside. You should see the pictures after the bottle was empty!


November
I was left alone for two whole weeks while my mom went to visit fam and friends in OK. During that time, I learned that the dogs are perfectly behaved when left alone inside, and that JBelle does know her ABC's she is just using that as leverage to goad me.


December
There are no pictures of December because my camera is broken. This is a terrible shame. And will be remedied soon.